Reviews

Creative Sound Blaster GS5: One-minute review

The Creative Sound Blaster GS5 is a gaming soundbar that can be used with all sorts of devices, with a form factor that’s suitable for desktops, according to the brand.

Its plain appearance won’t set hearts ablaze, but it has a certain minimalist charm that’s unlikely to offend. Customizable RGB lighting is on hand for those who want to brighten their setup, too.

The build quality of the GS5 is reasonable. It feels quite solid without being too heavy, although the chassis material doesn’t feel particularly premium. It falls short of the best soundbars in this regard, and no doubt contributes to its relatively low price tag. And while it’s a compact unit, I still think it’s a bit too large to sit comfortably on your desk.

(Image credit: Future)

The remote is similarly compact and functional. It’s well made and easy to use, although it can be slow to respond, especially when trying to adjust certain parameters with quick, repeated presses.

The GS5 produces a good sound for gaming. Audio effects are impactful, but overall fidelity is lacking somewhat, which is especially noticeable when listening to music or watching movies.

Altering the sound in Creative’s desktop app can help, though. There are plenty of adjustments here, including a 10-point EQ graph and other audio-enhancing features. Some of these improve clarity and impact, while others, such as the volume-leveling function, are less effective.

It’s a shame that these alterations only take effect when listening to the GS5 on PC via USB, and it’s also disappointing that the mobile app offers nowhere near the same number of adjustments as the desktop app.

I have fewer complaints about the connectivity of the GS5, though. Bluetooth works very well, pairing quickly to my devices and making it easy to hotswitch to wired connections. Speaking of which, you get many options here, with USB, Optical, and AUX ports on board. There’s even a 3.5mm headphone jack on the side of the unit.

All these options and features are impressive for a soundbar of this price. Many of its rivals are a lot more expensive, and while they may offer better audio quality, the GS5 is still worth considering if you’re on a budget. Just don’t expect a space-saving desktop unit with pristine sound.

Creative Sound Blaster GS5 review: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future)

• $99.99 / £74.99 / AU$129.95
• Available now
• Cheaper than many rivals

The Creative Sound Blaster GS5 costs $99.99 / £74.99 / AU$129.95 and is available now in one colorway: black.

This is a reasonable price for a gaming soundbar, especially one that offers so many features. For something even cheaper, there’s the GS3, the younger sibling to the GS5. However, this is smaller, less powerful, and lacks the same features.

For more premium options, there’s the Creative Katana SE, which has a similar feature-set and audio quality, while the Razer Leviathan V2 Pro has more advanced features, including an infrared camera with AI tracking to keep the sound centered on where you are.

Creative Sound Blaster GS5 review: Specs

Frequency range:

65–20,000Hz

Drivers:

3.35 x 2.16 inch full-range racetrack drivers

Dimensions:

510 x 102.7 x 82.6mm / 20.07 x 4.04 x 3.25 inches

Weight:

1.5kg / 3.3lbs

Audio Inputs:

Bluetooth 5.3, Optical-in (TOSLINK), 3.5mm AUX-in, USB Audio (Type C)

Audio Outputs:

3.5mm Headphones-out

Creative Sound Blaster GS5 review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Restrained looks
• A little too big for desktops
• Feature-packed desktop app

The GS5 has a rather functional appearance; the all-black design looks smart, but also a little dull. The RGB lighting, however, does impart some interest, with its keen luminescence and plenty of customization options on tap.

Although the GS5 is smaller than your typical soundbar, it’s still a bit too cumbersome for desktop use, despite Creative’s intentions for it. It mightn’t be particularly wide but it's quite tall and deep, so it takes up more space than you might think. At least the overall form is sleek and minimal, lacking unnecessary angles or protrusions.

Build quality is reasonable, too. It feels solid in the main, and although the materials employed don’t feel particularly upmarket, they’re sufficient for the job. I also appreciated the soft rubber feet, which help to stabilize the soundbar, as well as protect the underlying surface.

The LED display is limited to just two characters, but it’s clear enough without being distracting, and is sufficient for conveying information. The side knob is similarly discreet, and rotates smoothly with light notching. Also operating well, the surrounding buttons only require a light press to work. They’re coated in a soft rubber that feels comfortable, although it's a little pointless in my view.

(Image credit: Future)

Feeling of a similar quality, the IR remote control is compact and sits nicely in the hand. The buttons operate with a satisfying solidity, too, and there are plenty of adjustments available, from volume and track skipping to toggles for various audio features.

However, not every feature and function that the GS5 has to offer is present here. To gain access to further tweaks, you’ll need to install Creative’s free desktop app. Here you’ll find plenty of in-depth options to tinker with, including EQ graphs and various enhancements.

It’s clearly laid out for the most part, although adjusting some of the functions for the sound mode are a little confusing. It’s not immediately clear how the Sound Mode, Acoustic Stage, and Equalizer sections are linked, but they are. What’s more, adjustments made in the app fail to sync up with the GS5’s LED readout. For instance, if you’ve selected Gaming mode via the app, this won’t show up.

The app’s interface isn’t the most appealing, with certain UI elements looking a little low-res. Also, some clickable objects, such as drop-down boxes, didn’t always respond properly in my experience. What’s more, I was disappointed that the app won’t recognize the GS5 if connected wirelessly via Bluetooth; you must have a wired USB connection. Ultimately, though, these are minor niggles, and overall the software is stable and usable.

It’s frustrating that the mobile app is far more limited than its desktop counterpart. It only offers a few adjustments, and these are ones that are already present on the remote, although I understand it may be more convenient for some to use their phone rather than the remote to control the GS5.

Creative Sound Blaster GS5 review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Impactful and punchy sound
• Lacks fidelity
• App settings only take effect on PC

The GS5 is an effective companion to your gaming sessions. Sound effects are punchy and impactful, adding real bite to sword swings when I played The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered and gunfire in Counter-Strike 2. Sadly, the overall fidelity of the GS5 isn’t particularly great, which is especially noticeable when listening to music. It’s certainly not in the same league as the best speakers for audio enthusiasts, nor is it on a par with the best gaming headsets.

There’s plenty of volume, although it’s a shame that the increments aren’t very precise; you’ll find the sound hardly changes as you increase or decrease the volume by one or two digits, before it suddenly jumps on the third or forth.

You can make several adjustments to tailor the sound of the GS5 to your needs. You can control the tone by seven levels: 0 is the neutral point between the two extremes of ‘warmth’ and ‘brilliance’ (as Creative terms them), with three either side for more bass or more treble.

(Image credit: Future)

The brighter tones were impressive, enhancing the clarity of that aforementioned punch to game sound effects. However, the lower tones were disappointing, muddying the bass rather than making it fuller.

On top of this, there's also a SuperWide setting, which promises a more expansive soundstage. You can toggle between Near and Far modes (or disable it altogether), based on your distance from the bar. I found this to be an effective feature, as it really does impart a greater sense of space. The Far setting adds some unwanted airiness, but not to the extent that it undermines clarity and depth entirely.

Then there are the plethora of what Creative calls Sound Modes. On the remote, you can only toggle between two of these: Gaming and Movie. The latter seemed to offer greater fidelity at the expense of impact, whereas the former had the opposite effect, emphasizing mids and lows at the expense of clear trebles.

In the Creative desktop app, there are many more of these modes to choose from, including those designed for specific games. You can even design and save your own custom profiles, with independent sections for speaker and headphone settings, should you wish to connect one via the 3.5mm jack on the side of the GS5.

(Image credit: Future)

To shape your sound, there’s an EQ graph with a range of 31Hz to 16KHz, plotted with 10 points that you can drag to boost or cut frequencies by 6dBs. For convenience, there are additional sliders for overall bass and treble, allowing you to adjust multiple frequencies in those domains simultaneously. There’s also a Preamp slider that can be used to alter overall volume.

Alongside this traditional EQ, the app also has a feature that Creative calls Acoustic Engine. Here, you can adjust more sound-related aspects. There are further sliders for enhancing bass and treble frequencies, which stack on top of what can be achieved with the EQ. There’s also a setting called Dialog+ that’s designed to make dialog clearer, and in my experience this does indeed achieve its aim.

I found the Smart Volume setting less effective. This claims to intelligently ride levels to prevent loud and unpleasant spikes in volume. Unfortunately, in action, it sounds like an unsubtle audio compressor, causing a slight pumping effect but not actually taming peaks all that well.

All these options are a little overwhelming at first, but on the whole they’re welcome and meaningful additions. However, it’s a shame that any custom sound mode you create can’t be selected via the remote. Worse still, these only work on PC via USB — you won’t be able to use them when connected via Bluetooth, or when connected to consoles and other devices, wired or wirelessly.

Connecting to various devices via Bluetooth was as quick and as painless as I could’ve wished for. I couldn’t discern any difference in sound quality between USB and Bluetooth connections, either.

What’s more, switching between Bluetooth and USB connections was also seamless. I could switch between them without needing to unplug and replug the cable, which made hot-switching that much easier. There are also ports for AUX and optical connection, which means that overall the GS5 has an impressive range of connectivity options.

The performance of the IR remote was somewhat disappointing. I often experienced delayed inputs, especially when adjusting the Tone parameter, for some reason. And while I appreciated the media controls for play / pause and track skipping, these only worked on PC via USB, not on console.

Should I buy the Creative Sound Blaster GS5?Scorecard

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

It offers quite a lot for its relatively unassuming price tag.

4 / 5

Design

The unfussy and compact form are positives, but it’s still too large to sit on desktops comfortably.

3.5 / 5

Performance

The GS5 doesn’t have the best fidelity, but there are plenty of sound-enhancing features to somewhat make up for this.

3.5 / 5

Overall rating

The GS5 packs in plenty of features and connectivity options, but the lack of audio quality compared to hi-fi alternatives is clear. It’s also a little too big for desktops, but at this price, it’s still worth considering if you’re on a budget.

3.5 / 5

Buy it if…

You’re on a budget
As soundbars go, the GS5 is quite cheap, yet it still has a lot of features and connectivity options.

You want plenty of customization
Using the GS5 on PC unlocks a wealth of tweaks, most of which make meaningful changes to the sound.

Don't buy it if…

You want the best sound quality
The lack of clarity compared to top-tier rivals is apparent, and music and movie lovers might be especially disappointed.

You want something discreet
Although Creative does say the GS5 is fit for desktops, it’s still a little too large, in my view.

Creative Sound Blaster GS5 review: Also consider

Creative Katana SE
Another Creative model, the Katana SE is a powerful, bass-heavy unit that, like the GS5, features plenty of customization and connectivity options. Unfortunately, though, it also shares the same lack of fidelity, so it still can’t compete with audio-focused soundbars and speakers. Read our full Creative Katana SE review.

Razer Leviathan V2 Pro
The Razer Leviathan V2 Pro impressed us with its powerful low-end and wide sonic landscape, although we did find mid and high frequencies to be a little disappointing. It does have a Virtual Headset mode for increased immersion, though, as well as an infrared camera with AI tracking to make sure you’re always at the center of the soundstage. Read our full Razer Leviathan V2 Pro review.

How I tested the Creative Sound Blaster GS5

• Tested for several days
• Used for various content on various devices
• Plenty of gaming and audio experience

I tested the GS5 for several days. I used it for all kinds of content, from gaming to watching videos and listening to music.

I also used it with various devices via its various connections. I used it with my PS5, gaming PC, Nintendo Switch, and Android phone, with a mixture of USB and Bluetooth connections.

I have experience testing a range of audio gear, including headsets designed for gaming and headphones and speakers designed for audiophiles. Such products have spanned a range of price points, form factors, and feature sets.

• Read more about how we test
• First reviewed: April 2026

Logitech G512 X two-minute review

The Logitech G512 X reminds me of what Citroën tried to do with the C3 Pluriel — a car so busy trying to be everything that it ended up being not quite enough of anything. This is a keyboard that seeks to blur the lines between gaming and enthusiast-grade, which is a tricky line to walk — and one that the G512 X doesn't quite manage.

On one hand, it's trying to be one of the best keyboards money can buy, with capable tactile switches, gasket mounting and strong acoustics, and on the other, it's positioning itself as a top-end TMR gaming deck with potent HE switches with rapid trigger, dual actuation and all the rest of it. For $199.99/£199.99, this feels like a two-for-one deal I can get behind, but only in some respects.

In practice, the G512 X impresses with strong mechanical credentials and fast analog switches that can be swapped in an instant with the bundled pullers to provide the precision and power more competitive gamers will appreciate. I also like the clean software and the pleasant and rather striking black and purple chassis (it can also come in white and mint).

(Image credit: Future)

However, there are several limits to its powers that, to me, stop it from being a top contender for one of the best gaming keyboards out there. For instance, the chassis here is predominantly plastic and can flex at the corners, meaning the Keychron K2 HE Concrete Edition is a much stronger bet for build quality, while the fact that the analog hot-swappable powers only extend to 39 of the keyboard's switch sockets just feels like an oversight. The likes of the Cherry Xtrfy MX 8.2 Pro TMR Wireless and Glorious GMMK 3 Pro HE have already addressed this more convincingly with full hot-swap support.

Likewise, the high price tag is hard to ignore, even if you're getting some genuine cleverness here. The likes of the Cherry Xtrfy K5 Pro TMR Compact and Corsair K70 Pro TKL offer as much, or more, gaming grunt for a lower price, and the aforementioned Keychron adds wireless connectivity for an identical price. Nonetheless, it's still more affordable than the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3.

Logitech G512 X review: Price & release date

• Costs: $199.99 / £199.99
• Available May 2 2026
• Towards the top end of the market

The Logitech G512 X is available in two sizes, and therefore two prices, with the 96% option I have here the dearest at $199.99/£199.99. If you wanted the smaller 75% option, you'll be paying $179.99/£169.99. The keyboard is currently available for pre-order, with shipping from May 2 2026.

The price puts it towards the top end of the market for similar Hall effect gaming keyboards, and it's similar in a lot of respects to the Corsair K70 Pro TKL. The Cherry Xtrfy K5 Pro TMR Compact is also a potent wired choice, and is a fair bit cheaper than Logitech's offering, although it lacks some of the versatility of the G512 X.

Other more pro-oriented products that this keyboard is designed to compete with, such as the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro TKL and the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3, cost a bit more, though, arguably due to having extra software trickery or wireless connectivity options.

(Image credit: Future)

In the box, Logitech provides the keyboard itself, a USB-C to USB-A cable for wired connectivity, switch and keycap pullers that double as feet and documentation. There is also a wristrest available, although that is a separate purchase.

• Price score: 3.5/5

Logitech G512 X review: Specs

Layout:

96% (75% also available)

Switch:

Gateron KS-20 (analog), Unknown Brown tactile (mechanical)

Programmable keys:

Yes

Dimensions:

13 x 5.9 x 1.9 inches / 386 x 150 x 48mm

RGB or backlighting:

Yes (customisable)

Logitech G512 X review: Design & features

• Stylish black and purple chassis
• Build quality leaves a lot to be desired
• Reasonably intuitive layout

Logitech has opted for a different look to a lot of its other past gaming keyboard efforts with the G512 X, adding a welcome splash of color, such as the purple-accented Esc and arrow keys, alongside the dual dials in the right corner and the color that's sandwiched in between the black of the frame down the sides and around the back. Both sizes of the Logitech G512 X can also come in white with mint accents, and you can swap out the colored keycaps for ones that match the rest of the body for a more uniform look.

There's a certain style here that I'm quite a fan of, alongside the diffused lighting aesthetic across the front.

For a $200 keyboard, the fact that the frame feels like it's mostly plastic isn't a great first impression, especially as rivals incorporate a lot of metal for sturdiness, or even go as far as to make the case out of a material such as resin, or concrete, in the case of Keychron's latest entry.

(Image credit: Future)

This has the effect of making the chassis flex under heavy pressure both in the middle and at the corners, giving the G512 X a much cheaper feel that I'm not a fan of, not least from a brand that should (and can) do better. Despite this, there is a decent amount of heft to the frame, with it tipping the scales at 2.2lbs/1kg, which means some thought has gone into it. Just not enough in my book.

The fit and finish elsewhere is quite reasonable, with pleasant PBT keycaps under the finger that have a nice grip for comfortable typing. PBT is a more durable plastic than the swathes of ABS I'm used to seeing on more mainstream keyboards, and is also much less resistant to the horrible keycap shine that plagues ABS-capped boards after a fair amount of use.

Logitech offers the G512 X in two layout varieties, with either a 75% or a 96% configuration available. The former offers the benefit of a TKL layout (also known as Tenkeyless, which means the keyboard doesn't have a numpad) in a slightly squished-up fashion, with an F-row, arrow keys and a single column nav cluster alongside the usual alphanumeric keys.

(Image credit: Future)

The 96% layout is the one I have, and it supplements this with a number pad. The placement of keys against other keyboards of this form factor I've tried is different, owing to the two dials in the top right. By default, the dials control backlight level (left) and media volume (right), although they can be remapped in Logitech's G Hub software. Usually, the navigation keys are moved above the number pad, but they're now part of a function layer, with only the Print Screen key above the number pad. Otherwise, this is a method of packing in most of the functionality of a full-size keyboard into a slightly space-saving chassis.

The interface around the back is where things get a little interesting, as you'll find standard features such as a USB-C port for wired connectivity, plus two buttons – one for scanning the keyboard to check for any analog switches installed (this is then reported into software for customization purposes), while the other enables Game Mode. In the middle, there is a cubby hole for the nine Gateron KS-20 analog switches that can be swapped into the keyboard and a shelf for five silicon rings that can be placed around a switch to help denote where a secondary actuation point is (if they're set in the software).

(Image credit: Future)

I like the clever use of storage space on the rear of the G512 X, and I think it's a smart feature that other keyboard makers could take notice of. The silicon rings do tend to fall out of the back of the keyboard, though, if you move it around.

On the underside, you'll find some small feet that raise the keyboard up by default to a more comfortable angle, although the included keycap and switch pullers also double as feet for an even taller angle. Getting these into place in between the existing feet is quite finicky, and they don't feel the most secure.

On the topic of software, G Hub handles configuration duties for everything from RGB lighting control to key remapping and dealing with rapid trigger and actuation point options. For rapid trigger and such, you can program inputs on a scale from 0.1mm all the way down to 4mm, giving a lot of configuration. There are also options here to set two actuations per key and deal with SOCD tech, which I'll get into later.

(Image credit: Future)

The RGB lighting here is rather bright, and there is a good deal of customization offered in the software to change colors, patterns and the like. My only criticism is that in a lot of cases, the backlighting doesn't extend to the edges of some of the legends.

• Design and features: 3.5/5

Logitech G512 X review: Performance

• Tactile mechanical switches by default…
• …which can be swapped to HE switches for more speed and precision
• Solely wired connectivity, although with 8000Hz polling rate

It's on the front of what's inside the G512 X where things get quite intriguing, as this is one of only a handful of keyboards out there that'll accept both more standard mechanical switches and magnetic or analog switches in one go. The only others that spring to mind are the Glorious GMMK 3 Pro HE and the Cherry Xtrfy MX 8.2 Pro TMR Wireless, although in this respect, I'd argue both of them have a leg up on Logitech.

That's because this 'board only accepts its analog TMR switches on 39 of the hot-swappable sockets, mostly on the left side of the keyboard, as that's where most of the switches pressed for gaming exist – the arrow keys are the only notable exception, according to Logitech. I understand why they've done this, but surely it would've made more sense to offer that precision and power across the entire alphanumeric set, rather than just over half of it.

This keyboard ships first and foremost as a more traditional mechanical choice, with it available either with indeterminate Linear or Tactile switches; my sample shipped with the latter. I feel it is quite important to note that some of the documentation I was provided with for this keyboard calls these switches 'MX Mechanical Switches' when I can find no evidence that these are proper Cherry MX switches. There isn't any branding on them to suggest so, for instance, and the housing doesn't look like the MX Browns I'm so used to, leading me to believe these are some form of clones.

(Image credit: Future)

To be fair to Logitech, the clones it has fitted provide a positive actuation with a healthy bump halfway down the travel alongside a smooth travel and a surprisingly light 38g weighting.

Acoustics here are strong, with no case rattle or ping from the stabilisers or internal mechanism, while the G512 X also has internal gaskets to provide a slightly more responsive, 'bouncier' feel under finger. There is a fair amount of key wobble, though.

Hot-swap support for the standard mechanical switches is the usual MX-style three or five-pin switches, and it works the way you'd expect, with no soldering or funny business required. Just note that the bundled switch and keycap pullers Logitech has provided aren't great at doing their job, so you'll want to find a combo puller or separate ones from elsewhere. It took me several attempts before I even got a grip on either the keycap or the switch.

When it comes to the analog switches, Logitech has opted to use Gateron KS-20 Hall effect switches for the nine included on the rear of the keyboard, which I've seen fitted to HE keyboards in the past from the likes of Wooting and even Sony. These feel as I expected, with a smooth keypress afforded by having no physical mechanism inside and all the benefits of speed and precision over what comes by default inside the G512 X.

The key thing here is that these are powered by TMR sensing sockets, rather than the more ubiquitous Hall effect, which is something we're seeing become more common with gaming keyboards in 2026. Without getting too much into the weeds, TMR stands for Tunnel Magneto-Resistance, and is a technology we've mostly seen applied to game controllers rather than keyboards. It's essentially designed to offer a greater degree of precision and general responsiveness over the litany of Hall effect products we see in controllers and keyboards.

It's also meant to be more power-efficient, although as this is a purely wired keyboard, it isn't that important compared to wireless TMR keyboards from other folks.

(Image credit: Future)

As much as this is a keyboard you can use for general day-to-day stuff with its full mechanical set, it's more at home when you use the keycap and switch pullers and swap out the mechanical switches for analog ones, which is very easy. For my testing, I elected to swap the WASD keys, Shift and the 1, 2, and 3 number keys for speed in Counter-Strike 2 for movement, crouching and weapon selection.

With those switches swapped out, you can go into Logitech's G Hub and scan the keyboard, which will recognise the new switches as being analog, and you can then configure things such as rapid trigger, dual actuation and more. I didn't set the actuation and reset as high as 0.1mm, as I've often felt that's too sensitive, and instead set it to a more reasonable 0.5mm.

This decision essentially turns these switches into hair triggers. It means inputs required very little effort, which becomes very handy in quick-draw scenarios where you need to bring a weapon out or throw a grenade as quickly as possible.

Using G-Hub also opens up more advanced features, such as dual actuation, where you can go through a switch's travel with two inputs mapped. This is where the little o-rings that Logitech provides come in, as they're specifically designed to notify you when that second input should be recognised.

There are limits to the G512 X's powers, though, as its switches don't support more progressive and controller-like analogue inputs, as you'll get on rivals from the likes of Wooting and Keychron at this price. This is handy if you wanted to play racing titles such as Forza Horizon 5 with your keyboard.

Logitech provides its own flavour of SOCD tech, known as 'key priority', which is controllable in G Hub, and can be mapped to seemingly any pair of switches. It allows you to activate one key while holding down the other for especially quick actions. In this instance, it works based on the most recent one pressed; for instance, if mapped to the A and D keys (the typical default in a lot of rival choices), it can allow for unnaturally quick side-to-side movement for a tactic known as 'jiggle strafing' in Counter-Strike 2.

It's very clever, although not something you'll probably use too much in online games, given Valve wields the ban hammer for anyone who uses it in online Counter-Strike 2 games.

Connectivity with the G512 X is strictly wired, with no Bluetooth or 2.4GHz wireless choices available. Over this wired connection, you also get an 8000Hz polling rate for more frequent reporting of inputs than 'standard' gaming keyboards, which can lead to a more responsive feel. This isn't necessarily something that mere mortals can feel, although for the pros, where every millisecond counts, it's a useful addition.

• Performance: 4/5

Should I buy the Logitech G512 X?Logitech G512 X scoreboard

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

The G512 X is quite expensive for a wired-only gaming keyboard, even though it boasts some clever features that make it rather versatile. You can get wireless choices at this price, alongside stronger enthusiast-grade mechanical options.

3.5/5

Design and features

I like the look of the G512 X, with its black and purple-accented chassis and the convenience of its 96% layout, although the fact that there's a lot of chassis flex and it's mostly made of plastic leaves a sour taste for the price.

3.5/5

Performance

There's no denying the G512 X is a clever keyboard, with its ability to swap out mechanical switches for HE ones virtually at will, with full compatibility for rapid trigger, SOCD and such with the latter, and this is a fast keyboard with the right switches inside to boot. I just wish it worked on more sockets.

4/5

Overall rating

The G512 X is a curious product that makes for a good mechanical keyboard and a decent rapid trigger one, although it sometimes feels like its versatility is the very thing that lets it down, not least for a higher price tag and with a plastic chassis. I'd still rather have one great keyboard than two good ones.

3.5/5

Buy it if…

You want mechanical and analog switches in one keyboard
The G512 X is quite unique in that it can offer the benefits of both tactile mechanical switches and analog options in one product, providing the comfort of one and the speed of another without needing to change keyboards.View Deal

You want striking looks
I'm also a big fan of the black and purple finish Logitech has opted for with the G512 X, which gives it quite a striking finish against its contemporaries.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

You want more versatile connectivity
It is possible to get performance-focused gaming decks with wireless connectivity at a similar price to the G512 X, which is useful if you want less visible desk clutter or to connect to multiple devices at once.View Deal

You want something more affordable
As versatile as the G512 X is, it comes at quite a cost, especially if you don't need all of its features. You can sacrifice some elements, and opt for the likes of the Cherry Xtrfy K5 Pro TMR Compact or the Keychron K2 HE and get similar gaming-centric features while pocketing a few extra pounds or dollars.View Deal

Also consider

Corsair K70 Pro TKL:
This Corsair choice is similar in outlay to the G512 X 75% variant, and while it may not offer as much versatility as Logitech's choice, it provides a performance-focused option with fast HE switches, 8000Hz wired polling and comes with more physical controls and a wristrest. Read our Corsair K70 Pro TKL review.View Deal

Keychron K2 HE Concrete Edition:
This special Keychron choice ditches any potential issues with a plastic chassis by using one made of concrete, plus has feature-rich TMR switches with more customisation and input options, plus versatile wireless connectivity for the same price as the G512 X. It doesn't have any mechanical switch options, or 8000Hz polling, though.View Deal

How I tested the Logitech G512 X

• Tested for around a week
• Used for gaming and productivity across Windows and macOS
• A decade of experience as a journalist and mechanical keyboard hobbyist

I tested the G512 X for around a week, using it as my main keyboard for work and play during this time with both Windows and macOS.

I played various games, including Counter-Strike 2 and Forza Horizon 5, to best gauge its TMR switches. I also made sure to use Logitech's G Hub software to test every facet of the keyboard.

I've been a tech journalist for the best part of a decade, and have reviewed plenty of keyboards in that time from brands big and small. I'm also a mechanical keyboard enthusiast, so I have a keen eye for peripherals and have been involved with the hobby before it hit the mainstream.

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

Kenwood MultiPro Go food processor: two-minute review

Full disclosure: I live in a tiny apartment that has more of a kitchenette than a kitchen, so space — both countertop and cabinet — is at a premium. So I usually try to find essential appliances that are compact and eyed the Kenwood MultiPro Go for a long while before putting my faith in it.

The main reason it caught my attention was its design — available in lovely light colours (Clay Red and Storm Blue as Kenwood calls them in Australia, there's an additional green one in the UK), the appliance is eye-catching and memorable compared to the usual black or grey machines. Another positive is its Express Serve attachment that drops processed foods directly into a container of your choice. You do need to use a wide-mouthed container, though, as the processed items won't to scatter through the relatively large opening of the attachment.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

To keep the whole system compact, Kenwood has thoughtfully added a groove for winding the power cable around when stored, although the plug is too large and hangs off the bottom of the base.

While the main bowl and the Express Serve attachment can sit on top of each other if you want to store the appliance that way, they’re not truly stackable and the latter just ‘sits’ atop the former. That said, if they were truly stackable, the entire appliance would be too tall to fit into even a deep drawer or tall cabinet shelf, so storing one attachment separately is definitely the way to go.

The bowl has a full capacity of 1.3L but only about 0.75L of that is usable for effective processing. That is admittedly not a lot, but is sufficient for a small household. For example, it can easily chop an onion or two in one go, grate 2-3 carrots and slice a couple of potatoes without you needing to empty the bowl first.

Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadarSharmishta Sarkar / TechRadarSharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar

Chopping a single large onion took barely 2-3 seconds, but if you find some larger pieces, just give it another quick whirl for better consistency. In a similar vein, grating carrots and cucumbers was also very fast, with two carrots taking no longer than 5-6 seconds. Use the Express Serve attachment for grated and sliced produce and you won’t even need to open the bowl, thus saving you a bit of prep time. Also note that the grating and slicing blade is the same — one side to grate, flip it to slice.

I was rather sceptical about the Kenwood MultiPro Go being able to knead, but making small amounts of cookie and pasta dough is doable. Making breadcrumbs and pesto is also quick and efficient.

Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadarSharmishta Sarkar / TechRadarSharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar

While Kenwood says the parts are all dishwasher safe, I’ve handwashed the attachments every time. This increases the life of the bowl and blades by reducing wear and tear on the parts, and honestly, cleaning them by hand is very easy to do. There aren’t too many nooks and crannies for food to get stuck into, but you can always keep a small brush handy in case items like cheese get caught where your hand can’t reach.

