TechRadar Reviews

Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad review

The Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad is an affordable laptop cooling pad, designed to prevent your laptop from overheating during heavy gaming sessions or creative workflows. Given its price point, it would be reasonable to assume you’ll get only moderate-weight cooling. But blow me down: its three 100mm fans, two 80mm fans and one 70mm fan help you secure some pretty cool running.

I ran it through the 3DMark Stress Test on our Acer Predator Helios 300 with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080, and the cooling it offered was genuinely pretty glacial. After running 15 minutes of running, the temperature of the laptop had risen from 22.2ºC to only 37.5ºC. That’s a temperature rise of just 15.3ºC – and, in the time I've been testing laptop pads, is the most extreme cooling I’ve seen. It's significantly better than the 31.9ºC warming I saw on our baseline test of the laptop alone.

Despite being frostier than a penguin whose name you just blanked on, the Liangstar’s fans are pretty quiet. Ten minutes into the test, I used a sound meter to measure noise – from a few inches away from the device and at my head height. At 59dB and 45dB respectively, the results weren’t really any worse than any of the best laptop cooling pads I’ve tested, and roughly equivalent to the noise the Acer Predator Helios 300 made on its own.

When it comes to design, the Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad is well put together, in that sharp, angular style common to a lot of gaming gear. Using it felt ergonomically comfortable; I was able to tilt it to the right angle for my wrists, while the flip-up rests didn’t get in the way of using the trackpad or keyboard. Meanwhile, the monochrome lighting is a little more subtle than the RGB type common to many cooling pads – whether this is a positive or negative likely depends on your chromatic predilections, but I feel it’s nice enough here. I’m less keen on the tribal back tattoo at the bottom of the Liangstar, but maybe I’m just not the target audience.

With its powerful performance, you’d be forgiven for expecting this laptop cooling pad to be pricey. But it’s actually competitively priced in most markets: the blue-lit version I tested retails for just $19.99 / £20.99, although Australian readers will have to pay AU$66.91. In the US, you can also get red, white or multi-color lit versions for $22.49, $19.99 or $22.99 respectively. All told, this is a decent saving compared to the $29.99 / £29.77 / AU$49.77 TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad or $26.99 / £21.99 Tecknet N5 Laptop Cooling Pad – despite the fact the Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad offers superior cooling. So all told, if you care most about getting the best cooling for your cash, the Liangstar should be your go-to.

(Image credit: Future) Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad review: price & availability

• Released December 16, 2019
• Current price of $19.99 / £28.99 / AU$66.91

First launched on December 16, 2019, the Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad is currently available for $19.99 / £20.99 / AU$66.91 from Amazon, with the US price being the lowest we’ve ever seen it. There may be some fluctuations here, though: the MSRP in the UK is listed as £28.99, yet prices have dropped as low as £14.44, so it’s worth keeping an eye on our price trackers, as you may be able to pick up even more of a bargain.

However, even at Amazon’s current prices, it undercuts most other products we’ve tested. The only exception is if you’re based in Australia – over there, the TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad comes in cheaper at AU$49.77, but in tests I found its cooling less impressive than the Liangstar, meaning you may well find the extra AU$17.14 is a price worth paying.

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad? Buy it if…

You want the best cooling
Thus far, the Liangstar delivers the best cooling performance I’ve seen from a laptop cooling pad at the affordable end of the market, keeping our testing laptop at a pretty balmy 37.5ºC during its intensive stress test.

You want an absolute bargain price
Even compared to other affordable laptop cooling pads, the Liangstar is surprisingly cheap. It’s priced much cheaper in the US and UK than many other cooling pads, despite the fact it offers superior cooling.

Don’t buy it if…

You want specific styling
The Liangstar is neither fish nor fowl in terms of design. Without conspicuous RGB lighting, it may not have enough of a gamer vibe for the esports crowd, but its hard angles and tribal logo might be a bit much for creatives.

You’re buying from Australia
OK, this is less of a "don’t buy" than it is a "think before you buy". The Liangstar has a bit of a markup in Australia, even more than we’d expect from the exchange rate and extra shipping. So it's worth considering if it’s as much as a bargain in your market.

(Image credit: Future) Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad review: also consider

TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad
The TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad can’t quite rival the Liangstar for cooling – its temperature rise was 22.8ºC versus the Liangstar’s 15.3ºC – but it does almost make up for it when it comes to cool points. Its customizable RGB lighting guarantees to give your gaming setup that extra pop, offering 10 different settings for its rainbow-hued LED trim. Read our full TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad review.

How I tested the Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad

• Tested it over multiple days
• Ran a stress test and measured temperature difference with a thermal camera
• Recorded the volume of fan noise 10 minutes into test with a sound level meter

To test the Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad, I carried out all of the standard benchmarks we run on laptop cooling pads. Firstly, I measured our Razer Predator Helios 300 with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 testing laptop’s hottest point to set a baseline, then ran a 3DMark Stress Test for 15 minutes with the cooling pad set to its maximum setting and then remeasured the temperature.

In addition, I checked how much noise the device kicks out with a sound level meter. Once the test had been running for ten minutes, I recorded the sound levels from three inches away and from head height to get a sense of the immediate and subjective noise levels generated by the cooling pad and the laptop combined. I then contrasted this against the noise generated by the laptop’s fans alone.

As well as this quantitative data, I made sure I got plenty of experience using the cooling pad so I could assess its ergonomics and how well it functions in practice. Here I benefited from the many years I’ve spent testing gadgets as well as the 30 years I’ve spent using gaming setups.

• First reviewed: March 2025
• Read more about how we test

Apple Nike Sport Band review

The Apple Nike Sport Band is a workout-ready wrist strap that’s built for the sporty type. At $49 / £49, this is by no means one of the cheaper Apple Watch bands available, but it does, admittedly, have a premium feel to it that takes your workout monitoring to the next level.

Specifically, this band is constructed of the sweat and waterproof material, fluoroelastomer. Apple says that each strap has at least 30% recycled fluoroelastomer and that the flakes littered across the strap are made from a minimum of 66% fluoroelastomer – pretty neat. Interestingly, these flakes are scattered in a randomized manner, ensuring that each Nike Sport Band is unique.

More generally, this is a very nice looking band. I tested the Midnight Sky variant, where the flakes created a starry sky impression against the gray-black strap. Other than Midnight Sky, you can choose from: Blue Flame (blue and orange); Cargo Khaki (green and blue); Desert Stone (a sandy color with orange and blue details); Magic Ember (pink); Pure Platinum (white with mulit-colored splodges); and Volt Splash (green). I was a big fan of the many color options available – whether you want a more muted, professional looking option like Midnight Sky or an in-your-face vibrant band like Magic Ember, there’s a style for anyone – something we always look for on our hunt for the best Apple Watch bands.

That’s not the only variability to mention, though, because there are also a number of size options. This strap is compatible with three different case sizes: 40, 42 and 46mm. You can also get it in either small-to-medium (140-190mm) or medium-to-large (160-210mm). I used the former and found it very easy to get a comfortable fit – just poke the aluminum pin through one of the many holes in the strap and you’re good to go.

Even when keeping this strap on for entire days at a time, I never felt any irritation or annoyance. The high density of holes means there’s plenty of room for your wrist to breathe and the material is inherently resistant against water and sweat, making this strap ideal for workouts, for instance. I went on a run and many a walk and never realized any strain or damage, so you can rest assured that there’s plenty of quality here.

And quality is exactly what you’d expect for an Apple Watch band of this price. At $49 / £49 this thing isn’t cheap. There are some third-party alternatives – like the CeMiKa Silicone Sport Straps or Yoohoo Adjustable Metal Strap – that can be yours for less than $15 / £15. But really, I think you’ll feel the difference. The quality of material, excellent color design and more premium look of the Nike Sport Band makes it a superior companion for your Apple Watch – especially if you’re someone that loves to get active.

(Image credit: Future) Apple Nike Sport Band review: Price & specs

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Apple Nike Sport Band? Buy it if…

You’re the active type
If you’re someone that likes to stay in shape – whether that’s running, lifting weights, swimming (maybe all of the above?) – this is the ideal watch strap for you. It’s made from a water-resistant material and has holes to let your wrists breathe – it doesn’t get much better than that.

You want an easy-to-fasten strap
Something I love about the Apple Nike Sport Band is how easy it is to fasten to your wrist. Just poke the aluminum pin through one of the strap’s holes and it will lock into place. No more messing around with an awkward buckle.

Don't buy it if…

You’re on a tight budget
The only real issue I can take with this strap is its price. I don’t think it’s crazy expensive given the quality on offer, but it’s certainly not cheap. If you’re looking for a massively budget-friendly strap, this one is to be avoided, unless you find it at a significantly discounted price.

You want an ultra premium option
If you’re on the other end of the spectrum and want a top-tier premium watch strap, this might not be flashy enough for you. There are high-calibre metallic options like the Milanese Loop, for instance, but that will set you back almost $100 / £100.

Apple Nike Sport Band review: Also consider

Apple Braided Solo Loop
We’ve been hands on with the Apple Braided Solo Loop and found it to be comfortable, easy to fit and conveniently waterproof. It is certainly quite pricey though, coming in at $99 / £99 – ouch. The stretchy band is ultra-easy to slip on, but it may cause some overhang – so maybe stick with this Nike strap if you want a more practical, fitness-oriented option. Read our full Apple Braided Solo Loop review.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows seems to have benefited from its extra time cooking in the fire, as developer Ubisoft Quebec has created an excellent new entry in the action open-world role-playing game line of its behemoth stealth series.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5, PS5 Pro
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
Release date: March 20, 2025

It has all the right ingredients to make it a delicious large-scale experience, from rewarding exploration of a beautiful world to some exquisite combat that’s the best in the whole series. That's on top of its dual protagonist system, which offers the best of both worlds on a gameplay front.

But one word I kept coming back to in particular while sinking dozens of hours into Shadows was ‘balanced’. For example, the balance between protagonists Yasuke and Naoe’s styles, skill progression, and landmarks discovered via exploration constantly tempts you to play further.

As a result, Assassin’s Creed Shadows hits the mark in an awful lot of ways and is right up there when it comes to the best Assassin's Creed games. Yes, its story darts about all over the place to its detriment (although it earns credit for deviating from the obvious means to tell a narrative) and peters out rather, and the Hideout mode demands a fair bit of resource grinding, but these minor quibbles never halted my enjoyment of roaming Feudal Japan and unraveling its many mysteries.

(Image credit: Ubisoft) A world worth waiting for

One of the stars of the whole show is the setting of Feudal Japan in the 16th century. In short, it's perfect for the lore and gameplay of an Assassin’s Creed game. This rendition of the period is an absolute beauty with breathtaking vistas, varied and eye-catching typography, and exquisite landscape features from water courses to lush vegetation and a wonderful utilization of Japanese landscapes, architecture, and gardens.

The environmental and weather effects are both visually and audibly varied too. There are snow blizzards you can’t see through, pounding rain that makes the ground muddy, a distinct hazed redolent of that which often sits on the Japanese landscape, and gusts of wind lightly rustling brilliantly blooming cherry blossom trees.

Not only that, the world is filled with plenty of things to discover, stumble upon, and do. From tombs and parkour paths to find loot in, strongholds to clear, meditation and temples to gain knowledge points from, to painting wildlife and completing contracts, there’s loads to sink your teeth into. While many of these would feel at home in the likes of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, for example, the slightly smaller map size helps to keep it all in check and creates an emphasis on quality over quantity.

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

There are plenty of viewpoints to climb and get vantage across the land - no AC game would be complete without them - but climbing them doesn’t automatically reveal everything in a region. It’s no longer a one-stop show-me-everything trick. Instead, a few question marks and maybe the next nearest viewpoint or two will appear on your map, but the emphasis is on inspecting the world and identifying the places you want to go to next.

This change in exploration ensured I was immersed in the world and I loved the sense of discovery. The shift to putting the onus on you to actually go to places or find locations is something I’ve wanted from the open-world line in the series for a while - and it works. This also works on a micro scale when looking for evidence or people during missions; you really feel like you’re snooping about and every discovery feels a little more earned.

Thus, even the world itself has a nice balance to it. Its overall size, the amount of things within it, and the distance between those locations and activities make for a well-filled world that reveals itself and can be explored at your own pace.

(Image credit: Ubisoft) Dual blades

As a long-time fan of this series, I was originally unconvinced about the dual-protagonist setup in Shadows. However, after previewing the game at the Quebec studio, and now spending dozens of hours with it properly, I can say that it really works.

Naoe and Yasuke are incredibly specialist and feel honed to their specific niches. It’s still worth remembering, however, that this dual protagonist setup is not like Assassin’s Creed Syndicate for example, where both playable characters are members of the Assassin brotherhood; here, we’ve got one stealth-attuned assassin and one bombastic samurai who’s best suited to all-out combat.

Despite their distinct styles, playing with either has one thing in common: some of the best combat in the series. Whether I was implementing quickfire attacks in one-on-one combat with a Kusarigama hook-and-chain weapon as Naoe, or smashing through doors and mowing down gaggles of goons with Kanobo with as Yasuke, both characters are a blastic.

Shinobi Naoe is a true assassin, and, in a strong field, possibly one of the best to play as yet. She’s fast, lethal, and stocked with stealthy tools. Lurking in the shadows, utilizing her slick parkour moves, and infiltrating places unseen feels excellent. There’s something satisfying about mastering her vulnerability and high-risk one-on-one combat too; Naoe almost feels underpowered when out of stealth, and this successfully balances out her efficacy.

Best bit

Shadows’ take on exploration and discovery of the world is a welcome breath of fresh air for the series. Viewpoints only reveal some of your surroundings, and, as a result, the urge to get to locations and discover more of the world is strong, with more places of interest revealing themselves as you get to each one.

On the other hand, Yasuke is built for head-on combat. Focusing on all-out damage, he can wield the biggest weapons and create the largest devastation, and take the most punishment. Seeing baddies go flying from huge ground attacks or massive kicks brought satisfaction to combat when going big, and every hit felt impactful and spectacular.

Equally, the limits on Yasuke’s stealth abilities feel about right: he’ll get seen when trying to hide behind cover, he’s rubbish at parkour, and his assassinations are deliberately non-stealthy.

I did find myself playing as Naoe an awful lot more due to the excellence of stealth and assassination, but knowing I could rely on changing to Yasuke to go all out with a Kanobo club was a joy - even if the act of changing between them could be a little more seamless than having to re-enter menus.

The balance of the game comes to the fore again, but three-fold: first in the balance between what Naoe and Yasuke offer in style, second in the way that each is balanced in terms of capabilities, but third in terms of progressing both and their skill sets. For example, if you identify skills you want then you can act accordingly, pivoting away to gather specific knowledge points that unlock levels of skills rather than just encouraging you to hoover up one-dimensional skill points.

