Reviews

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Two minute review

Weeks of stock shortages and scalping later, I can finally breathe: RTX 5000 laptops are here, offering a fresh path into Nvidia's glorious ray-traced future that doesn't involve selling your soul on Ebay - though you might need to sell a kidney to afford the new Razer Blade 16, especially if you're eyeing the top-of-the-line RTX 5090 configuration graciously provided to me for this review.

Yes, Razer is not beating the 'pricey hardware' allegations any time soon; the new Blade 16 starts at a wallet-battering $2,999.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$4,899.95, and the higher-spec configurations rocket beyond the four-thousand mark in the US, UK, and Europe.

Don't get me wrong, though: the sky-high pricing is just about the only criticism I have here. Razer's iconic 16-inch laptop has undergone a subtle redesign - and I mean subtle, bordering on indistinguishable - that provides a range of small but worthy improvements, and at the heart of it all, Nvidia's Blackwell GPU lineup delivers boosted performance and a new wealth of features ready to do battle with the best gaming laptops.

(Image credit: Future)

I'll get into the real meat of these graphics upgrades later on, but here's the short version: this thing goes hard. Between DLSS 4, Multi Frame Generation, Reflex 2, and the general generational improvements from RTX 4000, even the most demanding titles deliver crisp, speedy frame rates on the QHD+ OLED screen - and the 240Hz refresh rate means you won't find your game performance capped by the display.

The Razer Blade 16 isn't all steak and no sizzle, either. This is one classy-looking gaming laptop, as I've come to expect from Razer, with an anodized aluminum chassis, per-key RGB lighting, and the same overall top-notch build quality any previous Razer owner will be well accustomed to. Again, scroll on down to that Design section for all the juicy deets, but I will take a quick moment here to remark on the new-and-improved keyboard, which now features greater key travel and smoother actuation than previous models to provide a more pleasant typing experience as well as responsive inputs when gaming.

With how difficult it's proving to get your hands on a desktop RTX 5000 GPU, many will be looking towards the incoming slate of Blackwell-equipped laptops to scratch that hardware upgrade itch. If that's you - and you can stomach the price tag - then the Razer Blade 16 is the laptop to pick.

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

• How much is it? Starting at $2,999.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$4,899.95
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

There's no getting around it: this is one expensive laptop, even pricier than the previous RTX 4000 Razer Blade 16 we reviewed back in late 2023. Granted, you're getting a hell of a lot of gaming power for your money, but it's still pricey.

The Razer Blade 16 (2025) will cost you $2,999.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$4,899.95 for the base configuration: that gets you an RTX 5070 Ti, 10-core AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 365 processor, 32GB of ultra-speedy LPDDR5X 8,000MHz memory, and a 1TB SSD. That's right - the long-standing industry baseline of 16GB of RAM is out, 32GB is the new standard for Razer.

There are a few different configurations, with more RAM or storage and an upgrade to either an RTX 5080 or 5090. The top-spec model costs a piggy-bank-busting $4,899.99 / £4,299.99 / AU$7,999.95, packing the RTX 5090 along with a 12-core Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU, 64GB of RAM, and a huge 4TB of storage (in the form of two 2TB SSDs). Every version has the same 16-inch 240Hz QHD+ OLED display; sadly, there's no 4K model on offer, which does feel like a somewhat odd omission considering that the RTX 5090 is absolutely capable of 4K gaming.

I really can't stress enough that this is a comically enormous amount of money for the average PC gamer. As a fun little exercise, I went looking online for used cars that cost less than the Blade 16 review unit I'm typing this review on. 47,764 results. Oof.

Still, when scalpers are selling RTX 5090 cards on Ebay for upwards of four thousand bucks, it's not an entirely unattractive proposition. I mean, you're getting the whole system here, while the additional cost of a full desktop PC build capable of supporting Nvidia's latest flagship GPU without bottlenecking isn't exactly cheap. I have no doubt there will be laptops from other manufacturers that offer the same (or at least similar) specs at a lower price, but there will be sacrifices made - whether that's chassis materials, display quality, or memory speed.

• Value: 2.5 / 5

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Specs

(Image credit: Future) Razer Blade 16 (2025): Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Same classic Blade finish with premium-feel anodized metal casing
• New keyboard design is a real improvement
• Chassis is lighter and more compact than previous models

Razer has long held a reputation as a company known for using premium materials for its hardware, and the new Blade 16 certainly doesn't buck this trend: every Blade begins life as a singular slab of tempered aluminum, which is then precision-milled into shape and electrochemically anodized to create a wear-resistant color finish designed to last.

(Image credit: Future)

Although the overall aesthetic of Razer's modern Blade lineup has changed very little over the years - compare this laptop side-by-side with the Razer Blade we reviewed back in 2018, and you'll see what I mean - there have been some small adjustments this time around, and all of them are good changes.

For starters, the laptop has been retooled to reduce the overall weight and size; there's a limit to this, especially with a 16-inch display, but Razer has managed to cut down the total package volume by almost 30%. It's almost half a centimetre thinner than the previous-gen Blade 16 (4.59mm, to be precise), and it adds that half-centimete to the length of the laptop instead - in practice, this doesn't make the Blade 16's footprint any appreciably larger, but does make it look and feel a lot thinner. It's also 310 grams lighter than the previous model.

(Image credit: Future)

Razer has also seen fit to improve the keyboard this time around, and it makes for a more satisfying typing experience than previous Blades. The key travel has been increased by 50%, and the actuation force sits at a finely-tuned 63G, providing a good amount of physical feedback that helped me avoid misinputs while both gaming and typing. The keys are quite widely spaced, which makes it comfortable to use even for long periods.

Naturally, this Blade now comes with a dedicated button for Copilot, Microsoft's AI assistant for Windows, though I doubt most buyers will have much cause to use that. More interesting is the new row of five programmable macro keys, giving you instant access to the functions you use most often.

Additionally, this ain't your daddy's backlit RGB keyboard: not only does the full layout have per-key RGB lighting, but multiple keys actually feature two LEDs beneath the keycap, enabling a nifty feature where holding down Fn or Shift switches the illumination to instantly highlight the relevant keys. You can see what I mean in the GIF below - it's a small bonus, but I rather like it.

(Image credit: Future)

The touchpad is nothing to write home about (let's be honest, you'll be using a mouse anyway), but it is nice and large with a firm click to it. There's also a pretty straightforward 1080p webcam and microphone array, both of which work fine.

More impressive are the speakers: a six-speaker array with THX Spatial Audio support makes for one of the best audio experiences I've seen on a laptop. It's no secret that laptop makers often skimp on speaker quality because so many people will simply connect a headset anyway, but that's certainly not the case here. The bass is rich and punchy, and the midrange is crystal clear; high pitches are a little bit thin, but it's still a strong showing overall.

I'm not going to dedicate a huge amount of time here to the pre-loaded Razer Synapse software package, but I will say that there are some welcome improvements over the old (and rather wonky) version. Tweaking your system performance and lighting effects is nice and straightforward, as well as syncing and modifying any Razer peripherals you want to use.

(Image credit: Future)

I can't not talk about the screen, of course. Razer's hardware lineup has always offered high-end display configurations, often employing OLED panels, which remains the case here - though as I mentioned further up in this review, there's strangely no 4K configuration available this time around. Instead, every 2025 Blade 16 model comes with the exact same 16-inch 240Hz OLED display, with a resolution of 2560x1600. That's a 16:10 aspect ratio, which I'm personally a big fan of on laptops.

Still, it's an undeniably gorgeous screen: colors are bright and vibrant, contrast is sharp, and blacks are deep. It looks fantastic in motion while playing games like Cyberpunk 2077; the rainy, neon-splattered streets of Night City after dark are vividly colorful and realistic on this display.

One feature that I'm always happy to see is upgradability. Unfortunately, the RAM in the Razer Blade 16 is soldered, but the SSD is user-upgradable. In fact, anything less than the 4TB configuration (which uses two 2TB SSDs) comes with an empty NVMe slot for you to easily plug in a second drive if you want to expand the storage yourself.

Lastly, we've got a nice broad port selection here, with two USB-C ports, three USB-As, an HDMI port for connecting a second display, the omnipresent 3.5mm headphone jack, and finally a full-size SD card reader for creative users - a wise inclusion considering that this laptop can comfortably pull double duty as a work system (more on that later).

• Design: 5 / 5

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Best-in-class performance
• RTX 5090 and Ryzen 9 AI HX 370 are a deadly combo
• New Nvidia features offer a huge performance boost

Enough about aesthetics: this is a gaming laptop, so how well does it run games? The answer is: extremely well, especially once you factor in Nvidia's DLSS and frame-gen tech.

Our standard testing process involves running games without using any form of upscaling or frame-gen tech, and you can see the results below. It's worth noting that the 2024 Razer Blade 16 with RTX 4090 I've used for comparative purposes has an Intel Core i9-14900HX processor, which quite literally has double the core count of the Ryzen 9 AI HX 370 chip in this laptop, so without implementing Nvidia's latest goodies, the differences are relatively minor in many games.

Performance is still strong, make no mistake - but if you're aiming to play the latest games at maximum graphical settings on this laptop's native 1600p resolution, you're going to want to use DLSS.

Kick DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation (MFG) into gear, and it's a totally different story. I tested a few different supported titles at their respective maximum presets with ray tracing enabled, and both enjoyed a serious performance bump with Nvidia's fancy AI-powered software enabled.

There's been quite some debate about tools such as resolution upscaling and frame generation, not least due to the use of AI for both, and I admit I've been skeptical in the past. Here, it's a revelation. Earlier iterations of DLSS - and the frame-gen model seen in the previous RTX 4000 generation - were imperfect, prone to impact lag and visual glitching, especially on hardware that would struggle to hit 60fps without any AI-assisted add-ons. But DLSS 4 and MFG work phenomenally well on a laptop packing an RTX 5090; in Alan Wake 2, a thoroughly beautiful (and therefore demanding) game, I was lucky to reach above the 60fps mark without any upscaling or frame-gen enabled. With those settings turned on? 200fps, easy.

Meanwhile, Cyberpunk 2077 and Returnal saw similarly massive framerate bumps. In Cyberpunk, the maxed-out ray-tracing preset struggled a bit at native resolution, scoring a meager average of 43 fps. With DLSS 4 and MFG, it averaged 217fps while still looking absolutely stunning. In Returnal, 113fps went to 240fps (which was the active cap) at 1440p - it doesn't have the option to run at the Blade 16's 1600p 16:10 resolution, but still, you get the idea.

It looks so good now, too; gone are the tearing and blurring I noted in my early experiments with DLSS, without any appreciable amount of input latency either. I imagine it's still there, perhaps noticeable to a pro esports gamer playing a twitchy shooter like Counter-Strike 2 or Valorant, but I certainly wasn't able to detect it.

Of course, DLSS 4 and MFG aren't available universally. Developers have to add support for the functionality, although there's also a new DLSS Override option for 'force-enabling' it in unsupported games, which I deployed for Returnal - as far as I could tell, it worked without issues, though of course that's just for one modern game.

Performance in synthetic tests was also strong, with good - though not world-beating - performance across both gaming and creative workloads. If you're hoping to use this laptop for professional creative work, it won't let you down. In fact, the performance it offers compared to the weight of the laptop is among the best I've ever seen, making it ideal for working on the go.

It's worth noting here that the 2024 Blade 16 actually outperforms the new model across several of our tests, but again, we can put that down to the significantly more powerful CPU found in the 2024 model. The power efficiency of the Ryzen chip is not to be understated, though - take a look at the battery life section, and you'll see what I mean.

• Performance: 5 / 5

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Battery life

• Surprisingly good battery life
• Almost a full day's regular use, about two and a half hours of gaming
• Charges fast but uses a proprietary charger

Battery life is rarely a selling point of gaming laptops, but I was pleasantly surprised with the battery life on the Razer Blade 16. In the PCMark 10 Gaming battery test, it lasted for almost two and a half hours; in real-world tests, I found this figure highly accurate, assuming you're playing with the battery efficiency preset on in Windows and brightness at 50% or lower.

Outside of gaming and running similarly demanding software, the Blade 16 offers some impressive longevity for a gaming laptop. The 90Whr battery lasted for almost seven and a half hours in our Battery Informant Web Surfing test, and it also holds charge remarkably well when not in use. This is likely due to the improved Nvidia Optimus tech, which offloads graphical processing to the Ryzen CPU's integrated graphics when you're not playing games or running GPU-intensive apps. Razer claims that the new Blade 16 offers 'up to 11 hours' of use, which is probably true if you really try to squeeze the battery with minimum brightness and power-saving mode turned on.

Although it needs a fairly chunky power adapter with a proprietary Razer connector, the Blade 16 also charges very quickly, charging up to 50% in about 30 minutes and 100% in just over an hour.

• Battery Life: 4.5 / 5

Should you buy the Razer Blade 16 (2025)? Buy the Razer Blade 16 (2025) if...

You want the best gaming performance there is
The RTX 5090 laptop GPU inside this laptop is a monster, delivering top-notch frame rates in games and offering the full suite of performance-boosting Nvidia software.

You want a gaming laptop you can use for work
Thanks to its surprisingly strong battery life and great capabilities when it comes to handling creative and AI workloads, the Razer Blade 16 can comfortably pull double duty as a work laptop when you're not using it for gaming.

Don't buy it if...

You're on a budget
Starting at over two grand, this is not a cheap gaming laptop by any means.

You want something compact
Although Razer has worked miracles reducing the weight and thickness of the new Blade 16, no 16-inch laptop can reasonably be called 'small'.

Also consider

If my Razer Blade 16 (2025) review has you considering other options, here is another laptop to consider:

Razer Blade 14 (2024)
If you're in the market for something a bit more svelte, consider the Blade 16's little sibling, the Blade 14. These aren't available with RTX 5000 GPUs, however - at least, not yet. But you still get the same excellent design and build quality, and a lower price tag too.

Read our full Razer Blade 14 (2024) review

MSI Titan 18 HX
Another absolute beast of a gaming laptop, the Titan 18 HX from MSI is a strong pick if you're looking for a gaming laptop that can also function as a premium workstation PC. With an Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU and up to 128GB(!!!) of RAM, this is one of the finest desktop-replacement systems on the market.

Read our full MSI Titan 18 HX review

How I tested the Razer Blade 16 (2025)

I spent just over a week with the Razer Blade 16 (2025), using it almost every day for both work and gaming. I don't always love working, but damn, if this didn't make it more pleasant.

Naturally, we ran plenty of performance tests on the Blade 16, taking additional time to test out the new DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation features on a handful of supported titles. What I played the most was Warframe, which isn't in our testing suite but look, I'm an addict.

In terms of work, I used the Blade 16 for everything from word processing to web browsing to image editing, and even took it out into my garden to work in the sun and put the battery life and display to the test in a real-world setting - both held up great.

• First reviewed March 2025

This review first appeared in issue 350 of PC Pro.

Arcserve UDP (unified data protection) provides a one-stop shop for backup and recovery of all your physical and virtual systems. Available as a turnkey appliance or software only, UDP 9.1 introduces a choice of private on-premises or cloud management.

There’s a range of licensing plans; the price we’ve shown is for an on-premises UDP 9.1 single socket premium license. Socket licenses are only applied to the systems being protected, have no restrictions on the amount of back-end storage and support unlimited virtual machines.

Ransomware protection for the UDP host comes into play as the price includes the Sophos Intercept X Advanced for Servers endpoint protection software. Arcserve supplies it with a personal Sophos Central account so you can manage the software in the cloud.

We chose the on-premises UDP version and installed it on a Dell PowerEdge R760xs Xeon Scalable server running Windows Server 2022. Initial deployment is deftly handled by a wizard that helped create protection plans, add nodes, define a backup destination and schedule jobs.

The recovery point server (RPS) is a smart feature. It defines where data is backed up to, and you can use the local host along with other networked Windows Server systems. It provides AES-256 encryption, deduplication and replication services, and each RPS performs global deduplication using dedicated data block locations, hash databases and indexes.

