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I tested it, and Astell & Kern’s new pocketable smartphone DAC is a clear winner for detail, marred just slightly by bantamweight bass
Astell & Kern AK HC5: two-minute review
Astell & Kern builds some outstanding digital audio players, and the company also knows how to charge us for them. But it’s taken pity on those of us without the wherewithal, and has developed this HC5 headphone amp/DAC.
It is a portable device intended to transform your bog-standard smartphone into a viable source of hi-res audio for anyone with the wired headphones good enough to take advantage of it. With high-end AKM digital-to-analog conversion components on board, Astell & Kern’s ‘digital audio remaster’ and ‘high driving mode’ technologies included, and both balanced and unbalanced headphone outputs, the HC5 is specified to get the job done. It also features half- a-dozen digital filters, as well as a huge range of volume adjustment and some slightly imprecise-feeling physical controls that serve to undermine the robust and tactile overall nature of the device just a little.
In operation, the Astell & Kern is slightly lightweight at the bottom of the frequency range — it doesn’t have quite the heft or substance that it really should have, and can lack a little apparent punch as a result. In every other meaningful respect, though, it’s a very accomplished device indeed. It’s dynamic, lavishly detailed, creates a large and well-organised soundstage, and communicates through the midrange like nobody’s business.
If you want to turn your humble smartphone into a device that bears comparison with some of the best three-figure digital audio players around, and if you have suitable headphones too, then you ought to be after one of the best DACs around. And you should absolutely hear the Astell & Kern HC5.
(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Astell & Kern AK HC5 review: Price & release dateThe Astell & Kern HC5 headphone amp/DAC launched at the very end of 2025 and hit shelves in January 2026.
In the United Kingdom it sells for £399. You’ll need to part with more like $489 in the United States, while in Australia the going rate is around AU$779.
This makes it a reasonable (rather than 'cheap') option, of course — at only $85 / £85 (or around AU$120) the iFi Go Link 2 Max would be an example of something more affordable, while the $4,499 / £4,499 (around AU$8,999) iFi iDSD Phantom (albeit a desktop solution) proves this A&K is hardly at the costly end of the market either.
(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Astell & Kern AK HC5 review: Features- AK4191EQ digital processor
- AK4499EX DAC- 32bit/768kHz; DSD512
- Granular volume control
Apparently this is the first time that AKM’s flagship AK4191EQ digital processor and AK4499EX digital-to-analog converter have appeared in a product as small and as relatively affordable as this one. AKM suggests that splitting the d-to-a decoding into two stages preserves signal integrity — and Astell & Kern agrees. Mind you, that hasn’t stopped Astell & Kern bolstering the AKM chipset with its own ‘DAR’ (digital audio remaster) upsampling technology; it functions with both PCM and DSD content, increasing the sampling rate by quite a degree, and it can be switched off if you so desire. The upshot, though, is a DAC that supports 32bit/768kHz and DSD512 resolutions.
Astell & Kern’s ‘high driving mode’ technology is also making its debut appearance in an affordable product. The horizontal op-amp layout helps keep the physical size of the HC5 to a minimum, but also allows for significant driving power. It's worth bearing in mind, though, that the HC5 has no power supply of its own, and the prodigious amplification power it can muster will cut into the battery life of your source player more than somewhat.
There are a total of six digital filters for the user to explore, but this is the extent to which you get to influence the sound of the Astell & Kern. Perhaps oddly, there’s no sign of the EQ adjustment that’s commonplace on quite a few of the HC5’s nominal rivals.
- Features score: 4.5 / 5
- Open, revealing and organised sound
- Dynamic and detailed in more-or-less equal measure
- Bantamweight rather than heavyweight where bass is concerned
The proof that the digital-to-analog conversion abilities of your smartphone or laptop are pretty rotten can be found in the number of extremely affordable USB DACs that are on sale now — TechRadar has rounded up the best of them, as I've previously alluded to.
But there’s no denying that spending $489 / £399 (or equivalent) on an Astell & Kern HC5 takes the sound of your laptop or smartphone to another level entirely. Provided you have the headphones to properly exploit its talents, anyway.
Load up a 24bit/48kHz FLAC file of Off Course by Oh Sees and all will rapidly become clear. When it’s dealt with by the HC5 the recording is more open and spacious, and yet somehow more singular and unified at the same time. The soundstage from which it comes is big in every direction, and the spaces and silences on it suddenly become almost as significant as the actual occurrences. Each participant has more than enough room in which to operate without crowding any other.
There’s real positivity and energy to the way the Astell & Kern delivers the recording, a sense of engagement and enthusiasm which is strongly at odds with the sound served up by a bog-standard smartphone. But at the same time the presentation is poised and balanced despite its direct and upfront nature — there’s never any suggestion the HC5 is not fully in control. This authority is especially apparent at the bottom of the frequency range, where the attack and decay of bass sounds is observed with such care that rhythmic expression is always confident and naturalistic. Down at the bottom end is where the Astell & Kern’s most significant shortcoming lurks, though. Just like the rest of the frequency range, the low end is lavishly detailed where timbre and texture are concerned — there’s more than enough information revealed and contextualised to let you know you’re getting a very full account of a recording. But there’s an appreciable shortage of body and substance to the low frequencies the HC5 generates. It can dig respectably deep but it doesn’t hit as hard, or with as much weight, as is ideal.
Otherwise, though, the frequency response is just as pleasing and convincing as everything else about the Astell & Kern. It’s articulate through the midrange, communicating the attitude and intention of a voice every bit as willingly as it reveals the details of tone and technique. The top of the frequency range is bright and similarly detailed, but carries enough substance along with it to prevent it sounding thin or aggressive — and this is true even if you like to listen at considerable volume.
There’s ample dynamic headroom available for when the attack or intensity or simple volume of a recording ramps up, and a similar facility with the less obvious (but no less important) dynamics of harmonic variation. It’s not enough for the HC5 to identify and reveal the most fleeting, most minor details in a recording - it is able to put them into the sort of context that means they serve as part of an overall picture, rather than treating them like some kind of academic exercise.
- Sound quality score: 4 / 5
- 64 x 32 x 16mm (HxWxD)
- Aluminium construction
- 46g
There’s ‘portable’ and then there’s the Astell & Kern HC5. Unlike quite a few nominal rivals, (some of which look like hip flasks) this headphone amp/DAC is sufficiently small (64 x 32 x 16mm, HxWxD) and light (46g) enough to be taken out even by those not wearing a coat with sturdy pockets, or carrying a bag of some kind.
The aluminium construction is impeccable, the proportions are almost instinctively suitable for a palm, and those concave sides only add to the tactility. Obviously Astell & Kern is a past master at this sort of thing, but it’s nice to be reminded it can do it for a £400 product as readily as it can for something costing £4K.
- Design score: 5 / 5
- Supplied with USB-C and Lightning cables
- Clear, legible display
- Physical controls feel imprecise
At one end the HC5 has a USB-C input — it’s supplied with both USB-C / USB-C and USB-C / Lightning cables, so you should have no problem connecting your source of music. At the other there are 3.5mm unbalanced and 4.4mm balanced headphone outputs.
Next to the USB-C input there’s a relatively large, knurled dial that takes care of volume — the HC5 features a frankly excessive 150 steps for ultra-granular control. It feels just slightly wobbly and a little less premium than the main body of the device.
That’s also true of the little button on the side of the HC5 that is basically your control for everything that isn’t volume; it feels just fractionally imprecise. Thankfully the display it works in conjunction with, which occupies fully half of the front of the device, is crisp and bright and legible. Here’s where you’ll turn the digital audio remaster algorithm on or off, and choose between the six available digital filters — and this, in essence, is what constitutes ‘set up’ where the Astell & Kern is concerned.
- Usability & setup score: 4 / 5
- It's a very little product
- …but that is one of its biggest strengths
- It more than levels up your phone's audio without you noticing it's there
If — and it’s quite a big ‘if’ — you have wired headphones capable of taking advantage of the HC5’s unarguable sonic abilities, and if you have a streaming service subscription that includes lots of hi-res content, then there’s no arguing with the difference the Astell & Kern can make to your portable listening experience. Which has to count as ‘value’ in anyone’s language, doesn’t it? OK there are cheaper devices out there too, but none look or feel quite as good as this one — and there are also much more expensive ones out there…
- Value score: 4 / 5
You own good wired headphones
Because no good can come of plugging them straight into a smartphoneView Deal
You have access to truly hi-res content
The HC5 can deal with the biggest real-world resolutions aroundView Deal
You think ‘portable’ should mean ‘portable’
Small and palm-sized, the A&K can genuinely go anywhere without becoming a burdenView Deal
Your headphones are on a 6.3mm jack
You’ll need an adapter to use them with the HC5View Deal
You place a lot of value on the physical interface
The feel of the physical controls isn’t as premium as it might beView Deal
Your source player doesn’t have huge battery life
The A&K uses your player’s power, and quite a bit of itView Deal
Where price and performance is concerned, the most obvious rival to the Astell & Kern HC5 is the Chord Mojo 2. In absolute terms it probably has the edge over the HC5, and its EQ adjustment facility is worthwhile too — but it stretches the meaning of the word ‘portable’ quite a distance…
How I tested the Astell & Kern AK HC5At one end I connected the Astell & Kern HC5 to an Apple iPhone 15 Pro, a FiiO M15S digital audio player, and an Apple MacBook Pro — this way I was able to access a whole lot of content of various genres and resolutions, and also to assess the device’s performance against the extremely impressive D-to-A abilities of the FiiO DAP.
At the other end I connected a pair of Austrian Audio The Arranger open-backed over-ear headphones to the 3.5mm unbalanced output and a pair of Sennheiser IE900 in-ear monitors to the 4.4mm balanced alternative.
- Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee
- First reviewed: July 2026
Categories: Reviews
TerraMaster F4-425 Pro NAS review: An improvement on predecessors, but falls short of what others are bringing to the same party
TerraMaster F4-425 Pro: 30-second review
TerraMaster has been making NAS hardware long enough to know that the upgrade cycle is everything. The F4-424 Pro arrived in early 2024 with a strong hand: an Intel Core i3-N305, 32GB of DDR5, and a build that put competitors under genuine pressure. Two years on, the company returns with the F4-425 Pro, and the result is a more complicated story than a straightforward generational step forward.
On the hardware side, the headline changes are meaningful. Dual 5GbE replaces the F4-424 Pro's dual 2.5GbE, which doubles the theoretical single-client throughput ceiling. The M.2 slot count increases from two to three. Both are welcome improvements that justify the refresh.
But there is a wrinkle. The processor moves from the Core i3-N305 to the Intel N350. The N350 is also an 8-core chip, and its maximum burst clock of 3.9GHz fractionally exceeds the N305's 3.8GHz. The difference is that the N350 is an Atom-architecture Alder Lake-N part rather than a Core-class one. Per-core performance and integrated GPU capability are both lower. The advantage is better power efficiency, but some will see this as a retrograde step.
The other major story for this platform is TOS 7. TerraMaster has rebuilt its operating system around an AI-first philosophy, with the OpenClaw assistant promising natural language control over 90% of common configuration tasks. That skirts the whole AI backlash, and those who don’t want to chat with their NAS, but equally, there are some that will embrace these features.
At £639.99, the F4-425 Pro sits in a remarkably competitive bracket. The Ugreen DXP4800 Pro offers a Core i3-1315U and a single 10GbE at £689.99. The Ugreen DXP4800 GT delivers dual 10GbE and ECC memory support at £589.99. The TerraMaster undercuts or matches both on M.2 count and brings a genuinely new OS story to the table. Whether that is enough depends on what the buyer most needs, but on spec alone, this isn’t one of the best NAS in this sector.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)TerraMaster F4-425 Pro: Price and availability- How much does it cost? From $680/£586
- When is it out? Available now
- Where can you get it? Direct from TerraMaster or through an online retailer
The F4-425 Pro launched on 23 June 2026, available direct from TerraMaster, as well as retailers including Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, and B&H Photo.
At the time of review, the 8GB model is priced at $640 / £640 from TerraMaster and Amazon. Online retailer B&H Photo wants $644.99. And all these prices are without drives, obviously.
One curiosity is that although the F4-425 Pro spec is for a system that uses the Intel N350 and comes with 16GB of RAM, TerraMaster also has a second SKU with the N305 CPU that its predecessor used, and 8GB of DDR5. This lower spec model is priced at $559.99.
The top SKU price matches the F4-424 Pro's UK debut cost, interestingly.
For the purpose of this review, we’ll focus on the N350 model, since that was the one that TerraMaster supplied us.
Given the price is similar to its predecessor, the networking upgrade from 2.5GbE to 5GbE and the additional M.2 slot make this solution an attractive option over the F4-424 Pro, even if neither is exactly a bargain.
What seems odd is that the release of the F4-425 Pro hasn’t made the previous F4-424 Pro any cheaper, unfortunately. More than a disappointment for budget-conscious buyers, TerraMaster is asking $687.99 USD for that previous design.
That pricing suggests TerraMaster thinks it's competing with itself to some extent, but recent releases in this NAS space strongly contradict that notion.
Ugreen had the DXP4800 Plus, added the DXP4800 Pro and now the DXP4800 GT.
Direct from Ugreen, the DXP4800 Plus is $583.99, the DXP4800 Pro is $639.99, and the new DXP4800 GT is on sale for $527.99. Given that all of these have more powerful processors than the TerraMaster F4-425 Pro, and the DXP4800 Pro has a 10GbE LAN port, TerraMaster's pricing seems oddly out of touch.
As this is a NAS review, it’s the law that I must mention Synology, even if this company has all but abandoned the SOHO NAS space. After an implausibly long delay between releases, Synology launched the Synology DS925+, a NAS that’s powered by the ancient AMD Ryzen V1500B. Oddly, given this brand's history, it is the cheapest option at $511.99. However, the DS925+ comes with only 4GB of RAM, its dual M.2 slots accept only Synology-branded modules, and the best LAN ports are only 2.5GbE.
Given these alternatives, and some others I’ve not mentioned, the F4-425 Pro seems overpriced and underspecced, a phrase I thought I’d never use in reference to TerraMaster hardware.
- Value: 3.5 / 5
Item
Spec
CPU:
Intel N350 8-core 8C / 8T (Gracemont E-Cores)
GPU:
Intel UHD Graphics 770 (32 EUs)
RAM:
16GB DDR5 non-ECC SODIMM, expandable to 32GB via SO-DIMM swap
SATA Storage:
4x 3.5/2.5-inch SATA III
M.2 Storage:
3x M.2 NVMe (both PCIe Gen 3 x1
Ports:
3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps)
1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps)
1x HDMI 1.4
Networking:
2x 5GbE RJ45
OS:
TOS 7
File Systems:
EXT4, Btrfs
Maximum Capacity:
152TB (4x 32TB + 3x 8TB M.2)
RAID Modes:
TRAID, TRAID+, RAID 0/RAID 1/RAID 5/RAID 6/RAID 10
PSU:
12V 7.2A 90W external
Power Consumption:
45W under full SATA Load
Dimensions:
186 x 277 x 277 mm
Weight:
2.9kg (including PSU, but without drives)
Warranty:
2 Years
TerraMaster F4-425 Pro: Design- Standard TerraMaster Case
- No lockable trays
- Dual 5GbE LAN
- Triple M.2 slots
The F4-425 Pro continues the black motif TerraMaster adopted with the 424 series, and I do prefer this look to the all-silver devices of the past.
The outer shell gives the chassis a denser feel than the silver-and-aluminium aesthetic of earlier TerraMaster NAS units. The front face is clean and largely featureless: four drive bays with activity LEDs behind a pattern of small holes, and TerraMaster branding on each bay.
Even without drives, this is a hefty item measuring 186 x 277 x 277 mm with a net weight of 2.9kg. That is compact for a four-bay unit, which is marginally smaller than the same type from Ugreen or Synology.
Drive installation remains tool-free for 3.5-inch mechanisms. But 2.5-inch mechanisms still require screws to seat, and aren’t the best design I’ve seen.
Firstly, there is no lock to stop an accidental press from disconnecting a drive. And, given how long TerraMaster has been making NAS, you’d think that trays with numbers on them might have made it onto its devices.
Admittedly, TerraMaster does provide labels for you to stick on the drive facias, but since they took the time to emboss "TERRAMASTER " onto the plastic fronts of the trays, you think they could also put 1, 2, 3, and 4 on them.
I can’t recall when I first complained about the lack of tray locks on TerraMaster NAS, but it was so long ago and so often repeated that its failure to fix this is evidently not unintentional.
Another place where TerraMaster does its own thing is with respect to the M.2 slots, where this new model has three and not the two that the F4-424 Pro came.
On Synology and Ugreen NAS, the M.2 slots are accessible behind a panel held in place with a couple of screws. But here, there are four screws to remove, and then the entire outer shell of the case slides off. This does provide great access, but I suspect this was done as a cost-saving measure, mostly.
Having three M.2 slots sounds wonderful for those with spare NVMe drives to populate them, although that’s tempered slightly by their PCIe Gen3x1 bandwidth allocation. But what I found slightly shocking inside is that the 16GB DDR5 SODIMM is in a single slot. Therefore, if you want to upgrade the RAM to 32GB, you will be forced to remove the existing 16GB module. I’ll talk more about memory later, because the memory controller on the N350 has some odd features.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)Moving on to external hardware features, having reviewed the latest Ugreen NAS recently, the number of ports on the F4-425 Pro seems on the low side.
On the front is a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, and there is no card reader of any variety. The rear has another two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, both of which are 10Gbps, and a single USB-C that is also the same USB spec. And, there are two 5GbE LAN ports and a single HDMI output.
There is no USB4 or Thunderbolt, and no PCIe slot to add a 10GbE card. You can channel-bond the two 5GbE ports, but there aren’t many switches that support 5GbE at this time.
Cooling is provided by a 120mm system fan that sits centrally at the rear. In smart mode, it adjusts speed to drive temperature. TerraMaster quotes 20.9dB(A) at standby with four SATA drives fitted, which is a quiet figure. And, this system is quiet in typical use.
Overall, my takeaways are that this platform is better in some respects than the N305-based F4-424, but each enhanced feature comes with a caveat, it seems.
- Design: 4 / 5
- Different CPU
- Single PCIe lane M.2 slots
- Maximum of 32GB
- 5GbE LAN ports
Due to Intel's endless rebranding, the chip in the F4-424 Pro was a Core i3 N305, whereas the one in this NAS is a Core i3 N350. So like Thor in Ragnarok, it lost an eye, but gained something else.
In reality, these chips are remarkably similar, since they both use eight Gracemont E-Cores, have an identical 6MB cache, and a single memory channel for DDR5 memory.
But there are two important differences, the first being that the N350 is capped at 7W of base power, not the 15W of the N305. And to conserve power, the N350 can drop the base clock to only 100 MHz when the system is idle. There are also some enhancements to the GPU clocks to deliver a little more speed, but the Intel UHD Graphics 770 (32 EUs) doesn’t have gaming potential.
The switch to this architecture over the previous one focuses on making this NAS quieter, less power-hungry, and cooler. That makes perfect sense, even if it's slightly at odds with the headlong charge towards AI that TOS 7 is mustering.
What the processor change doesn’t address is that this platform is pinched for PCIe lanes, since both the N305 and N350 have only nine PCIe 3.0 lanes.
That goes some way to explain why the M.2 slots are only single-lane and can only achieve roughly 1GB/s, irrespective of what modules you put in them. As a side note, with these performance restrictions, there seems little point in using expensive NVMe drives in this system.
If we assume that each of the M.2 slots gets a lane, and each of the 5GbE LAN ports another one, and the SATA ports one lane, and the USB another four, then that’s ten, and we only have nine lanes. That infers a PCIe switch is used in this system, because otherwise the number of lanes and the systems that use them don’t stack up.
To be clear, it’s not like the NAS is massively over-subscribed on PCI bandwidth, but if you fill every port and slot, something is going to give at some point.
There is also something of an oddity with the memory model of this NAS. If you head over to Intel and look at the specifications for the N350, you might notice that Intel states the maximum amount of memory this processor supports is 16GB. Well, that appears to be wrong, because you can put 32GB in this NAS, and it will work. You can’t add any more, and because it has only a single memory channel and SODIMM slot, you can’t use two 16GB modules.
If you want more memory, you need to take the next rung up on the processor ladder. The Ugreen NASync DXP4800 Pro uses an Intel Core i3-1315U, and that has dual-channel memory enabling it to address 96GB.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)Dual 5GbE is one of the most consequential hardware changes over the F4-424 Pro. With link aggregation configured on a managed switch, the aggregate theoretical bandwidth reaches 10Gbps. Single-client throughput sits at up to 625MB/s per port, compared to 312MB/s from the F4-424 Pro's 2.5GbE ports. For 4K video workflows, large file transfers, and multi-user small office environments, that improvement is tangible.
However, it begs the question of why they didn’t simply combine the bandwidth and offer a single 10GbE port in the first place? If anyone wants another 2.5GbE line, perhaps for a network failover option, USB adapters that can use the 10Gbps USB-A ports are inexpensive.
The absence of a 10GbE port will disappoint buyers who want the maximum headline figure. The Ugreen DXP4800 Pro provides single-port 10GbE at $719.99, and the DXP4800 GT provides dual 10GbE at $559.99. TerraMaster is positioning 5GbE as a practical middle ground that delivers meaningful real-world improvement without requiring expensive 10GbE switching infrastructure. That argument has merit for some buyers, although 5GbE network switches that support channel-bonding aren’t especially common.
From a hardware perspective, the new N350 isn’t a huge move from the N305 used on the previous generation. What’s different here is that this hardware is better at managing power, heat, and the limited PCIe lanes available to it.
In a straight compute fight, the N305 might be better, but for running 24/7 through a hot summer, the N350 has some advantages that it might need.
- Features: 4 / 5
- TOS 7
- OpenClaw AI
- Subscription apps
TOS 7 is what TerraMaster is staking the F4-425 Pro's reputation on. Earlier TOS releases were functional but acknowledged as trailing Synology DSM and QNAP QTS in polish and app ecosystem depth. TOS 7 does not try to close that gap incrementally. Instead, TerraMaster has chosen to reframe the competition around an AI-first workflow that neither Synology nor QNAP currently matches.
The OpenClaw assistant is the visible centrepiece. A single click from the app centre installs it, after which the user can issue natural language commands for the full range of administrative tasks: RAID configuration, user account management, backup scheduling, security setup, and file management. The theory is compelling. A buyer who understands that they need a NAS but has never configured one could set up a working system through conversation.
Except there is a huge hole in this plan, since the buyer needs to understand how to install and configure OpenClaw, use LLMs and their API keys. And, those require you to fund your API of choice to accept those messages from OpenClaw, unless you have the expertise to run your own local models using Ollama, and direct OpenClaw to use that.
If you are willing to use AI but not pay for it, the fun doesn’t typically get started.
I tried my best to get the OpenClaw beta to run on this hardware during one of the hottest afternoons of the year, but failed miserably. I got Ollama installed as a Docker container and even loaded a model to use for local access, but I couldn’t get OpenClaw to work with it. Maybe on a cooler day, with better documentation, I could manage this, but given the level of personal experience I brought to this problem, it isn’t something anyone new to AI would want to embrace.
NAS manufacturers have a history of ambitious AI and automation claims that perform well in demonstration scenarios and inconsistently in everyday use. TOS 7 has been in development for over 300 days, according to TerraMaster, but that development timeline says nothing about robustness across edge cases, network configurations, and drive combinations that real users will bring to the table.
And having a tool like OpenClaw running on the NAS, with the ability to create users, shares, and folder structures, and to delete things, might not be as wonderful as it first seems.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)Ignoring TerraMaster's attempt to board the AI hype-train, the foundation platform for TOS 7 is solid. Docker and virtual machine support carry forward from TOS 6. The backup suite is comprehensive. Plex and Emby are available from the app centre.
DLNA compliance means out-of-the-box compatibility with smart TVs and media players without any configuration. HyperLock WORM protection addresses compliance requirements for business users. The security baseline, including AES folder encryption, OTP authentication, and the firewall, is mature.
Where TOS has historically needed work is in surveillance capabilities and app ecosystem depth. Whether TOS 7 addresses the Surveillance Manager's lack of a dedicated client with timeline and event marking is a specific testing priority.
There isn’t any debate, this is the best version of TOS yet, and it still has a few features that other NAS brands still haven’t delivered. One I especially like is the TRAID hybrid array model, which allows mixing drives of different sizes and yields more resilient capacity.
Only Synology offers anything comparable, and users of QNAP, Asustor, and Ugreen would gladly welcome such a feature.
A feature that none of those brands might embrace is that the HDMI port on this machine is effectively unused. It’s been a decade since TerraMaster first launched a NAS with an HDMI port on it, and in my review of that equipment, I commented that the port needed support by first-party apps for media playback.
Ten years on, the HDMI port remains useful for TerraMaster production staff to check whether the systems are booting correctly, but is of almost zero use to their customers. Everyone else integrates their HDMI if they have it, but TerraMaster stubbornly refuses to. There are some nefarious ways to get the HDMI to work using Virtual Machines, but that this annoyance was left to fester for so long is incredibly poor.
The other issue that TOS 7 doesn’t address is TerraMaster's somewhat confused approach to the first- and third-party application ecosystem.
- Software: 4 / 5
- Efficient system
- Balancing speeds
When a NAS has four SATA bays, it effectively constrains its peak transfer performance to or from that array. Even with the fastest possible option, RAID 0 on four drives, with each NAS drive being like the WD Red Plus models I used for testing, the total array is only capable of four times the 199MB/s limit for those drives. That’s 796MB/s. which wouldn’t saturate a single 10GbE LAN port, if the F4-425 Pro had one.
More realistically, the RAID mode of choice is likely to be one with redundancy, reducing performance to 597MB/s, which fits rather neatly with what I’d expect from a 5GbE transfer.
But this NAS has two LAN ports, and without any enhancements, using channel bonding of the two 5GbE ports is unlikely to help the total amount of data read or written.
The only way to make things run faster would be either to use SATA SSDs, or NVMe storage, or use the M.2 for caching. I used the latter and was able to get more throughput.
One interesting bit about the M.2 slots and using them for caching on this system is that, typically, for read and write caching, two SSDs are required. But not on TOS 7, which will allow you to use a single SSD for both read and write caches. If you are wondering why others haven’t followed TerraMaster’s example, when you choose to do that on this NAS, you get plenty of warnings about how this can go wrong.
I tested a Crucial P5 500GB, and it achieved an NAS score of 859 MB/s. Therefore, to saturate both 5GbE LAN ports would probably require two NVMe drives in a RAID 0 configuration.
The lesson here is that even with all your storage ducks in a row, it might prove challenging to deliver sufficient performance for the dual 5GbE LAN ports unless you use caching liberally.
- Performance: 4/5
My views on the F4-425 Pro are a little mixed. It’s easy to get distracted by the all-singing and dancing TOS 7, and gloss over some of the obvious misplays. What I liked most was how efficient this platform can be, something that often gets overlooked when talking about machines that can run for months or years without ever stopping.
But the yin to that yang is that there isn’t a huge amount of power to throw at Docker containers or AI, and that’s where many brands are taking their devices.
I’m also confused why this machine ended up with two 5GbE LAN ports when its competitors are delivering 10GbE. The internal M.2 slots and the four SATA drives are all geared towards supporting a single 1GB/s data flow, so why would you split it into two?
And, for the billionth time of asking, where are the drive tray locks, the apps that can output via HDMI, and better ports than USB 3.2? After ten years of NAS development, two of these questions are long overdue for an answer.
Don’t get me wrong, there are good things here for those who don’t need computational power on the NAS and like cool running, but it feels like TerraMaster is trying to put off the evil day when its next NAS will need to deliver hardware with a wider appeal than the F4-425 Pro.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)Should you buy a TerraMaster F4-425 Pro?Value
Not a great spec considering the price
3.5 / 5
Design
Old enclosure, and no bay locks or numbers
4 / 5
Features
Thre M.2 slots and dual 5GbE LAN
4 / 5
Software
TOS 7 is mostly great
4 / 5
Performance
Constrainted by Gen3x1 M.2 slots and 5GbE LAN ports
4 / 5
Overall
AN efficient four-bay, but hardly excisting
4 / 5
Buy it if...You want something flexible
Four drive bays have enough capacity to hold plenty of data, and the dual 5GbE LAN ports can distribute it effectively. And, potentially, it could be used to run an AI Agent.
You want minimal power consumption
The CPU in this NAS is nearly as power frugal as an ARM processor, but can still run X86 code.
Those looking for a small four-bay NAS that can stay cool when the going gets hot should take a closer look.
You want Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt and USB4 ports enable connecting fast external SSDs or HDDs to add even more storage. If you want Thunderbolt ports or PCIe expansion, then the F4-235 Pro isn’t for you, as it only has USB 3.2.
You need TOPS
Those working on local LLMs often need TOPS, or Tera Operations per Second. And, depending on the processor, and if it has an NPU (neural processing unit), the performance for AI is often rated in TOPS. The N350 is rated at only 2 TOPs, which is way below what the latest Intel and AMD mobile processors offer. They often achieve over 100 TOPS. View Deal
For more storage solutions we've tested the best NAS hard drives around
Categories: Reviews
HyperDrive Next Thunderbolt 5 Dock review: An imperfect docking station that's built to last with one feature that might surprise you
HyperDrive Next TB5 Dock: 30-second review
While docking stations are rarely the most glamorous pieces of hardware on a desk, they do offer a generation shift in connectivity that can completely transform a professional workflow. That’s the thinking behind HyperDrive Next Thunderbolt 5 Dock. Take a single Thunderbolt 5 uplink cable, and with it convert a premium laptop or professional mini PC into a modular, desktop-class powerhouse.
Historically, compact Thunderbolt docks forced users to accept a hierarchy of compromises-sacrificing networking speeds, capping host charging, or forcing external storage enclosures to occupy precious downstream ports. Hyper systematically eliminates these constraints. Built around Intel's newest Barlow Ridge controller, the dock shifts dynamically between a symmetrical 80Gbps bidirectional layout and an asymmetrical 120Gbps downstream pipeline for monstrous multi-display or high-refresh configurations.
