Reviews

Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE review

The Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE have sprung into the affordable IEM arena. One that, as of late, has provided some incredible quality, with brands such as Sennheiser, Meze Audio, and Activo bringing some serious sound-for-pound value.

While the DT 30 IE don’t try anything outwardly fancy, they’re still a very attractive proposition. They have 11mm dynamic drivers intended to supply a “neutral and balanced tuning,” passive noise cancellation up to “-39dB,” and even have an IP54 dust and water resistance rating.

But can they compete with some of the best wired earbuds around? I spent a couple of weeks using them as one of my main listening devices — here’s what I thought.

Let’s start with the area that matters most: sound quality. As you may expect at this price-point, sound quality is good rather than excellent — though there are a lot of positives to discuss.

In Can’t Let Go by Earth, Wind & Fire, overall audio was clear and balanced relatively well. I felt that vocals in the mid-range were a bit lacking in texture and detail, but still had good presence in the mix. More subtle percussive elements came through nicely, though, and funky bass was well-weighted.

Although I felt that the DT 30 IE perhaps lacked the openness and nuance of pricier options, they still sound strong for the price.

And perhaps the main thing that grabs you about the DT 30 IE is their bass output. It’s meaty and dynamic, which is ideal for gigging situations or if you want to enjoy hard-hitting tunes to the max in a more casual capacity. In Kickin’ In The Beat by Lewis Taylor, I was struck by pumping low-end output, which didn’t obscure vocals or drums in the treble range — it's punchy and fairly agile, making for an exciting listen.

Treble is clear and fairly controlled, though it could be more articulate and expressive. In Sing To Me by Ned Doheny, percussion in the treble range didn’t have the precise, bright quality that I was listening out for, with a slightly muted take. This wasn’t the case when I switched over to the Sennheiser IE 200, which offered better top-end clarity, and also provided a more natural interpretation of lead vocals.

(Image credit: Future)

So, it’s certainly a positive start overall for the DT 30 IE, but how do they compete elsewhere? In terms of features, there’s not a lot to run through. There’s no in-line controller with volume controls, which is more of a nice-to-have rather than an expectation for IEMs in my view. They also skip on interchangeable connectors, as seen on models such as the Activo Volcano, so you’re stuck with a 3.5mm option unless you purchase an adapter of some kind. But what I did like was the range of ear tips packed in, allowing you to find the ideal seal, no matter your ear size.

And when I got the right seal, I found that the DT 30 IE offered pretty solid passive noise isolation. Is it the best I’ve experienced? No — models with foam ear tips, such as the Shure Aonic 3 take the prize there. But I did find that sounds like typing and office chatter were dulled to a pretty commendable degree, and that’s going to be key for gigging musicians, for example. I also found that, with the right seal, the DT 30 IE were supremely comfortable and secure, making them ideal for longer listening sessions. They’re also nice and small, which I prefer over the chunky approach some rivals go for.

It’s also worth noting that the cable for the DT 30 IE is detachable, so you can swap this out for an aftermarket MMCX cable if you’d prefer. The cable itself is built to a really nice standard, though, and it produced next to no cable noise when I tried taking the buds on the go.

The IEMs themselves, however, don’t quite exude the same sense of premium build quality. They have a translucent look, enabling you to make out the drivers inside, but the casing feels a bit overly plasticky. I’m not expecting ultra-premium materials at this price point, but I do think some rivals in this price-range look a bit more luxurious — the Meze Audio Alba spring to mind.

So are the Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE worth the money? Overall, I’d say yes. They provide good sound quality with impressive bass and solid clarity across the frequency range, as well as a lightweight and comfortable build, and decent passive noise isolation. All of that for $149.99 / £99 / AU$199 isn’t half bad.

What I would argue, however, is that you can get slightly more detailed, nuanced sound — and slightly better build quality — in this general price range. The Sennheiser IE 200 and Meze Audio Alba, in my opinion, offer superior performance at a very similar cost, and I’d suggest checking those out before pulling the trigger on the DT 30 IE, as good as they are.

(Image credit: Future)Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE review: price & release date

• List price of $149.99 / £99 / AU$199
• Released in June 2026

The Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE are priced at $149.99 / £99 / AU$199, meaning they’re certainly sitting in the affordable domain within the IEMs world.

I’ve personally reviewed a number of competitors in this range, including the Sennheiser IE 200, Meze Audio Alba, Activo Scoop, and Shure SE215.

The DT 30 IE were released in June 2026, and are available in a single white colorway.

Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE review: specs

Drivers

11mm dynamic

Weight

3g (per bud)

Frequency range

5Hz-20kHz

Connectivity

3.5mm

Waterproofing

IP54

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Detachable cable and multiple eartips, only 3.5mm connectivity and no volume controls or anything.

3.5/5

Sound quality

Clear overall sound with meaty bass, but mids and treble sound more intricate from some rivals.

4/5

Design

Great quality cable and lightweight, comfortable feel — buds could look a bit more premium though.

4/5

Value

Tempting low price, and they earn it — but there are rivals that arguably offer better sound at a similar cost.

3.5/5

Buy them if…

You want IEMs with quality bass response
The DT 30 IE offer punchy, dynamic bass that makes upbeat tracks sound especially vibrant and exciting. If you want clear, insightful sound with a healthy dose of low-end thump, you’ll likely enjoy these IEMs.

You want affordable comfort
Not only are Beyerdynamic's in-ears relatively cheap, but they also offer excellent comfort. They’re lightweight, come with a range of eartips, and unlike some rivals, have a small build, meaning they never feel overly noticeable in use.

Don’t buy them if…

You want the best sound quality around
Although Beyerdynamic’s IEMs sound pretty good for the price, I’d argue there are better options out there available at a similar cost. Treble doesn’t sound as expressive as it does from other rivals, and mids don’t always sound as textured or intricate as they do on other sets, like the Sennheiser model listed in the ‘also consider’ section.