(Image credit: Ubisoft) A story that fades

Sadly, I can’t rave in the same way about the story as much as I can about everything else.

Told through a mix of flashbacks, main story-adjacent missions, and some linear moments, I appreciate the series trying to weave the narrative in a different way, but it all feels a bit scattershot.

However, there are redeeming qualities that do go some way to mitigating the otherwise spotty narrative. The performances, cinematography, and attention to detail in cutscenes - I was always taken by the characters’ eyes and the level of eye contact between them - is excellent and leads to a wonderfully cinematic feel. This helps to present the story and cutscenes in an engaging and sometimes gripping way - it’s just a shame that it never really got its hooks into me.

It’s worth mentioning that playing the main missions and going after the main targets often culminates in wonderful segments that focus on killing the right person in a sprawling, dangerous location, and then getting out.

I was also pleasantly surprised to find sub-groups and organizations of evil schemers that meant satisfying investigations and assassinations were not limited to one main group of big bads. Complementing this, main targets or not, were the kill screens which were an excellent artistic touch throughout, with the screen changing to black and white splattered by the bright blood of your victim.

(Image credit: Ubisoft) Filling out the experience

Assassin’s Creed Shadows also brings some new facets to the series with it.

The Animus Hub greets you when booting up the game. On one hand this is a functional launcher-type screen that can act as simply the home screen for Shadows and the most recent AC games (from Origins onward). On the other, it actually handles the modern-day stuff well and provides a good launchpad for jumping into any of those games. A nice, apt base for the whole Assassin’s Creed experience.

Personally, I wasn't drawn much to the new base building-like Hideout mode and it does take some time in the main game to gather all the materials needed to build and upgrade everything. In terms of adding buildings to your settlement, there are tangible benefits to be gained such as more scouts that can reveal clues and locations on the map for you, adding engravings (upgrades) to weapons, and being able to remove regional wanted statuses.

In this way, it feels like an evolution of the Ravensthorpe settlement concept from Valhalla. However, I preferred the implementation in Eivor’s adventure which was simpler and wasn’t trying to be a whole new game mode.

Even so, Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ various delays have clearly been worth it, as it’s some of the most fun I’ve had in the series in a long while. It takes all the best bits of the RPG line of games in the series and refines them, but also throws in some excellent stealth, combat, and exploration which makes for a memorable experience throughout. Its drawbacks are relatively small in comparison to its strengths and I am already committed to exploring all its nooks and crannies, well after rolling credits.

Should you play Assassin's Creed Shadows? Play it if...

You want a huge open-world AC game to sink hours into
Shadows is the next big Assassin’s Creed game and if you’ve been after another experience like that of Odyssey or Valhalla then Shadows will not disappoint with its large world and the amount of things to do.

You’ve been pining for a Feudal Japan setting for Assassin’s Creed
The wait for Assassin’s Creed to take its adventures to Feudal Japan has been absolutely worth it. The landscapes, characters, and history of the place are perfect for the series and Shadows capitalizes on that well.

You enjoy different combat playstyles
If you’re an action-adventure fan who likes to constantly mix things up in combat or have multiplayer playstyle options, then those offered by Naoe and Yasuke could scratch quite the itch.

You want an open-world game with rewarding exploration
Shadows shakes up the series’ traditional approach to world exploration and offers something far more nuanced, immersive, and rewarding. Nothing is fed to you in terms of exploration, and areas aren’t suddenly filled after reaching viewpoints; the world entices you to explore it and the satisfaction of doing it is excellent.

Don't play it if...

You prefer the smaller Assassin’s Creed adventures
Assassin’s Creed Mirage this is not, and if you prefer the more focused, small-scale adventures that the series has been known for in the past, then Shadows might be a bit overwhelming.

You don’t want to devote hours to resource-gathering and location completing
While there’s so much to do across Shadows’ landscapes, you’ll need to spend a good while gathering resources to get the most out of the hideout mode and complete a lot of minigames and locations to unlock the top skills.

Accessibility

Ubisoft’s modern suite of strong accessibility options is available in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. There are multiple difficulty levels (all of which are described in full) that affect combat and stealth, and you can also change the game to have one-hit assassinations. If you want to make exploration easier, you can turn on guidance for that to make discovery more straightforward.

There are options to change or turn off graphic effects such as blood, as well as alter the camera, and change inputs for actions. There are also plenty of options for subtitles, text size, background color for text, and language options. The game also features modes to cater to Red-Green and Blue-Yellow colorblindness.

(Image credit: Ubisoft) How I reviewed Assassin's Creed Shadows

I’ve played Assassin’s Creed Shadows for more than 40 hours for this review, going through the main storyline, undertaking a host of side quests, and taking time to explore the vast world. As well as thoroughly exploring the main game as both Naoe and Yasuke and using as many weapons for both as I could, I dedicated time to having a poke about the Animus Hub and spending time in the Hideout mode too to explore what both have to offer.

I reviewed Assassin’s Creed Shadows on both my PlayStation 5 setups testing on a PS5 Slim and PS5 Pro and using an Acer X32QFS gaming monitor and Samsung Q6F 55-inch 4K QLED TV for display, and a Yamaha SR-C20A soundbar and Samsung soundbar for audio. When using a headset, I adopted a SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 on the PS5 Slim and a SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless with my PS5 Pro. I used a regular DualSense Wireless controller on both consoles, and I also played Assassin’s Creed Shadows on my PlayStation Portal.

The game offered me two or three graphics modes depending on the display I was using. The standard, default two of Quality and Performance are present - with the performance mode being preferable on 60Hz displays - while a Balanced mode is available on HDMI 2.1 displays offering something akin to a quality-meets-40-frames-per-second experience. My preference by far was the latter and found it to be an excellent mix of both performance and overall image quality.

First reviewed March 2025

Fulaim X5M: one-minute review

The Fulaim X5M is yet another option in what has become a boom area of content-creation tech: the miniature wireless digital microphone. Designed for vloggers, podcasters and the like, this set is a competitor to the likes of the DJI Mic 2 and Rode Wireless Micro, with clip-on transmitters wirelessly beaming an audio signal to a receiver that can be connected to a smartphone, computer or camera.

Perhaps the main selling point of the X5M is its budget-friendly price, which undercuts premium rivals like DJI, Rode and Sennheiser by a wide margin. That makes it a tempting purchase for newbie content creators who are just getting started, particularly given the flexibility offered by its adapters, along with the ability to record directly onto the transmitter's own 4GB of internal storage.

I'd expect some concessions to be made with any budget product, and with the X5M I'd say the main ones are its rather cheap-feeling build quality, and the fact that its audio quality tops out at 16-bit where premium rivals offer 24-bit and even 32-bit float options. The display on the receiver could do with some tweaks to make it a little more readable too, but none of the above are what I'd call deal-breakers.

If more premium mics are out of your reach, and you want something a little more flexible than the smartphone-only Boya Mini, the Fulaim X5M is well worth a look.

The core Fulaim X5M set with two transmitters, the receiver and charging case (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) Fulaim X5M: price and release date

• List price is $199 / £150 / AU$310 for dual TX set
• Cheaper non-recording edition available
• Sold only as a set

Dual-transmitter kits with a charging case don’t come much cheaper than the Fulaim X5M. Its list price is $199 / £150 / AU$311, but I’ve found it for far less at many online stores including Amazon US for around $90 / Amazon UK for around £100, so you’ll be paying a lot less than you would for the likes of the DJI Mic Mini or Rode Wireless Micro.

That’s the price for the version of the X5M I was sent for review, which includes built-in recording on the transmitters. An even cheaper version lacking that feature is also available, for around $30 / £22 / AU$35 less.

Both sets are available to buy now from a range of online stores, but it’s worth noting that you can only get the X5M in a full package that also includes two transmitters, one receiver, a charging case, USB-C / Lightning / 3.5mm adapters, two furry windscreens and a USB-C cable; aside from replacement bits like the adapters and magnets, the elements of this kit aren’t available for individual purchase, at least as far as I could tell.

The charging case with two transmitters, the receiver and all three adapters inserted (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) Fulaim X5M: specs

The receiver with its three adapters for Lightning, USB-C and 3.5mm devices. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) Fulaim X5M: Design

• Most elements slot into charging case for transport
• Entire package weighs 8.5oz / 240g
• Adapters for USB-C, Lightning and 3.5mm included

The X5M, like many wireless mic packages, comprises two wearable transmitters, a receiver that can be connected to smartphones, tablets, computers and cameras, and a case that not only holds them but recharges their internal batteries. The case also has space for three connector adapters for the receiver (USB-C, Lightning and 3.5mm), a USB-C port for charging, and four LEDs on the front to give you a quick indication of its own battery life.

The whole kit will fit easily in your coat pocket, making the X5M wonderfully portable. I would have liked some kind of pouch or carrying bag to be included in the set though, as there’s nothing to stop the case flipping open in your bag and disgorging its contents. Also, there’s no room in the charging case for included accessories like the two furry windscreens or USB-C cable, so having a bag to hold everything would have made a lot of difference.

I found the general build quality to be okay, if a little cheap and plasticky. Pricier mic sets like the DJI Mic 2, Sennheiser Profile Wireless and Saramonic Ultra are all much sturdier than this – but that’s one reason you have to pay more for them, I suppose. There’s also no waterproofing on any of the elements here – at least nothing mentioned by Fulaim – so if you want to record outdoors in inclement weather you’ll need to exercise caution.

A Fulaim X5M transmitter with its furry windshield attached. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

The transmitters are small and lightweight, and can be attached to clothing via a clip or magnet. The clip is nice and strong, but I found the magnet pull to be a little weak, and I wouldn’t want to risk using it on any garment thicker than a lightweight T-shirt, lest it fall off.

Each transmitter has a USB-C port for charging and data transfer, as well as two buttons: one to switch power on/off and another that can be tapped to engage noise reduction tech and held down to start recording. It also has a 3.5mm input, enabling users to attach a third-party lavalier mic.

The receiver has a USB-C port for charging, plus an interface on the back that can accept one of the adapters, allowing it to be connected directly to products with Lightning, USB-C or 3.5mm ports. I tried it on my iPhone 13 and Panasonic GH6 II camera (with the Lightning and 3.5mm ports respectively) and found it to be a secure and fairly low-profile fit.

It also has a small non-touchscreen display that indicates battery life, recording mode, connection status and audio gain. This is a little hard to see from a distance at times, due to the choice of font and icons and its tiny size, but better to have than to not, I suppose.

The receiver also has two hardware buttons: one for power and one to toggle through five levels of gain adjustment.

Fulaim X5M: Performance

• 16-bit audio quality with noise reduction
• Stereo, mono and safety recording modes
• Transmitter can be used solo

There’s no sign of 24-bit or 32-bit audio here. The X5M, as befits its budget status, sticks with 16-bit audio – and I think that’s fine for a cheap wireless mic. Having tested the recording quality both indoors and outdoors on a blustery day, I’m more than happy with it – and I strongly suspect anyone who’s upgrading from a built-in mic on their phone or camera will feel the same. The sound is so much richer and fuller from a dedicated mic, while the furry windshield succeeds in cutting out wind noise when you're recording outdoors.

There’s even a noise reduction mode that, while I wouldn’t rely on it in truly challenging conditions, is very effective at reducing background hums – the likes of fans, air conditioners and road noise.

The X5M can record in three different modes: mono (which uses a single transmitter), stereo (where both transmitters record in tandem to create a single recording) and safety (where the second transmitter records at a slight gain reduction, as a backup track in case of the primary track experiencing a sudden loud noise or similar).

Each transmitter can be used for solo recording too, so you can ditch the rest of the set if you’re traveling really light. With 4GB of internal storage, it can record around nine hours of audio.

The X5M's receiver attached to an Apple iPhone 13 via its Lightning port. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

Battery life runs closer to six hours, however, with two full-recharge cycles being held in the charging case. In theory, with the charging case in your pocket you can get 18 hours of use out of the X5M before having to track down a wall socket or power bank, which is about average for a wireless mic set.

As for wireless range, Fulaim claims the X5M can work up to a range of about 650ft / 200m – that is, the distance between the transmitter and receiver. That’s in perfect conditions, of course, and I would expect the real-world figure to be a lot lower, although for the vast majority of users range is never going to be an issue. I certainly had no problems with connectivity or transmission during my review period.

Should I buy the Fulaim X5M? Buy it if…

You want a versatile wireless mic on a budget

With its trio of adapters for connecting to all types of smartphone plus laptops and cameras, plus solo recording, this is a cheap package that isn’t restricted to a single mode of audio capture.

You’re a beginner content creator

The 16-bit audio recorded by the X5M is so much crisper, weightier, and richer than the sound you’d get from a smartphone or camera’s built-in mic, making it a cheap and simple way to elevate vlog audio.

Don’t buy it if…

You want to record in pro-quality audio formats

The X5M sticks with ‘good enough’ 16-bit audio recording, so demanding professionals who require 24-bit or even 32-bit float recording should look elsewhere – and be willing to spend more money.

You want super-tough build quality

The plasticky build quality, lack of weatherproofing, and lack of a carrying case or bag make this a mic set that needs to be handled with a little care. It’s not necessarily designed for the rough and tumble of frequent outdoor use.

Fulaim X5M: also consider

Boya Mini

This ultra-cheap, ultra-compact and ultra-lightweight wireless microphone is designed to work only with smartphones, meaning you can’t connect it to a camera. Like the Fulaim X5M, it records at 16-bit quality rather than the 24-bit offered by some pricier alternatives.

Read our Boya Mini review

DJI Mic Mini
A premium and versatile alternative that’s currently quite a bit pricier than the Fulaim X5M, the Mic Mini features 24-bit audio and Bluetooth connectivity, meaning you can bypass the receiver altogether. Its transmitters are quite a bit smaller than the Fulaim X5M’s too, which is handy if you want something a little more discreet.

Read our DJI Mic Mini review

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) How I tested the Fulaim X5M

• I used it regularly for a week
• I tested outside and indoors
• I used it solo, and paired with iPhone 13 and Panasonic Lumix GH6 II

In order to see how it fared in different environments I tested the Fulaim X5M in a range of scenarios, from the quiet and relatively controlled environment of my home office to the windy coast of southeast England.

I also recorded with it in several different ways: using the transmitter’s built-in recording capability; with the receiver connected to my Apple iPhone 13 using a Lightning adapter; and with the receiver connected to my Panasonic Lumix GH6 II mirrorless camera via its 3.5mm analog adapter.

