Reviews

Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K: Two-minute review

(Image credit: Alex Blake / Future)

Razer’s latest addition to its Basilisk range of gaming mice is the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K, but compared to the (now discontinued) Basilisk V3 Pro, you might think that Razer has simply added a new higher-DPI sensor, stuck “35K” on the name, and called it a day. Yet in actuality, there’s much more to its new mouse than that.

Sure, the sensor is part of it – Razer has increased the DPI from 30,000 to 35,000 – and if you’re an esports pro, you might be enticed by that. But there are changes for everyday gamers too, from longer battery life to a “Smart-Reel mode” that changes how the scroll wheel works on the fly.

Aside from the new additions, this is just an excellent mouse, plain and simple. Its clicks are quiet and satisfying, it skims smoothly across your mouse mat, and its HyperSpeed wireless 2.4GHz receiver provides reliable connectivity. These features might not grab the headlines, but they’re just as important as those that do. Combined, these features all make this a really solid gaming mouse.

Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K: Price & availability

• How much does it cost? $159.99 / £159.99 / $279.95 AUD
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available globally

Razer doesn’t price the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K cheap – at $159.99 / £159.99 / $279.95 AUD, it’s a serious investment. There’s an awful lot of excellent tech included, so you do get what you pay for, but you’ll need to think about whether it’s right for you before pulling the trigger.

Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K: Design Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Future / Alex Blake)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Alex Blake / Future)

The Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K is one of Razer’s chunkier gaming mice, and much of this is due to its sculpted, ergonomic form factor. There’s a concave cutout for your thumb that’s covered in textured dimples for extra grip, while the mouse has an asymmetrical profile when viewed from the front, with the left-click button rising higher than its right-click sibling. Put together, it’s a very comfortable design.

At the same time, that extra bulk means it’s quite a heavy mouse. Weighing in at 115g, there are many lighter gaming mice out there. If you play fast-paced games where rapidly moving your pointer around the screen is a key element, the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K might not be quite right for you. Part of that is compensated for by the 35,000 DPI sensor (more on that later), but it doesn’t make the weight irrelevant.

Razer’s mouse comes with 11 programmable buttons, including right click (you can’t change left click), a scroll wheel that can be pushed in, moved up and down, and tilted left and right, two customizable buttons behind the scroll wheel, and three thumb buttons on the left-hand side (including one that’s set to lower the mouse sensitivity when held, which is useful for precise aiming during gameplay). Getting your thumb to that last one is a bit of a stretch, but otherwise all the buttons are easily reachable.

(Image credit: Alex Blake / Future)

The scroll wheel is worth diving into a little more. It can be set to either ratchet or spin freely when you move it – or it can do both thanks to Razer’s Smart-Reel feature, ratcheting when moved normally and spinning when you flick it quickly. While this is potentially very useful, the wheel makes a loud, disconcerting slicing sound every time it switches modes. Nothing is actually breaking, but it’s a bit distracting. Still, when set to ratchet, the wheel is firm without being too rigid, making it ideal for use in fast-paced gameplay.

This wouldn’t be a Razer product if you couldn’t set all kinds of intricate RGB effects, and the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K impresses here. While the scroll wheel and Razer logo on the back of the mouse can light up, the real head-turner is the underside lighting, which gives a pleasant, subtle effect in use. Unfortunately, you won’t see much of it, as most of the RGB is covered by your hand (plus you’ll mainly be staring at your screen anyway). It can also speed up the mouse’s battery drain – I turned it off in the end.

Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K: Performance Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Alex Blake / Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Alex Blake / Future)

The mouse’s new optical sensor ramps all the way up to 35,000 DPI, which is frankly far more than I need (and it probably is for you too). Still, Razer boasts that it offers “best-in-class tracking performance on a wider variety of surfaces,” and I found it to be very accurate in use for both everyday work and gaming.

I connected the mouse to my PC using Razer’s HyperSpeed wireless 2.4GHz receiver, which was solid and reliable. If you have a compatible Razer keyboard, you can use a single HyperSpeed dongle for both your peripherals. The Basilisk V3 Pro 35K also offers wired and Bluetooth connectivity.

Paired with Synapse, there are a lot more controls for adjusting the mouse to your liking; you can customize the DPI down to the single-digit level, should you so desire. Not only can you set the scroll wheel’s spin mode (ratchet, free spin or Smart-Reel), but you can also tell Synapse how fast you need to spin the wheel before free spin mode kicks in.

(Image credit: Alex Blake / Future)

There’s also Razer’s smart tracking feature, which enables the mouse to set a consistent lift-off distance across different surfaces, and set separate lift-off and landing distances, too. As well as that, you’ll find a DPI sensitivity matcher that ports your DPI settings from other mice, scroll acceleration configuration, and more. In other words, you get a lot of control over the way your mouse works.

One of the other changes that came with the 35K model of the Basilisk V3 Pro is improved battery life. Razer says you’ll get up to 140 hours of juice out of it, and this seems about right. My review unit arrived with about 80% battery life, and I probably tested it for close to 100 hours in total. By the end, it was down to 15%. That was with RGB turned off and while using the HyperSpeed wireless 2.4GHz receiver, so your mileage may vary if you do things differently.

Should you buy the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K?

(Image credit: Alex Blake / Future) Buy the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K if…

You want an ergonomic mouse

Razer has done a great job of sculpting the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K to neatly fit your hand, while (almost) all the buttons are easily reachable.View Deal

You value customization

With the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K, you can tweak everything from the DPI and RGB lightshow to the way the scroll wheel works. You can even import sensitivity settings from other mice using the Synapse app.View Deal

You need lots of programmable buttons

The Basilisk V3 Pro 35K may not have a grid of side buttons like Razer’s Naga mouse, but it has a surprising number of programmable buttons that you can set up how you like.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

You’re left-handed

While the Basilisk V3 Pro 35K is well-designed for right-handers, there’s no left-handed option.View Deal

You don’t want something heavy

This is not a lightweight mouse, and while it’s not so heavy that it’s going to strain your arm, no one would describe it as featherweight.View Deal

Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K: Also consider

Logitech G502 X Plus

Another highly sculpted ergonomic mouse, the Logitech G502 Plus redesigns a gaming classic in a brilliantly considered way. Read our full Logitech G502 Plus review View Deal

Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro

The Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro is one of the best gaming mice you can buy. It offers impeccable performance and excellent ergonomics in a lightweight form factor. Read our full Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro reviewView Deal

How I tested the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K

I spent a week using the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K, including both gaming and work tasks. I also tried its Synapse companion app to see how easy it is to customize the mouse, set macros, change settings, and more.

First reviewed December 2024

Shure SE215 review: Review

The Shure SE215 have made quite a name for themselves in the live music scene, offering solid monitoring capabilities at a competitive price point. Specifically, the SE215 are often available for less than $100 / £100 / AU$200, meaning they’re a fairly low-priced set of entry-level in-ear monitors for live performers, producers, or fans of wired listening.

Let’s start where it matters most: sound quality. The Shure SE215 have a self-proclaimed “warm” sound signature and look to showcase “enhanced bass” while still delivering clear, detailed overall audio. So, how do they fare? Generally, quite well.

First, the Shure SE215 live up to their promise of offering enhanced bass. When I tuned into Black Eye by Allie X, the thumping drum machine had impressive levels of depth and responsiveness, making for a punchy, rhythmic listening experience. Generally, the track’s bouncing bassline was managed well, sounding controlled and impactful throughout the song’s runtime – something I’d always look for when testing the best wired earbuds.

And this was a recurring theme, pretty much every tune I threw on offered very good low-end depth, especially considering the price you pay for these IEMs. The only slight issue you may have is that the higher focus on bass can result in a slightly cluttered sound, especially at top volumes.

When listening to I Want You by Moloko, the song’s pounding bass was both impactful and immersive, but cranking the volume up could sometimes create a slightly overbearing, cluttered sound. This could be slightly frustrating for musicians who want ultra-clear, expertly balanced information during sets, but again, at medium volumes, I found the focus on bass to be pleasing, rather than a source of severe bloating.

The only other complaint I’d have sonically is that highs can sometimes sound a touch inaccurate with these IEMs. For instance, cymbals in I Want You sounded prominent but slightly harsh, particularly the crash that connects the intro to the main portion of the track. But otherwise, audio quality is up to standard here. Vocals, although not perfectly breathy or realistic, are clear and well-balanced, while music rarely sounds distorted or tinny.

Despite offering commendable audio quality, I’d argue that the real highlight of the SE215 is in another domain entirely – passive noise isolation. I’ve been impressed by Shure’s wired noise cancellation before (see my Shure AONIC 3 review), and these deliver more than enough protection against external sounds.

When using the default foam tips and listening at around 50% volume I could barely hear anything in my office, from typing through to colleagues conversing. At one stage, there was some drilling taking place, which was audible, but strongly dulled, thanks to the excellent seal these ear tips provide. So, if you’re a musician who needs a consistent, clear audio feed, free from too much distraction, the SE215 will serve you well.

Speaking of the included ear tips, you get the usual selection of small, medium and large included. But that’s not all, you also get the same, but in gel form, if you find that more comfortable for longer in-ear listening. On top of that, you get a fabric carrying case included with the earbuds, which has a clip that can attach to a belt or bag – pretty handy. For the price, you do get a decent amount included, but something worth considering is that there’s no in-line mic or controller. You can detach the cable and switch it out for an alternative with such features, but you’ll have to cough up extra for this.

I mentioned earlier that you get a great seal with these earbuds and the overall fit is very secure. The buds are attached to a bendy wire that can be molded around your ear – ideal for keeping them in-ear when you’re on the move. I would argue, however, that these aren’t the comfiest buds on the market. You definitely get a reliable, tight fit but they can feel a bit uncomfortable after a couple of hours. So, if you’re looking for a wired option for casual listening, they may not be the best option.

Regardless, these are well-made IEMs with good build quality. The earbuds I tested came in a see-through, black-tinted shell so you can see the components powering the IEMs. That might not be for everyone, but I found it made for a cool-looking aesthetic. The buds don’t appear cheap or fragile, either, so these should last you some considerable time. They don’t have a specific waterproof rating, but Shure’s website claims that they’re sweat-resistant at the least, making them fit for purpose if you’re an on-stage performer.

Finally, the included wire is decently slim, except for the slightly chunky Y-connector. You’ll hear a bit of cable noise if moving around with these earbuds, but it’s decently muted, meaning the SE215 do well at mixing style and substance overall.

All in all, the Shure SE215 are a very solid pair of entry-level IEMs, that offer impressive bass, pleasing clarity, excellent noise isolation, and a neat design. Audio can get a little bloated at top volumes and you might not find them the most comfortable buds on the market, but they’re still more than fit for purpose, whether you’re on the stage, cooking up beats in the studio or indulging in some leisurely listening at home.

(Image credit: Future) Shure SE215 review: Price and release date

• $99 / £90 / AU$179
• Launched in 2011

The Shure SE215 were released all the way back in 2011, but they’re still a super-popular option among musicians and fans of wired listening in general. They’re available for around $99 / £90 / AU$179, but you can pick them up for even less on sale, so keep an eye out for sweet deals. This model is available in a range of color options, including Black, Blue, Clear and Purple.

Shure SE215 review: Specs

(Image credit: Future) Should you buy the Shure SE215 review? Buy them if...

You want some entry-level IEMs
If you want some solid buds for monitoring audio during a live set or similar, the Shure SE215 are a good option. They don’t offer the most incredible levels of detail available, but you’ll get clear audio and a strong bass response that will likely get the job done.

You’re not looking to break the bank
If you’re searching for a step up in the world of wired listening, but don’t want to cough up too much money, the SE215 are worth considering. At less than $100 / £100 /AU$200, these certainly fit the bill – you won’t have to put up with the tinny or distorted audio that a lot of super-cheap options plate up, but you’ll not get top-tier audio either.

Don't buy them if...

You want an option for casual listening
For those of you that love wired listening, but aren’t into stage or studio monitoring, there are better options out there for you. Even the far cheaper SoundMagic E11C are an awesome option for more casual listeners who want a decently detailed listen on a budget.

You’re on the search for top-tier audio
The SE215 do sound good, with impressive bass levels and generally clear audio, but they’re not the most premium-sounding. If you want really great wired audio that’s even suitable for studio use, the Sennheiser IE 600 are an excellent choice, though you’ll have to splash a fair amount of cash.

Shure SE215 review: Also consider

Sennheiser IE 200
Clear, well-rounded sound, a gorgeous design and a lightweight feel. They’re just some of the Sennheiser IE 200’s star qualities, which have earned it the title of ‘best step-up earbuds’ in our wired earbuds guide. Price-wise, they’re a little more than the Shure SE215, but on sale, you can easily grab them for around $100 / £100. You may not find as good noise isolation here, but audio-wise, these are very strong. Read our full Sennheiser IE 200 review.

SoundMagic E80D
Whether you’re looking for an option that’s better sorted to casual listening or just want a pair of buds for USB-C listening, the SoundMagic E80D are well-worth considering. With a built-in DAC, impressively detailed audio and an excellent low-price, you’re looking at an awesome all-rounder. Read our full SoundMagic E80D review.

Shure SE215 review: How I tested

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested for two weeks
• Used in the office and while outdoors
• Predominantly tested using Tidal on FiiO M11S

I tested the Shure SE215 over the course of two weeks. I predominantly listened with them using Tidal on the FiiO M11S, but also tried them out using Spotify on my Windows laptop. I tested the SE215 in the office, at home and while out on walks near busy roads to assess noise-isolation capabilities.

When listening to music I played tracks from the TechRadar testing playlist, which contains songs from a variety of genres – though I also spent hours tuning into songs from my personal library.

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

Back in July 2023, I reviewed the Oakywood Custom Standing Desk. Almost a year and a half later, Oakywood released the upgraded version. They call this the Oakywood Standing Desk Pro. Its groundbreaking custom designing tool is now a staple in its product line, and the company has gone about upgrading a few areas of the aforementioned Oakywood Custom Standing Desk to make it an even better desk - believe it or not.

But before I delve into that, it's worth noting that as the desire and demand for ergonomic solutions in professional workspaces and unique home offices continue to increase, an issue in sizing continues to arise. Run-of-the-mill sizing doesn't always work for those unique basements, side rooms, corners of bedrooms, and dedicated home offices. They don't even always fit in professional offices.

So, Oakywood set out to solve that issue by using their custom sizing. They have this Standing Desk Pro if you need a "normal" to "large" desk. If you have a smaller space to fill, they have the Standing Desk Pro Mini. Both can be customized to fit your space and have the exact grommets, accessories, and colorways. There's something about getting to customize every aspect of your desk that is incredibly satisfying. All this customization comes at a price, but so does having a desk that doesn't fit - I'll let you decide which price you want to pay. Want to see how the new upgrade compares to the best standing desks I've reviewed? I put this one to the test.

Oakywood Standing Desk Pro: Price and Availability

The base configuration of the Oakywood Standing Desk Pro starts at $1,190 and can climb quickly when you kit it out with accessories and sizing. If I max out the pricing, I can get the Oakywood Standing Desk Pro up to $3,390 without accessories. Speaking of accessories, Oakywood sells great desk shelves, MagSafe stands, cable management, laptop stands, and desk mats.

Oakywood can ship globally, but remember that if you are customizing a desk, they need time to rally to build and custom-cut your desk and then ship it out. Those lead times can be up to 9 weeks, but customizing a hunk of beautiful walnut into a desk takes time to get it right. You can run to Target or shop on Amazon for a cheap desk or a desk now.

Another thing that is super impressive and shows the kind of company that Oakywood is is that they promote pricing transparency. They have a diagram that showcases just where your dollar spent with them goes, making you feel a bit better knowing that your money is going to a good place.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Oakywood Standing Desk Pro: Unboxing and First Impressions

Most of the time, my first impressions of a desk start when I get it and frequently as soon as I unbox it. However, based on the online editor tools, I can state my first impressions of this desk. I could not wait to get my hands on my custom desk, especially after trying the newer grommet options and choosing a solid walnut desk with complementing accessories.

The packaging was compact and well-organized, making it incredibly easy to unpack. This desk came in a box that was screwed shut and not just taped shut, which I appreciated knowing that it helped protect my custom desk. The boxes contained the desktop, adjustable steel frame legs, a control panel, assembly tools, and the cables needed.

Right away, I loved the premium finish on the wood, the robust build quality, and how easy this was to build. It took only minutes, unlike most desks, which take significantly longer.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Oakywood Standing Desk Pro: Design and Build Quality Specs

Height Range: 63-128 cm (24.8-50.4 inches)
Lifting Speed: 60 mm/s with noise levels under 40 dB
Maximum load: 70 kg (154 lbs)

I chose a Solid Walnut desk, though they also have solid oak, oak and walnut veneer, and black-stained oak. If you're interested in the veneer tabletops, they are finished with eco-friendly oil wax and are much lighter and cheaper than the solid wood variants.

All around, the desk is minimal, and I love that. It's a beautiful art piece in and of itself. It's a finely crafted piece of wood that looks good on its own, not to mention once it's staged with other beautiful gear.

