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I tested Ring’s new outdoor camera in my garden and was blown away by the picture quality (and high price tag)
The Bosch Tassimo Finesse Friendly is a super affordable coffee maker, but beware – there's a catch that means it could cost you in the long run
I've found a new favorite pair of sub-$100 cuff-style open earbuds, with some surprisingly premium features
I wasn’t convinced there was a need for the LG StanByMe 2 TV – but I’m completely sold on this rollable display after 3 weeks with it
Goodbye June review: New Netflix movie is a near flawless directorial debut for Kate Winslet — but you’ll cry your eyes out

I tested Ring’s new outdoor camera in my garden and was blown away by the picture quality (and high price tag)

TechRadar Reviews - 9 hours 16 min ago

Ring Outdoor Cam Pro: two-minute review

Although probably best known for its video doorbells, Ring offers a range of both indoor and security cameras, including the 2K Ring Outdoor Cam Plus launched earlier this year. However, with the Ring Outdoor Cam Pro, the manufacturer has upped its game by going full 4K for the first time.

Available in black or white (we tested the white version), this new model can be used either outdoors or indoors, with a number of different mounting options to suit your individual set up. Screws and wall plugs are provided for mounting on a wall, fence or even a celling. Alternatively, you can use the built-in stand for placing indoors on a bookshelf or a unit.

Unfortunately, unlike other models in the range, the Ring Outdoor Cam Pro is mains-powered only. There are no battery or even solar charging options available for the unit which means it will need to be located close to a power supply (Ring supplies 6m/20ft power cable with the camera). And although there is POE (Power over Ethernet) version of the camera, this will set you back an additional £100 (£279 rather than £179) – rather a hefty premium in our opinion.

(Image credit: Future)

While the lack of battery/solar power options will certainly deter some buyers looking for a quick, wire-free fix, the use of mains power does enable more advanced high-bandwidth features that battery power simply can’t sustain. Chief among these is 24/7 4K recording, turning the camera from a conventional security unit triggered by motion alerts into a fully-fledged surveillance system. However, this will require a Premium Ring subscription currently costing a hefty £15.99 a month. Another Premium feature is Smart Video Search. Using AI, this allows you to type in a word or phrase such as ‘man wearing a red top’ into the search bar and it will automatically scour the captured footage looking for a man in a red top.

Without a monthly subscription, the camera’s functionality is a lot more basic, restricted mostly to viewing live video streams and basic motion alerts. It’s not possible to save or review past recordings. However, it does include Ring’s Smart Responses feature which will play the automated message ‘Hi, you are currently being recorded’ to intruders letting them know they are being filmed.

(Image credit: Future)

Other basic features not requiring a subscription include a loud 85dB Siren option (once pressed this will sound for thirty seconds) and two-way audio so you can speak to whoever is in view. It’s also possible to set motion alerts for certain times of the day (handy if you use the camera indoors and know other family members will be back in, say, the afternoon/evening ), as well as create different motion zones so – for example – the camera doesn’t pick up passers-by walking past the house or activity in the neighbour’s garden.

Finally, motion sensitivity can be adjusted to reduce the number of motion alerts you get, as security cameras can tend to be a little over sensitive picking up the slightest movement such as a branch swaying on a tree!

Ring Outdoor Cam Pro: subscription options

Ring Home Basic (formerly Protect Basic)
Cost: $4.99 / £4.99 / AU$4.95 per month or $49.99 / £49.99 / AU$49.95 per year
Covers: one doorbell or camera.
Features: cloud storage (up to 180 days), person/package alerts, video previews.

Ring Home Standard (formerly Protect Plus)
Cost: $9.99 / £7.99 / AU$15 per month or $99.99 / £79.99 / AU$150 per year
Covers: All devices at one location
Features: All Basic features plus Extended Live View, Picture-in-Picture, Daily Event Summary and 10% off Ring products.

Ring Home Premium (new tier)
Cost: $19.99 / £15.99 per month or $200 / £159.99 per year (not currently available in Australia)
Covers: All devices at one location
Features: everything in Basic and Standard, plus 24/7 recording and unlimited video storage.

Ring Outdoor Cam Pro: price and availability

How much does it cost? $199, £179, AU$329
When is it available? Since November 2025
Where is it available? UK / US / Australia

Given it’s a high-end security camera aimed at those who want the very best video quality on the market, I didn’t expect Ring Outdoor Cam Pro to be cheap. Nevertheless, its near-£200 price tag puts it at the very top of the range when it comes to price.

For example, you can now buy the Ring Stick Up Cam for under £50. And while the Stick Up Cam only offers 1080p video resolution (compared to 4K on the Ring Outdoor Cam Pro), it is – unlike its high-performance sister model - battery-powered. This gives you much more flexibility when it comes to installation, especially if you want to cite the camera a long distance away from mains power.

Nor is it just the price of the hardware you have to think about when investing in a security camera. There’s also the monthly subscription. Ring isn’t alone in charging a monthly subscription for its premium features, but with prices starting at £4.99 a month it is one of the more expensive. What’s more, if you want the most advanced features, such as 24/7 video recording and Smart Video Search, you will need to pay £15.99 a month – more than many people’s monthly mobile phone subscriptions.

Value score: 3/5

Ring Outdoor Cam Pro: design

Solidly built camera
Various mounting options
IP65 weather-resistance

When it comes to design, the Ring Outdoor Cam Pro certainly doesn’t disappoint. Standing around 6 inches / 15cm tall, it’s a solid-enough design with a base that can be easily angled to match your needs. Various mounting options are provided for indoor and outdoor use and set up is straightforward enough thanks to an easy-to-use app and a QR code that you can scan with your phone’s camera.

(Image credit: Future)

Plenty of cable is provided although this is divided up with a slightly ugly power adapter (this can be screwed into the wall). On the one side of the power adaptor is the mains cable, on the other is a flatter USB-C cable that goes into the back of the camera.

(Image credit: Future)

Turn the camera around and there’s the 4K lens, offering a 140° horizontal and 85° vertical field of view, plus a small microphone and speaker at the bottom running along the bottom of the unit. Boasting an IP (Ingress Protection) rating of 65 – an improvement on earlier models - the Ring Outdoor Cam Pro offers protection from dust and low-pressure water jets, but isn’t suitable for submersion or high-pressure jets. It can also be used in temperatures as low as -5°F and as high as 120°F (-20°C to 50°C).

Design score: 4/5

Ring Outdoor Cam Pro: performance

Retinal 4K resolution
10x digital zoom
Adaptive night vision

One of the first of the manufacturer’s cameras to incorporate Retinal 4K technology (3840 x 2160 pixels), the Ring Outdoor Camera Pro certainly stands out when it comes to performance. Indeed, we found that the higher pixel density, coupled with a 140° field of view and 10x digital zoom, meant it was possible to capture detail from footage filmed during the day that wasn’t previously possible.

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However, night vision was a little bit more of a mixed bag. Ring advertises ‘adaptive and colour night vision’, but the colour functionality requires quite a bit of ambient light to work. Generally, we found that while it was very high quality most of the footage we captured at night was black and white, unless movement triggered one of the nearby security lights.

One area where the Ring Outdoor Cam Pro does excel is ease of use. Like many of Ring’s products, set-up is straightforward and the product’s menus are straightforward to use. Alerts are sent directly to your phone in an instant, complete with details such as ‘person detected’ (providing you subscribe to a Ring plan). It is also linked with the Alexa skill so you can activate the camera with a voice command such as ‘Alexa, show me the garden camera’.

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Finally, it’s possible to reduce the number of false alerts that you get using the Ring’s innovative Bird’s Eye View feature. This works by combining 3D motion detection (with radar) with a satellite map of your property to track an intruder’s path with pinpoint accuracy! It’s also a good idea to reduce the motion sensitivity of the camera using the onscreen menu.

Performance score: 4.5/5

Ring Outdoor Cam Pro: Should you buy the Ring Outdoor Cam Pro?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

With a price tag close to £200, the Ring Outdoor Cam Pro is one of the pricier home security cameras on the market. And that’s before you add in the additional cost of the monthly subs.

3.5 / 5

Design

Available in black or white, the Ring camera is well designed with different mounting options both for indoor and outdoor use.

4 / 5

Performance

When it comes to performance, the 4K camera generally excels with 10x digital zoom providing particularly detailed close-ups.

4.5/5

Overall

The Outdoor Cam Pro represents a leap into high-resolution surveillance for Ring. However, the high levels of performance come at a fairly hefty price, especially when you factor in the subscription plan.

4/5

Buy it if

You want high quality video footage

The Ring Outdoor Cam Pro offers exceptional video quality thanks to 4K resolution and 10x digital zoom.

You already have Ring products

This camera fits neatly into the Ring ecosystem, enabling you to link to other Ring products including cameras, video doorbells and alarms.

Don't buy it if

You are on a limited budget

The Ring Outdoor Cam Pro is one of the more expensive models on the market and functionality is limited without spending at least £4.99 on a monthly subscription.

Mains power isn’t available where you want the camera

The high performance levels of this camera, including the option of 24/7 recording, mean that it must be connected to the mains.

Ring Outdoor Cam Pro: also consider

Attribute

Ring Outdoor Cam Pro

Ring Spotlight Cam Pro (Battery)

Eufy 4K S330 Security Camera

Subscription price

From £4.99 a month

None

Viewing angle

140° horizontal, 85° vertical

140° view horizontal, 80° vertical

360° view

Network connection

Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz)

Wi-Fi/4G

Audio

Two-way audio

Video

4K video resolution

1080p Full HD resolution

4K video resolution

Power

Mains-powered

Battery

Hardware price

£179 (mains only)

£199 (battery model only)

£189 (with solar panel)

Ring Spotlight Cam Pro (battery)

Available in black or white, this outdoor security camera from Amazon-owned Ring boasts two 3000°K spotlights. You can also buy a mains-powered version as well as a separate solar panel.

Read our full Ring Spotlight Cam Pro review

Eufy 4K S330 Security Camera

An extremely innovative battery and solar-powered camera, the Eufy can be used with the supplied 4G Sim card to capture recordings, making it ideal for those who live in areas with poor Wi-Fi/broadband.

Read our full Eufy 4K Security Camera review

How I tested the Ring Outdoor Cam Pro:

I used the Ring every day for a week
I set it up myself both indoors and outdoors

To test this camera, I first connected it to the mains plug in my garden and placed it in various positions and in all weathers – including sunshine, rain and heavy wind! I also tested it both during daylight and at night (it was dark in London from about 4.30pm onwards). During this time, I didn’t have any performance issues, despite extremely inclement weather conditions (thanks Storm Bram).

I then moved indoors to complete the testing with the device in various locations including the kitchen and my home office. One of the great things I noticed during the testing period was just how flexible the Ring camera is. All of the fittings are provided for installing on a wall or ceiling. However, it can quite as easily be moved around for placing on a desk or a bookshelf – handy if you go away and just want to monitor a particular area for a short period of time.

Categories: Reviews

The Bosch Tassimo Finesse Friendly is a super affordable coffee maker, but beware – there's a catch that means it could cost you in the long run

TechRadar Reviews - Sat, 12/13/2025 - 11:00

Boch Tassimo Finesse Friendly: one-minute review

The Tassimo Finesse Friendly from Bosch is a compact capsule-based coffee maker that's an affordable alternative to similar machines from Nespresso and Keurig. It works in much the same way as its rivals, accepting proprietary capsules, piercing them, and forcing hot water through to brew your drink.

Unlike some other small coffee makers, it can also brew milky drinks such as lattes if you use separate pods for the milk and the coffee, with impressive results. The downside is that these capsules (known as T-Pods) can be quite expensive, particularly for drinks with two components.

The Finesse Friendly is very simple to use and clean, with a blank disc stored in a slot at the bottom that enables a quick rinsing cycle between drinks. Its water tank is east to remove as well, though its small capacity (just 23.7oz / 700ml) means you'll be making frequent trips to the sink if you're making more than one or two drinks at a time.

(Image credit: Future)

It's a well-built and likeable little coffee maker, but if you enjoy lattes regularly, you might want to consider learning to use a compact espresso machine with a manual steam wand instead. Although the initial cost will be higher, you could save money in the long run by using fresh milk for your regular brews rather than capsules. Take a look at my roundup of the best espresso machines for options at various price points.

Boch Tassimo Finesse Friendly: specifications

Name

Bosch Tassimo Finesse Friendly

Type

Capsule coffee maker

Dimensions (W x H x D)

6.2 x 10.4 x 14.2 inches / 15.7 x 26.5 x 36cm

Weight

6.2lbs / 2.8kg

Water tank capacity

23.7oz / 700ml

Boch Tassimo Finesse Friendly: price and availability

List price £89.99 (about $120 / AU$180), but often discounted
Widely available in Europe, but not in the US or Australia
T-Pod capsules can be quite expensive, depending on type

The Bosch Tassimo Finesse Friendly is one of the most affordable capsule coffee makers machines I’ve ever tested. It has a list price of £89.99 (about $120 / AU$180), but is frequently discounted to £49.99 (about $70 / AU$100). That’s even less than the entry-level Nespresso Vertuo Pop. You’ll find all today’s best prices below.

The downside is that although it’s widely available in the UK and continental Europe, it’s not currently sold in the US or Australia.

Although the Finesse Friendly is cheap, Tassimo capsules (known as T-Pods) can be quite pricey particularly if you prefer drinks with milk, which require two pods each. They are widely available online and from supermarkets, and include varieties from brands including Cadbury’s, Costa, Kenco, Jacobs, and L’OR.

(Image credit: Future)

Prices vary widely depending on your chosen drink. For example, a pack of Costa Caramel Latte T-Pods, for example, contains enough capsules to make just eight drinks, and has a list price of £7.25 (about $10 / AU$15). Pods containing just coffee are much more affordable. At the time of writing, a bundle containing 80 Kenco Pure Colombian capsules is £21.38 (about $30 / AU$40).

Value score: 3.5/5

Boch Tassimo Finesse Friendly: design

Compact and lightweight
Easy to clean and maintain
Water tank holds only 23.7oz / 700ml

The Tassimo Finesse Friendly is an exceptionally light and compact coffee maker, which is ideal for small kitchens and easy to tuck away in a cupboard when not in use. Its body is made using 60% recycled plastic, and is available in four colors: black, white, cream, and red. The black version I tested had a tendency to accumulate fingerprints, particularly on the matt-finish sides, but they were easily cleaned off with a damp cloth.

Its drip tray is removable for cleaning, and can be repositioned closer to the dispenser to accommodate espresso cups without splashing.

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(Image credit: Future)

It has a single control button, which uses colors and blinks to indicate the machine’s current status. A red light means the machine needs attention, and usually signals that the water tank is running low.

The tank is attached to the back of the machine, and is easy to remove; just angle it slightly and pull upwards. It has a maximum capacity of just 700ml / 23.7oz, so you’ll need to refill it after making two full-size drinks.

(Image credit: Future)

Cleaning the Finesse Friendly is straightforward. Just remove the orange maintenance disc from the slot at the bottom of the machine, place it in the capsule holder with the barcode facing down, close the lid, and hit the brew button just as you would when preparing a drink.

The machine will rinse itself with a cupful of hot water, leaving it clean and ready to use next time. It’s also worth wiping the outside of the dispenser clean if you’ve made a drink with milk, as this has a tendency to splutter.

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(Image credit: Future)

The Finesse Friendly has no water filter, but is easy to de-scale when indicated by the red status light. Just fill the water tank to the line marked ‘calc’, add two descaling tablets (not provided with the machine but available online), insert the cleaning disc, place a cup under the dispenser and hold the start button for about five seconds.

Design score: 4/5

Boch Tassimo Finesse Friendly: performance

The Tassimo Finesse Friendly is extremely simple to use. Just fill the water tank to the maximum line, pull the top of the machine upwards to open it, and place your drink capsule in the opening face-down. Push the lid closed and the light on the control button will light up orange, indicating that the Finesse Friendly is ready to start brewing.

After your drink has finished dispensing, wait until the light stops blinking orange before removing the used capsule.

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(Image credit: Future)

I tested the Finesse Friendly with a couple of different capsules: Tassimo Cinnamon Roll Latte (which Bosch provided with the review machine), and Jacobs Latte Macchiato (which I bought myself). Each variety came with two boxes of pods: one containing the coffee, and the other filled with long-life milk.

Although a latte macchiato is usually my coffee of choice, the cinnamon roll pods were the clear winner. Although it was definitely sweet, the drink had a more mellow flavor than many other coffee pods I’ve tried. In fact, it was so good I ended up buying a second pack.

The tiny Finesse Friendly did a particularly good job of steaming milk, producing a long-lasting layer of creamy foam. During my tests the machine had a tendency to sputter a little, and emitted quite a lot of steam once it had finished dispensing, but this had dissipated by the time the orange light stopped blinking.

In the UK, you can recycle used T-Pod capsules through Podback (a scheme that also accepts used Nespresso, L'OR and Dolce Gusto pods). You'll receive a Podback bag when you receive an order of T-Pods, and you can order more through the Podback website.

You can drop off your Podback bags in most big supermarkets, or take loose capsules to a recycling center with a Podback bin. Find your nearest drop-off point.

Performance score: 5/5

Should you buy the Boch Tassimo Finesse FriendlyBosch Tassimo Finesse Friendly score card

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

The machine itself is very affordable, but pods for milk-based drinks can be expensive.

3.5/5

Design

Compact and light, made using 60% recycled plastic, but water tank is very small.

4/5

Performance

Heats quickly, foams milk well, and dispenses consistently tasty coffee. Easy to clean and maintain.

5/5

Buy it if

You want a coffee maker that's easy to use

Brewing coffee doesn't get much easier than this. Just add water and a pod, wait a minute, and you'll have a perfectly brewed drink every time.

You want more than just coffee

The Finesse Friendly also makes excellent hot chocolate, and there are plenty of T-Pod capsules available from brands including Cadbury's.

Don't buy it if

You drink several lattes daily

T-Pods for milky drinks can be quite expensive. They're delicious, but you'll go through a pack of capsules very quickly unless you keep them as a special treat.

You want to make drinks for a crowd

The Tassimo Finesse Friendly's small water tank will need refilling after every couple of drinks unless you're brewing short drinks like espresso.

Boch Tassimo Finesse Friendly: also consider

If the Bosch Tassimo Finesse Friendly isn't the right coffee maker for you, here are two alternatives to consider.

Nespresso Vertuo Pop

This is another compact pod-based coffee maker with an affordable price tag. The upgraded Pop+ has an extra large water tank, which will be useful if you want to brew drinks for a larger group, and even premium Vertuo pods work out a little cheaper than the most expensive T-Pods.

Read our full Nespresso Vertuo Pop review

Nespresso Pixie

This capsule coffee maker accepts Nespresso Original capsules. Nestlé no longer owns the patent to these, so they're widely available from a huge range of coffee producers, from big chains to small independent roasters.

Read our full Nespresso Pixie review

How I tested the Boch Tassimo Finesse Friendly

I used the Bosch Tassimo Finesse Friendly in my own kitchen for three weeks, making an average of two coffees per day. I used tap water, and used the maintenance disc with the rinse program the clean the machine between each drink.

I used Tassimo Cinnamon Roll Latte and Jacobs Latte Macchiato capsules, and used the milk capsule for each drink first before dispensing the coffee through the foam. I compared the results to those from my own Nespresso Vertuo Pop machine.

For more details, see how we test, rate, and review products at TechRadar.

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Categories: Reviews

I've found a new favorite pair of sub-$100 cuff-style open earbuds, with some surprisingly premium features

TechRadar Reviews - Sat, 12/13/2025 - 04:30

Soundpeats Clip1: Two minute review

The real measure of whether earbuds are good, is if I keep wearing them after the two-week testing period is over. And judging by how keen I was to keep on using the Soundpeats Clip1, enthused by the best bits of the buds, that they’re easily some of the best open earbuds I’ve tested recently.

The latest clip-style open earbuds from prolific audio maker Soundpeats, the Clip1 follow the manufacturers’ style in being budget alternatives to bigger names, in this case the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds and Shokz OpenDots One. As a budget brand, they’ve made some solid earbuds in the past, but the recent and impressive Soundpeats H3 made me curious to see what else was in the pipeline.

What ended up being next in the pipeline, has quickly become one of my favorite pairs of sub-$100 open earbuds, and definitely the best I’ve tested recently. The Clip1 tick all the boxes you hope for with open earbuds, and then go above and beyond in a few ways.

My favorite of these ways is that Soundpeats offers a listening test; these aren’t the first lower-cost earbuds to offer this once-premium feature, but I’ve never used such a test that’s so simple yet so effective in its results. I couldn’t stop listening to the finely-tuned personal audio mix it delivered me.

Of course the buds also nail the basics; they’re comfortable to wear, grip reliably in the ear when you’re working out and don’t weigh too much. The battery life is solid, the buds are hardy and, in a rare case for clip-ons, they look a bit more refined than the usual children’s-play-thing look.

There are a few rough edges here though. The case feels cheap and plasticky, the touch controls were way too sensitive and the max volume just wasn’t high enough to fit the bill for open-ears. But I enjoyed using the buds enough to overlook some of these concerns.

Soundpeats Clip1 review: Specifications

Component

Value

Water resistant

IPX5

Battery life

8 hours (earbuds), 32 hours (total)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 5.4

Weight

5g / Charging case: 55.5g

Driver

12mm

Soundpeats Clip1 review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

Announced on November 12, 2025
Priced at $69.99 / £74.99 / AU$79.99
Generally cheaper than rivals

The Soundpeats Clip1 were announced on November 12, 2025, and put on sale immediately after.

They’ll set you back $69.99 / £74.99 / AU$79.99, so they’re fairly cheap as far as clip- or cuff-style earbuds go (especially in Australia). However they’re Soundpeats’ priciest clippers, costing more than the cheap PearlClip Pro and even cheaper PopClip.

In the grand scheme of open earbuds, they’re definitely towards the cheaper end of the spectrum though. If you look for even more affordable options, you’re only finding options from budget brands like Ugreen and Anker, and most top-spec rivals have price tags over the three-figure mark.

Soundpeats Clip1 review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

Classy design of buds, but cheap-feeling case
Lightweight and comfortable
Poorly-working controls

Despite clip earbuds being nice and small, and therefore generally coming in svelte carry cases, Soundpeats bucks the trend by putting the Clip1 in a fairly large carry case. It’s a large, cheap-plasticky gray shell which weighs 55.5g, and I found it a little harder to open than I’d like, due to the indentation you’re meant to grip being a little shallow.

I’m not saying it’s hard to open, just that you need to consciously think when you’re getting the buds out, which is more brainwork than I generally use for a brainless task like opening a case. At least the buds are nice and easy to whip out, not buried in the case.

Onto the buds themselves: these are, of course, clip-style earbuds which consist of a spherical bud and a counterweight, joined together with a small arch. They weigh 5g and have an IPX5 rating, which means they’re protected from jets of water.

This is hard to state with anything resembling objectivity, but the Clip1 earpiece feels like it has an air of elegance about it; the dainty stem connecting the perfect sphere and little ellipsoid feels more refined than the chunky alternatives I’ve tested before.

Practically speaking, this translates to the feel of wearing the buds too. They were light enough that I barely felt like I was wearing anything, and stayed attached to my ear reliably – there were no drops during testing.

There are touch controls on each bud, but every time I had gestures enabled in the settings, my music would inexplicably pause or skip songs without me touching anything, and so I turned off the feature. I don’t know if I had a faulty unit or if the sensors are just so oversensitive that wind can set them off. At least a different kind of sensor works better: while the two Clip1 buds are identical, so there’s no left or right one, they can automatically detect which ear they’re in to adjust channels accordingly.

Design score: 4/5

Soundpeats Clip1 review: Features

(Image credit: Future)

Fantastic listening test
Battery life is 8 hours, 32 hours with case
Fewer other features than some rivals

In any earbud, but especially ones designed for fitness use, battery life is important; the SoundPeats Clip1 aren’t a frontrunner in this department but they have a decent battery life and I can’t ask for any more.

The buds last for 8 hours of listening at a time, and the case has enough juice for 32 extra hours before that needs charging. Those respectively hit and exceed what I’ve come to expect for this kind of bud. You won’t see those figures if you use LDAC when listening, but the lack of noise cancellation means you won’t have the battery leeched from that.

Onto the PeatsAudio app on your smartphone. Booting this up, you’re faced with a wall of toggle sliders for things like Dolby Audio, in-ear detection, low-latency game mode, touch controls, LDAC and dynamic equalization.

If you don’t want your dynamics, er, dynamically calibrated, you can also use the in-app equalizer, which offers eight genre-based presets as well as a 10-band custom mode and also a listening test. This latter was a lot quicker and easier to use than equivalents I’ve had to slog through, simply requiring you to press a button if you can hear a sound while it cycles through frequencies and volumes.

I didn’t have high hopes due to the simplicity, but the results it returned (and custom EQ mode) were pretty similar to what I’ve received from similar tests, and greatly improved the music from the default mode… but those are, sadly, spoilers for the next section.

Features score: 4/5

Soundpeats Clip1 review: Sound performance

(Image credit: Future)

Single 12mm driver
Supports Dolby Audio, LDAC, AAC, SBC, more
Bright audio that perhaps lacks bass

The Soundpeats Clip1 have 12mm drivers squirrelled into those spherical orbs. That fine (rather large) driver spec is enhanced with a wide range of codecs, more than you’d imagine for low-cost buds: they support Dolby Audio, Hi-Res Audio, LDAC, AAC and SBC.

That’s really good… but also possibly overkill on a set of open-ear buds. By virtue of the form factor, you’re getting an even 50/50 mix of music and your surrounding sound, so you’re hearing a crazy train alongside your Crazy Train, a babbling river at the same time as The River, and don’t even get me started on The Divine Comedy’s most popular song. Soundpeats touts the LDAC support as giving you CD-quality audio, and while that’s true, it’s a CD that’s playing from your neighbour’s flat, not yours.

That’s all to say that there’s a cap on how good open-ears can be before drastically diminishing returns, and the Clip1 aren’t in the select community which find a way to bypass the cap. That’s especially true when you bear in mind that their biggest issue is a max volume that’s just not high enough; I could barely hear my tunes while cycling through traffic.

When you get a chance to actually hear the SoundPeats, though, you’ll find that they sound pretty good – as long as you play around with the equalizer, as the default preset doesn’t do the sound justice. No matter how you shake it, the sound profile certainly tends towrds the bright side, with vocals shining through the audio mix, and as someone who prefers treble to bass for workout music, I was happy with that. Sung lines sound crisp and clear, with energy enough to motivate me through my run.

Songs have more audible detail than I’m used to from open-ears; in songs like She Had Me At Heads Carolina by Cole Swindell, you can easily hear the various guitars in the mix, and the panning in Declan McKenna’s Brazil giving the song a lovely dimension.

In all my equalizer fiddling, though, I struggled to bring out much bass. The mode called Bass Boost puts it on the map, and gives it a small amount of refinement, but it’s not exactly powerful or prominent. Yes, it's a regular issue with open-ear designs, but notable nonetheless.

Sound performance score: 4/5

Soundpeats Clip1 review: Value

(Image credit: Future)

There are a few elements of the Soundpeats Clip1 that I’m really surprised to see. It’s uncommon to see LDAC in buds like these, let alone Dolby Atmos or a listening test that works really, really well.

I’m “surprised to see” them because these are competitively-priced buds, coming in cheaper than some of our favorite open earbuds and a lot cheaper than some of our top-rated clip headphones.

While they’re not the outright cheapest on the market, they still offer fantastic value for money compared to lots of the alternatives which you might be considering.

Value score: 4/5

Soundpeats Clip1 review: scorecard

I wasn’t convinced there was a need for the LG StanByMe 2 TV – but I’m completely sold on this rollable display after 3 weeks with it

TechRadar Reviews - Thu, 12/11/2025 - 17:21

LG StanByMe 2: Two-minute review

LG’s StanByMe TV has admittedly been something I’ve glossed over ever since the first-generation model was launched way back in 2021. A 27-inch TV on a rollable stand? “What’s the point?” I always wondered. While a 27-inch TV would’ve been considered ‘big’ in the late ‘90s or early 2000s, we now live in a time where a 48-inch TV is realistically the smallest size we’d put in our living room. And with recent releases from the likes of Samsung reaching up to 115 inches, is there really a place for a much, much smaller 27-inch screen in the home?

LG clearly didn’t share my reservations, as the Korean manufacturer announced a second-generation model at CES in January 2025 that didn’t just introduce a few iterative upgrades, but instead represented a complete overhaul.

The premise is the same – a TV you can move from room to room – but it now offers other notable features, including a QHD panel (an increase from the 1080p full HD of the previous generation) and new viewing modes that allow the user to watch while the screen is off its stand (its predecessor was fixed in place).

I’ll admit that I began this review as a sceptic, but after using the LG StanByMe 2 for a few weeks, I’ve done a complete 180 – this is a genuinely fun, cool, useful TV. It’s not going to replace your main screen for watching movies and TV shows, but that’s also not its purpose.

The StanByMe 2 is a TV that you can have in the kitchen to follow along with recipes, or if you have a small bedroom, you can position it over your bed for late-night binge watching. It’s touchscreen-enabled, so you can lay it flat on a table and have your kids play interactive games on it. You can take it away with you in the car to set up and watch content at a campsite or hotel as it can run on battery for a while. I even used it as a second display attached to my laptop.

The built-in battery promises up to four hours from a single charge (up from 3.5 hours in the previous model). I found this to be pretty accurate, although do note that even when the screen is turned off, it’s technically in a standby mode and will continue to use the battery. I left it turned off over a weekend with a full charge, but it had dropped to 34% on my return three days later. A physical power button can be found on the side of the TV, and a long press will power it down completely.

The idea of the StanByMe 2 may elude people at first, but once you have one in your life, you’ll wonder how you ever did without it.

Picture quality is good, although it won’t rival the best TVs. Its built-in speaker system delivers a pleasing audio performance, and is on par with the performance you’d get from conventional TVs. In virtually all cases, we recommend adding one of the best soundbars to boost the sound. Fortunately, you can connect it to a soundbar thanks to an HDMI eARC port, but I reckon since most people will be using the screen in a fully portable mode – which is exactly how it should be used – a physical connection will prove cumbersome.

The StanByMe 2 also benefits from LG’s webOS operating system. At the time of writing, it uses webOS 24, but the company has confirmed the TV will receive the webOS 25 update, and it is guaranteed to receive software updates for five years, up to webOS 28 (LG generally launches a new version each year).

