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• UK-based Fractile is backed by NATO and wants to build faster and cheaper in-memory AI compute
• Nvidia's bruteforce GPU approach consumes too much power and is held back by memory
• Fractile's numbers focused on a cluster of H100 GPU comparison, not the mainstream H200

Nvidia sits comfortably at the top of the AI hardware food chain, dominating the market with its high-performance GPUs and CUDA software stack, which have quickly become the default tools for training and running large AI models - but that dominance comes at a cost - namely, a growing target on its back.

Hyperscalers like Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Meta are pouring resources into developing their own custom silicon in an effort to reduce their dependence on Nvidia’s chips and cut costs. At the same time, a wave of AI hardware startups is trying to capitalize on rising demand for specialized accelerators, hoping to offer more efficient or affordable alternatives and, ultimately, to displace Nvidia.

You may not have heard of UK-based Fractile yet, but the startup, which claims its revolutionary approach to computing can run the world’s largest language models 100x faster and at 1/10th the cost of existing systems, has some pretty noteworthy backers, including NATO and the former CEO of Intel, Pat Gelsinger.

Removing every bottleneck

“We are building the hardware that will remove every bottleneck to the fastest possible inference of the largest transformer networks," Fractile says.

"This means the biggest LLMs in the world running faster than you can read, and a universe of completely new capabilities and possibilities for how we work that will be unlocked by near-instant inference of models with superhuman intelligence.”

It’s worth pointing out, before you get too excited, that Fractile’s performance numbers are based on comparisons with clusters of Nvidia H100 GPUs using 8-bit quantization and TensorRT-LLM, running Llama 2 70B - not the newer H200 chips.

In a LinkedIn posting, Gelsinger, who recently joined VC firm Playground Global as a General Partner, wrote, “Inference of frontier AI models is bottlenecked by hardware. Even before test-time compute scaling, cost and latency were huge challenges for large scale LLM deployments... To achieve our aspirations for AI, we will need radically faster, cheaper and much lower power inference.”

“I’m pleased to share that I’ve recently invested in Fractile, a UK-founded AI hardware company who are pursuing a path that’s radical enough to offer such a leap," he then revealed.

"Their in-memory compute approach to inference acceleration jointly tackles the two bottlenecks to scaling inference, overcoming both the memory bottleneck that holds back today’s GPUs, while decimating power consumption, the single biggest physical constraint we face over the next decade in scaling up data center capacity. In fact, some of the ideas I was exploring in my graduate work at Stanford University will now come to mainstream AI computing!”

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• Two US Senators have asked tech giants for more information on AI deals
• Even partial acquisitions could harm competition
• The FTC also noted potential competition issues

Two tech industry titans that have been the subjects of many an anticompetitive investigation are now being questioned over their partnerships with AI companies.

Democratic US Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden are reportedly demanding information about the deals Google and Microsoft have with companies at the forefront of artificial intelligence.

The concern is that these strong partnerships could impact competition within the industry, violate antitrust laws, and ultimately lead to both fewer choices and higher prices for customers.

Microsoft and Google questioned over AI deals

In question are Microsoft’s deal with OpenAI and Google’s deal with Anthropic, with the Senators seeking financial details of payments made by AI firms to their cloud providers and information on whether the companies have exclusive rights to certain AI models.

Warren and Wyden also want to know whether Google or Microsoft have any intentions to acquire their respective AI partners.

“Partnerships between CSPs and AI developers, if left unchecked, may accelerate consolidation of the AI sector, ultimately driving up prices and choking off innovation,” the two said in their letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei (via Reuters), and in their second letter to Microsoft and OpenAI’s CEOs, Satya Nadella and Sam Altman.

This isn’t the first time these specific companies have come under fire for their involvement with leading AI firms.

A separate January 2025 report by the Federal Trade Commission had already studied such partnerships, raising concerns about potential acquisitions which could spell out disaster for competition.

“As noted in the FTC and Department of Justice (DOJ)’s merger guidelines, even partial acquisitions may present 'significant competitive concerns' because of the effects on firms’ incentives and strategy,” the Senators continue.

TechRadar Pro has contacted all four companies for comments and context, but we have not received any responses as yet.

Via Reuters

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• A critical flaw was discovered in file transfer tool CrushFTP
• Experts claim the issue was being abused in the wild
• CISA added the flaw to its KEV catalog

A critical-severity vulnerability plaguing file transfer software CrushFTP was found being actively exploited in the wild.

Earlier this month, it was reported that the software, commonly used by organizations to handle large-scale file transfers, contained an authentication bypass vulnerability which allowed unauthenticated attackers to gain administrative access.

By specifically targeting the crushadmin account, threat actors could abuse the flaw to compromise the target system entirely.

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CISA adds it to KEV

The flaw is now tracked as CVE-2025-31161, and was given a severity score of 9.8/10 (critical)

It affects CrushFTP versions 10 before 10.8.4 and 11 before 11.3.1. Users are strongly advised to update to these versions immediately, and if they can’t, enabling the DMZ proxy instance can serve as a temporary workaround.

Security researchers have warned that the bugs were used in the wild to install remote management tools like AnyDesk and MeshAgent, The Hacker News reported.