What elevates the HyperDrive Next over its closest competitors, like the Ugreen Maxidok 10-in-1, is its inclusion of premium internal features. Rather than reserving professional-grade utilities for a giant, corporate-sized footprint, Hyper fits an active-cooled M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 4 slot and a 2.5GbE LAN port directly into this rugged chassis.
One snag is that at $399.99, which seems excessive for a dock with this number of ports. But for digital creatives, video editors, and engineering professionals seeking maximum bandwidth and a clutter-free desk, it might be worth it.
It also suffers from some of the same performance issues that I noticed on the UGREEN Maxidok 17-to-1 TB5 dock, and it doesn’t offer any native HDMI or DisplayPort outputs. That last limitation means that if you want to connect monitors, you will need to buy Thunderbolt to HDMI/DP adapters, and those aren’t cheap.
Because of some of these points, the HyperDrive Next Thunderbolt 5 Dock isn’t a candidate to join our best docking station collection. But it might be the right specification for some customers.
HyperDrive Next TB5 Dock: Price & availability(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)- How much does it cost? $399/€348.75
- When is it out? Available now
- Where can you get it? Direct from the HyperShop, Amazon.com, and authorised pro-audio/video retailers like B&H.
The HyperDrive Next Thunderbolt 5 Dock is available direct from Hyper, as well as retailers such as Amazon and B&H Photo.
The device sits firmly in the premium tiers of enterprise and prosumer desk hardware. At $399.99, it is explicitly targeted at those who can monetise the massive leaps in transfer speeds and potential display throughput.
When positioned against the broader marketplace, this is on the edge of the premium space for a dock that, in theory, has the features to justify it. For context, smaller "halfway house" Thunderbolt 5 docks like the Ugreen Maxidok 10-in-1 retail closer to $300 but cut out the internal storage slot, drop networking to standard 1GbE, and cap individual laptop charging to 100W.
To get equivalent feature parity from alternative brands, you typically have to move to massive 17-in-1 enterprise enclosures that carry bulkier footprints and larger PSUs.
The competitive landscape is interesting, since many makers still consider TB5 technology to be high-end rather than consumer products.
The key players that make this level of hardware are Anker, CalDigit, Kensington, OWC, and Ugreen.
However, at this time, only CalDigit, Kensington and UGREEN offer a dock with an M.2 slot
One that many will gravitate to is the CalDigit TS5 Plus, a dock that sports a 10GbE LAN port and 140W power profile. That 20-port option doesn’t have an M.2 slot, and it costs $499.99/£469.99 on Amazon.com.
I did notice that the Kensington SD7100T5 EQ Pro isn’t globally available, but it can be bought in the USA, if you have $449.99 burning a hole in your pocket. It’s a fully featured dock with three TB5 downstream ports, an M.2 slot, and a 2.5GbE LAN port.
The most recent arrival is the Ugreen Maxidok 17-to-1, a slightly cheaper option at $390, but it does have a DisplayPort output, M.2 and 2.5GbE LAN port.
While only undercut by the Ugreen Maxidok, the HyperDrive Next Thunderbolt 5 Dock is only a ten-port dock, and if it didn’t have the M.2 slot, I’d be comparing it to the likes of the Maxidok 10-to-1 option that costs only $250.
I should also point out that to make the most of this dock, you need Thunderbolt 5, though it will work with Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, USB4 and even USB-C.
Buying this dock with a Thunderbolt 4 machine means paying a premium for capabilities you cannot yet access. The hardware is forward-looking, but the investment only pays off when the host catches up.
If you aren’t planning to upgrade to a machine with Thunderbolt 5 technology, then this hardware's best feature will mostly go unused.
- Value: 4 / 5
Feature
Specification
Model
HD2801GL
Thunderbolt Protocol
Thunderbolt 5 (Intel Barlow Ridge JHL9580 controller family)
Upstream Host Port
1x TB5 rear, 140W EPR PD 3.1 pass-through
Downstream TB Ports
2x TB5 rear, 1x TB5 front
USB-A Rear
2x USB-A 10Gbps (4.5W each)
USB-A Front
1x USB-A 10Gbps 4.5W, 1x USB-A 10Gbps 7.5W
Network
1x RJ-45 2.5GbE
Audio
1x 3.5mm TRS/TRRS combo
Power Supply
DC 20V 180W external power brick
M.2 Expansion Slot
Full-size M.2 PCIe Gen 4 x4 / Gen 3 (NVMe or PCIe M.2 module)
Max NVMe Capacity
Up to 16TB
AI Module Support
Yes (compatible PCIe M.2 modules including inference accelerators)
Thunderbolt Share
Yes (dual-PC direct sharing without network)
Display Output Windows
3x 4K 144Hz or 8K 144Hz
Display Output macOS
3x 4K (M5 Pro/Max only) or 2x 4K (other Mac configs)
Bandwidth
80Gbps symmetric / 120Gbps display boost
Power Button
Yes (front panel)
Security Slots
Nano Kensington and standard Kensington
Dimensions
19.4 x 7.8 x 5.2 cm (L x W x H)
Materials
75% recycled PCR plastic and aluminium
Warranty
2 Years
HyperDrive Next TB5 Dock: Design(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)- 3x TB downlinks
- No HDMI or DisplayPort
- M.2 slot on the underside
The success or failure of this design hinges on whether you intend to use a monitor attached to the dock. The cable/adapters to do this aren’t expensive, but they are an extra expense, and it would have been nice if Hyper had included at least one with the dock.
The design of this dock reminds me of others made by StarTech and OWC that use the same extruded aluminium tube with capped ends.
It’s not horrible, and it feels remarkably robust, but it's also not cutting edge or especially refined.
The HyperDrive Next TB5 dock is a horizontal desktop slab measuring 19.4 x 7.8 x 5.2 cm. It is compact without being cramped, and the low profile keeps it unobtrusive on a crowded desk.
What struck me first was how heavy it is, with the dock weighing an impressive 1.88kg (4.12 lbs). If you’ve had a dock that someone has knocked off your desk with their elbow in passing, this is not that type of dock. And, brushing this one at speed might result in a trip to the doctor.
Construction uses a mix of aluminium and recycled PCR plastics. Hyper states that 75% of the dock body is composed of post-consumer recycled material. The aluminium elements serve a thermal purpose as well as an aesthetic one, helping dissipate heat during extended running.
The front panel carries one TB5 downstream port, two USB-A ports at 10Gbps, a 3.5mm audio combo jack and a power button. The physical power button pays dividends in daily use. Powering the dock on and off without unplugging the host cable is a small convenience that quickly becomes an expectation.
Having a TB5 downlink on the front is nice, although some might get confused and think that it is the uplink.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)The rear carries the host TB5 port, two further downstream TB5 ports, two USB-A ports, the 2.5GbE RJ-45 port, the DC power input and dual Kensington lock slots. The two-slot security provision, one nano and one standard, is a welcome professional-grade addition.
If you haven’t clicked already, Hyper traded away the dedicated monitor connection for the third TB5 downlink, meaning you will need adapters to connect any type of monitor.
The M.2 expansion bay is accessed via a removable panel on the underside of the chassis. Fitting a drive is straightforward. The bay supports full-size M.2 2280 modules at PCIe Gen 4 x4 or Gen 3 speeds, but it can also accept smaller M.2 form factors. Hyper also formally supports compatible PCIe M.2 accelerator cards here, including inference hardware such as the Hailo-8.
I’ll be frank and say that before Hyper mentioned such functionality, I was unaware that AI acceleration in the M.2 form factor was even a thing, but apparently it is, and this dock supports it.
- Design: 4 / 5
- TB5 Bandwidth
- M.2 Slot
- 140W charging
Thunderbolt 5 offers 80Gbps symmetric bandwidth, handles simultaneous data, display and power delivery. When the host machine supports bandwidth boost mode, that figure rises to 120Gbps on the display path, enabling the full triple 4K or 8K output scenarios.
Display support is platform-dependent. On Windows and on the MacBook Pro M5 Pro or M5 Max, three external displays run at up to 4K 144Hz or a single 8K at 144Hz. Other macOS configurations and Chrome OS devices are limited to two extended displays. This reflects the display engine capabilities of those platforms rather than any shortcoming in the dock itself.
Unless you have a Thunderbolt-capable display, you will need appropriate cables or adapters to connect screens, and as many of these use the USB-C protocol, results may vary.
On a more positive note, Thunderbolt Share is the feature that sets this dock apart from most competition. Connecting two computers via TB cables allows direct file, peripheral and control sharing at speeds Hyper claims are up to 64 times faster than Gigabit Ethernet. No network infrastructure is needed. A work Mac and a personal Windows machine can share a keyboard, mouse and monitor without touching a cable.
That’s especially useful if you have a desktop computer and a laptop, since it avoids the need to buy yet another gadget to attach them simultaneously.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)The M.2 slot deserves its own discussion. PCIe Gen 4 x4 bandwidth through a TB5 connection is theoretically sufficient for any current NVMe drive to operate near its rated speeds. The slot also supports PCIe-based AI accelerator modules. A Hailo-8 or similar inference card installed here allows a laptop to run local AI workloads without a desktop GPU.
Power delivery reaches 140W via EPR PD 3.1. This is the highest common tier for laptop charging, sufficient to keep high-performance MacBook Pros and demanding Windows workstations topped up even under load. The physical power button on the front allows the dock to be cycled without disturbing the host cable connection.
Port count totals ten across the front and rear. All four USB-A ports run at 10Gbps. Dual Kensington lock slots in nano and standard formats reflect Hyper's targeting of professional and enterprise environments.
- Features: 4 / 5
- Intel created performance issues
- 140W power dilemma
I ran into issues with this dock, and they were identical to those I previously experienced on the Ugreen Maxidok 17-to-1, hardware built on the same Intel Barlow Ridge controller.
That suggests neither Ugreen nor Hyper is the culprit in these cases, and that there is an issue with the controller's bandwidth allocation to both the 2.5GbE LAN port and the M.2 slot.
In both cases, neither interface performs as it should, reducing file transfers over the LAN port to about 60% of what I would normally expect and making the Gen4x4 appear to be a Gen3x4 or Gen4x2 slot.
And, like the Ugreen dock, I was able to get the full 2.5GbE LAN experience by plugging an inexpensive $26 USB to Ethernet Adapter 2.5GbE into the dock. Which means that it allocates less bandwidth to the LAN port than it does to 10Gbps USB Type-A ports.
The issue appears to be the same with the M.2 slot, and again, I was able to get better performance from a Corsair EX400U USB4 external SSD attached to one of the TB5 downlinks than I was for a Gen4 drive installed in the M.2 slot.
Those are issues it inherited, it appears, but there are some others that I need to mention that were choices Hyper made.
These relate to the power distribution, as this dock only has an 180W PSU, yet it claims it can charge at 140W. It can probably charge at 140W, assuming none of the other ports is drawing power. But if the M.2 is occupied, and something is pulling 15W from each of the Thunderbolt downlinks, there is a mathematical problem with getting those numbers and the overhead of running the dock from a total of 180W.
It’s interesting to note that other flagship docks come with 240W or even 330W in one case to avoid the power pinch, but not this one.
I feel bad talking about the performance issues on this dock because I don’t think the maker can be blamed, but equally, anyone handing over $400 for one of these needs to know what to expect.
- Performance: 3.5 / 5
The HyperDrive Next Thunderbolt 5 Dock is a strong entry into a rapidly maturing market. Hyper has delivered on the headline promises of TB5 bandwidth, triple 4K display output, Thunderbolt Share connectivity, a built-in M.2 expansion slot and 140W EPR charging. However, the devil is certainly in the details of many aspects.
The performance ceiling of the M.2 slot and the 2.5GbE port under load is a real limitation. But the context is that these shortfalls have appeared consistently across every dock built on the Intel Barlow Ridge TB5 controller family. They are not a Hyper problem; they are an Intel architecture problem. Buyers who understand that tradeoff will find this dock a genuinely capable daily driver, if it fits their specific workflow.
At $399.99, the dock is priced in the thick of the premium TB5 segment. The built-in M.2 bay and Thunderbolt Share support give it a differentiated position, but the lack of at least one dedicated monitor connection or any card slots could be showstoppers for some.
But for others, the inclusion of three TB5 downlinks opens up the dock to be a highly flexible option.
HyperDrive Next TB5 Dock: Report cardValue
Not the cheapest TB5 dock with M.2, but hardly expensive.
4 / 5
Design
Solid and chunky, but with limited ports for a flagship design
4 / 5
Features
Offers 140W charging, but it probably shouldn’t
4 / 5
Performance
Marred performance on LAN and M.2 courtesy of Intel
3.5 / 5
Overall
For those who want TB5 downlinks, this is an attractive dock
4 / 5
Should I buy a HyperDrive Next TB5 Dock?(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)Buy it if...You have Thunderbolt 5
If you have the right ports, you can extract levels of performance from this dock that TB4 and USB4 could only dream. And, it can also handle dual 8K video, should you have the monitors and adapters to connect.
You have TB5 peripherals
With three TSB5 downlinks, this dock is aggressively positioned to exploit them. These include TB monitors and external storage. But if you want to use the Thunderbolt Share feature, that will immediately remove one of those ports from general use.View Deal
You need true M.2 NVMe Gen4x4 performance
The Intel controller architecture cannot sustain those figures under simultaneous load, unfortunately. Either get a TB5 external SSD or connect a USB4 SSD directly to your PC, which will deliver better results.
You need more than 140W charging
The maximum amount of power that the TB5 uplink port on this dock can deliver is 140W. If you need more than that for other ports, then you might need to connect a dedicated PSU to your laptop or find a more power-capable design, like Ugreen's flagship 17-to-1 model.
Ugreen Maxidok 10-to-1 TB5 dock
Fewer ports but the same underlying TB5 technology, and a much lower price. The 10-to-1 dock offers two TB5 downlink ports and a single HDMI monitor output at only 60% of the price of its 17-to-1 big brother.
Check out my Ugreen Maxidok 10-to-1 TB5 dock review
Categories: Reviews
I spent a month with the Motorola Razr Plus 2026, and it's a great flip phone with a worryingly short lifespan
Motorola Razr Plus 2026: Two-minute review
The Motorola Razr Plus 2026 (or Razr 70 Plus, as it's known in some regions) is as puzzling as it is pleasing to use. On the plus side, it boasts a sturdier hinge, all-day battery life thanks to its 4,500mAh cell, two displays that are easily visible in direct sunlight, and a main camera that takes stunning portrait photos that are sure to impress your friends and family.
But Motorola made some odd decisions with the Razr Plus that I'm still scratching my head over. In the US, it costs $100 more than its predecessor, which, given the rising cost of pretty much everything right now, might make sense on its own. However, Motorola used the same processor in this new model as it used in the previous two generations of the Razr Plus family. And while it's still snappy and can handle everyday tasks and some gaming with ease, paying more for the same ol' tech doesn't sit right.
What's more, Motorola is promising Razr Plus 2026 owners three years of OS upgrades and five years of security updates, both of which trail Samsung and Google's seven-year guarantee.
(Image credit: Future / Jason Cipriani)The camera setup is a mixed bag. Motorola removed the telephoto camera and replaced it with an ultra-wide shooter. If you take a lot of wide-angle photos, you'll be smitten. However, if you ever find yourself wanting to zoom in on anything — your kid's performance at school or a sign across the room — you're sure to be disappointed.
Ultimately, the Razr Plus 2026 is an excellent clamshell flip phone that is incredibly fun to use, but its recycled hardware places it in an awkward position. If you want a phone that will confidently turn heads, give you an intuitive cover screen experience, and last all day, it delivers — just don't expect it to keep up with the fast-evolving world of on-device AI a few years down the road.
Motorola Razr Plus 2026 review: Price and availability- 12GB + 256GB for $1,099 in the US
- 12GB + 512GB for £1,000 in the UK
- Not available in Australia
The Motorola Razr Plus launched on May 21, 2026 and is available to purchase from Motorola directly. In the US, it's also available at third-party retailers like Amazon, but only in a single configuration of 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, for $1,099. That's a price increase of $100 over last year's model.
In the UK, Motorola sells a slightly different configuration of the Razr Plus, known as the Razr 70 Plus. It also comes with 12 GB of RAM, but doubles the storage to 512GB for £1,000.
At the time of writing, the Razr Plus 2026 is not available in Australia.
For reference, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE cost $1,099 / £1,049 / AU$1,799 and $899 / £849 / AU$1,499, respectively, while the cheaper Razr 2026 and Razr Ultra 2026 cost $799.99 / £799.99 and $1,499.99 / £1,199.99, respectively.
In other words, the Razr Plus 2026 is in the middle of the pack in terms of price. It's not the most expensive flip phone you can buy, but it's far from cheap.
- Value score: 3 / 5
Here's a breakdown of the Motorola Razr Plus 2026's key specs:
Dimensions:
Closed: 3.5 x 2.9 x 0.6 in
Open: 2.9 x 6.7 x 0.3 in
Weight:
189g
Display:
Cover display: 4-inch AMOLED
Main display: 6.9-inch AMOLED
Resolution:
Cover display: 1272 x 1080
Main display: 1084 x 2640
Refresh rate:
Cover display: 165Hz
Main display: 165Hz
Peak brightness:
Cover display: 2,400 nits
Main display: 3,000 nits
CPU:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
RAM:
12GB
Storage:
256GB
OS:
Android 16
Cameras:
50MP main, 50MP ultra-wide
Selfie Camera:
32MP
Battery:
4,500mAh
Charging:
45W wired, 15W wireless, 5W reverse wireless
Colors:
Pantone Mountain View
Motorola Razr Plus 2026 review: DesignFuture / Jason CiprianiFuture / Jason CiprianiFuture / Jason Cipriani- New titanium hinge is more durable
- Mesh pattern on the back adds some grip
The 2026 version of the Motorola Razr Plus is available in one color: Pantone Mountain View. That's a fancy name for what I'd consider forest green. Although, because of the flip design, the color of the phone doesn't dominate the overall aesthetic, with the back panel (when closed) and the frame of the phone being the only areas that show off any sort of color. The rest of the phone is black — well, until you wake it up and realize it's all screen.
The back panel features a textured pattern Motorola is referring to as a "woven jacquard-inspired finish." The woven pattern adds some much-needed grip to the back of an otherwise slick phone. You won't find any MagSafe-like support on the Razr Plus, nor does it support Qi2 wireless charging. Instead, you'll get 15W wireless charging and 5W reverse wireless charging for topping off your smartwatch or wireless earbuds.
It's been a few years since I last used a foldable phone that flips instead of opening like a book, and I've definitely missed using a clamshell phone. When it's closed, its compact size doesn't feel overly bulky in my pocket like my iPhone 15 Pro Max or Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7.
When closed, the Razr Plus fits almost perfectly in the palm of my hand, allowing one-handed use of the front display. The volume buttons, along with the lock/wake button that doubles as a fingerprint sensor, are easily accessible, making unlocking the phone or adjusting the volume while listening to music or streaming a YouTube video a breeze.
(Image credit: Future / Jason Cipriani)I do wish the front screen wasn't broken up by the two camera lenses in the bottom right corner, but that's a byproduct of this form factor.
When opened, the phone is narrower and taller than my iPhone 15 Pro Max and Pixel 10 Pro XL, which means there's a bit of a learning curve at first. I found it difficult to reach the top third of the screen or so when using the phone one-handed. The taller aspect ratio also puts the volume controls and that fingerprint sensor higher up on the right side of the housing. This positioning isn't a deal-breaker, by any means, but it does take some getting used to.
There's a new titanium-reinforced hinge in this year's model, and while I can't speak to how much more durable it is than previous hinges in the Razr line, I can say it feels smooth and sturdy.
The USB-C charge port, capable of charging at up to 45W, is located on the bottom of the phone, as is common practice for all modern smartphones.
The Razr Plus has an IP48 rating, meaning it'll survive an accidental swim in a pool or bathtub. It'll also stand up to pocket lint and everyday debris, but don't drop it at the beach — the sand could wreak havoc.
The Razr Plus doesn't break the design mold for a clamshell-style flip phone, and adapting to the taller design takes some time, but it's a phone that's sure to garner some attention whenever you pull it out and flip it open.
- Design score: 4 / 5
- Plenty of brightness, inside and out
- Two displays are better than one
The Motorola Razr Plus has two different displays. When closed, the front of the phone features a 4-inch AMOLED cover display with a resolution of 1272 x 1080, a 165Hz refresh rate, and a peak brightness of 2,400 nits. All of that distills down to a compact screen that looks clear, crisp, and is easy to see in direct sunlight.
As I said earlier, my biggest gripe is that even though the cover display is listed at 4 inches, you don't get to take full advantage of that space because the dual-camera lens setup in the bottom-right corner gets in the way.
Still, I rather enjoyed quickly checking my email or scrolling through my Reddit feed while waiting in line at a food truck. I didn't enjoy typing out long messages on a cramped keyboard, but it was nice to send a quick yes/no or short message without opening the phone.
On the inside is a 6.9-inch AMOLED display, with a 1084 x 2640 resolution, a 165Hz refresh rate, and a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. That peak brightness is on par with the likes of the Pixel 10 Pro XL and iPhone 17 Pro Max, and beats out the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7's 2,600-nit peak brightness. At those levels, you should have no issues seeing the display in direct sunlight.
(Image credit: Future / Jason Cipriani)The inner display uses LTPO technology to adjust the refresh rate all the way down to 1Hz when you're looking at a webpage or reading an email, and all the way up to 165Hz when you're gaming or quickly scrolling a social feed.
There's a noticeable crease in the screen that's easily seen and felt as you tap and swipe across the display. But doesn't get in the way or completely distract from the overall experience — in fact, after a few days, I rarely even thought about its presence.
Specifications aside, the inner screen looks sharp, with deep blacks and bright, vivid colors. The surrounding bezel is thin and sits slightly higher than the screen panel itself. That means there's a slight lip around the edge, similar to the raised border of a phone case.
- Display score: 4 / 5
- Comes with Android 16
- Will only get 3 years of OS updates
- 5 years of security updates
The Motorola Razr Plus runs Android 16 with Motorola's custom Hello UI skin layered on top, adding customizations and features. I'm a big fan of Google's Pixel lineup and the clean Android experience it offers, but I also appreciate when phone makers like Motorola tweak Android and add to the overall experience.
Google Gemini is baked into the Razr Plus, of course. You can easily access the AI service using your voice or through the Gemini app. It's confusing to me, then, that Motorola has its own Moto AI app on the Razr Plus that duplicates a lot (if not all?) of what Gemini brings to the table.
Inside the Moto AI app, you can use Image Studio to create images from scratch and make stickers to use in your messages. There's also a feature that catches you up on your missed notifications, a playlist creation feature, and even a note-taking transcription service.
I totally get the desire to add AI to all the things right now, but as someone who regularly uses Gemini across all of my devices, I don't want to start investing my time (and data) into another AI tool.
Moto AI aside, my long-standing favorite tweaks Motorola makes to Android are present: Gestures. I love being able to twist my wrist a couple of times and launch the camera app, for example. I wish more phones had a similar capability.
(Image credit: Future / Jason Cipriani)With the cover screen, Motorola effectively manages two different home screens. There's, of course, the internal screen, but instead of just duplicating and shrinking it down to fit the cover screen's size, it's an entirely different experience. You can add apps to a dedicated app drawer, manage calendar or weather panels (basically widgets) you swipe between, and even take pictures of video right from the front of the phone. It's all super easy to understand and intuitive to navigate.
Motorola promises three years of major OS updates and five years of security updates for the Razr Plus, falling well short of Google and Samsung, both of which promise seven years of OS updates and security patches to their respective foldables. Motorola's equivalent commitment is disappointing, even more so when you consider the nearly $1,100 price tag of the Razr Plus 2026.
- Software score: 3 / 5
- 50MP main camera
- 50MP ultra-wide camera
- No telephoto camera this year
The two camera lenses that break up the front display I've complained about a few times already are a 50MP wide camera and a 50MP ultra-wide camera. On the inside is a 32MP hole-punch selfie camera.
For the 2026 version of the Razr Plus, Motorola did away with the telephoto lens and replaced it with an ultra-wide camera. When I first read about the lack of a telephoto lens, I didn't give it much thought — until I actually started taking pictures and realized just how much I was going to miss it.
When I took the Razr Plus to an Alex Warren concert at an outdoor amphitheater, I was really disappointed as I tried to zoom in on the stage and saw nothing but out-of-focus blobs.
Future / Jason CiprianiFuture / Jason CiprianiFuture / Jason CiprianiFuture / Jason CiprianiFuture / Jason CiprianiFuture / Jason CiprianiFuture / Jason CiprianiThe first few selfies I took using the main camera and the front display as a viewfinder didn't leave me overly impressed, either. Each one was muted and downright blurry.
It wasn't until a night out with my family, as we waited for our dinner to arrive, and I started taking portrait photos of everyone, that I realized just how much potential the Razr Plus 2026 has as a camera phone.
Future / Jason CiprianiFuture / Jason CiprianiFuture / Jason CiprianiFuture / Jason CiprianiFuture / Jason CiprianiFuture / Jason CiprianiEvery portrait shot was clear, crisp, and had ample color saturation. You could make a case that the colors are a little too saturated and unnatural-looking, but that's nitpicking. Every person at the table wouldn't stop talking about how good the photos looked, and I was equally impressed.
Then I started taking pictures of our pizzas as they arrived, and I saw that same blurry, out-of-focus look start to creep into some shots. Maybe it's user error? Maybe the camera is just finicky.
Future / Jason CiprianiFuture / Jason CiprianiFuture / Jason CiprianiThe ultra-wide camera has a 122-degree field of view, which was more than enough to capture the entire amphitheater and the audience. However, if you look at the edges of the picture, you'll see it gets blurry and out of focus, while the back of my son's head is perfectly in focus.
(Image credit: Future / Jason Cipriani)Overall, then, the Razr Plus' camera setup is mixed. It's impressive when taking portrait photos, and occasionally when taking normal photos. But replacing the telephoto camera with an ultra-wide shooter feels like a step backward from last year's model — the ability to zoom and take high-quality pictures feels like a must-have in 2026, and the Razr Plus 2026 can't deliver.
- Camera score: 3 / 5
- It's plenty fast... for now
- Same exact processor used in the previous two models
Probably the most controversial thing Motorola did with the 2026 Razr Plus is stick with the exact same processor it used in the 2024 and 2025 Razr Plus, while also raising the price of the new phone by $100. Motorola even kept the memory at 12GB and storage at 256GB across all three generations.
In all fairness, the processor — the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 — is no slouch. Over the last month, I haven't noted any glaring performance issues. I've been able to move between apps and multitask, and the Razr Plus kept up with whatever paces I put it through. That often meant watching a YouTube video in picture-in-picture mode, while checking my email, texting my wife, or browsing the web in Chrome. Doing a few laps in Asphalt: Legends also presented no issues (and was actually quite fun).
With AI as a whole at the forefront of almost every tech-related conversation right now, the Razr Plus would surely benefit from an upgraded processor, but I digress.
Just know that if you opt to pick up a Razr Plus, you shouldn't expect any performance issues today — but with an already aging chipset, there's no promise that it won't start showing signs of its age as Android and Motorola's Hello UI software continue to evolve.
For those interested, here's a summary of the Razr Plus' benchmark scores:
Motorola Razr Plus 2026
Geekbench 6 single-core
1835
Geekbench 6 multi-core
4476
3D Mark Wildlife Extreme Best
2202
3D Mark Wildlife Extreme Low
1660
3D Mark Solar Bay
5110
- Performance score: 3 / 5
- 4,500mAh battery
- 45W wired charging
- All-day battery life
Tucked inside the thin housing of the Razr Plus is a 4,500mAh battery, which Motorola promises will deliver over 31 hours of use.
From my testing, I'd say that's only slightly more than what you get in everyday use. I was routinely able to go an entire day of doom scrolling, bouncing between basically any social media app you can name, chatting with friends in Slack, managing my inbox, and texting my wife and kids without needing to charge.
Like most people, I find it's second nature to plug in my phone as I get ready for bed and start the next day with a full charge. On several occasions, I forgot to plug in the Razr Plus, but instead of waking to a phone that had turned off, I found anywhere from 20% to 30% of its juice left.
When you run out of juice, though, using a 45W wall adapter will net you a 20% charge in 15 minutes. A full charge from a completely drained tank, meanwhile, took around 1 hour and 35 minutes in my testing.
As mentioned earlier, there's no MagSafe-equivalent wireless charging feature, nor does the Razr Plus support Qi2. However, you can wirelessly charge at 15W or charge another device using reverse wireless charging at 5W. You won't want to use the latter feature to charge another phone; it's incredibly slow and inefficient.
- Battery score: 5 / 5
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Value
A $100 increase year-over-year for old tech.
3 / 5
Design
An upgraded hinge, IP48 rating and a very usable front display are all welcome features.
4 / 5
Displays
The front and inner displays look great, even in direct sunlight.
4 / 5
Software
Three years of OS updates falls well short of industry standards.
3 / 5
Camera
Swapping the telephoto camera out for an ultra-wide isn't ideal, but the main camera takes solid pics.
3 / 5
Performance
The older processor powers through daily tasks with relative ease.
3 / 5
Battery
It just keeps going and going and going.
5 / 5
Buy it if...You want a compact foldable phone
The cover display is fully functional, allowing you to triage your messages or quickly check your calendar, then it opens to a full-size smartphone that fits easily in your pocket. Win-win.
You want all-day battery life
The 4,500mAh battery provides more than enough power to get through a full day of use and then some.
You want high-quality portrait photos
If you primarily take portrait photos of friends and family, then this phone will be your jam.
You want the latest tech
Motorola's reuse of a processor from 2024 is sure to show signs of its age as we move further into the AI era and Android continues to evolve.
