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A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, October 9 (game #1216).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #1217) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• OUTLINE
• SHADOW
• FEED
• FIGURE
• DRAFT
• IMAGINE
• KICK
• NOTIFICATIONS
• GATHER
• NOTES
• UN
• MESSAGES
• BEAT
• SUPPOSE
• PROFILE
• THESIS

NYT Connections today (game #1217) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Steps to creating written work
• GREEN: Dr Livingstone, I…
• BLUE: Online life
• PURPLE: Add a fighting word

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #1217) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: USEFUL WHEN WRITING A PAPER
• GREEN: PRESUME
• BLUE: SOCIAL MEDIA SECTIONS
• PURPLE: ___BOXING

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1217) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1217, are…

• YELLOW: USEFUL WHEN WRITING A PAPER: DRAFT, NOTES, OUTLINE, THESIS
• GREEN: PRESUME: FIGURE, GATHER, IMAGINE, SUPPOSE
• BLUE: SOCIAL MEDIA SECTIONS: FEED, MESSAGES, NOTIFICATIONS, PROFILE
• PURPLE: ___BOXING: BEAT, KICK, SHADOW, UN

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Sometimes you see it, sometimes you don’t — and in my case I nearly always don’t — but today I saw the Purple First within seconds of surveying all of the tiles.

Having said that, it did take me a little while to get to the 'UN' of UNBOXING, as I was reading it as the abbreviation of the United Nations.

From here, the next two groups felt pretty straightforward. Today, it was the green quartet that went over my head.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, October 9, 2026, game #1216)

• YELLOW: DECISIVE VICTORY: BLOWOUT, ROMP, ROUT, SWEEP
• GREEN: CONTROLLED BY A TV REMOTE: CHANNEL, INPUT, POWER, VOLUME
• BLUE: FEATURES OF A SPORTS SHOW: HIGHLIGHTS, RECAP, SCORES, STATS
• PURPLE: AIR ____: CONDITIONER, GUITAR, KISS, QUOTES

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Anthropic wants to stop “sustained and needless” cruelty toward its chatbot. But does that imply AI has feelings?

The prediction market company says it wants to prevent its platform from being abused by criminals. The company is facing mounting pressure over market manipulation and insider trading on the site.

(Image credit: Provided by Kalshi)

The three fired workers say OpenAI punished them for being outspoken about safety. The company disputes the claims and says they were fired over mishandling sensitive information.

(Image credit: Andrej Ivanov)

Trump says the U.S. will obtain diesel from Russia, relaxing years of U.S. pressure on Moscow, to combat prices before midterms. He said he struck the deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call.

(Image credit: David Zalubowski)

NHTSA blames current vehicle standards for making it hard for carmakers to use the latest headlight tech.

Far more people than last year are willing to use AI to help them find the right gift, but few want a bot handling their payment details.

• IDC claims the global PC market has seen one of its biggest declines
• DRAM and SSD price share has risen from 15% to 40%
• Stockpiling could lead to some discounts, but prices are still elevated

Worldwide PC shipments fell a staggering 20% year-over-year during the third quarter of 2026, per the latest IDC analysis, meaning 15.8 million fewer PCs were shipped compared with the same period in 2025.

The findings broadly align with Omdia's findings, which revealed a 21% drop, while IDC's data even shows a worrying 9% quarter-on-quarter decrease.

While the figures have a small degree of variability, both agencies agree on one thing – the AI boom is responsible for the PC industry's problems, and it all comes down to the price of chips and other components.

High PC prices are driving down sales at an alarming rate

"The impact of upstream component cost increases has now fully worked its way through to end-market pricing," Omdia Research Director Ishan Dutt explained. DRAM and SSDs are the main offenders, Omdia explained, noting that their share of a total PC's price has risen from around 15% to 40%.

Omdia also anticipates DRAM revenue globally to top $372 billion this year, up from $151 billion last year, as AI data center-driven growth shows no sign of stopping.

But while it ultimately means the PC market could experience long-term price rises, IDC dropped one key piece of information that could make now the perfect time to buy a new PC.

Because so many OEMs have stockpiled in a bid to offset some of those rising costs, they're now likely worried about shifting so much stock. "Channels are concerned about high inventory and low demand, so promotions are possible," IDC explained, noting that while prices are elevated compared with this time last year, there could be some momentary relief before yet more rises.

"With macro conditions worsening, the risk is that the outlook for the next few quarters gets worse before it gets better," consumer devices Research Director Jitesh Ubrani explained.

Network Solutions is a legacy internet service provider best known for domain registration and web hosting that has expanded into the site-building market. Its website builder is a straightforward, section-based, drag-and-drop tool bundled with hosting, SSL security, and business email. It provides a no-nonsense path to getting a basic online presence up and running without requiring design or coding knowledge.

It delivers a no-frills approach to creating business websites. While it may not compete with the top platforms, it works for small businesses looking for simplicity. The platform clearly prioritizes ease of use over advanced functionality.

We spent thousands of hours testing 140+ website builders. We've found that while Network Solutions meets basic needs, it falls short of modern expectations. I find Network Solutions best suited for absolute beginners, micro-business owners, consultants, and local service providers who need a basic, functional website without a steep learning curve. It is tailored for non-technical users who value having domain, hosting, email, and editing all managed under a single dashboard.

For users who need more robust features, however, Wix remains our pick for the best website builder.

Network Solutions: Pricing & plans

Network Solutions uses aggressive introductory promotional pricing for the first year, which increases significantly upon renewal:

• Website Plan (approx. $1.99–$4.99/mo intro, renews at ~$15.99–$16.99/mo): Includes the section-based website builder, a free domain for 1 year, an SSL certificate, 3 months of professional email, and 1 hour of design support.
• Website + Marketing Plan (approx. $3.99–$7.99/mo intro, renews at ~$21.99/mo): Adds AI copywriting, appointment scheduling, social media management tools (SocialBooster), and search engine listing tools.
• eCommerce Plan (approx. $9.99–$13.99/mo intro, renews at ~$29.99/mo+): Unlocks online store capabilities, inventory management, multiple payment processing options, and marketplace selling features.

(Image credit: Network Solutions)Hidden Fees

As with many business solutions, if you take the headline price at face value, you could ultimately be in for a surprise. As mentioned, Network Solutions users may find the steep renewal price hike uncomfortable.The primary cost hurdle is the jump after the first billing cycle, where rates increase by up to 5x–8x.

You should also consider security and add-on upsells in your budget. Advanced site security, automated backup extensions, and specialized SEO listing services incur separate monthly fees. And you may find that paying extra for technical support is necessary. While standard phone and chat customer service are included, advanced technical troubleshooting or dedicated support services can carry extra charges.

Value Comparison

During its initial promotional period, Network Solutions offers competitive value for an all-in-one setup. However, when looking at long-term renewal rates, platforms like Wix, Hostinger, and GoDaddy deliver more advanced design capabilities, deeper marketing integrations, and better value for similar or lower monthly costs.

Real-world testing

During my 30-minute test build, Network Solutions proved easy to navigate. Starting from a pre-designed template, I customized a three-page site for a professional consulting firm.

The structured layout allowed me to quickly swap stock photos, insert custom text using the AI writer, and configure a basic contact form in about 15 minutes. However, attempting to push the layout beyond its built-in row structure proved challenging, as the editor prioritizes rigid alignment over custom layout positioning.

Editor

Network Solutions uses a section-based editor that provides drag-and-drop element repositioning within fixed structural parameters. It shines in the way that pre-designed blocks keep page elements aligned, ensuring responsive design across desktop and mobile screens without visual breaking.

Having said that, design flexibility is strictly constrained. You cannot place elements freely anywhere on the canvas, and switching to a new template requires rebuilding your site from scratch.

AI

(Image credit: Network Solutions)

The platform includes built-in AI tools for automated content generation and logo creation. Testing the AI text writer, it generated serviceable introductory paragraphs and service descriptions based on simple business prompts. While helpful for overcoming writer’s block, the output requires manual editing to add a distinct brand voice.

Features

(Image credit: Network Solutions)

Network Solutions provides essential website building features without unnecessary complexity. The platform includes over 150 templates, drag-and-drop editing, and mobile responsiveness. You'll find basic SEO tools, SSL certificates, and integrated hosting. These features target small businesses needing professional-looking sites quickly.

The feature set works best for straightforward business websites. Restaurant owners, consultants, and service providers will find adequate tools. However, advanced users seeking sophisticated design options or extensive e-commerce capabilities may feel limited. The platform lacks advanced animations, complex layouts, or detailed customization options.

Network Solutions now also includes AI-powered tools like content writing and logo creation. These features help beginners overcome common obstacles. The AI writer generates website copy, while the logo builder creates basic brand graphics. These additions make the platform more accessible to complete novices.

Standout functionality includes all-in-one dashboard integration. Managing domain registration, web hosting, site editing, and professional email under a single platform account removes technical complexity. The platform also includes one hour of expert design assistance with the introductory builder packages, providing practical guidance for first-time builders.

