TechRadar Reviews

Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus: Two-minute review

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus is exactly what I expected it to be: a solid mid-tier Android smartphone that does enough to be great but doesn’t quite make it to excellence.

Powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset for Galaxy, the S26 Plus topped even the most premium competitors on performance. Jumping into games like Destiny Rising on the highest graphics is a breeze, and you can genuinely expect to enjoy performance that's largely comparable to the best gaming phones on Samsung's latest flagship middle child.

The S26 Plus' 6.7-inch display is just as bright and colorful as the S26 Ultra's, highlighting all of the gorgeous colors in my favorite media content. Its premium svelte design is stunning in certain colorways, too, and the near bezel-less face makes for an immersive viewing experience.

The battery life is decent, but not the best. I got a full day’s use out of the phone's 4,900mAh cell, needing to charge it toward the end of the night. The 45W fast charging makes the process pretty seamless, though. But the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and some of its competitors offer longer battery life.

(Image credit: Future/Rami Tabari)

Then there’s the cameras, which are solid overall, but should’ve gotten a boost, especially considering that the S26 Plus received a $100 / £100 / AU$150 price bump over the Galaxy S25 Plus, bringing its tag to $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,849.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus is a great Android phone, but it’s not the best. If you’re looking for something that’s exactly this size, then the S26 Plus will serve you well, but if you don’t mind going up or down a size, you might find a better deal elsewhere. Again, that doesn’t remove all the great qualities that the Galaxy S26 Plus has to offer; it just means that its competitors do it better, albeit at varying prices.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus review: price and availability

(Image credit: Future/Rami Tabari)

• From $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,849
• Launched on March 11, 2026

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus launched on March 11, 2026 in a prismatic spray, offering six different colorways and two variants of storage. You can purchase it directly from Samsung or any of the company’s retail partners.

At its starting price — $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,849 — you can get the Galaxy S26 Plus with 256GB of storage. That’s a $100 / £100 / AU$150 price hike compared with its predecessor. Bumping up to 512GB will cost you $1,299 / £1,279 / AU$2,149. That’s an $180 / £179 / AU$1,849 increase.

In other words, Samsung’s larger 6.7-inch phone is becoming less affordable, and that’s pretty frustrating if you’re someone who needs it. The iPhone Air is just a wee bit smaller (6.5 inches), but it costs less ($999 / £999 / AU$1,799). The iPhone 17 Pro Max sizes up to 6.9 inches and starts at $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,149, while the Pixel 10 Pro XL sits at 6.8 inches for $1,199 / £1,199 / AU $1,999.

So, yes, the price hike is frustrating, but the Galaxy S26 Plus sits in this weird niche space between price and size in relation to its premium competitors, so there’s still some solid value here.

• Value score: 4 / 5

Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus review: specsSamsung Galaxy S26 Plus specs

Dimensions:

158.4 x 75.8 x 7.3 mm

Weight:

190g

Display:

6.7-inch AMOLED (3,120 x 1,440) up to 120Hz

Chipset:

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy

RAM:

12GB

Storage:

256GB, 512GB

OS:

Android 16

Primary camera:

50MP main (f/1.8)

Ultra-wide camera:

12MP ultrawide (f/2.2)

Telephoto camera:

10MP 3x telephoto (f/2.4)

Front Camera:

12MP selfie (f/2.2)

Battery:

4,900mAh

Charging:

45W wired, 25W wireless

Colors:

Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, Black, White (Online only: Silver Shadow, Pink Gold)

Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus review: design

(Image credit: Future/Rami Tabari)

• Mostly the same as the Galaxy S25 Plus
• Gorgeous colors
• Cameras are elevated

For better or worse, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus looks pretty much the same as its predecessor (and its predecessors before that). It’s the exact same size and weight as the S25 Plus, at 158.4 x 75.8 x 7.3 millimeters and 190g. I’m not mad about this, though. Its thin build and round corners still give that svelte premium feel. The Galaxy S26 Plus also comes in a variety of colors.

Our review unit came in White, which is boring — sorry, not sorry. There’s Black and Silver Shadow, which fall in the same “meh” camp, but the more precious colors are Pink Gold, Sky Blue, and Cobalt Violet (my favorite). Tech products that offer more than shades of gray are a solid win.

The biggest design difference between the Galaxy S26 Plus and its predecessor is the appearance of its cameras. Now, the phone's rear module is slightly elevated on a platform. Apart from that, everything else is the same. The power and volume buttons are on the right, there are microphones on the top edge, and the bottom holds room for the USB-C port, SIM slot, speaker, and microphone.

(Image credit: Future/Rami Tabari)

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus still features Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for protection against drops and scratches, but the S26 Ultra features Gorilla Glass Armor 2, which prioritizes reducing reflections as well as durability.

However, just like the S26 Ultra, the Plus is rated for IP68 water and dust protection. That means the device is completely dust-tight and can withstand immersions in water beyond one meter (up to three). I wouldn’t go testing this in the bathtub, though. But if you happen to drop it, the S26 Plus should be fine.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus still looks great. It would be nice for Samsung to get more experimental with its design, but the Galaxy lineup still cleans up nicely.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus review: display

(Image credit: Future/Rami Tabari)

• 6.7-inch AMOLED
• 3120 x 1440 resolution
• 120Hz refresh rate
• 2600-nit peak brightness

If you’re looking for a stunningly bright floating piece of glass on which to watch all your favorite content, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus’ 6.7-inch AMOLED delivers just that.

With a near bezel-less screen and a peak brightness of 2600 nits, its 3,120 x 1,440 resolution display makes everything in the background practically fade away (fun fact: the phone actually defaults to 2,340 x 1,080 to save battery). The cutout for the selfie camera is always going to be mildly distracting, but it's pretty tiny.

In Destiny Rising, the ethereal valley that leads to Haven popped against the gorgeous blues and pinks on the horizon. While it’s not necessarily a gaming phone by trade, the Galaxy S26 Plus put in the work to make the world of Destiny look good.

With the S26 Plus’ adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, the navigation experience felt super smooth, and it also allows games to climb up to 120fps (although Destiny hovered around 60fps).

The S26 Plus’ screen is just as good as the Ultra’s, with one exception — the Privacy Display on the latter phone, which adjusts the screen so people around you can’t see what you see. You won’t get this extra layer of privacy on the middle child in Samsung’s lineup. I wouldn’t necessarily weep over it, though. There are privacy screen protectors that can accomplish the same thing.

• Display score: 4.5 / 5

Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus review: cameras

(Image credit: Future/Rami Tabari)

• 50MP main (f/1.8)
• 12MP ultra-wide (f/2.2)
• 10MP 3x telephoto (f/2.4)
• 12MP selfie-cam
• Up to 8K/30fps video

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus’ camera suite is effectively unchanged from the previous generation. On the rear, you get a 50MP main, a 12MP ultra-wide, and a 10MP 3x telephoto camera, while the front sports a 12MP selfie camera.

I took a lovely trip to the park and put the Galaxy S26 Plus’ cameras to work. One common occurrence I noticed while taking photos is that the ultra-wide camera captured slightly bolder colors, and it’s most noticeable when looking at the sky. Meanwhile, the other rear cameras captured more flat images. They don’t lack color per se. It seems like it would be a more natural representation, but the images captured by the 50MP main and 10MP 3x telephoto cameras were just faintly duller than real life.

However, when it came to clarity, all of the rear cameras excelled at capturing highly detailed images. It’s easy to get high-resolution photos, but it’s another thing when a camera sensor can focus on exactly what you need it to, providing both a sharp and clear image. Naturally, the 10MP 3x telephoto lens was better at this than the rest, capturing the individual notches in the wood of a gazebo from far away.

I’m also impressed by the S26 Ultra's digital zoom, which can go up to 30x. You’ll rarely be using it all the way turned up, but there are several shots where I needed to crank past 3x to get a full image of something. Despite using a digital zoom, images like the birdhouse (as you'll see below) looked great. Although you’re losing a decent amount of detail the further you zoom in.

However, a really cool image I captured was around dusk, when there was still some blue in the sky, but the moon was out. The standard lens couldn’t capture any detail because of the surrounding light, but zooming in 30x allowed the camera to focus on the moon. The S26 Plus is not winning any awards in astronomy photography, but being able to capture the craters on the moon was cool.

Overall, then, the S26 Plus' camera array is solid as is, but the biggest issue it’s facing is the tech itself. The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL is close in price, and it sports a 48MP ultra-wide camera and a telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. For that aforementioned price hike, we should’ve had at least some upgrade to the camera array, but we’re stuck with the same hardware as last year’s model. Hopefully, this’ll change in the future (without another price hike).

• Camera score: 3.5 / 5

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(Image credit: Future/Rami Tabari)

• Qualcomm Snapdragon Gen 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset is fiercely competitive
• Overall punchy performance

Like its siblings, the Galaxy S26 Plus is outfitted with a Qualcomm Snapdragon Gen 8 Elite 5 chip that's specifically designed for Galaxy phones. Whatever Qualcomm and Samsung cooked up is supposedly meant to work better overall for the system. Well, running the standard Geekbench overall performance test proved that it outpaced its predecessor. It also beat the scores of Apple’s A19 Pro.

Getting into the crunchy numbers won’t tell you the real story, though. I played around with the S26 Plus for a week, and it reflected my inputs with incredible speed. I navigated through games, responded to emails, and voice chatted with friends with no noticeable slowdown.

I jumped into Destiny Rising in performance mode, and the game ran at a smooth 60fps. It kept up with my wild spray-and-pray tactics as I tore through the opening area. I didn’t see any screen tearing, and despite not being branded a gaming phone, the S26 Plus didn't suffer any performance drops.

However, I did notice that under a little pressure, it does get warm near the cameras. It’s not dramatic, but something to keep in mind if you’re out in the sun using your phone. I’ve had smartphones overheat on me at the beach, for instance.

Overall, even as the middle child of the Galaxy lineup, the S26 Plus is highly competitive with the best out there.

• Performance score: 5 / 5

Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus review: software

(Image credit: Future/Rami Tabari)

• AI everywhere
• More personal suggestions
• Unreliable generative AI features

The Galaxy S26 Plus ships with Android 16 dressed up in Samsung’s One UI 8.5 suit. Of course, it’s packed with a bunch of AI features that you may not ever use, many of which are facilitated by Samsung’s Galaxy AI as well as Perplexity, Bixby, and Google Gemini. It’s very much a “choose your Pokémon” situation.

Despite my reservations with AI, one of my favorite features is the automatic call screening, which Pixel phones have been doing for years now. But it’s nice not having to answer marketers or scammers on a Galaxy phone.

There is a new Galaxy AI feature called Now Nudge. It’s designed to constantly read what’s on your screen and suggest relevant actions, like creating a calendar event or sharing photos. It’ll also recall information, like saved contacts or location details.

Then there’s Now Brief, located at the bottom of the lock screen. Opening it will give you the weather, your calendar for the day, and whatever bleak news update is going on in the world. These features were useful for sure, but I don’t think you’re missing anything by not using them.

You’ve also got generative AI tools like Photo Assist and Creative Studio. I’m not a fan of generative AI tools, but for personal use, these are fine. The former is helpful for editing photos. I tried using it to change my hair color, and it worked well, except the original quality of the image became fuzzy. I tried recreating my epic goth D&D character in Creative Studio, but apparently, using “goth” was inappropriate. Then I tried creating a “fantasy warrior,” and it showed me a fantasy setting instead. Then I asked it to simply create a “woman and her dog” — it only made the dog. Creative Studio isn’t averse to creating people because one of the default prompts is to create a wedding couple. For my testing, however, it was incredibly unreliable.

Google is rolling out its Agentic features for Gemini. These will allow your smartphone to do more background tasks. For example, you could ask Gemini to call you an Uber, and all you need to do is review its work and accept. It’s great in theory, but it’s still under development. With more apps to follow, we'll get a better picture of its utility in Gemini in the future.

If you don’t want to use Google Gemini, you can use Bixby instead, which can accomplish similar tasks thanks to its being directly connected to Perplexity AI.

There are a lot of features packed into the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus. Well, I’d argue too many. And it’s unlikely one person will use them all. You could argue that Samsung is covering all its bases, but if you’re not big on AI to begin with, it can get overwhelming.

• Software score: 4 / 5

Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus review: battery life

(Image credit: Future/Rami Tabari)

• 4,900mAh battery
• 45W fast charging
• No magnets

Despite its smaller battery, the Galaxy S26 Plus managed to last me quite a while throughout the week before needing to charge. With very limited use, I got over two days out of it. When it came to focused use, it lasted the whole day before I had to plug it in. In both use cases, the S26 Plus was set to max resolution and refresh rate.

The S26 Plus also charges remarkably fast. It features 45W charging, and it took only an hour to fully charge with Super Fast Charging 2.0. It does come with 25W wireless charging, but the back isn’t magnetic, so you’d need to get a case to make use of magnetic charging accessories.

While the S26 Plus served my purposes, it’s not the most long-lasting smartphone out there. The S26 Ultra comes with a battery that’s larger by just 100mAh, but despite the small difference, it lasted longer in my testing than the S26 Ultra by quite a few hours.

Regardless, thanks to the efficiency of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, the Galaxy S26 Plus will get you through the day before you need to charge it at night. Well, keep in mind the intensity of use. If you’re burning through Destiny Rising, then you’ll be burning through your battery.

• Battery score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus?Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus’ design hasn’t changed at all, but I’m not mad about it. It’s still a svelte piece of machinery with an array of gorgeous colors.

4.5 / 5

Display

This is exactly the kind of colorful and bright display you want in a 6.7-inch smartphone. With its near bezel-less screen, it’s like looking at a floating image.

4.5 / 5

Performance

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Gen 8 Elite 5 chip for Galaxy phones is an absolute beast and lets the Galaxy S26 Plus crush its more premium competition.

5 / 5

Camera

It’s tough to harshly judge the Galaxy S26 Plus’ camera array since it’s pretty solid in a vacuum, but the tech is behind the competition right now, so you can do better.

3.5 / 5

Battery

The Galaxy S26 Plus’ 4,900mAh battery will last you through most of the day with more focused use, but it’s still not as long-lasting as other smartphones.

4 / 5

Software

The Galaxy S26 Plus may be flooded with AI, but you can’t say it doesn’t have features. If you’re willing to use them, they can be useful.

4 / 5

Value

Even with the price hike, the Galaxy S26 Plus still offers decent value. But I’m still not happy about it.

4 / 5

Buy it if...

You want a quality mid-sized Android phone
One of Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus’ greatest strengths is its size. It sits somewhere between lower- and higher-end premium phones, making it great for someone looking for that goldilocks size of 6.7 inches. It’s also got the high-end performance to battle its more premium competitors.

You want a large phone with a pretty display
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus isn’t the largest phone out there, but it’s still packed with a hella gorgeous display, boasting a peak brightness of 2,600 nits.

You just like Samsung
Samsung makes some sleek products, and if you’re already a fan of the design language, which hasn’t changed for better or worse, then the Galaxy S26 Plus is a no brainer. Its size sits at a comfortable medium. You’ll also get the utility of being able to connect to other Samsung products.

Don't buy it if...

You’re looking for a budget phone
Especially considering the price hike, the middle child of the Galaxy S26 lineup is not very affordable. If you’re on a budget, I’d look elsewhere, to something like the Google Pixel 10a.

You want more out of your cameras
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus’ camera array is solid, but there are phones with better camera specs out there, like the S26 Ultra, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and Pixel 10 Pro XL. Just beware you’ll be paying more for it.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus review: also consider

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus is a strong mid-tier smartphone, but you could get more elsewhere if you're willing to pay a bit extra.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

The Samsung S26 Ultra is by far Samsung's best Galaxy S phone yet, and while it doesn't reinvent the iconic Android handset, it moves its design, power, AI, and creative capabilities in a positive direction and without raising the price. People will be talking about the Privacy display and Super Steady video for some time to come. Sure, there might be too many AI options on board, but overall, the S26 Ultra is a winner and easily one of the best smartphones of the year.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review

Apple iPhone Air

The iPhone Air is Apple’s boldest design refresh in years — it’s almost impossibly thin at 5.64mm, yet still sturdy thanks to the use of titanium and Ceramic Shield. Its 6.5-inch ProMotion display and iOS 26’s Liquid Glass makeover feel purpose-built for this form factor — even after a week of use, this still feels like Apple’s most exciting design refresh in years. Battery life is solid if not class-leading, and the single 48MP camera limits flexibility, but for those who value design and portability above all else, it’s sexy and stunning — and maybe a new kind of Pro.

Read our full Apple iPhone Air review

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

The Pixel 9 Pro XL is just a bigger Pixel 9 Pro, but that's good enough. It doesn't have exclusive camera features or extra RAM for a boost; it's just got a bigger display and a bigger battery. That means the Pixel 9 Pro is an even better pick this year, but it also means that you can choose your Pixel based on the size you like, not the features you need.

Read our full Google Pixel 9 Pro XL review

How I tested the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus

• Review test period = 1 week
• Testing included = Everyday usage, including web browsing, social media, photography, gaming, streaming video, music playback
• Tools used = Geekbench 6

First reviewed: April 2026

Dreame Miracle Pro: two-minute review

The Dreame Miracle Pro is a premium dryer that does a lot more than just dry your hair. Alongside six modes — Cool, Scalp, Essence, Comfort, Quick Dry, AI Smart — it comes with a built-in essence mister, a ring of red and near-infrared light therapy around the barrel, and a distance sensor that automatically adjusts heat and airflow depending on how close the dryer is to your head.

All of these features are designed to protect your scalp, improve the health of your hair, and add a level of customization that's rare on rival models. As a result, it's one of the most feature-packed hair dryers on the market, at any price.

During my tests, the main drying performance was strong. Using Comfort mode on high speed, my mid-length, fine hair went from wet to dry in around under five minutes with a smooth, frizz-free finish. Quick Dry mode got there faster, but the result wasn't quite as polished. Not bad, just not as smooth as on Comfort mode. The essence mister – activated in Essence mode for the final minute or two of a drying session – left my hair noticeably softer and smelling great. It's one of those features that sounds gimmicky until you've used it and seen how great it is.

The distance-sensing heat adjustment works well for rough drying but responds slower than I'd like and the constant change in sound as it switches between each speed just ends up being irritating. For more precise and less annoying styling one of the fixed modes tends to give more predictable results. The red and near-infrared light therapy ring is harder to evaluate in the short term, because any real benefit to scalp health takes months to show up, but it's a nice addition. It's also worth noting that fitting an attachment blocks most of the light, so getting the full benefit requires using the dryer without a nozzle.

At $399.99 / £399, the Miracle Pro sits at the same price point as the best hair dryers on the market. If you want a dryer that treats hair health as seriously as drying speed, it makes a compelling case. Keep reading to learn more in my Dreame Miracle Pro review.

Dreame Miracle Pro: price & availability

• List price: $399.99 / £399
• Availability: US / UK
• Launch: 2025

The Dreame Miracle Pro is available directly from Dreame and from Best Buy in the US. In the UK, it's stocked at Dreame's own site and Boots.

At $399.99 / £399 (about AU$560), the Miracle Pro sits towards the top end of the price scale. That's approaching the same price bracket as the $549.99 / £399.99 / AU$749 Dyson Supersonic Nural which, for a brand that has historically positioned itself as a more accessible alternative to its luxury rival, is a notable shift.

The Miracle Pro's drying performance is strong, but strong drying alone doesn't justify $400. What you're really paying for is the smart heat regulation, a built-in essence mister and the red light ring. There isn't another dryer on the market that offers this combination of features, making it stand out.

The Miracle Pro comes in a faux-leather storage case complete with a diffuser (pictured right), two styling nozzles (bottom left and bottom centre), an anti-frizz attachment (top center) and Dreame Boca Essence (top left) (Image credit: Future)

The essence capsule ships with one 30ml bottle of Dreame's own Boca formula, and replacing the essence will be an ongoing cost. It's not currently possible to buy the Boca essence on its own but the cartridge is refillable so you can spend as much or as little as you want on an alternative essence.

Four attachments are included in the box — a styling nozzle, smoothing nozzle, anti-frizz nozzle and diffuser. This is generous (albeit an expectation at this price) and compares well to the Nural, which ships with five attachments. The Miracle Pro also comes in a velvet-lined gift box, which adds to the premium feel.

At this price, the most obvious comparison is the Dyson Supersonic Nural, which is the benchmark for premium hair dryers and the closest rival in terms of smart heat technology. The L'Oreal AirLight Pro, at $475, is also worth considering if light-based technology appeals — it uses infrared rather than red light therapy, with the focus on faster drying rather than scalp health, and comes with an app for precise heat and airflow controls. In the UK, the GHD Speed at £299 is a strong alternative if pure drying performance is the priority — its halo airflow tech keeps the barrel cool to the touch and delivers super fast results, though it doesn't attempt any of the Miracle Pro's more advanced, smart features.

Whether it's good value for money or not is that it's complicated. If the scalp light and essence mist appeal to you, and you'd use them consistently, you will be able to justify the price. If you're only really after the fastest, most powerful dryer, you can spend less on the likes of the GHD Speed to get there.

• Value score: 3.5 / 5

Dreame Miracle Pro: specs

Model:

Dreame Miracle Pro

Wattage:

1,600W

Weight (without cord, approx):

0.9lbs / 420g

Size (H x W x L, approx):

10.4 x 3.4 x 3.2in / 26.3 x 8.6 x 8.2cm

Airflow settings:

2

Temperature settings:

6

Extra modes:

Auto-pause (gravity sensor), attachment recognition

Noise level:

64dB average

Cord length:

9.2ft / 2.8m

Dreame Miracle Pro review: design

• Faux-leather handle and matte gold finish
• Six modes, illuminated display, four magnetic attachments
• Red light and essence mister built into the barrel

For the price, you get the Miracle Pro dryer, four attachments — a styling nozzle, smoothing nozzle, anti-frizz nozzle and diffuser — and a bottle of Boca essence (pictured) (Image credit: Future)

There was a time when a tall, rather than wide, hair dryer was rare, but the ubiquity of Dyson's Supersonic shape has not only made the design more common, it also makes all rivals look high-end by association.

The Miracle Pro has the same barrel-over-handle shape as most has added a couple of features to make it look noticeably different. The handle is covered in textured faux leather, the barrel and attachments come in a matte gold, and the whole thing arrives in a velvet-lined box.

It's a bold look that won't suit everyone but it does feel genuinely premium. In testing, the leather grip felt solid and comfortable — even if it left my hand feeling clammy after long periods — but it's unclear yet how well it will hold up to daily use over many months.

The front barrel (pictured) has a built-in slot for the essence cartridge. When Essence mode is enable, the airflow diffuses the essence gently onto the hair (Image credit: Future)

At 0.9lb / 420g, it's light for a dryer with this much going on inside, and it's well balanced. Most of the weight sits in the handle, which makes it easy to move around your head without your wrist getting tired. The filter sits at the bottom of the handle and is a feature I generally dislike in hair dryers because it's easy to block with your hand mid-drying. However, Dreame has made the handle long enough on the Miracle Pro to prevent this happening, and without throwing the balance out of sync in the process.

The barrel is on the smaller side, which is useful for getting close to the roots and working around the hairline. Yet this is a slightly moot point because the built-in AI Smart mode uses a distance sensor to automatically adjust the heat and airflow depending on how close the dryer is to your head anyway.

The controls include a sliding switch on the handle to turn the Miracle Pro on and off and flip between the two speed settings – High (72 m/s) and Low (50 m/s) (Image credit: Future)

The controls are simple enough. A sliding switch on the handle turns the Miracle Pro on and off and flips between the two speed settings — High (72 m/s) and Low (50 m/s.)

While two speeds are fewer than most rivals — the Dyson Supersonic Nural offers three, for example — it's the default on Dreame dryers and has never proved a problem for my mid-length, thin hair. Thicker or natural hair styles may need more options but, on the Pro particularly, the range of modes and the way AI Smart mode adjusts airflow in real time means you're unlikely to feel the gap.

A single button on the handle cycles through the Pro's six modes — Smart, Essence, Cool, Comfort, Quick Dry, or Scalp.

A single button on the handle cycles through the Pro's six modes – Smart, Essence, Cool, Comfort, Quick Dry, or Scalp (pictured) – and the selected mode appears on the display on the rear of the dryer (Image credit: Future)

The six modes cover a good range.

• Cool: 86 F / 30 C
• Scalp: 100 F / 38 C
• Essence: 122 F / 50 C
• Comfort: 140 F / 60 C
• Quick Dry: 176 F / 80 C
• AI Smart: Adjusts in real time based on distance from scalp

Cool runs at 86 F / 30 C and is mainly for finishing. Scalp mode sits at 100 F / 38 C and is intended for anyone with a sensitive scalp. Essence mode runs at 122 F / 50 C, which is warm enough to activate the mist, but not so hot it defeats the point.

As 140 F / 60 C, Comfort is the most practical everyday setting, and Quick Dry goes up to 176 F / 80 C for when you need speed. AI Smart mode works across all of these, using a distance sensor to adjust the heat and airflow depending on how close the dryer is to your head, and every time you switch the dryer on, it starts in AI Smart mode by default.

A small screen on the rear of the barrel shows which mode you're in and this is much easier to read than the tiny color-coded LED ring on the Dreame Gleam, for instance.

The same sensor used by the AI Smart mode also feeds into the auto-pause feature, which recognizes when you've put the dryer down and dials back the heat and airflow automatically. It's a sensible safety feature, to avoid items on your desk being blown around every time you place it down, but I found it really irritating. The constant changes in noise as you pick it up and put it down was not an enjoyable sensory experience.

Around the front of the barrel is a ring of red lights (pictured) that Dreame calls "dual red light therapy" and is designed to stimulate scalp circulation and boost hair health over time (Image credit: Future)

Around the front of the barrel is a ring of red lights that cover two wavelengths at 633nm and 1064nm. Dreame calls it "dual red light therapy," although the 1064nm wavelength is technically near-infrared.

The idea is that red light/infrared light stimulates scalp circulation during drying to support hair strength over time. It's visible in use but not distracting, and worth knowing that fitting an attachment blocks most of it so if scalp health is the main draw, you'll want to spend some time using the dryer without a nozzle attached.

Speaking of nozzles, Pro ships with four magnetic attachments by default:

• Styling nozzle: Directed airflow for sectioning and precise blow-drying
• Smoothing nozzle: Concentrated airflow for a smooth finish
• Anti-frizz nozzle: Neutralizes static and smooths frizzy hair
• Diffuser: Distributes airflow evenly for curls and volume

Each one clicks on and off easily, and the dryer recognizes which one is attached, automatically recalling your last-used settings for that specific nozzle.

It's a small touch but it means you're not manually resetting your preferences every time you switch between drying and diffusing, for example. The filter at the base of the handle is magnetic too, so it pulls off easily for cleaning.

• Design score: 5 out of 5

Dreame Miracle Pro review: performance

• Fast drying, smooth results
• Essence mister is a genuine highlight
• Red light benefits hard to assess short-term

The Miracle Pro is a strong everyday dryer. Using it most mornings on my long, fine hair, I found the Comfort mode on High speed to be the best setting for a regular wash-day routine. My hair went from wet to dry in just under five minutes, with a smooth, frizz-free finish that I'd normally need a separate serum to achieve.

Quick Dry mode gets there faster, in under three minutes, but the result is noticeably less polished. Scalp mode is the gentlest option and while it adds time to the overall dry, the finish is noticeably softer.

Essence mode – which activates the built-in mister – is the feature I didn't expect to care about and ended up using every time. It runs at a moderate heat and is designed to be used for the last couple of minutes of your routine, rather than the full session.

Switching into it at the end left my hair noticeably softer, smooth and smelling great. It's a small thing that adds up over time and was a genuine highlight for me.

The essence cartridge (pictured) is small and simple, designed to slot conspicuously into the barrel (Image credit: Future)

AI Smart mode is the headline feature, and it largely delivers. The dryer adjusts heat and airflow as you move it closer to and further from your head, which takes some getting used to. There's a slight lag between changing your distance and feeling the adjustment, which the Dyson Supersonic Nural handles more quickly, and you'll notice the airflow change before you notice the temperature shift.

In practice, this works well for rough drying where you're moving quickly and not thinking too hard about distance. For precision styling, I tended to switch to a fixed mode where the output was more predictable. Plus, like with the constant changes in noise with the auto-pause feature, the fluctuations soon became irritating.

You remove the cartridge by pressing the front until it clicks and pops out (pictured) (Image credit: Future)

The red light therapy ring is harder to evaluate over a relatively short period. Dreame's claims – improved scalp circulation and stronger hair over time – are plausible, but any real difference would take months to show up. What I can say is that using the dryer without an attachment, which is required for the red light to reach the scalp unobstructed, feels slightly counterintuitive mid-routine.

Noise-wise, the Miracle Pro is genuinely quiet for its power output. Dreame claims 56.6 dB but it's not clear if that's just the lowest reading – on Cool – or an average. In my tests, the average readings for each of the modes were:

• Cool: 58 dB
• Scalp: 60 dB
• Essence: 62 dB
• Comfort (low speed): 63 dB
• Comfort (high speed): 68 dB
• Quick Dry (low speed): 65 dB
• Quick Dry (high speed): 72 dB

• Performance score: 4 out of 5

How I tested the Dreame Miracle Pro

I used the Dreame Miracle Pro as my main hair dryer for four weeks, replacing my usual dryer for daily morning use on my mid-length hair.

I worked through each of the six modes, both speed settings and the attachments systematically in the first week, then settled into more natural everyday use to get a realistic sense of how it performs over time.

I timed dry sessions across the different modes and speeds, and tracked decibels using the DecibelX app. I also compared the results to other dryers I've tested at similar and higher price points.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed March 2026

Huion Kamvas Pro 24 Gen 3 review: one-minute review

The Huion Kamvas Pro 24 Gen 3 is a large-scale drawing tablet that — as the name implies — is designed firmly with the experienced artist in mind. However, I’d argue that if you’re an enthusiastic amateur who's looking to create art on a much larger scale, then it’s attractively priced enough to be worth considering, too.

It’s safe to say that the Kamvas Pro 24 is a bit of a beast — I’m tempted to call it "big" but the word "hulking" keeps coming to mind. At its size, you’re unlikely to be moving it around much, but its huge 4K 24-inch screen does deliver a huge art board to sketch on, even if its 185ppi pixel density doesn’t quite hit the microscopic precision of some of the smaller-screened tablets I’ve tested. Meanwhile, its built-in legs allow you to prop it up at an ergonomic angle, although I’d love it if it had a few discrete height settings.

Performance is impressive, too. Thanks to its expansive color gamut, the Huion Kamvas Pro shows off any artwork with the same level of vibrancy seen on many of the best drawing tablets. Not only does it avoid any trace of parallax or jitter, it’s capable of extreme tilt angles, plus its pressure sensitivity appears super accurate, even if I’d argue its 16K pressure levels don’t offer any palpable improvement over 8K. In addition, its driver software allows you to tweak a significant range of options, from pressure curves to assigning shortcuts to those concentric dials on its remote.