When physical nodes are declared to UDP, an agent is pushed to them. To define our VMs for agentless backup, we used the import function to add the VMs to be protected. UDP also supports CIFS/NFS shares, and we had no problems bringing a Synology NAS appliance under its protection.

UDP 9.1 allows you to move all data protection management into the cloud (Image credit: Future)

Microsoft 365 (MS365) support is enabled when a UDP license has been applied but the authorization process is tediously complex. You may want to consider Arcserve’s separate SaaS cloud product for protecting MS365 accounts as this is far easier to use.

Protection plans are very flexible and contain selected nodes, an RPS, the required number of recovery points and a schedule that can be run as often as every 15 minutes. A smart feature is the option to add extra tasks to a plan; these include replication to a remote RPS and assured recovery, which loads a temporary VM on a virtualization host, confirms it works and then deletes it.

Another valuable task is virtual standby, which creates backup VMware or Hyper-V VMs of selected nodes. It uses a heartbeat service measured in seconds to monitor the primary node and, if it fails to respond, the standby VM is automatically started using the latest recovery point.

For file and folder recovery, we loaded the UDP agent’s console for the selected node, chose a recovery point, picked files and folders and restored them back to the node or another location. An agent installed on our SQL Server system automatically added its databases as backup sources and we had no problems restoring these back to the host.

We tried out cloud management by installing the gateway component on a separate Windows host and using the migration tool to move everything to our cloud console account. This only took ten minutes, and we could then use the portal to manage our on-premises UDP installation along with all backup and restore tasks.

MS365 support is cumbersome, but UDP 9.1 delivers a wealth of data protection services for a wide range of environments. Recovery features are outstanding, the free Sophos endpoint agent adds essential ransomware protection and you can choose from on-premises or cloud management.

We also ranked the best antivirus rescue disks.

This review first appeared in issue 350 of PC Pro.

With 16in laptops all the rage, it’s hardly shocking to see that size class invade the portable monitor space. Nor is it a surprise to see Asus leading the charge, with its ZenScreen MB16QHG priced at a heavyweight £399.

That’s four times the cost of a 15.6in 1080p monitor you’d find on Amazon, but the ZenScreen not only features a 2,560 x 1,600 IPS panel but also offers a 120Hz refresh rate. Throw in strong color performance, a robust stand and one of the brightest panels we’ve seen in a portable display, and the MB16QHG has a lot going for it.

Asus opts for a hinged base rather than a kickstand or detachable/magnetic stand. This makes the unit heavier, but it’s a solid design that provides easy access to the ports. I also like the fact that the cables connect low down at desktop level and behind the screen. So, while most portable monitors have ugly cables protruding from the side, here they’re far less obvious.

The hinged base makes it easy to access the ports (Image credit: Future)

The display’s hinge allows it to sit completely vertical or lay flat against the base (and any angle in between). Asus also integrates a tripod socket into the bottom of the base, adding yet more flexibility.

Speaking of the base, you’ll find a single full-size HDMI port and a full-function USB-C port on the right. The left side is home to a second USB-C port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. I used the included USB-C cable for my testing, as it’s a simple one-cable affair for power, video and audio. The OSD joystick and a power button are located on the back of the monitor.

Build quality matches other members of the ZenScreen family, meaning it’s primarily constructed of plastic to keep costs in check and weight down. However, it doesn’t feel cheap thanks to a stylish grain effect. I’m less convinced by the backlit Asus logo in the center of the bottom bezel, as it’s almost too eye-catching.

Fortunately, the quality and resolution of the screen distracted me. For example, I used the monitor to edit Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and greatly appreciated the 2,560 x 1,600 resolution. And while the 120Hz refresh rate is there to attract gamers, I also appreciated it for mundane tasks such fast-scrolling in Edge; text and images stayed crisp as they whirled by. Gamers should note that this screen isn’t Adaptive Sync compliant, so there’s no AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync support.

The 16in MB16QHG is the perfect match for a 16in laptop (Image credit: Future)

The MB16QHG stood out in our brightness testing, delivering 417cd/m2 compared to the typical 250cd/m2 of a standard portable monitor (albeit short of the 500cd/m2 that Asus claims). To achieve 100% brightness, plug the monitor in with the included wall adapter. Relying on a single USB-C cable to handle all the heavy lifting for power and video limits you to a 60% brightness.

The ZenScreen covered 116% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and 163% of sRGB, which is excellent for an IPS panel. Panel uniformity was good, with no obvious backlight bleeding. The only area it fell behind OLED was when I watched Incredibles 2, with blacks appearing more like a dark grey.

As usual with Asus, there are many picture modes to choose from via the OSD. Navigation is intuitive via a joystick, which is much quicker than the norm of up/down/select buttons found on lesser portable monitors.

The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG is a great all-around portable monitor. Not only does the 2,560 x 1,600 resolution offer extra detail over FHD panels, but its 16in diagonal is the perfect match for the growing army of 16in laptops. With high brightness levels and strong color coverage, it could even attract photographers (that’s where the tripod mount comes in handy).

Admittedly, the MB16QHG doesn’t come cheap. You can buy 15.6in OLED portable monitors (including one from Asus) for this money. However, that’s a Full HD panel, and if you’re looking for additional resolution, and bumping up to 4K resolution is overkill, the MB16QHG is well worth considering despite its high price.

We've also rated the best pre-built gaming PCs.

Obsbot Tiny SE webcam: Two-minute review

The Obsbot Tiny SE is an entry-level pan-tilt-and-zoom gimbal webcam with AI features that punches well above its weight. At a remarkably affordable price point of $99 / £109 / AU$199, it offers a compelling blend of features and performance that makes it a strong contender, but only if you need a camera that can follow you around a room.

Watching the Tiny SE swivel and tilt to follow your movement is oddly adorable. (Image credit: Future)

The low price point is probably down to the Obsbot Tiny SE maxing out at 1080p resolution. If you’re a stickler for 4K, check out the Obsbot Tiny 2, but for most users, 1080p strikes an excellent balance between quality and practicality. What's more important is that this webcam will go up to 100 frames per second, if you’re moving around a room, gesturing, or being rather animated in general having smooth motion is going to be important.

The webcam utilizes a 1/2.8-inch CMOS sensor with an f/1.8 aperture, resulting in decent low-light performance with minimal noise and grain. This is a significant advantage for home offices with terrible lighting; gamers who prefer a moody, backlit setup will also appreciate how well this webcam performs.

Here is a side-by-side image comparison against the budget webcam king, the Logitech C920. As you can see, the lines are sharper, the details are clearer, and the color balance is better.

Granted, the Logitech C920 has been around for a while now, but at the same 1080p resolution the Tiny SE is notably sharper. (Image credit: Future)

The Tiny SE is, as the name suggests, tiny. Especially for a camera that includes motors able to follow you around a room. There is something undeniably cute about something so small following you around a room. Its compact design ensures it doesn’t hog space on your desk or screen. Here is a picture with it next to an SD card to give you an idea of how small it really is:

The Tiny SE certainly lives up to its name. (Image credit: Future)

The webcam comes with a standard monitor mount, making it easy to clip onto your laptop or desktop display. For added versatility, it also includes a 1/4-inch thread for mounting on tripods or other camera accessories.

The USB-C connection ensures compatibility with modern devices, and the included USB-C to USB-A adapter covers legacy ports. This thoughtful inclusion makes it adaptable without forcing you to rummage through your drawer of forgotten dongles and adapters.

The built-in AI tracking is a showstopper. Whether you’re pacing during a presentation or showcasing a product for your audience, the webcam keeps you perfectly framed. You can choose between different framing like upper-body tracking, or close-up shots.

The tracking works pretty well, keeping subjects in focus even when they move around the frame. Paired with the smooth 100 FPS recording, the result is buttery-smooth footage that doesn’t feel like a typical static webcam shot.

When not in use, the Tiny SE 'goes to sleep' by rotating the camera downward. (Image credit: Future)

Gesture controls are a fun addition that I personally found annoying but I could see being useful for someone who is presenting. Need to zoom in? Flash an “L” with your hand. Want it to follow your movements? Raise your hand, and it locks onto you. Sometimes however it interprets hand gestures incorrectly and will zoom into a random area or follow you when you don’t want it to. Try it out for yourself to see if it's useful, but personally, I turned it off.

When testing the built-in microphones for the Tiny SE in a quiet room, my voice is clear with good range for webcam use, although a small amount of room echo and noise are present. The mic isn’t exceptional but then I was never expecting it to be and it does struggle a little in a crowded office. You'll always sound better with a dedicated headset or microphone but for a webcam, the Tiny SE offers acceptable audio quality.

The flip-out mount makes attaching the Tiny SE to a monitor or tripod a breeze. (Image credit: Future)

In terms of usability, the setup process is straightforward. Plug it in and you’re good to go. The Obsbot Center software does take this webcam to the next level and while it is annoying installing an app for a webcam, it really is worth it to get the most out of the Tiny SE. Its intuitive interface makes adjusting settings a breeze, whether you’re tweaking the tracking mode or fine-tuning image quality. You can adjust ISO, shutter speed, white balance, and refresh rate, as well as play with its AI features. The software also supports integration with tools like the Elgato Stream Deck, letting you set up presets for different angles or zoom levels at the push of a button.

While the AI-driven tracking around a room is almost flawless, the autofocus leaves something to be desired. While it technically works, it isn’t as snappy or accurate as autofocus found in higher-end and more expensive models. There’s noticeable focus hunting and occasional warping, which can be distracting when trying to present or walking around. It’s one of the few compromises they clearly made to keep the price so low.

Obsbot Tiny SE webcam: Price & availability

• How much does it cost? $99 / £109 / AU$199
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? The US, UK, and Australia

Here’s where the Obsbot Tiny SE hits it out of the park: the price. At $99 / £109 / AU$199, this webcam is fighting way above its weight class. Comparable models with similar features and gimbal tracking often cost significantly more. The Tiny SE provides a budget-friendly option for those who want tracking without the premium price tag.

Obsbot Tiny SE webcam: Specs Should you buy the Obsbot Tiny SE webcam?

It's not included in the box, but you can also buy Obsbot's standalone Tiny Smart Remote 2 for controlling the webcam. (Image credit: Future) Buy it if...

You're upgrading a conference room setup
This is a "no-brainer" for businesses looking to upgrade conference calls. Its ability to track speakers and provide a more dynamic meeting experience while also being affordable and easy to use makes is easy to recommend.

You need AI tracking on a budget
The Tiny SE offers smooth, reliable AI tracking. If you move around during presentations, demonstrations, or online teaching, this camera will keep you framed effectively.

Don't buy it if...

You don't need pan, tilt, and zoom
The AI tracking and PTZ features are the Tiny SE's main selling points. If you primarily sit stationary in front of your computer, a less expensive, static webcam will likely suffice and save you money like the cute Obsbot Meet SE.

You need 4K video quality
If you're a professional content creator (or you're very serious about video conferencing) you might want to spring for a 4K webcam instead.

Obsbot Tiny SE webcam: Also consider

Logitech C920
The quintessential 1080p webcam. Logitech's C920 has been a reliable and sensibly-priced choice of webcam for years, making it a good pick if you'd like to save some cash and don't need the fancy AI-tracking features found on the Obsbot Tiny SE.

Read our full Logitech C920 review

Obsbot Tiny 2
If you're looking for a more premium webcam than the Tiny SE, the Tiny 2 from Obsbot is virtually the exact same device - but with a 4K camera and some extra bells and whistles. For those who want a high-end video experience, this is a great pick (though it's naturally more expensive than the Tiny SE).

Read our full Obsbot Tiny 2 review

How I tested the Obsbot Tiny SE webcam

• Tested the webcam in video calls
• Spent a while experimenting with the gesture command feature
• Compared image quality to other webcams

I used the Obsbot Tiny SE for video calls and general image quality testing, as well as trying it out with various lighting levels to see how well it performed. I also tried out the gesture controls, and did some side-by-side comparisons with other webcams the offer the same resolution.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed March 2025

Ombar DC42 Dash Cam: one-minute review

It’s easy to stick with the big name best dash cams, but if you’re not fussed about brand then the low-key Ombar and its DC42 Dash Cam might be an alternative route to take. The Ombar DC42 Dash Cam I’ve been testing comes supplied as a bundle, which means there are two cameras inside the box. First up, the front-facing unit features a slender design that sits in landscape orientation well out of the way on a vehicle screen. It boasts 4K video capture too, plus very acceptable levels of audio, although there’s no rear screen, which might be a turn-off to some.

This is augmented by a second, rear-facing dashcam that shoots 2K. Instead of utilizing the same old barrel design that is seen in many dash cam bundles, this unit is a small rectangular design and can be easily mounted in the rear window of the majority of vehicles. Everything works via a series of cables, with one going to the power and the other connecting the cameras together. In this respect, it’s worth remembering that there is quite a lot of cable to feed in behind trim panels during the installation process. Both cameras are held in place by supplied sticky pads that adhere to the mounting plates and screen glass.

The Ombar DC42 Dash Cam has to be one of the easiest models to setup and configure, with much of this needing to be done via the supplementary app. The front camera unit also hosts some handy LEDs, one in red to tell you it’s recording neighbored by a small green LED that indicates GPS is activated. Microphone and camera reset holes sit immediately adjacent to them. Another benefit is down to the design, which alongside being super svelte offers a sliding mount that enables quick and easy removal of the front-facing camera if and when it is needed.

Adding to the appeal is the specification, which includes 170-degree field of vision for the front camera, 5G Wi-Fi, voice guidance, night vision, 64GB of storage and parking monitoring. The latter functionality requires an optional hardwire kit. Indeed, the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam comes with a dazzling array of features and functions given the fact that it retails for just over the $100/£100 mark, which makes it a great option for anyone on a budget. There’s a supporting Ombar ‘Kacam’ app too. This takes the place of a rear screen on the main unit and provides all of the tools needed for file management, as well as initial setup.

Another bonus with this bundle is that the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam comes with a supplied 64GB microSD card, which slots into the end of the front camera. Everything else needed is in the box too, with all wires and fixings supplied. However, it’s worth remembering that the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam is just like the majority of other models in that it will need permanent fixing in your vehicle using an optional hardwire kit if all of the static parking and 24-hour monitoring tools are required. Nevertheless, this is a straightforward fitment job for any qualified individual and can even be attempted by novices if time and care is taken.

(Image credit: Future) Ombar DC42 Dash Cam: price and availability

The Ombar DC42 Dash Cam is available now and, in the bundle arrangement I’ve been testing, can be purchased from the manufacturer’s website. It’s listed there as the OMBAR DC42 Dash Cam Front and Rear 4K/2K/1080P+1080P 5G WiFi GPS and currently costs just $107.99 (around £84). This represents a $12 saving over the original cost price of $119.99 although shipping needs to be added and depends on the delivery location and route using either the US postal service or UPS.

Ombar DC42 Dash Cam: specs Ombar DC42 Dash Cam: Design

I rather like the design of the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam. It’s very sleek and slender, which worked well when I tried it in a couple of different models of vehicle. In fact, it can sit quite happily just behind the rear-view mirror and is barely visible.

The unit looks and feels well made too, featuring a construction of grey heavy-duty plastic, along with a selection of ports and LEDs that also look and feel very durable during daily use. Of course, the downside here is there’s no rear screen, but a respectable supporting app takes good care of dash cam and file management.

(Image credit: Future)

Backing it up is the secondary camera, which sports a neat little rectangular design that sits happily in the rear window of a car. Both cameras are affixed using self-adhesive pads attached to brackets. The one for the front camera has a handy slider mechanism, so it can be detached quickly and easily if you need to take it with you for some reason.

Then there’s the cabling, which is standard issue dash cam wiring that needs to be fed behind trim panels in the car. The rear camera wire connects with a push fit to link it to the front unit.

