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GMKTec NucBox EVO-X1 Pro: 30-second review

Unless you specifically want an Intel-powered NUC, AMD-powered machines typically offer more power and features for less money.

A classic example is the GMKtec EVO-X1 Pro AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 AI Mini PC, which uses the latest Zen 5 architecture and Gorgon Point silicon to deliver plenty of processing power for a wide range of applications.

Alongside its strong performance, it also supports ample memory, at least 16TB of storage, and an excellent port selection. This NUC offers USB4 and OCuLink ports, dual 2.5GbE LAN ports, and triple (HDMI, DisplayPort and USB-C) screen outputs.

GMKtec has a habit of refreshing a good idea before anyone finishes praising the last version, and the EVO X1 Pro is a prime example.

It keeps the compact box that arrived with the original EVO X1 in late 2024. Inside, it swaps in AMD's Ryzen AI 9 HX 470. It also moves to WiFi 7 and ships with 64GB of soldered memory.

That raises two questions. Is the step up from the cheaper HX 370 model worth paying for? And does AMD's platform still hold its ground now that Intel's latest mobile chips are turning up in mini PCs?

My review answers some of those questions, but it also poses a few I hadn’t considered. Based on some blistering performance, the GMKtec EVO-X1 Pro should be on any list of the best mini PCs, but are there more cost-effective options?

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)GMKTec NucBox EVO-X1 Pro: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? From $1150
• When is it out? Shipping now, but limited stock
• Where can you get it? You can get it directly from GMKtec

GMKtec's US store lists the EVO X1 Pro at $1,599.99 for the 64GB and 1TB build. A 2TB option is also shown at $1,769.99. At the time of writing, every configuration showed as sold out, and a banner warned that prices would rise soon.

The page also shows a struck-through reference price of $2,299.99. Treat that with a pinch of salt, because I’m confident that GMKtec has never sold any of these at that price.

For those with less cash to splash, there is a single SKU of an HX370 model with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage for $1,149.99. Please note that the memory on this machine is soldered, so you can’t get the HX370 model and add extra memory later. And the same is true of the HX470 SKUs, because while the platform can address up to 256 GB, you can’t add any more to the existing hardware.

UK buyers have a separate GMKtec store, which doesn’t list this hardware yet. But based on dollar pricing, around £1250 for the review specification SKU seems believable.

Warranty is listed as one year on the US store, although I think UK and EU retail laws would insist on longer warranty periods.

The obvious competitor for this system is the MINISFORUM AI X1 Pro-470, which uses the same platform but a slightly different port and slot arrangement. For the same 64GB+1TB spec as the review hardware, MINISFORUM wants $1655, another $55 more than GMKtec.

But the memory in the X1 Pro-470 is socketed, enabling it to be upgraded, with the caveat that the memory is running at a slightly slower speed. Because of the memory slots, MINISFORUM also offers this system barebones for only $727, if you have spare DDR5, M2 storage and a Windows Pro license. And it comes with a two-year warranty.

The Beelink SER10 MAX AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 is another socketed memory offering, but it's $1699 for the 64GB+1TB model.

The Geekom A9 Max 2026 Edition also has 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage, with an asking price of $1519. It also has a socketed memory system and can be loaded up to 128GB.

Among these mini systems, the EVO-X1's asking price is roughly in line with the alternatives, but all of them use socketed memory, trading a little speed for greater flexibility.

• Value: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)GMKTec NucBox EVO-X1 Pro: SpecsSpecifications

Model:

EVO X1 Pro 64+1TB

CPU:

AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470, 12 cores, 24 threads, up to 5.2GHz

Clock speeds:

2GHz base, up to 5.2GHz turbo

Cache:

12 MB L2, 24 MB L3

NPU:

Up to 55 TOPS (Int8)

Platform AI totals:

Up to 86 TOPS across CPU, GPU and NPU

GPU:

Radeon 890M, 16 compute units, up to 3.1GHz

Memory:

64GB onboard LPDDR5 at 6400MT/s, not upgradable

Primary storage:

1TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen4 x4)

Expansion storage:

1x M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4

Wireless:

WiFi 7

Bluetooth:

Bluetooth 5.4

Wired networking:

2x 2.5GbE LAN, auto-negotiating down to 10Mbps

HDMI:

1x HDMI 2.1, up to 8K at 60Hz

DisplayPort:

1x DP 2.1, up to 8K at 60Hz

USB-C video:

USB4 up to 4K at 60Hz

Audio:

1x 3.5mm CTIA Audio Jack

Ports front:

1x USB4 (40Gbps, PD 3.0, Display Output)
1x OCuLink (PCIe4 x4)
2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps

Ports rear:

2x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A (10Gbps)
1x HDMI 2.1 (Up to 8K@60Hz)
1x DisplayPort 2.1 (Up to 8K@60Hz)
2x RJ45 2.5G Ethernet
1x DC IN (5.5 × 2.5mm)
1x Kensington Security Lock

Dimensions:

107 x 111 x 63mm

Power input:

DC Input: 19V / 6.32A, up to 120W

Cooling:

Vapour Chamber Dual-fan Cooling System

Dedicated System Fan with Integrated Lighting

Silent Mode: 35W

Balanced Mode: 54W

Performance Mode: Up to 65W Peak

Operating system:

Windows 11 Pro

Warranty:

1-Year Limited Warranty

GMKTec NucBox EVO-X1 Pro: Design

• Metal enclosure from the original EVO-X1
• Easy access
• No memory upgrades

The chassis is unchanged from the original EVO X1. Dimensions are 110 by 107 by 63mm, and it weighs around 590g. Systems like this are often shorter vertically but wider in other directions, but this is a nice size for the desktop or for mounting on the rear of a monitor using the provided frame.

GMKtec describes a dual fan layout, with one fan for the processor and a second for the system. The original EVO X1 drew complaints about fan noise, but I found this model extremely quiet even under benchmarking stress. That said, the air it ejects from the sides is noticeably warm when in performance mode.

The front of the EVO X1 Pro has dual USB-A, a single USB4 and a single OCuLink port, along with a 3.5mm audio jack and the illuminated power button.

And, on the back, there are two 2.5GbE LAN ports, two more 10GBps USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports and both HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2.1. If you use the USB4 port with an HDMI adapter on the front, you can easily run three monitors off this system.

I’d have preferred the OCuLink port was on the back, but the port selection is good.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

One minor complaint is the port labels. These do exist, with each port having a label, but some need more detail. All the USB-A ports are merely labelled ‘USB’, and the LAN ports don’t get a speed or a port number; they’re just ‘LAN’.

Internal access is something of a tease. At first, it suggests you can get inside without tools, just by rotating the threaded feet. Once you remove these, the metal outer casing covering the bottom, top, and left side detaches, revealing that a screwdriver is indeed required.

Four more screws later, the fan housing comes off, giving access to the storage area.

You can only change the storage here, since the memory is soldered on the mainboard. There are two 2280 M.2 Gen4 x4 slots, one of which is occupied with a pre-installed drive.

Two equally fast slots are useful, since you can easily clone the Windows installation to a new NVMe drive in the second slot. The largest size that’s typically available is 8TB on a 2280-sized drive, so you could place 16TB inside this tiny computer.

You might even be able to get more. I noticed that the M.2 slot that is used for the WiFi 7 and Bluetooth electronics can also be modified to accept larger than 2230 modules. That M.2 slot might be Gen4 x2 or even x1, and you'd give up wireless connectivity, but you might be able to add a third drive using it.

Overall, this was a good enclosure when it was the original X1, and the system in this model uses it effectively.

• Design: 4 / 5

GMKTec NucBox EVO-X1 Pro: Features

• Gorgon Point Silicon
• LPDDR5 Memory
• Full PCIe lane usage

The HX 470 belongs to AMD's Ryzen AI 400 family, codenamed Gorgon Point. It is a refresh of the Strix Point chip that powers the HX 370. The core layout is the same, with four full Zen 5 cores and eight smaller Zen 5c cores.

The gains are modest. Boost rises by 100MHz. GMKtec lists the Radeon 890M at 3.1GHz rather than 2.9GHz. The NPU moves from 50 to 55 TOPS.

It feels like AMD needed to polish the Strix Point design, ran out of time before it launched, and then made those tweaks for the Gorgon Point generation.

AMD's own figures give a default power limit of 28W, configurable between 15W and 54W. GMKtec's 65W performance mode is therefore a system-level tuning claim rather than a standard AMD specification. This 4nm chip copes well at 65W, even if, in benchmarks, it threw copious amounts of warm air.

The caching on this chip is 12MB L2 and 24MB L3. That’s 1MB of L2 per core to handle immediate, low-latency instruction and data retrieval. The L3 cache is not a single monolithic block; it divides its cores into a dual-CCX layout, servicing both the Zen 5 and the Zen5c cores.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

One aspect of this design that people will either love or hate is that memory is soldered. The advantage of this is fast memory speeds, but it removes any upgrade path. The 64GB configuration is generous for local AI models and heavy multitasking. But it is also a financial commitment, and it assumes you won’t want more at some stage.

The M.2 slots are less controversial. Dual PCIe 4.0 x4 slots are rare in a box this size, mostly because of the limitations of free PCIe lanes. The HX 470 has sixteen PCIe 4.0 lanes, so the M.2 slots take half the available lanes. Since the OCuLink also comes from the same lane pool and uses four lanes, that leaves only four unused.

