TechRadar Reviews

Ugreen DXP4800 Pro: 30-second review

Ugreen has been a busy bee since the DXP4800 Plus launched in 2024. The DXP series made a considerable impression on the NAS market, arriving with proper build quality, a sensible feature set and pricing that put established names under pressure.

Two years on, and the company has returned to that same four-bay formula with a notable upgrade. The DXP4800 Pro is here, and it does not mess about.

This is not a ground-up redesign. Ugreen has kept what worked and focused on what needed changing. The chassis is largely the same excellent aluminium alloy shell. The networking remains a combination of 10GbE and 2.5GbE. The storage layout of four SATA bays and two M.2 NVMe slots is unchanged. What Ugreen has done is swap out the processor, push the memory ceiling higher, and rework a few smaller details along the way.

Having spent time with the Plus model previously, I found the Pro immediately familiar. That is not a complaint. The Plus was already one of the better-built four-bay units on the market, and the Pro continues in that tradition. The question is whether the upgrade justifies the price premium over its predecessor.

What it offers is a punchier CPU, a more capable GPU, better M.2 slots, faster memory and a greater total memory capacity.

But Ugreen is not immediately removing its predecessor from its shelves. Therefore, those who don’t think all those improvements are worth the roughly $60/£60/€60 price increase over the DXP4800 Plus can still buy that model and save some money.

From this reviewer's perspective, these enhancements are easily worth the extra, and the DXP4800 Pro is destined to become one of the best NAS devices for home and small business users.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)Ugreen DXP4800 Pro: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? From $680/£586
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? Direct from Ugreen or through an online retailer

Before we get into pricing, we need to talk about how Ugreen initially wanted to repeat its Kickstarter approach with newer hardware, since that's how they launched the original DXP machines.

This all went horribly wrong when Ugreen changed its mind about how it wished to launch the iDX series, having already taken deposits on the hardware, throwing a complete curveball at those who thought they’d secured an early system at a reduced price.

I’ve long been critical of companies that use Kickstarter as a marketing tool rather than for what it was meant to achieve. And, after this public relations mess, I suspect Ugreen will probably avoid using it in the future to channel interest.

You will be glad to know that the DXP4800 Pro isn’t part of a Kickstarter exercise, so you can buy it directly from Ugreen without jumping through any overly complicated marketing hoops.

For Americans, the Pro is $679.99 versus $619.99 for the Plus, a $60 hike. And for EU countries, the cost is €679.99, a €60 difference from the Plus model.

The official UK price for this NAS is £689.99, but the current offer is a much more realistic £585.99, more than £100 less.

That makes it £59 more expensive than the DXP4800 Plus, which seems reasonable considering the enhancements. At this time, Ugreen seems happy to sell both, but perhaps once the Plus model's stock runs out, the Pro might replace it.

I've also seen it available for $679.99 at Amazon.com and £585.99 at Amazon.co.uk.

Who gets the best deal? Converting the UK and EU prices to US dollars, the UK is paying $797.33, and the EU is paying $798.36. Therefore, the US price is about $120 lower than in Europe, but much of this is due to the current weakness of the dollar.

Heading the competition is the Synology DS925+ at around $640. It runs an AMD Ryzen V1500B, which is a genuinely old chip at this point, supports only DDR4, has dual 2.5GbE rather than 10GbE built in, and getting 10GbE requires a pricey add-in card.

It could be argued that DSM is the best NAS operating system available, but the hardware is not in the same league as the Pro. Synology has also had well-publicised issues with its drive compatibility policies recently. It rolled back on the SATA drive limitations, but you must use Synology-branded M.2 drives in the DS925+. That makes it a non-starter for many.

QNAP TS-464 sits in a similar price bracket with a lower-spec Intel Celeron N5095 or N5105, dual 2.5GbE, M.2 slots, and PCIe expansion. QuTS Hero is a mature and capable OS. The PCIe slot is a meaningful advantage if you want to add a 10GbE card yourself, but you are paying extra to reach parity with what Ugreen gives you out of the box.

TerraMaster F4-424 Pro is probably the closest hardware match. It uses an Intel Core i3-N305 or similar, has 10GbE, M.2 slots and is priced competitively at around $690. TOS 5 is more mature than UGOS, but the interface is not as polished. TerraMaster is another NAS maker embracing third-party OS options, but I don’t think its hardware is as well finished as Ugreen's.

Asustor has a new 4-bay in the AS6804T. But that’s north of $1300 for a system that has a quad-core Embedded Ryzen V3C14, 16GB of ECC DDR5, dual 10GbE and 2.5GbE LAN, and USB4 ports. But at this price, you can buy a six-bay NAS with Thunderbolt.

My honest summary is that the Pro's hardware specification at $680 is difficult to match. The main trade-off buyers are making is between Ugreen's maturing software and the deeper ecosystems of Synology and QNAP.

Ignoring the software part of this equation, the DXP4800 Pro easily delivers the best hardware for the asking price in this part of the NAS market.

• Value: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)Ugreen DXP4800 Pro: Specs

Item

Spec

CPU:

Intel Core i3-1315U (13th Gen Raptor Lake-U), 6-core, up to 4.5GHz Turbo

GPU:

Intel UHD Graphics (64EU)

RAM:

8GB DDR5-5600 (base), expandable to 96GB via 2x SO-DIMM

Internal Storage:

128GB SSD for UGOS Pro

SATA Storage:

4x 3.5/2.5-inch SATA III

M.2 Storage:

2x M.2 NVMe (both PCIe Gen 4 x4

Ports:

1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps)

1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps)

1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps)

2x USB-A 2.0

1x HDMI 2.0b

1x SD 4.0 slot (front)

Networking:

1x 10GbE RJ45, 1x 2.5GbE RJ45

OS:

UGOS Pro

File Systems:

EXT4, Btrfs

Maximum Capacity:

136TB (4x 30TB SATA + 2x 8TB M.2)

RAID Modes:

JBOD/Basic/RAID 0/RAID 1/RAID 5/RAID 6/RAID 10

PSU:

19V 7.2A 150.1W external

Power Consumption:

42.36 W (drive access), 18.12 W(drive hibernation)

Dimensions:

257 × 178 × 178 mm (LxWxH)

Weight:

520g (including PSU, but without drives)

Warranty:

2 Years

Ugreen DXP4800 Pro: Design

• Largely unchanged from Plus model
• Lockable Trays
• Simple and silent

If you know the DXP4800 Plus, the Pro will feel like home. The same compact aluminium alloy shell sits on the desk, looking rather purposeful in its near-black dark grey finish. Rounded edges take the industrial edge off things, but I did notice that the bend profile on the Pro is slightly tighter, saving perhaps a millimetre off the height of the NAS.

Four numbered drive bays occupy most of the front face. Numbering them is a small thing, but it avoids that horrible moment when you cannot remember which drive is which.

It’s also incredibly useful if you go from the Plus to the Pro, or from the Pro to one of the six or eight-bay designs later. All the trays seem identical, so you might not even need to take the physical drives out.

Drive trays use a tool-free telescopic mechanism for 3.5-inch drives, and SATA SSDs can be mounted in the trays using the included screws. Screws and a screwdriver are provided for 2.5-inch mechanisms, if you intend to use them. A lockable key system on the caddies adds a layer of physical security that many cheaper NAS devices simply do not bother with.

Below the bays sit the power button, activity LEDs, an SD card slot, and a pair of USB-A and USB-C 3.2 ports. The USB-C port runs at 10Gbps, which is genuinely useful.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Around the back, you find the 14cm diameter cooling fan behind its magnetic dust filter. That filter is attached magnetically, making it easy to pop off for cleaning, and it shows the kind of real-world thinking that separates good NAS designs from average ones. Also on the rear are HDMI 2.0 for 4K 60Hz output, one USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port at 5Gbps, two USB-A 2.0 ports, the 10GbE and 2.5GbE Ethernet jacks, and the DC power input.

The M.2 slots sit beneath a spring-loaded cover on the base of the unit. Access is straightforward. Two SO-DIMM slots are right next to them. The base 8GB module lives on one stick, leaving the other slot free for immediate expansion. Ugreen includes two adhesive thermal pads for the M.2 drives, which is exactly the sort of thoughtful addition that saves you a trip to the accessory drawer.

Build quality throughout is hard to fault. It was great when the DXP4800 Plus came out, and Ugreen haven’t dialled it back in any noticeable way.

• Design: 4 / 5

Ugreen DXP4800 Pro: Features

• Better CPU and GPU
• Faster memory
• Enhanced M.2 slots

The key upgrade is the processor. The DXP4800 Plus ran a 12th Gen Intel Pentium Gold 8505, a five-core part with a top frequency of 4.4GHz. Capable enough, but not a chip that was ever going to set the world on fire with heavy concurrent workloads. The DXP4800 Pro replaces it with a 13th Gen Intel Core i3-1315U.

That Core i3 is a genuinely better chip. It brings six cores in a hybrid configuration: two performance cores capable of full multi-threading and four efficiency cores handling background tasks. Turbo boost reaches 4.5GHz. The integrated GPU supports AV1 decoding natively, which matters if you are running Plex or Jellyfin and want hardware transcoding. The i3 also supports DisplayPort 1.4a and HDMI 2.1, though the hardware outputs them via HDMI 2.0.

Another significant change is the memory used. The Plus topped out at 64GB of DDR5 4800MT/s. The Pro raises that ceiling to 96GB (dual 48GB modules), which aligns with the i3-1315U specification. More importantly, the DDR5 speed steps up from 4800MT/s on the Plus to 5600MT/s on the Pro. That boosts bandwidth, although you still get a single SODIMM of 8GB by default.

Personally, I’d recommend any buyer to get at least another 8GB module, if the budget allows. I can imagine some reading this section and saying they would never buy a NAS that didn’t use ECC memory. And, it's true that this NAS doesn’t offer ECC support. Synology is keen on that technology, should you insist on it.

All the hardware changes in this NAS revolve around the improved platform, and another of those is the enhanced PCIe lanes situation. On paper, the Intel Core i3-1315U offers up to 20 PCIe lanes, with a mix of PCIe 4.0 on the CPU and PCIe 3.0 on the chipset.

That’s identical to the Intel Pentium Gold 8505, so how is it seemingly better on the Pro NAS?

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Given that the needs of all the external ports are almost the same, clearly some reorganisation of the PCIe lanes has occurred on the new Pro platform. On the Plus, one of the M.2 NVMe slots was PCIe 4.0, and the other was PCIe 3.0. Logically, that suggests that the Gen4 slot was connected directly to the CPU and the other Gen3 to the chipset.

Where now it looks like both slots on the Pro are connected to the CPU, and the chipset lanes are then reallocated for LAN ports and USB.

On the Intel Core i3-1315U, there are eight PCIe 4.0 lanes and twelve PCIe 3.0 lanes, meaning that all available PCIe 4.0 lanes have been used for the M.2 slots, unless Ugreen has introduced a PCIe switch. Why this wasn’t done on the Plus machine originally is a mystery, but it's definitely an improvement for the Pro.

The SD card reader receives a quiet upgrade to SD 4.0, which is a small but welcome improvement for anyone who shoots a lot of card-based media. Everything else, the chassis, networking, port selection and accessory bundle, remains essentially identical. The Plus is still available and costs less, so buyers need to decide whether those CPU, memory, card reader and M.2 improvements are worth the premium.

• Features: 4.5 / 5

Ugreen DXP4800 Pro: Software

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

• UGOS Pro
• Limited applications
• Yes to TrueNAS and other 3rd-party OS

UGOS Pro runs everything on the DXP4800 Pro, and it continues to be a system with a genuinely friendly face. Setup is fast. Visit find.ugnas.com, let the discovery portal find the device on your network, name it, create an admin account, and you are off. UGOS walks you through pool creation with sensible guidance on RAID options for people who have never had to think about parity drives before.

Day-to-day management is handled through a clean web interface. Docker runs properly, and there is a Virtual Machine app for full hypervisor work. The Sync and Backup app handles local-to-remote and Rsync-compatible server tasks. Cloud Drives connects to seven cloud services, including OneDrive and Google Drive. Security Manager provides real-time malware scanning with quarantine. Samba sharing is disabled by default, which is a correct security decision even if it catches people out initially.

The harder truth is that UGOS still has 29 apps for this model. Synology DSM and QNAP QuTS Hero offer far larger ecosystems. Btrfs snapshots work well for shared folders, but iSCSI LUN snapshots are not yet supported. The mobile app lacks Wake-on-LAN unless you run a UPS. Power-loss notifications require the same UPS dependency. These are not dealbreakers, but they are the kinds of gaps that remind you this platform is still growing up.

Ugreen is clearly listening to its user base and pushing updates at a reasonable pace. Jumbo frame support at 9000 bytes arrived with a recent UGOS update, which makes a real difference to 10GbE throughput. A Surveillance Station equivalent remains on the roadmap but has not yet arrived. Being pragmatic, the trajectory for UGOS Pro is positive, but the destination is still some distance away.

What I do like is that Ugreen has a published roadmap for their operating system, which can be found here.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Therefore, if there is a feature you especially want to see on this hardware, you can check whether it is planned for next year. More of an issue is that some of the requested features do not appear on this list.

But, as Ugreen supports TrueNAS SCALE, Proxmox VE and Unraid, owners aren’t stuck with using UGOS Pro if an alternative provides that feature by default. Obviously, Ugreen won’t provide support for any issues you might have with TrueNAS if you install that, but it will still provide warranty support for the NAS hardware.

Overall, UGOS Pro has gotten dramatically better, but is still a little behind what QNAP and Asustor offer. However, the closure rate suggests it will be equivalent in the near future, and for many users, it already provides sufficient functionality.

• Software: 3.5 / 5

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)Ugreen DXP4800 Pro: Performance

• Plenty of power
• Network expansion possible
• More power consumed

With four Seagate IronWolf NAS drives fitted and a RAID 5 volume configured, the DXP4800 Pro connects to a 10GbE network and delivers what you would expect from properly specified hardware. Sequential reads reach around 9.2 GB/s with jumbo frames enabled. Sequential writes come in at approximately 8.1Gbits per second. Those numbers comfortably saturate a 10GbE connection, and that’s without needing SSD caching.

Real-world large file transfers sustain roughly 3.2Gbits per second in both directions. That is the nature of spinning disk technology. It’s fast enough for most serious workflows, but not the paper-limit headline figure. If you fit NVMe SSDs in the M.2 slots and run them as a dedicated pool, transfers between SSD pools are considerably faster, though they do not always reach theoretical ceilings.

It’s also worth noting that both LAN ports can be channel bonded with the right switch, and it is possible to add extra LAN bandwidth using USB adapters, and Ugreen also makes these.

Adding a 1GbE port will cost about $10, 2.5GbE is $26, and 5GbE is $36. Using these inexpensive add-ons can enable those sharing M.2 storage to get more of the performance they see internally out on to the network.

The Core i3-1315U earns its keep in mixed workloads. Running Docker containers alongside active file transfers while Plex transcodes video is the kind of scenario where the Plus would start to feel the pressure. The Pro handles it with more composure. The two performance cores with HyperThreading are particularly useful for tasks that benefit from high single-thread speed, while the efficiency cores absorb background processes quietly.

Power draw is higher than some competing alternatives. The external 150W PSU is a practical acknowledgement of that, but it’s no larger than the one on the Plus model.

Possibly due to the second PCIe Gen 4 drive, but also the extra performance core on the CPU, the Pro

If power efficiency is your primary concern, simpler ARM or low-wattage Intel N-series NAS units will serve you better. The DXP4800 Pro is not built for frugality; instead, it is more about capability. And, with more capability, the horizon of possibilities widens.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

• Performance: 4/5

Ugreen DXP4800 Pro: Final verdict

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

The Ugreen NASync DXP4800 Pro does exactly what a mid-cycle refresh should do. It addresses the performance ceiling of its predecessor without trashing a perfectly workable form factor. The jump to a 13th Gen Core i3 is not a cosmetic upgrade. It translates into better concurrent workload handling, proper AV1 decode, and more headroom for virtual machines and containers. The 96GB memory ceiling and dual PCIe Gen 4 x4 M.2 slots round out a hardware package that looks very attractive at this price point.

If only memory and SSD storage were cheaper, allowing more of us to exploit these options.

Thankfully, at some point, the insanity of stockpiling memory, storage, and production capacity for AI datacentres that will never be built will end, and these systems can be enhanced with the parts needed to make the most of them.

The other elephant in the room remains UGOS. It is a capable operating system with a clean interface and a sensible setup flow, but the app ecosystem is shallow compared with what Synology and QNAP have built over many years. Missing features like iSCSI LUN snapshots and a surveillance application are genuine gaps for some buyers.

I know a surveillance app is being developed, so that one bugbear might soon be eliminated.

Given how far this OS has come since its work-in-progress launch, I’m confident that all the features people want will be added eventually. But unlike most competitor NAS, Ugreen have no issue with you installing TrueNAS on their hardware without invalidating the hardware warranty, should you want some of those features today.

The difference between this open, flexible approach and Synology’s absolute control-freakery is striking, and it’s undoubtedly driving market share toward Ugreen.

Also, for the right user, though, software limitations are perfectly manageable or even circumventable. If you need Docker, virtual machines, media serving and solid file storage performance in a well-built four-bay chassis with excellent 10GbE throughput, the DXP4800 Pro delivers all of that and more. Ugreen is improving UGOS with every update, and the hardware they have built around it gives the platform room to grow. The Pro is a compelling NAS that builds on the Plus version in a highly logical way.

Ugreen barrelled into the NAS market roughly two years ago like a bull in a china shop, and now has a reputation for exceptional hardware that’s priced competitively. And, nothing about the DXP4800 Pro suggests a misstep in their grand plan to dominate the SOHO NAS market in short order.

Should you buy a Ugreen DXP4800 Pro?

Value

More bang for the buck

4 / 5

Design

A good design largely unchanged

4 / 5

Features

Four bays and dual M.2 in a solid package

4.5 / 5

Software

Rapidly improving OS

3.5 / 5

Performance

10GbE and 2.5GbE LAN and plenty of power

4 / 5

Overall

Better than the Plus in many ways

4 / 5

Buy it if...

You want something flexible
Four drive bays have enough capacity to hold plenty of data, and the 10GbE and 2.5GbE LAN ports can distribute it effectively. While ARM processors are more power efficient, the Core i3 CPU in here can use Virtual Machines, making it great for code development.

You need transcoding
One improvement that the new silicon brought to the Pro from the Plus is AV1 hardware transcoding, making this model much more useful as a media distribution server.

Don't buy it if...

You want Thunderbolt
The next rung on the Ugreen NAS ladder is the DXP6800 Pro, and that comes with Thunderbolt ports that you can use for even faster networking or attaching even more storage. If you want Thunderbolt ports or PCIe expansion, then the DXP4800 Pro isn’t for you.

You want minimal power consumption
Ugreen makes a basic four-bay NAS, the DH4300, that consumes 22.89W when drive access is occurring and 7.23W during drive hibernation. The DXP4800 Pro uses 42.36 W when active and 18.12 W during hibernation. Therefore, the running cost in electricity for the DXP4800 Pro is almost double, and that also generates more heat.View Deal

For more storage solutions we've tested the best NAS hard drives around

FlexiSpot continues to shine with great options across a wide range of pricing tiers, making it a bit difficult to pin down a higher-priced offering or a budget option.

The C7 Morpher leans towards the higher end of mid-tier - expect to pay around $800 / £800 when not on sale. It's a nice enough ergonomic office chair, but it blends in a bit more than some of the best office chairs I've reviewed at this price, looking not too dissimilar from other 'serious' and 'professional' seats.

Depending on what you want and your own design and styling preferences, this may be preferred. I know I prefer simple black or dark grey chairs, unless it’s an accent or statement piece, but that usually comes with elegance. Some people prefer fun colors to liven up their workspace, while others prefer a specific color to match what they already have (or to avoid clashing).

The C7 Morper can fit that niche of looking nice and simple, but not cheap, but it’s still not going to be an elegant statement piece.

Flexispot C7 Morpher: Price and availability

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The FlexiSpot C7 Morpher is available for $800 from FlexiSpot.com and £800 from FlexiSpot.co.uk. However, at the time of review, it's discounted in the US to $650, and FlexiSpot generally run sales on all its office chairs - if you can wait a bit and watch the price, I’d suggest doing so.

Cost-wise, this is akin the excellent Steelcase Series 2, sitting at the upper end of mid-tier (arguably, it's broaching the premium price-point). What it lacks in design style, it makes up for in comfort features.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Flexispot C7 Morpher: Unboxing and First Impressions

The C7 Morpher arrived in a single, unassuming box that weighed just under 80 lbs. Once we started unboxing we noticed that every piece was individually wrapped in foam to help make sure that the chair gets delivered in good condition, which is something I appreciate as some chair companies skimp on this and then the chairs can sometimes arrive damaged.

With a single person, setup took about 30 minutes from unboxing to fully assembled utilizing the included T-handle Allen wrench — though we didn’t utilize the included gloves this time.

Upon first inspection, my team and I agree that the materials for this chair are on the nicer quality side of the spectrum, especially for this price range. The wheel base and the arms are made from aluminum, while the chair frame is a durable plastic material. The chair seat and back are covered in a comfortable yet durable fabric mesh material that seems like it'll be able to last quite a while without any signs of wear and tear.

As I've mentioned in the past for other chairs, I'm a big fan of mesh backs due to the increased airflow circulation and because I naturally run a bit warmer than the average individual, so I appreciated seeing that on this chair.

Flexispot C7 Morpher: Design & Build Quality

After years now of having leg rests available on chairs and having them become more and more common, I have noticed that I rarely end up actually using it.

However, that could very well just be a personal thing, as I don't usually use these chairs for anything but work. I'm usually trying to be really intentional with my posture when sitting, but if you're the kind of person who would utilize it, this is another one of the chairs that has a built-in one that slides underneath the seat when not in use.

Beyond the largest and materials, the other adjustability points are pretty standard for Flexispot chairs, and they're still overall usually on the more adjustable side when it comes to ergonomic offerings for these office thrones.

Flexispot C7 Morpher: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

I've put this chair through the test with a handful of my team members, some friends, some family, and several others who have walked past that have been interested in my ever-growing chair collection.

While I haven't tested the capacity up to 380 lb, I have tested the height range with individuals ranging from 5'7" to 6'2", and there seems to be wiggle room on both ends for comfortable seating in this chair.

If you plan to use this on a low-pile carpet or a hard floor, the standard casters will be good enough. However, if you want a smoother ride, or if you are on a rougher surface or longer carpet, you will want to upgrade the casters. If you're interested, FlexiSpot offers this at an additional cost, or you can pick some up on Amazon.

Flexispot C7 Morpher: Final verdict

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

If you're looking for a simple chair that will still provide ergonomic comfort for all-day work, but you don't want to spend an arm and a leg, then this is a chair that's worth considering. But if you're the kind of person who wants a more luxurious or elegant-looking chair that perhaps stands out a little bit more - especially at this price, then the C7 Morpher may not be the option for you.

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For more office furniture, we've tested the best standing desks.

TCL QM8L: Two-minute review

The TCL QM8L SQD-Mini LED TV may be technically the company’s third-tier TV this year, but it’s good enough to give you a flagship-type experience for a very reasonable price.

In my time with the TCL QM8L, I was very impressed across the board — almost as much as my dad, who’s probably stole even more time using it than me during testing. Its bright screen makes daytime watching easy even in bright rooms, and TCL’s backlight tech does a great job of offering a clean image with no blooming, highlighting detail no matter how bright or dark the picture is.

In fact, I think that everything this TV has to offer not only makes it really strong contender among the best TVs of 2026, as well as one of the best gaming TVs thanks to its four HDMI 2.1 ports and broad current-gen gaming features.

There’s plenty more to like about the 75QM8L (I received the 75-inch size for this review). The hands-free control is always a nice feature and having Google Gemini’s conversational interaction is mostly lovely, though I did find issue with some of the information it would offer up during use.

And I also found it to not quite measure up to the best of the best when it comes to color accuracy, or for color coverage compared to what TCL claimed it would be capable of.

That said, if you were to watch this TV and not look at any benchmarks, you would — like me — not think about any of that and just be enthralled with the sharp, smooth, and bright image (and brightness is a key area where the benchmarks look pretty good).

If you're looking for an excellent mini-LED TV that comes in big sizes, and can hold up to even the brightest rooms while still delivering nuanced picture quality, I can recommend the TCL QM8L strongly.

TCL QM8L review: Price and release date

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

• Release date: April 2026
• 65-inch: $1,799
• 75-inch: $1,999
• 85-inch: $2,999
• 98-inch: $4,999

TCL has taken a go-big-or-go-home approach this year, releasing impressive updates for its top couple of lines of TVs, including the QM8L series reviewed here. While the TV was on show at CES, it wasn’t available for purchase until April 2026.

It sits below the TCL X11L (which is this year's flagship) and the TCL RM9L TVs in this year's line-up, but it uses the same SQD-Mini LED panel technology as the X11L. (The RM9L uses a new RGB LED panel, just to confuse things.)

As far as actual pricing goes, the pricing is not for the faint of heart, despite being third in the list. I’ll discuss how it stacks up to the competition later (and TCL does offer good value), but that doesn’t change the fact that a price of $1,999.99 for the 65 inch, the smallest size available for the QM8L, is a lot of money to throw at a TV.

It's less than the likes of LG G6 OLED TV, but is still undeniably premium — though it's already dropped massively in the few weeks since its launch, and will drop further — as is always the case with TCL TVs.

I think adding a couple hundred bucks to upgrade to the next size up, the 75-inch reviewed here, is reasonable if you’re already considering dropping that kind of cash on a TV.

TCL QM8L review: Specs

Screen type:

SQD-Mini LED

Refresh rate:

144Hz

HDR support:

HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision IQ

Smart TV:

Google TV

HDMI ports:

4x HDMI 2.1

Built-in tuner:

ATSC 3.0

TCL QM8L review: Benchmark resultsTCL QM8L review: Features

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

• Supports the full range of HDR and spatial audio formats
• Uses a few different TCL technologies to improve picture quality
• Hands-free control via Google Gemini

The TCL 75QM8L has a good amount of features, as it should for TCL’s almost flagship TV. It has all the various HDR, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and DTS support one could need, which no rivals from LG, Sony or Samsung offer in their entirety.

The TV also utilizes some proprietary features to improve picture quality. For instance, the TCL Deep Color System is meant for a wider color range, to get up to a claimed 100% BT.2020 color coverage.

I’ll go into our test results in the next section, but I’ll briefly mention that the TV does decently but doesn’t actually get to that 100% color coverage for either BT.2020 or DCI-P3 in our measurements. Still, this technology does boost the colors beyond what's been normal for mini-LED in the past (and TCL says there are multiple ways to test for BT.2020 coverage).

Available in 65-, 75-, 85-, and 98-inches (my test unit is the 75-inch model), these TVs come with up to 4,000 local dimming zones featuring precise array full local dimming thanks to the SQD-Mini LED panel, and up to 6,000 nits of peak brightness to really make the most of HDR content.

For reference, the flagship X11L claims up to 20,000 local dimming zones and 10,000 nits of brightness. Considering the 75QM8L is much more affordable (in comparison), its specs are pretty impressive.

The ‘Enhanced Halo Control System’ in the LED backlight promises to minimize blooming, partly by using 26-bit backlight controllers. Having spent a good amount of time looking at this screen with HDR content on (as well as some test videos with colorful objects against black backgrounds), I haven’t noticed much if any in the way of blooming for real-world use.

Colorful or bright objects kept their shape against darker backgrounds without spilling over, so to speak, to those darker sections.

The WHVA panel 2.0 that TCL hopes will make you forget about OLED TVs also sport a 144Hz refresh rate, and a 178º viewing angle.

A TSR AI Pro processor powers the TV, with its processing focused partly on Google’s AI-powered voice assistant Gemini. And Wi-Fi 6 is on hand for a more responsive TV – realistically, your Wi-Fi is going to be the biggest bottleneck on a newer TV so this is a welcome upgrade.

If you’re like me, the hands-free voice control, using the Google Gemini AI voice assistant, will be the most impressive and most noticeable. Every time I say “Hey Google,” I find the TV to be responsive, even when it’s off and I’m asking it to turn back on.

I can open apps and a good deal of content just by speaking to it. I can also ask out more general knowledge-type queries that one would with a voice assistant (weather, sports scores, news, etc.).

Of course, there are some limitations in that it doesn’t always lead me to the right streaming location for certain content (more on that in the smart TV section).

Beyond the voice assistant, the AI capabilities, powered by the TSR AI Pro Processor, include an AI art gallery as a screen saver, AI news briefs, and AI picture-related settings.

For gaming, you've got 144Hz at 4K and variable refresh rate support across all four HDMI ports, plus the option for a 288Hz refresh rate at 1080p (still with VRR).

• Features Score: 4.5 / 5

TCL QM8L review: Picture quality

Difficult and nuanced near-dark detail is handled remarkably well (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

• Impressively limited blooming and bold colors
• Filmmaker mode and Dolby Vision help to deliver rich pictures
• Color accuracy is not totally ideal out of the box

I spent a few weeks with the TCL 75QM8L, sharing time in control of the screen with my dad, which means a combination of Phillies games, British murder mysteries, blockbusters, 90 Day Fiancé and Leave It To Beaver — as well as some next-gen gaming. I'll go into detail on that last bit in the gaming section, but it's instructive for how the screen looks too.

During use, the TCL QM8L is a stunner. What I think puts this TV above other so many other options are the color and halo control systems I mentioned above, combined with the total HDR support, meaning images look gloriously rich.

We measured 3,719 nits of peak HDR brightness in a 10% window in Filmmaker Mode, which is absolutely stunning – but the over 2,000 local dimming zones in the model I tested helped to keep clear separation between light and dark areas despite the brightness.

There’s no bleed from one color to the next, and I’m able to see details in shadows clearly thanks to high dimming capability of each section.

Fullscreen HDR brightness in a 100% window is also colossal, reaching 760 nits in Filmmaker Mode and 790 nits in Standard (which is what you're more likely to use for sports).

Even in SDR in Standard mode, it hit 518 nits. That blows away any TV I’ve tested so far, and means the screen will only have reflection issues in dark scenes — watching sports in the day won't be any kind of problem.

Also useful for sports, or family room viewing, is that it has a pretty wide viewing angle, so I can watch something at a very sharp angle and still see the picture impressively clearly.

Speaking of sports, the motion handling is smooth. Whether it's watching NBA basketball, or even a sweeping drone shot, the screen doesn't show much in the way of judder. And of course, movies come across as buttery smooth.

Regardless of what's happening on the screen, the TCL QM8L still manages to reproduce all the detail of the image. Whether it's the fine lines of a petal in one of those hi-res screen tests or the crowd in the background of a game, it all looks clear and natural.