You want a telephoto lens
Do not get the Razr Plus if you routinely zoom in and take photos. It just doesn't do a great job at a distance.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7
If you want a foldable flip phone, Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 7 offers a similar experience to the Razr Plus, but with Samsung's software (love or hate it) and a front display that's just as useful.
Read our full Samsung Z Galaxy 7 Flip review
Motorola Razr Ultra 2025
Last year's Moto Razr Ultra checks a lot of the same boxes as the 2026 Razr Plus, but adds in a better processor, more memory, and more storage. However, it too lacks a telephoto lens.
Read our full Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review
How I tested the Motorola Razr Plus 2026I lived with the Razr Plus 2026 for over a month. I used Android's restore tool to transfer over accounts and apps from my Google Pixel 10 Pro XL, then signed into the apps I use every day — Slack, Fastmail, Reddit, Mastodon, YouTube, Facebook, Immich, Instagram, and Gemini, to name a few.
I used the Razr Plus as I would my own personal phone throughout each day and over the weeks, taking pictures, watching YouTube, listening to music, and doing all of the other mundane tasks one does on a phone, being sure to take note of my overall impressions along the way.
Read more about how we test
First reviewed June 2026
Categories: Reviews
GMKtec EVO-T2 review: An impressive AI mini PC that goes some way to addressing the imbalance between the best Intel can offer over AMD
GMKtec EVO-T2: 30-second review
Mini PCs rarely arrive with fanfare. The GMKtec EVO-T2 is an exception. It debuted at CES 2026 with Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan visiting the booth, testing the unit in person and signing a prototype. His signature wasn’t on my test version, and you can imagine my disappointment.
That kind of endorsement is unusual for a compact desktop from a Chinese OEM, and it signals something real. This is not a routine refresh.
At its core sits Intel's newest Panther Lake architecture. The Core Ultra X7 358H is built on Intel's own 18A process node, making the EVO-T2 one of the first consumer products to ship that fabrication technology at volume. The question every reviewer has to answer is whether the real-world performance justifies a price tag that sits above £1,500 for the standard retail configuration.
The review unit supplied by GMKtec uses the Core Ultra X7 358H with 64GB of LPDDR5X RAM and a 1TB NVMe SSD, but some SKUs offer the Core Ultra X9 388H for those willing to pay extra.
What GMKtec has here is cutting-edge Intel technology that’s ideal for power users, AI LLM fans, and creatives, all in a remarkably compact package that doesn’t cost a fortune.
With so few brands offering products with Panther Lake silicon, this is easily one of the best Mini PC machines available today.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)GMKtec EVO-T2: Price and availability- How much does it cost? $1899/£1521/€1,700
- When is it out? Available now
- Where can you get it? Currently, this machine can be obtained directly from GMKtec
The GMKtec EVO-T2 is available direct from the GMKtec US and GMKtec UK websites. I'm also seeing a configuration on Amazon.com.
There appears to be plenty of confusion about the pricing of these products on the GMKtec website, and pricing on Amazon seems only to compound things.
The USA pricing for the X7 is $1,899 for the standard model, but oddly $3,299.99 for the 853GB model. That second price is obviously a mistake, and I’d assume that’s the dollar pricing for the X9 version.
What I can say with some certainty is that on the GMKtec UK website, there are four SKUs: two X7 and two X9 models. And, the X7 358H design with 64GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, as per my review, the hardware is £1,520.99.
There is another X7 version with an 853GB drive, which I’m going to assume is a special partition for running LLMs, and it sells for £1,629. There are two corresponding X9 388H models, which are both priced at £2999.99, curiously. That seems like a ridiculous markup for only a few hundred MHz extra across a couple of clock settings, but that’s what they’re asking.
As a slight sweetener, UK customers are being offered a code that gets them a further £60 off at the time of writing.
European prices are €1.699,99 for the X7, with no X9 stock currently available.
Comparing these prices to anything else is a fraught exercise, since this is the first Mini PC to use this platform, even if Asus has a new NUC 16 Pro planned that uses this chip. And, Minisforum has a new AI X1 Pro model in the pipeline that uses an advanced AMD chip using its Gorgon Point core.
What I might point out is that the GMKtec EVO-T1, which uses the Arrow Lake Core Ultra 9 285H, is only $1,279.99 with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, but it can also be bought barebones with no memory or storage for close to $900.
From a performance perspective, the GMKtec EVO-X2 Ryzen AI Max+ 395 is more powerful, and that, with 64GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, is only another $100 more.
On that basis, the EVO-X2 seems to be a better value than the EVO-T2. And, GMKtec offers a 128GB version of the EVO-X2, for those wishing to blow $3,299.99 on one.
The big issue here is patently the cost of memory, and these platforms all need the faster soldered modules that are currently 400% more than they were only months ago.
I’ve given this a score of 4 out of 5 since you can’t get this hardware anywhere else at this time, and when Asus and Minisforum do come to market, they’re unlikely to undercut GMKtec's price.
- Value: 4 / 5
Model
Intel Core Ultra X7 358H
Architecture
Panther Lake (Intel 18A process)
Cores / Threads
16 cores (4P + 8E + 4LP-E)
P-core Boost
Up to 4.8 GHz
E-core Max
Up to 3.5 GHz
LP-E Core Max
Up to 3.3 GHz
L3 Cache
18MB Intel Smart Cache
TDP Range
25W base / 80W Maximum Turbo Power
AI Performance
Up to 180 TOPS combined (CPU + NPU + GPU)
NPU
NPU 5 (50 TOPS INT8)
Integrated GPU
Intel Arc B390 (Xe3 architecture, TSMC N3E tile)
GPU Cores
12 Xe3 cores
GPU Clock
Up to 2.5 GHz
Display Support
4x 4K via HDMI 2.1 x2 and USB4 x2
RAM
64GB LPDDR5X-8533 soldered
SSD
1TB NVMe
M.2 Slot 1
PCIe 5.0 M.2 2280
M.2 Slot 2
PCIe 4.0 M.2 2280
Max Capacity
Up to 16TB combined
AI SSD
Phison aiDAPTIV+ pseudo-memory extension
USB4 Front
1x 40Gbps with 100W Power Delivery and DisplayPort Alt Mode
USB4 Rear
1x 40Gbps
USB-A
2x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB 2.0
HDMI
2x HDMI 2.1 (rear)
DisplayPort
1x DisplayPort 1.4 (rear)
Audio
1x 3.5mm combo jack
OCuLink
1x OCuLink Gen4x4
Ethernet
1x 2.5GbE and 1x 10GbE
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 5.4
Operating System
Windows 11 Pro
Cooling
Ice Storm 3.0 active cooling with RGB fan
Power Modes
Silent 35W | Balanced 45W | Performance 60W | Max 80W
PSU Wattage
148.2W
Dimensions
Approx. 103 × 98 × 32 mm
Weight
1273g including PSU
GMKtec EVO-T2: Design- Same enclosure as EVO-T1
- Easy internal access
- No memory upgrades
The case of the EVO-T2 is oddly familiar, as it seems relatively unchanged from the EVO-T1 that I reviewed in August of 2025.
The EVO-T2 continues GMKtec's established squared, compact form factor. The chassis uses a precision surface finish and houses what GMKtec calls its Ice Storm 3.0 cooling system, an active solution with a visible RGB fan. It sits comfortably on a desk or mounts via VESA behind a monitor.
Port placement is well considered. The front panel carries the USB4 port with 100W Power Delivery alongside two USB-A 3.2 connections and one USB-A 2.0. These are the ports users reach for most often, and they are exactly where they should be. The rear houses the second USB4, dual HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, dual Ethernet, the OCuLink port and the audio jack.
That rear panel is dense. It rewards deliberate cable planning rather than improvisation. Quad 4K display support is a genuine differentiator at this size. Creative professionals and multi-monitor users will appreciate having that headroom without needing an external dock.
This hints that the EVO-T2's connectivity specification is exceptional for the category.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)Dual Ethernet with 2.5GbE and 10GbE ports on a machine this small opens it to homelab, network-attached storage and professional networking roles that most mini PCs cannot fill. The 10GbE port alone makes this worth serious consideration for anyone who moves large files regularly.
Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 cover wireless needs for the foreseeable future. The front-panel USB4 port carries 40Gbps bandwidth and supports Power Delivery at 100W, which is genuinely practical for desk setups where the EVO-T2 acts as a hub. DisplayPort Alt Mode via USB4 adds display flexibility beyond the two HDMI outputs and the dedicated DisplayPort at the rear.
The OCuLink Gen4x4 port provides a direct PCIe pathway to external GPU enclosures without the bandwidth constraints of USB4. For users who plan to add a discrete GPU later or need GPU-accelerated compute for specific workloads, this is a meaningful long-term expansion option, though not all systems include it.
Internal access requires removing the feet and then four screws. It’s not difficult, but it might have been easier. Inside, you can access the three M.2 slot positions, two already being occupied by the Wi-Fi 7 adapter and the 1TB NVMe drive. One oddity about the two M.2 slots allocated for storage is that the one GMKtec filled with the supplied Gen4 drive is the PCIe 5.0 slot, leaving the PCIe 4.0 slot free. That seems silly, but this isn’t the only mini PC maker doing these things.
For testing, I moved the provided drive to the Gen4 slot and put a Gen5 drive in a slot where it works best. And, if anyone buys one of these, I’d recommend doing that and cloning the drive to the Gen5 module. I’d also suggest you get a Gen5 drive with a heatsink or add one before installation.
There are no memory upgrade options, because all the memory here is soldered to the mainboard.
- Design: 4 / 5
- Intel Core Ultra X7 358H
- Soldered memory
- 180 TOPS AI
Panther Lake is easily Intel's most architecturally interesting mobile platform in years. The Core Ultra X7 358H uses a chiplet design built across three separate tiles. The compute tile is manufactured on Intel's 18A process and incorporates RibbonFET gate-all-around transistors alongside backside power delivery using PowerVia technology. Intel states this reduces voltage drop by around 30 per cent and improves transistor density over the prior generation.
I have a not-unreasonable feeling that this was what the 100 series was meant to be from the outset, and not what actually arrived.
The processor carries 16 cores across three tiers. Four Cougar Cove performance cores handle peak single-threaded workloads and boost to 4.8 GHz. Eight Darkmont efficiency cores manage sustained parallel tasks. Four low-power efficiency cores handle background activity.
It is a sensibly layered approach, and the trickle-down from mobile laptop silicon means the EVO-T2 benefits from extensive driver and platform maturity work done for notebook OEMs.
The gap between the X7 358H and the flagship X9 388H is modest in practice. The 388H adds 0.3 GHz of peak boost. For most productivity and AI workloads, the difference will be within the margin of thermal variation. The X7 is the right choice for a machine where value matters.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)The soldered RAM configuration is the most significant design decision to understand before purchasing. Retail units ship with 64GB of LPDDR5X-8533. The review unit carries 16GB. Neither configuration can be upgraded after purchase. Buyers who anticipate needing more capacity should look at the GMKtec EVO-X2, which uses AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 with up to 128GB of unified memory.
Soldered LPDDR5X enables the higher bandwidth speeds that integrated graphics depend on heavily. The Arc B390 needs fast, wide memory access to perform at its best. The trade-off is permanent capacity. For most professional workflows and AI tasks at the 64GB retail tier, the ceiling should be workable for several years.
Storage is considerably more flexible. The primary M.2 slot runs PCIe 5.0, offering sequential read speeds above 10 GB/s with compatible drives. The secondary slot is PCIe 4.0, still capable of strong throughput for a second drive or overflow storage. Combined capacity can reach 16TB, which opens the machine to NAS-adjacent roles that most mini PCs cannot consider.
GMKtec's headline claim is 180 TOPS of combined AI performance across the CPU, GPU and NPU. The NPU alone contributes 50 TOPS, which represents a meaningful step up from prior Intel generations. The remaining compute performance is divided between the Arc B390 and the CPU cores themselves.
The 180 TOPS figure is a heterogeneous combined total. Real-world AI workload distribution depends heavily on the framework and the model. Not all applications can efficiently split inference across three compute blocks simultaneously. The NPU handles fixed-function acceleration well. More general local inference typically leans more on the GPU or CPU, depending on quantisation level and context window size.
The aiDAPTIV+ AI SSD technology developed with Phison is worth mentioning. It extends available memory by intelligently paging model data between DRAM and NVMe storage. GMKtec claims this allows the EVO-T2 to run models with up to 70 billion parameters locally. For a machine with 64GB of RAM, that is an extraordinary claim. The paging mechanism will introduce latency penalties for data not resident in DRAM, and the practical throughput impact under sustained inference loads has not been verified by me, since I don’t have an aiDAPTIV+ AI SSD.
One thing that did make me wonder about the design of the EVO-T2 was that GMKtec claims that the USB4 port on the front can push out 100W for recharging a laptop. As the PSU is only rated at 148.2W and the system could take 60W, there appears to be a voltage shortfall in that calculation.
Overall, the X7 358H is a dramatic uplift from the 200 series chips that came before it, although AMD has such a significant lead with its Ryzen AI 395 series that it's perhaps too much to ask in one generational change.
- Features: 4.5 / 5
Mini PC
GMKtec EVO-T2
Bosgame M5 AI
CPU
Intel Core Ultra X7 358H
AMD Ryzen AI 395 Max
Cores/Threads
16C 16T
16C 32T
RAM
64GB LPDDR5X 8533
128GB DDR5
SSD
512 GB KINGSTON OM8TAP4512K1-A0
2TB Kingston OM8PGP42048N
Graphics
Intel Arc B390
Radeon 8060S
3DMark
WildLife
45211
70014
FireStrike
14394
26917
TimeSpy
7621
11317
S.Nomad
6172
11201
Cine24
Single
123
115
Multi
1029
1879
Ratio
8.34
16.32
GeekBench 6
Single
2849
2981
Multi
16286
17882
OpenCL
56978
101915
Vulkan
64187
90384
CrystalDisk
Read MB/s
5047
4083
Write MB/s
4498
3639
PCMark 10
Office
10645
9056
WEI
Score
8.9
9.6
Normally, I compare AMD and Intel Mini PCs against their ilk. But as this is a flagship design of a new silicon generation, and the best Intel has to offer, I thought it would be useful to compare it to the top-of-the-line AMD platform.
For those who like the fine details, the EVO-T2 was set into ‘Performance’ mode in the BIOS, rather than balanced or silent. According to GMKtec, there should be a mode above this that consumes 80W, but it was missing from my BIOS. Therefore, it might be possible to get even more out of the EVO-T2, and the BIOS certainly has plenty of features for overclocking some aspects.
The Arc B390 GPU is the headline graphics story in Panther Lake. It uses twelve Xe3 cores built on TSMC's N3E process and clocks up to 2.5 GHz. Intel positions it as delivering 76 per cent more performance than the Arc 140T from the previous Arrow Lake generation and 82 per cent more than AMD's Radeon 890M found in Ryzen AI HX 370 platforms. As usual, Intel ignores the Radeon 8060S in the Ryzen AI 395 Max, which is its true competitor.
And, as the results show, B390 might make Arc 140T and Radeon 890M look poor, but it still can’t run with the Radeon 8060S, not even close.
Obviously, you could use the OcuLink port to add a discrete GPU, but that’s the only way that the EVO-T2 would compete with a Bosgame M5 AI.
And, while all those extra cores in the Intel Core Ultra X7 358H CPU do boost the multi-processing considerably, it still falls short of the AMD Ryzen AI 395 Max.
It did well in the PCMark score, and it also had a better SSD than the Bosgame machine. I inserted a Crucial P510 Gen5 drive into this hardware, and it delivered 10,587MB/s reads and 8,977MB/s writes in the Gen5 M.2 slot, so it could be dramatically better with a small investment.
Overall, Intel is moving in the right direction, but AMD don’t need to worry yet.
- Performance: 4.5 / 5
The EVO-T2 is an impressive piece of equipment that exploits the dramatically better silicon Intel has released with Panther Lake. However, given the modest differences between the X7 358H and the X9 388H, I wouldn’t be rushing to spend the extra on the top model unless money isn't a concern for you.
Where this rig excels is in providing a punchy platform for software development, video editing and running AI LLMs. It would have been nice to have seen Thunderbolt 5 ports on this PC, but the cost of adding this feature appears to be putting mini PC makers off.
At least it has USB4 and an OCuLink port if you want more GPU power.
But the focus here is foremost AI, with GMKtec even deploying a version of OpenClaw to the desktop along with Herdman. While there are free tokens to be had, these are a portal to monthly subscription packages for those who want to fully exploit AI agents.
That seems slightly at odds with the premise of having hardware like the EVO-T2 that can run powerful local AI at no other cost than electricity, and your time to get it trained in your workflows. But agents will always come with extra costs, regardless of where they are launched from.
Getting back to the hardware, this is an exceptional piece of gear that nearly brings Intel back up to AMD’s current level. Although with new AMD hardware soon to launch, this might prove to be a false dawn for them.
What it comes down to here is the price, since all memory and storage costs are artificially inflated.
For those who, for whatever reason, don’t trust AMD, then this is quite clearly the best Intel mini PC technology available, especially for those running local LLMs.
Should you buy a GMKtec EVO-T2?Value
Not cheap, but with this spec it was never going to be
4 / 5
Design
EVO-T1 revisited, but it does have a Gen5 M.2 slot
4 / 5
Features
New CPU technology, new GPU, and plenty of TOPS
4.5 / 5
Performance
New CPU technology, new GPU, and plenty of TOPS
4.5 / 5
Overall
A little powerhouse with so many uses
4.5 / 5
Buy it if...You want power in a small package
This is an excellent choice if you want a compact, quiet desktop that handles everyday tasks and Copilot+ AI features without any cloud dependency. But this system is also ideal for a mini server, hardware firewall and a dozen other tasks.
You want local AI
This is the pinnacle of AI-focused mini PCs available today, and with 180 TOPS of combined compute to suit your workload, the only limitation is memory.
You need more than 64GB of RAM
As the memory in this system cannot be replaced, the 64GB of memory you get out of the box is as much as it will ever have. Whether for LLMs, video editing, or heavy virtualisation, the stock RAM is soldered and permanent, which might not be sufficient for the largest models.
Cost is a concern
The review hardware isn't cheap, and the X9 model is insanely expensive. There are powerful systems based on older technology that you can get for cheaper than the EVO-T2,
Bosgame M5 AI
A massively powerful Mini PC platform that uses the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor, with sixteen cores and thirty-two threads. There are two variants with 96GB and 128GB memory, respectively, and 2TB of storage.
Until Gorgon Point silicon arrives, this is the most powerful processor and integrated GPU combination. And, the 96GB model is only slightly more expensive than the X7 version of the EVO-T2.
Read my full review of the Bosgame M5 AI here.
Minisforum UM790 Pro
A powerful AMD system using a Ryzen 9-class processor, supported by the Radeon 780M GPU. Targeted towards creatives and gamers, the expandable memory and dual M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSDs allow you to boost performance according to your requirements, with the standard version already delivering remarkable capabilities.
Check out our Minisforum UM790 Pro review
For more professional hardware, we've reviewed the best business computers.
Categories: Reviews
I tested the Huawei MatePad Pro Max, and I wish this iPad Pro-rivaling tablet had the software to match its excellent hardware
Huawei MatePad Pro Max review: One-minute review
The Huawei MatePad Pro Max is the world’s thinnest 13-inch+ tablet, and rivals the 13-inch iPad Pro (2025) and Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra for portable power. It’s lighter than both of those competitors, and offers a stunning display on which to make use of its impressive performance credentials.
You’d be forgiven, then, for thinking Apple and Samsung might be looking nervously over their shoulders. The MatePad Pro Max is beautifully made, and I prefer its design to that of Apple’s best iPads. Early signs suggest this could be one of the best tablets around. Yet like its smaller sibling, the Huawei MatePad 12X, this slate is almost impossible to recommend in a practical sense. More on that in a moment.
The 13.2-inch display comes with Huawei’s PaperMatte technology. Not only does this make it feel lovely to touch, but it also has fantastic anti-reflective properties. I can sit outside in the sun and still easily use this tablet.
It’s great for video streaming and gaming, with enough grunt under the hood to run PUBG Mobile on high graphical settings without signs of slowdown.
(Image credit: Future)There’s a keyboard case included in the box — something you don’t get from Apple or Samsung — which helps to boost the productivity credentials of this slate. And you also get a 100W charging block, allowing you to replenish over 60% of its battery in under 30 minutes.
Battery life is solid, with many hours of use possible — around eight hours of continuous online gaming, for example — and reverse charging means you can use the tablet to top-up your phone. Even the cameras are better than some rivals’.
Huawei’s own Harmony OS software is similar to iPadOS and Android, and it’s intuitive to use for the most part. But it’s in the company’s App Gallery where the real issue with this slate lies. With no access to Google Mobile Services (GMS), the MatePad Pro Max has a severe lack of mainstream apps.
That means no Google apps, no Meta apps (Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, Threads), and no X (formerly Twitter), ChatGPT, Claude, Spotify, Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Amazon, and more.
This unfortunately means that, even with its excellent design and display, solid battery life, and premium performance, the Huawei MatePad Pro Max is only going to work for a small subset of users with very specific needs that don’t rely on major applications.
Huawei MatePad Pro Max review: price and availability- Release June 30, 2026 in the UK
- Price starts at £999 — cheaper than Apple and Samsung rivals
- Includes keyboard case
- Not available in the US or Australia
The Huawei MatePad Pro Max starts at £999.99 (around $1,300 / AU$1,800) and, unlike rival tablets, it comes with a keyboard case and 100W charging block in the box.
That’s comfortably cheaper than the 13-inch iPad Pro (starting at £1,299) and the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra (starting at £1,269), for hardware that’s just as good, if not better. But it’s the lack of mainstream apps that hampers this tablet’s value proposition.
The MatePad Pro Max is available now on the Huawei UK website. As with many Huawei devices, the MatePad Pro Max is not available in the US or Australia.
- Value: 4 / 5
Weight
499g / 509g
Display
13.2-inch, OLED (3000 x 2000), PaperMatte
Operating system
HarmonyOS 4.3
Chipset
Kirin T93 Pro
Memory (RAM)
12GB
Storage
256GB / 512GB
Battery
9,760mAh
Charging
66W wired
Cameras
50MP rear, 12MP front
Connectivity
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, USB Type-C 3.1
Colors
Blue, Space Grey
Huawei MatePad Pro Max review: displayFutureFuture- Brilliant, colorful OLED screen
- Works great in bright sunlight
- PaperMatte finish feels premium
I love the 13.2-inch display on the MatePad Pro Max. My model comes with the firm’s PaperMatte technology, providing a slick, smooth feeling under the finger and a screen that’s still brilliantly visible in bright sunlight.
The OLED panel pumps out punchy colors, while the 144Hz refresh rate keeps scrolling and gameplay feeling smooth.
The screen comfortably goes toe-to-toe with those of the iPad Pro 13-inch and Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra, with the Huawei’s display even boasting a higher resolution (3000 x 2000) and pixel density (273ppi) than those of its two mainstream rivals.
Peak brightness matches the iPad and Galaxy Tab at 1600 nits, and the MatePad Pro Max also has the slimmest bezels of the three, giving it an impressive 91.4% screen-to-body ratio.
All this means you get a superb viewing experience with this tablet. Whether I was watching 4K videos or playing PUBG with the graphics turned way up, it was a visual feast for the eyes.
- Display: 4.5 / 5
- Sleek premium design
- Thinner and lighter than Apple and Samsung rivals
- Keyboard case included, but design could be better
It’s not just the screen that looks great on the Huawei MatePad Pro Max, with this tablet also packing a seriously slim design.
At just 4.7mm thick, you’d be forgiven for thinking it might feel a little fragile — but worry not. The metal unibody chassis is solid and the build quality is top-notch — as it should be for the price — and if the Huawei brand was scrubbed off, I reckon I could convince a few people this was the new iPad design. That’s how good the MatePad Pro Max looks and feels.
There’s still that 13.2-inch screen to squeeze into the chassis, but with super-slim bezels, Huawei has managed to keep the dimensions of this slate to the absolute minimum, at 289.3 x 196.3mm.
These numbers make the MatePad Pro Max the world’s thinnest 13-inch+ tablet — a niche title, sure, but a win for Huawei nonetheless.
And for a big screen tablet, the MatePad Pro Max is light too, tipping the scales at 499g (or 509g with the PaperMatte display). That’s lighter than the 13-inch iPad Pro (579g) and the (admittedly larger) Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra (692g).
That meant I was able to hold the MatePad Pro Max comfortably for multiple rounds of PUBG Mobile without the tablet feeling taxing in my hands.
There’s a fingerprint scanner built into the power key on the top edge of the slate, and it recognized my digit quickly, promptly unlocking the tablet. If anything, this scanner performed better than Touch ID on my iPad Air (2022).
FutureFutureI like the placement of the MatePad Pro Max’s 12MP front-facing camera; it’s in the middle of the top landscape side of the screen, nestled into the super slim bezel, meaning no annoying notch in the display. However, with Teams, Zoom, WhatsApp, and Google Meet all unavailable in Huawei’s App Gallery, the number of video calls you’ll be doing on the MatePad Pro Max might be limited.
The inclusion of a keyboard case in the box is good to see, as it means you don’t have to spend more money on the accessory, and unlike the one that came with the MatePad 12X 2025, this one has a trackpad for easier navigation.
It features a series of useful touchpad controls. Swipe three fingers up to return home, three fingers from side to switch apps, and three fingers up and hold to enter a multi-task view. It makes the tablet far more user-friendly when in this laptop mode.
It’s not as well designed as Apple’s Magic Keyboard for iPad, though. The movement required to magnetically lock the tablet in place when opening it up isn’t the smoothest, with a slightly confused double-hinge design on the case. Even after weeks of use, I still hadn’t mastered the movement each time I opened it up.
FutureFutureFutureThe good news is this keyboard case doubles as a protective case, which is always welcome when you’re spending big bucks on a premium tablet, although the slate’s productivity is severely hampered by the limited app selection.
If you want greater creative control, Huawei sells the M-Pencil Pro stylus separately. It magnetically clings to the top landscape edge of the MatePad Pro Max, with an oval pad that guides its placement. There’s also a dedicated space for it in the keyboard case, keeping it safe if you slide the tablet into a bag.
- Design: 4.5 / 5
- Major limitations when it comes to apps
- App Gallery is missing many big names
- Interface is clean and intuitive
As good as the hardware is on the Huawei MatePad Pro Max, it’s hampered by a heap of software-related trouble. The Trump administration placed the Chinese brand on the 'entity list' back in 2019, which effectively banned Huawei from using any Google products or services on its devices.
That means the MatePad Pro Max does not have access to Google Play Services, the Play Store, or any Google applications; there’s no Drive, Maps, YouTube, Photos, Gmail, Gemini, and so on.
Instead, we get Huawei’s HarmonyOS 4.3 operating system and the firm’s App Gallery store, where you can download applications. The trouble is, the app selection here is extremely limited.
As I’ve mentioned, there are no Google apps, but other major players are missing too, including Meta’s suite of apps (Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, Threads), X (formerly Twitter), ChatGPT, Claude, Spotify, Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Amazon, and more.
Some big names you can download and install from Huawei’s App Gallery include Snapchat, TikTok, CapCut, Temu, and Telegram. You can also get Microsoft 365 and Outlook if you’re looking for established productivity tools.
Some of these services are available via the web browser. I was able to watch YouTube videos, access social media, and browse Amazon just fine — but some things are blocked entirely, such as editing Google Drive documents.
It means you’ll need to carefully consider whether the MatePad Pro Max will be able to deliver what you need from a tablet.
(Image credit: Future)Huawei does offer some apps of its own to help ease the lack of established names on the App Gallery. Petal Maps, as the name suggests, is its version of Apple and Google Maps. There isn’t a satellite or street view, although you do get navigation and live traffic data.
It’s serviceable enough, but lacks the features of its established rivals, and that’s the case for many of Huawei’s own apps. The Notes app is a basic word processor, while NotePad is designed more for quicker things — similar to Google Keep. If you’re used to the big-brand apps, though, you’ll find the ones on the MatePar Pro Max aren’t as encompassing.
Huawei’s HarmonyOS interface isn’t all that different from iPadOS and Android, with a familiar look and feel, meaning there’s no real learning curve when it comes to using the tablet. It’s pretty slick under the finger, although it doesn’t have the same level of zip and polish as Apple’s iPad Pro slates.
- Software: 2 / 5
- Kirin T93 Pro chipset and 12GB of RAM
- Can handle games on high graphics settings
- Impressive speakers offer surround sound
The Huawei MatePad Pro Max is powered by Huawei’s own Kirin T93 Pro chipset and is ably assisted by 12GB of RAM.
The result is a powerful tablet that could handle everything I threw at it, from social media, web browsing, and downloading large applications, to high-def gaming, sketching with the M-Pencil Pro, and 4K video playback.
Even with multiple applications running together, and utilizing the multi-tasking side-by-side view, there were no significant signs of slowdown. PUBG Mobile, on high graphical settings, loaded quickly and ran smoothly, ensuring my Winner Winner Chicken Dinner streak remained intact.
And during my long PUBG sessions, another positive was the MatePad Pro Max’s ability to keep itself relatively cool, with the slate boasting excellent heat dissipation.
I didn’t have any noticeable performance issues during my testing time, but the slate doesn’t feel as slick as the iPad Pro 13, which feels better optimized for the Apple-made chip inside.
Another impressive aspect of the tablet is its six-speaker system, which delivers a convincing surround sound experience. The bass is weak, as is expected from a tablet that’s so thin, but audio quality is otherwise very good. The speakers are better than the ones on my iPad Air, for what it’s worth.
The M-Pencil Pro stylus is really comfortable to use on the MatePad Pro Max. It glides nicely across the screen when handwriting notes, and it’s comfortable to hold for extended sketching sessions. The tablet itself isn’t brilliantly designed for note-taking, though. Place it on a flat surface, and the rear camera bump means the tablet rocks annoyingly as you move the M-Pencil around the screen.