Thankfully, the USB controllers are native to the processor and do not steal from the general-purpose PCIe lanes, so that probably leaves enough for the shorter 2230 slot for Wi-Fi and the two 2.5GbE LAN ports.

OCuLink is a critical feature for enthusiasts who either want more GPU power or to run LLMs locally. GMKtec warns that the port is not hot-swappable, so you need to connect everything with the machine powered down, and then power the external device before activating the mini PC.

What I like about this system is that it doesn’t leave PCIe bandwidth unused, and with the 65W power profile, it's getting as close as it can get.

• Features: 4.5 / 5

GMKTec NucBox EVO-X1 Pro: Performance

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Mini PC

GMKtec EVO-X1

GMKtec EVO-T1

CPU

AMD Ryzen 9 AI HX470

Intel Core Ultra 9 285H

AI CPU/GPU/NPU

86 TOPS

99 TOPS

Cores/Threads

12C 24T

16C 16T

RAM

64GB LPDDR5 (4x16GB)

64GB LPDDR5 (2x32GB)

SSD

1TB YMTC PC411

Crucial P3 Plus 1TB

Graphics

Radeon 890M

Intel Arc Graphics 140T

3DMark

WildLife

22745

24893

FireStrike

8490

8213

TimeSpy

3800

4363

S.Nomad

3332

3436

Cine24

Single

117

129

Multi

1186

1141

Ratio

10.17

8.82

GeekBench 6

Single

2941

2973

Multi

15198

16097

OpenCL

43184

41700

Vulkan

47293

38605

CrystalDisk

Read MB/s

7117

5198

Write MB/s

6418

4726

PCMark 10

Office

8933

7917

WEI

Score

8.2

8.4

Rather than comparing the EVO-X1 Pro to another AMD system, I thought it would be more interesting to compare it to the EVO-T1 from the same brand, which uses Intel silicon.

There is relatively little to separate these systems, since they both use LPDDR5 memory, although the T1 uses socketed SODIMMs (5600 MT/s) versus the unsocketed 6400 MT/s LPDDR5 memory on the X1 Pro.

What isn’t detailed above is that the power peak of the X1 Pro is 65W, where you can set the T1 to use 80W. In both these tests, I set ‘performance mode’ in the BIOS, to get the best speeds and on the X1 Pro I set the memory allocated to the 890M GPU to 8GB.

For those interested, I allocated 16GB of RAM to the 890M and boosted 3DMark Steel Nomad Light to 3361, which probably wasn’t worth losing 8GB of RAM for.

Given how close the performance of these two systems is, it’s worth considering the price difference. Things are slightly complicated by changes since launch on the T1, where it isn’t offered with 64GB as a standard SKU. It can be bought with 32GB+1TB for $1,279.99 or 96GB+2TB for a whopping $2,199.99.

Since you can add memory, you could get the T1 with no memory or storage for only $829.99, then add 64GB of RAM (2x 32GB SODIMM) and an NVMe drive. With a Lexar 32GB DDR5 SODIMM costing around $290 and a typical 1TB Gen4 drive being about $160, the upgrade to match memory and storage will cost you an extra $740, bringing the total system (without Windows) to about $1570, or $30 less than the X1 Pro cost, but without a Windows license.

The advantage of the Intel T1 is that you can upgrade it to 96GB, if you have that sort of cash, and it does have more inherent AI power with 99TOPS in total. However, the NPU on the AMD platform is far superior to that on the Intel, and if it wasn’t for the ARC 140V GPU, the Intel wouldn’t be better.

Conversely, the X1 Pro is less flexible, with no memory upgrades beyond the 64GB provided, but it’s more power-efficient with a 28W base TDP versus 45W on the T1.

Overall, the T1 is the machine for single-threaded tasks, and the X1 Pro is ideal if you run multi-core and multi-threaded code.

So is the X1 Pro worth the asking price? That depends on whether you need the memory. If you don’t, I’d recommend the EVO-X1 Pro with the HX 370 processor, as it's much better value than either its bigger brother or the Intel T1.

If you want an AMD NUC that’s more powerful than this, you'll want one that uses AMD Ryzen AI 395 Max or Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495 silicon. And, the new Intel Panther Lake machines are also twice as quick as this, but all these options cost much more.

• Performance: 4 / 5

GMKTec NucBox EVO-X1 Pro: Final verdict

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

A year ago this system would have been closer to $1000, and might have been much easier for me to recommend. Now, with silly memory and storage costs, it's hardly an impulse purchase, is it?

That said, there is relatively little wrong with this hardware, though I’m genuinely disappointed that GMKtec is offering only a single year of warranty on a system I’d expect to last at least five years. Geekom is offering three years on their equipment.

When you factor in the price and the warranty, I’d be inclined to ask anyone buying one if they would be impacted by having the HX 370 SKU with 32GB of RAM, because that’s $450 less for a machine that will perform almost identically, unless you need more RAM.

It comes in the same well-engineered enclosure, and you can expand storage the same way.

I can only hope memory prices start to drop soon, because we need more systems like this with 64GB, or more, and more plausible pricing than we’re seeing currently.

The EVO-X1 Pro is a great mini system, but it desperately needs to be cheaper so that more people can experience this lovely mini PC.

Should you buy a GMKTec NucBox EVO-X1 Pro?

Value

The price is high, but it’s the going rate for this spec

4 / 5

Design

A reused enclosure with easy access and compact form factor

4 / 5

Features

Powerful CPU, 64GB of RAM and an excellent port selection

4.5 / 5

Performance

Punchy solution that matches what Intel has to offer

4 / 5

Overall

An excellent NUC only undermined by the price of memory and storage in it

4 / 5

Buy it if...

Space is limited
As a mini system, this one is remarkably small, yet packs a serious punch. For those with limited space, or who are fine mounting the computer on the rear of a monitor, the EVO-X1 Pro is an excellent choice. And, with USB4, you can use it with a dock if you need more ports easily accessible.

You want an external GPU
The inclusion of an OCuLink port provides a means to add an external GPU, or any piece of PC hardware that will work in a PCIe x4 slot with the addition of an OCuLink dock. While not the total flexibility of a desktop system, this is a good choice for those who need more power on occasion.

Don't buy it if...

You are on a tight budget
Solid options using older processor technology, or with less memory, are considerably cheaper than this system. GMKtec has an HX 370 option in the same case with 32GB of RAM that could save you $450 over the HX 470 model with 64GB.

You specifically want Intel
Not sure why this is still an issue, but some companies only want Intel-branded hardware for some spurious reason. Obviously, this system uses AMD, not Intel. GMKtec makes systems with Intel processor technology for those who specifically want that.

Also Consider

GMKtec K6 Ultra
A mid-level AMD system that sports an AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS processor, up to 32GB of RAM and dual Gen4 x4 M.2 slots. This older hardware shows what’s possible when you have 20 PCIe lanes. Also available in a barebones configuration if you have RAM and SSDs spare.

Check out our GMKtec K6 Ultra review

GMKtec EVO-T2
The latest Panther Lake Intel silicon enables some exceptionally impressive results from this mini PC. However, that power comes with a whopping price tag, so this system isn’t for those on a constrained budget.

I reviewed the X7 variant, but the makers do sell a system with an X9-rated chip, if money is no object.

Check out my GMKtec EVO-T2 review

For more professional hardware, we've reviewed the best business computers.

YouTuber JerryRigEverything tests the iPhone Duo’s durability for scratch and dust resistance. And it is wild to watch.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that normal Starlink operating speeds were restored after more than a week of disruptions.

(Image credit: Efrem Lukatsky)

For someone who loves movies, I’ve never fancied myself as much of a filmmaker — but Oppo’s Hasselblad-inspired XPAN mode has got me rethinking my directorial ambitions.

Built into the new Oppo Find X10 Pro Max and other Find X Series phones, XPAN lets you shoot ultra-wide frames with a 65:24 aspect ratio. It’s inspired by the Hasselblad XPan camera, which first launched in 1998 and could capture both standard 35mm and panoramic images on the same roll of film.

During a recent visit to Mallorca, Spain, I put Oppo’s XPAN mode to the test, and I’ve decided that a) I wish my iPhone 18 Pro had the same photography feature and b) if Christopher Nolan ever did decide to own a smartphone, he should consider the Find X10 Pro Max. If you’re reading this, Chris, you’ll soon understand why.

I bring up Nolan because XPAN mode turned what would have been good-but-not-great vacation snaps into photos that look like scenes from The Odyssey.

By extending the width of the frame significantly — 65:24 is roughly the size of two standard 35mm frames side by side — XPAN lets you capture the full context of a scene, and I found this extra width beneficial for shooting both landscapes and urban cityscapes.

(Image credit: Future)

XPAN works across the wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto lenses of the Find X10 Pro Max — all three, impressively, are 200MP (that’s a first for a smartphone) — and in the gallery above, you’ll see I used the ultra-wide for the widest possible shots of the sunset, and the standard wide for a tighter framing of the headland.