The desk can raise and lower quickly and quietly, making it perfect for pretty much any space; no worries about whether it will be too loud.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Oakywood Standing Desk Pro: In use

This desk was exactly what I was hoping it would be. It's clean, professional, sleek, works great, is high quality, and looks gorgeous. This quickly became my dedicated iPad desk, which I shared with another team member. However, without getting too specific on my use case, what matters is that this desk works wonderfully. The grommet built into the desk is great for hiding cables, whether you have a desk shelf or not. Without it, it's a great cable catch, too. With a desk shelf, it works excellent to route cables where they need to go (like in the back of a monitor.

The controller for raising and lowering the desk is pretty sleek. It's a handle and display in the same piece. Lift the little knob, and the desk goes up; push it down, and you guessed it, it goes down. Within the knob is a display that reads out the height as well. What's brilliant is that you can move to a saved preset with a double click.

I'm 6'2" and the other reviewer that tried this desk is about 6'3". The Oakywood Standing Desk Pro not only can reach our preferred standing height, but it's also still stable at that height, which is terrific.

Lastly, I threw this desk on casters, which I do for most of my desks. Caster wheels make for a super easy transition if (let's be honest... when) I decide to change something up. I can roll the desk away from the wall, make my adjustments, and then roll it back. Or, in the case of a multi-purpose room, if that room needs to be used for something other than an office, the desk can roll right out without any worries or damage.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Oakywood Standing Desk Pro: Final verdict

The Oakywood Standing Desk Pro combines aesthetics, sustainability, and ergonomic functionality, making it an excellent choice for modern workspaces. Although its premium pricing and custom order lead times may not appeal to everyone, it's a worthwhile option for those looking to make a long-term investment in their workspace.

For more workplace essentials, we reviewed the best office chairs and best office desks.

• View or buy at Narwal

Narwal Freo Z Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop two-minute review

Launched to great acclaim at Europe’s biggest tech show, IFA (where it snagged two awards), the Narwal Freo Z Ultra is a successor to the brand's Freo X Ultra. Significant upgrades include dual RGB cameras, LiDAR navigation, and an increase in suction power from 8,200 to 12,000Pa. In layman’s terms, it’s better at obstacle avoidance and adaptive cleaning, plus it sucks up more dirt!

In my tests, I found the Z Ultra excelled at both mopping and vacuuming on hard floors (of which I have many) but it was less cool on carpet. To be fair, I’ve tested some of the very best robot vacuums and am yet to find one that can handle dusty carpets as well as the best manual vacuums for carpet, which always have more power and better filters.

I loved all the smart automation, which meant I didn’t have to zone off carpets to stop them getting soggy or worry about what power level or speed to set. As a germophobe I also really appreciated how hygienic this robot is; cleaning and drying itself after every session.

Its mapping powers were also great, but I would have liked a quick option for spot cleans. Many robots allow you to mark a zone on the map where there’s a spill and send the robot straight there to clean. The only way I could work out to do this was in video mode, where you can manually navigate the vacuum. The issue here was the video was glitchy about connecting and often flatly refused – not ideal if you have spilt something that could stain and needs speedy attention.

I also had a few bin-related issues, and mopping was deadly s-l-o-w, but absolutely worth the wait. Ideal for large homes with mostly hard surfaces, the Narwal Freo Z Ultra suits tech-savvy homeowners who appreciate an integrated app and can get their head around fine-tuning settings. Technophobes and the impatient (and anyone on a budget) might prefer to steer clear.

Read on for my full Narwal Freo Z Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop review.

Narwal Freo Z Ultra review: price & availability

• List price: $1499.99 / AU$2,499
• Launch date: October 2024
• Availability: US / AU

The Narwal Freo Z Ultra launched in October 2024 and at time of writing is available to buy in the US and Australia, with a list price of $1,499.99 or AU$2,499. That places it firmly in the premium price bracket. There’s no getting away from it, the Narwal Freo Z Ultra is a pricey robot vacuum sitting at the very top of the market in both Australia and North America. You can save a few dollars by waiting for seasonal sales (the Black Friday deals often include some big robovac price-drops).

There are two accessories pack options. Option 1 will set you back an extra $259.99, and costs of a whole raft of brushes, detergents, dust bags and mop pads. Option 2 gets you a few of the most-used accessories, for $100. You can also add a one-year extended warranty plan for $79. Buying the accessories individually will soon add up – a replacement detergent is $29.99 – so it’s worth doing the math before you decide which option to start with.

While the Narwal Freo Z Ultra is an investment appliance, it will save you a LOT of time and it’s by far the best mopping robot I’ve tested. I wouldn’t buy it purely for vacuuming, but as a combo, it might be worth the spends.

• Value for money score: 3.5 out of 5

Narwal Freo Z Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop specs Narwal Freo Z Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop review: design

• Stylish robot with mopping and vacuuming skills
• Large mop heads and spinning brushes for getting close to edges
• Decent capacity water reservoirs

Arriving in a huge box, I needed an extra pair of hands to unload the Z Ultra and was grateful for the hand grips in the base station when positioning the heavy unit next to a power point. It comes with a simple instruction card for first-time setup, as well as a more comprehensive user manual. I used the former to install the side brushes, insert the detergent and add clean water. My daughter got a lot of satisfaction from removing a gazillion instructional stickers from both the base station and vacuum unit.

Box size comparison with 11-year-old Bonnie! (Image credit: Future/Linda Clayton)

The design of the Freo Z Ultra, and base station, is very stylish indeed, which is just as well given that it’s hard to hide! Choose from Galaxy White or Space Gray. All the edges are softly curved and, with its two camera ‘eyes’ in the front, has the cute vibes of Pixar’s Wall-E, which is exactly how I like my robot vacuums. The various lids and covers pop off without breaking any fingernails, and everything is easy to access.

(Image credit: Future/Linda Clayton)

Underneath, this robot has two large microfibre style mops that Velcro on, as well as two rotating side brushes that are a good length for getting into corners. The main roller brush has a rubber flipper part as well as brushes to suit both hard floors and carpets, plus its anti-hair tangle design does actually work. As I have two daughters and two spaniels who seem to molt year-round, I was delighted to swerve the odious task of cutting swathes of hair from around a roller. (Effective anti-hair wrap brushrolls are a key feature amongst the best robot vacuums for pet hair.)

One unusual feature I’ve not seen anywhere else is a fluffy baseboard duster that attaches with Velcro on one side and is designed to gather dust from the tops of your skirting boards as it goes along the edges of the room

The large mops lift up when vacuuming. (Image credit: Future/Linda Clayton)

The Narwal Freo Z Ultra’s base station has two large containers for clean and dirty water. These are are easy to lift in and out, but you'll want to make sure the dirty water reservoir’s lid is properly clipped on, or you may have to clean up a mini flood.

The dirty water bin is very satisfying to empty! (Image credit: Future/Linda Clayton)

There’s also a dust collection bag and compartment into which to slot the bottle of floor cleaning solution that’s supplied. The bot does work without the detergent module in place, which is handy given they cost nearly $30 a pop. There’s a cool little window strip in the base that shows the water being ionized. It’s not clear why the water needs to be ionized but if you like watching bubbling water, take a peek.

• Design score: 4 out of 5

Narwal Freo Z Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop review: performance

• Amazing at obstacle avoiding and navigation
• Great at mopping, poor on carpet
• Self-cleaning is great, but self-emptying hit and miss

The first job any robot vacuum has to complete is a map of the house, which this little beauty did in 17 minutes – impressive given we have quite a few little rooms, and many obstacles. (Here's more on how to prepare your house for a robot vacuum, if you're unsure.)

The mapping was precise and accurate. I liked how the map shows where the rugs and carpets are; often you have to add your own, which requires some guesswork on precise positioning. I’ll discuss the App in more depth later, but it was easy to name each room and set up no-go zones and divide rooms. Another bonus of the Freo Z Ultra is the ability to choose from a wide menu that covers mop, vacuum, mop & vacuum, and mop then vacuum. Some models I’ve tested don’t allow you to just mop.

The robovac didn't get quite as close to the edges of rooms as I'd like (Image credit: Future/Linda Clayton)

Once I’d got to grip with the controls, I loaded up the water tank and tasked the Freo Z Ultra to vacuum and mop my entire ground floor, which is mostly engineered wood, with some terracotta, porcelain, luxury vinyl and of course rugs and carpet. Pretty diverse then.

While it was possible to set my own cleaning parameters, the Freo Z Ultra has an AI mode that uses various sensors and cameras to automatically adapt to different floor types and dirt levels. This takes the brainwork out of setting up and ended up being my go-to mode throughout my three-week trial period.

The first thing I noticed was how good the Freo Z Ultra was at obstacle avoidance – no banging into furniture or corners and no dragging cables or dog toys around the floor with it. (TechRadar's article on how robot vacuums navigate walks through the typical approaches brands use.) I never once got a message to say the roller brush was stuck, which is the usual warning that a robot has eaten something it shouldn’t! It was also excellent at powering over thresholds and the annoying chair legs I have that robot vacuums usually get grounded on, and spin like mad until sending a stuck error message.

(Image credit: Future/Linda Clayton)

The second thing I noticed was how it doesn’t get terribly close to the edges in mopping mode. When vacuuming, I could see the little spidery side brushes pulling dog hair and dander in from the edge but in mop mode there was a clear inch or more of bone-dry flooring around the perimeter of the room and any floor-level furniture like our kitchen units and sideboard.

And on the subject of edges, I’m sorry but the little fluffy baseboard duster on the side of the robot is only going to work if you have super low baseboards. Like many heritage properties, the baseboards in our Victorian home are quite high so it doesn’t reach the tops, aka the only bits that need dusting.

The mop edging wasn't brilliant, especially alongside the kitchen kickboards. (Image credit: Future/Linda Clayton)

The Freo Z Ultra doesn’t carry any water onboard, which is unusual. Instead, it loads its mops up with warm, soapy water at the base station before heading out to clean. I was concerned this would result in dry patches of flooring, but the dampness levels were perfect – not too wet (important on real timber flooring), nor too dry.

The only downside is it has to make repeat returns to load up with more water, which can elongate the cleaning time, especially in rooms that are furthest from the base. For example, it took 1hr 19mins to mop our utility and hallway, which is an area of just 40 sq m. To vacuum and mop the whole ground floor, 68.3sq m, the Freo Z Ultra took a tedious 2h 41mins. Imagine how long it would take if I asked it to vacuum and then mop, rather than do it consecutively. I didn’t want to find out! I’ve never tested a robot that spends longer than two hours on the job.

When the robot returns to base after mopping and vacuuming, it automatically empties the bin and cleans its mop heads and then dries them. The latter takes a couple of hours but it’s incredibly quiet, so you won’t notice it. I did have to set the bin emptying to every run on the app, otherwise it clogged up and couldn’t self-empty itself. Hardly surprising given how microscopic the onboard bin is. Even then, there were a few times the bin just wasn’t self-emptying, even though it said it was, which was frustrating.

(Image credit: Future/Linda Clayton)

There are a handful of extra features – perhaps the most interesting one being that in Video mode you can see through your robot’s 'eyes' and remote control it around your home. That means you can use it as a security bot, or to check up on pets and send it off to specific locations. This mode isn't authorized by default, you'll need to manually switch it on if you want to use it.

Cleaning tests

When it came to running our standard vacuuming tests – one using a fine mix of biscuit and flour, and another using oats to represent larger particles – the results were a mixed bag. The Freo Z Ultra did well on the hard floors, eventually anyway. It took at least three passes and full power mode to get everything up.

I used multiple ‘no-go’ zones on the map to create my 1m x 1m test area, but the robot still seemed to spend far longer cleaning around the area I had made my test spills than it did actually dealing with the mess. This led me to seriously question Narwal’s claims that it homes in on and targets dirt using its beady little cameras and sensors.

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Flour on hard floors (Image credit: Future/Linda Clayton)Image 2 of 6

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Oats on hard floors (Image credit: Future/Linda Clayton)Image 5 of 6

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Oats on hard floors (Image credit: Future/Linda Clayton)

With oats on carpet, the results were middling. The robot pushed things around a fair bit and it took three runs before they were gone. The dog may have helped!

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Oats on carpet (Image credit: Future/Linda Clayton)Image 2 of 3

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Oats on carpet (Image credit: Future/Linda Clayton)

On carpet, the fine mix removal was very disappointing. I gave up after three attempts and got my cordless vacuum out. Although this isn't great news, I'd argue that it's not often you'll experience this level of concentrated 'dust' and I was always happy with its carpet cleaning results in general.

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Flour on carpet (Image credit: Future/Linda Clayton)Image 2 of 3

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Flour on carpet (Image credit: Future/Linda Clayton)

Next, I tried out the mop function by 'spilling' first Ribena juice and then ketchup, which I left to dry, on the porcelain tiles in our cloakroom (I didn’t want to risk stains on our timber floors). These results were much better, although the dried-on ketchup required two passes to complete the job. According to Narwal, this impressive mopping is achieved via dual rotating mop heads that press down with 1.2kg of force and spin at 180 RPM. Other robot mops I’ve used either just drag a static mop pad along, or have a vibrating mop, this spinning tech is the closest I’ve come to mimicking real mop work. And the results show it.

Apparently, this robot also analyses the waste water to decide if another cleaning run is required but I had to make that decision myself with the ketchup; the Freo Z Ultra thought it was done after one attempt.

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Wet spill (Image credit: Future/Linda Clayton)Image 2 of 6

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Dried-on ketchup (Image credit: Future/Linda Clayton)

To check navigational skills, our final test involves placing a sock (in a similar shade to the flooring) a shoe and a charger cable on the floor. The Freo Z Ultra absolutely nailed this test, not touching any of the objects but getting close enough to clean sufficiently around them.

All these common objects were successfully swerved. (Image credit: Future/Linda Clayton)

The Freo Z Ultra takes around 2.5 hours to charge, which is a bit speedier than normal, and has a run time of just over 2 hours 15mins (in vacuum and mop mode), which is about the standard for a high-end robot. It automatically returns to the base to charge if it runs low on juice during a cleaning cycle, which is also the norm. If I was asking it to do the whole house, it never managed on a single charge but I usually tackle the dirtiest rooms (kitchen and hallway) more frequently and that was easily done without the need to stop to recharge.

Noise-wise, I am quite noise intolerant and as I work from home, I don’t like having noisy robots rattling around the house while I am trying to focus. Happily, I found the Freo Z Ultra one of the quietest robots I’ve tested, especially in mopping mode, with my decibel meter App recording between 60-70dB max. This is way below the noise levels you would get from a regular vacuum, but if they still bother you, just schedule the robot to work while you’re out of the house.

Maintenance

I found the Freo Z Ultra easy to clean and maintain, the internal bin pops out for emptying, if it hasn’t emptied automatically into the base station, and the mop heads are automatically washed with hot water and dried after every use. This is important to prevent bacteria breeding in the mop heads and before being dragged all over your home. All this self-cleaning did mean it rattled through the clean water in the tank and I had to refill it before most cleaning runs, but that’s a small price to pay I’d argue.

Like all robot vacuums, it’s important to keep the sensors and charging contacts clean, which is an easy wipe-over task. The roller brush didn’t clog in the three-week test period, but if they had, they do clip out very easily. I also didn’t fill the dust bag in the base station but it just clips out and pops straight in the bin when full.

Narwal recommends cleaning the filter once a week, which involves clipping it out from under the top cover on the robot and tapping out the dust – simple. It should be replaced every three-six months.

(Image credit: Future/Linda Clayton)

• Performance score: 3.5 out of 5

Narwal Freo Z Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop review: app

• Very easy to work out without assistance
• Lots of options to customize cleaning (or not)
• Mildly glitchy connection

The Narwal Freo Z Ultra app is user-friendly and intuitive (I never needed to use the Help Center), making it easy to create custom cleaning schedules, adjust settings, and monitor cleaning progress in Real Life. Make sure you connect using a 2.5GHz wi-fi link, not 5GHz.

If you love an easy life (as I do), you can clean in Freo Mind mode, which leaves all the decisions about power levels, patterns and passes to the robot. If you’re a control freak, each cleaning program comes with various adjustment options, such as mopping humidity, coverage precision, detergent use etc.

You can choose which rooms to clean, but I also liked that I could set the cleaning sequence for a full home clean. For example, I set it to start in the kitchen, then hallway, then dining room (where my desk is), so that it gets those rooms I spend most time in done first (while I’m taking the kids to school). You can also split rooms, merge rooms and add no-go zones.

The app also provides cleaning history and notifications to ensure you stay informed of cleaning progress. I did experience quite a lot of delays between opening the app and the robot syncing, but we’re only talking seconds. And it often annoyed me that there was no Spot Clean option but that may well come with a software upgrade.

• App score: 4 out of 5

Should you buy the Narwal Freo Z Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop? Buy it if…

You’ve got lots of hard floors

You’ll probably need to give carpets a thorough clean with a more powerful vacuum once a week or so, but you can save your mop for emergency spills – this robot has got regular mopping covered.

You want to spy on your pets

In Video mode you can see through your robot’s 'eyes' and remote control it around your home to hunt out and check up on pets while you're out.

You’ve got a messy home

While it’s always worth picking up stray toys and shoes etc. before your robot cleans, sometimes you just don’t have time. Luckily this robot has amazing obstacle avoidance – I never had issues with it its roller brush getting blocked by shoelaces or charging cables.