Pop it in the keyboard case, and the angle the screen sits at isn’t natural for handwriting or sketching either. You can fold the tablet back on the case and place it on a desk, which provides you with a steady surface, but if you forget it, then you’re back to a wobbly mess.
Now, I’d never recommend someone use their tablet as a camera — they’re big, bulky, and usually no better than the smartphone in your pocket at taking pictures. However, the 50MP rear camera on the MatePad Pro Max is one of the better ones I’ve used on this form factor.
It offers 5x and 10x zoom with only minimal quality degradation, and in good light outdoors, it’s capable of taking some nice shots. It’s the size of this 13.2-inch slate that hampers the experience — it’s cumbersome to hold up and take around with you versus your phone.
- Performance: 4 / 5
- 9,760mAh high-silicon anode battery
- 100W Turbo Charge plug included in the box
- Replenish over 40% in 20 minutes
Battery life on the Huawei MatePad Pro Max is solid, but not quite category-leading. You get a 9,760mAh high-silicon anode battery, which is actually smaller than the cell found in the iPad Pro 13 (10,290mAh).
That shouldn’t be a worry, though. I played PUBG for two hours on high graphics settings, and the MatePad Pro Max lost 20% of its charge in that time.
If we extrapolate that out, it means you’re looking at at least eight hours of demanding gameplay on a single charge — great news for gamers and those looking to perform intense productivity tasks on the slate.
You’ll get much longer if you’re only using the tablet for occasional web browsing, social scrolling, and the odd video stream, though. I’d feel comfortable taking the MatePad Pro Max on a long-haul flight, for example, as the battery should remain solid.
Huawei has packed in 66W charging too, to help replenish the large battery. And it was great to find a 100W Turbo Charge block included in the box, meaning I didn’t have to dig out my own. Apple and Samsung don’t include this with their tablets, so well done, Huawei.
During my charging tests, I was getting around 10% battery returned after 5 minutes, 20% after 10 minutes, and 45% in just 20 minutes. After 30 minutes, the MatePad Pro Max had replenished 65% of its battery — a useful result if you’re looking for a quick top-up before heading out.
Another handy feature is the tablet’s reverse charging capabilities. If you find your smartphone is running low on juice, you can connect it to the MatePad Pro Max via USB-C cable, and the tablet will provide your handset with a top-up.
- Battery: 4 / 5
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Value
Cheaper than its Apple and Samsung rivals, plus you get a keyboard case and 100W charging block in the box. It’s a good package, but the software shortcomings mean it’s not 5/5 in terms of overall value.
4 / 5
Display
Gorgeous display with excellent anti-glare finish makes it easy to use outdoors in sunlight. Bright, crisp, and colorful, with very slender bezels.
4.5 / 5
Design
Premium metal chassis that’s wonderfully thin and light, making it easy to slip into a bag. The front-facing camera smartly tucked into the landscape bezel is a nice touch.
4.5 / 5
Software
This is the MatePad Pro Max’s Achilles heel, and could well be a deal breaker for many. The lack of Google Play services and an App Gallery store missing so many big names makes it severely limited versus the Apple and Android competition.
2 / 5
Performance
There’s plenty of power under the hood for gaming, social scrolling, emails, and video streaming. It’s not quite as lightning fast under the finger as Apple’s latest M-powered iPad Pros, but there’s enough for most users.
4 / 5
Battery
Solid battery life can offer eight hours of gaming at high graphics settings, while the 66W charging can replenish it blisteringly quickly. Reverse charging is a handy extra, allowing you to top up your phone.
4 / 5
Buy it ifYou want a beautiful, big-screen slate
The Huawei MatePad Pro Max offers up a premium build that’s pleasingly thin and light, while the display is something to marvel at — it’s great for video streaming and gaming. I loved being able to comfortably use the tablet outdoors in the sun, as its anti-reflective screen works a treat.View Deal
You want to take photos with your tablet
Cameras on tablets tend to be more of an afterthought than a standout feature, but the MatePad Pro Max doesn’t do a bad job here. If you have a high-end smartphone, that will still be better than this tablet, but if you’re someone who wants to take pictures with your slate, this is a decent option.View Deal
You need a tablet that charges quickly and charges your phone
With the 100W charging block included in the box, you’ll get 65% battery returned to the slate in just half an hour. Even a 10-minute charge gets you 20%, which is handy if you notice you could do with a bit extra in the tank before heading out the door. Plus, connect your phone via USB-C cable to the MatePad Pro Max, and it’ll charge your handset too.View Deal
You want access to all your apps
Huawei’s limited App Gallery means there are numerous big-name apps that simply aren’t available on the MatePad Pro Max, and that severely limits the productivity and entertainment value of this tablet. You’ll have to look elsewhere to guarantee you’ll get all the apps you need.View Deal
You want a premium keyboard case
Huawei has upped its keyboard case game here, and the fact that it’s included in the box is a massive win. Yet, the dual hinge design is awkward to use, and the keys feel a little stiff under the finger. Apple’s Magic Keyboard, while considerably more expensive, provides a better all-around experience — though you’ll have to buy a pricey iPad as well.View Deal
If you're not sold on what the Huawei MatePad Pro Max has to offer, there are a handful of similarly priced alternatives to consider.
iPad Pro 13-inch (2025)
The iPad Pro is still the gold standard in the tablet world, combining premium design, a gorgeous display, and the most comprehensive app library for this form factor. Sure, it’s expensive, as are the keyboard and Pencil accessories, but you really do get what you pay for — and there are no restrictions on apps here.
Read our review of the smaller iPad Pro 11-inch (2025)
Samsung Galaxy S11 Ultra
If you’re after a big-screen Android tablet with access to Google’s full suite of services, the 14.6-inch Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is an impressive slate. While it’s an improvement over its predecessor, the MediaTek chipset used here is disappointing. That said, if you want a tablet to play a lot of games, is easy to work on, or want a bigger screen to sketch, doodle, and noodle around with AI, the S11 Ultra fits the bill.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra review
How I tested the Huawei MatePad Pro Max- Tested over several weeks
- Played games, browsed the web, scrolled social, snapped pictures
- Also tested the keyboard case and M-Penci Pro stylus
I used the Huawei MatePad Pro Max as my main tablet for several weeks, testing out its core features, app availability, and performance.
I played a variety of games, watched 4K HDR videos, snapped photos, ran battery and charging tests, and performed various day-to-day tasks, including web browsing, scrolling social media, and checking emails.
The keyboard case, which is included in the box, was also tested with emails, word processing, and general UI navigation. I was also sent the M-Pencil Pro (and optional extra), and spent time jotting down handwritten notes and sketching cartoons.
Read more about how we test
First reviewed May 2026
Categories: Reviews
8849 Tank 5 review: A fast-charging, heavyweight rugged phone with an incredible projector
8849 Tank 5: 30-second review
The Tank 5 represents the most complete version of a concept that 8849 has been refining for several generations. Where earlier models asked buyers to accept trade-offs between size, battery and projector quality, the Tank 5 attempts to resolve all three at once. The result is something that genuinely has no mainstream equivalent.
There is a very specific kind of person the 8849 Tank 5 is made for. They work far from mains power. They need a phone that survives punishment. And occasionally, they want to project something onto a wall, a tent, or the side of a cliff face. For that person, no mainstream smartphone comes close.
Where previous models asked buyers to accept mid-range processors and modest projection quality, the Tank 5 brings flagship silicon to the category for the first time. The MediaTek Dimensity 9400e is a genuine top-tier chip in 2026 terms, and finding it in a device this rugged at this price is a pleasant surprise.
The headline numbers are hard to ignore. A 17,600mAh battery. A 3K AMOLED display peaking at 3000 nits. A 2K TI DLP projector with 220-lumen output and laser autofocus to four metres. Triple 50-megapixel rear cameras. Android 16 out of the box. On paper, this reads like a wish list written by someone who spends more time on a mountainside than in a meeting room.
The catch, as ever, is the physical reality. At 715 grams and nearly 34 millimetres thick, the Tank 5 is not a device you slip into a jacket pocket. It is a tool. And like any serious tool, it rewards the user who actually needs what it offers.
Is this one of the best rugged phones? That entirely depends on what features you value. For those who don’t care about size and weight but want battery capacity, exotic features and colourful display, this is certainly a contender.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)8849 Tank 5: price and availability- How much does it cost? $900/£697/€809
- When is it out? Available now
- Where can you get it? Direct from the maker or via an online retailer
The Tank 5 launches at $999.99 in pre-order configuration with the standard retail price listed at $1,599.99. However, now that those numbers have come down somewhat, with the US pricing at $899.99. In the UK, it’s £696.87, and across Europe it is €808.52, direct from the 8849tech website.
To put that into perspective, the Tank X launched at $549.99 early bird against a $1,049.99 RRP. The Tank 5, therefore, represents a substantial step up in cost, but is justified by improvements in specification.
Currently, the Tank X costs $699.99 from Amazon.com and £599 via Amazon.co.uk, making the Tank 5 pricing less of an uplift for those in the UK.
When considering alternatives, it's worth noting that remarkably few phones have a projector, and none of them has one with the same specification as the DLP unit in this phone.
Other than the Tank X and Tank 4 Pro by 8849, rugged phones with projectors include the Ulefone Armour 34 Pro Plus and Oukitel WP100 Titan. From Amazon.com, the Tank 4 Pro is $789.99, and the Ulefone Armor 34 Pro Plus is $594.99. The Oukitel WP100 Titan isn’t available from Amazon, but can be bought directly from the makers for $869.99.
The cover these in a spec comparison, the Tank X offers a slower Dimensity 8200 SoC and a lower resolution 1080p projector. The Tank 4 Pro only has a Dimensity 8300 SoC, but only a 720p projector. And the Ulefone Armor 34 Pro has the slowest processor, with a Dimensity 7300, and a weird projector resolution of 854 x 480. And finally, the Oukitel WP100 Titan has the same processor as the 34 Pro, and the same odd resolution to its 100 lumen projector.
Most of these have more battery capacity than the Tank 5, but critically, their projectors don’t come close to being a match.
Based purely on value for money, the 8849 Tank 5 is a winner.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)- Value score: 4.5/5
Item
Spec
Processor
MediaTek Dimensity 9400e, 4nm, octa-core (1x Cortex-X4 at 3.4GHz + 3x X4 at 2.85GHz + 4x A720 at 2.0GHz)
GPU
Immortalis-G720 MC12
RAM
18GB LPDDR5X (plus 18GB virtual)
Storage
512GB UFS 4.0, microSD expandable to 2TB
Display
6.73-inch AMOLED, 3200x1440px (3K), 120Hz, 3000 nits (local peak), Panda Glass
Main Camera
50MP Samsung ISOCELL GN1, PDAF, f/1.8, 4K30fps
Telephoto
50MP, 3x optical zoom, OIS
Night Vision
50MP with 4x infrared LEDs
Front Camera
32MP OmniVision OV32B40, f/1.7, 1080p video
Battery
17,600mAh dual-cell
Charging
120W wired (full charge approx. 90 min), 25W reverse charge
Projector
TI DLP, 2K resolution, 220 lumens, 4m laser autofocus, 4-point keystone correction
OS
Android 16
5G
SA/NSA, including bands n77/n78
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
Bluetooth
5.4
NFC
Yes
SIM
eSIM + Dual Nano SIM
GPS
Dual-frequency L1+L5, multi-constellation
USB
USB-C (DisplayPort 1.4 Alt Mode)
Rugged Rating
IP68, MIL-STD-810H
Dimensions
177.1 x 87 x 33.8mm
Weight
715g
Colours
Black
8849 Tank 5: Design- Thick and heavy
- Vents for projector on both sides
Pick up the Tank 5, and the sheer physical commitment of it registers immediately. At 177.1 x 87 x 33.8mm and 715 grams, this device sits somewhere between a phone and a piece of site equipment. The chassis combines brushed metal plates, rubberised TPU corner armour and polycarbonate panels, and the build quality throughout is excellent. Seams are tight. There is no flex anywhere. It feels, correctly, like something engineered to survive conditions that would end a normal phone's life in seconds.
The layout of the Tank 5 is dictated by one thing above all others: cooling. The projector needs active thermal management, and the ventilation grille that serves it runs across a significant portion of the left frame. That grille is not a cosmetic addition. It is a structural constraint, and it shapes where every other control can go. The volume controls and shortcut buttons sit above it, pushed into the upper corner.
Below it, separated by a visible gap of bare metal, sit red and silver programmable buttons. The vent physically cleaves the left side into two distinct groups. It is an honest piece of industrial design. Nothing is where it is by accident, but you need to be careful where you place your fingers when the projector is running.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)The right side tells another story. A second vent grille occupies the upper portion, again serving the projector cooling system, and below it, the frame is noticeably cleaner with only a single large silver power key with its integrated fingerprint sensor. The visual contrast between the two sides is immediate. Where the left side is busy by necessity, the right side breathes.
The rear is where the Tank 5 makes its most direct statement of intent. The camping light bar dominates the centre of the chassis, a wide rectangular strip that illuminates with 1200 lumens and RGB warning modes. Above it sits the camera module, with two main lenses at the top right, the night vision lens below left and four infrared LEDs in a horizontal strip. The "TANK PROJECTOR INSIDE" text sits between the camera cluster and the lamp, which is either endearing or unnecessary depending on your tolerance for that kind of thing. The projector aperture itself is at the top edge, along with another flashlight and the SIM card slot.
Compared to the Tank X, the Tank 5 is a more resolved design. The Tank X was 91.8mm wide and 750 grams. The Tank 5 pulls back to 87mm and 715 grams. Those numbers sound modest, but the difference in hand is real. The Tank X sat at the outer limit of a comfortable two-handed span. The Tank 5 comes back just enough to feel deliberate.
What has not changed is the fundamental reality of the form factor. This is not going into any conventional pocket. A jacket chest pocket, a belt holster or a vehicle mount is the practical answer for daily carry. That is the honest consequence of fitting a projector, a 17,600mAh battery and an active cooling system into a single chassis, and the Tank 5 makes no apology for it.
Design score: 3.5/5
8849 Tank 5: Hardware- MediaTek Dimensity 9400e
- AMOLED display
- 17600 mAh fast charge battery
The Dimensity 9400e is an important specification decision. Most rugged phones at this price use mid-range silicon from three to four years ago. The Tank X stepped up to the Dimensity 8200, and that was already a significant advance. The 9400e goes further still, using a 4nm process with Cortex-X4 architecture.
The 'e' suffix indicates a slightly binned or optimised version of the full 9400. In practice, real-world performance at this specification level is well beyond anything a rugged phone buyer has previously been able to access at this price point. The comparison with the Immortalis-G720 MC12 GPU is also notable for mobile gaming and sustained workloads.
The Tank X, launched in February 2026, was the first 8849 device to achieve 1080p DLP projection at 220 lumens. The Tank 5 carries that hardware forward and adds 2K output with laser autofocus rated to four metres. That four-metre figure is a meaningful practical upgrade, because how far away from the wall you can get dictates the size of the projection. Earlier models topped out at three metres, and the keystone correction has been expanded from two to four points. What this means in practice is a more practical outdoor cinema experience.
The 220-lumen figure also requires context, as it's extremely competitive within this product category, where some devices can only manage 100 lumen. The Ulefone Armor 34 Pro, a direct rival, managed 150 lumens at a lower resolution. However, any projector of this size still demands reasonable darkness for a clear image. The spec sheet implies more than the physics can deliver in daylight, as it needs to be twilight outside or in a shaded room for a good experience. But, this is more than any other brand is currently offering.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)My only complaint about the projector is that not long after it is activated, the cooling fan starts up and can be a little noisy. This won’t be a problem if you are projecting an action blockbuster, but it isn’t ideal for anything with quiet audio and dialogue.
Earlier Tank models used AMOLED panels, but the Tank 5 moves to a 3200x1440 native resolution. The 3000 nits peak brightness is a headline figure borrowed from premium consumer phones, and the results are spectacular.
Considering how good the display is, that 8849 went with Panda Glass to protect it, and not stronger Gorilla Glass Victus is disappointing.
That choice looks entirely cost-driven, but conversely, the battery technology used in the Tank 5 doesn’t hold back.
Seventeen thousand six hundred milliamp hours is a substantial number, even by rugged phone standards. The Tank 4 used an 11,600mAh cell. The Tank X brought the 17,600mAh configuration back after the Tank 3 and Tank 3 Pro sat at around 23,800mAh. The Tank 5 pairs that 17,600mAh capacity with 120W charging, which can be recharged in just over 90 minutes, incredibly. It does this by using a dual-cell design, so it works like two 8800mAh batteries.
The addition of 25W reverse charging makes the Tank 5 a practical field power bank. At that capacity, it can top up a standard 5000mAh smartphone three times over. For field workers and outdoor users, this is a genuinely compelling capability, even if you lose some of the capacity in the transfer.
Another full-cream feature is Wi-Fi 7. Most rugged phones ship with Wi-Fi 6 at best. The inclusion of eSIM alongside dual nano SIM slots gives the Tank 5 flexibility that neither predecessor offered. For travellers, the combination of eSIM, dual-frequency GPS and extensive 5G band support is a strong package. The addition of eSIM also means you can ditch one of the physical Nano SIMs, fit a MicroSD card in the tray, and still have two network services.
With a few minor exceptions, the specifications of the Tank 5 place it in the premium rugged phone bracket.
- Hardware score: 4.5/5
- 50MP main + 50MP telephoto + 50MP night vision
- 32MP on the front
- Four cameras in total
The 8849 Tank 5 has four cameras:
Rear camera: 50MP Samsung ISOCELL S5KGN1SP, 50MP OmniVision OV50C40, 50MP OmniVision OV50D40
Front camera: 32MP OV32B40
The camera cluster on the Tank 5 is a significant rethink compared to what came before it. On the Tank X, the three sensors were arranged in a vertical strip, with the 8MP telephoto the obvious weak link in the lineup.
The Tank 5 design addresses this directly with all three rear sensors now 50 megapixels, and this is a much more balanced package.
The two primary lenses sit at the top right of the module in a paired arrangement, noticeably larger than the sensors below. The night vision camera sits below and to the left, with the four infrared LEDs arranged in a horizontal strip beneath it. It is a purposeful, asymmetric layout that prioritises the main imaging hardware without pretending everything is equal.
The main sensor is a Samsung ISOCELL GN1 with phase detection autofocus. That’s a well-regarded chip with a strong track record on mainstream flagship devices. It is a genuine step up from the Sony sensor used on the Tank X, which, while capable, was hampered by the overall image processing pipeline more than the sensor itself. The GN1 brings improved low-light capture and better dynamic range handling. It might not be the 108MP sensor we’ve seen elsewhere, but the arrangement is decent and effective.
The caveat to this choice is that, while there is a PRO mode in the camera application, there are relatively few other special modes or HDR. This camera doesn’t do panoramas or slow motion, though it can do timelapse and super-resolution.
Video capture can be in resolutions up to 4K, but there is no control over the framerate, irrespective of the capture resolution.
The telephoto upgrade is the most important change for practical use. Going from 8MP to 50MP with optical image stabilisation transforms what the camera can do at a distance. The Tank X telephoto was essentially a crop tool dressed up as a lens. The Tank 5 telephoto is a genuine optical system with 3x zoom, and OIS means it remains usable in the kind of low-stability field conditions this phone is designed for. Hiking, construction sites, and vehicle-mounted use. All of these benefit from stabilisation in ways that a rugged phone buyer will actually notice.
The night vision camera is the one area where the upgrade is less straightforward. The Tank X used a 64MP OmniVision sensor for its night vision work, paired with four IR LEDs. The Tank 5 drops to a 50MP sensor for that role, but it's just as effective. The megapixel reduction is not inherently a problem, as night vision performance depends far more on sensor size, IR LED power, and processing than on raw resolution.
The front camera remains unchanged from Tank X, a 32MP with an OmniVision OV32B40 sensor and an f/1.7 aperture. A competent selfie and video-call solution by definition.
What the cluster cannot do is match a photography-focused flagship. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra or Pixel 9 Pro operate in a different league for computational photography, colour science and video processing.
That comparison is not unfair, but it is also largely irrelevant. The Tank 5 camera system is built for documenting field conditions, capturing evidence, seeing in the dark and shooting at range from an unstable platform. On those terms, it is well-equipped, and the results are better than those of some phones with more megapixels to play with.
One disappointment is that with a camera that can capture 4K video, and play that back nicely on the AMOLED screen, you won’t be using that display to see high-quality streams, because 8849 wouldn’t pay for Widevine L1 encryption.
8849 Tank 5 Camera samplesMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark PickavanceMark Pickavance- Camera score: 4/5
- 4nm SoC
- Premium performance
Phone
8849 Tank 5
8849 Tank X
SoC
MediaTek Dimensity 9400E
MediaTek Dimensity 8200
GPU
ARM Immortalis-G720 MC12
Mali-G610 MC6
NPU
MediaTek NPU 790
MediaTek NPU 580
Memory
16GB/512GB
16GB/512GB
Weight
750g
Battery
17600
17600
Geekbench
Single
2097
1260
Multi
6536
3939
OpenCL
12943
4056
Vulkan
14916
4517
PCMark
3.0 Score
18477
15637
Battery
32h 25m (14%)
32h 48m (20% left)
Charge 30
%
46
11
Passmark
Score
25227
17045
CPU
11866
8623
3DMark
Slingshot OGL
Maxed Out
Maxed Out
Slingshot Ex. OGL
Maxed Out
Maxed Out
Slingshot Ex. Vulkan
Maxed Out
Maxed Out
Wildlife
Maxed Out
6343
Nomad Lite
1820
632
With so few competitors in this niche, it seemed logical to compare this 8849 to its predecessor, the Tank X.
And what we quickly learn here is that the Dimensity 9400e is a beast compared to the Dimensity 8200, outperforming it in every respect. The most sobering score is the 3DMark Nomad Lite performance, where it is nearly 300% better at this demanding benchmark.
But the other takeaway here is that you can have a more powerful SoC, without it impacting the power consumption dramatically. With the same battery capacity, the running time is remarkably similar to that of the Tank X, even though it does more over that time.
But where the Tank 5 really shows the most dramatic improvement is in the recharging of the battery, which took hours on the Tank X, and can be done in close to 90 minutes on the Tank 5. In just thirty minutes, being able to recover 46% of the battery is excellent.
Overall, the Tank 5 is a top-tier performer for whatever apps you wish to install.
- Performance score: 4.5/5
The 8849 Tank 5 is the most technically accomplished rugged projector phone yet made. It takes the Tank X's headline concept and delivers a genuine performance upgrade at every level. The Dimensity 9400e is fast. The 3K AMOLED display is bright. The 17,600mAh battery is enormous. The projector is now 2K capable with laser autofocus at four metres.
None of that comes without compromise.
The device is very heavy, and the projector still benefits from darkness, whatever the spec sheet implies. And the lack of a published software update policy is a concern worth flagging for any buyer planning to keep this device for several years.
For the specific buyer this device is designed for, the Tank 5 is a compelling proposition. It does things no other phone can match in a single chassis. That remains, as it has been throughout the Tank series, both its greatest strength and its clearest self-selection filter.
Yes, it might have the ideal characteristics to make a decent boat anchor, but when you pack this much technology into a phone, it was never going to be lightweight and slim.
Should I buy a 8849 Tank 5?8849 Tank 5 Score CardAttributes
Notes
Rating
Value
Probably the right price for a phone with such high specs.
4.5/5
Design
Thick and heavy, but nicely finished and presented.
4/5
Hardware
Excellent SoC, gorgeous AMOLED display and fast charging battery
4.5/5
Camera
Practical sensors for those recording for the workplace
4/5
Performance
Powerful Dimensity 9400e and full charge in 90 minutes battery
4.5/5
Overall
Best phone with a projector so far
4.5/5
Buy it if...You love adventure
This is the perfect device if you work or adventure in environments where battery life is critical and multi-day use without a charger is a regular requirement. I’m not sure you would want to hike with hardware this heavy, but for a rugged device for capturing images and video and then projecting them, it's exceptional.
You carry lots of data or apps
With 512GB of storage and 16GB of RAM, this phone is ideal for those who like to carry data and install numerous apps. And, if you give up a SIM card slot, you can add a MicroSD card for even more space.
You travel light
For some, a phone weighing more than 700g is a practical dealbreaker, and it's so big that it won't easily fit in a pocket. It could be a serious issue if you fall into water.
You don't need a projector
The cost of this device is tied to its feature set, and so if you don't want the projector, there seems little point in buying this. Other rugged designs with this SoC, memory and storage are available for less than 8849 is asking for the Tank 5.
8849 Tank X
A predecessor to the Tank X. It features a less powerful SoC, a lower resolution and brightness projector, but the same battery capacity. The biggest weakness of this design is how slowly, compared to the Tank 5, the battery recharges. However, it is a little cheaper for those looking to save money.
Check out my full 8849 Tank X review
ThinkPhone 25 by Motorola
The ThinkPhone 25 offers a powerful SoC, robust package, practical form factor, high-quality camera sensors and decent battery life at a mid-range price point. But, it’s not available in the USA, sadly.
Read our ThinkPhone 25 by Motorola reviewView Deal
For more ruggedized devices, we've reviewed the best rugged tablets, the best rugged laptops, and the best rugged hard drives
Categories: Reviews
Lofty CRM review 2026
As a realtor-focused customer relationship management (CRM) platform, Chime, now known as Lofty, aims to streamline the entire lead-to-deal process. Its intuitive interface and all-in-one feature set make it a compelling option for realty businesses looking to grow their pipelines and close more sales.
Lofty's key capabilities span lead generation, contact management, and deal tracking. The platform offers an IDX website builder, AI-powered marketing automation, and a mobile app for on-the-go access. While these comprehensive features may come with a learning curve, they enable realtors to qualify leads, prioritize follow-ups, and gain visibility into team performance metrics.
During my review, I found it to be a robust CRM platform for realty teams wanting to consolidate their tech stack. Regular product updates, good user feedback, and a niche focus provide strong evidence of Lofty's customer-centric approach. For growing realtor businesses, Lofty warrants strong consideration.
Lofty's core CRM capabilities strike me as quite robust, well-suited for the needs of most real estate businesses. It covers all the essential features you'd expect in a comprehensive CRM system.
For contact management, Lofty offers solid lead generation and capture tools. The AI Assistant can automatically match new leads to appropriate listings and set up customized property alerts based on their behavior. This intelligent lead nurturing helps keep prospects engaged.
I was impressed by Lofty's pipeline tracking capabilities as well. The platform provides a good overview of your sales pipeline, with visual reports on the status of deals. You can create customizable "Smart Plans" to automate workflows and keep transactions moving smoothly.
Another standout is Lofty's forecasting algorithm, which uses agent performance data and historical trends to predict future sales. As an analyst, I always appreciate a CRM that offers strong reporting and analytics. Lofty lets you monitor key metrics like volume, closings, and revenue in real-time.
For agents frequently in the field, Lofty's mobile app is indispensable. It provides access to critical CRM features on the go, including the ability to contact leads and use the built-in Power Dialer.
If I had to critique Lofty, I'd say the depth of its sales analytics could be stronger compared to some enterprise-grade CRMs. But for most real estate teams, it likely provides ample insights to optimize performance.
Overall, Lofty appears to be a well-rounded CRM platform. By combining essential contact management, deal tracking, and reporting capabilities with industry-specific features, Lofty positions itself as a solid contender in the real estate CRM space. While it may have some room for improvement, Lofty's core functionality is more than enough for most agencies.
Lofty CRM shines with its clean and intuitive UI that even CRM novices can navigate with little training. The well-organized layout and ample white space make it simple to find the tools and data you need. Performing essential tasks like updating contacts or placing a call only requires a few clicks.
Lofty's mobile app brings the desktop version's core functionality to your smartphone, enabling agents to work efficiently on the go. This accessibility is a huge plus for busy real estate professionals constantly juggling client meetings and property showings.
The CRM offers a solid range of customization options, letting you tailor dashboards, reports, and workflows to match your unique business processes. However, it may take some time to fully explore and configure these features to optimize your setup.
To smooth the onboarding process, Lofty provides helpful training videos that walk new users through the basics of the platform. These resources can significantly reduce the learning curve and help your team hit the ground running.
That said, given its extensive capabilities, it's realistic to expect an adjustment period as you get acquainted with all the bells and whistles. Mastering advanced features and fine-tuning automated sequences will likely require some trial and error.
In my experience, most users can become comfortable with Lofty's core functions within a couple of weeks. But reaching peak proficiency and fully customizing the system to your needs may take a month or two of consistent use.
While not without a learning curve, Lofty CRM's thoughtful design and educational resources make it an accessible, user-friendly choice for real estate teams. With a bit of practice and exploration, you'll be leveraging this powerful tool like a pro in no time.
Lofty offers several pre-built integrations out of the box with popular real estate tools and services. This includes lead capture and parsing integrations with Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com, email integrations with Gmail and Exchange, calendar sync with Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook, and transaction management tie-ins with Brokermint, Dotloop, and Skyslope.
The CRM also integrates with marketing automation and video tools like BombBomb, MailChimp, Cloud CMA, and Dubb. Based on my experience, most of the key applications real estate teams would need seem to be supported natively.
For more custom integrations, Lofty does offer an API. However, documentation on its full capabilities is limited. The main use case highlighted is accessing queue and agent availability data from the Lofty support desk. While useful, this is a fairly narrow integration scenario.
Where Lofty really shines is its support for iPaaS tools like Zapier. Using Zapier, you can connect Lofty with 1000s of other web apps and automate data syncing and workflow steps between them. I found several examples of real estate teams using Zapier to integrate Lofty with tools like ClickFunnels for lead capture and Roomvu for lead qualification.
So while Lofty's custom API is lacking, the combination of pre-built integrations with key industry tools and extensive Zapier support makes it a very extensible platform overall. It should meet the integration needs of most real estate businesses without heavy technical lifting.
Lofty CRM provides several live support channels, including phone and email, but it seems to lack a live chat option based on my research. While they do offer a knowledge base with articles and tutorials, there doesn't appear to be an active user forum or community for peer-to-peer support.
