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Trump is expected to sign a slew of actions relating to immigration and other issues.

(Image credit: Scott Olson)

The first Samsung Galaxy Unpacked of 2025 is sure to be a phone-focussed event, where we're predicting to see the Samsung Galaxy S25 range, spearheaded by the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

While these phones are expected to be iterative upgrades over the Galaxy S24 lineup, their big party tricks could be a suite of new and improved features on the Galaxy AI side; a new powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset should help power these tools.

If you want to watch the event yourself then check out our guide on how to watch Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025. But for all the news and rumors ahead of Unpacked, you're in the right place; read on.

Good afternoon or morning or evening, depending on where you are, I (Roland Moore-Colyer) am here to chat about the Galaxy S25 rumors so far and what we can expect to see at the first Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event of 2025, which takes place on January 22.

(Image credit: Samsung)

So what's all the fuss about? Well as mentioned, this Unpacked is very likely be one that's fully focused on the next-generations Galaxy phones. We're not expecting much else in terms of hardware.

This could be disappointing to some as the Galaxy S25 family as a whole has been tipped to be somewhat of an iterative upgrade over the Galaxy S24 lineup, which brought in Galaxy AI.

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

There's no murmur on any wearables at this Galaxy Unpacked. But as we had the Galaxy Ring launch mid last year, alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6, there's already enough wearables from Samsung to keep us ticking over for now.

I'd predict osme AI upgrades for the Galaxy Ring and Galaxy Watch series, though how these will manifest isn't clear.

(Image credit: Blue Pixl Media)

Speaking of Galaxy AI, I'll buy a hat and eat it if there's no mention of new AI features for the Galaxy S25 series. I'm expecting a host of upgrades and new features, likely an improved Generative Edit being one of the first upgrades out of the gates.

I'd also like to see Galaxy AI better integrated across the One UI operating system, as my colleague and Senior Editor Philip Berne noted in his Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review, Galaxy Ai feels somewhat fiddly to access and use.

(Image credit: Samsung)

Right before I muse more on AI and other bits, first dsome new: just about every single Samsung Galaxy S25 spec has been shown up in what appears to be a new leak. Check them out in the tweet below.

25 pic.twitter.com/rW5EGZJbY9January 17, 2025

So going by those 'leaked' specs, it looks like there's not going to be a lot change with the Galaxy S25 series as a whole. 12GB or RAM for the standard S25 looks promising and should help with snappy AI workloads. And the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy would appear to be a custom version of an already powerful chipset, so there's scope for that to bring some serious performance grunt to the table,

In reference to those seemingly leaked specs, it's over to my colleague and staff writer Jamie RIchards for some context on the tipped Snapdragon chipset.

Snapdragon after all

The Samsung Galaxy S24 (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

There's been some back and forth in the months leading up to Samsung Galaxy Unpacked about which chipset the Galaxy S25 lineup would make use of. Some tipsters pointed to Samsung's troubled Exynos line of chipsets for the new flagships, but production issues seem to have taken too much of a toll for these proprietary processors to make it into this year's lineup.

The latest major specs leak (courtesy of noted tipster @MysteryLupin) points to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for the Samsung Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra. As Qualcomm's flagship chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is one of the fastest mobile platforms on the market, which bodes well for the S25 series' performance.

From my perspective, I'm hoping the new Qualcomm chipset brings in a big uptick in gaming power for the Galaxy S25, especially the Ultra. Apple's A18 Pro and the A17 Pro before it allowed for true console-quality games to be played on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro, so I'd like to see Samsung manage the same, especially since it used to work closely with Microsoft; imagine proper Xbox games on the Galaxy S25 running natively.

Throwing the ball back over to Jamie, as we take the specs conversation over to the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra cameras and their rumored upgrades.

A new Ultra ultrawide?

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (Image credit: Samsung)

Keen photographers will be looking to the Galaxy S-series Ultra's somewhat iconic quad-camera system, and if the latest rumors are anything to go by, there is one key upgrade on the way. We're expecting to see the Galaxy S25 Ultra equipped with a new 50MP ultra-wide camera, up from the 12MP ultra-wide found on the S24 Ultra.

Sure, it's not a revolutionary improvement, but this should lend well to a more consistent camera experience across the phone's four optical zoom levels.

