TechRadar Reviews

f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond: Two-minute review

There are typically two types of outdoor backpacks for photographers: those that follow a traditional photography backpack design and those that are based on hiking backpacks and feature a modular ICU (internal camera unit) design where you can customize the camera storage within the bag. The f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond is a high-end modular bag that fits into the latter camp and is designed specifically for outdoor photographers like me, for whom it's one of the best camera bags available.

The f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond has been available for a few years and is a newer, tougher version of the original Tilopa. It's a large bag with a 50-liter capacity, and this can be paired with large ICUs for carrying mostly camera gear alongside other items in the additional compartments, or with a smaller ICU for less photo gear and lots of outdoor kit including camping equipment for a one- or two-night wild camping trip.

This cavernous bag is built to an incredibly high standard and it's versatile too – as well as offering compatibility with f-stop ICUs, there are lots of pockets and compartments to store your essentials, including space for a three-liter hydration bladder and up to a 16-inch laptop. The bag also features an internal frame like traditional hiking backpacks alongside being made of tough waterproof material.

I've been an outdoors photographer for more years than I can count, exploring tough terrains in inclement weather, and the f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond has been a reliable and versatile backpack throughout. It might cost a lot, but for me its decent value given the years of service.

(Image credit: James Abbott) f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond: price and availability

• Several kit options
• Available in three colors
• Available direct and from third parties

The f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond has been available for years directly from the f-stop website, Amazon and other online retailers. Pricing on the f-stop website is in US Dollars and Euros, with the bag coming in three colors: Anthracite Black, Cypress Green and Magma Red. You can purchase the pack/bag only, which is ideal if you already own f-stop ICUs, or in three bundles which include Essentials, Elite and Master. You can, alternatively, buy the pack/bag only and purchase the desired ICU separately.

The pack Only costs $399.99 / €399.99, while the Essentials bundle costs $499.99 / €499.99 and also includes a Pro Large ICU, Gatekeeper Straps and Large Rain Cover. Step up from Essentials to the Elite bundle ($579.99 / €579.99) and you'll also get a Shallow Small ICU, while the Master bundle costs $769.99 / €769.99 and further adds a Slope Medium ICU, Large Accessory Pouch and Packing Cell Kit.

Mindshift Backlight 26L: specs f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond: design

• Extremely comfortable
• Built for the outdoors
• Modular design

The f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond is a modular backpack so you can change the ICUs depending on your photography needs. There are also lots of additional accessories available including packing cells, straps and accessory pouches, so you can build the perfect bag system for you and your outdoor photographic adventures.

This is a large backpack – not the largest f-stop option available, but at 50 liters the Tilopa has a huge amount of storage space on offer. Just to give you an idea of its dimensions, the bag is 62.3 x 34.8 x 24.4cm / 24.5 x 13.7 x 11.1in with an empty weight of 4.2lb / 1.9kg.

That empty weight is as heavy as some traditional outdoor backpacks that are half the capacity of the Tilopa with fixed camera compartments, but obviously increases depending on what ICUs you're using; they don’t weigh much, but the Pro Large I tend to use weighs 1.71 lbs / 0.76 kgs.

When you consider the weight in this context, the Tilopa is lightweight given the capacity of the bag. The overall capacity is obviously fixed, but you can extend the amount of additional space for personal/outdoor items by using smaller ICUs. There are also pockets in the lid of the bag and on the sides with one able to accommodate a three-liter hydration bladder, complete with a guarded hole for the tube to maintain water resistance.

There's also a large front pocket on the bag with further compartments in the flap; this is quite large and can hold a wide range of items including a jacket. There's a slot to accommodate a 16-inch laptop in the padded rear-entry back panel as well as two larger pockets and four memory card slots that secure magnetically.

On the front of the bag, there are attachments for two walking poles or ice axes as well as the ability to carry a tripod on the front or sides of the bag. There are also pockets and netted straps on the waist belt and shoulder straps, while there are plenty of loops for attaching straps to carry items such as a tent outside of the bag.

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The build quality of the bag is excellent and the proprietary DuraDiamond material is both extremely tough and also water-resistant. Tougher Hypalon material is used as reinforcement in a few areas where additional strength is required and the large and comfortable-to-use zippers feature weatherproofing to keep moisture out.

On the inside, the Tilopa features an aluminum frame like traditional hiking backpacks to add rigidity and comfort. This, I have to say helps to make the Tilopa incredibly comfortable to wear.

For the purposes of this test, I paired the Tilopa with the Pro Large ICU which provided enough storage for my standard kit; two full-frame camera bodies with 70-200mm f/4 and 16-35mm f/2.8 lenses attached, a third lens, square filters, shutter remotes and lens cleaning accessories. It could be reconfigured to carry more if lenses weren't attached to the camera bodies, but this is a setup that works perfectly for me.

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The only negative with the Tilopa is that it doesn’t have a pouch/pocket that can carry a water bottle, like the side pouches on the smaller 37-liter f-stop Ajna. It's not the end of the world because you can put a bottle in the main front pocket, and one of the side pockets is designed to be used with a hydration bladder. You can also purchase the Mano Water Bottle Pouch separately and this will carry a 17 fl oz / 500ml bottle.

One of my favourite features of the bag, alongside the versatility of the ICUs and its comfort in use, is that you can access gear without fully removing the bag and putting it down on the ground. This is ideal when shooting in water or muddy locations. To do this, you simply remove the shoulder straps and rotate the Tilopa to your front with the waistbelt in use. This allows you to access your kit via the rear panel – perfect for outdoor photography.

Should I buy the f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond?

(Image credit: James Abbott) Buy it if...

You'd like a modular backpack
Having a backpack that can accommodate several different modular units allows you to configure the bag to your needs on a day-by-day or trip-by-trip basis, so it's like having several backpacks in one.

You want a bag you don’t have to put down
Gear can be accessed without removing the Tilopa from your body, which is great when you're standing in mud, water or snow. DuraDiamond material can be easily wiped clean, but it's still a useful feature.

Don't buy it if...

You don’t require modularity
If you don’t require the ability to customize camera storage / utilize modular units, then the Tilopa may not be for you. Just know that the Small ICUs do allow for a great deal of non-photographic kit to be carried.

You'd like a smaller bag
With 50 liters of total storage, the Tilopa will be too large for some people. If you only need a medium-size backpack, the 37 Liter f-stop Ajna may be a better option.

How I tested the f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond

• Long term review based on several years hands-on use
• All features tested
• Used in outdoor locations, including mountains and coast

I've owned the f-stop Tilopa for several years and use it either when I'm on a wild camping photography trip or when I need to carry more kit alongside outdoor gear. The Tilopa has been tested over an extended period where all of its strengths and weaknesses have been exposed, and it has been used in all weather conditions in the hills, mountains and at the coast. While the Tilopa would function perfectly in urban environments, I typically use lower-capacity backpacks in the city.

First reviewed March 2025

Split Fiction is an explosive co-op game with a kaleidoscope of mechanics. If you’ve played either of Hazelight Studios’ previous multiplayer masterpieces, then you’ll know what I mean by this – there’s a level where you literally have to navigate your way through one of those colorful rotating toys, but for those of you who have not (go play them now) I'm more so referring to the various game types it has managed to pack into it, from platforming and puzzling to action-adventure role-playing game and racing (and that’s only a small flavor of what you’ll find).

Indeed, the studio is waving the co-op flag high and I’m all for it as it’s great to see such an under-served area of gaming getting the attention it deserves.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Release date: March 6, 2025

Stepping into the incredibly imaginative minds of two writers who get trapped in a simulation of their own fictionalized sci-fi and fantasy worlds is an ingenious premise for a multiplayer, multi-genre game. It’s a lot different to two criminals trying to escape a prison like in A Way Out or a married couple that gets turned into their child’s toys in It Takes Two, making it feel like a completely fresh take on the co-op adventure gaming genre that Hazelight is repping.

I could’ve easily spent more hours wandering around the virtual imaginations of the game’s two main characters (Image credit: Hazelight Studios)

In Split Fiction, you can choose to play as either a decisive sci-fi lover called Mio Hudson (voiced by Kaja Chan) or an emphatic fantasy fan known as Zoe Foster (voiced by Elsie Bennett). Each character has unique abilities – for example, Mio gets to use her dragon to glide in one level as Zoe uses her dragon’s tail to climb up obstacles.

While I played as Mio, who I think has the more exciting abilities, a lot of care has been taken to make sure whichever character you play as you get a chance to experience a new mechanic that’s introduced throughout the gameplay – whether that’s being the one to tilt the screen to help your partner navigate across a series of obstacles or move objects to create new pathways.

(Image credit: Hazelight Studios )

The game's nemesis is the CEO of Radar Publishing, who Mio and Zoe discover is trying to steal their ideas without their consent. However, before you get to inevitably challenge him, you and your co-op partner will have to face a series of bosses, including a rogue AI robot, an evil cat, and a Hydra of Lerna-type mythical dragon beast, just to name a few, as you move through glitches to escape the idea stealing machine. Each battle is different and requires a combination of maneuvers to get past, which you’re introduced to as you proceed through each level, such as timed jumps, shapeshifting, dodges, target shooting, and more.

Any gamers recognize this sword?! (Image credit: Hazelight Studios) A multiverse game

Despite the back and forth between different sci-fi and fantasy styles, neither style suffers from a dev overload with each level being crafted in absolutely stunning detail. Sure, Hazelight has clearly invested more time and resources into Split Fiction this time as it’s noticeably more polished, but that also means it has less of that rustic indie dev charm that you might find with their previous two games or from titles like Campo Santo’s Firewatch or Moon Studio’s Ori and the Blind Forest.

I'd say it's almost certainly needed for a game with this much ambition, though, and you’ll see why when you get to the final chapter. It’s a AAA game from a passionate indie studio, what more could we ask for?

Best bit

(Image credit: Hazelight Studios)

Split Fiction has taken the best bits of It Takes Two and A Way Out, and made a varied co-op adventure with a dynamic storyline. The final level ties into the title in a way that made for a crescendo of a finale that will forever stay with me.

One aspect I love is how Hazelight's passion for playing games is beautifully integrated into its homages to the mechanics that make great games alongside a huge amount of pop culture references and easter eggs. For example, throughout the game you’ll wallrun and grapple in a similar fashion to Star Wars: Jedi Survivor.

Other times you’ll find yourself in a side-scroller with a simple black and white colorway that’s reminiscent of Limbo or a 2D platformer that will give you those nostalgic Mega Man and Sonic vibes or a dance battle with a monkey that has a section where you play the retro mobile game Snake – there’s even a level where you have to use portals, which is absolutely a nod to the best co-op game ever made: Portal.

Split Fiction is already a co-op icon (Image credit: Hazelight Studios)

This additional consideration becomes a fun activity to spot in itself and provides some of the most enjoyable moments in the game. I loved guessing which movies a section of the game was referencing. Some are more obvious than others, like the cutscene that sees you change into your next character style in true Sailor Moon fashion or the bit of dialogue where one of the bosses says something about, “You think darkness is your ally?”, which felt like a nod to The Dark Knight Rises, while others are less subtle like the level where you’re lowered by your teammate down an air vent having to dodge lasers that had me feeling like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible. It feels like the developers had a lot of fun weaving these references into the game and they sure make for brilliant sections.

Side note: keep your eye out for the fun little things the devs have had fun including, my personal fav was the revolving doors that would stop if you rushed and tried to push them a nice touch that anyone who’s ever been inpatient in one would have experienced.

My favorite part of the game, though, is the chaotic multiverse final level. This completely blew my mind and is a testament to the creative genius of Hazelight Studios. It’s like nothing I’ve ever played before, mixing different level’s skins with gaming elements in a way I’ve never seen done before.

Is that tree Groot? (Image credit: Hazelight Studios ) Bringing new players together

What I love most about this is that a game like this has really wide appeal – I’m not just talking about veteran gamers who will get a kick out of all the old game references but also those that the closest they’ve ever gotten to a game is something like Tetris. When It Takes Two came out, I noticed people that I never would have thought to play video games, raving about the experience they’d just had, and to me that’s what makes this even more special.

You don’t have to be a serious gamer to enjoy this entertaining adventure. It’s so varied and mixed that I don’t doubt it will be played many times again and again. Split Fiction is another great success in a co-op arena Hazelight is beginning to dominate.

Should you play Split Fiction?

Well, this was unexpected... (Image credit: Hazelight Studios) Play it if…

You love gaming with a buddy
It's an easy one but an important one: Split Fiction is best enjoyed with a pal. However, don’t worry if you don’t have someone in your household, because you can play Split Fiction both locally and online with Friends Pass. Hazelight Studios has also added crossplay options for even more frictionless pairing.

You want a genre-bending game
You’ll go from platforming and puzzles to top-down RPG, racing, rhythm battles, and more. This is primarily an action-adventure platformer, but there are so many mini-games within it that it’ll keep you on your toes. Split Fiction manages to incorporate all this while still following a linear storyline.

You enjoy high-quality graphics
Split Fiction is truly gorgeous. Given that the two main styles are fantasy and sci-fi, it’s mesmerizing to navigate through each level but the mini-games are even more different as some completely abandon the two main styles to bring you a new whacky, weird, and wonderful game look.

Don’t play it if…

You’re looking for challenging puzzles

Compared to It Takes Two, the puzzles weren’t as challenging in Split Fiction. This does mean that you and your buddy will likely not get stuck on any level, so don’t expect anything like the Water Temple conundrum in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time to keep you scratching your head.

You’re not an adaptive gamer
The camera perspectives change at the drop of a hat in Split Fiction as you enter new mini-games and levels, making some of the transitions a bit jarring. If you’re familiar with the game references, you’ll likely intuitively know what to do but if you’re not familiar with these then I expect there will be a sight learning curve for some.

Who else loved SSX 3? (Image credit: Hazelight Studios ) Accessibility features

Hazelight Studios has added plenty of features to make Split Fiction a very frictionless experience. The checkpointing is generous, with an option to jump between saved points. There are plenty of settings to modify the buttons, including key binding, camera rotation assistance, and reducing enemy damage. Unfortunately, you can't change the size of subtitles but you do get the option to add solid backgrounds to the text to boost its visibility.

Meanwhile, the voiceovers of the characters in Split Fiction have been recorded in seven different languages, including English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese (simplified) and Japanese. There are also nine different language subtitles – German, French, Spanish, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, Japanese, Chinese (traditional and simplified), and Korean. Like It Takes Two, the game has an ESRB rating of teen for 13-year-olds and upwards, which makes it more widely accessible for different ages (unlike A Way Out, which has a mature rating due to its subject matter).

Tron anyone? (Image credit: Hazelight Studios ) How we reviewed

I played Split Fiction for around 19 hours on a PS5 Pro and still didn’t earn every trophy. Out of the 21 available, I only got three for completing all side stories, finishing the game, and feeding a dragon (although this was purely accidental as I had not seen all the trophies until after I finished). I don’t doubt that anyone taking more time could clock up even more hours on this game, making it great value for the completionists out there.

The graphics looked incredible on a Sky Glass TV and the audio was fully immersive on a Sonos surround sound setup made up of the Beam (Gen 2), two Era 100s, and the Sub Mini.

Audioengine A2+ review

Designed for desktop use, and living rooms where even bookshelf monitors claim too much space, this compact Bluetooth speaker package from Audioengine punches above its weight when it comes to versatility and design. But can the A2+ also hit the right notes when it comes to musicality?

I fostered a pair, eager to find out if pint-sized speakers really can deliver a reassuringly big sound to match the best stereo speakers.

The Audioengine A2+ Bluetooth speakers are tailored for near-field listening. Measuring a mere 152 x 101 x 134mm, these titchy enclosures offer a wealth of connectivity, including Bluetooth aptX-HD, USB, and analogue stereo input/outputs via RCA phonos and 3.5mm minijack. They lack a digital audio input though.

Available in a choice of matte (blue or black), and gloss finishes (red or white), build quality is excellent. My glossy red review set oozed premium appeal, their reflective glossy finish contrasting beautifully with the black drivers.

The cabinets themselves have decent heft. Made from MDF, they stand just slightly taller than a Snickers bar and should be easy to accommodate on untidy desks, or even as part of a minimalist Hi-Fi setup.

The left speaker is the active model, with connectivity, built-in amplification and volume control, while the right is its passive partner. The power supply is separate from the active enclosure, thankfully the brick isn’t too large.

Each cabinet houses a 70mm aramid fibre woofer and 19mm silk dome tweeter, with venting at the base to enhance low-frequency performance.

Unsurprisingly, given their size, these speakers are not volume monsters. The system is rated at 15W RMS per channel at 4 ohms, with a peak power output of 30W per channel.

When it comes to system configuration, there’s the option of USB audio, stereo RCA inputs, and a 3.5mm minijack input. There’s also a subwoofer output should you want to add extra bass, in the form of Audioengine’s S6 subwoofer.

(Image credit: Future)

Despite this versatility, I expect most buyers will probably do the majority of their listening via Bluetooth. Here, aptX HD ensures high-resolution wireless audio streaming (when connected to an aptX HD compatible smartphone), though there's no Wi-Fi, unlike most of the best wireless speakers. My system was ready to connect as soon as it powered up.

Also included in the box are 2m of connecting speaker wire, a minijack audio cable, plus a USB lead to connect your PC. All of this, plus the speakers, comes packed in microfiber cloth bags for protection. There’s no remote control included (although you probably don’t need one).

Setup is nice and straightforward: just connect the passive right speaker to the powered left with the included speaker cable, connect the power brick, and you’re good to go.

It’s worth noting that the A2+ is not a smart system; there’s no voice assistance from the likes of Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.