Where it really struggles is in the quality and responsiveness of the customer service. Many user reviews mention slow response times, with support agents often just reading from scripts rather than providing personalized assistance. Some customers report waiting weeks to get critical account issues resolved.
Lofty touts a 96% customer satisfaction rate on its website, but that figure seems suspect given the numerous complaints I came across on sites like TrustRadius and G2. On TrustRadius, Lofty's support is ranked poorly compared to other major CRM brands. One reviewer called their service "awful" and said it made the platform nearly impossible to use.
Reddit contains several threads with users venting frustrations about Lofty's "atrocious" and "joke" of a support experience. Agents apparently say anything to get people off the phone without actually resolving problems. Tax issues and account lockouts are cited as common issues that linger unaddressed.
I think Lofty has built a powerful CRM product, but they have seriously dropped the ball when it comes to backing it up with quality customer service. For a tool that is so critical to a business's operations, I would have major concerns about relying on Lofty based on these support shortcomings.
Response and resolution times are clearly well below industry standards, and the lack of live chat and community forum options is disappointing for a modern SaaS company. Until Lofty makes major investments in expanding and upleveling their customer service, I would be hesitant to recommend them over competing CRM platforms with better reputations for support.
Plan
Core
Premier
Business
Price
$449/month
$700/month
$1500/month
Best For
Individual agents starting with CRM tools
Small teams needing enhanced collaboration
Larger teams requiring comprehensive features
Features
Basic lead management
Email marketing
Mobile app access
API access
Advanced reporting
Team collaboration tools
Dedicated customer support
AI-driven insights
Custom integrations
Limitations
Basic features only, limited support
Limited advanced features, higher cost
Complex setup, requires training
Lofty offers three main pricing plans to suit different types and sizes of real estate teams. The pricing model is subscription-based, with a monthly fee that varies depending on the plan and number of users.
The starter "Core" plan is priced at $449 per month (plus a $500 one-time setup fee) and is designed for solo agents and small teams just getting started with a CRM. It includes core CRM features like lead management, marketing automation, and an MLS-connected IDX website.
The most popular "Premier" plan starts at $700 per month for up to 15 users (with a $1,000 onboarding fee). Additional users can be added for $25 each per month. This plan unlocks advanced capabilities like custom dashboards, API access, and dedicated support.
For larger teams, the "Enterprise" plan starts at $1500 per month for up to 100 users, with each additional user costing $12/month. It offers the full suite of Lofty features plus extras like white-labeling and a dedicated success manager. The Enterprise plan also has a one-time $2000 setup fee.
On top of the base subscription fees, there can be additional charges for certain premium add-ons and integrations, like advanced analytics or third-party data enrichment services. The costs for these extras are not openly published. In addition, mandatory onboarding fees can add up significant;y. For instance, the Core plan is typically accompanied by a $500 upfront fee, while the Premier setup fee is usually $1,000 upfront.
Lofty does not offer a free plan or a self-service free trial, primarily because setting up the platform requires linking real-time local MLS data feeds and configuring custom website builds. Instead, potential customers must book a personalized tour with a solutions advisor to receive a custom quote and negotiate contracts. Discounts are typically available if you opt for annual billing upfront, which generally shaves about 10% off the total cost.
Overall, while not the cheapest option on the market, Lofty's pricing seems reasonable given the comprehensive feature set and strong track record with real estate professionals. The tiered plans provide flexibility to accommodate different team sizes and budgets. But the lack of transparent pricing for enterprise-grade features and add-ons is a bit disappointing.
Potential buyers will definitely want to take advantage of the free trial and get a custom quote to determine the true long-term costs for their specific needs before signing up. For smaller teams and solo agents, there may be more affordable alternatives to evaluate as well.
Evaluating Lofty (formerly Chime) utilizes our a distinct CRM testing framework compared to standard, standalone SaaS solutions. Because Lofty unifies contact management, front-end client-facing websites, and active AI into a single ecosystem, I made sure to put the platform through a stringent testing protocol designed to push its functionalities to the limit.
My hands-on evaluation took into account Lofty's native Content Management System (CMS), where I tested the front-end user experience by executing mock property searches. I also looked at Lofty's tech stack integration and audited its onboarding architecture - all taking into account the full cost of ownership.
Lofty CRM review: Final verdictLofty, formerly called Chime, is a robust real estate CRM platform that combines essential contact and deal management features with advanced marketing automation and analytics tailored for the industry. In reviewing it firsthand, I was impressed by the breadth and depth of its feature set.
That said, Lofty is best suited for growth-focused real estate teams and brokerages seeking a fully-featured industry-specific CRM to manage their businesses. Budget-conscious solo agents may find it a bit overkill.
Categories: Reviews
Brivity CRM review 2026
Brivity is a real estate-focused CRM and marketing automation platform that aims to streamline the daily workflows of agents and brokerages. Its integrated suite of tools covers lead generation, contact management, transaction management, and team collaboration.
Brivity enables agents to efficiently manage client relationships with customizable action plans, mass emailing, unique single property websites, a client portal, and more. The CRM platform also includes a built-in dialer and texting functionality to facilitate client communication.
In addition to the CRM, Brivity provides a customizable IDX website, text-to-lead capture, CMA reports, and even open house automation. While this breadth of functionality is impressive, it may come with a learning curve for users. Customer reviews praise Brivity's feature set, but adopting the full platform requires a commitment to learning the system.
Brivity is a comprehensive real estate CRM that provides agents with a centralized hub to manage their contacts, transactions, marketing, and productivity.
The platform makes it easy to keep track of leads from various sources in one place. Lead details, behavior insights, and communication history are readily accessible. You can set up custom filters, tags, and alerts to stay on top of hot prospects.
I found the messaging center quite useful for client engagement. It allows you to send personalized texts and emails using templates, and even set up auto-responses. The email sync with Gmail is also very handy.
Where Brivity really shines is transaction management. It provides a clear pipeline view of all your deals, with quick access to contacts, documents, tasks, and key dates for each transaction. I like how it automatically notifies clients of status updates.
Another standout is the customizable dashboard. At a glance, you can see how many new leads you've gotten, upcoming appointments, messages that need a reply, and priority tasks. It's a great way to plan your day.
While not groundbreaking, the MLS search and property pages are well-integrated into the CRM. You can easily add listings and share them with clients. The built-in comparative market analysis tool is also nice.
Other notable features include drip campaigns, single property websites, virtual tours, social media marketing, and team collaboration tools. There's no built-in dialer, but Brivity makes up for it with a wide range of integrations and an app marketplace for the CRM.
Brivity covers all the essential functions of a real estate CRM and adds quite a few extras. The interface is modern and intuitive, though the sheer number of features can feel overwhelming at first. But once you get the hang of it, Brivity can be a massive time-saver and productivity booster for a busy agent.
Brivity makes ease of use a top priority for its CRM. Upon signing up, you provide some basic details about your team and intended usage, then dive right into the platform as soon as billing is verified. While the array of tools and features may feel a bit overwhelming at first glance, Brivity's interface is thoughtfully designed to be easy to navigate on both desktop and mobile.
The main dashboard is divided into six core tabs that provide quick access to key functions like your calendar, contacts, transactions, and marketing tools. I found it simple to move between these areas and locate the specific features I needed. The Brivity Go mobile app is also well-designed, allowing agents to stay productive on the move - responding to messages, tracking web activity, finding prospects, and more.
What really impressed me was the level of user support Brivity provides to help new users get up to speed quickly. There's a dedicated support phone number and email address for any questions that come up. The Help Center is packed with detailed video tutorials and FAQs covering essential topics like initial setup, key features, and CRM best practices. You can also tap into the knowledge of the Brivity community by joining the Brivity Masterminds Facebook group to connect with other users, share tips and tricks, and stay updated on new feature rollouts.
While it offers an array of customization options to tailor the platform to your specific needs and workflow, Brivity’s essential functions are very approachable and don't require extensive setup to start using them effectively. Common tasks like logging contact interactions, setting up email campaigns, generating market reports, and managing transactions are quite straightforward.
The learning curve comes with exploring more advanced capabilities and optimizing your configuration. But overall, I'd estimate that a new user could get comfortable with the core day-to-day functions within a few hours, thanks to the intuitive design and breadth of learning resources. More advanced users will appreciate the ability to set up custom dashboards, data fields, sales pipelines, and more to suit their needs.
Brivity offers a number of ways to sync data and automate workflows with external applications.
First, Brivity connects natively with Gmail, allowing users to send and receive emails directly within the CRM interface. This eliminates the need to switch back and forth between separate email and CRM apps.
Additionally, an in-app store provides access to multiple pre-built integrations that can be enabled with just a few clicks. Popular options include syncing contacts and events with Google, automating email campaigns via MailChimp, posting video updates with BombBomb, and importing leads from Zillow.
For more advanced use cases, Brivity supports integration with iPaaS tools Zapier and Make (formerly Integromat). This opens up possibilities to connect the CRM with hundreds of other SaaS apps and create custom automated workflows.
Real estate-specific integrations are available too, such as RealSynch for syndicating listings data and Callingly for automating lead follow-up calls. Clicking a lead capture form on a website can instantly trigger a call that connects the lead with an available agent, with the call data saved to Brivity.
Under the hood, Brivity provides a REST API that enables developers to programmatically insert and update data within the CRM. So companies with development resources can build fully customized integrations if needed.
In my testing, setting up basic integrations was simple and worked smoothly. Zapier automations reliably added or updated records without any noticeable sync delays. The breadth of turnkey integrations with common real-estate and productivity tools is impressive.
On the downside, API documentation is quite limited and hasn't been updated recently. So, more complex custom integrations may require some trial and error to implement. The interface for managing active integrations could also be improved; it's not always clear which integrations are enabled and how to troubleshoot issues.
Brivity offers solid customer support options to assist users with any questions or issues they may encounter while using the CRM platform.
In terms of live support channels, Brivity provides a dedicated support phone line that users can call to get help from a real person. The support number is 855-427-4848, staffed during regular business hours. Email support is also available by contacting support@brivity.com. While live chat doesn't appear to be offered, the phone and email support should meet the needs of most customers.
For those who prefer to troubleshoot issues on their own first, Brivity maintains a knowledge base with FAQs, how-to articles, and video tutorials. This self-service resource library enables users to quickly find answers and solutions without needing to contact a support rep. However, discussion forums where customers can interact with each other don't seem to be available.
Details on Brivity's average first response and resolution times are not readily published. But many user reviews praise the CRM provider for its prompt and helpful customer service. While response time data would provide a clearer picture, the glowing customer testimonials suggest most users are very satisfied with the speed and quality of support they receive.
As someone who has tested dozens of CRM systems over the years, I'm impressed by how Brivity's executives make themselves personally accessible to customers who need support. That level of leadership involvement and commitment to customer success is rare.
So while it may not have every support channel or resource one could want, Brivity still delivers high-quality customer service overall. Between the live phone support, email assistance, self-help knowledge base, and responsive team that even includes the company's leaders, most customers should feel well taken care of. The rave reviews from real users further boost confidence in Brivity's support.
Plan
Growth
Accelerate
Expand
Mega
Custom
Price
Custom pricing
Custom pricing
Custom pricing
Custom pricing
Custom pricing
Best For
Individual agents needing basic CRM functionality
Small teams up to 5 users seeking collaborative tools
Medium teams up to 10 users requiring enhanced capabilities
Large teams up to 25 users needing comprehensive solutions
Teams over 25 users with specific needs
Features
Core CRM
High converting drip campaigns
Unlimited texting and dialer
All the Growth plan features
Lead ponds
Advanced lead routing
All the Accelerate features
Transaction Auto Plans
Client portal access
All the Expand plan features
Dedicated success manager
Extensive reporting tools
Tailored features and support
Scalable solutions
Custom integrations
Limitations
Limited to 2 users, fewer advanced features
Limited to 5 users, additional costs for some add-ons
Limited to 10 users, requires setup time
Limited to 25 users, higher cost structure
More expensive than some competitors
(Image credit: Brivity)Brivity takes a tiered subscription approach to pricing its CRM platform, with the cost and features steadily increasing across its plan lineup. The plans — Growth, Accelerate, Expand, Mega, and Custom — scale from 1 user up to 25+ users. Exact pricing is no longer provided since Brivity revamped its pricing, so you'd just have to request a demo to get those details.
On the low end, Brivity’s Growth plan provides core CRM functionality for up to 2 users. This could work for a solo agent or small team just getting started. Stepping up, Brivity Accelerate ups the user limit to 5. For larger teams, the Expand plan supports 10 users. There’s also a Large plan for 25 users and a Custom plan for more than 25 users.
While the features across the plans appear to be similar, higher prices get you more user seats. That said, a few features like lead capture, lead pricing, and dedicated success manager support aren’t available on the entry-level plans. And, if you need more than just a CRM, Brivity offers three additional tools: Virtual Assistant, Lead Generation, and Recruiting. These are available as add-ons on top of the base plan.
Unfortunately, I didn't see any discounts advertised beyond the savings from paying annually instead of monthly. And it doesn't look like Brivity offers a free plan or even a free trial to test the software first. Contacting the sales team for a custom demo without any idea of the pricing can be frustrating, but consider that Brivity’s entry-level plan used to be priced at $299.90/month for 2 users before the revamp.
Overall, Brivity's pricing seems reasonable if you just need a basic CRM for a small team. The entry-level plan should suffice for most independent agents or small agencies. But costs can add up quickly if you require more users or additional features beyond the core CRM. And not having transparent pricing or a trial for its more robust plans makes it hard to evaluate the full value you'd be getting.
During our CRM testing process, we put real estate-specific platforms like Brivity through rigorous, hands-on interaction over a period of weeks. I didn't just judge Brivity by its marketing specifications but deployed the platform in simulated, real-world real estate environments to evaluate how it may perform for high-volume agents and teams.
For this Brivity evaluation, I looked at the platform's setup and data migration, its lead capture and routing speed, and its transaction management pipeline. It's not just the big picture either. I also examined daily agent workflows, assessing Brivity's usability by spending hours using the primary communication center on both desktop and the mobile app.
Brivity CRM review: Final verdictBrivity is an all-in-one real estate CRM platform that aims to streamline the daily workflows of agents and brokerages. In my experience testing the software, I found that it covers all the core functions needed to manage client relationships and transactions.
While costs can add up for larger teams or those needing add-on features beyond just the CRM, all in all, I see Brivity as an excellent choice for agents and small brokerages seeking an affordable yet comprehensive platform to orchestrate their daily operations. If you're willing to invest a bit of time learning the ins and outs, Brivity can be a big asset for efficiently managing and growing your real estate business.
Categories: Reviews
Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM review 2026
Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a comprehensive customer relationship management (CRM) solution packed with advanced features enhanced by AI capabilities. One of the best CRM platforms on the marker, it offers a robust set of tools to help businesses manage customer data, streamline sales and service processes, and gain actionable insights.
Dynamics 365 integrates tightly with the Microsoft ecosystem, including Office apps like Outlook, Word, and Excel. This allows for seamless data sharing and collaboration for cloud-based businesses already using Microsoft 365. It also offers connectors to many popular third-party business apps.
While it delivers a lot of functionality, Dynamics 365’s interface can feel a bit complex and overwhelming at first for smaller business users. The pricing model is also on the higher end compared to some other CRM platforms. But for organizations already using Microsoft tools, Dynamics 365 CRM is a powerful platform to unify customer data and processes.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 provides a centralized database to store and manage all customer data, including contact information, interaction history, and purchase records. This allows sales and marketing teams to have a complete 360-degree view of each customer.
Contact management in Dynamics 365 enables users to easily track and manage leads, opportunities, and customer accounts. The system can automatically capture lead and customer data from various sources, like web forms, and import it into the CRM. Users can then qualify and nurture leads through the sales pipeline using built-in workflows and automation.
Dynamics 365 also offers advanced sales forecasting and analytics capabilities. Sales managers can get real-time visibility into their team's performance and pipeline with interactive dashboards and reports. AI-driven insights help predict revenue, uncover at-risk deals, and provide actionable recommendations to improve win rates. Integration with Microsoft's Power BI tool allows for even deeper analysis.
To optimize marketing efforts, Dynamics 365 includes features for segmenting customers, managing campaigns, and tracking ROI across channels. Marketers can use the data in the CRM to personalize their messaging and target high-value prospects. The system also has native integrations with LinkedIn and other social media platforms for social selling.
For on-the-go sales reps, Dynamics 365 provides a fully-featured mobile app. It has an intuitive interface that allows reps to access and update customer data, manage their pipeline, and even scan business cards to create new contacts - all from their smartphone. Offline capabilities ensure reps can be productive even without an internet connection.
Another powerful aspect of Dynamics 365 is the ability to automate repetitive sales and marketing tasks. Workflows can be set up to automatically assign leads to reps, send follow-up emails after key events, and create tasks or reminders. This frees up the team's time to focus on higher-value activities.
Integration is also a strong point of Dynamics 365. The platform has pre-built connectors for popular business apps like Microsoft 365, Outlook, SharePoint, and Power Automate. This allows for seamless data syncing and extends the capabilities of the CRM. Custom integrations can also be built using the system's open API.
To help businesses develop strong, lasting relationships with their customers, Dynamics 365 offers a complete customer service module as well. It includes features like case management, knowledge base, and SLAs. Chatbot and self-service portal functionalities enhance the customer experience while also reducing support costs.
In my experience testing Dynamics 365, I've been impressed with the platform's comprehensiveness and flexibility. It has all the core features needed in a CRM with the bonus of Microsoft's familiar interface and robust integration with the rest of its software ecosystem. Setup and navigation are very user-friendly.
However, for smaller businesses, the vast capabilities may be overkill. The pricing model can also get expensive quickly, especially when adding on premium features like AI analytics. Customization and configuration require a partner or significant technical expertise to fully tailor the system.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 offers an intuitive and modern user experience. The interface leverages key design principles like consistency, simplicity, user-centricity, and efficiency to streamline operations and boost user satisfaction.
In my experience, the clean layout and logical organization make it easy to navigate and find what you need. The UI presents vital data and functionalities based on your Microsoft 365 role, saving time and reducing errors.
Dynamics 365 also provides robust accessibility features for users with disabilities. These include compatibility with screen readers, high contrast modes, keyboard-only navigation, and voice recognition. So the platform can be tailored to individual needs.
Another strength is the wide range of customization options. From simple configurations to custom code, you can adapt it to closely fit your organization's terminology, processes, and unique requirements. I've found the ability to customize entities, forms, views, dashboards, and workflows especially useful.
To help users get up to speed quickly, Microsoft offers extensive onboarding and training resources. These cover everything from basic setup to advanced customization. Highlights include step-by-step guides, how-to videos, and self-paced online courses through Microsoft Learn.
However, it’s worth remembering that Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a fully-featured enterprise CRM, unsuited for most small business needs. Its learning curve, feature set, and pricing structure all reflect that. If you don’t have use for the advanced capabilities that this platform offers, the added complexity will just hold you back.
Out of the box, Dynamics 365 has pre-built connectors for many popular business apps like Office 365, Outlook, Power BI, SharePoint, and LinkedIn. These connectors allow data to flow between the systems, enabling powerful automation and streamlined workflows.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 also provides an extensive API that allows developers to build custom integrations with virtually any other application or data source. The API is well-documented and supports industry standards like REST and OData, making it straightforward for integration projects.
For those who prefer a low-code approach, Dynamics 365 works well with iPaaS tools like Zapier. Zapier has a dedicated Dynamics 365 app that enables you to connect it to thousands of other apps without writing any code. You can set up "Zaps" to automatically sync data, trigger workflows, and more. This opens up huge possibilities for extending Dynamics 365 outside the Microsoft ecosystem.
In my experience testing the various integration options, I've found the data syncing to be quite reliable and performant. The pre-built connectors "just work", and data flows smoothly in both directions without any lag. Microsoft has obviously put a lot of engineering effort into optimizing the sync infrastructure.
Integration is an area where Dynamics 365 shines. I'd give it top marks here. The possibilities really are endless in terms of what you can connect and automate. It's one of the product's key selling points compared to the competition.
Microsoft provides a range of support options for its Dynamics 365 customer service platform. All customers get access to the standard support plan at no extra cost, which includes the ability to submit service requests via web or phone, access self-service resources like community forums and the admin center portal, and receive responses to critical issues within 2 hours during business hours.
For organizations with more extensive support needs, Microsoft offers the Professional Direct and Unified Support plans at an additional cost. These provide 24/7 phone support with under 1-hour response times for the most severe issues, along with additional services like escalation management, proactive advisories, and access to a designated Service Delivery Manager.
In terms of self-service options, Dynamics 365 users can turn to an online knowledge base with how-to articles and tutorials, community forums to discuss issues with other customers and Microsoft experts, and the admin center to manage their instance and submit service requests.
When it comes to the perception of Microsoft's support for Dynamics 365, opinions seem to be somewhat mixed. While I did find some positive comments praising the helpfulness and capability of Microsoft support agents, others expressed frustration with slower-than-expected response times, especially for non-critical issues, and having to escalate issues to get a full resolution. Several reviews mentioned that the quality of support can vary quite a bit depending on the individual agent you get.
Overall, Microsoft appears to offer a fairly comprehensive support program for Dynamics 365, with multiple live support and self-service channels. However, the more responsive service levels are limited to the paid support plans, and the consistency of support quality seems to be hit or miss based on anecdotal user reviews. Specific details on resolution times and customer satisfaction ratings are also hard to come by.
Plan
Sales Professional
Sales Enterprise
Customer Service Professional
Customer Service Enterprise
Price
$65/user/month
$105/user/month
$50/user/month
$95/user/month
Best For
Small to medium businesses, basic sales needs
Large enterprises, advanced sales features
Small to medium businesses, basic customer service
Large enterprises, advanced customer service
Features
Sales automation
Opportunity management
Outlook integration
AI-driven insights
Advanced analytics
Customizable workflows
Case management
Knowledge management
SLAs
AI-powered chatbots
Omnichannel support
Extensible platform
Limitations
Limited customization and analytics
Higher price point
Limited automation and AI capabilities
Higher price point
Microsoft Dynamics 365 offers several different pricing plans and licensing options depending on the specific CRM applications and features needed.
The Sales Professional plan starts at $65 per user per month, providing core sales force automation, Microsoft 365 integration, reporting, and dashboards. The Sales Enterprise plan is $105 per user per month for the base license.
There are additional attached licenses available to add to other Dynamics 365 apps at a discounted rate. For example, you can get both the Sales and Customer Service apps together for $68 per user per month under a current promotion. Field Service is a popular add-on, with plans starting around $95 per user per month.
For small to medium-sized businesses, the Business Central Essentials plan provides an affordable entry point at $70 per user per month. This includes key accounting and operational features. Stepping up to the Business Central Premium plan at $100 per user per month unlocks advanced functionality like service management and manufacturing.
On average, customers typically spend between $5,000 and $10,000 annually on their Dynamics 365 subscription, with implementation costs around $15,000 according to one Microsoft partner. Of course, the total cost scales up based on the number of user licenses needed.
Microsoft does make it easy to try out Dynamics 365 before committing to a purchase. Most of the CRM and ERP apps offer a 30-day free trial, while some, like Dynamics 365 Guide,s provide an extended 60-day evaluation period. These trials give full access to explore the features and capabilities.
Discounts may also be available for certain customers. Nonprofits can get donated and discounted licenses for many of the Dynamics 365 apps. Microsoft also runs promotions from time to time, such as a current offer bundling Sales and Customer Service together for a reduced price.
Following a broad price adjustment to match its expanded AI toolsets, Business Central Essentials is priced at $80 per user, per month, while the manufacturing-heavy Premium tier sits at $110 per user, per month. It is critical for prospective buyers to note that these figures represent software subscription costs alone: because Dynamics 365 is incredibly sophisticated, a typical mid-market implementation routinely requires a certified third-party Microsoft Partner, raising consulting, custom data schema mapping, and training engineering fees.
How we tested Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRMEvaluating an enterprise-tier ecosystem like Microsoft Dynamics 365 requires a far more complex framework than testing a standard, out-of-the-box SaaS CRM. Following TechRadar Pro's comprehensive CRM testing methodology, I subjected Dynamics 365 to rigorous infrastructure stress testing to evaluate its core capabilities, structural ease of use, system integrations, and actual value for money.
I assessed the platform's core capabilities, AI Copilot latency, and its onboarding complexity. The platform's support and integration (especially with other Microsoft tools) were also evaluated. And, of course, the cost is always taken into account with these reviews. By cost, we always take into account the total cost of ownership - not just your initial outlay.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 review: Final verdictMicrosoft Dynamics 365 delivers a powerful and comprehensive CRM solution, particularly well-suited for medium to large enterprises already using other Microsoft technologies. Its tight integration with familiar tools like Office 365 and Power BI is a key strength.
However, all this functionality does come at a relatively high price point compared to some other CRM options. Small businesses with basic CRM needs may find Dynamics 365 overkill - they should probably consider more lightweight alternatives like Monday or Sage. But for organizations with complex sales processes and customer lifecycles, particularly those already using Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365 is a top choice. Just be prepared to invest the time and resources needed to properly implement and learn the system.
Categories: Reviews
Sage CRM review 2026
Sage CRM is a dependable customer relationship management solution designed for small and medium-sized businesses. Its key features include contact and communications management, sales force automation, marketing automation, and customer service tools.
Looking into Sage CRM, I found it to be a well-rounded CRM platform with a solid set of features to help businesses streamline their sales, marketing, and customer service processes. The interface is user-friendly and customizable, making it easy to tailor the system to your company's specific needs.
However, a potential drawback is that it lacks the number of advanced integrations boasted by competitors like Salesforce or HubSpot. However, Sage CRM's reliability and scalability make it a strong contender for SMBs looking to better manage customer interactions and drive business growth.
Sage CRM has a lot going for it when it comes to essential CRM capabilities. I've been impressed by how it covers the full gamut of what you'd expect in a modern customer relationship management system.
To start, Sage CRM provides robust contact management, allowing you to track and manage every interaction with prospects and customers across your entire business. The sales force automation features are designed to accelerate your sales processes, providing tools for lead generation, opportunity management, and closing deals more efficiently.
Then there’s the targeted marketing functionality. Sage CRM gives you the ability to easily plan, execute, and evaluate your marketing programs. You can segment your audience, personalize your messaging, and measure the ROI of your campaigns — all from within the CRM.
Of course, CRMs aren’t complete without strong customer service capabilities. Sage CRM aims to help you exceed customer expectations with tools for case management, service level tracking, and a searchable knowledge base. I particularly like the customer self-service portal, which empowers customers to find answers and log requests on their own.
Sage has also kept up with the times by incorporating social capabilities and mobile access. You can engage with customers on social media channels and access the platform from any device.
Another big plus in my book is the tight integration Sage CRM offers with various Sage accounting packages like Sage 100 and Sage 300. Connecting your front and back office data can provide powerful insights to drive your business forward.
Reporting and analytics are also key strengths. Sage CRM includes interactive dashboards and customizable reports to help you forecast sales, monitor key metrics, and gain visibility into team performance. You can slice and dice data to your heart's content.
Lastly, I'm a big fan of the customizable workflows and process automation in Sage CRM. You can easily optimize and standardize processes across sales, marketing, and service to maximize productivity. And the Microsoft Outlook integration is top-notch for seamless email communications.
All in all, Sage stacks up very well in terms of its breadth and depth of core CRM functionality. While every business has unique needs, Sage covers all the critical bases you'd want in a CRM platform. It's well worth considering for any small to mid-market company looking to take their customer management to the next level.
Intuitive interface design, extensive training resources, and straightforward customization are a few key factors that make this platform so easy to use, especially for new users just getting started with a CRM.
Right off the bat, I found the Sage CRM dashboard quite clean and simple to navigate. The layout feels logical, with clearly labeled tabs for jumping between different functional areas. Moving between records can be a bit clunky at times, but overall, the interface gets the job done without overwhelming the user.
Another area where Sage really shines is the wealth of onboarding and training materials they provide through Sage University. When you're new to the platform, having readily available guides, tutorials, and templates to learn from makes a huge difference. Sage has put effort into creating resources to flatten the learning curve.
Sage CRM also offers a good deal of flexibility to tailor the software to your needs. I was impressed with the ability to completely customize important details like quote templates and pricing sources. Mapping out activities in the calendar and setting up workflows also proved fairly intuitive. You don't need to be an IT whiz to mold Sage CRM to your business.
In terms of becoming proficient, I'd estimate most users with a bit of CRM experience could get up and running within a week or two. Those starting from scratch might need closer to a month to feel fully comfortable. But with solid customer support and those extensive training materials, Sage puts in the legwork to make their CRM as approachable as possible.
Ease of use is definitely one of Sage CRM's strong suits. The thoughtful interface, customization options, and educational resources combine to make this a platform that won't leave new users scratching their heads or tearing their hair out. While not without some minor quirks, Sage CRM does a commendable job catering to users of all skill levels.
Generally speaking, Sage CRM has strong integration capabilities. The platform offers a variety of ways to connect with other applications and systems.
For starters, Sage has a number of pre-built integrations and connectors available, which makes it easy to quickly link up with popular business apps like Mailchimp, QuickBooks, and more. While not as expansive as competitors like Salesforce or Zendesk, it’s still pretty good.
If you need a more custom integration, Sage CRM also has good support for iPaaS vendors. It integrates seamlessly with automation tools like Zapier and Make. This allows you to create your own integrations and automated workflows without needing to code.
Under the hood, Sage CRM provides a powerful set of REST and SOAP APIs. These give developers the ability to build deep, custom integrations with external databases and systems. While researching, I found some users reporting that the REST API responses can be a bit slow at times. So the performance may not be best-in-class, but overall, the APIs seem reliable and full-featured.
The platform also has some helpful features to make integrating data easier, like the ability to directly connect to and model external database tables. Users say the data synchronization is generally smooth.
