Feed aggregator

• It seems as though game prices will remain variable going forward
• Analyst Matt Piscatella described the market as the 'Wild West' in a recent interview
• 'Publishers and developers are trying to find the sweet spot for their pricing,' he explained

Don't expect uniform game prices any time soon, a prominent industry analyst has warned.

In a recent interview with GamesRadar, Circana executive director of games Mat Piscatella said that prices are "a little Wild West right now."

"We have more variability in launch pricing and strategies than we've ever had. We have a lot of titles trying to kind of nibble at the high end of that market, and we have many more that are launching at lower prices," he continued.

It's not difficult to find examples of the irregularity in game prices these days. A physical copy of Mario Kart World launched at $79.99 / £74.99, while the recent Donkey Kong Bananza was a lower $69.99 / £64.99.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach retailed for $69.99 / £69.99, while a massive role-playing game (RPG) like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, in contrast, cost just $49.99 / £49.99.

"Ultimately, publishers and developers are trying to find the sweet spot for their pricing strategy," Piscatella explained.

"If you look at the games that are pushing that higher end of that price envelope, those are games that have super dedicated fan bases in general, where price sensitivity, particularly at launch, is very low, meaning that people want to play this game no matter what it costs," he added.

"I know a lot of people don't like it, but people still buy these games at these high price points, so they're going to keep getting made at high price points for the right game that can do that."

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• Perplexity says Cloudflare's analysis of its AI crawlers was technically flawed
• There seems to have been a mix-up with a third-party service used by Perplexity
• Perplexity wants Cloudflare to engage in dialogue – not just to post accusations online

Perplexity AI has accused Cloudflare of mischaracterizing its web crawlers as malicious bots after the latter claimed the AI company obfuscated its bot identity using deceptive strings and unexpected IP ranges.

Responding to Cloudflare's analysis and testing, Perplexity declared that analysis was technically flawed and that it misattributed unrelated traffic.

Perplexity has also asserted its traffic is user-driven, not stealth scraping or malicious crawling, suggesting that Cloudflare has misunderstood modern AI assistant behavior.

Cloudflare gets Perplexity all riled up

"It appears Cloudflare confused Perplexity with 3-6M daily requests of unrelated traffic from BrowserBase, a third-party cloud browser service that Perplexity only occasionally uses for highly specialized tasks (less than 45,000 daily requests)," the company wrote in an X post.

Hitting back at Cloudflare's obfuscation claims, Perplexity said the company obfuscated its own methodology, even accusing the company of pulling off a stunt to gain attention.

One of Perplexity's possible explanations reads: "Cloudflare needed a clever publicity moment and we–their own customer–happened to be a useful name to get them one."

"This controversy reveals that Cloudflare's systems are fundamentally inadequate for distinguishing between legitimate AI assistants and actual threats," the post continues.

In the post, Perplexity also offered context about how AI crawlers work: when a user asks a question, the AI agent doesn't retrieve the information from a central database, but rather fetches it in real time from the relevant websites. This contrasts to traditional web crawling, "in which crawlers systematically visit millions of pages to build massive databases, whether anyone asked for that specific information or not."

Moving forward, Perplexity urges Cloudflare to engage in dialogue instead of publishing misinformation about its practices.

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• Google Cloud adds six new AI agents for data scientists, engineers and more
• Advanced analytics will become more accessible with natural-language AI
• A solid data foundation is just as important, but Google can help you migrate

Google Cloud has launched six new AI agent tools to assist data engineers, data scientists, developers and business users realize even more productivity benefits.

Outlining a, "new era where specialized AI agents work autonomously and cooperatively to unlock insights at a scale and speed," Data Cloud Managing Director Yasmeen Ahmad explained the benefits of a "single, unified, AI-native cloud" over siloed tools when it comes to using AI.

Besides new, specialized AI agents, Google Cloud is also launching a series of APIs, tools, and protocols as well as updates to unify data.

Google Cloud launches even more AI agents

The first agent, destined for data engineers, is designed to automate complex data pipelines by allowing engineers to describe tasks and then autonomously building and executing workflows. A separate Spanner Migration Agent will simplify migrating from legacy databases like MySQL to Spanner, eliminating hours of tedious administrative work.

Data scientists will benefit from an agent that automatically performs exploratory data analysis, data cleaning, feature engineering and ML predictions, offering step-by-step reasoning and collaborative feedback, while business users and analysts will get to use two separate agents designed to answer questions about data and interpret code with visualisations and explanations, meaning that non-technical users can perform advanced analytics.

Finally, Gemini CLI GitHub Actions will automate pull requests, tests, reviews and implementation for developers.

"The true potential of the agentic shift is realized when developers not only use existing agents, but also extend and connect them to their own intelligent systems, creating a broader network," Ahmad explained.

With its new agents, Google Cloud hopes to lower the barrier of entry into advanced data analytics, "eras[ing] the line between operational and analytical worlds."

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• One of Alien: Earth's antagonists isn't based on tech bros like Elon Musk
• The actor behind the character didn't seek inspiration from real-world examples
• He let series creator Noah Hawley's writing do the talking

One of Alien: Earth's stars has denied that specific examples of real-life tech bros inspired the duplicitous character he portrays in the FX TV Original.

Speaking to TechRadar, Samuel Blenkin, who plays Boy Kavalier in the sci-fi horror franchise's first-ever TV project, said he simply relied on how the character had been written.

For the uninitiated: Boy Kavalier is the 20-something CEO and founder of Prodigy Corporation. One of five megacorporations that essentially rule planet Earth in the Alien universe, Prodigy is at the forefront of unlocking human immortality via its Hybrid program – an experimental procedure that transfers the consciousness of a human child into an artificial adult body.

However, not long after Prodigy successfully creates six Hybrids, the USCSS Maginot – a deep-space research vessel owned by Weyland-Yutani, one of Prodigy's rivals and the Alien franchise's most famous multinational – crashes into Prodigy City. Upon discovering that the Maginot was transporting five dangerous alien lifeforms, including one of the franchise's iconic Xenomorphs, to Weyland-Yutani, Kavalier takes ownership of the potentially lethal extra-terrestrials for experimental purposes.

Alien: Earth introduces four new life-threatening organisms to the sci-fi horror franchise's universe (Image credit: FX Networks)

Anyone who's seen an Alien movie – or even a Jurassic Park one – knows that playing with things you don't fully understand is a recipe for disaster. Regardless of the consequences, though, the arrogant and so-called 'boy genius' Kavalier is hell-bent on unearthing the bioweapons' secrets in the Hulu and Disney+ TV Original.

If Kavalier's self-important and rebellious personality seems familiar, it might be that you're reminded of supposed 'tech revolutionaries' who, like Kavalier, claim their technological advancements are for humanity's benefit in spite of concerns about their use.

Need examples? How about the uncanny valley nature of Elon Musk's Tesla Bots, which some observers have likened to the Terminators from the James Cameron-created dystopian sci-fi franchise? What about artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, such as ChatGPT, that use the OpenAI software co-created by Sam Altman? Or, take a look at Facebook founder and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's all-consuming quest to make the Metaverse a real thing.

No, Alien: Earth's Samuel Blenkin didn't base Boy Kavalier on Elon Musk (Image credit: Getty Images)

For what it's worth, Blenkin rejected – or, rather, strongly sidestepped – the notion that any or all of the above, or any other tech guru, influenced his portrayal of Kavalier.