• First reviewed: March 2025
• Read more about how we test

Samsung 9100 Pro: Two-minute review

It's very hard to say that a drive that sequentially reads nearly 12,500MB a second doesn't live up to expectations, especially not when its performance everywhere else is better than anything else I've tested, but that sticker on the box of the Samsung 9100 Pro that promises up to 14,800MB/s sticks in the craw of an otherwise perfect M.2 PCIe 5.0 SSD.

Starting at $199.99 for a 1TB capacity drive (about £155/AU$315), the 9100 Pro is Samsung's first 'true' PCIe 5.0 SSD after the Samsung 990 EVO and Samsung 990 EVO Plus. Both those drives are PCIe 5.0, but they only use two PCIe 5.0 lanes, which limits their practical speeds to PCIe 4.0 standards.

The 9100 Pro, meanwhile, is a full-fat PCIe 5.0 x4 M.2 drive, meaning its theoretical max speed for sequential reads is upwards of roughly 15,000MB/s and 14,000MB/s for sequential writes (this number has been edging up over the past 3-5 years, so take that theoretical maximum with a grain of salt at this point).

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Samsung promises that its latest drive can hit up to 14,800MB/s sequential read and 13,400MB/s sequential write, and the Samsung 9100 Pro gets there somewhat. It clocks in a max sequential write rate of 13,066MB/s in my testing, but the 9100 Pro's maximum sequential read speed only hit 12,427MB/s. This is still incredibly fast—but, it's not what's promised on the box.

Could that change with BIOS or firmware updates, sure. Possibly. But it's not like other PCIe 5.0 drives like the Crucial T705 aren't hitting close to 14,500MB/s. The T705 hits a max sequential read speed of 14,390MB/s in CrystalDiskMark 8 on the same testbench with a Gigabyte Aorus X870E motherboard, AMD Ryzen 9 9950X processor, and 32GB Corsair Dominator DDR5 running at 6,600MT/s and integrated graphics, so there's no interference from a graphics card.

Meanwhile, compared to its predecessor, the Samsung 990 Pro, the 9100 Pro is a much better overall drive, but there are circumstances where the 990 Pro still manages to outperform its successor such as same and secondary drive copy time and random read and write speeds.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

On balance, the Samsung 9100 Pro isn't the undisputed best SSD you can buy, and for some users (such as gamers or general-use enthusiasts), you will likely be happier with other PCIe 5.0 or even PCIe 4.0 drives on the market, many of which will be cheaper than the 9100 Pro.

That said, this is a drive for professional users and for those who need to save or otherwise write large files to disk regularly, and for that, the Samsung 9100 Pro is the best M.2 SSD on the market.

Gamers won't find much here worth the investment, unfortunately, with even the 990 Pro outperforming the 9100 Pro in 3DMark's SSD benchmark, which is a gaming-exclusive test. It also falls about 17% behind the Corsair MP700 Elite PCIe 5.0 SSD on this benchmark as well.

For general business users, the 9100 Pro is better than its predecessor but lags behind the Crucial T705 in PCMark 10, which tests general productivity speed and performance as well as its performance as a data drive rather than your main system drive.

Given all this, you'd think that the 9100 Pro should score lower, but it really comes in strong on sequential write performance, which is a very big deal for professional users who might need to save media projects that are many, many gigabytes large.

Nothing disrupts a workflow more than a project autosaving for up to half a minute or more, and this is where the 9100 Pro shines. Offering up to 39% faster sequential write performance than the Crucial T705, its nearest competitor in this category, the Samsung 9100 Pro really leans into its pro branding here.

The 9100 Pro unit I tested did not come with a built-in heatsink, so its thermal performance is largely a factor of the excellent PCIe 5.0 heatsink on the Gigabyte Auros X870E motherboard I used for testing (I also used the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X and 32GB of Corsair Dominator DDR5 RAM at 6,600MT/s), so I can't speak much to the heatsink's quality in this review.

Also, I tested a 9100 Pro with a 4TB capacity, whereas every other drive I tested had a 2TB capacity. This, in itself, shouldn't impact baseline scores too much, if at all, but it's worth pointing out that while I still consider this an apples-to-apples comparison, it's more of a Cosmic Crisp-to-Red Delicious comparison, so your actual experienced performance might vary slightly from mine.

All that said, the other major problem with this drive is its price. It's an expensive drive, and for a lot of gamers and those who are more interested in faster loading times for their programs and files, the Crucial T705 is simply a better option with comparable write speeds but close-to-max read speeds for a lower price.

If you're looking for a drive that you can use in more of a professional capacity with frequent saves of very large files like video projects or video game packages in Unreal Engine, the Samsung 9100 Pro is the best SSD you're going to get for that purpose and it will absolutely speed up your everyday workflow considerably.

Samsung 9100 Pro: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

• How much does it cost? Starting at $199.99 (about £155/AU$315)
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

The Samsung 9100 Pro is available in the US, UK, and Australia starting on March 18, 2025, for $199.99 (about £155/AU$315) for a 1TB drive.

Higher capacities will cost you more, with the 2TB capacity going for $299.99 (about £230/AU$470)and the 4TB capacity going for $549.99 (about £425/AU$865).

The 9100 Pro 8TB capacity drive is expected to launch in H2 2025, though its price hasn't been released yet.

This puts the 9100 Pro roughly 30% more expensive to start over the Crucial T705 1TB, and slightly more expensive than the launch MSRP of the Samsung 990 Pro it replaces.

Samsung 9100 Pro: Specs Should you buy the Samsung 9100 Pro?

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler) Buy it if...

You need pro-level sequential write performance
Are you writing 20GB files to disk every time you save your architecture project? This drive is for you.

You want an M.2 SSD with high-capacity options
With a 4TB drive available now and 8TB capacity coming later this year, this is one of the most spacious M.2 SSDs on the market.

Don't buy it if...

You're on a budget
This is hardly the cheapest PCIe 5.0 drive out there, even at this level of performance.

You're looking for a PS5 SSD
If you want a new SSD for your PS5 console, this drive is way too fast for the PS5's PCIe 4.0 interface. You're better off getting the 990 Pro.

Samsung 9100 Pro: Also consider

If my Samsung 9100 Pro review has you looking for other options, here are two more M.2 SSDs to consider...

Crucial T705
The Crucial T705 is the best all-around PCIe 5.0 drive you can buy, with stellar performance across the board and a fairly accessible price point.

Read the full Crucial T705 review

Samsung 990 Pro
The Samsung 990 Pro is the best PCIe 4.0 SSD going, and for 95% of users, this drive will be more than enough for your needs at a decent enough price.

Read the full Samsung 990 Pro review

How I tested the Samsung 9100 Pro

• I spent about two weeks testing this SSD
• I used it for gaming, content creation, and general storage use
• I used my standard suite of SSD benchmarks as well as daily use

To test the 9100 Pro, I ran it through our standard benchmark suite, including CrystalDiskMark 8, PassMark, PCMark 10, 3DMark, and our proprietary 25GB file copy test.

I used this drive as my main system storage (C:\) drive for over a week on my test bench, where I used it extensively for loading games for graphics card benchmarking purposes, content creation, and more. This included loading games and large batches of photos for editing in Lightroom and Photoshop for various reviews.

I've been testing hardware components for TechRadar for over three years now, including several major SSD reviews from Samsung, PNY, and others, so I know what the latest SSDs are best for and whether they are worth your hard-earned money.

First reviewed March 2025

Review information

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch
Available on: Nintendo Switch
Release date: March 20, 2025

2053 A.D. The last bastion of humanity flees Earth as it’s caught up in a conflict between two unknown alien factions. The White Whale mothership crash lands on the seemingly habitable planet of Mira where humanity has a chance to begin again, but their struggles are far from over. Two months later, you’re discovered in a drop pod without a single memory save for your name. And so begins Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition - easily one of the best RPGs (role-playing games) I’ve played in recent years.

As the newest resident of New Los Angeles - humanity’s massive home base that successfully landed on Mira mostly intact - you’re swiftly encouraged to join BLADE (a handy shortening of Builders of the Legacy After the Destruction of Earth), an elite force tasked with everything from exploring Mira and subduing threats to gathering resources and keeping the peace on home ground.

Within your first hour, you’ll select one of eight BLADE divisions to be a part of, each specializing in a particular field (though these are fairly inconsequential outside of the online modes which I wasn’t able to try for this review). These include Pathfinders who specialize in deploying FrontierNav probes to expand the map, and Interceptors who’re tasked with handling dangerous fauna. No matter which division you pick, you’ll still get to explore Mira in pretty much any way you like.

(Image credit: Nintendo)

While Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition does have a main story to follow, it’s not as much of a focus compared to the other three games in the series. Instead, you’ll be spending the bulk of your playtime ticking off side quests and party member affinity missions (of which there are plenty of both) in order to meet requirements for unlocking story missions and expanding your home base of New LA.

On paper it sounds like a slog - and indeed many quests can boil down to simple item fetches or enemy hunting. Thankfully, the context of each quest makes almost all of them worth doing. Each one meaningfully expands the lore of Mira and its many alien races. There’s also a fantastic feeling of progression here, as a good amount of quests will unlock more features in New LA as well as allow these other races to gradually inhabit the city.

There’s a real feeling of growth and community that’s seldom seen in the genre. And, if you’re paying attention, you’ll notice the various races co-existing. They’ll form their own friend groups, frequent commercial establishments, develop romantic relationships, and contribute to New LA in their own ways. It’s not a real-time simulation by any means, but it all still adds so much detail and flavor to the world around you.

In summary, I love the world of Mira, and I love Xenoblade Chronicles X’s approach to character development and overall progression. Sure, the lengthy gap between main story missions won’t sit right with everyone. Think of it like a hot bath; dipping a toe in can be intimidating, but if you allow yourself to slowly settle in, you’ll find an incredibly rewarding and satisfying experience. It might well be a re-release, but Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition is handily one of the best Nintendo Switch games today.

The world’s your (extremely dangerous) oyster

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Besides the hub of New LA, Mira is split into five distinct (and utterly massive) biomes. Bordering the city is Primordia, a lush grassland dotted with lakes and mountains. To its west is Noctilum, a labyrinthine forest that combines wide open spaces with plenty of narrow pathways to explore. In the east you have the desert-like Oblivia, then off to the north is the ethereal Sylvalum and then bordering that is the volcanic region of Cauldros.

Best bit

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Exploring the world of Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition is its own multi-faceted reward. It aids with overall progression, sure, but it’s also full of individual moments that wowed me. As an example, running through the towering forests of Noctilum for the first time while its vocal-driven theme kicked in was a simply awe-inspiring moment. The Xenoblade series has some of the best music in gaming, and that’s certainly no different with X.

While these all sound like your cookie-cutter video game biomes, each has unique touches that help them really stand out. Noctilum, for example, is dense with large coral-like structures. Oblivia is dotted with towering ruins of an ancient civilization. Cauldros is heavily industrialized, having been largely taken over by the antagonist Ganglion race.

As you might expect from the Xenoblade series, there’s no shortage of breathtaking vistas to discover and the sense of scale is truly unmatched. The old adage of ‘if you see it, you can go there’ is often claimed but rarely actually true. However, in Xenoblade Chronicles X, you’d better believe that this is absolutely the case. Especially later in the game when you unlock the Skell, a flight-capable mech that greatly enhances your traversal options.

(Image credit: Nintendo)

What’s especially great about Xenoblade Chronicles X is that you’re free to explore much of Mira from the off with your party of four including the player character. At first, your key objective in exploration will be finding FrontierNav sites at which you can unlock new fast travel points and reveal surrounding points of interest such as treasure locations or powerful Tyrant-class enemies.

On the topic of enemies, you’ll swiftly find that Mira is an incredibly dangerous place. High-level mobs are abundant, often strategically placed to discourage careless exploration. Xenoblade Chronicles X is not a power fantasy; you will frequently fall foul of enemies more than happy to ambush you when you least expect it. Thankfully, punishment for a full party wipe is lenient, simply taking you back to the nearest landmark or fast travel point.

Enemies are also surprisingly dynamic in their behavior. Many only appear at certain times of the day. They can also change their approach to you depending on your mode of travel; some may be perfectly willing to leave you be if you’re on foot. But in your Skell, they might be more hostile. Skell travel, while convenient, isn’t exactly a free lunch, either. Skell fuel is a limited resource and certain airborne mobs will attack if they spot you flying around.

This may sound super frustrating, but the flipside is that eventually, you will be able to fight back against enemies that previously gave you a hard time. It’s so satisfying to plow through an area that was at one point impassible due to the level gap. As you continue to improve your ground gear and Skell builds, you’ll gradually find that more of Mira opens up to you in a very natural way.

Guns, blades and indigens

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Describing Xenoblade Chronicles X’s combat in full would require at least another 5,000 words and my boss would hate me, so I’ll do my best to detail the highlights instead. In short, X’s battle system is rich in depth and so incredibly fun once you get your head around it. But thanks to Definitive Edition’s better tutorialization, things are generally much easier to learn.

You and your party members will have access to a pool of Arts (read: skills) depending on their class (you can freely upgrade and switch yours as you progress, too) which you’ll assign to one of eight slots on the Arts Palette. Arts are color-coded; orange and yellow are melee and ranged attacks respectively. Green Arts provide support such as buffs or healing. Purple Arts typically apply debuffs to enemies, while Blue Arts grant the character an ‘aura’ which provides various temporary benefits.

What makes combat in X so engaging is you can’t just be throwing out Arts willy-nilly. Most will be more potent when used under certain criteria, such as hitting an enemy from its side, or activating the Art while you have an Aura active. It’s largely up to you which Arts to put on your Palette, but the game strongly incentivizes using Arts that synergize with one another.

A new ‘quick cooldown’ button has been added to Definitive Edition, too, which lets you immediately use an Art without waiting for its cooldown. The Art usually won’t be as powerful in this state, but it’s a very handy thing to have if you’re clearing out a group of weaker mobs or looking to quickly reapply a debuff.

(Image credit: Nintendo)

That’s most apparent with Xenoblade Chronicles X’s coolest combat feature: Overdrive. Unlocked early on in the story, Overdrive is a massively powerful party-wide state. It lasts for about half a minute, during which time your Arts cooldowns will be greatly sped up and the party will be able to access a variety of bonuses based on the Arts you use.

In Definitive Edition, it’s easier than ever to tell which Arts to use, thanks to a color-coded chart displayed on-screen during Overdrive. For example, using three melee Arts in a row will boost the experience gained from the fight. Using a Blue and Green Art in succession will provide healing, and using a Green Art followed by any other will double its hit count which increases your TP (the resource required to enter Overdrive in the first place) gain.

Ideally, to get the most out of tough encounters, you’ll want to get your TP back up to 3,000 within your Overdrive window in order to activate it again, replenishing its timer. If managed correctly, you can keep the Overdrive state active throughout an entire fight. Pulling that off feels so, so satisfying and in the late game, it became the reason why I think X has the best combat system in the whole series. It’s up there with Xenoblade Chronicles 2’s take on the Chain Attack system for me.