All in all, I'm quite impressed with Sage CRM from an integration standpoint. Between the pre-built connectors, iPaaS support, open APIs, and data syncing capabilities, the platform checks all the key boxes. And it seems to mostly deliver on the ease-of-use front as well. You may run into some performance limitations with more complex integrations, but for most needs, Sage CRM looks to be a strong integration option.
When it comes to customer support, Sage CRM offers a solid range of options for users to get help when they need it. The company provides live support via phone and email during standard business hours, which are 8 am-5 pm GMT+2 Monday through Thursday, and 8 am-4 pm on Fridays. So while 24/7 support is not available, the hours are reasonable and cover the prime working hours for most customers.
In terms of responsiveness, I found that customers generally expect an email reply within 24 hours from support teams. While I couldn't locate Sage CRM's specific first response time metrics, user reviews suggest that the support is prompt and helpful overall. Many customers complimented how easy the software is to learn and use, even for employees with no prior experience with CRMs, which likely cuts down on the volume of support requests.
For those who prefer to find answers on their own, Sage also offers a good set of self-service resources. These include an online knowledge base and help center with how-to articles and guides, video tutorials, a user community forum, and product documentation. Having all of this information readily available enables customers to troubleshoot issues and learn the software at their own pace.
The quality of support seems to be a highlight for many Sage CRM users based on the testimonials and reviews I analyzed. Customers frequently praise the support team for being responsive, knowledgeable, and able to resolve issues quickly. Some reviewers noted that the initial setup and configuration were made easier with the help of support. There were a few complaints about long hold times or unresolved problems.
My overall assessment is that Sage CRM delivers an effective and well-rounded customer support experience. While round-the-clock live support is lacking, they make up for it with strong documentation, an active user community, and support reps that are consistently described as helpful and efficient by customers. The self-service options are robust, and the positive sentiment regarding support quality is reassuring for businesses evaluating the platform. Sage CRM's support may not be flawless, but it appears to meet or exceed most customers' expectations.
Plan
Cloud
On-Premise
Price
$45/user/month
Lifetime license with custom pricing
Best For
Small to medium businesses seeking a cloud-based solution
Businesses preferring an on-premise CRM with one-time licensing
Features
• Customizable modules
• Integration with Sage ERP
• Mobile access
• Perpetual licensing
• Greater control over data
• Extensive customization
Limitations
Requires internet connection for use
Higher upfront costs, IT infrastructure needed
Sage CRM offers two deployment options with different pricing models. For the cloud version, Sage charges $45 per user per month. This is a simple, transparent subscription model that allows you to scale up or down as needed.
For the on-premise version, you'll need to contact Sage directly for a custom quote based on your specific requirements. Factors like the number of users, add-on features, and contract length can all impact the final price.
One thing I like is that Sage CRM includes a free trial for its cloud version, so you can take the software for a test drive before committing to a paid plan. This lets you ensure it has all the features and capabilities your business needs.
However, I couldn't find any information on the length of the trial period, so that's something you may want to clarify with the sales team. Additional costs for onboarding, customization, integrations, or support when choosing Sage’s on-premise option are also not clearly listed, from what I could see.
Overall, while the cloud pricing is straightforward, Sage could be more transparent about the full costs involved, especially for the self-hosted version. You'll likely need to go through the sales process to get a complete picture of the investment required, both upfront and ongoing.
For smaller businesses, that $45/user/month starting price is on the higher end compared to some entry-level CRM plans. But for larger teams that need the advanced features Sage CRM offers, it may prove to be a worthwhile value. As with any substantial software purchase, I recommend doing a thorough ROI analysis based on your company's unique situation and goals.
Another factor to consider is the fact that while the $45 cloud entry point looks straightforward, Sage's overall pricing structure lacks some transparency. Because Sage CRM is primarily designed to act as a front-end extension for their ERP ecosystems (such as Sage 100, 200, or 300), the baseline software cost is rarely your final invoice. The true cost of deployment almost always requires going through authorized regional partners, who inject substantial additional service fees for mandatory data migration, custom SQL database configuration, ERP integration connectors, and specialized training.
How we tested Sage CRMRather than evaluating Sage CRM as just another SaaS tool, we tested it through a specialized CRM lens. Because Sage is fundamentally designed to bridge front-office sales with back-office finance, our testing methodology focused heavily on database integrity, ERP-sync telemetry, and on-premise infrastructure stability using the Sage 2026 R1 application stack.
I tested the platform's upgraded PDF generation engine, evaluated its support options, and took a critical eye to its design and UI. We populated the system with thousands of contacts so we could evaluate the solution just as a real-world business would.
Sage CRM review: Final verdictExploring Sage CRM for this review, I found it to be a robust and well-rounded CRM platform that covers all the key bases a small to mid-sized business would need. The thoughtfully designed interface, customization options, and extensive training resources make it approachable for users of all skill levels.
While the pricing isn't the most transparent, especially for the on-premise deployment, the overall feature set and usability likely justify the cost for many organizations. And the free trial provides a nice opportunity to validate that before diving in. Overall, I believe Sage CRM is best suited for small to medium-sized companies that want a full-featured and customizable CRM platform they can grow with over time.
Categories: Reviews
Lead Gen & CRM review 2026
Constant Contact Lead Gen & CRM’s (formerly SharpSpring) is a powerful yet user-friendly marketing automation and CRM platform that caters to the needs of small to mid-sized businesses. As an all-in-one solution, it offers a solid set of features, including lead management, email marketing, social media management, and a built-in CRM at no extra cost.
Lead Gen & CRM’s key strength lies in its intuitive interface, which makes it easy to create complex automation workflows without requiring extensive technical knowledge. The visual campaign builder allows marketers to design multi-step campaigns with ease, while the opportunity management and task tracking features enable sales teams to stay on top of their pipeline.
However, Lead Gen & CRM is not without its drawbacks. Some users have reported occasional glitches and slower performance compared to other platforms. Additionally, while the feature set is comprehensive, it may not be as advanced as some enterprise-level solutions. Despite these minor shortcomings, Lead Gen & CRM remains a solid choice for businesses seeking an integrated marketing automation tool with CRM features.
Lead Gen & CRM core capabiltiesConstant Contact Lead Gen & CRM marks a massive structural evolution for the software platform formerly known as SharpSpring. Following its acquisition by email marketing pioneer Constant Contact, the software dropped the legacy SharpSpring moniker to align completely with its parent company’s massive digital outreach ecosystem.
Lead Gen & CRM packs a powerful punch when it comes to its core CRM capabilities. At the heart of its CRM functionality is robust lead generation and management. The platform allows you to track, score, qualify, and convert leads, giving you a 360-degree view of your prospects' journey.
A standout feature is Lead Gen & CRM's ability to de-anonymize website visitors and track their behavior, enabling deep personalization. You can tailor experiences to each lead contextually based on their interests and actions.
The CRM also excels at email management, with tools to build custom emails and automate personalized outreach at scale. You can set up targeted campaigns triggered by specific lead behaviors or statuses.
For lead capture, Lead Gen & CRM provides flexible form and landing page builders. These allow you to craft custom assets that feed prospects' information directly into the CRM. Progressive profiling helps gradually build out lead profiles over time.
I'm impressed by how Lead Gen & CRM has seamlessly integrated core CRM functionality with its marketing automation capabilities. Having both in a single platform streamlines operations and aligns sales and marketing, which is great for tightly-knit startups.
However, some long-term users indicate that it may lack a few of the more advanced features you'd find in a standalone system. For many small or midsize companies, though, Lead Gen & CRM's CRM will be more than sufficient for their use case.
Overall, Lead Gen & CRM delivers on the CRM essentials — lead management, email outreach, and custom form capture — while surrounding them with strong marketing automation. This combination makes it a compelling central revenue platform for SMBs.
Lead Gen & CRM's user interface aims to simplify navigation and reduce the learning curve for new users. Key customization options allow the platform to adapt to various business needs and use cases.
I found Lead Gen & CRM's visual campaign builder to be very intuitive once you get oriented. However, for non-marketers or those new to marketing automation, the workflow may be a bit overwhelming at first. Lead Gen & CRM does provide an excellent knowledge base to help users get up to speed, though.
Lead Gen & CRM's onboarding is one of its standout features. You get paired with an Onboarding Specialist who guides you through training over your first 60 days. The process starts with goal-setting and expectation-setting calls. Then you move into the thick of it with platform setup, data and system integration, as well as instance configuration.
After that, Lead Gen & CRM offers a menu of 30-60 minute training sessions on key platform capabilities that can be mixed, matched, and ordered to your needs. Topics include the CRM, marketing campaigns, landing pages, forms, automation, analytics, and more.
So while the workflow UI might not be immediately intuitive for all, Lead Gen & CRM compensates with strong training and onboarding. With guidance from the onboarding team, most users seem to gain proficiency within the first couple of months.
A potential downside is the flip side of customization; it may take more time to configure the platform to your needs than a more standardized tool. But if you want that flexibility and are willing to invest some upfront effort, it pays off in the long run.
Overall, I give Lead Gen & CRM high marks for its user interface, training resources, and customization options to fit diverse business cases. With a bit of time to orient and personalized onboarding, new users can harness its power.
Lead Gen & CRM integrations (Image credit: SharpSpring)Lead Gen & CRM offers a robust set of integration options to connect it with other business applications and extend its functionality. The CRM integrates with a wide variety of popular apps out of the box through its App Marketplace. Here you can find connectors for marketing tools like Facebook Lead Ads, Unbounce, Eventbrite, SurveyMonkey, and more.
I found the integration with Unbounce particularly useful, as it allows marketing leads captured on Unbounce landing pages to automatically sync into Lead Gen & CRM for follow-up. The Facebook Lead Ads integration is also handy for pulling in leads generated from social media campaigns.
For more custom integrations, Lead Gen & CRM supports popular automation platforms Zapier and Make (formerly Integromat). With these iPaaS (integration platform as a service) tools, you can connect Lead Gen & CRM to over 1000 other apps without needing to write any code. I was able to use Zapier to set up an integration that sends new leads from my website's contact form directly into Lead Gen & CRM, then creates tasks for a hypothetical sales team to reach out to.
Lead Gen & CRM also provides a full-featured REST API that allows developers to integrate the CRM with any other system. The API documentation is comprehensive, and the platform uses standard OAuth 2.0 authentication. Advanced users suggest that the API is relatively straightforward to work with when building a custom integration.
One thing I would like to see is more granular user permissions around integrations. Currently, any user can set up an integration, which could potentially lead to data being unintentionally exposed. It would be nice to have admin-level controls over what integrations and connected apps each user can access.
But in the end, Lead Gen & CRM's integration capabilities are quite strong. The combination of pre-built app connectors, iPaaS support, and a robust API means the platform can fit into most any tech stack. And based on my experience, the integrations are stable, and the data syncing between systems is reliable. Lead Gen & CRM has clearly put a lot of thought into making its CRM as extensible as possible.
Lead Gen & CRM provides a robust customer support experience for its CRM users. They offer a variety of channels to get help, including phone, email, and live chat support. Live chat is especially responsive and helpful for getting quick answers to questions.
The company also has a well-organized knowledge base with tutorials, training resources, and FAQs to help users self-serve and troubleshoot issues on their own. The articles are clear and include helpful screenshots. There's a handy search feature to find relevant content quickly.
However, Lead Gen & CRM could improve a few areas of its support. First, the live support channels are not 24/7 - you can generally only get real-time help during extended business hours. Off hours, you have to rely on their ticket system and wait for a response.
But, while many customers rave about the quality and friendliness of the support, some reviews mention that the first response time can occasionally be a bit slow, and complex issues may require some back and forth to fully resolve. Lead Gen & CRM doesn't publish official response time averages that I could find.
Plan
Lite
Standard
Premium
Starting Price (500 contacts)
$12/month
$33/month
$120/month
Price at 1,000 Contacts
$35/month
$55/month
$160/month
Price at 10,000 Contacts
$80/month
$110/month
$275/month
Best for
Solopreneurs & basic list management
Growing small businesses needing automation
High-volume teams and advanced marketing
Limitations
1 user seat; single-step welcome automations; 10x contact email send limit
3 user seats; multi-step behavioral workflows; A/B testing; 12x email send limit
Unlimited user seats; custom behavioral paths; revenue attribution; 24x email send limit
Following its corporate acquisition and transition into Constant Contact Lead Gen & CRM, the platform has fundamentally abandoned its old, prohibitively expensive entry pricing structure. Rather than forcing early-stage startups to commit to a massive $449 monthly baseline just to manage 1,000 contacts, the platform now operates on a sliding, feature-tiered scale that makes full-funnel marketing automation accessible to microscopic budgets.
The modern ecosystem is split into three core tracks: Lite, Standard, and Premium. The foundational Lite plan starts at just $12/month for up to 500 contacts, scaling up to $33/month at the 1,000-contact threshold. While highly economical, the Lite plan severely restricts collaborative teams, limiting access to a single user seat and locking out all advanced behavioral workflows in favor of simple, single-step welcome emails.
The Standard plan represents the optimal middle ground for mid-sized teams, starting at $35/month and adjusting to $55/month for 1,000 contacts. Upgrading to Standard unlocks up to 3 user seats, robust multi-step marketing automation trees, behavioral contact segmentation, and subject line A/B testing tools.
For corporate teams requiring deep telemetry, the Premium tier begins at $80/month ($110/month at 1,000 contacts), removing user seat caps entirely while unlocking custom visual automation paths, revenue attribution dashboards, and integrated SEO tools.
Buyers must keep an eye on their contact ceilings, however: crossing into a higher contact bracket mid-cycle triggers an automatic account upgrade, and exceeding your monthly tiered email delivery volume limits results in an overage fee of $0.002 per email. For massive databases scaling past 50,000 records or specialized white-label marketing setups, customized Agency and Enterprise quotes remain available upon request.
How we tested Lead Gen & CRMAt TechRadar Pro, our CRM testing methodology goes beyond vendor's advertised functionality. To properly evaluate Constant Contact Lead Gen & CRM and its core promise of delivering a unified sales-and-marketing environment, our testing analysts deployed the software in a live production environment configured for mid-market business demands.
We conducted a visual automation stress test, carried out visitor de-anonymization tracking, and assessed the dynamic content performance. Support was also a key feature for the review, and because Constant Contact locks real-time help desks behind extended regional business hours rather than offering global 24/7 coverage, we systematically verified their customer support turnaround. That way you can trust our review wherever you're based.
Lead Gen & CRM review: SummaryLead Gen & CRM is a solid, intuitive, and easy-to-use CRM solution that provides good value for small to mid-sized businesses and marketing agencies. The platform offers a robust set of features, including lead management, email marketing, social media management, and a built-in CRM at an affordable price point compared to some competitors.
However, Lead Gen & CRM is not without some shortcomings. While the core feature set is solid, it may fall short for companies with very advanced sales automation needs. Some users have also reported occasional performance issues and bugs.
Categories: Reviews
I've watched all of Prime Video Legally Blonde prequel Elle and hugely have to eat some humble pie — it's that good, Lexi Minetree might give Reese Witherspoon's legacy a run for its money
What, like making a prequel series is hard? I should never have doubted the power of Elle Woods, who at this point feels like the pop culture equivalent of Mother Teresa to millennials.
Since the moment that Elle was announced by Prime Video, I've been it's number one hater. I've written opinion pieces about how its existence is going to destroy the sanctity of Elle's journey at Harvard, and I've spent hours stewing over how anybody could touch the side of Reese Witherspoon's career-defining performance. If we're getting another Legally Blonde project, make it about Elle's Supreme Court Justice years... right?
But oh, how the mighty have fallen. Having now watched all eight episodes of Elle, my hater-self is metaphorically standing in a dumpster fire of her own making. As someone prepared to loathe it, take this next remark with absolute seriousness and sincerity: this series is outrageously good.
In the blink of an eye, I once again felt like my 6-year-old self when the 2001 movie first came out — enraptured, inspired and completely at ease with who I am inside. How? Well, that's just what Elle Woods does, regardless of who is playing her.
But if you'd have told me at Lexi Minetree was actually an AI version of Witherspoon in her twenties, I'd have believed you. Minetree has all of Witherspoon's mannerisms down to a tee, has perfected her voice, and wholeheartedly understands the spirit of the woman we all know and love. It is, frankly, a miracle.
But Minetree isn't the only reason for Elle's success... absolutely everybody, and almost everything, is pulling their weight.
Elle is about to put the Legally Blonde haters to shame — and most of the film's lore holds upWhen Elle turns 16, she's forced to leave her Bel-Air luxury lifestyle behind for Seattle, all thanks to a plastic surgery scandal that her father is embroiled it. With her new high school in the grip of the 90s grunge scene, our favorite pink tornado is once again a fish out of water, and she has to fight to fit in.
As I've pointed out, Minetree's freakishly brilliant understanding of Elle — and how unwilling she is to deviate from Witherspoon's blueprint — spearheads the feel-good fun, but let's look at what's happening around her.
Surprisingly, Elle isn't just a nod to Legally Blonde. There are also clear references to big nineties and noughties hitters including Mean Girls, Clueless, Freaky Friday and The Breakfast Club, and the nostalgic yearning is strong. From the corded landlines to the banging soundtrack, our young adult life from this time period is fully and lovingly represented.
As willing as I initially was to write our Seattle newbies off, they're also a treat of an ensemble. Bel-Air bestie Madison (Jessica Belkin) shirks the airhead sidekick stereotype in favor of a grounded spirit and unshakable loyalty, while high school mean girl Kimberly (Chandler Kinney) is hiding a true self that is the last thing you'd expect (no spoilers here).
British boy Dustin (Zac Looker) fuels Elle's curiosity for anarchy and change, while also providing proof that she can truly extract the best out of every walk of life. A more touching shoutout goes to the enigmatic role of Dean Wilson, which marks James Van Der Beek's final acting credit before his death earlier this year.
It's no surprise that my favorite side character is Eva Woods, played by the underrated powerhouse in June Diane Raphael. You only had to briefly see this woman in Parks and Recreation or Grace and Frankie to know how much she truly understands the superficial class, which she poignantly balances with a steady heart and sense of empathy.
Sadly, Perfect Day by Hoku is nowhere to be seen(Image credit: Prime Video)Now for the most important bit of feedback: the existing Legally Blonde lore. For the most part, I found that it adds to my love of the IP rather than takes away from it, especially when it answers some pivotal questions.
Without giving too much away, we'll find out how Elle gets Bruiser the Chihuahua (who's wardrobe is absolutely jaw-dropping, by the way), how Elle ends up back in Bel-Air in time for the events of the original movie, and how she begins to gain an interest in defending innocent people.
However, it's this last one that's a bit of a sticking point. For those of us who know the 2001 film better than we know ourselves, it's unspoken knowledge that Elle had zero interest in pursuing anything related to a law degree, but was only compelled to do so to win boyfriend Warner back.
That, in a nutshell, is the reason why Legally Blonde even exists. So the mere fact that Elle's rewritten history suggests that this inspiration came much earlier in her life doesn't completely sit with what we know of her adult life. It's clearly supposed to be a seedling for what's to come, but perhaps is a little overplayed.
Even so, I had such a good time watching Elle that I don't even care. The ebbs and flows of high school drama are deliciously played, the script is genuinely hilarious, and the overarching narrative plot is addictively compelling. I've been that engrossed that I'd even go as far as to say that it needs a second season, stat.
Categories: Reviews
The Razer Pro Type Ergo proves the company can do non-gaming keyboards well – but it’s not perfect
Razer Pro Type Ergo review: two-minute review
Ergonomic keyboards have long been Logitech's territory, but the Pro Type Ergo is Razer's most convincing argument yet that it belongs in the productivity conversation, and not dismissed as just a gaming brand.
It's the brand's first split ergonomic keyboard, and it arrives with a full-size layout, clever software and a mild enough learning curve to make ergo peripherals feel genuinely accessible. There's a lot to like here — the software depth is impressive, the wireless connectivity is versatile, and the adjustment period is shorter than you might fear. But at its higher price tag, the lack of mechanical switches is hard to ignore, and that one compromise colors the whole package.
In practice, the Pro Type Ergo impresses in several key areas. The adjustment period is impressively short — I was largely up to speed within a couple of days, even with some stubborn old typing habits to shake. The fixed vegan leather wristrest is plush, the sculpted keycaps keep your fingers where they should be, and the duplicated 'B' key is a small but smart touch.
Software is a genuine highlight too, with Razer Synapse 4 offering up to 100 mappable functions for the twin command dials, deep macro key customisation, and an AI Prompt Builder that pipes queries into ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot if you want it to. Connectivity is equally versatile, covering three-channel Bluetooth, a 2.4GHz USB-A receiver and USB-C wired, with a claimed three months of battery life per charge and an ideal set of outputs for power users.
(Image credit: Future)However, there are limits that stop the Pro Type Ergo from being an easy recommendation at this price. The most glaring is the switch choice — scissor-actuated membrane keys on a £179.99 keyboard feel like a bit of a compromise, however comfortable and snappy they might be in use.
The Keychron Q13 Max lands at a similar price and is properly mechanical, while the Logitech Ergo K860 covers the core ergonomic brief for roughly half the cost. The Pro Type Ergo's full-size layout and non-removable wristrest also means it takes up a significant amount of desk space, which rules it out for anyone working in tighter quarters – it even made my 120cm desk seem tiny.
At $189.99 / £179.99 / AU$299.95, Razer is asking you to pay a premium for style, software depth and ergonomic approachability — and on the whole, it delivers with a product that's comfortable, likeable, and especially versatile.
Just bear in mind the trade-off by going for a non-mechanical choice at this price. The Pro Type Ergo justifies much of its premium price tag with its versatility, clever software and a learning curve that won't upend your entire working week. If you want to take the plunge into ergo peripherals without sacrificing style or features, this is a very good place to start.
Razer Pro Type Ergo review: Price & release date- $189.99 / £179.99 / AU$299.95
- Released April 1, 2026
- Towards the top end of the market
Razer launched the Pro Type Ergo in April 2026, and it's available for $189.99 / £179.99 / AU$299.95, which puts it towards the top end of this non-mechanical market, not least for a more niche product such as an ergonomic keyboard. It's available from Razer's own website and secondary retailers such as Amazon.
For reference, it's possible to get more office-oriented ergo keyboards with a similar split layout for more affordable prices, such as the Logitech Ergo K860. It's about half the cost of the Pro Type Ergo with similar fundamentals, although it misses out on Razer's clever software trickery and the oodles of customisation it comes with.
For a more affordable choice, there's also the Logitech Wave Keys, which isn't quite as drastic with some of its ergo sensibilities, although it lacks the snappiness of scissor-actuated keys with more standard rubber domes.
(Image credit: Future)Outside of the usual mainstream brands, the Keychron Q13 Max is a similar price to the Pro Type Ergo and comes with a full-size layout, a machined aluminium chassis, a command dial and macro keys, plus QMK software powers, and it is also properly mechanical. For a different take on ergonomics, the HHKB Studio is a fellow premium choice, but instead of offering split keys and such, it moves some keys around for a more comfortable layout and is fully mechanical.
- Value score: 3.5/5
Layout
Full-size - optimised
Switches
Scissor-actuated membrane
Programmable keys
Yes
Dimensions
18.3 x 9.6 x 1.6 inches / 464 x 243 x 40mm (LxWxH)
RGB or backlighting
Yes - RGB (customisable)
Razer Pro Type Ergo review: Design- Large profile on desk
- Lots of convenient creature comforts
- Mild ergonomic layout optimisations
The Pro Type Ultra is Razer's first split ergonomic keyboard, and it blends several of the brand's key design hallmarks into a brand new form factor. For instance, it comes with its usual modern and understated design language that has characterised a lot of its more recent releases.
The fact that it's a full-size layout keyboard with a number pad, nav cluster and function row alongside a big wristrest and function dials means it takes up an awful lot of desk space. That vegan leather wristrest is a large part of the bulkiness of this keyboard, and it isn't removable.
Nonetheless, Razer has designed this keyboard to be functional and comfortable with that full-size layout in mind, and the fact that this is a milder form of ergonomic keyboard than some of the weirder options from Kinesis and ZSA that can take even more getting used to.
(Image credit: Future)What I mean by this is that this keyboard has a mild split down the middle that's designed to align your hands directly with your shoulders to help reduce the risk of getting RSI or carpal tunnel syndrome.
To Razer's credit, even though the angle of the split is fixed, the keyboard has a natural rise and fall across its chassis to help reduce pronation, or forearm strain. The fixed wristrest is also decently plush in the middle, and you get some excellent two-stage feet in all four corners on the underside of the keyboard to raise the angle up or down as you'd prefer.
This split layout forces you to learn how to touch-type properly, which can take some getting used to if you have an odd technique, as I do, where I rarely use my ring and pinky fingers to type, and usually use my fore and middle fingers to do most of the work, sometimes on either side of the keyboard.
(Image credit: Future)Razer has made some small, but noticeable, changes to a standard full-size layout, making some keys slightly elongated, with the 7, T, G, H and B keys. Weirdly, the B key has been duplicated to improve speed and comfort, and the space between the two Space Bars on the bottom row. The keycaps are also slightly sculpted, similarly to the Logitech MX Keys range of products to help keep your fingers where they should be.
Outside of the ergonomic benefits of the Pro Type Ergo, Razer has also made sure to give this keyboard other accoutrements, such as programmable macro keys down the left side and a couple of command dials in each corner. There are also three silver shortcut keys in the top right corner for opening Razer's own AI Prompt Master software, checking battery status and a custom button, plus there are dedicated buttons for wireless pairing over Bluetooth and the bundled 2.4GHz receiver.
(Image credit: Future)The front interface is quite simple, with a convenient toggle switch for wired or wireless use and a USB-C port for charging and wired use.
- Design score: 4/5
- Less of a learning curve than expected
- Comfortable feel, although not mechanical
- Extensive software and connectivity options
Usually I take a couple of weeks to review a keyboard to best understand its quirks and features, but took a little longer with the Pro Type Ergo, owing to its ergonomic credentials. In my experience, it can take a good week or so to get fully used to using an ergonomic keyboard or mouse, so I thought it best to take my time to give Razer's keyboard a fair shot.
To be truthful, the adjustment period of moving to this ergo keyboard wasn't as long as I was expecting it to be, and I found myself mostly up to speed within a couple of days. It took longer to try to get out of some of the habits I've picked up over decades of typing in a funny way. For instance, I found myself usually reaching over to press the Y key with my left forefinger out of habit, which I had to train myself not to do during the review period. It might be useful if Razer put two Y keys to help out with this habit, especially as they've already done it for the B key on the bottom row, but your mileage may vary, of course.
Nonetheless, I found the Pro Type Ergo to be a comfortable device to use, especially after the smaller adjustment period. It makes a product like this a more compelling purchase against ones that force you to make more wholesale changes to your routine, which can be quite upending in some instances.
(Image credit: Future)Under finger, this Razer product isn't mechanical, which surprised me considering its high price tag. Instead, it's using a scissor-actuated mechanism that's similar to what you'll find on the smaller Razer Joro or any of the brand's Blade laptops. This means it's a short and snappy keypress, but one that lacks the precision or tactility of a mechanical option.
There are ergonomic keyboards that are also mechanical, but owing to the bigger size of full-height mechanical switches, they are likely to be bulkier than the Razer Pro Type Ergo – I can understand why this isn't a mechanical product, but it's still a shame it isn't.
Connectivity is versatile, with three-channel Bluetooth and 2.4GHz with the bundled USB-A receiver on the menu, and pairing is simple, too. Simply hold the button down on the keyboard until the button flashes blue and the Pro Type Ergo shows up in the pairing menu of your device. You can also use the bundled USB-C cable for wired connectivity.
(Image credit: Future)As for battery life, Razer also promises three months of use from a single charge, though I imagine you'll have to cut RGB lighting to reach that. You can check the keyboard's battery level with the dedicated button in the top-right corner, which is neat. The Pro Type Ergo takes five and a half hours to recharge, but if the charge lasts up to three months, that's a small price to pay in my book.
Software duties are handled by Razer Synapse 4, and the Pro Type Ergo, unfortunately, isn't compatible with the new web-based variant of Synapse. It's an improvement on the older and clunkier forms of Synapse that came before it, and provides a lot of customisation opportunities for the keyboard, with up to 100 different functions available for the keyboard's command dials, custom key bindings for the macro keys (or you can use built-in ones for apps such as Photoshop or MS Word), and even remapping every other key on the keyboard.
The dedicated AI Prompt button on the keyboard works in a similar way to Logitech's Logi Prompt Builder, allowing you to build a prompt in software, which is then answered by your choice of either ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot in a browser window.
- Performance score: 4/5
Attribute
Notes
Score
Design
The Pro Type Ergo is a big keyboard, but it packs in a lot of optimisation to make it comfortable to use with little adjustment period.
4/5
Performance
The scissor-actuated keys make this a comfortable keyboard to use for extended periods, plus there is good battery life, clever software and versatile connectivity choices. I would have preferred it to be mechanical, though.
4/5
Value
The Pro Type Ergo is towards the top end of the market for an ergonomic keyboard for office use, but it helps to justify its price tag with its versatility. You can spend less and get the core experience, though.
3.5/5
Average Rating
The Razer Pro Type Ergo is a clever ergonomic keyboard with a comfortable typing feel, some very versatile software and convenient wireless connectivity that's a good choice if you want to take the plunge into ergo peripherals with a good dose of style. It's a shame it isn't mechanical, though, and the price is quite high.