You need multiple connectivity methods
The DT 30 IE have a 3.5mm connector by default, but unlike some rivals — such as the Activo model below — there’s no way to swap the connector out for a USB-C or 4.4mm option instead. As a result, you’d have to grab some kind of adapter separately.

Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE review: also consider

Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE

Sennheiser IE 200

Activo Scoop

Price

$149.99 / £99 / AU$199

$149.95 / £129.99 / AU$239.95

$99 / £99 (about AU$140)

Drivers

11mm dynamic

7mm dynamic

1x 8mm dynamic, 2x 6mm dynamic, 2x balanced armature

Weight

3g (per bud)

4g (per bud)

5g (per bud)

Frequency range

5Hz-20kHz

6Hz-20kHz

20Hz-20kHz

Connectivity

3.5mm

3.5mm

3.5mm; 4.4mm; USB-C

Waterproofing

IP54

None

None

Sennheiser IE 200
The Sennheiser IE 200 are still some of my favorite affordable IEMs, even though they’re a fair bit older than these Beyerdynamic in-ears. They offer beautifully balanced sound with tasteful yet punchy low bass, intricate mids, and controlled highs. They also look stylish and discreet, and offer an incredibly comfortable fit. Read my full Sennheiser IE 200 review.

Activo Scoop
This recently released set of IEMs really impressed me when I tested them out. Their multi-layered driver configuration, natural sound signature, and wide connectivity options make them equally viable for monitoring and casual listening, and they have a great standard of build. I found them to be a little too treble-forward at times, and they’re a lot chunkier in ears than the diminutive Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE. But if you want great, affordable IEMs, I’d recommend checking them out. Read my full Activo Scoop review.

How I tested the Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested over the course of two weeks
• Mainly tested using Tidal
• Paired with Astell & Kern A&ultima SP4000

I spent a couple of weeks using the Beyerdynamic DT 30 IE, and hours upon hours listening to music. Typically, I had the DT 30 IE hooked up to the Astell & Kern A&ultima SP4000 media player, though I did also try them out with my Windows laptop.

To begin with, I sifted through tracks in the TechRadar reference playlist, which features tunes from a wide variety of genres, but I also bumped a bunch of songs from my personal library. I also made sure to compare the DT 30 IE to affordable IEM rivals like the Sennheiser IE 200.

More generally, I’ve spent years testing audio gear here at TechRadar, where I serve as an in-house Senior Reviews Writer. I’ve covered everything from portable DACs through to premium wireless headphones such as the Sony WH-1000XM6, and have reviewed a number of IEMs, meaning I know exactly what it takes for a model to stand out in a competitive market.

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

With a decade of proxy service catering to individuals and small businesses, Storm Proxies has established itself as a budget-friendly proxy provider for those who want straightforward performance without paying per gigabyte. Its product catalog covers three primary proxy types: residential rotating proxies backed by a pool of 20M+ IPs, dedicated rotating proxies drawing from 700,000+ shared IPs, and private dedicated proxies offering 1 Gbps speeds across US locations.

Storm Proxies sets itself apart with 100% unlimited bandwidth across every single plan, pricing its plans differently than the majority of its peers. As expected, a focus on low-cost simplicity comes with a few trade-offs (which we’ll get to), but it doesn’t change the fact that Storm Proxies is a no-nonsense and cost-effective entry point for heavy scraping and other data needs.

Plans and pricing

Storm Proxies provides access to three IP categories: residential rotating proxies, dedicated rotating proxies, and private dedicated proxies. Each comes with its own distinct thread- or port-based pricing options, and most notably, unlimited bandwidth across every tier.

The company charges a monthly fee for private dedicated IPs according to the number of proxies, hosted on a 1 Gbps network across three US locations.

For $10/month, you can get 5 private IPs ($2 per proxy) with unlimited bandwidth and 100 concurrent threads. At $20/month, you can get 10 IPs; $40/month gets you 20 IPs, $60/month provides access to 30 IPs, $90/month is guaranteed 50 IPs , $160/month means 100 IPs, $320/month is 200 IPs, and for $640/month, you can get 400 data center proxies ($1.40 per proxy).

In other words, the higher the number of IPs, the lower the cost per IP.

Where residential rotating proxies are concerned, you pay according to the number of ports ('proxy gateway' IPs) that change every five minutes, drawing from a pool of over 20 million IPs. Access to one residential IP port costs $19/month, 5 ports are charged $50/month, 10 ports are $90/month, 20 ports are $160/month, 50 ports are $300/month, and 100 ports are available for $550/month (with each port capped at a limit of 50 simultaneous threads).

For reverse rotating backconnect proxies, which draw from a pool of 700,000+ shared IPs, you pay according to the number of 'threads' or simultaneous connections from one device.

Pricing starts at a low $14/month for a 10-thread test package, while standard plans start at $39/month for up to 40 simultaneous connections. To get 80 connections, you'll pay $59/month; $97/month will get you 150 connections, $147/month delivers 200 threads, and $294/month gets you 400 threads. Depending on the backconnect gateway you choose, IPs rotate on every HTTP request or every three or 15 minutes.

All packages include optional discounts for bi-annual billing (such as 1 month free on 6-month plans) and a 24-hour money-back guarantee on entry-level plans.

Features

Storm Proxies focuses on proxy IPs and lacks complementary features you’ll find on other proxy providers, such as web scraping APIs. However, it performs its core function well.

Residential rotating proxies

Residential proxies are real IP addresses sourced from physical devices. The device owners agree to add their IP address to Storm Proxies’ network in exchange for a benefit, e.g., VPN usage. The vendor then pools these IPs and offers them to its users with automated rotation every five minutes per gateway port.

Rotating means your IP address changes frequently to a new one randomly selected from the pool without needing manual IP replacements or complex API scripting. Constant rotation makes it harder for target servers to detect and block your automation tools. Storm Proxies’ residential rotating proxy pool boasts over 20 million IPs.