CISA has also picked up on the news, adding the bug to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog (KEV). This means that Federal Civilian Executive Branch (FCEB) agencies have a three-week deadline (until April 28) to apply the patch, or stop using CrushFTP entirely.

Cybercriminals often target managed file transfer software vulnerabilities, since they could allow access to sensitive corporate files and databases. In fact, one of the most devastating cyberattacks in recent history happened in 2023, when ransomware operator Cl0p abused a previously unknown SQL injection vulnerability in MOVEit managed file transfer software to breach hundreds of corporations around the world.

A year before that, GoAnywhere MFT was breached and used to steal sensitive data from almost 130 organizations, and in January 2024, the same software was found to be vulnerable to a critical path traversal weakness flaw.

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Colossal Biosciences says it used novel gene-editing technology to alter gray wolf DNA to breed the animals. Dire wolves recently featured prominently in the HBO series Game of Thrones.

The Supreme Court's stay, which allows the administration to execute the firings for now while it litigates in federal court, does not mean the terminations were lawful.

(Image credit: Win McNamee)

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Google Cloud Next 2025!

We're live in Las Vegas and ready for a packed few days hearing about Google's latest cloud and AI news.

The event kicks off tomorrow (Wednesday) with a keynote hosted by Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian, who will be joined on stage by a host of guests, doubtless with much to tell us, so stay tuned for all the details as it happens!

Good morning from sunny Las Vegas! We're here for Google Cloud Next, and after a slighted delayed arrival into the city last night, are busy getting ready for the event kicking off tomorrow.

If you'd like a reminder of everything announced at last year's event, you can revisit our live blog here.

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• Hades 2 will be a Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 exclusive at launch
• Supergiant Games announced the news alongside a new Creator's Voice video shared today
• Hades 2 will be coming to other platforms at a later time

Supergiant Games has announced that Hades 2 will be a Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive at launch.

Hades 2 has been in Early Access for almost a year now and we recently learned that the sequel to the popular roguelike game will also be heading to the Nintendo Switch 2 when it's ready for a full release.

Now, alongside a new Creator's Voice video showcasing the behind-the-scenes development of the game, Supergiant has revealed that the game will be exclusive to the Switch and Switch 2 when it releases but that it's still planned for other consoles and PC post-launch.

Supergiant shared the news on X / Twitter, saying, "While we have no set date just yet for v1.0 of HADES II, we can confirm its console launch will be on #NintendoSwitch2 as well as the original Nintendo Switch, where HADES got its start."

Battle beyond the Underworld using dark sorcery to take on the Titan of Time in #HadesII. This bewitching sequel is coming first on console to both Nintendo Switch and #NintendoSwitch2. pic.twitter.com/dpsJZ56hLvApril 2, 2025

During the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct last week, a bunch of other Switch 2 exclusives were also revealed, including Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, and The Duskbloods.

We also learned that the console will be released on June 5, 2025, for $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for a Mario Kart World bundle.

Switch 2 pre-orders are officially live in the UK, but fans in the US will need to wait a little longer to secure theirs as Nintendo has delayed Switch 2 pre-orders from its original April 9 date to assess the potential impact of tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration.

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• Turkey plans to expand the authorities' power to block access to social media on the grounds of "national security"
• Global companies with over 1 million users in Turkey will also be required to set up a local company
• Messaging platforms are also included in the so-called "over-the-top service providers" expected to follow the new rules

Turkey plans to expand authorities' power to block access to social media and messaging platforms on "national security" grounds without a court order.

As per a report by the Turkish news site Ekonomim and reported by Bianet English, the draft amendment would also require these so-called "over-the-top service providers" to establish a local company when they have more than 1 million users in Turkey.

The draft law follows a 42-hour social media shutdown, amid protests sparked by the arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu, that forced citizens to turn to the best VPN apps. Unrest is still ongoing across the country at the time of writing.

Turkey's internet control

Turkey is infamous for seeking control over the internet. VPN provider Surfshark, for instance, recorded a total of 17 instances in which authorities enforced some form of internet restriction since 2015. Instagram, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, and Telegram are the main targets.

Examples include a block on X at a time when people needed it most – the aftermath of the deadly earthquake that shook both Turkey and Syria in February 2023. Social media and messaging apps went dark during times of political turmoil in 2024, too.

Do you know?

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Turkish authorities have also been cracking down on VPN services, the most popular tool to bypass government-imposed internet restrictions, since at least December 2023. People have reportedly managed to evade this ban, however, as most VPNs, like Proton VPN, keep recording usage spikes across the country.

Halting the spread of hate speech and disinformation is usually the motive behind these temporary blocks to people's online communications, as per current regulations upon obtaining a court order.

The draft amendment would, however, empower the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) to directly restrict access to social media and messaging apps "on grounds of national security, public order, public health, or similar public interest considerations," Bianet English reported.

As the news site points out, BTK already has the power to throttle bandwidth by up to 90 percent for up to 24 hours during emergencies, de facto making accessing targeted websites and apps almost impossible.

The amendment could also expand on existing requirements to appoint a local representative, mandating a new obligation to set up a local company for providers with more than 1 million users in Turkey.

