TechRadar Reviews

MSI Versa 300 Wireless 8K review

The MSI Versa 300 Wireless 8K is a gaming mouse with a pro level spec and some useful features. Despite this, it also has a pretty competitive price.

There's nothing spectacular or gamerish about the way it looks, maintaining as it does a relatively understated aesthetic. There’s only a small logo that allows some subtle RGB lighting to pass through.

In the hand, I found the Versa 300 more bulbous than I’m accustomed to, with a more prominent hump in the middle. However, I adjusted quickly to the shape and found it comfortable thereafter. In fact, it actually fitted my palm as well as the best gaming mouse shapes.

(Image credit: Future)

This fit also helps to impart a secure feeling, making me confident in performing lift-offs. This is further aided by the concave side walls and their diamond grip pattern. It’s a shame, though, that this grip area isn’t made from a soft touch material like silicone or rubber; it merely adopts the same smooth plastic as the rest of the unit. Regardless, I still found it provided sufficient grip and feedback.

The Versa 300 is quite a light mouse, weighing just 66g, which makes it easy to maneuver. However, there are certainly lighter mice around, and what’s more the weight doesn’t feel evenly distributed. Most of its mass seems to be concentrated near the rear, which can cause the whole unit to tilt backwards when lifting off. At least the Versa 300 feels solid and durable, which is always a positive. The body material feels smooth and upmarket, too, belying its budget price tag.

In action, the Versa 300 is quite impressive. The first aspect I noticed was just how smoothly it glided. This surprised me, given the PTFE skates are quite small compared to those on more premium gaming mice.

The included USB cable is braided and quite long, which makes it amenable to a wide variety of setups. It’s also quite light, although it still adds a small but noticeable element of drag to movements. The connection to the USB-C port is as solid as I could’ve wished for, so I wasn’t concerned about accidentally yanking it out.

(Image credit: Future)

The Omron mechanical switches feel satisfying enough, but they’re a little heavier and travel a little further than those on more elite gaming mice. This makes them feel less snappy. I still found them just about light enough for competitive play, but more serious head clickers might find them too sluggish for their needs.

The scroll wheel is somewhat unusual, due to its prominent, spiky finish. Far from being uncomfortable, though, I found this texture pleasing and it provided good feedback.

The middle click is also very satisfying, feeling more like a true button press than many others, thanks to its long travel and definitive thud when actuated. It’s probably one of the best middle clicks I’ve experienced.

However, the notching of the wheel is a little too light for my tastes, making it somewhat harder to judge single flicks compared to others. There’s no free scroll or tilt scroll feature, either, which some premium gaming mice get.

(Image credit: Future)

MSI Center, the brand’s peripheral software, is simple to use and laid out clearly. There is a reasonable amount of adjustments here, including five customizable levels for the DPI selector, ranging from 100 to 26,000, as well as rebinding options.

These are quite limited, though. You can only swap inputs around, assign media playback controls, and trigger macros (a fairly basic macro recording facility is included). It’s a shame you can’t customize the RGB lighting from here; for that, you’ll need to download another app, Portal X, which just creates more inefficiency.

You can enable more advanced features, such as Motion Sync and Angle Snapping, as well as alter the debounce time between 0ms and 30ms (in increments of 1ms). You can also adjust the lift-off distance, but this only has two settings: low and high.

Battery life is also excellent. After using the mouse consistently for several days, in both Bluetooth and 2.4GHz modes, it only dropped around 10-15%. I didn’t experience any connectivity issues, either, with the two wireless modes maintaining a stable, lag-free signal.

Other gaming mice may have a greater selection of advanced performance based features, but it’s hard to complain about their absence in the Versa 300, given its competitive pricing. There aren’t many in this sector that offer a top-draw spec for so little, making it a compelling pick for those on a budget.

MSI Versa 300 Wireless 8K review: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future)

• $99.99 / £59.99 (about AU$140)
• Available now
• Well-priced for its spec

The MSI Versa 300 Wireless 8K costs $99.99 / £59.99 (about AU$140) and is available now in black only. It comes with a braided USB cable but no grip tape or spare skates.

Considering its spec, the Versa 300 is well-priced. There aren’t many gaming mice at this price point offering dual wireless connectivity modes, an 8K polling rate, and advanced tweaks.

It’s significantly cheaper than the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro, which is one of our current favorites in the sector. But the Razer has more advanced software, granting you access to more adjustments and functions. We also loved its snappy mouse clicks, an area where the Versa 300 falls short.

However, if you’re after a truly budget gaming mouse, it’s hard to beat the Cooler Master MM311. We found it performed much better than it had any right to. It may lack multiple connectivity modes and a rechargeable battery, but you can’t really get better performance for less.

Should I buy the MSI Versa 300 Wireless 8K?Scorecard

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

Not many gaming mice offer this much for so little.

4.5 / 5

Design

I like it, but some might find the shape a little too bulbous. MSI Center offers a decent selection of customization options.

4 / 5

Performance

A very smooth glider, and the 8K polling rate is certainly welcome. Clicks are a little heavy, though, and the unbalanced weight might cause problems when lifting off. Battery life is excellent, though.

4 / 5

Final score

The Versa 300 is an impressive gaming mouse for the price, and if you’re ok with not having the snappiest clicks around,, it’s worth considering.

4 / 5

Buy it if…

You want a smooth glider
The Versa 300 glides across padded surfaces with ease, which feels excellent.

You’re on a budget
There aren’t many gaming mice that offer this kind of pro-level spec for less.

Don't buy it if…

You want a light and balanced pointer
The Versa 300 isn’t the lightest gaming mouse around, and the weight feels biased to the rear, which can cause tilting when lifting off.

You want the snappiest clicks
I found the buttons a little heavy relative to other elite models, which might be anathema to pro gamers.

MSI Versa 300 Wireless 8K review: Also consider

Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro
This is one of the best gaming mice we’ve ever tested. Performance and build quality are excellent, and there are plenty of customization options on hand. It’s a lot more expensive than the Versa 300, but it’s a hard pointer to beat if you’re serious about competitive play. Read our full Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro review.

Cooler Master MM311
The MM311 is very cheap, yet it offers performance you’d associate with more premium options. It doesn’t have a built-in battery, and it doesn’t have multiple connectivity modes, but these are minor omissions considering the budget price tag. Read our full Cooler Master MM311 review.

How I tested the MSI Versa 300 Wireless 8K

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested for several days
• Used for a variety of games and tasks
• Extensive gaming mouse experience

I tested the Versa 300 for several days, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general productivity. I used all of its connectivity methods with two different Windows PCs.

I played a variety of games, from fast-paced shooters such as Counter-Strike 2, where speed and precision matter most, to games requiring a more considered and versatile and more encompassing mouse functionality, such as Subnautica 2.

I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and have experienced many gaming mice in that time. I’ve also reviewed a large number of them, from budget offerings to pro-level and feature-packed premium models.

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

MeacoFan Sefte Pro 10 Table Air Circulator review

The MeacoFan Sefte Pro 10in is a table-top air circulator that delivers surprisingly strong and surprisingly quiet airflow. If you've been looking for a new home fan capable of pumping out some serious power to see you through summer, it's going to be an easy recommend from me and a huge hit for many people — with a few caveats.

Notice how I wrote air circulator and not fan? Yes, they're similar and tend to be used interchangeably, but there's an important distinction that could make a big difference here.

A fan creates a focused breeze aimed at you. An air circulator moves air around the whole room, reducing hot spots and keeping temperatures consistent. So if you just want to cool down in one spot, a fan works. If you want the whole room to feel more comfortable, an air circulator is the better pick.

Meaco's Sefte range of air circulators has been around for several years now. We reviewed the Sefte 8in Portable Air Circulator last summer and rated it highly, and a 10-inch version was released at a similar time.

For 2026, Meaco has released a Pro version of the 10-inch model. Both in a tabletop design, which I'm reviewing here, and a pedestal design with different height options.

Now, the key difference is the Pro 10-inch air circulators have app connectivity, so you can control them remotely. They also have a replaceable and rechargeable battery (the older 8-inch version also has the built-in battery, but not the 10-inch).

These upgrades are also reflected in a price bump. You'll pay £199.99 for the Pro version, compared to £99.99 for the regular version. That's £199.99 compared to £179.99 for the pedestal style.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

Now, onto the MeacoFan Sefte Pro 10. For a device capable of cooling a whole room (or, in my case, a whole 480 sq ft studio apartment), it's compact. But that doesn't mean its small.

Its dimensions are 432 x 305 x 227 mm, it weighs 3.2kg and its base takes up about the size of a dinner plate on a table. Bear this in mind when you're considering where it'll sit in your home and whether the non-Pro 8-inch version might suit you better.

Design-wise it looks like a standard fan. But I've always thought Meaco's fans look and feel higher quality than many other brands. Maybe not as sleek and futuristic as something from Dyson, but still as minimal and thoughtful. I think this might be partly down to the white exterior, which has a brushed, almost matte texture rather than looking shiny and cheap.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

The Sefte Pro 10 plugs into the mains and it's happy operating that way. But what sets it apart from the original Sefte 10-inch option, and many other fans, is that it has a rechargeable battery that you can also replace. This really is a fantastic design choice and means it'll outlast much of the competition — I wish other companies would follow suit because we'd be doing something about our tremendous e-waste problem.

To find the battery, there's a small button on the base of the device, which you push in and then can lift up the top if you ever need to pop a new one in — though the one it comes with should at least last a few years.

So given it's light enough to carry (at least over short distances) and has a built-in battery, it's a very versatile option for moving around the house. Or even taking outside for use in a garden or, if you're driving, taking further afield. During testing, I used it beside me on my desk, my bedside table at night and took it outside onto my balcony during a warm day when I was doing some yoga outside.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

The Sefte Pro 10 oscillates horizontally and vertically or both at the same time. There are three settings to choose from, Narrow, Medium and Wide. For the vertical oscillation that's 20, 30 and 65-degrees of movement. And for horizontal it's 30, 75 and 120-degrees of movement. It's great to have this level of freedom and means you can really quickly cool down a large room.

Other fans will offer more oscillation, but you tend to have to pay over the odds. I'm thinking the higher-end fans from Dyson or a really flexible pick, like the Shark TurboBlade with a different design approach for maximum cooling coverage.

There are three fan modes to choose from. Normal, you select a speed between 1 and 12 and it stays at that speed until you change it. Night mode, which reduces noise, turns of the display and reduces fan speed by 1 step ever half hour until it remains at 1 for the rest of the night. And Eco, which automatically changes fan speed depending on room temperature, something the fan always presents on the front of the display.

Now, I loved the Eco feature. I thought it might be a little gimmicky at first and I'd default back to Normal, but it was the most effective for me by far. Pumping out a really pleasing amount of air that subtly shifted throughout the day.

I also really liked Night mode, I thought I'd use this once or twice purely for this review, but ended up putting it on every single night after. The way the fan reduces intensity was perfect for me, making my bedroom feel comfortable and cool all night. I also found the very quiet fan noise incredibly soothing for sleep.

And the good news is, during my battery tests, the fan ran for 12 hours all the way through until morning on a single charge — it could have gone longer, but it'll easily see you through until morning even if for some reason you can't plug it into the mains. No more warm, sleepless nights.

Meaco really shouts about the fan's "whisper-quiet" performance. I was ready to dispute that a bit, but wow it is surprisingly quiet, even when you bump up the intensity. I used a decibel measuring app and found setting 1 came in at around 30dB. Setting 6 was around 40dB with setting 12 only hitting 55dB. For context, my high-tech kettle just before it finishes boiling is 69dB and my hairdryer is 78dB. So you are getting a quiet performance here, especially for a powerful fan. It's why I've already recommended it to several people that want cooling but tend to be sensitive to noise — especially at night.

In terms of air pumping power, I didn't have a way to accurately measure just how much airflow the Sefte Pro 10 can generate, but Meaco claims it can circulate 19.18 m³/hour. When I stood at a distance of 24ft away from it indoors at the highest intensity, I could still feel the airflow. It's no surprise it quickly cooled my entire small apartment.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

In terms of longevity at other settings, Meaco provides you with a really handy chart that shows all of the expected battery times when you go wireless and then the difference with oscillation. So at fan speed 1 expect up to 40 hours of use with no oscillation and 11 with full oscillation. That's all the way up to fan speed 12 that'll last 10 hours with no oscillation and 5.5 hours with full oscillation.

I ran some of my own tests to see how the fan compared in real life and got within half an hour each time, which is good going. Although I do think Meaco is estimating these battery times with one type of oscillation, i.e. horizontal or vertical.

So out of interest, I ran a test on setting 6 (the middle setting) with both types of oscillation at their fullest. Meaco estimated 8.5 hours with one type of oscillation and I got five hours. I think this is still a solid amount of time. But it does mean if you're using it wirelessly, it's wise to use the least amount of oscillation you need to get the most time out of it.

To see how much battery you have left, you can check the little indicator light above the power button, which I found really useful. It moves from white, flashing white, red, flashing red as the battery runs out. To charge the battery back up again, just plug it into the mains and it'll be back to full in around three hours, depending on how much you're using it during that time.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

You can control the fan in a couple of ways. There's a really simple but easy-to-read display on the front and several touch controls. I found these were responsive and, importantly, didn't require me to comb through the instruction manual to understand.

These same controls are then replicated on a very handy circular remote. I used this often, especially when the fan was further away from me while I was watching a movie at night or outside on my balcony. A very nice design choice is that the remote is magnetic and you can store it directly in the middle of the fan, where the logo is. A genius way to avoid misplacing it.

What sets the Sefte Pro 10 apart from older models and many rivals is there's also app support here. Long press the mode button on the front, three dots, and a Wi-Fi symbol will appear for pairing. This was easy and got me connected in seconds. The app does much the same as the controls on the front and the remote. But it's cool to be able to set the fan's timer function from your phone: it means you can set it cooling down your space on your way home.

Within the app you can also unlock third-party control, so if you like using Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, you can set those up and control the fan with your voice.

I highly recommend the Sefte Pro 10, especially if you want a versatile fan for day, night, at home and even taking out and about (well, within reason). It's quiet, powerful and has a quality build. I also really like the fact I can control it from my phone and use the Eco mode, which makes cooling feel instantly smarter and more attuned to me and my home. It's not the cheapest pick, which I'll get to next, but if you think you'll make the most of the added features here, especially the built-in battery and app controls, then it's worth every penny.

MeacoFan Sefte Pro 10 Table Air Circulator review: Price & release date

• Priced at £119.99
• Launched in May 2026
• Currently available in the UK and parts of Europe

The MeacoFan Sefte Pro 10 Table was released in May 2026, priced at £119.99. It's available in the UK and parts of Europe at the time of writing.

Now, it's hard to make a quick judgement call on whether that's good value or not as there are many fans and air circulators on the market that exist on a spectrum from very cheap to very pricey.

At that lower end of the scale, there are a lot of budget fans and air circulators and if saving cash is a priority right now, you can pick up a 10-inch model for under £40.

But for that price you're going to miss out on a lot of things about the Sefte Pro 10 that make it special and genuinely useful, which cheaper rivals don't have, like the rechargeable battery, app connectivity, Eco mode and its quiet operation. With all of those things, as well as solid controls and a quality build, the Sefte Pro 10 makes a solid case for paying a little more.

That said, there are several other advanced options to consider that do offer similar features. Like the Shark FlexBreeze fan, our current top pick in our best fans guide. That's big, versatile with a pedestal, powerful and quiet and it's a little more expensive at $199.99 / £199.99.

A you'd expect, the Dyson Cool CF1 desk fan, our top pick for sleep, is considerably more expensive at £249.99. It delivers fantastic and quiet performance as well as a range of features, although the Sefte Pro 10 has better controls.

That said, if I wanted a similar experience but to save a bit of cash, I'd personally look at the older, non-Pro version of this same fan, which costs £99.99. It doesn't have the battery inside, so it's not as versatile. And there's no app connectivity either. But if you wanted it to stay put on say a desk or bedside table, it might make more sense for you. There's also a non-Pro 8-inch version, the MeacoFan Sefte 8in Portable Air Circulator, which we rated highly, and that does have the replaceable battery. (A little confused by the similar names? Don't worry, me too.)

It all comes down to what you're looking for. But if you want a fan that's quiet, flexible, has great controls and will last thanks to that replaceable battery, this is a great choice. Especially if the dimensions and weight appeal, which give you a fairly compact option that's still big enough to pack a performance punch and (literally and figuratively) blow you away.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)MeacoFan Sefte Pro 10 Table Air Circulator review: Specs

Speeds

12

Oscillation

120 degrees horizontal, up to 65 degrees vertical

Weight

3.2kg

Dimensions

432 x 305 x 227mm

Control

Onboard touch buttons, remote control, app, voice

Timer

Yes

Additional modes

Night, Eco

Should I buy the MeacoFan Sefte Pro 10 Table Air Circulator?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

With three modes, vertical and horizontal oscillation, several control options and a replaceable battery, all the features you need and more are here.

4.5/5

Performance

Quiet operation, strong airflow and good built-in battery life make it ideal for both day and night time cooling.

4.5/5

Design

Quality build, good controls and a fairly small footprint considering its power. Though it can be moved, I wouldn't describe it as portable.

4/5

Value

Cheaper picks exist, but operation, features and performance are absolutely worth it. Plus it's considerably more affordable than other big name fan brands.

4/5

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)Buy it if...

Quiet operation is a priority
Whether you don't like fan noise or need to keep cool at night, it's relatively quiet, even at the highest setting.

Standard fans have never quite cut it
An air circulator with the Sefte Pro's Eco setting could be a much more effective way to cool you and your home.

You're trying to be mindful about tech consumption
With a replaceable battery, it's going to last a lot longer than other cheaper devices you might have bought over the years.

Don't buy it if...

You only have a tiny space
Look, it's small but it's not super small. There are plenty of dinkier options if you only want a compact desk fan or something more portable.

You’re on a tight budget
The standout features here are 100% worth it in my books, but if cash is tight then much cheaper fan options exist.

You only want a straightforward fan
If you don't need the built-in battery, controls or Eco mode, then a simple, cheaper fan or even just Meaco's non-Pro version might suit you better than this air circulator.

MeacoFan Sefte Pro 10 Table Air Circulator review: Also consider

Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo
A more compact option that's also designed for tabletop use, but lighter and cable-free too, so I could imagine carrying this around more. It's a similar price and doesn't oscillate or have control features as good as the Sefte Pro, but there is a misting option, which is nice. So only consider this one instead if you need a smaller and lighter pick. Read our full Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo review.

MeacoFan Sefte 8in Portable Air Circulator
If you have an issue with the size or the price of the 10in Pro but like the sound of everything else, I highly recommend checking out last year's 8-inch, non-Pro version. You get a lot of the same perks, like quiet operation and a rechargeable battery (you don't get the battery in the non-Pro 10in), but at a cheaper price and at a more portable size. Just don't expect quite the same level of power, though it's not far off. Read our full MeacoFan Sefte 8in Portable Air Circulator review.

How I tested the MeacoFan Sefte Pro 10 Table Air Circulator

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

• Tested the air circulator for a week
• Used all three settings, Normal, Night and Eco, regularly
• Used at home at my desk, in my bedroom and on my balcony

I tested the MeacoFan Sefte Pro 10" Table Air Circulator for week during a warm spell in the UK, which was great timing as it meant I could test it properly — especially considering I'm someone who always feels a little warmer than most people.

I used it while working at home at my desk on warm days, during the night to keep me cool and for reading and workout sessions on my balcony.

This week-long testing period gave me a really good opportunity to trial the different settings as I worked, worked out and slept, as well as run the battery down at different fan intensities and oscillation patterns.

I’ve been writing about and testing tech for more than 15 years now. Throughout that time I've covered health tech, smart home devices, wearables and audio tech. My focus is always on whether a device can genuinely make your life better, rather than just going by what’s on the spec sheet or in the marketing.

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

JLab JBuds Open Wireless: Two-minute review

JLab is well-known for its affordable headphones and earbuds, but this time the brand is branching out into something more unusual.

The JBuds Open Wireless are over-ear headphones designed to allow you to hear the world around you. Yes, everyone is doing that right now, just take a look at our best open earbuds guide — but while most open-ear options are earbuds, JLab has made an over-ear version. It promises to deliver the same open benefits but from a bigger — and for some people, more comfortable — form factor.

Now, open-back headphones are nothing new. They're actually a firm favorite among audiophiles. That's because venting the back of the driver housing stops sound from bouncing back onto the driver itself, which gives you a cleaner and more accurate sound with a wider, more natural soundstage.

However, the JBuds Open Wireless aren't that. Sure, they look similar, but the “open” part here means something different. The earcups don't create a strong seal against your head, and the cups can have grilles over them or the option to be completely open, so ambient sound outside flows freely in alongside your music.

So it’s not open-back as an audio engineering choice, but more open-ear as a lifestyle one, where the goal isn't better sound quality but a mix of sound and awareness of what's happening around you.

Interestingly, this design might seem new but it’s been done before several times. One of my favorite examples is back in the late '90s when Sony released the MDR-F1 — not identical, but similar open or open-air headphones, and people referred to them as "earspeakers" at the time. This is a similar thing, and a few other brands have done it, such as the ONE Wireless Open-Ear Headphones from nwm.

But they're still unusual right now, and I can't work out if they're uncommon because they're about to appeal to everyone and we'll see more soon, or because the use case is so specific that plenty of people will love the idea but find it falls apart in practice. Unfortunately, I'm in the second camp.

Don’t get me wrong, there's a lot to like here. The design is genuinely cool, with removable grilles and a comfortable all-day fit thanks to some memory foam padding in the cups and band. The sound also delivers more bass than I'd expect from an open design. And the ambient awareness really works. In quiet environments, it's really nice to listen with them.

But add just a bit of background chatter or noise and the openness becomes the problem. There are just too many competing sounds and the experience collapses. I know what you’re thinking. Isn’t that the whole point of open-ear designs? Sure, but if the music you’ve bought them to listen to becomes unlistenable, then we’ve got a problem.

At under $100/£100, the risk still feels low. But I think the use case is narrow, and most people will know within a day whether these are for them.

JLab JBuds Open Wireless review: Price and release date

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

• Released in late 2025
• Priced at $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$199.99

After being unveiled at IFA 2025 in September of 2025, the JLab JBuds Open Wireless headphones were launched in some markets in late 2025, and then the rest in early 2026.

You can buy the JBuds Open for $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$199.99. That price means they sit somewhere between the higher end of budget and mid-range.

Now this is where I'd usually give you context of how they compare to similar products, but it's tricky to compare these headphones directly to anything else right now. They give you the benefits of open-ear styles, but those are mostly buds, and these still look and feel like over-ears.

In that case, let's look at the open-ear buds you can get right now. Like the Shokz OpenFit 2+, our current top pick, which are $179.95 / £169. Though you can get much more affordable open buds that still sound good, like the Earfun Clip 2 with a clip-on design that'll cost you $79.99 / £69.99 (about AU$120).

In terms of over-ears, one of our favorite budget picks is the OneOdio Focus A6 over-ears at $55 / £55 / AU$112, which we think sound fantastic for the price. Though at that higher end of the budget range you've got plenty of choice, like the very highly rated 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 at $89 / £99 / AU$130.

Although there's nothing to strictly compare them to, the price reflects what you're getting. Which is over-ear comfort and build with open-ear awareness in a form factor that doesn't really exist elsewhere. For under $100 / £100, that does seem like a fair ask. But whether it's worth it comes down entirely to your preferences, which we'll get into.

JLab JBuds Open Wireless review: Specs

Drivers

35mm and 12mm Coaxial Dynamic Drivers

Active noise cancellation

No

Battery life (ANC off)

Up to 24 hours

Weight

245g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0, USB-C

Frequency response

20-20 kHz

Waterproofing

None

JLab JBuds Open Wireless review: Features

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

• Simple app with essentials
• Multipoint connectivity
• 24 hours battery life (well, nearly)

The JLab JBuds Open aren't overflowing with features, but you have everything you need for the price here.

The app is basic, but that's not a criticism. I found it easy to use and it covers the essentials well. You can customize the manual buttons on the right earcup, check battery life, set an interval timer, toggle spatial audio on/off, and switch between music and movie modes.

There's also a 10-band custom EQ alongside three presets, which I enjoyed playing with to try and address some of the issues with the sound, more on that later.

The headphones have dual coaxial drivers onboard, a 35mm and a 12mm unit, and Bluetooth 6.0 connectivity with support for SBC and AAC codecs. There’s no wireless hi-res audio options, but a USB-C cable is included if you want a wired connection.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

Multipoint connectivity to two devices worked seamlessly during my testing, switching cleanly between my laptop and phone while I was working.

Battery life is rated at 24 hours, though in some of JLab's specs it says to expect 18 hours. In my testing I got around 20 hours, with a full recharge taking roughly 2.5 to 3 hours.

That's not bad, but it does lag behind other over-ear headphones. The Sony WH-1000XM6 manages 30 hours, and the cheaper 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 headphones deliver an extraordinary 65 hours with ANC on. But, to be fair, it's much harder to fit batteries in when you've removed all the physical space from your headphones…

Measured against open-ear buds, this amount is impressive as the Shokz OpenFit 2+ only manages 11 hours, but that’s expected given the size difference.

• Features score: 3.5 / 5

JLab JBuds Open Wireless review: Sound quality

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

• Better bass than most open options but sub-bass is lacking
• Wide soundstage suits big, orchestral tracks
• Sound leakage is an issue

With the JLab JBuds Open headphones, you can obviously hear your surroundings — that’s the whole point. But you're going to want to bear that in mind, because these sound really open. Like, really open.

On a long quiet walk along the canal, it was lovely. I had music playing, I could hear bike bells and birds and I felt very happy. But walking through the city was a different experience entirely.

What I was hearing from the headphones was competing for my attention with a fire alarm, other music, and general chatter. There's open-ear, which I’ve tried many times now from different brands, and then there's this.

And some people might genuinely want this. If ambient awareness always trumps music for you, and competing sounds don't overwhelm you, these could be ideal. That's subjective and worth acknowledging, but it wasn't my experience.

The reason it's so pronounced is physical, because the drivers sit further from your ear than other open options. They’re outside the ear rather than in the concha, where other open buds sit. Sealed over-ears obviously don't have the problem at all.

Here it's essentially like holding a speaker close to your ear. I recommending testing adding the grilles in and out, because they do reduce the sound leakage in, and they're very easy to remove.

With dual coaxial 35mm and 12mm drivers, they’re working with bigger hardware than most open-ear buds, and you can really tell when you listen. There's genuine presence in the low end, with far more bass and substance than you'd typically expect from a pair of open-ear buds.

Vocals come through clearly, and the wide soundstage is a real strength here. I spent a lot of time listening to Jóhann Jóhannsson’s Arrival score and instrument separation was impressive. Big, cinematic or orchestral tracks have a sense of space that genuinely suits the open design.

Moving onto Rolling Stones' Sympathy for the Devil and the track's swagger and drive translated well. It felt wide, punchy and instruments were given plenty of room.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

But there are weaknesses. Sub-bass is mostly absent. Hi-hats and cymbals also had a tendency to tip into shrill territory, and kick drums have a sharp, thin quality rather than a satisfying thud.

The overall character skews mid-heavy, and you'll find yourself pushing the volume higher than expected to get a sense of immersion.

At times it felt a bit like hearing your phone playing in front of you; it’s present and clear enough, but thin and lacking warmth. The bass boost EQ setting helps on the right tracks and is worth trialling, but it can't resolve the main limitation here which is that there’s no seal to trap and focus the sound.

Calls were fine. With open ears, conversations feel more natural to me, and the noise-cancelling mic picked up my voice well. It lacked some clarity at times, but was fine for most purposes.

Sound leakage from the headphones is also worth flagging. I recorded audio on my phone while wearing them and could make out the track even at a moderate volume with the grilles on. If you remove them, it gets noticeably worse.

Push the volume up, which you will find yourself doing, and it gets worse still. So there's a sort of irony here, which is that the open design means you need more volume to feel the music, but more volume means more leakage.

Ambient noise outside will mask the leakage, so you'll get away with it way more in public than you might expect. But a quiet office or commute is going to be a different story.

• Sound quality: 3.5 / 5

JLab JBuds Open Wireless review: Design

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

• A bold design that may divide people
• Genuinely comfortable for long wear
• Removable grilles change the look and the sound

The JLab JBuds Open headphones have a very unusual design and I think they'll divide people. Some will find them incredibly cool and a bit sci-fi looking, whereas others just won't get on with them.

They're over-ear headphones with a build that feels substantial, though they do feel a little more cheap and plasticky than something like the Bose QuietComfort Headphones, my all-time favorite over-ears, but that’s to be expected at this lower price.

