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• A bug that broke jump links in the Start menu was previously flagged up with Windows 10’s April update
• That glitch was actually floating about in earlier updates (going back to February)
• Microsoft has fixed the problem, which related to a change to bring a Microsoft account-related panel to the Start menu in Windows 10

Remember that odd Windows 10 problem where the April update for the OS broke part of the Start menu for some people? The good news is that Microsoft has resolved this bug.

If you missed this one, it was a glitch that meant jump lists – extra options that pop up with a right click on an icon – no longer worked properly for some apps in the Start menu.

Windows Latest caught an update from Microsoft about the issue, which both confirmed that this bug is (or was) present in Windows 10, and also that it’s now fixed, thankfully.

In a release health dashboard update, in the known issues section, Microsoft acknowledged the bug and admitted it was more widespread than just the most recent April cumulative update for Windows 10. In fact, this Start menu faux pas has been present since the February preview (optional) update.

Microsoft explains that the problem related to bringing in Microsoft account “control experiences” to the Start Menu, a limited rollout that began in March 2025. (So, it would also have been present in the late February update, which was a preview of the March full release.)

Whatever was happening with introducing that feature caused the jump list functionality to vanish for some Windows 10 users. Upon realizing this, Microsoft paused the rollout of that Microsoft account-related addition to the Start menu on April 25. A fix was piped through, as well.

Microsoft says: “This [jump link] issue was resolved by a service change that was rolled out on April 25, 2025. If you are still facing this issue, please ensure that your device is connected to the internet to receive the automatic resolution that has been rolled out. After the next reboot, this issue should be resolved.”

(Image credit: Microsoft) Analysis: Backporting blues

Windows Latest, which experienced this problem on some of its Windows 10 PCs, has confirmed that the bug is now cured on those devices, so that’s good to hear.

While jump lists – which provide extra context-sensitive abilities for certain apps on the Start menu, like opening recently used files, ‘jumping’ straight to them – might sound like a pretty minor thing, some people use them a lot. And this functionality getting broken really messed with the workflows of those Windows 10 users, and seriously annoyed them (as you could see from some of the complaints aired online).

Back when this bug was first reported, I guessed that it could be the result of backporting features from Windows 11, and that turned out to be the case. The Microsoft account panel being introduced to the Start menu is already in Windows 11, and is being brought to Windows 10 – or it was, anyway, though that work is now paused.

It may be (and probably is) still inbound, then, although I’m not quite sure why Microsoft is providing additions for Windows 10 at this point, when the operating system has less than half a year left on the clock before support runs out. Perhaps that’s a measure of just how important the company feels it is to promote visibility for Microsoft accounts.

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A study from the American Journal of Psychiatry suggests that psychotherapy is becoming more accessible to people. The study looks at trends in mental health treatment from 2018 to 2021.

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Harvard researcher Ari Ne'eman says the policy shifts underway under the Trump administration pose a unique threat to people with disabilities, but that they've fought for rights before and won.

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Israel's cabinet approved a plan to limit the way life-saving aid is distributed in Gaza. And, Diddy's trial begins today wth jury selection.

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Replacing filters is all you need to worry about after buying a filtered water pitcher and kissing bottled water goodbye.

Honor Watch 5 Ultra: One minute review

The Honor Watch 5 Ultra is, from a hardware standpoint, a very good smartwatch indeed. It’s got a lovely 1.5-inch 466 x 466px AMOLED display, which is bright and butter-smooth; its case is made of titanium and its screen from Sapphire glass; it looks like a classic dress watch in the black aesthetic of my test model, but the fluoro band keeps things sporty – you could wear this for anything from wakeboarding sessions to weddings, and it wouldn’t be out of place.

It’s got a 480mAh battery that lasts around five days based on our tests – an impressive performance. The screen is pretty and the watch is intuitive to navigate, with health features that stand up to scrutiny. The digital crown, a feature often missed in non-Apple offerings, allows for easy scrolling.

So, will I wear it again? Unfortunately, no.

I love the watch’s design, I love its low price point, and I like the simple layout of its UI. I found it very useful, from the Find My Phone option to the sleep tracking. I think it’s a great watch, but ultimately undeserving of its Ultra moniker.

It tracks 100 sports, but most of these modes are very basic in their metric collection. There are no third-party apps, essential to customizing your smartwatch experience; you’re stuck with what's installed on the watch out of the box. There’s no Strava, no Spotify, no WhatsApp, although you can view messages with the notifications functionality. The watch does have an NFC chip onboard, but it’s not designed to support banking payments. Customization options are limited to an (albeit generous) selection of free watch faces.

The end result is a watch that looks well designed from the outside, but which feels strangely hollow inside. In many respects it’s a high-performing and great-value device, but the lack of features makes it hard to recommend.

Honor Watch 5 Ultra: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

• Priced at €279 in the EU (around $300 / £235 / AU$480)
• Around the same price as the cheaper Samsung and Apple watches
• When and where you’ll be able to buy it is yet to be confirmed

The Honor Watch 5 Ultra is priced at €279 in Europe Union countries, which converts to around $300 / £235 / AU$480. That’s a great price for a watch with this build quality; it’s only a little bit more expensive than the Apple Watch SE.

However, Honor hasn’t yet confirmed when, or where, outside of the EU, you’ll be able to buy the Honor Watch 5 Ultra, due to international restrictions imposed on the brand similar to those on Huawei. We do know that it’ll be compatible with handsets running Android 9.0 and iOS 13.0, as well as the best Honor phones.

• Value score: 3/5

Specifications Honor Watch 5 Ultra: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Titanium and Sapphire glass
• Simple UI
• Digital crown

The Honor Watch 5 Ultra is, as mentioned above, an extraordinarily well-designed smartwatch (from a hardware standpoint) for its price. As well as high-quality innards like that great battery and powerful processor, the watch has a pleasant, unique octagonal shape with a grade 5 titanium case and bezel.

Sapphire glass protects the touchscreen, and together with the casing and fluoroelastomer band (leather is also available) this is certainly a watch that can withstand knocks, bumps and scrapes. I wore it non-stop for a week, and I was never worried about dinging it.

It looks like a premium dress watch, and the metal casing feels exceptionally premium – it’s certainly a better-looking watch than the otherwise comparable, and more expensive, Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra.

The watch has just one button, and the user experience has been vastly improved with the addition of a digital crown, which allows for easy scrolling. The Honor Watch 5 Ultra’s all-in-one button allows for an easy snapshot of your health, among other things, similar to Samsung’s body composition feature.