Mass censorship & information control is spreading worldwide. Turkey’s new “cybersecurity” law is widely seen as another censorship tool.Setting up a @signalapp proxy server helps keep private communication alive even when regimes try to shut it down.https://t.co/hpfgwQtrut pic.twitter.com/2Fl7doIEA0March 30, 2025

The news of the draft amendment comes at a delicate time of political turmoil. Protests over the arrest of the major opposition leaders are still ongoing, in fact, with journalists increasingly facing arrest.

X accounts of protesters and opposition figures have also been reportedly blocked at Erdogan's orders.

Additionally, on March 13, 2025, a new cybersecurity law was also enforced, introducing new powers to fight back against cybercrime in the country. These include "two to five years in prison for falsely claiming that a cybersecurity-related data leak has occurred," Bianet English reported.

Yet, digital rights now fear these new powers are too broad and could be used to restrict independent reporting and stifle dissent, the Global Voices reported. This could de facto increase internet censorship levels even further.

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• Nintendo has reportedly delayed Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders in Canada
• This is to align with the delayed US pre-order timing
• The console is still set to launch on June 5, 2025

I have some seriously bad news if you are a Canadian gamer hoping to get your hands on a Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order.

According to Canadian technology website MobileSyrup, Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders have now been delayed past their original April 9, 2025, start date in the country.

In a statement given to the site, Nintendo of Canada reportedly said that “pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in Canada will not start on April 9, 2025 in order to align with the timing of pre-orders to be determined in the US."

Thankfully, this will not affect the existing launch date of the console. “Nintendo will provide updated information at a later date. The launch date of June 5, 2025 is unchanged,” the statement continued.

The news follows the announcement earlier this week that Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders would be delayed in the US.

In a statement provided to TechRadar Gaming, Nintendo said that "pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in the U.S. will not start April 9, 2025 in order to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions."

The company also stated that it "will update timing at a later date" and affirmed that "the launch date of June 5, 2025 is unchanged."

The Nintendo Switch 2 is set to launch worldwide on June 5, 2025. It will cost $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for a Mario Kart World bundle. Pre-orders from the My Nintendo Store are scheduled to open on April 8 in the UK, though many retailers are currently offering them ahead of that date.

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Full spoilers follow for The Last of Us season 1. Light spoilers also follow for season 2.

The Last of Us season 2 is almost here. HBO's incredibly popular TV adaptation of Naughty Dog's hit video game franchise returns to our screens on April 13 (US) and April 14 (UK and Australia). There's no time like the present, then, to find out who's part of its ensemble cast.

Below, I've listed every actor who'll appear in The Last of Us TV show's second chapter, where you might have seen them before, and which character they're playing. Once you're reached the end of this guide, you'll be an expert on the hit series' character roster.

So, without further ado, here's all you need to know about who'll appear in The Last of Us' (TLoU) sophomore season.

Pedro Pascal as Joel

Joel still hasn't told Ellie what he did to save her life in the season 1 finale (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

The internet's favorite zaddy (don't ask...), Pascal reprises his role as one of TLoU's primary characters in season 2.

In the critically-acclaimed Max show's latest chapter, Joel has become an integral part of the Jackson, Wyoming community. However, his surrogate relationship with Ellie has become strained in the five years (in-universe, anyway) since we last saw them – and it's got nothing to do with what he did in the season 1 finale. Expect that to come to the fore at some point this season.

As an actor, Pascal needs no introduction. Following his break-out roles in Netflix's Narcos TV series and HBO's Game of Thrones adaptation, he's gone on to appear in other projects including The Mandalorian, Gladiator II, and Wonder Woman 1984. He's also set to play Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which arrives in theaters on July 25.

Bella Ramsey as Ellie

Ellie is one of three main characters you'll see in season 2 (Image credit: HBO)

The other main character in TLoU is Ellie, who will be portrayed by Ramsey once more.

Season 2 will reunite us with an Ellie whose in her late teens. She's as headstrong as ever but, having made friends of her own age in Jackson, she's not only spending less and less time with Joel, but seemingly punishing him for reasons yet to be revealed. TLoU season 2's latest trailer confirmed there'll be a huge showdown between the pair, so you better prepare yourself for an incredibly heart-wrenching scene at some point this season.

Like Pascal, Ramsey is a Game of Thrones alumnus – in fact, it's the show that marked her major acting debut. Since then, she's featured in Chicken Run 2, His Dark Materials, Catherine Called Birdy, and Becoming Elizabeth among other film and TV productions.

Kaitlyn Dever as Abby

Abby is out for revenge in The Last of Us season 2 (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

The deuteragonist of Naughty Dog's divisive game The Last of Us Part II, HBO's live-action retelling will finally introduce us to Abby.

She'll be played by No One Will Save You's Kaitlyn Dever and, after the release of one of season 2's most recent teaser, some TLoU fans are already concerned for Dever's welfare. The reason? Abby is a highly controversial figure among sections of the fanbase. Let's hope Dever has the support structure around her to cope with any toxicity that comes her way.

For the uninitiated: Abby is a member of the militia group known as The Fireflies. She's also the daughter of one of the faction's members who was murdered by Joel in the season 1 finale. Its follow-up, then, will see Abby embark on a mission of revenge, with Joel firmly planted in her crosshairs.

Dever was recently seen starring in Netflix's Apple Cider Vinegar TV series. She's also appeared in Last Man Standing, Justified, Rosaline, Good Grief, and Booksmart among other productions.

