TechRadar Reviews

Shokz OpenFit Pro: Two-minute review

Shokz knows its way around a pair of open earbuds. At the time of writing, the brand has three entries in our best open earbuds with good reason — it is one of the few companies out there dedicated to the fitness headphone/bone conduction market.

With the OpenFit Pro, though, Shokz seems to be courting new customers. Whereas the OpenRun Pro 2, clip-on OpenDots One and our market leader the OpenFit 2+ were targeted at a sports-specific market where audio accompaniment of any kind saves us from the monotony of a freezing early-morning January run or a rain-lashed cycle commute, the OpenFit Pro are different.

Sure, they're still tailor-made for runners, cyclists and general sporty types — including tennis, in my case — but the OpenFit Pro are pushing the barriers of what open earbuds can be for dyed-in-the-wool audiophiles. Want Dolby Atmos with head-tracking tehcnology? They've got it. Want customizable EQ profiles, in addition to the five provided by the Shokz app? They've got them. Want support accessories for an even more secure fit? Yep, them too.

Even want active noise cancellation? OK, they've not quite got that — these are still open earbuds, after all — but they do have what Shokz calls 'noise reduction', courtesy of a synchronized dual-diaphragm driver and triple-mic system with the Shokz ear-adaptive algorithm. This is incredibly rare in open earbuds and the results are mightily impressive. Sure, they can't block out everything in the way a pair of in-ears with active noise cancellation can, but in 'noise reduction mode' they do a damn good job if you need to keep regular life at bay and concentrate.

With Bass Boost selected from one of the five EQ presets, they deliver a punchy, nuanced sound that is impressively clear and detailed. The Dolby Atmos with head tracking is a welcome addition, especially in an office environment when turning your head from side to side to speak to colleagues, and delivers responsive sound to the ear that is closest to the source device.

Design-wise, the carry case is small enough to fit into your pocket, battery life is superb-to-relentless and the comfort akin to wearing air. On more than one occasion, I'd forgotten I was wearing them. While exercising, I never felt like they would slip, let alone fall out, especially after I fitted the rubber o-ring for extra stability.

The Shokz OpenFit Pro, then, are audiophile-friendly open earbuds that fully warrant their place in the best we've tested. They may be a little on the expensive side compared to the competition, but when you consider the aural additions these feature that almost no other open ears possess, they're worth it.

Open earbuds used to be the sole preserve of runners or cyclists who wanted to listen to background music without getting mown down by traffic. Not any more.

Shokz OpenFit Pro review: Specifications

Component

Value

Water resistant

IP55

Battery life

12 hours (earbuds, noise reduction disabled), 50 hours (total)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 6.1

Weight

12.3g per earbud

Driver

Ultra large 11 × 20-mm synchronized dual-diaphragm

Shokz OpenFit Pro review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future / Andy Murray)

• Released January 2026
• Priced at $249.95 / £219 / AU$399

The Shokz OpenFit Pro launched at CES in January 2026 and went on sale immediately. You can pick up the OpenFit Pro for $249.95 / £219 / AU$399 RRP, though there are some discounts available already via some retailers.

That makes them a fairly hefty chunk more expensive than our class-leading Shokz OpenFit 2+ ($179.95 / £169 / AU$350), but still (just about) cheaper than the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds at launch. So the big questions are what bang do you get for your extra buck(s), and are they worth the expense?

In order: lots, and yes.

Shokz OpenFit Pro review: Features

(Image credit: Future / Andy Murray)

• 12-hour battery life, 50 hours with case
• Noise reduction, not cancellation, is excellent
• Bluetooth 6.1; IP55 for water- and dust-resistance

The biggest criticism usually laid at any open earbuds' door is their lack of versatility. Sure, they're great if you want to listen to something while working out — that's why a sporty type, like me, is doing this review while TechRadar's brilliant audio editor Becky Scarrott, who did the initial experiential, is indisposed with a frozen shoulder — but you would want something much punchier and full-blooded for everyday listening. They're a second pair, nothing more.

The Shokz OpenFit Pro want to be more, and we'll come on to that, but first let's deal with their fitness side. I hate anything jammed into my earhole, so their open-ear design is perfect for me, and allowing external ambient sounds through is essential for the running and cycling I mostly did while wearing them during a month-long stint working at the recent 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.

While cycling, your ears are your mirrors and the balance between listening to Only God Knows by Young Fathers and hearing traffic behind me was about perfect. When running, especially the 3.5km between hotel and office at the Winter Olympics, I could at all times hear the maniacal Milanese drivers who would otherwise have mown me down without a second's thought had I been too zoned in on Fontaines D.C.'s Romance LP.

Connection, that includes multi-point pairing, was never a problem thanks to the Shokz' uber-stable Bluetooth 6.1 technology and nor was getting extra sweaty with their IP55 rating good for water and dust resistance.

In my (windowless) office in Milan, I also used the OpenFit Pro to transcribe athlete flash quotes and take reliably crystal-clear calls from reporters despite the high-pressure, higher-noise newsroom environment surrounding me. The same was true when calling my fiancée — your aforementioned Techradar audio editor, no less — from a packed pizzeria and an evening watching figure skating from opposite ends of the arena (it's a long story).

(Image credit: Future / Andy Murray)

The battery life is more than above average and borders on the relentless. Shokz promise 12 hours of listening from a single charge, plus another 50 hours from the slimline and lightweight case, which I found to be about bang on. On a couple of occasions I ran into the office with only the earbuds, used them regularly to listen to and transcribe interviews on a 10-hour shift and ran back to the hotel. They lasted all day and even got me back into the office the following morning (this time with the charging case in my back pocket).

In a bit of rush? No problem, 10 minutes of fast charging will give you four hours' listening. Wireless charging is also an option, albeit at a slower pace. Sure these figures come down a bit when you turn on 'noise reduction' mode — six hours from a charge, another 24 from the case — but we're still talking about listening periods firmly in the 'every day' territory.

Time to talk about why you'd want to. That 'noise reduction' mode really is excellent for a pair of open earbuds. It's basically impossible for the Shokz to have ANC but the noise reduction technology, helped by the brand's SuperBoost technology, ear adaptive algorithm and synchronized dual-diaphragm driver, does a great job of blocking out more of the world.

The companion Shokz app is also a boon. It's home to five EQ presets, plus two options to create your own sound profiles, and is also the destination to turn on 'noise reduction' (touch control toggles are also available), Dolby Atmos and head tracking technology. You can also customize those multi-point connections and use the very useful 'Find My Earbuds' function.

The overall impression is very positive. Sure, closed earbuds have a bigger feature set in general — but the fact that all this exists in a set of open earbuds, is pretty impressive indeed.

• Features score: 5 / 5

Shokz OpenFit Pro review: Sound quality

(Image credit: Future / Andy Murray)

• Noise reduction excellent for open-ear design
• Dolby Atmos and head-tracking technology
• Treble can overwhelm

The difference in price between the Shokz OpenFit Pro and the vast majority of their competitors can be explained in how they sound, or at least, how they try to sound. Remember, at a price touching $250, Shokz are going after an audiophile market here.

For the most part, they succeed. The detail at the low end — especially with EQ preset Bass Boost turned on in the Shokz app — is impressively dynamic, and weighty enough to almost make you forget that these are open earbuds. Wet Leg's Chaise Longue loses none of its lustrous early bass power thanks to that synchronized dual-diaphragm driver, while Age of Consent by New Order enhances the propulsive force of Peter Hook's four-string.

If treble is your bag, you're also in luck, but you've really got to love it. Treble Boost brings forward guitars and vocals — only accentuated further if you switch on the Vocal setting in the app – which sound at their best for semi-spoken word songs like Go! by Public Service Broadcasting but for my money it's to the detriment of the overall sound profile.

Bass gets lost and the treble overwhelms to the point it sounds a little tinny, rendering a song as good as The Concept by Teenage Fanclub almost unlistenable — so much Norman Blake and Raymond McGinley rhythm guitar and almost no Gerard Love woozy bass.

(Image credit: Future / Andy Murray)

You can also create your own EQ in the app, which, though a little fiddly, does do a good job in establishing a Goldilocks setting just for you. In the end, though, I listened almost exclusively in Bass Boost mode and felt all the happier for having done so.

The OpenFit Pro's aforementioned noise reduction mode does as good a job as can be expected from a set of open earbuds. Helped by a triple-mic system (up from two in the OpenFit 2), Shokz's ear-adaptive algorithm can predict external noise and delivers a solid reduction in what you hear. In the app, you can also select how much noise reduction you actually want with a toggle, although I didn't notice much difference. You will, though, have to crank up the volume to a Spinal Tap 11 if you want to block out the world around you — in doing so, I had a notification on my phone telling me I had "exceeded the recommended limit for audio exposure" over the previous seven days. This has never happened to me before.

I tended to use noise reduction only when in an office environment and needed to focus — I'm not the biggest fan of ANC in general and found the noise reduction here too manufactured to the point of slight nausea — but it's easy to turn on and off with either the buds themselves or using the Shokz app. On my flight home, it also made an appreciable difference to both aircraft and wailing baby noise, albeit nothing compared with my Cambridge Audio Melomania P100s, which combine an over-ear seal with ANC.

Elsewhere, the combination of Dolby Atmos and head-tracked spatial audio is a winner. It upscales TV on the Radio's Wolf Like Me without sounding too muddy, while listening again to Tidal's Dolby Atmos version of Wet Leg's Chaise Longue was a transformative experience. With both Dolby Atmos and head-tracking switched on, the bass-heavy intro is punchier, with extra clarity, and you feel 'in the mix' much more throughout.

When a breathy 'what?' halfway through the first verse appeared from apparently behind my right ear, I genuinely turned around, certain a prank was being played on me by a sleep-deprived Olympics colleague. Only when the same happened moments later in my left ear, having turned my head, was I finally assuaged that it was vocalist Rhian Teasdale with some Dolby Atmos help. You might think it's a gimmick, but it genuinely felt like she was in the room.

• Sound quality score: 4.5/5

Shokz OpenFit Pro review: Design

(Image credit: Future / Andy Murray)

• Super-comfortable and endlessly tactile
• Portable charging case
• Sound leakage at upper volume a problem

The best thing to be said about the OpenFit Pro's design is that on numerous occasions after pausing a track to deal with a work enquiry, I simply forgot I was wearing them. They really are that comfortable, especially over long periods. They sit snugly around your ear, too, with a handy demonstration from the Shokz app of how to fit them if you're a luddite like me.

Weighing 12.3g, each bud may be a little heavier than our current open-ear market leaders the OpenFit 2+ (9.4g) but, typical of the Shokz oeuvre, the OpenFit Pro's general silicone stylings are supremely tactile. The driver housing is made from an 'aerospace-grade aluminium PMI dome cap' which adds security and a well-positioned nub that sits perfectly to direct sound straight into the ear. It's the same with the charging case, which feels premium and is small enough to fit in your pocket — whether jeans or even running shorts, as I found.

Thanks to the OpenFit Pro, for the first time in my 30 years' playing competitive tennis (yes, my name really is Andy Murray), I listened to music during match training. How your opponent hits the ball is your biggest clue to their shot — its pace, its spin and even its trajectory — and despite listening to Queens of the Stone Age banger The Lost Art Of Keeping A Secret, while warming up I could still hear and track the ball in the way I always have. I wouldn't wear the Shokz for anything more than a 15-minute warm up — my addled brain can only cope with doing so many things at once — but they brought a new way of interacting with a sport I love.

Unlike running and cycling's repetitive movements, tennis' reactive twisting and turning really gave the OpenFit Pro a stability workout to stay on my ears. And they managed it. In tougher rallies, I found my right earbud feeling slightly unstable, but attaching the supplied ultra-soft silicone o-rings to the inside of earpiece sorted that in a heartbeat. I always wear a baseball cap when playing tennis, as well as a helmet while cycling, and neither interfered with the Shokz sitting snugly around my ears.

I regularly put on and took off jumpers, T-shirts and sportswear without having to take out the buds. As if to prove a point, I just put on a hoodie while writing this sentence. The fit really is excellent. The buds, that is. The hoodie has probably seen better days.

Evidence of how easily-bendable the hook is. (Image credit: Future / Andy Murray)

Whether in white or the review sample black I tested, the OpenFit Pro look sleek, smart and unobtrusive — numerous colleagues in Milan were surprised when asking me a question and I'd respond by either taking off the Shokz or using the buds' touch controls to pause.

Those touch controls are great, by the way. Each bud has an easily accessible nub, which does everything. One quick press on either bud for pause, and answer and end call; double click for skip track; triple click for previous track; a quick press followed by a continuous hold does volume up (right) and down (left); and press and hold to toggle noise reduction. These are all customizable in the Shokz app, too. Listening to Fontaines D.C.'s Starburster over and over with that triple click saw me through a couple of 3.5km PBs.

Only in one design area does the OpenFit Pro suffer, and it's one familiar to any regular open earbuds wearer. Despite the clever noise reduction mode, to really block out the world around you'll need to crank the volume, making sound leakage a problem. At 50% volume in a silent room it's barely audible, but start to push things further to drown out external stimuli and it's immediately obvious.

On the morning commute this shouldn't be a problem if you don't want your neighbor to know you're getting your groove on to Chappell Roan's Pink Pony Club, but while my fiancée was watching TV, she could hear my dirty secret from across the room when I tried to drown out her weekend Homes Under the Hammer catchup. Nor does the 'Private' EQ setting particularly help – there's only a negligible improvement for your companion and the bass suffers significantly for you. I wouldn't bother.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Shokz OpenFit Pro review: Value

(Image credit: Future / Andy Murray)

In the general scheme of things, the Shokz OpenFit Pro aren't that expensive, it's just that for nearly $250 they come in at the north end of the open earbud market, albeit not quite as pricy as the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds. With noise reduction, Dolby Atmos and head-tracking technology, though, Shokz seem to be targeting these as the only buds you need in your listening arsenal.

So, are they worth it? In audio terms, absolutely. You quite simply won't find a better-sounding set of open earbuds with this feature set, and as sturdy a battery life. I wouldn't necessarily throw out your regular over-ears or ANC in-ears just yet, though. There are times when you need to zone in and hear nothing of the outside world.

That being said, as a pair of sports-specific open earbuds, I don't think you'll find better.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Shokz OpenFit Pro review: scorecard

Category

Comment

Score

Features

It's a packed set, with as much on offer as can be expected from a set of open ears.

5/5

Sound quality

Noise reduction is effectively ANC for an open-ear design, with Dolby Atmos and head tracking nice extras. Tinny treble, though.

4.5/5

Design

So comfortable and tactile you'll forget you're wearing them, but sound leakage at upper volumes is an issue.

4.5/5

Value

They're still a second set, but what a great-sounding second set to have.

4.5/5

Shokz OpenFit Pro: Should I buy them?

(Image credit: Future / Andy Murray)Buy them if...

You want to upscale your exercise
From the excellent noise reduction to head-tracked Dolby Atmos and a punchy bass, the OpenFit Pro will keeping you running, cycling and even hitting tennis balls for hours on end. You won't find better.

You're often on the go
The Shokz's battery life is superb to relentless in general and, with a charging case that fits in your pocket, you'll go days without having to go in search of electricity.

You like wearing air
Yeah, the OpenFit Pro really are that comfortable. You just won't notice you've got them on.

Don't buy them if...

You don't dig much treble
It overwhelms in general, and I always had Bass Boost on to compensate. Fine for me, but maybe not for you.

You only want one pair of buds
Shokz aren't quite there yet with a one-set-of-open-earbuds-to-rule-them-all policy. If you fly a lot or need to block out the world to concentrate, you'll need another pair. That makes them slightly expensive.

Also consider

Component

Shokz OpenFit Pro

Shokz OpenFit 2+

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds

Water resistant

IP55

IP55

IPX4

Battery life

12 hours (earbuds, noise reduction disabled), 50 hours total

11 hours (earbuds), 48 hours (total)

7.5 hours (earbuds), 27 hours (total)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 6.1

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.3

Weight

12.3g per earbud

9.4g / Charging case: 56g

6g / Charging case: 43g

Driver

Ultra large 11 x 20mm synchronized dual-diaphragm

21mm x 11mm custom dynamic driver

12mm

Shokz OpenFit 2+
Our previous open earbud market leader has some competition, but the fact the brand's in-house alternative isn't so good for glasses wearers is a problem.
Read our full Shokz OpenFit 2+ review

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
These clip-on open ears are even more expensive than the OpenFit Pro and less sound leakage, but not the noise reduction.
Read our full Bose Ultra Open review

How I tested

(Image credit: Future)

I tested the Shokz OpenFit Pro for well over a month, which is longer than our regular testing period at TechRadar.

The buds were paired to an iPhone for the entirety of the testing, using Tidal's high-res and Dolby Atmos audio outputs. I used them at home at work and also on runs, while cycling and even playing tennis, at which I've competed at a high level for 30 years.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed: April 2026

UGREEN NASync iDX6011 Pro: 30-second review

The UGreen NASync iDX6011 Pro is substantial, measuring in at 349 x 260 x 212mm, it sits closer to an ITX PC case than anything you would ordinarily describe as a NAS, and lifting it out of the packaging highlights that this is a serious piece of kit that’s impressive design makes you want to keep it out on show rather than hidden away.

Once positioned in a prominent place in the office, the matte grey aluminium chassis and rounded edges give it a premium, stylish look that departs from the larger rack-mount aesthetics of more industrial NAS hardware. The design and aesthetics are perfect for any design or photo Studio space.

Getting started with the iDX6011 is as straightforward as the other UGreen NAS systems that I’ve looked at. Essentially, each of the six front bays is secured by a flathead key lock, which once pressed, releases so the tray can slide out. You then drop in a 3.5-inch hard drive all without the need for a single screw, then slide it back, and lock. The whole process takes under 30 seconds per drive.

For this review, I installed four 4TB Western Digital drives, configured in RAID 5 via the guided UGOS Pro setup, for a total of 12TB of usable storage, with one drive's capacity matched to the RAID 5 configuration. I used the two M.2 NVMe slots for caching and installed two 1TB sticks.

On the front of the machine is a small vertical 3.7-inch touch LCD that lets you flick through a few stats and information from the system. This is genuinely helpful and interesting, especially as you start to delve into the local AI to monitor resource usage.

One of the uses of this screen came into play during the initial setup, where I was able to quickly see the NAS IP address. It’s only a small thing, but genuinely helpful. The screen also provides a quick glance at CPU, GPU, NPU, RAM, storage, and network load without opening a browser.

Through the initial part of the test, I put the standard NAS functions to the test, and setting up storage for local and shared use worked well. I especially liked that I could use it as a local Dropbox to share files with clients without paying for an external service. I was also able to set up a local media server, although apps such as Plex aren’t currently in the main library, so you can either use JellyFin or Theatre, or use Docker or SSH through the terminal to install and set up.

This is where this machine comes into its own. Through UGOS, it has given you plenty to get started, but if you want more, it seems to support an incredible amount of customisation.

The main focus is on the local LLM options. By default, you have UIiya, which provides a chat interface you can use to perform basic tasks, such as finding documents and photos. What stands out here is that it runs locally with no online connection needed.

As I delved deeper into using AI on the system, I soon ran into limitations with the onboard AI. It’s good, but not as involved as I wanted. However, connecting to the ChatGPT API and to the paid cloud service enhanced the AI tool set to the point that it wasn’t just useful, but could sort through and catalogue a huge volume of images and videos. This not just makes it useful, but completely invaluable, ploughing through mundane tasks at a relatively fast pace.

The AI potential, alongside the standard NAS options, instantly makes this a valuable asset to any studio or business working with multiple files that need to be organised. It enables human commands and a little AI connection to go well beyond any machine I have used to date.

UGREEN NASync iDX6011 Pro Price & availability

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

• How much does it cost? $1559
• When is it out? Now
• Where can you get it? Available May

The UGreen NASync iDX6011 Pro is currently available on Kickstarter here and on the UGreen website where it had an early-bird price of $1,559. The pre-order deposit page here has, unfortunately, sold out. The standard retail pricing has not yet been confirmed.

Shipping for the iDX6011 begins May 2026 and will launch with a three-year warranty and five years of security updates. It’s also worth considering that the drives are sold separately.

• Value: 5 / 5

UGREEN NASync iDX6011 Pro: Design

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)Specifications

CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 255H
AI compute: 96 TOPS
RAM: 64GB LPDDR5X
System SSD: 128GB
Drive bays: 6x SATA HDD/SSD bays up to 196TB
M.2 slots: 2x M.2 NVMe
Expansion: PCIe Gen4 x8 slot, OCuLink port
Networking: Dual 10GbE LAN
Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4 (40Gbps), USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps), SD 4.0 card reader
Display output: HDMI 8K
Front display: 3.7-inch touch LCD
RAID support: RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, JBOD, Basic
OS: UGOS Pro
AI platform: Uliya (on-device LLM), supports Llama, Mirai, DeepSeek, Qwen; cloud API via OpenAI / Claude
Dimensions: 349 x 260 x 212mm

The iDX6011 Pro is a relatively large NAS unit that requires a good amount of space, not only for the NAS itself but also to enable plenty of airflow around the back. If you have limited space, then the size and, for that matter, weight might well be an issue.

If you’re considering putting it on a shelf, the 10kg weight of my review unit loaded with four drives might give you an idea of the scale, and at 35 x 26 x 21.5cm, you’ll need some pretty substantial shelving to take the load.

Size aside, this is a stunning-looking piece of kit, so a prominent spot, if only for purely aesthetic reasons, is well worth it. Once positioned, its matte grey aluminium chassis, rounded edges, and numbered front panel with that vertical touch screen all add to the unique look, far removed from the usual utilitarian look of traditional high-capacity NAS hardware.

The six front drive bays across the front are numbered, and in this review, I filled four of them with 4TB WD Red drives, which are an additional purchase. Each drive tray is secured in place with a push-release mechanism, secured by a flathead key lock, making the drive trays completely tool-free. Getting a drive in and out takes under 30 seconds, and the mechanism feels solid.

Alongside the drive bays and the screen, the front also features two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB-A and an SD card reader.

The SATA SSDs do require screws, and the M.2 NVMe slots require heatsinks, while the SSDs aren't supplied, everything else is. The NVMe slots are accessible via the right side panel, which uses a hex-key fastener; a driver is included.

The rear of the machine includes three USB-A ports (one 3.2 and two 2.0), dual 10GbE LAN, HDMI 8K, OCuLink, PCIe Gen4 x8, and the power input. The back also features a magnetic dust mesh filter that covers the main fan grille. This simply pulls free to clean when needed, and it's a feature I’m increasingly seeing on NAS systems. Essentially, for a device expected to run 24/7 in a studio environment, keeping dust under control is crucial, so anything that makes cleaning easier is definitely welcome.