Huion’s styluses are also decent, although I wouldn’t say they stand out over and above their nearest rivals. I found both the Slim Pen PW600S and chunkier Pen PW600 comfortable to use over long drawing sessions, although neither displayed the same pitch-perfect balance as those offered by the XP-Pen. They do offer eraser shortcuts on their tips, though — as a perennial bumbler, the ability to quickly nix my mistakes is one of my must-have features.

Looking at the Huion Kamvas Pro 24 Gen 3 as a complete package then, it's easy to recommend. What you lose in portability compared to smaller options, you gain in that epic sketching space. It’s capable of impressive precision and its color gamut means every hue positively glows on its screen. Moreover, its $1,399 / £1,299 / AU$1,999 price is competitive, coming in cheaper than rival Xencelabs' slate, although marginally more expensive than its nearest XP-Pen equivalent. All told, I think you’re unlikely to be disappointed with this purchase.

(Image credit: Future)Huion Kamvas Pro 24 Gen 3 review: price and availability

• Launched on October 17, 2025
• List price of $1,399 / £1,299 / AU$1,999

Having launched on October 17, 2025, the Huion Kamvas Pro 24 Gen 3 is available now, for $1,399 / £1,299 / AU$1,999. To put that in a wider context, that’s cheaper than the Xencelabs Pen Display 24 — reduced from a list price of $1,899 / £1,850 (around $2,725) to $1,749 / £1,699 (around AU$2,725), but more than the XP-Pen Artist Pro 24 (Gen2) 4K, which has dropped down from a list price of $1,299.99 / £1,199 / AU$1,899.99 to $1,039.99 / £1,079 / AU$1,424.99. As such, the Huion slate sits firmly in the middle of the pack of the largest tablets for price.

But what does that spend net you? In addition to the tablet itself, you get the Huion Keydial Remote, all the cabling you could require (including HDMI and USB-C / USB connections), both the Pen PW600 and Slim Pen PW600S styluses, and a pen box. There’s no case or bag included, while its stand is built in. Unusually, though, it also includes a G1 Colorimeter for calibration, which is a nice touch for professional artists and designers.

(Image credit: Future)Huion Kamvas Pro 24 Gen 3 review: specs

Dimensions

23.2 x 14.3 x 0.9 inches / 589.2 x 364 x 22.7mm

Active drawing area

20.70 x 11.65 inches / 525.89 x 295.81mm

Weight

14.04 lbs / 6.37kg

Display resolution

3840 x 2160 pixels

Pressure levels

16,384

Compatibility

Windows 10 or later; macOS 10.12 or later; Android 6.0 or later; Linux (Ubuntu 20.04 LTS)

(Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)Huion Kamvas Pro 24 Gen 3 review: Design

• Huge 24-inch 4K screen
• Good range of accessories
• Lower 185ppi pixel density than some smaller slates

The first thing you’re likely to notice about the Huion Kamvas Pro 24 Gen 3 is its size. As the name suggests, its screen is a colossal 24 inches — very few drawing tablets exceed this size, apart from Wacom’s colossal Cintiq Pro 27. And while I’ve previously stated that I prefer 16-inch models for the flexibility and portability of their size, the Huion Kamvas Pro 24 Gen 3 has gone a long way towards convincing me that I might have been wrong.

Having such an enormous canvas provides the freedom to hone fine details while still being able to see them in the context of the wider piece. However, since it offers a 4K resolution, the Kamvas Pro 24's pixel density of 185ppi is actually lower than some drawing tablets — it falls shy of the Xencelabs Pen Display 16’s 275ppi, for example. That’s the price you pay for all that extra screen estate, though.

And while we're back to its size, I have to say that I didn’t notice the Huion’s extra bulk as much as I’d thought I would. Part of this is because it requires a more permanent workstation setup than some of its immediate rivals. Although I loved using Xencelab’s drawing tablet while kicking back on the couch, it was abundantly clear from the off that trying to do the same with the Huion model might lead to crush syndrome. Once set up as a workstation, though, the Kavas Pro 24 feels like the beating heart of your sketching setup.

This is definitely helped by the Kamvas Pro 24’s ergonomic design. Rather than needing a separate stand, its built-in feet will see it prop up at a comfortable angle of 20 degrees — although I can’t help but think that a couple of different height settings, so users could select the perfect angle for themselves, would have been better. Case in point: although it has a nice thick inch-wide bezel upon which to rest your wrist while you sketch, I didn’t often use it as the angle didn’t always feel the most natural for me.

(Image credit: Future)

Elsewhere, the rest of the sketching experience feels pretty great. The screen is made of Huion’s lightly etched Canvas Glass 3.0, and while on a personal level I'd prefer a bit more bite like some paper-like displays exhibit, it’s neither too slippery nor prone to catching as some other drawing tablets out there. And when you’re using the felt nibs, in particular, there’s definitely some tactile feedback as it glides across the screen.

Speaking of, not only does the Huion come with two styluses, one streamlined and one pro, its bundle is crammed with accessories. In addition to a wallet that includes 11 spare nibs, it also comes with all of the cabling you could need — USB-C-to-USB-C or HDMI cable — and, remarkably, the Huion G1 Colorimeter for calibrating the tablet. There’s no case included, although I suppose that’s understandable since this isn't really a very luggable device.

Given this is the kind of tablet that will be permanently stationed on a desk, I didn’t find the cable setup at all onerous. Most of the time, you’ll need just a USB-C hookup for your laptop and a power cable. Plugging in an HDMI cable for screen recording or using the shortcut remote wired will add to this — but, for the most part, your cable flow will be a basic two-lane road rather than a massive interchange.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)Huion Kamvas Pro 24 Gen 3 review: performance

• Bold, accurate color
• Zero parallax or jitter
• 16K pressure levels offer little benefit over 8K

So how does the Huion Kamvas Pro 24 Gen 3 perform? Honestly, pretty smoothly. Drawing on it felt natural. Shaping arcs with a flick of my wrist was incredibly fluid, making the spiraling nautilus shell I was sketching far easier to shape, without having to spend time tidying up and correcting mistakes — my own personal achilles heel when drawing freehand.

But it isn't only with line drawings that the device excels. Once I moved on to coloring in my sketch with orange and peach inks, it became clear that the Huion also offers impressive color performance. Its color gamut includes 99% sRGB, 99% AdobeRGB, 98% DCI-P3 and 98% Display P3 coverage, narrowly edging out tablets such as the Xencelabs Pen Display 16, and meaning it’s capable of rendering your artwork in sumptuous, vibrant hues.

Obviously, basic issues such as parallax or jitter would be a deal-breaker given the Huion's cost, but I’m pleased to report it suffered neither: the brush always seemed to sit precisely below the stylus nib, while any lines drawn were impressively stable, even at high speeds. There was a bit of lag on occasion when I was laying down a lot of ink at speed — but, to be honest, I blame my aged MacBook Pro here rather than the tablet itself.

While carrying out these line tests, it quickly became clear that the packaged stylus is capable of some extreme drawing angles. According to Huion, this tops out at 60 degrees, but I wasn’t actually able to find an angle at which it stops recording an input. Basically, as soon as I could tilt the stylus enough for the nib to touch the screen, it was able to record the result, which means you’ll be able to sketch no matter the slant at which you’re holding the pen.

(Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)

On paper, the stylus’s pressure sensitivity sounds similarly superlative, as it’s capable of 16K pressure levels. However, in practice, you’re unlikely to feel the benefit of this over the 8K what other tablets offer — it’s too granular for the human hand to detect. This was largely borne out in my tests. The curves I was capable of drawing didn’t show any smoother gradation of pressure, and while testing sensitivity out in the Huion driver software, I found it hard to maintain a specific pressure level consistently enough for the difference to be beneficial even if it were detectable.

Naturally, the driver software also allows you to customize the pressure sensitivity to more accurately imitate the responsiveness of different mediums. Not only can you choose from five preset pressure curves, but you can also create your own to tailor how quickly the stylus responds. This allowed me to replicate everything from a rock-hard H pencil to a nice, fluid marker.

You can also use the driver software to customize the shortcuts on Huion’s fantastic Keydial Remote. Not only do its keys offer an array of handy shortcuts — whether that’s a keyboard key combo, text input, mouse clicks or tool specific functions — but it also features two concentric dials. Being able to set canvas zoom or brush size to one dial and canvas rotation or brush rotation to the other delivered a really fluid way to interact with the canvas, without having to switch up the tools I was using.

The shortcut buttons on both styluses are more standard: the Pen PW600 has three and the Slim Pen PW600S has two. The options on offer are incredibly helpful, particularly if you’re willing to look up a few of your drawing software’s keyboard shortcut combos. For example, I set them to control Photoshop brush pickup and clean settings, allowing me to quickly alter the mix of pigment on my brush at the tap of a button.

• Performance score: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)Huion Kamvas Pro 24 Gen 3 review: stylus

• Comfortable and responsive
• Not quite as well balanced as the XP-Pen model
• Include eraser shortcuts

As I’ve mentioned above, the Huion Kamvas Pro 24 Gen 3 comes with two styluses — one chunky and pro, the other slim and refined — but whichever you use, you’ll find it pleasingly ergonomic. Both feel comfortable and natural in use, even across long sketching sessions for hours at a time. As is an issue with most styluses, I did occasionally knock their shortcut buttons accidentally; but that’s easy to avoid, if you’re careful with your grip.

Really my only criticism of Huion’s styluses is that they don't quite measure up to XP-Pen’s X3 Pro Slim Stylus and X3 Pro Roller Stylus. When I tested the XP-Pen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2, I raved about the exquisite balance of its styluses — since the fulcrum sits right on top of your fingers, it's easy to keep them in perfect equilibrium as you pivot and rotate them. By comparison, the balance of Huion’s styluses sits much further back.

Having said that, Huion’s styluses trump XP-Pen’s in a more practical manner: their inclusion of an eraser. And while I found these had a tendency to mark the screen on the Huion Kamvas Pro 19, my frantic rubbing out doesn’t seem to have defaced the Kamvas Pro 24’s display so far.

• Stylus score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)Should I buy the Huion Kamvas Pro 24 Gen 3?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Decent value, sitting in the middle of the pack of the mid-range drawing displays. Comes with almost every accessory you could need, plus a colorimeter.

4 / 5

Design

A huge 24-inch beast whose 4K screen deliver a whole load of sketching space. Some more height settings for its legs would be nice, though.

4.5 / 5

Performance

Very responsive sketching, without parallax or jitter. Vibrant colors, huge tilt angles and (slightly OTT) 16 pressure levels. Fantastic shortcut remote.

5 / 5

Stylus

Super comfortable to use. Not quite as ergonomically well balanced as XP-Pen’s devices, but the Huion's styluses come with erasers.

4 / 5

Buy it if…

You want a huge amount of drawing space
At 24 inches, the display here is huge, giving you a massive artboard to sketch on. While you can get bigger — the 27-inch XP-Pen Artist Pro 27 (Gen 2), for example — you’ll have to spend a fair amount more.

You’re after an awesome shortcut remote
With its concentric twin dials, the Huion Keydial Remote offers even more ways to flexibly interact with the canvas. It’s the best I’ve tested to date.

Don’t buy it if…

You want to take it elsewhere
This drawing tablet offers up both vast proportions and top performance — but portable it certainly isn't. At 6.37kg, it won't be accompanying you on your commute.

You’re after the biggest bargain
The Kamvas Pro 24 Gen 3 is great value, but you can get smaller slates for less. And even if you must have a screen this expansive, the XP-Pen Artist Pro 24 (Gen 2) 4K costs less money.

Huion Kamvas Pro 24 Gen 3 review: also consider

Huion Kamvas Pro 24 Gen 3

Xencelabs Pen Display 24

XP-Pen Artist Pro 24 (Gen 2) 4K

Dimensions

23.2 x 14.3 x 0.9 inches / 589.2 x 364 x 22.7mm

24.4 x 15.3 x 1.4 inches / 619.8 x 388.6 x 3 5.6mm

25.1 x 16 x 1.7 inches / 638 x 408 x 44mm

Active drawing area

20.70 x 11.65 inches / 525.89 x 295.81mm

20.75 x 11.7 inches / 527.1 x 297.2mm

16.1 x 9.1 inches / 409 x 230mm

Weight

14.04lbs / 6.37kg

14.55lbs / 6kg

16.1 lbs / 7.3kg

Display resolution

3840 x 2160 pixels

3840 x 2160 pixels

3840 x 2160 pixels

Pressure levels

16,384

8,192

16,384

Compatibility

Windows 10 or later; macOS 10.12 or later; Android 6.0 or later; Linux (Ubuntu 20.04 LTS)

PC: Windows 7 or later Mac: OS X 10.11 or later (latest update) Linux: Ubuntu 14.04 or above, Debian 9.5, CentOS 7.0 or above, RedHat 7.0 or above

Windows 7 or later; macOS 10.13 or later; Android USB3.1 DP1.2; Chrome OS 88 or later; Linux

Xencelabs Pen Display 24
The Xencelabs Pen Display 24 offers a gorgeous 4K display, showing off bold, vibrant colors. However, it’s the drawing experience that will really stick with you, feeling precise while offering just enough bite to its textured glass to deliver a realistic drawing experience. It’s also comfortable and super ergonomic to use, thanks to its decent wrist-rest. Read our full Xencelabs Pen Display 24 review.

XP-Pen Artist Pro 24 (Gen 2) 4K
The XP-Pen Artist Pro 24 (Gen 2) 4K boasts many of the same strengths as the Kamvas Pro 24 Gen 3, including a huge 24-inch 4K display, broad color gamut. and built-in stand. But perhaps the most compelling factor is that price — at its reduced price of $1,039.99 / £1,079 / AU$1,424.99, it’s considerably cheaper than the Huion, making it a super-tempting option. Read our full XP-Pen Artist Pro 24 (Gen 2) 4K review.

(Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)How I tested the Huion Kamvas Pro 24 Gen 3

• Tested it over the course of several weeks
• Used it for line drawing, blending colors and touching up images
• Tried out all of the core accessories and driver software

I used the Huion Kamvas Pro 24 Gen 3 for several weeks, for doing line sketches, blending oil paint brushes, and touching up images in Photoshop. In addition, I also carried out a range of line tests to gauge the accuracy of the styluses and how they responded to pressure.

In terms of specifics, I put all of the tablet’s accessories through their paces while creating artwork, including both styluses and the Keydial Remote. To test the driver software, I tweaked pressure curves and programmed various shortcuts for the styluses and remote to see how well they functioned in a real-world environment.

I have been testing gadgets, including a range of mid-market drawing slates, at TechRadar for several years now. I’ve been creating art as an amateur for several decades, both digitally and using acrylic and canvas, which gives me the first-hand experience required to be able to assess what artists look for in drawing tablets such as these.

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

Rokid AI Glasses Style: two-minute review

At first glance the Rokid AI Glasses Style should be nothing but a slam dunk.

Officially starting at $379 (around £285) but discounted to $299 (around £225) at Rokid’s own store, these glasses are cheaper (assuming you get the lower price) than Meta’s Ray-Bans, while boasting specs on-par or ahead of its rival.

These AI glasses run ChatGPT 5 for insightful answers to your questions (provided you have an internet connection), a solid 12MP camera for first-person shots, real-time translation over 12 languages — including English, Japanese, German, French, Korean and Chinese — and a promised 12-hour long battery life. In our tests they lasted a fair few hours, but regular calls, taking photos and video, AI use and music will drain the battery more quickly (my experience was closer to around five to six hours of charge per session).

The only slight let down was audio. It’s fine but you won’t get a song’s true flavor through these as notes are lost — especially in the bass department. That said, this is true of other smart glasses of this kind, though I do feel some brands have a slight edge (i.e. Meta).

However, the initial price isn’t what it seems.

For a start, it doesn’t include a charging case — that’s an extra $99 fee, unlike its rival, which includes the charging case for free and it’s a real game changer. Additionally, while it’s not uncommon for premium lenses to incur an added charge, especially prescription lenses, the price of Rokid’s glasses doesn’t even include basic clear lenses.

They’ll set you back an additional $59, shaded cost $89, polarized are $109, and my recommended option photochromic transition lenses (more on that below) also cost $109 — and that’s also not included the added cost of any coatings you might want to add to reduce blue light or reflections.

Plus, while I’m being negative, I’ll mention that Rokid’s frames also look and feel cheap. You could confuse them for the 3D specs you get given before a movie. As much a fashion accessory as a useful gadget, the design of smart glasses is crucial — something rivals like Meta has realized with Ray-Ban and Oakley designs, and Google with its Warby Parker and Gentle Monster collaborations.

All that’s to say that while Rokid’s AI Glasses Style make a strong opening impression, the feeling you’re being nickel and dimed, coupled with the lackluster look, left me disappointed.

Rokid AI Glasses Style review: price and availability

You can pick up the Rokid AI Glasses in the US (they also ship to Canada, the UK, and EU) from Rokid's own store for $379 (around £285), though they’re seemingly always on sale for $299 (around £225). This price doesn't tell you the full story however.

(Image credit: Future / Hamish Hector)

Firstly, lenses cost extra, and I'm not just talking about prescription lenses. Clear lenses are $59, shaded lenses are $89, while polarized options will set you back $109, and photochromic lenses that can swap between clear and shaded are $109 too.

My advice with smart glasses is always pay more for photochromic lenses. That way you can use the glasses in clear, sunny, and cloudy weather — as well as indoors. You don’t want your smart specs to only be usable sometimes.

There's additional costs for various additional coatings like anti-glare, and then you'll also need to pay more for a charging case if you want one — it sets you back $99.

Rokid is one of those brands that seems to run frequent deals, which keeps these specs from getting too out of hand financially, but what initially seem to be budget-friendly specs can still quickly spiral into the mid-range or beyond territory. At which point some of their deficiencies — especially in the design category — feel less than excusable.

• Value: 3/5

(Image credit: Future / Hamish Hector)Rokid AI Glasses Style review: design

At a distance, Rokid AI Glasses Style follow the Wayfarer style that many smart specs adopt — not simply Meta’s Ray-Bans. But, ironically when you consider their name, upon closer inspection they miss the mark style-wise, while their core rival oozes cool.

The black plastic frame and flat lenses adopted by Rokid’s specs remind me of movie theatre 3D glasses, not a premium fashion accessory you’d be proud to be caught wearing in public.

I also don’t love that there isn’t a physical power off switch on the glasses’ frame. When I, say, go to the bathroom while wearing my smart glasses, knowing I have physically toggled them off puts my mind at ease that I am indeed conducting my business in private. Without this switch, I have to trust the Rokid glasses aren’t watching — and while I know Rokid will say the specs aren't spying, I still feel uncomfortable.

Rokid’s specs also get a knock points-wise when it comes to the lack of charging case. Unless you pay extra that is.

This case is super handy for recharging your smart specs on the go. On a day out, there are plenty of easy opportunities to recharge your frames with a case — say when you pause for a coffee or lunch — to make them feel like genuinely all-day companions. You could find a socket and use the USB-C charging cable, but that’s significantly less convenient.

Speaking of battery life, while Rokid promises 12 hours of use per charge, my experience using them for regularly calling people, taking photos, asking the AI questions, and playing music saw them last for around half that — about five to six hours.

That’s still not bad in fairness. And as I’ve noted with smart glasses in the past, at least when they do run out of charge, you still have a handy pair of shades.

Before talking about lenses, I will give one definitely positive design comment: the nose pads help to improve the comfort and secure fit of these specs. I wish my Ray-Bans had something similar — I have a large pair and in the summer when my face is covered in a mixture of sweat and sun cream, I constantly have to readjust where they sit on my face. With these Rokid glasses, I could leave them in place for a whole day.

(Image credit: Future / Hamish Hector)

They were comfortable to wear the entire time too.

Now, rounding the design section off: a comment on lenses. I was sent a shaded pair of Rokid AI Glasses Style to test, and in the UK Winter / early Spring these things are next to useless. It’s too dark outside to wear sunglasses, and you can’t really wear them indoors either — unless you’re in the minority of folks who wear sunglasses all-year round.

If you’re getting a pair, get completely clear or — ideally — photochromic lenses that morph between clear and shaded in harsh sunlight. That'll mean you have specs you can use in any conditions.

• Design: 2.5/5

Rokid AI Glasses Style review: Performance

If the Rokid AI Glasses struggle in terms of design and price, performance is where they solidly hit the mark.

Rokid’s AI assistant is powered by ChatGPT 5, which I found meant the specs were able to provide useful, insightful info on a range of topics — they even helped me find a new restaurant to try in Brighton’s Lanes after I asked for food recommendations. As someone who regularly uses my smart glasses as a tourist, they were more than capable of being your personal guide in both familiar and unfamiliar places.

I can’t speak for the full quality of their translation abilities, though tests at trade shows have proven they have a solid grasp of Chinese, and the 12-long list of supported languages — which includes English, as well as essential European and Asian languages — does put them ahead of some key rivals (read: Meta’s specs).

The microphones pick up clear audio and AI commands even in windier conditions, making voice notes is super easy, and navigation through the Rokid App is handy when it works properly — it sometimes misheard me and wanted to send me to Nottingham train station rather than my nearest one.

All of these tools can be activated hands-free using voice commands, but you can find recordings, photos, and additional information like a route map in the Hi Rokid app.

(Image credit: Future / Hamish Hector)

Speaking of photos, the Rokid AI glasses’ camera is, in a word, fine. The 12MP snapper is a little better for video, but it can be handy for snapping a quick first-person shot — especially if you haven’t got the hands to take your phone out of your pocket.

The audio is also fine. The bass lacks oomph, tracks feel noticeably emptier than they would with headphones and, at medium to louder volumes, there’s noticeable sound leakage if people are near you. But for casual tunes while you explore a city, these specs will serve you fine with open-ear audio that won’t take you out of the moment you’re in.

• Performance: 4.5/5

Should I buy the Rokid AI Glasses Style?

Attribute

Comment

Score

Design

Comfortable for longer stretches with a decent battery life, these shades are let down by an ugly design and lack of a physical power switch.

2.5/5

Performance

The camera and audio could be better, but the AI tools were all super handy. I could seriously see these as being an essential travel companion on my next vacation, given ChatGPT’s knowledge and the specs’ useful translation tools.

4.5/5

Value

While they initially seem relatively affordable, these smart glasses can quickly have their price rack-up, with lens and charging case costs making them mid-range rather than budget champions.

3/5

Buy them if…

You want to travel
With useful AI, a first-person camera view, and an impressive selection of languages they can translate, these specs should be a solid travel buddy.

You hate Meta
A big plus for some will be these specs aren’t tied into the Meta ecosystem like its Ray-Bans and Oakleys.

You love ChatGPT
The Rokid AI is powered by ChatGPT 5 — a very capable AI assistant that answered all of my queries well.

Don’t buy them if…

You want budget excellence
While the Rokid specs may seem quite affordable, costs can rack up quickly with additional add-ons like lenses and the charging cases.

You’re a fashion icon
Despite having style in the name, these smart glasses don’t exactly ooze it.

You want great open-ear audio
Like many other smart specs, these glasses don’t boast great open-ear audio. It’s fine, but dedicated open earbuds will be far more useful for you.

How I tested the Rokid AI Glasses Style

I used the Rokid AI Glasses Style for a month, wearing them on days it was bright enough to use sunglasses and not look too odd in late Winter / early Spring. I also did some at-home testing where I didn’t mind how silly I looked.

I made sure to try all of their features, and took them on a couple of day trips to test their abilities over longer stretches of time to judge their comfort and battery life.

I ran the Hi Rokid app from my trusty Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7.

• First reviewed: April 2026

Honor Magic 8 Pro review: Two-minute review

After its strong showing with last year’s Magic 7 Pro, Chinese smartphone maker Honor is back with another excellent flagship. The Honor Magic 8 Pro is everything you could want from a top of the line smartphone, with a stacked spec sheet that features Qualcomm’s superb Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC (the same chip that powers the likes of the more expensive Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra), backed up by 12GB of RAM and a generous 512GB of storage in all available models.

It almost goes without saying, but this is a seriously speedy phone that breezes through everyday tasks and is an absolute gaming powerhouse to boot. I’ve been using it as a daily driver for months, putting it through its paces with high-end titles like Zenless Zone Zero and the recent Tomb Raider port, which it handles effortlessly at maximum graphics settings. Whether you’re playing the latest games or watching movies and shows on Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, you can rest assured that everything is going to look stunning on the top-notch 6.7-inch OLED display. It’s incredibly bright and vibrant, topping out at 6,000 nits, with a crisp 1256 x 2808 resolution and buttery smooth 120Hz refresh rate.

I also love Honor’s new design, which refines the already strong look of the Magic 7 Pro with a larger and rounder camera module that gives the phone a more even look than before. The Magic 8 Pro comes in much better colors if you’re willing to venture outside the basic Black, too, including bright Sky Cyan and the radiant Sunrise Gold version that I tested. I’m a sucker for gold or rose gold colorways, and the shimmery back material here is an absolute stunner.

(Image credit: Future)

That said, I’m not too impressed by the addition of a dedicated, touch-sensitive AI Button on the Magic 8 Pro. This is effectively just Honor’s version of Apple’s Camera Control button, letting you zoom the camera in or out by simply sliding your finger across it. Tap it while on the home screen, and you’ll open up some of Honor’s AI tools, which are honestly a little lacking and don’t really justify a dedicated button. The AI Photos Agent is great, offering genuinely useful tools like the ability to remove passersby, upscale images, remove reflections, and so on, but the AI Settings Agent and AI Memories apps are both borderline useless.

Like other Honor devices, battery life is superb here. The battery optimization software can be a little too eager to shut down background apps that you might want to keep open, but it’s easy to add exceptions in the settings. The Magic 8 Pro unit that I used boasts a mega 7,100mAh silicon-carbon battery, which gives it more than enough juice to last a full day with moderate use. Even when you’re streaming content or playing intensive games, it’s difficult to run out of fuel in a single day. If you’re a lighter user, you should be able to achieve multiple days of runtime — especially if you enable the battery saver mode.

There is a caveat, though: buyers of the Magic 8 Pro in EU regions will get a reduced 6,270mAh silicon-carbon battery. This is a small downgrade that most aren’t going to notice, and will by no means restrict your ability to squeeze out a full day of use. Still, it’s worth bearing in mind given that competing devices like the Oppo Find X9 Pro and OnePlus 15 have batteries exceeding 7,000mAh in the same region.

Also, shoppers in the US and Australia have to contend with limited availability as Honor phones are not officially sold there. You may be able to import the Magic 8 Pro through some online retailers, but do bear in mind that this may impact network compatibility and your access to support or warranty services.

Honor Magic 8 Pro review: Price and availability

• £1,099.99 in the UK
• Almost always on sale for £899.99
• Frequently comes with great freebies
• Not officially available in the US or Australia

If you’ve bought an Honor device before, you’ll know that they are always almost on sale via Honor’s official website. The Honor Magic 8 Pro is no exception, and while it has an £1,099.99 RRP, it’s easy to find for as little as £899.99 at various times throughout the year.

Considering the high specs (plus that generous 512GB of storage), the Magic 8 Pro is absolutely incredible value at that lower price, and things only get better when you factor in the various freebies Honor likes to throw in.

At the time of writing, in addition to the £200 discount, the Honor Magic 8 Pro comes with a decent budget tablet (the Honor Pad X9a) that normally goes for £149.99, plus a £49.99 power adapter and £59.99 earbuds — that’s about £260 of extra value right there. The same offer might not be available as you read this, but it’s always worth checking Honor’s official website for similar freebies before heading straight to Amazon and other third-party retailers.

As with most other Honor phones, the Magic 8 Pro is not officially sold in the US or Australia.

• Value score: 5 / 5

Honor Magic 8 Pro review: Specs

Here's a look at the Honor Magic 8 Pro's key specs:

Honor Magic 8 Pro

Dimensions

161.15 x 8.4 x 75mm

Weight

219g

OS

MagicOS 10, based on Android 16

Display

6.7-inch OLED, 120Hz

Resolution

1256 x 2808

Chipset

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

RAM

12GB

Storage

512GB

Battery

7,100mAh (tested), 6270mAh (EU)

Rear cameras

50MP wide (f/1.6) + 50MP ultra-wide (f/2.0) + 200MP telephoto (f/2.6, 3.7x optical zoom)

Front camera

50MP (f/2.0) + 3D Depth Camera

Charging

120W wired, 80W wireless

Honor Magic 8 Pro review: DesignFutureFuture

• Sleek and stylish
• Follows usual Chinese phone design trends
• New AI Button

Honor hasn’t rocked the design boat with its latest flagship, but rather opted to refine the already strong aesthetics of the Honor Magic 7 Pro. The biggest difference with this new model is a more rounded ‘squircle’ camera bump, which has been moved a little higher up and made ever so slightly larger to give the phone a more balanced look. It’s a very sleek and stylish design, provided you like a big camera module — a trend in most Chinese flagships.

The phone feels lovely in the hands, with the hefty aluminum frame giving a good impression of durability. The back is plastic, but it’s impressively high-quality and reinforced in such a way that I didn’t even notice it wasn’t actually glass until I checked the device's spec sheet.

I’m very clumsy with my phones and generally use them without a case, which is a recipe for quite a few nasty drops. Embarrassingly, in my time with the Magic 8 Pro, I’ve dropped it from arm height directly on concrete a couple of times, and it’s emerged unscathed, bar a few small nicks on the Honor NanoCrystal Shield screen and a tiny dent in one corner. This is an impressive showing, and I have no doubts that it could take a much more intense beating with similarly strong results.

In addition to the volume rocker and power button, the right side of the Honor Magic 8 Pro now boasts a new AI Button. Unlike the other buttons, it’s flush against the side of the phone and is touch-sensitive. You customize what the button does in the phone’s settings menu, and I’ve found it’s most useful when used to open the camera, though given the existing camera shortcut on the lock screen, it’s not really something that I use a lot.

The Magic 8 Pro is available in three colors: Sunrise Gold, Sky Cyan, and Black. My personal favorite is comfortably Sunrise Gold, which happens to be the one sent to me for testing. It’s got a lovely shimmery look to it, with a subtle gold color that looks luxurious but, importantly, not overly garish.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Honor Magic 8 Pro review: DisplayFuture

• Impressive brightness
• Strong resolution and refresh rate
• Features Magic Capsule

The Honor Magic 8 Pro has a formidable 6.7-inch 1256 x 2808 OLED panel with HDR support that's capable of reaching a blinding 6,000 nits brightness. Cranked up to the max (which is 1,800 nits in non-HDR content), it remains fully visible in even the harshest sunlight.