Both the earcups and headband are padded with memory foam and I found it genuinely comfortable for long sessions. The clamping force was occasionally a little much when I was working indoors, but on runs outside it actually helped and kept them feeling secure.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

At 245g, they're light, and you can shave a couple of grams off by removing the metal grilles. The earcups have a sort of wheel-spoke pattern with a grille sitting over under it. And if you twist the cup, the grille pops out cleanly, opening things up even more both in how these headphones look and sound.

I noticed it really changes the look of them, and noticeably affects how much ambient sound comes through. It’s a small but genuinely fun customization option.

That said, they're bulky. They stick out from your head considerably more than most modern over-ears nowadays, and while the cups pivot flat, they don't fold inward either, which makes them less practical to carry and store than many rivals.

The included carry case is a nice touch. It’s a similar concept to the AirPods Max case but it’s more practical with more coverage of the headphones. The matte, brushed finish picks up marks easily though.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

You control the JBuds Open with physical buttons on the side of the right earcup. I personally prefer physical buttons over touch controls, and found these easy to locate and use on the move, and they're also customizable via the app.

The headphones come in black, which is the pair I tested here, or Cloud, which is a light gray with gold accents that's a nice option if you’re sick of all black tech.

There’s no IP rating here, which on paper suggests avoiding sweaty workouts when you're wearing them. But given their open design means far more airflow than a sealed pair, I'd argue they're pretty workout-friendly as long as you’re mindful about sweat and splashes.

I tested them on several runs without any problems and actually really enjoyed the ambient awareness and added airflow as I got warmer and more tired. But I maybe wouldn't risk them in the rain.

• Design score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)JLab JBuds Open Wireless review: Value

• Good value compared to open-ear buds
• But whether it's worth it depends on your feelings about ambient sound

These are good value compared to other over-ear headphones and even some open-ear options. You can pick up open-ear buds for well under $100 / £100 these days, but top performers like the Shokz OpenFit 2+ cost nearly double at $179 / £169. So if you specifically want open-ear audio on a budget, they’re worth considering.

But really, whether these are worth it has less to do with price and more to do with your lifestyle. Under $100 / £100 feels fair for what's here. But if you're going to struggle to hear your music in most environments or find the bulk doesn't suit you, the price won't save them.

For the right person though, which I think will be someone who prioritizes awareness, loves the over-ear form factor, and isn't chasing audiophile sound, then these were essentially made for you.

• Value: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the JLab JBuds Open Wireless?

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)JLab JBuds Open Wireless score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

The app is easy-to-use, and it's nice to get multipoint connectivity and a USB-C option.

3.5 / 5

Sound quality

Good for an open design, especially for bass. But it's hard to hear your music in anything other than a quiet environment, and sound leaks out, too.

3.5 / 5

Design

They're comfortable enough for all-day listening thanks to their memory foam. The design is chunky and divisive but I like that you can switch the grilles in and out.

4 / 5

Value

Good sound, features and design for the money, but whether it's good value for you or not is an entirely different story. It'll be a really subjective thing for these.

3.5 / 5

Buy them if…

You want an over-ear design that’s also open
If you’re someone who needs this unique combo, these are made for you, and do it really well.

You need to be really aware of your surroundings
I always say this with open designs, but make sure you absolutely need them to be open. Which is particularly the case here, without those grilles you hear everything.

Your ears get warm
If you like over-ears but find your ears get warm or sweaty, this design could be an unexpected win.

Don’t buy them if…

You like a svelte design
Sure, I’ve tested bigger over-ears, but these felt a little bulky and certainly looked it.

You struggle to focus on music and podcasts sometimes
They’re so open that if you have trouble focusing (especially ADHD or auditory processing issues) you’ll find it hard to hear anything.

You want traditional open back audio quality
They might look like open back options, but you won’t get the same audio experience here unfortunately.

JLab JBuds Open Wireless review: Also consider

Jlab Jbuds Open Headphones

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51

Earfun Clip 2

Drivers

35mm and 12mm coaxial dynamic drivers

40mm dynamic

12mm dual-magnetic titanium composite driver

Active noise cancellation

No

Yes

No

Battery life (ANC on)

Up to 24 hours

60 hours (ANC on), 100 hours (ANC off)

11 hours

Weight

245g

246g

5.5g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0, USB-C

Bluetooth 5.4, 3.5mm

Bluetooth 6.0

Waterproofing

None

None

IP55

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51

If it’s over-ears you prefer and you’re willing to sacrifice the open appeal of the JLabs, then you don’t have to spend a small fortune to get a good pair these days. Our top budget pick is the Sonoflow Pro HQ51 from 1More. The sound is satisfying here and you can customize it, there’s also ANC onboard and you’ll get a huge 65 hours of battery life with ANC on and 100 hours with ANC off. All for less than $100/£100.

Read our full 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review

Earfun Clip 2

I'm including these just in case you didn’t know that an open fit can be achieved in a clip design. And they’re surprisingly comfortable and stable. If open is a priority it’s definitely worth shopping around for other options. I reviewed these and while they’re not perfect, they fit well, they’re packed with features, bass is solid for open buds and they’re incredibly cheap too. If you’re willing to branch out from over-ears, these could be everything you're looking for.

Read our full Earfun Clip 2 review

How I tested the JLab JBuds Open Wireless

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

• Tested over 10 days
• Used with my iPhone 16 Pro
• Listened to music, podcasts and some movies

I tested the JLab JBuds Open Ear Headphones for 10 days, which gave me plenty of time to trial them in different environments, wear them in a few different weather conditions and run a battery test.

I took them with me on daily long walks and two runs along the canalside, as well as one bigger hike in the countryside. They also came with me often when I was walking through a big city, in a busy market, to plenty of coffee shops while I was working remotely, on several bus rides and just out and about getting on with my day more generally.

I used my iPhone 16 Pro to test them and mostly listened to music and podcasts. I also used them when watching a couple of movies to test the movie preset and the spatial audio. I tested the different modes and EQ settings and used them with and without their grilles.

I actually became really fascinated by the subtle sound differences when it came to the grilles, so know my experience in this review comes from a lot of careful listening.

I’ve been writing about and testing tech for more than 15 years now. I’ve focused mainly on wearables, smart home devices and a lot of audio tech. Over the past few years I’ve been testing a lot of open ear buds, so I know what I’m looking (and listening out) for.

I’m always keen to think about the real world use cases and everyday practicality of tech so you get your money’s worth and pick the best device for you.

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

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro 2: one-minute review

You can always tell when a product launch means a lot to a company. There's almost an air of mystery surrounding it. The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro 2 wireless gaming headset is a textbook example of that. Tightly controlled review NDA up front. Mysterious box with "packed under CCTV surveillance" tape plastered across the side of it. PR check-ins to see how I'm doing. You get the works. And to be fair to them, I can understand why.

When we reviewed the original Turtle Beach Stealth Pro back in 2023, it absolutely dominated. From its outstanding soundscape to the wild amount of connectivity it included, and that legendary build quality it managed to achieve, it ticked almost every box that you'd want a good gaming headset to tick.

I'm glad to report that the Stealth Pro 2, in many ways similar to its predecessor, is purely outstanding. And it achieves that heady height, while also dramatically improving in every area that the original Stealth Pro fell short on. The product design team at Turtle Beach took the feedback from the original Stealth Pro and pretty much corrected all of its faults, making it arguably one of the best wireless gaming headsets of 2026.

Let's start with the audio. These are gaming drivers here; there's no doubt about that. The bass is rich and mids deep; it does lack "some" clarity at first try on the top-end, but a quick dabble in the EQs and you can easily tweak that out of it. Then there's the mic, a removable, flippable, unidirectional 9mm beamforming unit that honestly competes with some of the best fully-fledged XLR setups I've tested.

Connectivity, too, lands solidly with multi-wireless crossplay and simultaneous Bluetooth 5.3 included as standard, and the wireless range is massive (I left my house and walked down the street for 80-odd feet / 25 meters before I gave up and went home). Oh, and did I mention the battery life? Because yeah, it's 80 hours, courtesy of two battery packs, each rated at 40 hours apiece, one permanently charging in that 2.4 GHz wireless super dock that plugs directly into your PC.

It's hard to critique this thing. If I had one complaint, it's that I have some concern over the headband mesh and the clamping force. Particularly for those with craniums of a somewhat larger size.

A necessary evil, perhaps, to assist with that active noise cancelling, but it might take a bit of time to get used to if you're not familiar with studio-style headphones. And yet, that is still not enough to outweigh the vast heaping of pure aura that Turtle Beach has managed to imbue into this thing with practically everything else. It is a delight to use, and a headset I'll be sad to see go.

(Image credit: Future)Turtle Beach Stealth Pro 2: Price and availability

• Costs £300 / $350 / €350 / AU$550
• Available in two colorways
• Not much more expensive than the first gen

The Stealth Pro 2 launches in May 2026 worldwide and should be readily available at all the major retailers in your region. It's not a cheap headset by any means, but it's in no way a bad value proposition when you consider what you're actually getting for that price.

Available in two finishes, either black or white, you can also grab an Xbox or "console" specific version if you need that Microsoft compatibility. The standard PC variant will hook up to anything with Bluetooth or up to four other wireless 2.4 GHz devices that support USB (with two included as standard).

Compared to last gen, the Pro 2 has seen some serious advancements as well. The drivers have shot up in size from 50mm to 60mm, and moved to a dual tweeter and woofer design, audio fidelity has been Hi-Res certified, battery life has increased by well over 200%, ANC is now adjustable, the mic is removable, the list goes on and on, so the value proposition compared to its predecessor is strong.

Honestly, it's got a feature set that matches the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite, a headset that comes in at nearly twice the cost, and this one comes with a hard case too.

(Image credit: Future)Turtle Beach Stealth Pro 2: Specs

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro 2

Price

£300 / $350 / €350 / AU$550

Weight

13.9oz / 393g

Drivers

60mm Eclipse dual drivers

Compatibility

PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox Series X/S (console version only), iOS/Android Switch, Switch 2, Steam Deck

Connection type

2.4 GHz Wireless / Bluetooth5.3

Battery life

80 hours (40 hours per hot swappable battery)

Features

Hi-Res Audio certified (24-bit/96kHz wireless), Dolby Atmos, adjustable ANC, CrossPlay 2.0 multi-transmitter switching (up to 4 devices), AI noise-reduction beamforming mic, hard storage case, quick charge

Software

Turtle Beach Swarm 2 (PC)

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro 2: Design and Features

• Materials look and feel fantastic
• Insane connectivity & battery
• Bulky design

Let's talk headline specs before I even land on the physical stuff here. 60mm dynamic "Eclipse" dual driver design (you get both a woofer and a tweeter in each earcup), 10mm larger than its predecessor. 10Hz to 40kHz frequency response frame. Fully Hi-Res certified at 24-bit/96KHz, even over Wireless 2.4GHz, and Bluetooth 5.3. Compatible sync with up to four separate USB 2.4GHz wireless devices at any time (you can swap with a simple button on the headset).

Adjustable Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) with passthrough options as well. A seriously impressive 9mm beamforming mic (with AI noise reduction added on top), and a battery life of 80 hours, thanks to two hot-swappable packs. One that's always in the headset, and the other that lives in a chunky charging dock and wireless hub. Making it effectively an infinite charge at that point. It's brimming with tech to a purely insane degree. And it all comes in this lush little hard case, too.

The physical build, as well, is just outstanding. If I'm honest, the original Stealth Pro design, for me, was a little lacklustre; it delivered where it counted on the feature set and quality, but its overall appearance left me underwhelmed, like a discount SteelSeries. The Pro 2, on the other hand, is a different beast.

It has its own unique style and look. Where there is plastic, it has a soft touch finish; there's metal support bars beautifully curved around, beautifully, fully gussied up in this pristine satin black coating, copper metallic accents throughout, and the headband too is a soft mesh fabric that contorts to the shape of your skull quite nicely. It's all adjustable too, you get the usual mod-cons including rotatable ear-cups, memory foam padding, the works.

It is quite a large headset by design; those 60mm dual drivers do need space, and so each cup is a chunky old thing, but that's the price you pay for that quality. Would I wear this out and about, even with that removable mic, er, removed? Possibly, but I'm not sure it's really designed for that.

(Image credit: Future)

That hub, though, is such a power play. It's a simple thing, an angled circle, no bigger than a drinks coaster, albeit a bit taller, and you just pop your wee spare Turtle Beach battery in it to charge. There's a physical button here too, that satisfyingly pops it out when you need it, and a slim ring of LED light illuminates the edges, giving you a visual indicator of which noise-cancelling mode you're in, or whether your mic is muted.

That's such a huge win here as well. I can't overstate that. I was testing the Sony Inzone H9 2 earlier this year, in fact, and it's a solid headset as well, priced very similarly, but its battery life is, well, a bit "average". It only nets 30 hours or so with ANC disabled. Plus, once it's dead, you've then gotta find the USB cable, plug it in, or charge it up wired, and having the option to just hot-swap like you can with the Stealth Pro 2, is a real treat. Particularly given that each individual battery beats the Sony by a good 33% or so.

The software has had a major refit as well. Swarm 2 is a different beast than its predecessor. It runs smoothly, there's no login required or clunky download procedures, you can adjust everything you need to on the fly, including ANC sensitivity, game-chat mix, EQs, that Superhuman hearing mode, and reprogram some of the buttons on the Stealth Pro 2.

The only downsides I found during testing were again there's a bit of tightness on first use on the clamping force (although that did seem to ease with time), and it's well, not light, for sure. Never skip neck day, though, and you'll be fine.

(Image credit: Future)Turtle Beach Stealth Pro 2: Performance

• Stunning audio quality
• Brilliant microphone
• Wireless range is nuts

I never thought I'd start a performance segment for a headset talking about wireless range, but here we are. One of the standard tests I perform for a unit like this involves me walking around my home (a small three-bed semi-detached house), to see where the wireless signal cuts out. Just to get a gauge of how the dongle holds up.

In the Stealth Pro 2's case, it managed every single room in my home just fine. So, I decided to take it one step further, opened my front door, and started walking down the street. I kept going and going and going, and started to question my sanity, as it continued to play just fine, just as clear, just as crisp.

No phone, no other devices, different tracks from Tidal, through my house's brick walls, and trees, fences, and foliage, all the way down the street for about 85 feet / 25 meters. At which point, it didn't give out, I stopped, turned around, and came home. I suspect this is because the wireless hub has some seriously impressive antennas in it, doing a lot of heavy lifting, but the fact that it outperformed my router is telling.

As for audio quality, the Pro 2 dominates that arena as well. When you first use it, you definitely know it's a gaming headset. It has the telltale emphasis on the lows and mids that's such a common signature in units like this (i.e., make explosions boom more), but it's not particularly to its detriment; there's no washed-out treble or higher-end mids at all, really. It reads beautifully on the soundscape, regardless of what audio you push through it. Movies, games, music of all genres.

Personally, I prefer a more balanced soundscape, and the standard profile Turtle Beach is using here doesn't quite hit that, but it's by no means bad. Jump into the Swarm 2 app, and you can swap between four standard EQs (signature, bass boost, treble and bass boost, and vocal boost), and they do remarkably change the profile quite nicely depending on what you fancy on the day.

You can find my testing preset below, but effectively, you want a recurve bow shape starting from 5dB on the bass, hollowing out in the 500Hz range, and then climbing back up again to just under +5dB on the 16Hz range, and you'll be golden.

(Image credit: Future)

The microphone is a pretty stellar experience as well. When compared to a full-fat Elgato Wave XLR setup combined with a Shure 55SH-II, it was impressively similar. There was a warmth to it that the 55SH just didn't capture amazingly. It did lose out on treble, and of course, that XLR setup is far more ideal if you're taking it into editing software after the fact, but if your aim is to sit in Discord and be perfectly heard by your raid on a Friday night, this just doesn't disappoint.

The Stealth Pro 2 is, honestly, remarkable. What Turtle Beach has achieved here on such a budget is wild. Honestly, the best comparison that comes to mind is actually SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, and yeah, it is a couple of years old at this point, but it actually does deliver on a lot of the same premise, or tries to. Multi-connectivity, hot-swappable batteries, 10Hz to 40kHz frequency response. But the ANC was average at best, the price tag (at launch) was higher than it is today, and it just felt a little off by comparison. And to be clear, SteelSeries has a hell of a lot more experience in the gaming headset market than Turtle Beach does.

Yet here we are, a couple of years on, with a brand delivering on a product that shouldn't be as good as it is, at a price that's just right. It's awesome. From the sound it produces, to the audio it captures, to the battery life, wireless range, looks, man, it just nails it.

Should you buy the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro 2?Buy it if...

You're looking for brilliant all-around audio as a gamer
With outstanding bass and mid control, fantastic drivers, and a broad frequency response, a quick tweak of an EQ or two, and you're set, no matter what you're doing with it.

You want that wireless feeling without the battery anxiety
80 hours combined battery life, theoretically. Practically, it's infinite and includes a 20-second swap period too.

You're looking for an exceptionally well-built aesthetic headset
Its clean styling and fantastic material choice make it feel beyond premium at almost every level.

Don't buy it if...

You're looking for ultimate comfort
The Stealth Pro 2's a little bit tight on the first few uses, particularly for those with larger heads. It does ease up over time, but you'll likely find it a little bit on the rough side to begin with.

You want to wear it out and about in town
Although the styling is on point, those earcups are 65mm deep to accommodate those massive drivers. That's about 15mm deeper than most "street-wear" headphones are, giving them quite a bulky aesthetic in public.

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro 2: Also consider...

The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro 2 not giving you the right feel? Here's how it compares to a few others.

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro 2

Sony Inzone H9 2

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless

Price

£300 / $350 / €350 / AU$550

$348.00 / £299.00 / around AU$489

$349.99 / £329.99 (around AU$649)

Weight

13.9oz / 393g

9.2oz / 260g

11.9oz / 337g

Drivers

60mm Eclipse dual drivers

30mm carbon-fibre composite dome

40mm Neodymium

Compatibility

PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox Series X/S (console version only), iOS/Android Switch, Switch 2, Steam Deck

PC, PS4/PS5, Xbox Series X/S (wired only), iOS/Android, Switch, Switch 2, Steam Deck

PC, PS4/PS5, Handheld, Switch, Switch 2, iOS/Android

Connection type

2.4 GHz Wireless / Bluetooth5.3

2.4 GHz Wireless, Bluetooth, USB Wired, 3.5mm Analog

Dual USB, Wireless 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth,

Battery life

80 hours (40 hours per hot swappable battery)

30 Hours (with ANC disabled)

44 hours of battery life (22 hours per hot swappable battery)

Features

Hi-Res Audio certified (24-bit/96kHz wireless), Dolby Atmos, adjustable ANC, CrossPlay 2.0 multi-transmitter switching (up to 4 devices), AI noise-reduction beamforming mic, hard storage case, quick charge

ANC with ambient mode, 360 Spatial Sound, multipoint, detachable boom mic, ski-band suspension headband

ANC, magnetic drivers, 360-degree spatial audio, retractable ClearCast 2.X mic

Software

Turtle Beach Swarm 2 (PC)

INZONE Hub

SteelSeries GG/Sonar (PC)

Sony Inzone H9 2
Lightweight, stunning aesthetics, and a remarkably clean soundstage, the Inzone H9 2 absolutely delivers where it counts. Its spatial audio is a bit under-par, though, and its battery life is purely average by comparison to some of the others on this list.

For more information, check out our full Sony Inzone H9 2 review

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless
In theory, very similar to the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro 2, complete with a hotswappable USB hub and a similar arsenal of tech, but it's starting to show its age a bit in the modern era. Fortunately, the price is dropping lately, so it might be worth a look.

For more information, check out our full SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless review

How I tested the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro 2

• Two weeks of continual use as my daily driver, utilised for gaming, working, and general PC use, tested on PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 too
• Tested across all manner of music genres and film content as well, covering every type and style possible, as well as range tests on the 2.4GHz connection
• Compared side-by-side with multiple audiophile-grade headphones, including Audio-Technica's ATH-A2000Z and Sony's Inzone H9 2 wireless headphones

I spent around two weeks continually testing the Stealth Pro 2, fully integrating it into my work and play setups. I used it predominantly on my compact RTX 5080 gaming PC, running alongside a set of Audioengine A2+ Wireless speakers, and a full Elgato XLR DAC setup with a Shure 55SH-2 microphone as well. In that time, I tested it mostly utilising Tidal's hi-fidelity content, and also in-game in the likes of Total War: Warhammer 3, Stellaris, and World of Warcraft Classic.

For the audio-recording tests, I used Windows in built sound recording software, doing direct comparisons between it and the Shure 55SH-2, reading an identical script back-to-back, then comparing the output.

I also connected it directly to a Nintendo Switch 2, Steam Deck OLED, and my PS5 to ensure console compatibility worked without fault, as well as fully testing the ANC in all of the modes available to me (including the dynamic adjustment slider).

Dedicated audio analysis test sessions were also fully implemented (effectively, me listening to the same songs on repeat, swapping between the Stealth Pro 2, the ATH-A2000Zs, and Sony's Inzone H9 2 wireless headset as well. These generally took around 30 minutes or so, using the same tracks, to identify differences between the soundstages, along with any necessary adjustments to EQs and the like.

I also performed a "walk round" test, with Tidal playing, I took the Stealth Pro 2 on an adventure around my entire property, before leaving the house entirely and walking down the street for around 25 meters, to see how far the wireless range held up.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed May 2026

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless: One-minute review

The Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is an optical-mechanical hybrid board that takes aim at the premium end of the market.

It’s a smart and understated affair, although the bright RGB lighting certainly adds some vibrancy, as does the white colorway. The floating keycaps are also a nice touch.

It’s built as well as the best gaming keyboard options, too, thanks to its aluminum body that provides plenty of stability while keeping the weight down. It’s also very compact, despite having a full-size layout; you even get six extra customizable keys on the left, known as S keys.

These S keys can be customized via Corsair’s web app, which offers quite a few rebinding options for every key on the board. You also get additional functions such as SOCD, although it has to be said some rivals do allow for more tweaks, especially analog models. Being a web app, you’ll encounter long loading times when clicking on many elements, which can quickly become frustrating.

The S keys can also be customized using Elgato’s Stream Deck software, to assign various Stream Deck functions. The Vanguard Air works well with this app, although I did find that bindings I configured in the Web App failed to re-establish themselves immediately when switching back to it after closing Stream Deck.

(Image credit: Future)

Thankfully, I had no qualms with the gaming performance of the Vanguard Air. I loved the feel of the switches, as they gave plenty of feedback and responded with satisfying clickiness. However, they’re a little heavier than I expected, which I noticed most of all when holding them down for sustained periods.

I typically prefer low profile keycaps over tall ones, so I instantly gelled with those in the Vanguard Air. They’re comfortable to use when gaming, especially the space bar, since it was low enough to avoid hitting its back edge with my thumb. They’re also easy to glide over, which makes for quick typing.

The Vanguard Air connected wirelessly to my PCs quickly and easily. Switching between devices connected via Bluetooth and the 2.4GHz dongle on the fly was just as straightforward. However, it’s a shame that the board takes a while to wake from its sleep, which can be frustrating when you want to dive straight back into the action after a break. At least you can turn off sleep mode completely, should you wish.

Battery life isn’t particularly great, lasting little more than a couple of days with both wireless connectivity modes used. Also, the battery indicator on the display didn’t seem very precise, turning from nearly full to nearly empty without much warning.

The Vanguard Air is certainly an expensive board, which is partly justified given its premium design, brilliant clicky feel and versatile connectivity options. However, its minor frustrations and lack of features relative to more advanced models take away from its value.

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future)

• $259.99 / £239.99 (about AU$360)
• Available now in two colorways
• Top end of the market

The Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless costs $259.99 / £239.99 (about AU$360) and is available now. It comes in two colorways: black or white.

This price point puts it at the high end of the market. You could get a premium analog gaming keyboard for a similar cost, such as the SteelSeries Apex Pro. These boards are more customizable, letting you tweak actuation points and giving you access to advanced functions such as Rapid Trigger and dual actuation. In my view, the Apex Pro is one of the best examples of its class.

If you want to spend considerably less on a gaming keyboard that still performs, then the Keychron V1 Ultra 8K is a great alternative. It too has an 8K polling rate, but features mechanical switches which felt and sounded great to us. However, the tall keycaps might hamper your typing, depending on your preferences.

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review: Specs

Layout

99%

Switch

Corsair OPX Low-Profile

Programmable Keys

Yes (Corsair Web App / Elgato Stream Deck)

Dimensions

425 x 135 x 17mm

RGB or backlighting

Yes (customizable)

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review: Design and Features

(Image credit: Future)

• Compact and light
• Solid aluminium construction
• Some frustrations in customization software

The Vanguard Air lacks the gaudy aesthetic of many others in the gaming keyboard world. On the contrary, it’s very understated, with the colorful customizable RGB backlighting being about the only indication of its intended market.

Far from being boring, though, I found its minimalist form quite appealing. It’s very thin and compact, and I always like to see floating key caps, for aesthetic and practical reasons (they’re easy to remove and make cleaning in between their crevices easier).

Despite this minimal form, the Vanguard Air is supremely solid, thanks to the aluminum chassis. This material also helps to keep the weight down, meaning it’s an easy keyboard to move around when needed. It would also make a good choice for those who like to travel around with their board, yet also feels more premium than the plastic-laden alternatives.

There's no wrist rest included with the Vanguard Air, which is a small shame for a keyboard this expensive. However, the unit is so low to the ground that I didn’t need one to get comfortable. The folding feet also provide a relatively shallow angle, so my wrists didn’t have to bend upwards that far. They provide plenty of stability, too, although moving the board back and forth too vigorously will cause them to fold back in.

It’s impressive the Vanguard Air has a full size layout, considering just how compact it is. There are plenty of useful shortcuts dotted around the keys. There are even six customizable keys on the left, known as S keys.

These can be customized using Corsair's Web App, along with all the other keys. There’s a sufficient selection of assignments available, including media controls and system functions, although these aren’t as extensive as those in rival software. There’s also the obligatory macro recorder.

(Image credit: Future)

There’s a SOCD feature, too, which Corsair calls FlashTap. This features a useful visualizer to show how each of its three settings works. When two keys of your choice are held simultaneously, you can select the first one pressed to have priority and therefore override the input of the second, or vice versa. There’s also a neutral option, which disables both keys from registering when held together.

The Web App functions well for the most part, although I frequently encountered long loading times even when performing basic actions, such as merely clicking on an element. I suspect this is due to it being a Web App rather than a standalone piece of software, and even when I used it in offline mode, I still encountered the same issue.

You can customize those aforementioned S keys in Elgato’s Stream Deck app, too. You can assign them to perform various functions exclusive to the app. Again, this works well, but there’s another problem: whenever I closed Stream Deck and wanted to revert to the bindings I configured in Corsair’s Web App, they failed to activate. It took several minutes before the Vanguard Air finally realized and they worked again.

The Vanguard Air also features a screen in the top-right corner. This has a pleasingly high resolution for such a small screen, but frankly this is overkill for the basic and limited information it provides. It shows battery life, what connectivity mode is being used, and what key locks are active, but little else.

It can't be interacted with, either. Other boards with such a screen incorporate their rotary dials to navigate menus to adjust certain settings. The rotary dial on the Vanguard Air, though, has no such function. It can only be used to control volume and other parameters, such as the RGB brightness, horizontal or vertical scrolling, and zoom. These functions can be selected via keyboard shortcuts or via the Web App. The dial is solidly notched but feels easy to use.

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Fantastically clicky keys
• Easy wireless hot-switching
• Slow to wake up

The optical-mechanical switches in the Vanguard Air are a joy to use. They’re quite light and clicky, and make a very satisfying sound without being too loud. There’s just enough dampening to cushion impacts nicely, and enough travel to make inputs forgiving.

They’re also snappy and responsive, making quick movements in games like Counter-Strike 2 easy to achieve. However, they’re a little heavier than you might expect, which can cause fatigue when holding them down for long periods.

Despite the compact layout, I was comfortable in the WASD position, and the low profile keycaps meant I could hit keys flush, even the space bar — a key I often hit the back edge of on boards. This low profile also makes them great for typing, as they’re easy to glide over.

(Image credit: Future)

I had no problem connecting to various PCs via Bluetooth or the 2.4GHz dongle. Hotswitching between these connection methods is also quick and easy, merely requiring the flick of a switch on the rear of the unit. There are also Fn shortcuts for hotswitching between three Bluetooth connections.

However, the Vanguard Air is frustratingly slow to wake up from its sleep, requiring multiple key presses. Thankfully, you can alter the time it takes before the board enters sleep mode, and even prevent it from sleeping altogether, but a short setting will likely cause annoyance. I haven’t experienced a keyboard with a slower wake time than this.

The battery life of the Vanguard Air isn’t all that impressive, either. After about two or three days of use, switching between 2.4.GHz and Bluetooth modes, it gave up the ghost. What’s more, it did so seemingly out of the blue. The battery indicator on the screen was green and close to full for most of that aforementioned time, but suddenly dipped into the red and threw up a warning, before dying pretty quickly after that. What’s more, it died while I was typing and the last key I pressed continued to register, as if it were being held down, which can obviously be quite disruptive.