The Kenwood MultiPro Go is, admittedly, a basic food processor, but if all you need are the basics, I couldn’t recommend it highly enough. And it’s not expensive either, even at full price, but it’s often discounted.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Kenwood MultiPro Go review: price & availability

• List price: £54.99 / AU$117
• Available in UK and Australia directly from Kenwood and authorised retailers
• Comes in three colours in the UK, two in Australia

While the Kenwood MultiPro Go food processor isn’t available in the US, it’s widely available in the UK and Australia (as well as other European and APAC markets) for an affordable price of £59 / AU$117. Note that this is the model that’s just the food processor and shouldn’t be confused with the Kenwood MultiPro Go Blend option that adds a small blender attachment to the mix for £89.99 / AU$179.

Even at full price it’s a worthwhile investment if you don’t have too many chef-y needs, but keep an eye out for discounts, either directly from Kenwood or from third-party suppliers. I’ve seen it as low as AU$69 in Australia where I’m based.

In comparison, other compact models like the KitchenAid Go 5 Cup Food Processor will set you back £179 / AU$228 at full price but can also be found discounted (I’ve seen prices around £125 / AU$189). Admittedly the battery-powered model demands a higher price, but I would argue that the Kenwood MultiPro Go is a lot more versatile as the KitchenAid can only chop, whip and purée.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Kenwood MultiPro Go review: specs

Power

650W

Key dimensions

30cm tall, 16cm wide

Total capacity

1.3L

Usable capacity

0.75L

Speeds

1 + Pulse

Blades

2 (chopping knife blade, reversible 4mm slicing/Grating disc)

Other features

Dishwasher safe, Express Serve attachment

Should I buy the Kenwood MultiPro Go food processor?Buy it if...

You don’t have a lot of kitchen countertop or storage space

The Kenwood MultiPro Go is a truly compact kitchen appliance that can be stored away in a large under-cabinet drawer or a cabinet shelf, but note that the Express Serve attachment will need to be kept separately as it's not fully stackable.

You need an affordable food processor

Even at full price, the Kenwood MultiPro Go is affordable, but it's often discounted. It even offers more value for money compared to some of its other compact competitors like the KitchenAid Go, which is battery powered, as it's more versatile despite offering limited functionality.

Don't buy it if...

You have more chef-y needs

While it can knead, chop, slice and grate, you'll need to get something more proficient if you also want to whip, purée and perform other processing that the likes of the Breville Paradice food processors can take care of.

You need to process larger quantities of food

With a maximum usable capacity of just 0.75L for liquids and solids, the MultiPro Go is fine for small batches of food, but you'll need something larger for bigger quantities.

How I tested the Kenwood MultiPro Go

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

I've been using the Kenwood MultiPro Go since late 2025 for personal reasons, but found it so impressive, it needed to be highlighted.

In that time, I've used the compact appliance to process breadcrumbs, make cookie and pasta dough, plus chop onions, slice cucumbers, zucchini, potatoes and sweet potatoes. I've grated cucumbers for tzatziki and carrot for a cake. I've also made pesto and hummus, as well as a coriander and mint chutney.

While I have been tempted to wash the parts in the dishwasher, I've always erred in the side of caution and handwashed the blades and bowls.

Read more about how we test products on TechRadar

[First reviewed May 2026]

ZimaCube 2: 30-second review

The original ZimaCube was a Kickstarter campaign by IceWhale that delivered a workable NAS with a reasonable specification. Having proven the concept, the ZimaCube 2 Personal Cloud NAS is a direct-to-retail launch that addresses several shortcomings of the original.

Replacing the N100 CPU is a Core i3-1215U, an Intel 12th Generation Alder Lake chip with six cores, eight threads, 20 PCIe 4.0 lanes, and DDR5 memory support.

At $799, it ships with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB NVMe SSD pre-installed, along with ZimaOS already loaded, which can be upgraded to ZimaOS+ for a small fee. Six SATA bays are ready for drives, and four M.2 slots sit in the expansion section for NVMe storage.

That puts it in direct competition with the UGREEN NASync DXP6800 Pro, which costs north of $1,000, though that machine does come with an i5-class CPU.

Where the ZimaCube 2 stands out is its pair of free PCIe slots, which make it straightforward to add 10GbE LAN, a discrete GPU, or additional M.2 capacity. It also accepts up to 32GB of DDR5 memory.

That flexibility extends to software as well. The internal 256GB NVMe drive runs ZimaOS, a Linux-derived NAS platform, but IceWhale also supports TrueNAS for those who prefer it.

On the whole, the ZimaCube 2 addresses many of the complaints levelled at the N100-powered original, while keeping the minimalist styling intact. But with memory and storage prices what they are, is it offering enough performance for buyers looking to run local AI workloads?

This might not be one of the best NAS devices for home and small business users, but the impressive functionality and build quality make it an interesting alternative.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)ZimaCube 2: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? From $799
• When is it out? On pre-order
• Where can you get it? Direct from IceWhale

The ZimaCube 2 is only available direct from IceWhale for $799.

At that price, this Personal Cloud NAS sits above the mainstream six-bay offerings from Synology and QNAP but below their higher-end units with comparable processing power. The QNAP TS-664 in the same bracket uses a Celeron N5105. Neither offers Thunderbolt 4 nor any of the open-platform flexibility.

The Synology DS1825+ is an eight-bay machine that also ships without 10GbE as standard, uses the same AMD Ryzen V1500B with four cores, and comes with 8GB of DDR ECC. Synology asks $1,149.99 for the privilege.

The DS1621+ is now end-of-line and has not been replaced. The only six-bay DS series NAS Synology currently offers is the ageing DS620slim, built for 2.5-inch drives.

Closer in price is the five-bay DS1525+, at $799.99. That gets you the same AMD Ryzen V1500B, the same 8GB of DDR4 ECC, two M.2 slots, USB-C (not Thunderbolt), and a single proprietary PCIe expansion slot with Gen3 x2 lanes. Networking is dual 2.5GbE, though you can add higher speeds via the PCIe slot with a $109.99 E10G22-T1-Mini card.

It is worth noting that since Synology began restricting compatible drives to its own-brand range, you can no longer use third-party M.2 SSDs in these machines. Synology's own SSDs arrive in remarkably small capacities and at eye-watering prices. The SNV5420-400G Enterprise Series M.2 NVMe SSD, a 400GB drive with a 650MB/s write speed, costs $484.99. If Synology is still positioning itself as a prosumer and small-business NAS vendor, its pricing makes that argument difficult to sustain.

Asustor has the Lockerstor 6 Gen3 AS6806T, a six-bay machine with a Quad-Core AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C14, 2.5GbE LAN ports, the option to add 10GbE via PCIe, and four M.2 slots. It lacks Thunderbolt but does support USB4. Asustor wants $1,539.99 for that, which puts it on par with the ZimaCube 2 Pro.

A more balanced comparison is with Ugreen, which launched its iDX series at CES 2026 with Intel Core Ultra 7 processors, dual 10GbE, and Thunderbolt 4 at competitive prices. Those units are entering the market at the same time as the ZimaCube 2, and their specifications closely overlap with those of the ZimaCube 2 Pro.

From Ugreen, and currently on offer, $679.99 gets you the four-bay NASync DXP4800 Pro, which uses the i3-1315U, comes with 8GB of DDR5 RAM, 10GbE and 2.5GbE LAN, and dual M.2 slots running at Gen 4x4. It lacks Thunderbolt and has two fewer bays, but the processor is 13th Gen rather than 12th.

Six bays from Ugreen means stepping up to the NASync DXP5800 Pro, which uses the i5-1235U found in the ZimaCube 2 Pro. It comes with dual 10GbE LAN, 8GB of RAM, dual PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 slots, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a single PCIe x4 slot. The asking price is $1,027.99. The ZimaCube 2 Pro costs $1,299 and comes with 16GB of memory.

Circling back to the ZimaCube 2, the pricing is reasonable for what you get, particularly when compared to Asustor or Synology.

• Value: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)ZimaCube 2: Specs

Model:

ZimaCube 2 Personal Cloud NAS

CPU:

Intel i3-1215U, 6 Cores, 8 Threads

GPU:

Intel UHD Graphics (64 EUs), Intel Alder Lake-UP3 GT1

NPU:

N/A

RAM:

1x 8GB LPDDR5 (upgradeable to 32GB)

Internal Storage:

256GB SSD for ZimaOS

SATA Storage:

6 bays (3.5 or 2.5 inch)

M.2 Storage:

4 slots M.2 2280/2242/2230 NVMe PCIe 4.0

Ports:

2x Thunderbolt (USB-C) 40Gbps, 4x USB 3.0 USB-A, 1x USB 3.0 USB-C, 1x HDMI 2.0b, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x 3.5mm audio jack, 1x PCIe 4.0 slot (x16 physical, x4 lanes), 1x PCIe 3.0 (x4 physical, x2 lanes)

Networking:

2x RJ45 2.5GbE LAN

OS:

ZimaOS 1.61

Max Capacity:

6x 32TB SATA (192TB) + 4x 8TB M.2 (32TB)

RAID Modes:

JBOD / Basic / RAID 0 / RAID 1 / RAID 5 / RAID 6 / RAID 10

PSU:

External 19V 11.58A 220W

Dimensions:

240 x 221 x 220mm (LxWxH)

Weight:

7.4kg (including the PSU)

ZimaCube 2: Design

• All-metal construction
• Bays are not lockable
• Easy internal access

From the outside, the ZimaCube 2 looks remarkably similar to the original. It is the same size, the same aluminium box, with storage below and the system above, which makes sense from a heat management perspective.

The six front-loading SATA bays sit behind a plastic grille held in place by magnets, but there is no obvious way to remove it. The designer left no tab to pull it or get a fingernail underneath. Having removed it a couple of times, I would be more likely to leave the grille in the box than deal with it repeatedly.

With the grille off, there are six vertically mounted drive trays and a seventh for the four M.2 drives. The trays were a disappointment on several counts.

They are not lockable and require screws, regardless of whether you are fitting 2.5- or 3.5-inch drives. Virtually every branded NAS maker now offers tool-less 3.5-inch trays, and installing 24 screws for a full build is a tedious way to spend an afternoon.

Extracting the M.2 bay means unscrewing a retained thumbscrew, but that alone is not enough to pull it free. Getting it out required me to remove bay six first, just to find something to grip. These are the sort of issues that should have been caught at the prototype stage.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Another carry-over from the original is the placement of the ports 14cm up the cube. Three USB 3.0 ports sit on the front (two USB-A, one USB-C), alongside an audio jack and the power button. Around the back are the power inlet and reset hole, dual 2.5GbE LAN ports, dual Thunderbolt 4, dual USB 3.0 Type-A, DisplayPort 1.4, and HDMI 2.0 video outputs.

The problem with routing USB and Thunderbolt cables from mid-height is that most external drives ship with cables that are not long enough to reach a desk without some awkward draping. Placing the ports on top would not be much better. This is why most NAS designs put the mainboard, and its associated ports, at the base.

The upside of IceWhale's approach is that the system is genuinely easy to access. Remove four screws, lift the top, and everything is exposed: the DDR5 SODIMMs, the two PCIe slots, the CPU cooler, and an unoccupied M.2 slot on the motherboard.

What I found slightly odd is that there are no fans pushing or pulling air through this area, only small perforations in the sides and rear. Warm air will naturally rise and collect where the system lives, but there is no active mechanism to extract it. The CPU cooler in this model is noticeably larger than the one in the original ZimaCube, which helps, but once the heat leaves the chip, it still has nowhere obvious to go.

Keeping the same enclosure no doubt reduced the cost of bringing the ZimaCube 2 to market. But the fact that almost none of the physical design problems have been addressed is hard to overlook.

• Design: 3.5 / 5

ZimaCube 2: Features

• Intel i3-1215U
• 20 PCIe lanes
• Not an AI platform

More than anything else, the N100 processor is what damaged the original ZimaCube. Intel gave that chip just nine PCIe lanes, which was simply not enough to service six hard drives, USB ports, and dual 2.5GbE LAN simultaneously.

The ZimaCube 2 swaps that for the Intel i3-1215U, a CPU with six cores, eight threads, and, critically, 20 PCIe 4.0 lanes. Since those lanes are PCIe 4.0 rather than PCIe 3.0, the total available bandwidth is more than four times what the N100 could offer.

The architecture splits those six cores into two performance cores with hyperthreading and four efficiency cores, giving eight simultaneous threads in total. That is not as capable as the ZimaCube 2 Pro, which uses the i5-1235U with ten cores, but it is more than sufficient for the typical NAS workload mix.

In practice, the ZimaCube 2 can handle Docker containers, media transcoding, RAID rebuilds, and light virtualisation running concurrently, without the processor becoming the obvious throttle.

That said, the 20 lanes have to stretch across a lot of hardware. The bandwidth consumers include two M.2 slots on the mainboard, four M.2 slots on the bay-seven riser, two PCIe slots, six SATA drives, all the USB ports, dual 2.5GbE LAN, and the two 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 connections. That is why there is no 10GbE LAN port included on the standard model.

The four M.2 slots in the expansion bay also deserve some clarity. Each runs at PCIe Gen 3 x1, which gives an individual bandwidth ceiling of around 800MB/s per slot. That is adequate for tiering or caching, but it is not the full-speed NVMe performance the slot count might suggest. Users expecting PCIe 4.0 x4 speeds will be disappointed. Those planning to use them as high-capacity supplementary storage on top of a SATA array will find them perfectly serviceable.

The obvious answer to both the missing 10GbE port and the slow M.2 slots is the PCIe expansion slot, but what those slots appear to offer and what they actually deliver is worth clarifying.

The larger x16 slot looks as though it could take a low-profile video card, but electrically it is only PCIe 4.0 x4. Each lane delivers 2GB/s, so there is enough bandwidth for a single PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe drive or two 10GbE LAN ports.

The second PCIe slot is physically x4 but electrically only two lanes of PCIe 3.0. IceWhale sells an accessory card for this slot, with two M.2 2280/2242/2230 positions, though it was designed for PCIe 4.0 and would perform better in the x16 slot. With two PCIe 4.0 NVMe drives on that card, each would get around 4GB/s.

There is also a PCIe to 2.5GbE Ethernet adapter available, offering a relatively inexpensive way to add network bandwidth if your infrastructure supports channel bonding. Alternatively, Thunderbolt adapters can deliver 5GbE or even 10GbE if you need it.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

It is hard to overstate how much of an improvement the i3 represents over the N100. The bandwidth increase alone unlocks possibilities that simply were not available before. Even so, this is 12th Gen Intel silicon built on Intel's 10nm Enhanced SuperFin process, a considerable distance behind the Series 100, 200, and 300 silicon Intel currently ships.

There are no AI accelerator components here whatsoever. Ugreen's iDX series has moved to the Intel Core Ultra 7 255H, rated at 96 TOPS. Neither the ZimaCube 2 nor the Pro model can compete with that, so if running a local LLM on your NAS is the goal, this is not the right machine.

One last point worth flagging is the memory configuration. The machine ships with a single 8GB DDR5 module. There is a free slot, so getting to 16GB is straightforward, but a single module means the NAS is not running in dual-channel mode. DDR5 4800MT/s is inherently dual-channel in specification, but most systems only enable it with two modules fitted. Adding a matching module would noticeably improve memory bandwidth.

IceWhale states the system accepts two 32GB modules for a maximum of 64GB, which is four times the total in the N100. At current RAM prices, most buyers are unlikely to go that far, but there is headroom if needed.

The ZimaCube 2 platform is a significant step forward from the original. The problem is that the NAS market has moved forward, and some of the competition is now ahead of where this machine has landed.

• Features: 4 / 5

ZimaCube 2: Software

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

• ZimaOS Plus
• Paid licensing tier
• TrueNAS approved

ZimaOS arrives pre-installed and boots straight to a browser-based dashboard, with no keyboard or monitor required during setup, provided the machine finds a network connection.

The interface has matured considerably since the early CasaOS days. Drive management, RAID configuration, Docker container deployment, and an app store covering Plex, Jellyfin, Immich, Photoprism, Home Assistant, and several hundred more are all accessible from the same web UI, with no command line needed.

Compared to the relatively limited app selection that Ugreen currently offers, ZimaOS looks well-stocked. Plex, Home Assistant, Jellyfin, Nextcloud, Syncthing, Pi-hole, Portainer, Tailscale, and WordPress are all there.

It is worth noting, though, that most of these apps are not native ZimaOS applications. When you launch them, they open as web-based applications with their own port numbers rather than appearing within the main system interface. That suggests the App Manager is essentially managing pre-configured Docker installations behind the scenes.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

There is a reasonable argument that with tools like Portainer now widely available, the concept of native applications matters less than it once did. That was previously one of the strongest selling points for Synology. What ZimaOS does is make Docker installs feel as seamless as native apps while still delivering the functionality users actually want.

What users do not want is an unexpected bill.

The introduction of a paid ZimaOS Plus tier, priced at $29 for life, has generated debate in the community. IceWhale frames it as a contribution to sustainable development rather than a subscription, and states that a third of licence revenue is distributed back to community contributors.

Core functionality for most home users is available without the Plus licence. The paid tier unlocks unlimited disk support, unlimited users, and certain advanced features. Whether that feels fair depends on how much of the Plus tier a given user actually needs. Given the overall cost of the machine, asking for a licence on top feels like a second bite of the cherry.

If you don’t pay the extra $29, you get a version of ZimaOS that can support a maximum of four disks and three users. And, although basic RAID is available in the free version, Plus enables advanced configurations for better redundancy and data protection, including enhanced support for ZFS and larger storage arrays. There are also enhancements in remote access, backup/sync and priority support.

It’s worth noting that the license is ‘lifetime’, but it applies only to that specific hardware, not to any other ZimaOS devices.

That said, the cost and the debate can both be sidestepped entirely. The platform was designed with OS flexibility in mind, and TrueNAS, Unraid, Proxmox, and OpenMediaVault all run without modification. pfSense and OPNsense are options for anyone wanting to repurpose the hardware as a network appliance.

• Software: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)ZimaCube 2: Performance

• Network options
• Expansion possibilities
• Limited M.2 performance

The case for buying the ZimaCube 2 Standard over its predecessor rests almost entirely on the Core i3-1215U. The original ZimaCube's N100 was a four-core, low-power processor with nine PCIe 3.0 lanes, which proved wholly inadequate for a six-bay NAS running dual 2.5GbE networking alongside M.2 storage and any active workload.

The i3-1215U changes things fundamentally. Six cores and eight threads with 20 PCIe 4.0 lanes means the bus contention that plagued the N100 is no longer a concern. Docker containers and media transcoding can now run at the same time without the processor struggling, and the system can handle light virtualisation on top of that.

Networking on the standard model tops out at dual 2.5GbE, which in practical terms means a ceiling of around 280MB/s per port. For home backup, media streaming to multiple devices, and general file serving, that is adequate. For workloads demanding higher throughput, the Thunderbolt 4 ports offer a direct-attach path at up to 40Gbps, which is a meaningful alternative to 10GbE for single-machine workflows.

Anyone wanting permanent 10GbE over the network will need the Pro model, or will need to use the PCIe 4.0 slot for a 10GbE card. These are not expensive, and you are not limited to IceWhale-approved options.

From a performance standpoint, the weak link in the ZimaCube 2 is the M.2 expansion section. Gen 3 x1 per slot does not offer a dramatic improvement over SATA SSD speeds. If you plan to use the slots for hard drive caching, one slot for reads and one for writes, the speeds are acceptable. For anything more demanding, the PCIe 4.0 slot is again the route to better performance.

And that is the underlying tension. The PCIe 4.0 slot is the answer to the 10GbE question, the faster M.2 question, and the GPU question. But there is only one of them. Giving this machine four times the bandwidth of its predecessor turned out not to be quite enough.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

• Performance: 3.5/5

ZimaCube 2: Final verdict

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

The ZimaCube 2 is a much better machine than the original, but several problems have been carried straight over from the first generation without being fixed.

IceWhale seems committed to the cube form factor, even though NAS buyers generally do not care what shape their hardware is. What is telling is that the team listened carefully to criticism of the N100 processor and acted on it, yet largely ignored feedback about the missing drive tray locks and the awkward port placement.

Perhaps the third generation can fix what this one has not, while still keeping the distinctive shape.

In other respects, the ZimaCube 2 is the machine the original should have been. Swapping the N100 for the Core i3-1215U removes the architectural ceiling that undermined the first generation, and Thunderbolt 4 gives the standard model a high-speed access path that partially offsets the 2.5GbE networking limitation.

The M.2 expansion section is slower than its slot count implies, and 8GB of RAM is tight for a machine capable of running Docker containers alongside a six-bay RAID array. But both are straightforward to fix, and the open platform means the hardware is not held back by the software running on it.

At $799, this is a genuinely compelling option for anyone who wants a capable, expandable, properly hackable six-bay server without paying Pro prices.

Should you buy a ZimaCube 2?

Value

Lots of features, a solidly built

4 / 5

Design

Repeat of the first ZimaCube

3.5 / 5

Features

Six bays, six M.2 slots and PCIe expansion

4 / 5

Software

Workable OS once you have paid extra for + option

4 / 5

Performance

Limited by the 2.5GbE LAN ports and Gen3x1 M.2 slots

3.5 / 5

Overall

Plenty of possibilities in one NAS

4 / 5

Buy it if...

You want something flexible
The ability to configure this system in numerous ways is undoubtedly a strong point. It has enough processing power for multiple functions, and you can expand storage, memory and network bandwidth as required.

You like value for money
While it isn’t cheap exactly, what you get for the asking price is impressive when compared to some name brands. The quality of construction is high, and you can easily upgrade many aspects.

Don't buy it if...

You want an AI-capable NAS
IceWhale do include some AI tools in the apps store for ZimaOS, the processor in this NAS doesn’t have a dedicated NPU.

What you can do is add a low-profile video card, like the Nvidia RTX Pro 2000 included in the Creator Pack version of the ZimaCube 2, boosting the Compute functionality. But that costs $2499.99, for a system with an i5 CPU and 64GB of RAM.

You want 10GbE networking out of the box
It is possible to put a 10GbE network card in this system, but that takes up the PCIe slot that you might want for a graphics card or faster M.2 slots. Without the 10GbE card you are limited to dual 2.5GbE LAN ports. View Deal

For more NAS solutions we've collated the best NAS hard drives around

GameSir G8 Galileo: one-minute review

The GameSir G8 Galileo is an excellent mobile controller that packs plenty of value for both casual and more serious mobile gamers. With full-size grips, Hall effect thumbsticks and triggers, and a pair of programmable rear buttons, it comes close to replicating a true console controller experience.

From my time with the G8, its thumbsticks are a real highlight. In testing, I found them to be smooth and precise, though they are quite sensitive and may take a little getting used to if you’re not familiar with a pro-style controller. The triggers are equally refined with configurable deadzones and a useful hair-trigger mode for instant response. The buttons are membrane yet tactile and reliable, with two more hiding around the back. It’s just a nice bundle of inputs all round.

As a die-hard fan of the Xbox Wireless Controller, it feels incredibly familiar. The grips are pleasantly sculpted with the same chunkiness as a stock Xbox controller, and they stayed comfortable through long play sessions, thanks in part to some gentle texturing on the back. It's not without its shortcomings, though.

You’ll likely need to take your phone case off, and the screenshot button lives dangerously close to the firing line. That said, at $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129.99, the GameSir G8 Galileo is hard to look past.

GameSir G8 Galileo: price and availability

• List price: $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129.99
• Available via Amazon, GameSir, and major retailers
• Watch out for similarly named versions to ensure device compatibility

The GameSir G8 Galileo launched at the backend of 2023, but make no mistake, it’s not showing its age and still holds its own against more recent rivals. At its $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129.99 price point, the G8 Galileo undercuts both the Backbone One 2nd Gen ($99.99 / £99.99) and the Razer Kishi Ultra ($149.99 / £149.99) by a comfortable margin, which is particularly impressive given that its feature set stacks up well against them both. No carrying case is included in the box, though GameSir does sell a bundle with a basic pouch for around $10 more.

GameSir hasn’t made things simple with naming and compatibility, so you’ll need to stay switched on when shopping. I’ve been testing the G8 Galileo Type-C, which only lists Android compatibility officially. That’s all that’s shown on the box, too, but I was able to use it natively with an iPhone 17 Pro, though it wasn’t recognized by the GameSir app. There’s also the GameSir G8+ (sometimes called the G8 Plus), which comes in both Type-C and Bluetooth forms.

GameSir G8 Galileo: Specs

GameSir G8 Galileo

Price

$79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129.99

Dimensions

8.54 x 4.21 x 2.13in / 217 x 107 x 54mm

Weight

8.88oz / 252g

Connection

Wired USB-C (pivoting connector)

Compatibility

Android 8.0+ (iPhone worked unofficially)

Software

GameSir App

GameSir G8 Galileo: Design and features

• Full-size console grips make this feel like a proper controller
• Pivoting USB-C connector for stress-free installation
• Swappable thumbsticks with three additional shapes included

The first thing you notice about the GameSir G8 Galileo is its size. Where most mobile controllers try to stay as slimmed down and portable as possible, the G8 holds its form. It has chunky, pleasantly contoured grips with a textured finish on the back.

The marketing materials proudly boast this design is laser-engraved, though I wouldn’t have known to be perfectly honest, sorry, GameSir. It feels like any other grip texturing I’ve tested, but it’s nice enough and does its job. The whole thing feels closer to holding an Xbox controller than it does any other mobile pad I've used, or any handheld console for that matter.

For anyone who's found the Backbone One a little too compact, or who just doesn't get along with flatter, Joy-Con-style mobile controllers, this could be the answer. If it weren’t for being a bit wider, you’d have convinced a blindfolded me that this was an Xbox controller.

Build quality is solid throughout, helped, I’m sure, by the choice to go with a full-height phone deck rather than a smaller bracing bar. It gives the G8 a real heft that I personally think is to its credit, but I can’t argue doesn’t make it considerably more of a lump to store in a bag.

There's no creak or flex anywhere in the chassis, the spring-loaded extending mechanism moves confidently, and the rubberized grips inside the cradle hold everything securely in place. It’s a tidy system, and I never felt like my phone was exposed or at risk of going anywhere. I tested with both a Poco X5 Pro 5G and an iPhone 17 Pro, and the camera bump sat neatly in the extended section without any issues for both.

(Image credit: Future/Alex Berry)

Shoutout to whoever at GameSir came up with the pivoting USB-C connector, because it’s excellent. It tilts up and down to make the process of seating and removing your phone feel far less nerve-wracking. It's a small quality-of-life detail, but one I really appreciated and frankly hope others copy.

Where things aren’t as flexible and friendly is case compatibility. GameSir says cases under 1mm should work, but that’ll only account for the absolute thinnest of featherlight cases. I was able to connect while keeping my slim iPhone case on, but having taken a closer look at the angle it forced the USB-C connector into, I swiftly lost my nerve and took it off. If you use a case of any substance, you're almost certainly taking it off every time you want to play. Not a dealbreaker, but certainly an annoyance if you’re out and about.

GameSir includes three replacement thumbstick caps (short, tall, and dome), which are easy to swap thanks to clever magnetic faceplates. However, you only get one of each alternate option, meaning you can't run a matching pair unless you stick with the defaults.

Those default sticks are nice enough, with textured edges that look suspiciously like those on an Xbox Series X controller, but it seems like an oversight or needless cost-saving measure to include singles and not sets. The face button caps aren't swappable on this model either; you'll need to upgrade to the G8+ MFi for that.

(Image credit: Future/Alex Berry)GameSir G8 Galileo: Performance

• Hall effect sticks and triggers with app customization and hair-trigger mode
• Two programmable additional buttons on the back
• Some games need a nudge before they'll recognize the controller

I’m a relative newcomer to the kind of mobile gaming that calls for an add-on controller, but the GameSir G8 Galileo quickly converted me. It only took a few minutes of Fortnite for me to begin to forget I was actually playing on my phone. It’s a natively supported title, and that’s evident while playing, though I did often have to launch the game through the GameSir app to ensure it was recognized.

Other games rely on hardware mapping, which I found equally finicky to launch at times, though intuitive enough when I got going.

The Hall effect joysticks are excellent, buttery smooth, but I found them highly sensitive, too. For more serious players than myself, this will be a plus with loads of intricate precision on offer. For more casual players (a category I’m firmly a part of), they took a little getting used to. My unit did need calibrating out of the box to centre the left stick, but the process was straightforward in the GameSir app, and the sticks have been faultless since.

The Hall effect triggers are equally impressive. They're analog with a full range of travel, and I felt like I had plenty of throttle control while playing Forza Horizon 5 via Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming. For faster response in shooters, there’s also a hair-trigger mode, which I found was snappy and reliable. What I particularly appreciated was that hair-trigger mode still respected the deadzone settings configured in the app.

(Image credit: Future/Alex Berry)

The D-pad is clicky with a short travel distance when you commit to an input, though it has a slightly mushy initial feel and quite a bit of wobble overall. More of an issue is the screenshot button placement directly below it, which sits just a little too close to the D-pad down for my liking. I accidentally fired it off mid-game a couple of times, and I can’t help but feel like it would have been better placed further out of the firing line.

Around the back of the G8 are a pair of programmable buttons, something of a rarity for mobile controller grips. I have a love-hate relationship with back buttons, but I got on well with these. They’re well-sized and perfectly placed to be easily accessible without getting in the way, and they take just the right amount of actuation force to avoid accidental misclicks. Worth noting they’re unbound by default, so you’ll need to head to the GameSir app to configure them to your liking.