One issue with many NAS systems is noise; however, here it is well controlled by a hydraulic rear fan that runs at 29–34 dB. During testing, including sustained transfers and AI processing tasks, the machine remained noticeably quieter than most NAS units at this capacity.

There is of course, the usual hard drive activity sounds, clicks and soft whirs as drives spin up and seek data, but the overall noise is more than acceptable for open studio use.

• Design: 4 / 5

UGREEN NASync iDX6011 Pro: Features

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The hardware specification of the iDX6011 Pro reads more like a mini PC than a NAS. The Intel Core Ultra 7 255H brings 16 cores, 16 threads, a 5.1GHz boost clock, and 96 TOPS of combined AI compute from the CPU, integrated Arc GPU, and NPU.

That processing power is paired with 64GB of LPDDR5X RAM, soldered and non-upgradeable, though 64GB is more than sufficient for any workload this machine is realistically expected to run. Through the test, it proved capable of handling multiple simultaneous large-file transfers, AI indexing, transcription, and network file serving without significant slowdown.

As a six SATA bay NAS there’s plenty of flexibility when it comes to how you configure the storage capacity, in this review I filled four of the six bays, but maxed out this system will support hard drives or SSDs up to a theoretical 196TB, that includes two M.2 NVMe slots that are able to add fast caching or dedicated SSD volumes.

On top of the removable storage, there's also a separate 128GB system SSD used for the UGOS Pro, Uliya, and system apps, which are kept separate from user data. When it comes to how you configure the installed storage, you can choose RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, or 10, and the system guides you through the initial configuration.

Through the bulk of the test, I had the NAS connected to the wired network, which enabled fast transfer over the dual 10GbE networking ports. I also tested the system over the wireless network to check for any compatibility issues.

What I noted during the test was consistent speed throughout, with fast transfers, and the dual Thunderbolt 4 ports that can provide a theoretical transfer rate of 40Gbps, which also proved handy for direct-attached transfers from portable SSDs and Memory cards.

Roughly 10GB of data transferred via Thunderbolt 4 in around 10 minutes for 572 files, averaging approximately 300MB/s. This made offloading a shoot's worth of CFexpress cards to storage a relatively quick option and enabled me to access and share the contents easily without needing to rely on a paid-for service. This alone makes this a valuable investment, with the cost of my WeTransfer subscription topping over £200 a year.

The traditional NAS functions and features are well integrated, and the UGOS is slowly developing into a solid platform. However, it’s the AI platform centred around Uliya, UGREEN's own on-device assistant, that really starts to make this NAS interesting and something totally different to anything else on the market.

Out of the box, it runs UGREEN's own lightweight language model, and additional models, Llama 3.1 8B, Mirai 7B, DeepSeek 7B/8B, can be installed through the AI Console app or via Terminal, which through the use of the NAS I came to rely on to get the most out of the system and not just for the AI features.

The full use of some features or models did require Terminal setup and cloud API keys for the Cloud-enabled features; however, these were all relatively easy to sort out. Support for connecting to cloud APIs, such as OpenAI GPT-4/5 and Claude, is available through a paid API key.

Once connected, you get away from the unique offline AI feature, and the full potential of this machine starts to unlock. The difference between available offline/local and cloud-dependent functions is significant, and I’ll go into this more in the AI and Performance sections.

One of the biggest features of the offline AI abilities is the Voice Memos feature. This isn’t installed by default and needs to be installed from the App section. The Voice Memos app, along with the relevant transcription model, enables on-device audio transcription, summarisation, and mind-mapping.

To test this out, I loaded a 17-minute, 22-second audio file, which was transcribed locally in approximately 2 minutes, with speaker identification, a summary, and a mind map generated without the file leaving the machine or utilising any online service. If you have any type of interview- or meeting-heavy work, client review transcription, or meeting minutes, this feature makes this box incredibly valuable again.

AI is the big feature of the iDX6011 Pro, and it works on several levels that you can get started with right out of the box. Essentially, this NAS has been designed with privacy-first features for the AI assistant, meaning that it’s 100% local to the machine and doesn’t rely on any type of connection to a cloud service.

This means that if you have it on an isolated network, you’re still able to use the AI features to help you organise files, recognise photos, and conduct searches of your drive's content using natural language. You can also use the chatbot to help answer questions about your data.

In practice, some features run locally, and the Uylia does contain an impressive amount of information, even if the knowledge is limited to a cut-off date in June 2024. While most AI features are directly available in the UGOS, others require a Terminal window to get the full experience, and if you want the really advanced interaction, then a paid cloud API is required.

Through the test, I found a huge number of the features worked well locally. Uliya's chat function is a decent offline assistant for general questions. Through the test, it answered photography technique questions with surprising accuracy, generated formatted spreadsheet templates that could be copied into Excel or Google Sheets, and provided useful reference information at a speed that, whilst slower than a cloud equivalent, was still.

For a general-purpose knowledge tool running entirely on-device, it is honestly impressive at its weight class.

Voice transcription, once downloaded and installed, proved to be one of the most impressive features, processing a 17-minute audio file to produce a full transcript with speaker identification, a summary, and a mind map. Essentially, if you have any workflow that involves client interviews, meeting recordings, or video content requiring transcripts, this feature is instantly of interest and requires no API, no subscription, and no data leaving the building.

Photo recognition and file organisation are where the gap between what I expected and what was possible was most apparent. The photo indexing works, but requires re-indexing after new uploads to reliably recognise content, and even then, I found it a little hit-and-miss.

Training the model on specific individuals by adding five to ten sample images of a person improves face recognition to a usable standard. Semantic search for documents worked well for labelled files, but was less effective at finding content within documents.

However, these basic features are already covered by other NAS systems, and I was really looking for something altogether more ambitious. Essentially, sorting out years of image files into an organised filing system. This would require physically moving and sorting thousands of files into date-and-subject folders, processing an entire drive's image library with accurate recognition, and generating contact sheets.

To do this, I needed more power than the onboard language model could provide, so I connected to a cloud API via a Terminal SSH session. Once GPT-5 was connected via the OpenAI API, the machine became a genuinely impressive combination of fast local hardware and cloud intelligence, able to sort, tag, rename, and organise files at a scale and speed that were not achievable with Uliya alone.

There is an issue with this workflow; it requires familiarity with SSH, careful pre-planning of exactly what you want the system to do, and ongoing API costs, which get away from the out-of-the-box solution. But knowing it’s there and usable adds another level to this box.

• Features: 4 / 5

UGREEN NASync iDX6011 Pro: Performance

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

As a pure NAS, the iDX6011 Pro performs incredibly well and offers everything you would expect, including storage and apps. In my review sample, I installed four 4TB Western Digital drives in RAID 5 configuration and dual M.2 NVMe SSDs configured as cache, then connected the machine to the wired network and made it accessible through the Wi-Fi router.

Connection speeds on both connections were fast and essentially stable, and through the UGOS, you can easily monitor activity as files cross from one device to another.

The ease of use of the NAS is apparent from the outset: the drives slot into place tool-free, and once powered on, the UGOS guides you through the RAID setup.

Essentially, after inserting the drives and powering on, a QR code on the touch display opens the browser setup, which then guides you through drive detection, RAID selection, and storage pool creation in an easy-to-understand sequence.

For this test, I opted for RAID 5, which gave 12TB of usable capacity from the 16TB of drives installed. I also added two M.2 SSDs as cache, which were allocated via the UGOS Storage Centre. Using SSDs as cache noticeably improves small-file transfer performance, and since I’m using this for website code and images, allocating space on the SSDs for caching makes sense.

The UGOS Pro operating system is well-designed, and having used it in the past, it’s good to see it evolving and becoming increasingly polished. Although the pre-production software I was using had a few stability issues during the review, most were easily fixed.

An example is the Universal Search feature, which disappeared from the desktop app after one update, although it remained available through the browser login. Then Uliya, the AI chatbot, stopped responding altogether after a Terminal session that involved installing and uninstalling multiple language models in succession. Reinstalling the Uylia model seemed to fix the issue.

Quite often if there was an issue, almost always after an SSH session, a full reboot resolved the problem. It’s also worth noting that these problems occurred in an environment where the system was being pushed much harder than most users would. For most standard NAS use, file serving, backup, and media streaming, as was carried out during the later stages of the test, the NAS provided solid performance.

One of the features that I initially thought was more of a gimmick than anything was the front touch display; however, it provides a useful real-time performance view. Watching CPU, NPU, and RAM utilisation during AI transcription and file transfer just gives you feedback on how the hardware is working through the tasks. The display also came in handy during setup, showing the device's IP address without requiring access to the router's admin panel.

Cooling for the NAS seemed well controlled, and while you can hear the fans kick in under sustained load and with AI processing, the machine ran warm but never too hot. The fan noise increased slightly during intensive AI tasks, but it was never overly distracting.

In the initial part of the test, I used the NAS as a straight-out-of-the-box solution, ran the setup, and allocated storage, both local and shared. I then offloaded a CFexpress Type B card from a studio shoot using the Thunderbolt 4 port on the front, and this was all easy enough.

Using the UGOS interface to make the transfer from the CFExpress to the NAS. I then set the new folder to be shared and was able to send it to a colleague for review without using a third-party service such as WeTransfer.

I then copied additional material from a portable SSD, and again the transfers averaged around 300MB/s for a mixed file set of 572 items across approximately 10GB. This was fast enough that backing up a full shoot's card set and moving footage to a working drive felt relatively quick, if not as fast as a direct-attached drive.

What I liked about all stages of using the iDX6011 Pro is that the UGOS Pro operating system offers an easy-to-use user interface, and this ease of use is apparent from the outset.

Through the UGOS, I was then able to use the onboard AI, Uylia, to check the files and the contents of other data I had copied to the NAS. Even after connecting the image files to the Photos App and ensuring everything was properly indexed, the quality of the AI search and file integration through the chatbot was slightly limited. Essentially, it felt more like a chatbot than a true AI assistant at this level.

That said, there are tasks that are genuinely useful, and as I trained the photo model to recognise vehicles, places, and people, it did become progressively more useful. This is a feature that feels like it is still developing, and tighter integration is still required.

Where the onboard AI really comes into its own is with the voice memo app, which can transcribe audio. This worked completely offline and proved to be incredibly accurate and detailed. Not only does it transcribe, but it can also summarise. The initial transcription is quick: 17 minutes of audio takes around 2 minutes to transcribe, while the summaries and mind maps take a bit longer.

The onboard AI is genuinely useful, but still feels limited in its approach and application. However, the potential really comes through when you connect to a cloud model. This does require an API and incurs costs, but the potential is huge.

Once I had connected, I created a “To Process” folder on the NAS, and then a “Photo-Processed” and “Videos-Processed folder”. I then dropped in several GB of images into the “To Process” folder, and the NAS scanned the entire folder of nearly 10,000 images, organised them by date and a descriptor, and provided a contact sheet for each.

To get this to work, I first set up the API, which was straightforward using ChatGPT, then connected via SSH in Terminal on the Mac and gave the machine commands to do exactly what I wanted. This wasn’t a straightforward process, and there was quite a bit of back and forth with the commands, but eventually it worked and with great effect.

This really highlighted just how powerful this machine could be with the right level of skill.

What’s more, the LLMs that I was using were relatively small due to the resources available. However, with an eGPU connected via the OCuLink port, the potential of this processing will open up even further.

As a standalone six-bay NAS, the iDX6011 Pro is an impressive piece of kit, but once you start incorporating the Ai, both offline and online, the potential of this NAS is huge.

• Performance: 4.5 / 5

UGREEN NASync iDX6011 Pro: Final verdict

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The UGreen NASync iDX6011 Pro is a major advancement for this level of NAS, and at the price is just about affordable for small to medium-sized businesses and studios. The hardware is impressive, and I haven’t seen anything anywhere near as powerful in a NAS before. The fact that it features a Core Ultra 7, 64GB of RAM, dual 10GbE, dual Thunderbolt 4, six drive bays, and on-device AI is impressive at every level.

If you’re a creative professional or small studio that needs fast, private, high-capacity storage with the processing power to do more than just hold files, this machine is exceptional, with loads of as-yet untapped potential.

The integrated AI is useful in some areas, such as voice transcription, document summarisation, and general knowledge queries, and the fact that it runs offline is also impressive and can be useful depending on your business.

For more advanced automation and file organisation, I found I needed to connect to a more powerful cloud API’s, and to do so, some familiarity with SSH is required, which is quite technical.

That may change as UGOS Pro advances, and the fact that it already has some automated feature Apps, such as image recognition and voice transcription, means there’s plenty of scope for the future.

If you’re a photographer or videographer who wants fast local storage, offline AI transcription, and the option to connect to more powerful AI models, the iDX6011 Pro is a great option. For anyone expecting a plug-and-play AI assistant out of the box, it’s good but nowhere near as fast or as good as some online models.

Should I buy a UGREEN NASync iDX6011 Pro?

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Value

Workstation hardware at a NAS price, great value for the specification, worth highlighting that AI features are still developing.

4.5

Design

aluminium case, excellent build quality, touch display, and dust filter all add to a stunning design

5

Features

Dual 10GbE, dual Thunderbolt 4, six bays, OCuLink, PCIe expansion, voice transcription, and a local LLM, a unique feature set. 

4.5

Performance

Fast transfers, capable AI processing offline, and a RAID setup process that any level of user is able to navigate.

4.5

Overall

A unique NAS with an AI platform that works offline and has huge potential as the platform develops

4.5

Buy it if...

You need fast storage with  AI potential.

Fast transfers, private local storage, and impressive offline voice transcription make this a great choice for photographers and videographers .

You are comfortable with Terminal.

If SSH sessions and cloud API setup don't faze you, the iDX6011 Pro has an incredible amount of potential.

Don't buy it if...

You expect an out-of-the-box AI

The AI chat interface isn't the autonomous file manager it promises yet; Terminal and a cloud API are still needed for the best results. 

Kickstarter risk concerns you.

The hardware feels finished; however, I sense the software is still developing. At $1,559 on Kickstarter, that is a huge initial commitment.

For more storage solutions, we've tested the best NAS devices.

If you want to get looks, clip a Maxell Wireless Cassette player to your backpack and watch the astonishment roll in. My coffee guy could barely contain himself: ''Wow, classic! Boy!" I walked away with coffee, a bagel, and a smile on my face.

At the office, a small crowd gathered around to examine it. All men in their 30s, 40s, or 50s, they recognized the iconic shape and buttons. "What a blast from the past," smiled one. Another pointed and asked incredulously, "It works with Bluetooth?" Yes, I told them, it does, though there's more to that story.

I spotted the "Remix" Maxell Wireless Cassette Player a few weeks back and, though I quickly discovered we'd written about it (or a Maxell very much like it), I wondered if we'd tried it out.

Its appearance on Amazon is part of an ongoing trend: analog, retro gear. Gen Z, in particular, is cozying up to film cameras, physical books, vinyl records, and record players — actually record players that connect via Bluetooth to some very nice speakers.

So, I'm not surprised that this Bluetooth-ready cassette machine exists, but unlike the resurgence of vinyl, I didn't think that cassette manufacturing was similarly on the rise.

I was wrong. One report claimed that cassette tape production surged 400% between 2015 and 2023.

But the truth is, I never see cassettes in the wild. Sometimes I see a guy trying to hand me a CD mix in Manhattan, but even that's rare. There are, though, by some estimates, 30 billion cassette tapes in circulation, and even if just a fraction of them are still with consumers, I bet people are itching for a chance to listen to them again. The Maxell model is not alone, by the way. There's also, among others, this very retro-looking Bluetooth Miko model.

When I decided to buy one of the $99 players from Amazon, I quickly discovered that they're in demand: a 5-to-6 week wait was predicted.

By the time it did show up, I'd all but forgotten about it.

Price and availability

The Maxell Wireless Cassette Player launched in February 2026 and costs $99.99. It is not currently available in the UK.

Specs

Maxell Wireless Cassette Player

Dimensions

6.5 x 1.7 x 5.8 inches

Weight

210 grams

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.4, wired

Battery

8 hours wireless
11 hours wirelss

Ports

USB-C (charge), 3.5mm headphone jack

Design and setupLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

Despite being designed for media made 40 years ago, the Maxell player has a pleasing modern look, with a mostly white, composite body and a band of silver/gray running around the edge that leads you to the simple gray buttons (Fast-forward, Rewind, Play, and Stop) and to the, volumne wheel, ports and tiny Bluetooth button on the side. It's a less fussy design than you'll find on the pricier, $160 player from GenZ (talk about an on-the-nose brand name)

There's also a large clip on the back so you can slip the player on your belt or backpack. I tried both, though settled on the backpack — more on that in a bit.

The face of it has the classic capsule-shaped cutout so you can see your tape and maybe a little bit of the album name. There's a small lip on the right side that you use to flip open the cover so you can slip in a tape. I tried opening the player by putting two fingers on the lip side and my thumb on the other. That was a mistake. It flips open easily with just one finger tip.

Because the entire face of the Maxell Wireless Cassette Player is the cassette door, you can't seat it on its base when you want to load a cassette — the bottom edge will get stuck or make the whole thing tip over. It's not a big deal, but I do wonder if there was a better way to make that cover.

As with virtually all cassette players made over the last 50 years, the cassett slips in top first and with the exposed tape facing up.

Connecting and playing

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

I was not a mix-tape guy, but I used to have a small collection of audio cassettes that I played in my old Hyundai's built-in cassette player. Since that car was gone, I had to go searching for my old box of tapes. I found it under a layer of dust, but the cassettes were in relatively good condition.

I had an old Carly Simon album, the original Broadway production of Chess cast album, some personal recordings of my CBS News Radio appearances (hear me talk about how Internet Explorer 4 might finally overtake Netscape!), and The Traveling Wilburys. You might not know that band name, but back in 1988, they were one of the original super groups, comprising Tom Petty, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, and George Harrison. I loved that album.

I slipped in that last tape and then plugged in a pair of wired headphones (just to see if the thing worked). It does not ship with headphones or a charging adapter, but you do get a USB-C charging cable.

There's also no power switch or button. Instead, if you hit any of the three main buttons and it just starts, winding, rewinding, or playing. I pressed play, which was quite satisfying, I must admit, and heard the quartet's instantly identifiable sound coming through my headset.

Bluetooth connectivity turned out to be somewhat more challenging.

Making the connection

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Directions for Bluetooth connectivity are relatively spare, and it's in moments like this that you realize just how spoiled we are by ever-present screens.

The only indication of the player looking for and establishing a Bluetooth connection is a tiny blue light. It flashes in search mode and stays on when the connection is established.

My goal was to connect the Maxell Wireless Cassette Player to my Apple AirPods Pro 3. The Maxell manual instructs you to put your Bluetooth device in pairing mode and then press and hold the Bluetooth button on the player to put it in pairing mode. That's it. They should find each other.

They did not.

No matter what I tried, I could not get the AirPods Pro connected. At one point, though, I thought I heard a sound from my TV in the next room. After 30 minutes of trying, I walked into the living room and turned on my LG C5 OLED TV. Then I placed the Maxell cassette player in front of it and hit play.

Yep, it had connected to my TV.

On the bright side, I could hear the music, but I also didn't plan to take my TV with me.

Take 2

,The next day I took the Maxell player with me to work and, while sitting on the train, I was able to successfully connect to the AirPods Pro. My guess is there was just too much Bluetooth crosstalk in my house.

Maxell claims that after the first connection, the headphones should automatically connect to the Maxell Player. Sometimes that was true, but not consistently.

For my walk to work, I put the Maxell Wireless Cassette Player on my belt. Unfortunately, it could not connect to my AirPods. So I moved it up to a backpack strap that put it inches from my head.

Bingo.

It worked, and I listened to clear, rich audio with great highs, excellent mids, and good-enough lows. The connection, though, was not always solid. It literally broke if I turned my head the wrong way. Even so, I enjoyed the experience and the reactions.

Battery life

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Maxell rates the player for 11 hours of playback wired and 8 hours using Bluetooth. I unboxed it and started using it, and have yet to charge the player. Again, though, the lack of a screen means I have no idea how much juice is left

Listening to cassette tapes is not just analog; it's a serial experience. Songs are lined up sequentially on tape. You can't jump around or see either what you're playing or what's coming up. Oh, and if you want to hear the rest of the album, you must remove the tape, turn it over, and slip it back into the player.

Mostly, I didn't mind this. I also don't care about the lack of recording capabilities. I don't plan on creating new cassette tapes. Though it was fun rediscovering tapes I last played when I was in my 30s, hearing my youthful, recorded voice opining on the state of the browser wars, and the young voices of my now adult children. None of that would've been possible without the $99 Maxell Wireless Cassette Player, and it's worth it just for that.

First reviewed April 2026

The Hbada X7 Smart made an entrance from the moment the box hit my front step. It’s big. And by big, I mean massive.

I’ve reviewed probably coming up on almost 100 office chairs in my time and in that time, very few if any have come a box so large. But while some chairs feel big when you sit in them, but look average. This one is large in feel and looks, giving the term “robust” a very real example.

Assembly was fairly straightforward, nevertheless, though even with the hefty nature of the beast, my hands were a bit too large to comfortably connect one cable head, though that may have been due to missing a note to connect it earlier on in assembly.

Now, it's absolutely packed with features - that's the main selling-point here, coming loaded with massaging, heating, and cooling functions. And in the main, they work very well. But what really stops it from appearing in our guide to the best office chairs is the build quality, which feels rickety at times.

HBADA X7 Smart Ergonomic Chair: Unboxing and First Impressions

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

After taking about 15 minutes to assemble the chair from cutting the box open to sitting back and reclining, I got everything plugged in, and then I kicked back to learn the controls.

Most chairs have a combination of levers and dials; the X7 Smart not only has those, but also gizmos and gadgets to go along with its whosits and whatsits. The controller is attached to the bottom-left seat of the chair via a cable and looks and feels a bit like an old iPod Classic.

Once I got over that brief bout of nostalgia, I got to work by plugging in my chair and setting the lumbar right where I wanted it, checking the heat and ventilation, and testing the massaging function.

My first massage was impressive, it’s not just a vibration, but an actual apparatus moving around the muscles in my lower back. Sure, there’s a pattern, but that’s to be expected. I cranked this up to full power and sat back, enjoying the relief in my lower back that I had not felt in quite some time.

Every time after that, I’d choose medium or high power pretty much every time. Letting that chair dig into my lumbar and offer sweet relief from my days.

The cooling and heating worked wonderfully as well. My wife and son would actually fight over who got to sit in this chair when we were all hanging out as a family.

HBADA X7 Smart Ergonomic Chair: Price and Availability

The Hbada X7 Smart is available direct from Hbada in the US here for $1227 (discounted from $1509 at the time of review). From the UK website here, it's £1299 (also on sale down from £1509).

