Reviews

AndaSeat Kaiser 3 Pro: One-minute review

Effectively an updated re-release of the initial AndaSeat Kaiser 3, despite the glamorous naming glow-up, the Pro line practically changes nothing compared to its predecessor. The only significant difference now comes in the form of the inclusion of AndaSeat's 5D armrests. These are the same controversial rests found in the Kaiser 4 line and the X-Air Pro as well. In fact, it seems the AndaSeat's pivoting that ‘Pro’ branding to be exactly that, an indication that the chair in question comes with those 5D beasties.

That said, it's not by any means a bad chair. The Kaiser 3 proved to be an exceptionally comfortable gaming throne, and the 3 Pro is no different (likely because it's identical). There's some fantastic comfort from the cold-foam padding, the leather is suitably soft (although it does lack some breathability), and the ergonomic support, including the magnetic headrest, is solid and dependable without being all-encompassing. If you're not a fan of the Kaiser 4's weird and wonderful pop-out backrest but want something a little more traditional than the X-Air series but are still curious about those wide-angled armrests, then the 3 Pro offers a good compromise between the lot of them, satisfying a hole within AndaSeat's own product lines.

Still, I've got some serious questions about just how many of these AndaSeat are shifting with the 5D option. The armrests just don't feel like quite the unique selling point that I imagine the company's hoping they'd become. Being able to flip up half the rest vertically, even at a variety of different angles, feels like a solution to a problem that we don't have. It's still one of the more comfortable gaming chairs out there today, mind you, and for the larger individual, the XL series is pretty top-tier in that regard; the bolsters aren't going to trap you in place like in some other offerings.

It's not all armrests and daisies, however. The build experience was a challenge. I had a few broken parts on my unit once it had finally shipped (although it did come to me directly from China to the UK), and a few bolt threads were seriously difficult to get secured, but that's not a huge deal, and once you've got it built, you're pretty much set. It's still far easier to piece together than the likes of the X-Air Pro.

Is it a contender for our best gaming chairs list? Perhaps, perhaps not. Yet, if you're interested in those funky armrests and don't want the pop-out lumbar that seems all the rage these days, it could still be a solid pick for your posterior to call home.

(Image credit: Future) AndaSeat Kaiser 3 Pro: Price and Availability

• List price: $550 / around £436 / around AU$866
• Available on Amazon US
• Leatherette and cloth versions

While the Kaiser 3 Pro is available in the US, unfortunately, the old Achilles heel of Andaseat strikes again in one region: availability in the UK. At the time of writing, you can only find the Andaseat Kaiser 3 Pro stateside. There's no UK availability sadly; although you can still purchase the standard Kaiser 3 and the XL version of that, you'll just be devoid of those 5D armrests (which might be a blessing depending on your perspective).

There's one major hiccup on the pricing of this thing though, particularly in the states, where the Kaiser 3 XL exists. That might sound a little ridiculous, but unfortunately, the price difference between the two is a staggering $100. That's quite a lot, for what effectively amounts to a different set of armrests.

On top of that, you can currently only get the 3 Pro in three different colorways: black, pink, or black fabric, and that's it. The standard 3 XL, with far better availability, has six leather options and one fabric option at your disposal. At least on Amazon, there is far better availability on AndaSeat's webstore directly, and even the option for an anti-stain PU leather variant too.

It's also quite a tricky one to place as the Kaiser 4 line also comes in at $570, just $20 more for arguably a more feature-rich chair with better build quality.

AndaSeat Kaiser 3 Pro: Specs AndaSeat Kaiser 3 Pro: Design and Aesthetics

• Classic bucket seat style
• Great material use
• Not particularly dramatic

Once you've finished building this thing, honestly, the Kaiser 3 Pro really does look the part. Certainly in its PVC leather edition that I have on test. I've been using, building, and reviewing chairs for longer than I care to admit, and honestly, the styling on the AndaSeats always impresses me.

It's not just following industry trends like some of the other offerings and brands do out there. Right now it feels like everyone either opts for weird and wonderful gaming-esque solutions that are overly ergonomic to the point of ridiculousness, or that old "it'll look nice in your CEO's office" vibe, or the holey grail super mesh, breathable air-fabric solutions (although AndaSeat does have one of those).

No, the Kaiser 3 Pro is just exactly that. It's a bucket seat design; it's got a touch of light orange thread running around it. It has a matte leather finish running through most of it, a pseudo carbon fiber-esque pattern leather in the bolsters, and everything just works. It's not gauche; it's not in your face; it's just a good chair like that. Odd to be complimented in such a way, good job AndaSeat the Kaiser 3 Pro is bang average (you can quote me on that), but honestly, in a world of gaming insanity, that needs praising.

(Image credit: Future) AndaSeat Kaiser 3 Pro: Comfort and adjustability

• 5D armrests are still so diabolical
• Lumbar adjustment is subtle
• Foam padding is luxurious but probably not good for you

I once had a long chat with Noblechairs' PR rep many years ago about why their chairs were so hard and so stiff compared to the competition. Their response was that, actually, it's better for your ergonomics to have a stiff-based chair so that your muscles don't atrophy and waste away. You feel more comfortable with stronger back muscles, and so forth. My argument, as a man who'd spent much of his youth gaming on a hard wooden chair, was fairly simple: "But it's not comfortable though." And it's true, it wasn't. The thing is, I do still have that Noblechair, and even after all these years, it's still remarkably good.

That said, the Kaiser 3 Pro, on the other hand, very much embraces that alternative way of thinking. Comfort is first and foremost a critical thing here, and you can tell that in the design and in the way AndaSeat advertises it. The soft padding, the seating, the bolsters, the plush, fluffy magnetic headrest—it's all designed to boost comfort above all else, and it works exceptionally well. There's just a real satisfaction about being sat in this thing for any length of time; you almost don't notice you're in it. Whether that's good for you long-term, it's hard to say, but for the moment it feels darn good.

(Image credit: Future)

AndaSeat's kitted out this particular model with its DuraXtra synthetic leather, which is apparently more abrasion-resistant, even more so than that found on the Kaiser 4. In fact, it's been tested for 5,000 abrasion cycles without breaking. An abrasion cycle simply takes a piece of material and rubs it repeatedly against an abrasive surface. Each cycle is marked as one, and the manufacturer measures how long that material will last. Interestingly, the leather on the Kaiser 4, it's a more premium option, is only rated for 2,000 cycles.

On top of that, you get a strong, sturdy steel base, solid castor wheels, plus built-in lumbar support for when you need it. It even comes with a fairly robust backrest recline and a rocking mode as well, for those who like the terror of tilting back.

Of course, I can't leave this review without discussing the wildly debatable 5D armrests on the Pro line. The entire premise of this model, in fact. In short, it can move up, down, right, left, backward, and forwards, rotate up to 70 degrees, and then split in half and fold upwards by 40 degrees if you'd like it to. That's a lot of movement, and yes, technically, that does help you get them exactly where you want them for everyone's weird and wonderful body shapes.

The problem, though? They're huge, seriously wide. The back part alone is 5.5 inches wide, tapering off to a 4-inch front, and they're 13 inches long, and honestly, it's just too much. It's incredibly difficult to get comfortable on them, particularly if you're on the shorter side of AndaSeat's recommended height range, and that's a problem, a big one because it makes it entirely difficult to recommend them for everyone.

AndaSeat Kaiser 3 Pro: Assembly

On to construction then, and honestly, it's a very simple process; there's little to write home about. Pop the castor wheels into the steel frame, insert the gas piston, attach the tilt mechanism to the base of the chair, pop on the plastic handles, slide it onto the gas lift, remove the bolts from the chair back, slide it carefully onto the brackets, and secure it in place with those same bolts. AndaSeat's tensioned backrest tilt arm even has a nifty bracket to help you slot it into place, which is a nice touch too.

The problem I had, however, was with the bolt threads themselves. Two of them in particular were incredibly difficult to secure, try as I might. I slackened them all off, tightened them all, and tried securing just the topmost bolt first, but nothing would do the job. In the end, I had to resort to pushing the entire chair base aggressively into the wall and leaning into the bolt with the included Allen key with no small amount of force to finally get it to purchase. Less than ideal, and hopefully a one-off, but a frustrating one nonetheless. Adding to my woes, the security bolt that's usually secured to the chair to stop the retention arm from snapping or moving during assembly had also come loose, so just something to watch out for if you do decide to take the plunge. Shipping can be a harsh mistress at times.

(Image credit: Future) Should You Buy The AndaSeat Kaiser 3 Pro? Buy it if...

You want to dabble in weirdly big armrests
They're long, proud, can move in every way under the sun, and might be perfect for the taller human.

You just want a classic gaming chair
All bucket seat, all the time. It's a classic design, and it looks great in any gaming setup, no weird and wonderful shapes or ergonomic surprises here.

Don't buy it if...

If you're on the shorter side
Those weird and wonderful armrests are just too long to easily get comfortable on, you're going to have better luck with the standard Kaiser 3 or 3 XL.

You're after the best value from your chair
$100 for an upgraded set of divisive armrests is a difficult pill to swallow.

Also consider...

Not your style? Just want something without fancy frills, or looking for something that's refined the design beyond all expectations? Then try out these alternatives.

Secretlab Titan Evo 2022
It's still our number one gaming chair of choice. It's even the same price as the Kaiser 3 Pro XL, remarkably, and has similar dimensions too, without being an XL design. If you fit in the weight and height categories, it could be a good pick. With top-tier quality, materials, and features, it's one of the comfiest chairs on the market and our favorite of the lot, with good reason.

For more information, check out our full Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 review

AndaSeat Kaiser 3 XL
No seriously, if you just can't get past those armrests or you don't want to take the risk, then the Kaiser 3 XL is the next best thing. $100 cheaper, it's equally one of our favorite gaming chairs of all time, making the top list for its comfort, quality, and generally cheaper price tag than similar alternatives.

For more information, check out our full AndaSeat Kaiser 3 XL review

How I tested the AndaSeat Kaiser 3 Pro

• Sat in it for more than two weeks in total
• Tested in multiple positions and compared to other chairs
• Used through all manner of tasks

I spent over two weeks working with the Kaiser 3 Pro using it as my regular office chair while analyzing its performance. I kept a detailed document open when using it, noticing any bugbears, and kept detailed records of my time building it, along with first impressions and more.

Similarly, I've had a lot of experience with both AndaSeat's 4D and 5D armrest systems and tested the Kaiser 3 XL as well, giving me particularly good insight into this lineup.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed February 2025

Philips Sonicare 7100: Two-minute review

The Philips Sonicare 7100 isn’t quite as eye-wateringly expensive as the Philips Sonicare 9900 Prestige, but at £350 (around $450 or AU$715) it’s still extremely pricey for a sonic toothbrush with a lithium rechargeable battery that will eventually decay. However, it’s a gorgeous piece of kit with a powerful motor, four brushing modes, three intensities, and a couple of cool accessories such as a charging travel case (downgraded from the Prestige's leather to cheaper plastic) as well as a stand. It's definitely up there with the best electric toothbrushes on our list.

The brush is very satisfying to hold and use. It feels premium: I’m used to very plasticky cheaper electric toothbrushes, so I’m pleased to say that if you're paying all this money, the Philips at least is satisfyingly weighty and incorporates metal into its design. Coupled with the black outer shell, it’s slightly reminiscent of a lightsaber, albeit one that cuts through plaque rather than Sith lords.

At 62,000 bristle motions per minute, the Philips Sonicare 7100 is on a par with the Sonicare 9900 Prestige in terms of its brushing performance. It’s got four brushing modes (Clean, Sensitive, White and Gum Health), and each one has three intensities, for 12 brush settings in total. It’s a case of trial-and-error to find the right one for your brushing routine, and I have a sneaking suspicion that a few of these setting and intensity combinations end up being repeated, based on sound and mouthfeel alone.

However, one thing’s for sure: this toothbrush is powerful. After using my cheaper, lower-powered brush for a while, the blast of the full-power Clean setting on the Philips was surprising, to say the least – a bit like grabbing onto a metal handrail and experiencing a static shock. After prolonged usage, and with the option for such a high-power setting should I want it, I’m not sure I could go back to my comparatively underpowered usual toothbrush.

(Image credit: Future)

The power is evident in the motor, which does emit a moderate whine: using my phone’s decibel meter app, I measured readings of 55-57 decibels, equivalent to a soft conversation. The Ultim8 Supermouth brush, which I’m also testing, measured 44-46 decibels in comparison. The Philips is at the louder end, then, but it’s worth it for that extra oomph.

The battery life – up to three weeks – is largely immaterial, as your brush will likely either be on the charging stand or in the charging travel case most of the time. However, such a good battery life does mean that when you’re caught on the hop – for example, taking your case on long trips – that the brush will hold out and still provide a good clean.

There are only two issues I have with the Philips Sonicare 7100. The first is its price: while it’s an excellent toothbrush, it is more expensive than most in its category, although it does seem to receive frequent discounts. The second is in its name – Sonicare. This is a sonic toothbrush, which is a lot better than a manual brush, but some studies have shown that some oscillating brush heads are marginally more effective at getting rid of plaque than sonic ones. Our guide to sonic vs rotating toothbrushes can tell you more, but the power of the Philips will ensure that with regular proper usage, you’re still getting a great clean.

Philips Sonicare 7100: Specifications Philips Sonicare 7100: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

• £349.99 in the UK (around $450 / AU$715)
• Frequently on sale
• The Sonicare Expertclean 7500 is the similar equivalent model in US and Australia
  

The Philips Sonicare 7100 is available in the UK priced at £349.99 (around $450 / AU$715). This is crazy money for a toothbrush, but it’s frequently on sale: at the time of writing, Amazon has it for £158.99 (around $205 / AU$325). I don’t know what it is about electric toothbrushes that means they're priced so highly and then get such severe and almost permanent discounts, but it’s a recognized phenomenon.

Want one in the US or Australia? Philips doesn’t sell the Sonicare 7100 there as it categorizes its products differently in those regions. However, it does sell a very similar Sonicare Expertclean 7500, with four relabelled modes (Clean, White+, Gum Health and Deep Clean) and a slightly differently-shaped charging case. That retails for $199 / AU$312.

If the Sonicare 7100 wasn’t so frequently on sale I’d consider it poor value. However, it should be fairly easy to pick this brush up for around £150-£200, which makes it a very good buy indeed.

• Value score: 3.5/5

(Image credit: Future) Philips Sonicare 7100: Scorecard Philips Sonicare 7100: Should I buy? Buy it if...

You want more power

Want a serious sonic clean? The Sonicare 7100 has the power to tackle the toughest plaque.

You want to brush on the go

The charging case is convenient and very well-designed, with space for your brush head.

You want lots of options

With four modes, each with three intensities, you’ve got 12 combos to choose from.

(Image credit: Future) Don't buy if if...

You can’t find it on sale

No toothbrush that I’ve yet tried is worth spending £350 / $450 / AU$715 on.

You want an oscillating brush head

As powerful as the Sonicare line is, if you’ve been advised to use an oscillating brush head by your dentist, consider the Oral-B iO Series.

You want to repair it

Unlike sustainable toothbrush manufacturer Suri, this toothbrush is not designed to be taken apart.

Also consider

Suri Sustainable Sonic Toothbrush

The best sustainability-focused sonic toothbrush.

Read our Suri Sustainable Sonic Toothbrush review

Philips Sonicare 9900 Prestige

The best premium electric toothbrush.

Read our Philips Sonicare 9900 Prestige review

How I tested

I used the Philips Sonicare 7100 for one week. I charged it using both the plug-in base and carry case, tried all the different modes on the toothbrush, and used a decibel meter app to calculate how loud the brush was compared to other brushes on the market.

First reviewed: March 2025

Jura J10: two-minute review

If you like elaborate coffees with flavored syrup, the Jura J10 is the fully automatic coffee machine of your dreams – and if you don’t, it might just change your mind.

The J10 also does a great job of the basics, producing consistently rich and well-balanced espresso thanks to a grinder that monitors the consistency of the grind, from which the J10 recommends the optimum temperature and extraction time for each drink (while still letting you tailor the settings to your preferences). The crema isn’t quite as thick and stable as that created by the KitchenAid KF6, but it’s still up there with the best espresso machines – and the J10 has a lot more to offer besides.

In addition, its cold brew option works well as well, and is in fact one of its stand-out features. It uses a different process to the Jura Z10 we reviewed back in 2023. The Z10 also offered a cold brew option, but the J10 works by pulsing water slowly through the grounds rather than forcing it through at high pressure, as you can see in the video below, which the company says should yield a more rounded flavor.

During tests, I found the process delivered a similar flavor profile to traditional overnight cold-brewing methods, taking the bitter notes out of your beans and producing a drink that’s much smoother than one brewed hot. With an ice cube or two to bring down the temperature a bit further, you’d be hard-pressed to differentiate it from the real thing.

The J10 certainly isn’t a cheap option; even if you’re currently placing takeaway coffee orders several times a week, it will take some time for it to pay for itself. Nevertheless, it’s a pleasure to use. The Sweet Foam system isn’t complicated, but it’s implemented perfectly and works exactly as promised. The flavor is distributed evenly throughout the milk rather than being concentrated in the bottom of your cup, so you’ll actually need less syrup for the same intensity of sweetness, and you can use any type of coffee syrup you like, including sugar-free ones.

A dial on the front of the machine lets you choose between hot and foamed milk (Image credit: Future)

The J10 does an impressive job of texturizing milk, on a par with the excellent Siemens EQ900 Plus, and with a dose of syrup its foam is even more stable, lasting to the very last drop.

It has a couple of quirks, though. The drip tray is unusually shallow, which means you have to take care not to spill its contents, and the customization menus time out sooner than I’d like. Overall, however, the Jura J10 is a treat to use.

Jura J10: price and availability

• Launched in early 2025
• Priced at £1,795 / AU$3,990 (about $2,300)
• Not yet available in the US, but that may change soon

The Jura J10 launched in early 2025, and is available to buy direct from Jura and from a handful of third-party retailers. It has a list price of £1,795 / AU$3,990 (about $2,300), but at the time of writing (March 2025), it isn't yet available to buy in the US. Other Jura machines are available in the States, so hopefully it will only be a matter of time before it hits those shores.

Jura is charging a premium price for its fully automatic espresso machine then, but it isn't the most expensive around. It comes in less than both the Siemens EQ900 Plus (also a great option for well-extracted espresso paired with perfectly foamed milk) and the KitchenAid KF8 (more stylish to look at, but not so good with dairy).

• Value score: 4/5

Jura J10: specifications Jura J10 review: design

• Hopper for whole beans and ground coffee
• Detects which of its two dispensers you're using
• Sweet Foam system attaches to milk texturizer

The Jura J10 is a smart-looking espresso machine with a glossy piano-black finish. The exterior is made entirely from plastic (even the silver-colored components), which in my opinion isn't a bad thing – the whole machine is easy to wipe clean and isn’t excessively heavy. Some of its rivals weigh over 37.5lb / 17kg, so a machine I can move easily is a refreshing change.

The Jura J10 is an attractive machine, and the company has even considered what its removeable milk system looks like (Image credit: Future)

Unusually for an automatic coffee machine, it has two dispensers: one in the middle for coffee and hot water for espressos and americanos; another on the right for lattes, cappuccinos, and steamed milk, with optional syrup added as the milk is texturized.

There’s a single, generously sized hopper on top, with an airtight seal to keep your beans fresh. Like the KitchenAid Fully Automatic Espresso Machine K8, the Jura J10 also has a chute for adding a scoop of pre-ground coffee, if you want to try something different.

Image 1 of 2

The Jura J10 has a single, generously sized bean hopper (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

A control dial allows you to adjust the grind size. and the chute lets you add two scoops of ground coffee (Image credit: Future)

Personally, I prefer the twin-hopper setup of the Siemens EQ900 Plus, which can be filled with two different beans at once. Nevertheless, it’s still nice to have an option if you want to switch to decaf in the evening, or have a guest who’s particularly fond of a certain bean or blend.

The J10's water tank is accessed by lifting a flap at the top of the machine and then pulling it out of the side. It’s easy to remove, reinsert, and carry to the tap thanks to a convenient folding handle. The J10 is supplied with a water filter, with a cartridge that pushes onto a plastic adapter and then twists into place in the bottom of the tank to help reduce limescale buildup and remove impurities. Additional filter cartridges are available direct from Jura for $20 / £15.95 / AU$27.90 each.

The J10's water tank is easily removed, and has a replaceable filter to help prevent limescale (Image credit: Future)

The only drawback of the design (and it’s a minor one) is that the drip tray is wide and long, but shallow, which makes it relatively easy to spill the contents while carrying it to the sink. The machine doesn’t warn you until it’s almost full, so I found myself emptying it before I was prompted to avoid getting water on the floor. I did appreciate the spout shape at the back of the tray, though, which makes it easy to pour out the contents when you get it over the sink.

In general, the milk systems of fully automatic coffee makers are quite ugly, often taking the form of open plastic tubs attached to an otherwise stylish machine by a length of slightly medical-looking rubber tubing. This isn't the case with the Jura J10, which has a glass milk container with an airtight lid that’s designed to be stored in the fridge between uses, and which attaches to the machine’s foaming dispenser using a tube with a metal sleeve. It’s a much more stylish solution than most, and works well.

