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Alexa just went from being a somewhat ordinary, if trusted, digital assistant to a powerful enigma. Alexa+ replaces the plodding of the original with conversational intelligence, proactivity, and true AI. It's a lot to take in and raises a lot of questions. I managed to get some answers from Daniel Rausch, Amazon's VP of Alexa and Echo and of the people who helped build Alexa Plus, to get some answers.

Even though I caught up with Rausch at the end of a long day, he seemed energized and clearly quite proud of Amazon's creation.

I started by asking him about something bugging me since the launch: How much of Alexa+ is Claude? Anthropic, Claude's developer, was touted as a partner in the development of Alexa Plus and listed during the presentation alongside Amazon Nova, Amazon's own large language model.

Rausch, though, quickly disabused me of that notion.

"You saw Amazon Nova models up there and they are definitely where we start at Amazon," Rausch began, "we always start with our own technology."

Raushe explained that there is "unbelievable price performance in those models, unbelievable latency, unbelievable accuracy."

Bedrock principles

It goes further than that, though. Rausch explained that Amazon's Bedrock is a sort of cloud-based foundation for all its generative AI work. Anthropic is a "really important partner," said Rausch, but the system Amazon's built is "model agnostic."

"Bedrock's goal is to serve highly capable, state-of-the-art models," he said. That means the system will pick and choose the best models for the job.

It makes sense this also may have been Rausch's way of not identifying which models, including Claude, are used when. "With Alexa," he added, "we have access to the full suite."

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

It goes further than that, though. Large language models are not the end or destination. Rausch told me the Alexa+ experience extends and builds upon them. He discussed the "information experts" idea introduced during the launch event. The models use these experts to gather relevant and factual information. Rausch used the example of his constant queries about baseball, specifically the Yankees, but added that the system is smart enough to know that, in his house, only he likes to talk endlessly about baseball while his daughter has no interest.

"I would say the models are helping orchestrate the overall experience and are the foundation and are helping us build the rest," Rausch told me.

That art

Amazon Alexa+'s generative image work. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

During the kids' section of the unveiling, or the part that described the new "Explore and Stories with Alexa," I noticed what looked like generative AI art.

Rausch confirmed that Alexa+ generates that art on the fly based on kids' ideas. During development, Rausch put the tools in front of some relatives' kids to gauge their reactions: "It is super-fun. A kid is describing the story, Alexa is helping them explore, 'Hey, what would you like to write a story about?'" For instance, the kid describes a bearded dragon playing a saxophone. "Alexa's off drawing some creative artwork, asking about the path of the story, 'Where does the bearded dragon live?' or 'What city is the bearded dragon visiting?' Of course, kids are unlimited in their imagination. They're riffing. They're saying, sometimes, things adults can't come out with."

It does sound like fun. I noticed that the images I saw looked like generative AI, and Rausch told me that was exactly what they were. He would not, however, reveal which generative image model Alexa+ is using. All Rausch would only say that "it's from the models on Bedrock."

Security

As with any generative AI, the key to Alexa+'s utility is data or rather your data. Generative tasks will be handled in the cloud, but Raush told me that all of it will be encrypted "in transit."

"It is incredibly secure and meets our standard practices of trust generally, which include deep security and privacy," he added.

"We always start with our own technology."

Daniel Rausch, Amazon VP Alexa & Echo

Naturally, this led me to ask about the kids' technology and what safeguards Amazon has built around the generative image creation.

Rausch described it as "incredibly safe," and said there are many safeguards in place to ensure "children are always kept safe."

I know many companies say their generative image platforms are safe, but Amazon has a track record in developing kid-friendly platforms and systems. The "Explore and Stores with Alexa" is an extension of all that work.

Not always a screen

This Amazon Echo will likely support Alexa Plus but will the experience suffer without a screen? (Image credit: Shutterstock)

It was hard to ignore the pervasive use of the Echo Show 21 smart display throughout the Alexa+ demo. I've naturally been wondering about all the Echo Smart speakers out there, at least the ones new enough to support Alexa Plus. What will the experience be like with them?

During the demos, Amazon actually cranked up the length of responses for the Echo 21 screens to show off what Alexa knows. But no one wants to stand around staring at a speaker waiting for these responses. Rausch told me that they designed Alexa Plus to deliver more concise responses on the speakers. All of this is customizable.

"The idea is we picked the right kinds of responses and the right interactions for the device and the modality that you're in," he added.