The chair is also available from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk for a similar price.

Now, that price putting it into premium chair level, similar to the likes of Steelcase and Herman Miller chairs. And while I'm not convinced the build quality is comparable, it's certainly got a lot of features here, including a built-in leg rest that often comes as an optional extra from some chair-makers.

These chairs come with a 5-year warranty and a 30-day money-back return policy if you decide this chair isn’t for you. And, for some, that may be the case. It’s a pretty massive chair, but if you have the space and don’t mind the spaceship look, the comfort you get from this seat is impressive.

HBADA X7 Smart Ergonomic Chair: Design & Build Quality

As I say, this office chair is one big beast, with a broad seat and look that wouldn't feel out of place aboard a spaceship in a sci-fi movie.

Where it falls apart (not literally), is the build quality. The main part of the chair feels robust, yet there are elements that feel a bit rickety. The leg rest could be a little more stable, though it’s definitely nowhere near the worst I have seen. The headrest feels cheap and like I might break it when adjusting.

The controller, while nostalgic, feels dated. But, the chair itself, the mesh seat and backrest, the armrests, the massager, heater, and ventilation/cooler are all spectacular. So, a mixed bag overall.

HBADA X7 Smart Ergonomic Chair: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

As I mentioned above, this chair has become a firm favorite of my 7-year-old son, who has a taste for the bougier chairs, as well as my (at the time) very, very, very pregnant wife.

When you sit back in this chair, you can pull out the wired iPod Classic-looking controller and choose an automatic mode, which I rarely use, or manually set a power level and a temperature. I’d pretty frequently choose to cool it, since I run warm, but my co-testers loved cranking the heat on this thing. If cooling, a faint blue light would shine through the lumbar, and if heating, a faint red light would shine through the lumbar.

Day-to-day use, this chair is pretty cumbersome. It’s large, can be hard to move, and feels more like an entire monolith rather than just a chair. Other chairs with heating and cooling elements I have tried have been smaller or more sophisticated, though they were not nearly as built-in as this.

Perhaps the cumbersome nature is simply part of the give-and-take of a chair like this. Regardless, if you’ve got the space and the desire for a chair that is far more than just a place to hold you upright while working, then the HBADA X7 Smart Ergonomic Chair is worth the research and consideration.

HBADA X7 Smart Ergonomic Chair: Final verdict

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The Hbada X7 is one of the most over-the-top office chairs that I have ever tested. It's designed to be.

It's meant to be comfy, feature-packed, and loaded with goodies. The cooling is fantastic, the heating is great, the massaging actually feels good, and the leg rest helps you enjoy it that much more.

I wish the build quality of elements like the footrest and headrest were stronger - while everything else is a delight, this is the sort of issue that makes it difficult to easily justify the higher cost.

Still, overall the chair is very comfortable (just ask my son), and if you can get over the massive size of the chair, there's not much else like this climate-controlled massaging throne on the market.

Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future

For more options, we've tested the best business monitors and the best monitors for video editing.

I feel like there are more power stations than ever these days. Currently, I've become very interested in some of the smaller form factors and what they can offer. While I'm still trying to understand the differences in technicality between a power bank and a power station when they come to this size, I do know that the Jackery 240D has actually really impressed me with its ability and how easy it fits into my workflow, though it's not perfect.

In short, it is a small capacity portable power station with simple, helpful ports, no AC plug, a tiny little screen, and a built-in cable/handle hybrid, making it more useful. Jackery rightfully has promoted this cable as being the flagship feature of this power station, and they are correct in doing so.

The small size of the Explorer 240D may make it not perfect for everybody. For most people looking for a higher capacity units, our guide to the best portable power stations offers a little more in that regard.

However, for those who need a compact, ultra-portable solution - I'm thinking photographers, videographers, day-trippers, campers, and professionals on a business trip - then it's going to tick a lot of boxes.

Jackery Explorer 240D: Price & availability

The Jackery Explorer 240D is available from Jackery in the US for $209 - coming as a standalone unit or as part of a bundle with other accessories.

It's also available from Walmart for $150 at the time of review.

Unfortunately, I'm struggling to find it outside the US right now.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Jackery Explorer 240D: Unboxing and First Impressions

Unboxing the Jackery Explorer 240D is a pretty straightforward process. In the box is simply the power station itself, the braided cable/handle, and some documentation.

The cable and handle is about a 1m / 3ft cable that connects via locking connectors to either side of the power station.

The port offering is great for a small unit like this; however, I would note it pretty quickly that there was no AC port. There are some units in this size category that do have an AC port, though only one, which gives them a leg up in some scenarios.

I would assume that most people who need a power station around this size don't necessarily need an AC port, as USB-C is growing in popularity and availability.

The cable / handle is surprisingly good. It feels like a quality braided cable. The ports feel good plugging into any of my devices, and the attaching mechanism feels sturdy enough that I am not worried about it when I am carrying the power station around via the cable handle hybrid.

Last, while there is shoulder strap available, I would probably just continue to throw this in a backpack if I am carrying this with me somewhere due to its smaller size.

Jackery Explorer 240D: Design & Build Quality

The Jackery Explorer 240D is compact and easy to carry with the built-in handle or with a shoulder strap. It's also incredibly easy to be able to throw into a backpack or the back of a vehicle, if desired. I've even thrown this in the side saddle of my Lectric XPedition 2.0 a couple times for some power on those longer bike rides just in case.

The screen adds a simple display to help with basic information on battery capacity and run time.

As most compact power stations do at this size, all of the ports are on the front of the device, meaning that there is really easy access if you place it somewhere or have it tucked on the side of a bag.

What's super nice about this kind of power station is that, since it is so easy to carry and yet has enough capacity and output, this could be your one device that you bring with you if all you need to power is a tablet, a phone, a computer, or something like that and nothing bigger.

For example, if I were to be going on a quick camping trip. There's a pretty good chance that this would be the only power station I would need to bring. It's just enough power to recharge my phone a couple times in case of emergencies. Pair this with a simple portable solar panel (like the one I have that has a simple USB-C out), and you have unlimited power for the essentials.

Jackery Explorer 240D: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

I've been using this power station around the house for the last couple of months for miscellaneous things. I've also used it during a few power outages that we have had during the storm season in the Midwest.

During that time, the only things that I've needed to grab a different power station for are scenarios where I need to power a bigger device or when I need to power those odd devices that still require only an AC outlet.

For example, when blowing up an air mattress that has a built-in pump that requires an AC outlet, I couldn't use this Jackery Explorer 240D power station and I had to reach for something else. Outside of those scenarios, though, this has been a phenomenal device. Especially since I don't have to also then keep track of cables, which seems like such a small thing on paper but actually makes a huge difference in day-to-day usage.

This is the kind of power station that makes me really thankful that almost all of my devices are moved over to USB-C now. Because of that universal cable standard, there is no longer a need for cable roulette.

Jackery Explorer 240D: Final verdict

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

I won’t lie to you — the Jackery Explorer 240D is not a perfect power station; however, it is fairly fantastic for those who need just a small, slightly larger-than-standard battery bank but smaller than the average power station.

For those who need something just in between a simple power bank and a full-sized portable power station, the Jackery Explorer 240D proved to be a pretty phenomenal intermediary.

If you're looking to add just a little bit of power for peace of mind on the camping trip, or if you want something to have in the back of your car in case of emergencies, especially perhaps during those winter months or long travels, then the Jackery 240D is a great option.

Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future

The Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Ultra SFF Gen 2 is a spectacular compact powerhouse of a PC.

Specs-wise, it packs in an Intel Core Ultra 9, an Nvidia RTX 4000 SFF ADA Generation GPU with 20GB, 64GB RAM, up to 4TB SSD, a wide range of ports, and a massive 330W power supply.

For my testing model, I have an Intel Core 9 285, the Nvidia RTX 4000 SFF ADA Generation GPU with 20GB, 2x 32GB of DDR5, and a 1TB SSD. It’s definitely not the most built-out, but it absolutely gets the job done.

The one key thing that is hard about all this power crammed into a small space, though, is that the fans to keep everything cool are insanely loud under load.

When it comes to complex professional workloads, it's one of the best mini PCs around - although it's incredibly expensive and the fan noise under load are loud.

Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Ultra SFF Gen 2: Price and availability

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The ThinkStation P3 Ultra SFF Gen 2 is available direct from Lenovo US, Lenovo UK, and a broad range of online retailers.

It comes in a range of configurations, with the base model costing $1,399, but once you upgrade it, you can easily exceed $4,000.

Keep in mind, you could get similar hardware in a standard desktop tower, but you’re paying more for the compact space-saving footprint of this chassis.

Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Ultra SFF Gen 2: Unboxing and First Impressions

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Ultra SFF Gen 2 includes everything you’ll need to get up and running, except the display. Lenovo even sends a basic keyboard and mouse in the box, if you’re in desperate need — though I’d strongly suggest picking up a better one.

I chose not to hook up the antennae as I was going with a wired connection, and I didn’t need the keyboard and mouse that came with the computer since I have plenty lying around.

During boot-up, while benchmarking, and while running heavy programs, the fans on this computer whirred to an impressive decibel level, though it still handled quite a bit of power.

Setup was fairly easy outside of that, just plug in, get your mouse and keyboard set up, and then log in. As an IT Pro, you could get this done in minutes, prepping it to help your team.

Lenovo has done a phenomenal job of incorporating spectacular ports on the front and back of this machine, designed for real power and real use.

Yes, there isn’t Thunderbolt, but there are two 20Gbps USB-C ports that can still be great for transferring files, just maybe not consistent 6k footage (though this machine isn’t really meant to be a primary heavy video workflow machine)

Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Ultra SFF Gen 2: Design & Build Quality

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The ThinkStation P3 Ultra feels like Lenovo’s answer to the (in)famous Mac Studio. It’s compact, but not the most compact, a slightly thicker version of the also well-known Mac mini, or in the Lenovo world, the P3 Tiny.

The P3 Ultra has a 3.9L footprint and can be propped upright or vertically, or set horizontally and fit under a monitor, mount, or similar. Either way, make sure that the fans you see have plenty of clearance and room to breathe.

The team at Lenovo did a great job with the port layout on the P3 Ultra, placing the plug-and-forget ports on the back for easy cable management and a clean desktop. The front of the machine has quick ports for file transfer, a well-spaced split of ports for different needs, and all are compatible with thicker USB-A plugs.

Outside of design, the build quality is good and up to what I expect from Lenovo these days. Sharp corners, well-laid out, quality materials that should last for a long time, even with heavy, everyday, high-power use. Some machines are built to handle “perfect conditions,” and others are meant to withstand “real conditions” that everyday machines withstand.

Lenovo definitely favors the real-world conditions side, building machines designed to withstand the everyday grind and strain that always-on or relied-upon machines endure.

Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Ultra SFF Gen 2: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The ThinkStation P3 Ultra has been an impressive machine through and through. It’s been able to handle even intense workloads thrown at it, it’s benchmarked well, and in the most important sense, it hasn’t had any issues day to day.

I’ve run my full workload on this machine, pushing a 52-inch 6K display at full resolution, and it hasn’t even stuttered. While not everyone will be running that massive of a monitor, it’s great to know the P3 Ultra can deliver impressive graphics performance, especially for a business machine, not a graphics or media machine.

This desktop is a phenomenal option for CAD users, 3D rendering machines, and those handling large LLMs or large coding projects. It’s great for data admins who need to have a thousand tabs open at once, and it can handle those with 40GB of Chrome eating up their memory because they never close tabs.

Continuing the real-world usability, the ports are great. So far, I haven’t had to reach around or hope for another set of ports. Everything I’ve needed at setup was on the back, and everything I’ve needed since then have been on the front of the unit.

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For more options, we've tested the best business computers.

There are a lot of business professional computers out there right now. I’ve got several that I’m actively testing right now on my desk, even. But most of those are designed for power, for maximum output, or for computational prowess.

For some, a several-thousand-dollar powerhouse is not what they need. For admins, front desk workers, data entry, or those who simply help manage calendars and email via a web browser, they don’t need a big machine, they just need something that can boot up quickly, operate reliably, and get the job done.

That’s where the land of mini or compact PCs comes in. Smaller units that can plug into any monitor size, hide away, and work as needed. That’s exactly what a good chunk of the professional workforce needs.

These machines need ports and basic functionality more than they need enough power to break records. Further, the front ports make plugging in drives, adapters, or other devices super easy, while the back ports are fantastic for plug-and-play peripherals.

For me, the price is slightly too high for what you get. Compare what's on offer here to a mini PC like the Geekom A8 Max (review here) and you see a wide gulf.

For that reason, it's never going to top our list of the best mini PCs we've tested. But if you’re a classic business professional who doesn’t need to max out their machine, this may be a great option to consider for office and home office use.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo 50q QC: Unboxing and First Impressions

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

Right off the bat, this is a spectacular representation of a compact machine. It’s great, not sacrificing too much for its compact size, balancing portability and real-world usability with the right workplace demand.

The fact that within the box, Lenovo have sent a mounting bracket as one of the only accessories in the box shows the focus on having this machine tucked away in a convenient or more aesthetic position, depending on the user.

The bracket makes it very easy to VESA mount, mount under a desk, behind a monitor on a wall, or something similar. That right there shows quite a bit of what you’d need to know about this unit before deciding whether to purchase.

We’ll go further into it later on in the review, but TLDR: it’s a solid machine that can fit just about anywhere, as long as your computing needs won’t outpace what it has onboard.

Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo 50q QC: Design & Build Quality

I’ve mentioned the smaller size, but perhaps this is the right time to go into the port offering. It has most of the ports on the back, with only a headphone, USB-C, and a USB-A on the front.

On the back, with all the ports, there are two DisplayPorts (on this model), an HDMI, a power port (sadly not USB-C), four USB-A ports, Ethernet, and an antenna port for adding a Wi-Fi antenna if desired. For most scenarios that this is designed to run in, I’d suggest hard-lining the internet, but that’s just one man’s opinion.

One thing to note is that there are not a lot of USB-C ports on this machine, even though it’s 2026 and USB-C is pretty common. I genuinely believe it’s because Lenovo knows its target. They aren’t trying to market to those who are brimming with the newest technology with this device; they care more about reaching the people and companies

Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo 50q QC: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo 50q QC is a spectacular “behind-the-scenes admin machine” providing usability, ports you actually want, and easy setup. One of the great things about a monitor like this is the ability to connect any monitor you so choose.

For me, right now, I have rotated this machine around a few monitors during my testing.

The current monitor I have it on is the Dell 52-inch monster that was just released (review coming soon), but I have also used this mini PC on some BenQ monitors, some portable monitors, and others. It’s worked well on all of them, though pushing the 52-inch 6K beast at 100% scaling (small and sharp) was a bit much for this guy, so I had to scale it a little bit. But that’s understandable and was not a shock.

Using this machine as a kiosk, a front desk, or a basic always-on machine is exactly what it’s meant for. It works quickly and reliably, and it’s got enough ports not to need adapters. What else could you want for your basic office uses?

Because I wanted to simulate an office setup I have seen, I hooked this PC up to dual 1080p Dell monitors, and it worked great. Even going up to dual 4K still ran fine.

Another great option for this kind of setup is hot desking. Some companies need to have machines that can be used by multiple people via a network login or a guest login. This machine is great for that due to the abundance of ports, smaller profile requiring less desk space (or none if mounted), and good balance of power and price.

Lenovo ThinkCentre Neo 50q QC: Final verdict

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

In a world where everyone is boasting about the most advanced "this-or-that" machines, the ThinkCentre Neo 50qc QC is quietly puttering along as the machine most businesses would actually be interested in, not just flabbergasted by in a demo.

It’s got a great balance of power, price, and ports, making it a serious contender for a basic business machine.

To be frank, on paper, the specs won’t impress. This desktop PC isn't some advanced supercomputer that will power through every task. Despite that, the price is relatively high when compared to other Windows 11 mini PCs we've reviewed, and I wouldn't blame some for looking elsewhere to get a little more power for the same (or slightly less) cost.

Beyond that, though, this is a solidly built mini PC from a well-known brand that's well-specced for day-to-day business use, and it's difficult to find many faults if you know what you're getting into.

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For more options, we've tested the best business computers.

The Eureka Ergonomic Opal Executive Desk is the kind of desk you’d see in movies. It’s the desk that the professional whose life is put together has in their beautifully aesthetic office.

It’s got a great look. Rounded edges to make it feel like a design statement, not just another slab of wood in the center of an office. This standing desk isn’t just a height-adjustable surface to put things on, but it’s a statement. And, with that, there are some cons to match the pros. But, if your focus for your workspace is curvature and perhaps soft, inviting tones, then this may just be your dream desk. I know several people who would absolutely adore this desk.

Much like other Eureka Ergonomic products I have tested over the years, the Opal is designed first. Even if it weren’t for the design focus and sketched out diagram on their website, I’d be able to tell that this desk was designed by looking first, and that has a lot of positives with it.

Beautifully, to the eye, in photos, in meetings, and in video, this desk looks great. There are just a few practical things that I feel are missing.

Eureka Ergonomic Opal Executive Desk: Price and availability

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The Opal Executive Office Desk is available from $1999 from the Eureka Ergonomic website.

The model I have is the height-adjustable variant, though for those who may not need or want the height adjustment, there is an option for a cheaper Opal model that lacks the standing desk functionality.

You can choose between three finish options: the Black Birth with Wood Veneer (reviewed here); the Cream with Sintered Stone and Birch Wood Veneer; and the Cream with Birch Wood Veneer.

All options ship in about 4 boxes and weigh nearly 300 lbs, so be prepared.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Eureka Ergonomic Opal Executive Desk: Unboxing and First Impressions

The Opal was delivered in four massive boxes, totaling a weight of nearly 300 lbs. It’s hefty, and it will take a bit to unbox, but it’s not terrible. The hardest part is the desktop box which weighs around 90 lbs on it’s own. I carried it on my own, and immediately regretted it, so if you can, or are just smarter than me, have a buddy help you out.

As most companies do, Eureka Ergonomic makes sure to send the assembly tools required, though I still prefer to use my Hoto Electric screwdriver to safely speed up the assembly process. But you can do as you prefer.

Right off the bat, I was blown away with the unique shape of the desktop. It has a very elegant and elevated design, making my studio space feel not good enough almost for this level of design.

The oval desktop is not something that I have had before, so that was new for me, but the rounded edges added to a level of sophistication that my square-edged desks cannot match. The fluted cabinet design with beautiful trim feel very exquisite as well, but once opening them, they were a bit smaller than I expected since they have the standing desk legs within them.

While this is still fine and functional, if these are your only storage solution, you may be a bit disappointed. But, if this is more for the looks than having robust storage capacity, then you’ll probably be okay.

One thing I noticed right away is that there is no real good way to manage cables. This desk is pretty clearly designed for a laptop, iPad, or an all-in-one, but not a multi-monitor setup or one with a lot of gadgets.

That’s probably on purpose, as this desk is pretty clearly designed for the looks and vibes, not robust productivity, but nevertheless, I thought it would be worth sharing.

Eureka Ergonomic Opal Executive Desk: Design & Build Quality

The desktop is made out of a manufactured wood core and a solid wood veneer, making it a bit cheaper and lighter yet still having a premium look. It’s not a solid wood desktop, so if you want to drill into it to mount something, I’d be careful. But, for pretty much anything else, it’s solid. The weight capacity is still around 220lbs, so enough to hold whatever you need, but not enough to climb on it.

The wood cabinets look better than I expected them to be, honestly. I expected them to be cheaply done, but in true Eureka Ergonomic fashion, they actually look quite sharp. They are manufactured wood cabinets that are painted, but the fluting, the molding trim, and the hardware all make this look elevated (no pun intended).

I do wish that the legs took up less of the cabinets, though I don’t exactly know how this would work in practice. At least, not without affecting the overall shape and design of the desk, which is clearly the focus of this particular desk.

Eureka Ergonomic Opal Executive Desk: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

My team and I have had this in our fleet of desks for a little while now, and so far, this desk has performed quite well.

Yes, it’s not going to be our most built-out desk with all the bells and whistles, but it is a beautiful desk that can stand on its own, not needing accessories to make it look finished. And that’s saying something. It's designed to be paired with the Eureka Ergonomic Serene office chair, continuing the curved and elegant look.

I mentioned it briefly in an earlier section, but this desk is pretty clearly designed for simplistic beauty. It’s for a laptop, maybe a tablet, and that’s about it. Minimalist simplicity at its core, and that’s a beautiful thing to have.

If you need a few accessories to get your job done, you can tuck them in the small drawer under the desk or in the cabinets, but this desk isn’t supposed to hold everything you could ever need for any role; it’s meant to feel serene (again, no pun intended), it’s meant to feel refreshing.

Eureka Ergonomic Opal Executive Desk: Final verdict

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

It’s clear what the goal of the Eureka Ergonomic Opal Executive Standing Desk is, besides having a very clear and long name, it’s meant for simplicity.

For those looking for a more traditional standing desk, this won't fit the bill. While it's got all the core features you'd expect, it's a large, executive-style desk that's beautifully focused on form over functionality.

Ultimately, this is a showstopper desk. It’s meant for an executive workstation that has minimal gear, an open desk, and an open mind. Like the company's other office furniture, this is all about design. It’s meant to be in the center of a room, as a showcase piece.

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For more office furniture essentials, see our guides to the best standing desks and the best office chairs we've tested.

Secretlab Magnus Evo: Price and availability

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

Secretlab is behind some of our top-rated office furniture for hybrid gaming and working in the home office.

So, I was keen to see how the company's Magnus Evo stacks up in comparison to the magisterial Magnus Pro. This is a more home office-focused desk that's a lot cheaper, but with a more simplified design and feature-set.

While it's unlikely to top the list of the best standing desks we've tested, it might be the ideal alternative to the Magnus Pro for gamers or professionals looking for a stealthy all-black set-up.

As ever with Secretlab products, it's widely available direct from the company in the US (here), the UK (here), and Australia (here). At the time of review, it's on sale for $699 / £599 / AU$849, coming in two different sizes, and two different add-on packages.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Secretlab Magnus Evo: Unboxing and First Impressions

My first impression of this desk was one of relief and excitement, as I saw that, even though this is the entry-level or budget version of the Secretlab line-up, it still has an integrated power and height controller.

That’s a feature that is very 'Secretlab'. I was expecting it to skimp on some of these feature offerings due to price. But nope, here they are.

Speaking of the legs, I loved seeing just how tightly packed the Secretlab desk was. It shows that they care about not just packaging, but also using space well, which is showcased in their integrated controller as well, utilizing the desk thickness as a way to hide the module for controlling the height.