(Image credit: Future) Ombar DC42 Dash Cam: Performance

Considering the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam is essentially a budget model, this is an impressive bundle arrangement. The front-facing camera delivers crisp and clear F1.8 aperture, 4K, UHD footage shot at 3840x2160p maximum with very good audio as well. The rear-facing unit is a 2K capable offering, but the footage is still very serviceable and feels like it would definitely be of use in the event of any kind of incident. After installation, I found the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam to be reassuringly low maintenance.

In fact, it operated seamlessly and offers an audible alert once you’ve switched the vehicle on, plus there’s the bonus of the LEDs that glow to show the camera is working. I found this handy considering there’s no rear screen for this model. The so-called Kacam app, by Ombar itself, is neat too with a user-friendly interface that doesn’t deliver any surprises.

(Image credit: Future)

File transfer is impressive as well thanks to up to 5Ghz transfer rates. Ombar keeps its processor information quite well hidden, but to be honest I couldn’t fault the Galaxycore internals, which certainly never failed during my time using both dash cams.

(Image credit: Future)

I’ve been mightily impressed by the after-dark capabilities of the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam, which makes it very notable as the WDR and Super Night Vision tools built-in seem able to capture license plates and road signs without fuss or bother. This adds additional value to the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam and, again, makes the dash cam bundle particularly appealing if you make a lot of journeys after the sun has gone down.

Another extra that I got good use from was the voice prompt feature, which allowed me to confirm settings, like if the Wi-Fi was connected. Rounding out this impressive package is the benefit of built-in GPS tracking, which is always good for gathering data about any journey, including date, time and speed.

Should you buy the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam?

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

You’re a newbie or need a replacement
The Ombar DC42 Dash Cam makes a lot of sense for anyone who wants to get a dashboard camera for the first time or simply replace an older, outdated model.

Features and functions matter
Surprisingly for an affordable package, the DC42 packs in a lot of functionality for something so frugally priced even though there’s no rear screen.

You want all round coverage
This model has the benefit of twin cameras, which offer a reassuring level of coverage for both the front and back of your car.

Don't buy it if...

You require a rear screen
The Ombar DC42 Dash Cam lacks a rear screen, which can be a turn-off although the supporting app works as a great replacement.

Only front-facing is needed
This review features a twin-camera setup, which means there are more cables to install and that might not be needed by some.

You like an imposing design
Having a visible dash cam can be handy when you’re behind the wheel, but this model’s svelte lines are quite easy to miss.

How I tested the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam

• I installed the dash cam into two test cars for an initial period of three weeks
• I used it for numerous journeys during both day and night
• I connected it to my phone and downloaded recordings for comparison

I got to test the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam over the course of a few weeks and had the benefit of being able to try it in more than one vehicle. That allowed me to check just how flexible the design was, especially when it came to removing the dash cam after use. The sliding bracket is super handy, although this does leave the base bit sticking to the windshield, which has to be removed for installation in another car.

However, due to the temporary fitment situation, I wasn’t able to fully explore the parking features, which requires permanent installation using the optional hard wire kit. Nevertheless, based on performance during daylight and after dark hours, I have every reason to think that the Ombar DC42 Dash Cam should work very well in this scenario. I particularly liked the low maintenance way it just got on the with job.

• First reviewed March 2025

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51: two-minute review

The 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 are a pair of budget-friendly over-ear headphones that set out to do it all. They aim to serve up adept audio, noise-crushing ANC and an eye-catching design – all for less than $100 / £100. I must confess, that’s quite the tall task, and I did have my reservations at first. But after two weeks of testing, I’m pleased to report that these 1More cans do all of those things… and more.

Before we really drill into things, let’s take a glance at the 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51’s headline info. These headphones come in with a modest list price of $89 / £99 / AU$130 and offer ANC and transparency mode, LDAC for ‘hi-res’ Bluetooth streaming and up to 100 hours – yes 100 hours – of battery life.

Let’s zoom in on the area that matters most – sound. Now, you’re not going to get audio quality that competes with the more premium options in our guide to the best headphones, nor indeed the more aspirational models in our best noise-cancelling headphones roundup, but they still perform commendably for the money. You get clear audio that’s free of tinniness, even at higher volumes. Also, these cans certainly have a more bass-heavy sound signature, which is ideal for fans of dance music, for example, but you can temper low-end output with the 1More Music app’s EQ settings if you so please.

You also get a fairly detailed listen, especially when using the aforementioned LDAC option (if your source device supports it) – or wired connectivity. And sound quality is solid with ANC turned on or off – though I preferred to keep this on for the most part. That ANC is pretty effective too – chatter on public transport, keyboards clacking away and cars zooming past were severely dulled – if not muted when listening to my favorite tracks.

I mentioned that excellent 100 hour battery life, but that’s only if you have LDAC and ANC turned off. But still, even with ANC on, you get 65 hours out of these cans – that’s more than enough for the money! These over-ears are also super comfortable thanks to their generous use of padding on the headband and earcups. So rest assured, the Sonoflow Pro have the battery and design for high-comfort, long-lasting listening sessions.

In addition, these headphones are awesome-looking when in-use. They’re angled forward slightly, giving them a curved, sleek look. They also have a tidy matte finish – there’s style and substance on tap here. The only real downside is that the button controls are a little plasticky and the headband feels a touch feeble – but that’s perhaps to be expected for cans in this price range.

There aren’t too many other downsides to note, luckily. One small thing: the app situation is a little unclear. I could only connect these headphones to the 1More Music platform, rather than the typical 1More app, which was a little frustrating. 1More Music is a little dated, with certain features such as multi-point connectivity (why would you not want this?) hidden in a sub-menu, which made for a less-than-ideal user experience.

But all in all, I’d certainly recommend the 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51. They nail the basics: impressive audio, plenty of playtime and a ruthless approach to external noise. And to do all of that at such a low cost is really worth shouting about. If you want truly premium sound and have a more generous budget to spend on headphones, they might not be the best option in the world – perhaps consider some headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM4, but the quality on offer from 1More’s Pro cans is more than good enough for anyone on a tighter budget.

(Image credit: Future) 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: price & release date

• $89 / £99 / AU$130
• Launched in 2024

The 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 – sometimes just listed as the 1More Sonoflow HQ51 – have a list price of $89 / £99 / AU$130. They launched in 2024 in three colorways: Black; Blue; and Silver.

Price can vary slightly by color variant, but typically, these are in the same kind of ballpark. And good news – I’ve already spotted the Sonoflow Pro on sale with retailers like Amazon US and UK, where they’ve dropped to around $70 / £70 in the past.

(Image credit: Future) 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: Specs 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: features

• Up-to-scratch ANC
• Phenomenal battery life
• Companion app could use some work

The Sonoflow Pro come through with all the features you’d hope to find from some modern day Bluetooth headphones – and then some. You get Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity, multi-point and a handy companion app too.

A quick note on that companion app, though. I downloaded the 1More app – as advertised on the webpage for this model – but had no joy on my Samsung phone. Instead, I found that I needed to use the 1More Music app, which seems a bit more old-fashioned and clunky to navigate, but works fine.

Anyway, when I finally got things working, I wanted to explore the ANC options. You get three settings: ANC off; ANC on; or passthrough. Now firstly, I have to say that I was surprised by how successful the ANC was here. That’s meant to be one of the key areas of improvement over the original Sonoflow, and 1More pulled it off. When I was in the office, I could barely hear anything aside from my music when listening at 50% volume. Even when out and about or on public transport, external noises were pleasingly kept to a minimum.

Sure, you’re not going to get the best-in-class ANC you’d expect from the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, for instance, but that’s to be expected given these are a fraction of the price. And the passthrough mode works well too – you’ll hear a few more sounds from your surroundings, which can be handy for when you’re walking in a busy area and want to keep your whits about you.

As well as toggling between ANC, you can activate hi-res music streaming and adjust EQ – there’s a tidy selection of genre-specific presets as well as a custom option. There’s also an indicator to show battery levels. Speaking of, these cans are seriously long lasting – you’ll get days, if not weeks of use from one single charge. They boast a playtime of 65 hours with ANC on or 100 hours with it off. That will vary if you have hi-res streaming active and listen at top volumes – but still that’s an exceptional amount of listening time.

On top of all of this, there are a few less common features that I unearthed in the 1More Music app. The first is smart burn-in, which is essentially meant to ‘break in’ the drivers and optimize sound quality. I didn’t pick up on any real difference and the whole burn-in deal is a controversial one in the audiophile community, so its inclusion was neither here nor there for me. The second is Soothing Sounds, which plays noises like ‘Waterfall’, ‘Volcano’ and ‘Medium Fire’. This one’s a dud. Sound quality is poor and the audio files stop pretty abruptly, then replay – but you can always just leave it alone.

• Features score: 4/5

(Image credit: Future) 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: sound quality

• Clear quality with rich bass
• Solid detail levels with wired and LDAC listening
• Customizable sound thanks to EQ options

I’ll be honest, reader, I wasn’t expecting much from these 1More headphones in the sound department. But they only went and blew my expectations out of the water! OK, you’re not going to get that premium, beautifully balanced, neatly separated and layered sound that some more premium cans can deliver, but what’s on offer here is pretty tasty for the humble outlay.

Like a lot of budget-friendly headphones out there, the Sonoflow Pro certainly lean into a more bass-heavy signature – ideal if you’re a lover of dance music or hip-hop for instance. If you want a more balanced sound, just head into the 1More Music app and adjust EQ with the five-band equalizer or included presets – nice and easy.

So, let’s start with bass. Unlike a lot of budget options, the big bass doesn’t sound overly cluttered or lethargic here. For instance, when I tuned into Black Eye by Allie X, the punch of the drum machine was rapid and didn’t overstay its welcome. And there’s impressive depth on offer too. When tuning into tracks with imposing sub bass – like The Boys Are Back In Town by Yung Gravy – the low-end boom rumbling through the track hit with massive impact, but was still clear and controlled.

But booming bass output doesn’t have to come at the expense of quality. In I Want You by Moloko – a busy, layered track – breathy, grand vocals maintain admirable presence and clarity, even alongside the punchy bass and flurry of strings, keys, percussive elements and more.

Even when listening to more mellow tracks like I Remember You by Masayoshi Takanaka, rhythmic guitar was tonally accurate, sweet harp trills never sounded tinny and smooth bass, though prominent, never overstepped its remit. Instrument separation isn’t bad at this price point, but I did feel some of the string and guitar elements could’ve sounded a little more spaced out, for a more airy, nuanced listen.

Having said that, you will get to pick out some neat details with the Sonoflow Pro – that’s thanks to the inclusion of both a 3.5mm headphone slot for wired listening and higher-resolution Bluetooth audio via LDAC. Delicate synths that gradually build are audible early in Kolter’s Overflow and light samba drums in SAMBA DO MARCOS by Sadao Watanabe add some added seasoning to an already groovy tune.

All in all, you get surprisingly good sound from these budget-friendly 1More headphones. General audio isn’t as crisp as I’ve heard from cans like the Sony WH-1000XM5 and you won’t get stunning spatial audio like the Sonos Ace. But if you want clear, decently detailed sound, the Sonoflow Pro have you covered.

• Sound quality score: 4/5

(Image credit: Future) 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: design

• Sleek on-ear look
• Comfortable fit for long listening sessions
• A little flimsy

Something I really appreciate about the 1More Sonoflow Pro is their curved on-ear look. They’re angled slightly, which gives a more defined, sharp look to them in use – something I already liked about the original Sonoflow model. On top of that, the Black model I tested had an attractive matte finish, making for a very attractive pair of over-ears.

But they’re more than just a pretty face. The Sonoflow Pro are also pretty comfortable to wear – even for longer listening sessions. They might not quite have the cushion-like comfort of the Anker Soundcore Space One Pro, but there’s still plenty of padding on the headband and plump earcups and so I was happy to listen with these for hours on end. They’re also foldable, making them a compact option for on-the-go use.

The only thing I didn’t really love design-wise is that these cans don’t feel the most durable. The headband is pretty thin and the buttons appear and feel quite plasticky. There’s also no waterproofing or dustproofing here – but that’s pretty common for over-ears. This is no dealbreaker, just don’t expect premium build quality.

Back to the positives though: I loved the hard carry case which is included in the box. It will keep your headphones damage free if you want to throw them in a bag when traveling – that’s an enticing bonus. There’s also a USB-C charging wire and 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable with an attached mic, which offers relatively clear, albeit not ultra-crisp quality for phone calls.

• Design score: 4/5

(Image credit: Future) 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: value

• Awesome all-round budget package
• Included case makes for staggering overall value
• Similar price to original Sonoflow, but some key improvements

It will come as no surprise that the category these cans perform best in is value. Their list price of $89 / £99 / AU$130 is already great, but again, these are available on sale semi-regularly, meaning you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck. Solid sound, sleek design and even a carry case – not bad at all!

Not only that, but these are priced exceptionally closely to the original 1More Sonoflow cans, while still offering some significant improvements. You get enhanced ANC, longer battery life and faster charging – specifically, the Pro give you ten hours of playtime with a five minute charge, double as fast as the standard model.

There are some amazing cheap headphones out there, like the Earfun Wave Pro, for instance. But these 1More cans have better battery life, a more distinct on-ear look and color options. It's a case of several smaller improvements adding up to one big uptick in value. You really can’t ask for much more from some sub-$100 headphones.

• Value score: 5/5

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51? Buy them if…

You want capable ANC
I found that the Sonoflow Pro offered better-than-expected ANC, which kept me focused on my music at all times, even when in busier, more chatter-filled areas. There’s a passthrough mode if you want to keep some ambient sounds, too, which is a nice touch.

You’re not looking to spend your life savings
With a list price of $89 / £99 / AU$130, the Sonoflow Pro are certainly on the more budget-friendly side of the spectrum. They’re also available at a cut-price from time to time, meaning you’re getting up-to-scratch audio and a sleek design at a more than reasonable price.

Don’t buy them if…

You want S-tier audio
The Sonoflow Pro have a pleasingly customizable sound and given their price, you’re getting very solid audio quality too. But they’re not going to offer that immersive, carefully separated, premium sound that audiophiles will be looking for. If you’re looking for peak performance, you’ll be better served by cans like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra or the Apple AirPods Max.

You want phenomenal build quality
Now don’t get me wrong, I like the way the Sonoflow Pro look on, but there’s no denying they’re still pretty plasticky. The headband and button controls aren’t the sturdiest, so if you’re looking for premium build quality, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

(Image credit: Future) 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: also consider

Earfun Wave Pro
For some time, the Earfun Wave Pro have held the title of best budget option in our guide to the best over-ear headphones. And it’s easy to see why. These cans supply stupendous battery life, above-average sound and a neat design all at a temptingly low price. You can’t ask for much more than that! Read our full Earfun Wave Pro review.

Sony WH-CH720N
I’ve personally owned the Sony WH-CH720N for well over a year and can comfortably recommend them. They offer great sound for the price you pay, as well as upscaling technology for lower-quality music files. On top of that, you get effective ANC, a handy companion app and a classy set of color options to choose from. Read our full Sony WH-CH720N review.

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: How I tested

• Tested for two weeks
• Used at home and on public transport
• Predominantly tested using Tidal

I tested the 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 over the course of two weeks. I used the over-ears in a variety of environments, including at home, on walks near built-up roads and on public transport. Typically, I connected the headphones to Tidal on my Samsung Galaxy 24 FE with the LDAC codec enabled for the best quality audio.

When listening to music, I went through the TechRadar testing playlist, which includes tracks from a number of genres, before expanding to a wider music selection. I also tested the headphones with my Windows laptop to test out quality using a wired connection. When appropriate, I also compared the Sonoflow Pro directly to the Soundcore Space One Pro.