The fact that the magnetic charger is USB-A rather than the more powerful USB-C is a slight disappointment, but the fast-charging still works fine. Another disappointment is that there’s only one size; like many of its contemporaries, Honor is not taking into account those with smaller wrists.

• Design score: 4/5

Honor Watch 5 Ultra: Features

(Image credit: Future)

• 100 workout modes
• 8GB of storage
• No third-party apps or NFC payment

Things are a little more limited in the features department. With no third-party apps – which elevates the likes of the OnePlus Watch 3 from a nice curiosity into an essential wrist assistant – you miss out on deep interactions with everyday apps like Gmail, your maps service of choice, Keep Notes, Spotify, Strava, Komoot, your Wallet of choice, and so on.

The basic feature set is all you’re going to get. It’s not awful; you get notifications, call dismissal, on-phone music controls, 8GB storage for your music, which you can control with Honor’s native MagicOS Music app, but nothing terribly exciting.

The watch does have an NFC chip, but without a Wallet app you can’t really use it. I can view my WhatsApp messages on my wrist via the basic notifications service, but I can’t reply to them. You can see how my frustrations with the Honor Watch 5 Ultra were mounting during the week I wore it.

Things look a lot better from a health perspective. Honor’s suite of health and fitness features are good, with the new Health Scan feature first on the docket. It takes heart rate, blood oxygen and stress readings, collating them with sleep stats and your height and weight (which you input into the app) to check for outliers that could point to potential issues.

Sleep tracking is also great, with your sleep stages broken down in a similar manner to competitors such as the Samsung Galaxy Ring. The Watch 5 Ultra offers a Sleep Score with some additional insights based on how much sleep it believes you’ve had.

Workout support is solid, with over 100 sports modes, but very few of them offer more sophisticated metrics than heart rate and estimated calories burned. Running and swimming do offer specialized metrics, however, tracking pace per kilometer, stride length and stride frequency on the roads, while counting strokes and taking pool length into account during swimming.

• Features score: 3/5

Honor Watch 5 Ultra: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Some UI frustrations
• Good battery life
• Accurate workouts

I wore the Honor Watch 5 Ultra for a full week, testing it on runs, in the pool, and during sleep. The watch accurately estimated my steps, coming within a few hundred steps of my Samsung Galaxy Ring, and tracked sleep stages with similar accuracy.

I got a Healthy Morning Report and Sleep Score in the Honor Health app breaking everything down for me, with the usual insights – drink less caffeine during the day for better sleep, and so on – but Honor’s metrics and context are nowhere near as sophisticated as Samsung’s sleep animal chronotypes feature.

Run tracking served me well over the week, with all the usual pace, stride and speed features as well as GPS maps and elevation. A nice touch was a ‘fat reduced’ metric, telling me in one instance that my 8km run burned approximately 4g of fat. Swim tracking was also good, and the watch successfully identified my dominant stroke as ‘mixed’ as I swapped from front crawl to breaststroke during the workout.

The battery performed as described, lasting through around four and a half days of near-constant wear.

I’m happy with the performance here, but it would have been nice to be able to add to the limited features on offer with third-party apps. The frustration of not being able to use so many basic smartwatch functions with my phone made the device less useful, overall, than its competitors.

• Performance score: 4/5

Scorecard Honor Watch 5 Ultra: Should I buy?

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

You own an Honor phone

If you own an Honor phone, this is the perfect accompanyment, and probably Honor’s best smartwatch to date.

You don’t need third-party apps

If you don’t need WhatsApp and the like on your phone, this makes for a great fitness tracker.

You want a good-looking watch

There’s no denying it: this watch, with its titanium casing, looks fab.

Don't buy it if...

Money is no object

If you’ve got a bigger budget, you could go for a top-end Garmin watch or Apple Watch Ultra.

You’re on Google or Apple

You’ll be better served with a Wear OS or Apple Watch for better ecosystem integration.View Deal

Also consider

Apple Watch Series 10

A much better option for iPhone users.

Read our full Apple Watch Series 10 review

OnePlus Watch 3

Similar in design, but a lot better for Wear OS users.

Read our full OnePlus Watch 3 review

How I tested the Honor Watch 5 Ultra

I wore the Honor Watch 5 Ultra for a full week, draining the battery down completely and monitoring runs, swims and strength workouts. I spent time using the UI to its fullest extent, testing the digital crown and button functionalities, and wore it as my daily driver. I also wore it to bed to examine its sleep tracking capabilities and tried the health monitoring metrics such as the new Health Scan feature.

APYs have been falling, and that's likely to continue. Here's where you can still secure a great CD rate.

The trial for the rap mogul, who faces criminal charges for sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transporting to engage in prostitution, is underway. Opening statements are slated for May 12.

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The recent controversy known as “Signal-Gate” has exposed a glaring truth: even the highest-ranking national security officials sometimes behave like everyday people scrambling through a group chat. In this case, top Trump administration figures unwittingly invited The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, to a Signal thread discussing a live military operation in Yemen. Details ranged from takeoff times for F-18 strikes to surveillance data on key Houthi targets. By any traditional measure, this is precisely the type of information meant for restricted channels—and absolutely off-limits to random add-ins.

Administration leaders insisted that the conversation—despite its clear operational value—was never formally classified. If the Secretary of Defense says it’s “unclassified,” so be it. But for those of us who’ve worked in military or intelligence operations, that’s a semantic sidestep, not a legitimate defense. Revealing real-time strike data isn’t just a security lapse; it could easily compromise missions and endanger lives. Encryption on Signal might protect messages from hackers, but it offers no defense against carelessness—like adding the wrong person to a conversation.

Jeffrey Goldberg, the accidental observer of this unfolding operation, says he originally assumed the messages were fake. A hoax or maybe a foreign intelligence plant. But then the details in the chat began to line up with real-world airstrikes. What started as disbelief gave way to concern—and yet, Goldberg stayed in the thread for days before bowing out. Critics say he should’ve left immediately.

Others argue he was within his rights to confirm what was happening before acting. Legally, he likely did nothing wrong. He didn’t sneak in. He didn’t steal access. He simply opened an invitation that should never have arrived. But ethically, the water’s murkier. If you believe you’re witnessing a potential breach in real time, do you alert someone? Or do you wait it out and report when the story is whole?

Deeper problems

The deeper problem here isn’t just Goldberg’s decision-making, or even the apparent nonchalance of senior officials discussing war like weekend logistics. It’s a familiar pattern in the United States: a kind of bipartisan amnesia when it comes to accountability for mishandling sensitive information. Before Signal-Gate there was the controversy behind Hillary Clinton’s private email server. Clinton, a former secretary of state, infamously used personal email for official business, with federal agencies ultimately finding that hundreds of her emails contained information that should have been deemed classified.