As great as the on-foot combat is, I unfortunately can’t say the same for Skell combat. It’s as slow and clunky here as it was in the original. Skells feel incredibly floaty, and the Arts provided by its equipment typically have much longer cooldowns. You also can’t use the quick cooldown feature while in your mech. They can certainly be powerful, and hopping into your Skell if you’re running low on health is a viable tactic, but I do wish developers Monolith Soft could’ve taken the time to tighten up Skell combat as it just doesn’t provide the same rush as the on-foot Overdrive loop.

The fairest of them all

(Image credit: Nintendo)

While Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition is certainly a little dated in the visuals department, by no means does that make it an ugly game. On the contrary, it provides some of the most gorgeous environments I’ve ever seen rendered on Nintendo Switch. Improved character models and an overall bump in resolution also help Definitive Edition look much sharper and cleaner than its Wii U counterpart.

As ever with the series, draw distance is incredibly impressive for a Switch game. However, some pretty egregious object pop-in is still an issue, especially in the busy hub of New LA. Non-player characters (NPCs), objects, and moving vehicles can materialize right in front of you. This can also happen out in the open world; I’ve had many times where I’ve descended onto a seemingly empty patch of earth to grab a treasure or open up a FrontierNav site, only for a group of high-level enemies to spawn in and obliterate my Skell in an instant.

In better news, performance is a mostly stable 30fps (frames per second), only rarely dipping when loading into a new area after fast travel. Load times are also impressively quick for the Switch; it wasn’t often that I had to wait longer than 10 seconds to beam into a new location, making general exploration extremely quick and convenient.

Lastly, I have to make a note of Xenoblade Chronicles X’s god-tier soundtrack. Composer Hiroyuki Sawano - well-known for his work on Attack on Titan and Kill la Kill - provides a legendary score for this game, and he’s back with new music for Definitive Edition, too. His work here does feel distinctly anime, with epic, sweeping tracks for the game’s biomes and vocal-driven battle themes that I never get tired of listening to.

Should I play Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition? Play it if...

You want to get lost in a unique RPG for potentially hundreds of hours
Xenoblade Chronicles X is a very unique game even within the confines of its own series. The glorious sci-fi setting matched with a deep and involving battle system provides a consistently moreish experience.View Deal

You love exploration
This game simply gets exploring a vast, open world so right. Expanding your map via FrontierNav to discover new, interesting locations as well as treasures and powerful enemies is incredibly rewarding throughout the experience.View Deal

You like mechs
Despite the weak Skell combat, it’s more than made up for in their aptitude for exploration and sheer customizability - which includes everything from weapon loadouts to color schemes.View Deal

Don't play it if...

You just want to get on with the story
You’ll be spending a lot of time in Xenoblade Chronicles X completing side quests and affinity missions in order to meet requirements and recommended levels for main story content. If you’re not willing to take things slow then you may find progression to be irksome especially later on in the game.View Deal

Accessibility

Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition is unfortunately very minimal in terms of accessibility features. You’ve got subtitles on by default and you can adjust dialogue text speed, but that’s really about it. There are no colorblind options, which would have been helpful to some players given the battle system’s reliance on color-coded Arts.

How I reviewed Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition

My playthrough of Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition lasted around 80 hours. This included the main story, most side quests, a good amount of affinity missions, and the new postgame content. I unfortunately wasn’t able to test the game’s online features for this review, as these will open up on release day.

I played the game on my Nintendo Switch OLED in both docked and handheld modes. I found it to be surprisingly playable and stable in handheld mode despite the drop in overall image quality and resolution, but still looks noticeably less soupy than other Xenoblade titles on that OLED screen. For docked play, I played on an LG CX OLED TV primarily with a GameSir Nova controller.

First reviewed March 2025

This review first appeared in issue 353 of PC Pro.

HP’s OfficeJet Pro 9012e is almost indistinguishable from the 9010e we crowned inkjet Labs winner this time last year. It’s a chunky-looking, businessy MFP aimed squarely at home and small offices. While it’s clearly not an enterprise-class device, it’s built to take moderately high use, with a one-time maximum monthly duty cycle of up to 25,000 pages.

In reality this MFP is unlikely to print anywhere near that volume, but it’s well set up for its recommended 1,500 pages a month. In its base you’ll find a 250-sheet paper cassette, while on top there’s a 35-sheet ADF. It can print, scan, copy and fax, with direct control coming via a 6.9cm color touchscreen running a user-friendly menu. It’s hidden slightly on the left side, but you also get a USB host port for direct prints and scans.

The “e” on some HP printers denotes that you must sign up to HP+ to activate the device, and thereafter leave it connected to the internet for it to function. Happily, that’s not the case here, with users allowed to choose whether to activate HP+, the Instant Ink subscription service, or neither. We asked HP to clarify whether it had changed its “dual SKU strategy” which obliged users to choose HP+ or not at the time of purchase, but didn’t hear back before we went to press.

Regardless, the 9012e offers the best of all worlds. Choose to sign up to HP+ and you’ll get an additional year’s warranty and six months of Instant Ink for free. Opt out and you can still get two years’ cover with online registration, and choose to sign up to Instant Ink if you want. We discuss the economics of this in View from the Labs, but without it – at 1p per page in black or 4.2p in color – the 9012e is cheap to run for a cartridge-based inkjet.

Control is via a user-friendly 6.9cm touchscreen (Image credit: Future)

HP claims the 9012e has self-healing Wi-Fi, but we had issues connecting it to our regular Labs router – an unremarkable dual-band TP-Link. It couldn’t detect the 2.4GHz network until we rebooted it, after which the printer failed to connect and lost sight of it again. We tried the 5GHz network with similar results, eventually giving up and using our main router. Although this worked without any problems, it’s further away from the test area, which may have slowed the 9012e down.

If it did, we can’t say we especially noticed. The OfficeJet Pro 9012e took quite a while to spool and start printing multi-page jobs, but once started it was the fastest inkjet in this group. It hit 21.1 pages per minute (ppm) on our 25-page text test, and reached an equally impressive 6.9ppm over 24 pages of color graphics. Encouraged by these results we tried our 50-page Alice in Wonderland test, but with a very long spool time this proved slower at just 11.6ppm. The 9012e was also underwhelming when duplexing, reaching only 3.4ipm when printing ten sides of color graphics.

For an inkjet, this is a fast copier, managing single black pages in nine seconds, and needing only ten seconds in color. It rattled off ten mono copies in 71 seconds, and again needed little longer in color, taking 79 seconds. A 10-page, 20-side duplex color photocopy took nearly five minutes, however.

When it came to scanning, this was again the fastest inkjet here, dispatching low-resolution A4 scans in only ten seconds. We were even more impressed at higher resolutions, the 9012e needing only 12 seconds to capture a 10 x 15cm photo at 600dpi.

The 9012e isn’t a great photo printer, with its pigment inks drying to a dull, semi-matte finish. We were also disappointed in its slightly dark and dingy photocopies. Otherwise, it’s hard to fault the quality of its prints and scans, particularly on typical office jobs such as text and color graphics. It’s certainly good enough for printing formal correspondence, and it would be great for archiving documents – if only it came with software that could save scans as searchable PDFs.

Overall, this remains a great MFP for a typical home office. It’s fast, robust, produces good results, and is almost as cheap to run as cartridge-based inkjets get. However, its purchase price has crept up somewhat compared to the 9010e, so it loses out on value for money.

We've also ranked the best apps for working from home.

This review first appeared in issue 353 of PC Pro.

HP’s LaserJet Pro MFP 4302fdw looks like the perfect color laser MFP for a small office. It’s a four-in-one with fax, topped off by a 50-sheet ADF. Both this and the printer are duplex-capable, so you can start a multi-page double-sided copy and go off to put the kettle on.

This MFP has virtually no packing to remove – you can just load up paper, join it to a network and install the drivers. Unfortunately, that didn’t go as smoothly as it should have. The touchscreen didn’t confirm whether the 4302fdw had joined our Labs network, and it didn’t respond when we repeatedly tried to print a network report. Shortly afterwards the printer sprang into life, delivering several unwanted copies.

We still don’t love HP’s TWAIN scan software, which in this case doesn’t offer 150dpi, but its MFPs’ lipless scan platens make it so much easier to retrieve your originals. This is quite a fast scanner, managing a 10 x 15cm photo at 600dpi in just 17 seconds, but it repeatedly dropped out midway through our 1,200dpi test.

The 4302fdw’s control panel makes life easy, but it wasn’t always particularly responsive (Image credit: Future)

If it’s been idle for a while, the 4302fdw needs only about three seconds extra to warm up before delivering a first black or color page. From standby it managed this in 17 seconds, and went on to deliver our 25-page test in exactly a minute. It was slower on our challenging color test, but its 14.4ppm still compares well at this price.

At 1.5p in black or 8p per color page this isn’t the cheapest laser to run, but you can sign it up to HP’s Instant Ink toner delivery, which brings the cost down as low as 1.3p. Unfortunately, you can’t do much about the 4302fdw’s indifferent print and scan quality. Black text was perfect, but graphics and photographs had a blue bias, apart from skin tones, which tended to look flushed. Office scans were perfectly good, but with photos we noticed a loss of detail from the darkest areas.

It’s a shame. The LaserJet Pro MFP 4302fdw should be the perfect small office device, but its results are just a little too weak.

We also ranked the best small business accounting software.

This review first appeared in issue 353 of PC Pro.

If Epson’s EcoTank ET-2830 was a normal inkjet we’d be bemoaning its high price and taking aim at a relatively basic specification. We’ll come back to the latter, but the first is explained by this MFP’s refillable ink tanks. The ET-2830 arrives with about 6,000 pages’ worth of bottled ink – enough to see out a year or two of light use in the home. It’s better value out of the box than a comparable entry-level, cartridge-based device.

And entry-level the ET-2830 is. It’s a three-in-one, able to print, scan and copy, yet there’s no display, no USB port and no memory card slot. Instead, you get a few buttons and LEDs, and a reasonably appealing and uncluttered design. It offers just a single rear paper feed, and a basic scanner with no ADF. The printer can’t flip over pages for double-sided prints, although the driver will help you do it manually.

The ET-2830 arrives with blue tape holding down every conceivable flap. Remove that and it’s time to flip open its ink tanks and empty the supplied black and color inks into the relevant nozzle – they’re physically keyed to prevent a disastrous misfuelling. This is usually the bit where we gripe about waiting for the one-off ink priming to complete, but Epson’s new Smart Panel app lets you join the MFP to a wireless network and get on with installing software while you wait. We found its verbosity annoying, but it worked perfectly and turned out to be a time-saver overall.

Once set up, this MFP offers no real surprises. Despite its basic nature, it will happily get on with regular household or micro-office duties, leaving printed pages in a neat stack. As you might expect, it’s not especially fast, managing only 12.3ppm on our 25-page black text test. However, with the print quality dropped to draft it reached 17.2ppm – significantly more than Epson’s stated 15ppm.

These ink tanks make all the difference, turning this MFP into a bargain (Image credit: Future)

Cheaper inkjets often make a meal of our challenging 24-page colour graphics test, but the ET-2830 chugged along at a steady 4.5ppm – more competitive than it sounds. It wasn’t even that slow when printing larger photos, needing about three minutes for each 10 x 8in shot printed onto A4 paper. Unfortunately, it only offers borderless prints on 10 x 15cm paper, on which it took a beard-lengthening 14 minutes to deliver six prints. Color photocopies provided another opportunity to grow facial hair, with a single copy needing 35 seconds. At least mono copies, at 14 seconds each, were relatively brisk.

The ET-2850’s scanner didn’t hang about at lower resolutions. It completed a preview in 12 seconds, and in the same timeframe could capture an A4 document at 150dpi. At 300dpi, the same job took 22 seconds. Things got slower at middling resolutions, with the scanner needing 37 seconds to capture a 10 x 15cm photo at 600dpi. However, scan speeds remained competitive at 1,200dpi, with the same document needing just less than a minute.

Delightfully, there’s nothing especially entry-level about the quality of this MFP’s prints, scans or copies. Draft text was quite faint, but Normal quality produced crisp and dark results. Colour graphics weren’t the boldest we’ve seen, but they were free of banding, and comfortably good enough for home and internal business use. Photocopies faithfully reproduced the originals – although colour copies were a touch less saturated.

This MFP’s photo prints were a highlight of our tests, combining surprisingly crisp details with vivid colors and realistic skin tones. Only our black and white photo presented a challenge, with the ET-2830 adding a slight green tint and failing to preserve the darkest shade details. We were also very impressed with its scan quality, which combined excellent color accuracy with a wide dynamic range, making the most of office documents and photographs.

The EcoTank ET-2830 may be basic, but it’s not unduly slow, and it does everything well. Yes, it’s missing duplex printing and other helpful features, but it’s about as cheap as refillable inkjets get. Once you’ve used up the generous bundled ink, its ongoing running costs are less than 0.5p per color page. Don’t be fooled by the purchase price: the ET-2830 is a bargain.

We've also rated the best small business web hosting providers.

This review first appeared in issue 353 of PC Pro.

While Canon’s Maxify printers are aimed at home and small offices, the Pixma series is unapologetically focused on creative and home use. The Pixma TS8750 sits near the top of the current lineup; a six-ink MFP offering high-quality photo prints and detailed scanning. What it lacks in office features it makes up for with photo-friendly touches such as the memory card slot and a huge color touchscreen display.

The TS8750 is a striking MFP, made from a mix of textured, shiny and translucent black plastics. Its squat stance makes it look as much like AV equipment as it does a printer. But although it looks as if you could sit the TS8750 on a bookshelf, you’d risk losing access to its scanner and its 100-sheet rear paper tray. The bulk of the MFP is inset slightly from a base that juts out at the front. Here you’ll find a 100-sheet paper cassette and the card slot.

If it’s not immediately obvious where paper comes out, all becomes clear when you start printing. The TS8750’s motorized paper output tray emerges – tilting the front panel upwards – shortly followed by your first page. It’s a slick party piece, partially reversed when you turn the MFP off; the panel itself isn’t motorized, so it stays slightly open.

With manufacturers including Canon making a big push on refillable printers, it almost feels odd to fit the TS8750’s six supplied cartridges. They’re easy to insert and, although you can physically put them in the wrong slots, the printer won’t initialize until it detects everything is ship-shape. This printer augments a standard black, cyan, magenta and yellow setup with grey and a second black cartridge. The three colors, grey and smaller black cartridges all contain dye-based inks, ideal for photo printing, while the main black tank is pigmented for strong black text on plain paper.