Unlike other desks, this one came in one box, as a cohesive system, not a set of legs and a hunk of desk like most companies.

Further, even with the addition of the extension pieces, this desk still feels sleek and high-end, making the price tag feel a bit more justified.

The last thing that stood out right away is the controller itself. You don’t often see a controller with colored lights, but the subtle color on the up and down buttons adds a refined pop that is very welcome.

Secretlab Magnus Evo: Design & Build Quality

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The main standout features of the Secretlab desk lineup are the cable management tray and compartment, the built-in controller, and the in-leg power. Those are three pretty standout features that are just as prevalent in this cheaper model. Plus, thanks to the magnetic elements and the extra width, this desk has enough room for those who love accessories or having ample space on their desk.

The cable management tray is still one of the best on the market. While companies like Grovemade have moved their cable management to an entirely new system below, creating art in and of itself.

Secretlab has nearly perfected the “hiding in plain sight” style, turning the last few inches of the desk's depth into a flip-up with cable management below. Again, utilizing their space in ways that other companies do not, or have not figured out, just like their integrated controller.

It becomes even more functional when you add in the in-leg power element. Now, that power port that runs through the leg, another way of utilizing space better, outputs right at the edge of this drop zone, giving you a simple place to run all your cables.

This, plus the slit in the desk to still pull cables out, you need to turn chaos to calm, transitioning the messiest zone of most desks to the most feature-packed and functional.

Secretlab Magnus Evo: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Specs

Height Range: 28.3-46.2 inches
Max Load: 265lbs
Warranty: 5-year electronics

Day to day, the Magnus Evo is great. I’ve tried a handful of different setups, ranging from super simple to quite complex with this desk, and it’s handled them all.

It’s sleek enough to be able to look good without having to get dressed up but also is featured enough to not look lacking for a fully built out desk setup. It’s no secret that I not only have had, but actively have a lot of desks.

Some are simple, with just a laptop. Some have a monitor and a docking station, and some would take me hours to disassemble fully if needed simply because of how complex they are. The Secretlab Magnus Evo is the kind of desk that could be either, it could be a simple laptop desk or a complex workstation ready to take on the world.

The cable management tray in the back is just as good as I expected it to be, having used the previous variations of the Magnus Pro standing desk. Honestly, other than the solid desktop, there aren’t many differences.

This cable tray can fit those beefy power bricks that never seem to be in the right place, and are annoying to start with, it can also fit the excess cable length, a dock or accessory you need but don’t want to see, and so on, all with a single power out, running down the integrated power line through the leg and then out. No cables dangling. No spaghetti mess of cables on top of desk. Just clarity. Simple, clarity.

When I wanted to add a few monitors, I could add them with Secretlab's mounts, allowing the monitors to sit within the desk in a unique way, latching onto the inside of the crevasse that is created between the main part of the desk and the back part that can open up.

Secretlab Magnus Evo: Final verdict

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The Secretlab Magnus Evo is a fantastic option for those who want a modern feeling, feature-packed, standing workspace, but don’t want it to cost as much as those normally do.

I found the Magnus Evo to be a great option if you want to get into the sit-stand desk space without the full cost while only sparing a few elements of the “full” experience you'd find with the heavyweight Magnus Pro.

The only question you have to ask yourself is if those few changes are worth the cost.

For most, they probably aren’t. And that makes the Secretlab Magnus Evo even more intoxicatingly enticing — for it’s sleek look, feature set, organization and the pricetag.

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For more office furniture essentials, see our guide to the best office chairs we've tested.

D-Link Aquila Pro AI R95: One-minute review

Most routers are fairly boring black boxes that just sit in a corner and occasionally flash a few lights at you.

However, D-Link has decided to go its own way with its new R95, which is part of the company’s Aquila Pro AI range (yes, AI has even got into routers now). The router’s sweeping curves look more like the wings of an aquatic manta ray than a conventional router.

It’s not clear if that design has any practical function, but it certainly looks interesting, and the use of tri-band Wi-Fi 7 ensures that the R95 will really make your wireless network fly at top speed. It also provides good support for older computers and mobile devices that may not have Wi-Fi 7.

(Image credit: Future)D-Link Aquila Pro AI R95 review: Price & release date

• How much does it cost? $254.99/£180 (around AU$355)
• When is it available? Now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK

Wi-Fi 7 routers are still fairly expensive, but the R95 is competitively priced for a high-end Wi-Fi 7 router, costing $254.99/£180, which compares well with high-end rivals such as the Acer Predator T7.

Unfortunately, Wi-Fi 7 products still tend to take a while to reach Australia, and the R95 isn’t currently available in that region, although the US price translates to approximately AU$355.

D-Link Aquila Pro AI R95 review: Specs

Wi-Fi:

Tri-band Wi-Fi 7 (2.4GHz, 5.0GHz, 6.0GHz)

Wi-Fi Speed:

9.5Gbps

Ports:

1x 2.5Gb Ethernet (WAN), 3x Gigabit Ethernet (LAN)

Dimensions:

220 x 238 x 207mm

Weight:

0.94kg

D-Link Aquila Pro AI R95 review: Features

• Eye-catching design
• Well-designed app
• Dual-network support

The external design of the R95 is certainly its most obvious feature, with gracefully curved ‘wings’ that look nothing like any conventional router that we’ve seen recently. The real headline feature, though, is the router’s performance, boasting tri-band Wi-Fi 7 that uses the 2.4GHz, 5.0GHz and 6.0GHz bands to provide a total speed of 9.5Gbps (strictly speaking, it’s actually 9,334Mbps, but manufacturers always like to round these numbers up).

It devotes two of its four antennae exclusively to the high-speed 6.0GHz band in order to provide maximum performance for computers and mobile devices that support Wi-Fi 7, while the other two antennae handle the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands for older devices. Its wired connectivity is right up to date as well, with a 2.5Gb Ethernet port available for high-speed broadband services, and three more 2.5Gb ports for connecting devices, such as a PC, games console or smart-TV, that will benefit from a lag-free wired connection.

The Aquila app works well too, allowing you to quickly scan a QR code in order to connect to the R95’s new network. It then gives you the option of simply keeping the default name and password for the R95 network, or changing the name and password for extra security.

(Image credit: Future)

And, in order to provide the best performance for different types of devices, the Aquila app creates two separate networks, with the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands combined into a single network for older computers, while the 6.0GHz band creates a separate network for newer devices that do support Wi-Fi 7.

You also have the option of creating a guest network that provides only limited access for visitors and guests, and a separate IoT network (Internet of Things) for smart lights, security cameras, and other smart devices. The R95 also supports the Matter standard for controlling smart home devices, and can be used to create a mesh network when used with other Asus routers or range extenders.

Our only complaint is that the parental controls within the app are fairly basic. The app does allow you to create a schedule to limit Internet access for the devices used by your children, but its web filtering options require you to manually enter the web address for any unsuitable sites that you want to block. It doesn’t provide the preset filters that are available with some of its rivals, which automatically block different categories of unsuitable material, such as ‘violent’, ‘adult’ or ‘gambling’.

• Features: 4.5/5

D-Link Aquila Pro AI R95 review: Performance

• Tri-band Wi-Fi 7
• 2.5Gb Ethernet ports
• Dedicated 6.0GHz network

Benchmarks

Ookla Speed Test – 2.4GHz/5.0GHz (download/upload)

Within 5ft, no obstructions: 150Mbps/150Mbps

Within 30ft, three partition walls: 150Mbps/150Mbps

20GB Steam Download – 2.4GHz/5.0GHz

Within 5ft, no obstructions: 150Mbps

Within 30ft, three partition walls: 150Mbps

Ookla Speed Test – 6.0GHz (download/upload)

Within 5ft, no obstructions: 150Mbps/150Mbps

Within 30ft, three partition walls: 150Mbps/150Mbps

20GB Steam Download - 6.0GHz

Within 5ft, no obstructions: 150Mbps

Within 30ft, three partition walls: 150Mbps

My old office router is crying out for an upgrade, as it only supports the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands that are available with Wi-Fi 5 and 6. It can provide decent performance for devices that are nearby, but struggles to reach an office at the back of the building, where I have to use PowerLine adaptors to provide a more reliable wired connection.

The office broadband runs at 150Mbps, but the 2.4GHz band of the old router can only manage a speed of around 70Mbps for nearby devices for both Steam downloads and the Ookla Speedtest. The 5.0GHz band works better, giving a full 150Mbps for devices that are nearby but, as mentioned, the router’s Wi-Fi signal isn’t strong enough to reach all the way to that back office.

The R95 eliminated my Wi-Fi problems with no trouble at all. Even its slower network, using the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands, immediately hit the full 150Mbps for nearby devices for both Steam and Ookla. More importantly, it reaches right into the back office as well, and achieves full speed in both tests. It did take a few seconds for Steam downloads in that office to ramp up from 130Mbps to 150Mbps, but the R95 was then able to maintain that speed consistently.

(Image credit: Future)

Given the strong performance of that 2.4GHz/5.0GHz network, I wasn’t surprised to find that the faster 6.0GHz network hit the ground running, immediately hitting 150Mbps for both Steam and Ookla, and maintaining full speed throughout my tests.

There are less expensive routers that only provide dual-band Wi-Fi 7 – omitting the high-speed 6.0GHz band – and these can be a good option for people who own older computers and mobile devices that don’t need the full speed of Wi-Fi 7. But if you have a gaming PC or other devices that do support Wi-Fi 7, then the D-Link R95 provides excellent performance at a competitive price.

• Performance: 5

Should I buy the D-Link Aquila Pro AI R95?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

The parental controls could be better, but the R95 provides versatile connectivity and a well-designed app to help you get started.

4.5/5

Performance

A speed of 9.5Gbps will be more than fast enough for most users, and we like the dual-network options that cater to a wide range of computers and mobile devices.

5/5

Value

There are less expensive Wi-Fi 7 routers, but the R95 provides high-end performance at a mid-range price.

5/5

Buy it if…

You need speed
With a top speed of 9.5Gbps, and a dedicated 6.0GHz network, the R95 is more than fast enough for gaming and streaming 4K video.View Deal

You still have older devices
Along with that high-performance 6.0GHz network, the R95 also creates a second network using the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands for older computers and mobile devices.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

You don’t need Wi-Fi 7
Many people are still using older devices that only support Wi-Fi 5 or 6, so you don’t need to buy an expensive router with Wi-Fi 7 just yet.View Deal

You’re on a budget
The R95 is competitively priced, but few of us really need that sort of high-end performance. There are many more affordable options if you’re on a limited budget.View Deal

Also consider

D-Link Aquila Pro AI R95

Netgear Nighthawk RS100

Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE98

Price (as reviewed)

$254.99/£180.00

$129.99/£129.99/AU$259.00

$749.99 / £699.99 / AU$1,499

Wi-Fi

Tri-band Wi-Fi 7

dual-band Wi-Fi 7

quad-band Wi-Fi 7

Wi-Fi Speed

9.5Gbps

3.6Gbps

24.4Gbps

Connectivity

1x 2.5Gb Ethernet (WAN), 3x Gigabit Ethernet (LAN)

1x 2.5Gb Ethernet (WAN), 4x Gigabit Ethernet (LAN)

1x 10Gb Ethernet (WAN/LAN), 1x 2.5Gb Ethernet (WAN/LAN), 1x 10Gb Ethernet (LAN), 3x 2.5Gb Ethernet (LAN), 1x USB-A (3.0), 1x USB-A (2.0)

Processor

Not Specified

quad-core 2.0GHz

quad-core 2.6GHz

Memory

Not Specified

1GB RAM

2GB RAM

Storage

Not Specified

512MB Flash

256MB Flash

Dimensions

220 x 238 x 207mm

184 x 66 122mm

350 x 350 x 221mm

Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE98
If money is no object then the GT-BE98 from Asus is the no-compromise option. It provides quad-band Wi-Fi 7 with a blistering speed of 24.4Gbps and even 10Gbps Ethernet for you Internet connection.

Read our full Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE98 reviewView Deal

Netgear RS100
There are several affordable Wi-Fi 7 routers that keep their price down by omitting the 6.0GHz band, but Netgear’s RS100 still provides very respectable dual-band performance running at 3.6Gbps for little more than $100.

Read our full Netgear RS100 reviewView Deal

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed: April 2026

Although I’ve watched countless pieces of media or played dozens of video games and board games that draw on the Cthulhu mythos and the works of HP Lovecraft, I was suddenly struck by one question I don’t think I’ve ever properly considered while writing this review of Big Bad Wolf’s solid investigation puzzler, Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss. What does Cthulhu want?

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Release date: April 16, 2026

As I’m trawling through audio logs, video diaries, and messages left by a research crew and its billionaire funder in an abandoned underwater facility and an otherworldly city, I witness how they all succumb to the call of the Great Old One and become fixated on bringing about his/its/their return.

And while by the end I’d solved some mysteries and smugly puzzled out how to keep Cthulhu slumbering, I still didn’t know what the big tentacle-faced beast got out of it all apart from a few mindless, raving fans.

Can I be your number one fan?

(Image credit: Big Bad Wolf / Nacon)

I guess you could argue that’s the whole point. Cthulhu is supposed to be a being beyond our comprehension, from a place with impossible geography, so I should just take the win and be happy I was able to stop him from awakening before being subsumed into the fandom.

But while some things may never be understood, Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is all about solving what you can. As an occult investigator, Noah, you use tech and your wits to explore the grotesque and fascinating environments of a flooded bayou to the sunken city of R’lyeh. It’s a game of scanning for clues, absorbing the relevant information, making connections, and figuring out how it will help you stop Cthulhu.

What that ultimately means is that this is a game with a lot of reading, a lot of listening, and a lot of work outside the game, shuffling the facts around inside your brain as you piece it all together. Fortunately, it’s never interrupted by the threat of a monster attack or an enemy stalking you throughout the area like a Soma or Amnesia. Some wrong moves or wayward exploration will result in death, but it’s easy to avoid this if you’re paying attention.

(Image credit: Big Bad Wolf / Nacon)

To help visualise all of your clues, you do get given a mind map of sorts that allows you to move clues around and draw connections where you think they are relevant, but most of the time, the game will prompt you on the important questions that need answering to progress.

Added to that is an energy system that allows you to analyze clues and items, to better understand what they are and how they can be useful to your investigation. And while this is supposedly a limited resource, each area is full of the fungus that you can use to recharge it (yep, Noah basically powers up like Mario), so I just ended up scanning everything when I had the chance. Because of that, the whole system feels superfluous.

The same goes for the upgrades and augments you can find or earn from special tablets or shrines dotted around each area. You can only equip a limited number based on your maximum capacity, but when all they offer are small bonuses, such as an increase in your scanner range or a chance to restore energy when analyzing clues, the decision of what to equip doesn’t matter all that much.

Fortunately, you can still investigate and puzzle solve fully while both the energy and augment systems just exist in the background without requiring you to engage with them. I can only assume they must have been added to make Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss feel more gamey, but I don’t think they add anything of value.

Jarvis, activate 'see everything' mode

One aspect you will be engaging with a lot is the sonar built into your AI companion, Key. Using the frequencies you gain from analyzing clues, you can set and search for nearby items that match the frequency. This becomes a loop for part of the game’s puzzle-solving.

(Image credit: Big Bad Wolf / Nacon)

For example, a component made of a specific alloy might be missing from a piece of equipment, so you can scan the surrounding area for alloys that match that frequency to find it. Relatively straightforward, then, but the game does expand on this idea a handful of times by making certain key frequencies harder to find or requiring you to combine frequencies to find more specific items and secrets.

Best bit

(Image credit: Big Bad Wolf / Nacon)

There’s little else quite so satisfying as connecting the dots between various pieces of seemingly unrelated information and working out exactly what you need to do to progress. Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss has several moments like this, and when you get deep into a puzzle that comes together in one intricate and elegant solution, you feel like a genius.

I liked it enough as an idea, but as with all of these special vision types in games (I'm looking at you, Arkham detective mode), I ended up simply cycling through what I thought was a relevant frequency and spamming it in each new location to be sure I wasn’t missing any clues.

That’s not to say the game’s puzzles are bad. I did enjoy investigating a lot, with many solutions requiring you to take in all of the information given to you. There are moments where you feel like you are uncovering the secrets of an ancient civilization, learning how to use their bizarre technology, or piecing together the lives and relationships of the original research team as they descended into madness.

What’s also interesting is that chapters give you two possible solutions to the main puzzle: one that pushes you more towards the corrupting influence of Cthulhu, and another (often slightly more elaborate) that lessens the Great Old One’s control over you and the world. It’s a neat idea that rewards you for following a different path than the obvious one and encourages you to fully consider all the clues presented to you.

A sacrifice I am willing to make

(Image credit: Big Bad Wolf / Nacon)

The choices you make can affect the state of the world, characters, and your final ending, so I really appreciate a usually very linear puzzle game offering up some more freeform elements that give you more influence over the story — and a chance to try alternate paths if you feel stuck on one route or are keen for a second playthrough.

I doubt I’ll be diving in again, though, as I feel happy with everything I got out of Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss on the first go. It has some rough edges, namely an inconsistent autosave, which meant I had to repeat some steps when loading my game on a few occasions. There are also fussy item manipulation mechanics and some ideas that aren’t fully realised.

However, its core investigation gameplay is strong, and the atmosphere is suitably sinister, so I’m sure anyone who enjoys a puzzle game with a dash of cosmic horror will come away satisfied enough — especially for a budget release.

Should you play Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss?

(Image credit: Big Bad Wolf / Nacon)Play it if…

You want a good investigation and puzzle game
The majority of puzzles in Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss are well-designed and fun to solve, while the investigation gameplay feels detailed and rewarding.

You enjoy cosmic horror
Naturally, the game is steeped in the lore and atmosphere you would expect from a work set in the Cthulhu mythos, and Big Bad Wolf nails this overall tone.

Don’t play it if…

You want a survival horror experience
While the game does feature some threats and has a generally spooky atmosphere, you are free to explore and investigate in peace without worrying about monster attacks or jump scares.

You get frustrated with jank and fiddly mechanics
Some elements of navigation and a few very specific puzzle mechanics don’t fully work as intended or are frustrating to deal with, and while some bugs may be ironed out over time, the rough edges are annoying.

You might need to dip out at any moment
Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss uses an autosave feature that only seems to trigger under specific circumstances, so if you need to quit the game at a moment’s notice without triggering one of these conditions, you may risk losing some progress.

Accessibility

Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss has two difficulty modes: Investigation and Exploration. The first is the standard experience, while the second allows you to ask your AI companion for hints and shows the clues available in each location. You can also set a custom option to tweak how much corruption affects you and how energy is used.

Elsewhere, there are three color blind modes for green, red, and blue color blindness, the option to make subtitles clearer, disable head movement to ease motion sickness, and fully rebind all controls.

How I reviewed Cronos: The New Dawn

I played Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss for around 8 hours on a PlayStation 5 Pro on a Samsung S90C OLED TV and Samsung HW-Q930C soundbar while using a DualSense Wireless Controller.

I played the whole game in Performance mode and still experienced a few technical hitches and moments of slowdown, so I wouldn’t risk Quality mode without a major patch.

In my time playing, I completed the game once and saw one of the possible endings, although I did have to replay an early chapter three times due to an autosave issue, which should now be fixed in the full release. However, I did still find the autosave unreliable, and that probably bumped up my total playtime by at least an hour.

First reviewed April 2026.

Garmin Bounce 2: One minute review

Most of the best smartwatches are designed for adults, but every so often a smartwatch brand will release a dedicated offering for children. There’s the Fitbit Ace LTE and the Xplora X6Play, but the newest kid on the block is the Garmin Bounce 2. With calling, text messaging, real-time location tracking features, and some fun games, the Bounce 2 is a device that keeps kids connected without needing a smartphone.

Designed for 6-12 year olds, the Bounce 2 is fun, cool and colorful. It boasts a bright 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen that delivers clear graphics and vibrant colors, elevating the smartwatch experience beyond that of most kids' smartwatches.

The Bounce 2 also includes a range of child-friendly features, such as activity tracking and games, although my son’s interest in the watch began to wane after a couple of months. He would still wear it if we asked him to, but he has ceased ‘pestering’ me to let him wear it. Beyond connectivity that is primarily for parents' peace of mind, the watch doesn’t include a huge amount to keep the child glued to it.

If you’d like a smartwatch with more features at a similar price, then the Apple Watch SE 3 is our recommended option. With a full set of features, including health tracking and a robust ecosystem, the Watch SE 3 offers much more longevity. This watch can be set up under a family plan which enables parents to control access and functionality and ensures the child is only able to access appropriate content for their age.

But if you’re looking for a locked-down smartwatch for your pre-teen, then it doesn’t get much better than the Bounce 2. It’s easy to set up, enjoyable to use, and has onboard GPS. To help with testing, I enlisted my ten-year-old son. Much of this review features his observations and opinions.

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)Garmin Bounce 2: Specifications

Component

Garmin Bounce 2

Price

$299 USD / £259 UK / $479 AUS

Dimensions

43 x 43 x 12.4 mm

Weight

26.5g without strap

Case/bezel

Fiber-reinforced polymer

Display

1.2-inch AMOLED Screen

GPS

Multi-GNSS

Battery life

Up to 2 days

Connection

Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi, LTE (with subscription)

Water resistance

5 ATM

Garmin Bounce 2: Price and availability

• $299 USD / £259 UK / $479 AUS
• Additional subscription required for access to all features
• The Apple Watch SE 3 offers more features at a similar price

At $299 USD / £259 UK / AUD$479, the Garmin Bounce 2 is at the pricey end of smartwatches for kids. It ships in Slate Grey, Light Purple, and Turquoise colorways.

It is priced similarly to the Apple Watch SE 3, which offers more features but is much more distracting for a younger child. It also doesn't have the same functionality for chore management.

As well as the upfront hardware cost, the Bounce 2 requires an LTE subscription for access to two-way calling, messaging, and tracking. This costs $9.99 / £9.99 / AUD per month or $99 / £99 / AUD$17 per year, with the plan being managed through the Garmin Jr. app.

• Value score 3.5/5

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)Garmin Bounce 2: Design

• Simple, kid-friendly and not too flashy
• A small but responsive AMOLED touchscreen
• Comfortable fit with silicon strap

The Bounce 2 is a basic smartwatch with a kid-friendly design. It’s nothing revolutionary, but my son wore the watch with pride and thought it looked like a fashionable accessory. Constructed of a fiber-reinforced polymer and at just over 40g with the strap, the Bounce 2 is light enough for all-day wear, even on the small wrist of a child. The silicone strap also has the benefit of being sweat resistant and easy to clean. It fits wrists between 115-180 mm.

From a parent’s point of view, one of the best things about the design is that it doesn’t particularly stand out. It’s therefore unlikely to attract any unwanted attention that could cause problems for your child.