• 1923 season 2 premieres Sunday, February 23
• The show's latest installment marks its second and final season
• Season 2 will consist of eight episodes

February just got a whole lot more exciting, because the second season of 1923, the Yellowstone prequel, will be streaming from the 23rd of February on Paramount Plus. And the newly released 1923 season 2 trailer makes it clear that it's going to be an epic.

This is the final part of the saga, and the tense, exciting trailer feels very much like Yellowstone itself – and while the fact that this is a prequel means we know some of the future, there's still plenty that we don't know about the twists and turns that will come during this second season of one of the best Paramount Plus shows.

What have we learnt from the 1923 Season 2 trailer?

At the end of the first season, the newly married Spencer Dutton and Alex (Julia Schlaepfer) had been separated from one another while Cara feared losing the ranch and Elizabeth (Michelle Randolph) suffered a terrible loss.

The second season resumes from there, with Isabel May (from the other prequel series, 1883) narrating once again. Here's the official synopsis: "A cruel winter brings new challenges and unfinished business to Jacob (Ford) and Cara (Mirren) back at Dutton ranch. With harsh conditions and adversaries threatening to end the Dutton legacy, Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) embarks on an arduous journey home, racing against time to save his family in Montana. Meanwhile, Alexandra (Julia Schlaepfer) sets off on her own harrowing trans-Atlantic journey to find Spencer and reclaim their love.”

There will be eight episodes of season 2, concluding the story. Indeed, creator Taylor Sheridan said that he needed eight more episodes to do it properly. "I can't wrap it up in two episodes and do the story justice," Sheridan told Deadline. "For [Paramount] it's great because they get more content. For me, I get more runway."

1923 season 2 will be streaming on Paramount Plus from February 23, 2025.

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• Most AI users are optimistic about the technology’s benefits, Workday report claims
• Nine in 10 have more free time to be productive
• Humans can still bring vital skills to the table, so it's not all doom and gloom

Tackling early concerns that artificial intelligence could replace human workers and take our jobs, new Workday research has claimed AI could actually act as a catalyst for a skills revolution.

Tackling the popular narrative of scepticism, Workday's report revealed 85% of active AI users report a high level of optimism surrounding the technology, a noteworthy upgrade over the 78% of non-adopters reporting similar sentiments.

It’s not just in skills where workers are seeing the benefits of AI – 93% of active users also report having more free time when using the technology, enabling them to focus on higher-level tasks like strategy and problem-solving.

Workers are optimistic about artificial intelligence

As AI becomes more embedded in everyday workflows and organizational strategies, we’re beginning to see where its roles are most appreciated, and where the value of human workers remains critical. For example, humans bring more to the table when it comes to ethical decision-making, empathy, relationship building, and conflict resolution, rendering these the least likely areas to be replaced by AI.

More than four in five (83%) believe AI will make human skills like the ones mentioned above more important to employers.

“By embracing AI for good, we can elevate what makes us uniquely human – our creativity, our empathy, our ability to connect – and build a workplace where these skills drive success," noted Workday CTO Jim Stratton.

Looking ahead, Workday calls for joint efforts by tech companies, organizations and even governments to ensure AI’s benefits are felt by everyone. The report also highlights the need for a focus on crucial human skills.

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If you’re reading this article from the comfort of your home office, you’re living a reality that, until recent years, was the exception for a small minority of workers. Now, many businesses across several industries facilitate hybrid or remote work in one way or another, making the home office a more common setup for people than it once was. However, while technology is the enabler for remote work, workers are feeling disconnected from their colleagues.

This disconnect may be caused by location, as we find ourselves more physically distanced from our co-workers. Yet, amidst the growing ‘return to the office’ movement and concerns that remote and hybrid working may be detrimental to the workforce, it turns out that the feeling of disconnect between colleagues is being caused by something entirely different.

The hidden barrier to employee connection

Recent research from Workato found that only 26% of UK workers felt it was harder to connect with colleagues virtually, and even fewer said that not being in the office with colleagues hindered their ability to collaborate. The data shows that location has very little impact on our ability to feel connected with co-workers. UK workers feel distant from their colleagues for an entirely different reason; there is simply too much work to get done and not enough time.

The unachievable workload, and how it is managed, is stealing time from UK workers that could be spent connecting and building relationships with colleagues, regardless of whether they are in the same room or in an entirely different location. This lack of connection is having a knock-on-effect on employee engagement, leaving individuals feeling isolated and teams struggling to collaborate.