While her actions caused a political firestorm, she was never prosecuted. The broader pattern repeats across presidencies and party lines: from Donald Trump’s boxes of documents in Mar-a-Lago to Joe Biden’s classified files in a Delaware garage parked next to his corvette. We’ve seen it all—top-secret records stored in bathrooms, basements, and glove compartments. And through it all, one thing remains consistent: no one goes to jail.

We tell ourselves that classification matters. That secrecy protects lives. That mishandling classified information is serious. But when violations occur at the highest levels, we treat them like PR problems instead of national security failures. Federal employees have been fired or prosecuted for far less than what’s now become routine for political leaders.

And in this case, there was no dark-web intrusion or zero-day exploit. Just a group chat. Just one mistaken invite. That’s all it took to put the details of a live military operation into the hands of a journalist. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was reportedly posting blow-by-blow updates: drone deployments, missile launch schedules, surveillance feeds.

If the Houthis had gained access to this chat—even hours before the first strike—the outcome could’ve endangered lives or compromised the operation. That data should have never seen the light of day, let alone appeared on a consumer messaging platform. It’s the kind of information you’d expect locked down in a SCIF—where digital devices are banned, access is tightly controlled, and no one accidentally adds a reporter to the call sheet.

Heroes and villains

Signal, for what it’s worth, isn’t the villain here. The app boasts strong end-to-end encryption and has even been endorsed by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). CISA’s 2024 guidance specifically lauded end-to-end messaging apps like Signal for “highly targeted officials,” emphasizing that no single tool is foolproof but that strong encryption can significantly mitigate threats. Yet the meltdown here wasn’t about hacking—it was about a reckless group chat invitation. If even the most advanced secure platforms can’t guard against user errors, do we have any hope of fully protecting sensitive data?

This is not just a government issue. Corporate America is just as guilty of letting convenience trump security. Financial data gets sent over Slack. Trade secrets get texted instead of encrypted. Confidential reports accidentally go to the wrong “Steve” in Gmail. We’ve built a culture that prizes speed over caution, where “just shoot me a quick note” is the norm—even when it involves details that could cost companies millions or, in the case of Signal-Gate, risk a classified operation.

At the end of the day, no one in this saga is likely to be prosecuted. The White House swiftly brushed off accusations, claiming no official classification was assigned, and the Yemen strike itself was an outstanding success. Jeffrey Goldberg’s slow departure from the chat may raise eyebrows, but his decision to document it all likely remains protected journalism. The entire drama serves as a reminder that humans, no matter their rank, are prone to careless oversights when it comes to handling precious information.

If we want stricter accountability, we need more than sporadic outrage. We need consistency in enforcing rules and a cultural shift that values caution over convenience. It’s easy to point fingers, but the next data breach—be it from a top official or a small-town entrepreneur—could be just one careless invite away. Signal-Gate might become a footnote in the broader saga of national security mishaps, but it leaves us with one unassailable truth: if even the national-security leadership of the world’s most powerful country can’t secure a chat, the rest of us need to double-check before we hit “send.”

Signal is one of the best encrypted messaging apps for Android - see more.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Kosmos 482 has been orbiting the Earth for decades. It's still unknown if the craft will fall to Earth intact or burn up upon atmospheric reentry.

(Image credit: Jack Taylor)

Expect to see a focus on menswear: jackets, trousers, suits, hats, and maybe a cane or two.

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For three decades the NIH has led 'Safe to Sleep,' helping parents reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related injuries. The NIH cuts come as cases have been rising.

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More than 80 people fell into a river when strong winds hit the scenic area in Guizhou province late Sunday afternoon, state broadcaster CCTV said.

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The effects of the recent cyberattack against Co-op could be much more damaging than previously thought after the apparent hackers boasted of stealing huge amounts of company data, including customer information.

The "DragonForce" hackers contacted the BBC, sharing screenshots of their communication with the company, where they claim to have stolen "customer database, and Co-op member card data".

Co-op later appeared to confirm the theft, saying in a statement to BleepingComputer, ""As a result of ongoing forensic investigations, we now know that the hackers were able to access and extract data from one of our systems."

Co-op customer data stolen

"The accessed data included information relating to a significant number of our current and past members," Co-op's statement continued.

"This data includes Co-op Group members' personal data such as names and contact details, and did not include members' passwords, bank or credit card details, transactions or information relating to any members' or customers' products or services with the Co-op Group."

In an attempt to prove itself, the BBC says DragonForce shared databases including usernames and passwords of all Co-op employees, as well as a sample of 10,000 customers data including Co-op membership card numbers, names, home addresses, emails and phone numbers.

The hackers say as many as 20 million people have registered, or have registered in the past, with the Co-op's rewards program, meaning the range of affected users could be huge.

DragonForce said they contacted Co-op's head of cybersecurity and other executives via Microsoft Teams, sharing screenshots of the extortion messages with the BBC.

Co-op had told employees to keep their cameras on while using Microsoft Teams for meetings, as well as being told not to record or transcribe calls, and to verify that all participants were genuine Co-op staff - which suggested the hackers were indeed able to access internal systems.

Co-op has more than 2,500 supermarkets as well as 800 funeral homes and an insurance business, and employs around 70,000 staff across the UK.

The attack on Co-op was the third in a range of incidents to affect major UK retailers, with Marks and Spencer and Harrods also hit in recent days.

DragonForce told the BBC they were also responsible for other attacks, but apparently did not share any evidence proving this, and refused to elaborate.

How can I stay safe?

While it's still not yet known how accurate the DragonForce claims are, Co-op customers should be cautious over the next few days just to be on the safe side, and to get ahead of any repercussions if their information has been affected.

In an incident like this where it isn't clear what, if any, data has been affected - the first thing to do is to change your password linked to your Co-op account, as well as any other sites with the same credentials - we’ve put together a guide on how to create a secure password to make sure you’re as safe as possible.

The next, and probably most important step, is keeping vigilant. With your name and email address, a criminal can send sophisticated social engineering attacks, aimed to trick you into handing over more information, or into inadvertently downloading malware.

Make sure you double check any unexpected communications and email addresses - especially cross referencing these against the legitimate email addresses (these can be found on Google).

Be especially wary of any email that asks you to enter any information, click a link, or scan a QR code. Phishing attacks using QR codes are becoming more common, and are more dangerous than ever before, so make sure anything you scan is verified beforehand.