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)

The 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen with a resolution of 390×390 pixels delivers clear graphics and vibrant colors. Swipes and taps are accurately detected, and the interface responds quickly and as expected. The screen is also chemically strengthened, which is ideal, as my child wasn't the most careful with it! The downside to this, is that the screen seriously drains the battery with my son having to charge the watch most nights.

Other features include physical buttons and a 5ATM water resistance rating that enables the watch to withstand water from splashes, showers, and pool trips. It also has a proprietary charger rather than USB-C, which is far from ideal if your child is prone to losing cables!

• Design Score: 4/5

Garmin Bounce 2: Features

• Location tracking and geofencing
• Two-way calling and messaging
• Basic activity tracking and chore management

With an LTE subscription, parents can view their child's real-time location via the Garmin Jr. app. The child can also manually ping their location to their approved contacts if they’re in an emergency situation. My son loved pinging his location when he arrived at a friend’s house, and even though it wouldn’t constitute an emergency, I appreciated receiving the update.

The GPS hardware can also be used to geofence areas so that parents receive notifications when their child enters or leaves a designated area. This is ideal for the journeys that your child will most commonly make, such as between school and home.

The first Bounce smartwatch was limited to voice and text messages. The second iteration builds on this by including a built-in speaker and microphone for conducting phone calls with parent-approved contacts. For messages, the watch now supports voice-to-text transcription and a full QWERTY keyboard. My son took great pleasure in texting me funny jokes as well as humorous emojis and sound clips.

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)

The Bounce 2 includes a range of sports profiles, including running, walking, cycling, and more niche activities such as racket sports and even motor sports. Children can unlock games by meeting daily activity goals, which acts as a motivation towards fitness.

Another feature for rewarding behavior is the chore tracking feature, which enables parents to assign chores and virtual coins through the app, which kids can redeem for agreed-upon rewards. These rewards might be screen time, a chocolate treat, or a new toy or game.

As the Bounce 2 is primarily a communication and safety tool, there's no heart rate sensor for health tracking, something that my son was rather disappointed about.

• Features Score: 4/5

Garmin Bounce 2: Performance

• Mixed results for GPS signal
• Fun and engaging games
• Very short battery life

We experienced variable results with the GPS signal, with a significant tail-off in signal within rural areas. Despite being able to successfully access signals in dense urban areas, the same wasn’t true when we were out in the country. There were a number of times when I couldn’t determine the location of my son, and even though it was never an emergency, it didn’t fill me with much confidence.

The GPS and LTE connectivity are always on, which means the battery drains very quickly. The advertised two-day battery life is definitely the maximum, with real-world experience being just over a day. My son said, “I didn’t like having to keep on top of charging and would have liked it to last at least a full school week.”

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)

He spent a lot of time playing the simple games, with his favorite being the Tamagotchi-style digital pet that you have to keep alive. “I was surprised how much I found myself caring about the little thing.” In reality, I think the appeal was in the challenge of keeping it alive. Either way, they’re pretty addictive in the short term, but he lost interest after a few weeks.

The day-to-day operation of the smartwatch was considered smooth and enjoyable. “I loved using the voice commands to set an alarm or check the weather, although it was a little frustrating having to speak specific commands.” For example, "Tell me the weather” didn’t work, but "Show me the weather” did. Some AI help here would certainly improve the user experience.

• Performance score: 3.5/5

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)Garmin Bounce 2: Scorecard

Category

Comment

Score

Value

More affordable alternatives exist, and the subscription makes it a high long-term cost.

3.5/5

Design

A kid-friendly design with basic materials.

4/5

Features

A fantastic set of communication and connectivity features.

4.5/5

Performance

Mixed GPS results and short battery life between charges.

3.5/5

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)Garmin Bounce 2: Should I buy?Buy it if...

You need to keep track of your children but don’t want them owning a phone

With built-in GPS you can track your child’s location from your phone.

You want a digital way to motivate your child to do their chores

Assign chores and let your children earn virtual coins by completing them

Don't buy it if...

You need a subscription-free GPS tracker

At $9.99/£9.99/AUD$17 per month, a Garmin LTE subscription quickly adds up

You want an effortless communication tool

Anyone who wants to contact your child needs the Garmin Jr. app which makes the experience a little too locked in

Also consider

Apple Watch SE 3

This is the best Apple Watch for most people, especially if your children are breaking into their teen years. With more smart features, you'll be breaking away from the more child-friendly vibe of the Garmin Bounce 2.

Read our Apple Watch SE 3 review

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 improves on many of its predecessor’s features. It’s well designed, and shines when teamed with a Samsung phone. Its battery life isn’t bad day-to-day; it's easily comparable to its competitors, but still not where I’d like it to be.

Read our Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 review

Fitbit Ace LTE (US Only)

Built-in games, activity tracking, a rewards system, and parent-approved messaging. Requires a US-based Google account for setup and an "Ace Pass" subscription for LTE connectivity. 

Read more about the Fitbit Ace LTE

How I tested

The Garmin Bounce 2 is targeted at 6-12-year-olds, so I thought it would be a little disingenuous if I, a 40+ year-old, were to carry out the lion's share of testing. As soon as it arrived, I therefore handed it to my son, who spent a couple of months with it, testing it while out and about with his friends and at various midweek clubs. I’ve taken his experience and written the review, but most of the observations are his. I’m not entirely redundant, though; the Bounce 2 is designed to have parental oversight, so I’ve been proactive in that area of testing.

First reviewed: April 2026

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE: One-minute review

Samsung's budget flip phone is basically a repackaged Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, which, on the face of it, isn't necessarily a bad thing. After all, in the smartphone world, the specs of last year's flagship often become those of this year's midrange phone. But the key issue is that Samsung didn't learn anything from the Z Flip 6’s shortcomings, and has failed to advance the Z Flip 7 FE in several areas, which sours the experience somewhat.

The perfectly decent chassis, cover screen, and inner screen are all cribbed straight from the Z Flip 6, but so, unfortunately, is the software experience. The biggest reason to use a flip phone is to use that cover screen as much as possible. It's novel, and it helps conserve your battery. But Samsung puts up roadblock after roadblock to prevent you from actually doing that, which can, at times, become maddening.

The rest of the software is evolving nicely. Samsung's One UI 8.0 moves closer to a vanilla Android experience with a few useful touches here and there. The AI features on board work very well, including photographic AI and Gemini on the cover screen, which is fun to use.

(Image credit: Adam Doud / Future)

The cameras are the same as the cameras on the Galaxy Z Flip 7, which is a bonus. Camera performance is quite good for an FE phone, although at night, the cameras can struggle to keep moving subjects sharp, and can overexpose bright light sources. Overall, though, this is a pretty capable shooter, especially when you use the main camera for your selfies.

Performance and battery life both fall into the okay-but-not-great category — again, consistent with the FE experience. With light to medium usage, you can get through a full day on a charge, though again, the software affects your ability to use the cover screen to its fullest, and thus conserve battery.

The bottom line here is that if you can score a good deal on this phone, it's worth picking up — the starting price is just a bit too high to be comfortable with. Samsung has a good history of support for its foldables, so that's a big plus here, and if you're looking for a pocketable phone with a sturdy build, decent battery life, and a good set of cameras, this one should be on your radar.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

• Starts at $899 / £849 / AU$1,499
• Available in black or white

Samsung is trying to make its foldable lineup more accessible to more people, which is a laudable goal, but it's priced the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE too high, both for what it offers and compared to its competition. $899 / £849 / AU$1,499 is cheaper than the flagship Z Flip 7, but it feels like this price is designed to allow Samsung to advertise "Look! We have a foldable phone for this low price!" without expecting anyone to actually buy it.

$899 / £849 / AU$1,499 is an unusual price for a phone these days, slotting right in between the starting price of the Google Pixel 10, iPhone 17, and Samsung's own Galaxy S25, and the higher starting price of the Pro models of the same phones.

The Z Flip 7 FE’s closest competitor is the Moto Razr 2025 (or Razr 60 as it's known outside the US). This phone undercuts the Z Flip 7 FE by $200 in the US, and by AU$300 in Australia, but it's only £10 less expensive in the UK. Overall, then, the price of the Z Flip 7 FE only feels close to correct in the UK, while it leaves something to be desired elsewhere.

The Z Flip 7 FE is available in either black or white. For my money, I prefer the black colorway, which is the more understated of the two; if you like to stand out more, white is the way to go.

Samsung Z Flip 7 FE pricing

Storage

US price

UK price

AU price

128GB

$899

£849

AU$1,499

256GB

$959

£909

AU$TBD

• Value score: 3 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE review: Specs

(Image credit: Adam Doud / Future)

The overall specs of this phone are in line with its theoretical value proposition — it’s cheaper than the flagship, so therefore "midrange." In practice, though, 128GB is no longer enough for someone spending almost three figures on a smartphone, regardless of its market position. And foldables, in general, are still seen as premium products, even if this is the lesser of Samsung’s foldable lineup; mid-range specs may not cut it for many buyers.

Most of the specs on offer here are what you might expect from a lesser phone, which is understandable, although you do get the same cameras as on the flagship Galaxy Z Flip 7, which is great. The Exynos 2400 in particular stands out as a 2024-era processor — there’s no ‘for Galaxy’ version of a Snapdragon chipset to speak of here, in any region. That's fair enough, since this is an FE unit, but it still rankles a bit.

Meanwhile, 8GB of RAM is far from future-proof. Again, though, since this is an FE model, some compromises can be expected, and in terms of day-to-day performance, you'd be hard-pressed to notice a difference between this phone and the Galaxy Z Flip 7, which has 12GB.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE

Dimensions

165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9mm unfolded; 85.1 x 71.9 x 14.9mm folded

Weight

187g

Internal screen

6.7-inch Super AMOLED

Resolution:

1,080 x 2,640

Refresh rate:

60Hz

Peak Brightness:

2,600 nits

Chipset:

Samsung Exynos 2400

RAM:

8GB

Storage:

128GB / 256GB

OS:

Android 16

Main cameras:

50MP main; 12MP ultra-wide

Selfie camera:

10 MP

Battery:

4,000mAh

Charging:

25W

Colors:

Black, White

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE review: Design

(Image credit: Adam Doud / Future)

• Solid build quality
• Looks almost exactly like the Galaxy Z Flip 6

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE has more in common with the Z Flip 6 than with the Z Flip 7. Most notably, the phone has the same chassis, smaller cover screen, and battery as 2024’s flagship. I only mention that because it enables a lot of supply line efficiency, allowing for the phone to be less expensive. The design is superb; the Z Flip 7 FE feels solid, with little flex in the hinge. I personally like Samsung's industrial, squared-edge design language, though that is certainly subjective, and others may prefer the softer curves of the Motorola Razr family.

The cover screen is plenty big, but it's hampered by Samsung's software design, which puts a roadblock in the way of using any app on it; we'll discuss that more in a bit. Plus, the reverse-notch design isn't ideal for app usage — unless it's a Samsung-approved app, in which case the app is optimized for the notch. Motorola's rectangular design is a lot friendlier to external screen usage.

I rarely use cases with foldables, and after about two weeks of use and some ill-advised (and accidental) placing of two phones in the same pocket on a number of occasions, the back Gorilla Glass Victus in particular has noticeable scuffs. That’s not great, but it was more down to carelessness on my part than a design issue.

Speaking of the rear glass, early on in my review period, when I wasn't paying too close attention to it, I would press the power button and be surprised when the back of the phone didn't turn on. The front of the phone and the back look nearly identical when the screen is off, except for the two camera modules. Yes, that should be obvious, but something I like about Motorola’s flip phones is the materials and colorways they use; it’s very obvious when you’re not looking at the screen. Presumably, the white colorway would assuage this issue a bit, but I much prefer vibrant colors as opposed to black and white, even for ‘midrange’ phones.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE review: Display

(Image credit: Adam Doud / Future)

• Very bright external and internal displays
• Beware the low refresh rate on the cover display

Let's get the elephant in the room out of the way first — the Z Flip 7 FE’s cover screen only refreshes at 60Hz. Now, put your torches and pitchforks away — the inner screen gets the full 120Hz treatment. Personally, I’ve never been able to see the difference between the two refresh rates, while others will swear that this is an absolute deal-breaker; if that's you, get the Z Flip 7 and enjoy it!

As mentioned, the inner display is the same as the one on the Z Flip 6, and it's beautiful, with brilliant depth and color reproduction, and a crease that’s barely noticeable. Samsung's hinge mechanism is incredibly refined by this point, so the only time you'll see the crease is when you’re looking at it from an off-axis, and even then it's not a big deal.

Both screens can hit up to 2,600 nits of brightness, which is more than enough to see in bright sunlight. The screen can also go very dim when you're in a dark room, but if you tweak the phone's brightness up even a hair above minimum, it gets brighter in a hurry; a little more nuance in that respect would be appreciated.

But overall, both of these displays are excellent — Samsung is good at making displays after all.

• Display score: 4 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE review: Software

(Image credit: Adam Doud / Future)

• No DeX Mode
• AI features are impressive for the most part

Samsung's OneUI has been getting progressively better over the years, and One UI 8.0 finally gives you the option to get rid of Samsung's side-scrolling app launcher, and the settings menus are also more refined than in previous versions.

One feature that’s missing is Samsung's DeX mode, which gives you a desktop-like interface when you connect an external screen. Samsung says the Z Flip 7’s Exynos 2500 chipset is powerful enough to work with Dex, which implies that the Z Flip 7 FE’s previous-gen chipset isn’t. But as we pointed out in our Z Flip 7 review, the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE with the Exynos 2400e chipset (which has less power than the 2400) can run DeX, so the feature’s absence here is perplexing.

The Z Flip 7 FE has all the same AI features as the rest of Samsung's lineup. My personal favorite is ‘Sketch to image’, which can produce AI images that are remarkably realistic from the most terrible sketches I can scrawl. Another notable addition is the ability to interact with Google Gemini via the cover screen, which is handy for quick questions on the go or even full conversations with Gemini Live.

Speaking of the cover screen, you can run apps on it, and Samsung made doing so slightly easier than before. In the past, you had to download Good Lock and then activate Multistar — neither of which sounds like an app you would use to do anything related to a lock screen. Now, Samsung puts a Multistar button in settings, which cuts down on a couple of steps. It's better, but only just. You can add the apps you want to the cover screen, which is nice, but the process is still too laborious for any but the nerdiest nerds.

Plus, Samsung limits what can happen on that cover screen. It's quite common for the Z Flip 7 FE to prompt you to open the phone to continue with what you’re trying to do, which defeats the purpose of using the cover screen at all. It can be quite maddening.

• Software score: 3 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE review: Cameras

(Image credit: Adam Doud / Future)

• Cameras are pretty good for the price
• However, photos look a lot better on the phone screen than on a computer monitor

Overall, the camera on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is very good, as long as you're not planning on blowing up any photos beyond social media size. This is another one of those cases where photos look great on a phone screen, but when you zoom in, they get blocky. As with any phone camera, performance will be determined largely by how good the lighting is. If you're outside on a sunny day, photos will look great; if you're in a dark theatre watching a comedy performance, which was one of the environments in which I tested the cameras, very much less so.

Notably, in that scenario, the camera tended to overexpose performers who were under a spotlight. I also tested the iPhone 17 Pro and the OnePlus 15 in the same conditions, and they both performed much better, adjusting the exposure on the fly and producing less noisy photos; but of course, neither of those other phones folds in half.

Generally, in low-light outside environments, the phone performs better than most. Moving subjects can look a little soft, but not as bad as in images from some other flagships I have tested. Video stability when using the main camera at night was also better than expected in my testing.

The Z Flip 7 FE’s Portrait mode is also very good, with the software doing a decent job of picking out stray hairs on my head and separating them from the blurred background. Macro shots also look decent, although the depth of field is a little too shallow for my taste.

One of the key benefits of a foldable phone is the ability to use the main camera for your selfies, with the phone acting as its own tripod. With the Z Flip 7 FE, you can use a simple hand gesture to start a 3-second countdown to grab selfies, and in my experience, this worked every time.

I'd be pretty comfortable using the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE as my one and only camera phone. There are certainly better camera phones out there, especially from Chinese manufacturers, but I can't say I have any really obvious concerns or disqualifiers about the Z Flip 7 FE’s photographic capabilities. All in all, this is a pretty good camera for Instagram-worthy shots.

• Camera score: 4 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE review: Camera samplesAdam Doud / FutureAdam Doud / FutureAdam Doud / FutureAdam Doud / FutureAdam Doud / Future

(Image credit: Adam Doud / Future)Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE review: Performance

(Image credit: Adam Doud / Future)

• The Exynos 2400 chipset handles everyday tasks well
• But don't expect Snapdragon 8 Elite-level power

Overall, I'm a Snapdragon fan, so I wasn't super thrilled to learn that the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE runs on an Exynos 2400 processor — historically, Exynos chipsets have struggled to keep up with Qualcomm's equivalent Snapdragon chipsets. However, the Z Flip 7 FE performed admirably during almost all tasks I put it through.

I'm not a heavy gamer, but I tested the phone’s performance chops by playing Asphalt: Legends, checking for heat issues or even dropped frames, and I didn't experience either. I also ran two apps simultaneously in split-screen mode, and again, there was no performance lag.

On Geekbench, the Z Flip 7 FE returned single-core and multi-core scores of 1,554 and 6,128, respectively, putting it on par with the Samsung Galaxy S23 and S24. However, while both of those are still respectable phones, the Exynos 2400 won't stand up against the chips found in the latest flagships.

The Z Flip 7 FE is an FE model, after all, and given its price point and market position, its performance is perfectly acceptable. But don't buy this phone thinking it'll be able to handle high-res video editing or extended (i.e., multi-hour) gaming sessions. For that, you’ll want one of the best phones or best gaming phones.

• Performance score: 4 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE review: Battery

(Image credit: Adam Doud / Future)

• Battery life is just ok
• Charging speed is just acceptable — charge it overnight when possible

The battery life on the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE isn't bad given the phone’s positioning as a midrange device, but that's only really true if you commit to using the cover screen as much as possible. Unfortunately, as discussed, that isn't possible a lot of the time.

On most days, working from home and connected to Wi-Fi, I could comfortably get through the day on a full charge. On some days with particularly light use, I even hit the sack with around 30% left in the tank. However, on occasions when I went out and used the camera heavily, it was a different story. On those days, I often had to plug in the Z Flip 7 FE and top it up at least once to keep me going until bedtime.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is limited to 25W charging. That's not terribly slow in itself, but compared to phones made by Chinese manufacturers, it’s downright glacial. Plus, unlike those Chinese manufacturers, Samsung doesn’t include a charger in the box.

• Battery score: 3 / 5

Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE?

(Image credit: Adam Doud / Future)Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE scorecard

Value

This phone is the cheapest Samsung foldable you can buy, but it's priced a tad too high.

3/5

Design

The phone is very solid and sturdy. The color choices are boring.

4/5

Display

Very nice, bright displays inside and out. The cover screen only refreshes at up to 60Hz, though.

4/5

Software

The cover screen is not optimized, and at times it's annoying to use. The AI features are cool, though.

3/5

Cameras

The cameras match those on the Flip 7. Shot results are surprisingly good, particularly in low-light.

4/5

Performance

Exynos is not ideal. No major issues, but this chipset is not future-proof.

4/5

Battery

The battery is small and slow to charge. You'll get through a day with medium usage, but only just. Carry a battery pack.

3/5

Buy it if...

You're on a budget
If you want a Samsung foldable, but you don't have or want to spend a three-figure sum on a phone.

You want a small phone that's easy to use
The primary reason to want a flip phone is to keep it small whenever possible. Drop it into a breast pocket, and it's good to go.

You find it at a good discount
Discounts on the Z Flip 7 FE are frequent; try not to pay full price, if you can avoid doing so.

Don't buy it if...

You want great cameras
The cameras on the Z Flip 7 FE are surprisingly good, but I wouldn't put them in the "great" category.

You work or are frequently outdoors
The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE has an IP48 water and dust resistance rating, which means it can survive the rain, but probably not a trip to the beach.

You're a gamer
The phone's Exynos 2400 processor is fine for most tasks, but you may run into issues if you plan on gaming for long periods.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE review: Also consider

Motorola Razr 2025
If you're considering the Samsung Galaxy Flip 7 FE, its closest competitor is the Moto Razr, which has worse cameras, but offers a better software experience.

Samsung Galaxy Flip 7
If you're already willing to spend $899 / £849 / AU$1,499, another 20% will get you a better phone, including better colorways and additional features.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 review

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE

Motorola Razr 2025

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7

Price:

$899 / £849 / AU$1,499

$699 / £799 / AU$1,199

$1,099 / £1,049 / AU$1,799

Chipset:

Exynos 2400

MediaTek Dimensity 7400X

Exynos 2500

Cameras:

50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP selfie

50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP selfie

50MP main, 13MP ultra-wide, 32MP selfie

Battery:

4,000mAh

4,300mAh

4,500mAh

How I tested the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE

To test this phone, I used an unlocked review sample provided by AT&T on T-Mobile's network using my personal eSIM for around two weeks. During that time, I used the phone as I normally would, largely for communications and web surfing. Communications includes five email accounts, three Slack accounts, numerous Telegram messages, plus LinkedIn, Threads, Instagram, and other social media accounts.

Why you can trust TechRadar

☑️ 100s of gaming laptops reviewed
☑️ 15 years of product testing
☑️ Over 16,000 products reviewed in total
☑️ Nearly 200,000 hours testing tech

I tested the phone's cameras predominantly at night, shooting challenging scenes like walking while shooting video, in theaters, restaurants, bars, and other low-light areas where people frequently take selfies and shoot photos and videos. I also used the phone to shoot and lightly edit some short videos for Instagram.

During a typical day, I'll check my phone hundreds of times — it's a problem; I get it. I had the phone paired with my Google Pixel 4 smartwatch and used it while connected to Wi-Fi when I was home. I played games frequently throughout the day and watched social media videos on the device.

The Z Flip 7 FE also accompanied me on a trip to New York City for an overnight visit, which was a challenging day for the phone's battery as I took a lot of photos, shot video, and used the device as a Wi-Fi hotspot on several occasions.

Apple TV's new eight-part series Margo's Got Money Troubles is now streaming, and its three-episode premiere makes it an ideal binge watch.

There's plenty of reasons why you should, too. Elle Fanning leads an all-star cast, where she plays the titular role, who ends up unexpectedly pregnant after having an affair with her married English professor. With a baby on the way, she finds herself desperate for money.

It's a difficult situation, of course, but David E. Kelley's comedy drama handles it all with the right mix of humor and heart. Margo is supported by her estranged father, Jinx (Nick Offerman), a former pro-wrestler, and mother, Shyanne (Michelle Pfeiffer), a former Hooters waitress, with plenty of dysfunctional dynamics going on here.