The 120Hz refresh rate is silky smooth and ensures that scrolling social media and system menus looks and feels great.

Some might not appreciate the rounded corners or subtle curve along the edge of the phone’s display, but I find that it's lovely under the fingers.

At the top of the screen, you'll find a small island with the front camera and 3D depth camera. You can use this for 3D face recognition, though I was perfectly happy just sticking to the Magic 8 Pro’s impressively snappy under-screen fingerprint reader.

This island is also home to the Magic Capsule, Honor’s take on Apple’s Dynamic Island concept. It provides an easy way to see your current song, any active timers, whether you have a voice recording running, and similar system app functions.

The whole screen is covered by Honor's NanoCrystal Shield coating, which seems to hold up quite well. You're still going to end up with scratches if you accidentally stick the phone in a pocket next to your keys, but otherwise, you shouldn't expect to pick up many blemishes in general use. I also appreciate the fact that the phone comes fitted with a plastic screen protector right out of the box, too.

• Display score: 4 / 5

Honor Magic 8 Pro review: Cameras

(Image credit: Future)

• Great camera performance
• Especially good in challenging environments
• Aggressive image processing

The Honor Magic 8 Pro’s camera array is headlined by a 200MP telephoto shooter with 3.7x optical zoom and 100x digital zoom. It performs excellently on the whole, though photography purists will inevitably spot that images do tend to suffer from rather aggressive processing that sometimes leaves edges looking a little too smooth or even slightly smudged if you like to zoom in on captured photos.

Still, the results are always bright and cheerful with strong colors and loads of detail. The optical zoom is speedy and effective, and you can get some surprisingly good results from the 100x digital zoom, though you should expect lots of visible AI processing. 4K 120fps video capture is also supported on the Magic 8 Pro, which makes it feel decidedly flagship.

This telephoto shooter is joined by a 50MP ‘Ultra Night’ wide lens, which really comes into its own in challenging lighting conditions. Whether it’s at a bustling club or an eclectic show, the Magic 8 Pro manages to capture details impressively clearly. It deals with motion extremely well, too, helping you effortlessly achieve great shots.

The weakest part of the camera setup is easily the 50MP ultra-wide, which is decent but nothing special in this market segment.

You also get plenty of cool modes to play around with, including Harcourt-inspired portraits and an absolutely incredible Stage mode that really takes the camera performance to another level at concert events.

• Cameras score: 4 / 5

Honor Magic 8 Pro review: Camera samplesFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureHonor Magic 8 Pro review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 delivers lightning-fast performance
• Flawless in daily use and gaming
• Some audio settings tweaks needed

What is there really to say about the performance of a phone outfitted with Snapdragon’s latest top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset? You can easily achieve a rock solid 60fps in demanding titles like Genshin Impact and Zenless Zone Zero, even with the graphics cranked all the way up to the maximum settings. The phone stays impressively cool under heavy load, too, and doesn’t suffer from too much battery drain.

For daily use, the performance of the Magic 8 Pro is simply flawless, whether you’re scrolling through social media apps, online shopping, or browsing the internet. The 12GB of RAM (plus a rather superfluous additional 12GB of ‘Honor RAM Turbo’) is more than enough to multitask effectively and ensures that you will rarely struggle to flick between multiple apps.

The base 512GB capacity is excellent too, and should be plenty for most users. I download a helluva lot of high-fidelity music and high-end games, and have barely scraped past the 250GB mark in months of use.

The speakers on the Magic 8 Pro are also surprisingly good. No, they’re intended to replace your standalone JBL speaker, but music that you blast is perfectly pleasant and has an impressive level of bass. Just make sure to enable the premium bass mode in settings and disable 3D surround sound, as the latter leaves music sounding tinny and weird.

Also, make sure to turn off both Honor Sound Spatial Audio and Honor Sound Stereo Studio under Headphone Sound Effects settings, otherwise your sound with headphones is going to feel noticeably off.

• Performance score: 5 / 5

Honor Magic 8 Pro review: Software

(Image credit: Future)

• MagicOS 10 is easy to use
• Seven years of support promised
• AI features are hit-and-miss

As a former Apple user, I've always championed Honor's MagicOS 10 for its attractive design and ease of use. Yes, the brand is rather shameless in its copying of the Silicon Valley giant’s latest software innovations (just seen MagicOS 10’s very Liquid Glass-inspired transparent new look), but it's hard to argue with the results.

Menus are well laid out and look pretty, and there are plenty of customization options to play around with. All of the system apps look great and are brimming with functionality too, with the well-organized Notes app and transcribing Voice Recorder regular favorites when I'm working at tech events.

In the EU and some other markets, Honor has also promised seven years of software support. This is an excellent commitment and puts Honor up there with market leaders like Samsung.

I do have to admit that I expected a lot more from the phone's AI features, given the brand's focus on them in marketing. There are a few good inclusions here, like some effective AI photo editing tools and the ability to generate summaries or graphs in Notes, but some of the software feels half-baked.

The AI Settings Agent is a prime example of this. On paper, it's a chatbot that can adjust your phone settings by turning off Bluetooth, enabling your hotspot, and so on when asked by voice or text. A cool idea, but in practice, it's slow, buggy, and can't parse complex commands at all. Then there's the AI Memories app, which is simply baffling. It's just a bog average screenshot tool with the word “AI” slapped on it for no apparent reason.

There's also no getting around the fact that buyers outside of China are missing out on the YoYo Agent, Honor's agentic AI assistant. Instead, you get Gemini built-in which is much less exciting.

• Software score: 4 / 5

Honor Magic 8 Pro review: Battery

(Image credit: Future)

• 7,100mAh silicon-carbon, or 6,270mAh in the EU
• Easily powers through multiple days of use
• 100W wired charging, 80W wireless charging

Honor has always delivered phones with superb battery life, and the Honor Magic 8 Pro is no exception. As I mentioned previously, the model I tested sports a 7,100mAh silicon-carbon battery, though buyers in the EU will have a slightly smaller 6,270mAh model.

It comfortably lasts a full day of use and then some, and I’m a particularly frequent phone user who’s always checking social media and blasting music through my headphones.

With minimal use, you could easily squeeze multiple days out of a single charge, especially if you turn on the battery saver mode. The phone supports blazing-fast 100W wired charging, plus staggering 80W wireless charging, provided you use Honor’s own peripherals.

In terms of the competition, the Magic 8 Pro is comparable to the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, though it offers faster wired charging than both of those phones. The OnePlus 15, meanwhile, remains the overall battery life champion — but the Honor runs it close.

• Battery score: 4.5 / 5

Should you buy the Honor Magic 8 Pro?Honor Magic 8 Pro scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

The Honor Magic 8 Pro is killer value, with its top-of-the-line specs and generous starting storage capacity, especially if you can find it with freebies thrown in.

5 / 5

Design

Although Honor doesn’t rip up the design rule book, the Magic 8 Pro is still a lovely-looking phone that comes in some great color options.

4 / 5

Display

A great display that’s bright, smooth, and offers a high resolution. The slight curve on its edges and rounded bezels might be divisive, though.

4 / 5

Performance

Qualcomm’s fastest chip is paired with a healthy 12GB of RAM. What else is there to say?

5 / 5

Software

Brilliant, easy-to-use software with a wealth of features and an excellent support commitment. Some of the AI tools are a bit underwhelming, though.

4 / 5

Cameras

Simply put, the Honor Magic 7 Pro is the longest-lasting Android flagship around. It charges extremely quickly, too.

4 / 5

Battery

A phone that can power through multiple days with standard use. It’s a shame that some buyers get a slightly smaller battery than others, though.

4.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You want a stellar all-rounder
The Honor Magic 8 Pro is one of the best all-rounders on the market. It’s got killer performance, a strong display, compelling software, great cameras, and incredible battery life.

You find it on sale with freebies
The Honor Magic 8 Pro is good value for money at full price, but discounts and freebies, including accessories and even entire tablets, take it into must-buy territory.

You want long-term support
With its seven years of promised software support, Honor is up there with market leaders like Samsung. This is a phone you can rely on for years to come.

Don't buy it if...

You don’t like parts of the design
Elements like the slightly curved screen and squircle camera module won’t be to everybody’s tastes.

Honor Magic 8 Pro review: Also consider

Not so keen on the Honor Magic 8 Pro? Stack it up against these compelling alternatives.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Samsung’s previous flagship is still a fantastic buy, and easy to find on sale. You get a similarly powerful chip, 12GB of RAM, some great cameras, and beloved software — but you do lose out on the battery and storage front.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review

OnePlus 15

If you’re a buyer in the EU, then you might want to go for the OnePlus 15 instead. Unlike the Honor Magic 8 Pro in the region, it has a massive 7,300mAh battery and can be configured with even more RAM.

Read our full OnePlus 15 review

Honor Magic 8 Pro

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

OnePlus 15

Price:

£1099.99

$1,299 / £1,249 / AU$2,149

$899 / £899

Display:

6.7-inch OLED, 120Hz

6.9-inch AMOLED, 120Hz

6.78-inch LTPO OLED, 120Hz (165Hz for select games)

Cameras:

50MP main + 50MP ultra-wide + 200MP telephoto w/ 3.7x zoom

200MP main + 50MP ultra-wide + 10MP telephoto w/ 3x zoom + 50MP telephoto w/ 5x zoom

50MP main + 50MP ultra-wide + 50MP telephoto w/ 3.5x zoom

Processor:

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

Battery:

7,100mAh (tested), 6,270mAh (EU)

5,000mAh

7,300mAh

How I tested the Honor Magic 8 Pro

• Tested for multiple months
• Used as a daily driver
• Compared to other phones

I tested the Honor Magic 8 Pro over a period of multiple months, with Honor providing the phone a few weeks before its official launch back in October 2025.

It’s been my daily driver for that entire time, used for hours every week, and thoroughly compared with my hands-on testing of other phones from Honor in addition to top Android alternatives. Throughout my testing time, I was careful to evaluate the phone’s performance in a wide range of apps, including top games, social media applications, and more.

Read more about how we test

First tested March 2026

Sivga Robin SV021 Pro: Two-minute review

The Sivga Robin SV021 Pro are some primo-looking over-ears, designed to compete quite handily in a febrile market of Middleweight Listener Headphones That Tend To Feature Some Kind Of Wood In Their Construction. True to their mission, everything about the SV021 Pro is, at the very least, good — if not great — albeit with some caveats.

I went from absolutely loving them to pretty assuredly ‘meh’-ing them, and back again, multiple times during the course of my review. Even now, I don’t quite know what to make of them. They look the part, but sometimes feel a bit flimsy; they’re extremely comfortable, but might not fit smaller heads as well as mine; they sound great with respect to mids and highs, but the bass is off-kilter to the point that a quite-good soundstage is often choked. Every action, an opposite reaction (if not equal, per se).

Through all that, and on average, they quietly and not-so-surprisingly get decently strong grades – all the way to getting a good spot at the local polytechnic, and a dependable job with a reputable multinational firm. A win by technicality. A VAR victory.

What does this mean? That I’ve probably been a bit mean about them; that they’re pretty good, both in general and for the price. I think? But among the best wired headphones on the market? I'm not sure.

(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)Sivga Robin SV021 Pro review: Price and release date

• Released February 2026
• $179 / £179 / approx. AUS $339

Sivga is a Chinese hi-fi brand, one which has been carving a space for itself in the wearable audio world since 2016. It sits pretty within a (relatively) new coterie of of industry-disrupting Chinese audio brands, leveraging experience and regional manufacturing capabilities to undercut a lot of the big names.

Indeed, Sivga has clearly taken aim at a handful of key operators in the headphones space, at least with its latest tranche of wood-plated objet d’audio. They seem pointed to the general space otherwise occupied by such listener-chic over-ears as the Meze Audio 99 Classics — and designed to undercut them quite handily.

The Sivga Robin SV021 Pro, are a successor set of closed-back over-ear headphones, improving on the OG SV021s with an smooth redesign and some quietly upgraded innards. They retail at $179 / £179 / AU$339 (approx.), making them some of the cheaper wood-flecked headphones available on the market, save for some tight competition from compatriot hi-fi disruptors like FiiO.

That’s a hotly contested price range for headphones more generally, but not so much for this new breed of bougie-aesthetic, headphones-as-statement home-listening accoutrements — headphones designed to be thought of differently.

So, do the Sivga Robin SV021 Pro compete?

(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)Sivga Robin SV021 Pro review: SpecsSivga Robin SV021 Pro Specs

Type

Closed-back

Drivers

50mm dynamic

Impedance

45 ohms

Weight

289g

Connectivity

Dual 3.5mm TS output

Frequency range

20Hz - 20kHz

Extras

Hemp pouch, 3.5mm TRS to dual 3.5mm TS cable, 6.3mm TRS adapter

Sivga Robin SV021 Pro review: Features

• Fetching wood-backed ear cups
• 45-ohm impedance
• 50mm aluminum-diaphragm dynamic driver

The Sivga Robin SV021 Pro are a pair of passive, closed-back over-ear headphones and, hence, there’s not much to say on the features front. They do one thing, and one thing only: receive sound from your amplified sound source of choice.

How it does that, though, may be of note. The Robins are equipped with 50mm dynamic drivers, utilizing an aluminum composite diaphragm that gives them a sort-of trademark upper-register solidity. These are powerful performers with respect to high mids and treble, as we’re about to discover.

The frequency range remains the same as the OG SV021, at a relatively unremarkable 20Hz - 20kHz. That said, the new driver design yields a slightly higher impedance of 45 ohms. By asking for a just a little bit more juice, the Pros give a little more richness in return.

Each ear cup is separately addressed by a 3.5mm TS connector; the SV021 Pro ship with a braided dual 3.5mm TS to 3.5mm TRS cable, terminated with some very suave-looking matte-aluminum connectors. They look the part, and they certainly don’t get in the way sonically.

The bigger USP here, really, is the visual design, more on which shortly. For now, though, the SV021 Pro come in two distinct colorways — beechwood and zebrawood. The former features bright wood earcups with silvery hardware and Wes-Anderson-chic tan fabrics, while the latter pairs a streaky walnut-esque wood finished with smoky metals and executive-chic black fabrics.

Both come with the requisite cable, a 3.5mm - 6.35mm adapter, and a nice hemp pouch to keep them in. That being said, I don’t think the bag would do much to protect them from the rigors of public transport, nor do I think these headphones are particularly travel-friendly in general.

Ultimately, there’s not much to complain about. Audiophiles might be upset at the lack of potential for balanced outputs, and I might be upset at the somewhat-hamstrung frequency range on offer, but everything else points to an above-average performer at a below-average price point, as far as passive headphones go.

• Features score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)Sivga Robin SV021 Pro review: Sound quality

• Tight, clear treatment of mids and highs
• Immersive soundstage
• Irrepressible and unfocused low-end representation

The SV021 Pros are, put simply, a mixed bag. There’s a great deal of good here, from a decently spacious soundstage to a general, non-fatiguing brightness in their representation, which lends even more to that soundstage.

In fact, it’s the Sivga SV021 Pro’s handling of high-end that sets it apart. Something like Pile’s Blood, a minimalist guitar-and-ambience ode to agnosticism, sounds as excitingly tactile, brittle and frail as it should. There’s an airy sheen here, thanks to which voices sound absolutely phenomenal.

Mitski’s latest album Nothing’s About To Happen To Me was on heavy rotation in my final few days' reviewing these headphones, both at its Hi-Res 24-bit/96kHz best on Qobuz and at its analog best on vinyl. It was an absolute joy to scrutinize through the SV021 Pro, if only for giving a little more space to Mitski’s satin-silk vocal timbre. I’ll Change For You is every bit the tear-jerking ballad it was written to be, vocal front, center and soaring. Where’s My Phone? simply has 'the juice'.

There’s a delightful tightness to transients, tissy hi-hats and high-tuned snares alike. Reedy instruments benefit from both that air and tactility, as do soft-played pianos — all of which speaks to a slightly more even-handed frequency response than the sharp V-shaped profile of the OG SV021s. There is still some prominent V-ing going on here, though, as demonstrated by the double-edged sword that is the SV021 Pros’ handling of bass.

It’s refreshing to hear a set of headphones with a supple low midrange; it lends gravitas to crooners like Mitski, and gives a lot of welcome energy to the rockier stuff. Despite the brighter sound profile, listening to Queens of the Stone Age’s Songs for the Deaf, revealed no ‘lack’ in heft. In fact, the transient response gives a little more grit to the brighter guitars of No One Knows, and some gratifying growl to the bass.

Unfortunately, the low end is as much a problem as a presence. I’d go as far as to say that the SV021 Pro overcompensate. When injecting them with any amount of audio-volume welly, the bass builds into a bulging mess of directionless energy.

Something as delicate as Mitski’s Dead Women, a soft-sold Trojan horse of rich and unsettling bassy weight, is run a little roughshod by the Robins; subby energy quickly becomes overwhelming, choking the dynamics and ultimately feeling to cramp the soundstage with pillows. Feed the Robins a little too much in the way of sub, and you may even catch some distortion.

That said, they are capable of handling more curated instances of bass fairly well. Mitski’s I’ll Change For You has a thick-thumping kick and a woolly electric bass, which benefit greatly from that upward EQ tilt towards the lower reaches.

All told, I don’t think I’ve had a more confusing experience evaluating a set of headphones. There’s a lot to love, and to love a great deal, about the SV021 Pros’ upper register definition and even-handedness; about their transient reproduction; about how all this comes together without creating a fatiguing listening experience. And yet, there’s a big bassy elephant in the room, that loves to stand right in your peripheries making things feel awkward and a bit small, actually.

For their sins, the SV021 Pro are quite an enjoyable listen. Whether it’s the kind of balanced, sensitive listen their wood-backed home-listener aesthetic is selling, I’m not quite as sold.

• Sound quality score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)Sivga Robin SV021 Pro review: Design

• Exceedingly comfortable to wear
• Easy-to-like aesthetics
• A bit rattly at times

As far as aesthetics go, the SV021 Pro are absolutely a winner. My review headphones were the beechwood variant, bearing bright earcups and tan fabrics in the way of a tight velour and a soft pleather – all mounted in matte aluminum hardware. The fabrics suit my tastes to the ground, and the wider look of the headphones is great (if a little school-cafeteria-furniture-y, in certain lights).

They are a little lighter in weight than they look, which I initially interpreted to be a not-so-good thing, but which actually turned out to be a Very Good Thing Indeed. Particularly so for the fact that they’re so dang comfortable to wear.

The earcup cushions are pillowy as anything, and that soft velour fabric around your head is supremely soft. The pleather that furnishes the inside and outside of each cup is surprisingly soft, too. The only reason for which I ever felt even slight discomfort wearing them was for their closed-back nature – after a while in any set of closed-backs, you can expect your ears to get a little claustro.

There’s a ratchet system attaching each earcup to the headband, by which height is set. The system is reassuringly secure, if a little bit rattly when not on your bonce. I am the recipient of a surprisingly small head, and the very lowest setting for each ear cup is about perfect for me; others with smaller heads may encounter some difficulties.

Another minor complaint comes from the placement of the output terminals on each earcup — at the bottom, facing straight down — which isn’t great in practice. There’s a great deal of sound transferred to the cups through the cord, so you’re practically guaranteed to hear the consequences of those braided cables rubbing on your shoulders whether you stand or sit.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)Sivga Robin SV021 Pro review: Value

• Good price for their niche
• Great value, comfort-wise
• Hard to recommend for active listeners

I wasn’t sure where I’d fall on the Sivga Robin SV021 Pro, and, writing this up now, I’m still not. Ultimately, they’re decent. Initially, they didn’t blow me away, but with time I found real magic in certain areas. Yet, for each parcel of magic, I found a bit of a nuisance counterargument. Broadly, they certainly don’t fall short of what they’re promising.

They strike me as a less-expensive alternative to something like the Meze Audio 99 Classics; a budget-conscious option for more-than-serviceable over-ear hi-fi, that doesn’t also do away with any sense of rarefied visual design by virtue of price. A distinguished pair of listener headphones for the entry level.

In this sense, the SV021 Pro succeed. For the money, you get a highly dependable set of headphones that look the part, are remarkably easy to wear for long stretches, and don’t give you much reason to complain while you’re wearing them — provided you don’t push them too hard. If you like the look of them and like the look of that price point, you’re probably going to like them a lot.

But. If you’re the kind of person that generally desires a little ‘more’ from passive headphones like these, in any sense of the term, you might be left wanting. Their EQ balance and low-end handling leaves a little to be desired, and, smart as the design is, there are a few missed opportunities from a quality-of-life standpoint. In particular, the transmission of vibrations through the cable, and the solidity of the ear cups as they attach to the headband.

Maybe I’ve been spoiled by other iterations of this ‘hygge’ headphone style, and maybe I’ve been a bit of a curmudgeon in the process of reviewing these, ultimately, extremely serviceable over-ears. Their comfort and quality, overall, already go some way to justifying that asking price. Everything else, for me, is just a bit of a juggle.

• Value score: 3.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)Sivga Robin SV021 Pro review: Should you buy them?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Solid passive over-ears, but missing balanced outputs.

4 / 5

Sound quality

Titanium composite drivers promote high-end performance. Messy bass response much to their detriment.

4 / 5

Design

Very easy on the eye, slightly undone by rattling headband mechanism and cable sound contamination.

4.5 / 5

Value

There are better budget listening headphones out there, and better wood-backed headphones too.

3.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)Buy them if...

You like the look of them
It’s hard to fault the these headphones' visuals, and harder still to argue against the power of a good first impression. At this price, headphones don’t usually look quite this swanky!

You’re a passive listener
The EQ balance of the Sivga SV021 Pro is such that your passive listening is rewarded – with gutsy lows, supple strings and an incredible treatment of vocals. It’s a homely comfort food of a sound, for some.

Don't buy them if...

You’re an active listener
There are many shortcomings here, from sound contamination through the cable to a low-end that doesn’t really know how to act. These headphones can sound great, but don’t do great under scrutiny.

You want commuting headphones
There’s very little in the way of sound isolation to speak of here – besides which, they’re too nice to risk crunching up in a packed bag, or dropping on public transport.

Sivga Robin SV021 Pro review: Also consider

Sivga Robin SV021 Pro

Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Generation

FiiO FT1

Type:

Over-ear, closed-back

Over-ear, closed-back

Over-ear, closed-back

Driver:

50mm dynamic

40mm dynamic

60mm dynamic

Frequency range:

20Hz - 20kHz

15Hz - 25kHz

10Hz - 40kHz

Impedance:

45 ohms

16 ohms

32 ohms

Connector:

Dual 3.5mm TS output

Dual 3.5mm TS output

Dual 3.5mm TS output

Weight:

289g

290g

340g

Extras:

Hemp pouch, 3.5mm TRS to dual 3.5mm TS cable, 6.3mm TRS adapter

Dual-TS to 3.5mm TRS cable; 3.5mm-to-6.35mm TRS adapter; USB-C DAC/AMP dongle; carry case

Dual-TS to 3.5mm TRS cable, Dual-TRS to 4.4mm TRRRS cable, soft case

Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen
The Meze are perhaps the best mid-weight wood-backed over-ears on the market right now – a niche category, sure, but no small achievement! They’re almost twice the price of the Sivga Robin SV021 Pro, but it’s a small price to pay for a better interpretation of the same essential sound character and, in my humble opinion, a much better-looking set of headphones.
Read our Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen review for more

FiiO FT1
The FiiO were the first closed-backs out of the gate from the competitor Chinese brand, in 2024. These over-ears are cheaper, balanced, come with bigger drivers and exhibit a broader frequency range – but they may be a more oppressive wear than the SV021 Pro.
See our in-depth FiiO FT1 review for more

Sivga Robin SV021 Pro review: How I tested

• Tested for 4 weeks
• Used at home, through a Volt 4 audio interface and Vestax mixer/amp
• Predominantly tested using Qobuz and vinyl records

Much of my testing took place in my attic studio, where I listened primarily to lossless audio using the streaming service Qobuz, as well as audio from my digital library. This was through a Universal Audio Volt 4 audio interface, and also through the headphone output from a pair of Edifier MR5 monitor speakers.

I also spent a little time listening to vinyl records, played on a Vestax PDX-D3 turntable through the headphone output of a Vestax PCV-275 mixer.

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

CorelDRAW has long been one of our favorite creative apps, and it's especially notable that unlike so many similar software services, it's still - even in 2026 - offering a one-time fee instead of being subscription-only (although that is available too).

The tools here blend together graphic design software, drawing tools, and even a photo editor into a well-rounded alternative to Adobe Photoshop.

Well, time waits for no successful software package. It's got a new iteration and a bunch of new features for the new year, so, I’ve come to check out what’s changed in Corel’s flagship bundle of applications since I last explored it last year.

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2026: Pricing & plans

• One-time fee option
• Monthly and annual subscriptions also available
• Works across PC and Mac

The CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2026 is available to download or try free for 15 days by clicking here.

When it comes to prices, the trend is increasingly moving towards renting your software, and here the monthly subscription cost is $22.42 / £26.58, or $269 / £319 for the year. This allows you to take advantage of any future major updates, but as always, once you stop paying, you have nothing to show for it.

Which is why I’m glad they also offer the option to actually purchase the software, for a one-time fee of $549 / £659, which is about two years’ worth of rental and you own it for good.

On top of that, Corel allows you to have a 15-day trial of their software to make sure it’s exactly what you’re after. The cherry on top? It’s compatible with Windows and Macs.

I found the specs are quite generous. For instance, PCs need Windows 10 or 11, at least an Intel Core i3 processor, or an AMD Ryzen 3, while Macs have to run Monterey (version 12) or above, and either be powered by an Intel multiprocessor or any of Apple’s own CPUs (M1 or better).

When it comes to RAM and storage space, you should never base your decision on a manufacturer’s minimum requirements, especially for a graphics application. Cram your computer with as much RAM as you can afford - you’ll never regret it.

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2026: The suite

(Image credit: Corel // Future)

• A portfolio of applications including DRAW for vector and page layout work, and PHOTO-PAINT for pixel manipulation
• Frustratingly, Macs don’t have access to CAPTURE yet pay the same price as PC users

The main tool in this suite of apps lends its name to the suite itself: CorelDRAW. Its focus is on vector-based illustration and layout design, so if you think about it in Adobe terms, it’s a mix of Illustrator and InDesign.

On top of that, PowerTRACE is built inside CorelDRAW, which is an AI-based tool designed to improve image quality during the tracing process, for instance.

Next, is Corel PHOTO-PAINT, which is Corel’s Photoshop: pixel-based photo editing and digital painting tool.

There’s also the Corel Font Manager, which is software designed to help you manage and organise your fonts, kind of like Apple’s own Font Book.

And finally, there’s CAPTURE, which is a screen capture tool - although there’s a big caveat with that one: it’s only available for Windows users. Mac users are left out in the cold.

Still, Apple does have built-in ways to take screenshots and recordings of their screen, so it’s not that big a loss. However, paying the same price and not getting all the same tools as PC users is somewhat of a disappointment.

That’s quite a lot to include in a single suite. With it, you should have all the tools you need to create any kind of graphics work. There is however one additional tool I should briefly mention…

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2026: CorelDRAW Go & Web

(Image credit: Corel // Future)

• Corel provides two services to work online from a web browser:
• CorelDRAW Go is for beginners and intermediates
• CorelDRAW Web for advanced users, and included in the Suite’s subscription

CorelDRAW Go is a very clever service: it allows you to work in CorelDRAW inside a web browser. It’s like you’re drawing with Corel...on the go (get it?).

The service is truly excellent and it’s amazing to think how far we’ve come in terms of online technology, that you can create art inside a webpage and forget the tools you’re using aren’t actually installed on your machine. This means you can use it from any computer, just about anywhere. Just login to your account and you’re good to go.

It’s definitely worth checking out, especially since, just like the main suite, Corel offers you a free 15-day trial. The service itself would cost you $10 a month or $100 for the year. Think of it more as an entry level beginner’s design tool.

The reason I thought I’d mention it, is to casually highlight an advantage to the Suite’s subscription package.

No, CorelDRAW Go isn’t included, but CorelDRAW Web is. Web comes with more advanced tools, including vector illustration and page layout design - all from a web page.

Crazy, right? Companies will do anything to get you to subscribe to their services, including creating really impressive tools, like CorelDRAW Go, and especially CorelDRAW Web.

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2026: What’s new

(Image credit: Corel // Future)

• Improved interface
• New AI tools like background removal and generative AI art

As you’d expect, the CorelDRAW Suite comes with a mighty large collection of tools, and if you’d like an idea of what software such as DRAW and PHOTO-PAINT are like to work with, I’d recommend you check out my review of the Suite’s previous version, since it’s still relevant today, as I’ll be focussing the rest of this current review on what’s new in 2026.

Right out the gate, you’ll notice the interface has been upgraded. The look feels cleaner, with more condensed icons and menus, that allow more tools to be seen in a smaller footprint. The effect can be subtle in parts, but you definitely end up having more screen real-estate for your artwork, which is a very positive thing.

The blurb states that performance has been improved compared to previous versions, but that can be a very subjective thing, as performance greatly depends on your computer’s own specs. Personally, I didn’t notice much difference, but I have a fairly beefy machine. If you’ve got a powerful processor and oodles of RAM, you should be able to power through any project with CorelDRAW Suite 2026 with ease.

But the biggest draw is all the AI tools they’re peppering throughout the interface. Now I know there can be a lot of issues surrounding AI, and Corel is aware of that too. In fact, their spiel is that their AI tools focus more on empowering the artist rather than replacing them, and for some tools, I can certainly see that. Take ‘Remove Background’ as an example. In one word, the results are impressive.

It does something that was totally possible to do manually, but depending on the complexity of the background, such a process could take minutes to hours to achieve. Here, in seconds, the background disappears, leaving you with the foreground object, with clean sharp edges. That’s certainly empowering, and the results are definitely on par with its competitors, such as Adobe Photoshop and Pixelmator Pro.

(Image credit: Corel // Future)

What’s more contentious is ‘Generative AI’, and like it or not, it’s now available directly from within Corel’s software interface, with its own dedicated button, top right of the window. Through it, you get to either let the software create an image for you, or remix an existing one.

What I really like was that you’re given a choice of which generative algorithm you’d like to use; ‘Nano Banana’ is the one selected by default, and it produces excellent results for not too many credits (more on those in a bit), but you’ve got the option of six other algorithms for you to try out.

The same goes for one of 6 styles on offer, from photorealistic, to line art, 3D render and pop art, and you can even control the colour palette, if that’s your thing. As always, there’s a text prompt field where your own creativity gets slotted in, but even that can be taken care of by an algorithm if you’re stuck with writer’s block: simply click on the ‘inspire me’ button, and the interface will also create a prompt for you.