If a criminal does email you, there will most likely be signs. The first, is the email address the communication comes from - if it's G00gle or M1crosoft instead of their legitimate addresses, just delete the email. If you get an unexpected text, email, or phone call from anyone claiming to be a “friend”, from a number or address you don’t recognise, especially one that asks you to sign in, send money, buy a gift card, be very very suspicious.

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The United Nations and major groups currently running aid operations in Gaza, briefed by Israel on the plans, said they would not cooperate with the plans.

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De'Longhi Magnifica Evo Next: Two-minute review

The De’Longhi Magnifica Evo Next is an upgraded version of the Magnifica Evo we reviewed back in 2021, further expanding the Italian brand's range of Magnifica automatic bean-to-cup coffee machines. As a brewer of coffee, it’s excellent, delivering a delicious espresso with a lovely crema.

It can make a comprehensive selection of coffee-based drinks, each of which can be personalized and saved to profiles to ensure you get your perfect cuppa each and every time. It also uses De’Longhi’s LatteCrema milk frothing technology for making cappuccinos, macchiatos and other milk-based coffee drinks. But, despite an increasing percentage of the world’s population turning to plant-based milks, there aren’t any separate profiles for these dairy alternatives.

Day-to-day use of the Evo Next should be simple for most people, particularly those who are familiar with how fully automatic coffee machines work, although anyone new to coffee making might have to overcome a steep learning curve to get to grips with it. I was coming to the Evo Next as a user of either Nespresso pod machines or manual espresso machines, so it took me a few uses to figure out exactly how to extract the best from the Evo Next. If you’re in a similar position or have never used an automatic bean-to-cup machine before, let it be known you’re likely going to pour a few bitter espressos before you find your ideal cuppa.

The combination of the machine’s clearly laid-out buttons and bright, colorful display, however, made navigating through menus and settings a piece of cake. The only setting that did cause me some initial trouble was adjusting the grinder. I assumed I could adjust it whenever I wanted, but De’Longhi says it should only be moved when it’s in motion, which is counter to previous machines I've tested. I would have liked this instruction to have been a bit clearer. I also think the user manual could be a little clearer with regard to the effect changing the grind setting even just one increment can make on the resulting espresso. Those well-versed in coffee machines will likely already know this, but newcomers may struggle.

It’s not the smallest nor the quietest automatic coffee machine ever, nor is it even the quickest to pour an espresso shot, but once you’ve learned your way around it, the results and generous selection of available drink choices go some way to making up for these foibles, putting in contention with the best bean-to-cup coffee machines currently available.

Also helping its cause to be your next coffee machine is its low cost in comparison to similar models from other brands – although, perhaps not in the US at the time of writing.

De'Longhi Magnifica Evo Next review: Price & availability

• List price $999.95 / £499.99 / AU$1,149
• Cheaper than comparable competitor models
• Can already be found with discounts

The price of the De’Longhi Magnifica Evo Next varies across the globe. In the UK, its list price is £499.99, in Australia it costs AU$1,149, but in the US it’s more expensive than a currency conversion or tariffs would suggest at $999.95.

It’s not the first time we’ve seen an inflated price for US customers, with the De’Longhi Eletta Explore – also an automatic coffee machine – priced higher in the US than its UK and Australian equivalents would suggest, and that’s from long before any tariff announcements were made.

When compared to the similarly specced KitchenAid KF6 ($1,199 / £1,299 / AU$1,799) though, the Magnifica Evo Next still represents remarkable value. The KF6 is much quieter in use and offers some extra maintenance features akin to professional espresso machines, but doesn’t include a milk carafe as standard, instead leaving you to place a tube into a jug or cup (or pony up for the official optional one).

• Value score: 5/5

De'Longhi Magnifica Evo Next review: Specs De'Longhi Magnifica Evo Next review: Design

• Side water tank for easier refilling
• Color display helps with navigation and setting changes
• Space needed above for pouring coffee beans

The De’Longhi Magnifica Evo Next is a smart-looking coffee machine in a matte silver-and-black colourway. It’s the same size as other models in the Magnifica Evo range, including the Magnifica Evo, at 44 x 36 x 24cm (W x D x H), making it pretty big by espresso machine standards. I had it set up next to my trusted Nespresso Vertuo Pop pod coffee machine throughout the testing process and the difference in size was, well, sizeable, even on my relatively large kitchen counter. You will, therefore, need to make sure you have the space on your countertop to accommodate it.

The De'Longhi Magnifica Evo Next is significantly larger than the Nespresso Vertuo Pop. (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

As with other models in the series, the beans container is on the top, so you’ll need to allow for a bit of extra space above to comfortably pour in coffee beans. With wall-mounted cabinets sitting directly above the machine in my setup, there was just enough clearance to pour a 1kg bag into the hopper. Ultimately though, as the machine's hopper isn’t airtight, I settled on storing my coffee beans in a separate container and scooping them in as needed. If you’re only making a few (or less) coffees a day, I’d recommend putting in just enough for each use to preserve freshness.

There is also a small chute that accepts ground coffee, if you don't have access to whole beans – although freshly ground beans make such a huge difference that using pre-ground with a machine of this caliber is, frankly, a huge waste.

A manual control wheel for the 13 grinder settings is nestled within the beans container. It’s labelled 1 to 7 – 1 being the finest and 7 the coarsest – with increments going up by 0.5 in between. De’Longhi says the default setting of 5 should be fine for most users, but if you want to adjust the grind setting, you should only do so when the machine is grinding to avoid damage to the burrs. De’Longhi adds that you should pour at least two coffees after you’ve made any changes to make sure that they’ve taken effect.

This, coupled with the five intensity settings available for each drink (which I’ll talk about more in the performance section), can make finding the perfect combination for your own tastes quite tricky and will likely require some experimentation during your first few days of use.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

If you want a home espresso machine that reduces the grinding guesswork, the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch’s Bean Adapt Technology system recommends ideal settings based on your chosen drink, although the machine on the whole requires more manual input than the Evo Next.

I experimented a fair amount with grind settings and found that when I had it set to the finest setting of 1, the machine wasn’t able to pour coffee. Instead it displayed an error message and then dumped out the ground coffee into the internal waste container. Returning the dial to its default setting of 5 gave me much better results.

Coffee is poured from two nozzles that can be physically raised or lowered to accommodate a variety of cup or mug heights, and it can be used to pour two espresso shots at once. The drip tray that sits underneath your cup(s) slides out smoothly, and also pulls out the separate internal waste bin where used coffee pucks are collected.

Image 1 of 2

The spout can move up and down to accommodate a range of cup and mug sizes. (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

The Magnifica Evo Next comes with a large 60.9 fl oz / 1.8L water tank on its right-hand side, and slides in and out of the front of the machine like a book from a bookcase. This makes refilling the tank incredibly easy when compared to models from other brands that put the tank on the rear of the machine.

