Reviews

GameSir Cyclone 2: two-minute review

(Image credit: Future)

The GameSir Cyclone 2 is a wireless gamepad compatible with PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile, thanks to its various connectivity options.

Its design hardly pushes the boat out, with a near-identical form and layout to the Xbox controller. However, the translucent panels and RGB lighting at least add some vibrancy.

It’s also hard to fault the Cyclone 2 for build quality. It’s light yet solidly constructed, while the plastics are refined for the most part; however, in some areas – notably the grips – the Cyclone 2 fails to match the premium feel of some of the best PC controllers around.

The buttons, on the other hand, are engineered to a higher standard. I personally liked their mouse-click-esque actuation, which eschews the heavily damped approach of more traditional gamepads – although I’m sure there will be gamers who won’t find this as desirable. Thankfully, the sticks should prove less divisive, as I can’t imagine any who wouldn’t appreciate their smooth operation and premium feel.

One aspect of the Cyclone 2 that’s less impressive, however, is the charging dock. Unlike the excellent dock included with the GameSir Super Nova, the one here is less stable, takes up more real estate, and is too difficult when aligning the charging pins, which can easily result in the Cyclone 2 failing to charge even when seated.

GameSir Connect can be used to customize the functions and features of the Cyclone 2, with a wealth of options available – more so than I’ve seen in other gamepad software, in fact. There are multiple curve profiles and deadzone settings for the sticks and triggers, as well as plenty of rebinding options; you can even substitute motion controls for mouse and joystick inputs.

The Cyclone 2 is also impressive when it comes to performance. Those clicky buttons are certainly responsive, while the D-pad offers slightly more dampening but still provides plenty of feedback – a combination that results in accurate and easy actuation.

(Image credit: Future)

The TMR sticks also live up to their promise with their ultra-precise and smooth inputs, while the triggers offer plenty of control despite having less travel and resistance than your typical gamepad.

I didn’t experience any connectivity issues with the Cyclone 2: it linked easily to my PC, Nintendo Switch, and Android smartphone. However, switching between devices on the fly isn’t the most seamless and requires you to memorize various button combinations to achieve this.

I wasn’t able to test the battery life to its limits during my time with the Cyclone 2, but I can say that after a couple of days of varied use, it remained green. Unfortunately, I can’t be more accurate than this, as no percentage is given for battery life in Connect, which is an oversight. GameSir does claim it can last around 10 hours, though, which is on the lower end of the spectrum.

In line with GameSir’s other offerings, the Cyclone 2 is well-priced compared to some of its rivals. It costs the same as the GameSir Super Nova, which uses the technically inferior Hall effect stick technology rather than TMR, but slightly less than the GameSir Tarantula Pro, which has the latter.

GameSir Cyclone 2 review: Price and availability

• $49.99 / £49.99 / AU$79
• Available now in two colorways
• Well-priced compared to rivals

The Cyclone 2 costs $49.99 / £49.99 / AU$79 and is available now in two colorways: Phantom White and Shadow Black. The edition that includes the charging stand is only slightly more at $55.99 / £55.99 / AU$89. All editions come with a 2.4GHz USB-A dongle and a USB-A-to-C cable.

It’s the same price as the Super Nova, another gamepad from GameSir with a similar design and feature set. This uses Hall effect joystick technology, though, which isn’t considered quite as accurate or as energy efficient as TMR.

If you’re after another TMR controller, then GameSir has another offering in the form of the Tarantula Pro. This is more expensive than the Cyclone 2, but not by much, and it has more buttons to play around with. However, it adopts a layout akin to the best PS5 controllers (despite not being compatible with the console), with its symmetrical sticks and long grips, which some gamers may balk at.

GameSir Cyclone 2 review: specs

(Image credit: Future) GameSir Cyclone 2 review: design and features

• Familiar design
• Good build quality
• Many customizations available

The Cyclone 2 has a familiar look and layout, following the fashion of the best Xbox controllers (despite not being compatible with the platform), with its asymmetrical joysticks and thick body.

Two colorways are available to choose from, although I personally prefer the white option with its red and gold accents, which looks more slick than its black counterpart. Both variants feature a translucent front plate and underlying RGB strips, which add more interest to proceedings.

Build quality is impressive too, considering the price of the Cyclone 2. The light yet solid chassis feels good in the hand, as does its smooth texture. There’s some pitting on the handles to aid grip, but this doesn’t feel as luxurious as the rubberized and silicone materials used by more premium gamepads.

The buttons and sticks are all generously spaced apart yet still easy to access, and feel solid with little wobble. The sticks follow suit, and their thumb pads offer sufficient levels of grip and comfort while feeling durable at the same time.

The two back buttons are similarly well-designed, and they perfectly align with my natural finger placement. Combined with their large size and ergonomic shape, they’re more practical than other back buttons I’ve experienced.

One design drawback concerns the charging dock, which is included with certain editions. It tries to adopt a more interesting form with its splayed legs, but this makes it impractical as it takes up an unnecessary amount of space.

(Image credit: Future)

It also fails to provide a stable platform for the Cyclone 2, as it’s all too easy to knock the controller from it. What’s more, the charging pins are awkward to align, and there were numerous occasions where I’d failed to seat the pad correctly to initiate charging. The dock included with GameSir Super Nova is far superior, and I wish the same design had been used here.

It’s also a bit of a shame that the face buttons can’t be swapped around to match the platform you’re playing on, as you can with the Super Nova, since the Cyclone 2 lacks the same magnetic, removable face plate.

The Cyclone 2 can be customized using GameSir Connect, the brand’s peripheral software for PC. There are an impressive number of tweaks available here, more so than in other tools I’ve tried. You can rebind the buttons to other controller inputs, or to mouse and keyboard inputs. There’s also a macro creator, and up to three inputs can be assigned to a single button, with Continuous Trigger and Turbo modes available.

There are curve and deadzone adjustments for the triggers and sticks as well, while motion controls have plenty of parameters to tinker with, including the ability to substitute them for joystick inputs or even mouse movements. However, this latter feature failed to work with the first review unit I received, even after troubleshooting, so another test unit was issued, which thankfully did work. Hopefully, this isn’t a pervasive issue, but it’s worth mentioning given it’s a potential cause for concern.

GameSir Cyclone 2 review: performance

• Responsive inputs
• Super smooth joysticks
• Clicky buttons won’t be for everyone

In the main, the Cyclone 2 is a joy to game with. Those clicky face buttons feel very snappy and precise, although I’m sure there will be gamers out there who’ll lament the lack of dampening and prefer the more traditional feel.

The D-pad, however, provides slightly more dampening, but still retains the snappy, tactile feel that provides plenty of feedback. It’s also very easy to use, with plenty of accuracy to avoid mispresses. When playing Tekken 8, it was very conducive to the rapid succession of directions, including quarter-circle rolls, which were comfortable to perform.

What’s more, the TMR joysticks held true to their claim, as they felt smoother and more precise than their Hall effect counterparts – although the difference isn’t massive. This was a real boon when I played FPS games such as Goldeneye 64 on the Switch.

The triggers on the Cyclone 2 are quite light and have less travel than those on other controllers. However, I didn’t have any issues performing controlled movements, such as when modulating the throttle and braking while playing Art of Rally. The motion controls proved accurate as well, as I found when aiming bows in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

Connecting the Cyclone 2 to various platforms was easy enough, even via Bluetooth, and was as amenable in this regard as the best Nintendo Switch controllers. Hot-swapping between platforms, however, is a little more onerous, as you have to remember various button combinations for changing modes; at least the Home button LED provides some indication on this front. It’s a shame the Cyclone 2 doesn’t include a handy flip switch on the back to toggle between 2.4GHz and Bluetooth modes, as the Super Nova does. But from a performance perspective, I found little wrong with its connectivity.

I didn’t manage to test the battery of the Cyclone 2 to exhaustion, and rather annoyingly, Connect relies on imprecise color codes rather than percentage points for life remaining.

I can say, though, that after a few days of play, the Cyclone 2 remained green, which seems reasonable. However, having reached out to GameSir, it estimated that the Cyclone 2 can last about 10 hours, which is disappointingly low compared to many other wireless controllers – and surprising given that TMR technology is supposed to be more energy efficient.

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the GameSir Cyclone 2? Buy it if...

You want plenty of customization
I don’t think I’ve come across gamepad software that offers more customizations than Connect – just about every tweak you could want is here.

You want precise inputs
The clicky buttons and ultra-responsive TMR sticks make the Cyclone 2 a sharp and smooth gamepad.

Don't buy it if...

You want plenty of dampening
If you like soft, cushioned button presses, then the Cyclone 2 probably isn’t for you.

You want a long battery life
GameSir’s 10-hour estimate is nothing special, and many other wireless controllers can do better than this.

GameSir Cyclone 2 review: Also consider

If you're after some great alternatives to the Cyclone 2, then take a look at these recommendations:

Xbox Wireless Controller
The default for many PC and Xbox players, Microsoft’s first-party pad is simple yet capable. Its ergonomics are excellent, while its ubiquity means you can often find one for well below its original price. It doesn’t have anywhere near the same customization options as the Cyclone 2, though, and relies on traditional potentiometer stick technology.

Read our full Xbox Wireless Controller review

GameSir Tarantula Pro
If you want another TMR option, the Tarantula Pro is a great alternative to the Cyclone 2. We found its performance excellent, offering plenty of precision and feedback, while we were also impressed with its sheer number of buttons and features. It’s more expensive than the Cyclone 2, but not by that much.

Read our full GameSir Tarantula Pro review

How I tested the GameSir Cyclone 2

• Tested for several days
• Used on various platforms
• Plentiful gaming experience

I tested the Cyclone 2 for several days, during which time I used it on PC, Nintendo Switch, and Android.

I played a variety of games, including Tekken 8, Art of Rally, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and GoldenEye 64, all of which provide a thorough test for the various inputs of controllers.

I’ve been gaming for over two decades, and during that time, I’ve experienced many different gamepads across many different platforms. I’ve also reviewed a number of controllers previously, including other GameSir models.

• First reviewed April 2025
• Read more about how we test

Unboxing & first impressions Specs

(Image credit: Future)

Frame Material and Build Quality: Made with a powder-coated aluminum base, with scratch-proof nylon casters.
Dimensions: Height: 87cm, Width: 51cm, Depth: 56cm
Weight: 8.5kg
Upholstery Options and Materials: Made from a wide range of premium materials, leather, vegan leather, and mesh.
Maximum Payload: 110kg (approximately 17 stone)

Straight away, the chair’s packaging gives an idea of its quality - it is well packed, with each piece individually protected, and the parts are heavy and fit well together.

Admittedly though, this chair is difficult to assemble. Undoubtedly the chair takes two people to put together, and it isn’t an easy task. The instructions weren’t as clear as they could’ve been, and all-in-all, this took about 30 minutes for us to build. We actually managed to assemble it back-to-front at first, but we'd had a long day, so that's probably user error.

The chair is assembled in two halves, so make sure you have a fair bit of room before you start. It's a little fiddly, and there are a fair few parts that you need to keep track of - but it's worth the effort.

The quality of the seat is undeniable, the backrest is thick but breathable, and the material is cool and comfy. As you first sit down, there’s no wobbles or flimsiness, and you can definitely feel the care that has gone into the design.

Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro: Price & availability

• How much does it cost? $499
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available only in the US - you can find the chair here

At $499, the Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro covers the middle ground between some of the most expensive chairs around, and the most premium office chairs.

It is a bit of a step up from the Ergonomic chair ($359), but comes with six more points of adjustment, and a much sturdier build - having taken on five years of customer feedback.

• Value: 4 / 5

Design & Build quality

The Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro looks simple and elegant, you wouldn’t guess it was such a hassle to assemble.

The premium quality of the parts gives the chair a durable feel and a clean appearance, with the mesh design means the chair has great airflow, and the materials give it a really cool feel - even in direct sunlight.

I'm a one of those people who can never sit still, but with all the adjustments that this chair allows, I can get comfortable however I'm sitting, even if I do then switch my position a few minutes later!

I've also got a cat who loves to sit on my lap, and I'm happy to report that the base of the chair is more than wide enough for me to comfortably cross my legs (and for anyone wondering - the material does not collect cat hair at all!).

Particularly great for me (although probably not great for my posture), is the back rest, which you can adjust to pretty much any angle - and the ergonomic support means my back hasn't hurt even after 9 hours of use - and sadly, yes, I have tested this.

The wheels are bigger than expected, but make the chair feel very stable and allow me to swivel off to the printer when I need to.

The chair also has the option for vegan leather, so is suitable for a wide range of customers.

There’s very little wobble at all in the build, except a slight shake in the arms - but the height-adjustable armrests have a nice smooth surface and padding, and are wide and secure enough to keep things like notepads, pens, or even mugs on if you're feeling risky and have your hands full.

A small piece of the back support did snap off quite soon after unboxing the chair, which looked to have been damaged in transit (see below) but overall the quality is fantastic.

(Image credit: Future) In use

The chair sits quite low, I’m 5”7 on a tall day, and the highest the chair goes isn’t as high as I would expect. I can plant my feet firmly on the floor when its at its highest, which isn’t usual in my experience.

There are a lot of options to adjust the chair, with the height, the headrest, arms rests, the recline, and also the seat position. This can make the process of adjusting slightly fiddly, since there are so many different levers. However, it’s great to have such a customizable experience.

The arms rests are a little too easy to adjust for my liking - and knocking them a little means they sometimes rotate a bit by accident. That being said, the arm rests are wide and comfortable, and can even be removed if needed.

The recline on the chair is easy to navigate, but can be a little sticky. I've definitely had a few hours stuck in an ever so slightly too relaxed position so far, but eventually managed to get it sorted.

(Image credit: Future) Final verdict

On the whole, I’ve had a great experience with this chair. I've been using it for a few months now and can say it has made my work from home days a lot more comfortable.

I've personally chosen to remove the top head rest, as it sat a little awkwardly against my neck, so if you're on the shorter side, bare that in mind. That being said, it was easy to remove, it is adjustable, and I don't find myself feeling like anything is missing.

As long as you can find a friend (or maybe two) willing to help with the set-up, it’s worth it. The chair is sturdy and fantastically comfortable, and stays cool even if you’ve been using it all day. I've moved house since I first got this chair, and must admit this was one of the most difficult things to transport thanks to its size and weight, but I did make sure to bring it with me since I enjoy it so much.

It's on the expensive side and it is a little bulky, but if you're looking to invest in a good quality chair that will last, then I recommend considering this chair as an option.

If you’re looking for a reliable chair for everyday use, the Ergonomic Chair Pro is certainly worth considering.

BenQ GP520: One minute review

The BenQ GP520 is a promising projector for those on a tight budget. At $1,499, it provides a much cheaper alternative to the Hisense C2 Ultra and JGMO N1S Pro 4K. While there are plenty of other examples of the best projectors that can compete near its price, the BenQ GP520 has a solid edge where brightness is concerned. An LED light source lets it hit a high of 2,600 ANSI Lumens, and that’s plenty to provide a pleasing image even if you don’t completely black out your viewing space.

The GP520 beams a sharp and modestly colorful 4K picture and supports HDR10+ high dynamic range. In the right viewing conditions, it can look downright great for a projector at this price, and even has solid motion handling.

BenQ rounds out the GP520 with a potent pair of speakers that will do the job when you don’t have time to sort out a better sound system, and it has integrated Google TV for streaming. The projector is small and easy to move about, making it viable as a go-anywhere all-in-one theater system. While there are plenty of ways the GP520 could be better, it’s a great option for those on a budget.

BenQ GP520 review: Price & release date

There are no optical adjustments on the GP520, which uses automatic keystone and autofocus, and even framing and obstacle avoidance, to configure its picture for new setups (Image credit: Future)

• Release date: October 2024
• Price:$1,499 / £1299 / AU$ 2,199

The BenQ GP520 is a recent entry to the market and comes in at a modest price. At $1,499, it’s a small bargain next to the BenQ W2720i, and is cheaper than the BenQ X300G and BenQ X3100i in the company’s gaming projector lineup. It doesn’t have the gaming chops of those latter projectors, but it delivers a big, bright 4K picture for the money.

BenQ GP520 review: Design & features

The GP520's included Google TV remote control (Image credit: Future)

• Compact, all-in-one design
• Multiple tripod holes for mounting
• Google TV

Like many recent mainstream home projectors, the BenQ GP520 has a simple, boxy design. With a compact, gray case and a blue accent around the lens, it looks a lot less like office equipment than other BenQ projectors. Inside, it packs an LED DLP projection system, dual 12-watt speakers, and the Google TV streaming platform. It’s a compact projector that’s easy to move and set up in new positions.

While some competitors have started including gimbal stands for angling their projectors, the GP520 has simple rubber feet that can extend to make small angle and tilt corrections. That said, the GP520 is equipped with tripod holes on the top, bottom, and rear for adaptable setups. You’ll want a rather sturdy tripod to secure this projector, though.

The GP520 will automatically configure its picture for new setups, including keystone and autofocus adjustments, and even framing and obstacle avoidance. Aside from focus, these are all digital adjustments that reduce the resolution of the 4K picture.

The BenQ GP520 runs the Google TV smart TV system, and while this provides plenty of functionality for finding and streaming content, the hardware running it isn’t so capable. After making a selection or trying to access a menu, the OS will hang up for one or several seconds. For instance, trying to access the picture settings menu from the main menu, the delay was long enough for me to be convinced the system had glitched (it didn’t).

Around back, the GP520 offers up a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports (one with eARC), a 3.5mm audio output, two USB-A ports (one for service only), and a USB-C port. That last one is special, as it not only supports 20 watts of charging power for a connected device but also serves as a DisplayPort input.

The back of the projector also features a small vent for exhausting heat, and while plenty of heat comes out of the back, the fans are not very loud. On top, it has buttons for volume, Bluetooth pairing, and power. The sides of the projector are covered in large grills that allow air to flow in and sound to come out of the speakers. While the GP520 is compact, BenQ uses a large and heavy external power brick that could get in the way of a convenient and tidy setup.

The remote included with the GP520 is basic and feels a bit cheap, but it does the job. It has the typical Google TV layout with a circular navigation dial, a microphone button for voice controls, and quick buttons for home and back. Interestingly, it includes a zoom control to quickly shrink the image down and blow it back up, and also has a dedicated button to automatically adjust keystone and focus. Thankfully, the remote has a shortcut button to change inputs, making it much quicker to jump from the somewhat slow Google TV operating system to any other input without getting bogged down in unresponsive menus.

• Design & features score: 3.5/5

BenQ GP520 review: Picture & sound quality

Black levels can look elevated on the GP520, but it manages to easily draw out detail from dark shadows in movies like Dune (Image credit: Future)

• Crisp, bright 4K picture
• Color is a bit lacking
• No gaming features

The BenQ GP520 puts on a good show, beaming a picture with 2,600 lumens of brightness. In a well-lit room, you’ll want to stick with content like cartoons and TV, but if you can draw the curtains and dim your space, the GP520 is good for movies. Enemy of the State had great visuals and solid contrast on my 100-inch screen, even with light slipping through my blinds during the day. Black levels weren’t incredibly deep, but it still looked good.

Watched in these same conditions, a 4K Blu-ray of Dune looked excellent in the GP520’s HDR10 picture mode. The picture had sharp detail, and there was also detail in dark shadows, such as fabrics and the Harkonnen armor. Occasionally, the projector exhibited judder during panning and tilting shots, but it was very subtle. There’s also an Auto HDR picture mode, but this shifts to a cooler color temperature and introduces the soap opera effect along with other odd motion artifacts.

Elevated black levels seen on the GP520 can be a little distracting when it displays letterboxed movies or larger areas of black, but contrast is nonetheless quite good. The GP520 performed well in Paul’s duel with Jamis toward the end of Dune. I’ve seen other projectors struggle greatly with this fairly dark scene, but the GP520 presented it clearly and brought out plenty of detail, including in Jamis’ face.

The GP520's Google TV smart interface (Image credit: Future)

The GP520 falls a bit short on color, though, with its LED light source only covering 81% of the DCI-P3 color space. That leaves plenty of room for improvement, but such improvement will generally come from more expensive triple laser projectors, like the JMGO N1S Pro or Hisense C2 Ultra. This won’t hold the GP520 back with some movies, such as the aforementioned Enemy of the State, but it loses a little punch with content that benefits from especially vibrant color, like Cyberpunk Edgerunners.

The speakers on the GP520 pack a punch for a system of this size. The balance is a little crisp, putting a lot into the mids and rolling off the bass. Sub-bass is absent, so you’ll miss some meat from movies, TV, and games.

While the projector can run games with a reasonably low latency, it can’t switch to 1080p display and bump up the frame rate like some of its competitors. Regardless of resolution, the refresh rate is capped at 60Hz.

• Picture and sound quality score: 3.5/5

BenQ GP520 review: Value

Connections include two HDMI 2.1 ports (one with eARC) and a USB-C port with DisplayPort support (Image credit: Future)

• Brighter than similar options
• Affordable price for a 4K projector
• All-in-one design enhances value

The BenQ GP520 may not be the best projector around, but it’s offering an excellent value. For one thing, it’s a complete package with integrated speakers and a streaming software that lets you power it up and start watching without any extra gear. It’s also offering solid performance for the money, with a picture that’s plenty bright, crisp, and with HDR10+ support. It could use a bit more color richness, a deeper black floor, and the option to increase refresh rate at lower resolutions, but for straightforward movie and TV watching, it’s quite good.