The 3.5mm headphone jack at the bottom of the controller is a welcome inclusion for latency-free wired audio, particularly useful on phones that have dropped the port themselves. Passthrough charging worked reliably throughout my testing, with both phones still reporting fast charge speeds while connected through the controller and no problems with overheating.

(Image credit: Future/Alex Berry)Shoudl you buy the GameSir G8 Galileo?Buy it if...

You want a mobile controller that feels like a real gamepad
The full-size grips and Hall effect inputs make the G8 Galileo less portable than alternatives, but the difference during longer gaming sessions is significant. If comfort is your priority, this is the one.

You feel like the face buttons are never quite enough
The addition of two bonus, programmable buttons on the back of the G8 makes a huge difference. They’re nicely aligned, so they’re within reach when you need them, but won’t get in the way when you don’t.

Don't buy it if...

You want something you can slip into a pocket
The GameSir G8 Galileo's full-size phone deck and grips make it significantly bulkier than alternatives like the Backbone One or Razer Kishi V2. It's a backpack controller really, not a pocket controller.

You're an iPhone user who wants full support
While I was able to get titles to play nicely with the G8 on mobile, it’s not officially supported and wasn’t recognized at all by the GameSir app. For full functionality, you’ll need to step up to the G8+ MFi instead.

GameSir G8 Galileo: Also consider...

Still not sold on the GameSir G8 Galileo? Here's how it compares to a couple of our other favorites.

GameSir G8 Galileo

Razer Kishi Ultra

Backbone One 2nd Gen

Price

$79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129.99

$149.99 / £149.99 / AU$269.95

$99.99 / £99.99 / AU$179.99

Dimensions

8.54 x 4.21 x 2.13in / 217 x 107 x 54mm

9.64 x 4.36 x 2.53in / 244.8 x 110.8 x 64.3mm

6.93 x 3.70 x 1.34in / 176 x 93.98 x 34.03mm

Weight

8.88oz / 252g

9.38oz / 266g

4.86oz / 138 g

Connection

Wired (USB-C)

Wired (USB-C)

Wired (USB-C / Lightning)

Compatibility

Android

Android, iOS

Android, iOS

Software

GameSir App

Razer Nexus

Backbone App

Razer Kishi Ultra
The Razer Kishi Ultra is the premium option. With haptic feedback, RGB lighting (of course), and an excellent companion app. If you want the absolute best feature set and don't mind paying nearly double, Razer absolutely delivers.

For more information, check out our full Razer Kishi Ultra reviewView Deal

Backbone One 2nd Gen
The Backbone One 2nd Gen is a more portable alternative. It's lighter, slimmer, and should play nicer with phone cases thanks to its magnetic adapters. However, it lacks Hall effect sticks and costs a little more than the G8.

For more information, check out our full Backbone One 2nd Gen reviewView Deal

GameSir G8 Galileo: one-minute review

• I spent a few days testing across Android games, cloud gaming, and exploring the GameSir companion app
• I tested on a POCO X5 Pro 5G playing Fortnite, Call of Duty Mobile, Need for Speed No Limits, and Forza Horizon 5 via Xbox Cloud Gaming
• While it’s not officially listed as compatible, I also explored functionality with an iPhone 17 Pro

My testing covered most of the workload a controller like this will handle: native mobile games with controller support, a competitive shooter, a racing game, and cloud gaming via Xbox Game Pass. I used the GameSir companion app to calibrate the sticks out of the box, tested hair-trigger mode in Call of Duty Mobile, and tried all three replacement thumbstick caps to check out the magnetic faceplates and swap system.

I also spent time troubleshooting some hardware mapping recognition issues in Call of Duty Mobile and Need for Speed No Limits, which turned out to be a game-side requirement to complete the tutorial using touch before any hardware input is accepted.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed April 2026

Laifen P3 Pro electric shaver: two-minute review

The Laifen P3 Pro is positioned as a compact electric shaver perfect for travel, and it's immediately reminiscent of the Panasonic Swipe Right we reviewed last year: a small, blocky design with a three-slot shaver head, waterproofing, and USB-C charging.

It's almost suspiciously similar to the Swipe Right, in fact, though it feels a bit more premium. The body is constructed of precision-machined aluminum and comes in either the default alloy or 'space gray' colorways, with a small window on the front that shows the motor at work. Both the transparent top cover and the shaver head attach magnetically with a satisfying snap, and the charging port is concealed seamlessly in the base with a small lid. It's almost as if Apple designed an electric shaver.

(Image credit: Future)

Unlike Panasonic's effort, though, the P3 Pro eschews any fancy touch technology for the ol' reliable: a simple button. Hold to turn it on and off, and click to activate the shaver once it's turned on. Easy as pie, and instantly fixes one of our biggest issues with the Swipe Right — nobody needs finicky touch controls for something as simple as a travel razor.

However, like many compact shavers, the P3 Pro is ill-suited for anyone with a large beard. The lack of a trimmer head or any other special attachments (which feels like a significant omission, considering how easy it is to remove the standard shaver head) means that while trimming a beard is technically possible, it's a slow and ineffective process. For stubble, though, it absolutely blasts through and provides an impressively smooth finish for a dry shave.

The only other downside here is the price. I'll dig into it further down in this review, but needless to say, Laifen has unfortunately followed Apple in pricing as well as design ethos. This is a damn expensive product, though I have to concede that the premium design and performance do justify the asking price.

In short, I fully expect to see our esteemed editors put the Laifen P3 Pro in the 'best travel' slot of TechRadar's best beard trimmer and electric shaver roundup, and will be having some stern words with the Home Tech team if it doesn't make an appearance somewhere in that list.

Laifen P3 Pro electric shaver: price & availability

• List price: $179.99 / AU$249.95 (about £173)
• Launched: September 2025
• Availability: US, Canada, Australia, and Europe (UK import only)

The Laifen P3 Pro originally launched in late 2025, and is available directly from Laifen in the continental US, Canada, Europe, and Australia. UK shoppers do get free EU shipping, but you'll have to buy in Euros as Laifen only maintains a generic European site, not a UK-specific one.

Pricing varies somewhat between regions. In the US, it's a steep $179.99, and the EU price of €199.99 converts to an even more expensive £173.34 at the time of writing, while the Australian price of $249.95 is a little more affordable after conversion and US sales tax.

It's undeniably quite a lot of money for an electric travel shaver — even a very high-quality one like this. Nonetheless, I don't want to knock it down too much for this; it really does feel like a high-end product that's built to last, and if you've got the dough, it's a worthy purchase.

• Value for money score: 3.5 out of 5

Laifen P3 Pro electric shaver specs

Waterproof

Yes, IPX7

Battery life

Up to 100 minutes

Charge time

45 minutes approx.

Charger type

USB-C

Accessories

USB-C to USB-C charging cable

Suitable for

Face and neck

Laifen P3 Pro electric shaver review: design

• Very compact and sturdy design
• Waterproof and easy to clean
• Parts attach magnetically

Aside from the (mildly pointless) visual flair of the motor window, the P3 Pro has a pretty straightforward design. It's very compact, small enough to easily fit in the palm of your hand, meaning it can be carried in a bag or even a pocket. The cap that protects the blades attaches magnetically and doesn't seem to be at any risk of falling off in transit.

The shape is perhaps not quite as ergonomic as some of the best electric shavers (which are commonly shaped to fit into your grip), but this is ultimately just a byproduct of how small the P3 Pro is. When using it, I found it fitted comfortably in my hand; granted, my hands are quite large, but I think you'd need extremely tiny palms to struggle here.

The aluminum casing makes it a little weightier than some competitors, but I didn't find that to be a problem, and the brushed metal finish offers sufficient grip even with damp hands. The entire unit feels very durable and well-constructed.

(Image credit: Future)

Underneath the glass motor window is a pair of LED icons that indicate whether the razor is turned on or set to 'flight mode' (meaning that it won't activate unless you hold down the button). The single control button is responsive and has a nice, satisfying click to it.

With an IPX7 waterproof rating, the P3 Pro is technically safe to be completely submerged in up to one meter of water for up to 30 minutes. I can't see any rational scenario where that would be necessary, but the point is that you can safely use it in wet environments; no need to worry about moisture damaging it.

Once the USB-C port is sealed with the attached tab, you can simply remove the triple-blade head and wash both parts under running water (though it should be noted that you'll need razor oil to re-lubricate the blades if you wash them with soap or other cleaning products, and this isn't included). I found washing it to be remarkably easy after use, and simply rinsing it thoroughly without soap was perfectly sufficient after a regular shave.

(Image credit: Future)

It's genuinely really difficult to find a single design flaw here, really. As I mentioned earlier, the magnetic blade head lends itself to swappable units, and a proper beard trimmer attachment would've been a very welcome addition here, but overall, the P3 Pro is exceedingly well-designed for its intended purpose.

I would maybe note that it could benefit from having slightly more in the box. I won't mark Laifen down for the lack of attachments (after all, this is supposed to be a super-compact travel shaver), but it would've been nice to see a small brush or some blade oil included here. The charging cable is also only USB-C to USB-C, meaning you'll need an adapter if you want to charge it from a regular wall outlet. In truth, though, this is mostly nitpicking on my part; I honestly really love the design of the P3 Pro, and it really feels like a premium device in the hand.

• Design score: 5 out of 5

Laifen P3 Pro electric shaver: performance

• Gentle even on thicker stubble, but won't work on full beards
• Wide-angled head provides a nice close shave
• Where does the hair go??

OK, I'll be completely honest here: I have a full beard, and the Laifen P3 Pro is simply not designed to deal with that. I did find that it was ideal for eradicating stubble on my neck and cheeks, and it was at least somewhat capable of tidying up the edges of my beard, but the latter was a slow process and lacked the precision of a proper beard trimmer. Nonetheless, I was pretty cautious; I get the feeling this thing could've happily cleared off my whole beard if I actually went straight for the skin.

With that knowledge in hand, I enlisted the help of my father, who maintains a clean-shaven look but has been known to let it get a bit scratchy. His report was glowing; week-old stubble came off swiftly and with virtually no irritation, resulting in a shave as close as you'd expect to get from a larger electric shaver.

(Image credit: Future)

It's not particularly noisy (it was far quieter than the cheap old Philips B1216 trimmer I usually use for beard care), and the dual 12,000RPM motors do a great job of cleaving through thicker stubble. The head has a wide-angle foil design - similar to the Panasonic Swipe Right I mentioned earlier in this review - that helps cover more skin and provides a closer shave.

Although Laifen officially designates the P3 Pro for face and neck use, that flatter head design means you could feasibly also use it for other parts of the body, too - provided the hair you're dealing with isn't too thick. I didn't deign to shave my armpits or legs during my testing period (I don't need to be more aerodynamic, sorry), but I reckon a lot of users would be able to use it for this if so inclined.

(Image credit: Future)

The battery life is reported at an impressive 100 minutes, and I tested this by turning it on from a full charge and leaving it running with a stopwatch. Yes, this was a fairly annoying process — it's quieter than some electric razors, but it's certainly not silent — but I'm pleased to report that it ran dry at just shy of 93 minutes, which I'd say is close enough considering that a daily once-over takes barely a minute or two. It's certainly longer than some bulkier competitors can muster, which is stellar performance for such a small device.

It holds its charge remarkably well when not in use, too. I actually received this shaver more than two months ago and didn't have a chance to review it immediately, yet it was still at near-full charge when I finally unboxed it. The USB-C cable offers fast-charging, which can get you about eight minutes of shaving from just three minutes plugged in. If it's completely drained, you'll get a full charge in around 45 minutes.

• Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Laifen P3 Pro electric shaver?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Compact, travel-friendly design but with very robust construction, single control button, waterproofing, USB-C charging.

5 / 5

Performance

Highly effective foil shaving, fantastic battery life, lacks attachments for precision beard trimming.

4.5 / 5

Value

High asking price, but largely justified by its great quality and performance. Worth looking for discounts.

3.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You want a travel razor
If you want to maintain a clean shave on the go and prefer to travel light, this is probably the single best option on the market.

You want an easy clean shave
If you're aiming to maintain a nice close shave with minimal fuss, the P3 Pro is ideal - it delivers a clean finish with easy cleaning.

You like to shave in the shower
With IPX7 waterproofing, you can use the P3 Pro in the shower without fear of it getting damaged or waterlogged.

Don't buy it if...

You're maintaining a beard
Without any extra attachments for precision trimming, the P3 Pro just isn't well-suited for anyone who wants to look after a full beard.

You're on a budget
Although it's an extremely premium-feeling product, there's no denying that the price tag will place this shaver out of reach for some potential customers.

Laifen P3 Pro: also consider

Panasonic Swipe Right
Probably to closest product on the market to the P3 Pro and notably a lot cheaper (but only in the US, for some reason), the Swipe Right from Panasonic is a similarly ultra-compact travel shaver that won't suit bearded users but delivers a nice close shave on the go if you prefer the clean-shaven look.

Read our full Panasonic Swipe Right review

Braun Series 9 Pro
We called the Braun Series 9 Pro "the Bugatti Veyron of beard trimmers", and like the Laifen P3 Pro, it has the triple threat of a beautiful build, clean design, and excellent shaving performance. It also has a solid battery life of one hour and can achieve a great shave either wet or dry, so if you’re looking to spend even more money, you can’t go wrong with this.

Read our full Braun Series 9 Pro review

How I tested the Laifen P3 Pro

• Used it periodically over the course of a month
• Used by both myself (bearded) and my dad (clean-shaven)
• Tested in both wet and dry environments

I used the Laifen P3 Pro regularly throughout January, about twice a week on average, mostly to tidy up the stubble on my neck beneath my main beard. Once I realized that it would be poorly suited for beard trimming, though, I enlisted the aid of my visiting father, who used it daily for three days and agreed that it delivered a great shave.

During testing, I ran the battery down to empty to test its longevity, cleaned it multiple times, and used it both dry and in the shower. While I mostly used it with only water or no moisture whatsoever, both my father and I also tested it out with off-the-shelf shaving foam, and found that it performed well regardless.

• Read more about how we test
• First reviewed April 2026

Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses: Two minute review

Excusing the pun, but there’s been something of a quiet revolution in the last few years for those seeking help with mild to moderate hearing loss. This is largely thanks to the rise of over-the-counter (OTC) devices that can now be bought directly ,without a prescription or a visit to an audiologist. The market has expanded significantly after legislation was introduced in the US back in 2022 allowing OTC devices to enter the market.

A wave of products have since become available around the world, which has in turn increased competition, lowered prices, and improved accessibility for folk who may never have considered, or may previously have been unable to afford, a hearing device.

As a tech writer with a hearing impairment (I have significant high-frequency loss in my left ear as a result of a viral infection in my early 20s), I’m fascinated by the recent developments and improvements in hearing aids, and I’ll be taking a look at some of the OTC options that have recently hit the market, starting with the Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses – a modern take on a form factor which appeared to have been somewhat forgotten about: glasses which integrate “invisible” hearing aids.

(Image credit: Future / Kevin Lynch)

Largely targeting those who were self-conscious about wearing visible devices, hearing glasses had some high-profile users – US President Lyndon B. Johnson and British comedian Eric Sykes both famously wore spectacles with hearing aids built into them – but as in-ear options became smaller thanks to improvements in transistor technology, hearing glasses became somewhat consigned to the past.

Fast forward to the present, and the concept of a hearing aid hiding in plain sight is back thanks to Luxottica, the Italian firm that owns Ray-Ban and makes designer glasses for the likes of Ralph Lauren and Dolce & Gabbana.

Prompted by the change in perception of wearing spectacles as a style statement and fashion accessory, alongside the success of Ray-Ban Metas which already have speakers built into the arms, Luxottica explored how glasses and the latest hearing tech could be used in a stylish spectacle frame.

The result is the Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses range – spectacles that can have prescription lenses fitted and which also include an “open-ear” hearing aid system. Within the frame is an array of six internal directional microphones, with sound played through micro-speakers in the arms above your ears.

When it comes to performance, the preset approach to adjusting the sound profile obviously has an ease-of-use benefit – rather than having to wade through EQ curves and tweak them, you just select the preset that suits the environment you’re currently in, but for me it’s also to their detriment, as it limits their effectiveness for a large section of hearing-impaired users, including myself. Despite the brand name, the Hearing Glasses lack, well, nuance.

Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses: Price and Availability

• List price of $1,200 / £1,000 (about AU$1,350)
• Released in April 2025

The Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses can be purchased over the counter from a wide selection of hearing centres around the world and opticians such as Vision Express stores in the UK and LensCrafters in the US. Prescription lenses can be fitted for an additional price at any regular opticians.

• Value score: 3.5/5

Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses: Specifications

Component

Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses

Hearing tech:

Air conduction with tiny speakers placed just in front of the ears

Microphone

Six microphones for directionality, focusing on sounds in front of the wearer

Battery life

8–10 hours

Charger

Included charging pad

Water resistance

IPx4 rating

Frame style

Square and Panto

Size

Square available in 54mm and 56mm; Panto is 48mm

Colors

Shiny Black, Shiny Burgundy, Deep Blue

Lens options

Prescription lenses, non-prescription lenses, or Transitions light-responsive lenses

Accessories

Charging pad, cleaning cloth, and glasses case

Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses: Design

(Image credit: Future / Kevin Lynch)

• Available in two styles, square and round
• Arms cannot be adjusted
• Hardware control button on the frame

At present, the hearing glasses are available in two styles – a square-frame option not entirely dissimilar to Ray-Ban Wayfarers, and a rounded Panthos frame, the latter of which I was sent for this review. There are three different colour options for both frame styles, while the square model has two size options – 54mm and 56mm. The smaller Panthos, meanwhile, is offered in just a 48mm frame option.

Like the vast majority of OTC hearing aids, the Nuance glasses are set up and adjusted mainly through Nuance’s accompanying app for iPhone or Android. The initial out-of-the-box experience is impressively simple – a quick pairing via Bluetooth and an equally straightforward two-phase, in-app calibration process that you need to carry out in a quiet room.

The procedure includes some brief playback of white noise before you’re asked to count aloud to map your voice and head shape. From there, you select from one of four sound presets, ranging from flat (very mild hearing loss) up to sloping, moderate high-frequency hearing loss, allowing you to switch between settings for different environments if needed. Unlike most other OTC devices, there’s no hearing test to run through in the app – it’s really a case of selecting the setting that suits you best and off you go.

Alongside the frequency presets, you also get the option of choosing between “Frontal” (directional for conversation, allowing you to better focus on the person you are facing and talking to) and “360-degree” (all-around) sound modes. There are also volume controls and background noise level filtering (heightened, standard, lowered).

Underneath the right temple arm of the frame is a discreet multifunction hardware control button – a long press turns the glasses off, while quick presses cycle through volume levels. Tapping the outside of the right arm of the frame switches between the two sound directionality modes, making it easy and discreet to change the setting during conversation.

My test glasses came with pre-installed plano Transitions lenses – non-prescription lenses which automatically darken into sunglasses when exposed to UV light. While I do wear glasses to correct my short-sightedness, I was able to carry on with most day-to-day tasks during testing. I didn’t get to go through the process of having prescription lenses fitted; however, Nuance has stressed that it’s the same procedure as with any regular set of modern frames. With the glasses primarily being sold at opticians, it’s likely that most people will have prescription lenses installed – if needed – at the point of purchase.

It’s worth noting that the Nuance’s arms can’t be heated in order to alter their fit due to the components within the frame. They are what they are, and in my case I found them slightly loose and could have done with a tighter fit.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses: Performance

(Image credit: Future / Kevin Lynch)

• Group conversations are incredibly clear
• Omni-directional mics allow you to face a speaker and hear clearly
• Quiet ambient listening is less impressive

One of the big benefits of the Nuance form factor immediately became apparent when putting on the glasses for the first time. With the built-in speakers situated above the ear, there’s none of the occlusion issues that I have with my regular hearing aid (an in-ear model from Oticon), with no blocking of the ear canal. This meant sound delivery was somewhat more natural, although not entirely – more on this later. I also didn’t have to worry about the annoying itchy feeling I often get within my ear when wearing my regular aid.

The convenience of having two impairment-aiding tools in one object was also immediately obvious — throw the glasses on in the morning and you’re good to go on both counts. The larger size of a pair of glasses also makes them much easier to locate than a small, modern hearing aid.

There are, of course, drawbacks that you’re always going to get with a combined form factor like this, especially if you’re forgetful. If you can’t find, or worse, end up losing your glasses, then you’ve also lost your hearing aid. There’s also the inconvenience of having to change your hearing aids when you replace your spectacles.

These pros and cons will, of course, likely have already been factored in by anyone willing to stump up the considerable asking price for the Nuance glasses, so the bigger question becomes how well they perform. For me, it was a fairly mixed bag.

The bigger surface area of a spectacle frame to place microphones, when compared to a regular in-ear device, is a definite game-changer that the Nuance glasses make full use of. In 360-degree mode, there’s a markedly better sense of directionality when it comes to where a sound is coming from than what my regular Oticon in-ears can convey.

(Image credit: Future / Kevin Lynch)

Ask a person with low-to-moderate hearing loss when they most notice their impairment, and most will likely say during a group conversation in a noisy environment like a bar or restaurant — and it’s here that the glasses really excel. Nuance is clearly catering for high-frequency hearing loss, the most common and arguably the most impactful, with the 2,000 Hz to 8,000 Hz range affecting consonants like ‘s’, ‘f’, and ‘th’, leading to difficulty understanding speech, particularly in louder situations.

The front-facing microphones combined with the “Frontal” mode really bring out a honed-in level of clarity and enhancement within this range that genuinely aided conversations I had when testing in my local pub on a somewhat rowdy quiz night.

In other scenarios, I was somewhat less impressed. Detailed listening, such as putting on a record in a quiet room, revealed a noticeable amount of latency from the sound being played through the glasses’ speakers. Likely caused by the digital processing of the sound, it at times became jarring, with a doubling of drum sounds. Once I became aware of the delay, it became something I couldn’t “unhear” throughout my testing and was never something I really felt I adapted to over several weeks of use.

They were also significantly prone to feedback when in use, meaning I’d regularly find myself riding the volume controls in louder environments. Any movement of the glasses, or exposure to slightly breezy conditions, would also regularly bring about distracting microphone “brushing” noises.

Like many disabilities, hearing loss is a wide spectrum that can impact different frequencies to varying degrees, and in some cases, mine included, it can vary widely between a person’s left and right ears. It was therefore somewhat frustrating to find that the sound attenuation comes through on both ears at all times, with no way of switching off the speakers on an unwanted side. In fairness, Nuance implicitly state that the glasses aren’t designed for unilateral hearing loss, but it seems like a somewhat easy fix in software and a major oversight.

Unlike the chunky hearing glasses of yesteryear, the Nuance’s are indistinguishable from a regular set of glasses with no perceptible extra weight, but that impressive achievement has perhaps come at a price, with the built-in battery lacking somewhat in stamina. Nuance’s advertised battery life of eight hours rang largely true in testing, meaning that they can’t be relied upon for a full day of use while out and about, which in turn means you find yourself needing to be tactical about when to power them on.

It's at this point I should mention the nifty-looking, bedside table-friendly wireless charging pad which come with the glasses. The pad connects to power via USB-C – you simply fold the glasses and place them on the surface to replenish the battery, with a full charge taking just under three hours during testing.

Much like the frames themselves, their accompanying app and indeed their packaging, the pad smacks of a high-end luxury product befitting of a brand like Luxottica. The downside is that with there being no charging port on the glasses, you’re entirely dependent on the pad to juice them up, meaning you may need to buy a second pad for work or for travel for a fairly pricey $160 / £150.

Despite their onboard Bluetooth for communicating with your phone, it’s something of a surprise and perhaps a missed opportunity to find no audio streaming option from your phone for the glasses – a feature that’s becoming par for the course with most new regular hearing devices, although perhaps no great surprise when factoring in the limited onboard battery. The frame’s disappointing IPx4 water resistance level meanwhile means it’s advisable to take them off in heavy rain.

• Performance score: 3.5/5

Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses: Scorecard

Category

Comment

Score

Value

Expensive, but worth buying for bilateral hearing loss.

3.5/5

Design

Cool design features, and thoughtful mic placement.

4.5/5

Performance

Great for bilateral hearing loss, but missing easy-win features.

3.5/5

Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses: Should I buy?Buy it if...

You want an "invisible device"

Nuance can provide a subtle, occasional hearing boost when out socialising.

You have bilateral hearing loss

Nuance works well for hearing loss in both ears.

Don't buy it if...

You have unilateral hearing loss

Nuance doesn't work so well for individual ear hearing loss.

You're on a budget

The device is a premium product.

First reviewed: April 2026

Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS: one-minute review

Nacon’s making moves lately. In the past couple of years, it’s expanded its offering and, frankly, upped the quality of its products, giving the establishment a headache in every vertical from sim racing to – most pertinently – audio.

This new RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS is a wireless headset model with a base station unit, USB receiver, and dual wireless connectivity that builds on the R5’s design with additional functionality. Graphene-coated drivers deliver a really distinctive, tight sound with no discernible distortion at max volume, while snap-lock earcup plates and foam cushions offer some customisation potential and extended lifespan. To that end, an easily accessible and removable battery makes it easy to keep the charge life nice and high.

The chunky design is informed by very generous padding around the earcups and headband, which does provide a lot of comfort but doesn’t entirely offset a short headband design, which can create an awkward fit with the lower earcup portion fanning out, so it’s worth trying these on and ideally wearing them for a few minutes before committing to making them your new multi-device audio pick.

Speaking of multi-device, it’s simple to set the R8 up with either console (I’m testing the PS5-compatible version - the Xbox version is branded as HX) or PC via the base station or USB receiver, and then pair a phone via the Bluetooth connection. Battery life and wireless performance are both strong, and it’s nice to have the option of a wired USB connection in your back pocket if you find yourself without charge and don’t want to leave the headset on the base station to charge.

There’s a lot of value and performance here, then, making the R8 a great all-round package. But it does come with some fiddly bits: specifically, a multifunction button that’s been tasked with more functions than any single button should be given, and a single RGB button on the base station that offers only limited customisation.

(Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS: Price and availability

• List price: $179.99 (around £135 / AU$349.99)
• Priced competitively against Fractal Scape & Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
• UK pricing yet to be confirmed

Any discussion of pricing and value in 2026 is inherently depressing, but Nacon’s found a really aggressive price point for this R8 package, considering all the features it brings to the table.

$180 for a base station and dual wireless feels about right, particularly considering the build and sound quality. Nacon hasn’t revealed the UK MSRP yet, however, so quite how bargainous this will be to UK consumers remains to be seen.

The pricing does put it up against two particularly strong rival options from Fractal and Razer, though. The Fractal Scape is a similar base station wireless model, which has the edge in overall aesthetics – or does it? Looks are subjective, after all.

The Razer BlackShark V2 Pro doesn’t come with a base station, but its headband design and adjustability make it more comfortable, so there are no easy answers here when you compare the prices.

Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS: Specs

Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS

Price

$179.99 (around £135 / AU$349.99)

Weight

12.8oz / 364g

Compatibility

PC, Xbox Series X|S (Xbox version only), PS5 (PlayStation version only), MacOS, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2

Connectivity

Bluetooth, 2.4GHz wireless, wired 3.5mm/USB-C

Battery life

60 hours

Software

RIG Navigator app

Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS: Design and features

• Magnetic swappable earcup plates & cushions
• A replaceable, rechargeable battery
• All the cushioning

Like a certain infamously broken noughties racing game, this is a big RIG. Unlike Big Rigs: Over The Road Racing, however, it’s also an extremely competent one, which displays thoughtful design at every turn.

The chunky design serves a purpose beyond aesthetics, delivering plenty of cushioning around each earcup and below the headband. And since this model is on the heavier side, it needs that padding to keep you comfortable.

I love the swappable cushions, affixed by magnetic contact pads with a rubber ring around them to keep the connection snug and eliminate any rattle. It’s a great feature that means if and when your earcup cushions lose their plumpness or become tarnished, you can buy a replacement pair rather than shopping for a new headset.

That swappable magnetic snap-lock principle’s also been deployed on the outer earcup plates. Nacon sent a set of ‘AAA edition’ mod plates ($19.99) out with the review sample headset, and they’re very easy to install.

Once the existing plates are pulled away from their snap-lock magnets, you line up the new plates and let the magnets snap them into place. That’s it. There’s no functional benefit to this, of course, but just like the keyboard makers offering barebones kits, it’s bang on trend to provide some customisation options.

(Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)

The physical controls layout is a bit unusual for being placed entirely on the right-hand earcup, likewise the microphone. It makes absolutely no difference to usage, but at some point in the last ten years, we all silently agreed that mics go on the left, and it is an affront to gaming convention to find this one on the right. It has a flip-to-mute function, though, so all’s forgiven.

Elsewhere, you’ll find a power button, a notched volume scroll wheel, a multifunction button, and a Bluetooth sync button. It’s possible to use this headset in a multitude of setups, using 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, or dual wireless, with the base station connected in several different ways, so the way Nacon has programmed the multifunction button to handle everything from chat mix to switching to wired mode to taking phone calls is… optimistic.

Then again, it’s impressive that all that functionality exists in the first place, and some of those actions can be handled by the RIG Navigator app instead.