Administrative tasks are contributing to a significant lack of time for UK workers, particularly tasks that are highly repetitive such as internal emails and note-taking; time that could be better spent connecting with colleagues. The research found that almost half of workers felt they would need an additional 30-60 minutes each day dedicated to team building, to feel closer to colleagues. With limited resources and only a certain number of hours available in the working day, UK businesses are struggling to strike a balance between optimizing time and nurturing employee engagement – a challenge that could have a significant impact on the long-term success of their teams.

The role of automation in team connection

Creating more spare time at work doesn’t mean employees will be working less – they will be working smarter. When organizations look to deploy automation technology, they are not only improving efficiency by shaving huge amounts of time taken up by repetitive tasks but also the impact on the people responsible for those tasks. Automation paves the way for bigger-picture thinking, giving employees the headspace to consider their career goals, think about improvements within the business, and plan for future resourcing challenges or obstacles. By shifting from task-based to value-based working, organizations can instill a mutual feeling of empowerment amongst all levels of an organization, in a united effort to strengthen the business and contribute to its long-term success.

Empowering workers with smart tools

While the benefits of automation are compelling, it’s of no use if workers are not on board with the changes. So, how are workers feeling about automation? The feedback is overwhelmingly positive. UK workers are seeing the productivity benefits of automation tools, and the quality of their work is improving, too. Specifically, with the use of automation tools, more than 4 out of 5 people in the UK believe automation is part of the solution to make time for more complex work, and 85% believe it is part of the solution for improving productivity.

Implementing automation allows companies to invest in human relationships to increase efficiency and productivity amongst workers. The benefits stretch beyond just improving the bottom line; employees in the UK value automation as an essential tool to strengthen their quality of work, create stronger relationships with teammates, and put time aside for connecting with team members on a personal level.

When a business consists of a strong, happy team, it naturally creates a ripple effect that leads to happy customers; a winning solution for everyone.

Building a workplace for connection and collaboration

As organisations continue to explore what the future of work looks like, many have to take into consideration how they will foster an environment that allows UK workers to be creative, collaborative, and connected. Acknowledging automation as a path forward for elevating work, people, and culture is crucial to the success of companies, regardless of industry or size. Leaders have the opportunity now to invest meaningful time, resources, and money into their workers to better promote a sense of belonging.

We've featured the best online collaboration tool.

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

Follow NPR's live special coverage of Donald Trump's inauguration, including his swearing-in ceremony and inaugural address, beginning at 11 a.m. ET. Here's how to watch and listen.

Cecile Richards, the longtime activist for women's rights and former head of Planned Parenthood, died Monday after battling brain cancer.

(Image credit: Zach Gibson)

Running outside your comfort zone doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. Here are the best WIRED-tested underwear, balms and anti-chafe solutions.

Musk News, a new twice-weekly news site, will focus on the billionaire and Trump advisor's influence and actions over the course of the new presidency.

(Image credit: JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

Relax sore muscles and find relief without breaking the bank with these massage guns.

Ugreen Uno 10,000mAh 30W power bank review

The Ugreen Uno 10,000mAh 30W power bank offers multiple ways to keep your devices running, with a friendly face designed to inject some fun into the gloomy world of charging.

The cutesy robot design is fairly minimal, so much so that you’ll likely only notice it upon closer inspection; there’s no feet or handle as there is with other products in the Uno range.

It's relatively compact for a 10,000mAh power bank, although it's still quite thick and the screen bulges out slightly, as does the power button on the side; the Uno isn’t a perfectly planed rectangle like some of the best power banks, such as the Ugreen 10,000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank or the Anker 621 Magnetic Battery (MagGo).

The overall build quality is good, although it feels a little flimsy in places, with presses able to warp the plastic chassis, so this isn’t a power bank I would feel comfortable taking on more rugged excursions. The screen is nice and thick, though, and seems quite resistant to scratches (at least minor ones). However, the materials used are light, making the Uno easy to carry around with all day without issue.

The faces on the display aren’t just for show; they’re also indicators for the charging status. A smiling face indicates the Uno is currently charging your device, while two love hearts signal that charging is complete. There’s also a sad face to notify you when the bank’s battery is low.