Even lower resolution content looks plenty sharp with a decent amount of detail. I never knew Leave It To Beaver could look so good, thanks to the "super resolution" AI upscaling (which is optional, but is enabled out-of-the-box).

When it comes to color, TCL's purported 100% BT.2020 rating is a little overblown, because the best we measured was 90%. (TCL told us there are multiple ways to measure BT.2020, and that it makes a difference.)

DCI-P3 color coverage is incredibly strong for a mini-LED TV at 98% — this is what we get from the most elite OLED TVs normally, with mini-LED falling further behind.

A little more concerning is the color accuracy. We measure how close the color reproduction is to 'perfect', measured in a 'Delta E' score, which means how far the picture is from the signal it's trying to recreate. We look for a score below 3, because at that point the human eye can't distinguish any difference from the reference pattern.

In Filmmaker Mode, the TCL QM8L score 3.7, which is a little disappointing for a premium TV, but not a dealbreaker. But in Standard, we measured a score of 9.9, which is shockingly high for something in this price range.

This is out of the box, of course, but most people don't calibrate their TV. As I said above, I found the colors to be really impactful and involving, but Filmmaker Mode is definitely the way to enjoy things if you want an accurate, more natural look — Standard isn't where we'd expect it to be.

• Picture quality score: 4.5 / 5

TCL QM8L review: Sound quality

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

• Sounds good enough to skip the soundbar in general
• Bass is the major area lacking
• Spatial audio sounds pretty good

The sound quality on the TCL 75QM8L is pretty impressive, as it should be, considering the price and the fact that the sound system is branded as being by Bang & Olufsen.

I’ve tested everything from blockbuster movies to reality TV to various games and music, and I believe the audio here is good enough for you to skip adding a soundbar as long as you’re not looking for a home theater-type listening experience.

The high-end has plenty of presence while not being ice-pick brittle, letting sounds like flutes, strings, cymbals, and anything one might consider ‘sparkly’ (think chimes) come through with full clarity.

The mid-range is full in a way that many TVs aren’t able to produce, and is, in my opinion, the main reason to typically add a soundbar to a setup. When listening to music, vocals and guitar have the appropriate amount of aggressiveness, while dialog has a weight to it in movies the helps it to stand out clearly.

There’s a decent amount of mid-bass, so you’ll still get a little thump when listening to music or watching an action movie, but the two built-in woofers aren’t able to reproduce the frequencies typically the responsibility of a subwoofer. If you really want to feel the audio, you’ll need to add one.

Happily, TCL does have a wireless subwoofer that can be added for that purpose, but it does require an additional purchase. Likewise, though the TV supports Dolby Atmos and DTS, you’ll have to get TCL’s Dolby Atmos FlexConnect speakers to actually hear any surround sound if you don’t want to purchase or build a whole home theater system.

The TV does, however, manage to reproduce some spatial audio without any add-ons. Turning it on does add a sense of height to whatever I’m watching, so you should definitely give it a try.

I also appreciate the fact that there are some other audio options to fine tune, such as a bass boost, a dialog enhancer (admittedly subtle), an auto volume control that works somewhat like night mode in that it compresses audio volume, and an AI sonic adaptation feature that works to offset the reflections of your room for a more pure sound.

That last feature works, though not quite as well as something like Dirac, so don’t expect audiophile-level audio.

• Sound quality score: 4.5 / 5

TCL QM8L review: Design

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

• Zero edge bezels feel very premium
• Excellent dual-height stand with cable management
• Remote is larger than average

The 'zero edge' bezels on the 75QM8L make me almost feel like I’m watching on a floating screen — there's almost no frame.

The centered stand, which can be height-adjusted during installation to accommodate a soundbar, makes the TV feel more balanced and stable than many TVs that I test (and we typically get 65-inch models for testing).

The stand also has cable management built into it — it has a back panel that pops out to hide the cables — which we always appreciate.

I also like the fact that all four HDMI ports are HDMI 2.1, meaning you don't need to think about which one you're going to use and fiddle around. Well, mostly: there's still only one HDMI eARC port, so if you connect that one of the best soundbars or an AV receiver, you need to know which it is.

Lastly, the remote is actually a bit bigger than I’m usually used to, which some might like. It’s heftier and so easier to keep track of and the bottom is angled to fit snugly in the hand. It’s also backlit and has a talk button, though you can also communicate with the TV via Google Gemini.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

TCL QM8L review: Smart TV and menus

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

• Google Gemini is conversational and responsive though not always correct
• Good amount of free content available on Google TV, and all major apps
• There's a quick menu for common settings changes

The Google TV interface is one I’ve gotten accustomed to after reviewing a number of TVs and streaming devices that use it. The way it’s implemented on the TCL 75QM8L is essentially the same, with the only noticeable difference to most TVs being the inclusion of Google Gemini.

Google Gemini is a very robust voice assistant. Since it’s AI-powered, it’s conversational and quick, but also prone to mistakes the way generative AI generally is.

For example, I had Gemini look up the movie Swept Away, and while it offered correct information on the fact that there are two versions, it was wrong on where it was available to stream. Strangely, when I just used the interface’s search function, I was sent to a landing page that suggested it was available to stream on Tubi, which still only hosted the newer, more maligned, 2002 version.

Gemini is nice to use, though, with a selection of different timbres of voices that sound natural when speaking. I’m able to ask about much more than movies of TV, because it is a full-blown voice assistant. It even brings up a neat little graph when talking about the weather.

For some reason, it did default to pulling up relevant YouTube videos when I asked more general questions. For instance, I asked ‘Recommend a movie to me based on my viewing habits’ and it just pulled up a bunch of YouTube videos (I was not in the YouTube app, mind you) related to must-see movies.

The rest of the Google TV interface is more standard fare. A rotating banner covers the top of the home page, followed by rows of recommendations including ‘Must Watch’, ‘Continue Watching’ and more, not to mention a row of apps if you want to open one and browse.

Still, many will appreciate being able to browse much of the available content from the home page. Just be aware, it’s not comprehensive, as the interface may not pull information from certain apps.

As every manufacturer does these days, there’s a good amount of free content available. Google FreePlay, in particular, has a good deal of content and works much like a cable guide interface. Who knew that Google would be able to quench my dad’s thirst for Leave It To Beaver — there was a whole channel streaming episodes.

When you first go to the settings option via the remote or navigating the screen, a breakout box of quick settings appear at the top right corner of the screen. You have to still click once more to get the full list of settings — sometimes this is useful, sometimes it feels like it's just adding a step.

There’s a lot of fine tuning available, especially for the display, so I can imagine the menus to be a little overwhelming for anyone digging in for the first time. But it’s good to have more options than not, especially with as good of a TV as this.

• Smart TV & menus score: 4.5 / 5

TCL QM8L review: Gaming

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

• All HDMI inputs support 4K at up to 144Hz, with variable refresh rate
• Game Bar menu for game-specific finetuning of settings
• Can automatically switch inputs and to game mode when console is on

Great news for gamers this year is that all four of QM8L's HDMI inputs are of the full-fat HDMI 2.1 variety, meaning that they all support 4K at 120Hz or 144Hz. Just make sure to enable faster refresh rates in the TV’s menu.

Speaking of menus, if you press on the hamburger symbol (the three stacked lines) on the remote while gaming, the TCL 75QM8L will pull up a specialized menu that the brand calls the Game Bar, enabling you to turn on things like an FPS counter, Aim Assist, Game Accelerator 288 (which doubles the perceived refresh rate to 288Hz, but drop the resolution to 1080p), and Overdrive, which is a kind of motion blur that can’t be used as the same time as high refresh rates.

To test the TV for gaming, I used a Playstation 5 and had no problem running compatible games at 120 fps. All of them looked crisp thanks to the 4K resolution with good HDR contrast despite the more limited processing you get in the gaming mode.

The 9.5ms latency is excellent for a TV, and is basically as good as you get from any of the best gaming TVs — and helps everything feel fast and snappy when playing.

Lastly, not only can the TV switch inputs automatically when a console is turned on, but the TCL QM8L will automatically switch the picture mode to game mode.

• Gaming score: 5 / 5

TCL QM8L review: Value

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

• It's pricey, but not quite flagship price, thankfully
• The bigger the size, the better-value TCL sets tend to be
• Certain unique features like hands-free control are available on cheaper TVs

The 75-inch TCL QM8L is about two grand (which is a drop from the $3k is cost right at launch) — that’s not cheap and it’s out of reach for many consumer.

However, compare it to LG’s mid-range OLED offering, the LG C6, and the TCL is not looking so bad. That comes with a price tag of $3,699 for the 77-inch. The TCL has a big price advantage, but the two TVs are comparable overall for features.

The big threat to it is really last year's TCL QM8K. That's now available for around $1,500 for a 75-inch size, and is a really excellent TV without question at that price — the QM8L's better color range, improved backlight and four HDMI 2.1 ports mean that it's worth the upgrade in my opinion.

It may not be the bargain of the year at this price, it represents a great value overall, and is above average when it comes to bang for your buck.

• Value score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)TCL QM8L Series

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Excellent picture and audio format support, plus hands-free AI-based controls that can be really useful.

4.5 / 5

Picture quality

Stunning brightness and extremely impressive contrast control for a mini-LED. We wish the colors in Standard Mode were more accurate.

4.5 / 5

Sound quality

The audio sounds good enough to skip a soundbar, though there’s not much in the way of low-end.

4.5 / 5

Design

The adjustable center stand with cable management is great, as are the zero edge bezels.

4.5 / 5

Smart TV and menus

Google Gemini is conversational and easy to use though not quite reliable, while the Google TV interface is fairly intuitive to use.

4.5 / 5

Gaming

Four HDMI 2.1 ports and super-rich HDR images make this a pleasure to game on.

5 / 5

Value

The TCL QM8L is a strong value compared to similar-tier TVs from other brands, but is still pricey.

4 / 5

Should I buy the TCL QM8L Series?Buy it if...

You want a bright, rich screen

The TCL 75QM8L has a bright, vibrant screen. While not reaching quite the heights of TCL's flagship TVs, this TV’s brightness will outshine any mid-range TV, making it stunning for HDR and great at beating reflections.View Deal

You want an impressive gaming TV

This TV has gaming-centered features, a game picture mode, 2.1 HDMI ports for 4K at 144Hz, and complete HDR support. Along with the wide color coverage, that all makes this a great TV to game on.

You want to talk to your TV

The hands-free control via Google Gemini makes using the TCL QM8L even easier than it already was. Not only can you pull up content, but you can ask any question under the sun and get an answer that almost sounds human.

Don't buy it if…

You want the most accurate picture possible in multiple modes

Make no mistake, the TCL 75QM8L is a good looking TV. Still, we'd prefer the colors to be a bit more accurate in Standard Mode out of the box.

You want to save money

It's good value, but it's far from cheap — TCL's mid-range TVs, or last year's models, can offer even more bang for your buck.

Also consider...

TCL QM8L

Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED (2025)

Hisense U65QF

LG C6

Price (65-inch)

$1,799

$849

$999

$2,699

Screen type

SQD-Mini LED

QLED

QLED w/ mini-LED

OLED

Refresh rate

144Hz

60Hz

upt to 144Hz

165Hz

HDR support

HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision IQ

Dolby Vision/HDR10+ Adaptive/HDR10

Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG

Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG

Smart TV

Google TV

Fire TV

Fire TV

WebOS 26

HDMI ports

4 HDMI 2.1

4 HDMI 2.0

4 (2x HDMI 2.1)

4x HDMI 2.1

Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED

If you want a souped up voice assistant but fall squarely into the Alexa ecosystem, the Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED has Amazon’s own voice assistant perfectly integrated. Of course, it’s a cheaper TV so it comes with compromises like no Dolby Atmos support, a 60Hz cap, and limited brightness.

Read our full Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED review

Hisense U65QF

The Hisense U65QF is very affordable for a mini-LED TV. It’s packed with features like Dolby Atmos, a 144Hz refresh rate, and Dolby Vision IQ. It also has Alexa built in, though not Alexa+. Finding the video settings does take some deep menu diving, and the Prime-focused interface is a bit of an acquired taste.

Read our full Hisense U65QF review

LG C6

The LG C6 is a strong upgrade over last year's LG C5, delivering brilliant picture quality, perfect contrast and black tones, the best suite of gaming features you can find, and a good smart TV interface. As it's price drops, it's a very strong OLED competitor to the mini-LED tech in the QM8L.

Read our full LG C5 review

How I tested the TCL QM8L Series

• I used the TCL 75QM8L for a couple weeks
• Tested with both TV, movies, music, and games
• Benchmark measurements conducted by Future US testing lab

I used the TCL 75QM8L regularly for a couple weeks. I tested it using streaming shows, movies, music, and games (via PS5). I went through the various features, particularly the hands-free AI voice assistant, to see if they work as advertised. I also spent time listening to the audio as well as paying attention to the picture quality.

The objective data measurements were taken by Future Publishing's TV testing lab, which uses the Klein K-10A colorimeter and Jeti 15VA spectroradiometer, Murideo Six G 8K Metal test pattern generator, and Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software to record the results.

I’ve tested a lot of tech gear over the years, from laptops to keyboards and speakers, and so have been able to use my expertise towards giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.

You can read an in-depth overview of how we test TVs at TechRadar at that link.

• First reviewed: May 2026
• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

I remember it like it was yesterday. I got an email in my inbox with a link to preview an unreleased Dell display. The very moment that I saw the specs, I thought I was dreaming: 52 inches, 6K display, Thunderbolt dock, fast response time. And, from one of, if not the largest, display makers in the world.

I've said for years now that Dell monitors are a staple in the workspace; however, this is nowhere near the norm or regular in the average workspace. Most people who have seen this monitor on my desk, in the background of photos, or in virtual meetings assume it's a TV mounted on my wall. Some have even thought it's a window, depending on the content I have on it.

That's how good this monitor is.

At its core, it performs just like some of the other incredible monitors that I've tested from BenQ, Dell, LG, and beyond. However, there's one massive caveat. This monitor is absolutely massive. 52 inches sounds large when you read it on paper or see it in photos, but once you experience it in real life and realize that, as a 6-foot-2 individual, I could fit in the box it came in, it makes it all the more real.

The moment you plug in, you feel like you are entering a workspace, not just adding a panel to your machine. There's no need to switch around between what you have open or remember what was on the other screen. There's no need for multiple desktops, or even for your laptop to be open, to get just a little bit more screen real estate.

For me, this is possibly the best business monitor I've ever tested - so long as you have the space (and the need for higher resolutions). There's so much on here that I have had everything open I could possibly need for large research projects, and I have had plenty of space, especially if you have this thing scaled all the way up to 6K resolution. The amount of material you can fit on the screen is absolutely ludicrous.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Dell UltraSharp 52 U5226KW: Unboxing and First Impressions

Keep in mind I also review an insane amount of desks, and I regularly will come home or check my cameras and see massive boxes on my front porch when this monitor got delivered, I saw it while pulling up to my house, and I immediately assumed it was a desk that I was waiting for. In fact, as I write this, I realize that one of my regularly used desks that I'm currently testing is actually smaller than this panel is — madness.

Dell sends all the goodies that it normally sends with its monitors in the box, including cables, power supply, and a base that I love to hate on a little bit. Just to try it out, I put this model on the base at first, and then realized that the base is also significantly larger than others to hold this gargantuan of a panel.

So, I quickly took it off and put it on the monitor arm and realized that my nice monitor arm could not support the insane weight of this panel on its own. I resorted to resting the weight on my Grove made desk shelf and using the monitor arm to route cables and hold the monitor from falling forward and backward.

Once I plugged in my first machine to test this panel with it, it took me about two minutes to set my display preferences correctly on my machine and make sure that all my devices were plugged into all the different ports; then I got to work.

Dell UltraSharp 52 U5226KW: Design & Build Quality

I've mentioned it a little bit, but this monitor, outside of being massive in size, actually retains a pretty standard aspect ratio. It really does truly feel like just a properly scaled up version of a standard monitor, unlike ultra-wide, where you very clearly get extra width on the side, or a 16:10, where you clearly get some extra height. This one feels pretty standard when it comes to aspect ratio.

That's not to say that you will probably ever actually use anything in full screen on this display, unless it's for a movie, potentially a large virtual main, or presenting content. If you are truly using this as a productivity machine, odds are you'll have a myriad of windows open spread across this entire thing, with some shoved up in corners that are just reference materials, others that are dead center, and the like.

The panel itself continues to hold the quality of a standard Dell monitor, which I've spoken about many, many times. It feels like it will last a lifetime and like I will never have any issues with it as long as I treat it with basic decency.

One thing that becomes glaringly obvious when you have a giant display like this is desk depth. Because it's so large and it only has a slight curve to it, you'll need to make sure that you are sat far enough away from the desk to actually be able to utilize the full amount of screen without straining your neck to be able to see the edges.

The ports stay in the center back of the monitor, which are phenomenal once you have everything plugged in and pushed back to where you may want it. For changing things out, if you do have this monitor tucked back on the edge of a desk, potentially against a wall, it will be slightly difficult to get around, as your arm can't just reach in from the edges like a standard monitor. If you are able to get up and under the monitor from the front, you could do that and find your port if needed.

Originally, I was planning on putting this on a very hefty monitor arm like what I have for my main display, which is a very large (large is now a relative term, since Dell's display dwarfs my BenQ MA320U).

However, after setting my monitor on top of my shelf, supported by a monitor bent for mid to normally large I fell in love with the sleek, floating look and decided to keep and now I am thrilled with it. It keeps my cables clean. It makes it to where I can swivel out the monitor to plug in test machines and swap out docking stations I'm testing, all while looking fantastic and having very high functionality.

Dell UltraSharp 52 U5226KW: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

I've tried to use this monitor every single day since getting it set up around a hundred days ago. If this was a YouTube review, I'm sure I would have a hundred-day test somewhere in the title or metadata, like all the YouTubers do. In that time, it really does feel like I have found a cheat code that gives me the ability to have multiple monitors, all while not having the annoyance of bezels or managing multiple monitors in whatever OS I'm working with.

There are times that I don't even use more than two-thirds of the available real estate. I've learned to understand that that's 100% okay and doesn't mean that I'm not fully utilizing what is in front of me.

There are other times that I have been working on large research projects, grinding on an insanely busy day and having a thousand things that I'm doing at once and having to triple task on things. Or other days where I'm in large meetings while also presenting, and I'm able to fit it all on a screen without even needing to have my laptop open.

On my other desk setups, I'm used to swapping between desktops on my Mac or context switching a lot with multiple windows open and hidden, and having to remember what's on the other screens when I can't fit it all. On this one, I can keep it all open, and then all I have to do is remember which zip code it is in (ok it’s not THAT big).

I will say that if you have the cash for it, this is an easy choice over an ultra-wide, as you still have that vertical space that you don't have on an ultra-wide.

While using this monitor, I have tested every single computer that has come through my studio on it. I have run gaming systems just for kicks and giggles. I have worked on it as many days as possible, and I have had it in the background of almost every virtual meeting I've had, simply just as an incredibly cool background that people either think is fake or a window.

At all times, I have an Apple TV, two docking stations, a display port running to whatever desktop I am testing at the time and HDMI running to whatever extra device I may want to plug-in on the fly. For the two docking stations, I rotate the different laptops I have, testing between those, and I'm able to pop them up on the panel or run picture-in-picture or picture-by-picture.

There were a few laptops and a few desktops that I was testing that were more budget-friendly and not as high-performance as the others. I was able to quickly spot which had the cheaper or lower-performance graphics cards, as they were not able to scale to the high resolution and sheer size of this panel. This made it glaringly obvious which ones had a higher graphical output.

If there's such a thing as an endgame monitor, this would probably be it. While it may not be the best thing for gamers, and I'm sure that there aren't going to be any businesses that buy this for the cubicles. When it comes to overall productivity and business performance, I'd be willing to bet that this monitor can outperform just about all of them.

Dell UltraSharp 52 U5226KW: Final verdict

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

This monitor has officially entered a class of its own. I know many people who don't even have TVs that are this large, and for sure there are most people who don't have monitors that have these kinds of specs.

To have both the size of a TV and the specs that outperform even some of the best monitors on the market, this monitor is in a class of its own. Like I said before, it truly transcends the idea of what a monitor can be and turns an expansion of your laptop into a true environment of productive mastery at whatever you are working on.

While I can't say this scientifically, I'd also be willing to bet that this monitor makes you smarter, more productive, better at your job, and whatever else it takes to be able to try and convince your boss to let you buy one for the office.

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

DJI Osmo Mobile 8P: two-minute review

When I reviewed the DJI Osmo Mobile 8 in November 2025, the only real criticism I had for it was its lack of a remote control. With the Osmo Mobile 8P, DJI has gone and fixed that issue — and in doing so has produced what I'd call the most capable lightweight smartphone stabilizer on the market right now.

The headline addition is the Osmo FrameTap, a detachable remote that snaps magnetically onto the gimbal handle for close-up work and slides off for remote shooting (with a range of up to 25m). Its 1.4-inch touchscreen can mirror your phone's camera view — directly on Android, via the Mimo app on iOS — so you can frame shots, trigger tracking, and adjust the gimbal's pan and tilt without having to peer at your phone's screen. It's a feature that the Osmo Mobile 8 was crying out for, and a match for the touchscreen remote that made the Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra one of my favorite gimbals of 2025.

The FrameTap touchscreen remote spends most of its time fixed to the gimbal's handle, but pops out when needed. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

In most other respects, the 8P is virtually identical to the Osmo Mobile 8: it has the same foldable form factor, built-in extension rod and mini tripod, magnetic phone clamp, 360° pan rotation, and up to 10 hours of battery life. DJI claims the OM 8P's 8th-generation three-axis stabilization delivers 20% more torque than the OM 8's, and while I don't doubt that on paper, I'd be surprised if most users noticed any difference in everyday shooting. The stabilization is smooth and dependable, as you'd expect from any modern DJI gimbal.

Where the 8P is more meaningfully upgraded is in its tracking skills. The Advanced Tracking Combo bundle I reviewed pairs the gimbal with the 2nd-Generation AI Tracking Module (officially the Multifunctional Module 2), which can now follow virtually any object — not just people and pets, but vehicles and more — using your phone's native camera or any third-party app. It also features a highly customizable LED fill light.

Future | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam Kieldsen

In testing, ActiveTrack 8.0 (only available through the Mimo app) and the Module 2's own tracking were both excellent, reliably re-acquiring me even when I ducked behind objects and re-emerged in a different spot. You can also set your position within the frame rather than being locked to the center, which is a useful tool for more compositionally minded creators. Apple DockKit tracking is also present, but with Module 2 available, it feels largely redundant. I suppose it's useful if you want the simplicity of NFC pairing, but it offers far fewer options than either of the other two modes.

Beyond tracking, the 8P's general feature set will feel familiar to anyone who has used its predecessor. You get the same four gimbal motion modes — PTF (pan and tilt follow), PF (pan follow), FPV, and SpinShot — cycled through via the FrameTap's on-screen mode button, plus a trigger on the front for re-centering, locking the gimbal axes, and flipping the phone between front and rear-facing cameras. Buttons for toggling between portrait and landscape orientation are also available (again, via the FrameTap's touchscreen), and the mini joystick handles manual pan and tilt when you want direct control over the gimbal arm.

Future | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam Kieldsen

There are some trade-offs here, though. By shifting much of the control scheme to the FrameTap's touchscreen, the 8P feels less immediately hands-on than the OM8 — the joystick is smaller, and functions like mode switching and camera toggling now live behind a touchscreen rather than dedicated physical buttons. The zoom/focus wheel present on the Osmo Mobile 8 is gone entirely, which feels like a regression. And if you're stepping up from a gimbal that used the original Multifunctional Module 1, note that the Module 2 has apparently dropped support for connecting a DJI wireless microphone directly to the module itself — you'll need to connect your mic to the phone instead.

All things considered, the Osmo Mobile 8P represents a small but meaningful step forward for DJI's gimbal lineup. Its tracking is class-leading, its remote control fills the one gap that held the OM 8 back, and its pricing remains competitive against rivals like the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro and Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra. The reduced physical controls and the Module 2's dropped mic receiver support are real niggles, but they're unlikely to be dealbreakers for most users. If you're in the market for a folding smartphone gimbal, the OM 8P is now the one to beat.

DJI Osmo Mobile 8P: price and availability

• Priced from £135 / AU$219
• Available in three different bundles

At £135 / AU$219 for the Standard Combo (which, importantly, includes the FrameTap), the Osmo Mobile 8P is priced at the same level as its predecessor.

The Advanced Tracking Combo (which is the configuration I tested) comes in at £169 / AU$269. It includes the same contents as the Standard Combo, plus the new Multifunctional Module 2 tracker and fill light.

Finally, there's the Creator Combo at £195 / AU$329, which features all of the above plus a DJI Mic Mini 2 transmitter and mobile receiver. Like all recent DJI products, there's no US pricing or availability at launch.

DJI Osmo Mobile 8P: specs

Dimensions:

196 x 105 x 38mm (folded)

Weight:

386g / 13.6oz

Compatible phone weight:

170 to 300g / 6 to 10.6oz

Compatible phone thickness:

6.9 to 11mm

Compatible phone width:

67 to 84mm

Connectivity:

Bluetooth 5.4, USB-C

Battery life:

4 hours (using tracking and fill light) / 10 hours (balanced and stationary)

Should you buy the DJI Osmo Mobile 8P?

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)Buy it if...

You want the best gimbal for tracking
Offering three distinct ways to track diverse subjects, the OM 8P is great at keeping you in the frame.

You want an affordable, compact gimbal
Compact and competively priced, the OM 8P starts at the same price as its predecessor did upon release. Note you'll need to pay more for the tracking bundle, however.

Don't buy it if...

You own a heavy phone
If your smartphone weighs over 300g or is more than 11mm thick, the Osmo Mobile 8P won't be able to grip it.

You like hardware controls
By shifting most of its buttons to the FrameTap's touchscreen, the OM 8P ditches the immediacy of its predecessor's physical controls.

DJI Osmo Mobile 8P review: Also consider

Insta360 Flow 2 Pro
The Flow 2 Pro was once the best all-round gimbal for tracking, but since its release it has been surpassed by Hohem and DJI. It's still a capable stabilizer, however – particularly if you can pick it up at a discount price.

Read our in-depth Insta360 Flow 2 Pro review

Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra
Hohem's stabilizer offers excellent module-based tracking plus a touchscreen-equipped remote control unit – a feature now "borrowed" by DJI. It doesn't have a quick-release mount option, but it can grip heavier, larger handsets than the Osmo Mobile 8P.

Read our in-depth Hohem iSteady V3 Ultra review

How I tested the DJI Osmo Mobile 8

• One week of use
• Tested with an Apple iPhone 13
• Used for B-roll and vlog-style footage

I reviewed the DJI Osmo Mobile 8P for around a week, testing it both handheld and set up on its built-in mini tripod. It was used with my Apple iPhone 13's front-facing and rear cameras, both indoors and outdoors, and I recorded video using a range of apps (but mostly the iPhone camera and DJI Mimo). I made sure to test its tracking capabilities with all three of the available tracking methods: ActiveTrack 8.0 (via the Mimo app only); the Module 2; and Apple DockKit.

First reviewed May 2026

Windscribe's free plan is one of our favorites. It comes with a reasonable amount of monthly data, servers in key locations, and a long list of security tools that aren't hidden behind paywalls and upgrades.

Windscribe Free isn't without its downsides, though. A free VPN will always struggle to keep up with premium providers, and Windscribe's paid plan doesn't land in our overall rankings of today's best VPNs. However, if you need a free VPN that'll improve your overall online privacy and throw in some reliable tools, too, well, Windscribe Free does the job.

Keep reading, and we'll cover Windscribe Free from top to bottom, covering everything from its lightweight UI to its unblocking capabilities.

Features

Windscribe Free gives users 10 GB of data per month to use as they see fit. This is fairly generous and should be enough to get you through four weeks, but it will run out quickly if you use Windscribe Free for streaming or online gaming. However, there is the option to post on X for an extra 5 GB a month or upgrade to unlimited data for $3 a month.

If you’d rather not shout Windscribe Free’s praises from the rooftops or provide an email during signup, you’ll still receive 2 GB of data a month. It’s a great option for the more privacy-conscious who find themselves in need of a reliable free service.

We were also glad to see that Windscribe Free offers unlimited simultaneous connections. That means you can share your login details with friends and family without worrying about how many people are using the VPN at any one time. The same goes for Windscribe’s paid plans, too, if you choose to upgrade.

Windscribe Free Windows app (Image credit: Windscribe )

Windscribe Free offers up most of the core VPN features you'd expect from a well-known name in the industry. There's a kill switch, called Firewall, that's easily accessible in the Windows, Android, and Linux apps, and we found that it was pretty easy to toggle on and off.

Firewall is set to "Automatic" mode by default. This means that it's toggled on whenever you connect to a Windscribe Free server, so you'll remain protected even if the VPN connection fails for some reason. It also means that Firewall will toggle off whenever you manually disconnect from a server. The "Automatic" setting is the one that most people will use, as it removes the need to flip Firewall on and off manually.

Some folks will want to maximize the protection offered by Firewall, however, and the "Always On" option does just that. It blocks internet access entirely until you connect to a Windscribe Free server, reducing the risk of divulging any identifiable information. It'll certainly add extra steps to your usual browsing routine, but if you're considering it, you're probably at peace with trading a bit of convenience for a lot of security. We're ultimately glad that the free version of the VPN offers it.

The same goes for the auto-connect feature, which is customizable, and the split tunnelling tool. Both of these features are often excluded from free VPNs, so it's great to see that Windscribe Free doesn't water down its offering.

We were impressed by how customizable the split tunnelling tool is, too, especially compared to other free VPNs on the market. The only downside here is that it's not available on iOS. There are two modes to choose from: "Exclusive" allows users to build lists of apps that won't route traffic through the VPN tunnel, which is how most split tunneling tools work.

"Inclusive" works slightly differently, and lets you build a list where only the apps on it will have their traffic routed through the tunnel. It's a real time-saver if you only intend to use Windscribe Free for a few specific purposes (like unblocking streaming platforms) and aren't hugely concerned about your privacy.

The real star of the show, however, is R.O.B.E.R.T. - Windscribe's built-in ad and malware blocker. Paid users get more out of the tool, but it's still available and effective on the free plan, and works quietly in the background to flag potential risks. During testing on our Windows 11 Chromebook machine and iPhone 13, we found that it was effective at steering us away from malicious domains and removing invasive ads.

During our review process, we assembled a list of 50 brand-new malware-hosting links and pitted Windscribe Free against them. The provider successfully blocked 30% of these threats. It also blocked 76% of phishing links we tested it with, and, most impressively, 97% of ads.