I particularly liked the Remix option. I took the image this AI created for me, fed it into Remix and asked it to turn the autumn setting into a summer one, and the results was astonishing. The exact same image, from the exact same angle, nothing’s changed, except it’s now a beautiful sunny day. Turn the scenery to winter, and the outcome was just as good.

Now there’s no doubt that all of this is impressive, and the results are astonishing, but how does a machine creating an image for you from nothing equate to empowering the artist, as no artist was actually involved in that particular ‘creation’ process?

CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2026: AI costs

(Image credit: Corel // Future)

• You get some credits when you purchase the software
• Monthly credits available when subscribing but don't roll-over
• Extra credits can be bought

It’s obvious a lot of fun can be had with generative AI, but you need to be aware that each image will cost you. Nano Banana eats 16 credits a pop. The most expensive algorithm is Nano Banana Pro, with 86 credits per image.

If you subscribe to the Suite, you get to play with 2,000 credits each month. Those who purchase the software outright, only get 2,000 credits in total (another push to incentivise the subscription model).

Now if you love generative AI, you have other purchase options open to you, starting at $20 for 2,000 credits, to $200 for 35,000. There’s even another subscription model, costing you $100 a year to get 2,500 each month, or $10 a month for 2,000.

There’s no doubt the subscription model is yet again, better value. Although there is a drawback: the credits you purchase last forever, those you rent, reset on the first of each month (so make sure you don’t start your agreement on the 30th!)

Should I buy CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2026

(Image credit: Corel // Future)

Buy it if...

If you’re looking for a powerful image editor, vector illustrator and page layout suite, with numerous tools that are easy to learn and use, and include generous lashings of AI.

Don't buy it if...

You’re not a fan that most of the new features are AI-based, and you feel scared moving away from the Adobe hegemony.

Poco X8 Pro Max two-minute review

It may not be the best Android phone ever made, but if you need a certain type of mobile, the Poco X8 Pro Max might just end up being the best phone you can buy.

This new Android-powered device from Xiaomi’s mid-range sub-brand is the first of its family to bear the iPhone-copying ‘Pro Max’ suffix — an odd decision, since there’s no non-Pro model at the time of writing, but for all intents and purposes, this is the top-end Poco phone of 2026.

While most ‘Pro Max’ or ‘Ultra’ phones opt for flashy features and high prices, Poco goes the other way. The X8 Pro Max is possibly the ultimate workhorse smartphone, designed not for fancy gimmicks you play with once and forget about, but to be a handset you can use every day for years without worry.

Case in point: it has one of the biggest batteries you'll find in a smartphone. Its 8,500mAh power pack is absolutely huge, and it allows the Poco to last for literal days without needing to be recharged. 'Two-day battery life’ is a common claim you hear from Apple and Samsung, with dubious accuracy, but in the Poco, it’s a reality.

I imagine light phone users could even get three days' use out of the X8 Pro Max, and when you do run low, its fast charging capabilities will get you back on the move in minutes. I comfortably kept to a two-day routine, but I was using the Poco intensively to review it, and you (hopefully) won't use your device as much as me.

This is no one-trick pony either. The charging speed is equally impressive, hitting 100W, which means you can fill that massive power pack up in a reasonable time (about 45 minutes, depending on your charger). Its processor and display are both pretty great for the price, too, and I used the phone for gaming without issue.

The Poco X8 Pro Max isn’t a phone for everyone. Its cameras are fine for day-to-day use but aren’t designed for photographers, and the software isn’t as refined as on some alternatives. The addition of two LED ring lights around the camera lenses is a neat addition on paper, but they don't amount to much in practice.

But when you consider that this is a fairly affordable phone, it’s easy to forgive a few rough edges. The X8 Pro Max is a mid-range mobile that’s easy to pick up without worrying too much about the up-front cost, and it’ll last you for absolutely ages, so you won’t need to think about replacing it for many years.

Poco X8 Pro Max review: price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

• Released on March 17, 2026
• 256GB storage: $469 / £469 (about AU$940)
• 512GB storage: $519 / £519 (about AU$1,040)

The Poco X8 Pro Max was announced alongside its non-Max equivalent, the Poco X8 Pro, on March 17, 2026, and at the time of writing, there's no non-Pro entry in the lineup. We’ll wait and see, though.

The handset starts at $469 / £469 (about AU$940, but Xiaomi doesn’t sell its Poco phones in Australia). Despite the presence of a USD cost, Xiaomi phones aren’t technically available in the US, and this is just the official reference price for the device. You can still ship the X8 Pro Max to the US, but it'll incur additional costs, and you might find support spotty.

That base model has 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, but for an extra $50 / £50 (about AU$100) you can double the latter capacity to 512GB storage. If you're buying this as a power-hungry work phone, that's not much money for a lot more storage.

Poco X8 Pro Max review: specsPoco X8 Pro Max specs

Dimensions:

162.9 x 77.9 x 8.2mm

Weight:

218g

Screen:

6.83-inch FHD (1280 x 2772) 120Hz AMOLED

Chipset:

MediaTek Dimensity 9500s

RAM:

12GB

Storage:

256/512GB

OS:

Android 16, HyperOS 3

Primary camera:

50MP, f/1.5

Ultra-wide camera:

8MP f/2.2

Front camera:

20MP, f/2.2

Audio:

Stereo speakers

Battery:

8,500mAh

Charging:

100W wired, 27W reverse

Colors:

White, black, blue

Poco X8 Pro Max review: design

(Image credit: Future)

• Average-looking Android in black, blue or white
• Not too thick, but a little heavy
• Ring lights around camera

The Poco X8 Pro Max isn't as chunky as you'd expect for a phone harboring a veritable power bank under its skin. It measures 162.9 x 77.9 x 82.mm, which is about average for a phone of its ilk, and it only tips the scales a little more than average at 218g.

That weight likely comes from the glass front and back, and the aluminum frame, more than anything. The phone is IP68-rated, so it's well-protected against dust and immersion in water, though in some regions you'll get an additional IP69K rating. This isn't the case with the UK model.

At the end of the day, the X8 Pro Max is not an especially novel-looking phone. The model I tested, the white one, has a barely-perceptible vertical-stripe pattern on the back, but beyond that, it looks like your average Android. I presume the other models, which come in blue and black, are the same.

Look hard enough, and you'll find two LED rings; one surrounding each camera bump. These can be toggled to light up under specific circumstances: for an incoming call, to double as a camera app timer, or when music is playing. Honestly, though, I found these lights quite situational, and I barely saw them in action during my testing.

The power button and volume rocker, both on the right edge, were within reach of my thumb when I was using the handset one-handed, but that may not be true for smaller-handed users. The camera bump doesn't stick out too much, so the phone could be placed almost flush on surfaces. That's not a given these days.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Poco X8 Pro Max review: display

(Image credit: Future)

• 6.83 inches, 1280 x 2772 resolution
• 120Hz refresh rate, 3,500 nits max brightness
• AMOLED with 68 billion colors

The Poco X8 Pro Max has a sizeable 6.83-inch screen, like many other mid-priced Android phones on the market right now.

The rest of its display specs are in line with the competition too: you get a 1280 x 2772 resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, 3,500 nits of max brightness, and support for HDR10+.

Thanks to its AMOLED panel and support for up to 68 billion colors, the phone has a little bit of extra juice for watching movies or TV shows. This technology reduces the amount of banding you see (no more weird stripey sunrises in your shows!), and it combines well with the Dolby Atmos support also offered by the phone.

• Display score: 4 / 5

Poco X8 Pro Max review: software

(Image credit: Future)

• Android 16 with HyperOS 3
• Lots of bloatware to delete
• Four years of OS updates

The perpetual problem of Xiaomi's cheaper phones is that they always come pre-loaded with loads of bloatware; random games, third-party apps, and the company's own apps result in your main menu being cluttered before you've even started using the device.

You can delete them, but it's a chore to do so. You essentially have to claw your way back to the basic interface, which is Android 16 with Xiaomi's HyperOS 3 laid over the top.

To the same degree as most Chinese-made OSes, you get out of HyperOS what you put in; it doesn't have distinctive system-wide theme controls like One UI or stock Android, and instead tasks you with building your own interface with controls over the app icons, font, wallpaper, and so on.

As someone who doesn't like the overbearing system-wide themes of rivals, I'm a fan of Poco's approach, but it's not for everyone. If you want a simple and cohesive 'look', this phone isn't for you (unless you're willing to play around with its settings).

Poco doesn't make a huge song and dance about the AI features available in HyperOS, probably recognizing that consumers are a little tired of the subject at this point, but there are a few hidden away nonetheless: Circle to Search, Speech Recognition, and wallpaper generation are all here, and both Gemini and Copilot come pre-installed.

In terms of longevity, you'll get four years of operating system updates and six years of security fixes with the Poco X8 Pro Max. That's not the longest update commitment around, but it's a lot better than two or three years offered by some mid-range Android phone manufacturers.

• Software score: 3 / 5

Poco X8 Pro Max review: cameras

(Image credit: Future)

• 50MP main, 8MP ultra-wide, and 20MP front cameras
• Pictures are detailed but not optimized
• A few handy video features

Poco has never made a serious camera phone, and the X8 Pro Max doesn't change that fact. The phone has the same two-part lens array as basically every other Poco of the past few years: there's a 50MP f/1.5 main camera and 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide, with a 20MP f/2.2 camera on the front to round out the party.

It’s a tried-and-tested combo for budget phones: these lenses are great for taking pictures of pets, scanning documents, and capturing holiday shots, which is what most casual users will be using them for anyway.

But people who take their photography seriously will want to opt for an alternative device with a telephoto lens or bespoke camera modes.

As you can see from the camera samples below, snaps I took on the Poco are perfectly fine: the phone performs admirably in low-light conditions, and captured plenty of detail in various environments. The f/1.5 aperture on the main camera is a bit wider than we sometimes see in this category, and that probably explains why my pictures were nice and bright.

What differentiates this device from a bona fide camera phone, other than its lack of a telephoto lens, is its optimization capabilities (or lack thereof). Post-processing on the Poco X8 Pro Max is light-touch — the phone's software will make slight brightness and contrast adjustments, but that’s it. It doesn’t add vibrancy or color to pictures, which makes some of the photos below look a little duller than they otherwise would.

Video recording goes up to 4K at 60fps, and I was pleasantly surprised by how stable the recorded footage came out. A few other tools, like focus peaking and exposure 'zebra stripes', make the Poco X8 Pro Max a little more advanced for videography than I’ve come to expect from budget phones. However, there's no slow-mo, which I’d come to understand was a staple of phones at this price range.

• Camera score: 3.5 / 5

Poco X8 Pro Max camera samplesA pier at sunset, taken on the Poco's main camera.FutureA cacti, photographed on the Poco's main camera.FutureA night-time cityscape, captured on the Poco's main camera.FutureA red flower, photographed on the Poco's main camera.FutureA river view, photographed on the Poco's ultra-wide camera.FutureA river view, photographed on the Poco's main camera.FutureA river view, photographed on the Poco's main camera at 2x zoom.FutureA river view, photographed on the Poco's main camera at 10x zoom, its digital limit.FuturePoco X8 Pro Max review: performance and audio

(Image credit: Future)

• Solid Dimensity 9500s chipset + 12GB RAM
• Performs well in gaming, even if not top-end
• Stereo speakers or Bluetooth 6.0

If you want a solid, affordable phone for gaming, the Poco X8 Pro Max has you covered, as it’s one of the more powerful handsets you can buy without stretching your budget to the dizzy heights demanded by a top-end mobile.

The phone has a MediaTek Dimensity 9500s chipset, designed by MediaTek as a slightly stepped-down version of the brand’s flagship Dimensity 9500 processor (which itself is considered a step down from Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon range). That 9500s chipset is paired with 12GB RAM, whichever model you pick up.

Despite that 's' suffix, though, the Poco's Dimensity 9500s chipset proved an admirable performer in benchmark tests, even if it didn’t match up to the true top-end chipsets found in bespoke gaming phones. The phone's average Geekbench 5 multi-core score was 8603, while 3D Mark’s Wild Life Extreme scores hovered around the 6000 mark. For context, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, which I tested before, hit 7300.

What’s in 1300? Not much, because I found that the Poco X8 Pro Max could easily handle all the usual testing games I play: online shooters, PC strategy ports, and assorted indie titles. It could generally grapple with all the high-graphics options I threw at it, too, though sometimes it would find Ultra presets taxing. Still, titles loaded quickly and played smoothly, with none of the overheating issues that we often see on Snapdragon-loaded handsets.

For audio, you'll get a set of stereo speakers on the Poco X8 Pro Max, smartly positioned so you don't block them when holding the phone horizontally for gaming.

There's also Bluetooth 5.4 support for wireless headphones, but no 3.5mm jack for a cable connection.

• Performance score: 4 / 5

Poco X8 Pro Max review: battery life

(Image credit: Future)

• Massive 8,500mAh battery
• 2-3 days battery life, depending on use
• 100W charging

It’s taken us a while to get here, but battery life is, for me, the best part of the Poco X8 Pro Max. Xiaomi has packed the phone full of juice: its battery is 8,500mAh, one of the biggest I’ve seen on a consumer smartphone before. Apparently, some even regions get a 9,000mAh version, but in the UK, that model isn’t on sale.

Suffice to say, an enormous battery like this lasts absolutely ages on a single charge. I’m talking two straight days of average phone use, and you’ll still have something left over. I have no doubt that the Poco X8 Pro Max is the longest-lasting phone I’ve ever reviewed.

Exorcising charging from your daily routine isn’t the only benefit of a huge battery like this. It ensures you can throw some gaming, video capture, or lots of screen time into your routine, without any kind of battery anxiety creeping in.

With such a big battery, fast charging seems almost unnecessary, but Poco has sweetened the deal with 100W wired powering. You’ll need to buy your own charger to hit this speed, though, as there’s a cable in the box but no wall plug.

With this charging speed, you can power the phone up from empty to full in just under 50 minutes. That doesn’t sound quick, but bear in mind the power pack is huge. You can also use the Poco as a power bank to charge up other devices, with 27W reverse wired charging. This phone is a battery champion.

• Battery score: 5 / 5

Poco X8 Pro Max review: value

(Image credit: Future)

I've never used a Poco smartphone that didn't offer value for money in some way, and that streak remains unbroken with the X8 Pro Max.

The phone offers an unparalleled experience if you need something reliable that'll last you for ages without charging. Sure, it doesn't offer flashy features or advanced cameras, but it's trying to be the panacea for people who just want a reliable mobile.

It's also built to last better than most flagships, ensuring you won't need to buy a replacement phone every other year.

• Value score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Poco X8 Pro Max?Poco X8 Pro Max score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

'Bang for your buck' is expected for a Poco phone.

4 / 5

Design

By-the-numbers design, but well-protected and hides the battery well.

4 / 5

Display

You're getting good camera specs with more colors than some rivals.

4 / 5

Software

The pre-installed bloatware is annoying, and some may consider the OS to look messy.

3 / 5

Camera

This isn't designed for photographers, but it'll do the job day-to-day for everyone else.

3.5 / 5

Performance

Most users won't be able to tell that it doesn't have a true top-end chipset.

4 / 5

Battery

This thing will last you ages, and charges incredibly quickly.

5 / 5

Buy it if...

You need a multi-day battery life
It's no exaggeration to say that this phone will last you for literal days on one charge. Usually, that's a marketing line; here, it's true.

You're a budget gamer
The Poco isn't expensive, but its chipset is solid for mobile gaming, with the display an extra bonus.

You need an alert LED
I didn't find it too useful, but I imagine some users will find the Poco's rear ring light handy if used well.

Don't buy it if...

You need a good camera phone
For the price, you can get better camera phones, with macro or zoom lenses.

You need a classy-looking OS
Forget the bloatware; HyperOS isn't exactly a looker. Many people won't mind, but if you like a system theme, you won't be impressed.

Poco X8 Pro Max review: Also consider

Not quite sold on this budget battery blower? Here are a few similarly-priced alternatives which are also worth your consideration.

Nothing Phone (4a) Pro
This mobile is a budget camera beast, but it also offers a lot more to like: it looks distinctive, has unique-looking software, and offers a 'Glyph' display on the back. Unlike the Poco, it's no battery winner, though.

Read our full Nothing Phone (4a) Pro review

Samsung Galaxy A57
The Samsung Galaxy A57 offers a great-looking display, and it's also pretty slender, so is perfect for people who don't want a massive mobile. Don't expect much processing power though.

Read our hands-on impressions of the Samsung Galaxy A57

OnePlus 15R
Another phone that focuses on battery life, the OnePlus 15R has a slightly smaller battery but compensates with more processing power.

Poco X8 Pro Max

OnePlus 15R

Samsung Galaxy A57

Nothing Phone (4a) Pro

Starting price (at launch):

$469 / £469 (about AU$940)

$699 / £649 (about AU$1,300)

$549.99 / £529 / AU$749

$499 / £499 (about AU$1,000)

Dimensions:

162.9 x 77.9 x 8.2mm

163.4 x 77 x 8.1 mm

161.5 x 76.8 x 6.9 mm

163.7 x 76.6 x 8 mm

Weight:

218g

213

179g

210g

OS (at launch):

HyperOS 3, Android 16

OxygenOS 16, Android 16

OneUI 8.5, Android 16

Nothing OS 4.1, Android 16

Screen Size:

6.83-inch

6.83-inch

6.7-inch

6.83-inch

Resolution:

2772 x 1280

2800 x 1272

2340 x 1080

2800 x 1260

CPU:

Mediatek Dimensity 9500s

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5

Exynos 1680

Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 4

RAM:

12GB

12GB

8GB / 12GB

8GB / 12GB

Storage (from):

256GB / 512GB

256GB / 512GB

128GB / 256GB / 512GB

128GB / 256GB

Battery:

8,500mAh

7,400mAh

5,000mAh

5,080mAh

Rear Cameras:

50MP main, 8MP ultrawide

50MP main, 8MP ultrawide

50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 5MP macro

50MP wide, 50MP periscope telephoto, 8MP ultrawide

Front camera:

20MP

32MP

12MP

32MP

How I tested the Poco X8 Pro Max

(Image credit: Future)

• Review test period = 3 weeks
• Testing included = Everyday usage, including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
• Tools used = Geekbench 6, 3D Mark, native Android stats

I used the Poco X8 Pro Max for roughly three weeks before writing this review, and tested it alongside the non-Max version of the phone, which I was also sent.

Part of testing was lab-based: I used benchmark apps like Geekbench and 3D Mark, conducted battery tests, and timed it charging. The rest of my testing was experience-based: I used the Poco for normal smartphone purposes, gaming, and taking photos.

I've been reviewing smartphones for TechRadar for seven years, and in that time have tested countless mobiles from a variety of brands and price points. These include past Poco and Xiaomi devices, and other battery-focused phones.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed March 2026

Alogic Edge 5K 40-inch ultrawide monitor: 30-second review

Unboxing the Alogic Edge 5K, and the scale of this monitor is immediately apparent. At 941mm wide, it’s significantly larger than the 27-inch 4K monitors I am used to, and the full metal chassis, Space Grey matte finish, and ultra-thin 8mm panel give it a premium look that looks great alongside my Laptop.

The Space Grey of my MacBook Pro M1 Max is matched closely by the monitor, so if pure aesthetics are important to you, then this monitor is Mac-centric and spot on.

Initial setup is out of the box is easy enough with screws from the base bolting into the stand, then the monitor clicks into place, the power adapter plugs in, and a single USB-C cable connects to the laptop, with the monitor's display, data, and 90W charging all running through that single cable. For my MacBook Pro, the power delivery of 90W also delivers the charge, so no need to bring the Mac's power adapter to the office.

Taking a look at the rear of the monitor, there's a protruding bar that runs for the entire length of the back of the monitor and houses the electronics, speakers, and ports. While it’s great to have the built-in Dock, there are no USB-A ports, which isn’t a bad thing, so I had to connect my keyboard and mouse through adapters; the network plugged straight in, along with a couple of other accessories.

That single connection gives you full access to the display quality that this monitor is able to deliver with full 5K resolution and 100Hz refresh rate; switching to HDMI maintains image quality, but with some resolution and refresh rates are dropped due to the older technology.

One issue that was apparent from the outset was the slightly off-colours. Delving into the menu soon showed that the display preset was set to Warm, which adds a noticeable yellow cast to whites. Switching to Standard made a dramatic difference, and as ever from there, running the Datacolor Spyder X2 calibration brought the display into a much more accurate state.

After calibration, colours were rich and natural with a close match to the MacBook Pro, although a little brighter at 50% brightness than the Mac. The Spyder analysis confirmed a measured gamma of 2.4 against the 2.2 standard target, meaning the display runs slightly darker in the shadow and midtone regions than the standard specifies, worth understanding for critical photographic work, as you may lose shadow detail, although the shift isn’t enough to be an issue for general use.

At 40 inches, imperfections become notable; however, as long as gaming isn’t your intent for the monitor, the 100Hz refresh rate is ideal for office work, photography and video editing. Scrolling through long documents, Lightroom catalogues, or Premiere Pro timelines is smoother than the 60Hz panels I normally use.

Another notable difference to many of the monitors that I look at in the mid-range is the anti-glare matte finish, which handles studio reflections well. This is common for premium monitors and really highlights the intended use and quality that is on offer with this display. That said, highlights will still be present from bright windows, depending on how you position the monitor, but nothing that interferes with working, and for creative applications, that matte surface just gives a more accurate visual of the image compared with using a glossy panel. For the price, it's sure to be featured in our best 5K monitors collection.

Alogic Edge 5K 40-inch ultrawide monitor: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? From approximately $1259 / £1259
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? Directly from Alogic official store

The Alogic Edge 5K is available direct from Alogic in the US for $1529.99 and in the UK for £1259.99.

The display comes in Silver or Space Grey, and includes a DisplayPort cable, a USB-C cable, a power adapter, and a two-year warranty.

It's also available from other retailers, although availability is spotty right now - for example, it's listed but out of stock at Amazon at the time of review.

• Value: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)Alogic Edge 5K 40-inch ultrawide monitor: Specs

Panel: 40-inch IPS
Resolution: 5120 x 2160 (5K2K)
Refresh rate: 60Hz / 100 Hz
Brightness: 400 nits
Contrast ratio: 1200:1 (typical)
Colour gamut: 100% sRGB / 99% DCI-P3 / 94% AdobeRGB
Pixel density: 139 PPI
Aspect ratio: 21:9
Viewing angle: 178° H / 178° V
Connectivity: USB-C (90W PD + data + display), HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C downstream x2
Audio: 3W x 2 built-in speakers
Stand adjustment: Height 151–275mm from desk, tilt, VESA 100 x 100 mm compatible.
Dimensions with stand: 941 x 245 x 570mm
Panel depth: 41mm
Finish: Space Grey (also available in Silver)
In the box: DisplayPort cable, USB-C cable, power adapter

Alogic Edge 5K 40-inch ultrawide monitor: Design

The Alogic Edge 5K has been designed to be a perfect partner to the Mac computers, with two colour options that match the range and style perfectly. In this review, I’ve taken a look at the 40-inch 5120 x 2160 5K2K resolution screen and coupled it with the MacBook Pro M1 Max and a MinisForum MS-02 to test cross-platform compatibility.

The monitor option supplied is the Space Grey aluminium finish, with an ultra-thin 8mm panel profile, and matte surface. Out of the box, it all looks very Mac and premium, including the solid base that offers plenty of flexibility over the positioning. Looking over the monitor and the build quality throughout, the full metal assembly feels distinctly premium, all feeling solidly in line with the pricing.

Setting up is straightforward and the all-metal stand is solid, although with this size of desk, to avoid any wobble, positioning it on a good, solid desk is essential. Through the test, I found that a 40-inch width amplifies movement far more than a smaller display, and initially, on a cheaper desk, some wobble was notable.

However, this stopped as soon as the monitor was moved to a solid surface. The overall size of the monitor is 941x41x419mm, and with the stand, this comes to 941x245x694mm with the stand at max height.

There are several aspects aside from the design of the stand that stood out; the first is the flat base, which has been designed so that larger docks or other accessories can easily sit on top. This may seem like a small design feature, but for a creative studio where space often runs at a premium, any small design features like this are worth noting.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The stand also offers plenty of adjustment with a height that moves from 151mm to 275mm desk-to-monitor, which covers most working positions, especially if you work at a standing desk.

If I were to comment on anything, a little more travel at the lower end would be welcome for shorter users or lower chair positions, but for most setups, the range is fine. It’s also good to see that there’s a VESA 100x100mm on the back for arm mounting, though the monitor's aesthetics and size work best positioned directly on the desk.

The rear protruding bar houses the dock ports, speaker unit, and electronics, which keeps the front of the monitor clean and minimal. In practice, with keyboard, mouse, and network plugged into the rear ports, with an adapter for some, a single cable could then be used to connect to the laptop, leaving the desk tidy of cables.

The all-USB-C rear port selection should suit most modern setups, but will need adapters for older USB-A peripherals such as my Keyboard and mouse. It was also notable that there wasn’t an HDMI cable in the box, given that the port is present and directly relevant for Windows users.

• Design: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)Alogic Edge 5K 40-inch ultrawide monitor: Features

The 5K2K resolution of this 40-inch 21:9 aspect ratio monitor is the headline feature and at this price makes it extremely appealing for creative users, especially when you start to delve into the specifications and the colour accuracy, gamut and resolution.

Screen sharpness is also well above your usual office monitor at 139 PPI, which just highlights that at this size, screen text will still be crisp, and UI elements are sharp, unlike looking at Mac or Windows OS on a TV. That PPI and resolution in the wider 21:9 aspect ratio make it perfectly suited for creative use, with plenty of real-world space for applications to run side by side.

Where this wider space really comes into its own is when running a video timeline alongside a reference panel, spreading a Lightroom catalogue across the full width, or keeping two to three application windows open, such as Word, browser, and Music.

Personally, the most unexpected benefit of using a 21:9 monitor was apparent when I started editing some anamorphic footage shot on the Canon EOS R5 C with Sirui Venus anamorphic lenses. Essentially, once the footage was de-squeezed, I was able to use the native aspect ratio, which filled the panel edge-to-edge, eliminating the letterbox effect that makes anamorphic content feel cramped on a standard 16:9 display. If you’re a video editor working regularly in anamorphic formats, this alone makes this monitor a great option.

One or two of the more quirky features of the monitor at the PiP (Picture-in-Picture) and PbP (Picture-by-Picture) options that can be run alongside the standard, extended, and mirrored display modes. PiP proved more useful in practice once I adjusted the size. This sets your laptop screen in a window on the main display.

There are thankfully some adjustments to the size and position, and I set this to 40% scale and positioned it in the bottom-right corner of the monitor, which left the majority of the 5K panel free for documents and applications. The PBP I found less useful, but it may have its uses.

To access these features and all image options, you can use the OSD display menu, which is accessed using the small joypad on the back of the monitor. The OSD configuration takes some working out initially, but once set up, it is a genuinely well-thought-out system and was one of the fastest that I have used when running through the display analysis test to change settings.

The 100Hz refresh rate is decent at this screen size and perfect for office and creative work; the only time that you may require an uplift in the speed is if you want to play action-packed games. However, for normal use, scrolling through long documents or a Premiere Pro timeline while at 60Hz when connected via HDMI, things can seem a little slow, but through the USB-C at 100Hz, everything seems smooth enough. For creative and admin use, this refresh rate is ideal.

The built-in USB-C dock is handy and does help to keep the desk tidy with one cable delivering display, data, and up to 90W power. This all worked well on both Mac and Windows during testing, and for studios or home offices, connecting everything in the morning with one cable just saves time and makes things easy. There’s also far less to remember as you’re rushing out of the house.

Another major feature for me is the anti-glare matte finish to the display, which, for Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, or Final Cut Pro, the matte surface gives a better and more accurate idea of the image compared with an overly glossy panel. It is also considerably easier on the eye during long editing sessions, and for document work in Word or general Office applications, the difference in comfort over a full day was noticeable.

One of the other features that I was interested in was the built-in 3W x 2 speakers; however, these are a weak point of the design. The volume is lower than the monitor's size suggests, and the audio lacks the depth and richness the speaker grille suggests should be output. Compared directly with the MacBook Pro's built-in speakers, there’s just no point in using the Edge 5K speakers. If you’re buying this monitor with the intention of removing external speakers from your desk, don’t budget for a separate speaker or audio monitor to use with this display.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

• Features: 4 / 5

Alogic Edge 5K 40-inch ultrawide monitor: PerformanceBenchmark scores

Colour gamut: 100% sRGB / 89% AdobeRGB / 97% P3
Measured gamma: 2.4 (target 2.2 — display runs slightly dark in midtones and shadows)
White point at 50% brightness: ~6600K (slightly cool of D65 6500K standard)
Best contrast ratio: 1430:1 at 50% brightness
Colour accuracy average Delta-E: 1.60
Colour accuracy max Delta-E: 4.89
Colour uniformity max DeltaE at 100% brightness: 4.5 (bottom-right corner)
Luminance uniformity max variance at 100%: 10% (bottom-centre)
Spyder overall rating: 4.0/5.0

After unboxing and plugging in the monitor, the first thing that I noticed was the overly warm look to the display. Delving into the OSD, I noted that the preset was set to Warm and changing this to Standard instantly removed the overly yellow cast that was making whites immediately look unnatural, which is an issue for creative work but also made Microsoft Office applications look odd.

While the standard preset looked OK, it was obvious the monitor still needed calibration. I did this from the outset as colour and tone didn’t look great, and running the Datacolor Spyder X2 calibration was able to bring the display into a much more accurate state, and after calibration, the colours were much more closely aligned with the MacBook Pro .

I then ran the Spyder X2 analysis, and the report confirmed an average Delta-E colour accuracy of 1.60, which is excellent for a non-factory-calibrated display at this price. The 100% sRGB and 97% P3 coverage are pretty standard, and for video work, content creation, and enthusiast photography, they should suffice.

Opening files from the Canon EOS R5 C and Hasselblad X2D II 100C in Lightroom Classic and Photoshop, the 5K resolution made an immediate difference to viewing, as the detail within the images was far better defined than when compared with my standard 4K display. What’s more, with the wider panel, it meant that images were being viewed closer to their native resolution before reaching the edge of the screen. When it came to the colour and tone, after calibration, the images looked bright, rich, and highly detailed.

One issue that was highlighted with the display analysis was the 89% AdobeRGB figure, and this is where professional photographers will pay attention. That value is a usable result for drafting, client review, and editing, but careful calibration and checks will need to be in place for colour-critical output, particularly anything destined for print.

A dedicated Adobe RGB display remains the more accurate tool. Final images should always be checked on a properly calibrated, wide-gamut monitor before going to output. For in-house video teams and content creators working with P3 and sRGB delivery, the limitation is less relevant.