At $1,499, the BenQ GP520 sits in a proper place, steering clear of some of its more colorful triple-laser competition but offering better brightness compared to similarly priced projectors.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Should I buy the BenQ GP520?

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

You want a bright picture
The BenQ GP520 scores high marks for its brightness, which helps it perform better in rooms with some ambient light. View Deal

You want a solid all-in-one at a great value
The BenQ GP520 checks all the boxes. It’s a bright 4K beamer with robust stereo sound and integrated Google TV. You can find this combination in other systems, but BenQ drives a hard bargain at $1,499.View Deal

You want setup flexibility
The BenQ GP520 may not have any optical adjustments, but it does have some decent flexibility thanks to its support for multiple tripod mounting locations and its ability to flip upside down, stay upright, or even tilt vertically. View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You want a gaming projector
BenQ may be a big name in gaming, but the GP520 isn’t particularly well-suited for it. It caps out at 60Hz while some of its competitors can jump up to 120Hz or even 240Hz and deliver lower lag in the process.View Deal

You want the best picture for your money
Rivals from JGMO and Hisense may not be able to go as bright as the GP520 at the same price, but their triple-laser light sources make for absolutely stunning visuals. As long as you can control the ambient light in your viewing area, they’ll prove more impressive. View Deal

You like motion smoothing
Some devices do motion smoothing well, but the GP520 isn’t particularly adept at it. It can make panning shots and moving objects look smoother, but it introduces obvious visual artifacts into other sorts of motion. View Deal

Also consider

JMGO N1S Pro
This triple-laser projector won’t beam quite as bright, but that may not be obvious when you’re appreciating its absolutely stunning color.

Read our JMGO N1S Pro review View Deal

BenQ W2720i
At a considerable markup, the BenQ W2720i steps up the visuals with better color and more advanced optics. This also allows for better positioning control for the image without relying too much on digital adjustments. It’s a little dimmer and a lot bigger, though, so it won’t work for everyone.View Deal

Xgimi Horizon Ultra
This model combines LED and laser projection for a bright and colorful picture, plus it has a more elegant design to fit in with your decor. But it also won’t be as bright for the money.

Read our full Xgimi Horizon Ultra reviewView Deal

How I tested the BenQ GP520

(Image credit: Future)

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

I tested the BenQ GP520 at home, in real-world conditions. This saw it faced with ambient light coming in from numerous windows, in-room lighting, as well as ambient noise that both the projector and speaker systems had to overcome. The projector was tested both against a bare, white wall and an Akia Screens CineWhite screen. It was presented with streamed content, HDR and non-HDR, and PC gameplay.

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

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

For a more detailed explanation of how we test TVs at TechRadar, check out the link.

• First reviewed: April, 2025
• Read TechRadar's review guarantee

Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo: two-minute review Product info

This model has slightly different names and product codes in different territories:

US: Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo FA052DV
UK: Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo FA050UK

For this review, I tested the US version. There may be minor differences between different countries' models.

The Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo is a lightweight, portable fan that is outfitted with a rechargeable battery, meaning you can unplug it and take it out and about with you on warm-weather excursions. But the most exciting thing about it is that it comes with a misting function for extra cooling clout.

When you live in a state like Texas, you understand the need for a fan. They're not just indoor necessities. During the summer, my family always has a fan on the porch to cool us down – but we've never had a misting fan. As a result, I was ecstatic to test the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Misting Portable Fan.

Testing this compact fan was a joy, especially in April when the days grew warmer here in North Texas. The tiltable design made it easier to focus the airflow and I was thoroughly impressed by how far away I could feel the five different fan speeds and the BreezeBoost mode. While the battery life won't last you all day (far from it) and the fan can't oscillate, it's still an excellent cooling companion. I'm also a fan of the design. There's a range of cute colors (in the US only – sorry UK shoppers), and overall it's more attractive than others on the market.

I plan on using the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Misting Portable Fan all summer. Keep reading to see why it's the best fan I've tested this season. Or, if you want more power and are happy to sacrifice some portability to get it, check out this fan's larger sibling – read about that model in TechRadar's Shark FlexBreeze fan review.

Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo review: price & availability

• List price: $129.99 / £129.99
• Launch date: March 2025
• Available: US, Canada, UK

The Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Misting Portable Fan launched in March 2025 and is available in the US, Canada, and the UK. It comes with a list price of $129.99 / £129.99 and can be purchased direct from Shark or via a range of third party retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target. In the US, the fan is available in six colors (all the same price), but in the UK it's charcoal or nothing.

At that price, it's a mid-range fan. Considering it's rechargeable, portable, and has misting capabilities, I'm inclined to say that the price of the fan is decent, though not exactly amazing value. The full-sized FlexBreeze is a fair bit pricier at $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$249.99.

If you just want a basic desk fan, you'll be able to find one for much cheaper. Similarly, corded non-portable fans in that price bracket deliver far more features, including things like oscillation, a timer function and app control. However, you're paying for the convenience of it being portable here, and if that's your priority then it's a decent buy.

Also bear in mind that Shark runs regular sales, so you could well snag it for less than list price.

• Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo specs Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo review: design

• Small, lightweight fan with handle to easily transport
• Vertical tilt design up to 45 degrees
• Integrated refillable mister

The Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Misting Portable Fan is a small tabletop fan that's less than 12 inches tall and weighs only 5lbs. It has a rechargeable battery, allowing you to unplug the fan and move it from one place to the next with the handle on the top.

Lookwise, it's an attractive modern fan that comes in six different colors. I tested the 'dove' option, a cream color that matches the lighter tones in my house. Pink, purple, and soft mint green colors could add some fun to your space. (Note, in the UK it's charcoal only.)

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future)

There is no assembly necessary with the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Misting Portable Fan. It comes put together, so you only need to charge it fully before the first use. The charging cord plugs into the back of the fan and then into the wall.

The fan can tilt up or down within 45 degrees, allowing you to narrow the focus of the airflow however you see fit. There are no oscillating features. In that way, it's very different from something like the Shark TurboBlade, which launched around the same time, and is designed to shoot out jets of air in any different direction.

Buttons that control the different settings can be found along the top of the fan. The power button in the center. To the left of that is a fan button that lets you cycle between fan speeds of 1-5, and a BreezeBoost mode. Green indicator lights correlating to the fan speed and boost mode sit below the buttons.

(Image credit: Future)

There is also a battery symbol next to the lights, and the color of the battery symbol indicates the amount of battery left. If it's green, the fan's battery is 70-100% charged. An amber light indicates that the battery is 30-69% charged, while a steady red light notes a 6-29% charge. When the battery light blinks red, the fan is about to die because the battery is 5% or lower.

To the right of the power button is a button with three droplets. This is the misting setting. There is a fill port at the top of the fan, right below the handle. The water mists from a port on the face of the fan, which must be opened when the mister is in use.

Sound wise, the fan emits a 46 dB rating on the lowest setting, and a 63 dB rating on the highest speed of 5. When placed on BreezeBoost, a turbo-like mode, the fan emitted a 67 dB sound rating. If none of those numbers mean anything to you, just know that the fan isn't loud or bothersome. I could barely hear it when sleeping at night and I had to go in the room where it was located to make sure it was still on (even if I was in the next room over).

• Design score: 4 out of 5

Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo review: performance

• Can feel the airflow of the fan 30 feet away when on BreezeBoost
• Two misting modes, lasting a max of 55 mins before needing a refill
• Vertical tilt is useful, but I'd love an oscillation option

There is a lot more to the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Misting Portable Fan than meets the eye. Though this tabletop fan is small, it packs a big punch in terms of airflow and power.

The first thing I wanted to see was how far away I could feel the airflow. When placed on BreezeBoost – the most powerful mode – I could feel the airflow 30 feet away. That's the full length of my house, so I didn't really have a way of testing if I could feel the airflow further away. When set on the lowest fan speed, I felt the airflow 17 feet away.

Depending on the layout of your house, you could likely feel the airflow between a couple of rooms. The only thing that would make this fan better would be the ability for it to oscillate horizontally or even vertically. At the moment, you can only tilt the fan up or down 45 degrees by hand to direct the airflow. This is not the biggest drawback, but something to note.

(Image credit: Future)

I tested the mister outside. I wasn't sure how much water it would create, though after testing it, I'd say you could use the mister inside for a bit and you shouldn't have a problem with damp floors.

There are two mister modes – consistent and interval. As you'd expect, the consistent mode pushes out a constant stream of mist, while the interval mode stops and starts. When the water drop flashes, that's when you know the interval mode is on.

(Image credit: Future)

The mister isn't overwhelming. In fact, you need to be about 2-4 feet from it to really feel the spray. I found that the wind typically blew it away (usually upwards) at about the four foot mark. This isn't a mister that will soak you.

The water emptied in 20 minutes when I used the consistent setting. According to Shark, the mister has a maximum misting time of up to 30 minutes per tank on any speed, but it looks like that figure is a little optimistic. On interval, the mister is meant to last up to 60 minutes on any fan speed; it lasted about 55 minutes for me.

• Performance score: 4 out of 5

Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo review: battery life

• Lasted 1hr 30 on max fan speed, and 4hrs 13 on middle mode
• Shark states up to 12 hours of use on lowest speed
• Takes 2 hrs 30 mins to charge from flat

While I could have kept the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Misting Portable Fan plugged in and had an infinite source of power, because it's a portable fan, I wanted to test the battery life. The fan takes 2 hours 30 mins to charge. It lasted 4 hours and 13 minutes on the 3 fan speed level, which is better than what Shark estimates (a four-hour battery life on that level) The fan also exceeded the estimated battery life of 1.5 hours on the fan speed of 5.

I set the fan on BreezeBoost, and the battery lasted 1 hour and 50 minutes. I'm inclined to believe that the battery might last longer than Shark's reported maximum cordless run time of 12 hours on fan speed 1.

In terms of battery run time, this Shark fan is about what I expected. If you took this fan to a tailgate, four hours of battery life is fairly good, as long as it's a comfortable enough temperature to keep the fan speed at 3. If you live in super-hot areas, you might want the fan to last more than 1 hour and 50 minutes when using the BreezeBoost option.

Hopefully, there's an outlet nearby to recharge the fan. I wouldn't say this portable fan is a great choice for a day at the lake, especially since the 1 or 2 speed level likely won't offer enough airflow to keep you super cool, but it's better than nothing if the wind isn't blowing. Plus, at those two speed levels, you'll get a lot more hours of use.

Performance score: 4 out of 5

• Performance score: 4 out of 5

Should you buy the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo? Buy it if...

You want a fan you can take out and about

This fan can be used cordless, and comes with a handle for on-the-go cooling. It also looks good, and if you're in the US you can choose from a range of summery pastel color options.

You want a misting fan

Misters are great for summer days, especially when you want to sit on your porch without dying of a heat stroke. This portable fan lets you enjoy mist anywhere in your yard or house without needing an outlet nearby.

You want a powerful fan that can reach long distances.

No matter the fan speed, this fan can direct airflow long distances. On the lowest fan setting, I could feel the airflow 17 feet away – and on BreezeBoost mode, 30 feet away.

Don't buy it if...

You aren't bothered about portability

If you don't need it to be lightweight, you'd be better off with this fan's big sibling: the original FlexBreeze. It can still be used cordlessly, and unlike the HydroGo, it does oscillate.

You want to control your fan remotely

If you want to change the fan speed or turn on the mister, you're going to have to walk over to the fan and press a button. It would have been nice to at least have had a remote control, and even better if the fan settings could be adjusted within an app.

You need a portable fan with a super long battery life

Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo's battery life is decent but it's not going to last you all day at the lake, unless you're willing to use the lowest fan speeds. In fact, you only get a little over four hours on the 3-speed level and less than two hours on BreezeBoost mode.

How I tested the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo

Testing the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo Misting Portable Fan was easier than testing most fans due to its portable nature. I used it around my house – in my bedroom, living room, and kitchen, as well as in outdoor spaces like my backyard and on my front porch. I even packed it in my car and tested it two hours away at my parent's house. Testing occurred in April when temperatures reached the mid-80s in Texas, so it was nice to experience the misting feature on warm days.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed April 2025

Glide is a no-code platform that allows users to create web apps without writing any code. It helps non-programmers build functional and responsive apps by leveraging data from Google Sheets, Airtable, and several other data sources.

In this review, we will examine Glide’s core features, user interface, ease of use, integration and extensibility, deployment and maintenance, pricing, documentation, and its competitive landscape.

Glide: Features

Glide allows you to build apps directly from your existing data. The platforms can connect to your data from various sources, including spreadsheets like Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, Airtable, data warehouses like BigQuery, relational databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, and cloud databases like Google Cloud SQL.

If you’re starting from scratch, you can also use the platform’s own Glide Tables, or Glide Big Tables if you need an enterprise-scale database.

Best of all, you can use the platform to visually create relationships, and look up values across all your tables. And whenever your data changes in Glide, it instantly syncs directly back to your original data source.

(Image credit: Glide)

To keep your data safe, Glide lets you control who can manage, view, and edit your apps with granular permissions. You can also restrict who can access or download specific rows of data based on an email address.

Another advantage with Glide is that you don’t have to rely on external automation tools. You can instead use Glide Workflows to automate tasks, which comes in handy when you need to manage processes such as sending emails, and data updates.

You can start these workflows from app interactions, schedules, emails, and more. There’s also a Webhook workflow that kicks in when it receives data from external services, such as Stripe, or TypeForm.

The platform also keeps a track of all the workflow runs to help you review their execution, and rectify any errors. That said, you can still use external workflow builders like Zapier and Make, with Glide.

In addition to starting with existing data, you can also create an app from an AI prompt, or from its existing collection of templates. Glide has templates for common business apps including CRMs, customer portals, inventory management systems, sales dashboard, and more.

Glide also lets you roll AI capabilities like natural language processing, and computer vision into your apps. The platform, very helpfully, also has a set of AI templates that you can customize as per your requirements. The platform is also beta testing a new feature that will help you build custom components that don’t exist in Glide by prompting AI.

Glide: Interface and Ease of Use

When you first sign into Glide, it’ll ask you to create an app using an AI prompt. The platform will then build the app, and suggest ways to improve your app.

As we mentioned earlier, in addition to using the AI prompt, you can also create an app from existing data. In this case, you’ll have to point Glide to your data wherever it resides. It’ll then look through the data, and automatically create an app for you.

In either case, you’ll end up in the Layout editor that’ll help you refine, and fine tune your apps.

(Image credit: Glide)

Here, use the left sidebar to add, and manage screens to your apps, and also add components to the screens. The platform has several different kinds of screens, and each one relates to your data in a different way. There’s a Data tab on the bottom of the sidebar that you can use to quickly view the data for the currently selected screen.

In the middle of the screen you can preview, and interact with your app. You can switch between the mobile, and desktop views, and also view the screen as it would appear to different users.

On the right side of the interface, you can configure each screen and its components, tweak their appearance, and bind them to your data.

From the top of the interface, you can switch out from the Layout editor to tweak other aspects of your app. The Data tab takes you to the Data editor where you can view and edit the data. On the left, it’ll list all the imported and synced tables. From here you can modify your data, add new tables, sync external data sources, and more.

The Workflows tab brings up the Workflow editor, where you can create different types of custom Workflows. You can either create a workflow from scratch, or customize one of the six existing ones. For instance, there’s one that will intercept emails, and use AI to extract data and add them to your tables. Another will automatically respond to an email with AI.

Then there’s the Settings tab from where you can adjust your apps’ name, appearance, and other settings. When you’re done, use the Publish button in the top right corner to make your app public. All apps created with Glide are responsive, which means they look good on both desktops, and smartphones.

Glide: Integration and Extensibility

Glide not only allows you to connect to various data sources, but you can connect multiple data sources to a single Glide app. For instance, you could combine data from a PostgreSQL database with business data stored in Google Sheets.

You can also use Glide to connect your apps to all over 50 useful third-party business tools. For instance, you can get your app to interact with Asana to create, and delete tasks, and projects, or with DocuSign to sign a document, generate content with Google Gemini, and OpenAI, and a lot more.

(Image credit: Glide)

Integrations in Glide can provide different features that can be used in various ways. Depending on the integration, you may need to grant permissions or enter secrets such as an API key. The project has detailed documentation on how to add and configure each of the supported integrations.

Glide: Deployment and Maintenance

Once you’ve created an app, use the Publish button to make it live. As it is with most no-code platforms, by default, all apps are published to a Glide subdomain.

The platform will also generate a QR code that you can scan to access the app from your smartphone. All Glide apps are Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), which means your device will give you the option to install, and use it like a native app.

Once an app is published, you can move it to a custom domain, or unpublish it. By default, all apps will be available to a restricted set of users. However, you can easily make the app accessible to anyone.

(Image credit: Glide)

Also, since Glide apps are basically web-based, any changes you make to the app, or to the data in the connected data source, will automatically be reflected in the app without any manual intervention. This makes maintenance incredibly easy, and ensures that all users have access to the latest version of the app.

Glide: Pricing and Documentation

Glide has a tiered pricing model, starting with a feature-restricted Free tier. For instance, Free users can browse through the list of Free templates, but will need to upgrade to a paid plan to use them.

Paid plans start with the $60/month ($49/month billed annually) Maker plan. You can use this plan to connect your app with Google Sheets, import data from Excel, or CSV files, or use Glide’s own data sources.

The $249/month ($199/month billed annually) Business plan lets you use Airtable, and Excel as additional data sources over the Maker plan. To unlock all of the supported data sources, you’ll have to switch to the Enterprise plan, which is priced according to usage.

Also, remember that each plan also restricts the number of rows you can have in your app, and the list of available features. Furthermore, with the Maker plan you can only make your app available to users who sign in using a public email service, such as Gmail, or an education domain (.edu).

To complicate matters further, each plan has a limited number of updates. These are like credits that you consume to change, and sync data from external sources like Google Sheets, and Airtable. However, these don’t apply if you use Glide’s own data sources.

In terms of documentation, Glide has enough text and video resources to help you get started with the platform. It’ll teach you how to use the platform’s essential functions such as automations, and workflows. You can take your questions with the platform to Glide’s forum boards, though users on the paid tiers get priority support as well.

Glide: The Competition

There are lots of other no-code platforms, but Glide mainly competes with Softr, which also allows you to build apps from your existing business data.

While it originally started as an interface on top of Airtable, Softr too can now work with popular third-party databases, ranging from simple options like Google Sheets, to relational databases like PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, and more. Glide however offers its own in-house data sources.

When compared to Softr, Glide offers a more robust platform with built-in workflow capabilities, and very handy AI-powered features. But that also gives it a stepper learning curve as compared to Softr.

Then there’s Bubble. Unlike Glide, which helps create data-driven apps for internal use, Bubble is more versatile, and can help create all kinds of SaaS platforms. Also, while Glide can create PWAs, if you want to create native mobile apps, there’s Adalo, which like Bubble can be used to spin up all kinds of business apps.

Glide: Final Verdict

Glide is a good option if you’re looking to quickly build data-driven apps without much effort. The platform combines ease of use with powerful features, which help make it appealing to both beginners and experienced users.

However, Glide has a complex pricing plan, and might turn out to be a little more expensive than its peers, depending on your exact use case.

That said, it has a lot going for it in terms of its seamless integration with popular data sources, intuitive interface, visual editors, and built-in automations, and customization options. These features make Glide a must try option for anyone looking to convert their existing business data into visually appealing PWAs.

These are the best IT Automation software.

Thunkable is a popular cloud-based no-code platform that helps users build mobile apps even without having any prior coding experience. It has gained considerable attention due to its intuitive interface, powerful features, and support for both Android and iOS app development.

In this review, we’ll analyze various aspects of Thunkable, including its features, interface and ease of use, integration and extensibility, deployment and maintenance, pricing, documentation, and competition.

Thunkable: Features

Thunkable offers a wide range of features that cater to the needs of different users, from beginners to more advanced builders.

One of Thunkable's biggest strengths is its ability to build apps for both Android phones and iOS devices, and tablets, at the same time. Users can create apps that work across both platforms without needing to write platform-specific code.

Thunkable's core strength lies in its intuitive drag-and-drop interface. The platform also offers a large collection of pre-built components to cover a wide range of functionalities. Users can easily add essential user interface components like buttons, sliders, as well as media components, sensors, and more, to their apps, with a simple drag-and-drop.

(Image credit: Thunkable)

This visual approach helps make the platform highly intuitive, particularly for those with little or no coding experience. While it doesn’t offer templates as many of its peers, there are also sample apps that you can remix and customize to meet your requirements.

Another wonderful feature is Thunkable’s Scratch-inspired block-based programming system, that you can use to define your app’s logic. You create logic by dragging and connecting blocks to create event handlers, control flow, and perform actions. This makes programming easier and more accessible.

Another interesting feature is Thunkable’s ability to let you infuse Artificial Intelligence (AI) into your apps for things like image and voice recognition. The platform can also integrate with OpenAI for adding generative AI functionality to your apps.

Thunkable: Interface and Ease of Use

Thunkable's interface is clean and intuitive, which makes it fairly user-friendly and accessible to beginners. As we’ve said before, the platform's drag-and-drop system makes it easy to design and build apps without any coding knowledge.

Thunkable’s interface is broadly divided into two tabs, namely Design, and Blocks.

You use the Design tab to create the UI of your app by dragging elements like buttons, labels, switches, and such to the canvas. You can also customize each element's properties, such as color, size, and layout, to match your app's branding and requirements.