We were intrigued by Windscribe Free's claim that none of its tools are hidden behind a paywall. That's not the norm, after all, and we just had to put the boast to the test. Windscribe Free says that its premium and free users have access to the exact same roster of tools and, well, we found that this is mostly true.

For a start, free users miss out on port forwarding, which is readily available to paid users. You'll also need to pony up for a subscription to take advantage of Windscribe's full server network spanning 71 countries - and not the meagre 10 that free users have access to. Similarly, some advanced aspects of R.O.B.E.R.T are only available to paid users.

Features score: 7/10

Server network

Free VPNs don’t offer as many servers in as many places as premium VPNs – and Windscribe Free is no exception.

Windscribe Free has servers in 10 countries (and 13 locations), total: USA, Canada, UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Switzerland, and Hong Kong.

It's a pretty good spread for a free VPN. Proton VPN Free matches it, but doesn't allow users to actually pick which server they'd like to connect to. We're glad that Windscribe does things differently.

The server distribution is heavily weighted towards Europe, which may be an issue for folks in Asia, Africa, or South America looking for a nearby VPN server to connect to in order to maximize their performance.

Windscribe Free's server location list (on Windows 11) (Image credit: Windscribe )

We think that including a free server in Hong Kong is a pleasant surprise, as very few VPNs typically offer servers in or around China, even if they charge a subscription fee.

Windscribe Free claims that all of its servers are physically in the countries that they're advertised in. So, no virtual servers. It's something we had to see for ourselves.

After we ran some tests, we were pleased to learn that Windscribe Free lives up to its word. We didn't find any discrepancies between the advertised locations and the reality. This means that, if you need to connect to a specific location to access content, sports, or sites from back home, you can rest assured that the server will be right where it needs to be (and not on the other side of the world).

During testing, we found that Windscribe’s Free servers didn’t suffer from any discernible congestion, as the VPN doesn’t shunt free users into specifically designated free servers (which could cause slowdown).

Plus, Windscribe Free makes it perfectly clear which servers are restricted to paid users in the app, marking them with a star icon.

Server network score: 4/10

Apps

Windscribe Free is available for all of today’s most popular platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, and even Linux. In fact, we found Windscribe Free's Linux GUI to be one of the best on the market. It looks and feels just like the other desktop apps.

Additionally, Windscribe Free is compatible with Fire TV and Apple TV, and has browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. Windscribe Free doesn't support routers, however, and you'll need to upgrade to a paid plan to download the necessary configuration files.

During our day-to-day use, we found Windscribe Free’s apps to be basic and serviceable. The core features, like the on/off switch and server list, are easy enough to navigate, but the layout proved to be unintuitive – especially compared to the polished offerings from PrivadoVPN and Proton VPN.

We did enjoy that the experience remained similar across all platforms, although there are a handful of key differences to point out. The iOS app, for example, lacks split tunneling, and the Mac app doesn't support split tunneling for apps (meaning you can only exclude specified IP addresses or hostnames).

Finally, Windscribe Free's Android and iOS apps don't have a standard kill switch/firewall, but they do come with an Always-On VPN option, which works in a similar way.

Apps score: 7/10

Ease of use

Windscribe Free’s apps, while easy enough to set up and navigate, were not our favorite to actually use.

We found that the installation process was a piece of cake, however. Simply download the Windscribe Free app from the website, run through the installation wizard, and log in with credentials when prompted.

Windscribe Free opens as a small tile, similar to ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access, and clicking on options, like the server list or settings, expands dropdown menus and new tabs to explore.

We found this to be relatively easy to navigate through – the large on/off button makes connecting to a server nice and quick, and it was great to see that Windscribe Free clearly states how much data remains for the month (and gives users the option to upgrade to a paid plan).

Some of the visual elements of Windscribe Free look pretty snazzy. When we chose a location, for example, the background of the app changed to a hi-res flag, and the location list drops down like a physical panel when you click or tap it.

During our testing process,, however, we did notice areas where the UI was not as intuitive as it could (or should) be – on both desktop and mobile.

Windscribe Free's settings menu displayed on a Windows 11 machine.WindscribeWindscribe Free's settings menu displayed on a Windows 11 machine.WindscribeWindscribe Free's available protocols, as displayed on a Windows 11 machine.Windscribe

For a start, changing VPN protocol isn’t signposted clearly. You need to tap or click the protocol to choose which one you use, and this might seem obvious, but VPN newbies may be unaware that this text is a clickable element at first glance.

Similarly, there’s an odd gap between the “Firewall” text and the actual toggle switch, which had us wondering, at first, if it was something else that wasn’t labeled.

Finally, Windscribe’s settings could be grouped more intuitively. Currently, users have to do a lot of scrolling to check out all of the options and toggles which, on a mobile device, gets tiresome quickly – especially when we were just looking for one setting in particular.

These are small design quibbles, but today’s top VPNs have truly mastered the art of crafting consumer-friendly apps that don’t raise these questions, which puts Windscribe Free on the back foot in terms of ease of use.

Ease of use score: 6/10

Speed and performance

Windscribe Free impressed us during our in-house performance tests. We recorded respectable speeds of 1594 Mbps using the WireGuard protocol, marking it as one of the quickest free services available today. As you might expect, however, Windscribe's premium version was faster, clocking in at 2263 Mbps.

We found that these speeds correlated to a smooth, seamless browsing experience where we forgot that Windscribe Free was even running in the background. This was the case regardless of whether we were connected to a local UK server or a transatlantic US server. This kind of consistency is fantastic, and even the lowest speeds we recorded, of 466 Mbps, are more than the average user needs for a stress-free browsing session.

One thing to note is that Windscribe Free took over five seconds to connect to a server when we began our testing process. Subsequent connections only took a fraction of a second, however, which is what we’d expect to see, so we can’t totally knock the service.

Speed and performance score: 6/10

Unblocking

Free VPNs typically struggle when it comes to accessing streaming platforms, as they don’t have the resources necessary to evade VPN bans and blacklisting. Plus, with limited monthly data caps, free services aren’t all that suited to movie marathons or binge-watching.

The good news is that, for us, Windscribe Free accessed Netflix without any hiccups at all. We were able to browse through the UK, US, and Canada libraries without waiting an age for the page to load.

Similarly, Disney+ worked like a charm alongside smaller regional services, including BBC iPlayer, ITV, and Channel 4. YouTube US proved problematic for every VPN, so it's no surprise that Windscribe failed here, while it also had occassional problems with Amazon Prime Video.

The picture quality of these streams was high-quality, too, and we didn’t experience any dropouts or stuttering, which is in large part due to Windscribe Free’s excellent speeds.

However, as mentioned earlier, streaming in HD or 4K gobbles up a lot of data, so you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan to really enjoy Windscribe’s streaming capabilities (and its dedicated Windflix servers).

If you're looking for a solid VPN for torrenting, however, Windscribe Free doesn't quite achieve a perfect score. While the service allows P2P traffic across all of its free servers, the port forwarding tool is reserved for paying customers, which means you may run into issues when seeding files.

Unblocking score: 7/10

Privacy and Security

Windscribe supports a variety of VPN protocols: WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. WireGuard uses ChaCha20 encryption, and OpenVPN and IKEv2 use AES-256 encryption. The WSTunnel (OpenVPN over web sockets) and Stealth (OpenVPN over SSL) are also included in the mix, and are designed to bypass VPN detection.

We were able to switch between them easily – although the app did fail to connect at first when using the WireGuard protocol. After switching to IKeV2 and back again, however, the issue resolved itself.

This selection of protocols is pretty par for the course, and we found we had the best overall experience with WireGuard, as it’s a fantastic blend of speed and security.

OpenVPN is a better pick for the security-conscious, though you can expect slower overall speeds. IKEv2, as it automatically reconnects, tends to be the option of choice for mobile VPN users.

During testing, we found Windscribe Free’s R.O.B.E.R.T. tool to be especially effective. We didn’t encounter any ads while going about our day-to-day browsing while it was enabled.

It won’t take the place of a dedicated ad-blocker, but it’s a nice additional layer of security that can help save that precious data by preventing ads from loading and eating it up.

R.O.B.E.R.T. is also customizable, though we found that free users can’t tweak it quite as much as its paid counterparts. For example, R.O.B.E.R.T. allows free users to create just 3 custom rules for blacklisting sites and IPs, and customizable blocklists can only contain ads and malware, and not the adult content, cryptocurrency, social media posts, and more that paid users can add to the mix.

Windscribe’s censorship circumvention tool claims to be able to evade VPN blocks in highly restricted territories – though the service is cagey about how it actually works.

We appreciated that Windscribe Free offers other options for privacy purists, like the ability to pay with cryptocurrency. Plus, users have the option of whether to hand over an email address or not during sign-up. This gives users more control over how much identifiable data they hand over to the VPN.

Finally, Windscribe Free is quietly preparing for a post-quantum world by boosting its KEM (Key Encapsulation Mechanism) in TLS and OpenVPN protocols. In Windscribe's own words, this means: "Our encryption covers more than a 14-year-old boy with a bottle of Axe body spray".

Privacy and security score: 7/10

Track record

Windscribe Free abides by a clear no-logs policy that, refreshingly, is easy to read through and digest. It makes it clear that the VPN isn’t interested in collecting or storing identifiable data.

However, it hasn't always been smooth sailing. Back in June 2021, two Windscribe servers were seized by Ukrainian authorities, though the VPN asserts that it has: "[....] no reason to believe that the servers were compromised or that there was any unauthorized access before seizure."

Given that, on the disk of these two servers, there was an OpenVPN server certificate and private key, a bad actor could feasibly impersonate a Windscribe VPN server and capture and decrypt traffic. This is, however, extremely unlikely, and Windscribe Free invited third-party auditors to comb through its infrastructure to confirm its safety.

This is exactly what we like to see, but this audit took a seriously long time. Windscribe intended to complete the audit in 2021, but the full audit wasn't released to the public until the summer of 2024.

It is also worth noting that, according to recent release notes, there's a "known issue" with the Circumvent Censorship feature – where it does nothing when using the TCP protocol. That could be a major issue for folks living under an oppressive regime who were drawn to this tool, and we'd prefer it if Windscribe Free warned users about the issue when they select TCP and enable Circumvent Censorship. Currently, the only way to figure out that this hiccup even exists is by reading the release notes, and not everyone is going to do that.

Windscribe is headquartered in Canada, a country that’s part of the infamous Five Eyes Alliance, an intelligence-sharing network. Windscribe claims that this “doesn’t matter”, but given the scope of past NSA surveillance, it’s something that users should decide for themselves.

Track record score: 6/10

Windscribe explains that there's no long-term logging, save for what's necessary to work out data usage (Image credit: Windscribe)Customer support

Windscribe Free offers all of the most common avenues of customer support you’d expect from a VPN: live chat, email ticketing, FAQs, and a knowledge base.

During testing, our first port of call was Garry, Windscribe’s AI chatbot. It was able to point us in the direction of well-written articles related to our problem. When it comes to responses from the support team beyond Garry, however, Windscribe warns that it ‘aims’ to reply to your initial ticket within "24 hours", and that "Free users might wait a little longer than Paid users."

Windscribe has also built a chatty userbase in its years of operation, and users have the option of joining the conversation on Reddit and Discord if they want to do some community troubleshooting.

Customer support score: 6/10

Pricing and plans

Windscribe Free doesn't cost a penny, though users have the option to upgrade at any time.

A monthly subscription costs $9.00, which makes the yearly plan a better budget-saving option at $5.75 a month. Windscribe also lets users create their own plan, if they're so inclined, charging $1.00 a month per location.

These prices are pretty steep. Even ExpressVPN, the most expensive VPN in our top rankings, comes in at $4.99 per month (for a 2-year plan). Ultimately, if you're after a feature-rich VPN service that can handle ads, trackers, and malware, it's worth checking out NordVPN, instead, which costs just $3.09 per month if you pick up a 2-year plan.

Pricing and plans score: 4/10

Should you use Windscribe Free?

Windscribe Free is a decent free VPN that has your back if you need VPN protection for absolutely no cost. The addition of R.O.B.E.R.T., a wide selection of server locations, and speeds that rival premium providers make it a fairly tempting option – but it’s let down by its apps.

We found Windscribe Free’s interface to be clunky, especially on mobile, which could be a deal-breaker for VPN newbies looking for the best VPN for beginners. In that case, you’d be better off with Proton VPN or PrivadoVPN, both of which offer more user-friendly apps.

However, if your main use case is scrolling through social media, checking emails, and other day-to-day activities, Windscribe Free will serve you well, so long as you're not using it for anything mission-critical.

Overall score 60/100

Windscribe Free alternatives

1. PrivadoVPN – from $1.11 per month
The best free VPN overall
PrivadoVPN is our favorite free VPN. It packs a lot of functionality into its free plan – and, like Windscribe, is able to reliably access streaming platforms. Add sleek apps into the mix, as well as a 10 GB monthly data allowance, and you have a free service that truly ticks every box.View Deal

2. Proton VPN – from $4.49 per month
The best secure free VPN
Proton VPN Free can't quite keep up with PrivadoVPN Free when it comes to streaming, but if privacy is your main concern, you'll want to check out its full roster of tools. It's also worth noting that Proton VPN doesn't impose a monthly data cap on its free users, meaning you won't have to ration out your browsing, and a recent update made its Windows and mobile apps even easier to use. What's not to like?View Deal

3. Surfshark – from $2.19 per month
The best cheap VPN (and also the fastest)
If you're open to a paid commitment, Surfshark is a stellar choice that won't break the bank. In exchange for as little as $2.19 a month, you'll have access to servers dotted all over the globe, a full security suite, and the fastest speeds we've ever recorded in our in-house testing. As a result, Surfshark is one of the very best Netflix VPNs on the market. You can try Surfshark out in your own time, risk-free, with a handy 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

Windscribe Free FAQsWhere is Windscribe based?

Windscribe is headquartered in Canada. From a privacy perspective, this raises concerns due to the country's involvement in the Five Eyes Alliance intelligence sharing network. Windscribe's free and paid plans both adhere to a no-logs policy, however, though we'd like to see the provider invest in a third-party audit of the policy and its apps.

How to get free Windscribe data?

Windscribe Free gives users 10 GB of data per month. However, it's possible to claim an extra 5 GB of monthly data by posting about the service on X.

Honor MagicPad 4: Two-minute review

With the Honor MagicPad 4, it’s hard not to think that the Chinese tech brand read my Honor MagicPad 3 review last year and set out to address every single criticism that I raised.

Honor advertises the MagicPad 4 as the slimmest tablet on the market — and for our money, that’s true. At just 4.8mm, it's incredibly thin (beating the already impressively slim 5.1mm iPad Pro by a slight margin), which, combined with its light 450g weight, means the MagicPad 4 is a massive 12.3-inch tablet that’s easy to travel with and even hold comfortably in one hand.

Although being the thinnest tablet makes for a decent ad campaign, it’s actually the wealth of other upgrades that put the Honor MagicPad 4 among the best Android tablets right now. Seriously, Honor fixed everything negative that I pointed out last year — it’s almost a little uncanny.

The display is a gorgeous 3K OLED with a butter-smooth 164Hz OLED (compared to last year’s less vibrant LCD) and a superb 2,400-nit peak brightness. Paired with an incredibly punchy eight-speaker stereo setup, this has become my go-to tablet for media consumption both at home and while travelling.

With a viewing experience this good, it’s almost no surprise that this is one of the few IMAX Enhanced-certified tablets on the market. An OLED panel is no small feat at this price range, too, and the vibrant colors alone put the MagicPad 4 lightyears ahead of similarly priced competitors like the OnePlus Pad 3.

(Image credit: Future)

The divisive plastic material of the MagicPad 3 is also out, replaced with a full metal unibody chassis that looks very premium and is so much better to the touch.

This design refresh has been paired with a subtle spec upgrade under the hood. The MagicPad 4 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 SoC, which is not quite the latest flagship chip, but a high-end offering that powers through productivity and holds its own in demanding games. You also get a beefy 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage (upgraded to 16GB and 512GB, respectively, if you splash out for the more expensive model that I tested).

Even this tablet's software has received a noticeable upgrade. MagicOS 10 is more Apple-like than ever (complete with its own version of Liquid Glass), but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

As an ex-Apple user, I really appreciate the familiarity of MagicOS, and find that it’s perfectly easy-to-use while still offering a decent level of customization. Importantly, though, this latest incarnation finally introduces a proper desktop mode with taskbar and apps in resizable windows, and it’s hard to overstate how much of a difference this makes to productivity.

(Image credit: Future)

I just about managed a full day of work with the MagicPad 3, but it was a little fiddly and awkward at times. Now, I can pack the MagicPad 4 for any business trip and, having already brought it with me on a couple, I haven’t found myself missing my laptop yet.

Obviously, your mileage will vary depending on your specific tasks and software, but for my day-to-day work of responding to emails, updating spreadsheets, and typing away in Google Docs (with the optional keyboard add-on), I can’t complain.

The only possible flaw here is the battery, which is smaller than that of the MagicPad 3. Still, the MagicPad 4's battery life remains excellent, and this tablet will easily put up with hours and hours of video playback in a single sitting.

Honor MagicPad 4 review: price and availability

• Starts at £599.99
• Expect regular discounts and freebies
• Not available in the US or Australia

The Honor MagicPad 4 is available via Honor's website, where it starts at £599.99 for a 12GB + 256GB model. You can upgrade to the 16GB + 512GB model that I tested for an extra £100. That’s already amazing value for the specs (you’d struggle to find anything in this price range with an OLED screen alone), but as with other Honor products, you can expect a deluge of discounts and freebies to crop up throughout the year.

At the time of writing, you can nab £100 off either version, and pay an extra £50 to add in a compatible keyboard case and the latest Honor Magic Pencil 3 stylus. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see free smartwatches, earbuds, chargers, and more thrown in over the coming months, so be sure to buy with at least a few freebies available to maximize value. Even if you pay the full asking price, you’re still getting a great deal, though.

As with other Honor devices, the MagicPad 4 isn’t officially sold in the US, so it's very tricky to get there. Australian availability also seems limited.

• Value score: 5 / 5

Honor MagicPad 4 review: specs

Here’s a look at the Honor MagicPad 4’s key specs:

Dimensions:

273.4 x 178.8 x 4.8mm

Operating system:

MagicOS 10 (Android 16)

Chipset:

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5

Weight:

450g

Memory (RAM):

12GB / 16GB

Storage:

256GB / 512GB

Display:

12.3 inch 1920 x 3000 165Hz OLED

Cameras:

12MP wide, 9MP selfie

Battery:

10,100 mAh silicon carbon

Connectivity:

USB Type-C 3.2

Honor MagicPad 4 review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• iPad Pro-beating thinness
• Premium metal chassis
• Small bezels

The most impressive aspect of the MagicPad 4’s design is, of course, its thinness. This is currently the slimmest tablet you can buy, beating even the high-end iPad Pro, and it looks seriously thin in person. In fact, there seems to have been barely enough room to cram in the USB Type-C charging port. You might think that this slight profile would make the MagicPad 4 feel cheap or flimsy, but that's not the case.

The tablet has a wholly metal body, consisting of a single piece with no visible manufacturing seams. There’s absolutely no flex if you try to bend it, and my unit has picked up no noticeable scratches or marks in my use so far. The MagicPad 4’s thinness isn’t just for show either — on top of being easy to chuck into your backpack, I found that it made the tablet very easy to hold in one hand.

I conducted an hour and twenty-minute-long interview with the MagicPad 4 gripped in my left hand for notes, and experienced no noticeable fatigue. The interviewee even asked what brand the tablet was when we wrapped up, and remarked on how thin and light it looked. The screen is large and spacious, with roughly 4mm bezels for a very modern appearance. There’s actually a little 9MP selfie cam nestled in there at the top, but it’s hard to see outside of direct sunlight.

This camera isn’t amazing, but it gets the job done for video calls and would be on the better end of most laptop webcams. It’s a similar story with the rear 12MP shooter, found in a square camera module alongside the flash. It’s good enough to scan documents, but you obviously shouldn’t be using (or even expect to use) a massive tablet like this for your holiday snaps. Please, just take a few extra seconds to pull out your phone like a normal person.

FutureFuture

For sound, you’re getting an eight-speaker stereo setup that’s impressively clear and crisp. The bass isn’t as strong as that of thicker tablets, but it still offers a detailed and well-rounded listening experience.

As someone who routinely uses tablets to watch entire concert recordings with the sound blasting at full volume, I really value a good speaker setup, and the MagicPad 4 is up there as one of the best I’ve tested at this price. Just make sure that you go into the settings and turn off all of the Honor sound features that are, for some reason, enabled by default, as they can make everything sound artificially tinny.

The tablet has all the expected buttons, namely a power button and volume rocker. There’s also a little magnetic strip for attaching the compatible Magic Pencil 3 stylus if you have one. And yes, Honor’s stylus will automatically charge and pair when stuck onto the tablet. Take notes, Lenovo.

I tested the Honor MagicPad 4 in conjunction with the white Honor MagicPad 4 Smart Touch Keyboard. It seems very similar to the keyboard I was sent with the Honor MagicPad 3, and it's once again fantastic.

It attaches to the tablet via a magnetic accessory port on its rear and pairs automatically. The touchpad is quick and responsive, the keys have a good level of travel, and it’s not too bulky to be practical. I do also still love the folding design of the stand, which folds down to expose the top half of the tablet and show off its slimness.

• Design score: 5 / 5

Honor MagicPad 4 review: Display

(Image credit: Future)

• Beautiful OLED colors
• Fantastic refresh rate
• Perfect for media consumption

On the display side of things, I can’t fault the Honor MagicPad 4 in any way. This is an absurdly good screen for the price, simply decimating what OnePlus, Lenovo, and especially Apple will give you for under £600. This 12.3-inch 1920 x 3000 (3K) OLED panel is pin-sharp and delightfully crisp, with vibrant colors and rich black shades.

I’ve been on a bit of an anime binge, having recently renewed my Crunchyroll subscription, and every show that I’ve dipped into has been absolutely beautiful to watch. Games look lovely too; the high-fidelity visuals of the recently released Neverness to Everness, for instance, really blew me away. And opening the Kindle app, the 3K resolution leads to great-looking text in books and detailed panels in comics.

With HDR support and a peak brightness of roughly 2,400 nits, the MagicPad 4's display can get jaw-droppingly bright and remains visible in even the strongest possible sunlight outdoors. Honor also deserves some kudos for applying a 5,280Hz PWM dimming rate to this screen. This subtle spec isn’t going to matter for most people, but could be a game-changer for those with sensitive eyes and massively reduces the chance of eye strain or fatigue over extended periods of use.

Even if you’re just browsing the web or flicking through the system menus, motion is seriously smooth, too, as a result of the tablet's 165Hz refresh rate. The slightly pricier Huawei MatePad Pro 13.2 is the only model I can think of that comes close to this level of display performance without asking that you pay a huge amount more, but that device has a lower refresh rate and is dimmer, so it loses to the MagicPad 4 overall in my book.

In other words, whatever you’re watching, playing, or reading on the MagicPad 4, this tablet is simply perfect.

• Design score: 5 / 5

Honor MagicPad 3 review: software

(Image credit: Future)

• Apple-inspired UI
• Six whole years of support in the EU
• A good level of customization

Update support is one of my biggest concerns when buying an Android tablet. There are too many brands out there that will charge iPad prices while offering only two or three years of update support. Honor was actually guilty of this last year with the MagicPad 3, which only came with one Android version upgrade and two years of security patches (something I described as the device’s “fatal flaw”).

This time around, Honor has promised six years of major Android updates for consumers in the EU. That’s without a doubt the best level of support I’ve seen for an Android tablet under £600, putting basically every other brand to shame. There’s no telling how regular these updates will be, but at least shoppers aren’t splashing out for a tablet with a looming expiration date right out of the box.

As for MagicOS 10 (which is based on Android 15), the biggest change this time around, aside from the new Liquid-Glass-like design language, is the addition of an upgraded desktop mode. It features the option of a persistent taskbar (at last!) and displays apps in easily resizable windows that you can snap to different parts of the screen. It’s much less fiddly than the equivalent ‘Floating Window mode’ of MagicOS 9 and makes serious productivity on the MagicPad 4 much easier.

Otherwise, my words from last year still ring true. In my eyes, MagicOS is the best possible middle ground between the attractive look of iOS and the customization offered by Android.

Former Apple users will find the design of menus familiar, but with a few interesting twists here and there. Quirky customization features like the 3D Avatar — a little person that you can create and set as an animated wallpaper — are still present and just as charming as before.

• Software score: 5 / 5

Honor MagicPad 4 review: performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Powers through productivity tasks
• Also a capable gaming tablet
• Stays cool under heavy loads

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 isn’t the latest and greatest flagship chipset, but it’s still a capable SoC that delivers great all-round performance when paired with 12GB (or 16GB) of RAM. The MagicPad 4's interface is always quick and responsive, with no noticeable slowdown or reloading when flicking between streams on the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube.

Effective multitasking is a piece of cake, too, and I've not had any issues running Gmail, Slack, Google Docs, and Chrome simultaneously as I work.

The MagicPad 4 is also a capable gaming tablet. It supports both WiFi 7 for speedy game downloads and holds its own in even the most demanding titles. Delta Force and Zenless Zone Zero both run very smoothly at their default graphics presets, and I’ve been particularly impressed with how well the Honor MagicPad 4 handles the extremely graphically intensive Neverness to Everness. It defaulted to the extreme graphics preset with 60fps cap and, despite the odd stutter in the most built-up areas of the city, was more than playable for driving around and tackling missions.

(Image credit: Future)

This particular title looks absolutely breathtaking, and paired with a compatible gaming controller, you’re easily getting a console-quality experience when playing it on the MagicPad 4.

The tablet's cooling system is remarkably effective as well. I was a little worried that such a thin tablet would get very hot, yet it’s not actually a big problem. You’ll feel it getting slightly warmer to the touch during sustained play, but it doesn’t become uncomfortably hot or thermal throttle to the extent that it noticeably impacts performance. Honor says this is all thanks to the MagicPad 4's dual-direction vapor chamber, which has somehow been crammed in alongside everything else.

• Performance score: 5 / 5

Honor MagicPad 4 review: battery

(Image credit: Future)

• Great battery life
• Easily lasts more than one day
• A small downgrade compared to last year

The battery is the only area where the Honor MagicPad 4 falls short in comparison to the MagicPad 3. This year’s tablet is powered by a slightly smaller 10,100mAh silicon-carbon cell, which shaves a few hours off the total running time. Luckily, you’ll likely not notice a dramatic difference, as the MagicPad 4 still packs a very big battery, and its battery life is still pretty impressive as a result.

This tablet will easily last for a full day of use, with a mix of browsing the web, watching videos, and even a few hours of gaming thrown in there. I packed the tablet for a 14-hour flight and finished with more than 70% left in the tank after completing some decently heavy tasks with brightness cranked up and an intermittent WiFi connection.

You can expect well over a week of juice from the MagicPad 4 if you only use it for an hour or two a day, which makes this a great choice if you’re looking for a tablet to keep around the house. When it does run low, charging times are refreshingly quick as well, with 66W wired speeds that should see it back up to full from zero in under an hour and a half with a compatible charger.

• Battery score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Honor MagicPad 4?Honor MagicPad 4 scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Strong specs, a gorgeous OLED screen, premium build quality, and six years of software support. You’re not going to find a better value tablet at this price.

5 / 5

Design

Record-breaking slimness aside, the new metal body is a huge upgrade compared to last year’s plastic and leads to a tablet that feels as good as it looks.

5 / 5

Display

A bright and colorful 3K OLED panel with a high refresh rate, HDR support, and IMAX Enhanced certification. What more could you want?

5 / 5

Software

The Apple-inspired UI is familiar and practical with some quirky features thrown in.

4.5 / 5

Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset powers through general use and gaming.

5 / 5

Battery

A small downgrade compared to the Honor MagicPad 3, but still more than enough juice to last through days of heavy use.

4 / 5

Buy it if…

You want the thinnest tablet around
The Honor MagicPad 4 is the thinnest tablet you can buy right now, and is pretty light to boot. As a result, it’s very easy to pack in a bag and comfortable to hold in one hand.

You’re craving a great OLED screen
The screen here is fantastic and, paired with the excellent speaker setup, makes kicking back with a movie or TV on the Honor MagicPad 4 a joy.

You’re after a capable productivity tablet
Thanks to the upgraded desktop mode of MagicOS 10, the Honor MagicPad 4 finally feels like a true laptop replacement. Pair it with the excellent keyboard case and you have a great device for work.

Don’t buy it if…

You need the Apple ecosystem
As Apple-like as it is, MagicOS is still Android. This means that you do miss out on exclusive iPad apps like Procreate, so stick with an Apple device if you need to use them.

Also consider

After some Honor MagicPad 4 alternatives? The older OnePlus Pad 3 is available at a lower price, while the iPad Air 13-inch is a good (albeit much more expensive) option for those who prefer the Apple ecosystem.

Honor MagicPad 4

OnePlus Pad 3

iPad Air 13-inch (2024)

Starting price

£599.99

£529

$799 / £799 / AU$1,299

Operating system

MagicOS 10 (Android 16)

OxygenOS (Android 15)

iPadOS 17

Chipset

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5

Snapdragon 8 Elite

Apple M2

Memory (RAM)

12GB / 16GB

12GB / 16GB

8GB / 16GB

Storage

256GB / 512GB

256GB / 512GB

128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB

Display

12.3 inch 1920 x 3000 165Hz OLED

13.2-inch 3.4k LCD, 144Hz

13-inch Liquid Retina Display

Cameras

12MP wide, 9MP front

13MP wide, 8MP front

12MP wide (rear), 12MP ultra-wide (front)

Battery

10,100mAh

12,140mAh

c. 10,000mAh

Connectivity

USB Type-C 3.2

USB Type-C 3.2

USB-C (Thunderbolt/USB 4)

Weight

450g

675g

617g

Dimensions

273.4 x 178.8 x 4.8mm

289.61 x 209.66 x 5.97mm

280.6 x 214.9 x 6.1mm

OnePlus Pad 3
Another strong Android tablet here. It’s bulkier, heavier, plus you lose out on an OLED display and overall software support (OnePlus has only promised three years of upgrades) but you can find it on sale cheaper than the Honor MagicPad 4.

Read our full OnePlus Pad 3 review

Apple iPad Air 13-inch (2024)
If you’re willing to pay much more for an iPad, then the iPad Air 13-inch (2024) is the model to choose. It’s worse than the Honor MagicPad 4 in practically every regard, but does grant access to the Apple ecosystem and its exclusive apps, which is a big plus. The newer (and even more expensive) iPad Air (2025) is also worth considering, too.