Squat, smart and very black, the TS8750 doesn’t look like the average MFP (Image credit: Future)

The TS8750’s chunky SD card slot might seem to the smartphone generation like a relic, but it makes sense when many high-end cameras still use full-sized SD for storage. Insert a loaded card and the initial single-shot preview isn’t that helpful. You can pull up a multi-frame view through which it’s easier to find specific shots from a selection of snaps, but it won’t let you batch select photos to print.

The TS8750 has two other foibles. There’s a handy lip to help you pull out its main paper cassette, but it’s obscured once the output tray is extended. The paper output tray has a flip-up stop, useful to rein in multiple pages after longer print jobs, but it’s not extended automatically when the tray itself emerges.

We hit the TS8750 with our usual mix of office documents and photos. It wasn’t especially fast, reaching just 13.4ppm over 25 pages of text, and only 3.9ppm on our demanding graphics test. Photo prints were snappier, with borderless 10 x 15cm postcards arriving every 70 seconds or so, although a borderless A4 print inched out over five minutes.

This is a reasonably fast scanner, completing a preview in 12 seconds, and needing 20 seconds to capture an A4 document at 150dpi. At a detailed 1,200dpi it needed 78 seconds to complete a 10 x 15cm photo scan. Copy speeds were middling, with a single page taking 17 seconds in black only or 23 in color.

The huge 10.8cm touchscreen is a doddle to use (Image credit: Future)

If we were underwhelmed by this MFP’s speeds, it rose sharply in our estimations once we looked at our results. Black text was as crisp and bold as you’ll get from an inkjet, while color graphics were punchy and consistent, with only the merest hint of banding. Photocopies were very strong, with both mono and color copies preserving the details of the original.

Without doubt, the best results came on glossy photo paper, and from the TS8750’s scanner. Captured images showed a sharp focus with faithful colors and a wide dynamic range that preserved detail from the very lightest and darkest parts of originals. Photo prints were exceptional, offering perfectly reproduced skin tones, vibrant colors and crisp detailing. Unsurprisingly, given the dedicated black and grey inks, black and white prints were rich and free of any color cast.

This isn’t a cheap multifunction in the first place, and with a cost per page upwards of 10p, it won’t prove especially economical in use. That’s particularly true if you’ll often print text, every page of which will set you back a steep 3.5p. However, if you want a smart home MFP that’s as comfortable printing photos as it is scanning artwork, the TS8750 may well prove worth the premium.

We also ranked the best home security systems.

This review first appeared in issue 353 of PC Pro.

It’s hard to get excited about a laser printer, but Brother’s HL-L9430CDN might just put a hop in an office manager’s step. It’s a big beast, designed for use in small businesses and workgroups, and it comes with a suitable specification. In the base there’s a fully enclosed 520-sheet paper cassette, while the large flap at the front hides a 50-sheet multipurpose feed. Printed pages emerge into a 250-sheet tray on the top.

So far, so standard, but the HL-L9430CDN offers direct control through a large 8.8cm color touchscreen. While many business printers run rather cryptic, unfriendly menus, Brother’s is simple, offering quick access to functions and settings. It’s enhanced with web features, allowing you to access and print from cloud services such as Dropbox, Google Drive and SharePoint. Hidden nearby on the left panel there’s a USB host port for walk-up printing.

The final front panel feature is an NFC reader, used to control access if you need to lock down users or features. Using the printer’s web interface you can block people from printing, using the USB port or accessing web functions, or you can limit the number of pages an individual can print.

It comes with USB and gigabit Ethernet ports. Curiously you can’t buy it off the shelf with a wireless interface, but Brother will sell you one as an option. There’s also a rear USB port for secure printing. Brother offers a range of extra paper trays and a staple finisher, so this printer can grow to match your business’ needs.

The big and fast HL-L9430CDN has good paper-handling features (Image credit: Future)

Load it up and you’ll see the usual nag about setting the correct paper type. The HL-L9430CDN follows this by asking if you ever want to see the question again – a brilliant timesaver if, like us, you rarely change paper type and it simply gets on your nerves. We were also happy to see clear orientation marks at the front of the main tray and in the center of the multipurpose feed. Too many lasers force you to unload the paper just to see how to orientate the stack; a pain if you’re re-using previously printed pages, or using single-sided media.

Start printing and it’s clear that this is a very rapid device. However, if it’s been idle for any length of time the warm-up period can be toe-tappingly long. After an hour of rest we timed a first black text page out in 25 seconds, but the first color page of the day took nearly a minute and a half.

This pause aside, the HL-L9430CDN made mincemeat of our tests. It reached 30.6ppm when printing 25 text pages, and managed 34.9ppm on our 50-page document. Both fall a way short of the stated 44ppm engine speed, but our tests include the time taken to spool and send the job. Discount this and it was almost bang on target.

Like all printers, the HL-L9430CDN was slower when printing our challenging color graphics test. Here it reached 21.8ppm, the fastest color result in this test, and not far behind the 27.7ppm mono result recorded by Kyocera’s P2235dn. At the best Fine print quality it delivered two 10 x 8in photos on A4 paper in only 22 seconds, and six 10 x 15cm prints on three A4 sheets in 21 seconds. It duplexed ten sides onto five sheets at a rate of 14ipm.

The printer comes with generous amounts of toner (Image credit: Future)

So often, a promising color laser is torpedoed by high running costs, but happily that’s not the case here. The HL-L9430CDN is complex, requiring four toners, a drum, a waste bottle and transfer belt, but even factoring in all these it costs 0.9p per black page or 6.1p in color. This printer arrives with generous 9,000-page black and 6,500-page color inbox toners. With the largest replacements good for 12,000 black or 9,000 color pages, maintenance intervals shouldn’t be too frequent.

While not offering perfect color reproduction, the HL-L9430CDN still made a good job of our test photos, and printed excellent color graphics with a pleasing luster.

Black text was as good as you’d expect, too. Overall we could hardly call this hulking laser exciting, but it delivers everything you need in a busy business printer. And with Brother having won our Best Printer Manufacturer award for ten years in a row, you can expect great reliability and support, too.

We also rated the best business plan software.

Sage Oracle Jet: two-minute review

The Sage Oracle Jet is a serious contender in the world of high-end espresso machines, offering an impressive mix of automation and precision. Designed to cater to both beginners and seasoned coffee enthusiasts, this high-tech machine helps simplify the often-fiddly process of making high-quality espresso, offering consistent results with minimal effort.

One of the Oracle Jet’s standout features is its high-precision burr grinder. With 45 settings, it allows for ultra-fine adjustments to the grind size so that you can get the consistency you need from your coffee beans. This is a really valuable feature, especially since I’ve found many of the best espresso machines require a lot of trial and error to get this right, which wastes time (and coffee). Sage’s latest model really doubles down on this, providing real-time feedback on extraction, and guiding you in getting the perfect shot every time.

(Image credit: Lee Bell)

While the automatic tamping system serves up a uniform coffee puck time and time again, I did find that the grinder could be a little messy, occasionally leaving stray grounds on the portafilter and even on the worktop around the machine, but nothing a quick wipe won’t sort out.

The machine makes up for this minor inconvenience with its sizeable, intuitive touchscreen, which makes the entire brewing process not only feel super premium, but truly effortless. It walks you through drink selection, grinding, extraction and milk frothing in a really fluid and enjoyable way, making it almost impossible to get a bad coffee. And the Auto MilQ steam wand automatically textures milk to the right consistency for your drink of choice, even adjusting settings based on whether you're using dairy or plant-based alternatives – a rare but certainly welcome feature in the world of home espresso makers.

(Image credit: Lee Bell)

Despite its many conveniences, Sage’s impressive machine does have some drawbacks. It’s quite bulky and heavy, so you’ll need ample kitchen worktop space. And the lack of simultaneous brewing and milk steaming can slow things down a bit, especially when making multiple drinks. And, of course, the £1,699.95 / $1,999.95 / AU$3,199 price tag makes it a serious investment.

Still, for those who want top-tier espresso without the hassle, the Sage Oracle Jet delivers. It offers barista-level quality at the touch of a button, making it what I believe to be one of the most advanced and user-friendly coffee machines on the market today.

Sage Oracle Jet: price and availability

• Available to buy now, priced at £1,699.95 / $1,999.95 / AU$3,199
• Sold as Breville outside Europe
• More expensive than most competitors

Sold under the name Breville outside of Europe and Sage in the UK, the Oracle Jet launched in October 2024, priced at £1,699.95 / $1,999.95 / AU$3,199. Available from the brand's official web store as well as John Lewis and other major retailers, it comes in Truffle Black and Stainless Steel in the UK, while buyers in the US and Australia get an additional Sea Salt White option.

Compared to Sage’s other high-end models, the Oracle Jet sits between the Barista Touch Impress (£1,199 / $1,499 / AU$2,299) and the flagship Oracle Touch (£2,099 / $2,799.95 / AU$3,699), making it a solid high-range option.

When stacked up against rival machines, the Oracle Jet holds its ground well. There’s the Ninja Luxe Café ($499 / £400 / AU$750), which offers a semi-automatic espresso setup with some smart features at a fraction of the price, but lacks the same precision and customization.

Meanwhile, the ProCook Barista Elite Bean to Cup Espresso Coffee Machine (£599 / $775 / AU$1,225) is another alternative, offering a very similar experience at a much lower cost, but it doesn’t feature the same level of automation, grind adjustment or cold brew functionality as the Oracle Jet.

• Value score: 4/5

Sage Oracle Jet: specs Sage The Oracle Jet: design

• High-end build with sleek finish
• Intuitive touchscreen for easy navigation
• Clever built-in features like hidden wheels

The Sage Oracle Jet is a serious piece of kit. Right out of the box, everything about it screams premium, and just shy of £2,000, you’d like to think so, too. With a brushed stainless steel finish, it has a sleek, pro feel that will certainly look the part in any kitchen, given it’s got the space for it. That’s the thing – this isn’t some compact coffee maker you can tuck away in the corner of your kitchen. It’s just under 50cm wide and 40cm deep, so you’ll need plenty of free worktop space to fit this beast in comfortably. It's also pretty weighty, weighing in at over 12kg, so you might even need someone to help you lift it out of the box.

Once you've got it set up and pride of place, it’ll be hard not to immediately fall in love with the 5-inch touchscreen, which dominates the front of the machine, and for good reason – it’s your guide through the entire coffee-making process. Whether you’re brewing a classic espresso or frothing milk for a cappuccino, the Oracle Jet serves clear, easy-to-follow instructions through text and images. It even has light and dark modes, which is a nice touch depending on your kitchen lighting. The interface is smooth and responsive, which is a relief since the screen on Sage’s last machine, the Barista Touch Impress, was frustratingly sluggish. It now works as expected, making swiping between different drinks options a dream.

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(Image credit: Lee Bell)

One of the Oracle Jet’s most, let’s say, thoughtful features is the front-fillable 2.3L water tank. If you’ve ever had to awkwardly shuffle a big ol’ espresso machine around just to access and refill the tank, you’ll definitely appreciate this design feature, as it means you can just fill it up via the access point on the top with a jug straight from the tap. There’s also a window just above the tray so you can peek at the water level, which is always welcome.

Another handy feature is the addition of hidden wheels. Given its size and weight, you might expect the Oracle Jet to be a hassle to move, but a simple swipe of the lever under the drip tray lifts the machine onto its 360-degree wheels, making it incredibly easy to reposition. It’s a small detail, but one that shows Sage has really considered its usability for its customers.

The grinder and portafilter system also boast brilliant build quality, with automatic grinding and tamping, which take the guesswork (and the effort) out of making espresso, but I’ll talk more about that in the performance section. The 58mm portafilter is barista-standard for even extraction, but it also feels well-built and weighty in the hand, like it should.

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(Image credit: Lee Bell)

The Auto MilQ steam wand is another standout. It automatically textures milk to the consistency required for whichever type of drink you’re making – and the neat thing here is that you can input which type of milk you’re frothing, whether that’s your standard dairy or plant-based alternatives like soya, oat or almond. Coffee-brewing control freaks will be pleased to hear they still have the option to steam manually, too.

However, the machine’s biggest drawback is perhaps that you can’t brew and steam at the same time. If you’re making multiple milk-based coffee drinks, you’ll have to wait for one process to finish before starting the other, which can seriously slow things down. This is due to the machine’s single ThermoJet heating system. Unlike dual-boiler machines, which have separate boilers for brewing and steaming, the Oracle Jet uses one heating element for both tasks. If it’s a dealbreaker for you, Sage’s slightly pricier (but not quote as smart) Oracle and Oracle Touch machines are the firm’s only espresso makers that feature a dual heating system, so it might be worth considering those.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Sage The Oracle Jet: performance

• Automatic grind and tamping give top results, time and time again
• Fast heating and smooth espresso extraction
• Cold brew and iced coffee options

The Sage Oracle Jet is built to take the hassle out of home espresso, and after using it for just over a month, replacing my usual espresso maker, I can confidently say it delivers on that promise. From grinding to milk frothing, almost everything is automated, making it ideal for anyone who wants great coffee without the faff.

Let’s start with the grinder. It has 45 settings, which means you can seriously fine-tune your grind size to whatever beans you're using. The smart thing about this is that the machine even tells you if your shot is under- or over-extracted, so you know whether to adjust the grind next time. This is a game-changer if you’ve ever struggled with dialling in a manual espresso machine and haven’t been able to nail the extraction.

The automatic tamping system also works really well here as it means you don’t have to worry about pressing too hard or too soft – you can just let the machine do the work. That said, it does have a habit of leaving a few stray coffee grounds behind, which isn’t a huge deal but does mean a bit of extra clean-up.

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(Image credit: Lee Bell)

When it comes to pulling a shot, the dual ThermoJet system heats up almost instantly, so there’s no waiting around like with cheaper machines. I found espresso extraction to be smooth and consistent, with rich, balanced flavours – whether you’re using high-end beans or just grabbing something from the supermarket. I used Lidl’s Deluxe range Colombian Supremo beans at one point (costly just over £2 per bag) and these proved equally satisfying in my morning coffee, offering a lovely full-bodied and smooth taste. I suspect this was down to the machine making the most of how they were brewed.

The real-time shot timer on the touchscreen is also worth a mention. It’s probably one of my favourite features on this machine—turning green if your shot is timed perfectly and red if something’s off, giving you immediate feedback. It’s so impressive!

The Auto MilQ steam wand also adds to the top performance experience of the Oracle Jet. The milk textures it produces are always silky smooth, and ideal for making latte art if you’re into that (not that I could produce anything worth looking at, but that’s certainly down to my lack of skills). While manual milk frothing is an option, most people will probably prefer the automatic setting and it will produce great results.