There’s nothing quite like the LG StanByMe 2 out there and that makes it tricky to score for an objective review like this. There are similar screens on the horizon from the likes of Samsung and its Movingstyle model, but that’s yet to see a wide release – we’ve not had a chance to review it yet here at TechRadar, and I’ve not personally seen it either.

As a lifestyle screen that offers a new way to consume content, the StanByMe 2 excels, but tech as unique as this demands a high price and that’s my biggest issue. As much as I would love to give it a full five stars, I have to dock points purely because of how much LG is asking for it – especially when you compare its cost to traditional TVs.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)LG StanByMe 2 review: Price & availability

$1,299 / £1,399.99 / AU$2,199
Staggered global rollout: US – July 2025, UK – August 2025, Australia – September 2025

The LG StanByME 2 was announced at CES in January 2025 and was made available to buy in the US from July 2025, followed by a UK launch in August and eventually making its way to Australia in September 2025.

In the US, it’s priced at $1,299, which is higher than the RRP of the entry-level LG B5 OLED TV in 48-inch guise ($899.99) and just below the larger 55-inch variant ($1,499.99).

Meanwhile, in the UK, it’s £1,399.99, although at the time of writing this also includes an XT7S Bluetooth speaker that can attach to the TV stand and boost audio performance. For the same money, you can get a 55-inch LG C5 OLED – which we currently rate as the best TV overall.

In Australia, the StanByMe 2 has a list price of AU$2,199 – about as much as the far larger 75-inch TCL C7K will set you back Down Under. The TCL features a much more capable Mini-LED backlit panel, and as our TCL C7K review proves, it impressed us with a “dynamic, bright and surprisingly contrast rich picture”.

The StanByMe 2 can be on the receiving end of discounts, although these are usually reserved for the major sales events such as Black Friday. In fact, during the Black Friday sales in 2025, I spotted it for $999.99 / £1,199 / AU$1,699. These prices are much more palatable, although it’s still possible to find a more capable TV for similar money.

LG StanByMe 2 review: Specs

Screen type:

QHD IPS LCD panel

Refresh rate:

60Hz

HDR support:

Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG

Audio support:

Dolby Atmos

Smart TV

webOS 24 (customized version)

HDMI:

1x HDMI eARC

Battery life:

Up to 4 hours

LG StanByMe 2 review: Features

QHD IPS LCD panel with extensive HDR support
Touchscreen for greater interaction
Built-in battery with up to 4 hours battery life

As I’ve already mentioned, the LG StanByMe 2 is a compact 27-inch TV that uses an edge-lit IPS LCD panel with quad HD resolution (2,560 x 1,440p) and a refresh rate of 60Hz. So, not a ‘proper’ 4K screen, but it does have comprehensive HDR support in the form of Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG HDR formats.

Unlike the TVs we’re all familiar with today, the StanByMe 2’s screen has a matte coating that slightly reduces image quality, but it helps minimize reflections and prevent fingerprints when you’re supporting it for rolling to a different room. The matte coating isn’t the same, or similar, as the anti-glare panel of the Samsung S95F, as that screen is actually able to absorb light and dissipate over the display’s surface. I would liken it more to a PC monitor.

Where the StanByMe 2 also differs from conventional TVs is that it’s touchscreen-enabled. Thanks to this functionality, you’re able to use your fingers to interact with it, whether it be loading up the built-in sketchpad application to doodle or jot down notes, or playing games that come pre-installed (more games are available via the LG app store). I can’t see many people using it to create shopping lists, say, but it can be hung on a wall-mounted hook (included) allowing you to easily see reminders for each day.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

The touchscreen functionality also means you’re able to swipe between home screen menus and press on any app – YouTube, Netflix, et al – to open it, but that’s all. You can’t use this functionality when you’re within these streaming apps. You can’t press the screen to play or pause content, for example. When using streaming apps, you’ll need to use the remote control or the on-screen controls that appear in the bottom right corner when you touch the display.

Where the StanByMe 2 shines is what LG intended it for – a portable screen that can be used where a larger display would be handy. For example, I used it in the kitchen, where I loaded up a YouTube video telling me how to make the perfect mashed potato. I was able to position the StanByMe 2 over my kitchen island and follow along with ease. Watching the same video on a smartphone screen just wasn’t as effective, and I don’t own a tablet or a smart display. Of course, given the StanByMe 2’s price, it would be cheaper to opt for the smaller devices, but the convenience of having the larger display is something I appreciated.

I also positioned the TV over my dining table, where I sit when I work from home. Again, I found myself streaming YouTube videos to play in the background and would occasionally glance up at the screen. Without the TV, I would either have the same video playing on a separate tab on my computer. I also mirrored the screen of my MacBook Pro thanks to the StanByMe’s AirPlay support, allowing me to use it as a second display. These weren’t groundbreaking changes to my normal routine by any stretch, but I found having the StanByMe 2 on, er, standby, incredibly useful.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

When it’s connected to the rollable stand, you can plug a mains power cable into its base to use the StanBy Me 2 like a regular TV, but if you remove the power cable, or remove the TV from its stand, the internal battery takes over and you’ll get no more than 4 hours of playtime on a single charge.

However, you’ll need to be mindful that this is only when it's in Eco power mode, which isn’t on by default. If you use the screen in a different mode, then battery life takes a major hit. I turned it on after (unknowingly) leaving it on standby for three days to find the battery had dropped from 100% to 34%. I then watched a 30-minute YouTube video, and the battery level dropped to 9%.

You can power down the TV completely by long pressing on the power button on the left side of the screen. Recharging the battery to full takes around 3 hours in standby mode and 3.5 hours when the TV is in use.

Features score: 4 / 5

LG StanByMe 2 review: Picture quality

Good color reproduction
Decent blacks considering backlight constraints
No Filmmaker Mode

LG’s QNED81 from 2023 impressed me with its color reproduction despite using an edge-lit system, and the StanByMe 2 – which also uses an edge-lit panel – shows similar strengths. Images are vibrant and punchy, and with brighter, more colorful content – such as A Minecraft Movie – the screen delivers a natural-looking image with convincing real-world textures. Fireball explosions appear as paler oranges or yellows, it must be said, rather than intense reds you’d get on a higher-contrast display, but overall it’s a pleasing presentation.

The StanByMe 2 also handled a 4K HDR demo reel from LG’s YouTube channel better than expected. Blacks looked reasonably convincing and central highlights remained clear and detailed. Compared side-by-side with LG’s flagship G5 OLED , there was a clear difference in quality. The G5 was vastly superior, but that’s to be expected given the vast difference in panel technologies.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

In dimly lit environments, the StanByMe 2’s brightness performance was more than adequate. LG doesn’t quote a brightness figure and I wasn’t able to measure it myself, but with the panel brightness set appropriately – 100 in most cases – I had no issues seeing detail or maintaining color impact. For darker content, I found ‘isf Expert Dark’ to be the best-performing picture preset. The ‘isf Expert Bright’ over-exposed the image too much for my liking, and Cinema introduced too much of a yellow tinge.

That said, the StanByMe 2’s picture performance is ultimately held back by the limitations of the QHD panel, edge-light system and matte coating. The combination of these means it struggles to render contrast with absolute precision. Larger areas of the panel can light up when they ideally shouldn’t, because the edge-lit system projects light over a greater portion of the screen.

TVs with more advanced backlight systems – such as OLED TVs from LG, Samsung and Sony, or even Mini-LED TVs from more budget-focused brands such as TCL and Hisense – can be more precise with which areas of the image are lit and which aren’t, resulting in more cinematic-looking picture.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

In the case of the StanByMe 2, then, images can look flat in comparison, especially in HDR scenes that require competent backlighting systems to look their best.

Dynamic Tone Mapping Pro is an included feature on the StanByMe 2, which theoretically analyzes each frame to optimize brightness and contrast, but in practice its impact is modest. With the backlight effectively ‘on’ most of the time due to the panel type, this feature can only do so much.

These limitations are apparent with darker content. In The Batman’s Penguin car chase scene on HBO Max, black weren't inky, but more a very dark charcoal grey. To get the best image, I had to push the panel brightness to 100. The TV also lacks a Filmmaker Mode and the Dolby Vision Filmmaker modes that appear on LG’s higher-end QNED and OLED TV models.

Because of these inherent constraints, the StanByMe 2 is best viewed in dimmer environments and isn’t well suited to being your primary screen for movie watching.

Picture quality score: 3.5 / 5

LG StanByMe 2 review: Sound quality

Dolby Atmos support
AI Sound mode with virtual 9.1.2 up-mix
Fine for most tasks, but not intense movie watching

As with picture quality, the StanByMe 2’s audio performance isn’t anything extraordinary. But again, this isn’t a TV designed to be your main entertainment system. Instead, it’s designed to be a supplementary screen in your home.

The good news is that the built-in speakers can be reasonably loud and dialogue is clear. What it lacks is low-end presence – especially in movie scenes with explosions. The AI Sound Pro mode is the best option in my opinion, as it helps create a more expansive soundstage.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

You do have options to improve the audio output, either by physically connecting to a soundbar or other external audio device via HDMI eARC, or wirelessly to a Bluetooth speaker or pair of active speakers. I do think a physical connection will be cumbersome for most users, particularly if the TV is connected to its stand. That said, you could always hang it on the included hook and have a cable trailing down to a soundbar on a unit beneath.

I had a pair of KEF Coda W speakers on hand and, once connected to the LG, the difference was dramatic. I also paired a Beats Pill and even that portable Bluetooth speaker delivered noticeably better sound than the TV’s built-in speakers.

What this experiment really highlighted for me was how the LG StanByMe 2 gives you options, both in terms of how you use it to consume content and how you can get sound out of it. You don’t get such versatility from traditional TVs and this really is where the StanByMe 2 genuinely stands out.

Sound quality score: 4 / 5

LG StanByMe 2 review: Design

Multiple viewing modes
Good selection of connections
Useful design touches

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

As I’ve alluded to already in this review, the StanByMe 2 isn’t designed to replace a traditional TV. Its headline feature is its ability to be used in a variety of viewing positions. The main position – the one that’s likely to be used the most – sees it being attached to a rollable stand. The first-generation StanByMe was permanently attached to its stand, so it’s great that the new model can detach, expanding its usability.

The stand is relatively heavy at 10.9kg / 24 lbs and its wheels are silent when rolling around, but they’re definitely smoother on hard floors compared to carpet.

The stand has two sections: a fixed-height main pole and an adjustable arm that can raise the screen up and down a few inches. The base plays host to a power point, which is used to charge the TV’s built-in battery.

When you want to detach the TV from the stand to use in tabletop mode, you need to press a large central button on the rear panel of the TV and pull it forward. Because the TV itself is quite light at 4.3kg / 9.5lbs, it’s easy enough to hold onto the screen with one hand, and press the button with the other. And thanks to its lightweight build, you shouldn’t have too much of an issue carrying it around.

To use the StanByMe 2 in tabletop mode, you need to clip in a supplied kickstand on the rear of the screen, and slot the folio cover into two holes along the bottom edge. The folio cover then folds around to the back of the screen and slots into the kickstand.

The final viewing mode is hanging it up on a hook against a wall. The hook needs to be drilled into the wall, so it wasn’t something I could test for this review. I own my home, but with my review sample only being on loan, I didn’t want a hole left in my wall when it was returned. Once the hook is mounted, you can attach a strap to the StanByMe 2 to hang it. You can hang it in either portrait or landscape orientation, and besides watching TV, you could activate one of the many wallpapers or screensavers, which include weather and calendar information, a ‘now playing’ screen when playing music, or a digital photo album.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

LG’s listing information for the TV also shows a person hanging this strap over their shoulder with the TV in landscape mode – similar to a messenger bag. But who wants or needs to hang a 27-inch TV over their shoulder?

A remote control is supplied with the StanByMe 2, which I expected to be similar to the one used by LG’s other TVs, but there are a few design changes.

Perhaps the coolest function is the fact that the remote can magnetically attach to the top edge of the TV (when it’s in landscape mode) or to the folio cover when it’s in tabletop mode, so you don’t have to worry about losing it.

The biggest difference between this remote and the one you’d get with a regular LG TV is that it loses the Magic Remote functionality, i.e. you can’t use it to move a pointer around the screen as you can on an LG TV. If you have an LG Magic Remote at home, or you purchase one separately, then you can benefit from the pointer function as it’s compatible with the StanByMe 2.

There’s a small selection of connections on the StanByMe 2, including an HDMI eARC for connecting to a soundbar to boost audio output, or to a laptop or PC so the TV can moonlight as a second screen. There’s also a USB-C port on the side for connecting external devices and power banks, and another USB-C port on the top edge for connecting a webcam.

LG says the USB-C port can also charge the screen TV when it’s not connected to the stand, but I struggled to get this working, even when using my MacBook Pro’s power brick. The user manual states you need a charger capable of either 65W (20V/3.25A) or100W (20V/5A) output, a criteria my MacBook’s charger satisfies.

Design score: 4.5 / 5

LG StanByMe 2 review: Smart TV & menus

Customized version of webOS
Five years of upgrades promised
No on-screen adverts!

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

The LG StanByMe 2 uses a customized version of the company’s well-received webOS operating system. If you were to look at the version used here side-by-side with a regular LG TV, you’ll easily spot the differences.

Two rows of apps dominate a large portion of the StanByMe 2’s screen, as opposed to a single line on the company’s regular TVs, with the familiar ‘cards’ for dedicated hubs – Home Office, Game, Music – just above. What’s pleasing to see in this instance is that there aren’t any on-screen ads or promotions in sight. The regular version of webOS will display on-screen adverts and even screensaver ads (unless you turn them off), so their complete absence is a welcome change.

From the home screen, if you move left – either by pressing the left button on the remote’s d-pad, or swiping – you’re met with a screen displaying calendar and weather information, quick access to various wallpapers and a sketch pad.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

The TV also supports Google Cast and Apple AirPlay, so you can beam content from your phone or laptop directly to it. I used the Screen Mirror function to extend my MacBook’s display and use the LG as a second monitor. It was a seamless process and even moving browser windows over to the LG worked as smoothly as if I had a dedicated monitor physically connected to my laptop.

Setting adjustments are as slick as I’ve come to expect from LG, having used the company’s G-series OLED over the past three generations. Pressing the settings button on the remote brings up a Quick Menu that appears as a transparent overlay in the top left of the screen, which allows you to quickly change picture, sound and other settings.

Smart TV and menu score: 5 / 5

LG StanByMe 2 review: Value

Pricey compared to larger, more conventional TVs
Other rollable TVs exist, which can be found for less
Ultimately not fantastic overall value

With a price tag of $1,299 / £1399.99 / AU$2,199, the LG StanByMe 2 is undoubtedly expensive compared to traditional TVs, which can cost much less, come in bigger screen sizes and benefit from more capable displays.

Plus, a quick search online reveals similar rollable TVs in markets including the US, UK and Australia. We've not reviewed them here at TechRadar, so can't comment on their performance, but the fact remains the LG StanByMe 2 isn't the only one of its kind.

If you can find it at a discounted price, it’s a lot easier to recommend, because what the TV has going for its uniqueness. LG classes the StanByMe 2 as a ‘lifestyle TV’ and I couldn’t agree more. It’s not going to replace a main TV in your home, but is designed to be an addition that can make your daily routine more convenient.

There’s certainly a case to be made for its existence then, but you’ll need to seriously consider whether it’s worth the premium price tag.

Value score 2.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)Should I buy the LG StanByMe 2?LG StanByMe 2 score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

It lives up to its lifestyle credentials with a variety of viewing modes, connections and interactivity options.

4/5

Picture quality

It’s not going to replace a conventional TV, but it does more than enough to meet the brief of being a lifestyle screen

3.5/5

Sound quality

Clear dialogue and expansive sound, with the option to improve it via various methods

4/5

Design

A range of viewing modes and some useful physical connection options make the StanByMe 2 one of the most versatile screens out there.

4/5

Smart TV and menus

LG’s webOS platform is always a joy to use and the customized version here continues that trend.

5/5

Value

A fun, cool TV that’s supremely versatile, but there’s no denying it’s expensive compared to traditional screens.

2.5/5

Buy it if...

You want a versatile TV

The StanByMe 2 can be used in a variety of viewing modes and is easy to move between rooms in your home.

You want a smaller TV

At 27 inches, the StanByMe 2 should be easy to accommodate in most spaces, plus it can be taken away with you in the car.

Don't buy it if...

You want the best possible picture quality

The limitations of the LCD panel mean the StanByMe 2 simply can’t deliver the absolute best picture quality.

LG StanByMe 2 review: Also consider

LG B5 (48-inch)

I've already mentioned the LG B5 in this review for several reasons. Most notably, it offers a dramatic leap in picture quality thanks to its OLED panel, and in 48-inch guise, it's often more affordable than the StanByMe 2.

Read our full LG B5 reviewView Deal

Sony A90K (42-inch)

It's quite tricky to find a 'small' screen TV these days, but the Sony A90K continues to be sold in a 42-inch size. It was released in 2022, yet the Japanese brand hasn't felt the need to update it. We've not given it the full in-depth review treatment, but some hands-on time revealed it to be a talented performer. We just wish it wasn't so expensive!View Deal

How I tested the LG StanByMe 2

Used at home and tried most viewing modes
Watched a range of content from various streaming services
Let it run on battery power to test stamina

I tested the LG StanByMe 2 over a period of about 3 weeks at home. I used most of its viewing modes, including attaching it to its stand and using the folio cover. I wasn't able to test its hanging mode, as I wasn't prepared to drill a hole into my wall.

I watched a variety of dark and bright content from a number of streaming services, including The Batman and A Minecraft Movie on HBO Max. I also tested its ability to connect to external audio devices via Bluetooth to improve sound output.

First reviewed: December 2025
Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Categories: Reviews

Goodbye June review: New Netflix movie is a near flawless directorial debut for Kate Winslet — but you’ll cry your eyes out

TechRadar Reviews - Thu, 12/11/2025 - 11:00

Is Goodbye June a Christmas movie, or a movie that simply has Christmas in it? I'm not sure – but what I do know is that you won't stream a more tragically beautiful film this festive season.

It's quite a choice to drop a film that follows a dying woman's last days on Christmas Eve, but I can see why Netflix made the decision. If anything, the timing drives home the importance of hugging your loved ones that bit tighter, and never missing the chance to tell someone you love them.

In a nutshell, mom and grandmother June's (Helen Mirren) cancer has spread, sending her to hospital for what she and her family know will be the last few days of her life. Doting son Connor (Johnny Flynn) and his sisters, highly-strung Julia (Kate Winslet, who also makes her directorial debut), internally angry Molly (Andrea Riseborough) and flighty expat Helen (Toni Colette) spend as much time as they can by their mothers' bedside.

Along with June's ailing husband Bernie (Timothy Spall), the quartet's job is to give June the best send-off possible, despite a myriad of issues and long-held grudges making emotions run even higher than you’d expect in such a scenario.

Reading those last two paragraphs may well have put you in mind of your own family, whether it’s particular people or a similar situation – and that's one of the great strengths of Goodbye June. Our cast might be A-list, but here they're grounded, and their relatability helps to deliver what at times feels more like a fly-on-the-wall documentary than a drama.

The movie is something of a family affair off-screen as well as on, and some more cynical critics might be tempted to brand it as a ‘nepo baby’ creation (Winslet stars and directs and her son Joe Anders writes the script). I actually think their family ties are a huge advantage here... and thank God Winslet is now trying her (very successful) hand at directing.

Watching Goodbye June is like looking into my own past – and you might feel that way too

One of the biggest compliments you can give an actor is that they fully inhabit a role they take on. We’re not watching Helen Mirren play a dying grandmother here, we’re watching June dying.

When I look at June, I see my own grandmother, who died two years ago in similar circumstances, surrounded by her family. Every detail takes me back there, from her haircut and cardigan down to the pearl necklace and the gold ring she can no longer wear.

In a way, I'm projecting here, as I didn't get to be there for my grandmother's final moments – the peace June and her family ultimately find is something I hope my own family did too. But there's something universally relatable in June's situation.

"Masterclass Mirren" (as I'm now calling her) delivers a performance up there with The Queen – so it was a shock to learn from Winslet's press tour that she'd initially refused the role, explaining she never plays characters with dementia or cancer. I'm so glad she broke her own rule for Winslet, and I really think they've created something incredibly special.

There's a scene in Goodbye June where June is left alone in hospital to sleep, and she turns to the window and finally allows herself to shed a few tears after putting on a brave face for everyone else. Mirren conveys vulnerability and traumatic catharsis utterly convincingly, in a scene that will resonate with any woman who has ever lain awake crying in the small hours because life has gotten too much (which is probably all of us).

It's the little details – the family bickering, the gentle ribbing, the chaos of bringing up children, and the occasionally overwhelming reality of simply existing – that make Goodbye June feel so well-rounded, even if I can never watch it over Christmas again.

Whoever thought of Toni Colette for this movie needs a raise

This lot could be a real-life family. (Image credit: Netflix)

What might surprise you given the movie’s synopsis is how tenderly funny Goodbye June is. Even in the darkest of moments, there’s laughter, most often courtesy of Spall and Riseborough.

The film’s casting is inspired across the board. Mirren is an obvious score, and Spall isn't far behind her. If Winslet and Riseborough did a 23 and Me ancestry test and found out they were related, I wouldn't be surprised – Julia and Molly are the most convincingly fractious of siblings, and you’ll absolutely believe that their grudges really are decades old.

For me though, it's Colette as Helen who is the most inspired inclusion. She has the least amount of screentime, and casting an Aussie as Winslet's sister can't have been a subconscious choice (no matter how good Colette is at accents). When her character is revealed as a chakra-aligned free spirit who has emigrated to Florida to expand her practice, it all makes perfect sense.

Helen is the ideal counterweight to her sisters, and provides some measure of solace to lonesome brother Connor. And, by way of a B-plot involving her, Goodbye June also examines late-in-life pregnancy, effortlessly threading back into the idea of June's memory living on.

Anders' script is thoroughly convincing and sharply observed, which is particularly impressive given his relative youthfulness. You can take your pick from any of Goodbye June’s cast and identify exactly which one you'd be, thanks to his expertly drawn character portraits. That said, there’s perhaps a little bit of all of them in us – we feel represented in Julia's overwhelming sense of responsibility, Helen's growing and all-consuming sense of fear, Connor's alienation, or Molly's frustration with the world around her.

Visually, there's definitely a Netflix-specific feel to the movie that's becoming increasingly noticeable across the platform's content. In the context of a Christmas movie, I think it works, akin to a really sad version of The Holiday. But Winslet's vision as a director lifts the movie above the everyday; as much as I hated being told that actors make the best writers and directors while doing my master's degree (I'm not an actor, and I’m sure non-actors in the industry are tired of hearing it too), she makes a convincing case for the notion.

At this point it probably goes without saying that you need to steel yourself to watch Goodbye June, but you’ll be richly rewarded in return.

To witness people enduring great pain, even if those people are fictional characters, asks us to reflect on what truly matters in life, and it can be a deeply affecting – and yes, consoling – experience.

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Categories: Reviews

Boulies OP180 office chair review: Surprisingly comfortable and built for the workplace

TechRadar Reviews - Thu, 12/11/2025 - 10:55

Boulies OP180: 30-second review

The Boulies OP180 is, like all the OP-designated line, designed for workspaces. It’s perfectly comfortable for home office use, and its compact design without headrest means it won’t dominate the room. But, to my eye, it looks, feels, and performs like a chair for actual offices. One look at it and you can picture a series of OP180’s parked in cubicles or nested around a table in a conference room.

The backrest is of classic mesh that feels very breathable when used for long hours. And the plush cushioned seat surprised me. Alright, it’s not especially breathable, but the thick foam is incredibly comfortable and supportive. I used it for eight-hour work days for weeks, and it feels like the happy medium between the firmness of the Boulies EP200’s mesh seat and the ultra-soft foam seat of the Boulies OP300. If you’ve struggled with finding the right balance, I’d recommend checking out the OP180.

There’s good adjustability here - seat height and depth, backrest height, lockable recline, and tilt are all present and correct. The chair also features 3D armrests.

And that’s where I discovered one of my only real problems with this chair. Yes, they move smoothly backwards, forwards, up and down, and side to side. But there’s no horizontal locking system, unlike with my favorite of the Boulies range, the EP200. Now, this didn’t prove an issue when sitting down for work, but lean on the armrest to rise from the chair and it will slide out of place.

It’s also lacking full lumbar support, instead opting for a contoured S-shaped backrest. Thanks to the tension of the mesh backrest, I can’t say I missed the lumbar support - I felt supported at all times, and for the OP line, it’s perhaps expected. But, I appreciate some users will want that extra lower back support.

Those issues aside, I should mention the price - it’s selling for $290 / £240. It’s one of the best office chairs for the workplace, although I'd prefer a longer warranty length than the two years offered by Boulies. For home offices, I’d still recommend a Boulies chair like the high-back EP200, which still offers superb value for money and a firmer, more breathable experience.

Boulies OP180: Price & availability

The Boulies OP180 is widely available, selling for $290 at Boulies.com and £240 at Boulies.co.uk. However, at the time of review, it’s discounted down to $240 / £170.

That UK price is also reflected over at Amazon.co.uk. I’d suggest that cost is about right for an office chair chiefly designed to be bought in bulk for HQ.

Boulies OP180: Specs

Price (RRP)

$290 / £240

Seat height

17.3 - 20.1in / 44 - 51cm

Seat depth

17.9 - 19.7in / 45.5 - 50cm

Seat width

19.5in / 49.5cm

Backrest height

22.0 - 24.8in / 56 - 63cm

Recommended user height

5’1” - 6’3”

Max weight load

352lb / 160kg

Material

Mesh and foam

Warranty

2 years

Boulies OP180: DesignImage 1 of 3

(Image credit: Boulies // Future)Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: Boulies // Future)Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: Boulies // Future)

The OP180 is a classically designed, compact office chair. Only available in black, it’ll fit right into any professional workspace without looking out of place.

To the rear, there’s a Y-frame support for the backrest. And I like the armrest design, thrusting forward like an Enterprise starship. Sure, that’s hardly a game-changer styling, but it does give the OP180 a more modern feel.

In truth, there’s not much to like or dislike about the design of this chair. It looks exactly as you’d expect - and that’s precisely the point of an office chair like the Boulies OP180. It’s not trying to be the Branch Verve or the Herman Miller Embody, with striking silhouettes and bold color choices. It’s a traditional office chair for professionals.

Boulies OP180: Assembly

Boulies claims it’ll take you five minutes to build the OP180. I wouldn’t say it’s quite that quick - it took me a little under ten minutes after misaligning the screws for the armrest first time around (pro-tip: place the three in loosely first, then tighten each).

Everything you need is in the box, including the hex key, which is the only tool needed to piece it all together. Instructions are clear, with each step illustrated with an easy-to-understand image and accompanying text.

Inside the manual, it also clearly lays out what each under-seat lever does and how to use them to adjust the fit once seated.

Overall, I found assembly to be ridiculously easy. It’s probably the fastest I’ve ever built a chair, and if you’re constructing a lot of these for an office space then yes, you probably could get it down to about five minutes. Six screws later, and after slotting in the spokes of the seat base, the casters, and the backrest, I was done.

Boulies OP180: Comfort & adjustabilityImage 1 of 3

(Image credit: Boulies // Future)Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: Boulies // Future)Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: Boulies // Future)

I wasn’t expecting the OP180 to be as comfortable as it is. That lack of true lumbar support, the high but technically mid-back design made me fear that it would be a literal pain when used for long hours.

I don’t mind admitting I was wrong.

First, I found the plush cushioned seat to be exceptionally accommodating. It’s neither too firm, nor too soft, providing just the right amount of support and softness. For anyone who’s struggled to find a chair with the right balance, this one is absolutely worth exploring.

I’m not typically a fan of foam cushioning on office chairs, as they tend to retain too much heat compared to mesh seats. And while it’s not completely breathable, I didn’t find it got uncomfortably hot when sitting down for those eight-hour days.

While adjustable lumbar support would’ve been nice, it didn’t disrupt the experience when used all-day for work. The contoured, high-tension mesh backrest provided firm lower back support during prolonged use.

Adjustability controls are exceptional. Using the under-seat levers, you can alter the seat height and seat depth, and a quick pull (or push) on the backrest will adjust its height. That gives it real versatility for the workplace, where a range of users might be using these chairs.

Alongside this is the ability to tilt and recline the chair - and yes, unlike some office chairs, both can be firmly locked into place. I appreciated this, but if you prefer a model that keeps the recliner unlocked at all times, you’ll want to look elsewhere.

The chair also features 3D armrests, which can move horizontally, vertically, and swivel in and out with a satisfying click of each turn. Beneath each armrest, you’ll find a trigger - squeeze that and you’re able to raise or lower them to the right height.

My only wish here is that they also acted as a lock to prevent the armrests sliding backwards and forwards. It didn’t alter my seated experience. However, more than once the armrests slipped when too much weight was applied. It feels like an oversight that could be easily remedied in future iterations.

Boulies OP180: Final verdict

(Image credit: Boulies // Future)

The OP180 neatly fits into Boulies’ Office Professional line of chairs. It’s not a showy chair. It’s a classically styled and functional model that’s very well-suited to offices, or even the home office if you prefer a low-profile chair over executive high-back models.

The backrest is breathable, comfortable, and more supportive than you might imagine considering it doesn’t have any true lumbar support. But the foam cushioned seat was the biggest surprise for me - it feels like it’s been engineered to perfectly balance out both the firmness of your standard mesh seats and the soft, almost saggy cushioned seats of other chairs I’ve used.

You have some great control over comfort due to the excellent adjustability controls. Because of this, it’s an ideal pick if multiple people will be using the chair, which, as a fully fledged office chair, is the OP180’s ultimate goal. My only real issue is the lack of lockable armrests - they have a tendency to slide forward when too much force is applied.

Overall, though, I found it a comfortable and supportive choice at a price that’ll suit office managers buying in bulk.

Should I buy theBoulies OP180 office chair?

Buy it if…

✅ You’re kitting out a workplace
With high adjustability, good comfort, and a reasonable price, it is - as intended - a solid pick for offices where more than one person may be using it.

✅ You want a compact office chair
As a mid-back model, the OP180 features a low-profile design that won’t dominate the office or home office.

