TechRadar Reviews

Over the past few years, I've become absolutely fascinated and have fallen in love with BenQ monitors. I love how they have become more Apple-esque, yet they include some features that most people wish Apple would add to their monitors. While I would love to have a studio display someday, I think that the quality would be amazing.

I am absolutely loving my MA series monitors across several of my workstations. I'm still loving my MA320U on my main desk in my home office studio, but the MA270S has made its home as the vertical monitor in my setup, where I currently have my RD monitor as well.

This panel is unbelievably crisp, integrates with everything in my DisplayPilot 2 app, and offers extra ports. It's got a halfway decent speaker for virtual meetings, though I wouldn't listen to music through it beyond background lo-fi. All around, this monitor has been an absolute treat for a ton of reasons.

BenQ MA270S: Price and availability

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The BenQ MA270S retails for just under $1,000 on BenQ's website. It's also widely available from online retailers, including Amazon.

If that price doesn't scare you and you're looking for a 32-inch variant, they do have an MA320UG panel that is the same type of panel, just 32 inches. Make sure you check that one out if you're interested.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )BenQ MA270S: Unboxing and First Impressions

The unboxing experience for this monitor is much like that of every other BenQ monitor I've tested. It comes in a simple brown box that's somehow still very well packed and secure. In the box is the monitor or panel, the stand, documentation, and every cable you could possibly need.

That is one thing I will always appreciate about BenQ: they include every single cable, regardless of how you use this monitor. If there's an HDMI option, they include an HDMI. If there's USB-C, they include USB-C, so you can get up and running right away.

The first time I laid eyes on the monitor, I immediately recognized how glossy the first panel was. Of course, that could be an issue if you're in a high-glare area, but I decided to put it to the test anyway. It took me exactly one second to know exactly what I wanted with this monitor.

I added it to my test setup that already has a BenQ R/D monitor. I knew this would be a perfect vertical monitor, even though there's a difference between the slightly matte display on the R/D monitor and the glossy display on this one.

Plus, to the left of my desk is a window. I have a semi-transparent shade on it, but still, there's a window. I did worry for a moment if there was going to be too much glare, but after setting everything up, I completely forgot that it was a concern. I was able to get to work immediately. Now, 100 days later, I am absolutely thrilled with this monitor.

BenQ MA270S: Design & Build Quality

As I briefly mentioned above, this monitor is incredibly clean. It comes with everything in the box, which is awesome. It has a fairly high-gloss finish. This is the kind of glossy finish that you would find on a studio display.

This is the kind of glossy finish that you would find on a MacBook or on a high-end creative laptop. It's beautiful. It's not just glossy for the sake of being glossy, but it's glossy to show just how sharp the image is, how beautiful the blacks are, and how vibrant the colors are.

That, plus the native integration with Apple's walled card, makes this monitor an absolute dream to use with a Mac. While I have used this desk setup with a PC, I prefer to use it with my MacBook Pro M4 Pro 14-inch. I can plug in a single cable through a docking station, technically, too, and run both these monitors without any problem.

When I need to just listen to a little bit of music or join a virtual meeting and I don't want to use my soundbar, I can run the audio through this monitor. While it's not great, it could get the job done before a virtual meeting if that's all you need it for, or maybe some lo-fi background music. If you're trying to actually listen to music or need to play audio for some other reason, I would suggest using headphones or an external speaker.

The bezels on this are sharp. The port access is phenomenal, and the ability to fit a clean Mac desk setup is truly uncanny. Sure, there's still a part of me that wishes I could have a studio display; however, with every upgrade to the BenQ Mac-specific line-up, that desire shrinks a little bit, by little bit, by little bit.

To bring me back to the ports for a moment, I genuinely appreciate that BenQ doesn't try to hide their ports under some sort of breakable plastic cover. Instead, they make the cables highly accessible, pointing directly over the monitor to avoid the cable dangling down underneath the bezel and being visible from the front.

The ports are firm yet not difficult to plug things into. They are well spaced, leaving room for even awkward cables, and they're in a good position. All around, a big win for me.

I've said it once, maybe even twice now, but I'll say it again: this is essentially BenQ's version of a 27-inch studio display. While the studio display has better speakers and a built-in camera and mic, this display wins out in pretty much every other category.

It's easy to set up and easy to use with both the Apple ecosystem and others, in case you need to plug in something else. It's got spectacular color accuracy, a beautiful panel, high resolution, a nice gloss, and it functions just as beautifully as it looks.

BenQ MA270S: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

Looking back at my arrival date, I've had this monitor for exactly 166 days as of this review. In that time, it has lived almost every single one of those days on my desk in the photos as a vertical monitor paired alongside my BenQ RD series monitor.

It truly is a remarkably good 5K monitor, especially with the built-in features that let me adjust brightness and volume directly from my keyboard. I've used this monitor for accessing emails.

I always have my calendar, some messengers, and reminders up on this monitor, as I can have it scaled up to the smallest size Mac offers and still see every single line super crisp. Unlike the Studio Display, what I really appreciate about this monitor is that it doesn't just have USB-C. It has USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, and others to make these a lot easier.

BenQ MA270S: Final verdict

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

At the end of the day, most Mac users decide whether they care about the Studio Display. Since it was released, most people with an X-ray monitor have thought about switching to the Studio Display, but usually see the cost and change their minds.

That's where this monitor comes in strong, serving as a shield unless you are sitting on cash to burn or need the proprietary one for some other reason. This BenQ monitor feels like a true MVP.

I have absolutely loved using this monitor for work, and I look forward to continuing to use it as much as possible in the future. For me, this is one of the best photo editing monitors I've ever used.

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For more top picks, we've tested the best monitors for Mac mini and the best monitors for MacBook.

The GL.iNet Beryl 7 is a travel router that is designed for those on the go who still need control over their networking.

Especially today, it feels like people are more aware of their networking than ever. There's fear over what people are able to see. There's fear of what other people can see of your own data, and there are people trying to take control of their own connections. That's one very real use case for the Beryl 7.

Alternatively, another use case that is possibly more common, or at least more widespread, would be that a lot of people travel with an abundance of gadgets these days. It used to be that people would have their phones, and that would be about the only thing they would connect to Wi-Fi, then maybe a laptop, then maybe an iPad.

Now the average family, to my understanding, travels with several tablets, laptops, phones, and oodles of other internet-connected devices, or perhaps that's just my family when we travel.

Regardless of which camp you're in, having a parallel router can actually prove to be incredibly helpful. Personally, I have seen some people use it as a way to connect to a VPN easily and with whatever device they have with them. I've seen some people use it as a way to be able to only have to connect to a guest Wi-Fi once and then extend that network to all of their devices.

I personally have used it in the sense of, when traveling, not having to disconnect and reconnect our devices at every stop that we make. Instead, I can connect just once and then keep all the kids' iPads and devices, as well as my own, on a known and already saved network, just simply for ease of setup.

I've also seen people use it as a way to turn Wi-Fi networks into a wired network and vice versa. All around, a little device like the Beryl 7 turns into a Swiss Army knife of networking capabilities.

GL.iNet Beryl 7: Price and availability

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The Beryl 7 is available direct from GL.iNet store in the US here and in the UK here. The travel router is priced at $130 / £117.

It's also widely available from online retailers, including Amazon, where I've seen it down as low as almost $100.

The Beryl 7 specifically is not as nice as some of its bigger brothers, but for the price, if you're not changing a ton of settings but more setting and forgetting, this one might just be the perfect little addition to your tech bag.

It's lightweight, doesn't take a ton of space, and setup and go is super easy, especially with the ability to run this off of just a single low-powered USB-C.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )GL.iNet Beryl 7: Unboxing and First Impressions

As a tech lover, I was excited to get my hands on this one. It seems like it's a solid update and even an upgrade from past models, and I wanted to see just how lightweight it really was. I got the mint green colorway, which is pretty striking, and for something like this, it is a little bit more fun than just a black model.

Normally, I'm an all-black or, these days, maybe even some silver technology kind of person, but I didn't mind the flash of color for something like a little networking device.

The weight is just as light as I expect it to be, or should I even say how much I hoped it would be. The ports are simple, the mode switch is sleek, and the ability to use USB-C really is just that convenient.

Even as a heavy tech reviewer, I've almost made it to where every single thing I carry is USB-C, which has become incredibly helpful for when traveling, working remotely, or at different offices and just going about my day-to-day. Needing to carry multiple cables and multiple different types of cables is a thing of the past… almost.

Having USB-C on even my travel router that I'm testing is super convenient. Further, it's nice to see two 2.5 GHz network ports, a USB 3.0 port (even though it is capped at a pretty slow speed), and two folding antennas that are satisfying enough to be near fidget-toy status.

GL.iNet Beryl 7: Design & Build Quality

Talking specifically about the build quality. While this is plasticky and the folding arms are fun to play with, it does feel like over a couple years, or even just some hard daily use, the arms could get pretty loose and won't snap open quite as nicely.

I'm also wary of dropping this because it feels like a single drop could crack the entire shell. Cases are available for the device, and if you're using it for business travel, I recommend picking one up.

With that being said, though, it is really nice to see little rubber feet on the bottom of the portable router, making it so that it's not just the sound or experience of plastic sliding along whatever I decide to put this down on.

Moving to the ports, they feel pretty well built. Cables snap in pretty easily and feel like they're a tight connection, and I appreciate the layout and spacing between all the ports.

It makes more sense to spread out even just these four ports than it does to have them all crammed together for a look of minimalism. Having them spread out a little bit on the back side of this unit makes more sense from just a usability standpoint.

GL.iNet Beryl 7: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

I brought this with me on a few different planned trips, and then it's come in handy at other times as well.

The first trip I brought it on was a quick little family trip. Knowing that we were going to stop at a hotel on the drive and how insane it was to get everything set up for just a few hours in a hotel and then continue driving the next day, zero part of me wanted to spend time connecting my devices to the hotel Wi-Fi. I also needed to spend time setting up pack-and-plays and getting everything squared away.

I made sure to bring this travel router to try out what this would look like in real time. I already had all the devices programmed and ready to go ahead of time to the network I had set on the Beryl 7.

When we got to the hotel, I had to connect one single device to the hotel Wi-Fi, and then I was able to broadcast that signal to all of the devices. It was stable enough for 5 iPads, a laptop, and a couple of phones, and therefore earned its place in my bag for the next trip I went on.

The next trip I went on was a quick work trip where we stayed at an Airbnb. I knew I'd be working pretty heavily, and I did not want to have to deal with potentially sketchy Wi-Fi, connecting to an unknown source, and then again having to connect all the devices I travel with.

On this trip specifically, I had two laptops, two iPads, and my phone, just for my own devices, let alone my team that I helped support technology-wise. I brought the Barrel 7 so that I could connect one device and then broadcast my own network, or at least that was the plan. What I ended up actually doing was connecting directly to an Ethernet port and not even having to connect and then broadcast via Wi-Fi.

One thing that I wish I would have done on that trip is I wish I would have set up the VPN earlier on my Beryl 7. I was able to do it during the trip, realizing how handy it would have been to do ahead of time, but I ended up needing to remote into my network rack back at the office.

While I can do that through VPN connections on my laptop, having one on this portable router, for some reason, just feels so much easier because then I can connect quickly on my iPad as well without having to toggle through things. I can just know that anytime I connect to this router, or if anybody else needs to connect to it, they can all be on the same VPN.

Personally, for me, it was just to change some settings and prep some things for the upcoming week. But, I could see this being super helpful for those who have Home Lab servers that need troubleshooting or other things like that. Further, if you have a work VPN that you need to be connected to, check with your employer.

Potentially, this could be a great option for you to not have to connect several devices, but you can connect one. For some work, that may be a great option. But, one thing to keep in mind is the speed limitations if you are choosing to use VPN. Moving things around on the network that you're connected to should be fine, but pulling files through the VPN to your device or vice versa will feel very slow.

GL.iNet Beryl 7: Final verdict

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

Whether you're working out of a coffee shop and don't want to connect multiple devices, or you have a secure VPN you need quick access to on any device you're bringing. If you simply want to be able to connect to a Wi-Fi network and turn it into a wired network, or take a wired network and turn it into a wireless signal, a little travel router like this can make things a lot easier.

Or perhaps you're like me, and you're starting to learn more and more about how scary network traffic can be, and you want to make sure that you're never connecting directly to a sketchy Wi-Fi. That's a great first step, and utilizing something like this and a VPN to help scatter your traffic may be a spectacular solution for you.

If you're looking for more networking capabilities, more features, and more power, make sure to check out GL.iNet for some of their other spectacular options, or keep an eye out for more reviews coming.

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The Lenovo ThinkPad T1g Gen 8 is a powerhouse and a semi-portable shell. It takes on the power of the beloved X1 Extreme, pairing an ultra 9 processor with quick memory, Thunderbolt 5, and decent storage. It's designed for engineers, creatives, and other power users who need a machine that can do it all while still having that hint of portability.

I think of this quite like the 16-inch MacBook Pro. It's the bigger choice in the line-up, but you would get it because you want the power and the ability, not necessarily the portability. The people who would get this laptop are the people who need the ports as well.

That's one of the reasons why I'm thrilled to see USB-A still, though it is just one, which is all that I would want. USB-C, Thunderbolt, an SD card reader, and an HDMI port. It honestly has every port I wish my MacBook Pro had, even as a guy who loves the MacBook Pro.

Lenovo ThinkPad T1g Gen 8: Price and availability

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The Lenovo ThinkPad T1g Gen 8 is available from Lenovo in the US here, and in the UK here. Prices start at $3,632 / £5,0145.

My tested version of this laptop has an Intel Core i9-285H, an IPX5070 with 8 GB, 32 GB of RAM, and a 1 TB SSD. It's pretty hefty, and it does the job, that's for sure. The fact that it has a dedicated GPU shows that this thing is meant to work. The screen is also WQUXGA (3840x2400) with an 800-nit IPS panel.

You can fully inspect this thing out with a loaded Ultra 9 5070 with 64 GB and 4 TB of SSD. That will run you just over $4,000. My unit is not fully spec'd. It was pretty close and comes in at about $3,400 to $3,700, depending on how I look at it. If you get a base level with an entry point of an Intel Ultra Core 7 RTX 5060 and a terabyte of SSD, you can get it for just under $1,700 at $1,688.

So, much like most of Lenovo's line-up, you can expect this thing to go up and down the price chain however far you want. What's important to recognize is that they have laptops all across the spectrum for what you're wanting.

Lenovo ThinkPad T1g Gen 8: Unboxing and First Impressions

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

Right off the bat, this is a super sharp machine. I'm a big fan of Lenovo laptops for how they always look uniform yet still have a little taste of differences.

When it comes to being uniform, it still has the matte black that I love, the touchpoint, a generous trackpad, a very comfortable keyboard, a great screen, a physical shutter on the camera, spectacular ports, and all-around really standard and clean branding.

The things that are different, though, are that, unlike a lot of the other models that I've tested, this doesn't have a left and right-click button at the top of the trackpad that's meant to be used with touchpoint.

It does still have a little bump, though, so that if you know that it's there, it's still accessible. I tested it, and the right-click still works just fine. It's just not a physical button; it's built into the touchpad.

Outside of that, this still looks super sharp. While it is bigger than some of the other models, it's by no means too cumbersome to carry. I would happily carry this around every day in my backpack, and it fits even at 16 inches in most standard-size or slightly bigger backpacks. It's a pretty tight fit in something like a Bellroy Daily Pack, but in my beloved Nomadic or TomToc bags, this fits without any problem.

In the box comes the standard charger and always great packaging to make sure that the laptop stays safe while in transit or in the store. Admittedly, I rarely use the chargers that come with these devices personally, but that's because I usually opt for more efficient and more useful chargers from Anker, Ugreen, or even Nomad.

For something this size, though, I'll probably continue to use one of my bigger Anker chargers that have a few ports, phenomenal output, and even Bluetooth capabilities to give me readouts. I can see where my power is going for each port on the plug.

Lenovo ThinkPad T1 Gen 8: Design & Build Quality

As previously mentioned, this is an absolutely spectacular build device. If you're more familiar with Apple products, this does feel quite a bit like the MacBook Pro. I feel bad constantly comparing it to that, but the reality is that the MacBook Pro is a little more distinguishable and more known in the popular field.

What's unlike the MacBook Pro, though, is that this also features a trackpoint, a privacy shutter, human presence detection, upgradable memory, and that USB-A port that I wish my MacBook Pro had.

It's no secret that this is a big machine. It's a 16-inch powerhouse, so don't expect it to be as light as a feather or as light as some of Lenovo's carbon models. That doesn't mean that it's wildly uncomfortable either.

Yes, it's a big laptop, but for its size, it's so barely portable and relatively thin and light. Especially when you consider that you can get this spec'd out with a tandem OLED 120 Hz screen, massive amounts of storage, 64 GB of RAM, and a dedicated graphics card. That's pretty insane all around.

Lenovo ThinkPad T1g Gen 8: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

I've had this laptop in rotation for my team and myself for the last 163 days as I write this paragraph. Throughout the time, I've used it for virtual meetings, projects in Notion, a lot of writing, and emails.

I'm taking over the world one AI at a time, trying to teach myself things through Claude and GPT. I've taught myself how to code. I've done a lot of website work. I've sent a lot of Slack messages and even watched a fair number of tutorials on YouTube.

While working on project management, this executive screen fits a good amount of data, especially with the higher resolution. I can fit quite a bit on this screen. When it comes to basic photo editing, the screen is still pretty sharp and fairly color accurate. It may not be the best photo editing laptop I've ever used, but for most this would be just fine.

This machine is powerful enough that I can jump in and run quite a bit of my workload on it without even feeling like it's slowing down at all. I've done a ton of work building out Notion workers utilizing this laptop specifically.

I've done a lot of work in VS Code, GPT, Claude, and Notion, running some pretty heavy workflows to get the sinks working the way I wanted them to. It all happened without any problems on this machine, thanks to its robust processor, RAM, and storage.

Beyond that, typing has been an absolute dream on this. I have always said, and probably will continue to say, that Lenovo laptops, specifically the ThinkPad variant, have some of the best keyboards on the market, perhaps ever. Even throughout all their changes over the years, they continue to have a spectacular keyboard.

The best way I can describe this laptop is that it is for people who need a professional machine for workloads to match. These people aren't the ones that are just working on documents or emails or quick office tasks like that.

It's the people who need to be able to jump into any kind of work at any time. They're using a ton of processing power, and they need a lot of ports. They're the most likely to be more tech-savvy individuals who bounce in and out of what they do.

Lenovo ThinkPad T1g Gen 8: Final verdict

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

All in all, this laptop has been wonderful to use. I have most appreciated the parts and the reliability of this machine. Being able to plug in any device I may need without having to carry a dongle is peace of mind that I do not take for granted.

Also, having enough headroom in your powertrain to take care of all the projects in one's own busy days is a superpower that many would appreciate.

If you're the generalist or the specialist of many, if you're into systems, IT, or you're just the kind of guy who always has a thousand projects he's juggling, then this is absolutely a laptop you should consider.

For most people, this would be overkill for them. In my technical world, people I work with would absolutely benefit from this kind of machine. It has the power to run bigger programs and the storage to manage data if that's part of what they're doing.

It has ports to jump in and out of whatever they are solving, and it's portable enough to carry around from place to place (even though they're not going want to walk around holding this in their hand anytime soon). It's possible, but it's just not comfortable.

It's sharp, it's sleek, it's powerful, and it has ports. It's expandable all around. Lenovo nailed it with this laptop.

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For more top picks, see our guide to the best business laptops we've tested.

Sometimes you need a standing desk; sometimes you need a small standing desk; sometimes you want a certain color; and sometimes you just need a phenomenal foundation to build on to create your dream desk.

That's how the Vernal Core 3 came to be for me. I have a team member who had a triple-monitor setup on a tiny little desk that wasn't stable, and overall it looked quite sad.

When I had the opportunity to check out the Vernal standing desk after seeing everything in their commercials and learning about the company, I decided it was absolutely worth it to see if it lives up to the hype so far. 157 days in, we've been using the desk for probably 150 of those, and so far there have been absolutely zero problems. It has worked like an absolute dream.

The solid wood desktop is beautiful. The walnut is crisp and gorgeous. The legs are smooth, and the control panel has worked great. We've been able to build out exactly what this team member has always wanted in their desk, all made possible by the desk's high quality.

One of the reasons why I knew I wanted Vernal for this was its newly promoted stability in standing desks. The company recently updated its internal framing to make it even more stable than ever.

What better way to test that than with a shelving system resting on the table and triple monitors that, if not for a stable desk, would rock and shake back and forth nonstop?

Vernal Core3: Price and availability

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The Vernal Core3 standing desk starts at $510 from the US store, and £470 from the UK store.

But, as usual with high-quality models, if you choose a more solid options on the site, you can get up to around $1,000.

Still, for what this desk is, it's a pretty reasonable price. Some of the desks that I've had, made of high-quality materials like this, have cost twice that or even three times that. So, overall, good value for money.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Vernal Core3: Unboxing and First Impressions

The Core3 desk is simple, refined, and professional-looking, and this week the walnut desktop is sharp. The integrated style keypad is pretty good-looking. The legs are based on a widely used industry standard design. Most of what makes Vernal tick, though, is transparency and the drive to make something that works and keeps working well.

For this specific desk build, we needed a solid foundation because we knew we wanted a unique triple-monitor setup that would require high stability due to the monitor arm tension. Plus, I knew we wouldn't want extra space and stability for a shelf we're gonna add. Having a flat underside also allowed us to add features like our undermounted laptop dock.

Vernal Core3: In use

For the last 100+ days, this desk has been an absolute rock-solid companion to my team. It has not had any issues going up and down. It has not rocked or faltered in any way. We've been able to build out everything that we hoped for and more.

The stability of the dual-stacked monitor arms, with the left mount to the side and a vertical monitor, has worked great. The extra weight from the shelf has not caused any issues at all.

So far, we have absolutely loved this desk. It looks great, works great, and after using it for some time now, I would recommend it for future use as well. The desk is quality, the price is right, and the size is massive, so if you are looking for a large standing desk, this one is definitely worth considering.

The controller is easy to use, and the presets make it easy to save your favorite or most frequently used heights and keep them easily accessible. Having presets makes all the difference.

Yes, there are cheaper desks that are still technically standing that have a crank or have an up-and-down electric button, but having a preset means you can press it and know it goes to the exact height you need whilst sitting or your perfect standing height, so you can get situated while the desk then meets you where you want it.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Vernal Core3: Final verdict

In short, this is a desk you should consider if you have a knick-knack or 17 on your desk and you're still trying to find a way to organize your series workflow. This is the kind of desk you want if you are into gadgets. This is also the kind of desk you should consider if you have a few gadgets on your desk and want to project a professional image.

However, if you're the kind of person who just throws things on their desk, doesn't really care, or is going to stay seated at all times, then you can probably find another desk that fits your budget and desires a little better.

This is the desk meant for those who like to be organized, get things done, and do it in style. There are a handful of areas that always make sense to spend a little more, and in my view, I stay in this because I'm quickly becoming one of them.

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For more top picks, see our guide to the best standing desks we've ever tested.

Minor spoilers for Practical Magic 2 ahead.

"I like this... your molecules next to my molecules. It's chemistry," is a verbatim line from Practical Magic 2 that sent a wave of groans around my screening room in a way that I've never experienced collective groaning before. This, in a nutshell, sums up the experience of watching a legacy sequel that hasn't delivered.

Of course, we're living through an industry spike of dusting off old IPs for a box office resurgence, which in itself is frustrating. But in the main — think Top Gun: Maverick, Freakier Friday and The Devil Wears Prada 2 — these have been successful replicas. I've no doubt that Practical Magic 2 will do big theatrical numbers over the next few weeks... but where is the actual magic?

Whereas my three examples stayed largely true to the essence of their original stories, Practical Magic 2 has veered too far away from what made it so special to begin with. This time around, Sally Owens' (Sandra Bullock) daughters, Kylie (Joey King) and Antonia (Maisie Williams), are all grown up, but magic is no longer a part of their lives.

But when Kylie's boyfriend has a fatal accident, the Owens curse returns to the surface. It's up to Sally and Gillian (Nicole Kidman) to work together to make things right, which is where the sequel transforms from whimsical nineties Massachusetts vibes into a knockoff Harry Potter film.

It's a pretty underwhelming setup, and that's before we dissect the continually poor narrative choices that the creative team makes. Pretty soon, the action is split between the US and UK, and that's only bad news for everybody involved.

Practical Magic 2 comes too far away from what makes the original special

Before I get too carried away with the faults of Practical Magic 2, let's start with the good. When they're left to their own devices, the Owens sisters are as loving, mischievous and playful as they ever were, and those moments are a portal straight back to 1998. Their house is exactly as we left it, and spending time in their hometown is a bittersweet reminder of the cosy 90s whimsy we've left behind.