Nevertheless, he also indicated that projects penned by series creator Noah Hawley (Fargo, Legion) are often a commentary on people who've been in the public eye for the last few years, and/or the ever-changing nature of our own world. In Blenkin's view, then, it's possible that characters in the franchise's inaugural TV show might be crudely influenced by certain individuals who exist right now.

"I think that Noah did such a good job of painting a vivid character," Blenkin told me. "Like all of Noah's characters, they clearly have strands of the stuff that we're facing today and what's resonant right now.

"But what I love is that he [Kavalier] has very specific mannerisms and obsessions," Blenkin continued. "[He has] this Peter Pan obsession, he never wear shoes or socks, he has a little ball he throws about, his attention span is lacking, and he has an obsession with childhood and childhood innocence equating with the kind of genius [he is] and seeing himself as a boy who never grew up.

"He's able to break rules and not be held to the same account as an adult with that kind of morality," he added. "Everything that was written about him was so vivid on the page, so I kind of let the rest of the character threads take care of themselves."

Alien: Earth launches with a two-episode premiere on Hulu (US) on August 12 and Disney+ (internationally) on August 13. Before it arrives, read my review of Alien: Earth or get the lowdown on the series our dedicated guide on Alien: Earth.

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• BMW has launched an espresso machine built around a motorcycle engine
• The Big Coffee Boxer is hand-made, with a dual boiler and rotary pump
• It costs €7,900 (about $9,100 / £6,900 / AU$14,000), and only 80 will be made

If your usual morning coffee isn't giving you the same boost it used to and your wallet is weighing you down, BMW has just launched the espresso machine for you. The Big Coffee Boxer, made in collaboration with the coffee experts at ECM Manufacture, is built using a BMW R 18 Big Boxer motorcycle engine – and it'll certainly be a conversation-starter.

In terms of specs, the Big Coffee Boxer is up there with the best espresso machines. It features dual boilers, meaning you can pull a shot of espresso and steam milk at the same time, and professional-grade steam and hot water valves.

There's no color touchscreen here. Instead, the Boxer has two pressure dials (one for each boiler) and a discreet shot counter to help you see when it's time to backflush the machine, which is essential to remove residue and keep your coffee tasting as good as possible.

There's optional pre-infusion (a process that gently pre-soaks the ground coffee before applying the full brewing pressure), you can choose from three brewing temperatures, and use either a refillable water tank or a direct water supply if you're not opposed to a spot of plumbing.

Here's the catch

(Image credit: BMW, ECM)

Naturally, none of this comes cheap. Breville's new Oracle Dual Boiler raised eyebrows last week when it launched with a price tag of AU$4,499 (about $3,000 / £2,200), but the Boxer makes that look positively affordable as each BMW-branded espresso machine will set you back €7,900 (about $9,100 / £6,900 / AU$14,000).

To put that into context, if you currently pay $4 every day for a takeout coffee, it'll take you about six years and three months to offset the cost of the Boxer (not including the beans). You'll have to decide quickly, too, because only 80 of the machines will be made.

If that's a little outside your budget, take a look at our roundups of the best coffee makers and best bean-to-cup coffee machines, all of which are somewhat more affordable (if not as stylish).

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This feature can help you identify certain chats so you don't let out a secret in the wrong chat.

Wix website builder review (2025)

Wix is a giant in the website builder industry. Its marketing campaigns across all mainstream media have made it a household name. While some services give you only a few templates, Wix has more than 500.

Pros

• Limited free plan
• Vast library of templates has something for every business type
• Huge number of professional features
• Easy to use
• Extensive ecommerce tools can build a feature-packed web store
• Excellent image features
• Hundreds of apps connect you to many other platforms and services

Cons

• Above average prices
• Can’t change a template once you’ve chosen it
• Only 2GB storage with the cheapest plan
• Email not included as standard (it’s a paid extra)

Squarespace website builder review (2025)

If you've been keeping an eye out for easy-to-use, all-in-one solutions to create a stunning website, you've surely stumbled upon Squarespace website builder somewhere along the line.

Pros

• Built-in email marketing
• Essential ecommerce features with most plans
• Lots of lovely, mobile-responsive templates
• Free trial with no credit card info required
• Helpful link in bio tool
• Free SSL certificate
• Helpful 24/7 customer support and well-supplied knowledgebase
• A solid set of features

Cons

• No free plan
• No telephone support
• Low level of customization

If you are looking for a simple solution to build a great website there are countless options out there. However, with many of the best website builders offering similar features, tools, and price points, it can be hard to know which one is the best option for you.

Wix and Squarespace are two of the market-leading website builders. They provide everything you need to create professional websites without coding skills - including website hosting, ecommerce features, easy-to-use interfaces, and more.

They even offer similar starting prices with Wix premium plans starting at $17/mo (or less with our Wix promo codes) and Squarespace coming in ever-so-slightly lower with its entry level plan starting at $16/mo (or less with our Squarespace promo codes).

Yet they do differ in many areas including tools, design flexibility, templates, and what you get with each plan. If you're looking to pick one over the other, our detailed guide will walk you through the highs and lows of each so you can make the right choice. Let's dig in.

Wix vs Squarespace: A detailed breakdown

Feature

Wix

Squarespace

Starting price

$17.00/month

$16.00/month

Free plan

Yes

No

Templates

900+ templates across multiple categories

180+ templates across 19 categories

Editor type

Highly flexible drag-and-drop editor with unstructured placement

Structured editor with Fluid Engine (grid-based drag-and-drop)

AI website builder

Wix AI - creates websites based on questions

Blueprint AI - generates sites based on brand personality and preferences

Storage

Starting at 500MB (varies by plan)

Unlimited on all plans

Mobile optimization

Dedicated mobile editor

Automatically responsive templates

Ecommerce features

Product management, point of sale, shipping options, abandoned cart recovery, advanced booking system

Product management, bookings, shipping options, point of sale, abandoned cart recovery

Payment gateways

80+ payment options

Limited payment options

Marketing tools

Email builder, newsletters, email campaigns, Facebook ads integration

Email templates, newsletters, campaigns, direct Instagram/Facebook sales

SEO tools

Meta titles/descriptions, URL customization, Google Search integration, canonical tags, image optimization, site inspection

Meta titles/descriptions, custom URLs, image alt text, Google Search Console integration, canonical tags

Analytics

Traffic monitoring, visitor behavior tracking, revenue reports, personalized suggestions, customer insights

Traffic monitoring, engagement tracking, sales statistics, Google Analytics integration, Purchase Funnel

App marketplace

500+ apps and integrations

35+ extensions

Blogging

Basic blogging features

Advanced blogging with monetization options

Customer support

Live chat, phone support (premium), knowledge center

Email support, knowledge base, community forum

Security

SSL certificates, DDoS protection, firewall

SSL certificates, DDoS protection, firewall

Design flexibility

Highly customizable with pixel-perfect positioning

More structured with focus on professional design

Multilingual support

Available through Wix Multilingual app

Requires third-party integration (WeGlot)

Forum feature

Available through Wix Forum app

Requires third-party integration

Live chat feature

Available through Wix Live Chat app

Requires third-party integration

Custom fonts

Direct upload in editor

Requires CSS code

Scheduling tools

Built-in booking system

Acuity Scheduling ($16/month)

Free domain

Yes (1st year)

Yes (1st year)

Content creation AI

AI tools for product descriptions, image generation

AI tools for product descriptions, email content, blog posts

Wix vs Squarespace: Features

Both Wix and Squarespace have strong features in 2025, but each shines in different ways. Wix boasts a huge template library with over 900 designs. In contrast, Squarespace has around 180 curated templates. Wix's app marketplace is much larger with over 500 integrations, while Squarespace has about 35 extensions. For ecommerce, Wix supports over 80 payment gateways and offers features like pre-order tracking and tax automation. Squarespace includes ecommerce in all plans but has fewer payment options.