Network Solutions features outlined

Feature

Details

ECommerce

Product listings, inventory tracking, and payment gateways (eCommerce plan)

SEO tools

Title tags, meta descriptions, and XML sitemaps

Email marketing

Built-in email tools and social media promotional managers

AI site/Copy builder

AI writing assistant and logo design tools

Blogging

Standard blogging and post scheduling functionality

Security

(Image credit: Network Solutions)

Network Solutions provides basic security features but charges for advanced protection. All plans include free SSL certificates, which provide encryption for data travelling between your site and visitors. You also get Perfect Privacy to hide your personal information from WHOIS databases.

The company offers SiteLock Premium as an additional security service. This includes daily malware scans, automatic malware removal, and basic web application firewall protection. It also provides blacklist monitoring and a Content Delivery Network to speed up your site. However, these security features cost extra, unlike competitors who include comprehensive security in their base plans.

Support

(Image credit: Network Solutions)

Network Solutions provides multiple support channels with mixed results. You get 24/7 phone support and live chat, plus a comprehensive knowledge base. Phone support runs from 7 AM to midnight ET, seven days a week. Live chat operates Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 11 PM.

The quality varies significantly between support agents. Some users report helpful, patient staff who explain solutions clearly. Others encounter abrupt agents who seem reluctant to assist. This inconsistency makes support a gamble. The knowledge base offers hundreds of well-written articles with helpful screenshots. You can usually find answers quickly without contacting support.

Network Solutions includes one hour of expert design support with the basic plan. This helps beginners get started without struggling alone. The company also offers professional design services separately if you prefer hands-off website creation.

Network Solutions: Final verdict

Network Solutions website builder delivers on its core promise: simple website creation for small businesses. You get reliable hosting, decent templates, and helpful AI tools at competitive introductory prices. The all-in-one approach eliminates service juggling, while customer support provides mixed but generally adequate assistance.

However, significant renewal price increases, limited design flexibility, and basic security features may disappoint users seeking advanced functionality.

Competitor Alternatives Include:

• Choose Wix if: You want complete drag-and-drop creative control, advanced design tools, and a massive ecosystem of third-party integration apps.
• Choose Hostinger or GoDaddy if: You want quick, AI-guided site generation with transparent long-term renewal rates and stronger e-commerce tools.
• Choose Network Solutions if: You already use them for domain management and want a simple, no-frills website builder bundled under the same account.

Skip it if:

• You cannot accept steep price jumps upon annual contract renewal.
• You require pixel-precise layout customization, fluid animations, or complex web app integrations.
• You are building a large-scale e-commerce store with extensive product catalogs and multi-channel marketplace sync requirements.

Having said all that, I'd have to conclude that following my review, Network Solutions is ideal for beginners wanting straightforward business sites without technical complexity.

FAQsCan I switch to a different template after building my site?

Unfortunately, you cannot easily switch templates in Network Solutions. Changing templates requires rebuilding your entire site from scratch. This means you should choose your template carefully from the start. Consider browsing all available templates before making your selection to avoid later regrets.

How does Network Solutions compare for SEO and marketing?

Network Solutions includes basic SEO tools like title tags, meta descriptions, and XML sitemaps in all plans. The Website + Marketing plan adds appointment scheduling, social media integration, and email marketing tools. The platform focuses on simplicity rather than advanced SEO features. For comprehensive marketing, you may need their professional digital marketing services, which cost extra.

What happens to my website if I don't renew at the higher price?

Network Solutions requires renewal at standard rates after your promotional period ends. If you don't renew, your website will eventually go offline and become inaccessible to visitors. The company typically provides grace periods and renewal notices before deactivation. However, pricing jumps from $1.99 to $16.99 monthly for the basic plan, so budget accordingly for year two.

Does Network Solutions include e-commerce features in all plans?

Ecommerce functionality requires the dedicated eCommerce plan at $9.99 monthly. The basic Website and Website + Marketing plans don't include online store capabilities. The eCommerce plan allows unlimited products and selling on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, and eBay. If you plan to sell products online, factor this higher cost into your budget.

Can I use my own domain name with Network Solutions?

You can absolutely use an existing domain name with Network Solutions website builder. All plans include a free domain for one year, but you can connect your existing domain instead. The setup process is straightforward through your account dashboard. If you prefer keeping your current domain registrar, Network Solutions supports domain connection from other providers.

MSI PRO MAX Edge AI+: 30-second review

The MSI Pro Max Edge AI+ is one of the most powerful mini workstations that I’ve tested, and proved to be a perfect tool for Creative application and running AI offline. Inside is the AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ 395, however, unlike previous machines of this size that I've looked at it's backed by Radeon 8060S graphics and, crucially for running local language models it comes with 128GB of unified memory.

This combination of high powered processers means that it was able to run surprisingly large local AI models all downloaded and managed within Lemonade. The most impressive task centered around sorting more than 2,600 images, generate images using the Flux and Qwen3 Coder models through Visual Studio Code and several other supporting apps. It was also able to generate a ten page website, although quite a bit of prompting was needed.

Performance for normal creative work, using Photoshop, Lightroom and Premiere Pro was equally impressive with the machine handling batches of Sony RAW files without issue. Pushing the abilities I checked out the performance editing 4K Canon EOS R5 C footage in Premiere Pro and once again that power of the Strix Halo took the edit in its stride.

There are of course some drawbacks such as the staggeringly high price at £5,999, then there the 2.5Gb Ethernet that just feels slow for a workstation of this level, and getting the most from local AI requires plenty of setup and experimentation, but then that's just how things are with AI at the moment.

But once configured, that’s where the Pro Max Edge AI+ starts to make sense. If you need private, completely offline AI for coding, image organisation or other long-running workloads, there’s an enormous amount of processing power packed into this relatively compact machine.

MSI PRO MAX Edge AI+: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? From $5,499
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? Directly from MSI

The MSI Pro Max Edge AI+ is available from the MSI website for $5,499 (US); €5,299; £5,999. It’s also widely available from most online retailers.

• Value: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)MSI PRO MAX Edge AI+: Specs

CPU: AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 16-core / 32-thread Zen 5
GPU: AMD Radeon 8060S integrated graphics
NPU: AMD XDNA NPU, up to 50 TOPS
RAM: 128GB LPDDR5X-8000 unified memory
Maximum GPU memory allocation: Up to 96GB
Storage: 2TB M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe Gen 4 x4 SSD
Rear ports: 2x USB 2.0 Type-A, 1x USB 10Gbps Type-A, 1x USB 40Gbps Type-C with DisplayPort 2.0 Alt Mode and 15W PD output, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x RJ45 Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm audio combo jack
Networking: 2.5Gb Ethernet
Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 7
Operating system: Windows 11 Pro

MSI PRO MAX Edge AI+: Design

The first impressions of this mini PC are impressive. It arrives with a slightly larger form factor than I’m used to for a mini PC, but then again, this has one of the Strix Halo CPUs inside, and that’s matched with an equally impressive integrated GPU and NPU.

What marks this new machine out, despite its rather ageing CPU, is the fact that it’s been fully optimised to run LLMs with 128GB of unified RAM soldered to the motherboard and AMD Radeon 8060S integrated graphics.

The machine is by no means large at 197.5 x 188.4 x 94.5mm, and while heavier than most mini PCs, it comes in at just 2.9kg, so if you need it, it’s still perfectly portable. On the portability, I was pleased to see that the power supply is integrated into the form factor, so there’s no power brick to lug around with the machine itself.

This means it’s equally at home on your desktop or, if you’re a creative and you do need to take your machine with you, then it’s still relatively portable.

Around the body, there are plenty of ports and connectivity options, which are given space due to that larger form factor. Size-wise, it sits somewhere in the middle of a mini PC and mini tower.

On the front, you have two USB Type-A ports offering 10Gbps and one USB4 port with 40Gbps. This also supports DisplayPort 2.0 and 15W USB power output.

Alongside this USB port is a full-sized SD 4.0 UHS-II card reader that will appeal to creatives, along with a 3.5mm audio jack. The other addition on the front is a performance mode switch that you can use to quickly adapt between Performance and Eco modes.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

At the rear, you have a further two USB 2.0 Type-A ports and a USB 3.2 10Gbps Type-A port, a USB Type-C port that offers 40Gbps, and again this supports DisplayPort 2.0 and 15W USB Type-C power output. The USB ports are joined by HDMI 2.1 with HDR and up to 4K 60Hz, DisplayPort 1.4, a 2.5GbE RJ45 Ethernet port and a further 3.5mm audio combo jack.

On the exterior, that pretty much rounds everything up, but inside you have two M.2 NVMe slots, one filled with a 2TB M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 4 x4 SSD. The onboard RAM is soldered on and can’t be upgraded, but that is enough to run LLMs and many of the major creative applications with AI features.