Read our full iPad Air 13-inch (2024) review

How I tested the Honor MagicPad 4

I tested the 16GB + 512GB version of the Honor MagicPad 4 for multiple months, using it on an almost daily basis as my go-to tablet for work and play.

I watched a vast amount of video content on it, read some digital books and comics, and spent plenty of time browsing the web and gaming. I also took it with me on multiple business trips in place of my laptop, where I used it to edit documents and respond to emails.

Throughout my time with the tablet, I frequently compared it to other models I've tested, including multiple iPads and both the Honor MagicPad 3 and Honor MagicPad 2.

First reviewed May 2026

KitchenAid Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine two-minute review

In a crowded market where there are so many fantastic coffee machines, the KitchenAid Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine stands out by being one of the better-looking options on the market. Not only does it look premium, but it feels it too. This machine is solidly built, and the supplied accessories including the removable bean hopper, porta filter and tamper, have a decent amount of weight to them, further adding to the overall premiumness of the machine.

It’s available in a range of colors, but I feel my review unit in Porcelain (white) will be the easiest to match with kitchen decor (although I have to admit taking a fancy to the Juniper green, too).

If you want to get hands-on with your coffee-making process, it makes the process easier by way of a flat-bottom porta filter that I think should become customary on all coffee machines of this type. This design choice is a stroke of genius, giving you a far greater ability to apply a good amount of tamping pressure, essential for extracting a good shot of espresso.

While it does have ‘semi-automatic’ in its name, this only really applies to the amount of coffee grounds it will dispense into the porta filter. You decide how much that is, the grind size and, if you want milk with your coffee, that’s a manual process too.

Figuring out the optimal settings for your personal taste will, therefore, require some trial and error, but if you’re considering buying a coffee machine like this one, that’s likely something you’ve already considered and are happy to get involved with.

Some assistance is given, such as an ideal window of pressure shown in a pressure gauge, so you’ll know if you’ve put the right amount of coffee and applied the right amount of pressure when tamping. Once you’ve completed these steps, the KitchenAid Semi-Auto produces a wonderful shot of espresso. Taking all of this into account, I consider it to be one of the best bean-to-cup coffee makers.

It’s not short of competition in terms of price and features, and there are other models that offer greater usability, such as smart tamping and dosing systems — the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch, for example. Despite that, I think it’s competitively priced and can regularly be found with a discount, which only adds to its value.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)KitchenAid Semi Automatic Espresso Machine review: Price & availability

• Launched in 2024
• List price of $699.99 / £699 / AU$899
• Often available with a discount

The KitchenAid Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine launched worldwide a couple of years ago in 2024. It remains on sale today and more often than not, for the same price as when it launched. With a list price of $699.99 / £699 / AU$899, it’s fairly priced, but is arguably better value in Australia if you take direct currency conversions into account.

This KitchenAid machine is relatively light on features, offering just the basics of at-home coffee making, in the form of an integrated burr grinder, steam wand and hot water spout. In terms of price, it’s not short of competition, but some price-comparable alternatives offer more in the way of features.

These include the Breville Barista Express (Sage Barista Express in the UK) for $699.95 / £629 / AU$599, the Ninja Luxe Cafe with a price tag of $599.90 / £549.99 / AU$799.99 and the De’Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo costing $699.95 / £499 / AU$649. In Australia, it gains another competitor in the form of the Sunbeam Origins Sense, which is now regularly available for under AU$700.

All offer a built-in grinder, varying levels of customization and a built-in steam wand. The Ninja and De’Longhi machines are able to produce cold-brew coffee, for example, something not on the KitchenAid’s menu. The Ninja Cafe Luxe also takes care of the grinding and tamping process for you, offering a more hands-off approach.

However, at the time of writing, this KitchenAid machine is on the receiving end of discounts of up to 30% direct from the maker in the US, UK and Australia.

• Value score: 4 / 5

KitchenAid Semi Automatic Espresso Machine review: Specs

Name

KitchenAid Semi Automatic Espresso Machine KES6551

Type

Bean-to-cup

Dimensions (H x W x D)

15.6 x 13.2 x 11.1 inches / 39.5 x 33.5 x 28.1cm

Weight

23.6lbs / 10.7kg

Water reservoir

84.5 fl oz / 2.5 liters

Milk frother

Yes, built-in steam wand

Bars of pressure

15 – 18

User profiles

None

KitchenAid Semi Automatic Espresso Machine review: Design

• Flat-bottom porta filter is a revelation
• Attractive, retro looks in a range of colors
• Clear controls

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

The KitchenAid Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine is a relatively compact appliance with dimensions measuring 39.5 x 33.5 x 28.1cm (HWD), making it ideal for small kitchens or those who simply can’t spare the countertop space. At 23.6lbs / 10.7kg it’s quite a heavy unit, though, but its weight gives it added stability that prevents it from moving around when inserting and removing the porta filter.

KitchenAid is known for its chic color choices across its wider range of appliances and that’s the case here too. My review unit was the Porcelain (white) color with gloss finish, which is a standout for me, being easily matched with any kitchen decor. Other colors include Cast Iron Black, Candy Apple (red), Juniper and Stainless Steel.

This espresso machine is relatively light on button count, with the few available serving more than one purpose. The power button is on the left, while the start/stop button is on the opposite side. The middle is where most of the magic happens. The top left button will likely be used the most as it cycles through functions to pour the espresso shot, pour hot water and activate the steam wand.

There are also buttons to select a single or double shot, and to adjust the temperature of the water. Finally there’s a button to use when cleaning the machine.

The other main control is a silver dial that sets the dosage amount of coffee to be ground into the porta filter, and a lever to adjust the grind size. Pressing the central button begins dispensing the selected amount of coffee.

As with all coffee machines that require a hands-on approach, figuring out the grind size and grind amount for both single and double espresso is part of the fun, but requires plenty of trial and error. This is because the type of coffee beans you use will have an effect on the yield and, further to that, how they behave when being brewed. For example, a darker roast tends to perform better with a coarser setting than a medium roast due to the way it breaks apart when going through the grinder.

I used medium-dark roast coffee beans for this review and found turning the double shot dial to around 4 o’clock, and the grind setting to five lines from the right, yielded good results. While you can invest in scales to ensure you get the ideal amount — around 8g of ground coffee is often considered a good starting point for a single shot of espresso and 18g is considered optimal for a double — KitchenAid has added a small line in the porta filter baskets to indicate the ideal point where the coffee should line up once it’s been tamped.

You don’t want to go over this line, as doing so will create too much pressure during the brewing process, resulting in your coffee dripping out of the porta filter. A pressure gauge on the front of the machine shows an ideal window for a good espresso shot and, on a couple of occasions during my testing, the needle did go beyond it, resulting in the aforementioned drip pour.

Future / Max LangridgeFuture / Max LangridgeFuture / Max Langridge

Speaking of the porta filter, I didn’t realize that a totally flat-bottomed one could be such a revelation! Every other porta filter I’ve used has two spouts protruding out the bottom; here, they’re integrated. This small design touch meant I could be a lot more confident when tamping, planting the porta filter firmly on a table and allowing me to apply force to pack the coffee grounds tightly enough. Porta filters with protruding spouts, however, require careful balancing when tamping.

This flat-bottomed porta filter is a commercial-size 58mm, and is satisfyingly weighty, which gave me added peace of mind that the KitchenAid machine has been made with care. The 58mm size has several benefits, including being used with a variety of tools and accessories — such as weighted tampers — to help achieve a well-extracted shot.

The 2.5L water tank at the rear of the machine features an integrated handle to help you remove it. This is one of the largest water tanks I’ve personally come across in a coffee machine, bigger than the Breville Oracle Jet’s (Sage in the UK) 2.3L tank. A water filter is supplied, which clips into a separate plastic handle. I had a little trouble at first getting the two pieces that hold the filter in place to clip together, despite following the instructions to leave the filter soaking in water for 5 minutes. I left it out of the water for a few days, after which it all clipped together as intended.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

The KitchenAid Semi Automatic Espresso Machine also features an integrated steam wand with a silicone handle for safer handling, and a hot water spout. The steam wand is a traditional one, that meaning there’s no built-in thermometer like you’ll find on other machines such as the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch and Sunbeam Origins Sense, so you’ll need to rely on physical touch with the milk pitcher, or a use a separate food-grade thermometer, to determine when your milk is ready.

In the box is also a removable bean hopper, tamper (which is also well weighted), a 355ml milk pitcher (which does admittedly feel cheaper compared to the other accessories), single- and double-wall filter baskets in single- and double-shot sizes, and a cleaning brush.

A walnut wood accessory kit is available to buy separately for $249.99 / £229 / AU$349. This kit includes a bean hopper with a walnut-wood lid, and porta filter and tamper set with walnut-wood handles.

• Design score: 5 / 5

KitchenAid Semi Automatic Espresso Machine review: Performance

• Well-extracted espresso achievable after some experimentation
• Intuitive controls with visual aids
• Quick heat-up time

The KitchenAid Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine is a very capable machine, and will brew a well-extracted espresso shot with a good crema — it just requires a fair amount of trial and error to achieve it. Virtually all manual and semi-auto machines will need that little experimentation, though, so it’s by no means a dealbreaker. However, where some machines like the aforementioned De’Longhi or the Ninja Luxe Cafe will assist you in recommending the ideal grind and dosage settings, the KitchenAid leaves you to your own devices.

After loading your beans in the hopper on top of the machine — which fits up to 225g worth — you’ll need to adjust the dosage amount and grind size. If you’re brewing a single shot of espresso, you’ll move the front-mounted round to the left to adjust dosage, and to the right for a double (icons are on hand to signify this). A lever just below this dial will adjust the grind size, from coarse on the left to fine on the right. Note that the dial and lever have to be perfectly aligned with the graphic dots; if they’re not, the machine won’t operate.

You are able to personalize the amount of coffee grounds produced by pressing and holding the central button until it reaches the desired amount.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Once you’ve selected your settings, press the button integrated into the dosage dial to set the grinder in action. This KitchenAid machine, like the brand's fully automatic models such as the KF8, is QuietMark certified, meaning it should be whisper quiet when the grinder is in motion. And sure enough, it is. The Philips LatteGo 4400 that I use daily is ‘SilentBrew’ certified but, in truth, I find it to be relatively noisy, and measured 69dB using the Decibel X app compared to 64dB registered by the KitchenAid when the grinder was in motion.

Once the grinder has finished, give the porta filter a little wiggle to help settle the ground coffee before removing it. This machine uses anti-static technology to help ensure nothing spills over the edge and it works like a dream, unlike the Sunbeam Origins Sense that dribbled some coffee during my testing despite claiming to also benefit from similar tech.

One of the key highlights of this machine is its flat-bottomed porta filter, which allows you to plant it on a flat surface to apply tamping pressure using the supplied tamper without disbalancing it. Once you’ve inserted and locked the porta filter in place for brewing — which is another simple and fuss-free process — use the buttons on the front of the machine to select a single or double shot, then set the water temperature to one of three settings. Finally, press the play/start button and your coffee will begin brewing.

Another key highlight of this machine is that it pre-infuses before brewing. This wets the coffee puck before full pressure hits it, which makes the water flow through the grounds more uniformly for better extraction.

If you’ve adjusted the dosage and grind settings correctly and provided enough tamping pressure, you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful shot of espresso with a lovely crema. It’s unlikely you’ll get the best settings on your first try (I certainly didn’t), so be prepared for some trial and error.

As with the grind settings, you can personalize the amount of water used for both single and double shots by pressing and holding the start/stop button until the desired espresso amount is reached in your cup. These water volume settings will be saved for future use. To reset to factory settings, press and hold the dose button for three seconds. All indicator lights will blink to indicate settings are restored.

However, the machine doesn’t have profiles, nor can it store different settings. If you have multiple coffee drinkers at home who prefer different beverage types, then you’ll need to manually set the grind and dosage amounts each time. If so, I’d recommend keeping a note of the optimum settings somewhere.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

If you want to use the steam wand for milk foaming, you’ll first need to wait until the espresso has finished brewing as this machine doesn’t feature a dual boiler. Then press the button to switch from espresso to steam and wait a few seconds for the boiler to reheat. You’ll know when it’s done by way of a white LED on the left of the machine’s front panel. When it turns solid, you’re good to go. From here, press the same play/start button and steam will begin coming out of the wand.

As mentioned earlier, the steam wand here doesn’t have a built-in thermometer, so you’ll need to rely on touch to determine when the milk is done. I’ve had mixed results with ‘basic’ steam wands like this in the past, as some don’t provide enough pressure to effectively foam milk. That’s not the case here. I used both full-fat cow’s milk and oat milk during my testing and I was able to create a lovely textured foam each time. As with any steam wand, you need to angle it in the milk pitcher for the best results, but if you have the technique right, you’ll once again be rewarded with perfect milk.

The KitchenAid Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine has a descaling program to help keep it working at its best. You’ll know when it’s time, as a Clean Cycle light will blink. This didn’t happen during my testing, so I was unable to test the feature, but full instructions are provided in the user manual.

• Performance score: 5 / 5

Should you buy the KitchenAid Semi Automatic Espresso Machine?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

Competitively priced, but some price-comparable models offer more in the way of features

4 / 5

Design

Gorgeous looks, premium accessories and a clear button layout make this an espresso machine you’ll want to show off

5 / 5

Performance

After a brief period of experimentation, you’ll be rewarded with beautiful espresso, and the steam wand produces perfectly foamed milk.

5 / 5

Buy it if...

You want to experiment

The KitchenAid Semi-Automatic machine relies on plenty of manual input, leaving you to play around with dosage and grind settings to discover the perfect brew for you.

You’ve not had the best luck when tamping with other machines

The flat-bottomed porta filter is a genius piece of design and makes tamping coffee grounds incredibly easy.

You want an espresso machine to admire

I think it’s a stunner and a far cry from some dark-colored box-like machines. You’ll love waking up to it day after day.

Don't buy it if...

You want a coffee machine that does all the work

The KitchenAid Semi-Auto does offer smart dosing to deliver an ideal volume of ground coffee, but everything else requires manual input. If you want your coffee at the touch of a button, an automatic model would be better.

KitchenAid Semi Automatic Espresso Machine review: Also consider

De’Longhi La Specialista Touch

This De’Longhi machine offers the best of both worlds, with manual and automatic controls to hand. We found it to be near-faultless in our tests, praising its smart tamping system that makes dosing the perfect puck incredibly easy. Throw in a thermometer in the steam wand for expertly crafted milk and an attractive, compact design and you have a sensational machine.

Read our full De’Longhi La Specialista Touch review

Philips Baristina

This affordable bean-to-cup espresso machine is stylish, well made and so simple to use. It dispenses ground coffee into a porta filter, tamps it for you and then moves itself into position to brew espresso. You have to make do with one grind setting, however.

Read our full Philips Baristina review

Philips LatteGo 4400

This fully automatic machine offers a comprehensive selection of coffee-based drink recipes, and produces all of them with great results. The integrated LatteGo milk foaming system works well, although I found the amount of foam produced might not suit cappuccino fans.

Read our full Philips LatteGo 4400 Series review

KitchenAid Semi Automatic Espresso Machine review: How I tested

I tested the KitchenAid Semi-Automatic Espresso Machine over the course of a couple of weeks, using medium-dark roast coffee beans I picked up from my local supermarket. I’ve tested a few manual and semi-automatic coffee machines before, including the Sunbeam Origins Sense, so I was familiar with the process required for hands-on coffee making.

I had to experiment with the grind and dosage settings to find the ideal yield to ensure the espresso shots brewed with optimal results. I used the built-in steam wand to foam cow’s milk and oat milk, and found it produced excellent results with the correct technique.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed May 2026

LG C6 OLED TV: Two-minute review

The LG C6 has a tough act to follow, because the LG C5 was one of the best TVs I tested in 2025. So I'm happy to report that not only does the LG C6 do everything the C5 can do, but its Alpha 11 AI Gen 3 image processor — the same one you’ll find in the flagship LG G6 TV — delivers a significant brightness boost and more refined picture quality overall, making the C6 a solid upgrade over its predecessor.

The 65-inch LG C6 I tested is priced at $2,699 / £2,599 / AU$3,995 at launch, which is the same launch price as the C5 in the US and Australia, but is cheaper in the UK, despite the upgrades.

It’s worth noting that the larger 77-inch and 83-inch models now fall under a new designation as the LG C6H, and use the upgraded Primary RGB Tandem 2.0 OLED panel found in the flagship LG G6 and LG W6 models. As a result, they’ll likely perform somewhat differently to the model I tested, and we’re not including them as part of this review — we plan to review the C6H separately.

The C6’s picture quality is fantastic. Colors are punchy, vibrant and natural all at the same time, looking more accurate than the picture on last year’s C5 in my side-by-side testing. Its contrast is superb, with deep blacks, punchy highlights and refined shadow detail.

Textures are crisp, motion is smooth and natural, and it upscales non-4K HDR sources well. It does suffer from reflections in bright rooms, and I did notice some banding in gray areas, but this isn’t enough to detract from its overall quality, which is up there with that of the best OLED TVs.

Its built-in sound is solid overall. The AI Sound Pro mode delivers refined bass, great accuracy and clear dialogue. Dolby Atmos effects aren’t as pronounced as I’d like, and the soundstage can feel narrow at times, so while its sound is decent, I’d still connect one of the best soundbars to the LG C6 for a more cinematic experience.

The C6 is a phenomenal gaming TV. It delivers a full list of gaming features, including 4K 165Hz in the C-series for the first time, and its razor-sharp performance will make gamers very happy. Pair this with its awesome picture quality, and the C6 sets the bar as a best-in-class gaming display.

LG’s webOS continues to be one of the top smart TV platforms around, and while there are no big upgrades this year other than more generative AI options, the settings menus have been streamline to make navigation easier, and thanks to its new processor, performance is smoother than ever.

Ads at the top of the home page and on the screensaver are still an issue, but it’s nothing you won’t find on other smart TVs. Ultimately, webOS 26 is still great.

The C6 is a nice step up over the LG C5, and is very good value for what it delivers. However, the C5 is significantly cheaper, and still available at the start of 2026, so if you don’t want to wait for C6 prices to drop, the C5 is a much cheaper option right now.

For UK users looking for a 65-inch TV, I would also recommend the Philips OLED910 — it’s effectively a flagship OLED at a mid-range price. As the C6’s prices drop later in the year, though, it’ll become better value.

LG C6 review: Prices & release date

The LG C6's boosted brightness means highlights, such as the sun in the shot above, have a nice impact (Image credit: Future)

• Released in May 2026
• 42-inch: $1,399 / £1,299 / AU$1,995
• 48-inch: $1,599 / £1,399 / AU$2,395
• 55-inch: $1,999 / £1,799 / AU$2,995
• 65-inch: $2,699 / £2,599 / AU$3,995

The LG C6 is available in 42-65-inch models, with the 77-inch and 83-inch models now listed as a new model called the LG C6H, which uses the upgraded Primary RGB Tandem 2.0 OLED panel, as seen in the LG G6. I haven’t included the C6H’s pricing here, as we plan to review it later.

The 65-inch C6 I tested is launching at $2,699 / £2,599 / AU$3,995, which is the same price the C5 launched at in the US and Australia in 2025, but is cheaper than the C5’s launch price in the UK.

LG C6 review: Specs

Screen type:

W-OLED

Refresh rate:

165Hz

HDR support:

Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG

Audio support:

Dolby Atmos

Smart TV:

webOS 26

HDMI ports:

4x HDMI 2.1

Built-in tuner:

ATSC 1.0 (US)

LG C6 review: Benchmark results

The above EOTF graphs show how accurately the LG C6 can hit HDR brightness levels in grayscale. The closer to the yellow line, the mor accurate it is. These results were taken with out-of-the-box settings in Filmmaker Mode: the same as all our tests (Image credit: Future)

Spectral power distribution refers to the intensity of light that a source will display at various wavelengths of color. It can reveal how accurate a source can show color at different light levels, and can be instructive to understand how a TV is handling color (Image credit: Future)LG C6 review: Features

The C6 comes with four HDMI 2.1 ports, which are all side-mounted for easy access (Image credit: Future)

• Alpha 11 AI Gen 3 processor is flagship-class with better color handling
• Gaming features are as good as it gets right now
• Dolby Vision and Atmos, but not HDR10+, DTS or Dolby Vision 2

The LG C6 is the mid-range OLED in LG’s 2026 TV lineup, sitting above the entry-level LG B6, and below the flagship LG G6 and the revived super-thin LG Wallpaper TV, known as the W6.

As mentioned, there are two LG C6 models this year: the standard C6 and the C6H. The former is available in sizes 42-65-inch, and uses what LG Display officially calls a "Tandem WOLED" panel, while the latter is available in 77-inch and 83-inch sizes only, and uses the "Primary RGB Tandem 2.0" OLED panel that’s also used in the flagship LG G6.

The C6 does, however, come equipped with a new processor across all its sizes: the Alpha 11 AI Gen 3, which is the same processor that's used in the step-up G6 and W6 OLEDs. This supports an upgraded Brightness Booster, more refined upscaling, and picture enhancements such as 13-bit image processing (12-bit color plus one bit of brightness). It also supports 11.1.2-channel audio upmixing with its AI Sound Pro mode.

Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos are supported, but once again there’s no support for HDR10+ or DTS, and LG has no plans to support Dolby Vision 2 on this TV in the future.

For sound, the C6 comes with LG's usual 2.2-channel speaker system included. In terms of sound profiles, LG has trimmed back the options from eight to four, opting for AI sound modes over traditional sound modes such as Cinema or Sports.

The C6 has a Game Hub (pictured) which houses tons of cloud-gaming apps (Image credit: Future)

The C6 is fully equipped for gaming, with four HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K 165Hz (a step up from the 4K 144Hz supported in the C5), full variable refresh rate compatibility including AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync, HGiG HDR, Dolby Vision Gaming, and auto low latency mode.

It comes with LG’s Game Optimizer dashboard, where gaming settings can be instantly accessed and adjusted for optimum performance.

The C6 uses webOS 26 as its smart TV platform, the latest version of LG’s own smart TV software. While there aren’t as many new, headline-grabbing features this time around, AI features such as AI Search and AI Concierge have been refined, menus have been streamlined, with the removal of some picture and sound modes, and some new Quick Card categories have been added.

The C6 also supports all major streaming apps including Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV and Prime Video.

• Features score: 5 / 5

LG C6 review: Picture quality

The C6 shows exceptional detail that is both natural and 3D-like (Image credit: Future)

• More accurate colors and refined contrast
• Excellent detail and boosted brightness
• Reflective screen can be an issue in bright conditions

Starting with brightness measurements, the C6 hit 1,438 nits peak HDR brightness (measured on a 10% white window pattern) in Filmmaker Mode. This is a sizable boost over last year’s C5, which clocked in at 1,180 nits in the same test. Standard mode receives a smaller boost, hitting 1,291 nits peak HDR in a 10% window, compared to the C5’s 1,191 nits.

Fullscreen HDR brightness has also received a healthy boost, with the C6 hitting 245 nits in Filmmaker Mode, up 25% from the C5, which registered 195 nits in the same test. In Standard mode, the C6 measured 232 nits compared to the C5’s 200 nits, so again a smaller change, but still positive.

In practice, this not only adds more brightness to SDR sources, but creates stronger contrast between dark and light tones in high-contrast scenes. Whites in particular, such as scenes of snow or white clouds, and any scenes with high peak brightness with the sun as a central feature, get a solid boost to make its picture more impactful over last year’s C5.

The C6 also does a good job with lower-resolution and SDR sources. An HD stream of Fight Club on Disney+ benefitted from upscaled textures and refined contrast, with darker scenes in particular looking great.

A DVD of The Amazing Spider-Man doesn’t quite look like it’s had the full 4K treatment, but textures are very neatly cleaned up, and there’s an injection of brightness to make it much more appealing overall.

I tried out Precision Master HDR Pro, a setting aimed to upscale SDR to HDR quality. While it did add more brightness and sharpened up textures, I found it to be too aggressive, as it created harsh edges around people and objects in The Amazing Spider-Man so I preferred to leave it turned off.

The C6's colors are one of its main highlights, looking look bold, punchy and vibrant, shown here in Elemental in Dolby Vision (Image credit: Disney / Future )

Color reproduction is superb on the LG C6, especially with Dolby Vision sources. In Elemental, streamed on Disney+, the oranges, pinks and purples of the vase as Ember fixes it are vibrant and punchy, with the C6’s new extra brightness adding even more shine to the picture.

In Wicked, as Elphaba stands under a tree in the Wizard & I scene, the pink flowers really pop on screen, but also appear more natural when compared to viewing the same scene on last year’s C5. The green of Elphaba’s skin also looks natural (allowing for the fact that it's green), with colors looking less saturated than on the C5, and for the better here.

It’s no wonder the C6’s colors pop, because it measured 99.7% and 75.8% coverage of the DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color spaces respectively. These are excellent results for a WOLED screen, and the C6 basically matches flagship OLEDs in DCI-P3, which is the most important space for HDR viewing.

It also registered a color accuracy score of Delta-E 1.2, which is fantastic for out-of-the-box settings, and means it’s essentially impossible to tell it apart from ‘perfect’ colors. All these measurements were taken in Filmmaker Mode.

Contrast is another strong suit of the C6, as it delivers deep black tones and bright highlights that balance well, shown here in The Batman (Image credit: Warner Bros. / Future )

Contrast is excellent on the C6. Watching The Batman, as Batman walks down a hallway, the balance between the dark tones of the wood-paneled walls and the light tones from the lamps are well separated, with each having their own nuances, creating strong contrast.

The same is true in Dark City — as John speaks to the desk clerk, black tones are rich, and contrast nicely with the bright and punchy desk lamp.

The C6 also displays superb shadow detail. Throughout The Batman, objects in dark backgrounds are still visible, such as the back wall of the subway platform or the portraits in Mitchell’s office. Comparing it to the C5, shadowed areas look more accurate, and true to how you’d expect the eye to see them.

Watching dark scenes in a pitch-black room, I did notice that black tones were raised in places. But by changing a few settings, dark areas on screen improved to the point where I was happy with them, without any in-depth calibration needed if you want to follow suit.

I dropped the ‘Near Black Detail’ option to -1 (it's 0 by default), dropped ‘Adjust Contrast’ from 100 to 95, and finally dropped ‘Black Level’ by 1, from the default 50 to 49. This didn’t dim the picture much at all, but improved black levels and contrast overall.

While watching a dimly-lit scene from The Green Knight, I did notice some vertical banding in a gray area of the scene. This was the first and only time I noted it in my test — I tested similarly difficult scenes in other movies — so it’s not enough to affect my score, but it’s something to note, as vertical banding has been a criticism of LG’s OLEDs in the past.

I compared the LG C6 to the LG C5, and the C6 demonstrates a more accurate color temperature, which is clearest when watching black-and-white movies. In Sunset Boulevard, the C6 delivers deep blacks, bright whites and a range of accurate gray tones.

Playing the same scenes on the C5, there's a green tint that affects the accuracy of the picture, and the C6 doesn’t have this issue. The green tint on the C5 isn’t noticeable in scenes full of color (and the TV scored excellent in color accuracy tests), but the starkness of monochrome really highlights it.

Dark City is another movie that allows the C6 to demonstrate its powerful contrast and refined detail (Image credit: Arrow Films / Future )

The C6 also delivered refined detail across content, with crisp textures that looked 3D-like but also natural and true-to-life. A close-up shot of Batman shows every bit of his stubble and other facial marks with real accuracy.

The C6 has excellent motion handling. I found Standard mode with the Natural motion setting to be perfect for sports (I tested soccer and baseball) and I used the Cinematic Movement motion setting for movies, which has been my go-to for LG for the last couple of years.

Without any processing on, there can be some judder in slow-moving movie shots, but Cinematic Motion worked well for delivering a panning shot of a cliffside cemetery from No Time To Die with natural-looking motion and much-reduced judder.

It’s not all plain sailing for the C6. I found that its reflection handling was merely average, noting some strong mirror-like reflections when watching darker scenes in brightly lit rooms.

While this was expected, I was impressed by the step-up LG G6’s anti-glare coating when I tested it, so I know that LG’s glossy OLEDs can crush reflections when given the tools; it's a shame the C6 didn’t receive the same treatment.

• Picture quality score: 4.5 / 5

LG C6 review: Sound quality

The C6's built-in speakers do a solid job overall, but Dolby Atmos scenes like the Batmobile chase from The Batman (pictured) deserve a soundbar (Image credit: Warner Bros. / Future)

• 2.2-channel speaker system
• Good overall sound quality
• Some sound modes removed

The C6 has a built-in, 2.2-channel speaker array that supports Dolby Atmos, but like last year, there’s no support for DTS. LG has removed some of the traditional sound modes, such as Cinema and Sports, in favor of AI sound modes such as the returning AI Sound Pro and the new Precision Sound Master Pro.

Using the AI Sound Pro mode in my go-to Dolby Atmos scene — the Batmobile chase from The Batman — the C6 delivered great accuracy and detail, with a strong link between the action on screen and the sound. Mapping was very good, as the screech of swerving car tyres and blaring horns passing by off-screen sounded authentic.

The AI Sound Pro profile focuses more on the mid-range this year, which I personally prefer. The changes also meant the bass felt more solid than it did on the LG C5, and while it doesn’t beat the likes of Sony and Panasonic TVs, it was still meaty in places.

Trying out the Precision Sound Master Pro setting, the soundstage did feel wider, and there was more overall volume, but it was personally too bright for my tastes.

I always used the Cinema sound setting for my testing in previous models, so I’m disappointed that this is no longer an option, but AI Sound Pro is a solid alternative.

Still, despite the C6’s solid sound, I’d hook up a soundbar if you want the sound quality to match the picture, as Dolby Atmos effects can get lost and the soundstage can at times feel narrow.

• Sound quality score: 4 / 5

LG C6 review: Design The C6 has a metal stand that looks premium and feels sturdyFutureThe rear panel has marble-effect design that again adds a premium look Future

• Premium design with bezel-less screen looks great
• Metal stand and trim feel high-quality
• UK remote still feels cheap

The C6’s design carries over from last year’s C5. It feels premium but more lightweight than the hefty G6. Its silver metal trim and base makes the TV feel premium. The screen has a near bezel-less design with no real border, giving the picture the full real estate.

The rear panel has a marbled design that adds a nice touch, and the ports of the TV are easily accessible on the rear-side panel, with all four HDMI ports in plain view.

LG’s Magic Remote in the UK does, however, continue to feel cheap compared to other OLED remotes. While it has a useful pointer, its overall build still feels plasticky and light, a far cry from the black, metal rechargeable remote that Philips supplies with its OLEDs. Fingers crossed this changes next year.