But the real stars of the show are Dianne Wiest (Aunt Jet) and Stockard Channing (Aunt Franny), for whom this sequel feels like an extension of who they were 28 years ago. When the storyline strays too far from what we want (more on that later), Practical Magic 2 still proves that the greatest love story ever told is between these two sisters... and by God, how lucky we are to have them, characters and actors alike.

From here, it's all downhill. It's almost difficult to critique the movie in exactly the way I want to, because in doing so, I'd spoil absolutely everything about it. So you're going to need to trust me when I say that at every conceivable turn, it lets the original down.

Let's start with the fact that Practical Magic 2 feels nothing like its predecessor — and reliving the feeling of the first is the number one reason why people will be buying a ticket. Yes, there are nods to the moments that put the first film on the map (such as the midnight margaritas), but they feel as though they've been included disingenuously.

Then there are the narrative decisions that made me wonder why a sequel was even being made in the first place (obviously for the money, Jasmine). 25 minutes in, there is a choice so catastrophic that the rest of the movie felt sullied, and the story only gets further from the events of the first film from there. We're trying to break a generational curse for a boy who means nothing to us? And not Sally's two lovely, but dead, husbands? Okay then.

The men somehow find themselves at the center of the drama, despite how much the dialogue vapidly thrusts the importance of sisterhood onto us. Aside from the haphazard CGI, our final showdown is bafflingly boring, with the real curse being having to listen to how a man we've never met before feels wronged because he can't have something that doesn't belong to him.

Joey King gets a huge slice of the action throughout all of this, but I can't help feeling sorry for Maisie Williams. We know how brilliant she is, yet she's incredibly underused... to the point where you might forget that she's actually in the movie. If I was an Owens, I'd be kicking off purely because of the huge sibling favouritism, put it that way.

It's a particularly hilarious watch if you're British

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

My favourite part — because it's so badly done — is the transition of Practical Magic 2 to UK soil. This shouldn't be too much of a surprise given how widely publicized their filming across the city was, but as a Brit, things take on an entirely different meaning.

We start with the introduction of sorcerer Ian Wright (Lee Pace), who the Aunts recommend to the Owens sisters to help Kylie. If you aren't from the UK, then you might not know that this is also the name of a very famous footballer and sports pundit, making every use of his full name (which is surprisingly a lot) leave me chanting his signature "Ian Wright Wright Wright!" heckle under my breath instead of staying rooted in the dwindling story.

As a friend of mine put it, "I'd have given this five stars if Wright had played this as himself," as seriously as Michael Caine in The Muppets Christmas Carol. Frankly, everything else that's happening is so woefully disconnected from the Practical Magic I know and love that I'd have genuinely enjoyed him running up to Bullock and booting a ball into the back of a net as a distraction.

But alas, Hollywood has given their view of England the Notting Hill treatment. If you didn't know better, you'd think that Agatha Christie-style trains could be picked up with ease between Paddington and North Weald stations, and that small aesthetic buses with charming drivers can drop you off in a town resembling the set of The Sheep Detectives.

The most offensive choice, in my opinion, is the insinuation that Brits eat savory pies with... custard. Served out of gravy boats, no less. I see it as my public duty to highlight that if you watch Practical Magic 2 before visiting England and try to ask for this in a local pub, you will be laughed out of there, and rightly so. The fact that this is the detail I feel most about in the entire movie tells you how low the mighty has fallen.

The cherry on the cake, however, is the unexpected casting of British comedic actor of Ghosts and Taskmaster fame, Katy Wix. She's not boozing in the background in UK scenes, but has instead inserted herself into the heart of the Owens' community back home. She plays a pivotal part in the party scene with a drunken auntie aura that I can only feel immensely proud of. Her face also suggests she has no idea how she's ended up starring alongside Bullock and Kidman. No notes.

Take my wittering on about bodged Britishisms that don't matter as a stark warning: if you are a true fan of the original, avoid Practical Magic 2 at all costs. Look what it has done to its legacy, and to me in turn. If this were the end of a war movie, I'd be telling you to save yourselves while I lay bleeding to death on a scenic European beach. Don't make my sacrifice be for nothing.

Alienware AW3926QW: One-minute review

For serious PC gamers, few monitors have been more hotly anticipated than this epic 39-inch ultrawide beast. The Alienware AW3926QW combines LG's latest OLED panel tech with 5K2K native resolution on an incredible scale. The want is strong for this one.

But even those impressive highlights don't quite capture why the Alienware AW3926QW is such a hot item. There's more to it than that. Firstly, not only does it pack LG's new Tandem WOLED panel technology, it adds a further twist by offering RGB-stripe subpixels.

That probably seems like an arcane detail. But it has a broad impact on image quality, and not necessarily always for the better. Then there's the price. At $1,099 in the US and £999 in the UK, this is hardly a budget gaming monitor.

However, next to its closest rival and the only other 39-inch 5K2K OLED currently available, LG's own $1,799 UltraGear Evo GX9 39GX950B, it's massively cheaper and yet arguably more appealing. Of course, even on paper, the Alienware AW3926QW isn't perfect.

(Image credit: Future)

Its most obvious shortcoming is the mere 165 Hz refresh rate. Given that 32-inch 4K OLED panels with 240 Hz refresh are widely available, the step back to 165 Hz is a notable downgrade.

The pushback on that objection, however, is twofold. First, the 5K2K resolution translates into 5,120 by 2,160 pixels and therefore one heck of a lot of GPU load. In other words, the idea that you're going to be pushing 240fps-plus to this monitor in the latest and most demanding games is a bit fanciful. Most of the time, 165 Hz will be plenty.

Moreover, this isn't the kind of display anyone would buy specifically for high-frame rate esports gaming. It's wrong in all kinds of ways. But even then, Alienware has included a number of lower-resolution dual-mode resolution options with 330 Hz refresh. So, if you absolutely insist on esporting on this huge panel, well, it will accommodate that use case.

More likely, however, people will be considering this panel for all-round gaming and daily computing tasks. And in that context, the promise of a huge OLED panel that actually offers decent pixel density thanks to that 5K2K resolution is an absolutely tantalising proposition. This Alienware definitely looks set to take its place among both the best gaming monitors and the best ultrawide monitors in 2026.

Alienware AW3926QW: Price & availability

• How much does it cost? $1,099 / £999 / AU$1,999
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

$1,099 is hardly the stuff of budget gaming. But it's still a very, very punchy price for this class of gaming monitor. The only comparable 39-inch 5K2K OLED monitor is the LG UltraGear Evo GX9 39GX950B. But that has an MSRP of $1,799.

What's more, despite the lower price, you get a glossy screen coating where the LG is matte, plus RGB-stripe pixels, albeit that comes with slightly lower brightness. Of course, if you shop around, you can grab a 32-inch 4K OLED for about half the price of this Alienware ultrawide monster.

So, even at this relatively discounted price compared with the closest competition, you're still paying quite the premium versus a "conventional" 32-inch 4K model. Still, given how cutting edge this display is, Alienware has done a solid on the pricing. It's very impressive.

• Value: 4 / 5

Alienware AW3926QW: SpecsAlienware AW3926QW Specifications

Screen size

39-inch

Resolution

5120 x 2160

Panel technology

LG Tandem WOLED RGB-stripe

Refresh rate

165Hz @ 5K2K, 330 Hz @ 2560 x 1080

Response time

0.03ms

HDR

DisplayHDR 500 True Black

Brightness

300 nits full screen, 1,300 nits peak HDR

Connectivity

HDMI 2.1 x2, DisplayPort 2.1a, USB-C with 90W PD, USB hub with KVM

Alienware AW3926QW: Design and features

• Good connectivity
• Glossy anti-glare coating
• Sensible 1500R curve

While the huge OLED panel is obviously the star of the show, the support act of features and design do matter. Alienware's latest visual language has ditched the Storm Trooper vibe of its earlier gaming displays comprising white glossy plastic and Sci-Fi lines in favour of organic, rounded shapes and dark blue, lightly textured plastic.

The new look is definitely less distinctive. But the chassis is well enough put together, and at least the minimalist look and slim bezels mean this monitor is unlikely to date quickly. For the record, the stand supports height, tilt, and swivel adjustment, plus a few degrees of pivot, the latter intended to allow for making the screen level as opposed to supporting portrait mode, which wouldn't be practical with such a large ultrawide panel.

Speaking of which, this is a huge monitor, and you'll need decent desk space to accommodate it. But the ergonomics are helped by the relatively gentle 1500R panel curvature.

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Just what makes for the ideal curve is subjective, of course. But at least some curve on an ultrawide display of this size does help with both immersion and maintaining reasonable viewing angles at the extremities of the panel. But you can go too far with extreme curvature, too, something this monitor certainly avoids.

The glossy anti-glare coating is another feature that comes down to personal preference. The advantage is boosted contrast and clarity, the downside added reflectivity. On balance, it's probably a net win for this kind of OLED monitor due to the incredible HDR visuals it enhances.

Connectivity is another strong point. Along with the usual HDMI and DisplayPort interfaces, you get USB-C with 90W of power delivery and a KVM switch. There's also a USB hub with both USB-A and USB-C sockets, an example of each is located conveniently on the lower bezel.

Finally, it's worth noting that Alienware provides a full suite of burn-in mitigation features, like pixel cleaning. There's also a reassuring three-year warranty which includes burn-in cover.

Zooming in on the panel reveals the true RGB-stripe subpixel structure. (Image credit: Future)

• Design: 4.5 / 5

Alienware AW3926QW: Performance

• Glorious HDR visuals
• RGB-stripe precision plus decent brightness
• "Only" 165Hz

The OLED gaming monitor market has gotten pretty complicated of late, what with all the different panel technologies on offer. The Alienware AW3926QW is absolutely a case in point. It combines LG's latest Tandem WOLED panel generation with a new RGB-stripe subpixel structure in a huge 39-inch 5K2K package.

The immediate upshot is an OLED gaming monitor that combines an epic viewing vista with pixel density on-par with a 32-inch 4K monitor. That's an incredible combination of sheer scale and image detail, the likes of which are only matched by the aforementioned LG UltraGear Evo GX9 39GX950B. The 5K2K native resolution also makes this a pretty fabulous monitor for day-to-day computing. Text is crisp and clear, and there's oodles of desktop space.

However, it's that RGB-stripe subpixel structure, plus the gloss anti-glare coating, that separates this Alienware from that LG. So, how do the two compare? On paper, the LG is rated at 335 nits full-screen brightness and 1,500 nits peak HDR, while this Alienware tops out at 300 nits and 1,300 nits, respectively.

On the bottom image you can just see the impact of the Alienware egde dimming during gaming. (Image credit: Future)

That's because the LG model uses a panel with an additional white subpixel in an RGWB configuration to boost brightness, where this Alienware has a pure RGB — or red, green and blue — subpixel structure. The thing is, that added white subpixel on the LG model isn't as effective at boosting color brightness as it is at boosting pure white brightness. So, in the real world, this Alienware feels pretty much just as punchy.

Even better, because of the pure RGB feature, if anything, colors are richer and more vibrant. Add in the glossy panel coating, and the results are a little short of spectacular. The HDR performance in games like Cyberpunk 2077 is incredibly impactful. Indeed, the punchy colors are closer to Samsung's QD-OLED tech than an RGWB LG panel.

Even better, you don't have to put up with downsides of QD-OLED, including its characteristic purple tint in bright ambient light. For pure visual theatre and immersion, this is probably the most impressive gaming monitor currently on the market.

It is not, however, perfect. In extremis, full-screen brightness is a limitation. As with all current OLED monitors, this display can only hit its peak 1,300 nits performance over a very small section of the panel. As you light up more and more of the panel, the maximum available brightness tails off.

(Image credit: Future)

So, in some outdoor scenes in games, let's say under the desert sun in Cyberpunk 2077, the results can be just a touch underwhelming. That's the one scenario where a traditional LCD monitor, and particularly one with mini-LED backlighting, can be more impressive thanks to far superior full-screen brightness.

While we're talking brightness, this Alienware suffers from another slight issue. Likely due to an anti-burn-in feature called Convex Power Control, the edges of the panel can dim slightly during gameplay. It's not a super-obvious problem, but once you notice it, it can detract a little from the overall impact of the display. Unfortunately, you can't toggle the feature off for now. Hopefully that will change in a future firmware update.

It's also true that the 165Hz refresh is modest by current gaming monitor standards, especially at this price point. How much of a limitation that really is in practice, well, it depends on what games you play. With the latest, most graphically demanding titles, it's not much of a limitation if you want to use the highest visual settings. It's not like you're going to hit 300fps at 5,120 by 2,160 pixels with all the eye candy switched on.

(Image credit: Future)

Of course, if you're playing, say, Counter-Strike 2 competitively, you're going to want a lot more than 165Hz. This monitor can actually deliver 330Hz running at one of its lower "dual-mode" resolutions that use pixel doubling to achieve alternative pseudo-native resolutions.

What's more, thanks to the incredible response performance of all OLED panels 330Hz plus 0.03ms response makes for excellent motion clarity. But like all dual-mode monitors, overall image quality and sharpness does take quite a hit. And, anyway, if you're really serious about esports, you're almost certainly not shopping 39-inch ultrawide panels.

Ultimately, then, our only significant reservation is the edge dimming that can happen during gaming. It's a bit of a pity because in pretty much every other regard, this is one of, if not the, most spectacular and enjoyable gaming monitors out there right now.

• Performance: 4.5 / 5

Should you buy the Alienware AW3926QW?Alienware AW3926QW scorecard

Value

$1,099 sounds like a lot. It is a lot, frankly. But for a 39-inch 5K2K OLED gaming monitor, it's actually very competitive and undercuts the only other similar monitor by $600.

4 / 5

Design

Alienware's current design vibe is a bit dowdy. But this is still a well built and generously featured gaming monitor.

4 / 5

Performance

This 5K2K RGB-stripe OLED monitor delivers an incredible high-DPI HDR gaming experience. But it does have at least one flaw.

4.5 / 5

Final score

This Alienware isn't perfect. It has at least one pesky flaw. But it's still probably the best big-screen gaming monitor currently available.

4.5 / 5

Buy the Alienware AW3926QW if...

You want HDR sizzle on a huge scale
The Alienware AW3926QW's huge 39-inch OLED panel makes for an incredible immersive HDR gaming experience.

You want a high-DPI experience, too
Thanks the the epic 5K2K resolution, the pixel density and therefore image detail and sharpness is great, too.

Don't buy it if...

Esports is your priority
Despite the 330Hz dual-mode, this huge 39-inch ultrawide is overkill for esports.

You think the dimming flaw will bug you
It's not a catastrophic flaw, but the way the panel can dim slightly at the edges during gaming is a slight problem.

Also Consider

Alienware AW3426DW

If you like the idea of ultrawide OLED gaming, but this 39 incher is too massive and too expensive, try its little brother, the 34-inch Alienware AW3426DW. It's roughly $300 cheaper and also makes for a better fit with mid-range graphics cards with its "mere" 1440p resolution.

Read our full Alienware AW3426DW review

How I tested the Alienware AW3926QW

I used the Alienware AW3926QW for literally everything for two weeks. As well as running it through pretty much my whole steam library, it was also my daily driver for all kinds of computing tasks and also doubled as my movie watching panel.

I was looking out for how it compares with both LG-based monitors with RGWB-spec Tandem OLED panels and competition displays with Samsung's QD-OLED tech. It was fascinating to discover how it performs in terms of brightness compared to those alternatives and also what impact the RGB-stripe subpixel tech has.

Using it as a daily driver for work and web browsing was almost as interesting as the gaming larks. This is such a large, high-resolution display, it was all a real treat.

I also investigated all of the concerns that early adopters of this monitor have been dicsussing, including including green tinting, adaptive refresh flicker and so-called "vignette dimming." I found only the latter was much of a problem and even then it probably isn't a deal breaker.

• Originally reviewed in August 2026

Turbo VPN impresses on paper: 21,000 servers across 140+ locations, consistently priced plans from just $3.33 a month, broad streaming unblocking, and a beginner-friendly interface.

Unfortunately, testing exposed fundamental flaws, including IP leaks and severely outdated security components. Combined with an as-yet unaudited no-logs policy, a suspected Chinese-owned parent company, and a deliberately obstructive cancellation process, Turbo VPN is impossible to recommend without sweeping changes.

Pricing, Value & Billing Traps

Turbo VPN offers one-month, one-year, and two-year subscription plans, each available in two tiers: Gold and Platinum. The key difference between tiers is the number of simultaneous connections – 10 versus 20.

As with most VPNs, the monthly option ($11.99 for Gold, $13.99 for Platinum) carries the highest per-month cost in exchange for short-term flexibility. One-year plans deliver 58% savings, working out at $5 (Gold) and $5.83 (Platinum) per month. The best value lies in the two-year plans: Gold includes three additional months free and, at 72% off, costs $3.33 per month, while Platinum, discounted at 67%, comes to $4.58.

These prices sit broadly in line with leading providers, and encouragingly, renewal rates remain consistent rather than increasing after the initial term, as some competitors do.

More concerning, however, is Turbo VPN’s convoluted cancellation process for website signups. There’s no option to disable auto-renewal within the account dashboard, which also doesn’t tell you about the renewal.

Canceling requires email verification, contacting support, explaining our reasons, and declining a retention offer – all compounded by the requirement to contact support at least three working days before renewal. Signing up through an app store is a safer bet – you can manage subscriptions yourself. All plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee.

App Experience, Features & Usability

(Image credit: Future)

Turbo VPN has apps for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, plus a Chrome extension. However, there are no apps for Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, or Linux, and router support is absent. It does offer a Smart DNS feature, which may provide a workaround for bypassing geo-blocks on devices that can’t run VPN apps.

The apps themselves are refreshingly beginner-friendly. On mobile, a minimalist interface shows a rabbit silhouette and a quick connect button (complete with a carrot graphic), while the desktop apps add a left-hand server list.

Once connected, the desktop apps display additional details such as connection duration, upload and download speeds, and – on Windows – the VPN IP address. Power users may find the apps overly simplistic, but less experienced users will appreciate the ease of use.

Protocol support is generous, though uneven. Windows and Mac both offer OpenVPN TCP, Lepus, and LinkSentinel, but Mac users get the broader selection with OpenVPN UDP, IKEv2, and ISSR also available. Notably absent is WireGuard – a strange omission given the speed and security advantages that have made it the most popular VPN protocol.

More worrying still are the results of our leak testing. The custom Lepus protocol failed to mask the user’s IP address entirely on Windows, while LinkSentinel suffered from persistent IPv6 leaks. Turbo VPN subsequently issued an emergency Windows update in response to these findings, but it highlights concerning gaps in the app’s security fundamentals.

The underlying technology shows its age elsewhere, too. Inspection of the Windows app’s files suggests it ships OpenVPN 2.4.7, released in April 2019 – meaning years’ worth of security patches and bug fixes are missing. Combined with the absence of WireGuard support, it’s a picture of outdated security foundations.

Split tunneling is limited to Windows and Android, although it covers both websites and apps. The caveat is that only exclude lists are supported – you can route all traffic around the VPN except selected apps, but you can’t do the reverse. That’s a drawback if you only need the VPN tunnel for one specific app, such as Netflix.

Turbo VPN claims P2P support, and that held up in testing, with files downloading without issue. However, there are no dedicated P2P servers, and the lack of port forwarding may deter more serious torrent users.

Server Network, Privacy & Infrastructure

(Image credit: Future)

Turbo VPN boasts 21,000 servers – far more than most VPNs offer. The website says these span 111 locations, though our count found more than 140, suggesting a rapidly growing network. All the most popular locations are covered, including over two dozen cities in the US.

Unlike the vast majority of VPNs, Turbo VPN offers particularly strong Asia coverage spanning 33 countries. On the flip side, Oceania gets just two locations (one each in Australia and New Zealand), and Canada is under-represented with only Toronto and Richmond Hill.

Connecting via the Windows, Mac, or iOS apps puts you behind an in-app kill switch. Oddly, this isn’t on by default and has to be enabled manually in settings. Once activated, the Windows kill switch performed flawlessly in testing, cutting our internet connection immediately when we simulated an app crash.

Turbo VPN claims to operate a strict no-logs policy, saying it doesn’t retain identifying information such as your browsing history. That’s promising, but the privacy policy is vague, leaning on qualifiers like “such as” when describing collected data – suggesting the full picture isn’t being painted. Worse, the no-logs claim has never been verified by an independent audit, so it rests on the company’s word alone.

Finally, while the parent company, Innovative Connecting PTE Ltd., lists an address in Singapore, research indicates it’s owned by a Chinese company. This raises legitimate concerns about potential government access to customer data.

Speed Performance & Streaming Unblocking

(Image credit: Future)

Turbo VPN doesn’t support WireGuard so for our speed tests, we instead connected via Lepus, one of Turbo VPN’s custom protocols. Using the nearest available server (USA East), we averaged 339 Mbps. As expected, speeds dropped over greater distance, with a UK server averaging 283 Mbps when connecting from the US.

Either way, those speeds are comfortably fast enough for bandwidth-heavy activities like streaming, torrenting, gaming, and video calls. It’s just that they trail well behind the fastest VPNs we’ve tested.

Streaming-optimized servers cover platforms in over two dozen countries, and unblocking performance was generally strong. In testing, we successfully accessed multiple country versions of Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, DAZN, and YouTube. Smaller local services posed no problem either, with BBC iPlayer, ITVX, 7Plus, 9Now, and TVNZ+ all accessible.

Still, few VPNs have a flawless unblocking record, and Turbo VPN is no exception. It failed to get around blocks on Disney+ in the UK and Australia, DAZN in the UK, New Zealand, and Canada, and both Prime Video and DAZN in Canada.

The overall picture is a dependable VPN for everyday streaming. However, if raw speed is your top priority, rivals with WireGuard support simply offer more headroom.

Support, Accessibility & Reviews

(Image credit: Future)

As VPN support sites go, Turbo VPN’s is decent, with a good number of troubleshooting articles and a search function that reliably surfaces relevant results. However, some articles contain outdated or outright wrong information – incorrectly describing the kill switch’s function and even suggesting PPTP for better speeds, a protocol Turbo VPN dropped years ago. Annotated screenshots to accompany the step-by-step tutorials wouldn’t go amiss either.

A chatbot exists, but it’s essentially another keyword search. Live chat with an agent can be requested through it, and support is also reachable via email or directly in the app. We received a knowledgeable response within 20 hours.

Accessibility is mixed: the app supports keyboard navigation but offers little visual feedback, while the website scored just 36% on AccessibilityChecker, with contrast and keyboard-navigation issues flagged.

App store ratings tell a more positive story: Turbo VPN’s Android and iOS apps carry excellent scores that rank among the industry’s best. Its Chrome extension is notably weaker, with recent complaints pointing to unreliable connections and slow speeds.

Final Verdict

Turbo VPN’s cheap long-term plans, broad streaming unblocking, and strong coverage in the US and Asia make it superficially appealing. Yet a VPN’s core job is protecting your traffic – and our testing found the custom Lepus protocol failing to mask users’ IP addresses on Windows, with persistent IPv6 leaks on LinkSentinel.

Privacy concerns compound the problem: an unaudited no-logs policy, outdated components like OpenVPN 2.4.7, and a parent company with Chinese ties. For audited security and reliable performance, look instead to the best VPN services like ExpressVPN and NordVPN.

Indeed has a claim to fame as the world's largest job board. It aggregates millions of job listings from companies and makes them easy to search. For job seekers, it’s a major hub for discovering job opportunities, with search filters to narrow results down to exactly what they seek.

But is Indeed your best bet for finding job opportunities? What are its pros and cons? What features does it offer, and how does it compare to the competition? I’ve tested the platform thoroughly to answer these questions. Let’s see what it offers.

Indeed: Plans and pricing

You can check out Indeed in the US here, and in the UK here.

Indeed is free for job candidates. You can sign up and scour job listings without paying a dime. However, businesses get charged to access certain features, like the ability to publish many job postings and to keep the posts active for a long time. Most job sites adopt this model of being free to job-seekers while charging subscriptions to employers, a fair model if you ask me.

Businesses can actually create free accounts, but with limited features. For instance, the free plan allows only 3 job postings per month, and each posting stays up for only 30 days. Free job postings also have lower visibility than paid placements. If your business wants to post more jobs, keep posts up as long as needed, and make them reach the most candidates, you’ll need to pay.

There’s no standard pricing plan. Instead, job postings are run like ad campaigns. You'll choose the number of days to keep the job posting up with better visibility, advanced matching, and the ability to target candidates in specific locations. Ad budgets start from $5 daily, or $150 monthly.

Indeed also charges businesses for access to its vast database of resumes, from which candidates can be quickly matched to job postings, and businesses can contact these candidates right on Indeed.

Known as Indeed Smart Sourcing, access to the resume database can be obtained through either the Standard or Professional plan. For $120 per month, or a discounted $1,150 if you pay annually, the Standard plan lets businesses contact up to 30 candidates per month and run advanced searches on Indeed's resume database.