Should I buy the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless?Scorecard

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

The Vanguard Air is incredibly expensive, which only highlights the issues that undermine its value.

2.5

Design and features

Superbly made, but the software is a little temperamental, and it lacks top-line features rivals have.

4

Performance

The clicky keys are sumptuous, and the low profile keys are great for gaming and typing. A slow wake up time and middling battery life are drawbacks, though.

4

Overall rating

The Vanguard Air is brilliantly designed and feels great in action, but some of its drawbacks are hard to swallow at this price.

3.5

Buy it if…

You want a great key feel
I adored the clicky optical-mechanical switches, and the low-profile keycaps are great for gaming and typing.

You want a premium build
Not only does the aluminum frame feel solid, it’s also remarkably light. It’s also impressively compact given its full-size layout.

Don't buy it if…

You’re on a budget
The Vanguard Air certainly isn’t cheap, and that’s somewhat of a problem when it sits alongside more advanced analog models.

You want the best software
Corsair’s web app is frustratingly sluggish, and it doesn’t contain as many options as some rival software.

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review: Also consider

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless

SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3

Keychron V1 Ultra 8K

Layout

99%

TKL

75%

Switch

Corsair OPX Low-Profile

Analog (Hall-effect magnetic)

Keychron Silk POM (Red/Brown/Banana)

Programmable Keys

Yes (Corsair Web App / Elgato Stream Deck)

Yes

Yes (Keychron Launcher / ZMK)

Dimensions

425 x 135 x 17mm

355 x 129 x 42mm

329 x 149 x 29mm

RGB or backlighting

Yes (customizable)

Yes (customizable)

Yes (Customizable)

SteelSeries Apex Pro
A similarly premium gaming keyboard, the Apex Pro is a solid slab of analog gaming bliss. Not only do the analog switches feel superb, they’re also customizable in all sorts of ways, allowing you to set it up for your precise needs and desires. Read our full SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3 review.

Keychron V1 Ultra 8K
For something more budget-friendly but with enough performance to trouble the big names, the V1 Ultra 8K is a good call. It features mechanical switches that we found satisfying and sonorous when we tested the board. It’s not as well made as the Vanguard Air, and the tall keycaps make it less amenable for typing, but you get a lot for your money here. Read our full Keychron V1 Ultra 8K review.

How I tested the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested for several days
• Used for gaming and other tasks
• Plenty of gaming keyboard experience

I lived with the Vanguard Air for several days, during which time I used it gaming, working, and general browsing. I used both Bluetooth and 2.4GHz for connecting to my devices.

I played AAA games and made as many tweaks and customizations as possible via Corsair’s Web App, as well as via Stream Deck, given the board’s integration with the software.

I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade and have experienced many gaming keyboards. I’ve reviewed a large number of them, ranging from budget offerings to premium models from big name brands, such as Razer and SteelSeries.

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

GameSir G8+ MFi: One-minute review

The GameSir G8+ MFi is the controller that the G8 Galileo probably should have been from the start. It takes the same full-size grips, Hall effect thumbsticks and triggers, and programmable back buttons that made the original one of the best mobile grips going, then layers on MFi certification for iPhone and iPad Mini, swappable ABXY button caps, dual vibration motors, and crucially, improved case compatibility.

Best of all? It’s still the same $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129.99 asking price.

Having tested both of these mobile controllers side by side on the same phones and games, the G8+ MFi addresses just about every gripe I had with the G8 Galileo. The case compatibility improvements alone are worth shouting about, with magnetically swappable silicone pads and a camera bump panel that let you adjust clearance depending on whether your phone is cased or caseless.

The screenshot button has been nudged further from the D-pad, and the ability to physically swap button caps to match your layout is a nice bonus for anyone who switches between Xbox and Nintendo-style mapping. The core controller feel, including the high stick sensitivity and trigger response, is identical to the G8 Galileo, but the GameSir app now works on both iOS and Android.

There are vibration motors in each grip now, which should be a nice add-on, but sadly, they go completely unused by every game I tested on both Android and iOS. Admittedly, that’s more the fault of developers than GameSir, however. With that oversight, there's probably not quite enough here to justify replacing an original G8 if you’re an Android user. But for everyone else, this is the version to buy.

(Image credit: Future)GameSir G8+ MFi: Price and availability

• List price: $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129.99
• Available via Amazon, GameSir, and major retailers
• Same price as the G8 Galileo it effectively replaces, but both are available

GameSir launched the G8+ MFi in late 2025, two years after the G8 it’s built on, but despite the upgrades, it retains the same $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129.99 price tag. That sees it continue to undercut rivals like the Backbone One 2nd Gen ($99.99 / £99.99), though it can now stack up head-to-head with them on compatibility thanks to the added MFi certification.

GameSir's naming across the G8 range remains confusing, and a shared price point doesn’t help matters. The G8+ comes in both Type-C (wired, that I'm reviewing here) and Bluetooth variants.

There's also the original G8 Galileo, which is Android-only. Sometimes it’s called the G8+, sometimes it’s the G8 Plus. Sometimes Galileo gets a shoutout in there, sometimes he doesn’t. If you're shopping, double-check you're getting the right version for your device and not selling yourself short on feature set.

GameSir G8+ MFi: Specs

GameSir G8+ MFi

Price

$79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129.99

Dimensions

9.02 x 4.20 x 2.13in / 229 x 106.8 x 54.2mm

Weight

10.72oz / 304g

Connection

Wired USB-C (pivoting connector)

Compatibility

iPhone (USB-C), iPad mini 6+, Android 8.0+

Software

GameSir App (iOS and Android)

GameSir G8+ MFi: Design and features

• Familiar G8 ergonomics with a wider platform and stretch for iPad mini compatibility
• Swappable ABXY button caps and improved case compatibility
• Works natively with both Android and iOS devices

If you've used the GameSir G8 Galileo, the G8+ MFi will feel immediately familiar. In fact, if you’ve used an Xbox 360 or Series controller, the G8+ will feel familiar too. The full-size, contoured grips are the same chunky shape as Xbox’s offering, and the same laser-engraved texturing carries over from the G8.

It’s noticeably comfortable to hold and feels like a proper device rather than a homebrew solution to gaming on your phone. The same overall build quality remains, too: it’s robust, doesn’t flex or creak, and materials feel premium.

Placed side by side with its sibling, the G8+ MFi’s phone deck is noticeably wider, but in isolation, I'm not sure you’d actually clock the difference. It's heavier too, at 304g versus the G8's 252g, though again the extra weight didn't really register during testing. The light grey-and-white colorway is an improvement from the G8 Galileo's uniform, darker grey for my eye. It looks a little more refined in this brighter skin, but that’s personal taste, and you don’t get a choice anyway.

The MFi certification is the headline upgrade and a welcome addition for Apple fans. Where the G8 Galileo only officially supported Android, the G8+ MFi is certified for iPhones with USB-C and the iPad mini 6 and newer. It auto-detects which platform it's connected to and switches mode accordingly, which worked without issue across both my POCO X5 Pro 5G and iPhone 17 Pro during testing. The GameSir app recognized the controller on both phones, too, which wasn’t the case with the G8.

The wider stretch range, a full 30mm increase over the original, means the G8+ MFi can now accommodate an iPad mini, though without one to hand, I’ll have to take GameSir’s word for it. What I did appreciate was the removable magnetic back panel on the left side of the phone deck. This easily pops off to create more clearance for phones with larger camera bumps. It’s a nice quality of life addition that did its job perfectly with my cased iPhone, though

I’m not sure what GameSir thinks I’m going to do with that easily losable piece. A slot to tuck it into or even a magnetic spot on the back to stow it would have been much appreciated. I imagine we’ll see a lot of G8 Plus’ with a black stripe on the left side over time.

(Image credit: Future)

Case compatibility is where the G8+ MFi makes its biggest practical design improvement over the G8. GameSir now includes magnetic silicone pads of different thicknesses to change the buffer size around the port.

I played with my iPhone case on, and the controller accommodated it comfortably, which was something I couldn't manage on the G8 Galileo without worrying about the USB-C connector angle. It's probably still not going to handle a chunky Otterbox, but standard slim cases are no longer a problem. For all the clever tweaks and design changes, the USB-C connector is still my favorite choice GameSir made, and I’m glad it’s unchanged on the G8+. It pivots freely up and down, which makes seating and removing your device a doddle.

The magnetic faceplate system on the grips carries over from the G8, too, but the G8+ MFi adds swappable ABXY button caps on top of the interchangeable thumbstick options. You can physically rearrange the face button layout to match Xbox or Nintendo mapping, which is a nice complement to the software remapping available in the app. Three replacement thumbstick caps are included (short, tall, dome), but you still only get one of each.

(Image credit: Future)GameSir G8+ MFi: Performance

• Hall effect sticks and triggers, including hair-trigger mode
• Two customizable M buttons on the back
• Vibration motors in each grip, though they’re rarely used

When it comes to gaming with the GameSir G8+ MFi, the bits that were great before are still just as great here; en-something-ification clearly isn’t in the GameSir dictionary. The Hall effect thumbsticks and triggers are, as far as I can tell, identical to those on the GameSir G8 Galileo.

The sticks are smooth and precise with a high level of sensitivity. If you’re coming from a cheaper controller, you may need some time to adjust, but increased control is certainly worth the effort.

The triggers have full analog travel along with a hair-trigger mode that’s snappy and reliable, perfect for shooters. If you're upgrading from the G8, there's no change in input quality here, which is no bad thing, but don’t jump across expecting an even better experience. Deadzone and hair-trigger settings are configurable through the GameSir app, and the app now working on iOS means iPhone users get the same tuning options Android users have always had.

The G8+ MFi's d-pad has a slightly mushy wobble, though a snappy, clicky feel when you fire it off. Travel distance is short with a clear click for each direction, including diagonally. The screenshot button has been repositioned slightly further from the D-pad down compared to the G8, and the improvement was both noticeable and very welcome. I didn't accidentally trigger it during testing, which was a recurring frustration for me previously

Around the back of the G8+ are two programmable buttons, labeled M1 and M2 (compared to L4 and R4 on the last model). They're something of a rarity for mobile controller grips at this price, with the likes of the Backbone One skipping them entirely. I found them well-sized and positioned just about perfectly.

They’re close to where your fingers naturally rest without getting in the way, taking just the right amount of force to avoid accidental presses. They ship unbound by default, so you'll need the GameSir app to assign functions, and you can only mirror existing buttons on them, no macros.

(Image credit: Future)

The dual asymmetric vibration motors are the one new feature that falls flat. They work fine in the GameSir app's test mode, delivering both strong and subtle vibrations that feel perfectly capable, if a little slow to spin up. The problem is that no game I tested, on either Android or iOS, actually utilized them.

Fortnite, Call of Duty Mobile, Forza Horizon 5, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider via Xbox cloud gaming, nothing. I believe this is actually a mobile gaming ecosystem issue rather than a GameSir problem; developers just aren’t bothering or don’t have the means to communicate this information to devices. That may well change in the future, but right now, don’t go grabbing the G8+ expecting haptic feedback as you’d get on console.

The GameSir G8+ MFi features passthrough USB-C charging and a 3.5mm headphone jack, which carry over from the G8 Galileo, and both worked without issue again throughout testing. Passthrough charging reported fast charge speeds on both the POCO X5 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro with no overheating.

The headphone jack remains a welcome inclusion for latency-free wired audio The dedicated GameSir button on the controller has inconsistent behavior on Android, sometimes acting as a home button and occasionally opening the GameSir app instead. On iOS, it seemed to do nothing at all, but it will light up a different color to confirm you’re in the right compatibility mode for your device.

(Image credit: Future)Shoudl you buy the GameSir G8+ MFi?Buy it if...

You want a console-like experience on both iPhone and Android
Those full-size grips give the G8+ a wonderful feel in your hand, and its sticks and triggers are just as good as on premium console controllers. The MFi certification means the G8+ MFi is now officially supported on iPhones with USB-C and the iPad mini 6 and newer, something the G8 lacked.

You value customization and flexibility
The G8+ provides more opportunities to personalize your grip than ever: swappable ABXY caps and three thumbstick options, a removable camera bump plate and case buffers, software deadzone tuning, and programmable back buttons.

Don't buy it if...

You’re looking for something highly portable
The GameSir G8+ MFi has an even larger solid phone deck and grips than the original. It’s almost the width of a Nintendo Switch, and not much shorter either. You’ll want to put this one in a backpack (and you’ll need to supply your own carrying case).

You just want rumble in your mobile games
The dual motors are there, but currently go unused by games on both Android and iOS. Until developers start supporting external controller vibration on mobile, this feature is essentially dead weight.

Also consider...

Can’t decide if the GameSir G8+ MFi is the one to get? Here's how it compares to other, similar controller grips.

GameSir G8+ MFi Galileo MFi

Razer Kishi Ultra

Backbone One 2nd Gen

Price

$79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129.99

$149.99 / £149.99 / AU$269.95

$99.99 / £99.99 / AU$179.99

Dimensions

9.02 x 4.20 x 2.13in / 229 x 106.8 x 54.2mm

9.64 x 4.36 x 2.53in / 244.8 x 110.8 x 64.3mm

6.93 x 3.70 x 1.34in / 176 x 93.98 x 34.03mm

Weight

10.72oz / 304g

9.38oz / 266g

4.86oz / 138g

Connection

Wired (USB-C)

Wired (USB-C)

Wired (USB-C / Lightning)

Compatibility

Android, iOS

Android, iOS

Android, iOS

Software

GameSir App

Razer Nexus

Backbone App

Razer Kishi Ultra
The Razer Kishi Ultra remains the premium choice. It's nearly double the RRP but brings Razer's excellent Nexus app and RGB lighting. If you want the absolute best mobile controller experience and budget isn't a concern, the Kishi Ultra delivers.

For more information, check out our full Razer Kishi Ultra review

Backbone One 2nd Gen
The Backbone One 2nd Gen is significantly more portable and lighter, making it better suited for travel and regular day trips. Its magnetic adapter system handles cases well; however, it lacks Hall effect sticks, back buttons, and a headphone jack, all while costing $20 more.

For more information, check out our full Backbone One 2nd Gen review

GameSir G8+ MFi: One-minute review

• I spent a few days testing on both an iPhone 17 Pro and POCO X5 Pro
• I played Fortnite, Call of Duty Mobile, Need for Speed No Limits, plus Forza Horizon 5 and Shadow of the Tomb Raider via Xbox Cloud Gaming
• I played with the various customization options and tried to get the rumble working, unsuccessfully

I approached testing the GameSir G8+ MFi with the question of not only how it fared in general, but specifically how it compared to the G8 Galileo upon which it was built. I used the same two phones and the same set of games to put them directly head-to-head. This allowed me to isolate exactly what's changed between the two controllers and whether those changes are meaningful in practice.

I tested case compatibility with a slim iPhone case, tried all swappable thumbstick and button cap configurations, checked vibration motor response across multiple games on both platforms, and verified that the GameSir app provided full functionality on both iOS and Android. I also investigated the GameSir button behavior on both operating systems and tested passthrough charging on both devices.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed April 2026

MSI Stealth 16 AI+: Two-minute review

The MSI Stealth 16 AI+ is hard to identify as a red-blooded gaming laptop at first glance. The dark grey finish sets it apart from the mostly jet-black marketplace, while the rounded corners and lack of branding further distinguish it from others in the sector.

Its form factor also follows suit. It’s surprisingly thin and light for a 16-inch gaming machine, making it more portable than many of its rivals.

Despite this lithe form, though, the Stealth 16 AI+ doesn’t feel that flimsy. The materials feel smooth and premium, although there’s some flex to the base, so it’s not as solid as the best gaming laptop models.

Also impressive is the number of ports featured. There are two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports and two USB-A. There’s also an HDMI port and an RJ-45 for wired network connectivity. However, all of these are set further forward than usual, which may prove inconvenient in certain setups.

(Image credit: Future)

The gaming performance of the Stealth 16 AI+ is excellent. My review unit handled AAA titles with no issue, offering impressive frame rates even at full resolution. Some heat and noise was generated, but both of these aspects were far from troubling.

Games also looked great thanks to the brilliant display. The 1600p resolution and OLED tech meant content was super sharp and vibrant, without being blighted by reflections. The high 240Hz refresh rate will also please gamers who prize supreme smoothness.

The keyboard is tactile and easy to use, offering easy presses and just enough dampening to be satisfying. The touchpad is large and smooth, which makes for easy navigation, yet it rarely got in the way while I typed.

The Stealth 16 AI+ also has a very respectable battery life. It lasted over 14 hours when I ran a movie on a continuous loop, which surpasses many other gaming laptops. It’s also quite quick to charge, taking over two hours to fully replenish.

As you might expect for all its qualities, the Stealth 16 AI+ doesn’t come cheap. It might be hard justifying paying this much for such a powerful and versatile machine, but if you need a gaming laptop that does it all, there aren’t many better than the Stealth 16 AI+.

MSI Stealth 16 AI+ review: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future)

• Starts from $2,099.99 (about £1,540 / AU$2,900)
• Available from mid-to-late May
• Unsurprisingly expensive

The MSI Stealth 16 AI+ starts from $2,099.99 (about £1,540 / AU$2,900) and will be available from mid-to-late May. The base model is loaded with an RTX 5060, whereas the top model has a 5080 and costs $3,299.99 (about £2,420 / AU$4,550).

This is expensive, even for a gaming laptop. But when you consider the top-tier spec, it’s hardly surprising. It’s similarly priced to the A16 AI+, although that machine features 64GB of RAM and 2TB of storage across all of its models.

If you’re on a much tighter budget, but still want decent gaming performance, the Asus V16 is an option. It’s just as easy to carry around as the Stealth 16 AI+, but you’ll have to settle for a 40 series RTX rather than a 50 series, and the display is far less impressive. However, if you just want a decent machine for 1200p gaming, it’s worth considering.

MSI Stealth 16 AI+ review: Specs

Base spec

Review spec

Max spec

Price

$2,099.99 (about £1,540 / AU$2,900)

TBC

$3,299.99 (about £2,420 / AU$4,550)

CPU

Intel Core Ultra 9 386H (up to 4.9GHz, 16 cores)

Intel Core Ultra 9 386H (up to 4.9GHz, 16 cores)

Intel Core Ultra 9 386H (up to 4.9GHz, 16 cores)

Graphics

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop

RAM

32GB DDR5

32GB DDR5

32GB DDR5

Display

16-inch QHD+ (2560x1600), OLED, 240Hz

16-inch QHD+ (2560x1600), OLED, 240Hz

16-inch QHD+ (2560x1600), OLED, 240Hz

Storage

1TB NVMe SSD PCIe Gen4

1TB NVMe SSD PCIe Gen4

2TB NVMe SSD PCIe Gen4

Ports and Connectivity

2x USB-A (3.2 Gen2), 2x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4 w/ DisplayPort/ Power Delivery 3.0), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm combo audio; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0

2x USB-A (3.2 Gen2), 2x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4 w/ DisplayPort/ Power Delivery 3.0), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm combo audio; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0

2x USB-A (3.2 Gen2), 2x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4 w/ DisplayPort/ Power Delivery 3.0), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm combo audio; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0

Battery

90Wh

90Wh

90Wh

Weight

4.4lbs / 2kg

4.4lbs / 2kg

4.4lbs / 2kg

Dimensions

14 x 9.7 x 0.8 inches / 354 x 246 x 20mm

14 x 9.7 x 0.8 inches / 354 x 246 x 20mm

14 x 9.7 x 0.8 inches / 354 x 246 x 20mm

MSI Stealth 16 AI+ review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Thin and light for a large gaming laptop
• Smooth materials
• Plenty of ports

For a large gaming laptop, the Stealth 16 AI+ is quite restrained. It has a smart and minimalist body, lacking any odd angles or protrusions, which is always nice to see.

This is complemented by the lack of branding or any other gaming-oriented flourishes. All it features is a small logo and an S pattern on the lid, but both are so discreet and close to the same base color that you’ll barely notice them.

The dark grey colorway is smart and a little more interesting than the total black finishes of many in this class. The tasteful RGB backlighting of the keyboard, along with the rounded corners of the chassis, help to soften its appearance, too.

It also seems quite well made. The main material feels very smooth and premium, although it’s not especially solid. For example, the base can be flexed if you push a little too hard, or hit the keys a little too enthusiastically.

This is the price paid for its lightweight construction. For a large gaming laptop, the Stealth 16 AI+ is remarkably unobtrusive, especially when you consider it’s loaded with an RTX 50 series GPU. This makes it a more realistic option for on-the-go gaming than many of its rivals.

(Image credit: Future)

However, this portability is somewhat undermined by the feet underneath, which are quite thick. At least the ventilation area, also underneath, doesn’t have any bulk to it. It’s merely a large but completely flat honeycomb pattern, which also has its own aesthetic qualities.

Oddly, the most solid aspect of the Stealth 16 AI+ is the lid. There’s far less flex here, which is all the more impressive given just how thin it is. What’s more, the hinge provides plenty of stability while gaming, but puts up little resistance when opening up the display.

I was also surprised by the number of ports onboard the Stealth 16 AI+. There are two USB-C connections, both of which utilize the Thunderbolt 4 standard that supports DisplayPort and Power Delivery. There’s also a dedicated DC-in port for powering your laptop using the included adapter.

Two USB-A ports are also featured, which are split across both sides of the unit for added convenience. An HDMI 2.1 port, an RJ-45 port, and a headset jack round out the rest of the interfaces.

All ports on both sides are set further forward than you might expect, no doubt to give room to the GPU at the rear. I found this a little inconvenient, especially when connecting a power cable, since it protruded from near the middle of the unit. This can eat into desk space and lead to tangling if you have other wired connections to make.

MSI Stealth 16 AI+ review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Smooth AAA gaming
• Sharp and vibrant display
• Easy and tactile keys

MSI Stealth 16 AI+ benchmarks

3DMark: Night Raid: 59,981; Fire Strike: 31,492; Steel Nomad: 3,739; Solar Bay: 70,455; Solar Bay Unlimited: 82,013; Solar Bay Extreme: 15,127; Solar Bay Extreme Unlimited: 16,121
Geekbench 6.5: Multicore: 15,618; Single-core: 2.829
Cinebench R23: Multi Core: 20,811; Cinebench R24: Single Core: 123; Multi Core: 1,190
Crossmark: Overall: 1,888; Productivity: 1,725; Creativity: 2,148; Responsiveness: 1,680
Passmark Overall: 12,696.8; CPU: 40,282.6; 2D Graphics: 793.1; 3D Graphics: 23,604.6; Memory: 3,461.1; Disk: 46,483.3
BlackMagicDisk: Read: 4,793MB/s; Write: 3,325MB/s
HandBrake 4K to 1080p: 99.52fps
Civilization VII: (Max resolution, AMD FSR 3, High): 122fps; (1080p, High): 181fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider: (Max resolution, Highest, Balanced upscaling): 164fps; 1080p, Highest, SMAA x4): 156fps
Total War: Warhammer III: Mirrors of Madness (1080p, Ultra): 54fps; (Max Resolution, Ultra): 52fps
Cyberpunk 2077: (Max resolution, Ultra, Balanced upscaling): 94fps; (1440p, Ray Tracing: Ultra, Balanced upscaling): 60fps; (1440p, Ultra): 74fps
Marvel Rivals: (Max resolution, Balanced upscaling, Ultra): 73fps; (1200p, Low): 132fps
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 14 hours and 15 minutes

I was impressed by the gaming performance of the Stealth 16 AI+. I got around 50fps when playing Cyberpunk 2077 with the Ray Tracing: Ultra preset selected. This shot up to around 90fps when Frame Generation was enabled on top. I only experienced occasional drops in frame rate during busier scenes, but these weren’t steep enough to adversely affect gameplay.

When I first booted up the game, there was a lot of fan noise. Once I started playing, this quietened down, but it was still noticeable. Heat was noticeable, too, but this remained at the very back of the unit, and temperatures weren’t extreme.

The display in the Stealth 16 AI+ is excellent. The 2.5K resolution is more than sharp enough for a display this large, while the OLED technology provides a vivid color palette. It’s also very bright, which makes all kinds of content shine. I never had any problem with reflections showing up on the screen, either. And for those who value ultra-smooth gameplay, it’s capable of delivering a 240Hz refresh rate, which is more than enough for most gamers.

(Image credit: Future)

The keyboard is a joy to use. The keys are light yet offer a pleasing amount of travel, which increases their feedback. They’re more damped than those on your average laptop keyboard, which makes them more satisfying to hit, but they’re still harsher than those on the best gaming keyboards.

I also welcomed the generous spacing between the keys. This made them comfortable to use and made typing easier. However, this spacing comes at the expense of a number pad and navigation keys, which is a shame for a 16-inch laptop.

The touchpad is very large and has a very smooth surface — aspects that make it great for navigation. And although my thumb palms frequently made contact with it while typing, this rarely triggered cursor movement or clicks.

MSI Stealth 16 AI+ review: Battery life

(Image credit: Future)

• Excellent for a gaming laptop
• Outlasts many rivals
• Quick to charge

By gaming laptop standards, the battery life of the Stealth 16 AI+ is very impressive. During our movie playback test, it lasted over 14 hours. This means it has better longevity than many of its rivals, including MSI’s other Stealth model, the A16 AI+, which didn’t even make it past five hours.

It also outlasted the Asus V16, which only managed 12 and a half hours. It’s also quite quick to charge, taking about two and a half hours to reach 100% from total depletion.

Should I buy the MSI Stealth 16 AI+?Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Very expensive, but you do get a great all-round package.

3.5 / 5

Design

I can't think of a more portable 16-inch gaming laptop, but it doesn’t have the strongest build. There are plenty of ports, but their placement is impractical.

4 / 5

Performance

AAA games are buttery smooth and look great on the fantastic display. Some heat and noise are apparent, but neither is disruptive.

4 / 5

Battery life

Impressive compared to other gaming laptops. It’ll outlast many of them, even more premium examples.

4.5 / 5

Total Score

The Stealth 16 AI+ excels at gaming and beyond, making it a very capable and versatile machine. However, it commands a premium price tag.

4 / 5

Buy it if…

You’ll be playing unplugged
The battery life of the Stealth 16 AI+ is very commendable by gaming laptop standards. It can last longer than many of its competitors.

You don’t want your gaming laptop to look like one
The Stealth 16 AI+ doesn’t look like a gaming device, and it’s surprisingly thin and light for a 16-inch device with a beefy GPU.

Don't buy it if…

You want absolute quiet
Many gaming laptops have noisy fans, and the Stealth 16 AI+ is no exception. At least it’s not as loud as some screamers, though.

You’re on a budget
Given its top-end specs, it’s hardly a surprise the Stealth 16 AI+ is so expensive.View Deal

MSI Stealth 16 AI+ review: Also consider

MSI Stealth A16 AI+
As the name suggests, this laptop is closely related to the Stealth 16 AI+. It shares many of the same specs, although some RAM, CPU, and GPU options are different. Like the Stealth 16 AI+, we were impressed with its powerful performance, vivid display, and portable design. However, its battery life is considerably shorter. Read our full MSI Stealth A16 AI+ review.

Asus V16
Another 16-inch gaming device that’s thinner and lighter than you might expect, the V16 is a respectable budget pick. It’s also relatively quiet under load, and I found the keyboard great to use. The display isn’t as good as that on the Stealth 16 AI+, though, and its RTX 4050 GPU means it can’t match the performance of the Stealth 16 AI+, either. Read our full Asus V16 review.

How I tested the MSI Stealth 16 AI+

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested for several days
• Used for gaming and other tasks
• Gaming laptop experience

I tested the Stealth 16 AI+ for several days. As well as gaming with AAA titles, I also used the laptop for general browsing and streaming video.

I also ran our series of benchmark tests for gaming laptops. This included a battery test, where I ran a movie on a continuous loop until it shut down.

I’ve been PC gaming for decades, and have experienced many systems in that time. I’ve also reviewed plenty of gaming laptops before, as well as other gaming hardware.

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

Dyson HushJet Compact Air Purifier: two-minute review

The Dyson HushJet Compact Air Purifier is Dyson's first dedicated small-format air purifier, and it's a notable departure from what's come before. Unlike the imposing, bulky tower fan-purifiers of old, the HushJet has been engineered to better fit into your home — or at least, that's the idea.

Yes, it's smaller than Dyson's current range, but it's far from tiny. It fits on a desk and kitchen countertop, but not comfortably or subtly, and its design makes it stand out rather than blend in. The black and blue colorway I tested looks out of place wherever you put it, while the star-shaped HushJet nozzle, which is inspired by jet engine aerodynamics, looks as industrial as its name suggests.