Both platforms also use AI technology. Wix provides dedicated tools including product descriptions, image generation and editing, section editor, and even an AI marketing assistant. Squarespace offers AI for product descriptions, email content, and blog posts.

Squarespace's BluePrint AI helps build websites based on brand personality and preferences. Wix AI creates sites based on user questions in a chatbot interface. Squarespace generally has better blogging features with monetization options, but, Wix excels in business tools and customization.

The best choice depends on your needs. Squarespace suits users who value design quality and blogging features, plus it offers ecommerce in all plans. Wix is better for those wanting flexibility, extensive app integrations, and more business tools.

Wix vs Squarespace: Ease of use

Wix and Squarespace are both easy to use for non-programmers without coding experience, but the learning curve still varies.

Wix features a simple drag-and-drop editor. Users can place elements anywhere on the page. This allows for pixel-perfect positioning, ideal for beginners who want total customization. Wix also offers two editing options: the original editor for small businesses and creators and Wix Studio for agencies needing top-notch design tools.

Squarespace is user-friendly too, but its editing system is more structured. The Fluid Engine, introduced in July 2022, allows drag-and-drop within a grid area. This design offers fewer constraints than the Classic Editor but still maintains some order. Users get consistent and professional results but at the cost of creative freedom. It takes more clicks to achieve the same results as Wix, plus you must manually save changes.

Overall, Wix wins for ease of use, especially for beginners who want creative freedom. Its user-friendly interface, automatic saving, and strong backup system enhance accessibility. Squarespace may suit those who prefer structure and consistency, as its limitations help avoid design errors while ensuring a polished look.

Wix vs Squarespace: Support

Wix provides many support options, including live chat and phone support in over ten languages. However, priority phone support requires a Business Elite subscription. Support is available from Monday to Friday, depending on the language. Wix also has a Knowledge Center with tutorials and guides. For Wix Studio subscribers, the Wix Studio Academy offers hundreds of short courses to help users maximize features.

Squarespace takes a different approach to customer support. It doesn't offer phone support. Instead, you have the option to use 24/7 human chat support, hire third-party experts, or participate in the community forum where users can ask for advice. It also provides documentation and tutorials. But unlike Wix, Squarespace's live chat support system relies on human support agents, not AI.

Wix offers more responsive support that's easier to avail. But, Squarespace stands apart with its strictly human-first support system. While the former offers more accessible, diverse, and affordable options, Squarespace is the better choice for users who need constant access to experts who can troubleshoot complex issues.

Wix vs Squarespace: Pricing and plans

Plan

/mo (paid monthly)

/mo (paid annually)

/mo (paid every 2-years)

/mo (paid every 3-years)

Free

$0

$0

$0

$0

Lite

$24

$17

$14

$12

Core

$36

$29

$24

$21

Business

$43

$36

$29

$26

Business Elite

$172

$159

$121

$110

Wix offers a free plan and four paid tiers. The Light plan starts at $17/month, up from the previous $16. The Core plan costs $29/month, the Business plan is $36/month, and the Business Elite plan is $159/month. Wix's entry-level plans are cheaper than Squarespace's. However, the Light plan lacks ecommerce features, which begin with the Core plan.

Plan

Monthly cost (paid monthly)

Monthly cost (paid annually)

Personal

$25

$16

Business

$36

$23

Commerce (Basic)

$40

$28

Commerce (Advanced)

$72

$52

Squarespace does not have a free plan. It offers four paid options with annual discounts. The Personal plan starts at $16/month (billed annually). The Business plan is $23/month, while Commerce Basic (Plus) is $39/month, and Commerce Advanced is $99/month. All Squarespace plans include ecommerce capabilities, making it easy for users to sell products online. Squarespace also offers unlimited storage on all plans. In contrast, Wix's storage ranges from 2GB on the Light plan to unlimited on the Business Elite plan.

For value comparison, Wix gives more resources and features at similar price points, especially for business and ecommerce. However, Squarespace offers better value for users focused on ecommerce, as those features are included in all plans. Your best choice depends on your needs. Wix is more affordable for entry-level sites and offers more features at higher tiers. Squarespace provides robust ecommerce capabilities from the start.

Expert insight Wix vs Squarespace: Final verdict

After comparing Wix and Squarespace in detail, we think that both platforms have unique strengths for different users. Wix shines with its easy drag-and-drop editor, wide template library, large app marketplace, and responsive customer support. Its flexible design options and AI tools are great for those who want creative freedom and customization. With a free plan and lower prices, Wix is also more accessible for beginners and budget-friendly users.

Squarespace, on the other hand, lacks a free plan and phone support but stands out with its sleek templates and structured design. This approach ensures consistent, high-quality results. All Squarespace plans include ecommerce features, making it a better choice for users who want to sell products online from the start. Squarespace also offers excellent blogging tools, unlimited storage, and better site performance.

The best choice depends on your needs.

Choose Wix if you want maximum design flexibility, lots of app integrations, and lower costs. Go for Squarespace if you prioritize professional design, structured editing, better performance, and all-in-one ecommerce features. For most beginners and small businesses seeking value and ease of use, Wix is the more versatile option. In contrast, design-focused professionals and ecommerce businesses may prefer Squarespace.

Wix vs Squarespace: FAQsCan I change my website template after I've started building my website?

Squarespace allows you to switch your template at any time. Your website content will automatically be transferred into the new design, although it will likely need some editing to make sure it still fits and flows well. Wix doesn’t let you switch templates once you have published your site. If you want to use a new template after this, you will need to build your website from scratch.

Is Wix or Squarespace cheaper?

Both website builders have similar entry level plans with similar prices with Wix starting at $17/mo and Squarespace starting at $16/mo. As you move up the pricing tiers, the gap starts to widen, with Squarespace remaining the cheaper of the two, but Wix offering access to more tools and resources. Wix’s most expensive (Business Elite) plan works out at $159/mo (paid annually), compared to Squarespace’s most expensive plan that comes in at $99/mo.

• Microsoft engineers are committed to making WinUI open source
• But first it needs to be separated from proprietary Windows code
• GitHub will become WinUI's home for the community

Microsoft has confirmed WinUI will become, "truly open source", however deep entanglements with proprietary Windows code could put this goal a long way off yet.

Windows UI Library (WinUI) is a user interface framework for building modern, fluid and responsive user interfaces on Windows, which works with Win32, .NET and C++ apps.

However, while the project lacks a specific end date, Lead Software Engineer Beth Pan did share more details about Microsoft's phased plans in a GitHub post.

WinUI is on a road to become fully open source

"While we’re not ready to commit to a specific end date for completing all milestones, we are actively working toward it," Pan wrote.

The four phases of Microsoft's plan begin with more frequent syncing of internal commits to GitHub, starting post-WASDK 1.8 which is set for an August 2025 release.

From there on, Microsoft will allow external developers to clone and build the repo with full setup docs, after which third-party developers will be permitted to contribute and run tests.

The final stage will see GitHub become the "primary place for development, issue tracking, and community engagement."

However, because so much of the codebase touches proprietary Windows layers, Microsoft is planning a gradual and deliberate transition to separate what can be open-sourced.

"Our current focus is on foundational work that unlocks value for contributors and increase transparency," Pan added.