It’s a shame, though, that the charging faces only display intermittently rather than continuously, meaning that sometimes you’ll have to press the power button to see what the status is. The battery percentage of the Uno also isn’t displayed unless the power button is pressed, which would’ve been another useful addition, and one that some Anker power banks feature, for instance.

The faces do change depending on how much battery is left in the Uno, but they’re too subtle to be easily read, and there’s only a few increments available: one for less than 20%, one for 21-79%, and another for 80-99%.

What is very useful, though, is the hardwired USB-C cable, which folds away neatly into its own recess on the back. It’s flat and appears quite durable, although it's quite short, so only useful if your device or charger is close by.

When it comes to charging performance, the Uno has a 30W power output and supports two-way fast charging (three-way charging is also possible, but without the added speed boost). During my tests, it managed to charge my Google Pixel 7a from 50% to 100% in just over an hour via the USB-C port, depleting the bank’s battery from 100% to 77% in the process, so you should be able to get about four charges out of it. Charging the bank itself from 25% to full via the USB-C port took about 90 minutes, which is an impressive performance.

There’s also a trickle charging feature, designed to protect smaller devices, such as earphones and smartwatches, by providing a low-level, continuous current. It can be activated simply by holding the power button for three seconds.

As large capacity, multi-port power banks go, the Uno offers good value for money, especially considering its 30W power, which is on the higher-end of the spectrum for a compact power bank.

(Image credit: Future) Ugreen Uno 10,000mAh 30W power bank review: price & specs

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Ugreen Uno 10,000mAh 30W power bank? Buy it if…

You want powerful charging
With a 30W power output, the Uno can charge your devices quickly.

You want versatility
The Uno’s three-way charging capability means you can charge multiple devices at once, and the hardwired USB-C cable adds even more convenience.

Don't buy it if…

You want detailed info
Despite the fun faces, a more in-depth interface would’ve been useful, showing aspects such as the Uno’s battery percentage and estimated times, like some rivals include.

You want the toughest power bank
The chassis won’t inspire much confidence if you’re taking it on wild adventures, but it should hold up for casual travel.

Ugreen Uno 10,000mAh 30W power bank review: also consider

Iniu B61 power bank
The Iniu B61 power bank closely matches the Uno for price, although it can be found for a lot less. It has three ports like the Uno, albeit two of them are USB-A and there’s only one USB-C. Although it has the same 10,000mAh capacity, it has less total power (22.5W) and there’s no inbuilt cable. It’s also doesn’t feature trickle charging, but it's lighter and feels better built, so it could be the smarter choice depending on your requirements.View Deal

At parties throughout Washington over the long Inauguration weekend, creators and strategists who take credit for Donald Trump’s victory toasted their success on the dimes of TikTok, Google, and Spotify.

For the first time in a decade, Debra Tice, the mother of missing American journalist, Austin Tice, returns to Syria to find news of her son.

(Image credit: Omar Sanadiki)

Altra FWD Via: Two minute review

I love to run, but I don’t particularly like running fast (well, that’s my excuse anyway). Long, easy runs have become my perfect de-stressor, so when I found the Altra FWD Via, a chunky shoe with a wide toebox, light weight and thick, firm outsole for easy runs, I was very excited to try it.

I’ve run in a lot of the best running shoes in my capacity as one of TechRadar’s resident fitness guinea pigs. Squishy long-distance shoes, firm all-rounders, carbon-plated super-shoes… you name it. Altra is a brand that’s famous for wide toeboxes, and shoes with heels that are the same height as the toes. This design is known as ‘zero drop’. Most running shoes have a sole (or ‘outsole’ in the case of running shoes – see our guide to different parts of a running shoe explained for more) that’s thicker at the heel than at the toe, the difference being known as ‘heel-toe drop’ or even just ‘drop’, and listed in millimeters.

So when I was asked to try the Altra FWD Via, I was expecting this sort of minimalist shoe. However, the Via is part of Altra’s FWD range, which as the name implies, tilts the foot forward with a 4mm drop. The result is a shoe that looks and feels a lot more like your traditional running shoe. Some of Altra’s other design language has been retained, such as the wide foot-shaped toebox instead of the shoe tapering to a narrow point, but the end result is a sort of ‘Goldilocks’ shoe.