Is Amazon ready

Daniel Rausch, Amazon VP Alexa & Echo at the Alexa+ launch. (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

When Amazon delivers Alexa+ in March, that could mean millions of Echo owners suddenly having generative AI conversations with the newest chatbot on the block. It's potentially a big computational lift. Is Amazon ready?

"Yes," Rausch smiled, "It is very nice to have AWS at Amazon."

Amazon's massive cloud computing platform supports countless websites and services and will now supply the bandwidth for Alexa+. Still, it won't be everything, everywhere, all at once. Amazon is planning on rolling out Alexa+ in waves.

And now I feel like I'll understand Alexa+ a little better when those waves first hit the digital shore.

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• Bybit recently saw $1.5 billion stolen during a routine transfer
• The FBI has now linked the Lazarus Group to the theft
• The funds are currently being laundered to hamper tracing efforts

The Bybit cryptocurrency theft which saw almost $1.5 billion in funds stolen, has now been attributed to the notorious North Korean Lazarus Group by the FBI.

The Lazarus Group is also tracked as TraderTraitor and APT38, and in a statement, the FBI said, “TraderTraitor actors are proceeding rapidly and have converted some of the stolen assets to Bitcoin and other virtual assets dispersed across thousands of addresses on multiple blockchains. It is expected these assets will be further laundered and eventually converted to fiat currency.”

The funds were part of a regular transfer of Ethereum cryptocurrency between Bybit’s cold and hot wallet, but were redirected in transit to a Lazarus Group controlled blockchain address marking the largest cryptocurrency theft in history.

Largest crypto theft in history

The FBI also listed multiple Ethereum addresses linked to the theft, and requested that platforms who handle the transfer of cryptocurrency to block transactions from the listed accounts.

Bybit has also invited anyone with blockchain or cryptocurrency expertise to help track the stolen funds.

ZachXBT, a cryptocurrency theft and fraud investigator, observed the thieves transferring some of the stolen crypto to an Ethereum address previously used in several Lazarus Group operations.

Numerous other organizations in the blockchain industry have observed numerous transfers between North Korean controlled addresses in attempts to launder the funds and slow down tracing efforts.

The Lazarus Group has garnered quite a name for its crypto thefts that are believed to be a revenue generating method for the North Korean government.

North Korea does not disclose its GDP, but estimates place the country’s 2023 nominal GDP at USD$29.6 billion, meaning that the theft would account for around 5% of North Korea’s GDP in 2023.

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• A mention of GPT-4.5 has just appeared in Android
• It suggests a full launch could be imminent
• Right now the model can't be accessed

While OpenAI hasn't been slacking off in terms of pushing out new features for ChatGPT users, we're still patiently waiting for the next upgrade to the GPT-4o model that was pushed out last year – and the wait may soon be over.

Users of the ChatGPT Android app have spotted (via Android Police) a mention of a "GPT-4.5 research preview" in a pop-up alert inside the app, which sounds to us like the next version of ChatGPT's underlying model.

Tapping on the alert doesn't actually do anything at the moment though, and it's not showing up for all Android users either. That suggests this is something that has sneaked out earlier than it should have.

While we don't get an official debut date for GPT-4.5 here – and OpenAI has yet to say much publicly about its launch – the slip-up on the Android app points to the model arriving sooner rather than later, at least in preview form.

What could GPT-4.5 bring?

I just got this on the android app! I think it's a big but 4.5 seems imminent pic.twitter.com/pdzCAk5IKTFebruary 26, 2025

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently went on the record to say that GPT-4.5 would be the final standalone model released by the company, with future releases combining all the available models (including the o-series reasoning models) into a single package.

As for what it'll bring with it, we can expect the usual advances in accuracy, coding, math, summarizing. Larger context windows – prompt lengths, basically – may well be supported, and broader contextual awareness is a strong possibility too.

However, this is only going to be a 0.5 advance: GPT-5 should be a bigger upgrade, though it's unlikely to be launching this year. That should see all of ChatGPT's tools packaged together, including features such as the recently unveiled Deep Research mode.

We can expect GPT-4.5 to be exclusive to paying ChatGPT users first of all, before it makes its way down to free users. Meanwhile, OpenAI's many rivals in the field of AI aren't showing any signs of slowing down with their own releases.