The Dyson HushJet Compact Air Purifier is Dyson's first dedicated small-format air purifier, and has been engineered to better fit into your home (Image credit: Future)

There are few controls on the device itself and Dyson is relying on people using the MyDyson app to monitor air quality and adjust settings. Thankfully this isn't a chore because the app is super intuitive and simple. Plus you also have the option to control everything with you voice, via Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri, if you'd rather not pick up your phone.

Also, in day-to-day use, the Auto mode does most of the heavy lifting anyway. Intelligent sensors monitor air quality in real time and ramp the fan speed up or down as needed, which in practice means the HushJet spends most of its time running almost silently in the background, only surging when something pollutes the air.

Inside the purifier, the electrostatic filter captures 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns. This includes dust, pollen, pet dander, and mold spores. The activated carbon filter then takes care of gases and odors, including cooking smells and NO2 from gas hobs. Both filters come pre-installed, which makes setup refreshingly painless, and they have long shelf lives. The electrostatic filter lasts up to five years, while the carbon filter should only need to be replaced once a year, keeping the running costs down.

There are very few controls on the device itself ,and Dyson is relying on people using the MyDyson app to monitor air quality and adjust settings (Image credit: Future)

The jet engine design isn't just an aesthetic choice, it means that the HushJet can channel purified air into a "focused, high-velocity stream" that covers rooms up to 100m2 / 1,076 sq ft. Most homes won't need this, but it's reassuring to know that you can place this purifier anywhere in your home and it's got you covered. These numbers would be impressive for any air purifier, let alone one this size.

At $349.99 / £349.99 / AU$549 the HushJet is a significant investment, especially when you consider that it's a purifier only, with no fan or heating function to justify the spend. However, if clean air is a priority and you want the best compact air purifier on the market right now, it's hard to argue with what Dyson has built here. It sits at the top of its category, and in my tests it earned its place, but if that's beyond your budget check out our guide to the best air purifiers.

Dyson HushJet Compact air purifier review: price and availability

• List price: $349.99 / £349.99 / AU$549
• Available in the US and UK

Dyson's HushJet is available in the US, UK and Australia direct from Dyson, as well as Best Buy and Walmart in the US, AO and Very in the UK, and JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys in Australia.

At $349.99 / £349.99 / AU$549, this is an expensive purifier by any measure. To put that into context, the Blueair Blue Max 3250i – our pick for best air purifier overall – is less than half the price, at $169 / £169. Even the Dyson Purifier Cool PC1, a larger purifier-fan combo from Dyson's own range, is only $100 / £100 more, and it adds fan functionality on top.

What you're paying for with the HushJet is essentially the miniaturisation of Dyson's purification technology, combined with the new HushJet nozzle and its impressively quiet operation. I believe its performance justifies a large part of this premium but there are very capable, significantly cheaper rivals that tick just as many boxes.

• Value for money score: 3 out of 5

Dyson HushJet Compact air purifier specs

List price

$349.99 / £349.99 / AU$549

Fan speeds

10

Oscillation

120 degrees

Filtration

99.97% of 0.3 microns (PM2.5, PM10, VOC, NO2, HCHO)

Filters

360° Electrostatic + Activated Carbon

Control

Physical button, MyDyson app, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri

Fan modes

Auto, Sleep, Manual

Noise levels

24dB-42dB

Height

18.5" / 47cm

Base diameter

9" / 23cm

Weight

6.9lbs / 3.15kg

Dyson HushJet Compact air purifier review: design

• Smaller than previous Dyson purifiers, but not truly compact
• Minimal on-device controls
• Industrial aesthetic

Dyson has become famous for its distinctive, often divisive, design choices, and the HushJet is no exception. Like most Dyson products, it's sleek, cylindrical and well-built, but also striking and bold — especially its star-shaped HushJet nozzle top, which is inspired by the aerodynamic principles of jet engines, and doesn't look like anything I've ever tested.

Whether that's a good thing will depend on your taste. In my house, it divided opinion: my partner loved the look of the black and teal colors, but I didn't. I found it too much for an appliance that's supposed to sit quietly in the background.

Dyson calls the purifier 'compact', and relative to the brand's own range it is, but in absolute terms it's larger than the name implies (pictured next to a blender for scale) (Image credit: Future)

That tension between form and function runs through the whole design. Dyson calls this purifier 'compact', and relative to the brand's own range – which includes the towering TP09 or the enormous Big+Quiet – it is. But in absolute terms, at 18.5in / 47cm tall with a 9in / 23cm diameter, it's larger than the name implies. I tried it on my desk, on a bedside table and on my kitchen counter, and it felt imposing on all three. It ended up on the floor in most rooms, which undermines the compact pitch somewhat. For context, the Levoit Core 300S is half the height and is more subtle.

I typically like to move my purifier into different rooms, depending on my needs (for example, I put it in the kitchen when I'm cooking steak, or I put it in my son's room at night when the pollen count is high) and while the HushJet is technically portable, its missing carry handle makes moving it a little awkward.

There's a small LCD screen that shows air quality data using a color-coded line graph and settings above a row of three physical buttons (Image credit: Future)

On-device controls are minimal by design. There's a small LCD screen that shows air quality data — using a color-coded line graph — and current settings above a row of three physical buttons. These buttons cover most of the day-to-day changes you'll need:

• The fan button on the left lets you cycle between Night mode, the three on-board fan speeds, and Auto mode.
• The power button in the center turns the purifier on and off.
• The information button on the right cycles through the current PM2.5 levels, current PM10 levels, the state of the on-board filters, and the Wi-Fi details.

On-device controls are minimal by design and the three buttons: fan (left), power (center) and information (right) will cover most of the day-to-day changes you'll need (Image credit: Future)

If you want to set schedules, change Auto mode's target particulate level, access the seven other fans speed, or access any other more detailed settings, you'll need to download the MyDyson app. You can also control the purifier using your voice and the HushJet works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri.

This is also where you can learn what each of the air quality colors mean:

• Good (green): very low level of microscopic particles
• Fair (yellow): moderate level of microscopic particles
• Poor (orange): high level of microscopic particles
• Very poor (red): very high level of microscopic particles
• Extremely poor (pink): extremely high level of microscopic particles
• Severe (purple): severe level of microscopic particles

The HushJet's nozzle top is inspired by the aerodynamic principles of jet engines (Image credit: Future)

Setup across the board with the HushJet is painless. Both filters come pre-installed, and connecting to the MyDyson app took me less than 30 seconds. It's one of the easier Dyson products I've set up, and it starts purifying the air immediately.

• Design score: 3 out of 5

Dyson HushJet Compact air purifier review: performance

• Auto mode reaction times are unmatched
• Whisper-quiet on lower settings
• Limited app granularity
• Less impressive on smoke than VOCs

Given its price, and the fact it only covers purifying, the HushJet's performance needed to blow me away (excuse the pun) and thankfully it did.

I have a large open-plan kitchen-diner, as well as a substantial loft room, and even when the HushJet was placed on the opposite side of the room to where I was cooking, or spraying deodorant, its fans captured and cleared the particulates with ease.

During my aerosol tests, in which I sprayed deodorant at the purifier for five seconds while it was in different purification modes, the fan consistently took the air quality from as high as Severe to Good in less than a minute and a half. The low fan setting, unsurprisingly, took the longest at 1 minute 23 seconds (on average); the medium fan setting handled the particulates in 1 minute 2 seconds; and the high fan cleared the air in just 50 seconds. These speeds are unheard of in all my years of testing.

I also lit a match and let it burn out directly in front of the unit. Within three seconds, the HushJet had detected the drop in air quality and increased its fan speed. The app showed levels spike to purple before the purifier cleared the air entirely in four minutes. For comparison, the Blueair Blue Max 3250i, our top-rated overall pick, took 20 seconds to register the same drop, although it cleared the air slightly faster at two and a half minutes. Both are fast; the HushJet's sensing is simply quicker.

The HushJet uses a two-filter system (pictured next to the purifier): a 360° Electrostatic filter that captures 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns, and an Activated Carbon filter for gases and odor (Image credit: Future)

The one test where the HushJet was less convincing was dust. Emptying a vacuum cleaner's dust canister next to the unit hardly moved the dial at all. Granted, the vacuum in question was the Dyson Cyclone V10, which has its own filtration system, which may have captured most of the harmful particles before they reached the HushJet's sensors. But it was a less emphatic result than the smoke and VOC tests.

In terms of noise, Dyson advertises the HushJet at ranging between 24dB and 42dB. During my own tests using the DecibelX app, the lowest I recorded was 29dB on Night mode, with 55dB at the top end, on high. This is still whisper-quiet at the lower end, while the higher end is roughly the volume of a light conversation. What's more, the sound is soft rather than sharp ,which makes the HushJet sound even quieter in real-world use. So much so, I could have the HushJet on in the bedroom at night, with Night mode enabled or without.

Other good news is that the Auto mode's quick reaction times mean the unit rarely stays at full power for more than a few minutes.

Over the course of testing, the electrostatic filter didn't register any degradation. The activated carbon filter, which promises a one-year lifespan, dropped to 96% (Image credit: Future)

When it comes to air purification, the HushJet uses a two-filter system: a 360-degree Electrostatic filter that captures 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns, and an Activated Carbon filter for gases and odors including cooking smells, pet odors and NO2 from gas appliances.

I suffer from hayfever and during my review period I noticed a difference in my symptoms on days when I had the HushJet running. I can't say it got rid of them entirely, but on days when the pollen count was high and the HushJet had been running in my bedroom overnight, I woke up feeling better than I'd expected.

I didn't run the HushJet constantly during my review period. My typical pattern was to run it overnight in the bedroom on Auto mode, and then move it to the living room during the day when the pollen count was high or when I was doing anything likely to kick up dust. Over the course of testing, the electrostatic filter didn't register any degradation. Even after four weeks, it's still showing 100%.

The activated carbon filter, which promises a one-year lifespan, dropped to 96% so this will need replacing much sooner. A replacement electrostatic filter costs $64.99 / £50 while the carbon filter costs $44.99 / £35. This is worth factoring in but you won't need to spend extra for a while after purchase.

Overall, the HushJet does exactly what it promises. Its Auto mode is smart, its filtration is fast and its the quietest purifier I've ever tested. It's not perfect but in terms of performance, it comes incredibly close.

• Performance score: 5 out of 5

Dyson HushJet Compact air purifier review: voice control

(Image credit: Future)

• Easy to set up
• Works with Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri

Once the purifier is connected to your home Wi-Fi, it can connect to any Amazon Echo, Google Home or Apple Siri device on the same network at the press of a button through the MyDyson app. This app doesn't give you voice command prompts to get you started – like the Dreo app does – instead you'll need to go to the dedicated assistant app to learn how to speak to the HushJet.

That said, as soon as I got the hang of it, voice control quickly became my preferred way to control the HushJet day-to-day. I have an Amazon Echo in my bedroom and being able to ask Alexa to turn the purifier on or off, adjust the fan speed or check the air quality without reaching for my phone made a difference to how often I interacted with it.

On mornings when the purifier was downstairs, I could ask Alexa to kick the purifier up a level to remove the smell of my son cooking toast even while I was in the loft. Elsewhere, you can ask Google, Alexa or Siri to turn the purifier on and off, ask for a specific speed, set the purifier to a certain mode and check levels.

Dyson HushJet Compact air purifier review: app

• Offers a range of control options
• Color-coded design is intuitive and simple to use
• Near-live air quality data

The MyDyson app is one of my favorite things about the HushJet, and is one of the better companion apps I've used for home appliances. It's clean, well-labelled and easy to navigate from the first time you open it.

The home screen shows an image of your HushJet above the main menu, which includes Controls, Data and Insights, How To, and Product Settings.

Below the image are the quick-access controls for Auto mode and fan speed, plus an on/off toggle, a Night mode that dims the LCD screen on the device and quietens the fan, and a Timer option.

Your current air quality reading displayed in Dyson's color-coded system sit below this panel, followed by the Schedule option. This scheduling function lets you set the HushJet to run at specific times. I set it to run on Auto every morning before I got up, so the bedroom air was already clean by the time I woke up.

In the Data and insights section you can see the air quality graphs broken down by PM2.5 and PM10 readings, all presented in the same color-coded scale (Image credit: Future)

In the Data and Insights section you can see the air quality graphs broken down by PM2.5 and PM10 readings, all presented in the same color-coded scale. The current reading updates every 30 seconds, but the graph only shows average readings in 15-minute intervals. You can swipe back to see historical data but it doesn't reveal very much and lacks the granularity I'd like.

Elsewhere, the app doubles as a support hub, with how-to videos, filter life tracking, and the option to buy replacement filters directly. It's a small touch but a useful one, and you're unlikely to forget to replace the filters when the app is actively telling you when it's due. In Product Settings, you can connect the purifier to Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri, set the time, data and location data and manage the Wi-Fi connection. There's also the option to enable/disable continuous monitoring which is what's needed for the Auto mode to work effectively.

If there's one criticism, it's that the app is essentially non-optional. Anyone who prefers physical controls may find the HushJet frustrating to live with but for those comfortable with app-based control — and I'd argue that's most people buying a £350 / $350 / AU$549 smart purifier — it's an excellent companion.

• App score: 5 out of 5

Should you buy the Dyson HushJet Compact air purifier?Scorecard

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

Expensive for a purifier-only but the technology and filter life go some way to justifyi.ng the cost

4/5

Design

Striking and well-built, but larger than the "compact" name implies and divisive in its look.

3/5

Performance

Brilliant Auto mode reaction times, super fast and effective filtration.

5/5

App

One of the best companion apps in this category — intuitive and useful albeit not as detailed as rival apps.

5/5

Buy it if...

You suffer from allergies or hayfever

HushJet's filtration captures 99.97% of pollen, and dust, and its Auto mode reacts to changes in air quality faster than any other purifier tested.

You want a low-touch purifier that works in the background

At its lower settings the HushJet is barely audible and the Auto mode means you rarely need to interact with it at all. Set a schedule via the app, leave it running and let it get on with the job.

You're short on space

The HushJet delivers strong coverage from a significantly smaller footprint than most purifiers, making it a useful option for smaller homes.

Don't buy it if...

You're on a budget

At $349.99 / £349.99 / AU$549, the HushJet costs more than twice the price of some of our favorite purifiers without the fan element thrown in.

You want a truly compact desktop purifier

Despite the name, the HushJet will feel imposing on most desks or bedside tables, and is better suited to the floor.

You prefer physical controls

If you're not comfortable relying on an app or a smart speaker to operate your appliances, the HushJet will frustrate you.

How I tested the Dyson HushJet Compact air purifier

• I used the Dyson HushJet Compact air purifier and its partner app for four weeks
• I stress-tested it using different substances
• I experimented with different speeds, modes, and settings

I tested the Dyson HushJet Compact in my home over four weeks, during peak hayfever season. I used it primarily in my bedroom overnight on Auto mode, and moved it to the living room and kitchen during the day to test its response to different real-world air quality changes.

To test purification, I carried out a range of specific tests: lighting a match to create smoke, spraying deodorant to introduce VOCs, cooking on a gas hob to generate cooking fumes and PM10 particles, and emptying a vacuum cleaner dust canister to test dust response. For each, I monitored the HushJet's reaction time – how quickly it detected the change in air quality – and its clearance time – how long it took to return readings to normal. I tracked all air quality data via the MyDyson app.

Noise levels were measured using the DecibelX app across all fan settings. I also tested the voice controls by connecting the HushJet to an Amazon Echo while using with the MyDyson app daily.

Read more about how we test.

First reviewed May 2026

Adobe InDesign is the industry-standard desktop publishing and page layout software. And it's been that way for many years now, ever since the tool stole the crown of QuarkXpress to become the best DTP software.

So, with some new updates, I wanted to take a look at some of the new features I feel will be valuable to most of our workflows. As changes do occur to the software over time, the version I explored was 21.3.

Adobe InDesign: Pricing & plans

• Subscription-only
• Creative Cloud discounts for students and teachers

Adobe isn’t cheap. It’s high-end professional software that comes at a cost. On top of that, you don’t buy your software with Adobe, you merely rent it. Stop paying and it no longer works.

Yes, initially it’s cheaper than purchasing software outright, but over time that saving becomes questionable, as it is for all subscription services. You do get the advantage of enjoying the latest features as and when they’re released though.

Subscribing to InDesign on an annual contract will cost you $23 a month. Scrolling through the available plans, you might think getting the Creative Cloud Pro plan would be a better deal: after all, it’s $35 a month for over 20 apps, including InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator and more. That’s just $12 more. But bear in mind this price is only an introductory offer. After three months, it jumps to $70 a month on an annual contract.

If you’re curious about the software, a free 7-day trial is on offer, and if you decide to go for a subscription, Adobe won’t charge you for the first 14 days.

Additionally, students and teachers have a sweet deal: $20 a month for the entire Creative Cloud Pro portfolio.

• Pricing & plans: 3.5 / 5

Adobe InDesign: Performance & online work

(Image credit: Adobe // Future)

• Improved performance on PC
• A refined experience when working with files online
• The collaboration tool shows promise, but somewhat glitchy

Let’s take a look under the hood first, shall we? Not the most glamorous of new features, but InDesign now makes use of your computer’s GPU to help render your files. Usually, renders are done in low-res to help speed up document manipulation and scrolling, but by using the GPU, these previews should be of higher quality, while freeing up the CPU to handle text layout and general multitasking, thereby improving performance.

This feature is on by default as long as your graphics card is compatible, but you are free to disable it should you want to. You’ll find a tick box in your Settings, under ‘GPU Performance’ to do just that, but if the new rendering works as expected for your needs, why disable it?

Designing on your computer is one thing, but what if you need to work on the go and use a different machine while doing so, or better yet, collaborate with other member of your team?

All that’s been improved in the latest version of InDesign. Take organising, and sharing your work online. You can now do this within the app itself, by using the Creative Cloud app, or by login online and perform the same actions from a web browser. You’re able to create new folders, move docs around, rename, duplicate and delete them. All standard fare.

What I quite liked was the ability to “Sync for 7 days” - say you need to work offline for a while. This allows you to grab those files and the moment you reconnect, they’ll sync up once more.

Then there’s the Share options. The most interesting one is being able to ‘Share for Text Editing’. This allows you to collaborate with others as they make modifications which will be reflected instantly on your own version. Sounds exciting, right? And I’m sure in time it will be, but there are some pretty big caveats.

For one thing, as the command suggests, you can only perform edits to the text. You can’t alter the layout, change images, or anything else. It still has its uses, but it is limited. Next, this service is still in Beta, so there will be glitches, and I encountered a few, like not having permission to edit my own document online because apparently, I didn’t have the right to access it.

Thankfully a bit of swearing and repeated annoyed reloads of the page eventually got it to work. And lastly, this service only works on Chrome. I tried it with other browsers such as Firefox and Safari, and just got an error message.

• Performance: 3.5 / 5

Adobe InDesign: New features

(Image credit: Adobe // Future)

• Welcome addition of compatibility with complex math symbols and PDF editing
• Some new tools are a puzzler through
• Why link to Adobe Express templates if you can’t use them in InDesign?

On InDesign’s Home Page, you’ll find a ‘Templates’ menu in the left sidebar. This allows you to browse Adobe Express templates directly from within InDesign. Pretty cool, right? Except… not really. You see, once you select a template, it launches your web browser and takes you to Adobe Express online.

You’d think if you can browse the template inside InDesign, you should be able to work on it in InDesign, but no. There is a cumbersome workaround: download the template from Adobe Express as a PDF, and load that PDF in InDesign, but why would such a step be necessary is a mystery to me (at least you’re not restricted to Chrome here).

Opening a PDF in InDesign is a pretty big deal, especially since everything in that document becomes editable. You’ll find that most of the formatting is preserved - your mileage will vary, and I suspect depends on the complexity of the original file - but in my experience, the results were brilliant. Whenever you need to make alterations to a PDF, InDesign may well have become your go-to app.

And rounding up this list, is support for maths equations. You can work with complex equations and symbols and they will all be displayed as they should inside an InDesign document. There’s even a ‘Math Expressions’ panel for you to manually add said symbols to your document (you can also copy and paste them from elsewhere). This’ll no doubt be great for scientific papers.

• New features: 4 / 5

Adobe InDesign: Flex Layout

(Image credit: Adobe // Future)

• A great way to create a responsive layout inside your document
• Big potential to quickly create alternative layouts in seconds
• It’s only let down by the feature’s inability to resize the objects within it

But perhaps the biggest new feature for this version of InDesign is Flex Layouts. Its purpose is to make it easy to create different layouts in seconds, and a great way to provide options for your team or clients. You get to select a number of assets on your page and link them together by ticking the ‘Create Flex Layout’ box. This essentially makes a responsive design inside InDesign.

The selected items are in a bounding box. Resize the box and the items will move around according to set parameters you control. You can alter the spacing between objects, and the orientation that they will take within the boundaries. It gives you great flexibility.

The only downside I found is that the Flex Layout cannot alter any selected asset’s size, which does limit its usefulness somewhat: you have to resize them manually, should you find the resulting space too big or too small for them.

• Flex Layout: 4 / 5

Should I buy?

(Image credit: Adobe // Future)

Buy it if...

If you’re in the market for a feature-rich desktop publishing application, with a series of useful new features, and are already wedded to the Adobe ecosystem.

Don't buy it if...

You’re not a fan of Adobe, or of subscriptions, and are looking for an alternative that isn’t as expensive, even if it doesn’t have all the features InDesign has.

For more design tools, we tested the best Adobe InDesign alternatives

• ^ Back to top

Regular readers of my reviews will know I’m not a big fan of renting software (developers erroneously refer to those as ‘subscriptions’). I prefer to purchase - and therefore own - my software.

But what’s better than paying for stuff? Getting it for free of course! So what do you do when your budget’s just too tight, not only to afford expensive ongoing monthly commitments (like Photoshop), but even just one-off costs (like Pixelmator Pro)? You set out on a search for free alternatives, such as GIMP, that’s what.

GIMP: Pricing & plans

• A free image manipulation tool. What’s not to like?

GIMP stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program - an acronym within an acronym! GNU is the backbone of the free software movement. it's a massive collection of free software designed to create a UNIX-like operating system with a focus on user freedoms. GNU stands for ‘GNU’s Not Unix’.

GIMP has massively evolved since those origins, and has been multi-platform, available on Linux, Windows and Macs, for a while.

It’s a free and open source raster-based photo editor. Raster means you’ll be working with and can manipulate pixels, just like in paid-for alternatives such as Photoshop, Affinity, and Pixelmator.

You can grab your own copy by clicking here.

GIMP: Interface

(Image credit: GIMP // Future)

• Simple and similar to its competition
• But it can be totally customized to fit your style

Launch the app and you’ll find an interface that’s very similar to most other image manipulation software. You’ve got a sidebar on either side, containing tools, inspectors, layer and channel info, and more.

But you’re not constrained by that layout. In a way similar to Photoshop, you’re able to move those panels to other locations on the interface, or close them altogether. You’ll find a list of all available parameters by going to Windows > Dockable Dialogs.

This flexibility can be very welcome to set up an interface exactly as you want it - the flip side of course, is that it can make it tricky when using the exact same software on another computer, although admittedly, that would only affect a small number of users.

Another way to customize GIMP is via its Settings options. From there, the colour theme can be altered - which means this is where you choose between a white, grey or black interface, or have this be linked to the general preference you set in your operating system. Icons can be bigger or smaller than the default (which can be useful when working on very large displays).

If you prefer coloured icons as GIMP used to have, rather than the new mono-colour minimalist look, reverting to them is but a click away.

GIMP: Tools

(Image credit: GIMP // Future)

• A vast collection of tools for altering and improving photos
• You can create complex layer-intensive projects

When it comes to the available tools, pretty much everything seems to be there. You have selection tools, both rectangles and elliptical ones, a lasso tool, and a wizard wand.

There’s a crop tool, transform options, including distortion and smudge capabilities, colour application tools like a bucket, pencil, pen, gradient, and eraser, a healing brush, text options, and the ability to create paths. Basically, this is everything you’d expect from a modern raster-based image manipulation program.

As for Layer work, your project can have as many of them as you need. You can move them around, lock or hide them, apply filters to each of them, and there’s even a handful of composite modes you can apply to them (although not as many as other programs).

Speaking of filters, you have dozens to work with, from the basic blurs and sharpen tools, to more artistic ones. Again, there is nothing there that I haven’t seen before, and they’re all most welcome. The same can be said about all colour correction parameters.

All in all, on paper it looks great, and if that’s not enough for you, GIMP is compatible with 3rd party plugin, including Photoshop-compatible ones. With them, you could import hundreds of new brushes for instance. The most popular plugin collection comes from G’MIC, which brings over 600 filters to GIMP (and other compatible software). These plugins are free, and you can get them all from here.

GIMP: In use

(Image credit: GIMP // Future)

• A good selection of tools, but some appear to be missing
• Scrolling through a zoomed in image can be a serious struggle
• Room for improvement

How all this will work for you in a real-world workflow will be greatly subjective, so here’s where I’m coming from so you can understand my own perspective: I regularly use Affinity, Adobe Photoshop, and Pixelmator Pro.

Although GIMP provides most of the tools I’d need, like 98% of them, there were a handful of things which made it tricky for me to use. The absolute worst for me was zooming in and scrolling through an image. I use my trackpad a lot for this and with any of the other image manipulators I’ve used regularly, I could do this and move through the canvas effortlessly.

Not so with GIMP. Zooming in and out was fine, but scrolling through the image to get to where I needed was practically impossible - unless I needed to go to an edge or corner - it did that in a flash - but it was impossible for me to slowing move around and make the alterations I needed up close.

Sure, I could do it by grabbing the handle bars to the right and bottom of the image, but that’s far from an intuitive way of altering projects. I’m not sure why this wasn’t working, but it was a serious hindrance.

As for the tool I missed the most: background removal. It’s a relatively modern one, and it’s never perfect when the background is complex, requiring a lot of touch up, but it’s so much faster than any previous methods… yet GIMP doesn’t appear to have it in its portfolio. Instead, you need to do it the old fashioned way, by manually selecting the object and clean up the selection.

OK, that’s what I used to have to do in the past, but I shouldn’t expect to have to do it now. A part of me hopes such a tool is present and I just missed it, because not having it sure is a chore, even if the app itself is free.

Having said that, what tools GIMP does have are well designed, easy to use, and effective. If you’re looking for an image manipulator with simple to moderate tools, you really have nothing to lose by checking out GIMP. Who knows: it might meet or even exceed your expectations, and will save you a bunch of money in the long run.

Should I try GIMP?

(Image credit: GIMP // Future)

Buy it if...
You’re looking for an image manipulator program that provides a wealth of tools, is compatible with third-party plugins, and won’t cost you a dime.

Don't buy it if...
You need a workspace that is way more forgiving than GIMP is, and you’d rather have access to some advanced tools, instead of doing it “the old fashioned way”.

GIMP: Also consider

For alternatives to GIMP, I recommend Affinity by Canva, Adobe Photoshop, and Pixelmator Pro.

GIMP // FutureGIMP // Future

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review

The Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless is a premium low-profile gaming keyboard built for those who want one board for gaming and productivity shortcuts, with enough flexibility to handle use across multiple setups. It uses a 99% layout, so you still get a numpad and function row, but the overall footprint is smaller than a regular full-size board.

Add fast polling over both wired and 2.4GHz wireless, OPX low-profile optical switches, per-key RGB, an LCD screen and six Stream Deck-friendly keys, and it’s clear the Vanguard isn’t aimed at users who just want a simple wireless keyboard.

The Vanguard Air 99 has a slightly compact 99% layout.FutureThe Vanguard Air 99 has the Stream Deck keys on the left edgeFutureThe Vanguard Air 99 has a a compact but full numpad on the right.FutureThe Vanguard Air 99 has a range of inbuilt RGB effects.FutureWith the LEDs off, the Vanguard Air 99 blends in even at workFuture

The high price feels purposeful, but it does mean the board won't appeal to everyone. At $260 / £240 / AU$429, it sits well above plenty of great options in our best keyboards guide. The value proposition makes most sense if you’ll actually use the Stream Deck keys, Virtual Stream Deck, Web Hub profiles, LCD and rotary dial, and love RGB, but it’s still a lot to spend if you really just need a slim keyboard for games or productivity.

The physical design and build quality are two of the areas where the Vanguard Air 99 really stands out. The aluminum-topped frame gives the keyboard a more premium feel than many low-profile boards, while the black or white finish keeps the look clean enough for a work desk.

At 26.27mm (~1-inch) high, it’s very slim for a keyboard with a full numpad, and the 99% layout is a sensible middle ground if you need number keys but still want more mouse room than a standard full-size board would leave.

That said, the tighter layout does take some getting used to. A 99% board keeps almost everything, but it compresses the nav cluster and pushes the six Stream Deck keys to the left edge. The layout works well overall, but the Vanguard Air 99 isn’t quite as immediately familiar to type on as the near-full-size spec suggests, and it took me a while to adjust.