Don't buy it if…

You’re on a water meter

Okay, so it’s not so thirsty your water bill will rocket but you will need to refill the large water tank (and empty the dirty one) a lot, depending on area. For me, it was every full ground floor clean. You can adjust the reduce water use in the app, but I didn’t find the results as good.

You’re impatient

Frequent returns to base to wash the mopheads and replenish with clean water takes its toll on timescales. This was by far the slowest robot I’ve tested. I tended to set it going when I knew I’d be out of the house for a couple of hours.

You’ve got loads of carpet and rugs

This is robot is too expensive to not take full advantage of the mop mode, and there are more powerful suckers out there for a lot less if you have mostly carpet.

How I tested the Narwal Freo Z Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop

I tested the Narwal Freo Z Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop for three weeks on the ground floor of my four-bed historic home. With the exception of thick-pile carpet, we have all manner of flooring types from porcelain and terracotta tiles to vinyl and engineered oak. I ran the robot in various rooms, in every cleaning mode, every day and tried cleaning in both automatic smart mode and fully customized. I also set schedules and conducted controlled tests where I had the robot vacuum flour, crushed biscuits and oats from hard floors and rugs, as well as mop wet and dried on spills from the porcelain tiled floor.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed November 2024

UGreen Nexode Pro 65W Ultra-Slim 3-Port charger review

The UGreen Nexode Pro 65W Ultra-Slim 3-Port charger is a pretty unique-looking wall plug. This super thin charger skips out on the cube-like structure favored by most of its competitors, making it ideal for use in tight spaces. Imagine you have a desk pressed close to your wall or bed for instance – this is the perfect, stealthy charger you need to juice up your devices, even if you’re short on space.

Of course, the UGreen Nexode Pro 65W Ultra-Slim 3-Port charger (quite the mouthful) has a maximum power output of… well 65W. And that will be enough for a lot of users, with USB-C Port 1 able to charge up to 65W when charging a single device or 45W with two or three plugged in at once.

When I tested charging performance, I wasn’t surprised to find that this thing got the job done, no questions asked. I charged the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE alongside the LG Tone Free T90S earbuds and FiiO M11S hi-res music player and the Samsung phone was brought back to full health from 0% in around 80 minutes – as fast as I’d expect from some of the best iPhone chargers and the best Android phone chargers.

Of course, if you want to charge three more power hungry devices, such as modern Chromebooks or Macbooks, simultaneously, this may be a little underpowered – especially as USB-C Port 2 only offers up to 20W of power in Two-Port Charging mode – but if you don’t need perfectly optimized power output, that won’t be too much of an issue.

I did find a couple of slight issues when charging, however. Firstly, this thing wasn’t the most secure when plugged in. After slotting in the UK plug adapter, I moved my USB-C cable around a bit and found the charger’s body shook a bit. This wasn’t really a big issue, but I’d prefer a more secure fit. On top of that, the model got fairly warm after 30 minutes of charging in Single Port charging mode. Again – that’s not the end of the world – and this is still a safe-to-use charger, but if you want top-tier performance with zero hiccups, you may not quite get what you want from this UGreen charger.

Having said that, this model still performs well in bringing your devices back to life. But that’s not where the good stuff ends. This plug is very nicely designed and you can really reap the benefits of its almost flat design. At just 0.6 inches (16mm) thick, it’s ideal for when you’re on-the-go and in a tight space. On top of that, this charger comes with interchangeable plugs for US, UK and EU ports – it doesn’t get much more travel-friendly than that. The only potential issue of this charger’s build is that it’s still fairly long – so if your sockets are close to a surface or the ground, it may not be the best fit – especially as the USB ports are on the bottom of the charger. But for most environments, it will slot in perfectly.

It also comes in an attractive silver color, as do the rest of the plugs in UGreen’s Pro line. One positive difference, though, is that the attached adapter looks a bit more discreet than it does on other models. Like its siblings, this model also uses GaN technology to ensure a compact, energy efficient build. The use of GaN, inclusion of three ports and fairly high power output mean you’ll have to pay a fair amount for this charger, of course. It has a list price of $55.99 / £45.99 (about AU$90), though I’ve already seen it available for less than $40 / £40 – that’s great value. Overall, there’s a lot to love about this ultra-slim charger and it’s my pick of the entire UGreen Nexode Pro line.

(Image credit: Future) UGreen Nexode Pro 65W Ultra-Slim 3-Port charger review: Price & specs

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the UGreen Nexode Pro 65W Ultra-Slim 3-Port charger? Buy it if…

You want a travel charger
If you’re looking for a wall charger to take on your travels, this is a fantastic option. You get interchangeable plugs for US, UK and EU use all in the box, which is a huge plus. On top of that, it’s super compact, making it ideal for taking around in a small bag, or even your pocket.

You want to charge multiple devices simultaneously
If you need to get multiple devices back to life, you can with this tri-port charger, which has two USB-C and one USB-A ports. You can get up to 45W from USB-C Port 1, even with Port 2 and the USB-A slot in use too, so you’ll have enough power for most modern handsets, for instance.

Don't buy it if…

You’re looking for a powerhouse of a charger
With a maximum power output of 65W, this charger will likely have enough to charge one power-hungry device. But if you want to charge two or three more demanding devices at once, this might not be the best option for you. The Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger is an excellent alternative if you need a bit more power.

Your socket is close to the floor or a surface
If your power socket is a little close to the ground or a separated surface, you may find that this charger is a tad long. It’s ideal if you’re in a space where the charger is close to a bed or sofa, however.

UGreen Nexode Pro 65W Ultra-Slim 3-Port charger: Also consider

UGreen Nexode Pro 65W 3-Port charger
This charger is massively similar to the Ultra-Slim alternative from UGreen. It has the same maximum power output, list price and port configuration. The key difference here is form – this is a thicker, yet more cube-shaped charger, so it will be suited to different kinds of spaces to the Ultra-Slim variant. The ports face towards you, rather than being located under the charger too, which some may find preferable. Read our full UGreen Nexode Pro 65W 3-Port charger review.

Garmin Enduro 3: One-minute review

The launch of the Garmin Enduro 3 was undeniably overshadowed by the company's decision to unveil the Garmin Fenix 8 alongside it. The new Fenix brought the AMOLED Epix and Fenix under one name but at a premium price.

The Enduro line puts battery first, all while offering most of the features from the Fenix series. The Enduro 2 did that more than the original Enduro and for the Enduro 3, the remit remains the same.

It promises over a month of battery life on a single charge, with new solar charging display technology to push things even further than a month. Garmin has included its new software, which brings changes to features like mapping and navigation with a new dynamic round-trip routing feature that will let you adjust your route on the fly. Those software changes make using the Enduro 3 feel more like using a smartwatch. It also adds in a new optical heart rate sensor, which brings temperature and ECG-style tracking into the mix as well as offering a boost in heart rate monitoring accuracy.

That’s all while giving you everything great we got on the Enduro 2, for less money than its predecessor and the new Fenix 8. It’s still a very expensive watch and is going to be too pricey for many. You get what you pay for here and if rich sports tracking, training analysis, the best mapping features, and huge battery life are things you want more than anything, that’s what the Enduro 3 will give you.

The Garmin Fenix 8 is deservedly one of the best Garmin watches. But, if you can live without an AMOLED screen and some additional voice-based smartwatch features, the Enduro 3 is great too and will go longer than the Fenix too.

Garmin Enduro 3: Specifications Garmin Enduro 3: Price and availability

(Image credit: Mike Sawh)

• Price for Enduro 3 is $899/£769/AU£1,549
• Prices for 43mm Fenix 8 start at $999 / £949 / AU$1,699

The Garmin Enduro 3, unlike the Fenix 8, comes in just one size option and costs $899/£769/AU£1,549. In contrast, Garmin’s Fenix 8 series starts at $999 / £949 / AU$1,699, so is something of a step in price even if you opt for the cheapest model.

When the Garmin Enduro 2 launched it sat at $1,099/£929/AU 1,749, so that’s somewhat surprisingly a drop in price for the latest Enduro, which isn’t typically the case when a new model in a Garmin watch series arrives.

Put that up against other outdoor watches outside of Garmin’s own, it’s pricier than the Polar Grit X 2 Pro and the Suunto Vertical. You can also include smartwatches like the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra as cheaper alternatives to the Enduro 3 that, unlike the Enduro, pack in AMOLED displays.

• Value score: 4/5

Garmin Enduro 3: Design

(Image credit: Mike Sawh)

• Comes with a nylon strap
• Less prominent Power Sapphire lens
• Lacks Fenix 8 leak-proof buttons

The Enduro 3 sticks very closely to the design of the Enduro 2, including a slightly thicker 51mm, all-black polymer case, titanium bezel, and a very comfy black nylon strap. The differences lie with the same-sized, 1.4-inch, 280x280 resolution touchscreen. While you don’t get a colorful AMOLED one like the Fenix 8, you do get a display that’s a good size and does a much nicer job of masking its solar charging display abilities.

Garmin is using an improved version of its Power Sapphire lens, which once again has the ability to harvest sunlight to give you more in-between charges. Along with being able to perform that task in a more efficient manner, the red ring on the Enduro 2 to indicate those onboard solar powers is now gone, leaving a much clearer and overall nicer transflective display to look at. It is still a breeze to look at in much brighter outdoor light and marks an upgrade both aesthetically as well as in how effectively the Enduro can now harvest that solar power.

Outside of the changes in the display department, this is a watch that feels very Garmin. You’ve got a pretty standard array of physical buttons that aren’t the leak-proof kind included on the Fenix 8. It’s suitable for swimming up to 100 meters depth and uses Garmin’s go-to proprietary charging cable. If you liked the LED flashlight on the Enduro 2, there’s now a brighter one on the Enduro 3. The strap included is a quick-fit kind, which makes it easier to swap in an official or unofficial band. The nylon one included though makes this watch, which will still no doubt be a hulking one for some, a little more manageable and comfortable to wear 24/7.

• Design score: 4/5

Garmin Enduro 3: Features

(Image credit: Mike Sawh)

• New user interface
• Richer mapping and navigation features
• Gen 5 Elevate heart rate sensor

The headline news on the Enduro 3 is that the software it’s running on is all new. You won’t get it on the Enduro 2, but you will find it on the Fenix 8 and future Garmin watches. That new software is really centered around bringing sports watch and smartwatch features closer together and making the Enduro 3’s mapping and navigation modes easier to do on the move. Those new mapping and navigation features are led by a new dynamic round-trip routing mode that will automatically adjust your route in real time for whatever reason you need to adapt your route.

The core sports you can pick from stick largely to the same ones as the Enduro 2 with a bigger emphasis on strength training and letting you follow plans to factor that work into your training schedule. These plans range from 4-6 weeks and aren’t just for people who choose weights over cardio. This is about helping runners, cyclists, and swimmers to incorporate more strength training to reap the benefits of it in those sports.

On the hardware front, Garmin has upgraded the Enduro’s optical heart rate sensor to its latest Gen 5 one, which features inside of the Fenix 7 Pro, Epix Pro, and the Fenix 8. Along with promising the best heart rate accuracy that Garmin has to offer, it also unlocks the ability to take ECG-style measurements and temperature readings from the wrist. Those might not necessarily be the biggest reasons you’d be looking at picking an Enduro 3, but for those wanting a better mix of general wellness and sports tracking, the Enduro 3 offers a little more on that front.

In terms of other software features, this is a watch that arms you with an LED flashlight, offers training insights like altitude and heat acclimation, and gives you daily morning reports to tell you if you’ve slept well and whether you’re in good shape to train. While it lacks the new voice features included on the Fenix 8, does still let you pay your way, download apps and customize watch faces, and download and store music from services like Spotify.

• Features score: 4.5/5

Garmin Enduro 3: Performance

(Image credit: Mike Sawh)

• Impressive battery life once again
• Slightly improved HR performance
• Richer mapping support

The Enduro 3 mirrors a lot of what we got in the Enduro 2 and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. That’s never more true of the Enduro 3’s standout quality, and that’s the battery life. Whether you’re using it like a smartwatch or using it with its best GPS accuracy mode, you won’t be reaching for a charger for weeks. I managed to get just shy of a month from it and that was while mainly using it with its most accurate GPS mode. I used it for outdoor runs, indoor workouts, pool, and open water swims, and the battery performance really impressed

You do get that added reserve of solar charging, which boosts battery performance considerably. 36 days of battery in smartwatch mode becomes 90 days. Getting to that number requires regular exposure to sunlight to top up those reserves. I could see from spending just a couple of hours in strong sunlight how that battery is noticeably topped up too.

The multi-band GPS support is as good as it is on other Garmin watches like the Fenix 8 and the Forerunner 965. If you’re looking for accurate GPS support in more challenging conditions, the Enduro 3 is fit for the job. Moving to Garmin’s latest Gen 5 Elevate optical heart rate monitor does see a small improvement in the reliability of heart rate tracking but as I do find with bigger Garmin watches, it struggles at high intensity such as when I used the Enduro 3 for harder running sessions.

While the first Enduro missed out on Garmin’s great mapping support, that changed for the Enduro 2 and the Enduro 3 gets the best Garmin has to offer on that front now. That includes adding new ways to toggle and change map views and also features Garmin’s new dynamic round-trip routing, which does take a few minutes to adjust routes before you can be on your way again.

Garmin’s efforts to make strength training feel more a part of the tracking experience is a valiant attempt. Especially when elements like rep counting aren’t impeccable on sports watches in general. Adding plans that are presented like Garmin’s running ones makes it easy to follow plans, which is going to be welcomed by those that typically neglect it.

• Performance score: 5/5

Garmin Enduro 3: Scorecard

(Image credit: Mike Sawh) Garmin Enduro 3: Should I buy?

(Image credit: Mike Sawh) Buy it if...

You want a Fenix 8 but it’s too expensive

While the Enduro 3 costs a lot, it is cheaper than the latest Fenix and gives you its best features for less.

You spend a lot of time outside in the sunshine

Garmin’s improved solar charging display technology will make the difference as long as you’re exposing it to sufficient sunlight to top battery levels up.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You want the best Garmin smartwatch sports watch mash-up

While you’re getting the best of Garmin’s sports tracking, you’re not getting everything Garmin has to offer in smartwatch features. You’ll need to grab a Fenix 8 for that.View Deal

You want the slimmest, best-looking Garmin watch

While the new solar charging tech improves the Enduro 3’s look, it’s still going to be a bit big and rugged for some wrists.View Deal

Also consider...

Garmin Fenix 8

It’s got the option of an AMOLED screen and more smartwatch features to make it more useful when you’re not tracking.

Read our full Garmin Fenix 8 reviewView Deal

Garmin Instinct 2

While not as fully-fledged an outdoor watch, the Instinct 2 gives you a lot of the good Enduro 3 stuff for a lot less money.

Read our full Garmin Instinct 2 reviewView Deal

How I tested

I wore the Garmin Enduro 3 for over a month to completely drain the battery, tracking activities like running, swimming, and using mapping and navigation features. I made use of smartwatch features like notifications and music support and wore it alongside the Garmin Fenix 8 to compare GPS accuracy. I also used a heart rate monitor chest strap to gauge the performance of heart rate tracking for both steady-paced and high-intensity workouts.

First reviewed: December 2024

UGreen Nexode Pro 100W 3-Port Charger review

If you need high-speed, multi-device charging, the UGreen Nexode Pro 100W 3-Port Charger is sure to get the job done. This is a tri-port charger – with two using USB-C and the other USB-A. It boasts a very solid maximum total power output of 100W, so is up-to-the task if you have a modern laptop or handset with significant power demand.

In fact, 100W will likely give you enough juice to fast-charge your phone, even with all three slots in use. That’s because USB-C Port 1 has a solid maximum output of 65W when triple charging, while the other two are able to provide up to 15W each. You can also use Port 1 on its own to get up to 100W of power, ideal if you have a highly demanding device, like the Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch.

And luckily, the UGreen Nexode Pro 100W offered strong charging performance when I put it to the test. I plugged the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE into USB-C Port 1, the Soundcore Space One Pro into USB-C Port 2 and the Motorola Moto G55 5G into the USB-A slot. While all three of these were charging, the Samsung phone was still able to go from 0%-100% in the expected timeframe of approximately 80 minutes – exactly what you’d hope to get from some of the best iPhone chargers and best Android phone chargers.

In addition, this is a fairly compact plug – it doesn’t stick out too far out of the socket, like the default Macbook chargers, for instance, making it a strong option if you’re in a tight space. That’s partially because this model harnesses GaN technology, which delivers superior energy efficiency within a more compact body compared to typical silicon chargers. Like the 65W variant, though, this plug’s prongs aren’t foldable. That’s an issue if you want to carry it in your pocket, as you may well find the prongs poke into your body – surely no one wants that. And I’d also argue that this isn’t the most beautiful charger on the market. The charger’s body is made up of a neat looking silver cuboid, but the adapter at the front is attached in a slightly clunky looking way. That’s because there are visible lines where it’s connected to the charger’s body, making for a slightly rigid design.