• Design score: 4 / 5

LG C6 review: Smart TV & menus

webOS is still one of the best smart TV platforms on the market, and webOS 26 takes a streamlining approach (Image credit: Future)

• AI features are becoming smarter
• Streamlined settings menus is very welcome
• Snappy navigation is also an improvement

The LG C6 uses webOS 26 as its smart TV platform, and it’s again one of the best on the market. Quick Cards are a useful tool where relevant apps can be organized by category, such as Music and Game, and new options have been introduced, such as Office and Learning.

The Quick Menu continues to be one of the most useful tools for adjusting popular settings such as picture mode with no fuss — just hit a button and it pops up at the side of the screen, with instant access to common settings, without totally interrupting what you’re watching.

LG has streamlined some settings menus, moving options such as Network and Energy Saving higher up in their category for easier access. Couple this with the new faster Alpha 11 processor and navigation feels easier overall, with better visibility and nice, snappy performance.

AI features such as AI Concierge are more refined, with better recommendations, and new features such as Generative AI can be used to plan activities or create images.

webOS 26 does still have large banner ads at the top of the screen that take up just over a third of the home page, and I did note that whenever the C6 went into screensaver mode it wouldn’t take long before sponsored ads appeared.

Still, these are the only negatives I had with what has consistently been a brilliant smart TV platform, and ads are becoming increasingly common on all platforms.

• Smart TV & menus score: 5 / 5

LG C6 review: Gaming

The C6 is a phenomenal gaming TV, with all the features and performance gamers will need (Image credit: Future)

• 4K 165Hz and full VRR support on all four HDMI ports
• 9.2ms 60Hz / 4.2ms 120Hz input lag time is as good as usual
• Superb performance and picture in gaming modes

The C6 maintains the LG C-series OLED’s reputation for best-in-class gaming performance and features. It supports 4K at 165Hz, variable refresh rate (HDMI spec, FreeSync, and G-Sync), auto low-latency mode, and Dolby Vision Gaming across all four HDMI 2.1 ports.

Activating its Boost mode in the Game Optimizer menu yields a measured 9.2ms (4K 60Hz) and 4.6ms (1080p 120Hz) input delay, a phenomenal result that gamers will be delighted with.

Playing Battlefield V, performance not only felt incredibly smooth as I targeted enemies while running, but looked excellent as well. The desert mission I played was bright and vibrant, and environments were incredibly detailed, with intricate textures in rocks and buildings.

Not much more needs to be said: the C6 is a gaming powerhouse.

• Gaming score: 5 / 5

LG C6 review: Value

(Image credit: Future)

• Cheaper launch prices than the LG C5 in the UK
• Excellent picture and features for the price
• But the C5 is a lot cheaper in 2026, and may offer better bang-for-buck

The LG C6 is great value for the performance and features it delivers. It carries across all the elements that made the C5 one of last year’s best TVs, but offers higher brightness, more refined contrast and color, and has an upgraded processor for faster performance.

The 65-inch model I tested costs $2,699 / £2,599 / AU$3,995, which means it’s launching for the same price in the US and Australia as the C5, which is impressive enough, but it’s actually £100 cheaper than the C5’s launch price in the UK, even with all the upgrades.

If you’re looking to buy at the time of writing, however — May 2026 — the C5 remains the best option, with the same 65-inch costing $1,399 / £1,399 / AU$2,599 on average.

If you’re based in the UK and looking for a 65-inch, I’d also strongly recommend the Philips OLED910, which costs £2,199 at 65-inch (£500 cheaper than the C6) and boasts flagship-level brightness and colors, plus a superb built-in Bowers & Wilkins sound system. In smaller 42-55-inch sizes, though, the C5 is still the best option.

The C6 is still a premium TV in the grand scheme of the TV market, but those launch prices are likely to drop quickly. If you want to buy right now, the C5 is still your best value option overall, but as C6 prices drop it will become even better value.

As far as new 2026-released TVs go, I don’t expect many to match it on the combination of features and image quality for the price.

• Value score: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the LG C6 OLED TV?

The C6 has excellent black levels, but is prone to mirror-like reflections in brighter rooms (Image credit: Future)LG C6 scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

An upgraded processor for more picture features and faster performance.

5/5

Picture quality

Superb picture quality, with great color temperature accuracy and a boost in brightness over the C5. It's quite reflective, however.

4.5/5

Sound quality

Good sound quality with solid accuracy that's decent overall, but could benefit from a soundbar.

4/5

Design

Solid build quality that feels premium, but remote still feels cheap compared to some others.

4.5/5

Smart TV and menus

webOS 26 feels more streamlined and introduces more AI tools. Easy to use and navigate.

5/5

Gaming

Full suite of gaming features including 4K 165Hz support and four HDMI 2.1 ports. Razor-sharp performance.

5/5

Value

Delivers on nearly all fronts, and launching for cheaper than the C5. C5 is still the better-value option while it's still around, however.

4.5/5

Buy it if...

You want excellent picture quality
The C6 delivers bold and accurate colors, strong contrast, refined detail and responsive motion, making it a perfect TV for movies, gaming and sports.

You want a gaming OLED
The C6 has a full suite of features across four HDMI 2.1 ports and delivers smooth performance. Easily one of the best gaming TVs on the market.

You want a great smart TV platform
Not many smart TV platforms are as intuitive, easy-to-use and come loaded with as many features as webOS.

Don't buy it if...

You'll be watching in a bright room
With a glossy screen, the C6 is prone to mirror-like reflections that are particularly bad in bright rooms.

You want HDR10+ support
The C6 supports Dolby Vision, but there's no support for HDR10+, which is becoming increasingly popular in both gaming and streaming.

You want the best built-in sound
The C6's sound is mostly solid, but it doesn't quite live up to its picture quality. I'd recommend a soundbar to complete the experience.

Also Consider

LG C6

LG C5

LG G6

Price (65-inch)

$2,699 / £2,599 / AU$3,995

$1,399 / £1,399 / AU$2,599

$3,399 / £2,999 / AU$4,999

Screen type

OLED

OLED

OLED (Primary RGB Tandem 2.0)

Refresh rate

165Hz

144Hz

165Hz

HDR support

Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG

Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG

Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG

Smart TV

webOS 26

webOS 25

webOS 26

HDMI ports

4 x HDMI 2.1

4 x HDMI 2.1

4 x HDMI 2.1

LG C5
Despite the color accuracy, brightness and performance upgrades in the C6, the C5 is still a fantastic TV in its own right, with superb picture-quality and gaming features. It's also currently available for a lot less than the C6.

Read our full LG C5 review

LG G6
The step-up OLED over the C6, the G6 delivers much higher brightness, bolder colors and stronger contrast, as well as an effective anti-reflection screen for bright-room viewing. It's the jewel in LG's OLED TV crown. However, the C6 comes with the same processor and gaming features, and is significantly cheaper.

Read our LG G6 review

How I tested the LG C6 OLED TV

Testing the C6 using our Klein K-10A colorimeter and Murideo Six G 8K metal test pattern generator — though we turn the lights off when we really take the measurements… (Image credit: Future)

• Tested over two weeks using HDR and SDR sources
• Tested in variable lighting conditions
• Measurements taken using Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software

My first steps in testing the LG C6 involved establishing its most accurate picture modes through casual viewing. I landed on Filmmaker Mode for most movies, as well as Cinema Home, and finally Standard for sports and broadcast TV.

I then moved on to critical viewing, using both HDR (4K Blu-ray and 4K streaming) as well as SDR (DVD, Blu-ray and broadcast TV) sources to test the C6's picture. I used these sources to analyze upscaling (of SDR), color, brightness, contrast, textures, detail and motion.

I used a Panasonic DP-UB820 4K Blu-ray player when playing discs including 4K Blu-ray. I also used an Xbox Series X to test the TV's gaming features and performance.

Aside from subjective testing, I also took measurements on the C6 using a Klein K-10A colorimeter (profiled with a Jeti Spectral 15VA Spectroradiometer) and a Murideo Six G 8K Metal test pattern generator, and used Portrait Displays' Calman color-calibration software to record measurements.

To measure the C6's brightness, I used both HDR and SDR white window patterns ranging in size from 1-100%, taking readings in both Filmmaker Mode and Standard picture modes.

I also tested the C6's grayscale and color accuracy, taking an average of the Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what's shown on screen), looking for a result below 3. Anything below this is considered indistinguishable to the human eye.

I measured the coverage of the UHDA-P3 and BT.2020 color spaces, hoping for a result of over 95% for the former.

I also tested the C6's HDR EOTF in 1,000, 4,000 and 10,000 nits. This test shows the C6's accuracy at both light and dark levels. I also measured the C6's Spectral Power Distribution, which demonstrates its color performance, using the Jeti spectroradiometer.

Finally, I used a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI Input lag Tester to test the C6's input lag in milliseconds.

Read our in-depth overview of how we test TVs at TechRadar.

• First reviewed: May 2026
• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Hoover HF3 DynamicClean: one-minute review

DynamicClean is Hoover’s latest crack at the mid-range tier of cordless stick vacuum cleaners, and for the most part it's a great effort.

Weighing in at just 5.6lbs / 2.54kg, it's one of the lightest cordless sticks you can buy, which makes it pretty easy to push around and carry between floors. The 150 AW motor delivers good suction across carpet and hard floors, and Hoover's Anti-Twist brushbar technology keeps hair from wrapping itself around the roller, which means easier maintenance in the long run.

You also get HEPA filtration built in, which is a top selling point for anyone with allergies or pets, alongside LED headlights on the floorhead, three power modes, and a wall-mounted charging dock. It's a well-featured package for the money, and on carpet in particular it delivers surprisingly good cleaning results for the money.

(Image credit: Future)

Where the HF3 shows its mid-range roots is in the build quality and the battery. The whole thing feels a bit cheap in places, the bin is narrow enough to make getting your hand inside a challenge, and the headline 60-minute runtime only applies if you stick exclusively to Eco mode. Switch to standard or turbo and that number drops fast. It’s worth being aware this probably won't cover a whole house in one charge for most people.

Still, at its current price, the HF3 DynamicClean offers a lot of vacuum for not a lot of money, and the cleaning performance itself is hard to fault at this level.

Hoover HF3 DynamicClean: price and availability

• List price £179.99 (about $250 / AU$340) from Hoover Direct
• Currently on sale at around £129 from Hoover Direct and Argos
• Pet variant available with mini turbo brush

The HF3 DynamicClean is available now across UK retailers, though at the time of writing it's not sold in the US or Australia. Its list price sits at £179.99 (about $250 / AU$340), but you'll almost certainly find it cheaper. At the time of writing, both Hoover Direct and Argos had it listed in the sale for £149.99, which is a really good deal for what you're getting.

That's significantly cheaper than a comparable Shark cordless, which will typically set you back £200 or more for similar features, and it's a fraction of what you'd pay for a Dyson. If the anti-hair wrap tech is the thing that appeals, the Shark equivalent costs nearly double.

The Pet variant, which adds a mini turbo tool for upholstery, is also available for a bit more (£199.99) if you have furry housemates.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Hoover HF3 DynamicClean: Design

• Extremely lightweight and easy to handle
• Inoffensive colorway that blends in
• Feels a bit cheap and has nowhere to store attachments

The HF3 is a slim, upright stick vacuum that's harmless looking but doesn't exactly scream style. It's got a slightly boxy, utilitarian look, but the minimal light grey and black colourway should at least go with any house deco style. Sure, it's not the sleekest-looking machine out there, but at least it doesn't take up much room. And while it's not that premium feeling, it's perfectly fine looking and won't embarrass you if it's wall-mounted in plain sight.

At 2.54kg, this vacuum is feather-light in the hand. Pushing it around open floor space takes virtually no effort, and carrying it upstairs is a one-handed job. That weight is a plus if you've got multiple levels to cover or if you're buying for someone who finds heavier vacuums a struggle.

That said, while it's nimble enough on open stretches, I found it can feel a bit stiff when you're trying to get into trickier spots, like around chair legs or into the gap between the sofa and the wall. It doesn't have the same fluid manoeuvrability as some pricier cordless sticks I've used.

FutureFuture

Despite not being quite as nimble as the likes of a cordless Dyson or Shark, the floorhead steers around reasonably well, and the double-edge cleaning design means it can pick up dust along both its left and right sides, so it cleans along skirting boards and wall edges regardless of which direction you're pushing it.

There are also LED headlights on the front to light up dust under furniture, and the self-standing feature lets you park it upright mid-clean without it toppling over, though I did see some online reviews mention the head can lock into position when using it at odd angles on stairs, triggering an auto-shutoff. I didn't experience this myself, but it's probably something you should be aware of.

FutureFuture

Where the budget price of this device really shows is in the build quality. I'll be honest, it feels a bit cheap in hand. The integrated dusting brush and crevice tool have that thin, hollow plastic quality that doesn't inspire long-term confidence, and there's nowhere on the unit to store the latter either. It just has to live in a drawer somewhere until you need it, which is minor but still annoying.

As for the bin, its 0.7-litre volume is a decent enough size, but the opening is narrow, so getting your hand in to clean around the central filter cone can be a fiddle if you don't have particularly small fingers.

• Design score: 3/5

Hoover HF3 DynamicClean: features and performance

• Strong suction, though not quite Dyson-level
• Anti-Twist tech delivers on its promise
• Battery life and noise are the weak spots

The HF3's brushless motor does an all-round good job for a vacuum at this price. On carpet, it pulls up dust, crumbs and fine debris with a good level of suction. Hard floors are handled well too, with the floorhead transitioning smoothly between surfaces without needing you to manually adjust anything.

I must add that while the suction is great for the price, it isn't quite on the level of some cordless Dyson vacuums I've used. It does leave the odd bit behind here and there, particularly on higher-pile rugs, where a Dyson would have performed much better. For the price difference, that's expected, and the HF3 is still perfectly good for everyday cleaning. Just don't expect it to compete with something two or three times the price.

(Image credit: Future)

Hoover's Anti-Twist technology is the headline feature here, and it works well. Over my testing period, I didn't find a single strand of hair wrapped around the brushbar, which — if you've ever owned a vacuum without this — is worth the entry price alone. The brushbar itself also pops out easily for cleaning, keeping maintenance to a minimum

The HF3’s three power modes (Eco, Standard and Turbo) give you some flexibility in how you use the battery. Eco mode is gentle but best for lighter cleaning and will get you closest to that 60-minute runtime claim. Standard mode, which is what you'll likely use most of the time, is rated for around 30 minutes and delivers a decent clean.

(Image credit: Future)

As for Turbo mode, this cranks things up a notch, being ideal for stubborn patches. However, this mode burns through the battery fast, offering around 15 minutes of use at best, in my experience. This is the HF3's biggest limitation. That 60-minute figure Hoover promises is only really achievable in Eco mode with the handheld configuration, which isn't how most people are going to use a stick vacuum day to day. On Standard mode with the floorhead attached, you're realistically looking at 25 to 30 minutes, which probably won't cover a whole house in one go unless you live in a one or two bedroom flat.

Another niggle is the vacuum’s noise. For something this compact and lightweight, the HF3 is surprisingly loud. It's not unbearable, but it's noticeably louder than I was expecting — you certainly won't be using it while someone's on a call in the next room. Nevertheless, there are plenty of other positives to help negate this.

(Image credit: Future)

The HF3’s LED display on the handle, for example, works well – showing you the current battery percentage and which mode you're in at a glance. It's not a touchscreen, just a simple readout, but it's handy for knowing exactly how much juice you've got left.

The HEPA filtration is another of the vacuum’s strong point. Hoover claims it captures 99.9% of dust and allergens, and while I can't exactly verify that figure in my kitchen, it's a reassuring spec for anyone with allergies or asthma. The filter is washable too, which should save you money on replacements over time.

• Features and performance score: 3.5 / 5

Should you buy the Hoover HF3 DynamicClean?Buy it if

You want strong suction without the Dyson price tag

The HF3 delivers solid cleaning performance for a fraction of what the big names charge.

You're tired of cutting hair out of your brushbar

The Anti-Twist tech works, and it makes maintenance less of a chore.

You have allergies or pets

The HEPA filtration and solid pickup on pet hair make it a practical choice for sensitive households.

Don't buy it if

You need to clean a large home in one session

The battery won't stretch to a full house clean on Standard or Turbo modes without a recharge.

You want premium build quality

This vacuum feels a bit cheap in places, and the attachments don't inspire much confidence.

You want something quiet: The HF3 is louder than its compact size would suggest.

Hoover HF3 DynamicClean: also consider

Shark Stratos Cordless IZ862H

If you want stronger battery life, auto-sensing suction and a more premium build, the Shark is a step up in every department, but you'll pay around double the price for the privilege.

Read our full Shark Stratos Cordless IZ862H review

Hoover HL2 TurboStyle

If you'd rather go corded and save some cash, Hoover's own HL2 upright offers relentless suction with no battery anxiety. It's less versatile, but it costs less and never runs out of power.

Read our full Hoover HL2 TurboStyle review

Vax Blade 4

A well-established cordless competitor at a similar price point, with decent suction and a familiar design. Worth comparing if the Hoover HF3 isn’t quite ticking every box.

Read our full Vax Blade 4 review

How I tested the Hoover HF3 DynamicClean

I used the Hoover HF3 DynamicClean as my main vacuum cleaner for several weeks across carpet, rugs and hard floors. I tested all three power modes, used the handheld conversion for stairs and upholstery, and assessed the build quality, bin emptying, wall dock, battery life and day-to-day usability throughout.

First reviewed: April 2026

Sender has been building a reputation as an affordable email marketing platform since 2012, and today it counts more than 180,000 businesses in its user base. The platform handles newsletters, automation workflows, transactional emails, and SMS under one roof, whereas many competitors split those features across multiple pricing tiers or reserve them for higher-cost plans.

We've been reviewing email marketing software at TechRadar Pro for over a decade, covering platforms from Mailchimp and Brevo to ActiveCampaign and Omnisend year after year. This Sender review is based on hands-on testing across the platform's automation, template, and form-building tools, cross-referenced against official documentation and verified user reviews.

My experience with Sender

(Image credit: Sender)

Creating an account takes about two minutes and requires no credit card, which sets the right expectations from the start. The dashboard is clean and easy to navigate, and you can launch your first campaign without sitting through a tutorial. For anyone coming over from pricier tools like Mailchimp, that combination of low friction and lower cost tends to land well.

Our experience confirmed what many longtime users report: Sender works best when your campaigns are relatively straightforward. The drag-and-drop builder is functional and fast, but you won't find advanced layout controls or content blocks that match what Klaviyo or ActiveCampaign offer at comparable price points. For simple newsletters, welcome sequences, or abandoned cart reminders, Sender is a capable and cost-effective tool, provided you understand where its ceiling sits.

Sender review: Features

(Image credit: Sender)

Sender covers the core email marketing toolkit without obvious gaps. You get a drag-and-drop email builder, a library of pre-built templates, a visual automation builder, subscriber segmentation, signup forms, and popups, including spin-to-win and exit-intent variants. Transactional email is also included at every tier, which is worth noting since many platforms treat it as a separate product.

The visual automation builder is one of Sender's stronger tools. You can map out multi-step workflows, set behavioral triggers like link clicks or cart abandonment, and combine email and SMS steps in a single flow. Pre-built automation templates cover common use cases such as welcome sequences and re-engagement campaigns, which cuts setup time considerably for straightforward programs.

That said, Sender shows its limits at the edges of the feature set. The template library skews toward basic designs, which can be a real constraint if you're producing brand-heavy campaigns. There's also no built-in CRM, so you'll need Zapier or a direct integration to keep your marketing and sales data synced. And while deliverability essentials like SPF/DKIM authentication and double opt-in are supported, there's no dedicated deliverability dashboard. If your open rates drop, diagnosing the cause takes more detective work than it should.

Sender review: User experience

The interface prioritizes simplicity, and for most users, that approach pays off. Creating a campaign takes a handful of clicks, and the drag-and-drop builder doesn't require any design background to produce something functional. Most users report being ready to send their first campaign within minutes of signing up.

A few rough edges show up once you move beyond the basics. Managing larger subscriber lists or building more granular segments can feel fiddly, with some actions requiring more steps than you'd expect. If your team is international, it's also worth knowing that the platform currently supports only four interface languages: English, Lithuanian, Polish, and Spanish. For most small businesses, though, Sender stays accessible without getting in the way.

Sender review: Customer support

Customer support is one area where Sender stands out against similarly priced tools. The company offers 24/7 live chat with an average response time measured in seconds, and users on G2, Capterra, and Trustpilot consistently praise both the speed and quality of responses. For a platform at this price point, that level of access is unusual.

Free plan users have the same live chat access as paid subscribers, which matters if you're evaluating the free tier as a long-term option rather than a trial. Support is also available through a help center and by email, though live chat is the fastest route for anything time-sensitive.

Sender review: Pricing

Plan

Price (monthly)

Subscribers

Notes

Free

$0

2,500

15,000 emails per month; includes Sender branding on emails and forms.

Standard

From $10

1000 to 200,000

Removes branding and adds SMS credits and multi-user access.

Professional

From $20

1000 to 200,000

Adds a dedicated IP address, animated countdown timers, in-email review collection, ecommerce reporting, and free SMS credits matching the value of your plan.

Enterprise

Custom

Custom

Unlimited sends, a dedicated success manager, and advanced user permissions.

The free plan is one of the most practical entry points in the market. At 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 monthly emails, it gives you room to run a real newsletter operation without any time limit. The main tradeoff is the Sender branding on outgoing emails and forms, which disappears as soon as you move to any paid plan. Both Standard and Professional scale from 1,000 to 200,000 subscribers, so you're not forced into a dramatic price jump the moment your list grows.

The Professional plan earns its premium over Standard with features that matter for active marketers. A dedicated IP keeps your sender reputation separate from other users on shared infrastructure, and the ecommerce-specific reporting covers metrics like revenue per campaign that Standard doesn't surface. On annual billing, Standard costs $7/month and Professional $14/month, which is worth factoring in if you're confident the platform fits your needs long-term.

Note that all listed prices exclude VAT, which varies by country.

Sender review: Specs

Spec

Details

Free plan

2,500 subscribers; 15,000 emails/month

Automation

Visual builder with behavioral triggers

SMS

Available on all plans; credits purchased on Standard

Integrations

WordPress, WooCommerce, Shopify, Zapier

Support

24/7 live chat, help center, email

Should I buy Sender?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Solid core toolkit; limited for complex campaigns

3.5/5

Performance

Good deliverability; no dedicated reporting dashboard

3.5/5

Design

Clean interface; templates are functional but dated

3.5/5

Value

Among the most generous free plans on the market

4.5/5

Buy it if...

• You want a free plan that doesn't have a countdown clock. Sender's free tier supports 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 monthly emails with no expiry date, which is more room to operate than Mailchimp, Brevo, or Omnisend's equivalent offerings.
• You're running straightforward email workflows. The visual automation builder handles welcome sequences, abandoned cart reminders, and re-engagement campaigns without requiring a developer or a lengthy onboarding process.
• Support access matters to you at any budget. Live chat is available on every plan, including free, and Sender's response times are consistently faster than most competitors at this price point.

Don't buy it if...

• You need design-heavy, on-brand campaigns. The template library is functional but limited, and the editor lacks the advanced layout options available in tools like Klaviyo or ActiveCampaign.
• Your stack relies on a CRM for contact management. Without a built-in CRM, you'll need Zapier or a native connector to keep your marketing and sales data aligned, which adds friction for CRM-heavy teams.
• Your list is scaling fast, and your automation needs are growing. Once you push past basic triggers and simple segments, the platform's constraints become more apparent, and upgrade costs step up in fixed increments.

Also consider

• Mailchimp: It offers a broader integration ecosystem and more sophisticated audience segmentation tools. It's a better fit if you're running a complex marketing tech stack, though pricing rises sharply as your list grows.
• Brevo: Brevo (or Sendinblue) includes a built-in CRM and stronger transactional email capabilities, making it worth evaluating if contact management is central to how your team operates.
• Omnisend: Built specifically for ecommerce, with native Shopify and WooCommerce connections and pre-built workflows for post-purchase sequences and product recommendations.

How I tested Sender

• Set up a free account and built campaigns across newsletter, automation, and transactional email categories to test the builder and workflow tools end-to-end.
• Tested subscriber segmentation, form creation, and pop-up builder against typical small business use cases, including list growth and re-engagement.
• Evaluated pricing tiers against competitor platforms and cross-checked all features and pricing claims against Sender's official documentation, pricing page source, and verified user reviews.

Testing Sender involved working through its three core use cases: broadcast email, automated workflows, and list building. I built multi-step automations using the visual builder, created segmented subscriber lists, and set up signup forms and exit-intent popups. Pricing figures were verified directly against Sender's official pricing page. User feedback from verified review platforms informed my assessment of support quality and day-to-day usability.

Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night: two-minute review

The Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night is the company’s most advanced rotary shaver, and in this Ryan Gosling-friendly Project Hail Mary edition, it arrives wrapped in a layer of space-age storytelling about aerospace-grade engineering, longevity and precision.

Underneath the launch theatrics, though, this is a serious flagship shaver. Philips’ Triple Action Lift & Cut system trims hair down to a Sphynx cat-like 0.08mm, while NanoTech Dual Precision blades and 360-degree flexing heads are designed to stay close to the skin across awkward contours like the jaw, chin and neck.

An LED pressure-feedback ring around the shaving head changes colour as you shave, showing whether you’re applying too much or too little pressure. It sounds like a gimmick until you realise it’s training you out of bad habits.

(Image credit: Future)

That matters because most electric shaver irritation comes not from the blades, but from you mashing the thing into your face like you’re trying to sand a table. The light ring gives immediate feedback, while the GroomTribe app adds more detailed pressure and motion guidance if you want to get forensic about your morning shave.

Performance is excellent for a rotary model. It’s close, smooth and particularly good across contours, with enough flexibility to handle difficult areas without repeated punishment passes. Foil shavers may still edge it for absolute closeness, but few feel this forgiving.

Battery life offers 60 minutes of runtime, good enough for a fortnight of taming facial follicles, with a one-hour full charge and a five-minute quick charge for emergencies.

The wider bundle also includes a UV Power Charger, Quick Clean Pod, precision trimmer and three-in-one DeepClean Massager, so this feels more like a grooming system than a single shaver.

(Image credit: Future)

The Project Hail Mary collaboration is mostly cosmetic. You get themed packaging and a theatrical unboxing, but the shaving experience itself is unchanged from the standard i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night model.

Still, if you’re buying fresh and want one of the most capable rotary shavers available, this is an impressively polished option.

Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night: price and availability

• List price: from $499.99 (without movie tie-in)
• Launched March 2026
• Available in the US and UK

The Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night sits firmly at the premium end of the electric shaver market.

Availability varies by region and retailer, but it’s widely sold online through major electronics and grooming outlets, with discounts often available. This Project Hail Mary variant (XP9406/93) appears as a limited-edition bundle, though the core device is shared with other i9000 Prestige Ultra models, and the Night & Day edition without the sci-fi tie-in retails at $499.99 (about £370 / AU$690)

Philips attempts to justify the cost with a considerable accessories bundle, including a three-in-one deep clean attachment for cleaning, massaging, and priming the skin for moisturising.

That said, ongoing costs are worth factoring in. Replacement shaving heads and cleaning cartridges aren’t cheap, and the included cleaning system nudges you toward regular refills.

• Value score: 3.5/5

Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night: specs

Type

Rotary electric shaver

Use:

Wet and dry

Blade system

NanoTech Dual Precision blades

Shaving system

Triple Action Lift and Cut

Contour following

360-degree Precision Flexing Head

Guidance

Active Pressure and Motion Guidance

Skin comfort

Hydro SkinGlide Coating

Battery life

60 minutes runtime

Charging time

One hour

Quick charge

Five minutes

Charging

USB-A cable, charging dock / UV Power Charger

Cleaning

Quick Clean Pod, one-touch open, fully washable

Attachments

Precision trimmer, three-in-one DeepClean Massager

Display

Color LCD, battery indicator, travel lock, app connection

Connectivity

Bluetooth, GroomTribe app

Warranty

Five years, extendable to seven years with registration

Replacement head

SH91, replace every two years

Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night: design

• Premium, reassuring build
• LED pressure ring gives real-time feedback
• UV Power Charger makes the bundle feel flagship

Philips knows how to make a top-end shaver feel expensive, and the i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night doesn’t disappoint. The handle feels solid, balanced and nicely weighted, with an ergonomic grip that makes it easy to control even when shaving wet.

The triple rotary head design, made from aerospace industry steel, is familiar Philips territory, but the smaller, flexible heads help the shaver maintain contact around the jawline, neck and under the nose. It looks technical without tipping into medical device territory.

(Image credit: Future)

The standout design feature is the LED ring around the shaving head. It changes colour as you shave to indicate pressure, and it’s much more useful than a light-up grooming gadget has any right to be.

Press too hard and it tells you. Ease off too much, and it tells you. Hit the sweet spot, and it effectively rewards you for shaving like an adult. Even Barbie movie Ryan Gosling could get to grips with it.

There’s also a colour LCD on the handle, showing battery status, travel lock and app connection. It’s clear and useful, though the pressure ring is the display you’ll actually pay attention to while shaving.

(Image credit: Future)

The accessories are substantial. The UV Power Charger sanitizes the shaver head while charging, while the Quick Clean Pod handles cleaning and lubrication. The 3-in-1 DeepClean Massager feels more lifestyle than essential, but it does broaden the package into skincare territory.

As for the movie tie-in, it’s mostly in the packaging and presentation. The sci-fi styling and engineered unboxing experience are fun, but once the shaver is on your bathroom shelf, the movie connection fades into the background.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night: performance

• Comfortable rotary shave
• LED pressure guidance improves technique
• Strong across awkward contours

The i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night is excellent to use, with multiple shaving modes prioritising speed, comfort or a more thorough pass — and the LED pressure ring is central to that.

A lot of premium shavers promise smarter shaving, but this is one of the few where the smart feature is visible and useful immediately. The colour-changing ring helps you maintain the right pressure in real time, which is particularly helpful around the neck, where it’s easy to overcompensate and cause irritation.

It also makes the learning curve shorter. Rotary shaving requires a different technique from foil shaving or wet shaving, and the i9000 gently nags you into better habits.

(Image credit: Future)

The LED ring uses a simple color system: green means you’re spot on, orange means ease off, and blue/purple means stop being so timid. It sounds basic, but it quickly trains you into better habits. After a few shaves, you stop thinking about it, which is usually a sign that a feature is doing its job.

Closeness is impressive, and while I can’t verify the 0.08mm figure with lab equipment, the results are consistently close and clean. It’s especially good at following face contours, where cheaper shavers often leave patches that require repeated passes, and subsequently irritation.