The aspect that took longest was avoiding occasional accidental presses of the Stream Deck keys, so you’ll have to bear with it if you’re coming from a conventional full-size keyboard.

The Vanguard Air 99 has loads of customization options (Image credit: Future)

The OPX low-profile optical switches make for a very enjoyable typing experience. They have a short 1.5mm actuation point and 2.5mm total travel, so key presses feel quick without bottoming out too fast.

The switches are linear, pre-lubed and not hot-swappable, which lets Corsair set up the feel but does limit future tinkering.

The combination of the gasket mount and internal sound dampening gives the Vanguard Air 99 a more polished feel than many low-profile keyboards. I find that some (admittedly, much cheaper) designs can sound thin or plasticky, but the Vanguard Air 99 Wireless uses its gasket mount and five internal sound-absorbing layers to make each key press feel solid, smooth and very quiet.

The PBT keycaps, which use a tougher, more wear-resistant plastic, also help the premium impression, and the double-shot molding means the legends are made from a separate layer of plastic rather than printed on top. Be aware that some regional layouts may use ABS keycaps, which are made from a smoother, more common plastic that can develop shine more quickly, so buyers should check the exact version.

The appeal to gamers is pretty straightforward. The Vanguard Air 99 Wireless supports 8,000Hz polling over USB and Slipstream v2 2.4GHz wireless, plus FlashTap SOCD (Simultaneous Opposing Cardinal Directions) handling for resolving overlapping directional inputs. For most users, 8K polling is more about headroom than making a clear difference in games, but it’s good to see wireless performance has no compromises.

Switch customization is one area where the Vanguard Air 99 lacks flexibility. Many expensive gaming boards now offer magnetic or analog switches with adjustable actuation and rapid trigger-style features. The Vanguard Air 99’s optical switches are fast and consistent, but actuation isn’t adjustable.

Competitive players chasing that exact level of tuning may be better served by one of the best gaming keyboards with analog switches.

The Vanguard Air 99 has a slim profile.FutureFeet down, the Vanguard Air 99 sits very low. FutureThe arrow keys have semi clear keycapsFutureThe RGB lighting is nice and even.FutureYou can also turn the brightness down. FutureThe Vanguard Air 99 can be connect via cable, Bluetooth or 2.4GHz wireless dongleFutureThe underside of the Vanguard Air 99 keyboard. FutureThe fold out feet on the keyboard have great grip. Future

Customization control is split across Corsair Web Hub, the Stream Deck app and iCUE support. I like the Web Hub approach because it lets you adjust key assignments, macros, lighting, polling and profiles in a browser without installing anything. This is especially handy if you want to use the keyboard across multiple machines.

For example, you might have iCUE installed on your gaming rig, but not bother with it if connecting to a work laptop. The Web Hub also makes it easier to configure the keyboard on a machine where you are restricted from installing unapproved apps.

The software side still feels like a work in progress, though. That’s important because the Stream Deck keys, LCD, RGB lighting, rotary dial and onboard profiles are a large part of what buyers are paying for.

While the Stream Deck app is great, the keyboard management software feels like it’s playing catch-up to the hardware. For example, iCUE support wasn’t initially available for the Vanguard Air 99, and it’s easy to hit limitations in both the Web Hub and iCUE at times.

RGB control is a good example. You can select from a range of RGB customizations, with different layers for making certain keys stand out, but there’s no proper per-key color and effect control that lets you truly make it your own. You also can’t build your own effects — something even my cheap RGB Christmas lights allow.

The selectable effects only have three speed options, and the slowest setting was still too fast for my taste. For a keyboard at this price, the lighting control is a lot less granular than I had hoped for.

The Vanguard Air 99 keyboard has six customizable keys on the left. FutureThe keycaps are easily removed. FutureYou can fit different keycaps, but they must be low profile.FutureThe screen on the keyboard can be customised.FutureThe rotary dial cover can be removed. Future

The six Stream Deck keys are the aspect that had me most excited about the Vanguard Air 99, even though they are just normal keys without an embedded LCD. If you already use Elgato Stream Deck, mapping shortcuts for your favorite apps or repeated productivity actions is very useful.

The limitation is that these keys are still physical buttons with static legends (though you can change the keycaps), not full Stream Deck display keys, so the setup works best for a small number of repeat actions rather than constantly changing layouts.

The included keycap sets are a useful touch too. Corsair includes one set of six Stream Deck icon keycaps and one set of six Mac keycaps, and there’s a Windows / Mac switch key to go with them. The caps were easy enough to swap by hand on my sample, but there’s no keycap puller in the box, which feels like an odd omission when replacement caps are included.

The package also includes the Slipstream Wireless v2 adapter, a female USB-C to female USB-A adapter and a USB-C to USB-A cable. The 2.4GHz receiver magnetically slots into the keyboard next to the buttons and is easy to access, while the little adapter is used with a USB-C cable to help make positioning the receiver more convenient if your desktop is tucked away or the rear USB ports are crowded.

The included USB cable is soft and has a braided fabric shell, but I’d still have preferred a standard USB-C to USB-C cable with a USB-A adapter, which would give more flexibility for port selection.

The screen on the Vanguard Air 99 means my dog can judge me all day (Image credit: Future)

The 1.9-inch LCD is best considered as a small status and personalization display rather than a major productivity feature. It’s a 1.9-inch IPS full-color display with a 320 x 170 resolution, 350 cd/m² brightness and 30 FPS image support, so the hardware itself is pretty good. It gives the Vanguard Air 99 some extra visual character, it can show images and GIFs, and it’s useful for quick feedback on remaining battery and modes. It can also be configured to show system data like temperature sensor readouts.

Uploading images or animations is an easy way to customize the look, but note that it has to be done over wired USB, and while the adjustment tool lets you center a picture, the fixed zoom steps are fairly large and make fine-tuning harder than it should be. The screen feels like software upgrades could make it more useful in the future.

The battery life is respectable, but I wouldn’t call it exceptional. Corsair quotes up to 55 hours with keyboard lighting off and the LCD at 20% brightness or 29 hours with both keyboard lighting and the LCD at 20%. I tended to like it brighter, so I only managed about 20 hours, which means this is a keyboard you’ll likely keep plugged in most of the time if you use the RGB and screen heavily. Still, being able to go full wireless is very much appreciated.

There are extra Mac and Stream Deck keycaps included with the keyboard. FutureA USB cable and adaptor is included in the box. FutureThe 2.4GHz dongle tucks away magnetically in the keyboard. FutureThe little wireless dongle can handle the same 8,000Hz polling as the wired connection.Future

Overall, the Vanguard Air 99 looks like a good fit for certain buyers. The keyboard is slim, well built and well suited to fast gaming, but also has enough productivity features to feel more flexible than a typical gaming keyboard.

That software maturity is the main thing that complicates my recommendation. The Vanguard Air 99’s price feels more reasonable when you look at the hardware: the low-profile build, Stream Deck keys, LCD, rotary dial, wireless 8K polling and compact numpad layout all support a specific premium desk setup. But because the software isn’t as polished, buyers may be left waiting to get full value from the keyboard.

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review: price & release date

• Available for $260 / £240 / AU$429
• Released March 17, 2026
• Available in black and white

The Vanguard Air 99 competes with low-profile wireless models like the Logitech G915 X Lightspeed TKL and Razer DeathStalker V2 Pro, plus analog gaming boards such as the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3.

Corsair’s advantage is the blend of low-profile design, numpad and Stream Deck-adjacent controls. It isn’t a value-first keyboard, but it is easier to understand as a deliberate premium board for people who want low-profile typing, gaming wireless and desk-control features in one setup.

The arrow keycaps are clear, showing off the RGB LEDs. (Image credit: Future)Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review: specsCorsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless specs

Layout

99%

Switch

Corsair OPX low-profile optical-mechanical

Switch specs

45g; 1.5mm actuation; 2.5mm travel; 80m keystrokes

Programmable keys

Six Stream Deck keys, Elgato key, Web Hub / Stream Deck app / iCUE support

Onboard profiles

5 profiles

Keycaps

Low-profile, swappable; PBT double-shot on NA/UK layouts, ABS on other layouts

Extra controls

1.9-inch LCD, rotary dial, six Stream Deck keys, Elgato key, Windows / Mac switch

Dimensions

425.63 x 137.63 x 26.27mm (16.8 x 5.4 x 1in)

RGB or backlighting

Yes (per-key RGB)

Connectivity

2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, wired USB

Polling rate

8,000Hz wired and wireless

Rollover / anti-ghosting

Full-key rollover (NKRO) with 100% anti-ghosting

Battery life (rated)

Up to 55 hours with keyboard lighting off; up to 29 hours with lighting and LCD at 20%

Weight

0.928kg (2.05lb)

Price

$260 / £240 / AU$429

Included extras

Slipstream Wireless v2 adapter, braided USB-C to USB-A cable, USB-C to USB-A adapter, Stream Deck icon keycaps, Mac keycaps

With the brightness turned down, the battery lasts a lot longer. (Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless?Should you buy it?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

8K wired and wireless polling, LCD, rotary dial, Stream Deck keys and Web Hub profiles give the Vanguard Air 99 a broad, purposeful feature set.

4.5

Performance

OPX low-profile optical switches are quick and smooth, though fixed actuation means analog rivals still offer more tuning.

4

Design

Slim aluminum frame, 99% layout and two color options feel premium, but the compressed layout and left-side keys take a little getting used to.

4

Value

The high price feels purposeful for the target buyer, but current software limits how fully the hardware can be used.

3

Overall

A purposeful premium low-profile keyboard with excellent hardware, useful Stream Deck integration and software that still needs more polish.

4

Buy it if…

You want one low-profile board for gaming and work
The 99% layout keeps a numpad in a slim body, while wireless 8K polling, OPX switches and browser-based profiles make the Vanguard Air 99 flexible enough for daily use.

You already use Stream Deck shortcuts
The six Stream Deck keys and Virtual Stream Deck support are useful for launching your favorite apps or repeated productivity actions.

You like premium low-profile typing
The aluminum frame, gasket mount, sound dampening and short-travel OPX switches give the board a more polished feel than cheaper low-profile alternatives.

Don’t buy it if…

You want maximum competitive tuning
The OPX switches are fast, but they don’t offer adjustable actuation or hot-swap support, so analog boards are a better fit if you want deeper control.

You expect fully mature RGB and LCD controls
The hardware is promising, but the current software lacks fine-grained lighting, image adjustment and screen control.

You need long battery life with RGB on
Corsair’s top battery figure requires keyboard lighting off and the LCD at 20%, so with bright RGB and the screen on, you’ll want to keep it plugged in.

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless review: also considerAlso consider

Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless

Corsair K100 Air Wireless

Razer DeathStalker V2 Pro

Layout

99%

Full size

Full size

Switch

OPX low-profile optical

Cherry MX ultra-low-profile tactile

Razer low-profile optical

Programmable keys

6 Stream Deck keys; Elgato key; Web Hub / iCUE

4 G-keys; iCUE macros

Remappable keys; on-the-fly macros; Synapse

Dimensions

425.63 x 137.63 x 26.27mm (16.8 x 5.4 x 1in)

437 x 156 x 11-17mm (17.2 x 6.1 x 0.4-0.7in)

437 x 139 x 26mm (17.2 x 5.5 x 1in)

RGB

Per-key RGB

Per-key RGB

Per-key RGB

Polling rate

8,000Hz wired and wireless

8,000Hz wired; 1,000Hz wireless

1,000Hz

Switch specs

45g; 1.5mm actuation; 2.5mm travel; 80m

65g; 0.8mm actuation; 1.8mm travel

Linear: 45g, 1.2mm; Clicky: 50g, 1.5mm; 2.8mm travel

Battery life

55hr lights off; 29hr LCD/RGB at 20%

200hr lights off; 50hr RGB

Up to 40hr

Profiles

5

Up to 50

Up to 5 hybrid onboard/cloud

Keycaps

Low-profile, swappable

Ultra-low-profile, non-standard

Low-profile, coated ABS

Controls

LCD; dial; 6 Stream Deck keys; Elgato key

Media keys; volume roller; 4 G-keys

Media button and roller

Connectivity

2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, wired USB

2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, wired USB

2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, wired USB

Corsair K100 Air Wireless
Corsair’s earlier ultra-thin board is still worth considering if you want a full-size low-profile keyboard with very good battery life and more traditional macro keys. The K100 Air lacks the Vanguard Air 99’s Stream Deck-style keys and 8K wireless mode, but its typing feel and battery stamina remain competitive.
Read our full Corsair K100 Air Wireless review

Razer DeathStalker V2 Pro
The DeathStalker V2 Pro is a useful alternative if you want a low-profile wireless gaming keyboard with a lighter, more conventional layout and responsive optical switches. The DeathStalker V2 Pro is still expensive, but it’s a proven option for buyers who don’t need a numpad-focused 99% layout or Stream Deck extras.
Read our full Razer DeathStalker V2 Pro review

With the brightness up, the RGB LEDs look great, but use a lot more battery power. (Image credit: Future)How I tested the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless

• Used as my primary keyboard for two weeks
• Tested wired USB, 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth
• Swapped keycaps and tested software controls

I tested the Corsair Vanguard Air 99 Wireless by using it as my main keyboard for two weeks across work, productivity tasks and gaming. I used it on both an Apple MacBook Air and a Windows laptop, switching between wired USB, 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth modes, and I typed this review and other work on it during that period.

I also swapped the included keycaps, checked the magnetic receiver storage, used the Windows / Mac switch and adjusted lighting and profiles in Corsair Web Hub and iCUE. I set up the Stream Deck keys through the Stream Deck app, used the LCD and rotary dial in daily use, and kept the lighting and screen bright enough to compare my real-world battery life with Corsair’s quoted figures.

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

Motorola Razr Fold: Two-minute review

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

The Motorola Razr Fold 2026 is the perfect foldable flagship phone entry, as seen through a funhouse mirror. Everything approaches perfection, but then veers off in another slightly oddball direction.

Take the design. It is one of the thinnest folding phones out there, but only if you ignore the massive camera plateau that appears to rise up a solid half inch off the back. The cover screen is larger than, say, what you'll find on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, but it has this dated waterfall-glass design that trades the flat plane I prefer for four slightly curved edges.

It offers a lot of high-megapixel cameras, even on the main screen and cover screen selfie cameras, but the photo quality, while good, is not as sharp and true as you would expect for a smartphone hovering near the two-grand range.

It supports a Bluetooth digital pen — something the Galaxy Z Fold 7 can no longer claim — but stores it in a cigar-sized charging case that might draw unwanted attention in your pocket.

Even the colors, which are lovely, get a left turn thanks to one name in particular: Pantone Blackened Blue.

All that said, I like this foldable. It has enough power, versatility, and intelligence (Gemini and Moto AI) to satisfy the most discerning foldable fan. There's even some ground-breaking technology on board in the form of silicon-carbon batteries — a first for one of the major smartphone brands in the US. The new chemistry enables more power and longer battery life in less space. It's probably why I got at least two days of battery life per charge.

All in all, this is an impressive first full-foldable try for Motorola and certainly makes the Razr foldable series one to watch.

Motorola Razr Fold review: Price & availability

• Starts at $1,899.99 / £1,799.99 (AU$ not yet announced) for 512GB of storage and 16GB RAM
• Available in Pantone Blackened Blue and Pantone Lily White

The Motorola Razr Fold was unveiled on April 28 alongside a range of Razr Flip foldables.

While not cheap by any means, the Motorola Razr Fold 2026 does, at $$1,899.99 / £1,799.99, undercut the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 by about $100 / £100. It ships in one configuration: 516GB of storage with 16G of RAM. What makes it an even greater value, though, is the pre-order bundle that adds the very useful Moto Pen Ultra, a writing, drawing, and annotation tool that significantly increases the smartphone's utility. The Pen will cost $99.99 / £99.99 as an accessory.

Pre-orders start on May 14, and the phone ships on June 21. There are two color options: Pantone Blackened Blue and Pantone Lily White. I do wish someone had thought a little harder about that first color name. At least it's quite attractive in person.

Motorola Razr Fold 2026 pricing

Storage

US Price

UK Price

AU Price

512GB

$1,899.99

£1,799.99

NA

• Value score: 4 / 5

Motorola Razr Fold review: SpecsMotorola Razr Fold specifications

Dimensions:

Open: 160.5 x 144.46 x 4.55mm
Closed: 160.5 x 76.6 x 9.89mm

Weight:

243g

Inner Display:

8.1-inch AMOLED

Outer Display:

6.6-inch AMOLED

Chipset:

Qualcomm Sanpdragon 8 Gen 5

RAM:

16GB

Storage:

512GB

OS:

Android 16

Main cameras

50MP wide; 50MP ultra wide; 50MP 3X telephoto zoom

Selfie camera:

20MP

Internal selfie camera

32MP

Battery:

6,000 mAh

Charging:

80W wired; Qi wireless

Colors:

Blackened Blue, Lily White

Motorola Razr Fold review: DesignLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

• Thin and relatively light
• The camera plateau is huge
• The etched back feels good and erases all concerns about it slipping from your hand

Out in the wild, the Motorola Razr Fold 2026 is the flexible phone most likely to draw quizzical stares and commentary. They look sideways at the camera bump, but are drawn to the otherwise elegant body. "Do you like it?" they ask with some concern.

I can tell that they, like me, are not entirely sure. The phone telegraphs "thin and light," but when you hold it, it seems a bit more substantial. Even the numbers don't tell the full story.

Folded, the Razr Fold is 160.5 x 76.6 x 9.89mm. That's slightly larger and thicker than the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The unfolded numbers are similarly upscaled a bit. But none of it accounts for the big, tall, and square camera bump. If you lay the phone down on the camera side, it tips up at a considerable angle. That camera array also accounts for the weight, which at 243g is 28 grams heavier than the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

I know, it might seem unfair to constantly compare the Motorola Razr Fold 2026 to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, but for me, the latter represents the pinnacle of folding phone design. It's not perfect (I hated losing pen compatibility), but the sum of its parts adds up to the best foldable on the market. It's the benchmark Motorola must meet or beat to play in this arguably small market space (until Apple's iPhone fold comes along).

Aside from the bump atop the otherwise pleasing "diamond piqué-inspired" back finish, this is an attractive and solidly built folding phone. This smoothly-operating hinge is small and unobtrusive, and the handset unfolds to a virtually flat plane.

Overall, the Razr Fold features some quality engineering and tolerances, as evidenced by the virtually non-existent gap between the two screen halves when folded.

It's also a durable phone with Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3 on the cover display. Like most other foldables, the Motorola Razr Fold is IP48-rated, meaning it can handle 30 minutes in a few feet of water (a big deal for any phone with so many moving parts). There's no real protection for debris like sand. If I take my foldable to the beach, it's always in a protective pouch.

There are the typical volume buttons on one thin side, right above the power/sleep button that also doubles as an effective fingerprint reader. (so far, I've registered my index finger and thumb for the different ways I use the handset) If you long-press it, it summons Gemini, a feature I used more than once, and, yes, the phone supports Gemini Live.

Multiple microphones are arrayed around the frame, and there are speakers (yes, the Bose-backed speakers can get very loud) at the top and bottom. On the base is the USB-C port and a SIM slot.

There is one more knurled button opposite the volume pair. Its job is to summon the other on-board AIs, which include Perplexity and Microsoft's Copilot. It seems that every smartphone must include not just one or two AI but at least three to qualify as "AI phones". I can only imagine how this confuses less tech-savvy users.

• Design score: 5 / 5

Motorola Razr Fold review: Displays

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

• 6.6-inch inner display
• 8.1-inch outer display
• Both are 120Hz-capable

The Motorola Razr Fold 2026 offers a pair of excellent displays. The 6.6-inch cover display is indistinguishable from a standard flagship display. Despite being slightly larger, it matches the Galaxy Z Fold 7's cover display resolution (2520x1080 pixels) and even uses essentially the same AMOLED screen technology.

I don't love the waterfall glass design, but I do otherwise like looking at this high-resolution and smooth (up to 120Hz) adaptive display. Motorola rates both displays at 6,000 nits peak brightness, but our Future Labs tests found the numbers considerably lower.

This doesn't mean the screens are dim, far from it. Instead, a peak nit rating is about operating in direct sunlight when your phone is doing all it can to stay visible. In my anecdotal testing, say, using the maps out on the streets, I found the screen fully viewable.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

The 8.1-inch main or flexible display is bigger and, at 2484x 2232 pixels, offers higher resolution than the Galaxy Z Fold 7. It's a lovely, up to 120Hz AMOLED screen with the added benefit of accepting pen input, which may be one reason it's slightly thicker than the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

My test unit arrived with the optional $99.99 Moto Pen Ultra, and despite the ridiculous-looking, cigar-sized charging case, I highly recommend it.

I used the pen for annotations, writing search queries that the onboard AI did an excellent job interpreting, and drawing. However, while the display can handle pen input and is pressure sensitive, the screen will gently warn you if you are pressing too hard and running the risk of damaging the display.

Since everyone asks, Motorola has done a good job with the crease. It's still visible when the screen is off, and you can feel it with your finger, but I challenge anyone to notice it when playing a full-screen game, taking pictures, viewing photos, or otherwise using the Razr Fold. I did feel the crease a bit when I was drawing, but again, it did not impede the "quality" of my work.

Lance Ulanoff / FutureLane Ulanoff / FutureLane Ulanoff / Future

• Displays score: 5 / 5

Motorola Razr Fold review: Cameras

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

I may not love the camera array, but the Razr Fold 2026 does have an impressive collection of lenses (including the in-display ones):

• 50MP main camera
• 50MP ultra-wide camera
• 50MP periscope telephoto (3x optical zoom)
• 32MP internal front camera
• 20MP external front camera

Obviously, I can find foldables with higher megapixel counts, including a 200MP camera on the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Still, the main array's collection of 50MP shooters across three shooting styles is pleasantly consistent. And, for what it's worth, no one shoots in full megapixel formats. The majority of us shoot in binned mode, which means we usually capture 12MP images with 4 pixels-worth of information per megapixel.

Motorola's cameras, including the selfie cameras on the main and cover displays, all take high-quality images. The colors are rich, and the clarity is good.

Overall, though, there is an unnaturalness to the palette. I think this is down to the on-board image-processing (which has an AI assist). It's doing too much, making the blues too blue and the greens almost dayglo.

As for the sharpness, the images look good up to 100 percent, but closer examination beyond that, at, say, 200%, shows a sharp breakdown in quality. I just think Motorola's image pipeline needs some tuning.

3X zoom is nice to have, though if you're building in periscope technology, why not stretch it to 5X? I have no use for 100X Super Zoom, which is a digital approximation of what they systme thinks you should be seeing. None of these hyper-zoomed images holds up to scrutiny.

Lance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

Landscape, portraits, city views, and still lifes all look good. There's admirable performance on low-light images, macro with the ultra-wide is impressive, and portrait mode is solid. However, I did see some weird imperfections where the system couldn't neatly separate me from my bokeh background.

I like that both selfie cameras have relatively high megapixel counts, but like any good folding phone, the Razr Fold lets you shoot a selfie using the best camera (50MP Main). It's an easy-to-access setting in the camera app that puts the viewfinder on the cover screen, so when you hold the unfolded phone with the main camera array facing you, you can also see how you look in the frame and snap the picture with the on-screen digital shutter button.

The phone also shoots 4K video up to 60fps and 8K video up to 30fps. All of it, by the way, is shot with Dolby Vision. On the phone, it looks really good. Sadly, I found I had trouble editing the videos in PowerDirector.

• Camera score: 3.5 / 5

Motorola Razr Fold review: Camera samplesLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureLance Ulanoff / FutureMotorola Razr Fold review: Software

• Moto AI isn't all useful, but shows potential
• Neat splitscreen features

As an Android 16 phone, this is a relatively clean build with none of Samsung's insistence on duplicating core apps like the Gallery and Web Browser. But it does arrive stuffed with AI options, including ChatGPT, Copilot, Perplexity, and, of course, Gemini.

(Image credit: Moto AI)

Not to be outdone, there's also Moto AI, which even includes its own Image Studio. Using the Moto Pen Ultra, I wrote that I wanted: an image of two dogs playing pickleball in front of a crowd.

I quickly noticed how, unlike say, the Image Playground in Apple Intelligence, Moto AI Image Studio was happy to give realism a try. Sadly, it took one paddle-weilding paw and stuck it in the furry chest of one dog. The faces of crowd members were also horrifying. By the way, the Moto AI image generation is not an unlimited tool. You get a limited number of image credits per day. They refresh every evening.

Generally, though, this is a very Google-centric phone with home screen access to Gemini, Google One, Google Meet, Chrome, and more.

When you open the phone to access the 8.1-inch display, you get extra features that take advantage of the screen real estate, like split screen and freeform, which let you run up to three apps on the screen at once.

FutureLance Ulanoff / Future

I also found that I could use splitscreen with the phone set up in an L-shaped hybrid desktop. So the bottom half of the screen becomes the place to adjust settings, and the top half is the app screen you see. It's also a cool, hands-free way to watch Netflix.

As I mentioned, there's a lot of AI in here, and while the Moto AI stuff isn't all useful, it shows potential. Catch-up will help you quickly figure out what you missed or should be doing right now, but it only works if you let the system access your personal data. The same goes for the Remember This Moto AI feature, which is basically an AI-powered Reminder system.

I don't see much reason to use Perplexity or Copilot, not when I have Gemini on board, which is as effective here as it's been on any other system.

• Software score: 4 / 5

Motorola Razr Fold review: Performance

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset
• 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage as standard

Motorola was smart to stick Qualcomm's excellent Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 (backed by 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage) inside its first full-fold flagship. It's not Qualcomm's latest and greatest chip (that accolade goes to the similarly-named Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5), but it can be thought of as the Android equivalent of Apple’s A18 chipset (which is still plenty powerful, albeit a rung below the top-end A18 Pro).

In practical operation, this is a peppy phone. Multiple apps run smoothly. Gaming in Asphalt: Legends and PUBG is a joy (yes, I connected Bluetooth headphones so as not to disturb my coworkers), and AI operations are generally quite fast.

• Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Motorola Razr Fold review: Battery

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

• 6,000mAh battery yields two days of use
• First silicon-carbon battery in the US mobile market

At 6,000mAh, the Motorola Razr Fold features one of the largest batteries we've seen in the folding space, but it's the chemistry that counts here. This is the first silicon-carbon battery in the US mobile market, and it brings with it some special capabilities.

First of all, it has those milli-amp hours, but still fits in a thin folding frame. Secondly, it's more efficient, and third, it can recharge with an 80W charger. Though it ships with only a USB-C cable, and I didn't have a charger on hand, my anecdotal battery tests left me impressed.

Okay, our Future Labs tests put battery life between 14 and 16 hours. That's not bad for a dual-screen foldable, but in my more varied use, I got at least two days per charge: the Razr Fold seemed to just sip battery power.

Your mileage may vary, but for me, this was a real highlight of my tests.

• Battery score: 5 / 5

Should you buy the Motorola Razr Fold?Motorola Razr Fold scorecard

Value

Not cheap but does undercut the best foldable in the space

4/5

Design

Relatively thin and light, but the massive camera array and slightly curved screen are turn-offs

5/5

Display

Two excellent displays full of sharp imagery, fast performance, and lots of versatility. Pen support is a definite plus.

5/5

Cameras

Lots of high-megapixel cameras but image processing needs some work

3.5/5

Software

Not too much bloat and access to all the right Google tools. Too much AI, probably. Is Moto AI worth it? Almost.

4/5

Performance

A powerful Qualcomm chip backed by lots of RAM; what more could you ask for?

4.5/5

Battery

New silicon-carbon technology makes for a thin phone with really good battery life.

5/5

Buy it if...

You want a thin flagship foldable that supports pen input
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is thinner and lighter, but it doesn't support pen input like this.

You like an AI-infused folding phone
The Motorola Razr Fold has a lot of AI, including Moto AI.

You’re not a Samsung fan and can't wait for Apple's iPhone Fold
This is a good folding phone and should support all your work and play needs.

Don't buy it if...

You were looking for an elegant design
The Motorola Razr Fold is an acquired taste. That camera bump is a true plateau, and some may not like the curved cover display.

You want to pay a lot less for a foldable
The Motorola Razr is a bit cheaper, but it will still set you back.

You want the best cameras
The Motorola Razr Fold has the right number of megapixels, but the image pipeline needs work.

Also consider

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
If you want a foldable that actually has great cameras, try the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, though you’ll also pay dearly for that privilege.

Read our in-depth Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review

Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold
The Pixel 10 Pro Fold gets by on great looks, charming software personality, and a more durable build than any other foldable on the market.