However, I have also used manual coffee machines such as the Sage/Breville Oracle Jet which has an integrated water tank that you simply fill up using a jug of water via a hole in the top at the front, a method I ultimately prefer.

De’Longhi also supplies a water hardness testing strip so you can determine which water hardness setting to choose during the initial setup, as well as a water filter that screws into the bottom of the tank.

The Magnifica Evo Next comes with both a hot water spout and a 9.4 fl oz / 280ml milk carafe to froth milk using the company’s LatteCrema system. Both of these attach to a small connection slot on the front left of the machine, and you can only use one at a time. If you want to make a milk-based drink or a tea, for example, you’ll need to factor in time to swap the attachments around.

The milk carafe and its various parts are easy to remove and clean. They’re dishwasher safe, too, to make things even easier.

Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

You control the machine via an array of soft-touch buttons along the top, each of which has a symbol for a specific drink. There are also a couple of arrows that are used to adjust the size and intensity of your drink and an OK button to confirm your selections.

If you want to customize a drink, your options are extensive. Not only can you set a preferred intensity, but you can override the standard volumes poured for each style and size of coffee, including milk. This feature is accessed by pressing the ‘my’ button on the touch panel, and allows for three user profiles per drink.

When creating a custom profile, the machine will begin and continue pouring coffee until you tell it to stop when it reaches the desired level. The same goes for milk. With your settings saved, the next time you come to make the same drink, you’ll see ‘my’ listed next to the size. Press OK and the Evo Next will pour to your exact specifications.

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(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Your selections are displayed on a clear, central 2.4-inch TFT screen that provides a good range of information, including color images of what your coffee can expect to look like once it’s finished pouring. It also gives you remarkably polite written feedback, including telling you you’re becoming a pro after you’ve poured a large number of drinks.

As I’m based in Australia, I found some of the De'Longhi Magnifica Evo Next's drink names slightly unfamiliar, as they reflect the brand’s Italian heritage. For instance, my usual choice of a flat white isn't a standard Italian coffee and so isn’t an option. The closest alternative available is the Cappuccino Mix, which provides frothed milk, though it's less foamy than a traditional cappuccino.

• Design score: 4.5/5

De'Longhi Magnifica Evo Next review: Performance

• Extensive selection of customization options
• Delicious espresso with good crema
• Noisy in use

As I’ve already mentioned, the De’Longhi Magnifica Evo Next will consistently produce great-tasting coffee, but only after you’ve figured out which settings are best for you. I experimented a fair amount with grind and intensity settings – initially with poor, unusable results – but once I found the best settings for my taste, there was no stopping me from making excellent coffee after coffee.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

I was happy with the thickness of the crema produced, and I think it will suit most coffee drinkers. If, however, you like a particularly thick crema on your espresso or coffee, then you may want to check out the KitchenAid KF6 instead.

The Magnifica Evo Next can make 11 different coffee-based drinks, each with its own options for customization, such as the strength, temperature and volume. The options offered are:

• Espresso
• Cappuccino/Cappucino+
• Coffee
• Long
• Americano
• Doppio/Doppio+
• Latte Macchiato
• Cappuccino Mix
• Espresso Macchiato

You can also dispense hot water and hot milk from the machine; however, unlike some other newer espresso machines we've tested, there’s no option for cold brewing.

During my testing, I found the default settings for my preferred cappuccino mix drink weren’t as strong as I would have liked – the intensity was set to 3, on a scale of 1 to 5. I had to increase it to the maximum 5 and this returned a much more flavorful brew.

The higher intensity setting refers to the fact that more beans are ground and packed into the internal puck, resulting in a stronger, more potent espresso.

There aren’t any settings to adjust the foam level or milk temperature, although the type of milk you use will dictate the level of foam returned. For example, I drink oat milk in my coffees and found that attempting to use standard (i.e. non-barista) oat milk produced disappointing results.

That’s not to say the results weren’t foamy – in fact I was impressed with what the Evo Next could muster – but it produced a thicker foam when I switched to a barista brand with higher fat content.

While I’m quite easygoing when it comes to milk, users who are particular will likely need to experiment with different milk types and brands yo achieve the desired results.

I was less enthused with the way the milk comes out the spout, though. It’s more a ‘spit out’ than a ‘flow out' – not something I’d expect from a more premium machine like this.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

For time-conscious coffee drinkers, you’ll want to know that pouring an espresso at intensity level 5 – which grinds the largest amount of beans – took around 40 seconds. Larger drinks, such as my cappuccino mix, took longer at nearly 1 min 30 seconds, including dispensing milk. This time is on par with the Magnifica Evo automatic coffee machine, but there are faster machines that are cheaper, so it's a slight shame that De’Longhi hasn’t been able to speed up the brew time with this model. If you want your coffee fast, a Nespresso machine can cut those times down considerably – my Vertuo Pop, for example, takes around 30 seconds to pour a 150ml pod.

I also found the Magnifica Evo Next quite noisy in use. It bothered me so much that I took a reading with the Decibel X app on my phone and, when placed next to the machine, it reached 82dB when grinding beans (nearly 20dB louder than the Quiet Mark-certified KitchenAid KF6), 72dB when tamping and emptying the coffee puck, and 66dB when pouring a coffee.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Where the Magnifica Evo Next makes less of a fuss is maintenance. After each milk-based drink, the machine asks you to run a quick-rinse cycle, which uses water from the tank to flush any buildup from the carafe’s spout. You’ll also be notified on the display when it’s time to empty the drip tray and grounds container.

For more thorough cleaning, a dedicated Maintenance menu can be found in the settings, with options to run water through the machine to rinse it and run a descaling cycle (the machine will let you know if a descaling is necessary). You can also check the status of the water filter, run a more thorough cycle for the milk carafe when it’s connected, and drain any water from the system if you’re planning to transport it.

Finally, a panel on the right-hand side of the machine, accessible when you remove the water container, houses the brewing unit. This detaches easily with a pinch of the two red-colored clips and can be run under a tap to remove any buildup of coffee.