On the design and build, it’s a shame that there is no OCuLink port for connecting out to an eGPU; even with the USB4 port, the fact that the RJ45 port is limited to just 2.5GbE is a disappointment. I would have expected that a machine of this price would have at least 5GbE, if not 10GbE. When it comes to the overall quality and design, it’s both aesthetically pleasing and exceptionally well made, as you’d expect at this price point.

• Design: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)MSI PRO MAX Edge AI+: Features

As of 1 October 2026, this machine has just hit the shelves. Yet one of the headline features, the Strix Halo Ryzen AI Max+ 395, is already over a year old. This CPU features an integrated Radeon 8060S GPU and an NPU, alongside 128GB of unified LPDDR5X-8000 RAM, which enables the ultrafast processing required by many of the AI features to really push through.

That CPU, while a little older than some of the latest AI mini PCs that we’re seeing, enables the machine to be well balanced when it comes to performance, although this is still an expensive option. That CPU offers 16 cores and 32 threads with AMD’s Strix Halo Zen 5 architecture.

This is joined by the equally impressive AMD Radeon 8060S integrated graphics and integrated AMD XDNA NPU, which offers up to 50 TOPS of AI processing. This means that with all of those processors combined, there’s 126 TOPS of potential within this one small machine.

Storage capacity is catered for with two M.2 slots, each NVMe PCIe Gen 4 x4, and my review sample arrived with a 2TB module. Across the machine, there’s a decent array of ports both front and back, and it’s great to see that it features a USB4 port on both the front and back. If you do need to connect ultra-fast storage, this is perfectly possible. These ports also support DisplayPort 2.0 and 15W power output, which again is extremely handy.

On starting up the machine, it’s pre-installed with Windows 11 Pro, and MSI has included its management software, which enables you to activate certain AI features, as well as security and settings options to adjust the machine’s performance.

One of the features that I mentioned in the design section is the fact that the power supply is integrated, and this offers 300W of power, which is needed by these AI-enhanced processors to handle all of that processing.

Wi-Fi 7 supplies the wireless connectivity, which is now becoming the standard, although Wi-Fi 8 has just started to emerge on some devices. It also features a UHS-II SD card reader, again great to see, and a single LAN port at the back, which is 2.5GbE. This is a little disappointing on a machine of this price and performance. I would have expected a minimum of 5GbE and preferably 10GbE.

• Features: 4 / 5

MSI PRO MAX Edge AI+: Performance

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)Benchmark scores

Crystal Disk Mark Read: 6122.48
Crystal Disk Mark Write: 5827.92
Geekbench 7 CPU Multi: 21905
Geekbench 7 CPU Single: 2672
Geekbench 7 GPU: 96251
PC Mark Overall: 9990
Cinebench 2026 CPU Multi (Threads): 6932
Cinebench 2026 CPU Single (Threads): 457
Fire Strike Overall: 25009
Fire Strike Graphics: 28653
Fire Strike Physics: 29422
Fire Strike Combined: 11480
Time Spy Overall: 10777
Time Spy Graphics: 10972
Time Spy CPU: 9792
Wild Life Overall: 65611
Steel Nomad Overall: 2158
Windows Experience Overall: 8.8
Procyon: 1125

Getting into the performance of the machine, the initial setup is as straightforward as ever. Windows 11 Pro is relatively straightforward, and once you plug the machine in and connect up all the peripherals, it’s just a case of running through the final steps, connecting it online, and within about 10 to 20 minutes, the machine will be up and running, ready for you to install whichever software you want.

In this test, I’ve run a wide variety of different applications, starting off with the basics of Microsoft Office to test productivity. I’ve also installed the Adobe Creative Suite, with a focus on Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom and Premiere Pro, and alongside that, to start some of the AI testing, I’ve also installed DaVinci Resolve.

As this machine is very much focused on AI, especially with that Strix Halo processor, I’ve also installed Lemonade to manage the local LLMs and downloaded and installed a good variety of different options, including Flux, Qwen 3 and Qwen 2.5 releases, to enable a variety of different tasks that I’d later test the machine with.

Starting out with general computer use, Microsoft Office and Windows run smoothly, as you would imagine on a machine of this price and power. Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel can all easily be opened at the same time, with images, data and content being transferred from one to the other without any noticeable slowdown or hesitation.

Copying and pasting images is straightforward, and as I opened multiple windows over the week of testing in the Edge browser, there was no issue or slowdown. It also proved that the Wi-Fi 7 connection to my Wi-Fi 6 hub was exceptionally solid.

Progressing on from Microsoft Office, I loaded up a few apps from the Adobe Creative Suite and, using Adobe Bridge, checked through a couple of thousand images, both JPEG and RAW, that were shot on the Sony A7 IV. Again, here you really see that processor and the Radeon 8060S GPU handle the rendering of thumbnails exceptionally quickly.

Unlike on many smaller mini PCs, there is really very little time needed for each new thumbnail to render, enabling me to quickly scroll from top to bottom through the images without having to wait to see what each file contains. Selecting a batch of images and then opening them in Adobe Camera Raw once again just showed how powerful this machine was.

While I was dealing with large Sony RAW files, and a decent quantity at a time, there was absolutely no slowdown on either individual or batch adjustments. Then, opening those up into Adobe Photoshop was equally fluid, with only a few seconds needed between ACR and the Photoshop workspace for each of the 50 images to fully load.

Even with my desktop workstation, which is a relatively powerful machine and also features 128GB of RAM and a decent GPU, what up to this point I’ve always felt was pretty fluid now seemed relatively slow in comparison. As I then switched over to Lightroom to quickly check and enhance another batch of files, it was again apparent that image editing on this machine was well below what it was capable of doing.

Even with generative expand and image generation, render times were a few seconds rather than up to a minute, which is what I have experienced with other small mini PCs. The real show of power came when I loaded up Adobe Premiere Pro and went to work on a 4K video edit using C-Log footage from the Canon EOS R5 C.

Again, it was as if I was just editing 1080p video shot on a mobile phone, and the machine could handle cuts and edits of the five-minute video without too much issue from over an hour’s worth of footage.

The only consideration here was that the footage was being imported from an external Thunderbolt 4 drive, and here I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t connect my NAS to the system so that I could network edit due to the limited speed of the 2.5GbE network port on the back. Instead, I had to rely on a traditional external SSD for storage, although there is thankfully an additional internal M.2 slot which would take additional internal storage if required.

Still, the video editing potential is there, and it’s impressively fast, but this led me directly to checking out the machine’s AI potential, and this is where things really started to develop.

To test AI performance, more specifically local AI performance, I first installed Lemonade and then, through that, downloaded a variety of different LLMs and models for different tasks.

These included Qwen 2.5-VL-7B-Instruct-GGUF, which is a vision model and was used to inspect and recognise images. I used this in combination with ExifTool to organise and label a variety of files for website creation.

I fell back on Qwen3-Coder-30B-A3B-Instruct-GGUF, and this was absolutely superb for coding HTML and CSS Grid for the test. While this took quite a bit of additional configuration, especially training it to use Grid formats rather than straight HTML, and connecting it through Visual Studio Code, I was again impressed by just how simply it all tied together.

The biggest task that I put the machine through was file organisation, and this is a task that I’ve always put off. Even after a few months of using various different techniques to sort the images, it’s always good when one of these machines comes in so that I can start to pick up from where I last left off.

While they automate the process, it’s still relatively slow. Here I fed in over 2,634 images and used GPT-OSS-20B-NPU to really put the machine through its paces. Not only was it able to recognise the images, but it started to sort them at a relative speed, although I did fall back onto Qwen 2.5-VL-7B-Instruct-GGUF in order to complete the task, and not all images were recognised. Checking the content of those images, they were mostly nondescript or under or overexposed, so the subject wasn’t recognisable in any way.

Taking time to set up the machine is something that I found all the way along when using AI machines: they’re not ready to use out of the box, and there is a certain learning curve needed in order to configure the LLMs in a way that works for you. While they do run offline, as all tests were carried out in this review, I did utilise online AI at points to select the different models for the different tasks that I had in mind.

One of the next tests that I ran was to create a quick static website that I could then update on a regular basis. For this, I first loaded Qwen3-Coder-30B-A3B-Instruct-GGUF through Lemonade. I also opened Visual Studio Code and installed the Continue extension. I created a folder with all the assets that I wanted for my project, including Word documents that I converted into plain text and images that were reformatted into JPEGs.

In Visual Studio Code, I was then able to use the Continue AI chat window, connect the model that I wanted and put in the prompt to create a 3D printer review website with a variety of different sections. I also uploaded some general design ideas so that it had a good plan of what it was going to create. I’d already pre-designed the look and layout using CSS Grid, as I like the speed of pure static HTML rather than a more standard CMS site. I then hit Enter and let the local model do its thing.

One of the first things that I noticed was that, within Visual Studio Code, I would have to accept file creation for each file that it generated. In this review, I haven’t yet found a workaround for this so that it can just create the files without prompting.