Don’t buy it if…

❌ You like armrests that lock into place
My main problem with the OP180 is that the 3D armrests have a tendency to slip back and forth when you rise from the chair.

❌ You suffer lower back pain
With no true lumbar support, this isn’t the office chair of choice for those who need additional support for the lower back.

For more workspace essentials, we tested the best standing desks for the home and office.

Categories: Reviews

I’m a professional photographer and the Manfrotto One is the greatest tripod I’ve ever used

TechRadar Reviews - Wed, 12/10/2025 - 06:00

Manfrotto One hybrid tripod: two-minute review

As soon as you pull the Manfrotto One out of its box, you can tell this is a tripod unlike any other. I’ve used many professional tripods over the years, such as the 3 Legged Thing Punks Brian 2.0 and Gitzo tripod Traveler series 1, but this feels less like a support for your camera gear and more like the center point of an entire system. An extension of the photo kit itself.

If you plan to use the Manfrotto One to its maximum advantage, then you’re likely a serious content creator, working professionally and on demanding assignments. And for such people, everything about the legs is geared towards ultimate stability.

The weight alone will reveal it isn’t made with an entry-level mirrorless camera in mind, rather professional camera bodies and motion-centric gear, amongst the best full-frame cameras and best cameras for video in 2025. I used a range of models with the tripod, from an older pro-level mirrorless setup, via a Leica Rangefinder system, to a medium-format camera. In each case, the legs felt perfectly balanced.

The extra mass of the center column pulls the center of gravity back to the mid axis of the legs, so that even when using a bulky f/2.8 telephoto zoom lens, the setup never felt like it might topple forward, something I always have to be conscious of when using other Manfrotto aluminium and Gitzo carbon fiber travel tripods.

The Manfrotto ONE feels ideally balanced when using both heavy and lightweight camera systems. When using the former, it can easily support the weight, while it won't be easily blown over with the latter (Image credit: Future/ Peter Fenech)

The 500X Fluid Head uses the 501PL sliding plate on which to mount the host camera. This can be a little fiddly on small camera bodies (Image credit: Future/ Peter Fenech)

Build quality is of the highest grade. There’s a solidity that is almost intimidating, and I wouldn’t advise leaving the Manfrotto One unsecured on the back seat of your car, for fear of the consequences should you firmly apply the brakes. Both aluminum and carbon fiber variants are available, although I only had time with the former.

During my tests the tripod was exposed to a wide range of weather conditions, from the dampness of a peat bog to the harsh salinity of the Tyne and Wear coastline. I was able to quickly and easily wipe the feet and legs clean with no sign of unexpected water or debris ingress. The same ruggedness applies to every knurled screw, flap, and locking mechanism.

The aluminium version of the tripod was used during this review. The legs were easy to keep clean and felt hard-wearing during use in wet and salty conditions (Image credit: Future/ Peter Fenech)

The 501PL sliding plate. As is visible in the image, if the plate is attached to a smaller camera in the recommended direction, it can be tricky to operate the lens controls (Image credit: Future/ Peter Fenech)

Unless you regularly inflict your tripods to 30m vertical drops, with the proper maintenance I can see the Manfrotto One outliving many of its owners.

Earlier, I mentioned the weight and while this does provide stability, it might prove challenging if you have to carry the tripod far, especially if you have the optionally bundled 500X Fluid Head attached. This alone weighs 1.22 kg, so it isn’t a system for the average holiday shoot. In fact, it may even be a challenge to transport it on-location along with a full system of camera bodies and lenses, if you work alone. I often do and found it necessary to set up for my shoot in two stages; firstly, I put up the legs and attached the head and handle, then I returned to the car to retrieve my camera.

However, if this sounds like a major deal-breaker, it’s important to remember that Manfrotto has designed this product to cater for both photographers and videographers, removing the need to carry two separate tripods for each function. This effectively streamlines the modern content creator’s gear bag and brilliantly plugs a gap in the market.

To that end, the Manfrotto One has a few exotic handling features. Starting with the Fast Leg Technology, the traditional clip or twist locks for leg extension are replaced with a single vertically flipping lever lock per leg. With one action, all three leg sections are unlocked so you can simply lift the head to the desired height and close the levers to fix the legs in place. This makes it exceptionally quick to raise and lower the head, in those moments where individually unlocking each section would cost you successful shots.

The downside is that you need to be able to support the weight of the tripod until you safely close each clip. Ideally, I’d recommend setting up the legs before attaching the head, which is made easy with the next clever innovation.

The XCHANGE quick-release system allows the 500X Fluid Head to be mounted directly onto the XCHANGE base of the center column, a bayonet-like fitting comprising multiple spring-loaded attachment points. To remove the head all the user has to do is rotate the locking ring anti-clockwise. This works almost instantaneously and is by far the most rapid head exchange system I’ve seen in a tripod. You’ll need an XCHANGE-ready head, of which there are not too many examples currently available, or you can adapt another using an XCHANGE base and plate adaptor setup.

The XTEND Fast Leg system uses a single lever clip lock to extend all leg sections at once, speeding up the process of raising and lowering the head (Image credit: Future/ Peter Fenech)

The XCHANGE system allows almost instantaneous swapping of heads, rather than having to screw and unscrew a more traditional 3/8" thread, although one is available. (Image credit: Future/ Peter Fenech)

While the 500X Fluid Head can be mounted directly on the XCHANGE base, an adaptor is required to mix and match with other heads and tripod models (Image credit: Future/ Peter Fenech)

The Q90 and modular column system is not new to the Manfrotto range – I was a fan of the design on my now ancient 190XPROB – but it’s great to see it put to use in a professional tripod of this level. By pressing the base of the center column the user can rotate it by 90 degrees, quickly positioning the camera for flat-lay shots, vertical-orientation panoramas, and dynamic video transitions.

Since the movement is rotational, you’ll still have to watch out for parallax error between panorama frames (where the relative distance between the subject and background changes between segments, introducing stitching challenges), but it’s helpful when speed is of paramount importance. Videographers, meanwhile, will enjoy spinning the camera around a fixed point to introduce movement to their footage. The best option for regular pano creators is to buy an L-bracket to minimize parallax further, or to use a shift lens.

(Image credit: Future/ Peter Fenech)

The levelling column is a huge feature for the video-shooting audience. It’s mounted on a ball fixture, so that by flipping up a clamp that’s handily engraved with ‘LVL’, the whole assembly can be pivoted until the head is perfectly aligned with the horizon. On other, larger and heavier video tripods, the levelling process is often a multi-step one which is inevitably slower.

As a frequent landscape and macro photographer, probably my favourite feature is the split center column design, the lower section of which can be removed, again with a single action. This enables easy and rapid ground-level work, without having to laboriously screw off the bottom of the column and reattach it when you suddenly need to use the tripod at its maximum height.

(Image credit: Future/ Peter Fenech)Manfrotto One hybrid tripod: key specs

Maximum height:

181cm / 71.3 inches

Closed height:

81cm / 31.9 inches

Minimum height (low mode):

30.8cm / 12.1 inches

Materials:

Aluminium/ carbon fiber

Max payload:

33.1 lb / 15 kg (15.4 lbs / 7 kg in Q90 mode)

Leg sections:

Three

Head compatibility:

Manfrotto XCHANGE

Attachment points:

1x accessory thread, 1x weight hook

Weight:

4.77kg / 10.52lb (aluminium), 4.37kg / 9.63lb (carbon fiber)

Manfrotto One hybrid tripod price and availability

The Manfrotto One was released in June 2025 and is often bundled with the 500X Fluid Head, although it can be purchased as a legs-only option. The aluminium legs cost $499.99 / £375 / AU$900, while the 500X Fluid Head kit costs $679.99 / £519 / AU$ 1,200.

The Carbon Fiber model is also available in the above kits and costs $719.99 / £539 / AU$1,250 for the legs only, and $879.99 / £669 / AU$1,500 with the 500X head.

This represents a good price to buy the 500X Fluid Head, which costs approximately $219.99 / £164 / AU$389.95 alone. Meanwhile, the Manfrotto XCHANGE accessory can be purchased by itself for around $54.99 / £39 / AU$80, and the XCHANGE plate for $21.99 / £29 (AU$ price TBC), allowing other heads to be used with the Manfrotto One legs and vice versa.

Manfrotto One hybrid tripod: Also consider

Peak Design Pro Tripod

Peak Design's travel tripods have gained almost legendary status, and the Pro Tripod range employs the best elements of that series. A great build quality is combined with a portable, lightweight design across three variants. Furthermore, a unique non-tubular leg cross-section allows convenient storage when not in use, making the tripod easy to carry. It's a fairly expensive option, but it is significantly less heavy than both the carbon fiber and aluminium versions on the Manfrotto ONE.

Read our Peak Design Pro Tripod

Sachtler Ace M Mk II

If you shoot video almost exclusively, you may benefit more from a completely motion-content dedicated tripod. This one from Sachtler is currently the best video tripod available, for its balance of price, features, and ease of use. It's extremely stable and well-constructed, with a workable maximum payload of 4kg – ideal for mirrorless and compact video camera users.

My Sachtler Ace M Mk II review is currently in progress

Should I buy the Manfrotto One hybrid tripod?

(Image credit: Future/Peter Fenech)Buy it if...

You shoot a variety of photo and video work
As suggested by the name, the Manfrotto One is designed specifically for creators who shoot both types of content. Where, before, you might have had to carry multiple tripods, now you can streamline your gear to a single camera support option.

You value speed of operation
The XTEND leg system and Q90 center column function make changing tripod configurations as rapid as possible. Manfrotto has introduced some seriously clever features here, so if you regularly worry about missing shots because your tripod wasn't set up optimally, the Manfrotto One is for you.

Don't buy it if...

You’re a beginner
For the casual shooter or novice creative, there may be too many features here for you to get to grips with. This is a professional tool meant for high-end assignments, and the many controls and functions take some getting used to.

You only occasionally shoot video
...and you're on a tight budget. It's worth the investment if you combine still and motion media, but otherwise you're not going to get the most from the legs if you mainly shoot photos. It's not cheap and it's quite heavy, so there are more easily manageable options.

How I tested the Manfrotto One hybrid tripod

I spent around a month with the aluminum version of the Manfrotto One
I tested its operational speed and efficiency, ease of use, build quality and stability
I tried the XTEND system and 500X head, and mounted various mirrorless cameras and lenses to it, including a bulky f/2.8 zoom

I spent around a month with the Manfrotto ONE, so I had a good amount of time to use it on a variety of shoots, in a mix of conditions. A local heathland is a regular haunt of mine, and this commonly leaves my tripod feet caked in peat-heavy mud. It's also exposed to the elements. The tripod certainly got wet on a few occasions. However, moisture and dirt were readily wiped off, and the feet showed no sign of excessive scratching after use.

The aluminium version I was using did get cold to the touch (a frequent challenge in winter operations), but the Manfrotto One's hard-wearing plastic components made carrying it more comfortable than directly touching the metal.

Shooting in woodland is always tricky for levelling a tripod head, but the XTEND system and ball-mounted center column made controlling the center of gravity straightforward. Using a range of camera systems, at no point was I concerned that it might topple when set up on a hillside.

Meanwhile, after a coastal shoot, I didn't find the legs prone to seizing, which can happen after exposure to salty air. The 500X head, along with the Q90 rotatable column, made switching to portrait orientation for panoramic photography quick and maintained the balance of the system well.

I shot a variety of exposure durations while waves washed over the feet to see how many vibrations were transferred to the head-mounted camera, and the Manfotto One performed well. At both closed and maximum leg heights, there was no more loss of critical image sharpness than one might expect, although I'd quite like to compare the aluminium and carbon fiber versions for this.

First reviewed December 2025

Categories: Reviews

Creatio CRM Review 2025

TechRadar Reviews - Tue, 12/09/2025 - 06:11

Creatio is a comprehensive CRM platform that aims to streamline sales, marketing, and service processes for businesses of all sizes. I found its no-code approach to workflow automation and customization really interesting.

The platform is divided into three main modules — Sales, Marketing, and Service — each offering a robust set of features. From lead management and opportunity tracking to multichannel marketing campaigns to customer support ticketing, Creatio covers a wide range of CRM functionalities. However, this breadth of capabilities comes at a price, both in terms of cost and complexity.

Its extensive customization options, while beneficial, can be overwhelming for those seeking a more straightforward CRM. But if you like the idea of building your own no-code CRM by rigorously customizing different aspects of the application, all without resorting to actual coding, this might be a great option.

Creatio CRM core capabilities

As a CRM, Creatio allows users to create detailed customer profiles with a 360-degree view of each contact, including communication history, associated deals, and relevant documents. But the real standout here is its no-code nature, which allows users to customize the platform and create new applications without extensive programming knowledge.

Creatio consolidates information from various touchpoints, providing a complete picture of customer interactions across sales, marketing, and service departments. The platform provides tools to capture leads from multiple sources and guide them through a customizable sales funnel.

I appreciated the ability to set up automated lead scoring rules, which help prioritize prospects based on their likelihood to convert. As leads progress, Creatio allows sales teams to track potential deals, associate them with specific accounts, and manage all related activities in one place.

Creatio CRM uses your historical data and current pipeline information to generate accurate sales predictions. I was impressed by the AI-driven forecasting capabilities, which analyze patterns and trends to provide more precise estimates.

It also offers a wide range of pre-built reports and dashboards covering various aspects of sales, marketing, and customer service performance. That said, where the platform really shines is the drag-and-drop report builder, which lets you customize reports to an uncanny degree.

Apart from the no-code CRM, Creatio has a few things that make it stand apart from most competitors. It offers tools for creating and managing multi-channel marketing campaigns, case management tools, a knowledge base for self-service, and even a visual process designer to automate complex business processes across departments.

There’s a wide range of pre-built connectors to integrate with popular third-party applications, plus custom integration support through an open API.

For employees in the field, Creatio’s mobile app provides access to key CRM functions on-the-go, including contact management, opportunity tracking, and activity logging. I appreciated the offline mode, which allows users to continue working even without an internet connection, with data syncing once connectivity is restored.

How easy is Creatio to use?

(Image credit: Creatio)

Creatio CRM combines powerful features with a user-friendly design, making it a great choice for businesses. While its many capabilities can feel a bit overwhelming at first, I found the interface welcoming and modern, following the latest design trends.

Navigating the platform is easy, thanks to a clear layout and a navigation bar at the top that gives quick access to sections like Sales, Marketing, and Service. Users can customize their home dashboard, arranging widgets and data visuals based on what matters most to them.

Creatio embraces a no-code approach, making it simple to adjust layouts and fields, or even create new sections in the CRM without needing programming skills. The drag-and-drop interface designer is a fantastic tool, allowing users to quickly tailor the CRM to fit their needs. However, those who prefer simpler systems might feel a bit lost with so many options.

Data entry is typically smooth, with smart features that help fill in fields and detect duplicates to keep information accurate. However, during busy times, I did notice some slight delays in data updates, which could be frustrating for users working with urgent tasks.

Creatio has made impressive strides in accessibility, yet there is still room for growth. The platform supports keyboard navigation and has some screen reader compatibility, but certain dynamic elements might be tricky for users who rely on assistive technologies. The overall color contrast is good, which helps with readability, but some areas could use a little more work to fully meet WCAG Guidelines.

The Creatio Academy is a fantastic resource, offering many e-learning courses that cover everything from basic navigation to advanced customization techniques. I particularly enjoyed the guided learning programs. They provide interactive, instructor-led training sessions that focus on practical tasks, which can be very helpful for users eager to master the platform's more complex features.

In general, Creatio works by guiding users through predefined workflows that can be tailored to fit specific business processes. This helps ensure consistency across sales, marketing, and service operations in an organization. However, it may require adjustment for users used to a more flexible way of working.

Integrations

Creatio CRM stands out with its impressive integration capabilities, showcasing its dedication to creating a connected ecosystem for businesses. From my experience, Creatio makes it easy for both technical and non-technical users to navigate its integration features.

The Creatio Marketplace is a treasure trove, offering over 700 ready-to-use add-ons, connectors, and templates. Its range of options helps businesses quickly link Creatio with popular tools and platforms, without extensive development work. I found the setup for these pre-built integrations simple, often just requiring a few quick configuration steps.

Creatio also supports popular iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) vendors. The Zapier connector available in the Marketplace, for example, makes it easy for users to sync contacts, leads, and other important data across many applications.

For those with more advanced integration needs, Creatio offers a powerful API based on the OData protocol. It allows developers full access to Creatio's data model. But while the API provides great flexibility, new developers may find it a bit challenging to understand Creatio's data structure at first. API documentation is thorough, but adding more real-world examples could really help with practical implementation.

Beyond just data synchronization, Creatio's no-code approach empowers users to build complex, automated workflows across different systems. For example, I successfully set up a process that automatically creates a new contact in Creatio when a lead comes in from a marketing tool, and then triggers a follow-up task in a project management app.

Overall, my experience with data synchronization in Creatio has been mostly positive, with real-time updates working well most of the time. Still, I did notice some occasional delays during busy periods, which businesses with high-volume and time-sensitive data might want to keep in mind.

For larger enterprises, Creatio also provides specialized integration options. A great example is the Snowflake Integration for Creatio available in the Marketplace, which helps businesses connect their Creatio instance with Snowflake data warehouses.

Customer support

Creatio CRM has a strong customer support system across various channels. During my time with the platform, I found that it offers phone, email, as well as chat support. Phone support is available during business hours. But email and chat are accessible 24/7. Chat responses are quick, often within minutes.

The support quality is generally high. Representatives seem to know the platform well, too. They offer step-by-step instructions that help solve even the most complex issues easily. However, response times can slow down during busy periods, which raises concerns for busy teams.

Creatio also has a well-organized self-service knowledge base. It includes articles, videos, and guides on various topics. The search function is particularly useful. Additionally, there’s an active user forum for peer support. That said, official responses in the forum can be slow.

Another key feature is Creatio Academy, offering free courses and certifications. It's beneficial for both new and experienced users, with courses structured around practical exercises. I liked how each course is part of a larger learning program, making it easy to follow along.

But, Creatio could improve by adding more region-specific support. While it supports multiple languages, time zone differences can make live support hard to access. Overall, however, Creatio's support is robust and effective. It combines live support, self-service resources, and training courses well. Despite some areas for improvement, the support quality is a major strength.

Creation CRM pricing and plans

Plan

Growth

Enterprise

Unlimited

Price

$25/user/month

$55/user/month

$85/user/mont

Best For

Small to medium-sized businesses looking to automate basic workflows

Corporate and enterprise clients with more complex automation requirements

Large enterprises needing advanced features and unlimited resources

Features

No-code UI designer / 1 GB storage per user / Basic workflow automation

Unlimited workflow runs / Custom branding options / Advanced automation tools

Unlimited database storage / Custom domain name / No-code Magic offer

Limitations

Limited storage and workflow capabilities may restrict scalability for larger organizations

May be overkill for small businesses with simple CRM needs

High cost may not be justifiable for businesses not utilizing all advanced features

Creatio CRM features a flexible pricing model. This model allows customers to tailor subscriptions to their needs, but the cost is increased complexity. It includes three tiers: Growth, Enterprise, and Unlimited.

The Growth plan starts at $25 per user per month. It's aimed at small-to-medium-sized businesses. It covers basic automation and relationship management features. This plan also includes a no-code interface designer, 5 users, and 1 GB storage per user.

Next is the Enterprise plan priced at $55 per user per month. It's for businesses with complex needs. It offers all Growth features, plus unlimited workflows and custom branding. But the Unlimited plan starting at $85 per user per month is the most advanced of the lot. It caters to large enterprises with complex needs. It also includes unlimited storage and attachment space.

Creatio also introduces different user types, such as Restricted Data Input Users, External Users, and Mobile-Only Users, each potentially with different pricing implications. Its pricing also allows adding extra applications or products, such Customer 360, Lead and Opportunity Management, or Case Management. By creating a modular pricing approach, they make it easier to pay for only the features you need.

However, the flexibility can also complicate pricing. Accurately determining costs may require careful consideration. Businesses with diverse needs might find the discounted bundles more cost-effective, such as Sales Creatio, Service Creatio, or Marketing Creatio.

Creatio offers a 14-day free trial, which is useful. However, it doesn't have a permanent free plan. Discounts are often available. For example, the Unlimited plan includes a "No-code Magic" offer, which covers implementation for the first project from a certified partner. However, it's important to consider the extra charges that apply for additional products.

Creatio review: Final verdict

Creatio CRM is a versatile platform for managing customer relations, marketing, and business processes. Its no-code customization allows businesses to adapt easily, without needing technical skills.

The platform boasts strong features, wide integration options, and ongoing innovation. Its pricing, though complex, offers flexibility for specific needs. However, mastering all its features takes time.

I believe Creatio CRM suits medium to large businesses with complex needs and the resources for a full solution. It's also ideal for those wanting to build custom workflows without coding. Smaller businesses or those seeking a simpler solution might find it too complex.

Categories: Reviews

I tested the Thinkware U3000 Pro Dash Cam and it has heaps of potential — but it's outshone by affordable rivals

TechRadar Reviews - Tue, 12/09/2025 - 04:54

Thinkware U3000 Pro: two-minute review

Thinkware has recently introduced the U3000 Pro Dash Cam as a beefier edition of its existing U3000 model. The company is already well-known for producing some of the best dash cams out there, but this model takes things a step further with Connected Service support. Anyone wanting the ability to monitor their vehicle remotely will find that’s now possible with the Thinkware U3000 Pro, with an optional LTE module that will be sold separately.

Another bonus with the Thinkware U3000 Pro, much like the excellent 70mai 4K T800, is that it's able to work in a three channel setup. That means it can be configured to shoot forward-facing video, capture video out of the rear window and also enjoy an infrared view of the cabin area too. That said, if the LTE module is being used, Thinkware states that the cabin cam component cannot be engaged at the same time. Nevertheless, the latter is a handy option for anyone who needs to keep an eye on occupants, from small children through to anyone transporting passengers.

On paper too, the Thinkware U3000 Pro Dash Cam has an impressive set of features and functions. My two-channel review bundle came with twin cameras that feature Sony Starvis 2 sensors, one 8.4 megapixel IMX687 for the front and one 5.14 megapixel IMX675 for the rear, shooting 4K UHD (3840 x 2160p) at 30 fps or QHD (2560 x 1440p) at 60 fps for the forward-facing unit. The rear backs it up with 2K QHD (2560 x 1440p) and 30 fps, which is all perfectly serviceable.

(Image credit: Future)

This is a slightly different camera to look at too, with a slender body shape for the front that sits neatly tucked up and out of the way of the windshield. That could be a blessing for anyone with a small viewing area at the front. There isn’t any built-in screen though, which means the setup, configuration and day-to-day management of files mainly needs to be done in partnership with the Thinkware app. The app is workmanlike and gets the job done, while built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi covers the connectivity part of the equation without much in the way of fuss.

Like most dash cam models now, this is a unit that can be boosted still further with the optional addition of a hardwire kit. Plumbed into your vehicle’s electrics, the specification is boosted with smart parking modes that enhance the U3000 Pro's appeal. Features including built-in radar and Super Night Vision 4.0 that tap into the power of the Starvis sensors adds up the appeal even further.

Meanwhile, the ADAS (advanced driver assistance) tools and built-in GPS means the Thinkware U3000 Pro Dash Cam wants for nothing. It is, however, priced on the higher side and, and for anyone who prefers a rear screen on their dash cam, it might not fit the bill at all.

Thinkware U3000 Pro: price and availability

The Thinkware U3000 Pro Dash Cam is available now and is priced at $429.99 / £399 for the single channel U3000 Pro (roughly AU$800). Meanwhile, the two-channel variant is priced at $549.99 / £479 (around AU$960). This makes it a premium model, with lots of rival models to choose from, including the aforementioned 70mai 4K T800. Anyone wanting a similar dash cam but not requiring the additional features might prefer to just settle with the original U3000 model, which can currently be found discounted via some retailers.

Thinkware U3000 Pro: specsVanTrue Nexus 5S specs

Video

Front: 4K UHD (3840 x 2160p) @30 fps or QHD (2560 x 1440p) @60 fps
Rear: 2K QHD (2560 x 1440p) @30 fps

Field of view (FOV)

147 degrees front / 156 degrees rear

Storage

MicroSD up to 512GB, Cloud

GPS

Yes

Parking mode

Yes, with constant power cable, not included

App support

Thinkware app

Dimensions

69.8 x 102.6 x 55.5 mm / 2.75 x 4.04 x 2.19 inches

Weight

0.31 lbs / 140.7g front / 0.09 lbs 41.1g rear

Battery

Thinkware U3000 Pro: Design

Thinkware has gone down a slightly different route with the design of the U3000 Pro. While many dash cams are either boxy or rectangular, the main unit of the U3000 Pro is a little bit quirkier. The front portion of the body is where most of the bulk is as this houses the lens. This in itself is an interesting idea as its angle can be adjusted to suit the rake of different windshields. I found this very stiff to adjust at first, but I guess that prevents it from changing position due to vibration or rough roads.

The back end of the camera body is thinner and contains the slot for the microSD card and has ports for the cables. At the top, there’s a bracket that slides on to the body once it’s out of the packaging and this has the self-adhesive pad that sticks to either a static sheet or directly to the windshield. I think the design works quite well, with a form factor that isn’t quite as blatantly dash cam-looking as some rivals. Handy for anyone wanting a low-key look.

(Image credit: Future)

On the underside of the camera, facing downward from the roof, are three illuminated indicators that show BT/Wi-Fi, Rec and GPS from left to right. This panel also contains physical buttons – Rec, Power, Wireless and Microphone symbols, for when manual intervention is needed. The easiest way to get set up, though, is to do everything via the supporting Thinkware app.

Thinkware has kept things blocky for the design of the rear-facing camera and, again, I quite like the rectangular shape used here as it’s different from the many barrel-style units out there. The rear camera is linked up to the front-facing main unit via a decent length cable. Meanwhile, my test unit arrived with a 12V cable connector that could be connected to a standard in-car power port. The alternative is to buy the version with the hardwire kit, which unlocks the extra functionality mentioned above.

(Image credit: Future)Thinkware U3000 Pro: Performance

It took me a couple of tries to successfully pair the Thinkware U3000 Pro Dash Cam to my iPhone, for whatever reason, possibly issues with the wireless connection. Once that was sorted, I was easily able to manage the camera and functionality using the options contained therein. Of course, one potential downside for this model is the lack of a built-in screen. However, in its place, the app let me adjust the angle of the camera correctly by showing a view across the bonnet of my car. Those on-camera buttons were useful for basic tasks too, but the app will be the way to go for most users.

Whilst it was operating, the Thinkware U3000 Pro Dash Cam got on with the job in hand without fuss, with the red recording button letting me know that it was capturing content as expected. Once I’d used it for a bit, I got the video off the card and checked it out. I’ll admit that wintry conditions didn’t prove the best for capturing good video but overall, I thought the Thinkware U3000 Pro Dash Cam footage was a bit on the average side. It was undeniably clear, but dark winter conditions seemed to take the edge off the overall look of the content.

(Image credit: Future)

Neither did it didn’t seem to be that good at capturing low light content, while picking out detail including license plates was less impressive than other models I’ve tried. A bit surprising given this model uses the ever-popular Sony Starvis hardware. I thought the detail (such as GPS data, speed and so on) added to the bottom of the footage was a bit on the small side too, especially compared to rivals, although the Wi-Fi and GPS functionality of this model all worked as expected. Overall, the Thinkware U3000 Pro Dash Cam felt good, but not as great as I’d hoped for.

(Image credit: Future)

One important thing to note is anyone wanting to enjoy the parking monitoring will need to do so by enlisting the services of an optional hardwire kit. This does increase the potential of the bundle, especially for anyone wanting the extra parking features that get unlocked by going down the hardwire route.

Should you buy the Thinkware U3000 Pro?

(Image credit: Future)Buy it if...

You're after an always-on model
The Thinkware U3000 Pro benefits from an optional always-on feature, which offers remote monitoring via your smartphone. However, this requires an optional LTE module to work.

You like a slimline design
Another bonus of the Thinkware U3000 Pro is that the main body is quite compact. This makes it a sensible choice for anyone with a fairly small windshield.

You don't care about a rear screen
While the Thinkware U3000 Pro lacks a rear screen, it can be used easily thanks to the supporting app. This lets users manage every aspect of the dash cam with fuss.

Don't buy it if...

More basic shooting is all that's required
The Thinkware U3000 Pro is just that, a beefier edition of the U3000 Pro, which can be had discounted and while lacking some extra features, it's a solid alternative.

Hard wiring a dash cam doesn't appeal
The Thinkware U3000 Pro will work via a standard 12V car power port if that option is chosen when purchasing. However, any additional features and functions require a hardwire installation.

Footage is vital for piece of mind
The Thinkware U3000 Pro shoots good quality footage in a variety of scenarios. However, I've tested rivals that do it better with the benefit of clearer on-screen GPS data too.

How I tested the Thinkware U3000 Pro

I installed the dash cam in a car for an initial period of three weeks
I used it for various day and night journeys in all types of weather
I connected it to my phone, downloading recordings to check on quality

I tested the Thinkware U3000 Pro Dash Cam overall several weeks, which consisted of using it in a test vehicle and in a variety of weather conditions. This allowed me to try all of the features and functions, aside from the hardwire options due to it being powered via a 12V power port.

In addition, I downloaded the Thinkware app, which was installed on an iPhone 17 and used during the installation process and also for file management duties. The Wi-Fi connectivity between the main camera unit and the app was also tested, which based on the size of the 4K video files was a big part of the testing procedure and everything worked as anticipated.

First reviewed December 2025

Categories: Reviews

Fairphone's newest eco-friendly headphones have a feature I wish Bose or Sony would use – and the sound's good too

TechRadar Reviews - Tue, 12/09/2025 - 02:05

Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025): Two-minute review

Two and a half years after eco-friendly tech champions Fairphone released its first pair of headphones, the company is back to release… the same pair but better. Sort-of. The new Fairbuds XL 2025 aren’t a 2.0 model of the original cans, but an updated model with a few nice changes, and a maintained feature that the best headphones should’ve copied years ago.

Fairphone is primarily a smartphone maker, with the Fairphone 6 from mid-2025 being its latest release, and its green credentials come in two forms. Firstly, its gadgets are generally made from recycled or ethically-sourced materials, and secondly they’re designed to last so you won’t be throwing them away and contributing to e-waste.