(Image credit: Future)

Straight from the box, the A2+ are an enjoyable listen, not least because they’re capable of true stereo imaging, something of a rarity in the predominantly one-box Bluetooth speaker market. Tracks like Stevie Nicks’ Edge of Seventeen showcase this well, with the choppy guitar riff anchored on the left and percussion neatly spread across the stage. Their spatial presentation is coherent and involving.

Clarity and detail are also good; the A2+ reward hi-res audio sources, finding subtle nuance in Pearl Jam’s Present Tense (24-bit/48kHz) and Radiohead’s sonically layered Burn the Witch (24-bit/48kHz). They definitely have a knack for detail retrieval.

Given their compact size, low frequency performance is understandably limited. Chase and Status’ thumping Baddadan lacks the visceral low-end thump associated with this drum and bass belter. If you want more slam, you’ll need to add that subwoofer.

The mid-range is the sweet spot here. From Dire Straits’ Sultans of Swing, where the interplay between tweeter and woofer handles intricate riffs effortlessly, to the soaring piano of In This Moment’s Into the Light, the A2+ system proves adept across genres – those treble highs always as clear as crystal.

I’d hesitate to call the A2+ speakers musical, though. I never felt myself carried away by its beats, and I was always aware sounds were emanating from the two shiny enclosures, rather than hanging in the air before me. That said, what the A2+ offers is precise and performative.

Loren Allred’s pleading vocals in Never Enough, from The Greatest Showman soundtrack, manages to elicit an emotional tingle, exactly as it should.

While 15W per channel is perfect for desktop use (Audioengine optimistically quotes 60W peak power output), these speakers struggle to serve larger rooms. They’re also quite directional, sounding sharpest when aimed squarely at eye/ear level, so position accordingly.

(Image credit: Future) Audioengine A2+ review: Price & release date

• £255 / $269 / AU$449
• Launched August 2024

The Audioengine A2+ Bluetooth speakers are available now for £255 or $269 (US), which undercuts many of their main rivals, including the likes of the Kanto Ren, which are around twice the price.

The S6 subwoofer (£299 / $299) pushes up the system price quite considerably, though, and you certainly can find other Bluetooth stereo speakers for a similar price or cheaper, including from the likes of Edifier and Majority.

Audioengine A2+ review: Specs Should you buy the Audioengine A2+? Buy them if…

You want big sound from small speakers
You’ll have no problem sitting them either side of a PC monitor, and they’ll look great in situ too. It’s worth springing for the bespoke stands from Audioengine, which help angle the drivers upwards.View Deal

You want multiple connectivity options
Bluetooth aptX HD is the big draw, but there are plenty of other options, including USB for direct connection to a PC or laptop, and analog stereo for a turntable (if it has a built-in phono stage) or DAP (digital audio player).View Deal

You want premium design and build
There’s nothing cheap looking about the A2+. The design is stylish and the quality of finish is high.View Deal

Don't buy them if…

You want big bass out of the box
One inevitable consequence of the A2+’s diminutive design is a lack of bass. It’s not that they sound thin, it’s just that they can’t drop deep. For desktop use this shouldn’t be an issue, but for open space listening, adding a subwoofer makes sense.View Deal

You want advanced wireless features
The inability to connect more than one wireless device at a time could prove an issue for households with multiple users, and there's no Wi-Fi streaming.View Deal

Audioengine A2+ review: Also consider

Ruark Audio MR1 Mk2
Perennial favourites, these compact Ruark desktop speakers are known for both their clarity and overall musicality. They go surprisingly low, thanks to a canny bass reflex design, but can be augmented with an additional subwoofer if required. Bluetooth aptX is available for streaming, and there’s both analogue and digital audio inputs for local source devices. Read our full Ruark Audio MR1 Mk2 review for more.View Deal

Kanto YU4 Active Bluetooth speakers
Slightly larger than rivals, these well specified compact speakers are another strong compact hi-fi option. In addition to Bluetooth connectivity, there’s a pair of optical digital audio inputs, as well as analogue phono (with ground) and a 3.5mm Aux minijack. The driver complement comprises silk dome tweeters and Kevlar mid-range woofers, and if the bass reflex cabinet design doesn’t go low enough for you, there’s also a subwoofer output.View Deal

How I tested the Audioengine A2+

Over the course of a week, I evaluated the Audioengine A2+ in various settings, focusing on near-field desktop use. Material was streamed via aptX HD Bluetooth and played through a wired high-resolution music player. Tracks ranged from classic rock to EDM and orchestral pieces, allowing me to assess tonal balance, clarity, and stereo imaging.

Speaker width was dictated by the supplied speaker cable which links the two enclosures, which were positioned at head height (or thereabouts) for optimal performance.

• First reviewed: March 2025
• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070: Two-minute review

A lot of promises were made about the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, and in some narrow sense, those promises are fulfilled with Nvidia's mainstream GPU. But the gulf between what was expected and what the RTX 5070 actually delivers is simply too wide a gap to bridge for me and the legion of gamers and enthusiasts out there who won't be able to afford—or even find, frankly—Nvidia's best graphics cards from this generation.

Launching on March 5, 2025, at an MSRP of $549 / £549 / AU$1,109 in the US, UK, and Australia, respectively, this might be one of the few Nvidia Blackwell GPUs you'll find at MSRP (along with available stock), but only for lack of substantial demand. As the middle-tier GPU in Nvidia's lineup, the RTX 5070 is meant to have broader appeal and more accessible pricing and specs than the enthusiast-grade Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, and Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, but of all the cards this generation, this is the one that seems to have the least to offer prospective buyers over what's already on the market at this price point.

That's not to say there is nothing to commend this card. The RTX 5070 does get up to native Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 performance in some games thanks to Nvidia Blackwell's exclusive Multi-Frame Generation (MFG) technology. And, to be fair, the RTX 5070 is a substantial improvement over the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, so at least in direct gen-on-gen uplift, there is a roughly 20-25% performance gain.

But this card is a far, far cry from the promise of RTX 4090 performance that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang presented on stage at CES 2025, even with the qualifier that such an achievement would be "impossible without artificial intelligence," which implies a heavy reliance on DLSS 4 and MFG to get this card over the line.

If we're just talking framerates, then in some very narrow cases this card can do that, but at 4K with ray tracing and cranked-up settings, the input latency for the RTX 5070 with MFG can be noticeable depending on your settings, and it can become distracting. Nvidia Reflex helps, but if you take RTX 4090 performance to mean the same experience as the RTX 4090, you simply won't get that with MFG, even in the 80 or so games that support it currently.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Add to all this the fact that the RTX 5070 barely outpaces the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super when you take MFG off the table (which will be the case for the vast majority of games played on this card) and you really don't have anything to show for the extra 30W of power this card pulls down over the RTX 4070 Super.

With the RTX 5070 coming in at less than four percent faster in gaming without MFG than the non-OC RTX 4070 Super, and roughly 5% faster overall, that means that the RTX 5070 is essentially a stock-overclocked RTX 4070 Super, performance-wise, with the added feature of MFG. An overclocked RTX 4070 Super might even match or exceed the RTX 5070's overall performance in all but a handful of games, and that doesn't even touch upon AMD's various offerings in this price range, like the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE or AMD's upcoming RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 cards.

Given that the RTX 4070 Super is still generally available on the market (at least for the time being) at a price where you're likely to find it for less than available RTX 5070 cards, and competing AMD cards are often available for less, easier to find, and offer roughly the same level of performance, I really struggle to find any reason to recommend this card, even without the questionable-at-best marketing for this card to sour my feelings about it.

I caught a lot of flack from enthusiasts for praising the RTX 5080 despite its 8-10% performance uplift over the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super, but at the level of the RTX 5080, there is no real competition and you're still getting the third-best graphics card on the market with a noticeable performance boost over the RTX 4080 Super for the same MSRP. Was it what enthusiasts wanted? No, but it's still a fantastic card with few peers, and the base performance of the RTX 5080 was so good that the latency problem of MFG just wasn't an issue, making it a strong value-add for the card.

You just can't claim that for the RTX 5070. There are simply too many other options for gamers to consider at this price point, and MFG just isn't a strong enough selling point at this performance level to move the needle. If the RTX 5070 is the only card you have available to you for purchase and you need a great 1440p graphics card and can't wait for something better (and you're only paying MSRP), then you'll ultimately be happy with this card. But the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 could have and should have been so much better than it ultimately is.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

• How much is it? MSRP/RRP starting at $549 / £549 / AU$1,109
• When can you get it? The RTX 5070 goes on sale on March 5, 2025
• Where is it available? The RTX 5070 will be available in the US, UK, and Australia at launch

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 is available starting March 5, 2025, with an MSRP of $549 / £549 / AU$1,109 in the US, UK, and Australia, respectively.

This puts it at the same price as the current RTX 4070 MSRP, and slightly less than that of the RTX 4070 Super. It's also the same MSRP as the AMD's RX 7900 GRE and upcoming RX 9070, and slightly cheaper than the AMD RX 9070 XT's MSRP.

The relatively low MSRP for the RTX 5070 is one of the bright spots for this card, as well as the existence of the RTX 5070 Founders Edition card, which Nvidia will sell directly at MSRP. This will at least put something of an anchor on the card's price in the face of scalping and general price inflation.

• Value: 4 / 5

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070: Specs

• GDDR7 VRAM and PCIe 5.0
• Higher power consumption
• Still just 12GB VRAM, and fewer compute units

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 is a mixed bag when it comes to specs. On the one hand, you have advanced technology like the new PCIe 5.0 interface and new GDDR7 VRAM, both of which appear great on paper.

On the other hand, it feels like every other spec was configured and tweaked to make sure that it compensated for any performance benefit these technologies would impart to keep the overall package more or less the same as the previous generation GPUs.

For instance, while the RTX 5070 sports faster GDDR7 memory, it doesn't expand the VRAM pool beyond 12GB, unlike its competitors. If Nvidia was hoping that the faster memory would make up for keeping the amount of VRAM the same, it only makes a modest increase in the number of compute units in the GPU (48 compared to the RTX 4070's 46), and a noticeable decrease from the RTX 4070 Super's (56).

Whatever performance gains the RTX 5070 makes with its faster memory, then, is completely neutralized by the larger number of compute units (along with the requisite number of CUDA cores, RT cores, and Tensor cores) in the RTX 4070 Super.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The base clock on the RTX 5070 is notably higher, but its boost clock is only slightly increased, which is ultimately where it counts while playing games or running intensive workloads.

Likewise, whatever gains the more advanced TSMC N4P node offers the RTX 5070's GPU over the TSMC N4 node of its predecessors seems to be eaten up by the cutting down of the die. If there was a power or cost reason for this, I have no idea, but I think that this decision is what ultimately sinks the RTX 5070.

It seems like every decision was made to keep things right where they are rather than move things forward. That would be acceptable, honestly, if there was some other major benefit like a greatly reduced power draw or much lower price (I've argued for both rather than pushing for more performance every gen), but somehow the RTX 5070 manages to pull down an extra 30W of power over the RTX 4070 Super and a full 50W over the RTX 4070, and the price is only slightly lower than the RTX 4070 was at launch.

Finally, this is a PCIe 5.0 x16 GPU, which means that if you have a motherboard with 16 PCIe lanes or less, and you're using a PCIe 5.0 SSD, one of these two components is going to get nerfed down to PCIe 4.0, and most motherboards default to prioritizing the GPU.

You might be able to set your PCIe 5.0 priority to your SSD in your motherboard's BIOS settings and put the RTX 5070 into PCIe 4.0, but I haven't tested how this would affect the performance of the RTX 5070, so be mindful that this might be an issue with this card.

• Specs: 2.5 / 5

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070: Design

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

• No dual-pass-through cooling
• FE card is the same size as the RTX 4070 and RTX 4070 Super FE cards

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Founders Edition looks identical to the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 that preceeded it, but with some very key differences, both inside and out.

One of the best things about the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 FE cards was the innovative dual pass-through cooling solution on those cards, which improved thermals so much that Nvidia was able to shrink the size of those cards from the gargantuan bricks of the last generation to something far more manageable and practical.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

It would have been nice to see what such a solution could have done for the RTX 5070, but maybe it just wasn't possible to engineer it so it made any sense. Regardless, it's unfortunate that it wasn't an option here, even though the RTX 5070 is hardly unwieldy (at least for the Founders Edition card).

Otherwise, it sports the same 16-pin power connector placement as the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080, so 90-degree power connectors won't fit the Founders Edition, though you will have better luck with most, if not all, AIB partner cards which will likely stick to the same power connector placement of the RTX 40 series.

The RTX 5070 FE will easily fit inside even a SFF case with ease, and its lighter power draw means that even if you have to rely on the included two-to-one cable adapter to plug in two free 8-pin cables from your power supply, it will still be a fairly manageable affair.

Lastly, like all the Founders Edition cards before it, the RTX 5070 has no RGB, with only the white backlight GeForce RTX logo on the top edge of the card to provide any 'flair' of that sort.

• Design: 3.5 / 5

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070: Performance

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

• Almost no difference in performance over the RTX 4070 Super without MFG
• Using MFG can get you native RTX 4090 framerates in some games
• Significantly faster performance over the RTX 4070

A note on my data

The charts shown below offer the most recent data I have for the cards tested for this review. They may change over time as more card results are added and cards are retested. The 'average of all cards tested' includes cards not shown in these charts for readability purposes.

Boy howdy, here we go.

The best thing I can say about the performance of this card is that it is just barely the best 1440p graphics card on the market as of this review, and that DLSS 4's Multi Frame Generation can deliver the kind of framerates Nvidia promises in those games where the technology is available, either natively or through the Nvidia App's DLSS override feature.

Both of those statements come with a lot of caveats, though, and the RTX 5070 doesn't make enough progress from the last gen to make a compelling case for itself performance-wise, especially since its signature feature is only available in a smattering of games at the moment.

On the synthetic side of things, the RTX 5070 looks strong against the card it's replacing, the RTX 4070, and generally offers about 25% better performance on synthetic benchmarks like 3DMark Steel Nomad or Speed Way. It also has higher compute performance in Geekbench 6 than its direct predecessor, though not be as drastic a margin (about 10% better).

Compared to the RTX 4070 Super, however, the RTX 5070's performance is only about 6% better overall, and only about 12% better than the AMD RX 7900 GRE's overall synthetic performance.

Again, a win is a win, but it's much closer than it should be gen-on-gen.

The RTX 5070 runs into similar issues on the creative side, where it only outperforms the RTX 4070 Super by about 3% overall, with its best performance coming in PugetBench for Creators' Adobe Premiere benchmark (~13% better than the RTX 4070 Super), but faltering somewhat with Blender Benchmark 4.3.0.

This isn't too surprising, as the RTX 5070 hasn't been released yet and GPUs tend to perform better in Blender several weeks or months after the card's release when the devs can better optimize things for new releases.

All in all, for this class of cards, the RTX 5070 is a solid choice for those who might want to dabble in creative work without much of a financial commitment, but real pros are better off with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti if you're looking to upgrade without spending a fortune.

It's with gaming, though, where the real heartbreak comes with this card.

Technically, with just 12GB VRAM, this isn't a 4K graphics card, but both the RTX 4070 Super and RTX 5070 are strong enough cards that you can get playable native 4K in pretty much every game so long as you never, ever touch ray tracing, global illumination, or the like. Unfortunately, both cards perform roughly the same under these conditions at 4K, with the RTX 5070 pulling into a slight >5 fps lead in a few games like Returnal and Dying Light 2.

However, in some titles like F1 2024, the RTX 4070 Super actually outperforms the RTX 5070 when ray tracing is turned on, or when DLSS is set to balanced and without any Frame Generation. Overall and across different setting configurations, the RTX 5070 only musters a roughly 4.5% better average FPS at 4K than the RTX 4070 Super.

It's pretty much the same story at 1440p, as well, with the RTX 5070 outperforming the RTX 4070 Super by about 2.7% across configurations at 1440p. We're really in the realm of what a good overclock can get you on an RTX 4070 Super rather than a generational leap, despite all the next-gen specs that the RTX 5070 brings to bear.

OK, but what about the RTX 4090? Can the RTX 5070 with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation match the native 4K performance of the RTX 4090?

Yes, it can, at least if you're only concerned with average FPS. The only game with an in-game benchmark that I can use to measure the RTX 5070's MFG performance is Cyberpunk 2077, and I've included those results here, but in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Dragon Age: Veilguard (using the Nvidia App's override function) I pretty much found MFG to perform consistently as promised, delivering substantially faster FPS than DLSS 4 alone and landing in the ballpark of where the RTX 4090's native 4K performance ends up.

And so long as you stay far away from ray tracing, the base framerate at 4K will be high enough on the RTX 5070 that you won't notice too much, if any, latency in many games. But when you turn ray tracing on, even the RTX 5090's native frame rate tanks, and it's those baseline rendered frames that handle changes based on your input, and the three AI-generated frames based on that initial rendered frame don't factor in whatever input changes you've made at all.

As such, even though you can get up to 129 FPS at 4K with Psycho RT and Ultra preset in Cyberpunk 2077 on the RTX 5070 (blowing way past the RTX 5090's native 51 average FPS on the Ultra preset with Psycho RT), only 44 of the RTX 5070's 129 frames per second are reflecting active input. This leads to a situation where your game looks like its flying by at 129 FPS, but feels like it's still a sluggish 44 FPS.

For most games, this isn't going to be a deal breaker. While I haven't tried the RTX 5070 with 4x MFG on Satisfactory, I'm absolutely positive I will not feel the difference, as it's not the kind of game where you need fast reflexes (other than dealing with the effing Stingers), but Marvel Rivals? You're going to feel it.

Nvidia Reflex definitely helps take the edge off MFG's latency, but it doesn't completely eliminate it, and for some games (and gamers) that is going to matter, leaving the RTX 5070's MFG experience too much of a mixed bag to be a categorical selling point. I think the hate directed at 'fake frames' is wildly overblown, but in the case of the RTX 5070, it's not entirely without merit.