So what are residential proxies used for? Web scraping is a major use case, like tracking retail prices or monitoring competitor listings across sites that deploy strict anti-bot checks.

When you use a residential proxy to visit a website, the website thinks the traffic comes from a typical device. With IP rotation, the website thinks the traffic comes from different devices visiting the site as usual. Some ticket websites block traffic from entire countries, usually those they aren’t serving. But you can simply bypass this geo-restriction by choosing a US or EU proxy.

Storm Proxies' residential proxies have unlimited bandwidth, so you don't need to worry about the volume of data being scraped. It uses encryption to hide your actual IP address from websites. During our test, Storm Proxies’ IPs offered fast speeds and performance, with little slowdown compared to accessing sites normally. The drawback is this platform’s limited proxy pool, with servers concentrated in the US and EU and negligible in other regions.

Dedicated rotating proxies

Somewhat confusing since Storm Proxies' official terminology also includes the term ‘backconnect rotating proxies’, these are a type of proxy server that dynamically routes traffic through a pool of rotating IPs. Storm Proxies lets you choose proxies that change every three minutes or 15 minutes. A three-minute proxy is suitable for regular browsing or account creation, while 15-minute proxies are suitable for longer browsing sessions. You can also get a fresh IP address with every new HTTP request, which further improves your anonymity and maximizes data extraction speeds.

The provider gives you one or several "proxy gateway" IPs that you'll enter into your proxy management software. With this connection set up, you'll receive a new proxy IP on every HTTP request or at the previously mentioned intervals. The good news is that there’s no need to manually change IPs in your proxy management software, since everything works out of the box on Storm Proxies' side. Additionally, you can route your traffic through four general geographic pools: USA, EU, combined USA+EU, or worldwide.

The maximum number of backconnect proxy connections you can open depends on your proxy plan. Storm Proxies offers different plans ranging from 10 simultaneous threads (a $14/month entry package) up to 400 simultaneous threads for high-volume tasks. Depending on your plan tier, you can register between 1 and 5 authorized access IPs (allowing you to run connections simultaneously across multiple machines). Users get unlimited bandwidth, so there’s no need to worry about your data scraping volumes or unexpected overage fees.

Storm Proxies’ backconnect proxies were reliable during our test. We liked that the pools rotated automatically while we surfed the web seamlessly. We chose the option for a new IP address with every request, enabling us to bypass geo-restrictions more effectively, although we encountered a few request failures. The main drawback remains Storm Proxies’ limited 700,000-IP pool (though IPs are replaced every 7 days), unlike many competitors whose access is measured in tens of millions of global IPs.

Private dedicated proxies

Unlike residential and backconnect proxies, which rotate on set intervals or on every request, private dedicated datacenter IPs are static IP addresses tied to physical servers. You'll get fixed IPs to keep for your entire billing cycle, but you can request up to two IP replacements per month in case you haven't gotten more than 20% of your assigned proxy pool banned.

Datacenter IPs deliver rapid speed and performance. In this case, a physical server with a stable 1 Gbps connection sits as an intermediary between you and the good ole internet. Such a setup provides far higher stability and faster throughput than relying on an end user’s PC or mobile phone (residential IP), which might have an unstable connection.

Among the more noteworthy things about private dedicated datacenter IPs here is that Storm Proxies owns 100% of its dedicated server infrastructure, providing users with exclusive and non-shared access. All dedicated plans include unlimited bandwidth and support up to 100 concurrent threads, and offer both IP allowlist and username/password authentication options in the member dashboard.

If you’re scraping massive data volumes, datacenter IPs are the best choice because of their better reliability and speed. The drawback is their limited reach, with Storm Proxies supplying datacenter IPs only in the US (Cheyenne, Los Angeles, and New York City). If you need a datacenter IP in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and other continents, Storm Proxies can’t fulfill this need.

Storm Proxies also provides purpose-built dedicated proxy packages tailored for strict target platforms, such as specialized Ticket Sites proxies and Social Sites proxies.

This would be a good place to mention what Storm Proxies lacks compared to its more robust and enterprise-oriented competitors. For starters, there is no web scraping or SERP API. Web scraping is the most common use case for proxy servers, and web scraping APIs let you automate massive data scraping tasks. You’ll choose the website you want to scrape from and select your data type, and the API fetches the data.

We don’t like that Storm Proxies doesn’t offer bandwidth-based or pay-as-you-go pricing plans, which can be more economical for small or low-volume users. If you need just a few GB of proxy bandwidth for light tasks, it’ll be more cost-effective to pay per gigabyte rather than subscribe to a monthly plan with set port or thread limits. Furthermore, rotating pools support HTTP and HTTPS protocols exclusively, with no SOCKS5 support. We also don’t like this platform’s limited geographical reach, as it lacks city- or state-level targeting entirely.

That said, if you’re looking for unlimited bandwidth proxies and already run custom scripts, Storm Proxies is an affordable and good choice.

Ease of use

Storm Proxies offers a simple dashboard that we found easy to use. Setting up your proxies is as simple as it gets, helped by its limited features and straightforward design. Account activation is completely automated, giving you instant access to your proxies immediately after payment.

(Image credit: Storm Proxies)

The user interface in the member area neatly organizes options by active subscription package. From this menu, you can renew your plan, deploy new proxies, change credentials, and whitelist IPs (supporting 1 to 5 authorized access IPs depending on your plan tier, or dynamic DNS tracking via No-IP for non-static home connections). Just keep in mind that private dedicated proxies support both IP allowlisting and username/password credentials, whereas the other two types operate exclusively on IP authorization.

(Image credit: Storm Proxies)

However, we noticed a user interface-related drawback: the lack of usage reports and traffic analytics. Most proxies we've tested provide extensive usage reports, which let users know how much bandwidth they've consumed over time or track request success rates. But Storm Proxies doesn't have this feature; a disadvantage for developers who want deeper connection diagnostics. On the bright side, Storm Proxies provides 100% unlimited bandwidth on all subscriptions, so you don't need to monitor your data consumption rigorously.