(Image credit: Future)

In the Cathedral of Santa Maria in Palma, XPAN came in handy for capturing the breathtaking scale of the building. I particularly love how, in the last image, the almost ethereal light in the middle of the scene is bookended by completely normal churchgoers. The contrast is great.

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

In these shots, I’ve used XPAN to capture the hustle of busy streets. In the first gallery, see how the couple is trailing behind their runaway daughter, and in the second, how four distinct groups are visible outside the café — you just can’t get the same dynamism and richness from standard smartphone aspect ratios.

As mentioned, XPAN works with all three lenses on the Find X10 Pro Max, and in the gallery below, I’ve included shots taken with the phone’s telephoto lens at 3x optical zoom — proof that wide angles can work up close, too.

(Image credit: Future)

Of course, I’m not the first person to discover Oppo’s XPAN mode, but I’m writing this article to make sure I’m not the last.

The feature is actually pretty hidden (it’s tucked away in the ‘More’ tab in Oppo’s camera app), and I only learned about its existence after my colleague, Prakhar, highlighted it in his coverage of the Oppo Find X8 Ultra last year.

“I love anything that helps me see the world differently, and XPAN does just that. It brings an amazing new perspective that I wouldn’t have paid attention to otherwise,” Prakhar wrote at the time, and having now used the feature for myself, I feel the same way.

(Image credit: Future)

It’s worth noting that you can achieve similar results with non-Oppo phones by manually cropping ultra-wide shots into the 65:24 aspect ratio, but you’ll have to think harder about your framing before taking the shot.

XPAN, meanwhile, lets you shoot directly into this wider ratio and even transforms the Find X10 Pro Max’s camera into a classic Hasselblad XPan viewfinder. What’s more, once you click the shutter, you’ll get a nice ‘developing’ animation as the phone simulates the transition from negative to photograph, which is a nice nostalgic touch.

The XPAN interface on the Oppo Find X10 Pro Max (Image credit: Future)

Oppo announced the extension of its partnership with Hasselblad in 2025, meaning future Oppo phones will continue to feature XPAN mode and other Hasselblad-inspired photography tools, including Hasselblad Portrait Mode and Master Mode.

It’s sometimes easy to think of these brand partnerships as gimmicks, or as something that Chinese smartphone companies do to keep pace with rivals — Oppo has Hasselblad, Xiaomi Leica, Vivo Zeiss, and Honor recently partnered with ARRI. But if not for Oppo’s Hasselblad collaboration, XPAN mode wouldn’t exist, and I wouldn’t have looked twice at my Mallorca vacation pictures.

So what do you say, Chris — fancy taking the Oppo Find X10 Pro Max for a spin?

Fyne Audio Cubitt 5: Two-minute review

It’s taken Fyne Audio less than a decade to establish itself as a deeply credible manufacturer of passive loudspeakers at a wide range of prices. The Cubitt 5, though, represents its first pair of active speakers — and they've got some serious competition to overcome.

At first glance, though, the system seems to have every chance. Its compact, well-made cabinets are available in a wide range of finishes, and are home to an intriguing driver array that draws liberally from the company’s very successful (and much more expensive) line-up of passive loudspeakers. Power is more than adequate at 240 watts, and the range of inputs (Bluetooth with aptX HD capability, line- and MM phono-level analog, optical and HDMI ARC) is very competitive, too. The lack of on-system controls is an odd decision, as is the lack confirmation of selected input or volume, and the remote handset that’s your only control option is unlovely.

Get the system up and running and you’ll have to ignore the unwelcome low-volume hiss that comes from each speaker before any music is cued up — fortunately it’s not an issue once your tracks are playing. Instead you’re free to admire the Cubitt 5’s abilities with detail retrieval, soundstaging, low-frequency authority and articulate midrange communication. It’s absolutely as confident as is acceptable when it comes to handling the top of the frequency range, but even here it’s not overtly ill-balanced or unruly.

Add in significant dynamic headroom, an expansive overall presentation and a disinclination to alter its stance in any significant way no matter which of its input options is in use, and it’s apparent that where the fundamentals are concerned, the Cubitt 5 has plenty going for it. Maybe not quite for the best stereo speakers on the market, though.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 review: Price & release date

• Launched on June 30, 2026
• Priced $749 / £549 / AU$1,499

The Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 wireless stereo speaker system is on sale now, and in the United States it costs $749. In the United Kingdom it sells for £549, while in Australia you’ll have to part with AU$1,499.

Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 review: Features

• 127mm ‘IsoFlare’ mid/bass driver with 19mm concentric titanium dome tweeter
• 240 watts of Class D power
• Wired and wireless inputs

The idea of positioning a tweeter in the acoustic center of a mid or mid/bass driver is not a new one, but it’s a rarity nevertheless, and Fyne Audio has been busily democratizing its ‘IsoFlare’ variation on this particular theme for a while now. The Cubitt 5 is just the latest example.

In this instance there’s a 19mm titanium dome tweeter positioned in the center of a 127mm multi-fiber mid/bass driver — the idea, as ever, is to create a single point-source of sound at the same time as optimizing driver integration and sound dispersion. The mid/bass driver’s surround is the company’s ‘FyneFlute’ design, the unusual pattern of which helps minimize unwanted energy from the pistonic movement of the driver. Each of the four drivers gets 60 watts of Class D amplification to power it — an all-in total of 240 watts really should be adequate in a system such as this — and the output is bolstered by a front-firing bass reflex slot. It’s an arrangement Fyne Audio suggests will deliver a frequency response of 43Hz - 34kHz.

The primary speaker takes care of all wired and wireless connectivity. The wireless stuff consists of Bluetooth 5.0, with codec compatibility up to and including aptX HD. Physical connections, all on the rear panel, run to a moving magnet (or high-output moving coil) phono stage accessed via stereo RCA inputs, a line-level analog equivalent also using RCAs, a digital optical input and an HDMI ARC socket. All incoming digital information is dealt with by a DAC of 24bit/96kHz resolution.

• Features score: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 review: Sound quality

• Expansive and controlled presentation
• Solid punch and decent dynamics
• Audible hiss when not playing

There’s a unique aspect to the way the Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 performs — or, at least, it’s unique in my extensive experience of products of this type. Connect the speakers together using the supplied umbilical, plug the primary speaker into the mains, turn the power on, and there’s an obvious and consistent hiss from both speakers. Is it loud? No, but it can be heard down the length of my listening room. Is it audible when playing music? No, not at all. So is it an issue? I guess not, unless you intend to use the speakers on your desktop, but I can’t pretend it fills me with confidence.

Which is a great pity, because when it’s actually playing music the Cubitt 5 is one of the best sub-$750 wireless stereo speaker systems I’ve heard so far. In virtually every respect, it’s an enjoyable, balanced and well-sorted listen.

With a vinyl copy of Julian Cope’s Peggy Suicide incoming via the moving magnet phono stage, the Fyne Audio doesn’t take its eye off the ball for a moment. It’s good where detail retrieval is concerned, and manages to stay on top of the finest details without sacrificing any sense of unity or performance. It creates a fairly large soundstage — it’s certainly larger than the cabinets that are producing it — and it’s coherent, organized and easy to understand.

The tonal balance is persuasive, too, the Cubitt 5 hits the plosives at the top of the frequency range absolutely as hard as it dares, but somehow they never quite get too edgy or overly hard. The midrange is sweetly communicative, so there’s confidence and eloquence to the way the system handles a vocalist. And while the claims for extension down to 43Hz are, I think it’s fair to say, a false alarm, the Cubitt 5 nevertheless bigs deep, hits hard and controls its low-frequency activity well. Rhythmic expression is very decent as a result, and the way the system handles tempos is similarly unforced and naturalistic.

There’s a fair amount of dynamic headroom available, so the Fyne Audio handles big shifts in volume or intensity calmly, and its overall attention to detail means that the more subtle dynamics of harmonic variation are given their due weighting, too. Frequency response is nice and even, too. The tendency to attack the highest frequencies can make it sound like the top end is being overstated on occasion, but otherwise the Cubitt 5 gives every area of the frequency range fair representation.

It’s winningly unconcerned about volume, too. Some systems can change their character when asked to play at bigger levels, but the Fyne Audio just gets louder. There’s no change in tonal balance or frequency response, and the stage maintains its shape, too. And the same is true when you change inputs — switch to a wireless stream of John Glacier’s Money Shows and the fundamental attitude and character of the system don’t alter in the slightest. It’s still balanced, insightful, punchy and just slightly treble-happy.

• Sound quality score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 review: Design

• 260 x 165 x 215mm (HxWxD)
• Available in five different finishes
• Supplied without grilles

It’s by no means an easy trick to pull off, but the Cubitt 5 manages to look discreet and interesting at the same time.

The ‘discreet’ part is mostly thanks to the 260 x 165 x 215mm (HxWxD) dimensions, assisted by some nicely curved cabinet corners and a selection of no fewer than five very agreeable finishes. My sample is in ‘olive green’, but ‘arctic white’, ‘midnight black’, ‘pearl titanium’ and ‘pebble gray’ are also available. No matter which finish you decide suits you best, you’ll find it’s the final flourish in a process that includes a very high standard of construction. There are no visible seams, and the soft-touch paint is flawlessly applied.