• First reviewed: March 2025
• Read more about how we test

• View or buy at Shark US

Shark TurboBlade: two-minute review

My 105-year-old house lacks insulation and has a sub-par air-conditioning system, so often I suffer from a stuffy hot home – which is why I was excited to test the Shark TurboBlade. Launched in January 2025, the Shark TurboBlade improves on the tower fan design thanks to two multi-directional blades with vents that can be adjusted in height, direction and angle to push air in all directions for complete cooling coverage.

On test, I found it very effective. It could cool a room in no time at at all, with the blades of air shooting up to around 28ft from the fan (a little short of Shark's 30ft claims, but very respectable nonetheless). There are 10 speeds, a timer, and the option to oscillate airflow, but I was most enamored by the speciality modes.

Sleep Mode kept me at the perfect temperature overnight, with the quieter operation mimicking soothing white noise. Natural Breeze Mode was my favorite though – the gently fluctuating airflow felt a cool breeze, outside in the fresh air, rather than the blast of a fan.

While I was surprised – given the premium price – that the Shark TurboBlade doesn't come with app control. It does, at least, come with a remote, even if you're slightly limited by what you can adjust remotely.

The Shark TurboBlade is without a doubt a pricey fan but it's stylish, somewhat compact, and does an exceptional job at cooling thanks to its versatile and innovative design. It's well worth the price in that regard. Keep reading to see exactly how the Shark TurboBlade performed during testing and whether or not it might be the best fan for you.

(Image credit: Future) Shark TurboBlade review: price & availability

• List price: $249.99
• Launch date: January 2025
• Availability: Currently only available in the US and Canada

The Shark TurboBlade launched in January 2025 with a $249.99 price tag. As of now, it's only available in the US, to buy direct from Shark. No word as to if / when the TurboBlade will become available in the UK or Australia, but Shark has a presence in both of those territories, so we're hopeful. It may also come to third-party retailers like Amazon.

There's not really another fan on the market similar to this one. However, the best comparison are tower fans which can cost as little as $40 and as much as $370.

While $249.99 seems like a high price for a fan, its ingenious design, which allows customers to adjust the angle of the fan and push air up to 80 feet at 360-degrees, is well worth the premium price. You get far more coverage with this fan and a lot more customization in terms of the speed, air bursts, and air flow angle. Shark is also no stranger to sales, so if you buy at the right time you could avoid paying full price.

• Value for money score: 3.5 out of 5

Shark TurboBlade specs Shark TurboBlade fan review: design

• Multidirectional blades pivot and twist for 360-degree coverage
• Tower oscillates 180 degrees on adjustable telescopic pole
• Remote control can only adjust speeds and modes

Upon removing it from its packaging, I found the Shark TurboBlade was a bit larger than I expected (it's worth scrolling through the press photos to ones with people in to get a feel for the size of this fan – it's easy to assume it's more compact than it really is). That said, its adjustable and versatile design can make it feel more compact in your home. Specifically, you can turn it into one tall tower, which can sit in a corner, with a relatively small footprint.

It took me about five minutes to set it up. I really didn't need to use the instructions to assemble it, though I was thankful that everything was clearly labeled, and an instruction pamphlet was provided in case of confusion.

(Image credit: Future)

The Shark TurboBlade is similar to tower fans in that it has a base and a vertical design (here's more on tower fans vs pedestal fans, if you're not sure). This is in fact a bladeless fan – there's no visible, spinning section, but the 'Blade' in the name refers to the blades of air emitted by the two pivoting arms.

These arms sit atop the main pole, which is telescopic, so it can be raised or lowered. You can move the blades to the right or left, until they lie horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Both vents can be directed in the same direction, or you can move one of the vents in the opposite direction.

(Image credit: Future)

That means you can direct blasts of air in specific directions, and they can be focused on two different areas at once. It's an especially clever design when you consider that fans don't actually lower the temperature in a room; it's the feel of the moving air that makes you feel cooler.

You'll have to plug the Shark TurboBlade into a power outlet for the fan to work. The base is designed to oscillate 180 degrees. This can be done with the remote control. Shark provides two batteries so you can use the remote immediately.

(Image credit: Future)

The remote control is compact and can be stored on the top of the fan, with a magnet to hold it in place. Instructions are printed there as well, so that you don't need to have the manual to hand at all times.

With the remote, you can adjust the fan speeds, oscillation, set a timer, change the horizontal angle of the base, and choose one of the three specialty modes – Sleep Mode, BreezeBoost, and Natural Breeze Mode. On the front of the base, there are five blinking lights that indicate the fan speed. One of the biggest drawbacks to the design is that you can't adjust the vents or the blades with the remote.

At 15lbs, it's easy enough to move the Shark TurboBlade between rooms. As of now, there are no Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity options, though I hope to see Shark offer that option in the future. I'd much prefer to control the fan with my phone than a remote.

• Design score: 4 out of 5

Shark TurboBlade fan review: performance

• Airflow detectable from around 28ft, but best at <20ft away
• Fast and efficient at cooling a room, thanks for adjustable vents
• Natural Breeze mode is a revelation – brings the outdoors in

After running a variety of tests, I can say that the Shark TurboBlade is very easy to use and will keep you cool on hot days. Most of the time, I used the remote control to adjust the settings of the fan. However, for the sake of testing, there is a button on the front of the base. I could use it to turn the fan on or off and adjust the fan speeds by holding down the button. The fan speed is indicated by a chime and five flashing lights above the power button. (I preferred disabling the chime.)

Unfortunately, there were a few things I could not adjust with the remote control. If I wanted the blades to be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal, I had to move them by hand. I also could not adjust the direction of the vents with the remote.

(Image credit: Future)

I was able to turn the fan on and off and adjust the settings with the remote from about 30 feet away. Shark advertises that the fan can push air up to 80 feet, however, when I set the TurboBlade on the highest fan speed of 10 (the speed can be adjusted between 1-10), I could barely feel the airflow at 30 feet. The airflow was more noticeable at 28 feet. If you want to feel the breeze of the fan on your skin, it's better to be 0-20 feet from the Shark TurboBlade.

Though my house was a bit warm during testing, I didn't usually need to adjust the fan speed any higher than five. Most of the time, I set it at 3 as I found this level quite sufficient in circulating the air and blowing a cool breeze on me. The lowest fan level has a 39 dB sound rating, while the highest fan level comes in at 65 dB.

(Image credit: Future)

The fan can oscillate at 45, 90, or 180 degrees. It's also possible to use the remote to adjust the direction of the blades by small degrees. So if I moved from one side of the room to the other side, I could use the remote to 'move' the fan to face my new position in the room. Be mindful that when the blades are placed in the horizontal position, they can hit the wall or furniture. There aren't sensors in this product that will stop the blades from hitting an object.

Most of the time, I had the vents facing the same way so I could maximize the airflow toward me when I was sitting in a room. However, my kitchen can warm up quickly when I'm using the oven and the stove, so when I placed the Shark TurboBlade in there, I adjusted the blades vertically or diagonally and then moved the vents so they were facing opposite directions. From there I would oscillate the fan 180 degrees, which allowed the air to flow in all directions at the same time. The kitchen stayed exceptionally cool when I did this. No more sweating over the stove for me!

(Image credit: Future)

I should mention that if the blades are horizontal, you can adjust one of the vents toward the ceiling and keep the other facing forward. I'm not sure in what situations such angles would be beneficial, but at least you have the option. It would be nice to be able to place the vents in opposite directions (forward and backwards) in the horizontal position, but unfortunately, you can't.

With the timer, I was able to set the fan to run for 1, 2, 4, 8, and/or 12 hours. Sometimes I would set the timer so that it would cool the room down and then turn off around the time I planned to go to the gym so I could save some energy when I was out of the house.

Special modes

There are three specialty modes – Sleep Mode, BreezeBoost, and Natural Breeze Mode. BreezeBoost is the highest fan setting you can choose and has a dB rating of 66 dB. The amount of cool air that blows through on this setting is significant. I don't think I'll need BreezeBoost except during triple-digit (Fahrenheit) temperatures in summers.

My favorite setting is the Natural Breeze Mode. The fan randomizes the airflow to simulate natural winds. As someone who loves to sit outside and enjoy a breeze, it was really amazing to have this wind simulation indoors. I don't particularly love air blowing directly on me but appreciate the natural ability of a breeze to cool me down, which is why Natural Breeze Mode is my favorite mode.

(Image credit: Future)

Sleep Mode is, as the name implies, best used at night while you're sleeping. In Sleep Mode, the chime is muted, the lights on the front of the machine are dimmed, and the fan speed is lowered. The lower speed was perfect for me: I don't like to be cold at night, but I also appreciate some air circulation. While I could hear the fan, it's not very loud in Sleep Mode (about 49 dB), and almost sounds like comforting white noise. It's no louder than my ceiling fan.

The Shark TurboBlade can be tucked away into a corner when the blades are positioned vertically. The charcoal color is fine, though the white color option that is expected to drop next would definitely look better with my house's color palette. There really isn't much maintenance required except occasionally dusting the dust defense panel that covers the motor.

(Image credit: Future)

My only real complaint with the design is that I found the cord a little short. It's six-foot long, and I wish it was closer to 10 feet. My outlets in my historic home are in odd places, like halfway up a wall, so a six-foot cord isn't as long as I need it to be to move the fan into the best position.

Overall, the Shark TurboBlade is a really fantastic fan, one that will keep you cool thanks to all the ways in which you can adjust the direction and speed of the airflow. I hope in the future Shark might release a new version that can be controlled via an app, but as a first iteration, the TurboBlade is excellent.

• Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Shark TurboBlade fan? Buy it if...

You want to cool a large space

You can not only adjust the direction of the vents but also the direction of the blades, so that you can actually feel the airflow without having to stand two feet in front of the fan.

You want a fan for nighttime

Set the Shark TurboBlade on Sleep Mode, and you'll barely hear the fan as you fall asleep at night. Best yet – it'll keep you cool as you sleep. You might even opt for the Natural Breeze Mode which simulates natural breezes, making it feel like you're sleeping outside.

You struggle with overheating

With the remote, you can turn the Shark TurboBlade on and off, change the speeds, set specialty modes, and make the fan oscillate. This allows users to move around their house and adjust the fan at far distances.

Don't buy it if...

You want app control

The Shark TurboBlade is not a smart fan that can be controlled via an app on your phone. Considering its versatile design and the price, you might expect it to have some Bluetooth or Wi-Fi capabilities, but alas, it does not.

You want to do everything remotely

The remote can control a lot of things – the speed, modes, oscillation, timer, and even the angle of the airflow. Unfortunately, it can't adjust the directions of the vents or the angle of the blade (in terms of being horizontal, vertical, or diagonal). This is something you have to do by hand.

You're on a budget

The Shark TurboBlade is one of the most expensive fans on the market with a price tag of nearly $250. If you don't want the innovative features, you could probably find a cheaper alternative that keeps your space equally as cool and comfortable.

How I tested the Shark TurboBlade

I tested the Shark TurboBlade for one week in my 105-year-old home in Texas. Testing occurred in March, that in-between time when my heater and air-conditioning weren't being used. On particularly warm days, my historic home became pretty warm (about 75 degrees F / 24 degrees C). I tested the Shark TurboBlade mostly in my living room, kitchen, and bedroom. This included using the Sleep Mode overnight, to get a sense of how well the fan circulated air and kept me cool as I slept.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed March 2025

Canon PowerShot V1: two-minute review

There's been a buzz surrounding the PowerShot V1, principally because the compact V-series vlogging camera is like a bigger sibling to the trending (and dated) PowerShot G7X Mark III, with an all-new 1.4-inch sensor and 16-50mm lens.

Put the two cameras side by side and the design / control layout similarities are clear (see below) – these are pocketable compact cameras, with the PowerShot V1 being the bigger of the two, and both offer impressive suites of video features.

The PowerShot V1's most obvious rival is the Sony ZV1-II, while the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is a gimbal-stabilized alternative, and in many regards the well-rounded PowerShot V1 is a clear winner, even if there's a strong case to be made for DJI's take on the format.

Headline features include that 22.3MP, 1.4-inch sensor. That's a rare sensor size – it's essentially the same as Micro Four Thirds, but in 3:2 aspect ratio rather than 4:3. It measures 18.4 x 12.3 mm – much bigger than the 1-inch type used in the aforementioned rivals, which measures 13.2mm x 8.8mm.

A bigger sensor size in general means better image quality, but there are caveats. The notable PowerShot V1 drawback for me is the f/2.8-4.5 maximum aperture of its 3.1x optical zoom lens. Compare that to the ZV-1 II's f/1.8-4, and the PowerShot G7X Mark III's 4.2x zoom with a f/1.8-2.8 maximum aperture, and the V1 comes up short for light-gathering capabilities, which in some respects counters the image-quality advantage of its larger sensor.

Still, it's the widest lens of the bunch, with a 16-50mm range that's ideal for vlogging. Even with digital image stabilization active and the consequent image-area crop applied, the framing is plenty wide enough for vlogging with the camera at arm's reach – that extra 2mm at the wide end goes a long way.

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Here's the Canon PowerShot V1 compact (left), alongside the PowerShot G7X Mark III (right) (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 2 of 2

From left to right: Canon PowerShot V10, Canon PowerShot V1 and Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

The comprehensive suite of video features includes cooling vents and unlimited 4K 30fps video recording times, a built-in ND filter, Canon's best-ever autofocus for a PowerShot compact, plus mic and headphone ports.

Photographers are well catered for too, with a hotshoe accepting an external flash (but not 5-pin ones), and a rapid 15fps burst shooting speed that's doubled when using the electronic shutter, ably supported by that reliable subject-tracking autofocus.

Image stabilization is unavailable when shooting 4K video at 60fps, plus there's a 1.4x crop using this setting – I'm sure I'll discover a few more drawbacks when I have the camera back in for in-depth testing.

However, the PowerShot V1 makes a strong first impression. As a complete package with Sony-beating features and a relatively decent price, it looks set to be a vlogging star.

Canon PowerShot V1 specs

(Image credit: Tim Coleman) Canon PowerShot V1: Price and availability

• £959.99 (US and Australia pricing TBC)
• Available from early April, exact date TBC

The Canon PowerShot V1 costs £959.99, with US and Australia pricing to be confirmed, and is due to hit the shelves in early April, with an exact release date also yet to be confirmed by Canon.

That starting price is less than what the older G7X Mark III currently goes for, with scalpers are capitalizing on the smaller model's popularity. However, the Sony ZV-1 II costs around 20% less than the V1, while the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is about half the price.

Canon PowerShot V1: Design

• 16-50mm f/2.8-4.5 lens with customizable ring and 5EV optical stabilization
• Similar design and control layout to the PowerShot G7X Mark III
• Includes hotshoe, tally lamp, headphone and mic ports

Canon has created a well-rounded and solid compact camera with a focus on video, but which also packs a solid suite of photography features.

Its design and control layout are strikingly similar to the PowerShot G7X Mark III's (see below), but on a larger scale that has enabled extra features such as a hotshoe, vari-angle screen, plus of course that larger sensor.

The camera sits nicely in the hand thanks to a generous handgrip, and is adorned with a number of customizable buttons and controls, with special mention going to the lens ring, which is ideal for making quick changes to aperture or your desired setting.

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From left to right: Canon PowerShot V1, Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 2 of 4

From left to right: Canon PowerShot V1, Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 3 of 4

From left to right: Canon PowerShot V10, Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III, Canon PowerShot V1 (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 4 of 4

From left to right: Canon PowerShot V10, Canon PowerShot G7X Mark III, Canon PowerShot V1, Canon EOS R50 V (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

With the camera off and the lens retracted, I'd call the PowerShot V1 pocketable, which is impressive given the decent-size 1.4-inch sensor within.

A vari-angle touchscreen is pretty much the norm in 2025 for video-focused cameras – it can be flipped out and tilted upwards for easy viewing from awkward angles when shooting horizontally, and flipped around for vlogging.

Another handy feature for vlogging is a tally lamp, which lights up red to confirm when you're recording. You can also opt for manual focus peaking and zebra display, plus timecode – again, all handy video features.