The Sweet Foam system uses a small container of syrup that attaches to the milk texturizer (Image credit: Future)

You do get a plain plastic tube, but this is only used for cleaning the milk system. The Jura J10 comes with a two-part tank that sits on top of the drip tray when it’s time for a deep clean. Just add some cleaning tablets (again, available to buy from Jura), choose the program, and the machine will do the rest, pouring hot water onto the tablets to make a cleaning solution, pumping it through the unit, and depositing the waste water into the smaller section ready to be poured away.

The Sweet Foam system uses a small container that you fill with your preferred syrup (regular or sugar-free), which you attach to the milk foamer. As the steamed milk is dispensed, it becomes infused with syrup, distributing the flavor evenly throughout the milk.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Jura J10 review: performance

• Espresso is consistently well-extracted with rich crema
• Milk is perfectly foamed, and Sweet Foam system works brilliantly
• Cold brew tastes authentically milk and well-rounded

There’s an impressive assortment of presets, including espresso drinks, hot and steamed milk, and hot water. Tap the arrow button above the drink menu and you’ll see a set of extra options including cold brew, extra shot, and Sweet Foam. Select one of these, and you’ll see an icon over the drinks that can be prepared in the way. It’s a smart system that means you don’t have to browse through multiple menus to prepare custom drinks.

As you’d expect with a premium automatic coffee machine, you can also create your own custom beverages, adjusting the temperature, volume, and brew time to suit your preferences. It’s also easy to tweak the machine’s own presets, which is a nice feature that means you can tailor the whole menu to suit your tastebuds – and your cups.

The Jura J10 offers an extensive menu of customizable drink options (Image credit: Future)

I was occasionally frustrated when the customization menus timed out and returned me to the home screen before I’d finished making my choices, but that was the only drawback for me. I just had to be more prepared and not spend time dithering.

When you select a drink, the machine will recommend a grind setting from "mild" to "intense". This is fairly unusual – most fully automatic espresso machines I’ve tested will adjust the grind size for you automatically, and again you’re not given a huge amount of time to do it.

Image 1 of 4

The Coffee Eye system detects where you've placed your cup, illuminates either amber or white, and changes which drink options are shown on the menu (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 4

The milk texturizer is excellent, and foam with syrup lasts even longer (Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 4

The Jura J10 makes an impressive latte macchiato (Image credit: Future)Image 4 of 4

Espresso is delicious, even though the crema isn't quite as thick and stable as that produced by the KitchenAid KF6 (Image credit: Future)

Both dispensers can be easily moved up and down to accommodate different sized cups, and the J10 has a system called Coffee Eye that detects which one your cup is beneath, and only displays beverages that will be dispensed there. It’s a clever addition, and one that eliminates any potential confusion. The machine also has different colored lights that illuminate to show where you’ve placed your cup – white for the espresso dispenser, and amber for the cappuccino dispenser.

The Sweet Foam container lets you control the amount of syrup added to the milk, allowing you to tailor the flavor to your preferences, and you can use any type or flavor you want, including sugar-free. I used a Tate & Lyle coffee syrup provided by Jura; not only were the results delicious, with the flavor distributed much more evenly than it would be if you simply added a pump of syrup to the cup, it also made the foam on my latte macchiato even more stable and long-lasting.

You have to remove and clean the container after each use, but this doesn't require much effort. Having the syrup in some sort of tank inside the machine for use on-demand would mean the machine would need another type of cleaning cycle to wash out the sugar, and you’d be limited to one type of syrup at a time.

In the J10's setup, the syrup doesn’t enter the rest of the milk system at all, so there’s no sugar in the machine to act as a breeding ground for bacteria. Plus, you can use a different flavor whenever you feel like it. I washed the container by hand, which took only a moment, and Jura recommends popping it in the dishwasher once a week for a deeper clean.

I was particularly interested to try the cold brew option, which promises authentic-tasting cold coffee drinks in moments, with the same flavor profile as cold brew that's been extracted in the traditional way over the course of many hours. Cold brew does take longer to dispense than a shot of hot espresso, but not by much – it drips from the dispenser, rather than issuing in a stream – and the taste is very impressive. It might not be quite as flavorsome as authentic cold brew, but it’s very close; it's sweeter, with far less bitterness than espresso brewed hot. Throw in some ice and I think you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference.

The Jura J10 comes with a two-part tank for deep-cleaning the milk system (Image credit: Future)

Like any fully automatic coffee maker, the Jura J10 requires regular cleaning to keep it hygienic and ready to brew. One feature I particularly appreciated was its ability to run a rinsing cycle automatically when it hasn't been used for a certain period of time. This is something I’ve only previously seen on commercial bean-to-cup machines, and it makes a lot of sense. You can tinker with the cleaning and maintenance settings (including rinsing) by tapping the small arrow button on the bottom of the coffee menu.

• Performance score: 5/5

Should you buy the Jura J10 Buy it if

You enjoy decadent coffee drinks

The Jura J10 lets you replicate even complicated coffee orders at home, and gives much better results than just adding a pump of syrup to your cup.

You enjoy cold brew

The J10's updated cold brewing system is fast and effective, producing a flavor profile strikingly similar to coffee brewed cold overnight.

Don't buy it if

You prefer traditional coffees

If syrup and cold brew aren't your thing, you can get excellent results from a more affordable machine such as the standard Siemens EQ900.

You're a bit clumsy

The wide and shallow drip tray can be prone to spilling if you're not careful, and the J10 won't warn you until it's very full.

Jura J10: also consider

Not completely sold on the Jura J10 coffee maker? Here are two other premium bean-to-cup machines for you to consider.

Siemens EQ900 Plus

Another premium fully automatic espresso machine, the Siemens EQ900 Plus makes the best latte macchiato I've had at home. If you want a more affordable option, the standard EQ900 is very similar, only lacking the smart cleaning function.

Read our full Siemens EQ900 Plus review

KitchenAid KF8 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine

Not interested in syrup or cold brew? The KitchenAid KF8 brews exceptional espresso, and has specially configured settings to handle both dairy and milk substitutes.

Read our full KitchenAid KF8 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine review

How I tested the Jura J10

I used the Jura J10 with three different coffee beans: my favorite Burundi and Panama Winter Blend from local coffee shop Mokoko; Jura Malabar Monsooned India Pure Origin; and Jura Cafe Creme Guatemala, Brazil, Costa Rica Blend. The latter two were provided by Jura, along with Tate & Lyle Barista caramel syrup.

(Image credit: Future)

I used the milk system with chilled whole milk, purchased that day. For more details, see how we test, review, and rate products on TechRadar.

First reviewed April 2025

Turtle Beach Victrix Pro KO: Two-minute review

The Turtle Beach Victrix Pro KO is the latest premium take on the leverless all-button controllers that have been transforming the fighting game community's meta in recent years, built for the current generation of consoles while still backwards compatible with last-gen consoles at the click of a switch (while the controllers are also compatible with PC, you will need to buy separate controllers for PlayStation and Xbox consoles).

It's a much sleeker build than Victrix's previous attempt at a leverless controller while retaining similar features, such as customizable LED lights, a three-meter braided USB-C cable, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a comfortable ergonomic 6.28-degree wrist slope on its surface to prevent fatigue. It also includes L3 and R3 buttons that the Pro FS models lacked, while naturally including a tournament lock switch to disable all the other buttons on the top bar.

Where the Pro KO really stands out from the other contenders vying to be one of the best fight sticks is just how customizable its buttons are, with the space for 16 mappable and movable buttons compared to the default 12 of other leverless controllers. With spare buttons provided within the shell of the controller, an easy-to-pop-open cover, and tweezers that make changing buttons accessible straight out of the box, it's an easily customizable controller where you can add and program new buttons that are most comfortable to reach for your play style. Being available at a better comparable price to similar options at launch makes it an excellent choice for players looking to convert to a leverless control style.

While fighting pros will praise leverless controllers as more precise and immediate compared to a traditional arcade stick, it's still not the superior option without retraining muscle memory and getting used to the layout, even if being able to add a different place for the up / jump button can help with the adjustment. But for those prepared to put in the work and make the transition, the Pro KO is the best leverless controller to make that move.

(Image credit: Future/Alan Wen) Turtle Beach Victrix Pro KO: Price and availability

• List price of $249.99 / £229.99 / AU$399.95
• Comparably priced to other leverless controllers
• Limited availability for PlayStation variant compared to Xbox

Launching in December 2024, the price point of the Victrix Pro KO is about right for other leverless controllers right now. It's much cheaper than the Victrix Pro FS-12 and better priced than its closest competitor the Razer Kitsune, which launched at $299, making it a relative bargain considering the wealth of additional customization offered out of the box.

For pad players looking to take their fighting game prowess to the next level, the Victrix Pro KO is definitely a better price choice than shelling out for its premium arcade stick equivalent the Victrix Pro FS, which is among the most expensive fight sticks at the moment (it is however still my stick of choice).

Stock is unfortunately in short supply for the PlayStation model currently, with Amazon taking orders but warning that shipping can take anywhere from three to six months. It's likely because PS5 consoles have largely been the preferred platform for tournaments, but if you're predominantly playing on PC then you might be better off going for the Xbox version, which is more widely available.

Turtle Beach Victrix Pro KO: Specs

(Image credit: Future/Alan Wen) Turtle Beach Victrix Pro KO: Design and features

• Easily customizable and movable buttons right out of the box
• Sleek design with ergonomic wrist slope
• Tactile Cherry switches and button rings with customizable RGB lighting

Compared to Victrix's previous attempt at a leverless controller with the Pro FS-12, which essentially kept the same bulk and weight of its Pro FS arcade stick, the Pro KO is a substantial improvement, leveraging the leverless controller's strength as a lighter and more compact option. While its dimensions are still larger than competitors like the Razer Kitsune, it's still a comfortable size for taking to tournaments, slipping neatly into my laptop bag, or the strap bars on the side give you the option to add shoulder straps.

The extra real estate is important for your hands though, as the surface incorporates a 6.28° wrist slope just like with Victrix's Pro FS models, which does wonders for preventing fatigue when playing for lengthy sessions. There are also more buttons on the top including dedicated L3 and R3 buttons while the PlayStation version includes the DualSense touchpad on the top left corner, all of which can be disabled with a tournament lock switch on the top-right corner to prevent accidentally pressing them during a heated tournament match.

The 24-millimeter buttons are smaller than typical arcade sticks but the same size as other leverless designs, along with the single 30-millimeter button for the up / jump button that's designed to be within reach of your thumb, similar to a space bar. It's not the only comparison to a keyboard as the buttons are also comprised of Cherry MX Speed Silver RGB switches used in mechanical keyboards, making these buttons just as tactile and responsive as Sanwa Denshi buttons favored by professional fighting game players.

(Image credit: Future/Alan Wen)

While the controller has 12 buttons by default, what you'll notice are four other indents (one to the left of the directional buttons, two below the usual command buttons, and one to the left of the up/jump button) where other buttons can be added. These aren't optional extras, for when you pop out the top cover, by flicking the four switches beneath the controller base, you'll find that it snugly fits four spare buttons and switches, as well as a pair of tweezers that make it easy to remove the round caps and then add new buttons, or even replace a faulty button.

Once added, you simply need to hold the function button on the top bar and then choose the button you want to map the new button to. It's just as easy to customize the color lighting for the button rings, while also adjusting the mode from static to breathing, prismatic, or you can simply turn them off if you prefer.

(Image credit: Future/Alan Wen) Turtle Beach Victrix Pro KO: Performance

• Tactile and responsive buttons, but will need acclimating to if new to leverless controls
• More comfortable advantage with customizable button layout
• Good for playing on your lap or on a desk

When it comes down to it, the reason to own the Victrix Pro KO is because of how much more responsive and reliable just tapping directional inputs is than with a stick. In Street Fighter 6, instead of fumbling two-quarter circles to perform a super, I just need to tap down, forward, down forward, while a charge attack is more immediate if you're just tapping the button instead of moving the stick and back and forth, which may all seem like tiny fractions of milliseconds of a difference, but in any competitive environment, those all count.

Arcade purists may sniff at these controllers, which had also caught controversy for being potentially too advantageous, leading to a few instances of leverless controllers being banned at some tournaments, not to mention that the Victrix Pro KO lacks Sanwa Denshi parts that the Pro FS-12 has. Yet in terms of tactility, the Cherry switches were every bit as clickable and responsive in my testing.

If you're very new to leverless controllers, however, you shouldn't take them as an immediately superior controller compared to other existing options. Using buttons for directions intrinsically requires different muscle memory from using a stick - it's about the placement of your fingers and thumb over all the directional inputs rather than your thumb on a pad or your whole arm when using a stick. Personally, I still find it difficult to adjust to having the up / jump button located at the bottom, even though it's actually where you would expect a space bar to be, and so I found myself less capable of utilizing aerial moves.

(Image credit: Future/Alan Wen)

While there is arguably more precision in button inputs, that's only without factoring in pressure during an actual match. It's one thing to flawlessly execute supers in training mode but against an online opponent, I would still find myself tapping the inputs too fast incorrectly in the same way I can fluff the same inputs with a joystick.

Nonetheless, as far as it goes to learning leverless controls, I found the Victrix Pro KO's button layout better than when I had previously tried the Razer Kitsune, which was a little more spread out and caused my left hand to cramp when trying to keep each digit over a respective directional button. The customizable button placements also greatly help with the adjustment. In my case, adding another jump button further to the left felt more reachable for my thumb, while adding another button just under the other attack buttons meant I could program a one-button parry that's far easier to reach.

Ultimately, while I see myself improving in leverless controls the more I'm using the Victrix Pro KO, I'm still not confident in having it replace my Victrix Pro FS stick as my controller of choice at the next local tournament. After swapping back to a stick, I was simply more comfortable with a mix of air-to-air follow-ups that my brain had been struggling to compute with buttons- alone. If you however don't already have decades of arcade fighting game experience lodged in your brain and are also used to playing games with a keyboard, then going leverless is likely going to feel like a natural progression.

Should I buy the Turtle Beach Victrix Pro KO? Buy it if...

You want one of the most customizable leverless controllers around
Leverless controllers are already touted for their more responsive performance you have an even greater advantage by being able to easily add and program more buttons right out of the box.

You want the same features as the Victrix sticks but with a lighter form factor
The Victrix Pro KO has a lighter and sleeker form factor comparable to other leverless controllers but still has the same great features as its fellow Victrix sticks such as the ergonomic wrist slope and the option to add a shoulder strap for carrying it around.

Don't buy it if...

You're expecting a superior controller overnight
Leverless controllers may offer more precise and responsive inputs in theory but it also requires a lot of practice and mental rewiring if you've been used to arcade sticks or gamepads for many years. But much like with fighting games, it's all about practice.

Also consider...

If you’re still not entirely sold on the Turtle Beach Victrix Pro KO then check out these two excellent similar products for comparison and consideration.

Victrix Pro FS
If you prefer to stick with traditional arcade sticks, this is easily the best one there is despite its very premium price. Not only does it use Sanwa parts, but its ergonomic wrist slope also makes it very comfortable to play for long sessions. It's also available in many different stylish designs based on some of the biggest fighting game series.

For more information, check out our full Victrix Pro FS review

Octopus Arcade Stick
If you want a fight stick that's compatible with generations of platforms with a rich history of arcade fighting games and beat-em-ups, then the Octopus Arcade stick is the one for you, even more so if you happen to be a Dreamcast owner. Just be warned of its weight, size, and the need to spend more on extra compatible cables.

For more information, check out our full Octopus Arcade Stick review

(Image credit: Future/Alan Wen) How I tested the Turtle Beach Victrix Pro KO

• Tested for a week on PS5 and PC
• Used for Street Fighter 6 and Virtua Fighter 5 REVO offline and online
• Compared to the Victrix Pro FS for reference

With Street Fighter 6 being my regular fighting game fixture on the PS5, I swapped out my dependable Victrix Pro FS for the Victrix Pro KO for a week, though occasionally swapping back to get a comparison on the different feel of each controller. Firstly practicing offline with the newly added character Mai I gradually took the courage to adapt to leverless controls against other online opponents, getting my fair share of wins but also plenty of defeats, and making note of where I felt an improvement in using this controller and what felt like new limitations. I also played some matches while using the controller's audio jack with my Corsair Virtuoso Pro wired headset.

On my gaming PC, I was able to test it out on the newly released Virtua Fighter 5 REVO, where I also started with some practice in arcade mode before attempting to take it online and making some progress in ranked matches. This was however an easier adjustment from Street Fighter 6 owing to fewer inputs while the up button is used less for jumping and more for side-stepping. Overall, I played around 8-10 hours with the Victrix Pro KO between both games, though arguably more so on Street Fighter 6 because it really is the best.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed February 2025

Cricut Maker 4 review: One-minute review

Cricut Maker 4 is an excellent addition to the impressive lineup of crafting machines from Cricut. If you want to craft at home and produce professional-level results, the Maker 4 can help you create decorations, gifts, jewelry, clothing, keepsakes, and much more. It isn’t the easiest tool to use – Maker 4 will help your crafting reach new heights, but it won’t make things for you – yet with some patience and practice, the results can be truly astonishing.

Cricut Maker 4 is the most capable Cricut machine you can buy. There is a larger, commercial-strength Cricut Venture machine, but the Maker 4 can cut a wider variety of materials. Every Cricut cutting machine can cut paper, cardstock, vinyl, and similar materials, but only the Cricut Maker series can cut thick materials like wood and leather. It’s strong enough to engrave aluminum sheets, but delicate enough to cut fine details into felt.

You don’t need to upgrade to the new Cricut Maker 4 if you have an earlier Cricut Maker machine, unless you are turning out huge volumes of projects and you want a machine that is much faster. Maker 4 is up to twice as fast as Cricut Maker 3, but that’s the key difference. Otherwise, the capabilities and even the design are essentially unchanged.

If you don’t have a Cricut machine yet, the good news is that the new Cricut Maker 4 starts at a lower price than before, and bundles are available that give you everything you need to jump into crafting on day one.

Cricut Maker 4 has space for a blade (right) and a pen (left) (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

If you’re totally new to Cricut, your first question will be what exactly is a Cricut machine? Cricut hates when people call its machines a printer, and it’s closer to a laser cutter than a printer. So imagine a printer, but instead of spraying ink on paper, it uses a blade (or a variety of blades) to cut.

You can cut designs into permanent stickers made of vinyl, and then apply the design to your favorite mug, your walls, even your car. You can buy iron-on material or heat-transferable ink that will stick to a shirt or hat and make your own souvenirs. And I’m just getting started, this is only the tip of the Cricut iceberg.

As a long-time Cricut user I’ve made t-shirts and hats, mugs and travel tumblers, and decorations for my house and my classroom back when I was a high school teacher. I’ve made simple labels for spice jars and tea containers, and I’ve made complex, multi-layered shadowbox designs with paper, felt, and faux leather that I hang on my wall.

My years of Cricut experience have been with a Cricut Explore and recently a Cricut Joy Xtra that I got from Cricut when that smaller machine launched. Those machines are great for my decorative needs, but Cricut Maker 4 can handle thicker materials like wood, leather, and aluminum. However, significant caveats apply.

I was very excited to try cutting new materials. Cricut Explore can use special tools, like the scoring wheel to create precise folds in cardstock, but it can’t cut wood or leather.

Cricut was nice enough to send me samples of felt, basswood, faux leather, and aluminum to try, along with a selection of cutting blades and cutting tips, like the embossing tip for aluminum and the rotary cutting tool that slices up fabric like a fishing line through water.

The results were mostly spectacular, with one sad exception. Cricut Maker 4 easily cut through faux leather, creating an intricate and detailed design, then it handled a sheet of soft felt with the same finesse. It took some time, but it’s cool to watch the machine chug along.

Cricut Maker 4 slices into basswood over and over (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Sadly, things came to a halt when I cut the basswood layer for my project. While Maker 4 can cut through wood, it requires 14 separate passes with the blade to cut all the way through. My Maker 4 failed during every attempt. It didn’t ruin the wood, it simply stopped cutting and gave me an error message. Cricut says there is a firmware fix coming that will fix the problem, and I’m excited to put Maker 4 to the test with tougher materials.

This brings me to my biggest complaint about Cricut Maker 4, and all of Cricut’s cutting machines. To use a Cricut machine, you must use Cricut Design Space on your desktop, phone or tablet. It works on Mac and PC, iPhone and Android. Unfortunately, it’s a bad piece of software, being buggy and difficult to use. The performance is so sluggish that I often wondered if it had registered my input at all. Options would appear and disappear, and it is hard to figure out how to make things work properly.

If you’ve used real design software like Photoshop or Illustrator, or even more basic layout tools like Apple Pages or Google Slides, you’ll be confounded by Cricut Design Space. Most of the problems I had in the month I’ve spent with Cricut Maker 4 came down to fighting the software and figuring out how to make it actually do what I assumed I’d asked it to do.

I’ve asked Cricut on numerous occasions if there is any major update coming and they have no plans for any big fix.