‘Interesting’ is mostly derived from the driver array that’s already been discussed in the ‘features’ section of this review, as well as the forward-facing bass reflex slot that somehow makes each speaker’s appearance easy to anthropomorphize. The not-quite-circular brightwork surrounding the driver array doesn’t do any harm when it comes to making this most functional of products look interesting, either. It comes as no surprise to me that Fyne Audio doesn’t see the need to supply the Cubitt 5 with grilles.

• Design score: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 review: Usability & setup

• Speakers must be wired together
• No app, no on-speaker controls, no input selection of volume indicator
• Nasty remote control handset

In terms of getting up and running, there’s really not a lot to get your head around here. Despite the fact this is an active system, only the primary speaker requires mains power — it transmits power, as well as data, along a supplied four-core umbilical cable that screws down onto the rear of each speaker. Once the speakers are connected together and the primary is powered up, it’s really only a question of positioning them to your satisfaction and then you’re in business.

Getting what you want from the system isn’t all that tricky, either, but neither is it all that satisfying an experience. This is not a Wi-Fi-enabled system, of course, so there’s no control app, which is hardly unheard-of in this part of the market. There are no controls on either speaker, either, which is rather less common. The primary speaker has an LED tell-tale that’s red when the system’s in standby and blue when it’s powered up. The blue light flashes when it’s following instructions from the remote handset that’s your only method of operation.

Given that the remote is all you’ve got, though, it’s a shame Fyne Audio specified what I imagine is the least expensive handset it could source. The look and feel is down-market, and the fact you’ve no indication of the source that’s been selected or the volume level that’s been specified only adds to the impression of cost- and corner-cutting.

• Usability & setup score: 3 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 review: Value

Judged purely on the sound it makes, there’s no denying the Cubitt 5 offers very decent value for money indeed — once it’s making a sound, that is. The standard of build and finish only adds to the impression of money well spent.

But there’s more to it than this, of course — and as far as the experiential goes, the feel of operating the system, the sensation is undeniably low-rent. Which unfortunately undermines the impression of value the Fyne Audio system otherwise offers.

• Value score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Should I buy the Fyne Audio Cubitt 5?Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 scorecard

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

19mm titanium dome tweeter, in a 127mm multi-fiber mid/bass driver optimizes driver integration and sound dispersion

5 / 5

Sound quality

Expansive and controlled, with solid punch, but an audible hiss when not playing

4 / 5

Design

Discreet and interesting, with five finishes and no need for grilles

5 / 5

Setup & usability

An active system, easy to set up, but no control app or on-unit controls grate, along with a cheap remote control

3 / 5

Value

Judged on the sound alone, very good, but as an experience... not so much

4 / 5

Buy them if…

You want full-range sound from winningly compact cabinets
Small enough for positioning on a shelf, but with sufficient sonic scale to fill a medium-sized room.

You want options beyond ‘back’ and ‘white’
There are a trio of more interesting options available.

You admire interesting engineering
The titanium dome tweeter time-aligned in the throat of the IsoFlare mid/bass driver counts as ‘interesting’ for sure.

Don’t buy them if…

You’re using them on a desktop
Not only are they slightly large for this purpose, the ‘power on’ hissing gets quite old quite quickly…

You like to know what’s going on
How much volume have you dialled in? Which input has been selected? Who can say?

You’re sensitive to the quality of control interfaces
Fyne Audio always knew the remote control handset would be the only way to interact with the Cubitt 5 — so why did it specify the cheapest it could find?

Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 review: Also consider

The Cambridge L/R S system handily undercuts the Fyne Audio on price, and has an awful lot to recommend it both aesthetically and in audio terms. Not quite the room-filling ability of the Cubitt 5, mind you.

And the same is true of the Ruark Audio MR1 mk3, but if you want a well-specified and great-sounding system that’s genuinely small enough for desktop use and isn’t as pricey as the Fyne Audio, you need look no further.

How I tested the Fyne Audio Cubitt 5

Almost all my testing is done with the Cubitt 5 positioned on a pair of Soundstyle S2 speaker stands, joined together by their supplied connecting cable and with the primary speaker plugged into the mains.

Sources include a FiiO M15S digital audio player with aptX HD Bluetooth capability, a Technics SL-1300G with Goldring 1022 cartridge for vinyl via the phono stage, a Rega Apollo CD player connected to the optical input, and a Philips OLED806 via the HDMI socket.

Which means a lot of different content, stored in a variety of file types, and of many resolutions, is available — and then I listen for almost an entire working week.

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• First reviewed: October 2026

Fyne Audio Cubitt 5: Two-minute review

It’s taken Fyne Audio less than a decade to establish itself as a deeply credible manufacturer of passive loudspeakers at a wide range of prices. The Cubitt 5, though, represents its first pair of active speakers — and they've got some serious competition to overcome.

At first glance, though, the system seems to have every chance. Its compact, well-made cabinets are available in a wide range of finishes, and are home to an intriguing driver array that draws liberally from the company’s very successful (and much more expensive) line-up of passive loudspeakers. Power is more than adequate at 240 watts, and the range of inputs (Bluetooth with aptX HD capability, line- and MM phono-level analog, optical and HDMI ARC) is very competitive, too. The lack of on-system controls is an odd decision, as is the lack confirmation of selected input or volume, and the remote handset that’s your only control option is unlovely.

Get the system up and running and you’ll have to ignore the unwelcome low-volume hiss that comes from each speaker before any music is cued up — fortunately it’s not an issue once your tracks are playing. Instead you’re free to admire the Cubitt 5’s abilities with detail retrieval, soundstaging, low-frequency authority and articulate midrange communication. It’s absolutely as confident as is acceptable when it comes to handling the top of the frequency range, but even here it’s not overtly ill-balanced or unruly.

Add in significant dynamic headroom, an expansive overall presentation and a disinclination to alter its stance in any significant way no matter which of its input options is in use, and it’s apparent that where the fundamentals are concerned, the Cubitt 5 has plenty going for it. Maybe not quite for the best stereo speakers on the market, though.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 review: Price & release date

• Launched on June 30, 2026
• Priced $749 / £549 / AU$1,499

The Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 wireless stereo speaker system is on sale now, and in the United States it costs $749. In the United Kingdom it sells for £549, while in Australia you’ll have to part with AU$1,499.

Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 review: Features

• 127mm ‘IsoFlare’ mid/bass driver with 19mm concentric titanium dome tweeter
• 240 watts of Class D power
• Wired and wireless inputs

The idea of positioning a tweeter in the acoustic center of a mid or mid/bass driver is not a new one, but it’s a rarity nevertheless, and Fyne Audio has been busily democratizing its ‘IsoFlare’ variation on this particular theme for a while now. The Cubitt 5 is just the latest example.

In this instance there’s a 19mm titanium dome tweeter positioned in the center of a 127mm multi-fiber mid/bass driver — the idea, as ever, is to create a single point-source of sound at the same time as optimizing driver integration and sound dispersion. The mid/bass driver’s surround is the company’s ‘FyneFlute’ design, the unusual pattern of which helps minimize unwanted energy from the pistonic movement of the driver. Each of the four drivers gets 60 watts of Class D amplification to power it — an all-in total of 240 watts really should be adequate in a system such as this — and the output is bolstered by a front-firing bass reflex slot. It’s an arrangement Fyne Audio suggests will deliver a frequency response of 43Hz - 34kHz.

The primary speaker takes care of all wired and wireless connectivity. The wireless stuff consists of Bluetooth 5.0, with codec compatibility up to and including aptX HD. Physical connections, all on the rear panel, run to a moving magnet (or high-output moving coil) phono stage accessed via stereo RCA inputs, a line-level analog equivalent also using RCAs, a digital optical input and an HDMI ARC socket. All incoming digital information is dealt with by a DAC of 24bit/96kHz resolution.

• Features score: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 review: Sound quality

• Expansive and controlled presentation
• Solid punch and decent dynamics
• Audible hiss when not playing

There’s a unique aspect to the way the Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 performs — or, at least, it’s unique in my extensive experience of products of this type. Connect the speakers together using the supplied umbilical, plug the primary speaker into the mains, turn the power on, and there’s an obvious and consistent hiss from both speakers. Is it loud? No, but it can be heard down the length of my listening room. Is it audible when playing music? No, not at all. So is it an issue? I guess not, unless you intend to use the speakers on your desktop, but I can’t pretend it fills me with confidence.

Which is a great pity, because when it’s actually playing music the Cubitt 5 is one of the best sub-$750 wireless stereo speaker systems I’ve heard so far. In virtually every respect, it’s an enjoyable, balanced and well-sorted listen.

With a vinyl copy of Julian Cope’s Peggy Suicide incoming via the moving magnet phono stage, the Fyne Audio doesn’t take its eye off the ball for a moment. It’s good where detail retrieval is concerned, and manages to stay on top of the finest details without sacrificing any sense of unity or performance. It creates a fairly large soundstage — it’s certainly larger than the cabinets that are producing it — and it’s coherent, organized and easy to understand.

The tonal balance is persuasive, too, the Cubitt 5 hits the plosives at the top of the frequency range absolutely as hard as it dares, but somehow they never quite get too edgy or overly hard. The midrange is sweetly communicative, so there’s confidence and eloquence to the way the system handles a vocalist. And while the claims for extension down to 43Hz are, I think it’s fair to say, a false alarm, the Cubitt 5 nevertheless bigs deep, hits hard and controls its low-frequency activity well. Rhythmic expression is very decent as a result, and the way the system handles tempos is similarly unforced and naturalistic.