The NanoTech Dual Precision blades cope well with mixed growth direction, and Philips says the system is designed for one, three or seven-day beards. In practice, it’s at its best on daily or every-other-day growth, but it still handles longer stubble better than most rotary rivals.

(Image credit: Future)

Comfort is the bigger story. The Hydro SkinGlide coating helps the heads move smoothly over the skin, while the pressure ring discourages the sort of heavy-handed shaving that usually causes redness. Used properly, it feels controlled rather than aggressive.

The GroomTribe app won’t be for everyone. Not everyone wants to Bluetooth-pair a shaver before breakfast. But its pressure and motion insights do make sense here, because they support the same behaviour the LED ring is encouraging on the device itself.

FutureFutureFutureFuture

Wet shaving with foam or gel works well, and the shaver is fully washable, so cleaning under the tap is simple. The Quick Clean Pod is more convenient, though, especially if this is going to be your main shaver.

Foil rivals such as the Panasonic Arc6 and Braun Series 9 Pro may still win for absolute closeness on short, straight stubble. But the Philips counters with comfort, flexibility and a more forgiving feel around awkward facial geography.

Unlike foil shavers, where multiple brands compete at the top end, the rotary market is effectively dominated by Philips — meaning the i9000 Prestige Ultra’s biggest competition comes from earlier Philips models rather than direct rivals.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night?Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night score card

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

Superb bundle and flagship performance, but the RRP is extremely high.

3.5 / 5

Design

Premium build, excellent ergonomics and a genuinely useful LED pressure ring.

4.5 / 5

Performance

Close, comfortable and forgiving, especially around contours and sensitive areas.

4.5 / 5

Buy it if

You want a top-end rotary shaver

This is one of the most capable rotary models around, with excellent contour tracking and comfort.

You have sensitive skin

The LED pressure ring, Hydro SkinGlide coating and app guidance all help reduce over-shaving and irritation.

You want the full grooming system

The UV Power Charger, Quick Clean Pod, trimmer and DeepClean Massager make this feel like a complete bathroom setup.

Don't buy it if

You’re on a budget

This is an expensive shaver, even allowing for the bundle.

You already own a recent i9000

The Project Hail Mary edition adds packaging and presentation, not a radically different shave.

You want the closest possible electric shave

Foil shavers still arguably edge rotary models for absolute closeness on short stubble.

Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night: also consider

Panasonic Arc6

A premium foil shaver that prioritises outright closeness, especially on short, straight stubble.

Braun Series 9 Pro

Another high-end foil option, strong on speed and closeness, with a more traditional shaving feel.

How I tested the Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night

• Tested over two weeks
• Used for wet and dry shaving
• Tested with daily stubble and longer growth

I used the Philips Norelco i9000 Prestige Ultra Day & Night as my main shaver over two weeks, testing it on stubble, longer growth and more awkward areas around the jawline and neck.

I tested the LED pressure-feedback ring during normal shaving to see whether it made a meaningful difference to technique, and used the GroomTribe app to compare its guidance with the feedback on the shaver itself.

I also tested the UV Power Charger, Quick Clean Pod, precision trimmer and 3-in-1 DeepClean Massager to assess whether the wider bundle adds genuine value or simply makes the box look more expensive.

Find out more about how we test, rate, and review products at TechRadar.

Kit (formerly ConvertKit) has been a fixture in creator email marketing since Nathan Barry launched the platform in 2013. It rebranded in 2024, expanding its identity from a pure email marketing tool to what the company calls an "email-first operating system for creators," with newsletter management, visual automation, and a built-in commerce layer now sitting under one roof. Notable users include authors like James Clear and New York Times bestselling writer Nisha Vora.

TechRadar Pro has been reviewing business software since 2012, and, email marketing platforms are a regular part of our coverage. Our contributors have tested everything from enterprise tools like ActiveCampaign to creator-focused alternatives like beehiiv. This Kit review draws on hands-on testing across the free and Creator tiers to assess where the platform delivers and where it falls short.

My experience with Kit

(Image credit: Kit)

When you sign up with Kit, an onboarding survey routes you to the relevant features based on your goals. If you're migrating from another platform, Kit provides tailored import instructions for the tool you're leaving. The dashboard splits into five top-level menus (Grow, Send, Automate, Earn, and Learn), and navigating between them is straightforward.

The visual automation builder is where Kit earns most of its goodwill. Building a branching email workflow based on subscriber tags or behavior takes a few minutes rather than a few hours, and the drag-and-drop interface doesn't require any technical background. I did find the email editor underwhelming by comparison: the template library is limited, layout options are sparse, and there's no block-based editor of the kind you'd find on Mailchimp or Brevo.

One caveat worth flagging early: Kit is designed for individual creators and small operators, not marketing teams or large businesses. If you need multi-brand list management, a CRM layer, or complex ecommerce automation, you'll hit the platform's ceiling fairly quickly.

Kit review: Features

Kit's features fall into three areas: growing your audience, sending to it, and earning from it.

On all plans, including the free tier, you get unlimited landing pages, opt-in forms, and email broadcasts. The visual automation builder and unlimited email sequences unlock on the Creator plan, giving you the flexibility to build multi-step subscriber journeys based on behavior, tags, or custom triggers.

The commerce layer is a genuine differentiator. Through Kit Commerce, you can sell ebooks, digital downloads, courses, and paid newsletter subscriptions, with Stripe as the primary payment gateway. The Creator Network lets you exchange paid or free recommendations with other Kit users to grow your audience, a useful tool if you're in a well-populated creator niche. Both features are baked into the platform at no extra transaction fee beyond Stripe's standard rates.

Where Kit falls short is depth. The email editor's template selection is narrow, and layout customization is limited compared to what rivals offer at similar price points. A/B testing is available on paid plans, but content testing requires Creator Pro, while Creator plan users are limited to subject line tests. There's no built-in AI writing assistant, and the native integration library is smaller than what you'd find on Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign, though connecting via Zapier extends your options considerably.

Kit review: User experience

(Image credit: Kit)

The interface is one of Kit's strongest points. The dashboard is clean and consistent, and tasks like building automation sequences are presented as visual flowcharts with plain-language labels. If you've used a cluttered platform before, the simplicity here is immediately noticeable.

Power users will find some friction, though. There are no folders or tags for organizing automations, which becomes messy as your library grows. Reporting is capped at 90 days on the lower tiers, and the analytics dashboard is thin compared to rivals. Creator Pro adds subscriber engagement scoring and a dedicated insights dashboard, but it still won't satisfy anyone used to detailed behavioral analytics.

Kit review: Customer support

Support access varies by plan. Free (Newsletter) users are limited to the community forum and a self-serve knowledge base, with no live help available. Creator plan subscribers get 24/7 email and chat support. Creator Pro bumps you to a priority queue, which typically means faster first responses.

Beyond tickets, Kit has invested in practical educational resources. Kit University, the Tradecraft blog, and a library of creator business guides cover everything from list growth to monetization strategy, and the content quality is solid. If you're on the free plan and hit a technical wall, though, you'll be relying on community threads rather than direct support, which can be frustrating when you need a quick answer.

Kit review: Pricing

Plan

Price (paid monthly)

Price (paid annually)

Subscribers

Newsletter

$0

0

Up to 10,000

Creator

From $33

From $390

Price increases after 1,000

Creator Pro

From $66

From $790

Price increases after 1,000

Kit's free tier covers up to 10,000 subscribers with no time limit, making it a realistic starting point rather than a teaser plan. You get unlimited broadcasts, landing pages, and digital product selling without paying a cent. The tradeoff is a single automation, Kit branding on your content, and no live customer support.

Paid plans are priced by subscriber count, so it's worth thinking through your projected list size before you commit. Both paid tiers include a 14-day free trial, no credit card required.

Kit review: Specs

Spec

Details

Free plan subscriber limit

Up to 10,000 subscribers

Trial period

14 days on paid plans

Reported delivery rate

99.8% (Kit-reported)

A/B testing scope

Subject lines (Creator); content (Pro)

Commerce transaction fees

None beyond Stripe processing

Should I buy Kit?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Strong for creators; limited for complex marketing needs

4/5

Performance

99.8% reported delivery rate; reliable send infrastructure

4.5/5

Design

Clean interface; email editor is a bit basic

4/5

Value

Outstanding free tier; paid plans scale steeply

3.5/5

Buy it if...

• You're building a creator business around a newsletter or digital products. Kit's free plan, visual automations, and built-in commerce tools are purpose-built for bloggers, podcasters, educators, and independent authors. Few platforms match this combination at the same entry price.
• You want automation without a technical learning curve. The drag-and-drop workflow builder is accessible for beginners but flexible enough to handle multi-step subscriber journeys built on behavior and tags.

Don't buy it if...

• Design control matters to your brand. The email editor is functional but limited. Platforms like Mailchimp and Brevo offer significantly more layout flexibility and template variety at comparable price points.
• Your list is large or growing fast. Subscriber-based pricing scales aggressively. At 25,000+ subscribers on Creator Pro, monthly costs run well over $200, at which point flat-rate platforms start making more financial sense.

Also consider

• Mailchimp offers a broader feature set and a more polished email editor, making it a better fit for teams with complex marketing needs or strong visual branding requirements.
• MailerLite covers similar ground to Kit at a lower price point, with more design flexibility. It's worth a look if your list is already sizable or growing quickly.
• beehiiv is worth a look if newsletter monetization is your primary goal; its built-in ad network and sponsor marketplace can deliver revenue more directly than Kit's Creator Network.

How I tested Kit

• Signed up for the free Newsletter plan and explored the dashboard, automation builder, landing page editor, and email broadcast workflow.
• Reviewed Creator plan documentation and tested subject line A/B testing tools, app integrations, and sequence builder.
• Cross-checked pricing against Kit's official pricing page and verified feature claims against primary documentation on kit.com.

I tested Kit across multiple sessions on both the free and Creator tiers, building a sample automation sequence, creating a landing page, and drafting an email broadcast from scratch. Pricing figures are sourced directly from Kit's pricing page, while feature details were verified against official product documentation.

Onyx Boox Palma 2 Pro: Two-minute review

The Onyx Boox Palma 2 Pro is the kind of interesting ereader innovation I want to see more of, even if the biggest appeal is still just how unusual it is. My ereader expert colleague reviewed the original Palma and the newer Palma 2, but I have been able to use both of these devices as my main ereader, to ensure a good basis for comparison.

The Palma 2 Pro takes the same pocket-friendly, phone-like form of the Palma 2 and adds a color E Ink display, more memory, Android 15, SIM support and stylus compatibility. The Palma is already somewhat of a niche ereader (and a niche we are big fans of), so these new features are quite ambitious.

The 6.13-inch, 2:1 screen is still the main reason to consider the Palma. It looks and feels more like a smartphone than a typical ereader, and comes complete with a speaker, dual microphones, side buttons, a rear camera and now a hybrid SIM tray. But rather than an LCD or OLED display, it uses an e-paper display that means it’s a much nicer experience for long reading sessions.

In other words — if you already consume books, articles or newsletters on your phone and want something easier on the eyes, the Palma 2 Pro has a lot of appeal.

Another new advantage is stylus support — like some of the larger models, the Palma 2 Pro works with a compatible stylus and enables note-taking directly on the device. Another great little extra is a combined SIM/SD card slot, which means you can upgrade the storage or add in a data SIM and access books (and the internet) when on the go.

The flip case can be folded back, making the Palma 2 Pro easy to use without removing it. (Image credit: Future)

Physically, the Pro is very similar to the Palma 2, though there are a few useful changes that show how the design has progressed more than just changing to a color display. The power button (that also houses the fingerprint reader) is still on the right edge but the volume/page-turn buttons now sit on the left with the smart button — a layout that feels a lot more intuitive.

The SIM/SD card tray is on the bottom and the body is a little thicker. At 172g bare on my scales (Boox lists it as approximately 175g), it’s still easy to carry around, and even with the soft case from my review package fitted, it remained pocket-friendly enough for daily use, plus there’s an excellent magnetic flip cover.

The biggest change, of course, is the screen. The Palma 2 Pro uses a Kaleido 3 color E Ink panel, whereas the Palma 2 has a Carta 1200 monochrome display. The upgrade to color immediately makes the interface, book covers, comics, web pages and some apps feel more engaging and useful than they do on the black-and-white Palma 2. To be clear, it’s not bright, glowing color like you get from a phone or tablet, or glossy like a magazine — it’s closer to soft pastels on paper.

While the black and white part of the display has the same resolution and DPI as the Palma 2, the Kaleido 3 color layer gives the screen a slightly grainier look, with grayer whites, compared to the sharp Carta display on the Palma 2.

While reading on the Palma 2 Pro is still great, it does mean the Pro is not an automatic upgrade for everyone. For pure monochrome text, the Palma 2 still has a clearer, more paper-like display, with better perceived contrast and cleaner whites.

That means the Palma 2 is still a solid choice, while the Palma 2 Pro is at its best for those who will actually make use of the color screen.

The Palma 2 Pro works with the Boox stylus, making quick notes and sketches easy. (Image credit: Future)

The Pro has had a slight bump in spec, which in turn makes the user experience a little slicker. An upgrade to Android 15 (the Palma 2 runs Android 13) gives the Palma 2 Pro a more current interface, while 8GB of RAM (up from 6GB), Android 15 and updated software tuning help it feel slightly smoother when opening apps, scrolling through menus and using gesture navigation.

It’s still an E Ink device, so you won’t mistake it for the responsiveness of a smartphone, but third-party apps such as Kindle, Kobo and Google Play Books work well, and Google Play Store support gives it far more flexibility than most ereaders.

I also found the fingerprint scanner accurate and very handy on the Pro. It’s quick to set up and, in daily use, it rarely failed to unlock the device. In comparison, the Palma 2 doesn’t unlock quite as reliably.

The stylus support worked well, and the Boox stylus is easy to start using — no pairing is needed. Handwritten notes can be made in compatible apps, like Boox’s Notes app, or on your ebooks with NeoReader. The small screen means it takes a little getting used to and it’s not as capable as a larger note-taking device, but it is a nice little extra for those who like to jot down handwritten thoughts.

Making it slightly less appealing though, is that buying the Boox stylus adds around an extra 10% to the price, and there’s no neat way to carry it with the flip cover.

(Image credit: Future)

The Palma 2 Pro continues some of the little niggles that felt out of place considering the price of the Palma 2. The body still feels plasticky rather than premium, the camera is more useful for quick scans than for taking photos, the speaker is basic and performance is on the low end compared to a phone. The Palma 2 Pro is also considerably more expensive than the regular Palma 2 and other mainstream 6-inch ereaders.

Still, I like the Palma 2 Pro for the same reason I like the Palma 2: it’s compact, versatile and something genuinely different. The color screen won’t suit everyone, but if you want a pocketable Android ereader that can handle books, apps, light web use, color-rich documents and the occasional note-taking session, it’s a great upgrade to one of the most interesting ereaders around.

Onyx Boox Palma 2 Pro review: Price & availability

• Announced October 2025
• List price: $379.99 / €399.99 / £379.99 / AU$679
• Available now directly from the Boox Shop and select retailers

The Palma 2 Pro is a much more expensive device than the regular Palma 2, with current pricing sitting at $380 / £380 / AU$679. That makes it pricey even by premium ereader standards, and it’s a notable step up from the Palma 2’s current $250 / £249 / AU$499 pricing.

On the plus side, that higher price does give you a tasty set of new and updated features. The Palma 2 Pro adds a Kaleido 3 color E Ink display, 8GB of RAM, Android 15, a hybrid SIM slot with mobile data support and compatibility with the Boox InkSense Plus stylus.

While these are all great additions, they won’t all matter equally to every reader, so the best value proposition is only going to apply to a smaller subset of potential buyers. If you mostly want a pocketable device for reading typical ebooks, the regular Palma 2 is still the better choice.

The Pro starts to make more sense if you’ll actually use the color display for book covers, comics, web pages, documents or apps, or if mobile data support is important to you.

The Boox website has a range of compatible accessories available. For the Palma 2 Pro, stylus support helps it feel more useful beyond reading, though it’s worth noting that the Boox stylus is sold separately and is priced around $46 / £47 / AU$72 — adding around 10% to the total purchase cost.

The standard box includes the Palma 2 Pro, USB-C cable, card tray eject tool, quick start guide and warranty card. My review package also included the Magnetic 2-in-1 protective flip case, which is another $22 / £22 / AU$38 or so from Boox.

Compared with mainstream 6-inch ereaders, the Palma 2 Pro is expensive, and it is on par with a mid-range smartphone. In fact, you could buy almost three Amazon Kindle or Kobo Clara BW ereaders for the price of the Palma 2 Pro, but they also don’t offer the same Android flexibility, color E Ink display, large storage capacity or phone-like form factor.

That said, I could better stomach the price if the Palma 2 Pro came with the stylus and case as standard, but as it stands, it only really offers decent value if you truly need the unique form factor and will actually use the full set of features.

• Value score: 3 / 5

(Image credit: Future)Onyx Boox Palma 2 Pro review: Specs

Display type:

E Ink Kaleido 3 color

Screen size:

6.13 inches (2:1 aspect ratio)

Resolution:

300ppi B/W (824 x 1648 dots); 150ppi color (412 x 824 dots)

Processor:

Octa-core + BSR; identified by CPU X as QTI SM6350

System memory:

8GB RAM

Storage:

128GB (expandable via microSD up to 2TB)

Front light:

Adjustable (brightness and color temp)

Camera:

16MP rear camera; LED flash

Battery:

3,950mAh

Water protection:

Water-repellent, no IP rating

Software:

Android 15

Connectivity:

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, USB-C, data-only SIM support, A-GPS

File support:

20 document, 4 image, 2 audio

Stylus support:

Boox InkSense Plus stylus compatible

Dimensions:

159 × 80 × 8.8 mm (6.3 x 3.1 x 0.35 inches)

Weight:

172g measured (Boox lists 175g)

Onyx Boox Palma 2 Pro review: Design & display

• Available in Charcoal Black and Ivory White
• Color E Ink makes the Palma format more versatile
• Phone-like and pocket-friendly

The Palma 2 Pro mostly sticks to the Palma 2’s design, but the small changes do make it feel a little more polished in daily use. It’s still unmistakably a Palma, with the same tall, phone-like shape, rear camera, speaker, dual microphones, USB-C port and compact footprint, but it’s slightly thicker at 8.8mm (up from 8mm) and a little heavier at 172g on my scales, up from the Palma 2’s measured 166g.

The button layout has changed too. The power button with fingerprint scanner now sits on the right edge, while the volume/page-turn buttons have moved to the left with the smart button. The hybrid SIM tray is on the bottom beside the USB-C port, while the microphones have shifted closer to the speaker.

None of these changes dramatically alter how the Palma 2 Pro feels, but I think the layout is a bit more intuitive than the Palma 2 as volume buttons on the left mean they sit under a forefinger, rather than under a thumb on the right.

If you don’t use the volume buttons for page turning (or you are left-handed), then the smartphone-like layout on the Palma 2 might be preferable.

Left side view of the Palma 2 Pro (top) vs the Palma 2 (bottom) showing the new volume button location.FutureRight side view of the Palma 2 Pro (top) vs the Palma 2 (bottom).FutureTop view of the Palma 2 Pro (right) vs the Palma 2 (left).FutureBottom view of the Palma 2 Pro (right) vs the Palma 2 (left) showing the new SD / sim slot location. FutureRear view of the Palma 2 Pro (right) vs the Palma 2 (left) showing the colour difference.FutureAside from the colour, the grippy textured surface on the rear of the Palma 2 (left) and Palma 2 Pro (right) are very similar. Future

Build quality is very similar to the Palma 2 — it’s a little plasticky, and the rear panel has a rough, grippy texture. The Pro is white rather than cream, and the surface of the plastic is a matte gloss, rather than being purely matte, but isn’t slippery.

Unlike the silver buttons on the Palma 2, the Pro uses the same shade of white on the buttons and the body, giving a sleeker, understated look. While most ereaders use a lot of plastic, the build certainly doesn’t feel as premium as its price suggests.

While I didn’t run into any issues of the surface staining like my colleague experienced in her Palma 2 review, it’s still plastic, so even with the flip case, I wouldn’t leave it loose in a bag with keys or other sharp objects. Like a phone, it is best kept in a protected pocket of a backpack, and while the glass screen feels reasonably tough, damage is still worth guarding against.

My review package included the magnetic flip case, which is a big upgrade over the flip case that came with the Palma 2. It has a cloudy-clear flexible shell that clips around the device, plus a detachable flip cover that connects magnetically. The shell is the part with the magnets, not the Palma 2 Pro itself, and it also carries through MagSafe-style support so it can be attached to a compatible stand.

This makes it very easy to keep protected when on the go, but also allows it to be instantly pulled out from the flip case for more relaxed at-home use.

The Palma 2 Pro flip case protects the display and makes it much less likely to be damaged in a bag or pocket. FutureThe flip case has a magsafe compatible ring on the back, so it can attach to stands and other accessories. FutureWhile the rear is more exposed, the front of the flip case protects the entire screen. FutureThe Palma 2 Pro has a soft cover that attaches magnetically (and is MagSafe compatible) to the flip part of the cover. FutureThe soft case has a MagSafe compatible magnetic ring, so can also attach to other accessories. FutureFutureFuture

The case doesn’t give heavy-duty protection, but it’s an excellent compromise between a bulkier folio and a slim shell. The flip cover attaches easily but stays secure, the fake-leather material feels well made and there are no sharp or rough edges. It also adds good grip without making the Palma 2 Pro feel too big, and in fact I wish I could get this style flip case for my phone.

Sadly the new flip case is only available for the Palma 2 Pro, which feels like a misstep from Boox, as there is a Palma/Palma 2 flip case with magnetic attachment available, just in the older style. This means either of the outer, magnetically attached parts of the case could work fine with either device, but you can’t buy the actual shell with the magnets separately, which is needed due to the changed button locations.

Pocketability is still one of the biggest reasons to buy the Palma 2 Pro as it feels much closer to carrying a phone than a conventional ereader. Even in the flip case, it’s still easy to slip into a jacket or pants, and it is the right size to work with phone-specific bag pockets, or even accessories like waterproof pouches.

The display is where the Pro version will pique a lot of new interest over the Palma 2. It uses a 6.13-inch Kaleido 3 color E Ink screen, with the same 300ppi black-and-white resolution as the Palma 2, but color content is displayed at 150ppi. That’s normal for this kind of color E Ink panel, and it means the Palma 2 Pro can show book covers, comics, web pages, app icons and more in color but still give a crisp black and white e-paper experience for text.

Palma 2 Pro screen close up showing the fine detail and color the display is capable of. FuturePalma 2 (left) compared to Palma 2 Pro (right) with the backlight off, showing how the Pro's colour screen is noticeably darker. FuturePalma 2 Pro screen close up, showing the slightly grainy texture. FuturePalma 2 text close up, showing improved clarity and cleaner whites. FutureThe Palma 2 Pro icons are in colour, but it's not the vibrant or glossy look you might be used to with a phone. FutureThe Palma 2 monochrome icons are clear but look plain without color. FutureFrom left to right – the Palma, Palma 2 and Palma 2 Pro, showing the different in white with the backlight set to the coolest color temperature. FutureFrom left to right – the Palma, Palma 2 and Palma 2 Pro, showing the different in white with the backlight set to the warmest color temperature. FutureA close up of the Palma 2 (left) vs Palma 2 Pro (right) with the colour temperature at the warmest setting. Future

There is a trade-off, and overall clarity suffers somewhat. The color layer sits over the monochrome layer and adds a fine grid-like texture, so plain text doesn’t look quite as crisp or contrasty as it does on the Palma 2, and blank areas have a slightly grainy, screen-door-type look.

It’s still very readable, and I had no issue using it for long sessions, but the monochrome Palma 2 has cleaner whites and better contrast if all you care about is text.

Color on the Palma 2 Pro also shouldn’t be confused with color on a phone or tablet, or even a magazine print. It’s muted and pastel-like rather than glossy and bright, but that works well for an ereader.

The small touches of color throughout the OS make the device feel nicer to use, and switching back to a black-and-white ereader feels rather limiting, despite offering a better display for reading text.

Album cover art displays fairly well on the Palma 2 ProFutureColour icons add depth the the interface. FutureThe colour range is good, but has a muted tone compared to a phone screen.FutureYou can select a range of writing / drawing colours in the Boox note taking appFuture

Touch response is similar to the Palma 2. Page turns are quick enough, menus respond well enough and the touchscreen is accurate, but there’s still noticeable lag compared to a phone if you drag items around.

Screen refreshes can also look slightly fuzzier on the Pro because the color screen shows a little more ghosting, though if you tweak the settings to your own preferences, it produces a fairly clean image overall.

As with the Palma 2, the 2:1 aspect ratio won’t suit everyone, but it’s still the standout part of the design. It makes the Palma 2 Pro a very good fit for people who already read on their phones and want something easier on the eyes, while still keeping the same portable feel.

Boox describes the Palma 2 Pro as water-repellent, with protection against daily exposure such as spills, splashes and light rain, but it’s not waterproof and doesn’t have an IP rating. That’s fine for normal use, but I wouldn’t treat it like a waterproof ereader and take it in the bath.

• Design & display score: 4 / 5

Onyx Boox Palma 2 Pro review: User experience

• Android 15 with Google Play Store support
• More customizable than a Kindle or Kobo
• File transfers are easy

The Palma 2 Pro still isn’t a phone, even if it looks more like one than most ereaders. Setup is much like using a small Android device: you connect to Wi-Fi, sign in, activate the Play Store and start installing apps. It’s familiar enough if you’ve used Android before, but there are still plenty of Boox-specific settings to get used to.

That extra control is part of the appeal. You can adjust refresh behavior, navigation, power-saving settings, app optimization and reading layouts in far more detail than you can on a Kindle or Kobo. It can feel like a lot at first, but in daily use, the Palma 2 Pro gives you useful control over how much speed, clarity and battery life you want to prioritize.

Getting your documents and ebooks onto the device is quite easy. BooxDrop is a good starting point — it lets you transfer files from a phone or computer over Wi-Fi. If you are in the Google ecosystem, you can use the Drive app (or other Android app of your choice) and wired transfers over a USB cable on Windows just require plugging it in.

The Android to Mac experience isn’t as simple, and Apple requires its users to install third-party apps such as MacDroid to connect to an Android device.

USB-C OTG support also worked seamlessly, and like the Palma 2, the Pro will happily read files straight from a USB stick. For most users, though, BooxDrop or cloud storage is probably still the simplest option.

The Palma 2 Pro runs Android and has access to the Google Play Store, so you can download and use a wide range of apps. (Image credit: Future)

While the two devices are very similar, in my testing the touchscreen is a little better on the Pro compared to the Palma 2, but it still doesn’t feel anywhere near as responsive as a phone. Light taps are occasionally not picked up and swipes don’t always give enough instant feedback to help show you are doing it right.

Once I adjusted and used slightly slower, more purposeful touch interactions, it worked just fine, but there is a little recalibration compared to the haptic feel of a smartphone.

I didn’t have a lot of patience for NaviBall, Boox’s floating shortcut tool that opens when tapped. The idea is useful, but in practice it often sat over text or stopped pop-up buttons like confirm and cancel from working correctly and had to be moved before those buttons could be used. You can move it around easily enough, but I eventually stopped using it, as it added more friction overall than convenience.

The Boox InkSense Plus stylus is very capable, with 4,096 pressure levels, tilt support, a shortcut side button and replaceable 0.6mm tips. It’s also an active stylus, so it needs charging via USB-C, unlike the passive pens used by some note-taking tablets.

I found it great for quick annotations, short notes and rough sketches, but the small screen size makes sustained handwriting impractical. The Notes app can also convert handwriting to text, but I didn't find this useful due to the limited amount of writing I did.

If writing is important to you, check out my colleagues' reviews of the 7-inch color display Boox Go Color 7 Gen II, the monochrome 7-inch Boox Go 7 or the 10.3-inch Boox Note Air5 C.

The Boox InkSense Plus stylus works well despite the small display (Image credit: Future)

While Boox hasn't noted any hardware changes, the fingerprint scanner feels slightly improved on the Pro. It is easy to set up, and in daily use, I found it rarely failed to register and unlock on the first go. That makes it feel far more usable than it did on the Palma 2, where the sensor needed more careful finger placement.

Audio is still best judged by ereader standards compared to the surprisingly good results from some smartphones. The built-in speaker is fine for audiobooks and podcasts, but Bluetooth headphones or a small speaker are still the better option if you care about sound quality.

I had no issue with pairing Bluetooth devices, but using your favorite music streaming app needs a little setup to get it to work correctly. For example, with YouTube Music, I had to unfreeze the app and adjust power settings so Wi-Fi and Bluetooth weren’t turned off when the device slept.

The downside is that this has a noticeable impact on battery life, and if you use it as a music streamer, expect to charge it every few days. If you are serious about using it to play music, then the best bet is downloaded files and local playback through the built-in music app.

Video playback works, but only in the loosest sense, and it does not give a very watchable result. That said, music videos can be oddly pleasant if you lean into the low-resolution, low-frame-rate, pastel-color look.

The same is true for many mobile games — anything where high resolution or non-glacial framerates matter won’t be much fun, but some titles are perfectly playable.

The E Ink screen is not generally great for video. FutureGames are playable on the Palma 2 Pro, but expect a lot of ghostingFuture

The extra flexibility of being able to install and use regular apps is great overall, but despite the color screen, the Palma 2 Pro is much better thought of as a reading-first device that happens to handle audio playback and other light Android tasks better than most ereaders.

• User experience score: 4 / 5

Onyx Boox Palma 2 Pro review: Performance

• Faster than the Palma 2, but still limited by E Ink
• Handles Android apps well for an E Ink device
• Battery life is very good

Thanks to extra RAM, Android 15 and software tuning, the Palma 2 Pro is slightly faster than the Palma 2 in daily use, though it’s not the kind of spec upgrade that changes what the device is good at.

It’s still an E Ink ereader first, so the improvements are more about smoother user experience than enabling phone-like usage.

Boox doesn't specify the exact processor, but CPU X identifies the chipset as QTI SM6350, with two cores running at 2.07GHz and six at 1.71GHz, plus Adreno 619 graphics.

That's the same class of hardware as the Palma 2, but the Pro pairs it with 8GB of RAM rather than 6GB. Android 15 and Boox’s software tuning also help the Pro feel smoother in daily use.

The color screen makes viewing web pages a lot nicer. [Palma 2 left vs Palma 2 Pro right] (Image credit: Future)

In Geekbench 6 benchmark testing, the Palma 2 Pro scored 632 for single-core, 1,586 for multi-core and 835 for GPU, compared to the Palma 2’s 519, 1,211 and 723 respectively.