Customer support

You can contact the Storm Proxies customer support team 24/7 via email or through the web contact form in the member area. It doesn’t offer telephone support or real-time live chat, a noticeable drawback compared to competitors offering instant chat widgets. Nonetheless, the company aims to respond to emails promptly, typically within a few hours.

Storm Proxies also maintains a dedicated Help Scout Knowledge Base with answers to common questions about using its service.

A word about Storm Proxies' strict refund policy. The company offers a 24-hour money-back guarantee, but it applies exclusively to the single smallest package within each proxy category for first-time buyers. Higher-tier plans and repeat purchases carry zero refund eligibility, which makes it smart to test the smallest entry plan before committing to a larger order.

(Image credit: Storm Proxies)The competition

Storm Proxies sits firmly in the basic, budget-friendly niche compared to the likes of Bright Data, Oxylabs, and IPRoyal.

Bright Data is a stellar proxy provider that offers residential, datacenter, ISP, and mobile proxies from its gargantuan network of 400 million+ global IPs. It also offers sophisticated web scraping APIs, so it lets users kill two birds with one stone. Overall, we consider Bright Data a better proxy service than Storm Proxies, albeit a more expensive one.

Oxylabs has a massive pool of 177 million proxies and provides residential, datacenter, ISP, and mobile proxies, plus web scraping APIs and pre-built datasets. Oxylabs is a more sophisticated proxy provider, but unlike Storm Proxies and its unlimited bandwidth, residential IPs are bandwidth-limited.

IPRoyal is a strong alternative for users who need geographical flexibility and modern features. The provider offers a flexible pay-as-you-go pricing model with bandwidth that never expires, and access to over 68 million residential IPs spanning 195+ locations. It also fully supports the SOCKS5 protocol, which makes it a better choice for users needing city-level targeting or non-HTTP traffic.

Final verdict

Presenting itself as a budget-conscious option for individuals and small businesses who need straightforward proxy access without paying steep per-gigabyte bandwidth fees, Storm Proxies is not designed for complex, enterprise-level scraping. It lacks granular state- or city-level targeting, offers no SOCKS5 support for rotating pools, provides no web scraping APIs, and restricts its server footprint primarily to broad US and EU regions.

Still, if you need simple setup and unlimited traffic for US/EU targets as opposed to a solution for massive data scraping tasks, Storm Proxies delivers excellent value for money.

We've also highlighted the best proxy and best VPN

Bigme B6 Color: Two-minute review

If you’re looking for a cheaper Kindle Colorsoft alternative, then there’s a strong chance you’ll come across the Bigme B6 Color.

This ereader is cheaper but still boasts a six-inch color e-ink screen, 64GB of storage, and 4GB of RAM paired with a MediaTek Helio P35 processor.

That’s an entry-level smartphone SoC from 2018 and would be a poor choice for a standard tablet, but it is actually pretty powerful for an ereader, being significantly faster than the chip found in the Colorsoft or other similarly priced competitors like the Kobo Clara Color.

The Bigme B6 Color needs that added juice because, unlike mainstream options, it runs on a modified version of Android 14 like a standard tablet rather than a locked-down custom OS.

This means you can expect oodles of added functionality like downloading apps from the Google Play Store or reading online articles in the surprisingly capable web browser. If, like me, you’re coming over from a Kindle, you’ll still be able to access your entire library via the Kindle App in addition to exploring new options like Kobo Books or Google Play Books.

FutureFutureFuture

The freedom of Android means getting your own ebook files on the Bigme B6 Color is a breeze via the included Type-C cable or by making use of its microSD card slot.

The Bigme B6 Color also boasts a little mono speaker. It’s a bit tinny, but it means you can use the device to listen to audiobooks and podcasts in a pinch. It’s impressively versatile, and all of this functionality is packed into a sleek and premium form factor that is easily pocketable and can be used one-handed.

But what's the reading experience actually like? Text is sharp, and there is minimal ghosting when flicking between pages, so novels are a breeze — even at night, thanks to a backlight with a good level of brightness and adjustable warmth levels.

I’ve had a perfectly pleasant experience with comic books and manga as well. Monochrome illustrations look pin sharp, while the color screen elevates color splashes. I do wish the colors were a little richer, though, as they’re slightly more washed out than on the Colorsoft.

It’s sometimes spoiled by the many bugs in the operating system, but the biggest issue with the Bigme B6 Color is undoubtedly its battery life. Android is much more power-hungry than most ereader operating systems, and it really shows here. With the brightness cranked up, the battery meter steadily ticks down with every page turn.

I managed to squeeze only about five hours out of a single charge flicking through manga on the Kindle app. That was closer to ten hours for a basic PDF novel stored in the system files, which would at least see you through a full week of reading, but it's still a fraction of the multi-week usage a Kindle Colorsoft or Kobo Clara Color would give you.

To make matters worse, the battery life drops quickly when the ereader isn’t even in use. Tossed in my bag with its screen off, it lost about 10% charge each day, so you’re forced to shut it down fully every time you put it away or risk sitting down for a long train ride and finding it out of juice (something that happened to me more than once in even my relatively short testing period).

(Image credit: Future)Bigme B6 Color review: Price & availability

• Costs around $179 / £149 / AU$280
• Available via the Bigme website and other retailers
• Comes with a case

At the time of writing, I can find the Bigme B6 Color on sale for around $179 / £149 / AU$280. You can find it on the Bigme website in all regions. Shoppers in the US can also find it at Amazon and Newegg, while in the UK it’s also available via JoyBuy. In Australia, you can find it on AliExpress too.