Notably, Margo's decision to sleep with her married professor mirrors her mother's own, as she had a one-night stand with Jinx, who was also married at the time. The series doesn't shy away from Shyanne's disappointment that her daughter made the same mistakes as her, and there are plenty of heartfelt moments surrounding that.

Pfeiffer is brilliant as a concerned, frustrated mother whose immediate reaction to her daughter's pregnancy is to open a beer and go on a rant about what a stupid decision she thought the affair was. The first episode's heart-to-heart between Pfeiffer and Fanning is one of the best and most important scenes.

Nick Offerman's performance as Jinx is one of the standouts for me, too. He's known for his comedic work on Parks & Recreation and more serious takes on HBO Max's The Last of Us, and here he gets the chance to do both as a recovering addict and absentee father whose career as a pro wrestler is long gone. He's flawed, but does have good intentions.

Jinx goes on to be an unexpected asset for Margo as she joins OnlyFans, creating adult content to help her earn more money for herself and her baby, whom she decides to keep after a tearful hospital appointment where she gets to hear the heartbeat for the first time.

It never gets too serious though, and Margo's Got Money Troubles is the perfect weekly comedy series to devour throughout April and May, with great pacing and short runtimes of 35–42 minutes per episode.

Apple TV has impressed me a lot lately, especially with its original shows, and this one is no exception. On the surface, it might seem like yet another comedy, but it does a deep dive into some difficult themes and handles them well.

You may have apprehensions about how sex work and unexpected pregnancies are portrayed here, but, again, it comes across as far more nuanced than you might think based on a few of the promotional images. There are some interesting conversations between characters throughout, and there's quite an eclectic mix of personalities to strike that balance.

This isn't the usual kind of show I review, and I was initially drawn in by the cast, but I've come away from Margo's Got Money Troubles feeling very good about it. I'm already hoping it'll come back for season 2.

The best way to describe life simulator Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is like a bizarre cross between The Sims and reality TV show Big Brother, but even that would be doing its special brand of weirdness a disservice. There’s simply nothing else quite like this strange Nintendo Switch exclusive, which sees you creating bombastic Mii characters, dropping them into a virtual island, and sitting back to watch as increasingly bizarre events occur.

Review info

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
Available on: Nintendo Switch
Release date: April 16, 2026

Thanks to its frankly staggering degree of character customization, which lets you create a digital representation of everyone from your real-life friend group to celebrities and even your favorite gaming characters, the whole thing seems tailor-made for generating viral social media clips, and it’s clear that the Japanese gaming giant is already on to a winner in this regard. With just a demo available to the public, my social media feeds have been filled with hilarious encounters — all elevated by the series' trademark charmingly robotic text-to-speech voices.

If you enjoyed the demo or seeing the countless popular posts, then you’ll love the full game. It’s more of the same with everything dialled up to eleven — letting you unleash up to 70 characters rather than the demo’s three, and with hundreds more items and objects to discover. There are some misses, mostly for those expecting a transformative upgrade on Nintendo Switch 2, but Living the Dream is otherwise a raucous time.

Mini Mii

(Image credit: Nintendo)

The most important thing to know is that this is quite a hands-off game and clearly meant to be toyed with in short bursts over an extended period rather than ravenously consumed in just one sitting.

The experience opens by guiding you through the creation of your first few characters and outlining the basics of the in-depth character creator. Crafting Miis is a clear highlight, as Living the Dream offers the most expansive system for making them yet.

The possibilities are practically endless, with tens of face types, hair styles, eyebrows, eyes, noses, mouths, and so on. Beyond the impressive range of options, seemingly minor additions such as the option to select a separate front and back hairstyle and the addition of ears (a first for Miis) make it easier than ever to capture your desired look.

I set about creating as many members of the TechRadar team as possible, including everyone from my boss, Rob Dwiar, and Senior Entertainment Writer Lucy Buglass to our iconic Editor at Large, Lance Ulanoff, and never struggled to nail the look.

More elaborate Miis are possible through the face paint system. It turns your Mii’s face into a blank canvas, which you can draw on freely to add everything from little details, such as make-up and scars, to entire new faces based on your wildest dreams.

(Image credit: Nintendo)

The only limit here is your artistic skill, and, luckily, if you’re completely hopeless at drawing like me, you’ll be able to take advantage of some pre-set stamps of common shapes, faces, and a few food items.

Although it is an option, you don’t ever have to start from scratch either. You can clone an existing Mii and then tweak it to your liking (a tool I used to create a tiny Baby Lance) or follow a series of question-style prompts that run through the most important visual traits. The latter is particularly fun and surprisingly effective — giving you a great, near-perfect base that you can then fine-tune to perfection.

No matter your chosen method of creation, the final stage is always inputting some biographical information, including a little personality quiz that assigns your character one of a handful of distinct types to inform their behaviour. This doesn’t seem too impactful in the grand scheme of things, though I did occasionally note some differences in how my easy-going, optimistic Miis and confident leaders, for example, would react in different situations.

If you can dream it

(Image credit: Nintendo)

From there, you’re let loose on your island, a customizable tropical paradise that serves as the home of your Miis. Viewed from a birds-eye perspective, they all wander around chatting with each other throughout the day, occasionally retreating into their little houses for the odd rest.

Best bit

(Image credit: Nintendo)

If creating your own Miis wasn’t enough, the island itself can be customized extensively with a vast selection of props and almost complete freedom over its layout. I particularly enjoy plopping down objects like vending machines and swings, which have their own special animations and possible interactions to discover.

Like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the game syncs with real-world time, so you’re likely to see something different depending on when you choose to log on. Miis will also remark on how much time you’ve spent in the game recently; leave for more than a few days, and they’ll miss you dearly.

Sometimes Miis will require some direct interaction, waving up at the sky to offer the chance to play some basic minigames like a quiz that has you guessing obscured objects via their shadows. They’re a bit repetitive, but thankfully totally optional and do have some decent rewards in the random items available if you win. You’ll also see plenty of little thought bubbles, which you can click with the on-screen cursor to chat to the Mii or trigger an animated scene.

They’ll sometimes ask for advice or guidance as well, which gives you another route to customizing their behavior.

Completing tasks for your Miis often grants some cash and glowing yellow liquid happiness, raising their individual happiness level. Increasing happiness unlocks new traits and the option to give them objects to play with, distinct walking animations, new catchphrases to spout, and more. On top of this, Miis have a hunger level to manage. They won’t die if you starve them or anything — but dispensing good food regularly is a sure-fire way to farm a lot of happiness easily.

(Image credit: Nintendo)

You’ll want to keep on top of this, as it all pools into an overall island happiness level. This is the main metric of your progress through the game, and as you raise happiness, a handful of unique buildings are unlocked. This includes a clothes shop to outfit your Miis and a workshop that lets you create your very own objects using an extensive digital canvas.

It does get to a point where it feels like you’ve seen most of what the game has to offer, but it still finds odd new ways to surprise you. There are loads of possible Mii interactions: they can form relationships, make lifelong enemies, move in together, and much more. Events can even happen off-screen, too, leading to some rather amusing instances where I logged in to find Miis had radically altered their own appearances with new hairstyles, or started a feud with a former friend.

The lack of Nintendo Switch 2-specific features is undeniably a shame, though. For some reason, Nintendo has opted to release Living the Dream solely for the original Switch, rather than also offer a dedicated Switch 2 version. It is playable through backwards and benefits from slightly shinier visuals, but the lack of support for features like Joy-Con 2 mouse control is noticeable and seems like a huge missed opportunity given the number of mechanics that involve drawing.

Even those on the original Switch will notice that touch-screen support is also quite limited. You can tap icons in the character creator or drag your fingers across the screen to stroke a Miis head, but that’s basically it — a shame when pressing different options on on-screen pop-ups could easily be accomplished with a quick tap in handheld mode.

Should I play Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream?Play it if...

You’re a creative type
If you love customizing characters and the world they live in, then you’ll absolutely devour the practically limitless possibilities offered to you in Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream.

You love the viral clips
If you’ve been seeing the many online clips of this game or its demo and want to make your own, then it certainly won’t disappoint. This is nothing short of the ultimate funny clip generator.

Don't play it if...

You want hands-on life simulation
Tomodachi Life is all about watching your characters live their lives rather than directly controlling them. If you want more hands-on life simulation, try looking at The Sims and its spinoffs instead.

Accessibility features

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream does not have a dedicated accessibility menu and, like other Nintendo-developed games, has very few settings.

Your only real options are to invert the X-axis of the camera and tweak the levels of individual sounds. Dialogue in the game is conveyed predominantly through text, though you cannot customize its appearance in any way.

How I reviewed Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream

I played more than 15 hours of Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream on Nintendo Switch 2, predominantly in handheld mode using the Joy-Con 2 controllers and relying on the system’s integrated speakers for sound.

During my time with the game, I created countless Mii characters and experienced as much of it as possible, comparing it with the previous entry, Tomodachi Life on Nintendo 3DS, and other life simulation games like The Sims 4.

First reviewed March 2026

ACER PREDATOR ORION 7000: TWO-MINUTE REVIEW

This is a larger-than-life PC with a price tag to match. Its 67-liter chassis, RGB fans, and bicep-testing weight give it a premium look and feel that is sure to turn heads. This also gives it a huge amount of room to circulate cold air and, thanks to the liquid-cooled radiator, the unlocked Intel CPU has enough headroom for extra performance without jet-like fan noise.

In our testing, the combination of the Nvidia RTX 5080 and Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF worked in tandem to handle everything we could throw at it: Cyberpunk 2077 looked completely movie-like with no framerate bottlenecks, while Crimson Desert’s megabudget effects were astonishing.

Likewise, it handled 4K video editing in Premiere Pro and complicated motion tracking in After Effects without slowdowns. If you’re looking for something for both work and play (depending on your job), this could well be a perfect fit.

A nice touch is the hot-swap NVME bay on top of the machine, which means you can expand the storage without opening up the case. But when you do feel the need to upgrade, there are a couple of unoccupied RAM slots ready and waiting.

(Image credit: Future)

It’s costly, but that is an inevitability in hardware at the moment. However, it’s one of the best ways to get an eye-boggling 4K gaming experience out of the box.

ACER PREDATOR ORION 7000: PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

• How much does it cost? Starts at £3,299 (UK), $4,999 (US), $6,999 (AU)
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the UK, US, and Australia

Our review build retails at £3,299, but it stretches all the way up to a £5,299 version with an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, 32GB RTX 5090, 64 GB DDR5 RAM, and a 4TB SSD — which is starting to get into 8K gaming territory.

As well as the components, you’re also paying for a decent chassis. Acer has made the Orion 7000 feel cohesive while inviting upgrades — and although you might not need them for a little while, those extra RAM and SSD slots will come in handy when prices finally tumble in the year 2176.

The closest comparison that we’ve reviewed recently is the Corsair One i500, which packs similar liquid-cooled componentry and gaming performance into a wood-finished case. The Orion 7000 is a more conventional design, screaming for attention, while Corsair’s One i500 issues a more sophisticated invitation.

While there are lots of models available in the UK via Acer itself and Currys, in other countries the choice is more limited. In the USA, you can only get the Predator Orion 7000 direct from Acer for $4,999 – but this build packs an Ultra 9 285K processor and 64GB DDR5 RAM. In Australia, the RAM is pared back to 32GB and the price pumped up to $6,999 AU.

• Value: 4 / 5

ACER PREDATOR ORION 7000: SPECS

Category

Specification

Processor

Up to Intel Core Ultra 9 285K

Graphics

Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 (32GB GDDR7)

RAM

Up to 128GB DDR5 (6000MHz)

Storage

Up to 6TB PCIe M.2 SSD / Up to 4TB HDD

Connectivity

Intel Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, 2.5G Ethernet

Ports (Front)

3x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, 2x 3.5mm audio jacks

Ports (Rear)

1x Thunderbolt 4, 3x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 2x USB 2.0, 3x 3.5mm audio jacks, 1x HDMI, 3x DisplayPort

Weight

18.16kg (approx. 40 lbs)

Dimensions

485 x 219 x 504.8mm

ACER PREDATOR ORION 7000: DESIGN

• A huge, heavy PC
• Tweakable aesthetics via software
• Handy NVME drive bay

You know you’re in for a good time when a PC is so heavy that it arrives in a wheeled crate. The reason for this back-breaking 40lb (18kg) weight? First up, the case, which has a solid build quality and thick, magnetically shielded glass panels. There’s none of the flex or lightness of cheaper chassis: it feels like you could stand and possibly even jump on it (not that we tried).

Within lurks a water-cooled CPU heatsink, a triple-fanned RTX card, and a 1200W PSU, none of which are known for their lightness. At 19.1 x 8.6 x 19.9 in (485 x 219 x 504.8 mm), it’s absolutely humongous, too, with the water-cooled radiator and its RGB fans adding a little extra to the height over the otherwise similar Orion 5000 Rob reviewed.

(Image credit: Future)

The Predator Orion 7000 matches its monolithic form factor with eye-catching looks. The glowing Predator “shield” on the front panel makes it look like Sauron’s shoebox, but from the side its aggregation of liquid-cooling pipes and LED fans give it a hydroponic feeling.

(Image credit: Future)

The colors of the fans (adjustable via Predatorsense software) can make the unit feel pumped-up and aggressive or calm and quiet, which speaks to a thoughtful design.

FutureFutureFuture

A neat little touch here is a hot-swap USB-C M.2 NVMe bay that pulls out of the top of the machine. Add an SSD, and you’ve got extra, portable storage for those 200GB-plus game installs – and computing has gone back to the cartridge days of the 90s. The top panel also includes headphone, mic, and USB ports for quick and easy access.

• Design: 4 / 5

ACER PREDATOR ORION 7000: PERFORMANCE

• Massive performance uplift
• Handles 4K gaming without problems
• Powers through draining creative tasks

Acer Predator Orion 7000 review: Benchmarks

Here's how the Acer Predator Orion 7000 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
Geekbench 6 (Multi Core): 22612; (Single Core): 2,233
Cinebench R23 (Multi Core): 35,011; (Single Core): 2,185
3DMark Fire Strike: 50,020; Night Raid: 93,883; Port Royal: 21,404; Time Spy: 28,326
Total War: Warhammer III: Mirrors of Madness (1080p, Ultra): 224fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Ultra): 161fps
Dirt 5 (1080p, High): 232fps

While Rob described the Orion 5000 as “not outrageous,” the Orion 7000 pushes things very much into outrageous territory. The componentry shift only seems minor: from an Nvidia RTX 5070 to an RTX 5080, and from an Intel Core Ultra 7 265F to a 265KF. That’s a difference of 10 and an extra K.

But in the world of gaming, this is a huge leap in performance. 3D Mark’s Port Royal benchmark, which tests ray tracing abilities, delivered a 53% leap in performance. Cyberpunk 2077, in ultra settings (albeit at 1080p) went from 95fps on the 5000 to 161fps on the 7000. It’s proof that Nvidia really has put its money where its mouth is with the RTX 5080 — and the difference between gaming at 1440p and 4K.

(Image credit: Future)

That “K” in the CPU moniker stands for “unlocKed,” which means that Acer is able to push the Core Ultra 7’s further than stock settings, enabling higher clock rates and power draw. Add in the water-cooled heatsink, and you can eke out a lot more performance from Intel’s Arrow Lake chip: Geekbench 6’s score for intensive computing tasks increased by 50% over the Orion 5000, while Cinebench R23 multi-core scores saw a massive 60.5% uplift.

(Image credit: Future)

In reality, this means that the Orion 7000 can handle just about anything you can throw at it in 4K. Cyberpunk 2077 and Crimson Desert both looked utterly breathtaking in their intricate ray-traced details: the wind rushing through the trees, the atmospheric hazing on the horizon, the major globules of spilt blood. It also wasn’t phased at all by huge 4K Premiere Pro video editing tasks and motion tracking in After Effects, and that SSD drive is equally handy for large files.

The most pro of gamers may be put off by Acer’s PredatorSense software and system noise, but if you want your gaming big-scale, cinematic, and console-killing, this is the PC to go for.

• Performance: 5 / 5

SHOULD I BUY THE ACER PREDATOR ORION 7000?

Notes

Rating

Value

Even the base model here is expensive, but this is a future-proof machine that will keep up with the next few years of gaming.

4/5

Design

A monolithic and domineering design that can’t be tucked away, but quiet operation and the neat NVME drive make it more palatable.

4.5/5

Performance

The tuned CPU works in lockstep with the heavyweight GPU to deliver remarkable 4K gaming performance, and it breezes through pro creative tasks

5/5

Total

An utterly unsubtle PC that matches performance prowess with eye-catching neon-lit design. If you want high-end gaming that will make console owners drool, this is the PC for you – but it costs a lot.

4.5/5

Buy the Acer Predator Orion 7000 if...

You want solid 4K gaming with all the bells and whistles
We’re used to having to dial some features back for ultra-HD gaming at fluent framerates – but that’s not the case here. The Orion 7000 is ready to take on today’s (and tomorrow’s games) from the moment you plug it in.View Deal

You need a future-proof PC
While the base specs here are enough to power up your gaming sessions from the word go, there is room for a couple more RAM sticks (if you can afford them!) plus an easy-access NVME bay for an instantaneous storage boost.View Deal

You want people to know you just spent a lot on your PC
This is a PC that looks expensive – for better or worse. The slab-like design and LED fans make this a computer that can’t be ignored, but it serves its purpose, keeping everything icy cool and deadly quiet.View Deal

Don’t buy the Acer Predator Orion 7000 if...

You want something small and light
There’s no getting around the fact that this is a big, heavy PC that will crush your toes as easily as it crushes the competition. This is best suited to a dedicated gaming room or teen bedroom, not one for the living room.View Deal

You’re on a strict budget
This is a huge investment, and one that’s probably been inflated due to ongoing global componentry madness. View Deal

ALSO CONSIDER

Category

Acer Predator Orion 7000 (PO7-660)

Acer Predator Orion 5000 (PO5-655)

Corsair One i500

Processor

Up to Intel Core Ultra 9 285K

Up to Intel Core i7-14700F

Intel Core i9-14900K

Graphics

Up to NVIDIA RTX 5090 (32GB)

Up to NVIDIA RTX 4080 Super

Up to NVIDIA RTX 4090

RAM

Up to 128GB DDR5 (6000MHz)

Up to 64GB DDR5 (4800MHz)

Up to 192GB DDR5 (6000MHz)

Storage

Up to 6TB SSD / 4TB HDD

Up to 1TB SSD / 2TB HDD

Up to 2TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe

Connectivity

Wi-Fi 7, BT 5.3, 2.5G Ethernet

Wi-Fi 6E, BT 5.0, 2.5G Ethernet

Wi-Fi 6E, BT 5.3, 2.5G Ethernet

Cooling

Predator CycloneX 360 (AIO)

Predator FrostBlade 2.0 (Air)

Dual-path Liquid Cooling (AIO)

Ports (Front)

1x USB-C, 3x USB-A, 2x Audio

1x USB-C, 3x USB-A, 2x Audio

1x USB-C, 2x USB-A, 1x Audio

Dimensions

485 x 219 x 504.8mm

485 x 219 x 504.8mm

391 x 185 x 300mm

Weight

18.16kg

17.23kg

10.28kg

Acer Orion Predator 5000

The 7000’s little brother is still a dependable and powerful PC that stands its ground in 1440p gaming. If you want the familial looks, don’t mind missing out on the liquid cooling, and want to save money, this is the one to go for.

Read our full Acer Orion Predator 5000 reviewView Deal

Corsair One i500

Corsair heads in the exact opposite direction to Acer, packing similar components and cooling into a calmer, classier case. This is one that you could stick in your living room.

Read our full Corsair One i500 reviewView Deal

HOW I TESTED THE ACER PREDATOR ORION 7000

I spent one full week testing the Orion 7000 as my primary workstation and gaming rig. I tested use cases ranging from 4K video editing in Premiere Pro to intensive 4K ray-traced gaming in Cyberpunk 2077. I used suites such as 3DMark and Cinebench R23 to verify clock speeds and see how it shaped up against other PCs.

First reviewed March 2026

Asus Zenbook A16: Two-minute review

The Asus Zenbook A16 is a large laptop that aims to shoehorn premium performance into a portable package. It certainly achieves the latter; I was impressed by just how light and thin the unit really is, especially when you consider its 16-inch diagonal. It’s much easier to carry around than many of its rivals.

What’s more, it looks good. The beige colorway of my review unit was a refreshing change to the dour shades of many laptops, while the mottled pattern on the lid adds further interest, making it one of the best laptop choices if you’re after a unique design.

The Ceraluminium material might have a ridiculous name, but its build is anything but. While it’s incredibly light, it’s also quite solid. Meanwhile, the lid offers plenty of stability while still being easy to open and close. The bezel around the display isn’t quite so premium, but thankfully it’s very minimal, which helps to maximize screen space as much as possible.

Another impressive aspect of the Zenbook A16’s design is the variety of physical connectivity options. Despite that slender chassis, you get three USB ports (two Type-C and one Type-A), an HDMI port, a combo audio jack, and a full-size SD card reader.

(Image credit: Future)

This generous selection puts other similarly thin laptops to shame, although I was mildly disappointed to see nearly every port loaded on one side. Not splitting the USB-C ports across both sides is an especially aggravating decision, considering both can be used for charging and connecting to external monitors.

The Zenbook A16 is a capable general-purpose machine. It makes light work of basic productivity and entertainment tasks, including 4K streaming. However, it falls down somewhat when gaming. It can’t handle AAA titles all that well, performing worse than other laptops with similar integrated graphics.

Some heat can be felt towards the back and left side of the base, but this is far from troubling. The fans also produce a noticeable sound, but mercifully this isn’t as disruptive as some other examples.

The display is the highlight of the Zenbook A16, though. The crystal-clear 3K resolution is ideal for screen size, while the OLED technology ensures a deep contrast and a vibrant color palette. It also has plenty of brightness, which helps to prevent pesky reflections from ruining the viewing experience.

Thanks to the light actuation and spacing of the keys, the keyboard is easy to use. There’s also a little more travel and dampening to presses than is typical for a laptop keyboard, which only adds to the tactility and feedback. It’s a shame, though, that there’s no number pad and few navigation keys.

On the other hand, the touchpad of the Zenbook A16 is more practical. Its large surface area makes navigation easier, while the useful side gestures are convenient and functional. There were only a few occasions when I accidentally triggered them (and cursor movement) when typing, which is a much better hit rate than I’ve experienced with other large touchpads.

Battery life is impressive, too. The Zenbook A16 lasted a full 24 hours in our movie playback test, which is considerably longer than comparable models. For perspective, the 16-inch Samsung Galaxy Book6 Pro I tested only managed 14 hours in the same test.