• Performance score: 4/5

Should you buy the De'Longhi Magnifica Evo Next Buy it if

You want some control over your coffee

While it’s automatic, the Magnifica Evo Next still gives you plenty of options for personalization, which can all be saved to multiple user profiles.View Deal

You enjoy a variety of coffee-based drinks

With 11 drinks to choose from, most coffee connoisseurs should be catered to, or it can even help you discover something new. View Deal

Don't buy it if

You’re short on counter space

The Magnifica Evo Next isn’t the biggest automatic coffee machine ever, but it certainly can’t be called compact.View Deal

You drink plant-based milk

This machine doesn’t discriminate against plant-based milks, but there aren’t any specific foaming or temperature profiles for dairy alternatives either.View Deal

De'Longhi Magnifica Evo Next: Also consider

Smeg BCC13

This is our favorite bean-to-cup espresso machine due it being a joy to use. It’s truly automatic, delivers tasty coffee and looks the absolute business.

Read our full Smeg BCC13 reviewView Deal

De’Longhi La Specialista Touch

If you’re tempted by a manual bean-to-cup machine instead, the La Specialista Touch from De’Longhi is a great option, especially for beginners. It’s semi-automated but with the option for better manual control and helps guide you through the more complex processes of espresso brewing. Plus, it’s cheaper than the Evo Next.

Read our full De'Longhi La Specilista Touch reviewView Deal

De'Longhi Magnifica Evo Next: How I tested

I used the De’Longhi Magnifica Evo Next at home with the same supermarket-brand coffee beans that we use in the TechRadar Australia office (in a Breville Oracle Jet), so I’m already familiar with the flavor. I followed the setup instructions by first testing the water hardness (hard) and configured the machine accordingly, which included needing to insert the supplied water filter.

I used the machine to pour a variety of the available drinks to assess the crema, flavor and time required. I also used the LatteCrema carafe to froth fridge-cold oat milk, of both the barista and non-barista varieties.

First reviewed May 2025

Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2: key information

- Coming to Disney+ in December
- Filming has officially wrapped
- No official trailer, but a short teaser announcement
- Main cast to return
- Lots of new cast announcements revealed
- Already renewed for season 3

Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 is on its way — and it's set for a December release date on Disney+. Based on the iconic teen fantasy novels by Rick Riordan, Percy's story was brought back to life on the streamer, after movie adaptations fell a little short.

And what a life it's had so far, quickly becoming one of the best Disney Plus shows and topping charts as one of the top five most-watched original series across all streaming upon season 1's release. And so, one of the best streaming services is bringing the show back for more. Here's everything we know about Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 from release date, to cast, to plot, rumors and more.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2: is there a release date?

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A photo posted by on

Disney officially announced that Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 would debut on the streamer in 2025.

And, as per Deadline, it has been announced that the show will land in December. Though no specific release date has been revealed yet, we'll update here as soon as we know.

But, filming has wrapped. In February 2025, Percy Jackson author Rick Riordan revealed in a Bluesky post that principal photography was complete, so all good signs for December.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2: has a trailer been released?

There's no full trailer for Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2, but for now, there is a teaser. Though it's mainly filled with clips from season 1, it does confirm one thing that was highly suspected and that's that season 2 will follow Riordan's second Percy Jackson novel, The Sea of Monsters. Once there's a full trailer, we'll be sure to share it.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2: confirmed cast

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A photo posted by on

With the cast and crew having officially wrapped filming for Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2, a post on the show's Instagram confirmed some of the main cast returning and there's been plenty of cast announcements for new characters, too:

• Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson
• Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth Chase
• Aryan Simhadri as Grover Underwood
• Charlie Bushnell as Luke Castellan
• Dior Goodjohn as Clarisse La Rue
• Daniel Diemer as Tyson
• Tamara Smart as Thalia Grace
• Courtney B. Vance as Zeus
• Timothy Simons as Tantalus
• Sandra Bernhard, Kristen Schaal, and Margaret Cho as the Grey Sisters
• Rosemarie DeWitt as C.C.
• Aleks Paunovic as Polyphemus
• Beatrice Kitsos as Alison Simms
• Kevin Chacon as Chris Rodriguez

A post shared by Percy Jackson (@percyseries)

A photo posted by on

As far as new cast announcements are concerned, there's been a lot. Firstly, Daniel Diemer is joining as a series regular role playing Percy's half-brother Tyson, a Cyclops and son of Poseidon, as revealed by Deadline.

Deadline also shared that Tamara Smart has joined the cast as Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus. And there's been a recasting following the death of Lance Reddick who played Zeus, as Courtney B. Vance will be taking on the role.

In a statement on an official Instagram post, executive producer Dan Shotz said: "Finding someone to step into this role going forward was not an easy task, but when icon Courtney B. Vance answered the call, we knew the Gods were listening."

Other cast announcements include Timothy Simons as Tantalus, as revealed by Variety, as well as Sandra Bernhard, Kristen Schaal, and Margaret Cho as the Grey Sisters. And there's Rosemarie DeWitt as C.C., Aleks Paunovic as cyclops Polyphemus, Beatrice Kitsos as Alison Simms and Kevin Chacon as Chris Rodriguez.

In the final piece of exciting news, Andra Day will play Annabeth's mother, the goddess Athena, as seen above.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2: story synopsis and rumors

Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 follows the second book, The Sea of Monsters (Image credit: 20th Television/Disney Plus)

Full spoilers for Percy Jackson and the Olympians seasons 1 to follow. Plus, potential spoilers for season 2.

The second season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians will follow on with Rick Riordan's award-winning series. This time, adapting his second novel, The Sea of Monsters.

For this, Percy will return to Camp Half-Blood a year later to find everything a little bit... off. As per the book's official synopsis, it's revealed: "Percy Jackson's seventh-grade year has been surprisingly quiet. Not a single monster has set foot on his New York prep-school campus.

"But when an innocent game of dodgeball among Percy and his classmates turns into a death match against an ugly gang of cannibal giants, things get . . . well, ugly. And the unexpected arrival of Percy’s friend Annabeth brings more bad news: the magical borders that protect Camp Half-Blood have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and unless a cure is found, the only safe haven for demigods will be destroyed."

So, a whole new adventure awaits for Percy and his friends, old and new. Sure, Percy completed his quest, but there's plenty more to do.

Another epic quest for Percy, Annabeth and Grover awaits (Image credit: Disney Plus)

And the official logline matches, unsurprisingly, with the book: "[Percy's] friendship with Annabeth is changing, he learns he has a cyclops for a brother, Grover has gone missing, and camp is under siege from the forces of Kronos. Percy’s journey to set things right will take him off the map and into the deadly Sea of Monsters, where a secret fate awaits the son of Poseidon."

As the Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 1 finale concluded, viewers watched as trio Percy, Grover and Annabeth split up.

With Percy hoping to reconnect with his mother returning from the underworld, Annabeth going to see her father and Grover finally amble to embark on his quest to find Pan, they agreed to meet again at the Thalia tree after a year.