There are three colors available: black, white, and light green. It also comes bundled with a magnetic protective case. It’s a nice case too; my review unit came in black with a navy one, and it attaches neatly to the back via strong magnets and puts the ereader to sleep when closed.

The Bigme B6 Color comes with 64GB of storage, and the value is extremely strong when you consider that the Kindle Colorsoft costs $279.99 / £269.99 / AU$449 for just 32GB of storage and doesn't come with a case.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Bigme B6 Color review: Specs

Display type:

Kaleido 3 Color E-Ink

Screen size:

6-inch

Resolution:

300ppi in B&W; 150ppi in color

CPU:

MediaTek Helio P35

Frontlight:

Warm and cold

Storage:

64GB (expandable)

Battery:

2,100 mAh

Speaker:

Mono

Water protection:

None

Software:

Android 14

Connectivity:

WiFI, Bluetooth

File support:

Epub, PDF, etc.

Dimensions:

108 x 149.3 x 6.98mm (4.25 × 5.88 × 0.27 inches)

Weight:

~176g (~6.2oz)

Bigme B6 Color review: Design & display

• Compact and lightweight
• Color display
• Physical buttons… sort of

The Bigme B6 Color is sleek and compact at 108 x 149.3 × 6.98 mm (or 4.25 × 5.88 × 0.27 inches). It’s easy to slip into a pocket or bag.

The back and sides are a matte plastic material that feels pleasant in the hands, while the bezel around the screen is shinier and smoother. The black model that I’ve been testing is quite plain-looking aside from a silver Bigme logo on the rear and a red power button.

If you look closely at the top, you’ll see a small grille for the speaker and a microphone hole. Flipping it over to the bottom reveals the USB Type-C charging port, a small LED charging indicator, and a slot for the microSD card.

Given that Bigme is a smaller brand, I’m really impressed with the build quality overall.

It’s lightweight at under 200g / 7.1oz but reassuringly solid in the hands. The materials used feel equivalent to those by Amazon or Kobo-maker Rakuten — something really worth commending given just how much cheaper the Bigme B6 Color is than those brands’ equivalent models.

(Image credit: Future)

The ereader's six-inch color e-ink display sits above a little row of grey buttons. These aren’t proper buttons in the traditional sense, and they don’t click like those of a Kindle Oasis. Rather, they’re little shortcuts printed on the screen that are tied to certain system apps.

The first opens your library, which shows any ebooks or PDFs you have saved on the device’s storage. The next is an AI button tied to BigmeGPT, an AI assistant of questionable value, but I’ll get on to that in more detail later.

The middle one opens the file manager, and the next takes you to the home screen. The fifth and final button is a settings shortcut.

I’m in two minds about these. On the one hand, some of them are useful to have, like the home screen button or library shortcut, but others, like the AI button, haven’t been pressed more than once or twice in my entire time testing the device.

I couldn’t find a way to rebind the buttons in the system settings, sadly, though even if you could, you would still be stuck with the printed icons.

• Design score: 3.5/5

Bigme B6 Color review: Android software & apps

• Freedom of Android
• Google Play Store access
• Stock apps are poor

Unlike a conventional ereader, the Bigme B6 Color runs on Android 14 and comes with the Google Play Store installed. This allows you to download a wide range of Android apps, all the way from chat services like Discord to social media apps such as Instagram and Facebook, or even some games.

Of course, the screen is a major limitation, and although you can technically watch the latest TechRadar YouTube video on your device, the low refresh rate makes for a pretty unpleasant experience.

That said, Android has some big advantages, namely allowing you to download a wide range of ereader apps. The Kindle app, for example, works fantastically and delivers a comparable experience to using an ereader made by Amazon. Favorites like Libby, which lets you access books from local libraries, are accessible too, and you can even use the ereader’s web browser to download files directly from sites like Internet Archive. Audiobook and podcast apps are also excellent.

The freedom is fantastic and will be a breath of fresh air if you’re used to locked-down ecosystems.

This isn’t a stock version of Android, though. Everything is wrapped in a custom skin created by Bigme, and it’s far from a smooth experience.

(Image credit: Future)

There are lots of stock apps, and some are quite buggy. The built-in BigmeGPT AI, for example, crashes instantly if you lose your internet connection. It’s not particularly useful when it does work either, offering only basic text and image generation features.

There’s also the screen saver app that lets you change the image on your lock screen. I used BigmeGPT to generate a few wacky pictures to use as screensavers, only to discover that it doesn’t seem to work very well when you select an image from system files, often defaulting to the default option (a childish cartoon of some bears sleeping in a forest) instead.

Other stock apps include a basic calendar, music player, dictionary, voice recorder, and translator. They all seem to work alright, but are so basic I can’t imagine them being very useful.

The overall interface also has some issues. System notifications will randomly pop up in Chinese from time to time, and it can all freeze up while you’re in menus. I even had the settings app crash entirely on a few occasions.

• Software score: 3/5

Bigme B6 Color review: User experience

• Reading is great
• But the battery life dampens the experience
• Not a tablet replacement

Despite the rough edges in the software, if your number one concern is the reading experience, the Bigme B6 Color does deliver. 300ppi resolution is more than sufficient for the small 6-inch screen and means that text looks very crisp. The backlight is effective too, offering sufficient brightness for reading in dimmer spaces or even a pitch-black room.

As I mentioned earlier, the colors could be better as they look more washed out than those of the Colorsoft, but they’re still decently accurate and help liven up illustrations. Browsing the web is also surprisingly smooth, though the refresh rate does hamper the experience. Even so, you can still browse news websites easily if you want to catch up with current events on the go.

(Image credit: Future)

The biggest issue encountered while trying to use the Bigme B6 Color as my main ereader was its battery life. It really does run out quickly, and I struggled to adjust to plugging it in for a top-up every night, having become used to only charging my Kindle every few weeks.