(Image credit: Future)

Sure enough, it was a lovely shoe to run in from the outset, handling its first low-intensity 10-mile run and shorter five-mile lunchtime circuits with aplomb. It feels very light to wear on the feet, and handles mid-pace, mid-distance running on concrete with no problems whatsoever. It’s fine on light gravel trails too, providing adequate grip, but I wouldn’t use it on mud and grass.

It does have a lack of snappy speed: the Altra EGO FLO foam outsole is very firm, and doesn’t provide much of the spring-loading you get with faster shoes that compress when you step down and catapult you into your next stride. Instead, there’s a rocker element in the midsole that better supports easy running rather than hard pavement-pounding.

This will put competitive runners off, while its lack of squishiness underfoot and its scant 4mm drop might not be enough for many long-distance runners who require more assistance in their stride.

It’s not a shoe for every runner, then. However, it is a shoe that fits very well with how I like to run – easy, low-effort and long distances, so I can get lost in an audiobook or podcast. If you’re like me, you’ll love it, and it’s the perfect shoe for low-intensity marathon training.

Altra FWD Via: Specifications

(Image credit: Future) Altra FWD Via: Scorecard Altra FWD Via: Should I buy? Buy it if...

You’re an easy runner

The Altra FWD Via isn’t built for spring-loaded speed.View Deal

You’re a long-distance runner

If you love putting in the miles on a weekend, this is a great shoe to try.View Deal

You like a low drop

If you’re not keen on high-heeled running shoes and want to try a more natural way to run, a low-drop is a great place to start.View Deal

Don't buy if if...

You’re after a super-shoe

If you’re looking for something to give you the edge in a competitive race, this isn’t it.View Deal

You don’t run long-distance

If you don’t usually go over the five-mile mark, there are better and cheaper shoes out there.View Deal

You’re looking for a cheap shoe

There are far more expensive shoes out there, but you can also pick up a perfectly serviceable pair of long-distance shoes for under $99 / £99 / AU$149 if you’re strapped for cash. View Deal

Also consider

Saucony Ride 17

The latest iteration of Saucony’s popular all-rounders.

Read our full Saucony Ride 17 reviewView Deal

ASICS Gel-Nimbus 25

A squishy long distance shoe which can now be picked up very cheap.

Read our full ASICS Gel-Numbus 25 reviewView Deal

How I tested

I wore the Altra FWD Via for around 50 kilometers of running over a three-week period. I tested them during a mixture of 5km, 10km and 15km runs, paying attention to the comfort, weight and energy return. I also ran in a narrower shoe to calibrate and check how I felt during the experience.

First reviewed: January 2025

• A Chinese cybersecurity firm has been sanctioned by the US Treasury
• The firm allegedly has ties to hacking group Salt Typhoon
• Salt Typhoon is accused of carrying out a cyberattack on 9 telco giants

A Chinese cybersecurity firm has been sanctioned by the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for alleged links to the notorious hacking group Salt Typhoon.

Salt Typhoon is perhaps best known as the group who infiltrated the networks of nine major US telecommunications companies and internet providers, including Verizon and AT&T in the largest telecoms hack in US history.

“Sichuan Juxinhe Network Technology Co., LTD. (Sichuan Juxinhe) had direct involvement in the exploitation of these U.S. telecommunication and internet service provider companies. The MSS (China Ministry of State Security) has maintained strong ties with multiple computer network exploitation companies, including Sichuan Juxinhe,” the Treasury said in a statement.

A major incursion

The Salt Typhoon hack saw state-sponsored actors targeting high-level government communications through a breach of third-party tech support platform BeyondTrust. Hackers were reportedly lurking inside telecom networks for months before being eradicated.

“The Treasury Department will continue to use its authorities to hold accountable malicious cyber actors who target the American people, our companies, and the United States government, including those who have targeted the Treasury Department specifically,” said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Adewale O. Adeyemo.

Following the hack, the US Treasury was again hit by a further cyberattack which targeted the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS), which is the department in charge of reviewing foreign investments for national security risks.

In January 2025, the Treasury similarly sanctioned a Chinese cybersecurity firm Yongxin Zhicheng Technology Group for alleged ties to Flax Typhoon, the group responsible for hijacking legally required broadband and communications backdoors which allow US law enforcement to intercept communications.