It’s feature-rich and versatile, with an attractive, chunky look, and it’s comfortable enough. But I do feel that the headband length and adjustability are slightly lacking. My head is on the smaller size (not to brag), and I have the headband fully extended in order to find a comfortable position. Even then, the earcups fan out slightly at the bottom rather than tucking in as I’d like them to. It’s a really small detail. The sort of thing you only really notice if you’ve been reviewing headsets for 15 years. But I noticed it, so I’m telling you about it.

(Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS: Performance

• Tight, distinct audio character
• Easy to pair with multiple devices
• Dual wireless is always a perk

I’m pleased, but not surprised, to report that the audio performance of these R8 drivers is really strong. Nacon’s very proud of its graphene-coated materials used in the drivers, the idea being that graphene allows for quicker, more responsive driver movement and thus a more precise sound bellowing its way into your ear.

And that principle really holds up here. This is a remarkably tight-sounding headset, able to voice basslines and low ominous rumbles with sufficient oomph while not losing any detail higher up the frequency response into snare hits, gunfire, or dialogue. The stated frequency response range is 20Hz-40KHz, and while I won’t pretend I headed to the lab to verify that scientifically, I can tell you it sounds about right. Meaty low end, plenty of space higher up.

It’s also really resistant to distortion. At max volume, using Bluetooth or 2.4GHz wireless, my veteran ears didn’t pick up any discernible unwanted vibration or fizz, which is very impressive and can be genuinely useful in sound cue-heavy games like PUBG: Battlegrounds or Arc Raiders.

Unusually for modern gaming headsets, the EQ response is actually quite distinctive and characterful. It’s noticeably tight, in the same way that SteelSeries’ Arctis headsets were noticeably flat when they arrived to such acclaim a decade ago. The best way I can think to describe that character – and don’t let this put you off, honestly – is that snare hits sound like Travis Barker or Lars Ulrich have been with their drum keys in and tightened the snare skin before recording.

(Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)

That doesn’t mean it’s so specialist that it can’t perform in a musical or cinematic setting. But its disciplined low-end response and fast articulation mean it’s particularly tuned for gaming, which is as it should be.

Setting the R8 up to use with multiple devices via the base station is simple enough, particularly if you’ve used an Astro or Fractal headset with a similar system before: set the receiver to either PS5 or USB/PC mode (I’m using the PS5-compatible version) and plug either the USB-C receiver into the device, or connect the base station to the device via USB C to A cable. The base station charges the headset, and the rechargeable battery is accessible by removing the snap-lock plate, which can be swapped out and replaced whenever you like.

Stated battery life is 60 hours. After a week of usage, that stat holds up in the real world, though obviously it’s too early in testing to talk about battery degradation. Both the base station and USB receiver have RGB zones, which you can control via a button on the base station itself. That means you can’t dial in a precise RGB code or lighting pattern, but there are numerous color, lighting strength, and behaviour presets accessible via the button.

It’s always great to have dual wireless as an option, and it works well here, with the minor caveat that it took me a while to learn that in order to take incoming calls, I need to hold the multifunction button down for three seconds. Not especially intuitive, but functional.

(Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)Should you buy the Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS?Buy it if...

You like device-hopping
The base station and super-desirable dual wireless connectivity make this a great option if you want to take calls while you play.

Customisation is your thing
Swappable earcup plates and cushions are a defining feature of this model, so you’ve got a chance to express yourself.

You prefer to tweak via an app than physical controls
The RIG Navigator app is much easier to use than the multifunction button on the headset itself, so this is one for those who don’t mind another download.

Don't buy it if...

You haven’t tried the Fractal Scape yet
Both models offer very similar feature sets and both perform very well at a similar price point, so your individual comfort wearing each one will be the decider.

You’re a lefty
Well, ok, you can still buy it if you like. But having the mic and physical controls all on the right feels a bit odd.

You’re probably only going to use it with one device
It’ll perform very well on that device, but your money could be better deployed on audiophile-grade drivers or more luxurious comfort than the multi-device functionality this offers.

RIG R8 PRO HS headset: Also consider

Don’t feel alright with the R8? Consider these rival wireless offerings.

Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS

Fractal Scape

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro

Price

$179.99 (around £135 / AU$349.99)

$199.99 / £169.99 / around AU$285

$199 / £199/ AU$349

Weight

12.8oz / 364g

11.9oz / 338g

11.2oz / 320g

Compatibility

PC, Xbox (Xbox version only), PS5 (PlayStation version only), Switch, MacOS, iOS, Android

PC, Mac, Playstation 4/5, Nintendo Switch, iOS/Android

PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch

Connection type

2.4GHz wireless, digital wired (USB-C), analog wired (3.5mm audio jack), Bluetooth

2,4 GHz Wireless via USB-A dongle, Bluetooth 5.3, Wired via USB-C to USB-A cable

Bluetooth, 2.4GHz wireless (Hyperspeed dongle)

Battery life

60 hours

40 hours RGB off, 24 hours RGB on

70 hours

Software

RIG Navigator app

Adjust Pro

Razer Synapse (PC)

Fractal Scape
It’s like you wandered into an Apple store and asked one of the geniuses to design your perfect wireless gaming headset. Minimalist, gorgeous, sounds great, and offers the same multi-device compatibility.

For more information, check out our full Fractal Scape reviewView Deal

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
Look one notch below Razer’s bells-and-whistles, ANC-enabled flagship model, and you’ll find a price-performance sweet spot in wireless gaming headsets that’s still yet to be beaten outright. No base station, though.

For more information, check out our full Razer BlackShark V2 Pro reviewView Deal

How I tested the Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS

• One week of testing on PC and PS5, with the companion app
• All connection types tested
• Confirmed: doesn’t make The Hobbit movies better

The Nacon RIG R8 Spectre Pro HS arrived as I was recovering post-surgery and thus had very few available options besides: lying very still and watching things, and sitting very still and playing things. It’s proven a fine companion during both these activities.

It’s the PS5 version, which arrived here to test, so I’ve been using my review sample on PC, PS5, and my iPhone, where the RIG Navigator app also resides. On PS5, it’s been pumping out the sounds of NBA 2K26, on PC, it’s been capturing the hammy moans of Dead Rising (the original, not the remaster, obviously), and on my phone, it’s been subjected to more YouTube slop than I’d care to detail.

I can confirm that while it does capture the audio landscapes of Peter Jackson’s punishingly dull Hobbit trilogy perfectly well, it does nothing to improve the overall experience of watching those films.

First reviewed April 2026.

How we tested PrivadoVPN Free

This PrivadoVPN Free review was written by VPN Editor, Rob Dunne. I've been researching and writing about VPNs, like PrivadoVPN Free, for two years.

I have PrivadoVPN Free installed on my iPhone and Android mobile devices, my Lenovo laptop, and my Chrome browser. I used it during my commute to keep my data secure (from snoopers and man-in-the-middle attacks) while connected to the free Wi-Fi hotspot, and to access US-based streaming services (think Peacock and HBO Max).

Read more about our PrivadoVPN Free testing methodology below▼

PrivadoVPN Free review scores

Below, you'll find our breakdown of how PrivadoVPN Free scored in our testing, across all of the categories. Click on the links in the Comments column to jump to specific sections for a more in-depth read.

Category

Score

Comments

Total

63 / 100

A great choice for streaming, with fast WireGuard speeds, but a lack of features beyond the basics. Read more ▼

Price plans & value

10 / 10

PrivadoVPN Free doesn't cost a penny. Users are regularly encouraged to upgrade to a paid plan but it's not a necessity given what's on offer for nothing. Read more ▼

Features

5 / 10

Like most free VPNs, PrivadoVPN Free isn't packed with tools, but does include split tunnelling and auto-connect. Read more ▼

Server network

5 / 10

Server location selection is limited but more generous than other free VPNs. Coverage is fairly evenly distributed. Read more ▼

Read all of PrivadoVPN Free's review scores ▼

Privacy

7 / 10

Scramble and split tunnelling tools are welcome inclusions to the free plan, but a there's a weak no-logs policy that's open to interpretation. Read more ▼

Security

6 / 10

Encryption protocols are implemented well enough, but are rapidly becoming outdated. PrivadoVPN Free also lacks any PQE. The kill switch is leaky too. Read more ▼

Speed

7 / 10

PrivadoVPN Free has some of the best WireGuard speeds we've seen from any free VPN, and it has no trouble keeping up with most online activities. Users will need to budget their 10 GB monthly data cap, however. Read more ▼

Unblocking streams

7 / 10

PrivadoVPN Free is a capable streaming VPN able to access Netflix libraries, and other services without having to switch servers. It did failed with some US and Canadian services and is limited by the free plan's server network, however. Read more ▼

P2P & Torrenting

4 / 5

P2P activity is supported across all PrivadoVPN Free servers, and our test torrents downloaded quickly without hiccups. Read more ▼

Apps & Compatibility

3 / 5

PrivadoVPN Free is supported on all major desktop and mobile devices, as well as smart TVs. The Chrome extension is now a paid-only feature, however, along with router support. Read more ▼

Usability

3 / 5

All apps are easy to install and navigate. A simple UI, organized server list, and handy hotbar of tools are nice quality-of-life features. Read more ▼

Accessibility

1 / 5

PrivadoVPN Free is let down by poor accessibility scores, lack of support for screen readers, no Siri Shortcuts, and virtually no keyboard support. Read more ▼

Customer support

3 / 5

PrivadoVPN Free has an expansive support site with guides, tutorials, and troubleshooting pages. While most of the info is accurate, we did spot a few instances of questionable advice. Read more ▼

Track record

2 / 5

PrivadoVPN Free seems uninterested in committing to annual audits of its service, which is disappointing, but has never suffered a data breach. Read more ▼

PrivadoVPN Free price plans

• PrivadoVPN Free plan is free forever.
• Free users are limited to a monthly data cap of 10 GB.
• PrivadoVPN premium plans start from $1.11 a month.

PrivadoVPN Free is a free VPN, and that means there are no paid subscription tiers to choose from.

The free plan has a lot to recommend it. It's quick, works with some streaming platforms (something most free services can't claim), and comes with core VPN tools. These include a kill switch and split tunnelling.

PrivadoVPN Free is light on additional features, but this is par for the course for most free VPNs. However, if you've used the free version of PrivadoVPN and want to expand its functionality (and remove the 10 GB monthly data cap), a premium version of the product is available.

Read more about PrivadoVPN Free's price plans ▼

The cheapest PrivadoVPN plan comes in at $1.11 per month for 2 years of coverage. Plus, it also gives users access to the Control Tower, which is unavailable in the free version. Control Tower is PrivadoVPN's ad, malware, ransomware, and crypto blocker. It also houses some parental control features.

The full-fat version of PrivadoVPN includes unlimited simultaneous connections, too, servers in 67 locations, and various connection customization options.

Below, we've included a table detailing the difference in feature parity between PrivadoVPN's free and paid plans.

PrivadoVPN Free

PrivadoVPN

Protocols

WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2

WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2

Server locations

13

67

Simultaneous connections

1

10

Kill switch

✅

✅

Split tunnelling

✅

✅

Auto-connect

✅

✅

Control Tower

❌

✅

These are nice extras to have for more advanced users who want to tailor their VPN connection and protect multiple devices. If not having these extras isn't a deal-breaker for you, however, then PrivadoVPN Free is still a solid option that can do more than most free VPNs.

Score: 10/10

Features: What can PrivadoVPN Free do?

• Strong encryption protocols.
• Auto-connect tool is surprisingly customizable.
• Low feature count compared to paid VPNs.

Unlike paid alternatives (including PrivadoVPN premium), PrivadoVPN Free doesn't come with an extensive toolkit of security-boosting features. This isn't unusual for a free service. Paid VPNs often offer a free subscription tier as a sample – a small taste of what the full product has to offer.

As a result, free VPNs typically have fewer features, fewer servers to choose from, and less support for streaming. This applies to PrivadoVPN Free, too.

Starting with the monthly data allowance, PrivadoVPN Free gives users 10 GB of data per month. That's not a lot, and won't go far if you regularly stream, torrent, or game with the VPN, but it's enough to use with social media or when checking emails.

Read more about PrivadoVPN Free's features ▼

Something to keep in mind is that, unlike other free VPNs that limit user data (like Windscribe Free), PrivadoVPN Free's allowance isn't updated automatically each month.

During testing, we logged into our PrivadoVPN Free account after not using it for a while, and the app told us that our free account was ready to be "refilled to 10 gigs".

We were prompted to click a link. It opened a PrivadoVPN webpage where we logged into our account, then followed another link that opened a "Buy" page. We ignored the paid options and clicked the "Refresh Data" button under the free plan info.

PrivadoVPN Free gives users 10 GB of data per month. That's not a lot, and won't go far if you regularly stream, torrent, or game

This isn't a big deal, as the process was simple enough, but it's a hassle that other free VPNs don't have. Plus, if you live in a country where you can't access the PrivadoVPN website because of nationwide VPN blocks or bans, it might preclude you from using the service at all.

If you exceed the 10 GB monthly cap, PrivadoVPN Free doesn't cut you off entirely. You can still use the VPN in Lite Mode. Lite Mode users can't choose their server location (the VPN automatically selects the closest server) and are subject to throttled speeds (we saw speeds of 1 Mbps).

It's not ideal, but we're glad that some VPN access is permitted, as it'll no doubt come in handy to users who can't risk accessing the internet without protection.

PrivadoVPN Free supports the OpenVPN (UDP and TCP), WireGuard, and IKEv2 VPN protocols on all platforms. This is a pretty standard spread that gives users some flexibility.

OpenVPN provides tried-and-tested security, WireGuard is quick and ideal for streaming and gaming, and IKEv2 is well-suited for mobile devices, seeing as it remains especially stable when switching between networks (like Wi-Fi and mobile data).

(Image credit: PrivadoVPN Free)

A kill switch is an important part of any VPN's toolkit, free or paid, and PrivadoVPN's kill switch is a mixed bag (which we'll dig into in the Security section). PrivadoVPN Free also has a split-tunnelling feature called SmartRoute.

We're also glad to see that PrivadoVPN Free offers a basic auto-connect feature. It's available for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices, and automatically connects the user to a server when the app starts.

It's more configurable than most free auto-connect tools, too. We were able to connect to one of four options when using Windows and Android devices: a recommended country, the last used location, a random location from our favorites list, or a random location from the full server list. The same applies to Mac devices, though iOS users miss out on this configurability.

We're also glad to see that PrivadoVPN Free offers a basic auto-connect feature.

Unfortunately, this is where PrivadoVPN Free's feature toolkit comes to an end. There's no Tor over VPN functionality that'll let you access Tor sites while also benefiting from VPN protection, and no multi-hop tools that route your connection through two (or more) VPN servers for an extra layer of encryption and security.

Again, this is what we expect from a free service. Proton VPN Free, for example, restricts its Tor over VPN and multi-hop tools to paying users.

If these features are a must-have, you'll be better off subscribing to a premium service like NordVPN or Surfshark. Both of these VPNs also come with built-in ad, tracker, and malware blocking tools.

PrivadoVPN's premium plan has its own DNS-based version of ad and malicious site protection, called Control Tower, but it's not available to free users.

Score: 5/10

Server network and locations

• Free servers in 13 locations
• Coverage incudes servers Asia and South America as well as US and Europe.
• Mostly virtual servers hosted in data centres far from labelled server location.

PrivadoVPN's site claims that there are "hundreds" of available VPN servers. When you consider that most premium VPNs have server networks numbering in the thousands, PrivadoVPN's pool is relatively shallow.

The other issue is that we're unsure how many of these servers are accessible to free users. There may not be a fixed number, either, as PrivadoVPN Free could allocate different numbers depending on the time or user demand.

(Image credit: PrivadoVPN Free)

We do know that PrivadoVPN Free offers 13 free server locations. This is more than the 8 countries users have access to with Proton VPN Free, and edges out Windscribe Free, too, which offers access to 10.

Read more about PrivadoVPN Free's server network ▼

These server locations are spread across 10 countries, including 4 locations in the US. There's also coverage in Europe, Asia, and South America.

Considering that there are so few options available, PrivadoVPN Free has done a good job of distributing them as evenly as possible around the world.

Another thing to keep in mind is that, during our investigation, we didn't see any mention of servers having specific limits for free users. We weren't told that free users can't stream or torrent. As far as we can tell, all free servers appear to support the same core features as those in the paid network.

PrivadoVPN Free doesn't make it clear whether it uses virtual locations. We couldn't see any icons in the server list that indicated whether a server location was real (physically hosted in that country) or virtual (physically hosted elsewhere). When we visited the Network page on the PrivadoVPN site, we couldn't find any mention of virtual servers at all.

This meant that we had to do our own hands-on testing. We tested 13 server locations to confirm that they returned IP addresses from the location they were listed under.

Server locations are spread across 10 countries, including 4 locations in the US. There's also coverage in Europe, Asia, and South America.

We found that PrivadoVPN Free makes heavy use of virtual locations. 6 of its 13 locations are really hosted in Amsterdam, 4 are hosted in Washington DC, and the 13 locations are hosted via only 7 data centers.

Some of these data centers are far from the supposed location of the server. For example, the Argentina, Brazil, and India locations are really hosted in Amsterdam. This can have a negative impact on your speeds.

If you're in India and connect to the free India server to access a local website, for example, routing your traffic to the Netherlands and back will take a toll on your overall performance.

Neither PrivadoVPN Free nor its paid alternative uses RAM-only servers, unlike ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark, and that has privacy implications. More on that in a moment.

Score: 5/10

Privacy

• No logs policy does leave room for some logging to take place.
• Scramble tool is basic, but will mask OpenVPN traffic.
• Split tunnelling feature is customizable, but not available on macOS.

On paper, PrivadoVPN Free's no-logs policy looks sound enough. It claims not to store details about user browsing sessions while connected to a server, that it never logs identifiable data like IP addresses, traffic destination, and DNS queries, and that it won't sell data to third parties.

However, even if all of these promises are 100% true, there's still scope for some logging to take place.

PrivadoVPN Free could log metadata about your sessions, like connection time, your approximate location, the server you chose, and maybe more – and all without technically breaking its no-logs policy.

Read more about PrivadoVPN Free's privacy credentials ▼

The Data Retention clause in its privacy policy states: "We store the data we collect about you for as long as necessary for the purposes for which we originally collected it."

We've seen other VPNs say similar things, but they'll typically provide a timescale, too, like deleting your custom records two years after you delete your account. PrivadoVPN Free doesn't provide any limits, so there's no way of knowing how long it keeps hold of user data. A month? A year? Forever?

Users do have the right to contact PrivadoVPN Free and ask for the company to delete their data, but they shouldn't have to. We'd rather PrivadoVPN Free set clear limits for how long it takes for different types of data to be erased.

PrivadoVPN Free's Windows client includes an OpenVPN setting called Scramble. Once enabled, it claims to "[add] obfuscation capability to OpenVPN, allowing it to bypass network traffic sensors which aim to detect usage of the protocol and log, throttle or block it".

PrivadoVPN Free doesn't provide any information about how Scramble works, though we suspect it's a straightforward implementation of a standard OpenVPN feature.

Scramble isn't innovative, but it will come in handy to anyone who needs to conceal their VPN traffic – especially if they live in a country where VPN usage is banned, or if it's prohibited by their network administrator. We're glad to see that it's included in the free offering.

We do prefer Proton VPN's Stealth protocol, however, which is included in its free plan. Stealth is compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, and is fully open-source – so there's no mystery about how it works or what it's doing to your data.

Scramble isn't innovative, but it will come in handy to anyone who needs to conceal their VPN traffic.

As I said in the Server Network section just above, PrivadoVPN doesn't use RAM-only servers.

We dug into the privacy policy to see if PrivadoVPN offered any justification for this decision (Proton VPN, for example, chooses not to use RAM-only servers, claiming that they offer no real security benefits). We found a relatively generic clause:

"Our infrastructure and secure servers are contained in fully locked and 24/7 monitored data facilities that are best in class.

Even if a regulatory authority physically seizes a PrivadoVPN server (assuming it could break the disk encryption) there would be no logs or information that could be tied [to] an individual user."

The second paragraph revealed a new detail to us: PrivadoVPN Free's server disks are encrypted. This is an encouraging security measure, but we need more (or any) articles detailing how it works, as well as annual audits of the infrastructure to confirm that PrivadoVPN Free is doing everything it can to safeguard user data privacy.

In happier news, PrivadoVPN Free is headquartered in Switzerland. This means that there are no mandatory data retention laws that would require it to store and log user data, and users are protected by strong Swiss privacy laws.

(Image credit: PrivadoVPN Free)

PrivadoVPN's split tunnelling feature is called SmartRoute. During our testing, we found that it was a very complete implementation of split tunnelling that can apply to apps, websites, and IP addresses.

It also supports Bypass (where items in a list are excluded from the VPN tunnel and use the regular, unencrypted internet) and Tunnel (where items in the list exclusively use the VPN tunnel, not the regular internet).

Split tunnelling is a useful VPN feature that allows you to pick and choose which sites, apps, and services make use of VPN encryption and geo-spoofing and which don't.

If you're connected to a VPN server but want to tune in to a local streaming platform, for instance, you can add the URL to the Bypass list (or otherwise exclude it), and you'll access the site using your original internet connection.

The implementation of split tunnelling differs depending on which device you're using PrivadoVPN Free on. The Windows and Android apps support SmartRoute for Apps, IPs, and sites. iOS supports SmartRoute for IPs and sites only.

Score: 7/10

Security

• OpenVPN encryption is slightly outdated.
• No post-quantum encryption.
• Significant kill switch issues resulted in risk of IP address exposure.

PrivadoVPN uses conventional ChaCha20 encryption with WireGuard connections. For OpenVPN, it uses AES-256-CBC encryption, which is secure enough, but most providers have moved on to AES-256-GCM.

The latter is regarded as more secure because it has built-in integrity checks. It’s also potentially faster because it’s written to support parallel processing. This means encryption and decryption can be split into multiple tasks that run on your CPU cores at the same time, reducing overhead.

(Image credit: PrivadoVPN Free )

Privado VPN OpenVPN connections use TLS (Transport Layer Security, the technical name for what many people still call SSL) 1.2 to establish secure and encrypted connections. This is also a little behind the competition; most providers now use the faster and more secure TLS 1.3.

Read more about PrivadoVPN Free's security credentials ▼

We couldn't find any evidence that PrivadoVPN Free has implemented any post-quantum encryption measures. This tracks, however, as PrivadoVPN Free is still using outdated setups for its OpenVPN encryption.

This is something we'd like to see change. VPNs like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Proton VPN have all introduced some form of post-quantum encryption into their products.

This protection is a proactive measure that'll ensure that user data isn't left vulnerable to the fallout of Q day, when quantum computers are finally able to decrypt traditional encryption methods.

PrivadoVPN Free also includes a kill switch. It's available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android – which is now outside of Android's integrated kill switch too.

When we used it on Windows, we saw that there were two kill switch options, and that they work differently from most other VPNs.

Most kill switches attempt to block your device's access to the internet if the VPN connection drops. PrivadoVPN Free instead tries to suspend apps using the internet.

That's an immediate concern for us. In addition to the vague definition of what it means to "suspend" something, we can't be sure that PrivadoVPN Free can identify all "open internet applications and browsers" to suspend them. Even if it can, what about apps that aren't "open" when the VPN fails, but that try to connect later?

The usual approach of blocking internet access is simple and should work for everything; trying to identify ‘all open internet applications and browsers’ and ‘suspend’ them is complex and very unlikely to work for everything.

We decided to test this for ourselves, and we use a variety of methods. These include switching our router on and off, leaving the range of a Wi-Fi signal, and force-closing apps and processes on our devices. We then monitored what happened next.

PrivadoVPN Free's kill switch functionality is partial at best.

In this instance, we connected to PrivadoVPN Free's Windows app using WireGuard. Then, we crashed the WireGuard connection to prompt the VPN connection to close.

The kill switch kicked in immediately and blocked our internet access, but the app automatically disconnected and reconnected moments later. The kill switch also stopped working for a few seconds during reconnection, exposing our IP address.

This is the second time we've tested PrivadoVPN Free's kill switch, and the second time we've seen this happen.

While the kill switch was down for just a few seconds, it's still long enough for someone monitoring logs to capture a real IP address if they were carrying out an internet action.

Worse still, we repeated our test with IKEv2 and OpenVPN connections with the same result. If the VPN fails, the Windows app closes the current connection and reconnects, and the kill switch isn’t active for a few seconds during the reconnection process.

We tested this for ourselves on Windows by adding Chrome to the app exclusion list, then connecting via IKEv2 and forcing the VPN to close. PrivadoVPN successfully prevented Chrome from accessing the internet in any current or new tab.

Our concern about other apps was confirmed through. Despite the fact that our VPN connection was down and access to Chrome was blocked, we could launch Edge and immediately access the internet via our usual connection.

When we combine the results of all this testing, we have to say that PrivadoVPN Free's kill switch functionality is partial at best. There is no guaranteed way to block all internet traffic until the VPN reconnects.

If you're looking for a free VPN with a more reliable kill switch, Proton VPN Free's iteration of the tool worked like a charm – and Windows and Linux users also get access to a stricter Advanced mode.

Score: 6/10

Speed

• PrivadoVPN Free is one of the fastest free VPNs we've tested.
• Incredible WireGuard speeds of 950 Mbps, ideal for any activity.
• Further speed testing hampered by data limits and server access.

It's not easy to run speed tests for PrivadoVPN Free because it limits users to 10 GB per month of data, and our speed testing process uses far more than 10 GB of traffic.

This meant that we were only able to run a short and basic test of the best median download speeds to our nearest server (which is effectively Dublin to the Netherlands, as the UK server location is actually hosted in Amsterdam).

Using the WireGuard protocol, we saw PrivadoVPN Free clock in with an incredible 950 Mbps average download speed. That's in the same ballpark as premium VPNs like Surfshark and Norton, showing price doesn't guarantee performance.

We also just about found enough data to perform a full Dublin-to-US connection test, but it didn't quite perform so admirably, achieving only 393 Mbps. That said, this is more than enough for many use cases.

OpenVPN also performed admirably. It achieved 603 Mbps, just short of NordVPN (688 Mbps), but ahead of Proton VPN which only achieved 449 Mbps. This is great if you'd prefer to use OpenVPN for its superior security over a WireGuard connection.

Read more about PrivadoVPN Free's speed ▼

PrivadoVPN Free's impressive performance is more than enough to keep up with daily browsing; think checking emails, scrolling through social media, and quick calls with friends or family. It'd be enough for smooth streaming, too, but the 10 GB cap doesn't really allow for this.

Once you've reached the monthly data cap, PrivadoVPN Free switches to Lite mode.

Users can still connect to a server, though they can't manually choose it themselves, and speeds are throttled. We recorded a grim performance of 1 Mbps during Lite mode – but we prefer this to being cut off entirely.

Still, as we say, this is more than fair for a free product with speed, an area in which PrivadoVPN Free excels.

Score: 7/10

Unblocking streaming services

• Unblocks US, UK, and Canada Netflix.
• No servers to unblock with in countries such as Australia and New Zealand.
• Could not access Amazon Prime Video or US YouTube (while logged in).

Right off the bat, it's important to note that no free VPN with a set data cap is going to be a good choice for streaming. No movie marathon or binge session is going to last long when you're limited to 10 GB a month.

Some free VPNs struggle to access streaming platforms, too, because they can't invest in their infrastructure and technology the same way that a premium VPN supported by subscriptions can.

Whether a VPN works with a platform is always a cat-and-mouse game, with both sides of the equation trying to stay one step ahead of the other, and paid VPNs simply have more resources to pour into the effort.

With that said, Privado VPN Free has consistently performed well as a VPN for streaming throughout our unblocking tests, and this time was no exception.

Read more about PrivadoVPN Free's streaming service unblocking ▼

We were able to unblock UK Netflix, BBC iPlayer, ITV, and Channel 4. We were also able to access Canada and US Netflix and Disney+.

We're also happy to report that PrivadoVPN Free unblocked these platforms first time, every time. At no point did we need to switch servers or locations.

There were a few stumbling blocks, however.

For a start, we were only able to access US YouTube while we were signed out of our account. When attempting to access the site while logged in, YouTube threw a "VPN/Proxy detected" notice at us, no matter which US location we were connected to – and we tried with the New York, Miami, and Washington locations.

This warning isn't as serious, as it means YouTube is only suspicious, and not certain, but it's still a fail overall.

All in all, we're still impressed by PrivadoVPN Free's streaming results.

Unfortunately, we weren't able to access Amazon Prime Video with any of Privado VPN Free's US servers. It was the same situation trying to connect to Prime Video in Canada. No locations in Australia or Japan meant we couldn't complete our full spread of tests in these areas.

All in all, we're still impressed by PrivadoVPN Free's streaming results. They're especially impressive for a free service, with many of the best VPNs recording very similar results when trying to access US YouTube and Prime Video.

The only real difference between PrivadoVPN Free and the best paid products is the limitation of its server network.

If that's what you need, then you need to put your hand in your pocket for a VPN instead.

Score: 7/10

P2P and torrenting

• All servers support P2P activity.
• Test torrents completed quickly.
• No port forwarding, and SOCKS5 proxy is restricted to paid users.

PrivadoVPN Free supports P2P activity on all of its servers. However, like most viable torrenting VPNs (paid or otherwise), the company doesn't draw attention to the fact.

We didn't find any specific information about P2P support. When we delved into the support pages, we did find an article that seemed to imply that P2P activity is supported everywhere without saying it overtly.