Each app can have multiple screens, and each screen has its own Design tab. This allows you to create different views or pages within your app, each with its own layout and components.

The Blocks tab is where you add the logic and functionality to the app. Again, you just drag and drop to connect code blocks to define the app's behavior, which can be everything from reacting to a button press, and handling user input, to accessing device’s sensors, and interacting with external services.

(Image credit: Thunkable)

Similarly, the other sections, particularly, Data, Assets, and Cloud Variables, help you easily manage various aspects of your app's data and resources. There’s also the Settings section where you define different details of your app, such as its name, default layout, some important Android and iOS publishing settings, and more.

Thunkable also provides a couple of mechanisms to test and preview your apps. There’s the Web Preview that you can use to test the app from within the browser itself. Then there’s the Live App that can help test your apps in your mobile phone. Any changes you make to the app are reflected instantly in the device.

Thunkable: Integration and Extensibility

Thunkable offers a wide range of integrations with popular services and tools, such as Google Maps, Stripe, Firebase, Airtable, Google Sheets, Xano, RevenueCat (for in-app purchases, and subscriptions), and more.

The platform also allows you to connect your app to any Application Programming Interface (API). You can also use it to connect to a database, or integrate with external data sources, including Google Sheets, and Airtable, to store and manage data within your app.

There’s also the Web Viewer component that allows you to display websites in your apps. More importantly though you can use this component to run HTML and JavaScript commands. This flexibility enables you to extend the platform's capabilities and customize apps beyond the platform’s built-in capabilities.

Thunkable also integrates with Figma, a popular web-based design tool that offers more design versatility. You can compose the interface for your app in Figma, and then import it into Thunkable.

Thunkable: Deployment and Maintenance

Thunkable also helps simplify the deployment and maintenance process for all mobile apps you create with the platform. Once an app is ready, you can easily publish it to the Google Play Store and Apple App Store directly from Thunkable.

Remember though, the Apple and Android app publishing processes are quite different. For instance, to publish with Apple, you first complete the process in the Thunkable publishing wizard, and the app file is sent directly to your Apple TestFlight.

On the other hand, to publish with Android, you receive an email from Thunkable with your app's Android App Bundle (AAB) file, which you download and then submit to the Google Play Store for review.

(Image credit: Thunkable)

You’ll still have to do some running around to register, and submit the app to the relevant app store. However, Thunkable provides step-by-step guidance to help you submit new apps and subsequent updates. This helps streamline the otherwise complex app submission process, especially for first timers.

Thunkable: Pricing and Documentation

Thunkable offers a tiered pricing structure, including a free tier with limited features, and paid tiers with more advanced capabilities. The free tier is suitable to explore, and experiment with the platform, while the paid tiers are necessary if you want to deploy your apps.

Premium plans are priced on a monthly or annual basis. The Builder plan costs $59/month or $37/month billed annually, and can be used to put custom branding, and publish one app each on the Apple or Google app stores.

If you want to publish multiple apps, you’ll need to switch to the Advanced plan that costs $189/month or $99/month billed annually. In addition to unlimited apps, this plan will also let you roll in in-app payments, and ads in your apps.

Thunkable provides comprehensive documentation, including text and video tutorials, to help users get started and make the most of the platform. The documentation covers everything from the basics of app creation to advanced integration, database management, and app deployment.

Thunkable also maintains an active community forum where users can share projects, ask questions, and get help from other users.

Thunkable: The Competition

Thunkable faces competition from several other no-code platforms that also cater to mobile app development, particularly Adalo, which too primarily focuses on mobile apps, and offers a similarly intuitive drag-and-drop interface.

One area where Adalo scores over Thunkable is in terms of the number of third-party integrations. Thunkable, on the other hand, is good for defining more advanced backend capabilities. This means you can build more versatile apps with Thunkable, while Adalo is easier to get started with.

However, Thunkable’s lack of templates can be an issue for first timers, though of course they can remix one of the demo apps to get a rolling start. And although both platforms don't let you publish mobile apps on the free plan, Thunkable’s free plan is more restrictive than Adalo's.

Thunkable: Final Verdict

Thunkable has everything you need to build and roll out mobile apps without coding. It’s both easy to use and offers advanced functionalities to experienced campaigners. The drag-and-drop interface, pre-built components, and the Scratch-inspired logic system makes it a good option for both beginners and intermediate users.

That said, as with any platform, there is a learning curve when it comes to more complex functionality. For example, while the drag-and-drop interface simplifies app design, integrating third-party APIs, creating, and managing complex database structures, or building advanced app logic might require a bit of time to master.

Also, while the block-based logic system is relatively easy to learn, it can make it quite cumbersome to define complex app logic, especially when working on larger projects.

We’ve looked at the best Large Language Models (LLMs) for coding

Honor 400 Lite: Two-minute review

Squint, and you could mistake the Honor 400 Lite for an iPhone 16 Pro Max. Honor is clearly enamored with Apple's whole approach to smartphones, or more likely the enduring popularity of the very best iPhones, and it's evidently not afraid to wear that admiration on its sleeve.

The prospect of a £250 phone with a Dynamic Island (or 'Magic Capsule') and Camera Control (or 'AI Camera Button') is an undeniably enticing one. Honor has executed those two elements well, delivering a budget Android phone that feels slightly different from its rivals. That's hard to achieve in a staid smartphone market.

However, in the process of seeking to offer an iPhone-style experience on the cheap, Honor appears to have taken its eye off the ball in some fundamental areas. The Honor 400 Lite doesn't perform as well as many of its peers, while its camera system feels undercooked.

Meanwhile, Honor's MagicOS feels as cluttered and unappealing as ever, emulating the basic look of iOS without achieving the same level of refinement. It's good to see a six-year update promise, though, which is among the very best in its class.

(Image credit: Future)

Solid battery life and a good 6.7-inch OLED display also help the Honor 400 Lite's cause, though its 35W charging speeds are nothing to write home about, and that sizeable notch probably won't appeal to those who watch a lot of movies and TV shows on the go.

Ultimately, the Honor 400 Lite is a budget phone designed to appeal to those who equate 'iPhone' with 'smartphone', but who lack either the resources or inclination to spend upwards of £600 on their next handset.

It'll serve such people reasonably well, but those same people should know that they won't be getting the most from their money. There are faster, more robust, and just plain better phones in the sub-£300 bracket.

Honor 400 Lite review: price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

• Released on April 22, 2024
• On sale in the UK and Europe for £249.99 / €269
• Only one variant (8GB RAM / 256GB storage)
• No US or Australia availability

The Honor 400 Lite was announced in April 2025 and is due to go on sale in the UK and Europe on May 22. Honor smartphones aren't sold in the US, while an Australian launch for the Honor 400 Lite is also off the cards at the time of writing.

It'll be available in just one variant in these territories: 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. This sole model will cost £249.99 / €269 (about $330 / AU$520).

At this price, the Honor 400 Lite is competing with a whole host of affordable phones, including the Samsung Galaxy A26, the Poco X7, and the Motorola Moto G75 5G. All of these rivals have superior water resistance, while the Moto G75 5G also has MIL-STD-810H durability.

Samsung's phone has wider availability and that familiar One UI software, while the Poco X7 has a clear performance edge.

• Value score: 4 / 5

Honor 400 Lite review: specs Honor 400 Lite review: design Image 1 of 3

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(Image credit: Future)

• Clearly iPhone-influenced design
• Magic Capsule notch supplies widgets and selfie light
• Skinny, lightweight all-plastic build
• Dedicated camera shutter button

Honor wouldn't be the first company to take a page out of Apple design playbook, but the Honor 400 Lite takes it to the next level. It looks more like an iPhone (specifically the iPhone 16 Pro Max) than pretty much any other phone I've seen.

Yes, you have the flat-edged look with the curved corners, just like the Google Pixel 9a and Samsung Galaxy S25. But the similarity runs to the smaller details, too. The camera module looks extremely similar to that of the iPhone 16 Pro, with only a triangular motif marking it out.

Flip the Honor 400 Lite onto its front, and there's an extended floating notch that looks a lot like Apple's Dynamic Island. Honor calls it the 'Magic Capsule', but it serves a similar function.

Honor's psychedelic-sounding notch facilitates tiny heads-up widgets when doing things like playing music or running a timer. Tap one of those widgets, and it'll expand slightly to a larger, width-spanning version.

(Image credit: Future)

One thing the Honor 400 Lite's Magic Capsule doesn't copy from Apple is a truly secure Face ID system, with no 3D Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensor to capture the required depth information. That's doubtless a cost issue, as the flagship Honor Magic 7 Pro does include such a feature.

Instead, the Honor 400 Lite's extended notch gives you a dedicated selfie light, though it has fairly limited utility. It'll technically allow you to record videos and take video calls in very low lighting, provided you really want to convey that mid-noughties webcam vibe.

A more consequential addition is the AI Camera Button, situated a little way below the volume and power buttons on the right-hand edge. It's another direct lift from Apple, with a similar look and somewhat unsatisfactory positioning to the iPhone 16's Camera Control.

It too serves as a dedicated camera shutter button, complete with two-stage operation for locking focus and a swipe-to-zoom facility that might actually be better than Apple's. It also serves as a two-tap camera shortcut, while a long press will bring up Google Lens, much as it brings up Visual Intelligence on an iPhone.

Hold the Honor 400 Lite in your hand, and all the iPhone comparisons flake away. This is an all-plastic affair, despite the metal-effect frame. It's well-built, with no creaks and a subtle pearlescent finish to the rear.

It's also very light, given its large 161 x 74.6mm footprint, at just 171g, while it's only 7.3mm thick.

You'll also notice the uneven bezel, which gets thicker at the corners and across the chin. That's a sure sign that we're shopping in the £250 category here, though a 93.7% screen-to-body ratio is still pretty decent for a budget phone.

• Design score: 3.5 / 5

Honor 400 Lite review: display Image 1 of 2

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(Image credit: Future)

• Solid 6.7-inch FHD+ OLED
• Gets nice and bright
• Only a mono speaker

Honor has equipped the 400 Lite with an accomplished 6.7-inch OLED display, with an FHD+ (1080 x 2412) resolution and a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz.

These are all specifications that we've come to expect in the £250 category, and they see the Honor 400 Lite matching the likes of the Poco X7 and the Samsung Galaxy A26.

Not many budget phones can boast a 3500-nit peak brightness, however. PWM dimming of 3840Hz, meanwhile, cuts perceptible flickering and potential eye strain.

In general use, I found this to be a really pleasant display to use, at least once I'd switched away from the ramped-up 'Vivid' color mode to the more muted and natural 'Normal'. It's big, sharp, color-accurate, and responsive, while its brightness scales evenly from very dark (great for low-light viewing) to quite bright.

It's a shame the Always On Display function doesn't meet the description, however, requiring a screen tap to activate.

Also a shame is Honor's enduring insistence on packing its affordable phone with a single downward-firing speaker. It doesn't feel like too much to ask for a solid set of stereo speakers, even at this price.

• Display score: 4 / 5

Honor 400 Lite review: cameras

(Image credit: Future)

• 108MP main camera struggles with HDR and night shots
• Poor 5MP ultra-wide
• Only 1080p/30fps video

Honor has simplified the camera setup from last year's Honor 200 Lite, with the pointless 2MP macro camera dropping out altogether.

This leaves you with what appears to be the same pair of cameras, specifically a 108MP 1/1.67" f/1.8 main sensor and a 5MP f/2.2 ultra-wide.

The main camera is a competent shooter under ideal conditions, capturing plenty of detail. It's even good enough to produce fairly convincing 2x and 3x crops in the absence of a dedicated telephoto.

There are issues with this main camera, however. It seems to struggle with HDR scenarios, either failing to lift very dark shady areas or otherwise blowing out background highlights.

I also noticed some odd processing effects, including a strange halo effect around distant birds in front of a blue sky.

(Image credit: Future)

Night shots, too, aren't very good, with poor detail and bags of noise. The lack of OIS here is quite evident.

The ultra-wide, meanwhile, is of a pretty substandard quality, lacking in detail and failing to match the tone of the main sensor.

The selfie camera has also changed since the Honor 200 Lite, dropping from a 50MP f/2.1 unit to a 16MP f/2.5. It captures adequate shots with reasonably rich colors, but again struggles with blown-out highlights.

The provision of an LED light is an interesting one. It definitely improved the clarity of my low-light selfie shots and videos when I activated it manually, but is it strictly necessary when most phones simply use a white screen for the job? I'm not so sure.

Talking of video, the main camera maxes out at a weedy 1080p at 30fps. That's a pretty poor effort when rivals such as the Galaxy A26, Moto G75 5G, and Poco X7 can all record at 4K.

• Camera score: 3 / 5

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(Image credit: Future) Honor 400 Lite review: performance

(Image credit: Future)

• MediaTek Dimensity 7025 Ultra is merely adequate
• Solid 8GB of RAM
• 256GB of storage

The Honor 400 Lite is equipped with a MediaTek Dimensity 7025 Ultra chipset, which isn't a very strong performer even within the budget phone category.

I've used a phone with this chip before in the Redmi Note 14 5G (which didn't ship in the UK), and I was left pretty unimpressed. Suffice it to say, the Honor 400 Lite did nothing to change my mind on this component.

Across CPU and GPU benchmark tests, it's outgunned by the Moto G75 5G, the Samsung Galaxy A26, and the Poco X7.

I'd like to say that this doesn't matter in practical terms, but that's not the case. There's a generally wallowy feel to everything from unlocking the phone to app startup and even basic animations.

It would be unfair to call this performance halting or stuttery, but everything seems to take a beat longer than it should. I'd be tempted to let it off the hook given the price, but the Poco X7 (to use one example) feels nice and snappy by comparison.

Indeed, while the Poco X7 is capable of running Genshin Impact quite well on Medium settings, the Honor 400 Lite needs to run it at Low or even Lowest if you're to maintain a decent frame rate.

The solitary model available in the UK gives you a solid 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, which is most welcome.

• Performance score: 3 / 5

Honor 400 Lite review: software

(Image credit: Future)

• Android 15 with MagicOS 9
• Six years of OS updates and security patches

With the Honor 400 Lite, you're getting Android 15 fresh out of the box, coated in Honor's latest MagicOS 9 UI. It's not my favorite Android skin by any stretch of the imagination.

Honor evidently doesn't think much of the flowing, vibrant UI design that Google baked into the latest version of Android, preferring instead the square icons and split notification menu of Apple's iOS.

The two UIs really look uncannily alike in places, right down to the look of the Settings menu and the lock screen. The aforementioned Magic Capsule drives this familiar sensation home with its Dynamic Island-style mini-widgets.

Sadly, such an admiration for Apple's work doesn't extend to the company's no-nonsense approach to bloatware. You'll find Facebook, Booking.com, TikTok, Amazon Shopping, ReelShort, LinkedIn, and the Temu shopping app all sitting on the second home screen straight from first boot-up.

There's also a Top Apps folder with four more third-party apps. It's a little excessive, if far from unusual, on Android.

Elsewhere, there's a whopping great themed 'Essentials' folder on the main home screen containing nine of the company's own apps, and another large folder filled with AI-suggested apps that I never found remotely useful.

(Image credit: Future)

Honor also provides its own App Market, which feels completely pointless with the Google Play Store present and accounted for (Honor is no longer part of Huawei, so it isn't hampered by the same sanctions).

There's a smattering of AI features here, including some Google-affiliated ones such as Smart Vision (essentially Google Lens), Google Gemini, and Circle to Search.

Honor has implemented a feature called Magic Portal that somewhat overlaps the latter Google provision, permitting you to draw around text and images before opening up a shortcut menu for sharing the resulting snippets to other apps. It's nowhere near as smart as Circle to Search, but it can actually be quite useful in this more localized on-device application. Or it would be, if the knuckle-based input system wasn't so flaky.

Favourite Space is a folder to quickly stash these hastily scrawled-out snippets. However, given the large number of superfluous preinstalled apps, I'm not sure why there isn't a standard Favourite Space app. I encountered numerous references to it and saved several snippets before it offered to create a shortcut (in the shape of an app icon) on the home screen.

When it comes to image editing, Honor offers a reasonably effective AI Eraser for deleting unwanted objects and people. AI Outpainting is a bizarre but technically impressive feature that essentially turns your regular shots into ultra-wides, using AI to infer what might be just out of frame. It kind of works in terms of creating convincing (though not accurate) images, but I'm not sure why you'd ever want to make use of such fakery beyond a tech demo.

Perhaps the most positive aspect of Honor's software provision on the 400 Lite is the promise of six years of OS and security updates. That's right up there with the Samsung Galaxy A26 in this budget class.

• Software score: 3 / 5

Honor 400 Lite review: battery life

(Image credit: Future)

• 5,230mAh battery
• 35W wired charging
• No charger in the box

Honor has supplied a larger-than-average 5,230mAh battery with the 400 Lite, which is significantly larger than the 4,500mAh battery of the Honor 200 Lite.

It results in predictably strong stamina. I found that I was able to go through a day of moderate to heavy usage, with 4 hours 40 minutes of screen on time, and be left with 58%.

You could conceivably go through a full two days here, though more intensive applications and mixed network use will, of course, drain that battery much faster.

In an increasingly common move, there's no charger supplied in the box. Honor claims that if you buy the dedicated 35W Honor Wired SuperCharge charger, the phone can power up to 100% in 75 minutes.

In my experience, you don't necessarily need to go out of your way to secure the official brick. While a Xiaomi 120W Hypercharge brick trickled along at a glacial pace, a Samsung 65W Super Fast charger got the job done in just 72 minutes.

As charging rates go, that's not especially quick. The Poco X7, with its 45W charging support, can get its similarly sized battery up to 100% in 50 minutes. The Moto G75 5G only supports 30W charging, but that budget rival also includes wireless charging, which the Honor 400 Lite does not.

• Battery score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Honor 400 Lite? Buy it if...

You'd really like a super cheap iPhone
Honor's design and software decisions reflect an admiration for Apple's iPhone and iOS, but the package on offer here is a fraction of the price.

You want manual camera control
The Honor 400 Lite's AI Camera Button offers a handy two-stage camera shutter button, as well as a camera shortcut.

You want a big phone, but not a heavy one
The Honor 400 Lite gives you a big 6.7-inch display, but the phone itself only weighs 171g.

Don't buy it if...

You want to play lots of games
The Honor 400 Lite runs on a MediaTek Dimensity 7025 Ultra processor, which is far from the fastest in this class.

You want a crisp UI
Honor's MagicOS is pretty cluttered and charmless, and a world away from stock Android.

You take a lot of night shots
In the absence of OIS, the Honor 400 Lite is far from the best low-light shooter.

Honor 400 Lite review: also consider

The Honor 400 Lite isn't the only classy affordable phone on the market. Here are some of the better alternatives to consider.

Motorola Moto G75 5G
Motorola's tough little phone is unusually robust, performs better, and has wireless charging, though its LCD screen is inferior.

Read our full Motorola Moto G75 5G review

Poco X7
The Poco X7 leaves the Honor 400 Lite in the dust on performance, has a better camera setup, and gives you stereo sound. We haven't yet reviewed it fully, mind.

How I tested the Honor 400 Lite

• Review test period = 1 week
• Testing included = Everyday usage, including web browsing, social media, photography, gaming, streaming video, music playback
• Tools used = Geekbench 6, GFXBench, 3DMark, native Android stats, Samsung 65W power adapter

First reviewed: April 2025

This review first appeared in issue 343 of PC Pro.

Businesses that don’t want to commit to long-term contracts for cloud collaboration services should check out HiDrive from web-hosting company Ionos. You can choose between four plans, and all are available on affordable monthly contracts so you can cancel them with minimum notice.

Ionos doesn’t offer free trials but you can try it out for next to nothing, with a one-year HiDrive Business contract currently costing a piffling 50p per month for five users and 1TB of cloud storage. We wanted to see everything HiDrive has to offer so we tried out the Pro plan, which costs £20 per month, starts with 2TB of cloud storage for ten users, enables support for the SMB/CIFS, FTP/SFTP, Rsync, SCP and Git protocols, and rounds it off with data backup services for users’ personal devices.

The HiDrive admin portal is simple to use, and you create new users by sending email invitations. For greater security, you can globally enable two-factor authentication (2FA) and assign admin rights to selected users, although roles aren’t supported so they will have full access to all settings.

Automatic backups can be run regularly and Ionos provides a handy app (Image credit: Future)

After creating their account, users can download the Windows or macOS desktop syncing app. This worked fine on our Windows 11 clients, and the latest version sees a redesigned interface with easier access to all features.

Users choose the cloud folders they want synchronized to their local mapped drive and how to respond when external storage devices are inserted. Along with encryption of data in flight and at rest in the HiDrive cloud servers, the Pro plan enables end-to-end encryption, although this is left in the hands of each user who can choose to apply this from the desktop app and manage their own keys.

Device backups are also controlled entirely by users. They can enable this for selected folders, schedule it to run regularly and recover data from the app or their own portal. A concern is that total cloud storage is not per user but shared among them all and, as admins have no control over device backups, they’ll need to monitor usage closely.

HiDrive doesn’t do file versioning, but all plans provide automatic backup of cloud data. Admins can run this as often as every four hours, retain data for up to a year, and users can access the backups from their portal and restore selected items to a cloud folder or download them as ZIP files.