A separate GitHub project board has been established for the community to collaborate with Microsoft going forward.

Community responses have been generally positive and supportive, with many expressing their satisfaction that the project lives on with Microsoft's support.

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• Turtle Beach is launching three new racing wheel products
• The VelocityOne Race KD3, VelocityOne F-RX, and Racer wheels release on September 9
• You're able to pre-order them now from the brand's website

Gaming peripheral brand Turtle Beach has just announced three upcoming racing wheels, all targeting budget to mid-range sim enthusiasts, and they may just be great additions to our best racing wheels guide in the future.

The Turtle Beach VelocityOne Race KD3, Turtle Beach VelocityOne F-RX, and the Turtle Beach Racer are all available to pre-order today from the brand's website, and will launch simultaneously on September 9, 2025. All these products are part of the 'Designed for Xbox' lineup, meaning they're compatible with Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S as well as PC.

Starting with the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Race KD3, this is a direct drive racing wheel that includes a wheel, 'K: Drive' wheel base, and a set of pedals. The motor will deliver 3.2Nm of force feedback and up to 2,160 degrees of rotation. It sounds like a suitably powerful mid-range option in line with the Logitech G923, and will retail at $449.99 / £329.99.

Next is the Turtle Beach VelocityOne F-RX. Similar to the Thrustmaster Ferrari 488 GT3, this is a standalone wheel suited to serious racing sim enthusiasts, and could be a great choice for iRacing or F1 25. It looks to have all the buttons, dials and switches necessary for an immersive sim racing experience, and will be available individually for $249.99 / £189.99. The F-RX is compatible with K: Drive wheel bases, too.

Finally, we have a budget option available in the Turtle Beach Racer. This looks to be the one to go for if you don't have room for a direct drive setup, and is more of a plug-and-play wheel. It has a lap mount if you're only option is playing on the couch, and also supports wireless connectivity with up to 30 hours of battery life. Do keep in mind that there may be some slight latency issues there, though. The Turtle Beach Racer will retail at $179.99 / £139.99.

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Agfaphoto Realimove MC3X review: two-minute review

The Agfaphoto Realimove MC3X is a handheld gimbal camera that can shoot both video and stills. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

DJI practically invented the idea of the gimbal camera but other makers including FeiyuTech, Benro (for a while) and now Agfaphoto have joined in with their own designs. They are all based on a small camera unit mounted permanently on a compact 3-axis gimbal with the screen, controls, battery and other electronics built into the handle.

Gimbal cameras provide both stabilization for handheld video and the kind of smoothed-out camera movements that you see in movies. It’s the same principle as gimbal stabilizers for regular cameras, but a fraction of the size and weight. I’ve used a DJI Pocket 2 for a long time, and love the way you can create professional-looking camera movements without a lot of heavy and expensive gear.

The latest DJI Pocket 3 leads the field in the gimbal camera market, but it’s pretty expensive, coming in at around the same price as an entry-level mirrorless camera, and the Agfaphoto Realimove MC3X undercuts it considerably. It does sacrifice a few features compared to the more expensive Pocket 3, but not everyone will need DJI’s fancy features and would rather spend a good deal less on a more basic camera.

The Realimove's most striking feature is its excellent 3.5-inch r rotating screen. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

For vertical video you use an on-screen joystick to adjust the camera direction. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

When you turn the screen sideways for horizontal filming, it reveals physical gimbal control buttons underneath. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

The main compromise with the Realimove MC3X is the sensor size. The 1/2.5-inch 8MP sensor is pretty small, and while its 4K video looks very good when you’re filming outdoors in good light, I did find it got noticeably softer in low light at higher ISO settings.

The MC3X also has a fairly limiting 0.3m-infinity focus range. That sounds like it should be fine, but it’s equipped with a wide-angle lens, so sometimes I had to move in really close to fill the frame with an object, and then found it went out of focus.

The menus are clear and easy to navigate. You can use them to choose different 'follow' modes. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

The Realimove MC3X can’t match the DJI Pocket 3’s frame rates, either. Its maximum frame rate for 4K video is 30p, which effectively means you can’t shoot slow motion 4K and have to drop the resolution to 2.7K for 60p recording and full HD for 120p slow motion. It’s not the end of the world, but it’s how costs have been cut. It did mean that if I planned to combine regular and slow motion video in a project, I’d probably have to film the whole thing at a lower resolution to avoid upscaling compromises when splicing together different resolutions later in my video editor.

You can shoot 4K at 30fps, but if you want faster frame rates you have to switch to a lower resolution. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

I also found the MC3X’s face tracking a little unreliable, and while the digital zoom is easy to operate with a rocker lever on the side, zooming in looked a bit jerky, so I think I’d probably set the zoom before filming rather than while I was recording.

It’s good to get all the criticisms out of the way, though, because the Realimove MC3X has some really good features. The biggest is the rotating 3.5-inch display, which is WAY bigger than the thumbnail-sized screen on my Pocket 2 and bigger even than the screen on the Pocket 3.

What this means is that you can still see clearly what you’re filming, even with the camera at arm’s length, and also if you’re filming yourself with the camera reversed. It’s hard to overstate how useful this is.

You leave the screen in its vertical position for vertical video, or rotate it 90° for horizontal video. It switches orientation automatically and I found this really intuitive. Rotating the screen horizontally reveals physical buttons for adjusting the gimbal direction, and this is much better than the virtual on-screen controls, which I found a bit unresponsive.

The other thing I really like is that you can set all the important controls directly on the camera, so that while there is a free companion app, I never felt the need to use it. You can swap between pan-follow, pan-tilt-follow and free-follow modes in the menus with just a few taps.

Here's a sample movie I shot with the Realimove MC3X to show its video quality, panning smoothness and audio.

I found the gimbal movement smooth and progressive – and you can change the speed in the menus if you need to. Occasionally the gimbal did get confused if I dropped my hand between bits of filming and the gimbal ran out of movement, but it only takes a moment to recenter when you’re ready to start filming again.

Perhaps the biggest issue for me was everyday practicality. The large screen is very welcome, but it does mean the body is quite wide and, while you can put the MC3X in a pocket, it does leave the gimbal head feeling quite exposed while the unit is powered off – I’d be happier if the gimbal axes were locked when the camera is off, but then it’s the same for my Pocket 2, so I can’t say much.

But the Pocket 2 and Pocket 3 do come with protective slimline hard cases which don’t add much to the size and do protect them in your pocket or bag. The Realimove MC3X doesn’t have this. It does come with a fitted hard case that also accommodates the cables, but it’s pretty big and there’s no way this is going to fit in a trouser pocket.

So I do think this Agfaphoto gimbal comes with compromises. It’s a lot cheaper than the DJI Pocket 3 but it’s not hard to see what you’ve had to sacrifice. I’d say it’s a great buy for anyone who would like to try out a gimbal camera without splashing too much cash – and the results can be very good. So good, in fact, that you might be glad you didn’t spend more.

But if you are a little more serious about filmmaking and need a wider choice of framerates, better video quality (especially in low light) and a little more design finesse and practicality, you might end up upgrading to the DJI Pocket 3 after all.

Agfaphoto Realimove MC3X review: price

The Agfaphoto Realimove MC3X is on sale in the UK for £299 but with US availability and pricing yet to be confirmed. It’s a decent enough camera, but while it’s a lot cheaper than the DJI Pocket 3, you might find the older DJI Pocket 2 even cheaper. The screen is smaller, but the Pocket 2 is a better camera. This puts the Realimove MC3X in awkward territory. Yes, it’s cheaper than its main rival but it’s also a good deal less sophisticated. It’s quite good for the money but it is quite basic.