For $520 per month, or a discounted $4,992 annually ($1,248 less than paying month-to-month), the Professional plan allows businesses to contact up to 100 candidates monthly, sync candidates’ data to applicant tracking systems (ATS), and use more advanced search filters on the resume database (e.g., candidates’ willingness to relocate). Indeed offers a 14-day free trial for this plan.

I’ll say Indeed’s plans are pricey, but they aren’t out of the norm compared to other job sites. I’ve reviewed many job sites and seen even more expensive plans for employers, so I’ll say Indeed is mid-range. Its plans aren’t the most affordable, but they aren’t the most expensive either.

Indeed: Features

Indeed is a popular job board with two user bases. On one hand, it connects job seekers to available opportunities based on their preferences. On the other hand, it helps employers find the right talent from a vast pool of job candidates.

Each party interacts with Indeed from a different perspective, but the goal of connecting job-seekers and employers remains intact, and Indeed does that well.

Job-seekers can sign up and immediately access Indeed’s database hosting millions of job postings. Of course, you can filter postings by type, pay, remote or in-office, experience level, and other factors to find exactly what you seek.

You can also upload your resume to Indeed’s database, and algorithms scan your resume to match you with fitting employers.

(Image credit: Indeed)

Many companies use Indeed to post job opportunities and find job candidates, so you’re at the right place if seeking a new role.

However, Indeed’s immense volume of listings has both upsides and downsides. I noticed some duplicate listings when scouring through the job board and a few job listings that seemed off. I’d advise taking some time to analyze job listings before deciding to apply.

It also doesn’t help that there’s too much competition for jobs on Indeed. A massive user base means a single job listing often draws hundreds of applicants, and your resume might get lost in the sheer volume.

Indeed doesn’t show how many people have applied for a role, so you can’t tell the volume of candidates you’re competing with, unlike LinkedIn, which gives you a hint.

Yet, I found Indeed’s job board very helpful. Not only could I find roles through search filters, but I could also create email alerts for future job openings. I entered a job title, location, and keyword (e.g., "remote"), and received several job alerts matching these criteria. Alerts can be turned off anytime.

Indeed also lets you read company reviews posted by current and former employees. These reviews give you a hint of what working at a company is like, and you’ll know if it suits your preferences.

However, beware of both negative and positive biases in reviews. They can be overly negative or overly applauding with few details, so don’t make decisions based on one or two reviews. Check many reviews so that you’ll get a balanced opinion.

(Image credit: Indeed)

Likewise, Indeed also displays salary data submitted by former and current employees. This data tells you the salary range to expect for a role you’re applying for. It isn’t 100% accurate, as compensation varies based on various conditions, but the data comes close.

(Image credit: Indeed)

However, Indeed isn’t a networking site like LinkedIn. There’s no connecting with industry professionals and building relationships to leverage for future jobs. Indeed is for finding jobs and data about potential employers, and it excels at these core functions.

Indeed: Ease of use

Indeed offers one of the best interfaces among numerous job boards I’ve reviewed. Everything from signing up to uploading resumes, parsing job listings, and viewing company data was seamless during my tests.

Features are arranged neatly, and you can easily switch from one dashboard to another with a coherent workflow. The interface is quite minimalistic, with a mostly white background and a few blue-shaded colors to highlight other elements, which I found pleasing.

You can access Indeed via a web browser or download the iOS or Android mobile app for convenient, on-the-go usage.

LinkedIn: Support

Support isn’t an issue when using Indeed. Job-seekers have a dedicated Help Center containing how-tos, guides, and FAQs on issues they’ll likely encounter when using Indeed. The same goes for Employers, with a dedicated Help Center that solves issues encountered by businesses and recruiters using Indeed.

Employers can seek direct help from Indeed’s support team via email, live chat, or telephone. Free users can fill out a support ticket and wait for an email response within 24 to 48 hours, but direct live chat or telephone support isn’t available.

Understandably, Indeed reserves live chat and phone support for businesses paying for subscriptions.

Indeed: The competition

I’ve already mentioned LinkedIn as a major competitor, highlighting that it provides networking opportunities and gives a hint of how many people applied for a role, features not available on Indeed.

However, Indeed has a larger volume of job listings, particularly for entry-level roles, hourly jobs, and skilled trade positions, while LinkedIn is geared more towards corporate, finance, and tech-adjacent jobs.

ZipRecruiter is another major rival. Just like Indeed, it aggregates a large number of job listings and matches candidates to job opportunities. ZipRecruiter stands out with its AI-powered matching system, which analyzes job-seekers’ resumes and matches them to fitting job opportunities. Indeed offers a similar feature, but I think ZipRecruiter is better at matching resumes and job opportunities.

I’d say Glassdoor is another competitor, but the catch is that it’s now owned by the same company that owns Indeed. Glassdoor is known for its rich company data, particularly salary data across diverse industries. It remains a separate platform from Indeed, but both now share a unified login system and job listings.

Indeed: Final verdict

Indeed is a valuable tool for finding job opportunities. You can find abundant job listings in diverse industries and also upload your resume for employers to find you.

For businesses, Indeed makes it easier to find talent. Its vast user base gives businesses a second-to-none pool of candidates to select from, but at a cost. Overall, Indeed excels at its job of matching job-seekers with opportunities.

For more picks, we've tested the best recruitment platforms and the best job sites.

Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE review

The Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE have sprung into the affordable IEM arena. One that, as of late, has provided some incredible quality, with brands such as Sennheiser, Meze Audio, and Activo bringing some serious sound-for-pound value.

While the DT 30 IE don’t try anything outwardly fancy, they’re still a very attractive proposition. They have 11mm dynamic drivers intended to supply a “neutral and balanced tuning,” passive noise cancellation up to “-39dB,” and even have an IP54 dust and water resistance rating.

But can they compete with some of the best wired earbuds around? I spent a couple of weeks using them as one of my main listening devices — here’s what I thought.

Let’s start with the area that matters most: sound quality. As you may expect at this price-point, sound quality is good rather than excellent — though there are a lot of positives to discuss.

In Can’t Let Go by Earth, Wind & Fire, overall audio was clear and balanced relatively well. I felt that vocals in the mid-range were a bit lacking in texture and detail, but still had good presence in the mix. More subtle percussive elements came through nicely, though, and funky bass was well-weighted.

Although I felt that the DT 30 IE perhaps lacked the openness and nuance of pricier options, they still sound strong for the price.

And perhaps the main thing that grabs you about the DT 30 IE is their bass output. It’s meaty and dynamic, which is ideal for gigging situations or if you want to enjoy hard-hitting tunes to the max in a more casual capacity. In Kickin’ In The Beat by Lewis Taylor, I was struck by pumping low-end output, which didn’t obscure vocals or drums in the treble range — it's punchy and fairly agile, making for an exciting listen.

Treble is clear and fairly controlled, though it could be more articulate and expressive. In Sing To Me by Ned Doheny, percussion in the treble range didn’t have the precise, bright quality that I was listening out for, with a slightly muted take. This wasn’t the case when I switched over to the Sennheiser IE 200, which offered better top-end clarity, and also provided a more natural interpretation of lead vocals.

(Image credit: Future)

So, it’s certainly a positive start overall for the DT 30 IE, but how do they compete elsewhere? In terms of features, there’s not a lot to run through. There’s no in-line controller with volume controls, which is more of a nice-to-have rather than an expectation for IEMs in my view. They also skip on interchangeable connectors, as seen on models such as the Activo Volcano, so you’re stuck with a 3.5mm option unless you purchase an adapter of some kind. But what I did like was the range of ear tips packed in, allowing you to find the ideal seal, no matter your ear size.

And when I got the right seal, I found that the DT 30 IE offered pretty solid passive noise isolation. Is it the best I’ve experienced? No — models with foam ear tips, such as the Shure Aonic 3 take the prize there. But I did find that sounds like typing and office chatter were dulled to a pretty commendable degree, and that’s going to be key for gigging musicians, for example. I also found that, with the right seal, the DT 30 IE were supremely comfortable and secure, making them ideal for longer listening sessions. They’re also nice and small, which I prefer over the chunky approach some rivals go for.

It’s also worth noting that the cable for the DT 30 IE is detachable, so you can swap this out for an aftermarket MMCX cable if you’d prefer. The cable itself is built to a really nice standard, though, and it produced next to no cable noise when I tried taking the buds on the go.

The IEMs themselves, however, don’t quite exude the same sense of premium build quality. They have a translucent look, enabling you to make out the drivers inside, but the casing feels a bit overly plasticky. I’m not expecting ultra-premium materials at this price point, but I do think some rivals in this price-range look a bit more luxurious — the Meze Audio Alba spring to mind.

So are the Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE worth the money? Overall, I’d say yes. They provide good sound quality with impressive bass and solid clarity across the frequency range, as well as a lightweight and comfortable build, and decent passive noise isolation. All of that for $149.99 / £99 / AU$199 isn’t half bad.

What I would argue, however, is that you can get slightly more detailed, nuanced sound — and slightly better build quality — in this general price range. The Sennheiser IE 200 and Meze Audio Alba, in my opinion, offer superior performance at a very similar cost, and I’d suggest checking those out before pulling the trigger on the DT 30 IE, as good as they are.

(Image credit: Future)Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE review: price & release date

• List price of $149.99 / £99 / AU$199
• Released in June 2026

The Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE are priced at $149.99 / £99 / AU$199, meaning they’re certainly sitting in the affordable domain within the IEMs world.

I’ve personally reviewed a number of competitors in this range, including the Sennheiser IE 200, Meze Audio Alba, Activo Scoop, and Shure SE215.

The DT 30 IE were released in June 2026, and are available in a single white colorway.

Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE review: specs

Drivers

11mm dynamic

Weight

3g (per bud)

Frequency range

5Hz-20kHz

Connectivity

3.5mm

Waterproofing

IP54

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Detachable cable and multiple eartips, only 3.5mm connectivity and no volume controls or anything.

3.5/5

Sound quality

Clear overall sound with meaty bass, but mids and treble sound more intricate from some rivals.

4/5

Design

Great quality cable and lightweight, comfortable feel — buds could look a bit more premium though.

4/5

Value

Tempting low price, and they earn it — but there are rivals that arguably offer better sound at a similar cost.

3.5/5

Buy them if…

You want IEMs with quality bass response
The DT 30 IE offer punchy, dynamic bass that makes upbeat tracks sound especially vibrant and exciting. If you want clear, insightful sound with a healthy dose of low-end thump, you’ll likely enjoy these IEMs.

You want affordable comfort
Not only are Beyerdynamic's in-ears relatively cheap, but they also offer excellent comfort. They’re lightweight, come with a range of eartips, and unlike some rivals, have a small build, meaning they never feel overly noticeable in use.

Don’t buy them if…

You want the best sound quality around
Although Beyerdynamic’s IEMs sound pretty good for the price, I’d argue there are better options out there available at a similar cost. Treble doesn’t sound as expressive as it does from other rivals, and mids don’t always sound as textured or intricate as they do on other sets, like the Sennheiser model listed in the ‘also consider’ section.

You need multiple connectivity methods
The DT 30 IE have a 3.5mm connector by default, but unlike some rivals — such as the Activo model below — there’s no way to swap the connector out for a USB-C or 4.4mm option instead. As a result, you’d have to grab some kind of adapter separately.

Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE review: also consider

Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE

Sennheiser IE 200

Activo Scoop

Price

$149.99 / £99 / AU$199

$149.95 / £129.99 / AU$239.95

$99 / £99 (about AU$140)

Drivers

11mm dynamic

7mm dynamic

1x 8mm dynamic, 2x 6mm dynamic, 2x balanced armature

Weight

3g (per bud)

4g (per bud)

5g (per bud)

Frequency range

5Hz-20kHz

6Hz-20kHz

20Hz-20kHz

Connectivity

3.5mm

3.5mm

3.5mm; 4.4mm; USB-C

Waterproofing

IP54

None

None

Sennheiser IE 200
The Sennheiser IE 200 are still some of my favorite affordable IEMs, even though they’re a fair bit older than these Beyerdynamic in-ears. They offer beautifully balanced sound with tasteful yet punchy low bass, intricate mids, and controlled highs. They also look stylish and discreet, and offer an incredibly comfortable fit. Read my full Sennheiser IE 200 review.

Activo Scoop
This recently released set of IEMs really impressed me when I tested them out. Their multi-layered driver configuration, natural sound signature, and wide connectivity options make them equally viable for monitoring and casual listening, and they have a great standard of build. I found them to be a little too treble-forward at times, and they’re a lot chunkier in ears than the diminutive Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE. But if you want great, affordable IEMs, I’d recommend checking them out. Read my full Activo Scoop review.

How I tested the Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested over the course of two weeks
• Mainly tested using Tidal
• Paired with Astell & Kern A&ultima SP4000

I spent a couple of weeks using the Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE, and hours upon hours listening to music. Typically, I had the DT 30 IE hooked up to the Astell & Kern A&ultima SP4000 media player, though I did also try them out with my Windows laptop.

To begin with, I sifted through tracks in the TechRadar reference playlist, which features tunes from a wide variety of genres, but I also bumped a bunch of songs from my personal library. I also made sure to compare the DT 30 IE to affordable IEM rivals like the Sennheiser IE 200.

More generally, I’ve spent years testing audio gear here at TechRadar, where I serve as an in-house Senior Reviews Writer. I’ve covered everything from portable DACs through to premium wireless headphones such as the Sony WH-1000XM6, and have reviewed a number of IEMs, meaning I know exactly what it takes for a model to stand out in a competitive market.

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

With a decade of proxy service catering to individuals and small businesses, Storm Proxies has established itself as a budget-friendly proxy provider for those who want straightforward performance without paying per gigabyte. Its product catalog covers three primary proxy types: residential rotating proxies backed by a pool of 20M+ IPs, dedicated rotating proxies drawing from 700,000+ shared IPs, and private dedicated proxies offering 1 Gbps speeds across US locations.

Storm Proxies sets itself apart with 100% unlimited bandwidth across every single plan, pricing its plans differently than the majority of its peers. As expected, a focus on low-cost simplicity comes with a few trade-offs (which we’ll get to), but it doesn’t change the fact that Storm Proxies is a no-nonsense and cost-effective entry point for heavy scraping and other data needs.

Plans and pricing

Storm Proxies provides access to three IP categories: residential rotating proxies, dedicated rotating proxies, and private dedicated proxies. Each comes with its own distinct thread- or port-based pricing options, and most notably, unlimited bandwidth across every tier.

The company charges a monthly fee for private dedicated IPs according to the number of proxies, hosted on a 1 Gbps network across three US locations.

For $10/month, you can get 5 private IPs ($2 per proxy) with unlimited bandwidth and 100 concurrent threads. At $20/month, you can get 10 IPs; $40/month gets you 20 IPs, $60/month provides access to 30 IPs, $90/month is guaranteed 50 IPs , $160/month means 100 IPs, $320/month is 200 IPs, and for $640/month, you can get 400 data center proxies ($1.40 per proxy).

In other words, the higher the number of IPs, the lower the cost per IP.

Where residential rotating proxies are concerned, you pay according to the number of ports ('proxy gateway' IPs) that change every five minutes, drawing from a pool of over 20 million IPs. Access to one residential IP port costs $19/month, 5 ports are charged $50/month, 10 ports are $90/month, 20 ports are $160/month, 50 ports are $300/month, and 100 ports are available for $550/month (with each port capped at a limit of 50 simultaneous threads).

For reverse rotating backconnect proxies, which draw from a pool of 700,000+ shared IPs, you pay according to the number of 'threads' or simultaneous connections from one device.

Pricing starts at a low $14/month for a 10-thread test package, while standard plans start at $39/month for up to 40 simultaneous connections. To get 80 connections, you'll pay $59/month; $97/month will get you 150 connections, $147/month delivers 200 threads, and $294/month gets you 400 threads. Depending on the backconnect gateway you choose, IPs rotate on every HTTP request or every three or 15 minutes.

All packages include optional discounts for bi-annual billing (such as 1 month free on 6-month plans) and a 24-hour money-back guarantee on entry-level plans.

Features

Storm Proxies focuses on proxy IPs and lacks complementary features you’ll find on other proxy providers, such as web scraping APIs. However, it performs its core function well.

Residential rotating proxies

Residential proxies are real IP addresses sourced from physical devices. The device owners agree to add their IP address to Storm Proxies’ network in exchange for a benefit, e.g., VPN usage. The vendor then pools these IPs and offers them to its users with automated rotation every five minutes per gateway port.

Rotating means your IP address changes frequently to a new one randomly selected from the pool without needing manual IP replacements or complex API scripting. Constant rotation makes it harder for target servers to detect and block your automation tools. Storm Proxies’ residential rotating proxy pool boasts over 20 million IPs.

So what are residential proxies used for? Web scraping is a major use case, like tracking retail prices or monitoring competitor listings across sites that deploy strict anti-bot checks.

When you use a residential proxy to visit a website, the website thinks the traffic comes from a typical device. With IP rotation, the website thinks the traffic comes from different devices visiting the site as usual. Some ticket websites block traffic from entire countries, usually those they aren’t serving. But you can simply bypass this geo-restriction by choosing a US or EU proxy.

Storm Proxies' residential proxies have unlimited bandwidth, so you don't need to worry about the volume of data being scraped. It uses encryption to hide your actual IP address from websites. During our test, Storm Proxies’ IPs offered fast speeds and performance, with little slowdown compared to accessing sites normally. The drawback is this platform’s limited proxy pool, with servers concentrated in the US and EU and negligible in other regions.

Dedicated rotating proxies

Somewhat confusing since Storm Proxies' official terminology also includes the term ‘backconnect rotating proxies’, these are a type of proxy server that dynamically routes traffic through a pool of rotating IPs. Storm Proxies lets you choose proxies that change every three minutes or 15 minutes. A three-minute proxy is suitable for regular browsing or account creation, while 15-minute proxies are suitable for longer browsing sessions. You can also get a fresh IP address with every new HTTP request, which further improves your anonymity and maximizes data extraction speeds.

The provider gives you one or several "proxy gateway" IPs that you'll enter into your proxy management software. With this connection set up, you'll receive a new proxy IP on every HTTP request or at the previously mentioned intervals. The good news is that there’s no need to manually change IPs in your proxy management software, since everything works out of the box on Storm Proxies' side. Additionally, you can route your traffic through four general geographic pools: USA, EU, combined USA+EU, or worldwide.

The maximum number of backconnect proxy connections you can open depends on your proxy plan. Storm Proxies offers different plans ranging from 10 simultaneous threads (a $14/month entry package) up to 400 simultaneous threads for high-volume tasks. Depending on your plan tier, you can register between 1 and 5 authorized access IPs (allowing you to run connections simultaneously across multiple machines). Users get unlimited bandwidth, so there’s no need to worry about your data scraping volumes or unexpected overage fees.

Storm Proxies’ backconnect proxies were reliable during our test. We liked that the pools rotated automatically while we surfed the web seamlessly. We chose the option for a new IP address with every request, enabling us to bypass geo-restrictions more effectively, although we encountered a few request failures. The main drawback remains Storm Proxies’ limited 700,000-IP pool (though IPs are replaced every 7 days), unlike many competitors whose access is measured in tens of millions of global IPs.

Private dedicated proxies

Unlike residential and backconnect proxies, which rotate on set intervals or on every request, private dedicated datacenter IPs are static IP addresses tied to physical servers. You'll get fixed IPs to keep for your entire billing cycle, but you can request up to two IP replacements per month in case you haven't gotten more than 20% of your assigned proxy pool banned.

Datacenter IPs deliver rapid speed and performance. In this case, a physical server with a stable 1 Gbps connection sits as an intermediary between you and the good ole internet. Such a setup provides far higher stability and faster throughput than relying on an end user’s PC or mobile phone (residential IP), which might have an unstable connection.

Among the more noteworthy things about private dedicated datacenter IPs here is that Storm Proxies owns 100% of its dedicated server infrastructure, providing users with exclusive and non-shared access. All dedicated plans include unlimited bandwidth and support up to 100 concurrent threads, and offer both IP allowlist and username/password authentication options in the member dashboard.

If you’re scraping massive data volumes, datacenter IPs are the best choice because of their better reliability and speed. The drawback is their limited reach, with Storm Proxies supplying datacenter IPs only in the US (Cheyenne, Los Angeles, and New York City). If you need a datacenter IP in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and other continents, Storm Proxies can’t fulfill this need.

Storm Proxies also provides purpose-built dedicated proxy packages tailored for strict target platforms, such as specialized Ticket Sites proxies and Social Sites proxies.

This would be a good place to mention what Storm Proxies lacks compared to its more robust and enterprise-oriented competitors. For starters, there is no web scraping or SERP API. Web scraping is the most common use case for proxy servers, and web scraping APIs let you automate massive data scraping tasks. You’ll choose the website you want to scrape from and select your data type, and the API fetches the data.

We don’t like that Storm Proxies doesn’t offer bandwidth-based or pay-as-you-go pricing plans, which can be more economical for small or low-volume users. If you need just a few GB of proxy bandwidth for light tasks, it’ll be more cost-effective to pay per gigabyte rather than subscribe to a monthly plan with set port or thread limits. Furthermore, rotating pools support HTTP and HTTPS protocols exclusively, with no SOCKS5 support. We also don’t like this platform’s limited geographical reach, as it lacks city- or state-level targeting entirely.

That said, if you’re looking for unlimited bandwidth proxies and already run custom scripts, Storm Proxies is an affordable and good choice.

Ease of use

Storm Proxies offers a simple dashboard that we found easy to use. Setting up your proxies is as simple as it gets, helped by its limited features and straightforward design. Account activation is completely automated, giving you instant access to your proxies immediately after payment.

(Image credit: Storm Proxies)

The user interface in the member area neatly organizes options by active subscription package. From this menu, you can renew your plan, deploy new proxies, change credentials, and whitelist IPs (supporting 1 to 5 authorized access IPs depending on your plan tier, or dynamic DNS tracking via No-IP for non-static home connections). Just keep in mind that private dedicated proxies support both IP allowlisting and username/password credentials, whereas the other two types operate exclusively on IP authorization.

(Image credit: Storm Proxies)

However, we noticed a user interface-related drawback: the lack of usage reports and traffic analytics. Most proxies we've tested provide extensive usage reports, which let users know how much bandwidth they've consumed over time or track request success rates. But Storm Proxies doesn't have this feature; a disadvantage for developers who want deeper connection diagnostics. On the bright side, Storm Proxies provides 100% unlimited bandwidth on all subscriptions, so you don't need to monitor your data consumption rigorously.

Customer support

You can contact the Storm Proxies customer support team 24/7 via email or through the web contact form in the member area. It doesn’t offer telephone support or real-time live chat, a noticeable drawback compared to competitors offering instant chat widgets. Nonetheless, the company aims to respond to emails promptly, typically within a few hours.

Storm Proxies also maintains a dedicated Help Scout Knowledge Base with answers to common questions about using its service.

A word about Storm Proxies' strict refund policy. The company offers a 24-hour money-back guarantee, but it applies exclusively to the single smallest package within each proxy category for first-time buyers. Higher-tier plans and repeat purchases carry zero refund eligibility, which makes it smart to test the smallest entry plan before committing to a larger order.

(Image credit: Storm Proxies)The competition

Storm Proxies sits firmly in the basic, budget-friendly niche compared to the likes of Bright Data, Oxylabs, and IPRoyal.

Bright Data is a stellar proxy provider that offers residential, datacenter, ISP, and mobile proxies from its gargantuan network of 400 million+ global IPs. It also offers sophisticated web scraping APIs, so it lets users kill two birds with one stone. Overall, we consider Bright Data a better proxy service than Storm Proxies, albeit a more expensive one.

Oxylabs has a massive pool of 177 million proxies and provides residential, datacenter, ISP, and mobile proxies, plus web scraping APIs and pre-built datasets. Oxylabs is a more sophisticated proxy provider, but unlike Storm Proxies and its unlimited bandwidth, residential IPs are bandwidth-limited.

IPRoyal is a strong alternative for users who need geographical flexibility and modern features. The provider offers a flexible pay-as-you-go pricing model with bandwidth that never expires, and access to over 68 million residential IPs spanning 195+ locations. It also fully supports the SOCKS5 protocol, which makes it a better choice for users needing city-level targeting or non-HTTP traffic.

Final verdict

Presenting itself as a budget-conscious option for individuals and small businesses who need straightforward proxy access without paying steep per-gigabyte bandwidth fees, Storm Proxies is not designed for complex, enterprise-level scraping. It lacks granular state- or city-level targeting, offers no SOCKS5 support for rotating pools, provides no web scraping APIs, and restricts its server footprint primarily to broad US and EU regions.

Still, if you need simple setup and unlimited traffic for US/EU targets as opposed to a solution for massive data scraping tasks, Storm Proxies delivers excellent value for money.