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• Doctor Who season 15 will arrive on April 12
• Available on BBC iPlayer in the UK and Disney+ in the US
• It's a shorter wait than we expected for this often slow-to-happen show

Sci-fi lovers rejoice: Doctor Who returns to Disney+ on April 12 for more adventures. The new era of the hit BBC series was hugely anticipated, as it saw the return of beloved showrunner Russell T. Davies. The show also introduced the newest doctor, Nctui Gatwa, known for his much-loved role as Eric in Netflix's Sex Education.

Currently, all we have is this social media teaser which reads: "The stars align on 12th April. Watch #DoctorWho on @BBCiPlayer in the UK and @DisneyPlus where available." Alongside a promotional shot of Gatwa, there's also one for Varada Sethu, who will join the series as new companion Belinda Chandra, and we'll learn much more about her character over the coming episodes when one of the best Disney+ shows returns to our screens.

The stars align on 12th April ✨ Watch #DoctorWho on @BBCiPlayer in the UK and @DisneyPlus where available pic.twitter.com/WEZDnkzzDiFebruary 26, 2025

What should we expect from Doctor Who season 15?

(Image credit: Lara Cornell/Bad Wolf/BBC Studios)

Plot details are under wraps but we'll likely pick up somewhere after the 2024 Christmas special Joy to the World, though due to the nature of the time-traveling series, that could take us just about anywhere. There are no limits when it comes to Doctor Who, and that's a huge part of its appeal.

There's also been the huge question of whether Millie Gibson will return to reprise her role as Ruby Sunday from Doctor Who season 14, as her story seemed to come to a conclusion last time we saw her.

While Ruby's character isn't back in a full-time capacity, Russell T Davies told ScreenRant: "This is a pause, I genuinely thought Ruby’s story paused there. She couldn’t get all that information about her family, and all that emotional overload, and run off in the TARDIS. It pauses there; she’s coming back. A new companion is coming in, but you’ll see the three of them together. Three people in this TARDIS fighting evil."

Outside of the companions, Alan Cumming joins the cast in the second episode, where he plays Mr Ring-a-Ding, a cartoon character who is forced to see the outside world for the first time, and that already sounds horrifying.

This season's guest stars include Rose Ayling-Ellis, Anita Dobson, Christopher Chung, Michelle Greenidge, Jonah Hauer-King, Ruth Madeley, Jemma Redgrave, and Susan Twist.

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Dezctop Bifrost Elite 160: one-minute review

The Dezctop Bifrost Elite 160 is a gaming desk with a lot of optional extras, but not much in the way of integrated bells and whistles. It's a terrific option for anyone who primarily works from home and wants to jump into the world of standing desks, but not the cheapest model out there.

The build quality is absolutely top-notch, with a thick, polished wooden tabletop that’s impressively resistant to scuffs and stains. It has two chunky mechanized legs, a backboard with plenty of slots for shelves, monitor mounts, and other accessories, and some neat cable pockets to help with tidiness. It also rises to an impressive 51.2 in / 1.3m, and goes as low as 25.6 in / 65cm, which may seem excessive but it makes it appropriate for folks of any height.

Some competitors have additional features and can be picked up for a little cheaper, but it's by no means the most expensive standing desk on the block. So while adding in extra accessories ramps up the price, it's still one of the best standing desks and best gaming desks today.

(Image credit: Future) Dezctop Bifrost Elite 160: Price and availability

• List price: $900 / £999.90 / Around AU$1,100
• This is the price of the desk without any additional accessories…
• If you want the whole hog, you're looking at another few hundred

Let's get the elephant in the room out of the way: this is a premium product and its price tag reflects that.

Coming in at $900 without any of the additional bells and whistles, or approximately $1,270 with everything featured in my review, this isn't the desk to go for if you're on a budget. If you want to take your working space to the next level however, and you need a premium desk to last for years to come, the Dezctop Bifrost Elite 160 may be the answer.

The Flexispot E7, which we consider to be the best standing desk overall, will set you back around £280 ($340). And even at that price, the E7 has some features that the Bifrost Elite 160 lacks, despite being around triple the cost. This is also more expensive than the premium Secretlab Magnus Pro, which is more geared towards gamers and comes in cheaper at $799 / £770.

Paired with one of the best gaming chairs, the overall price of your setup will be very high. So while I can't recommend Dezctop's offering enough, it's not the best choice for those keeping a close eye on their budget right now.

(Image credit: Future) Dezctop Bifrost Elite 160: Specs Dezctop Bifrost Elite 160: Design and features

• Solo assembly
• Premium feel
• A range of heights

Everything about this desk oozes quality, with the walnut tabletop being the prime example. It's thick and polished, giving off a premium feel you don't find in cheaper desks.