The cool design on the Cricut Maker 4 lid (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The good news is that it is easy to get help. There is a huge community of crafty people who share tips and offer advice. If you buy a Cricut machine, or if you’re even considering a Cricut, I would start watching YouTube video tutorials now. Read the Reddit subgroups, or join a group for Cricut beginners on Facebook. You’ll find help, and you’ll find people meeting the same obstacles.

Because Cricut Maker 4 is an amazing tool, and it makes precise and delicate cuts at an astonishing speed, resulting in a final product that looks professionally produced – if you know what you are doing. Maker 4 won’t make the projects for you.

This isn’t a turnkey solution where you insert materials at one end and out pops a completed project. This is a tool that will get you from point A through points B, C, and D with more precision than you imagined. But there is still plenty of work for you to do.

Cricut Maker 4 review: price and bundles

• Starts at $399 / £399 / AU$699 with basic materials and tools
• Cricut's bundle is better when you buy a month of Cricut Access

Cricut Maker 4 looks a lot like a printer, but it's totally not a printer (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Cricut Maker 4 starts at $399.99 in the US, which is a bit less than the Maker 3’s $429.99 starting price; in Britain you'll pay £399 and AU$699 in Australia.

The Maker 4 comes with more accessories and tools than before, enough to actually start crafting a few projects and get the hang of the machine, but you’ll need a lot more once you really get into crafting with Cricut. There is an Everything bundle that includes many more necessary tools for $459 / £469.99, currently discounted for the launch of Maker 4.

Another cost to consider is Cricut Access, a monthly subscription service through the Cricut Design Space app. Cricut Access provides a massive supply of stock images and patterns that you can use, as well as a library of fonts. If you don’t subscribe, you can use your own system fonts, which are not designed to look good on crafts, and you can supply your own images.

When I’m feeling crafty, I usually subscribe for a couple of months and then cancel until I want to make stuff again. Cricut Access costs $9.99 per month or $95.88 for a full year (scroll down for UK and Australia bundle prices). With the subscription, you also get a discount on Cricut supplies and machines, and a discount if you buy licensed images and fonts from Cricut Design Space, like Star Wars characters or recognizable Disney-branded fonts.

Frankly, buying a Cricut machine opens a Pandora's box of buying. If you want to make hats, you’ll want a Cricut Hat Press. If you want to make mugs, the Cricut Mug Press is essential. If you are simply making shirts and or pressing vinyl only fabric, you’ll want a good hot press to use instead of a clothes iron. I’ve used all of these accessories from Cricut and they all work remarkably well, making the crafting process as easy as possible with app controls and timers.

You’ll also need materials like permanent vinyl sheets and iron-ons. I’ve purchased cheap brands from Amazon and also the good stuff from Cricut. Both options work, but Cricut-brand materials have a much higher success rate for me – and thankfully you can always find some Cricut material on sale either at Cricut.com or at stores like Michael’s in the States.

What comes with the Cricut Maker 4?

• Cricut Maker 4 machine
• Fine-Point Blade
• Light Grip Mat (12 in x 12 in)
• Fine Point Pen (0.4mm)
• Mini Weeder tool
• Materials for practice crafting

What more do you get with the Cricut Everything Bundle?

• Card Mart (13 in x 16.25 in)
• 24 insert cards
• Scoring Stylus
• Scraper
• Spatula
• Weeder tool
• Portable Trimmer
• Fine Point Pen in Magenta
• 2 rolls + 6 sheets Smart Iron-On
• 2 rolls + 6 sheets Smart Vinyl - permanent
• 12 sheets printable vinyl
• 24 sheets cardstock
• 1 roll + 5 sheets transfer tape (for vinyl projects)
• 1 Tote Bag
• Subscription to Cricut Access Standard (1 month included)

Cricut Maker 4 review: What can you make? Image 1 of 6

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

A mug created with heat-infusible ink and a drawing of my dog

Image 2 of 6

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

A shadowbox using layers of cardstock paper cut precisely

Image 3 of 6

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Faux leather cut into a pattern that still needs bits weeded away

Image 4 of 6

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

A layer of felt on top of a layer of faux leather

Image 5 of 6

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

A birthday card cut-out

Image 6 of 6

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The basswood project is still going...

Cricut Maker 4 starts with a small blade attachment, so you can make anything that starts with cutting. You can also insert a pen to draw on your projects with the same precision. You can cut paper, vinyl stickers, iron-on vinyl (heat transfer vinyl), cardstock, and other thin materials to make interior decorations, small crafts, cards, and clothing decorations.

There are many different blades and attachments available separately for Cricut Maker 4 that extend its capabilities significantly. There are deep cutting blades for thicker materials, or rolling blades for soft materials and fine, continuous cuts. There are tools that score cardstock and paper for perfect folds and creases, tools for engraving in metal and debossing leather, and tools to create perforations to tear later. There are also a wide variety of pens you can use alongside the blades.

The variety of blades and tools available is what sets Cricut Maker 4 apart from Cricut Explore 4 and the other Cricut machines. For instance, you can use the rotary blade with Cricut Maker 4, but not with Explore. I tried cutting felt with the add-on rotary blade and with the included fine blade and the results were much better with the rotary blade. The pattern was cut perfectly and much easier to lift from the mat without tearing or weeding too much excess.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The real time you spend crafting will come after Cricut Maker 4 finishes its work. A Cricut machine almost never leaves you with the finished project. You’ll need to weed out all the scraps and bits you don’t want, and attach different pieces together. This requires time and patience, as well as proper tools for weeding and dealing with lots of sticky trash. Cricut Maker 4 comes with a very simple weeding tool – you’ll want to buy more tools before your first project.

The Cricut Design Space software offers a rotating set of suggested projects, with new ideas popping up as the seasons change. There is a community of contributors who post new ideas almost daily - from home decorations to drinkware to clothing to container labels and much more.

You could definitely use Cricut Maker 4 as the foundation for a small crafting business, like a souvenir shop or an Etsy store. My favorite use for my Cricut so far has been making t-shirts for inside jokes. When somebody makes a good joke one day, I’ll put it on a shirt that night and come to work the next day wearing what they said. I also love the quality of Cricut Mugs, but my cabinet is full so I’ll need to accidentally break some before I can make more.

Cricut Maker 4 review: Design

• Wider than a printer and needs space in front and behind
• Convenient storage for tools, pens, and blades

Cricut Maker 4 needs room in front and behind to move the mat around (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Cricut Maker 4 looks a lot like a very wide printer. It is a squat box that opens to reveal a headliner and a tray for your materials or a cutting mat. If you don’t use Cricut Smart Material rolls, you’ll need a cutting mat to hold your material while the Cricut blade slices. The machine comes with a light grip mat that is appropriate for paper and vinyl, but you’ll need a stronger grip for thicker materials.

Cricut Maker 4 needs plenty of room in front and behind when it's working, but it closes up to be much more compact. The machine can handle cutting mats up to 12 inches wide, and it can cut projects that are very long if it uses Smart Materials.

The machine has convenient storage space for some Cricut tools built in. I was able to store a number of extra cutting blades, as well as my weeding tools, all inside the Cricut’s storage compartment. It couldn’t hold everything – the brayer tool for pushing materials flat is too large, for instance – but it’s a convenient use of device space.

My Cricut Maker 4 sample came in the seashell color, which is a lovely, light pink. However, I was jealous to learn that Michael’s has an exclusive sage color available. The capabilities are the same, I just like exclusives.

Cricut Maker 4 can connect to your computer via Bluetooth, but it will need to connect via USB at least once for a firmware update and initial setup. It comes with a very long USB-C to USB-B cable, as well as a power adapter.

Cricut Maker 4 review: Setup and ease of use

• Setup requires a USB connection (cable included)
• Use requires Cricut Design Space app for desktop or mobile

The blade engaged on Cricut Maker 4 (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Cricut Maker 4 is easy to set up with Cricut Design Space. It won’t work with any other software, but there is a Cricut app available for MacOS, Windows, Android and iOS, so whatever device you use, you’ll be covered, with the exception of Chromebooks. There is no web-based setup option.

For basic projects, Cricut Maker 4 can be very easy to use, but not without frustration or effort. Once your project is cut, weeding the scraps takes precision and patience, and this is where most of my projects failed when I accidentally ripped out something I wanted to keep. Having a good, bright light helps, as well as sharp eyesight. Cricut crafting is how I realized I needed to start wearing reading glasses.

The worst part of Cricut crafting by far is Cricut Design Space. The more I use the software, the more I hope that Cricut takes a sledgehammer to the current build and starts from scratch. It is simply a difficult, buggy, poorly designed piece of software, and unfortunately it's the gatekeeper for all Cricut crafting. You must use Design Space to use Cricut Maker 4.

Fear not, because help is available from the community. I have joined Cricut fans on Reddit and Facebook and found plenty of friendly help, and there are tons of YouTubers and bloggers who are crafting with Cricut and ready to offer instructions and advice.

Still, this isn't a do-it-all-for-you crafting machine. This is a precise tool that will elevate your crafts to a new level of precision and refinement. You’ll be able to create items that look as good as products you’d buy in a store, but you’ll need to spend more time than you expect getting it right. I failed many times on my complex crafting projects, and I’ve put some even more advanced projects aside while I practice my technique on easier crafts.

Cricut Maker 4 review: Should I buy Cricut Maker 4?

If you are patient, craft-centric and interested in making incredible projects that will impress, go ahead and buy Cricut Maker 4. The results are stunning, and once you get the hang of your favorite type of projects, you’ll be able to crank out new items with ease. After a dozen t-shirts or so, I could easily whip up a fresh design and have it ready to wear in a couple of hours or less.

If you’re a teacher, what are you waiting for?! Buy this now! or have your school buy one, or tell your friends on Facebook that they need to support their local teacher with a Cricut Maker 4. It’s an invaluable tool for educators – I was able to decorate every inch of my room, from the walls to the windows to the desks, at a tiny fraction of the normal cost.

Actually, forget the normal cost because I never decorated as thoroughly before I had my own Cricut machine. I redecorated for every new lesson unit. Once you get the hang of basic decorations, you’ll start using Cricut to create useful class materials, and then it will really prove its worth.

Do you need Cricut Maker 4 over Cricut Explore 4? Most people will probably be able to create everything they want with an Explore 4, though the flexibility and precision of Maker 4 is nice if you may someday want to incorporate felt or leather into your crafts. Cricut’s faux leather is an awesome material and it cuts beautifully into complex shapes.

On the other hand, if wood is your thing, I’d look elsewhere. Cricut hasn’t fixed the firmware issue that caused my basswood projects to fail, and besides, it takes hours and hours to cut a wood project. Woodcrafters might want to consider a laser cutter, even though they are twice as expensive as Cricut Maker 4 for even a basic machine.

I’d strongly recommend getting a Cricut bundle as well. The larger weeding tools and scraping tools are essential, and it’s nice to have a selection of materials on hand when you first get the new machine to try some projects before you settle into your creative groove.

Buy it if...

You’re a teacher who decorates often
You could spend hundreds every year on letters and shapes, holiday designs and more, or buy a Cricut and make it yourself for a fraction of the cost with exponentially more creativity.

You want to craft precisely but lack a steady hand
I can’t cut straight lines or draw neat figures, but Cricut Maker 4 produces laser-sharp results that make my crafts look artistic and professional.

Don't buy it if...

You want to cut complex materials like wood and metal
Cricut Maker 4 can cut wood and some metal, but if you craft with those materials often, a laser cutter will get the job done much faster and more reliably.

You don’t want to cut anything besides paper and decorations
Most of what I make is paper and vinyl, so a Cricut Explore or even a Cricut Joy Xtra would get the job done for most of my projects… until I decide to get fancy.

[First reviewed March 2025]

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini: two-minute review

The Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini doesn’t contain any new tech, but it does fulfil a sentiment among enthusiasts – what if Asus took its top-end sensors and switches and put them into a smaller pointer?

The company’s latest high-end mouse tech, including its ROG AimPoint Pro optical sensor (capable of an impressive 42,000-dpi) and its ROG 100M Optical Micro Switches, were previously exclusive to the ludicrously expensive Harpe Ace Extreme and the comparatively reasonably priced Keris II Ace – both aimed at competitive gamers with deep pockets.

The Harpe Ace Mini adopts the new tech, making it another top-end mouse in the Asus arsenal, putting it on par with the Ace Extreme at a price that’s not terrible – though still is out of reach of many gamers, even without the 8,000Hz Polling Rate Booster dongle that’s sold separately.

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

Without the additional dongle, the mouse is capable of a standard 1,000Hz polling rate, which is fairly average among performance mice. What’s not average is the low weight – at only 1.72oz (49g), it's a number I’ve only seen bested by a handful of rivals.

The aforementioned AimPoint Pro sensor and Asus' ROG SpeedNova 2.4Ghz tech makes the mouse satisfyingly precise, which the low weight no doubt helps with. Hitting my shots in shooting games and navigating programs with small icons was a breeze, and at no time did I notice it being any less reliable than other high-spec mice that I've reviewed.

The maximum acceleration of 50g is less than that of the Razer Deathadder V3 (70g), but it felt sufficiently up to scratch for a casual gamer or PC user who might, at most, want to quickly flick the mouse to hit their shots in a shooting game. Additionally, the mouse can track on almost any surface without the need for a mouse pad – I've used it on wood, plastic, glass and metallic surfaces and had no trouble (though I prefer the feeling of a mouse pad).

The RGB is minimalist, housed entirely within the scroll wheel. The Asus Armory Crate software allows you to tweak its animation, color and brightness to your liking, and the lights will pulse red when it’s at low battery. It’ll also pulse green when charging.

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

The battery life, which maxes out at 139 hours when RGB is disabled and Bluetooth is used, is impressive, as is the neutral design that I prefer my peripherals to have. You’ll likely be using the mouse with the 2.4GHz dongle for its greater performance, bringing maximum mouse battery life to 105 hours with lighting off and 79 hours with lighting on. Don’t get the wrong idea though – that’s still a fairly impressive number among RGB-touting rivals.

Flipping the mouse over, you’ll find a button that changes the DPI among your presets, cycling through them with every click, along with a pairing button. There’s also a slider that switches between wired (also ‘off’), Bluetooth and 2.4GHz dongle options.

There’s genuinely not a lot of bad things to say about the Harpe Ace Mini. It’s comfortable, it glides across a mousepad easily, and the only things I could even say critically about this pointer feel quite tepid.

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

The high price is obviously a drawback, and the small size isn’t for everyone. The scroll wheel is a bit stiff, though this might be preferential for some users. The mouse is designed for right hands with its side buttons aligned on the left, though this would be a non-issue for many. The DPI switch is on the bottom, meaning you can’t quickly switch between presets, but this isn't unique to the Harpe Ace Mini and is the case on many high-end mice.

Asus’ Armory Crate software is a bit difficult to navigate, but is fine if you’re only going to make small tweaks here and there like I did (changing up the DPI, the actions of the side buttons and the mouse RGB).

There’s not much more I would have liked the mouse to have, given that it’s sporting much of the great tech found in the pricey ROG Harpe Extreme – though the carbon fiber shell from the Extreme would have been awesome (but understandably would have raised the price).

The ROG Harpe Ace Mini feels masterful. There’s very little room for improvement here, and it’s certainly a contender among the best gaming mice.

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini review: price & availability

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

• $129.99/£129.99/AU$229
• Available in white and black
• Polling Rate Booster dongle solder separately

Available now in black and white, the Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini comes with a set of mouse grip tape, replaceable mouse feet and a 2-meter USB-C cord, along with a 2.4GHz dongle and USB-C to USB-A converter. That dongle shouldn’t be confused with the Polling Rate Booster, which takes the report rate from 1,000Hz to a whopping 8,000Hz but is sold separately.

At this price, the ROG Harpe Ace Mini is competing with other high performance but fairly discreet mice, and is punching well above its price point. The now two-year-old Razer Deathadder V3 Pro is a considerable contender, as it launched three years ago and can often be found with attractive discounts. The same can be said for the impressive Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2.

These mice launched at higher prices than the ROG Harpe Ace Mini, which in my mind puts Asus’ tiny gaming mouse on the winning track, especially considering that it’s much smaller than either of these rivals. On size, we’d look to the Razer Cobra Pro as the closest contender, though it has a much lower DPI (30,000) and greater weight (77g).

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini review: specs Should I buy the Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini? Buy it if…

You like small mice

The ROG Harpe Ace Mini’s bread and butter is high performance in a small package, so you should consider it if you dislike big mice.

You’ve already got a ROG-heavy setup

It’s good to cut down on accessory software on your computer, so you should consider the ROG Harpe Ace Mini if you’ve already got a setup taking advantage of Armory Crate.

Don’t buy it if…

It’s too expensive

The price of the ROG Harpe Ace Mini might be out of reach of many users.

You want more buttons

The ROG Harpe Ace Mini is a discreet mouse, and you’ll only get five programmable buttons included.

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini: Also consider

Razer Deathadder V3 Pro

One of TechRadar’s highest-rated mice, this is arguably the best gaming mouse you can currently buy.

Read our Razer Deathadder V3 Pro review

Logitech G Pro X2 Superlight

Also notable for being discreet, the G Pro X2 Superlight offers a competitive feeling and is often discounted.

Read our Logitech G Pro X2 Superlight review

Razer Cobra Pro

The closest rival to the ROG Harpe Ace Mini, the Razer Cobra Pro is also notable for its small size, but is heavier with a lower maximum DPI.

Read out Razer Cobra Pro review

How I tested the Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini

• Used primarily on a Windows 11 gaming PC
• Multiple tweaks made in Armory Crate
• Tested alongside other new Asus ROG products

I tested the Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini over the course of a month, mostly using it to play games like Avowed, Marvel Rivals and The Headliners. I also used it regularly when browsing the internet and when writing things up at my home computer.

I made good use of Asus’ Armory Crate software, using it to tweak the RGB color and animation, along with changing my DPI presets and tweaking the actions of the side buttons. I used it primarily with the 2.4GHz dongle, but also over Bluetooth and while wired.

I also used the mouse alongside a slew of new Asus products to get the best unified experience, swapping out my all-Logitech setup for an all Asus arrangement.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed in March 2025

Amazfit Active 2: One minute review

(Image credit: Future)

In my 10 years of using Apple Watch, the Amazfit Active 2 is the closest I've ever come to ditching my Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Subjectively, the styling of the Active 2 isn't normally what I'd lean to, but Amazfit has nailed a clearly classic stainless steel design that will delight fans looking for a more subtle, understated smartwatch.

For just $99, the Amazfit Active 2 far outstrips its price tag, punching well above its weight in terms of features, fitness tracking accuracy, and more. Its battery life is to be lauded and definitely holds up to Amazfit's claims.

It's not perfect: it doesn't quite sit flush on my wrist, and to get NFC you have to pay $30 extra for the premium model. However, the astonishing $99 price tag covers up all of the quirks to render this a pure five-star pick in my book.

It's miles ahead of the CMF Watch Pro 2, and easily on a par with some more expensive mainstream offerings.

Nitfy features including an on-board AI assistant add to the experience. The Strength Training feature could use a little refinement, but its intelligent rep counter and timer are handy in the gym.

Overall, there's very little not to like here, and even the $129 premium model (not tested here) strikes me as good value for money.

Amazfit Active 2: Specifications Amazfit Active 2: Price and Availability

(Image credit: Future)

• $99/£99/AU(tbc)
• Two versions
• Premium version is more expensive and includes premium strap, NFC

The Amazfit Active 2 is available now from the company's website, as well as Amazon and a range of third-party retailers.

The base model reviewed here costs $99/£99, with Australia pricing and availability to be confirmed. For that you get the Watch, a sport strap, and the charging puck (but no USB-C cable).

The premium version is $129/£129 and includes a more premium leather strap, as well as a free silicone sport band. Upgrading to the premium version also gets you more durable sapphire glass and NFC for contactless payments.

That puts the Amazfit Active 2 nicely in the price bracket of the best cheap smartwatches on the market. It's a little pricier than the likes of the CMF Watch Pro 2, but cheaper than the Apple Watch SE 2 and the Garmin Forerunner 165.

Given the overall quality and what you get for your money, I think it's a fantastic price and a real value-for-money pick.

I'll touch on this more in my review, but given the overall price and what you get extra, I'd also have no reservations recommending the more premium model. However, both are excellent value.

• Value score: 5/5

Amazfit Active 2: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• New round display
• Classic look with premium stainless steel
• Imperfect fit

When it comes to smartwatches, I'm definitely team squircle. However, Amazfit made a big change with the design of the Active 2 that is slowly growing on me.

Where the original was really a clone of the Apple Watch in many respects, the Amazfit Active 2 boasts a stunning round design with a stainless steel body.

This is absolutely a smartwatch designed to look like a classic watch, with a really premium feel and finish. It's much more refined and less bulky than the CMF Watch Pro 2 I tested recently, and it's also really comfortable.

You get two buttons used for power, triggering workouts, and activating the AI assistant, as well as various other tasks you can assign.

I honestly can't believe how premium the design feels for a $99 smartwatch, Amazfit has really smashed it with this one and there's very little not to like.