That puts it 22% ahead in single-core testing, 31% ahead in multi-core and 15% ahead for GPU, giving the Pro a measurable advantage even if the real-world difference is a bit more modest than the numbers might suggest.

In real-world use, page turns feel slightly faster and smoother than on the Palma 2, but the difference is small. App launching and multitasking are a little better too. Apps open a touch quicker, menus feel more responsive and gesture navigation is noticeably easier to live with than it was on the Palma 2.

You still need to allow for the usual E Ink delay, but the Pro feels a little less hesitant when jumping between apps or digging into settings.

As with the Palma 2, gaming on the Pro is also workable, as long as you keep expectations realistic. Simple games like Alphabear 2 and Two Dots run fine, while more visually involved games such as Monument Valley 2 and Sky: Children of the Light are playable in a way that feels odd, but not unpleasant, on the E Ink screen.

The color display does help here, though the muted tones and lower refresh rate mean this is still more of a novelty than a device you’d pick for gaming.

From left to right: Palma, Palma 2, Palma 2 Pro, with the backlight off, showing that the color screen is noticeably darker. (Image credit: Future)

Battery life is a little lower than the Palma 2, which isn’t surprising considering the better performance. The Pro uses the same 3,950mAh battery capacity as the Palma 2, and overall endurance is still very good.

The color screen itself does not use any extra power when it isn’t being refreshed, and even refreshes only use slightly more. The bigger impact comes from usage: when displaying a lot of color, the lower reflectivity means you tend to have the front light set slightly brighter than when reading plain text.

With conservative settings and around an hour of reading a day, I’d expect about five to six weeks from a charge, whereas the Palma 2 will do a week or two longer. If you’re using more apps, streaming audio, browsing the web and making use of wireless connections, two to three weeks is a more realistic expectation of battery life.

Charging speed will still depend on what you plug it into, but the Pro tops up quicker than the Palma 2 does in the same test. Using a wall adapter, the Palma 2 Pro went from 20% to full in around two hours, while charging from a laptop dock took it from 25% to 71% in an hour.

Overall, the Palma 2 Pro is a modest but useful step up in performance. Responsiveness is still limited by the lower-end hardware and E Ink display, but it feels smoother, handles Android better and has more than enough battery life to work well as a daily ereader.

• Performance score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Onyx Boox Palma 2 Pro?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

It’s an expensive ereader, and while the color screen, stylus support, Android flexibility and pocketable shape help justify the price, it’s only worth it if you will use all the features.

3/5

Design & display

The phone-like design remains excellent, and color E Ink gives extra appeal. Text isn’t as crisp as on the Palma 2, though, and the device itself still doesn’t feel premium.

4/5

User experience

Android 15, Google Play access and Boox’s customization make this more flexible than a Kindle or Kobo, though it still takes some setup to get the best from it.

4/5

Performance

The upgraded memory and software make it feel faster than the Palma 2, but it’s still an E Ink device that’s best suited to reading.

4/5

Overall

The Palma 2 Pro is an even more versatile take on one of the most interesting ereaders around. It’s still expensive, but the color display, stylus support and compact Android design make it easy to like.

4/5

Buy it if...

You want a pocketable color E Ink device

The Palma 2 Pro keeps the unusual phone-like shape that makes the Palma line so appealing, but adds a color E Ink screen. That makes it better suited to reading comics, web pages and color-coded documents than the standard Palma 2.

You want a very compact ereader

Like its predecessor, the Palma 2 Pro is one of the most compact ereaders on the market. Its phone-like size means it can be carried around in your pocket or slipped into any bag, and even with a case fitted, it’s more appealing to take on the go than a typical ereader.

You want a pocketable ereader for quick handwritten notes

The Palma 2 Pro’s stylus support gives it an extra use beyond reading, letting you jot down notes in compatible apps or mark up ebooks in NeoReader. The small screen means it’s not a replacement for a larger note-taking tablet, but it works well for quick thoughts, drawings and annotations when on the go.

Don't buy it if...

You want a cheaper ereader

The Palma 2 Pro is far more versatile than a basic Kindle or Kobo, but it’s also much more expensive. If you only want to read books, you can save a significant amount by choosing a typical 6-inch ereader.

You want the cleanest text possible

The color E Ink screen gives the Palma 2 Pro more flexibility, but it also adds a fine texture over the display. If you love the form factor but sharp black-and-white text is your main priority, the standard Palma 2 is still the better option.

You need a bigger screen

The Palma 2 Pro is easy to carry, but its narrow 6.13-inch display won’t suit everyone. If you use larger font sizes, read a lot of PDFs or want more room for comics and notes, a 7-inch or 8-inch ereader will be a better fit.

The Palma 2 Pro sits comfortably in hand. (Image credit: Future)Also consider

There aren’t many direct rivals to the Palma 2 Pro, which makes recommending alternatives a little tricky. Its phone-like shape, color E Ink display, Android flexibility, mobile data support and stylus compatibility put it in a very small category. Devices like the Bigme HiBreak Plus/Pro have very similar features, but we have not been able to test one yet, and they are harder to buy plus not as well supported as a known name like Boox.

Ultimately, most buyers will be choosing between the Palma 2 Pro and a more conventional ereader, or deciding whether the regular Palma 2 is enough. I’ve included the closest practical options below, covering the standard Palma 2 and two mainstream 6-inch ereaders.

For even more options, check out our guide to the best ereaders.

Onyx Boox Palma 2 Pro

Onyx Boox Palma 2

Amazon Kindle (2024)

Kobo Clara BW

Price

$380 / £380 / AU$679

$250 / £249 / AU$499

$130 / £105 / AU$199 (no ads)

$140 / £130 / AU$250

Screen

6.13-inch E Ink Kaleido 3

6.13-inch E Ink Carta 1200

6-inch E Ink Carta 1200

6-inch E Ink Carta 1300

Resolution

300ppi B/W; 150ppi color

300ppi

300ppi

300ppi

Operating system

Android 15

Android 13

Linux-based

Linux based

Storage

128GB (expandable)

128GB (expandable)

16GB

16GB

CPU

Qualcomm Snapdragon 690

Qualcomm Snapdragon 690

Unknown

1GHz

Battery

3,950mAh

3,950mAh

Unknown capacity, up to 6 weeks

1,500mAh, up to 53 days

Connectivity

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C, data-only SIM support

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C

Waterproofing

No IP rating, water-repellent

No IP rating, water-repellent

No

IPX8

File support (including audio and images)

26

26

18

15 + audio

Audio

Built-in speaker, Bluetooth

Built-in speaker, Bluetooth

Bluetooth, no speaker

Bluetooth, no speaker

Dimensions

159 × 80 × 8.8 mm

159 × 80 × 8 mm

157.8 x 108.6 x 8 mm

160 x 112 x 9.2 mm

Weight

172g (measured)

166g (measured)

158g

174g

Onyx Boox Palma 2

If you like the Palma shape but don’t need color, mobile data or stylus support, the regular Palma 2 is the obvious alternative. Its monochrome screen is nicer for plain text, it has the same compact size and storage capacity and it costs quite a bit less than the Pro.

Find out more in our Boox Palma 2 review

Amazon Kindle (2024)

The latest entry-level Kindle is a much simpler device, but it’s also much cheaper. It’s a good fit if you mostly buy books from Amazon and want a compact, easy ereader without Android apps, expandable storage or color.

Find out more in our Amazon Kindle (2024) review

Kobo Clara BW

The Kobo Clara BW is still one of the best basic ereaders you can buy. It has a sharper-feeling Carta 1300 screen, waterproofing and built-in OverDrive support in select countries, making it a better choice if you want a straightforward reading device rather than a pocketable Android one.

Read more in our full Kobo Clara BW review

How I tested the Onyx Boox Palma 2 Pro

• Used as my daily reading device for 8 weeks
• Sideloaded eBooks, music and other files via BooxDrop, cloud, email and USB
• Downloaded Android apps for benchmarking, reading, streaming, browsing and light gaming

I began by following the on-screen setup process, connecting the Palma 2 Pro to Wi-Fi, activating Google Play and adjusting the main Boox settings for refresh rate, power-saving and system navigation. Like other Boox devices, there are more customization options here than you’ll find on a Kindle or Kobo, so I spent some time tuning the setup before using it as my daily ereader.

I used BooxDrop to transfer ebooks and music files, then tested other transfer methods including Google Drive, email, OTG and wired file transfer.

I downloaded Android apps from the Play Store, including Geekbench 6, CPU X, Google Play Books, Kindle, Kobo, Chrome, YouTube Music and a small selection of games. The reading apps were used to check page turns, refresh behavior and display optimization, while the music and browser apps were used to test how well the Palma 2 Pro handles more general Android tasks.

For most of the eight-week testing period, I used the Palma 2 Pro daily as an ereader. I also used it for web browsing, local music playback, YouTube Music streaming, audiobooks, light gaming and occasional video playback to test where its E Ink limitations stood out.

To compare it directly with the Palma 2, I used both devices side by side for reading, app use, navigation, scanning, sample photos and benchmarking. That comparison was especially useful for checking whether the color display, extra RAM and Android 15 made a practical difference in daily use.

Read more about how we test.

[First reviewed May 2026]

Mouse P.I. for Hire has caused quite the stir since it was revealed by Polish developer Fumi Games a couple of years back. Its rubberhose animation style, Doom-inspired boomer shooter gameplay, and Mickey Mouse-esque cast of characters helped it to stand out in the indie scene, and it’s already enjoyed a healthy dosage of positive reception from critics and players alike.

Review info

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
Release date: April 16, 2026

So, when I got the chance to try it out on Nintendo Switch 2, it’s safe to say I was pretty excited. Playing detective in a noir, rodent-filled world sounds pretty enticing, right? And given that I had some long-haul flights up ahead, going with the Switch 2 edition to mouse around on the go felt like a no-brainer.

But just how good is Mouse P.I. for Hire on Nintendo Switch 2? And does the indie title nail the boomer shooter formula and 1930s cartoon aesthetic? Here’s what I think after more than 20 hours with the game.

Say hello to my little friend

(Image credit: Fumi Games / PlaySide Studios)

Welcome to Mouseburg, where the cops are more crooked than an old shrew’s teeth, the ‘cheesehibition’ brings unrest, and the stench of crime lurks on just about every corner. For private investigator Jack Pepper — a war hero and former police officer — mystery awaits, with the cases of a missing magician, a murdered mouse, and a shrew-trafficking ring all drawing his attention.

You’ll have to snoop around Mouseburg, shoot through your foes, dig around for clues, and solve these key cases, which may or may not be interlinked. It’s a fun premise for sure, and although the game is pretty linear, this ensures that the mystery is paced pretty nicely.

When it comes to the investigative aspects, Mouse P.I. keeps things relatively simple. Across various locations, you’ll stumble across clues — such as misplaced notes or photographs — and be tasked with pinning them up at Jack’s office. Here, he will be able to ponder evidence, resolve leads, and decide what action to take.

As a player, you’re not able to give much personal input into the investigation process — much of it unfolds before your eyes as Jack discusses his findings. It could’ve been interesting to see some multiple choice options or to think up correlations between pieces of evidence, but personally, I was happy for the game to take a more agile, straightforward approach.

Other than the main story, you’ll be able to take on side gigs, like gathering info for Jack’s journalist ally Wanda, or locating ingredients for his bar-owner buddy John Brown. The rewards for these aren’t always massive, but getting some extra coins to buy newspapers and comic books, as well as baseball cards required for a simple bar game, is always welcome.

Best bit

(Image credit: Fumi Games / PlaySide Studios)

Although Fumi Games nailed the black and white 1930s aesthetic, stepping into the film studio and seeing a burst of color was a clever twist and a feast for the eyes.

The main thing to discuss, however, is the game’s combat. This is a first-person shooter that wears its inspirations on its sleeve. The boomer shooter formula is executed very well, with fast-paced, brutal, and chaotic shoot-outs that feel thrilling to blast through. There's a bit of platforming mixed in too, which feels surprisingly sharp — and equally forgiving, as falling will simply respawn you from where you left off.

My only issue with Mouse P.I.’s rodent-packed shoot-ups is the unfortunate lack of enemy diversity. During the game’s approximate 20-hour run time, you'll encounter the same foes over and over again, which becomes a little dull in the latter stages. There's the occasional odd creature or robot sprinkled in, and the bosses offer some challenge, but it feels like the Devs could've given your enemies more weapon types and more unique looks depending on the area you're in.

For Pepper, however, things are a bit different. He's given a neat selection of weapons to wield against his opponents, including the James Gun (a playfully named Tommy Gun), the Boomstick (a shotgun), the Loose Cannon (a cannonball shooter), and more. The James Gun is certainly the most reliable, and it makes a lot of areas easy to tear through, but there’s a hard mode if you want to test your skills.

As a player, you can also choose to play with a controller, with a standard handheld setup, or with…ahem…mouse controls. The latter genuinely works pretty well, although I prefer the comfort of using a Switch 2 Pro Controller, personally. One thing I've seen a lot of players lament, however, is the lack of gyro, which is packed into a lot of rival first-person shooters, and it would've been great to see here.

A step down on Switch 2

(Image credit: Fumi Games / PlaySide Studios)

I've been pretty positive about Mouse P.I. for Hire so far, and I genuinely think it's a game that fans of games like Doom Eternal will love. But we're looking at the Switch 2 version in particular today, and on this platform, the game runs into far too many technical issues.

The biggest issue for this title is its unreliable frame rate. With the Switch 2 docked, Mouse P.I. is targeting 1080p at 60fps (frames per second) in performance mode and 1440p at 40fps in quality mode. In handheld, it's 900p at 60fps and 1260p at 30fps, respectively. That's already not the most impressive, after all, this is hardly the most demanding game out there. But Mouse P.I. still struggles to reach some of those figures.

The worst offender is Performance mode. In handheld mode, the game has constant frame drops, which can be pesky during combat situations and a bit of an immersion killer during exploration. Things are a bit better in docked, but I still experienced frequent drops, even when visiting areas like the kitchen by the bar.

Sure, things are a bit steadier in quality mode, but there are still occasional drops, and the lower frame rate just doesn't lend itself very well to the fast-paced, fluid nature of Mouse P.I.’s gameplay.

On top of this, I discovered other technical oddities, like menus scrolling without me pressing any buttons (no matter what controller I used), overlong loading screens, and even a crash when I was mid-mission.

Don't get me wrong, Mouse P.I. for Hire is still playable on Switch 2. As frustrating as these issues are, the port is still workable, and I was able to push through the pesky frame drops to get over the line. Apparently, there is a patch in the works to address some of the game’s performance issues, which is a positive sign, although I'd argue that it should’ve played smoother from launch.

(Image credit: Fumi Games / PlaySide Studios)

Having said this, there is still a lot to love about Mouse P.I. for Hire. Its story is pretty engaging, and the characters are voiced to absolute perfection. Yes, not all of the jokes about cheese land, but using it as a substitute for alcohol during the prohibition era really adds to the 1930s setting.

The rubberhose animation style is also stellar, and suits the noir vibe to a T. In the same way that Cuphead charmed audiences years ago, Mouse P.I. for Hire thrives off its charismatic, frantic, and sometimes bizarre animation. Oh, and that's not to mention the soundtrack, which features jazz hits from the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, as well as some iconic classical tunes.

All in all, then, Mouse P.I. for Hire on Nintendo Switch 2 leaves me feeling conflicted. On one hand, I'd argue it hits a lot of the right beats when it comes to gameplay, narrative, and visual style. But on the other hand, I have to say, the sloppy performance was a bit of a let down, and makes this specific version of the game tougher to recommend. And that's where I'm at: Mouse P.I. for Hire is a largely enjoyable, fantastically animated boomer shooter — but if you own another system, like a PS5 or PC, I'd steer clear of the Switch 2 version, unless there's a major fix rolled out, that is.

Should you play Mouse P.I. for Hire?

(Image credit: Fumi Games / PlaySide Studios)Play it if...

You're a fan of the boomer shooter genre
If you enjoy games like Doom and Quake then I'm pretty sure you'll have a fun time with Mouse P.I. for Hire. There are a lot of similarities, from the first-person perspective through to the brutal combat and fast-paced movement that should satisfy fans of those titles.

You love old school Disney animation
If you enjoy some of the vintage Disney stuff from the 1930s, you'll absolutely love the visual style of Mouse P.I. for Hire — it's executed brilliantly and adds a lot of charm to the overall experience.

Don't play it if...

You own a PS5, Xbox Series X, or PC
If you have a system with superior specs to the Switch 2 on your hands, then I strongly suggest playing this game there instead. The performance issues on Switch 2 are pretty frustrating, and you'll be able to enjoy smoother frame rates on platforms like PS5.

You want gyro controls
Unlike a lot of popular FPS games, Mouse P.I. for Hire opts to leave gyro out on Nintendo Switch 2. There are mouse controls, if you like to use them, but I suspect most players will stick with a standard controller setup.

Accessibility features

There are a fair few ways to customize your experience in Mouse P.I. for Hire. For instance, there are three difficulty levels, you can either toggle or hold down R3 to crouch, you can turn blood effects off, and you can remap controls to your liking. On top of this, you can alter sensitivity, camera controls, aim assist levels, and even visual effects, like depth of field. Subtitles are also available, and you can pick from a wide array of text languages.

(Image credit: Fumi Games / PlaySide Studios)How I reviewed Mouse P.I. for Hire

I spent more than 20 hours playing through Mouse P.I. for Hire, during which time I completed the main story, finished a bunch of side quests, and tried nabbing as many collectibles as I could.

Most of the time, I played the game in handheld mode on my Nintendo Switch 2, using the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones to hear in-game audio. However, I did play the game docked from time to time, and had my system connected up to the Sky Glass Gen 2 television and Marshall Heston 120 soundbar.

More generally, I've reviewed a bunch of titles here at TechRadar gaming, including everything from Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties through to Kirby Air Riders.

First reviewed April-May 2026

Keychron V1 Ultra 8K review

The Keychron V1 Ultra 8K is a 75% mechanical keyboard that delivers a surprisingly broad feature set given its price. Available at a price tag of just $115 — it's currently only available in the US — it's crammed full of features like 8,000Hz polling over both wired and 2.4GHz wireless connections, hot-swappable Silk POM switches, a dampened gasket mount construction, and a battery life measured in weeks.

I’ll start with what’s included in the box, because Keychron has thrown in a rather generous selection of bits and bobs. The standard gear is here, like a keycap removal tool, USB Type-A to Type-C adapter and an extension adapter for the wireless receiver. You’ll also find striking red replacement keycaps for the Esc and Enter keys, along with alternate caps to swap between OS-specific buttons like Command and the Windows key.

Build quality is a mixture of impressive and a little questionable, depending on where you’re looking. The PBT keycaps are a highlight with a premium feel and reassuring thickness. There’s very little wobble to speak of and even the biggest keys are well supported by pre-installed screw-in stabilizers.

It’s the outer frame that doesn’t hold up as well under pressure. There’s noticeable movement in the plastic shell, both along the front below the space bar and under any level of twist or strain when picking it up from the sides. I noticed this more when moving it around and fiddling with the keyboard itself rather than gaming or typing on it, but it’s not a great look compared to the best keyboards.

The Keychron V1 Ultra 8K only comes in one color — black with two shades of grey keycaps — and it carries quite an industrial vibe as a result. It’s a 75% layout, with 82 keys including a volume dial, and you’re given the choice of Keychron Silk POM Red, Brown, or Banana switches. I’ve been testing the latter, which sit towards the heavier end of the tactile range with a 57g actuation force. They’re fully hot-swappable too, so you can always switch things up later... if you’ll let me get away with that painful pun.

(Image credit: Future)

Hanging out under the keys is one of the niftier RGB lighting implementations I’ve seen in some time, as long as you’re willing to invest the effort in setting it up. You can go deep with dialing in exactly the look you want, with more than 20 effects in both per-key mode or what Keychron calls Mix RGB mode. The latter allows you to define two different zones, each with their own effects. I spent a good half an hour playing with different effects, even as someone who isn’t usually a massive RGB kinda guy.

The only downside is the keycaps are solid with no shine-through lettering, so while there is plenty of punch to the intensity and saturation of the effects, they are a little blocked.

Deeper under the hood, the V1 Ultra 8K runs on ZMK open-source firmware, which is a shift away from the QMK that powered Keychron's previous wireless boards. Realistically, it's not a change I imagine most people will actually notice day to day, but it's the reason Keychron can claim a frankly absurd 660 hours of battery life. I’d like to tell you I had the spare 27 days of continual use to test whether Keychron’s claim is valid, but in my testing I barely noticed the battery percentage drop and it was quick to charge up again when plugged in, so I’ll take the company's word for it. Connectivity covers all the bases with 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth 5.3 with support for up to three paired devices, and wired USB-C.

The headline spec is the 8,000Hz polling rate, which works across both wired and 2.4GHz modes. If we’re all being really honest with ourselves though, nobody outside of the absolute top end of esports champions is likely to notice the difference between 8K and 1K. You’re not suddenly going to get better at Fortnite, I promise. It’s impressive that such a high polling rate is an option on a keyboard of this price, but you’re probably better off running a lower spec anyway and saving any potential extra strain on your CPU.

You can tweak that polling rate, and the rest of the V1 Ultra 8K settings in the Keychron Launcher web app. I’m a big fan of this approach over a downloadable app and I found it to be loaded with options, snappy, and easy to navigate. You are limited to Chrome, Edge, or Opera, and you’ll need to be using the USB-C cable to make changes, but any settings you do tweak are saved to the keyboard itself so will carry across devices and connection modes.

(Image credit: Future)

So, what’s the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K like to use day to day? For most tasks, pretty great. Those Banana switches have an early tactile bump and fire off about halfway through their 3.4mm total travel distance. In practice, that makes them feel super responsive and capable of handling a lighter touch than their 57g force suggests on paper. While gaming I never felt like my actions were lagging behind and N-key rollover means simultaneous inputs all register together with no missed keystrokes.

The gasket mount and polycarbonate plate give the V1 Ultra 8K a more cushioned feel, and the multiple layers of foam inside keep each press sounding deep and rounded. It’s a nice, grown-up sounding keyboard.

All those internal layers add up to make this quite a tall keyboard, however, both in terms of its frame thickness and the height of the keycaps themselves. I’m more sensitive to this than others as I daily drive a low-profile keyboard, but the V1 Ultra 8K felt even taller than most I’ve tested. I’d have appreciated a wrist support to counter that cliff of a front edge, and even without the feet extended I felt as though my hands were needing to lean back in normal use. Keychron will sell you a silicone or resin wrist rest, and I’d say it’s well worth considering.

Typing was a bit of a mixed bag. For chatting in Discord, general browsing or productivity, it’s entirely pleasant. For more dedicated writing sessions, I found the sculpted keycaps bundled with that lofty overall height a little harder to adapt to. Each has a noticeable dip that’s useful for keeping your fingers locked in on WASD, but that starts to get in the way when your fingers are flying around typing out a review. It’s workable: I still maintained 113wpm, which is about my normal pace, but accuracy dropped to 92% instead of the 96% I usually hit.

(Image credit: Future)Keychron V1 Ultra 8K review: price & release date

• Available for $114.99
• Released in January 2026
• Not currently available in the UK

At $115, the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K sits in a compelling spot. It’s one of the cheaper wireless mechanical keyboards to offer 8K polling and undercuts major players quite convincingly. There’s a lot on offer for the price here, though it does skimp a little on build quality to meet that budget.

It was released in the US on January 2026. Unfortunately, though, it's not available in the UK as yet, so gamers and keyboard connoisseurs there will find themselves waiting a while to get their fingers on it.

(Image credit: Future)Keychron V1 Ultra 8K review: specs

Layout

75%

Switch

Keychron Silk POM (Red/Brown/Banana)

Programmable Keys

Yes (Keychron Launcher / ZMK)

Dimensions

328.5 x 148.7 x 29.4mm

RGB or backlighting

Yes (customizable

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

8K polling, tri-mode wireless, hot-swap switches, dual RGB, ZMK firmware, N-key rollover.

4.5

Performance

Responsive switches, cushioned feel and nice sound profile, sculpted keycaps are not ideal for extended typing.

4

Design

Industrial vibe, solid PBT keycaps with no shine-through, screw-in stabilizers for larger keys, but plastic case flex and tall profile are drawbacks.

3.5

Value

Packs a lot of features into quite an accessible price tag.

4.5

Buy it if…

You want premium features without the premium price
The V1 Ultra 8K offers a stacked spec sheet with 8K polling, hot-swappable switches, N-key rollover, and a battery that lasts weeks, all for $115.

You like the idea of customizing your layout or swapping switches
Hot-swappable switches, a web-based customization app, and an accessible price make this a low-risk entry point with plenty of room to experiment.

You need absolute bleeding edge polling performance
The Keychron V1 Ultra 8K delivers a full 8,000Hz polling rate over both USB-C and wireless 2.4GHz connections. If you feel you need that level of performance, it’s up to the task.

Don’t buy it if…

You do more typing than gaming
The tall frame, sculpted OSA keycaps, and lack of an included wrist rest make this a challenging board for extended typing sessions, especially if you’re coming from a low-profile setup.

You’re looking for maximum build quality
The V1 Ultra 8K certainly doesn’t feel cheap, but it’s left behind by alternatives that offer aluminum frames that don’t flex under pressure.

You run an all-white setup
There’s only one color scheme for the V1 Ultra 8K and it’s an industrial gray affair.

Keychron V1 Ultra 8K review: also consider

Keychron V1 Ultra 8K

Gamakay TK75 V2

Razer Huntsman V3 Pro

Layout

75%

75%

Full size

Switch

Keychron Silk POM (Red/Brown/Banana)

Mechanical (Pegasus/Phoenix)

Razer Analog Optical Gen-2

Programmable Keys

Yes (Keychron Launcher / ZMK)

Yes

Yes (Fully programmable)

Dimensions

328.5 x 148.7 x 29.4mm

325 x 136 x 28mm

445 x 139 x 39mm

RGB or backlighting

Yes (Customizable)

Yes (Customizable)

Razer Chroma RGB

Gamakay TK75 V2
Even more budget-friendly, the TK75 V2 is another 75% wireless board with gasket mounting, but goes for silent switches and even adds a small TFT screen for battery and system info. You do lose the 8K polling rate, the extreme battery life, and the open-source firmware flexibility, but at $89.99, it's well worth a look. Read our full Gamakay TK75 V2 review.

Razer Huntsman V3 Pro
If it’s serious competitive gaming performance you’re looking at, the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro is our pick for best gaming keyboard. It’s the other end of the price scale at $249.99, but offers the same 8K polling rate along with second-generation analog optical switches with adjustable actuation, rapid trigger support, and per-key sensitivity customization. Read our full Razer Huntsman V3 Pro review.

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K

• Used as my primary keyboard for a week
• Connected both wired and wirelessly, on Mac and Windows
• This review was typed entirely on it

I tested the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K by making it my daily driver keyboard across all work, productivity, and gaming for a week. I used it on both an Apple MacBook Air and a Windows desktop PC, jumping between wired and wireless connectivity modes.

I swapped out a few keycaps using the included tool, uninstalled and reinstalled one of the switches just because I could, and played around with the full suite of settings in the Keychron Launcher web app.

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

It’s been almost a year since the 2025 Iberian Peninsula blackout left large parts of Spain and Portugal without power.

Specifications

• Capacity: 2016Wh (LiFePO₄)
• Output: 1800W continuous
• UPS switchover: ~10ms
• Cycle life: ~4000 cycles to 80%
• Charging: AC, solar and car charging supported
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi app control
• Weight: 19kg
• Dimensions: 350 × 580 × 75mm

For many households, it was a reminder that backup power is no longer just for off-grid enthusiasts or enterprise users.

That creates an awkward gap in the market. Whole-home battery systems remain expensive and complex to install, while portable power stations are often designed more for camping than permanent indoor use.

The BLUETTI FridgePower attempts to sit directly in the middle — and after spending time with the system alongside the BlueCell 200 expansion battery and optional Magnetic Display, it becomes clear that BLUETTI may be onto something.

(Image credit: Future)BLUETTI FridgePower: Design

The first thing that stands out about FridgePower is that it doesn’t look like a traditional power station.

Gone are the rugged plastics, exposed handles and camping aesthetics typical of the category. Instead, BLUETTI has designed something intentionally slim and understated. Finished in an off-white colour, FridgePower feels far closer to a modern home appliance than an off-grid battery system.

At just 75mm thick, the unit is designed to slide behind or beside appliances without dominating the room. In practice, it feels more like a smart-home accessory than “prepper gear”, and that’s likely exactly the point.

(Image credit: Future)

The main unit itself is deliberately simple. On the front sits a power button alongside a basic battery indicator. Around the rear are the AC outlets, solar/DC input, IEC charging socket and expansion battery connection hidden beneath a flap.

The BlueCell 200 expansion battery mirrors the same dimensions and overall design language, although the inclusion of a solitary 18W USB-C port feels slightly odd given the otherwise appliance-focused approach.

BLUETTI says the system can support up to three expansion batteries, pushing total capacity beyond 8kWh — enough to keep essential appliances running for extended outages.

(Image credit: Future)BLUETTI FridgePower: Setup

One of FridgePower’s biggest strengths is how straightforward it is to install.

Plug the unit into the wall, connect your fridge to the AC outlet and you’re done. If mains power fails, the battery automatically switches over in around 10ms.

For renters or homeowners unwilling to install a dedicated battery system, that simplicity is appealing.

Adding the BlueCell expansion battery is similarly easy. Power down the main unit, connect the expansion cable, then restart the system.

(Image credit: Future)

In ideal circumstances, setup takes only a few minutes.

Reality, however, may depend heavily on your kitchen layout.

Our test setup used under-counter fridges positioned beneath a kitchen peninsula, leaving very little wall space to mount the FridgePower neatly. Unlike BLUETTI’s promotional images, there was no obvious place to position the units without them becoming visually intrusive.

Eventually, we managed to fit both the FridgePower and BlueCell behind the kitchen kickboard, although doing so revealed a few design limitations.

(Image credit: Future)

The expansion cable arrangement only allows the batteries to connect in one orientation: main unit on the left, expansion batteries on the right. Because of our available space, this forced us to stack the units and invert the BlueCell so the cables could reach properly.

The manual doesn’t mention any restrictions around stacking the units beyond basic ventilation clearances, although the setup does show how dependent the system can be on the layout of your kitchen.

(Image credit: Future)

There’s also a more UK-specific issue involving Type G plugs.

Unlike European or US plugs, UK plugs route cables downward, which creates some awkward clashes around the rear panel. One plug partially obstructed the ventilation area, while another competed for space with the AC charging cable. We managed to make everything fit, but cable clearance was tighter than expected.