But checking out the HTML, it was exceptionally clean, if a little textbook, and the final result was pretty good, although there were a few minor rendering issues with the JavaScript that I hadn’t wanted it to create. For some reason, none of the images that I had given it had been included in the design, so essentially it was just CSS layout and review text.

Again, going back in and re-editing, it started to slowly develop the website into what I wanted, and this really starts to show you the power of localised AI and what’s possible. By the time the whole process was finished, the server session recorded 152,937 input tokens for what was essentially a 10-page website and processed 24,639 output tokens, which were generated across 51 requests.

To actually complete the site, I would consider around 200 requests realistic. The final response generated 406 tokens at 47.85 tokens per second, equivalent to approximately 8.5 seconds of generation, with a time to first token of 1.99 seconds, which is pretty much on par with some of the online models that I use. The entire process, which involved a little to and fro from prompts and letting the machine work through the task, was an hour.

As I went through further models and further experiments with the localised AI, I was increasingly impressed by what it was capable of doing, with the most useful application being the file sorting. I have run file sorting with some of the other AI models and been impressed, but here things seemed to take a bit of a step up, with the power of the GPU and CPU taking on most of the processing.

Quickly checking which processors were in use showed that there was no NPU involvement in the sorting process, as I was using the Qwen 2.5-VL-7B-Instruct-GGUF model. However, it did appear that there were spikes of NPU use during the processing.

When selecting the models, if you do want to make full use of that NPU, then you select an NPU-compatible model, but this varies per task, and new models are being released all the time that you can download and experiment with. This is where most of the time with AI comes in, as you do need to experiment a great deal to make the most of these machines and their AI potential.

For most users, however, if you’re just using Copilot or the built-in AI behind Photoshop or Premiere Pro, then the potential is also there, and that does fall back onto the processor and NPU, with more improvements arriving over time. The final AI test was to incorporate AI into DaVinci Resolve for some video editing.

While I’ve only just started to experiment on this front, the way that DaVinci and the AI model interact on this machine is slightly eerie and impressive, with some pretty decent rough cuts of three-channel video straight off the bat. I’m hoping that, with a bit more experimentation, I’ll get usable edits, but even in these early stages of experimentation, the potential of this machine is apparent.

While other lesser machines are able to do many of these tasks, what makes it different here is the absolute speed at which the hardware is able to cope. Because of the 128GB of onboard memory, it doesn’t stall or run out of steam partway through a task. In the final task, really just for a bit of fun, I loaded in Flux-2-Klein-9B-GGUF for some generative image creation.

Here, I asked it to create a picture of a Labrador in the New Forest in spring, summer, autumn and winter. I was able to create each of those images in less than a minute. The Flux model is a little limited in what you can actually do with it, but I was able to load a portrait of myself into the system, then use that to generate a picture of myself and a Labrador in the New Forest. This was again entertaining and surprisingly good for something that runs offline.

However, there were some of the issues that you always get with even the online models, such as extra arms and fingers where you weren’t expecting them. Still, this is fully offline AI running without any cloud server intervention.

• Performance: 4.5 / 5

MSI PRO MAX Edge AI+: Final verdict

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The MSI Pro Max Edge AI+ is an impressive mini PC, although slightly larger than the small box-like machines that I usually look at, but even with a processor that is over a year old, when it is combined with the integrated Radeon 8060S GPU and NPU, it already offers impressive power.

But then, when you add in 128GB of unified RAM, a fast SSD and plenty of connectivity options, you have a machine that is finally capable of running LLMs locally. The one point about any machine like this is that they’re not simple plug-and-play systems when it comes to the AI potential.

Setting up the local language models in the way that you want to use them does take time, and for anyone just getting into local AI, expect to put aside at least a week to fully experiment with each of the models and what they can do, as well as the different model types that utilise the CPU and GPU and those that really make use of the NPU.

Once you’ve done that and you know exactly what you want to do, then it takes another day to fully set up the machine to do exactly what you want from scratch. After testing several of these machines, I now jot down the models that I need to install in order to run these tests, and even then I’m looking at a good half-day to download all of that content.

But then, once it’s set up, the potential is massive. Unlike lesser machines with less RAM and without these AI-enhanced CPUs, you can actually run proper localised language models, and the output they produce is also exceptionally good.

When you spend time not only making sure that all the downloads are there and available for them, but also training them so that they produce the style of content that you want, they become even more powerful. Personally, I found the best way to use this is to run a combination of cloud AI to help prompt the local AI into getting exactly what you want, use the paid tokens for the knowledge and the local AI for the heavy local work.

It all takes time, but compared with just a few months ago, the leap forward is massive and, really, while this machine is expensive, it does offer true offline AI if you want it.

Should I buy the MSI Pro Max Edge AI+?

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Value

Strix Halo power with the usual pricing 

4

Design

Stylish design that gives space for cooling

4.5

Features

128GB unified-memory enable the power to run local LLMs

4

Performance

Powerful GPU just gives this machine the edge over some close compitition

4.5

Overall

Incredibly powerful workstation in a compact form

4

Buy it if...

You want offline AI

Running some of the commands that I utilised in this test would cost a substantial amount if using a cloud-based option. However, here, while that process is time-consuming, there’s no additional cost.

You have long-running tasks.

The file sorting for the 2,500 images was lengthy, and that’s just the start of it, so having a machine that I can leave running in the background sorting out images is extremely appealing.

Don't buy it if...

You just need a powerful machine.

There are plenty of machines as powerful as this for general work, but without that massive AI potential, that you can buy for a far lower price.

You don’t really need local AI.

The idea of local AI is good, but for the majority of people, the free or minimum-tier options available from the major players will offer you far more than you get from this machine.

It’s only when you start to customise things that this becomes viable.

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

Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2 review

I was incredibly excited to try out the Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2. The original model is easily among my favorite pairs of clip-on open earbuds, delivering immersive audio, an exceptionally comfortable fit, and a solid feature-set to match. So can the sequel build upon the strengths of the original AeroClip? Here’s my verdict after testing them.

Let’s start by talking about the upgrades on the Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2. Perhaps the main event is the new 'AnkerThus' chip, which — according to the company — offers 150x more computing power than the previous model. The key feature of the new chip is that it powers "Crystal-Clear Calls" and, indeed, you do get very solid call quality on the AeroClip 2. AI helps to scoop out pesky external sounds, and whether I was making a call or taking a voice recording, I found that my speech never sounded obscured. I also enjoyed the Whisper mode, which made my voice clear even if I was talking quietly.

One of the changes I really appreciate is HearID. Here, a few soundbites play, and you select the signature that sounds the best to you, before being shown your result. Perhaps unsurprisingly, my result favored a bit more emphasis in the low-end, making up for the low-end limitations of open-ear design. This feature helps the Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2 to stand out, even among the best open earbuds, and I recommend every user try it before they start listening to their tunes.

Elsewhere, the earbuds receive a huge waterproofing upgrade, from IPX4 to the AeroClip 2's IP57. This sees the buds protected against dust ingress, and submersion in up to a meter of water for as long as 30 minutes.

Battery life has also been improved. While the buds still offer a respectable, albeit unremarkable, eight hours of playback, they will stay alive for 32 hours with the charging case — an eight-hour boost over the original AeroClip.

The case design also see some changes; it's far more compact than the charging cradle on the first AeroClip. The buds also now slip into the case back-to-back, making the AeroClip 2 more convenient to slide into your pocket than their predecessors. The buds themselves look very similar — and still have that comfortable, lightweight, and secure fit of the original model that I so loved. They’re also pretty stylish, arriving in a range of colors including Burgundy Red, Cloud White, Midnight Black, and Mist Blue.

(Image credit: Future)

So, now on to how the AeroClip 2 sound. Something that piqued my interest is that the new buds seem to favor bass a little less than their predecessors — at least out of the box. If anything, I’d argue that bass is a little recessed, not helped by the AeroClip 2’s open architecture, which naturally leaks low-frequencies more than standard in-ear buds. But fear not: these are still very solid performers overall.

With my HearID tuning in use, I was able to get a bit more weight at the low-end, while still leaving plenty of room for instruments to breathe in the mid-range and treble. And while the sonic upgrade over the first AeroClip buds is more incremental than revolutionary, there are certainly a few enhancements worth covering.

For instance, the news buds include LDAC, enabling you to stream higher-res music over Bluetooth with a compatible device (such as a modern Android phone). In practice, LDAC did make a difference — finer details in vocal performances and subtle percussive elements came through more prominently, opening up a more intricate listening experience.

Into my listening notes now, and we’ll start with the jazz-funk track Pret-Á-Porter by Robson Jorge and Lincoln Olivetti. The AeroClip 2 offered a wide, expansive soundstage — something clip-on open ears often excel at. Bass was well weighted and didn’t overstep its remit, but it wasn’t the most punchy or impactful. Treble sounded more articulate than on the original AeroClip, with precise, controlled percussion, and I was impressed by instrument separation, with horns and guitars operating separately rather than getting in each other's way.