Despite that, this is still a good-quality, speedy charger that makes for a decent multi–charging option. Its list price of $74.99 / £59.99 (about AU$120) is by no means cheap – especially if you consider that the UGreen Uno Charger 100W is typically $59.99 / £55.99 (about AU$80) and has an additional port as well as a display. But overall, this is a competent charger with strong build quality and you’ll almost certainly be satisfied performance-wise.

(Image credit: Future) UGreen Nexode Pro 100W 3-Port Charger review: Price & specs

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the UGreen Nexode Pro 100W 3-Port Charger? Buy it if…

You need a multi-device charger
This charger has three ports, two of which are USB-C and one is USB-A. That means you can use various cable types and get three devices back up to speed in no time. Even if you only want to focus on one device, you can get 100W charging via USB-C Port 1, so if speed is what you need, this is a strong option.

You want a step-up power-wise
A lot of phone chargers won’t be able to rival this plug’s maximum power output of 100W. If you want to charge a more power-hungry device, that means the UGreen Nexode Pro 100W is more than up to the task.

Don't buy it if…

You’re looking for a cheap option
If top-tier value is what you’re after, this probably shouldn’t be your first port of call. There are cheaper triple port chargers out there and even UGreen’s own Uno Charger 100W boasts the same amount of power but with an extra port and a smaller price tag.

You want ultimate portability
This thing is decently compact for a 100W charger, sure. But something that’s slightly frustrating is the exclusion of foldable prongs. A lot of competitors offer foldability, which is better if you want to pocket a charger without the fear of being poked into by pesky prongs.

UGreen Nexode Pro 100W 3-Port Charger: Also consider

Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger (3 Ports)
Well well well…if it isn’t UGreen’s arch-nemesis, Anker. Just kidding, I’m sure they’re friends really. Probably. Anyway, the Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger is a high-calibre charger that also dons three ports. It has the same double USB-C and single USB-A configuration and maximum power output, but here’s the difference – this thing has foldable prongs. This one also uses GaN, intelligent temperature monitoring and has an excellent build quality so there’s a lot to love. Unfortunately, it’s a tad more expensive than this UGreen charger, so it may be worth picking it up in a sale. Read our full Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger (3 Ports) review.

Standing desks have bloomed and become ever-so-popular over the last few years. There are so many companies making them, so many differ

The Eureka Ergonomic Arc Standing Desk is an impressive blend of standout design and practicality. It's very action-movie-secondary-character-desk-esque looking. However, it also has features that make this big, bold desk even better. It has soft, closed drawers, power in the desktop, adjustable height, drawers, and unique legs that make it look like any of the best office desks we've seen for executives.

Further, as remote work becomes increasingly popular, it will redefine modern professional life, raising the demand for versatile, ergonomic, and stylish office furniture. A standout in this evolving landscape, the Eureka Ergonomic 63" Executive Standing Desk delivers an ideal combination of functionality and sophistication. With its striking walnut veneer finish, smooth motorized height adjustment, and thoughtful features like soft-close drawers and a freestanding desktop riser, this desk elevates your work-from-home experience. In short, this desk blends practicality with style for professionals who want a standout desk that helps them stay productive.

How does it compare to the best standing desks I've reviewed? I put this intriguing workspace furniture to the test.

Eureka Arc: Price and Availability

The Eureka Arc is priced at $2,499.99, though it's currently discounted to $1,699.99 and is available through Eureka Ergonomic's website. Delivery takes about 6-8 days on average, though this timeline and shipping cost can change based on where the desk is delivered. It's also worth noting that my Arc got delivered to me on a pallet. It's not a huge deal, but it's worth preparing for, especially if you need a place to unpack the pallet to carry the desk and boxes to where they need to go.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Eureka Arc: Unboxing and First Impressions

As mentioned above, the Arc comes in two packages within a wooden crate that helps protect the packaging overall. I was shocked to see this as I have reviewed a lot of desks and fancy desks, and I had yet to see this level of care in packaging until this desk. All the parts were well protected within the box and the crate. Each piece has foam layers to help the fragments within each box not rub against one another and get damaged or damaged from any damage on the boxes.

Once unboxed, building the desk was pretty simple. Most pieces were pre-assembled, at least partially, so building took little time, and it could have been easier.

The desk itself has a very mid-century modern design. Think the far-flung futurism of Dune meets professional ergonomics. The legs are near trapezoid-shaped, and the desk is thick with built-in drawers, power, and a walnut veneer. All in all, this desk is hefty. It's solid and feels like it will last a lifetime. One fascinating look and the right call is that the trapezoidal legs stay on the ground when the desktop rises. I'm still determining what I expected, but seeing it the first couple of times is super interesting.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Eureka Arc: Design and Build Quality Specs

Dimensions: 63” x 29”
Material: Walnut veneer and metal legs
Features: Soft-close drawers, USB charging ports, and cable management
Height Adjustment Range: Smooth motorized mechanism

The Eureka Ergonomic Arc Standing Deks has a walnut veneer finish and a design that makes it stand out among the plethora of desks I have reviewed. With their extra design, the desk legs provide further stability and an eye-catching design. The built-in drawers also feature soft close gliders, adding to the premium feel. One thing that I wish this desk had, that I recently experienced for the first time with the SecretLab Magnus Pro Standing desk, is power in the leg column so that then you can have even cleaner cable management, with no dangling cables to plug in power (and maybe even ethernet).

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Eureka Arc: In use

My team and I have used this desk in our desk rotation for the last few months. In fact, one of my team members has claimed this as his favorite desk, thanks to the Dune-esque styling. So far, this desk has had very smooth height adjustments, allowing for quick transitions from standing to sitting and back up to standing, and even at my standing height (I'm 6'2" tall), I don't notice any wobble.

For the setup we have on this desk, we only have one monitor, though if you wanted to, you could easily add a couple of monitors, which is great for versatility and changing desk setups.

Another thing that we have grown to appreciate is the built-in power supply on top of the desk. You could use this to power things on your desk, such as the monitor. However, I prefer this for the "oh I need to charge this thing" or other one-offs or "non-permenant" items to help the desk appear generally tidy.

All around, this desk has been excellent. It's not for everyone. However, it is a wonderful desk for most people. It only comes down to style and whether you like bold design choices. If you do, this desk is an expensive and beautiful addition to any workspace that should last for years.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Eureka Arc: Final verdict

The Eureka Ergonomic 63" Executive Standing Desk offers a premium experience for professionals who value aesthetics and functionality. Its sturdy build, smooth motorized adjustments, and luxurious finish make it a standout option in the high-end desk market. While the price and minor design flaws might deter some, this desk delivers exceptional value for those willing to invest in quality.

For more workplace essentials, we reviewed the best office chairs.

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 review: One-minute review

The Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 arrives as an updated version of the Jabra Elite 8 Active, which were released in September 2023. They were sporty truly wireless earbuds and we were big fans, stating they were “everything you’d want from a pair of fitness earbuds”.

For Gen 2, Jabra is still promising buds and a charging case that can withstand the rigours of a tough workout and stay put in the process. Now it’s increased the Elite 8 Active’s spatial sound powers, and promises improvements with how they’ll block out the world with ANC and HearThrough modes.

Outside of those upgrades, it’s largely the same experience as using the Elite 8 Active Gen 1. They offer a great, reliable fit without ear hooks and bright, customizable sound with good but not class-leading battery life.

These are set to be Jabra’s last set of Elite true wireless earbuds, as it’s decided to shutter its consumer headphone business. It’s a genuine shame because the Elite 8 Active Gen 2, while not a necessary upgrade for Gen 1 owners, is one of the best true wireless sports earbuds you can buy that also work great outside of workouts and are well worth the money in our opinion.

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2: Price and availability

• Priced at £229.99 / $229.99 / AU$329
• Released: June 2024

The Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 launched in June 2024 and went on sale for $229.99 / £229.99 / AU$329. That does mean they come in pricier than the Elite 8 Active Gen 1, which are currently available for $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$329.

These are definitely true wireless sports earbuds that sit at the top end in terms of pricing. They’re slightly more expensive than the Beats Fit Pro, but do remain cheaper than the Beats Powerbeats Pro and the Sennheiser Momentum Sport, which unlike the Elite 8 Active, uses ear hooks to keep them secure during your sweatier sessions with them.

• Value score: 4/5

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 review: Specifications Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 review: Design

(Image credit: Michael Sawh)

• Same reliable fit as Gen 1
• Charging case now slightly heavier
• Added USB-C to 3.5mm cable

Essentially, the design and the way the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 sits and operates in your ears hasn’t changed from Gen 1. You can pick it up in black, coral, navy blue and olive (pictured) colors, with its liquid silicone rubber coating which has a pleasingly soft touch to it.

Like Gen 1, it’s using Jabra’s ShakeGrip fit to keep them inside of your ears without the need for wingtips or ear hooks. Again much like its predecessor, the fit is great: they really do really stay put without aids. There’s not many earbuds that achieve this kind of secure fit when your exercise time gets more intense without adopting some sort of earhook design, but these really do the job of remaining secure. They’re comfortable too, I’ve used them for over an hour-long workouts and they’ve not caused any sort of irritation.

While there’s nothing here to add extra security to its fit, Jabra does still include large, medium and small silicone eartips to improve sound isolation and help you make sure you enjoy the best ANC performance, with the ideal fit inside of your ears.

Jabra builds physical controls once again into the exterior of the buds, which can be customised in Jabra’s Sound+ companion smartphone app. These controls allow you to handle calls, adjust volume, skip back and forward through tracks and are some of the best controls I’ve used on fitness-focused earbuds, especially when you’re on the move. The controls are more reliable to press than to swipe or tap on touch controls, which seems to be the route a lot of other earbuds opt for. Jabra’s approach works great here, and I found the volume control support particularly well integrated into the buds.

In terms of its defence against moisture, it’s the same as Gen 1 with Jabra sticking to an IP68 water resistant rating. This gives it one of the strongest levels of protection against moisture you’ll find on a set of earbuds: we dropped the first gen into a glass of water, no trouble. The case also carries an IP54 rating, which isn't as strong a defence against water, but does mean as a package the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 offers good protection against sweat, rain and a splash of water or two.

The charging case has slightly jumped in weight, likely to account for its added smarter powers, with a physical button in front to pair with your devices and a single LED light above to indicate pairing and charging status. At the base is a USB-C port to charge the buds or you can use the accompanying USB-C/3.5mm cable to enable the new spatial sound mode when connected with other devices like a monitor or TV..

• Design score: 5/5

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 review: Features

(Image credit: Michael Sawh)

• New LE Audio smart case
• Improved ANC and Heathrough modes
• Bluetooth 5.3

The headline news here lies with the case, which Jabra is calling the world’s first LE Audio smart case. That case allows you to enjoy spatial sound from devices such as TVs and screens built into gym equipment, by using a physical USB-C to 3.5mm cable jack to plug the case into that device, and stream audio from the case. Then when you stick the buds in your ears and have spatial sound enabled in the app, you can enjoy that surround-sound listening experience. It’s a revolution to no longer need cabled headphones for gym equipment.

On the listening front, Jabra says it’s improved the effectiveness of the ANC and HearThrough modes on Gen 2 to be twice as effective at cancelling out sound. There’s Bluetooth 5.3 to offer reliable connectivity, support for multipoint sharing and a welcome Bluetooth range of up to 10 meters.

Inside of the companion smartphone app, you’ve got scope to tinker with that sound and enable a Spotify Tap mode for quick access to the music streaming service. There’s fast pairing for Android devices and you can summon your smartphone’s assistant, whether that’s Siri or Google Assistant, straight from the buds.

In terms of audio codecs supported, it’s the same AAC and SBC ones offered on Gen 1, which might be a source of bad news for serious audiophiles, though I’d expect that’s not going to be an issue for those grabbing these predominantly for workouts.

• Features score: 4/5

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 review: Performance

(Image credit: Michael Sawh)

• Same enjoyable, workout-friendly sound
• ANC mode good but not best in class
• Spatial sound case mode could have its uses

The remit of the Gen 2 Elite 8 Active is the same as Gen 1, to offer a sound that’s a great fit for workouts. There’s the option of active noise cancellation, but like its predecessor it’s not Jabra’s best available advanced ANC support. There’s also a HearThrough mode, which can be tweaked in the app to control the balance of your sound and exterior sounds, to give you more or less awareness of your surroundings. You can also choose to have neither of these modes in play as well.

When you head into the companion Sound+ app, you’ll be met with an equaliser, six EQ presets and the scope to build custom ones. There’s also a Dolby Spatial Sound mode, which is designed for when you’re exercising in front of a screen. So, maybe watching the TV on a screen built into a treadmill as opposed to listening to music. This Spatial Sound mode is also now extended to the case. It feels like quite a niche feature to add in here and actually more of a useful feature when you’re not in the gym with them. They’re a nifty solution for when you’re flying and don’t want to use those free wired headphones.

These are buds tha sonically sound solid when you’re working out and when you’re just working at your desk. To me, the sound profile doesn’t sound all that different from the first generation Elite 8 Active. It’s a sound quality I’d describe as bright, powerful with plenty of bass warmth. They don’t give you the best they have to offer in sound straight out of the box, but once you’ve tinkered with things in the app, you can get something that helps that treble sparkle and achieve overall a more balanced sound whether you opt for bass-heavy songs or prefer things far more relaxed.

It’s a similar story for call quality, where there’s six microphones in place to deliver calls to your ears. The call quality overall here is very good for a truly wireless earbud. Calls offer good volume and the clarity overall makes them ideal to break your workout for an important call.

Jabra claims that the ANC support on the Gen 2 can cancel out twice as much noise as Gen 1, but does stick to the same adaptive hybrid ANC support, so that ANC adjusts based on your environment. It’s particularly designed to help battle more blustery, windy conditions such as the sort of intrusion you get running or cycling.

(Image credit: Michael Sawh)

I’d say that the ANC performance has been good overall. I’m not wholly convinced it’s twice as good as Gen 1, but I’d put its performance below the top-performing ANC-packing truly wireless earbuds. Inside and outside, they muffle the sounds around you in an effective way as opposed to entirely drowning them out. I found that running near busy roads did an effective job of drowning the sounds in my environment. While they don’t entirely block out wind, they do a good job of muting it. It was a similar story using them in a gym and dampening the sound of the gym speaker system.

It’s a similar story with Jabra’s HearThrough mode: I can’t say I noticed a discernible difference between Gen 1 and Gen 2, but it remains one of the best examples of a mode that wants to achieve a better balance between interior and exterior sounds.

In terms of connectivity, I’ve had some good and a little bad here, which wasn’t really the case with Gen 1. In general, connecting to a range of devices including an iPhone, Android phone, Android tablet, MacBook Air, a connected rower and an Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin Forerunner 965 has been fine. With the iPhone, I’ve experienced the buds disconnecting and reconnecting during some listening time. It could have something to do with running a beta version of iOS on my iPhone, but this isn’t something I’ve experienced on the previous version. Thankfully, it’s only happened a couple of times, but it’s not ideal.

For battery life, it's more of the same here with Gen 2. Jabra promises the same battery numbers with and without ANC in use. It’s up to 8 hours of music streaming with ANC in use or 14 hours with ANC turned off. When you factor in a fully charged case, you’re getting anywhere from 32-56 hours depending on that ANC use.

My experience suggests certain EQ modes in use also offer quicker drain on battery, as does listening volume. For over an hour of use with the ANC enabled and the bass boost EQ mode, the battery dropped by around 30%. For a similar workout without ANC, it was half that. So I wouldn't say those promised numbers entirely correspond with my experience of using them.

Fortunately, Jabra does still include its useful fast charge mode, which gives you an hour of listening time from a 5-minute charge. You've also got the convenience of wireless charging if you happen to have QI-certified setup.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 review: Scorecard Jabra Elite 8 Active: Should I buy? Buy it if...

You want the most comfortable earbuds for workouts

The fit is great, the sound is too and as a package, these are some of the best fitness-focused buds you can put in your ears.View Deal

You want a sound upgrade

While it won’t be for everyone, the new smart case gives you scope to improve the experience of watching shows and films from devices that don’t easily let you pair over Bluetooth.View Deal

You want earbuds with good controls

Jabra’s approach controls to the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 make them one of the best to tinker with playback, volume or take calls when you’re in the heat of a workout.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You already have Gen 1

If you love the sound, fit and performance of the Elite 8 Active Gen 1, then there aren’t huge reasons to make that upgrade.View Deal

You only have a small budget

These buds don’t come cheap and while you get what you pay for, you could pick up cheaper buds with less extras and still have workout-worthy sound.View Deal

Also consider

JLab Go Air Sport

The best really cheap workout earbuds.

Read our full reviewView Deal

Sony WF-1000XM4

The best workout headphones for noise canceling.

Read our full reviewView Deal

How I tested

I used the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 for two weeks, using them for a range of workouts including indoor and outdoor runs, gym workouts like indoor rowing, cycling and strength training. I also used them for travelling on trains and buses and using them for work.

In terms of pairing to devices, I paired with an iPhone, Android phone, Android tablet, MacBook Pro streaming from services and apps including Spotify and YouTube. I also tested with the Garmin Forerunner 965 and Apple Watch Ultra to test the connectivity support for smartwatches and sports watches. I also paired them with a connected rower and treadmill.