The measured gamma of 2.4 against the 2.2 standard that was input into the OSD means that the display runs slightly darker in the shadow and mid-tone regions than the standard specifies, which may mean shadow detail is not rendered as accurately as intended for photographic work.

In practice, at 50% brightness, the shadows looked deep, and the contrast, measured at 1430:1 at that setting, looks great, but you will need to calibrate printers to ensure that you are seeing all the shadow detail that is viewable on the display. For general photography and video use, the gamma figure is not a problem; for critical shadow work, it is something to watch for.

Colour uniformity is good at the 50% working brightness, and from the working position at the centre of the display, the panel looks even and consistent. However, as a point of note, there is some luminance variation visible when viewing a plain white screen across the full width, which is an angle-of-view effect rather than a panel uniformity problem. Keeping image editing work within the central portion of the screen avoids it entirely.

Through the test, I used the Edge 5K on both Mac and Windows and the performance was consistent. On the MacBook Pro M1 Max via USB-C, full 5K resolution, 100Hz, 90W charging, and dock functionality all worked without any configuration. On the Minisforum MS-02 Windows mini PC, the same connection delivered the same results, colour profiles, dock recognition, and display output all worked well.

By the end of the test, I was impressed with the overall quality, and while there are some small issues that those using the monitor for colour-critical work may encounter, for the most part, it stood up to the quality tests well. As a monitor, it has clearly been designed with Macs in mind, and the use and integration have been well thought through. Likewise, for most Windows machines, it also works exceptionally well, but it is worth confirming your machine's USB-C video output capability before assuming the full 5K and 100Hz will be available.

• Performance: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)Alogic Edge 5K 40-inch ultrawide monitor: Final verdict

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The Alogic Edge 5K with its 40-inch ultrawide design gives you a completely different way of working and a great option if you are looking to upgrade from a dual-monitor desk setup.

The 5K resolution, premium Mac-esque design, single-cable connection, and colour accuracy, once calibrated, help to give you a solid quality display for creative and office use. When it comes to its place in the field, it sits between the Apple Studio Display and the mid-range 4K ultrawide market, as its price reflects.

There are limitations and things that creative professionals should take note of, such as the 89% AdobeRGB coverage, as read through the display analysis. This means professional photographers should be aware that some colours may show a slight shift and watch shadow detail carefully.

There is also the issue with the built-in speakers, which are weak, and I would definitely recommend dedicated monitor speakers over the monitors' offerings. For home office professionals, content creators, video editors working to P3, and enthusiast photographers, these small points shouldn’t be an issue. As a display for all things creative for the price, there’s a great deal on offer here.

Should I buy the Alogic Edge 5K 40-inch ultrawide monitor?

Value

Good value for money for a 5K, 100Hz, USB-C dock, and 90W PD all within this stylish monitor.

4

Design

Premium metal construction that reflects Apple's computer product lines, finished in Space Grey

4.5

Features

Single-cable USB-C workflow, PiP/PbP support, 100Hz, anti-glare matte finish, and built-in dock.

4

Performance

Excellent calibrated colour accuracy and decent contrast, slightly lower 89% AdobeRGB and a measured gamma of 2.4

4

Overall

A well-made, Mac-friendly ultrawide monitor that's a perfect fit for home office users, content creators, and enthusiast photographers.

4

Buy it if...

You want to replace two monitors with one.

The 40-inch 21:9 panel gives you enough space to run three applications comfortably side by side, and PiP adds a second input source on top of that. For home office users or if you want an alternative to a dual-monitor setup, the Edge 5K is an impressive single-display solution.

You shoot and edit anamorphic video.

The native 21:9 aspect ratio fills the panel edge-to-edge with anamorphic footage, eliminating the letterbox effect of a standard 16:9 display. For anyone who regularly edits anamorphic content, this alone is a reason to go ultrawide.

Don't buy it if...

Colour-critical photography

At 89% AdobeRGB, the Edge 5K is an excellent drafting and client review monitor, but for final print preparation, a dedicated wide-gamut display may be a better idea.

You want to remove external speakers.

The built-in 3W x 2 speakers lack the volume and depth the monitor's size suggests should be possible.

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

Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 review: two minute review

The ATH-ADX7000 are Audio-Technica's flagship open-back headphones, with a lightweight design that's strong but just 270g. They deliver exceptional low-end power and a wide, precise sound stage, with a confidence and clarity no matter what kind of music you throw at them. They're astonishingly expensive, but if you can afford a pair you'll be very pleased with your purchase. Some of the best wired headphones around then? Oh, emphatically.

The key features here include Audio-Technica's new HXDT driver design, which is a large 58mm diaphragm with concentric alignment of the baffle plate, magnet and voice coil. The voice coil is located in the middle of the housing for what Audio-Technica says is "the purest motion and sound possible".

These are very high impedance headphones — 490 ohms — and that means you'll need an appropriately powerful amp to drive them. But get that right and they'll reward you no end.

(Image credit: Future)Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 review: price and release date

• $3,499 / £3,000 / AU$4,999
• Launched October 2025

The Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 headphones were announced in October 2025 and went on sale that same month with a price tag of $3,499 / £3,000 / AU$4,999.

That pricing means these are very much in audiophile territory; this is a flagship set of serious headphones made for people who want the very best of everything and can afford to pay for it.

Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 review: specs

Type

Open air dynamic

Driver diameter

58mm

Frequency range

5 to 50,000 Hz

Sensitivity

100 dB/mW

Impedance

490 ohms

Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 review: features

• New 58mm HDXT driver with aligned circular components
• 490 ohm high impedance voice coil
• 1/4-inch stereo and 4-pin XLRM cables, both 3m

The Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 headphones feature HDXT drivers, which are precision-molded to deliver a perfectly round diaphragm. The main driver is 58mm with aligned circular driver components (the baffle plate, magnet, voice coil and diaphragm) for what Audio-Technica says is a more accurate, dynamic and detailed sonic performance. It's teamed with a 490-ohm high-impedance voice coil that promises fast transients and defined low end.

The ATX-ADX7000s come with two detachable nylon-wound 3m (9.8') cables, one balanced with a 4-pin XLRM connector (but not a 4.4mm balanced connector; the expectation is that you'll be using a desktop or hi-fi amp here) and one with an unbalanced 6.3mm (1/4") gold-plated stereo plug. Both cables connect to the headphones with gold-tipped A2DC connectors.

• Features score: 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future)Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 review: sound quality

• Exceptional clarity and precision
• Superbly punchy bass without losing detail
• Excellent in all kinds of genres

With a frequency response of 5Hz to 50kHz, the ATH-ADX7000 have a very impressive low end and airy highs, delivering a neutral overall sound with a little bit of warmth. Irrespective of genre or format I didn't need to reach for an EQ on any of my vinyl, CDs or files; even fairly cluttered, complex sounds like Mojo from Mike Patton's Peeping Tom project, which drops massive squelching sub-bass in the chorus with distorted guitars on top and which has defeated many headphones, didn't stress the Audio-Technicas at all.

These are very high-impedance headphones and on the Mac my SSL2 interface struggled to drive them; while it happily drives most demanding headphones it wasn't strong enough for these, and it felt like I was getting six out of ten when I needed eight or nine. Swapping it for my iFi Zen 2 DAC improved things dramatically, not just because of the extra power but because the ATH-ADX7000s could really breathe. What was already entertaining became an absolute hoot.

I laughed out loud when the bass dropped in SOPHIE's Reasons Why, and Beastie Boys' Root Down moved so much air it felt like I'd strapped big speakers to my head. Little Simz' Point and Kill was beautifully detailed, its snaking bassline, intertwining vocals and bursts of brass perfectly positioned. Radiohead's Reckoner had incredible presence, the Audio-Technicas giving the layered vocals great separation as guitars chimed in the left channel and the ride cymbal splashed in the right. Led Zeppelin's When The Levee Breaks was the best I've ever heard it, every part of John Paul Jones' bass distinct from John Bonham's thunderous drums and Jimmy Page's slide guitar.

Bass was something of a recurring theme in my testing because the ATH-ADX7000 headphones deliver it so well, whether it's the thumb-slaps and slides in The Blue Nile's Tinseltown in the Rain; the arpeggiated synth in Robyn's Dopamine; the dubstep thump in BLACKPINK's Go; Adam Clayton's grinding bass in U2's Vertigo; or Tony Levin's percussive, metronomic bass pulse and melodic walks in the live version of Peter Gabriel's Digging in the Dirt. Listening to and feeling Horace Pace's glorious Precision bass in The Specials' Ghost Town was close to a religious experience.

• Sound quality score: 5/5

(Image credit: Future)Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 review: design

• Exceptionally lightweight honeycomb grille
• Choice of velvet and alcantara ear cups
• Lightweight but strong magnesium frame
• Functional rather than flashy

The Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 headphones are very visibly open-back thanks to a handmade honeycomb-punched aluminum grille that looks as if it's barely there when you're looking straight at it — although it is very strong and does also block unwanted side ventilation.

The large ear pads come with a choice of velvet and Alcantara cushions that promise to subtly alter the sound — velvet for "well-balanced" audio and Alcantara for more warmth — and the headphones use a lightweight magnesium frame with a wide, open headband. I found the headphones to be exceptionally comfortable even during long listening sessions. And unlike on-ear designs they stayed put when I was at my desk working in front of a big display.

Each pair of ATH-ADX7000 is laser-etched with its serial number and comes in a hard aluminium carrying case.

• Design score: 5/5

(Image credit: Future)Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 review: value

• Undeniably expensive
• Exceptionally good bass
• Wonderfully comfortable

These are the best over-ear headphones I've ever tested, delivering the incredible clarity and realism of open-back headphones with the kind of low-end punch you'd normally need closed-backs for. Their light weight, wide headband and comfortable ear cups make them a real pleasure to wear for long listening sessions, and the sound they produce means that every listening session will become a long one.

Unfortunately they're also very expensive: $3,499 / £3,000 / AU$4,999 is twice what you'd pay for a Grado Signature pair, about three times the price of the equivalent Sennheisers and about seven times more than I've ever been able to spend on a pair of headphones. That price tag means they're simply out of reach for many of us.

For many musical products the difference between budget and mid-range models is much more dramatic than the difference between high end and super high end – so for example a $1,000 guitar will be much better than a $250 one, but as you move up the price range the differences start to become much more subtle. I think that's the case here. If you can easily afford these headphones you'll love them, but many headphones costing half as much are hardly horrific.

• Value score: 4/5

Should I buy the ATH-ADX7000?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

New driver design for exceptional clarity and responsiveness

4.5/5

Sound quality

Super clarity and jaw-dropping low end. Exceptional in all kinds of genres.

5/5

Design

Functional rather than flashy: solidly made and super lightweight

4.5/5

Value

Incredible headphones, but incredibly expensive

4/5

Buy them if…

You can afford nice things
There's no escaping that price tag. But these are headphones that'll make you want to cancel all your plans so you can listen longer.

You're all about that bass
The ATH-ADX7000 deliver huge bass but they don't exaggerate the low end or unbalance the overall performance; the power comes in a velvet glove.

You've got the power
In a sector where 300 ohms is considered very high impedance these are even higher at 490 ohms.View Deal

Don’t buy them if…

You're on a budget
Other open-backs are a fraction of the cost and will still be very entertaining, even if you need to give their bass a bit of a boost.

You prefer on-ears
I like the enclosed feeling these headphones deliver, but you may prefer the on-ear positioning from the likes of Grado.

You're flying coach
Open-backs and shared public spaces don't mix. These headphones don't so much leak audio as broadcast it.View Deal

Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 review: also consider

The Sennheiser HD 800's revoiced, more bassy successor the HD 800 S is among the very best wired headphones, and retails for roughly one-third of the price of the Audio-Technicas. And while the fit wasn't right for me, when I reviewed the Grado Signature S750 open-backs I really loved their sound quality and clarity. Our current favorite among the best high-end headphones, the Meze Audio 105 Silva, are even cheaper while delivering a superb sonic experience.

How I tested the Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 headphones

• Tested for two weeks
• Used with stereo amp, audio interface and headphone DAC/amp
• Vinyl, CD, streaming, and hi-res audio files

I tested the Audio-Technica ATH-ADX7000 for two weeks across a range of sources and genres: vinyl records via an Audio-Technica turntable and an Onkyo A-910 stereo amplifier; CDs with the same amp and a Marantz CD6007 CD player; and streaming, lossless and hi-res audio on a Mac mini via an SSL2 audio interface and an iFi Zen 2 DAC.

I've detailed some of the music I used in the main review but I tested across a range of artists and genres including acoustic and hyperpop, electronica and EDM, classic rock, alternative rock and chart pop.

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

Lomography Lomo MC-A: two-minute review

New additions to the ranks of the best film cameras are a lot more common in 2026 than they were a few years ago, with offerings arriving from the likes of Kodak, Rollei and Pentax.

Into this increasingly competitive market steps the Lomography Lomo MC-A. With a sleek metal chassis, this compact film camera looks and feels like a premium product. It puts a reassuring amount of weight in your hands, and a welcome degree of control at your fingertips. This is no simple point-and-shoot — the Lomo MC-A is something much more sophisticated.

Let’s run through the basics. The Lomography Lomo MC-A is a compact analog camera that takes 35mm film. It sports a 32mm Minitar-II lens with a five-element construction and a maximum aperture of f/2.8, and offers control of key settings like aperture (running up to f/16) and shutter speed (1/500 sec to bulb). It can read DX coding, meaning it can automatically detect a loaded film’s ISO speed, and it also has a flash, an exposure compensation dial, and a multiple-exposure mode.

Also key to its appeal is the autofocus — something of a rarity on analog compacts. The Lomo MC-A uses a zone-based focusing system, with focal distance settings for 0.4m, 0.8m, 1.5m, 3m and infinity. You can select your zone manually, or make use of the LiDAR-based autofocus system, which will analyse the scene and judge the correct zone to use.

While it's not going to give you anywhere near the level of responsiveness and accuracy of the autofocus systems in new digital mirrorless cameras, this system still makes the MC-A a much more photographically versatile camera than a simple fixed-focus point-and-shoot, allowing you to home in on a specific subject in the frame for dynamic imagery.

(Image credit: Future | Jon Stapley)

In a world where cheap film cameras are not hard to come by, the $549 / £499 / AU$799 Lomo MC-A might sound like a bit of an ask. But it has the potential to give you much better images than a point-and-shoot like the $99 Kodak Snapic A1, or than the $60 point-and-shoot from the 1990s you found at a garage sale.

Of course, the flip-side of this is that it makes the camera a little trickier to get to grips with. With the ability to focus comes the ability to mis-focus; and with the ability to control exposure comes the potential for misjudging it.

However, I’ve spent a considerable amount of time with the Lomography MC-A, and in my opinion it’s the best new film camera you can buy. It’s more versatile than the cheap point-and-shoots, and provides better value for money than the overpriced half-frame Pentax 17.

It’s not without its quirks and issues, which we'll get into, but it consistently delivers great-looking imagery on beautiful 35mm film — and can you ask for much more than that? In my view, this is now the benchmark for new film cameras to meet.

(Image credit: Future | Jon Stapley)Lomography Lomo MC-A: price and availability

As mentioned, the Lomography MC-A is priced at $549 / £499 / AU$799. That puts it about on a par with the Pentax 17, and given that it’s a better-made camera offering full-frame quality rather than half-frame, I think it offers better value for money.

You also get plenty in the box in addition to the camera itself: a glass UV filter, a lens cap, a protective fabric wrap, a leather hand strap, colored gel flash filters, a CR2 battery rechargeable via USB-C, a Splitzer lens attachment (for creating split-effect multiple exposures), a book of inspirational images, and a sticker sheet.

Lomography Lomo MC-A: design

• Sturdy metal build feels hefty and premium
• Viewfinder is a little cramped
• Top LCD is neat, but practically not that useful

Your first reaction to picking up the Lomo MC-A will likely be to marvel at its heft. It's not a heavy camera in the grand scheme of things — you can use it one-handed without issue — but at 332g its metal-based build is substantially weightier than most modern point-and-shoots (which tend to be nothing but plastic). While I wouldn't risk dropping it, the MC-A feels reasonably tough, and I don't worry about it when it's in my bag — the supplied fabric wrap is also a help here.

Film-loading is simple — once the roll is secured in place, you simply make sure the leader is sitting with the perforations aligned to the teeth, and then close the back and you’re ready to go. The first time you load it, you might be a little dubious as to whether the film has actually taken, but the camera will warn you if it hasn't — and you can triple-check by winding on one frame and checking whether the rewind crank on the camera's base rotates as you do so.

The top LCD screen provides a counter of how many shots you’ve spent, as well as flash setting, focus setting and battery level. When you half-depress the shutter button the screen switches to displaying exposure information, though you’ll likely rarely see this, since when you half-depress the shutter button you’re almost certainly looking through the viewfinder.

Future | Jon StapleyFuture | Jon StapleyFuture | Jon StapleyFuture | Jon StapleyFuture | Jon StapleyFuture | Jon Stapley

The optical viewfinder does the job, but personally I find it quite small and cramped. A bigger viewfinder — maybe even one big enough for a readout of exposure information — would go a long way towards making composition feel more comfortable. There are two in-viewfinder LEDs, a blue one to let you know focus is locked, and an orange one to warn you if you’re getting a slow shutter speed that will likely cause image blur.

I find these lights a bit distracting and oblique, especially when the real-estate of the viewfinder is so small to begin with. A bigger viewfinder with room to display the exposure information displayed on the top LCD screen would have made much more sense to me.

(Image credit: Future | Jon Stapley)

Winding on film is done manually, via the delightfully retro-felling mechanical lever that springs back with a satisfying snap. The lever itself has quite a lot of travel, and you want to make sure you pull it all the way to the end with every frame – some users have reported a little bleed between frames, likely caused by the lever not being quite cranked far enough and the camera allowing the exposure anyway. In all my time with the MC-A, this only happened to me once, but it's worth being aware of.

Control of exposure is achieved via the dials on the top plate and the tiny aperture ring around the lens, which pops out from the front very slightly when the camera is activated. Settings can be dialed in manually or set to automated program mode, and in most situations, the camera will judge well enough that you can use the latter.

The tiny lens comes with an absolutely darling little lens cap. This is, I am embarrassed to report, incredibly easy to accidentally leave on — and the Lomo MC-A lacks a handy feature like the Pentax 17's ability to detect when the cap is on and refuse to capture an image until it's removed. If you're going to be taking the camera in and out of your pocket all day to capture little moments, I'd consider using the supplied clear UV filter as a lens protector instead. Just... trust me.

Overall though, the Lomo MC-A is a nicely designed object. Its premium metal build puts a reassuring weight in your hands, and the satisfying snap of the wind-on lever never gets old.

Lomography Lomo MC-A: performance

• Autofocus works well once you're used to it
• Lens is nicely sharp, though has a vignette
• Exposure metering is solid

Ultimately, the image is the important thing, and I really liked a lot of the images I got back from the Lomo MC-A. The 5-zone autofocus system allows for the creation of much more dynamic and varied images than are possible with a fixed-focus compact.

You have to maintain some distance, as the camera isn’t one for close-focusing; the minimum claimed distance is 0.4m, but I would give it even more latitude than that. In general, it will probably take running a roll to get used to the ins and outs of the autofocus. Your first scans will likely have a fair few blurry misfires, until you get in the habit of slowing down, taking a breath, and waiting for that blue LED to turn solid before firing the shutter.

Once you get the hang of it though, you can capture images with a sharp main subject and a nicely defocused background, and even moving subjects as long as they're not too speedy. A striding pedestrian is perfectly possible to capture in a sharp image, but a speeding bike is a bit more of an ask.

Images offer a good level of detail. The 32mm lens allows you to fit plenty in the frame, without being so wide that the perspective becomes distorted and non-naturalistic, and its quality is sufficient to hold up to a bit of cropping if you want to hone in on your subject in editing.

There is a pronounced vignette to the lens, noticeable when you capture an image with a lot of empty space, like a big blue sky. It can also flare a little when shot into direct light, producing pronounced optical effects. I don’t mind these quirks, personally — I think they rather add to the low-fi feel. But if you’re looking for optical flawlessness, it ain’t here.

If I'm adding to my wishlist for the next MC-A, or future accessories for this one, a teleconverter for the lens could be an interesting way to expand its versatility.

Kodak Gold 200FutureKodak Gold 200FutureKodak Gold 200FutureKodak Gold 200FutureKodak Gold 200FutureKodak Gold 200FutureKodak Gold 200 (images like this are where you really notice the vignette)FutureKodak Gold 200FutureKodak ColorPlus 200Future | Jon StapleyKodak ColorPlus 200Future | Jon StapleyKodak ColorPlus 200 (there's some pronounced flare from the direct light here)Future | Jon StapleyKodak ColorPlus 200Future | Jon StapleyKodak ColorPlus 200Future | Jon StapleyLomography 400Future | Jon StapleyLomography 400Future | Jon StapleyLomography 400Future | Jon Stapley

Realistically, you probably won't want to manually dial in your aperture and shutter speed for every single shot — and the good news here is that the Lomo MC-A's auto exposure modes generally do a commendable job.

I shot the majority of my test images using Aperture Priority mode – setting the aperture myself, and letting the camera handle shutter speeds. Exposures came back mostly well-balanced; I did notice a mild bias towards overexposure, particularly when the sun was out in full force, so you may want to consider dialing back half a stop using the exposure compensation dial if you think an image might run the risk of heavy glare.

Naturally, the look of your images is going to be predominantly dictated by the film you load. On my recent outings with the Lomo MC-A, I ran through some Kodak Gold 200, Kodak ColorPlus 200 and Lomography's own Lomo 400, the results of which you can see on this page.

I had the shots professionally developed, with scans at a resolution of 3130 x 2075, producing file sizes of around 5-7MB. I think the MC-A's lens is sharp enough that you could scan at higher resolutions than this.

Should I buy the Lomography Lomo MC-A?

(Image credit: Future | Jon Stapley)Buy it if...

You want a new film compact
Avoiding the potential minefield of the used market, this is a camera you can be sure is going to work.

You want control over your images
A zone-based focusing system and a range of aperture and shutter speed settings provide photographic flexibility.

You like a proper retro feel
Everything from the vignetting lens to the delightful mechanical wind-on lever makes this camera a delightful throwback with real retro charm.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a tight budget
There are much cheaper ways to get hold of a camera that shoots film, whether you go for a new compact or try the second-hand market.

You want a flexible zoom lens
The 32mm prime locks you into a particular perspective – no bad thing in my opinion, but some may prefer a versatile zoom.

How I tested the Lomography Lomo MC-A

(Image credit: Future | Jon Stapley)

• I received a loan unit of the Lomography MC-A for testing, though I've since purchased one for myself.
• I’ve run a total of five rolls of 35mm color film through the camera over about three months.
• I’ve shot in variable light conditions and have taken the camera to a number of locations, mostly around London.

I’ve now rattled through five rolls of film with the Lomography MC-A, making for a total of around 180 frames. I’ve tried my hand at street photography with it to test the autofocus system, have shot landscape-style images from landmarks like London’s Primrose Hill, and have used both the auto and manual focusing and exposure modes. I’ve made it my main driver for several days out, as well as taking it on dedicated photo walks.

First reviewed March 2026

Take a look at The Handmaid's Tale Series Graph (episodes ranked by fan rating), and you'll see a near-impossible feat: back-to-back 9.0 and 5.7 ratings for the final two episodes of season 6. Translated, that's a Game of Thrones scale of reaction to the show's final-ever episode.

Given that the season 6 finale was an outright setup for new Hulu and Disney+ sequel series The Testaments, things didn't look too rosy. Thankfully, the reality is completely different — and I genuinely think The Testaments is as good as season 1 of The Handmaid's Tale.

For starters, the spinoff has nailed the art of reintroducing us to somewhere we already know (the totalitarian regime that is Gilead) and making it feel fresh. There are still secrets buried beneath the surface that we're none the wiser about, and a simple anti-regime stunt from Mayday isn't going to get any answers this time.

Then there's the casting. We already knew that Ann Dowd is absolutely blistering as the impenetrable Aunt Lydia, but newbies Chase Infiniti and Lucy Halliday mould the show into their own creation. We're looking at a major star on the rise after One Battle After Another with Infiniti, people.

If that's not enough to win you over to The Testaments, its main downside (feeling like it's just getting going) gives way to its biggest positive... surprises galore.

The Testaments is the journey to revolution that The Handmaid's Tale season 6 wanted to be

Some 15 years after the events of The Handmaid's Tale, a lot has changed in the Republic of Gilead. Aunt Lydia has rescued herself from imprisonment by being handpicked to oversee the laws and uniforms governing Gilead's women in the form of a new school.

Here, students are separated into four colors: Pinks for elementary age, Plums for young tweens who haven't come of age, Greens for those who have and are eligible for marriage, and the so-called 'Pearl Girls,' who have recently transferred in from the outside.

Where Margaret Atwood's book follows Aunt Lydia's perspective, Hulu's version homes in on devout Plum Agnes (Infiniti), who completely believes in the regime and what it's trying to achieve. She hates her stepmother, however, with her Commander father also constantly absent from the home.

One day, Aunt Lydia assigns her a Pearl Girl called Daisy (Halliday), prompting Agnes' friends to think she's done something wrong. Neither trusts the other, and while Daisy arrives with Gilead with secrets, Agnes begins to see the light.

It stands to reason that a school inside a totalitarian regime creates instant intrigue, but it's the ensemble performances that elevate it. Main cast aside, our Aunts and Plums have been picked to perfection, straddling the line between deranged and oblivious as, for the first time, men begin to feel the bulk of capital punishment.

Aunt Lydia could make or break what happens in The Testaments season 2 — which I'm convinced is coming

The golden trio. (Image credit: Disney+)

Ann Dowd remains the class act that we've known she is for years, and I'm overjoyed that Aunt Lydia is the character that both Atwood and Hulu chose to continue. Season 6 saw her allegiance to Gilead finally falter, but this time around, I don't trust her.

Why? When we meet her again in The Testaments, her faith in Gilead appears to be completely restored. However, she clearly knows more than she's letting on, and that makes her completely opaque when it comes to potentially betraying the regime further down the line.

It's a slippery business, and Aunt Lydia could either help or hugely hinder Agnes and Daisy on their upcoming journey. Obviously, there are no spoilers here, but the entire season of The Testaments feels like a starter for the main course still to come, and I'm convinced season 2 already has to be being developed.

Wishing for more of a fictitious dictatorship while living through politically perilous times feels bizarre at best, but I'm hoping for as many instalments of The Testaments as I can handle.

In the meantime, what we already have is a heady and moreish binge dressed up in a coloured uniform. The soundtrack is bonkers yet effective, and you can never let your guard down — particularly when it comes to plot details fans have been theorizing might come true. Frankly, I'd stream it over The Handmaid's Tale itself any day of the week.

It's obvious that we're getting them for more reasons than I've listed, and if The Handmaid's Tale spinoff continues to live up to the level of brilliance we see across these 10 episodes, totalitarian TV will never have been better.

LG Gram Book: Two-minute review

(Image credit: Future)

Sometimes, even the best laptops can be a bit... boring. That doesn't have to be a bad thing, though; forgo some of the fancy features and the over-designed chassis, and you'll often find yourself with a solid, minimal-frills laptop that comes with a sensible asking price.

That's the case with the new LG Gram Book. It's a new entry to LG's iconic Gram laptop series, but designed to fill a hitherto non-existent position within the Gram ecosystem: a midrange laptop.

See, the LG Gram series makes for some pretty decent laptops, but they're also rather expensive, typically sitting comfortably above the $1,000 / £1,000 / AU$1,500 mark. For that high price, you're getting a premium-feeling laptop that LG has tried as hard as possible to keep at the 1kg weight point - hence the name. But what if LG stopped worrying so much about the weight, and just focused on making a good midrange laptop?

(Image credit: Future)

Enter the Gram Book. It weighs in at 1.65kg, which arguably means LG should've tried to find a different name for it, but to be fair, I do own some actual paper books that are heavier than this. Rather than going for ultra-premium hardware, this laptop sits more in the budget-to-midrange space, with a 1080p display and 13th-gen Intel Core i5 processor.

It's not much to look at, but I actually think that's fine: this isn't a laptop for people who care too much about appearances. It feels quite sturdily built despite an outer casing made of matte plastic, and features a full-scale keyboard with a numpad.

Unfortunately, the price-to-performance ratio simply isn't there; this laptop is fundamentally underpowered and offers seriously lackluster battery life for the asking price.

The Gram Book is clearly aimed at office workers and students who need a straightforward laptop for work or studying, and I had hoped it might qualify for a position on our ranking of the best student laptops. In some areas, it does deliver in that regard. There are a few nice additions here, which I'll get to further down in this review, but for the most part, it's just a deeply unexciting laptop.

LG Gram Book: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? Starts at $799 / £699 / AU$1,199
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

With a price tag of $799 / £699 / AU$1,199, the LG Gram Book isn't exactly what I'd call a budget laptop. In fact, considering the specs on offer, I'd argue it's a little overpriced; you could spend a similar amount on one of Acer's excellent Aspire laptops and get slightly more bang for your buck.

It's certainly not terribly expensive, especially since the LG Gram line has historically come with some uncomfortably steep asking prices. It's just unfortunate that you could definitely do better without needing to pony up more cash. There's currently only one configuration of the Gram Book available, listed below.

Outside of Windows laptops, the obvious competitor here is the new MacBook Neo. While it doesn't offer the same amount of oomph as the mainstream MacBook Air and Pro models with M-series chips, Apple's first 'budget MacBook' is indisputibly a better choice. It offers better performance, a full metal chassis, and a nicer display - and it's actually a bit cheaper than the Gram Book, costing just $599 / £599 / AU$899.

• Price score: 2/5

LG Gram Book: Specs

LG Gram Book

CPU

Intel Core i5-1334U

GPU

Intel UHD Graphics

RAM

16GB DDR4

Display

15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, 60Hz

Storage

512GB

Ports

2x USB-C 3.2 Type-C, 1x USB 3.2 Type-A, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3,5mm combi audio jack

Wireless

Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2

Weight

1.65kg / 3.64lbs

Dimension

36.0 x 23.8 x 1.94cm / 14.2 x 9.4 x 0.76 inches

LG Gram Book: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Display is merely okay
• Lots of ports
• Touchpad feels a bit cheap

At first glance, the LG Gram Book isn't much to look at. The outer chassis is plain gray, with a subtle Gram logo emblazoned on the lid. Opening it up, you're met with the same no-nonsense color scheme - bar the retro red power button, which is immediately reminiscent of the infamous red 'laptop nipple' navigation nub found on Lenovo's ThinkPad series.

I actually quite like it. It's befitting the design ethos of this laptop, not trying to draw your attention with fancy aesthetic design choices or LED keyboard backlighting. The Gram Book looks like a laptop belonging to the type of person who shows up, gets the job done quickly and efficiently, and goes home.