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(Image credit: Lee Bell)

One of the more unique features on the Oracle Jet is its cold brew and cold espresso modes. Cold espresso is perfect for iced lattes, keeping the flavours bold without melting the ice too quickly. The cold brew function isn’t quite the same as traditional overnight steeping, but it still produces a smoother, less acidic coffee in a fraction of the time.

Cleaning is another area where the Oracle Jet makes life easy. Despite the mess the grinder can make, it has automatic cleaning cycles for the steam wand and internal components, so there’s not much hands-on maintenance. You’ll still need to rinse the portafilter and wipe down the drip tray, but overall, it’s much lower effort than most espresso machines, I’ve found.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Sage Oracle Jet? Buy it if

You want barista-quality coffee without the effort

The Oracle Jet automates most of the process, ensuring consistent results every time

You’re happy to pay extra for a top quality appliance

If you’re one for appreciating the finer things in life and don’t mind paying extra for the privilege of a well-built and stylish machine, then you’ll be right at home with the Oracle Jet.

You love cold coffee
The cold brew and cold espresso functions are rare on machines of this type.

You want smart guidance

The real-time extraction feedback and grind adjustment tips help you master espresso-making and makes you feel like a pro with very minimal effort.

Don't buy it if

You’re on a budget

At nearly £1,700, the Oracle Jet is certainly not a casual purchase. It’s an investment that will last you years to come, so definitely more aimed at those who are serious about creating a barista-quality coffee at home.

You need a compact machine

It’s large and it’s pretty heavy, so not ideal for smaller kitchens or those tight on space.

You want to brew and steam at the same time

The single ThermoJet system means you have to wait between brewing and milk steaming, so not ideal for those who want to make a swift cup of coffee before dashing off to work.

Sage The Oracle Jet: also consider

Ninja Luxe Café

Price: £400 / $499 / AU$750

A more affordable bean-to-cup option that still offers some automation, including guided espresso pulls and an automatic frother. However, it lacks the fine-tuned grind settings and high-end build of the Oracle Jet.

Read our full Ninja Luxe Café review

Sage (Breville) Barista Touch Impress

Price: £1,199 / $1,499 / AU$2,299

A slightly less expensive alternative from Sage with many of the same automation features, including Auto MilQ milk frothing and guided espresso adjustments. However, it lacks the cold brew and cold espresso options and the digital display just isn’t quite as swift as that on the Oracle Jet.

Read our full Sage (Breville) Touch Impress review

De’Longhi Eletta Explore

Price: £999.99 / $1,899.99 / AU$1,799

An accomplished bean-to-cup coffee machine that’s perfect for coffee lovers who don’t have the time to maintain an espresso machine. Plus, it can make both hot and cold beverages and comes with everything you might need for a fully operational caffeination station.

Read our full De’Longhi Eletta Explore review

How I tested the Sage The Oracle Jet

I used the Sage Oracle Jet for just over a month at home, making two coffee drinks per day using a mixture of high quality Lavazza decaf and fully caffeinated coffee beans. During testing, I noted flavors, consistency, temperature, time to brew, and noise levels. Beyond drinking the espresso and coffee black, I tried the different milk frother presets with both dairy and plant-based milk, observing the foam levels and differences between settings. In the end, I tested almost every setting on the machine and observed how it performed during every step.

First reviewed: March 2025

Corsair K70 Pro TKL: Two-minute review

(Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)

Corsair is no stranger to the world of PC peripherals. Some of my favorite stock gaming keyboards, like the K100 Air, fly Corsair sails. So it's no surprise that the Corsair K70 Pro TKL comes with a certain air of polish and and premium feel that other boards strive to replicate but ultimately can't nail down.

However, this keyboard won't be making its way into my daily-driver arsenal, and it's for two main reasons: no hot-swap support, and a sharp, noisy typing sound.

If this keyboard's pre-lubed Hall effect magnetic switches were hot-swappable, it would solve both issues at once; I'd be able to change up the sound and feel at the pull of a switch.

But not everyone wants to buy and apply all new sets of switches and keycaps. Many gamers just want to take a keyboard out of the box, have it give them an edge over the competition, and look good doing it. The K70 Pro TKL is a fantastic option in that regard.

And, with Corsair's iCUE software, you do have quite a few options for customization when it comes to actuation, RGB lighting, macros, and more. Plus, it's actually pretty intuitive to use, which is more than can be said for most peripheral software.

If you prefer the freedom and safety of full customization, this isn't the board for you. I'd opt for something like the Keychron Q6 Max instead, which, despite its higher price point, offers the ability to repair a switch when it breaks rather than purchasing a whole new keyboard or breaking out a soldering iron. This doesn't give you the performance of Hall effect switches, but honestly, unless you're at the summit of competitive gaming, you're probably not going to notice a discernable difference.

But, if you want to plug and play with some of the best performance and features of any keyboard on the block, the Corsair K70 Pro TKL is your chance.

Corsair K70 Pro TKL: Price & Availability

(Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)

• How much does it cost? $179.99 / £169.99
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US and UK

The price may be a bit hard to swallow at first glance - $180 for a keyboard definitely isn't cheap. But when you compare it to the best gaming keyboards on the market, that price really isn't too far off (in fact it's more affordable than many premium gaming keyboards).

There are two customization options you have before purchasing: choosing between Black and White colorways and selecting either ABS or PBT double-shot keycaps.

ABS keycaps are generally a bit cheaper to produce but the legends aren't as clear and may degrade over time more easily. PBT, which comes with a $10 upcharge, solves those issues.

Corsair K70 Pro TKL: Design

(Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)

This Corsair board has a lot going for it in terms of design. My review unit came in the black colorway, and you can't get much more classic than that. It provides a nice contrast to the RGB lighting, which I'll touch on more later in this section.

Back to the chassis for now though. It's an interesting mix of plastic - which covers the outside of the keyboard - and an aluminum top plate that gives this TKL keyboard a satisfying blend of lightweight portability and hearty structural integrity.

Underneath that top plate is a sound-dampening layer of silicone, followed by the premium Hall-effect-ready PCB, and then another layer of silicone to keep things quiet.

Unfortunately, I can't say these silicone layers accomplish a whole lot. One of my main gripes with this keyboard is the loud, harsh clacking and pinging sounds as you type.

For some people, this won't matter at all because it's all about features and efficiency. For the mechanical keyboard geeks out there who love to crack open a shell and start stuffing tape and foam inside to get that perfect sound (looking at you, me) you'll probably pass in favor of something more customizable.

Similarly, this board is only available in a USB-C wired version - which won't matter for some and will make a world of difference for others.

Onto the stabilizers: they're plate mounted, which I've gone on record as saying aren't my favorite. While they are still pretty easy to replace, they don't offer the same level of security and acoustic accoutrement that screw-in stabs do. This is apparent every time you hit the rattly space bar and it screeches "ping!" back at you.

(Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)

There are a lot of upsides, too. I love a vertical volume knob, especially one that lets me mute my audio with a tap. You can also configure this to change RGB brightness and zoom levels, or simply use it as a scroll wheel.

And to the left of that volume knob are two buttons that you can configure in iCUE, Corsair's customization app. These provide some nice functionality like locking into Gaming Mode (which disables the alt-f4 and the Windows key for accidental closures and alt-tabs), and whatever else you assign to the second button.

This is also where you can choose your RGB lighting effects to spice up your setup. There are prebuilt templates like breathing and wave effects, but you can also select individual keys and different effects to create your own designs.

(Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)

Turning the board over, there are two feet you can flip out for a bit of added height framing a futuristic-looking back plate. These aren't bad, though I tend to go flat-footed with my keyboards anyway.

I'm also a big fan of the TKL form factor because I think it hits all the right areas without eating away all your desk space.

Plus, there's the star of the show: those MGX Hyperdrive magnetic Hall effect switches. While I don't think the average gamer needs them, they are very fast. And you can make them even faster by adjusting actuation levels in iCUE.

They also come pre-lubed, which is awesome to see more keyboard companies adopt. Keychron has been doing it for years, and it's an edge I always gave to its keyboards when reviewing them - it looks like that's changing in recent times, and I'm all for it. It just makes everything feel that much smoother - and doing it yourself is tedious.

The magnetic wrist rest is also a welcome and well-polished addition, and I found the keyboard comfortable to use both with and without it. That's the thing: this keyboard actually feels quite nice to type on if you like a quick, snappy switch - it just needs to clean up the sound and customization departments.

Corsair K70 Pro TKL: Performance

(Image credit: Future / Marcus Mears III)

This is where the Corsair K70 Pro TKL shines. It has all the cool gaming features you can think of and some I guarantee you didn't.

Starting with the formalities, I never noticed any ghosting, double-typing, or any other low-budget keyboard problems here. The K70 Pro TKL was solid through and through.

Onto the cool stuff. Starting with Corsair's "Rapid Trigger" tech, this lets you feed inputs one after the other in rapid succession without having to release the other key. In practice, that means you can "a" and "d" around a corner to jiggle peak quicker than someone using inferior hardware. You can take this even further with adjustable actuation points, which let you activate a keystroke at the drop of a hat.

There's also dual actuation, which lets you assign two functionalities to one key - like walking if you press the key down half way, or sprinting if you put the pedal to the metal.

With these lightning fast key inputs comes the potential for game winning plays, but also mind numbing mistakes. Say you accidentally fat finger your ultimate key in a MOBA or WASD in Counter-Strike 2 when you meant to be holding an angle - it's a double-edged sword.

Thankfully, Corsair thought of this ahead of time and implemented a neat feature that cuts down on those accidental inputs: FlashTap tech. FlashTap lets you "prioritize the first, last, or neither input" when clicking two keys at the same time, which can be a lifesaver. It's disabled by default but can be toggled on with FN + Right Shift.

Combine all of that with Corsair's Axon tech that gives this keyboard a polling rate of 8,000Hz, and you have one seriously speedy keyboard.

Should you buy the Corsair K70 Pro TKL? Buy it if...

You want peak performance

This keyboard is fast - seriously fast. 8,000Hz polling rate, custom Hall effect key switches, customizable actuation points up to 0.1mm... need I say more?

You want a solid plug-and-play experience

This keyboard comes with a pretty easy setup. Plug it in, download iCUE for any configuration work you want to do, and play.

You like the TKL form factor

I personally love this size board, but some gamers are going to want a numpad for extra functionality, whereas others are going to want to opt for something closer to a 65% layout to save on desk space.

Don't buy it if...

You like switching things up

I enjoy pulling switches out of my board and finding new favorites as I go, but there's no hot swapping here.

You're shopping on a budget

There are plenty of affordable options for great gaming keyboards - this is not one of them.

You care about how your keyboard sounds

If you can distinguish a "thock" from a "clack," your ears probably aren't going to like this one.

Corsair K70 Pro TKL: Also Consider

If our Corsair K70 Pro TKL review has you considering other options, I'd take a look at these...

Asus ROG Falchion Ace HFX 65%

If you want Hall effect key switches on a smaller form factor, this board from Asus delivers.

Read our full Asus ROG Falchion Ace HFX 65% reviewView Deal

Gamakay TK75 V2

If you don't mind sacrificing some gaming performance for a host of customization options and better sound and feel, the Gamakay TK75 V2 is a solid option that comes in at a fraction of the price.

Read our full Gamakay TK75 V2 reviewView Deal

How I tested the Corsair K70 Pro TKL

I replaced my daily driver gaming keyboard with the Corsair K70 Pro TKL for two weeks. I played games from all different genres, performed typing tests to assess n-key rollover and ghosting, and used it for general typing and web browsing.

I've been a PC gamer for more than a decade, and I've reviewed countless keyboards from OEMs like Corsair, Keychron, Das Key, and many more. I frequently mod and customize mechanical keyboards to nail down my favorite feel (until I find my new favorite).

First reviewed March 2025

GameSir X4 Aileron: one-minute review

The GameSir X4 Aileron is a mobile controller purpose-built for cloud gaming on an Android phone, turning your device into a glorified handheld. The typical Xbox layout is present and correct here, with the familiar face buttons and asymmetrical sticks. The all-black colorway does little to liven its appearance, although the RGB rings around the sticks are a nice touch.

The build quality of the X4 Aileron is excellent. Every part feels solid and premium, and the material of the sticks is ultra smooth while offering enough grip. The same is true of the rubberized rear of each pad’s handles.

These portions also have a relatively sharp edge that cuts through the middle of the curve. I found this as comfortable to grip as many of the best Xbox controllers, and the angle these edges create allowed me to secure my fingers better, which in turn made the back buttons easier to use.

Connecting the X4 Aileron to my smartphone was quick and simple, although having to disconnect and reconnect by unclamping and re-clamping is a somewhat clunky process. The clamping mechanism of the X4 Aileron is secure, although it’s not the most elegant. It’s understandably tight, but this makes it hard to move it up and down when attaching and detaching a phone. I often found it best to slide my phone in and out rather than move the clamp by hand. It just about fit my phone in its case, although the lips of the clamp didn’t quite overhang the edges of my device, as they were supposed to.

Still, my phone stayed in place, although it was noticeably looser when attached without my case. Optional pads are included to remedy this, although these require sticking to the X4 Aileron, so this is a permanent solution rather than a removable one, which is a shame.

Customizations and tweaks can be made using the GameSir mobile app, but it’s disappointingly limited in scope. There’s no option to remap inputs, and while you can alter the deadzone for both the sticks and triggers, you can’t adjust their curve profile. There is a Hair Trigger mode, though, which is useful when rapid taps are called for.

The overall performance of the X4 Aileron is pretty good. The buttons are very snappy, especially the D-pad, which is very fast and easy to use, while the Hall effect joysticks and triggers are smooth and precise.

However, my major contention concerns the right stick, which I found hard to reach without sacrificing my grip. This is particularly problematic when using the right trigger at the same time, as you’ll be doing when playing shooters.

Battery life doesn’t seem particularly impressive either. After a couple of hours, each pad lost about 15% charge. However, the battery readouts in the GameSir app were a little erratic, flitting up and down in an instant, and changing quite drastically on occasion when reconnecting to my phone. Hopefully, this is something a firmware update can fix.

In terms of price, the X4 Aileron sits towards the higher end of the mobile controller sector, with many cheaper alternatives available. The Backbone One, which nominally is priced the same as the X4 Aileron, can often be found for less, and has the advantage of being compatible with iOS as well as Android systems. However, it’s cheaper than the Razer Kishi Ultra, but we do think that is among the best mobile controllers right now, so is deserving of its price tag.

Regardless, if you were to opt for the X4 Aileron, you won’t be disappointed, so long as you don’t need iOS support and can live with the placement of that right joystick.

(Image credit: Future) GameSir X4 Aileron review: Price and availability

• $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$169
• Available in black only
• Expensive compared to rivals

The GameSir X4 Aileron costs $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$169 and is available now in one colorway (black). It comes with a carrying case, two extra sets of joystick caps (one of which is smaller), an extra D-pad hat, and optional rubber cushions that can be stuck onto each pad to fit thinner phones.