(Image credit: Future)

Of course, it's not perfect: the bezel between the stainless steel chassis and the edge of the display is a little large, but even this doesn't look out of place and actually lends to the overall aesthetic.

The display is a 1.32-inch AMOLED display identical (in size and shape) to the aforementioned CMF Watch Pro 2. However, this one puts out 2,000 nits of peak brightness rather than Nothing's 600 nits.

On the back you get your usual array of heart rate tracking paraphernalia and LED sensors. The Active 2 is extremely light; our model tested here weighs less than 30 grams. It's super comfortable, although I did find the fit to be slightly imperfect, as it doesn't quite sit flush to my wrist. However, this is a very minor issue and doesn't detract from the overall experience. The sport strap, while comfortable, is also a little finicky to apply at first. The premium version features a more elegant black leather strap that I'd wager is easier to put on, and you get the sports strap included for free anyway.

These are very small gripes though. I have to say that at this price point, the Active 2 is one of the most impressive-looking smartwatches on the market, and will delight prospective users looking for a more classic look and feel rather than the chunkier aesthetic of other cheap smartwatches.

It's also one of the most comfortable I've ever worn, and you'll forget you're wearing it after a few hours out of the box.

Compared to the slightly cheaper CMF Watch Pro 2, a top pick in our best cheap smartwatch guide, the Active 2 has several key design advantages despite only being 30 bucks more.

There's the aforementioned brightness gulf, and crucially the Active 2 also has 5 ATM water-resistance, meaning it can withstand up to 50 meters of pressure, and can be worn for showers or brief swims. It's not waterproof by any means, but it's a lot better than most other options in this cheap smartwatch bracket, and it's really nice to know you don't have to take it off for every shower, cold plunge, or hot tub session.

Other impressive features include anti-fingerprint coating glass on the standard version. If you opt for the premium model, you don't get this, but you do get sapphire glass, which is much harder to scratch.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Amazfit Active 2: Features

(Image credit: Future)

• Vast feature set
• Unique strength training and HYROX Race modes
• AI coach, 164 sport modes, extensive health tracking

I'm frankly astounded at how many features you get with the Amazfit Active 2 considering its price tag.

I'd say the Active 2's feature-set is impressive for a smartwatch of any price tag, let alone one that costs less than $100. Starting with sport, exercise, and health, the Active 2 features nearly every feature you'd expect in a cheap smartwatch.

There's workout tracking for 164 sport modes, with a couple of unique advanced features. If you're training strength, there's smart recognition of 25 movements, automatic rep tracking, and a built-in exercise timer/workout plan generator you can follow. (I'll address the efficacy of this more in the performance section).

Runners will find a Track Run mode, smart trajectory correction, and even a virtual pacer. There's also Zepp Coach, an AI-powered workout companion that can generate customized training plans.

Health-wise, you'll find a daily Readiness score and insights and monitoring for heart rate, as well as blood oxygen, stress, temperature, heart rate, sleep heart rate variability, sleep stages and schedule, sleep scores, and more. There are reminders on board for high and low heart rates, low blood oxygen, and even high stress levels with prompts to perform breathing exercises.

Elsewhere, there's an onboard AI companion, Zepp Flow, that can pull up metrics with voice commands and change settings. Zepp Pay, powered by NFC, is only available on the more expensive premium model we didn't test, so if that's an important feature to you, it might be worth paying the extra.

You do get a separate wallet app for membership cards though, and other cool software features like To Do List. The Active 2 works with both Android and iPhone, and can be used to control your phone's music via Bluetooth, you'll also get call and SMS notifications as well as app notifications, and even Find My Phone.

Under the hood, you get GPS (Amazfit says there are five satellite positioning systems but hasn't shared any further info) and Bluetooth 5.2 BLE, as well as a microphone and speaker. It also, rather essentially for a watch, tells the time.

If I were being harsh, reserving NFC for the premium model is arguably a shame, but this is a technicality. Honestly, I can't believe how much smartwatch you get from the Active 2 for $99. You don't find features like ECG at this price point in the smartwatch market(even the doubly expensive Apple Watch SE doesn't offer it), but it's important to note that there are always going to be limitations in a $99 smartwatch.

Still, at this price, you'll struggle to find a more extensive set of features in a smartwatch, and the lack of NFC isn't enough to merit deducting any points when you can add it for $30.

• Features score: 5/5

Amazfit Active 2: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Exceptional battery life
• Very accurate fitness and heart rate tracking
• Snappy everyday use
• Useful AI assistant

All of these features don't mean much if a smartwatch can't perform, but I'm happy to report that the Amazfit Active 2 has excelled in testing, handling everything I've thrown at it with ease.

Starting off with everyday use, the Active 2 is very snappy to use in day-to-day tasks. I've found scrolling menus, changing settings, reading messages, and more to all be very responsive and seamless.

Obviously, the Active 2 doesn't have the same polish as Apple's watchOS 11, and doesn't even run Wear OS, but it's still very impressive. It also features some very sharp-looking faces including the Vital face pictured here.

I conducted a series of tests to check the accuracy of the Active 2's exercise tracking and was really impressed. A gentle 34-minute run with the Active 2 on my left wrist and the best Apple Watch, the Apple Watch Ultra 2, on my right wrist, yielded exceptional parity.

The Active 2 nailed the GPS route map and the exact distance within two decimal places. Apple Watch gave my average heart rate as 135 bpm, while the Active 2 said 136.

Active calories for the Apple Watch and Active 2 were listed as 341 and 372 respectively, which is a bigger gap but still respectable. The jury is out on just how accurate any smartwatch calorie tracker is, so just being in the relative ballpark is enough for us here. For all we know, the Active 2 could well be the more accurate reading.

The Active 2 pinged 1km intervals at exactly the same time as the Ultra 2, and its heart rate monitor is actually more responsive, delivering more frequent reading updates than Apple's version, always within one or two bpm.

Comparing every metric gave a positive match, which I can only conclude indicates that this Active 2 can keep up with pretty much any smartwatch on the market when it comes to fitness tracking. It of course lacks the depth of the best Garmins, but so does pretty much every other smartwatch out there.

(Image credit: Future)

The Active 2 delivered similar competitive measurements versus the Ultra 2 during a strength workout test I did. It was here that I was first exposed to the Active 2's unique Strength Training features.

The watch features a built-in rep counter and system for logging weight, timing rest, and more. I can see that with plenty of practice, this could be a handy tool for strength training, because you can track your weightlifting on the fly and check your progress after the fact.

I found the automatic rep tracking worked most of the time, it's not perfect and obviously not as useful for exercises that don't involve moving your arms, but there's promise here. There's also a gym routine planner in the app, however, this is less intuitive. I was able to put together a test workout and follow the plan in the gym, but was left bamboozled by a number of strange quirks.

Each unit you add to the training is called an "interval", not to be confused with actual interval training. The app refers to reps (how many times you lift in a single set) as "times", and these are, somewhat confusingly, logged under the duration section of the exercise you want to add.

Likewise, sets (the number of times you do a certain number of reps) are referred to as "repeats" or "loop counts". The terminology is very confusing, and the first few times I tried to create a workout I really mangled it. The language is generic so that it can also be applied to other workout modes including intervals, running, and more, which is fine, but it's definitely clunky.

Furthermore, rest isn't added automatically between sets, but has to be put in manually. With practice I'm sure it's helpful but it is definitely not easy to do.

(Image credit: Future)

This was my only wrinkle in an otherwise flawless performance. The Strength Training feature is a very small part of the overall experience, so again it doesn't detract too much, and it's nice to have.

In my opinion, the coup de grace is battery life. Rated for up to 10 days of "typical usage," I started my battery life testing at around 9 am with 55%. 24 hours later I had used barely 15% battery.

53 hours later, my battery was 13%, using up less than 0.8% an hour, almost bang on the up to 5 days of heavy usage Amazfit promises. During that time I conducted three strength workouts, a run, and two full nights of sleep tracking, never taking the watch off or charging it.

As with any smartwatch, your mileage may vary and battery life can be influenced by a ton of factors including GPS usage and the always-on display. As it stands, though, the Active 2 is certainly good for its promised longevity.

The Active 2 also has an AI assistant party piece dubbed Zepp Flow. Powered by OpenAI, it's like Amazfit's own version of Siri, except it actually works and is useful. You can assign it one of the buttons for quick access, and use your voice to input simple commands.

You can adjust and tweak settings, call up health metrics using questions such as "How many steps have I walked today?", and even reply to messages on Android with the feature. Of all the prompts and questions I tried, Zepp Flow didn't put a foot wrong once, and it's incredible to see an AI-powered wrist assistant that's actually useful, especially on a $99 smartwatch.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Amazfit Active 2: Scorecard Amazfit Active 2: Should I buy?

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

You want the ultimate cheap smartwatch

You won't find a better smartwatch at this price, or one with this many features.

You're on a budget

This is much less expensive than cheap options from the likes of Garmin and Apple.

Don't buy it if...

You want elite fitness tracking

The Active 2 can't keep up with Garmin's industry-leading fitness tracking, and there are more capable pure fitness watches out there.

You want full iPhone or Android integration

Eschewing watchOS or Wear OS will always lead to quirks, so if you want the most seamless experience with your iPhone or Android, buy an Apple Watch or Wear OS model respectively.

Amazfit Active 2: How we tested

I used the Amazfit Active 2 as my main smartwatch for an entire week. I tested it during running and strength workouts, as well as overnight for sleep tracking. Comparisons were conducted using the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and I tried and tested all of the Zepp app features and functionality using an iPhone 16 Pro.

Amazfit Active 2: Also consider

The Original CMF Watch Pro is a pretty stylish and capable watch. It's cheaper than the Active 2, and has better battery life and a larger display over the newer CMF Watch Pro 2.

Read our full CMF Watch Pro Review

The CMF Watch Pro 2 boasts a similar circular design and many of the same features as the Active 2, but is around $30 cheaper in any given market.

Read our full CMF Watch Pro 2 Review

In terms of features and performance, the Active 2 is actually closer to the Apple Watch SE 2 than it does a lot of cheap smartwatches. Apple's version is more polished and the perfect iPhone option, but is much more expensive.

Read our full Apple Watch SE 2 review

First reviewed: March 2025

FiiO FP3 review

The FiiO FP3 wired earbuds are an entry-level answer to a luxury-bracket question: “what if in-ear monitors weren’t boomy, tinny little noise boxes?” In a market sadly defined by 10 a penny bass-boosted earbuds and wireless gym-friendly noise fodder, where’s the love for those who just want to listen to music well?

Great-sounding in-ears often come at a premium, particularly where cleverer and cleverer design is necessary to get the most out of something so small. At the extreme end of the price scale, you’ll find audiophile-grade in-ears that dwarf your current savings balance. Enter FiiO, whose in-house R&D has dramatically Aragorn-ed the doors wide open to inexpensive audio fidelity in the best-in-class wired earbud market.

At first glance, the FiiO FP3 wired earbuds are strikingly distinguished. A curvy plastic body (3D-printed, then polished and UV-coated) is adorned with a branded faceplate coin of rosewood or black walnut – it’s giving ‘executive saloon interior’, but not at all in a bad way.

This fun design, believe it or not, isn’t the star of the show here. Instead, it is FiiO’s internally developed 14.5mm planar drivers, which promise better precision, lower distortion and extended frequency response among other micro benefits befitting the drivers’ micro size. Planar drivers are a hit overall for their soundstage-y, highly responsive attributes, but FiiO’s done something especially remarkable in designing some highly capable drivers for IEMs that come in under $100. More on sound shortly, though; first, let’s try them on.

(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)

The FiiO FP3 earbuds are wired, with an around-the-ear design. The wire in question is a four-strand braided affair, which splits into two sets of twisted pairs connecting to the buds by way of a two-prong plug-in terminal. It is so, so cool that a pair of in-ears this cheap features removable wires as standard, not in the least for eliminating the biggest issue haunting less expensive wired earbuds – broken internal wires.

The FP3s’ wrap-over wear style is fun, functional and actually quite comfortable. Some clear heat shrink tubing covers the braided wires for the first few inches from the end connector, so there’s no unpleasant rub behind the ears. Once you get the buds themselves sitting correctly, you’ll start to feel like you’re wearing nothin’ at all (nothin’ at all, nothin’ at all, nothin’ at all…) – but not for altogether long, unfortunately.

A slight, but nonetheless aggravating, burn creeps in before long, even when switched down to the smallest size of ear tips supplied with the FP3s. While my undersized ear canals might not be in the 80th percentile, it’s still incumbent upon me to report this slight comfort-related misfortune. And misfortune is the word, because it’s a real shame that the FP3s don’t sit as well as they could do for long listening sessions. Why? Because they’re Actually Honestly Quite Good, Really.

The first thing that strikes me about the sound quality of the FP3 IEMs is their remarkable three-dimensionality. Where lesser earbuds unceremoniously cram you into an airing cupboard with your favorite band, the FP3s give you a wide hall; the playful guitarry arrangements of Maps & Atlas’ Beware and Be Grateful breathe freely, while Them Crooked Vultures’ roomy production sprawls out ahead.

That three-dimensionality presents not just with stereo image, but also dynamically. The toms in Sally Oldfield’s Blue Water (a secret 1980s groover your DJ friend would kill to know about) ping and bounce with delightful depth and sense of place.

(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)

The biggest bugbear I have with most less expensive earbuds is their approach to treble. Other reviews have reported an over-present sparkle, and even some harshness, with respect to the FP3s’ treble response, but I’m overjoyed to report that this couldn’t be further from my own experience. Instead, I found a remarkably well-tamed high-end, with a softness you’d normally expect to find in mid-sized speaker drivers.

Still, there’s a presence and robustness to the top end, which shines particularly brightly against the harsh noisy competition of the great urban outdoors. Big Americana arrangements such as those of Andrew Bird’s Armchair Apocrypha still carry clarity and weight, even as grumbling bus engines and caterwauling kids try to rob them of both. Listening to sparser heart tuggers, like Blood from Pile’s album All Fiction, you can hear the reedy, human quality that these drivers possess, and which works wider wonders for stand-out folky vocals and anything featuring strings.

The mid-range can occasionally be a little listless, but this does appear to be somewhat by design. Indeed, Queens of the Stone Age’s Lullabies to Paralyze is reproduced with a slightly incongruent cheerfulness, as some mid-scooping borrows urgency from ‘Little Sister’s guitars to feed the cymbals and kick instead. Bass, though, is supple and structured, supported by some nifty (and proprietary) acoustic design in the buds. Tasteful is absolutely the word – a world away from so many active earbuds' wubby flub.

As with practically any set of in-ear monitors, and even with the FP3s’ structured soundstage and carefully tweaked frequency response, you can figuratively hear the walls around your music. Despite this, the FP3s remain the broadest-sounding, least claustrophobic in-ears I’ve heard below $200.

These wired in-ear monitors are little more than they present themselves to be: excellently engineered budget IEMs, with phenomenal balance and dynamic tautness. There’s no on-device volume controls, nor a microphone to take hands-free calls with – but as someone who’s longed for a set of in-ears that do one thing well, I personally don’t miss these superfluous mod cons.

The FiiO FP3s in-ears, at $89.99 / £85.99 / AU$170 (approx.), are a fantastic value prospect for someone who wants a little more from their on-the-go listenings. For your money, you get the IEMs, six sets of silicone ear tips and a quite honestly bizarre little plastic drawer in which to store them. What you also get, though, is a listening experience at least five times more valuable.

(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw) FiiO FP3 review: Price and release date

• $89.99 / £85.99 / AU$170 (approx.)
• Launched December, 2024

The FiiO FP3 in-ears are a remarkable entrant in the best earbud space, marrying audiophilic impulses with budget-level price points. Sure, $89.99 / £85.99 / AU$170-ish might not sound ‘budget’ for a pair of wired(!), passive(!) earphones, but when you see the eye-watering prices of the in-ear monitors on which the FP3s were clearly modeled, the appellation will make absolute sense.

These in-ear monitors bring some smart driver design to a highly accessible price point, and fill what is honestly quite a large space in a market otherwise given to bulky, bass-heavy earbuds and weedy 10 a penny earphones. If you’ve ever felt let down by a gifted pair of Beats, or resented having to make space in your bag for a bulky pair of decent hi-fi headphones, the FiiO FP3s are the tonic you’ve been waiting for.

(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw) FiiO FP3 review: Specs

(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw) Should you buy the FiiO FP3? Buy them if...

You’re a music anorak
The FP3s’ planar drivers provide unbelievable sound at this price, with an extended frequency range, tight dynamics and a broad soundstage that un-cramps your favourite artists’ mixes. If you’re fed up of compromizing on sound quality in your portable earbuds, try these on for size.View Deal

You’re on a budget
The sub-$100 price point puts these wired in-ears squarely in low-budget territory, despite their high-fidelity capabilities. Other, more expensive earbuds might have active noise-canceling and other built-in gubbins galore, but will they sound this good? Probably not.View Deal

Don't buy them if...

You’re a multi-tasker
The lack of built-in microphone, on-unit controls and even active noise-canceling may be a big turn-off for many. After all, earbuds are now unavoidably multi-purpose devices! If you want a catch-all set of in-ears you can work to, work out to and call your mum with, you’ll want a different product altogether.View Deal

You only use your smartphone to listen to music
Most smartphones today have, unfortunately, dispensed with analogue audio outputs altogether – making wireless headphones and earbuds de rigeur for out-and-about listening. The FiiO FP3s are wired, and so aren’t as convenient for some casual listeners (unless you have the right adapter, or a dedicated media player).View Deal

FiiO FP3 review: Also consider

Sennheiser IE 200

The Sennheiser IE 200s are meaty-sounding wired earphones, that bring robust volume alongside a robust build. The braided cable, around-the-ear wearing style and detachable cabling are all present and accounted for, as well as some nifty ear tip adjustability for slight on-the-fly sound designing.

Read the full Sennheiser IE 200 review here

Shure AONIC 3

Well-apportioned techy in-ears for their price, they cram some noise-canceling tech into their small earbuds alongside remote music and volume controls, and an in-built mic. The sound is clear and three-dimensional, even if it doesn’t quite reach the FiiO FP3s' dynamic tautness.

Read the full Shure AONIC 3 review here

FiiO FP3 review: How I tested

(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)

• Tested for six weeks
• Tested at home, listening to high-quality audio files through a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2’s headphone out
• Tested out and about, using an iPod Classic

The FiiO FP3 in-ear monitors lived in my coat pocket for a month, wrapped around a 160GB iPod Classic I’m still proud to be toting today. I used them frequently while traveling between engagements, and while gallivanting around town on errands.

I also tested the FP3s at home, using my trusty Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface for its clear and pristine headphone output. I listened to records with which I am intimately familiar, so as to build a real picture of the IEMs’ performance against other devices.

Read more about how we test.

• First reviewed: March 2025

It's not easy being a Russo brothers fan. On the one hand, the venerable filmmakers are not only responsible for directing some of the best Marvel movies ever made but also for helming two of the top three most-profitable films of all time in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.

The siblings have struggled to replicate that success outside of the Marvel sandbox, though. Yes, there have been notable wins in a producing capacity, such as 2024's multi-award-winning Everything Everywhere All at Once; but the critical and/or commercial failure of the other projects they're attached to, including Citadel on Prime Video, Cherry on Apple TV+, and The Gray Man on Netflix, outweigh those triumphs.

It's on the last of those streaming services that The Electric State will attempt to arrest that slide. Unfortunately, Netflix's latest sci-fi spectacle is another generic, narratively dull flick that adds more weight to the argument that it's Marvel or bust for Joe and Anthony Russo.

Rise (and fall) of the robots

The Electric State opens with a prologue that isn't in its graphic novel namesake (Image credit: Netflix)

It's 1994. On an alternate-reality planet Earth, two years have passed since the Human-Robot War ended. That conflict, started by the Worldwide Robot Rebellion led by the Robot Equality Coalition's de-facto leader Mr. Peanut (voiced by Woody Harrelson), drew to a close after Sentre Technologies CEO Ethan Skate's (Stanley Tucci) Neurocaster invention turned the tide in humanity's favor.

In the present, these devices have been repurposed for consumer and educational means to allow Neural Bifurcation, which lets a person's mind be in two places at once. Picture a clunkier version of any real virtual reality (VR) device, such as the Meta Quest 3S or Apple Vision Pro, and you'll get the idea.

Netflix's adaptation frustratingly casts aside the book's biggest strengths

Some haven't become addicted to Skate's creation, though – including headstrong and cynical orphan Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown). A technophobe at heart, Michelle's isolated life is turned upside down when a robot version of Kid Cosmo – the android hero of a cartoon that Michelle watched with her genius younger brother before he died – suddenly shows up and convinces Michelle that he's her brother. Thus begins a cross-country road trip as Michelle and her new robot companion try to track down her human sibling.

I was unmoved by all aspects of Michelle and Kid Cosmo/her brother's relationship (Image credit: Netflix)

Narratively, The Electric State's setup isn't dissimilar to the graphic novel it's based on. Its literary namesake, written and illustrated by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag, also tells the tale of a teenager who, with the aid of a sentient robot, searches for her lost brother in a technologically ravaged United States.