Gabriel Luna as Tommy

Tommy has taken on a bigger leadership role in the years since we saw him (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

Another returning face, Luna's Tommy – aka Joel's brother – has taken on a more central role in Jackson since season 1 ended. Indeed, he now sits on its council. When he's not sorting out issues within the community, he's either helping to bring up his son and, as she continues to shun Joel, become another surrogate father to Ellie.

Best known for playing Robbie Reyes/Ghost Rider in Marvel's Agents of SHIELD TV show before playing Tommy in one of the best Max shows, Luna has also appeared in True Detective, FUBAR, Wicked City, and Terminator: Dark Fate.

Rutina Wesley as Maria

Maria is the leader of Jackson's council (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

The fourth and final actor to reprise their season 1 role, Wesley's Maria is Tommy's wife. She's also the democratically elected leader of Jackson's council and mother of their pair's child.

A regular on The CW's Arrow TV show, viewers may recognize Wesley from Hannibal's TV adaptation, The Cleveland Show, and Outsiders. Her most prominent role to date, though, was in popular fantasy horror drama True Blood.

Isabela Merced as Dina

Dina (left) is an incredibly important person in Ellie's (right) life (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

Arguably the most important addition to the show's cast (outside of Abby, anyway), Dina will be played by Isabela Merced.

Ellie's closest friend and love interest, Dina is a free spirit who's also incredibly loyal to Ellie. Fans of the game series' second title will know, though, that their relationship will be put to the test as the story unfolds in this season's seven-episode installment and, potentially, its yet-to-be-greenlit third season.

2024 was a breakout year for Merced, with the US-Peruvian actor featuring in Madame Web, Turtles All the Way Down, and Alien: Romulus. Before then, she voiced Kate in Dora the Explorer: In the City!, played the titular character in Dora the Explorer's live-action film, and appeared alongside Dever in Rosaline.

Young Mazino as Jesse

Jesse (left) is something of a mentor to Ellie (right) (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

Best known for portraying Paul Cho in season 1 of Netflix's acclaimed TV Original Beef, Young Mazino is set to play another of Ellie's close friends Jesse in TLoU season 2.

A selfless individual who's always looking out for Jackson's younger citizens, Jesse is also Dina's on-and-off boyfriend. Major spoilers notwithstanding, he'll embark on a quest alongside Ellie and Dina that'll similarly test his devotion to the former.

An actor whose roles came in solitary TV episodes until his breakthrough role in Beef, Mazino was last seen in A24 psychological thriller Opus, which wasn't one of 2025's best new movies.

Danny Ramirez as Manny

Manny is one of four Firefly group members who joins Abby on her quest for vengeance (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

One of four Fireflies who joins Abby to seek retribution for what Joel did in season 1 episode 9, Manny is a loyal soldier whose biggest fear is failing those he's closest to.

Fresh off making his Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) big-screen debut in Captain America: Brave New World, Ramirez will play Manny. Viewers will know him from Top Gun: Maverick, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Black Mirror.

Post-season 2, his next role will see him play his MCU character Joaquin Torres/Falcon again in Avengers: Doomsday, with the Marvel Phase 6 film set to be released in May 2026.

Tati Gabrielle as Nora

Nora also joins Abby in an attempt to hunt down Joel (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

Another member of Abby's strike team, Nora is a military medic who struggles with the person she used to be. Tati Gabrielle will bring Nora to life in HBO's TV adaptation.

Gabrielle won't be unfamiliar to many TV fanatics. Indeed, she had sizeable roles in popular Netflix projects You, Kaleidoscope, and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Away from starring in projects for the world's best streaming service, Gabrielle can also be seen in Sony's Uncharted movie and TV show The 100. She'll next appear in Mortal Kombat 2 this October.

Spencer Lord as Owen

Owen is the most reluctant member of Abby's group over her plan to find and kill Joel (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

Ally number three of Abby's, Owen is a gentle giant who, despite his caring nature and reluctance to fight, is forced to use his brute strength to take down his foes. He's also the voice of reason within the group and ensures the impulsive Abby doesn't over-commit when it isn't necessary.

Spencer Lord, who's most famous for TV shows Family Law and Heartland, will portray Owen. He also played Terry in Riverdale, but that was only a two-episode stint on that program.

Ariela Barer as Mel

Mel is the medic for Abby's five-strong party (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

The final addition to Abby's five-strong party, Mel is a doctor who, while committed to her role as the group's healer, is conflicted in her feelings on the realities of war and the increasingly divisive nature of post-apocalyptic Earth.

Perhaps best known for playing Gert Yorkes in Marvel's non-canonical MCU TV show Runaways, Barer will portray Mel. Barer is also the co-writer and producer on critically-acclaimed eco-action thriller How to Blow Up a Pipeline, and has also starred in Rebel, Atypical, and 2021's Saved by the Bell reboot.

Jeffrey Wright as Isaac

Isaac isn't someone to be trifled with (Image credit: HBO)

The only star to play the same character he voiced in The Last of Us game series, Jeffrey Wright has been hired to play Isaac. A former US Marine, Isaac is the ruthless de-factor leader of another militia known as the Washington Liberation Front.

Like Pascal, Wright needs no introduction. The beloved actor has appeared in comic book movies and shows, such as DC film The Batman and Disney+ series What If...?, as well as other popular franchises including The Hunger Games, James Bond, and Westworld.