We decided to test PrivadoVPN Free's torrenting compatibility for ourselves. We used qBitTorrent to download test torrents, and used the New York and London servers to download them. Both torrents completed quickly and without any issues.

The monthly 10 GB data cap will come into play here, too, though, and users may need to budget their allowance if they plan on doing a lot of torrenting.

PrivadoVPN Free has no dedicated P2P servers – users will need to select the server nearest to them for the most optimized connection and best performance (keeping in mind that most of PrivadoVPN Free's servers are virtual and located far from the labelled location).

There is no support for port forwarding, either, and only paid PrivadoVPN users have access to a SOCKS5 proxy, which can improve P2P speeds and security.

Score: 4/5

Compatibility

• Apps for all major platforms.
• Consistent feature parity across apps.
• Chrome extension and router support are limited to the premium plan.

PrivadoVPN Free's apps are colourful and relatively compact. They lack the clean design aesthetic of ExpressVPN, or the bells and whistles of NordVPN, but the look and feel remain consistent across desktop and mobile offerings.

Feature parity between apps is mostly consistent, too. Desktop and mobile users get the same basic toolkit – though iOS is missing a kill switch, and, as with many VPNs, there's no split tunnelling on Mac.

Windows

macOS

Android

iOS

Auto-connect on launch

✅

✅

✅

✅

Auto-connect when accessing untrusted networks

❌ (Paid plan only)

❌ (Paid plan only)

❌ (Paid plan only)

❌

Protocols

WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2

WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2

WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2

WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2

Kill switch

✅

✅

✅ (Android system kill switch only)

❌ (Paid plan only)

Split tunneling

✅ (Apps and websites/IPs)

❌ (Paid plan only)

✅ (Apps only)

✅ (Websites/IPs only)

Pause VPN

❌

❌

❌ (Paid plan only)

❌

GPS spoofing

❌

❌

✅

❌

Read more about PrivadoVPN Free's compatibility ▼

PrivadoVPN Free has apps for all major platforms. This includes Windows (and Windows ARM), macOS, Android, and iOS, which covers the most popular devices.

There are also PrivadoVPN Free apps for Fire TV, Android TV, and Apple TV. Most VPNs now offer browser extensions for the likes of Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, but PrivadoVPN now restricts access to them for its paying customers.

Its closest competitors, Proton VPN Free and Windscribe Free, both let free users install Firefox and Chrome extensions. We'd like to see PrivadoVPN Free reverse its decision to lock browser extensions behind a paywall – after all, they're a great and lightweight way to benefit from VPN protection and geo-spoofing.

It's technically possible to set up PrivadoVPN Free on a router, and there are even a handful of setup guides on the support site. However, when we dug into them, we saw warnings that manual router configuration was only available to premium users.

Score: 3/5

Usability

• Installation is quick and simple.
• Apps are easy to navigate on all platforms.
• Server list is well-organized, but virtual locations can cause confusion.

Before we downloaded PrivadoVPN Free, our first port of call was the PrivadoVPN site. We saw that PrivadoVPN does its best to try and persuade users that they're better off with a paid subscription rather than the free service.

We scrolled almost halfway down the homepage before we even saw a mention of the free VPN, and there's no "free VPN" link in amongst the others in the page footer.

There are two ways to find a link to download PrivadoVPN Free. The first involves scrolling down to the FAQ section at the bottom of the home page, selecting "Free Plan & Pricing" tab, then expanding the first question and clicking "Free Plan".

Read more about PrivadoVPN Free's usability ▼

This link will take you to the download page. Input your email and click the orange button, and the download will begin.

Alternatively, in your search engine of choice, searching for "PrivadoVPN Free" and selecting the link to the free VPN landing page will take you to the same place.

Thankfully, we found the download and installation process to be much more straightforward.

After creating our profile (and verifying our email address), we downloaded the installer (or the app from the App Store), punched in our login details when prompted, and PrivadoVPN Free launched without a hitch.

User experience

PrivadoVPN Free's apps recently underwent a significant overhaul, though with the primary aim of cleaning up an already simple design.

The app retains its huge connect button, though it now resembles more of a toggle. You continue to have quick access to key settings via the hotbar, and via small icons, though there are now fewer of these. You also retain the near-identical layout across both mobile and desktop devices.

What this means is that for beginners, you get quick access to the few settings PrivadoVPN Free offers. Once you've found them, and get comfortable using them, you then needn't worry about finding them as they'll be in essentially the same place on most devices.

All in all, we found PrivadoVPN Free much easier to navigate than Windscribe Free. While the latter is more compact, finding your way around the the various features and options takes a little longer, and there's no quick access to the tools that you'll likely use regularly.

If you want a free VPN that's as unobtrusive as possible, taking the form of a small tile until expanded, Windscribe Free could be ideal, but PrivadoVPN Free's layout is more centralized and intuitive.

The home panel clearly displays a reminder of how much data remains in the month. There's also an ever-present option to upgrade to a paid plan.

We saw this number tick down as we browsed and did our speed and torrenting tests. It's a useful bit of UI, but we noticed that different apps sometimes displayed different numbers. At one point, we saw 2.3 GB remaining on Windows and 2 GB on our iPad.

The mobile app is virtually identical to its desktop counterpart, though we felt like the long and tall design worked better on a phone screen. We saw the same connect button and IP information, and the same selected server location.

The only major difference is the tool quickbar at the bottom of the screen. It's much simpler, with shortcuts to the main VPN, Control Tower tool, and account information. Ultimately, we prefer the desktop version.

Pivoting back to the home panel and clicking the currently selected location displays PrivadoVPN Free's full location list. Unlike ExpressVPN, it doesn't pop out in a new tab – it's contained in the same slim window.

The free servers are listed right at the top, which we liked, as it meant we didn't have to sift through the entire list looking for free options.

The location list only displays country names, though. To connect to a server, we had to click a country, then choose a city from the menu that expands out. Once we clicked that, PrivadoVPN Free connected us to it.

This system isn't cumbersome, but joining a server does take one more click than it does with most other VPNs. With NordVPN, for instance, it's possible to connect to the fastest server in a country by clicking the country name and nothing else. You only have to expand the country menu if you want to choose a particular city.

The location list is sorted by latency but defaults with the closest geographical servers at the top of the list. That's useful in theory but, in practice, there's a problem.

As we mentioned in our Servers section, most of PrivadoVPN Free's servers are located in just a handful of places: the Netherlands and Washington, US. It meant that, in the UK, when we opened our location list, we saw India ahead of the UK.

This makes some sense, as both servers are hosted in the Netherlands, and ping times are likely so similar that the servers could be listed in any order. For first time users accessing PrivadoVPN Free's location list, however, it might look like nonsense. There's no way, geographically, that Indian or Brazilian servers should have lower latency for a UK user than the actual UK server.

Fortunately, it's possible to sort the servers alphabetically, which is far more logical.

We were also glad to see that the location list has a Favorites system. Adding servers to this list is as simple as tapping the star next to the individual server you'd like to include. Then, they're accessible via the tab at the top of the app.

The options menu expands the PrivadoVPN Free app on desktop, which we appreciated, as it gave the UI more room to breathe.

This is where you'll find the auto-connect, kill switch, and account options, and most of them are formatted as a simple checkbox.

For instance, we when wanted to switch protocols, we unchecked the box that had PrivadoVPN Free automatically choose one for us, then checked the box next to WireGuard.

On mobile, the settings are where PrivadoVPN's Free features are housed. It generally takes an extra tap or two to find a feature and enable it than it does on desktop. Auto-connect, for example, is listed under the "VPN" settings, and after tapping on the feature, we're taken to another menu where we can toggle it on or off.

Most mobile VPNs work this way, though, in order not to overload the user's screen with text, checkboxes, and toggles.

Despite the extra legwork, we preferred PrivadoVPN Free's mobile apps, though they work just as well on desktop.

Score: 3/5

Accessibility

• Decent language support, with 16 included.
• Poor accessibility scores – especially for screen readers.
• Hardly any keyboard support.

To put a VPN's accessibility to the test, we use AccessibilityChecker to scan its home page for any issues. These include things like a lack of support for screen readers, whether color schemes and text have strong contrast, and more.

Unfortunately, PrivadoVPN Free did not perform well. It achieved a score of just 10%, which puts it right at the bottom of our scoreboard. Even the second-to-last entry, CyberGhost, managed a score of 17%, and Proton VPN outperformed both with 35%.

The AccessibilityChecker audit highlighted particular problems with screen reader support. This is a significant problem for sight-impaired users, as they may not be able to navigate the website.

Read more about PrivadoVPN Free's accessibility ▼

It is worth noting that this test only covers a single page on the provider's website and, as a result, only gives us a general indicator of a VPN's accessibility credentials.

PrivadoVPN also has no accessibility-specific features that we could find. Plus, its free plan lacks some of the most useful automation options – like the option to automatically connect when accessing potentially dangerous free Wi-Fi hotspots. Like most of PrivadoVPN's most powerful tools, it's restricted to paying customers.

We were also disappointed to see that PrivadoVPN Free has no support for Siri Shortcuts to enable voice control on Apple devices.

PrivadoVPN Free does, however, have decent language support, offering 16 in total. It's a number that still trails behind other providers, like Proton VPN (28), but it's on par with leading premium services. ExpressVPN, for instance, has 17 languages, and NordVPN and Surfshark both offer 13.

(Image credit: PrivadoVPN Free )

Popular languages are readily available, like English, Chinese (simplified and traditional), French, Spanish, and Russian. We'd like to see more included in the future, though, like Japanese, Arabic, and Korean.

Finally, we tested PrivadoVPN Free's keyboard support. This is an important part of app accessibility. If a user can't operate a mouse, they should still be able to access every feature of a VPN app with their keyboard.

We stopped using our mouse in favour of our keyboard, and used standard Windows keypresses like Tab and Enter to navigate the app, open lists, and click buttons. We aimed to see what we can and can't access.

PrivadoVPN Free did not perform well here, either. We were unable to do virtually anything. After hitting Tab and the arrow keys multiple times, we managed to reach the location list, but little else.

The PrivadoVPN Free app doesn't display a consistent focus rectangle to highlight the active part of the window and guide navigation, and it doesn't appear to support standard Windows keyboard navigation rules in any consistent way.

Score: 1/5

Customer support

• PrivadoVPN Free has 24/7 email and ticketing support.
• There is a well-stocked support site with tutorials and troubleshooting guides.
• Some information is questionable, and needs know-how to spot.

PrivadoVPN Free's support team is contactable via the main site, and a 24/7 email and ticketing system.

We were pleasantly surprised by the amount of content on the support site. Some of the articles go to surprising lengths to help, too.

The article on troubleshooting connectivity issues suggests that an antivirus or firewall could be the problem, and whitelisting PrivadoVPN could make all the difference.

Other VPNs usually stop there, but PrivadoVPN Free goes further, with links to articles from antivirus vendors including Bitdefender, ESET, Avast, Norton, Microsoft, and more, explaining what to do next.

Read more about PrivadoVPN Free's customer support ▼

We found the support site nice and easy to search through, too, and it did a good job of sorting results into a sensible order.

When we searched for speed, for example, the first three hits were practical and relevant: a guide on performing a speed test, another on how to speed up the VPN connection, and an explainer covering the differences between UDP and TCP.

As we dug deeper, we did notice questionable information in some articles.

‘How to speed up my PrivadoVPN connection’ suggested users try another protocol, for instance, but suggested that IKEv2 was the fastest option. In our experience, WireGuard is much faster, and telling users otherwise is likely to cause problems. It also leaves us wondering what other dubious recommendations the database might contain.

What's more, we found some articles are rarely, if ever, updated. Searching for articles on Control Tower brought up set up tutorials for Windows XP, Vista, 7, and 10, but nothing for Windows 11, the only actively updated version of Windows.

All in all, the support site doesn't compare to the polished and in-depth libraries of NordVPN and ExpressVPN. Still, most articles contain genuinely useful content, although it helps if you’ve the experience to spot poor advice like ‘IKEv2 is fastest’ and focus on the quality information.

Score: 3/5

User reviews

• Trustpilot reviews have dropped slightly.
• Complaints center around virtual locations and abuse of the free service.
• High percentage of one-star reviews on the Android App Store.

We take a look at user reviews on Trustpilot to get a sense of what real people think about the VPN and its reputation amongst the userbase. While these reviews offer valuable insight, we still take them with a pinch of salt.

As of April 2026, PrivadoVPN Free has a Trustpilot rating of 3.5. This is pretty subpar, and marks a slight drop from the 3.6 rating we saw in our previous round of testing.

It's not an encouraging performance, but none of the other VPNs we tested saw an increase, either, and three of the six providers also saw a drop.

Google Play

App Store

Trustpilot

ExpressVPN

4.7

4.7

4.1

NordVPN

4.6

4.7

4.2

Surfshark

4.6

4.7

4.3

Proton VPN

4.7

4.6

2.1

Windscribe

4.6

4.6

4.7

PrivadoVPN

3.5

4.0

3.5

Read more about PrivadoVPN Free's user reviews ▼

It's also worth noting that these Trustpilot ratings pertain to the entire PrivadoVPN service and not just its free tier.

PrivadoVPN's mobile app ratings are good. We interpret this as meaning that people who are expressing their experience with the service are reasonably happy. We also think that low scores are more likely to come from paid users who have higher expectations of what they want for their money.

When we looked at the latest one-star reviews, they do seem to mostly come from paying customers.

One of these reviews says: ‘I needed a VPN and tried the Free tier. It seemed to work fine, but a lot of websites (Google, YouTube, Reddit) are "blocked due to abuse," as you'd expect from a free VPN’, before going on to say that they signed up to try and fix the issue, but it didn’t help.

We also noticed that other one star reviews claimed that PrivadoVPN's locations were "fake", claiming to be in one place but giving a location in the Netherlands, for example.

PrivadoVPN does host a lot of locations in the Netherlands, true, but users are heading to sites like iplocation.net, reading that the location is supposedly in the Netherlands and assuming that’s true. But it’s almost certainly not; it’s just that these sites don’t have the latest IP data yet.

We experienced this for ourselves during this testing period. We saw a Netherlands location when it shouldn't shown somewhere else, and only updated after we tried other sources.

Overall, while PrivadoVPN Free's Trustpilot scores aren't great, they're not a disaster, and there are strong reasons to believe free users are happier about the service.

We also took a look at the US ratings in the Google Play, the App Store and the Chrome Extension Store.

PrivadoVPN lags behind the majority of the competition across the board. However, like its Trustpilot rating, these scores cover the entire service, including the paid VPN plans. It's possible that free users rate PrivadoVPN far higher than the scores we see here.

Still, an Android app score of 3.4 is very low. When we studied Android ratings previously, the middle 50% of Android VPN apps rate between 4.0 and 4.5, and the bottom 10% score 3.5 or lower. We don’t blindly trust reviews, but this is bad, and it’s getting worse.

The percentage of one star reviews also looks significant. PrivadoVPN has three to five times as many one star reviews (as a proportion of the total) as the other providers here. Users aren’t just gently deciding PrivadoVPN isn’t quite right for their needs; they seem to actively dislike it.

Track record: can you trust PrivadoVPN Free?

• Has never undergone a third-party audit.
• No history of privacy issues.
• No data breaches on record.

Unfortunately, PrivadoVPN Free hasn't undergone any kind of privacy or security audit.

This means that there's no way for us to verify whether this VPN is adhering to its (already questionable) privacy policy and whether it's taking active steps to resolve vulnerabilities.

This isn't what we like to see from a VPN. Transparency is key, in our book, and regular audits of a provider's policy, servers, apps, and infrastructure go a long way to reassure users that their data privacy is being handled with care. Currently, PrivadoVPN Free cannot back up its own assertions.

The silver lining here is that we couldn't find any press reports of privacy issues or dubious activities, and there are no related entries in the CVE vulnerability database. It's encouraging, but it doesn't make up for a lack of regular audits.

We should also mention that PrivadoVPN recently said it would leave Switzerland on privacy grounds. The provider is to move to Iceland after the Swiss government proposed expanding surveillance obligations to include VPNs. This would massively diminish Switzerland's place as a privacy haven, and would likely see more providers than just PrivadoVPN leave.

Final verdict

PrivadoVPN Free is an excellent option, and we rank it at #1 in our shortlist of the best free VPNs.

You don't have to pay anything to use PrivadoVPN Free, and free plans are free forever. However, if you want to upgrade and enjoy an expanded toolkit of security features, a premium subscription is also available for a very reasonable price.View Deal

Who should use PrivadoVPN Free?

✅ Anyone who wants a reliable free VPN: PrivadoVPN Free's apps work well across all devices, and they're quick enough to keep up with day-to-day browsing.

✅ Users looking to stream with a free VPN: although PrivadoVPN Free doesn't work with all streaming platforms, and has a monthly data cap, it performs better than other free services by unblocking a handful of sites.

✅ Torrenters and P2P file sharers: all free servers support P2P traffic, and our test torrents downloaded quickly.

Get PrivadoVPN Free
We rate PrivadoVPN Free as the best free VPN available. There are no adverts and no bloatware attached. You can stream with it, you can torrent with it and you can choose between 13 different server locations too. The only catch is that you're limited to 10 GB of usage each month:

✅ 13 global server locations
✅ Average download speeds of over 950 Mbps
✅ 10 GB of data to use each month

If you like PrivadoVPN Free, and wish to remove the data limit shackles, then the full PrivadoVPN plan is one of the best cheap VPNs available. It's $1.11 per month and comes with over 60 server locations to choose from.View Deal

Who should try a different VPN instead?

❌ Anyone who needs a full VPN toolkit: PrivadoVPN Free comes with basic VPN functionality, though some core tools (like kill switch on iOS and auto-connect) are missing.

PrivadoVPN Free vs Windscribe Free
Windscribe Free is third in our overall rankings of free VPNs. It's a lightweight option that's fast, and goes toe-to-toe with PrivadoVPN Free in most areas. They both restrict users to 10 GB a month and have a similar count of server locations, but Windscribe Free also comes with unlimited simultaneous connections, and doesn't hide the lion's share of its features behind a paywall. We find its UI and apps trickier to navigate, which means PrivadoVPN Free is our go-to recommendation for new VPN users looking for an intuitive suite of free apps.

PrivadoVPN Free FAQsIs PrivadoVPN Free completely free?

Yes. Once you've made an account and downloaded the app, you can use PrivadoVPN Free for as long as you want without upgrading to a paid plan. Keep in mind that free users are restricted to 10 Gb of data per month, and only 1 simultaneous connection.

Is PrivadoVPN Free safe?

We've found no concerns whatsoever in the operation of PrivadoVPN Free as a safe VPN product. The kill switch is not 100% and the privacy policy is a little ambiguous but we have never found any problems with how this VPN handles our user data. It's VPN protocols are private and its server networks is secure. Take a look at the Privacy and Security sections of this review for more information.

Is PrivadoVPN Free good?

Yes. PrivadoVPN free is a very good VPN. We rate it as the best free VPN available. It is, however, a considerable set down from the best VPNs in terms of security features and usability but it's still a great product. Its main drawback – like many free products – is that you can only get so much usage each month before you have to pay.

PrivadoVPN Free testing methodology

Whenever I state that "I" did something in this review, or offer a personal opinion, I'm leveraging my own experience with the VPN.

When I say "we", however, I'm referring to the TechRadar VPN team that tested PrivadoVPN Free. Mike Williams, Technical Editor, performed this testing, having built his own VPN testing software and methodology over 11 years in the VPN world. Mike applied the same lab conditions to PrivadoVPN Free that we apply to all of the VPNs we stress test and review.

This process involves standardized speed testing in conditions optimal for VPN performance, determining whether the kill switch causes IP address leaks, and manually checking the VPN protocols. For more information about Mike’s process, head on over to our lab testing methodology explainer.

You can also check out our author biographies to learn more about our experience with VPNs.

Our team has fact-checked this PrivadoVPN Free review. It also contains information from the provider itself. We take the time to update the review every month, too, ensuring that our content is always up-to-date, containing new audit results, feature updates, and other information. This also means that there won't be a discrepancy between our review and the product you download.

If you had a different experience with PrivadoVPN Free, or if there's anything we missed, reach out via the comments section or email us directly. We’ll do our best to provide product support, correct any mistakes, or warn other users and readers.

Customization is a crucial part of any good HR suite – if you can make your solution work for your business, everyone involved will find it easier and more effective to use. It’s no surprise, then, that the software teams at Cezanne have built an HR product that places customization at its core.

You can tailor this system to your workflows, automate key tasks, and simplify and improve efficiency across the entire employee lifecycle.

When it launched in 2013, Cezanne was the first fully cloud-native HR system designed for UK businesses, and now the organization serves companies around the world thanks to a renewed focus on global success and international collaboration.

If you’re an SMB or enterprise that needs to connect HR systems in multiple countries, then Cezanne could be the best HR software for the job, although the UK focus may put off some users.

Cezanne HR: Plans and pricing

As with many HR solutions, Cezanne doesn’t publish pricing details publicly. Instead, pricing is devised on a case-by-case basis. Companies pay for Cezanne on a monthly basis, with the fee adjusted based on the average number of employees in the business during the previous month.

Bespoke pricing means that Cezanne’s customers can choose the modules they need and scale the solution to fit their organization, although a lack of pricing information available publicly can make initial budgeting and research more difficult.

Happily, Cezanne doesn’t charge additional setup or support fees, unlike some other providers. Sadly, no free trial is available.

(Image credit: Future)Cezanne HR: Features

Cezanne’s Core HR functionality begins with an employee database that’s packed with every kind of information you’ll need about your staff – it’s a single source of truth that informs functionality across the rest of your modules.

By combining customizable workflows at every stage with a robust system of alerts and notifications, Cezanne enables HR teams to effectively manage large teams and create systems that work for their organizations.

Employee self-service enables staff to update their own details. Details can be updated in the Cezanne mobile app, too, and employees can submit PTO requests, complete HR forms, and access payslips. Managers can use the app to respond to all of those requests.

Cezanne supports electronic signatures and document-tracking, it offers an HR form builder with plenty of customization options, and integrated SMS messaging provides another avenue of communication.

The app automatically generates and distributes timesheets, and you can configure them with your own working patterns and methods – and employees can clock in and out using the Cezanne system, the mobile app, or tablets installed at your workplaces. Sadly, there’s no mention of the biometric systems you’ll find supported by other HR solutions.

Cezanne’s performance management module is built for continuous and periodic employee reviews, with features to quickly conduct and analyze 1-1 meetings. Managers can build their own goals for employees and those staff members can update progress and upload evidence, and you can use SMART objectives, rate competencies, and generate development recommendations. And for compensation reviews, Cezanne makes it easier with benchmarking, an integrated planning module, and automated notifications.

Cezanne supports 360-degree feedback, too, and includes employee recognition options like peer-to-peer systems, badges, and categories. This recognition can be seen on your company news feed, which mimics social media functionality by providing updates, images, videos, and more. You can also send pulse surveys to gauge your employees' mood.

When it comes to PTO and absence, Cezanne handles calculations once you’ve defined your organizational rules, and employees can book absence from within Microsoft Teams. There’s support for TOIL and Bradford Factor reporting, too.

Cezanne provides a content library to support employee learning and development. You can integrate your company’s custom training programs, and you can automate learning communications to save your HR team time.

When you’re ready to promote, interactive performance and employee potential charts help you identify candidates and plan succession, and you can evaluate employee readiness and key attributes alongside business needs.

Data visualization makes succession planning simpler, and that’s a theme within Cezanne – because every module includes dashboards and reporting options that present data in graphs and charts that are easier to understand. Reporting across the app is also bolstered by good exporting options, including Power BI support.

It’s a crucial tool for effective decision-making by HR teams, and the graphical dashboards offer complete customization, too, so your HR teams can choose which data is included, pick the best display methods, and generate reports and presentations that can help make a difference.

As with many HR solutions providers, Cezanne has recently begun integrating AI features into its software. Cezanne’s AI integrations can help you build documents and emails, refine your writing, and accelerate workflow creation. In the near future, Cezanne plans to add a knowledge search feature that will pull answers directly from your documents and policies.

Cezanne’s recruitment module, powered by Occupop, delivers end-to-end hiring functionality and can integrate with Cezanne’s HR system or function as a standalone product.

You can build a branded career site, publish vacancies on global job boards, and use a job requisition management system to keep control of your hiring. You can build a talent database, use employee referral incentives, and provide hiring managers with clear overviews of candidates so you can pick the best prospects.

Smart shortlisting tools, candidate evaluation metrics, and workflows keep the hiring process moving at pace, interview scheduling is straightforward, and interview scorecards help you consider candidates.

When you’re hired, you can built customized onboarding portals with embedded videos, data, and welcome messages, create task lists for new hires and managers, and personalize the entire experience for specific candidates and positions.

Cezanne offers two payroll options. If you want to handle it in-house, Cezanne’s system delivers configurable dashboards, payslip generation, deduction reviews, and fast payroll processing – alongside seamless, real-time data management, payment calculations, pension reports, and pension auto-enrollment assessment.

This system is fully compliant with UK regulations, including HMRC and GDPR, and the software is ISO 27001-compliant. It’s a great slate of features but, sadly, the downside is that Cezanne’s payroll module only functions in the UK, even though the company’s HR system functions globally.

If you’re an international business, then your payroll options are simple: use a third-party tool or use Cezanne’s managed payroll services, which come at an additional cost. Once you’ve signed up, just make sure the pay-related details in your system are correct, and Cezanne’s team will handle the rest.

Cezanne offers an open API, which makes it relatively easy for your tech teams to connect this tool with third-party systems, and the company also offers plenty of pre-built third-party integrations.

This HR solution integrates with the full suite of Google and Microsoft products, as well as tools from Greenhouse, Workable, and Slack. That’s helpful, but at the time of writing the Cezanne website only included a couple of dozen integrations – other HR solutions offer hundreds.

As with most HR suites, the features you get with Cezanne depend on which modules you buy – and, in turn, that can increase costs to your organization. Also bear in mind that native payroll is a UK-only offering, so international businesses will need to look elsewhere or pay more for Cezanne’s managed payroll services.

(Image credit: Future)Cezanne HR: Ease of use

Cezanne HR is an easy system to start using, with a gentle learning curve and loads of configuration – you can build the solution to work with your organization’s existing processes and tools, and it can be as complex or as straightforward as you like.

Navigation follows a conventional blueprint with modules opened from a menu on the left-hand side of the page and content displayed in the main window. It’s a modern, good-looking system that effectively balances complexity and usability.

Straightforward visuals and modern fonts make the system’s information easy to understand, color-coded calendars make planning and tracking simpler, and windows pop up with additional data in smart, helpful locations. You can drag-and-drop candidates based on visual data when recruiting, customize graphs in the insights module, and choose different permissions for various user groups throughout your business.

There’s plenty of customization available on Cezanne’s dashboard, too – it’s one of the most editable options we’ve seen anywhere. You can drag and drop widgets, adjust their size, alter colors and backgrounds, and build a home screen that works for you.

Indeed, customization is baked into Cezanne at every opportunity, which is great news for managers and administrators – and the reporting is versatile and robust, too, with plenty of chances to build outputs around your needs.

(Image credit: Future)Cezanne HR: Support

Cezanne’s customer support starts with a knowledge base that’s packed with guides, resources, news, and videos on using the product. There’s also an AI chatbot that can help answer common questions and triage customer issues.

If you do need to get in touch, Cezanne offers an online ticket-based support system and phone support, with lines open from 9am to 5.30pm UK time on weekdays. There are no higher tiers of support and no additional charges.

It’s a reasonable support offering, but the UK-based office hours put Cezanne slightly behind rivals.

(Image credit: Future)Cezanne HR: Competition

Cezanne’s customer support starts with a knowledge base that’s packed with guides, resources, news, and videos on using the product. There’s also an AI chatbot that can help answer common questions and triage customer issues.

If you do need to get in touch, Cezanne offers an online ticket-based support system and phone support, with lines open from 9am to 5.30pm UK time on weekdays. There are no higher tiers of support and no additional charges.

It’s a reasonable support offering, but the UK-based office hours put Cezanne slightly behind rivals.

Cezanne HR: Final verdict

Cezanne is a good option for any organization that needs flexibility throughout its HR processes – customization is a highlight throughout Cezanne’s various modules, the workflows are excellent, and the product offers a broad set of modules and features that cover the entire employee lifecycle.

Reporting is good, too, and Cezanne offers a reasonably accommodating learning curve, even for beginners.

Negatively, you can only use native payroll here if you’re based in the UK, and Cezanne’s library of integrations isn’t as deep as you’ll find elsewhere. Pricing transparency is lacking, and other products will have more accommodating support options – even if you have to pay for them.

Cezanne is an HR solution that you can build around a growing business, but we’d consider the payroll and integrations situations carefully before investing.

The specialists behind Employment Hero founded the company after seeing poor HR processes at work – and now their platform promises to tackle every HR challenge while making employment easier, more effective, and more valuable for everyone involved.

The business has grown quickly since it was founded in 2014 – it’s reached unicorn status, with 300,000 businesses supported and over two million active users.

The company’s HR software is collected under a platform called EmploymentOS and aims to tackle hiring, payroll, management, learning, engagement, compliance, and more. It’s designed for SMBs facing a wall of employment complexity as they begin to grow, and there’s a strong emphasis within the business on adding AI functionality to enhance operations and improve efficiency for every customer.

The software was originally designed for Australian businesses. It now works globally, and the company especially focuses on Australia, the UK, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, and Malaysia.