Although it does run Android, I wouldn’t view the Bigme B6 Color as a replacement for a conventional tablet. You technically can use productivity apps (WPS Office even comes installed out of the box to tempt you), but the experience is poor, again, thanks to that slow refresh rate. To Bigme’s credit, the brand advertises the B6 Color as an ereader rather than anything else — so I’m not deducting any points for this.

• User experience score: 3.5/5

Bigme B6 Color review: Performance

• Snappy performance
• Usable web browser
• You can even watch YouTube videos

The Bigme B6 Color performs fantastically with its 4GB of RAM and MediaTek Helio P35 chipset.

Don’t get me wrong, these would be awful specs for a phone — but on a relatively cheap ereader? Everything is butter smooth as far as an e-ink screen allows. Loading is fast, pages turn with no lag, and it doesn’t immediately lose your place if you send an ereader app to the background. It boots from sleep almost instantly as well.

(Image credit: Future)

I have had no issue accessing my favorite news websites (including TechRadar, of course) using the built-in browser. I even managed to get YouTube videos playing on it, which is pretty impressive for this kind of device. After using the Bigme B6 Color, my usual Kindle feels unbearably sluggish.

Storage is generous out of the box to boot, and, having downloaded a load of books and a handful of apps, I still have more than 40GB of free space left.

Not shabby at all for this price!

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should I buy the Bigme B6 Color?

Bigme B6 Color

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft

Kobo Clara Color

Display type:

Kaleido 3 Color E-Ink

Kaleido 3 Color E-Ink

Kaleido 3 Color E-Ink

Screen size:

6-inch

7-inch

6-inch

Resolution:

300ppi in B&W; 150ppi in color

300ppi in B&W; 150ppi in color

300ppi in B&W; 150ppi in color

CPU:

MediaTek Helio P35

Unspecified dual-core MediaTek

MediaTek MT8113T

Frontlight:

Warm and cold

Warm and cold

Warm and cold

Storage:

64GB (expandable)

32GB

16GB

Battery:

2,100 mAh

2,310 mAh

1,500 mAh

Speaker:

Mono

None

None

Water protection:

None

IPX8 water-resistance

IPX8 water-resistance

Software:

Android 14

Proprietary

Proprietary

Connectivity:

WIFI, Bluetooth

WIFI, Bluetooth

WIFI, Bluetooth

File support:

EPUB, PDF, etc.

EPUB, PDF, AZW3

EPUB, EPUB3, FlePub, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, TXT, HTML, RTF, CBZ, CBR

Dimensions:

108 x 149.3 x 6.98mm (4.25 × 5.88 × 0.27 inches)

127.6 x 176.7 x 7.8 mm (5.02 x 6.96 x 0.31 inches)

112 x 160 x 9.2 mm (6.3 x 4.4 x 0.36 inches)

Weight:

~176g (~6.2oz)

219g (7.73oz)

174g (6.1oz)

Buy it if...

You want an affordable color Android ereader

The Bigme B6 Color is surprisingly cheap for a color ereader running on Android. It's a good buy if you don't want to be locked down to one specific ecosystem.

You don't mind some jank

The software here takes some getting used to and can be buggy at times, but that shouldn't be much of an issue if you're used to fiddling with Android systems.

Don't buy it if...

You need long battery life

The Bigme B6 Color's biggest flaw is its battery life. Avoid picking one up if you need an ereader you can toss in a bag in sleep mode for a few weeks or one you don't have to charge every day or two.

Bigme B6 Color review: Alternatives

Kindle Colorsoft
Far superior battery life makes the Kindle Colorsoft a great alternative to the Bigme B6 Color. You lose the freedom of Android, but gain a much sleeker and smoother experience in return. Bear in mind it is much more expensive, though.

Read our in-depth Kindle Colorsoft review

Kobo Clara Color

The Kindle Clara Color isn't much more expensive than the Bigme B6 Color. Its processor is much slower, however, and it has far more limited storage.

Read our in-depth Kobo Clara Color review

How I tested the Bigme B6 Color

• Used as main e-reader for a month
• Popular e-reader apps tested
• Compared to similar models by brands like Amazon

To review the Bigme B6 Color I used it as my primary e-reader for just over a month. This meant using it for about forty minutes each way on my commutes to and from our office in London, during which I enjoyed a variety of novels, comic books, and manga.

Throughout my time with the e-reader I compared my experience to my hands-on usage of similar devices, including the Amazon Kindle, Amazon Kindle Colorsoft, and Kobo Clara Color.

Read more about how we test.

First published September 2026

Kodak PixPro AZ653: two-Minute Review

If you thought bridge cameras (aka superzoom cameras) were a thing of the past, you’re probably not alone. This area of the photography market hasn’t received too much attention over the past few years, especially now that the lower end of the mirrorless camera arena has some solid options, providing decent specs at a reasonable price.

However, the main selling point of bridges camera has always been the expansive zoom range, something the Kodak PixPro AZ653 has in absolute abundance. The 24-1560mm equivalent zoom lens will cover just about every subject you could possibly hope to encounter, from everyday street scenes to distant wildlife. My favorite lens is my 70-200mm f/2.8 'trinity' zoom, but after having such a long zoom range at my fingertips, it has been tough to go back to a mere 2.8x zoom, even if that lens' wider aperture and quality are streets above for quality.

If you’re after a lightweight camera to take with you on your travels, and you don’t know exactly what photographic opportunities you’re likely to come across, the AZ653 is a petite option that will cover every base.

Autofocus is smooth, if not the fastest you can find on a camera at this price point. It certainly won’t be able to keep up with the fastest animal subjects, so if you’re looking for a wildlife camera, you might be better off with an interchangeable lens model that uses high-end phase detection AF. For slower animals at a distance, however, the massive focal range positions the AZ653 as a good, budget-friendly safari camera.