Catherine O'Hara as Gail

Gail is the only character who's been created for season 2 of the hit HBO TV series (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

The only new character created for TLoU's TV adaptation, Gail is a Jackson-based psychotherapist who Joel will confide in.

She'll be played by Catherine O'Hara, who was confirmed to be play a supporting role in season 2 last February. However, her character's identity was kept a secret until a few weeks before season 2's release – indeed, HBO didn't even reveal who she was portraying following the release of The Last of Us season 2's first trailer.

An iconic actor whose career spans 50 years of TV and film, O'Hara is most famous for her roles in Beetlejuice, the Home Alone movies, and The Nightmare Before Christmas. More recently, she's appeared in highly-rated Apple TV+ show The Studio, Universal Pictures' The Wild Robot, and the critically-panned Universal/Apple joint venture flick Argylle.

Joe Pantoliano as Eugene

Eugene's backstory will be expanded upon in HBO's small-screen adaptation (Image credit: HBO)

A character who's only briefly referenced in Naughty Dog's two games, Eugene is a former Firefly who joined the Jackson community alongside Tommy. In HBO's retelling, however, he'll be Gail's husband. In much the same way that Bill and Frank's history was greatly expanded on from the games in season 1 episode 3, Eugene's backstory will be explored in-depth in the TV show, too.

Pantoliano, who played Cipher in The Matrix's original film trilogy and Ralphie in The Sopranos, boarded the project many, many months ago. His involvement in HBO's remake, though, was only recently made public.

The Last of Us season 2 will be released on Max (US and Australia) and Sky/Now TV (UK).

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It's a high-stakes quarterfinal encounter at the Emirates as the Gunners take on the defending champ.

Garmin Lily 2 Active: One-minute review

The Garmin Lily 2 Active is a sleek, slim, great-looking smartwatch built for fitness, and that’s exactly what sets it apart from the rest of the Lily 2 lineup. To make things clear, there’s the original Lily 2, the Lily 2 Classic, and now the Lily 2 Active. While they all look similar, this newer Active version comes with two big upgrades – built-in GPS and longer battery life – making it a stronger choice for people who are serious about tracking their workouts.

The original Lily 2 and Classic models handled health and fitness well already (you can check out our Garmin Lily 2 review for more on that), but this version feels tailor-made for anyone who trains outdoors. That’s mostly thanks to the built-in GPS. In the other models, you’d need to connect to your phone to track routes. Here, you can leave your phone behind.

The Lily 2 Active is designed with smaller wrists in mind – whether that’s women or anyone who prefers a lighter, more compact smartwatch. Its 38mm case and narrower strap make it one of the most wearable fitness watches out there. Back when wearables first hit the market, many felt chunky and oversized. And I say that as someone who’s 5’7” with an athletic build – so I can only imagine how those early designs felt on truly petite wrists.

But don’t let the smaller size fool you, this is a fully-fledged fitness smartwatch. It has what Garmin calls a “hidden display,” meaning the screen disappears behind a patterned lens when not in use. The black-and-white liquid crystal screen looks more Kindle than Apple Watch, which won’t appeal to everyone. It’s not ultra-bright, and the touchscreen experience is a little different. But I actually liked it. Plus, the lack of a big, bright screen means you get far better battery life – up to nine days on a single charge – than even the best Apple Watches.

Under the hood, it’s packed with all the health, sleep, and fitness tracking features Garmin does so well – including heart rate, heart rate variability, pulse ox, and sleep tracking. All of that data feeds into Garmin’s app, where it’s turned into clear charts, sleep scores, fitness age estimates, and the brand’s clever “Body Battery” score – a simple way to check how much energy you’ve got left in the tank.

As you’d expect, fitness tracking is excellent. You get all the standard metrics, plus accurate GPS that’s fast to connect and delivers a full route map after your workout. So yes, it’s smaller and sleeker than most rivals, but it’s still powerful and a genuinely great option for anyone who wants a stylish fitness watch without compromise. Read on to find out what I thought after a full month of testing the Garmin Lily 2 Active.

Garmin Lily 2 Active review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Garmin)

• Garmin Lily 2 Active is $299.99 / £299.99 / AU$499
• Released in September 2024

The Garmin Lily 2 Active is priced at $299.99 / £299.99 / AU$499, which makes it more expensive than the standard Lily 2, priced at $249.99 / £249.99 / AU$429. But that extra cost gets you two solid upgrades: built-in GPS and a longer battery life – small changes, but ones that make a big difference if you’re into fitness tracking.

In terms of competition, the Lily 2 Active sits in a bit of a grey area. It’s pricier than many of the best fitness trackers, but still cheaper than most of the full-featured best smartwatches.

Take the latest Apple Watch Series 10, for example, it comes in at $399 / £399 / AU$649, and gives you a bright color screen, plenty of apps, and all the bells and whistles. But if you’re not looking for all that extra functionality, the Lily 2 Active might be a better fit.

On the flip side, you’ve got more affordable trackers like the Fitbit Luxe, which is around $109.95 / £109.99 / AU$199.95. It’s sleek and slim, but it doesn’t offer the same depth of fitness tracking, GPS, or overall build quality.