Read our in-depth Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold review

Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

Price

$1,799 / £1,749 / AU$2,699

$1,999.99 / £1,799 / AU$2,899

Display(s)

6.4-inch OLED
8-inch OLED

6.5-inch LTPO AMOLED
8-inch LTPO AMOLED

Main Camera

48MP, f/1.7, 0.5-inch sensor

200MP, f/1.7, 0.76-inch sensor

Battery Test Results (HH:MM:SS)

12:16:31

10:44:44

How I tested the Motorola Razr Fold

I spent a week with the Motorola Razr Fold 2026, carrying it with me everywhere and using it in a. variety of scenarios. I used a combination of my own benchmarks and battery rundown tests, and those from Future labs.

I've been a journalist for 40 years, writing about technology for 37 years, and have covered mobile phones for 25 years.

First reviewed May, 2026

Motorola Razr 2025: One-minute review

(Image credit: Nirave Gondhia)

If you’re looking for the best folding phone in terms of value for money, the Razr 2025 is a sleeper hit that you shouldn’t skip out on. Although it’s not the best flip phone you can buy right now (that accolade goes to the Galaxy Z Flip 7 or pricier Razr Ultra 2025), it delivers a great experience at a much lower price than its premium rivals.

What's more, when you consider that its newly announced successor, the Razr 2026, costs more than the Razr 2025 did at launch, Motorola's previous-generation flip phone continues to look appealing almost 12 months after its initial release — not least because it's available at a substantial discount at the time of writing.

The Razr 2025 (which is known as the Razr 60 in certain regions) offers Motorola's core flip phone experience without the bells and whistles of the Razr Ultra. There are definitely trade-offs for its lower price — its two rear cameras definitely fall into the 'good, not great' category, and its MediaTek Dimensity 7400X chipset is decidedly mid-range — but while most phones age poorly a year or two later, the Razr 2025 remains one of the best-value flip phones you can buy, especially if style is your priority.

The World Cup edition (which I used to write this review) adds a little more uniqueness and pizazz to the Razr 2025 package with a textured eco-leather finish, but it’s ostensibly the same great experience you’ll find in the non-FIFA edition. It also comes at no additional cost, which is refreshing to see.

Motorola Razr 2025 review: price and availability

(Image credit: Nirave Gondhia)

• Launched for $699 / £799 on May 15, 2025
• Can currently be bought for significantly less
• Not available in Australia

At launch, the Razr 2025 cost $699 / £799 for 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, but it can now be bought for significantly less at third-party retailers like Amazon. The newer Razr 2026 (or Razr 70), by comparison, costs $799 / £799, which marks a $100 price increase in the US.

Then there’s the confusingly named Razr FIFA World Cup 26 Edition, which is a special, themed version of the Razr 2025 with identical specs. Although it was expected to be more expensive than the base model, Motorola is offering it at the same price. Better yet, at the time of writing, Motorola is running a promotion in the US that means the Razr FIFA World Cup 26 Edition costs just $600, making it $200 cheaper than the base Razr 2026. You'll also get a Moto Watch, Moto Buds Loop, and a Moto Tag thrown in for free, which is quite simply incredible value.

The Razr FIFA World Cup 26 Edition features green vegan leather, the FIFA World Cup 26 logo imprinted on the back in gold, and unique touches to the frame above the cover display. If you’re not a soccer fan, there are also a few beautiful other colors to choose from with the regular Razr 60: Gibraltar Sea (blue eco-leather), Parfait Pink, Spring Bud (the same as the FIFA World Cup 26 Edition without the branding), and Lightest Sky (white).

The cost of RAM and storage has skyrocketed in the AI era, which is a reality that's affected the price of the new Razr 2026 lineup. The FIFA World Cup Edition of the Razr 2025, meanwhile, doesn’t have a premium price tag, which is especially surprising given that World Cup-branded products usually attract a markup.

• Value score: 5 / 5

Motorola Razr 2025 review: specsMotorola Razr 2025 specs

Dimensions:

Open: 74 x 171.3 x 7.3mm / Closed: 74 x 88.1 x 15.9mm

Weight:

188g

Display:

Main display:
6.9-inch, foldable pOLED 1080 x 2640 pixels, 413 ppi
HDR10+, 120Hz, 3,000 nits peak brightness

Cover display:
3.5-inch AMOLED 1056 x 1066 pixels, 413 ppi
HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 90Hz, 1,700 nits peak brightness

Chipset:

MediaTek Dimensity 7400X

RAM:

8GB RAM

Storage:

256GB UFS 2.2

OS:

Android 16

Primary camera:

50MP, f/1.7
1/1.95-inch sensor
PDAF, OIS

Ultra-wide camera:

13MP, f/2.2, 120°
1/3-inch sensor, AF

Selfie camera:

32MP, f/2.4
1/3.14-inch sensor

Battery:

4,5000mAh

Charging:

30W wired, 15W wireless

Colors:

Spring Bud / FIFA World Cup Edition (green), Gibraltar Sea (blue), Parfait Pink (pink), Lightest Sky (white)

Motorola Razr 2025 review: design

(Image credit: Nirave Gondhia)

• Razr Ultra-rivaling design
• Lightweight and premium-feeling
• Eco-leather finish

If you’ve used any Razr over the past few years, the Razr 2025 will be instantly familiar.

Motorola is incredibly consistent in the experience it offers in its flip phones, and aside from some slight adjustments due to the slightly smaller cover display on the Razr 2025, the experience is essentially identical to that of the more premium, much more expensive Razr Ultra 2025. In fact, Motorola’s consistency is such that last year’s Razr 2025 offers the same design experience as this year’s premium Razr Ultra 2026.

Measuring 7.3mm thick when unfolded and 15.99mm when folded, the Razr 2025 isn’t the thinnest or lightest phone on the market, but at 188g, it’s surprisingly light in the pocket. The eco-leather finishes on the rear provide a lot of welcome grip that you would otherwise need a case for on another phone, and I love that Motorola hasn’t opted for safe colors; vibrant colors have instead become a signature of the Razr lineup.

For many phones, the base model would only offer boring colors like black and white, with plastic or non–premium finishes. The Razr 2025 is different; while it doesn’t have the same premium finishes as the Razr Ultra — namely Alcantara leather and reclaimed wood — it still feels as premium in the hand thanks to the eco-leather.

Like the rest of the Razr 2025 and Razr 2026 lineups, the Razr 2025 has IP48 dust and water protection, meaning it’ll survive being submerged in 1 meter of fresh water for up to 30 minutes. In other words, it won’t break if you get caught in a rainshower, and over the past year, I’ve had no concerns about its durability; I’ve even inadvertently dropped it, and it’s survived absolutely fine.

• Design score: 5 / 5

Motorola Razr 2025 review: display

(Image credit: Nirave Gondhia)

• 3.5-inch AMOLED cover display (90Hz)
• 6.9-inch OLED inner display (120Hz)

One of the most obvious tradeoffs between the Razr Ultra 2025 and the base Razr 2025 is the display. However, that statement comes with a key caveat: although it’s definitely a downgrade over the more premium model, it doesn’t detract from the overall experience, as both the cover display and the main display still offer great specs.

You’ll immediately notice the key differences between the Razr models when you look at the front: the Razr 2025 has a smaller 3.6-inch cover display than its pricier sibling. However, this is the same one used in the more-expensive-but-not-top-of-the-line Razr Plus 2024, and while it’s 0.4 inches smaller than the Razr Ultra's screen, it offers a near-identical viewing experience.

It’s worth noting that the 90Hz refresh rate of the Razr 2025's outer display is lower than the 165Hz refresh rate found on the outer display of other Razr devices, although you’d be hard-pressed to truly notice this gap. In many ways, it’s easy to forget that the Razr 2025's cover screen isn’t as technologically capable, especially as it’s extremely well-optimized from a software point of view.

Unfold the Razr 2025, and you get the same 6.9-inch display found on the Razr Plus, except it’s limited to 120Hz, versus 165Hz on its siblings. However, this isn’t really a limitation as it’s on par with the displays used by the best phones, which generally only offer a refresh rate of up to 120Hz.

• Display score: 4 / 5

Motorola Razr 2025 review: cameras

(Image credit: Nirave Gondhia)

• 50MP main sensor
• 13MP ultra-wide lens
• Good, but not great, camera performance

Like its siblings, the Razr 2025 features two cameras, but naturally, this cheaper model comes with some trade-offs. However, they aren’t as big as you might think.

The 50MP wide camera features an f/1.7 aperture, a 25mm focal length, and dual-pixel phase detection autofocus (PDAF), and is the same as the one found in the Razr 2025's more expensive siblings. Like many of the best smartphone cameras, it uses an in-sensor crop to offer a 2x optical-quality zoom that’s generally good enough for most situations, but as some of my photos show, it can also be somewhat hit-and-miss depending on the overall scene.

The phone's 13MP ultra-wide camera also features a macro mode for close-up shots, and while it could be improved, it’s on par with the ultra-wide camera used in the more expensive Galaxy Z Flip 7. It does feel like an afterthought, but it’s particularly useful for taking group selfies. However, its position to the right of the two cameras and the wide 120° field of view mean you can inadvertently end up with the edges of your palm in the photo.

Selfies are where all Razr models shine, and the Razr 2025 is no different. The form factor makes it my favorite for group photos, and while the camera isn’t the best overall — and lacks the telephoto and polish of flip phones like the Honor Magic V2 Flip — it can take selfies that are vibrant and genuinely surprising.

Case in point? When the opportunity arose to take a selfie with Paris Hilton after her set during the Razr 2026 launch, the Razr FIFA World Cup 2026 Edition didn’t disappoint.

One of my favorite Razr features is the double-twist-to-launch, which lets you twist your wrist twice to quickly launch the camera. It works very well on the Razr 2025, albeit a tad more slowly than the equivalent motion on its siblings. That said, you can easily launch the camera and snap a photo within a couple of seconds.

Overall, then, the Razr 2025 isn’t the best camera phone by any stretch, but it is more than good enough for most people, and punches considerably above its weight given its price.

Motorola Razr 2025 review: camera samplesNirave GondhiaNirave GondhiaNirave GondhiaNirave GondhiaNirave GondhiaNirave GondhiaNirave GondhiaNirave Gondhia

(Image credit: Nirave Gondhia)

• Camera score: 3.5 / 5

Motorola Razr 2025 review: performance

(Image credit: Nirave Gondhia)

• MediaTek Dimensity 7400X chipset is fine for streaming and scrolling
• ... but it struggles while gaming and switching apps

The lower price of the Razr 2025 means Motorola had to make some cutbacks somewhere, and these cutbacks are most obvious in the phone's underlying performance. However, as with the display, its lower specs are only immediately noticeable when compared to those of the best flagship phones, and for the most part, the Razr 2025 offers decent performance.

The Razr 2025 is powered by the Dimensity 7400X processor, paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. While performance is smooth in general day-to-day usage, there is a noticeable slowdown under heavy use that doesn’t occur on the best phones, including slight stutters when gaming or quickly switching apps.

One thing that may prove frustrating over time is the phone's slower UFS 2.2 storage, which means it’s noticeably slower than its siblings at loading games or performing other resource-intensive tasks. However, this is only during the initial load of these apps, with in-app and gaming performance still smooth enough.

There are other trade-offs worth mentioning, including a lack of Wi-Fi 7, but these are all just nice-to-have features. Like the rest of the Razr 2025 experience, the underlying performance offers everything you need without the bells and whistles of a flagship phone, but you’ll be hard-pressed to notice these differences unless you actually look for them. The biggest surprise for me has not been the missing polish in the Razr 2025's performance, but how little I actually noticed it. If you can look beyond the specs sheet, there’s a strong chance you’ll find the same.

• Performance score: 3 / 5

Motorola Razr 2025 review: software

(Image credit: Nirave Gondhia)

• Runs Android 16 out of the box
• Motorola's cover screen optimization is the best around

Motorola has absolutely nailed its foldable software. In just four years, the company has built and refined its cover screen software in particular, and the result is that all Razr models offer a premium experience, even this entry-level model.

The Razr 2025's cover screen offers the same size and experience as the Razr Plus from 2024, and what sets it apart is the ability to use the front display as a small phone. This is core to Motorola’s flip phone approach, and is distinctly different from the competition, as every other flip phone only offers a curated selection of apps and widgets on the cover display — or, in the case of Samsung, requires several steps to enable any app to work on the front screen — but Motorola offers the best of both worlds.

The front screen is organized into a series of panels, each with specific use cases. The communications panel lets you set up one-tap shortcuts to contact your favorite people or perform common actions. This isn’t limited to regular apps; it also works across third-party apps, such as sending a Telegram message, making a WhatsApp call, or even posting to Instagram stories, all with one tap. There’s also a calendar that displays your upcoming schedule, and a weather panel.

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Then there are the apps and widgets panels, both of which allow the Razr 2025 to be a fantastic mini phone. You can add up to three panels full of as many apps and shortcuts as you like, and up to three more panels of the same widgets you’d use on your homescreen. These are not slimmed-down widgets like you’ll find on other phones, but the full, interactive widgets the app developer envisioned.

Then there’s gaming, and Motorola has preloaded several games onto the Razr 2025 from GameSnacks, a Google company, that make the Razr 2025 even more fun to use. Since the Razr reboot, they’ve become my favorite phones simply because it's so addictive and easy to game on their front screens. Yes, you won’t be running the latest AAA games on the front screen, but if you want something to pass the time and play one-handed while you’re in a queue, the Razr 2025 is the ultimate phone for it. One core downside, however, is that these games won’t work while you’re offline, such as when you’re on a flight without Wi-Fi.

Go beyond the cover screen, and the rest of the Razr 2025's software is equally great. It offers the core Android experience you’ll find on Google’s Pixel range, with a few Moto Actions that add features every phone should copy (the aforementioned double-twist-to-launch gesture, for example). There’s also Moto AI, and while the Razr 2025 ships with Gemini as the default voice assistant, it's also preloaded with Perplexity and Microsoft Copilot, should you wish to use something else.

• Software score: 5 / 5

Motorola Razr 2025 review: battery life

(Image credit: Nirave Gondhia)

• 4,500mAh silicon-carbon battery yields around 1.5 days of use

Motorola deserves particular credit for consistently improving its batteries, and the Razr 2025 is no different. The phone's 4,500mAh silicon-carbon battery is 300mAh larger than that of the Razr 2024, and just 200mAh smaller than the battery inside the Razr Ultra 2025. But thanks to its smaller displays and less powerful processor, the Razr 2025 offers the best battery life I’ve experienced on a Razr.

For the most part, it’s on par with last year’s Razr Ultra, but for many people, it could prove to be even better, despite the considerable price difference between the two models.

Over the past two weeks with the FIFA World Cup 26 Edition, it’s never drained to empty in a single day, with most full charges lasting between 1.5 and 2 days of usage. The cover screen is so capable that I often use the front screen rather than the main display, which further extends battery life for most use cases.

Motorola doesn’t tell you exact usage and screen time between the cover and main displays, but my best guess is that it offers approximately seven to nine hours of screen time across both screens on a single charge.

When the battery runs low, the phone's 30W wired charging will recharge it to full in about 75 minutes. That’s not the fastest, but it’s only 15 minutes slower than the Razr Ultra 2025, despite the latter’s larger battery and much faster 68W charging. In comparison, the flagship Galaxy Z Flip 7 costs more and offers 25W ‘Superfast’ charging that takes around 90 minutes to fully charge the smaller 4,000 mAh battery, so Motorola deserves considerable credit here.

• Battery score: 5 / 5

Should you buy the Motorola Razr 2025?

(Image credit: Nirave Gondhia)Motorola Razr 2025 scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Motorola's Razr design is tried-and-tested, and absolutely wonderful. The FIFA World Cup Edition has a unique additional texture compared to the other colors.

5 / 5

Display

Aside from a smaller front display and a few cutbacks, this is an excellent all-around screen. No major compromises here.

4 / 5

Performance

This is where the Razr falls short as the Dimensity 7400X isn't the same processor you'll find in flagships.

3 / 5

Camera

The cameras are more than capable but somewhat inconsistent. Definitely not the best camera phone, but not the worst either.

3.5 / 5

Battery

Outstanding battery life that's on par with the best flip phones and won't disappoint.

5 / 5

Software

Motorola has tasteful software that truly addresses the problems and shortcomings of Android as a whole. It's just brilliant.

5 / 5

Value

Virtually the same phone as the Razr 2026, but cheaper and with better RAM and storage options. One year after release, this phone offers even more value for money.

5 / 5

Buy it if...

You don’t need the absolute best performance
This phone doesn’t have the latest and greatest Snapdragon processor, but that doesn’t affect daily usage. For the most part, it offers more-than-good-enough all-around performance for most people.

You don’t need the absolute best specs.
The Razr 2025's lower price means some tradeoffs are necessary, but you’d be hard-pressed to notice (most of) them. For the most part, the Razr 2025 offers the same great experience as the Razr Ultra at just over half the price.

You want a unique soccer-branded flip phone
If you want something to serve as a memento of this year’s upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 in the US, Canada, and Mexico, this is one of the more unique options, especially in the beautiful green finish.

Don't buy it if...

You want the best flip phone that money can buy
If money is no object, don’t buy the Razr 2025. The lower price comes with some trade-offs, and there are definitely better choices out there, though they come with a premium price tag.

You need the best camera
If photography is important to you, the camera on the Razr 2025 might be slightly disappointing. Yes, it’s very capable — even in low-light, as my selfie with Paris Hilton showed — but other phones have better cameras.

You want premium finishes like leather and wood
If the array of Razr 2025 colors isn’t for you but you like the Motorola experience, the Razr Ultra comes in premium finishes, including reclaimed wood and Alcantara leather.

Motorola Razr 2025 review: also consider

The Razr 2025 is a great all-around flip phone, but it's not the only choice.

Motorola Razr Ultra 2025
If you want a flip phone, look no further than the Motorola Razr Ultra. It offers everything the Razr 2025 does, but it addresses all the small disappointments. There’s just one key problem — the price; the Razr Ultra costs almost twice as much as the Razr 2025.

Read our full Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7
If you'd rather look beyond the Motorola experience, the obvious choice is the Galaxy Z Flip 7, but Samsung’s best flip phone doesn’t offer the same polished cover screen experience you’ll find on the Razr 2025.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 review

How I tested the Motorola Razr 2025

• Review test period = 2 weeks
• Testing included = Everyday usage, including navigation, web browsing, social media, photography, gaming, streaming video, music playback, and reading e-books.
• Tools used = Geekbench 6, 3DMark, CellMark, native Android stats

I’ve used the Motorola Razr 2025 extensively over the past year, but for this review, I also used the FIFA World Cup 2026 limited edition for a couple of weeks, both while traveling and at home on Wi-Fi.

During my time testing the Razr 2025, I used it as my primary phone with dual eSIMs, one for a roaming carrier. My usage included everything from navigating using Android Auto and streaming video to reading books, playing games, and making and receiving phone calls.

First reviewed: May 2026

Forza Horizon 6 is the long-awaited latest entry in Playground Games’ open-world racing game series — and there’s a lot that’s been riding on this one. Many, myself included, found Forza Horizon 5 to be underwhelming. After that, Forza Motorsport — while decent at release — suffered from an array of glitches and poor post-launch updates.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PC
Available on: Xbox Series X|S, PC (coming to PS5 in 2026)
Release date: May 19, 2026

Even though it’s operating well within the series’ trappings, Forza Horizon 6 is a breath of fresh air. The setting of Japan doesn’t disappoint, with impressively varied biomes and sublime vistas. From Tokyo City to the Japanese Alps and the gorgeous countryside and quaint little villages dotted in-between, there’s a ton of brilliant environmental design to marvel at.

The game’s race events are greatly helped by this variety. The usual selection of road, dirt, cross-country, and street racing events is all still here. But clever routing and vehicle categorization make almost all of them feel one-of-a-kind. There are even a handful of purpose-built circuits and drag strips, with their own time attack events and leader boards.

The solo experience is by and large excellent, but Forza Horizon 6 does a much better job than its predecessors at encouraging you to enter multiplayer spaces. A new recommended event menu highlights ongoing multiplayer activities like Eliminator and playlist events. Car Meet locations let you hang out with players to check out their cars or start lobbies. Plus, fully customizable garages and an entire compound for you to build on are huge wins for the more creatively-minded players out there.

My favorite new addition, though, has to be the aftermarket cars you can find dotted about the map. These always have more oomph than stock vehicles you can buy in the showroom, and often come with unique aero or livery touches.

Throw in some of the best Horizon Showcase events to date and a further refinement of that wonderful ‘simcade’ handling, and you have what is the best Forza Horizon game to date. No small feat when the third and fourth entries in particular were so great back in the day.

I do have the odd qualm or two. Voiced side characters are still pretty one-dimensional, but decidedly less insufferable in this game. I’ve spotted some visual oddities, too, like NPC vehicles duplicating themselves occasionally when you rewind after a crash, or the camera freaking out a bit if you drive under a low-enough surface but overall, Forza Horizon 6 has been more than worth the wait.

Place, Japan

(Image credit: Microsoft)

If you know one thing about Forza Horizon 6, it’ll be that it’s taken the open-world racing formula to Japan. Japan, by Playground Games’ own admission, has been the most-requested setting for a Horizon game among the fanbase. So the pressure to not disappoint said fans must’ve been palpable.

Fortunately for us, the developer has delivered one of the most striking, impeccably-designed open worlds I’ve seen in any game — let alone within the racing genre. Some of my previous favorites have been Forza Horizon 4’s United Kingdom, and The Crew Motorfest’s Hawaii but I think Forza Horizon 6’s Japan is more compelling than both in variety, level design, and just plain looks.

Virtual tourists will find much to love here. The sweeping highways, luscious countryside, temples and shrines off the beaten path, radio stations, quaint gardens and villages, docks, the coastline, and the Japanese alps off to the north. It’s seriously impressive just how much variety Playground Games has placed into a map that in reality isn’t all that much larger than Forza Horizon 5’s Mexico.

There are plenty of real-world locations to discover, too. Tokyo City is the most obvious, and it’s massive. It’s a real visual treat, with tons of winding slow-speed corners and subtle back alleys. You’ll spot some iconic landmarks here, too, such as Tokyo Tower and the Shibuya Scramble. Beyond the city, you’ll find plenty of iconic racing spots like the Daikoku Parking Area, the C1 loop, and yes, even Mt. Haruna where you can attempt intense touge race battles.

Really, the only glaring omission I can think of is Mt. Fuji. It does loom in the background, looking mightily impressive, but you can’t actually go there in-game. It's rather baffling considering the mountain and its surroundings featured prominently in Horizon 6’s original reveal trailer. Maybe it’s a location Playground Games is saving for a DLC expansion? We’ll have to wait and see.

Let's go away

(Image credit: Microsoft)

If you’re familiar with the series, Forza Horizon 6 doesn’t change up the campaign structure too much, but there are some notable tweaks.

Your main goal in the campaign is to obtain higher tiers of wristband by participating in road, dirt, and cross-country races. And if you fancy a break from those, smaller activities like speed traps and danger zone jumps contribute to your campaign progress, too.

Each wristband tier is bookended by showcase events, which act as nice palette cleansers and set piece marvels. Showcases in this game aren’t my favorite in the series, but it’s hard not to grin from ear to ear when you’re racing a giant mech while Ado’s New Genesis blasts from your car stereo.

Best bit

(Image credit: Microsoft)

I'm in love with Forza Horizon 6's aftermarket car system. You'll find these dotted across the game's giant map, and are often seriously souped-up versions of iconic cars from a wide variety of manufacturers. You'll often get unique liveries by buying these, too.

I want to highlight the impressive event variety, too, in that Horizon 6’s wonderful map design allows for rapid and seamless changes to scenery. Tracks that start in the snowy alps can rocket down into rocky ravines.

Street races through Tokyo City can end in lovely countryside villages. The various actual circuits dotted around the map also have their own race events, and allow for a variety of surfaces and corner speeds. It’s all great stuff.

You have the usual Horizon Festival stuff, then, but another avenue of progression available to you in Forza Horizon 6 is labeled Discover Japan. This is a pretty clever repackaging of events like street races, side stories, smashing mascots and EXP boards, photography, barn finds, and general exploration.

I found these really nice to dip into when I wanted a break from more traditional racing, and it has its own progression rewards ranging from cars and credits to horns and clothing for your avatar. Like Forza Horizon 5, all progression is tracked in the handy Collection Journal, giving you pointers on what you can be doing next.

Start your engines

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Forza Horizon 6 would obviously be nothing without its cars, and there’s great variety here. You’re getting over 600 cars in the base game, and as you might expect, there’s heightened focus on Japanese manufacturers.

That means you’re getting everything from lovely little kei cars to roaring R-class hypercars and everything in between. It’s not all makes from Japan, though, of course. You can still expect tons of whips from international manufacturers; BMW to Volkswagen, Lamborghini to Ferrari.

You should absolutely be on the lookout for aftermarket cars — a new addition. As I said earlier, these are modified rides you can find dotted about the map. Many of them helpfully spawn near relevant race events, too, often giving you a chance to buy something seriously cool before signing up. Aftermarket cars and their parts seem randomly generated to a degree, meaning you can often find Legendary class cars in the middle of nowhere (though you’ll be paying a fair chunk of credits for these, mind).

Another neat addition are the Treasure Cars. There’s one for each region, making for nine in total. Unlike barn finds, the map won’t tell you the general area of where to find these. Instead, the Treasure Cars menu will offer a photo and some text, and you’ll figure out the location from there. Most of these were really enjoyable to find and, honestly, I wish there were more. Horizon as a series could really do with more cool little scavenger hunts like these.

That brings me onto customization, which for the most part is equally brilliant. Your personal garages (which are part of every house you buy on the map) are now fully customizable, and you can place down your favorite vehicles here, as well as add furniture and other visual flair. You can share these online, too, making garage customization a fun social endeavor.

This extends on a macro scale with the compound, which you can unlock early on. This is, essentially, a huge blank slate out in the countryside for you to build basically anything you want. You’ll work with prefabricated parts in the map editor, and you can make anything from custom circuits to even more ambitious projects like a driveable village, if you desire.

There is a bit of a learning curve involved, and it is a bit annoying that your compound is gated behind a loading screen (and thus separate from the rest of the map), but it’s really fun to tinker around with ideas.

Views for days

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Presentation is another highlight in Forza Horizon 6. In terms of visual fidelity, it’s not that far removed from the last couple of Horizon entries. But that’s not to say there haven’t been improvements. For one, cars look and sound fantastic, most of which have unique interiors and engine sounds.

Japan is rendered beautifully here. Playground Games has clearly put tons of time and effort into creating an authentic map. Draw distance is really quite breathtaking, but what’s most impressive is that there’s tons of elevation, winding roads, and obscured sightlines. That means you’ll never quite be able to see the whole map from any given vantage point, making your journey through it feel much more immersive.

There are some visual oddities to make note of. There’s a bit of noticeable pop-in with distant objects; most notable when you’re on the highway or within Tokyo City. I also had a few instances where, upon using the rewind mechanic, a vehicle I collided with would duplicate itself. A bit strange, but likely something future patches can hone in on.

I’m a big fan of the licensed soundtrack this time around, too. I was worried that the game would pay lip service to just a few Japanese artists, but I’m happy to be wrong. The new Gacha City Radio station houses the lion’s share, but tracks from Japanese groups are shared across pretty much all radio stations.

It’s a lot of acts you’ll probably recognize, including Ado, Babymetal, Yoasobi, Creepy Nuts, and Hikaru Utada among others. But there are loads of bangers from overseas, too. Even some of my favorites have shown up, including Spiritbox, Ninajirachi, Turnstile, Biffy Clyro, and Linkin Park.

Should you play Forza Horizon 6?

(Image credit: Microsoft)Play it if...

You love Japan
This is an easy one. Forza Horizon 6’s rendition of Japan feels like a real love letter to the country. Tokyo City and its surroundings are utterly beautiful, and I think it’s the best map a Horizon game has featured to date.

You want to collect tons of cool cars
Every notable manufacturer under the sun is present and accounted for, with tons of love gone to Japanese makes and models in particular. Chuck in barn finds, Treasure Cars, and the new aftermarket cars, and there’s a dizzying amount to collect.

You enjoy multiplayer and social elements in your games
Forza Horizon 6 has done a great job fixing up its multiplayer suites, which could be rocky in prior entries with frequent convoy and event dropouts. In my testing for this review, I found multiplayer to be largely seamless. And I can’t wait to jump back in to really get stuck into garage customization and car meets.

Don't play it if...

You were hoping for a real overhaul
In terms of overall game flow and progression, Forza Horizon 6 isn't anything out of the ordinary when compared to other titles in the series. If you've recently dabbled in a past Horizon title, then you might feel a little fatigued here.

Accessibility features

Like prior games in the series, Forza Horizon 6 offers an array of accessibility features. Difficulty options are robust, letting you set AI capability and assists like traction control and anti-lock braking. Meanwhile, subtitle customization and screen reader options are available in the accessibility tab. You can also slow down offline game speed if the default action is a bit hard to keep track of.