There’s a fair amount of dynamic headroom available, so the Fyne Audio handles big shifts in volume or intensity calmly, and its overall attention to detail means that the more subtle dynamics of harmonic variation are given their due weighting, too. Frequency response is nice and even, too. The tendency to attack the highest frequencies can make it sound like the top end is being overstated on occasion, but otherwise the Cubitt 5 gives every area of the frequency range fair representation.

It’s winningly unconcerned about volume, too. Some systems can change their character when asked to play at bigger levels, but the Fyne Audio just gets louder. There’s no change in tonal balance or frequency response, and the stage maintains its shape, too. And the same is true when you change inputs — switch to a wireless stream of John Glacier’s Money Shows and the fundamental attitude and character of the system don’t alter in the slightest. It’s still balanced, insightful, punchy and just slightly treble-happy.

• Sound quality score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 review: Design

• 260 x 165 x 215mm (HxWxD)
• Available in five different finishes
• Supplied without grilles

It’s by no means an easy trick to pull off, but the Cubitt 5 manages to look discreet and interesting at the same time.

The ‘discreet’ part is mostly thanks to the 260 x 165 x 215mm (HxWxD) dimensions, assisted by some nicely curved cabinet corners and a selection of no fewer than five very agreeable finishes. My sample is in ‘olive green’, but ‘arctic white’, ‘midnight black’, ‘pearl titanium’ and ‘pebble gray’ are also available. No matter which finish you decide suits you best, you’ll find it’s the final flourish in a process that includes a very high standard of construction. There are no visible seams, and the soft-touch paint is flawlessly applied.

‘Interesting’ is mostly derived from the driver array that’s already been discussed in the ‘features’ section of this review, as well as the forward-facing bass reflex slot that somehow makes each speaker’s appearance easy to anthropomorphize. The not-quite-circular brightwork surrounding the driver array doesn’t do any harm when it comes to making this most functional of products look interesting, either. It comes as no surprise to me that Fyne Audio doesn’t see the need to supply the Cubitt 5 with grilles.

• Design score: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 review: Usability & setup

• Speakers must be wired together
• No app, no on-speaker controls, no input selection of volume indicator
• Nasty remote control handset

In terms of getting up and running, there’s really not a lot to get your head around here. Despite the fact this is an active system, only the primary speaker requires mains power — it transmits power, as well as data, along a supplied four-core umbilical cable that screws down onto the rear of each speaker. Once the speakers are connected together and the primary is powered up, it’s really only a question of positioning them to your satisfaction and then you’re in business.

Getting what you want from the system isn’t all that tricky, either, but neither is it all that satisfying an experience. This is not a Wi-Fi-enabled system, of course, so there’s no control app, which is hardly unheard-of in this part of the market. There are no controls on either speaker, either, which is rather less common. The primary speaker has an LED tell-tale that’s red when the system’s in standby and blue when it’s powered up. The blue light flashes when it’s following instructions from the remote handset that’s your only method of operation.

Given that the remote is all you’ve got, though, it’s a shame Fyne Audio specified what I imagine is the least expensive handset it could source. The look and feel is down-market, and the fact you’ve no indication of the source that’s been selected or the volume level that’s been specified only adds to the impression of cost- and corner-cutting.

• Usability & setup score: 3 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 review: Value

Judged purely on the sound it makes, there’s no denying the Cubitt 5 offers very decent value for money indeed — once it’s making a sound, that is. The standard of build and finish only adds to the impression of money well spent.

But there’s more to it than this, of course — and as far as the experiential goes, the feel of operating the system, the sensation is undeniably low-rent. Which unfortunately undermines the impression of value the Fyne Audio system otherwise offers.

• Value score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Should I buy the Fyne Audio Cubitt 5?Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 scorecard

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

19mm titanium dome tweeter, in a 127mm multi-fiber mid/bass driver optimizes driver integration and sound dispersion

5 / 5

Sound quality

Expansive and controlled, with solid punch, but an audible hiss when not playing

4 / 5

Design

Discreet and interesting, with five finishes and no need for grilles

5 / 5

Setup & usability

An active system, easy to set up, but no control app or on-unit controls grate, along with a cheap remote control

3 / 5

Value

Judged on the sound alone, very good, but as an experience... not so much

4 / 5

Buy them if…

You want full-range sound from winningly compact cabinets
Small enough for positioning on a shelf, but with sufficient sonic scale to fill a medium-sized room.

You want options beyond ‘back’ and ‘white’
There are a trio of more interesting options available.

You admire interesting engineering
The titanium dome tweeter time-aligned in the throat of the IsoFlare mid/bass driver counts as ‘interesting’ for sure.

Don’t buy them if…

You’re using them on a desktop
Not only are they slightly large for this purpose, the ‘power on’ hissing gets quite old quite quickly…

You like to know what’s going on
How much volume have you dialled in? Which input has been selected? Who can say?

You’re sensitive to the quality of control interfaces
Fyne Audio always knew the remote control handset would be the only way to interact with the Cubitt 5 — so why did it specify the cheapest it could find?

Fyne Audio Cubitt 5 review: Also consider

The Cambridge L/R S system handily undercuts the Fyne Audio on price, and has an awful lot to recommend it both aesthetically and in audio terms. Not quite the room-filling ability of the Cubitt 5, mind you.

And the same is true of the Ruark Audio MR1 mk3, but if you want a well-specified and great-sounding system that’s genuinely small enough for desktop use and isn’t as pricey as the Fyne Audio, you need look no further.

How I tested the Fyne Audio Cubitt 5

Almost all my testing is done with the Cubitt 5 positioned on a pair of Soundstyle S2 speaker stands, joined together by their supplied connecting cable and with the primary speaker plugged into the mains.

Sources include a FiiO M15S digital audio player with aptX HD Bluetooth capability, a Technics SL-1300G with Goldring 1022 cartridge for vinyl via the phono stage, a Rega Apollo CD player connected to the optical input, and a Philips OLED806 via the HDMI socket.

Which means a lot of different content, stored in a variety of file types, and of many resolutions, is available — and then I listen for almost an entire working week.

• Read TechRadar's Reviews Guarantee
• First reviewed: October 2026

• Gadgets with foreign chips are now being banned by the FCC
• Two unnamed devices have been put on the official Covered List
• However, Intel has been granted an exemption for factory robots

There's new movement in both directions on the Covered List maintained by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the US — the list of banned tech products that the agency has determined are a threat to national security, including DJI hardware.

New rules that came into effect this month allow the FCC to ban not just devices from specific companies, but also devices with components from specific companies inside them. As The Verge reports, those rules are now being put into practice.

Two unnamed gadgets have been added to the Covered List because they have a HiVision chip inside — HiVision being a subsidiary of Huawei, which is already on the list. These chips are typically used in home security cameras and dashcams.

As per the FCC, they're "foreign surveillance chips", and offer "built-in detection algorithms for human faces" (a feature you might have seen advertised as a way of identifying strangers around your property, rather than friends and family).

Factory robot workers

Intel can carry on using its robots (Image credit: Intel)

However, one company has managed to extract a waiver out of the FCC to avoid equipment it relies on being added to the Covered List: Reuters reports that Intel has been granted an exception for the robots it uses in its semiconductor factories.

The "foreign-made advanced robotics" involved can't be sourced domestically, Intel has argued. With that in mind, the FCC has kept them off the Covered List to avoid "potential disruptions in the availability of domestic semiconductor manufacturing services".

As it stands, the waiver only lasts for a year though — Intel will then have to find some factory floor robots without foreign components inside, or apply to the FCC again to prevent its army of autonomous workers from being banned.

The 'Automated Guided Vehicles' in question have been in use for two decades, Intel says. The exemption doesn't apply to new models, but rather software, firmware, and hardware tweaks to the existing models already in operation.

For recent generations of students, Chromebooks are ubiquitous: Google's handy, budget-friendly laptops have become classroom fixtures across the US and beyond, handling everything from homework to essays and assignments.

But many of those students are now heading to university or entering the workforce, where choosing a laptop for themselves is a different prospect altogether – something Apple is making a play for with the MacBook Neo.

Google isn't sitting idly by, though, and the recent launch of its Googlebooks is a big statement of intent.

Far from being the inexpensive Chromebooks familiar in schools, Googlebooks like the Acer Googlebook 14 are premium laptops running a new Android-based OS, with deep smartphone integration and the company's Gemini AI.

After years of gaining a deep familiarity with Chromebooks and ChromeOS, these students might be tempted to stick with Google's ecosystem as they grow older and their computing needs change.

But is familiarity enough? Apple's MacBook Neo and a wide range of cheaper Windows laptops also offer compelling alternatives, and both platforms are already deeply entrenched in work and everyday life.

(Image credit: Acer)School of Chrome

Google launched its Chromebook project back in 2011, initially as a general-purpose laptop, but its success really came in the education sector – long dominated by Windows – where inexpensive hardware, straightforward device management, and Google's classroom tools won out.

Michael Boreham, principal analyst at Futuresource, told TechRadar that Chromebooks accounted for just 16% of US K–12 mobile PC sales in 2013, rising to 50% by the end of 2015.