Agfaphoto Realimove MC3X review: specs

Gimbal

3-axis

Screen

3.5-inch rotating

Sensor

8MP 1/1.25-in

Lens

3.0mm f/2.2, 120° field of view

Focus

0.3m-infinity

Video

4K 30p, 2.7K 60p, 1080p 120p

Stills

20MP (8MP native)

Storage

MicroSD

Interface

USB 2.0, HDMI, WiFi

Battery life

170min, charge time 2.5hr

Should I buy the Agfaphoto Realimove MC3X?

(Image credit: Rod Lawton)Buy it if...

You want a gimbal camera on a budget
The Realimove MC3X is a great introduction to this kind of camera, and while it is quite basic it may do everything you need.

You like the big screen
This really does make a difference. It makes the on-screen camera control much easier and you can actually see what you’re filming.

You don’t like using an app
It is a nuisance to be holding a gimbal camera in one hand and your smartphone in the other, so the Realimove’s comprehensive on-camera control is welcome.

Don’t buy it if…

You need top-quality footage
The Realimove’s 4K video is fine in good light, but the limitations of the small 1/2.5-inch sensor are obvious indoors or after dark.

You need to shoot slow motion
If you need faster frame rates on the MC3X you have to drop the resolution, and that’s a limitation that will be deal-breaker for many action/adventure filmmakers.

You want pocket-sized portability
The larger body and lack of any hard ‘shell’ stop the Realimove from feeling like a genuine pocket camera – the camera/gimbal head just feels too exposed.

How I tested the Agfaphoto Realimove MC3X

I had the Realimove MC3X for several weeks and tested it in many different scenarios. I checked its ability to maintain a level pan-follow orientation with height changes and following a fast-moving pet dog through long grass (very fast-moving!), and also the smoothness of its panning movements, what I’d call a ‘sideways pan’ while walking, and its stability when filming and walking in typical vlogging style, and it did all these things pretty well.

I also wanted to find out what the video quality was like both in bright daylight and dimmer indoor conditions, which is where I would expect a smaller sensor to start to struggle – and sure enough, it did.

I didn’t set out to test the battery life, but I did come away impressed, as I spent a couple of hours at a time filming sequences to stitch together into a move, and the battery indicator hardly budged. I think I got it down to about half during my longest session.

People all over TikTok and Instagram are using the word "clanker" as a catch-all for robots and AI. Here's a deep dive into the origins of the pejorative and an explanation of why it's spreading.

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When Dana's son was hospitalized last year, it led her to a path of discovery about predatory online networks that groom children into harming themselves and others. Their reach is global and growing.

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Sixty years after the Voting Rights Act became a landmark law against racial discrimination, legal challenges heading to the Supreme Court could curtail its remaining protections for minority voters.

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A judge is demanding answers about the international broadcaster's future from Trump official Kari Lake.

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Students are increasingly using AI tools to help with — and do — their homework. Here's how older online study services, students and professors are adapting.

When Meta shocked the industry with its $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI, the reaction was swift. Within days, major customers (including Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI) began distancing themselves from a platform now partially aligned with one of their chief rivals.

Yet, the real story runs deeper: in the scramble to amass more data, too many AI leaders still assume that volume alone guarantees performance. But in domains like robotics, computer vision, or AR - that demand spatial intelligence - that equation is breaking down. If your data can't accurately reflect the complexity of physical environments, then more is not just meaningless; it can be dangerous.

In Physical AI, fidelity beats volume

Current AI models have predominantly been built and trained on vast datasets of text and 2D imagery scraped from the internet. But Physical AI requires a different approach. A warehouse robot or surgical assistant isn’t navigating a website, it’s navigating real space, light, geometry, and risk.

In these use cases, data must be high-resolution, context-aware and grounded in real-world physical dimensions. NVIDIA’s recent Physical AI Dataset exemplifies the shift: 15 terabytes of carefully structured trajectories (not scraped imagery), designed to reflect operational complexity.

Robot operating systems trained on these types of optimized 3D datasets will be able to operate in complex real-world environments with a greater level of precision, much like a pilot can fly with pinpoint accuracy after training on a simulator built using precise flight data points.

Imagine a self-driving forklift misjudging a pallet’s dimensions because its training data lacked fine-grained depth cues, or a surgical-assistant robot mistaking a flexible instrument for rigid tissue, simply because its training set never captured that nuance.

In Physical AI, the cost of getting it wrong is high. Edge-case errors in physical systems don’t just cause hallucinations, they come with the potential to break machines, workflows, or even bones. That’s why Physical AI leaders are increasingly prioritizing curated, domain-specific datasets over brute-force scale.

Building fit-for-purpose data strategies

Shifting from “collect everything” to “collect what matters” requires a change of mindset:

1. Define physical fidelity metrics

Establish benchmarks for resolution, depth accuracy, environmental diversity, and temporal continuity. These metrics should align with your system’s failure modes (e.g., minimum depth-map precision to avoid collision, or lighting-variance thresholds to ensure reliable object detection under specific conditions).

2. Curate and annotate with domain expertise

Partner with specialists: robotics engineers, photogrammetry experts, field operators, to identify critical scenarios and edge cases. Use structured capture rigs (multi-angle cameras, synchronized depth sensors) and rigorous annotation protocols to encode real-world complexity into your datasets.

3. Iterate with closed-loop feedback

Deploy early prototypes in controlled settings, log system failures, and feed those edge cases back into subsequent data-collection rounds. This closed-loop approach rapidly concentrates dataset growth on the scenarios that matter most, rather than perpetuating blind scaling.

Data quality as the new competitive frontier

As Physical AI moves from labs into critical infrastructure, fulfillment centers, hospitals, construction sites, the stakes at play skyrocket. Companies that lean on off-the-shelf high-volume data may find themselves leapfrogged by rivals who invest in precision-engineered datasets. Quality translates directly into uptime, reliability, and user trust: a logistics operator will tolerate a misrouted package far more readily than a robotic arm that damages goods or injures staff.

Moreover, high-quality datasets unlock advanced capabilities. Rich metadata, semantic labels, material properties, temporal context, enables AI systems to generalize across environments and tasks. A vision model trained on well-annotated 3D scans can transfer more effectively from one warehouse layout to another, reducing re-training costs and deployment friction.

The AI arms race isn’t over, but its terms are changing. Beyond headline-grabbing deals and headline-risk debates lies the true battleground: ensuring that the data powering tomorrow’s AI is not just voluminous, but meticulously fit-for-purpose. In physical domains where real-world performance, reliability, and safety are at stake, the pioneers will be those who recognize that in data as in engineering, precision outperforms pressure (and volume).

I tried 70+ best AI tools.

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

Attorney General Pam Bondi has redefined the role in President Trump's second presidency, carrying out his campaign trail promised "retribution" using the Justice Department.

Asus Zenbook S 16: Two-minute review

(Image credit: Future)

The Asus Zenbook laptop line has long been one of my favorites, sitting among the best ultrabooks alongside rivals like Dell's XPS series and the LG Gram collection. Now, Asus has given its premium laptop lineup a fresh lease on life, thanks to AMD's mighty new Ryzen AI chips and the magic of something called 'ceraluminum'.

I'll get further into that mysterious new material further down in this review, but here's the short version: the lid of the new Asus Zenbook S 16 is made from a futuristic composite of aluminum and ceramic, giving it a soft matte feel while also being more durable, lighter, and fingerprint-resistant than the traditional aluminum and plastic used in the construction of most modern laptops.