For more picks, see our guide to the best HR software

Employment Hero: Plans and pricing

Employment Hero is transparent about pricing - a refreshing attitude in a market where many companies won’t give you a price until you talk to sales. A free trial is also available, which is not the case with all HR solutions.

Employment Hero’s Standard package costs £4 (about $5.35) per employee per month and includes basic HR functionality like timesheets, employee record management, entry-level recruitment tools, and options to manage staff performance and leave. There’s also a basic, free payroll plan.

HR Premium costs £7 (about $9.37) and adds functionality including rostering and scheduling, budgeting, advanced recruitment tools, and performance reviews.

The HR Platinum product is only available directly from sales, although it will likely cost around £10 (about $13.38) per employee per month. At this tier, you get every feature from the previous two levels alongside learning and growth modules.

And if you want the maximum functionality from the solution, the Employment Unlimited tier unlocks additional learning tools, enhanced support, managed payroll, HR advisors, a recruitment agent, and a candidate-finding system called SmartMatch. This tier also adds Earned Wage Access and EAP Standard.

If you’d like more functionality and customization, all of those Employment Hero tiers are available with add-ons. Managed Payroll costs £12 ($16) per employee per month, and you can get HR and Employment Law Advisory for £6 ($8) monthly. A Learning Plus module provides development content to staff for £7 ($9.37) per employee per month.

Employment Hero’s full payroll functionality is sold as a separate product, too, that you can add to your HR package while you’re creating your overall solution.

(Image credit: Future)Employment Hero: Features

While functionality depends on the Employment Hero package you choose, the platform is packed with features and focused on providing end-to-end management for SMBs, along with a “single source of truth” for vital data.

You’ll also find a solid amount of customization in Employment Hero’s higher-tier products, including the ability to create your own workflows and automations - a key part of any HR solution, especially one that aims to make life easier and maintain data integrity.

A central employee database, bolstered by ISO 27001:2013 certification, ensures accessibility and security, and an employee management module handles compliance, reporting, and certification to avoid bottlenecks and delays.

The time and attendance module can use optional photo-capture and geolocation features to support attendance tracking. Managers can create and manage schedules, track headcount, and analyze costs. There’s also a full leave management section.

Employees can log their own hours using a dedicated app or use a PIN-protected on-site system, and you can even let employees claim open shifts and create your own approval flows to avoid staffing shortages. On top of this, you’ll find budgeting, compensation, extensive reporting, and real-time alerting to ensure your staffing and spend stay on track.

The learning management system serves up tailored development journeys, industry-specific bundles of learning content, and options for tracking progress and tackling employee 1:1 meetings and reviews. If you’re interested in recruiting, depending on the tier you buy, you’ll get job posting, candidate screening, talent pipelines, recruitment analytics, and DEI tools. Employment Hero also functions as an Employer of Record in over 180 countries.

Sitting above this functionality is AI Hero - the software’s new artificial assistant. It’s designed to answer repetitive employee questions and save HR teams time by writing messages, job descriptions, and more. It can help personalize 1:1 meetings and summarize interviews, too.

Elsewhere, Employment Hero provides an employee management app for Android and iOS to simplify administration. There’s an API for easier integration with other systems, and Employment Hero integrates with third-party payroll tools like Xero and MYOB.

Employment Hero’s feature set is impressively broad, positioning the tool as an SMB-focused all-rounder. This solution combines core HR functionality with time and attendance tracking, recruitment, learning, automation, and now AI assistance – and it’s even better when you consider the features that are included once you go up the pricing tiers.

That said, be careful when checking which features you’ll actually get if you decide to invest in one of the more affordable tiers, because key features like workflows, learning tools, and additional HR and payroll support may not be included. This pricing structure is not unique to Employment Hero, but it’s worth remembering.

(Image credit: Future)Employment Hero: Ease of use

Employment Hero’s developers concentrate on streamlined processes, modern interfaces, and user-friendly design, so it’s no wonder that this is one of the better-looking and more straightforward user interfaces on the market.

It’s an attractive system with clean typography and purple highlights. The dashboard includes a company feed, to-do list, key metrics, and a “launchpad” with quick links to common functions. You can add and remove widgets from the home page, create your own quick links, and click a button along the top of the app to launch Hero AI and see your notifications.

This tool makes a strong first impression, and the design is consistently impressive in other modules.

The People section makes it easy to access your employee database, files, vacancies, and offers, and you can also easily see vacancies, contractors, and an organization chart. Head into your employee database and you’ll find straightforward, sensible filtering options.

Other sections of the app are organized just as well. The design is consistent, which makes it easier for your HR teams to use the tool effectively, even if they’re not very experienced with HR software.

Reports are smart, attractive, and easy to parse, too – a common theme among any graphical elements in the Employment Hero interface.

(Image credit: Future)Employment Hero: Support

The Employment Hero Service Center includes easy access to a knowledge base full of articles, an in-depth FAQ section and a system status page alongside a helpful community forum where you can discuss the software with other Employment Hero users.

If you need to contact support, the Hero AI bot is used as a triage step. If that mechanism hasn’t directed you to an answer, you can file a ticket and talk to a support agent using the chat system, and Unlimited customers get the option of phone support, too.

The primary support team is based in the UK and operates from Monday to Friday in UK business hours, which traditionally means from 9am until 5pm. Additional support teams are on hand to pick up tickets around the world if you file a support query outside of those UK hours.

(Image credit: Future)Employment Hero: Competition

Anyone looking for an SMB-focused HR solution has plenty of options to choose from, even if you’re considering UK-based products.

Sage HR is another frontrunner if you need an all-in-one HR solution designed for SMBs, and IRIS is another comprehensive tool.

If you’d like to evaluate options that excel in specific areas, then you’ve got no shortage of choice, either. BambooHR and HiBob are superb when it comes to employee experience and engagement, and both have more engaging user interfaces than Cintra – although they’re a little weaker when it comes to payroll.

For a product that’s stronger with the financials, RUN Powered by ADP is an SMB-specific alternative, and Workable is excellent for recruitment.

Employment Hero: Final verdict

Employment Hero is a strong choice for SMBs that want a broad, well-balanced HR system that ticks most of the major functionality boxes, especially if you’ve got the budget to invest in one of the higher tiers and pack the product with add-ons.

The clean UI and automation tools make the system easier to use than many other options, and Employment Hero’s pricing transparency is refreshingly welcome in a marketplace that wants to drive potential buyers into conversations with sales teams.

There are drawbacks, though. The entry-level product misses out on expenses functionality, performance reviews, allowances and more features, while even in the HR Premium solution you don’t get workflows, learning tools, and some extra support – they’re only available at Platinum.

If you want to save money while getting some of those features, it pays to shop around – and, similarly, if you need enterprise-level complexity and functionality, you’ll want to look elsewhere too. Overall, Employment Hero is polished, easy to use, and a good all-rounder, but make sure you definitely get the features you need.

Mailjet launched in France in 2010 with a focus on making email collaboration easier for teams. Today it serves over 100,000 customers across 150 countries. Now part of the Sinch group (following the Pathwire acquisition in 2021), it covers both marketing campaigns and transactional email through a single account.

In this Mailjet review, a few things stand out: volume-based pricing that doesn't penalize you for list size, real-time co-editing built into the campaign builder, and deliverability tools that most platforms either charge extra for or don't include at all.

TechRadar Pro has been reviewing email marketing software since 2012. Our contributors have tested leading email marketing tools like Mailchimp and Brevo year after year. That track record gives us a solid benchmark for where Mailjet fits in the market today.

My experience with Mailjet

(Image credit: Mailjet)

Getting started takes slightly longer than you'd expect. Before you can launch your first campaign, Mailjet's support team runs a verification check on your business details and intended sending volume. It's a minor but noticeable friction point compared to platforms that let you start sending immediately after signup.

Once your account is active, the experience is organized and straightforward. The dashboard separates campaign tools, API settings, and contacts into clearly labeled sections, and the onboarding guide forks into different paths depending on whether you're setting up as a marketer or a developer.

Value for money is strong, especially on the Essential plan, where unlimited contacts and access to deliverability tools make the $17/month price point hard to argue with.

Mailjet review: Features

(Image credit: Mailjet)

Mailjet's standout feature is its real-time collaborative editor. Multiple users can work on the same campaign at once, leave inline comments, and lock individual sections to prevent unintended edits. For teams that typically bounce email drafts around over Slack or shared folders, this alone is a meaningful upgrade. It's an unusual capability at this price range.

Beyond collaboration, the platform covers both marketing and transactional email through a shared API infrastructure. The MJML-based editor generates responsive layouts automatically, and A/B testing supports up to 10 campaign variations, which is one of the more flexible implementations we've come across. The Brand Kit, which can generate your visual identity from a website URL, speeds up template setup and keeps designs consistent across sends.

Where Mailjet trails the field is automation. The workflow builder handles standard drip sequences and basic triggers, but it doesn't support the behavioral conditions or multi-path journeys that tools like ActiveCampaign or Brevo offer. The template library (around 65 designs) is functional but limited in variety. There's also no built-in landing page builder, which some competitors include as standard.

Mailjet review: User experience

The interface is clean and logically laid out.

Campaign creation follows a clear progression: pick a template, edit in the drag-and-drop builder, select your recipients, and schedule. Non-technical users should find the flow intuitive from day one, and the editor works well for standard newsletter and promotional campaigns without needing any code knowledge.

A few details worth knowing: Mailjet automatically applies dark mode CSS and meta tags to your emails, which prevents the broken-layout issues that affect many campaigns in dark-mode inboxes. The Brand Kit also makes it faster to stay on-brand across multiple campaigns without manually re-entering colors and fonts each time. The overall UI is functional, though it feels less modern than newer platforms, and some sections look like they haven't been refreshed in a while.

Mailjet review: Customer support

Support access is tiered by plan, and the lower tiers are restrictive. Free and Starter subscribers get online support for the first month only; after that, you rely on Mailjet's documentation center and its self-serve Email Academy. Essential and Premium customers retain ongoing access to online support, which is a step up but still falls short of live chat options offered by some rivals.

Custom enterprise customers receive a dedicated Technical Account Manager plus an API expert, which is a meaningful upgrade for high-volume senders. For a platform that serves developers and teams running critical email infrastructure, the gap in support between entry-level and enterprise plans is wide enough to matter. If deliverability issues arise on a lower-tier plan, your path to resolution is mostly self-service.

Mailjet pricing and plans

Plan

Price (monthly)

Emails

Contacts

Free

$0

6000 a month, 200 a day

1000

Starter

$9

8000 a month

No limit

Essential

From $17

From 15,000 to 500,000

No limit

Premium

From $27

From 15,000 to 500,000

No limit

Custom

Custom

500,000+

No limit

Mailjet's pricing model is one of its clearest advantages over contact-capped competitors. Because Essential and Premium charge by email volume rather than contacts stored, businesses with large but infrequently mailed lists get considerably better value than they would on Mailchimp or Klaviyo.

The free plan covers 6,000 monthly sends with a 1,000-contact cap and a 200-per-day limit. Starter at $9/month removes that daily cap but tops out at 8,000 emails per month with no way to scale it further, making it a transitional tier rather than a long-term home. Essential at $17/month is where the platform opens up: unlimited contacts, 500 email validations, 500 email previews per month, and volume scaling from 15,000 to 500,000 sends.

Premium at $27/month adds expanded preview credits, team and account management tools, and a dedicated IP on plans with 100,000+ sends, with the same volume range. Annual billing reduces Essential to $15.30/month and Premium to $24.30/month. For senders above 500,000 emails, a Custom enterprise tier is available with dedicated support and tailored terms. All prices listed are in USD and exclude VAT where applicable.

Mailjet review: Specs

Spec

Details

Free plan sends

6,000 emails/month (200/day cap)

Contacts

Unlimited from Essential ($17/month)

Collaboration

Real-time multi-user co-editing with comments

Email API

REST API and SMTP relay on all plans

Deliverability tools

Validation, previews, dedicated IP (100k+ plans)

Should I buy Mailjet?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Strong API and collaboration; automation trails rivals

4/5

Performance

Reliable deliverability; shared IPs can vary on lower tiers

4/5

Design

Clean layout; editor is solid but UI looks dated in places

3.5/5

Value

Volume-based model rewards senders with growing or large lists

4.5/5

Buy it if…

• You manage email with a team. The real-time co-editing and granular permission controls speed up campaign production in a way most platforms don't match at this price. If your team currently passes drafts around over email or Slack, this feature alone justifies the switch.
• Your contact list is large but you don't email often. Because you pay for sends rather than contacts stored, Mailjet is significantly cheaper for businesses that maintain big lists but only campaign occasionally.
• You need marketing and transactional email in one place. A shared API infrastructure means your developers and marketers aren't managing separate tools or reconciling sender reputations across two platforms.

Don't buy it if…

• Advanced automation is central to your strategy. The workflow builder covers basic scenarios, but behavioral triggers, complex segmentation, and multi-path journeys require a platform like ActiveCampaign or Brevo.
• You want a wide template selection. Around 65 designs is enough for straightforward campaigns, but it's a thin library compared to what Mailchimp offers, and design variety leans minimal.

Also consider

• Brevo: This platform has volume-based pricing like Mailjet's but with more capable automation, SMS support, and a more polished interface. A natural comparison for teams weighing their options.
• MailerLite: Worth a look if landing pages, digital product sales, or a more contemporary design experience matter to you, alongside solid email tools.
• ActiveCampaign: Stronger choice if sophisticated marketing automation and integrated CRM are non-negotiable.

How I tested Mailjet

• Signed up for a Mailjet account and completed the onboarding flow for both marketer and developer setup paths.
• Built and sent test campaigns using the drag-and-drop editor, A/B testing tool, and automation builder across free and paid tiers.
• Reviewed official pricing documentation alongside user feedback from major review platforms.

For this Mailjet review, testing focused on the features a typical small business or marketing team uses day to day: campaign creation, contact management, collaboration tools, and the analytics available on standard plans. I also assessed the setup experience, support quality at each tier, and how the platform compares against competitors at a similar price point.

LG Sound Suite H7 review

The LG Sound Suite H7 is the first soundbar in the market to feature Dolby Atmos FlexConnect capabilities — instantly providing a unique option in what is a highly competitive category.

FlexConnect enables the LG Sound Suite H7 to act as something of a hub — you can pair a compatible sub and various surround speakers to the soundbar, and no matter where you place them in the room, you can expect well-optimized sound and Atmos effects.

As I discovered when reviewing the LG Sound Suite Immersive Suite 7 Pro and testing out the LG Immersive Quad Suite 7 — two systems that place the H7 soundbar front and center — FlexConnect works brilliantly. When using a wide variety of configurations, these systems provided impactful and clear sound. It’s a very handy feature, and one that could be useful for those with awkwardly shaped or laid-out living spaces.

Here, though, I wanted to look at the LG Sound Suite H7 soundbar on its own, and assess its quality without the assistance of any W7 subs or M7 surround speakers. Sure, this is a model that’s at its best when paired with other components — as is the case with rivals like the Sonos Arc Ultra. But can it hold its own as a standalone device? Can it compete with the very best Dolby Atmos soundbars?

Let’s begin by taking a look at features on the H7 soundbar. Of course, FlexConnect is great, but there’s a lot more to discover — especially if you download the LG ThinQ app.

One interesting addition is Sound Follow. This optimizes sound not only for your living space, but for your position within it. It works surprisingly well, and although it's not essential, it’s certainly a unique option in LG’s arsenal. On top of this, you can alter the EQ, adjust channel levels, and even cycle between different sound modes.

There’s a decent array of these sound modes, with a bass-boosted option, a vocal-oriented alternative, and an AI Sound configuration. Personally, I found the AI-enabled mode to sound worse than the standard tuning — movie soundtracks lacked balance, and often sounded too bass-heavy. Other than this, you’ll also find an AI upmixing setting, which enables you to convert a stereo signal into a more expansive 9.1.4-channel format.

As well as its various sound modes, the H7 offers a decent amount of connectivity options. Of course, you’ve got the standard HDMI eARC, but you can also make use of a USB connection, or play music and podcasts via a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection.

On the topic of connectivity, though, I do have one key complaint: the LG H7 doesn’t have HDMI passthrough. In 2026, this feels like a huge miss. A lot of even high-end TVs owned by people today are restricted to just two HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which will be the HDMI eARC port. Given that the H7 will take one of those up, you may well be left with just one. That could prove to be a point of contention for owners of multiple modern video game consoles, for instance.

Another feature that some may miss is DTS support. DTS has been missing from a lot of LG’s tech as of late, with the company opting to drop the format from its TVs in 2025. If your TV or video player decodes DTS, it's not really a problem — but it's annoying if you buy all LG. Still the best 4K Blu-ray players, where DTS is most important, can generally decode it.

(Image credit: Future)

But you may be wondering by now, just how good does the LG Sound Suite H7 sound? Well, in my view, it’s a very strong performer indeed.

Unsurprisingly, the real highlight here is Dolby Atmos performance. In Top Gun: Maverick, when Tom Cruise flies up and over the head of Ed Harris, the verticality of this move was replicated brilliantly. This is something that a lot of rivals struggle with — especially without overhead speakers for ‘true’ Atmos, but the height channels consistently conjured up excellent effects in my testing.

The H7 also outputs expansive sound with tremendous width, something I found when watching a 4K Blu-ray of The Mask. As the titular character spun around an outdoor area, his movement was tracked well, and it sounded as if he was tornadoing into the corners of our TV testing space. Sure, a full setup with the M7 speakers added more depth and pin-point precision, but the soundbar certainly offered a broad sense of sound on its own.

It was a similar story with music — with Hans Zimmer’s Dream of Arrakis, vocals oozed into the sides of the room, while ambient sound effects felt as if they were crawling along the walls. The bottom line, then, is if you’re looking for excellent Atmos performance, the H7 is a top choice.

Outside of Atmos performance, the H7 is pretty strong too. It gets a lot of the fundamentals right — clear dialogue, impactful bass, and expressive treble all feature. When watching The Boy and the Heron, I was impressed with the snappy and sharp sound of a wooden sword snapping, and even when harsh wind noises entered the fray, the Heron’s monologue was articulated clearly in the mix.

In one scene, a horde of frogs exclaim “JOIN US,” and powerful deep bass seeps in. The room-swallowing low-end was replicated quite well, even at higher volumes, but it wasn’t quite as full-sounding and thunderous as I’ve experienced — largely due to the lack of a sub. Adding the W7 subwoofer will fix this, of course, but that comes at quite the price.

Movies do generally sound great, however. Whether it was The Mask smashing through a glass door with giga impact or dialogue coming through with a true-to-life echo in Maverick, I was satisfied with the H7’s quality.

Is the H7 the most musically adept soundbar I’ve heard? Not quite. With stereo music, you do get distinct channel separation, and commendable attention to detail. However, I sometimes felt as if low-end sounds were a little overstated, leaving vocals or instruments in the mid-range sounding less prominent than I’d like.

With Atmos music, it was similar. Sure, the spatial effects are translated fantastically, and the dynamism of sudden drum hits or pounding bass was striking. But I sometimes felt that vocals in the center could be a touch understated. Some EQ tweaking can help with this, but I prefer models like the Marshall Heston 120 for music.

(Image credit: Future)

So, overall, the LG Sound Suite H7 is a very admirable performer, but I want to take a moment to talk about design.

Look, I don’t think this is the prettiest soundbar ever. It’s built to a high standard, but the H7 doesn’t have the flashy modern look of the Sonos Arc Ultra or the striking retro style of the Marshall Heston 60.

It ends up looking a bit generic, which isn’t a major problem — however, the more style-focused might wish for something with more flair. On the positive side, I did really like the soundbar’s display, which is handy for checking volume, source, sound mode, and more.

Another design positive relates to button and port placement. Everything is simple and well-sized, making for a relatively straightforward setup. Speaking of setting up, you can simply plug the HDMI cable and power source in, and you’re ready to go.

I did experience a few difficulties pairing the soundbar using the app, which was a little frustrating, but I had things working after a couple of resets. From there on out, the simple app made my user experience fairly trouble-free.

Let’s finish up by talking about value for money. The LG Sound Suite H7 has a list price of $999 / £899 (about AU$1,400), which, let’s face it, is pretty pricey. You can easily grab a great option that comes with a sub for less than this — the Samsung HW-Q800F, for instance, is regularly cheaper than the H7, and boasts DTS support alongside HDMI passthrough. However, the Sonos Arc Ultra — arguably the H7’s main competition — is in the same ballpark, retailing for $999 / £999 / AU$1,799.

Is the H7 worth it, though? Well, if you want Dolby Atmos FlexConnect and you’re planning to build out a full system, then it could be. Individual components, like the M7 speakers and W7 sub are expensive, and there’s no discount on a full system as of yet. But if you’re looking for a massively expansive overall package, then it remains a great option.

All in all, though, the LG Sound Suite H7 is an astute soundbar that packs in highly convenient FlexConnect technology, awesome Dolby Atmos effects, and impressive overall audio. It’s disappointing to see HDMI passthrough and DTS support off the menu, alongside a more enticing look.

And yes, it’s pricey, although it's competitively priced against Sonos, and can act as a highly capable hub if you’re looking to build out a full FlexConnect system.

(Image credit: Future)LG Sound Suite H7 review: price & release date

• List price of $999 / £899 (about AU$1,400)
• Released in early 2026

The LG Sound Suite H7 soundbar released early into 2026, with the W7 subwoofer and M7 wireless speakers joining it. At $999 / £899 (about AU$1,400), the H7 is by no means cheap, though it is priced pretty competitively against options like the Sonos Arc Ultra and Klipsch Flexus Core 300.

LG Sound Suite H7 review: specs

Dimensions

47.2 x 2.5 x 5.6 inches / 1200 x 63 x 143mm

Speaker channels

9.1.6

Connections

1x HDMI eARC, USB, Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi

Dolby Atmos / DTS:X

Yes / No

Sub included

No

Rear speakers included

No

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the LG Sound Suite H7?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Dolby Atmos FlexConnect works great, Sound Follow is unique, but no HDMI passthrough, underwhelming AI mode, and no DTS.

4/5

Performance

Excellent Atmos, clean dialogue, relatively impactful bass, but musicality could be better.

4.5/5

Design

It isn’t the prettiest, but built to a high standard, has a useful display, and has neat physical controls.

4/5

Setup & usability

Some in-app pairing issues, but straightforward plug and play setup otherwise.

4/5

Value

Pricey, but in a similar ballpark to rivals like Sonos Arc Ultra, and brings unique FlexConnect functionality.

3.5/5

Buy it if…

You want to build a Dolby Atmos FlexConnect system
The biggest selling point of this soundbar is its Dolby Atmos FlexConnect support, which enables you to connect up multiple speakers and place them just about anywhere, while still enjoying well-optimized, expansive sound. If you add the W7 sub and M7 or M5 speakers, then, the H7 is a great centerpiece for this surround sound system.

You’re looking for a powerful one-box solution
Sure, this soundbar is great to build a system around, but it’s also a very admirable performer on its own. With powerful bass, clear dialogue, and impressive Atmos effects, the H7 can take your viewing experiences to new heights.

Don’t buy it if…

You need HDMI passthrough
If you want a soundbar with HDMI passthrough for a device like the PS5 or Xbox Series X, then the LG Sound Suite H7 isn’t your best option. It leaves out an HDMI in port, meaning you’ll be better off with rivals like the Klipsch Flexus Core 300.

You’re looking for something flashy
The H7 may be built to a high standard, but it’s hardly the prettiest soundbar I’ve seen. If you want a sleek, modern alternative, I’d go with the Sonos Arc Ultra, which I’ve covered down below. If you’re someone with more retro tastes, then I’d instead point you towards the Marshall Heston 120, or Heston 60 if you’re short on space.

LG Sound Suite H7 review: Also consider

LG Sound Suite H7

Sonos Arc Ultra

Samsung HW-Q800F

Price

$999 / £899 (about AU$1,400)

$999 / £999 / AU$1,799

$1,099 / £799 / AU$1,099

Dimensions

47.2 x 2.5 x 5.6 inches / 1200 x 63 x 143mm

3 x 46.4 x 4.4 inches / 75 x 1178 x 110.6mm

Main soundbar: 43.7 x 2.4 x 4.7 inches / 1110.7 x 60.4 x 120mm; subwoofer: 9.8 x 9.9 x 9.8 inches / 249 x 251.8 x 249mm

Speaker channels

9.1.6

9.1.4

5.1.2

Connections

1x HDMI eARC, USB, Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi

1x HDMI eARC, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth

1x HDMI input, 1x HDMI eARC, digital optical, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3

Dolby Atmos / DTS:X

Yes / No

Yes / No

Yes /Yes

Sub included

No

No

Yes

Rear speakers included

No

No

No

Sonos Arc Ultra
The H7’s most obvious rival is the Sonos Arc Ultra — and it makes for a very tough opponent indeed. With spacious, regimented, and articulate sound, a beautiful design, and impressive Atmos effects, this model is a titan of the soundbar game. It’s priced very similarly to the H7 and has similar flaws — i.e. no HDMI passthrough or DTS. Read our full Sonos Arc Ultra review.

Samsung HW-Q800F
This one's the top overall pick in our guide to the best soundbars, and it’s easy to see why. This soundbar and sub combo provides palpable bass, amazing Atmos, defined dialogue, and spectacular value for money. It’s regularly available for less than $750 / £600 / AU$800. This bar has 4K passthrough, although only at 60Hz. However, its DTS support, user-friendly companion app, and easy setup make it a phenomenal choice. Read my full Samsung HW-Q800F review.

How I tested the LG Sound Suite H7

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested across multiple weeks
• Used at our TV testing space at Future Labs
• Played 4K Blu-Ray, streamed movies and streamed music over Wi-Fi

I tested the LG Sound Suite H7 across the course of multiple weeks. For this review, I used the soundbar on its own, although I made use of its Dolby Atmos FlexConnect capabilities in my review of the LG Sound Suite Immersive Suite 7 Pro and the LG Immersive Quad Suite 7.

During my time with the LG Sound Suite H7, I watched a variety of movies — using the Panasonic DP-UB820 with 4K Blu-rays, and Netflix with Dolby Atmos content. I also connected my phone up to the soundbar for listening to music, and played a wide variety of tracks using Tidal Connect.

More generally, I’ve tested a whole lot of soundbars here at TechRadar, including everything from budget-friendly options — like the Sony HT-SF150 — through to premium alternatives such as the JBL Bar 1300MK2.

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

AWeber is one of the original email marketing platforms, having launched in 1998. Founded by Tom Kulzer in Chalfont, Pennsylvania, the company has grown to serve over one million small businesses and individual creators worldwide. Its focus hasn't shifted much in 25 years: AWeber is built for people who want to send newsletters and automated email sequences without managing complex technical infrastructure.

Since TechRadar last reviewed the platform in 2023, AWeber has made several notable updates. The AI toolset has expanded considerably, with an AI Subject Line Assistant now included on all paid plans and a standalone AI Writing Assistant for drafting full email copy. The company also renamed its automation builder from Campaigns to Workflows in mid-2025 and added a direct Facebook Lead Ads integration that pulls new leads into your AWeber list automatically.

Another significant structural change is the Done For You plan, which replaces the previously listed Unlimited tier. Rather than offering higher subscriber limits, Done For You brings in AWeber's team to configure your account within seven days. That covers your email template, landing pages, signup form, and an initial automation sequence, with 30 days of edits included after delivery.

• You can sign up to AWeber here.

(Image credit: AWeber)My experience with AWeber

AWeber has one of the smoothest onboarding experiences in the industry. The platform walks you through your business goals before you build anything, and importing subscribers follows a structured five-step process that handles data mapping and tagging before sending an opt-in confirmation. It's particularly well-suited to creators and small business owners who want to get a first campaign out without reading through documentation.

The email builder is where things get slightly muddier. AWeber's drag-and-drop editor works fine once you're in it, but selecting a template can trip you up: the preview thumbnails are small, and there's a checkbox labeled "Keep My Message Content" that's easy to overlook. If you leave it ticked, only part of the template applies. I found this confusing during testing and it's a friction point that has been around since at least 2023.

That said, AWeber's new AI Subject Line Assistant is one of the more practical recent additions. It generates suggestions based on your actual email content rather than a generic prompt, so the output tends to be relevant.

The value of the new Done For You plan depends heavily on what you're starting from. It's a reasonable option if you're migrating from another tool or launching email for the first time, but once the initial 30-day edit window closes, you're responsible for maintaining everything yourself.

AWeber: Plans and pricing

Plan

Starting rate (billed monthly)

Starting rate (billed annually)

Subscriber count

Lite

$15.00/month

$12.49/month

Up to 500

Plus

$30.00/month

$19.99/month

Up to 500

Done For You

$30.00/month + $79 setup fee

$20.00/month + $79 setup fee

Up to 500

The Lite plan gives you one email list, three landing pages, three automations, and up to three team members. It covers the basics for most new senders but carries a 1.0% transaction fee on ecommerce sales and excludes behavioral automation and advanced reporting.

Plus removes most of those limits: you get unlimited lists, automations, landing pages, and users, along with priority support and a reduced 0.6% transaction fee. Paying annually on Plus saves you roughly $120 per year at the base subscriber tier.

Done For You is AWeber's managed setup tier. It includes everything in Plus and adds a professional team that configures your account within seven days: an email template, two landing pages, a signup form, a welcome sequence, and a 1:1 setup call.