However, it can’t match the Samsung for performance and sheer design quality, despite being about the same price. This means that unless you prize portability above all else, the Zenbook A16 mightn’t offer the best value compared to some stellar rivals.

Asus Zenbook A16 review: Specs

Base

Review

Price

TBC

$1,699.99 / £2,099.99 (Aus TBC)

CPU

Snapdragon X (X1-26-100) (up to 2.97GHz, 8 cores)

Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme (X2E-94-100) (up to 4.7GHz, 18 Cores)

GPU

Qualcomm Adreno (integrated)

Qualcomm Adreno (integrated)

RAM

32GB LPDDR5X

48GB LPDDR5X

Storage

1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD

1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD

Display

WUXGA (1920 x 1200) OLED, 16:10, 60Hz

3K (2880 x 1800) OLED, 16:10, 120Hz

Ports and Connectivity

2x USB-C (4.0 Gen 3 with support for display / power delivery, 40Gbps) 1x USB-A (3.2 Gen 2), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack, 1x SD 4.0 card reader; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4

2x USB-C (4.0 Gen 3 with support for display / power delivery, 40Gbps) 1x USB-A (3.2 Gen 2), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack, 1x SD 4.0 card reader; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4

Battery

70Wh

70Wh

Dimensions

13.9 x 9.5 x 0.7 inches (354 x 242 x 17mm)

13.9 x 9.5 x 0.7 inches (354 x 242 x 17mm)

Weight

2.4lbs (1.1kg)

2.9lbs (1.3kg)

Asus Zenbook A16 review: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future)

• $1,699.99 / £2,099.99 for top model
• TBC in Australia
• Some rivals offer better value

The Asus Zenbook A16 is available from April 7th in two guises: both get Snapdragon CPUs, but one is the X1-26-100 with 8 cores and the other the X2E-94-100 with 18 cores. The models also have different RAM sizes (32GB and 48GB) and display resolutions (2880 x 1800 at 120Hz and 1920 x 1200 at 60Hz). Both come in two colorways: gray and beige.

The top model costs $1,699.99 (and £2,099.99 in the UK), while the pricing for the base model is yet to be confirmed. This is also the case for the pricing and availability of both models in Australia.

This is undeniably an expensive laptop. It’s similarly priced to the Samsung Galaxy Book6 Pro, which is about as premium as they come. Graphical performance is also superior to that of the Zenbook A16, handling AAA games much better. It’s nowhere near as light, though.

If you need even more graphical power but want to keep that 16-inch form factor, the Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 is a better alternative. Granted, its performance doesn’t match up to the very best gaming laptops, but the mere fact that it has a dedicated GPU — and a powerful one at that — means it can handle demanding titles, as well as video editing and other creative duties, far better than any machine without one.

Asus Zenbook A16 review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Very light and thin
• Interesting Ceraluminum construction
• Generous port selection

There are a few aspects of the Asus Zenbook A16’s design that made me sit up and take notice. The first was my review unit’s beige finish, which is a breath of fresh air in a world of monochromes (although it should be said that a gray model is also available).

The second is the Ceraluminum construction, which looks and feels softer and more inviting than the hard and sterile materials of other laptops. I also appreciated the mottled finish of the lid, which looks more like paper and adds an interesting aesthetic element.

However, the standout aspect of the Zenbook A16 is its incredible lightness. When coupled with its ultra-thin chassis, this must be one of the most portable 16-inch devices out there. The soft, rounded sides of the base make it more comfortable to pick up and hold, too.

(Image credit: Future)

Despite its featherweight construction, build quality is also good. The base feels reasonably solid, while the hinge for the lid provides smooth and easy adjustments, as well as sufficient stability once set in place. The screen bezel is a little disappointing: although it’s very thin, the material quality is a step down. It isn’t flush or integrated into the screen, either, as it is on the best MacBooks, but this is a minor quibble.

There’s an admirable number of ports on the Zenbook A16. There are two USB-C ports, both of which employ the USB 4 standard, supporting both charging and external monitor connections. It’s a shame that they’re both on the left; it would’ve been more practical if they were split across both sides, to improve amenability for varying setups.

Also on the left are the combo audio jack and an HDMI jack, which means this side is somewhat overcrowded; by contrast, the right only gets a single USB-A port and an SD card reader. Still, it’s hard to complain when there’s this much variety at all; similarly large and thin laptops can’t compete.

Asus Zenbook A16 review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Great general performance
• Lacks graphical pedigree
• Sharp and bright display

Asus Zenbook A16 benchmarks

3DMark: Night Raid: 34,017; Fire Strike: 6,672; Steel Nomad: 646; Solar Bay: 12,960; Solar Bay Unlimited: 12,549; Solar Bay Extreme: 1,352; Solar Bay Extreme Unlimited: 1,303
Geekbench 6.5: Multicore: 15,075; Single-core: 3,779
Cinebench R23: Multi Core: 9,370; Cinebench R24: Single Core: 89; Multi Core: 452
Crossmark: Overall: 1,840; Productivity: 1,652; Creativity: 2,132; Responsiveness: 1,634
Passmark Overall: 5,613.1; CPU: 16,825.4; 2D Graphics: 567.6; 3D Graphics: 4,243.7; Memory: 3,559.5; Disk: 46,745.8
BlackMagicDisk: Read: 4,832MB/s; Write: 4,330MB/s
HandBrake 4K to 1080p: 86fps
Total War: Warhammer III: 1080p, Medium: 53fps
Total War: Warhammer III: 1800p, Ultra: 15fps
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 24 hours and 5 minutes

The general performance of the Zenbook A16 is respectable. The Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme chip in my review unit handled typical everyday workloads well, such as light productivity and entertainment. It also streamed 4K content without issue, and the copious 48GB of RAM certainly helped with multitasking, too.

Graphical performance was disappointing, though. It failed to complete Puget Bench’s Adobe Premiere benchmark, due to an effect failing to render in time — an error I’ve experienced with other laptops lacking dedicated graphics, although some such models did complete the test successfully.

Also, it didn’t run Cyberpunk 2077 in a playable state with the Ray Tracing: Low preset selected. This isn’t too surprising given the aforementioned integrated graphics, but I have tested laptops with similar solutions that did manage to run the game at the same settings more smoothly.

Adjusting the allocation of the shared memory to favor graphics tasks helped somewhat, but not by much — and certainly not by enough to justify the considerable increase in heat and fan volume.

I found the sweet spot between performance and visual fidelity was achieved on the Zenbook A16 by switching to the Ultra preset (which disables Ray Tracing), lowering the resolution to 1080p, and enabling Frame Generation.

During such intensive workloads, some heat can be felt at the top of the keyboard and the left-hand side of the base. In fact, this can even occur when the Zenbook A16 is under moderate loads, but fortunately the temperatures are far from worrisome or uncomfortable. Fan noise can be heard in such cases as well, but this is muted to a greater extent than on some other laptops, and is therefore less distracting.

(Image credit: Future)

Perhaps the highest-performing aspect of the Zenbook A16 is its display. The 3K resolution is sufficiently sharp for a display this large, while the 120Hz refresh rate provides plenty of smoothness. And since it uses OLED technology, contrast is deep and colors are vibrant. The screen is shinier than many I’ve seen, which does mean reflections can make themselves known, but thankfully the high brightness levels stop them from dominating the image entirely.

I found the keyboard great for typing with. The generous spacing and lightness of the keys makes fast and accurate inputs a cinch, while their extra dampening and travel over those of other laptops imparts more satisfying feedback. I always feel it’s a shame, though, when a 16-inch laptop misses out on a number pad. There aren’t any navigation keys, either, save from a Delete / Insert key.

Thankfully, the touchpad on the Zenbook A16 is more practical. It stretches from almost the very bottom of the base to the bottom of the keyboard, providing a large area that makes for easy navigation. It also has an incredibly smooth surface, which only makes it more enjoyable to use.

And while it’s also wide, it’s narrow enough to prevent the palms of your thumbs from resting on it constantly. Even when mine did, there were only a few occasions when this contact triggered cursor movement or the side controls for volume and brightness — which, incidentally, function very well.

There are other slider controls on the touchpad besides these: gesturing along the top edge allows you to scrub back and forth on video and audio content, while swiping diagonally from the top-right corner launches ScreenXpert, Asus’ tool for managing app windows and multiple displays. Despite the usefulness of these Smart Gestures (as they’re called), it’s a shame that none of them can be customized.

Asus Zenbook A16 review: Battery life

(Image credit: Future)

• Outlasts rivals by a wide margin
• Still not the best of the best, though

The battery life of the Zenbook A16 is very impressive. When I ran a movie on a continuous loop, it managed to last just over 24 hours. This makes it much more enduring than other large laptops, such as the Samsung Galaxy Book6 Pro and MacBook Air 15-inch, both of which lasted half as long in the same test.

However, there are laptops that can do even better: the HP OmniBook 7 14-inch, for instance, managed 26 hours, again in the same test, while the MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ managed over 30 hours. So while the Zenbook A16’s endurance is certainly remarkable, it’s not the absolute best in the broader laptop market.

Should I buy the Asus Zenbook A16?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Hugely expensive, and the fact is other similarly priced rivals are better overall.

3.5 / 5

Design

The Ceraluminium construction is incredibly light, although it’s perhaps not quite as premium as others. There are a pleasing number of ports, too.

4 / 5

Performance

For workaday use, the Zenbook A16 is very good, and its excellent display showcases content brilliantly. Graphical performance leaves a lot to be desired, though.

4 / 5

Battery Life

Among the best for a large laptop, outlasting rivals by a long way. However, it can’t match the very best laptops.

4.5 / 5

Total

The super light design and excellent display are big plus points for the Zenbook A16, but the middling graphical performance and high price hamper its value compared to the alternatives.

4 / 5

Buy it if…

You want something large but light
I haven't come across a lighter 16-inch laptop. Coupled with its ultra-thin design, the Zenbook A16 is a great travel companion.

You want a great display
Large, bright, sharp, and vibrant — everything you could want from a display, although it’s a little too reflective at times.

Don't buy it if…

You want graphical power
Creatives and gamers will be disappointed — it’s even worse than other laptops with integrated graphics.

You’re on a budget
The Zenbook A16 is certainly expensive, and there are better performers with a more premium design for a similar price.

Asus Zenbook A16 review: Also consider

Samsung Galaxy Book6 Pro
For something more premium, consider the Galaxy Book6 Pro. Its metal body is a cut above the Zenbook A16’s, and feels more sturdy as a result. Performance is also excellent, outdoing the Zenbook A16 on graphical tasks, even though it likewise has no dedicated GPU. It’s very expensive, though. Read our full Samsung Galaxy Book6 Pro review.

Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10
The Legion 7i has the advantage of a dedicated GPU, which means it eats up graphics-intensive tasks, such as video editing and gaming. It’s not the absolute best in class on the latter front, but it’s certainly capable enough for many players. What’s more, it has an even more premium design than the Zenbook A16. Read our full Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 10 review.

How I tested the Asus Zenbook A16

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested for several days
• Used for numerous tasks
• Plenty of laptop reviewing experience

I tested the Asus Zenbook A16 for several days, during which time I used it for general browsing, light productivity, streaming content, and gaming.

I also ran our series of benchmark tests, designed to assess all aspects of performance. I also ran a movie on a continuous loop to test the battery life.

I’ve reviewed a large number of laptops previously, across a broad range of price points, form factors, and use cases.

• First reviewed: April 2026
• Read more about how we test

AGM Legion Pro: One minute review

The AGM Legion Pro is a budget-friendly, rugged outdoor smartwatch which competes with more expensive, adventure-focused rivals like those from Garmin or Suunto. It aims to do this by offering specs that typically belong to higher-end models, including military-grade durability, aluminum frame, and a Gorilla Glass-protected 1.43-inch AMOLED display.

The watch's performance is characterized by a significant trade-off between its impressive physical resilience and its unpolished user experience, which is a constant reminder of its low price tag. While the GPS is highly accurate once locked, matching the precision of the Suunto Race S, the process of starting an activity can be frustratingly slow.

Health tracking similarly lacks the finesse of its competitors. The optical sensors are reliable for heart rate accuracy at rest, but they cannot maintain the same level of precision during high-intensity exercise, frequently exhibiting a noticeable lag in capturing peak heart rate.

On a positive note, the physical durability of the Legion Pro is excellent; it withstood being plunged into water with zero performance issues and showed no damage from weeks of hard use, confirming its ability to outlast many other budget-tier alternatives.

One of the Legion Pro's most compelling features is its battery life. The 370 mAh cell provides outstanding endurance, lasting around 14 days with typical usage and dropping to a still-excellent 10 days with heavy usage that includes regular GPS tracking and Bluetooth calling.

The AGM Legion Pro is unlikely to be considered for our guide to the best smartwatches but might bulldoze its way onto our best cheap smartwatch list, if only for its rugged durability.

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)AGM Legion Pro: Specifications

Component

AGM Legion Pro

Price

$99 USD / £99.98 UK / $149.99 AUS

Dimensions

48mm wide, 12.3mm thick

Weight

36g without strap

Case/bezel

Aluminum/Plastic

Display

1.43-inch AMOLED Screen, 60Hz refresh rate

GPS

GNSS and A-GPS

Battery life

Up to 10 days of heavy use, or 30+ days on standby.

Connection

Bluetooth 5.3

Water resistance

5 ATM and IP68

AGM Legion Pro: Price and availability

• $99 USD / £99.98 UK / $149.99 AUS
• Budget-friendly and affordable
• More well-known brands compete well at this price point

At $99 / £99.98 / AU$149.99, the AGM Legion Pro is at the more affordable end of the smartwatch spectrum. Its biggest competitors are other budget-friendly and mid-range smartwatches, often with a focus on ruggedness or fitness, such as the Amazfit T-Rex series. For the money, AGM throw in both black and orange bands, which is a nice touch.

• Value score: 4/5

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)AGM Legion Pro: Design

• A rugged smartwatch with aluminum construction
• A vibrant 1.43-inch AMOLED display
• Two strap options: black and neon orange

The AGM Legion Pro is a rugged outdoor smartwatch that is focused on durability. With an aluminum frame and solid plastic base, not only is the overall weight kept to a minimum, but it's also strong enough to withstand the knocks that inevitably come from exercising and exploring.

Its rugged aesthetic is backed up by meeting the MIL-STD-810H military standard for extreme conditions and its 5ATM water resistance rating, which makes it suitable for swimming and water sports up to 50 meters. It's shockproof, drop-proof, and highly resistant to dust and water.

Moving on to the display, AGM have opted for a vibrant 1.43-inch AMOLED offering that serves up a high level of clarity and contrast while also delivering excellent visibility. I was also impressed by its 600 nits of brightness, which meant I had zero issues viewing the display, even in direct sunlight. The Apple Watch SE 3 offers 1,000 nits of brightness as a comparison, but it’s also more than double the price of this watch. To protect the display and cement its rugged status, the Legion Pro’s screen is shielded by ultra-tough Gorilla Glass, ensuring it can withstand significant scratches and impacts.

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)

The Legion Pro features two physical buttons, one of which is a programmable ‘hot key’ for instant access to a favorite function, like the best Garmin watches. This adds a layer of convenience when wearing gloves or when the touchscreen might be wet. The rotatable crown button is effortless to use and enables movement through menus at a predictable speed.

There are two strap options in every box, with the neon orange option being my favorite. The silicone material is ideal for versatility and resistance to sweat, but I did find an issue with the implementation of the buckle and hole. In my experience, the silicone was too rigid to make for a comfortable fit.

• Design Score: 4/5

AGM Legion Pro: Features

• A rugged smartwatch that delivers for outdoor enthusiasts
• Built-in GPS and offline maps
• Over 100 trackable activities

The Legion Pro is a genuinely tough smartwatch with a rugged durability that gives users the confidence that it can handle an adventure where other watches might fail. To put its rugged credentials to the test, I submerged it in water and was pleased that I didn’t encounter any performance issues as a result. I also experienced no issues with screen or case damage despite using the watch for a number of weeks and being far from careful about knocking it.

To complement its outdoor credentials, the watch features built-in GPS and offline maps. The combination makes it a perfect solution for accurate location and route tracking, especially when you don't have access to an internet connection. There’s also an integrated barometer, altimeter, and compass which enables users to find their exact position without a signal. I comment on its accuracy in more detail in the Performance section.

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)

The AGM Legion Pro has all the health features and activity tracking that you would expect from a smartphone of this price. This includes heart rate and sleep monitoring as well as dedicated swimming and golfing modes. In fact, there are over 100 trackable activities, which will be more than enough for most people.

Features Score: 4/5

AGM Legion Pro: Performance

• Accurate GPS but slow to find a lock
• Poor health tracking during intense exercise
• 14 days battery life with typical usage, dropping to 10 days with heavy usage

I didn't know what to expect when I received the AGM Legion Pro. I had already done my research and couldn't quite reconcile the low price tag with the impressive set of features. But after even just a short while of testing, it quickly became clear that this is a smartwatch that aims for the moon while lacking implementation finesse.

Take the GPS, for example. This proved to be as accurate as the Suunto Race S with only a small margin of error over a long distance, but unfortunately the experience of starting activities was a test of patience. Annoyingly, you can only have up to ten activities listed on the watch at any one time, which is far from ideal for anyone who takes part in a varied set of exercises. But maybe more frustrating were the delays that it took to acquire a GPS signal, sometimes taking around 10 minutes before it locks on. It's a clear trade-off: amazing results for the price once it gets going, but a noticeable hurdle getting out of the starting gate.

The story continues when it comes to health metrics. Comparing it to the reliable Huawei Watch Ultimate 2, I found no issues with heart rate accuracy when I was at rest. Unfortunately, its optical sensors couldn't maintain the same accuracy during high-intensity exercise. The feeling of my heart pounding in my chest was oftentimes only captured by the device after a distinct lag. I know it's not a smartwatch for serious runners, but the lack of real-time accuracy is a little disappointing.

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)

In terms of battery performance, the 370 mAh battery of the AGM Legion Pro lasted around 2 weeks with a typical level of usage. The testing period included constant health tracking, daily exercise tracking, and smart feature usage, including reading and responding to notifications. I found that the battery life dropped to nearer 10 days when I used GPS tracking and Bluetooth calling more regularly. No surprises there.

I was able to charge the smartwatch from empty to 50% in only 30 minutes, with a full charge taking 75 minutes. This was at a charging speed of 1W, which was the maximum that I was able to achieve using the supplied charging cable. The cable has a simple two-pronged attachment which magnetically connects to the back of the smartwatch. I found it to be fairly reliable, although not as secure a fit as the round attachment offered on the Suunto Race S.

• Performance score: 3.5/5

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)AGM Legion Pro: Scorecard

Category

Comment

Score

Value

An affordable smartwatch with a number of pro features.

4.5/5

Design

A rugged design that is durable enough to withstand a reasonable level of exploration.

4/5

Features

With GPS, offline maps, 5ATM, and an IP68 waterproof rating, this is an excellent feature set to power even the most ambitious of adventurers.

4/5

Performance

Rugged excellence, but GPS locking is slow, and health tracking isn’t always accurate.

3.5/5

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)AGM Legion Pro: Should I buy?Buy it if...

You need extreme rugged durability.

The MIL-STD-810H certification and a 5 ATM rating make this watch an ideal choice for outdoor adventurers.

You will be doing a lot of outdoor adventuring

With outdoor navigation tools like built-in GPS, offline maps, a barometer, altimeter, and compass, there's no shortage of helpful features to keep your adventures moving in the right direction.

Don't buy it if...

You want a modern, slender aesthetic

This smartwatch couldn't be further from the Fitbit or Apple Watch design ethos. If that's what you're looking for, I would stay away from the AGM Legion Pro!

You need a running watch

The watch lacks automatic syncing with Strava, which will put a lot of runners off. It's also pretty bulky, which isn't ideal for running.

Also consider

Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro

Boasting supreme durability, unbeatable battery life, and excellent core GPS/mapping capability, the T-Rex 3 Pro is a solid offering. Lacks third-party app integration, LTE connectivity, and advanced safety features.

Read our Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro review

Amazfit Active 2

An extensive feature set, accurate health tracking, and a brilliant classic design – all for an unbelievably low price.

Read our Amazfit Active 2 review

Fitbit Charge 6

If you're looking for a casual wearable tracker, the Fitbit Charge 6 is a great option. It's unobtrusive, has an ECG heart health reader, full GPS, and above-average sleep tracking.

Read our Fitbit Charge 6 review

How I tested

I wore the Legion Pro smartwatch almost non-stop for three straight weeks. In this time I regularly tracked my health and sleep metrics as well as engaged in numerous different activities. Most notable were a number of walks, bike rides, a soccer game, and a little bit of hiking. To test its waterproof rating, I took great joy in plunging the watch in a bucket of water. I also tested its smartwatch features, including taking calls, answering texts, and map navigation.

First reviewed: April 2026

Dyson PencilWash: one-minute review

The Dyson PencilWash is a wet floor cleaner that’s a counterpart to the PencilVac launched last year. Unlike the PencilVac, the PencilWash isn't a vacuum. Instead, it’s essentially an electric mop with a soft roller that spins as water is dispensed onto it along eight points, and a squeegee that forces dirty water out of the roller into a storage tank.

It’s extremely slim and lightweight, with a long, slim handle and a full-size floorhead that’s almost identical to the one found on one of Dyson’s best wet-dry floor cleaners. It can soak up wet spills, wash away dried-on dirt, and pick up dust and dry debris in one sweep.

The PencilWash’s simple controls, lightweight and highly articulated head make it extremely easy to use, and almost effortless to maneuver around even tight corners, though its roller can’t reach right to the very edge of your baseboards.

The PencilWash is propelled by its large, fluffy microfiber roller, which spins to scrub your floors (Image credit: Future)

It’s very effective when used with plain water, collecting an impressive amount of dirt from surfaces that looked reasonably clean at first glance, though you can also use it with a cleaning fluid to help break down more stubborn and sticky stains.

It can be messy to empty because the dirty water tank doesn’t have a spout for clean pouring, and any debris that has accumulated on the squeegee and roller will need to be rinsed off or removed by hand. I found that the roller takes a long time to dry - even when I left it in a room with a dehumidifier running, it wasn’t completely dry for over a day.

The PencilWash's controls are very simple (Image credit: Future)

For me, the PencilWash’s biggest drawback is the price; the PencilWash only does wet cleaning, but costs almost as much as a good quality wet-and-dry vacuum cleaner like the Shark HydroVac Cordless WD201 / WD210 or the Bissell Crosswave HydroScrub. It does its job very well, but it’s tough to justify the expense for what is essentially a motorized mop unless you have no carpets or rugs to clean at all.