There’s a simple web portal, and the desktop app offers user-managed backup services (Image credit: Future)

Each user has a personal repository in their portal for creating folders and uploading files to them. They can choose to share selected items in this area with anyone, including external collaborators, by emailing a web link with optional password protection, read/write privileges and expiry dates.

Sharing files between team members is handled by a “Common” area in the web portal. Only account administrators are allowed to create new folders within this and determine which users have read or read/write access, after which they become accessible in their own portal.

No Outlook or Gmail plugins are provided so all sharing and file upload requests must be sent from the user portal, with the latter limiting maximum file sizes to 2GB. HiDrive doesn’t integrate with any third-party apps, but users can load popular files such as Word documents or Excel spreadsheets from their portal and edit them in a browser without needing the relevant app installed.

Small businesses that want simple cloud file-sharing services will find Ionos HiDrive Pro ticks a lot of boxes. App integrations and collaboration tools are minimal, but it’s easy to use and, although cloud storage is shared, it’s still comparatively good value.

We also ranked the best website builders for small businesses.

This review first appeared in issue 343 of PC Pro.

Epson’s WorkForce Pro WF-C5890DWF will appeal to small workgroups with big print demands who need to keep a close eye on running costs. This versatile multifunction A4 inkjet printer can churn out mono and color pages for only 1.4p and 6.3p respectively, while a monthly duty cycle of 5,000 pages means it can take a lot of print punishment.

The WF-C5890DWF offers plenty of features, combining print, copy, scan and fax functions with USB, gigabit wired or 802.11n wireless, Wi-Fi Direct and AirPrint connectivity. The color flatbed scanner provides a 50-page automatic document feeder (ADF), there’s an 80-page multipurpose feeder at the back and the standard 250-sheet tray can be augmented with up to three 500-sheet cassettes.

Slotting into a drawer under the paper tray, Epson’s ink packs offer plenty of choices with K available in 3,000 (L), 5,000 (XL) and 10,000 (XXL) page capacities while C, Y and M come in L and XL page volumes. There’s very little difference between them for overall running costs, but note that the “Initial” packs supplied with the printer are only good for around 300 pages.

Installation is swift – Epson’s utility discovered the printer on our network, downloaded the latest software, installed a desktop status monitor, ran an automatic firmware upgrade and offered to load a wealth of free utilities. The Scan 2 desktop software includes a TWAIN driver with plenty of network scan controls, Document Capture Pro manages personal scan jobs and saves them for fast one-click access, while Epson’s iOS and Android mobile apps provide remote print and scan tools.

You can keep an eye on consumables from the printer’s web console and register it with Epson’s Connect remote print service. This assigns a customizable email address to the printer so remote users can print documents by sending them as mail attachments.

Epson provides great cloud support as well as mobile apps (Image credit: Future)

Scanning and faxing to the cloud couldn’t be easier. After adding personal Box, Dropbox, Evernote, Google Drive and OneDrive accounts at the Connect portal, they’ll appear in the printer’s touchscreen menu. The panel presents more icons for copying documents and scanning them directly to computers, network folders, FTP and email servers, a local USB stick and Windows PCs using Web Services on Devices (WSD).

Performance depends on the selected resolution. A 25-page Word document printed at standard mode in precisely one minute but dropped to only 6.4ppm with the driver’s high mode selected. We also saw this with our 24-page color DTP document, which averaged 23ppm and 6.1ppm for each mode. The good news is that the standard setting is fine for text: print quality is sharp enough for general office use, with only fonts smaller than 12pt showing hints of dusting. Color quality is another winner, with graphics and photos looking sharp and detailed without any signs of banding in large single-color areas.

Using Document Capture Pro to scan a 20-page sheaf of bank statements to a PC as a searchable PDF returned speeds of 22ppm. Duplex scans take much longer, though, as the ADF has to flip each page to scan both sides, with a double-sided scan of the same test document averaging only 4.3ppm.

You won’t need a high resolution for document archiving as output quality at 200dpi is fine for these tasks, with Epson’s OCR services correctly converting every word on the statements down to 6pt fonts. The software provides plenty of scan management tools along with a good range of output formats, and each PC that has it installed appears in the printer’s touchscreen menu for quick scan selection.

Epson’s WorkForce Pro WF-C5890DWF ticks all the right boxes for busy workgroups with high print and scan demands. The starter ink packs are a bit stingy but ongoing running costs are low, it offers great output quality and packs in an impressive range of user-friendly scan services.

We've also ranked the best cloud storage for photos.

With the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 – and indeed with this year's Razr Plus and base-model Razr – Motorola emphatically wants you to judge its book by the cover. If the Razr series stood out before with its unique colors, this year’s Razr, Razr Plus, and Razr Ultra phones cry out for attention with the most unique materials I’ve ever seen on a phone lineup.

The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025, a new high-end for the Razr family that doesn’t compromise on performance, durability, or design materials, is launching on May 15, with pre-orders starting May 7. It uses materials like real wood and Italian Alcantara, a suede-like synthetic fabric, in addition to the familiar vegan leather finish that I’ve enjoyed on past Razr phones. The cheaper Motorola Razr 2025 will feature a textured nylon-like finish, as well as a more sturdy acetone, among other options.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Is it weird that I’m starting my hands-on review of the new Motorola Razr Ultra by talking about the materials? It’s even more weird that Motorola didn’t talk about the materials to start its Razr launch event. It didn’t talk about design, or durability, or performance. It didn’t mention the new titanium hinge until the very end, and the impressive new Snapdragon 8 Elite processor was an afterthought.

The time I went to a phone launch and they forgot to launch the phones

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Motorola launched the Motorola Razr 2025 family by talking about – surprise! – AI. Cue a collective groan. Moto spent an hour slogging through AI features – similar to the features, incidentally, that Apple is getting in trouble for failing to launch. Features that let the phone gather a wealth of information about you, and what you are doing at any given moment, to remember and recite later in response to your questions.

I seriously thought Motorola had forgotten about its new phones as it paraded partners and executives on stage to talk about partnerships and executions. The executive in charge of partnerships for Pantone appeared (in a taped video) to talk about working with Motorola. Not Pantone’s color chief or creatives. The business-partners guy.

Just as my cynicism was building, Motorola marched Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas on stage, looking nervous and amateurish, to talk about the way Motorola will be integrating and offering more Perplexity features on upcoming phones. Buyers will get a few months of free service to use what our friends at Wired called “a Bullsh*t Machine,” an AI that has been proven to plagiarize journalists’ work.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Fine, Motorola – if you’re not going to talk about your new phones until the end of the presentation, I’ll do the same. I loved last year’s Motorola Razr Plus 2024… until I got to the AI features. I found an AI image generator that created images that fell into bigoted stereotypes. It was the first image generator on a phone that allowed bigoted stereotypes of humans – a real milestone.

Further, most of the AI features Motorola promised at the Razr Plus 2024 launch never materialized. The phone was supposed to be able to listen to your calls, and even pay attention to your conversations in person, to take notes and relay answers later. Those features are still unavailable.

By the time this new Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 launches, the AI features Moto promised back in 2024 might be offered to beta software testers, at best. But that isn’t keeping Motorola from claiming that the new phone will be able to do all of the same things the old phone was never able to manage.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

This is very sad, because Motorola may have created its best foldable phone ever – a phone that finally rivals flagship foldables from Samsung like the Galaxy Z Flip 6. Instead of focusing on the phone, though, Motorola is trumpeting Moto AI, but smartphone AI has proven to be a less-than-worthless feature so far, perhaps even doing more harm than good.

Through the end of the two-hour launch event, Motorola never said the complete name of the new device – the Motorola Razr Ultra – even one time. There was no discussion of pricing or availability until we got a fact sheet sent over email later in the day. It felt like Motorola was so excited to talk about its new partnerships with Perplexity and Swarovski, among others, that it forgot to mention the new phones.

Actually, there were new Motorola RAZR phones, and they spoke for themselves

Enough with the AI; onto the new phones! With the 2025 Motorola Razr family, Motorola leans even harder into the idea that you should absolutely judge a book by its cover. And honestly, what covers these are.

The Razr Ultra 2025 isn't just a phone; it's a statement piece, a fashion accessory that happens to make calls, take photos, and pack some serious performance under the hood.

The partnership with Pantone, which gave us past year's Peach Fuzz and Mocha Mousse, reaches new heights. Every colorway for the new Ultra feels deliberate, curated, and tied to a specific material choice that elevates the phone beyond simple plastic and Gorilla Glass.

The Motorola Razr (2025) in Spring Bud next to the Razr (2024) in Peach Fuzz (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

This year, the Razr Ultra (2025) comes in colors that include Pantone Rio Red, Scarab, Mountain Trail, and Cabaret. The Razr (2025) is available in colors that include Pantone Spring Bud, Gibraltar Sea, Parfait Pink, and Lightest Sky. While the Pantone names are evocative, the materials are the real story.

Motorola is bringing back wood! Yes, actual wood graces the Mountain Trail variant, a fantastic and welcome throwback to the days of the customizable Moto X. My biggest regret as a phone collector is that I didn't buy the Moto X phone with real teak wood. The new Motorola Razr Ultra is available with a wood back that comes from responsibly sourced wood. It's not teak, but it's totally gorgeous with the golden trim finish.

Holding the wooden Razr Ultra evokes a warmth and organic texture that's missing from the cold metals and glass dominating the market. It felt premium, unique, and surprisingly durable during my initial hands-on time. I hope it weathers nicely after a few years of use.

Then there’s the Alcantara finish, which adorns the Pantone Scarab model. This soft, suede-like material feels fantastic – grippy, luxurious, and resistant to fingerprints. It adds a tactile dimension that’s genuinely pleasant, and reminds me of driving my Porsche – the one I don’t actually own – through the countryside.

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Razr Ultra (2025) in Mountain Trail (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)Image 2 of 6

Razr Ultra (2025) in Scarab, the Alcantara color (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)Image 3 of 6

Razr Ultra (2025) in Rio Red (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)Image 4 of 6

Razr Ultra (2025) in Cabaret (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)Image 5 of 6

Razr (2025) in Spring Bud (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)Image 6 of 6

Razr (2025) in Gibraltar Sea, the Nylon color (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

My only slight reservation here is the Scarab color itself; while sophisticated, it feels a bit… ominous compared to the vibrancy Moto usually brings. It’s a muted, dark greenish-grey that might appeal to those wanting subtlety, but it feels like a missed opportunity compared to the potential vibrancy Alcantara can hold. I would have liked to see a light-blue Alcantara, or a Mocha Mousse version.

The Rio Red and Cabaret options, paired with vegan leather, promise the more eye-catching hues we've come to expect. I was surprised that Motorola is offering two reddish hues on the same model, but they clearly know more about colors than I do.

Motorola is banking on design diversity, offering something that stands out in a sea of smartphone sameness. But as I noted last year with vegan leather, material choices have implications. Wood requires careful sourcing from FSC-approved (Forestry Stewardship Council) sources, and Alcantara, while luxurious, is still a synthetic material. The eco-conscious narrative is complex, and today’s economic climate is not making eco-friendly choices more profitable.

The Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) – finally a true Razr flagship phone

The Alcantara Razr Ultra on top of the FSC-certified wood Razr Ultra (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Beneath the surface, has the Ultra moniker been earned? Let's delve into the hardware, because there are significant changes inside, potentially addressing my lingering hesitations from previous generations.

The new Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 gives the Razr family a high-end option that matches the competition. Motorola used to sell one phone as the Razr Plus in the US and the Razr Ultra in the rest of the world. This year, these are distinct models.

The Razr Plus 2025 is very similar to last year’s Razr Plus 2024 and Razr 50 Ultra, but the new Razr Ultra 2025 – that’s Razr 60 Ultra for most of the world – is a whole new beast.

It’s also an expensive beast, sadly. Last year’s Motorola Razr Plus / Razr 50 Ultra cost $999.99 / £999.99 / AU$1,699, and Motorola perpetually offered a $300 discount for that phone, at least in the US, making it one of the most affordable phones you can buy, foldable or not.

The Razr Plus (2025) [left] next to a Razr Plus (2024) [right] (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

This year’s Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 starts at a whopping $1,299 / £1,099.99 (AU pricing was TBC at publication time). That’s more than a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 and more than an iPhone 16 Pro Max. It’s the same price as Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra, the most feature-packed phone you can buy (that doesn’t fold in half).

Thankfully, the Moto Razr Ultra 2025 works to earn that price bump. While the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 in last year's Razr Plus was capable, it wasn't a true, top-tier flagship chip. The Razr Ultra 2025 rectifies this emphatically by incorporating the Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile platform. I’ve been very impressed by the Snapdragon 8 Elite phones I’ve tested so far this year, especially the OnePlus 13. The new chipset offers top-notch performance and superlative battery life.

The new Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 also comes with a substantial boost in memory and storage – now starting at a whopping 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage (with a 1TB option available). This phone should feel instantly faster, and I’m expecting it will be significantly more future-proof. Last year's 8GB/256GB starter configuration of the Moto Razr Plus 2024 feels almost quaint by comparison.

Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) hands-on review: Display

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Motorola also continues its winning streak on flip phone displays. The external cover display, already a standout feature, retains its vibrancy and gets a boost to a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. It remains the most usable and versatile cover screen on any flip phone, bar none.

Moto’s philosophy of allowing most Android apps to run natively on this outer screen is still its killer app, making quick interactions genuinely useful without my needing to open the phone. Enhancements for apps like Google Photos and Spotify were welcome last year, and I expect further refinements here. Sadly, the only app Motorola demonstrated on the cover display was the new Perplexity AI app.

Okay, that's a lot of bloatware on such a small screen (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Unfold the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 and you're greeted by a gorgeous 7.0-inch AMOLED panel (6.9-inches on the Razr and Razr Plus). It’s an HDR10+ certified, Dolby Vision-capable screen with a sharp 464ppi pixel density. Like the cover screen, it boasts an adaptive LTPO refresh rate up to 165Hz and pushes brightness even further to a dazzling 4500 nits peak, though we’ll have to test those claims in Future Labs before we confirm their accuracy.

Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) hands-on review: Cameras

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Now, let's talk about the Achilles' heel of foldable phones like the previous Razr Plus: the cameras. Foldables inherently struggle here due to space constraints. Last year's jump to 50MP on the Plus sounded good, but came with smaller individual pixels, relying on pixel binning. I was hopeful, but ultimately found the results good, not great. This year, the Razr Ultra seems to be taking the camera situation much more seriously, with upgrades across the board.

The main camera is still a 50MP sensor, but the specs suggest a significant improvement. It uses quad pixel-binning technology to produce 12.6MP images, but the effective pixel size resulting from this binning is now a much larger 2.0μm (up from 1.6μm effective last year, which itself was binned from 0.8μm native pixels on the sensor).

This, combined with an f/1.8 aperture, OIS, and instant all-pixel PDAF, could translate to much better low-light performance and overall image quality. Motorola is also touting Pantone Validated Color and Skin Tones. This is a new development for Pantone, so we’ll have to test the Razr cameras to see if they deliver on this promise.

Capturing a candid of Mr Mobile through the front cameras (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Instead of last year's 2x zoom on the Plus, the Ultra brings back a dedicated 50MP ultrawide camera with a 122-degree field of view. This sensor also uses quad pixel binning for 12.6MP shots with an effective 1.2μm pixel size, and it doubles as a macro camera.

While I appreciated the utility of the 2x zoom for portraits last year, a high-resolution ultra-wide often proves more versatility for landscapes, group shots, and creative perspectives. The macro capability is a nice bonus, if Motorola can match the macro performance we’re seeing from the best camera phones.

Even the front-facing (internal) camera gets a massive bump to 50MP, again using pixel-binning technology for 12.6MP images with a 1.28μm effective pixel size and an f/2.0 aperture. This is a huge step up, and promises much better selfies and video calls when the phone is open.

On paper, this camera system looks like the upgrade I was hoping to see. It genuinely seems that Motorola has invested in larger, better sensors across the board, and larger sensors are the best upgrade for a new camera.

Of course, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and extensive testing will be needed to see if the processing and software can truly leverage this hardware potential and finally make the Razr camera competitive with the best camera phones from Samsung, Google and OnePlus. My fingers are crossed.

Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) hands-on review: Battery life

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Battery life and charging get a significant boost on the new Motorola Razr Ultra – a nice turn, since this is often a compromise on thin foldables. The 2025 Razr Ultra packs a much larger 4,700mAh battery, a substantial increase from the 4,000mAh cell in the Razr Plus 2024. Alongside the efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset inside, this should make a noticeable difference to daily endurance.

When it does need topping up, charging speeds have also dramatically increased. We now get 68W wired charging (up from 45W, though the charger is sold separately) and faster 30W wireless charging (doubling last year's 15W).

There’s even 5W reverse-wireless charging to juice up earbuds or other accessories. This comprehensive power upgrade addresses a key user concern, and adds significant practical value for the new, more expensive Razr Ultra.

Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) hands-on review: Durability and design

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Perhaps most importantly, the new Razr family will be more durable than ever before. The Razr Ultra 2025 boasts an IP48 rating. The '8' signifies the same strong water resistance as before (up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes in fresh water).

The '4', however, is new to Razr, and crucial. It indicates protection against solid objects larger than 1mm. This means better defense against things like crumbs, pocket lint, or grit getting into the hinge mechanism – a common worry for foldable owners.

It's not full dust proofing (like an IP68 rating on a traditional phone), a limitation it shares with competitors like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, but it’s a welcome step towards greater peace of mind for everyday use.

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All these upgrades – the bigger battery, potentially larger camera modules, improved hinge protection, premium materials like wood – come with another slight cost: weight. The Razr Ultra 2025 tips the scales at 199g. That's roughly 10g heavier than last year's Motorola Razr Plus 2024, and this new Razr Ultra is the heaviest flip phone currently on the market.

However, let's keep things in perspective. It’s still remarkably pocketable when closed, and it’s significantly lighter than many traditional flagship slabs. For context, the Motorola Razr Ultra is about an ounce (around 28g) lighter than the iPhone 16 Pro Max, despite offering a similar main display size and battery cell. In my brief handling, the extra weight wasn't bothersome, and it even added to the premium, dense feel.

Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) hands-on review: Software

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The phone runs Android 15 out of the box, and the software experience felt typically Moto – clean, fluid, with useful additions rather than heavy-handed skinning. The powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite chip ensures everything flies.

Regarding AI, the conversation feels similar to last year. Google's Gemini is likely deeply integrated, benefiting from the NPU on the new chipset for faster on-device processing.

Moto's own Moto AI features, like the intriguing 'Pay Attention' recording / summarization tool previewed last year, remain something I’m waiting to see fully realized. I can keep waiting, but Moto needs to demonstrate a clear, reliable, and secure AI strategy soon.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The hardware is now undoubtedly capable; the software execution remains the question mark, much like last year. I also sincerely hope Motorola improves its track record on major Android version updates, which lagged significantly for the 2023 models.

Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) hands-on review: Not the final verdict

The Alcantara is nice but the fake stitching really sells it (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

So, has the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 earned its 'Ultra' suffix? Based on this initial hands-on, I'd say yes. Motorola has not only doubled down on its flip-phone design leadership with exciting materials like real wood and Italian Alcantara, and refined color partnerships, but it has also decisively addressed key hardware shortcomings.

The move to a true flagship processor, the doubled RAM/storage, the significantly larger battery with faster charging, and the promising, across-the-board camera sensor upgrades represent a major leap forward. The improved IP rating adds practical durability.

The Motorola Razr (2025) in Lightest Sky (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

While I can’t deliver a final verdict until I’ve had time to test this phone with a full review – especially focusing on camera performance and real-world battery endurance – the Razr Ultra 2025 feels like the most complete, comely, and compelling Razr yet.

If the high price has you flummoxed, just wait. As we saw last year, Motorola's list prices are often just a starting point. Keep a close eye out for carrier deals, trade-in offers, and big discounts soon after launch – some patience might save you a significant chunk of change. If you’re too excited to wait, the hardware upgrades might make paying full price feel more justified, especially if those cameras finally deliver.

You might also like...

• The best Motorola phones 2025: top Edge, Razr, and G models
• Your next Android bargain? Major Motorola leak teases details of multiple 2025 phones
• Motorola’s new cheap phone offers great value for money

Red Magic 10 Air: Two-minute review

With the Red Magic 10 Air, Nubia has essentially taken last year's Red Magic 9 Pro, squeezed it into a much slimmer and less obnoxious design, and charged a lower price for the privilege of owning this newer model.

As repurposing jobs go, it's a very canny one. The Red Magic 10 Air is a highly capable gaming phone that costs less than $600 / £450, and you won't find better performance for the money.

While it runs on a chip that's no longer top of its class, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 remains an excellent runner. It'll handle the latest games extremely fluidly, which is really what matters here.

Nubia's new slimmed-down design is the best it's ever come up with, certainly within the gaming phone space, and it hasn't even had to compromise on battery life to achieve this trimmer body. With a 6,000mAh cell, the Red Magic 10 Air will last two days of normal usage quite easily.

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While the Game Space gaming UI is still there to let you manage and customize your games, Red Magic OS remains one of the busiest and cheapest-feeling UIs on the market. It's better than it's ever been, but that's really not saying much.

Another continued weak point is the phone's photographic provision. This twin 50MP camera setup will get you adequate pictures in most scenarios, but you can do better even for this sort of money.

Meanwhile, the phone's in-display selfie camera may be good for media content, but it makes for truly terrible selfies.