Disappointingly, that's where the commonalities end. Stålenhag's original work is as profound as it is gorgeous; its stunning imagery belying its thematic exploration of artificial intelligence (AI). This topic is not only particularly timely, but also permeates the graphic novel's understated, introspective, and mystery-filled story.

Netflix's adaptation frustratingly casts aside the book's biggest strengths. Instead of letting The Electric State's important ideas percolate, the streaming giant prioritizes a brash, big-budget spectacle that, while it'll appeal to a wider audience, is all style and little substance.

There are world-building aspects that pleased me. The individual designs of the robot ensemble are creatively satisfying, and the care taken to perfectly and precisely capture the art that inhabits The Electric State's pages is wonderful to see. It's just a pity that the rest of Stålenhag's novel wasn't afforded the same luxury.

Playing the part

Michelle teams up with John Keats, a former army sergeant who fought in the Human-Robot War (Image credit: Netflix)

That lack of substance applies to the characters who populate one of March's new Netflix movies.

I won't say Brown has been typecast as Michelle. However, while The Electric State's human protagonist plays to her strengths as an actor, it's yet another role that tasks her with playing a teenage rebel. Brown's acting back catalog already includes characters of that ilk, such as Strangers Things' Eleven, the eponymous hero of the Enola Holmes film franchise, and Elodie in Damsel, so it's dissatisfying to see that she isn't given a different or more expansive role to sink her teeth into.

Michelle is yet another role that tasks Brown with playing a teenage rebel

Brown isn't the only actor who fits the archetypal character mold. As army sergeant-turned-black marker smuggler John Keats, Chris Pratt finetunes his acting paradigm as a wisecracking, lovable buffoon-style individual. Giancarlo Esposito's Colonel Bradbury, a so-called hero of the Human-Robot War, is equally at home as he tackles his latest complex villain role. Bradbury is tasked with tracking down Michelle and her automated bestie by Skate, the movie's secondary antagonist.

Colonel Bradbury and Ethan Skate are the film's two main antagonists (Image credit: Netflix)

And therein lies the biggest issue I had with The Electric State's casting. The aforementioned trio, along with Tucci's latest turn as an arrogant and unlikable evil-doer, aren't terrible choices for the characters they play. Their performances aren't unwatchable, either – apart from being lukewarm to Michelle and John's undercooked dynamic, I'd say all of them deliver mid-tier to solid performances. Heck, I'll even admit I was entertained by Keats' odd-couple dynamic with his own robot bestie Herman (voiced by Anthony Mackie). Sure, the MCU veterans occasionally ham it up, but the dysfunctional levity and occasional heartfelt moments they bring to the table are worth mentioning.

The dysfunctional levity and occasional heartfelt moments Pratt and Mackie bring to the table are worth mentioning

Nevertheless, I would've preferred to see Brown and company flex their acting muscles in roles they're not used to portraying. Nobody expected Malcolm in the Middle's Bryan Cranston, who played the sitcom's well-meaning but inept father, Hal, to deliver one of the most compelling anti-hero performances of all time as Walter White in Breaking Bad. To that end, I would've enjoyed The Electric State far more if, say, Pratt had played someone like Skate and Esposito was given the chance to break his own acting mold as Keats.

Crossed wires

The Electric State's action is par for the course (Image credit: Netflix)

Given its retro-futuristic and dystopian sci-fi vibes, not to mention its explicit sociopolitical commentary on AI and autonomous robots, it would be easy to compare The Electric State to similar genre fare, such as the Terminator and The Matrix franchises.

The Electric State lacks the childlike wonder and awe that perfuse those classic Steven Spielberg-directed features

It was The Electric State's clear homage to fan-favorite Amblin movies from the 80s, though, that I immediately picked up on. It doesn't mask its respect for those classic flicks, either – indeed, that much is obvious by its not-so-subtle tribute to E.T: The Extra Terrestrial upon Kid Cosmo's introduction.

That said, The Electric State's attempts to reproduce the magic those timeless Amblin movies capture are substandard at best. It lacks the childlike wonder and awe that perfuse those fantastical Steven Spielberg-directed features. While Star Wars: Skeleton Crew didn't perform as well as I expected on Disney+, the latest small-screen adventure set in the Star Wars universe did a better job of recreating that unmistakable Amblin aura.

The Electric State fails to capture the magic of the 80s sci-fi movies that inspired its look and feel (Image credit: Netflix)

But there's one comparison above all others that cements my overall dislike for The Electric State's movie adaptation, and that's with Tales of the Loop. (TftL).

Amazon's criminally underrated anthology series of another of Stålenhag's eye-catching works did right by its source material. Its depiction of TftL's 'new weird' setting, disquieting tonality, stunning cinematography, and beguiling individual stories that are not only loosely linked but also richly rewarding in their exploration of human connection and curiosity, was as enthralling as it was heart-breaking. To say I was enraptured by TftL would be an understatement

The Electric State is sorely lacking in all of those departments. Would it have harmed its creative vision if, say, it had been shot like movies of yesteryear to elicit an 80s or 90s film-grain aesthetic? This style is used, briefly, during the film's prologue sequence, so why not use it throughout to evoke that nostalgic moviemaking feeling and present Stålenhag's world in a creative light?

As for the aforementioned prelude: sometimes it's better not to spell out everything for your audience. The beauty of Stålenhag's works is that he leaves things open to readers' interpretation to let their imaginations run wild. The Electric State's extensive, expository preamble robs us of the opportunity to wonder why the robots rebelled in the first place, how the war shook out, and more. Sometimes, less is just better.

My verdict

Even though I wasn't sure what to make of it when its first-look images dropped, I really wanted to like The Electric State. But, as this review suggests, it's a fault-riddled flick that doesn't justify its expensive assembly. Its genre wires get crossed too often, it lacks emotional weight, its pacing is incredibly jarring (the middle act is an absolute drag), and – worst of all – it rehashes classic storytelling tropes that have been done better elsewhere. Suffice it to say, it won't be joining our best Netflix movies guide.

I'm sure the Russo brothers will come good with a non-MCU project. That won't happen for a while, though, as the pair prepare to helm two more Marvel films in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. For now, unfortunately, this is not the robot odyssey everyone's been waiting for.

The Electric State releases exclusively on Netflix on Friday, March 14.

Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige: one-minute review Product info

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

UK and AU: Philip Shaver S9000 Prestige, SP9883/35
US: The SP9883/35 variant doesn't appear to be widely available from online US retailers, but you can find the very similar Philips Norelco S9000 Prestige (product code SP9886/89) on Amazon US.

If you’re in the market for a premium electric shaver, it’s well worth checking out the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige. This premium model is packed with Philips’ SkinIQ tech for an adaptive, delicate shave, a highly ergonomic design and waterproofing – meaning it offers an all-round excellent user experience.

For reference, I specifically tested the SP9883/35 variant of the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige – and this doesn’t come cheap. It’s available now in the UK and Australia with a list price of £699 / AU$999. Thankfully, though, it’s unlikely you’ll have to pay quite this much in all regions. For instance, I’ve spotted it going for much closer to £300 from a lot of UK retailers. Still, that’s quite a bit to spend on an electric shaver – so is it worth it?

Well, if like me you have pretty sensitive skin and are used to irritation after a typical shave – then I’d say the answer is yes. Whether I was having a wet or dry shave, the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige glided across my face with ease and never felt strenuous or sharp on my skin – something we always look for in our hunt for the best beard trimmers and electric razors. You can also adjust power to low, medium or high depending on what feels and works best for you.

But wait… there’s more. This easy-to-handle shaver harnesses SkinIQ technology and Ultraflex suspension, meaning the S9000 Prestige’s head can adjust its power and positioning depending on hair thickness and shaving angles. That makes for a super simple, rapid shaving experience – ideal if you need a quick trim before heading to the office. It also comes with a self cleaning station, which can get your shaver looking all shiny again after just one minute: pretty cool!

Is this model perfect? Not quite. The SmartClick trimmer – which you can easily click on to the top of the shaver – isn’t perfect for cutting down those overgrown hairs, as I found myself going over the same patches a couple of times. And when using the default shaver head, I still found it easier, personally, to get rid of the odd straggler with my manual razor – but your mileage may vary.

Otherwise, this is a top-class option that I’d highly recommend, especially if you want a shaver that’s going to play gentle. That’s not even mentioning the fact that this is a beautiful model with a handy display and solid battery life of one hour. And it comes with a wireless charging pad. Pretty convenient, right?

(Image credit: Future) Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige: Price and specs Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige review: design

• Fantastic ergonomic grip
• Premium metallic exterior
• Interchangeable attachments

In terms of design, it doesn’t get a whole lot better than the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige. It has a premium-looking metallic build with an ergonomic rubber grip, which makes handling the shaver both extremely easy and satisfying.

On top of that, there’s a display on the face of the shaver that indicates the power level in use – between one and three – battery life, travel lock activation and more. Above that screen, you’ll find a few button controls: power on/off, power level down, and power level up. All of this makes for a pleasingly visual, straightforward user experience – something you’d expect from a shaver with such a high price tag.

(Image credit: Future)

Another great aspect of the S9000 Prestige’s design is its support for multiple attachments. It comes with a few interchangeable heads including the default foil shaver, SmartClick trimmer and nose hair trimmer. These all easily clip on and off and are quick and straightforward to wash, thanks to the shaver’s great waterproofing. You also get a brush for cleaning tighter crevices – Philips have thought of everything.

There are even more goodies in the box worth mentioning, though. First of all, this model comes with a self-cleaning station and a quick clean pod. This contraption can both clean and lubricate your shaver in just one minute using the power from the S9000 Prestige itself. Philips says this is 10x more effective than a simple wash under water – I’m not sure I can speak to just how precise that is, but it did get the shaver spick and span when I tried it out.

On top of that, there’s a wireless charging pad that you can connect up to a shaver socket in your bathroom for some extra juice when you’re running low. This works fantastically well and your S9000 Prestige will make a beeping noise to let you know it’s building some battery life back.

Finally, you can pack the attachments, shaver and more into an expensive-looking carry-case that is included with the S9000 Prestige. It has a hardy exterior and plenty of room inside, making for a nifty travel companion. The pristine look and feel of the case feels pretty indicative of the overall quality you’re getting, design wise. With excellent build quality, a durable exterior and plenty of tasty extras in the box, you’re getting the full package with the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige.

• Design score: 5/5

Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige review: performance

• Comfortable, rapid shave
• Harnesses adaptive SkinIQ tech
• Pretty standard one-hour battery life

And the shiny exterior isn’t all for show, this shaver is a pretty neat performer too. Firstly, that firm-feeling grip I mentioned ensures seamless handling, regardless of what angle you’re trimming at. I found it to be a big step up from my usual electric-shaver, which can be a bit challenging to handle in tighter, more awkward positions.

But how about the shaving itself? Well, a standout plus here is that the S9000 Prestige is a not only smooth, but rapid operator. Within mere minutes I was able to achieve a clean shave using the Dual Precision rotating blades, which can achieve up to 165,000 cutting actions per minute. The blades took care of hairs growing in multiple directions with ease for the most part. I did, admittedly, have a few stragglers, which were easier to remove with my manual razor – but this really was a minor inconvenience.

(Image credit: Future)

The default shaver head uses some pretty nifty tech to ensure you get a close shave, such as SkinIQ. This tech senses hair density on your face (or head) and adapts cutting power for a more gentle shave. It also has an ‘Ultraflex’ suspension system that helps the heads work along every contour of your face.

All in all, this is designed to deliver a more efficient, but also a more comfortable shave. And for me personally, that was greatly appreciated. I have pretty sensitive skin and the technology packed into this shaver helped to reduce a lot of irritation. As well as the adaptive SkinIQ tech, there’s an option to manually adjust the shaver’s power – which paired with the default head’s Hydro SkinGlide Coating, ensures a more relaxed shaving experience.

(Image credit: Future)

If I was to be more critical, though, I have to say that the included SmartClick trimmer is a little underwhelming. After four days of growth – yeah, it wasn’t my best look – I tried to give myself a more even, neat look, using this trimmer on the lowest grade. It worked decently well, but just wasn’t as efficient as I’d hoped for, as I found myself going over the same patches on my face a fair few times. Also, this trimmer only has five lines to indicate the length it cuts down to, but I would prefer a measurement in millimetres – something my everyday shaver uses.

Meanwhile, you get a decent battery life of one hour out of the S9000 Prestige. That’s very much in-line with what a lot of hi-tech electric shavers can manage. But if you’re hoping for more, fear not. After every shave, you can simply pop the S9000 Prestige onto its wireless charging pad and get it fighting fit in no time. It takes three hours to get this shaver’s battery fully restored – not bad considering the use of wireless charging.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige review: value

• Very expensive list price
• But regularly available with a considerable reduction
• High cost does come with premium design and performance levels

OK, I won’t beat around the bush. If we’re talking about its list price, this shaver is very, very expensive. I’d argue a bit too expensive even. £699 / AU$999 is a lot of cash to spend, especially considering you can spend much less than that and still get a very astute shaver, like the Braun Series 9 Pro, for instance.

But I bring good news. You’ll rarely have to pay such an astronomical fee for this stylish shaver. In fact, I’ve seen it going for close to £300 in the UK via retailers like John Lewis – that’s more than 50% off! And that really changes the picture – in this price range, the S9000 Prestige is well-worth considering. Otherwise, it would be tough to recommend – even given its high-level performance.

(Image credit: Future)

Ultimately, the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige is built to last and packs in a gentle, personalized shaving experience. You’re unlikely to need an upgrade or replacement in the near future if you pick this up, which really adds a lot of weight in the value department. And although I can’t overlook its sky-high list price, I’d still happily recommend this shaver in the knowledge that it’s regularly discounted.

• Value score: 4/5

Should you buy the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige? Buy it if...

You want ultimate comfort
Not only is the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige extremely comfortable to handle, but it’s kind to the skin in-use. That makes it the perfect shaving companion, even for those with sensitive skin.

You’re rocking the clean-shaven look
If you’re someone that likes to maintain your clean shave every day, or maybe every other day, this is a top-tier option. The rotating blades and suspension tech help you to dust off any facial hair swiftly and seamlessly, meaning you won’t have to waste all too much time perfecting your look.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget
Even though this model can be purchased at a significantly cut-price, it’s still not the most budget friendly. And at full-price, this one’s a no-go if you’re not looking to spend an arm and a leg. Even an alternative like the Reamignton T-Series Beard Trimmer and Hair Clipper can get the job done (if you’re in the UK) for less than £100, but there are tons of options out there.

You want a phenomenal option for short beards
The only thing about the S9000 Prestige I didn’t love was the SmartClick trimmer. Don’t get me wrong, it does work pretty well, but it’s not quite elite. Sometimes I needed to go over the same patches again and I also wished that it indicated, in millimetres, how short it cuts across its five levels.

Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige: also consider

Braun Series 9 Pro
Like this Philips shaver, the Braun Series 9 Pro has the triple threat of a beautiful build, ergonomic design and excellent shaving performance. It takes just 50 minutes to get it up to full charge again and has a solid battery life of one hour to boot. Again – this one can achieve a great shave, whether wet or dry, so if you’re looking for a premium alternative, you can’t go wrong with this. Read our full Braun Series 9 Pro review.

Panasonic Arc6 review
Another fantastic wet and dry shaver is the Panasonic Arc6. Its battery life isn’t quite as long as this Philips model and it isn’t quite as elegant looking, but you still get a super-smooth shave and plenty of features, like a self-cleaning station. Read our full Panasonic Arc6 review.

How I tested the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige

• Tested for one week
• Used for a wet and dry shave
• Trimmed for a neat stubble look and then went for a clean shave

I tested the Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige for one week, ensuring to try out all of its various features and attachments. I typically keep my facial hair trimmed to around 2mm, so I used the SmartClick trimmer at first to replicate my typical shaving routine.

On top of that, I also tried having a wet and dry shave with the default head attachment. I also made use of the included wireless charging pad and self-cleaning station to ensure the shaver was up to TechRadar Recommended standard.

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

This review first appeared in issue 354 of PC Pro.

It’s not unusual for Linux distributions to be available in several builds. Ubuntu has long-term support and cutting-edge editions, Zorin has Core and Pro builds, and openSUSE has Tumbleweed and Leap. Tumbleweed, which we’re reviewing here, is a continuously evolving build comprising the latest stable version of each component, which is updated as and when new code appears. Leap, which is based on SUSE Enterprise Linux, is a stable release that receives periodic updates.

The version that we installed was running the 6.6.3-1 kernel (the very latest build was 6.6.4 at the time of writing), and is available with a choice of desktop managers, including Gnome, Xfce, Cinnamon, Mate and KDE Plasma 5, the latter of which tops the installer’s list of options. That’s therefore what we chose for our tests. In our installation, this sat on top of the X11 Window System rather than Wayland.

As well as the regular 64-bit and 32-bit builds for desktop use, there are alternative builds for ARM, IBM Z family mainframes, RISC and PowerPC. It will also run on Raspberry Pi.

The installer is logical, but not the most friendly on test. Setting up Wi-Fi requires that you know which security protocol your network uses, and we failed on our first three attempts to boot into openSUSE at the end of the process. Despite the installer apparently completing, our test machine still attempted to start the OS we had previously tested. We solved this by forcing the installer to delete all partitions on our internal drive even if it thought that wasn’t necessary.

Once it was up and running, however, everything was far more logical, and there were only ten updates ready to download, reflecting the fact that the installer was still fresh, having been downloaded just the day before. A further 11 appeared later in the day.

The installer is logical, but not the most friendly on test (Image credit: Future)

It’s not only core components such as SAMBA, git and the kernel that receive rolling updates in Tumbleweed: bundled applications are likewise cutting edge. Thus, at the time of writing we found LibreOffice 7.6.3.1 and Firefox 120 pre-installed. Email is handled by Kmail, but if you prefer Thunderbird, the version accessible through Discover, openSUSE’s software manager, is version 115.5. The versions of GIMP and Inkscape available through the manager, both of which are options rather than pre-installed software, match the latest releases available through their respective sites.

KDE Plasma should be familiar to anyone switching from Windows, as it features a traditional taskbar and menu. Commonly used applications can be pinned to the bar for easy access, and menu options are filtered as you type to reduce the number of matching applications.

Plasma lets you add secondary toolbars, and also features widgets, with a generous selection pre-installed but dormant. We saw this implementation in Nitrux, which also uses KDE Plasma, although in a significantly tailored form. For our money, the version seen here, where window controls remain attached to the windows themselves, feels more logical.

The comprehensive settings app is supplemented by YaST (Yet another Setup Tool), which provides password protection for more sensitive options, such as configuring the boot loader, administering printers and managing users. Tumbleweed scored 1,167 in the single-core Geekbench tests and 3,241 in the multicore benchmark. This puts it broadly in line with the other distributions on test, suggesting that deployment decisions would be better based on factors other than performance. openSUSE is one of the oldest Linux distributions still being actively developed but, with Tumbleweed, you’ll always be running one of the newest builds available. This is its primary appeal, since other factors such as the choice of desktop managers, and pre-installed applications, are common to many rivals. Although we initially experienced some difficulty with installation, your mileage will likely vary and, once up and running, it was regularly updated – as promised – and as stable as any other distribution on test.

If your preference is for KDE, rather than Gnome, this would be our pick of the bunch.

We've also ranked the best project management software.

This review first appeared in issue 354 of PC Pro.

On first encounter, Nitrux 3.2 is a moody beast. The default UI is dark, file management windows have black backgrounds and apps are dimmed when they lose focus. Yet somehow, even if you’re not a fan of dark modes (as this writer isn’t), it works.

You can switch between windows for some real showmanship: apps swoop around each other to make space, and where two windows sit side by side, they part to let hidden windows through. The default font is skinny but easy on the eye, and while the launcher is too angular for our tastes, that’s a matter of personal preference.

Where we think it’s less successful is in detaching the windows buttons – close, maximize and minimize – and putting them up in the screen’s top left corner, where they sit on the end of the menu bar. This is, presumably, why apps without focus are dimmed: so you know which one you’re going to close or enlarge when you click them. A side effect is that when switching between a browser and word processor, if you’re referring to the former while writing in the latter, your reference material will frequently change brightness.

Elsewhere, the file manager (called Index) has a grid of quick access buttons for common folders, such as Music, Documents and Pictures – but when they all sport the same icon and there’s no label, as was our experience with the default theme, you have to hover over each one and wait for its name to appear in a tooltip.

Buttons in the file manager provide access to folders, but they’re not labelled (Image credit: Future)

If you don’t get on with the default desktop, there are other themes to choose from, including some with more traditional window controls.

The Calamares installer is logical and offers plenty of guidance, such as the requirements for a secure password. Once up and running, you might not recognise a huge number of pre-installed applications other than Firefox, and there’s no office suite ready for use, although LibreOffice is available through the NX Software Center. So are staples such as Thunderbird, GIMP and Inkscape, which are likewise absent. You’ll find placeholders for Steam, Waydroid and Bottles, with the latter two providing layers for Android and Windows apps respectively.

However, it didn’t detect the two printers on our network until we’d entered their IP addresses.