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(Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Cooling vents are found on the top and left-hand side of the camera, and these effectively enable unlimited 4K video record times. This isn't the sort of feature I'd expect in a camera at this level and price point, so kudos to Canon for that.

There's a decent internal mic, and Canon provides a wind muff with the camera that slots into the hotshoe to be positioned over the mic for clearer audio on breezy days.

When using the internal mic, the wind muff feels like a must, even if it somewhat obstructs some of the camera controls, such as the on/ off switch.

Still, if you're a serious creator you'll be using an external mic instead, and these can be connected using the 3.5mm mic input, with sound monitoring possible through headphones and on-screen.

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(Image credit: Tim Coleman)

The lens is equipped with optical image stabilization (OIS) that's rated up to 5EV. That's a decent performance for photography, though it's of little use for video. For that, there's digital (or electronic) image stabilization (DIS). There's a small crop of the image area with DIS active, and even more with the enhanced DIS option, and that's where the V1's wider-than-most 16mm wide focal length is particularly handy – you'll still be able to frame yourself nicely in the shot with stabilization active.

Canon PowerShot V1: Performance

• Canon's best-ever autofocus for a PowerShot
• Digital image stabilzation only for video
• 4K video 30fps, 4K 60fps with a 1.4x crop, Full HD 120fps

I haven't had enough time with the PowerShot V1 to run full tests, but during my two-day hands-on time I have been able to use the various video record modes, snap a few photos, check image stabilization performance and shoot a few short vlogs using the internal mic.

In the sample footage below, I cover 4K 30fps, 4K 60fps, image stabilization, and the 3.1x optical zoom among other things.

Overall, 4K video footage is crisp, and subject-tracking autofocus is reliable – and that's something that's not to be taken for granted. Canon says it has put its best-ever autofocus for a PowerShot compact in the V1, and it really does perform well.

Usually, the camera's exposure metering and color are linked to the focus area. When focus was locked onto me, exposure looked fine with the help of an auto ND filter, although I have seen shifts in the color of my skin in vlogs – some look spot on, others a little green, others too magenta. It's a good practice to set white balance manually, rather than rely on auto white balance.

4K 60fps video looks great too, although you'll lose out on the option for Digital Image Stabilization at this setting, while there is also a 1.4x crop of the image area.

I don't mind the crop so much, as it effectively extends the lens for close-up B-roll. There's also a crop when you employ enhanced DIS (not available with 4K 60fps), but the V1's widest 16mm focal length gives a lot of scope for cropping into the image area for vlogging. Lens focal length might sound like a small thing, but Canon has been smart with its choice of 16mm focal length for the wide setting.

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General detail in this selfie is really sharp, plus subject-tracking autofocus has delivered pin-sharp focusing on the eyes (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 2 of 6

Close focusing capabilities are impressive (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 3 of 6

There's a trippy feeling to this image when the focal length is at the widest setting and the focusing is close-up. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 4 of 6

Taken at the 50mm focal length and maximum f/4.5 aperture, there's still a reasonable focus fall off here (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 5 of 6

This close up at 50mm f/4.5 shows what the 1.4-inch sensor is capable of (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 6 of 6

Here's the same subject but with the aperture set to f/11 – this depth of field is what you could expect from a standard smartphone. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Canon's 22.3MP 1.4-inch sensor is new, but we get Canon's familiar color science, and that's a good thing. Full-size photos look natural and are packed with detail – my skin and facial hair are super-crisp in the selfie above.

The PowerShot V1 also has decent close-focusing skills, so you can create photos and dynamic video cutaways for vlog footage – check out the flower closeups, again in the sample gallery above.

Would I have preferred a faster maximum aperture, say f/1.8-2.8? Yes, but that wouldn't be possible within the same compact lens dimensions. In any case, with the lens set to its maximum aperture (f/2.8-4.5) and when the focus distance is close, it's possible to get a lovely shallow depth of field.

I'll share more findings in my upcoming in-depth review.

How I tested the Canon PowerShot V1

• Tested for two days, full production model
• I shot various handheld video clips using a range of resolutions and frame rates, and with stabilization active and off.
• I recorded vlogs using the in-camera mics only

I've not had long enough with the PowerShot V1 to give a definitive verdict. However, the two days over which I tested the compact vlogging camera gave me enough time to have a play with the various video modes on offer, including 4K and Full HD videos, and 60fps and 30fps frame rates, make short vlogs using the in-camera microphone, and shoot comparison videos with the stabilization active and turned off, to see how effective digital stabilization is for video. I've also made several photos in full quality.

• First reviewed March 2025

Creative Pebble Nova: One-minute review

Like any decent work of art, the new Creative Pebble Nova will mean different things to different people. TechRadar's audio editor Becky Scarrott said they looked like Magic 8-Balls, or lawn bowls with audio credentials – and she meant that as high praise. My partner thought they looked like an overly-elaborate microphone set up. I saw them more as delightful flotsam from an alien spacecraft, which had found its way to my desk.

However you look at it, the Pebble Nova speakers are a novel-looking new audio set-up fitting to strut their way onto our list of the best desktop speakers (and possibly even the best stereo speakers) on fashion chops alone.

The proposition doesn't need to rely on its good looks to get by, though. These speakers sound great, with defined bass, a high max volume and selection of enhancement features that make a marked difference to the norm for the money. They're elevated from your desk to create a much more immersive surround-sound effect and use coaxial drivers to refine the audio they deliver.

You'll find, though, that they cost a fair amount of aforementioned money. As the newest in Creative's line of affordable Pebble computer speakers, you'd think they might adhere to the affordable end of the market, but they're fairly premium in price. Not bank-breaking, but definitely enough to think twice about.

Maybe not twice actually, perhaps thrice. The Pebble Nova take a fair amount of set-up, with Creative channeling its inner Ikea with how much construction is needed. They also require a fair bit of space due to their design, so you'll need to make sure your desk is relatively large and uncluttered for them.

All that said, if you do decide you have the space, money and patience for them, the Creative Pebble Nova are a great set of computer speakers, regardless of what kind of audio you need them to play.

Creative Pebble Nova review: Price and release date

(Image credit: Future)

• Announced in December 2024
• Mid-range at $279.99 / £239.99 / AU$499.95

The Creative Pebble Nova were released in December 2024, as the latest entry in Creative’s Pebble line-up of desktop speakers. They are, by a significant margin, the most expensive.

You can pick up the Creative Pebble Nova for $279.99 / £239.99 / AU$499.95 (although fair warning: they’re out of stock in several of the regions I checked). That ain’t cheap, especially when you consider that the next most expensive members of the Pebble family, the Pebble X, cost $89.99 / £84.99 / AU$169.95.

At that price, there’s no doubt that these are premium speakers. There are only a few entries on our list of the best computer speakers that cost more, although admittedly those cost a lot more, so if you want premium speakers but don’t want to hand over your life savings for them, these could be a good option.

As audiophiles will know, though, you can spend a lot more on high-spec speakers, up to ten times as much.

Creative Pebble Nova review: Specs Creative Pebble Nova review: Features

(Image credit: Future)

• USB, Bluetooth and AUX connections
• Creative App brings ways to customize audio
• Acoustic Engine brings some useful features

The Creative Pebble Nova offer three ways to connect to your chosen device. First up is with a 3.5mm jack, which will let you play music but won’t let you customize it via the Creative App (more on that later). Second is Bluetooth, with the Nova supporting Bluetooth 5.3 to various devices including phones, computers and games consoles. Thirdly is with USB, which is what I did for the majority of this review. In the box is a USB-C to USB-C cable but if, like me, your PC only has USB-A ports, you can buy cheap adaptors online.

If you connect via Bluetooth or USB, the Creative App (available on mobile and PC) is a no-brainer. It offers the ability to change the Nova’s LED lighting effects, an equalizer along with loads of presets, the ability to switch which of the speakers is the left and right one and the promisingly-titled Acoustic Engine.

Take my advice: when you first set up the Pebble Nova, go to the Acoustic Engine page and turn everything on. It includes features like audio upscaling, dialogue enhancement and virtual surround-sound, all of which have marked improvements on the way the speakers sound. I regret that I was already weeks into the testing process before I bothered to open this page!

• Features score: 4.5/5

Creative Pebble Nova review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Bowling balls on stalks
• Takes up lots of space
• Time-consuming set-up process

How do you describe the design of the Creative Pebble Nova? Are they eyeballs on stalks? Alien command consoles? Magic 8-Balls? If you’re able, check out the review pictures because they’ll do better justice to the odd look of the Nova than my Creative Writing degree ever could. If you can’t see them, then… they’re basically giant spheres, held up from a circular base by a thin dowel.

It’s certainly a unique look taking the spherical-ish looks of other Pebble devices and literally elevating it. But it has a second advantage: the speakers themselves are higher than computer speakers generally are, which means ‘surround sound’ audio actually does surround you, as it’s at ear level (with the 45-degree point of the speakers also helping).

You can pick the Novas up in black, as you see in the images, and in a chic white-and-bronze model too.

I can see this design being a bit divisive but I didn’t mind it (I also spent lots of the review period with them hidden by my second screen). However there are two issues too.

(Image credit: Future)

Firstly, these take up a lot of space. Said space is at a premium when it comes to the desk upon which I use my desktop computer, and I found it quite hard to accommodate the Pebble Nova given the dimensions of both the speakers and my London apartment – it’s why the images accompanying this review are of my laptop, because my desk was too cluttered with the Creatives on it!

The second thing to note is that the Pebble Nova take quite a bit of setting up: not only do you need to go through all the usual cable rigamarole of desktop speakers, but you also have to attach the dowels to the stands and those to the speakers. This was admittedly easier than your average Ikea project, but it still took a little while to accomplish (I should note, you don’t have to elevate the speakers if you don’t want, and can attach them straight to a stand).

On the primary– ‘orb’? – you get several ports: the USB-C power delivery port, another USB-C port to connect to your computer, and the 3.5mm headphone jack, as well as the cable which runs to the other speaker. You also get a range of buttons for volume, power, connection and more.

The speakers have LED lights which you can program using the app, although they’re not huge or bright and I didn’t really notice them during everyday PC use.

• Design score: 4/5

Creative Pebble Nova review: Sound quality

(Image credit: Future)

• 1-inch driver + 3-inch woofer
• Exuberant, clear bass and mids
• Unnecessarily-high max volume

Each of the Creative Pebble Nova speakers packs both a 1-inch tweeter with a 3-inch woofer in a coaxial set-up.

I'm used to PC speakers being good for certain tasks and struggling with other ones (a set-up that's great for music might struggle for the range of sounds needed for gaming, or be poorly-tuned for YouTube videos, for example) but I was pleasantly surprised at how the Creative was a jack of all trades.

I say 'pleasantly surprised' because it wasn't necessarily expected. The presence of a woofer gives away that the Pebble Nova has a distinctly energetic sound profile, with plentiful bass. However these lower tones are well-defined and clear, instead of being overpowering and thumping like some bassy speakers can be.

This meant I could enjoy different kinds of music but then could listen to spoken-word audio without low voices having an unnatural rumble to them, an issue I've faced before.

(Image credit: Future)

Treble is a little less bright than it could be, but I quickly fixed this in the Creative App with some quick equalizer tweaking.

The Creative Pebble Nova is great for the kind of sound stage or surround-sound audio that really benefits immersive gaming. This is because the elevated height of the speaker poles, plus their being angled upwards at 45 degrees, means that audio is a lot closer to ear-level than your standard desktop speakers.

The result is a marked improvement in immersion: the tweeting of birds, the sound of wind in trees, the repeated taunting of a dangerous bandit I was unsuccessfully trying to run away from, all felt well-placed around me during gaming sessions. The effect was definitely more pronounced than on other desktop speakers I've tried, which sit lower than your ear level.

According to Creative, the Pebble Nova has a whopping 100W power output for high volumes. Since I have neighbors, I didn't test quite how loud it goes, but it definitely reached (and could easily exceed) my needs. Why you'd need incredibly-loud speakers for your desktop, presumably within half a meter of you, isn't quite clear, but it means that they can double as general party speakers if you prefer.

• Sound quality: 4.5/5

Creative Pebble Nova review: Value

(Image credit: Future)

• Not a viable option for people on a tight budget
• Other Pebbles may appeal to money-conscious buyers

While the overall Pebble line of Creative desktop speakers is known for offering great value for money, that's naturally less true of the Nova, as premium equipment always offers incremental returns for the price.

The Nova are good, but you're paying for it, as they're not cheap (at least, by Creative standards, although you can easily find countless pricier alternatives). They're not poor value for money, but they're not as much an obvious bargain as other Pebbles. That said, if I had the expendable income, I'd buy them – so take from that what you will.

• Value: 4/5

Should I buy the Creative Pebble Nova?

(Image credit: Future) Buy them if…

You like the look of them
Fan of the way the Novas look? Then you should go for them, as you'll be hard-pressed to find anything quite as distinctive.

You're particular about your audio
The Creative app's equalizer, and Acoustic Engine options, will let picky listeners fine-tune the way the speakers sound more so than some rivals.

Don’t buy them if…

You think they look silly
If you prefer your desktop speakers to speak only through the drivers instead of the fashion statement, you best check out other options.

You've got limited space
I have a medium-sized desk and I had to remove some decorations to fit the Pebble Nova, so if you're short on desk real estate, these might not fit.

Creative Pebble Nova review: Also consider

Creative Pebble Plus
There are plenty of cheaper Creative Pebble desktop speakers on the market including the Plus, which we said will give you "more than your money’s worth".

See our full Creative Pebble Plus review

Vigilant Audio SwitchOne
Of the two options in our best desktop speakers round-up that have a similar price to the Pebbles, the Vigilants are the most recent. They have a pretty 'standard' design but sound great to listen to.

See our full Vigilant Audio SwitchOne review

How I tested the Creative Pebble Nova

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested for one month
• Tested at home connected to phone and windows PC

The testing process of the Creative Pebble Nova was over a month.

For most of that time, I tested the Nova alongside my Windows desktop PC, with the speakers on my desk. I also tested it paired via Bluetooth to my phone and, for a short while, connected to my Windows laptop (as pictured).

I used my PC as normal during the month which includes my day job, various other types of work, watching TV shows and YouTube videos, streaming lots of music and playing video games.

I have over six years' experience testing gadgets for TechRadar which includes other desktop speakers, audio products (including from Creative) and other types of tech.

• First reviewed in March 2025

• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

This review first appeared in issue 351 of PC Pro.

Finnish company WithSecure offers a complete suite of security solutions all easily managed from its Elements Security Center cloud portal. Its Endpoint Protection (EPP) module provides a firm foundation and a modular approach allows you to enhance it with other WithSecure components as required.

In this review, we test EPP and take a closer look at the Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) module. EDR takes a proactive stance on cyberattacks, providing advanced threat detection capabilities, full attack analysis and automated responses for isolating compromised systems.

EPP offers great platform support, too: it protects Windows and macOS workstations, Android and iOS mobiles and Windows and Linux servers, and includes patch management for Windows OSes as standard. Workstation deployment is swift; we used our portal’s EPP dashboard to email a download link to users, with the agent taking three to four minutes to install and link up with the portal account.

Protection starts immediately. The agent grabs a predefined profile that enables essential security functions such as real-time malware scanning, a firewall and browsing protection. Customizing profiles is simple: you clone the read-only ones provided, tweak their settings as desired and use the devices page to assign them to multiple endpoints.

Automated features include rollback after a ransomware attack (Image credit: Future)

There’s a lot to play with: profiles enforce web protection with a list of 32 URL categories, can stop users interacting with the agent and control access to all kinds of local hardware such as USB sticks, optical drives, and wireless and Bluetooth devices. An EPP Premium subscription enables application controls and WithSecure’s DataGuard, which uses behavioral rules to detect potential ransomware activity.