We've also highlighted the best proxy and best VPN

Bigme B6 Color: Two-minute review

If you’re looking for a cheaper Kindle Colorsoft alternative, then there’s a strong chance you’ll come across the Bigme B6 Color.

This ereader is cheaper but still boasts a six-inch color e-ink screen, 64GB of storage, and 4GB of RAM paired with a MediaTek Helio P35 processor.

That’s an entry-level smartphone SoC from 2018 and would be a poor choice for a standard tablet, but it is actually pretty powerful for an ereader, being significantly faster than the chip found in the Colorsoft or other similarly priced competitors like the Kobo Clara Color.

The Bigme B6 Color needs that added juice because, unlike mainstream options, it runs on a modified version of Android 14 like a standard tablet rather than a locked-down custom OS.

This means you can expect oodles of added functionality like downloading apps from the Google Play Store or reading online articles in the surprisingly capable web browser. If, like me, you’re coming over from a Kindle, you’ll still be able to access your entire library via the Kindle App in addition to exploring new options like Kobo Books or Google Play Books.

FutureFutureFuture

The freedom of Android means getting your own ebook files on the Bigme B6 Color is a breeze via the included Type-C cable or by making use of its microSD card slot.

The Bigme B6 Color also boasts a little mono speaker. It’s a bit tinny, but it means you can use the device to listen to audiobooks and podcasts in a pinch. It’s impressively versatile, and all of this functionality is packed into a sleek and premium form factor that is easily pocketable and can be used one-handed.

But what's the reading experience actually like? Text is sharp, and there is minimal ghosting when flicking between pages, so novels are a breeze — even at night, thanks to a backlight with a good level of brightness and adjustable warmth levels.

I’ve had a perfectly pleasant experience with comic books and manga as well. Monochrome illustrations look pin sharp, while the color screen elevates color splashes. I do wish the colors were a little richer, though, as they’re slightly more washed out than on the Colorsoft.

It’s sometimes spoiled by the many bugs in the operating system, but the biggest issue with the Bigme B6 Color is undoubtedly its battery life. Android is much more power-hungry than most ereader operating systems, and it really shows here. With the brightness cranked up, the battery meter steadily ticks down with every page turn.

I managed to squeeze only about five hours out of a single charge flicking through manga on the Kindle app. That was closer to ten hours for a basic PDF novel stored in the system files, which would at least see you through a full week of reading, but it's still a fraction of the multi-week usage a Kindle Colorsoft or Kobo Clara Color would give you.

To make matters worse, the battery life drops quickly when the ereader isn’t even in use. Tossed in my bag with its screen off, it lost about 10% charge each day, so you’re forced to shut it down fully every time you put it away or risk sitting down for a long train ride and finding it out of juice (something that happened to me more than once in even my relatively short testing period).

(Image credit: Future)Bigme B6 Color review: Price & availability

• Costs around $179 / £149 / AU$280
• Available via the Bigme website and other retailers
• Comes with a case

At the time of writing, I can find the Bigme B6 Color on sale for around $179 / £149 / AU$280. You can find it on the Bigme website in all regions. Shoppers in the US can also find it at Amazon and Newegg, while in the UK it’s also available via JoyBuy. In Australia, you can find it on AliExpress too.

There are three colors available: black, white, and light green. It also comes bundled with a magnetic protective case. It’s a nice case too; my review unit came in black with a navy one, and it attaches neatly to the back via strong magnets and puts the ereader to sleep when closed.

The Bigme B6 Color comes with 64GB of storage, and the value is extremely strong when you consider that the Kindle Colorsoft costs $279.99 / £269.99 / AU$449 for just 32GB of storage and doesn't come with a case.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Bigme B6 Color review: Specs

Display type:

Kaleido 3 Color E-Ink

Screen size:

6-inch

Resolution:

300ppi in B&W; 150ppi in color

CPU:

MediaTek Helio P35

Frontlight:

Warm and cold

Storage:

64GB (expandable)

Battery:

2,100 mAh

Speaker:

Mono

Water protection:

None

Software:

Android 14

Connectivity:

WiFI, Bluetooth

File support:

Epub, PDF, etc.

Dimensions:

108 x 149.3 x 6.98mm (4.25 × 5.88 × 0.27 inches)

Weight:

~176g (~6.2oz)

Bigme B6 Color review: Design & display

• Compact and lightweight
• Color display
• Physical buttons… sort of

The Bigme B6 Color is sleek and compact at 108 x 149.3 × 6.98 mm (or 4.25 × 5.88 × 0.27 inches). It’s easy to slip into a pocket or bag.

The back and sides are a matte plastic material that feels pleasant in the hands, while the bezel around the screen is shinier and smoother. The black model that I’ve been testing is quite plain-looking aside from a silver Bigme logo on the rear and a red power button.

If you look closely at the top, you’ll see a small grille for the speaker and a microphone hole. Flipping it over to the bottom reveals the USB Type-C charging port, a small LED charging indicator, and a slot for the microSD card.

Given that Bigme is a smaller brand, I’m really impressed with the build quality overall.

It’s lightweight at under 200g / 7.1oz but reassuringly solid in the hands. The materials used feel equivalent to those by Amazon or Kobo-maker Rakuten — something really worth commending given just how much cheaper the Bigme B6 Color is than those brands’ equivalent models.

(Image credit: Future)

The ereader's six-inch color e-ink display sits above a little row of grey buttons. These aren’t proper buttons in the traditional sense, and they don’t click like those of a Kindle Oasis. Rather, they’re little shortcuts printed on the screen that are tied to certain system apps.

The first opens your library, which shows any ebooks or PDFs you have saved on the device’s storage. The next is an AI button tied to BigmeGPT, an AI assistant of questionable value, but I’ll get on to that in more detail later.

The middle one opens the file manager, and the next takes you to the home screen. The fifth and final button is a settings shortcut.

I’m in two minds about these. On the one hand, some of them are useful to have, like the home screen button or library shortcut, but others, like the AI button, haven’t been pressed more than once or twice in my entire time testing the device.

I couldn’t find a way to rebind the buttons in the system settings, sadly, though even if you could, you would still be stuck with the printed icons.

• Design score: 3.5/5

Bigme B6 Color review: Android software & apps

• Freedom of Android
• Google Play Store access
• Stock apps are poor

Unlike a conventional ereader, the Bigme B6 Color runs on Android 14 and comes with the Google Play Store installed. This allows you to download a wide range of Android apps, all the way from chat services like Discord to social media apps such as Instagram and Facebook, or even some games.

Of course, the screen is a major limitation, and although you can technically watch the latest TechRadar YouTube video on your device, the low refresh rate makes for a pretty unpleasant experience.

That said, Android has some big advantages, namely allowing you to download a wide range of ereader apps. The Kindle app, for example, works fantastically and delivers a comparable experience to using an ereader made by Amazon. Favorites like Libby, which lets you access books from local libraries, are accessible too, and you can even use the ereader’s web browser to download files directly from sites like Internet Archive. Audiobook and podcast apps are also excellent.

The freedom is fantastic and will be a breath of fresh air if you’re used to locked-down ecosystems.

This isn’t a stock version of Android, though. Everything is wrapped in a custom skin created by Bigme, and it’s far from a smooth experience.

(Image credit: Future)

There are lots of stock apps, and some are quite buggy. The built-in BigmeGPT AI, for example, crashes instantly if you lose your internet connection. It’s not particularly useful when it does work either, offering only basic text and image generation features.

There’s also the screen saver app that lets you change the image on your lock screen. I used BigmeGPT to generate a few wacky pictures to use as screensavers, only to discover that it doesn’t seem to work very well when you select an image from system files, often defaulting to the default option (a childish cartoon of some bears sleeping in a forest) instead.

Other stock apps include a basic calendar, music player, dictionary, voice recorder, and translator. They all seem to work alright, but are so basic I can’t imagine them being very useful.

The overall interface also has some issues. System notifications will randomly pop up in Chinese from time to time, and it can all freeze up while you’re in menus. I even had the settings app crash entirely on a few occasions.

• Software score: 3/5

Bigme B6 Color review: User experience

• Reading is great
• But the battery life dampens the experience
• Not a tablet replacement

Despite the rough edges in the software, if your number one concern is the reading experience, the Bigme B6 Color does deliver. 300ppi resolution is more than sufficient for the small 6-inch screen and means that text looks very crisp. The backlight is effective too, offering sufficient brightness for reading in dimmer spaces or even a pitch-black room.

As I mentioned earlier, the colors could be better as they look more washed out than those of the Colorsoft, but they’re still decently accurate and help liven up illustrations. Browsing the web is also surprisingly smooth, though the refresh rate does hamper the experience. Even so, you can still browse news websites easily if you want to catch up with current events on the go.

(Image credit: Future)

The biggest issue encountered while trying to use the Bigme B6 Color as my main ereader was its battery life. It really does run out quickly, and I struggled to adjust to plugging it in for a top-up every night, having become used to only charging my Kindle every few weeks.

Although it does run Android, I wouldn’t view the Bigme B6 Color as a replacement for a conventional tablet. You technically can use productivity apps (WPS Office even comes installed out of the box to tempt you), but the experience is poor, again, thanks to that slow refresh rate. To Bigme’s credit, the brand advertises the B6 Color as an ereader rather than anything else — so I’m not deducting any points for this.

• User experience score: 3.5/5

Bigme B6 Color review: Performance

• Snappy performance
• Usable web browser
• You can even watch YouTube videos

The Bigme B6 Color performs fantastically with its 4GB of RAM and MediaTek Helio P35 chipset.

Don’t get me wrong, these would be awful specs for a phone — but on a relatively cheap ereader? Everything is butter smooth as far as an e-ink screen allows. Loading is fast, pages turn with no lag, and it doesn’t immediately lose your place if you send an ereader app to the background. It boots from sleep almost instantly as well.

(Image credit: Future)

I have had no issue accessing my favorite news websites (including TechRadar, of course) using the built-in browser. I even managed to get YouTube videos playing on it, which is pretty impressive for this kind of device. After using the Bigme B6 Color, my usual Kindle feels unbearably sluggish.

Storage is generous out of the box to boot, and, having downloaded a load of books and a handful of apps, I still have more than 40GB of free space left.

Not shabby at all for this price!

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should I buy the Bigme B6 Color?

Bigme B6 Color

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft

Kobo Clara Color

Display type:

Kaleido 3 Color E-Ink

Kaleido 3 Color E-Ink

Kaleido 3 Color E-Ink

Screen size:

6-inch

7-inch

6-inch

Resolution:

300ppi in B&W; 150ppi in color

300ppi in B&W; 150ppi in color

300ppi in B&W; 150ppi in color

CPU:

MediaTek Helio P35

Unspecified dual-core MediaTek

MediaTek MT8113T

Frontlight:

Warm and cold

Warm and cold

Warm and cold

Storage:

64GB (expandable)

32GB

16GB

Battery:

2,100 mAh

2,310 mAh

1,500 mAh

Speaker:

Mono

None

None

Water protection:

None

IPX8 water-resistance

IPX8 water-resistance

Software:

Android 14

Proprietary

Proprietary

Connectivity:

WIFI, Bluetooth

WIFI, Bluetooth

WIFI, Bluetooth

File support:

EPUB, PDF, etc.

EPUB, PDF, AZW3

EPUB, EPUB3, FlePub, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR

Dimensions:

108 x 149.3 x 6.98mm (4.25 × 5.88 × 0.27 inches)

127.6 x 176.7 x 7.8 mm (5.02 x 6.96 x 0.31 inches)

112 x 160 x 9.2 mm (6.3 x 4.4 x 0.36 inches)

Weight:

~176g (~6.2oz)

219g (7.73oz)

174g (6.1oz)

Buy it if...

You want an affordable color Android ereader

The Bigme B6 Color is surprisingly cheap for a color ereader running on Android. It's a good buy if you don't want to be locked down to one specific ecosystem.

You don't mind some jank

The software here takes some getting used to and can be buggy at times, but that shouldn't be much of an issue if you're used to fiddling with Android systems.

Don't buy it if...

You need long battery life

The Bigme B6 Color's biggest flaw is its battery life. Avoid picking one up if you need an ereader you can toss in a bag in sleep mode for a few weeks or one you don't have to charge every day or two.

Bigme B6 Color review: Alternatives

Kindle Colorsoft
Far superior battery life makes the Kindle Colorsoft a great alternative to the Bigme B6 Color. You lose the freedom of Android, but gain a much sleeker and smoother experience in return. Bear in mind it is much more expensive, though.

Read our in-depth Kindle Colorsoft review

Kobo Clara Color

The Kindle Clara Color isn't much more expensive than the Bigme B6 Color. Its processor is much slower, however, and it has far more limited storage.

Read our in-depth Kobo Clara Color review

How I tested the Bigme B6 Color

• Used as main e-reader for a month
• Popular e-reader apps tested
• Compared to similar models by brands like Amazon

To review the Bigme B6 Color I used it as my primary e-reader for just over a month. This meant using it for about forty minutes each way on my commutes to and from our office in London, during which I enjoyed a variety of novels, comic books, and manga.

Throughout my time with the e-reader I compared my experience to my hands-on usage of similar devices, including the Amazon Kindle, Amazon Kindle Colorsoft, and Kobo Clara Color.

Read more about how we test.

First published September 2026

Kodak PixPro AZ653: two-Minute Review

If you thought bridge cameras (aka superzoom cameras) were a thing of the past, you’re probably not alone. This area of the photography market hasn’t received too much attention over the past few years, especially now that the lower end of the mirrorless camera arena has some solid options, providing decent specs at a reasonable price.

However, the main selling point of bridges camera has always been the expansive zoom range, something the Kodak PixPro AZ653 has in absolute abundance. The 24-1560mm equivalent zoom lens will cover just about every subject you could possibly hope to encounter, from everyday street scenes to distant wildlife. My favorite lens is my 70-200mm f/2.8 'trinity' zoom, but after having such a long zoom range at my fingertips, it has been tough to go back to a mere 2.8x zoom, even if that lens' wider aperture and quality are streets above for quality.

If you’re after a lightweight camera to take with you on your travels, and you don’t know exactly what photographic opportunities you’re likely to come across, the AZ653 is a petite option that will cover every base.

Autofocus is smooth, if not the fastest you can find on a camera at this price point. It certainly won’t be able to keep up with the fastest animal subjects, so if you’re looking for a wildlife camera, you might be better off with an interchangeable lens model that uses high-end phase detection AF. For slower animals at a distance, however, the massive focal range positions the AZ653 as a good, budget-friendly safari camera.

The huge 65x zoom is compact and lightweight – much more so than a mirrorless APS-C or full-frame zoom of lower magnification. (Image credit: Peter Fenech)

Image quality, meanwhile, is impressive for a bridge camera, especially one with such a small sensor. The limited area of the chip does place limitations on what the camera can achieve, because of the tiny photo sites, but in good light at least, images are sharp and detailed, even if they do suffer from extreme color noise.

Handling, meanwhile, is decidedly DSLR-like, which is a good thing if you’re used to a larger camera body. It’s comfortable to hold and to operate single-handed, while all of the controls are logically placed. Having a manual control ring on the lens is a huge bonus too, giving the AZ653 a premium edge and a professional look to boot.

It might not be an image quality match for a pro-level mirrorless camera, nor is it going to outgun even the entry-level interchangeable lens offerings from Canon or Nikon, but the Kodak AZ653 is a powerful bridge camera that goes easy on the shoulder and on the bank balance.

Kodak PixPro AZ653: Price and release date

• $449 / £349 / AU$ 750.99
• Available worldwide now
• Limited availability/ backorder lists current in the UK

The AZ653 is designed largely for entry-level users who aren’t ready to invest in an interchangeable lens system, or photographers looking to minimize their kit. The camera is available globally, priced affordably at $449 / £349 / AU$ 750.99.

This makes it significantly cheaper than buying a mirrorless camera with a comparable specification and adding a super telephoto lens. For example, a Canon EOS R100 and RF800mm F11 STM telephoto prime lens would set you back a combined price of approximately $1228 / £1359 / AU$ 2000.

It also costs around 7x less than the Sony RX10 V — a premium bridge camera launched this year, which is superior in most regards except for its lesser zoom range.

• Price score: 4/5

Kodak AZ653: Specs

Type:

Bridge camera

Sensor:

20.68MP 1/2.3-inch BSI CMOS

Lens mount:

N/A, Integrated 65x (24-1560mm f/2.9-6.7 equiv) power zoom

Displays:

Main LCD - fixed 3.0-inch LCD (460k dots)

Memory:

SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards up to 1.5 TB (Class 10 or faster recommended)

Video:

Full HD 1080p recording at up to 30 fps

ISO range:

100-3200

Burst shooting

5fps

Processor:

Not specified

Connectivity:

BlueTooth, USB-C, Wi-Fi

Dimensions:

126.0 x 89.0 x 111.4 mm

Weight:

20.7oz/588g

Kodak PixPro AZ653: design

• Small and lightweight body made possible by the small sensor format
• Reasonable build quality, though mostly plastic
• Fixed 3-inch LCD makes composing shots difficult

Bridge cameras are, by definition, designed to bring together the size and weight benefits of a compact camera with the superior handling characteristics of a DSLR or mirrorless model. By bridging this gap, cameras like the AZ653 are able to offer a generally unrivalled balance of portability and versatility. At least, that’s the objective.

Of course, this was far more of an obvious benefit before the advent of the mirrorless revolution. The difference in size and weight between a Bridge camera and a DSLR such as the Nikon D850 was far more pronounced than between the AZ653 and an entry-level mirrorless model like the Canon EOS R100 or Nikon Z30. Even higher-end cameras like the Canon EOS R6 Mark III, Nikon Z50 II, Sony a7C II, or Fujifilm X-T5 with a standard zoom lens have a comparable footprint.

That last part is important, though. The lens on the AZ653 is anything but standard. As soon as you take the vast zoom range into account, the projected weight differences diverge dramatically. I say projected since the exact dimensions of a mirrorless equivalent to the 65x zoom can only be estimated – no such lens exists.

The EFL (Effective Focal Length) 24-1560mm F2.9-6.7 optic is only possible because of the smaller 1/2.3in sensor at the heart of the camera, and if you were to try and build a similar lens with an image circle big enough to cover an APS-C or full-frame sensor, it would be more like a telescope than a photography optic.

The Kodak AZ653 is well-proportioned and very comfortable to hold. The deep handgrip is reassuring and allowed a firm grip even with my large-ish hands. Despite the body’s small size, there is ample room for around three fingers on the lower part of the grip at one time, while the forefinger sits precisely over the shutter button.

(Image credit: Peter Fenech)

The zoom control surrounds the shutter release and operates with minimal travel, allowing rapid activation of the power zoom. A nice touch is the ability to zoom using the control ring on the lens instead, which is a far more intuitive action for photographers who have committed two-handed camera work to muscle memory. The downside is an artificially long zoom travel; it takes multiple twists of the ring to zoom from the widest focal length to the longest.

The feel of the zoom indicates it's an electronic fly-by-wire system, where the ring isn’t physically connected to anything mechanical, but merely acts as a switch that drives a motor to move the lens elements.

With an optical system this long, the operation is slow and at times, a little stuttery – the zoom stops halfway through its journey and there’s an obvious pause while the onboard computer recalculates where it should be placing the elements. This proved frustrating during my testing, and resulted in multiple missed shots.

Manual focus was a little more successful when using the ring, and I could make relatively precise adjustments. You can access this by moving the position of a switch on the lens barrel, which is another nod to the DSLR influence and adds to the professional experience. The magnified preview image is low-resolution, however, and isn’t especially useful.

The camera features a PASM mode (exposure) dial on the top plate, next to the power button. This provides access to the usual array of control modes, including full Manual and Auto, along with several creative shooting positions, including Scene modes, a Wireless mode for remote operation and file sharing, Movie Mode, Face Beautifier mode for in-camera retouching, and a Custom setting position.

The dial itself is too easily moved in my opinion. In several cases, I’d switched mode without realising, either because I’d nudged the dial with my finger or while getting the camera in and out of my bag, which again meant some missed shots.

The build quality is actually quite good. It is largely made from plastic, but this feels reinforced and not significantly inferior to many recent mid-range mirrorless cameras. I wouldn’t necessarily trust its resistance to rain and dust as such, but the outer shell doesn’t give the impression of cheapness, while the rubberised grip and viewfinder surround lend a more premium edge.

• Design score: 3.5/5

Kodak PixPro AZ653: performance

• The power zoom system is slow, especially when using the lens control ring
• The camera is not as quick to boot up and shut down as comparably priced mirrorless models
• Focus speed itself is quite snappy

With such a long zoom range, there’s always a risk of sluggish autofocus performance. This is often purely because of the additional glass elements needed to provide such a great magnification, making it a more demanding task for the autofocus motors. That being said, the actual dimensions of the optical system are much smaller than the effective image results – the lens is a physical 4.3mm to 279.5mm unit.

As such, the elements are quickly moved into position once the camera has found the correct focus distance, with minimal delay. It’s not quite as smooth as the stepper motors or ultrasonic drives found in many top-level mirrorless optics, nor is it as quiet, but it puts in a respectable performance for the price.

The limiting factor is going to be the autofocus system in the camera itself. Unlike the majority of mirrorless cameras, which use phase-detection AF, the AZ653 shares the slower contrast detection system found in many compact cameras, smartphones and older interchangeable lens bodies.

(Image credit: Peter Fenech)

Without dwelling for too long on the technical specifics, phase-detection autofocus uses specialized sensors to measure the focus position of the lens by looking at how front- or back-focused the light projected through it is. Meanwhile, the AZ653’s contrast-detection AF merely looks for edges of objects in the frame to estimate how far it has to move the lens to get the maximum contrast.

As such, contrast detection has a tendency to hunt, moving the lens elements back and forth to test the correct placement. As expected, this slows down reaction times and isn’t suitable for rapid sports and animal subjects.

The EVF is small but fairly detailed. All of the relevant camera settings are displayed, and it is sharp enough to judge focus with ease. The LCD, on the other hand, is underwhelming. It makes use of only 460K dots, which isn’t enough to accurately assess the quality of captured images.

All files look smudged, not helped by the matte texture of the screen itself. The non-glossy surface makes it easier to preview images in bright light, but critical sharpness is almost impossible to check with any sense of confidence.

Peter FenechPeter FenechPeter Fenech

• Performance score: 3.5/5

Kodak PixPro AZ653: Image quality

• Surprising quality in good lighting
• Mushy JPEGs even at low ISO settings
• Limited to Full HD (1080p) video - no 4K or greater

Image quality is quite surprising. In good light, RAW format files from the AZ653 are rich in detail, and the lens is able to deliver crisp results. Having the RAW capability is a huge bonus and can honestly be considered a staple feature of an enthusiast camera now that many smartphones come equipped with their own RAW mode.

Kodak has been smart not to overstretch the sensor with resolution. The 20 million pixels are more than enough for everyday uses, and by keeping pixel count lower than most APS-C and Micro 4/3 cameras, the AZ653 is able to maintain a workable level of noise control and a reasonable dynamic range.

Sure, highlights clip more easily than when shooting the same scene on both the AZ653 and an APS-C model like the 26MP Fujifilm X100VI, but the performance is better than many larger-sensor cameras of last decade.

In-camera JPEG shooting is a different matter, and the quality is far less impressive. Default noise reduction is too aggressive and fine detail is rapidly obliterated, creating a smudged look common to compact cameras. Color noise reduction itself isn’t especially effective either, leaving behind too many colored blotches.

When shooting RAW, I was able to increase the ISO to about 800 before grain became a major problem which is, once again, impressive. My advice would be to increase the sensitivity of the AZ653 rather than to brighten underexposed RAW files — unlike many of the more ISO-invariant cameras we see today — this should produce a better balance of image texture and noise pattern.

Regarding lens quality, sharpness does drop off towards the long end of the zoom range. The slightly blurred results reminded me of shots taken with a budget Tamron 70-300mm DSLR lens I used to own back in the day – fine detail just isn’t present, almost as if your shots were taken through a greasy window. Files are usable on Instagram, but won’t be suitable for prints.

Peter FenechPeter FenechPeter FenechPeter FenechPeter FenechPeter FenechPeter Fenech

(Image credit: Peter Fenech)

(Image credit: Peter Fenech)

• Image quality score: 3/5

Testing Scorecard

Attribute

Notes

Score

Price

Many smartphones will give you better quality, but not a 1560mm lens for less than $500.

4/5

Design

I love the deep handgrip and tactile control ring – both premium flourishes. The poor LCD is disappointing though.

3.5/5

Performance

The processing power is limited and startup/ shutdown and operation is slow

3.5/5

Image quality

It's passible in good even light, but the small photosites can't keep up after dark

3/5

Should I buy the Kodak PixPro AZ653?Buy it if…

You need a huge zoom range without the cost
Let's be honest, you aren't going to find this kind of magnifying power for a DSLR or mirrorless camera for less than five to ten times the price. If you're heading off on safari, this might be the best option for your budget.