I have over a decade of experience testing and writing about consumer technology and that includes a big focus on sports headphones. I’ve tested sports headphones and truly wireless earbuds across a range of prices from budget to premium, so have a good idea of the good and bad in this category and what makes a great pair of headphones for exercise.

The Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 is Lenovo's take on an all-around perfect portable workstation machine. The Gen 7, of course, replaces the Gen 6 and now boasts up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and an NVIDIA RTX 4070. However, it can also be built with integrated graphics and an Intel Core Ultra 5 with a light 16GB of RAM.

Much like Dell's Precision line-up, the ThinkPad P series is designed for professionals needing a computer that can handle computationally demanding tasks like 3D rendering, video editing, coding, data analysis, and things of that nature. Like many of the best Lenovo ThinkPad laptops I've reviewed, while casual users can use it, this price point focuses on professional users who rely on their machines to be workhorses and get work done.

Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7: Price and Availability

The Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 starts at the base level for under $2,000 with an Intel Core Ultra 5, 16GB of RAM, and integrated graphics. This can be upgraded to a machine that costs over $5,000 when equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 9, NVIDIA RTX 4070 Graphics, 64GB of RAM, and 4TB SSD. What's great about this is that yes. At the same time, this is not an entry-level computer. Thanks to the customization options available for processor, memory, storage, and graphics, it can be kitted to fit just about any professional need. That said, check out our Lenovo coupon codes to see if you can save on the ThinkPad P1 Gen 7.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7: Unboxing and First Impressions

Out of the box, it's clear this is not designed to be a super-lightweight-ultra-portable-thinnest-device-ever kind of machine. It's beefy. But not in a way that resembles the laptops of a decade ago. As we've seen from many of the best mobile workstations, it's sleek where it can be but houses a lot under the hood -- or keyboard. Depending on the GPU configuration, the P1 Gen 7 has a 135W or 170W charger, the appropriate manuals, and any accessories purchased at Lenovo. The minimalist matte-black design exudes sleek professionalism. However, one thing to note is that it is prone to smudges.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7: Design and Build Quality Specs

CPU: Up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H
GPU: Up to an NVIDIA RTX 4070
Display: Up to 4K OLED
RAM: Up to 64GB LPDDR5X
Storage: Up to 8TB SSD with built-in RAID options

Overall, the laptop is 17mm thick and 4.3lb. That's not huge in the world of laptops, though it is larger than some of the laptops I am working with. The P1 Gen 7 is made of a combination of Magnesium and Aluminum and has a durability rating of MIL-STD 810H. It can withstand your daily wear and tear and the burdens of being an everyday workhorse.

Completing the all-too-famous ThinkPad design, the TrackPoint is prominently in the center of the keyboard, and the overall design language matches what is frequently found with ThinkPad.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7: In use

I have used this computer extensively in my workflow for the past few months. Overall, it is an impressive machine. It is remarkably powerful, easily handles multitasking and demanding performance programs, and has a sleek and attractive design. What more could you ask for in a computer? It even has a better port offering than the ever-popular Dell Powerhouses and better port offerings than MacBooks. I have only heard the fans kick on during heavily intensive or many heavy tasks stacked together. Outside of that, I have not heard the fan kick on for my day-to-day professional work even once.

Some more features that make this computer great would be the Wi-Fi 7 antennae, great port offering, a solid trackpad, a comfortable keyboard, and a decent battery.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

I've enjoyed using this computer for everything in my day to day. The keyboard is comfortable enough for long email sessions or writing articles (like this one). The trackpad is responsive enough that I don't need to bring a mouse in my backpack when I am away from my desk for the day. The ports are fantastic. I can leave my dongles at home since this laptop has everything I could need on a given notice built into the computer. Another thing that makes this computer great is that it is super portable. Yes, it's powerful and practical, but it's also surprisingly easy to carry around from place to place in my studio, office, coffee shop, bag, house, and so on. It's simple, and it doesn't get in the way. It's great for my professional workflow.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7: Final verdict

The Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 is an impressive example of what mobile workstations can be. Though premium priced, its versatility, build quality, and performance justify its cost for professionals seeking the best tools to do their work reliably.

For more workplace hardware, we've reviewed the best business laptops

Dreame Gleam Hair Dryer two-minute review

The $99/£80/€79 Dreame Gleam hair dryer offers a decent blend of thoughtful design, user-friendliness, and performance – especially for such a relatively cheap dryer. It’s lightweight and compact, making it comfortable to hold and easy to use. Its slim design also makes it a good travel companion, as it fits neatly into bags without taking up too much space. All of this make it a strong contender amongst the best hair dryers on the market.

Aesthetically, the Gleam has a cylindrical design, curved edges, and a soft matte finish. The main temperature and mode controls are found on the back of the handle and while this placement isn’t great for making adjustments mid-style, it's intuitive enough once you get the hang of it. By contrast, the power and speed slider, conveniently and comfortably placed within reach of your thumb, is great for quick changes between the Low and High speed settings.

In addition to these speeds, the Gleam has four heat modes – Cool, 57C Constant, Hot, and a Hot/Cold Cycle. Its 65m/s airflow delivers fast, efficient drying, even on the lower heat settings and the built-in ion technology, which releases 200 million negative ions, breaks down water molecules quickly, helping to reduce frizz and leave hair smooth and shiny.

One of my favorite features is the Cool mode, which provides a true blast of cold air. It’s fantastic for setting styles, reducing frizz, and adding extra shine. My waves and curls held their shape noticeably longer after a quick blast of cool air. By comparison, while the 57C Constant mode is great for offering gentle heat for damaged hair, I found it to be my least favorite mode. It adds a substantial amount to the drying time without drastically improving the quality and finish of your hair.

(Image credit: Future)

The best results, in terms of speed vs finish was with the Hot/Cold Cycle on High speed. Using this mode, I was able to dry my long, thin hair in under five minutes, and the result was soft, glossy, and full of life. This shine and smooth finish was even better when paired with the magnetic concentrator nozzle. This nozzle is excellent for directing the airflow precisely where you need it, making it ideal for smoothing out sections of hair. It's quite narrow, which doesn't lend itself well to drying all of your hair with the nozzle, but if you're willing to put in the extra time, it's worth it. Sadly, the Gleam doesn’t include a diffuser and this is a shame for people with naturally curly hair.

In terms of noise, the Gleam operates quietly, with a sound level that’s comfortable for most situations. It’s easy to carry on a conversation while using it, even at higher speeds, making it less disruptive than other dryers I’ve tried. In my tests, the noise levels averaged 70dB and never exceeded 80dB, even on the High speed setting. This is quite a bit louder than Dreame's advertised 59dB, but is a minor gripe.

And speaking of gripes, the fan is positioned at the base of the handle, where it meets the 5.9ft (1.8m) cord. This design makes the barrel more compact and prevents hair from getting caught in the fan blades but I constantly kept blocking it with my hand and this soon become tedious.

Dreame Glory Hair Dryer review: price & availability

• List price: $99/£80/€79
• Available: US/UK/EU

The $99 / £80 / €79 Gleam hairdryer is Dreame's entry-level model, coming in at around half the price of its €159 Dreame Pocket, and €139 / A$299 Dreame Glory.

It's available in the US and Europe from the Dreame website, as well as Amazon, in a pastel pink color. You can also buy it from Amazon UK in grey. Across all regions, the dryer ships with a concentrator nozzle although it doesn't have a dedicated diffuser. You can use the diffuser that ships with the Dreame Glory, as it connects in the same way, but who realistically is going to own both dryers in order to make this swap?

The price and power of the Gleam puts the dryer in the lower mid-range bracket, putting it on par with the likes of the $95 BaBylissPRO, and $90 Hot Tools Pro Artist Tourmaline dryer. The BaByliss Pro ships with a similar concentrator nozzle to the Gleam, yet the Hot Tools dryer is sold with two nozzles and a diffuser for a similar price.

The lack of color options and accessories make it difficult to recommend the Dreame Gleam when other, cheaper dryers offer more value and choice. That said, its power and features coupled with its focus on hair health help elevate its appeal and at least justify its price.

• Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Dreame Gleam Hair Dryer specs Dreame Gleam Hair Dryer review: design

• Compact design
• 4 heat modes and 2 airflow speeds
• Concentrator attachment

If it wasn't for the pink color and soft-matte finish, it would be easy to mistake the Dreame Gleam for the Dreame Glory. The dryer’s body is cylindrical, with the same rounded edges. The two dryers are almost identical in size, shape and weight. Even down to the position of the fan at the base of the handle, and the matching power/speed and temperature controls on the side.

(Image credit: Future)

On the rear of the Gleam dryer, where the fan is usually found, is a flat, smooth panel. Beneath this panel, on the handle, is a sliding power switch that lets you toggle between the two speed settings – Low and High. This switch is perfectly located in just the right spot so that your thumb can easily reach it without having to re-adjust your grip mid-style and this is a small but welcome feature. Below this switch is a circular button surrounded by an LED ring which lets you switch between the Gleam's four temperature modes:

• Cold
• 57°C Constant
• Hot
• Hot/Cold Cycle

As you'd expect, the Cold mode blows cold air, and the Hot mode blows hot air. The Hot/Cold Cycle Mode cycles between hot and cold air as you style your hair and the 57C Constant mode offers a consistent temperature designed to prevent heat damage.

I first used the Hot/Cold cycle feature on the BaByliss Air Wand and more recently on the Dreame Pocket and Dreame Glory. I initially thought I wouldn't this mode that much because it increases the styling time slightly, however it is now my go-to because it makes a noticeable difference to the finish and feel of my hair.

To switch between these modes, you press the circular button found on the rear of the handle and its LED ring will change color, depending on the mode selected. Cold mode is represented by a blue LED ring; Hot mode has a red ring; Hot/Cold cycle's LED ring alternates between red and blue; and the ring on the 57C Constant mode is yellow. It's impossible to see these colors mid-style, due to the position of the button on the rear of the handle and this makes it difficult to select different modes without looking. The more you use the dryer, the more you get used to what the different modes sound and feel like but it's not massively intuitive.

(Image credit: Future)

At just 11.6oz / 330g, the Dreame Gleam is incredibly easy to lift and move around your head, and its dimensions – 3 × 3.2 inches (7.6 × 8.2 cm) for the barrel and a 10-inch (25.5 cm) handle – make it a compact and well balanced styler. The longer handle, which I initially thought might make the dryer top-heavy, is balanced and provides a confident grip while styling.

There is only one attachment for the Dreame Gleam – a smoothing concentrator nozzle that snaps onto the barrel using a satisfying magnetic mechanism. This mechanism is strong enough to keep the attachments in place during styling, but gives you the freedom to twist and turn the nozzle to different angles to reach different parts of your head and hair. The nozzle doesn't get too hot during styling either, which adds to this ease-of-use.

(Image credit: Future)

Being positioned at the base of the handle, where it meets the 5.9ft / 1.8m cord, means its easy to block the fan with your hand. This is preferable to the fan being on the rear of the dryer and sucking your hair in, as is the case with some other dryers, but I don't love this positioning. The air outlet at the front of the Dreame Gleam is then wide enough to provide the powerful 70 m/s airflow.

• Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Dreame Gleam Hair Dryer review: performance

• 1600-watt motor
• High-speed motor operates at 110,000RPM
• 76dB average noise

From my first use of the Dreame Gleam, I noticed how quickly it dried my hair, even on the lower speed and temperature settings. It handled my long, fine hair in minutes without the usual frizz or tangles and I love that you don't have to rely on intense heat to do the job. Instead, its high-speed airflow and 200 million negative ions help to break down water droplets faster, leaving my hair smooth and shiny in a short period of time.

The quickest results came from using the Hot mode, in which my hair went from wet to dry in four and a half minutes on High speed. The Hot/Cold Cycle on high speed added an extra minute to this, but my hair was noticeably softer and had more movement. This combination of warm and cool air also seemed to lock in the sleek finish for much longer. The slowest results came from using the Constant 57C setting. It took more than six minutes to dry my hair on this mode and there wasn't a huge improvement in the feel or look of my hair either. This will be a great addition for very fragile or damaged hair, but may feel a bit redundant for anyone else.

(Image credit: Future)

The Cool mode is a standout feature, though. Unlike some dryers where the cool setting just feels like slightly less warm air, the Gleam delivers a genuine blast of cold air almost immediately. After curling my hair, I used the Cool mode to lock in the waves and not only did the curls hold their shape for hours longer, they were noticeably more shiny. This mode is also great for smoothing flyaways or finishing a blowout with a polished look.

The concentrator nozzle deserves a mention too. It’s great for targeting specific sections, like when I want to smooth the hair around my face. It's not the largest of nozzles so if you use it to style the whole of your head, you'll probably need to add another three or four minutes to the overall styling time. Adjusting or removing it is easy though. It's a shame that the Gleam doesn't offer a diffuser. It is possible to add the Glory's diffuser onto the barrel of the Gleam due to their identical size, but not everyone will have access to both stylers (and nor should they have to.)

(Image credit: Future)

Another thing I appreciated about the Gleam is how quiet it is. I could still chat with my family while drying my hair and even on High speed, the dryer never exceeded 80dB. This makes it marginally quieter than the Dreame Glory. It should be noted that Dreame claims the Gleam operates around 59dB but even on the slowest, lowest setting, my app registered an average of 70dB.

It's not a perfect dryer but for the price and the power, it's a worthwhile choice.

• Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Dreame Gleam Hair Dryer? Buy it if…

You want a powerful, affordable, lightweight dryer

The Dreame Gleam delivers high-speed airflow in a compact, 330g body.

You need quick drying with minimal damage

The Gleam's range of temperature controls protects hair while providing rapid, frizz-free drying.

You value sleek, modern design

The Gleam’s matte finish and magnetic attachments add style and convenience – especially at this relatively low price point.

Don’t buy it if….

You need a diffuser for curly hair

The Gleam only includes a concentrator nozzle, limiting options for people with natural curls.

You dislike rear fan placement

The fan at the base of the Dreame Gleam's handle can be accidentally covered during use.

You want a wider range of colors

The Dreame Gleam comes with limited color options which may not suit everyone's aesthetic.

How I tested the Dreame Gleam Hair Dryer

I used the Dreame Gleam as my daily hair dryer over the course of four weeks at home. I used it most mornings as a replacement for my go-to hair dryer – the Revlon One Step – to dry and style my long, thin hair.

To test the dryer, I experimented with the full range of speed and temperature combinations, and attachment. I paid close attention to the dryer’s features, how fast and effectively each of the modes worked, and how easy it was to use. I measured the decibel levels of the dryer on Low and High speeds throughout the testing period to achieve an average noise score.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed November 2024

NitroPack is a comprehensive site optimization plugin that has made a name for itself in web performance since 2012. It’s well-known for significantly improving website loading times, which enhances user experience and boosts search engine rankings. While it's especially popular among WordPress users, NitroPack also works with platforms like WooCommerce, Adobe Commerce, and OpenCart.

The tool offers a range of features, such as advanced caching, CSS and JavaScript optimization, and automatic image compression. These features work together to improve site performance and enhance Core Web Vitals scores with little manual effort. For digital marketers and e-commerce businesses, NitroPack is an attractive choice for staying competitive in website speed.

However, there are some drawbacks. Users have reported issues with customer support, and the pricing may be high for smaller businesses. Despite these challenges, NitroPack remains a strong option for those willing to invest in better web performance. In this review, we’ll look at NitroPack’s features, setup process, customer support, and pricing to provide a clear overview of what it offers.

NitroPack: Pricing

(Image credit: NitroPack)

NitroPack has a pricing structure that caters to a variety of users, with different tiers to suit different needs. It starts with a free trial for users to explore basic features and goes up to paid plans designed for businesses.

The Free Plan provides limited optimizations, making it ideal for small personal websites or those curious about the service. It includes basic caching and optimization but doesn't offer advanced features like CDN integration or priority support.

The Essential Plan, at $19/month, targets small businesses. It offers more advanced features such as image optimization and basic CDN, giving a noticeable performance boost for moderately trafficked sites.

For larger organizations, the Growth Plan is available at $69/month. It includes an expanded CDN, extra optimization tools, and premium support options, making it suitable for websites with significant traffic that need strong performance enhancements.

At the top of the line is the Enterprise Plan, which is customizable with pricing based on specific requirements. This plan includes all features, dedicated support, and enhanced security measures, making it perfect for high-traffic sites that demand maximum reliability and performance.

While NitroPack's pricing is on the higher side, the performance improvements it offers are substantial. For businesses focused on site speed and SEO, the investment can lead to better engagement and conversion rates, making it worthwhile.

NitroPack: Features

(Image credit: NitroPack)

NitroPack delivers a powerful set of features designed to boost site performance. With tools for caching and image optimization, everything works together to create a smooth user experience.

Caching

At the core of NitroPack's capabilities is its advanced caching system. By saving static versions of your web pages, it lessens server load and speeds up delivery to users. Features like cache warmup preload pages based on expected traffic, ensuring visitors always enjoy a fast-loading site. This technology is essential for keeping up performance, especially during busy times or promotions.