Of course, a fancy outer casing doesn't guarantee you're getting a high-quality product. But the Zenbook S 16 delivers a premium experience in other areas too, with great performance across a variety of workloads and a generally very comfortable user experience.

(Image credit: Future)

Although I always spend at least a full workweek using any laptop I review in lieu of my regular daily driver (the ever-faithful HP Spectre x360), I was actually forced to use this laptop for a few days. See, my boiler needed replacing, and unfortunately, it's situated in my home office - meaning that for two days, I was jettisoned from my desktop setup to the breakfast bar downstairs while the installation engineer resolved my lack of hot water.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a creature of habit, and was initially unhappy to be displaced from my usual workstation. But honestly, I'm beginning to wonder if I shouldn't drop Asus a line politely asking (read: begging) to keep this Zenbook. The 16-inch OLED touchscreen is gorgeous, and the large touchpad and keyboard make for a very comfortable user experience. It's perhaps the closest I've felt to using a MacBook Pro while actually on a Windows laptop - and while I'm a known macOS hater, I've always maintained that Apple's Mac products are very well-designed devices.

Starting at $1,599 / £1,499 / AU$2,999, the Zenbook S 16 isn't exactly cheap, but for that price tag, you're getting some pretty impressive performance and a really, really nice piece of physical hardware. I'll dig into the details more in the Price and Availability section, but the key takeaway here is that the value proposition is solid.

There's only one real drawback here, in my opinion: the battery life. It's perfectly serviceable, don't get me wrong, but it's nothing spectacular within the current market space. Still, it'll last you through a full day's work and then some - so as long as you don't mind putting it on charge overnight.

Asus Zenbook S 16: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? Starts at $1,599 / £1,599 / AU$2,999
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

With a price tag starting at $1,599 / £1,499 / AU$2,999, the Asus Zenbook S 16 certainly leans towards the premium end of the market, but you're getting plenty of bang for your buck here.

There are a few different configurations, with the main difference being the Ryzen processor model and the amount of RAM. Every model comes with the same 3K OLED display and 1TB of storage - a 2TB model would've been nice, but at least the SSD is user-upgradable. The base configuration, priced as above, comes with a Ryzen AI 7 350 chip and 24GB of RAM (an unusual amount, but still better than the more commonplace 16GB industry standard).

(Image credit: Future)

My review unit is a higher-end model, featuring a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor and 32GB of RAM, and it will cost you $1,799 / £1,599 - and at the time of writing, this model unfortunately isn't available in Australia. I say 'unfortunately' here because for my money, that extra $200 / £100 is well worth it for the internal hardware upgrade.

For comparison, a 16-inch MacBook Pro will cost you $2,499 / £2,499 / AU$3,999 - and that's just for the base M4 Pro model. Granted, there's no denying that Apple's pro-grade laptop can offer better performance in many areas than this Zenbook, but the point stands that the Zenbook S 16 is very good value for money.

• Price score: 4.5/5

Asus Zenbook S 16: Specs

Asus Zenbook S 16

CPU

Up to AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370

GPU

Up to AMD Radeon 890M

RAM

Up to 32GB LPDDR5X

Display

16-inch 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED, 120Hz

Storage

Up to 1TB SSD

Ports

2x Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, 1x USB 3.2 Type-A, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x SD card reader, 1x 3,5mm combi audio jack

Wireless

Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4

Weight

1.5kg / 3.31lbs

Dimension

35.4 x 24.3 x 1.29cm / 13.9 x 9.6 x 0.51 inches

Asus Zenbook S 16: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Super comfortable keyboard and trackpad
• Ceraluminum casing is impressive
• Surprisingly lightweight

Aesthetically speaking, this is undeniably one gorgeous laptop. With the 'Scandinavian White' colorway, it feels as clean and striking as any of the best laptops. The back of the screen is not only made from Asus's fancy ceraluminum material, but it also has a kintsugi-inspired pattern of sharp lines inlaid in silver, which strikes the perfect balance between eye-catching and minimalist.

A little more about that revolutionary new material, though: you can read about my first time encountering ceraluminum right here, but I'll give you a quick breakdown in case you don't feel like reading a whole different article. It's created by electrochemically bonding aluminum with a ceramic component, producing a strong plated material with a matte surface that feels like unglazed pottery to the touch.

The best thing about this is that it brings the lightweight, durable nature of aluminum - a popular choice among manufacturers when it comes to laptop construction - while also providing a grippier surface that is more resilient against both damage and smudging from fingerprints. I've criticized more than a few laptops over the years for being 'fingerprint magnets', and happily that doesn't apply here. The whole thing feels impressively sturdy despite being very thin and light for a 16-inch laptop.

(Image credit: Future)

Opening up the lid, you're met with a more conventionally constructed aluminum keyboard housing, with a large glass touchpad and nicely spaced keys that make it very comfortable to type on. I also found the touchpad to be sensitive and responsive, with a firm click, although I typically prefer to connect a wireless mouse when using laptops.

Above the keyboard, a wide cooling grille sits with a subtle Asus logo in the corner. The keys are backlit with white LEDs, which can be set to three different brightness levels; it's not often I take much time to comment on keyboard backlighting, but the Zenbook S 16's is particularly vibrant.

Speaking of vibrancy, the display on this laptop is fantastic, offering rich color and sharp contrast thanks to its 3K OLED panel. While the maximum brightness isn't quite as high as I've seen on some other OLED laptops, it's certainly bright enough to use in well-lit environments, and it's also a touchscreen. Somewhat surprisingly, this display has a 120Hz refresh rate, a pleasing upgrade from the 60Hz panels you see on most non-gaming laptops.

In terms of physical connectivity, we've got a good selection of ports here, including USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, and even an SD card reader - the latter of which may be a boon for photographers when combined with the excellent display. Lastly, the speakers are quite good, providing detailed audio for both music and dialogue - it's perhaps lacking a tiny bit of kick in the bass department compared to some laptops I've seen, but overall I really can't complain about the speaker quality.

• Design score: 5/5

Asus Zenbook S 16: Performance

• Solid all-rounder performance
• NPU provides support for AI features in Windows
• Playing games is certainly an option, though it's no gaming laptop

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 is a powerful chip backed with 32GB of RAM in my review unit, and I'm pleased to say it performs admirably. General responsiveness is great and everyday tasks run smoothly, to the point where anyone who just wants a laptop for office work could probably consider downgrading to a Ryzen AI 7 model.

When it comes to more demanding workloads, the Zenbook S 16 offers good performance across a variety of areas, including 3D rendering, AI functionality, and gaming. Sure, it's not going to beat out an actual gaming laptop with a dedicated GPU, but the AMD Radeon 890M integrated graphics are surprisingly competent even in more demanding games, provided you're willing to dial back the graphical settings a bit and turn on AMD's FSR 3.0 resolution upscaling mode.