4/5
Buy it if…You want a comfortable typing feel:
The Pro Type Ergo impresses with its low-profile scissor-actuated keys that provide a comfortable and snappy feel similar to a good laptop keyboard. If you're used to this kind of thing, it's lovely to use.View Deal
You want versatile wireless connectivity:
This Razer keyboard also has some excellent connectivity choices, supporting three-channel Bluetooth, a USB-A receiver and USB-C wired, making it especially versatile for power users.View Deal
You want clever software:
The Pro Type Ergo's use of Razer Synapse 4 for software makes it one of the cleverest keyboards I've tested for office use, especially with its macro keys and even the AI Prompt Builder if it's something you'd use.View Deal
You'd prefer something mechanical:
Personally, though, I'd prefer something mechanical for a more precise feel and better feedback under finger than any membrane keyboard can give you.View Deal
You want something more affordable:
The big thing with the Pro Type Ergo is a higher price tag against some of its more office-oriented rivals that provide a similar core experience, just without some of the frills.View Deal
You want something smaller:
This Razer keyboard also takes up a lot of space on a desk with its hefty wrist rest and full-size layout, and you can get ergo keyboards that are a smaller form factor.View Deal
Logitech Ergo K860
The Logitech Ergo K860 provides a lot of the same fundamentals as the Pro Type Ergo with a split layout, raised profile, bundled wristrest and scissor-actuated keys, but it lacks some of the more advanced powers of software, RGB and more besides – it is half the price, though. Read our full Logitech Ergo K860 review.View Deal
HHKB Studio
It might seem like an odd choice, but the HHKB Studio offers a different take on an ergonomic keyboard as it chops and changes the location of some keys for a more ergonomic position, such as eschewing the Caps Lock in favour of the Control key. It is mechanical, wireless, and also has a Lenovo-style Trackpoint for added convenience. You will pay for it, though. Read our full HHKB Studio review.View Deal
- Tested for around three weeks
- Used for gaming and productivity across Windows and macOS
- A decade of experience as a journalist and mechanical keyboard hobbyist
I tested the Pro Type Ergo for around three weeks, using it as my main keyboard for work and play during this time with both Windows and macOS.
I used it for typing up thousands of words a day with my PC and hooked up to my MacBook Pro over Bluetooth as my primary keyboard for work, too, to judge its performance. I also used the Razer Synapse 4 software on Windows to remap keys, program the macros and see what else it had to offer.
I've been a tech journalist for the best part of a decade, and have reviewed plenty of keyboards in that time from brands big and small. I'm also a mechanical keyboard enthusiast, so I have a keen eye for peripherals and have been involved with the hobby before it hit the mainstream.
- Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
- First reviewed: June 2026
Categories: Reviews
‘Swept up in its own braggadocio’: this Final gaming headset I tested sounds good for its price, and its battery should last you up to a week — but on features, it overpromises and underdelivers
Final VR3000 EX for Gaming: two-minute review
The Final VR3000 EX for Gaming is a multi-platform gaming headset aimed at the more affordable end of the gaming market. It offers a low-latency connection, a fold-to-mute mic, and spatial audio for a much more manageable price than many of the premium pads on the market. But does it deliver on everything it promises?
The Final VR3000 EX for Gaming’s build isn’t bad, all things considered. I’m not a huge fan of the plastic on its earcups or how rattly it can be — both make it feel a bit cheap and flimsy — while the adjustable headband doesn’t really go tight enough for people with smaller heads. But the fabric section of the headband and the faux leather cups are really comfortable: despite a tiny bit of sweatiness, I found them comfortable enough to wear for the best part of a day.
Sound quality on the VR3000 EX is really solid: trebles feel crisp enough to give everything real immediacy, while the mids have sufficient clarity that I could easily differentiate the different roars of demons I gunned my way through in Doom. The only area where I’d say the headset doesn’t quite match pace with the best wireless gaming headsets out there is bass. It would be nice if guns had a little more boom — unless I’ve really misunderstood, the F in BFG9000 does not stand for ‘feeble’.
On paper, the VR3000 EX has some pretty great features for its price point, but I found this was the point it really struggled to deliver. Although Final talks a good game about the headset’s spatial audio, in practice the only dimension I really found had strong differentiation was left / right, with noises behind me being harder to pinpoint and there seemingly being no height effect that I could detect at all.
(Image credit: Future)The headset’s Footstep Clarity Mode is a similar story. While creeping around the Dust II map on Counter-Strike 2, I found detecting the footfalls of rivals to be pretty easy, which is great. However, I couldn’t really appreciate a significant difference in this, whether the mode was enabled or not. It seems churlish to complain about this, given footsteps were still easy to hear, but I’m just not sure how much this feature actually adds.
I will give Final less faint praise over the headset’s foldaway mic though. Testing it out, I found it did a pretty creditable job of picking up my voice and its fold-to-mute functionality worked well to stifle the recording, even though there was a slight lag of a little under a second for it to kick in. However, it doesn’t seem to have a near-field mic or significant noise gating, as when it was recording it absolutely picked up the background music I was playing and the clack of my keyboard.
And whatever quibbles I may have about the VR3000 EX’s other features, I was pretty blown away by its battery life. During my battery tests, I found that Final was pretty on the money with its 55-hour estimate for this headset. That blows even many more premium headsets out of the water for longevity and means you’re unlikely to need to charge it more than once a week, even if you’re gaming for a significant proportion of each day.
Everything is relative. Given its price, I’d usually be pretty generous with the Final VR3000 EX for Gaming. And it doesn’t get everything wrong: it has decent enough mids and trebles and a good stereo field. But bass is pretty lacking and many of the features it professes to have are almost imperceptible. In light of that, I’d argue another budget option like the Corsair HS55 Wireless might serve you better instead.
(Image credit: Future)Final VR3000 EX for Gaming review: price & release date- Launched on December 12, 2025
- List price of $149.99 / £99.99 / $259
- But it’s already on sale for £69.99 in the UK
Released on December 12, 2025, Final VR3000 EX for Gaming is available now. While it originally went on sale at a list price of $149.99 / £99.99 / $259, it’s already showing up for a fair amount less in some regions. You can currently pick it up for as little as £69.99 in the UK, which is a pretty low price for a gaming headset.
As for your options at that price, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that there’s not a whole load of customizability and it only comes in one colorway, black. On the plus side, there aren’t loads of different versions for different platforms: the one version of the VR3000 EX is compatible with PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC, although unfortunately there’s no Xbox Series X / S compatibility.
Final VR3000 EX for Gaming review: specsDrivers
3D Extra Wide Sound Stage Over-Ear Dynamic Drivers
Weight
389g
Compatibility
PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, mobile
Connection type
2.4GHz Wireless (via ultra-low latency USB Transceiver), Bluetooth 5.3
Battery life
Up to 55 hours (800mAh capacity)
Features
25ms ultra-low latency mode, Footstep Clarity Modes, fold-to-mute microphone
Software
Dedicated final VR3000 EX mobile app (10-band EQ customization, Footstep Clarity Mode toggle)
(Image credit: Future)Final VR3000 EX for Gaming review: design / features- Comfortable to wear
- Not all materials feel that premium
- Epic battery life
- Quite loose fitting
Given its price, it’s not surprising that the Final VR3000 EX’s build quality seems a little on the cheap side. Not only does the textured plastic on their cups feel pretty low quality, but they are incredibly rattly when you handle them, which doesn’t speak to a tremendously robust construction. On the plus side, they didn’t seem to rattle at all when they were on my head.
Additionally, the fabric headband and faux leather earcups are delightfully soft, meaning I actually found the VR3000 EX to be surprisingly comfortable. I wore them on and off for much of a day, and they didn’t start to squish my ears, a problem I’ve always found with cheaper headphones and headsets. However, I will say the faux leather gets decidedly sweaty during longer use, particularly during tense first-person shooters.
I’m less convinced by the VR3000 EX’s fit, unfortunately. While the clamping force feels just about right, it’s not all that easy to adjust the stiff adjustable headband while the headset is on your dome. And Final seems to have modeled this headset around Mr Mackey from South Park — I have a pretty big head and yet the VR3000 EX only just about felt stable on the shortest setting, while one of my smaller-skulled colleagues definitely found he couldn’t get it small enough for it to feel comfortable.
(Image credit: Future)All of its controls are on the left earcup. There’s an on switch, the volume dial, a Mode button that lets you switch between Bluetooth and USB mode — as well as play/pause media and answer/end calls — and the Control button, which allows you to trigger Footstep Clarity Mode. Each button has a clicky enough action to provide decent tactile feedback, while the volume dial is lightly notched to make increasing the volume feel nicely precise. However, I will say that they’re positioned close enough that it’s not always easy to know right away which button is which by feel alone.
The app for the Final VR3000 EX is pretty limited. It has three features: it enables you to update the headset’s firmware, switch on Footstep Clarity Mode, and provides access to Final’s EQ settings. While it’s hard to justify using the app just for the Footstep Clarity Mode, the 10-band EQ that’s included is pretty decent, even if I’m not all that convinced that the impact of the lowest 31Hz is really that appreciable. So while it’s not like you need to rush to download this, it’s still useful so I’ll count this one as a bonus.
A far more unequivocal win for the VR3000 EX though is its battery life. Final quotes its total life as being up to 55 hours, and this was borne out by my testing. I set it streaming music constantly for six hours, and during that time the battery only dropped to 90% — a back-of-the-envelope calculation would put its total life at 60 hours. So even factoring in that battery discharge curves aren’t necessarily regular, I’d say 55 hours is a perfectly reasonable expectation for how long this headset should last you.
(Image credit: Future)Final VR3000 EX for Gaming review: performance- Good sound performance, even if bass is weaker
- Spatial audio claims totally overblown
- Not sure Footstep Clarity mode adds much
Design and features are all well and good. But where the rubber meets the road for a gaming headset is whether those things translate into a good sonic performance in-game. And, sadly, when you actually take the Final VR3000 EX for Gaming for a test drive, it doesn’t quite deliver on the expectations it’s set for itself.
The VR3000 EX sounds very decent, but it is a little uneven in how it handles the balance of frequencies. On the plus side, it has a good level of bite in the high-end. The screams of the possessed when I was playing Doom were immediate enough to be rattling, while the whine of my chainsaw as I carved up imps felt sufficiently realistic.
But it’s when it comes to bass that the VR3000 EX is a little more lacking. When I tested the Turtle Beach Atlas 200, I heaped praise on it for the almighty boom that issued when I was clicking heads with the sniper rifle in Counter-Strike 2. With the VR3000 EX, it almost felt like I was playing a different game, with the game’s rifles having scarcely any more impact than my dual Berettas. While that has a very limited impact on your kill ratio in-game, it does make the whole thing feel a lot less immersive.
(Image credit: Future)Speaking of, Final spends a lot of time hyping up the VR3000 EX’s spatial audio skills in its product description. And yet I’d say rumors of its immersiveness have been greatly exaggerated.
On the one hand, the VR3000 EX has a pretty creditable stereo field, with action occurring on either side of me always feeling pretty easy to pinpoint. Whether I was trying to spot where an inbound explosive engineer was charging from or fleeing from hell knights in Doom, the VR3000 EX generally made it easy to tell which side their howls and roars came from.
Unfortunately, I can’t say Final’s headset fares as well in other dimensions. There’s just enough variation in footsteps in front and behind you that I could tell which was which when giving it my full attention — but in the heat of battle, I’m not sure how useful I actually found these subtle cues. And while Final explicitly mentions height effects on its site, I could not spot any significant difference at all between action happening above me and gunfights happening right under my nose.
Honestly, that’s fine: I do not expect accomplished Dolby Atmos-style effects from hardware that costs roughly the same dough as a couple of AAA computer games. But I do wish brands would stop denuding the term spatial audio of its meaning by using it as a marketing gimmick.
(Image credit: Future)Sadly, the VR3000 EX also treads a pretty similar path with its Footstep mode. While engaged in a free-for-all deathmatch in Counter-Strike 2, the headset did a perfectly adequate job of allowing me to pick out my rivals’ footfall and react accordingly. So far, so good, right? Except during this match I switched Footstep mode on and off many times, and I genuinely couldn’t spot whether I was actually getting an enhanced sense of steps or whether it was largely just a placebo.
One area I’ll happily give the VR3000 EX its due, though, is its connectivity. Using its USB dongle, I honestly couldn’t detect any latency between kills onscreen and the crack of gunfire. While an effective low-latency mode is pretty common with gaming headsets, it’s still a welcome feature on a headset this affordably priced. Even when connected via Bluetooth, the audio wasn’t remotely laggy and enabled me to respond pretty quickly to what was going on around me. So it definitely gets some points there.
And as long as you don’t have particularly high expectations, the VR3000 EX’s foldaway mic works well enough as well. Its action is smooth, and the fold-to-mute function absolutely works, meaning you can be sure no one is overhearing you when you want a bit of privacy — although there is a lag of around a second before it mutes, so bear that in mind. Unfortunately, though, sound quality isn’t great, with my voice sounding a little bit on the tinnier side, and there’s no noise-gating that I can tell, meaning friends and foes online will be able to hear any background chatter or music in your room.
(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Final VR3000 EX for Gaming?Buy it if…You want decent game sound without spending a fortune
Despite not having quite as much low-end heft as some headsets, the Final VR3000 EX for Gaming has clear enough mids and treble to bring your games to life.
You want an epic battery life
Even compared to much more expensive headsets, the VR3000 EX has an impressive battery life, clocking in at roughly 55 hours. That should keep you gaming for days and days.
You want a premium-feeling experience
The VR3000 EX feels comfortable enough on your head. But it’s not made of the most luxe-feeling materials, and the adjustable headband doesn’t run tight enough for smaller heads.
You want a premium-feeling experience
The VR3000 EX feels comfortable enough on your head. But it’s not made of the most luxe-feeling materials, and the adjustable headband doesn’t run tight enough for smaller heads.
Final VR3000 EX for Gaming
Corsair HS55 Wireless
Razer BlackShark V2 Pro (2023)
Drivers
3D Extra Wide Sound Stage Over-Ear Dynamic Drivers
50mm Neodymium
Customized Dynamic 50mm Driver (Razer TriForce Titanium)
Weight
389g
266g
320g
Compatibility
PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, mobile
PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, mobile
PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, mobile
Connection type
2.4GHz Wireless (via USB Adapter), Bluetooth 5.3
2.4GHz Wireless (via USB Adapter), Bluetooth
2.4GHz Wireless (via USB Adapter), Bluetooth 5.2
Battery life
Up to 55 hours
Up to 24 hours (2.4GHz) / Up to 37 hours (Bluetooth)
Up to 70 hours
Features
25ms ultra-low latency mode, Footstep Clarity Modes, fold-to-mute microphone
Dolby Audio 7.1 surround sound (PC/Mac), Flip-to-mute boom mic
Detachable HyperClear Super Wideband 9.9mm Mic, THX Spatial Audio, Razer SmartSwitch toggle, FPS audio profiles
Software
Dedicated final VR3000 EX mobile app (10-band EQ customization, Footstep Clarity Mode toggle)
Corsair iCUE (10-band EQ, mic settings, EQ presets)
Razer Synapse (10-band graphic EQ, THX Spatial layout)
Corsair HS55 Wireless
There’s a reason that the Corsair HS55 Wireless is our current budget pick for the best PC gaming headsets. Its 50mm Neodymium audio drivers serve up crystal-clear sound with generous bass, while its build is super comfortable to wear. Most importantly, it offers true 7.1 Surround Sound, meaning it’s capable of much more impressive spatialized sound.
Read our full Corsair HS55 Wireless review.
Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
Despite having been released in 2022, the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro is still one of our favorite gaming headsets, thanks to its lush sound quality, epic battery life and THX spatial audio. And while its original list price of $179.99 / £179 / AU$299 is a fair bit higher than the VR3000 EX, in the years since its release its price has come way down: I’ve seen offers placing it more in the region of $107.99 / £99.98 / AU$176.55.
Read our full Razer BlackShark V2 Pro review.
(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Final VR3000 EX for Gaming- Tested over a week
- Tried out on a range of titles including Counter-Strike 2 and Doom
- Have 10 years experience writing about audio and 35 of gaming
I tested the Final VR3000 EX for Gaming over the course of a week. I paired it with my desktop PC at home, my MacBook Pro M4 and TechRadar’s Acer Predator Helios 300 gaming laptop. I then tested it out with multiple titles including Counter-Strike 2 and Doom, as well as listening to some playlists on Apple Music.
In terms of specifics, I tested out the spatial audio in multiple Counter-Strike 2 deathmatches and tried switching the Footstep Clarity Mode on and off to see how much difference that made to how perceptible opponents’ positions were. I recorded myself while talking, typing, and playing music to test the VR3000 EX’s foldaway mic, as well as folding it away to test how effectively it muted incoming audio.
When it comes to my personal experience, I’ve been writing about and testing audio gadgets for over ten years now, as well as using audio gear to produce and listen to music. I’ve been playing games on a daily basis since they were all 8-bit, sharing my time pretty evenly between console, handheld and PC gaming. And yet, it turns out, I still get thoroughly mogged when playing Counter-Strike 2, which I blame on my middle-aged reflexes.
- First reviewed: June 2026
- Read more about how we test
Categories: Reviews
A touch-screen case, Dolby Atmos and a posture test: I spent a month with Cleer's open earbuds that have it all (except top-tier audio)
Cleer Arc 5: Two-minute review
Almost every one of the best open earbuds I’ve tested, has been designed for sports users. They let you hear your surroundings at the gym, remain aware when running in a busy area, and keep alert when cycling on a road. I don’t think Cleer missed this memo – the brand’s intentionally going for something completely different.
The Cleer Arc 5 are open earbuds designed not for sports, but for the rest of us. I was skeptical when I first saw them, but they’ve surprised me — in both good and bad ways.
The presence of Dolby Atmos and THX Spatial Audio means these are suited for watching a TV show or movie on your commute, and their support for a range of better Bluetooth codecs, including LDAC and aptX Adaptive, shows Cleer is aiming for audiophile-quality earbuds here. Those are some exceptional features for a form factor that naturally competes with loads of extraneous background sounds.
Cleer’s app hides loads of other features too, including a posture test which uses the buds’ positional tools, and the ability to set sedentary reminders if you’re too often stuck in one spot.
The design department makes it clear that these aren’t sports buds. Though surprisingly sturdy during a run, the buds are much bulkier than your average svelte runners’ wear. And the presence of an on-case display, full of controls and settings, clearly signposts this as not for active users. When I go to the gym or for a run, the case is always left at home.
Unfortunately, despite the impressive specs and clear focus on listening quality, the Achilles’ Heel of these earbuds is the sound quality. There’s a real lack of expansie through the soundstage, and both treble and bass feel poorly defined. The open-ear form factor doesn’t help here, especially with a max volume that’s simple not loud enough, but many similar earbuds I’ve tested sound a lot better.
It’s a shame that these don’t sound fantastic, and is surprising too when you see the price tag. For some users, I see the feature set trumping the sound quality. The fantastic battery life, health features and spatial audio might trump below-average sound. But it begs the question who these are designed for, if not audiophiles or fitness fans.
Cleer Arc 5 review: Price and release date(Image credit: Future)- Released in March 2026
- Made their debut at $219 (about £170 / AU$340)
- Some of the priciest within their category
The Cleer Arc 5 were announced on March 16, 2026, only four months after their predecessors. That was a quick turnaround!
You can buy the Arc 5 for $219.99 (about £170, AU$340 — no word on a release outside the US, as with the Arc 4). So these are some of the most expensive open earbuds out there.
To my mind only the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds and Shokz OpenFit Pro cost more, but they’re both explicitly designed for sports, while the Cleer is aimed at an audiophile market.
Cleer Arc 5 review: SpecsDrivers
16.2mm
Active noise cancellation
No
Battery life
12 hours (bud), 60 hours (case)
Weight
11.5g (bud), 145g (case)
Connectivity
Bluetooth 6.0
Frequency response
65Hz to 40kHz
Waterproofing
IPX7
Cleer Arc 5 review: Features(Image credit: Future)- 12-hour battery life, 60 with case
- 8-band EQ, plus presets
- Loads of features including posture test
If there’s an area where the Cleer Arc 5 stand out, it’s in the feature set — it seems that this is what the buds were designed to do.
It starts with the basics: the battery life here is great for open earbuds. You’re getting 12 hours of listening per charge, with 60 hours once you factor in the charging case itself. Beyond a few endurance-focused earbuds, those figures are at the top of their class.
Boot up the Cleer+ app on your phone, and you’re getting a smorgasbord of tools — admittedly in a pretty confusing lay-out. You can use the app to toggle spatial audio, change between EQ modes and create custom ones, change what the touch and gesture controls do, change the case wallpaper, edit what tools are available via the case, and more.
The equalizer is an 8-band one, giving you some control over your sound, though in this day and age I’d say that 10-bands were more common. I preferred using this over the presets, which didn’t have a noticeable impact on a song’s sound.
(Image credit: Future)The “and more” features I alluded to earlier are pretty out-there, hence needing a whole extra paragraph. They’re health ones: you can set up sedentary reminders to get you to move about, add volume limits to protect your hearing, and do a posture test which uses the gesture controls of the buds to evaluate whether you’re sitting straight.
For office workers, this latter is a genuinely useful feature, and I used it to ensure my seat and chair were level when working at my desk. However, for it to work properly, your phone needs to be at eye level too — I messed it up by leaving my mobile o,n my desk, and when I bent over to look at it, the test was ruined.
One feature you’re not getting in the Arc 5 is any kind of noise cancellation. It’s admittedly very rare in the open-ear space, but not unheard of (if you’ll pardon the pun).
- Features score: 4.5/5
- Giant case has a touch screen
- Earbuds are on the large side, but fit solidly
- Only IPX7 protected
Let’s start with the Cleer Arc 5’s big new feature: its charging case. Big literally: it weighs 97g all on its own, and measures 8.3 x 6 x 2cm, making it one of the biggest earbud cases I’ve seen in years.
This size isn’t just to house some pretty big earbuds, but it does that with a few extra twists. It has built-in UV charging for the buds, and a mirror inside the case for some reason. For some reason, the left earbud is housed on the right, and vice versa, which was confusing for a while until I learnt to switch.
But no, the big selling point here is a screen build into the charging case. You can use it to flick between a few menus: battery, music controls, spatial audio settings, general settings, equalizer and remote camera shutter. The interface feels akin to a smartwatches’: very basic.
For changing quick settings like EQ or skipping songs, the case was quite handy: I didn’t need to dig my phone out of my pocket and get distracted by the 120 notifications from that group chat I forgot to mute. But you can’t use the case to change playlists, create an EQ or dig deep into settings, so it won’t replace your phone completely.
(Image credit: Future)The earbuds also have touch controls too, which were quite easy to trigger with a tap anywhere on their body, yet never accidentally picked up an unintentional touch.
I suppose that brings us onto the earbuds. These are pretty huge, and heavy too, weighing roughly 24g each. I haven’t seen an open earbud quite this big, and was expecting them to fit pretty awfully; thankfully, I was totally wrong. I went on many runs with the Arc 5, and not once did they threaten to dislodge, or wobble more than the average open-ear does.
I’d put this down to some smart balancing of the bud and counterweight. They were always comfortable to wear, even if the weight didn’t exactly make them easy to forget.
The Cleer Arc 5 comes in black or white, and I tested the latter. They have an IPX7 rating, which makes them sweatproof but not suited to swimming. I would avoid taking them out in heavier rainfall too, just to be safe.
- Design score: 4/5
- Large 16.2mm driver
- Blunt and indistinct sound
- Max volume is too low for open format
I was expecting the Cleer Arc 5’s sound to be its outstanding feature. Between its 16.2mm drivers, support for LDAC, aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless, and high price, it seems like these could be some of the best open earbuds yet.
I’m quite surprised to report that I was wrong, and I didn’t really love listening to tunes on the Arc. The quality isn't terrible, but it's not on par with the expectations you'd have from those aforementioned specs.
Music sounds compressed, with neither the high-end nor low-end differentiated in a way that gives any sense of sound stage or distinction. Snare drums lack bite, distorted-guitar walls turn into crunchy puddles, bass wobbles over plenty of other low- or mid- instruments. The buds would perhaps sound better if they were in-ears, but hovering a few mm over your ears, it doesn't fly.
(Image credit: Future)Low-end is poorly defined yet too prominent in the mix: The Human Race by BYRNE starts with a harmony that sounded more like a glitching speaker than a bass singer. This line’s meant to repeat in the chorus with a bass guitar, and it completely overrides the harmony. In 311’s Good Feeling, the bass trips over all the other instruments, replacing the usually-energetic, fun chorus with the sonic equivalent of a stubbed toe.
Also affected is the treble, as vocals and higher lines lose prominence and energy. Take, for example, Morningsider’s Thinking it Over: a string motif is dropped in the mix in the introduction, and completely lost in the pre-chorus.
I’ll concede that if you listen to acoustic or folky music, you may not notice this issue as much. In songs like Caamp’s 26, the reduced instrumentation meant I could still basically hear everything.
Well, I could hear it until I stepped outside. The Arc 5 falls into a common trap with open earbuds: their maximum volume isn’t high enough to compete with noisy surroundings. When I was running near a main road, I could barely hear my songs.
- Sound quality: 3/5
- Features may go some way to justify price...
- ... but audio quality doesn't
The Cleer has quite a few neat features. I really like what the case display achieves, and the fit is solid. Plus, the movie listening features offer tools that many other earbuds don’t.
However that’s a really high price for any earbuds, let alone open-style ones — and especially not for ones that, frankly, don’t sound amazing.
There’s no way that these buds offer you value for money; you can get better audio quality for a lot less, especially if you’re happy to buy non-open-style buds.
- Value: 3/5
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Features
There are loads of features available here, and most of them work flawlessly.
4.5/5
Design
They're bulky, as is the case, but it all somehow manages to work together well.
4/5
Sound quality
These don't have the quality, sound stage or vibrancy you'd expect for the price.
3/5
Value
Elsewhere, you can easily get more for your money.
3/5
Buy them if…You need office earbuds
The open-ear form factor, easy case controls and health features might make these buds suitable for office workers who need to be attentive to their surroundings, but still want to listen to music.
You love case controls
Earbuds charging case controls seem to be surging in popularity – if you’re sold on this kind of tool, the Cleer are a fine example of the art.
You watch movies on your phone
The presence of Dolby Atmos and THX Spatial Audio are almost unheard of in open earbuds, possibly because it’s a weird marriage, but still some might appreciate it.
You’re an audiophile
I didn’t love the music quality here, and if you want great-sounding open earbuds, you’ll find plenty of better-sounding options.
You’re on a budget
Most open earbuds I’ve seen cost a good $100 / £100 / AU$200 less than the Cleer Arc 5. They’re a premium options, and you can easily find cheaper.
Cleer Arc 5
Huawei FreeArc
Shokz OpenDots
Drivers
16.2mm
17mm x 12mm
2x11.8mm
Active noise cancellation
No
No
No
Battery life (ANC on)
12 hours (earbuds), 60 hours (total)
7 hours (earbuds), 23 hours (total)
10 hours (earbuds), 40 hours (total)
Weight
11.5g (each bud), 145g (case)
8.9g (each bud), 67g (case)
5.6g (each bud), 52g (case)
Connectivity
Bluetooth 6.0
Bluetooth 5.2
Bluetooth 5.4
Waterproofing
IPX7
IP57
IP54
Huawei FreeArc
If you want comfortable, understated earbuds that sound fantastic, the Huawei FreeArc remain some of my favorites. They’re also much cheaper than the Cleer, especially because they’re a little older.
Read our full Huawei FreeArc review
Shokz OpenDots One
If you want any open earbuds, and don’t mind jumping to the slightly-different clip-on style, these Shokz will appeal to you. They cost slightly less than the Cleer, and feel much lighter. The clip-style format also lets you hear your songs a lot better.
Read our full Shokz OpenDots One review
- Tested for one month
- Tested in a range of indoor and outdoor settings
- Used for music, gaming, calls movies and TV
I used the Cleer Arc 5 for roughly a month before writing this review of them. In that time, they were paired to a succession of Android smartphones, mostly the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and Moto Edge 70 Fusion.
I listened to the Arc 5 on runs, walks around my neighborhood, office sessions, long trips on public transport and at home. I mostly streamed music via Spotify Lossless, and Apple Music, but also watched movies on a variety of streaming services, played games, and tested a few other music streamers.
I’ve been reviewing gadgets for TechRadar for over seven years now, including testing audio kit for nearly as long. In that time I’ve handled other Cleer gadgets as well as many, many other open-ear buds.
- First reviewed in May 2026
Categories: Reviews
I tested the Leica SL3-P, and it's a masterclass in restrained design
Leica SL3-P: One-minute review
The Leica SL3-P is not a camera for everyone, and it knows it. There's no red dot logo on the front — that easy-to-spot symbol of prestige has been deliberately omitted in favor of a clean, all-black anonymity. Only the word 'LEICA' in white block capitals above the lens mount gives the game away. This is a camera built for photographers who'd rather be invisible than show off, and that philosophy runs all the way through it, with minimal controls, a stripped-back UI, and a design language that says a lot through everything it leaves out.
The SL3-P is built around the same full-frame sensor as the Panasonic Lumix S1R II. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)Getting to grips with it takes some patience if you're arriving from a more conventional mirrorless system. With only four labelled buttons on the body, a lot of control is handed off to the touchscreen, which is polished and logically organized once you learn its rhythms. The rear LCD tilts but doesn't swivel, which is an unusual limitation for a camera at this price — and with a serious L-mount lens fitted, the combined weight is considerable. But pick it up, hold it to your eye, and look through that large, crisp EVF, and something clicks. This is a camera that feels like it was made to be used, not admired.
Image quality is exceptional — unsurprising given the 44.7MP BSI sensor, which is of the same type used by the superb Panasonic Lumix S1R II — and battery life is impressive. The autofocus is competent and handles moving subjects well enough, though it won't trouble Sony or Canon on raw speed. At around £5,150 (US pricing TBC), it's an expensive proposition. But as a pure expression of what a modern Leica should be, the SL3-P makes a very strong case for itself.
Leica SL3-P: Price and availability- Priced at $6,690 / £5,150 body-only
- Also available in three zoom lens kits
It's unlikely to come as a shock to you that the Leica SL3-P is a very expensive camera. Its launch price, for the body only, is $6,690 / £5,150 (Australia pricing is still TBC at the time of writing).
Leica is also releasing the camera in three kit bundles, each of which includes at least one Vario zoom lens. The SL3-P with a Leica 28-70mm lens is $7,790 / £6,100; with a Leica 24-70mm it's $8,390 / £6,480; and with both the 24-70mm and a 70-200mm it's $10,995 / £8,560.