CSS Optimization

NitroPack is great at managing CSS, particularly with its critical CSS feature. This tool identifies the necessary CSS to quickly display the visible part of the webpage while deferring non-essential CSS for later. This improves loading times and user experience. The automated process removes the need for manual CSS adjustments, making life easier for website admins.

JavaScript Optimization

NitroPack also excels in JavaScript optimization. By deferring scripts and managing their execution, it prevents slowdowns that can affect loading times. NitroPack's unique resource loader ensures that JavaScript files load in the best order, improving both perceived and actual site speed.

Image Optimization

Images can significantly impact a webpage's loading time, which is why NitroPack's image optimization toolkit is so valuable. The platform automatically compresses and resizes images, converting them to modern formats like WebP for faster loading. Its adaptive sizing feature optimizes images based on the user's device, ensuring visuals remain sharp without slowing down the site.

CDN Integration

NitroPack comes with a strong Content Delivery Network (CDN) that has over 70 global endpoints, ensuring your content loads quickly no matter where your audience is. When combined with Gzip/Brotli compression, this integration greatly enhances site load times, making it a vital part of NitroPack's offering.

NitroPack: Setup

Setting up NitroPack is refreshingly straightforward, living up to its promise of being user-friendly. Even for first-time users, the process is seamless, with a guided setup that gets your site optimized in minutes.

Upon installation, NitroPack connects to your site through a simple plugin activation. The interface is clean and intuitive, with a dashboard that provides easy access to all features. Users are greeted with preset optimization modes, allowing both novices and experts to adjust settings according to their needs. The tool's default configuration is robust enough for immediate performance improvements, while more technically inclined users can fine-tune settings to align with specific goals.

For those new to site optimization, NitroPack offers a wealth of resources, including comprehensive guides and tutorials. These resources are invaluable, providing step-by-step instructions and tips on maximizing the platform's potential. Furthermore, the community forums are active, offering additional support and allowing users to share insights and solutions.

(Image credit: NitroPack)

While the initial setup is quick, users should allow some time for the optimization processes to run through the site, especially on larger sites. This thorough approach ensures that every page is optimized for peak performance. Overall, NitroPack's setup process is designed to eliminate complexity, empowering users to achieve rapid improvements without a steep learning curve.

NitroPack: Customer support

(Image credit: NitroPack)

NitroPack's customer support receives mixed reviews. The quality of help varies and seems to depend on the pricing tier chosen. Higher-tier plans usually provide more responsive and personalized support, which is crucial for businesses that rely on web performance.

Support options include email, live chat, and a detailed knowledge base. Email support is generally quick, but there are times when responses are delayed, which can be frustrating for users with urgent issues. Live chat offers faster resolutions when available, but it's mainly accessible to those on higher pricing plans.

The knowledge base is extensive, featuring articles, tutorials, and FAQs on a wide range of topics. It serves as a useful self-service resource for users to troubleshoot common problems and learn about NitroPack's features. However, for more complex issues, users may still need direct support.

Some users have pointed out limitations, especially with technical questions or during busy times. Overall, the support system at NitroPack could use improvement, particularly given the importance of dependable help for web performance tools.

NitroPack: Final verdict

NitroPack is a powerful tool for anyone looking to boost their website's speed and performance. Its wide range of features and user-friendly design make it appealing for digital marketers, e-commerce businesses, and WordPress site owners.

The platform effectively improves site speed, which benefits both SEO and user experience. However, potential users should keep in mind the costs involved and determine if it fits within their budget and performance goals.

For those who prefer a hands-off approach to website optimization, NitroPack provides an effective solution. While it might not be ideal for smaller sites with limited budgets, businesses that depend on strong web performance and have the means to invest will likely find NitroPack to be a valuable asset.

• We've rounded up the best Wordpress plugins of 2024.

Review info

Platforms reviewed: PS5 Pro
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
Release date: 6 December, 2024

Marvel Rivals has successfully landed, following a launch that’d make any live service game jealous. Positioning itself among the crowded free-to-play market, Marvel Rivals is a shockingly complete package, with a whopping 33 Heroes to choose from at launch. Narrowly avoiding the danger of spreading itself too thin, developer NetEase Games has somehow managed to offer up a mostly-balanced, quality experience that’s much more than a simple Overwatch clone.

To get this out of the way, I don’t play Overwatch. I’d wager that over the years, I’ve probably put five hours total into it, and most of that was in Overwatch 2. For me, the second people start telling me roles I should fill, tactics that I must focus on in an online game, my eyes glaze over. With limited time to sink into a live service game every night, I frankly couldn’t care less about what meta I need to be running in order to emerge victorious against an opposing team. Before loading up Marvel Rivals then, I was already fairly sure that it wouldn’t grab me completely.

The first night of play did nothing to dispel this feeling, with Marvel Rivals’ particular visual style being extremely difficult to read at times. But during night two, something clicked, and it’s largely down to the game’s wide range of playable Heroes. Split into three classes: Vanguard, Specialist, and Duelist, each of the 33 Heroes is entirely distinct from one another.

Any frustrations I was having with a particular Hero could quickly be remedied by trying someone else. New characters and play styles didn’t always click, but after a while, I had at least five go-tos that were all an absolute blast to play as.

From page to play

(Image credit: NetEase Games)

Visually, Marvel Rivals looks extremely high-budget and meticulously stylish. Somewhere between an anime and a comic book come to life, the game’s design language does a great job at distinguishing between each Hero in the roster. Broadly, everything from Most Valuable Player animations to pre-match loading screens pop with a confident flair. In motion, things are less successful, though characters do look great once the action kicks off.

The problem, for me at least, is how busy the screen can get once you have 10 characters, each with their own abilities and color schemes clashing together all at once. You do get used to it, but for a while I genuinely struggled to know exactly who I was being attacked by. Kill markers aren’t quite as punchy as they need to be, and the way abilities are labeled on screen can be difficult to parse during the heat of battle.

Best bit

(Image credit: NetEase Games)

Playing as Iron Fist is fun, but does make you feel like a real scumbag. With his triple jump and wall run, it’s easy to sneak behind enemy lines and pick off unsuspecting opponents. Incoming damage? Not to worry, simply hit the parry and absorb it, before unleashing a flurry of fists and kicks that absolutely melt an enemy’s health bar.

Likely, this is just a natural consequence of having the game play out largely in third-person, and in trying to do every single character justice, while balancing how all of the disparate elements come together. On PS5 Pro, performance has been flawless, and the high degree of visual sharpness certainly does help keep things clearer and more readable, at least.

There aren’t too many maps in rotation at present in Marvel Rivals’ main modes, though each does have enough character of their own to stand out and make matches feel distinct from one another. Destructible objects are littered throughout maps, with towering stone columns crumbling after being hit by a stray Iron-Man rocket, and walkways falling away under the weight of an incoming Venom air-slam attack.

These objects do regenerate over the course of a match, but their placements make them interesting tactical propositions, with plenty of possibilities to remove cover from your enemy team.

Hero shooter

(Image credit: NetEase Games)

Marvel Rivals starts off on much more advantageous footing than other games of its ilk thanks to the familiarity of its roster. Even the most casual gamer out there has some knowledge of Heroes like Spider-Man, Wolverine and Captain America, with some more out-there choices like Jeff the Land Shark being welcome surprises littered throughout the bunch.

It helps that, for the most part, each Hero plays exactly how you’d expect them to, though there are some neat subversions like Adam Warlock playing a healer focused on instant revivals of team members being the exception. Of the 33 Heroes I’ve now tried out, only a few have been complete non-starters, as I’ve been able to find the fun in the others almost instantly, even if their playstyles may not quite be my cup of tea.

Some Heroes specialize in managing character-specific gauges and effects, while others are much more straightforward, like The Punisher, whose move set revolves around a more standard third-person shooter design.

To spice things up, and I think, set its Heroes apart from being just clones of Overwatch characters, Marvel Rivals does feature a neat team-up system. Heroes like Rocket can ride on others like Groot, buffing shields and damage output. Other team ups are less direct, like how Adam Warlock will give Star-Lord and Mantis the option to revive themselves after dying via a rebirth mechanic.

So far, not all Heroes can team up with others, and not every Hero benefits from having others on the field. Venom is an example of this, though to compensate he does earn a massive max health boost thanks to an ongoing Seasonal Bonus. At their best, team-ups can sway the tide of battle. At their worst, they’re still fun passive effects to consider when picking a character.

So far, this has encouraged me to try out Heroes that I wouldn’t have done otherwise, and I’m interested to see how future Heroes will shake up Team Up abilities in the future. This isn’t to say that team-ups distract completely from the very obvious fact that characters like Black Widow are straight copies of Overwatch Heroes like Widowmaker, but it goes a long way to give Marvel Rivals a bit more of a USP.

Pick me

(Image credit: NetEase Games)

So why pick up Marvel Rivals, instead of a much more established series like Overwatch? Well, put simply, Marvel Rivals is newer, more engaging when in action, and takes itself much less seriously than its peers. Though some of the more niche corners of online gaming have already been crying out for balancing, nerfs to characters like Hela, and the addition of role queue, it’s hard to drown out what I believe to be the attitude of the main audience.

Many characters in Marvel Rivals could be considered overpowered, sometimes you join a team with no healers and get your butt handed to you, but ultimately, it simply doesn’t kill the fun. As the game continues to grow, I have no doubt that competitive modes will become more important, but for now, Marvel Rivals is a great thing to just pick up and play. Whether you choose a ‘broken’ character like Iron Fist, or someone less meta-focused like Wolverine, it’s possible to pull off some truly thrilling plays.

There’s an argument to be made that Marvel Rivals didn’t need to launch with so many Heroes, that 20 would have resulted in a better balanced product, but it’s difficult to say that the scrappy but exhilarating state of gameplay at the moment isn’t right where things should be. There are absolutely some issues with match balancing however, with some maps feeling unfairly weighted depending on which side your team starts at.

Similarly, some maps have choke points right from the first spawn point, leading to the feeling of throwing yourself into a meat grinder from the very moment a match begins. None of these issues are deal breakers, and this is Season 0 after all, so hopefully the first proper balancing patch will help smooth over some of the rougher edges present in the launch version.

Clearly, Marvel Rivals is striking the right chord with players, given the ever-growing player counts and social media dominance it is enjoying post-launch. For me, there’s plenty of room for Marvel Rivals to grow, hopefully with the addition of more modes, maps and Heroes, but for a free-to-play title launching during such a difficult time for live service games, it sure has come out of the gate swinging.

Should I play Marvel Rivals?

(Image credit: NetEase Games) Play it if…

You want a new multiplayer game that’s easy to pick up
With a huge suite of Heroes to choose from Marvel Rivals offers players a variety of different play-styles to choose from. Unfortunately, the in-game tutorials aren’t quite good enough, but a star rating value is assigned to each character, helping you decide on which ones are aimed towards beginners, and which ones might have more complex designs.

You love Marvel
Even the most die-hard Marvel fans will be delighted to find deep-cut Heroes like Jeff the Land Shark included in Marvel Rivals. Both in and outside of matches, there’s a tonne of Easter Eggs from the comics, and an overarching seasonal story line to enjoy. My favorite part of this? Undoubtedly the brief character interactions that occur just before a match starts.

Don’t play it if…

You’re expecting a straight Overwatch clone
Marvel Rivals borrows a lot from Overwatch, but it feels like a very different game in action. There’s a lot more variety in the roster of Heroes, with some characters like Iron Fist offering a truly unique way to play. The stakes are a lot lower here too, meaning you can jump in and play how you want to, without the fear of having to run specific roles while juggling team compositions.

Accessibility

Marvel Rivals has a fairly standard suite of accessibility options, though they are limited when compared to other online shooters.

There’s a color blind mode, as well as the option to assign custom colors to elements like allies, shield HP bars, and other parts of the in-game UI.

In terms of controls, there’s very few accessibility options, besides button mapping, and the ability to assign specific control schemes to selected Heroes.

How I reviewed Marvel Rivals

I played Marvel Rivals for 25 hours on the PS5 Pro.

During that time I spent at least three matches with every Hero, but focused on maining Captain America, Iron Fist, Mantis, Venom and Punisher. In terms of modes, there aren’t many, so I tried them all. I purchased Season 0’s Battle Pass, and have worked through it while completing Daily, Weekly and Seasonal challenges.

I played the game using a 4K LG TV. I used a standard DualSense Wireless Controller, with the Razer Blackshark V2 headphones connected via the controller port.

First reviewed December 2024.

Xencelabs Pen Display 16: one-minute review

The Xencelabs Pen Display 16 is a drawing tablet the brand describes as ‘the first 4K 16-inch OLED’ on the market. It’s a very comprehensive package, offering two styluses, a stylus case and a carry case, but this is expanded upon in the Pen Display 16 Bundle I was sent for review, which also included a USB-C hub, the Mobile Easel Stand and the Quick Keys shortcut accessory.

Thanks to its smaller 16-inch size and 4K resolution, it has an impressive 275ppi pixel density, while its High Color Gamut Coverage (covering 1.07 billion colors, 98% Adobe RGB, 98% P3-D65 and 99% sRGB) means it offers vibrant, true-to-life hues. The rest of its design is pleasingly minimal. It needs scant cables for a beginner’s setup – although you’ll need to use a lot more if you want max brightness and video output, while the discrete, wireless Quick Keys accessory handles shortcuts.

In terms of performance, it’s exceedingly responsive and can rival many of the best drawing tablets. There’s minimal parallax or jitter while using either of its pens and with 8,192 pressure levels, I found each stroke felt realistic and in line with how hard I was pressing. It was also easy to adapt things to my workflow – I was able to tweak pressure curves in the Xencelabs driver and assign my most used functions like undo, zoom and scroll to clicks of the pen buttons or the buttons and dial of the quick keys.

Given its price – $999 / £969 (around AU$1597) for the Essentials edition or $1,299 / £1,199 (around AU$2,080) for the Bundle edition featured here – it’s really hard to quibble with the quality or breadth of what the Pen Display 16 offers. If you’re a professional artist or have loads of money to burn, you might want to go with a behemoth like the Wacom Cintiq Pro 27. But for most people, this is the perfect combo of price and high-end results.

Xencelabs Pen Display 16 review: price and availability

• Announced: May 8, 2024
• Retails for $999 / £969
• Bundle reviewed here retails for $1,299 / £1,199

First announced on May 8, 2024, the Xencelabs Pen Display 16 went on sale later that month and is available for purchase now. It currently retails for $999 / £969 (around AU$1597), which is a competitive price, especially considering the closest equivalent from Wacom, the Wacom Cintiq Pro 16, retails for a much spendier $1,599.95 / £1,399.99 / AU$2,399.

However, it’s worth noting this isn’t the only option: the Xencelabs Pen Display 16 Bundle we received for review here actually retails for $1,299 / £1,199 (around AU$2,080). While that’s a bit of a markup, I’d argue you get a huge amount of value in return for the extra spend: it comes with a USB hub and all the cabling to allow you to hook it up using HDMI, Display Port and mains power. It also provides power adaptors for international plug sockets, the Mobile Easel stand and the customizable Quick Keys accessory, which adds programmable buttons and a dial to your setup. In my book, that’s well worth spending the additional cash.

(Image credit: Future) Xencelabs Pen Display 16 review: specs

(Image credit: Future / Josh Russell) Xencelabs Pen Display 16 review: design

• 16-inch 4K display with high 275ppi pixel density
• Simple to use and setup for beginners
• Can get very cable heavy with more professional setups

Xencelabs describes the Pen Display 16’s screen as the ‘industry’s first’ 16-inch 4K OLED. Not only is it 10-bit and capable of delivering 1.07 billion colors, which means it should give vibrant color reproduction, but its contrast ratio of 100,000:1 should enable it to offer really inky blacks and decent highlights. While 16 inches isn’t the largest drawing tablet Xencelabs has produced – that accolade goes to the Xencelabs Pen Display 24 – it is worth bearing in mind the two devices’ identical resolution means you’re getting a much higher pixel density here: 275ppi vs 183ppi.

According to Xencelabs specs, the screen is also etched to provide a ‘traditional pen-and-paper-like drawing experience’. If I’m being completely honest, although I tried using both the standard and felt nibs supplied, I can’t say this offered quite as much bite as I was expecting. The nibs don’t slip as readily as they would across a glossy display but I wouldn’t describe it as being that much like drawing on paper, especially not compared to using some e-paper displays. On the flip side, the nibs don’t catch as they do on some other drawing tablets, so subtle is definitely better here.

While the Pen Display 16 is absolutely light enough to use freehand, the bundle we received for review also comes with Xencelabs Mobile Easel stand for those times you want to mount it on your desk. At first, I was a bit underwhelmed by its construction. It features two kickstands that allow you to set it at two different drawing angles but often when I did, it would collapse if I pressed too hard or moved my hand too rapidly. Turned out I was having a bit of a middle-aged moment though: I eventually realized that I needed to push harder to click the stand into position and, once you do, it’s solid as a rock. D’oh.

And whatever angle you’re using this drawing tablet at, it’s a pretty comfortable experience. Rather than putting aesthetics ahead of usability and giving the Pen Display 16 tiny, tablet-like bezels, Xencelabs has sensibly given it a nice, chunky 1.57 inch / 4cm border, which makes it easy to rest your wrists on while sketching. Aside from this though, there’s very little to distract from your artwork on the screen – the Pen Display 16 is gorgeously minimal, with the only other embellishments being its sole USB-C port, power button, and the optional pen clips you can affix to it.