So where does that leave the RTX 5070? Overall, it's the best 1440p card on the market right now, and it's relatively low MSRP makes it the best value proposition in its class. It's also much more likely that you'll actually be able to find this card at MSRP, making the question of value more than just academic.

For most gamers out there, Multi Frame Generation is going to be great, and so long as you go easy on the ray tracing, you'll probably never run into any practical latency in your games, so in those instances, the RTX 5070 might feel like black magic in a circuit board.

But my problem with the RTX 5070 is that it is absolutely not the RTX 4090, and for the vast majority of the games you're going to be playing, it never will be, and that's essentially what was promised when the RTX 5070 was announced. Instead, the RTX 5070 is an RTX 4070 Super with a few games running MFG slapped to its side that look like they're playing on an RTX 4090, but may or may not feel like they are, and that's just not good enough.

It's not what we were promised, not by a long shot.

• Performance: 3 / 5

Should you buy the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070?

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler) Buy the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 if...

You don't have the money for (or cannot find) an RTX 5070 Ti or RTX 4070 Super
This isn't a bad graphics card, but there are so many better cards that offer better value or better performance within its price range.

You want to dabble in creative or AI work without investing a lot of money
The creative and AI performance of this card is great for the price.

Don't buy it if...

You can afford to wait for better
Whether it's this generation or the next, this card offers very little that you won't be able to find elsewhere within the next two years.

Also consider

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti
The RTX 5070 Ti is a good bit more expensive, especially with price inflation, but if you can get it at a reasonable price, it is a much better card than the RTX 5070.

Read the full Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti review

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super
With Nvidia RTX 50 series cards getting scalped to heck, if you can find an RTX 4070 Super for a good price, it offers pretty much identical performance to the RTX 5070, minus the Multi Frame Generation.

Read the full Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super review

How I tested the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070

• I spent about a week with the RTX 5070
• I used my complete GPU testing suite to analyze the card's performance
• I tested the card in everyday, gaming, creative, and AI workload usage

Test System Specs

Here are the specs on the system I used for testing:

Motherboard: ASRock Z790i Lightning WiFi
CPU: Intel Core i9-14900K
CPU Cooler: Gigabyte Auros Waterforce II 360 ICE
RAM: Corsair Dominator DDR5-6600 (2 x 16GB)
SSD: Crucial T705
PSU: Thermaltake Toughpower PF3 1050W Platinum
Case: Praxis Wetbench

I spent about a week testing the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, using it as my main workstation GPU for creative content work, gaming, and other testing.

I used my updated testing suite including industry standard tools like 3DMark and PugetBench for Creators, as well as built-in game benchmarks like Cyberpunk 2077, Civilization VII, and others.

I've reviewed more than 30 graphics cards for TechRadar in the last two and a half years, as well as extensively testing and retesting graphics cards throughout the year for features, analysis, and other content, so you can trust that my reviews are based on experience and data, as well as my desire to make sure you get the best GPU for your hard earned money.

• Originally reviewed March 2025

Early in co-op game A Way Out, my partner and I found ourselves starving in a forest after a taxing escape from the police. While a burger was definitely out of the question, we came across a riverside camp with fish rushing in its shallow waters. To catch our lunch, one of us needed to splash the water and funnel the fish into a tight spot, while the other used a wooden spear to finish the job. It was an archaic process that made for a thoughtful moment in a game occupied by chaos, and put into focus the clarifying themes of teamwork and survival that define Hazelight’s prison-breaking adventure game.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5 (PS4 via backward compatibility)
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Release date: March 23, 2018

In A Way Out, you and a partner play as the criminals Leo Carusa and Vincent Moretti as they seek to escape their incarceration after being led astray by the same rotten apple. Landing somewhere between a playable film and an action-packed adventure game, A Way Out’s opening act sets the tone for its silver-screen story. Introduced in tandem, Leo’s character is confident despite being locked in a corrupt system and surrounded by danger. He wanders the halls, chatting and nearly getting into fights as if it’s nothing new.

In contrast, Vincent is just learning about the starkness of his new home, as he is hosed down and marched through the concrete trappings, talking to other new prisoners who have abandoned all hope. The difference in their personalities becomes a central theme throughout the prison-breaking plot, despite their shared goal of escape and ultimate freedom.

(Image credit: Hazelight Studios) Wrong place, wrong time

Across A Way Out’s mayhem-tinged levels, you’ll choose dialogue threads to follow and perform an array of actions like stealthily taking down cops or commandeering getaway cars. Most tasks require the other player to create a distraction or assemble to lift doors and clear obstacles, though there are many pursuits that can be enjoyed on your own. The shared workload works well for the most part, but on a few occasions, one character's exploits can be cut off by the other if they accidentally trigger a key cutscene or interaction, which can be frustrating if you want to immerse yourself in A Way Out’s detailed environment.

Additional quick-time events also crop up in moments of heightened tension and require precision to succeed, like tapping the right button to avoid taking a punch or holding down a trigger to catch yourself before falling from a great height. To account for the shifting attention between the pair, A Way Out trades between a classic 50/50 screen split and a flexible one that offers more display real estate to the player performing a key action. This dynamic blend of perspectives meant that my partner and I both had a chance to feel like the central anti-hero. Occasionally, other characters can also claim a space on the screen for themselves, which adds palpable tension to your actions. Seeing this pressure manifest as a gun-wielding menace pervades the screen is an electric feeling and enough to get you sweating as you force solutions and desperately try to proceed.

Levels are broken up by story events that require you and your co-op buddy to vote and follow a particular narrative path – Leo’s or Vincent’s. Your choices shape the story and give each playthrough a more bespoke feel, even if the overarching narrative remains largely the same. Many of the differences in their personality can feel intangible. However, these impactful decisions help to give them depth by weaving those differences into the gameplay. In my playthrough, I was confident in my choice to play as Vincent, as I thought his analytical mind was more reasonable than Leo’s brash one. However, as the story played out and I became acquainted with them, I began questioning Vincent's motives. A Way Out is keen to keep you in the dark just enough to make you unsure what to choose without making you feel disconnected from the characters or the decision – an aspect I thoroughly enjoyed.

(Image credit: Hazelight Studios) Brains or brawn

A Way Out’s world is a harsh and unforgiving one. The prison is cement and grey, with sparse spotlighting offering little escape from the oppressive mood. Metal bars and staircases shine between tarnish, with matte posters hanging from walls, faded with age. Outside, the surrounding farmland and rural areas feel hazy and vulnerable. Throughout A Way Out, you dance between these cold and warm spaces, with each location thoughtfully dressed with accessories like leaking aircon vents and playable mahogany pianos. Moreover, while many objects are just there to gawk at, some kick-off competitive games like wheelchair balancing or horseshoe pitching. While unnecessary to the story, these optional side objectives do well to offset A Way Out’s heavier themes with some lighthearted fun.

Best bit

(Image credit: Hazelight Studios)

On the surface, Vincent and Leo are two protagonists who could not be more different. Leo’s short-tempered sharpness rubs against Vincent’s careful eye, resulting in tense moments as well as warm ones. As you learn more about them and watch their relationship unfold, it’s hard not to be drawn into their strange chemistry.

Whether you’re mainlining the plot or goofing off in a minigame, A Way Out is made all the better courtesy of Vincent and Leo’s voice actors, Fares Fares and Eric Krogh, who deliver their lines with attitude and grit. And despite solid writing throughout, some of my favorite deliveries came from the casual one-liners rather than the more significant and plot-relevant cutscenes. During the initial prison break, you can find an antique globe in one of the rooms. While interacting with it doesn’t offer anything substantial to the plot, if you spin it enough, Leo dreamily mutters, “Ah, the Pacific Ocean… that sounds nice.” Later, in the hospital, Vincent encounters an old couple bickering about a car accident. After asking their age, the old man makes a poor guess and quickly admits fault. Instead of showing empathy, Vincent sarcastically agrees that he is actually too old to drive. These small, punchy moments offer comic relief to A Way Out’s otherwise heady story and champion the protagonist’s humanity, despite the game’s often unforgiving setting.

A Way Out feels like playing through all the twists and turns of a high-end HBO show – emotionally taxing but very hard to put down. The game’s simple prison break premise quickly gives way to a complicated story about family and friendship, and I thoroughly enjoyed struggling through its immersive set pieces with the help of a friend.

Should you play A Way Out? Play it if...

You like classic dramas
A Way Out strikes a careful balance between dramatic storytelling and game mechanics, putting players in pole position to not only impact the story but also sit back and enjoy their choices in intense and rewarding ways.

You want to stress test your friendship
It turns out escaping prison takes a lot more than just blind belief, and you’ll need to think your way through many complex situations, often deliberating with your co-op partner about which path to take. Due to the high-stakes nature of the story, disagreements are likely to come up, giving you a measure of how close you and your co-conspirator are under pressure.

Don't play it if...

You want a lighthearted co-op game
A Way Out is packed with emotive themes, violence, and plenty of swearing. While it features Hazelight’s well-curated cooperative gameplay, the story leans much darker than the likes of It Takes Two.

Accessibility

When it comes to controls in A Way Out, many settings can be toggled per character, so one player can play with different preferences. Inversion horizontal and vertical) and aim/focus sensitivity can be toggled individually. Vibration can be toggled on and off from the settings menu as well. Where audio is concerned, players can toggle on and off subtitles, as well as choose their audio preset (TV, Headphones, and Home Theatre).

(Image credit: Hazelight Studios) How I reviewed A Way Out

I reviewed A Way Out in a local co-op on a PlayStation 5 playing the PlayStation 4 release via backward compatibility and did so alongside It Takes Two, in the run-up to Hazelight's latest game, Split Fiction.

I teamed my PS5 with an AOC CQ27G2 27-inch QHD VA 144Hz gaming monitor and external Creative Pebble V2 computer speakers.

First reviewed February-March 2025

A couples counselling puzzle platformer might sound like a strange elevator pitch. Yet, this quizzical pairing is the backbone of Hazelight Studios' co-op game. Following the studio's success with its prison-breaking simulator A Way Out, It Takes Two inspects a new kind of high-stakes relationship… marriage.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PlayStation 5
Available on: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch
Release date: March 25, 2021

Here, you play as a separated couple, Cody and May, whose consciousness is magically transported into doll versions of themselves after their daughter makes an unorthodox wish to a secret magic romance book. From this sudden transformation, the duo are forced to navigate a jumbo-sized version of their home, where inanimate objects and carelessly tossed junk have gained sassy omnipotence. As they determine bric-a-brac friend from foe, their issues frequently rear their head, giving you an impression of how their marriage slid towards breakdown not by one incident but rather a series of slow nudges.

In co-op, players split control, working through the couple's issues in a literal and metaphorical sense by communicating their way across increasingly complex platforming levels. To navigate this danger-filled toy box, you can sprint, jump, dash and equip yourself with level-contextual tools that complement each other. Platforming across the game has a fluid and floaty feel, hammering home the plaything nature of the pair’s new doll bodies.

What’s your love language?

(Image credit: Electronic Arts)

Despite levels being so full of detail, Hazelight manages a sense of progression and flow well. Points of interest like breakable glass bottles draw your attention, naturally calling you towards the next checkpoint. While it's not always the case, the obstacles often require you to use your special attack to interact with them, which also helps set the tone for future boss battles and teases puzzle solutions within the level.

Bouts of platforming are bookended with multi-stage boss battles based on the surrounding clutter of the area. The connection between each particular boss and the level made the world feel cohesive and thoughtful and helped to immerse me in Cody and May’s tragic love story. The grumbling, rusted toolbox that marks the end of the first zone requires players to work together using their respective hammer and nail tools to deal damage as it cuts away at your fragile metal stage one attack at a time.

This casually instructive style is especially noticeable as puzzles grew in complexity. Despite stopping and starting play sessions, my partner and I maintained solid momentum throughout It Takes Two. That’s not to say we were without arguments or mistakes when navigating the levels, though.

Best bit

(Image credit: Electronic Arts)

There’s nothing more hilariously frustrating than trying to time and execute a specific move with your co-op partner, especially when it keeps going wrong. It Takes Two frequently requires you to synchronise carefully, whether it be one player throwing a nail for another to swing on or grinding across electrical wires to turn off switches. No matter how often my co-op partner and I prepared for a sequence, we always fell into the same disorganised traps, laughing or accosting each other as we hit the reset button.

What did cause irreparable damage to my co-op relationship, however, were the PVP minigames that allow you and your partner to take on challenges head-to-head. Found across the map, the parlour games allow you to vent frustrations and brutally thwart your bestie.

Early in the campaign, my partner and I happened upon a game called ‘Flip the Switch’, which involved one player hammering buttons while the other shoots them with nails from an aerial perspective. The player who shoots the most within the timer wins – simple, right? Wrong. What ensued was a series of upsets that ended in a solemn vow not to engage with these distractions ever again — until the next one arrived, and it was just as challenging and interesting. Toys-out-of-the-pram moment aside, It Takes Two does well to surprise you with these unique offshoots throughout its story.

Trust fall

(Image credit: Electronic Arts)

The thoughtful set dressing and character designs are a standout feature across It Takes Two, with precious tidbits of lore hidden throughout the levels. For example, if you turn up a pathway in their daughter's room, you can find action figures that pay homage to the protagonists of Hazelight’s previous co-op prison-breaking game, A Way Out. Other hidden areas reveal more tender references to games from the past, such as Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda. As I explored each micro world, I was often reminded of The Borrowers or Stuart Little, gawking at how everyday objects could be repurposed as obstacles or idiosyncratic decor.

The care for world-building applies to Cody and May’s doll designs, too, which were clearly handmade by their creative daughter, Rose. May’s fuzzy wooden tendrils and Cody’s rope belt feel haphazardly crafty in a way that represents Rose’s endearing affection for them. The softened, comforting nature of the dolls also feels like a sharp contrast to the couple’s real-world attitude, which is often barbed and biting. The longer they spend outside their bitter, bickering bodies and in their patchwork personas, the more they resemble Rose’s view of them, which feels like a warm visual metaphor for the overarching themes.

Hazelight has built its newest puzzler with plenty of care, allowing you to immerse yourselves in gorgeous fantasy worlds with considerable depth. In exploring Cody and May’s family home and interpersonal trouble, It Takes Two is a surprisingly grounded game, and I adored flipping and dashing through the family's tricky lives.

Should I play It Takes Two?

(Image credit: Electronic Arts) Play it if…

You want a challenging co-op adventure
From a surprisingly violent vacuum cleaner with a vengeance to a sequence of agility testing time-sensitive platforming puzzles, It Takes Two doesn’t pull punches when testing your dexterity

You want a co-op game that mixes up its gameplay
As you progress through It Takes Two’s shifting levels, Cody and May are awarded new weapons that diversify how you can solve puzzles, keeping the gameplay fresh across the familiar base platforming elements.

Don’t play it if…

You aren’t a forgiving person
No matter how much you care for your co-op partner, It Takes Two will inevitably lead to moments of anger as either of you make a mistake. No matter how often you become mulch, you’ll need to swallow pride and forgive each other to survive the ordeal.

Accessibility

In the accessibility menu, you can adjust both the contrast and brightness. From here, there are also three color blindness options to choose between (Tritanopia-Blue Weak, Protanopia-Red Weak, and Deuteranopia-Green Weak). You can toggle on Text-To-Speech and toggle the option to convert voice chat to text. Subtitles and vibrations can additionally be toggled on for either May or Cody.

Where camera settings are concerned, you can toggle settings per character. You can invert the vertical and horizontal cameras and choose how strong the automatic camera rotation is (None, Weak, or Strong). You can also adjust the camera and aim sensitivity for both the horizontal and vertical camera from 1 to 100.

How I reviewed It Takes Two

In anticipation of the launch of Spit Fiction, I played through the entirety of It Takes Two in local co-op on a PlayStation 5 and also replayed A Way Out for comparison.

I used an AOC CQ27G2 27-inch QHD VA 144Hz gaming monitor with my PS5, and for audio, I used my external Creative Pebble V2 computer speakers.

First reviewed February-March 2025

The biggest problem with Assassin's Creed Nexus VR, a VR (virtual reality) entry on the long-running stealth action series exclusively for Meta Quest headsets, is that it feels more supplemental than any fully-fledged Assassin’s Creed installment. All the franchise’s key mechanics are well represented, be that the trademark parkour, delightfully slick hidden blades, or those iconic leaps of faith from high vantage points into nearby piles of hay, but the focus on existing protagonists and familiar settings holds it back.

Review info

Platform reviewed: Meta Quest 2
Available on: Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest Pro
Release date: November 16, 2023

This is a game that doesn’t really have its own distinct identity, seeming more like a ‘best of’ compilation geared towards existing fans rather than something that, like many of the best VR games, newcomers might be incentivized to pick up a new VR headset in order to play. It’s a shame as, otherwise, this is a remarkably solid VR experience elevated by some seriously impressive elements like its massive maps, formidable length, and abundance of side content, and only a handful of frustrations to overcome.

Clip compilation

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Unlike a traditional Assassin’s Creed experience, Nexus VR is divided into distinct episodes that alternate between protagonists from some of the best Assassin’s Creed games.

You begin in 1500s Italy, catching up with fan-favorite Ezio Auditore years after the events of Assassin’s Creed 2. Your home has been infiltrated by bandits and your first task is to navigate through its hidden passages and retrieve your stolen gear. These early segments are very linear, introducing you to the parkour systems (the most impressive part of which sees you able to grab onto practically any surface and hoist yourself along like some kind of spider monkey) and outlining the combat mechanics in some encounters with basic armed goons.