The $79 setup fee shown is a promotional rate, reduced from the standard $599 at the time of writing. Businesses with more than 100,000 subscribers need to contact AWeber directly through its large-account pricing page for a custom quote.

(Image credit: AWeber)AWeber: Features

Aweber provides a collection of 600+ email templates designed by professionals that you can edit to fit your brand. These templates make it easier to design appealing marketing emails instead of doing that from scratch. The platform also gives you access to thousands of free high-quality stock images or you can create your own images with Canva (without leaving your Aweber account).

Aweber's drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to edit emails after selecting a template. You can also use it to design your own email template from scratch if you have the required skills. 

This platform lets you send personalized emails using different data collected from your customers. You can also send automated emails based on specific triggers, e.g., a welcome email to anyone who signs up for your subscriber list. 

The reports section of your Aweber account lets you monitor critical metrics about your marketing campaigns like deliverability, open rate, click-through rate, unsubscribe rate, etc.

Some more new features worth highlighting include the AI Subject Line Assistant (available on all paid plans), the AI Writing Assistant, the Newsletter Assistant, AWeber's Smart Designer tool, and a new Facebook Lead Ads integration.

(Image credit: AWeber)AWeber: Interface and use

Once you’ve completed the setup phase, AWeber makes it easy for you to find the key functions of the service: adding subscribers and creating emails.

Adding subscribers is an easy-to-follow, five-step process that begins by importing a file or copying and pasting your data, mapping that data to AWeber fields, confirming the opt-in message, adding tags, and then providing information about how the people came to be on your list.

Creating an email was a bit less intuitive, though. There are three options for creating emails: the drag-and-drop email builder, plain text message, and HTML editor. When choosing the drag-and-drop builder, we were presented with a blank canvas with a list of elements that could be added on the left and templates on the right.

The thumbnails for the templates are quite small, so to get a proper look at them, you have to apply them to your email. To start with, things didn’t seem to be working properly. Only part of the template seemed to be applied. It wasn’t until we unchecked a small box at the top that says “Keep My Message Content” that the whole template, including content and images, were applied. This is confusing and makes for a less than ideal user experience.

When you actually begin working on your own content, though, you’ll want to keep that box ticked.

AWeber: Support

AWeber has an impressive track record in support, having won several customer service awards in recent years. You can receive direct support either by live chat, which is available 24/7, by phone, which is available 8 AM to 8 PM ET, or by email.

For those wanting to learn themselves, there is a knowledge base with articles, a video tutorial library, live and on-demand webinars, and a certified experts program that connects you with experienced marketing and design professionals who can help you with copywriting, graphic design, or marketing strategy.

AWeber: Specs

Spec

Details

Email automations

3 on Lite; unlimited on Plus

AI tools

Subject Line Assistant on all paid plans

Ecommerce transaction fee

0.6% on Plus/Done For You; 1.0% on Lite

Support channels

24/7 chat, email, and phone on all plans

Template library

600+ pre-built email templates

Should I buy AWeber?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Core email tools are solid; automation depth remains limited on Lite

3.5/5

Performance

Stable infrastructure with decent deliverability, though below some rivals in independent testing

3.5/5

Design

600+ templates available, but the editor UX feels dated compared to newer platforms

3/5

Value

Reasonable entry price; costs compound quickly as subscriber counts grow

3/5

Buy it if

• You need 24/7 phone support. AWeber includes phone support on all plans, not just premium tiers. For solo operators and small teams without in-house technical help, that accessibility makes a genuine difference compared to competitors that restrict phone access to enterprise customers.
• You want a managed launch. The Done For You service sets up your email infrastructure, automations, and landing pages within a week, which is a rare offer in this space. It's particularly useful for businesses migrating from a different tool that don't want to rebuild everything from scratch.
• You're new to email marketing. AWeber's onboarding is beginner-friendly, and the platform backs it up with tutorials, live webinars, and a certified expert network for users who want guided support at every stage.

Don't buy it if

• Your automations need to branch. The Workflow builder handles basic trigger-based sequences well but doesn't support the complex conditional logic you'd get from tools like ActiveCampaign or Brevo. On the Lite plan, you're also capped at three workflows total.
• You're watching costs as your list grows. At 10,000 subscribers, you're looking at $100/month on Lite or $135/month on Plus (monthly billing). That's considerably more than some comparable alternatives at the same subscriber volume.

Also consider

• MailerLite: A cheaper alternative for creators and small businesses, with competitive pricing and a free plan supporting up to 1,000 subscribers. Its automation builder is more accessible for beginners, and the template designs feel more current than AWeber's.
• Mailchimp: Worth considering if you need a wider template library and strong third-party integrations. Note that Mailchimp's free plan now caps at 500 contacts, down from the 2,000 cited in the previous version of this review.
• Brevo: Formerly Sendinblue, Brevo is a stronger option if automation depth matters to you. It prices by email sends rather than subscriber count, which can work out cheaper for larger lists that you don't mail frequently.

AWeber: Final verdict

If having 24/7 support available is important to you, AWeber is worth considering as it does provide a high level of customer support. But it’s certainly not the cheapest option available, the user interface of its email builder isn’t as intuitive as it could be, and the design of its templates didn’t impress us much.

Having to manually keep on top of your unsubscribes to avoid being bumped up to more expensive plans is also not something busy business owners should be expected to do.

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ActiveCampaign was founded in 2003 by Jason VandeBoom as a consulting firm before pivoting to software. Today it serves over 180,000 businesses across more than 170 countries, and positions itself as a full-stack autonomous marketing platform rather than just an email marketing tool. Its 2022 acquisition of Postmark, a transactional email service, expanded its reach into triggered notifications, receipts, and system emails.

The platform went through significant restructuring in 2024, replacing its legacy Lite/Plus/Professional/Enterprise plan structure with Starter, Plus, Pro, and Enterprise. CRM features that used to ship with core plans were moved into paid add-ons, which came as a surprise to many existing users at renewal. The bigger story of the past year has been Active Intelligence, launched in May 2025 — a system of AI agents that can write campaign emails, build multi-step automations, and interpret performance data from plain-language prompts.

There is one important billing change worth knowing about before you sign up. Since November 2025, ActiveCampaign accounts are now charged for every contact in their database, including unsubscribed and bounced contacts. Most email service providers only bill for active, marketable contacts, so this policy makes cost estimates less straightforward than the headline pricing suggests.

(Image credit: ActiveCampaign)My experience with ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign's onboarding has improved much recently. The platform asks you to define your goals early and recommends templates based on your business type, which reduces the initial overwhelm that used to affect new accounts.

Active Intelligence is the real headline addition, though. You can prompt it with something like "Build a three-email welcome series for new subscribers" and get a full automation draft with copy, timing, and branching logic within seconds. The output isn't always ready to publish, but it gives you a strong structural starting point.

However, the interface has a learning curve, particularly in the automation builder. The depth of available triggers, conditions, and actions is a genuine asset for experienced marketers but can feel excessive when you're starting out. I'd also note that the Starter plan's limits become obvious quickly: no landing pages, no generative AI, and no CRM functionality unless you upgrade or add on.

ActiveCampaign: Plans and pricing

Plan

Starting rate (billed monthly)

Starting rate (billed annually)

Contacts

Starter

$19/mo

$15/mo

1,000

Plus

$59/mo

$49/mo

1,000

Pro

$99/mo

$79/mo

1,000

Enterprise

$179/mo

$145/mo

1,000

There is no permanent free plan, but a 14-day trial is available on all tiers and is based on the Pro plan. New customers are also covered by a 30-day results guarantee: if you don't see results in your first month, you can request a full refund. Annual billing saves around 20% compared to paying month-to-month.

Beyond the base plan, costs can stack quickly.

CRM features like pipelines, deal management, and lead scoring are sold as separate add-ons (Pipelines or Sales Engagement) and aren't included in any core plan. SMS marketing is also an add-on, starting at around $16.83/month for 1,000 sends. Custom reporting and transactional email through Postmark are priced separately too.

Since November 2025, new accounts are billed for all contacts in their database, including unsubscribed and bounced contacts, which is a less common practice and can push costs higher than the starting rates imply.

(Image credit: ActiveCampaign)ActiveCampaign: Features

ActiveCampaign makes it easy to design emails by providing templates that users can choose from and edit to fit their tastes. The templates are designed by professionals, plus you can customize them using the platform's drag-and-drop editor. If you have good design skills, you can also use the drag-and-drop editor to design your own template from scratch.

You can use ActiveCampaign to send automated emails to your subscribers. For example, you can send welcome emails to every person who subscribes to your newsletter or schedule celebratory newsletters for events, holidays, and birthdays. You can even send targeted emails based on your contacts’ interaction with your website.

Moreover, you can create landing pages for your products with ActiveCampaign. The platform offers many templates to pick and choose from. Likewise, you can create signup forms and embed them on your website to gather more email addresses for your subscriber list. 

But the biggest update is the addition of Active Intelligence, which includes 34+ specialized AI agents for campaign creation, automation building, segmentation, and performance analysis. It's available across all plan tiers as of 2026.

(Image credit: ActiveCampaign)ActiveCampaign: Interface and use

For the many tools that ActiveCampaign includes, we find the software well-organized and easy to navigate.

When you create a campaign, then next you can filter and segment lists for inclusion of only contacts. Additionally, this platform incorporates one of the most versatile drag-and-drop email designers that we’ve encountered. With a significant amount of control over how every content element displays, you can then decide whether a block should be only for contacts that meet certain conditions.

For setting up a marketing automation, you can then have hundreds of templates from which to choose. We appreciate that the visual designer is intuitive while offering highly flexible triggers and responses. By way of example, it tooks me a few minutes to connect ActiveCampaign to Slack, then triggering a message when a contact tag is updated.

ActiveCampaign: Support

Help is available for ActiveCampaign by sending them a message through the portal or live chat. The hours of operation in the US are Monday to Thursday from 6 am - 11 pm, CST and Friday from 6 am - 5:30 pm, CST, which means no help on the weekend and holidays.

All accounts come with free migration if you’re switching over from another CRM or email marketing service. In addition, Professional users get access to one-on-one training sessions and Enterprise users receive free phone support that is lacking in the lower tiers. We would have liked to see some additional methods of support, however, like direct email and live chat for entry-level users.

The company also has a very robust online knowledgebase, complete with video tutorials and a community forum. We found the help articles to be detailed, along with plenty of webinars like “Accelerated Onboarding,” and “The Digital Study Hall.”

ActiveCampaign: Specs

Spec

Details

Active Intelligence agents

34+ AI agents; all plan tiers

Email send limit

10x contacts on Starter; 15x on Enterprise

App integrations

1,000+ including Salesforce, Shopify

Should I buy ActiveCampaign?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Deep automation and AI agents; CRM costs extra

4/5

Performance

Reliable delivery; contact-based scaling

4/5

Design

Organized interface; steeper learning curve than rivals

3.5/5

Value

Competitive at low contact counts; expensive as lists grow

3/5

Buy it if

• You need serious marketing automation. The visual automation builder and AI-assisted workflows are among the strongest available for small and midsized businesses, particularly if your customer journeys are multi-step or behavior-based.
• Your contact list is under 5,000. The Starter and Plus plans offer fair value at lower contact counts. Above 10,000 contacts, you're looking at $149/month and up for Starter alone, and costs rise steeply from there.
• You want AI to speed up campaign work. Active Intelligence can generate automations, draft campaign emails, and analyze performance data from conversational prompts. It's available on all plans, though the full set of capabilities sits behind Pro or Enterprise.

Don't buy it if

• You need a CRM without paying extra. Pipelines, deal management, and sales automation are not included in any base plan. If your workflow depends on a built-in CRM, budget for the add-on on top of your subscription.
• You're starting with a large or messy contact list. New accounts are now charged for all contacts, including inactive ones. A database with significant bounces or unsubscribes will cost more than the headline pricing suggests.
• You want a free plan to start. ActiveCampaign has no permanent free tier. Brevo and Mailchimp both offer functional free plans for basic email marketing if cost is the primary constraint.

Also consider

• Brevo (formerly Sendinblue): Offers a free plan with up to 300 emails per day and no contact limit, making it a stronger fit if you're on a tight budget or prefer simpler pricing.
• Mailchimp: More beginner-friendly, with a free tier for up to 500 contacts and 1,000 monthly sends. It lacks ActiveCampaign's automation depth but requires far less setup time.
• Klaviyo: Worth considering for ecommerce stores. Its Shopify and WooCommerce integrations and revenue attribution tracking outperform ActiveCampaign's, and it offers a free plan for up to 250 contacts.

ActiveCampaign: Final verdict

ActiveCampaign is a platform with plenty of grunt as it combines the best aspects of email marketing along with a CRM. We like the unique features including automated email scheduling, agentic AI, and SMS marketing, and also does a nice job with standard tools like marketing automation and email design.

We think that the biggest downside to this platform is the higher price. A Plus or Professional plan can cost hundreds of dollars per month for a comparatively small number of contacts.

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iContact has been in the email marketing software business since 2003, co-founded by Ryan Allis and Aaron Houghton while both were students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The platform was built with a focus on making email marketing accessible to small businesses, a mission it has preserved even through multiple ownership changes.

Vocus acquired it in February 2012 for $169 million; following a 2014 merger with Cision, the combined company sold iContact to j2 Global for $49 million in January 2019. It now operates under the J2 Martech Corp umbrella and serves thousands of customers worldwide, including Habitat for Humanity and NASA.

The platform has come a long way from its earlier days. iContact now offers Standard and Premium paid plans, with Premium adding AI writing tools, unlimited automations, and social posting. A 30-day free trial replaced the old permanent free tier, giving you full access to the platform before any billing begins.

For small businesses with lists under 50,000 contacts, iContact covers the basics well. The drag-and-drop editor is clean and deliverability is reliable. The catch is that Standard limits you to one user, one automation, and one landing page, so the full value only becomes clear once you move to Premium.

(Image credit: iContact)My experience with iContact

Setting up iContact was very simple. I found the onboarding short and straightforward. The drag-and-drop editor is definitely among the cleaner ones at this price point, with blocks that snap into place automatically and a live mobile preview built into the UI. Its built-in stock image library is a nice practical touch for small teams without dedicated design resources.

The Standard plan feels more limited in practice than it looks on paper. Working with a single automation and one landing page is manageable for a solo operator, but it constrains any business with campaign ambitions beyond a basic welcome sequence.

Deliverability held up well in my testing, with very few messages landing in spam folders. For email marketing specifically, inbox placement matters more than most interface features when it comes to actual campaign results.

The Premium plan's AI Content Assistant is modest at 20 transcriptions per month, but it's a practical addition for small teams drafting occasional campaigns rather than running high-volume content operations. The social posting feature is a convenient bonus, though it won't replace a dedicated social tool for businesses that post frequently.

iContact: Plans and pricing

Plan

Starting rate (billed monthly)

Starting rate (billed annually)

Subscriber count

Standard

$9/month

$7.67/month

Up to 500

Premium

$16/month

$13.58/month

Up to 500

Custom

Contact sales

Contact sales

50,000+

iContact offers a 30-day free trial before any billing begins. Standard scales from $9/month at 500 contacts to $350/month at 50,000 contacts billed monthly, or the equivalent of $7.67 to $297.50 per month billed annually. Premium runs from $16/month to $399/month billed monthly, or $13.58 to $339.17 per month billed yearly.

Standard is a single-user plan limited to 1 automation, 1 landing page, 2 contact lists, 1 segment, and 250 MB of storage. Premium removes most of those restrictions, adding unlimited users, automations, landing pages, lists, and segments, along with social posting, Subject Line AI, an AI Content Assistant (20 transcriptions/month), an email verification add-on, phone support, and 500 MB of storage.

For lists above 50,000 contacts, iContact's Custom plan offers enterprise-level sending capacity and dedicated support. But pricing requires a conversation with iContact's sales team.

(Image credit: iContact)iContact: Features

iContact's drag-and-drop editor makes designing very easy. The platform offers a collection of email templates that you can pick and customize to fit your brand using the drag-and-drop editor. Emails that you build using the editor are optimized for both desktop and mobile displays without any extra effort from you.

If you have some programming chops, you can even edit the underlying HTML to make your emails look better. Subscribers on the Advanced plan also have access to a drag-and-drop editor for creating landing pages.

iContact lets you use automation triggers to send emails to customers based on specific conditions. For example, you can send an automatic welcome email to every person that signs up for your subscriber list. You can personalize these automated emails by including the recipient's name to make them more likely to respond. 

Of course, you also need to be able to measure the performance of your campaigns. Fortunately, iContact provides analytical and reporting tools that monitor open rates, click-throughs, and bounce rates, among other things.

(Image credit: iContact)iContact: Interface and use

I found iContact’s email deliverability rate an improvement over most email marketing tools I’ve tried. Very few emails sent from this platform end up being sent to the abyss of the spam inbox.

Hundreds of licensed stock images are available to create a unique email for maximum impact, plus designing an email is straightforward with the drag-and-drop interface. However, the task is more challenging if you want to create an email from scratch instead of using a template.

iContact also has strong list management tools. It’s simple to create subsets of contact lists based on zip codes or signup dates. This platform also easily integrates with in excess of over 100 apps, including PayPal, Shopify, and Survey Monkey. 

iContact: Support

iContact features a wealth of content to assist you become a better email marketer. There are over 100 professionally created webinars, videos, and guides to optimizing your PR, email designs, and campaigns that can help both novices and experts alike.

The professional content available via a blog, podcast, and email lookbook are excellent quality too, for example the webinar on “Head & Heart of Marketing: Why Your Emails MUST Have These 10 Things.” We also found excellent video walkthroughs of the software and training videos on every aspect of the portal.

For technical support, FAQs explain every part of the software for those looking for self help. Free plan users only have email support and a support portal to initiate contact. But, paid plan users can access live chat and phone support for direct contact, and are available Monday to Friday 9am –7pm EST.

iContact: Specs

Email editor

Drag-and-drop, mobile-optimized

Automations

1 (Standard); unlimited (Premium)

AI writing tools

Subject line + content; Premium only

App integrations

100+; includes Shopify and PayPal

Sending limits

10x–12x contacts per month

Should I buy iContact?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Core tools are solid; AI and social restricted to Premium

3.5/5

Performance

Reliable deliverability and consistent inbox placement

4/5

Design

Clean, intuitive editor with built-in mobile preview

4/5

Value

Competitive entry price; Standard plan is quite limited

3.5/5

Buy it if

• You're a small business with a modest list. Standard starts at $9/month for 500 contacts, backed by a 30-day free trial that requires no credit card. For businesses just getting started with email marketing, it's a low-risk entry point with enough tools to run functional campaigns.
• You want a clean setup without a steep learning curve. The drag-and-drop editor is approachable even without prior experience, and iContact's help resources cover most early questions before you ever need to contact support.
• You need AI writing tools without adding a separate product. Premium includes Subject Line AI and an AI Content Assistant to draft copy faster, which saves time for small teams handling campaigns alongside other responsibilities.

Don't buy it if

• You need more than one person managing campaigns. Standard is strictly single-user. The moment you need shared account access, you're on Premium, which more than doubles the starting cost.
• You send frequently relative to your list size. Monthly sending limits of 10x contacts on Standard and 12x on Premium can be reached quickly by high-frequency senders, leading to overage charges on top of your subscription.
• You need advanced segmentation from the start. Standard restricts you to one segment and two contact lists. Businesses that want to target subscribers based on behavior or purchase history will hit those limits quickly.

Also consider

• Mailchimp: Worth considering for more sophisticated multi-step automation and deeper segmentation. Its free plan was cut significantly in January 2026 to just 250 contacts and 500 emails per month, making it impractical for most businesses. Paid plans start at $13/month (Essentials), with multi-step automation only unlocking on Standard at $20/month.
• Brevo (formerly Sendinblue): Prices by email volume rather than contact count, which makes it more cost-effective for businesses with larger lists that send infrequently. The free tier supports 300 emails per day with up to 100,000 contacts stored, with no time limit. Paid plans start at $9/month for 5,000 monthly sends and include SMS alongside email on most tiers.
• Constant Contact: Suits small businesses running event-driven campaigns or working in the nonprofit sector. The platform removed its permanent free plan in June 2025 and now offers a 14-day free trial plus a 30-day money-back guarantee. Paid plans start at $12/month for 500 contacts.

iContact: Final verdict

In summary, iContact offers a solid product, and is priced competitively. The excellent onboarding and comprehensive tutorials make it a solid choice for a small business starting out in email marketing, with tons of support articles, webinars, and blogs to support your ongoing growth. While some professional marketers might find the automation, segmentation, and metrics lack the detail required for large-scale, complex marketing plans, those with more modest goals are sure to be pleased with what iContact does better than most.

We've also listed the best online marketing services.

MailerLite is an email marketing platform built for small businesses, creators, and freelancers who want professional results without a steep learning curve. It covers the essentials — newsletter campaigns, automation workflows, landing pages, sign-up forms, and pop-ups.

Since the last couple of years, the platform has added a ton of meaningful updates: an AI writing assistant, a Smart Sending feature that optimizes delivery times for individual subscribers, and an MCP server that lets you control MailerLite through AI tools like Claude or ChatGPT.

There's also been a push toward improving monetization. MailerLite now lets you sell digital products, run paid newsletter subscriptions, and offer bookings directly through the platform. These aren't the deepest implementations you'll find, but for small operators who want everything in one place, they reduce the need to stitch together separate tools. The free plan still gives you a workable starting point, though the subscriber limit has dropped from 1,000 to 500 in 2026.

• You can sign up for Mailerlite here.

My experience with MailerLite

MailerLite makes a solid first impression. Setup takes minutes, while the interface holds up well even as you start working with automations and segmentation. The drag-and-drop editor is one of the better ones we've tested at this price point. The AI writing assistant added in late 2023 is a useful drafting aid when you're stuck — it won't write campaigns for you, but it takes the edge off a blank page.

It mostly earns its reputation from making mid-tier features feel accessible. Automation workflows, A/B testing, and subscriber segmentation are all present without being buried. For a small business or solo creator, that combination is hard to argue with at these prices. The one structural caveat: Growing Business users max out at 50,000 subscribers, so larger lists move to Advanced or Enterprise territory.

There are more limitations worth flagging before you sign up. There's no built-in spam testing, so you'll need a third-party tool like Litmus if deliverability is critical to your workflow. The free plan's 500-subscriber cap is also more restrictive than several competitors, which may push new users toward a paid plan earlier than they'd expect. At least the 14-day trial of premium features gives you a fair window to evaluate before committing.

MailerLite: Plans and pricing

Plan

Starting rate (billed monthly)

Starting rate (billed annually)

Subscriber count

Free

$0/month

$0/month

Up to 500

Growing Business

$10/month

$9/month

500-50,000

Advanced

$20/month

$18/month

500-500,000

Enterprise

Custom

Custom

100,000+

MailerLite has a free tier but with limited features. This tier supports a maximum of 12,000 monthly emails to 1,000 subscribers. It gives you access to basic features like a drag & drop email editor and email automation builder. You can also create sign-up forms and landing pages on this tier.

If you want more advanced features, you'll need a premium tier, and MailerLite offers three such tiers; Growing Business, Advanced, and Enterprise. The Growing Business plan costs $10 / £10 / AUD$15 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers and increases according to the number of subscribers. For example, 10,000 subscribers on this plan will cost $54 / £50 / AUD$79 per month and 50,000 subscribers will cost $239 / £210 / AUD$350 per month. This plan gives you access to sophisticated features like dynamic emails and auto-resend campaigns.

The Advanced plan costs $21 / £21 / AUD$30 per month for 1,000 subscribers and increases according to the number of subscribers. For example, 10,000 subscribers on this plan will run you $87 / £85 / AUD$125 per month and 50,000 subscribers will cost $289 / £270 / AUD$450 per month. This plan gives you a dedicated account manager, a dedicated IP address, and 24/7 live chat & email support among other features.

While the Advanced plan can be scaled up to 500,000 subscribers, businesses with over 100,000 subscribers can also opt for the Enterprise plan, which might offer better terms. You’ll have to contact MailerLite’s sales team for a custom quote.

MailerLite offers a 30-day free trial for each of its premium plans. You’ll also get a significant discount if you pay annually instead of monthly.

The MailerLite pricing tool shows how much the service will cost for your circumstances. (Image credit: MailerLite )MailerLite: Features

You can create email marketing campaigns with MailerLite using a drag-and-drop editor, rich text editor, or custom HTML editor. With a paid plan, you have access to 63 templates. They’re OK designs, but most of MailerLite’s competition offers more variety.

However, MailerLite goes beyond email newsletters with a robust set of tools for creating landing pages, forms, pop-ups, and even entire websites using a drag-and-drop editor. There are also strong campaign reports that can show you how many people have opened your emails based on their location.

You can optimize campaigns with A/B split testing, time zone delivery, personalization, and segmentation. We particularly like how easy it is to tweak and resend a campaign to people who didn’t open the email the first time. 

MailerLite has an intuitive drag-and-drop email editor. (Image credit: MailerLite )MailerLite: Interface and use

We found MailerLite particularly intuitive to use. Its simple interface and well-designed editors meant we spent less time learning the product and more time actually marketing. MailerLite is organized so that features like automation workflows, the landing page editor, and segmentation aren’t a distraction when you don’t need them.

However, in our testing, MailerLite performed rather poorly in deliverability, achieving around 80% deliverability with a 20% chance of being flagged as spam. In comparison, Sendinblue achieved a 95% deliverability rate.

MailerLite has a relatively powerful email marketing automation system. (Image credit: MailerLite )MailerLite: Support

MailerLite provides direct support through email and live chat. Free-tier users have access to email support from Monday to Friday. Users on the Growing Business plan have access to 24/7 email support, while users on the Advanced and Enterprise plan have access to 24/7 live chat and email support.

Apart from direct support, every user can access MailerLite’s official Knowledge Base, which contains a plethora of articles concerning all the platform's features. For example, you can find manuals on how to integrate MailerLite with third-party apps or how to create and send email campaigns. There's also something called the MailerLite Academy, which provides free online courses for users to learn about email marketing.

If you need help with your email marketing efforts, MailerLite has a directory of vetted experts that you can hire for a fee. 

MailerLite has context-sensitive help available on every page that can help with your current task. (Image credit: MailerLite )MailerLite: Specs

Spec

Details

AI writing assistant

Drafts copy in 30+ languages

MCP server

Connects to Claude, ChatGPT, others

Smart Sending

AI-optimized per-subscriber send times

Automation workflows

Multi-trigger, visual builder included

Monetization tools

Products, subscriptions, bookings built in

Should I buy MailerLite?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Solid core set with useful AI additions; automation depth lags behind ActiveCampaign

4/5

Performance

Deliverability has improved since 2023; but no native spam testing

3.5/5

Design

One of the cleanest editors in its price range; easy to pick up

4.5/5

Value

Competitive pricing and a usable free tier despite the tighter subscriber cap

4/5

Buy it if

• You're building a list on a budget. MailerLite's free plan and low starting prices make it one of the more cost-effective entry points for email marketing. Growing Business at $9/month (billed annually) gives you a workable toolkit without a large upfront commitment.
• You want to sell products without a separate platform. Digital product sales, paid newsletter subscriptions, and bookings are all built in. For creators who want a single tool rather than a cobbled-together stack, that's genuinely useful.
• You're new to email marketing. The interface is approachable, and the automation builder doesn't require much ramp-up time. MailerLite Academy also offers free courses if you want structured guidance from the start.

Don't buy it if

• You need a built-in CRM or deep sales automation. MailerLite is focused on email; it won't replace a proper CRM. ActiveCampaign or HubSpot are better options if sales pipeline management is part of the equation.
• Your list is approaching 50,000 and you're price-sensitive. Growing Business caps at 50K subscribers. Beyond that, you move to Advanced pricing, which is meaningfully higher. Use the pricing calculator on MailerLite's website before committing.
• Deliverability testing matters to your workflow. There's no built-in spam testing tool, and you can't preview emails as a specific subscriber before sending. You'll need to budget for a third-party tool like Litmus if that's a priority.

Also consider

• Brevo (formerly Sendinblue). Brevo charges by email volume rather than subscriber count, making it cheaper for large lists that send infrequently. It also includes SMS marketing and a basic CRM in the same platform.
• Mailchimp. More templates and deeper third-party integrations than MailerLite, though pricing climbs quickly as your list grows. A better fit if you need extensive e-commerce integrations or detailed audience analytics.
• Kit (formerly ConvertKit). Built for creators and newsletter operators. It offers stronger monetization and audience segmentation tools, though it costs more than MailerLite at comparable subscriber counts.

MailerLite: Final verdict

The developers of MailerLite have done a marvelous job of streamlining and simplifying marketing processes, making for a highly intuitive product that’s easy to use. Though professional marketers might find the reporting and automation tools lack a few of the more advanced features of tools like Infusionsoft, most small businesses, freelancers, bloggers, and beginners will find MailerLite has more than enough power and versatility for their email marketing campaigns.

We've also listed the best Q&A polling platforms for customer feedback.

Wix Email Marketing is the built-in email tool for Wix website owners, accessible from the Marketing & SEO section of your dashboard. It launched as Wix ShoutOut in 2014, passed through a stint as part of the Wix Ascend Business Suite, and became a standalone product in 2023 after Ascend was discontinued. Now, it's a focused product that handles campaign creation, contact management, and basic automation.

The free plan lets you send up to 200 emails per month with Wix branding on all outgoing messages. Paid plans start at $10/month on annual billing (or cheaper with one of our Wix promo codes) and add more send volume, scheduling, AI-assisted copywriting, and the option to remove Wix's logo from your emails.