This simplicity also extends to its cabling – at least up until a point. Aspiring artists will likely appreciate how simple it is to hook up to your hardware – at its most minimal, you can simply connect it to your laptop or desktop via USB-C, plug in the dongle for its Quick Keys accessory and you’re good to go. Unfortunately, if you want the highest brightness output and to be able to record or output your video directly to an external display, things quickly get more complicated: once you’ve added the required USB hub, power cable, and HDMI or Display Port cable, your desk will look like a spilled spaghetti cable-nara. But I’d argue that won’t be unfamiliar for anyone wanting a truly pro-level setup.

A real strength of the Xencelabs Pen Display 16 Bundle we reviewed is that absolutely everything you’ll need is provided for you. Unlike some tech brands that have ruthlessly cut back on all the accessories they provide – **cough** Apple **cough** – this bundle means you don’t need to purchase a single additional product. Whether it’s the full gamut of USB cables, international power adapters, the dedicated stylus box for the two types of pen provided, spare nibs, dongles, and the Mobile Easel, you really have everything you’ll need here. It even comes with a carrying case that fits all of these accessories inside while being comfortable to carry. It’s a level of thoughtfulness that’s all too often overlooked when buying modern gadgets.

• Design score: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Josh Russell) Xencelabs Pen Display 16 review: performance

• Gorgeous color reproduction
• Very precise with no noticeable parallax or jitter
• Supremely customizable Quick Keys shortcuts accessory

First of all, the screen looks gorgeous, with the 4K resolution and impressive pixel density meaning your drawings look impressively crisp. Additionally, the color reproduction makes artwork look lush and vibrant – moving an Illustrator file I was working on between the drawing tablet and my 2017 MacBook Pro’s native screen, I noticed how much more brilliant they were on the former, with the OLED display and that insane color gamut really giving the red and amber hues extra warmth.

When it comes to brightness, it can sometimes look a little on the dull side, particularly in a well-lit room. But given its OLED panel and matt effect screen, I wouldn’t say this was an enormous surprise – it’s just the price you pay for such gorgeous color reproduction and deep blacks and I found it scarcely noticeable when I was working in the evenings under marginally softer light. In some circumstances, you can improve the brightness from 170 nits to 300 nits to by hooking the tablet up to mains power and the included USB hub; however, I found this didn’t make much difference for my setup, as the MacBook Pro’s USB-C port clearly outputs enough juice on its own.

To test out the Xencelabs Pen Display 16’s drawing performance, I tried a few line tests using different brushes, before progressing to doing some detailed line drawings of my own. Generally speaking, I found it to be swift and precise: there was almost zero parallax using either stylus and I found it very easy to sketch accurately even when attempting fine detail. And when sketching at speeds, there was very little jitter or imprecision: motion was smooth and fluid. There was occasionally a little bit of lag where the tool fell behind the nib but this could well have been down more to my laptop’s age than the Pen Display 16’s performance.

As I’ve mentioned above, the Pen Display 16 hardly has any buttons on the device itself; instead, it deputizes its Quick Keys accessory to handle additional functionality on its behalf. This is a supremely flexible tool: it offers eight programmable buttons that you can assign using the Xencelabs driver to a variety of functions, everything from different types of mouse click and modifier keys like command or option, to display, navigation and even OS-level options. You can create 5 different profiles of presets, making it easy to switch between different setups at the press of a button. Its wheel also has four fully customizable settings: I set one to scroll and one to rotate, which made it really to control my canvas and get the angle right for specific strokes.

And this isn’t the only customizable thing. Using the Xencelabs drivers, you can tweak a wide range of settings for the pens – not only can you adjust pressure sensitivity but you can also adjust the pressure curves to ensure it responds exactly the way you’d draw naturally. You can also set the shortcut buttons on each stylus: being able to quickly access undo, right clicks, and a range of other features without taking my hands off the pen was a huge time saver.

• Performance score: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future) Xencelabs Pen Display 16 review: stylus

• Two pens, each with customizable buttons
• Ergonomic, comfortable design
• 8K pressure sensitivity with programmable curves

The pens that come with the Xencelabs Pen Display 16 are both well-designed, comfortable to hold, and offer flexible functionality. First, the fact that there are two options meant I was able to switch things up based on the kind of work I was doing: the slimmer, two-button Thin Pen felt super comfortable and ergonomic for light sketching, while the sturdier 3-Button Pen was better suited for longer sessions where I’d benefit from extra shortcuts.

Both pens are well-designed and feel comfortable in the hand – their rubber grip makes it easy to keep precise control over them without having to apply loads of pressure. My one criticism is that it is quite easy to sometimes accidentally press the buttons when you’re holding the pens. However, as a result of the functionality I had them set to, I rarely found this to cause major problems and, eventually, I formed the muscle memory to grip the pens in an orientation that kept my fingers off the buttons.

The Pen Display 16’s pens handle pressure very well indeed. They’re capable of 8,192 pressure levels, which is plenty for professional artwork – while you’ll find some devices on the market that offer 16K, this is likely far more granular control than your hand will ever be able to reproduce. This was borne out during my testing: while sketching the barbs of a feather, I found the stylus responded accurately with each stroke, enabling me to reproduce realistic pencil strokes. And it was trivial to add realistic watercolor pigments over the top, as the blending brush responded very precisely to the force of my hand.

• Stylus Score: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future / Josh Russell) Should I buy the Xencelabs Pen Display 16? Buy it if…

You want a fantastic drawing experience
The Xencelabs Pen Display 16 is unerringly precise, ergonomic to use and offers plenty of customizability to allow you to tailor your drawing experience to your preferences. It also offers great visual fidelity, with its crisp 4K detail and vibrant colors showing off your artwork in fantastic detail.

You want an all-in-one package for not much money
The Xencelabs Pen Display 16 Bundle I reviewed offers an absurd number of accessories, while still coming in cheaper than some direct rivals. From cabling and the Quick Keys remote to the Mobile Easel and carry case, it packs everything you could possibly need into a single package.

Don’t buy it if…

You need a larger drawing area
While 16 inches is a decent drawing space, you know what’s better? 24 inches. If you’re going to be doing particularly large artwork and designs, that extra screen estate will give you that little bit more room without having to zoom or scroll.

You’d prefer a standalone solution
While this is a fantastic drawing solution, it is dependent on you having a laptop or desktop that’s up to snuff and means you’ll have to cart additional hardware around with you. If that’s not your bag, a traditional tablet or a standalone drawing tablet like the XPPen Magic Drawing Pad might suit you better.

Xencelabs Pen Display 16 review: also consider

Xencelabs Pen Display 24
The bigger sibling of the Pen Display 16, the Xencelabs Pen Display 24 is pricier but offers even more screen estate for you to sketch out larger designs and artwork. Otherwise, it offers all the same strengths and benefits as the model on review here – so it’s not surprising it currently sits as our pick for the best drawing tablet available. Read our full Xencelabs Pen Display 24 review.

iPad Pro 13-inch (2024)
If you don’t want to have to drag an extra laptop around, this is the tablet for you. Heck, with its M4 chip, there’s a good chance it’s more powerful than your laptop. It’s also absurdly responsive, thanks to that 120Hz display, and the new Apple Pencil, with its hover, squeeze and barrel roll features, unlocks even more ways to control your stylus. Read our full iPad Pro 13-inch (2024) review.

(Image credit: Future) Xencelabs Pen Display 16 review: how I tested

• I used it for a week
• Created a range of artwork using Photoshop and Illustrator
• Performed line tests and utilized a range of brushes

During the week I spent testing the Xencelabs Pen Display 16, I performed a range of tests, from simple to complex. First off I carried out multiple line tests with different brushes to check for issues like parallax and jitter, as well as to test how the pens responded to pressure.

I then embarked on creating several artworks in both Photoshop and Illustrator to test out both the performance of the stylus and the screen in a variety of real-world situations. I created a simple line sketch with multiple watercolor effects over the top, created a multi-layered illustration using vector shapes and retouched a portrait in Photoshop.

In terms of experience, not only have I been testing gadgets for many years, but I’ve spent several decades using tools like Photoshop and Illustrator to create art, as well as sketching and painting in real media.

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

HTC Vive Focus Vision: two-minute review

As a professional device I can see the appeal of the Vive Focus Vision. The simultaneously standalone and high-end PCVR headset offers a versatility its rivals don’t – which will be well suited to the diverse needs of a work environment. Plus its easy-to-clean material, intuitive controls, and eye-tracking for automatic lens adjustments will benefit a use case in which different people (of different VR experience levels) will be jumping in and out of the headset’s experiences – and who may not have their own dedicated machine.

However, I’m not reviewing this headset as a professional device.

Instead, I’m tasked with looking at whether it stands up as a consumer headset, and whether it does enough to justify its $999 / £999 price tag and convince people to buy it over the Meta Quest 3 (or Quest 3S, or a non-Meta alternative). TL;DR, I don’t think Vive makes a compelling enough case.

The two main options for VR headsets are PCVR headsets (those which connect to a PC and serve as effectively a wearable display, as the processing is done by a computer) or standalone headsets (which are all-in-one units with displays and their own processing power). Most standalone headsets can also be used for PCVR, but with typically less impressive displays they aren't as good for this purpose as proper PCVR headsets.

With its effective 5K display resolution and DisplayPort compatibly via the Wired Streaming Kit (which facilitates improved data transfer rates for higher image quality) the Vive Focus Vision attempts to market itself as a full-on hybrid of the two VR headset types. Unfortuantely, it also has several flaws that are impossible to ignore, and which mean it's neither an excellent standalone or PCVR headset, or even an excellent hybrid.

I’ll get into the problems in more detail in this review, but briefly, the headset isn’t the comfiest, boasts outdated specs which feels a little odd for a 2024 flagship, and (most importantly) doesn’t have a software catalogue that comes close to rivalling that of the Meta Quest. And fundamentally, what’s the point in paying more for a headset that (for consumers) does less than a cheaper alternative?

I was supremely excited to try the Vive Focus Vision because of the jack-of-all trades approach it promised, but unfortunately it has simply proven itself a master of none.

HTC Vive Focus Vision review: Price and availability

• Headset costs $999 / £999
• Available since October 2024
• Look out for deals which including the excellent Streaming Kit for free

The HTC Vive Focus Vision launched on 18 October 2024 and is available to buy now. You can pick up the Vive Focus Vision headset on its own for $999 / £999, with the Wired Streaming Kit coming in at an additional $149 / £159.

The headset comes with a battery, straps, controllers, 30W power adapter and charging cable and a lens-cleaning cloth as standard, while the Streaming Kit adds a DisplayPort-compatible cable and converter.

That Streaming Kit is a massive benefit for PCVR, so unless you need the headset immediately or don't mind paying extra, I’d recommend waiting for a deal which bundles the two together for no extra cost. We’ve seen this deal before, so it’s likely to return; stay patient and keep an eye out for it if you want to save a not-insignificant amount.

• Value score: 3/5

HTC Vive Focus Vision review: Specs HTC Vive Focus Vision review: Design

• Rechargeable battery is a nice touch
• Heavier than Quest 3
• Not comfortable for long sessions

Out of the gate the Vive Focus Vision makes some excellent design choices. The adjustable plastic strap ensures the headset maintains a stable position on your head, its removable battery allows you to easily swap in a new one if you want to extend your play sessions without waiting for a recharge, and the padding is an easy-to-clean PU leather material which makes this device perfect for sharing with friends or family – or working out in VR.

Beyond this, the Vive Focus Vision boasts a decidedly standard design, rather than following the more interesting headset/glasses transforming setup of the Vive XR Elite. This in and of itself is nothing to complain about, but despite chasing a more typical build, the Vive Focus Vision makes a few disappointing mistakes.

(Image credit: Future)

At 785g the headset is heavier than the Quest 3 (515g), but lighter than PCVR headsets such as the Valve Index (810g) and Pimax Crystal Light (815g). That extra weight vs the Quest is noticeable, and while the issue could have been mitigated with a well-balanced weight distribution and sufficiently padded cushions, the Focus Vision ultimately doesn’t do a good enough job in these regards.

While it does well with the former by moving the battery to the back of the strap, so it serves as a counterbalance to the display unit sitting on your face, the padding isn’t sufficient. The pad on the back of the head strap feels paper-thin – providing effectively zero cushioning from the solid battery housed inside – and it simply isn’t comfy for extended periods of time (I’m talking 15 minutes or more).

The other issue is the fresnel lens choice. Fresnel lenses are bulkier than their increasingly popular pancake lens rivals, leading to a thicker front box on your face. What's more, fresnel lenses cause visual distortion at the fringes of the lens. This means you need to physically turn to see virtual objects at your periphery, rather than simply moving your eyes like you would in real life, which can be immersion-breaking.

(Image credit: Future)

I’m also not a fan of the controllers. While they’re fundamentally very similar to those on basically all other modern VR handsets (with regards to the button placements) they felt unnecessarily chunky and the long handle always felt kinda clunky next to the streamlined Meta Quest 3 or Pico 4S controllers.

• Design score: 3/5

HTC Vive Focus Vision review: Performance

• Last gen chipset is disappointing
• DisplayPort is a major upgrade...
• ...but comes at an added cost

For PCVR, the Vive Focus Vision’s DisplayPort compatibility via its Streaming kit was something I was excited to experience. This more direct connection with your PC’s graphics card allows for higher frame rates and resolutions, because you’re not as restricted as you might be via a typical HDMI- or USB-C-to-USB-C connection.

It was also very simple to set up by simply following the Vive Hub app’s instructions – so don’t be put off by the various connector cables in the box, it will all make perfect sense when you do it.

The end result is a PCVR experience that takes full-advantage of the roughly 5K combined resolution of the 2,448 x 2,448 pixel-per-eye displays. It's noticeably better overall than any other standalone headsets I’ve relied on previously, including the Meta Quest 3 – which not only lacks DisplayPort compatibility, but which only boasts two 2064 x 2208 pixel-per-eye displays. The only downside of this tool is it is an added expense at $149 / £159, which is a significant additional cost on an already pricey headset. Although as I say above, you can sometimes find it bundled with the headset for free.

It’s worth noting, too, that the PCVR experience will be determined by your PC’s specs. With aged hardware, the DisplayPort upgrade won’t seem as significant as it will for someone running an Nvidia RTX 40-series GPU.

Unfortunately I don't have as many positives to levy at the headset’s standalone performance. That’s because the Vive Focus Vision relies on the now years-old Snapdragon XR 2 Gen 1 chipset – the previous model of the chipset found in the Meta Quest 3, Quest 3S, and Pico 4 Ultra, to name a few.

The wired streaming kit (Image credit: Future)

Seeing this in the specs sheet was a massive surprise, so much so that when I first wrote about the Focus Vision I unconsiously added a “Gen 2” at the end because I was so used to only seeing the most recent model in new headsets.

This is a major disappointment, as it means the standalone apps don’t look as visually impressive as they would on rival VR headsets – which is a shame, because while even the XR 2 Gen 2 wouldn’t be able to take full advantage of the Focus Vision’s screens, it would at least do a better job than its Gen 1 sibling.

While I understand the Vive Focus Vision does boast some other enhancements – more on that in a second – it's borderline inexcusable for a 2024 standalone headset with a price of $999 / £999 to not have the most recent XR2 chipset.

At least the Vive Focus Vision boasts a few neat extras, including eye-tracking – which facilitates automatic IPD adjustments, and eye-tracking support in compatible games – and full-color mixed reality.

On that topic, the mixed reality is in a word: fine. It’s neither noticeably worse nor better than what’s offered by a Meta Quest 3 or Quest 3S, which is to say it’s definitely not life-like, but it's believable enough when you’re distracted by engaging with virtual objects.

Lastly, I’ll add here that the Vive Focus Vision is compatible with optional additional facial and external trackers for full-body rigging to bring a virtual avatar’s face and body to life. I haven’t tested this feature, but it is an option you’ll be able to take advantage of in apps like VRChat if you want to.

• Performance score: 3/5

HTC Vive Focus Vision review: Software

• Full access to Vive and Steam VR software on PC
• Standalone software library is disappointing
• Clean operating system

For PCVR the Vive Focus Vision should be able to facilitate the vast majority of experiences given its feature set, with the deciding factor being your PC’s specs – though this is true of most PC-compatible VR headsets.

Where this VR headset shows its weaknesses is when it comes to standalone software. The titles it offers are fine – you’ll find a few delightful options across the full range of VR game and app genres – but it simply doesn’t compete with the biggest name in the space: Meta’s Horizon OS.

Toy Trains VR was fun, but it's not an exclusive (Image credit: Something Random)

The Vive system, unfortunately, doesn’t have meaningful rivals to titles such as Batman: Arkham Shadow, Asgard’s Wrath 2, and so many more other found in Meta's store. Many of these are either only available on Quest headsets, or are on a few other VR devices but skip Vive’s.

This is a problem for every non-Meta headset, admittedly, but it immediately relegates devices such as the Vive Focus Vision to at best second-place – because it’s impossible to recommend a headset when you know a different VR device can offer a wider range of better experiences.