The parkour works fantastically, channeling that simulated physicality that makes VR climbing experiences like Horizon Call of the Mountain so satisfying, but the combat never felt quite right to me. It’s fine on paper, at its most basic level it challenges you to hold your sword in the correct direction of an incoming hit to block it or swing as an enemy strikes for a parry.

Unfortunately, the collision detection seems off and no matter how hard I focus on holding my sword in the right places, it always seems like a fifty percent chance that it would actually register properly. This was despite multiple attempts to recalibrate the game to my height and position in the settings menu.

There’s a chance that this was due to the fact that I was playing on the slightly older Meta Quest 2 headset, which doesn’t have as advanced tracking capabilities as the Meta Quest 3, but it’s not something that I’ve experienced while trying any other VR game thus far.

Lots to do

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Mercifully, you’re not expected to fight your way through every single encounter and you’re soon thrust into the ancient sandals of Kassandra - the protagonist from Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. Exploring the Greek island of Delos in about 400 BC, her sections are easily the best of the bunch and impressively open despite their small size. While you always have an objective on screen to pursue, there are loads of optional side activities that mean that you can easily squeeze much more out of the already meaty 13 or so-hour runtime.

There are fantastic parkour challenges which have you racing through a series of checkpoints on tight time limits, collectibles that unlock interesting historical facts to browse, and plenty of hidden relics to track down in secret chests. Even if you only focus on the main tasks, you’re completely free to approach objectives as you wish which is where the stealth really starts to shine. It’s nothing hugely complex, but crouching behind boxes and throwing distractions to lure nearby guards over for a one-hit hidden blade takedown was never not satisfying, and truly felt like I was embodying an assassin.

There’s a lot of mileage in experimenting with your arsenal of useful tools like smoke bombs, throwing knives, or your bow too, and I’m still keen to dive back in for more sneaking action even now that the credits have rolled. On top of Ezio and Kassandra’s stories, there are a handful of missions where you play as Ratonhnhaké:ton, or Connor, in the build-up to the American Revolution.

Connor was always my least favorite Assassin’s Creed protagonist and, unfortunately, he is still just as unappealing in Assassin's Creed Nexus VR. His monotone voice lines are faithful to his original characterization in Assassin’s Creed 3 but are glaringly uncharismatic when presented between the amusing innuendos dispensed by Ezio and the brash confidence of Kassandra. His aggressive, edgy attitude to even the most inoffensive non-playable characters (NPCs) often made me cringe too - this is one hero probably best left in 2012.

Best bit

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

When playing as Connor you have access to his tomahawk rather than your usual sword. This opens up some great new gameplay possibilities, like throwing it in the middle of a fight to stun your opponent or tossing it at unsuspecting guard patrols from a hidden location for long-range stealth takedowns.

These three plotlines are all brought together by an overarching storyline set in the real world that’s centered around the futuristic Animus (the device that lets you look into the past) and the seemingly endless battle between the ancient order of Assassins and the evil Templars. It’s a thread that has run through the series since the beginning and, while it starts engaging enough in Nexus (and makes interesting use of your headset’s front camera for a novel augmented reality effect), it soon devolves into characters standing in practically blank environments lecturing you on the conflict for extended periods of time when you’d much rather be doing literally anything else.

I often resorted to sitting on the floor of my living room while these played out and would have likely skipped them entirely were I not evaluating the game for the purpose of this review. The real-world storyline has always been a sticking point in Assassin’s Creed games, so much so that the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows has simply opted to relegate it entirely to a separate menu, but it’s still a big shame that it’s just so uninteresting here.

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

As I’ve previously mentioned, I experienced the whole of Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR on the Meta Quest 2 headset. This is far from the company’s latest offering (the flagship Meta Quest 3 or even more budget-oriented Meta Quest 3S), but the visuals still manage to be a highlight.

It's not perfect, with a few cutbacks to overall image quality and the resolution of textures, but the bright sunny streets of Italy or Greece and the moody fog of colonial America oozes with atmosphere. This would, however, seem even more impressive if these weren’t well-worn settings that we have seen represented in even more life-like detail by other games in the series.

This all raises the question, is Assassin's Creed Nexus VR worth playing? The great graphics and stellar stealth would definitely suggest so in spite of the wonky combat, especially given the relatively low $39.99 / £34.99 price of admission. If you’re an existing fan of Assassin’s Creed like me, there’s also some extra enjoyment in revisiting familiar characters from games gone by (yes, even Connor) - though an original setting and cast would undeniably be much more appealing and approachable to newcomers.

Should I play Assassin's Creed Nexus VR?

(Image credit: Ubisoft) Play it if…

You love all things Assassin’s Creed
Assassin's Creed Nexus VR is a solid VR take on the Assassin’s Creed series, letting you live out your assassin fantasy with first-person leaps of faith, lots of sneaking around, and historical settings to explore.

You’ve played the old games
With protagonists returning from Assassin’s Creed 2, 3, and Odyssey, Assassin's Creed Nexus VR is a treat for long-time series fans.

You want a lengthy VR experience
Many VR games tend to be on the shorter side, so the 13+ hour length of Assassin's Creed Nexus VR helps it stand out from the crowd. It’s brimming with side content to help get that number up even further too.

Don’t play it if…

You down yet own a Meta Quest 2 or 3
Is it worth running out to buy a Meta Quest 2 or 3 to play Assassin's Creed Nexus VR? Definitely not. This is very much an optional spinoff, not a system-selling must-play VR installment à la Half-Life: Alyx over on PC.

Accessibility

Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR has lots of accessibility features designed to improve your comfort in VR. There is a dedicated accessibility menu with features such as hand stabilization, multiple control layouts, and more. The game has four different comfort presets to choose from, with the option for continuous motion or teleportation movement. The game also offers a fear of heights mode, which adds a visible floor beneath your character when you’re high up in the virtual world. On top of this, the entire game can be played while seated.

You also have the option of turning on a vignette or virtual nose, which can help prevent motion sickness. There is a dedicated crouch button and the game can also be played either seated or standing. There are also multiple difficulty levels to choose from. As far as VR games go, these are some of the most fully-featured and comprehensive accessibility options that I’ve ever seen - so props to Ubisoft here.

How I reviewed Assassin's Creed Nexus VR

I played Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR for over 13 hours using a Meta Quest 2 headset. During that time I completed the missions of the main story and also spent a bit of extra time exploring the more open areas of the world to track down collectibles.

My playthrough mainly focused on stealth, though I was also careful to evaluate the quality of the combat by engaging in a few head-on fights.

First reviewed March 2025

The importance of connectivity is such a given these days, it's normally hard for a monitor to stand out by that metric. But the new 34-inch ultrawide HP Series 7 Pro 734pm meets that challenge handily thanks to one of the most comprehensive features sets around, putting it immediately in the running among the best business monitors we’ve tested.

Highlights include Thunderbolt 4 in and out, an additional USB-C input, a multi-port USB hub, ethernet and more. Along with the explicit connectivity of physical ports, this monitor's 5MP pop-up webcam further adds to its connected functionality by enabling a great video conferencing experience.

The 34-inch widescreen form factor also makes for a great basic productivity proposition and the use of LG's IPS Black panel technology puts it at the cutting edge of LCD technology when it comes to inherent contrast and colour performance.

All that said, this is a very expensive display, especially for a 34-inch ultrawide model. That makes the relatively low 3,440 by 1,440 resolution and mediocre pixel density that comes with that a little hard to stomach. Likewise, the limited HDR support included is that much more conspicuous at this price point.

HP Series 7 Pro 734pm: Design & features

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• Nicely engineered
• Fantastic connectivity
• Strong productivity package

Specs

Panel size: 34-inch

Panel type: IPS Black

Resolution: 3,440 x 1,440

Brightness: 400 cd/m2

Contrast: 2,000:1

Pixel response: 5ms GtG

Refresh rate: 120Hz

Colour coverage: 98% DCI-P3

HDR: VESA DisplayHDR 400

Vesa: 100mm x 100mm (bracket included)

Inputs: DisplayPort 1.4 x1 in, DisplayPort 1.4 x1 out, HDMI 2.0 x1, Thunderbolt 4 in with 100W PD, Thunderbolt 4 out with 15W PD, USB-C with 65W PD

Other: 5x USB-A plus 1x USB-C hub, KVM switch, audio out, ethernet

HP's latest ultrawide productivity monitor, the HP Series 7 Pro 734pm, is very nicely put together. The stand base and vertical support are both made from robust alloy and the rest of the chassis is plastic but fairly high quality. Of course, that's the least you'd expect at this elevated price point.

With slim bezels on three sides and a mix of black and silver surface finishes, it's a tidy, reasonably slick device even if you probably wouldn't pick it purely on looks. More likely to swing it in your favour is the outstanding array of connectivity. For starters, you get both Thunderbolt 4 in and out, the former with fully 100W of power delivery for keeping a laptop charged.

There's also a further USB-C input with 65W of power delivery, plus a KVM switch, multiport USB hub and ethernet. That means you could actually share this monitor across two different laptops, keeping both charged and connecting them to a range of peripherals like keyboard, mouse and external storage, all hooked up to the display.

(Image credit: HP)

Oh, and you can also use those inputs to run two PCs fully in parallel thanks to split-screen capability, which includes HP's Device Bridge 2.0 for secure file sharing. For the record, HP Device Bridge 2.0 supports both PC and Mac.

Notably, all the ports including the power connector are located within easy reach on the rear of the chassis. You don't have to reach or peer under the lower bezel to connect any cables and the manner in which they all exit perpendicular to the rear of the chassis helps with cable management, too.

To that you can add a 5MP AI webcam. It pops out of the top bezel, which ensures full physical security and offers built-in AI functionality including face tracking and lighting adaptation.

As for the 34-inch LCD panel itself, it's the latest IPS Black technology from LG with enhanced contrast. However, it offers a pedestrian if conventional 3,440 by 1,440 native resolution, which makes for unimpressive pixel density.

It also only meets VESA's DisplayHDR 400 standard, which means that it's not a true HDR display and doesn't support local dimming. Still, there's decent colour coverage at 98% of DCI-P3 gamut.

HP Series 7 Pro 734pm: Performance Image 1 of 3

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• Punchy IPS panel
• Great webcam
• Low pixel density

The HP Series 7 Pro 734pm sports LG's cutting-edge IPS Black panel tech. On paper it offers much higher inherent contrast than competing IPS screens at 2,000:1. Anything from 1,000:1 up to 1,300:1 is more typical for IPS.

In practice, however, it's hard to see the difference in subjective terms. If you want really good inherent LCD contrast, VA panel tech offers up to 4,000:1 and a more noticeable upgrade in terms of black levels. Of course, OLED and its per-pixel lighting is the ultimate in contrast performance, but that's a whole different type of display.

Either way, IPS Black does make for very accurate colours, something which HP has capitalised on with a very nice factory calibration setup in sRGB mode. You can also choose from DCI-P3 and a range of other gamut presets or go with a user-defined solution.

Strictly speaking, this isn't a professional grade content creation monitor. But it is Pantone Validated and well enough set up for mainstream image and video editing workflows. The HDR 400 certification means there's no local dimming and indeed limited actual HDR support. But it does ensure 400 nits peak brightness and a very punchy over experience. This is a vibrant, pleasant display to use day-to-day.

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The exception to that is the mediocre pixel density. The 3,440 by 1,440 native resolution stretched over the gently curved, 21:9 aspect, 34-inch LCD panel makes for a pixel density of just 109DPI. For context, a 32-inch 4K monitor comes in at about 140DPI, a 27-inch 4K screen at 165DPI.

The result of that lower pixel density includes slightly rough looking fonts and a very slightly pixelated look and feel compared to higher density displays. This is far from unique to the HP Series 7 Pro 734pm, it's the norm for most 34-inch ultrawide panels. But given the four-figure price tag in both the US and UK, that's a little hard to swallow.

Still, the 120Hz refresh and reasonably zippy pixel response, the latter adjustable via four levels of pixel overdrive, certainly make for a versatile display. This isn't a gaming monitor, for instance, but it will turn its hand to that task very well, indeed.

Another highlight is the 5MP AI-powered webcam. It's certainly a cut above the norm for integrated webcams. It offers sharp, clear image quality and good colours. The AI face tracking also works reasonably well, even if it's a little laggy.

Less impressive are the integrated speakers. They put out plenty of volume, but it's a pretty thin, unpleasant din and not even a decent substitute to good laptop speakers, let alone a full desktop audio solution.

HP Series 7 Pro 734pm: Final verdict Image 1 of 5

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HP is asking a lot of money for this 34-inch ultrawide display. In return you get fantastic connectivity and productivity features. There's Thunderbolt 4 in and out, support for two laptops attached and charging at the same time, KVM functionality, split screen, file sharing, ethernet, the works.

The 34-inch widescreen form factor is also great for multi-tasking and generally getting things done, while the IPS Black panel technology makes for a great viewing experience in terms of colours and vibrancy, even if the heightened contrast compared with "conventional" IPS technology isn't exactly obvious.

The 5MP AI webcam also performs better than most integrated webcams and adds to the overall utility and connectedness of this monitor. The one really obvious shortcoming is the 3,440 by 1,440 resolution and resulting low pixel density.

That's very much the most common resolution for a 34-inch ultrawide panel. But at this price point, the low pixel density is pretty conspicuous, something an upgrade to the 5K2K resolution of 5,120 by 2,160 pixels would fix.

Normally, 5K2K wouldn't be in the mix, it's a fairly rare and premium option. But with a price tag into four figures in both the US and UK, you'd be justified to expect a premium experience. As it is, if you're OK with the pixel density, this is otherwise a really excellent productivity display and an exceptional feature set.

For high-resolution displays, we've rounded up all the best 5K and 8K monitors.

Nothing Phone 3a Pro: Two-minute review

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro (officially Nothing Phone (3a) Pro but I’m not typing that many parentheses) is the most interesting phone you can buy for less than $500 / £500 / AU$850, and if you’ve been craving something different than the cheerful bubblegum styling of cheap Android phones, you should consider the Nothing Phone 3a Pro no matter your price range.

For a full $140 / £150 / AU$150 less than the cheapest iPhone, the iPhone 16e, you can get the Nothing Phone 3a Pro, which has a larger screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, a bigger battery and faster charging, plus more storage and more RAM.

You also get a camera with 3x optical zoom, a feature unheard of at this price range. Most cheap phones give you wide, ultra-wide, and macro cameras, not a real zoom lens.

And all of that comes before I get to the Nothing Phone 3a Pro’s unique design (unique except for the nearly-identical Nothing Phone 3a), which takes a stripped-down approach so far that you can literally see into the back of the phone as if you have x-ray vision.

This see-through look a signature of Nothing Phone devices, along with the cool Glyph LED lights, though the Nothing Phone 3a Pro looks a bit more restrained and polished than previous models. It looks more like a circuitry subway map than an accidental phone autopsy.

The Nothing Phone LED lights are here, in a simple ring rather than an enigmatic ‘Glyph’ arrangement like I saw on the first two Nothing Phone devices. The Glyph system is more than just decorative, it’s actually quite functional and a bit nostalgic.

I remember when the LED lights were a key selling point for cell phones and I’d spend time customizing my friends’ light cues along with their designated ringtone. Nothing Phone 3a Pro let me do that again, assigning light patterns to my friends and family. I even had fun banging out my own patterns on the glyph-maker software.

I give Nothing a lot of credit – there are few phones with a feature like the glyph that is this fun. Most phones are just a slab of glass with cameras on the back. Samsung might give you a pen, but you pay a lot for it. With the Nothing Phone 3a Pro (and Nothing Phone 3a), you get the unique glyph feature that's entertaining on its own and adds unique flair to your calls and alerts.

That said, this is still a decidedly bargain phone, with a less-powerful chipset inside and limited support for US networks. I saw plenty of lag and stuttering performance on this phone, more than I’ve see on slightly more expensive and powerful phones like the OnePlus 12R or even the Google Pixel 8a.

I had no problem using my Nothing Phone 3a Pro on AT&T’s network in the New York area. Nothing says some users might have to call AT&T or Verizon to have their phone’s IMEI (a network identifier) whitelisted, or approved, by the carrier. T-Mobile fans should have no problem at all.

Performance issues aside, it’s almost sad that Nothing hasn’t created an even more premium device above the Nothing Phone 3a Pro, because it’s clear that plenty of work went into the interface and design, and phone fans who normally shun cheap phones might enjoy the minimalist and unique NothingOS. Don't knock it until you've seen it.

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro feels special. This isn’t a pared back phone like the Galaxy A56, which is like a Diet Galaxy S25. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro improves on previous Nothing Phones with a more durable design, a better display, versatile cameras, and faster performance all around. This is the best Nothing Phone ever, and this is one bargain phone you shouldn’t ignore.

Nothing Phone 3a Pro review: price and availability

• $459 / £449 / AU$849 with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage
• Available in the US through Nothing Beta program

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro will be available worldwide in one configuration for $459 / £449 / AU$849. You can choose a white or shiny grey exterior and get 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage inside. That’s a respectable amount of storage and RAM for the price – much more than the 8GB/128GB you'll get on the Samsung Galaxy A56.

While not quite this cheap, for a bit more you can buy the Google Pixel 8a or OnePlus 12R. Both of those phones get discounted frequently to match the Nothing Phone 3a Pro’s price, but those phones were both new in 2024. Samsung’s new Galaxy A56 will cost about the same as the Nothing Phone 3a Pro, but that phone won’t hit the US until much later this year.

Most of the world can simply order the Nothing Phone 3a Pro through Nothing.tech or a retail partner, but in the US there are a couple of hoops to jump through. Nothing saves money by cheaping out on radio bands, so the Nothing Phone 3a Pro doesn’t support every single band on the three major US carriers.

If you use T-Mobile in the US, you’re in luck with the most supported bands, but AT&T support lags a bit, and Verizon users will be missing enough bands that it might make sense to look elsewhere if you need the best cell service possible.