The original Fairbuds already ticked those boxes pretty well, but the XL 2025 add in more recycled elements and a longer warranty. It’s a nice bonus on cans you already feel good wearing. They also build on one of the big perks of the originals in that they’re modular, so if one part breaks you can easily replace it yourself.

As is always the case with Fairphone tech, though, you come for the environmentally-friendly promise and stay for one or two surprising extra ways the product elevates itself from the competition. Case in point with the Fairbuds XL 2025: they maintain the 2023 version’s joystick, which is a control system so easy and responsive to use that I’m surprised the big dogs aren’t copying it.

Instead of having myriad touch-capacitive buttons, dials, sliders and levers like most headphones I test, they delegate controlling your sound to a small joystick (well, and a separate ANC button that you rarely need to touch). By pressing or nudging this you can control basically everything you need to for your music, quickly and easily. I love using it and already know I’ll miss it when I move onto my next headphone review.

Beyond that, these are decent-sounding headphones which have energetic and bassy sound, but miss out on the extra ounce of detail or super-expansive soundscapes that many rivals offer. They’re comfortable to wear and look much more distinctive (and fun) than your generic dime-a-dozen headphones.

If there’s something that’ll put off prospective buyers, it’s the price – a common consideration with eco-friendly tech. These cans cost more than I would’ve guessed if I didn’t know, and while their long-lasting guarantee justifies that price well, it’s still a fair amount to pay upfront for headphones which don’t exactly rival the Sony WH-1000XM6 or Bose QuietComfort Ultra.

Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Price and release date

(Image credit: Future)

Released on December 9, 2025
Costs £219 (roughly $300, AU$460)
US release possible; AU unlikely

The Fairphone Fairbuds XL 2025 were announced on December 9, 2025, roughly two and a half years after the original model. According to the company, the newer model are more of an improved version of the older one, not a brand-new device.

The headphones will set you back £219 (roughly $300, AU$460). Fairphone is generally a European brand but its recent move into America means we could see these launch in the US, and we’ll add in a dollar price once we learn of one. Don’t expect to see these release in Australia though – Fairphone follows geographical (not Eurovision) rules on continents.

That price is, importantly, exactly the same cost that the original cans cost when they came out – but where some manufacturers are actually lowering prices in response to increasingly tough competition in a crazy-crowded market, Fairphone hasn't.

Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Specs

Drivers

40mm

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Battery life (ANC off)

30 hours

Weight

330g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.1

Frequency response

Not listed

Waterproofing

IP54

Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Features

(Image credit: Future)

30-hour battery life
ANC is decent when combined with PNC
App has equalizer... and not much else

If there’s an issue with the Fairbuds (aside from the fact that they're absolutely, positively not buds and let's be clear on that), it’s that they’re a little scant on features. There’s no find-my functionality, no listening test or spatial audio, and the Fairbuds app doesn’t offer much.

The key reason to download it is its equalizer, offering presets as well as a custom mode so you can tweak it via a five-band deck – this is called ‘Studio’ mode, so I missed it when I first tested the buds. I found that the only preset worth listening to is the default one, called Amsterdam, as it was louder a clearer than the others.

Beyond that the app lets you install firmware updates, learn the basics of headphones (not particularly important to anyone who’s used headphones before) and order replacement parts for the XL if you damage any. I can see this last service being useful – though hopefully not too often!

(Image credit: Future)

You can toggle ANC, but only with the button on the buds, and not via the app. There are three modes: on, off and ambient. Combined with the passive noise cancellation of the fabric cups, the ANC does a good job at blocking out most sounds around you. It’s not the best noise cancellation I’ve ever heard in headphones, but they won’t leave you wanting more.

The battery life clocks in at 30 hours, which is decent enough for headphones though nothing stellar – some models now offer 80 hours. Fairphone says the battery will last for at least 500 charges before needing to be replaced (that’s 15,000 hours, if you empty the juice tank fully each time) – and given that Fairphone is basically the only company to release a stat like this, it’s hard to say whether that’s standard or not. Still, it’s good to know, and there’s no way you’ll reach that amount of listening in the three years the warranty now covers, anyway.

Features score: 3.5/5

Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

Sustainable build
Comfortable to wear
Incredibly handy joystick controls

The Fairbuds XL aren’t your bog-standard over-ear headphones, and that’s not just a comment on their sustainability. They have a distinctive look and hue, with a fabric band covering and cups, protruding plastic loops connecting the cans and the band, and a two-tier look for the phones. I tested the attractive green model, but there’s also a black one.

I found the headphones comfy to wear, though some people might find them a little heavy. They can be folded, as well as extended quite a bit if you’ve got a larger head, and the fact that the wider tier of the cans wiggles a little bit means they can adapt to different head shapes. However, you can’t rotate the cups to lie flat, like you can on certain other headphones.

On the right cup, there’s an ANC button which you can use to switch ANC modes and also enable Bluetooth, and just beyond that is one of my favorite features of the cans. It’s a little joystick which you can use to turn on the buds (press and hold), play or pause (single press), change the volume (nudge it up or down) and go forward or back a track (nudge it left or right).

(Image credit: Future)

It’s really simple and easy to use, and is probably the best implementation of touch controls that I’ve ever used on a pair of headphones.

Let’s also talk about sustainability. The 2023 models used 100% recycled plastics and aluminum, and the 2025 versions one-up that: 100% of the cobalt, copper and silver is fair-mined, 100% of the rare-earth materials are recycled and the cans were assembled with 100% renewable energy.

Now, I’m no eco-genius, but that all sounds good to me – especially the part about rare earth materials given how they cost the Earth. The buds are also modular, so if a part breaks you can replace it without needing a whole new pair of cans, and Fairphone offers a three-year warranty on the Fairbuds (one year longer than on the last model).

Design score: 5/5

Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Sound quality

40mm driver
Punchy, warm sound
Restrictive sound stage

(Image credit: Future)

While the 2025 model of Fairbuds XL have the same 40mm driver, one of their big updates is still in the sonic department. Apparently the new cans have been re-tuned for more balanced audio – that doesn’t quite track with my own experiences with them, but I’m not really complaining.

In our reporting on the original cans we noticed that the sound of the Fairbuds was “energetic and forthright, rather than refined an analytical”, and that’s exactly how the new model sound to me.

(Image credit: Future)

In sounds like O.A.R’s Lay Down, or Michael Franti’s Once A Day, you can hear the punch of brass lines and hearty bass, giving an infectious energy to songs. But songs which have complex instrumentation can sometimes feel like their losing some of their edge – Somewhere in Between by Morningsiders feels a little more monophonic than it needs.

Generally, it’s the warmer sounds that benefit from whatever touch Fairphone has added, with (reasonably) well-defined bass and mids that keep their head above the water more often than not. But there’s not quite the expansiveness through the soundstage as you might want and crave, which stops instruments from standing apart, keeping back certain songs from reaching their true sonic breadth and impact.

Some technical specs here: the Fairbuds connect with Bluetooth 5.1. They miss most codecs but do support aptX HD for higher-resolution 24-bit wireless streaming, if you're source material and device is up to it.

Sound quality: 3.5/5

Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Value

(Image credit: Future)

Pricier than the features would suggest
Longevity balances value out

If you compare the Fairbuds XL 2025 to same-price contemporaries, it’s easy to make the case that they’re not great value for money. They lack features and the same level of audio refinement that you’d get in rivals.

While that’s true, it's also missing a key point – these headphones are designed for longevity. Where you might need to buy a new pair of Sonys or Bose in a year or two when they inevitably break or the battery renders them unusable, the Fairbuds XL will almost certainly last you a lot longer.

So these are better value than they may first appear – but you need to be playing the long game to appreciate it.

Value: 4/5

Should I buy the Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025)?Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

The ANC and battery life are average, and there are few other features.

3.5/5

Design

Between the eco-friendly build, the comfortable fit and the handy joystick, I have no notes.

5/5

Sound quality

It's a flawed but fun sound, far from perfect but still enjoyable to listen to.

3.5/5

Value

Sure, the price is high, but they'll last longer than alternatives.

4/5

Buy it if…

You care about the planet
It's the core selling point here: these have been built sustainably.

You want long-lasting cans
Between the modular design and the warranty, you can guarantee these will last longer than alternatives.View Deal

You like controlling music from your cans
The joystick is the single best control feature I've used in headphones.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

You're on a budget
While they're long-lasting cans, that doesn't stop the fact that the upfront cost is fairly high.

You like tweaking your sound profile
The Fairbuds' equalizer doesn't give you much wiggle room over your sound, and the presets don't help.

Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Also consider

Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025)

House of Marley Positive Vibration Rebel

Sony WH-1000XM5

Drivers

40mm

30mm

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Battery life (ANC on)

30 hours

75 hours

30 hours

Weight

330g

517g

250g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.1

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.2

Waterproofing

IP54

IPX5

Not specified

House of Marley Positive Vibration Rebel
These more affordable headphones are made from wood and recycled aluminum, while offering a much longer-lasting battery too.

Sony WH-1000XM5
Thanks to its Green Management 2025 plan, Sony headphones can be relatively eco-friendly, and these previous-generation ones are actually cheaper than the Fairbuds.

Read our full Sony WH-1000XM5 review

How I tested the Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025)

Tested for 3 weeks
Tested at home, on walks, on public transport and the gym

My testing period for the Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) lasted for roughly 3 weeks, not including the additional time it took to write this review (or run them in).

I generally used the headphones for streaming music from Spotify and Tidal using my Android phone, but also tested on Netflix, Prime Video and various games. I listened at home, on walks around my local area, at the gym, and on public transport (trains and buses) during several long journeys.

In the past I've reviewed multiple smartphones from Fairphone, and other gadgets with an emphasis on eco-friendly tech. I've also tested plenty of headphones over the 7 years I've been writing for TechRadar.

First reviewed in December 2025

Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Categories: Reviews

This pet hair-friendly cordless vacuum is one of the best budget options I've tested

TechRadar Reviews - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 11:04

Bissell PowerClean FurFinder: two-minute review

The Bissell PowerClean FurFinder is a simple but effective cordless vacuum with an affordable price tag. I've been testing it out for two weeks and have generally been very impressed.

On the design front it keeps things basic, with three suction modes, a removable battery, a small but easy-to-empty bin and a wall mount for out-of-the way storage. Like almost all stick vacuums these days, it can be reconfigured for use as a handheld with one of the provided detail tools. In general use I found the performance very good – it had no issues clearing particles and hair from hard floors and carpet, and only struggled when it came to tackling large debris, which tended to get caught in the floorhead casing.

Those seeking the best vacuum for pet hair might prefer a model with larger bin, as the one included here is smaller than average and will fill up quickly if you have shedding pets. They might also struggle with the shorter runtimes – if you bump up to Med mode (as you will likely want to if you're vacuuming carpet), you'll only have 20 minutes or so or cleaning time before having to stop to recharge.

I was especially impressed with the Mini motorized tool, which did a stellar job of pulling fuzz from an old cushion-turned-makeshift cat bed. Unusually, this is kitted out with headlamps to help illuminate areas you might otherwise miss.

It's not doing anything especially new, and those who prefer a more hi-tech appliance have plenty of flashier options to choose from. In its price bracket, though, it's a very strong performer – and certainly one of the best cheap vacuums I've tested. If you're after a solid cordless vacuum for an affordable price, the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder should be on your shortlist.

(Image credit: Future)Bissell PowerClean FurFinder review: price & availability

List price: $229.99
Available: US

The Bissell PowerClean FurFinder is only available in the US, where it's very competitively priced, coming in at $229.99 (equivalent to about £180 / AU$360). That's in TechRadar's budget bracket for vacuums, and considering the excellent performance, makes this vacuum easy to recommend.

If you're in the market for a new vacuum, you're probably also considering Shark or Dyson. The Shark Freestyle Max is comparable in price at $199.99 / £149 / AU$249.99 but it's an upright vacuum and can't be reconfigured for use on anything other than the floor, as you can with the Bissell. Plus the battery times are even shorter than on the Bissell.

The oldest and cheapest Dyson is the Dyson V8, which comes in at $349.99 / £329 / AU$397, though discounts do crop up on occasion. It's still a very strong option, with better battery life. But in terms of features it doesn't really add much outside of brand recognition to justify the price difference.

Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5

Bissell PowerClean FurFinder specs

Weight:

3.3 kg / 7.3 lbs

Bin size:

0.4L

Max runtime:

40 mins

Charge time:

2 hrs 30 mins

Size (H x W x L):

in / cm

Max suction:

200AW

Modes:

Low, Med, High

Tools:

Main floorhead, Mini motorized brush head, Crevice tool

Bissell PowerClean FurFinder review: design

Cordless stick vacuum with three power modes and headlamps
Modular design means it can be used as a handheld; comes with useful tools
Dustbin is rather small – especially given it's meant for pet hair

While the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder cordless vacuum doesn't really redefine anything about cordless vacuums, it's a solid offering in just about every way. It's attractive, coming in a black and blue colorway. Its floorhead has lights, like most decent vacuums nowadays, so you can see any dirt right in front of it. It's modular so the main body of the vacuum can be removed from the telescopic tube, and the tube itself can be removed from the floorhead. And its included tools make it multifunctional, and suitable for use as a handheld vacuum.

Speaking of extras: this cordless vacuum comes not only with a 2-in-1 Crevice tool (it has a retractable brush), but a Mini motorized brush head that lights up like the floorhead, and a wall mount for easy storage. The wall mount does require a screwdriver to install, though I appreciate the inclusion of wall anchors if you have to install on nothing but drywall.

(Image credit: Future)

Getting back to the vacuum itself. The controls here are straightforward, with a power button and a mode button that cycles through low, medium and high suction. There are no screens to provide information and nothing in the way of automation here, which isn't surprising at this price point (although the similarly affordable Dreame R20 does offer automatic dirt detection). I was pleased to see the battery is removable and swappable.

(Image credit: Future)

A minor complaint is that the dustbin is small. The 0.4 liter capacity will rule it out for large homes, and – perhaps ironically, given the name – it's also not ideal for households with shedding pets. It is at least easily removable, and just as easy to empty.

Design score: 4 out of 5

Bissell PowerClean FurFinder review: performance

Pickup is good on all sorts of dust and debris, including pet hair
Motorized mini brush is ideal for clearing pet hair from upholstery
Not that quiet in operation, and struggles to pick up chunky particles

After having tested the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder on all sorts of surfaces and with different types of messes, I'm confident in its cleaning abilities. Now, it's not going to compete with a heavy duty canister or upright vacuum in terms of pure power, but it has good enough suction that I'm okay grabbing this instead of said heavy duty vacuum. (If you do want a super-sucky upright, head to TechRadar's guide to the best upright vacuums.)

Even on the low setting, it did a good job sucking up dust and debris. I used this cordless vacuum to clean up some extra flour and sugar left over from a robot vacuum test and it got all the leftover remnants in a single pass.

(Image credit: Future)

I also vacuumed baking soda, lentils, and cereal as a benchmark on hard flooring using the low suction mode and was done spot cleaning in about a minute on low suction. The only issue I came across is that the transparent cover on the floorhead doesn't allow chunky debris to pass beneath it. I experienced this specifically when I pushed forward to vacuum the Cheerios, and they piled up instead of being sucked away. But that just meant it took me two passes instead of one to clean everything up.

I repeated the same test on low-pile carpet actually using the medium suction mode to see if it would take me just one pass, but I ended up with similar results, needing an extra pass to get the Cheerios.

(Image credit: Future)

Considering that this is advertised for picking up fur, we have to consider whether it actually handles that task well. I believe that this vacuum does. I used the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder to vacuum up after two dogs and a cat (and a number of humans, a few of which have long hair), and it did a great job of sucking up stray hairs.

I found it didn't really matter which mode I used – higher modes just sucked in more. The floorhead never got in a tangle, either. My only complaint is that the bin filled up quickly, so if you have multiple shedding pets you'll find yourself emptying it more often than you perhaps would like.

(Image credit: Future)

Where cordless vacuums shine over powerful corded ones is in their versatility. I was also impressed with how effective the Mini motorized brush head was at cleaning upholstery. I had a couch cushion in the basement was covered in hair from months of being used as an impromptu cat bed and no clean up. With the Mini motorized brush head, it took one pass to completely remove all that hair, and I didn't have any issues with it getting stuck. The motorized roller helped pull up strands of hair, and the headlamps (which are rare to find on a detail tool) helped illuminate any patches I might have missed.

(Image credit: Future)

I was also able to get into corners easily with the Crevice tool. I used this for multiple tasks, including clearing lentils and Cheerios stuck between the carpet and the molding after a benchmark test, tackling the cobwebs and spiderwebs that had been overtaking the basement, and vacuuming the dirt that had build up in the footwells of my car. It made short work of all these tasks, although it wasn't ideal as a car vacuum as it was a bit too bulky to get to awkward spots like the dashboard.

It's worth noting that it's not a particularly quiet vacuum, running from 66 to 76 dB depending on the power level chosen.

Performance score: 4 out of 5

Bissell PowerClean FurFinder review: battery life

Battery life is underwhelming – 40 mins on low, 21 on Med, and 13 on high
Recharge is relatively speedy at 2 hours 30 mins
Battery is removable and swappable

Bissell states this cordless vacuum will last up to 40 minutes on Min, 21 in Med, and 13 on Max. I found this accurate – I timed it at 40 minutes and 25 seconds on a single charge in the lowest suction mode. And I find that battery life is enough for vacuuming a good 800-square-feet on a single charge. However, most people will want to use the Med mode most of the time, and 21 minutes is really not enough to get much done.

(Image credit: Future)

The 40 minutes does not measure up favorably on the wider market, either. Most of today's best cordless vacuums last around 60 minutes in Min mode, and some even longer. Recharge takes around two and a half hours, which is actually quite quick, but still rather a long time to wait if you're having to stop mid-clean.

Because the battery is removable, it is possible to pick up a backup battery to extend your cleaning times – or to replace the existing battery if it starts to eventually lose charge. The power cable plugs directly into the battery, which is good news if you want to store the vacuum somewhere that's not near an outlet.

Battery life score: 3 out of 5

Should you buy the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder?

Attribute

Notes

Rating

Value

Budget bracket, and great value for the performance.

4.5 / 5

Design

Basic but effective, although the dustbin is smaller than I'd like.

4 / 5

Performance

Efficient pickup of dust and pet hair, although struggled with chunky particles.

4 / 5

Battery life

With a maximum of 40 mins per charge, battery life is underwhelming – most competitors manage 60 mins.

3 / 5

Buy it if...

You don't need anything fancy

This vacuum lacks fancy features but keeps all the essentials, including good pickup, three suction modes and an easy-to-empty bin.

You're on a budget

This vacuum is simple but effective, and comes in at a nice, wallet-friendly price.

You have a smaller home

This vacuum's runtimes are rather limited, but that won't be an issue if you don't have a massive area to clean.

You want a great upholstery tool

I was impressed with how efficiently this Bissell vacuum's upholstery tool pulled pet hair from an old cushion that was being used as a cat bed.

Don't buy it if...

You want something hi-tech

The Bissell PowerClean is rather simple in features. Competitor models offer things like automatic suction adjustment and info screens.

You have multiple shedding pets

As convenient as the Bissell PowerClean is, that small dustbin needs to be emptied after almost every use, and even more frequently if you have hairy pets.

You have a lot of space to cover

The battery life is the biggest weakness for this cordless vacuum. Most of the competition adds at least another 20 minutes of use before needing to be charged.

Bissell PowerClean FurFinder review: Alternatives

Dyson V11

The Dyson V11 is certainly still pricey, even if it's a bit older. But it still has that Dyson magic and does an excellent job cleaning up all sorts of debris, including pet hair. It also comes with a stronger battery life than the Bissell despite having come out in 2019.

Read our full Dyson V11 review

Shark Freestyle Max

The Shark Freestyle Max may not be modular but it's compact, has a large dust cup, and excellent suction power. Its battery life even worse than this Bissell's, and the fact it can't be reconfigured means you're more limited than most cordless stick vacuums, but it is very affordable.

Read our full Shark Freestyle Max review

How I tested the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder

To test the Bissell PowerClean FurFinder, I used it for a couple weeks, testing its vacuum capabilities not only on hardwood floors, but also tile, low pile carpet, and even a high pile bath mat. It was tested in a home that houses two dogs and a cat, plus a number of humans, a few of which have long hair. I used it at its various strengths and tested it by doing general cleaning and also running bench marks with baking soda, lentils, and cereal.

Read more about how we test vacuum cleaners

First reviewed December 2025

Categories: Reviews

The Honor Magic 8 Lite has the best battery life of any phone I've ever tested – but it's not a total home run

TechRadar Reviews - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 09:00

Honor Magic 8 Lite review: Two-minute review

With the Honor Magic 8 Lite, the battery is undoubtedly the star of the show. It has the same massive 7,500 mAh capacity as the Oppo Find X9 Pro, but when combined with its lower-end energy-efficient chip, it lasts even longer. I'm not exaggerating when I say that four days on a single charge is quite easy to achieve with this phone.

The Magic 8 Lite's construction has been significantly upgraded this year, too. It now carries the highest possible IP rating, so dust and water will pose no threat, while a shock-resistant frame and reinforced tempered glass should keep it fairly safe from drops.

The phone's display is another highlight, and it ticks all the most important boxes. It's bright, has a speedy 120Hz refresh rate, supports PWM dimming, and has slim symmetrical bezels all the way around.

(Image credit: Future)

Unfortunately, the Magic 8 Lite's performance isn't quite so impressive. You'll see the occasional stutter when you're going about your daily business, and you'll need to use very low graphics settings to get a playable experience in modern games.

The cameras, too, left me wanting more. Honor hasn't upgraded the camera hardware on its Magic Lite series for the last few generations, and while the main sensor on this latest model is quite good, the ultra-wide is pretty terrible.

The software won't be to everyone's taste (and it's not fully up to date), but it has some genuinely useful features, as well as some neat AI tricks that are often reserved for pricier flagship phones. I found it very easy to live with.

So, whether the Magic 8 Lite is right for you will all depend on your priorities. As a photographer and a gamer, I didn't have the greatest time with Magic 8 Lite, but not everyone is like me. Battery life is the number one concern for many users, and that's one area where the Magic 8 Lite will definitely not disappoint.

Honor Magic 8 Lite review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

Announced on December 8, 2025
Coming to the UK and Europe in January
Not available in the US

The Honor Magic 8 Lite was announced on December 8, 2025, and is expected to begin shipping in the UK and Europe in January. As usual for Honor products, it won't be coming to the US.

Honor hasn't confirmed official pricing just yet, but with the Magic 7 Lite retailing for £399 at launch, I'd expect the Magic 8 Lite to cost a similar amount.

If so, that would put it in league with big-name rivals like the Samsung Galaxy A56 and Google Pixel 9a, though the Magic 8 Lite already stands out by offering the biggest battery of the three, as well as an IP69K rating.

Value score: TBC

Honor Magic 8 Lite review: Specs

Here's a look at the Honor Magic 8 Lite's key specs:

Honor Magic 8 Lite

Dimensions

161.9 x 76.1 x 7.76mm

Weight

189g

MagicOS 9, based on Android 15

Display

6.79-inch OLED, 120Hz

Resolution

2640 x 1200 pixels

Chipset

Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 4

RAM

8GB

Storage

256GB / 512GB

Battery

7500mAh

Rear cameras

108MP (f/1.75) main, 5MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide

Front camera

16MP (f/2.45)

Honor Magic 8 Lite review: DesignImage 1 of 4

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Plastic frame with 6-layer drop-resistant structure
Forest Green, Midnight Black, and Reddish Brown options
IP68/IP69K dust and water-resistant

With the Magic 8 Lite, Honor has done away with the curved edges we saw on the last few generations, instead opting for a boxy design with flat siderails, which is bang on trend. While I appreciated how slim the curved edges made the Magic 7 Lite feel, the newer model feels more premium and modern.

The phone is available in three different colors: Midnight Black, Reddish Brown, and Forest Green. I have the latter in for review, and it looks lovely. The rear panel has a velvety matte feel, and the color shifts slightly when the light hits it. It's not a fingerprint magnet, either, which is often a problem with matte-finish phones.

The cameras are arranged in a centrally placed halo, just like on the previous generation, and the design reminds me of the Huawei Mate-series flagships. Love it or hate it, there's no denying it stands out from the crowd.

One of the big upgrades this year is the new IP68/69K rating for dust and water resistance. This means the phone is effectively immune to dust ingress and can withstand dunks in fresh water, as well as blasts from jets of hot water. So, if you can't resist scrolling while you take a shower, this is one of the few phones that will survive the ordeal.

The drop resistance has also been cranked up a notch. Honor reckons it'll survive drops from up to 2.5m heights, thanks to a new 6-layer drop-resistant structure that incorporates non-Newtonian fluid.

The phone still has a plastic frame, but it doesn't seem to be holding it back in terms of durability. The tempered glass coating on the screen has also been toughened; it now has a 31% deeper tempering depth to help with scratch and crack resistance.

Design score: 4 / 5

Honor Magic 8 Lite review: DisplayImage 1 of 2

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6.79-inch 120Hz OLED display
3840Hz PWM dimming
6,000-nit peak brightness

The Honor Magic 8 Lite now has a fully flat screen, rather than curved edges, and I much prefer it. Not only does this mean you avoid unwanted reflections and accidental edge touches, but it's also easier to find a quality screen protector.

The bezels are slimmer, too, and they're symmetrical on all sides, which gives the phone a more premium look. The pill-shaped selfie cutout is also gone, and you now get a more typical circular punch hole.

The screen is also brighter than before, able to reach a whopping 6,000 nits at peak brightness. I certainly never had any trouble seeing the display out in the sunlight.

(Image credit: Future)

It's an OLED panel, and as you might expect, it delivers the deep, inky blacks and vibrant colors that the technology is known for. A 120Hz refresh rate keeps things looking smooth as you swipe around, too.

If you're concerned about eye strain, you'll be pleased to learn that the Honor Magic 8 Lite supports 3,840Hz high-frequency PWM dimming. This will help your eyes feel fresher when using the phone at low brightness levels.

Another neat feature is Honor's AI Heavy Rain Touch/Glove Touch tech. This ensures that the touchscreen continues working when others might fail, for example, when there's water on the screen. It's very useful in the British wintertime.

Display score: 4 / 5

Honor Magic 8 Lite review: Cameras

(Image credit: Future)

108MP main (f/1.75)
5MP ultra-wide (f/2.2)
16MP selfie camera (f/2.45)

The Honor Magic 8 Lite has two rear cameras: a 108MP main and a 5MP ultra-wide. Around the front, there's a 16MP punch hole selfie camera.

This is the exact same hardware that we saw on the Magic 7 Lite and Magic 6 Lite before that. Neither of those phones impressed me with their photographic abilities, so my expectations were on the ground when coming to test the Magic 8 Lite.

Indeed, the ultra-wide is as bad as you might expect. You can get passable results in perfect lighting, but there's only so much you can do with such a low-resolution sensor. In low light, you should avoid it entirely.

The main camera, on the other hand, is quite decent. Just don't let the 108MP specification fool you into thinking you'll get exceptionally detailed shots. It spits out 12MP JPEGs by default, and you'll need a bright sunny day if you want to use the full resolution, as the pixels are quite tiny.

I had hoped that this high-resolution sensor would allow for big digital crops without much of a loss in quality, but that's not the case. You can see the quality degrade quite significantly at 3x zoom, and it gets worse as you approach the maximum of 10x.

Still, in the right conditions, you can get some great shots with the Magic 8 Lite. Honor's processing is a little punchy and contrasty for my tastes, but you are given plenty of controls to adjust the way your images look.

The selfie camera is fine, but wholly unremarkable. It's on par with most budget-focused handsets, and it gets the job done, but it doesn't have the edge that Instagram addicts will be looking for.

I found that portrait mode cutouts weren't the most reliable, often chopping off bits of hair. Plus, there's less control than I'm accustomed to. There's no way to change the blur level on the selfie camera, for instance; it's just on or off.

For video shooting, you can capture at up to 4K 30fps on the main camera, while the other two lenses top out at 1080p. Video stabilization isn't the most impressive, and the lack of consistency across lenses means that budding content creators will be left wanting more.

Cameras score: 3 / 5

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(Image credit: Future)Honor Magic 8 Lite review: Performance Image 1 of 2

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Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 chipset
8GB RAM
256GB / 512GB storage

The Honor Magic 8 Lite is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 SoC. It's a healthy upgrade compared to the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 that was (strangely) present in both the Magic 6 Lite and 7 Lite.

Still, this is a budget-focused chipset, so you should temper your expectations when it comes to performance. It's paired with 8GB of RAM, which should be sufficient for some multitasking, and either 256GB or 512GB of storage.

In normal day-to-day use, when scrolling social media and responding to emails and WhatsApp messages, the phone feels quick enough. At times, though, you can feel the difference between this and a flagship device. You can expect to see the occasional stutter in the system animations, and sometimes things will take a split second longer to load. Honestly, though, it's very easy to live with.

However, when you boot up a demanding game, that performance gap widens significantly. In fairness, the Magic 8 Lite was still able to play Wuthering Waves, which is well known as one of the most challenging Android titles, but I had to stick to the lowest preset to get playable framerates, and I still saw the odd performance dip.

So, this phone is not a good choice for keen gamers, but if you're more into Candy Crush or retro titles, you might find this level of performance to be all you need.

Performance score: 3 / 5

Honor Magic 8 Lite review: SoftwareImage 1 of 2

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Magic OS 9, based on Android 15
Plenty of AI features
6 years of updates and security patches (in EU regions)

The Magic 8 Lite runs Magic OS 9, which is the same software you'll find on Honor's 2025 flagships like the Magic 7 Pro and Magic V5. That said, we've already seen Magic OS 10 begin to roll out to these handsets, so it's a little strange that the Lite model is launching one step behind. Hopefully, the upgrade will materialize before too long.

Honor promises six years of OS upgrades and security patches for the Magic 8 Lite in the EU, so it will definitely get the new OS, but how soon it will arrive remains to be seen. Regardless, it's a very decent update policy at this price point; it doesn't match the seven years that you get with Honor's flagship phones, but it outdoes a lot of the similarly priced competition. It should be noted, though, that outside of the EU, this phone only gets two years of updates.

Magic OS continues to be a divisive Android skin. It's heavily stylized, and it changes a lot of the core fundamentals, so Android purists probably won't love it. Personally, though, I quite enjoy it. I think it looks nice, and it adds some genuinely useful features.