On the topic of the keyboard, it's fine but unspectacular; there's not quite as much travel as I'd like, and the keys feel a little spongy on firm presses. This is a full-layout laptop keyboard, featuring a numpad and function key row, but I will admit that it never felt cramped to type on in my testing; if anything, I'd say the key size and spacing are good.

(Image credit: Future)

Sadly, I can't say anything nice about the touchpad, which feels cheap and plasticky, with far too much flex in the chassis when I pressed down firmly. Clicks are muted and responsive, which is something, but this is definitely a case where I'd recommend connecting a mouse. For the asking price, it smacks of bargain basement hardware.

Speaking of connections: the Gram Book has plenty of physical ports, which is always nice to see. We've got two USB-A and two USB-C ports (sadly, the latter don't support Thunderbolt 4) along with an HDMI port and a headphone jack. The only thing missing here is an SD or microSD card reader, but this isn't really a laptop for photo/videography specialists, so it's an understandable omission. Wireless connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, which again, is perfectly acceptable if not on the cutting edge.

The display is a bog-standard 1080p 60Hz IPS panel, which performed reasonably well in brightly-lit environments but isn't particularly impressive. The webcam is also a fairly pedestrian 720p camera, although it does include a physical privacy shutter - something I personally think should be mandatory on laptops.

• Design score: 3/5

LG Gram Book: Performance

• Decent but hardly exciting performance
• Handles everyday tasks fine
• Not for gaming

I won't beat around the bush here: the Intel Core i5-1334U chip powering the LG Gram Book isn't exactly brimming with power. You can expect to get reasonably good everyday performance from this laptop, but it's not going to be running triple-A games or resource-intensive creative software anytime soon. Even lightweight titles like Civilization VI struggled a bit.

Frankly, the benchmark results don't paint a very impressive picture, with absolutely feeble graphical performance and decidedly average scores in productivity and AI tests. But synthetic benchmarks don't always tell the full story.

LG Gram Book review: Benchmarks

Here's how the LG Gram Book performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
3DMark: Night Raid: 11,566; Fire Strike: 2,883; Time Spy: 1,179; Steel Nomad: 776
Cinebench 2024: Multi-core: 446; Single-core: 101
Geekbench 6.4: Multicore: 4,745; Single-core: 1,354
Geekbench AI: Single Precision Score: 1,288; Half Precision Score: 516; Quantized Score: 2,383
PCMark 10: 5,156
Crossmark: Overall: 1,471; Productivity: 1,533; Creativity: 1,385; Responsiveness: 1,555
Sid Meier's Civilization VI: (1080p, Medium, No Upscaling): 19fps; (1800p, Highest, No Upscaling): 12fps
Borderlands 3: (1080p, Highest, No Upscaling): 8fps
Rise of the Tomb Raider: (1080p, Highest, No Upscaling): 13fps
Shadow of the Tomb Raider: (1080p, Highest, No Upscaling): 11fps
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 6 hours, 59 minutes

In real-world testing, I actually found the Gram Book to be quite responsive, having no difficulty opening numerous Chrome tabs or watching a YouTube video while working in another window. Considering that most of my work involves typing, emailing, and surfing the web, it was a sufficient replacement for my usual workhorse - the 2019 model of the venerable HP Spectre x360, which is starting to show its age a little. Then again, it's not exactly flattering to compare this laptop to a device from six years ago.

If you want to do anything more demanding than that, though, the cracks start to show. I was able to use GIMP 2.0 to do some light image editing without things getting too sluggish, but that's about the extent of this laptop's creative prowess. The Gram Book's rendering and video editing capabilities simply aren't up to snuff, and while I was able to play Stardew Valley just fine, attempting to run modern titles with 3D graphics felt like a fool's errand.

(Image credit: Future)

Interestingly, the LG Gram Book also has a dedicated Copilot button, and is marketed with support for Microsoft's handy AI assistant as a key selling point. I found this a little strange initially, as the Intel Core i5 chip doesn't actually have a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for handling local AI tasks - something that Microsoft has previously mandated for laptops to receive the new 'Copilot+ PC' designation.

However, it seems that LG has decided to go ahead with including a Copilot button regardless, which is great for power users who want to make the most of AI in Windows - though it's important to note here that the Gram Book is not a true Copilot+ system, meaning that you don't get access to a handful of specific features that do require an NPU, such as the controversial Recall functionality. It also means it's unable to process AI tasks locally - instead, you'll need to be connected to the internet, with all the associated risks to privacy that using cloud-based AI tools entail.

Still, the Copilot button works mostly as advertised, letting you summon Microsoft's chatbot at the press of a button. It was even able to helpfully explain the difference between using Copilot with and without an NPU for me - but don't worry, I made sure to double-check its information.

(Image credit: Future)

• Performance score: 3/5

LG Gram Book: Battery

I'm going to keep this section short: the battery life on the LG Gram Book is unimpressive, perhaps even bordering on dismal. In our video playback test, with the laptop set to the power-efficiency preset in Windows, volume at zero, and brightness at 50%, the Gram Book didn't even make it past the seven-hour mark. In practical testing during my regular workday, it perished before I reached six hours of continuous use.

Considering how much this laptop costs, it's frankly disappointing that it couldn't even survive through a full eight-hour workday without needing to be plugged in. Crank up the brightness, turn on the speakers, or start running multiple programs at once, and you'll get even less time between charges.

It doesn't even charge particularly fast, since the USB-C ports used for charging don't support Thunderbolt 4's improved power delivery capabilities. In my tests, it took about two hours to charge to full (from 5% battery) while not in use.

• Battery score: 2/5

Should you buy the LG Gram Book?

Notes

Rating

Value

It's cheaper than the mainline Gram models, but you can get better performance for your money elsewhere.

2/5

Design

While the stripped-back retro aesthetic will be appealing for some, the keyboard and trackpad feel a bit cheap and the display is underwhelming.

3/5

Performance

Decently responsive for everyday productivity workloads, but don't expect it to do anything more than that.

2.5/5

Battery

For the asking price, the LG Gram Book's battery life is abysmal.

2/5

Total

I appreciate what LG was trying to achieve with the Gram Book, but it needs to be a lot cheaper to justify its unimpressive build quality and performance.

2.375/5

Buy it if...

You like a retro-styled laptop
With its mostly-monochromatic design and bright red power button, the LG Gram Book evokes a certain era of vintage computer hardware.

You want something simple
As far as everyday office work goes, the Gram Book can hold its own - but for anything more demanding that that, you'll be better served elsewhere.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a tight budget
The price isn't totally outrageous, but for the specs you get, it's a bit too much to recommend to anyone looking to get maximum bang for their buck.

You want great performance
The Gram Book's overall performance is underwhelming, and the battery life is pretty bad.

Also Consider

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (2025)
The Surface product line is finally good now! Yes, Microsoft's signature laptop has a new lease of life, delivering a fantastic ultrabook experience in the same price ballpark as the LG Gram Book.

Read our full Surface Laptop 13-inch (2025) review

Apple MacBook Neo
In a bizarre twist of fate, there's now an Apple MacBook that somehow costs less than LG's attempt at a budget Gram laptop. Yep, the new MacBook Neo is a banger, outperforming the Gram Book in power, looks, and battery life.

Read our full MacBook Neo review

LG Gram Book

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch (2025)

Apple MacBook Neo

Starting Price

$799 / £699 / AU$1,199

From $999.99 / £1,049.99 / AU$1,899

$599 / £599 / AU$899

CPU

Up to Intel Core Ultra 7 256V

Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite

Apple A18 Pro (6-core)

GPU

Intel Arc 140V integrated graphics

Qualcomm Adreno GPU

5-core integrated GPU

RAM

16GB DDR5

Up to 32GB LPDDR5x

8GB unified memory

Storage

Up to 1TB SSD

Up to 1TB SSD

Up to 512GB SSD

Display

16-inch WQXGA+ (2880 x 1800) AMOLED 120Hz touchscreen

13.8-inch 2304 x 1536, 3:2 120Hz HDR touchscreen

13-inch 2408 x 1506 Liquid Retina IPS display

Ports

2x Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, 1x USB-A 3.2, 1x 3.5mm combi audio jack, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x microSD card reader

2x USB 4 Type C, 1x USB Type A Gen 3.1, 1x 3.5mm combo jack, 1x Surface connect port, 1x microSD card reader

USB 3 (USB-C) port, USB 2 (USB-C) port, 3.5mm audio jack

Wireless

Wi-Fi 7 / Bluetooth 5.4

WiFi 7 / Bluetooth 5.4

Wi-Fi 6E / Bluetooth 6

Weight

3.73lbs / 1.69kg

2.96lbs / 1.34kg

2.7lbs / 1.23kg

Dimensions

14 x 9.9 x 0.5 inches / 35.5 x 25.1 x 1.37mcm

11.85 x 8.67 x 0.69 inches / 30.1 x 22.0 x 1.75cm

0.50 x 11.71 x 8.12 inches / 1.27 x 29.75 x 20.64cm

How I tested the LG Gram Book

• Replaced my regular laptop with LG Gram Book for two weeks
• Used the laptop both for day-to-day work and personal projects
• Ran our usual selection of benchmarking software

For this review, I took the usual steps: in addition to our standard testing routine, the LG Gram Book replaced my daily driver for work and personal projects, so I could better get a feel for its performance in real-world settings. This is mostly low-level tasks like writing in Google Docs and doing research online, with a bit of image editing via GIMP 2.0 sprinkled in there. I also used it outside in my yard to see how well the screen performed in bright sunlight.

Each software test in our benchmarking selection is run three times and averaged to avoid outlier results. I tested the laptop while it was plugged in and set to Windows 11's performance power preset (with the exception of the battery life test, naturally, which uses the best efficiency preset).

Read more about how we test

First reviewed April 2025

JBL Live 780NC: Two-minute review

I was not expecting to be as impressed by the JBL Live 780NC as I ended up being. Even out of the box, it looked like another good but not great $200-range pair of headphones that excel in certain areas but end up making compromises elsewhere. But really the only compromises are the lack of a charging cable and the fact you can’t remove the ear pads.

But dig a little deeper and the JBL Live 780NC start to shine. The feature set rivals that of the best wireless headphones out there like the Sony WH-1000XM6. Sure, most wireless headphones now come with active noise cancellation and an ambient mode, but many don’t come with Auracast, as powerful of an EQ (and personalized EQ), or Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res support. At least, not at this price.

I’ll throw in the obligatory these-aren’t-perfect counterpoints — and there are a few. The bass can sometimes get a little out of control to the point where I usually had the bass cut through the EQ when listening. And the Dolby Atmos feature is a bit underwhelming for music, not to mention that only a handful of streaming services provide Dolby Atmos content. Still, the JBL Live 780NC get high marks from me. And if you give them a chance, you’ll probably feel the same.

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)JBL Live 780NC: Price and release date

• Priced $249.95 (about £190 / AU$360, but currently launched in US only)
• Launch date March 12, 2026

With a March 2026 launch date in the US, the JBL Live 780NC are the newest addition to JBL’s lineup of over-ear headphones, having landed alongside their 680NC on-ear counterparts. And despite being among the more expensive of JBL’s offerings (only out priced by the JBL Tour One M3 Smart Tx and the JBL Quantum One), they’re firmly in the mid-tier price range for over-ear wireless cans in general, coming in at $249.95 (about £190 / AU$360). They’re also available in five colors: black, green, blue, white, and champagne.

Unfortunately, at the time of writing, the JBL Live 780NC are only available in the US. However, considering their predecessor, the 2023-issue JBL Live 770NC, can be purchased in the UK and Australia, my guess is that it’s only a matter of time before these headphones will become available in those regions as well.

JBL Live 780NC: Specs

Drivers

40mm drivers

Active noise cancellation

Adaptive

Battery life

Up to 50 hours with ANC On, 80 without

Weight

260g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0

Frequency range

10Hz - 40kHz

Waterproofing

N/A

Other features

Multipoint connectivity, App Support, Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode, Hi-Res, Spatial Audio, Fast Charging, Auracast, Voice Assistant

JBL Live 780NC: FeaturesFuture / James HollandFuture / James HollandFuture / James HollandFuture / James Holland

• Multipoint and Auracast available
• Personalizable EQ according to what you can hear
• Deep EQ manipulation

The JBL Live 780NC may be as feature-filled as any other pair of headphones on the market. Not only do they come with multipoint connectivity, but allow for use with Auracast where you can connect multiple headphones to one source, as well as Bluetooth with LE Audio (something Apple doesn’t currently support). They even do that thing where they stop playing when you take them off your head.

The active noise cancellation and Ambient (sometimes referred to as transparency) mode are fairly deep. You can set levels of both using a slider, as well as turn on an adaptive mode for the ANC. TalkThru, basically an ambient mode hyperaware of human voices, is also an option here. And they work pretty well too.

The ANC was able to completely block out ambient noise with music playing at 50%, while the ambient mode was able to still allow me to fully understand a conversation on TV while listening to music at 60%.

Of course, while you can cycle through the types of “Ambient Sound Control” as JBL calls it with a press of a button on the headphones, the real fine tuning happens in the JBL headphone app. The app has a number of additional features and ways of customizing your experience.

For instance, Personi-fi 3.0 is a cool feature that tests how well you can hear a series of frequencies on both ears and then adjusts the EQ to offset any hearing loss you have. I also appreciated that I could toggle it on and off after going through the process.

Speaking of EQ, there are six presets available through the included Equalizer function with the ability to add more. More importantly, however, is the fact that I can create a completely custom EQ with a seemingly infinite amount of points (I stopped at 17) where you can boost or cut up to 6 dB.

Spatial sound gets its own set of three presets – Movie, Music, and Game – though there isn’t any more control other than selecting between them. There’s also a left / right balance, and a Low Volume Dynamic EQ setting so that audio still sounds present even when turned down.

I also appreciate the number of settings for better sounding calls, even allowing you to hear your own voice if you want.

Lastly, it also comes with a relax mode that allows you to play any combination of up to five relaxing sounds from one to sixty minutes (selectable along a slider). It’s a nice if slightly gimmicky feature.

• Features score: 5/5

JBL Live 780NC: Design

• No charging cable included
• Comfortable, (if slightly tight) fit
• Plenty of on-unit controls

When unboxing the JBL Live 780NC, a couple things popped out to me. I was a little disheartened to see that JBL didn’t include a charging cable, though not too much, since it uses USB-C and anyone with a modern smartphone can use the same cable to charge these headphones. More appreciated was the inclusion of a carrying pouch, albeit a fairly thin one, as well as the USB-C to aux cable for more analog listening.

Mostly though, I liked the fact that the JBL Live 780NC, while not reinventing the wheel, don’t look like every other pair of over-ear wireless headphones out there. Not only do they come in the five different colors mentioned above (my test unit is black), but the earcups have a rounded almost-retro-but-not-quite shape to them that with oversize earpads give it an accessible yet slightly elevated look.

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

The earpads might not be removable but they are plush as is the headband, while the rest of the Live 780NC are a combination of durable plastic and sturdy metal – most notably the hinge. JBL doesn’t give an exact measurements, but each earcup looks to have an adjustment range of about an inch and a half giving these headphones the flexibility to fit on just about any head. Plus, the earcups can swivel flat as well as fold, which make them easier to carry.

The headphones sit tight on the head without too much pressure for a secure and comfortable fit. And if you try these on and find them too tight, adjusting the ear cups will alleviate the pressure. At 260 grams, they’re not light. But I didn’t find them fatiguing to wear for long listening sessions. Though they’re not really meant for active wear, I even tried them on while going for a run and found them comfortable the entire time.

I also like the fact that cloth covering the 40mm drivers has a sizable “L” and “R” etched into them to indicate sides. I’ve experienced more than one pair of headphones that hide the left and right indicators in some forgotten crevice, making me spend a few extra seconds figuring out the proper headphone orientation (first world problems).

Typically, many wireless headphones have all the controls on one side. That’s not the case with the JBL Live 780NC. The right side does have more on it, containing the power / bluetooth slider and ANC / AmbientAware button along with the USB-C port. You can also tap the outside of the ear cup for various additional controls like play / pause, mic mute, call answer, and voice assistant cycling. The left side is a little more minimal but does have the all important volume controls.

• Design score: 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)JBL Live 780NC: Sound

• Really impressive sound, except for overly pronounced bass
• Spatial audio is a treat, if a bit underwhelming
• Ridiculously long battery life

Having spent quite some time testing the JBL Live 780NC, listening to all sorts of genres through Apple Music with Dolby Atmos and lossless on (and therefore able to listen to music in Hi-Res and with spatial audio on), I’ve come away quite impressed.

The sound quality here is better than I was expecting it to be considering the more mid-range price tag. Regardless of what I listened to, the mids and high end came through very clearly.

The mids have a good amount of body so rock and more mid-forward music retains its edge, while the high end has the kind of clarity to keep sounds like cymbals coming through with a crispness they deserve.

The one place that the audio quality lines up more closely with my experience of headphones in this price range is the bass. For instance, I’ve never listened to U2 and thought there was too much bass.

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

That is until I tested these headphones and put on Until The End of the World in an effort to find some kind of rock in Dolby Atmos. I also tested with some hip hop, like Duckwrth and J. Cole, where that big bass worked better, but as soon as I turned on the bass boost EQ preset, it completely overwhelmed the rest of the audio. If you’re a bass head and welcome hearing damage, you might like that.

I did appreciate the ability to play Dolby Atmos through these headphones, though the availability of this content is limited to only a handful of streaming services. Yet, the spatial audio effect is more limited than it is with a physical atmos system. On the bright side, it is more impactful when watching shows or movies (or gaming), giving content a more three dimensional experience.

Still, everything does have more clarity to it with more separation between aural elements like instruments and backing vocals. Part of that is listening in Hi-Res lossless audio but some of it is also the Dolby Atmos since it allows for a bigger sense of space in the soundstage. It is a virtual approximation since these headphones rock just one 40mm driver per side. That said, this is still incredible audio for $250.

Using the headphones for calls is almost as impressive. As the wearer, I was able to hear calls clearly. And due to the dual beamforming mics — there are four mics total — coupled with an AI-trained algorithm, the caller on the other end could hear me just as clearly, stating that they wouldn’t have even known I was speaking through the 780NC if I hadn’t told them.

What probably blows me away the most — at least in terms of how far headphones have come in a few years — is the ridiculously long battery life. A five minute fast charge garners four hours use. And though it takes two hours to fully charge from empty, once charged, the JBL Live 780NC can last up to 80 hours, 50 if you’re always using ANC. I’ve charged these headphones once since I got them and that’s only because they arrived with a 50% battery life out of the box.

• Performance: 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)JBL Live 780NC: Value

• JBL Live 780NC sound better than their price
• Similar features in other headphones cost more
• Only a few headphones come with better battery life

Aesthetically and design-wise, the JBL Live 780NC look like the mid-tier headphones that they are. But, the amount of features on hand as well as the superb sound quality (as long as you’re okay with a big low end) and impressive battery life feel like they belong in a more expensive pair.

If we look at other wireless headphones out there, the Sony WH-1000XM6 are one of the first ones to pop up on any best of list. While their ANC is probably the best out there (along with Bose’s top options), they also go for a much heftier $449 / £399 / AU$699. They also have a more limited battery life, lasting 30 hours with ANC on. And they’re a bit more limited when it comes to other features. They would get a little bit of a pass regarding the limited features since they’ve been out since 2024, but the prices haven’t really come down much since their release. You might find them at around $400, but not really any less than that outside of a sales event.

You can find some headphones with better battery life like the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100, which provide up to 100 hours of battery life. But those are more expensive, at $299 / £249 (AU$510 approx.), and don’t offer spatial audio support. On top of that, the ANC is not as good on the Cambridge as it is on the JBL.

• Value: 4.5/5

Should I buy the JBL Live 780NC?Beyerdynamic Aventho 300 scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Just about every feature from ANC to personalized EQ and spatial audio are on hand here.

5/5

Design

The JBL Live 780NC have a comfortable fit and are available in a number of colors. I do wish they came with a charging cable.

4.5/5

Performance

The spatial audio might be too subtle and the bass too big, but make no mistake – these headphones sound very good. Plus, the battery life is amazing.

4.5/5

Value

These headphones punch above their weight when it comes to features, battery life, and sound quality.

4.5/5

Buy them if…

You want great sounding headphones
The sound quality here is very impressive considering the price point. There’s a clarity and separation that I don’t expect to hear in headphones at this price point.

You want all the features
From multipoint connectivity and Auracast to spatial audio, ANC, and more, the amount of features here seem almost limitless.

Don’t buy them if…

You don’t want big bass
As good as these headphones sound, the sound signature is not quite neutral thanks to that big bass. If you’re expecting audiophile-type sound, you’re going to have to fiddle quite a bit with the EQ.

You’re expecting spatial audio to be transformative
The spatial audio is a nice addition to these headphones and does improve the sound in intangible ways, but it’s not a game changer. If you’re expecting it to change your listening experience, you’ll be disappointed.

JBL Live 780NC: Also consider

Cambridge Audio Melomania P100
You might have to pay a little more for the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100, but its hundred hours of battery life have yet to be beaten. Plus, they sound pretty darn good. ANC is good but not great here though, and it doesn’t come with any spatial audio support.
Read our full Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 review

Beyerdynamic Aventho 100
The Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 are just a little cheaper while still providing a good looking (and feeling) pair of headphones that travel well and come with an almost as impressive battery life. They’re more limited in features though, and don’t wow in the audio department (they do still sound good).
Read our full Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 review

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)How I tested the JBL Live 780NC

• Tested over a two-week period
• Tested with different music as well as video streaming and gaming
• Tested the various features

I spent two weeks using the JBL Live 780NC as my daily headphones. While using them, I listened to all sorts of genres from electronic and hip hop to rock and acoustic music to compare the frequency range and soundstage. I also tested them with streaming video, video games, and used the various settings such as ANC, transparency mode, EQ, and multipoint.

I’ve spent the last few years reviewing audio equipment and have spent even longer using my critical ear as a listener and musician to understand what does and doesn’t sound good.

• First reviewed in April 2026

• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Samsung Galaxy Book6 Pro: Two-minute review

The Samsung Galaxy Book6 Pro is a laptop in the ultrabook class, featuring a sublime design that keeps bulk to a minimum.

I was immediately struck by the svelteness of the unit. The clean lines and rounded corners only add to its minimalist chic, as does the steely grey colorway.

It looks and feels every bit as premium as any of our current best laptops. All materials are smooth to the touch, while the metal base is solid. The metal lid isn’t quite as stable as those on some other laptops I've tested, but it’s perfectly sufficient for normal use, and the hinge operates very well.

The price you pay for such solidity, though, is that the Galaxy Book6 Pro isn’t exactly light. I tested the 16-inch model, so I wasn’t expecting a featherweight unit, but it’s worth mentioning all the same. At least its thin profile makes it more portable than it otherwise would be.

The Book6 Pro's all-round performance is excellent. It can handle all kinds of tasks without missing a beat, and I was also amazed by its gaming performance, despite the lack of dedicated GPU. It was able to run AAA titles at respectable graphical settings in perfectly playable states.

(Image credit: Future)

Note that you can feel some heat on the keyboard, with fan noise apparent, even when the laptop is under moderate stress. Thankfully, the noise is relatively hushed, and not likely to cause much disruption.

However, it was the 16-inch 3K AMOLED display of my review unit that really caught the eye. It’s as bright, sharp, and rich as you could wish for, while touchscreen functionality is also great. Unlike the majority of laptops screens, the rounded corners of the frame here add to the display's appeal, while the super-thin bezel ensures that none of the copious real estate goes to waste.

The keys on the Galaxy Book6 Pro are a little heavier than you might expect, which can lead to presses failing to register, at least in my experience. The layout is also a little cramped — and it’s a shame that on a laptop of this size, Samsung has chosen to omit a number pad and most navigation keys.

I have fewer complaints about the touchpad, though. Its large size and incredibly smooth surface make navigation a cinch. Also, it mostly avoids encroaching on wrist space when typing; only on a few brief occasions did I accidentally trigger cursor movement.

Battery life is adequate, if not spectacular. It lasted 14 hours in our movie playback test, which is under an hour of that achieved by the Asus Zenbook S 16 and the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4), but an hour more than the Dell 16 Plus.

The Galaxy Book6 Pro is certainly a costly proposition, but when you consider all that it offers, its value becomes more apparent. It’s similarly priced to the aforementioned Zenbook, a close rival in many ways, and more expensive than the Dell 16 Plus. Nevertheless, it's difficult for either of these alternatives to surpass the sheer quality and glorious display of Samsung's super-slender machine.

Samsung Galaxy Book6 Pro review: Specs

Base spec

Review spec

Price

$1,899.99 / £1,699 (about AU$2,740)

$2,199.99 / £2,199 (about AU$3,170)

CPU

Intel Core Ultra 7 356H (up to 4.7GHz, 16 cores)

Intel Core Ultra X7 358H (up to 4.8GHz, 16 cores

GPU

Intel Arc Graphics (integrated)

Intel Arc Graphics (integrated)

RAM

16GB LPDDR5x

32GB LPDDR5x

Storage

US: 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD
UK: 512GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD

1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD

Display

16-inch 2,880 x 1,800 (WQXGA+), Dynamic AMOLED 2X, Anti-Reflective, touchscreen

16-inch 2,880 x 1,800 (WQXGA+), Dynamic AMOLED 2X, Anti-Reflective, touchscreen

Ports and Connectivity

2 x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4), 1 x USB-A 3.2, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x 3.5mm combo audio; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4

2 x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4), 1x USB-A 3.2, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x 3.5mm combo audio; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4

Battery

78Wh

78Wh

Dimensions

14.1 x 9.8 x 0.5 inches (357 x 248 x 12mm)

14.1 x 9.8 x 0.5 inches (357 x 248 x 12mm)

Weight

3.51lbs / 1.59kg

3.51lbs / 1.59kg

Samsung Galaxy Book6 Pro review: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future)

• Starts from $1,899.99 / £1,699
• Available now
• Expensive, but in line with some others

Pricing for the Galaxy Book6 Pro starts from $1,899.99 / £1,699 (about AU$2,740; pricing and availability for Australia is TBC at the time of writing), with the models available now. It can be configured with 16GB or 32GB of RAM, and 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage. There are two Intel Core Ultra CPUs to choose from, the 7 356H and the X7 358H — the latter of which is reserved for the top-tier model. A variant with the Ultra 5 325 is coming soon.

The Galaxy Book6 Pro is an expensive laptop, then — although this isn’t too surprising, given its design and spec. The base model is similarly in price to the Asus Zenbook S 16, which also features a 3K OLED display, but 24GB instead of 16GB of RAM.

However, if you're in the market for a large laptop that still offers plenty of quality for less, there’s the Dell 16 Plus. The base model is significantly cheaper than the Galaxy Book6 Pro’s, but it still arrives with an Intel Core Ultra 7 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. Its resolution is lower, but only slightly.

• Value: 3.5 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Book6 Pro review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Incredibly thin
• Solid metal enclosure
• Quite heavy

In line with many of Samsung’s mobile devices, the Galaxy Book6 Pro is a sleek, premium-looking machine. The dark grey colorway is also very fetching and somehow adds more interest than your typical monochromatic designs.

Every contour is completely flat, while the corners, which are more rounded than most, give the design a softer appearance. Even the underside of the laptop is free of the fuss , with just four discreet rubber feet in each corner.

What's more, the Galaxy Book6 Pro's build quality is exceptional. The all-metal chassis is supremely strong, and while the lid isn’t as stable as some other models when open, it stays put under normal usage. The hinge for it is satisfyingly smooth, too. The bezel around the display is incredibly thin, which is always great to see, but the lack of a physical privacy shutter for the webcam, not so much.

The keys are more solidly planted than those of other laptop keyboards, and they also feature backlighting — which, in my opinion, is pretty much an essential feature.

Best of all, though, is just how thin the Galaxy Book6 Pro is. It’s reminiscent of the MacBook Air M1, since it thins out towards the front end. Given my review unit was the 16-inch model, I wasn’t too surprised by its weighty feel, but this does somewhat negate the utility of that slender form when it comes to portability. Still, it certainly makes it easier to slide in and out of a bag.

• Design: 4.5 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Book6 Pro review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Surprisingly capable graphical performance
• Superb display
• Keys are a little heavy

Samsung Galaxy Book6 Pro benchmarks

3DMark: Night Raid: 46,524; Fire Strike: 13,987; Steel Nomad: 1,413; Solar Bay: 28,816; Solar Bay Unlimited: 29,056; Solar Bay Extreme: 4,270; Solar Bay Extreme Unlimited: 4,300
Geekbench 6.5: Multicore: 16,837; Single-core: 2,880
Cinebench R23: Multi Core: 16,250; Cinebench R24: Single Core: 121; Multi Core: 995
Crossmark: Overall: 2,125; Productivity: 1,906; Creativity: 2,567; Responsiveness: 1,670
Passmark Overall: 9,831.3; CPU: 36,603.9; 2D Graphics: 889.8; 3D Graphics: 9,241.2; Memory: 4,155.5; Disk: 43,906.2
BlackMagicDisk: Read: 4,369MB/s; Write: 3,371MB/s
HandBrake 4K to 1080p: 85fps
Total War: Warhammer III: 1080p, Medium: 76fps
Total War: Warhammer III: 1800p, Ultra: 22fps
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 14 hours and 52 seconds

The general performance of the Galaxy Book6 Pro is very good. It handles basic browsing and productivity tasks, as well as 4K streaming, with ease.

What surprised was just how well it handled games. Despite lacking a dedicated GPU, it managed to run Cyberpunk 2077 with the Ray Tracing: Ultra preset selected, without succumbing to disruptive slowdowns or stuttering. Intel’s XeSS Super Resolution 2.0 (in Auto mode) and Frame Generation were both enabled during my sessions.

Of course, the Galaxy Book6 Pro isn’t going to dethrone the best gaming laptops, and the keyboard layout can feel a little cramped when in the typical WSAD position; but it’s impressive, nonetheless.

Some heat was noticeable all over the keyboard during such intensive tasks, no doubt a corollary of that ultra-thin design — but, thankfully, the temperatures remained well within comfortable bounds. Some fan noise did become apparent, even under moderate workloads, but I didn’t find this too disturbing.

(Image credit: Future)

The AMOLED display is every bit as sumptuous as you'd expect it to be. The 3K resolution is satisfyingly crisp, while colors are vibrant and the contrast expectedly deep. The touchscreen functions well, too, responding quickly and accurately to my finger inputs.

I was also fond of the bezel's rounded corners, which soften the frame and make on-screen content appear neater somehow. It’s a small touch that I wish more laptop displays featured; the best MacBooks have it, but only in the top corners, not the bottom as well.