For this reason, Nothing sells the Nothing Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro in the US under a ‘Beta’ program so that users will be aware of what they are missing. I used the Nothing Phone 3a Pro in the New York area on AT&T. I got a text message from AT&T right away that my phone wasn’t supported. I ignored the message and used the phone normally for the rest of the week and I had no noticeable issues. Network speeds were good.

• Value score: 5/5

Nothing Phone 3a Pro review: specs

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chip, which is a fairly new platform from Qualcomm, so it can support all of the latest software as well as upcoming AI features, should Nothing decide to add more machine learning.

The most outstanding spec is the 3x optical zoom camera, which is unique in this price range. Nothing uses periscopic lens technology, like you’ll find on the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s 5X zoom lens, to add reach.

Otherwise, the large display is noteworthy for its high refresh rate and brightness, both of which top Apple’s latest supposed-bargain iPhone 16e. Across the board, you won’t find much better specs on a smartphone without spending hundreds more, and Nothing also gives you the unique Glyph lights around back.

Nothing Phone 3a Pro review: design

• Totally unique transparent design with LED Glyph lights
• A bit thick and heavy, but not too much

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro stands out, even in the muted grey and white color options available. At first glance, friends who saw the transparent back, with its roadmap of flat ribbon cables and antenna lines, asked what was going on with my phone.

Folks who caught a glimpse when the Glyph lights flared always wanted to know what phone I was using.

The design is decidedly tech-forward, and the Glyph light patterns, with their matching sound cues, and the minimalist NothingOS interface only reinforce this feeling. Most phones try to disappear behind the display and the content, but the Nothing Phone 3a Pro begs to be seen from every angle. I was looking for opportunities to place this phone face down so I could watch it ring.

The design is so unusual that you won’t notice it feels a bit cheap. The seams are not as perfectly aligned as the edges on a Galaxy S25 or iPhone 16. The phone is thick – at 8.4mm, it’s thicker than an iPhone 16e or Galaxy A56.

The transparent back is glass: a Chinese knock-off of Gorilla Glass called ‘Panda Glass’ instead of plastic like previous Nothing Phone devices. The camera bump is huge and unapologetic, with textured lines that draw a circle around the frame. The Glyph lights ring the cameras, and can also act like a ring light when you’re shooting.

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro features a new Essential Key, which is a button that will take a screenshot or record a voice memo. It won’t just store these entries, it feeds them into an Essential Space app that analyzes your notes with AI to give you summaries and answers. In practice… it needs work. I hope the Essential Key gets repurposed in a future NothingOS update so that it can do a bit more.

• Design score: 3/5

Nothing Phone 3a Pro review: display

• Big, bright display with a fast refresh rate
• Not as bright in our tests as Nothing claims

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro features a huge, 6.77-inch AMOLED display that can refresh at a variable rate up to 120Hz. It looked bright, colorful, and smooth in my time reviewing the Phone 3a Pro. There was some stuttering, but I suspect the slower chipset was to blame, as the display could handle whatever video content or fast-scrolling lists I threw its way.

I wonder if this display is overkill for Nothing Phone 3a Pro. NothingOS is nearly monochromatic, and in fact there is a monochrome mode if you want to eliminate all colorful distraction from your phone. Maybe Nothing should have developed a unique display to play into those strengths, instead of competing on color and brightness with Samsung and Google.

Nothing claims the Nothing Phone 3a Pro can hit 3,000 nits at peak brightness, but in our Future Labs tests we couldn’t manage half that brightness level. We still saw peak brightness well over 1,000 nits, which is great, but not what Nothing claims.

• Display score: 3/5

Nothing Phone 3a Pro review: software

• NothingOS offers a unique look and plenty of widgets
• Nothing Phone 3a Pro gets 3 years more Android, 6 years more security

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro uses NothingOS on top of Android 15, and NothingOS could really be considered a Theme and Widget combo pack. It doesn’t add a whole lot of useful features to Android, but instead it succeeds by taking away distractions.

By distractions, I mean color and shapes. The look of NothingOS can best be described as a monochrome, low-resolution, dot matrix theme. There's an actual monochrome mode you can enable, but the basic NothingOS theme is mostly black and white, with graphics that reduce iconography, like clouds and the sun in the weather app, to a series of large dots.

It kind of works, if you like this style. Nothing even includes an AI wallpaper generator, a feature very en vogue with the smartphone elite, though in this case the choices are much more limited than you’ll find on a Galaxy or Pixel phone.

On my Galaxy I might create a ‘lamp of flowers in pink and purple,’ with thousands of possible combinations of nouns and colors. On my Nothing Phone 3a Pro I can choose ‘flora’ and ‘iridescent’, and up to 30 total combos. What you get ends up looking like a wallpaper that Nothing might have included with its phone anyway.

If you press the new Essential Key twice, you open a new Essential Space app, where you can find the screenshots that you took and the voice memos you saved. Only the screenshots that you capture using the Essential Key end up here. If you press the power button and volume down, you get a screenshot in your Gallery, but not in the Essential Space. Weird.

Honestly, I didn’t have any use for the Essential Key or Essential Space during my time with the Nothing Phone 3a Pro, and I didn’t feel I was missing anything except a better use for the new button. I rarely take screenshots or record voice memos, and I’m not going to change my behavior for this phone, so if you’re like me, you won’t see the benefit. Hopefully Nothing will add more to make this useful for more people.

• Software score: 3/5

Nothing Phone 3a Pro review: cameras

• Good cameras (but not as good as Nothing's bragging)
• A 3x optical zoom lens is unique at this price

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The people have spoken, and people say they want three cameras, so most cheap Android phones come with three cameras, but none of them give you optical zoom like the Nothing Phone 3a Pro. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro has a clever, versatile array of cameras, making it a solid pick if you need a real zoom lens.

Most phones at this price give you a fine wide-angle camera, a mediocre ultra-wide, and a terrible, low resolution macro camera. The Galaxy A55 and the Motorola Edge 2024 offer that camera setup, for instance. Nothing gives you a lot more camera bang for your buck.

You get a real 3x optical zoom with a periscope lens, which just means it’s more compact than a normal zoom lens. You also get a big 50MP sensor on that zoom lens, in addition to the 50MP main sensor. The ultra-wide sensor is only 8MP, but who cares when you have all that zoom.

The selfie camera is a 50MP sensor as well, which is too much for selfies. I ended up with a file that is six times as large as an iPhone 16 Pro selfie, even though it doesn’t have as much detail or clarity.

The image quality from the Nothing Phone 3a Pro is fine, but not incredible. The Pixel 8a will give you better images in this price range, at least with its main camera, though it only shoots up to 12MP. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro can shoot 50MP images, but you have to dig through settings to make that happen, otherwise you get a standard 12MP file.

It’s clear from the image samples that there is a lot of AI processing going on with the Nothing photos. On the zoom photos, I could get a pretty good shot overall, but if I look closely the image takes on an oil paint quality that makes it clear a computer filled in a lot of gaps and erased all the noise.

Before this phone launched, Nothing teased us by claiming that its new cameras would be as good as an iPhone. It’s not even close, but the Nothing Phone 3a Pro is not a bad camera. It takes much better photos than any Motorola phone I’ve used, and it has more versatility than comparable Samsung Galaxy A-series phones. It’s a solid camera setup for the price.

• Camera score: 4/5

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(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future) Nothing Phone 3a Pro review: performance

• Performance is good enough to get by
• There are more powerful phones with less style

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Nothing took a step up with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chip inside both the Nothing Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro, but the platform still isn’t quite fast enough to keep up with the demands of Android 15 and NothingOS. I encountered plenty of lag in my time with the phone, often bad enough that the screen would stop responding to taps and then would catch up all at once. It was frustrating, but it didn’t happen too often, not every day.

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro isn’t going to be the best phone for hardcore games like Call of Duty Mobile or PUBG, but it will do fine with casual games like Balatro and Marvel Snap. Vampire Survivors choked the phone when the screen filled with enemies, but it recovered quickly enough that I didn’t lose the round.

Frankly, the competition at this price doesn’t offer much better performance – the Pixel 8a isn’t winning any benchmark crowns. If you want a fast phone for less, the OnePlus 12R is your best bet, otherwise you’ll just need to spend more if you want a serious mobile gaming machine.

• Performance score: 2/5

Nothing Phone 3a Pro review: battery

• Great battery life and excellent charging speeds
• No wireless charging

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Battery life on the Nothing Phone 3a Pro was excellent, and the phone had no trouble lasting me a full day on a single charge with battery to spare. The phone also charges very quickly, though Nothing skimps by not offering any charger in the box, fast or otherwise.

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro can charge up to 50 watts, and I tested it with my own variable charger that can charge up to 50W or more. The Phone 3a Pro charged very quickly, and I got to 100% in just over 50 minutes, which is even faster than Nothing claims. That’s faster than the Galaxy S25 and the iPhone 16.

With a 5,000mAh battery inside (and a very dark, black interface), the Nothing Phone 3a Pro conserves power nicely. In our Future Labs tests, the Phone 3a Pro lasted just under 15 and a half hours, almost the same amount of time as the Samsung Galaxy S25. In my real world tests, I had no trouble taking photos and working through a full day on a single charge.

• Battery score: 5/5

Should you buy the Nothing Phone 3a Pro ? Buy it if...

You like the look
You won’t find anything that comes close to the Nothing Phone 3a Pro design, with its unique transparent back glass and minimal interface.

You like the lights
It’s surprising no other phone maker is using LED lights for notification, but Nothing gives you lights, sounds, and a composer to make your own rings.

You love the price
For everything you get – the versatile cameras, unique design, great battery and charging – this phone is a steal, and worth a look over phones that cost much more.

Don't buy it if...

You play a lot of mobile games
This is not a powerhouse phone; its Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor could sputter at times. Skip it if you need real smartphone power.

You don’t like the look or the lights
There’s not much else going for the Nothing Phone 3a Pro that is unique, besides the design and the low price. But that’s enough for many folks.

You plan on keeping your phone for years
The Nothing Phone 3a Pro will get three years of Android updates, but after that this phone will be far behind even mid-range performers and you may have problems.

Nothing Phone 3a Pro review: also consider

Google Pixel 8a
The Pixel a-series phones are a great value, offering many of the features you’ll find on the flagship Pixel phones, with very similar camera image quality as well.
Read our full review of the Google Pixel 8a

Samsung Galaxy A56
The brand-new Galaxy A56 gives you tons of Samsung AI features and great specs for a price that is comparable to the Nothing Phone 3a Pro.
Read our hands-on review of the Samsung Galaxy A56

How I tested the Nothing Phone 3a Pro

I used the Nothing Phone 3a Pro for a week before this review was published. In that time, I tested the phone extensively, alongside the Nothing Phone 3a, using the same work and personal apps and accounts on each.

I used the Nothing Phone 3a Pro for taking photos, communicating with work colleagues using messages and Slack, and conducting video conference calls. I played games, and edited photos from my Google Photos library.

I connected the Nothing Phone 3a Pro to a Pixel Watch 3 and Nothing Buds. I also connected an Xbox wireless controller to play games. I connected the Phone 3a Pro to my car for multimedia and to other Bluetooth speakers for audio.

I tested the Nothing Phone 3a Pro on my personal AT&T Wireless account in the New York City area, including Connecticut, the Hudson Valley, and New Jersey, with no trouble.

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First reviewed March 2025

This review first appeared in issue 354 of PC Pro.

Jabra’s PanaCast 50 video bar ensures that no-one feels left out, with its triple 13MP 4K camera turret presenting a full 180° horizontal field of view (FoV). What’s more, lurking inside this 650mm wide cylinder is an 8-microphone beamforming array teamed up with pairs of 50mm woofers and 20mm tweeters.

Speaker tracking is a cut above the rest, too, as the PanaCast 50 incorporates no fewer than nine Edge processors, including two Edge AI chips. These allow it to provide integral video analytics, apply always-on people counting and use Jabra’s Virtual Director technology to focus on the active speaker and zero in on them with its automatic 6x digital zoom.

The camera provides a USB-C port for BYOD meetings or connection to a permanent room computer. Jabra also offers two-room system solutions where one partners the camera with its Android-powered touchscreen tablet while another comes with Lenovo’s ThinkSmart Core + Controller devices.

The kit includes a wall-mounting bracket, with the optional aluminum table stand costing £63. We also checked out Jabra’s Bluetooth remote pad (£39), which provides camera and audio controls plus direct access to whiteboard sharing.

We reviewed the model with a grey fabric cover, but Jabra also offers a black version for the same price. Whichever model you choose, you’ll find integral Wi-Fi 5 services plus a 10/100 Ethernet port at the back for remote management using Jabra’s free Xpress web portal.

BYOD installation is easy: you simply connect the camera to a USB port on a Windows or macOS host computer and wait for the drivers to load. It will work happily with any UVC-compliant VC app, but don’t forget to download Jabra’s Direct app otherwise you’ll miss out on a wealth of features.

The app’s camera controller window allows you to play with the image quality, set a zoom level, move the camera view and save two presets that can be accessed from the remote. From the general settings tab, you can control people counting, enable the Virtual Director and turn on the new dynamic composition feature, which puts the four most recent speakers in a split screen.

The PanaCast 50 can be remotely managed and delivers superb video quality (Image credit: Future)

A large monitor is recommended, since the highest resolution is a very wide 3,840 x 1,080 pixels. The PanaCast’s army of Edge CPUs come into play here as they apply Jabra’s patented video-stitching technology to produce a single image from the three camera feeds.

This works perfectly as we couldn’t see any joins and the cameras deliver a pin-sharp image with great color balance and contrast. Speaker tracking is very responsive, too: we could walk around our meeting room and, even without speaking, the camera followed us while we were moving.

Jabra’s microphone expertise shines through. Remote participants could hear us clearly at a five-metre distance, and the quad speaker combo was just as impressive. Jabra won’t beat Biamp’s 2023 Excellence award-winning Parle VBC 2500 as the PanaCast 50 lacks a little in the bass department, but it delivers a clean and clear sound quality with a 65% volume level quite sufficient for our 24m2meeting room.

Remote monitoring and management are good, with the Xpress portal providing analytics on camera and room usage. “Packages” group camera settings together and, when you install the local Jabra Direct app, just copy a package URL to it.

You can remotely apply settings that override the local app. During room creation, you add a device serial number and apply maximum and safety participant capacities. The camera uses its people-counting skills to provide room usage details and will warn you if the room is over capacity.

This sleek cylinder delivers great video and audio quality, fast speaker tracking and a wealth of advanced features. Jabra’s Xpress web portal offers smart remote management services, and the super-wide view helps make the PanaCast 50 ideal for all-inclusive meetings.

We've also ranked the best alternatives to Skype.

This review first appeared in issue 354 of PC Pro.

Fedora Linux is refreshed every six months, with version 39 shipping in November 2023, 20 years (and one day) since the first iteration’s debut. It was originally a spin-off of Red Hat Linux, but the tables have been turned and it now forms the basis of Red Hat Enterprise Linux and CentOS Stream.

Of the five versions on offer, we reviewed the desktop build, which sits alongside server, cloud, containerized and IoT editions. Each release receives support for 13 months, with version 40 scheduled to appear in April 2024, and build 39 reaching end of life in November 2024.

Fedora has a free-to-download media creation tool, much like Microsoft’s equivalent for Windows, and the Raspberry Pi imager for the single-board computers. This writes the latest build to a bootable thumb drive. Use this to start up, and you’ll encounter one of the best installers we’ve come across. It’s simple, straightforward and painless.

System requirements are 4GB of memory and a 40GB SSD, although Fedora Project notes that it’s possible to run the OS on less than this.

Our installation featured a slim selection of pre-installed applications, including Firefox 119, Rhythmbox Music Player, Boxes virtual machine environment and the latest edition of LibreOffice – release 7.6. However, we needed to install our own email client, as well as common creativity tools such as GIMP and Inkscape. You can do this through the integrated software tool, where we found 61 updates waiting to be processed on first launch. This isn’t as drastic as it sounds, as many of them were fonts and codecs.

The Flatpak package manager is enabled and, if you prefer to update manually, Fedora uses the DNF package manager for RPM.

Where some distributions are just now managing the transition from the X11 display server technology to Wayland, Fedora began that process several releases back, and release 39 marks the 14th edition since it completed the transition. Wayland’s frequently touted benefits, not just by Fedora but in general, include greater security and better performance.

The selection of pre-installed apps includes the latest edition of LibreOffice (Image credit: Future)

The default desktop environment is Gnome 45, which isn’t a huge step up from 44. There are some welcome touches, though, such as subtly redesigned window elements, where two-tone colorways and full-height sidebars tidy things up. There’s also an improved workspace indicator in the top left corner. Click it once and you get an overview of your open windows, some of which might otherwise be hidden, alongside a quick way to switch between desktops. It’s useful, but you can achieve the same result by pressing the Super key.

There’s also a new Image Viewer, which Fedora notes has also been rewritten for high performance, while Gnome search has also been reworked with a focus on speed. The improvements don’t only apply in the Files app, but across several core Gnome tools, such as Software and Characters.

If you don’t get on with Gnome, there are several alternative builds – Spins in Fedora parlance – running the lightweight XFCE desktop, KDE Plasma or Cinnamon, among others. Cinnamon, as used by Linux Mint, is often touted by advocates of Windows-to-Linux switching as a reason to choose that distro.

There’s also a handful of immutable deployments, which keep OS code and apps separate, as with Nitrix. By making the core of the OS read-only, it can’t be hijacked by malicious actors or corrupted by a bad or incomplete update. The result is a more secure environment, for use in sensitive workplaces such as finance and government.