The platform won't replace a dedicated email marketing platform for a business with complex needs, but for anyone already building on Wix, the setup friction is minimal. Wix consistently ranks as our best website builder pick year after year, so this is an advantage worth considering. All paid plans also come with a 14-day money-back guarantee, which our previous review didn't mention.

(Image credit: Wix)My experience with Wix Email Marketing

Getting started is fast if you're already on Wix. The tool sits in your existing dashboard, pre-configured and ready to use without any separate account setup. The drag-and-drop editor is clean and familiar, with around 20 templates organized by campaign type: newsletters, promotions, and product announcements among others. Certain elements are tied to the template structure, so fully custom designs can feel constrained.

The AI copywriting feature, available on paid plans, generates subject lines and email body text from a short prompt. The output tends to be generic without specific business details, so it works better as a first draft than a finished result.

Automation is functional but limited: Wix configures triggers automatically based on your site type, so an ecommerce store gets order confirmations and cart abandonment flows, while a blog gets post notification emails. Building multi-step customer journeys or custom logic isn't supported.

Analytics gives you open rates, click rates, and delivery stats in real time, but there's no A/B testing, no heat maps, and no revenue attribution unless you're on the Advanced plan with a Wix Store. For a small business sending a few hundred emails per month, that coverage is usually adequate. Once you need to optimize campaigns using performance data, the reporting here won't give you much to work with.

Wix Email Marketing: Pricing & plans

Plan

Starting rate (billed monthly)

Starting rate (billed annually)

Monthly email limit

Free

$0

$0

200

Essentials

$12/month

$10/month

500

Core

$29/month

$24/month

5,000

Advanced

N/A

$49/month

1,000,000

As of 2026, Wix Email Marketing offers a free plan and three paid tiers that are separate from Wix website builder plans. The free plan covers 200 emails per month with the drag-and-drop editor and templates. All outgoing emails carry Wix branding, with no scheduling available on this tier. The Essentials plan ($10/month annually) removes branding, adds scheduling, and unlocks AI copywriting.

Core ($24/month annually) raises the monthly send limit to 5,000 and adds multiple sender addresses and shareable web campaign links. The Advanced plan, available only on annual billing at $49/month, raises the cap to one million emails per month.

All paid plans include a 14-day money-back guarantee on the initial paymen, and Wix prices by email volume rather than subscriber count, so a large contact list with infrequent sends won't push you to a higher tier. These email marketing plans are separate from Wix's website plans, so budget for both if you're building a full setup.

Wix Email Marketing: Features

Wix Email Marketing features an easy-to-use drag-and-drop email editor, much like its website builder. Users can pick from about 20 ready-made templates for different needs or start fresh. They can customize colors, fonts, and backgrounds to fit their brand. The platform includes AI tools to create catchy email text quickly. It also supports multimedia like videos, images, buttons, and product listings linked to your ecommerce site. All templates work well on both desktop and mobile, ensuring a consistent look.

The service allows for basic automation of triggered emails based on customer actions. Wix sets up relevant automations automatically based on your website features. For example, store owners get payment confirmation emails, while bloggers receive notifications about new posts. Analytics tools track delivery rates, open rates, and clicks in real time. This helps users see what content works best and improve future campaigns. The platform allows customer segmentation for focused messaging. However, advanced options are limited compared to specialized email marketing services. Business users can add company details, taglines, and logos to their emails for consistent branding.

(Image credit: Wix)Wix Email Marketing: Setup

Setting up Wix Email Marketing is easy, especially for existing users. You can find the tool in the Email Marketing section of the dashboard under Marketing & SEO. Start by choosing a pre-designed template or creating a campaign from scratch. The template library has options for promoting products, sending newsletters, or announcing special offers. The system guides you step-by-step with clear instructions and visuals, making it user-friendly for beginners.

The creation process is simple: first, design the email using the drag-and-drop editor. Then, select recipients either individually or by segments. You can preview and test the email if you want. Finally, publish and send or schedule the campaign.

A key feature for Wix owners is automatic contact collection. The system gathers contacts from your website, including ecommerce customers and form submissions, making it easier to build your email list. But the platform also suggests filtering out inactive contacts before sending campaigns to maintain good deliverability rates.

Wix Email Marketing: Support

Wix Email Marketing uses the same customer support system as Wix. There is no dedicated support for the email tool. All users can access the Help Center, which has detailed articles on using email features, from creating campaigns to maintaining lists. The Email Marketing page also has a thorough FAQ section. This section answers common questions about file types, sharing options, and usage rights.

For direct help, Wix provides 24/7 customer support for all paid plans. Users can submit tickets, request callbacks, or use chat support in over ten languages. Subscribers to the higher-tier Business Elite plan ($159/month) get priority support, faster response times, and a direct phone service hotline.

Wix Email Marketing: Specs

Drag-and-drop editor

Around 20 templates, mobile-ready

AI copywriting

Subject lines and email body copy

Automation triggers

Site type and action-based

Contact segmentation

Filter by behavior, location, and tags

Analytics

Open, click, and delivery rate tracking

Should I buy Wix Email Marketing?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Covers the basics well, but no A/B testing or complex automation

3.5/5

Performance

Reliable delivery with real-time campaign tracking

4/5

Design

Clean editor, good template variety, mobile-ready output

4/5

Value

Free plan is generous; paid pricing is fair for Wix users

4.5/5

Buy it if

• You're already building on Wix. The tool is embedded in your existing dashboard with no separate account or integration required. It's the simplest way to add email to a Wix site without managing another subscription.
• You're sending your first email campaigns. The guided setup and pre-configured automations mean you can get a campaign out the door quickly, even without any marketing background.
• Your list is large but your send frequency is low. Wix prices by email volume rather than contact count, so a big list you email infrequently won't push you to a higher tier.

Don't buy it if

• You need A/B testing or multi-step automation. Those features aren't available on any Wix Email Marketing plan, and working around the gaps is clunky.
• Your site isn't on Wix. This tool only works within the Wix ecosystem and can't connect to external websites or other platforms.
• Your list is growing fast. The jump from 500 emails on Essentials to 5,000 on Core comes with a significant price increase, with nothing in between for businesses at an awkward middle stage.

Also consider

• Mailchimp: A dedicated email platform with A/B testing, advanced segmentation, and deeper analytics. The free plan covers up to 500 contacts with 1,000 sends per month and works with any website platform.
• Brevo: A strong pick for businesses that need email, SMS, and transactional messaging under one roof. The free plan allows 300 emails per day with no contact limit, and it connects to Wix via the app marketplace.
• Omnisend: Built for ecommerce, with native support for cart abandonment, product review requests, and SMS campaigns alongside email. It integrates directly with Wix Stores through the Wix App Market.

Wix Email Marketing: Final verdict

Wix Email Marketing is an easy-to-use tool, helping cement Wix's position as one of the best small business website builders. Its biggest strengths include a simple interface, smooth integration with websites, and fair pricing.

Even free users can start email marketing campaigns with ease. AI content creation helps those who struggle to write engaging copy. Plus, automated setup processes make it friendly for marketing newbies. For existing site owners, it’s a great way to begin email marketing without a steep learning curve. The platform has enough features for basic promotional needs.

However, Wix Email Marketing has some drawbacks compared to dedicated services like Mailchimp or AWeber. Advanced users may find its automation options limited. Creating complex customer journeys or triggered campaigns can be a challenge. While customization meets basic needs, it lacks the depth seen in specialized platforms. The free plan is good for testing, but email limits on lower-tier paid plans could hinder growth. The jump from 500 emails on the Essentials plan to 5,000 on the Core plan is a big price jump for scaling.

All in all, Wix Email Marketing is best for small to medium-sized businesses already using Wix. It’s great for those who value ease of use and integration over advanced features. It works well for businesses starting their email marketing journey. However, companies with more complex needs or larger subscriber lists might find it lacking.

(Image credit: Wix)

Shark SilkiPro Straight review: two-minute review

The Shark SilkiPro Straight is a wet-to-dry hair straightener that combines a dryer fan, ceramic plates and three interchangeable combs in a single product. It launched in February 2026 and costs £249.99 in the UK and $249.99 in the US.

At this price, it's the most affordable entry in the growing wet-to-dry styler category. It's significantly cheaper than the GHD Duet Style at £379 / $429 and the Dyson Airstrait at £449.99 / $499.99, plus it's the only one of the three to include a range of attachments and accessories as standard.

It isn't the most intuitive styler. The grip takes some getting used to, and the location of the combs requires some deliberate – at times awkward – positioning. Working in small sections is non-negotiable if you want a consistent finish or you don't want to trap your hair and pull it out with each pass.

If you can get past this, though, the results are great. The SilkiPro consistently made my fine, mid-length, naturally curly hair look shiny and frizz-free when used in Wet mode. This mode is designed to dry and straighten your hair straight from the shower.

It's not the fastest entrant in our best hair dryer list, taking as long as 8.5 minutes for a standard styling session. As a result, it's unlikely to save you a lot of time compared to drying and straightening separately, but it is more convenient. Dry mode works well enough as a finishing step, but it's technically a glorified ceramic straightener, and a large, awkward, and clunky one at that.

The three interchangeable combs are where the SilkiPro really earns its crust, especially if you have curly or coily hair. The wide-tooth comb rough-dries and detangles from the roots on very wet hair; the gentle comb gives a softer, more natural straight; the precision comb delivers a sleek, flat finish. No competitor offers anything like this, and it feels like a feature designed with natural hair in mind, rather than an afterthought.

Elsewhere, the Shark SilkiPro's motion-sensing auto-pause, which cuts airflow after three seconds when you stop moving, is useful in theory but annoying in practice. It interrupts the rhythm, and the constant shift in noise levels as the airflow speeds up, slows down, and stops gets old quickly. At 70dB on high, it's obviously louder than a non-airflow straightener but quieter than a full-power hairdryer.

For fine or straight hair, there are simpler, cheaper tools that will do the same job as the Shark SilkiPro. However, for curly or coily hair where wet-to-dry styling genuinely changes the routine, it's a well-priced, well-equipped choice.

Shark SilkiPro: price & availability

• Price: £249.99 (UK) / $249.99 (US)
• Launch date: February 2026
• Availability: UK / US

At £249.99 in the UK and $249.99 in the US, the SilkiPro Straight is the most affordable entry in the growing wet-to-dry straightener market, by quite some margin.

It's sold directly from Shark as well as third-party retailers, including Amazon and Boots. It's currently available in two colors, called Plum Satin and Rose Petal in the UK, and Rose and Plum in the US. A Turquoise Wave model is also in the works.

Both the UK and US versions ship with the styler plus three attachments: a wide-tooth comb, gentle comb, and precision comb. The UK model also has a heat-resistant storage pouch in the box, but the US version doesn't.

At this price, the SilkiPro Straight is almost half the price of the Dyson Airstrait at £449.99 / $499.99, and more than £100 cheaper than the £379 / $429 GHD Duet Style, which are the most like-for-like 2-in-1 stylers to the Shark SilkiPro. All three take hair from wet to dry, but they go about it slightly differently.

The GHD Duet Style uses heated plates with airflow to deliver the glossiest finish of the three. The Dyson Airstrait has no plates and instead sends high-pressure air through narrow gaps to straighten the hair for a softer, more natural result.

The Shark uses the same plates-plus-airflow approach as GHD but undercuts both it and the Dyson on price. And it's the only one to include interchangeable combs.

The SilkiPro Straight does enough to justify its price, particularly for anyone with curly or coily hair who'd genuinely use the wet-to-dry features every day. If you already have fine or straight hair, you may not see the full value of all of its features – and a cheaper dryer and/or straightener will suffice – but you will appreciate the all-in-one design for a lower price than its rivals.

Viewed from above (pictured), the size difference between the wide-tooth comb and the two narrower smoothing combs shipped with the Shark SilkiPro Straight is clear (Image credit: Future)

• Value score: 4.5 / 5

Shark SilkiPro: specs

Model:

Shark SilkiPro Straight

Wattage:

1,000W

Weight (without cord, approx):

1.72lbs / 780g

Size (H x W x L, approx):

12.05 x 2.19 x 1.54in / 30.61 x 5.56 x 3.91cm

Airflow settings:

3

Temperature settings:

3

Extra modes:

Wet mode plate (212-248 F / 100-120C); Dry mode plate (320-428F / 160-220C);

Noise level

70dB average

Attachments:

Wide-Tooth Comb, Gentle Comb, Precision Comb, Pouch (UK only)

Cord length:

8ft / 2.4m

Shark SilkiPro review: design

• Larger and heavier than a regular flat iron
• Three interchangeable combs for different hair types
• Split controls for airflow and temperature

The gold power button and wet/dry mode toggle (pictured) sit at the base of the SilkiPro Straight, with the airflow and temperature buttons stacked above them on the lower body (Image credit: Future)

There's very little that's subtle about the Shark SilkiPro Straight, from the color to its shape and features.

The top of the body looks like a conventional flat iron with ceramic plates controlled by a hinge, but the chassis is noticeably wider to accommodate both the comb track that runs along the side and the air vents that direct airflow down through the plates.

The main part of the handle sits just below the hinge and just above a vented grille, and the control buttons are stacked along the side of the lower body into two rows.

Along the top row is where you select the SilkiPro's three airflow settings, cycling through them in order. Below this is the button to cycle through the three heat settings, and the wet/dry mode toggle sits at the bottom alongside the gold power button. On the opposite side of the arm is a lock switch that keeps the plate closed when being stored.

The specific temperatures of the plate's heat settings depend on whether you're in Wet or Dry mode.

• Wet mode: 212-248F / 100-120C
• Dry mode: 320-428F / 160-220C

In Wet mode, which is designed for use on hair that's at least 70% dry after rough-drying from the roots, the plates run between 212F / 100C and 248F / 120C.

Dry mode, which is used for finishing and touch-ups on already-dry hair, runs the plates much hotter – between 320F / 160C and 428F / 220C – and works like a conventional ceramic straightener.

The lilac faux-leather storage pouch (pictured) is included in the UK box and houses the SilkiPro Straight, as well as pockets for the three comb attachments (Image credit: Future)

Temperature

Wet Mode

Dry Mode

High

120C / 248F

220C / 428F

Medium

110C / 230F

190C / 374F

Low

100C / 212F

160C / 320F

The gold cool-touch strip (pictured) runs along the top of the SilkiPro Straight body, providing a safe place to grip during use (Image credit: Future)

I reviewed the Plum Satin model, which has a two-tone purple/lilac matte body with gold cool-touch strip, gold-toned ceramic plates, and a matching cord. It's a fun, if slightly cheap-looking, mix that stands out in a sea of traditionally white-and-black stylers, but won't suit everyone.

On first glance, I assumed the two-tone design was purely aesthetic, but it acts as a reference point when styling your hair to show which direction the air is flowing.

The gold lock switch (pictured) sits between the two arms of the SilkiPro Straight to keep the plates closed when not in use or when traveling (Image credit: Future)

The three combs – wide-tooth, gentle, and precision – clip into a track that runs along the back of the tool, locking in with an audible click. When attached, they sit flush to the styler, which not only keeps them close to the plates but doesn't add more to the chunkiness of the overall design. As they only sit on one side of the styler, you need to be very deliberate about how you hold and use the SilkiPro. This can take a lot of getting used to.

Swapping between the combs is easy, although Shark stressed you shouldn't change combs immediately after using Dry mode, as the hot plates may burn your hands.

The wide-tooth comb attachment (pictured) is designed for use on very wet hair to rough-dry roots and detangle thick, curly, or coily hair before straightening (Image credit: Future)

In terms of weight, at 1.72lbs / 780g, the SilkiPro is heavier than a standard flat iron, and you can feel it, particularly during longer styling sessions.

The swivel cord helps reduce wrist strain, and the cool-touch gold strip gives you a reliable place to grip, but with such a small handle and a top-heavy design, it's not the most comfortable styler to maneuver.

• Design score: 3.5 out of 5

Shark SilkiPro review: performance

• Delivers smooth, frizz-free results quickly
• Auto-pause airflow can be annoying
• Dry mode doesn't offer more than a conventional flat iron

Although it looks simple enough, the SilkiPro Straight isn't the most intuitive styler to use.

Its larger size and the specific location of the combs and airflow mean the grip and positioning don't come naturally. You also have to work in small sections to make sure you not only get a consistent finish, but also don't trap hair outside of the plates. Once you've mastered all that, it's a great styler, if a little slow and awkward at times.

In Wet mode, the mix of airflow and plates does a good job of drying and straightening at the same time, with impressive results on my naturally curly hair. Even without a comb attached. It gave me shiny, sleek and frizz-free hair every time, but having to meticulously move around your head in small sections means it's not a quick job.

During my tests, it took as much as 8.5 minutes to dry my entire head of fine, mid-length hair on the fastest airflow and heat setting. For comparison, most dryers I've tested average around five minutes.

The precision comb attachment (pictured) clips into the track along the side of the SilkiPro Straight and is designed for a sleek, flat finish with maximum control (Image credit: Future)

The wide-tooth comb is the best place to start on very wet hair, rough-drying the roots while stretching and detangling before you begin straightening. Switching to the gentle or precision comb for the straightening pass creates a clean finish.

In addition to angling the airflow so it blasts up at the roots, and thus adds volume, you can also use the SilkiPro like a standard dryer. Without any hair inside, close the plates to activate the air, and angle the flow at your roots or anywhere you want to quickly blast away water.

Dry mode works well as a finishing step for smoothing flyaways, but at that point, it's effectively just a regular straightener – albeit a larger, less comfortable one.

A built-in HeatSense sensor reads the plate temperature 1,000 times per second and automatically adjusts the heat based on how much moisture remains in the hair, applying less heat when it's wetter and more as it dries.

Shark goes quite hard on the benefit of its motion-sensing auto-pause feature, which cuts airflow after three seconds when you stop moving it. In theory, this sounds great. In practice, it's annoying. Pausing to clip away a finished section is enough to trigger the auto-pause, and the interrupted rhythm gets old quickly. Not to mention the constant change in noise levels between the motor sound when the plates are open, the airflow noise when the plates are closed, and the constant on and off of the auto-pause.

Speaking of which, noise is reasonable for a tool with a built-in fan. It's obviously louder than a straightener that doesn't have an airflow option – averaging at 70dB – but it's quieter than most hairdryers, even at full power.

• Performance score: 4 out of 5

How I tested the Shark SilkiPro review

I tested the Shark SilkiPro Straight over four weeks, using it as my go-to styling tool on both wash days and when I wanted to style second-day hair.

I tried all three combs across a range of scenarios, starting with the wide-tooth comb on freshly washed hair to rough-dry and detangle from the roots; moving to the gentle comb for straightening, and finishing with the precision comb on dry mode to lock in the style.

I tested the 2-in-1 styler on damp hair at varying levels of dryness to get a sense of how the heat-sensing plates worked, and paid particular attention to how the results compared to my usual two-step routine of hairdryer followed by straighteners. I also tested it on dry hair in ry mode alone, using it as I would a standalone flat iron.

Throughout, I noted how easy it was to use, noise levels using the DecibelX app, and the finish and hold.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed April 2026

Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II: One-minute review

Hot on the heels of the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II, Nikon has delivered its second mark II lens for its Z-mount mirrorless cameras — and the Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II is another 5-star success.

The pro telephoto zoom builds on the original Z 70-200mm by being much lighter (and a fraction smaller), featuring a totally removable Arca-Swiss compatible tripod collar, and offering better close-focusing skills and a new optical design which improves image quality in various ways, especially bokeh.

I found the pricier Sony 50-150mm F2 GM a more exciting telephoto zoom to test, but there's no such lens for Nikon cameras yet; and, overall, it's hard to find fault with Nikon's latest stellar 70-200mm f/2.8. While it easily joins the ranks of essential Nikon lenses there is a big jump in price — it costs $3,199 / £2,999 / AU$5,399, where its predecessor cost around $2,600 / £2,600 / AU$5,100 at launch, and that lens is now available for less.

The Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II alongside the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 G ED VR II designed for Nikon's F-mount DSLRs. They're essentially the same size, but the new mirrorless lens is much lighter (Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Is the new lens worth the extra? For me, yes. My own 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II for Nikon DSLRs was my most-used lens for weddings and portraiture work, and it has paid for itself time and again over its years of heavy use.

When I made the switch from DSLR to mirrorless, I continued using that lens via an adapter, such is its quality and versatility for paid work, until the day I could consider upgrading to its Z-mount successor.

The Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S was enticing, but I didn't see enough of an upgrade over my DSLR lens to make it worth splashing out. The mark II version, with its new optical design and lightweight body, is the upgrade I've been wanting all along, especially for long shoot days.

Nikon has squeezed every bit of quality in can into a lightweight successor to what was already a stellar telephoto zoom, and I expect many pro Nikon photographers to buy, and rely on it for years to come.

Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II: Price and availability

• Costs $3,199 / £2,999 / AU$5,399
• Two tripod collars and a lens hood included

At $3,199 / £2,999 / AU$5,399, the mark II version costs a lot more than the current price of the original, which is now available for around $2,397 / £2,379 at leading retailers, or closer to $2,100 / £2,100 / AU$4,000 secondhand.

I think the weight savings and improved optical design with better close-focusing are worth the extra outlay, and Nikon lenses often receive healthy price cuts soon after launch, too — for example, the 24-70mm f/2.8 mark II briefly saw a 10% saving, so the 70-200mm's pricing might become a moot point soon enough.

In the box, Nikon includes the (removable) tripod collar, a foot-less collar, plus a lens hood which features a sliding door for easy access to attached filters and adjustments a breeze; the lens accepts 77mm threaded filters.

Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II: specsNikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II specs

Type:

Telephoto zoom

Mount:

Nikon Z

Sensor:

Full-frame

Focal length:

70-200mm

Max aperture:

f/2.8

Minimum focus:

0.38m (70mm) / 0.8m (200mm),

Max reproduction

0.3x at 70mm / 0.25x at 200mm

Filter size:

77mm

Dimensions:

3.6 x 8.2 inches / 90 x 208mm

Weight:

2.2lbs / 998g (or 2.6lbs / 1,180g with the tripod collar attached)

Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II: design

• The lightest 70-200mm f/2.8 lens available, weighing just 2.2lbs / 998g
• Tripod collar is fully removable, and you'll save 182g of weight when you don't need it
• Multiple function buttons and a customizable control ring, but no display

Future / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim Coleman

Size-wise, the 70-200mm mark II measures up similarly to Nikon's previous offerings. It's slightly smaller than the mark I for Z-mount, but slightly bigger than the version for DSLRs (see my photo comparison above). However, there is a big weight saving.

The Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II weighs 2.2lbs / 998g, or 2.6lbs / 1,180g with the tripod collar attached — the latter for me is more often how I would set a lens like this up even without using a tripod, because the collar provides an easy hold of the lens between shots. Even factoring in the tripod collar, that's over 25% lighter than other Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses (the mark I weighs 1,360g without collar and 1,440g with it, while the DLSR version is a fraction heavier again), and the lightest lens of its kind for any lens mount.

The tripod foot is now Arca-Swiss compatible, which is probably the most popular tripod-plate type. Don't need the tripod collar? There's a 182g weight saving to be gained by removing it, and Nikon also supplies a lighter foot-less collar that can go in its place. For shoots when you know you won't be using a tripod, that's a decent weight reduction that will be appreciated over long hours lugging around gear (although, as I said, I prefer keeping the tripod collar attached).

I like holding the a large lens like a 70-200mm f/2.8 by its tripod collarFuture / Tim ColemanBut you can also swap it out for a foot-less collar, thus shedding some weight and bulk.Future / Tim Coleman

One chief reason for the weight saving is the new optical design. Nikon has done away with three lens elements: the mark II has 18 elements in 16 groups, while the mark I has 21 elements in 18 groups.

With a simpler optical design, you might expect a compromise in terms of image quality, but the opposite is true — I'll talk more about image quality in the performance section below. There are also 11 aperture blades, versus nine blades in the other two 70-200mm lenses, and inevitably, the additional blades will form a more rounded diaphragm for pleasant and smoother bokeh — again more on this below.

Close focusing has been improved too — it's 0.38m at 70mm and 0.8m at 200mm, delivering a 0.3x maximum magnification at 70mm, compared to 0.2x in the mark I. For a telephoto zoom such as this, those are impressive close-focusing skills — not quite in the realm of macro photography, but easily versatile enough to capture little details sharply, such as wedding rings.

Future / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim Coleman

As for build quality, the lens is exactly what you would hope for from a pro optic: it's rugged and weather-resistant, equipped with lightning fast autofocus motors, and packed with a suite of external controls, including clicked aperture control and a customizable control ring.

The supplied lens hood now features a door which slides open for easy access to threaded filters — that's a handy addition for circular polarizer and variable ND filter users, because these (often essential) filters require rotating to adjust strength and you would otherwise have to remove the lens hood to access them.

The only thing that's arguably missing is a digital display for the lens settings, nor are there focus-distance markings, meaning you'll need to check the camera's displays if you need such information. The former could be helpful, but it would add weight to the lens.

Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II: Performance

• Practically no lens distortions at any focal length or aperture setting
• Dreamy circular bokeh, especially at 200mm
• Speedy and practically silent autofocus

The 70-200mm mark II is ideal for wildlife photography (of confident subjects)...Future / Tim Coleman...close up photography...Future / Tim Coleman...and portraiture.Future / Tim ColemanIt's even effective for street photography...Future / Tim Coleman...and landscape photographyFuture / Tim Coleman

I've tried the lens at every key focal length and aperture setting, and I've struggled to find a single optical weakness; it's pin sharp even at f/2.8, and lens distortions are extremely well controlled.

Take the scene below, with dappled background light. It's a testing scenario for any lens, but chromatic aberration, flare, ghosting and vignetting are all well controlled, even with the aperture set to f/2.8 — the widest aperture, which is typically where lens distortions are most obvious.

Bokeh is dreamy too, especially with the lens set to 200mm. It's more defined (read: smaller) at 70mm — that's to be expected at a wider focal length. Only an even wider maximum aperture at 70mm, say f/2, would make bokeh a similar size to what we get at 200mm. Ultimately, the more you zoom in, the bigger bokeh gets. You can see below how bokeh changes at the wide and telephoto settings as I reduce aperture from f/2.8 to f/4, f/5.6, f/8 and f/11.

200mm f/2.8Future / Tim Coleman200mm f/4Future / Tim Coleman200mm f/5.6Future / Tim Coleman200mm f/8Future / Tim Coleman200mm f/11Future / Tim Coleman70mm f/2.8Future / Tim Coleman70mm f/4Future / Tim Coleman70mm f/5.6Future / Tim Coleman70mm f/8Future / Tim Coleman70mm f/11Future / Tim Coleman

I've really appreciated the improved maximum magnification which now goes up to 0.3x, if you make the most of the lens' 0.38m minimum focus distance at 70mm, or up to 0.25x at 200mm. I'm often wanting to photograph little details, and the mark II lens is more versatile than the previous-generation lens for such tasks.

It's also a supremely fast lens for autofocusing — the exotically named Silky Swift VCM (voice coil motors) make light work of the moving 18 lens elements precisely for accurate, lightning quick and practically silent autofocus. Nikon says it's up to 3.5x faster than the previous 70-200mm lens and 50% quieter, plus focus tracking while zooming is 40% more effective.

The lens provides 6-stop vibration reduction image stabilization, which pairs effectively with sensor-based stabilization in pro mirrorless cameras such as the Nikon Z8 (which I paired with the lens for this test). For example, I've been able to get sharp handheld shots at 200mm using shutter speeds as slow as 1/4 sec (though not every time).

Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II sample imagesFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanFuture / Tim ColemanShould you buy the Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II?Buy it if...

You want the very best and lightest Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8
There's enough reason to upgrade to the mark II from the DSLR equivalent (adapted on mirrorless) or the mark I — it's notably lighter, more versatile, and optically superior.

You regularly shoot weddings and events
For long shoot days, especially event photography, Nikon's 70-200mm mark II feels like an essential for the kit bag.

Don't buy it if...

You don't mind the extra weight of the mark I and cheaper alternatives
The weight saving is a key upgrade, so if you don't consider the mark I too heavy, you might as well stick with it.

You mainly shoot portraiture
Events, weddings, and sports / widlife with a 2x teleconverter are where the 70-200mm f/2.8 mark II excels. If you need a bokeh king for portraits, then a faster-aperture prime, like Nikon's 85mm f/1.2, is the way to go.

How I tested the Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S II

(Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

• Nikon loaned me a sample unit for four weeks, and I used it with the Nikon Z8
• I've taken identical photos at 70mm and 200mm, adjusting only aperture throughout the sequence to compare image quality
• I've shot street photography, portraits, landscapes, closeups and more

I was fortunate to get a long review period with the 70-200mm lens, and to be able to use it with Nikon's pro Z8 mirrorless camera. During this time, I had a week-long trip to China where I was able to use the gear in wide-ranging scenarios; at night for street photography, taking portraits and so on.

When I test lenses, I make sure all in-camera lens corrections are turned off. I shoot in RAW & JPEG format and compare files between uncorrected raws and processed JPEGs, which allows me to check for lens distortions, such as vignetting and chromatic aberration.

By taking a sequence of identically composed images at the wide and telephoto settings of the lens, beginning at f/2.8 and cycling through the aperture range in full stops, I can see which settings are best for quality, plus how bokeh looks and changes at various apertures.

First reviewed April 2026