A simple reorientation of the sockets would likely have solved the issue entirely.

(Image credit: Future)BLUETTI FridgePower: Performance

Once installed, FridgePower largely disappears into the background — which is exactly what you want from a backup system.

The unit powered both fridges without issue, while charging drew around 1400W from the wall. During testing, switching off mains power resulted in no visible flicker from the fridge lighting, suggesting the UPS switchover works exactly as advertised.

Cooling noise from the internal fan was noticeable while charging, but still quieter than the compressors of the fridges themselves. Once fully charged, the system became effectively unobtrusive.

(Image credit: Future)

With both fridges actively running, we observed a combined power draw of around 110W. Based purely on continuous usage, that would translate to approximately 37 hours of runtime from the FridgePower and BlueCell combination.

In reality, fridge compressors cycle on and off, meaning practical runtime should be significantly longer depending on appliance efficiency and ambient temperature.

For most households, that’s enough to comfortably ride out typical outages without worrying about spoiled food.

(Image credit: Future)BLUETTI FridgePower: Monitoring and app support

The optional Magnetic Display is a neat accessory, although not an essential one.

If your intention is simply to install FridgePower and leave it alone, the display doesn’t add much functionality beyond what’s already available in the BLUETTI app. Still, it’s well designed and offers at-a-glance monitoring for battery percentage, power flow, ambient temperature and humidity.

Oddly, the clock only supports a 12-hour AM/PM format, which feels unnecessarily limiting for an otherwise global product.

(Image credit: Future)

The BLUETTI app remains the primary interface for the system, largely because the FridgePower itself lacks a built-in screen. Thankfully, anyone familiar with previous BLUETTI products will feel immediately at home.

The app provides detailed monitoring for charge levels, power usage and input/output statistics, alongside basic configuration settings for the Magnetic Display.

It’s functional, stable and easy enough to navigate, although some users may still prefer physical controls for a product designed to function as a household appliance.

(Image credit: Future)BLUETTI FridgePower: More than just a fridge backup?

Interestingly, FridgePower may appeal to a broader audience than BLUETTI originally intended.

Its slim dimensions make it suitable for home server racks, networking setups or homelab environments. During testing, we attempted to mount it inside a 12U rack cabinet, although the cabinet itself lacked sufficient depth for a clean fit.

Still, deeper racks would easily accommodate the system, and the 10ms UPS response time makes it more than suitable for protecting networking gear, servers or home office equipment.

(Image credit: Future)

Traditional rack-mounted UPS systems remain expensive, bulky and often reliant on ageing lead-acid batteries. FridgePower’s LiFePO₄ chemistry offers significantly longer lifespan and arguably makes far more sense for modern home users.

And because the unit simply provides standard AC outlets, you’re not limited to refrigerators. As long as you remain within the 1800W limit, FridgePower can support almost any household appliance.

(Image credit: Future)BLUETTI FridgePower: Pricing

At the time of writing, BLUETTI has yet to officially confirm UK pricing, with shipments expected to begin in June 2026.

Current US pricing is expected to be:

FridgePower: $1299

FridgePower + BlueCell 200: $2498

FridgePower + 2x BlueCell 200: $3697

FridgePower + 3x BlueCell 200: $4896

Magnetic Display: $50

As with most BLUETTI products, frequent discounts and launch promotions will likely bring real-world pricing down considerably.

(Image credit: Future)BLUETTI FridgePower: Final Verdict

The BLUETTI FridgePower succeeds because it focuses on solving a very specific problem exceptionally well.

Rather than chasing whole-home backup ambitions, BLUETTI has created something far more for everyday users: a slim, quiet and easy-to-install battery system that keeps essential appliances running when the power goes out.

It isn’t perfect. The rear socket layout could be better, installation flexibility depends heavily on your kitchen design, and the accessory ecosystem still feels slightly underdeveloped. But those shortcomings are outweighed by the sheer practicality of the concept.

For renters, apartment owners or anyone unwilling to commit to a full home battery installation, FridgePower occupies a clever middle ground that barely existed before.

Pricing will ultimately decide how successful FridgePower becomes. But if BLUETTI can keep the entry price competitive against larger portable power stations, the concept makes a lot of sense.

In a market full of oversized power stations trying to do everything, FridgePower stands out by focusing on one task and doing it well.

Category

Score

Design

4.5/5

Performance

5/5

Portability

2/5

Value

4/5

Overall: 4.5/5

We've listed the best power banks.

DJI’s push into portable power has been surprisingly assured, and the DJI Power 1000 Mini Portable Power Station feels like the most deliberate product in the range so far. It takes the core idea behind the larger units and trims it down into something you might actually want to carry.

This is a 1kWh-class power station that doesn’t feel like luggage. For creators, vanlifers and anyone working on the move, that shift in usability matters more than raw output figures, and might make it the best portable power station choice for them.

(Image credit: Future)DJI Power 1000 Mini: Design & portability

This is where DJI gets it right.

Specifications

• Capacity: 1008Wh (LFP battery)
• Output: 800W continuous / 1000W peak
• Cycle life: ~4000 cycles (to 80%)
• Weight: 11.5kg
• Dimensions: 314 × 212 × 216 mm
• Ports:
  • 2x AC outlets
  • 1x USB-C port
  • Built-in retractable USB-C cable (100W)
  • 2x USB-A
  • SDC port (DJI ecosystem)
• Charging:
  • 0–80% in ~1 hour (AC)
  • Solar and car charging supported
• Connectivity: App control via Wi-Fi
• 2x AC outlets
• 1x USB-C port
• Built-in retractable USB-C cable (100W)
• 2x USB-A
• SDC port (DJI ecosystem)
• 0–80% in ~1 hour (AC)
• Solar and car charging supported
• 2x AC outlets
• 1x USB-C port
• Built-in retractable USB-C cable (100W)
• 2x USB-A
• SDC port (DJI ecosystem)
• 0–80% in ~1 hour (AC)
• Solar and car charging supported
• 2x AC outlets
• 1x USB-C port
• Built-in retractable USB-C cable (100W)
• 2x USB-A
• SDC port (DJI ecosystem)
• 0–80% in ~1 hour (AC)
• Solar and car charging supported

• 2x AC outlets
• 1x USB-C port
• Built-in retractable USB-C cable (100W)
• 2x USB-A
• SDC port (DJI ecosystem)

• 0–80% in ~1 hour (AC)
• Solar and car charging supported

The Power 1000 Mini is impressively compact for its class—closer in footprint to a large lunchbox than the typical brick-like power stations we’re used to.

At 11.5kg, it’s not light, but it’s manageable in a way most 1kWh units simply aren’t.

Compared to the DJI Power 2000 Portable Power Station, the difference is immediate.

The 2000 is something you plan around; the Mini is something you just take.

Small touches help. The integrated retractable USB-C cable is one of those features you don’t think about until you use it—then wonder why everyone else hasn’t done it.

The front display is equally straightforward, showing charge level, estimated runtime and live input/output figures clearly at a glance.

Outdoor visibility is generally good, although direct sunlight can wash it out slightly.

(Image credit: Future)DJI Power 1000 Mini: Performance

In use, the Power 1000 Mini delivers exactly what its size suggests. It’s ideal for:

- Charging laptops, drones and camera gear

- Running small appliances

- Acting as a mobile workstation power hub

The 800W output ceiling means it’s not built for high-draw appliances like kettles or heaters, and that’s the key limitation. But within its intended scope, it performs reliably.

DJI’s use of LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery chemistry is also reassuring at this price point. Compared to older lithium-ion designs, LFP offers better thermal stability and significantly improved longevity, which helps justify the investment for anyone expecting to use the unit regularly over several years.

Charging speed is a genuine highlight. Being able to push the battery up to 80% in around an hour makes it far more flexible than older, slower-charging units. Rather than relying on overnight charging, the Mini feels built for quick top-ups between shoots, journeys or campsite stops.

Thermals are impressively well controlled too. Even during rapid charging, the unit never became noticeably hot in our testing, with only a small amount of warmth around the ventilation areas under sustained load. Noise levels are similarly restrained. Fan noise is minimal during general use and remains surprisingly subdued while charging—quiet enough that it largely disappears into the background in a home office or campervan environment.

By comparison, the larger DJI Power 2000 does produce slightly more audible fan noise when charging, although the difference isn’t dramatic.

(Image credit: Future)DJI Power 1000 Mini: Front-facing light

One feature that’s easy to overlook until you actually need it is the integrated front light built into the Power 1000 Mini.

Positioned across the front panel, it’s bright enough to be genuinely useful around a campsite, during a power cut, or when packing down camera gear late in the evening. DJI includes multiple brightness levels alongside an emergency flashing mode, turning the unit into something closer to a practical utility device than simply a battery box.

It’s not powerful enough to replace a dedicated lantern or work light, but it’s far more functional than the token LEDs many rivals include. More importantly, it reinforces the portable, grab-and-go nature of the Power 1000 Mini—everything you need is integrated into the unit itself.

(Image credit: Future)DJI Power 1000 Mini: Accessories & real-world testing

DJI supplied a car charging solution for testing (the DJI Power Car Battery Charging Cable), but we weren’t able to fully evaluate it.

Our only available vehicle during testing was a Tesla Model Y, which doesn’t support traditional alternator-based charging in the same way as a combustion vehicle.

That’s worth bearing in mind—this accessory is far more relevant if you’re running a petrol or diesel setup. Ideal for the van, RV or Camper lifestyle.

(Image credit: Future)DJI Power 1000 Mini: Solar panel experience

We also spent time with DJI’s 200W foldable solar panel, manufactured by IBC, and this is where the wider ecosystem feels less polished.

The panel itself is functional and reasonably well made, but compared to alternatives like the Jackery SolarSaga 200W Solar Panel, it’s noticeably less user-friendly in day-to-day use.

It feels heavier and stiffer than expected, setup is more awkward due to the multiple MC4 connectors, and the popper-style support legs are fiddly compared to simpler kickstand designs. There’s also no solar alignment indicator, making it harder to optimize positioning quickly outdoors.

More disappointing was real-world solar performance. Despite sharing the same 200W rating as the SolarSaga 200W, DJI’s panel consistently produced lower output in identical conditions.

On a bright sunny day, the Jackery panel could comfortably exceed 200W, while the DJI panel struggled to consistently reach 150W using the same placement and timing.

Individually these are minor complaints, but together they make the solar setup feel noticeably less polished than the power station itself.

(Image credit: Future)DJI Power 1000 Mini: DJI Power 2000 - quick comparison

The DJI Power 2000 sits above the Mini in DJI’s lineup, and the difference is largely what you’d expect:

Capacity: roughly double (around 2kWh)

Output: significantly higher, suitable for appliances

Weight & size: much larger and heavier

Use case: home backup and high-load scenarios

In practical terms:

The Power 1000 Mini is about mobility and convenience

The Power 2000 is about sustained power and versatility

They’re not competing products—they’re aimed at different kinds of users.

(Image credit: Future)DJI Power 1000 Mini: Features & limitations

The Power 1000 Mini largely mirrors the wider DJI Power ecosystem, but there are some important differences between it and the larger DJI Power 2000 we tested recently.

Most notably, the Mini does not support AC back-feeding functionality. Unlike the Power 2000, it can’t feed stored power back into a home circuit or act as part of a more integrated backup power setup.

For most users, that won’t matter. The Mini feels designed primarily for creators, campers and mobile users rather than full home backup scenarios. If your workload revolves around cameras, laptops, drones and lighting, the balance of portability and capacity makes far more sense than carrying a significantly larger 2kWh unit.

If, however, you’re looking for something capable of supporting household appliances or acting as part of a more permanent emergency power setup, the Power 2000 remains the more capable option.

(Image credit: Future)DJI Power 1000 Mini: Pricing & configurations

DJI Power 1000 Mini (standalone):

- UK: £449

- US: ~$570–$600

DJI Power 1000 Mini + 200W Solar Panel Combo:

- UK: ~£833

- US: ~$1,127

DJI Power 1000 Mini: Accessories

DJI Power Car Battery Charging Cable

- UK: ~£45

- US: ~$55–$60

DJI 200W Foldable Solar Panel (IBC)

- UK: ~£339

- US: ~$420–$450

(Image credit: Future)DJI Power 1000 Mini: Final Verdict

The DJI Power 1000 Mini is a carefully judged product. It doesn’t try to outgun larger power stations—instead, it makes a strong case for why you might not want one in the first place.

DJI has managed something surprisingly rare here: a 1kWh power station that feels designed to be carried regularly rather than reluctantly.

If you need something you can actually carry, use regularly, and charge quickly, this is one of the most convincing options in its class.

If you need raw output and all-day appliance support, you’ll still be better served by something like the Power 2000—but you’ll feel the difference every time you have to move it.

Category

Score

Design

4.5/5

Performance

4/5

Portability

5/5

Value

4/5

Solar ecosystem

3/5

Overall: 4/5

We've listed the best power banks for portable charging.

Shark ChillPill review

The Shark ChillPill is a personal cooling system, which means you can use it as a fan, a cooling plate you can press against your skin or a mister. Portable fans have always been around, but I’ve not seen anything else that combines these three functions into one device that manages to look stylish and cute while doing it.

Trust Shark to pull it off. The brand many readers will know for their vacuum cleaners and hair-styling products has a habit of combining solid tech, thoughtful design and straightforward controls, and I’m happy to report the ChillPill is no different.

The only catch is the price. It’s expensive for a portable fan at $149.99/£129.99. But as I’ll get into below, it’s so much more than that and if you really feel the heat, well worth the price.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

If you’ve ever held a compact pair of travel binoculars, you’ll already have a good mental image of the Shark ChillPill. It’s made up of two cylinders connected by a hinge in the middle. The larger cylinder is lighter and houses the fan, that’s where you attach the different heads. The smaller one holds the battery, controls and a small screen, and it made the most sense for me to use that one as the handle.

At 45 X 84 X 112mm and 350g, it’s compact enough to carry in most bags but not small enough to slip into a pocket. So manage your expectations if you were hoping for something as tiny and light as a regular cheap travel fan. This has considerably more tech inside it, and you can feel that.

The hinge in the middle makes it really versatile. If you lay the cylinders flat and parallel, it’s a handheld fan. But twist it so they’re perpendicular and it’ll stand on a desk or any surface, directing air exactly where you want it. I used it this way a lot while working, and it’s a great setup for that.

It comes with a small cloth carry case. I’ve seen other reviews describe this as fitting the ChillPill itself, but I’d say it’s a squeeze and doesn’t fully cover the top. Best to use that as storage for the spare attachments instead.

There are some genuinely lovely color options here, each with a darker color for the fan cylinder and a lighter one for the battery cylinder. There’s Carbon (black), Glacier (turquoise), Haze (dark blue), Dragon Fruit (pink), Match (green), and Iced Latte, a pale brown and beige with a slightly shiny finish, which is the one I tested. My personal favorite of the range is Glacier.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

Controls are really straightforward. The smaller cylinder has a dial at the top with textured edges that you turn to move the fan through the ten speeds, and a small screen that shows speed and battery level. It also displays a little icon depending on which attachment you’ve fitted. There’s a fan, a water drop for the misting pod then a little snowflake for the cooling plate.

Press the screen down to turn it on and long press to turn it off. There’s also a lock and unlock switch on the side to stop it accidentally activating in your bag, which is necessary as I did turn it on a couple of times without meaning to before I got into the habit of locking it.

Charging is via a USB-C port on the base of the smaller cylinder, tucked under a sealed flap. A green icon flashes when it’s charging and you can use the fan while it charges, though not the cooling plate.

The three attachments twist into place really easily. In fact, there’s an overall high build quality to the whole thing, which makes it feel really satisfying to use and hold.

Beyond the three included attachments, Shark also sells additional accessories. There’s a crossbody strap, a wrist strap, clip, clamp and sleeve. These are all sold separately, which is worth knowing — there's no strap included as there is with some rivals, like the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool Fan.

That said, they’re not expensive and could be really invaluable to buy along with the fan from the get go, as it will allow you to attach it to a pram, desk or use it hands-free on the move. If I was taking it on holiday, I’d snap up the crossbody strap in a heartbeat.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

The ChillPill is genuinely powerful, more so than any other personal fan I’ve tested. At mid-range settings — around 4 or 5 — it’ll cool you down effectively without blasting you in the face or hurting your eyes. Especially if it’s propped up on a desk nearby, which is how I used it the most during the day while I was working. Settings 9 and 10 get considerably more powerful and are for when you really need it, either to cool down quicker or outdoors in more serious heat.

I’ve seen other reviews flag the ChillPill as very loud, and I’m going to respectfully push back on that with my measurements — I clocked it at 43.4dB at speed 1, 59.5dB at speed 5, 66.5dB at speed 8, and 70.5dB at speed 10. For context, my high-tech kettle just before it finishes boiling is 69dB and my hairdryer is 78dB. So yes, it gets louder as you turn it up — that’s true of every fan — but calling it really loud at speed 10 is a stretch. I also used it at night on setting 5 and the sound (which I’m guessing is akin to white or green noise) helped me sleep.

Battery life was impressive for such a small device. I ran a test with the fan at speed 5, which is the sweet spot I’d realistically use it at on a desk all day, and it lasted for 8 hours and 10 minutes. Now Shark claims 11 hours at the lower settings, so this is a welcome surprise.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

The misting pod works by filling a small tank with water, which then soaks the wick inside the attachment. There’s a wick pre-installed that Shark recommends you replace monthly and three spares in the box. Getting the old one out is fairly easy with either your fingertips or a pair of tweezers.

Once it’s set up, there’s a small opening at the top and then you can choose between constant or interval misting modes. I found the mist to be fine enough that it won’t soak you or anything around you, which means you can use it indoors or on public transport if you’re mindful about it but I probably wouldn’t use it directly over electronics.

The attachment I was least sure about before testing it was the cooling plate, which Shark calls InstaChill. And yet it was the one I ended up loving the most.

Using the fan behind the metal plate to cool it down, the InstaChill allows you to gain targeted relief by pressing it against your skin. It’s very cold, like touching an ice pack fresh from the freezer. I used it on my wrists and the back of my neck and it had an instant cooling and calming effect. Although this is probably a subjective experience, I’m always a little too warm and using this on the pressure points on my neck didn’t just cool me down but made a real difference for focus, alertness, and heading off a migraine.

Based on my battery testing, the cooling plate lasts 1 hour and 40 minutes before you run out of juice. That might not sound like much, but it's doing serious work to cool the plate down to ice-pack levels of cold.

I also don't think anyone would realistically be using that attachment continuously. I run hot and even I found 30 seconds on my skin was enough before it got too intense. In practice, you're more likely to use the fan, switch to the plate for a minute or two on the pulse point, then switch back. For that kind of use, 1 hour and 40 minutes goes a long way.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

I think the Shark ChillPill makes the most sense for anyone who really feels the heat, if you’re traveling to a warmer climate or work in offices with no upper temperature limit (yes that’s a real thing in the UK, there’s a legal lower limit but not an upper one). It'd also be a great fit if you're dealing with perimenopause or menopause symptoms or suffer from migraines and would benefit from the cooling plate’s targeted effect on pulse points. But really it'll be good for everyone else as the summer heat hits.

The only notable downside to the ChillPill is that it’s expensive for a portable fan at $149.99 / £129.99. But it’s three cooling tools in one well-built and thoughtfully designed device that happens to be small enough to carry anywhere. That said, it's only really good value if you genuinely plan to use all three of those attachments and if you have enough budget left over to buy an accessory, like the crossbody strap.

If you just want a fan, there are cheaper options, including the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool. Expect to see more premium portable fans entering this space. The era of tiny, underpowered travel fans that just seem to move hot air around seem to be giving way to solutions that are more effective and considered, and the ChillPill is currently leading that charge.

Shark ChillPill review: Price & release date

• Priced at $149.99 / £129.99
• Launched in March 2026
• Currently available in Europe and North America

The Shark ChillPill was released in March 2026, priced at $149.99 / £129.99. It's available in Europe and North America at the time of writing.

For a portable fan, this is expensive. It’s worth being honest about that. You can pick up another portable fan, like the JISULIFE Portable Handheld Fan for $73.49 / £69.99.

But the ChillPill isn’t really a portable fan, it’s three cooling tools rolled into one, which makes direct price comparisons tricky. There’s nothing else on the market right now that does exactly the same thing.

The closest rival is the Dyson HushJet Mini at $99.99 / £99.99, which launched in April 2026. It's fan only — so doesn't include misting or a cooling plate — but it is well-engineered, quiet and around $30 / £30 cheaper. So if all you want is a powerful, stylish portable fan then it’s a strong alternative. If you want the full cooling system, it isn’t.

Beyond that, if you want a fairly small desktop fan for working or at home that you don’t need to be portable, there are some good alternatives to consider. Like the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo, a desktop fan also from Shark with the same misting technology at $149.99 / £129.99. Or the MeacoFan Sefte 8in at £79.99, a great desktop fan for working and sleeping, which we rated for its ability to blast out impressively strong airflow at a pleasingly low volume.

For now, the ChillPill remains the most versatile product in this space. All in all, it’s expensive. But if you’ll genuinely use all three attachments, it’s good value. The people who’ll get the most out of it, like those who can’t sleep in the heat, commuters, anyone dealing with menopause or migraines, will likely find the price very easy to justify.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)Shark ChillPill review: Specs

Weight

350g / 0.7lbs

Dimensions

45mm x 841mm x 112mm (L x W x D)

Colors

Carbon, Glacier, Haze, Dragon Fruit, Matcha, Iced Latte

Battery life

Up to 11 hours

Should I buy the Shark ChillPill?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

With three modes and a screen, features are simple and work well. Battery life is impressive and extra attachments are handy — though you'll need to pay more for them.

4/5

Performance

Works well in all sorts of environments with plenty of power and longevity. The fan is excellent (if a little loud at the highest settings) and the cooling plate and mister give a much welcome alternative way to cool down.

5/5

Design

It looks cool, is exceptionally well built and can be used in a few different ways. It's compact, fairly light and gets bonus points for all the vivid color options.

5/5

Value

It's expensive. There's no getting around that. But I think for many people that price is absolutely worth it and you're getting a top-performing and well-built device.

4/5

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)Buy it if...

You struggle in the heat
Whether that’s migraines, perimenopause or menopause, travel to a hot climate, camping or any other reason the heat is difficult, this was made for you.

Standard portable fans have never quite cut it
It’s more powerful and versatile than anything most people will have tried, especially in such a compact package.

You appreciate good design — and don’t mind paying for it
You do need to spend a bit here, but you get a genuinely fantastic product for your money.

Don't buy it if...

You need something truly pocket-sized
It’s compact but not slip-it-in-your-pocket compact. You’ll need to look elsewhere and accept something considerably less powerful.

You’re on a tight budget
The price is the only real downside here. If spending over $100/£100 just isn’t feasible right now that’s completely understandable.

You only want a straightforward fan
It’s excellent as a fan alone, but it makes the most sense if the misting head and cooling plate appeal to you at least some of the time.

Shark ChillPill review: Also consider

Dyson HushJet Mini Cooling Fan
If you want something from a brand with serious experience in this space, Dyson’s latest personal fan is well worth considering. It’s lighter and more stripped back than the ChillPill, without the same 3-in-1 versatility, but Dyson really know what they’re doing when it comes to airflow. We haven’t tested it yet, but our full review is coming very soon.

Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo
If the Shark ChillPill appeals because you want to cool down at home or as you work, then the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo is a tabletop fan that's worth a look. It also has a misting feature we loved during testing. It's small for a fan but not as portable as the ChillPill. If you don’t see a need for something small you can use on-the-go, stay with Shark just consider the FlexBreeze HydroGo instead. Read our Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo reviewView Deal

How I tested the Shark ChillPill

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

• Tested for a week
• Used all three settings regularly
• Used at home, in the city, in the countryside on a walk and in a park

I tested the Shark ChillPill for a whole week during a surprisingly warm spell in the UK, which meant I could put it through its paces properly. I used it while working at home on warm days, remote working in coffee shops, on a walk in the countryside and having a picnic in the park, all when temperatures were high in the UK. I also used it at night to see how both the cooling effect of the fan and the sound it makes impacted my sleep.

This week-long testing time gave me a good opportunity to run the battery down across a range of settings and properly test the longevity.

I’ve been writing about and testing tech for more than 15 years, covering health tech, smart home devices, wearables and audio products. Always with a focus on whether a device can actually make your life better, rather than what’s on the spec sheet.

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

IKEA Varmblixt LED lamp: two-minute review

IKEA's color-shifting Varmblixt smart lamp, with its donut-shaped frosted glass diffuser, makes a striking focal point. It's easy to operate using the switch included in the box, and it casts a soft glow whether you use it on a table or mounted on a wall.

The Varmblixt was designed by Dutch artist Sabine Marcelis and comes with a preset palette of pastel hues designed to complement its curves. Pressing the button on its remote once will turn it on, and double-pressing will switch to the next shade in the sequence.

This works well straight out of the box (and handing it to visitors so they can change the mood lighting during dinner is fun), but the Varmblixt really comes into its own when used with the IKEA Home Smart mobile app. This lets you choose from a much larger range of colors, adjust the lamp's brightness, and link it to other IKEA smart devices such as motion sensors and scroll wheel switches.

FutureFutureFuture

You can even incorporate it into a mix-and-match smart home setup using the Matter protocol. To do this, you'll need IKEA's Dirigera smart hub, so be prepared for that extra expense if you want to use the Varmblixt's smart capabilities.

Connecting the Varmblixt to the Home Smart app wasn't quite as straightforward as it should have been and involved some trial and error. You should be able to link any IKEA smart home device by scanning the QR code on the item or its packaging, but the app failed to connect to the Varmblixt (or the Bilresa switches I later used to control it).

I eventually found that I could get around the problem by waiting for the connection failure notification to appear in the app, then selecting the option to connect without Bluetooth. The lamp and switches were then linked to the app without a hitch.

(Image credit: Future)

Once your devices are linked, IKEA's app is extremely simple to use and is a good introduction to smart home tech. Unlike the Philips Hue app, which gives you granular control over every switch and light in your home, linking a device to IKEA Home Smart works immediately, with a limited but useful set of options.

Once you've linked the Varmblixt lamp, you'll find that you can pick from a much broader palette of colors, although the hues selected by Sabine Marcelis are highlighted so you can find them easily. Alternatively, you can use a color wheel to choose the shade you want.

The lamp doesn't offer as many colors as a Philips Hue White & Color Ambiance bulb, but its smooth shape and frosted diffuser mean it's effective at setting a mood with indirect lighting.

(Image credit: Future)

You can even set the Varmblixt to change colors on a schedule. The default 'adaptive' option changes the light temperature during the day, so it becomes cooler during working hours and warmer in the evening when you want to unwind, but it's also possible to create your own timed color changes.

When you connect a controller to the Varmblixt, there's no need to spend time configuring what each button should do; again, it works right away. When I linked it to a Bilresa dimmer switch, I found that the wheel was pre-programmed to control the light's brightness.

Overall, the IKEA Varmblixt lamp is a pleasure to use, and a real conversation-starter when you have guests. App setup can be a bit fiddly and requires IKEA's smart home hub, but it works very well with the remote alone.

• Performance score: 4/5

IKEA Varmblixt LED lamp: price and availability

IKEA first showed the Varmblixt smart lamp at the CES tech show in January 2026, and the donut-shaped light went on sale in the US and Europe in March of the same year. It's not available in Australia at the time of writing, but it might be released more widely later in 2026.

It's priced at $99 / £55 (about AU$140), which is about standard for a color-changing smart lamp without additional features like music or media synchronizing. For example, the Govee Table Lamp 2 is $69.99 / £69.99 (about AU$100).

However, if you want to use the smart functions and choose from a wider array of colors, you'll also need IKEA's Dirigera smart hub, which costs an additional $109 / £70 / AU$129, so you'll need to be sure that you want to invest in IKEA's wider smart home system first.

• Value score: 4/5

IKEA Varmblixt LED lamp: design

This is a new take on the original donut-shaped Varmblixt lamp, which was released in 2022. This lamp (also designed by Sabine Marcellis) had a glossy orange surface that cast warm light into the room. The 2026 Varmblixt replaces this with a white frosted glass diffuser and cycles through a palette of pastel colors selected by the designer.

The Varmblixt lamp has a flat base so you can use it on a table, and a hole in the backplate so you can mount it on a wall (though be aware that it's a wired lamp, so you'll need to place it near an electrical outlet).

The lamp is wired and is supplied with one of IKEA's standard Bilresa remote controls, which takes two AAA batteries (not included).

• Design score: 5/5

Should you buy the IKEA Varmblixt LED lamp?IKEA Varmblixtt Lamp score card

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

The lamp itself is very reasonably priced, but connecting it to the app requires the rather expensive IKEA Dirigera hub.

4/5

Design

Very unusual but attractive design, with an iconic shape and a thoughtfully curated set of colors. Optional wall-mounting is a nice touch.

5/5

Performance

Key features work flawlessly, but app setup wasn't quite as smooth as it should have been. The HomeSmart app is excellent once the lamp is connected.

4.5/5

Buy it if

You want a statement light

This is a dramatic light, and really draws the eye, whether you use it as a table or wall lamp. I've yet to find a person who wasn't immediately fascinated.

You already own IKEA smart devices

App connectivity requires IKEA's smart hub, which won't be a problem if you're already invested in the brand's smart home ecosystem.

Don't buy it if

You want advanced features

The IKEA Home Smart app lets you create a simple schedule and connect to switches, but for complex lighting scenes and syncing with music, you're better off picking a light from Philips Hue, Govee, or Nanoleaf.

You need task lighting

If you need a lamp to work by, take a look at IKEA's range of desk lights, or consider fitting one of the brand's smart bulbs into one of its lamp bases.View Deal

IKEA Varmblixt LED lamp: also consider

Govee Table Lamp 2

Another captivating smart lamp, this model can display a solid color or multiple hues at once, with customizable scenes. It's a similar price, but its cylindrical shape doesn't have the same 'wow' factor as the Varmblixt.

Read our full Govee Table Lamp 2 review

Philips Hue Play Wall Washer

These lamps cast a smooth gradient of light over your wall, and can synchronize with content on your TV screen if you have an HDMI sync box. They're brighter than the Varmblixt, with a lot more features. but are much more expensive as well.

Read our full Philips Hue Play Wall Washer review

How I tested the IKEA Varmblixt LED lamp

I tested the Varmblixt lamp with the remote control included in the box, switching between all the preset colors, and then connected it to the IKEA Home Smart app using a Dirigera hub. I used all the color and scheduling options in the app, comparing it with a Philips Hue Wall Washer lamp. I also tried controlling the lamp using an IKEA Bilresa dimmer switch with a scroll wheel.

First tested April 2026