The keys are nicely damped, but still display relatively shallow travel. However, they’re heavier than others, which resulted in some of my presses failing to register, requiring more force than I’m accustomed to producing. This may be an adjustment you’ll need to make as well, if you’re someone with a light touch.

While the layout is comfortably spaced for typing, it’s a shame there’s no number pad and only a few navigation keys (Insert/ Prt Sc and Delete) on the Galaxy Book6 Pro, given the 16-inch real estate of my unit.

The touchpad on the 16-inch model of the Book6 Pro is large, which is great for navigation. Despite this, there's also enough room on the sides for resting your wrists while you type. There were times when the cursor moved as a result of my palms coming into contact with the pad, but this wasn’t frequent or long-lasting enough to cause a problem.

• Performance: 4.5 / 5

Samsung Galaxy Book6 Pro review: Battery life

(Image credit: Future)

• Middling longevity
• Quick to charge

The Galaxy Book6 Pro offers an average battery life. When I ran a movie on a continuous loop, it lasted 14 hours. This is well below Samsung's claimed figure of up to 30 hours. However, it's only an hour less than what the Asus Zenbook S 16 and the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4) managed.

However, it lasted over an hour more than the Dell 16 Plus. It's also quick to charge, taking about two hours to go from empty to full.

• Battery life: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Samsung Galaxy Book6 Pro?

Notes

Rating

Value

Super expensive, although the base model isn’t too bad for an ultrabook.

3.5 / 5

Design

It’s hard to find fault with the build quality and materials here. It’s exceptionally thin, but quite heavy.

4.5 / 5

Performance

The Galaxy Book6 Pro performs well, even on graphical tasks, while that huge OLED touchscreen display is truly stunning. The keys are a little heavy, though, and the layout of them is compromised.

4.5 / 5

Battery life

Decent, but nothing to write home about. Longevity is somewhere in the middle compared to its rivals.

3.5 / 5

Total

If your pockets are deep enough, you’re unlikely to be disappointed with how this laptop looks and performs.

4.5 / 5

Buy the Samsung Galaxy Book6 Pro if…

You want a glorious display
The AMOLED technology really shines here, while the 3K resolution is super sharp – both of which are all the more apparent on the 16-inch model.

You want great all-round performance
The Galaxy Book6 Pro excels in action — even its graphical performance is respectable, considering it doesn’t have a dedicated GPU.

Don't buy it if…

You want to save money
The Galaxy Book6 Pro is certainly expensive, and although there are alternatives that are similarly priced, there are also those that are considerably cheaper.

You want to travel light
The 16-inch model of the Galaxy Book6 Pro is fairly heavy, which makes carrying it around a little laborious, despite that thin form.

Samsung Galaxy Book6 Pro review: Also consider

Asus Zenbook S 16
The Zenbook S 16 is a superbly designed ultrabook, and shares many traits with the Galaxy Book6 Pro. It, too, is a superb piece of design, made using state-of-the-art Ceraluminum, while its 3K OLED display is about as stunning as the Samsung’s. The base model is similarly priced to the Galaxy Book6 Pro, but the Zenbook comes with 24GB of RAM as opposed to 16GB. What’s more, it features more ports, despite being about as thin as the Galaxy Book6 Pro.

Read our full Asus Zenbook S 16 review.

Dell 16 Plus
The Dell 16 Plus is another ultrabook, but it has a starting price well below that of the Galaxy Book6 Pro. It doesn’t skimp on features, though, with plenty of power for everyday performance, plus a sharp 120Hz display — although its resolution isn’t as sharp as the Galaxy Book6 Pro’s, nor does it have touchscreen functionality. Still, considering what you get for the relatively low price, it’s a good-value proposition.

Read our full Dell 16 Plus review.

How I tested the Samsung Galaxy Book6 Pro

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested for several days
• Ran our series of benchmarks
• Plentiful laptop reviewing experience

I tested the Galaxy Book6 Pro for several days. I used it for all kinds of tasks, from general browsing and light productivity to 4K streaming and AAA gaming. I also ran our series of benchmark tests, designed to assess every aspect of a laptop’s performance.

I have plenty of experience reviewing computing devices of all kinds. I’ve tested numerous laptops, from budget offerings to top-tier gaming machines. I’ve also reviewed desktops, Chromebooks, and tablets.

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

Oakcastle MP300: Two-minute review

Okay, I’ll fess up: this Oakcastle MP300 review wasn’t meant to take a month. I thought this super-cheap MP3 player would be a quick in-and-out style of review where I’d listen to a few tunes and take it on a trip, but it ended up being a really useful addition to my audio set-up. Good for it, not so good for my deadlines.

This is the kind of budget music player that a serious music fan would probably ignore — does anyone other than wallet-friendly Chinese brands make this kind of tech? Apparently yes, they do actually, but if I can humbly request that we stop that train of thought right now: this isn’t any bargain bin buy.

Oakcastle is a sub-brand of Majority, a brand audio fans emphatically know about. So before we get into any of its pros and cons, you’ve got an immediate benefit over most budget MP3 players online: you know this one is from a known and trusted audio specialist, with a reputation to uphold — and uphold that standing, the MP300 does.

I’m not going to pretend that this is the best MP3 player for everyone: it has limited file support, feels quite cheap in the hand, and only offers a fraction of the features that a pricier option would have.

But its simplicity is the point: this is a lovely little digital detox machine that doesn’t make you pay for fancy extras you might not need. It’s no distraction machine that’ll suck you into a WhatsApp wormhole when you’re just trying to put on a song, and its playlists aren’t so algorithmic that you’re only hearing the same eight songs on repeat.

The MP300 became my month-long go-to because I plugged it into my bookshelf speakers via aux, and just left it there. Any time I wanted music, I could easily open up my library and start playing my songs. And I do mean my songs — no music streaming here, this is a device for people who own their own music, but don’t need to hear it played in lossless.

There are other benefits that bespoke MP3 players bring over using smartphones for music, and the Oakcastle being so cheap means you can enjoy it without breaking the bank. Seniors will love it for its simplicity, and it’s something children can use to enjoy tunes without priming them for future technology addiction.

You can use a device like this at night, to put on some soothing Elgar, without a notification or two waylaying your relaxing doze. MP3 players are also nice little running devices, freeing you from your smartphone when you strap on your trainers, though something like the super-small Majority MP3 with its nifty clip might be better for that.

As I say, it’s not for everyone: if you don’t need a standalone music playing device, or conversely you want one that’s advanced and full of features, this isn’t for you — you'll need to look to pricier options from Astell & Kern or FiiO. But there’s got to be a sweet spot between those camps who appreciate it. I certainly like the MP300 a lot.

Oakcastle MP300 review: Price and release date

(Image credit: Future)

• Released in February 2026
• Listed for £31.95 (about $40, AU$60)
• On sale in UK, maybe Aus, probably not US

The Oakcastle MP300 was released on February 18, 2026, alongside the same-priced MP250 model which has a sports clip and simplified controls.

Online, the MP300 is officially listed at £31.95 (about $40, AU$60), though during testing I generally saw it for a few pounds less. Not by a huge amount — you wouldn’t buy a pint with the difference, even outside London — but enough to suggest that this thing is rarely at RRP.

Oakcastle, like Majority, generally doesn’t sell its products in the US, so don’t expect availability there. Some of the brand’s gadgets sell in Australia, but at the time of writing, the MP300 wasn’t available.

Oakcastle MP300 review: Specs

Battery life

50 hours

Weight

53g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.0, 3.5mm, USB-C

Waterproofing

NA

Storage

64GB

Expandable?

Up to 128GB

Oakcastle MP300 review: Features

(Image credit: Future)

• 50-hour battery life
• Custom, simple user interface
• 64GB storage, up to 128GB more via microSD

The Oakcastle MP300 runs on a simple operating system, which feels like a glorified media library. You can see what’s currently playing, browse your general music library, make playlists and set up Bluetooth connections.

It does offer a stopwatch and calendar (with no way of inputting dates), but the point of this thing is clearly music. Navigating with the buttons isn’t especially fast, and unfortunately there’s no music search option (that I could find).

You get a battery life that, according to Majority, hits 50 hours on a single charge. That seems to match up with what I found — it’s definitely long enough that you don’t need to worry about charging frequently.

The MP300 has 64GB of built-in storage, which is plenty if you use MP3. My library was in WAV and didn’t fit onto the thing to begin with, so I had to convert them to fit. The expandable storage gets you up to 128GB extra, and you can be sure I made the most of it.

Moving my library over to the Oakcastle was easy: I plugged it into a computer and dragged and dropped the files into its folder. It wasn't the perfect conversion: lots of album artwork didn't get pulled through, and on the device, songs are all labelled as .mp3. But overall, it was pretty simple and worked fine.

• Features score: 3.5/5

Oakcastle MP300 review: DesignFutureFutureFuture

• Nine buttons plus screen
• Lightweight, but somewhat cheap feeling
• No IP rating

I almost thought the Oakcastle MP300 was a feature phone when I first saw it: it has a similar design, with buttons below a screen and ports on the bottom. But it’s much lighter than a phone, at 53g — there’s a good chance your earbuds case tips the scales more than that.

The MP300 is also smaller, at 50 x 101 x 9.5mm, so I could put it in my pocket without it feeling like a second smartphone. On the bottom there’s a USB-C port for charging and data connection, as well as a 3.5mm jack. The right side has a microSD card slot, which is a nice addition.

Despite being compact, the Oakcastle still feels a little hollow — it gives a little when you squeeze it, making it feel a little fragile and cheap. Saying that, the textured plastic back makes it feel a little more premium than some of the bargain-basement MP3 players you might find on line.

Accusations of ‘cheap’ become more well-founded when you move over to the buttons though. They’re not as sensitive or responsive as you’d hope, which slowed down my navigation of the player and constantly reminded me of the lack of money spent.

If you’re a pool-music-listener, I should warn you that there’s no official IP rating — try to avoid getting it wet or dusty.

• Design score: 3.5/5

Oakcastle MP300 review: Sound quality

(Image credit: Future)

• Supports MP3, FLAC, WAV
• No on-board equalizer
• No higher-res Bluetooth codec support

The MP300 supports three file types: MP3, FLAC and WAV. Naturally your sound quality will vary depending on which you pick; I tested all three for scientific purposes, but for general use, I had to use MP3 simply to fit all my music on the speaker.

There’s no equalizer on-board, so you’d better like your music how it comes — or, more accurately, your headphones how they come. At least you can use a wired connection to hear, not just via Bluetooth 5.0 (only your basic 'vanilla' SBC streaming is supported, as far as I can tell), although I appreciated having the option to go wireless.

Let’s be honest: this isn’t an MP3 player you’re buying if sound quality is your biggest concern. There are options that cost a lot more which offer extra onboard DACs to level up the audio, streaming over wi-fi and hi-res Bluetooth codec support. So the fact that sound from this thing is pretty basic is part and parcel of the MP300.

There is a built-in speaker here, but it’s quiet and doesn’t exactly sound amazing. For me, it was sometimes a simple reminder that I’d forgotten to connect to a speaker, rather than a serious way of enjoying tunes.

• Sound quality: 3/5

Oakcastle MP300 review: Value

(Image credit: Future)

• It's really cheap
• Worth buying over dubious alternatives

Of course the Oakcastle MP300 is good value; you’re paying pennies to get an on-the-go music device.

Sure, it doesn’t have many feature of flashy alternatives, but it has storage capabilities and a headphone jack: what more do you need? Thanks to this latter, it’s probably better than your smartphone for music playing, let’s be honest.

Given that Oakcastle is a trusted brand, I’d feel safer giving this company my money, rather than any of the even-cheaper alternatives you’ll find online.

• Value: 5/5

Should I buy the Oakcastle MP300?

(Image credit: Future)Oakcastle MP300 score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

It's light in terms of features, but the battery life is solid.

3.5/5

Design

While it feels a little cheap, it's light and slender enough to make up for it.

3.5/5

Sound quality

You're getting the basic sound with little ability to change it. Even hi-res streaming is out of bounds.

3/5

Value

It's arguably the cheapest MP3 player you should consider buying.

5/5

Buy it if…

You need something cheap and cheerful
If you need something, anything, to play your collection of MP3s (perhaps left over from an iPod Touch?) then this is a solid, budget option.

You need expandable storage
The microSD card slot is a neat addition at this level, so you can get extra space but chop and change it around if needs be.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

You want control over your sound
The lack of an equalizer is one way in which the MP300 compares poorly to your smartphone.

You want high-res output
There's no 4.4mm, no Bluetooth Codec support and barely enough space for high-res audio files.

Oakcastle MP300 review: Also consider

Oakcastle MP300

Majority MP3

FiiO JM21

Battery life

50 hours

34 hours

12 hours

Weight

53g

33g

156g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.0, 3.5mm, USB-C

Bluetooth 5.0, 3.5mm, USB-C

Bluetooth 5.0, 3.5mm, 4.4mm, USB-C

Waterproofing

NA

NA

IPX5

Storage

64GB

16GB

32GB

Expandable

128GB

128GB

2TB

Majority MP3
This equally-budget option does things a little different: it offers less storage space but comes in a smaller body and has a sports clip, making it a handy on-the-go companion.
Read our full Majority MP3 review

Fiio JM21
If you want a 'proper' digital audio player, this entry-level Fiio option may cost more than the Oakcastle, but it's still cheap in the grand scheme of things. It lets you listen in a variety of high-res formats and lets you control your audio to a much greater extent.
Read our full Fiio JM21 review

How I tested the Oakcastle MP300

• Tested for a month
• Tested on various speakers and headphones via aux and BlueTooth

I used the Oakcastle MP300 for a full month before writing this review. I started the testing by loading it up with my music library, first in WAV and then in MP3. This collection includes a large range of genres, with roughly 3,000 tracks in all.

Through the month, I used the MP300 alongside a range of devices. I connected them to the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro and Edifier M90 via Bluetooth, and via aux I used the Edifiers, my Sony headphones and my Line 6 guitar amplifier.

I've been reviewing audio tech for TechRadar for years, including several other budget MP3 players and plenty of other Majority gadgets.

• First reviewed in March 2026

• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

H2O Audio Tri Run: Two-minute review

The H2O Audio Tri Run are bone conduction headphones designed for runners and cyclists who want to listen to music while staying aware of their surroundings. They undercut rivals on price and strip everything back to the essentials. No app, no frills, just good enough audio and a straightforward experience.

They’re not for swimming, despite their IPX8 waterproof rating. H2O Audio already makes a range of multi-sport devices, including the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport. But the Tri Run rely solely on Bluetooth with no onboard storage, so there’s no point taking them to the pool because the water will block the signal. What that waterproofing means is you don’t need to worry about sweat, rain or cleaning them with water.

Bone conduction transmits sound through your cheekbones, bypassing your ear canal. (To find out more, we have a handy how bone conduction works guide.)

They’re cheap, reliable and mostly comfortable. Sound is acceptable for the form factor, the fit is secure, and they’re genuinely easy to use. But battery life is just fine, the neckband design won’t suit everyone, and competition is fierce in this space. Let’s get into it.

(Image credit: Future)

The Tri Run have a neckband design with the bone-conduction transducers sitting against your cheeks, between your ear's tragus and your high cheekbone. It’s a style you’ll either get on with or you won’t.

I’m not entirely sure I get on with them. I can never quite put my finger on what it is with a design like this. It’s not uncomfortable exactly, but I’m always aware of the transducers sitting against my face in a way that I’m not with other styles of bud. I have a lot of hair, which may not help with the fit of the ear hooks, and during colder testing sessions, a high-collared jacket displaced them more than once.

There’s a small rubber accessory in the box that can be used to tighten the fit for smaller heads, but that didn’t resolve things for me. It may just be that I’ve tested too many comfortable wireless buds recently and I've been spoiled by them. Either way, it’s worth flagging because comfort here is highly subjective, and if you haven’t tried neckband-style buds before, don’t assume they’ll feel comfortable.

The band itself is light at 14g, flexible and sturdy, with a matte rubberized finish. Controls sit on the right side, with three physical buttons for power/playback, and volume up and down.

The buttons are easy to use on the move. I always tend to prefer a physical press to touch controls when I’m running, so there’s no ambiguity about whether it’s registered. The middle button, which handles power and play/pause, is responsive.

The volume buttons occasionally took a moment or two to register, but there’s a helpful audio tone when you hit max volume, which I liked — although you may reach that much sooner than you’d expect.

There’s no app here or companion software, so there’s nothing to tweak or change. Just turn them on and they pair seamlessly. Then every time you switch them on, they tell you whether your battery is high or low.

(Image credit: Future)

The audio is far from the level of quality you’d get from the best headphones, the best earbuds or even the best open earbuds. These are affordable bone-conduction headphones and they sound it. But I think how much that matters depends almost entirely on what you like to listen to.

Tracks with presence in the highs and mids come through well here. I found poppy, energetic tracks, such as New Constellations’ Hot Blooded sounded bouncy and enjoyable. There’s clarity in the upper ranges, vocals sit forward in the mix and there’s enough going on to make a run feel good. Podcast lovers are also well-served with clear, undistorted voices at most volume levels.

Bass-heavy music is a different story. Something like Hanumankind’s Big Dawgs, which is a staple on my workout playlist, simply doesn’t hit. There’s no low-end weight, so if you like listening to bassy tracks, you’ll notice the absence.

The volume is adequate in most quieter conditions. Running on my own down an off-road path, I could hear everything I needed to, but I could hear just as well running through the city first thing in the morning too.

Things were different in windy and noisy environments — I struggled to push the volume high enough, but that’s par for the course with most open designs.

Also, at high volumes you might notice a mild vibrating sensation in your cheeks or jaw. That’s a known side effect of bone conduction. It never reached the point of discomfort for me with the Tri Run, but it’s worth knowing about.

H2O Audio quotes six hours of battery life, and in testing I got almost exactly that. That said, six hours is on the lower end for bone-conduction headphones. The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, for example, offer a huge 12 hours of battery, double what you get here. Granted, we’d consider them a high-end option, but with weaker audio and fewer features, I might have expected battery life to stay stronger.

It’s a similar story with open earbud rivals, like the Shokz OpenFit 2+, which offer 11 hours. That said, the Tri Run do offer an hour more than some other budget bone conduction headphones, such as the Jabees 7Seven, which only offer five hours.

(Image credit: Future)

Overall, there’s nothing wrong with the H2O Audio Tri Run. They fit securely, they’re easy to use, they’re waterproof, and they deliver acceptable sound for the form factor.

For a certain kind of runner or cyclist, someone who wants cheap, reliable, no-fuss awareness of their surroundings and mainly listens to poop and podcasts, they’ll get the job done without complaint.

But for everyone else, the value proposition is shakier than the price tag suggests. You won’t have to spend much more to get noticeably better performance, which we’ll get to below. The open earbud market in particular has expanded rapidly enough that there are now strong alternatives at similar prices.

If the neckband style suits you and simplicity is genuinely what you’re after, the H2O Audio Tri Run make sense. Otherwise, it’s worth shopping around — if you can get the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 on sale for this kind of price, we'd recommend those. And if you'll switch from neckband bone-conduction buds to wireless open earbuds, the Huawei FreeArc are an excellent option at around the same price.

H2O Audio Tri Run review: Specifications

Drivers

Bone conduction

Active noise cancellation

No

Battery life

Up to 6 hours

Weight

14g

Connectivity

Bluetooth

Frequency range

Not specified

Waterproofing

IPX8

H2O Audio Tri Run review: Price and release date

(Image credit: Future)

• How much does it cost? $99.99 / £76 / AU$145
• When did it first come out? Released in February 2026
• Where can you get it? Available globally

At $99.99 / £76 / AU$145, the Tri Run headphones sit at the more affordable end of the bone conduction market. That price makes sense when you think about the trade-off here. You’re paying for situational awareness rather than audio quality, and that’s a reasonable exchange if open-ear listening is a priority for you.

That said, affordable here is relative. The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, our top pick for running in our best workout headphones guide, costs $179.95 / £169.00 / AU$319.00, which is a lot more. But it also offers significantly better performance.

And if you want some excellent bone conduction headphones that can handle swimming too from this same brand, the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport, our top pick in our best bone conduction headphones guide, comes in at £152 / $199.99 / AU$289.

There are also other budget bone conduction headphones on the market now too. Like the Jabees 7Seven bone conduction headphones for swimming and running, which are significantly cheaper at $59.99 / £47.99 / AU$99. They’re not perfect or topping any of our guides, but for the price, they’re terrific.

It’s also worth mentioning here that if open listening is your priority, there are now so many excellent buds to choose from as well. Yes, they’re a bit different to what the Tri Run headphones offer. But, for example, the Huawei FreeArc open buds are only £99.99 (roughly $130, AU$200). Yes that’s a little more, but you’re getting a great fit and much better sound quality.

So yes, the Tri Run might be cheaper than some rivals, but with no standout features they’re not automatically good value. It makes sense if you’re on a tight budget or simplicity is genuinely your priority. Otherwise, spending a little more gets you more.

H2O Audio Tri Run: Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Bone conduction, IPX8 and physical buttons are welcome. But there's almost nothing else, and battery life isn't great.

2.5 / 5

Performance

Clear and enjoyable for pop and podcasts, lacking in low-end and struggles to compete in noisy environments.

3.5 / 5

Design

Light, secure and waterproof with simple controls that work well on the move. Comfort will be subjective.

4.5 / 5

Value

They’re affordable but not exactly a bargain. Some rivals offer a far better experience for a small increase in price.

3.5 / 5

Should I buy the H2O Audio Tri Run?

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

You like to keep things simple
No app, no touch gestures, no features. You turn them on and they work. If that’s all you want, they deliver.

You know you like the neckband design
If you’ve tried this style before and you’re a convert, they’re a reliable and affordable choice.

You’re on a budget
At $99.99 / £76 / AU$145, they’re an affordable bone-conduction option, and you’re getting a solid and dependable package here.

Don't buy them if...

You could spare more
You don’t have to spend much more to get a boost in performance. If your budget has flexibility, shop around.

You want the best sound from an open design
There are other open-ear headphones at a similar or high price that offer more low-end presence and overall audio quality.

You like an app and extra features
There’s nothing beyond the basics here. No EQ, no customization and no companion app. If that matters to you, look elsewhere.

H2O Audio Tri Run: Also consider

Huawei FreeArc

If you're not wedded to the neckband-style but still want to hear your surroundings, check out these open buds from Huawei. Sound is excellent for the form factor, they're comfortable and they're only $20/£20 more than the Tri Run.

Read our full Huawei FreeArc review

H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport

The H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport are much more expensive, but they have a strong battery life, complete waterproofing, and onboard storage as well as a special Playlist+ feature that untethers you from your phone during a run or swim.

Read our full H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport review

How I tested the H2O Audio Tri Run

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested for two weeks
• Used with an iPhone 16 Pro
• Ran with them in all sorts of environments

I tested the H2O Audio Tri Run over two weeks, taking them out running across a range of environments. Busy streets, a canal path and open countryside. I also kept wearing them after runs, grabbing a coffee and working in a cafe, to get a sense of how versatile they are beyond their stated purpose.

I paired them with an iPhone 16 Pro, using Spotify for music during runs and YouTube for video content. Testing took place in typical UK weather conditions (think wind, sun, rain all within the space of a day) and I made a point of trying them with different layers and necklines. From a light spring fitted running jacket to a high collared running coat, as I know this can make a real different to the way neckband-style headphones fit.

I’ve been reviewing consumer tech for more than 15 years now with a particular interest in how we use technology beyond the marketing claims. What fits into your life, what you’ll still reach for long after the novelty has worn off, and what’s reliable and comfortable enough to become a genuine daily staple.

• First reviewed March 2026
• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Before I detail what makes narrative adventure game Life is Strange: Reunion quite so egregious, I think it’s important to clarify that I love this series and my issues with the latest instalment are not the result of pure malice, but rather come from a desire to return to the dizzying heights of Life is Strange and its excellent sequel Life is Strange 2.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PC
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Release date: March 26, 2026

The franchise may now be helmed by a new studio, Deck Nine, (the studio behind the somewhat underwhelming spinoff Life Is Strange: Before the Storm) rather than original creators Don’t Nod (who have since put out the sublime spiritual successor Lost Records: Bloom & Rage) but the team showed incredible promise with its 2021 entry Life Is Strange: True Colors.

It wasn’t perfect, but it still delivered a well-written, emotional tale with a cast of decently memorable characters and a perfectly realized, beautiful setting.

Given how this standalone story was received, I simply don’t understand why Deck Nine wanted to bring back Max Caulfield (the protagonist of the first game) for 2024’s disastrous Double Exposure, let alone double down by adding her childhood friend (and let’s be honest, practically canon love interest), Chloe Price, to this new entry as well.

Have your cake

(Image credit: Square Enix)

If there’s one word to describe Reunion, it’s "cowardly". This is nothing short of an embarrassing attempt to make amends with fans after Double Exposure, executed so sloppily that it even managed to annoy me as someone that didn’t appreciate the direction that game went in the slightest. The problem is a heavy reliance on retconning, with basically every event in that game’s latter half being completely undone in minutes.

Reunion starts by asking you to recap some of your choices from Double Exposure, who you chose to date, for example, in addition to some key decisions from Life is Strange 1, like whether you saved Arcadia Bay or Chloe. What does any of this change, exactly? Practically nothing, as it’s quickly revealed that you broke up with your chosen love interest off-screen in the handful of months between entries, and the destructive world-altering events of the last game’s finale have all been forgotten thanks to a convenient widespread case of what the characters dub “storm amnesia”.

You may recall that friend-turned-antagonist Safi Llewellyn-Fayyad closed out Double Exposure by vowing to travel the country, creating a team of super-powered individuals like some kind of hipster avengers, but all of this is quickly hand-waved away by the simple explanation that she gave up and came home after a few weeks.

None of your decisions from the first game matter either, as it turns out that both possible timelines have merged into one thanks to the supernatural events of the previous entry. Not only is Chloe alive and well, but the whole town of Arcadia Bay and all of its residents are completely intact.

It completely undermines the gravity of one of the most memorable decisions in not just the series but all of gaming, and the entire reason why many (including me) fell in love with these titles in the first place. I do understand that many fans will likely be pleased by the idea of everyone getting a happy ending — but it’s cheap and, being frank, not the kind of choice a studio should make for a story that it didn’t even originally create.

Tinderbox

(Image credit: Square Enix)

I could forgive much of this if Reunion still had a decent mystery at its core, which sadly isn’t the case. The main thrust is that Max’s beloved Caledon University is about to go up in smoke thanks to some kind of arson attack, and it's up to her to use her timey-wimey powers to travel back in time to fix it.

Of course, her double exposure power from the last game has been completely forgotten, replaced with rewind a la Life is Strange 1. The ability, which lets her rewind time for a short duration, seems like it would be quite useful for sleuthing, but it’s hardly used and ultimately feels like an afterthought.

There are multiple moments where it could come in handy, too, like one agonizing sequence that has you distracting a series of characters in order to sneakily inspect the contents of the folders they’re carrying. There is literally nothing stopping Max from simply grabbing the folders (which are all just lying on tables) and taking a look before rewinding a few minutes. In fact, she literally does what I’m describing later on to get her hands on someone’s bag, so I can only assume that the studio either didn’t consider the possibility in that instance or just wanted to pad the runtime.

I’m leaning towards the latter as padding is a theme elsewhere too; the mystery progresses at a painfully slow pace right up until Max walks into a room and has the story’s most important events literally explained to her (and by extension the player) in a magical sequence of moving images.

(Image credit: Square Enix)

There’s no joy in exploration either, as environments are lifeless and sterile with ugly lighting that conveys no sense of atmosphere at all — a far cry from the lovely, painterly look of the first two games or even the warm, cozy appearance of True Colors.

Most are ported directly from Double Exposure, so they already feel quite stale, and that’s before you even consider that they’ve been massively cut down this time around. The university's quad, for instance, now has no accessible buildings adjacent to it (explained as the result of storm damage, though little is visible as that would require changing the models a lot), which really hampers your ability to explore.

World-building is a major problem in general. Nothing about the story feels genuine, with awkward interactions that verge on almost Lynchian at times. Nobody ever really discusses anything beyond that which is immediately relevant to Max’s understanding of the main mystery which, combined with the dire facial animation and some worryingly unfinished looking moments where the camera fades to black or pans away in order to avoid having to show what would be some rather complex scenes, gives the impression of a world populated by malfunctioning animatronics rather than real people.

Missing persons

(Image credit: Square Enix)

Deck Nine clearly wants to distance itself from Double Exposure, though given how many of that game’s major characters still appear here, the handful of absences are painfully obvious. Noteworthy undergraduate student Diamond Washington is completely missing in action, as is Max’s friend and fellow educator, Gwen Hunter.

Having been hounded out of her university job thanks to a misunderstanding in the previous game, not bringing Hunter back in an entry so slavishly devoted to creating the perfect “happy ending” is a massive missed opportunity, and especially stings given the real-world parallels with transgender women being bullied out of academia.

Then there’s Chloe. I can’t pretend that part of me wasn’t glad when she burst through Max’s door on the hunt for answers about the strange visions she’s been having, quickly sinking into her former (girl)friend’s embrace. It’s like she never left, and therein lies the rub. Still a punk rock rebel with a “stick it to the man” attitude at the age of nearly 30, this doesn’t come across like an authentic adult Chloe but rather an insincere facsimile of her child self.

Are we really expected to believe that her traumatic past and years out on the open road have barely changed her after more than a decade?

Contrast this with the way that Lost Records: Bloom & Rage engages with the idea of aging to great effect, particularly with its presentation of Nora, a similarly cool character as a teenager and many players’ primary love interest in that game. It’s uncomfortable when the adult Nora arrives and turns out to be something of a facile conformist, but this entirely believable evolution forces you to re-evaluate your relationship with her and shines a new light on both your past and future interactions.

(Image credit: Square Enix)

I’m not arguing that Chloe should have come back unrecognizable by any means, but a scrap of development to gesture to an existence outside of this series’ plot would have gone a very long way to make her more believable.

The segments where you actually get to play as Chloe are underwhelming in the grand scheme of things, too. Her ability to backtalk, first introduced in Before the Storm, has been stripped down massively. Originally a way of outsmarting opponents with witty comebacks by carefully considering whatever they had just said, it now involves selecting the right option using information that was invariably shown to you immediately beforehand.

The mechanic’s treatment is honestly emblematic of this entire affair: a shallow imitation of things taken wholesale from much better games. If your entire enjoyment of a new Life is Strange game boils down to seeing your favorite characters unconvincingly thrown around like action figures, then you’re going to be right at home here. For those of us who fell in love with the games for their narratives, I’m hoping that whatever the studio has planned next represents the new beginning this series now so desperately needs.

Should I play Life is Strange: Reunion?Play it if...

You're simply desperate to see Chloe again
If your one wish is to see Chloe Price show up in a game again, with no regard to how it affects the story of other entries, then Life is Strange: Reunion is probably good enough for you.