Dyson PencilWash: specs

Type

Cordless wet floor cleaner

Weight

4.85lbs / 2.2kg with water tank empty

Maximum run time

30 minutes

Clean water tank capacity

10.6oz / 300ml

Dirty water tank capacitty

11.4oz / 340ml

Dyson PencilWash: price and availability

• Available globally
• List price: $349.99 / £299.99 / AU$549

The Dyson PencilWash is available globally for $349.99 / £299.99 / AU$549, which is rather expensive for a wet floor cleaner without a vacuum. For comparison, the Bissell Crosswave HydroScrub wet/dry floor cleaner is $369.99 (about £280 / AU$540), while the Shark HydroVac Cordless WD201 / WD210 is $359.99 / £329.99 / AU$399.99.

It’s the most affordable Dyson floor cleaner you can buy right now, and you’re getting a great quality appliance that’s compact but powerful, so it’s a question of whether you have enough hard flooring in your home to justify the cost, or whether you’d be better served by a two-in-one cleaner.

• Value score: 3.5/5

Dyson PencilWash: design

• Super slim and lightweight
• Full-size, fully articulated floorhead
• Easy to operate

The PencilWash is a partner to Dyson’s super-slim vacuum cleaner, the PencilVac, with a similarly lean build. It consists of a slender copper-colored pole (which contains the rechargeable battery, controls, and a small LED display) and a full-size floorhead. This appears to be the same as the Submarine Wet Roller Head, which you'll also find on the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine.

The floorhead contains a large, fluffy microfiber roller, a refillable water tank, a ‘squeegee’ that forces dirty water out of the roller, and a tray that collects it. It’s easy to disassemble and slot back together, with all removable components colored red to make things as simple as possible. Unlike the PencilVac, however, the PencilWash has no LEDs to illuminate dirt on your floors.

The PencilWash is equipped with Dyson's Submarine Wet Roller Head (Image credit: Future)

The head is fully articulated and moves freely. It can be flattened to almost 180 degrees for cleaning under low pieces of furniture, and swivels smoothly to reach into awkward areas like behind furniture legs.

The PencilWash weighs 4.85lbs / 2.2kg without water, and feels nicely balanced with just 13.4oz / 380g in the hand. The water tank is in the floorhead, keeping the center of mass close to the ground.

The PencilWash comes with a charging stand, plus a clip-on tray for the floorhead (Image credit: Future)

The controls are simple and intuitive, too, with a power button and two boost options that dispense extra water for a certain period of time (five seconds or 30 seconds) if you need to tackle a particularly grimy area. The screen shows the current cleaning mode and power status.

The PencilWash comes with a charging stand, which holds the pole, and a tray to hold the floorhead when it’s not in use. Both are discrete and take up the bare minimum of space in small homes.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Dyson PencilWash: performance

• Cleans wet and dry dirt with ease
• Can reach under low furniture and into tight spaces
• Dirty water tank must be emptied with care

I tested the Dyson PencilWash in my apartment, which has black laminate flooring throughout the kitchen, hallway, and bathroom, which shows every water mark, crumb, and speck of dust.

Preparing the Pencilwash for use is simple; just remove the water tank and roller from the floorhead, fill the tank to the maximum line and twist it back into place, then dampen the roller with clean water and slide it onto its mount.

The floorhead contains the water tank, keeping the center of gravity close to the floor for stability (Image credit: Future)

When switched on, the PencilWash’s roller propels it forward, and the highly articulated head and lightweight handle make it effortless to push across your floors. Because the water tank is in the floorhead, most of the weight is kept close to the ground, keeping it stable and leaving the handle light and comfortable.

During my tests, I found that the PencilWash made light work of spills and dried-on dirt, such as spilled juice in the kitchen, and footprints in the hallway. Although you can use the PencilWash with a floor cleaner (such as Dyson’s own 02 Probiotic hard floor cleaning solution), I was impressed by how well it cleaned using nothing but plain water and agitation from the spinning roller, which is ideal if you have allergies that are exacerbated by cleaning products.

You can use the PencilWash with plain water or a floor cleaning solution (Image credit: Future)

Although the clean water tank appears small (it has a capacity of just 10.6oz / 300ml), the PencilWash is frugal with its use of water. A little goes a long way, and I was able to clean all my hard floors with the tank still mostly full at the end. If you’re cleaning a large home with hard flooring throughout, you’ll need to refill it partway through, but I was surprised by just how little water was required for thorough cleaning.

The floorhead’s articulation made it possible to clean even around the legs of my bathroom cabinet, which are particularly awkward. The head isn’t small, so I was surprised it was able to reach into such tight nooks and crannies. It’s a shame that the roller doesn’t get right up to the edge of baseboards, though. There’s a gap of around half an inch that goes unmopped, which is unfortunate since this area can be quite dusty.

The PencilWash is flexible enough to reach under low furniture and info awkward spaces (Image credit: Future)

I was also surprised by how well the microfiber roller picks up hair, dust, crumbs, and other dry debris, so you don’t need to vacuum before mopping. The downside is that dirt can accumulate on the roller and squeegee, and will have to be cleaned off by hand when you disassemble the head to empty the dirty water tray.

You need to be very careful when emptying out the dirty water, which involves disassembling the floor head and gently pouring the waste away. The tray isn't enclosed, so it's quite easy to accidentally spill.

You must be careful not to spill dirty water when emptying the PencilWash. It can scrub an impressive amount of dirt off floors that appear clean to the naked eye (Image credit: Future)

All the wet components can be cleaned with a mild antibacterial cleaner, after which you must leave them to dry out. I found that the roller took a particularly long time to dry, and even in a room with a dehumidifier running, it took over a day to dry out completely.

Overall, the PencilWash is very easy, and even fun to use — which is a surprising thing to say about a mop. It’s great for quickly refreshing hard floors mid-week, and for more thorough cleaning when necessary, thanks to its boost mode. If it could reach all the way up to my baseboards and was a little less messy to empty, it would have earned an extra half star.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Dyson PencilWash: should you buy it?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

Dyson's cheapest floor cleaner, but you can get a good quality wet/dry cleaner from Shark or Bissell for the same price.

3.5/5

Design

Lightweight, simple to use, and flexible enough to reach into small spaces.

4.5/5

Performance

Comfortable in the hand and easy to use. Cleans wet and dry dirt well, but can be messy to empty.

4.5/5

Buy it if

You have a small home

The PencilWash is ideal for an apartment like mine with lots of hard flooring and limited space to store a floor cleaner.

You have pets or children

The Dyson PencilWash lets you tackle spills and stains quickly and easily, with its boost button providing a little extra cleaning power when you need it.

You have limited mobility in your hands

The PencilWash is very light to hold and takes virtually no effort to move around your floors.

Don't buy it if

You only need it for the kitchen and bathroom

This is an expensive cleaner for just two rooms. If your home is mostly carpeted, I'd recommend looking at two-in-one wet and dry cleaners instead.

You have unsealed wood floors

Wet cleaners are a no-go for unsealed floors.

Dyson PencilWash: also consider

If you're not sure whether the Dyson PencilWash is the right floor cleaner for you, here are two other options to consider:

Dyson PencilVac

The PencilVac is the broom to the PencilWash's mop, cleaning better than we would have thought possible considering its streamlined size.

Read our full Dyson PencilVac review

Bissell CrossWave HydroScrub

It's not as small and stylish as the PencilWash, but if you need a cleaner that can handle carpets as well as hard floors, this wet/dry model costs around the same and performs well across the board.

Read our full Bissell CrossWave HydroScrub review

How I tested the Dyson PencilWash

I tested the Dyson PencilWash for a week on laminate flooring, using the regular and boost modes. I tested it on ordinary everyday dust and dirt, as well as muddy footprints, dried-on juice, and milk. I cleaned it after each use, following Dyson's instructions, and allowed it to dry fully. For more details, see how we test, review, and rate products at TechRadar.

First reviewed April 2026.

Roborock Saros 20: two-minute review

Roborock has raised the bar so high with its robot vacuums that it must be struggling to find new ways to improve, but the Saros 20 manages to do just that. It takes everything that was great about its predecessor — the Roborock Saros 10R; one of the best robot vacuums we've tested — and adds a couple of intriguing features on top.

While a lengthy feature list might be eye-catching, it needs to be in service of great cleaning power, and I'm pleased to report that Saros 20 doesn't disappoint on that front. In my tests, the bot delivered efficient vacuuming (I was especially impressed with its ability to pull pet hair from carpet), and was an equally capable mopper. Reliable and accurate navigation meant the cleaning coverage was always thorough, with the LiDAR puck-free design ensuring the bot was shallow enough to slide under low furniture with ease. Thanks to an extendable side sweeper and mop pad, room edges didn't get neglected, either.

Primary amongst the new additions on this robot vacuum is a 3.0 version of Roborock's 'AdaptiLift' chassis, which can now lift the bot over even taller steps, as well as enabling it to hover at exactly the right height for effective cleaning on chunky rugs and thick carpets. I could see clear evidence of this upgrade in action, with the Saros 20 adjusting itself as it made its way about in my tests. From a robovac's point of view, my home is relatively straightforward, but I suspect upgrade will really come into its own if you have thick rugs or especially tall room thresholds.

As is the standard with premium robovacs these days, the dock will take care of the vast majority of maintenance tasks for you — not only simple things like emptying the dust cup, but also washing (with hot water) and drying (with hot air) the mop pads, topping up water and dispensing detergent. It's so effective that the only thing I've had to do over around a month of use is refill the main water tank and empty out the dirty one.

New to this model is the fact that the jauntily named 'RockDock' will also dry off the internal dust bag, to stop things getting musty over time. I'm not sure this is essential, although if your bot will be tackling damp debris, it could be key to avoiding things getting pongy or unhygienic.

The Roborock Saros 20 is ultra-pricey, but that's no surprise given the amount of cutting-edge tech crammed in here, and the extensive feature list. Nor is the pricing out of whack with other brands' flagship models. If you want the best of the best, the Saros 20 should be in the mix. However, given the rate at which Roborock releases new models, I'd expect discounts to start to appear fairly quickly, so I'd still hang on a few months to avoid paying full whack.

That's the short version; read on for my full Roborock Saros 20 review.

(Image credit: Future)Roborock Saros 20 review: price & availability

• List price: $1,599.99 / £1,309 / AU$2,999
• Available: Widely, including US, UK and AU
• Launched: Announced Jan 2026, on sale from Feb 2026

The Roborock Saros 20 was unveiled at CES in January 2026, and first went on sale in various European countries from February, at a price of €1,499. As of late March, it's now also available in US, UK and Australia, at a list price of $1,599.99 / £1,309 / AU$2,999.

Regardless of where you live, this bot sits at the top of the premium price bracket. The high price is somewhat justified by the amount of cutting-edge tech crammed in here, the high build quality and the extensive feature list. This is one of the most capable robovacs on the market. However, some of the capabilities are nice-to-haves rather than essentials, and many people will be able to get away with paying less for a lower-specced machine, with very little compromise on performance.

It's also worth noting that Roborock releases new models at quite a rapid rate — the Saros is one of three new bots to be unveiled at CES — and as a result we tend to see prices dropping pretty quickly. If you're willing to be patient, you should be able to avoid paying full price on this model. In fact, at time of writing there's already an early bird deal that knocks off $210 in the US, and £180 off in the UK.

• Value for money score: 3.5 out of 5

Roborock Saros 20 specs

Max suction:

35,000Pa

Robot size:

13.8 x 13.9in / 35 x 35.3cm

Robot height:

3.14in / 7.98cm

Dock dimensions (W x D x H):

15 x 120.6 x 124 in / 38.1 x 47.5 x 48.8cm

Mop type:

D-shaped, Dual spinning discs, Roller

Max threshold clearance: 

Double layer thresholds up to 1.77 + 1.57 in / 4.5 + 4cm)

Dust bin volume (base):

2.5L

Water tank volume:

4L (clean), 3.5L (dirty)

Base functions:

Charge, empty dust, wash mop pads, dry mop pads, self-clean

Roborock Saros 20 review: design

• Chassis boosts the bot over thresholds and hovers it over thick carpet
• Two spinning mop pads, one of which extends to clean edges
• Dock takes care of most maintenance, including drying the dust bag

Roborock has honed its robot vacuum designs to near perfection over the years, and the Saros 10 is a feast of features picked from previous models, plus a few all-new additions.

The Roborock Saros 20 is an upgraded version of the excellent Roborock Saros 10R and has a sister model, the Saros 20 Sonic (itself an upgrade of the Saros 10). The headline new addition is that the AdaptiLift Chassis — essentially, the little feet that can raise the robovac up — has been upgraded to a 3.0 version, and gained some cool new capabilities in the process. As well as enabling the Saros 20 to vault itself over tall room thresholds, and lift itself out of the situation if it gets stuck, it has a further trick that makes it especially good at handling thick carpet.

The bot can assess the depth of the carpet or rug in front of it, and elevate itself to one of a selection of preset heights, where it will hover as it cleans. This theoretically means an efficient clean without the risk of getting bogged down in the fibers. It's suitable for pile up to 1.18in / 3cm.

(Image credit: Future)

One key point of difference between the Saros 20 and its Sonic sibling is the mopping setup. While the 20 Sonic has a single, D-shaped mop pad, the 20 has dual spinning discs. One can kick out to the side to mop close to the edges of rooms.

In fact, there's a whole clever lifting-and-lowering setup that can adjust to exactly what's going on under-bot. If the Saros 20 is tackling a mop-only task, its main roller will be elevated so floors get a thorough scrub without fine particles getting spread around or stuck in the roller. If tasked with just vacuuming, it'll leave its mop pads in its dock. And if it's on a mixed route, it can raise or lower its main roller and mops as required.

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On the vacuuming front, you've got a roller that includes rubber fins and bristles, to agitate carpet fibers and sweep up debris from hard floor. It's split in the middle to help combat hair wrap, and the whole thing can be popped out from its casing for cleaning if required. This roller is supplemented by a side sweeper that can extend out to one side when the bot needs to sweep the edges of a room.

(Image credit: Future)

Another notable feature is the navigation system. The Saros 20 uses an upgraded version of 'StarSight', Roborock's own navigation technology that does not require a raised LiDAR puck to be positioned on top of the robot. This means it's shallow in profile, and as a result can sneak under relatively low furniture.

The object recognition has been improved, with Roborock promising recognition of over 200 common object types, as small as 0.8in / 2cm in height or width. In contrast, its Sonic sibling model uses more traditional LiDAR, but has a LiDAR puck that can raise or retract as required.

(Image credit: Future)

The jauntily named 'RockDock' clean station is the all-singing, all-dancing type that empties the bins, tops up the water tanks and washes and dries the mop pads for you. As is the current trend, Roborock has upped the cleaning temperatures to tackle grease and dirt more effectively: the mop pad cleaning water is 212°F / 100°C (i.e. boiling) and the drying air is 131°F / 55°C. Another added trick is that the dock will also dry its base and internal dust bag, apparently to lessen the risk of mold or odors.

• Design score: 5 out of 5

Roborock Saros 20 review: performance

• Although hesitant at first, AdaptiLift lifting works well on tall thresholds
• Excellent at tackling pet hair on carpet
• Even, full-coverage mopping and very good vacuuming too

To get started with my review, I set the Saros 20 up in my home and used it as my main vacuum for around three weeks. During this time, I scheduled regular cleans of different types, and observed the bot's capabilities. Having tested a number of Roborock robot vacuums now, I was expecting a straightforward setup process, and the Saros 20 didn't let me down.

Getting it hooked up to my WiFi was painless, and the speedy initial mapping run produced a map that was decently accurate, even if it did think my lounge was a 'sunroom' (what even is a sunroom?).

In general, it just trundled out and completed its scheduled cleaning tasks with no fuss. It never got lost or needed rescuing, and based on the data it almost always followed a logical route around each room, too.

(Image credit: Roborock / Future)

However, I did experience a few odd behaviors following more specific cleaning requests. Once, I sent it out to mop, but the mop pads were completely dry. Another time, I tasked it with a simple Zone clean, but rather than just cleaning the designated 1.5 square-meter area, it took a very convoluted, 20-minute sightseeing tour of my living room, stopping only when I instructed it to 'Return to dock'. However, in day-to-day use it proved reliable and behaved how I expected and wanted it to.

Vacuuming

After a couple of weeks of regular vacuuming with the Saros 20, I was impressed. It consistently did a thorough job on both carpets and hard flooring, and I didn't have any issues with clogging during self-empty, either — even though it was dealing with a decent amount of pet hair.

I also ran TechRadar's standard robot vacuum suction tests, using loose tea (to represent fine particles), dry oats (to represent chunky particles) and dog hair (self-explanatory). I tested pickup on both a mid-pile carpet and a tiled floor, and the results were very good.

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On carpet, almost all the oats were cleared in a couple of passes — with only a few being flicked out of my chosen cleaning zone — and the robovac made a very good attempt at clearing the tea, too (a purposefully very tricky task). On hard floor the results were equally strong, although it required a higher setting to tackle the finest dusty tea particles.

The Saros 20 handled oats at the edge of a room fairly well, but I did need to go in with a manual vacuum and a crevice tool to clear these completely. As with all robovacs I've tested, the side sweeper brush can only do so much, but this model's sweeper handled the challenge better than most.

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I was most impressed with how well the Saros 20 handled dog hair on carpet. I rubbed a fistful of loose hair clippings into our living room floor, being sure to dig it right into the fibers. I then set the Saros 20 on a Zone clean using the maximum vacuum settings. After two passes only a fine layer of hair remained, and two more all-but cleared it all. That's an excellent result — typically, to clear pet hair you really need to get a manual vacuum out.

Mopping

In general use, the Saros 20 put in a seriously good shift when it came to mopping. The rotating mop pads did a stellar job of cleaning my tiled kitchen floor, covering the whole space evenly, removing marks and leaving a streak-free finish. It also reliably avoided mopping the thin, canvas rug, and I could see one of its pads popping out to one side as required to mop the edges of rooms.

To challenge the robovac further, I dribbled soy sauce and smeared honey on the tiled kitchen floor, then sent it out on a two-pass zone clean. It smeared the soy sauce about a bit on the first pass, then cleared it more effectively on the second. The honey put up more of a fight, and while the two passes did remove some of this sticky substance, I still needed to go in with a cloth to clear the remainder.

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That's not a surprise — no matter what the marketing materials would have you believe, no robot vacuum can match a damp cloth and a bit of elbow grease when it comes to cleaning hard floors.

Note too that this style of mop pad isn't a particularly choice for sticky or messy spills. The pads are only being cleaned when the bot returns to its dock, so to a certain extent the bot can only really smear the spillage around. (Roller mops, which are fed with clean water and the dirt scraped off as they go, tend to deliver more of a thorough mop. Although that mop style has its own down-sides, which I won't get into here.)

The Saros 20 reliably dropped off its mop pads in the dock when embarking on a vacuum-only run, but I was surprised — given the precise lifting/lowering setup this robovac has — that the rotating side brush didn't lift when mopping, even though the bot was on a mop-only pass. It pained me to see those spindly fibers spinning their way towards a puddle of soy sauce, and knowing they wouldn't be cleaned during the mop pad washing process.

Navigation & object avoidance

The Saros 20 performed well on my object avoidance task, skirting carefully around a shoe and pausing to judge the gap between two objects before slowly making its way between them. The performance here wasn't perfect — some things got pushed around when they should have been avoided, and as with every robot vacuum I've used, the Saros 20 couldn't resist chowing down on a cable or two — but it's good enough that I'd still recommend this bot for use in a fairly cluttered home.

I was especially interested in the advanced 'AdaptiLift' features, designed for use on thick carpet and for crossing tall thresholds. There was clear evidence that something was happening; on several occasions I could see the bot lifting and lowering in response to its surroundings. Although hesitant at first, the Saros 20 also learned how to cross the chunky room threshold between our wood laminate hall and carpeted living room, by backing up, raising its body up at the front, and approaching at speed.

Dock

The dock cleaning features are very impressive. After mopping the honey and soy sauce mess I expected to need to remove the mop pads and wash them manually, but after the self-clean cycle was complete they looked (and smelled) good as new, and with no stickiness to the touch, either.

I also had no issues with the self-empty mechanism jamming, as can happen when a robot vacuum has gobbled up too much pet hair. The automatic cleaning fluid dispensing is useful, and in general the dock just takes care of a good chunk of the maintenance so you just don't have to think about it.

I'm yet to make my mind up on the self-drying feature. The dock emits a humming noise while this is going on, and while it's not loud it is understandably noisier than a dock that doesn't have this mode. I've never had problems with a dock getting musty or clogging due to dampness, but that's not to say this drying feature isn't doing good things for my robot vacuum setup hygiene.

• Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Roborock Saros 20 review: app

• Oodles of control options
• Fairly easy to navigate, with a few exceptions
• Perhaps a little overwhelming for newcomers

As a seasoned robot vacuum tester, I'm generally a fan of the Roborock app. It offers plenty of control options, is pretty logical in layout, and I've never had any issues with bugs, glitches, or sloppy mistranslations. However, the sheer volume of information that Roborock is wrangling here means things can get a little overwhelming.

(Image credit: Roborock / Future)

There are a few sections I feel could be streamlined, and I can imagine that a newcomer who's not especially tech-savvy could have problems making sense of it all. Thankfully, the presets and 'smart' options mean even if you haven't dug into all the various settings, you can still achieve some very decent cleaning.

• App score: 4 out of 5

Should you buy the Roborock Saros 20?

Attribute

Notes

Rating

Value

Expensive, but justified by all the tech crammed in — plus deals will start appearing soon.

3.5 / 5

Design

Low-profile, high-quality bot packed with useful features including a chassis that enables the bot to hover over thick carpet, and a dock that can dry itself to prevent mold and odors.

5 / 5

Performance

Strong vacuuming and very good mopping. Occasional odd behaviors, but very reliable in daily use. AdaptiLift innovation works well.

4.5 / 5

App

Well laid out and relatively intuitive given the sheer number of control options.

4 / 5

How I tested the Roborock Saros 20

I used the Saros 20 as my main robot vacuum for around a month, during which time it followed a set cleaning schedule of mopping and vacuuming. During this time I got a feel for its cleaning capabilities as well as any failings. I also ran a series of standardized cleaning tests to get a more objective view of its position in the wider market. These included testing the vacuuming powers on carpet and hard floor, and with fine and chunky particles as well as dog hair. To test mopping, I used honey and soy sauce, and for object avoidance I laid out an obstacle course for it to make its way around.

I compared my findings to the many other robot vacuums I've tested, and weighed everything up against the price to ascertain if it offers strong value for money.

Read more about how we test robot vacuum cleaners

• First reviewed March 2026