Rollback is a smart new feature that provides instant ransomware protection for Windows systems. It tracks apps classed as unknown and, if they exhibit any dubious behavior, it closes them down and automatically rolls back all the file and Registry changes they made.

Don’t worry if the app turns out to be legit, as all changes are stored in local protected quarantine areas and can be restored by users. It can also initially run in safe mode, where it only reports on unauthorized changes.

You can keep a close eye on the action using the security events view and set up email alerting for multiple recipients. EPP has fast reaction times: when we introduced malware to our test clients events were posted in the portal almost immediately, with alert messages winging in three or four minutes later.

The cloud portal provides a clear status dashboard (Image credit: Future)

EDR provides deep analysis of detected threats and uses the same agent as EPP, so adding this module later on automatically activates it for all endpoints. It features WithSecure’s broad context detection (BCD), which cuts through alert avalanches by highlighting suspicious events so you can see clearly if an attack is taking place.

BCD shows a filtered view of all detected threats. Selecting one takes you to a threat analysis page, with a process tree showing how the potential malware developed and what it interacted with. If you don’t like what you see, you can isolate all affected devices with one click.

An EPP/EDR subscription also enables the new outbreak control feature. The modules team up to track device changes, and if anything occurs to critical areas such as IP addresses and reverse DNS or new malware is detected, a stricter rule is applied automatically to affected devices.

Its high levels of automation make WithSecure a great choice for SMBs that want endpoint protection on a plate. It’s simple to deploy, offers a wealth of security features, and all modules are easily managed from the Elements cloud portal.

We also rated the best secure smartphones.

Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap: One-minute review

At $99.99 / £82.00 / AU$161 this Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery strap is not cheap. But if you use your VR headset frequently it could be a worthwhile upgrade to your Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S – it’s already become my favorite Quest 3 accessory.

The built-in battery – the main reason to buy this strap – boasts a 5,300mAh capacity, which is a little more than the battery life of either the Quest 3 or Quest 3S. This doubles your VR and MR sessions, an advantage anyone who has ever had to cut a session far too short because their battery ran out will appreciate.

Beyond direct utility, the battery strap helps improve your Quest setup’s comfort to some degree as it serves as a counterweight to the headset proper and includes front and back padding. With its adjustable hard plastic mechanism, the strap will also remain comfortably attached to your head providing a more stable fit than the strap you get with your Meta Quest 3.

The only downside is that the strap weighs 446g, which is about 60g shy of what the Quest headsets weigh on their own. So while the battery is useful, a non-battery-equipped head strap like the H4 Halo Comfort (which is otherwise identical to the H4 Boost Halo) could be a better pick if you find your headset is heavy enough as it is.

(Image credit: Future) Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap: Price

• Normally costs $99.99 / £82.00 / AU$161
• Regularly on sale for less

At $99.99 / £82.00 / AU$161 this Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery strap is not cheap. But if you use your VR headset frequently this cost could be worthwhile as the strap effectively doubles how long you can use your Quest 3 for between charges.

What’s more, Kiwi design’s accessories are frequently on sale on Amazon and its store. We’ve seen it drop as much as 40% during sales so it’s worth waiting for a discount unless you’re desperate for a Quest 3 upgrade.

• Value score: 4

Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap: Design

• Comfy and secure Meta Quets 3 or 3S headstrap
• Doubles your Quest headset's battery life

(Image credit: Future)

The Kiwi design H4 Boost Battery Halo head strap can easily replace the base head strap included with your Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S – just unclip and unloop the original, and attach the H4 in its place – and it’s a near-total upgrade.

First, the hard plastic strap is adjustable and has cushioning on the back and front of your head which combine to create a more secure and comfy setup than the basic Quest head strap. Second, and more importantly, it comes equipped with a battery that increases how long you can use your Quest 3 between charges and can be easily connected to your headset via a built-in USB-C cable.

The battery – which is housed at the back of the head strap and serves as a counterweight to the headset proper, improving comfort – boasts a 5,300mAh capacity.

This is just over the battery capacity of both the Quest 3S (4,324 mAh) and Quest 3 (4,879 mAh) so your headset’s battery life will more than double; if you got 2 hours of usage out of your Quest you’ll now get 4 hours.

Best of all, with your headset hooked up to the battery pack you can use a USB-C cable to charge the pack and headset simultaneously, and fairly quickly, too. Kiwi design promises that a 45W charger can restore 60% charge to your headset and 65% to the strap in an hour.

(Image credit: Future)

In my experience, the setup does recharge fairly speedily, and the extended battery is more than enough to game for a whole evening without needing to take a break for my headset to recharge – which is a frustration I’ve dealt with in the past.

The only notable downside is that at 446g this head strap is just 60g lighter than either the Quest 3 or Quest 3S on their own, doubling your setup’s weight as well as its battery life. If you already find your headset is too heavy as is then adding this strap could be a bad idea.

However, during my testing, I never had trouble wearing the H4 Boost Halo Battery strap for an extended play session, so I expect many VR users won’t struggle too much with it either.

• Design score: 5/5

Should you buy the Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap? Buy it if…

You wish your headset could go the distance
If two hours of battery life per charge is never enough, then this battery strap will go a long way to solving your Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S woes.

You want comfort
If the regular Quest 3 head strap isn’t comfy or secure enough for you then you’ll appreciate the cushioning and adjustable design of the Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap.

Don’t buy it if…

You use your headset infrequently
The H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap is excellent, but it’s not good value if you use your VR headset infrequently. If you’re new to VR wait and see how often you use it before upgrading to this head strap.

You find your headset too heavy already
This strap effectively doubles the weight of your Quest 3 setup. The battery acts as a counterweight to keep it from feeling too uncomfortable, but it’s something to consider if headset weight is already an issue for you.

How I tested the Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap

To put this strap through its paces I used it for a few weeks with my Meta Quest 3 and made sure to swap back to the base strap every so often to get a sense of the advantages and disadvantages of each design. I also compared it to the Razer head strap and the K4 Battery strap from Kiwi to judge its effectiveness against other third-party headsets.

Read more about how we test.

• First reviewed March 2025

Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap: One-minute review

This battery-equipped head strap might not be as impressive as Kiwi design’s H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap from a design perspective, but it still ticks many boxes.

It boasts a 5,300mAh battery capacity – effectively doubling the battery life of your Meta Quest 3 or Quest 3S – and the padding and adjustable plastic deliver a secure yet comfortable fit that’s an upgrade on the default fabric strap that would have arrived with your VR headset.

Best of all, it costs only $69.99 / £57 / AU$113. As such, it’s a relatively affordable option and the perfect choice for first-time or more casual Meta Quest users who aren’t ready to splash out on top-of-the line upgrades, but still want something worthwhile.

The only negative of note is that at 358g this strap weighs about 70% of what the Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S each weigh on their own. So, if you’ve been struggling with the headset’s weight already then this will add over half as much weight again and could make your VR system unmanageable.

(Image credit: Future) Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap: Price

• Usually costs $69.99 / £57 / AU$113
• Typcially discounted during sales like Black Friday and Prime

You can pick up the Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery Strap from Kiwi design’s official store or Amazon for $69.99 / £57 / AU$113 – although it can regularly be found at a discount through both outlets.

At this price, the K4 is a more affordable battery strap for your Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S – being cheaper than Kiwi’s own H4 strap, and Meta’s official Elite Strap with battery.

• Value score: 5

(Image credit: Future) Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap: Design

• Like an upgraded version of the official Meta Quest 3 Elite strap with battery
• Just over doubles your Meta Quest 3 headset's battery life

The K4 Boost Battery Strap shares several design similarities with the official Meta Quest 3 Elite Strap with Battery. It’s a hard plastic strap with a battery at the rear, which can be adjusted to fit the size of your head. The hard plastic with padding ensures the design delivers a secure yet comfortable fit on your head; it feels significantly more solid on the head over the fabric strap the Quest 3 headset comes with in its box.

There are some differences between this and the official plastic battery strap, however. The first is that the head strap is padded for additional comfort, and the other is the Kiwi design has a hinge half way along each side.

Not only does this hinge help you to find a better position for the strap on your head; it means you can more easily put on and take off the headset without putting stress on the arms as it just folds up.

I had previously used an official Elite Strap with my Meta Quest 2, but it snapped on one side – roughly where the K4’s hinge is positioned – following just a few months’ use. Based on the K4 Boost Battery Strap’s design then, I expect it to be more durable.

As for the battery itself, beyond serving as a counterweight to the front of the headset, helping improve the comfort of your setup, the 5,300mAh unit will more than double the length of time for which your Meta Quest setup can be used. The Quest 3S features a 4,324mAh capacity battery and Quest 3 a 4,879mAh battery, so with the K4 supplying an extra 5,300mAh, you can expect to run each device for just over double the time.

(Image credit: Future)

What’s more, while the K4’s battery pack is hooked up to your Quest 3 using the built-in USB-C cable, you can use your Quest’s USB-C charger to refuel both the headset and strap simultaneously. Kiwi design promises that a 45W charger can restore 60% charge to your headset and 65% to the strap in an hour – just like its H4 battery strap – by dividing 22.5W of power between the battery and headset.

The only downside to consider here is that the battery isn’t light. At 358g, the K4 strap weighs about 70% of the Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S on their own. It’s lighter than some battery straps, and from my experience makes up for the weight with added comfort. However, if you already struggle with the weight of either headset then you may prefer Kiwi’s K4 Comfort Strap (which is identical except it lacks the built-in battery).

In addition, the K4 Boost Battery Strap doesn’t offer as much in the way of adjustments as more high-end options such as the H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap – which includes an adjustable front cushion, for example. However, the latter is also more expensive, so this is to be expected.

• Design score: 4/5

Should you buy the Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap? Buy it if…

You’re on a budget
If you want an affordable but capable battery strap then this is one of the best options we’ve tried.

You want to stay in VR for longer
This battery strap effectively doubles the battery life of a Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S, meaning you’ll be able to play VR and MR games for longer.

Don’t buy it if…

Your Quest 3 feels too heavy already
This battery strap weighs about 70% of a Quest 3 or Quest 3S headset alone, so you may prefer the K4 Comfort instead, which comes without the battery.

You demand something high-end
This strap lacks some of the adjustability of slightly more high-end VR headset straps.

How I tested the Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery Strap

To test the Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery Strap thoroughly, I attached it to my Meta Quest 3S and used it as my primary head strap on that headset for a few weeks. I also made sure to swap between the K4 and the base strap to compare, while also pitting against the Razer head strap and the Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery strap (which was attached to my Meta Quest 3) to contrast different third-party options.

Read more about how we test.

• First reviewed March 2025

Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips: One-minute review

I’ve fallen in love with the Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips since outfitting my Meta Quest 3’s controllers with them (they’re also compatible with the identical Meta Quest 3S handsets). They offer a thorough improvement over the naked controllers – especially for fitness apps and more active VR games like Beat Saber – and I don’t think I could ever go back to standard controllers.

The textured silicone surface is easier to grip than the bare plastic, the side strap more securely attaches the controllers to my hands, and the battery hatch ensures it’s easy to replace the controller’s battery as and when needed.

(Image credit: Future)

That said, for all my praise I’m well aware that these grips fall into that luxury add-on category. Not because they’re particularly pricey – they’re just $39.99 / £29.99 / AU$65 – but because I don’t think these grips are something everyone with a VR headset needs to own.

If you use your Meta Quest 3 or Quest 3S fairly regularly and have already upgraded it with a silicone facial interface (and maybe a battery head strap too), then the G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips are a solid next step. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a gift that isn’t just Meta Quest Store credit for someone you know who loves their Meta Quest 3, then these grips are an ideal purchase.

Otherwise, while the grips are great, people who use their headset infrequently would be better served spending their money on great Quest 3 software instead.

Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips: Price

• Normally cost $39.99 / £29.99 / AU$65 for a pair
• Often discounted during sale events like Prime Day

(Image credit: Future)

The Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips are available in the US, UK and Australia for $39.99 / £29.99 / AU$65 from Amazon or Kiwi’s own store, although they’re regularly available for less with discounts and limited-time vouchers. It’s worth checking both sites as you might find one has the accessory for a lot cheaper than the other.

This means they’re not overly pricey, but are in the same ballpark as an AA VR game – or a couple of indie titles. I’ll get into why the G4 Pro Performance grips are fantastic in a minute but at this price, I believe people who are complete newcomers to VR or only wear their Meta Quest 3 every so often would generally be better off buying software instead of these grips.

• Value score: 3

Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips: Design

• Effective Meta Quets 3 or 3S controller grips
• Perfect for active games like Just Dance VR or Supernatural

The main design advantage of Kiwi’s G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips is that they make it much easier to, well, grip your controller securely during a VR session. The silicone covering provides more friction between your hand and the controller, so you’re less likely to accidentally let go when swinging your arms around compared to the naked plastic. The adjustable side strap replaces the flimsy cord you get in the Meta Quest box to more securely attach the handsets to your hands.

I’ve found this is especially useful for active fitness games and apps with a lot of movement like Just Dance VR or Supernatural.

(Image credit: Future)

What I particularly like is that you can completely let go of the controller and the strap will still keep it pressed against your palm. So if you’ve ever found it awkward or slightly strange immersion-wise to let go of a virtual object without completely letting go of your controller, this grip’s design could help you out a lot.

An issue I was anticipating with the grips is that the silicone would make it significantly harder to access the Quest controllers’ batteries whenever they need replacing. Thankfully, Kiwi design thought ahead with a built-in battery hatch. A custom plastic battery cover replaces the default Quest controllers’ covers to add a window and pull cord – if you run this cord under the battery you can later tug it to easily free the cell from its cage – then a hatch built into the silicone can be peeled back to reveal the battery without removing the grip.

These simple yet effective design features make the grips a delight to use and a complete upgrade on the base Meta Quest controllers.

• Design score: 5/5

Should you buy the Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips?

(Image credit: Future) Buy it if…

You love VR
If you use your Meta Quest 3 or Quest 3S regularly then these grips are worth picking up.

You’re getting a Meta Quest 3 user a gift
I think these G4 Pro grips might be the perfect gift for a Meta Quest 3 user as they’re something I can’t see someone buying for themselves, but they’ll love using them when they get a pair.

Don’t buy it if…

You’re a VR newbie
You don’t need to get the perfect VR setup right away. Use your Quest 3 for a bit, see how often you put it on, and if you’re convinced you still need to upgrade, then consider picking these grips up.

You don’t own a Quest 3 or 3S
These grips are designed to fit Meta Quest 3 or 3S controllers. So even if your handsets look really similar you’ll probably find these grips don’t fit and will be a wasted purchase.

How I tested the Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips

To test these Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips I put them onto my Quest 3 controllers and used them for a few weeks in a wide variety of different VR games. I’d also make sure to swap between my Quest 3 and Quest 3S – which still uses naked controllers – to compare the experience.

Read more about how we test.

• First reviewed March 2025

RIG M2 Streamstar: One-minute review

The RIG M2 Streamstar is a baffling product. Despite being billed as a premium microphone for streamers and more general gaming, it’s about as simple as they come with plug-and-play functionality and no included software.

You just need to slot the included cable into a free USB port, select it as your preferred recording device in the likes of OBS or Audacity, and you’re ready to go in a matter of seconds.

This, on top of its impressively compact size, could make it a decent pick if you’re looking for a portable microphone that you can easily use with a gaming laptop to keep up with your streams when on the move.

Sadly, its actual feature set is highly limited with just a basic gain dial, mute functionality, and sidetone to play around with. On top of a standard 3.5mm headphone jack it does offer the option of Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity for that side tone monitoring, with Qualcomm aptX HD codec compatibility for 24-bit hi-res audio.

This is quite innovative, and the world's first in a wired microphone according to Nacon, but ultimately doesn’t seem like the most useful thing to have. It works very well and is extremely responsive overall with no noticeable delay, but I can’t imagine that most streamers wouldn’t already have a decent pair of wired gaming earbuds, or similar, on hand for microphone monitoring.