Behind the scenes, this is a Debian-based distribution using the 6.6.2-1 kernel and a modified version of KDE Plasma to render the NX Desktop. There’s a generous selection of desktop widgets, and a configurable button on the dock, which you can use to run scripts or activate an applet.

The root directory is unwritable by default which, says the developer, strengthens security and minimizes points of failure. It should also mean that if an update fails your machine remains bootable. Other security measures have been implemented elsewhere, such as disabling core dumps, implementing strict password expiration and deactivating the root account. There’s a built-in backup tool – Kup – that can be set to kick in after you’ve been using your computer for a set period, which is an unusual and useful option. The X11 display protocol has been dropped in favour of Wayland, providing a shorter and more secure route between application and display.

One happy benefit of the switch to Wayland, which is taking place across most distributions, is a probable speed bump, and certainly Nitrux feels fast in everyday use. This was particularly evident when we were browsing the web, with pages seeming to arrive more quickly on our domestic broadband connection than they do in other Linux distributions or on our Windows box. We suspected that our broadband had been upgraded (and checked), but that wasn’t the case.

There’s a lot of interesting technology in this distribution, and it’s refreshing to encounter such an individual interface. Going down this road is a brave and largely successful move that has garnered significant praise, including when we named it the best Linux distro for new users.

However, with this review written, we’re now looking forward to returning to a more conventional environment.

We also rated the best small business software.

This review first appeared in issue 354 of PC Pro.

A key player in the Zoho software and services empire, ManageEngine offers a wide range of IT management solutions. The OpManager product family delivers network, server and application performance monitoring, and ManageEngine version 12.7 delivers plenty of new features.

There’s a focus on compliance and security, with support for single sign-on using security assertion markup language (SAML) and SNMP 3 with tougher SHA-2 authentication. Root cause analysis (RCA) profiles compare data collected from multiple devices to help with problem remediation, Cisco ACI, IPMI and VPN monitors are present and OpManager integrates with Slack and Microsoft Teams for alert notifications.

ManageEngine’s flexible licensing schemes are good value for SMBs as they’re based on devices, not elements or sensors. The OpManager Standard edition costs £195 per year for ten devices and provides availability, interface and SNMP/WMI network monitoring services, with the Professional edition on review adding features such as virtualization host monitoring.

Along with perpetual licenses, they’re also all available as Plus versions that include OpManager’s add-on modules at discounted prices. For example, Professional Plus starts at £983 per year for 50 devices and includes network configuration management (NCM) and NetFlow analysis (NFA), along with firewall and application management.

Virtual host monitoring is included in the Professional edition (Image credit: Future)

Whichever edition you choose, you won’t wait long to see it in action: it took us 20 minutes to install it on a Windows Server 2022 host and run an initial scan of the lab’s IP subnet. For device identification and classification, OpManager is a veritable sleuth as it’s endowed with over 11,000 device and 56,000 vendor templates.

It had no trouble figuring out what our lab devices were, correctly identifying all our Windows servers and workstations, routers, switches, NAS appliances, VMware and Hyper-V virtualization hosts and printers. Adaptive alert thresholds are assigned to devices where OpManager uses machine learning algorithms to adjust them for you, and they can be linked to a range of actions using the integral drag-and-drop workflow builder.

The OpManager web console and its multitude of dashboards is capable of presenting a lot of information about your network, with the handy heatmap widget showing a grid of colored blocks representing each device and their status. Detailed custom dashboards are created by choosing from over 200 available widgets, and network operations center views can present support departments with the big picture.

Dashboards can be customized to suit, and mobile monitoring apps are included (Image credit: Future)

Virtual monitoring is extensive, as OpManager discovered our VMware ESXi and Hyper-V hosts and provided views of system and VM utilization, guest OSes and datastore usage. Add the NetFlow module and you can view all common flows and use the free NetFlow Generator utility to translate raw packets into NetFlow data.

OpManager’s RCA profiles are similar to the SolarWinds NPM PerfStack feature and are just as easy to create. The list of available metrics is very basic, but you can choose devices and monitored items such as CPU and memory usage, add them to your RCA dashboard and view them all on one screen to help identify complex problems.

The Application Performance Management (APM) plugin is a worthy addition as it monitors and reports on a huge range of apps. We used it to check on our AWS account, where it provided details on service availability, EC2 instance and S3 bucket status, plus monthly billing charges and forecasts.

It may take time to get to grips with its myriad components, but ManageEngine’s OpManager is a powerful monitoring solution with a lot to say about your network. The web console is well designed and easily customized to suit, while SMBs will approve of OpManager’s affordable licensing plans.

We've also ranked the best fast PCs and workstations.

This review first appeared in issue 354 of PC Pro.

Many Debian-based distros, Linux Mint included, use Ubuntu as their jumping-off point. The latest release – 21.2 Victoria – is based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and will continue to be supported until 2027. That means it currently uses the 5.15 LTS kernel, but there’s a bleeding-edge edition, aptly called 21.2 Cinnamon Edge, that uses 6.2 should you prefer.

Where many Ubuntu spin-offs stick with Gnome display manager, as used by Ubuntu itself, Mint’s default is Cinnamon. This started as an offshoot from Gnome 2 when version 3 was released. Version 3 was the first to drop support for the panel (taskbar in Windows parlance) in favor of a purer shell, which likewise demoted widgets and jettisoned desktop icons. Cinnamon puts all of these front and center, which is one of the reasons it’s often held up as an ideal distro for anyone switching from Windows. It also has a Windows-like menu, with applications sorted into categories, and essential tools – such as the browser and settings – kept in view up the side. You can pin your most used apps to the panel so they’re never more than a click away.

Cinnamon is certainly a sturdy, tidy interface, but we think it feels a touch old-fashioned when compared directly with Microsoft’s Fluent UI for Windows 11. If it doesn’t immediately grab you, you can tweak the colors, install a theme, or opt for one of the alternative desktop managers, since Mint is also available with Mate or Xfce. And, while it seems highly unlikely that Ubuntu is going to disappear any time soon, the Mint developers are maintaining a parallel build, LMDE – Linux Mint Debian Edition – based on the Debian codebase, from which development can continue.

Whichever build you choose, you’ll need at least 2GB of memory and 20GB of storage, although 4GB and 100GB are recommended. These are hardly onerous, and the same specs apply to the Cinnamon Edge release.

Getting up and running is a familiar process, which starts with booting into a live installer and stepping through the wizard. However, because of changes to Ubuntu’s shim-signed bootloader, compatibility with Secure Boot was broken for the ISO that was current when we performed our tests. We therefore had to disable Secure Boot to proceed and, unless the ISO has been fixed by the time you install, you may have to do the same. Linux Mint says that it’s working on a fix.

Once up and running, pretty much everything was ready for use. Our monitor was recognized and its native resolution selected, our two network printers were installed, and a range of default applications were in place. Three desklets – effectively Windows-style widgets – for a clock, launcher and digital photo frame are installed but not activated. You can add others from a desklet store, where we’d highly recommend the weather desklet and notepad.

The Software Manager makes it easy to install apps (Image credit: Future)

LibreOffice was ready to roll, and while we can’t say the same for GIMP and VNC, they were available through the software manager, which was set up to work with Flatpak. Thunderbird was pre-installed for handling mail, and Firefox was set up as the default browser.

Hypnotix, Linux Mint’s bespoke IPTV application, is perhaps the most impressive of all the default apps. Its integrated catalogue includes links to more than 1,200 broadcasters, organized by country, with 92 from the UK. Pick a country, then click a channel in the sidebar to tune in. It was quick, efficient and very smooth on our consumer broadband connection. At the time of testing, it wasn’t possible to save favorites, but that may change as work is ongoing for a future release.

Linux Mint with Cinnamon is a pleasant place to spend a lot of time, and while we don’t think Cinnamon feels as dynamic as Windows 11, its familiarity will likely be a significant draw for more cautious switchers (although we would urge anyone in that position to also consider “new kid on the block” Zorin). Hypnotix and the desklets are the star turns in this distribution, and they’re reason enough on their own to make it one for the shortlist.

We've also rated the best lightweight Linux distro.

Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS: two-minute review

Closer is better when it comes to wildlife photography, and that’s where Sony’s super-telephoto zoom delivers in spades: with a reach of 400-800mm, it’s the longest lens of its kind in Sony’s E-mount lens lineup. Trumping the 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS by a full 200mm at the telephoto end, it sacrifices wide-angle flexibility to give you a significantly tighter shot of distant subjects.

Comparable in many respects to Canon’s RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM, Sony’s super-telephoto is a win for capturing wild and winged creatures. It's less effective in the sports arena though: a slow f/6.3-8 maximum aperture makes it harder to work at the kinds of shutter speeds needed to freeze fast-moving subjects, especially in low-light scenarios, and also limits your scope for blurring busy backgrounds.

Still, in bright conditions, the 400-800mm excels. You don’t get the absolute pin-sharp detail of a telephoto prime, but it’s still sharp both throughout the zoom range and across the frame. Effective image stabilization also helps to keep things crisp when shooting handheld, with motion blur only becoming noticeable at the long end. Chromatic aberrations are kept under tight control, too.

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Tipping the scales at the best part of 2.5kg, this is not a lightweight lens. Nor is it small by anyone’s standards, especially with the lens hood attached. Yet Sony has made it a surprisingly manageable telephoto zoom to shoot with. For starters, internal zoom keeps the weight balance relatively centered over the tripod foot, which usefully doubles up as a handle.

Then you’ve got the tactile, accessible controls. With well-judged resistance, the focus ring makes manual adjustments a joy. Similarly, the short throw and smooth action of the zoom ring mean it’s swift and easy to shift through the full spectrum of focal lengths. Add a trio of programmable focus hold buttons, and the 400-800mm becomes a super-telephoto that’s easy to handle.

It’s also a lens with superb focusing skills. This isn’t G Master glass, but you wouldn’t know it from the responsiveness of the autofocus: driven by two precision linear motors, it moves fast and very rarely misses, and only when shooting busy scenes at a serious distance will you need to consider manual fine-tuning. At the wide end of the range, it also has the versatility to focus on subjects just 1.7m away.

This isn’t a perfect lens. Professional wildlife photographers will get better fine detail from a premium telephoto prime, while serious sports coverage requires the faster maximum aperture of something like the Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports. But compromise is inevitable with a lens that's designed to cover several bases, and if you want a super-telephoto zoom that gets you closer than any other Sony E-mount glass, the trade-offs here are more than palatable.

Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS specs Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS: Design

• Heavy but well-balanced lens
• Robust build with weather seals
• Internal zoom with smooth ring rotation

There’s no escaping the fact that the Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS is a hefty lens. At the best part of 2.5kg, you’ll feel its weight when wielding it. That said, it’s not too much bigger than the 200-600mm: it's 358g heavier, 29mm longer and just 8.3mm wider. Those don’t feel like huge trade-offs for the extra reach at the long end, although you will need to invest in costly 105mm front filters.

It helps that Sony has done a good job of balancing the lens. Rather than telescoping out in front, the zoom mechanism is all packaged internally. That keeps the weight distribution fairly consistent, whether you’re shooting handheld or on a tripod. It also means that the zoom control ring only requires a light touch, which contributes to the sense that this is a manageable lens.

So does the tripod foot, which sits pretty squarely beneath the lens and body’s center of gravity. Its collar isn’t removable, but you’ll likely find the foot useful to have more often than not. The design isn’t exactly ergonomic, but the foot makes for a natural handle, both when carrying and framing. The collar can be easily rotated, with markers for landscape and vertical orientation.

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While this isn’t a pro-grade lens, it’s more than robust enough to survive a lifetime of shoots in the wild. Besides its general weightiness, everything feels well-assembled: the barrel is solid, the control rings turn smoothly, and the switches have a nice, affirmative action. Weather seals are there to keep dust and moisture out, too.

Despite its size, Sony has tried to make the 400-800mm an accessible lens. The hood, for example, attaches with a simple button release, and features a sliding window, so you can make filter adjustments without removing it. Around the barrel, three focus-hold buttons sit at 90-degree intervals, and each can be programmed with custom functions. Then you have its stack of five focus and stabilization switches. As heavyweight telephoto zoom lenses go, this is one of the most user-friendly.

Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS: Performance

• Fast autofocus with two linear motors
• Relatively slow f/6.3-8 maximum aperture
• 1.7m minimum focus distance at 400mm

When it comes to focusing performance, the 400-800mm impresses. Driven by a pair of high-speed linear motors, autofocus is both rapid and reliable, with zero delay between button press and motor response. According to Sony, the telephoto zoom can handle the 120fps maximum burst speeds of the A9 III. We didn’t have Sony’s sports star to hand during testing, but our chosen body – the A1 II – is no slouch, and the 400-800mm had no trouble keeping up.

It’s not immune from the odd miss, particularly when shooting over significant distances, but two features help here. The first is the focus limiter switch, which lets you give the 400-800mm a helping hand. By switching from the full range to one of two restricted modes, based on your distance from the subject, the lens has to hunt around less to find focus.

The second is full-time direct manual focus, which allows you to manually fine-tune focus in any mode by twisting the control ring. There aren’t many occasions where you’ll need to do this, but if the autofocus is having trouble with branches, for example, you’ll find the focus ring has just the right amount of resistance to let you make careful adjustments.

Close focusing is another key selling point of the 400-800mm, with a minimum distance of 1.7m at the wide end. In practice, that lets you get the shot even when your subject is relatively close. 400mm is probably too tight to practically shoot from the sidelines of a sports event, but that distance does mean you can capture small creatures that are near the end of the lens.

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Of course, it’s the super-telephoto number that grabs the headlines – and for good reason: 800mm is a long way in. Compared to a barrel that maxes out at 600mm the extra reach gets you significantly tighter in on your subject, and whether you’re shooting a kingfisher or a kickabout the difference is dramatic.

Almost as important as the range itself is the short throw of the zoom ring, which is optimized for quick shifts in focal length, and has a wonderfully smooth action; the internal zoom mechanism helps here, because the control ring isn’t responsible for telescoping elements. The net result is that it's pretty effortless to move through the full 400-800mm range, and together with the swift autofocus it enables you to readily switch between subjects near and far.

What does hold the 400-800mm back in some scenarios is the slow f/6.3-8 maximum aperture. This isn’t an issue in good light, where the lens performs well (see the sample images below). Under darker skies, though, it can struggle to keep up with rapid action, and at the shutter speeds required to freeze movement you’ll need to crank up the ISO setting or risk underexposed stills.

As a result, this isn’t a lens for shooting sports, especially not indoors. Even in the dimmer conditions of undergrowth, it can be a challenge to capture blur-free animal motion.

That slower maximum aperture also makes the lens less effective at blurring backgrounds. It’s not a major issue with leafy scenes or distant backdrops, but it does demand more care when composing against busy settings. At f/5.6-6.3, the 200-600mm has better light-gathering abilities and enables a tighter depth of field.

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Optically, there’s a lot going on inside the 400-800mm. There are 27 elements in 19 groups, six of which are extra-low dispersion, which translates into sharp stills which are pretty much free from chromatic aberrations.

At a pixel level, you’ll get finer results from a telephoto prime, but for a super-telephoto zoom, the 400-800mm exhibits decent sharpness. Detail is crisp at both the center and the edge of the frame, across the full zoom range. Again, the lens delivers its best results in good lighting, where you can work at shutter speeds fast enough to eliminate motion blur.

SteadyShot stabilization helps to keep things sharp. Sony hasn’t published the official rating of its OIS system, but with a trio of modes covering static and panning shots, as well as active subjects shot using the viewfinder, we found it pretty effective at counteracting hand shake. Blur did become noticeable at the extreme end, but panning handheld at 800mm is never going to bag you the sharpest stills.

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Chromatic aberrations are tightly controlled, with just a hint of purple fringing creeping in at super-telephoto focal lengths. Pincushion distortion is minimal, too, leaving you with very little to fix in raw images. The 11-blade aperture diaphragm also produces bokeh smooth enough to satisfy most enthusiasts.

Should you buy the Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS? Buy it if...

You’re a bird or wildlife photographer

The spec sheet of the 400-800mm reads like a wish list for bird and wildlife photographers, with rapid autofocus, a long reach, and internal zoom, plus short minimum focus distances at the wide end.

You need maximum telephoto reach

Sony’s longest telephoto zoom to date gets you closer than any other E-mount zoom lens. It has an additional 200mm on Sony’s next-longest telephoto, which gets you significantly closer to the action.

You want easy zooming and focusing

Internal zoom contributes to a smooth control ring action, while a relatively short rotational range lets you move easily through focal lengths. Full-time direct manual focusing means precision adjustments are slick and quick, too.

Don't buy it if...

You’re a sports photographer

With a slow f/6.3-8 maximum aperture, the 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS struggles to keep up with action on dull days. Indoors or in low lighting, it’s simply not fast enough for sports.

You’re happy with a shorter reach

If you shoot relatively close to your subjects or simply don’t need the extra reach at the telephoto end, you’ll find better value in the Sony FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS.

You don’t want an unwieldy lens

Its zoom range might be unrivalled, but there’s no escaping the fact that the 400-800mm is a large and weighty lens. Internal zoom makes it easier to handle, but 2.5kg is still a lot to carry.

How I tested the Sony FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS

• I used the lens extensively for a week
• I paired it with the Sony A1 II
• I tested it in a range of scenarios

Sony only made the FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS available for a short loan period, so I made the most of my week with it. I was blessed with a several days of clear skies and winter sun, allowing me to test the telephoto zoom in ideal conditions.

Given the lens's wildlife credentials, animals were obviously a focus of my test shots. That said, I also made sure to assess its capabilities as a sports lens, shooting on-track action at the Goodwood motorsports circuit near my home in the UK. To be thorough, I also shot architectural details, flowers, and a handful of portraits.

Paired with a Sony A1 II, I took the FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS on several walks to get a good understanding of how easy it was to move and shoot with the lens handheld, taking into account not just its weight, but also its full complement of controls, as well as the collar.

• First reviewed March 2025

The shot craft in PGA Tour 2K25 is exquisite and remains the best feature of the golf sports game from 2K in a series that has excelled in that area. The multi-layered parts of creating a shot, shaping it, thinking about contact and spin, and potentially utilizing specialist shots make the gameplay of 2K25 extremely enjoyable.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Release date: February 28, 2025

However, the game is not as strong in other areas, and still remains firmly in the shadow of its competition, namely EA Sports PGA Tour. There are some familiar frustrations when it comes to repetitive, underwhelming commentary and strange animation execution. There are also new annoyances like an abundance of obnoxious transition screens, but also oddities in things such as bag building and skill acquisition, while the absence of some major competitions and the most famous courses is still hard to ignore.

Having said that, 2K25 still represents a closing of the gap between it and its main rival a little bit, and the games may be even closer in years to come, especially if 2K25 can continue to build around its awesome shot craft and golf play.

(Image credit: 2K) The shot craft is strong in this one

Shot craft is at the very core of what makes PGA Tour 2K25 fun and kept me devouring hole after hole, and tournament week after tournament week.

The series’ TrueSwing and EvoSwing features are quality and offer a high level of shot planning, execution, and feedback. In short, you can tailor your shots to conditions nicely and factor in strike, spin, and shaping, while EvoSwing’s feedback meter provides you with results in an instant covering contact, rhythm, transition, and swing path.

Throw in the fact that your golfer can smash 300-yard bombs off the tee right from the beginning, and you have the tools necessary to take on all the courses the game has to offer immediately. What helps this are the intuitive controls too: the analog sticks on the controller provide an intuitive way to swing your club, and the three-click method is present once again allowing for users to use one button and timing through visual prompts to nail their shots.

It’s worth mentioning here that although bombing drives for miles straight away is fun, the default difficulty of the game does make it easy to succeed at first: in my second round I shot a 58, 14 under par score. As a result, it’s definitely worth tinkering with the settings to find the right level of challenge; there’s plenty of customization here and it’s worth getting stuck into such as overall swing difficulty, swing bias settings, and even how many times you can use the putt preview line.

(Image credit: 2K) Career steps - and missteps

The career mode in 2K25 offers more than its predecessor and begins with the option to choose from five different archetypes that will govern what kind of player you are. These are pretty broad brush stroke types like ‘magician’ for those good at recovery and ‘big hitters’ for those who crush the ball. There’s a good level of character customization on offer too so you should be able to bring your ideal golfing avatar to life.

The overall means to get into the MyCareer mode is straightforward, and you’ll soon be choosing where to start - in the amateur championships, or diving straight into the PGA Tour for example. Your player is pretty competent from the off and you’ll be competing in no time which is a real plus point of the game and its career mode if you value getting stuck into competitions with real players fast.

Player rivalries make a return but also in message form with other pros dropping you a line offering to create a friendly rivalry. This can add a bit of extra fun to succeeding rounds of golf, and you’ll get a reward for engaging them and winning - often a cosmetic. You’ll also get more social media followers too - though I am still to determine what the benefit of more followers actually is apart from it being a general measure of progression.