In the visual accessibility tab, you can adjust game and user interface motion blur, as well as alter environmental color filters with the deuteranopia, protanopia, and tritanopia colorblind sliders. There is a robust high contrast mode available, too, letting you add highlights to terrain, cars, objects, and more.

How I reviewed Forza Horizon 6

I played 20 hours of Forza Horizon 6 for this review. That was enough to progress through the entire campaign, and unlock the endgame Legend Island location. In that time, I participated in almost every race event, and tackled a handful of street races and Discover Japan objectives like barn finds, side stories, and the like.

I primarily played Forza Horizon 6 with the Valve Steam Controller (2026) and greatly enjoyed the haptic feedback it provided during play. I also played on PC, able to run the game at High-Ultra settings with an Nvidia RTX GeForce 5060 GPU.

First reviewed May 2026

BLUETTI Elite 400 is Bluetti’s largest portable power station in the Elite range to date, packing a huge 3840Wh LiFePO₄ battery alongside a substantial 2600W continuous output.

It’s aimed at users who need serious portable power for home backup, off-grid living, campervan setups or demanding worksite use.

And in many respects, it excels. The Elite 400 has enough power to comfortably run anything you’d realistically throw at it, while Bluetti’s app support and rapid charging capabilities make it one of the more polished large-capacity power stations currently available.

(Image credit: Future)

The specs are impressive, but the Elite 400 also feels oddly compromised in places. Bluetti has essentially reused the same interface and output layout found on smaller Elite models, and on a near-4kWh power station that starts to feel limiting.

Most notably, you only get two AC sockets. Combined with the hefty 39kg weight and lack of battery expansion support, the Elite 400 is powerful, but not quite as good as it could have been.

(Image credit: Future)BLUETTI Elite 400: Design and build quality

Bluetti sticks closely to its familiar design language here. The dark semi-matte grey shell, angular styling and rugged industrial appearance mirror the rest of the company’s power station lineup.

Specifications

BLUETTI Elite 400

• Capacity: 3840Wh (LiFePO₄)
• Output: 2600W continuous
• UPS switchover: ~15ms
• Cycle life: ~3000 cycles to 80%
• Charging: AC, solar and car charging
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi app control
• Weight: 39kg
• Warranty: 5 years

Outputs

• 2 x AC outlets
• 2 x USB-A
• 2 x USB-C (100W)
• 1 x 12V car socket

The front panel houses Bluetti’s familiar display layout, which remains one of the cleaner and easier interfaces to navigate in the portable power market. Existing Bluetti users will feel immediately at home here.

On the front you’ll find the DC input socket, 12V car socket, dual USB-A and USB-C ports, dedicated AC/DC power buttons and the pair of UK Type G AC sockets. Around the sides are the cooling vents and internal fans, while the right-hand side houses the IEC13 charging input, grounding point and 20A circuit protector.

At the rear is an extendable telescopic handle paired with two large rubberized wheels, allowing the Elite 400 to be wheeled around similarly to cabin luggage. The wheels themselves are actually pretty good, especially on smooth surfaces, but the handle feels less refined. There’s a small sharp plastic lip where parts of the casing meet, which repeatedly caught our fingernails during testing, and the telescopic handle occasionally needed a bit of jiggling to properly lock into place.

And then there’s the weight.

At 39kg, the Elite 400 is among the heaviest power stations we’ve tested so far. Even small obstacles like steps, curbs or uneven ground quickly become awkward to deal with. Bluetti has included large carry handles on the top, but realistically this is a two-person lift for most people.

(Image credit: Future)

To be fair, anything with this much battery capacity was always going to be heavy. Even competitors like the EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 come in even heavier. Still, this is very much a “load it into place and leave it there” kind of power station rather than something you’ll casually move around every day.

The bigger issue is the output selection.

Bluetti has equipped the Elite 400 with the same number of outputs found on much smaller models like the Elite 100 and Elite 200. On a power station designed to run multiple high-draw appliances simultaneously, two AC sockets just isn’t enough.

In practice, you’ll almost certainly end up relying on power strips or extension leads, which somewhat undermines the convenience factor. During testing, we actually struggled to fully push the 2600W output limit simply because there weren’t enough sockets available without adding external adapters.

There’s also no battery expansion support. Unlike Bluetti’s AC or Apex series, the Elite 400 is fixed at its native 3840Wh capacity with no option to add extra battery modules later on. For many people that will already be more than enough, but the lack of expansion does hurt long-term flexibility.

(Image credit: Future)BLUETTI Elite 400: Setup and charging

Getting the Elite 400 out of the box is a feat in itself.

The unit arrives heavily packaged inside two large cardboard boxes, and Bluetti recommends retaining at least the inner box for warranty purposes. That may make sense from a support perspective, but realistically many buyers simply won’t have room to keep packaging this large long-term, even flattened down.

Actually removing the Elite 400 from the packaging is definitely a two-person job. Due to the weight, we ultimately had to turn the box upside down and slowly slide the unit out without damaging the packaging, the power station or ourselves. Think of that warranty.

Inside the accessories box, Bluetti includes the AC charging cable, documentation, warranty card and grounding screw.

Initial setup is otherwise straightforward. Our review unit arrived with roughly 32% charge remaining and, using the default charging mode, the Elite 400 drew around 1500W before reaching full charge approximately 90 minutes later.

There’s also a faster Turbo charging mode available, alongside hybrid charging support allowing combined AC and solar charging up to 3300W. Realistically though, most owners will probably just plug it in overnight rather than needing maximum charging speeds.

We also saw no issues using the Elite 400 while simultaneously charging and powering devices, which is exactly what you’d expect from a unit with UPS functionality.

(Image credit: Future)BLUETTI Elite 400: Performance

In outright performance terms, the Elite 400 is hugely capable.

During testing it comfortably powered everything from lighting, fans and audio equipment through to kettles, induction cookers, air fryers and portable electric heaters. As long as you stay within the 2600W output limit, there’s very little this power station struggles with.

With a 3840Wh battery capacity, the Elite 400 starts to blur the line between portable power station and small home backup battery system.

UPS performance is solid too, though not class-leading. Bluetti rates the Elite 400 at a 15ms switchover time using a pure sine wave inverter. During simulated power cuts, laptops, monitors and fans continued running uninterrupted, although LED lighting briefly flickered during the transition.

Fan noise is generally well controlled considering the amount of power involved. At standard charging speeds, the cooling fans produce little more than a low background hum. As charging speeds or discharge loads increase, the fans do become noticeably louder, but Bluetti has tuned the ramp-up behavior well. Rather than aggressively spinning up and down, fan speeds change gradually, making them far less distracting during longer sessions.

To test the Elite 400 in a more realistic setting, we connected a power strip running fairy lights, a small music system and a couple of phones while using the remaining AC socket to power an air fryer for snacks. The Elite 400 barely seemed bothered by it.

That said, running the air fryer continuously alongside other devices for a few hours did noticeably reduce capacity, eventually bringing the battery down to around 60%. Still, considering the load involved, the performance was impressive.

BLUETTI Elite 400: Display and app support

Indoors, the Elite 400’s display is clear, bright and easy to read, much like the rest of Bluetti’s lineup.

Outdoor visibility is also generally good in shaded conditions, although direct sunlight does make the glossy display harder to read at a glance. Another small annoyance is the display timeout behavior. Unless manually adjusted in the app settings, the screen automatically switches off after a short period, requiring a quick press of the power button to wake it again.

Bluetti’s companion app remains one of the stronger software experiences in the portable power space. The app is genuinely useful too. You can easily check battery percentage, charging speeds and power draw without needing to constantly walk over to the unit, alongside access to UPS settings and scheduled charging modes.

Throughout testing, connectivity remained stable and responsive.

(Image credit: Future)BLUETTI Elite 400: Who is the Elite 400 for?

If your main priority is having a massive amount of power available in a single unit, the Elite 400 makes a lot of sense.

It’s particularly well suited to home backup power, campervans, outdoor events, mobile workshops and users running multiple high-wattage appliances.

However, anyone wanting a more modular setup with expandable batteries or a wider variety of outputs may be better served by Bluetti’s AC series or competing systems from EcoFlow or DJI.

And again, the weight matters here. This is more of a “load it into a vehicle and leave it there” type of product rather than something you’ll want to carry around regularly.

(Image credit: Future)BLUETTI Elite 400: Pricing and value

At the time of writing, BLUETTI UK lists the Elite 400 at £1,899, discounted from an advertised £2,799 MSRP.

As with most Bluetti products, regular promotions mean the real-world price will likely fluctuate throughout the year.

Still, at nearly £2,000, it’s hard not to expect more than just two AC sockets.

The battery capacity here is massive, but it’s difficult to ignore how limiting the output selection feels on a power station this size. You’ll run out of devices before you run out of battery.

Interestingly, buying three Elite 100 units at roughly £600 each could actually make more sense for some buyers. You’d sacrifice the higher 2600W output in favour of 1800W per unit, but gain significantly more sockets and greater flexibility around placement while still saving around £100 overall.

Bluetti also includes a five-year warranty with the Elite 400, although buyers should note that proof of purchase and retention of the inner packaging box may be required for warranty claims.

(Image credit: Future)BLUETTI Elite 400: Final Verdict

BLUETTI Elite 400 absolutely delivers when it comes to raw battery capacity and appliance support. Whether it was running kitchen appliances during a power cut or powering gear outdoors, the Elite 400 never really struggled.

Bluetti’s excellent app support, fast charging and refined fan behaviour all help elevate the overall experience too.

But at this price point, the compromises become harder to ignore. The limited output selection, lack of battery expansion and sheer weight prevent it from feeling as versatile as some competing systems.

If Bluetti had added more outputs and expansion support, the Elite 400 would be far easier to recommend. Personally, I’d happily trade some battery capacity for another pair of AC sockets

We've featured the best UPS (uninterruptible power supply) devices.

Let's start by making one thing clear: Dutton Ranch is not Yellowstone. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that it's not really even a Yellowstone spinoff. Sure, we're following indestructible ranchers Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) a year after the events of Yellowstone season 5 part 2, but that's where the similarities end.

If anything, Dutton Ranch is fusing the soap opera stylings of The Madison with the brash, Texan tenacity of Landman into one incredibly bingeable product. If Taylor Sheridan had the TV equivalent of a greatest hits album, it would be this (and he's not even serving as the showrunner here). New beginnings run thick and fast through this series — and that's as much for us as it is for Beth and Rip.

After settling down on a new ranch in Montana at the end of Yellowstone, unavoidable circumstances mean that the pair has to move once again, relocating to Texas. Buying a small ranch in the town of Rio Paloma, they soon learn that they're not the only ranchers muscling in on the area's beef trade.

Beulah Jackson (Annette Bening), aptly described by Beth as a "grizzly in Gucci," is in charge of the 10 Petal ranch, which is the area's most dominant source of cowboys, horses, and dangerous drama. The Jacksons (not those ones) are a disaster unto themselves, and anyone else in their orbit, and that soon includes new neighbors Beth and Rip.

I'm no stranger to stereotypical TV small-town drama, and Dutton Ranch is about as high-stakes as it gets. Not everybody is going to love what Beth and Rip's story has become, but the moment you let go of your Yellowstone pre-conceived ideas, the new series can settle in — and it's got strong enough legs to be one of the best TV shows of the year.

Moving away from Yellowstone is the healthiest approach that Dutton Ranch could have taken

If Dutton Ranch was going to happen, it needed a clean break in the form of a physical relocation. Despite consistently being faced with an exhausting level of trouble, Beth and Rip have taken to Texan life like ducks to water. They waste no time getting their ranch set up and their reputations established, which means juicy backstabbing is ripe from the off.

Beth particularly finds a good sparring partner in Beulah, with the two tearing lumps out of each other from the moment they meet. This is where Beth is in her element — arm her with a pair of stilettos and a killer one-line insult, and she can conquer just about anything.

For Rip, we're seeing his tender side. He's quick to take the ranch's former wranglers, Azul (J.R. Villarreal) and Zachariah (Marc Menchaca), under his wing, expecting a lot but asking no questions in return. He continues to put Beth's emotional needs before his own, but also isn't afraid to throw some spectacular punches when things get nasty with the locals.

Even in the first few episodes alone, the scope for character growth feels as endless as the Texan plains. John Dutton's (Kevin Costner) legacy hasn't been completely shaken off, but to leave home is to grow, as the old social mantra goes. If anything, Beth is able to miss her dad more now that there's a significant distance between her and her old life.

Beth and Rip's future could be even stronger if Sheridan got back in the showrunner saddle

Not everything is smooth sailing. (Image credit: Paramount)

If you've been following along with Dutton Ranch updates prior to its release, you'll know that it's run into a spot of showrunner trouble. Chad Feehan has already exited the show, leaving a spot wide open for a new showrunner to take charge. For me, this needs to be Sheridan.

The series is already in a strong place, but the way to cement its five-star status (and a TV legacy that could rival Yellowstone) is for Sheridan to be more hands-on than just executive producing. We know how incredibly well he writes a script and how succinctly effortless his handle on a storyline is. In essence, Sheridan is the missing ingredient in his own creation.

Truthfully, we don't really care about anyone other than Beth, Rip, and Carter (Finn Little). As incredible as Bening, Harris, and the like are, they will remain secondary in importance from now until the end of time. The more Yellowstone that can be subtly injected into Dutton Ranch, the more successful that it will be.

For now, at least, the two are separate beasts, and it works well. But when it comes to Yellowstone, Dutton Ranch is damned either way. It's too close to the source material not to acknowledge its own history properly, but it could come unstuck further down the line by its decision to frame itself as a standalone of sorts.

But Beth and Rip can never truly be losers, can they? I'd put good money on this not being the last we see of them, either.

Dutton Ranch premieres on Paramount+ with two episodes on May 15, with the remaining seven episodes airing weekly after.

Sony A7R VI: Two-minute review

Highly-detailed images or blazing-fast performance — historically, you'd have to pick one or the other when choosing a camera. However, Sony has now given us both in one model — the A7R VI — and for me, it's the perfect mirrorless camera.

I've shot everything from detail-rich landscapes to fast-moving wildlife photography while testing the A7R VI, and it hasn't missed a beat. I've really appreciated the huge number of pixels I have to play with, which means that heavily cropping into images is entirely possible.

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Its new 66.8MP stacked full-frame sensor resolves more detail than the sensor in the 50MP A1 II — Sony's previous flagship camera for quality and performance — and most of that camera's speed in terms of sensor readout.

I say 'most', because its readout speed is half that of the A1 II, and able to support autofocus up to 60fps, but it has certainly been sufficiently speedy for just about every scenario I've used it in. And rolling shutter distortion is minimized compared to the A7R VI's predecessor, the A7R V — I shot with both cameras at the same time in order to make direct performance comparisons.

The A7R VI is slightly bigger than its predecessor, with a larger grip housing a new, larger battery (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Even better, the A7R VI costs £4,500, which seriously undercuts the pricier A1 II. Considering what the A7R VI can do, the A1 II feels somewhat redundant, especially when the speed-specialist A9 III is also on the scene for the likes of pro sports photographers who demand the absolute fastest performance.

Of course, that's still a decent chunk of anyone's money, and the A7R VI costs a lot more than the still-incredible A7R V, which has fallen in price since its launch in 2022, and is probably the better value pick if detail is all that matters to you.

However, given the upgrades here, which also include a new and higher-capacity battery type, the A7R VI's starting price feels justified. I've been reviewing cameras for 15 years, and I think Sony just made the first one that's perfect. I could happily dine out on its skills for many years to come.

Sony A7R VI: price and release date

• Announced on May 13 2026
• The body-only price is £4,500

However, the A7R VI is still pretty small (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Yes, the A7R VI'S £4,500 launch price is higher than that of the A7R V, which cost £4,000 on its announcement late in 2022, and which can now be had for around £3,000. That said, the A7R VI is more camera — it's not just a resolution king, but a speed demon too.

When you consider what the A7R VI is capable of versus the Sony A1 II, which costs more than £6,000, it feels like excellent value.

• Price score: 4.5/5

Sony A7R VI specsSony A7R VI Specs:

Type:

Mirrorless camera

Sensor:

66.8MP full-frame (36 x24mm) fully stacked BSI CMOS

LCD:

3.2-inch, multi-articulated, 2.1m dots

Memory:

2x SDXC, 2x CFexpress Type A

Video:

8K 30fps / 4K 120p

ISO range:

ISO 50-204,800

Mechanical Shutter speeds:

30-1/8000 sec

Electronic Shutter speeds:

30-1/16000 sec

Viewfinder:

9.44m-dot, OLED EVF, 0.78x

Processor:

Bionz XR 2

Connectivity:

AX WiFi (WiFi 6), Bluetooth, 2x USB-C, audio

Weight:

659g

Sony A7R VI: Design

• Still lightweight and small versus rival high-resolution full-frame cameras
• Rugged design and excellent ergonomics
• Touchscreen features a 4-way axis, the detailed EVF detail packs 9.44m dots

(Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

For recent models, Sony has made great strides in improving how its cameras handle, and how easy the menus and controls are to navigate. It's no longer the case that rival Canon and Nikon cameras are simply easier and more intuitive to use.

For starters, Sony has improved the design of the grip — on the A7R VI it's even bigger and more pronounced than before, no doubt to house the upgraded and physically larger new battery type which debuts here (more on this in the performance section).

The new bulb button on the camera's top plate illuminates key buttons in low light, making them easier to find in the dark, and there's a tally lamp for video recording. Each port sits behind its own rigid door, which when in use sits neatly out of the way. These are all lovely additions to what is otherwise a very similar design to the A7R V.

Future / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim Coleman

Like before, we get three control wheels for exposure adjustments (one of which is lockable), four custom buttons (though not one on the front of the camera, sadly), a grippy AF joystick and a four-way control dial which also includes drive mode and ISO shortcuts.

There's a neat 3.2-inch touchscreen with 4-way articulation, meaning the screen can be flipped out to the side and viewed at awkward angles, whether you're shooting in vertical or horizontal format. There's a highly detailed 9.44m-dot EVF, too, but this time it's a HDR DCI PW display which Sony says is 3x brighter than the one in the A7R V.

Future / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim Coleman

We get twin card slots again, and each slot accepts either an SD card or one of Sony's CFexpress Type A cards. Per gigabyte, CFexpress Type A cards are among the most expensive, more so than CFexpress Type B used in rival cameras. Of course you can use cheaper SD cards, but you'll want a CFexpress card to get the A7R VI's speediest performance for burst shooting and so on.

Naturally, with this being a pro body, the A7R VI is weather-resistant. I'm not in the habit of wrecking cameras, and certainly not review samples that I have to send back, but you can feel that the A7R VI is rugged too. The back-right control dial has a tiny bit of give, and could be a weak point, but it performed fine during my review.

If I was to have one criticism, it's that the camera body still feels a little cramped — many of the controls are small and tightly packed together. You'll also want a vertical grip when pairing the A7R VI with big lenses for better balance, such is its compact design. But overall, the A7R VI is as good a camera body as Sony has ever made.

• Design score: 5/5

Sony A7R VI: Performance

• The sensor is stacked with rapid readout speed, minimizing rolling shutter distortion
• A new higher-capacity NP-SA100 battery makes its debut
• Subject tracking autofocus performance further boosted with new chip

While the A7R VI's design is a minor upgrade, its performance reaches new levels thanks to a new 66.8MP stacked sensor, new Bionz XR 2 processor, combined processing and AI chip (as in the Sony A7 V), and an entirely new battery. Let's look at each of these in more detail, starting with the sensor.

Not only is the sensor the highest-resolution for the full-frame format at 66.8MP, it's a stacked sensor, which means a faster readout speeds, and a half-stop boost in image stabilization performance, now up to 8.5 stops.

Stacked sensors power everything from rapid autofocus speed to minimizing rolling shutter distortion. The A7R VI's is faster than the A7R V's regular 61MP sensor, but not quite as quick as the A1 II's 50MP stacked sensor, nor the A9 III's 24MP global shutter.

Future / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim Coleman

We also get a next-gen processor, the Bionz XR 2. Top features include 10fps burst shooting (mechanical shutter) for up to 535 frames in compressed RAW, and up to 30fps blackout-free (electronic shutter) for up to 150 shots — the latter is a three-second burst.

One of the buttons can be assigned as a burst-shooting boost, meaning you can tick over at, say, 10fps in using the electronic shutter and up this to 30fps when a key moment occurs.

Burst shooting is also supported by the pre-capture feature, where up to one second of shots can be buffered with the shutter half-pressed, before you fully press the shutter to engage a sequence.

The A7R VI's subject detection autofocus recognised the guinea pigs, including body shape and eyes, for accurate autofocusFuture / Tim ColemanSame for humansFuture / Tim ColemanAnd birds, even when small in the frameFuture / Tim ColemanHere I've cropped into the image by 1.5x, emulating the APS-C crop (28MP)Future / Tim Coleman

Like in the A7 V, the A7R V combines the processing chip with the dedicated AI chip — the setup found in previous-generation cameras like the A7R V — into a single chip, for greater efficiency and power conservation, and for smarter autofocus and accurate auto white balance and color rendition.

In addition to a boost in the maximum possible length of burst shooting sequences before the camera slows up, there's an auto subject-detection mode this time around, which is very handy if you regularly switch between subject types, plus dedicated subject-tracking modes for as humans, birds, animals and vehicles, with the camera able to recognize head, eyes and even body shape (human pose), to intelligently understand where exactly to focus on, with a super impressive hit ratio of sharp shots.

I photographed a lot of birdlife, and found the bird detection autofocus super reliable, and even able to pick out subjects when they only took up a small portion of the frame. Those who like to use spot focusing will enjoy seeing the size options expanded, with new XL and XS options for wider or even more precise focusing.

Future / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim Coleman

And then there's the new battery, a NP-SA100 unit with 2,670mAh capacity. For Sony photographers, this one is a big deal — the first new battery for Sony mirrorless cameras in nine years, since the legendary NP-FZ100.

The new battery is physically larger and has a 17% bigger capacity than the NP-FZ100's 2,280mAh, which already delivered rival-beating power, so that's the good news.

The bad news is that the batteries are not forwards / backwards compatible. You can't use your stock of NP-FZ100 batteries in the A7R VI, nor can you use the new NP-SA100 in an older Sony camera.

Batteries, along with the continued use of Sony's own CFexpress Type A cards, are another potential costly extra, which will no doubt irritate some Sony fans keen on the A7R VI. I certainly enjoyed having two NP-SA100 batteries and a charging dock for long weekends of heavy shooting, and would personally factor that into a purchase. The bottom line, though, is that the new battery's life is better — and who wouldn't want that?

• Performance score: 5/5

Sony A7R VI: Image and video quality

• The highest-resolution full-frame sensor in a mirrorless camera, and it's a stacked type
• 66.8MP equates to 28MP with a 1.5x (APS-C) crop
• Dynamic range boosted by one stop to a class-leading 16 stops

I've used a range of lenses and autofocus modes, and shot at various ISO values given that I've photographed in good light and low light, and employed severe cropping for some of my favorite bird photos. Throughout, I've been blown away by the A7R VI's qualityFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim Coleman

The 'R' series of A7 cameras have always been about detail — delivering the highest-resolution stills that Sony cameras are capable of. And the A7R VI boosts the series further, from 61MP to 66.8MP, and this is achieved with a substantial boost in performance thanks to the stacked sensor.

There are some who would have preferred an even bigger boost in resolution over a boost in speed — there was a time when the A7R VI was rumored to come with a (regular) 100MP sensor. For me, however, as someone who photographs everything from landscapes to portraits and wildlife, I prefer the versatility of the A7R VI's sensor. It's basically perfect for my needs.

With a stacked sensor, there's a risk of some compromises in image quality, especially in low light. Thankfully, in the case of the A7R VI, the opposite is true, and dynamic range is further boosted from 15 stops to 16 stops.

Some of my favorite bird photos shot with the A7R VI and 400-800mm F6.3-8 lens. The first photo is the full-resolution 66.8MP fileFuture / Tim ColemanAnd the second is the 1.5x Super 35 (aka APS-C) crop with 28MP resolutionFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanI preferred an even tighter crop for the first image, this is how the framing looks with the image cropped down to 14MP. Future / Tim Coleman

I don't usually need 66.8MP stills, but being able to crop into such large files can be super handy. For example, I took a lot of bird photos, and even with Sony's 400-800mm lens, which is its longest telephoto lens, the tiny, distant subjects at times appeared small in the frame.

No problem: I could crop right in and still enjoy super-sharp detail. To give you an idea, the 1.5x (APS-C) crop mode is still 28MP, which is a huge file size. Employing that crop with the 400-800mm lens is effectively like having a 1200mm lens! This is where high-resolution cameras can be particularly helpful.

Color is also improved, with the subject-detection AI chip analyzing the scene for better auto white balance (AWB). For example, where older AWB systems might look at a lush green woodland scene and compensate with the opposing tone, resulting in an overly magenta hue, the A7R VI knows it's a woodland, or a person in the shade, and will select the right tone for the scene.

Skin tones looks spot on, dynamic range is impressive. There are no weaknesses when it comes to image qualityFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim Coleman

Video recording looks similar to the A7R V's going by the numbers: 8K up to 30fps and 4K up to 120fps, and still no open-gate recording, but the new stacked sensor minimizes rolling shutter distortion, making the A7R VI a better option for video than its predecessor. It's also equipped with more filmic color profiles.

• Image and video quality score: 5/5

Sony A7R VI: testing scorecardSony A7R VI

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Price

Pricier than its predecessor, but much cheaper than the A1 II, which it outperforms in many ways

4.5/5

Design

It inherits Sony's best design from the A7 V / A9 III and adds a few nice features, with superb ergonomics and rugged build

5/5

Performance

The 66.7MP stacked sensor and AI processor chip are a revelation

5/5

Image and video quality

66.8MP stills, 8K video, 16-stops dynamic range — show me a better full-frame camera

5/5

Should I buy the Sony A7R VI?Buy it if...

You want Sony's most complete professional camera yet
Yes, the pricier A1 II is a little speedier in some specific ways, and the specialist A9 III quicker still, but the A7R VI takes the speed-plus-resolution crown in Sony's mirrorless camera lineup.

You shoot everything from landscapes to wildlife photography
With a 66.8MP stacked sensor, up to 30fps burst shooting, incredible autofocus performance and a rugged build, the A7R VI is a true all rounder.

Don't buy it if...

You specialize in one genre of photography
Just shoot sports and action, or major in flash photography? The A9 III is your best bet, or even the A1 II. Highly detailed landscape photography your thing? The A7R V gets you most of the quality of the A7R VI, and it now costs much less.

You like upgrading gear regularly
I'm being tongue in cheek here, but I suspect that once you get an A7R VI, your search for the perfect camera will be complete, and you can settle down for a good years to come.

Sony A7R VI: also consider

Sony A7R V

The A7R VI's predecessor is a stellar alternative if highly detailed pictures top your priority list. It packs a 61MP sensor — so just 6MP less than the A7R VI — the same burst-shooting speed, and it now costs much less, as its price has fallen steadily over its four-year life.

Read our in-depth Sony A7R V review

How I tested the Sony A7R VI

(Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

• Sony loaned me the A7R VI four weeks before it was announced
• I had four lenses to use with it, plus twin batteries and a charging dock
• I've taken photos and videos of a wide range of subjects to test key feature

I had the chance to test the Sony A7R VI for four weeks ahead of its announcement, and used it with four lenses: a small 24mm f/2.8 prime, the 28-70mm F2 GM, 70-200mm F4 G OSS II Macro and 400-800mm F6.3-8 telephoto zoom. I was also supplied with two batteries and the twin charging dock.

Given the camera's high-resolution stacked sensor and latest processor, which incorporates the previously separate AI chip, I wanted to test the camera's image quality and performance in a wide range of scenarios, which included landscape photography, wildlife photography, portraiture and more.

I also tested its burst-shooting skills, shooting in both the mechanical and electronic shutter modes, and noting how many photos the camera could capture before slowing up.

Sony also loaned me the A7R VI's predecessor, the A7R V, so I was able to make various performance comparisons, especially around high-speed photography.

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

JBL Go 5: two-minute review

The JBL Go 5 has still found ways to impress me, even though I've tested more than 50 Bluetooth speakers here at TechRadar.

See, I was already a fan of the JBL Go 5's predecessor, and I wasn't expecting all too much from a next-gen update — especially as the Go 4 itself only released two years ago. But ultimately, the Go 5 was a much bigger upgrade than I'd hoped.

There are some obvious changes out of the box: ambient LED lighting, a more refined overall look, and a slightly larger build. But it's when you fire the Go 5 up that the biggest changes rear their head — and cement this as one of the best Bluetooth speakers in the small-size category.

First of all, this model offers more powerful and refined audio than the JBL Go 4 ever could. Its output power has increased to 4.8W, so the single full-range driver can deliver more volume — ideal for small get-togethers.