Asus Zenbook S 16 review: Benchmarks

Here's how the Asus Zenbook S 16 (AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370) performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
3DMark: Night Raid: 34,618; Fire Strike: 8,516; Time Spy: 4,407; Steel Nomad: 889
Cinebench R23: Multi-core: 13,441; Single-core: 1,953
Geekbench 6.4: Multicore: 14,102; Single-core: 2,845
Geekbench AI: Single Precision Score: 2,359; Half Precision Score: 1,217; Quantized Score: 4,811
PCMark 10: 6,827
Crossmark: Overall: 1,744; Productivity: 1,637; Creativity: 1,940; Responsiveness: 1,537
Sid Meier's Civilization VII: (1080p, Medium, No Upscaling): 45fps; (1800p, High, No Upscaling): 16fps; (1800p, High, Balanced FSR 3 Upscaling): 22fps
Cyberpunk 2077: (1080p, Medium, No Upscaling): 22fps; (1800p, Ultra, No Upscaling): 6fps; (1800p, Ultra, Balanced FSR 3 Upscaling): 10fps
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 14 hours, 55 minutes

In real-world testing, I had no issues whatsoever with the performance of the Zenbook S 16. Running Spotify in the background while working across 20+ open Chrome tabs didn't cause the slightest bit of slowdown, and image editing in GIMP 3.0 was smooth and effective - a far cry from the rather sluggish experience I get when trying to edit images on my usual laptop.

AI performance is also reasonably good; again, you're ideally going to want to spring for a laptop with a dedicated Nvidia GPU if you want to be running serious AI workloads locally, like producing your own language models, but for running the local aspects of something like Microsoft's Copilot+ AI assistant, the average user will have no problems.

(Image credit: Future)

To dig into that gaming performance a little more (there's overlap here with other 3D rendering and modeling software), I needed to drop the resolution to FHD+ rather than the native 3K and enable AMD's FSR 3 upscaling to make most games playable - this machine isn't coming close to any of the best gaming laptops - but for anyone who just wants to play casual titles or indie games on their off-time, the Zenbook S 16 is more capable than I had expected. I used it for a spot of Stardew Valley after work on multiple occasions, which unsurprisingly ran great.

In Civilization VII, I was easily able to get a decent framerate at 1200p, while the infamously hardware-demanding Cyberpunk 2077 was completely unplayable at native 1800p but produced an fps of 35 at 1200p with Low settings and FSR 3's Performance mode enabled (and frankly, even with those settings, this game still looks bloody fantastic). It's a true testament to the power of AMD's resolution upscaling tech for integrated GPUs; I'm quietly awed by the fact that a game like Cyberpunk is playable at all on an ultrabook like this.

I will note that the fans on the Zenbook S 16 get a tad noisy when you're running more intensive software - it's nothing too onerous, and I found it ran quietly during regular tasks like web browsing, but be aware that you might want headphones to play games on it. It's worth adding that the laptop didn't get uncomfortably hot at any point (aside from directly on the vent above the keyboard), even during stress testing.

(Image credit: Future)

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Asus Zenbook S 16: Battery

The battery life on the Zenbook S 16 is pretty good. That's almost all I can really say about it; it's not mind-blowing, beaten out by several competitors, but it's still sufficient for a full day's work (or two) without needing to plug in provided you turn off the keyboard backlight and don't work at maximum brightness.

In our battery life test, which involves running a looped video file at 50% brightness, the Zenbook S 16 ran out of juice just shy of the 15-hour mark, which for a 16-inch OLED laptop is respectable, if unspectacular. In real-world use situations, I was getting between 10 and 12 hours out of it at a time on average, and it holds its charge remarkably well when not in use.

Since it charges via USB-C, you can easily make use of other charging cables, though the supplied 65W adapter provides fast-charging capabilities that provide 50% battery charge in a little over half an hour.

• Battery score: 4/5

Should you buy the Asus Zenbook S 16?

Notes

Rating

Value

It's no budget machine, but the price-to-performance ratio here is great.

4.5/5

Design

A stylish and robust design combined with a comfortable user experience makes for a truly premium-feeling laptop.

5/5

Performance

Performance is solid across productivity, creative, and gaming workloads, with good responsiveness and fans that only kick in when you're running demanding programs.

4.5/5

Battery

The battery can comfortably run for more than an 8-hour workday, though it is beaten out by some competing laptops.

4/5

Total

While the pre-installed Asus software is a bit annoying, this is a fantastic laptop that delivers a great aesthetic and strong performance at a sensible price point.

4.5/5

Buy it if...

You want a laptop that looks great
Between its sleek shell, excellent display, and pleasantly understated keyboard backlighting, the Zenbook S 16 is certainly an aesthetically pleasing laptop.

You want something thin but powerful
Despite its relatively light overall weight (for a 16-inch laptop) and thin chassis, the next-gen Ryzen chip inside this Zenbook is fantastic for productivity workloads and can even handle some light gaming.

You want to use Windows 11's AI features
Since this is a 'Copilot+ PC' with a built-in NPU and a dedicated button for summoning Microsoft's AI assistant, it's a solid pick for anyone who wants an AI laptop.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a tight budget
The price tag on the Zenbook S 16 is actually very reasonable for the specs, but it's certainly not a cheap laptop.

You want the best in battery life
While this Zenbook's battery is alright, there are competitors that do a better job - and if you really want ridiculously good battery life, a smaller laptop is usually the way to go.

Also Consider

Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro)
Beating the Zenbook S 16 in both performance and battery life, Apple's latest MacBook Pro 16-inch is a staunch competitor - though bear in mind that it'll cost you more, and macOS isn't for everyone.

Read our full Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch review

Dell XPS 17
If you're looking for a similar premium-feeling laptop but with an even larger screen, the Dell XPS 17 is arguably the best 17-inch laptop out there right now.

Read our full Dell XPS 17 review

How I tested the Asus Zenbook S 16

• Replaced my regular laptop with the Zenbook S 16 for several weeks
• Used the laptop both for day-to-day work and personal projects
• Ran it through our full suite of benchmarks, plus some extra tests

As is typical for my laptop review process, I swapped out my daily driver for the Asus Zenbook S 16 - and actually ended up liking it so much that I kept using it after my usual week or two of real-world testing. Asus, if I could keep this one, that would be great...

This involved all my day-to-day work, which is mostly emailing, word processing, web research, and image editing, plus some work on personal projects and a bit of gaming in my off hours. I also ran our suite of benchmarking and battery tests to provide a clearer image of the Zenbook S 16's overall performance.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed July 2025

As enterprise AI becomes more embedded into the fabric of everyday tools, the biggest challenge facing organizations isn’t AI adoption; it’s AI management. Gone are the days when AI features like meeting transcriptions or document summarization stood out as cutting-edge.

Today, they are expected. According to McKinsey's 2024 State of AI report, 72% of organizations have adopted at least one form of generative AI, and over half report using it in more than one business function. But this surge in adoption has led to a new operational crisis: AI sprawl.

What Is AI Sprawl and Why Does It Matter Now?

AI sprawl is the unchecked proliferation of AI tools and systems across departments, applications, and infrastructure without a unified strategy. The result? A chaotic digital ecosystem where:

• Redundancy is rampant (e.g., multiple summarization tools embedded in different apps)
• User experiences are inconsistent
• Data governance becomes unmanageable
• Security vulnerabilities go undetected

For example, companies eager to integrate AI across their tech stacks often deploy similar capabilities in silos - an AI assistant in a messaging platform, a different one in email, another in help desk software - without a shared interface or policy layer. This fragmented approach increases operational costs, confuses users, and makes compliance audits a nightmare.

The Rise - and Limits - of Vertical AI

Most enterprise AI today is what we call "vertical AI": narrow capabilities embedded directly into a specific tool, often by that tool’s own vendor. These AI features are excellent at solving bounded problems but struggle at scaling across workflows or departments.

IDC research notes that organizations are spending up to 30% more per seat due to overlapping AI functionality across their application ecosystems (IDC). While each solution may serve a use case in isolation, collectively they add inefficiency and cost.