Since 2020, Chromebooks have accounted for between 61% and 67% of annual US K–12 mobile PC shipments, a remarkable level of dominance.

The success of Chromebooks has led to millions of students spending their formative years using Google's OS and apps, with services like Google Docs and Drive also available across Windows and macOS.

But those laptops were generally chosen by schools, rather than their students.

"As students transition from school-issued devices to choosing their own laptops, preferences typically shift away from the devices provided by their institution and towards products that align with personal needs and lifestyles," says Boreham.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)Old habits, new laptops

Carolina Milanesi, president and principal analyst at The Heart of Tech, draws an important distinction between students becoming familiar with Google's software and actively wanting to buy its hardware.

"What a decade of Chromebooks built is familiarity with Google's tools: Docs, Drive, Classroom, Gmail," she says. "Those tools run in a browser on any laptop, so that familiarity travels with the student wherever they go, including to a Mac."

"For most students the Chromebook was a device the school assigned, often low-cost and locked down, and the association is with schoolwork more than with a laptop they chose," Milanesi adds.

Futuresource's Student Journey research, which surveyed students in the US and UK, found that durability, value for money, storage, and battery life were among the main factors influencing their purchases.

"The lure of Apple is strong for university students given Apple’s unique position as a lifestyle brand and the power of its joined up ecosystem with the seamless integration between iPhone, iPads and MacBooks," says Boreham.

When choosing a brand, students also considered compatibility with their existing devices, brand reputation, and previous experience. Most university students surveyed also reported paying for their devices themselves or using university loans and grants, making value for money especially important.

That presents an obvious challenge for Googlebooks: price. The laptops start at £999 in the UK, compared to £599 for the MacBook Neo – or just £499 with Apple's education discount – and many of the best student laptops are also considerably more affordable.

People choose personal laptops based on the phone in their pocket far more than on the computer they used in class

Carolina Milanesi, president and principal analyst, The Heart of Tech

These are different machines, for sure, but a price gap of up to £500 is hard to ignore when value for money is such an important factor.

Milanesi isn't convinced it'll be an easy sell: "It will be difficult. Younger buyers have a $499 to $599 MacBook on one side and Windows laptops at every price point on the other, and a new platform asking for a premium carries more risk for the buyer."

Then there's the software. Familiarity with Chrome is all well and good, but university students may need specialist applications that their school Chromebooks never had to handle.

"If Googlebooks can replicate or better the performance of a MacBook or Windows notebook and have access to key applications, like, for example, Adobe’s Photo Editing suite, then it may capture share of the student user base as they move beyond high school," says Boreham.

For Milanesi, Google's enormous user base will only get it so far. "Googlebook has to turn that comfort into a purchase, which means making the Google laptop the aspirational choice rather than the default one," she says.

(Image credit: Corel)The Android in the room

Google's biggest advantage might be sitting in its potential customers' pockets: their Android phones.

"The Android phone base is the bigger opportunity," says Milanesi. "People choose personal laptops based on the phone in their pocket far more than on the computer they used in class, and Apple has spent years proving how much phone-to-laptop continuity drives Mac sales."

Features like Cast My Apps let users access their phone's apps on a Googlebook, while the Files app can bring photos and documents from an Android phone onto the laptop. It's the kind of connected experience Apple users have enjoyed for years, and an important part of Google's pitch against Windows.

"Against Apple, Google is offering parity more than an edge," says Milanesi.

While these ambitions might sound good on paper, the experience isn't quite seamless yet. When we put the Acer Googlebook 14 through its paces, the hardware and AI integration impressed, but connecting an Android phone proved more complicated than expected.

Milanesi points to another limitation: "Full phone integration requires Android 17, which shrinks the addressable base at launch given how slowly Android updates roll out."

Every Googlebook already includes a year's subscription to Google AI Pro, but Milanesi believes student discounts and more competitive bundles could help bring the overall price closer to Apple's MacBook Neo. Cheaper models further down the line might also help Google reach a wider audience.

Full phone integration requires Android 17, which shrinks the addressable base at launch given how slowly Android updates roll out

Carolina Milanesi

Gemini could be another way for Google to stand out, although Milanesi thinks its importance hasn't been obvious enough at launch. "I wish Gemini stood out more as a driver of the overall experience," she says.

Googlebooks, then, could well benefit from the Chromebook generation, but their immediate success is likely to depend more on the smartphones those students carry than their school laptops.

ChatGPT can hold a lot of knowledge about its users, acquired through deliberately personalizing the AI chatbot or by you simply leaving the memory feature on during conversations. OpenAI seems to think that might include details you'd rather a friend or family member didn't stumble across, and it has taken steps to ease those fears with its new Locked Chats feature.

Locked Chats seals specific conversations with ChatGPT behind a four-digit PIN or biometric check on mobile devices. Open the menu under the three dots in the upper right of the chat window, tap "Lock Chat," and confirm. You'll need to make a four-digit PIN if you haven't already, or link it to the face or fingerprint you use to unlock your device.

Also, be sure to remember your PIN. You can change it later if you want, but if you forget it and have to reset it, ChatGPT will permanently delete every locked chat and file protected by the old PIN.

Keep sensitive conversations out of view with Locked Chats in ChatGPT.Move chats out of your regular history and search into a protected space you can unlock with a PIN on web and desktop, or a PIN, Face ID, Touch ID, or device unlock on supported mobile devices.New messages sent in locked chats won't update the memory used in your regular chats.Rolling out starting today to Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu plans.October 20, 2026

ChatGPT will make a new Project specifically for the locked chats. The conversations disappear from your regular history and search results unless unlocked. Someone casually browsing your account shouldn't be able to find it without authenticating.

But while Locked Chats will stop others from reading your conversations, the information embedded in your back-and-forth with the AI is a different story.

Disappearing conversation trickery

Imagine using ChatGPT to plan a surprise birthday present for a romantic partner who might innocently borrow your phone, look up information in the chatbot, and stumble upon your plans. That's what OpenAI seems to have in mind as a conversation you'd want to keep available without having it pop up when someone else looks at your phone. But what seems like a straightforward privacy upgrade has a couple of important caveats.

For one thing, if you use the feature, the conversation can remain open in the same browser tab immediately after you lock it, and previously opened devices might temporarily display its title until they refresh. So be sure to close or refresh the relevant tab and check any other devices if keeping it hidden is important.

(Image credit: OpenAi)

Also, unlocking the protected project gives you temporary access, but re-locking the gate won't happen immediately unless you select Lock again when you're done. You can't assume that navigating away has secured the discussion again.

The same goes for any information that has already escaped. If you made a shared link to a ChatGPT interaction while planning a trip so a friend could check it out, locking it to keep some of the schedule a surprise afterward won't be much help. Those shared links still work, regardless of their subsequent locked status. You have to delete the shared link to close that loophole. Locking a conversation restricts access inside your account, but it doesn't recall copies you've already shared.

Escaping details

(Image credit: South House Studio via Shuttertsock )

But even good ChatGPT lock discipline won't always work if the AI selects some detail from the conversation to incorporate into its memory feature before you can turn the digital key. Information remembered before the conversation was locked remains part of regular ChatGPT Memory and can influence responses later on. The information isn't automatically erased. You have to manually go into the memory section and remove it.

Happily, that stops being an issue once the lock is set. Newly remembered details remain separate from ordinary ChatGPT memory and can be used within other locked conversations, but won't leak into other conversations. So, if you know you're going to want to lock away a chat at some point, do it before sensitive discussions begin.

For especially sensitive discussions, Temporary Chat may be the more appropriate choice. Temporary conversations don't appear in regular history, make memories, or even get saved by OpenAI for its model improvement program. In some cases, that's worth the trade-off of not being able to return to the conversation.

Locked chats are definitely an appealing addition for everyday privacy concerns with ChatGPT, but it's not comprehensive or entirely automatic. Controlling who can open a conversation is useful, but it's irrelevant if the information is embedded in ChatGPT's memory or a shared link. Tracking the content takes a little more effort than simply relying on four numbers and your facial features to keep your secrets.

A new James Bond is nigh, to replace the last actor in the 64 year-old movie franchise. What evil forces will the new 007 face? Killer Drones? Killer AI? Killer lettuce?

(Image credit: Jack Kay/Getty Images)

Footage broadcast on Jordanian state television showed three gunmen firing shots at a Greek Orthodox church in the city of Karak on Friday.

(Image credit: AP Photo)

VZMORE AX9 Max AI: 30-second review

The AX9 Max instantly feels premium, with a full metal build and a huge array of ports on the front and back. However, as you look closely at the embossed detailing around the edges and a logo that seems to blend the old Cadillac and Ferrari logos, something about the aesthetics starts to looks a little less premium.

Aesthetics aside, the build quality is solid enough and well finished, with the most impressive aspect being the sheer volume of ports that have been fitted around the exterior. On the front, there’s a selection of USB Type-A ports and the usual headphone jack; around the back, there are even more connectivity options, including two USB4 ports.

To handle the potential power draw of the devices you can hook up to the box, it packs a powerful AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 processor which is supplied with the 120W power supply. The processor is relatively new, launched at the start of 2026, so it has had a good amount of time to bed in and now has a proven track record. This is supported by an integrated GPU and a dedicated NPU for all those new AI workloads.