You could even compare it to the best smart rings, which are becoming a popular pick for people – especially women – who want wellness data without a bulky smartwatch. The Oura Ring 4 currently comes in at $349 / £349, and the Ringconn Gen 2 Air ring is around $199 (about £185 / AU$380). But while smart rings excel at sleep and recovery data, they’re not fitness-first devices.

In short, the Garmin Lily 2 Active is fairly priced for what it offers. It’s not cheap, but you’re paying for Garmin’s proven fitness tracking expertise in a stylish, compact design, and that’s a combo that still feels pretty unique in the wearable space.

• Value score: 4/5

Garmin Lily 2 Active review: Specifications Garmin Lily 2 Active review: Design

(Image credit: Garmin)

• Slim and sleek 11mm thick case
• Weighs just 29g
• Comes in a range of stylish colors

Let’s start with what makes the Lily 2 Active really stand out, the design. This is a slim, lightweight smartwatch built with smaller wrists in mind – and it nails that brief.

I’m usually wary of tech “designed for women,” because let’s face it, that often just means pink and patronizing. But in the case of smartwatches, there is a real need for smaller options. Because while wearing the Lily 2 Active, several people asked me what it was, surprised to see a smartwatch that looked this compact. It’s a clear reminder that not everyone wants, or needs, a chunky wearable.

(Image credit: Garmin)

The watch case is just 11mm thick and weighs 29g, making it one of the lightest fitness watches I’ve worn. The silicone strap is also slimmer than average, incredibly comfortable and easy to swap thanks to the quick-release button. While you can fit smaller straps to other Garmin models, the slimmer casing here makes doing so more appealing.

The display is a 34mm liquid crystal monochrome screen, which gives the watch a more e-reader feel than something like the Apple Watch. Whether that’s a good thing or not depends on your taste. Personally, I like it; I don’t miss the bright screen. In fact, I love the trade-off for longer battery life. Bold, bright displays look great, but they drain power fast. That said, some people I asked didn’t love the screen, especially those used to the more punchy visuals of the Apple Watch.

(Image credit: Garmin)

Design-wise, there’s a decent range of colors and combinations, with both strap and casing options. You’ve got Jasper Green with a matching silicone band, Lunar Gold with a Bone strap, and Silver with a Purple Jasmine band. I tested the Jasper Green version and really liked it – subtle, classy, and stylish without being flashy.

A lot of smartwatches “for women” lean too hard into rose gold and unnecessary bling – or at least they used to back in the earlier days of wearable reviews. This one gets the balance just right. It looks good, goes with everything, and still turns heads enough for a few people to ask me about it.

One final note. If you’re comparing this to the original Lily 2 or wondering whether it’s worth the upgrade, the design is nearly identical. So if looks are your only concern, you might not notice much difference. The real upgrades are under the hood.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

Garmin Lily 2 Active review: Features

(Image credit: Garmin)

• Built-in GPS
• Deep wellness tracking
• Garmin Coach training plans

One of the biggest upgrades the Lily 2 Active brings to the table is built-in GPS. Unlike the original Lily 2, which relies on connected GPS (i.e. using your phone’s signal), the Active version has its own GPS onboard. That’s great news for outdoor workouts. It means more accurate tracking and one less reason to bring your phone along.

You also get Garmin Coach, an in-app coaching tool designed for structured training plans. It’s aimed at runners or cyclists training for specific goals, like a 5K, 10K, or half marathon. You tell the app about your current routine, and it gives you a tailored plan with workouts, video content, and updates from your virtual coach. I tested the 5K plan during my review, and found it really easy to follow – a great alternative to third-party running apps, and one that keeps everything in one place.

The Lily 2 Active connects via Bluetooth and ANT+, so it pairs easily with your phone and other devices. You can also control music playback from your phone, but there’s no onboard music storage – worth noting if you like to leave your phone behind on runs.

As for health and wellness features, the Lily 2 Active is surprisingly packed for such a compact watch. There’s water intake tracking, women’s health tracking (including basic period prediction and the option to log symptoms and moods), and a wide range of fitness and recovery insights thanks to Garmin’s onboard sensors. You’ll get data about you heart rate, pulse ox, sleep, heart rate variability, respiration rate, stress levels and more.

All of this feeds into Garmin’s Connect app, where it’s turned into useful metrics like your Body Battery (a daily energy gauge), Fitness Age, and a breakdown of your sleep stages. It’s one of the most comprehensive wellness ecosystems you’ll find in a smartwatch – and it’s especially impressive given the Lily 2 Active’s size.

• Features score: 4.5 / 5

Garmin Lily 2 Active review: Performance

(Image credit: Garmin)

• Excellent battery life (up to nine days)
• Accurate tracking and responsive GPS
• Comfortable to wear day and night

Garmin’s performance really shines in the app experience, and I’d argue it’s just as important as the hardware. The Garmin Connect app might not have a sleek, nice-looking aesthetic (smart ring brands really lean into this), but it’s clean, functional, and packed with actionable data. The home screen is customizable with “cards” that show whatever you care about most – heart rate, stress, calories burned, sleep, intensity minutes, and more. That ease of use is crucial when you’re collecting this much data – it means the insights are actually useful.

Fitness tracking is another strong suit. There are loads of workout modes, from running, cycling, and walking to gym activities like HIIT, rowing, weightlifting, and even snowboarding and tennis. Press the top left button to start a workout, scroll through the list, and off you go. The GPS was quick to connect and reliably mapped my routes on runs and walks.