I've upgraded from a cheaper gaming desk to the Bifrost Elite 160, and while my former fixture was big and capable of holding both of my monitors with room to spare, the low-quality wood used was scuffed over years of use and had started to warp. It was also nowhere near as nice to the touch, with sharp corners and edges, as opposed to the smooth, rounded sides of the Bifrost Elite 160.

It is also very sturdy, with two chunky mechanized legs that you definitely don't want to drop on a toe when putting it all together. That process was daunting at first because there are a lot of boxes, especially with all the extras thrown in, but once you unpack it all and get rid of the packaging, it becomes much more manageable.

It lacks a physical manual - you instead must scan a QR code and then find the correct instructions from a list on your device - but if you can look past that, it's a fairly straightforward job. Building it solo, provided you make no mistakes along the way, can be done in an afternoon.

The control box can be affixed to either the left or right-hand side of where you stand (or sit, when your legs are tired), and it's very simple to use.

The buttons themselves are responsive, with just a split-second delay between holding down the arrows and the desk moving, and it has four memory slots for your preferred heights. At 5ft 8in / 176.8cm tall, my ideal settings are 3ft 7in / 115cm when standing and 2ft 7 in / 82cm when sitting, both of which are assigned to the first and second presets.

(Image credit: Future) Dezctop Bifrost Elite 160: Performance

• Features effective cable tidies
• Plus good back board and monitor mounts
• RGB lighting kit is poor

The biggest challenge this desk has - which is saying something, because it's hardly a problem at all when you've finished building it - is how weak the cable tidies are.

The underframe has slots for these plastic, 3D-printed clasps to slot into, but these pop out at even the slightest tug. When the desk is assembled, this isn't a problem - I haven't had them come out once - but during the building process, you'll be rueing them as you put them back in for the umpteenth time.

At the rear of the desk, you'll find three huge cable pockets. I'm notoriously bad with cable management but these are a godsend. With magnetic covers, they are big enough to hold all the cables you could possibly have. Mine has an entire extension lead in the middle with each socket in use and plenty of room to spare on both the left and the right. The cables themselves are still visible behind the desk, but it's far neater than I'd manage with any standard desk.

One of the biggest selling points of the Bifrost Elite 160 is the D-board, and while you can buy the desk without this, why would you? This backboard comes in four separate pieces that slot together effortlessly, and once affixed, are completely stable. Each one has a myriad of diamond-shaped holes for your various extras.

I have two monitor mounts - one large, one medium - taking up most of the space, alongside two shelves, a small bucket-shaped container for any loose bits you need at arm's reach, and a couple of extra hooks attached if I decide to store anything else. On the underside of the tabletop itself, I also have a cup holder, headset holder, and USB 3.1 hub that connects to my desktop below. All of these accessories are welcome additions and help keep my desktop free of the clutter I used to be so prone to accumulating.

There's only one accessory I can't recommend picking up, especially for the $70 / £85 price, and that's the RGB Lighting Kit. You can make your own version for far cheaper with some off-brand RGB lighting strips, and the lights themselves aren't particularly bright.

Not to mention the accompanying remote feels cheap and tacky (mine has actually stopped working after only a week, so I can no longer change the colors of the lights), and while there is a switch you can stick on the underside of your desk for those moments you want to pretend to release the hounds, Mr. Burns style, the velcro fasteners aren't strong enough to keep it in place. Now I've used a command strip, it's holding strong, but it's an expensive accessory that should be better.

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Dezctop Bifrost Elite 160? Buy it if...

You want a quality standing desk that should last for years
Even after only a month of testing the Bifrost Elite 160 for this review, the build quality is so high that it's hard to imagine this not lasting for years to come.

You want more desk space
The available desktop space is impressive here, and when you include the D-board and mount your monitors, you have such a big workspace available.

You have the cash to invest in something premium
This isn't the most expensive standing desk available, but it is by no means cheap. If you can afford the outlay though, you won't regret picking this up.

Don't buy it if...

You're unsure if a standing desk is for you
This is a fantastic standing gaming desk, but it's a big investment if you want to test the waters first.

You're limited on space
This is a big ol' desk, so if you typically work from a laptop or don't have a dedicated working area, this is probably going to be overkill.

Also consider...

If you're still not sold on the Dezctop Bifrost Elite 160, here are two alternative standing desks to consider, both of which are a little cheaper.