As the test progressed, the machine's speed in Microsoft Office apps and the Adobe Creative Suite highlighted its potential. During video editing, the internal SSD kept pace with high-resolution edits without issue. However, a little more headroom on the 1TB capacity would have been beneficial.

Storage and RAM are the two interesting points of this machine. While both are modest in my review sample, maxing them out could turn this from a powerful mini PC into something that will hold great interest for anyone looking to run offline AI and larger LLMs, although that potential does come at a huge monetry cost.

Throughout the test, the creative applications and handling of video and image files were limited by the 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD. However, with two USB4 ports, I could at least boost the storage capacity. For most HD and 4K edits, the machine handled rough cuts and transitions in Premiere Pro quickly and without issue, though more RAM would have helped.

The most interesting test was running LM Studio and a few local models; while general performance was good, especially for models that utilised the NPU, I could see where the 32GB RAM limit restricted what the machine could potentially do, limiting it as the best mini PC specifically for AI workloads.

For gaming, at mid settings in most games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, the machine was more than capable of supplying the power needed for the action. However, again, a little more RAM would have smoothed some of the minor slowdowns in gameplay, especially in Cyberpunk 2077 where quality settings had to be lowered.

This is a machine with potential, and while undoubtedly expensive for a mini PC with a 1TB SSD and 32GB RAM, that money is invested in that powerful CPU, GPU and NPU combo and the ability to expand the storage to a far greater degree than I have seen on the vast majority of other mini PCs of this size and type.

VZMORE AX9 Max AI: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? From $1,349
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? Directly from VZMore and online retailers.

At present, the UK price is £1,349 for the 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD configuration I’m looking at in this review.

At the time of review, the US site is down (maybe it's just me?), however, it's available on Amazon for $1,399.

• Value: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)VZMORE AX9 Max AI: Specs

Processor: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470
Graphics: AMD Radeon 890M
NPU: AMD Ryzen AI, up to 55 TOPS
Memory: 32GB DDR5
Storage: 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD
Operating System: Windows 11 Pro
Front ports: 5 × USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 3.5mm Audio
Rear ports: 2 × USB4, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, USB 2.0 Type-A, 2 × HDMI 2.1, 2 × 2.5Gb Ethernet
Wireless: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Card Reader: SD 4.0
Power Modes: Silent 45W, Balanced 54W, Performance 65W
Dimensions: Approx. 134.9 × 131.8 × 57.7mm
Weight: 777.5g
Power Adapter: 120W

VZMORE AX9 Max AI: Design

Unpacking the compact AX9 Max, the metal casing and detailed plastic base of this mini PC instantly reinforced its price point. Only after carefully checking the detailing and the large, shiny logo on top did I start to question whether this was a premium machine or just one trying to look premium.

Checking the specifications and that the price point was justified, but there’s still something about the design that feels a little over the top. The rest of the design is solid, and at 134.9 × 131.8 × 57.7mm and 777.5g, it’s a great size and weight for this style of machine.

Around the casing, there are four USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports and a 3.5mm stereo headphone jack. On the left side of the casing is an SD 4.0 memory card slot, while the back has two USB4 Type-C ports, a USB 2.0 port, two HDMI 2.1 ports, two 2.5Gb RJ45 sockets, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, and the DC-in port.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Despite the number of ports, they’re well laid out, and testing with multiple accessories, SSDs, and other card readers showed the port selection offered enough space to easily plug in and remove cables when needed.

You access the inner workings of the mini PC through the base, and while it's designed to be upgraded, initial access proved tricky, but only because of the four small rubber plugs covering the screw holes.

Once these are removed, removing the base is easy, and thankfully there are no easily detachable wires to get in the way of speedy progress.

• Design: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)VZMORE AX9 Max AI: Features

The aesthetics of this machine are quite run-of-the-mill despite the premium metal build. However, as I checked the specifications, I found plenty that’s quite exciting. First, it features the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 with 12 cores and 24 threads, plus Radeon 890M integrated graphics. That’s a powerful combo, especially with the dedicated NPU rated at 55 TOPS.

To keep up with this processing power, the machine has a substantial cooling system; flip it over, and the base design suddenly makes sense, as it, along with the huge venting on the back, is designed to keep the machine cool.

VZMORE has its own cooling system called V-Cooling, which uses a vapour chamber and a 360º air intake on the base, and the company claims it provides 65W of sustained TDP output while keeping things quiet. In testing, this claim held up: the cooling seemed effective and quiet for the most part until it was put under heavy load and even then while the fans are audible they’re still well managed.

As mini PCs go, one of the first notable features is the sheer volume of ports across the body. This is far more than most, with wireless connection options including Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.

There are also three selectable power modes, including 45W Silent mode, 54W Balanced and 65W Performance. Through this test, I turned it to Performance mode.

This machine is aimed at creatives, those looking to use AI and gamers- all high-demand applications. As I reviewed the specifications, a couple of points stood out. First, the internal SSD was limited to 1TB in the review sample, and given the machine's price, I expected at least 2TB.

The other point is that the SSD is PCIe Gen 4 x4, which still provides plenty of speed, as I saw in the benchmarks, but I would have expected an upgrade to PCIe Gen 5. The other point is that there are two M.2 slots: one pre-installed with an M.2 2280 module and one M.2 2230, slot that can only take up to 1TB. That’s still 5TB in a relatively small box, but for this price, I would have expected a little more.

the main point here is that CPU, GPU and NPU combo is an expensive choice and that’s what you’re paying for here.

Then comes the real surprise, the RAM. This is 32GB of DDR5 SO-DIMM, split into dual-channel. That in itself isn't unusual, but since AI is one of the machine's key selling points, this 32GB can be upgraded to 256GB. However, at the time of writing, the most that I could find was 128GB in two 64GB modules for the cool price of £1,999. This could be possible, but would you really want it?

In this test, I’ve run Qwen3.6-35B-A3B and Gemma-4-26B-A4B through LM Studio.

• Features: 4 / 5

VZMORE AX9 Max AI: Performance

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)Benchmark scores

CrystalDiskMark Read: 6047.65MB/s
CrystalDiskMark Write: 5058.87MB/s
Geekbench 6 CPU Multi: 15845
Geekbench 6 CPU Single: 2997
Geekbench 6 GPU: 44325
Geekbench 7 CPU Multi: 17377
Geekbench 7 CPU Single: 2723
Geekbench 7 GPU: 35288
PCMark Overall: 8910
Cinebench R23 CPU Multi (Threads): 21568
Cinebench R23 CPU Single (Threads): 2076
Cinebench 2026 CPU Multi (Threads): 5074
Cinebench 2026 CPU Single (Threads): 493
Fire Strike Overall: 9027
Fire Strike Graphics: 9842
Fire Strike Physics: 32446
Fire Strike Combined: 3340
Time Spy Overall: 4275
Time Spy Graphics: 3857
Time Spy CPU: 11109
Wild Life Overall: 24408
Steel Nomad Overall: 770
Windows Experience Overall: 8.2
Procyon: 1179

The machine arrives with Windows 11 Pro pre-installed and only needs the final steps of the installation to be completed. However, this takes a good 10–15 minutes, rejecting each of the many packages on offer. Once in, Windows 11 Pro runs smoothly, and the Microsoft Office suite is fast, as is interaction with Windows as a whole. Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are all well within its capabilities.

Moving on to Photoshop and Lightroom, the machine's power is evident, but the limits of 32GB of RAM are quickly apparent. The applications load quickly, and photos load into Photoshop and Lightroom are easily adjusted. It’s only when I do batch updates in Lightroom or select files in Adobe Bridge that I started to notice the limitations. On a machine at this price, I really expected a little more performance, and checking the Device Monitor showed the RAM topping out.

Again, loading Premiere Pro and some HD and 4K video, the initial HD footage ran smoothly, with the AX9 Max handling the video files with ease. 4K video was handled just as well, but again, RAM limits meant that as the edit grew more complex, it was best to give the machine a few seconds to catch up with the renders. Still, a good 5-minute 4K edit is well within the limits, and again it’s the RAM that holds the machine back. Another point was that I needed to connect an external SSD to one of the USB4 ports because of limited storage.

Overall, the machine is exceptional for heavy office use and more than able to keep up with the demands. What stood out was how easy it was to connect multiple accessories and screens, thanks to the port support around the case.

For creative applications, the machine performed well and handled most task with relative ease, although I would definitely boost the RAM to 64GB for video work.

To really test the machine’s potential, I loaded Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and was pleased to see that, with settings at moderate, it was more than capable of delivering smooth gameplay and stunning graphics. However, when I switched to Cyberpunk 2077, the gameplay faltered, and I had to dig into the settings and dial everything back to near-base levels to get the smooth gameplay I prefer.

The final test was to run a few LLMs locally and run a series of tests on the machine. The results here were mixed as I switched between two models, Qwen3.6-35B-A3B and Gemma-4-26B-A4B. On the initial run, I noticed that as the five tests I ran, technical writing, programming, reasoning, image understanding, and review analysis, became more intensive, the machine slowed down and the available RAM maxed out.

Using the installed models in LM Studio provided decent performance, with the chat flowing easily and responses coming back relatively quickly, in 2 to 5 seconds. However, as complexity rose, so did processing times and machine noise.