PGA Tour 2K25’s personality system is an interesting extra addition and your choices in conversations or interviews allow you to be more confident, bordering arrogant, about your game, or allow you to be a more humble or reserved person. From my time with the game, I haven’t seen any huge tangible benefit to either yet. Feeding into that are the aforementioned rivalries, but also sponsorships, and the game’s interview system.

This - along with the new chats with your agent - is another largely welcome one, but again, something that has its own oddities to raise an eyebrow. In one sense it’s great to see an expansion of the career to include media duties and make choices on how you want your avatar to behave and act in the world. On the other, it is strange to get asked questions about being the best of all time after three tournament wins, and, once again, see the same questions repeat quite often.

Best bit

Nailing a perfectly struck shot is incredibly satisfying in PGA Tour 2K25, and getting every single element of it right is as good as it gets. When you hit your first well-planned and thought-out shot to approach a tricky green by also hitting all of the sweet spots in contact, clubface, tempo, and wing path, the feeling is immensely satisfying.

Sponsorship agreements share this kind of double-edgedness too: it’s welcome to see your player get wooed and approached by big-name brands, but it’s also very jarring to get strange offers such as noted footwear and apparel brand FootJoy offering to provide my clubs. It might not mean much to most casual players, but those who will recognize brands and maybe even want their avatar to use them, are the same ones who will find it offputting.

These additions also give way to one of my particular gripes with PGA Tour 2K25: the sheer number of transition and loading screens. After every single action - be that a round, a chat with your agent, or an interview - you’ll have a transition screen pop up for a few seconds. The frequency is incredibly annoying, and having them pop up so regularly - especially when you’re in the groove of moving swiftly between tournament weeks because you want to play the golf part of the golf game - is incredibly disappointing.

The week of a tournament consists of a practice session and pre-tournament events which help to make each week feel more fulsome. Practice sessions can be used to hone specific skills in the week of the tournament if you wish, and pre-tournament events like practice rounds can familiarize you with some of the tournament's holes before the event. Sponsor events can then boost your progression with those sponsoring your apparel, clubs, and balls too. As a result, every week in the career mode is full of stuff to do which is excellent - especially as much of it is the wonderful shot-to-shot gameplay.

(Image credit: 2K) What's in the bag?

There’s plenty of customization and development to get into in the area of skills and equipment. As you play you’ll acquire experience and skill points which you can use to unlock skills in broad-brush parts of your game such as shots from the tee, recovery play, and more. A lot of these skills are more about increasing forgiveness than anything but the ability to progress that they represent is welcome and satisfying.

Some attributes will be maxed out in line with your archetype which is broadly agreeable, but some skills and shots seem to be totally blocked off by that same choice. This also undermines the role-playing aspect of the game a little. You can bomb 300-yard drives straight away, but a power drive or shot has to be learned - or is unlearnable because I’m not the right archetype. My wedges are as effective as the tour professionals, but my player has to learn a choke down shot (gripping the club a little lower down the shaft). I chose ‘technician’ as my archetype and that meant a power shot or knockdown shot was just flat-out off the table for my player which seems like needless gatekeeping.

In terms of equipment, you can build several bags (like loadouts in shooters, for example) and simply playing with your clubs more and more leads to an increase in proficiency in them. The maximum for each skill is limited by your archetype, which is an interesting way of making you stick to a set of clubs to get more out of them. You can upgrade clubs and balls with bolt-on fittings to upgrade them and their qualities, and also evolve them into clubs of a new level over time too.

The level of flexibility in building your bag is good, though doesn't allow for complete and absolute choice. For example, I couldn’t pick a 58-degree wedge for my bag or even see any driving irons to pick. Spending a practice session on a driving skill can boost all of your clubs which is strange and negates the choice to focus on a single club a little - but I do wish my proficiency with one club making the rest of them better is something that would translate to my real-world game.

My experience with the amount of branded clubs to choose from has been disappointing as the range of club types is pretty small. In 2K23 I could recreate my own golf bag with all the 2022 clubs which allowed me to make my avatar more like myself. I can’t do that in 2K25.

(Image credit: 2K) One stroke forward, two strokes back

Sadly, the largely improved career mode and the moreishness of the gameplay and shot craft is held back by some familiar - and new - frustrations.

The commentary is still odd, repetitive, and underwhelming. I even had one time where the commentators were talking about a replay of a highlight clip over an entire hole that I subsequently played which had the commentary totally out of sync. It’s boring, low-energy, and - the cardinal sin in sports games - often repeats itself to the point of annoyance.

While pre-tournament practice sessions are welcome and the boosts to attributes offer something more, they’re subject to awkwardness; your character will do the same animations like they’ve just won a championship when saving par on a practice round hole, for example. On this note, I find that a golfer’s wrist on the trailing arm looks quite odd at address, as well, almost appearing as if it bulges forward strangely and is overpronounced.

The appearance of microtransactions isn’t too egregious or aggressive but it’s a shame they are deemed necessary in a golf game in which its other elements promote you and your player improving and getting better by simply playing.

For casual golf game fans, PGA Tour 2K25 still scratches many an itch, and the jump-in-and-play aspect is excellent, especially given the satisfaction of crafting great shots. Throw in some fun multiplayer modes like TopGolf, ongoing daily, weekly, and seasonal challenges and quests, and course design modes may well keep committed fans and players may well keep coming back for me with 2K25. For golf game fans like me who grew up with EA’s Tiger Woods series, however, 2K25 is better, but still not quite the right fit for those wanting a full role-playing experience.

As a result, the game still feels firmly in the shadow of its competitor, EA Sports PGA Tour. But, this isn’t a terminal comparison: there is much fun to be had with PGA Tour 2K25, and if you’re after an accessible, pick-up-and-play golf game for the current generation then this is it.

Should you play PGA Tour 2K25? Play it if...

You want the best version of a great pick-up-and-play golf game
The fact that you can take on pretty much any golf course in PGA Tour 2K25 straight after booting is one of PGA Tour 2K25’s most compelling qualities; you can be crafting shots and winning tournaments minutes after starting the game.

You want excellent shot craft
The shot craft in PGA Tour 2K25 is its best and most polished quality. With a more restrained UI this time around, there’s still plenty to get into to prepare the best shot in your armory for each and every situation - and the payoff is oh-so-sweet when it goes well.

You want to tailor and customize your golf experience
While it lacks in some areas, the tinkering you can do in PGA Tour 2K25’s settings to find the right level of challenge is very welcome and will help committed players get more out of the game as the hours pile up.

You want some fun online golf multiplayer modes
Going online and competing against other real-life players in PGA Tour 2K25 is both exceptionally fun and easy to do; you can find some neat games to play against others efficiently.

Don't play it if...

You want to fully role-play as a golfer from hack to pro
You can boot up PGA Tour 2K25 and hit 300+ yard drives from the off, and some skills are totally locked depending on your archetype, so if you’re looking at something where you go on a full journey as a golfer, then you’re better off looking at EA Sports PGA Tour to scratch that itch.

You hate abundant transition and loading screens
The amount of transition screens in between, well, everything in PGA Tour 2K25 is frankly infuriating. Especially when one of the game’s strengths is how enjoyable the core golf play is once you’re in it, this really detracts from the experience.

You want to play all of the best courses and biggest tournaments
Once again PGA Tour 2K25 falls short here compared to its competition and if playing the likes of the Masters and all the other most famous courses are a priority for you then PGA Tour 2K25 won’t offer you that.

You can’t stand bad commentary
While the graphics are improved in PGA Tour 2K25 the commentating is (once again) repetitive, lacking enthusiasm, often badly timed, and seriously underwhelming.

Accessibility

PGA Tour 2K25’s main suite of accessibility features lies in its extensive difficulty options that can be tinkered with. There’s also the ability to choose between holding or toggling buttons for the swing mechanic and a host of display and HUD, camera, and audio options to choose from. Sadly there doesn’t seem to be a setting to change the text size on screen or any colorblind options.

(Image credit: 2K) How I reviewed PGA Tour 2K25

I played PGA Tour 2K25 for nearly 15 hours for this review, taking my created golfer deep into a second PGA tour season having started in the Korn Ferry Championship. While playing through the seasons, I toyed with all the possible ways to play a tournament’s game week and also dipped into several of the online multiplayer modes.

I tried both Performance and and Quality graphics modes - performance was my preference for the smoothness of swings and shots - tinkered with the difficulty settings to tailor my experience, snooped about the shop and store, and interrogated the skill trees and equipment options, while also going out of my way to compare it to EA Sports PGA Tour which I still dip into every now and then.

I reviewed the game on my two PlayStation 5 setups: a PS5 Slim with an Acer X32QFS gaming monitor and Yamaha SR-C20A soundbar; and a PS5 Pro with a Samsung Q6F 55-inch 4K QLED TV and Samsung soundbar. When needing to play with a headset, I played with a SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 on the PS5 Slim and a SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless with my PS5 Pro (there are no special settings for the Pro). I used a regular DualSense Wireless controller on both machines.

First reviewed March 2025

AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT: Two-minute review

AMD had one job to do with the launch of its RDNA 4 graphics cards, spearheaded by the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, and that was to not get run over by Blackwell too badly this generation.

With the RX 9070 XT, not only did AMD manage to hold its own against the GeForce RTX monolith, it perfectly positions Team Red to take advantage of the growing discontent among gamers upset over Nvidia's latest GPUs with one of the best graphics cards I've ever tested.

The RX 9070 XT is without question the most powerful consumer graphics card AMD's put out, beating the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX overall and coming within inches of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 in 4K and 1440p gaming performance.

It does so with an MSRP of just $599 (about £510 / AU$870), which is substantially lower than those two card's MSRP, much less their asking price online right now. This matters because AMD traditionally hasn't faced the kind of scalping and price inflation that Nvidia's GPUs experience (it does happen, obviously, but not nearly to the same extent as with Nvidia's RTX cards).

That means, ultimately, that gamers who look at the GPU market and find empty shelves, extremely distorted prices, and uninspiring performance for the price they're being asked to pay have an alternative that will likely stay within reach, even if price inflation keeps it above AMD's MSRP.

The RX 9070 XT's performance comes at a bit of a cost though, such as the 309W maximum power draw I saw during my testing, but at this tier of performance, this actually isn't that bad.

This card also isn't too great when it comes to non-raster creative performance and AI compute, but no one is looking to buy this card for its creative or AI performance, as Nvidia already has those categories on lock. No, this is a card for gamers out there, and for that, you just won't find a better one at this price. Even if the price does get hit with inflation, it'll still likely be way lower than what you'd have to pay for an RX 7900 XTX or RTX 4080 (assuming you can find them at this point) making the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT a gaming GPU that everyone can appreciate and maybe even buy.

AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

• How much is it? MSRP is $599 (about £510 / AU$870)
• When can you get it? The RX 9070 XT goes on sale March 6, 2025
• Where is it available? The RX 9070 XT will be available in the US, UK, and Australia at launch

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is available as of March 6, 2025, starting at $599 (about £510 / AU$870) for reference-spec third-party cards from manufacturers like Asus, Sapphire, Gigabyte, and others, with OC versions and those with added accoutrements like fancy cooling and RGB lighting likely selling for higher than MSRP.

At this price, the RX 9070 XT comes in about $150 cheaper than the RTX 5070 Ti, and about $50 more expensive than the RTX 5070 and the AMD Radeon RX 9070, which also launches alongside the RX 9070 XT. This price also puts the RX 9070 XT on par with the MSRP of the RTX 4070 Super, though this card is getting harder to find nowadays.

While I'll dig into performance in a bit, given the MSRP (and the reasonable hope that this card will be findable at MSRP in some capacity) the RX 9070 XT's value proposition is second only to the RTX 5070 Ti's, if you're going by its MSRP. Since price inflation on the RTX 5070 Ti will persist for some time at least, in many cases you'll likely find the RX 9070 XT offers better performance per price paid of any enthusiast card on the market right now.

• Value: 5 / 5

AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT: Specs

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

• PCIe 5.0, but still just GDDR6
• Hefty power draw

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is the first RDNA 4 card to hit the market, and so its worth digging into its architecture for a bit.

The new architecture is built on TSMC's N4P node, the same as Nvidia Blackwell, and in a move away from AMD's MCM push with the last generation, the RDNA 4 GPU is a monolithic die.

As there's no direct predecessor for this card (or for the RX 9070, for that matter), there's not much that we can apples-to-apples compare the RX 9070 XT against, but I'm going to try, putting the RX 9070 XT roughly between the RX 7800 XT and the RX 7900 GRE if it had a last-gen equivalent.

The Navi 48 GPU in the RX 9070 XT sports 64 compute units, breaking down into 64 ray accelerators, 128 AI accelerators, and 64MB of L3 cache. Its cores are clocked at 1,600MHz to start, but can run as fast as 2,970MHz, just shy of the 3GHz mark.

It uses the same GDDR6 memory as the last-gen AMD cards, with a 256-bit bus and a 644.6GB/s memory bandwidth, which is definitely helpful in pushing out 4K frames quickly.

The TGP of the RX 9070 XT is 304W, which is a good bit higher than the RX 7900 GRE, though for that extra power, you do get a commensurate bump up in performance.

• Specs: 4 / 5

AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT: Design

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

• No AMD reference card
• High TGP means bigger coolers and more cables

There's no AMD reference card for the Radeon RX 9070 XT, but the unit I got to test was the Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 9070 XT, which I imagine is pretty indicative of what we can expect from the designs of the various third-party cards.

The 304W TGP all but ensures that any version of this card you find will be a triple-fan cooler over a pretty hefty heatsink, so it's not going to be a great option for small form factor cases.

Likewise, that TGP just puts it over the line where it needs a third 8-pin PCIe power connector, something that you may or may not have available in your rig, so keep that in mind. If you do have three spare power connectors, there's no question that cable management will almost certainly be a hassle as well.

After that, it's really just about aesthetics, as the RX 9070 XT (so far) doesn't have anything like the dual pass-through cooling solution of the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080, so it's really up to personal taste.

As for the card I reviewed, the Sapphire Pulse shroud and cooling setup on the RX 9070 XT was pretty plain, as far as desktop GPUs go, but if you're looking for a non-flashy look for your PC, it's a great-looking card.

• Design: 4 / 5

AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT: Performance

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

• Near-RTX 4080 levels of gaming performance, even with ray tracing
• Non-raster creative and AI performance lags behind Nvidia, as expected
• Likely the best value you're going to find anywhere near this price point

A note on my data

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

Simply put, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is the gaming graphics card that we've been clamoring for this entire generation. While it shows some strong performance in synthetics and raster-heavy creative tasks, gaming is where this card really shines, managing to come within 7% overall of the RTX 4080 and getting within 4% of the RTX 4080's overall gaming performance. For a card launching at half the price of the RTX 4080's launch price, this is a fantastic showing.

The RX 9070 XT is squaring up against the RTX 5070 Ti, however, and here the RTX 5070 Ti does manage to pull well ahead of the RX 9070 XT, but it's much closer than I thought it would be starting out.

On the synthetics side, the RX 9070 XT excels at rasterization workloads like 3DMark Steel Nomad, while the RTX 5070 Ti wins out in ray-traced workloads like 3DMark Speed Way, as expected, but AMD's 3rd generation ray accelerators have definitely come a long way in catching up with Nvidia's more sophisticated hardware.

Also, as expected, when it comes to creative workloads, the RX 9070 XT performs very well in raster-based tasks like photo editing, and worse at 3D modeling in Blender, which is heavily reliant on Nvidia's CUDA instruction set, giving Nvidia an all but permanent advantage there.

In video editing, the RX 9070 XT likewise lags behind, though it's still close enough to Nvidia's RTX 5070 Ti that video editors won't notice much difference, even if the difference is there on paper.

Gaming performance is what we're on about though, and here the sub-$600 GPU holds its own against heavy hitters like the RTX 4080, RTX 5070 Ti, and Radeon RX 7900 XTX.

In 1440p gaming, the RX 9070 XT is about 8.4% faster than the RTX 4070 Ti and RX 7900 XTX, just under 4% slower than the RTX 4080, and about 7% slower than the RTX 5070 Ti.

This strong performance carries over into 4K gaming as well, thanks to the RX 9070 XT's 16GB VRAM. Here, it's about 15.5% faster than the RTX 4070 Ti and about 2.5% faster than the RX 7900 XTX. Against the RTX 4080, the RX 9070 XT is just 3.5% slower, while it comes within 8% of the RTX 5070 Ti's 4K gaming performance.

When all is said and done, the RX 9070 XT doesn't quite overpower one of the best Nvidia graphics cards of the last-gen (and definitely doesn't topple the RTX 5070 Ti), but given its performance class, it's power draw, its heat output (which wasn't nearly as bad as the power draw might indicate), and most of all, it's price, the RX 9070 XT is easily the best value of any graphics card playing at 4K.

And given Nvidia's position with gamers right now, AMD has a real chance to win over some converts with this graphics card, and anyone looking for an outstanding 4K GPU absolutely needs to consider it before making their next upgrade.

• Performance: 5 / 5

Should you buy the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT? Buy the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT if...

You want the best value proposition for a high-end graphics card
The performance of the RX 9070 XT punches way above its price point.

You don't want to pay inflated prices for an Nvidia GPU
Price inflation is wreaking havoc on the GPU market right now, but this card might fare better than Nvidia's RTX offerings.

Don't buy it if...

You're on a tight budget
If you don't have a lot of money to spend, this card is likely more than you need.

You need strong creative or AI performance
While AMD is getting better at creative and AI workloads, it still lags far behind Nvidia's competing offerings.

How I tested the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT

• I spent about a week with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT
• I used my complete GPU testing suite to analyze the card's performance
• I tested the card in everyday, gaming, creative, and AI workload usage

Test System Specs

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

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

I spent about a week with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, which was spent benchmarking, using, and digging into the card's hardware to come to my assessment.

I used industry standard benchmark tools like 3DMark, Cyberpunk 2077, and Pugetbench for Creators to get comparable results with other competing graphics cards, all of while have been tested using the same testbench setup listed on the right.

I've reviewed more than 30 graphics cards in the last three years, and so I've got the experience and insight to help you find the best graphics card for your needs and budget.

• Originally reviewed March 2025

For a brand that used to be unambiguously budget-orientated, AOC has come a long way. For proof, look no further than the new AOC U32U3CV. This is an extremely well specified 32-inch, 4K professional monitor.

Without giving away too much, too soon, its performance is also excellent. Happily, however, one legacy attribute AOC has retained is aggressive pricing. This is an awful, awful lot of monitor for your money. As the "Graphic Pro" branding implies, this monitor gives you a lot of the features and performance of much more expensive content-creation screens for a much more accessible price.

That starts with a high-spec 4K IPS panel which offers 98% coverage of the DCI-P3 gamut and Calman Ready support for rapid calibration. You also get HDR 400 certification and a USB-C hub with power delivery, KVM support and ethernet. For anyone looking for the best monitor for photo editing or the best video editing monitor, this is a strong contender for the price.

At the price point AOC is pitching the U32U3CV, it would look fairly appealing as a straight up 32-inch 4K IPS monitor. With the added professional features, it looks like a very strong proposition.

Of course, the spec list isn't absolutely comprehensive. There's no local dimming, for instance, and the refresh rate is only 60Hz. But you'd expect to pay at least twice the price for a 32-inch 4K display with high refresh of 144Hz-plus and full-array local dimming. So, that's not really a criticism.

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• Outstanding feature set
• Great connectivity
• Patchy ergonomics

Specs

Panel size: 32-inch

Panel type: IPS

Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160

Brightness: 400 cd/m2

Contrast: 1,000:1

Pixel response: 4ms GtG

Refresh rate: 60Hz

Colour coverage: 98% DCI-P3

HDR: VESA DisplayHDR 400

Vesa: 100mm x 100mm (bracket included)

Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.4 x1 in, HDMI 2.0 x2, USB-C in with 96W PD, USB-C in with 15W PD, USB-A x4, ethernet, 3.5mm audio, KVM switch

For the money, the AOC Graphic Pro U32U3CV gives you a remarkable amount of monitor. Along with the 32-inch 4K IPS panel, you get a nicely-engineered metal stand and slick, slim-bezel aesthetics. That includes comprehensive adjustability, with tilt, height, swivel and rotation into portrait mode.

Practicality is also boosted by a small collection of additional ports behind the left-hand bezel covering USB-A, USB-A with charging, USB-C and headphone. However, the ergonomics aren't flawless. The U32U3CV has an unusually large and wide stand base. It juts out quite a long way in front of the display as well as stretching across most of its width.

It certainly makes for good stability, but is surely overkill in that regard and eats pretty horribly into desktop space. It's hardly a deal breaker, but the stand base ergonomics are a notable misstep in what is otherwise a well-considered package.

As for connectivity, it's truly comprehensive. There's a full USB-C hub with 96W of power delivery and DP 1.4 Alt Mode, two HDMI 2.0 ports, and DisplayPort. Complementing the USB-C hub are four USB-A ports and ethernet. What's more, the display has full KVM switch capability, allowing you to share this monitor across two PCs or Macs.

As the HDMI 2.0 spec implies, however, it's worth noting that you are limited to 60Hz at 4K. This isn't a gaming monitor, so high refresh is not critical. However, 120Hz and above brings benefits beyond gaming and refresh is one of the few areas where this monitor could feel lacking in the long run.