The Bifrost Elite 160 may have the most premium feel of the options available, but that doesn't mean the others don't excel in other areas.

Flexispot E7
The Flexispot E7 is probably the most feature-complete standing desk you can pick up for a budget price, coming in at less than half the price of the Bifrost Elite 160. It also has a few more features, including an integrated Qi wireless charging port on the tabletop. If you're unsure about whether a standing desk is for you, this may be a safer investment.

For more information, check out our full Flexispot E7 review.

Secretlab Magnus Pro
Alternatively, if you're an avid gamer and need somewhere to work from, consider the Secretlab Magnus Pro. This is sleek and professional, with Secretlab known for its gaming peripherals, making this aesthetically more pleasing for that lifestyle. It also has plenty of optional extras, many of which are geared towards gamers.

For more information, check out our full Secretlab Magnus Pro review.

How I tested the Dezctop Bifrost Elite 160

• Used for a month on a daily basis
• Primarily during working hours in both standing and sitting positions
• Also during some long gaming sessions with both mouse + keyboard, and controller

The Dezctop Bifrost Elite 160 has become my sole workstation and since I work from home, this means I'm using the desk for at least eight hours every single day, often more if I work into the evening or play any PC games.

I'll usually start my day standing for the first few hours, and since I always listen to music when I work, I'm often moving around to keep the energy up in lieu of having a walking pad to get my steps in. Claiming it's dancing might be a step too far…

I'll usually go to the sitting height for the afternoon, reverting to standing for any meetings, and the ability to switch between the memorized heights with just a press of a button is a godsend.

The polished wooden tabletop is smooth too, so when you're resting your arms against it typing for long periods, there's no abrasion like you might find with a cheaper desk. This extends into the evening when I'm gaming, and while playing games can be done standing, I prefer that aspect sitting down.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed February 2025.

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• MicroCenter's AMD Radeon RX 9070 GPU listing hints at potential $699 MSRP
• The listed prices could likely be placeholders
• AMD's full RDNA 4 GPU reveal will take place on February 28

AMD's Radeon RX 9000 GPU series launch is almost upon us, with the official reveal set for February 28. All eyes are set on the RX 9070 XT GPU's performance capabilities and price point - and now, we might have our answer on the latter, and it may not sit well with fans.

As reported by VideoCardz, AMD's Radeon RX 9070 series has been listed on MicroCenter with the RX 9070 XT supposedly starting at $699, while its RX 9070 counterpart is listed at $649. This also includes some other overclocked models for both the RX 9070 XT and non-XT - which we won't post since it's been taken down - and these prices are similar to those listed for Nvidia's new Blackwell GPU lineup, which has seen drastic retailer inflation, with some of the new Radeon cards listed for as much as $1,099.

It's important to note these aren't official prices and AMD's official reveal tomorrow could be drastically different - but a previous leak suggested that Team Red is aiming for a sub-$700 price point, which would corroborate some of MicroCenter’s listings.

Considering the RX 9070 XT's potential position as a competitor to Nvidia's RTX 5070 Ti ($749 / £729 / around AU$1509), if it clocks in at the purported $699 (based on MicroCenter's listings), it may not be cheaper enough to convince gamers looking for GPU alternatives amid Team Green's current Blackwell launch hiccups.

Although it could still end up being the ideal substitute for RTX 5000 series GPUs that are currently either out of stock or simply overpriced, there's no guarantee the same won't happen to Team Red's RDNA 4 GPUs. Scalpers could strike again, especially if the new GPUs are impressive - while this is always a threat regardless of retail prices, the suspected $699 price point isn't very appealing, especially at a time when AMD’s fiercest rival is already on the back foot.

(Image credit: Future / Nvidia / AMD) I really hope those prices are just placeholders and nothing more...

As I've stated on numerous occasions, the GPU market is in dire need of some serious competition as Nvidia continues to take it by storm. Team Green is in a vulnerable state right now, as RTX 5000 series GPUs are virtually impossible to attain at MSRP (along with a whole host of teething issues, including missing ROPs on some shipped cards), so AMD's RDNA 4 GPU launch is the perfect opportunity for Team Red to claw back some market share.

Frustratingly, it looks like Team Red could bow out of the battle before it even starts - if MicroCenter's listed prices end up being legitimate, I truly believe AMD stands no chance at competing with Nvidia this generation. The Radeon RX 7900 XTX, the current flagship GPU - which is still one of the closest to the RTX 4090 alongside the RTX 4080 Super - is supposedly going to remain AMD’s most powerful consumer GPU, and that card can be found at slightly higher prices than the RTX 5070 Ti's $729.