Fedora scored 1,105 in our Geekbench single-core test and 3,053 in the multicore section. These figures were broadly similar to what we saw in the Red Hat Enterprise Linux-based Rocky Linux, which, while slightly lagging in the single-core tests, was around 1.8% faster on the multicore tests. In neither case should it make any noticeable difference in day-to-day use.

With one of the best thought-out installers and a wide choice of desktop environments, there’s much to like about Fedora, which is why it’s our runner-up to Ubuntu. The default installation was minimal, but many will appreciate this, and all the tools you could possibly need are waiting in the software manager.

That Fedora is a primary source for Red Hat Enterprise Linux should fill you with confidence, and the fact it’s available with a variety of desktops will make it immediately familiar, whether switching from Windows or a Debian-based rival.

We also the rated the best free office software.

This review first appeared in issue 354 of PC Pro.

Many distributions are available in full-fat and light editions. Zorin and Linux Mint are good examples, each giving a choice of Gnome- or Xfce-based ISOs. Debian with Raspberry Desktop, which closely resembles Raspberry Pi OS, is different. Available for PCs after a decade as the default OS for the eponymous single-board computer, it uses neither Gnome nor Xfce, but PIXEL, the Pi Improved Xwindows Environment, Lightweight, which itself is based on the lightweight LDXE desktop manager.

Don’t let the “lightweight” moniker put you off. PIXEL sports many features familiar from rival environments, including a menu bar, application menu, desktop icons and context menus. It does lack some frills, though. There are no widgets, as there are in Mint, you can’t snap windows to the edges of the screen for easy arrangement, and it lacks Zorin’s visual flair.

However, it does boot extremely quickly, it has every feature you’re likely to need, and its options and settings are as easy to find as they are to understand.

The operating system’s original name – Raspbian – hint at its Debian roots. In fact, you could be forgiven for thinking you were installing stock Debian when working your way through the installer, as there’s no mention of Raspberry Pi to be found.

It’s built on Bullseye (Debian 11) and the Linux 5.10 kernel, both of which are starting to show their age. Debian is currently at 12.2 (Bookworm), on which the regular Raspberry Pi OS for single-board computers is based, and it supports the 6.1 kernel.

Where Raspberry Pi has produced its own imager for setting up Raspberry Pi OS, which also handles user creation, configuring SSH, establishing Wi-Fi credentials and so on, the process for installing Debian with Raspberry Pi Desktop is much like that for most other distributions. Download the ISO, write it to a bootable USB drive, and boot the installer from there. Around ten minutes later, we were sitting in front of the desktop, with a full complement of essential applications ready to be used.

The pre-installed office suite is LibreOffice 7.0.4 (the latest is 7.6), Claws is installed to manage mail, and the default web browser is Chromium. Other applications can be installed via the Add/Remove Software tool, or using APT through the Terminal. We opted for the latter to install Firefox and Thunderbird, and in each case it set up version 115. This is particularly welcome where Thunderbird is concerned, as 115 marked a significant interface refresh, which makes the suite a more pleasant environment in which to spend the working day.

The Add/ Remove Software tool isn’t as friendly as some others (Image credit: Future)

Elsewhere, the list of pre-installed apps is a reminder that Raspberry Pi is popular in STEM environments, coding and automation. Both Geany Programmer’s Editor and the excellent Thonny IDE are in evidence, alongside Scratch and Mu. So is the SmartSim circuit designer.

VLC and an image viewer are both pre-installed, but GIMP (for bitmap graphics), Inkscape (vectors) and Shotwell (photos) all need to be installed manually – if you use them. Again, this can be done through the Add/Remove Software utility, but this isn’t as friendly as the equivalent installers in Ubuntu, Mint and co, presenting sometimes extensive lists of options in response to a search, each accompanied by the same default icon. You might occasionally find yourself scratching your head, wondering which you need.

PIXEL includes a Recommended Software tool, which does allow you to sidestep both the software installer and APT for a handful of common applications, but the three mentioned in the previous paragraph are absent. We’d like to see them included in the next refresh.

While we’ve griped about a few aspects of Debian with Raspberry Pi Desktop, there’s much to recommend it. It’s extremely fast to boot, the PIXEL interface is refreshingly distraction-free, and it’s compact enough to be a reasonable option for running full-time from a USB thumb drive.

Yes, it’s starting to look outdated in places (note that it was released in July 2022), but Raspberry Pi tells us an update is planned, which is expected, although not guaranteed, to arrive before Easter. In the meantime, if you’re looking to recycle some older hardware as a no-frills workhorse, or want to use the same environment on your single-board computer and desktop, this distro could be just what you’re after.

We've ranked the best driver updater.

This review first appeared in issue 354 of PC Pro.

AI seems to be everywhere lately, and that includes the world of home networking: D-Link’s latest “smart router” proudly wears its AI credentials on its sleeve. As we’ll see, this is definitely a case where the buzzword oversells the reality, but if the R32 is short on smarts it makes up for that in value. As we went to press, it cost only £73 inc. VAT on Amazon, making it one of the cheapest Wi-Fi 6 routers around.

The Eagle Pro AI R32 is the successor to last year’s Eagle Pro AI R15, which was similarly cheap and looked almost identical. The main difference between the two is what you might guess from the name: the new model is just over twice as fast as the old one, in terms of wireless bandwidth. It supports connections of up to 800Mbits/sec on the 2.4GHz band, while the 5GHz radio goes up to a maximum speed of 2.4Gbits/sec. There’s also more wired bandwidth available, as the R32 gains an extra Ethernet socket at the back, to make up a full quartet of gigabit LAN ports.

Aside from those sockets there’s not much to see: no USB, no multi-gig connectors and only four LEDs on the front to show you the status of your power, internet and Wi-Fi. But that’s fine – do you really need more?

Four LEDs on the front show power, internet and Wi-Fi statuses (Image credit: Future)

Getting set up is delightfully simple, via either D-Link’s Eagle Pro AI mobile app or the router’s built-in web management interface. There isn’t a huge amount to configure, but D-Link builds in more features than you might expect from such a cheap device. For example, a basic quality-of-service tool lets you assign different priority levels to individual clients, and you can also enforce internet access schedules and time limits for kids’ devices.

For added security, you can flick a switch to replace your ISP’s default DNS with secure DNS from Google or Cloudflare, offering protection from hijacking attacks. There’s a basic configurable firewall, too, and an unexpected treat is an incoming VPN server, plus integrations with no-ip. com and dyndns.com to provide easy external access to your home network.

If you want to use the R32 as a Wi-Fi extender for an existing network you can alternatively switch it into bridge mode – or use mesh mode to connect two or more units together and spread your wireless signal over a wider area. Remember, though, that beaming mesh traffic back and forth between wireless stations eats into the bandwidth available for your devices, so you’re trading off performance for range.

Finally, let’s not forget the R32’s promised “AI” capabilities. In practice, this simply means the router periodically checks its Wi-Fi channels and tunes its beamforming settings to get the best connection to your clients. These are welcome features, to be sure, but it’s a pretty egregious overreach of the term AI.

Never mind; you’re probably not buying a £73 router in the expectation of a world-class feature suite. The real question is, how does the thing perform? And the answer is very well – at close range. I tested the R32 by hooking up a NAS drive to one of its Ethernet ports, then hawking a laptop around my home and measuring upload and download speeds as I copied a set of 100MB test files to and from the NAS.

(Image credit: Future)

Initial findings were very positive. I was delighted to see an average download speed of 85.5MB/sec in the same room as the router, and when I moved downstairs to the living-room I still got a speedy 72.9MB/sec.

Unfortunately, the R32’s four little antennas aren’t beefy enough to keep up that sort of performance all through my home. Speeds fell to 25.8MB/sec in the kitchen and 21.1MB/sec in the bedroom; that’s still ample bandwidth for typical internet tasks – a 4K HDR video stream requires about 4MB/sec – but it’s still a pretty precipitous drop.

Unsurprisingly, the R32 fared worst in the bathroom at the back of the house. Here I could clearly see my file transfers momentarily hang and resume several times during my tests, so while the eventual average download speed of 5.5MB/sec might sound fine for web browsing or cloud syncing, it’s patchy: I’d rather not rely on it for video calls or online gaming.

Does this mean you should steer clear of the R32? It really depends on what you want from a router. Those who need reliable wide-area coverage should consider spending the extra £50 on the Asus RT-AX59U: as well as more stable long-range coverage, it will give you a broader range of software features. However, if you just want basic connectivity across a few rooms, the R32 will fit the bill very nicely – there’s no need to pay more.

We also rated the best encryption software.

Asus Zenbook Duo 2025: Two-minute review

(Image credit: Future / Jeremy Laird)

If ever there were a tale of two halves, it's the Asus Zenbook Duo (2025). This dual-screen laptop-megatablet offers some of the most impressive mobile hardware currently available. It absolutely holds its ground with any of the very best laptops you can buy in 2025 in that regard.

That starts with its cutting-edge Intel Arrow Lake CPU, but just like last year's 2024 model, this revised-for-2025 device really centers on its beautifully built chassis containing dual 14-inch OLED touchscreens, plus a clever wireless clip-on keyboard and a kickstand that adds an additional ergonomic flourish.

Yes, there are compromises in terms of the pure hardware. The otherwise similar best touchscreen laptops in 2025 offer a slimmer and lighter form factor, plus better battery life and outright performance. There are thermal limitations with this kind of design. But Asus has clearly put in some serious engineering legwork to realize this remarkable machine.

Then there's the software side of the equation. For starters, Windows 11 has never been well optimized for touch input and a system like this only serves to highlight that shortcoming. Then there's Asus' own suite of touch optimized apps and features, all designed to make the most of the extraordinary dual-screen hardware.

You can see what Asus is trying to do, including a highly modular and user configurable touch control interface that in theory can be set up to suit almost any preference. You even get ready-made configurations for specific apps, be that content creation or media consumption.

However, in practice the learning curve is extremely steep, and even once you've scaled that peak, the results are a little patchy and a touch buggy. A slick, fully polished touch experience this ultimately is not. There's a slight vibe of concept hardware or a design study going on here despite this 2025 model being a second generation product.

Some of that is thanks to Windows itself as ever being half baked, some of it is surely down to Asus. In the end, the reasons don't matter, the result is at least occasional frustration. That doesn't make the Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) unbuyable, but especially for a machine this expensive it does make for some significant caveats.

If you're willing to put up with some pain, there are rewards to be had. This system can do things that a conventional laptop can't dream of. But in return you'll have to accept aspects that feel clunky and unfinished to enjoy them.

Asus Zenbook Duo 2025: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future / Jeremy Laird)

• How much does it cost? $1,699 (with 1TB SSD) / £2,099 (with 2TB SSD)/ AU$TBC
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK

At $1,699 in the US, the latest 2025 revision of the Asus Zenbook Duo is actually remarkable value when you consider that you're getting dual OLED and a high-end version of Intel's latest Arrow Lake laptop CPU, plus 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.

It's definitely a lot of mobile machine for the money. The £2,099 price in the UK looks like conspicuously poor value by comparison. That works out to $2,650, or thereabouts. Admittedly, the UK price includes 20% sales tax and you're also getting the 2TB SSD on the UK version as reviewed here as opposed to the 1TB of the cheaper US model. But there's still around $500 that's gone missing in the translation from US to UK pricing.

All of which means that in the US the Zenbook Duo 2025 compares well with the likes of a high-spec conventional laptop like a Dell XPS 13 with the options maxed out, which is impressive, while in the UK you're paying a very notable premium for the two-screen experience, more's the pity.

Asus Zenbook Duo 2025: Specs

The Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) currently comes in one configuration in the US and one in the UK. Further configurations should follow soon.

Asus Zenbook Duo 2025: Design

(Image credit: Future / Jeremy Laird)

Without question, the design and features of the Asus Zenbook Duo OLED (2025) really stand out. But, actually, it's those dual OLED panels that really shine.

The screens are identical 14-inch OLED panels with 2,880 x 1,800 pixels each, a peak HDR brightness of 500 nits and simply eye-popping visuals. They also run at up to 120Hz, which is important not just for things like scrolling around web pages and documents, but also for ensuring that the touch input with the bundled Asus Zenpen 2 is responsive, precise and lag free.

Along with the main chassis you also get a clip-in wireless keyboard. Snapped into place, the Asus Zenbook Duo 2025 looks like a pretty conventional laptop, albeit a slightly portly machine compared to your usual thin-and-light machine. At over 1.6kg (3.5 lbs), it's also heavier than many 15-inch systems, such as a MacBook Air 15.

(Image credit: Future / Jeremy Laird)

Still, the key strokes feel much better than you'd expect for a clip-in board and it works wirelessly when you detach it, enabling all manner of intriguing ergonomic setups when combined with the dual screens.

Anyway, the basic form factor does come with some compromises. But it's also beautifully put together with a lush alloy chassis, a very sturdy feeling hinge, plus a kickstand on the bottom slice that allows you to prop both screens up vertically.

(Image credit: Future / Jeremy Laird)

That's absolutely fabulous for some use cases, for instance running collaboration software, such as Slack or Teams or whatever video conferencing platform you use on the top screen and your documents and apps on the bottom screen. Going back to a single-screen laptop once you get used to the Zenbook Duo feels awfully constraining, that's for sure.

Asus has also located a Thunderbolt port on both sides of the chassis, which is a welcome change from the otherwise physically pretty similar 2024 model that placed both ports on the same side. You also get a full-sized HDMI port and a headphone jack. This 2025 model has also been upgraded to Wi-Fi 7, so the lack of an ethernet socket is even less of an issue than before.

Asus Zenbook Duo 2025: Performance

(Image credit: Future / Jeremy Laird)

Cramming the latest Intel Arrow Lake CPU under an OLED screen was never going to be a recipe for absolutely peak performance. But it's not just any Arrow Lake chip in this case, but the top spec Intel Core Ultra 9 285H CPU with 16 cores. Overall, this is a very powerful processor, though as an Arrow Lake model as opposed to Lunar Lake, it has a relatively weak NPU that doesn't qualify for Windows Copilot+ AI assistant functionality, which is a bit of a frustration.

Indeed, there is a very strong case for this laptop being better suited all round to that Lunar Lake chip with its lower power footprint. The Zenbook Duo (2025) gets pretty toasty even under very light load and the fans are frequently audible. That said, with all cores ignited, this is a powerful portable with plenty of grunt for all but the most demanding tasks. Just expect some thermal throttling if you really lean on those CPU cores for long periods.

Asus Zenbook Duo (2025): Benchmarks - Laptops only

Here's how the Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

3DMark: Night Raid: 30787; Fire Strike: 8004; Time Spy: 3800

GeekBench 6: 2770 (single-core); 16082 (multi-core)

SSD sequential read / write: 5.2GB/s / 4.7GB/s

Handbrake 1.6: 7m 12s

CrossMark: Overall: 1955 Productivity: 1776 Creativity: 2299 Responsiveness: 1604

Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm: 15.951ms average frame time

PCMark 10 Battery Life: 8 hours and 29 minutes

The Intel Arc 140T graphics is also pretty speedy for an integrated GPU. Don't expect desktop-class gaming performance. But you can get a reasonable experience in most games at 1080p, albeit you'll typically have to turn down a fair few settings.

The two OLED panels are also pretty much impeccable and offer a fabulous viewing experience, with good pixel density and fantastic colors and response. Rated at 400 nits, both screens are essentially identical and run at up to 120Hz for responsive touch input. In hardware terms, those screens are stunning.

The problems come with the software and interface ergonomics. Windows 11 simply isn't well optimized for touch and while the Asus ScreenXpert software is absolutely crammed with features, tools and widgets for every possible need, there's a steep initial learning curve getting used to both the various gestures for doing things like expanding windows across the two screen, bringing up items like the the various virtual keyboards and trackpads, and then getting app-specific toolbars setup and optimized.

(Image credit: Future / Jeremy Laird)

Even when you have got a setup that you're happy with, it can feel a little flaky as various items, for instance, can occasionally be obscured by the taskbar, touch controls can be unresponsive and some elements are well thought through. You'll also notice little oddities, like the top screen only dimming slightly for a while before both screens shut down to save power.

After the initial delight of using a five finger gesture to expand a webpage across two screens fades, then, you're left with an interface that can feel slightly like quite hard work. Moreover, the core dual-screen experience using the lower screen as a keyboard and trackpad is no substitute for physical input devices. You're going to want to take that clip-on keyboard with you. The upsides, of course, involve a wealth of ergonomic options no normal laptop can match.

Asus Zenbook Duo 2025: Battery life

Battery life can be a concern with any single-screen OLED laptop, but with two screens? Yikes. Actually, the Zenbook Duo (2025) probably outperforms expectations.

In PCMark 10's web test with the screens set to half brightness at the full 120Hz, the Zenbook soldiered on for eight and a half hours. Set the screens to 60Hz and merely watch some video and you may well see the Zenbook sail past the 10 hour mark.

For sure, conventional laptops can last longer. But that's still a very good result and makes for usable near-enough all day battery life.

Should I buy the Asus Zenbook Duo (2025)? Buy it if...

You love that dual-screen setup

The dual OLED screens allow for use cases that make it very hard to go back to a conventional single-screen laptop.

You like touch input

The Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) two OLED panels are both touch enabled and 120Hz, making for an unbeatable touch experience.

You like quality engineering

The Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) is beautifully put together and very nicely designed. The clip-in keyboard is a delight, too.

Don't buy it if...

You want a thin-and-light laptop

The Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) isn't a brick. But there are certainly much thinner and lighter laptops with similar performance available for less money.

You're expecting a fully polished experience

Windows 11 itself isn't terribly well optimized for touch and the extras Asus has added including gestures and tools can be a bit hit and miss.

You want maximum battery life

The Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) isn't a disaster when it comes to battery life. But if that's a high priority, there are laptops available for less that last longer.

Also Consider

If our Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) review has you considering other options, here are two laptops to consider...