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Many action movies start with a bang. But Back In Action, the new Netflix action comedy starring Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz, has started with a splat – multiple splats in the form of rotten tomatoes. According to the review aggregator at the time of writing, the film is far from fresh: it's got a Tomatometer rating of just 24%.

The good news is that there are plenty of much better movies with much fresher ratings, all of them streaming right now on Netflix. Here are three action movies that are among the best Netflix movies you won't regret starting.

RRR

RT critic score: 96%

This action adventure is getting rave reviews. It's the epic, action-packed tale of a fearless warrior on a perilous mission who comes face to face with a steely cop serving British forces in what one reviewer says is "one of the most entertaining films I've seen this year" – and before you go "but it's only January!" he wrote that on the film's theatrical release in mid-2023.

According to Deadline Hollywood Daily, "RRR is one action crescendo after another, never dull but not exhausting either." And the San Jose Mercury News loved it too: "The bonanza with a cast of what looks to be thousands and a storyline about getting back at colonizers is a blast throughout its three-hour-plus running time." According to The Hollywood Reporter, "You won't be bored for a nanosecond."

Rebel Ridge

RT critic score: 96%

When ex-Marine Terry Richmond visits the town of Shelby Springs to post bail for his cousin, things go off the rails and he finds himself going head to head with the local cops and battling a deep-rooted conspiracy. If you've seen the same writer/director (Jeremy Saulnier)'s Blue Ruin and Green Room, you're going to want to see this modern echo of First Blood. And if you haven't, you should stream it anyway.

The movie is "as elementally satisfying as a great Western," AV Club says, while the New York Times waxed lyrical: "Our pulses are elevated by the score, a relentless tattoo of drones and drums, plus the truly sensational camera work of David Gallego which, like our leading man, moves with measured intelligence and makes tactical use of every mirror in sight." According to Empire, it's "an undeniably fun night in."

Hit Man

RT critic score: 95%

Based on an incredible true story, Richard Linklater's wild neo-noir movie stars Glen Powell as strait-laced professor Gary Johnson, who moonlights as a fake hit man for the New Orleans Police Department. As the Irish Times put it, "this old-fashioned sexy caper makes merry with unreliable narration, slapstick and the stress of remembering which lie you told."

Den of Geek says that "Linklater has long displayed a genius for riffing on and shifting between genre tones. And with Hit Man, he’s figured out how to turn a veritable film noir into a meet-cute comedy," and we think ABC News liked it too: "Oooowee," Peter Travers wrote. "What a scorchingly sexy thriller."

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Specs

Type: Mono laser printer

Functions: Print only

Connectivity: Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi

Data storage slots: none

Max print speed: 34ppm (simplex)

Max paper size: Letter/A4

Print quality: 1,200 x 1,200 dpi

Memory: 128MB

Apple AirPrint: yes

Consumables included: black cartridge, 1,200 pages

Dimensions/Weight: 723 x 435 x 285 mm (WxDxH)/71.4lb/7.1kg

This little laser printer bears Brother’s Workhorse branding, which means it's designed for business use, but its compact size and convenient features will appeal to home workers too.

The Brother Workhorse HL-L2865DW is a single-function black and white printer offering a fast print speed, cost-effective mono printing and a range of useful features. Like many of the best laser printers I've reviewed, this one can auto duplex and its inbuilt Wi-Fi is dual-band, but it’s also equipped with a useful front-loading multi-purpose tray for printing on envelopes. It also comes with the security needed for a shared office and eco-friendly features including settings that reduce energy and toner consumption.

Brother HL-L2865DW: Design and build

(Image credit: Brother)

The Brother HL-L2865DW is an unassuming grey box that’s small and light enough to share your desktop. It has ports for Ethernet and USB data cables as well as offering wireless connectivity with AirPrint compatibility. It’s a pity there’s no USB Host port at the front, but the front-facing manual feed slot is a very welcome feature as it saves so much time with those single print jobs such as printing on headed notepaper and envelopes.

It feels somewhat light and plasticky and the single-line display is quite hard to read, but at least these money-saving measures keep the overall cost competitive. As this is a mono printer, there’s plenty of room for the single high-yield black toner cartridge, which means your cost-per-page is also competitive.

Brother HL-L2865DW: Features & specifications

(Image credit: Brother)

For a print-only mono device, the Brother HL-L2865DW has quite a few features to shout about. The print speed is impressive, especially in duplex mode. The given figure is 16ppm (pages per minute) which I corroborated with my stopwatch. In simplex mode, its 34ppm, which is significantly faster than the 26ppm HP Color LaserJet Pro 3201dw.