During outdoor runs, you can swipe through screens showing pace, heart rate, lap time, and more. You can even customize these to display your key metrics or set alerts for heart rate zones and lap splits.

I used it mainly for running, where GPS performance was solid and the mapping worked well. I also tested it during weightlifting – you just need to manually log rest periods, which was slightly annoying at first but easy once I got the hang of it.

The Lily 2 Active also plays well with other fitness ecosystems, including Strava, which is a big win for runners and cyclists.

Outside of workouts, the watch is simple but easy to use. The display doesn’t light up automatically when you lift your wrist – you need to flick it or tap the button, which took a little getting used to. Navigation is mostly through swiping, and you can customize the watch face to display key info like time, steps, Body Battery, and more. There’s also a handy little quick-access circle button at the bottom of the screen you can program with shortcuts.

Garmin’s Body Battery feature is something I genuinely found useful. It gives you a read on your energy levels throughout the day, based on a mix of heart rate, HRV, and activity data. I’m often wary of outsourcing how I feel to a device, but this was surprisingly spot-on – a good way to sense when to push and when to rest.

Stress tracking is another interesting one. It uses HRV to measure physical stress rather than emotional stress, but I found it helpful – especially as it explained dips in my Body Battery. Again, it’s not just tracking data, but helping you understand it.

And then there’s sleep tracking, which is honestly fantastic. Despite being a watch, it held its own against the smart rings I tested it alongside. It nailed my wake-ups and restlessness during the night, and gave me a clear, well-presented graph each morning with a simple sleep score.

And finally, the battery life. Garmin claims up to nine days, and in my testing, I regularly hit eight to nine. That’s a huge win. I love my Apple Watch, but having to charge it daily is frustrating, especially when you want to track sleep. The Lily 2 Active, with its low-power screen, comfortably lasted over a week per charge. That’s a game-changer for anyone who doesn’t want to be constantly tethered to a charger.

• Performance: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Garmin) Scorecard Should I buy the Garmin Lily 2 Active? Buy it if…

You like a more subtle screen
The monochrome display isn’t as bold as rivals, but it’s easy on the eyes and helps stretch the battery to 9 days.

You have smaller wrists
The compact 38mm case, slim strap, and lightweight design make it one of the most wearable fitness watches around.

You value wellness insights
Features like Body Battery, sleep tracking, and stress monitoring make this great for everyday wellbeing, not just workouts.

Don’t buy it if…

You need a serious training or adventure watch
It’s durable and well-equipped, but lacks the rugged build, onboard maps, and high-end performance features of Garmin’s more advanced watches.

You want a bright, always-on screen
This display is stylish and functional, but it won’t suit those who prefer big, bold visuals like the Apple Watch.

You want music without your phone
There’s no onboard storage, so you’ll need your phone nearby to listen to tunes during workouts.

Garmin Lily 2 Active: Also consider

Apple Watch Series 10

A fantastic all-round smartwatch that’s big, bold, and packed with features. Plus, it comes in a variety of case styles. But it’s significantly more expensive than the Lily 2 Active, and the battery life tops out at just 18 hours.

Read our full Apple Watch Series 10 review

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

A sleek, circular smartwatch with excellent health and fitness features. It’s a great pick for Android users – especially if you’re drawn to the Lily 2 Active but have a Samsung phone.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 review

How I tested the Garmin Lily 2 Active

(Image credit: Garmin)

• Tested it for a month
• Wore it 24/7
• More than a decade of experience testing health and fitness tech

I tested the Garmin Lily 2 Active for a full month, paired with an iPhone 14 Pro.

Aside from charging and showering (it is waterproof, but I didn’t fancy risking it with soap and shampoo), I wore it 24/7. I took it on outdoor runs, gym sessions, long walks, workdays in my home office, coffee shop outings, evenings on the sofa, and while I slept. Safe to say, it’s been tested across all kinds of settings and activities.

I’ve spent more than a decade reviewing health and fitness tech – from early wearables like the now-defunct Jawbone Up, to today’s smart rings, trackers, and full-on smartwatches. I’ve tested lifestyle-friendly devices as well as those built for serious training, so I know what matters when it comes to fit, comfort, performance, and long-term wearability.

• First reviewed in April 2025

• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

The Apple TV app is still very fresh to Android devices since it finally became available in February this year to non-iOS users, and just after a mere two months the Android app is getting its first notable update that packs two features that could really improve your streaming experience.

Version 1.1 dropped yesterday (April 7) and 9to5Google was the first to jump on the news, revealing that the new update has added preview clips that play automatically in the app’s main carousel. In a way, they can also function as mini trailers that preview the best Apple TV+ movies and best Apple TV+ shows in its library.

But the second, and arguably more fascinating new feature, is the introduction of new automatic subtitle settings. There are two new controls, ‘Show on Muted’ and ‘Show on Skip Back’, and both sound rather helpful.

(Image credit: 9to5Google )

When you enable the ‘Show on Muted’ control this will automatically show subtitles when the volume of the Apple TV+ movie or show you’re watching is turned right down manually or muted. On the other hand, enabling the ‘Show on Skip Back’ setting will show subtitles temporarily when you rewind up to 30 seconds – perfect for if you get distracted and miss an important on-screen moment.