Ultimately, if you're shopping for a gaming-capable phone for less than £500, the Red Magic 10 Air is one of your best bets – especially if you want a phone that doesn't stretch the lining of your pockets.

We'd still like to see further refinement to the hardware and particularly the software, but the Red Magic 10 Air successfully carves out a new niche, even if we're not 100% sure there's a market for it. Until the day that Asus decides to create a mid-range ROG phone (if that day ever comes), this is the most unassuming gaming phone on the market.

Red Magic 10 Air review: price and availability

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• From £439 / $579
• Launched on April 23, 2025
• Flare model expected in June 2025
• Not available in Australia

The Red Magic 10 Air is on sale now, having commenced open sales on April 23, 2025. The Flare model, with its fetching orange finish, is expected to go on sale a little later, in June 2025.

Pricing starts at $579 / £439 for the Twilight and Hailstone models with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. You can bump that spec up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage (as reviewed here) in all three finishes for $699 / £559.

As always with Red Magic devices, this is a hugely competitive price for the level of performance being supplied. The Air might not be as capable as the Red Magic 10 Pro, but it's also $70 / £140 cheaper than that phone's launch price.

At $579 / £439, it undercuts the Poco F7 Pro – another mid-range performance-focused phone with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip – by £60.

The Red Magic 10 Air is not available in Australia at the time of writing.

• Value score: 4.5 / 5

Red Magic 10 Air review: specs Red Magic 10 Air review: design

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• Much slimmer, lighter, and more subtle than Pro
• 520Hz capacitive shoulder trigger buttons
• Only IP54 rated
• Customizable Magic Key

The Red Magic 10 Air is by far the best-looking gaming phone Nubia has ever made, as well as the easiest to live with.

Nubia has significantly stripped back the garish gamer aesthetic, providing a mostly clean etched glass back with only subtle Red Magic branding. Even the RGB lighting has been stripped right back, with just a small ring light positioned above the two rear cameras in its own housing.

My test model is in the Hailstone shade, which is a pleasingly shimmery white. You can also specify it in Twilight (black), while a Flare variant is coming in June for those with a yearning for something more eye-catching. The latter offers a bold orange finish with a black frame, together with a transparent-effect strip running the length of the rear panel.

That 'Air' name needs to be taken in context. A thickness of 7.85mm and a weight of 205g both sound pretty normal for a regular phone, but they work out to be extremely compact for a gaming phone.

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Nubia has still managed to equip its latest phone with a large battery, a meaty vapor chamber cooling system, and a handful of extra controls positioned around its aluminum frame – all requirements of the gaming phone format.

Those controls include a pair of 520Hz capacitive shoulder buttons, which can be mapped to gaming controls. This makes competitive shooters such as Warzone Mobile and the new Delta Force, in particular, much more intuitive to play.

The most interesting design tweak, aside from that slimmer body, is the move from a physical hardware switch for entering Nubia's Gamespace UI to a more generic button. Yes, it lacks the tactile clunk of the original, but it gains versatility by being remappable.

While it defaults to the Gamespace UI for launching and managing games, it can be reassigned to a camera shortcut, a mute/silent button, or for turning on the torch.

Like the Red Magic 10 Pro, the Air is only rated to an IP54 level of dust and water resistance. This is well short of the Poco X7 Pro and its flagship-level IP68 rating.

One other signature Red Magic feature is the lack of a visible notch, which means that video and gaming content is completely unobstructed.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Red Magic 10 Air review: display

(Image credit: Future)

• 6.8-inch AMOLED
• 2,480 x 1,116 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate
• 1600-nit peak brightness

Glancing at the specifications of the Red Magic 10 Air's display, it instantly becomes clear what Nubia has done here. It's essentially using the screen from last year's Red Magic 9 Pro.

While that means it's not quite as big, sharp, bright, or responsive as the Red Magic 10 Pro, it still makes for an excellent media canvas.

This is a 6.8-inch 120Hz AMOLED with a 2,480 x 1,116 resolution (aka 1.5K). No, you don't get the Red Magic 10 Pro's 144Hz refresh rate, but you could count on one hand the number of consequential games that really make use of this spec. The new Delta Force shooter is the most recent and notable example, but it's a rarity.

It's more of a shame to lose the 10 Pro's bolstered brightness, though a 1,600-nit peak still proves plenty bright enough in all but the sunniest of conditions.

Colors look vibrant yet natural, at least once you switch away from the default 'Colorful' setting to the better-balanced 'Standard' one. It's a thoroughly pleasant display to use day-to-day, as well as for gaming.

On the audio front, two stereo speakers provide nice spacious sound with a reasonable level of depth – for a mid-range phone, at least – and DTS-X Ultra certification.

• Display score: 4 / 5

Red Magic 10 Air review: cameras

(Image credit: Future)

• 50MP main with OIS
• 50MP ultra-wide
• Improved 16MP selfie camera
• Up to 8K/30fps video

On the Red Magic 10 Air, Red Magic has stuck with broadly the same camera system as the Red Magic 10 Pro, with one very minor tweak.

The main camera here is a 50MP 1/1.5" OmniVision OV50E with OIS and a 7P lens. The other camera is a 50MP 1/2.88" OmniVision OV50D ultra-wide. There's no dedicated macro camera this time, which is of absolutely no consequence.

These cameras have been present in the past few Pro generations, and they've never impressed. They fall at the lower end of the mid-range camera quality scale, with occasional blown-out highlights in scenarios that call for HDR mode, and unnaturally vibrant colors in general.

Fed with the right amount of light, you can capture solid shots with decent detail. Those punched-up colors ensure that none of your shots will look boring or washed out, and human subjects look quite nice and defined. Portrait mode, too, is reasonably effective at accentuating the subject even without proper depth mapping.

Zoomed shots crop in on the main sensor, and remain serviceable at 2x, but turn to an increasingly noisy mess at 5x and 10x. Night shots, however, look quite crisp and clear, courtesy of a decent-sized sensor and OIS.

The ultra-wide shows a drop-off in detail and depth, as you'd expect from a significantly smaller sensor, but it's not terrible. The tone is broadly consistent with that main camera, which is always welcome.

You also get the same 16MP front camera this time, with the same ruinous in-display configuration. This makes for some of the worst selfie shots you're likely to see in a 2025 phone of any price.

The video recording provision is pretty decent for a mid-range phone, utilizing the Red Magic 10 Air's flagship chip to support 8K/30fps or 4K/60fps.

• Camera score: 3.5 / 5

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• Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip is an oldie but a goodie
• 6,100mm² vapor chamber cooling
• 12GB or 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM
• 256GB or 512GB UFS 4.0 storage

The 'Red Magic 9 Pro on a diet' vibes continue with the Red Magic Air 10's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. This was the chip of choice for the 2024 Android flagship crowd.

It's since been superseded by the brilliant Snapdragon 8 Elite, as seen in the Red Magic 10 Pro, but that doesn't mean this older chip is obsolete. It remains a very strong runner, and one that continues to be competitive in 2025, especially with either 12 or 16GB of RAM to help it out, as there is here.

In CPU benchmark terms, the Red Magic 10 Air comfortably beats the Pixel 9 Pro XL with its Tensor G4, which is one of the top flagship phones at the moment. I encountered the usual GFX Bench quirk that Nubia phones exhibit, where the GPU frame rate results seem less impressive than they are, but rest assured that this thing flies on practical graphical tasks.

Crucially, it's capable of running the most advanced games on high settings and fluid frame rates. It's a known fact that mobile game development hasn't kept pace with mobile chip technology, which means that the likes of GRID Legends, Genshin Impact, and Warzone Mobile run beautifully on last year's top chip.

It also runs relatively cool. While the Red Magic 10 Air loses the active fan cooling of the Pro series, a 6,100 mm² vapor chamber keeps things from getting too toasty.

A stability score of 89.8% in the demanding 3DMark Solar Bay Stress Test brings the Red Magic 10 Air out ahead of most 2025 flagship phones, if well short of the Red Magic 10 Pro and Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro. This tells you that the phone will broadly maintain its performance over slightly longer gaming sessions.

• Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Red Magic 10 Air review: software

(Image credit: Future)

• Red Magic OS 10 on Android 15
• Busy but fluid and customizable UI
• Dedicated Game Space gaming UI

Nubia has stuck with the same software as on the Red Magic 10 Pro, which means you get Red Magic OS 10 sat atop Android 15.

It's never been an especially appealing interface, with little artistry or subtlety to the icons, menus, and wallpapers. However, Nubia has cleaned up its act significantly over the past few years, and the Red Magic 10 Air offers Red Magic OS at its least obnoxious.

There are no longer any ugly widgets on the home screen when you first boot the phone up. I didn't spot too many typos or glitches, either.

Most of the apps you'll see first are from Google, with the exception of Nubia's own pointless web browser. The second home screen is where all the bloatware lives, including uninvited downloads of TikTok, Facebook, MoboReels (third-rate video clips), MoboReader (a third-rate ebook reader), Booking.com, WPS Office, and Goper (where you can manage all your Nubia devices).

If MoboReader and MoboReels feel somewhat low-rent, wait until you've seen what lives to the left of the home screen in place of Google Feed. Nubia has supplied a bunch of dubious 'Recommended apps', some even worse recommended games, and a bunch of assorted news stories. It all feels very cheap.

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With all that said, Red Magic OS 10 is customizable and functional, and it scrolls along at a fair old lick.

Nubia's Game Space game management UI has always been a highlight, insomuch as it caters well to the target demographic. Press that red button, and you'll be taken into a landscape UI that lets you launch games, tweak the phone's performance output, play with screen sensitivity, and manage in-game plug-ins. Think enhanced zoom and sound equalizers in shooters.

AI implementation is pretty minimal compared to many other contemporary phones, despite that meaty AI-ready chip. You get real-time voice translation, Google's usual Magic Editor, Gemini preinstalled, and that's about it. Suffice to say, this isn't the phone to go with if you're excited by the cutting edge of mobile AI.

The Red Magic 10 Air is set to receive three years of Android version updates and three years of security updates. That's an advance on the flagship Red Magic 10 Pro's one Android version and three years of security updates, though it's still not among the best on the market, even at this price.

• Software score: 3 / 5

Red Magic 10 Air review: battery life

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• 6,000mAh battery
• Two days of regular usage
• 100W wired charging (international version)

Given that Nubia has slimmed the Red Magic 10 Air down significantly compared to the Pro line, you'd expect something to give on the battery capacity front.

Something has indeed given, but only relatively speaking. Out goes the mammoth 7,050mAh battery of the Red Magic 10 Pro; in comes a still-huge 6,000mAh cell.

In general use, I found that this sizeable battery was quite comfortably capable of lasting through two days of moderate usage. A day with 3 hours and 15 minutes of screen-on time left me with 62%.

The international version of the Red Magic 10 Air comes with a 100W charger, but the model I was sent only had the 80W charger that comes with the Chinese model. I say 'only', but it was still able to get from empty to 100% in a creditable 51 minutes.

As with the rest of the Red Magic range, there's no wireless charging provision here. That's even more forgivable at this lower price, though.

It's a shame there's no second USB-C port, as with the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro. I found gaming while charging quite tricky, as reaching the right-hand shoulder button proved particularly awkward.

• Battery score: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Red Magic 10 Air? Buy it if...

You like to game, but don't want to fill your pocket
The Red Magic 10 Air isn't exactly a small phone, but it isn't as obnoxiously big as other gaming phones.

You don't have more than $600 / £450 to spend on your gaming phone
Red Magic phones are always great value, but the Air comes in at less than $600 / £450. It's a gaming phone bargain.

You hate notches
Nubia uses an in-display notch for its phones, which means it doesn't get in the way of video and gaming content.

Don't buy it if...

You take a lot of selfies
Selfies on the 10 Air are bad – really, really bad – thanks to that in-display notch.

You appreciate a clean UI
Red Magic OS is busy and ugly, and a world away from Google's stock Android.

You're a hardcore mobile gamer
The 10 Air is undeniably a gaming phone, but if you're someone who spends hours playing mobile games every day, the Red Magic 10 Pro or the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro will serve you better.

Red Magic 10 Air review: also consider

The Red Magic 10 Air isn't the only gaming-ready mid-range smartphone on the market. Here are some of the alternatives to consider.

Xiaomi Poco F7 Pro
Perhaps the closest competitor to the Red Magic 10 Air, Xiaomi's budget performance champ runs the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, the same-sized 6,000mAh battery, and costs only a little more money. It also packs an even better screen and a way better selfie cam.

Read our full Xiaomi Poco X7 Pro review

Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro
Shop around and you'll still be able to find the Red Magic 9 Pro or the Red Magic 9S Pro selling brand new, probably for a decent price. These phones have the same screen and processor as the Red Magic 10 Air, but a slightly larger battery and superior cooling.

Read our full Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro review

How I tested the Red Magic 10 Air

• Review test period = 1 week
• Testing included = Everyday usage, including web browsing, social media, photography, gaming, streaming video, music playback
• Tools used = Geekbench 6, GFXBench, 3DMark, native Android stats, Red Magic 80W power adapter

First reviewed: April 2025

Softr is a no-code platform that can help you create all kinds of web apps, marketplaces, ERP, dashboards, and more, all from a visual editor, without writing a single line of code. Together with its peers, Softr has gained traction in recent years thanks to its promise of democratizing and streamlining the app creation process.

In this review, we'll explore Softr's standout features, user interface, ease of use, integration and extensibility, deployment and maintenance, pricing, and documentation, and compare it with some of its peers in the no-code space.

Softr: Features

Softr gives you access to over 90 pre-built templates that you can use as starting points to launch web apps faster than starting with a clean slate. You’ll find templates to create help desk portals, all kinds of internal business tools, CRMs, member communities, marketplaces, and a lot more.

Each template has its own layout, and customizable options, which you can tweak as per your needs.

Keeping up with the times, the platform also offers you the option to create an app with an AI prompt.

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Irrespective of how you start your app, the platform will ease its customization thanks to its drag-and-drop interface. The interface makes it rather straightforward to create layouts, structure pages, and tweak components inside them. The simplicity of it all ensures that even if you don’t have any prior web development experience, you can cobble together a web app without too much fuss.

Softr also supports user management and authentication features, to help create gated content, subscription-based services, or private communities. You can enable email-based logins, two-factor authentication, Google sign-in, and even SSO via SAML and OpenID protocols. You can also create different user groups and control what each group can see, or do.

Similarly, Softr offers integrated payment processing through Stripe, to help build subscription-based apps. It also supports PayPal, and Gumroad for digital purchases.

While it originally started as an interface on top of Airtable, Softr can now work with popular third-party databases, ranging from simple options like Google Sheets, and Notion to relational databases like PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, and more.

You can also create workflows, and automate tasks by integrating your Softr-built app with the Zapier automation platform. This will help set up triggers and actions between your app and other services, for instance to send personalized welcome emails, or for adding users to a CRM, and such.

Best of all, Softr ensures that all your apps are responsive, and display nicely on desktops, tablets, and smartphones.

Softr: Interface and Ease of Use

The platform’s interface is clean and user-friendly. The dashboard gives you access to your projects, as well as the ability to create new ones. You can either start with a blank canvas, use a template, or generate an app with AI.

Softr’s design interface is straightforward, with a navigation bar on the left side where you can access key components like Pages, Themes, Database, Users, and Settings.

You can easily create pages, tweak layout by repositioning or adding, and deleting blocks, all without dealing with complex menus or settings.

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All pages have blocks, which you can think of as pre-designed components that cater to different purposes. For instance, you can add a Calendar block to map project deadlines, or coordinate team schedules, and such.

You can customize any block from a properties panel that appears when a block is selected. While it does quicken the app creation process, remember though that Softr blocks don’t give you the same level of design freedom that you get with other platforms like Bubble.

For instance, you can add multiple CTA buttons to your app, and change their order of appearance, but can’t reposition them to any part of the page, as you can with Bubble.

As you are building, you can use Softr’s Preview function to look at your app. Very helpfully, it gives you the option to look at the app from the point of view of any user, including logged out users.

You can use the device selector to preview the app as it would appear on devices with different screen sizes. Interestingly, you can even scan the QR code to preview the app on your actual device as well, without installing additional apps.

Softr: Integration and Extensibility

The Airtable integration is one of Softr's biggest strengths, enabling users to easily manage data and display it within their applications.

Beyond Airtable, Softr connects natively to simple spreadsheets, SQL databases, and even data warehouses like BigQuery.

On top of that it also integrates with business apps like HubSpot Chat, Documint, Google Analytics, and more. The platform also natively supports Stripe, PayPal, and Gumroad to help you roll in e-commerce functionality in your apps.

If you want more, you can connect your apps to more sources with Softr’s recently introduced REST API connector.

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Similarly, you can break beyond Softr’s default capabilities by embedding JavaScript into your app’s pages. Thanks to this flexibility, you can inject your own code snippets, and there are lots of commonly used code snippets in the documentation, and even embed third-party widgets directly into their applications. You can, for instance, easily embed Calendly in your Softr app to schedule and manage appointments.

Softr: Deployment and Maintenance

Once you’ve developed and previewed your app, you can easily deploy them to a live domain, literally with a single click.

The platform relies on the AWS infrastructure, and like its peers, it too handles hosting, domain management, and SSL certificates.

When deploying an app, the platform gives you the option to deploy it to a free Softr subdomain. Or, if your membership tier allows it, you can also point Softr to a custom domain, and publish there instead.

The platform claims it’ll automatically scale all Softr apps according to traffic, which makes the platform suitable for all kinds of businesses, and use cases. However, while not many users have faced any performance issues with their apps, some advise caution for using the platform to build large-scale apps, primarily depending on where you have stored your data.

Softr: Pricing and Documentation

Softr offers a tiered pricing structure.

The free plan includes a basic set of features. You can use it to explore the platform, and build small, personal apps, or prototypes. While you can only publish one app, you can invite as many collaborators as you want to help build the app. It also limits the number of building blocks, the data sources, and the number of records you can use in your app.

Paid plans unlock more advanced features such as custom domains, more data sources, and integrations, and the ability to remove Softr branding. The Basic plan starts at $59/month (or $49/month billed annually) and lets you publish three apps.

Then there’s the $167/month Professional plan ($139/month billed annually), and the $323/month Business plan ($269/month billed annually). As you move up the tier, you’ll get additional features, and functionality, as well as more support options.

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Talking of support, Softr offers comprehensive text, and video documentation, howtos, and courses, for new users. The documentation covers everything from getting started to publishing. It also has detailed, illustrated guides on advanced topics such as integrating third-party tools, and writing custom code.

In addition to the documentation, Softr offers support through a community forum, and a 24/7 live chat. Some paid tiers also get a personalized onboarding call, and priority support.

Softr: The Competition

Softr shares the space with several other point-and-click no-code platforms that can all churn out web apps.

For starters there’s Bubble, which is often thought of as a more robust platform than Softr, especially when it comes to building complex apps. Bubble offers greater flexibility, though it comes with a steeper learning curve.

Then there’s Bildr, which puts great emphasis on visual development, and offers far more customization freedom. Bildr’s best for those of you who want better control over both the backend and frontend of your web apps. But this means that just like Bubble, Bildr too has a steeper learning curve than Softr.

On the other hand, Softr is a better option for you if you want simplicity, and quick deployment. You also get that same level of simplicity with Adalo, though this platform is primarily designed to build mobile apps.

Softr: Final Verdict

Softr is a good no-code platform for anyone who wants to use their existing business data to build, and roll out web apps quickly. Its plethora of templates, AI builder, and drag-and-drop interface, make it an attractive option for non-technical users.

That said, while Softr is an excellent platform for those who need to deploy quickly, it might fall short for users who need deep customization, and control over their apps.

All things considered, while Softr isn’t as extensible as some of its peers, its ease of use makes it a wonderful platform for creating all kinds of business apps, dashboards, and marketplaces.

But this might soon change for the better, as Softr is set to inherit full-stack app-building capabilities. When these updates roll out, sometime in 2025, you’ll no longer need third-party workflow automation tools, and external databases, which will open up the platform to an even wider range of use cases.

Check out our list of Best Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software.

Bildr is a no-code platform that relies on a visual development environment to help users create web apps. The platform has a strong emphasis on real-time collaboration, and you can use its intuitive, drag-and-drop interfaces, and extensive customization options to conjure up apps without any coding knowledge.

In this review, we will dive into the platform's features, ease of use, integrations, deployment, pricing, and how it’s positioned in the no-code space.

Bildr: Features

Bildr’s primary feature is its visual editor, which allows users to create apps simply by dragging and dropping pre-configured components onto a canvas.

This editor provides access to all kinds of user interface (UI) elements, such as buttons, forms, text inputs, tables, and other visual components that can all be customized as per your needs.

(Image credit: Bildr)

You can even use AI to style these elements. All you need to do is enter a prompt for an element, such as “add a cool gradient with red, blue, and white,” and the platform will do the styling for you.

Although Bildr pushes a blank canvas approach, the platform does offer a handful of pre-built templates that you can use, and customize to fit your requirements.

Another good thing about Bildr is that it offers built-in tools for common actions, like user authentication. You can use these to add login screens, user registration, and password management without much effort.

User authentication is actually implemented as what’s known as a pattern in Bildr parlance. Think of patterns as pre-built components, which have all the flows, and the logic built into it. All you need to do is import a pre-built pattern, and tweak it to your heart’s content.

Like all good no-code platforms, you can also connect Bildr to external data sources residing in popular third-party databases such as Google Sheets, Airtable, Xano, and others.