The huge 65x zoom is compact and lightweight – much more so than a mirrorless APS-C or full-frame zoom of lower magnification. (Image credit: Peter Fenech)

Image quality, meanwhile, is impressive for a bridge camera, especially one with such a small sensor. The limited area of the chip does place limitations on what the camera can achieve, because of the tiny photo sites, but in good light at least, images are sharp and detailed, even if they do suffer from extreme color noise.

Handling, meanwhile, is decidedly DSLR-like, which is a good thing if you’re used to a larger camera body. It’s comfortable to hold and to operate single-handed, while all of the controls are logically placed. Having a manual control ring on the lens is a huge bonus too, giving the AZ653 a premium edge and a professional look to boot.

It might not be an image quality match for a pro-level mirrorless camera, nor is it going to outgun even the entry-level interchangeable lens offerings from Canon or Nikon, but the Kodak AZ653 is a powerful bridge camera that goes easy on the shoulder and on the bank balance.

Kodak PixPro AZ653: Price and release date

• $449 / £349 / AU$ 750.99
• Available worldwide now
• Limited availability/ backorder lists current in the UK

The AZ653 is designed largely for entry-level users who aren’t ready to invest in an interchangeable lens system, or photographers looking to minimize their kit. The camera is available globally, priced affordably at $449 / £349 / AU$ 750.99.

This makes it significantly cheaper than buying a mirrorless camera with a comparable specification and adding a super telephoto lens. For example, a Canon EOS R100 and RF800mm F11 STM telephoto prime lens would set you back a combined price of approximately $1228 / £1359 / AU$ 2000.

It also costs around 7x less than the Sony RX10 V — a premium bridge camera launched this year, which is superior in most regards except for its lesser zoom range.

• Price score: 4/5

Kodak AZ653: Specs

Type:

Bridge camera

Sensor:

20.68MP 1/2.3-inch BSI CMOS

Lens mount:

N/A, Integrated 65x (24-1560mm f/2.9-6.7 equiv) power zoom

Displays:

Main LCD - fixed 3.0-inch LCD (460k dots)

Memory:

SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards up to 1.5 TB (Class 10 or faster recommended)

Video:

Full HD 1080p recording at up to 30 fps

ISO range:

100-3200

Burst shooting

5fps

Processor:

Not specified

Connectivity:

BlueTooth, USB-C, Wi-Fi

Dimensions:

126.0 x 89.0 x 111.4 mm

Weight:

20.7oz/588g

Kodak PixPro AZ653: design

• Small and lightweight body made possible by the small sensor format
• Reasonable build quality, though mostly plastic
• Fixed 3-inch LCD makes composing shots difficult

Bridge cameras are, by definition, designed to bring together the size and weight benefits of a compact camera with the superior handling characteristics of a DSLR or mirrorless model. By bridging this gap, cameras like the AZ653 are able to offer a generally unrivalled balance of portability and versatility. At least, that’s the objective.

Of course, this was far more of an obvious benefit before the advent of the mirrorless revolution. The difference in size and weight between a Bridge camera and a DSLR such as the Nikon D850 was far more pronounced than between the AZ653 and an entry-level mirrorless model like the Canon EOS R100 or Nikon Z30. Even higher-end cameras like the Canon EOS R6 Mark III, Nikon Z50 II, Sony a7C II, or Fujifilm X-T5 with a standard zoom lens have a comparable footprint.

That last part is important, though. The lens on the AZ653 is anything but standard. As soon as you take the vast zoom range into account, the projected weight differences diverge dramatically. I say projected since the exact dimensions of a mirrorless equivalent to the 65x zoom can only be estimated – no such lens exists.

The EFL (Effective Focal Length) 24-1560mm F2.9-6.7 optic is only possible because of the smaller 1/2.3in sensor at the heart of the camera, and if you were to try and build a similar lens with an image circle big enough to cover an APS-C or full-frame sensor, it would be more like a telescope than a photography optic.

The Kodak AZ653 is well-proportioned and very comfortable to hold. The deep handgrip is reassuring and allowed a firm grip even with my large-ish hands. Despite the body’s small size, there is ample room for around three fingers on the lower part of the grip at one time, while the forefinger sits precisely over the shutter button.

(Image credit: Peter Fenech)

The zoom control surrounds the shutter release and operates with minimal travel, allowing rapid activation of the power zoom. A nice touch is the ability to zoom using the control ring on the lens instead, which is a far more intuitive action for photographers who have committed two-handed camera work to muscle memory. The downside is an artificially long zoom travel; it takes multiple twists of the ring to zoom from the widest focal length to the longest.

The feel of the zoom indicates it's an electronic fly-by-wire system, where the ring isn’t physically connected to anything mechanical, but merely acts as a switch that drives a motor to move the lens elements.

With an optical system this long, the operation is slow and at times, a little stuttery – the zoom stops halfway through its journey and there’s an obvious pause while the onboard computer recalculates where it should be placing the elements. This proved frustrating during my testing, and resulted in multiple missed shots.

Manual focus was a little more successful when using the ring, and I could make relatively precise adjustments. You can access this by moving the position of a switch on the lens barrel, which is another nod to the DSLR influence and adds to the professional experience. The magnified preview image is low-resolution, however, and isn’t especially useful.

The camera features a PASM mode (exposure) dial on the top plate, next to the power button. This provides access to the usual array of control modes, including full Manual and Auto, along with several creative shooting positions, including Scene modes, a Wireless mode for remote operation and file sharing, Movie Mode, Face Beautifier mode for in-camera retouching, and a Custom setting position.

The dial itself is too easily moved in my opinion. In several cases, I’d switched mode without realising, either because I’d nudged the dial with my finger or while getting the camera in and out of my bag, which again meant some missed shots.

The build quality is actually quite good. It is largely made from plastic, but this feels reinforced and not significantly inferior to many recent mid-range mirrorless cameras. I wouldn’t necessarily trust its resistance to rain and dust as such, but the outer shell doesn’t give the impression of cheapness, while the rubberised grip and viewfinder surround lend a more premium edge.