If the Radeon RX 9070 XT cannot beat either of those GPUs at a potential $699 MSRP, I fear that it will be dead on arrival. Plenty of fans already look toward Nvidia for the best performance, especially when using ray tracing - while RDNA 4 promises to improve on ray tracing performance, it’ll be a major challenge to match Team Green's successes in that region.

I'm hoping that by tomorrow, I can eat my words after AMD finally opens the lid on its new GPU offerings, but honestly? I'd be willing to bet that MicroCenter's leak is accurate...

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• AMD is reportedly preparing AFMF 2.1 for launch alongside its new RDNA 4 GPUs
• This is a driver-level frame generation software, set to work on current RDNA 2 and 3 GPUs along with Ryzen AI 300 APUs
• It comes amid Nvidia's controversial RTX 5000 series launch

AMD may be in prime position to do battle with Nvidia in the GPU department with its Radeon RX 9000 series GPUs, since its fierce rivals' RTX 5000 series launch hasn't been the smoothest - now, Team Red could be introducing an improvement to its frame-generation software that may benefit both its current and new RDNA 4 GPUs.

According to VideoCardz, AMD is currently developing AFMF 2.1 (AMD Fluid Motion Frames) to launch alongside its upcoming RDNA 4 GPUs in early March - this is a driver-level frame-generation feature, which allows gamers to use it for a performance boost in games that don't have official FSR 3 frame-gen support.

VideoCardz suggests AFMF 2.1 won't require any AI cores, meaning it will support all of the same hardware that AFMF 2.0 could. It spells great news for current RDNA 2 and 3 GPU users, and handheld gaming PCs that utilize any of the shiny new Ryzen AI 300 series APUs - it could further improve the quality of generated frames, which is borderline essential for a handheld PC gaming experience.

All signs point toward FSR 4 being exclusive to RDNA 4 (at least for now). While AFMF 2.1 likely won't outdo FSR 4's new frame generation model with official implementation in games, it could end up being a great compromise for users on older hardware.

(Image credit: AMD) What does this mean for handheld gaming PCs and new RDNA 4 GPUs?

New handheld gaming PCs are on the horizon, and they’re going to need every bit of help they can get as games become more and more hardware-hungry. While new APUs can drastically improve performance in games (as we've seen with the MSI Claw 8 AI+), driver-level software like this will help older handhelds too.

Nvidia recently joined the party with its Smooth Motion feature (also driver-level frame generation), but Team Green isn't making any handheld APUs (at least from what we know), and Team Red's AFMF 2.1 could be more polished to match up with Smooth Motion. AFMF 1 and 2 were good for most handheld gaming PCs, but ghosting, stuttering, and input latency have still proved troublesome, which is something I'm hoping AFMF 2.1 will address.

With this in mind, AMD is looking like the dark horse of this GPU generation, especially if issues with supply and missing ROPs for Nvidia's Blackwell GPUs aren’t quickly resolved - if the recent benchmark leaks of the Radeon RX 9070 XT are legitimate, then all AMD needs to do is place its price below or around Nvidia's RTX 5070 Ti to score an easy win.

It usually takes some time for official FSR frame generation support to be added in AAA games (one prime example was Cyberpunk 2077) so if AFMF 2.1 is a significant improvement, it could tide players over until developers can act on implementing proper in-game frame-gen.

We're on the verge of getting all the details on RDNA 4 GPUs on February 28, and I'm hoping Team Red comes out swinging, as there’s no better time than now for some stiff competition against Nvidia.

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Lemokey L5 HE 8K: Two-minute review

The Lemokey L5 HE 8K is a gaming keyboard with Hall effect analog switches and an 8K polling rate – two factors designed to whet the appetites of serious players. The austere design isn’t complimented well by the dated design of the translucent outer keys, coming across a tad desperate in its attempt to appeal to games.

With that monolithic appearance comes a seriously heavy chassis, thanks to the aluminum construction. Some may prefer the extra stability this heft provides, but it’s certainly not as easy to move around as some of its rivals.

Perhaps because of this weight, the L5 HE 8K has no fold-out feet. I thought this would cause ergonomic issues, but thankfully the body isn’t too thick, and the keys are slightly tilted forward too, which makes typing and WASD positions more comfortable, even without a wrist rest – which is just as well, since it doesn’t come with one.