Also, every app built on Bildr is automatically optimized for smartphones, tablets, and desktops, ensuring a consistent experience across form factors.

Finally, while Bildr is designed to build web apps, you can use the platform to create Chrome extensions, and blockchain-enabled decentralized Web3 apps, as well.

Bildr: Interface and Ease of Use

One of the key strengths of Bildr is its intuitive, user-friendly interface. The interface is centered around a drag-and-drop editor, which is a common feature in no-code platforms.

You can use the editor to easily put together your apps by dragging and dropping various elements onto Buildr’s infinite canvas. The advantage of the infinite canvas is that instead of building and viewing individual pages, you can use it to look at your entire app in one view, and even manipulate it in a very visual way. For instance, you can easily drag and rearrange your pages, and position them how you want, using the mouse.

(Image credit: Bildr)

Many people compare Bildr’s dashboard to that of the Figma interface design tool. It has a learning curve, which makes it seem a little daunting and cumbersome, especially if you’re upgrading from designed-for-beginners no-code platforms like Adalo. But tinker with it for a bit, and you’ll soon learn to appreciate its dexterity.

The basic approach of the visual design environment is pretty much the same, and easily navigable. You have a panel for adding components, another to tweak its settings and properties, and a central workspace for building the app.

The components are clearly categorized, and users can easily search for specific elements within the platform. You can use the properties panel to fine-tune attributes, modify styling elements like color, size, and borders, and configure each element’s positioning with padding, margins, and alignment.

In addition to the components, you can also use Bildr to set up flows, and define triggers, actions, and conditions to control your app. You can set automatic responses to user interactions, and even program dynamic interactions without writing any or perhaps a little code.

Combined with the platform's design flexibility, which is particularly appealing to anyone who wants granular control over their designs, Bildr’s drag-and-drop functionality ensures that you can cobble together a polished app even without any technical skills.

Bildr: Integration and Extensibility

One of the key considerations when evaluating no-code platforms is its ability to integrate with external services and tools.

In that vein, you can integrate Bildr with external APIs, and then display, and manipulate data directly within the app. Thanks to this ability the platform can communicate with virtually any service that offers an API, essentially extending its capabilities beyond what’s baked in.

Bildr also integrates with popular services, such as Stripe for processing payments, and Auth0 for authentication.

(Image credit: Bildr)

Also, while Bildr is primarily a no-code platform, it also provides an option to add custom JavaScript, which is a great extensible feature for anyone with the know-how.

Bildr: Deployment and Maintenance

Like all good no-code platforms, you can use Bildr to deploy and maintain apps built using the platform. You can essentially roll out apps with a handful of clicks.

You can publish an app for free inside a Bildr subdomain, as well as on your own custom domains. The platform can also create auto-renewing SSL certificates for you. In addition to traditional web apps, Bildr also lets you transform your artwork into NFTs that you can then sell. It offers a NFT mint contract that you can customize as per your requirements.

While Bildr has a scalable infrastructure, many users believe Bildr is ideally suitable for small to medium-sized apps. Popular opinion says if you are working on complex, and high-traffic apps, the platform’s built-in scalability features might not be enough for you.

Bildr: Pricing and Documentation

Like its peers, Bildr’s pricing is structured around subscription tiers, with additional features as you move higher up the level.

For starters, the platform offers a free tier with basic features. You can use it to experiment with the platform. It offers 1GB bandwidth, 20,000 data records, and 5,000 API calls. You’ll need to switch to one of the paid plans to unlock more functionality, and increased usage limit.

The Launch Plan costs $29/month ($24/month billed yearly) and lets you publish apps to custom domains without any Bildr branding. It comes with 25GB bandwidth, 50,000 data records, and 50,000 API calls.

If you need more resources, there’s the Pro plan that costs $119/month ($99/month billed annually), and over 250 GB of bandwidth, 250,000 data records, and 500,000 API calls. The paid plans also let you invite and collaborate with other builders. The Launch plan allows two collaborators, while the Pro plan allows up to five.

There’s also the one-time $999 Bildr Studio Pass that you can use to create and publish any number of web apps to a custom domain. It also gives you access to several more templates, including those for Web3 apps.

(Image credit: Bildr)

To get the most out of the platform, it’s best if you peruse through Bildr’s official documentation. Although it doesn’t offer the same number of video tutorials as you get on some other platforms, there’s enough to help you get a feel for the platform’s capabilities.

Bildr also doesn’t offer traditional forum boards for users to pick each other’s brains. Instead the platform has a Discord channel for its community, with private channels and events for Studio Pass owners.

Bildr: The Competition

Bildr competes with a wide range of no-code platforms, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.

Bubble is one of the most popular no-code platforms for building web apps. It too has an intuitive visual editor, though it is often cited for being more flexible and feature rich when compared to Bildr.

Bubble also offers a wider range of prebuilt templates, which makes it easier for inexperienced developers to get started quickly. Bildr, on the other hand, has fewer templates, and targets developers who want granular control over the appearance and behavior of their apps, even if it takes more time to set them up from scratch.

Another option that’s more suitable for beginners is Softr. While it too has more templates than Bildr, Softr may not have all the features and customization options you get with Bildr.

Bildr: Final Verdict

Bildr’s standout feature is its flexibility. The platform does have a learning curve, especially for those new to no-code tools, and its depth of customization may seem overwhelming at first

That said, Bildr is praised for its strong design tools, and collaborative environment. This makes it especially attractive for anyone who prioritizes aesthetics and user interface aspects, and need to build highly customizable web apps. On the flip side though, this makes Bildr less suited for quick, and simple web apps.

Overall, if you are looking for a versatile no-code tool that offers deep customization options, Bildr presents itself a strong choice, though it might take time to unlock its full potential.

Here’s our list of the best web design software.

Vantrue E1 Pro dash cam: two-minute review

While there are literally hundreds of models to choose from out there, I always prefer to stick with the big-name best dash cams. This includes the likes of Nextbase, Garmin, and Vantrue, which recently unveiled its new and updated Element 1 Pro Dash Cam (more commonly referred to as the E1 Pro).

The E1 Pro is well worth a look for anyone who needs a compact, cost effective in-car solution. It's centered around the small black box design, which measures (approx) just 4.7 x 2 x 4.7 inches / 12 x 5 x 12cm. Even then, the design manages to squeeze in a neat little LCD screen on the rear, which proves invaluable for setup steps during installation. The information graphics are a little less easy to read when it’s being used on the move, but it’s a valuable part of the E1 Pro’s appeal.

Vantrue originally released this model a few years ago, and we got to take a first look at it back in 2022, when it was known as the Vantrue E1. The design appears to have changed little since then, with one of its most distinctive features being the protruding circular lens arrangement.

However, Vantrue has beefed up the innards, so instead of 2.5K video there's now crisp and clear 4K 3840 x 2160p 30fps footage on offer thanks to a Sony IMX678 Starvis 2 sensor. Another appealing factor of this model is the 158-degree wide-angle lens, which offers a pretty expansive view of the road ahead.

Vantrue also likes to highlight its PlatePix software, which is designed to offer greater clarity when capturing details such as license plates or road signs. The company claims this delivers a 50 percent clearer view than standard 4K HDR.

High-quality footage needs card space, and to that end Vantrue has upped the microSD card compatibility to a whopping 1TB, although my test unit arrived with a rather leaner 128GB card. Alongside the improved shooting capacity, the Vantrue E1 Pro Dash Cam packs in plenty of other features and functions, including voice control, a solid supporting app with fast Wi-Fi transfer rates, GPS, and improved temperature protection, as well as the benefit of a supercapacitor internal battery.

My review unit also came supplied with a circular polarizing filter or CPL, which can be screwed to the front of the lens. This cuts through reflections and glare, and can be particularly useful in situations where harsh light is an issue, especially when it comes to capturing finer details including license plates. There's also a remote control if the buttons on the box itself, or voice control, don’t appeal.

(Image credit: Future)

The box includes everything you need to get up and running, including all the cables and an installation tool for pushing wires behind trim. The Vantrue E1 Pro is designed to operate as a solo unit, so there's no option to plug a rear-facing camera into the assembly. However, it's keenly priced, so should appeal to anyone who's going to be content with a front-facing only model.

Another point to remember – and this is the case for the majority of dash cam models, is that the Vantrue E1 Pro Dash Cam will need to be hard-wired into a vehicle to exploit its advanced parking features. Power can also be supplied via a standard 12V socket, which is found in the majority of vehicles; however, there is value in the parking mode, in which the E1 Pro can capture footage 15 seconds before and 30 seconds after motion is detected. If you’re prone to parking in less-than-ideal neighborhoods, it could be a valuable feature, and worth the extra cost of adding in the hardwire kit.

Vantrue E1 Pro Dash Cam: price and availability

The Vantrue Element E1 Pro Dash Cam is often listed by its model number, the E1 Pro, and is available now directly from the Vantrue website as well as online retailers including Amazon. VanTrue has it listed for £139.99 in the UK market and $129.99 in the US, while Amazon lists it for £129.99 in the UK, and sells the E1 Pro for $149.99 in the US. As always, it’s worth shopping around and keeping an eye out for special offers, as prices for dash cams can fluctuate a lot. I'd expect this model to be regularly on sale for a good 10% less.

The keen price point pits the E1 Pro against the likes of the Nextbase Piqo 2K and Miofive S1 and is excellent value for the features on board.

Vantrue E1 Pro Dash Cam: specs Vantrue E1 Pro Dash Cam: Design

One of the most appealing aspects of the Vantrue E1 Pro is its cute, cubist design. It’s basically just a small black plastic box, but with all of the stuff needed to make it appealing at the same time. There’s an LCD screen on the back, which packs in a very decent resolution and looks great in use, even though the information icons packed into the small viewing area are a bit too much to take in with a quick glance.

Another great feature with this model is the mounting bracket, which can be attached to a windshield directly via an adhesive pad or by first mounting it to a static sheet, which makes removal easier if the camera needs to be transferred to another vehicle. While it is in situ, the dash cam also features a slide-out bracket, which means the camera can be pulled out and put away if needed, leaving just the windshield part in place.

(Image credit: Future)

As mentioned, Vantrue now supplies this model with a polarizing filter, which I found to be a valuable addition, especially for use in variable lighting conditions. Fitting it can be a little awkward, mind, especially for anyone with large fingers, as the threading process is quite fiddly. Nevertheless, I like the way this also keeps the F1.8, 7-glass lens nicely covered, and it's much easier to wipe over in case of any unwanted fingerprint marks. Overall, the build quality is very impressive, and everything you need to get started is inside the box, including a Type C data cable if Wi-Fi isn’t available.

(Image credit: Future) Vantrue E1 Pro Dash Cam: Performance

Specification was left a little bit wanting on the original incarnation of this design, and i's in this department where the real improvements have been made. Vantrue has upped the quality of the innards, with 4K 3840 x 2160p 30fps footage now delivered very nicely by the Sony IMX678 Starvis 2 sensor. The F1.8 lens and 158-degree wide-angle field of view captures impressive coverage of the road ahead, and I found little to grumble about during everyday use.

(Image credit: Future)

The addition of the polarizing filter is useful, and it did seem to keep glare to a minimum, and VanTrue’s PlatePix software seems quite good at boosting the definition of license plates and the like. Similarly impressive results were recorded after dark, so I do think this model is a solid all-rounder, and clearly an improvement over the original model – and it can be purchased for roughly the same price.

(Image credit: Future)

Vantrue is a past master at delivering great app support, and that’s very much the case here. As this model shoots 4K there is a little more to think about in terms of file management, although the up-to 1TB microSD card option takes the pressure off a lot. That capacity can handle up to 66 hours of footage, plus the loop recording can be adjusted in 1-, 2-, or 3-minute segments. There is also the appeal of Wi-Fi transfer; otherwise the Vantrue E1 Pro supports what is fairly standard 5G, or cable transfer if that’s preferred.

Should you buy the Vantrue E1 Pro Dash Cam?

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

You bought the original version
The Vantrue E1 Pro Dash Cam is a genuine improvement over the original model, and feels like much better value for money with its beefier spec.

Compact design is a must-have
One of the most appealing aspects of the Vantrue E1 Pro Dash Cam is its compact form factor, which is ideally suited for vehicles with a smaller windshield area.

Capturing details is a crucial requirement
Vantrue makes much of its PlatePix software, and alongside the polarizing filter and better sensor does deliver more detailed footage.

Don't buy it if...

You need a more manageable form factor
Be warned: the Vantrue E1 Pro Dash Cam is quite a compact model, and using it might be a challenge for anyone with chunky digits.

You need a rear-view solution too
This model is designed to run solo, which means there's no option for connecting a rearward-facing camera for a complete solution.

You aren’t too bothered about 4K appeal
Having the beefier-quality video produced by the Vantrue E1 Pro Dash Cam is a real plus, but cheaper alternatives are plentiful if you’re not bothered about this.

How I tested the Vantrue E1 Pro Dash Cam

• I installed the dash cam into a test car for an initial period of two weeks
• I used it for various journeys during the day and at night
• I connected it to my phone and downloaded recordings for comparison

After receiving my review loan unit, I fitted the Vantrue E1 Pro Dash Cam to a family-sized car using the supplied cable and powered it via the 12V socket. The camera was fitted with a 128GB microSD card, which allowed me to test the reliability of recording 4K files to media. The resulting data was also shared to my phone, with files being managed by the VanTrue app on an Apple iPhone, along with cable transfer for good measure.

One of the very useful features of the Vantrue E1 Pro Dash Cam is the mounting bracket, which allowed me to remove it whenever needed and click it back into place just as quickly. Although I wasn’t able to hard-wire this model into my test vehicle, I have every reason to expect the optional parking monitoring features to function just as well as everything else.

• First reviewed April 2025

One of the oldest no-code app builders, Bubble can help you build web and mobile apps without writing a single line of code. Bubble provides a comprehensive point-and-click visual development environment, where users can design interfaces, set up workflows, and create databases, without writing any code.

In this review, we'll examine the features of Bubble, its user interface, ease of use, integration and extensibility, deployment and maintenance options, pricing, documentation, and how it compares to its peers..

Bubble: Features

Bubble AI is one of the platforms’ most interesting features. You can use it to create a blueprint for an app, and then review its features, and refine it as per your needs. It’ll then generate the app, which you can then customize using the UI builder.

To design the app you can drag-and-drop UI elements into the canvas and arrange them as required. The platform gives you access to a wide range of pre-built UI elements, such as buttons, input forms, and containers like popups, which can all be customized to match your apps’ look and feel.

Best of all, you can also arrange elements responsively for various screen sizes to ensure your app has a consistent user experience across devices.

(Image credit: Bubble)

Then there’s Bubble’s marketplace, which offers a wide range of both free and paid plugins that can help you extend the functionality of your app. You can use the plugins to integrate with popular services such as payment gateways, analytics tools, communication platforms, log in services, and more.

Similarly, the marketplace also hosts lots of free and paid templates for pre-built apps that you can use as starting points.

Bubble also has an AI page creator that can generate pages for your apps based on a description or prompt. This is meant to simplify the process of creating common page types, such as landing pages, forms, and dashboards, which you can then tweak to meet your requirements.

In addition to the apps’ UI, you can also use Bubble to visually define actions that occur when specific events are triggered in the app, such as a button click. Bubble also has a flexible database management system that you can easily connect with your app, and manage, via a graphical interface.

Bubble: Interface and Ease of Use

Bubble’s interface is pretty intuitive for anyone who has worked with no-code tools before. All of its interfaces, including the UI builder, the workflow editor, and others are logically organized and easily navigable.

The platform’s app design interface includes a canvas where you can drag-and-drop all kinds of elements and components to create the layout of your app. Additionally, you also have the ability to group the various elements, adjust their spacing, and more.

On the left of the canvas are its various sections, led by the Design section that houses all options to help you create and arrange UI elements. Then there’s the Workflow section where you define how your app reacts to user interactions, like button clicks, by setting up a sequence of actions that Bubble will perform in response to those events.

There’s also the Data section where you can define how your app accepts data from the user, and manage the database. Another important section is the Plugins section from where you can browse, install, and tweak add-ons to extend your app’s functionality.

(Image credit: Bubble)

Together with the ready-made templates for all kinds of use cases, and the AI app and page builders, Bubble offers enough to help ease users into the platform.

That said, first timers may find the sheer number of options in the designer a little overwhelming. So while you can get started with your app rather quickly, it might take you some time and effort before you can utilize the platform's full potential.

Bubble: Integration and Extensibility

One of Bubble’s USPs is its extensive integration and extensibility options. We’ve already mentioned its extensive marketplace of pre-built plugins. The platform can also integrate with AI tools such as ChatGPT, and DALL-E, and you can go further by integrating it with dozens of popular apps thanks to Zapier.

The platform also offers several extensibility options for advanced users. For starters, you’ll appreciate its API connector that allows you to interface with external systems by connecting your app to any JSON or XML-based API.

The API Connector also supports various authentication methods like OAuth2. You can also go beyond the platform’s capabilities by integrating custom JavaScript code to extend your app.

(Image credit: Bubble)

In terms of extensibility, Bubble's database is also quite flexible and supports custom data types and fields. This makes it fairly straightforward to create complex data structures and relationships, and tailor the app to fit your unique requirements.

And while Bubble can’t create native mobile apps yet, several users have used tools like Phonegap and GoNative to turn Bubble web apps into native apps.

Bubble: Deployment and Maintenance

Deploying apps created with Bubble is straightforward.

You can preview your app at any time to ensure everything works properly. Once you're satisfied, you can then deploy the app to a Bubble-provided domain, or to a custom domain from a third-party domain registrar like GoDaddy, in a couple of clicks.

The platform uses Cloudflare Content Delivery Network (CDN) for all apps to ensure your apps can be accessed quickly from anywhere in the world.

In terms of scaling, when your app starts grabbing eyeballs, Bubble can increase traffic and data storage needs as required. You can ask the platform to do this automatically, which shields against sudden spikes in traffic, and is perhaps more suitable for large-scale apps. You can also scale manually for better control and to keep costs in check.

Like all good app builders, Bubble also has a version control system that you can use to track revisions. It’ll help you make and test changes in a development version of the app, and then deploy them to its live instance without much effort.

(Image credit: Bubble)

You can also use Bubble to connect with popular analytics tools to track visits to your apps and get all kinds of insights. The platform also keeps detailed logs of every action performed within your app to help you track user interactions, and more. You can essentially use these logs to identify potential issues and troubleshoot problems.

Bubble: Pricing and Documentation

Bubble offers a tiered pricing model to suit different needs.

The free plan is good to learn the ropes and familiarize yourself with the platform. Its paid plans start at $29/month for the Starter Plan that’s meant for individual developers, followed by the $119/month Growth Plan for building complex apps, and the $349/month Team Plan for larger businesses.

To publish your app you’ll need to subscribe to one of the paid plans, all of which also offer the option to deploy to a custom domain. The paid plans also offer security features, and can handle more traffic. Starting with the Growth Plan you also get the ability to collaborate on the apps with more than one user.

The platform has a lot of learning resources. There are written tutorials, step-by-step guides, and video walkthroughs that’ll help new users through their journey of getting oriented with the platform, to building complex apps.

Then there’s Bubble’s Academy that offers structured courses for everyone from beginners to experienced campaigners. The platform also points to various other community built learning resources, both free and paid.

Talking of community, Bubble’s community-supported forum is the primary outlet for dispensing help and support.

Bubble: The Competition

Bubble goes up against several other no-code platforms, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

For instance, Adalo can create both web and mobile apps, and offers a more streamlined experience for creating native mobile apps. However, developers often cite it as being less versatile than Bubble when it comes to creating web apps.

Similarly, there’s Thunkable that you can use to build native mobile apps. However, it too lacks Bubble’s comprehensive web app capabilities. That said, both Adalo and Thunkable have a less steep learning curve than Bubble.

Then there’s Glide that can create web and mobile apps from your existing data. While it is often cited as being simpler to use than Bubble, it doesn’t offer the same flexibility and scalability that you get with Bubble, especially when it comes to complex apps.

Bubble: Final Verdict

Bubble offers all the features you’d expect from a no-code platform to create everything from simple to complex apps. It has intuitive point-and-click interfaces, and also caters to advanced users who want to extend their apps through API integrations, and custom code.

Bubble primarily focuses on web app development, and while it can be used to create mobile-friendly apps, they are essentially web apps optimized for mobile browsers. However, its developers have announced that you’ll soon be able to use Bubble to create native mobile apps as well.

All things considered, Bubble stands out for its versatility and depth, and is a good option especially for those looking to create complex and scalable apps.

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Lovable is a relatively new entrant in the rapidly expanding field of no-code platforms that help businesses spin up all kinds of apps without writing a single line of code.

In this review, we will explore Lovable’s features, interface and ease of use, integration and extensibility, deployment and maintenance, pricing, documentation, and how it stands in comparison to its competition.

Lovable: Features

One of the main reasons for Lovable’s growing popularity is its AI app builder.

You describe your app idea in natural language, which the platform will use to create a fully functional app for you. The AI prompt can be as simple as “Create a login page” to something more complex like “Can you build me a CRM app and hook it up to a database, along with an authentication system that allows users to sign up, and log in.”

Once you enter the prompt, Lovable’s AI builder will generate the app’s user interface (UI), along with the backend, complete with the necessary database tables, forms to input customer details, and even set up functionality for viewing, editing, and deleting customer records.