With a unique angular appearance, the design of the microphone is quite striking and refreshingly subtle for a gaming product and this helps set it apart. Unfortunately, though, the materials used feel disappointingly cheap for the price.

It’s plasticky in the hands, with flimsy dials that even wobble slightly while being turned. This is hard to stomach when you’re dealing with a $129.99 product and when countless other options all the way from the cheaper Blue Yeti and HyperX DuoCast to more expensive SteelSeries Alias are considerably more premium and better built.

As for the performance, it’s decent but nothing to write home about. The microphone offers a 24-bit resolution with sample rates of up to 192kHz, so is proper studio quality, but can sound rather muffled and is hard to position properly without a boom arm.

The lack of software also means nothing in the way of any substantial noise cancellation, so avoid this model unless you already have a quiet recording space or software solution in place.

(Image credit: Future) RIG M2 Streamstar: Price and availability

• Priced at $129.99
• Available via Amazon
• Value is questionable

The RIG M2 Streamstar costs $129.99 and is available via Amazon in the US. This price puts it towards the more premium end of the market, but, beyond its 24-bit audio and 192kHz sample rate, it really doesn’t have much to show for it. The HyperX DuoCast is just one example of a cheaper competitor that benefits from a robust set of included software, great audio performance, and a more premium design.

As for more expensive options, the JBL Quantum Stream Studio and SteelSeries Alias offer significantly more features. Thnd play compatibility, plus more strong optioe JBL Quantum Stream Studio has a variety of pickup patterns to choose from, making it a better fit for many setups, and, again, some great software. As for the SteelSeries Alias, you get a comparatively luxurious design, equally good plug and play software.

The sample rate of the RIG M2 Streamstar is considerably higher than the competition though (with most models capping out at 48 or 96kHz), so might make that high cost a little easier to stomach if that’s important to you. There’s also the unique Bluetooth side tone functionality which, depending on your peripherals and setup, could prove useful and perhaps worth the price of admission.

RIG M2 Streamstar: Specs RIG M2 Streamstar: Design and features

• Unique look, but feels cheap
• Very basic set of features
• No included software

The RIG M2 Streamstar has quite an attractive design. The capsule has an angular shape, with a distinct blend of smooth rectangles and trapezoids. It looks almost futuristic and is very compact to boot, coming in at roughly 6.5in / 165mm tall when using its included stand.

The front of the microphone is dominated by a large metallic grille, which sits just above two dials. The top dial controls your headphone settings when a compatible pair is connected via the 3.5mm jack or Bluetooth. Twisting the dial increases or decreases the overall headphone volume, while pressing it once mutes the headset. Holding the button enables Bluetooth paring mode, indicated by a flashing ring light around the base of the button.

The other dial controls the microphone gain, though it’s a little tricky to adjust. It’s hard to tell your current level unless you’re using the side tone. Normally, I would simply boot up a microphone’s software to change my current settings to the precise level that I wanted - but as there isn’t any of that here you just need to do it by ear.

The lack of software also means that simple actions like enabling the side tone or changing the sample rate are convoluted and require you to fiddle around in your system settings. The included Quick Start Guide is filled with screenshots of an older version of the Windows sound settings tab, which makes it unhelpful for those on Windows 11. Simplicity is a good thing and I generally love plug-and-play functionality, but there comes a point where not having quick access to important settings is just annoying.

Pressing the gain dial quickly mutes the microphone, which is standard at this price but nevertheless a handy feature to have. Both dials are constructed from plastic and feel very cheap, even wobbling slightly when they’re being adjusted. The action of rotating the dial also leads to a lot of audible feedback, which is going to be a problem if you’re used to using a model where you can quickly adjust your settings on stream.

The included stand is basic and underwhelming, effectively a two-part lump of plastic with a rubberized underside that doesn't feel particularly sturdy and is held together by cheap screws. The microphone is compatible with most boom arms via a standard 5/8 thread though, which is good and gives you more options to work with.

One little detail I do appreciate is the fact that the microphone has a small plastic panel on its rear that is held in place by magnets and can be removed easily. This is intended to be a place where you can display your own branding, which is a cute and novel idea.

(Image credit: Future) RIG M2 Streamstar: Performance

• Easy to get set up
• Sounds good when properly positioned
• Prone to background noise

The setup process is very easy, but I quickly found that the RIG M2 Streamstar tends to sound quite muffled unless you’re careful about positioning. I'm used to testing lots of different cardioid mics, but my usual spot just didn’t seem to work this time around. Instead, the microphone needed to be right below mouth in order to pick up speech reliably so it’s definitely worth investing in a boom arm if you don’t already have one.

Everything that I did manage to record once I found that position sounded good, at least. The high-fidelity recordings I produced in Audacity were very detailed and captured my voice well - at least when there wasn’t any background noise. On that note, the RIG M2 Streamstar picks up background noise easily, with everything from the click of my mouse to passing cars coming across in life-like detail.

This wouldn’t be an issue in a studio environment, but if you’re a streamer or content creator you’re going to need a separate software solution for noise cancellation in the likes of OBS. This isn’t the end of the world, but almost every gaming model from major brands at this price comes with its own noise-cancellation features out of the box.

The side tone features perform well when the microphone is connected to either a wired or wireless audio device. There’s no noticeable latency at all over Bluetooth, which is very impressive. I tested the microphone with a few different pairs of wireless headphones (both gaming and more general consumer models) and every model paired easily. As connected headphones can be used as audio output devices, this could double as a way to enable Bluetooth 5.4 audio on your PC if it doesn’t support it.

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the RIG M2 Streamstar? Buy it if...

You want strong specs
The RIG M2 Streamstar has very strong specs on paper, boasting a leading 192kHz sample rate. It also has Bluetooth 5.2 support, with support for the low latency aptX HD codec.

You need a compact mic
The RIG M2 Streamstar is impressively small and could easily be used with a laptop when you’re on the go.

Don't buy it if...

You want a more premium design
There’s no avoiding the fact that this microphone just feels cheap for the price. If you shop around you can easily find models with more premium materials.

You rely on included software
The lack of software is also frustrating and could be problematic if you don’t already have your own solution set up.View Deal

Also consider...

After some other options? These two models give the RIG M2 Streamstar a run for its money.

HyperX DuoCast
The HyperX DuoCast is cheaper than the RIG M2 Streamstar but still sounds good out of the box. It offers one more polar pattern and a pleasing design with RGB lighting that would look great as part of any streamer’s setup.

For more information, check out our full HyperX DuoCast review

JBL Quantum Stream Studio
If you’re willing to pay a little bit more, you can get this high-end option from JBL. It’s got the same high 192 kHz sample rate, plus more pickup patterns and a robust suite of software to experiment with.

For more information, check out our full JBL Quantum Stream Studio review.

(Image credit: Future) How I tested the RIG M2 Streamstar

• Tested for a week
• Compared to other gaming microphones
• Used in a variety of scenarios and use cases

I tested the RIG M2 Streamstar for a week, putting it through its paces in a number of scenarios using my home PC with an RTX 3060, I5-11400F, and 32GB of RAM. This time included a number of work meetings and gaming sessions with friends, in addition to testing its compatibility with popular streaming software OBS. I also evaluated its audio quality with a number of recording tests, most notably recording several samples in Audacity in a variety of different conditions.

Throughout my time with the microphone I compared my experience with my hands-on testing of countless other models ranging all the way from reliable budget options such as the Blue Snowball to more premium alternatives like the Blue Yeti and Steelseries Alias and SteelSeries Alias Pro.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed March 2025.

Notability review

Notability is a note-taking app from Ginger Labs that was launched back in 2010. It’s available for iOS but not on Android. Upon installing the app, a seven-day free trial is offered, so I was able to test out the premium features for free. Some other note-taking apps offer longer trial periods, so seven days felt a little short for me, as I like to make sure that an app is compatible with the way I work before committing to pay a subscription, but it may well be plenty of time for others.

Notability plans and pricing

Notability Starter
Without a paid subscription, you can create multi-media notes with a limited number of edits, import and annotate PDF documents, sync audio recordings to your notes, access the Gallery and its templates, scan documents, make use of presentation mode, view notes side by side, plus access free stickers, themes, and other content.

Price: Free

Notability Lite
For those who don't need the full suite of features, a Lite subscription provides everything in Notability Starter, along with unlimited edits, iCloud syncing across devices, and auto-backup.

Price: $17.99 / £12.99 per year

Notability Plus
Includes all of the benefits of Notability Starter, but notes and edits are unlimited, you can convert handwriting and math equations into text, use search to locate specific entries in written notes, sync to iCloud, plus your notes can be automatically backed up.

Price: $24.99 / £17.99 per year

A limited version of Notability is available for free, offering only a set number of edits, but more features can be accessed with a subscription to Notability Lite, and full access to all features with a subscription to Notability Plus. Prices vary depending on region, but in the US and the UK, a subscription to Notability Lite costs around $17.99 / £12.99 per year, and a Notability Plus subscription costs $24.99 / £17.99 per year, a similar price to many of the apps listed in our selection of the best note-taking apps, at the time of writing.

When it came to features, there were no complicated tools or settings menus. The handwriting-to-text and math equation features worked really well, even when tasked with converting my untidy scrawlings. There were two handy notes available to me detailing how to get started and the tools available to me.

It was easy to sync my notes between my Apple devices by popping into settings and enabling iCloud Syncing, so I could view, edit, or delete my notes from any of my devices effortlessly. In order to share my notes with others, I had to go into Manage Accounts via the settings and log in to my Notability account. Doing this also meant that I could have my notes in the gallery – for example if I’d made a template that others might want to use – and meant I could follow other publishers too.

(Image credit: Notability)

The app could be used by professionals, but only for note-taking and to share work with others, as it’s not the ideal app for collaboration. It’s a pretty nifty app for personal use, however, with plenty of free planner and to-do list templates that helped me get organized, not to mention the huge variety of colorful stickers available that made it super easy to jazz up my pages or help to add a visual cue next to certain entries.

This plethora of free stickers plus the easy-to-use tools made it easy for me to create bullet journals and planner spreads from scratch. One tool that worked well but proved frustrating was the eraser, which, for some reason, is set to revert to the previous tool I used once I'd lifted my Apple Pencil from the screen.

Although the large variety of templates supplied by Notability was a big plus, it was a shame that the templates I tried were applied to all pages within my note, so if I found I couldn’t swipe through the pages and apply a different template to each page. This would be fine if I wanted several pages of to-do lists or shopping lists, but was disappointing when my aim was to create a planner for my week with notes, lists, and goals.

(Image credit: Notability)

It only took a couple of taps to share notes as a PDF document via channels like email, and social media messaging, by clicking on the options button from within my note. There was also another option to select allowing me to customize the format, including PDF, Note, JPEG, and PNG file types. I could also decide which pages I wanted to send, as well as if I wanted to include the background paper, add page margins, attach my audio recordings, or password-protect the document.

Sharing documents with colleagues or family members is easy to do: within the note options there are buttons to create and share a link, or stop sharing. If your intended recipient has the Notability app, it can be downloaded as a note and, if not, they can open up the document as a PDF in their browser.

As there's a button in the app to update the linked note from the source account, I assumed real-time collaboration would be possible. As it happened, however, any changes made did not sync to the downloaded note in the Notability app, but would instead update the PDF, which would need to be redownloaded to have the up-to-date note available. This way of working still has its uses, of course, but real-time collaboration would have been more efficient.

In summary, this isn't an appropriate app for streamlined collaborating. But it's very simple to get started with Notability, and there are enough tools and free content to help organize and keep track of projects or personal goals, making this a good option for students, or anyone working solo or on personal projects.

Should I buy Notability Buy it if…

You want simplicity
If you want a straightforward note-taking app that's not boring, then Notability would be a good fit. The tools and settings are easy to master, and every element is satisfyingly uncomplicated.

You want to share documents easily
It only takes a couple of taps to share a PDF of your notes, and just a couple more to adjust the file type, page range, and more if required.

Don't buy it if…

You want to collaborate in real-time
The process to share a link to some of my notes was simple, but the linked content only updates in an uneditable document, as syncing stops when the file is downloaded, even as a Notability note. As a result, this means collaborating with colleagues would be a long-winded process.

You want to create all-in-one planners
It was very useful to have access to a broad range of templates, but it's frustrating that the template applies to every page within the note, rather than individually.

Notability review: Also consider

Evernote
At the time of writing, Evernote is rated as the best dedicated option in our selection of the best note-taking apps. You can create up to fifty notes and one notebook on one device for free, or a subscription can be paid to get access to more features, such as unlimited devices, Adobe Acrobat, 20GB of uploads per month, and features tailored specifically for team working.

How I tested the Notability app

• I used Notability for a week
• I used it to write notes, plan, and create a bullet journal
• I tested out note sharing and all of the features available

I spent a week using Notability as my main format for note-taking and for planning out my week. I also used it to create my own bullet journal.

I reviewed how straightforward it was to get started on the app, and how user-friendly and easy to navigate the interface was. I experimented with the different tools, exploring their different settings and assessing how well they performed. Finally, I tested how easy it was to share files, and how easy it would be to work collaboratively using Notability.

• First reviewed: March 2025
• Read more about how we test

Belkin BoostCharge Pro GaN Dual Wall Charger 45W review

OK, let me take a deep breath… the Belkin BoostCharge Pro GaN Dual Wall Charger 45W… whew… is a two-port model that can get your phone and a second device back to life in no time. That is if they’re not too power hungry.

This model supports 45W single-port charging, or up to 25W via Port 1 and 20W through Port 2 in double-charge mode. That’s enough to activate fast charging on devices like the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, which I personally own, but won’t be enough to charge more demanding alternatives – like the Honor Magic V3 or modern MacBook models, for instance – at their maximum allowed wattage.

But if that 45W is going to be enough for you, then you’ll likely be satisfied by performance here. I tried charging the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE alongside the Anker Soundcore Space One Pro and my phone got back to 100% from 0% in less than 80 minutes – very impressive. That’s the sort of speeds I’d expect from the best iPhone chargers and best Android phone chargers.

Something that’s worth noting, however, is I did have to use my own USB-C cables for testing. There’s nothing in the box – at least for those of you that, like me, reside in the UK. Sure, it’s not always a given to get a cable in the box, but this would have added a lot of value points for this charger. It is still moderately priced overall, in fairness though, coming in at $34.99 / £29.99 (about AU$55).

Something that was more disappointing for me was the lack of foldable prongs on the UK edition of this charger. If you want to slip the charger into your pocket, it’s impractical to have the prongs poking out. But having said that, this is a super-compact, diminutive model that will easily slot into a bag. It should be able to slot into tight spaces as well, although the ports being positioned on the outward-facing side of the charger does mean that USB-C cables will stick out a bit.

Another thing I picked up on during testing was that this model could get fairly warm when pushed to its limits – perhaps unsurprising given its limited size. It wasn’t getting dangerously hot or anything, but some may wish for the added security of more heat-resistant models like the UGreen Nexode Pro 65W.

But that’s enough moaning. This is a decent looking charger with a glossy white finish. But it’s also available in Black if you want to change things up a bit – that optionality is something I welcome, even if it’s two relatively basic-looking variants. Its solid design, minuscule size and solid performance given power restrictions do make this a tempting option. Of course, it's not without flaws and won’t have enough juice for some of you out there, but if 45W sounds about right for you, this model may well be worth your consideration.

(Image credit: Future) Belkin BoostCharge Pro GaN Dual Wall Charger 45W review: Price & specs

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Belkin BoostCharge Pro GaN Dual Wall Charger 45W? Buy it if…

You’re short on space
If your power socket is close to, say a bedframe or desk, this tiny Belkin charger could be a neat charging companion. It’s very diminutive, meaning it will likely slot into those tight spaces. It’s worth noting, though, that the ports are positioned on the outside of the charger rather than on its underside – so the USB-C connectors may stick out a little – worth keeping in mind.