Next, I switched over to a house track, Foreva by Caleb Jackson. Again, bass didn’t have that full-sounding, rich quality I love from my in-ear buds and over-ear headphones, but it was still agile and rhythmic. Vocals were well defined in the mix, and treble, while expressive and responsive, didn’t sound overly forward or grating — even at higher volumes. The subtlety of synths in the mid-range was also handled tastefully.

I finished up with Michi by Yuta Orisaka, a more stripped-back, acoustic track. Acoustic guitars in the intro were delicate and emotive — with LDAC helping the AeroClip 2 to provide more insight than their predecessor. Vocals, while not the most textured, were clear in the mic, and subtle bass came through nicely. All in all, the AeroClip 2 are a bit more revealing than the original model, and while they have limitations due to their open architecture, they perform pretty admirably overall.

The AeroClip 2 also feature a spatial sound mode, which can make your tunes sound more immersive, but I tended to keep this off for the most precise, natural presentation. You can access settings such as this in the Anker Soundcore app, which is responsive, well-laid out, and has a flashy UI. From there you can also alter EQ, with HearID, presets, or access a multi-band custom option. There’s also a section that enables you to listen to relaxing sounds such as waves crashing or forest noises — a little gimmicky, sure, but fun all the same.

In addition, the AeroClip 2 introduce customizable button controls, whose functions you can swap out for each bud via the Anker Soundcore app. So, for example, you might make one press on the right earbud to pause playback, but one press on the left earbud to trigger the voice assistant.

There’s no noise cancelling on the AeroClip 2. This is the norm for open ears, but there are some rival models, such as the Edifier LolliClip, for example, that include it. But the draw of the open fit is that you’ll be able to stay highly aware of your surroundings, which was true for the AeroClip 2, even when I was using them at max volume. Personally, I prefer the option to switch between ANC and a transparency mode, so I’m still more likely to reach for the JBL Live Beam 4, say. Nevertheless, if you like the open style, then the AeroClip 2 are a strong option.

(Image credit: Future)

So, are the Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2 worth buying? Overall, I'd say yes…but there’s a "but".

Anker has ramped up the price of its flagship clip-on earbuds to $169.99 / £159.99 (about AU$240), marking a $40 / £30 (about AU$30) increase over the first model. But do the improvements justify the increase?

Well, I really like the HearID setting, and the inclusion of LDAC is a neat bonus — as is the more compact design. But the sonic jump or boost in battery life isn’t massive, and some of the new features such as the AI assistant / translation and spatial audio feel more like "nice-to-haves" rather than essential upgrades. So, it really depends on what you value as a user.

The AeroClip 2 are still priced relatively well overall, and deliver very solid sound quality, a fantastic fit, and plenty of customization options. And I still think that they’re some of the more functionally fleshed-out and better-sounding models you can buy right now. Having said that, I don’t think the original AeroClip buds should be overlooked — especially if you’re an iPhone user who can’t harness the powers of LDAC, or if you want to make a bit of a saving.

The AeroClip 2 (in black) beside the original AeroClip (in white) (Image credit: Future)Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2 review: price & release date

• $169.99 / £159.99 (about AU$240)
• Released in September 2026

The Anker SoundCore AeroClip 2 were released in September 2026, around a year and a half after their predecessors, the Anker Soundcore AeroClip. The AeroClip 2 are priced at $169.99 / £159.99 (about AU$240), which is a significant jump up in price from the original AeroClip model, which cost $129.99 / £129.99 (about AU$210) at launch.

Of course, there are a number of improvements that help justify this price hike, including a more compact build, LDAC, enhanced waterproofing, and implementation of the AnkerThus chip. And while the AeroClip 2 are still cheaper than rivals such as the Shokz OpenDots 2 and Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, you can get impressive quality from cheaper models such as the Edifier LolliClip and budget-friendly Baseus Bowie MC2.

Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2 review: specs

Waterproof rating

IP57

Drivers

12mm dynamic

Battery life

8 hours (buds), 32 hours (with charging case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0

Weight

6.2g (per bud)

Frequency range

20Hz-20kHz

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

HearID works great, customizable controls, decent battery life, LDAC now here.

4.5/5

Performance

Solid detail and balance, although open design limits bass output.

4/5

Design

Ultra-comfortable and lightweight, more compact than before, neat color options, open design has its pros and cons.

4.5/5

Value

A price hike that’s justified in many areas, but some improvements could be greater.

4/5

Buy them if…

You’re drawn to the clip-on design
If you like the look of cuff-type earbuds, you’ll almost certainly enjoy the AeroClip 2. They have a stylish aesthetic, they're comfortable, and their highly secure fit all combine to make them solid all-rounders.

You’re looking for highly customizable sound
HearID enables you to take a multi-choice test that optimizes the AeroClip 2’s audio to suit your specific tastes. But if that wasn’t enough, there are also a handful of EQ presets as well as a multi-band custom equalizer, giving you advanced control over the sound of your open earbuds.

Don’t buy them if…

You want premium audio
If you’re looking for premium sound quality, you won’t get it here. That’s largely inherent to the open design that leaks sound, with the low-end especially weaker than in-ear buds.

You want noise cancelling
If you’re looking to shut out the outside world, then the AeroClip 2 aren’t for you. Some open earbuds include noise-cancelling technology, but it's pretty rare. Want ANC? I’d recommend the JBL Live Beam 4 or AirPods Pro 3 instead.

Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2 review: also consider

Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2

Shokz OpenDots 2

AirPods 5

Price

$169.99 / £159.99 (about AU$240)

$199.95 / £179.99 / AU$339

$129 / £129 / AU$219

Drivers

12mm dynamic

Dual 11.8mm dynamic

Custom high-excursion

Waterproof rating

IP57

IP55

IP57

Battery life

8 hours (buds), 32 hours (with charging case)

10 hours (buds), 40 hours (with charging case)

4 hours (buds), 20 hours (with charging case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0

Bluetooth 6.1

Bluetooth 5.3

Weight

6.2g (per bud)

6.4g (per bud)

4.3g (per bud)

Frequency range

20Hz-20kHz

100Hz-20kHz

20Hz-20kHz

Shokz OpenDots 2
The Shokz OpenDots 2 are an excellent pair of clip-on buds that boast great sound quality with punchy bass, good battery life, a secure and comfortable fit, and plenty of customization options. They’re a little bit pricier than the AeroClip 2, but you get more playtime, intuitive controls, and premium build quality that makes the investment feel worthwhile. Read our full Shokz OpenDots 2 review.

AirPods 5
Time for something a little different. The AirPods 5 are open-fit earbuds rather than clip-ons, but they still let you hear plenty of the world around you while delivering great style and sound quality to match. There's ANC to block out the outside world, plus they’re also highly waterproof, rammed with features, and beautifully lightweight. Non Apple-users may find their functionality overly restricted, and their battery life is disappointing, but they’re still a great pair of open-fit buds overall. Read more about the AirPods 5.

How I tested the Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested in the office and while out and about
• Mainly streamed music over Tidal
• Compared directly against predecessor

I spent countless hours testing the Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2, during which time I made full use of their features, spent countless hours listening to music, and assessed their performance in a range of environments.

As always, I started my testing by sifting through the TechRadar reference playlist, but I also tuned into a huge variety of tracks from my personal library. I made sure to test the AeroClip 2 directly against their predecessor, as well as a handful of rivals.

More generally, I’ve spent years testing audio gear here at TechRadar, where I serve as a Senior Reviews Writer. I’ve reviewed everything from party speakers such as the Marshall Bromley 750 through to premium wireless headphones such as the Sony 1000X The Collexion. I’ve also tested a number of clip-on open earbuds, such as the Edifier LolliClip and the Sony LinkBuds Open.

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed: October 2026

Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2 review

I was incredibly excited to try out the Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2. The original model is easily among my favorite pairs of clip-on open earbuds, delivering immersive audio, an exceptionally comfortable fit, and a solid feature-set to match. So can the sequel build upon the strengths of the original AeroClip? Here’s my verdict after testing them.

Let’s start by talking about the upgrades on the Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2. Perhaps the main event is the new 'AnkerThus' chip, which — according to the company — offers 150x more computing power than the previous model. The key feature of the new chip is that it powers "Crystal-Clear Calls" and, indeed, you do get very solid call quality on the AeroClip 2. AI helps to scoop out pesky external sounds, and whether I was making a call or taking a voice recording, I found that my speech never sounded obscured. I also enjoyed the Whisper mode, which made my voice clear even if I was talking quietly.

One of the changes I really appreciate is HearID. Here, a few soundbites play, and you select the signature that sounds the best to you, before being shown your result. Perhaps unsurprisingly, my result favored a bit more emphasis in the low-end, making up for the low-end limitations of open-ear design. This feature helps the Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2 to stand out, even among the best open earbuds, and I recommend every user try it before they start listening to their tunes.

Elsewhere, the earbuds receive a huge waterproofing upgrade, from IPX4 to the AeroClip 2's IP57. This sees the buds protected against dust ingress, and submersion in up to a meter of water for as long as 30 minutes.