Honor's Magic Portal interface on the Magic 8 Lite (Image credit: Future)

Honor's Magic Portal is probably the most unique offering. It allows you to drag text and images from one app to another, and I find myself using it quite frequently. I was pleased to see that Honor's "Knuckle to Portal" gesture is now supported on the Lite model, too, as it was missing when I reviewed the previous model.

In terms of functionality, there's a lot of overlap between Magic Portal and Google's Circle to Search, which is also supported on this phone. That said, having more than one way to accomplish a task is rarely a bad thing, because if one service isn't behaving the way you'd like, you can try the other.

You also get loads of AI-powered image editing tools on the Magic 8 Lite, like an object eraser, reflection removal, outpainting, background removal, and more. Again, a lot of these features are built into Google Photos, too, but if you use both platforms, you can see which one does a better job.

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Magic Pill on the Magic 8 Lite (Image credit: Future)

I'm a big fan of Honor's Magic Pill feature, which is functionally almost identical to Apple's Dynamic Island. It's nothing particularly new, but it means you have quick access to things like media controls and timers, no matter which app is running in the foreground.

The aggressive power-saving measures that the OS applies by default are less impressive. If you want timely notifications, you might find that you need to go into the settings and tweak things. I often found I wasn't getting notifications from my video doorbell, for example.

Software score: 3 / 5

Honor Magic 8 Lite review: Battery

(Image credit: Future)

7,500mAh silicon-carbon battery
66W wired charging
No charger included

Without a doubt, one of the most appealing aspects of the Magic 8 Lite is its insane battery life. The 7,500mAh silicon-carbon cell is up there with the largest batteries available today (tied with the Oppo Find X9 Pro and RedMagic 11 Pro). The difference here is that it's paired with a less powerful and more energy-efficient chipset, which results in the best battery life of any phone I have tested to date.

When I was working in the office, and not playing too many games or taking a lot of photos, I found I was only using around 25% of the Magic 8 Lite's battery per day. I managed to make the phone last for four days on a single charge, and it wasn't particularly challenging to do so.

Of course, battery life varies wildly depending on how you use your phone, but even the heaviest of users should be able to achieve two days on a charge without any difficulty. So, if you're always forgetting to charge your phone, the Magic 8 Lite could be an absolute game-changer.

What's more, despite having a massive battery, the phone also doesn't take too long to charge. It supports up to 66W speeds using an official Honor charger, but sadly, you don't get one included in the box.

With the right charger, you can expect around a 50% charge in just half an hour, while a full charge will take just over an hour. Not too shabby.

As ever, I would have loved to see wireless charging support, especially since the feature seems to be making its way to more mid-rangers, but there's none of that here.

Battery score: 5 / 5

Should you buy the Honor Magic 8 Lite?Honor Magic 8 Lite scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

We're still waiting for confirmation of the phone's price.

TBC

Design

The Magic 8 Lite looks a lot more premium than its predecessor, and it's a lot more durable, too.

4 / 5

Display

Slimmer bezels, higher brightness, and PWM dimming make this display a winner.

4 / 5

Cameras

The 108MP main camera can take some decent shots, but the ultra-wide is pretty awful.

3 / 5

Performance

The Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 is adequate for daily use, but it's nothing too special.

3 / 5

Software

There are some great features, but it's already a generation behind, and the power-saving features can be annoying.

3 / 5

Battery

Simply put, this is the longest-lasting phone I've tested to date.

5 / 5

Buy it if...

You hate charging your phone

If you're always walking around with 1% left in the tank, the Honor Magic 8 Lite could be the phone for you. You can easily go for three days on a single charge, and with light use, you might even be able to make it last four.

You need something durable

An IP69 rating for dust and water resistance, along with a shock-resistant frame and thickened tempered glass, makes for a very hard-wearing phone. This device should be able to withstand some abuse.

Don't buy it if...

You want blazing-fast performance

While I found the performance to be adequate for basic tasks, you can definitely tell this isn't the speediest device around. Gamers should steer clear.

You want the best cameras

With the Magic 8 Lite, you only really get one good camera; the ultra-wide and selfie snappers are wholly unimpressive. If photography is your priority, there are better options to consider.

Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Also consider

The Honor Magic 8 Lite is a battery life champion with great durability, but there are plenty of other great options around the same price. Here are a couple of competitors that are worth looking at:

Samsung Galaxy A56

Samsung's mid-range favorite offers a more premium build, using more aluminum and glass than plastic. It also has a superior ultra-wide camera, but the battery is much smaller, and the charging isn't as quick.

Read our Samsung Galaxy A56 Review

Google Pixel 9a

Google's Pixel 9a is powered by the Tensor G4 chip, which is a massive step up from the Magic 8 Lite's Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 in terms of performance. The cameras are more impressive, too. However, yet again, Honor reigns supreme when it comes to battery life and charging speed.

Read our full Google Pixel 9a review

Honor Magic 8 Lite

Samsung Galaxy A56

Google Pixel 9a

Price:

TBC

$499 / £499 / AU$699

$499 / £499 / AU$849

Display:

6.79-inch OLED

6.7-inch OLED

6.3-inch OLED

Cameras:

108MP main; 5MP ultra-wide

50MP main; 12MP ultra-wide; 5MP macro

48MP main; 13MP ultra-wide

Processor:

Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 4

Exynos 1580

Tensor G4

Battery:

7,500mAh

5,000mAh

5,100 mAh

How I tested the Honor Magic 8 Lite

Review test period: One week
Testing included: Everyday use, including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
Tools used: Geekbench 6, 3DMark, GFXBench, native Android stats

I put my SIM card into the Honor Magic 8 Lite and used it as my main phone for just over a week. I used it exactly as I would use any other phone, taking lots of photos, gaming, messaging, working, streaming video, and navigating with Google Maps and Waze.

I also compared the experience of playing graphically challenging games like Wuthering Waves and Zenless Zone Zero to my experience on other Android mid-rangers like the Nothing Phone (3a) and Samsung Galaxy A56. I also ran multiple benchmarks on the handset, including 3DMark, GFXbench, and Geekbench.

I assessed the battery performance based on my real-world usage, and charging times were measured using an official Honor 100W wall adapter and cable.

Hide.me VPN review

TechRadar Reviews - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 04:33

Hide.me has been a fixture in the VPN sphere for around 15 years, and has carved out a niche as a decent all-rounder with some innovative advanced tools (and plenty of customization to get stuck into). Still, despite its appeal, it hasn't cracked our best VPN rankings.

Despite a modest server network, great speeds, and consistent access to most of today's best streaming platforms, Hide.me is let down by a lack of innovation and add-on extras.

Still, we're glad to see that Hide.me invested in an audit last year, ending a lengthy draught, and it's certainly a service that gets the basics right. If you're looking for a VPN that's not as uber-commercial as today's top picks, Hide.me could be a worthwhile consideration. Keep reading, and we'll explore it from top to bottom.

Hide.me Features

Hide.me is a subsidiary of EVenture Limited, a Malaysian company that has been a part of the VPN industry since 2011.

Hide.me currently boasts around 2,600 servers in 91 different locations worldwide. That's a pretty decent spread that'll be more than enough for most users, but NordVPN blows it out of the water when it comes to coverage, with servers in a whopping 118 countries.

Several protocols are available to choose from, including the super-speedy WireGuard and battle-tested OpenVPN, and IKEv2, SoftEther, and SSTP are in the mix, too. It's also nice to see that Hide.me offers DNS, IP, and IPv6 leak protection, and that port forwarding is there for anyone who needs it (perhaps while doing a spot of torrenting).

Hide.me is compatible with most of today's biggest and best platforms. Apps are available for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux. You'll also be able to use Hide.me on smart TVs, consoles, and routers, as well as enjoy 10 simultaneous connections. If you need help getting set up on any of these devices, or just want help picking out the best server, 24/7 live chat is happy to help.

MultiHop lets you connect from one location and exit from another to prevent tracking (Image credit: Hide.me)

Advanced features include MultiHop VPN, allowing you to connect to one location and exit from another. This makes it even more difficult for anyone to trace back and identify you.

Hide.me claims to support P2P on most servers. We verified this by connecting to five different locations and had hassle-free torrenting in each case.

We also like that Hide.me is clear about its unblocking capabilities, listing the platforms it's able to access on its site. This is great news for fans of Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Prime Video, and more, and sets Hide.me apart from other services that rely on vague promises that they're not always able to live up to.

While there have been some recent updates and improvements, they're more focused on enhanced the existing Hide.me service rather than adding new and innovative tools. It's why Hide.me can't quite keep up with innovators like NordVPN and ExpressVPN, but they're still worthwhile improvements. In particular, upgrading the servers from 1 Gbps to 10 Gbps is exciting, and Hide.me labels which servers have received the upgrade in its list. It's the kind of transparency we love to see.

Hide.me pricing

Hide.me's monthly plan is fairly priced at $9.95. Most providers charge somewhere in the $10-$13 range, although a few are significantly cheaper (Mullvad asks around $6).

The annual plan is available for an above-average $5.82 a month. Hide.me used to throw in 2TB of Internxt cloud storage, but no more. Now, it's the VPN only. Most providers are a little cheaper at around $4-5 for annual subscriptions, and a few cost even less (you'll pay a monthly $3.33 for Private Internet Access, $2.08 for FastestVPN).

The two-year plan offers the best value at $3.45, but even here, there's money to be saved elsewhere. Atlas VPN's three-year plan costs $2.08 a month, for instance. Looking at the totals, paying $89.95 to Hide.me gets you coverage for two years with two months free – but three years of protection (with three months free) at Atlas VPN costs $71.52.

You can pay for your plan by credit card, PayPal or even with cryptocurrency (Image credit: Hide.me)

Regardless of which plan you go for, there are a few different ways to pay for your subscription. The usual suspects are available: think credit and debit cards, PayPal, Google and Amazon Pay. You can also pay for Hide.me with Bitcoin if you're keen to avoid a paper trail.

Like most of today's top VPNs, all Hide.me plans are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee, which gives you a month to put the service through its paces and decide whether you want to keep using it. If not, you can reclaim your funds without any quibble - though you can only do so once.

If you'd rather not spend anything at all, well, you're in luck, because Hide.me has a free version. It's not the best free VPN we've ever tested, and has some serious limitations, but it's also a fairly generous offering.

Free users get a choice of servers in 8 countries, no data caps or monthly limits to worry about, and there's no need to fork over any personal information during the sign-up process. All in all, it's a good way to get a feel for Hide.me before committing to a paid plan, but you'll get far more out of the VPN if you do decide to go premium.

Hide.me keeps no logs on its users (Image credit: Hide.me)Privacy

Hide.me has a strict no logging policy. The company claims, "We do NOT keep logs of your VPN sessions, browsing behavior, websites you visit, or any activity related to your VPN connection. In addition, we NEVER store VPN connection logs and timestamps that match your incoming and outgoing IP address or session duration."

Hide.me does briefly record your randomly generated username and internally assigned (non-public) IP address when you connect, but this is only for troubleshooting purposes, and the company says even this troubleshooting log is securely wiped every few hours.

Hide.me says it will comply with court orders received by recognized legal authorities with jurisdiction over them. But again, that's to be expected, and if the logs don't show anything significant, that won't matter at all.

The company claims this is supported by a comprehensive audit, and that 'Hide.me has been certified as the most anonymous VPN service in the industry.'

It turns out that the audit dates from 2015, though. There's little information on the scope of the audit and no report you can read. Hide.me deserves real credit for realizing the importance of audits so long ago – some providers still don't get it, even today – but we think it's probably time to take another, something more thorough and transparent, where everyone can read the full results.

In the meantime, there's a simple metric we use to get a feel for how any provider is handling your privacy, and that’s how many trackers and third-party cookies are used on its website. The Blacklight privacy inspector gave us the answer; none at all. That's not unique - Mullvad, Proton VPN, Windscribe, and a handful of others are also tracker-free - but it's unusual, and suggests Hide.me is making a real effort to maintain your privacy.

This is the user interface of Hide.me's Windows app (Image credit: Hide.me)Apps

Hide.me's Windows app has a clear and straightforward interface. A large Enable button plugs you into the nearest server, the full location list (countries, expandable to cities in some cases) is just a click away, and a navigation bar has buttons for the streaming service, app settings, and more.

Hide.me displays its available servers in a list instead of on a map (Image credit: Hide.me)

The flexible location list can sort your options by name, or use ping time to show the fastest servers at the top. Begin typing a city or country name in the Search box and the list updates to display any matches (typing MIA cuts the list to just Miami, for instance.) A Favorites system enables grouping your most-used servers together for speedier access later.

A Streaming tab connects you to the best locations to unblock streaming platforms in a lengthy list of countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, and United States. That's nine countries added since our last review. Impressive!

We found Hide.me's connections times to be fair. Typically, we were able to connect to a server within 1 or 2 seconds, which meant we weren't waiting around. There doesn't appear to be a connection timeout, however, and we encountered a few instances where Hide.me was stuck on its "initializing service connection" animation for minutes at a time.

Digging into the details, it looked like Hide.me's Windows service had failed, and the app wasn't able to restart it. That can happen, but the top providers do a better job of handling it. ExpressVPN's Windows app recognizes a service failure immediately, for instance, without leaving you waiting for minutes. Then, it either fixes the problem all on its own or tells you what to do next.

Typically, though, connections ran smoothly, with the app making good use of notifications to keep you informed about what it's doing. Switch back to your other apps, and Hide.me will let you know when you’re protected, and when you’re not.

Hide.me's MultiHop feature gives you another option, good news when you need the best possible privacy. Choose an entry server of New York, say, and that's where you'll connect, but you'll be redirected through Hide.me's network to your pick of exit servers. Websites will think you're in the UK, and even if an attacker manages to compromise the London server, they won't be able to link the activity to your account as you've accessed it using the New York server, not your own IP.

You can tweak many aspects of Hide.me's VPN service in its settings menu (Image credit: Hide.me)Settings

There's real depth here. The app supports no less than five protocols (WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, SoftEther, SSTP), for instance, with a stack of configuration options including IKEv2 stealth mode, custom and random ports, tunnel via IPv4 or IPv6, and the option to enable Bolt (Hide.me's custom speedup technology). More on that later.

That's just the start. While most VPN apps ignore IPv6 entirely, or at best give you an option to disable it, Hide.me offers complete support and control. You can have the app connect via IPv4 only, IPv6 only, prefer IPv4 but use IPv6 as a fallback, or prefer IPv6 but use IPv4 as a fallback. That'll probably get you better speeds if you can use IPv6, and Hide.me's ability to handle both protocols reduces the chance of data leaks.

The advanced features continue everywhere you look. For example, split tunneling support enables defining which apps use the VPN, and which will use your regular connection. Plus, the client doesn't just have a single on/off kill switch setting to define what happens if the connection drops. It can run customs scripts, too. You get it to close apps, run others, whatever you like. You can also define whether scripts are run as the current user or an administrator.

Hide.me allows you to search for specific features in Settings, and will highlight them to point them out clearly (Image credit: Hide.me)

There's a lot to explore, and sometimes we couldn't remember where to find a particular setting. Fortunately, the app has a settings Search box. If you know you want to customize the Best Location feature, just type 'best' in the Search box, click the link, and the app will take you to the right page, and even highlight the option for you. A neat touch we've not seen with anyone else.

The Mac app looks pretty much identical to the Windows version, but doesn't have all its advanced features (Image credit: Hide.me)Mac app

We were glad to see that Hide.me's apps are similar across all platforms. The Mac app, in particular, is practically a clone of the Windows version, with the exception of a few small visual details.

Connection times were much faster than we saw on Windows, and we didn't have any connection failures. Real-world use was otherwise much the same. The app was easy to use, there were no unexpected drops, and everything worked more or less as we'd expect.

There's a decent set of advanced options, too. WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 protocol support, a kill switch, auto-connect when you access untrusted networks, and split tunneling. If any of this technology doesn't quite deliver, you can even raise a ticket from within the app.

There are a lot of advanced Windows features that haven't made it to the Mac. There's no VPN-wide custom DNS option, no custom MTU, no way to tweak how Best Location is chosen, no IPv6 tunnel option, no IKEv2 configuration tweaks, and no real kill switch configurability beyond on or off.

If you're not interested in VPN technicalities, then none of that is likely to matter very much, and this is still a quality Mac app. It's not difficult to use, performance is good, and it has far more features than most.

Hide.me provides some impressive mobile apps (Image credit: Hide.me)iOS app

Most VPNs focus their development time on desktop apps, and iOS users in particular are expected to be grateful for whatever scraps are left. Fortunately, no one told Hide.me that this is the way things are supposed to be. Its own iOS offering is surprisingly powerful.

This isn't visible initially, because the app has the same simple and appealing interface as the rest of the range. It has the blue and white color scheme, a big connect button, and not a whole lot else. Don’t let that fool you, we tapped a few buttons and quickly got a feel for just what the app can do.

The Location picker has all the features we saw on the desktop, including the Favorites, the Streaming and Multihop lists, the search box, sorting, and more. You probably won't need all of that, but just the ability to bring favorite servers to the top of the list can make your VPN life so much easier.

IOS apps typically have almost no settings, but this one outperforms some of the Windows competition. There's support for IKEv2, OpenVPN UDP, OpenVPN TCP and WireGuard, for instance. The app can automatically connect when you use Wi-Fi or mobile networks. There's a kill switch. You can choose a custom DNS server. You even get to control whether the tunnel uses IPv4 or IPv6, assuming you've a reason to care and if you don't, no problem, the app has sensibly chosen defaults.

The feature list is still a little shorter than the desktop apps (no split tunneling, for instance), but that's inevitable, iOS just doesn't allow anything like the same level of system control. Despite that, this is a top-notch iOS app. It's easy to use and way more configurable than most of the competition.

Hide.me's Android app is very similar to the iOS version, but also includes split tunneling (Image credit: Hide.me)Android app

Hide.me's Android app didn’t spoil the excellent record for cross-platform consistency. Hide.me has paid real attention to detail with app design, and essentially the Android edition has the same appealing interface and capable location list as the rest of the family.

A better-than-most feature list includes WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 support, auto-connect for unsecured networks, and a custom DNS option.

The Android app beats iOS with split tunneling, where you're able to define which apps use the VPN tunnel, and which don't. But it does lack some functionality. For example, it doesn't allow you to decide whether to use IPv4 or IPv6.

Overall, this is an impressive mix of power and ease of use. You don't have to register to use Hide.me's free plan, or hand over any personal details – just install it from your app store, explore the various screens, and see how it works.

And if you don't understand something, or there's some other problem? You can even raise a ticket from within the app. Now that's what we call convenient.

Hide.me provides a kill switch, and it's highly configurable, but not without issues (Image credit: Hide.me)Kill switch

We checked out the Windows app kill switch by manually closing WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2 connections and everything worked as it should – our internet access was blocked right away, a notification warned us about the problem, and the app reconnected within seconds.

The kill switch didn’t always work when we switched locations, though. The app appears to close the first connection, then try to connect to the new server, and our device was sometimes able to use its regular internet connection until the tunnel was re-established.

This is unlikely to be a big issue for most users. If you’ve decided to switch locations, that’s a very strong indication that you’ve finished your torrenting, your online banking or whatever else you’re trying to protect, and a few seconds of unprotected internet access may not matter at all.

It is still a weakness, though, and one that could be a concern in the most privacy-critical situations.

Hide.me promises a lot on the unblocking front, but it delivers, too (Image credit: Hide.me)Privacy tests

Hide.me's Windows apps boast plenty of protocols, but are they set up for maximum security? We can't see every detail of what's going on, but checking app configuration files and logs provides some useful information.

The results were broadly positive, with OpenVPN using AES-256-CBC encryption and SHA256 authentication. IKEv2 connections provided the same reliable AES-256 shield, while SoftEther appeared to use its standard (and very acceptable) default settings.

The app's WireGuard and OpenVPN files were more than a year old, which means they're missing plenty of patches and bug fixes. This is unlikely to have any real practical impact on your privacy, but we'd like to see Hide.me update these more often, just to keep any risks to a minimum.

We spotted a slightly dubious design decision with the app's OpenVPN connections, as it saved our username and password to disk in plain text. This also isn't that big a deal (if you've got malware reading files, Hide.me's logins are the least of your worries), but it's unnecessary, and most apps do a better job of concealing your credentials.

Once we got connected, Hide.me excelled on the privacy front, with IPleak.net, DNSleak.com, and DNSleaktest.com confirming that it correctly shielded our IP, allocated us a new address from our chosen country, and blocked DNS leaks at all times.

Virtual locations

Most VPNs have very long location lists, but their servers aren't always where you expect. If they're in a country that maybe has poor internet connectivity, then a provider will often host them elsewhere.

This can often be a good idea. If a VPN offers a Monaco location, and allocates you a Monaco IP address when you connect, but the servers are really in a super-fast French data center just a few miles away, should you care very much? We'd say no.

But what if you're in Cambodia, and you connect to a Cambodia location, but the server is really located in New York? That's likely to deliver a big and very unexpected performance hit.

We tested ten Hide.me locations to get a feel for what the company is doing.

In most cases, Hide.me's servers turned out to be in the advertised locations and some appeared to be virtual locations but weren't far away. Still, we found a couple of notable exceptions. Hide.me's Mexico location appears to be hosted on the US east coast, and its Morocco servers are closer to Quebec or Ontario.

This may not be an issue for everyone. The servers correctly give you Mexican and Moroccan IP addresses, so they’ll work just as you expect, and if you're in North America, having servers closer by might improve performance.

Providers should be transparent about their use of virtual locations, though, in order that potential customers can make up their own minds. Hide.me doesn’t highlight which locations are virtual, or tell users where they really are (which ExpressVPN does), and we'd like to see that change.

Netflix and streaming

Most VPNs claim they can help you access geoblocked websites, and Hide.me is no exception, with the company promising that you'll 'avoid annoying censorship.'

And this turned out to be correct, as Hide.me got us access to Netflix in the US, UK, Australia, Canada and Japan.

It scored with our other test US platforms, too, working with both Amazon Prime Video and Disney Plus.

The good news kept coming, too. Not only did Hide.me unblock BBC iPlayer, ITV and Channel 4 in the UK, but it delivered with Australia’s 9Now and 10 play, too.

That’s a perfect 100% unblocking score, a great result. Hide.me did just as well in our last review, too, which suggests the company didn’t just get lucky – it’s working hard to unblock everything possible, and then make sure those services stay available long-term.

(If you plan on testing Hide.me for yourself, keep in mind that you only get this level of success from the paid product – the free plan doesn't support unblocking streaming sites.)

We used several different speed testing services to help determine Hide.me's performance (Image credit: Speedtest.net)Performance

We assess VPN speeds by running multiple automated speed tests using several platforms including SpeedTest's website and command line app, Measurement Lab, and Cloudflare.

Hide.me’s data center results were pleasantly unexpected. WireGuard speeds reached a decent mid-range of 580Mbps and switching to regular OpenVPN got us an above average 260Mbps. Using OpenVPN with Hide.me's Bolt got us an amazing 950Mbps.

That's a huge achievement, but there's an important point to keep in mind. Bolt is only available in the Windows app. If you're using Bolt on any other platform, performance is going to be more ordinary, though still very acceptable for most purposes. Would you really be upset if your VPN 'only' managed 580Mbps? Didn't think so.

Hide.me review: Final verdict

Hide.me boasts some seriously impressive speeds and works like a charm when it comes to unblocking services – narrowly missing out on a perfect score. However, other big-name providers have more intuitive apps and a better roster of features, meaning Hide.me remains a half-step behind the competition.

Categories: Reviews

Windscribe Free VPN review – a fast, but clunky, free VPN solution

TechRadar Reviews - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 04:15

Windscribe's free plan is one of the most popular options on the market – and it currently sits in the #3 spot in our best free VPN rankings. With plenty of monthly data, a decent spread of servers, and a long list of security tools, it's easy to see why.

However, Windscribe Free falls short when compared to premium alternatives, including the paid Windscribe plan. If you want a free VPN that'll add an extra layer of security to your browsing sessions, well, it'll do the job nicely, and even toss in an ad and malware blocker for free.

If you want a robust VPN with sleek apps and access to servers around the globe, you might be disappointed. Keep reading, and we'll dig into Windscribe Free's offering in more detail.

Features

Windscribe Free gives users 10 GB of data per month to use as they see fit. This is fairly generous and should be enough to get you through four weeks, but it will run out quickly if you use Windscribe Free for streaming or online gaming. However, there is the option to post on X for an extra 5 GB a month or upgrade to unlimited data for $3 a month.

If you’d rather not shout Windscribe Free’s praises from the rooftops or provide an email during signup, you’ll still receive 2 GB of data a month. It’s a great option for the more privacy-conscious who find themselves in need of a reliable free service.

We were also glad to see that Windscribe Free offers unlimited simultaneous connections. That means you can share your login details with friends and family without worrying about how many people are using the VPN at any one time. The same goes for Windscribe’s paid plans, too, if you choose to upgrade.

Windscribe Free Windows app (Image credit: Windscribe )

Windscribe Free offers up most of the core VPN features you'd expect from a well-known name in the industry. There's a kill switch, called Firewall, that's easily accessible in the Windows, Android, and Linux apps, and we found that it was pretty easy to toggle on and off.

Firewall is set to "Automatic" mode by default. This means that it's toggled on whenever you connect to a Windscribe Free server, so you'll remain protected even if the VPN connection fails for some reason. It also means that Firewall will toggle off whenever you manually disconnect from a server. The "Automatic" setting is the one that most people will use, as it removes the need to flip Firewall on and off manually.

Some folks will want to maximize the protection offered by Firewall, however, and the "Always On" option does just that. It blocks internet access entirely until you connect to a Windscribe Free server, reducing the risk of divulging any identifiable information. It'll certainly add extra steps to your usual browsing routine, but if you're considering it, you're probably at peace with trading a bit of convenience for a lot of security. We're ultimately glad that the free version of the VPN offers it.

The same goes for the auto-connect feature, which is customizable, and the split tunnelling tool. Both of these features are often excluded from free VPNs, so it's great to see that Windscribe Free doesn't water down its offering.

We were impressed by how customizable the split tunnelling tool is, too, especially compared to other free VPNs on the market. The only downside here is that it's not available on iOS. There are two modes to choose from: "Exclusive" allows users to build lists of apps that won't route traffic through the VPN tunnel, which is how most split tunneling tools work.

"Inclusive" works slightly differently, and lets you build a list where only the apps on it will have their traffic routed through the tunnel. It's a real time-saver if you only intend to use Windscribe Free for a few specific purposes (like unblocking streaming platforms) and aren't hugely concerned about your privacy.

The real star of the show, however, is R.O.B.E.R.T. - Windscribe's built-in ad and malware blocker. Paid users get more out of the tool, but it's still available and effective on the free plan, and works quietly in the background to flag potential risks. During testing on our Windows 11 Chromebook machine and iPhone 13, we found that it was effective at steering us away from malicious domains and removing invasive ads.

During our review process, we assembled a list of 50 brand-new malware-hosting links and pitted Windscribe Free against them. The provider successfully blocked 46% of these threats - a decent result that beats some dedicated antivirus tools. VIPRE Antivirus Plus, for example, only blocked 34%, but Bitdefender managed to stop 80%. Still, this underscores the fact that you shouldn't rely on Windscribe Free as your sole security tool.

We were intrigued by Windscribe Free's claim that none of its tools are hidden behind a paywall. That's not the norm, after all, and we just had to put the boast to the test. Windscribe Free says that its premium and free users have access to the exact same roster of tools and, well, we found that this is mostly true.

For a start, free users miss out on port forwarding, which is readily available to paid users. You'll also need to pony up for a subscription to take advantage of Windscribe's full server network spanning 69 countries - and not the meagre 10 that free users have access to. Similarly, some advanced aspects of R.O.B.E.R.T are only available to paid users.

Features score: 7/10

Server network

Free VPNs don’t offer as many servers in as many places as premium VPNs – and Windscribe Free is no exception.

All of Windscribe Free's servers run entirely on RAM. This ensures that no files are left to linger in its storage for too long. Better yet, Windscribe Free had its server setup audited in 2024 to confirm that user privacy is adequately protected.

There are currently 10 countries to choose from: the US, the UK, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Switzerland, and Hong Kong.

This puts Windscribe Free on par with our top-rated free VPN, PrivadoVPN Free. The server distribution is heavily weighted towards Europe, which may be an issue for folks in Asia, Africa, or South America looking for a nearby VPN server to connect to in order to maximize their performance.

Windscribe Free's server location list (on Windows 11) (Image credit: Windscribe )

We think that including a free server in Hong Kong is a pleasant surprise, as very few VPNs typically offer servers in or around China, even if they charge a subscription fee. It’s also nice to see that Windscribe Free lets users actually choose which server location to join, unlike Proton VPN Free.

During testing, we found that Windscribe’s Free servers didn’t suffer from any discernible congestion, as the VPN doesn’t shunt free users into specifically designated free servers (which could cause slowdown).

Plus, Windscribe Free makes it perfectly clear which servers are restricted to paid users in the app, marking them with a star icon.

Server network score: 4/10

Apps

Windscribe Free is available for all of today’s most popular platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, and even Linux. In fact, we found Windscribe Free's Linux GUI to be one of the best on the market. It looks and feels just like the other desktop apps.

Additionally, Windscribe Free is compatible with Fire TV and Apple TV, and has browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. Windscribe Free doesn't support routers, however, and you'll need to upgrade to a paid plan to download the necessary configuration files.

During our day-to-day use, we found Windscribe Free’s apps to be basic and serviceable. The core features, like the on/off switch and server list, are easy enough to navigate, but the layout proved to be unintuitive – especially compared to the polished offerings from PrivadoVPN and Proton VPN.

We did enjoy that the experience remained similar across all platforms, although there are a handful of key differences to point out. The iOS app, for example, lacks split tunneling, and the Mac app doesn't support split tunneling for apps (meaning you can only exclude specified IP addresses or hostnames).

Finally, Windscribe Free's Android and iOS apps don't have a standard kill switch/firewall, but they do come with an Always-On VPN option, which works in a similar way.

Apps score: 7/10

Ease of use

Windscribe Free’s apps, while easy enough to set up and navigate, were not our favorite to actually use.

We found that the installation process was a piece of cake, however. Simply download the Windscribe Free app from the website, run through the installation wizard, and log in with credentials when prompted.

Windscribe Free opens as a small tile, similar to ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access, and clicking on options, like the server list or settings, expands dropdown menus and new tabs to explore.