And it all seemed pretty idyllic as Percy awoke in the final scene to his mother, Sally, greeting him as promised. Of course, there's also Luke's shocking betrayal and disappearing act, the repercussions of defeating Areas, and a Zeus reunion to contend with.

But, as The Sea of Monsters sets the pathway for season 2, for any avid readers of the series, you'll know what's coming. And if you don't, then December 2025 will reveal all.

Will there be more seasons of Percy Jackson and the Olympians?

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A photo posted by on

Yes, there will definitely be more from the show as Disney Plus renewed Percy Jackson and the Olympians for season 3 in March 2025. Alongside the announcement, made before season 2's launch, it was revealed that season 3 will be based on Rick Riordan's third book, The Titan's Curse.

Riordan told Disney that the third season "will be new territory for the screen, bringing fan favorites like the Hunters of Artemis and Nico di Angelo to life for the first time."

Adding: "It's a huge sign of commitment from Disney, and speaks volumes about the enthusiasm with which the fandom has embraced the TV show. Thank you, demigods worldwide."

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, co-showrunner Dan Shotz said around hopes of more seasons: "Being able to get to book five — and I know Walker loves book five — would [be amazing]. That culmination is just very exciting to think about. We have the benefit of, even in making season one, we have all those books to look forward to and tease and play into all those elements that we know are to come."

Considering there's seven books in Riordan's Percy Jackson series, if the show continues to impress on the streamer, we'd hope to see many more seasons in the years ahead.

For more Disney+ TV-based coverage, read our guides on Daredevil: Born Again season 2, Only Murders in the Building season 5, and The Bear season 4.

In 2024, the adoption of cloud computing by organizations has reached remarkable levels, with around 94% of companies now utilizing cloud-based services, according to Rightscale’s report. However, cloud solutions bring significant security challenges, as they rely on shared resources and connectivity, making them susceptible to data breaches, misconfigurations, and account hijacking. Let’s explore essential rules that can help minimize these risks and protect cloud environments effectively.

Cloud infrastructure offers organizations an average savings of 40% on physical space and reduced operational expenses. Furthermore, these environments enable faster time-to-market and improve overall business agility. Over half of organizations have stated that cloud adoption has accelerated their product and service delivery, allowing them to respond more promptly to customer needs.

Security is another major reason for businesses to migrate to the cloud. Approximately 60% of business executives believe that cloud computing enhances their security posture, particularly as it enables automated updates and reduces the risks of human error.

The common threats to cloud environments

Despite all the advantages, there are still some risks associated with cloud computing. For instance, last year, MITRE, a U.S.-based non-profit organization renowned for its work in technology and defense research, experienced a significant cloud security incident. In April 2024, attackers exploited two zero-day vulnerabilities in Ivanti’s Connect Secure VPN, gaining unauthorized access to MITRE’s Networked Experimentation, Research, and Virtualization Environment platform.

This breach resulted in the exposure of sensitive research data, including technical findings, development methodologies, and simulation results related to cybersecurity frameworks MITRE ATT&CK® and CALDER, which are widely used by government agencies and private organizations. It is unlikely that national security data was directly compromised.

Subsequent investigation revealed that the incident was perpetrated by a foreign nation-state threat actor. The successful breach was attributed to unpatched software and compromised devices, which provided the attackers with unauthorized access to sensitive areas within the cloud environment.

Another major cloud security incident in 2024 involved the popular project management tool Trello. In January, the company experienced a data breach, compromising 15 million user accounts. Hackers utilized a public API to connect an existing database of email addresses with Trello account information, which included usernames, full names, and other details.

Overall, according to the 2024 Cloud security report by Check Point Software, 61% of organizations experienced at least one security incident related to public cloud use in 2024 - a significant increase compared to the 24% figure in 2023. Out of these incidents, 21% resulted in data breaches.

Among other common vulnerabilities in cloud environments are misconfigurations, which can lead to the exposure of sensitive data if not promptly addressed, and insider threats, where employees or contractors inadvertently or maliciously compromise cloud security. Additionally, companies often struggle to keep pace with the rapid proliferation of cloud solutions, and a lack of staff skills to operate in the cloud environment becomes a significant security threat in itself.

Ways to protect your cloud

Luckily, businesses that rely heavily on cloud infrastructure can avoid such devastating attacks. The key is to follow seven essential rules. Each of them provides a specific approach to securing a critical aspect of the cloud environment, from access management and data encryption to monitoring and employee training. They complement each other and contribute to a well-rounded cloud security posture.

Rule 1: continuously monitor and log all cloud activities

In 2024, according to SailPoint, around 83% of organizations reported that continuous monitoring helped them catch security incidents early, preventing potential data leaks and system compromises​.

Effective network monitoring helps identify threats such as unauthorized access, data exfiltration, and misconfigurations that might expose sensitive data. By continuously tracking activities and analyzing logs, organizations can quickly pinpoint unusual behaviors, such as access attempts from unknown locations, unusual data transfers, or unauthorized use of privileged accounts.

Rule 2: implement strong identity and access management (IAM) policies

Effective IAM ensures that only authorized users have access to specific cloud resources. A key component of these policies is multi-factor authentication, which requires users to verify their identity through two or more authentication methods, such as a password and a one-time code sent to a mobile device. This ensures that potential attackers would need more than just a password to gain entry.

Role-based access control (RBAC) is another critical IAM strategy, assigning permissions based on user roles within an organization. For example, an employee in the finance department might have access to financial records but be restricted from viewing IT infrastructure details. With RBAC, users are given the minimum level of access required for their roles, significantly reducing the risk of misuse of sensitive data.

Rule 3: encrypt data in transit and at rest

It's important to encrypt data both when it's being transmitted (in transit) and when it's stored (at rest). This ensures that even if attackers intercept or access the data, it remains unreadable without the correct decryption keys.

To implement encryption effectively in your cloud environment, you should use both transport layer encryption (like transport layer security, TLS) for data in transit and disk encryption for data at rest. Many cloud providers offer built-in encryption tools that facilitate these practices.

Rule 4: regularly update and patch cloud resources

Cloud environments, like any other IT infrastructure, are susceptible to vulnerabilities as software ages or new exploits are discovered. When systems remain unpatched, they become easy targets for attackers who often scan for outdated software and exploit known vulnerabilities. A recent study found that approximately 60% of cloud breaches could be attributed to unpatched or misconfigured systems.

Regular updates help protect cloud resources from these risks by addressing known issues before attackers can take advantage of them. Cloud platforms typically make it easy to set up automated backups for persistent resources like databases or virtual machines. These backups ensure that, even in the event of a major attack or human error, data can be recovered without significant disruption.