Rather than the standalone software that many of the best gaming keyboards come with, Lemokey has a web app for customizing the L5 HE 8K. This runs well for the most part, although I did experience a few UI issues, some of which required a refresh. Some might not like the idea of having to run a peripheral tool in a browser, either.

Once it’s working, though, it provides plenty of tweaking options, especially for the analog functionality, allowing you to make full use of those Hall effect switches. In addition to Rapid Trigger, single-key multi-input and snap action features, there’s also controller emulation, allowing you to replicate the analog behavior of triggers and joysticks.

In practice, this works well – to an extent: the precision offered by the analog keys is no match for that of an actual controller. The movements aren’t smooth enough, and I found that presses didn’t offer enough resistance to provide adequate control. This is true of analog performance more generally, as the Hall effect switches in the L5 HE 8K just aren’t as smooth or as precise as some of the best analog keyboards out there.

In other performance-related areas, though, the L5 HE 8K does better. The keys rebound quickly, allowing for rapid movements, and I found the concave nature of the key layout comfortable – two aspects that help with both gaming and typing. I wasn’t fond of the back-tilt of the space bar, though, as it resulted in hits on its edge rather than its top.

The L5 HE 8K is undeniably expensive, eclipsing many of its rivals. The SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3, for instance, is slightly cheaper, and while it lacks quite the same number of analog adjustments, it makes up for it with its superlative performance and build quality.

(Image credit: Future) Lemokey L5 HE 8K review: price and availability

• $220 (about £175 / AU$346)
• Available now for backers
• Same price as the best analog keyboards

The L5 HE 8K will cost $220 (about £175 / AU$346) and is set for general release some time between April and May this year. However, it's available now for Kickstarter backers at the discounted price of $199. It comes with a braided USB-C-to-C cable (with a USB-A adapter included), a keycap puller, spare screws and rubber fixings, and screwdrivers.

This makes it about the same price as the SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3, already a pricey keyboard. However, it’s about the best analog keyboard I’ve experienced when it comes to performance. There’s also a wireless variant which is naturally more expensive, but the difference isn’t huge. It does miss out on a few analog tweaks that the Apex Pro Gen 3 has, though, such as controller emulation, and lacks the same 8K polling rate.

If you want a more budget-friendly alternative in the analog sector, the Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro isn’t a tempting proposition. Like the L5 HE 8K, it too offers gamepad emulation, although this isn’t as refined as I would’ve liked; Lemokey’s implementation is slightly better.

Value: 2.5 / 5

Lemokey L5 HE 8K review: specs

(Image credit: Future) Lemokey L5 HE 8K review: design and features

• Dated looks
• Very heavy
• Web app for customization

The L5 HE 8K is reasonably understated, although some of the outer keys adopt a translucent design with some kind of tech-based sigil, which looks outdated and gives the sense that Lemokey is pandering to a gamer stereotype. Thankfully, this look is kept to a minimum.

The sharp angles of the body add to its industrial aesthetic too. It’s also very heavy, thanks to the aluminium body, which at least makes it durable and very sturdy, although some will find this level of heft unnecessary.

It’s also reasonably thick, but not as substantial as some other gaming keyboards. It lacks feet and wrist support, but thanks to the slight forward tilt of the keys, I could still get a comfortable hand position.

The included cable is braided, but doesn’t feel particularly premium, and it’s not as long as some others, which may be a problem for desktop users depending on their setup. At least the USB-C port is angled upwards, which is a small but convenient design feature, as it makes it easy to locate and use.

The L5 HE 8K can be customized using Lemokey’s web app, which opens in a browser. As you would expect for a keyboard with Hall effect switches, there are various adjustments for the analog functionality. You can set the actuation distance between 0.10mm and 3.35mm, selectable via a slider offering increments of one hundredth of a millimeter.

You can also toggle Rapid Trigger mode, again via a slider offering the same increments, although the range dynamically changes depending on your actuation distance settings. What’s more, you can also split the trigger and reset distances, allowing you to adjust their sensitivity independently, which not every analog rival to the L5 HE 8K offers.

(Image credit: Future)

One of the best aspects of these adjustments – and one few analog keyboard software offer – is the visual indicator, which lets you see exactly where in the switch the actuation point you set is. It also shows the distance of your presses in real time, again to one hundredth of a millimeter, which is very useful for dialling in your preferred settings.

There’s also a bar that moves in tandem with your presses, and changes color to indicate when the key reaches the actuation point. This also allows you to see how your Rapid Trigger settings play out too, although unfortunately there’s no real-time millimeter readout for this.