Battery life has also been improved. While the buds still offer a respectable, albeit unremarkable, eight hours of playback, they will stay alive for 32 hours with the charging case — an eight-hour boost over the original AeroClip.

The case design also see some changes; it's far more compact than the charging cradle on the first AeroClip. The buds also now slip into the case back-to-back, making the AeroClip 2 more convenient to slide into your pocket than their predecessors. The buds themselves look very similar — and still have that comfortable, lightweight, and secure fit of the original model that I so loved. They’re also pretty stylish, arriving in a range of colors including Burgundy Red, Cloud White, Midnight Black, and Mist Blue.

(Image credit: Future)

So, now on to how the AeroClip 2 sound. Something that piqued my interest is that the new buds seem to favor bass a little less than their predecessors — at least out of the box. If anything, I’d argue that bass is a little recessed, not helped by the AeroClip 2’s open architecture, which naturally leaks low-frequencies more than standard in-ear buds. But fear not: these are still very solid performers overall.

With my HearID tuning in use, I was able to get a bit more weight at the low-end, while still leaving plenty of room for instruments to breathe in the mid-range and treble. And while the sonic upgrade over the first AeroClip buds is more incremental than revolutionary, there are certainly a few enhancements worth covering.

For instance, the news buds include LDAC, enabling you to stream higher-res music over Bluetooth with a compatible device (such as a modern Android phone). In practice, LDAC did make a difference — finer details in vocal performances and subtle percussive elements came through more prominently, opening up a more intricate listening experience.

Into my listening notes now, and we’ll start with the jazz-funk track Pret-Á-Porter by Robson Jorge and Lincoln Olivetti. The AeroClip 2 offered a wide, expansive soundstage — something clip-on open ears often excel at. Bass was well weighted and didn’t overstep its remit, but it wasn’t the most punchy or impactful. Treble sounded more articulate than on the original AeroClip, with precise, controlled percussion, and I was impressed by instrument separation, with horns and guitars operating separately rather than getting in each other's way.

Next, I switched over to a house track, Foreva by Caleb Jackson. Again, bass didn’t have that full-sounding, rich quality I love from my in-ear buds and over-ear headphones, but it was still agile and rhythmic. Vocals were well defined in the mix, and treble, while expressive and responsive, didn’t sound overly forward or grating — even at higher volumes. The subtlety of synths in the mid-range was also handled tastefully.

I finished up with Michi by Yuta Orisaka, a more stripped-back, acoustic track. Acoustic guitars in the intro were delicate and emotive — with LDAC helping the AeroClip 2 to provide more insight than their predecessor. Vocals, while not the most textured, were clear in the mic, and subtle bass came through nicely. All in all, the AeroClip 2 are a bit more revealing than the original model, and while they have limitations due to their open architecture, they perform pretty admirably overall.

The AeroClip 2 also feature a spatial sound mode, which can make your tunes sound more immersive, but I tended to keep this off for the most precise, natural presentation. You can access settings such as this in the Anker Soundcore app, which is responsive, well-laid out, and has a flashy UI. From there you can also alter EQ, with HearID, presets, or access a multi-band custom option. There’s also a section that enables you to listen to relaxing sounds such as waves crashing or forest noises — a little gimmicky, sure, but fun all the same.

In addition, the AeroClip 2 introduce customizable button controls, whose functions you can swap out for each bud via the Anker Soundcore app. So, for example, you might make one press on the right earbud to pause playback, but one press on the left earbud to trigger the voice assistant.

There’s no noise cancelling on the AeroClip 2. This is the norm for open ears, but there are some rival models, such as the Edifier LolliClip, for example, that include it. But the draw of the open fit is that you’ll be able to stay highly aware of your surroundings, which was true for the AeroClip 2, even when I was using them at max volume. Personally, I prefer the option to switch between ANC and a transparency mode, so I’m still more likely to reach for the JBL Live Beam 4, say. Nevertheless, if you like the open style, then the AeroClip 2 are a strong option.

(Image credit: Future)

So, are the Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2 worth buying? Overall, I'd say yes…but there’s a "but".

Anker has ramped up the price of its flagship clip-on earbuds to $169.99 / £159.99 (about AU$240), marking a $40 / £30 (about AU$30) increase over the first model. But do the improvements justify the increase?

Well, I really like the HearID setting, and the inclusion of LDAC is a neat bonus — as is the more compact design. But the sonic jump or boost in battery life isn’t massive, and some of the new features such as the AI assistant / translation and spatial audio feel more like "nice-to-haves" rather than essential upgrades. So, it really depends on what you value as a user.

The AeroClip 2 are still priced relatively well overall, and deliver very solid sound quality, a fantastic fit, and plenty of customization options. And I still think that they’re some of the more functionally fleshed-out and better-sounding models you can buy right now. Having said that, I don’t think the original AeroClip buds should be overlooked — especially if you’re an iPhone user who can’t harness the powers of LDAC, or if you want to make a bit of a saving.

The AeroClip 2 (in black) beside the original AeroClip (in white) (Image credit: Future)Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2 review: price & release date

• $169.99 / £159.99 (about AU$240)
• Released in September 2026

The Anker SoundCore AeroClip 2 were released in September 2026, around a year and a half after their predecessors, the Anker Soundcore AeroClip. The AeroClip 2 are priced at $169.99 / £159.99 (about AU$240), which is a significant jump up in price from the original AeroClip model, which cost $129.99 / £129.99 (about AU$210) at launch.

Of course, there are a number of improvements that help justify this price hike, including a more compact build, LDAC, enhanced waterproofing, and implementation of the AnkerThus chip. And while the AeroClip 2 are still cheaper than rivals such as the Shokz OpenDots 2 and Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, you can get impressive quality from cheaper models such as the Edifier LolliClip and budget-friendly Baseus Bowie MC2.

Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2 review: specs

Waterproof rating

IP57

Drivers

12mm dynamic

Battery life

8 hours (buds), 32 hours (with charging case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0

Weight

6.2g (per bud)

Frequency range

20Hz-20kHz

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

HearID works great, customizable controls, decent battery life, LDAC now here.

4.5/5

Performance

Solid detail and balance, although open design limits bass output.

4/5

Design

Ultra-comfortable and lightweight, more compact than before, neat color options, open design has its pros and cons.

4.5/5

Value

A price hike that’s justified in many areas, but some improvements could be greater.

4/5

Buy them if…

You’re drawn to the clip-on design
If you like the look of cuff-type earbuds, you’ll almost certainly enjoy the AeroClip 2. They have a stylish aesthetic, they're comfortable, and their highly secure fit all combine to make them solid all-rounders.

You’re looking for highly customizable sound
HearID enables you to take a multi-choice test that optimizes the AeroClip 2’s audio to suit your specific tastes. But if that wasn’t enough, there are also a handful of EQ presets as well as a multi-band custom equalizer, giving you advanced control over the sound of your open earbuds.

Don’t buy them if…

You want premium audio
If you’re looking for premium sound quality, you won’t get it here. That’s largely inherent to the open design that leaks sound, with the low-end especially weaker than in-ear buds.

You want noise cancelling
If you’re looking to shut out the outside world, then the AeroClip 2 aren’t for you. Some open earbuds include noise-cancelling technology, but it's pretty rare. Want ANC? I’d recommend the JBL Live Beam 4 or AirPods Pro 3 instead.

Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2 review: also consider

Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2

Shokz OpenDots 2

AirPods 5

Price

$169.99 / £159.99 (about AU$240)

$199.95 / £179.99 / AU$339

$129 / £129 / AU$219

Drivers

12mm dynamic

Dual 11.8mm dynamic

Custom high-excursion

Waterproof rating

IP57

IP55

IP57

Battery life

8 hours (buds), 32 hours (with charging case)

10 hours (buds), 40 hours (with charging case)

4 hours (buds), 20 hours (with charging case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0

Bluetooth 6.1

Bluetooth 5.3

Weight

6.2g (per bud)

6.4g (per bud)

4.3g (per bud)

Frequency range

20Hz-20kHz

100Hz-20kHz

20Hz-20kHz

Shokz OpenDots 2
The Shokz OpenDots 2 are an excellent pair of clip-on buds that boast great sound quality with punchy bass, good battery life, a secure and comfortable fit, and plenty of customization options. They’re a little bit pricier than the AeroClip 2, but you get more playtime, intuitive controls, and premium build quality that makes the investment feel worthwhile. Read our full Shokz OpenDots 2 review.

AirPods 5
Time for something a little different. The AirPods 5 are open-fit earbuds rather than clip-ons, but they still let you hear plenty of the world around you while delivering great style and sound quality to match. There's ANC to block out the outside world, plus they’re also highly waterproof, rammed with features, and beautifully lightweight. Non Apple-users may find their functionality overly restricted, and their battery life is disappointing, but they’re still a great pair of open-fit buds overall. Read more about the AirPods 5.