Dell XPS 13 2025

The latest Dell XPS 13 (2025) brings Intel's Lunar Lake chips to the iconic laptop line, delivering truly all-day battery life and strong performance across the board in a sleek and stylish MacBook-esque design.

Read our full Dell XPS 13 (2025) review

Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8

With the Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8, Lenovo has nailed it thanks to its elevated design, speedy performance, and wonderful elements like a stunning OLED screen and a stylus included – all for a very competitive price.

Read our full Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8 review

How I tested the Asus Zenbook Duo 2025

I used the Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) as my at-home and on-the-go machine for doing almost everything for a week. That means everything from basic web browsing to watching brain-rot content on YouTube and the usual collab' tools and video conferencing. Oh, and getting more serious work done including image editing.

The latter was particularly interesting given the Asus Zenbook Duo (2025)'s dual touch screens and funky interface tools. That said, it was actually more mundane tasks, namely video conferencing and general work collaboration where the Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) really shines. Once you've got used to having a spare screen to have those tools running while retaining a primary display for your other actual work, you won't want to go back to a single-screen laptop.

I essay that having been a laptop geek for about 20 years and assessing them professionally for about 15. Most laptops don't move the game on or make you think that you might actually need it in your life. The Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) is far from perfect, but it's novel enough to do just that.

First reviewed February 2025

HOKA Cielo X1 2.0: two-minute review

(Image credit: Future)

When I got the chance to try the HOKA Cielo X1 2.0, I was ecstatic. It looked plush and had a rocker design, known to alleviate pain and stress in feet and ankles. This sounded like a shoe I needed to test: two years ago, I was dealing with constant pain in my toes, upper foot, and hips when I ran, so often that I had to stop running for weeks at a time. Finally, I found the HOKA Stinson 7, a trail running shoe that was plusher and relieved my pain when nothing else (stretching, doctor visits, etc.) would. That said, most of the time I run on the road, and that trail running shoe was heavier and bulkier than I liked. HOKA may have started out with a trail running shoe, but since then, they’ve been putting out impressive road running shoes year after year and regularly feature in our best running shoes roundup. The HOKA Cielo X1 2.0 launched in February 2025, the second iteration of the Cielo X1 which launched a year before in February 2024. The Cielo X1 2.0 has a more breathable upper made of engineered jacquard mesh – so breathable and clear that I could see my socked toes and feel the wind and some light rain when I ran on a drizzly day.

HOKA also enhanced the forefoot cushioning and improved the outsole traction. During my testing period, it was particularly rainy in Texas and so I had to run on light rain days or after the rain had stopped. I always felt secure and never slipped, not even when I had to run over slick brick roads in my city’s historic downtown.

(Image credit: Future)

The biggest improvement to the Cielo X1 2.0 has to be in the weight and more aggressive rocker profile. Where the Cielo X1 is 9.3 ounces, the Cielo X1 2.0 has dropped to 8.10 ounces. For those who race, an extra 1.2 ounces can go a long way. To achieve the weight reduction, HOKA utilized significant cutouts on the bottom of the shoe.

Perhaps the most noticeable change is the more pronounced rocker design. Running shoes used to be flat with a slight uptilt near the toe, but rocker shoes changed the game when they came on the scene. They get their name from the pronounced curve on the underside of the shoe, which looks like a rocking chair base. The idea behind the design is that once the runner’s foot hits the ground, they’ll naturally and effortlessly rock forward, resulting in more speed. They’re not only designed to make you run faster and without your feet or legs having to do much work, but rocker shoes may alleviate toe, forefoot, and Achilles heel pain, and reduce stress on your ankles and calves.

I had never tried a rocker shoe before, so I felt like a newborn wobbly colt the first time I stood while wearing the Hoka Cielo X1 2.0. That wobbly feeling disappears when you start to run in the shoes.

I initially found the shoe to be springy and quite plush. HOKA notes that this shoe has a “low profile cushion bed that keeps your foot closer to the ground,” but I have to disagree. It doesn’t feel low profile, especially considering that the thickest part of the footbed is two inches; this shoe is lower in profile compared to HOKA’s other – notoriously – thick shoes.

My feet are not narrow by any means but they’re not quite ‘wide-wide’ either. I was able to comfortably run in these shoes, but I can see the toebox being a problem for wide-footed runners who might feel more comfortable with more space.

From the very first run, I really enjoyed the HOKA Cielo X1 2.0. The instability I felt when I first put them on almost immediately disappeared when I started to run. Right away, I felt stable and confident, and I noticed that I was moving faster than normal but without the usual strain or heavy weight of my previous running shoes. I didn’t have to put much effort into running faster, because my ankle and foot worked seamlessly with the rocker profile to propel me forward. There’s a bounce and springiness to the shoe that felt nice on my stride.

(Image credit: Future)

To be fair, my ankles felt a bit shaky during the first few runs. I think this had to do with the cutouts on the bottom of the shoe and how I naturally pronate with one foot and supinate with the other. I’ve rolled my ankles so many times in my life that I’ve lost count, so I don’t have the strongest ankles to begin with, but because the cutouts near the arch are prominent, I could feel my ankles trying to prevent my foot from pronating too much and the other from supinating. It was awkward at first, but after each run, I noticed that my ankles felt stronger, and my feet were pronating and supinating far less than before.

The way I ran also shifted during testing. I realized that with my previous running shoe, I had been effectively “clomping,” and striking with my midfoot and forefoot as I ran. With the HOKA Cielo X1 2.0, more often than not, I struck with my heel or midfoot and then rocked forward on my toes. This new running style felt more natural and resulted in less strain on my feet and legs. If you naturally strike with your forefoot, you can absolutely run in these shoes, but I think you might be missing out on the benefits of the rocker design.

This is definitely a shoe for long-distance runners who run a variety of distances (especially those training for marathons), as it offers a low-effort and speedy running experience. Sure, there may be an adjustment period with the HOKA Cielo X1 2.0, but it’s well worth it in the long run (pun not intended).

HOKA Cielo X1 2.0: price & availability

(Image credit: Future)

• $275/£250/AU$399
• Available in Frost/Black

The Hoka Cielo X1 2.0 is not cheap by any means. At $275/£250/AU$399, they’re on the pricier end for rocker running shoes, though this isn’t surprising for a brand like HOKA that aims to provide the best type of running shoe for marathon runners. Currently, the Cielo X1 2.0 is only available in a single color option – Frost/Black – and is sold through HOKA and running stores like Road Runner Sports, Marathon Sports, and Paragon Sports. HOKA offers free delivery and free 30-day returns.

HOKA Cielo X1 2.0: specifications HOKA Cielo X1 2.0: scorecard Should I buy the HOKA Cielo X1 2.0?

(Image credit: Future) Buy if it...

You’re a road racer looking for speed.

Combine the lightweight nature of the shoe with the rocker design, and you’ll notice an increase in your running speed.

You prefer a super cushioned running shoe.

HOKA notes that the Cielo X1 2.0 has a low profile (maybe in comparison to their other shoes), but at its thickest point, the cushion bed is two inches thick. During a run, your joints will benefit from the thicker sole, just ask the science.

You suffer from plantar heel, toe, and Achilles pain or ankle and calf injuries.

Studies have found that rocker running shoes can decrease the load on ankles, feet, and calves, minimizing a host of pains or injuries. View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You have no interest in adjusting your run

There is a bit of a learning curve to running with the Cielo X1 2.0, and because of its considerable rocker design, it could adjust the way you run.

You’re looking for a multi-purpose running and workout shoe

Due to the prominent rocker design, it’s only suitable for roads and paved trails. It would feel awkward to lift weights or go to the store in these shoes.

You’re on a budget

The HOKA Cielo X1 2.0 is $275. Unless you consistently run or are training for a marathon, you could find a great pair of running shoes at a more affordable price. View Deal

Also consider

(Image credit: Future)

Altra FWD VIA

The Altra FWD VIA has a smaller drop of 4 mm and a wider toe box.

Read our full Altra FWD VIA review

ASICS Gel-Nimbus 25

The ASICS Gel-Nimbus 25 is an affordable plush running shoe for neutral runners.

Read our full ASICS Gel-Numbus 25 review

How I tested

I tested the Cielo X1 2.0 over the course of a week and a half, by running a variety of distances on the road, paved trails, and on an indoor track. During the testing period, I was able to gauge the shoe’s effectiveness in various weather conditions – sunny, dry days, and during light rain – and how well they did in terms of comfort and foot and joint relief. Everything from the shoe’s weight to the materials and design were considered during testing.

First reviewed: February 2025

Just over a year ago, I reviewed the Anker Solix F3800 Portable Power Station, which is great; the only issue was that it was huge and heavy. So, while technically portable, it was not pleasant to move around. Since then, I have doubled my usage of the F3800, got another one, and had an electrician install the Smart Home Power Panel from Anker, plus a sub-panel that Anker offers to create a fully backed-up home/studio.

The F3800 is now offered in a package with just that, two F3800s with a smart home panel, and you can add on the sub panel depending on your use case. This package is designed to meet the rising demand and plea for electrical backup and sustainable power in this digital world.

Not only is this a residential power backup solution, but it also acts as the inverter and does all the heavy lifting if I want to add solar panels and cut back on my grid usage. All around, the F3800 was impressive, and one of the best portable power stations I've reviewed. Where it lacked is mitigated when you add another and the home power panel and shove this in your storage area behind your office, granting peace of mind for your home in case of severe weather or power outage, plus the opportunity to throw solar panels on your roof to collect some extra power from none other than the sun.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Anker Solix F3800 Home Power System: Price and Availability

This package from Anker is typically priced just north of $9,000. However, they are currently discounted to $5,599 with the code WSTDQR0929. There are options for installment payments through several different providers through Anker's website if needed, which is lovely as these are offered exclusively via Anker's website and have limited-time promotions.

Anker Solix F3800 Home Power System: Unboxing & first impressions

Since I already had one F3800, I was familiar with what it would be like to receive another. Nothing was different; the only new part was getting the power panel and the sub-panel. The Smart Power Panel was smaller than I expected, but I'm not upset because it fits better than I thought on the wall I picked.

Right now, I only have two F3800s. However, in the future, I will probably expand my battery capacity by adding a BP3800, which is just a battery unit that one of the F3800s could utilize. I could add up to 12 (6 per F3800) BP3800 batteries, each at 3840Wh capacity, totaling a whopping 53.8kWh battery capacity stored for my home.

Another thing I will add is solar panels. This time around, I did not grab any. However, I will probably add these in the future, especially since all I need are the panels and the cable to get down to my basement since I already have the inverter and batteries installed.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

The setup process was straightforward; I called an electrician. In all seriousness, though, the electrician also had a pretty straightforward setup. He located my breaker in my basement, tailed off of that to connect to the Smart Home panel, and then integrated a sub-panel as well, so if I do have to power my home via these batteries, I can designate where that power is even able to go, prioritizing the essentials, and not having to worry about if there is something in my home that was left on that is not essential that would be a waste of battery.

After installing these, I could plug the cables from the power panel down to the F3800s, tuck them away, and then set them up through the app. I added my home, connected the unit to Wi-Fi, and then it registered that the F3800s were connected. From that point, I could see what I was pulling off the grid and set how much capacity I wanted the batteries to fill to (I chose a standard of 90%, with the ability to trigger "storm guard" that will quickly fill the batteries to 100% when I get an alert that there is a storm coming and then go back to my standard after that storm has passed) and the ability to set up other safety and battery preservation settings.

Anker Solix F3800 Home Power System: Design & build quality Specs

Output: 12kW (dual system) with 120V/240V split-phase support.
Capacity: 7.68kWh per unit, expandable to 53.8kWh with additional batteries.
Solar Input: Up to 2,400W, compatible with MC4-based solar panels.
Battery: LFP with an expected lifespan of 10+ years.
Charging: AC (1,800W) and solar (80% in 1.5 hours).

The overall design of this setup is quite sleek. I've seen some significant and cumbersome setups, and they always need to be placed outside because they have exhaust systems from gas generators.

The reasonably sized power panel can be mounted to the wall with two simple brackets. Lastly, the sub-panel can be mounted on identical cross beams to the power panel, making installation easy.

Anker Solix F3800 Home Power System: In use

So far, having my entire home backed up with battery power has been fantastic. It's freeing to know that, with my three kids and my wife, we can ensure that our house and what we need for the children are okay in a power outage. Any sound machines, heaters, fans, night lights, monitors for their rooms, security alarms, and so forth are all backed up in an emergency, storm that knocks out power, or grid outages.

Previously, in the "prepare for the worst" mindset that I have and my unique situation where I have a multitude of power stations on hand at any given time, I would have power stations set up around the house at key areas ready for a power outage as a UPS, or I knew that if I ever needed to, I could run down to my office and drag one of the big ones up to plug in the fridge, a heater, or whatever else I needed in the moment. Now, however, I don't have to do any of that. Granted, I still have the Solix C1000 running my main desk in my office, but that's simply because I chose not to include the finished part of the basement in my sub-panel so I could focus the battery on more important things that I don't already have a solution for such as the heat, stage one of my AC, fridges, kids rooms, primary bedroom, and the microwave. I also chose to have my living room backed up, knowing that my central unit for my mesh router system (review coming soon) and the modem is there.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

Because of the draw of my stage one AC unit for my house, I opted for two F3800s to get the 12kW, as opposed to the 6kW that I could get with just one F3800.

Another great feature is that I can output at 120V or 240V, depending on the demand of the equipment. This means that if I wanted to, I could run my electric dryer, charge my not-so-real-but-maybe-in-the-future Tesla, or even run another stage on my HVAC.

All of this "preparing for the worst" is great, but what might be the coolest part of this setup is something that I haven't even mentioned yet. It's the fact that I could throw some solar panels on my roof or even in my yard if I wanted to, and I could harvest the sun to not only refill my batteries but help run my house in a power outage or even offset my grid usage. I could set this up to where, in peak hours (if I lived in an area with peak hours for electrical), I could pull from solar and battery power and then recharge in the lower hours, utilizing solar when I can and then pulling from the grid last, saving money on electricity. All of this could be set automatically, meaning that without even thinking about it or changing anything I am doing, I could save real money on electricity with this Anker SOLIX Smart Home Power Kit.

Anker Solix F3800 Home Power System: Final verdict

The Anker Solix F3800 Smart Home Power Kit offers a near-perfect blend of performance, scalability, and sustainability. While its steep upfront cost may give potential buyers pause, its ability to be both a backup solution and a solar powerhouse, saving you money on electricity every day, makes this an incredible two-birds-one-stone solution.

SteelSeries Stratus Duo: one-minute review

The SteelSeries Stratus Duo is a compact wireless controller compatible with PC, Android, Chromebook and some VR headsets, thanks to its multiple connectivity modes.

It adopts a rather classic design, reminiscent of Xbox and PlayStation controllers, although it has a smaller, thinner form factor. The total black colorway is rather austere, and the lack of any RGB lighting is a departure from many gaming peripherals.

Compared to many of the best PC controllers around, the layout itself feels quite small in the hand. This makes all buttons easy to reach, especially the shoulder buttons, which are also favorably angled to decrease the amount of finger flexing required.

The build quality feels high all round, with the buttons satisfyingly damped, especially the bumpers, which are perhaps the standout in this regard. However, the LED light bar is roughly finished around the edges, which is a surprise given SteelSeries usual attention to detail.

The Stratus Duo feels great to game with. Its buttons are snappy and responsive, and the triggers and joysticks are precise with plenty of feel. Additionally, the D-pad is accurate and easy to use, although its proximity to the left joystick and sharp edges may prove irksome for some. However, these are minor gripes with what is otherwise a high-performing controller.

Connecting the Stratus Duo to a PC wirelessly was easy, requiring no setup other than plugging in the 2.4GHz USB dongle. It was just as responsive as when connecting using the included USB cable (which, amazingly, uses the micro USB standard, rather than USB-C). Bluetooth connection to Android devices also proved easy, stable and lag-free.

Battery life on the Stratus Duo is also good, in line with the 20-hour claim SteelSeries makes. However, its charging time of about two and a half hours is less than impressive.

The Stratus Duo competes with other popular controllers in terms of price. It has the edge over those controllers thanks to its multiple connectivity and compatibility options, although the lack of customization is a drawback. Ultimately, it may come down to hand size, as the compact layout may exclude those with larger hands, who will likely be better off with the Xbox Wireless Controller, for instance. For everyone else, though, the Stratus Duo is a competent controller with great performance.

(Image credit: Future) SteelSeries Stratus Duo review: price and availability

• $59 / £64 / AU$105
• Available now
• Black colorway only

The Stratus Duo costs $59 / £64 / AU$105 and is available now in one colorway: black. The SteelSeries SmartGrip, an attachment for holding an Android smartphone, is sold separately and costs £9.99.

At this price, it’s up against the Xbox Wireless Controller, one of the best PC controllers and best Xbox controllers around. It does have more connectivity options than the Xbox controller, though, as well as a rechargeable battery as standard.

Although it’s compatible with various platforms, it doesn’t officially work with PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch consoles. If you’re after one of the best PS5 controllers, then the PlayStation DualSense controller is top of the class, and the 8BitDo Ultimate is one of the best Nintendo Switch controllers in our view. Both of these aren’t much more expensive than the Stratus Pro.

SteelSeries Stratus Duo review: specs

(Image credit: Future) SteelSeries Stratus Duo review: design and features

• Compact form factor
• Finely damped buttons
• No software

The Stratus Duo sports an all-black color scheme with an angular design that looks somewhere between an Xbox controller and a PlayStation DualSense, although it’s thinner and lighter than either of those.

It’s also more compact in its layout, with all its buttons relatively close together. The grips are more prominent too, meaning you can really wrap your fingers around them.

The shoulder buttons angle downwards more than on other controllers, which is a welcome feature and makes reaching for them much more comfortable, as well as being easier to press, as less finger bending is required.