In the Focus Vision's case, it's in an even worse place – because even if it did have some solid Meta alternatives, the weaker specs would make it an inferior option for people after standalone XR excellence. Some modern titles might even be completely incompatible.

At least the Vive headset’s operating system is generally clean and as intuitive to navigate as other VR headsets I’ve tried.

• Software score: 3/5

Should you buy the HTC Vive Focus Vision? Buy it if

You want a hybrid
The Vive Focus Vision’s strength is as a headset for both PCVR or standalone VR experiences, rather than being a master of either.

You want to share the headset
Eye-tracking makes it easy to adjust the IPD settings, and the easy-to-clean materials make wiping this headset down a breeze – so it’s perfect as a headset that’s shared between people.

Don’t buy it if

You’re not getting the Streaming Kit
The DisplayPort connection compatibility afforded by the Wired Streaming Kit is easily the Vive Focus Vision’s best PCVR feature.

You want the best standalone headset
With outdated specs and a lackluster library of software, this isn’t the headset to buy if you want a premium standalone VR experience.

How I tested the Vive Focus Vision

I tested the Vive Focus Vision for a couple of weeks, using it to play a handful of standalone and PCVR apps across various play sessions. I also made sure to boot it up alongside my Meta Quest 3 (which I use frequently), so I could easily swap between the headsets to compare their abilities.

For my PCVR gameplay, I used a PC equipped with an Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti 16GB.

Apple Braided Solo Loop review

I've been putting the Apple Braided Solo Loop through its paces to see how well it compared to the Sport Band that came with my Apple Watch. Everything was rosy at first (helped along by the gorgeous magenta color), and I was feeling set to give the Apple Braided Solo Loop a blinding review. But then I saw the price.

The Apple Braided Solo Loop has a list price of $99 / £99 / AU$149 on the official Apple website. I understand that large brands such as Apple sell a high enough volume of products to allow them access to higher-quality materials and more sustainable production processes, which warrants them charging a premium, but £99 for, in my case at least, a teeny-tiny Watch band feels somewhat far-fetched. My mind was made up further when I found that the 80% recycled stainless steel Apple Milanese Loop strap is the same price, despite using what I would imagine to be more expensive materials.

I liked the nifty tool on the Apple website that gave me step-by-step instructions to measure my wrist to ensure I ordered the correct Watch band size. I can confirm that the size of the Apple Braided Solo Loop I received was a good fit, sitting comfortably tight on my wrist. However, this tightness and lack of adjustability brought with it one slight issue, this being the squeezing caused a slight bulging of skin on either side, which isn’t the most attractive of looks.

As the name suggests, the Apple Braided Solo Loop consists of one continuous braided strap made from weaving 16,000 recycled polyester yarn filaments around ultra-thin silicone threads, which made this Watch strap stretchy enough to get over my hand without losing its structure once in place around my slimmer-than-average wrists. Despite my beef with the cost, I must applaud Apple for their sustainable practice here, with this strap stated to be carbon-neutral, with the 100 percent post-consumer recycled polyester yarn and 80% recycled stainless steel manufactured using clean energy.

The Apple Braided Solo Loop is compatible with 40, 41, and 42mm Apple Watch models and there are ten watch band lengths to choose from. It’s water and sweat-resistant and so far has proven to be adequately breathable, unlike my previous silicone strap, which I would have to remove and dry off after every skincare routine as it would never dry on its own.

In a nutshell, I am a big fan of the Apple Braided Solo Loop, and I support Apple’s sustainable approach, but the cost has proven a major turn-off for me – especially considering this is a quarter of the price of an Apple Watch Series 10 with a silicone strap included. That being said, if you’re looking into this before purchasing an Apple Watch, there is a saving to be made if you select an Apple Braided Solo Loop as part of the initial Apple Watch purchase, which at the time of writing is around fifty percent, so that’s definitely something to keep in mind.

If you’d like to see what other Apple Watch band options are out there, we’ve got a broad range of options over in our guide to the best Apple Watch bands.

(Image credit: Cesci Angell / Future) Apple Braided Solo Loop review: Price & specs

(Image credit: Cesci Angell / Future) Should I buy the Apple Braided Solo Loop? Buy it if…

You want a guaranteed fit
With its stretchy nature and the help of the Apple sizing guide, getting a good fit is super easy.

You want something breathable
If you're not a fan of water-trapping silicone Watch bands, then this woven polyester alternative should prove more suitable.

Don't buy it if…

You're on a budget
The cost will be fine for some who expect to pay sky-high prices for Apple quality, but for most of us mere mortals, this cost is bonkers for an unessential purchase.

You want a smooth silhouette
One issue with close-fitting, stretchable Watch bands such as the Apple Braided Solo Loop is that it reduces its size to fit, inevitably leaving a little overhang above and below the band. This may not be bothersome for some, but it's worth considering before you buy.

Apple Braided Solo Loop review: Also consider

Apple Solo Loop
Again, this is a continuous band with no closure, made from liquid silicone rubber, so it's a simple case of pulling it on and off. The upside of the silicone material is that it's perfect for swimming, so if you're someone who likes to take a dip in the pool on the reg, this would be the best alternative.View Deal

One Minute Review

The fourth-generation Nest Learning Thermostat blends a terrific redesign with the smart features that we've all come to expect from the company's devices. Google arguably set the bar very high back in 2011, with a control set that mirrored an iPod, and the ability to learn your cooling or heating schedule from the get-go.

Between the facelift that makes it look more like a piece of art on your wall and the 'AI' power infused into its already well-regarded learning features, the fourth-generation Learning Thermostat is a pretty easy recommendation for most folks. Even when accounting for the price increase of up to $280, the fourth-generation model is more than a bit smarter, and now includes a temperature sensor in the box as well.

I especially liked the smaller changes, including the ability to accept or decline suggested temperature changes to my schedule, but besides the design, the best functionality change is the adjustable and more helpful display. Displaying the active temperature and visual for the weather from afar, and showing highs and lows as I get close, the FarSight feature means the new Nest Learning Thermostat is useful even when I'm not using it to adjust temperatures.

Setup within the Google Home app was easy for me, but my colleagues weren't as lucky, and most of the experience with the app is pretty basic. It might be intentional, but something a bit more full-featured would have been nice. Even so, adding Matter will make the folks waiting to use a Nest natively in the Apple Home app pretty darn happy. Myself included.

As a whole, the fourth-generation Nest Learning Thermostat evolves into the modern age of the smart home in a successful fashion, which I think will make folks upgrading from a previous model quite happy (even though it's not plug-and-play). People new to Nest will find it to be feature-filled. That makes the decision of only releasing the fourth generation in the United States and Canada a bit more baffling.

Nest Learning Thermostat 4th Gen: price and availability

The Nest Learning Thermostat Fourth-Generation is available in the United States and Canada. You get your pick of Polished Gold, Polished Silver, or Polished Obsidian for $279.99 in the United States, or $379.99 in Canada. A temperature sensor is included in the box, but you can buy a single additional unit for $29.99 or a three-pack for $99.99.

As of now, there is no timeframe for when the fourth generation might launch outside the United States or Canada.

Nest Learning Thermostat 4th Gen: design

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

• The new Nest Learning Thermostat looks stunning.
• It was a simple install, though it's not plug-and-play if you're upgrading from an existing Nest.
• The larger, upgraded display steals the show and navigation is still impressively simple.

While the fourth generation model still inherently operates like the original Nest Learning Thermostat that dropped way back in 2011, it’s by far the biggest redesign the device has ever received. When mounted on the wall, it looks more like a piece of art hanging than a thermostat – especially in the ‘Polished Gold’ that I’ve been testing, which gives major rosy vibes when the light hits it right.

It’s the best-looking smart thermostat around, neither screaming 'technology' nor resembling a classic plastic thermostat. It’s sort of a cross between the two, with a design that allows the true smarts of the Nest Thermostat to shine through. More on that later.

Rather than a small, thick circular thermostat that gets placed on a bracket and then a mounting plate if you so desire, the Nest Thermostat fourth-generation has a slightly larger footprint on the wall itself. That’s not a bad thing, because this circular piece is attached via the bracket to your wall, acting as the stand for the thermostat's slim and elegant main hull.

It’s kind of like a supersize Google Pixel Watch 3, with the 3.9-inch circular, almost bezel-free dome giving the impression that it’s floating. You’ll turn this whole piece to the right or left to raise or lower the temperature. Google’s design team is still adamantly against touchscreens here, so you’ll click and turn it to complete most other tasks too (including some parts of the setup process), but you'll mainly use it to adjust heating and cooling modes.

The installation was really a breeze; in my apartment in New Jersey, where I’ve been testing the fourth-generation Nest Thermostat for several months, it took me no more than about 15 to 20 minutes to install. I wasn’t upgrading from a previous Nest, but considering the plate here is a different size, you will need to swap those out if you are. That's kind of a bummer, as it’s not a super simple swap for the faithful already invested in the ecosystem.

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

Still, Google provides mostly everything in the box, including the main bracket and a helpful wiring guide. Essentially, you’ll install the main steel bracket and use the included screws to get that on the wall. Then you have the thermostat base, which you’ll guide the wires through. You also get the mounting plate, which I opted to use, but that's optional.

Google is continuously moving things into its main Google Home app, which my colleague Lance Ulanoff, TechRadar’s Editor-at-Large, found particularly troublesome when trying to install his fourth-gen Nest Learning Thermostat. In my case, since I was setting this up as new in my ‘Google Home,’ things went a bit more smoothly – though Google Home did take a few tries to successfully connect to the thermostat after proper installation with wiring in my HVAC system, and ultimately, it’s a very basic control app for this thermostat.

The idea is that if you're currently using the Nest app, it will push you to use the Google Home app instead, and if you’re new, you’ll need to start with Google Home. Even if you bought the Nest Learning Thermostat for its Matter capability so you can use it with Apple's Home app (which does work eventually), you need to start with Google Home. Luckily, the team brought the easy installation help to the Google app, which will perform some checks, including a test of heating and cooling modes.

Once it's set up in Google Home, you get to take advantage of the major benefit of the Nest Learning Thermostat, and that’s the Matter support. Oddly enough, there is no Thread connectivity here, which is a strange omission. If you select your Nest Learning Thermostat within the Google Home app and then navigate to Settings > Device information > Linked Matter apps & services, it will generate a code that you can scan or send to Apple’s Home app, for example. You can also select and review the Matter code on the Nest Learning Thermostat itself.

You’ll need to set it up with a Google account in the Google Home app first, but the nice thing about a Nest thermostat is that the app eventually fades away, and you can focus on controlling it from the device itself or let the smart scheduling take the wheel.

As far as the classic mechanic, it’s smooth as ever with just the right amount of resistance to maneuvering the dial I’ve had more than a few friends ask me what it is when spotting it on the wall in the front of my apartment – it’s simply an eye-catcher.

The 3.9-inch LCD screen almost appears like it’s hidden behind the finish – a cool effect – and the content can change based on where you are. For example, if it doesn’t detect you directly nearby, it will use larger graphics that can be seen from a distance. If you approach, the Soli sensor – read as radar – will detect you and adjust the content as you get nearer. It’s dubbed the ‘Farsight’ display, and you can adjust it to show high and low temperatures, air quality, and even weather. You’ll set these from the device itself, but the weather animations are really neat.

It’s also a point of difference with competing thermostats like those from Ecobee, which tosses a speaker and a microphone into select models. I think the Nest Thermostat packs features that make more sense. Seeing the weather quickly as you’re heading out the door or picking what coat to wear is neat.

The display feels inherently meshed with this new look – it won’t steer away the folks who have loved Nest from the beginning, and it really looks dynamite. There also isn’t a better control system than just turning to the left or right and pushing in. Apple had it first with the iPod, but considering multitouch, I think it’s the gold standard for thermostat control.

• Design Score: 4.5/5

Nest Learning Thermostat 4th Gen: Performance

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

• The Google Home app is pretty basic, and it has some connectivity issues.
• Yes, the Nest finally works with Apple Home.
• The AI-infused learning features impress and make cooling or heating a home easier.

I’ve been testing the Nest Thermostat Fourth-Generation for several months, which means I’ve used it for a few seasons, including summer, fall, and winter. That’s pretty important to see how the smart scheduling reasoning and, ultimately, the functionality of the Nest handle the swap from cooling to heating.

Much like any other gadget released in 2024, Google has tossed in some AI capabilities, mainly affecting how the Nest Thermostat adjusts the temperature. This makes the previous learning aspects of Nest – arguably, the main appeal – a bit smarter and quicker once you get in a rhythm, but also more actionable. For instance, with the new Smart Schedule feature, you can accept or decline the adjustments it suggests, whether that’s a degree or cooler at night or warmer in the morning.

Further, as it begins to notice the change from cooling or heating, it takes a few days to stop suggestions and focus on learning before updating and delivering a custom schedule that you can manage if you like.

These minute changes that the Nest Thermostat suggests could lower your energy bill (aka the cost of cooling or heating your home), but you may not see those impacts immediately. What you might be able to do here in the United States is to see if your utility provider offers any rebate for the cost, as the latest Nest isn’t the cheapest.

Beyond learning from your habits and adjustments – on the thermostat, via the app, or through a smart assistant – it will consider conditions around your home. For example, if it’s a warmer day in the winter, it might lower your heating temperature to save on energy and factor in that your home might stay warmer for longer on its own. It's the same thing for a cooler summer day, and it works quite well. Similarly, if your forecast predicts a frigid temperature turn, it might turn the heating on earlier to ensure you’re still at a comfortable temperature in your home.

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

As with previous Nest thermostats, you can expect all of these to get better as you spend more time with the unit, and that’s exactly what I’ve found. I wouldn’t go into it expecting it to master your desired temperatures after just a few days, but you need to spend a week or two with it to see meaningful suggestions.

The thermostat also comes with a pebble-shaped sensor, which helps measure the temperature more accurately inside your home. The idea is to place this somewhere in your house away from the Nest Thermostat, which contains its own sensor, so it can get a proper read of the temperature and ensure the desired conditions are found throughout.

Including this in the box is pretty nice, and helps to make up for the price increase to $280. Unfortunately, although the Nest Thermostat works with Matter and therefore Apple Home the sensor doesn’t seem to move over. There were also several occasions when adjusting the temperature in the Apple Home app didn't work properly the first time, especially shortly after I first installed the unit. Thankfully that's now become far less frequent, and I’ve successfully controlled it from a range of Apple devices and through Siri. You can also integrate it through automation within Apple Home; the same goes for Google Home’s automation.

As far as the Google Home app goes, it’s pretty basic for controlling the Nest Learning Thermostat, but that might be intentional as the real appeal is these AI-infused learning features, which ultimately still impress. The fourth-generation Nest Thermostat shows an evolution in terms of features and revolution with design, but it’s still a compelling experience that lets you spend less time fiddling with a thermostat.

• Performance Score: 4/5

Scorecard Should I buy theNest Learning Thermostat 4th Gen? Buy it if...

You want an easy-to-use, good-looking thermostat

There's never been a better-looking thermostat than the fourth-generation Nest, and luckily, it keeps the impressive controls that made it a winner back in 2011.

You want a Nest Thermostat that works with Apple Home

Thanks to Matter support, after setup in the Google Home app, you can easily generate a code and add the Nest to your Apple Home.

You want a thermostat that factors in environmental conditions and does the heavy lifting for you...

Like every Nest thermostat before it, the learning features are the stand out feature here and it now factors in your local weather to see if it needs to adjust the temperature.

Don't buy it if...

You're not in the United States or Canada

Sadly, the fourth-generation Nest is only available in the US and Canada, so you'll need to consider a different model.

You don't want to use the Google Home app

You'll need to have a Google account and use the Google Home app to setup and get the most out of the Nest Learning Thermostat.View Deal

Also consider

Nest Thermostat E – Read our review here

With a much more affordable price tag, the Nest Thermostat E is an excellent model to consider if you can find it in stock as it utilizes the same easy controls that put Nest on the map.View Deal

Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker: 2-minute review

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

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

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

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

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

Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker: price & availability

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

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

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

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

• Value score: 4.5/5

Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker: design

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Design score: 4/5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Performance score: 4/5

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

You want to optimize your drip coffee brewing

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

You enjoy cold brew coffee

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

Don't buy it if

You want to brew big batches

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

You'll only use the Quick Brew mode

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

Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker: also consider

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

Moccamaster KBGV Select

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

Read our full review

Smeg Drip Filter Coffee Machine

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

Read our full review

How I tested the Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker

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

For more details, see how we test.

Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot: one-minute review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot: specs

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

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

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

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

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

(Image credit: Future)

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

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

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

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

Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot: performance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Don't buy it if...

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

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

Also consider...

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

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

Read our full GameSir Tarantula Pro reviewView Deal

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2024

Bluesound Pulse M: two-minute review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Features score: 3.5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Sound score: 3.5/5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Design score: 4.5/5

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

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

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

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

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

• Value score: 3/5

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

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

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

Don’t buy it if...

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

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

Bluesound Pulse M review: also consider

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

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

Bluesound Pulse M review: how I tested

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

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

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

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

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