(Image credit: Lovable)

Going one step ahead, you can also use the AI to further edit and refine your app by describing changes to the AI.

Besides AI, Lovable also offers an array of pre-built templates that you can use as starting points to speed up the development process. These templates cover a wide range of application types, such as marketplaces, CRMs, analytics, cryptocurrency trading, and more.

This is especially helpful if you are a green horn developer, and don’t have a clear idea for the app, or someone who wants to roll out apps quickly.

On the backend, Lovable relies on Supabase, which is an open source alternative to Google’s Firebase platform. It’ll help you add databases, authentication services, and other backend functionalities, to your apps.

You can also hook Lovable to your GitHub, and it’ll transfer your project's code to your GitHub repository for two-way sync of edits. This means the platform will be aware of any manual commits you make in the repo, and roll them into the app on its own. This functionality is somewhat unique, as most other no-code platforms just hold on to the code.

If you don’t have a GitHub repo, you can also view, and even edit the code in Lovable itself.

Lovable: Interface and Ease of Use

Lovable has a simple dashboard with a textbox smack in the middle of the screen where you can describe your app idea.

If you’re new to building apps, Lovable suggests leveraging pre-built styles to improve your app’s appearance. Lovable points to 21st.dev where you can browse pre-built designs, and then copy its prompt into Lovable.

After you’ve described the project, Lovable will tell you how it’ll go about building the initial version of the app, describing its features, and design elements. On the right, it’ll tell you the files it’ll create, and then write the code.

When it’s done spinning up the first iteration, it’ll open it up for preview. You can then tweak the layout, and other aspects of the app via more prompts. For more control, you can even make edits to the different elements inside the app using Lovable’s Figma-like visual editor.

(Image credit: Lovable)

You can also attach images to guide the AI. For instance, you can browse the designs at Dribble, screenshot the relevant section, upload it to Lovable, and ask it to redesign the relevant section of the app based on the uploaded design.

The dashboard also gives you access to projects that other users have built. Explore a few to see how others have used the AI to refine, and fine tune their apps. You can also use one of the templates to get off the ground, and then refine it with the AI builder.

The intuitive interface makes it fairly simple to navigate through the different pages in your app. You can also easily switch between the manual edit mode, and the AI mode.

Lovable ensures the UI of your app is responsive, and works well on both desktops and mobile devices. You can easily toggle between web, and mobile views to visualize how your app looks across different screen sizes.

Very helpfully the platform also lets you define global styles by adding a system prompt in the project settings’ Knowledge field, such as “make sure all buttons have rounded corners.” From then on, everytime you ask Lovable to add a button, the AI builder will ensure it adheres to this predefined style.

Lovable: Integration and Extensibility

Lovable leverages popular tools and frameworks such as React, Tailwind CSS, and the Vite JavaScript build tool to optimize frontend performance. This helps ensure your app adheres to industry best practices.

As we’ve mentioned before, Lovable natively integrates with Supabase for backend database capabilities, and more. Supabase can also handle things like user authentication, and supports several authentication providers, from plain email signups, to Google logins, and more.

One way to extend your app, is to ask Lovable AI to modify the database to connect the frontend UI to the backend, for instance, to create and save login details. Based on this information, Lovable will then automatically create the appropriate tables as required, and it’ll write the SQL for you.

(Image credit: Lovable)

You can also instruct Lovable to integrate payment gateways, social media APIs, or data analytics tools directly into your project. Simply ask the AI to "help me integrate Stripe into my app," and then follow its instructions to implement the integration, which basically involves handing it your API keys.

Remember however, Stripe integration doesn’t work in the preview. To test the integration, make sure to first deploy your app. Also refer to the platform’s documentation to see how to make test payments using dummy card details.

If you are looking for something more than simple payments, for instance, subscriptions and role-based access based on payment tiers, Lovable recommends using Supabase.

Besides Stripe, Supabase, and GitHub, Lovable also has a list of over a dozen verified integrations that work well with the platform. These include OpenAI, Anthropic, Replicate, Highcharts, p5.js, Clerk, and more.

Then there are several other unverified integrations, which will work with the platform, but might make you jump through more hoops. There’s Perplexity, Zapier, Google Workspace, Notion, Calendly, SendGrid, Ticketmaster, and others.

Lovable: Deployment and Maintenance

Deploying and maintaining apps built on Lovable is pretty straightforward as well.

After you’ve built and previewed your app, essentially all it takes to deploy it is a single click. By default, your Lovable app is accessible via a Lovable subdomain, but you can also connect it to any custom domain you own.

You can maintain, and debug your apps using the Lovable AI. For most issues, the platform will give you a “Try to fix” button that will automatically solve many issues for you. If that doesn’t work, you can describe the error in detail to the AI, and ask it for directions.

(Image credit: Lovable)

One of the best things about Lovable is that it actively monitors your code, and might recommend refactoring your code to make it more scalable, and easier to maintain.

The platform also includes built-in version control, which allows you to track changes, bookmark important versions, and roll back to previous versions, without much effort. This makes it easier to track, and review your progress, and undo any mistakes.

Lovable: Pricing and Documentation

Lovable has a tiered pricing plan, starting with a free tier with limited functionality, followed by several paid plans that offer more features and higher usage limits.

For instance, on the free plan, you can prompt the AI five times/day, with a total limit of 30 messages/month.

The Starter plan costs $20/month and increases this to 100 messages a month, with no daily caps. The Launch plan at $50/month bumps this up to 250 messages, while with the $100/month Scale1 plan you get 500 messages/month, but can pay more for additional messages. All paid plans also enable you to publish your app on custom domains.

Lovable handholds you through a series of illustrated introductory documentation, quick start guides, and video tutorials. They cover everything from helping you write the right AI prompts, to fleshing out your apps by integrating them with Supabase, Stripe, and other verified and unverified services.

You can take your queries to Lovable’s Discord community, while paid users also get access to premium support options.

Lovable: The competition

Lovable shares the space with other AI-assisted no-code app builders.

For instance, Bubble, one of the popular platforms, too has an AI builder, but it places a 300 characters limit to the prompts. Bubble is often touted as a good option for building complex apps, as it offers greater flexibility, but has a steeper learning curve.

Then there’s Softr, which again places a 200 characters limit on its prompts. It’s very user friendly as well, though it might fall short for those of you who need deep customization, and control over their apps.

(Image credit: Lovable)

Hostinger has also recently ventured into the no-code space with their Horizons tool. Just like with Lovable, you can use Horizons to build, edit, and enhance your apps just by using AI. However, Horizons is still under active development, and doesn’t offer all the features, and conveniences you get with Lovable.

Lovable: Final Verdict

Lovable’s extensive use of AI for everything from creating the app, to adding new functionality, and debugging, makes it one of the best no-code platforms for anyone who’s new to building apps.

You’ll have to hone your prompt writing skills to get the most out of the platform, especially if you are on the lower tiers of its paid plans. Based on the list of featured projects, it appears the platform can manage rather complex workflows, which is a definite plus.

All things considered, Lovable’s user-friendly interface, integration capabilities, and extensibility, make it a compelling option for anyone looking to build apps in record time.

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Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: two-minute review

The third version of Bowers & Wilkins’ Px7 wireless over-ear noise-cancellers is the most expensive yet. This money does buy a pair of extremely well-specified headphones, mind you – between Bluetooth 5.3 with aptX Lossless compatibility and multipoint connectivity, chunky battery life and a bespoke noise-cancellation platform, the S3 have it where it counts. And there’s more to come, in the form of spatial audio and Auracast compatibility, via promised upgrades. It also buys slightly less, in the physical sense. The profile of the S3 is a little more discreet than any previous Px7 model.

It also gets you absolutely impeccable build quality and standard of finish – there’s undeniable pride of ownership included as part of your outlay. Wearing them outdoors will reveal a little inefficiency where suppression of wind noise is concerned, but at least you won’t feel as self-conscious as you might have when wearing previous Px7 models.

The new active noise-cancellation platform works well, and it brings Bowers & Wilkins into line with the best noise-cancelling headphones that aren’t Bose. And where sound quality is concerned, this is now the best way to spend your cash. In every respect, the Px7 S3 impress. They’re detailed and dynamic, they’re open and spacious, they’re punchy and rhythmically adept – and best of all, they’re engaging and entertaining.

Circumstances a long way out of Bowers & Wilkins’ control means that a North American launch date, as well as a North American price, are yet to be confirmed. There are papers to be written about whether pricing Americans out of ownership of products like this is a good thing, and there are obviously ramifications for companies like Bowers & Wilkins when the North American market is so difficult to read. But for those of us living where the Px7 S3 are available and (relatively speaking) affordable, the news is uncomplicatedly good.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas) Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 review: Price and release date

• Release date: April 24th, 2025
• Price: $TBC / £399 / AU$699 (approx.)

The Px7 S3 launch at a very similar price (in the company’s native UK, at least, where tariffs aren’t quite such a thing as they are in some other territories) to 2023’s £379 Px7 S2e – so Bowers & Wilkins is to be congratulated for developing and releasing a new product without having to up the price all that much. At the time of writing, though, Bowers & Wilkins is still not certain of a launch date in North America, and still less of the price when that launch finally comes. This, apparently, is the sort of uncertainty that will make America great again.

The Px7 S3 nevertheless find themselves contesting the very upper end of the 'premium/mainstream' best wireless headphones market where the fearsome likes of Bose and Sony (to name just a couple of high-profile alternatives) roam. In other words, it’s going to take more than a premium logo and a premium price to make a success of the Px7 S3…

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 review: Specs

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas) Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 review: Features

• Bluetooth 5.3 with aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless codec compatibility
• Redesigned 40mm biocellulose drivers with discrete amplification
• 30 hours of battery life

When it comes to the most important stuff, Bowers & Wilkins has specified the Px7 S3 without apparent compromise. This may be a relatively expensive pair of headphones, but don’t doubt that it’s got it where it counts.

And while Bowers & Wilkins will tell you it’s concentrated its efforts on the physical design of the Px7 S3 and on upgrading the active noise-cancelling system, that doesn’t mean the driver arrangement hasn’t come in for attention. The company may, in public, declare itself very satisfied with the way the outgoing Px7 S2e sounded, but it’s made plenty of changes in an effort to liberate even better sound.

So while the 40mm biocellulose cones themselves are unchanged over the previous model, the Px7 S3 features a new chassis arrangement, new voice-coil, reworked suspension and upgraded magnet. The intention is to lower distortion and coloration yet further while offering superior dynamics. And for the first time in a pair of Bowers & Wilkins over-ear headphones, these drive units are powered by dedicated, discrete headphone amplification – improved sonic scale and energy is the idea.

Getting audio information to the drivers can be done in a couple of ways. As well as charging for the battery (which is, incidentally, good for 30 hours of playback with active noise-cancellation switched on and can turn 15 minutes of charging into seven hours of action), the USB-C slot can be used for data transfer. Connect it to the digital or analogue output of an appropriate source of music and 24bit/96kHz high-resolution content can be dealt with.

Multipoint wireless connectivity is handled by Bluetooth 5.3 and, as well as aptX Adaptive, the S3 are compatible with the aptX Lossless codec. This technology will automatically optimize transmission resolution, and will allow you to hear what that top-tier Presto, Qobuz or Tidal streaming service subscription is actually buying you (Qobuz and Tidal are both available for direct streaming in the Bowers & Wilkins ‘Music’ control app). The company also intends to make the Px7 S3 compatible with Bluetooth LE Audio (which includes the LC3 codec) and Auracast via a free firmware update ‘soon’. Support for spatial audio won’t be all that far behind.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

As well as the ability to integrate (some of) the best streaming services around, the ‘Music’ control app also gives access to a five-band EQ with memory to save some settings, as well as presets including the company’s preferred ‘True Sound’ settings. It allows you to switch noise-cancelling on or off, engage ‘transparency’ mode, adjust wear-sensor sensitivity, check on battery status, and more besides.

Voice control is available via your source’s native assistant, and there are some physical buttons arranged on each earcup. On the right side there’s ‘volume up/down’ and ‘play/pause’ – these buttons have been reshaped to help with operation – and on the left there’s a ‘power on/off/Bluetooth pairing’ slider and a ‘quick action’ button. You can use the app to switch its function between ‘cycle through ANC options’ and ‘summon voice assistant’. Really, all that’s missing is a physical control for ‘skip forwards/backwards’.

Optimizing active noise-cancellation without impacting on the sonic performance of the headphones isn’t an easy trick, of course, but Bowers & Wilkins has given it a very thorough go. It’s developed a new ANC platform from scratch, and has deployed a total of eight mics to monitor the output of the drivers as well as outside noise in an effort to offer its best-ever ANC as well as outstanding call quality.

• Features score: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas) Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 review: Sound quality

• Wide open and yet tightly unified
• Great tonal balance
• Detailed and dynamic in equal measure

I may as well get right to it: the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 are a great pair of headphones in purely sonic terms, and represent the very best way to spend £399 (or thereabouts, once worldwide pricing is sorted) if outright sound quality is the most important thing to you.

Tonally, they’re really nicely judged – even and pretty much neutral, with just the tiniest hint or warmth to prevent things sounding austere or chilly (unless you’re listening to something like Kraftwerk’s Trans-Europe Express, of course, which sounds just as draughty and frostbitten as is appropriate). The top end has bite that’s balanced against substance, and at the opposite end there’s weight and ample variation. In the midrange, the character and ability of singers as dissimilar as Mark E Smith and Aretha Franklin is made absolutely explicit. As well as the impeccable tonal balance, the Px7 S3 retrieve and contextualize a huge amount of fine detail, which contributes no end to the sensation of a complete and unexpurgated account of recordings.

Frequency response is equally convincing - there’s no suggestion of any area of the frequency range getting understated or overplayed. And while the Bowers & Wilkins can hit with more than enough purpose to make Holy Calamaf*** by Run the Jewels sound as assertive and uncompromising as anything, control of bass sounds is such that rhythmic expression is natural and coherent. The sort of dynamic variation that’s apparent in this recording is given free expression, too – there’s an appreciable amount of distance between the most and least intense passages.

The soundstage on which all of this occurs is large and properly defined. Despite the width and depth to the Px7 S3’s presentation, though, and despite the fact that every element of a recording enjoys a fair amount of space in which to operate, there’s a unity and singularity to the overall presentation that makes recordings sound of a whole. Even something like Aphex Twin’s Alberto Balsalm, which never was a performance, sounds somehow together.

Where active noise-cancellation is concerned, Bowers & Wilkins has made great strides with the Px7 S3. The headphones deal decisively with the majority of external sounds, and can do so without affecting their sonic signature in the slightest. That these headphones can’t do as complete a job on ambient noise as an equivalent pair of Bose will come as no surprise, because no other headphones can either, but now the Bowers & Wilkins ANC needs no excuses made for it. It’s a match of any of those ‘not quite Bose’ contenders from Sennheiser, Sony and so on.

In fact, about the only way I can imagine there is scope for worthwhile improvement is in suppression of wind noise. My part of the UK's south coast is windy more often than it isn’t, and the Px7 S3 prove more susceptible to wind noise than quite a few alternative designs. It’s by no means a fatal flaw, but it’s noticeable nevertheless. And I guess it’s a measure of just how accomplished the Px7 S3 are that my contractually obliged complaining consists of some tepid bleating about how they could deal with wind noise a little better…

• Sound quality score: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas) Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 review: Design

• Choice of three finishes
• Slimmer profile, redesigned arms and headband
• Look and feel expensive (which is just as well)

On first acquaintance you’d be forgiven for thinking the Px7 S3 are the same as the outgoing Px7 S2e where design is concerned – certainly that’s what my first glance led me to believe. But Bowers & Wilkins has had a bit of a think about this new model's design, and has made some very worthwhile adjustments without in any way affecting its perceived value.

For instance, the earcups are now appreciably slimmer in profile. Previous Px7 models have made the wearer look a bit, well, Cyberman-y – the earcups and pads were deep enough to increase the width of the wearer’s head more than somewhat. The Px7 S3 aren’t as slim as, say, the Sonos Ace, but they’re definitely tidier, and it makes for a less conspicuous look when they’re in position.

A new headband and redesigned arm mechanism makes the Px7 S3 ever so easy to get comfortable inside – an all-in weight of 300g has a part to play in this – while the pleather-over-memory foam contact points are nicely padded and reluctant to return your body heat too rapidly. And in a first for Bowers & Wilkins, the inner section of the headband and the earpads can be removed and replaced (by a trained service engineer, of course).

The fabric around the outside of the headband and the earcups looks and feels good, and will prove hard-wearing if previous Px7 models are anything to go by. The narrow grille that separates the outer part of the earcup from the earpads, first seen (on a much smaller scale) on the splendid Pi8 true wireless in-ears, allows mics and Bluetooth aerials to operate more freely, but the fact that it’s a nice design flourish doesn’t do any harm either.

The standard of build and finish is basically impeccable, and the concealed headband adjustment mechanism operates with well-damped precision. It doesn’t matter if you choose the ‘anthracite’ black of my review sample, ‘indigo’ blue or ‘canvas’ white, you’ll find yourself in possession of a pair of headphones with appreciable perceived value, which is just as well, given how much you’re paying.

The Px7 S3 can be kept in peak condition during transit thanks to a nice robust carry-case that’s just a few millimetres smaller in each direction than the case the Px7 S2e travelled in. As well as protecting the headphones, it features a pocket behind a magnetically closing flap that conceals USB-C / USB-C and USB-C / 3.5mm cables.

• Design score: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas) Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 review: Value

• Extensive specification
• Excellent standard of build and finish
• Class-leading sound

Just because it’s possible to spend plenty more than £399 on a pair of wireless noise-cancelling over-ear headphones (not least with Bowers & Wilkins itself), that doesn’t mean it’s an insignificant amount of money.

Happily, at every turn the Px7 S3 try their hardest to make it seem like a perfectly reasonable asking price. The standard of build and finish here is basically impeccable, and a thoughtful little redesign has resulted in a more discreet, yet somehow no less premium, appearance – pride of ownership is significant.

Specification is as good as it currently gets at anything like this sort of money. And where sound quality is concerned, you’re getting what I am confident is the most complete performance available at anything like this sort of money.

• Value score: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas) Should I buy the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3? Buy them if…

You like nice things
The Bowers & Wilkins look, feel and (for the first few days of ownership, at least) even smell like a premium product. Perceived value is very high indeed.

You intend to wear them in public
The new slimmer profile suits the Px7 S3, and you’ll feel a lot less conspicuous wearing them than you did in previous Px7s.

You value sound quality above all else
The balance struck by the Px7 S3 is beautifully judged. They have sonic talent in every department, and are a very satisfying listen.

Don't buy them if…

You’re expecting extended functionality
There are plenty of alternatives that offer touch controls, hearing tests, heart monitoring and all the rest of it. Bowers & Wilkins has concentrated on sound quality.

You’re an impatient listener
You can only skip through tracks by getting your source player out or asking your voice-assistant to take care of it. There’s no physical control for this function.

You live on a hillside
The Px7 S3 are a little more susceptible to wind noise than is absolutely ideal.

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 review: Also consider

Sony WH-1000XM5
If you want all the whistles and bells of extended functionality while still enjoying very agreeable sound and a fair serving of perceived value, Sony’s venerable WH-1000XM5 remain strong contenders. Appreciably more affordable than the Px7 S3, they’re excellent all-rounders, though they have to concede to the Bowers & Wilkins where outright sound quality is concerned.
Read our full Sony WH-1000XM5 review

Bose QuietComfort Ultra
If you’re preoccupied with noise-cancellation, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra are basically a default choice. Bowers & Wilkins may have made strides with ANC where the Px7 S3 are concerned, but it, like every other brand, has to concede that Bose rules the roost in this respect. The Ultra are not as deft a listen as the Px7 S3, though.
Read the full Bose QuietComfort review

Dali iO-8
If you want an alternative to the Bowers & Wilkins that can match them for outright sound quality, well, it’s going to cost you – you’re probably looking at forking out even more money for a pair of Dali iO-8. These are deeply accomplished, great-sounding headphones, facts that are reflected in the asking price.
Read our full Dali iO-8 review

How I tested Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3

• Wireless connection to an Apple iPhone 14 Pro, wireless and wired connections to a FiiO M15S digital audio player
• A variety of music, a variety of file types and sizes
• Indoors and outdoors

Wireless listening used the AAC and aptX codecs (depending on the source player), while the wired listening was able to extend to 24bit/96kHz content.

I listened at my desk, I listened while on the street and I listened on public transport, to a wide variety of music of many different file types and sizes. I spent well over a week listening critically, and found myself listening simply for listening’s sake too.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed: April 2025

Technology is moving at an increasingly fast pace, requiring more and more data and bandwidth as it does. This means that keeping track of everything that is going on can be challenging, especially if you’re looking to track how much data you’re using and what external threats could have access to your network. Luckily for Windows users, Microsoft has been doing a good job, including its Windows Firewall in its operating system. Windows Firewall is by no means perfect, but it’s more than enough for the average user. However, if you belong to another group of users or are looking to “advance,” then additional firewall tools may be required to give you the granular control and overview of your network.

Enter GlassWire, an application that, among other things, offers better manageability for the Windows Firewall. Some users may argue that a VPN could be an equally suitable solution; however, a VPN mostly protects your privacy and anonymity when you’re online, whereas a firewall takes things a step further. Namely, with a firewall, you can determine which programs should be allowed to access your network and devices. GlassWire does this remarkably well, nevertheless, users who do not have a lot of networking experience may be confused by all of the graphs and data offered by GlassWire.