First, with every request, RAM maxed out between 95% and 99%, leaving little, if any, headroom for the machine to do anything else. The first test, writing a short 200-word technical piece with the Qwen model, took 4.38 seconds to get the first response, at 19.1 tokens per second, requiring 5920 output tokens, for a total run time of 316.7 seconds. Far slower than online models, but still all done completely offline.

Less complex models completed this task far faster, with less finesse in the wording.

Running a Python coding task to read and organise a folder of image files, again using the Qwen model, maxed out the machine across the board, with the fans kicking in to keep things cool. Time to first token was just over 1 second, with 18.84 tokens per second; 7653 output tokens took 407.36 seconds to complete the task. This was more impressive as the folder contained 2,764 images. The Python script could then be run to create a CSV file containing the file information. This is base-level organisation.

As I started pushing more complex image-analysis models, the machine's limits were hit, with processing times running in excess of ten minutes, mainly due to limited RAM.

However, the local LLMs available in LM Studio are surprisingly good, but they aren’t a replacement for online or higher-end models.

• Performance: 4 / 5

VZMORE AX9 Max AI: Final verdict

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The VZMORE AX9 Max AI Mini PC is a powerful mini PC with plenty of potential and a premium build. The aesthetics and large logo on top feel a little out of place for a machine at this price and for its intended audience; I usually associate that type of styling with entry-level models.

It is undoubtedly a powerful machine with a CPU, GPU and NPU that make light work of most Copilot and app-initiated AI tasks, and even with 32GB of RAM, it handles all office and most creative tasks without issue. What surprised me was that it struggled with some AI processing through LM Studio, with longer-than-expected processing times because the 32GB limit pushed the RAM to near 100% for extended periods.

Likewise, while most games played back smoothly, Cyberpunk 2077 struggled with the graphics, and the quality options and resolution had to be dropped to get smooth gameplay. Other games, such as Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, played well.

Creative use was also mixed, again held back by that 32GB of RAM, which topped out in Premiere Pro, causing slight slowdowns when editing 4K Log footage. Editing standard 4K and HD was fast, though I still needed to attach an external SSD to expand storage.

The point is that the machine supports up to 256GB of RAM, far more than I’ve seen in any other mini PC. However, as I couldn’t find 128GB modules in the UK, and the maximum available at this time is 2 × 64GB, costing between £1,500 and £2,000, this value seems to be theoretical rather than a reality.

As it is, this is a powerful mini PC, but while it offers upgrade options and plenty of connectivity, it feels like it overpromises; to reach its full potential, you’ll need to invest more in upgrades. At present what makes this machine the price it is, is that CPU, and in order for you to see it’s full potential this machine needs far more investment.

Should I buy the VZMORE AX9 Max AI?

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Value

This mini PC sits at the top of the premium mini PC price range, and I would have expected more RAM and a larger-capacity SSD

4

Design

Initial impressions of the build and materials are good, but some of the styling is a little over the top.

4

Features

The feature set is impressive, but it feels like it supports potential rather than out-of-the-box performance.

4

Performance

In general use, this small box packs in performance, but without a major investment, it’s still a long way from its full potential.

4

Overall

A decent enough premium mini PC with plenty of potential if you’re willing to invest.

4

Buy it if...

You need a compact PC with CPU performance.

The AMD CPU, GPU and NPU combine to offer impressive performance across the board.

You need high-speed external connectivity.

With dual USB4 and LAN, you get plenty of fast and standard connectivity options.

Don't buy it if...

You need a dedicated GPU for demanding graphics or 3D workloads.

The USB4 port lets you connect to an eGPU, but if you need that processing contained in this small box, this won’t be the solution.

You need local AI performance.

To reach its potential, you’ll need to invest in additional RAM, which is incredibly expensive.

For more professional-grade desktops, we've tested the best business computers.

Frontier X2: One minute review

While the Polar H10 chest strap is used by athletes the world over as a heart rate monitor accuracy benchmark, one of its biggest pain points can be its connectivity issues. It’s hard to know whether it’s going to drop out, or you need to replace or clean the strap, until you actually start a workout. There’s also no interface or control on the heart rate monitor itself, and the app is cluttered and outdated. I like using the Polar H10 for its accuracy, but when it doesn’t work for me, it’s not always obvious until after the fact — which, when testing multiple devices simultaneously, is a frustrating experience.

Frontier X2 from Fourth Frontier offers a different chest strap experience: a more modern app and a USB-chargeable device, with a screen and a button allowing you to manually start a workout and receive haptic feedback. That haptic feedback also triggers when you cross heart rate zone thresholds.While you can’t view the screen while wearing it on your chest of course, it does make workout preparation and phone connection so much easier than Polar’s offering. Guessing the heart rate monitor is working, even checking your phone to make sure heart rate is streaming correctly, only to have it drop out halfway through and lose my data due to a poor connection or crap strap, is an experience I’d like to leave in the past.

The Frontier X2 uses heart rate information to calculate Whoop-style metrics like a Strain score, Stress score, Heart Rate Variability (HRV), Breathing Rate, and estimates calories burned. That last metric is somewhat outdated, as research from Stanford University found that calorie estimates based on heart rate are unreliable as they measure effort rather than energy expended. A premium tier subscription costs an additional $119.99 / £109.99 per year, adding a Readiness score, VO2 Max and even sleep stage analysis. As an already-expensive device, I wouldn’t recommend this unless you’re planning to make Frontier X2 your privacy fitness tracker, and accuracy is hyper-important to you.

The continuous electrocardiogram, or ECG, can livestream an ECG scan for yourself or a medical professional to the Frontier app. Not only is this useful for spotting irregular heart rate rhythms over time, but I most often used it to check the HRM is streaming data correctly before starting working out in earnest, which is recommended, as the scan flags up in the app if there’s insufficient data due to poor connection.

In terms of accuracy, I had no complaints. I took it for a test run against the Apple Watch Ultra 4 (which offers a redesigned Health Sensing System said to be ‘the most accurate ever on a wearable’) and the Garmin Fenix 9 Pro, which uses Garmin’s Elevate V5 that I’ve already tested against the Polar H10 and found to be very accurate.

The results of the Frontier X2’s test run were excellent, with just 2 bpm separating the Frontier X2 from the Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Garmin Fenix 9 Pro’s average heart rate readings, a clear indication that all three devices are telling the same story about my body, and thus all three are very likely to be accurate. After some more solo runs and workouts, I feel like I could certainly recommend the Frontier X2, if you don’t mind paying the hefty premium price.

(Image credit: Future)Frontier X2: Price and availability

• $599 / £449 / AU$775
• Very expensive for a HRM
• Not competitively priced compared to the industry standard

The Frontier X2 can be found on storefronts like Amazon for $599 in the US and £449 in the UK. In Australia, it’s more difficult to locate, but Selfridges’ AU storefront lists it for AU$775. The optional subscription for premium features on top is tough to swallow at this price.

This is a lot for a device that fundamentally only measures heart rate, and although the Frontier X app can interpret strain, readiness, training load, specific workout profiles and other metrics, it’s still a lot to ask for compared to the $89.95 / £79.50 / AU$139 Polar H10.

However, it does address quite a few of Polar’s pain points, notably including a micro-USB charger rather than a replaceable coin battery, and a screen for an easier indicator of connection. The continuous ECG is a nice touch too, offering a way to test the monitor’s connection in addition to providing reliable ECG data for a medical professional. All in all, it’s an excellent package, but I wouldn’t call it excellent value.

• Value score: 3.5/5

Frontier X2: Specifications

(Image credit: Future)

Component

Frontier X2

Dimensions

73mm x 24mm x 13mm

Weight

25g without strap

Case material

Plastic

Connectivity

Bluetooth

Water resistance

IP67

Accelerometer

Yes

Battery

14 days typical usage

Frontier X2: Scorecard

Category

Comment

Score

Value

A premium product with more to recommend it over Polar, but not enough to stretch your budget.

3.5/5

Design

So many pain points addressed.

4.5/5

Features

More than most HRMs, but limited.

4/5

Performance

Accurate and reliable with little friction.

4.5/5

Frontier X2: Should I buy?

(Image credit: Future)Buy it if…

You want the best heart rate monitor

If money is no object, the Frontier X2 won’t let you down.

You want a rechargeable battery

Don’t want to faff around with coin batteries? The Frontier X2 uses standardised micro-USB.

You want ECG

The Frontier X2 is as good for people watching their heart health as it is for serious athletes.

Don’t buy it if…

You’re running a triathlon

The Frontier X2 isn’t for use in saline water.

You’re on a budget

Just get a Polar H10 instead, although you’ll have to put up with its app and the odd connection dropout.

Also consider

Coros Heart Rate Monitor

While not electrical, but optical like a smartwatch, this arm-mounted HRM performed incredibly well during testing.

Read our full Coros Heart Rate Monitor reviewView Deal

Polar H10

The industry-standard accurate heart rate monitor.

Read our full Polar H10 review

How I tested

I took the Frontier X2 on test runs, gym sessions and meditations, draining the battery down and wearing it consistently. I used its continuous ECG functionality, compared its in-app metrics to competitor wearables, and cleaned the band after each use.

First reviewed: October 2026

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