We found this to be relatively easy to navigate through – the large on/off button makes connecting to a server nice and quick, and it was great to see that Windscribe Free clearly states how much data remains for the month (and gives users the option to upgrade to a paid plan).

Some of the visual elements of Windscribe Free look pretty snazzy. When we chose a location, for example, the background of the app changed to a hi-res flag, and the location list drops down like a physical panel when you click or tap it.

During our testing process,, however, we did notice areas where the UI was not as intuitive as it could (or should) be – on both desktop and mobile.

Image 1 of 3

Windscribe Free's settings menu displayed on a Windows 11 machine. (Image credit: Windscribe)Image 2 of 3

Windscribe Free's settings menu displayed on a Windows 11 machine. (Image credit: Windscribe)Image 3 of 3

Windscribe Free's available protocols, as displayed on a Windows 11 machine. (Image credit: Windscribe )

For a start, changing VPN protocol isn’t signposted clearly. You need to tap or click the protocol to choose which one you use, and this might seem obvious, but VPN newbies may be unaware that this text is a clickable element at first glance.

Similarly, there’s an odd gap between the “Firewall” text and the actual toggle switch, which had us wondering, at first, if it was something else that wasn’t labeled.

Finally, Windscribe’s settings could be grouped more intuitively. Currently, users have to do a lot of scrolling to check out all of the options and toggles which, on a mobile device, gets tiresome quickly – especially when we were just looking for one setting in particular.

These are small design quibbles, but today’s top VPNs have truly mastered the art of crafting consumer-friendly apps that don’t raise these questions, which puts Windscribe Free on the back foot in terms of ease of use.

Ease of use score: 6/10

Speed and performance

Windscribe Free impressed us during our in-house performance tests. We recorded respectable speeds of 496 Mbps using the WireGuard protocol, marking it as one of the quickest free services available today. As you might expect, however, Windscribe's premium version was faster, clocking in at 785 Mbps.

We found that these speeds correlated to a smooth, seamless browsing experience where we forgot that Windscribe Free was even running in the background. This was the case regardless of whether we were connected to a local UK server or a transatlantic US server. This kind of consistency is fantastic, and even the lowest speeds we recorded, of 466 Mbps, are more than the average user needs for a stress-free browsing session.

One thing to note is that Windscribe Free did take over five seconds to connect to a server when we began our testing process. Subsequent connections only took a fraction of a second, however, which is what we’d expect to see, so we can’t totally knock the service.

Speed and performance score: 6/10

Unblocking

Free VPNs typically struggle when it comes to accessing streaming platforms, as they don’t have the resources necessary to evade VPN bans and blacklisting. Plus, with limited monthly data caps, free services aren’t all that suited to movie marathons or binge-watching.

The good news is that, for us, Windscribe Free accessed Netflix without any hiccups at all. We were able to browse through the UK, US, and Canada libraries without waiting an age for the page to load.

Similarly, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ worked like a charm alongside smaller regional services, including BBC iPlayer, ITV, Channel 4, and YouTube.

The picture quality of these streams was high-quality, too, and we didn’t experience any dropouts or stuttering, which is in large part due to Windscribe Free’s excellent speeds.

However, as mentioned earlier, streaming in HD or 4K gobbles up a lot of data, so you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan to really enjoy Windscribe’s streaming capabilities (and its dedicated Windflix servers).

If you're looking for a solid VPN for torrenting, however, Windscribe Free doesn't quite achieve a perfect score. While the service allows P2P traffic across all of its free servers, the port forwarding tool is reserved for paying customers, which means you may run into issues when seeding files.

Unblocking score: 7/10

Privacy and Security

Windscribe supports a variety of VPN protocols: WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. WireGuard uses ChaCha20 encryption, and OpenVPN and IKEv2 use AES-256 encryption. The WSTunnel (OpenVPN over web sockets) and Stealth (OpenVPN over SSL) are also included in the mix, and are designed to bypass VPN detection.

We were able to switch between them easily – although the app did fail to connect at first when using the WireGuard protocol. After switching to IKeV2 and back again, however, the issue resolved itself.

This selection of protocols is pretty par for the course, and we found we had the best overall experience with WireGuard, as it’s a fantastic blend of speed and security.

OpenVPN is a better pick for the security-conscious, though you can expect slower overall speeds. IKEv2, as it automatically reconnects, tends to be the option of choice for mobile VPN users.

During testing, we found Windscribe Free’s R.O.B.E.R.T. tool to be especially effective. We didn’t encounter any ads while going about our day-to-day browsing while it was enabled.

It won’t take the place of a dedicated ad-blocker, but it’s a nice additional layer of security that can help save that precious data by preventing ads from loading and eating it up.

R.O.B.E.R.T. is also customizable, though we found that free users can’t tweak it quite as much as its paid counterparts. For example, R.O.B.E.R.T. allows free users to create just 3 custom rules for blacklisting sites and IPs, and customizable blocklists can only contain ads and malware, and not the adult content, cryptocurrency, social media posts, and more that paid users can add to the mix.

Windscribe’s censorship circumvention tool claims to be able to evade VPN blocks in highly restricted territories – though the service is cagey about how it actually works.

We appreciated that Windscribe Free offers other options for privacy purists, like the ability to pay with cryptocurrency. Plus, users have the option of whether to hand over an email address or not during sign-up. This gives users more control over how much identifiable data they hand over to the VPN.

Finally, Windscribe Free is quietly preparing for a post-quantum world by boosting its KEM (Key Encapsulation Mechanism) in TLS and OpenVPN protocols. In Windscribe's own words, this means: "Our encryption covers more than a 14-year-old boy with a bottle of Axe body spray".

Privacy and security score: 7/10

Track record

Windscribe Free abides by a clear no-logs policy that, refreshingly, is easy to read through and digest. It makes it clear that the VPN isn’t interested in collecting or storing identifiable data.

However, it hasn't always been smooth sailing. Back in June 2021, two Windscribe servers were seized by Ukrainian authorities, though the VPN asserts that it has: "[....] no reason to believe that the servers were compromised or that there was any unauthorized access before seizure."

Given that, on the disk of these two servers, there was an OpenVPN server certificate and private key, a bad actor could feasibly impersonate a Windscribe VPN server and capture and decrypt traffic. This is, however, extremely unlikely, and Windscribe Free invited third-party auditors to comb through its infrastructure to confirm its safety.

This is exactly what we like to see, but this audit took a seriously long time. Windscribe intended to complete the audit in 2021, but the full audit wasn't released to the public until the summer of 2024.

It is also worth noting that, according to recent release notes, there's a "known issue" with the Circumvent Censorship feature – where it does nothing when using the TCP protocol. That could be a major issue for folks living under an oppressive regime who were drawn to this tool, and we'd prefer it if Windscribe Free warned users about the issue when they select TCP and enable Circumvent Censorship. Currently, the only way to figure out that this hiccup even exists is by reading the release notes, and not everyone is going to do that.

Windscribe is headquartered in Canada, a country that’s part of the infamous Five Eyes Alliance, an intelligence-sharing network. Windscribe claims that this “doesn’t matter”, but given the scope of past NSA surveillance, it’s something that users should decide for themselves.

Track record score: 6/10

Windscribe explains that there's no long-term logging, save for what's necessary to work out data usage (Image credit: Windscribe)Customer support

Windscribe Free offers all of the most common avenues of customer support you’d expect from a VPN: live chat, email ticketing, FAQs, and a knowledge base.

During testing, our first port of call was Garry, Windscribe’s AI chatbot. It was able to point us in the direction of well-written articles related to our problem. When it comes to responses from the support team beyond Garry, however, Windscribe warns that it ‘aims’ to reply to your initial ticket within "24 hours", and that "Free users might wait a little longer than Paid users."

Windscribe has also built a chatty userbase in its years of operation, and users have the option of joining the conversation on Reddit and Discord if they want to do some community troubleshooting.

Customer support score: 6/10

Pricing and plans

Windscribe Free doesn't cost a penny, though users have the option to upgrade at any time.

A monthly subscription costs $9.00, which makes the yearly plan a better budget-saving option at $5.75 a month. Windscribe also lets users create their own plan, if they're so inclined, charging $1.00 a month per location.

These prices are pretty steep. Even ExpressVPN, the most expensive VPN in our top rankings, comes in at $4.99 per month (for a 2-year plan). Ultimately, if you're after a feature-rich VPN service that can handle ads, trackers, and malware, it's worth checking out NordVPN, instead, which costs just $3.09 per month if you pick up a 2-year plan.

Pricing and plans score: 4/10

Should you use Windscribe Free?

Windscribe Free is a decent free VPN that has your back if you need VPN protection for absolutely no cost. The addition of R.O.B.E.R.T., a wide selection of server locations, and speeds that rival premium providers make it a fairly tempting option – but it’s let down by its apps.

We found Windscribe Free’s interface to be clunky, especially on mobile, which could be a deal-breaker for VPN newbies looking for the best VPN for beginners. In that case, you’d be better off with Proton VPN or PrivadoVPN, both of which offer more user-friendly apps.

However, if your main use case is scrolling through social media, checking emails, and other day-to-day activities, Windscribe Free will serve you well, so long as you're not using it for anything mission-critical.

Overall score 60/100

Windscribe Free alternatives

1. PrivadoVPN – from $1.11 per month
The best free VPN overall
PrivadoVPN is our favorite free VPN. It packs a lot of functionality into its free plan – and, like Windscribe, is able to reliably access streaming platforms. Add sleek apps into the mix, as well as a 10 GB monthly data allowance, and you have a free service that truly ticks every box.View Deal

2. Proton VPN – from $4.49 per month
The best secure free VPN
Proton VPN Free can't quite keep up with PrivadoVPN Free when it comes to streaming, but if privacy is your main concern, you'll want to check out its full roster of tools. It's also worth noting that Proton VPN doesn't impose a monthly data cap on its free users, meaning you won't have to ration out your browsing, and a recent update made its Windows and mobile apps even easier to use. What's not to like?View Deal

3. Surfshark – from $2.19 per month
The best cheap VPN (and also the fastest)
If you're open to a paid commitment, Surfshark is a stellar choice that won't break the bank. In exchange for as little as $2.19 a month, you'll have access to servers dotted all over the globe, a full security suite, and the fastest speeds we've ever recorded in our in-house testing. As a result, Surfshark is one of the very best Netflix VPNs on the market. You can try Surfshark out in your own time, risk-free, with a handy 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

Windscribe Free FAQsWhere is Windscribe based?

Windscribe is headquartered in Canada. From a privacy perspective, this raises concerns due to the country's involvement in the Five Eyes Alliance intelligence sharing network. Windscribe's free and paid plans both adhere to a no-logs policy, however, though we'd like to see the provider invest in a third-party audit of the policy and its apps.

How to get free Windscribe data?

Windscribe Free gives users 10 GB of data per month. However, it's possible to claim an extra 5 GB of monthly data by posting about the service on X.

Categories: Reviews

Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN review - a standout choice for niche audiences

TechRadar Reviews - Mon, 12/08/2025 - 04:01

Private Internet Access (PIA) is a fifteen-year veteran of the VPN industry, and a great choice for anyone looking for a security-focused service that nails the basics. Power users, on the other hand, will appreciate just how customizable PIA's fleet of apps is.

Admittedly, PIA isn't as feature-rich as its closest competitors, and can't keep up with the likes of NordVPN and Surfshark when it comes to releasing new, innovative tools. It's still one of the cheaper VPNs on the market, though, with a 3-year plan coming in at just $2.03 per month.

Keep reading, and I'll dig into PIA's spread of features, speed testing results, and unblocking power. How does it stack up against today's top contenders? Let's find out.

Features

If you compare PIA against other providers, like NordVPN, solely on the basis of the number of features on offer, you might think that PIA falls short. However, we think that it makes up for the lack of quantity with sheer quality - especially the high level of customization.

Its split-tunnel feature lets you differentiate between apps, IPs, and whether VMs are covered by the tunnel, alongside separate options for forcing DNS requests through PIA’s in-house encrypted DNS servers even if you’re not using the VPN tunnel.

PIA gives you access to some automation rules that you can use to force the VPN to activate (or deactivate) when you’re connecting to certain networks, making it just that little bit easier to work PIA into your daily routine.

Plus, it also uses its own encrypted DNS servers, which keep your browser requests hidden from your ISP. This also allows it to offer Mace, which is a built-in ad, tracker, and malware blocker. By blocking requests to known malicious URLs using their DNS server, Mace keeps unwanted content from being sent to your machine. It’s a good idea, but our testing suggests it shouldn’t be your only defense against ads.

There are some pretty strong obfuscation settings on offer from PIA too, giving you the choice between Shadowsocks and a SOCKS 5 proxy. Both will wrap your VPN connection inside a separate TLS tunnel, making it appear to anyone monitoring your data as though you’re just sending normal encrypted browsing traffic. While Shadowsocks is a little outdated compared to the obfuscation ExpressVPN offers, it’s still one of the best solutions if you’re being blocked from creating VPN connections by a network administrator.

Features score: 8/10

Server network

PIA's server network covers 91 countries with 152 locations, including servers in all 50 US states. Although some of these are virtually hosted, this makes it one of the few VPNs available with comprehensive US coverage. Only NordVPN even comes close in terms of North American locations, but with only 17 locations to choose from in the US, it still doesn’t hold a candle to PIA.

Unfortunately, the server network is less impressive on an international scale. PIA lacks coverage across Asia, in particular, lagging behind our other top-rated VPNs. The same can be said for Africa, the Middle East, and Oceania, but this is a rather grim constant across the industry.

If you're looking for a rock-solid choice for America, with plenty of Stateside coverage, PIA is a stellar choice. If you have your eye on more far-flung corners of the globe, however, the provider just doesn't have the same reach as the likes of NordVPN.

Server network score: 7/10

Apps

PIA boasts a range of well-designed apps for pretty much every platform you can imagine. This includes Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux. We're also glad to see that feature parity is consistent across all of PIA's desktop apps in terms of features and UI. This is a nice change from the norm – a lot of VPNs leave their Mac and Linux users underfed, after all.

Overall, the desktop experience is straightforward, but checking under the hood will reveal a selection of handy tools. The quick-connect bar holds several different locations and is split between your favorites and the last VPNs you’ve connected to. It’s pretty handy if you’re swapping back and forth between the same VPN several times.

(Image credit: Future)

There are two different ways to set up the client dashboard. The first is a basic interface that just gives you the connect button, the location selector, and a reminder of what your home IP and VPN IP are. It’s everything the average user needs to see at a glance, but if you’re interested in all of the techy stuff you can hit the dropdown button and you’ll be presented with a wealth of information, including in-depth details on your connection performance, session statistics, and all the choices you’ve made about how your VPN protocol is set up. It’s all very efficient in how it’s presented, wasting minimal space in the app window.

There’s also a VPN snooze timer that lets you turn the connection off for a few minutes. It’s rare that I’m turning off my VPN regularly enough to remember that there’s a feature to turn it off for a few minutes at a time, but it works and it’s convenient.

While the Android app used to look fairly outdated compared to the rest of the PIA line, a recent update brings the Android app in line with its desktop counterparts as well as the iOS version. The update hasn’t just given it a slick new UI, as you’ve also got access to a new dark mode and some advanced configuration options that let you get the most out of the multi-hop, DNS, and automation features you’ll be familiar with from the desktop version.

Apps score: 9/10

Ease of use

PIA is a great choice for VPN newbies and anyone else who wants a sleek experience. However, we do think it's possible to get lost in the weeds if you toggle over to the "detailed" view of the app. This customizability is one of PIA's biggest selling points, though, and power users will relish the chance to tweak the provider down to the last detail.

The simplified app lets users hit the big "Connect" button and, after a moment, enjoy rock-solid VPN protection. This minimalist approach to a VPN gives PIA serious crowd-appeal, and we like that the options in the settings menu are all explained with a handy tooltip, too. Despite its reputation, PIA doesn't require you to have a degree in cybersecurity to make the most of its functionality.

Ease of use score: 8/10

Speed and performanceHow we perform speed tests

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

We have two virtual computers: one in the UK, and one in the US. We test the service's speeds across OpenVPN and WireGuard multiple times per day over multiple speed test sites, giving us an idea of the average speeds. If you have any questions, you can find out more about our VPN testing methodology.

Testing VPN speeds is a key part of our review process, and we use a freshly upgraded 10 GB line and a local UK-based server in our process.

Private Internet Access isn't a certified speed demon. When we connected to a nearby Dublin server and put its WireGuard protocol to the test, we saw speeds of 621 Mbps. It marks a decent improvement over our last test result of 436 Mbps, though, even if NordVPN and Surfshark blow this performance out of the water with results of 1,256 Mbps and 1,615 Mbps, respectively.

Still, we've never experienced any major slowdown or sluggishness when using PIA in our day-to-day browsing. These average speeds are also more than quick enough to keep up with traditionally bandwidth-intensive activities, too, like HD streaming, online gaming, and torrenting.

Switching to OpenVPN, we recorded results of 244 Mbps. OpenVPN speeds tend to be slower than their WireGuard-based equivalents, because it's just not as well optimized for speed, and these results are par for the course - but not particularly impressive. ExpressVPN, for example, achieved 898 Mbps in our testing, making it a better pick for folks who want to stick with OpenVPN but enjoy a WireGuard-worthy performance.

It's also worth noting that we observed consistent speeds throughout the day, with average latency and noticeably less jitter than the other services we’ve tested, making PIA ideal for gaming.

Speed and performance score: 6/10

Unblocking

One of the biggest, most thorough tests we put today's top VPNs through determines how well they can access popular streaming platforms from around the world. After all, these services regularly geo-restrict their content libraries and often detect VPN usage, demanding that you switch your VPN off to enjoy your favorite shows or sports.

They do this by blocking IP addresses known to belong to VPNs, and it means that only the VPNs that invest in their IP pools, and frequently refresh them, can reliably access streaming content.

We're happy to report that PIA's unblocking power is fantastic. We tested it with Netflix in a variety of regional choices (UK, US, Canada, Japan, and Australia) to see how it does. It worked, and the same goes for Disney+ and Amazon Prime, as well as regional services such as BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, ITV, 10 Now, and 9Play. No real issues with lag, and no need to change servers, everything just worked, which is a big positive for PIA.

PIA is also a capable torrenting VPN. Its speeds aren't chart-topping, but it does offer port forwarding – whereas plenty of its competitors don't.

Port forwarding allows you allows you to accept incoming connections to your VPN’s IP address, so you can communicate with more peers in a P2P network.

Unblocking score: 10/10

Privacy and security

Private Internet Access has built a sturdy reputation as one of the most security-focused services on the market – and it delivers, for the most part.

Browsing traffic is protected by industry-standard AES-256 encryption and today's two most popular VPN protocols: OpenVPN and WireGuard. Both are widely accepted as secure, reliable technology, though you'll want to stick with OpenVPN if airtight privacy is your main goal, whereas WireGuard is more suitable for day-to-day browsing, or times when you want to balance security with speed.

Admittedly, PIA lacks the extra features offered by the likes of NordVPN and Surfshark, but it does boast all of the core tools a VPN needs.

There’s a kill switch on all its apps, which automatically blocks internet traffic if the VPN connection drops, ensuring that your data remains secure at all times. There are no DNS leaks here either. PIA’s own encrypted DNS servers route all of your domain requests, which prevents your DNS queries from being exposed to your ISP or a third party on the network.

PIA is committed to a strict no-logs policy. This has been independently verified by Deloitte in two separate audits, the most recent of which was conducted in April 2024. According to the audit, PIA’s systems are not configured to log user activity, and there is no way to trace online actions back to specific individuals. However, the full report of this audit is only available to PIA customers. While it’s good to see that PIA has undergone independent verification, making these reports publicly accessible, as ExpressVPN does, would bolster trust even further.

Despite providing very strong protection, our testing picked up some areas where PIA could improve. We tried running Mace through a gauntlet of phishing URLs to see which ones it’d block. So, with 100 brand new malicious URLs from anti-phishing experts OpenPhish, PIA managed to block… two of them. We think this is because Mace is pulling from a blocklist of known suspicious links, and most of the URLs we’re testing are fresh threat intelligence. Still, it’s notably weak, far below what we’d expect from a top-tier VPN.

Privacy and security score: 8/10

Track record

Private Internet Access has a strong track record of maintaining user privacy and delivering reliable service over the years. The only black mark against it is the acquisition by Kape Technologies in 2019, which caused some serious concern. Before their pivot to providing VPN brands, Kape’s primary output was browser add-ons which injected adverts and monetized their browsing data. Although consumer trust in PIA plummeted after this revelation, it's done a lot of work to win back that trust with regular no-logs audits that demonstrate it's not following in Kape’s footsteps.

In fact, PIA has dealt with several court cases where it was legally obliged to turn over user information. It responded by asserting it had nothing to turn over, which is pretty impressive. PIA has also demonstrated a commitment to transparency by regularly releasing Transparency Reports, which detail the number of legal requests the company receives and how it handles them.

Track record score: 7/10

Customer support

PIA's customer support has room for improvement. As you might expect, there's a 24/7 live chat channel and email ticketing system, but we found responses could be sluggish across both of these avenues. Naturally, that's not ideal if you have a more pressing problem.

On the other hand, if you prefer doing your own troubleshooting, you'll be glad to learn that PIA has its very own customer forum and knowledgebase. The forums are active and packed with experienced users who are (typically) happy to help squash any issues, and the knowledgebase is well organized and easy to navigate.

The one quibble we have with the knowledgebase, however, is that a lot of the support articles are outdated. The basic information remains solid, but we'd like to see these pages receive an update that adds extra depth and detail.

Customer support score: 7/10

Pricing and plans

Private Internet Access is one of the most budget-friendly VPNs on the market today. In terms of pure value for money, however, it lags behind NordVPN and Surfshark by a heel.

The monthly plan starts at $11.95, which is just a little bit over what you’d expect to pay for a top-tier VPN. Once you start getting into the long-term plans, however, the price drops through the floor. The annual plan only costs $3.33 a month, which is already cheaper than most plans offered by other top VPNs. It gets even better though, as the three-year plan costs as little as $2.03 per month, which also includes three additional months free.

The service includes all core features in its base price, without any hidden costs or paywalled features. The only extra you’d be expected to pay for is the dedicated IP option, which costs another $5 a month. This is understandable, as providing dedicated IPs is inherently expensive for a VPN provider because of the worldwide shortage of IPv4 addresses. Surfshark’s dedicated IPs are a little less costly at $3.75 a month, but if you opt in for a two-year plan PIA’s dedicated IPs drop down to $2.50 making it one of the cheapest around.

PIA also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, giving you ample time to test the service risk-free.

Pricing and plans score: 9/10

Should you use PIA?

PIA is an excellent VPN for the cost. It might not be as fast as Surfshark, offer as many features as NordVPN, or give you as many locations to connect to as ExpressVPN, but if you need a VPN that absolutely nails all of the core things you need to do and don’t want to spend too much, PIA is perfect. It’s also a VPN you can absolutely trust when it comes to privacy and security, and it’s one of the few providers out there that offers a Linux client that’s just as good as the Windows or MacOS client.

Out of everything that PIA could do better, speeds are at the top of the list. That’s not to say it’s a laggy VPN. It’s still lightyears ahead of most VPNs you could pick, but it’s just outclassed by alternatives like Proton VPN or Surfshark. It’s also starting to lag behind in innovation compared to the likes of NordVPN.

Total score: 79/100

3. Private Internet Access – from $2.03 per month
Packed with features and advanced tools
Private Internet Access (PIA) is a battle-tested provider with its very own built-in ad-blocker—and one that'll handle trackers and malware, too. PIA is jam-packed with customizable features that advanced users will love and unlimited simultaneous connections. So, you can cover all of your gadgets with one plan, and enjoy a 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

PIA alternatives

Not sure if PIA is the right fit for you? Here are our top alternatives you can currently pick up, all of which you can test with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

1. NordVPN – from $2.99 per month
The best VPN overall
NordVPN sits at the top of our rankings with a virtually unbeatable spread of features and some of the quickest, most reliable speeds we've ever tested. All of its apps, across platforms, are sleek and clutter-free, and you can even add built-in ad and tracker blocking to your plan. Plus, NordVPN is one of our favorite VPNs for streaming, thanks to its ability to access platforms from all corners of the globe. Interested? See how NordVPN compares to Surfshark with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

2. Surfshark – from $1.99 per month
The best cheap VPN (and also the fastest)
Surfshark is a budget-friendly option that doesn't pull punches when it comes to speed, security, or simplicity. It always aces our testing, especially when it comes to unblocking streaming content from all over the world, and its blistering performance means that you won't be slowed to a crawl when checking out HD movies or going about your day-to-day social media scrolling. Plus, with unlimited simultaneous connections to play with, you can protect all of the gadgets in your home with just one plan. Take Surfshark for a test drive today with a 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

3. ExpressVPN – from $5.32 per month
The best VPN for beginners
ExpressVPN might not rule at the top of our overall rankings anymore, but it's still our top recommendation to anyone on the hunt for a beginner VPN. Its apps are nice and easy to set up and use, regardless of your skill level, and it's jam-packed with security-boosting tools designed to keep snoopers at bay. While ExpressVPN is on the pricey side, you can sweeten the pot with a nifty 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

Frequently asked questionsDoes PIA log user activity?

No, Private Internet Access has a strict no-logs policy, which has been independently verified by Deloitte through multiple audits. This means that PIA does not track or store any data related to your online activities while using the VPN.

Can PIA unblock Netflix and other streaming services?

PIA is more than capable of accessing in-demand streaming platforms – Netflix included. During our testing, we found that PIA had no trouble unblocking content libraries in the US, UK, and Japan. Plus, it works like a charm with other sites, like Prime Video, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer.

Is PIA suitable for torrenting?

Yes, PIA is a stand-out choice for torrenting and P2P activity. All of its servers support P2P traffic and there aren't any bandwidth caps to worry about. Plus, PIA is one of only a handful of reliable services to offer port forwarding.

Categories: Reviews

I tested Doogee's V Max LR - a rugged phone that's identical to the V Max Play with one big difference that also makes it cheaper

TechRadar Reviews - Sun, 12/07/2025 - 10:11

Doogee V Max LR: 30-second review

Doogee’s V Max series includes some monstrous phones, all powered by the same MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC and a huge 20500 mAh battery.

The V Max LR is the cheapest option and delivers an almost identical design to the Play model, but with the omission of the projector.

Instead, the LR has a measuring sensor, which is slightly less niche and might be useful to anyone in the construction industry who doesn’t already have a gizmo for that.

Using an integrated app, this can measure lengths and areas easily and can be activated via the custom button.

In my V Max Play review, I covered some of the silly mistakes that Doogee made with that phone, like the included bumper that covers over the camping lights, among others. And, the LR model fixes none of these issues and repeats them all verbatim.

However, this choice has the significant advantage of being cheaper than the Play, a phone I felt was way too expensive. Direct from Doogee, the LR is $110 less than the Play, which gives us a good idea of what adding a projector adds to the cost.

That doesn’t make the LR cheap; it's just not the high cost of the Play.

If you want an impressively large phone with enough battery life to last a week of general use, that enhances the owner's biceps, and doubles as a tape measure, then the LR meets all those criteria.

If you don’t care that it's so unwieldy and not inexpensive, it might provide good service, but this isn't a combination that calls to our best rugged phones collection.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)Doogee V Max LR: price and availability

How much does it cost? $580/£465
When is it out? Available now
Where can you get it? You can get it in most regions directly from Doogee or from many online retailers.

Doogee sells its phones directly and through online retailers like Amazon and AliExpress.

In the USA, the V Max LR sells for $579.99 directly, or you can get it on Amazon.com for $769.99, but at time of review, it's discounted to $639.99.

A better deal can be had on AliExpress, where the V Max LR sells for $545.51, though I’m unsure whether that price includes tariffs on Chinese imports into the USA.

For UK customers, it's available from Amazon.co.uk for £630. It's also on AliExpress, where the latest price is only £463.23. And, across Europe, AliExpress charges €524.32 for the global version of this phone.

Other phones that offer a rangefinder include the Blackview BV9300 and the Unihertz 8849 Tank 3. The Blackview has been replaced with the BV9300Pro model, but the old one with the same measuring technology as the LR costs around $480 on AliExpress. That seems cheap, but the BV9300 only has 75% of the battery capacity of the LR, and half the storage.

Equally, the original Unihertz 8849 Tank 3 has been superseded, you can still get it, but only the models without the rangefinder.

Given that most phone makers who previously included a rangefinder have removed it from their devices, it hints that it wasn’t a feature that sold many devices.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Value score: 3.5/5

Doogee V Max LR: Specs

Item

Spec

CPU:

MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Energy

GPU:

Arm Mali-G615 MC2

NPU:

MediaTek APU 655

RAM:

16GB

Storage:

512GB

Screen:

6.78 inchFHD+IPS Screen

Resolution:

1080 x 2460FHD+,120Hz

SIM:

2x Nano SIM + TF (all three can be used)

Weight:

686 grams alone, 771g with bumper

Dimensions:

183.5 x 85.4 x 30.5 mm

Rugged Spec:

IP68 IP69K dust/water resistant (up to 2m for 30 min), MIL-STD-810H Certification

Rear cameras:

200MP AI Main Camera + 20 MP Night Vision Camera + 8MP Ultra Wide Angle & Macro Camera

Front camera:

32MP Samsung

Networking:

WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.3

Audio:

130dB loudspeaker with Smart PA

OS:

Android 15

Battery:

20500 mAh (Max 45W wired, 10W reverse)

Colours:

Black

Doogee V Max LR: design

Heavy and thick
Annoying bumper

I’ve already covered the ergonomics of this phone in my Doogee V Max Play review that you can read here, so let's keep this brief.

At 771g, this is an excessively heavy and bulky device that doesn’t fit easily in your pocket and would be a nightmare for anyone who has wrist strength issues or a child.

To make it marginally easier to carry, Doogee created a hard-plastic bumper with an integrated rubber handle.

It’s obvious to anyone using the phone for the first time that the person who designed the bumper never saw a physical phone, and just created it using a CAD model.

I say that because the carrying handle sits over the user-customisable button, and gripping the phone triggers that button every time. So, where on the Play you open the phone to always find the projector controls on the screen, here you always meet the measuring app.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Another clue to the lack of joined-up thinking is that the LR, like the Play, has two large LED arrays that act as a camping light, but the bumper obscures these entirely behind solid plastic. Therefore, to use them, the bumper must first be removed, which isn’t easy in either light or dark.