You need a portable camera with decent handling
The deep handgrip and button positions give the AZ653 a distinctly DSLR-like feel, and it's all the better for it. If you like the convenience of a compact but the handling of a bigger camera, this will serve you right.

You mainly shoot for social media
If you mostly just upload your images to Instagram or shoot reels for TikTok, the quality you can get from the AZ653 will be more than adequate

Don’t buy it if…

You shoot a lot of portraits
The small sensor provides great magnification, but the downside is heavily reduced depth-of-field control. Even at the max aperture backgrounds are hard to blur, making environmental portraits unappealing.

You need absolute image quality
There are smartphones with much bigger sensors out there, such as the iPhone 17 Pro, and you might have that with you for everyday tasks anyway. The AZ653 struggles above ISO800 and out-of-camera JPEGs are sometimes terrible View Deal

You want to expand a camera system
The Kodak AZ653 is a great first camera, but you can pick up an entry-level mirrorless camera for similar money, especially second-hand. Yes, you'll lose the 65x zoom, but if you don't routinely shoot cheetahs from afar, you won't miss this. A mirrorless system will allow you build a lens collection from the start.

Also consider

Nikon Coolpix P1100
It's a bit pricier, at around $900 - $1000, but this buys you an even greater 125 x zoom up to 3000mm EFL, an f/2.8 maximum aperture, 4K UHD video, and a 3in articulating, 921k-dot LCD screen. You still have to make do with a 1/2.3in sensor though, and an even lower 16 megapixel resolution.

Read our Nikon P1000 review

Sony RX10 V
Considered the best bridge camera ever made, this is a serious piece of kit. Featuring a 1-inch stacked sensor and a 24-600mm lens, it still gives you a good focal range, while also offering bigger pixels for better light-gathering and signal-to-noise ratio. It's anything but cheap though; expect to pay about the same as for an entry-level full-frame mirrorless camera.

Read our Sony RX10 V review

How I tested the Kodak PixPro AZ653

• I spent around two and a half weeks with the AZ653
• Images were taken in both good light and low-light conditions, shooting in JPEG mode and RAW
• Most images were shot handheld to test the usability at longer focal lengths

(Image credit: Peter Fenech)

I spent several weeks shooting with the PixPro AZ653, taking in multiple different lighting conditions. I shot in both JPEG and RAW formats to see how differently the built-in processing algorithms might process the images to my own RAW workflow.

Since one of the reasons to buy a bridge camera is for weight saving, I decided to shoot mainly handheld, as this would be how many users would experience the camera. I wanted to thoroughly check the ease with which someone might capture sharp images at the longer focal lengths.

I mainly used Aperture Priority (A) and Manual (M) modes for both creative freedom and to test the auto exposure systems.

To explore the noise performance, I shot with the camera at each ISO setting, from 100 through to 3200, using a tripod to ensure any drop in sharpness was not due to camera shake at the lower sensitivities. I also worked through the focal range, capturing the same scenes from the widest to the longest zoom settings.

First reviewed: September 2026

Scuf Valor Wired: two-minute review

The Scuf Valor Wired is a mid-range wired PC and Xbox controller. It’s actually the second controller to bear this moniker, with the previous version equipped with the less-sensitive Hall-effect thumbsticks rather than the TMR ones here. But is a wired controller worth the investment right now, when there are so many cheap wireless alternatives to pick from?

Despite its mid-market price, the Valor Wired feels suitably premium in the hand. Thanks to its lightly textured grips and thumbsticks, I always felt like I had a firm grasp on it, even with sweaty palms during particularly stress-filled FPS tournaments. I also love the silky-smooth plastic of its faceplate, while the Smoke colorway I tested looked gorgeous, with its translucent gray body and orange highlights.

The Valor Wired isn't a poser, though: many of its features equal those of the best Xbox controllers on the market, even if it can’t fully eclipse them.

Rocking the TMR thumbsticks more usually seen in premium pads, the Valor Wired won’t succumb to stick drift and should prove more sensitive than Hall-effect alternatives. Meanwhile, its dual-mode shoulder triggers allow you to switch between full-range analog movement and clicky micro-switches — sadly, they’re not quite as sensitive as the more premium TMR triggers of some pads — and provide discrete vibrations from the grips for more immersive gameplay. Remappable back buttons deliver plenty of options for in-game shortcuts, although I’d rather its face buttons were of the faster micro-switch variety than the more spongy ones here.

Many of these inputs are customizable in Scuf’s flexible and easy-to-use companion app, available for both Windows and Xbox. Whipping up personal profiles for shooting and racing games took barely any time at all — I was able to tweak dead zones and set custom curves based on my needs, as well as remap buttons to suit my requirements. Saving my preferred profiles to one of three slots on the controller was simple, and I could rapidly flip between them in-game with a single press of a button.

But how does all of this translate to performance? Pretty efficiently, it turns out.

Not only do those TMR thumbsticks offer better durability, but they felt sensitive and responsive, delivering great control over the steering wheel in Forza Horizon 6. I’m already fully converted to the benefits of dual-mode triggers, and they’re fantastic here, enabling me to fire off effective parries in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, even if it wasn’t quite as snappy as on my more premium Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless. And the separate rumble function in the triggers is a fun addition, even if I wouldn’t say it's a revolution in immersion.

And those custom profiles I created definitely seemed to have a material impact on my performance. With its dynamic response curves and trimmed dead zones for the triggers, my racing profile felt like it offered more granular control over the gas and brake pedals, enabling me go from seventh in some races to first place. Meanwhile, aggressive trigger curves in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 made squeezing off headshots faster — although not quite as fast as when using the triggers’ micro-switch mode.

All things being equal, the Scuf Valor Wired is a strong PC and Xbox controller. Its TMR thumbsticks, dual-mode triggers, and sheer customizability are impressive. Its lack of wireless connectivity, TMR triggers, and micro-switch buttons stop it from being truly top-tier, though. Having said that, it's the price that makes it truly compelling. Getting so many features in a pad for $89.99 / £69.99 / AU$179.99 is fantastic, even if that means sacrificing the flexibility of wireless connectivity and the most premium features.

(Image credit: Future)Scuf Valor Wired review: price & availability

• Launched on March 31, 2026
• Available from $89.99 / £69.99 / AU$179.99

Released on March 31, 2026, the Scuf Valor Wired is available now. While its list price is $99.99 / £94.99 / AU$179.99, we're already seeing reductions in some markets, seeing it go down to $89.99 / £69.99 in the US and UK.

Rather than a bunch of different versions for different platforms, the one-size-fits-all Scuf Valor Wired is just for Xbox and PC, so if you’re a PlayStation gamer this isn't for you.

On the plus side, it's available in a huge range of colorways — from the ash-colored body and orange detailing of the Light Grey to the red-and-black, dragon-bedecked Prosperity. Plus, removable face plates mean you can purchase multiple colorways to switch things up when you fancy a new look.

Scuf Valor Wired review: specs

Price

$89.99 / £69.99

Compatibility

Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Connection type

Wired (Detachable 10ft / 3.6m braided USB-C to USB-A cable)

Battery life

N/A

Features

Endurance TMR (Tunnel Magnetoresistance) thumbsticks, 4 customizable rear paddles, adjustable instant triggers, onboard audio control system, 3 onboard profile slots, wraparound bumpers, removable faceplate, textured performance grip, 3.5mm headset jack, 1,000Hz polling rate on PC

Software

Scuf Companion App

(Image credit: Future)Scuf Valor Wired review: Design & features

As soon as I got my hands on the Scuf Valor Wired, I was struck by how comfortable it is to hold. It’s pleasingly ergonomic, perfectly tailored to the shape of my palms, and using it feels effortless even over longer gaming sessions. The satin-smooth finish of its faceplate is wonderfully tactile, too, giving a distinctly premium vibe despite its mid-market price.

While I don’t always love coarser textures for controller grips, the hexagonal print on the rubber here meant the Valor Wired had decent traction in my hands. On top of this, the light texturing on its triggers and around its stock thumbsticks prevents either feeling slippery, even during the sweatiest shootouts I encountered while playing FPS games.

But the Valor Wired tickled more of my senses than touch alone. Visually, I’d say it’s a knockout — I legit love the translucent charcoal casing and orange highlights of the Smoke colorway I tested here. If that isn't your cup of tea, there are plenty of alternative options, such as the sakura-bedecked Cherry Blossom or the cyberpunk-coded purple and magenta Respawn. And if you’re perennially indecisive like me, its faceplate is easily removable, meaning you can buy a bunch of options to switch out depending on your mood on a given day.

Let’s talk inputs. Probably the most immediate attention grabber is its thumbsticks. Unlike Scuf’s previous Valor Wired controller, this incarnation comes with TMR sticks, rather than Hall-effect ones. So not only can you breathe easy knowing your controller won’t eventually succumb to the dreaded stick drift, but it should also offer far better sensitivity, more granular tracking, and better centering.

(Image credit: Future)

Like some of the more premium pads on the market, each of the Valor Wired’s triggers has a toggle that allows you to switch between full-range analog movement and micro-switches, giving you more rapid response for games such as shooters. While these aren’t the super-precise TMR triggers you’ll see on controllers such as the ROG Raikiri II, they do have their own discrete rumble function, which at least promises to add to the in-game immersion.

Perhaps a little less premium-feeling are the Valor Wired’s buttons. I’ll admit it took me a while to warm up to snappier micro-switch face buttons on my controllers, but now I find that the spongier buttons featured on this pad feel a bit less precise.

On the plus side, the mappable back buttons trigger with a satisfying click. However, their horizontal arrangement is a little unorthodox, forcing you to hold the pad in a certain way. When I rested just my index fingers on the pad’s triggers, the rest of my digits naturally found their way to these switches — but if you prefer to double up your index and middle fingers on the shoulder buttons and triggers, activating these switches feels more awkward. A vertical alignment would make the pad feel a little more grip-agnostic.

An equally novel — but definitely less controversial — design decision Scuf has made here is to include two distinct volume controls on either side of the 3.5mm headphone jack, one for controlling the volume of your mic and the other for in-game sound.

Admittedly, I don’t play a lot of online games — a skill issue more than a lack-of-friends issue — but I can absolutely still see the appeal here for those who do. Despite the fact that both dials are lightly notched, I’d say they still feel a little loose to offer super-precise control. Fortunately, though, their position at the base of the controller means you’re unlikely to knock them accidentally, so this is unlikely to cause you too much stress during day-to-day use.

(Image credit: Future)

So that’s it as far as hardware goes. But what about software?

Honestly, the Scuf Valor companion app is very strong. Not only is it easy to download and use on both PC and Xbox, but it also delivers a lot of granular control over various settings on the Valor Wired, which you can then save to custom profiles. You can remap all of its inputs, customize trigger and thumbstick curves and dead zones, and tweak the intensity of trigger or grip vibration. Once you’ve saved the resulting profile, you can then save it to one of three slots on the pad as either red, green, or blue.

Switching between these profiles on-the-fly is super easy. Any time I wanted to change to a different profile, I just had to tap the profile button on the back to cycle through them. Reaching this button can sometimes feel like a bit of a stretch — but, being charitable, this might be an intentional move on Scuf's part to reduce the risk of an accidental knock in the midst of a heated gun battle.

All things considered, the Scuf Valor Wired is well-featured and designed for its price. It may not come with cutting-edge tech such as TMR triggers or micro-switch face buttons, and — spoiler alert — it’s not wireless. But in return for sacrificing a few of those premium features, you get a seriously solid spec for a much lower price. So where’s the downside?

(Image credit: Future)Scuf Valor Wired review: performance

Well, a major downside would be that the features the Scuf Valor Wired offers don’t translate to great performance. Fortunately, this isn't the case — while it can’t quite compete with the best Xbox and PC controllers I’ve ever used, it still does a pretty decent job.

First off, let’s start with those TMR thumbsticks. Not only did their action feel nice and smooth, but they rapidly spring back to their dead zone, making gentle steering corrections in Forza Horizon 6 a breeze. And thanks to that superior sensing tech, their responsiveness really wowed me, always feeling smooth and in control.

In addition, the discrete trigger vibration delivered some decent additional feedback for racing titles, offering a bit of haptic response as my tires locked when drifting around corners. I wouldn’t expect too much here, though — we’re not talking about a PlayStation DualSense level of immersive haptic feedback; it’s not going to substantially up the realism.

In my mind, there’s only one game that provides a worthy test of how responsive shoulder triggers can be: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Using the analog triggers, parrying attacks from new enemies could still be punishingly difficult, but after switching them to micro-switch mode, I found the Catapult Sakapatate's cannon attack in the Endless Night Sanctuary much easier to rebuff. That said, during some of the game's more complex combos, I still found myself flailing around like strips of flypaper glued to an electric drill, suggesting these triggers aren’t quite as responsive as some of the TMR options on the market.

But I wasn’t satisfied simply testing the Valor Wired’s stock settings. I wanted to get to the nitty-gritty of how you can really customize the controller to suit your play style. So I whipped up a couple of custom profiles: a Racing profile and my Pew Pew! profile (FPSes, for anyone with an emotional age of more than eight).

(Image credit: Future)

Trying out the pad’s default profile in Forza Horizon 6, I found I was regularly finishing center of the pack. Basically the only way I could keep control of my 2022 Toyota GR86 was to feather the accelerator approaching the bends, then pump the brake trigger to prevent my wheels from locking. But once I’d activated my Racing profile with reduced trigger dead zones and dynamic response curves, it was far easier to reduce the throttle in a controlled way before easing on the brakes for far more controlled drifts. After this, I happily netted several first-place spots on the podium.

By contrast, for my tailor-made profile for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, I remapped the faceplate buttons to the rear paddles and stuck the triggers to an aggressive response curve. While it took some getting used to, the remapped controls made it easy to control the in-game action without ever taking my thumb off the stick. By contrast, the sharper trigger curve made a small difference, but it was switching on the Valor Wired’s micro-switches that really helped me click some heads.

And the nicest part about all of this is how easy it was to tweak these settings on the fly. My chief complaint about my beloved ROG Raikiri II is that I can’t access its Gear Link software on Xbox, meaning I have to fire up my PC whenever I want to tweak a setting. By contrast, updating my settings or swapping out the profile saved to the controller here was easy to do on either platform — I simply had to switch to the app mid-game, edit and save my profiles, and then I could leap back into the action.

Ultimately, the Scuf Valor Wired offers great performance. On many fronts, it comes close to many premium controllers in its performance, feeling highly responsive and customizable. While a physical umbilical cord connecting your pad to your console is a definite compromise, it’s one of the few sacrifices you have to make here to get snappy, pro-feeling performance without having to pay through the nose.

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Scuf Valor Wired?Buy it if…

You want impressive performance for a mid-range price
With its more sensitive, drift-free TMR thumbsticks, dual-function micro-switch triggers and mappable rear buttons, the Scuf Valor Wired offers pro-level performance without the premium price tag.

You want good looks and a solid build
Not only does it come in a wide range of styles to suit pretty much every taste, the Valor Wired is beautifully built, whether it’s the textured grips or super-smooth satin-finish faceplate.

Don’t buy it if…

You want the best controller you can get your hands on
The Scuf Valor Wired is a strong controller but that doesn’t mean there aren’t even more powerful pads out there. If you want premium features such as TMR triggers or mechanical buttons, it’s worth spending more.

You want a wireless controller
This one has a wire. But if you want low-latency connectivity, make sure you get one with 2.4GHz connectivity.

Scuf Valor Wired review: also consider

SCUF Valor Wired with TMR

Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless

Thrustmaster eSwap X2

Price

$89.99 / £69.99

$149.99 / £139.99

$169.99 / £149.99

Compatibility

Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Connection type

Wired (detachable 10ft / 3.6m braided USB-C cable)

Tri-mode wireless (2.4GHz RF, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C wired)

Wired (detachable USB-C cable)

Battery life

N/A

Up to 50 hours (2.4GHz wireless with RGB/audio off)

N/A

Features

Endurance TMR thumbsticks, 4 remappable rear paddles, adjustable instant triggers, onboard audio controls, 3 profile slots, wraparound bumpers, removable faceplate

Anti-drift TMR joysticks, dual-mode triggers (TMR/micro-switch), 4 micro-switch rear buttons, micro-switch face buttons/D-pad, 1,000Hz polling rate (PC)

Hot-Swap modular thumbstick/D-pad system, mechanical micro-switch face buttons, 4 remappable rear buttons, physical trigger locks

Software

Scuf Companion App

Armoury Crate / ROG Gear Link

ThrustmapperX software

Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless
There’s a reason the ROG Raikiri II has earned a place in my home setup. With both TMR thumbsticks and TMR dual-mode triggers, not to mention 1K polling and a minimum 3.5ms input latency, it offers blisteringly fast performance. It also offers wired, 2.4GHz wireless, and Bluetooth connectivity, and remappable back buttons. While it’s a touch frustrating that its software doesn’t run on Xbox and there are no saveable profiles on the pad itself, this pad still delivers serious punch.

Read my full Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless review

Thrustmaster eSwap X2 H.E
At $179.99 / £139.99, the Thrustmaster eSwap X2 H.E might feel decidedly pricey compared to the Scuf Valor Wired. It's wired, too, and also features slightly less fancy Hall-effect thumbsticks to boot. But it does have a pretty major trick up its sleeve: its modular design. You can hot-swap out its modules to replace them, upgrade them, or even switch up their layout, making it a flexible pad that’s in it for the long haul.

Read our full Thrustmaster eSwap X2 H.E review.

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Scuf Valor Wired

• Tested over four days
• Tried out on a range of platforms and games
• Many years experience writing about gadgets

I tested the Scuf Valor Wired over a long weekend. I tried it out on both my Xbox Series X and my gaming PC, as well as playing a range of games of different genres, including racing games, FPSes, and RPGs. I particularly focused on the sensitivity and responsiveness of the TMR thumbsticks, the triggers, and the buttons to see how they compared to other controllers.

To really test the Valor Wired’s capabilities, I customized its settings in multiple ways. I experimented with different dead zones, utilizing different response curves for its thumbsticks and triggers, saving them to multiple profiles to see how they impacted different styles of game. I also created various custom button mappings to gauge their impact on play.

Alongside working and writing about tech and gadgets for over seven years, I’ve been playing games all my life. I play across multiple platforms, on my desktop PC, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch 2, and Steam Deck.

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

The Lord Of The Rings: War In The North Legacy Edition (henceforth known as WITN) is a new version of the old action role-playing game (RPG) with a few quality-of-life fixes, tweaks, and improvements.

It ends up being diverting fun and well-priced for what it is, and gamers who loved the original (or perhaps loved games like it, such as Dragon Age: Origins) will enjoy the return to this sort of simple-but-satisfying gameplay loop of hitting orcs, looting gear, and upgrading your characters so they can hit orcs harder, faster, and for longer without falling over.

Review info

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch
Release date: 11 August (PS5, Xbox, PC), 18 August (Nintendo)

But while much of the game is fine, if not spectacular, it's a shame there are a few technical problems and deeper issues. Swapping between characters on-the-fly is novel, and there has been an effort to incorporate this into all aspects of gameplay. However, hot-swapping is obviously not quite what the original game intended, so there is some awkwardness here, while glitches and bugs sometimes mar the game at key points.

What about second Fellowship?

(Image credit: Aspyr)

If you never played the old version, the basis of the game is this: as the Fellowship of the Ring embarks on their quest for Mount Doom, you play an adjacent, original party consisting of Eradan, a Dunedain ranger with all the skills of Aragorn; Farin, a dwarf warrior from the Lonely Mountain who looks an awful lot like Gimli with the serial numbers filed off; and Andriel, a Loremaster elf from Rivendell who can create magical blasts and forcefields.

Together, the 'other' Fellowship party chats with old friends like Aragorn, Arwen and Gandalf, visits familiar and new locations (book-readers will get a kick out of delving into the Barrow-Downs and fighting the famous Wights), and slices through hordes of orcs led by an evil man called Agandaûr, a fallen Numenorean like the Mouth of Sauron. Agandaûr is one of Sauron's trusted servants, one we've never heard of before or since.

So yes, it's all a bit fan-fictionesque, and it plays a lot like other action RPGs set in fantasy worlds, only this one takes the basic fantasy character set and plops them straight into Middle-Earth rather than a parallel-but-similar setting of elves, dwarves and dragons. It's even funnier when you get hold of special character weapon options, and you're controlling a random dwarf running around with legendary gear like Anduril or Sting. Dedicated Tolkien enthusiasts might find it a bit egregious, but it's all in the name of good fun and enabling the sort of repetitive hack-and-slash gameplay the genre is best at.

If you've played any other Lord Of The Rings games, whether the PlayStation 2's Return of the King or a more recent title like Middle-earth: Shadow of War, you'll be used to LOTR games taking these sorts of creative liberties. As a result, it works for what it is, and even as a die-hard hobbit-enjoyer I had fun scything through the dark lord's evil hordes and meeting characters never adapted like Elladan and Elrohir, Elrond's twin ranger sons.

Old game, new tactics

(Image credit: Aspyr)

If you've played any action RPG, you'll know what to expect: you and your party are taking on wave after wave of mooks, weapons swinging with basic attacks, but you'll also trigger powerful maneuvers and spells that require cooldowns and replenishing a power meter, so tactical implementation of these moves is vital. Playing as Eradan, I would be skirting low on health and could use my disappearing skill, so I could make a break for it unharmed to Andriel's side, who can create a protective healing field. I'd quickly swap to Farin to unleash War Cry to up my party's health and durability.

It's this sort of synergy that creates tactical play beyond mashing light and heavy attacks until you see the 'Finish Him!' yellow triangle that pops up over an enemy's head. The ability to swap characters allows the quick-of-thumb to set up these combos without the use of the AI characters, who are otherwise competent enough to look after themselves and augment the main player. But you do need to be nimble, as the controls to do this are awkward on Switch: even ten hours in, I was accidentally drinking potions when I was trying to swap from elf to dwarf. Co-operative gameplay is available on most platforms (both online, in which you drop into someone else's game, and couch), but not on the original Switch.

There's a surprisingly steep learning curve once you learn the ropes: enemies come from all sides thick and fast, in numerous varieties, forcing you to switch from attack to defence, and then to ranged as explosive enemies approach, and implement your powers carefully.

You level up quickly too, and loot is plentiful, so there are plenty of regular rewards encouraging you to persevere through the samey waves of orcs and goblins, as PCs, enemies and environments begin to blend into various overlapping shades of brown and grey. I began the game thinking carefully about upgrading stats at each level, but after a while, I just pumped Stamina to keep myself alive while concentrating on that character's main attack stat, and that strategy seemed to work just fine too. I'm honestly not sure how much difference these RPG elements made.

Feeling thin, sort of stretched...

(Image credit: Aspyr)

While a simple-but-satisfying gameplay loop, it's still very much of its time, and parts haven't aged well. The target lock-on can get tricky, and you'll occasionally find your character engaged in a long, sluggish animation, swinging their weapon at empty air while you cringe as you watch orcs running at you from behind.

Despite the hot-swapping feature and inclusion of each character's unique secret-finding ability (the dwarf, for example, can detect treasure hidden behind stone walls), the game is clearly still geared for a single-character experience. Ammo drops are still linked to the character you're playing at the time, so you might find you swap to a character without any ranged capacity. You'll also need to visit shops with each character in turn to do a proper gear comparison before buying new equipment, which is tedious.

Your health and power replenish slowly on their own, but once you've cleared an encounter, you're under no pressure to carry on. Occasionally, I found myself putting the controller down unpaused, heading off to make a cup of tea, and returning with my beverage to a rested, unmolested party at full health.

There's no sheathing weapons, so you'll occasionally be wandering around Bree or Rivendell, incongruously with swords drawn ready for action. There's also no jumping, which is fine on its own, but the frustration of encountering a chest-high wall and having to find a set of stairs is a sensation I've almost forgotten about, a relic of level design marred by the technology of the time.

Worst of all are the bugs, Aspyr's revamp of the game delivering fresh technical glitches alongside the improvements. These are quite common complaints on threads about WITN, and my experience was no different: from flashing inventory tiles to small areas of the map that caused my entire screen to flip to solid green. At one stage I was fighting blind, looking at chequered green flashes, while I could still hear Eradan's shouts of 'You face a Dunedan now!'

Others report platform-specific glitches, such as an 0KB save file problem on PlayStation 5.

The North Remembers

I think you already know if you want this game: you're either a Tolkien fiend who likes the idea of exploring and interacting with lesser-known locations and characters in an original story, a fantasy action RPG junkie, or you played the original and remember loving it. At the reduced price it's selling for, it's worth getting if you fit two out of three of the above criteria.

Personally, even though I'm as Tolkien-mad as they come and I've got no shortage of love for the RPG genre, I think The Lord Of The Rings: War In The North Legacy Edition is... fine. Serviceable. Enjoyable at times, but without much to set it apart from all the other games in the space, even back when it was first released, other than its LOTR wrapper and nostalgia goggles.