But the audio quality onboard has been improved substantially as well. With more expressive highs, clearer mids, and cleaner bass, the Go 5 offers a clear sonic upgrade over what came before.

On top of that, you now get a maximum 10 hours of playtime with PlayTime Boost active, representing an improvement over the previous generation. Don't get me wrong, this is nothing groundbreaking, but it's still a welcome change.

Similarly, the Go 5 has marginally better waterproofing, now packing an IP68 rating. Its drop-proof build also makes it a great model for taking on the go, as well as using in the shower.

There's more, though, with USB-C audio connectivity on the features list, plus a new AirTouch function for instant stereo pairing. That's not to mention the usual good stuff, such as Auracast connectivity, solid EQ options, and multi-point connectivity.

The major takeaway, then, is that the JBL Go 5 is a great-sounding, well-built, and highly affordable mini Bluetooth speaker that offers plenty of improvements over its predecessor. I have some minor complaints, like the lack of color options for its LED lights and the battery life, which can be beaten by some rivals.

But the JBL Go 5 is without question one of the best-sounding small speakers I've ever used, and it's the one I'd pick as being best-in-class right now.

(Image credit: Future)JBL Go 5 review: price and availability

• List price of $54.95 / £39.99 (about AU$75)
• Released in April 2026

The JBL Go 5 was released in April 2026, about two years after its predecessor, the JBL Go 4.

It has a list price of $54.95 / £39.99 (about AU$75), which represents a $5 increase over the Go 4 in the US, but no difference in the UK. Still, this speaker comfortably sits in the budget category, with the Go line standing as the most affordable in JBL's Bluetooth speaker lineup.

JBL Go 5 review: specs

Weight

0.5lbs / 230g

Dimensions

4 x 3.1 x 1.7 inches / 101 x 77.4 x 43mm

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0, USB-C

Battery life

10 hours (with PlayTime Boost)

Speaker drivers

1x 45mm full-range

Waterproofing

IP68

(Image credit: Future)JBL Go 5 review: features

• Battery life gets a boost to 10 hours
• Lights pull up to the party
• Easy to use app with neat EQ options

The JBL Go 5 has a solid featureset, including the usual multi-point connectivity, fast-pairing, and Auracast for multi-speaker pairing. However, by entering the user-friendly JBL portable app, you can open up even more options.

First of all, you can adjust the speaker's EQ. There are a few presets, like JBL Signature, Chill, Energetic, and more. But there's also a custom equalizer, which enables you to tailor sound to your specific taste. I created a slightly bass-boosted custom EQ to add impact for deeper tracks, and found it to work brilliantly, although the default tuning is pretty good regardless.

The JBL Go 5 now comes equipped with lights for a funkier listening experience, and these can also be customized in JBL's companion app. There are various effects to pick from, such as Bounce, Loop, Switch, and Freeze. However, you can also decide to disable lights if you'd prefer to conserve some battery life.

I would've liked the option to choose from different color lights on the JBL Portable app, but otherwise, I'm a big fan of this change.

Looping back to battery life, and JBL has given a boost to the Go 5, which now delivers eight hours of playtime, or 10 hours with the battery-saving PlayTime Boost active. 10 hours is still nothing out of this world, especially when the similar-sized Tribit PocketGo manages double, but that speaker is more basic and doesn't sound anywhere near as good as the Go 5 — more on that later.

Auracast is back for rapid multi-speaker pairing, but there's a new feature onboard for stereo linking two Go 5 models together. This is called AirTouch, and enables you to link a couple Go 5's simply by tapping them together. I tried this for myself and found it to be very responsive and practical.

One final option worth noting is USB-C audio. Just connect your listening device to the speaker with a cable, and you'll be able to enjoy technically lossless audio on the go.

JBL has added this to most of their Bluetooth speakers lately, and it's great to see this on the Go 5 as well, even if it's not exactly going to offer audiophile-grade sound, due to its small size.

• Features score: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)JBL Go 5 review: sound quality

• Clear, expressive audio in a small package
• A lot more full-sounding than its predecessor
• Improved output power for increased volume

When I tried the JBL Go 4 a couple of years ago, I considered it to be a pretty solid performer, especially given its limited confines. But in my view, the JBL Go 5 offers a significant sonic improvement over that model.

Comparing the Go 5 against its predecessor, I found it to be far more full-sounding and well-rounded, and capable of more powerful audio. See, even though the Go 5 has a single 45mm full-range driver — the same as the Go 4 — it now offers a higher 4.8W power output.

I tried listening to a range of tracks, but started with the spacey house tune, Here to Catch You by Chris Stussy & S.A.M. The track's rhythmic and expressive high-pitched drums were replicated impressively on the Go 5, while synths in the mid-range came through with commendable clarity.

When bass entered the picture, the speaker didn't capture the drop with amazing impact or top-tier dynamism, but the low-end remained clean and agile.

In Editto Dal Sottoscoglio by Marco Castello, the Go 5 offered a more fleshed-out presentation than its predecessor, with more defined vocals, and less compressed-sounding highs.

Against slightly larger models, like the Tribit Stormbox Micro 3, the Go 5 isn't packing tons of low-end power, and as you'd expect, you won't get rippling sub-bass here or anything. However, I found the Go 5's bass to be rhythmic and responsive, and with a slight low-end bump in the EQ settings, I was able to get punchier bass for darker tracks.

Again, the the Go 5's smaller size means that you won't always get the most nuanced and separated audio either, but I was very satisfied with the clarity it managed across genres.

At top volumes, you'll experience a bit of compression, but the speaker rarely sounded tinny or shrill, and offered far more regimented and articulate sound than the majority of its budget-friendly rivals.

The inclusion of USB-C audio passthrough also means you can unleash lossless music on the go, something that few competitors include on their smallest models. For Bluetooth listening, you'll be limited to SBC and AAC, but that's pretty standard. And even with these more basic codecs, the JBL Go 5 is easily one of the best-sounding tiny speakers I've ever tested.

• Sound quality score: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)JBL Go 5 review: design

• Lighting is a welcome addition
• Wide array of eye-catching color options
• IP68-rated and drop-proof

Overall, the JBL Go 5 looks pretty similar to its predecessor, but there are a few changes worth flagging.

First and foremost, there are some LED edge lights, which JBL has also added to the next-gen update of its Xtreme speaker. This adds a bit of ambience when you're listening late at night or at a party, and doesn't make the model look too busy or over-the top. I mentioned earlier how you can't alter the color of the LEDs, which is a bit of a shame, but the lighting pattern is customizable in the JBL Portable app.

This speaker is a bit larger than its predecessor as well, but only marginally. It's still extremely lightweight, and will easily fit in your pocket or a small bag, for instance.

Another thing I spotted is that the Go 5's logo looks a bit sharper, and there are protruding rubber feet on the reverse side of the model to keep it more stable when laid flat. Looks-wise, though, things haven't been altered all too much — there are still plenty of color options to pick from, and I was a huge fan of the turquoise model I tested out.

On a practical level, you're still getting a drop-proof, lightweight model, but there's one small improvement to note, and that's the dust- and waterproof rating, which has levelled up to IP68. That means that the speaker is fully dustproof and able to survive a 30 minute dip in a meter and a half of water.

The Go 5's palm-sized form factor and practical loop also make it perfect for taking out and about — combine that with its durability and neat looks, and its a very high scorer in the design category.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)JBL Go 5 review: value

• Not short of improvements over predecessor...
• ...meaning the slight US price-bump feels justified
• Performs a lot better than most rivals in its price-range

The JBL Go 5 is a fantastic value-for-money buy, and even though its seen a slight price increase over its predecessor (in the US, at least), it feels worth every penny.

At $54.95 / £39.99 (about AU$75), this is a very budget-friendly model, and is far cheaper than other small speakers, like the Bose SoundLink Micro Gen 2, for instance.

You also get a whole lot for the money. Impressive sound quality in an ultra-compact form, high-standard build quality, and customizability in the JBL Portable app.

I'd even argue the upgraded audio quality makes it worth upgrading to the Go 5 from the Go 4 if you own that model — the additional power and less compressed audio is an absolute gamechanger, and the ambient lights aren't half bad either.

• Value score: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the JBL Go 5?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Appealing ambient lighting, user-friendly companion app, upgraded battery life welcome but nothing special.

4.5/5

Sound quality

Clean, defined, and expressive audio, offers a significant upgrade on predecessor.

4.5/5

Design

Ultra-durable, highly waterproof, and plenty of color options to choose from.

4.5/5

Value

Low price, high quality, small price increase from Go 4.

5/5

Buy it if…

You're looking for an ultra-compact speaker
One of the best things about the JBL Go 5 is its incredibly small form factor. It can easily fit into your pocket or slip into a bite-sized bag, and it's as light as a feather — well, almost.

You're on a budget but want sophisticated sound
The JBL Go 5 is certainly a budget-friendly model, but it sounds seriously good for the price. With expressive, clean treble, clear mids, and agile bass, it's a genuinely impressive performer. If you use the speaker's USB-C port, you can even access lossless audio, which is a neat addition too.

Don’t buy it if…

You want truly powerful audio
The JBL Go 5 is an impressive performer, but it can't get especially loud, and it can't produce much in the way of powerful deep bass. If you want a bit more power, I'd highly recommend its older sibling, the JBL Flip 7.

You don't want to charge your speaker very often
Although the Go 5's upgraded battery life is nothing to sniff at, it's hardly colossal. If you want a small speaker with truly brilliant battery life, I'd go with the Tribit Stormbox Micro 3.

JBL Go 5 review: also consider

JBL Go 5

Tribit Stormbox Micro 3

Edifier ES20

Price

$54.95 / £39.99 (about AU$75)

$64.99 / £62.99 (about AU$130)

$89.99 / £50 / AU$99.99

Weight

0.5lbs / 230g

0.7lbs / 330g

0.7lbs / 300g

Dimensions

4 x 3.1 x 1.7 inches / 101 x 77.4 x 43mm

4.4 x 4.1 x 1.8 inches / 112 x 103 x 45mm

3.6 x 3.7 x 2 inches / 90.4 x 93.7 x 49.7mm

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0, USB-C

Bluetooth 6.0

Bluetooth 5.4

Battery life

10 hours (with PlayTime Boost)

24 hours

15 hours

Speaker drivers

1x 45mm full range

1x 48mm full-range

1x 43mm full-range

Waterproofing

IP68

IP68

IP67

Tribit Stormbox Micro 3
I only just reviewed the Tribit Stormbox Micro 3, but I'd already consider it to be one of the very best small speakers on the market. The main attraction is the pumping, regimented bass, but it performs pretty well right across the frequency range. It's overflowing with battery, and can even be used to charge your phone, making it the ideal on-the-go audio companion. Read my full Tribit Stormbox Micro 3 review.

Edifier ES20
If you want something with more of a retro aesthetic, then you can't go wrong with the Edifier ES20. This square-shaped model produces brilliant mid-range clarity, and has decently punchy bass to match. It's quite pricey in the US, but it's a very nifty palm-sized speaker indeed. Read my full Edifier ES20 review.

How I tested the JBL Go 5

(Image credit: Future)

• I spent multiple weeks testing
• Mainly streamed tunes from Tidal
• Reviewed by someone who’s tested more than 50 Bluetooth speakers

I spent weeks testing the JBL Go 5, using it at our music testing space, at home, and in the shower. I exhausted all of its features, and made sure to cycle through all of the options in the JBL Portable app.

For the most part, I used Tidal to stream music, but I dipped into Spotify from time to time as well. During my time with the speaker, I played through tracks from the TechRadar testing playlist, but also bumped a wide range of tunes from my personal library.

More generally, I've spent years testing audio gear here at TechRadar, and have covered everything from small models like the Bose SoundLink Micro Gen 2 to party speakers like the Marshall Bromley 750. I've also used the JBL Go 5's predecessor, the Go 4, pretty extensively, meaning I knew exactly what to look for from a next-gen refresh.

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

Finding a reliable and efficient web hosting service is often a big challenge. Amongst the many web hosting providers out there, GoogieHost has steadily gained recognition as a reliable provider when comparing the best free web hosting service providers on the market. 

This review will discuss the performance, ease of use and pricing of Googiehost and to help you decide if it is the right web hosting provider for you. 

Who is Googiehost?

Googiehost only offers free hosting while doing affiliate sales for other hosts. (Image credit: Future)

Established in 2012, Googiehost is considered a veteran in the web hosting industry. Headquartered in India, the company is also among a handful that offer a free web hosting plan. Even more bizarre is that, unlike similar companies, it doesn’t offer its own premium hosting; instead, it earns money by selling affiliate links to other web hosts. The site's homepage is basically a long list of web hosting coupons from other companies.

The Googiehost site is structured to look like a traditional web hosting company. However, the links that it displays are deceptive. For example, the “Paid Hosting” link leads to another coupon page for other hosting company plans, while the “VPS/Servers” link takes you to a blog section with articles about web hosting.

Essentially, Googiehost isn’t really a web hosting company, but an affiliate sales blog that uses free web hosting as a customer magnet. It even throws on a ton of intrusive, highly annoying ads everywhere to round out a somewhat nightmarish user experience.

GoogieHost features

Googiehost offers DirectAdmin for hosting management. (Image credit: Future)

Since we’re now aware that Googiehost isn’t a typical web hosting company, it offers a single free plan to attract users. With that plan, you get 1GB of storage, 100GB of bandwidth, and email capabilities (provided you don’t need more than 1GB of space).

You also get free SSL, but that's pretty normal today, and something that hosts have to offer to stay even the least bit competitive.

Compared to other free hosting companies, that’s pretty much par for the course. However, we recently updated another host, Infinity Free, which offers a free plan with a much better deal.

Googiehost’s free web hosting plan is indeed quite limited in resources, but it’s made more usable thanks to DirectAdmin for hosting management and Softaculous for one-click application installation.

Beyond that, however, things get a little edgy - but we’ll cover more on that in our next section.

Performance

Website reliability and speed are two of the most vital factors. Even if you’re using a free hosting plan for a simple, personal website, you’d at least want some level of consistency. That’s a keyword that seems sorely missing almost anywhere on Googiehost.

To begin with, signing up for an account on Googiehost was, to say the least, weird. Their site is in English, but once we clicked on the “sign up” link, everything converted to Italian. Attempting to change it back to English (via a dropdown menu) resulted in blank menus with no conversion options.

Looking past that, we filled in the user information form and submitted the application. Things were processed quickly, but when we checked the user profile in their system, they changed our country profile to India. Why? We have no idea.

Again, moving on, we tried to upload our standard test website to Googiehost. Uploading a 171MB backup file took about 20 minutes, following which the backup restoration promptly failed. We repeated the process three times, after which we gave up.

The following day, attempting to access the client control panel returned a 502 error, after which we decided to abandon further testing with Googiehost.

How easy is GoogieHost to use?

When it comes to ease of use, GoogieHost has taken steps to simplify website management by offering tools such as DirectAdmin and Softaculous. They even throw in free SSL, but seem to fail badly at configuring their own systems.

If you’re used to any web hosting control panel like cPanel or Plesk, DirectAdmin offers a similar experience, albeit one that doesn’t look as pretty. Softaculous also does a neat job of installing apps relatively quickly and efficiently. In that sense, Googiehost doesn’t lag behind the competition.

Unfortunately, the overall experience leaves one very confused due to the language changes, user data being auto-corrected for no reason, random system failures like the 502 we encountered, and a ton of ads being constantly thrown at you.

This makes it challenging to accept, even if it’s offered for free.

The competition

Bluehost, renowned for its user-friendly interface and versatile hosting options, is just one of GoogieHost’s competitors. Bluehost offers shared hosting, virtual private servers (VPS), and dedicated hosting, catering to a wide range of user needs. With a reputation for reliable customer support and an array of features, Bluehost presents a robust alternative.

Namecheap provides a significantly more professional and reliable foundation compared to Googiehost for any serious digital project. At the very least, you get a range of cheap hosting plans to choose from, alongside a 99.9% uptime guarantee. Even their domain names come with freebies like lifetime domain name privacy protection.

Hostinger offers a massive leap in performance and professional utility, essential for any growing site. Built on high-speed LiteSpeed servers and utilizing NVMe storage on higher tiers, Hostinger is much more reputable and reliable than Googiehost in almost all aspects. Plus, it offers dirt-cheap plans that aren't far off from being free.

SiteGround, with its solid reputation for performance and security, stands as a fierce rival. Offering managed WordPress hosting, cloud hosting, and dedicated servers, SiteGround's focus on speed and technical excellence positions it as a contender for users seeking top-tier performance.

Liquid Web is in an entirely different league from Googiehost. If you want mission-critical stability and high-end performance. Liquid Web is one of the go-to hosts. Built on a robust infrastructure of dedicated and VPS solutions, these guys offer an industry-leading 100% Power and Network Uptime Guarantee.

Final verdict

GoogieHost is a very hard option for us to recommend. Since it doesn’t offer premium plans of its own, there’s no need to discuss that option here. If you’re looking for a cheap web hosting alternative, there are many notable brands around, like Namecheap and Hostinger. For high reliability and performance, consider SiteGround or LiquidWeb.

Even among free web hosting providers, most other options are far ahead of Googiehost. Here, we’d recommend Infinity Free, which does a much better job while also using free control panels and the like.

Remember, Googiehost isn’t really a web hosting company - it’s an affiliate sales site disguised as one. So don’t get carried away.

• Here's a list of the best web hosting services on the market

This past week or so, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Saros. Housemarque’s intense roguelite third-person shooter is a tremendous refinement of its previous work, Returnal (a game I feel is one of this console generation’s best). Yet its harrowing, cosmic horror-influenced narrative elevates it to something especially memorable.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5
Release date: April 30, 2026

If you’re familiar with Returnal, it probably doesn’t come as a surprise that Housemarque has once again deployed the Torment Nexus for Saros’s doomed spacefarers, and the concept of its protagonist being forced into a seemingly eternal cyclical hell is very much present here. That said, Saros is decidedly more manageable than its predecessor, featuring gameplay and progression systems that allow for a more forgiving experience overall.

Don’t get me wrong, though; Saros is still a tough PS5 game. Strip away all its new systems, and I’d say it’s about on par with Returnal in terms of difficulty. Enemies hit hard, and bosses demand keen focus when it comes to learning and dodging their bullet patterns. You’re going to die a lot in Saros, but given I reached the true ending in a tidy 20 hours, it’s a good bit friendlier to the average player.

A skill tree packed with permanent upgrades — alongside a very clever modifier system unlocked early on — ensures that protagonist Arjun grows steelier with each run. Furthermore, checkpoints placed at the start of each biome mean that, unlike Returnal, you don’t have to play through the whole thing in one flawless run. That alone condenses runs from Returnal’s 2-3 hours to a far more manageable 30 or so minutes, depending on what you’re looking to achieve on each run.

And like its predecessor, Saros is polished to a mirror sheen. Arjun’s movements are fast and snappily responsive. Color-coded bullet patterns instantly communicate the approach you need for each enemy. Weapons are varied and often creative in design and their sub-weapon functionality. And those haptics and adaptive triggers? Simply the best I’ve ever experienced and reminded me that, for all its faults, the DualSense is still capable of wowing me after all these years.

All in all, Saros is very much another slam dunk from a studio that has mastered the art of blending arcade-like trappings with AAA production values. It’s not quite perfect; I wish there were more post-game activities (and no daily challenge system yet, a la Returnal), and there are very (and I do mean very) occasional performance dips on base PS5 hardware. But there’s nothing that puts a serious dent in what I’m sure will be a game of the year frontrunner for many who seek Saros’s yellow shores.

Hail to the King

(Image credit: PlayStation / Housemarque)

Saros puts you in the role of Arjun Devraj, portrayed by actor Rahul Kohli. Arjun is a member of Echelon IV, a team sent by megacorporation Soltari to the planet Carcosa. Their purpose is twofold: to continue the extraction of a valuable resource called Lucenite, as well as to uncover what happened to the previous three Echelon teams that have made no contact with Soltari since planetfall months ago.

It’s not long before the truths of Carcosa are laid bare. In a phenomenon unique to the planet, it undergoes regular eclipse phases that rapidly advance time. Oh, and people who look directly at the eclipse are driven mad. This is all spelled out pretty early on through collectable audio and text logs left behind by prior Echelon expedition teams. From there, the madness only increases at a rate of knots.

If you’re familiar with Returnal, then you’ll know that there was more to its protagonist, Selene, than met the eye. It’s a similar case with Arjun in Saros. I won’t spoil the finer details here, but there’s still an element of his trauma seemingly manifesting itself in the form of Carcosa’s horrors.

That said, I find Carcosa to be a tremendously compelling setting. Housemarque certainly isn’t shy about its horror inspirations here. Namely, the stunning H.R. Giger-esque architecture left behind by the planet’s former inhabitants, and The King in Yellow, a collection of short stories that revolve around a stage play of the same name, which causes all of its readers to go inexplicably mad. It’s rather on the nose with the latter, actually, but it all serves to create an aggressive brand of horror here that pairs beautifully with Saros’s fast-paced third-person shooting.

I'm Blue

(Image credit: Sony / Housemarque)

Saros, at its heart, is a third-person shooter with roguelite elements. There’s no trudging movement speed or ducking behind cover here, though. Arjun’s default run speed would be enough to set off a highway speed camera, and he can dodge, jump, and air dash on a dime to quickly reposition or blink through incoming projectiles.

It’s a game with myriad arcade sensibilities. Enemies’ primary method of attack is intricate bullet patterns reminiscent of danmaku shoot-em-ups like DoDonpachi Resurrection or Ikaruga. Okay, Saros never gets as intimidatingly screen-filling as that, but I think it does take some inspiration, especially from that latter title.

Best bit

(Image credit: PlayStation / Housemarque)

I love Saros for many of the same reasons I did Returnal, but the new Carcosan Modifier system is brilliant to play around with. This is where you can add a bit (or a lot) of extra bite to the game's difficulty, or give yourself a bit more favor depending on your preferences.

A new addition to Saros is Arjun’s Soltari Shield. Bound to R1 by default, holding the button down produces a protective globe around Arjun that absorbs projectiles, converting them into ammunition for his currently equipped power weapon. As a result, Saros directly encourages you to get stuck into the line of fire. You’ll need to watch out here, though; only blue projectiles can be absorbed without penalty. You can absorb yellow projectiles, but they’ll cause corruption, eating into your maximum health until cleansed with power weapon usage. Red projectiles, meanwhile, cannot be absorbed or even dodged through.

There’s plenty of weapon variety in Saros. From powerful revolvers and close-range shotguns to energy crossbows and auto-targeting smart rifles. You’ll need to use power weapons in tandem with these to deal devastating damage and effectively turn dire situations in your favor. Some are great for immediate single-target damage, while others excel at crowd control, spreading damage-over-time projectiles around the room.

One thing I adore about Saros’s weapons is that they all come fitted with an alternate fire module. By holding down L2 about halfway, your weapon’s behaviour changes. These typically consume more energy, but can do things like turn your shotgun into a grenade launcher, or your energy crossbow beams into a single concentrated blast. My favorite weapon comes a bit later in the game, though; a chakram launcher that embeds blades into enemies, spinning inside them to deal damage when you activate its alt fire. It’s so awesome.

Helping hands

(Image credit: PlayStation / Housemarque)

As I said at the top, Saros has a similar difficulty curve to Returnal, but it’s much less mean. Early on, you’ll unlock the ‘Armor Matrix’, a massive skill tree that improves stats and offers various perks (such as a ‘second chance’, allowing you to get back up once when you die) when you pump collectible Lucenite currency into it. A secondary resource, Halcyon, can also be gathered to unlock particularly potent enhancements.

You’ll typically be faced with a boss at the end of a biome. Levels can take around 20-30 minutes per run, depending on how much optional exploration you undertake, and beating a boss will unlock a checkpoint for you to return to upon death. These checkpoints can be teleported to from your home base of the Passage, letting you begin a run from your most recent one, or for returning to older areas for side collectibles like audio logs and Halcyon.

This is probably the main thing that makes Saros a much more manageable beast compared to its predecessor. Returnal (outside of its split halfway through the game) demanded a full run every time. Dying to a late-game boss there often meant 2-3 hours of lost progress. Saros is far more forgiving in this regard, making it a far more accessible game for those who were put off by Returnal’s difficulty and the time investment it demanded.

Fear not if you’re after a meatier challenge in Saros, though. After a few early biomes, you’ll unlock Carcosan Modifiers at your base. This system presents you with a range of modifiers to make your life on Carcosa both easier and more difficult. You can give yourself stronger firepower and better defenses, but you’ll have to balance that out with detrimental modifiers, like the loss of your second chance or more aggressive enemies.

Easy modifiers decrease the number on the scale, while hard ones increase it. There is no upper limit to this, either; you’re free to pack on as many modifiers as you choose, so long as the scale doesn’t dip too far in the easier direction. In short, if you want to bring all the modifiers that make your life easier, you are required to pile up the ones that increase the game’s challenge. It’s a really smart way of increasing difficulty and adds tons of flavor to runs once you have a good grasp on the game.

Bathed in yellow

(Image credit: PlayStation / Housemarque)

I found Saros to be a deeply enjoyable game, then, and I didn’t find its additional safeguards and progression systems made it any less when compared to Returnal. But one area where I think Saros surpasses its prequel is in presentation.

It’s one of the most visually stunning games put out by a PlayStation Studios team to date. Biomes are vast and varied, ranging from chalk-like canyons and underground mines to dilapidated docks and swampy marshlands. Draw distance is also remarkable, and you can often see entire levels span out when you look out over a vista. You can even spot landmarks from areas further in the game off in the distance. It’s awe-inspiring stuff.

I would also strongly, strongly recommend bolstering your experience with a pair of headphones. Sound design in Saros feels tailor-made for the PS5’s Tempest 3D audio. Roaring winds and distant alien screams fill the soundstage, while gunshots and explosions all sound satisfyingly chunky. The soundtrack is also a massive highlight for me, blending chaotic synths with wailing electric guitars.

Once again, Housemarque has really put the DualSense Wireless Controller through its paces. The novelty of its haptic feedback and adaptive triggers has long worn off for me, but Saros really surprised me with its usage of these. Things like the pattering of rain and feedback from power weapons echo through the controller’s vibrations accurately and immersively. And the usage of those adaptive triggers to open up secondary fire options is a brilliant touch, as it was in Returnal, too.

To close out, I really have very few complaints from my time with Saros. The game largely holds an impressive 60fps (frames per second) on base PS5, but there was the very occasional slight chug in busier, enemy-filled rooms. It’s never anything game-breaking, though.

Beyond that, I’d really like to see more postgame activities come to Saros. Returning to older areas for collectibles is fun, but it’s currently lacking anything like leaderboards or Returnal’s daily challenge runs. That game did eventually receive a chunky free expansion with new story elements, so I’d love to see the same thing happen again in Saros. Right now, I’ve just been left wanting more, which is hardly a bad thing.

Should you play Saros?

(Image credit: PlayStation / Housemarque)Play it if...

You’re down for a moreish challenge
Saros might be easier than Returnal overall, but it’s still no slouch. Many enemies and bosses will give you something to think about. Plus, the act of shooting, dodging, and managing resources like power weapons, it all just feels so great once you’ve got it down to a science.

You loved Returnal’s horror trappings
Saros features a different, more chaotic kind of horror, but it’s no less compelling as a narrative vehicle. Its environmental design and scattered audio and text logs create a truly horrifying picture; one that stays harrowing right up to the end.

Don't play it if...

You're not keen on split-second action
Saros can be a fast game, almost unrelentingly so. It might not be for you if dodging several high-speed, intricate bullet patterns all at once while managing energy resources sounds like a lot.

Accessibility features

Like most contemporary PlayStation Studios titles, Saros has plenty of accommodating options for gamers of all stripes. Up front, you can disable the Carcosan Modifier limiter if you desire an easier experience, and there’s no penalty or trophy-gating for doing so. Full button remapping is also supported.

There are plenty of colorblind options, too, to the point where you can even change the default color of different projectile types. Meanwhile, subtitle options are robust. You can change their size, color, and background opacity.

Audio options are especially broad. A dialogue priority slider ensures spoken lines aren’t drowned out by other audio sources, and you can fine-tune bass, treble, and the lower and higher ends of dynamic range. There’s even an average loudness setting if you’re hard of hearing or don’t have access to speakers or a surround sound system.

How I reviewed Saros

I reached Saros’s true ending in 20 hours of play. In addition to the main campaign, I spent plenty of time gathering optional collectibles and collecting currencies to build up the Armor Matrix skill tree.

I played with a DualSense Wireless Controller on a base PS5, often pairing my play time with the RIG R5 Spear Pro HS gaming headset for more immersive audio. My display of choice is the LG CX OLED TV.

I went into this review with extensive playtime in Housemarque’s previous games, most notably Returnal. It was one of my favorite games in the year it came out, so I was excited and plenty prepared to take on the horrors of Saros using Returnal as one of my frames of reference.

First reviewed April-May 2026