Adopting the same schema as the Xbox, the Stratus Duo's buttons position Y and A top and bottom respectively, and X and B on the left and right. Although the buttons themselves are black like the rest of the Stratus Duo, there is a handy color key between the buttons – again mimicking the Xbox standard – although this is quite small and hard to parse in the heat of the moment if you need to look down to check.

The construction feels solid, with nicely damped buttons that are satisfying to press, especially the bumpers, which are far better to use than those on the Xbox controller. All buttons are also tightly fitted with very little play. One strange area where SteelSeries seems to have dropped the ball, though, is the plastic around the LED bars, as my unit appeared to show signs of fraying, which is not what you’d expect from a SteelSeries product.

Another baffling design choice is the fact that the Stratus Duo uses a micro USB port rather than the now ubiquitous USB-C. Thankfully, a cable is included, but considering most of the world has left the micro USB standard behind, it’s a bizarre decision.

What’s more, the Stratus Duo can’t be customized or tinkered with using SteelSeries’ GG software, which does feel like a missed opportunity, even at this price point. Even the Xbox Wireless Controller allows for some degree of remapping, but there’s none of that here with the Stratus Duo.

(Image credit: Future) SteelSeries Stratus Duo review: performance

• Responsive buttons
• Precise joysticks and triggers
• Easy connectivity

Gaming with the Stratus Duo is a mostly positive experience. It feels comfortable in the hands, largely thanks to the ergonomic grip design, and the aforementioned compact layout makes every button easy to reach.

The joysticks are precise and offer enough grip without getting sticky to the touch, as those on other controllers are prone to. And while both sticks are relatively close together, I didn’t experience any issue with my two thumbs clashing.

The triggers are also great to use, offering plenty of control and feedback without being too weighty. This allows for precise inputs, very useful in racing games for subtle throttle control, despite not having as much travel as other controller triggers, such as those on the Xbox controller and the DualSense.

The D-pad is quick and easy to use, amenable to rolling in multiple directions, which is largely thanks to the long four-way prongs. Despite all directions being housed within a single unit – as opposed to having entirely separate buttons for each direction – I didn’t experience any mispresses.

However, the edges of the D-pad are quite sharp, which can be irritating after long sessions, and the aforementioned compact layout also meant that I sometimes knocked the left analog stick when making fast and frantic presses.

The inputs themselves are very responsive when using wirelessly with the included 2.4GHz dongle. Connecting via this method was a simple case of plug and play, and I experienced no issues with lag or stability.

The same is true when connecting via Bluetooth to Android devices. There’s a simple toggle switch on top for Bluetooth and 2.4GHz modes, and a pairing button should you need it. I also didn’t notice any discernable difference in lag between using Bluetooth and the 2.4GHz dongle.

SteelSeries claims a battery life of over 20 hours for the Stratus Duo. Although I wasn’t able to reach its limits during my time with it, I can say that it barely dipped after several days of use. It took around two and a half hours to charge from empty to full, which isn’t a stellar performance; thankfully, you can charge and play at the same time.

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the SteelSeries Stratus Duo? Buy it if...

You want to connect to other devices
As well as PC, the Stratus Duo is compatible with Android devices, thanks to its Bluetooth capability. It’s also compatible with Chromebooks and certain VR headsets.

You want a compact controller
The Stratus Pro is smaller than other popular controllers, with a more compressed layout, so its great for those who really want to get a handle on their pad.

Don't buy it if...

You want to play on console
Despite strong compatibility for some devices, it misses out on console play, with Xbox, PlayStation and Switch all excluded.

You have large hands
That reduced form factor may be a problem for those with larger hands, and I did experience some clashing between the D-pad and left stick in use.

Also consider... SteelSeries Stratus Duo review: also consider

Microsoft Xbox Wireless Controller
The standard bearer and our pick as the best controller for PC, The Xbox Wireless Controller does most things well. It connects to many devices, thanks to its Bluetooth and wired capabilities. However, there are few missteps, such as the lack of a rechargeable battery as standard, and customization is limited.

Read our Microsoft Xbox Wireless Controller review

PlayStation DualSense Wireless Controller
If you’re in the market for a controller to use on PlayStation, then the DualSense Wireless Controller is certainly one of the best PS5 controllers in our view. It also works with many PC games, and can connect wired or wirelessly. The only real drawbacks are its weak battery life and mic quality.

Read our DualSense Wireless Controller review

How I tested the SteelSeries Stratus Duo

• Tested for several days
• Played various titles on PC and Android
• Over 25 years of gaming experience

I tested the Stratus Duo for several days and used it to play games on PC and on Android.

I played a variety of titles, designed to test each aspect of the Stratus Duo: I played Tekken 8 to test its responsiveness and D-pad ability, Assetto Corsa to test the precision of the triggers and analog sticks, and Call of Duty: Mobile to see how well the Stratus Duo handles Android games over Bluetooth.

In over 25 years of gaming I have used a large number of first- and third-party controllers for PC, Xbox, Nintendo and PlayStation. I have also reviewed many gaming peripherals, including other controllers, mice, and keyboards.

• Read more about how we test
• First reviewed November 2024

This review first appeared in issue 355 of PC Pro.

Copilot has three main uses in Word: creating a draft for either an entire document or for sections of it, based on a prompt of up to 2,000 characters; rewriting selected text according to a prompt; and answering questions about a document’s content, including summarizing it.

When you create a new document in Word, you’ll see how much Microsoft wants you to draft using Copilot: it’s the first thing you see. And any time you make a new paragraph, the Copilot icon shows up in the left margin, letting you input a prompt to write a new section. If you select text, the icon shows up with an option to rewrite the selection. There’s also a Copilot icon in the Home toolbar, which opens a sidebar so you can ask questions about the open document, summarize it, or write additional parts.

The output quality of any big language model depends on the prompt you provide. If you aren’t specific or clear enough, Copilot Pro will produce dull texts that don’t match your voice. You must give sufficient details and context for it to understand your purpose and style, as well as information about the preferences of the audience, all of which can be tricky in a prompt limited to 2,000 characters.

Occasionally, it’s vague, drifts off-topic, or entirely ignores explicit instructions – for example, about word counts or facts you have told it to include. You must check and edit the texts that Copilot Pro writes to make sure they’re right for your goal and audience.

Copilot for Word works best if you ask it to create an outline rather than an entire document (Image credit: Future)

Copilot has its own little linguistic ticks, which you will probably need to be explicit about in prompts. It absolutely adores bullet-pointed lists, and will include them every time unless you tell it not to. Similarly, and likely reflecting the web content on which it’s trained, it loves to include “hints and tips” sections in virtually every kind of content.

Rewriting is also erratic. Although its grammar is impeccable (albeit with a penchant for the Oxford comma and American spellings), Copilot won’t catch and fix all the problems in your paragraphs; think coherence, structure and flow. It’s no replacement for a dedicated tool such as Grammarly or LanguageTool. I even found that Copilot added in things that Microsoft Editor thought were errors.

Copilot can still be handy in Word if you use it for what it’s good at. For example, instead of making it write a whole document, ask it to create an outline for you to work. This delivers solid results, and if nothing else avoids the blank sheet of paper issue.

I also found it handy to keep the sidebar open when working on a long piece; in one case, I needed to make sure that every chapter included a call to action at the end, and that’s something Copilot is great at. It’s also handy for those moments when you want to get suggestions for something, whether that’s as trivial as looking for an antonym or as complex as “give me five typical Russian male first names, popular in the 1950s”.

Considering that this is Microsoft’s first stab at Copilot for Word, it’s an impressive piece of work.

We also rated the best online learning platforms.

Kalorik Vivid Touch Touchscreen Air Fryer: one-minute review

The Kalorik Vivid Touch 7 Quart High-Resolution Touchscreen Air Fryer with Window stands out from the crowded air fryer scene in a couple of ways. First and foremost, it has a high-resolution touchscreen. I thought perhaps it was a silly gimmick until I actually tried it. The touchscreen meant that I didn't have to refer to a guide to figure out how to cook a particular item. It's all right there in the menu. For example, if you want to heat up some frozen french fries, just tap the French Fries option from the menu. From there, you choose from House Cut, Wedges, Fresh, Crinkle, Waffle, or Curly. Then you choose your quantity, make any adjustments to time and temperature you wish, and then hit start.

The other feature that isn't necessarily typical for air fryers is the large window and interior light so you can take a peek at your food's progress without interrupting the cook cycle.

Overall, this is a pretty typical drawer-style air fryer with some special touches that make it better.

Kalorik Vivid Touch Touchscreen Air Fryer: price and availability

• List price: $149.99 (about £119 / AU$240)

The Kalorik Vivid Touch 7-Quart High-Resolution Touchscreen Air Fryer with Window is available at many retailers both online and in brick-and-mortar stores such as Amazon, Home Depot, HSN, Walmart, and more. Choose from three color options: stainless steel, graphite, and black. The retail price is $149.99 USD for the 7-quart size. There is also a 5-Quart version, which retails for $129.99 and comes in just one color, stainless steel.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Kalorik Vivid Touch Touchscreen Air Fryer: specifications Kalorik Vivid Touch Touchscreen Air Fryer: design and features

• High-resolution touchscreen
• Twelve cooking menus
• Window and interior light

The Kalorik Vivid Touch looks like a regular air fryer, with the standard drawer and interior crisping tray. You pull out the drawer by its large handle, place your food on the crisping tray, and air fry your food. However, instead of pressing buttons, the Vivid Touch is operated entirely via touch screen.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

To use the air fryer, pull out the drawer and place the crisping tray inside. In the drawer, you'll see markings indicating the level of food you have inside. These markings will come into play when you start a cooking cycle. In certain cook modes, you'll select the quantity of your food of your based on these markings.

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(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

The touchscreen menu technically has 12 cooking modes: French Fries, Frozen Faves, Pizza, Chicken, Red Meat, Pork, Veggies, Fish, Seafood, Bake, Vegan, Latin Food, Defrost, Preheat, Reheat, and DIY. In actuality, it's much more than that. For example, if you tap on the Veggies menu, you'll see more options: Florets (broccoli and cauliflower), Whole Corn, Cut Carrots, Cut Zucchini, Brussel Sprouts, and Green Beans. Under Chicken, you can choose from Wings, Tenderloins, Breast, Thighs, Drumsticks and Half Chicken. The Vegan menu includes Veggie Burger, Cauliflower Wings, Vegan Sausage, Tofu, Tempeh, and Seitan. Tap Latin Food and you'll see Chimichangas, Taquitos, Arepas, Platanos Maduros, Enchiladas, and Nachos.

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(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Choose your cooking mode, then choose your specific food. You'll usually be asked to choose your quantity at that point, and also you'll have the option to change the time and the temperature if you wish. Press Start.

At the halfway point, you'll get an alarm telling you to shake (or turn) your food for even browning. This is important, because the heat comes only from the top. If you don't flip your food, only the top will get crisp and the underneath can get soggy. Tap the light bulb icon to turn on the interior light and keep an eye on your food through the window.

You'll be alerted when your cook time is complete. There is an "add two minutes" button you can tap if you like. Otherwise, remove your food and enjoy.

Cleaning the Kalorik Vivid Touch is easy enough, just hand wash the drawer and crisping tray after use. I don't even remove the tray for cleanup. You should also wipe down the interior of the air fryer outside of the drawer as needed.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Kalorik Vivid Touch Touchscreen Air Fryer: performance

I tested a number of foods in the Kalorik Vivid Touch on various cooking modes with varying degrees of success. Generally it works best for air frying pre-made and frozen convenience foods or reheating and re-crisping leftovers. I did try baking in the Vivid Touch and that worked okay, but only when baking very small and thin items.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

I can't take credit for the tofu curry dish seen above, my youngest kiddo made this delicious dinner. They seasoned and breaded the tofu, fried it up in the Kalorik Touch and put it together with curry veggies and rice. It was truly perfection.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Frozen French Fries become a perfectly fried treat in the Kalorik Vivid Touch. The fries are crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle. They couldn't be easier to make. Just be sure to shake the drawer at the halfway point; you'll be alerted when you should do so. This ensures even browning.

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(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

I made sweet potato "fries" from scratch in the air fryer with just a quick spritz of oil, salt, and pepper. They were delicious, browned on the outside and soft in the middle. I also make lots of fresh veggies and some definitely came out better than others. All of them got blackened, which I enjoy. But for some reason, the cauliflower came out perfect, but the broccoli and Brussels sprouts came out a little bit tough.

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Baking in the Kalorik Vivid Touch is possible but not ideal. I baked a quick two-ingredient bread (greek yogurt and self-rising flour) which came out pretty well. You definitely want to keep it thin and small, and even flip it if possible. I made pancake bites in a small silicone muffin mold, and it took two tries to get them right. The key is to fill the molds less than halfway. Fill them up any more than that and they come out burned on top, raw in the middle.

I also attempted corn bread from a mix. I started with a baked the batter in two 5 x 5 inch pans instead of the 8 x 8 inch pan suggested on the box. I made one in the air fryer and the other in my toaster oven. The toaster oven one came out fine but the air fryer one was a fail. Though it was perfectly browned on top, it was raw in the middle.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

However, when I heated frozen pre-made waffles in the Kalorik Vivid Touch air fryer, they came out just perfect. Nice and crisp on the outside, fluffy and warm on the inside. I did flip them halfway through the cook time and put a little chocolate on there which melted nicely.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Although I'm a vegetarian, I did make some chicken for my husband. I can barely touch raw meat, but I popped the chicken into the drawer, selected "Breast" from the "Chicken" menu, and it came out great. I did flip it half way as instructed, and I also added two minutes at the end of the cook time because it was a rather thick chicken breast.

• Performance score: 4/5

Should you buy the Kalorik Vivid Touch Touchscreen Air Fryer? Buy it if

You prefer a touchscreen over buttons

No need to consult a manual over and over. The touchscreen makes operation easier and gives you lots of ideas of what you might make in the Kalorik Vivid Touch and exactly how to make them.

You want to air fry a variety of foods

With twelve different cook modes, if you can imagine air frying it, the Kalorik Vivid Touch can do it. Of course the DIY mode means the options are endless.

You want to keep an eye on your food

While your food is cooking, just tap the light bulb icon to light up the interior and peek at your food's progress. No need to open it and interrupt the cooking cycle.

Don't buy it if

You lack counter space

The Kalorik Vivid Touchscreen Air Fryer, particularly the 7-Quart model I tested, takes up a bit of counter space. It's not ugly but it doesn't exactly raise your kitchen's chic factor either.

You want the cheapest possible no frills air fryer

There are certainly cheaper options out there.

You plan to do a lot of baking in your air fryer

If that’s the case, you might prefer a toaster oven-air fryer combo appliance instead.

Kalorik Vivid Touch Touchscreen Air Fryer: also consider

If you're not sure about the Kalorik Vivid Touchscreen Air Fryer, here are some other options to consider ...

Ninja Double Oven Air Fryer

Cook two different items two different ways at the same time in this two-compartment air fryer oven. This is a good pick if you want to bake and air fry with the same appliance, which is why it earned a place in our roundup of the best air fryers.

Read our full review here.

Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System

The clever Ninja Crispi air fries your food directly in a glass container that goes straight to the table and later the fridge if you have leftovers.

Check out our full review here.

How I tested the Kalorik Vivid Touch Touchscreen Air Fryer

• I tested many different cooking modes multiple times
• I used it daily for two weeks to cook a variety of food
• I cleaned it daily

I love to eat healthy meals but I don't really enjoy cooking. I'm always on the hunt for a kitchen gadget that makes cooking quicker and easier. The Kalorik Vivid Touch does that, particularly for crisping up convenience foods so they taste amazing. My husband and youngest (adult) child enjoyed using the Kalorik Vivid Touch as well. Between us, we made: veggie burgers, hash browns, veggie nuggets, broccoli, frozen waffles, veggie chicken nuggets, chicken breast, fresh sweet potato fries, cauliflower, cottage cheese bread, yogurt bread, breaded tofu, corn bread, pancake bites, tater tots, Brussels sprouts, french fries, and reheated pizza.

Read more about how we test.

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This review first appeared in issue 355 of PC Pro.

If you want an example of what not to use Copilot for in PowerPoint, then I have just the thing.

You might think that asking Copilot Pro to “create a presentation about Copilot Pro in PowerPoint” would be an easy win for the AI. You would think wrong: instead, it came up with a presentation about a fictitious piece of software that appears to combine advanced aircraft flight planning with a collision avoidance system – which it illustrated with a picture of a car.

Of all the Office applications, PowerPoint probably benefits least from Copilot Pro when it comes to creating documents from scratch. This is down to it not having one of the key features that business users of Copilot get: the ability to take a Word document and turn it into a PowerPoint deck. PowerPoint is, fundamentally, an application for taking information and presenting it in a visual format, and a 2,000-character prompt just isn’t enough for anything except the shortest presentations.

“Create a six-slide presentation about processors” resulted in this half-decent effort, even if Copilot’s choice of images is a little random (not unusually). (Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

What Copilot is good for, though, is taking an existing deck and improving it. If you don’t like a visual being on the left-hand side of a slide, you can just ask Copilot to move it to the right – although you also need to tell it to move whatever is already on the right to the left, too, if you don’t want a visual pile-up to ensue. Similarly, asking it to change the headline font on all slides to, say, Constantia – and it makes the changes in seconds – feels magical.

Wisely, Microsoft includes a set of pre-made prompts to get you started with the kind of things that Copilot is good at. For example, it can scan a deck for deadlines and list them all out, helping you avoid that moment when you realize you have combined two people’s work and got entirely different deadlines for a project in them.

Overall, stick to the preset prompts at first, and Copilot Pro in PowerPoint is a useful tool.

We also ranked the best small business accounting software.