Downloading and installing the app is as easy as it can be, and as soon as you launch it, the graphing starts. Your network traffic is analyzed and recorded, showing you the last five minutes of activity (for new users). Once you’ve been using the app for some time (day, week), you will get more data and “markers” on your graphs. These markers represent an individual event (i.e., first connection of an app), and they’re clickable so you can glean more information from the events. Graph spikes are also clickable, and unusual activity is also recorded. While all of this is great, if you’re an average user, it can, and does, feel simply overwhelming.

(Image credit: GlassWire) Features

While internet usage tracking represents the bread and butter of GlassWire, it can do much more. It offers an extra layer of security thanks to its in-depth analysis of each application on your computer, as well as which apps are accessing the internet and how they’re doing this. For each new event, you will get a discrete notification that contains enough information for you to make an educated step towards resolving an issue. Under the GlassWire Protect tab, you can see all of the apps on your PC as well as details such as Version, GW Score, Traffic in/out, Hosts, and download and upload speeds. Here you will also find the Firewall toggle button that lets you turn on or off the firewall functionality, which comes from Windows Firewall. GlassWire interacts with Windows Firewall for program control and reporting, which is a different approach compared to competing solutions such as ZoneAlarm, etc.

(Image credit: GlassWire)

If you want to put an app onto a block list, simply click on the flame icon, or if you want, you can block all network traffic for the app if you do not wish to block the app itself. This way, you can quickly block all connections until you end the mode. If you like granular control over your network access, you can turn on the “ask to connect” mode, where you will be asked to confirm each time a program attempts to access the network. Note, if you have some apps that have already connected to the internet, this mode will not affect them. If some apps you’re using trigger a “this might be malware” alarm, GlassWire gives you the option of submitting the file to VirusTotal. VirusTotal checks the file against dozens of antivirus engines and reports how many of them recognize the file as malware. This is a handy feature, however, you will need to provide your VirusTotal API key to GlassWire (you can find the specific location to enter your API key under the settings menu). Another note, VirusTotal can present you with some false positives, so we would not rely solely on the analysis provided by them.

A short digression, the fact that VirusTotal is used, we would appreciate it if the apps would automatically show a malware score based on what VirusTotal has in its database, but that is not the case; you need to submit files to get some feedback.

If you want to configure what GlassWire monitors, you can do so in the settings under the security tab. You have 15 settings that you can tweak; in the free plan, only four are “unlocked”. By default, most of the settings are on, and GlassWire will notify you when a new device joins the network, or when a program connects for the first time, or even when a remote session starts. Speaking of remote sessions, GlassWire allows you to have a remote connection, even on the free plan (only one, though). If you move onto the paid plan, you will get an unlimited number of remote connections, but also access to something called the Wi-Fi evil twin detection. Hackers use deceitful wireless connections to gain access to devices through Wi-Fi, which means that these malicious actors can use any internet-connected PC/smartphone to create an evil twin Wi-Fi that looks legitimate. The goal is for you to connect using this evil twin and to siphon all of your data. GlassWire protects you by notifying you of any Wi-Fi password loss, the same name Wi-Fi’s or any new hardware.

If you’re a Mac user or an iOS user, you’re out of luck with GlassWire as it is not available for Apple’s ecosystem. On the positive side, you can get it on Android, using Google’s Play Store. On Android, the app looks and feels the same as the one on Windows and has all of the powerful features available on its desktop counterpart. It’s similarly easy to set up, but just like the desktop version, if you want to make additional tweaks, you will have to go for the paid version.

Pricing

(Image credit: GlassWire)

You can get GlassWire completely free, with a lot of powerful features, and for most, this should be enough. However, if you’re looking for additional features, you can opt for a paid plan that starts at $2.99 for one license. While the free plan covers basic monitoring like real-time traffic, anomaly detection, and new device alerts, Premium significantly expands the toolset. It unlocks unlimited bandwidth history, full access to historical alerts, and advanced threat detection features like ARP spoofing detection, system file monitoring, and proxy settings alerts. Users can also customize and automate firewall behavior with features like unlimited app blocking, lockdown mode, and firewall profiles. For privacy-focused users, Premium offers DNS server monitoring and unlimited remote device connections. It also includes exportable usage data, an interactive network map, and dedicated customer support. Finally, the icing on the cake is the fact that the premium version also unlocks theme selection, offering roughly 13 additional themes. While the price is not that steep, the usability of the premium features comes down to the professionals who require all of the additional bells and whistles.

Protection

It’s worth noting that GlassWire is not an antivirus replacement, but a companion tool that adds a crucial layer of network-level visibility and early threat detection. The usability and blocking rate depend on your settings and how you utilize the app. There have not been any independent laboratory tests of the application, but since it uses the Windows Firewall API, its performance and effectiveness could be generally assessed within the context of the overall Windows security infrastructure, rather than through isolated testing. We tend to recommend Windows Firewall as the go-to firewall solution for most users, believing that it’s more than enough to protect you online, so take that for what it's worth.

Ease of use

GlassWire is generally pleasing to the eye, and we enjoyed using it. The icons and settings are well laid out and logical; however, if you’re newer to the world of networking and security, all of the colors, graphs, and information can be overwhelming. An additional positive remark we would like to make here is the notifications. Most firewalls tend to bombard you with notifications, alerts, bells, and various sounds; not GlassWire, they’ve managed to implement a discreet system of notifications which we enjoyed very much. If you’re one of those people who simply have to have a notification presented to them at each activity, GlassWire somewhat allows this if you go for the ask to connect mode.

Final verdict

As far as third-party firewall apps go, GlassWire offers a unique approach and a unique experience by relying on the Windows Firewall API. It’s easy to install and get working out of the box, but interpreting all of the data requires some “advanced” computer knowledge that is not common among PC users. If you’re an average user who has never even fired up Windows Firewall settings, then keep enjoying your browsing experience and skip over any additional firewall tools. GlassWire is not for you!

On the other hand, if you’re a competitive gamer looking to squeeze the last iota of performance from your network, analyzing your networking with a tool like GlassWire makes a lot of sense. We also see security professionals benefiting from such a tool, especially under the paid plan, since it offers a granular approach to tweaking your network and devices on it. We’re sure others can benefit from the app, but paying for more licenses certainly has to have a business value behind it.

All in all, GlassWire is a great addition to Windows Firewall. The fact that you have a free forever version gives you a great opportunity to test it out or even use it fully without the need to make a purchase. The developers behind the app are active across various developer forums, giving us confidence that user feedback is appreciated and updates are going to keep coming.

• Check out our rundown of best firewall software

The first tape of DON’T NOD’s latest narrative adventure, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, ended on a particularly heart-rending cliffhanger. Kat, the beloved firecracker of the titular girl group, has been hiding an illness and isn’t likely to make it through the year. After two months of waiting, Tape 2 picks up almost immediately after this climactic information is revealed, with the once inseparable girl group now splintering as the weight of the real world starts to seep into their surreal summer.

Review information

Platform reviewed: PC
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam
Release date: April 16, 2025

Ever since I rolled credits on the first half of Lost Records, I’ve been anxious to unpack the remaining hours of this time-bending coming-of-age story, which highlights heady themes like rebellion, girlhood, and grief. Not just because I wasn’t ready for the story to end, but because DON’T NOD’s ambitious narrative had a lot of big questions to answer, and I wasn’t entirely sure how or if they would bring it home.

I was also keen to get back behind the lens of protagonist Swann’s video camera to record and relive more memories, which is by far the game’s most compelling mechanic.

Unfortunately, single-player game and follow-up, Lost Records: Bloom and Rage Tape 2, doesn’t fully investigate the most exciting motifs Lost Records laid up in the first half, and the addition of janky new modes of gameplay don’t play nice with the previously curated vibe. Still, even with Tape 2’s rough edges, Lost Records: Bloom and Rage tells an important story that celebrates the complexities of female friendship in a sincere and meaningful way.

The kids aren't alright

(Image credit: DON'T NOD)

If Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 concerns the slow burn of blossoming friendships, this second part is more about raging violently against the machine. The hazy palette that dominated Tape 1 has been swapped for a darker, more brooding set of hues that create a shrouding atmosphere.

The local watering hole is now adorned in chauvinistic graffiti, and Swann’s clutter-filled room is half empty and ready for her big move out of state. This tone shift feels wonderfully emblematic of the second tape’s narrative pivot – I felt the Summer slip away and a cold Autumn breeze roll in in its place.

As the girls struggle to negotiate their positions in the past, their adult counterparts wobble in the present, too. Unearthing their memories of Kat introduces a new tension in conversation that feels difficult to navigate from both a gameplay perspective and an emotional one.

Swann, Autumn, and Nora appear ready to thaw their frozen feelings, though how they choose to cope seems oppositional from one another, and I found myself enthralled by the complexity of their characters, even though I was constantly walking on eggshells when picking a conversational response.

Best bit

(Image credit: DON'T NOD)

Across both tapes of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, you work on a song with your gal pals to condemn Dylan’s antagonizing boyfriend Corey and the other close-minded folks of the town through the sonic lens of 90s punk. See You In Hell – a nostalgic earworm performed IRL by Montreal’s Nora Kelly Band – is revisited throughout the game and feels like an auditory timestamp that reflects the emotions of the protagonists as they journey towards Tape 2’s climactic finale.

However, it’s not just the mood that’s changed as the gameplay in Tape 2 has evolved in tow – with mediocre results. Sadly, Swann’s profound camcorder documentation projects take a back seat and are replaced with fetch quests, minor puzzles and a surprising bout of forced stealth, which all feel strangely out of step with a game that was previously story-first and better for it.

Searching an area for a screwdriver or using your wits to intuit the owner of a toothbrush felt like passable additions. On the other hand, sneaking around a house at night and dealing with janky sightlines was much less interesting.

These mechanical changes align with Swann’s deflated mood, but I persistently missed the nostalgic, game-defining act of whipping out my camera in search of collectable memories I could remix and watch back later.

There are still a handful of camcorder moments to encounter, they just don’t feel essential this time around, which is a real shame. I didn’t feel that exploring every nook and cranny would necessarily teach me anything new in Tape 2. It was as if I’d done my due diligence already with the first half, and these final hours were more about rewarding my previous attentiveness than giving me some fresh narrative meat to chew on.

The adults aren't talking

(Image credit: DON'T NOD)

Even with the inclusion of new mechanics, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2 has a significantly shorter runtime than Tape 1, which can make the pacing feel a bit uneven at times. In Tape 1, I had hours between pivotal points to roam and investigate the quirks and familial history of the supporting cast.

There isn’t the same amount of downtime in Tape 2, as you jump between plot points at an urgent pace. It makes sense in the broader context of the story, but it means that the most intriguing developments established in the first half are left unanswered when the credits roll.

In particular, I was left with more questions than answers when it came to Kat’s sister, Dylan, and her abusive boyfriend Corey. Despite efforts to give both of them personalities and depth in Tape 1, Tape 2 sees the duo reduced to strangely one-dimensional archetypes. I wasn’t looking for any kind of redemption arc, but I would have loved to investigate the nuances of their messy relationship in more detail.

Yet despite all my gripes, I was still in floods of tears when the curtains closed on this sensational story. Ultimately, the primary cast of Lost Records are just so tenderly written and easy to connect with – even when the framerate chugs or an annoying gameplay mechanic rears its head to stifle your fun. I could see pieces of myself in all four girls – as teens and adults – from their sisterhood to their shame, and even their awkward kisses.

Should you play Lost Records: Bloom and Rage Tape 2? Play it if...

You want to play a game that will stick with you beyond the credits
If you thought Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 was emotional, Tape 2 capitalizes on those intense story beats to deliver a moving finale you won’t soon forget.View Deal

You prefer cinematic games
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2 is filled with thoughtfully choreographed scenes and shocking moments that propel the story towards its climactic end.View Deal

Don't play it if...

You prefer action-oriented games
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2 flubs its attempts to fold in more action-oriented gameplay. The main purpose of this narrative adventure is just that… to embark on a story-driven journey propped up by memorable characters.View Deal

Accessibility

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2 arrives as an update from Tape 1, and so the accessibility settings are essentially the same. From the settings menu, you can choose the interface text size (small, medium, and large) and toggle on and off subtitles. From this screen, you can also select the size of the subtitles (small, medium, large). Due to the heavy themes in Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, you’ll also have the choice to turn on trigger warnings.

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

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

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

How I reviewed Lost Records: Bloom and Rage

I completed Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 2’s story in around six hours on PC. In that time, I searched thoroughly through each environment and made conversational choices until the finale. I used an AOC 27-inch QHD VA 144Hz gaming monitor, a Logitech MX Master 3S mouse, and a Logitech G915 TKL gaming keyboard.

For sound, I used my external Creative Pebble V2 computer speakers and Audio Technica ATH-MX50X headphones plugged into a Scarlett 2i2 interface. My gaming PC is powered by an RTX 3080 graphics card, and my CPU is an AMD Ryzen 9 3950X.

First reviewed April 2025

Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S: two-minute review

The Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S hit the market in April 2025, offering customers a wide selection of features for a relatively affordable price.

The tower fan is tall at 42 inches and has 210 blades pushing out air at nine different fan speeds. On the highest speed, I could feel cool air about 30 feet away, and airflow from the lowest fan speed about 20 feet away, meaning it was plenty powerful enough to cool a couple of connected rooms in one go.

There are also four speciality modes to choose from: Sleep, Natural breeze, Normal and Auto mode. It's the last of those that really stood out during my review period. It adjusts the fan speeds automatically to keep the room at an ambient temperature of your choosing.

You can control the tower fan in three ways: with the display buttons, a remote, and my favorite method – in the Dreo app. Not only does the app mean you can switch the fan of remotely, while you're out of the house, but it also unlocks options for scheduling, for ultimate convenience.

Coming in slightly over $100 / £100, it's not a budget fan but it's far from the priciest option on the market. I think it delivers excellent value for that price, given the strong performance and long feature-list. If you're looking for something powerful and ultra-convenient, this could well be the best fan for you. Keep reading for my full Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S review.

Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S review: price & availability

• List price: $119.99 / £109.99
• Launch date: April 2025
• Availability: US / UK

Dreo launched a number of cooling products in April 2025, including the Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S. It's available to buy via Amazon and costs $119.99 in the US and £109.99 in the UK. Considering the height of the fan, its app connectivity, and cooling capabilities, the price seems more than fair.

There are a number of very similar looking Dreo tower fans, with similar but slightly different features, so it's worth taking a minute to make sure you're buying the right one for your needs. For example, you can get this same model without Wi-Fi, for a slightly cheaper price.

• Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5

Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S specs Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S review: design

• 42-inch tower fan that can oscillate 90 degrees
• Smart and remote control capabilities
• 9 fan speeds and 4 speciality modes

The Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S is a slim black plastic tower fan that's 42 inches tall with a round base. Assembly only took about five minutes, and did not require any tools. I was slightly confused when putting together the circular base, but the instructions were clear, and I had the tower fan plugged into the wall in no time.

There are 210 airfoil-shaped blades, which move cool air around the room whether it's sitting in place or oscillating 90 degrees. It's outfitted with nine different fan levels and four specialty modes – Sleep, Auto, Natural, and Normal.

(Image credit: Future)

At the top of the tower fan, there is a circular display with a power button and buttons that let you choose from the nine different fan speeds and four different modes. Here you can also set a timer for up to 12 hours and set it to oscillate. A digital display screen illuminates the different settings in use, and the fan speed.

A remote control is provided, with the same buttons that are found on the circular display. When not in use, the remote control can be stored at the top and along the back of the tower fan where there is a cut out in the design.

(Image credit: Future)

The Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S has Wi-Fi capabilities and connects to the Dreo app. Within the app, I can turn the fan on and off and adjust the settings in the same way I can with the remote or on the fan's display screen. There are a few additional settings in the app. For instance, I can turn on and off the panel sound, as well as the display auto, which basically turns off the display on the tower after 1 minute of inactivity.

The most interesting feature in the app is the temperature. This tower fan can read the temperature in the room and notates it in the app. This capability exists for the Auto mode, which senses heat and adjusts fan speeds automatically to cool a room. Even if I don't have Auto mode on, I can use the temperature reading to adjust the fan speed manually.

(Image credit: Future)

As for noise, Dreo claims that the fan has a dB rating of 25. However, when I measured the sound rating, I found that the tower fan had a 44dB rating on the lowest fan speed of 1 and a 52 dB rating when the fan speed was set 6. This is not particularly loud, and if I was sleeping or sitting 10 feet away from the fan, the noise would not be bothersome. For reference, I tested the noise rating by placing my phone, with the sound rating app, right next to the fan.

• Design score: 4 out of 5

Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S review: performance

• Powerful airflow – max modes can be felt ~30 feet away
• Auto mode is very effective, but oscillation range could be wider
• Remote control effective and convenient, and the app even more so

The Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S is the first tower fan I've tested, and I can say without a doubt that if you're going to invest in a tower fan, this is the one to buy.

The buttons on the display worked just as well as the remote, though I usually opted for using the remote, because I didn't have to get up and go to the fan to adjust the settings. I was able to use the remote 33 feet away, as long as the remote and the tower fan were in a direct line of sight. Perhaps I'd be able to use the remote further away, but I was not able to move further back because of the design of my house.

Though the remote was convenient, the app was even better to use since I could use it in any area of the house without having to be in direct sight of the tower fan. The app is easy to use, since it has the same buttons as the remote and the tower fan display.

There are 9 different fan speeds. Most of the time, I didn't need to go beyond 6, but some days my house grew particularly warm, and I appreciated the higher speed levels. When placed on the first speed level, I could feel the air blowing on my skin about 19.5 feet away. On the highest speed level, I could feel cool air at 29 feet away. With this in mind, you don't have to be in the same room as the fan to enjoy cool air from it.

(Image credit: Future)

When I had company over, I usually set the tower fan on oscillating, which allowed cool air to blow on multiple people at a time. Though I appreciated that the fan could oscillate at 90 degrees, I was surprised that it did not have the capability to oscillate at a higher angle like 180 degrees. It would have also been nice if I could adjust the oscillation degree within the app (say to 45 degrees if I wanted), but alas, this was not an option.

The Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S has four different modes – Normal, Natural, Sleep, and Auto. Most of the time, I used the Normal mode. When set on this mode, I adjusted the speed manually and it remained that same speed until I changed it again.

I also really liked the Natural mode, because it simulated a natural wind breeze by switching between different fan speeds. This mode is great if the temperature inside your house is fairly comfortable, and you just want some air circulation that isn't harsh against your skin.

(Image credit: Future)

The Sleep mode on the Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S is a bit different than others. When in this mode, the tower fan is muted, and the fan speed decreases every 30 minutes until it's two levels below your original setting. For instance, if the tower speed is set at a level 9, after 30 minutes it'll go down to 8, and then another 30 minutes later it'll decrease to a speed of 7, where it will remain the rest of the night. (If you set the fan at level 2, it'll stick at 1 rather than turning off completely.)

Most sleep modes on fans are designed so that the fan is quieter, and thus doesn't bother the person trying to fall asleep. Unfortunately, a quieter mode also means a fan speed that might not be as high, or effective in cooling to help you fall asleep. With the Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S, I think the idea is to allow users to fall asleep with a higher and more effectively cooling fan speed. As it reduces in speed over the course of an hour, the sound will lessen which should help you fall or stay asleep.

(Image credit: Future)

Auto mode is perhaps the most unique mode I've seen on a fan. In Auto mode, the Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S adapts to the ambient temperature. So if you have the ambient temperature set at 75 degrees, the tower fan will automatically adjust the speed of the fan to maintain that temperature. Usually, the tower fan reduces the temperature by at least one degree less than the ambient temperature. I like that it monitors the temperature and maintains it to something that feels comfortable to you.

Overall, I enjoyed the Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S. I loved the smart features and the app connectivity and how well the fan kept me cool no matter the mode I used.

• Performance score: 4 out of 5

Should you buy the Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S? Buy it if...

You want a powerful fan

During testing, I was able to feel the highest speed level up to 29 feet away and the lowest speed level nearly 20 feet away. With this fan, you can effectively cool two connected rooms at a time.

You want remote control options

You can change the fan settings with a remote, by pushing buttons on the display, or adjusting the settings in an app. With the app, you could even start the fan before you get home, ensuring your space is cool upon entering.

You want a fan with smart features

When on Auto mode, the Dreo Smart Tower Fan 529S automatically adjusts the fan speed based on the temperature of the room. So, if it senses the room is hot, the fan will increase the speed and cool it down for you.

Don't buy it if...

You're looking for a fan with 180-degree oscillation

This Dreo fan has a 90-degree oscillation capability. While any oscillation is appreciated, some users may prefer a fan that can oscillate up to 180 degrees for better room coverage.

You want to control the degree of oscillation

With some Dreo fans, you can adjust the oscillation degree within the app. That's not the case with the Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S. For instance, you can't adjust it to 45 degrees. It's either 90 degrees or nothing at all.

How I tested the Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S

I tested the Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S in my 105-year-old house in Dallas, Texas, in April. Temperatures ranged day by day from quite warm to a bit chilly. I tested all four modes and the fan speeds in my bedroom, living room, and kitchen, so I could get a sense of how well the fan cooled the room or circulated air. During this time, I did not use my air-conditioning or heater and found that the Dreo Smart Tower Fan 519S was powerful enough to keep me cool no matter the temperature.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed April 2025