I liked my experience with the game, but I can't see myself going back to it once done. It's a poor man's bite of lembas compared to the previous generation's excellent Return of the King hack 'em up.

Should you play The Lord Of The Rings: War In The North Legacy Edition?Play it if...

You love The Lord of the Rings
You're a Tolkien fiend who likes the idea of exploring and interacting with lesser-known locations and characters in an original story,

You love action RPGs
You're a fantasy action junkie who loves nothing more than fiddling with different armors in menus.

You played the original
Liked the old experience and jazzed about the concept of autosaves, better framerates and on-the-fly character switching? It's worth the buy.

Don't play it if...

You hate repetitive hack 'n' slash gameplay
However you slice it, War in the North will have you performing the same few attacks against wave after wave of similar enemies.

How I reviewed Lord of the Rings: War In The North Legacy Edition

(Image credit: Aspyr)

I played Lord Of The Rings: War In The North Legacy Edition on my Nintendo Switch (generation 1) for 15 hours, trying each character's various combinations and progressing through the story mode. I used the Switch both in handheld mode and on my LG OLED TV. When I encountered glitches, I examined community pages and threads for similar reports.

First reviewed August 2026

Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i review

The Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i Air Purifier is designed to combat common household problems with a single device. It purifies the air, cools you down when temperatures rise and provides heat when it gets cooler.

One of two models in Blueair’s ComfortPure range, the ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i Air Purifier sits alongside the larger and more powerful T20i, which is designed for bigger spaces. Blueair also has an established reputation when it comes to air purification.

The appeal of the T10i compared to the best air purifiers is obvious. Rather than filling your home with separate appliances for heating, cooling and air purification, Blueair has combined all three into a single unit that’s designed to keep you comfortable throughout the year.

As someone who lives in a relatively small space, struggles with seasonal allergies and generally loves multi-purpose tech, that’s a compelling proposition. The catch is the price. It’s expensive and you’ll need to factor in placement filter costs over time. But if you genuinely see yourself using all three functions throughout the year, it could offer better value than buying separate devices.

To find out whether that’s actually the case, I spent 10 days testing the Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i, putting its purification, cooling and heating features through their paces to see whether it earns its place in your home.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

I feel like the Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i is already geared towards versatility, simply because it's combining air purification, heating and cooling in a single appliance. That flexibility then continues with a solid range of features and settings that let you tailor the experience to your home and preferences.

Blueair says the T10i can clean a 16m² room in 12.5 minutes, a 39m² room in 30 minutes and a 78m² room in one hour. It also has a Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) of 132 cubic feet per minute (cfm) for pollen, 129cfm for dust and 113cfm for smoke, giving you an idea of how quickly it can circulate clean air around a room.

There are four fan speeds to choose from, alongside dedicated cooling, heating and boosted purification modes. You'll also find a Night mode that reduces noise and dims the display, plus an Auto mode that automatically adjusts performance when pollutants are detected.

According to Blueair, the T10i uses its proprietary HEPASilent filtration technology, which combines mechanical and electrostatic filtration to capture airborne particles like pollen, dust and smoke while keeping noise levels relatively low.

One feature I particularly liked was the way the purifier automatically ramped up when air quality dropped and then settled back down once conditions improved. It meant the unit never felt like it needed to run at full power all the time.

Another highlight is the T10i's 350-degree oscillation. Not only does it provide excellent coverage, but you can customize the oscillation pattern within the app. So if you only want airflow directed towards one side of a room, you can fine-tune that rather than simply choosing between a handful of preset options.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

The app deserves a special mention because it's one of the best companion apps I've used with a home appliance. It looks clean and modern, it's easy to navigate and there are plenty of genuinely useful controls. You can set timers and schedules, monitor filter life, check indoor air quality readings, adjust oscillation settings and even enable location-based automation so the purifier can prepare your home before you arrive.

You can also control the T10i directly from the touchscreen panel on top of the unit, via the included remote control or through Amazon Alexa voice commands. So whatever your preferred way of interacting with smart home devices, there's probably an option here that suits you.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

With its large cylindrical design, the Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i immediately feels more substantial than many standalone air purifiers.

That's not necessarily a criticism. In fact, considering you're getting an air purifier, fan and heater in one appliance, I'd actually say it's surprisingly compact. But it's still worth checking the dimensions (19.69 x 10.24 x 10.24 inches / 500 x 260 x 260mm) before buying because it takes up a noticeable amount of floor space and Blueair recommends leaving clearance around the unit for optimal performance.

Looks-wise, I really liked it. The design is sleek, minimal and unobtrusive enough to blend into a wide range of homes. It feels premium without trying too hard and never looked out of place in my small apartment.

There’s a sturdy fabric handle on the back, which makes it much easier to move around than you'd expect from something of this size and weight. Because, at 13.7 lbs / 6.2kg, it’s not exactly heavy but I'd definitely say that handle is still essential. Blueair has also included an anti-tip sensor that automatically switches the unit off if it's knocked over, which is reassuring if you have children or pets at home.

On top of the purifier you'll find a bright, responsive display with clear icons for different modes and settings. I found it easy to read from across the room and simple to navigate without needing to constantly reach for my phone. Thankfully, Night mode also reduces the brightness significantly if you're using it in a bedroom.

Around the back there's a removable panel that provides access to the filter when it eventually needs replacing. It's all very straightforward and feels thoughtfully designed from a day-to-day usability perspective.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

Getting the T10i up and running couldn't have been much simpler. After removing the protective packaging from the filter and reinstalling it, I was ready to go within minutes. Connecting it to the app was equally straightforward and took just a few moments over Wi-Fi.

It's worth noting that the smart features rely on that Wi-Fi connection. During the final few days of testing, I was in the middle of moving house and temporarily without internet access, which made me realize just how much I'd come to rely on the app's controls and customization options.

Performance-wise, I was testing the T10i at the perfect time. Not only was the UK experiencing a heatwave, but I was also packing up my apartment, moving boxes, cleaning rooms and generally creating the sort of dusty, messy environment that puts an air purifier through its paces.

One of the most impressive things about the T10i was how quickly it responded to changes in air quality. While cleaning, packing dusty boxes and using household cleaning products, I could see the air quality readings change almost immediately. Within a relatively short period of time, the readings would settle back down again as the purifier did its job.

I noticed something similar while cooking. The purifier consistently detected changes in air quality and cooking smells before ramping up its performance to deal with them. Watching the readings change in real time gave me confidence that it wasn't simply running on a fixed schedule but was actively responding to what was happening in my home.

Of course, the bigger question is whether I actually noticed a difference. As someone who's particularly sensitive to allergens and airborne irritants, I genuinely did. There's always a risk of placebo effect when you're reviewing an air purifier because cleaner air can be difficult to quantify in everyday life. But over the course of testing my apartment consistently felt fresher and more comfortable, even while I was creating more dust and disruption than usual.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

The cooling performance was also surprisingly good. Now, I'd recently tested the MeacoFan Sefte Pro 10in Air Circulator and you're not getting that same level of airflow here. That's hardly surprising considering cooling isn't the T10i's primary purpose. But during several days of temperatures above 86°F / 30°C, I still found the fan mode genuinely effective and comforting.

Its heating mode delivered a similarly solid performance. The weather cooled dramatically towards the end of testing, so I had an opportunity to try it out properly. It won't replace a full central heating system, but it quickly produced warm air and helped make smaller spaces feel noticeably more comfortable.

Noise levels were also impressive. During my own testing, I measured around 35dB on the lowest cooling setting and roughly 52dB at maximum fan speed and boosted purification mode from one meter away. For context, my hairdryer measures around 78dB and my kettle reaches around 69dB. So while there's certainly some fan noise at higher settings, I found it surprisingly quiet overall.

That said, noise tolerance is subjective. Some people will inevitably find higher fan speeds a little intrusive. Personally, I'm someone who enjoys white noise and often sleeps with fan sounds in the background, so I found the sound profile more soothing than distracting.

Ultimately, the T10i performed exactly as I'd hoped. It noticeably improved air quality in my apartment, provided useful cooling during hot weather, offered effective supplemental heating when temperatures dropped and wrapped everything up in a smart, well-designed package. It's best suited to small and medium-sized spaces rather than large homes, but within those limits it's a genuinely impressive all-rounder.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i review: Price and release date

• Released in Summer 2025
• Priced at $499.99 / £399 (around AU$700)

The Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i Air Purifier launched in Summer 2025 with a retail price of $499.99 / £399 (around AU$700). While it's available right now in the US and UK, it doesn't currently seem to be available in Australia.

If your first reaction to that price is that it sounds expensive, I get it. That's probably because most of us instinctively compare it to the price of a good fan or a good air purifier rather than a device that's attempting to do three jobs at once.

For example, one of my current favorite tabletop air circulators, the MeacoFan Sefte Pro 10in, costs considerably less at £119.99 and delivers more powerful cooling. Likewise, there are excellent standalone air purifiers available for much less money, including Blueair's own Blue Pure 411i Max / Blue Max 3250i at £169 / $169.99. But neither of those products heats, cools and purifies the air from a single appliance.

That's really how the T10i needs to be evaluated. You're not simply buying an air purifier here. You're buying an air purifier, a cooling fan and a space heater rolled into one. Whether that represents good value depends largely on how often you'll use all three functions.

In terms of direct competition, there aren't many devices that combine air purification, heating and cooling in quite the same way. The closest comparison is probably Dyson's Purifier Hot+Cool range, which offers a similar all-in-one approach. Dyson's models tend to have a more futuristic design and some additional features depending on the model, but they're often significantly more expensive than the T10i. For example, the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Gen1 HP10 purifying fan is $529.99 / £549.99 / AU$899.

Personally, I can imagine the upfront cost feeling a little steep initially, but it's also the sort of product that will earn its keep throughout the year. Cooling during summer, heating during colder months and air purification all year round is a compelling combination.

Of course, not everyone will need that versatility. If air quality isn't a major concern where you live and you're primarily looking for heating or cooling, there are more cost-effective specialist products available. But if you like the idea of cleaner air alongside temperature control, the value proposition becomes much easier to justify.

Blueair also offers a larger version called the ComfortPure T20i. It costs around £100 / $100 more, but it's designed for significantly larger spaces. Blueair says the T20i can clean spaces up to 156m² in one hour, compared to the 78m² maximum coverage claimed for the T10i. If you live in a larger home or have an open-plan living space, the extra investment could make sense.

One final consideration is filter replacement. Blueair says the filter should last up to a year and the app tracks its condition so you'll know when a replacement is needed. However, you'll also need to factor in the cost of a new filter, which currently costs £49 / $66.99.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i review: Specs

Speeds

1-4, Auto, Night and Eco

Oscillation

350 degrees

Weight

13.7 lbs / 6.2kg

Dimensions

19.69 x 10.24 x 10.24 inches / 500 x 260 x 260mm

Control

Onboard touch panel, remote control, app, voice

Timer

Yes

Additional modes

Warming, Cooling, Air Purification, Auto, Night and Eco

Should I buy the Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Beyond cooling, warming and air purification, the T10i offers plenty of useful extras, include Night mode, Eco mode, adjustable oscillation and a really well-designed companion app. The customization options are solid but never feel complicated.

4.5/5

Performance

Great air purification combined with effective cooling and heating for smaller spaces and apartments. Dedicated heaters and fans might deliver more raw power, but the T10i noticeably improved comfort levels throughout testing.

4.5/5

Design

Larger than rival air purifiers, but the minimal design helps it blend into most rooms. The built-in handle, clear display and handy remote all contribute to a polished user experience.

4/5

Value

The upfront cost is high and ongoing filter replacements add to the overall investment. However, if you’ll regularly use the purification, heating and cooling functions, it offers strong value compared to buying multiple separate devices.

4/5

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

You want one device for year round comfort
The biggest selling point here is you’re getting air purification, heating and cooling in a single device. If you’d rather have one smart appliance than several, it’s a great choice.

Clean air matters to you
There are stronger fans and heating systems, but combining those functions with air purification is what makes the T10i stand out.

You live in a small or medium-sized space
It’s not a small device, but it fit well in my one bedroom apartment. The T10i works best in smaller spaces where it can effectively manage air quality and comfort levels.

Don't buy it if...

You mainly want cooling power
The cooling fan mode is useful and effective, especially during warm weather. But if your main goal is staying cool this summer then a dedicated fan will deliver more airflow for less money.

You need coverage for a large space
The T10i is designed for small and medium-sized rooms rather than big, open-plan homes or whole house air purification. If you need more coverage, the T20i might be a better fit.

You’re on a tight budget
The upfront cost is high and you’ll also need to factor in replacement filters over time. If cost is your main concern, separate budget-friendly devices might be better value for you.

Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i review: Also consider

MeacoFan Sefte Pro 10in Table Air Circulator
If cooling is your priority, I’d recommend considering this Meaco air circulator instead. It delivers powerful airflow, quiet operation and handy features, like Eco mode and app control. Unlike the Blueair, it won’t purify the air or provide heating, but if your goal is staying comfortable during warm weather, it’s a more focused and cost effective solution. Read our full MeacoFan Sefte Pro 10in Table Air Circulator review.

Blueair Blue Pure 411i Max / Blue Max 3250i
If you’re only interested in air purification, Blueair’s own 3250i / 411i Max remains one of the best options available. It delivers excellent purification performance in a lightweight, easy-to-use package and costs significantly less than the T10i. You won’t get heating or cooling, but if cleaner air is your sole priority, it’s the better value choice. Read our full Blueair Blue Pure 411i Max / Blue Max 3250i review.

How I tested the Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i Air Purifier

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

• Tested the air purifier for 10 days
• Used all of the settings regularly
• Used it while working, sleeping and relaxing at home

I tested the Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i Air Purifier for 10 days during a period of warmer weather in the UK when I was also moving house and dealing with some mild allergies. It turned out to be ideal timing, giving me a chance to see how well both the air purification and cooling functions performed in real-world conditions.

I used it most often while working from home at my desk, during the night in my bedroom and throughout the day while cooking, cleaning and relaxing. This gave me plenty of opportunities to switch between the different modes and experiment with various cooling levels, oscillation settings and purification options.

Over the course of testing, I paid close attention to how comfortable it made my home feel, how easy it was to live day-to-day and whether the combination of purification, heating and cooling genuinely offered an advantage over separate devices.

I’ve been testing tech and writing about it for more than 15 years. During that time, I’ve covered everything from health tech and smart home devices to audio tech and wearable gear. Whatever I’m reviewing, my focus is always on whether a product genuinely improves everyday life, rather than delivering an impressive list of features.

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

Sony Bravia 5: Two-minute review

The Sony Bravia 5 is a mini-LED TV with crisp images, strong contrast and great gaming features. It occupies that level in Sony’s TV range where the brand has historically struggled to maintain its high standards. The Bravia 5, though, bucks this trend in pretty spectacular fashion.

The Sony Bravia 5 retains both mini-LED lighting and local dimming, for starters, as well as an 120Hz panel to keep gamers happy. Sony says the Bravia 5 LCD panels are still made to the brand’s Master Backlight Drive standard too, and they’re equipped with a full up-to-date version of the Google TV smart system.

There are ‘catches’ to this promising specification, of course. In particular, the Bravia 5 won’t benefit from as many dimming zones as the step up Bravia 7, or achieve so much brightness. In reality, though, the 65-inch Bravia 5 (AKA the K65XR55) delivers much less of a step down from Sony’s mid-range models than expected based on past Sony lines. Pictures are vibrant, crisp, full of contrast and just way less compromised than previous generations of the same level of Sony TV would have been.

Add punchy, clean and detailed audio to its surprising picture talents, and the Bravia 5 is the Sony value TV we’ve always wanted.

Sony Bravia 5 review: Price and release date

The LG B6 delivers deep black tones and crisp textures (Image credit: Future)

• Release Date: July 2025
• 55-inch: $1,399.99 / £1,299 / AU$1,999
• 65-inch: $1,499.99 / £1,499 / AU$2,299
• 75-inch: $1,999.99 / £1,799 / AU$2,899
• 85-inch: $2,399.99 / £2,299 / AU$3,899
• 98-inch: $4,999.99 / £4,499 (around AU$8,570)

While the Bravia 5 is affordable by Sony TV standards, $1,499.99 / £1,499 / AU$2,299 is no longer cheap for a 65-inch TV.

The Bravia 5 retains much more of Sony’s mid-range — and even premium — TV DNA than expected based on similarly positioned models in previous Sony ranges, though. As a result, it has at least the potential to take a clear performance edge over more affordable rivals.

Sony Bravia 5 review: Specs

Screen type

Backlight Master Drive VA mini-LED with local dimming

Sizes available

55, 65, 75, 85 and 98 inches

Refresh rate

120Hz

Resolution

4K

HDR support

Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG

Audio support

40W acoustic multi-audio speaker system featuring dual full-range (bass reflex) speakers and two ‘frame’ tweeters; Dolby Atmos and DTS:X decoding

Smart TV

Google TV (plus all main UK terrestrial broadcaster catch up apps for UK buyers)

HDMI ports

4 (two full HDMI 2.1)

Sony Bravia 5 review: Benchmark results Sony Bravia 5 review: Features

(Image credit: Future)

• Mini-LED lighting
• Direct lighting with local dimming
• Bravia XR processor

As I’ve hinted more than once already, the Sony Bravia 5 is packing much more feature heat than I would have expected it to, based on Sony TV ranges of the past.

This is particularly true of the screen hardware at the Bravia 5’s heart. Designated one of Sony’s Master Backlight Drive panels, it is illuminated by mini-LEDs driven by a local dimming system that, according to my own counting efforts, operates across an impressive 240 zones. That’s 240 areas of the image that are capable of receiving their own light level, independent of their neighbors, according to the needs of the image.

The Bravia 5’s panel is a VA type, too, which should further enhance contrast (though maybe not viewing angles). Meanwhile, even this far down Sony’s range, the brand's consistently impressive XR processor is still on hand to power all the constituent parts of the TV’s pictures. On top of this, rather than dropping down to 50/60Hz, the panel also maintains a native 120Hz refresh rate.

Meanwhile, its support for high dynamic range images extends to Dolby Vision, as well as the more basic HDR10 and HLG formats. Sony is also unusual in the TV world for automatically applying an HDR upgrade to SDR sources on some of its picture presets. There’s no interest from Sony, though, in the HDR10+ format designed as an open-source alternative to Dolby Vision.

The Bravia 5’s connections keep up with its step-up siblings. So you get four HDMIs (though only two support the TV’s full range of gaming features like VRR and ALLM), USB media playback support, and wireless support that includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, built-in Chromecast, Apple Airplay, and Apple HomeKit.

(Image credit: Future)

Sony’s TV business has long traded on its ‘from camera to TV’ product chain, and the potential for accuracy that this can bring. So as usual the Bravia 5’s Professional Mode setting, at least, will have been tuned alongside one of Sony’s professional mastering monitors, and the set is equipped with a bunch of so-called Calibrated modes designed to replicate as closely as possible the mastering standards of the Prime Video, Netflix and Sony Pictures Core video streaming services.

Buying a Bravia 5 entitles you to 10 free films and 24 months of access to Sony Pictures Core too, by the way, complete with its unique high-bandwidth streaming speeds for enhanced picture quality.

Further ‘third party’ endorsement finds the Bravia 5 earning an IMAX Enhanced badge, indicating that it has been deemed capable of doing justice to the special noise-limiting mastering processes and potential shifting aspect ratios associated with the IMAX Enhanced system. IMAX Enhanced titles are available on Sony Pictures Core and Disney+.

The Bravia 5’s audio setup is pretty potent by mid-range TV standards. It offers two full range Bass Reflex-design drivers and two separated tweeters getting 10W a piece to deliver both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks — the latter even includes the special tweaked version of DTS:X associated with IMAX Enhanced content.

• Features score: 4.5 / 5

Sony Bravia 5 review: Picture quality

• Impressive brightness and light control
• Bold but also natural colour
• Genuine 4K sharpness and excellent 4K upscaling

The Sony Bravia 5’s image quality instantly changes the fortunes of this level of Sony’s TV range, leaning much more towards the Sony TVs above it than those below.

Particularly great to see is how much contrast the Bravia 5 retains for this level of Sony’s range. Black colors look deep and strikingly consistent, exhibiting minimal issues with backlight blooming around bright objects or general areas of clouding. That's despite the fact the screen is capable of hitting nearly 900 nit brightness peaks on a 10% HDR window and sustaining an OLED-beating 595 nits with a full 100% HDR window.

Combining Sony’s backlight structure and XR Processor, the Bravia 5 can maintain more intensely bright highlights against dark backdrops than you’d expect for its price tag, despite how limited the clouding around such highlights is. This combination of bright stand-out objects and limited clouding is very difficult to achieve with locally dimmed TVs, yet the Bravia 5 makes it look easy.

Dark scenes look stable, too, in the sense that you never feel aware of the sudden brightness jumps or obvious ‘handovers’ between different dimming zones as bright objects move around a dark backdrop.

(Image credit: Future)

Many screens with strong contrast performances are often capable of good color reproduction too — and this trend continues with the Bravia 5. In its Standard preset, it produces strikingly vibrant, rich and bold tones (actually upgraded to HDR if you’re watching an SDR source) that still feel balanced, full of subtlety and nuance, and connected to source tones for the most part. They feel more like amplifications of source content colors rather than aggressive departures from them.

Unfortunately, the Bravia 5 pushes this amplification effect way too far in the Vivid preset, which is best avoided. But the Standard setting is an excellent bright room option, as well as actually being delicate and balanced enough to hold up as a dark room movie night option if your image tastes tend towards the bright and vibrant.

Unlike most other TV brands, Sony doesn't offer a Filmmaker Mode preset for AV fans who favor ‘as the director intended’ viewing. Its Professional Mode, though, does pretty much the same thing, with an emphasis on trying to match the image as closely as possible to Sony’s professional video mastering monitor.

Using Portrait Display’s Calman Ultimate software, G1 signal generator and C6 HDR5000 colorimeter, the accuracy of the Bravia 5 Professional mode was easy enough to demonstate. Errors recorded in both SDR and HDR across the board came in at well under the 3.0 DeltaE 2000 average beyond which errors might become visible to the human eye.

(Image credit: Future)

The Bravia 5’s Professional mode doesn’t just measure well. It also looks subjectively lovely, packed with the subtle texturing, immaculate color balance, and remarkable light control for a lower mid-range LCD TV. The benefits of Sony finally being able to introduce a superior core panel in a TV at the Bravia 5’s level are arguably at their most obvious in the Professional preset, in fact, given that this mode uses relatively few processing tools to help ‘boost’ its appearance.

Inevitably, given it’s far from the most premium TV in Sony’s range, there are a few limitations to the Bravia 5’s picture performance. Dark scenes in the Professional mode look a little grayer than they do in Standard mode, and backlight blooming around bright objects can become more noticeable if you view the TV from an angle. Strangely, certain shades of red can look a bit over-ripe during dark scenes, and some dark shots also take on a slightly green undertone.

Finally, some of Sony’s preset choices don’t actually help the Bravia 5’s pictures at all. Motion processing only really helps 24p movie sources if it’s switched to its True Cinema mode, for instance, with other settings tending to generate unwanted digital side effects or leave the image looking unnaturally smooth. I’d also recommend turning off the noise reduction features, especially with native 4K sources, to ensure the screen’s impressive native sharpness isn’t unnecessarily softened away.

The Bravia 5’s issues are mild enough or easy enough to fix, though, that they don’t stop it from being an all-round excellent picture performer for its money.

• Picture quality score: 4.5 / 5

Sony Bravia 5 review: Sound quality

(Image credit: Future)

• Impressive clarity and detailing
• Sound doesn’t suffer with distortions
• Bass is a bit lightweight

The Bravia 5’s sound joins its pictures in being impressively expressive and clean, working within the speaker’s limitations rather than pushing things beyond their breaking point as so many integrated TV sound systems are wont to do.

Even the brightest, shrillest treble sounds are produced without sounding thin or brittle, while the mid-range is clean and pretty expansive, able to cope with the ebbs and flows of even quite dense action scenes without sounding forced, muddy or compressed.

It uses its four-speaker system well to create a fairly large soundstage, too — one that’s well populated with accurately placed, crisp but never overstated details.

My only complaint is that the Bravia 5 feels a bit light in the bass department. Dinosaur footprints, rumbling space ships, meaty explosions and the like don’t hit with quite as much heft as I’d like. At the same time, though, not even Hollywood’s most extreme bass moments cause the Bravia 5’s speakers to succumb to distracting crackles or distortions.

• Sound quality score: 4 / 5

Sony Bravia 5 review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Multi-point foot attachment
• Recycled plastic remote control
• Minimal frame

The Bravia 5’s design doesn’t feel like much of a step-down at all from Sony’s Bravia 7 series. Its screen frame is extremely narrow, distracting scarcely at all from the pictures within, and it also stays fairly trim around the back for a lower mid-range LCD TV.