Don't play it if...

You're expecting a decent mystery
The mystery at the heart of Life is Strange: Reunion is poorly paced and sloppy. There are many better mysteries to discover in the rest of the series or other narrative adventure games.

You're after a true sequel
This doesn't feel like a true sequel to any of the other Life is Strange games, thanks to a huge amount of awkward retconning. Describing it as more like fan fiction would be an insult to AO3 authors.

You need high production values
This is by far the worst-looking game in the franchise, with many scenes spoiled by cheap animations and awkward dialogue.

Accessibility features

Life is Strange: Reunion has an admirably expansive suite of accessibility options.

This includes a range of pre-sets for low vision, low motor, low audio, or low sensory profiles, plus a huge number of individual settings. Key options include the ability to enable longer decision times for important choices (though there are quite a few of those in the game), highlight key objects and items that can be interacted with in the world, and even skip gameplay sequences if desired.

Subtitles are featured throughout the game and can be altered to your liking in the UI menu. There are multiple font styles, text size options, and the ability to enable a subtitle background to make them easier to read.

The game also offers a range of toggleable trigger warning screens, which can alert you to death, blood, suicide, violence, intense effects, drug use, sex, and high brightness scenes. A separate warning for loud sounds can also be enabled.

How I reviewed Life is Strange: Reunion

I completed Life is Strange: Reunion in roughly 12 hours on my PC, which is a 5070 Ti-powered model from retailer Scan. It has a compact Corsair 2000d RGB Airflow case, Asus ROG Strix B860-I motherboard, Intel Core Ultra 7 265K processor, a 2TB WD Black SN770 SSD, 32GB of DDR5 Corsair Vengeance RAM, and an Asus Nvidia 5070 Ti graphics card.

This allowed me to play the game smoothly on its highest graphics preset at 1080p, though it still didn't look too great. I played using my usual Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro mouse and Cherry XTRFY K5V2 keyboard, plus Logitech desktop speakers for audio.

First reviewed March 2026

Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE: One minute review

The Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE is a complete cycling setup comprising a Zwift Ride smart frame and a Wahoo KICKR CORE trainer. The combined unit is an easy-to-set-up solution for indoor training that doesn't require mounting a traditional outdoor bike. It's a single tine at the front instead of a bike's usual fork and a rear wheel, designed to lock straight into the KICKR turbo trainer. Assembly is as simple as opening a few boxes, securing a few bolts in place, finding a place to locate it, and you're away.

Offering integrated handlebar controllers, a console-like gaming experience, and a system that is compact and quiet, the Zwift ride is a great piece of kit, especially given the price. As for build quality, the chassis is made of heavy-duty powder-coated steel, which is solid and dependable, albeit a little utilitarian.

What sets the KICKR CORE apart from much of the competition is the single-sprocket Zwift Cog that enables virtual shifting. Instead of physically moving a chain across gears, the trainer uses a sophisticated algorithm to deliver resistance via the built-in electromagnetic system. This is capable of simulating the feel of 24 distinct gears and is a big win for users wanting a maintenance-free experience.

Versatility is a standout feature of the Zwift setup, as the frame is engineered to fit riders ranging from 5 ft to 6 ft 6 in with just a single tool. This makes it a perfect indoor bike for sharing between family members, something that I’ve enjoyed these past few weeks.

My first Zwift Ride experience has been a very positive one, and I’ve loved how easy it has been to use. Its design is solid but lacking finesse, its feature set is reasonable but nothing flashy, and its performance is fantastic for the price, compared to ultra-premium rivals like Peloton.

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE: Specifications

Component

Zwift Ride and KICKR CORE

Price

$1,299.99 USD / £1,099 UK

Dimensions

135.89 x 58.42 cm / 53.5 x 23 in

Weight

35 kg / 78 lbs

Saddle Height Min-Max

59.9–86.5 cm / 23.58–34.06 in

Rider Fit Range

152.4–198.12 cm / 5 ft – 6 ft 6 in

Zwift Ride and KICKR CORE: Price and availability

• $1,299.99 USD / £1,099 GBP / $2,299.95 AUD
• A mid-range product with excellent build quality
• Cheaper than high-end alternatives

The Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE 2 bundle is one of the best-value smart bikes on the market. The bundle package is typically priced at $1,299 USD / £1,099 GBP / $2,299.95 AUD, although it's often found on sale for around $999 / £899 (rarely discounted in Australia) during seasonal events. It's not cheap, but it's in the bracket of affordable for anyone wanting to take their indoor cycling seriously.

The product bridges the huge gap between a budget wheel-on trainer and premium dedicated smart bikes like the Tacx NEO Bike Plus. As a result, Zwift is looking to tap into that mid-range market with a semi-affordable trainer that's always ready to go.

Value score 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)Zwift Ride and KICKR CORE: Design

• Utilitarian design with solid materials
• Adjustable seatpost and handlebars
• Silent flywheel for a great user experience

The bundle consists of two elements: the Zwift Ride smart frame and the Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 with Zwift Cog. I appreciate that's quite the mouthful, and it could be confusing, but in essence, the Zwift Ride is the frame, while the KICKR CORE is the resistance trainer. Let's take a look at each in turn.

The Zwift Ride is the physical bike structure that you sit on. It stays in one location and is optionally attached to the trainer. The main chassis is constructed from heavy-duty powder-coated steel, which guarantees durability and longevity, but one of the best details of the bike's design is in its adjustability. With the ability to adjust the seatpost and handlebar system using a "sizing-by-letter" system, quick changes can be made and multiple riders accommodated.

At the front is a unique single-leg design with a wide rubber-padded base. Don't be fooled, though. It might look deceptively slim, but in reality, it provides a solid base to prevent rocking during sprints. The aluminum drop handlebars house built-in Bluetooth buttons for virtual shifting, steering, and navigating Zwift menus. Finally, central to the handlebars is a phone tray with a silicone mat and an optional tablet holder. These are essential for engagement with the Zwift app while riding.

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)

The Wahoo KICKR CORE trainer, on the other hand, is the engine that provides the resistance and communicates with the Zwift app. Sitting at the back of the frame, the unit contains a direct-drive unit containing a 5.4 kg (12 lb) electromagnetic flywheel and a single-sprocket cog that allows the bike to work without mechanical shifting. The whole setup is incredibly silent and removes the need for mechanically complex derailleurs. The Core is also sold separately in case you want to connect an actual bike.

All in, it took around an hour to put it together with every part working seamlessly out of the box. The design is notably utilitarian compared to aluminum or carbon-composite alternatives, and the lack of tilting mechanisms to simulate further climbing is a reminder of its price point.

When both the frame and trainer are combined, the total weight is about 35 kg (78 lbs). While this weight makes it cumbersome to move, it does help keep the unit "planted", which is an essential quality during high-intensity rides.

Design Score: 4/5

Zwift Ride and KICKR CORE: Features

• Console-like gaming experience
• Fast and quiet virtual shifting
• Automatic spindown calibration

From a features point of view, the Zwift is designed with simplicity in mind. This begins with the handlebar integration that serves up a console-like experience where you can control the Zwift interface without having to reach for a keyboard, mouse, or phone. This includes menu navigation and selecting routes as well as in-game actions such as deploying power-ups and moving your avatar to find a draft.

Rather than a physical derailleur, the Zwift hardware uses software-based virtual shifting that is faster and quieter than a mechanical drivetrain. The virtual nature of it makes it possible to choose between Shimano or SRAM logic, or even a sequential 24-gear progression. It also allows for shifting gears when you're not pedaling, which, although not realistic, is ideal if you happen to find yourself stationary while in the middle of a steep climb.

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)

One of the most user-friendly technical features is the automatic spindown calibration, which measures the internal drag of the device so that the power numbers you see in Zwift are accurate and not skewed by things like belt tension or room temperature.

Unlike older trainers that required a manual spindown test every few weeks to ensure power accuracy, the KICKR CORE calibrates itself automatically while you coast. In line with Zwift's focus on convenience, firmware updates happen automatically over WiFi, so the trainer is always up to date.

Features Score: 4/5

Zwift Ride and KICKR CORE: Performance

• Smooth, quiet, and dependable
• Accessible and easy-to-use controls
• Lacking high-end features such as frame tilting

After moving successfully through the incredibly straightforward process of building the bike, I was ready to jump on. It was actually my son who jumped on first, but as he had helped me build the thing, I thought it only fair to let him have a ride. He and I were impressed by how smoothly the unit operates with a super-quiet flywheel and drivetrain. This performance continued throughout my subsequent rides with no deviation in quality.

At the heart of the KICKR CORE is the Zwift Cog with virtual shifting. This again performs excellently with almost instant gear shifts, and there's no crunch or lag often felt on bikes when shifting under heavy load on a climb. This software-led approach means you can focus on your ride without concern that you’re going to bend the derailleur.

The gear shifting can be easily customized to mimic different gear ratios. I cycled through the sequential, SRAM, and Shimano options and tested each one to make sure they accurately performed to their advertised capabilities. The sequential option is pretty straightforward with a simple shifting through gears one at a time. The other two are a little more complex, but Zwift's ability to replicate their feel is expertly implemented.

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)

The physical ride is only half the story, though. The Zwift app is as integral a part of the overall riding experience as the physical build. This app is operated through the handlebar controls, which enable users to move through menus and engage fully with the virtual riding experience. As with any new device, the Zwift’s button placement and associated actions took a little getting used to, but it wasn’t long before it became second nature.

My overall experience of the app was a little less positive, unfortunately. I loaded it onto my phone and was immediately forced to view it in landscape mode. This wasn’t too much of a problem until I realised that the mounting pad at the front of the bike is portrait only. My phone was therefore balanced a little precariously to account for that. Making use of the dedicated holder with a tablet would overcome this, but not everyone has access to these.

I also found that the app drained my phone’s battery to a degree that I wouldn’t have expected. Maybe it’s a result of the 3D graphics or the expectation that you keep your device permanently plugged in. Either way, I think Zwift could make significant improvements to the app to enhance the overall user experience.

Performance score: 4/5

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)Zwift Ride and KICKR CORE: Scorecard

Category

Comment

Score

Value

A mid-range smart bike that delivers great performance at a semi-affordable price.

4.5/5

Design

A utilitarian bike that lacks the finesse of higher-end alternatives.

4/5

Features

A limited set of features, but what it does have is well implemented.

4/5

Performance

A smooth riding experience that lacks a number of high-end features. The app is also a little buggy at times.

4/5

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)Zwift Ride and KICKR CORE: Should I buy?Buy it if...

You want a clean, well-built indoor exercise bike

The Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE is a grease-free, always-ready setup for cycling enthusiasts.

You need a solution that works with multiple users

Thanks for a sizing-by-letter system and single-tool adjustment; it's incredibly easy to swap for different heights.

Don't buy it if...

You don't want to be locked into Zwift

Virtual shifting through the Zwift Cog only works within the Zwift app.

You want a highly customizable ride feel

The trainer provides resistance, but nothing about the bike adjusts to mimic the feeling of going up or down a hill.

Also consider

Peloton

An all-in-one fitness solution that gives you the experience of boutique spinning classes without leaving home. If you’re looking for a great way to get into spinning, the Peloton Bike could be it.

Read our full Peloton reviewView Deal

Garmin Tacx Neo Bike Plus

An ultra-premium indoor trainer designed for elite cyclists, prioritizing realistic ride simulation including gear shifts and surface textures.

Read more about the Garmin Tacx Neo Bike PlusView Deal

How I tested

I performed a full unboxing and kit construction, enabling me to make informed comments on how users might experience the setup process. I downloaded and utilized the Zwift app, partaking in dozens of rides which made use of the full spectrum of features on the bike. I also asked other members of my family to test it. This enabled me to check the fit across multiple users and take on board other people’s perspectives and experiences.

First reviewed: February 2026

Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 3000: two-minute review

If you’re in the market for a sterling autonomous plug-and-play robot lawn mower with a wider cutting tract than most, the new Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 3000 comes wholeheartedly recommended. Available in three different battery capacities, this particular model is designed for large, complex lawns with shaded areas, lumpy terrain and very steep gradients, though it is equally at home on even the most standardised of suburban and rural lawns. However, it would most definitely be considered overkill if used on a small-to-medium urban lawn.

Like its highly-regarded stablemate, the LUBA 2, the new LUBA 3 AWD 3000 requires no boundary wires and no degree in IT to set it up – simply install its charging base, log on to the Mammotion app and it will map the boundaries of your lawn automatically or, if you prefer, manually by steering the robot around your lawn’s permitter like an RC car.

A big upgrade from its stablemate, this new model is now equipped with an impressive Tri-Fusion navigation system combining LiDAR, netRTK positioning over WiFi or 4G, plus AI camera vision to map, mow and avoid obstacles with impressive accuracy — day or night.

Performance is where the LUBA 3 AWD 3000 really impresses. Using its all-wheel drive system and full suspension, this beast can handle slopes with inclines of up to 80% and traverse uneven terrain, roots and edges with impressive confidence. Dual 165W cutting motors and AI-adjusted power, meanwhile, allow it to deal effectively with thick or damp grass, while intelligent route planning minimizes missed patches.

The result is an impressively neat and perfectly striped finish to the lawn that may leave your jaw on the floor. What’s more, because it is equipped with a much wider cutting deck (40cm) than the vast majority of the competition, the beautiful lawn stripes it creates are much more akin to that of a conventional mower.

(Image credit: Future)

Granted, the LUBA 3 is very much in the premium-price band, but then you are getting marine-grade build quality, reliable navigation, excellent obstacle avoidance and consistent cutting performance for your hard earned.

I gave this model’s forebear, the LUBA 2, a full five stars on TechRadar in 2024, mostly because it was head and shoulders above anything else around at the time while being extremely efficient and super reliable. But that was then. Today we have a lot more competition with a veritable slew of extremely efficient wire-free robot mowers from the likes of Segway, Anthbot, Roborock, Ego, Eufy, Terramow and Worx, and that makes it even more difficult to justify a full five-star rating.

Nevertheless, if the earlier LUBA 2 — which I have been using for the past 18 months – is anything to go by, you can safely expect this new model to continue providing a fuss-free autonomous grass cutting service with almost zero babysitting for many years hence.

Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 3000: price & availability

• How much does it cost? £2,399 / $2,399
• When is it available? Available in most regions now
• Where can you get it? Pre-order in UK; available USA and rest of the world, bar Australia

The Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD series sits firmly in the premium segment of the robot mower market, with UK pricing typically between £2,099 to £2,899 ($2,399 to $3,299) depending on lawn capacity. While this positions it well above entry-level robotic mowers, the price reflects its incredible build quality, advanced navigation system, all-wheel-drive traction and ability to scale steep hills, making it particularly appealing for large, complex garden layouts and even large fields.

Compared with more affordable models, the LUBA 3’s value depends largely on lawn size and complexity. Budget alternatives for smaller lawns like the perimeter wire-free Segway Navimow i2 and Worx Landroid Vision Cloud cost under £700 while Mammotion’s equally-competent LUBA Mini 2 AWD 1000 (which boasts many of its larger sibling’s features, including the ability to climb slopes of up to 80%) also retails at a much more affordable £1,399.

Ultimately, I think that the LUBA 3 AWD 3000 I’m reviewing here is decent value for owners of large, uneven or multi-zone lawns who can fully exploit its advanced autonomy. For smaller gardens, however, many cheaper robot mowers deliver perfectly adequate performance, meaning buyers should carefully consider whether the LUBA 3’s premium technology is truly necessary.

Value score: 4 / 5

Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 3000: specs

Max lawn size

3000㎡

Navigation

360 LiDAR + NetRTK + Dual-Camera AI Vision

Cutting deck width

40cm (two 6-blade cutting discs)

Cutting height adjustment

25-70mm, motorised

Drivetrain

All-wheel drive

Maximum climbing ability

80% (38.6˚)

Maximum zones

30 zones

Drop-and-mow function

Yes

Obstacle avoidance

360° LiDAR, NetRTK, and dual-camera 1080P AI vision

Connectivity

Wi-fi, Bluetooth & 4G (3 years free data)

Security

GPS tracking + 4G

Noise

70dB

Waterproof

IPX6

Rain sensor

Yes

Mow time per charge

175 mins

Charging time

120 mins

Weight

19kgs

Dimensions

690 x 533 x 279mm

Product code

LUBA 3 AWD 3000

Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 3000: design

• Three-way navigation
• Wider-than-average cutting deck
• Impeccable fit and finish

Most of the mowbots I review are clad in flimsy shells that bend dramatically as you pick them up. By stark contrast, the F1-inspired LUBA 3 AWD 3000’s beautifully polished white plastic cowling feels inches thick and akin to the hull of a premium speed boat. But it doesn’t stop there because the exposed metal work, too, screams Formula One levels of build quality with high-spec machining and expert fit and finish with zero tolerance between the various components.

In short, every inch of this lawn beast is built to the very highest standards. Hence, this level of build quality doesn’t come cheap and nor does it lack in weight – at a hefty 19kgs, it’s a good job you will only likely need to lift it once to remove it from the box and pop it on its charging plinth.

(Image credit: Future)

The LUBA 3 (as I shall call it from now on) is available in three battery-capacity variants for lawn sizes of 1,500㎡, 3,000㎡ for the variant we’re reviewing here, and 5,000㎡. It arrives almost fully assembled in a huge, expertly packed box. In fact, the only thing the user needs to do is remove some protective pieces on the robot — including the cutting deck protector underneath – and screw on the sensor-equipped bumper. Then it’s a case of mounting the charging base on a flat edge of the lawn that’s within range of an outdoor electricity supply. This model comes with a 5m charging cable, which is sadly about half the length of the one that came with the LUBA 2. Nevertheless, you should be able to purchase an extension cable from Mammotion sometime in the near future.

Now that the LUBA 3 is on its base, it’s time to open the Mammotion app, create an account and add the LUBA 3 by following the set of on-screen instructions. Since this model uses Wi-Fi and 4G-based NetRTK for part of its three-way navigation, there is no need to install an RTK antenna. In fact, it doesn’t even come with one though I’m led to believe that an RTK aerial will soon become available for those with poor Wi-Fi and/or 4G reception.

(Image credit: Future)

Once you’ve connected the bot to the app, it’s time to map your lawn and this can be performed in two ways — automatically or manually. With auto mapping the LUBA 3 follows the perimeter of any grassy areas until it arrives at its starting point. Voila, map created. In manual mode — my preferred option — you carefully drive the LUBA 3 around the perimeter of the lawn using the app’s virtual joysticks until you arrive where you started.

Once mapped, the only thing you may need to do is add a few no-go zones around any trees, garden furniture or ornaments by steering the robot around them. This task isn’t essential because the LUBA 3’s stupendous navigation system will ensure any obstacles are avoided. However, it’s still good practice to add no-go zones around obstacles so the robot can cut as closely as possible when approaching rather than giving it too wide a berth.

(Image credit: Future)

If you have multiple lawns connected by pathways with no obstructions like stairs and gates in the way, you can also program a series of pathways for the robot to follow. Simply select ‘Channel’ in the app’s mapping menu and steer the LUBA 3 from one lawn to the other. You can create up to 30 mowing zones with the LUBA 3 3000 model on review here, 15 with the 1500 version and 50 with the 5000. In essence, when the LUBA 3 has completed its cut on lawn one, it will trundle off down your pre-set path to lawn two, and so on and so forth. If its battery needs a recharge midway through a multi task, the robot will simply head back to its charging station for a top up.

Let’s take a closer look at this amazing mowbot’s main credentials, starting with the cutting deck. Unlike the vast majority of robot mowers that come with a small single 20cm cutting disc, this one ships with two 20cm discs, amounting to a wide 40cm of cutting girth, which is roughly the same as most conventional medium-sized push mowers.

(Image credit: Future)

The LUBA 3’s cutting system is comprised of two spinning discs equipped with six razor-like blades on each that cut and mulch grass more cleanly than any conventional rotary mower. Also, unlike standard mowers that only provide their cutting heights in 1cm increments, this model’s motorized cutting deck can be set to cut in 5mm increments (it has a cutting height range of 25-70mm). Oh, and another thing… Since the LUBA 3’s blades are so small and razor sharp, it doesn’t take much power to move them and that in turn means less battery consumption and almost zero noise while they’re working. In fact you could be lying on the sun lounger while the robot’s working a few metres away and you won’t hear a thing — and nor will your neighbors.

Since the LUBA 3 always cuts in a zigzag, up-and-down pattern (at whichever angle you prefer, including a chequerboard effect), the combination of its extra cutting width and extra-wide tyres ensures a swathe of professional-looking lawn stripes. Granted, they’re not the authentic stripes you see at a cricket ground or football pitch – these are made using a large cylinder mower with a roller on the rear – but who’s complaining when they look this ravishingly good? Incidentally, like all good robot mowers, this one is also fitted with a rain sensor, so if it heads out in the rain it will immediately return to its garage (with optional rain hood) and wait a few hours before trying again.

No robot of any kind is of much use if it doesn’t know where it is at any given time. Well the new LUBA 3 has three types of onboard navigation (one more than the LUBA 2) for insane levels of navigation accuracy in even the most shaded areas of a garden.

Firstly, its equipped with GPS RTK navigation that uses satellites to determine the robot’s position to a few centimetres of accuracy (the standard GPS navigation we use for driving is three to 10 metres). However, unlike the first incarnation of the LUBA 2 which shipped with a separate RTK antennae that required a good line of sight to a large number of satellites, this model uses Mammotion’s own NetRTK system which is Wi-Fi or 4G based and therefore immune to satellite access being affected by overhanging trees and buildings. All you need is decent Wi-Fi reception on your lawn for pin-point navigation accuracy.

If you don’t have Wi-Fi on the lawn, you can also use the robot’s built-in 4G capabilities to perform the same function — Mammotion provides a full three years of free 4G service! Oh, and fear not if your lawn area has neither Wi-Fi nor 4G because you can still use this model with a spiked RTK antenna.

(Image credit: Future)

The LUBA 3 is also equipped with dual-camera AI vision and an LED headlight, and it uses these as an extra layer of cover when navigating darker areas of a lawn or when the robot encounters obstacles like children, pets, garden toys, furniture and ornaments. You have two levels of obstacle avoidance to choose from: Standard for better cutting efficiency and Sensitive, which may cause the robot to avoid non-grassy areas and even refuse to cross them on the way back to base. If you’re a dog owner, I wouldn’t rely on this model – or most others for that matter – to avoid dog poop because setting that level of sensitivity would likely cause the robot to also avoid every loose leaf on the lawn.

Last but certainly not least, this model also encompasses LiDAR and I can’t tell you what a difference this makes when it comes to mapping, navigation and obstacle avoidance. LiDAR fires lasers off in all directions to map and navigate a 3D work space with uncanny accuracy, even in pitch darkness. Having this level of navigation redundancy on board is a major coup for Mammotion since most other manufacturers tend to focus on just two navigation systems.

This Tri-Fusion Positioning System, as Mammotion calls it, has also allowed the Chinese company to introduce a unique ‘beta’ feature called Drop Mow so you can take it over to someone else’s lawn and have it cut their lawn as efficiently as yours. In terms of security, the LUBA 3 is firmly linked to the user’s account and that alone renders it useless to any thieves. Moreover, it is also equipped with GPS and 4G tracking for extra peace of mind.

(Image credit: Future)

Let’s take a good look at the Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD’s traction system. Where most smaller mowbots have two sturdy drive wheels to the rear or front and a smaller castor wheel for steering, the LUBA 3 is all-wheel drive and fitted with suspension. Ostensibly, its wheel system is comprised of a pair of large, robust paddled tyres on the rear and a pair of narrower front wheels equipped with smaller omnidirectional spinners that allow the robot to turn on a sixpence. This setup means the LUBA 3 can ride over very rough terrain, scale roots and small sills without getting into pickle. But more importantly its powerful 4x4 drive system also allows it to scale inclines of up to 80% (38.6°) which is steeper than any conventional lawn mower can safely handle.

Granted, the LUBA 3’s specialised front wheels have been known to occasionally tear up grass in soft-soiled shady areas when using the Zero Turn option but this can be cured to some degree by opting for its slower three-point-turn function instead. I’ve personally had no bald-patch issues but I do know that others have.

However, I should add that the omnidirectional front wheels tend to collect a lot of mud which is unsightly, but thankfully the whole unit is IPX6 rated for protection against high-pressure water spray so you can easily blast off the mud with a hose. Perhaps Mammotion will change the LUBA 3’s front drive mechanism at some point and adopt a system like the forthcoming Segway Navimow X Series, which uses a zero-turn method comprised of two front wheels that swivel 90 degrees when turning.

I’ve been consistently blown away by the high level of build quality and huge amount of design flourishes Mammotion injects into its LUBA series and this model is the best yet. However, I will stress that this robot lawn mower has been intentionally designed for large lawns — and even paddocks and fields — and can therefore be considered overkill if used on an average urban lawn. Thankfully Mammotion also produces a smaller LUBA Mini 2 for diminutive lawns, and you should check it out.

Design score: 4.5 / 5

Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 3000: performance

• Top cutting performance
• Creates beautiful lawn stripes
• Reassuring reliability

As with its forebear, the LUBA 2, I have no issues to report regarding installation, initial lawn mapping, navigation or cutting performance. I simply set up a series of schedules in the Mammotion app and the LUBA 3 has headed off to mow the lawn while I’ve sat indoors doing other things. And when it has finished leaving its swathe of majestic lawn stripes, it’s followed the perimeter all the way back to its charging base.

Yes, I did use my conventional lawn mower with grass cutting container for the first cut of the season because the LUBA 3, like the vast majority of lawn robots, uses the mulching technique and I didn’t want clumps of cuttings littering the lawn. This is why it’s always best to hang on to your conventional mower.

However, if you program the LUBA 3 to head out every two or three days during spring and summer, it will simply slice off about 2mm of growth at a time and feed the nitrogen-rich cuttings back into the turf, thereby fertilising it as the same time. And without a grass cutting in sight. What’s not to like?

(Image credit: Future)

I have always opted for the parallel ‘zigzag’ cutting option in the app, followed by two perimeter laps (you can select up to four perimeter laps and each pass is a little closer to the edge). No, the LUBA 3 — and almost all other bots — won’t cut to the very edge of a wall, fence or solid flower border, but then neither will a conventional lawnmower. Hence you will still need a grass trimmer to hand.

I also tested the LUBA 3’s multi-zone function though this did entail me carrying the unit up some stairs because I’m unable to create a direct pathway to zones two and three. Nevertheless, I was mightily impressed by how well it navigated between the two new zones while sticking rigidly to the borders, and without venturing into the adjacent road. In fact, so successful is this multi-zone system that, were I able to create a series of unobstructed pathways, I could feasibly program the LUBA 3 to leave my garden and head off to maintain our village cemetery and the lawn areas around the church. Proof positive that, were it not for the prospect of theft, most of the new generation of mowbots could feasibly replace a professional gardener with a conventional lawn mower. Sad but true.

(Image credit: Future)

In terms of obstacle avoidance, the LUBA 3 is perfectly adept at bypassing any obstacle larger than, say, a ping pong ball. I tested it using the unit’s Standard obstacle avoidance setting and it stopped about three feet away from a stuffed seagull toy before rerouting itself for another pass. I then set it to Sensitive and it deftly avoided a toy dog bone just one inch in height. That’s a resounding pass in my book since, were it any more sensitive, the robot would likely avoid garden leaves and you don’t want that. Swings and roundabouts spring to mind.

My final test was the LUBA 3’s toughest. There’s a children’s playground behind my house and it has a bank so steep and slippery that I can’t get up it without scrabbling on all fours. For this test I opted to manually steer the LUBA 3 up the slope using the app’s virtual controls, half expecting it to fail miserably. But, joy of joys, it scuttled up the slope like one of those V8-powered Formula Off-Road cars you see negotiating near-vertical terrain in a disused quarry. Very impressive indeed.

(Image credit: Future)

Granted, some may baulk at the thought of a robot performing a task that they consider enjoyable, and I thought that too the first time I was offered a wireless robot to test. But when I look back at the time and effort I’ve saved to perform other important tasks like lounging in the garden with a G&T, pruning the flowers or simply watching it work — not to say the convenience of having the lawn cut while away from home — I’ve become a complete convert and would now find it hard to live without one.

Performance score: 5 / 5

Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 3000: Mammotion app

• Exceedingly comprehensive
• Simple to navigate
• Some glitches need ironing out

The accompanying feature-rich Mammotion app is central to getting the best performance from all models in the company’s current line up, and one of its key strengths is the amazing level of customization if offers, whether you’re fettling with it at home or away.

Users can create multiple mowing areas, adjust cutting patterns, height and blade speed, direction and style of travel (zigzag, chessboard effect and angle of cut), even create shapes and words on the lawn. It also offers the wherewithal to set the amount of perimeter laps and whether you want the bot to return to its charging base in a direct route or along the perimeter to avoid spoiling the lawn stripes it has already produced.

FutureFutureFuture

Nevertheless, the experience is not flawless. I’ve experienced occasional connectivity issues when away from home or when using Bluetooth on my iPhone 15 Pro, plus a few interface quirks that can make fine-tuning lawn zones more time-consuming than expected. There’s scope for improvement, in other words.

Should you buy the Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 3000?

Section

Notes

Score

Value for money

The LUBA 3 commands a high price due to its advanced navigation and AWD capability on complex terrain

4/5

Design

Built like a tank and equipped with an accomplished navigation system for a rugged life on larger landscapes

4.5/5

Performance

Powerful, precise and confident performance across a range of large, challenging lawns

5/5

App functionality

Extremely comprehensive but could do with a tweak or two

4/5

Buy it if

You want advanced wire-free navigation

Tri-Fusion positioning combines LiDAR, RTK and AI vision for highly accurate mapping without boundary wires

You want beautiful lawn stripes

This bot cuts in lovely parallel lines

Your lawn is hilly and lumpy

All-wheel drive enables the LUBA 3 to tackle slopes up to 80%, making it ideal for complex or uneven lawns

Don't buy it if

Your lawn is too small

The LUBA 3’s four-wheel traction and wide body are overkill on small lawns.

You don’t want to spend much

Premium pricing makes it hard to justify for small or simple lawns where cheaper robot mowers perform well.

You need a robot with a more gentle turning system

The LUBA 3 has a tendency to scuff up some thinner grasses when turning.

How I tested the Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 3000

As per usual, I lived with the Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 3000 for a couple of weeks, watching it work on a scheduled basis and examining the results of its cutting performance. I then put it to a series of manual tests, including obstacle avoidance, multi-zone mowing and a steep hill climb. It has impressed me in all disciplines and continues to do so. Like the LUBA 2 I reviewed in 2024, I see no major issues with this newer model which has been a breeze to use from initial set up to the reliable way it goes about its bi-weekly chores.