The single-line LCD is small, but at least it does have a display. The inbuilt wi-fi is dual-band and there’s also an Ethernet port. The main paper tray takes an ample 250-sheets of Letter or A4-size paper and the single-sheet front input slot is essential for those one-off print jobs.

Brother has taken some steps to make this printer more sustainable with an Eco Mode to reduce power consumption, and a Toner Save Mode to reduce toner. It’s a shame that no recycled plastic or parts have been used in its construction, and the packaging includes polystyrene, so there’s room for improvement.

Brother HL-L2865DW: Setup and operation

(Image credit: Brother)

The setup manual is very brief because Brother is assuming you will download the excellent companion app, called Mobile Connect, and use that as your setup guide. It’s a case of plugging in, loading your paper and installing the toner cartridge, before letting the app on your smartphone get the printer connected to your local wi-fi network. It worked first time for me, and with AirPrint built in, I was able to print from my MacBook and iPhone straight away. It’s also fully compatible with Windows and Chrome OS. The Mobile Connect app is good for general operation too because you can use it to check the toner level, ordering a new cartridge, or update the printer’s firmware.

Brother HL-L2865DW: Performance

(Image credit: Brother)

I found the Brother HL-L2865DW printed quickly and surprisingly quietly throughout the tests. The quoted speed of 34ppm is accurate enough, while the quoted noise level of 49dB makes this one of the quieter laser printers on the market. It also printed reliably and well, so long as you don’t ask it to duplex thick paper. I found that it could print well on heavy 300gsm paper stock in simplex mode when using the single sheet input, which is designed for heavier paper, but automatically turning the page over always caused a jam. Removing a stuck page involves removing the cartridge to access it. The paper weight limit for auto duplex printing is a rather thin 105gsm.

The primary task of any black and white laser printer is to turn out pages of text and this it does with clarity and consistency. The characters don’t look quite as inky black as some rival laser printers I have tested, but that’s not to say they are pale. When I reduced the font size to just two points, I was still able to read the text (through a magnifying glass) quite easily.

The quoted resolution of 1,200 x 1,200 sounds better than the 600 x 600 you usually get with laser printers, but sadly that doesn’t equate to superior print quality. The black and white photos I printed looked less sharp than other laser printers at this price point can manage. More impressive was the way it applied the black toner very evenly, leaving no tramlines or blocking, which is good news if your documents include pie charts and areas of solid black. As mentioned, however, it’s not the darkest black toner available, so it has a tendency to appear grey.

Brother HL-L2865DW: Consumables

(Image credit: Brother)

Replacement toner cartridges for this printer are cost effective, especially the high-yield TN830XL (TN2510XL) cartridge, which gives you 3,000 pages for a cost of US$152 (£96). That’s a pretty low cost-per-page. The bundled cartridge yields 1,200 pages, which isn’t too bad for inbox toner either.

Brother HL-L2865DW: Maintenance

(Image credit: Brother)

Unlike inkjets, laser printers don’t suffer from blocked nozzles when left unused, so they require less maintenance on the whole. They do, however, rely on a drum that, in this case, needs replacing after 15,000 pages and a new DR830 (DR2510) unit from Brother costs US$136 (£106).

Brother HL-L2865DW: Final verdict

(Image credit: Brother)

The Brother HL-L2865DW highlights how efficient a black and white laser printer can be in a shared office or home office situation. If you can say with certainty that you don’t need to print in color, a mono laser like this is smaller, simpler, cheaper to buy and cheaper to run. With just one cartridge, there’s room for more toner, enough for 3,000 pages in this case, and more paper (250 sheets). And it performed its single job of turning out professional-looking pages of text very well throughout my testing. The print rate of 16ppm in duplex mode is pretty fast and at less than 50dB, it operates quietly too. The only test it failed was duplexing high quality, which caused a jam. The limit for duplexing is 106gsm stock. I would have appreciated a larger display, or a front USB Host port, but the front-loading multi-purpose input slot proved invaluable for one-off print jobs such as printing on envelopes and headed paper. Overall, this basic laser printer proved to be good value for money.

Want a printer for the home or home office? We reviewed the best home printers around.

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