Leica SL3-P: specsLeica SL3-P specsType:
Mirrorless camera
Mount:
L Mount
Sensor:
44.9MP (effective) BSI full-frame CMOS
Autofocus:
Hybrid AF: 315 contrast / 819 phase detection points; Human and Animal subject detection
Continuous shooting:
Up to 40fps (electronic shutter)
Video:
Up to 8K Open Gate; ProRes to 5.8K; 4K at 120fps; L-Log, 12-bit RAW, 4:2:2 10-bit
Viewfinder:
5.76M-dot LCD EVF, 0.76x magnification
Screen:
3.2-inch tilt-only touchscreen, 2,332,800 dots
Storage:
SD/SDHC/SDXC + CFexpress Type B
Connectivity:
USB-C (USB 3.1 Gen 2), HDMI 2.1 Type A, 3.5mm mic/headphone, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0
Weather sealing:
IP54
Dimensions:
151.45 x 80.32 x 38.09mm
Weight:
Approx. 768g (body only, without battery)
Leica SL3-P: design- All-black, badge-free design with minimalist controls
- Premium full-metal construction with IP54 weather sealing
- Large, comfortable EVF with twist-barrel diopter adjustment
The absence of Leica's red dot is the first thing you notice, and it sets the tone for everything that follows. The SL3-P is clad entirely in black, with only 'LEICA' in white block capitals on the EVF housing to identify it. Four buttons across the whole body are labelled (one of which is the power button). It's a stealthy, understated thing — clearly designed for people who want to use a Leica but aren't fussed about being seen with one.
The German-made full-metal body felt exactly as solid and premium as I'd expect from the brand, and comes with IP54 weather sealing for extra outdoors reassurance. There's a large grip covered with a textured material that provides a secure hold even when conditions aren't ideal, and the supplied neck strap is thick and well-padded, which I appreciated given how much weight a serious L-mount lens adds to the equation.
Future | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenWith so few physical controls, much of the camera's operation is routed through the touchscreen. The UI is stylish and well organized, with photo and video modes color coded distinctly in red and yellow respectively. And while the layout takes some adjusting too if you're used to a more button-heavy system, the logic is coherent, and settings are never difficult to locate. Touch-to-focus on the screen works exactly as expected, and custom button assignments help flatten the learning curve further.
The EVF is large, crisp and comfortable thanks to its 5.76-million dot resolution and 0.76x magnification, and as a glasses wearer I really liked the satisfying diopter mechanism that simply requires twisting the EVF barrel rather than hunting for a small dial.
(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)The top-plate display is a genuinely useful feature, giving you a quick rundown of current settings without you having to lift the camera to your eye. The rear LCD, however, only tilts: up to 90 degrees upward and around 45 downward. That covers most tripod and arm's-length scenarios, but there's no forward-facing position for self-shooting, and no side-to-side articulation, which feels like an unusual limitation at this price.
On a practical note, I will say that the SL3-P is not a lightweight system, especially when teamed with some high-quality glass. The Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4 lens I used with it added over a kilogram to the body, and while the grip is secure and comfortable, a long day of handheld shooting (covering a child's birthday party, in my case) does become fatiguing. That's less a criticism — after all, there are plenty of heavy cameras around — and more of a warning about how and when it can be used.
Leica SL3-P: Performance- Exceptional image quality from a 44.7MP BSI full-frame sensor
- Competent hybrid autofocus with broad subject detection, including birds
- Impressive battery life and extensive video options including 8K and ProRes
The SL3-P shares its 44.7MP BSI full-frame CMOS sensor with the Panasonic Lumix S1R II — a camera I've tested and rate very highly — and the image quality is, predictably, exceptional.
Raw files processed in Lightroom offer tremendous latitude, with smooth tonal gradation, wide dynamic range and excellent high-ISO performance. JPEGs are very good straight from camera too, and five film-look presets — three color, two monochrome — add some welcome creative options. The high-contrast black-and-white preset is particularly striking, and feels authentically Leica in character.
Video capabilities are more extensive than the camera's photographer-first positioning might suggest: 8K Open Gate, ProRes to 5.8K, 4K at 120fps, L-Log, 12-bit RAW and 4:2:2 10-bit are all available. It's a serious toolkit, even if the handling feels more naturally attuned to stills.
Future | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenThe hybrid autofocus combines 315 contrast AF points with 819 phase detection points, with human, animal (including birds) and car detection. Tracking held up well in practice; testing on an active cat, the camera maintained focus through erratic movement without significant trouble.
Outright acquisition speed with the Summilux 50mm f/1.4 in AF-C is where it falls short of class leaders; it's capable rather than decisive, and anyone shooting fast action should look elsewhere. For portrait, street or documentary work, though, it certainly gets the job done.
Five-axis IBIS rated at up to five stops works quietly and effectively, and battery life is a genuine highlight. After a full charge I shot well over 100 frames across a lengthy session, and the indicator remained full. That seems in line with Leica's claimed 383 shots per CIPA standard cycle.
Should you buy the Leica SL3-P?Buy it if...You value craft and image quality above speed
The build, finish and sensor are among the best in class. For considered, unhurried shooting, this is a very rewarding camera to use.
You want a discreet full-frame system
The badge-free design and understated profile make the SL3-P ideal for work where a conspicuous camera would be a liability.
You need fast and precise autofocus
Sony, Canon and Nikon all offer more decisive AF systems at comparable or lower prices. The SL3-P's AF is capable rather than class-leading .
Solo video is central to your work
The tilt-only screen and stills-focused handling mean this isn't the best choice for self-shooting video creators.
- Leica loaned me a sample for over a week, along with a 50mm prime lens
- I used it indoors and outdoors for several days, shooting photos and video
- All sample photos were shot in raw and processed in Adobe Lightroom
Leica loaned me a review sample of the SL3-P camera to test out in real-world use, a few weeks ahead of the official release.
I reviewed the Leica SL3-P over the course of a week, using it exclusively with the Leica Summilux-SL 50mm f/1.4 ASPH. prime lens. My shooting covered a wide range of scenarios: street photography and candids outdoors, landscape work, and indoor shooting in both natural daytime light and normal interior lighting at night — the latter without flash or studio lighting assistance of any kind.
All sample images were captured in raw format and processed in Adobe Lightroom.
First reviewed June 2026
Categories: Reviews
Salesmate CRM review 2026
Salesmate is an increasingly popular CRM platform that aims to streamline and automate the sales process for businesses of all sizes. It offers an impressive array of features, with a particular focus on advanced sales automation capabilities.
A few standout features include a 360-degree contact management system to easily capture, enrich, and track leads, customizable sales pipelines and workflows, and robust email marketing tools. The automation journeys are especially powerful, allowing you to personalize customer experiences and almost completely automate the journey from lead to sale.
That said, Salesmate does have some drawbacks. It's not the most affordable CRM out there, with pricing that increases based on the number of contacts. The advanced features, while very capable, can also mean a steeper learning curve for new users. And customer support is limited on most plans. But overall, Salesmate is a compelling modern CRM for sales teams that want to leverage automation.
Salesmate packs a punch when it comes to must-have CRM capabilities. At its core, it offers robust contact management that allows you to track all interactions and activities with leads and customers in one centralized database. You can easily import contacts from various sources, enrich the data, and segment them using smart views and filters for targeted outreach.
The visual sales pipeline builder is intuitive and flexible, letting you create multiple pipelines with customized stages to match your unique sales process. As deals progress through the stages, you gain visibility into the health of your pipeline.
Sales forecasting is especially good. Reps can predict their numbers based on the likelihood of deals closing, giving management more accurate revenue projections. The built-in performance analytics are also impressive, with the ability to slice and dice data using different filters to generate insightful reports and dashboards.
Salesmate doesn't skimp on productivity boosters either. You can automate routine tasks like sending follow-up emails, setting reminders, and updating fields. Plus, the mobile app with offline access keeps road warriors in the loop at all times.
Where Salesmate really shines is its AI assistant called Sandy. You can delegate admin work to Sandy via voice or chat commands - from scheduling meetings to logging notes and follow-ups. This frees up significant time for reps to focus on selling.
The platform also ventures beyond typical CRM functionality with its marketing automation tools. You can build email campaigns, design landing pages, and create multi-step journeys to nurture leads.
Other thoughtful features include website live chat, chatbots for 24/7 lead capture and support, and a drag-and-drop newsletter builder. All these allow businesses to engage customers across channels without relying on separate point solutions.
Salesmate is an extremely well-rounded CRM that can streamline sales operations for small and midsize companies. By bringing sales, marketing, and service into a single platform, it eliminates data silos and fosters seamless collaboration. While not as complex as enterprise systems, Salesmate offers just the right mix of core and innovative features to drive productivity and revenue growth.
Salesmate's clean and modern design makes navigating the platform a breeze, even for those new to CRMs. The customizable pipelines allow users to tailor their sales processes to their specific needs, ensuring efficient lead management and minimizing the learning curve.
Salesmate also offers robust accessibility features, such as built-in email tracking, which provides valuable insights into email interactions and enables prompt follow-up actions. The integration options are another highlight, allowing seamless connection with various third-party tools and applications, streamlining workflows, and enhancing productivity.
In my experience, Salesmate's onboarding process is smooth and straightforward, with a variety of helpful resources available, including video tutorials, webinars, and a comprehensive knowledge base. The company also provides excellent customer support, with responsive and knowledgeable representatives ready to assist users at any stage of their journey.
One particularly impressive aspect of Salesmate is the ease with which users can set up web forms to capture lead information. The process is simple and intuitive, requiring no technical expertise. This feature alone can save businesses countless hours and help them focus on what matters most – engaging with prospects and closing deals.
While the platform offers a wide range of customization options, some users might find the level of granularity a bit overwhelming at first. However, the platform's well-organized settings and clear documentation make it easy to navigate these options and tailor the CRM to specific business requirements.
Overall, Salesmate's commitment to user experience shines through in its thoughtfully designed interface, accessible features, and comprehensive support resources. With a relatively short learning curve and powerful tools at their fingertips, users can quickly become proficient in leveraging Salesmate to streamline their sales processes and drive business growth.
Salesmate CRM offers an impressive array of pre-built integrations and connectors that allow it to seamlessly integrate with many popular business applications. The platform has native integrations with Gmail, Google Drive, Google Meet, Microsoft 365, Slack, ActiveCampaign, AWeber, BigCommerce, DocuSign, Dialpad, QuickBooks, and over 700 other apps through Zapier.
I was pleased to see that Salesmate provides a clean and well-documented API that enables developers to build custom integrations. The API allows access to core CRM data and functions like accounts, contacts, deals, activities, and more. This opens up a lot of possibilities for businesses to connect Salesmate with their existing tech stack.
For non-developers, Salesmate's integration with Zapier is a big plus. Zapier acts as a bridge, letting you connect Salesmate with thousands of the most popular apps without writing any code. You can set up automated workflows to sync data, trigger notifications, and more. Having tested a couple of Zaps myself, I can say the process is quite intuitive.
Another standout integration is with Integrately, a no-code integration platform. Integrately provides a visual interface to create complex automated processes spanning multiple apps. So you can use it to deeply embed Salesmate into your workflows without relying on developers.
In my experience, the pre-built integrations work smoothly and reliably. I didn't encounter any issues with data syncing or app connectivity. Salesmate's UI for configuring integrations is also clean and user-friendly.
One minor drawback is that compared to some other CRMs, Salesmate has a smaller number of pre-built integrations. However, the critical ones for sales and marketing are well covered. And you can always build a custom integration using the API when needed.
In terms of customer support, I found that Salesmate provides a few key channels for users to get help. They offer 24/5 email support for all plans, with live chat also available for those who prefer the written medium.
A ticketing system allows customers to track the real-time status and progress of their support issues via both live chat and email. This gives users more visibility into how their problems are being handled.
Salesmate also provides some self-service support options. They have a knowledge base with guides and tutorials. An official user community is also available, but with most posts over a year old, the forum sees little activity.
As for the quality and responsiveness of their support, user reviews are generally positive. Several reviewers praised the helpfulness of the support team. That said, the lack of twenty-four-hour availability on weekends, even on higher plans, is a bit disappointing.
Plan
Basic
Pro
Business
Price
$23/user/month
$39/user/month
$63/user/month
Best For
Small teams with basic CRM needs
Growing businesses requiring sales automation
Established teams looking for advanced features
Features
Unlimited contacts/deals
Email marketing tools
Workflow automation
Sales automation
Custom dashboard
Team inbox
Power dialer
Team management
Increased customization
Limitations
No sales automation or team management
Limited customization options
May be costly for smaller teams
When it comes to CRM pricing, Salesmate takes a straightforward approach with four tiers to choose from. The Basic plan at $23/user/month provides essential contact and deal management features. For more advanced functionality like automation and bulk emails, the Pro plan at $39/user/month is a good bet.
The Pro plan ($39/user/month billed annually) introduces Salesmate's true sales automation engines. This tier is optimized for expanding mid-sized sales operations, unlocking complex automated goal tracking, email scheduling, centralized team email inboxes, and highly customizable reporting dashboards to track individual sales representative metrics. Growing teams that need custom dashboards and reports can opt for the Business plan at $63/user/month. Enterprise-level pricing is also available for those needing a tailored solution.
One aspect of Salesmate's pricing that caught my attention is the built-in phone and SMS rates. You can get local or toll-free numbers starting at just $1.10 per month and purchase credits as needed for calls and texts. Having these communication tools integrated into the CRM at a reasonable cost is definitely a plus.
Before committing to a plan, Salesmate offers a 15-day free trial with full access to all features and no credit card required. I appreciate that they allow you to really put the system through its paces without limitations during the trial period. And if 15 days isn't quite enough, you can request an extension to keep evaluating.
While the pricing is generally competitive, it's worth noting a couple of things. Upgrading to a higher-tier plan will apply any unused prepaid fees to the new plan, but there are no refunds for unused accounts, partial use, or early termination. And only annual subscriptions over $500 are eligible for bank transfer payments; otherwise, it's credit card only.
But I feel Salesmate's pricing model is mostly fair and flexible enough to accommodate a variety of business needs. The monthly and annual billing options, affordable communication add-ons, and commitment-free trial are all points in its favor from a value perspective. Just be sure to carefully review the terms around upgrades and refunds to avoid any billing surprises down the line.
At TechRadar Pro, our CRM testing is driven by objective, real-world evaluation rather than potentially biased vendor viewpoints. To evaluate Salesmate CRM’s core promise of delivering an automated, communication-heavy workstation for outbound sales teams, our testing analysts subjected the platform to a rigorous testing methodology replicating high-volume inside sales environments.
We stress-tested Salesmate’s visual workflow builder. We set up behavioral automation trees based on real customer intent. And we monitored execution delivery rates to ensure background triggers fired smoothly without server-side lag or stuck logic queues. We monitor the metrics that matter so you don't have to before you commit to a CRM.
Salesmate CRM review: SummaryAfter testing SalesMate, reading its user reviews, and analyzing its pricing and documentation, I've found it to be a very capable and well-rounded CRM solution, particularly for small to midsize sales teams.
SalesMate really shines when it comes to sales automation. You can automate lead assignment, task creation, follow-up emails, and more based on triggers. The system also ventures beyond pure CRM with basic marketing tools like email campaigns and web forms. This can help small teams streamline their tech stack. Even considering a lack of more advanced marketing automation features, if your organization wants a modern, highly automated sales pipeline that avoids a steep technical learning curve, Salesmate represents fantastic value.
Categories: Reviews
Live Proxies Review
Live Proxies has been in the proxy business since 2020, providing its services to both users and businesses around the world. The company evolved over the years, constantly adding more types of services and features.
For instance, in 2022, Live Servers were a new addition, and a year after that, static residential and rotation mobile IPs were added to the list. These days, the company now offers more than 10 million IPs in 55 locations, and is still going strong.
Plans and Pricing(Image credit: Live Proxies)Live Proxies has two different types of proxies for individual users: rotating residential and rotating mobile. On top of that, there is a B2B option for enterprises.
The vendor offers custom pricing, but you can also pick from numerous predetermined metered plans that supply you with fixed IPs, bandwidth, and duration. To give you an example, the cheapest rotating residential plan starts at $70, which gets you 200 IPs and 4GB for 30 days. From there on, the plans increase in duration, IPs, and bandwidth. So, for instance, 350 IPs, 4GB, and 45 days will cost you $95.
You can select the location as well, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Israel, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, and Türkiye. For custom pricing in the US, you can filter down to a state, although it seems most (if not all) state-based rotating residential proxies are currently sold out.
Similarly, rotating mobile proxies (which are only available in the US, Canada, and the UK) are also listed as “sold out” at the moment.
We do want to point out that Live Proxies doesn’t offer static residential proxies anymore. These proxies are listed as ‘permanently unavailable’ and we have confirmation from the company’s support team that there are no plans to launch static proxies again.
That being said, Live Proxies also has unmetered rotating residential plans that are obviously costlier. The cheapest plan starts at $130, giving you 25 IPs for 30 days.
Businesses have the option of going with enterprise proxies and choosing one of the six available choices. The first one starts at $2,000 monthly and provides 2TB, which translates to $2 per GB. Higher-tier plans increase the bandwidth, bumping up the cost of 25 TB to $25,000 monthly ($0.80 per GB).
Generally speaking, the entire pricing structure is simple for both users and businesses. Everybody gets the same features (which we’ll cover next), though the pricing is a bit more on the expensive side compared to the competition.
Features(Image credit: Live Proxies)Regardless of the plan choice, all non-enterprise customers get the same bag of goodies, including over 10 million IPs across 55 countries, an average response time of 1.15 seconds, 24/7 support, unused data rollover, unlimited requests, and more.
With such a package, Live Proxies has several use cases: web scraping, unrestricted eCommerce, brand protection, SEO and SERP, sneaker proxies, ad verification, social media performance, gaming, and travel aggregation, to name a few.
Rotating residential IPsAs their name suggests, rotating residential IPs regularly change. They automatically switch your connection to a different proxy IP address at specific times, which can be once an hour or every time you start a new browsing session.
Because of the persistent IP changing, rotating proxies make it much harder for websites to track what you’re doing online. If you are trying to gather data from a travel site that blocks scrapers, using these proxies helps you stay under the radar. Since the IP keeps switching, the website sees what very much looks like a stream of different users instead of one person trying to access too much information.
That being said, Live Proxies stands out in this regard because the company uses real residential IP addresses obtained from legitimate sources. People around the world agree to share their connections with the network in exchange for rewards. This allows customers to use those real-world IP addresses to get past website blocks and collect the data they need.
It’s worth noting that rotating proxies are slower and more pricier than static ones. Constant IP switching is more costly, in addition to increasing the chances of connection lag.
Rotating mobile IPsSimilar to standard rotating proxies, rotating mobile proxies use real IP addresses from phones and tablets instead of computers. This means you can easily handle several social media accounts at once without worrying about getting blocked.
Rotating mobile proxies have a unique advantage over their residential counterparts. Due to mobile IPs being shared by many users, websites and social media platforms are hesitant to ban a mobile IP. If they were to ban one, they might end up accidentally cutting off hundreds of real people in that area from using their accounts. Because of this, mobile proxies are much less likely to be blocked, making them a better choice for accessing websites with higher levels of security and restrictions.
Naturally, this superpower-like ability also makes rotating mobile proxies more expensive, compared to rotating residential ones.
However, Live Proxies’ rotating mobile proxies are currently unavailable, or rather, they have sold out at the time of writing.
B2BFor businesses, Live Proxies offers an all-in-one plan designed for enterprises. Besides access to a network of more than 10 million IP addresses spanning 55 countries, companies get team collaboration, advanced targeting, full API access, dedicated support, 98% uptime for consistent performance, and more for a single monthly fee.
This plan is perfect for businesses with heavy data needs, like price comparison websites that frequently scrape data from many different places online.
Ease of UseWe didn’t run into any problems while testing Live Proxies. The design is rather user-friendly, with the menus clearly listed on the left, and your main information on the right. The site uses a clean white background with blue highlights to make information easy to find, so even if you are a tech newbie, you will figure it out quickly.
(Image credit: Live Proxies)Customer SupportYou can find helpful information on the Live Proxies website in their knowledge base, which covers the most common questions. If you need extra help, you can send in a support ticket or join their official Discord channel to ask for assistance. Unfortunately, there’s no phone support or live chat feature on their site.
After our inquiry about static residential proxies via support ticket, we got a speedy response in under 4 hours, which was short but right to the point.
(Image credit: Live Proxies)The CompetitionLive Proxies works just as well as most other proxies we've tested, offering great speed and solid performance. The main downside is that the provider’s network is smaller than some of the top-tier competition. While the company offers 10 million IPs in 55 countries, big names like Oxylabs and Bright Data provide much larger networks, with the former offering over 175 million IPs and the latter over 400 million IPs. Both competitors cover 195 countries.
Final VerdictGoing from our previous review to today, Live Proxies remains one of the better options in the industry when fast and reliable performance is paramount. Its speed makes it a great choice for businesses that need to handle large-scale data scraping and improve search rankings. That same level of performance puts Live Proxies into worthy consideration as an option for ad verification, where timing is critical. Individual users also have plenty to look forward to, as the service is highly suitable if you need a quick connection to download a geo-locked file, play video games, access websites from other countries, or just browse your social media accounts.
- Take a look at our guide to the best proxy services
Categories: Reviews
Nimble CRM review 2026
NimbleCRM is an affordable contact management platform laser-focused on helping small businesses and solo entrepreneurs generate leads and nurture client relationships. While it lacks some of the advanced reporting and customization of enterprise CRM platforms, Nimble compensates with an array of unique prospecting tools I haven't seen in competing products at this price point.
Some highlights include a mobile app that scans and captures contact details from business cards, a browser plugin to find social media profiles and professional info for contacts, email signature parsing to automatically update CRM records, and a "prospector" feature to extract contact information from company websites.
The modern and intuitive interface centers around a customizable dashboard displaying deal pipelines, messages, events, and social network updates. A unified inbox provides two-way sync with Office 365/Outlook or Google Workspace to manage all client communications.
Nimble CRM core capabilities(Image credit: Nimble CRM)Nimble CRM offers a comprehensive set of core functionalities that address the essential needs of businesses for efficient contact management, sales pipeline tracking, task and activity management, and workflow automation.
Its intelligent contact manager automatically gathers and consolidates contact information from various sources, such as email, social media profiles, and business apps, into unified contact records. This enables users to easily access and manage extensive information about their contacts in one place.
I also found Nimble's task and activity management capabilities to be quite robust. Users can create, categorize, and sort tasks, and associate them with specific contacts for added context. The visual Kanban-style interface of the Workflows feature is great for project and process management, allowing teams to map out processes, identify bottlenecks, and optimize workflows.
For sales teams, Nimble Deals provides an effective way to manage opportunities through the sales pipeline. Deal stages can be customized to align with the business's unique sales processes. Nimble also delivers powerful sales analytics and reporting, with multiple custom dashboards, in-depth reports, and the ability to track individual and team performance. This enables sales forecasting and data-driven decision-making.
Another strength of Nimble is its mobile app for iOS and Android. It provides core CRM functionalities on the go, allowing users to access contact details, track deals, and stay on top of tasks while out of the office. Recent enhancements have further improved the mobile experience.
While Nimble checks the boxes for essential CRM capabilities, it could improve certain areas to be even more compelling. For example, the platform would benefit from deeper customization options for its reporting and stronger native integrations with a wider range of third-party business apps. But overall, Nimble provides a solid and affordable CRM solution, especially for small businesses and sales teams.
When I first logged into Nimble CRM, I was immediately struck by its modern, clean, and intuitive interface. For a feature-rich CRM with multiple modules, the layout felt accessible and easy to navigate from the get-go.
Nimble provides helpful new user onboarding that walks you through every step of the setup process. This made learning the ropes a painless experience, as the onboarding helps familiarize you with the key features and layout in a guided way. I felt I was able to start using the core functionality confidently in a short amount of time.
Customization is another area where Nimble shines in the user experience department. You can create multiple sales pipelines tailored for different needs, audiences or teams. Kanban-style pipeline views enable dragging and dropping deals visually through stages. Dashboards are able to surface the data and insights most relevant to your role.
Nimble offers mobile apps for iOS and Android, making it convenient to access contact records, communication history, deals, and tasks while on the go. Based on the easy learning curve I encountered, it seems realistic that a new user could get comfortable with the key features and workflows within a few hours to a couple of days max.
All in all, I'd say ease of use is one of Nimble's greatest strengths. The clean UI, helpful onboarding, and customization options make it an accessible yet powerful solution for users of varying technical comfort levels. The ability to get up and running quickly is a huge asset for busy sales and marketing teams.
Nimble CRM offers a wide range of integrations and connectors to make it easy to sync data with other apps and services. The Nimble Marketplace lists over 120 pre-built integrations with popular business tools like Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Slack, Mailchimp, Zapier, HubSpot, QuickBooks, and others.
I was also pleased to find that Nimble has direct integrations with iPaaS providers Zapier and Make. This opens up the possibility to connect Nimble with thousands of other apps not available natively. Setting up integrations via Zapier or Make is straightforward, only requiring your login credentials.
For custom integrations, Nimble provides a well-documented REST API. The API lets developers access most of the core Nimble data and functionality. However, it appears API access is not enabled by default, and admins need to explicitly allow it for each user account, which could be a hassle for larger teams.
In my experience testing some of the key integrations, like Google Contacts and Microsoft 365 calendar sync, the data syncing has been reliable with no noticeable lags or errors. Performance seems solid, even with a large number of records.
One area I think Nimble could improve is providing more fine-grained controls and filters for syncing. Currently, it's largely all-or-nothing. The ability to limit which fields get synced or filter records based on criteria would add flexibility.
While it provides some helpful support options, NimbleCRM's user reviews indicate that the overall quality and effectiveness of their customer support is mixed.
According to Nimble's website and third-party reviews, email is the main support channel, available Monday through Friday from 9 am-5 pm PT. They also offer phone support during those same hours. A chatbot is available for submitting requests, but it is not a true live chat.
Self-service resources include a knowledge base and support community. However, the depth and usefulness of these resources are unclear based on the information I could find.
One point of frustration for some users is the lack of 24/7 support or live chat, which many consider essential for a paid CRM. Support hours are limited to standard business hours in the Pacific time zone.
That said, a few reviewers reported positive experiences with support responsiveness. One reviewer noted that they received an email response and resolution within an hour of submitting a ticket after hours. They also got immediate responses via Twitter.
Other users praised the support as "solid and high quality" and noted "responsive customer support with less wait time." However, the average first response and resolution times are not published anywhere that I could find.
On the flip side, some reviewers were less impressed, with one saying that "customer support could be better." Another described it as just "fine," noting it sometimes took a full day to get a response.
So while Nimble does offer a few different support channels and has some fans of their service, support hours are limited, 24/7 live channels are lacking, and quality seems hit-or-miss based on user sentiment. There's definitely room for improvement in Nimble's customer care.
Plan
Business
Price
$24.90/user/month
Best For
Small to medium businesses prioritizing relationship management and social selling
Features
25,000 contact records
Customizable pipelines
Automated workflows
Limitations
2GB storage per user, no 24/7 support
Nimble keeps its pricing structure simple and straightforward, offering a single plan at a flat per-user rate. The Business plan is priced at $24.90 per user per month when billed annually, or $29.90 per user per month if you opt for month-to-month billing. That represents a savings of over 15% if you commit to a yearly subscription upfront.
For the price, each user gets access to Nimble's full set of CRM features, along with a generous 25,000 contact record limit and 2GB of storage per user. Should you hit the storage ceiling, additional space can be tacked on in 10GB increments at $10 per month, prorated for the remainder of the current billing period.
I appreciate that Nimble doesn't nickel and dime customers with complex pricing tiers or hidden fees. The only variables impacting your monthly cost are the number of user licenses and any extra storage you might need. Nimble simply charges a prorated amount for additional licenses or upgrades made mid-cycle.
It's also worth noting that Nimble doesn't require an annual contract or commitment. You can go the monthly route and cancel anytime if the platform doesn't meet your needs or your team size changes. Although the annual discount is attractive if you're confident Nimble is the right long-term CRM solution for your business.
For anyone on the fence, Nimble does provide a 14-day free trial to test drive the software risk-free. No credit card information is required. It's not as generous as the 30-day trials offered by some competitors, but two weeks is ample time to assess if the feature set justifies the expense.
All in all, while Nimble's entry point isn't the cheapest compared to some barebones entry-level CRM plans on the market, the pricing is reasonable considering its robust capabilities. Growing businesses that want to streamline sales and marketing on a single platform without breaking the bank will find Nimble's predictable, all-inclusive pricing appealing. Just be mindful of potential storage costs if you anticipate maintaining a large database of detailed customer records.
At TechRadar Pro, our CRM reviews go beyond simply reading press releases and vendor promotions. To properly evaluate Nimble CRM’s claims of providing an automated, relationally enriched workspace for agile sales teams, our testing analysts subjected the software to a comprehensive testing regime mimicking an active multi-channel outreach strategy.
Our CRM testing methodology for Nimble focuses on various factors, including its unified communications offering, its social data enrichment functionality, and its web extraction logging. We also stress-tested their automation capabilities by designing a sequence of behavioral marketing triggers. We aim to leave no stone unturned in our evaluation.
Nimble CRM review: Final verdictAfter spending time testing and evaluating Nimble CRM, my overall impression is that it provides a solid set of core features at an affordable price point. It particularly excels at contact management, with helpful tools to aggregate contact data from various sources into unified records.
While it delivers essential capabilities, certain areas could still be enhanced. Reporting customization options are somewhat limited compared to higher-end CRM solutions. Some users might also wish for a wider breadth of out-of-the-box integrations. Even so, for small teams and growing businesses wanting a modern, highly intuitive, and mobile-friendly workspace without the enterprise price tag or setup friction, Nimble is a compelling option.
Categories: Reviews
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