You want to charge multiple devices simultaneously
One of the big benefits this model offers is dual-port charging. You can take advantage of both ports at once, with a maximum of 25W in Port 1 and 20W in Port 2, which should be enough to get fast charging on a lot of handsets released in recent years, like the iPhone 15.

Don't buy it if…

You have a more power hungry phone or laptop
One issue this charger faces up to, is that it doesn’t have enough power to enable some modern smartphones and laptops to charge near their maximum levels. For instance, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra can manage 45W wired charging and the OnePlus 13 can go as far as 80W. Of course, you can get 45W out of this model – but only in single-port mode. If you want a bit more power, I’d recommend going for the excellent value UGreen Uno 100W charger.

You want to use your old USB-A cables
In some regions, like my native UK, there’s no USB-C cable included in the box – which is a shame. And you may not have one of these lying around – though I’d expect you have some old USB-A ones kicking about. But unfortunately, you can’t use these here. Having said that, USB-C is more efficient, and if you really want to use your USB-A cables, there are alternatives that support them, like the Anker 323 Charger (33W) or Anker 335 Charger (67W).

Belkin BoostCharge Pro GaN Dual Wall Charger 45W: Also consider

UGreen USB-C 40W
The UGreen USB-C 40W may not be as powerful as this Belkin model, but I prefer it overall. It looks a bit more premium, has foldable prongs on the UK model and didn’t get particularly hot during testing. Again, this model has two USB-C ports and there aren’t any cables included in the box, but it’s cheaper than this Belkin alternative, meaning it's a great value rival. Read our full UGreen USB-C 40W review.

Under Armour Infinite Elite 2: two-minute review

(Image credit: Future)

New for 2025, the Under Armour Infinite Elite 2 is UA's second crack at the Infinite Elite, a cushioned, comfortable shoe for long distances.

The second iteration features a softer HOVR+ foam underfoot that's also a lot lighter. On the flip side, the upper has been engineered to be more lightweight and breathable.

So how does the Infinite Elite 2 stack up as a longer-distance shoe that's great for slower runs, recovery, or even a daily trainer for those who want a bit more cushioning?

(Image credit: Future)

Out of the box, my feelings about the Infinite Elite were a little mixed. I was really enticed by the prospect of adding a larger, more comfortable shoe for long distances to my rotation, but I have to say these won't be winning any design awards anytime soon.

Flashier options from the likes of Nike might scream form over function to some, but I still really value a good design in a pair of trainers. Under Armour's aesthetic generally is a bit divisive, but I'm not sure anyone could describe these as head-turners.

The stack looks imposing, but the overall vibe is pretty bland and uninspiring. This is a shame because, as we'll see later, they perform well. The colorway reviewed here is the Ares Red / Castlerock, which is probably one of the nicer options on offer.

I also didn't love the feel of the materials. While not too disconcerting, the foam that makes up the sole feels uncannily like the polystyrene you'd find in the box of your new OLED TV. The mesh upper is more pleasant and feels more quality, but generally, the Under Armour Infinite Elite 2 isn't the most stylish option out there.

(Image credit: Future)

Slip the Infinite Elite 2's on, however, and things start to pick up quickly. The Infinite Elite 2 has a 3D-molded sock liner to help cradle your foot, and I found the shoe overall to be extremely comfortable.

The edges of the shoe around the heel took a little softening up (the collar is high and firm), so it wasn't until my third or fourth run that the experience was blister-free, but overall the on-foot experience was extremely pleasant.

I'm happy to report that Infinite Elite 2 runs true-to-size, while the toe box is generous and comfortable, without feeling too roomy or too tight. Those looking for a comfortable fitting shoe are well-catered for here, with no slippage or movement as you run.

The Infinite Elite 2 is all about that big heel stack, an impressive 36mm (the forefoot is 28mm, giving an 8mm heel-to-toe drop) allowing the HOVR+ foam to absorb impacts with ease.

From the first stride, I was impressed with how soft the landing was on concrete terrain and sidewalks, especially given my larger frame.

The feel underfoot is delightful, especially on smooth ground, and they deliver mile after mile in terms of caring for your joints and reducing fatigue.

(Image credit: Future)

While you don't get carbon-plated energy return, the rocker motion gently propels you forward. 8mm is quite generous, so the rocker is more pronounced than you'd find on the likes of the Altra FWD Via, but I loved it. Naturally, these generally aren't a shoe for tempo runs or breaking your PBs, and while you can push the pace in them, you'll find a lot of your energy going to waste.

Best to stick to the longer, slower runs Under Armour is targeting here.

(Image credit: Future)

Thanks to the massive stack, heel strikers will love these, but there's also a generous amount of forefoot cushioning that should see nearly all running styles served well.

Naturally, these are a little on the unsteady side when it comes to stability. If you tend to overpronate or you're running over a lot of broken or uneven ground, the very large stack might betray you on occasion.

I had to catch a couple of wobbles that wouldn't have caught out my Nike Pegasus 41 shoes. As such, I definitely wouldn't recommend this as a shoe for runners who over-pronate, or anyone looking to kick up the dust around tight bends.

The stability isn't bad by any stretch, but the extra give simply comes with the territory of having such a larger, comfortable underfoot structure. If you stick to the slower, comfortable miles, however, the stability is commendable.

Overall, I've been really impressed with the Under Armour Infinite Elite 2. They're extremely forgiving over pretty much any distance, and after a little breaking in are extremely comfortable to wear. These are now my go-to for longer, slower runs, I just wish they were a bit more stylish.

Under Armour Infinite Elite 2: price & availability

• $160 / £145 / AU$220
• Men's and women's options, limited colors

The Under Armour Infinite Elite 2 running shoes are available from Under Armour's website and a host of third-party retailers. Prices start at $160 / £145 / AU$220, although I've seen this discounted in Australia to as little as $132, almost half price. Depending on the territory, you can find up to nine colorways for men and seven for women, with sizes from 7-15 (US) and 5-12 (US) respectively.

That puts the Infinite Elite 2 almost squarely in the bracket of our current long-distance favorite best running shoes, the Altra FWD Via, which retails at $160 / £145 / AU$249.

(Image credit: Future) Under Armour Infinite Elite 2: specifications Under Armour Infinite Elite 2: scorecard Should I buy the Under Armour Infinite Elite 2?

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

You want a cushioned shoe for long distance

The Under Armour Infinite Elite 2 is very forgiving over long distances, perfect for slower runs and recovery.

You run on more even ground

With its larger stack height and squishy cushioning, the Elite 2 excels over more even terrain

Don't buy it if...

You want a stylish running shoe

There are definitely more enticing designs out there when it comes to long-distance shoes

You're an unstable runner

If you over-pronate or generally struggle with stability, or you're running over more uneven terrain, these might be a little on the soft and wobbly side.

Also consider

(Image credit: Future)

Altra FWD Via

Our current favorite for long-distance, slow runs.

Read our full Altra FWD Via review

How I tested

I used the Under Armour Infinite Elite 2 as my primary running shoe for multiple runs of varying pace and distance, but primarily for longer, slower runs. I tested them on a variety of outdoor terrains.

First reviewed: March 2025

This review first appeared in issue 352 of PC Pro.

Logitech’s traditional Rally Bar video conferencing (VC) room solutions offer an incredible range of features, but small businesses may be put off by their size. Enter the Rally Bar Huddle, which steps in below the Mini model, and is designed for meeting rooms of up to six participants.

Width-wise, the Huddle is 170mm shorter than the Mini and weighs less than half as much. Its 4K UHD camera dispenses with the motorized pan, tilt and zoom (PTZ) functions used by its bigger brothers and goes fully digital.

There’s room for Logitech’s standard six-microphone beamforming array for auto-framing of active participants, while audio output is handled by a single downward-firing ported speaker. The graphite fabric magnetic front cover can be swapped out for an off-white fabric version for £109 or a white plastic cleanable cover, which costs £129.

As with Logitech’s other Rally Bars, the Huddle supports three operational modes, and you can connect it to a dedicated room computer or let users bring their own device (BYOD) and load the VC app of their choice. In appliance mode, Logitech’s on-board Android-based CollabOS turns the Huddle into a standalone system, with it currently supporting Microsoft Teams Rooms and Zoom Rooms.

The 4K UHD camera uses digital pan, tilt and zoom (Image credit: Future)

Deployment is smooth. After connecting the Huddle’s gigabit network port (Wi-Fi 5 is also available) we used its web interface to choose BYOD, Teams or Zoom mode. We could access all audio and video settings, run firmware upgrades and enable Logitech’s RightSight 2 video enhancement technology, although only the Group view was available, with the Speaker and Grid views yet to be implemented.

Load Logitech’s Sync app on the host PC and you can add the Huddle to a Sync cloud account for remote management of all your Logitech room devices and room usage analytics. The Huddle also supports Logitech’s optional Tap IP and Scheduler touchscreen tablets.

BYOD mode is easy to use: we connected a Windows 10 host PC to the camera’s HDMI-in port and an HD monitor to its HDMI-out port and used our local Teams, Skype and Zoom VC apps. Configuring the Huddle in appliance mode is equally swift. We chose Teams from the web console and, after a reboot, used the unique code it presented to assign it to our Microsoft 365 account. The Huddle duly appeared in our Teams admin console as a new Teams Rooms on Android device, while our attached Full HD monitor presented the familiar Microsoft Teams interface.

The Huddle can be cloud managed and supports three operating modes (Image credit: Future)

Connect a PC over USB and the Huddle will swap to BYOD mode and back to Teams when you remove the cable, although we noted that in Teams mode the web console was disabled and returning the Huddle to BYOD-only mode requires it to be reset to defaults.

The camera delivers a sharply focused image with good color balance, and its backlight compensation works very well.

Sound quality from the single speaker is easily good enough for small meeting rooms, and we liked the Huddle’s motorized privacy shutter, which automatically closes when a meeting has finished.

The Huddle’s digital PTZ speaker tracking is much faster than Logitech’s other Rally Bars, which can often take up to eight seconds to respond to movement. During a Teams meeting, we wandered around our room as we spoke and the camera smoothly tracked us with delays of no more than three seconds.

Some features are yet to be added, but Logitech’s Rally Bar Huddle is a good choice for small businesses with equally small meeting rooms. Speaker tracking is the fastest of all the available Rally Bars, audio and video quality are good, and Logitech’s integral CollabOS adds extra versatility.

We've also ranked the best apps for small businesses.

This review first appeared in issue 351 of PC Pro.

It’s hard not to fall in love with the Cherry KW 7100 Mini BT, in part because it’s so wee and in part because you get to choose from two eye-catching pastel colors: Cherry Blossom (pink) or Agave Green as pictured. Or you can opt for boring black. Despite its attractive price, the KW 7100 Mini comes with a travel pouch (made from recycled plastic), although it’s only offered in dark grey.

Build quality is up to Cherry’s usual high standards, with its SX scissor mechanism delivering a shallow but satisfying typing action similar to a good-quality laptop. It isn’t up there with mechanical keyboards, but it’s also much quieter. With big Enter, backspace and space keys, I don’t think you’ll struggle to hit high typing speeds despite its slim 295mm width.

The KW 7100 Mini should look just as good on day 500 as it does on day one, with the key lettering protected by a UV coating to guard against abrasions. Those keys are designed to last for more than ten million hits apiece, which is no doubt why Cherry feels confident enough to offer a three-year warranty.

A row of function keys sits at the top, all of which are customizable using the Cherry Keys software. This is almost charmingly basic, and it will take moments for you to assign actions or favorite websites. You also use the F1, F2 and F3 keys to switch between active Bluetooth connections; there’s no USB adapter here, and Apple devices aren’t supported either (it refused to pair with my iPad).

Aside from the sturdy feet that lift the rear of the keyboard for a better typing angle, that’s it for physical features. Backlighting isn’t present, merely LEDs to indicate which Bluetooth channel is active and if the Fn or Caps lock are active. These will also start flashing when the two AAA batteries run low, which will probably be months; all Cherry says about battery life is that it strongly depends on user behavior.

One final word for those who love matching accessories: you can buy a color-coordinated Cherry Gentix BT mouse, but its clicky keys reflect its low price: £16 from cclonline.com.

The KW 7100 Mini BT isn’t for those who love frills, then, nor is it for Apple fans. For everyone else, though, it’s a superb travel-friendly choice.

We also rated the best eco-friendly travel apps.

This review first appeared in issue 352 of PC Pro.

The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 is the most unusual laptop I’ve ever reviewed. Not only does it have a color E Ink display on its lid, but it also features a hinge that lets you swivel the screen 180°. Note that isn’t 360°, which is a shame – I kept trying to twist it in the wrong direction.

So, let’s address the obvious question: why? According to Lenovo, it offers four modes: laptop, tablet, e-paper and typewriting. It also ships with a stylus – although sadly there’s nowhere for it to be stowed – so you can write, annotate and draw on it. I find the Apple Pencil more enjoyable to write with thanks to its greater heft and girth, and while Lenovo’s stylus is precise it’s still no match for a real pen and paper.

The color E Ink display is meant to make reading books and taking notes feel similar to performing the same acts on real paper. It can show anything the OLED panel can, so you aren’t reduced to viewing content made specifically for e-readers. While a novel feature, I wouldn’t recommend it due to the E Ink panel’s low 12Hz refresh rate. Scrolling web pages or documents is choppy, and a ghosting effect (when traces of a previous image remain on screen) adds to the annoyance.

…but the hinged lid allows you to swivel the display by 180º… (Image credit: Future)

Colors on the E Ink panel also look washed out at best, hitting 0.4% (that is not a typo!) of the DCI-P3 color gamut. Still, it’s better to have some color than none at all.

If all you’re doing is reading or using it as a typewriter, then the E Ink display still has its advantages. For a start, it’s easier on the eyes, but it also cuts down on distractions. Switch on the Lenovo Reader mode and you can devour ebooks, while you can use Lenovo Notebook to scribble notes. If the performance is too sluggish, you can also use Reader and Notebook with the OLED display.

This 13.3in touchscreen panel is as vibrant as you would expect, covering 100% of the DCI-P3 gamut with an average Delta E of 0.21. It’s bright, too, hitting 360cd/m2 in our SDR tests and 480cd/m2 with HDR content.

…to reveal a versatile 12.2in color E Ink screen (Image credit: Future)

You can happily watch films on the ThinkBook Plus without headphones, thanks to clear audio and plenty of volume without distortion. Music lovers won’t appreciate the lack of bass on offer, however.

Bearing in mind that Lenovo is pitching the ThinkBook Plus as a typewriter, it’s a shame that it isn’t part of the ThinkPad range with its deep key travel. Still, I found the keys snappy and responsive, and even though this is a compact laptop it never felt cramped when typing (and I have big hands). The trackpad’s small footprint proved more challenging, not always registering my gestures.

While I say compact, I don’t say light. At 1.4kg, this is substantially heavier than the streamlined 13in laptops we see elsewhere, with many now ducking under 1kg. What’s more, they’ll offer far better battery life than the Plus, which gave up after 6hrs 50mins of our web-surfing rundown test. That’s poor.

Finally we come to speed, which is in line with expectations for a laptop with a Core i7-1355U. It’s extremely fast for day-to-day operations, but those who use heavyweight apps or want to play AAA games should look elsewhere. Only one configuration is on sale, with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, which also restricts usage, but not as much as the fact that Lenovo UK hasn’t announced a release date or price yet.

(Image credit: Future)

So, should you rush over to the US and spend $3,039 on this machine? For the vast majority of people, the answer to that is a straightforward no. That’s a shame, as I really wanted to love the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 4. After all, it’s not every day you come across a 2-in-1 with a built-in color E Ink display and twistable hinge. As foldable phones have shown, having a device that serves multiple functions is advantageous. But while the idea behind this ThinkBook Plus sounds great on paper, it doesn’t live up to the promise — especially for a device at this price.

We also rated the best digital art and drawing software.