Its feet look a little basic when attached to such an elegantly minimalistic screen, perhaps. But Sony has thoughtfully provided the option to attach them either quite close together or out towards the TV’s bottom corners, depending on the width of the furniture you want to stand the TV on.

Build quality is good, too, and despite its relatively affordable position in Sony’s current TV range, it ships with two remote controls. The sleeker, more modern and more feature-rich handset is made largely made from recycled plastic, as part of Sony’s wide-ranging attempts to make the TV production process greener.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Sony Bravia 5 review: Smart TV & menus

LG's webOS 26 is easily one of the best smart TV platforms around (Image credit: Future)

• Google TV smart system
• YouView for full UK app coverage
• Optional Bravia Cam

The Sony Bravia 5 runs the latest Google TV system very well, avoiding the sluggishness the system sometimes causes on less powerful TVs. Google TV carries pretty much all of the most popular and important video streaming services, and Sony has helpfully worked round Google TV’s blind spot when it comes to some of the UK’s most popular terrestrial broadcaster catch up services by adding the YouView app.

Google TV can still feel a little overwhelming in its presentation and doesn’t feel as intelligent as some rival smart systems when it comes to recommending content based on your viewing habits. The smarter of the two remote controls Sony provides, though, makes navigation of the menus feel straightforward. On top of this, you can access a good range of features and issue quite complex search instructions just by talking to the Bravia 5 via the Google Assistant voice recognition system.

You can even add basic gesture control features to the Bravia 5 if you cough up £200 for one of Sony’s Bravia Cam accessories. This add-on camera can also detect your location in the room and adjust the TV’s picture and sound settings accordingly, as well as issuing audio warnings if it detects anyone getting too close to the screen. I’m not personally convinced Bravia CAM does enough to justify its price, but if the features I’ve just described sound good to you, then fill your boots!

• Smart TV & menus score: 4.5 / 5

Sony Bravia 5 review: Gaming

(Image credit: Future)

• 4K/120Hz support
• VRR support
• Perfect For PlayStation 5 support

The Sony Bravia 5 is fairly, rather than brilliantly, well specified as a gaming display. For instance, while it does support 4K game feeds at 120Hz refresh rates, it only does so over two of its HDMIs, rather than all four. It also doesn’t stretch the refresh rate support to 144Hz or even 165Hz, like some rival TVs currently do.

Similarly, while the Bravia 5 supports variable refresh rates, that support doesn’t extend to the AMD Freesync or Nvidia G-Sync systems. There is support for auto low latency mode switching, though, so the TV can automatically switch into its fastest responding picture mode when a game source is detected. While in this mode, the Bravia 5 takes just 13.3ms to render 60Hz gaming feeds.

There’s support, too, for Sony’s unique Perfect For PlayStation 5 features, comprising a PS5-specific version of automatic game mode switching, and an excellent system where a connected PS5 is able to tell which Sony TV model it’s attached to, and automatically optimize its HDR output accordingly.

You can also call up a dedicated gaming menu when the Bravia 5 is in Game mode, containing information on the game feed and a few helpful gaming assistants. Finally, the actual gaming experience when using one of the two wide-bandwidth HDMIs is very enjoyable. The TV’s vibrant, exceptionally sharp and contrast-rich pictures provide a perfect fit for today’s usually HDR and 4K graphics, while the rapid response time and VRR support means gaming never feels sluggish or laggy.

• Gaming score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future)Sony Bravia 5 review: Value

Not so long ago, spending $1,499.99 / £1,499 / AU$2,299 to get a 65-inch TV as good and feature rich as the Sony Bravia 5 would have felt like a great deal. Recently, though, TCL in particular has drastically shifted the TV value ‘window’, with its bright, vibrant and gaming-friendly 65-inch C7K currently going for just £779.

The Bravia 5 does offer more precision and balance in its pictures than the TCL C7K, but the price gap is big enough to mean you may feel like holding out for a special offer on Sony’s model, or searching beyond the most popular electronics retailers for a better deal.

• Value score: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Sony Bravia 5?Sony Bravia 5 scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Aside from a few gaming limitations, the Bravia 5 is well featured for its money.

4.5 / 5

Picture quality

Vibrant, bright, sharp and contrast rich pictures reveal the presence of more excellent Sony backlighting and video processing systems.

4.5 / 5

Sound quality

While bass heads might wish for a bit more low frequency impact, the Bravia 5’s sound is clean, punchy, detailed and unusually well staged.

4 / 5

Design

With its choice of foot position, elegantly minimalist frame, slender frame and strong build quality, the Bravia 5 looks premium enough to match its price.

4 / 5

Smart TV and menus

Google TV runs stably and reasonably slickly on the Bravia 5, making it easy to access the huge array of content options it offers. The set up menus are well organised and graphically rich, too.

4.5 / 5

Gaming

Only two HDMIs support the Bravia 5’s full array of gaming features, and those features don’t include absolutely everything some rivals offer. However, the exclusive to Sony TVs Auto HDR ‘Perfect For PlayStation 5’ feature is excellent, and the screen feels responsive and immersive.

4 / 5

Value

While the Bravia 5 is well priced for a Sony TV that performs as well as this one, competition at this price level is brutal these days.

3.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You want that Sony picture feel for less
The Bravia 5 holds on to more of the panel and processing prowess of more premium Sony TVs than you'd expect at this price.

You have a PlayStation 5
The Bravia 5’s Perfect For PlayStation 5 features allow a PS5 console to automatically feed it optimized HDR games — a genuinely helpful feature given that HDR gaming is still in something of a ‘wild west’ stage at the moment.

You want to put your TV on a narrow piece of furniture
While the widest foot placement looks more elegant, Sony provides the option to place the Bravia 5’s feet close together as well.

Don't buy it if...

You are on a tight budget
Some rivals, most notably TCL, sell bright, vibrant 65-inch TVs with good gaming features for substantially less than the Bravia 5 costs.

You have more than two premium gaming sources
Only two of the Bravia 5’s HDMI ports support the full range of cutting-edge gaming features that today’s gamers are looking for (4K/120Hz and VRR).

You want a Filmmaker Mode and/or HDR10+ support
If you happen to be a real fan of Filmmaker Mode presets and the HDR10+ rival to Dolby Vision HDR, you should know that the Bravia 5 doesn’t support either of these features.

Sony Bravia 5 review: also consider

Sony Bravia 5

TCL C7K

LG C5

Samsung QN90F

Price (65-inch)

$1,499.99 / £1,499 / AU$2,299

$899.99 / £779 / AU$2,295

$1,399.99 / £1,599 / AU$2,699.99

$1,599.99 / £1,399 / AU$2,899

Screen type

Backlight Master Drive VA mini-LED with local dimming

Mini-LED with local dimming

WRGB OLED

Mini-LED with local dimming

Refresh rate

120Hz 4K

144Hz (up to 288Hz at lower resolution)

144Hz

120Hz (up to 165Hz with Motion Xcelerator technology)

HDR support

HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision

Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG

Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG

HDR10, HDR10+, HLG

Smart TV

Google TV (plus all main UK terrestrial broadcaster catch up apps for UK buyers)

Google TV with YouView

WebOS 25

Tizen OS

HDMI ports

4 (two full HDMI 2.1)

4 (two HDMI 2.1)

4 x HDMI 2.1

4 x HDMI 2.1

TCL C7K
With its extreme brightness, surprisingly good backlight control and uncompromising gaming features, the C7K has single-handedly rewritten the TV value rulebook. While Sony’s set delivers a more controlled image, the C7K’s bang for your buck is crazy. And it supports all four key HDR formats too. Read our full TCL C7K review.

LG C5
With LG’s 2026 OLED TV range just arriving, at the time of writing you can buy 2025’s C5 at a knock down price. Every pixel in OLED TVs delivers its own color and light without compromising its neighbors, delivering stunning contrast. The C5 also delivers excellent gaming support, and some of the most accurate pictures around. Read our full LG C5 OLED TV review.

Samsung QN90F
Samsung’s flagship 4K mini-LED TV for 2025 is also still around as we wait for the brand’s 2026 models, and it looks like strong value at its current $1,599.99 / £1,399 / AU$2,899 price. Its impressive pictures are joined by four full HDMI 2.1 ports, and an Object Tracking Sound (OTS) system that does a strikingly good job of placing sound effects in the right place on screen. Read our full Samsung QN90F TV review.

How I tested the Sony Bravia 5

• Tested over three weeks
• Tested with 4K Blu-rays, multiple streaming platforms and resolutions, Freeview HD broadcasts, and HD Blu-rays
• Reviewed in both dark and light dedicated test room conditions, on its feet in both corner and mid wall positions

I tested the Sony Bravia 5 over a three-week period in a variety of room conditions — including using it as a regular living room TV for more than a week.

I checked out streamed content at a variety of resolutions from all of the main video streaming platforms, including Sony’s exclusive Sony Pictures Core high-bandwidth services. I also watched tuner channels and fed it a selection of our regularly used test Blu-rays and 4K Blu-ray discs. Gaming was explored using a PlayStation 5, an Xbox Series X and a gaming PC.

Objective testing was performed using Portrait Displays’ Calman Ultimate analysis software, G1 signal generator, and C6 HDR5000 light meter.

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

JBL Live Buds 4 review

Ever wondered what life would be like if your earbuds had a touchscreen case? OK, you probably haven’t, but stick with me here. The JBL Live Buds 4 are the new generation of the audio specialist’s in-ears that pair with a smart charging case, enabling you to adjust sound settings, adapt ANC, and more — all without having to download a companion app.

They’re a standout model in a congested market. The Live Buds 4 also sit within JBL's wider Live range, which is itself fairly congested in that it also includes the stemmed JBL Live Beam, plus the open-fit JBL Live Flex. This specific model, though — the Live Buds 4 — comes with a number of claimed upgrades over its predecessor, including enhanced ANC, new “fidelity drivers,” and boosted call quality. But are they worth the money and can they compete with options in our best earbuds roundup? Here’s what I think after three weeks of testing.

We’ve got to start with the smart charging case, which has a revamped UI for a smoother, more complete user experience. The touchscreen is undoubtedly small, but it's highly responsive, and there are clear menus to access EQ tweaking, ANC modes, appearance options, and even tools like a flashlight and timer. I sometimes preferred using the JBL Headphones app for the ease of a larger screen, and the ability to set a custom wallpaper from my photo gallery, but for on-the-go tweaks, the charging case is a neat option — even if it is arguably a little bit gimmicky. But hey, I like a good gimmick now and then.

Beyond what I’ve already mentioned, the case features a lot of fun features, like a smart-talk option, which picks up voices if you want to have a conversation while keeping your buds in. There are also customizable touch controls for the buds themselves (which I found to be reactive and convenient), and settings for how your voice sounds on a call, including a bright, natural, and powerful option.

Speaking of calls, JBL has included 6 mics in these earbuds, as well as its new Perfect Calls 2.0 tech, which makes use of AI to keep your voice clear, even in noisier environments. As I mentioned in my JBL Live Beam 4 review (I know, it's easy to get confused with names), I did find my voice to be relatively clear on calls and when taking a recording, but unfortunately I didn’t get the premium clarity I was expecting. There was some noticeable sibilance in my recording, and I also found that some background noises remained more prominent than anticipated.

I also want to talk about active noise cancellation, which has been improved for the Live 4 series. Overall, ANC is decent, but it’s still not up to the standards offered by buds from Apple and Bose. When out and about or on public transport, I could still make out background chatter, and in the office, typing sounds and doors closing were still audible. Sounds are still dulled effectively, and ANC is by no means bad — but if you’re expecting a curtain of silence when using the Live Buds 4, you may be left wanting more.

(Image credit: Future)

One area that the Buds 4 totally excel in, though, is sound quality. For earbuds in this price-range, the Buds 4 are excellent, dishing out impactful bass, clean mids, and expressive highs, impressive handling of dynamics, and good attention to detail.

When tuning into Labor of Love by Ned Doheny, I was struck by the beautifully textured and weighted acoustic guitars, which were well separated from clear, tonally accurate vocals. Subtle percussive details also came through beautifully, and funky bass sounded impactful without drowning out other sounds across the frequency range. What’s more, by activating the higher-res Bluetooth codec, LDAC, I could make out some more intricacies in the mid-range, with almost life-like guitars taking the listening experience to the next level.

The Live Buds 4 proved to cope brilliantly with any genre, though. With a deeper, more energetic track, such as Don’t Compare Yourself by Kolter, the pumping deep bass hit phenomenally hard, and reached down to tremendous depths for this level. Bassy synths sounded textured and controlled, lively drums sounded articulate and precise, and emotive vocals, while impactful, never overwhelmed the mix.

I have very few complaints about the sound, and it’s super-simple to customize it to your liking with the EQ settings on the charging case or JBL headphones app. But one thing that could’ve been better was the spatial audio setting, which just lacked the clarity and openness of the standard tuning. I’d also argue that the soundstage is relatively broad on the Live Buds 4 anyway, so you should just keep this mode off if you ask me.

(Image credit: Future)

Let’s also talk design, as this is the main area where the Live Buds 4 differentiate themselves from the Beam and Flex. They take up a small, snug in-ear feel, which is ideal for those who prefer earbuds without the stems. I found the buds to be incredibly comfortable, and had no issue keeping them in for multiple hours at a time. They’re also highly secure, never feeling as if they’ll fall out of your ears.

The buds also have a good standard of build, the case has an attractive, textured finish, and the model can be purchased in a wide range of colors. The buds are also IP55-rated, making them splashproof. Some rivals offer superior IP57 protection, but IP55 is enough to keep your buds safe on a rainy day.

One more difference the Buds 4 have, is that they offer the least amount of battery life in the Live 4 lineup, with 8 hours of playtime with the buds when ANC is on, and up to 40 hours with the case. That’s still a good amount of playtime, and competes well with major rivals.

So, are the JBL Live Buds 4 worth their £179.99 / AU$269.95 (about $240) asking price? For me, it’s an emphatic yes. Of course, they’re not the cheapest buds on the market, but they’re also a fair bit cheaper than big-name rivals like the AirPods Pro 3 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2. They also sound fantastic for the money, with the nifty charging case only adding more value. Sure, they could do better in the call quality and ANC department, but ultimately, they still offer decent enough quality in those areas.

(Image credit: Future)JBL Live Buds 4 review: price & release date

• List price of £179.99 / AU$269.95 (about $240)
• Revealed in May 2026

The JBL Live Buds 4 were revealed in May 2026, alongside their siblings, the JBL Live Beam 4 and the JBL Live Flex 4. They released about two years after their predecessor, the JBL Live Buds 3.

They come in at £179.99 / AU$269.95 (about $240), which is the same as their predecessors cost at the point of launch (in the UK). We’re yet to catch wind of a release date and pricing for the US, but we’ll update this review accordingly if and when further details emerge.

These buds are available at a relatively affordable price for the quality on offer, coming in at a lower cost than rivals such as the Apple AirPods Pro 3 and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2.

Our top pick for wireless earbuds whatever your budget is the Technics EAH-AZ100, at $299 / £259 (around AU$478). So at quite a bit less than those figures, the JBL Live Buds 4 can be yours for a shade under flagship money — and that's a very good thing in terms of value.

That said, the Huawei Freebuds Pro 5 are our current 'best mid-range' pick in that detailed guide, and those excellent buds retail for the same £179.99 fee as the JBL option. They don't have a smart charging case, but still, food for thought…

JBL Live Buds 4 review: specs

Drivers

10mm dynamic

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Battery life

8 hours (buds, with ANC on); 10 hours (buds, with ANC off); 40 hours (with charging case)

Weight

4.8g (per bud)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0

Frequency range

20Hz-40kHz

Waterproofing

IP55

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the JBL Live Buds 4?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Massive suite of features and neat smart case, but ANC and call quality could be better.

4/5

Sound quality

Detailed, impactful, and rich audio, but spatial sound option in need of improvement.

4.5/5

Design

Small and secure fit, strong standard of build, IP55-rated.

4.5/5

Value

Great price for the sound and feature-rich case.

4.5/5

Buy them if…

You want a more discreet in-ear look and feel
Unlike the stemmed JBL Live Beam 4 and Flex 4, the Buds 4 have a low-key, ultra-compact in-ear look and feel. They’re more akin to models like the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 in terms of build, and if you want compact and comfortable buds then they’re a top option.

You’re digging the smart case
There’s no doubt in my mind that a lot of people buy the Live series of earbuds for one reason, and one reason only: the smart charging case. Can I blame them? No. Is it a bit gimmicky? Sure. But do I like it? Yes, I genuinely do. You get quick access to all of the important features on the smart case, as well as tools like a torch and stopwatch, and it adds a bit of a fun factor to these great-sounding in-ears.

Don’t buy them if…

You want silence-inducing ANC
Although JBL has improved the ANC in its latest batch of Live earbuds, the quality is still a bit middling in my view. You can get much better noise-cancelling from rivals like the AirPods Pro 3.

You’re looking for amazing spatial audio
I didn’t find the spatial audio mode on the Live Buds 4 to be particularly effective, and preferred using them with this setting turned off. My go-to most days, the LG Tone Free T90S, have a great immersive listening mode, and even support Dolby Atmos.

JBL Live Buds 4 review: also consider

JBL Live Buds 4

Apple AirPods Pro 3

Huawei Freebuds Pro 5

Price

£179.99 / AU$269.95 (about $240)

$249 / £219 / AU$429

£179.99 (around $240; AU$270)

Drivers

10mm dynamic

Custom high excursion

11mm dynamic woofer and micro-planar tweeter

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Yes

Yes

Battery life

8 hours (buds, with ANC on); 10 hours (buds, with ANC off); 40 hours (with charging case)

8 hours (buds, ANC on); 6.5 hours (buds, heart rate sensor on); 24 hours (case)

9 hours buds, 38 hours case

Weight

4.8g (per bud)

5.6g (per bud)

5.5g (per bud)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0

Bluetooth 5.3

Bluetooth 6.0

Frequency range

20Hz-40kHz

Not stated

10Hz to 48kHz

Waterproofing

IP55

IP57

IP57 buds, IP54 case

Apple AirPods Pro 3
If you want earbuds that are stylish, sound fantastic, supply stellar ANC and an iPhone will be your source device, look no further than the AirPods Pro 3 — if your budget will stretch to them We loved their comfortable, secure fit, new heart-rate monitor option, hearing health software and impressive waterproof rating, but they are still a little weak in the battery life department. Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 3 review for more.

Huawei Freebuds Pro 5
Five-star svelte earbuds for the same money as the JBL set you came here to read about? Worth a look, surely — they're the model we recommend as the best mid-range buy in our dedicated earbuds buying guide. They might not be available if you happen to reside in the US, however, they're still worth shouting about to anyone else; the drivers are huge, the battery life is exceptional, the IP rating is a step up on most rivals, they're stuffed full of perks and the ANC is, as we said in our review, "excellent".
Read all about them in our Huawei Freebuds Pro 5 review.

How I tested the JBL Live Buds 4

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested over the course of three weeks
• Used in the office, on walks, and on public transport
• Mainly streamed tunes over Tidal, but tapped into Spotify too

I spent three weeks putting the JBL Live Buds 4 through their paces. During this time, I listened to countless hours of music, messed around with everything the smart charging case had to offer, and exhausted their various features.

As always, I made sure to use these buds in a range of environments — including at home or at the office, but also when out on walks near busy roads, and when on public transport like buses and trains. When listening to tunes, I predominantly streamed music over Tidal on my Xiaomi 17 phone, but I also jumped into Spotify now and then. I made sure to soft through the multi-genre TechRadar reference playlist, but also bumped a bunch of tunes from my personal library.

More generally, I’ve spent years testing audio gear here at TechRadar, where I serve as a Senior Reviews Writer. I’ve reviewed everything from premium wireless headphones like the Sony 1000X The Collexion to hulking party speakers like the Marshall Bromley 750. Of course, I’ve also tested many pairs of wireless earbuds, so I know exactly what it takes for a model to stand out in a highly competitive market.

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

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: one-minute review

(Image credit: Future / Julia Clarke)

When the Fenix 8 finally dropped in 2024, it quickly earned a reputation as the best Garmin GPS watch money can buy, even if that meant parting with a lot of money. I gave it a thorough test on the 11-day trek to Everest Base Camp, and with Garmin’s full suite of training features, a bright AMOLED display, microphone and speaker, plus an LED torch, there was no doubt that it was a big step up from the hugely popular Fenix 7.

Last year, Garmin followed the Garmin Fenix 8 up with the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro, which took the winning formula and added built-in LTE cellular and inReach satellite connectivity for phone-free messaging and SOS alerts. I tested it at the Love Trails running festival this summer, and genuinely started to doubt the rumours that a Fenix 9 could really be imminent. What more could there possibly be to add?

I went along to the Fenix 9 release in Chamonix to find out, and immediately afterwards I strapped the Fenix 9 Pro on and hit the trail. It hasn’t been off my wrist since, and between its refined design, faster processing, plus some very fun new navigation and tracking features, I can say it’s a clear improvement over the Fenix 8.

Built with a titanium case and bezel, the 9 Pro is lighter, more durable and resistant to the elements. Side-by-side with my 8 Pro, it looks nicer and more expensive thanks to a nanomoulding construction process that produces a more streamlined build without the need for screws. This also makes it significantly thinner, in all sizes, and with the arrival of a 43mm case option (which I’m testing), it’s more wearable day-to-day than its predecessor.

(Image credit: Future / Julia Clarke)

The 3,000-nit AMOLED display is brighter, sure (although not as bright as the 8 Pro’s MicroLED option), but it’s more the improved clarity that I find myself appreciating. The green light option that’s been added to the LED torch makes a fantastic difference to my night vision, whether I’m out late on the trail or trying to make a cup of tea in the middle of the night without disturbing my entire household.

Garmin is already the industry leader in maps, and the Fenix 9 Pro map loads faster and adds a new Perspective orientation, which I think is useful when navigating in urban areas, and it’s more useful to be able to see what side streets and road junctions are up ahead.

Rolled out with the Fenix 9 are improved Stamina readings, including new Stamina Zones, which I’ve started using to help me manage my effort and pace when I’m on the trail. Brand new is the Garmin Epic feature, which essentially lets you group workouts such as training blocks, long-distance treks or adventure holidays so you can see their cumulative effect. There are also updates to the Rucking activity mode, so it now reflects the additional energy demands of your pack weight.

Like the Fenix 8 Pro, this watch boasts LTE-M cellular technology, which means I can easily respond to messages and phone calls from my wrist so long as my phone is nearby. There are some improvements to LiveTrack and Location Tracking, which are useful for both urban explorers and long bouts in the wild.

For hikers like myself, inReach satellite connectivity means I can reach emergency response from almost anywhere on the planet, and it does mean I can message friends and family when I’m offline; however, that’s only through the Garmin Messenger app. When I spoke to Garmin’s Global Lead Product Manager Jon Hosler in Chamonix, he admitted that the brand’s functionality here does lag a bit behind competitors like Apple, which have more control over the cellular ecosystem, but he also stressed that the Fenix remains a performance watch first and foremost.

In summary, the Fenix 9 Pro plants a flag firmly at the GPS watch summit as a top-of-the-line option. It’s brighter, faster, ludicrously well-featured, and, unsurprisingly, even pricier. All of that said, this shouldn’t be considered a realistic upgrade for Fenix 8 users, who are already sporting a fantastic timepiece. But compared to anything before the 8, it’s better by a country mile.

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: specifications

(Image credit: Future / Julia Clarke)

Component

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro (model tested: 43mm with inReach)

Price

From $1,099.99 / £949.99 / AU$1,749

Dimension

43 x 43 x 13.3 mm

Weight

62 g (case only: 45 g)

Case/bezel

Titanium

Display

416 x 416 pixels, AMOLED (up to 3,000 nits)

GPS

GPS+Beidou+Glonass+Galileo+QZSS

Battery life

10 days (18 hours in activity mode, up to 50 hours in Max battery mode)

Connection

LTE, Satellite, Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi

Water resistant?

Yes, 10ATM

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: price and availability

(Image credit: Future / Julia Clarke)

• Starts at £949.99 for smallest 43mm
• Prices for Fenix 9 start at £859.99
• Reaches up to £1,209.99

The Fenix 9 Pro starts at $1,099.99 / £949.99 / AU$1,749 for the 43mm case size without inReach connectivity. With inReach, pricing starts at $1,199.99 / £1,029.99 / AU$1,899. The Fenix 9 Pro Solar is the same price, while the regular Fenix 9, which has a fibre-reinforced polymer case instead of titanium, starts at $999.99 / £859.99 / AU$1,599, and that’s for both the 43mm and 47mm.

The largest and most expensive 51mm Fenix 9 Pro with inReach is priced at $1,399.99 / £1,209.99 / AU$2199, and for that you get yourself a considerable increase in battery life with up to 31 days in smartwatch mode / 56 hours in activity mode compared to 10 days / 18 hours in the 43mm watch.