Rule 5: use data retention policies

To protect against malicious attacks, such as ransomware, it’s essential to establish policies that prevent the immediate deletion of resources in the cloud. Many cloud providers offer this feature, allowing you to configure a delay period. This ensures that even if an attacker gains access to your account and attempts to delete critical resources, those resources won't be removed right away.

For instance, with a 30-day delay, a resource marked for deletion would remain recoverable for that entire period. This delay provides two key advantages: it allows time to detect and respond to unauthorized actions, and it gives you the opportunity to restore data before it is permanently lost. If your cloud provider does not offer this safeguard, it may be worth reconsidering whether they meet your security needs.

Rule 6: keep your costs down

In the event of a DDoS attack, cloud infrastructure can manage the surge in traffic by automatically scaling resources. However, this scaling can rapidly increase costs, potentially putting a strain on the company’s finances. To avoid these unexpected expenses, ensure that your cloud provider offers strong DDoS protection and mitigation options.

These measures can help absorb and filter attack traffic, minimizing the impact without leading to excessive resource scaling. If your provider’s built-in protections are inadequate, consider using third-party DDoS mitigation tools. This approach will help safeguard both your systems and your budget during an attack.

Rule 7: train employees on cloud security awareness

According to the Ponemon Institute, 82% of data breaches are caused by staff mistakes, such as clicking on phishing links, using weak passwords, or falling for social engineering attacks. To prevent these issues, it's essential to invest in ongoing, thorough security training programs. In fact, companies with comprehensive training programs can save an average of $2.66 million per breach.

What these programs might include? Phishing simulations that help employees identify suspicious emails and avoid disclosing sensitive information. Additionally, providing cloud-specific security training, which focuses on secure data handling, password management, and understanding cloud-specific threats, ensures that employees are well-prepared to handle security challenges effectively.

We've compiled a list of the best identity management software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

I remember seeing this monitor on the front step of my home/studio. I don't know how a mortal could have carried this alone. Perhaps the poor Fed-Ex driver had a buddy that day. Regardless, this monitor is massive, making the box much larger. Once I had my wife help move the monitor inside, I got to testing this 49in curved business monitor as soon as possible.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkVision P49w-30: Unboxing & first impressions

I'll admit it: I couldn't carry this monitor on my own, not without risking damage to the monitor or my home. So, I grabbed my wife to help carry this monitor down to my home office. I got it set up and added it to my testing desk and immediately realized how large this was and how nearly impossible it would be to get a fair test in this space.

So, I reached out to a friend, and we finished the unboxing session in his home studio. The box had all the cables expected, including DP cables, USB-A to USB-B cables, a Thunderbolt cable, and the proper documentation. Much like mine, getting the box into his house took two people, assuming you wouldn't want to scrape up your home or workspace. But, once unboxed, we could have one person unpack the rest of the monitor. The assembly was straightforward to work with.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

At first glance, this monitor would be super gimmicky and poor. There was no way in my head that a monitor with these specs would work well, or at least not in a way that would make me want to use it.

However, I was proven wrong after using this for the first few minutes. This monitor is fantastic. It's high quality, minimalist, and has great ports. I have come to love it all around. The build itself is high-quality, including the base, the casing for the monitor, and the little bump-out port pieces.

If you choose to use the stand, it has pretty smooth adjustments for tilt, swivel, and height and does a good job holding up this behemoth of a display.

Lenovo ThinkVision P49w-30: Design & build quality Specs

Size: 49” IPS
Resolution: 5120 x 1440
Aspect Ratio: 32:9
Brightness: 350 cd/m²; Contrast Ratio: 2000:1.
Color Gamut: 98% DCI-P3, 100% sRGB, 100% REC.709.
Ports: 2x HDMI 2.1, DP 1.4, 2x Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, 4x USB-A, Ethernet, Audio out.
Features: HDR10, KVM switch, PIP/PBP support, built-in 2x 5W speakers.

Though this monitor is huge, it's huge in all the right places. It's also quite slim when it comes to monitor depth, which is precisely what you want in a rather expensive monitor in 2025. The build quality, paired with this display's overall weight and size, make it feel like it's made well. It's heavy enough to feel like it's a quality display, but not so heavy that it's a burden to have it.

The sleek design has narrow bezels, which help give it a more modern, minimalist look; though calling something this large a minimalist item feels wrong, the styling is minimalist. In addition, the included stand provides good ergonomic adjustments while holding this beast of a display up.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkVision P49w-30: In use

The first time we set up this display, we were very weary of it. It's massive; how can it still be worth having for business and productivity? It took about 5 minutes or less for us to change our opinion on this display and fall in love with it. The color accuracy and consistency are excellent for any creative task we tested, whether video editing, photo editing, music production, or whatever else we could throw at it. When switching out your device and running the display, the built-in KVM switch is an absolute dream. You won't need to go around switching displays or unplugging something. Instead, you can plug multiple devices into the built-in switching ports and easily swap between devices.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

Another way that this monitor has been incredible is for productivity. Because I can fit so much on the screen, I can have an entire project's worth of reference material simultaneously and at a size I can read. It makes my otherwise 13-16-inch screen (depending on the laptop I am using that day) feel super restrictive. With the ThinkVision P49w-30, I have two decent-sized monitors in one; without dealing with bezels or managing multiple desktops, I can keep everything simple.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

For creative tasks, the colors are great. Still, they may not be the most accurate, so if you are strictly a photo editor or color grader, this is probably not your display. Still, for music producers or video editors, there is so much timeline screen real estate that this could give you a view of most of your project's timeline at once, again with a decent-sized preview and controls window, too.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

Just for kicks and giggles, mainly because some of my team and I are really into Formula 1, we tried a racing simulator on this, and when I say it made playing any other way feel cheap and pathetic, I mean it. We were able to see side mirrors off to the side like we should, have a full visor in front of us, and feel more immersed in the game than we ever had before.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkVision P49w-30: Final verdict

The Lenovo ThinkVision P49w-30 stands out as a top-tier ultra-wide monitor tailored to professionals who wish for extensive screen space and versatile connectivity.

Its premium features and performance make it a worthy investment for enhancing productivity, and its connectivity options make this an excellent solution for Mac, PC, programmer, project manager, music producer, video editor, online marketer, administrative assistant, and so on.

The only downside is the price and the fact that I wish it could be more than 60Hz, but I barely even notice that it's only 60Hz, and if I were using this for business, as intended, I wouldn't notice. In short, all I have to say about this monitor regarding the professional/business workspace is, yes, please.

For more content creation essentials, we've reviewed the best monitors for photo editing and the best monitors for video editing.