The X4 Aileron is priced towards the top end of the mobile controller market. However, it’s still cheaper than the Razer Kishi Ultra, which is one of the most expensive models around. That controller excels in virtually every aspect, though, and unlike the X4 Aileron, it’s compatible with iOS as well as Android devices, and can even handle tablets up to eight inches. It doesn’t have Hall effect sticks, though – only its triggers use this technology.

With the same list price as the X4 Aileron, the Backbone One is another close competitor. However, you can often find it for a lot less than this. We think this is another very capable mobile controller and is again compatible with both Android and iOS phones and tablets. However, it doesn’t use Hall effect technology.

GameSir X4 Aileron review: specs

(Image credit: Future) GameSir X4 Aileron review: design and features

• Premium and clever design
• Clamping mechanism can be awkward
• Limited mobile app

The X4 Aileron adopts a fairly typical mobile controller design, although it protrudes less than some others, both lengthways and outwardly. There’s some subtle but vibrant RGB lighting around both analog sticks, which helps to liven up the total black finish.

The grips felt very comfortable in my hands, offering plenty of security thanks to the rubberized finish. One quirk of their design, though, is the sharp line running through their center.

This was initially jarring, but I quickly found this created an angle that allowed my fingers to get more purchase, which helps a great deal when using the two back buttons, as these are quite small; I would’ve struggled to use them comfortably otherwise. Overall, the X4 Aileron makes gaming on your phone feel similar to the best handheld games consoles.

It’s also built to a high standard, with premium materials used for the buttons and sticks. The latter of these feels especially smooth to the touch, while at the same time offering plenty of grip thanks to the texture of their outer edges.

The magnetic attachment for storing the X4 Aileron is well-engineered too, with both sides slotting together with a strong hold that’s also easy to remove when needed. This also helps to save space when traveling, as they fit snugly in the included hard-shell carrying case, which is similarly well-made.

(Image credit: Future)

The X4 Aileron just managed to fit over my phone with a case attached, although the ledges of the clamps didn’t quite hang over the sides as they’re seemingly designed to do. Regardless, the attachment was sufficiently secure to prevent any undue movement.

However, the same can’t be said when clamped to my phone directly, as the X4 Aileron is prone to sliding and tilting back and forth. In normal use, this wasn’t much of an issue, and rubber pads can be installed to prevent this scenario. It’s a shame, though, that these pads aren’t removable once stuck in place; a removable or adjustable method would’ve been welcome, especially at this price.

The clamp system in general isn’t the most elegant solution, and while its tightness is reassuring, lifting it by hand is a little awkward, as there’s no real place to grip it with your fingers. Consequently, I often found myself mispressing my phone’s screen when attaching and detaching the X4 Aileron.

This is a small usability issue in the grand scheme of things, but worth mentioning. I found the best way to attach and release the X4 Aileron was to slide my phone in and out of both portions – although I can’t say this is a method GameSir condones.

What’s more, the fact that turning on and off the X4 Aileron involves lifting the clamps is somewhat inconvenient if you need to reconnect for whatever reason.

Various customization options are available for the X4 Aileron via the GameSir app, including deadzone alterations for the triggers and sticks, as well as a quick trigger mode for binary rather than analog inputs. There’s no button remapping, though, which seems like a fairly big oversight, and no curve profiles for the sticks to more finely tune their responsiveness and sensitivity.

The only other adjustments are a few other minor functions and tweaks to the RGB, so it falls behind adjustments other peripherals allow for. Compared to many other controllers, including those made by GameSir, this is quite the paucity of options.

At least the app is stable enough, although oddly there were certain menus and sections that couldn’t be navigated with the X4 Aileron, and other areas where it could. Certain sections had no English text either, although thankfully this was a rarity and didn’t affect usability. A firmware update also failed to install despite several attempts, only succeeding after I re-paired the X4 Aileron to my phone.

(Image credit: Future) GameSir X4 Aileron review: performance

• Clicky buttons
• Poor stick placement
• Battery life not great

Despite its looks, the X4 Aileron doesn’t exactly feel like a traditional console controller. The buttons aren’t damped: instead, they actuate with an emphatic click, which provides plenty of feedback, but if you’re someone who prefers the silent, softer feel of standard gamepads, then these might not be to your liking.

The D-pad is especially clicky but very satisfying to use. Presses are easy in all directions and the rebound is very quick. The stock hat design is very amenable to rolling in multiple adjacent directions, which I appreciated when playing Mortal Kombat 11.

Both the triggers and the sticks use Hall effect technology, which offers greater precision than their standard potentiometer counterparts. When playing Forza Horizon 5, the steering was smooth and accurate, while the triggers provided plenty of control over acceleration and braking, thanks to their well-weighted resistance.

The triggers don’t have as much travel as those on the best Xbox controllers or best PC controllers, so I didn’t quite get the same level of granular control over inputs, but I was still impressed. However, they do curve around to follow the contours of the X4 Aileron itself, which increases their surface area and makes for a more natural and comfortable finger placement.

One major gripe I have with the X4 Aileron, though, concerns the right joystick. Owing to the asymmetrical design, it’s positioned low down, which isn’t a problem on standard gamepads. But since there’s no middle portion to the X4 Aileron, it’s also much closer to the edge of each pad, rather than further inward.

This combination makes for awkward thumb placement, forcing me to either bend it uncomfortably to reach it, or grip the entire right pad much lower down than usual and therefore sacrifice a secure hold.

I found this especially problematic when playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, as you need that secure hold when using the right trigger to fire. I reckon even ardent Xbox controller fans would find an issue with this, and if you’re a fan of the best PS5 controllers, then the issue may be even more egregious.

Connecting the X4 Aileron was straightforward enough, although waking it from sleep wasn’t always that seamless, as I had to re-clamp it to reconnect on occasion.

Battery life isn’t particularly impressive, as, after only a few hours of testing, each pad seemed to drop by about 15%. However, the readout provided in the GameSir app was inconsistent, sometimes oscillating in an instant and changing more drastically when reconnecting.

There were also occasions where only one of the pad’s battery readouts was displayed, requiring the other to be reattached for it to show. Perhaps these issues can be fixed in a firmware update.

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the GameSir X4 Aileron? Buy it if...

You want precise controls
The clicky buttons are satisfying and responsive (especially the D-pad), while the Hall effect triggers and sticks confer plenty of accuracy and smoothness.

You want something easy to carry around
The clever magnetic attachment to keep both sides of the X4 Aileron together when detached from your phone makes it a cinch to travel with.

Don't buy it if...

You have an iPhone
Unfortunately, the X4 Aileron isn’t compatible with iOS devices, so you’ll need to be an Android user.

You don’t like asymmetrical layouts
Like many gamers, I usually like asymmetrical joysticks, but here I found it uncomfortable to use the right stick, given its positioning.

Also consider...

Razer Kishi Ultra
We think the Rishi Ultra is the best mobile controller, thanks to its excellent comfort levels, performance, and software. However, it’s more expensive than the X4 Aileron, and only has Hall effect triggers, not sticks, but we still think it claims the top spot all things considered. It’s also compatible with iOS in addition to Android and fits tablets up to eight inches as well as phones.

Read our full Razer Kishi Ultra review

Backbone One
For the same price as the X4 Aileron (or cheaper if you hunt around), you could also grab the Backbone One, a similarly capable mobile controller that’s also compatible with both iOS and Android systems. It has clicky buttons like the X4 Aileron, as well as a compact form factor, but can also handle tablets. There’s no Hall effect technology here, though.

Read our full Backbone One review

How I tested the GameSir X4 Aileron

• Tested on Google Pixel 7a
• Played various games on Xbox Cloud Gaming
• Plentiful gaming experience

I tested the X4 Aileron for several days, during which time I used it on my Google Pixel 7a, both with and without a case. I also used the GameSir mobile app for customizing and tweaking the controller.

I played a variety of games via the Xbox Cloud Gaming app, which GameSir claims the X4 Aileron is designed for. I played Forza Horizon 5 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 to test the trigger and stick accuracy, as well as Mortal Kombat 11 to test button response.

I have been gaming on multiple platforms for decades, including mobile and handheld systems. I have also reviewed numerous controllers compatible with mobile devices.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed March 2025

This review first appeared in issue 354 of PC Pro.

Want a pretty OS? Look no further. Zorin comes as close as any operating system to rivalling Windows 11’s featherweight fluid design. We’re testing the free Zorin OS Core, but there are alternatives for older computers (Zorin OS Lite) and professional users (Zorin OS Pro).

Lite switches the highly customized Gnome 43 desktop environment for Xfce, while Pro, which costs £39 exc VAT, bundles installation support and additional software for image editing, 3D graphics, video editing, note taking and more. Pro can be installed on multiple computers with a single license, unless you’re a business or education user, in which case you’ll need a license for each machine.

Whichever version you choose, Zorin is based on Ubuntu, with the latest build running on the 6.2 kernel. Support runs until at least April 2027.

Linux Mint is often touted as the best Linux for Windows switchers, and certainly it takes very little time to become comfortable with its Cinnamon desktop. However, for our money, Zorin is better yet. The default UI has the taskbar and Start-style menu of both Windows and Mint, and the color scheme is immediately familiar. It’s supplemented by three other themes, with one adopting the traditional Gnome shell and another optimized for touch – and, if you upgrade to Zorin Pro, you get additional desktop styles, including more explicit Windows 11, macOS, Chromebook and Gnome 2 options.

You may be able to bring some of your Windows apps with you, with optional Windows App Support, which uses Wine and its graphical front end, PlayOnLinux. However, you can install these yourself on other distros (and Nitrix has it built in, in the form of Bottles), so they’re not a reason to choose Zorin in their own right – and Windows application support isn’t 100%, so don’t expect to be able to run everything you rely on today. That said, the one-click setup may well make this implementation a tempting one for less confident switchers.

The app store can use Zorin and Ubuntu repositories, Flathub and Snap Store (Image credit: Future)

Zorin introduced an upgrader with version 16.3, which was simultaneously rolled out to existing version 15 installations. This preserves your files, apps and settings when you make a full-point upgrade. Previously, such upgrades required a clean start and manual migration. It sits alongside a carefully curated selection of default software. LibreOffice 7.6.3 is preinstalled, but GIMP isn’t. The default browser is Firefox, and for email it’s Evolution. This is a good-looking alternative to Thunderbird, but with the latter receiving a significant brush-up in its 115 release, we’re inclined to switch, simply so we can run the same client on both Linux and Windows.

Both the Core and Pro builds include Zorin Connect, which maintains an encrypted local-network connection between your computer and an Android phone. You can sync notifications, share files, and control music and video playback across devices. You can also use it to turn your phone into a remote keyboard and mouse, or a controller for PC-based presentations. If you want the same features in an alternative distribution, check out KDE Connect (kdeconnect.kde.org).

You can download anything that’s not preinstalled from the integrated app store, which is set up to use Zorin and Ubuntu repositories, Flathub and Snap Store. This all makes for a friction-free environment for Linux newbies, and we were pleased to see that both printers on our network were recognized on first boot.

If you’re new to Linux and nervous about switching, then, Zorin could be just the distribution you’ve been searching for. It looks great, feels immediately familiar (even if you don’t pay for the Windows 11-style UI of Zorin Pro) and goes to significant lengths to simplify working with your mobile – so long as it’s running Android – and integrating (some) Windows applications. It feels like the best Linux distro for Windows switchers who want to quickly feel at home.

We also ranked the best privacy tool and anonymous browser.

This review first appeared in issue 354 of PC Pro.

WatchGuard’s family of Firebox security appliances offers an unbeatable range of desktop solutions, and the T45-CW brings 5G failover to the table. Ideal for businesses that need always-on internet access for remote sites, its multi-WAN features combine wired and 5G mobile connections in a single policy so if one goes down, the other seamlessly steps in and takes over.

The T45-CW’s quad-core 1.6GHz NXP CPU claims a high raw firewall throughput of 3.94Gbits/sec and 557Mbits/sec with all UTM services enabled. It has five gigabit ports for WAN, LAN plus DMZ duties and, unlike many table-top security appliances, it offers secure Wi-Fi 6 services.

The appliance delivers a wealth of security features, and it’s easy to choose the right subscription as WatchGuard offers two options. A Basic Security Suite subscription enables gateway antivirus, anti-spam, web filtering, HTTPS inspection, IPS, application controls, WatchGuard’s RED (reputation enabled defense) cloud-based URL filtering and network discovery.

The Firebox T45-CW has a wealth of security features (Image credit: Future)

We’ve shown the price for a three-year Total Security Suite subscription, which adds WatchGuard’s advanced persistent threat (APT) blocker with cloud sandboxing, DNSWatch for monitoring client DNS requests and blocking access to known malicious domains, IntelligentAV anti-malware services and ThreatSync XDR, which provides policy-based collection, correlation and automated responses for Firebox threat events.

Local management is simple. The web console runs a wizard to enable wired internet access, activate a basic security policy and create a wireless SSID. Our unit came with a Vodafone 5G SIM and, after enabling the internal modem, the SIM came online.

WatchGuard includes four SMA external aerials; LEDs on the front panel show the cellular signal strength, failover status and whether you have a 4G LTE or 5G connection. Configuring failover is a cinch: you use the multi-WAN feature to define primary and backup connections and decide how failback is handled.

In practice, it works perfectly. We set up a continuous ping to an external website and then pulled the wired internet cable. We saw a single ping timeout, after which it continued unabated, and when we plugged the WAN cable in again, the appliance swapped back to it without any ping timeouts being recorded.

Naturally, you can use 5G as your primary connection, and defining the modem as an external interface means all your security policies will be automatically applied to it. In fact, you can have both wired and 5G internet connections active and use multi-WAN round-robin weightings to determine how connections are distributed across them.

It can be managed locally or from the cloud (Image credit: Future)

For cloud management, we registered the appliance with our support account, allocated it to our site and chose the management and monitoring option. After reconfiguration, the T45-CW disables its local web interface, takes further settings from the cloud and provisions full access for remote configuration.

All security functions are easily accessible. From the portal’s content scanning page, you use a simple slider bar to enable the gateway AV, IntelligentAV, APT blocker and spamBlocker services. Anti-spam policies are available for SMTP, IMAP or POP3 traffic, where you allow, deny or tag spam messages in their subject line for ongoing local rule processing.

From the network blocking section, you can control botnet detection, IPS, custom blocked URLs and ports plus detection of Tor (The onion router) exit points. Web content filtering offers 130 URL categories for blocking or allowing, while WatchGuard’s application control service presents over 1,250 predefined app signatures.