If you’re looking at a model with satellite technology, you’ll also need to factor in the cost of an inReach subscription if you actually want to use it (which starts at £7.99 / $7.99 a month), and all in, it definitely prices a lot of people out.

But the high price shouldn’t come as a surprise for anyone familiar with Garmin Fenix watches, and it’s hard to criticize it on being a high-performing piece of tech made with premium materials. There are plenty of other great options out there right now, including the Fenix 8, which you’re likely to find at a discount now that the Fenix 9 has been unleashed.

• Value score: 4/5

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: design

• Titanium case and bezel
• Slimmer design
• Brighter AMOLED display

I tend to feel a bit indifferent to changes in materials in my GPS watches, but I have to admit that the titanium case and bezel on the Fenix 9 Pro do make this look and feel like the expensive watch that it is. It’s sleeker and less rugged, down to both the materials and the nanomoulding process, which removes the need for screws.

It’s not totally fair to do a side-by-side comparison with the Fenix 8 Pro here because the latter isn’t available in 43mm, and that accounts for some of the 15g weight difference (equalling an almost 25% increase), but suffice to say that my Fenix 9 Pro is considerably lighter and thinner (to the tune of 16%, according to Garmin), and it has a less sporty aesthetic, which for me is a huge upgrade. If I’m being honest, this is the first Garmin watch I’ve tested that I’m happy wearing all of the time, though I might take it off to go to a wedding.

The AMOLED display is brighter than both my Fenix 8 and 8 Pro models, while the new, more subdued colour scheme is a bit more sophisticated, and it’s all a little sharper whether I’m looking at the stats of a run or using maps to navigate. I’m also amazed at how accurate the touchscreen keyboard is for typing out text messages, even on the smallest display available.

Other than that, everything will feel familiar to existing Fenix users, including the five-button setup, intuitive widget-based layout and responsive touchscreen (that is sometimes a little too responsive, pulling up the weather forecast when I’m in the shower). I’ve finally taken the time to add a bunch of widgets that I use frequently to my quick list, such as my endurance score and recovery estimates, last activity, moon phases and tides, so it’s ready to go before I even leave the house.

You’ll need the enormously comprehensive Garmin Connect app to view your metrics, and the slightly clunkier Garmin Messenger app if you want to use satellite technology for messaging, and if I were to pinpoint a weakness, I’d say it’s a shame that these two aren’t yet integrated into one app.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: features

(Image credit: Future / Julia Clarke)

• Updated build
• Better maps and LED torch
• New training and adventure tools

First up, maps have been updated, and according to Garmin, they render 40% faster than on the 8 Pro and pan 30% faster when you’re searching for something up ahead. There’s a new perspective view added to the map orientation, which you can enable to better see what’s up ahead.

Also new are Stamina Zones, which use heart rate, pace and speed, and Hosler explains that they can be more useful than Heart Rate Zones for managing your effort. I’ve added them to the data screens in different activity modes, so I can see what zone I’m in and how much of my potential stamina I’m using. It’s more obvious in interval training, where I can see my zones dip and rise, but even on long plods it’s an interesting way to see how much gas I might have left in the tank at a current pace.

After an activity, I can view the top contributors to my Endurance Score (hiking for me), and see estimates of how long I should be able to run at a given pace: apparently over seven hours at my easy pace and nearly 20 minutes at max effort, which I’m yet to put to the test.

Garmin’s commitment to upgrading Rucking mode in recent years signals that this is an activity in ascendancy, and it now calculates better estimates of your energy expenditure rather than just being a way to catalogue different activities. The Fenix 9 allows you to set a calorie goal rather than distance or time, and to edit your pack weight mid-activity, which Hosler explains gives ruckers more accurate readings when they’re hiking uphill with water or rocks that they ditch for the descent. I often hike with a heavy pack, and now my activity report shows the difference between my calories burned through activity and the additional calories from the weight of my pack. This is mildly interesting, and could in theory change my fuelling strategy on a long thru hike.

A very fun – if non-essential – feature rolled out with the Fenix 9 and 9 Pro is called Garmin Epic, which lets you group workouts. When I heard about it in the press conference, I worried it might be similar to the gratuitous Adventure Journal in the Coros Nomad, but after testing it out, I genuinely love it. I gave it a quick test in Chamonix by grouping together all five hikes and trail runs I went on so I could see my cumulative distance, time on the trails and related health stats. But it’s also retrospective, so I’ve been able to make an Epic for last year’s trek to Everest Base Camp and finally see that entire, unforgettable trip as one adventure, from the map of my entire 11-day route to my total elevation gain. I can share my Epic with friends and family, but I can see the demand for Garmin to develop this into a video that users can share on social media.

As for connectivity, I have an active inReach subscription, so I’m able to signal for help from anywhere, but fortunately haven’t had to do so yet. This feature does rely on the Garmin Messenger app, and most of my friends and family are not on there, so this is an area where the Fenix lags behind the Apple Watch Ultra 3. In our conversations, Hosler was clear that he doesn’t consider this watch a true replacement for a satellite device like my Garmin inReach Mini 2, but more of a nice-to-have backup. LiveTrack has improved and now you can send a tracking link directly from your phone, which has good implications for urban runners as well as hikers.

And last but not least, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention everyone’s favourite feature: the upgraded LED torch, which was being heralded by elite trail runners like Katie Schide, Tom Evans and Elsey Davis in Chamonix, who all said this was among their top Garmin features.

The Fenix 9 and 9 Pro have both added a green light option, which is better for night vision, though perhaps not quite as kind to your significant other when you’re looking for your running socks at 5 a.m. It may not be a substitute for a headtorch on a night run, but when your torch runs out of batteries, you’ll be glad you have your Garmin.

Add on to this all the features of the Fenix 8, and I can’t imagine what else you could possibly want from your watch.

• Features score: 5/5

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: performance

(Image credit: Future / Julia Clarke)

• Reliable sensors
• Lightning-fast maps
• Better night vision

The Garmin Fenix 9 Pro has all the same sensors as its predecessor, and after testing the two out on the same run, I’m confident that the readings were all virtually identical (though Hosler did explain that GPS differences can be down to the two watches being on different wrists and pointing in different directions).

I prefer the smaller case size, but it does mean I’m sacrificing battery life. My battery lost 17% during my first two-hour hike, which was a little shocking, but going forward I’ve been using Max Battery mode for longer sessions, which uses energy-saving measures and means a little less accuracy from GPS.

In the last 10 days, I did four short hikes and runs in Chamonix, two spin sessions, a pool swim, a long trail run, a short treadmill workout and a base run. I ran the battery all the way down, had to charge it once, and now it’s at 61%. In regular use, where I’ll typically have it in activity mode for at least 30 minutes a day, I expect to have to charge it once a week, and for a multi-day trek, I’d expect to be charging it at least every other day. That said, if you compare the 51mm Fenix 9 Pro and 8 Pro side by side, the 9 Pro has a better battery life, so if you’re after endurance, size up.

The display is really easy to see in all light conditions, brilliant sunshine and torrential rain and is really responsive when I lift my wrist, although this naturally declines as the battery runs low.

I put maps to the test straight away in Chamonix, charting a course to a mountainside cafe on the Tour du Mont Blanc, and it all renders so quickly and smoothly I don’t even really have to stop and think about it. Though I didn’t find the perspective view that helpful on the trails, it was great for navigating through the busy streets of Chamonix, which often poses a challenge as my phone doesn’t work well there. On my first test, I tried going off-course to see if the maps would reroute me and it didn’t work, but I’ve since been able to chalk that up to Garmin rolling out the watch to the world at the very same time I was testing it, as when I got back to Scotland, I went out on a 12k trail run and found the rerouting to work perfectly.

he LTE connectivity means I can leave my phone in my backpack, and that is really quite refreshing. I did send my boyfriend a link to track me on my most recent trail run via Garmin Connect, and he was able to do so, if not with a fair amount of apathy. I’ve also sent some test messages to my few Garmin Messenger contacts; it’s easy to type directly on the watch, and the message sends in a flash.

I don’t love wearing a watch to bed, but thanks to the slimmer design, I’ve been able to test out the sleep tracking, and it’s really accurate. My subsequent training Readiness scores and Recovery predictions have been pretty in line in accordance with how I feel.

Also at night, the green light function on the torch has quickly rendered my beloved red light nearly obsolete, making it easier than ever to creep around the house without bumping into things and even read a book in bed without turning my lamp on.

• Performance score: 5/5

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: should I buy?

(Image credit: Future / Julia Clarke)Buy it if…

Your adventures take you into the wild

The Fenix 9 Pro has all the field tools for a backcountry adventure, and the technology to help get you out of there if things go wrong.

You’ve been running on a Fenix older than the 8 for years

Even the fabulous Fenix 7 pales in comparison to this one.

You’re a tech junkie with a big budget

All the best tech is on display here at an aspirational price.

Don’t buy it if…

You have the Fenix 8

The Fenix 8 is a cracking watch, and while we admit this is an upgrade, we can’t make a compelling case to switch

You’re saving up for a down payment on a house

This watch comes with some serious sticker shock

Also consider

Apple Watch Ultra 3

The best Apple Watch for adventuring, with dive computer functionalities and a titanium body.

Read our full Apple Watch Ultra 3 review

Coros Vertix 2

The best affordable Garmin Fenix alternative

Read our full Coros Vertix 2 review

How I tested

I’ve tested this watch from the French Alps to Scotland, over multiple hikes, trail runs and road runs, with a few indoor workouts on the bike, treadmill and in the pool thrown in. I’ve compared it with the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro and the Suunto Vertical 2 for good measure, and spent hours talking to Garmin experts and poring over the data in the watch and on the Garmin Connect app.

Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless 8KHz: One-minute review

The Huntsman line has long been a distinguished marque in the gaming keyboard world, and now this new analog addition seeks to add Hall Effect technology to the formula.

It looks like a high-performing machine. The all-black colorway might be a little drab, but the floating keycaps and subtly brushed metal faceplate add touches of class. The bright RGB backlighting also helps to sell its gaming prowess.

(Image credit: Future)

What’s more, it’s built exceptionally well. That faceplate feels incredibly smooth and solid, while the keycaps are planted and have a great-feeling texture. At the same time, the V3 HE is also very light and compact — doubly impressive when you consider it includes quite a few navigation keys.

Razer’s Synapse software can be used to customize the inputs of the V3 HE. You’ll find plenty of analog adjustments here, and there’s even a handy visualizer to display key travel in real time, although this isn’t available for every analog setting. The software is easy to use and I didn’t experience any major issues during my time with it.

Once you’ve dialled in your preferred settings, gaming with the V3 HE is a joy. The keys are very tactile and provide plenty of feedback without feeling heavy. However, due to the height of the keycaps and the lack of wrist support, I found typing quite uncomfortable.

This is perhaps the major drawback of the V3 HE, along with its price, which is quite high for a keyboard lacking wireless connectivity. However, its gaming performance and build quality are to be admired, and might just make it worth the outlay.

(Image credit: Future)Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless 8KHz review: Price and availability

• $139.99 / £139.99 / AU$229.95
• Preorders available now
• Expensive for a wired keyboard

The Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless 8KHz costs $139.99 / £139.99 / AU$229.95 and will be available later this year, but you can preorder it now. A mini 65% variant will also be available for $20 / £20 / AU$30 less.

It's undeniably expensive for a wired gaming keyboard. However, it’s still cheaper than some of its rivals, such as the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL, another fantastic analog keyboard. This is easily one of the best analog keyboards I’ve tested. It also features an integrated OLED screen for a visually appealing way to access various settings and adjustments, and it can display certain in-game information as well.

If you’re looking for a decidedly more budget-friendly analog keyboard, you can’t do much better than the MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra. Not only is this much cheaper than the Huntsman, but it also performs very admirably and has multiple wireless connectivity modes to boot.

Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless 8KHz review: Specs

Layout

TKL

Switch

Analog (Razer Hall Effect Magnetic)

Programmable keys

Yes

Dimensions

14.2 x 5.5 x 1.6 inches (361 x 139 x 40mm)

RGB or backlighting

Yes (customizable)

(Image credit: Future)Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless 8KHz review: Design and features

• Great build quality
• Bright RGB lighting
• Copious customization options

In line with Razer’s other products, the V3 HE looks like a premium product. I especially liked the floating keycaps and the brushed metal faceplate, which add elements of sophistication. The all-black colorway is a little austere, but the bright and customizable RGB backlighting does well to liven things up, especially since those aforementioned floating keycaps increase the illumination.

Equal to its appearance is the build quality of the V3 HE. Despite the plastic material, the chassis is incredibly solid, while that faceplate feels lusciously smooth. The double-shot PBT keycaps have a gratifying texture to them as well, and are as planted and as stable as you could wish for.

Another nice touch is the recessed USB port. This encloses the jack completely, adding security and creating a neater look. The included cable should prove long enough to accommodate most setups, and what’s more it’s braided, which is more common on the best gaming mice. This improves flexibility, although it’s thicker and seems more durable than those on said mice.

(Image credit: Future)

Despite the strong build, the V3 HE is also very light, which pleasantly surprised me. It’s also quite compact, yet still features some useful keys for navigation. And there are plenty of Fn shortcuts dotted around, including those for tweaking certain aspects of the V3 HE, such as the RGB, actuation point (between 0.1mm and 4mm), and Rapid Trigger sensitivity. Thankfully, these shortcuts are also labelled.

For further customizations, you’ll need to download Razer’s Synapse peripheral software. Alongside those mentioned above, you can adjust the Rapid Trigger sensitivity of upstrokes and downstrokes independently, map up to four inputs to a single key, select up to four keys to have a secondary function on their release, and decide which key takes priority when two are pressed at the same time (with numerous options to choose from). There are also a few pre-made profiles catering to certain game types and scenarios, as well as a remapping suite with a large selection of assignments at your disposal, including gamepad buttons, sticks, and triggers.

I was glad to see the inclusion of a visualizer that shows the travel of your presses in real time by filling up a bar. This bar is also marked with your currently set actuation point in millimeters, so you can see when you’ve passed it. It’s a shame there’s no visualizer for the Rapid Trigger function, given this can be a little tricky to comprehend. For the most part, though, Synapse is clearly laid out and easy to use.

(Image credit: Future)Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless 8KHz review: Performance

• Snappy and tactile
• Comfortable and secure when gaming
• Hard to type with

As with most Razer keyboards, the performance of the V3 HE is exemplary. The analog switches have plenty of tactility, being easy to press yet providing just enough resistance to allow for controlled presses; relative to other analog keyboards, I found it easy to hit certain actuation points. They also have a wonderfully springy response, which makes them feel snappy. But they’re quite clicky, too, with just enough dampening to prevent them feeling harsh.

The keycaps themselves are a boon when gaming, too. Their aforementioned texture not only feels great but should also help to prevent slips when things get sweaty. Prominent indentations improve finger security further, as well as helping you to avoid hitting the wrong key.

However, I found them less amenable to typing. Their sheer height means that even though the base of the V3 HE is reasonably thin, I still found myself having to angle my wrists upwards to an uncomfortable degree. I wish a wrist rest was included in the box like other Razer models, especially as Razer’s are some of the best in class thanks to their exceedingly plush padding.

Should I buy the Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless 8KHz?Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Cheaper than some other premium analog keyboards, but a lot more expensive than others, too.

3.5 / 5

Design and features

The Huntsman looks sleek and is built incredibly well. It’s a shame there’s no wrist rest, though.

4.5 / 5

Performance

The analog switches are tactile and very customizable, but the tall keycaps make typing a chore.

4 / 5

Overall

The Huntsman V3 HE is a fantastic gaming keyboard with analog switches that perform as well as you could wish for. It would seriously benefit from a wrist rest, and it’s expensive compared to some others in the space, but its performance and build are matched by very few.

4 / 5

Buy it if…

You want great analog performance
I haven’t experienced many analog switches better than these, and their copious adjustments should please every gamer out there.

You prize build quality
The sleek floating keycaps are attractive, while the super solid yet super light and compact design is a marvel.

Don't buy it if…

You’ll be typing alot
I found the keycaps too tall to type comfortably with for long periods.

You want the best value
The V3 HE is expensive, especially when you consider its wired-only connectivity and TKL layout.

Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless 8KHz review: Also consider

SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3
Another high-performing analog keyboard, the Apex Pro also has the build quality to match the Huntsman’s. It’s more expensive, but it does at least come with a wrist rest, although it’s not the best example. Read our full SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 review.

MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra
If you’re looking to spend a lot less on an analog keyboard, look no further than the FUN60 Ultra. Not only is it surprisingly high performing, but it’s also seriously well made. And to cap it all off, it has multiple wireless connectivity modes. Read our full MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra review.

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless 8KHz

• Tested for a few days
• Used for a variety of tasks
• Lots of gaming keyboard experience

I tested the Huntsman V3 HE for a few days, using it for gaming, working, and general browsing. I used it with two different Windows 11 PCs.

I played games such as Counter-Strike 2, which offers a stern test for peripherals given its emphasis on quick and precise inputs. I also played S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, which requires a broader use of the layout, so I could test how easy it was to use keys outside of those within the immediate vicinity of the WASD position.

I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and have used many different keyboards in that time. I’ve also reviewed a large number of them with various switch types, form factors, and price points.

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

With more than 1 billion registered members, calling LinkedIn popular might be an understatement. Virtually all business professionals know LinkedIn, and chances are they have an account.

What exactly is LinkedIn? It’s partly a business-oriented social networking platform and partly a job search platform. Users create profiles to showcase their professional acumen, connect with fellow industry professionals, and find job opportunities.

What are the pros and cons of using LinkedIn? What are its core features, and how does it fare against competitors? I’ve extensively tested the platform to answer these questions.

Read on to learn what LinkedIn offers and whether it’s your best choice for networking and job-hunting.

LinkedIn: Plans and pricing

LinkedIn is free for most users. Anyone can create an account, refine their profile, and connect with other professionals for free. However, LinkedIn offers premium subscriptions that unlock advanced features for individuals and businesses.

For individuals, LinkedIn Premium unlocks the ability to send direct messages to people you haven't yet connected with, see a complete list of accounts that view your profile, use extra search filters to find professionals, and get unlimited access to the LinkedIn Learning collection of video courses to build new skills.

There are four Premium tiers: Career, Business, All-in-One, and Company Page. For $40 per month, the Career plan lets you message 5 people you aren't yet connected with each month, see a complete list of who've viewed your profile, identify jobs your profile matches with, and unlock access to 25,000+ LinkedIn Learning video courses.

For $70 per month, Premium Business allows 15 monthly messages, unlimited LinkedIn profile browsing, and unlocks enhanced profile tools (e.g., a custom call-to-action button), plus everything available under the Career tier.

For $90 per month, Premium All-in-One takes things a step further with 30 monthly messages to accounts you aren’t yet connected with, run unlimited searches with custom filters, monthly ad credits, an AI assistant to help generate posts, and daily AI-driven recommendations to find potential clients.

For a pricey $100 per month, Premium Company Page offers specialized tools for businesses running dedicated LinkedIn pages. For instance, it unlocks the ability to add a call-to-action button (e.g., Contact Us) to a business page, use a dynamic cover image or add a slideshow at the top of your page, display client testimonials and certifications, and add a verification badge with a gold LinkedIn logo to build credibility.

LinkedIn also offers business prospecting and relationship-building tools for businesses under the Sales Navigator package. There are three Sales Navigator tiers: Core, Advanced, and Advanced Plus.

The Core plan, for $120 per month, is designed for individual sellers. It unlocks unlimited LinkedIn searches with 50+ search filters to pinpoint ideal business prospects, 50 messages to accounts outside your network per month, and the ability to save up to 10,000 leads and custom filter setups.

For $160 per month, Sales Navigator Advanced unlocks team collaboration with saved searches, shared custom lists, and insights; aggregated engagement data; AI-powered insights to improve buyer conversations; and the ability to import target account lists via CSV files, alongside everything in the Core plan.

The Sales Navigator Advanced Plus plan takes things further with enterprise-grade security features (e.g., Single Sign-On) and direct integration with CRM platforms like Salesforce. This tier has no standard pricing, so you’ll need to contact the sales team for a quote.

If you pay annually, LinkedIn offers discounts of up to 25% compared to paying month-to-month. Yet, that doesn’t change the fact that LinkedIn’s plans are pricey. Although the premium plans offer valuable features, you’ll need some clear justification for spending upwards of $40 per month, so I’ll advise only subscribing if you’re dedicated to using LinkedIn as a career advancement tool, not just a casual networking site.

LinkedIn: Setup

LinkedIn’s setup process is as simple as it gets. Anyone can create an account and fill out their profile.

Anyone can also create a business page and fill it out with details. Similarly, getting a subscription is easy: choose a plan, pay, and access the newly unlocked features.

LinkedIn: Features

For an average user, LinkedIn is a simple professional networking site, but there’s much more under the hood.

Sure, it’s important to create a profile and fill it out with details like your current and past professional roles, educational background, and core skills.

LinkedIn uses these details to suggest like-minded professionals to connect with, and connections can help you snag valuable professional opportunities.

(Image credit: LinkedIn )

There’s a news feed where you can scroll through posts from your network. People often share professional milestones like new jobs, new certifications, and academic achievements. The news feed is also where many users post valuable opportunities that you can snag.

Just like on other social media platforms, you get notified about posts and mentions from your network. LinkedIn also notifies you about jobs you may be interested in.

You can send connection requests to other profiles and, if accepted, you’ll see their posts and can message the profiles without limits. But for profiles you aren’t connected to, messaging is restricted.

A premium subscription lets you message such profiles, varying from 5 messages per month under Premium Career to 30 per month under Premium All-in-One. People often use LinkedIn to pitch products to potentially interested parties, and a Premium subscription comes in handy in this case.

LinkedIn also restricts the number of profiles you can view, but a Premium subscription removes the restrictions. Note that LinkedIn often alerts people when you view their profile, so they’ll often know if you did that. Similarly, you’ll get notified about who views your profile, although not the complete list unless you’re a Premium subscriber.

A Premium plan has other benefits, like unlocking an AI assistant that helps you write posts, refine your LinkedIn profile, and find opportunities. It also provides full access to LinkedIn Learning, a suite of 25,000 video courses on broad topics like data science, data analysis, product development, web design, creative writing, and cybersecurity. For professionals looking to upskill and broaden their knowledge, LinkedIn Learning is a goldmine.

Under a Sales Navigator subscription, LinkedIn offers advanced tools for businesses seeking potential customers. It lets you find ideal customer profiles with comprehensive search filters, provides AI-powered recommendations to improve buyer conversations, and integrates directly with customer relationship management (CRM) platforms like Salesforce. These are valuable tools for businesses, albeit pricey.

LinkedIn: Ease of use

LinkedIn is quite easy to navigate when focused on its core features. From creating an account to filling out your profile, building connections, and interacting with your network, these basic parts work easily.

However, navigation can get complex when using advanced features like search filters, ad management, and page analytics. These advanced features have a substantial learning curve, but you can get used to them with time.

I like that LinkedIn offers both a web interface, a native desktop app, and mobile apps on iOS and Android. I could access it from whichever medium was most convenient at specific times, and the same applies to other users.

LinkedIn: Support

LinkedIn offers extensive support resources for both free and paid users. The LinkedIn Help Center contains detailed guides and info for every feature you’ll encounter on LinkedIn. Feel free to use the search button to find a solution to your problem in this Help Center.

For direct support, you can contact LinkedIn’s support team via live chat or fill out a support ticket and wait for an email response. LinkedIn offers phone support only for Premium or Sales Navigator subscribers, understandably because of the steep fees they pay for subscriptions.

This phone support is available only in English, while live chat support is available in English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, and Italian.

LinkedIn: The competition

When it comes to professional networking, LinkedIn easily dominates the competition. No other site offers the widespread user base and potential business connections you can get on LinkedIn. It’s the golden spot where professionals create profiles, promote their services, and build connections.

However, LinkedIn has serious competition when it comes to finding jobs. Rival platforms like ZipRecruiter and Indeed also help everyday job-seekers find the best opportunities in their industries.

There’s also Glassdoor, which facilitates recruitment and also offers a platform for job-seekers to learn major details about companies (like salary data, interview processes, benefits, and even workplace photos).

LinkedIn: Final verdict

Do you want to expand your professional network and meet the right people that’ll connect you to better opportunities? LinkedIn is unbeatable here. You’ll find the broadest network on LinkedIn and can snag opportunities or sell products to professionals.

In terms of the job searches, it's very easy to use, and the ability to upload your CV and use Easy Apply is a nice - if occasionally impersonal - touch. I found broad job opportunities on the platform. However, I do think it faces stiff competition from the likes of Indeed and Glassdoor in this area.

Subscriptions cost also more than I'd like. Premium plans are quite pricey, but LinkedIn still offers great value even for free users.

For more picks, we've tested the best recruitment platforms and the best job sites.