I do wonder about the number of people involved in the design and production of the LR and the Play who either didn’t notice or chose to ignore the obvious faults in this aspect of the design as it moved from concept to production. But, they did one or the other.

As a phone and a bumper, neither of these things is Doogee’s finest hour.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Design score: 3/5

Doogee V Max LR: hardware

Same SoC as Play model
Confuses IR and Lasers

The underlying Android 15 platform on the LR is unchanged from the Play, and therefore, you can read my review of that phone for a greater insight into what the Dimensity 7300 Energy offers, and if it's something you might want in your mobile devices.

To paraphrase my previous views, it’s a decent SoC with more than enough power for the majority of use cases, even if it’s not ideal for the hardcore gamer.

Its strengths are supreme power efficiency, which, given the phone's battery capacity, results in exceptional running time.

The one feature that Doogee removed from the Play to create the LR was the projector, but its omission left physical space within the design, and the engineers decided to fill that with something more practical and less niche.

You may be wondering what the LR stands for in this phone, and it's the Laser Rangefinder. But this is where we head down a rabbit hole, because I’m not sure whether this phone has a laser rangefinder.

What makes me unsure? Well, in the app, when you activate the measuring system, it says “Turn on infrared”, not “Activate Laser”. But when you do that, you can see a visible laser spot where the phone is pointed. If this were infrared, it wouldn’t be visible, since humans can’t see the frequencies of light that are generally classed as infrared.

In an attempt to resolve these apparent contradictions, I checked the documentation that came with the phone and found no reference to laser light or any safety warning regarding that or IR. Admittedly, the two-page manual was a generic one, and not specific to the LR, but surely if you have a product with a laser in it, of whatever power, that needs a specific kite-mark or something?

What I do know is that, alongside the area on the phone where the ‘laser’ comes out, there's an IR sender/receiver. Doogee mentions it has this in its promotional materials, calling it an “Infrared Remote Control”, although there are no apps included to use it.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

My guess, and take this with a huge pinch of salt, is that the laser is a marker so you can see where it is measuring to, and the actual measurement is performed using Infrared, because that’s much cheaper than the electronics to calculate the return of a laser beam.

That would explain why the device's maximum range is 40M and its measurement accuracy is rated at ±3-15 mm. Eventually, I found a reference that said 630-670nm visible infrared, which confused me even more, because that’s in the visible light range, and strictly not in the true infrared range.

I could be wrong, and I’ll be happy to accept it if I am, but whatever the LR has isn’t a ‘Laser Rangefinder’, as is typically defined.

Can it measure distances? Yes, although not that accurately. As they say, measure twice, cut once.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Hardware score: 4/5

Doogee V Max LR: cameras

Rear camera: 200MP Samsung S5KHP2 primary camera, 20 MP Sony IMX350 Night Vision Camera, 8MP Ultra Wide Angle & Macro Camera
Front camera: 32MP Samsung S5GD1

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Again, I’ll spare you my repeated thoughts on the camera system of the LR, since it's identical to the same arrangement in the V Max Play. I covered that subject in my review of that phone, so I’ll give a general overview of my thoughts here.

The phone's sensor is good, and the HP2 primary camera in particular is an excellent choice for those wanting crisp, well-saturated images, even in low-light conditions.

It’s combined with the workman-like 20MP Sony sensor that is good for night vision and a workable 8MP sensor for ultra-wide-angle and macro scenarios.

For the sake of thoroughness, I’ve taken another series of example photos using the LR, but there isn’t any practical difference between these and the ones I took using the Play.

One thing I failed to mention on the Play, but I’ll include here, is that neither of these phones has Widevine L1 support, with only L3 encryption. That means that the majority of streaming services will limit the quality of a streamed movie or TV show to only 480P, irrespective of the screen resolution. Many Chinese phone makers don’t care about Westerners watching Netflix, and Doogee is one of those, it transpires.

In short, the cameras are good, but avoid the encouragement of the underwater mode, since given the weight of this phone, if you let it slip from your hand, it will be heading rapidly to the deep six.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)Doogee V Max LR Camera samplesImage 1 of 14

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(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Camera score: 4.5/5

Doogee V Max LR: performance

Decent SoC
GPU is game-friendly
Big battery

Phone

Doogee V Max LR

Doogee V Max Play

SoC

Mediatek Dimensity 7300

GPU

Mali-G615 MC2

Mem

MediaTek NPU 655

NPU

16GB/512GB

Weight

686g

Battery

20500

Geekbench

Single

1019

1009

Multi

3247

3176

OpenCL

2500

2478

Vulkan

2521

2501

GFX

Aztec Open Normal

Aztec Vulkan Norm.

Car Chase

Manhattan 3.1

PCMark

3.0 Score

13932

11709

Battery

43h 21m

43h 28m

Charge 30

Passmark

Score

13772

13901

CPU

6816

6973

3DMark

Slingshot OGL

7124

6977

Slingshot Ex. OGL

5378

5275

Slingshot Ex. Vulkan

4976

4862

Wildlife

3300

3269

Nomad Lite

364

360

I put this data in the review to underline that the LR and the Play versions of the Doogee V Max are the same phone inside.

Yes, there are different results, but the difference is no more than what you get by repeatedly running the tests. The only oddity is why the Play has a lower PCMark score, and I can only conclude that a firmware update that happened between my testing made a change that upgraded the LR on that one test.

If the LR is compared with other rugged phones, the performance is decent but not spectacular. As a good example, the Oukitel WP210 that uses the Dimensity 8200 scores 6023 on the 3Dmark Wildlife test. Therefore, faster phones are available, but the platform on the LR outclasses many designs, like the Blackview BV7300 or Oukitel WP300.

Performance score: 4/5

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)Doogee V Max LR: Final verdict

As I iterated with the V Max Play, the phone's physical size is a deal-breaker for many, since it limits who can carry it and how far.

On the other hand, if the phone will typically be in a vehicle, then it might not matter.

The idea of removing the projector and putting in the measuring system and its price reduction seems, on paper at least, a good idea.

Though the V Max LR still isn’t an inexpensive phone, especially if you buy it through Amazon.

There are good things about this phone, like the cameras and the SoC, but they’re balanced by the price and a few dire aspects, such as the poorly designed bumper.

That bumper wasn’t good on the Play, and now it's appeared on the LR. I just hope Doogee redesign it for any subsequent V Max models.

Should I buy a Doogee V Max LR?Doogee V Max LR Score Card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Maker price is too high, but online its more affordable

3.5/5

Design

Terrible bumper and a massive device

3/5

Hardware

Decent SoC and a 20500 mAH battery, and a 'Laser Rangefinder'

3.5/5

Camera

200MP Samsung sensor takes great pictures and video

4.5/5

Performance

Decent performance and enhanced battery life

4/5

Overall

Not the most practical phone for daily use, but rugged

4/5

Buy it if...

You need a phone for outdoors
The water- and dust-resistant Doogee V Max LR is suitable for working in the rain and can withstand being dropped. But it is exceptionally heavy and unsuitable for small hands.

You need battery capacity
One of the redeeming features of this design is the battery capacity and how this translates into running time. If all you want is a long-running time, then this is a design that offers that feature, but it also makes it heavy.

Don't buy it if...

You are travelling light
At over 771g with bumper, this is a heavy phone, and it's too big to fit in a trouser pocket. Maybe for a long trek, this isn't the best choice, even if the camera is perfect for scenic shots and measuring planks.

Also Consider

Ulefone Armor Mini 20 Pro
Another practical, rugged design with an inbuilt camping light, night vision camera and about 60% of the battery capacity than the WP60. It’s cheap, but conversely, the cameras aren’t as good, and the SoC isn’t as powerful. For those needing a cheap, tough phone, the Ulefone Armour Mini 20 Pro might be a good choice as it's easily pocketable.

Read our full Ulefone Armor Mini 20 Pro review

ThinkPhone 25 by Motorola
The ThinkPhone 25 offers a powerful SoC, robust package, practical form factor, high-quality camera sensors and decent battery life at a mid-range price point. But, it’s not available in the USA, sadly.

Read our ThinkPhone 25 by Motorola review

For more ruggedized devices, we've reviewed the best rugged tablets, the best rugged laptops, and the best rugged hard drives

Categories: Reviews

I reviewed Marshall’s mid-sized Bluetooth speaker and its stereo sound blew me away

TechRadar Reviews - Sun, 12/07/2025 - 09:00

Marshall Middleton II: two-minute review

The Marshall Middleton II is a small-to-mid sized Bluetooth speaker that combines a classy amp-inspired look with expansive stereo sound and a rugged design. It carries a pretty premium price for a model in its weight class, coming in at $329.99 / £259.99 / AU$499, so is it really worth buying?

Well, let’s start by discussing the most important factor for any Bluetooth speaker: audio performance. And I have very few complaints here. The stereo separation on offer from such a small speaker is astounding, which results in a far more nuanced listen than most rivals in this size category can supply. You also get decent bass output, with the Middleton II able to reach down pretty low. Low-frequency sounds compress at the highest volumes, but that’s fairly common for smaller models like this.

On top of that, you get satisfyingly balanced mids and clear treble – it never feels like any elements are being overwhelmed, and there are EQ options to fine tune the Middleton II’s sound to your taste. You don’t get the top-tier instrument separation, higher-resolution Bluetooth streaming, or indeed, the raw power of some options in my guide to the best Bluetooth speakers, but on the whole, sound quality is very strong on the Middleton II.

Features-wise, there’s a lot of good stuff going on too. There’s a built-in microphone for hands-free calls, the aforementioned EQ settings, battery preservation options, and Auracast connectivity. I would’ve liked to see placement compensation and multi-speaker pairing, which is available on some other Marshall models, but all of the basic essentials are here.

One of the most impressive features, though, is the speaker’s phenomenal battery life. You get 30 hours of playtime from the Middleton II, which is considerably more than a lot of rivals supply.

Design-wise, I found the Middleton II to be an interesting one. I certainly appreciate its premium look and build. Sure, it isn’t quite as flashy as the larger Marshall Kilburn III, but its golden control button and logo, faux-leather exterior, and inclusion of frets ensure it's still a beauty to behold. It’s also IP67 dust and waterproof-rated, making it ideal for use in any environment – even in the shower or in a pool.

In spite of that, I find its size and weight to be just on the awkward side of things. It doesn’t have the one-handed portability or lightweight feel of the Marshall Emberton III, which is ideal to throw into a bag or carry around. And unlike its big brother, the Marshall Kilburn III, it doesn’t have a proper handle for transportation, just a small carry strap.

This ties into a wider theme for me – the Middleton II feels like a harder sell than the models on either side of it. It’s priced closer to the Kilburn III – a model that plates up superior sound and loudness, more luxurious looks, and a stronger set of features. And it doesn’t quite have that budget-friendly appeal of the Emberton III. This leaves the Middleton II feeling like the awkward middle child – it doesn’t quite feel like the best value-for-money speaker Marshall has made.

Is that to say that the Middleton II isn’t worth checking out? Absolutely not. If you want something smaller than the Kilburn III as a statement piece, or if the heaviness is no bother, it would still be a great pick. And when it inevitably goes on sale for less, I could definitely find it easier to pick it over other models in its class.

And of course, this is still a fantastic model in the audio department. Commendable balance and stereo sound make this an admirable creation from Marshall, which has had an exceptionally strong 2025 in the commercial audio sphere. It's also got that unmistakable Marshall look and build quality, so all in all, it’s still a hit.

(Image credit: Future)Marshall Middleton II review: price and release date

$329.99 / £259.99 / AU$499
Launched in July 2025

The Marshall Middleton II was released in July 2025, two and a half years after its predecessor. It has a list price of $329.99 / £259.99 / AU$499, which is $30 higher, £10 less, and the same amount of Australian dollars as the original model cost at launch.

It’s positioned as a middle point between the small and rugged Marshall Emberton III and the larger Marshall Kilburn III, both of which we rate very highly here at TechRadar. You can grab the Middleton II in either Black & Brass, or Cream.

Marshall Middleton II review: specs

Weight

3.9 lbs / 1.8kg

Dimensions

9.1 x 4.3 x 3.9 inches / 230 x 110 x 98mm

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3, Aux

Battery life

30 hours

Speaker drivers

2x 30W woofers; 2x 10W tweeters

Waterproofing

IP67

(Image credit: Future)Marshall Middleton II review: features

Solid EQ options
Colossal battery life
No placement compensation or ‘M’ button

The Marshall Middleton II packs in a solid suite of features, with pleasing customization options and battery preservation settings.

This model is supported by the standard Marshall app – not the revamped one that the audio specialist’s home theater tech makes use of. Here, you’ll find a five-band equalizer and a small set of presets, all of which work well. You can also see the speaker’s remaining battery life, set a standby timeout, and tune into a live broadcast via Auracast.

Something that sets the Middleton II apart from a lot of the competition is its excellent battery life. You get a whopping 30 hours from this model, which is admirable considering the raw power and premium sound it supplies. Those aforementioned battery preservation options come in handy too, with maximum charge, temperature, and charging speed controls on offer.

You also get a built-in mic on the Middleton II, which is ideal if you want to take hands-free calls – this is a feature I don’t always see from speakers in this size-class, but I think it’s a most welcome one.

Having said that, the Middleton II does omit some useful features that I loved from its cousins. The first that pops to mind is placement compensation. On models like the Marshall Kilburn III, this optimizes the speaker’s audio output to the space that you’re listening to it in.

I also like the ‘M’ button that's on a lot of Marshall’s tech, and acts as a shortcut button – I use it on the Marshall Monitor III ANC to activate a bass boost, for example. But that’s not here either, and I would’ve appreciated it.

There’s also no multi-speaker pairing, and although you don’t need two Middleton II models to access stereo sound, the option to double up would be nice. Still, these gripes remain fairly minor, given that this speaker plates up plenty of playtime, an effective built-in mic, and good EQ options.

Features score: 4/5

(Image credit: Future)Marshall Middleton II review: sound quality

Impressive stereo sound
Impactful bass, clear mids, and controlled treble
Effective 360-degree stereophonic sound

Let’s get into the juicy stuff and chat about sound quality for a while. And I’ll put my cards right on the table: this speaker is a very strong performer, and surprised me with its sonic capabilities.

First of all, the Middleton II absolutely nails the basics. When tuning into Fascinator by Max Dean, the pumping bass was replicated with agility and serious impact. It never sounded bloated or overbearing. Vocal chops in the midrange also cut through with intent and clarity, while synths had fantastic tonal accuracy and character.

For me, I felt that higher-pitched drums – though well controlled – didn’t quite have the energy that I was looking for, but even this was easy to rectify with the on-board EQ controls. I simply ramped up the treble, and found that the track had that high-end sparkle I was looking for.

The Middleton II can even handle deep bass pretty effectively, reaching all the way down to 50Hz. In 15 Seconds of Fame by Kolter, I was instantly struck by weighty and immersive low-frequency performance. At top volumes, I did notice the bass compress a bit, but that’s very understandable for a smaller model. If you want loud, almighty low-end performance for outdoor use, say, it may be worth going for the larger Marshall Kilburn III.

All of this is great, but what really impressed me about the Middleton II was its stellar stereo sound. Yep, for such a small model, this thing whips up a phenomenal sense of stereo separation, something I found when listening to Foxey Lady by Jimi Hendrix. In this track, vocals on the left, and percussion on the right were both expertly positioned, creating an engrossingly expansive spatial impression.

360-degree ‘true’ stereophonic sound is here too, which means you get a beautiful listen, no matter where you are in the room. As Marshall says, “there’s nowhere to hide” with the Middleton II.

When listening to a collection of smooth jazz tracks, I was impressed with the levels of details the Middleton II could unveil. Subtle percussion and the breathy vocals came out to play, and I rarely felt as if the finer intricacies were lost in my favorite tracks. It’s worth noting, though, that this model doesn’t go beyond SBC and AAC, meaning you don’t get the higher-res codecs (think LDAC or aptX) for the most insightful listen over Bluetooth.

Finally, I did a comparison against the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Gen, a smaller-sized portable speaker at a similar price-point to the Middleton II. I thought that the Marshall more than held its own, providing a well-balanced, yet exciting performance.

For me, I felt that the B&O speaker gave individual instruments a touch more breathing space to work their magic, resulting in a beautifully layered listening experience. However, you need two B&O speakers to access stereo sound, which is downmixed to mono in a single unit, meaning you lose some of the nuance and expansiveness the Middleton II can offer.

And again, the fact that the quality of stereo sound is so high from the Middleton II really helps it to stand out in a highly convoluted market.

Sound quality score: 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future)Marshall Middleton II review: design

Premium look and feel
Strong IP67 dust and waterproofing
Slightly awkward size and weight

As I’d always expect from Marshall, there’s a real sense of luxury on display with the Middleton II. This model has a fret-infused design, with a gorgeous golden multi-directional controller, and neat LED lights to indicate battery level. Its faux leather outer casing and iconic logo at the center also hammer home that feeling of quality.

This speaker is also heavy given its size, weighing in at 3.9 lbs / 1.8kg. Now on one hand, this feels indicative of its high standard of build and materials, as well as its inclusion of multiple quality speaker drivers. But on the other hand, it does feel a little too hefty, especially given the lack of a proper handle – there’s just a carry strap here.

I also had a similar feeling about the dimensions of the Middleton II. It feels too large to hold in one hand and throw in a bag, as you would with the Emberton III. But then again, it doesn’t supply the raw power and even stronger sound quality of the Kilburn III. I suppose the speaker’s name is fitting in this regard, as it does almost seem like the awkward middle child in Marshall’s speaker lineup.

Again, there is a lot to like about the Middleton II’s look. Although its control buttons aren’t all too flashy, they are easy to use and well-positioned on the top of the model. There are also some easily accessible USB-C and Aux ports on the reverse side – for charging and wired listening respectively. And perhaps best of all, this model is IP67 dust and waterproof, meaning it can survive being dunked under a meter of water for up to 30 minutes. Pretty neat!

Design score: 4/5

(Image credit: Future)Marshall Middleton II review: value

Quite expensive, although limited change from original Middleton’s pricing
Kilburn III only slightly more expensive, but a considerable upgrade
Still a very good speaker with premium build and excellent sound

The Middleton II sits between the Emberton III and Kilburn III in terms of size, but it’s far closer to the latter when it comes to price. It comes in at $329.99 / £259.99 / AU$499, which is similar to the list price of the first Middleton at launch.

I’d still argue that this model is on the slightly more expensive side of things. Sure, it offers excellent stereo sound, with fantastic soundstage performance and well-balanced audio. It also looks premium, and plates up plenty of playtime. But that’s a lot more than a lot of models in its size class, and now, you can even get the significantly mightier and great sounding JBL Xtreme 4 at a similar price.

In fact, for just $50 / £40 / AU$100, you can get your hands on the Kilburn III, which offers more power, better bass performance, an even more premium look, and a better feature-set. The Kilburn’s inclusion of a proper handle is also a big plus, and helps to cement it as a stronger value pick than the Middleton II.

As I’ve expressed throughout this review, this is still a very high quality model. And in the future, if you can snap it up on sale for closer to $250 / £200 / AU$400, it will undoubtedly prove to be well worth the investment. But it lacks the pure portability of the Emberton III, and it doesn’t quite provide the five-star sound and look of the Kilburn III. As a result, it feels like a slightly harder sell than those two models.

Value score: 3.5/5

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Marshall Middleton II?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

In-built mic, effective app, 30-hour playtime, but missing some options from other Marshall models.

4/5

Sound quality

Fantastic stereo sound, excellent soundstage, well-balanced audio, only some minor imperfections.

4.5/5

Design

A little heavy and awkwardly-sized, but premium and pretty.

4/5

Value

Kilburn III offers better bang for your buck, but overall quality is high.

3.5/5

Buy it if...

You want a smaller-sized speaker with excellent sound quality
For a speaker that sits on the smaller side of things, this model does sound pretty impressive. It packs fantastic stereo sound and never takes any half measures when it comes to soundstage. You won’t be blown away by gigantic bass, but what is here is clean, agile, and surprisingly deep. You also get detailed mids and clear treble, making for an engrossing listen, time after time.

You’re a fan of the classic Marshall aesthetic
I love the look of the Marshall Middleton II. It doesn’t quite have the same sex appeal of the Kilburn III, with its gorgeous control panel and red velvet handle, but it’s still very nice to look at. That’s thanks to a multi-directional metallic control button, attractive faux-leather casing, and eye-catching frets. If you appreciate the classic Marshall look, I expect you’ll appreciate the Middleton II.

Don't buy it if...

You want the ultimate portable option
The Middleton II is heavy for its size, and it doesn’t come with a proper handle either, just a small carry strap. As a result, it’s not the best in terms of portability.

You’re looking to get the most bang for your buck
For the slight increase in cost, the Kilburn III offers more value for money, thanks to its superior sound quality, power, build, and feature-set. You can even get the larger JBL Xtreme 4 at a similar price right now, which makes the Middleton II feel like a slightly tough sell, in spite of its strong overall quality.

Marshall Middleton II review: also consider

Marshall Middleton II

Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Gen

JBL Charge 6

Price

$329.99 / £259.99 / AU$499

$349 / £299 / AU$639

$149 / £129 / AU$229.95

Weight

3.9 lbs / 1.8kg

1.3 lbs / 576g

3lbs / 1.37kg

Dimensions

9.1 x 4.3 x 3.9 inches / 230 x 110 x 98mm

5.2 x 1.8 x 5.2 inches / 133 x 46 H x 133mm

9 x 3.9 x 3.7 inches / 229 x 99 x 94mm

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3, AUX

Bluetooth 5.1, USB-C

Bluetooth 5.4

Battery life

30 hours

24 hours

28 hours (with PlayTime Boost)

Speaker drivers

2x 30W woofers; 2x 10W tweeters

1x 0.6-inch tweeter; 1 x 3.25-inch woofer, each with 1x 30W Class D amplification

53 x 93 mm mid/bass 'racetrack' driver, 20mm tweeter

Waterproofing

IP67

IP68

Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Gen
This is a top-of-the range Bluetooth speaker that offers phenomenal sound quality, fantastic features, and one of the most luxurious designs around. It downmixes stereo content to mono, so some may appreciate the sound of the Middleton II more, but it still offers palpable bass, beautifully detailed mids, and exciting treble, with adept instrument separation and higher-res Bluetooth streaming. It’s similarly priced to the Middleton II, so if you want a real touch of class, I’d certainly consider this. Read our full Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Gen review.

JBL Charge 6
This is a much cheaper, and not quite as powerful option, but the JBL Charge 6 is still a worthy rival to the Middleton II. It has class-leading dust and waterproofing, fantastic sound quality, top-tier portability, and a nice array of color options. It’s recently been on sale for less than $130 / £100 / AU$180, so it’s a great budget-friendly option. Read our full JBL Charge 6 review.

How I tested the Marshall Middleton II

(Image credit: Future)

Tested across multiple weeks
Used in the Future Labs music testing space
Predominantly tested using Tidal

I spent multiple weeks with the Marshall Middleton II, during which time I exhausted every feature, listened to hours and hours of music, and carefully assessed its design. For the most part, I used the speaker in our music testing space at Future Labs, which we use to judge audio quality in an isolated, controlled environment.

When tuning into tracks, I mainly used Tidal over a Bluetooth connection, but I did dip into Spotify on occasion and tested out wired listening too. As always, I kicked off my review by playing tracks from our curated TechRadar reference playlist, but I also bumped a whole lot of tunes from my own personal library. As I mentioned in the review, I also compared the Middleton II with the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Gen, in order to assess aspects such as bass output, instrument separation, and detail.

More generally, I’ve tested all kinds of audio equipment during my time here at TechRadar, from flagship headphones such as the Sony WH-1000XM6, as well as home cinema products like the Marshall Heston 60. I’ve also reviewed a whole lot of Bluetooth speakers, from leading brands like Bose, JBL, and, of course, I’ve tested more than 30 models in total, and personally curated our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers, so I have a deep understanding of the Middleton II’s competition, and how it compares in a challenging market.

First reviewed: December 2025
Read more about how we test

Categories: Reviews

The anime-themed Starforge Systems Frieren PC might be one of the prettiest systems I've ever seen - and the performance is almost as powerful as the elf mage herself

TechRadar Reviews - Sun, 12/07/2025 - 09:00

Starforge Systems Frieren PC: Two-minute review

It's not every day I get to review a PC that looks this good. PC-building brand Starforge Systems makes some excellent pre-built systems worthy of standing among the best computers, but it's the company's collaboration builds that really stand out - and I've been lucky enough to get Starforge's latest themed PC, which is a collab with the popular new anime Frieren: Beyond Journey's End.

Starforge has previously run collabs for novel PC builds with popular media from across anime and gaming, including Jujutsu Kaisen, Path of Exile, and even Old School Runescape. Why am I reviewing this one specifically? 'Cos Frieren slaps, that's why. Chronicling the misadventures of an ancient and powerful (but also frequently goofy) elven mage, it features near the top of our best anime shows list for good reason, and season 2 is out in January - so if you haven't watched it already, get a move on!

Uh, anyway. Enough about the show. Let's actually talk about the PC Starforge has built: because it also slaps. A premium mid-tower gaming desktop with high-end components, it's fundamentally similar to the Voyager III system, with the most notable change being that it features an AMD graphics card rather than an Nvidia one (and that it has the cast of Frieren plastered all over it, obviously).

(Image credit: Future)

As far as PC builds go, it's nothing particularly wild outside the anime-themed aesthetics. I'll get more into the nitty-gritty of the internals down in the Design section, but the guts of this build should look largely familiar to anyone familiar with the art of custom PC building. It's exceptionally colorful when switched on, too; I played around a bit with the RGB settings and was easily able to set up a very pleasing white-and-green light scheme that matched the design of the case.

Thankfully, the performance is solid: this system can comfortably handle 1080p and 1440p gaming, and run all but the most demanding titles at 4K - though you might want to turn on AMD's FSR 3 upscaling for that, especially in ray-traced games like Cyberpunk 2077. If you want a gaming PC that can also pull double duty as a workstation for professional or hobbyist creative work, this system can get the job done.

(Image credit: Future)

The main downside for me here - other than the lack of an Nvidia RTX GPU, which does lock users out from using Nvidia's best-in-class upscaling and frame-generation tech - is the price. I'll do a full breakdown in the next section, but the cost is $2,499.99 (around £1,870 / AU$3,760).

That's not a terrible price, for sure; I took some time to sit down on PCPartPicker and tried to replicate this build as accurately as possible, and even opting for some cheaper components in the same performance bracket (like more budget-conscious RAM and storage), I landed at a price just barely south of $2,300.

The fancy backlit display panel and general extra design features here will be worth that extra two hundred bucks for some people, and the skyrocketing price of RAM will no doubt be pushing some people away from DIY-ing their next PC. Oh, and of course, if you buy from Starforge, you don't have to go through the pain of actually building the damn thing.

Starforge notably does bundle this PC with a large desk mat and acrylic wall art panel matching the Frieren aesthetic, too - which, when purchased individually, would run you an extra $110. Still, you're definitely paying a premium for the Frieren theme, so it's probably a PC you should only pick if you're a serious anime lover.

Starforge Systems Frieren PC review: Price & Availability

Fixed price of $2,499.99 (around £1,870 / AU$3,760)
Available now in the US, ships to UK and Australia
Only one configuration available

There's only one model of the Frieren PC available, and it'll run you a total of $2,499.99 (around £1,870 / AU$3,760). As I noted above, that's only marginally above the price you're likely to pay to build your own similar system at the time of writing, though you'd obviously be missing out on the exclusive design starring everyone's favorite tiny but overpowered elf and her pals, plus the bundled artwork and desk mat.

It should also be noted for British and Australian shoppers that those GBP and AUD conversions don't include regional tax (VAT and GST, respectively), so you will actually end up paying a bit more once you factor in that and shipping fees. Americans, you already know the drill when it comes to sales tax.

(Image credit: Future)

So while the Starforge Systems Frieren PC is undeniably a rather expensive purchase, I can't knock it too hard for that; it's a niche collab targeting the crossover between PC gamers and a relatively new TV show fanbase, and the bundled extras soften the blow of the asking price.

The Frieren PC is already available to purchase directly from Starforge's website, with shipping to anywhere in the US, Europe, and Australia. All of Starforge's PCs come with a 2-year warranty, too.

Value: 4 / 5

Starforge Systems Frieren PC review: SpecsStarforge Systems Frieren PC Specs

Starforge Systems Frieren PC Config

Price

$2,499.99 (around £1,870 / AU$3,760)

CPU

Intel Core i5-14600K

GPU

AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT 16GB

RAM

32GB DDR5-6000

Storage

1TB PCIe NVMe 4.0 M.2 SSD

Ports and Connectivity

Front I/O: 2x USB-A 3.2, 1x USB-C 3.2, 1x 3.5mm combi audio jack

Rear I/O: 6x USB-A 3.2, 1x USB-C 3.2, 1x HDMI, 3x DisplayPort, 1x RJ-45 Ethernet, 1x PS/2, 1x SPDIF, 5x 3.5mm audio in-out

Dimensions

18.82 x 11.42 x 18.54in (47.8cm x 29.0cm x 47.1cm)

Starforge Systems Frieren PC review: Design

Clean, well-assembled internals
Fantastic aesthetic with swappable platelights
Potentially bigger than it really needs to be

I'll say this right out of the gate: even for a mid-tower system, this is a pretty chunky desktop PC. The specially-customized Lian Li O11 Dynamic case used for the Frieren PC is large, and there's quite a bit of negative space inside the case - this isn't the PC to buy if you're working with limited real estate on your desk.

Still, that extra room does mean that the Frieren PC has a lot of upgrade potential. Removing the glass side panel to root around inside the guts of this system is as easy as pie, and there's ample space for a bigger GPU if so desired in the future, too. Or, you know, an anime figurine...

Size aside, this is obviously one really good-looking system. The art quality is excellent, and the anime-themed print doesn't just extend to the glass panels; there's a separate piece of artwork depicting Frieren's previous adventuring party (shown in flashbacks in the show, which form an important part of her narrative development- okay, I'll shut up now) printed on the metal opposite side panel, as well as a large sigil on the top grille. It's also decked out with plenty of fully customizable RGB lighting, including two slim lightbars that run along the top and bottom edges of the panelling. There's also the usual abundance of ports on the back you'd expect from a gaming PC, and a pretty standard front I/O featuring USB-A, USB-C, and an audio jack.

Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: Future)

I also feel compelled to say that this is one of the tidiest and most well-assembled pre-built PCs I've seen in years, rivalling many of the best gaming PCs. I'm not saying that most reputable PC-builders are messy with their builds, but Starforge's work here is clearly top-class, with masterful cable management. Even the space hidden beneath the vertical PSU shroud is tidy (an area I'm personally accustomed to using as the 'just stuff it out of sight' space in my own PC builds).

In addition to the Frieren-themed extras, you also get a pack containing all the additional bits and pieces that weren't used in the build - drive brackets from the case, spare screws, unused modular cables from the PSU, all that good stuff. Not all PC-builders include this superfluous kit, but it's highly useful if you choose to upgrade your system further down the line.

One particularly nice inclusion here - also seen in some of Starforge Systems' other premium pre-built PCs - is the 'platelight'. That's the tall, thin acrylic art strip with LED backlighting you can see in some of the photos I've taken; pop off the other side panel, and you can easily slide it out and replace it with a different piece of illuminated artwork. Starforge sells a variety of these on its site (there are four other Frieren ones besides the default one included here), which range from other collabs to striking original artwork. You could even theoretically make your own, since it's just artwork printed on a rectangular slab of translucent acrylic.

Design: 5 / 5

Starforge Systems Frieren PC review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

Strong gaming and creative performance
CPU performance is okay, but not spectacular for the price
Fans are impressively quiet even under load

Starforge Systems Frieren PC Benchmarks

Here's how the Frieren PC performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

Geekbench 6 (Multi Core): 17,477; (Single Core): 2,787
Geekbench AI (Single Precision): 35,726; (Half Precision): 47,849; (Quantized): 28,735
Cinebench R23 (Multi Core): 23,937; (Single Core): 2,039
Cinebench R24 (Multi Core): 1,387; (Single Core): 122
Crossmark Overall: 2,255
3DMark Fire Strike: 45,822; Steel Nomad: 7,032; Solar Bay: 117,376; Night Raid: 84,092
BlackMagicDisk Read: 4,071MB/s; Write: 4,779MB/s
25GB Copy Test: 1,502MB/s
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (1080p, Highest): 197 FPS; (Balanced Upscaling, 1080p, Highest): 244 FPS
Total War: Warhammer III (1080p, Medium): 275 FPS; (1080p, Ultra): 146 FPS
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Ultra): 173 FPS; (Balanced Upscaling, 1080p, Ultra): 183 FPS; (Balanced Upscaling, 1080p, Ultra RT): 131 FPS
Marvel Rivals (1080p, Low): 193 FPS; (1080p, Ultra): 112 FPS; (Balanced Upscaling, 1080p, Ultra): 136 FPS

Powered by the excellent AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT graphics card, the Frieren PC has no issues running the latest PC games at 1080p and 1440p resolutions, and can easily spring to 4K without dropping below 60 frames per second in many titles too. If you're willing to switch on upscaling with FSR 3 (and you really should be at this point, as upscaling tech has come a long way in recent years), 4K gaming is comfortably within reach here.

I got stable framerates at 1440p and 4K in all the listed games (plus Black Myth: Wukong, which I'm currently playing through) except Cyberpunk 2077, which struggled a little once ray tracing was turned on. If you're willing to do a very small amount of fiddling in the graphical settings, though, virtually any game should be playable at 4K on this PC.

Considering the synthetic test results too, it's safe to say that this PC is also able to comfortably handle creative workloads such as video editing and 3D rendering. If you're a creative professional who also happens to be an anime fan, this might actually be the perfect computer for you.

(Image credit: Future)

CPU performance is a little less impressive, though still good. Although the Intel Core i5-14600K chip inside the Frieren PC is fast, as an i5 CPU, it's fundamentally just not a high-end processor. That has the potential to create minor bottlenecks in CPU-heavy programs, particularly single-core workloads. It's perfectly sufficient for 99% of use cases, but there will potentially be some users who want to do a lot of stuff beyond gaming on their PC, and this should be an important consideration if you're one of those people.

That i5 chip lacks a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) for handling AI workloads, but that doesn't matter in the slightest, since the far more powerful Radeon GPU can handle locally-run AI tasks to a good degree. This is a fairly niche application, though, so unless you already know you're going to be running AI software locally (or you're planning on building your own LLM) it shouldn't be a major concern.

Lastly, I'd like to note that despite its hefty size and six case fans (plus two on the GPU), it's surprisingly quiet in operation. Airflow overall seems good, with vertical pressure venting heat efficiently (I saw no significant component temperature spikes during my tests). Sure, you can hear the fans, but considering how much whine some PCs put out when running a demanding game or program, I have to say I was impressed at how little noise this system produces.

Performance: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Starforge Systems Frieren PC?Starforge Systems Frieren PC Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

It's not cheap, but the pricing puts it only a little above the cost of a similar DIY PC - and the aesthetics are worth it if you're a weeb like me.

4 / 5

Design

Aesthetically stunning and well-assembled from good quality components, there's very little I can reasonably fault about this PC's design.

5 / 5

Performance

Gaming and creative performance is strong, with only minor tweaks needed to run the latest games at 4K with 60+ frames per second.

4.5 / 5

Total

A love letter to PC gaming and anime, the Frieren PC is the indisputable best possible gift for someone who loves that show.

4.5 / 5

Buy the Starforge Systems Frieren PC if...

You want a powerful, upgradable PC
With solid gaming performance and an extremely tidy internal finish that should make future upgrades a breeze, this is a future-proofed system - though I can't guarantee it'll live as long as an immortal magical elf.

You love Frieren
Do I really need to explain this one? If you like the show and you're a PC gamer, this is probably the best system you could possibly buy. If you haven't seen the show, how did you even get this far into the article? Leave immediately and watch it, that's an order.

Don't buy it if...

You're on a tight budget
Two and a half thousand dollars is a lot of money, I can't dispute that. This is a product for die-hard fans who are willing to pay a bit more (though Starforge does also have some very reasonably-priced generic pre-builds).

You want a compact desktop
The Frieren PC has a frankly huge footprint for a mid-tower system, measuring almost as much as my massive old Corsair Carbide 600C build from 2017. If you're already working with a cramped gaming space, I'd advise look for something smaller.

Starforge Systems Frieren PC review: Also Consider

NZXT Player PC
One of the best desktop PCs we've reviewed this year, the 'Player PC' from NZXT might have an awful name, but it delivers strong gaming performance in a well-constructed case - plus, as an RTX 5070 system, it'll cost you a bit less than the Frieren PC too.

Read our full NZXT Player PC review

Asus ROG NUC (2025)
If you’re looking for a powerful PC in the same price range that won't take up half your tiny desk's surface area, this compact gaming PC from Asus is a stellar choice. It's incredible how much performance Asus was able to cram into its pint-sized chassis, though it can get a bit noisy while gaming.

Read our full Asus ROG NUC (2025) review

How I tested the Starforge Systems Frieren PC

Tested for two weeks
Used for work, video calls, and general internet use
Replaced my usual desktop for gaming

I tested the Starforge Systems Frieren PC for a set period of two weeks, during which it replaced my usual home office desktop (a similarly beefy system). I naturally used it for everyday work from home, which usually involves straightforward tasks like word processing, emailing, and web research, but also image editing using GIMP.

As usual with PC reviews, I ran the Frieren PC through our usual suite of benchmarking tests, which includes both in-game and synthetic benchmarks, as well as using it daily for my own gaming activities - it ran Black Myth: Wukong and Doom: The Dark Ages great (and Stardew Valley, but that could run on a lemon clock). Aside from gaming, I also used it for a few other online activities; I'm rewatching Twin Peaks, and on two occasions, it played host to my regular virtual TTRPG session.

I've been reviewing PC hardware for more than seven years and have been a PC gamer for more than twice that time, with so many laptop and desktop reviews under my belt at numerous different publications that I genuinely can't even count them. This was my first time reviewing a system from Starforge, and needless to say, I came away from the experience impressed (and quite frankly, frustrated that I couldn't keep it).

First reviewed: December 2025
Read more about how we test

Categories: Reviews

Forget bulky backpacks, this 9L crossbody bag is my top pick for lightweight camera gear – here's why

TechRadar Reviews - Sun, 12/07/2025 - 07:00

Ulanzi 9L Camera Sling Bag with Tripod Holder B122: two-minute review

I increasingly find myself on days where I need just a small bag with quick access to camera gear, whether that's a day out with my compact or lightweight mirrorless camera, taking street photos, or work events where I'm shooting TikTok content with a smartphone, supported by wireless mics and portable lighting.

For such times, a backpack is excessive, and with which access to what's inside is typically slow and complicated. No, I need a small holder with quick access to gear, and that's where a bag like Ulanzi’s Camera Sling Bag (9L) is perfect and one of the best camera bags of its kind.

It takes the same crossbody bag form as the bags all the kids are wearing these days, but is also deeply practical (shh, don't tell them). It's larger than your average crossbody bag – aka a sling bag – meaning it's surprising just what can fit inside, without compromising on the advantages of such a bag type.

With it slung over one shoulder and resting on my midriff, right where I can easily unzip and switch gear, I can store a range of equipment. For a photography day, a couple of compact cameras / an enthusiast mirrorless camera with a short prime lens, wallet, phone, snacks, and a small drink (there's a stretch pocket on each side, but I struggled to find a drink container small enough to fit).

For content creation, a smartphone, wireless mic case, portable SmallRig mini LED Video Light 25W (I have two, and they are superb and worth a feature of their own - that's coming), mini selfie stick-cum-tripod / neck mount, phone clamp, mints, comb, the whole shebang. It all fits.

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(Image credit: Future)

I'm currently using a Xiaomi 15 Ultra for social media video work, and it fits vertically in the Ulanzi sling bag, as do the lights and mini selfie stick-cum-tripod, which means I can fit way more in than if I had to stash them horizontally.

I was surprised to discover the Ulanzi sling bag is large enough to hold a regular tablet too (like a 10.9-inch iPad) – it's positively cavernous – while other nice touches include a hidden AirTag pocket.

Even with all of that gear inside, the Ulanzi sling bag is comfortable on a single shoulder, thanks to its padded strap and snug fit around the torso. It's designed to rest over the shoulder and at midriff height, with the main compartment accessed through the top zip, which runs across the entire width, for easy access.

The bag comes with an internal divider component. It can be laid flat to provide a firm underside and leave the main compartment completely open, or folded in on itself to create three separate compartments, dividing out gear to keep it protected from other items inside. It's great having the choice between open and divided, and that the divider can remain inside for either setup.

Build quality is particularly good - I'm expecting to get several years of use from the bag - the outer polyester material seems rugged. The main zip is weather-sealed and glides easily, too.

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There's no rain cover provided, but I wouldn't expect water ingress – it has easily withstood light showers. Just to be clear, though, I haven't used the bag outdoors in sustained inclement weather, so I can’t vouch for it in those conditions yet.

There are external straps to fix additional accessories to, such as a small tripod on the underside. Side straps are included less so for accessories but rather to provide a grip that makes zipping and unzipping the main compartment a breeze.

Elsewhere, there is a disguised external pocket with a particularly sticky and widespread velcro fastening frontage – ideal for thin items such as a wallet. The cover can be tucked away to expose the velcro, and Ulanzi sells velcro badges to customize the exterior, which is something I didn't do.

Put simply, every aspect of the bag functions as expected. I can't find a single fault with the Ulanzi Camera Sling 9L bag, functionally at least, and it's reasonably priced too. I've found it for $49.95 at Amazon US, and at the time of writing, there's an additional $10 off coupon. Bargain. The price is a little different on the Ulanzi site, but there's international shipping (see details below).

The only criticism I have is subjective - the bag’s appearance. Its plain black exterior won't win any style awards, and I'm not convinced that optional velcro badges help matters. No, this is function over aesthetics.

Looks aside, if you need a small sling bag for day trips with lightweight gear or mobile content creation setups, you can't go wrong with the Ulanzi 9L Camera Sling Bag with Tripod Holder B122, and it fully deserves my highest recommendation.

(Image credit: Future)Ulanzi 9L Camera Sling Bag with Tripod Holder B122: key specs

Type

Sling

Capacity

Size

14.56 x 5.11 x 7.48in / 370 x 130 x 190mm

Weight

1.32lb / 600g

Tablet sleeve

Yes, up to 10.9-inch

Included

Bag, divider, shoulder pad (velcro badges optional)

Material

Polyester Fabric

Ulanzi 9L Camera Sling Bag with Tripod Holder B122: Price and availability

I've found the Ulanzi camera sling bag (9L) on Ulanzi's own website for $61.79 or $67 with velcro badges (which converts to around £47 / AU$93), and international shipping is possible.

It's also available for less at Amazon in the US and Australia, where it costs $49.95 at Amazon US and AU$75 at the time of writing.

Ulanzi 9L Camera Sling Bag with Tripod Holder B122: Also consider

Billingham Hadley Pro 2020

At the opposite end of style and cost is the Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 day bag. With classic looks and a premium price tag, it couldn't be any more different to the Ulanzi sling.

Read our Billingham Hadley Pro 2020 review

Should I buy the Ulanzi 9L Camera Sling Bag with Tripod Holder B122?

(Image credit: Future)Buy it if...

You need quick access to gear

Sitting across the body positioned close to hand, and with one large zip easily opened to access the main compartment, gear will be in your hand in no time.

9L storage is sufficient for your gear

Larger than your regular crossbody bag but much smaller than most camera backpacks, the Ulanzi sling is ideal as a day bag, being able to hold a camera with lens, or mobile content creator gear.

Don't buy it if...

You want a stylish bag

I think it's fair to say that aesthetics are hardly the Ulanzi sling bag's strong suit.

You have bulky gear

Cavernous its 9L storage may be, the Ulanzi sling bag is for lightweight camera gear.

How I tested the Ulanzi 9L Camera Sling Bag with Tripod Holder B122

I tested it for several months
I stored various camera gear and tried various internal configurations
It has seen various weather conditions

The Ulanzi 9L Camera Sling Bag with Tripod Holder B122 has been my go-to day bag for months, for when I need to carry lightweight camera gear and want quick access to that gear, such as for street photography with a mirrorless camera or premium compact camera, to everything I need for filming TikTok content.

It's held everything from a mirrorless camera with a short prime lens to a vlogging camera and mics, portable LED lights, and more. The bag has kept my gear secure on hectic days and in short bursts of inclement weather.

First reviewed December 2025

Categories: Reviews

The Xgimi Horizon 20 Max is a bright, premium projector that's awesome for both movies and gaming

TechRadar Reviews - Sun, 12/07/2025 - 06:00

Xgimi Horizon 20 Max review: One minute review

The Xgimi Horizon 20 Max is the company’s flagship portable projector. Its triple laser DLP light engine is rated to deliver a very high 5,700 ISO lumens brightness, and it has Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and IMAX Enhanced support. Optical zoom and lens shift features allow for a high level of placement flexibility.

The Xgimi Horizon 20 Max's picture is bright, with powerful contrast and crisp textures. Motion handling for both sports and movies is very good after making some adjustments, and it also delivers surprisingly good built-in sound, with solid bass, clear speech and effective virtual surround sound.

Google TV is built in for wireless streaming, and gaming performance is very good. The Horizon 20 Max does lack key gaming features such as 4K 120Hz support, but its performance is responsive and snappy when playing intense games.

The Xgimi Horizon 20 Max is much more expensive than the best portable projectors, but its performance justifies its price, and it’s easily one of the best projectors I’ve tested.

Xgimi Horizon 20 Max review: Prices & release date

The Xgimi Horizon 20 Max has crisp textures and refined detail (Image credit: Future)

Release date: October 2025
Price: $2,999 / £2,599 (roughly AU$4,599)

The Xgimi Horizon 20 Max is the company’s flagship 4K portable projector, sitting above both the mid-range Horizon 20 Pro and entry-level Horizon 20. It was released in October 2025 for $2,999 / £2,599. This puts it in a similar price range as rivals such as the Anker Nebula X1, Valerian VisionMaster Pro 2 and Hisense C2 Ultra.

Since its release, the Horizon 20 Max’s price has remained the same in both the US and UK, but it has fallen to as low as $2,399 in Xgimi special offers. Minus any discounts, it sits at the premium end of the portable 4K projector market.

Xgimi Horizon 20 Max review: Specs

Screen sizes supported:

40-300 inches

Brightness (specified):

5,700 ISO lumens

HDR support:

Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG

Display technology:

Triple laser DLP

Smart TV:

Google TV

Connections:

1x HDMI (with eARC), 3.5mm audio out, USB-A, USB-C (supports 100/140W PD input)

Dimensions (H x W x D):

2x HDMI (x1 eARC), 1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, 1x 3.5mm, 1x optical audio out

Weight:

11.9 pounds (5.4kg)

Xgimi Horizon 20 Max: Design & featuresImage 1 of 2

The Horizon 20 Max's rear ports (1) and optical zoom feature (2) (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future)

Triple RGB laser light engine
Optical zoom and obstacle avoidance
Google TV

The Horizon 20 Max feels solidly built and has a useful hinged design that lets you easily adjust its projection height. A gimbal stand allows for good rotation, without needing to move the projector itself. At 9.6 x 11.7 x 7.5 inches (249 x 298 x 190mm), its size is similar to other larger portable projectors such as the JMGO N1S Pro 4K.

The Horizon 20 Max has a triple laser DLP light engine and a rated brightness of 5,700 ISO lumens. Its throw ratio is 1.2-1.5:1, and it can project on screens ranging from 40-300 inches.

The Horizon 20 Max has several useful features for image correction, including auto and manual keystone and focus, optical zoom, 120% vertical and 45% horizontal lens shift, intelligent obstacle avoidance, wall color adaptation and eye protection.

I found these features to be impressive during my testing, with auto keystone working effectively. The optical zoom made setup easy, displaying the image with good brightness and clarity even at maximum zoom. The lens shift also proved to be a very useful tool with a wide range that let me easily align the image with the 80-inch matte white screen I used for testing.

The Horizon 20 Max supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and IMAX Enhanced. It has a Filmmaker Mode, but this isn’t a standard picture preset like you’ll find on some of the best TVs, but rather a ‘Filmmaker Mode switch’ setting that can be turned on in the Display settings. 3D is also supported on the Horizon 20 Max.

The Xgimi Horizon 20 Max uses Google TV as its UI (Image credit: Future)

For audio, the Horizon 20 Max has 2x 12W speakers with sound by Harmon Kardon and DTS: Virtual X support. There is support for Dolby audio, but not Dolby Atmos. Sound modes include Standard and Movie, plus a virtual surround sound setting. There is also an EQ for bass and treble adjustments.

For connections, the Horizon 20 Max has two HDMI ports (one with eARC), a USB 3.0 port, a USB 2.0 port, one optical digital audio output and one analog audio output.

The Horizon 20 Max uses Google TV as its operating system and supports major streaming apps including Netflix, Disney Plus and Prime Video. Its extensive settings for both picture and audio allow for a deep level of customization.

While the Horizon 20 Max does not support 4K 120Hz, it does support VRR and ALLM for gaming and a 240Hz refresh rate at 1080p resolution (as well as 4K at 60Hz). I did find that the Horizon 20 Max accepted 4K 120Hz signals from my Xbox Series X, but it was confirmed by Xgimi that this was probably being downscaled and using it could result in an “unstable or downgraded image”.

Design & features score: 4.5/5

Xgimi Horizon 20 Max: Picture & sound quality

The Xgimi Horizon 20 Max has spectacular color reproduction, making colorful scenes from movies such as The Sound of Music (pictured) really pop. (Image credit: 20th Century Studios / Future)

High brightness
Spectacular color and good contrast
Impressive audio

For my testing, I used an 80-inch Optoma 1.0 gain matte white screen. The Horizon 20 Max measured 433 nits HDR peak brightness in both Movie and Standard mode, with light output set to Max (the default). This is a great result and easily beats other portable projectors I’ve tested like the JMGO N1S Pro, which hit 178 nits peak HDR brightness. The Horizon 20 Max’s bright picture is no surprise, given that it is rated for 5,700 ISO lumens.

When measuring the Horizon 20 Max’s native contrast ratio, it yielded a result of 1,446:1. Color accuracy in the default Movie preset was 6.8, but setting the color temperature to D65 dropped it to 3.3, a much better result. Lastly, it covered 98.9% of the DCI-P3 color space and 96.8% of the BT.2020 color space, both excellent results.

The Horizon 20 Max’s bright picture really made an impact with animated movies. Watching a 4K Dolby Vision stream of Elemental in Dolby Vision Bright picture mode, the Horizon 20 Max showed vibrant, dazzling colors that packed plenty of punch, such as in one scene where Ember runs across some crystals, changing her own flame’s color.

A scene where Maria and the children stand at a fruit market stall from the 4K Blu-ray of The Sound of Music showed impressive highlights, with the reds and yellows of the fruits popping on screen. As they made their way into the hills, the luscious green grass and clear blue of the sky were bold but still had a true-to-life look.

Switching to darker movies, the Horizon 20 Max also displayed strong contrast and rich blacks. In the crime scene in Mayor Mitchell’s house on a 4K Blu-ray of The Batman, the Horizon 20 Max had great shadow detail, with objects such as photo frames on the dark walls still visible. In both The Batman and Dark City, again on 4K Blu-ray, the Horizon 20 Max’s contrast was powerful, with lamps under people’s faces casting strong shadows. While blacks did occasionally take on a gray-blue hue, they were mostly accurate – more so than on other projectors I’ve tested, such as the JMGO N1S Pro 4K.

Black levels aren't the deepest on the Horizon 20 Max, but are still very good (Image credit: Future)

Textures throughout my viewing were crisp and detailed. Whether it was the plates in Batman’s armor in The Batman, the pockets on dark jackets of characters in Dark City, or even blades of grass in The Sound of Music, everything looked realistic.

The Horizon 20 Max’s motion handling is generally very good. Watching a soccer game on Prime Video, I found that setting MEMC to Low in picture settings produced the smoothest motion. When I next watched a panning camera shot from the movie No Time To Die where Bond walks across a rocky hillside, setting MEMC to Low also provided smooth motion without adding a soap opera effect.

The Horizon 20 Max does a solid job of upscaling SDR and lower-resolution content out of the box. An HD stream of Fight Club got an uplift in crispness and contrast. There are a number of AI settings that can be applied if you’re looking for a sharper picture, including AIPQ and AISR, with the latter having a scale from Low-High. This improves upscaling even further, and as long as you stick to the lower settings, it doesn’t make pictures look overly sharp.

Gaming performance on the Horizon 20 Max is solid, even with fast-paced games such as Battlefield V (pictured) (Image credit: Future)

The Horizon 20 Max has two built-in 12W Sound by Harmon Kardon speakers, and I was impressed by how well they performed. Watching the Batmobile chase scene from The Batman, the Horizon 20 Max delivered plenty of volume, with strong bass that perfectly conveyed the rumble of the Batmobile’s engine. Even car crashes had plenty of impact. Turning on surround sound in the settings made the soundstage wider, with accurate placement of effects such as screeching tires and blaring horns from vehicles. Speech was also clear throughout, whether it was dialogue or the vocals in musicals.

Gaming on the Horizon 20 Max is equally impressive. While it doesn’t support 4K 120Hz gaming, I still found gameplay to be smooth and responsive. Playing Battlefield V at both 4K 60Hz and 1080p 120Hz, gunfights, which needed quick targeting and regular scanning of the environment, felt intuitive and snappy throughout. The Horizon 20 Max’s input lag time was 19.1ms at 4K 60Hz. When I asked Xgimi about the projector's specified 3ms input lag time, I was told that this was for a specific part of the screen. Still, the Horizon 20 Max is a great projector for gaming.

Picture and sound quality score: 4.5/5

Xgimi Horizon 20 Max review: Value

(Image credit: Future)

Premium priced
Great performance and features
Built-in Google TV

At $2,999 / £2,599, the Horizon 20 Max is a pricey portable projector. Even so, it’s priced comparably to rivals such as the Hisense C2 Ultra ($2,499 / £2,299) and the Anker Nebula X1 ($2,999 / £2,999), and delivers similar features and performance.

You can buy some of the best ultra short throw projectors, such as the Hisense PX3-Pro ($2,699 / £1,999), for cheaper. And there are cheaper portable options such as the JMGO N1S Ultra ($1,599/£1,999), but the Horizon 20 Max really is a fantastic projector for the performance and features it offers.

Value score: 4/5

Should I buy the Xgimi Horizon 20 Max?

The Xgimi Horizon 20 Max's brightness and extended color gamut coverage worked wonders for animated movies such as Elemental (Image credit: Disney / Future )Xgimi Horizon 20 Max

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design and features

Excellent features for picture adjustment and positioning. Design looks a bit old-school, but feels solidly built and premium

4.5/5

Picture and sound quality

Colorful, bright picture with strong contrast and crisp textures. Built-in sound surprisingly good and solid gaming performance too

4.5/5

Value

At the pricier end of the portable projector market, but with features and performance are great for the money

4/5

Buy it if...

You want great picture quality
The Xgimi Horizon 20 Max's picture is bright, with bold colors, powerful contrast, and great detail. View Deal

You want good built-in sound
The Horizon 20 Max has strong built-in sound, with punchy bass, clear speech and surprisingly effective virtual surround sound. View Deal

You want a versatile projector
With plenty of picture adjustment tools as well as extensive installation controls, the Horizon 20 Max is highly versatile for a portable projector. View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You're on a budget
The Horizon 20 Max is a premium, flagship projector and as such carries the high price tag to match. View Deal

You want the full gaming experience
While the Horizon 20 Max is very good for gaming, it is missing key features such as 4K 120Hz support. View Deal

You don't want to adjust your picture
If you're looking for the best possible picture from the Horizon 20 Max, be prepared to spend some time in the settings. View Deal

Also consider

Xgimi Horizon 20 Max

Anker Nebula X1

Hisense C2 Ultra

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2

Price:

$2,999 / £2,599 / around AU$4,500

$2,999 / £2,999 / around AU$4,500

$2,999 / £2,499 / AU$4,499

$2,999 / £2,599 / AU4,999

Screen sizes supported:

40-300 inches

up to 200 inches

65-300 inches

40-300 inches

Brightness (specified):

5,700 ISO lumens

3,500 ANSI lumens

3,000 ANSI lumens

3,000 ISO lumens

HDR support

Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG, IMAX Enhanced

Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG

Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG

Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG,

Optical technology:

Triple laser DLP

Smart TV:

Google TV

Google TV (US) / VIDAA (UK/AU)

Google TV

Connections:

2x HDMI (x1 eARC), 1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, 1x 3.5mm, 1x optical audio out

2 x HDMI 2.1 (1 with eARC), USB-A, USB-C, optical audio out

2x HDMI 2.1 (1 with eARC), 2x USB-A, 1x S/PDIF, Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm, Bluetooth

2x HDMI 2.1, 1x HDMI 2.0 with eARC, 1x optical, 1x 3.5mm

Anker Nebula X1
The Anker Nebula X1 is an excellent projector with similarly good contrast and detail. While not as bright as the Xgimi Horizon 20 Max, it is marginally cheaper and has optional external speakers that can provide better sound.

Read our full Anker Nebula X1 reviewView Deal

Hisense C2 Ultra
The Hisense C2 Ultra is a sleeker, slightly more portable option than the Xgimi Horizon 20 Max that also delivers great picture quality. The Horizon 20 Max has a higher rated brightness, however.

Read our full Hisense C2 Ultra reviewView Deal

Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2
The Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 is less portable than its rivals but delivers similarly bright, bold pictures. The Xgimi Horizon 20 Max has significantly more adjustment options, however, making it easier to install.

Read our full Valerion VisionMaster Pro 2 reviewView Deal

How I tested the Xgimi Horizon 20 MaxImage 1 of 2

(Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future)

Tested using HDR and SDR sources
Mostly tested in pitch black conditions
Measurements taken using Portrait Displays' Calman Color Calibration software

I tested the Xgimi Horizon 20 Max using an Optoma 80-inch, 1.0-gain matte white screen. I first did some casual viewing to establish its most accurate picture modes for testing, landing on Movie and Dolby Vision Dark.

I primarily used 4K Blu-ray and 4K streaming for HDR testing, and used lower-resolution streaming for SDR analysis. For the Horizon 20 Max's picture, I looked at brightness, color, upscaling, contrast and shadow detail. For 4K Blu-rays, I used the Panasonic DP-UB820 4K Blu-ray player.

I also tested the Horizon 20 Max's gaming capabilities using an Xbox Series X, playing at both 4K 60Hz and 1080p 120Hz.

For objective testing, I made measurements using a test pattern generator and colorimeter, recording the results with Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software. I measured the Horizon 20 Max's peak brightness for both SDR and HDR, contrast ratio, color and grayscale accuracy, and HDR color gamut coverage for the DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color spaces. I also measured its input lag using a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI Input lag tester.

For a more detailed explanation of how we test TVs at TechRadar, check out the link.

First reviewed: December 2025
Read TechRadar's review guarantee

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I wasn’t convinced there was a need for the LG StanByMe 2 TV – but I’m completely sold on this rollable display after 3 weeks with it

Goodbye June review: New Netflix movie is a near flawless directorial debut for Kate Winslet — but you’ll cry your eyes out

Boulies OP180 office chair review: Surprisingly comfortable and built for the workplace

I’m a professional photographer and the Manfrotto One is the greatest tripod I’ve ever used

Creatio CRM Review 2025

I tested the Thinkware U3000 Pro Dash Cam and it has heaps of potential — but it's outshone by affordable rivals

Fairphone's newest eco-friendly headphones have a feature I wish Bose or Sony would use – and the sound's good too

This pet hair-friendly cordless vacuum is one of the best budget options I've tested

The Honor Magic 8 Lite has the best battery life of any phone I've ever tested – but it's not a total home run

Hide.me VPN review

Windscribe Free VPN review – a fast, but clunky, free VPN solution

Private Internet Access (PIA) VPN review - a standout choice for niche audiences

I tested Doogee's V Max LR - a rugged phone that's identical to the V Max Play with one big difference that also makes it cheaper

I reviewed Marshall’s mid-sized Bluetooth speaker and its stereo sound blew me away

The anime-themed Starforge Systems Frieren PC might be one of the prettiest systems I've ever seen - and the performance is almost as powerful as the elf mage herself

Forget bulky backpacks, this 9L crossbody bag is my top pick for lightweight camera gear – here's why

The Xgimi Horizon 20 Max is a bright, premium projector that's awesome for both movies and gaming

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