How I tested the Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested in the office and while out and about
• Mainly streamed music over Tidal
• Compared directly against predecessor

I spent countless hours testing the Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2, during which time I made full use of their features, spent countless hours listening to music, and assessed their performance in a range of environments.

As always, I started my testing by sifting through the TechRadar reference playlist, but I also tuned into a huge variety of tracks from my personal library. I made sure to test the AeroClip 2 directly against their predecessor, as well as a handful of rivals.

More generally, I’ve spent years testing audio gear here at TechRadar, where I serve as a Senior Reviews Writer. I’ve reviewed everything from party speakers such as the Marshall Bromley 750 through to premium wireless headphones such as the Sony 1000X The Collexion. I’ve also tested a number of clip-on open earbuds, such as the Edifier LolliClip and the Sony LinkBuds Open.

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed: October 2026

The Pentagon says it will livestream the firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan at Fort Hood, the site of his 2009 mass shooting. That would be the first public execution in the U.S. since the 1930s.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Apple's most extreme Mac Studio, an M5 Ultra with 512GB of memory aimed at running huge AI models locally, is due to ship in late October. And that might be one reason why I'm seeing the - ahem - "cheaper" M5 Max model dropping $200 in price right now.

• Best for: Creative professionals and AI developers who want Mac Studio power without paying M5 Ultra prices.

• The deal: The Apple Mac Studio (M5 Max, 36GB, 512GB) is $2299 (was $2499) at B&H Photo.

• Why it matters: We're expecting to see more of the 512GB M5 Ultra at Apple's upcoming event next week. And I reckon we could be looking at prices starting well above $10,000. That makes the M5 Max Mac Studio the machine most people can realistically buy, and it's now cheaper as the new flagship approaches.

Today's best Mac Studio (M5 Max) deal

Mac Studio (M5 Max): was $2499 now $2299
This is the base M5 Max configuration, with an 18-core CPU, 32-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine. It has four Thunderbolt 5 ports, 10Gb Ethernet, HDMI 2.1, an SD card slot and Wi-Fi 7, and B&H notes that supply at this price is limited.View Deal

Why we recommend it

Our roundup of M5 Ultra Mac Studio reviews revealed the Ultra's real strength is local AI, while its multi-core lead over the M5 Max is only about 26% and single-core performance is about the same, which is why the roundup points most creative users to the M5 Max. The M5 Max is the best-suited model for most professionals, as 36GB of memory fits many workflows. However, 1TB is a more practical starting point for storage than 512GB, and that's currently discounted to $2579 (was $2799) on the site.

Price Context & Historical Value

At $2,299, this is $200 (8%) off Apple's $2,499 starting price. Now, Mac Studio discounts may improve in the months after launch, especially around Black Friday, so this may not be the lowest price it reaches - but it's the lowest I've seen right now. As with previous Macs, you can't upgrade the memory in this model later, so make sure 36GB is enough before you buy.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Apple Mac Studio (M5 Max) if...

You want Mac Studio performance for creative work or local AI at around $2,300, and you don't need the M5 Ultra's 512GB memory ceiling.

❌ Skip the Apple Mac Studio (M5 Max) if...

You need the 512GB M5 Ultra for large local AI models, or you want more than 512GB of storage without an external drive.

• See all Mac desktops at B&H Photo

The Trump administration's effort to return Ahmed Soliman to the U.S. come after an Arizona judge said his deportation violated due process.

(Image credit: Photo by Elizabeth Flores)

• The UK could impose tariffs on EVs imported from China
• Chinese manufacturers warn this will increase prices for consumers
• Germany wants the UK to back its Made in Europe plans

The UK’s Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, met with Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz this week to discuss, among other things, the possibility of increasing tariffs on imported Chinese electric vehicles as a of show solidarity with Germany’s proposed “Made in Europe” plans.

Under a new set of rules, Germany is recommending policies that favor European producers and carmakers in response to trade practices by competitors like China and the United States, according to Politico.

Raising tariffs on cars imported from China could be seen as a way for the UK and Europe’s car industry to fend off the swathe of low-cost, state-subsidized vehicles that have been increasing in popularity over the past few years.

Recent figures released by the UK’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reveal that BYD is rapidly gaining ground on Tesla’s long-standing best-seller, the Model 3, as well as its Model Y — the two SUVs that regularly top battery electric vehicles (BEVs) sales charts.

In fact, BYD placed third and fourth this September with huge numbers of the Sealion 7 and the Seal, while Leapmotor, which only went on sale in the UK last year, crept into the top ten with its B10 SUV.

The table above (from SMMT) shows how well Chinese brands like BYD and Leapmotor performed in the UK in September 2026. (Image credit: SMMT)

The SMMT says that electrified vehicles have “helped power growth”, taking a record 58.4% of all registrations if you factor in both BEVs and hybrids.

But Guy Pigounakis, commercial director of the Chinese-owned MG, has already warned that any proposal to match the European Commission’s levy of up to 45% on imports would have a “significant impact” on prices and would only serve to drive up inflation and potentially interest rates.

“You see that all across the world,” he told The Telegraph.

Analysis: Affordable Chinese EVs are fueling growth

(Image credit: Leapmotor)

Imposing tariffs typically creates a Catch-22 situation where domestic businesses experience greater protection from outside threats, but the consumer ends up shouldering the burden through increased prices and lesser choice.

The UK’s EV sales figures don’t lie — it’s clear to see companies like BYD, Jaecoo, MG and Leapmotor are winning over customers with great products at almost unbeatable prices.

The problem is, this is dragging customers away from Germany’s biggest brands, such as Volkswagen and Audi, both of which sat at the very bottom of the Top Models sales charts this September in the UK.

Despite more affordable and capable electric options coming online this year from the likes of Renault, Skoda and Mercedes-Benz, they are still being outsold by relative newcomers BYD, with Geely, Omoda and many more waiting in the wings.

As with battery and charging technology in general, it appears China is already one step ahead, as some of the biggest EV manufacturers are making moves to protect themselves against the threat of future tariffs by exploring and opening more manufacturing plants in European locations.

• Microsoft is rolling out a new font for Microsoft 365 apps
• The 'Michelangelus' font is based on Michelangelo's handwriting
• However, it's a loose digital interpretation, and some feel that the font and the real handwriting are 'wildly different'

Think fonts are boring? Well, that's fair, they certainly aren't the most interesting topic on the planet, but every now and then one comes along that does make you sit up and take notice.

A case in point (12-point, perhaps) is that as Microsoft announced in a blog post, Michelangelo's handwriting is being rolled out to Microsoft 365 users – or a modern approximation of it at least.

The 'Michelangelus' font has been created as part of the anniversary of the consecration of St. Peter's Basilica, which took place 400 years ago (on November 18).

The font was made to be used for digital and printed materials relating to the Basilica, as well as signage inside the building, but the decision was made to share it with the world via Microsoft Office.

An Italian design agency, studiogusto, was commissioned by the Fabbrica di San Pietro to turn Michelangelo's characters into digital versions, noting that the idea was not a direct imitation of his handwriting, but to "adapt it through design into a modern tool."

Mimmo Berterame, the CEO of studiogusto, noted that: "For him [Michelangelo], [writing] was about clarity and respect for the reader. So, beauty was important, but it also needed order. Our typeface needs character and personality, but it also needs to be clear and easy to read."

In other words, the font is a modern approximation of his penmanship based on the 'rules' and feel of the writing style, so it doesn't look too over-the-top, but it still maintains some of Michelangelo's flourishes (like dotting the top of the 'h').

Analysis: fun with fonts

(Image credit: Microsoft / AppendixN on Reddit)

Some of the reaction to the font has veered towards the less-than-impressed in terms of the resemblance of the digital letters to the real handwriting. As one Redditor says: "That is certainly a very loose interpretation of the phrase 'based on.'"

A reply points out that the official press release from the Basilica di San Pietro explains that: "The typeface draws inspiration from Michelangelo Buonarroti's bold, expressive handwriting. However, it goes beyond a mere reproduction of the artist's graphic style and an imitation of his calligraphic techniques.

"The ambition is broader: to identify within his handwriting a visual logic, a system of proportions, rhythm and harmony measured by the artist's eye, and to translate this into a contemporary typographic system."

However, the original poster remains largely unmoved, noting that: "That's a noble goal and an ambitious approach, but I really don't feel their execution lives up to their intent."

Somebody else observes: "Among many other characters which don't even come close, the capital letters A and M in this interpretation are wildly different. I don't get the feeling of handwriting at all from it."

I can see where the criticism is coming from, and it stems from the fact that the design is clearly titled much more towards clarity and a more contemporary, readable look, than it is the actual handwriting. Still, regardless of how you gauge the interpretation here, the end result looks very smart.

If your curiosity is piqued and you are heading off to Word to try the new font, hold up a minute, because it hasn't been rolled out just yet.

Si Daniels, who is Principal Product Designer, Office Design, explains that the new font will be rolled out to Microsoft 365 apps at the end of the year. However, if you can't wait, you can manually download and install it from here.