Topping things off, the Apple TV Android app has introduced an auto-play setting that will play recommended content once a movie, show, or even a sporting event has finished – much like YouTube’s way of auto-playing related videos, keeping your streaming experience on a continuum.

(Image credit: 9to5Google )

For its first major update, it has generally pleased Android users with its convenient new additions, but for those who are waiting for their iTunes movies and shows to show up, there's still a gap for improvement.

Where’s my iTunes purchases and new episode updates?

As it is for a majority of the best streaming services, they’re great for giving you reminders of new episodes to your favorite shows, or when a highly-anticipated movie you’ve been waiting for is finally released.

As it stands, this is a minor feature that’s missing from Apple TV's app on Android, and it’s not clear as to when – or if – this will ever be integrated. One other thing that loyal Apple TV+ subscribers are still waiting for is permission to migrate purchased content on iTunes, which was phased out of macOS in 2019.

Long before Apple TV+ made waves as one of the leading streaming services, iTunes was the place to go to purchase movies and TV shows, as well as songs and music videos. Thanks to Apple Music, subscribers can access its endless library of music without the fuss of having to rely on iTunes, but those who have purchased visual media through iTunes are still waiting for the day they can migrate these purchases to their Apple TV app accounts on Android devices.

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• Modders have been supercharging AMD’s RX 9070 GPU with a simple trick
• They’ve been using the BIOS for the RX 9070 XT with the vanilla GPU
• While this provides a major performance boost, which in fact makes the RX 9070 about as fast as the XT version, there are huge caveats here

It seems that AMD’s RX 9070 graphics cards can be supercharged simply by applying the BIOS for its higher-tier sibling GPU, the RX 9070 XT, based on experiments that’ve recently been conducted.

VideoCardz noticed that modders who inhabit the PC Games Hardware forum (a German tech site) have been playing around with installing the XT BIOS in non-XT models of the RX 9070.

Of course, this should not be done in theory. After all, these are two completely different models of graphics cards, and the BIOS for each is designed specifically for that GPU, and is not to be used elsewhere.

Doing this wouldn’t work at all in many cases – indeed, sometimes GPU owners are completely blocked from using firmware (another term for BIOS) in this way – but because the RX 9070 vanilla card is quite similar to the RX 9070 XT (in terms of many specs), and there are no such restrictions in place, this trick can be pulled off. (Although I still wouldn’t recommend doing this for reasons I’ll come back to).

However, that warning noted, what these modders found with the RX 9070 running an RX 9070 XT BIOS was illuminating, to say the least.

There were reportedly no issues using the XT BIOS in this way – at least on the face of it – which essentially applies more power and faster clock speeds to the RX 9070, and the graphics card can apparently still be overclocked on top of this, too.

As VideoCardz notes, the RX 9070 supercharged in this way was about 15% to 20% faster than the GPU normally is – with that extra overclocking applied, mind. This means it’s close to stock RX 9070 XT performance (without any overclocking) when using the BIOS meant for the XT (but then the 9070 XT could also be overclocked, of course).

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler) Analysis: Three words – don’t do it

How can the RX 9070 almost be the equal of its XT spin? Well, I must again underline that the RX 9070 coming close to the 9070 XT’s performance in this way is due not just to the use of the BIOS from its beefier sibling, but also due to the GPU being overclocked on top of that.

In short, this is a lot of fudging and pushing the boundaries of flashing a non-intended BIOS version into the RX 9070. Even without the extra overclocking, you may well see a lack of stability from the 9070 GPU trying to cope with using an XT BIOS, and frankly, I think this is likely – though the odds may depend on how good a chip you’ve got. (There are variances in the quality of GPUs, which means you’ll get slightly better results in situations where you’re really pushing the chip if you’ve been lucky and won the so-called ‘silicon lottery’).

With overclocking as an additional measure here, augmenting the XT BIOS, I’d say that’s quite likely to cause glitches. Indeed, some of the modders involved here reported their PC locking up at times, but they were able to tweak their way around these issues. It’s definitely the case that those who aren’t, at the very least, highly confident in their tech abilities should not be attempting anything like this.

Even if things do appear to be okay to begin with when using this trick – which is the case for some, apparently – who's to say whether a future driver update might throw a spanner in the works? Or whether a future game could have problems with an RX 9070 that’s turbocharged in this way.

Longer-term, you’ll also be running an RX 9070 graphics card consistently well above the power – and temperatures – its cooling system was designed for. So, especially if it’s an entry-level board without the greatest cooler, that could lead to potentially serious problems eventually.

The other point to remember here is that if something does go wrong, either with your initial attempt or at a later date, you could end up with a bricked GPU. And if you think that your warranty will cover the results of an alien BIOS being flashed to your graphics card, well, think again – it won’t, and you’ll be out to the tune of a whole lot of cash.

Proceed very much at your own peril, given all this, but it’s still interesting to see the results of experiments like this – and how fast the RX 9070 can be when powered up in this manner.

If you want to try and get more performance out of your RX 9070 graphics card, I’d suggest simply looking to overclock it (with the correct BIOS for the GPU). But even then, you’ll need a sound grasp of technical knowledge to proceed, ideally, because things can still go awry with overclocking.

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