Of course, this is a display designed for serious work and content creation in particular. To that end you get <2 DeltaE factory calibration and Calman Ready support for rapid hardware calibration. The U32U3CV's OSD menu is also comprehensive, offering a wide array of SDR gamut presets, including but not limited to sRGB, Adobe RGB, DCI-P3, Display-P3, and DCI-P3 D50, the latter being a version of wider P3 gamut with a D50 white point for printing.

AOC Graphic Pro U32U3CV: Performance Image 1 of 5

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• Lovely 4K IPS panel
• Excellent calibration
• Comprehensive gamut support

If there's one aspect that really makes the AOC Graphic Pro U32U3CV stand out, it's out-of-the-box calibration. This monitor is really lovely. That applies across the multiple colour space presets, including sRGB, DCI-P3 and the rest. It's just a really beautiful IPS display which also benefits from the excellent pixel density offered by any 32-inch 4K panel.

It's punchy, too, and if anything the subjective experience exceeds the 400 nit specification. As that number implies, this is a VESA DisplayHDR 400 Certified monitor. That means it has entry-level HDR support, but lacks local dimming. In other words, it's not a true HDR monitor but can at least decode an HDR signal.

That said, it is also very nicely calibrated in HDR mode and offers multiple SDR clamps to various gamuts in the OSD, which can make it easier in terms of running this display in HDR mode all the time and not having to jump back and forth between SDR and HDR modes depending on content type.

Another relative limitation is the 60Hz refresh rate. Historically, high refresh hasn't been a clear part of the remit for a professional display like this. But that's arguably beginning to change and a higher refresh would make for a more responsive computing experience.

That said, the actual pixel response is just fine for this class of IPS monitor. AOC has included three levels of user-configurable pixel overdrive in the OSD and the fastest setting makes for reasonable blur reduction without introducing excessive overshoot or inverse ghosting. Long story short, it's unlikely you'd reject this monitor on the basis of pixel speed.

But really, it's the combination of broad colour coverage, excellent calibration and the 4K pixel grid that's the main appeal here. By those metrics, the AOC Graphic Pro U32U3CV punches well, well above its weight.

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True professional-grade monitors are and remain extremely expensive with price tags running into five figures. Where the AOC Graphic Pro U32U3CV aims is that difficult-to-define zone in between those exotic displays and generic productivity monitors.

Many such monitors attract a significant price premium. But not the AOC Graphic Pro U32U3CV. It's barely any more expensive than a basic 32-inch 4K monitor, but offers fantastic connectivity features as well as an lovely IPS panel that's at least as well calibrated, if not more so, than monitors at twice the price.

If the AOC Graphic Pro U32U3CV had either the connectivity features it offers, including USB-C and KVM support, or the elevated colour support and calibration, it would look like a good deal. With both attributes, it's an absolutely fantastic package for the price.

For high-resolution displays, we've rounded up all the best 5K and 8K monitors.

Major spoilers follow for Daredevil: Born Again episodes 1 and 2.

Daredevil: Born Again has been one of my most anticipated Marvel projects since it was officially announced in May 2022. A lot has happened in the near-three-year period between said reveal and its release, though, including a creative overhaul of Born Again's story and the 2023 Hollywood strikes that had me wondering if my faith in it was misplaced.

I need not have worried. Based on its two-episode premiere, Daredevil: Born Again is an unflinching, worthy successor to Netflix's Daredevil TV show that honors what came before, and drives Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk's stories forward in unexpected ways.

The devil reincarnate

Episode 1 reunites us with the beloved trio of Karen Page, Matt Murdock, and Franklin 'Foggy' Nelson (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)

Season 4 of Daredevil in all but name, Born Again picks up where the fan-favorite Netflix series ended. Murdock (Charlie Cox), Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), and Franklin 'Foggy' Nelson's (Elden Henson) newly established law firm appears to be doing well, and the group continue to frequent their local haunt – Josie's Bar – after a long day of fighting for those in dire need of legal aid.

Seeing Cox, Woll, and Henson again was like I'd been reunited with three of my best friends

Seeing Cox, Woll, and Henson again was like being reunited with three of my best friends. Their chemistry is a large part of what made Daredevil such a compelling watch, so I was delighted to see that their camaraderie hasn't lost an ounce of its unmistakable magic.

The ease with which the trio slip back into their roles makes it all the more baffling that, until Born Again's creative troubles surfaced in October 2023, it was initially going to be a pseudo-sequel to, rather than a direct continuation of, Netflix's TV adaptation that didn't acknowledge Murdock's closest allies. This group, as well as the returning Wilson Fisk (the always-scene-commanding Vincent D'Onofrio), is the primary connective tissue between the Netflix show and its Disney+ follow-up. It's heartening, then, that Marvel brought Woll and Henson back into the fold, allowing for the resumption of their on-screen dynamics with Cox, and each other.

Page and Murdock's sexual chemistry sizzles once more in Born Again (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)

That makes what follows, which was first teased in Born Again's official trailer, all the more heart-breaking. A heart-pounding 10-minute segment, which includes a terrifically choreographed 'oner' sequence involving Daredevil and returning villain Bullseye (Wilson Bethel) that replicates Daredevil's expertly-crafted action set-pieces, such as the infamous hallway scenes, is as soul-crushing and incredibly violent as you'd expect.

I wish Daredevil: Born Again spent more time with Murdock, Page, and Nelson as a collective

Prior to its release, I worried that Page or Nelson weren't long for this world after leaked Born Again images had me fearing for the fate of one of these beloved characters. Nothing could prepare for me, though, for the emotionally blind-siding events that results in one of their deaths and, in the wake of such a tragedy, sees the other leave New York for pastures new. I've spent so much time with this trio across multiple Netflix shows, and now here in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), so it's not an exaggeration to say I was left feeling incredibly hollow over the dismantling of this tight-knit group.

The action in Born Again is as frenzied, bloody, and bone-crunching as its Netflix forebear (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Necessary as that tragic moment is to move Matt Murdock's story forward, it pains me that the trio's reunion is not only such a short-lived affair, but also that we'll never see them share the screen again.

I appreciate that Born Again represents a new era for The Devil of Hell's Kitchen – after all, he's officially part of the MCU now. His character evolution and the introduction of individuals who enter his orbit notwithstanding, though, I wish the series spent more time with Murdock, Page, and Nelson as a collective. It would have further helped to bridge the gap between one of the best Netflix shows and its sequel, and largely suppress how jarring some aspects of episode 1's first 15 minutes are from an editing perspective. I'm glad that Born Again's creators course-corrected to include Page and Nelson, and I enjoyed (if that's the right word) its unapologetically tear-jerking opening. However, even I'll admit that, compared to how the rest of episode 1 plays out, the scenes that comprise its prelude don't blend or flow naturally as they could.

Letting the devil out

The only scene between Murdock and Fisk in Born Again's two-episode premiere is a mesmerizing watch (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Following that devastating curtain-raiser, episode 1 jumps ahead 12 months to reveal that Murdock has opened a new law firm with fellow attorney Kirsten McDuffie (Nikki M. James) and retired from the crimefighting life. He's also started dating Heather Glenn (Margarita Leveiva), a friend of McDuffie's and a therapist, so Murdock is slowly and positively moving on from the events of a year earlier.

It's utterly absorbing to see these two sides of the same coin verbally and mentally spar

Or so he thinks. Following his own traumatic experiences in Hawkeye and Echo (it's not imperative that you watch these shows and/or Daredevil before Born Again, but it helps if you do), Fisk is not only back in New York but running to become to its new mayor, with a campaign built on the promise of cracking down on the city's vigilante contingent – and it's a race the fearsome former crime lord who went by the name of Kingpin wins.

It's a triumph that inevitably puts Fisk on a collision course with Murdock – and Born Again doesn't make us wait for the first deliciously spine-tingling and suspenseful meeting between the pair since Daredevil's explosive season 3 finale. At Murdock's behest, the arch-rivals convene for a spur-of-the-moment get-together at a diner before election night. It's utterly absorbing to see these two sides of the same coin verbally and mentally spar in a cat-and-mouse game while their anger, plus their resentment for each other, simmers just beneath the surface. On this evidence, I suspect their grip on their new holier-than-thou facades won't last for long.

How long will it be until Mayor Fisk loses his cool? (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Different though their ideologies are, these broken men share similarities outside of their disdain for one another. That much is evident through the common ground they now share in wanting to clean up New York's crime-infested streets, but it's further highlighted by the personal struggles that they face. Individually, Murdock continues to be plagued by the loss of his best friends, while Fisk's marital problems with wife Vanessa (Ayelut Zurer) laces their now-fraught dynamic with an appetizing tension, and humanizes Fisk in a way that the Netflix show rarely did. The parallel journeys they embark on in an effort to bury their pasts, and to try and quell the internal conflict raging within, is the mutual cross they bear, too.

Born Again feels like a narrative extension of its forebear... and gratifyingly expands into new storytelling territory

It's this stimulating character development that allows Born Again to cement itself as a narrative extension of its forebear, and empowers it to expand into new storytelling territory. One of my biggest fears with this Marvel Phase 5 project was that it would simply rehash character arcs and story beats from the Netflix show – and given the high regard that Daredevil is held in, that wouldn't have been out of the question. Color me relieved, then, that Born Again courageously drives Murdock and Fisk's singular and joint stories forward in a refreshing manner.

New blood

Murdock has professionally partnered with fellow lawyer Kirsten McDuffie in the MCU's present (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)

Born Again's supporting ensemble also adds an original flavor to proceedings that fleshes out the street-level corner of the MCU. James' McDuffie, Leveiva's Glenn, and Clark Johnson's private investigator Cherry challenge Murdock's deeply held black-and-white worldview with a zestfulness and toughness that suggests Murdock will have his hands full professionally and personally.

Daredevil: Born Again's overuse of Zack Snyder-style slow-mo shots is largely immaterial

Where Fisk is concerned, the immediate stand-out is Michael Gandolfini's Daniel, an astute boot-licker who quickly ingratiates himself with Fisk to set up what I expect to become a lively surrogate father-son dynamic. The introduction of Genneya Walton's B.B. Urich, an investigative reporter and daughter of Ben Urich (you know, the journalist that Fisk murdered in Daredevil season 2), who wastes little time in questioning Fisk's motives, lays the foundations for a particularly tasty side story too.

Hector Ayala/White Tiger, played by the late Kamar de los Reyes, is a vigilante who Matt Murdock represents in court (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

There are parts of Born Again's two-episode debut that don't work as well as the newcomers who join Cox and D'Onofrio on the cast roster. At times, its visual effects and green-screen application is incredibly janky and noticeable, while the overuse of Zack Snyder-style slow-mo shots is largely immaterial to the feeling that certain scenes try to evoke.

I also found some of the camerawork to be off-putting, not least in Born Again's attempts to take a page out of The Bear's playbook with its creative exterior shots. I can see the appeal of – cliched as this is to say – trying to make New York itself a character in the show but, unlike the award-winning and critically-acclaimed Hulu show, it feels redundant here. That said, I enjoyed the old-school filming techniques employed for B.B. Urich's on-the-ground reporting, which actually serves a storytelling purpose.

My verdict

"I like to think I… we have evolved", Nelson says to Murdock and Page just minutes into Daredevil: Born Again's first episode, and I feel like there isn't a more apt description for Marvel Studios' latest small-screen endeavor.

It's more evolution than revolution but, some niggles aside, Born Again is an absolutely terrific continuation of Netflix's adaptation that, much like its eponymous hero, dares to be brave and is handsomely rewarded for it. It walks the fine line between familiarity (its grounded nature and high-stakes storytelling) and innovation (propelling its character-led, drama-filled narrative forward and seamless MCU integration), with an aplomb that few show revivals have managed.

If its first two chapters are anything to go by, and if the seven that follow are as good or even better, Daredevil: Born Again won't just be one of the best Disney+ shows ever created, but also an all-time Marvel Hall of Famer.

Daredevil: Born Again episodes 1 and 2 are out now. New episodes release weekly (NB: episodes 5 and 6 will be simultaneously released on March 25 (US) and March 26 (UK and Australia)).

Bose Solo Soundbar 2 review

The Bose Solo Soundbar 2 is a diminutive yet powerful 2.0 channel soundbar that sets out to take your viewing experiences to the next level. With a list price of $199 / £179.95 / AU$359.95, it’s certainly on the affordable side for Bose – but there are a lot of budget soundbar competitors doing their thing for even less. So, is the Bose Solo Soundbar 2 hot enough to compete in a fiery market?

Well, before we jump to any conclusions, let’s talk about setup. Getting the Bose Solo Soundbar 2 hooked up to your TV is easy enough. It comes with a digital optical cable and an AC adapter that you can plug in for instant access to Bose soundbar goodness. Alternatively, you can use coaxial or AUX connections, but as is often the case, the cables for this aren’t included in the box.

But although setup is straightforward, you’ve probably picked up on a standout omission. That’s right: there’s no HDMI here. Now don’t get me wrong, I understand this isn’t the newest model on the market – specifically, the Bose Solo Soundbar 2 was released in 2021. But still, by then, I’d expect a soundbar at this price point to have HDMI ARC as a connectivity option. It’s an absolute must to qualify as one of the best cheap soundbars.

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The lack of HDMI means you won’t be able to adjust the soundbar’s volume with your usual TV remote – instead you’ll have to use the included separate remote. I also typically find digital optical cables to be more fiddly and awkward than larger, easier-to-handle HDMI cables. One final note on HDMI: without it, you’re going to be locked out of fancy audio features like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X – something that doesn’t always work out with small, cheap soundbars – but that’s worth noting if you’re expecting truly immersive three-dimensional audio.

So, look, the Bose Solo Soundbar 2 and I didn’t get off on the best foot. But I wasn’t going to write it off without a good listen and test session first. And I’m glad to report that the sound quality on offer is a major redeeming factor. I tried watching the movie Smile on Netflix and found that the dialogue was clear and natural-sounding when two women conversed in an isolated room.

At one point during this exchange, tensions flare as one woman falls to the floor – and imposing bass ripples through the scene. I felt that the low-end power on offer was substantial for a small soundbar like this. It grabbed me instantly and filled our medium-sized TV testing room effectively. Some of the lowest notes sounded a touch thin, however.

(Image credit: Future)

I threw on The Matrix and during the famous rooftop showdown scene, deeper bass didn’t have that rumble you’d get from more premium models, especially those with a standalone subwoofer. But given a lot of cheap, standalone soundbars struggle with bass, this can be forgiven – low-end output remains steady. I would say, however, that there was pretty limited width to the soundstage, perhaps accentuated by this soundbar’s small size. So when watching epic movies such as this, don’t expect that room-filling, immersive surround sound that more talented standalone soundbars, like the Sony HT-S2000 can imitate pretty effectively.

It’s also worth noting that you can raise (or lower) bass levels to your liking using the Solo Soundbar 2’s remote. That’s something that even some fantastic budget rivals, like the Sony HT-SF150, skip on. And although this model will still struggle to hit those super-low depth notes, the bass controls still work nicely and provide some much-needed weight to blockbuster movie soundtracks and gaming scores.

(Image credit: Future)

Enough about bass, though. I’d like to loop back around to dialogue. This is generally quite crisp, but you can improve things further by activating Dialogue Mode. The most noticeable effect here is that volume is given a substantial boost. But I tried watching a scene in Smile where four characters were chatting in a busy outdoor seating area and the difference was considerable. With Dialogue Mode on, the characters of interest had their speech lifted a layer above, relegating background chatter to… well, the background. When listening to the Kermode & Mayo’s Take podcast in Dialogue Mode, I certainly felt satisfied with the crispness and forwardness of the hosts’ vocals.

So, if you’re fed up of turning subtitles on to understand what’s being said in your favorite movies or TV shows, the Bose Solo Soundbar 2 will certainly supply a way out of that life. Even some of the best small TVs, for example, tend to have limited audio capabilities, so if you own one of those, the mini, solid-sounding Solo Soundbar 2 could be right for you. Especially if you’ve used up all of your HDMI ports.

Sound rarely gets harsh or abrasive, even at higher volumes. And this thing can get pretty loud, thanks to its maximum power output of 100W. Not bad for a small lil’ fella. The only time I felt sound quality took a significant dive was when I played some music over Bluetooth. For instance, I blasted Electric Tooth Brush by Toronto and was met with an almost ‘boxed-in’ sound and bass didn’t have the thump I’d usually look for. Similarly when tuning into Black Eye by Allie X, the soundbar lacked the dynamism required to faithfully replicate the track – especially as the bouncing bass running throughout the track sounded a touch flat.

(Image credit: Future)

Having said that, music didn’t sound tinny or horrible and vocals in Black Eye were certainly clear enough. I just wouldn’t recommend using this as your main way to stream music at home, especially when there are some excellent options to pick from in our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers.

Something I did like about the Solo Soundbar 2, though, is its design. It’s a fairly attractive mini bar with a classy black speaker grille and famous Bose logo imprinted front and centre. OK, it’s a little plasticky – but that’s to be expected at this price point. And the included remote is pleasingly slim and sleek, which adds a few more style points anyway. Of course, the soundbar's compact size can limit the expansiveness of audio, but in terms of practicality, it doesn’t get a whole lot better.

All in all, the Bose Solo Soundbar 2 is a decent, small-sized option if you’re looking to upgrade your TV’s underwhelming audio. It sounds surprisingly powerful and looks pretty sweet too. And if you’re all out of HDMI slots, then it might be worth a look.

But in my view, it’s not the best value for money option, let alone the best quality one in its class. You can get the Hisense HS214 – a cheaper, more modern, HDMI-ready mini bar if you’re short on space. You could even grab the Panasonic SC-HTB100 if you want clear audio with a bit more width. And both of these alternatives are considerably cheaper than the Solo Soundbar 2, so make sure to weigh up your options before pulling the trigger on a purchase. Speaking of options, you can check out our list of the best soundbars if you want a best-in-class soundbar for truly cinematic sound.

(Image credit: Future) Bose Solo Soundbar 2 review: Price and release date

• $199 / £179.95 / AU$359.95
• Launched in 2021

The Bose Solo Soundbar 2 (sometimes stylised ‘Bose Solo Soundbar Series II’) released in 2021 with a list price of $199 / £179.95 / AU$359.95. Now, a few years later, you can often find it at a discounted price. For instance, I spotted this model for less than £150 directly through the Bose UK website, so keep your eyes peeled for a tasty price drop.

Bose Solo Soundbar 2 review: Specs

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Bose Solo Soundbar 2? Buy it if...

You want to add some power to your TV setup
It didn’t always hit the lowest notes and audio wasn’t pitch perfect all of the time, but it’s hard to deny this Bose soundbar’s power. Considering its short length and slim build, it plates up a solid 100W maximum power output with impressive bass levels and general loudness.

You’re a little short on space
If you’re a little limited in terms of room, the Bose Solo Soundbar 2 will likely be a fantastic fit. It’s pretty slim and not long at all, meaning it should seamlessly slot into your TV unit.

Don't buy it if...

You want premium sound quality
Considering its miniature size and low price, you’ll likely not be expecting audiophile-grade audio from the Bose Solo Soundbar 2. And you’d be correct to expect that. It doesn’t sound bad at all, but if you’re looking for detailed, rich, expertly controlled sound, you’ll be better served by an option like the Sony HT-S2000.

You’re on the search for surround sound
If you want true surround sound, the Bose Solo Soundbar 2 isn’t going to be the answer. It’s a basic 2.0 channel soundbar with no surround or virtual surround capabilities. If you want truly immersive, three-dimensional sound, I’d recommend checking out our guide to the best Dolby Atmos soundbars.

Bose Solo Soundbar 2 review: Also consider

Sony HT-SF150
I loved my time with the Sony HT-SF150. It’s a premium-looking standalone soundbar with surprisingly good virtual surround sound technology. There’s nothing like Dolby Atmos or DTS:X compatibility here, but audio is decently expansive, dialogue is clear and there are loads of ways to connect. That includes HDMI ARC, by the way. Read our full Sony HT-SF150 review.

Hisense HS214
The Hisense HS214 is pretty similar to this bar from Bose. It’s a small, slim soundbar that musters up an impressive amount of power and keeps dialogue nice and clean. Its built-in surround mode is poor, but there’s a built-in subwoofer to offer a leg up to low-end sound. Again, this one has HDMI ARC connectivity among a number of other options, so it's a bit better equipped for the modern era. Read our full Hisense HS214 review.

Bose Solo Soundbar 2 review: How I tested

• Tested across one week
• Used in our TV testing space at Future Labs
• Connected up using the soundbar’s digital optical port

I spent hours testing the Bose Solo Soundbar 2 at our TV testing space at Future Labs. During this time, I used the digital optical connectivity option and hooked the Solo Soundbar 2 up to the excellent Panasonic MZ1500 TV.

For my tests, I viewed a variety of TV shows, videos and movies – mainly using streaming services like Netflix and YouTube. In addition, I connected the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE to the soundbar to assess audio quality over Bluetooth. I made sure to play tracks from the TechRadar testing playlist as well as my own personal library to judge the capabilities of the soundbar’s Bluetooth mode.

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