Other analog adjustments include configuring up to four inputs for a single key, triggered depending on how far you press, and setting the Snap Action, with two options to choose from: Snap Click and Last Key Priority. These, along with controller emulation, amount to a large number of tweaks – more than many other analog keyboards offer.

The web app also offers common customization options too, such as key remapping (with plenty of system shortcuts available), macro creation, three profile slots and RGB lighting tweaks.

The web app isn’t without its issues, though. No doubt there’ll be some gamers who’d prefer a standalone app rather than having to open a browser tab. Also, there were occasions where certain settings failed to work as intended, with minor freezes and lock-ups, and certain text and UI elements failed to render properly. Thankfully, many of these were easy to remedy, and for the most part the web app runs well enough without causing too much frustration or major issues.

Design & features: 3 / 5

Lemokey L5 HE 8K review: performance

• Clicky and responsive switches
• So many analog adjustments
• Not the smoothest action

When gaming, the L5 HE 8K performs reasonably well. The 8K polling rate is sure to peak serious gamers’ interests, as it claims to provide next to no latency, and is a common spec found on the best gaming mouse contenders.

However, I struggled to notice much of an improvement over other gaming keyboards with lower polling rates, but hardcore gamers may well do. But unless you’re on the esport circuit, you’ll likely not require this polling rate boost in a keyboard.

The Hall effect switches are clicky with minimal dampening, which may deter certain gamers and please others. While I generally prefer a more cushioned press, I found them satisfying to use for the most part, if not as smooth as other magnetic switches I’ve experienced. There’s a small amount of resistance to presses – just enough to make hitting predefined actuation points relatively easy – but they rebound very quickly, which was something I liked as it allowed for faster taps.

The gamepad emulation works reasonably well, although the analog gradation isn’t as precise as the best PC controllers; it can be a little jerky at times, no matter how you alter the curve profile. Also, the switches could do with more resistance to provide better feedback and in turn make it easier to control in-game movements, especially those of vehicles.

Typing with the L5 HE 8K is pleasant enough, and it performs better on this front than some other gaming keyboards I’ve used. The concave nature of the key layout is more amenable to typing than I expected, even without wrist support, and that springy rebound helps with speed. It isn’t the quietest around, though, with the space bar being especially noisy.

Speaking of the space bar, its elevated seating and backwards tilt (along with all bottom row keys) meant I regularly hit its edge with my thumb rather than the top, which is less satisfying and more awkward. Some may prefer this positioning, but others will fall into the same camp as me.

Performance: 3.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Lemokey L5 HE 8K? Buy it if…

You want plenty of analog adjustments
With precise actuation point adjustments and modes such as Rapid Trigger, Snap Action, multi-input and gamepad emulation, there’s little it can’t do with its analog functionality.

You want good ergonomics
The sheer weight of the L5 HE 8K means it’ll stay in place, and the concave key layout is actually quite comfortable for the most part.

Don’t buy it if…

You want plenty of dampening
The clicky and somewhat loud key presses might irk some gamers, although as someone who usually prefers more dampening, I actually didn’t mind the feel of them.

You want the best software
Despite the level of customization the web app offers, I did experience some issues, and there’s no standalone variant.

Lemokey L5 HE 8K: Also consider

SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3
The analog action of the Apex Pro is simply divine, but it does lack a few advanced analog adjustments, such as gamepad emulation. It’s also mighty expensive, just like the L5 HE 8K, but if only the best analog performance will do, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better alternative. A wired variant is available for slightly less. Read our SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3 review.

Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro
The Vulcan 2 TKL Pro is another analog keyboard, but it’s much cheaper than the aforementioned Apex Pro. What’s more, it offers controller emulation, which the Apex Pro doesn’t. However, the implementation isn’t the best, and Lemokey’s is slightly better. That aside, though, the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro is still a solid performer. Read our Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro review.

How I tested the Lemokey L5 HE 8K

• Tested for several days
• Used for gaming and productivity
• Plentiful keyboard reviewing experience

I tested the Lemokey L5 HE 8K for several days, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general browsing.

I used it to play Counter-Strike 2, a great test for peripherals as it demands quick and precise movements, and helps to expose any issues with lag that they may suffer from.

I have reviewed many keyboards before, and have been PC gaming for over a decade. I have owned and used a great deal of keyboards in that time, spanning various brands, switch types, and price points.

• First reviewed January 2025
• Read more about how we test