• Anthropic has banned ‘abusive or cruel behavior’ towards its AI chatbots
• The new policy is restricted to ‘extreme cases’
• Some have theorized that the motivation could be to improve training data

Be honest: how civil have you been recently with an AI chatbot? If the answer is anything stronger than “not very,” Anthropic would like a word.

That’s because the developer of the Claude large language model (LLM) has added a new clause to its Usage Policy document that bars people from engaging in “sustained and needless abusive or cruel behavior towards our models.”

The proscription has been added to the “Do Not Engage in Cruel, Abusive, or Psychologically Harmful Conduct” section, which also includes warnings against glamorizing suicide and self-harm, promoting bullying behavior, glorifying violence, and using AI to create harmful deepfakes and deceptive content.

But while Anthropic says you must not use its tools to carry out those actions against other humans, the new addition is the only one specifically prohibiting “cruel behavior” towards the company’s AI itself. Anthropic said last August that it would allow Claude to end conversations that became abusive, and while the company recently reported that this is still the “primary enforcement mechanism” in use, it’s not known whether Anthropic will go further and actively ban users who get a bit cranky with their AI.

Anthropic added that “The policy update is meant to apply only in extreme cases, where users repeatedly act cruelly toward our models, with no discernible purpose. It does not apply to common versions of user frustration, pushback, dark creative themes, or model testing and research.”

Do AIs have feelings?

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The change has been a controversial one. Clearly, Claude is not a thinking, feeling human — it is a bunch of code — and for many, it seems obvious that it does not have feelings that could be hurt in the first place.

But what’s interesting is how this incident sheds light on our evolving relationship with AI. So much of the work AI companies have done is to humanize their creations — to anthropomorphize (or should that be Anthropicomorphize?) their robots — so that we lower our defenses and actively engage with them. Just look at Meta’s adorable Muse avatar (appropriately named Jolly) or the ones used by OpenAI’s Dots, for example.

One theory that's doing the rounds on Reddit is that clean (read: polite) training data is much more useful than data containing expletives and angry rhetoric. Cut that out and you’ve got much more usable information with which to improve your models.

However, there's no hard evidence to suggest that's the case, and it's possible that Anthropic simply has the noble goal of encouraging civility and courtesy among its users. After all, if you wouldn’t use this language on a real human, maybe you shouldn’t use it anywhere else, including when interacting with an AI chatbot.

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has previously stated that “We don’t know if the models are conscious.” Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI, on the other hand, has taken the opposite approach. Writing on X, Suleyman said “The idea of model welfare is wrong. AI’s should not have rights or legal personhood.” And we certainly know chatbots can be rude back to us.

A global treaty signed by 197 countries — including Russia — requires reporting any death that could be a sign of an outbreak to come.

(Image credit: Tatyana Makeyeva/AFP)

In my books, the most satisfying part of any action role-playing game (ARPG) like Diablo or Titan Quest is the constant feeling of progression. Nothing quite compares to watching your little on-screen hero grow from a tiny ant that can barely bash their way through a pack of lowly wolves to a maxed-out bringer of destruction that mows through entire armies without breaking a sweat.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PC
Available on: PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
Release date: September 29, 2026

Minecraft Dungeons 2’s aggressive level scaling robs the player of that experience. In the more than 12 hours it took for me to beat the story campaign, I never felt more powerful. Sure, I unlocked more interesting abilities and got to try a variety of weapons, but the amount of time required to take down each newly spawned foe remained near-constant throughout.

A friend even joined my game towards the end of my playthrough, with their level 1 character effortlessly keeping pace with my level 40 one throughout the final encounters, really underscoring the system’s ridiculousness. I’m sure the intention here is to make it easy for friends to jump into the same lobbies and play together without having to worry about their respective levels, but it left me wondering what the point of all the grinding actually is.

Blocky buddies

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(Image credit: Mojang)

It’s a shame, because there is still some good in Minecraft Dungeons 2. This standalone spinoff recreates the blocky look of the popular Minecraft survival game expertly, with its own more stylized twists that make the world instantly recognizable, yet refreshingly new thanks to more expressive lighting and Pixar-like character animations that make everything pop even from the distant isometric perspective.

I may have lamented the fact that I couldn’t wow my friend with my character’s power, but the co-op experience is otherwise well done. Creating a group with up to three companions is impressively straightforward no matter where they play, thanks to seamless cross-platform connectivity. There’s even couch co-op, which is quite rare in 2026 and worth praising. The ability to play with others easily goes a long way in making Minecraft Dungeons 2 genuinely worthwhile for younger players.

For everyone else, however, everything here is just too straightforward to appeal. The enemy variety is sorely lacking for starters. The expected Minecraft favorites like the Creepers, Zombies, Skeletons, and, of course, the iconic Chicken Jockey are all present and accounted for, along with the evil grey-skinned Illagers from the first Minecraft Dungeons game. Unfortunately, most enemies function indistinguishably. Those with projectile weapons spray arrows at you from afar, while the rest just rush towards you in a big group.

The strategy in every encounter is to simply mash the attack button and occasionally dodge, even as more powerful Illagers with magic attacks are introduced. The boss fights are equally bland, forcing you to whittle down gigantic health bars for minutes at a time while waves of low-level enemies spawn in. To make matters worse, many of them are repeated throughout the campaign with little variation.

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(Image credit: Mojang)

It’s frustrating because, on paper, the combat does have some depth: you have a melee and ranged attack, plus three equipped abilities granted by items that you’ve managed to find.

The weapon selection is decently varied, with scooping shovels and fast-attacking double daggers performing very differently from slow-swinging war hammers or claymores, and a steady trickle of new gear encourages you to experiment. They can be upgraded too, with unlockable enchantments that add little mechanics such as a lightning strike that triggers at the end of a chain attack.

Your abilities are powered by a blue soul-meter, which fills up a little with each defeated foe. I think the intention is to create some form of rhythm, with you alternating between melee, ranged, and your abilities, but the fundamental problem is that there’s just no real strategy to any of it.

Sure, you could probably spend ages creating a build with complementary gear – though there’s no real reason to bother when the aforementioned enemy scaling wipes out any real power gain.

Lacking craft

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(Image credit: Mojang)

Much was made of Minecraft Dungeons 2’s world in its marketing. It’s much more open than the previous game, though I wouldn’t exactly call it a true open-world.

The map is designed like a linear corridor that funnels you from one story mission to another with no real room for exploration. Yes, there are side quests and optional dungeons scattered around, but none of the ones that I sampled offered anything that felt meaningfully distinct from the main story.

Best bit

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(Image credit: Mojang)

The world of Minecraft Dungeons 2 looks fantastic. The art direction is a more stylized take on the universe from the regular Minecraft game, with bright, popping colors and expressive animations.

Regarding the story, the most polite way to describe it would be ‘functional’. It’s presented entirely in second person through a narrator that is devoid of personality. There are no memorable non-player characters (NPCs), no charming companions, no real atmosphere at all — just a bland summary of events.

The game also serves as the Minecraft community’s introduction to The Sift — a new dimension that’s being added to the main game sometime next year. It shows up a few times in the campaign in both procedurally generated encounters and a hand-crafted map. It's got a very distinct aesthetic and its own unique enemies, though it's sadly mechanically indistinguishable from the normal world as you navigate through it spamming attacks.

Like many elements of Minecraft Dungeons 2, it feels like a missed opportunity. Everything here is perfectly functional, but it’s just bland to the point of tedium. If the pitch was a skimmed-down version of Diablo for kids, then developers Mojang and Double Eleven have delivered a serviceable product.

Creativity is a core part of the Minecraft brand, and here I wish the team had been more adventurous.

Should I play Minecraft Dungeons 2?Play it if…

You want an easy co-op experience
The seamless co-op play is one of the best parts of Minecraft Dungeons 2, as you can easily team up with friends no matter what platform they’re playing on.

Don't play it if...

You’re an action RPG die-hard
Minecraft Dungeons 2 simply does not have the depth you find in other action RPG games. Avoid it if you’re familiar with the genre already and are looking for your next Diablo-like fix.

You want a game to occupy you for a long time
The main story here is short, and while there is some side content and even a post-game on offer, you’re unlikely to want to stick around for long given how repetitive the action is.

Accessibility features

Minecraft Dungeons 2 has some accessibility options. The game features a guidance trail that is enabled by default. Subtitles are used throughout, with customizable sizing, color, and background opacity.

There are two font options: the default stylized font and a simplified, easier-to-read version. There are also multiple color blind modes, a high-contrast mode, and the ability to set your own HUD colors.

How I reviewed Minecraft Dungeons 2

I played more than 13 hours of Minecraft Dungeons 2 on my RTX 4090-powered PC using the Turtle Beach Pacific Skyline Wireless Controller as my main peripheral, along with a 1080P Lenovo monitor and Logitech computer speakers.

I completed all missions of the single-player campaign and experienced a decent amount of side content both solo and with a friend.

First reviewed October 2026