The Real Cost of Fragmentation

Here’s where AI sprawl hurts the most:

• Wasted Spend: Gartner estimates that up to 25% of enterprise AI investment is duplicative, particularly in use-case specific tooling.
• Poor AI Literacy: Employees have to relearn how to interact with each tool’s AI assistant, eroding trust and slowing adoption.
• Regulatory Risk: Privacy settings and data policies vary app by app, creating blind spots for security teams and legal counsel.
• Broken Context: AI models can’t share knowledge between systems, meaning insights are trapped inside individual tools.

A Smarter Alternative: Interoperability as Strategy

Instead of asking, “How many AI tools do we have?” CIOs and CTOs must ask, “How well do our AI systems work together?”

Interoperability means more than just integrations or connectors; it requires AI tools that can share context, adhere to consistent governance, and surface insights across platforms. This horizontal approach avoids the trap of buying more features and focuses instead on making those features work in concert.

Three Core Benefits of AI Interoperability

1. Holistic Intelligence: AI-driven insights from one tool (ex: CRM) can inform decisions in customer support, marketing, and HR when systems talk to each other.
2. Trustworthy User Experience: Employees get consistent behavior, language, and recommendations regardless of the app they’re using.
3. Centralized Oversight: IT and security teams can manage data policies, model updates, and risk controls from a single pane of glass.

Charting a Coherent Path Forward

To navigate from fragmentation to function, enterprise leaders must pursue both operational alignment and robust governance practices. The good news is that AI sprawl is not an inevitable cost of innovation - it can be addressed proactively.

By taking a strategic approach that blends centralized governance with interoperable infrastructure, organizations can rein in AI fragmentation before it becomes unmanageable. The way forward is clear, actionable, and within reach.

• Build a centralised AI governance council that includes IT, compliance, legal, and business users.
• Define enterprise-wide AI usage policies and audit mechanisms to ensure consistent, responsible practices.
• Implement monitoring tools that track model performance, data lineage, and access across platforms in real time.
• Consolidate and rationalize tools to eliminate duplicative spend and improve oversight.
• Audit the AI landscape by inventorying every AI-enabled tool, feature, and data dependency across the organization.
• Invest in AI infrastructure by adopting open standards like MCP, APIs, and orchestration platforms that promote interoperability.
• Upskill employees through literacy programs that demystify AI, reduce risk, and build trust in intelligent systems.

In fragmented environments, IT and compliance teams are often required to support multiple incompatible permissioning models, audit trails, and deployment protocols. A centralized platform enables governance teams to monitor model performance and data lineage in real-time, reducing exposure while aligning AI use with evolving regulatory expectations.

Less Hype, More Harmony

Enterprise leaders need to stop chasing the next flashy AI feature and start focusing on cohesion, governance, and usability. The future isn’t about having the most AI, it’s about having the most effective, connected, and secure AI.

The maturity curve for AI adoption will increasingly reward organizations that move beyond fragmented experimentation. Those who consolidate capabilities and embed AI within core processes will unlock sustainable growth, resilience, and competitive advantage.

In the age of ubiquitous AI, everyone has tools, but not everyone has traction. The innovators aren’t the ones with the most features; they’re the ones who make it all work together. AI sprawl may be a modern challenge, but orchestrated intelligence is the competitive edge of tomorrow.

We list the best employee experience 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

Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t something on the horizon. It’s already part of how people are getting work done.

Recent research from HP and YouGov found that 72% of UK employees using AI tools say it saves them time every week. One in ten are saving more than five hours. Some are using it to reduce manual admin. Others say it helps them focus, collaborate more effectively, or feel more in control of their day.

But these gains aren’t coming from structured enterprise rollouts. In many cases, they’re the result of quiet experimentation - employees using what’s already at their fingertips, often without training or direction from IT.

At the same time, more than a quarter of UK businesses still report having no formal AI strategy. This creates a growing disconnect: employees are forging ahead on their own, while the organization risks falling behind. It’s not a technology gap; it’s a leadership one.

In my conversations with CIOs and IT leaders across the UK and wider Northwest Europe market, I hear a mix of urgency and uncertainty. Everyone agrees AI is critical to future competitiveness. But there are open questions around where to start, how to scale responsibly, and how to balance experimentation with governance.

That hesitation is understandable, especially in industries where risk and compliance frameworks are tight. But as more teams adopt AI organically, the absence of a centralized plan introduces its own risks - from data leakage to inconsistent performance and lost opportunities for enterprise-wide value.

A rare opportunity to re-architect from the ground up

The end of Windows 10 support in 2025 presents a strategic window. Many organizations are already reviewing their device strategies and digital estate planning. This moment, whether viewed as a compliance trigger or a chance to modernize, is an ideal time to align IT infrastructure decisions with longer-term goals around workplace tools and AI integration.

We’re seeing growing interest in AI-capable endpoint devices as part of that strategy. These systems offer local processing, reduced latency, and better data control-critical features for organizations managing hybrid environments or strict regulatory requirements. But while improved performance and privacy are important, the real benefit is this: AI becomes embedded, accessible, and usable without disrupting the way people already work.

I’ve spoken with IT leaders who are introducing AI incrementally through use cases that matter to employees: summarizing meetings, creating first drafts, reducing clicks. It doesn’t need to be complex to be effective, but it does need to be intentional.

From pilot mode to platform mindset

Too many organizations remain stuck in test-and-wait mode. A pilot project goes well, but momentum fizzles. There’s no clear business owner, no framework to expand, no metrics to track long-term impact. Here, AI remains confined to one team or workflow, useful but limited.

To unlock real value, businesses need to stop thinking in projects and start thinking in systems. That means moving AI out of isolated pockets and into the core of IT and business strategy. From what I’ve seen across sectors, this shift requires three mindset changes.

First, move from experimentation to prioritization. AI isn’t a side initiative anymore. It needs sponsorship, resourcing, and KPIs tied to outcomes the organization cares about - whether that’s productivity, cost savings, or faster decision-making.

Second, move from scattered adoption to secure design. Governance, data privacy, and accountability must be built in from the beginning. In regulated industries, this is non-negotiable. But even in more flexible sectors, employees need to know where AI fits and what the boundaries are.

Third, move from short-term rollout to long-term enablement. AI success isn’t about deployment alone. It’s about building trust, training users, and supporting adoption in ways that stick. That means investing in support infrastructure-not just software licenses.

Some of the most effective CIOs I’ve worked with are building cross-functional AI working groups that bring together IT, data, ops, HR, and business units. These teams aren’t just coordinating rollouts-they’re shaping roadmaps, reviewing risks, and evolving policies together. That kind of alignment isn’t flashy, but it’s what allows AI to move from tactical to transformative.

AI that works - for people and the business

Beyond the tech stack, there’s a broader benefit to consider. In the same HP and YouGov research, AI users reported lower stress, improved work-life balance, and greater satisfaction with their roles. When implemented well, AI doesn’t just make work faster, it makes it more manageable and more meaningful. That translates into retention, productivity, and culture shifts that directly affect the bottom line.

As IT leaders, we don’t just manage systems, we shape environments. Our job is to build the foundations that allow people to do their best work. And increasingly, that means designing ecosystems where AI can be adopted confidently, used securely, and evolved sustainably.

The momentum is already there. Employees are experimenting. The tools are ready. The opportunity now is to implement structure and take those individual wins and build a strategy that turns them into lasting, measurable impact.

We list the best employee management software and the best employee experience 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