The multi-WAN function is found in the device’s networks page where you select the Global WAN option, choose failover or round-robin operations and set the failback mode. Move to the portal’s monitoring page and you can see the status and strength of the 5G connection and view RSRP and RSRQ graphs.

Businesses that hate internet downtime will love WatchGuard’s Firebox T45-CW. It provides a wealth of top-class security services, can be easily cloud managed and delivers seamless 5G WAN failover.

We also rated the best document management software.

This review first appeared in issue 354 of PC Pro.

Debian-based Ubuntu is the jumping-off point for many other distributions, including Linux Mint and Zorin OS. The Desktop edition is available in at least two builds: the so-called LTS (Long Term Support) build, which receives support for a minimum of five years from release, and the bleeding-edge release, which comes with nine months of security and maintenance updates. In each case, the build number – 23.10 in the case of this review – denotes the year and month of release, so 23.10 will enjoy support until July 2024, and 22.04 LTS until April 2027. New releases appear every six months for the cutting-edge build, and every other year for the LTS edition.

Both 23.10 and 22.04.3 LTS require 4GB of memory, 25GB of drive space and a 2GHz dual-core processor, despite running on different kernels (6.5 versus 5.17) and desktop environments (Gnome 45 versus Gnome 41/42). Build 23.10 is also running more up-to-date versions of its default applications, Firefox, LibreOffice and Thunderbird. Of these, perhaps the most significant is Thunderbird, which sits at 91 in the LTS release and at 115.2 in 23.10. Thunderbird 115 introduced significant interface improvements and, even if you install the LTS release, we’d recommend updating Thunderbird to at least 115 yourself.

As well as the desktop edition, there are builds for server and IoT platforms, with the latter including Raspberry Pi. The Pi edition is available directly through the Raspberry Pi Imager. There’s also an immutable build, in which the core system files are protected against tampering.

None of the installer’s questions is too taxing. You don’t need to know what kind of security your network uses, as you do for openSUSE, and we didn’t need to play around with the partitioning of our drive to complete the process successfully.

Once up and running, you’re presented with a largely vanilla workspace. Although Ubuntu has its own style, it remains fairly faithful to Gnome’s default look and feel, rather than making a significant departure as Zorin does (or as Nitrux does from KDE Plasma). If you don’t like Gnome, you’ll find alternative builds with a little searching. Kubuntu (kubuntu. org) switches it out for KDE, while Ubuntu Budgie (ubuntubudgie.org) and Ubuntu Cinnamon (ubuntucinnamon.org) naturally use Budgie and Cinnamon respectively. Lubuntu (lubuntu.me), using Qt, and Xubuntu (xubuntu.org), using Xfce, are both Ubuntu-recognized ports for lower powered computers.

“Jump start your desktop” gives direct access to the most common apps (Image credit: Future)

Apps can be installed using the built-in App Center or via the Terminal using apt. The App Center, which gives access to both Debian and Snap packages, has been upgraded in 23.10, and certainly feels more engaging than the installer it replaced. There’s a handy “Jump start your desktop” at the top of the homepage that gives direct access to the most commonly installed apps, rather like the recommended software section in Raspberry Pi OS. Other named sections, including a Productivity section, make it easy to find essentials such as alternative browsers, Bitwarden and Slack. Neither Inkscape nor GIMP are preinstalled, but the versions available through App Center match the latest-edition version numbers available from their respective sites.

More good news? On first boot, both of the wireless printers on our network were successfully recognized and set up.

For many newcomers, Ubuntu may well be a byword for Linux, and it’s easy to see why. Installation is a breeze and, once complete, it just works. The new features in this latest release, including the updated App Center and Gnome 45, are subtle but welcome improvements over their predecessors, and the default interface is unflashy and provides few distractions.

Ubuntu was our Labs Winner last time around, and nothing changes here – so long as you’re happy running Gnome. If you aren’t, take a look at KDE-based openSUSE Tumbleweed or Cinnamon-based Linux Mint.

It’s not difficult to find an Ubuntu-based distribution running KDE, Budgie and several other desktop managers, although, as they’re not directly controlled by Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu itself, it’s fairer to consider them different products.

We also rated the best Linux PCs.

This review first appeared in issue 354 of PC Pro.

Rocky Linux is one of the youngest distributions around, first appearing in mid-2021. It’s based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux, so in some ways is a natural home for anyone previously running CentOS, a community-supported version of Red Hat terminated in December 2020.

Rocky’s first release was version 8.3, reflecting the fact that it was based on the same version of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. The version-8 line remains current, despite 8.9 appearing two days after 9.3, which itself is based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.3. That’s the version we’re testing here. Planned end of life for the Rocky 9 line is May 2032. For Rocky 8, it’s May 2029.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux uses Fedora source code in its development, so Fedora and Rocky naturally share several touch points. However, where Fedora 39 is built on the 6.6.3 kernel, Rocky Linux 9.3 is built on the same 5.14 Linux kernel as Red Hat 9.3. While this may look outdated, it shouldn’t be an issue, as Red Hat uses a system known as backporting to implement fixes and features within the existing kernel while maintaining compatibility with overlaying applications.

Installation is straightforward. There’s no media builder as there is for Fedora, so it’s a case of downloading the ISO and using balenaEtcher or similar to write it to a bootable thumb drive. The full DVD ISO is a hefty beast, tipping the scales at 9GB. However, there are lighter “boot” and “minimal” builds that can be used to enter rescue mode and install the OS from an alternative source, like an online repository. There are four processor builds, covering x86_64, ARM, PowerPC and IBM s390x servers (although only the first two of these are available for Rocky 8). Dig deeper and you’ll find a build specific to Raspberry Pi in the alternative images library.

Although Gnome is the default window manager, you can swap it out for KDE, Xfce, Mate or Cinnamon.

The software installer doesn’t always have the most recent version of apps (Image credit: Future)

We opted for the DVD ISO and, once up and running, were dropped into Gnome 40.4, which feels dated if you’re accustomed to Gnome 45. Aside from the operating system, we didn’t have much to show for our 9GB download. Firefox was pre-installed, but there was no email client, office suite or image editor. These are all available through the Software app, and we were glad to see that the version of Thunderbird available through the repository was 115 (which benefits from a significant redesign). However, LibreOffice, had we chosen to install it through the default repository, would have been version 7.1 (the latest build is 7.6), GIMP was one point behind the latest build, and Inkscape was at 1.1.1, while its latest stable release is 1.3.2.

Further hurdles: the two printers on our network hadn’t been recognized upon first booting and updating the system, and we needed to enter their IP addresses in the printer setup dialog to add them to the OS.

Less rocky was this distribution’s turn of pace. Rocky Linux 9.3 returned a respectable 1,097 in the single-core Geekbench test and 3,112 in the multicore test. Despite the different kernels, this was broadly similar to the scores we saw when testing under Fedora, which turned in 1,105 and 3,053 respectively. In either case, we would be surprised if this made a noticeable difference in day-to-day use.

It’s perhaps unsurprising that our verdict is so similar to that for Fedora, which was our runner-up to Ubuntu. They are, after all, the bread in a Red Hat sandwich, sitting at either end of the development chain. If you don’t want to run a Debian-based OS, either would be an excellent choice, being well supported and closely aligned to one of the pre-eminent commercial Linux distributions.

Of the two, we would opt for Fedora. There are three reasons why. First, it got us up and running more quickly. Second, for bundling Gnome 45. And third, for including a wider range of pre-installed default applications, each running a recent build.

We've also ranked the best Linux distro for privacy and security.

This review first appeared in issue 354 of PC Pro.

As remote working continues to boom, there’s no shortage of solutions aiming to improve the resilience of your power or networking provision. However, Reskube’s Home Pro is the first device we’ve come across that promises to do both: it’s an uninterruptible power supply, offering up to 500W of backup power, and also provides fallback data connectivity through an integrated 4G LTE router. If the mains goes down, the Home Pro keeps its two forward sockets powered from the internal battery; if your internet connection is lost, it switches to the mobile data connection.

The design is basic but robust, with no controls aside from the power button. The front features two simple LED strips indicating battery life and current power output. At the back you’ll find the mains power input plus an FM12315 port for solar power, again rated at 500W. The rear is also home to two Ethernet ports, which handle incoming WAN and outgoing LAN connections, plus SMA connectors for two mobile antennas and RP-SMA connectors for two Wi-Fi antennas. Above these, you’ll find primary and secondary SIM trays.

Reskube claims the Home Pro is powerful enough to run a small office with five PCs or laptops, a switch and a printer. I’m not sure about that: it’s certainly not sufficient for larger laser printers, which can draw around 1kW during their warm-up phase. However, it should be fine for a couple of home workers or a limited mobile retail setup. I tested the Home Pro under a constant 500W load and found the battery lasted for a decent 1hr 22mins before giving out. Over this time it supplied a total of 633Wh of power, about 82% of its stated 768Wh battery capacity, which is competitive for a compact battery power bank.

It’s worth mentioning that, during the 500W load test, the Home Pro’s cooling fans ran continually at top speed. The noise was audible, but not as loud as the warning buzzer, which sounds constantly when you exceed a load of 475W. At a 200W load the fans were quieter, and the battery delivered a total of 595Wh – roughly 77% of its claimed capacity.

The fans are distinctly audible when recharging, too. This happens at a fixed 500W rate, tailing off shortly before the batteries are fully charged. I measured a total power consumption of 801Wh for a complete recharge, so assuming the batteries went from fully discharged to fully recharged, that equates to an impressive 96% efficiency.

Two simple LED strips on the front show battery life and current power output (Image credit: Future)

The Home Pro’s power failover function works brilliantly. When I cut the incoming power, it switched to battery power in less than 10ms – much faster than most general-purpose battery backups, and certainly quick enough to avoid any glitching on my IT equipment.

Internally the Reskube Home Pro uses lithium-iron phosphate batteries, which have safer charging characteristics than standard lithium-ion chemistry. They also have a longer service life: Reskube says they’ll maintain 100% capacity for 3,000 cycles, dropping to 60% after 5,000. That being the case, it’s disappointing that the standard warranty is only 12 months, especially when other power supply manufacturers offer five years.

The Home Pro’s networking capabilities are on the conservative side. The unit supports 4G at speeds up to 150Mbits/sec, carrier and signal strength permitting. For the best possible reception you can upgrade Reskube’s standard stubby antennas with cabled ones, but even then you shouldn’t expect best-in-class network performance: the Home Pro’s Wi-Fi network only supports 2.4GHz 802.11n Wi-Fi, and its Ethernet ports are limited to 100Mbits/sec.

Those limitations have a noticeable impact on network performance. My ISP line normally gives me download speeds of 100Mbits/sec, but that dropped to 62Mbits/sec over the Home Pro network. That’s a shame, as for maximum resilience you’ll want to keep your critical devices connected to the Home Pro. Still, there’s enough bandwidth here to be productive, and the switchover to LTE is impressively smooth: I measured around nine seconds of downtime when switching from my fixed line to mobile data – fast enough that a YouTube video kept playing without interruption.

The Home Pro’s web-based configuration interface is easy to use, and provides access to a huge range of configuration options. Oddly, though, you can’t check the battery status, or change any power-related settings, such as selecting a slower charge rate or modifying the warning buzzer threshold. Reskube also offers a remote management option for £39 a year. This adds a command-line interface and full online access to the web dashboard, making it ideal for supporting remote users without needing to go onsite or cause downtime.

The Reskube Home Pro is a simple concept, delivered well. It wouldn’t hurt if it were quieter and had faster network support, but it offers the core protections you need in a single box that’s easy to deploy and manage. It’s also surprisingly good value, costing £999 exc VAT – only a little more than you’d pay for a similarly specified backup power supply and a dual-WAN router. Alternatively, the Reskube Home Pro can be leased for £444 per year. This means you don’t have to worry about the stingy warranty, and it includes remote, telephone and online support. If you’re looking to back up your key business systems, that seems like a price that’s more than worth paying.

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This review first appeared in issue 354 of PC Pro.

Progress Software has been busy developing its flagship network-monitoring software, and WhatsUp Gold (WUG) 2023.1 introduces a raft of new features with ease of use given a high priority. Previously, you had to manually enable monitoring for every device, but you can now set a network discovery scan job to do this for you.

What’s more, the discovery process automatically collects SNMP and WMI device attributes and updates them in real-time, while WUG’s dynamic SNMP table monitor populates every instance, making it easier to monitor specific devices. The device properties page clearly shows which credentials are being used, access security has been tightened up with TLS 1.3 support, and SQL Server Express 2022 is now the default database.

Licensing is even more flexible. Along with the standard versions, perpetual licenses and points-based options, Progress has added three yearly subscription plans. The Business edition starts at around £715 per year for 50 devices and, unlike sensor- or element-based products, WUG doesn’t care how many CPUs are in a host or the number of ports a switch has.

The new NOC view provides a view of the network using slide decks (Image credit: Future)

This edition supports 1,000 devices and includes core functions such as network discovery, topology mapping, alerting and reporting, as well as cloud, wireless network and storage monitoring. The Enterprise edition has unlimited device support and enables virtualization host and application monitoring plus log management, while Enterprise Plus adds network traffic analysis and configuration management for switches, routers and firewalls.

Installation on a Windows Server 2019 host took around 30 minutes, and discovery is swift. A wizard helped conjure up the first scan and, after we’d added all our device credentials, it took ten minutes to deliver a complete list of all our network devices.

The WUG console is easy to use. It presents four menu options in its upper ribbon bar, and you can add frequently used views to the Favorites tab by clicking on the star icon at the top right of the console. It’s simple to create custom network discoveries, and you can pull up network topology views and maps.

Analysis dashboards are a great feature that allow you to design multiple custom views, add columns and choose the metrics you want to see. Anything WUG is capable of monitoring can be included, so you can create very detailed dashboards, and each device is assigned a colored icon for instant status views.

WhatsUp Gold Enterprise shows Flowmon data plus app availability (Image credit: Future)

The new network operations center (NOC) feature manages collections of views that rotate to a schedule for presenting support teams with a big heads-up live status display. To create them, you click the same star icon, choose the NOC option, add items to a slide deck, enter a display duration in seconds and pass the URL to support staff so they can access it directly.

Alert policies link device state changes with an extensive range of actions including running a program, restarting a service, sending emails and posting alert messages to Microsoft Teams users. The Alert Center presents even more information about disk utilization, and the device properties page has been updated so you can see which actions have been applied to it.

WUG is a great choice for businesses running the Progress Flowmon appliances as it can monitor them and include their traffic analysis in its dashboards. General reporting tools are in abundance, too, and they can now be emailed in HTML format so nontechnical users can appreciate them.

WhatsUp Gold 2023.1 is simple to deploy and offers an impressive range of network-monitoring tools. The choice of licensing plans makes it an affordable option for SMBs, and support teams will love its smart dashboard and NOC views.

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