• Design score: 3.5/5

Kodak PixPro AZ653: performance

• The power zoom system is slow, especially when using the lens control ring
• The camera is not as quick to boot up and shut down as comparably priced mirrorless models
• Focus speed itself is quite snappy

With such a long zoom range, there’s always a risk of sluggish autofocus performance. This is often purely because of the additional glass elements needed to provide such a great magnification, making it a more demanding task for the autofocus motors. That being said, the actual dimensions of the optical system are much smaller than the effective image results – the lens is a physical 4.3mm to 279.5mm unit.

As such, the elements are quickly moved into position once the camera has found the correct focus distance, with minimal delay. It’s not quite as smooth as the stepper motors or ultrasonic drives found in many top-level mirrorless optics, nor is it as quiet, but it puts in a respectable performance for the price.

The limiting factor is going to be the autofocus system in the camera itself. Unlike the majority of mirrorless cameras, which use phase-detection AF, the AZ653 shares the slower contrast detection system found in many compact cameras, smartphones and older interchangeable lens bodies.

(Image credit: Peter Fenech)

Without dwelling for too long on the technical specifics, phase-detection autofocus uses specialized sensors to measure the focus position of the lens by looking at how front- or back-focused the light projected through it is. Meanwhile, the AZ653’s contrast-detection AF merely looks for edges of objects in the frame to estimate how far it has to move the lens to get the maximum contrast.

As such, contrast detection has a tendency to hunt, moving the lens elements back and forth to test the correct placement. As expected, this slows down reaction times and isn’t suitable for rapid sports and animal subjects.

The EVF is small but fairly detailed. All of the relevant camera settings are displayed, and it is sharp enough to judge focus with ease. The LCD, on the other hand, is underwhelming. It makes use of only 460K dots, which isn’t enough to accurately assess the quality of captured images.

All files look smudged, not helped by the matte texture of the screen itself. The non-glossy surface makes it easier to preview images in bright light, but critical sharpness is almost impossible to check with any sense of confidence.

Peter FenechPeter FenechPeter Fenech

• Performance score: 3.5/5

Kodak PixPro AZ653: Image quality

• Surprising quality in good lighting
• Mushy JPEGs even at low ISO settings
• Limited to Full HD (1080p) video - no 4K or greater

Image quality is quite surprising. In good light, RAW format files from the AZ653 are rich in detail, and the lens is able to deliver crisp results. Having the RAW capability is a huge bonus and can honestly be considered a staple feature of an enthusiast camera now that many smartphones come equipped with their own RAW mode.

Kodak has been smart not to overstretch the sensor with resolution. The 20 million pixels are more than enough for everyday uses, and by keeping pixel count lower than most APS-C and Micro 4/3 cameras, the AZ653 is able to maintain a workable level of noise control and a reasonable dynamic range.

Sure, highlights clip more easily than when shooting the same scene on both the AZ653 and an APS-C model like the 26MP Fujifilm X100VI, but the performance is better than many larger-sensor cameras of last decade.

In-camera JPEG shooting is a different matter, and the quality is far less impressive. Default noise reduction is too aggressive and fine detail is rapidly obliterated, creating a smudged look common to compact cameras. Color noise reduction itself isn’t especially effective either, leaving behind too many colored blotches.

When shooting RAW, I was able to increase the ISO to about 800 before grain became a major problem which is, once again, impressive. My advice would be to increase the sensitivity of the AZ653 rather than to brighten underexposed RAW files — unlike many of the more ISO-invariant cameras we see today — this should produce a better balance of image texture and noise pattern.

Regarding lens quality, sharpness does drop off towards the long end of the zoom range. The slightly blurred results reminded me of shots taken with a budget Tamron 70-300mm DSLR lens I used to own back in the day – fine detail just isn’t present, almost as if your shots were taken through a greasy window. Files are usable on Instagram, but won’t be suitable for prints.

Peter FenechPeter FenechPeter FenechPeter FenechPeter FenechPeter FenechPeter Fenech

(Image credit: Peter Fenech)

(Image credit: Peter Fenech)

• Image quality score: 3/5

Testing Scorecard

Attribute

Notes

Score

Price

Many smartphones will give you better quality, but not a 1560mm lens for less than $500.

4/5

Design

I love the deep handgrip and tactile control ring – both premium flourishes. The poor LCD is disappointing though.

3.5/5

Performance

The processing power is limited and startup/ shutdown and operation is slow

3.5/5

Image quality

It's passible in good even light, but the small photosites can't keep up after dark

3/5

Should I buy the Kodak PixPro AZ653?Buy it if…

You need a huge zoom range without the cost
Let's be honest, you aren't going to find this kind of magnifying power for a DSLR or mirrorless camera for less than five to ten times the price. If you're heading off on safari, this might be the best option for your budget.

You need a portable camera with decent handling
The deep handgrip and button positions give the AZ653 a distinctly DSLR-like feel, and it's all the better for it. If you like the convenience of a compact but the handling of a bigger camera, this will serve you right.

You mainly shoot for social media
If you mostly just upload your images to Instagram or shoot reels for TikTok, the quality you can get from the AZ653 will be more than adequate

Don’t buy it if…

You shoot a lot of portraits
The small sensor provides great magnification, but the downside is heavily reduced depth-of-field control. Even at the max aperture backgrounds are hard to blur, making environmental portraits unappealing.

You need absolute image quality
There are smartphones with much bigger sensors out there, such as the iPhone 17 Pro, and you might have that with you for everyday tasks anyway. The AZ653 struggles above ISO800 and out-of-camera JPEGs are sometimes terrible View Deal

You want to expand a camera system
The Kodak AZ653 is a great first camera, but you can pick up an entry-level mirrorless camera for similar money, especially second-hand. Yes, you'll lose the 65x zoom, but if you don't routinely shoot cheetahs from afar, you won't miss this. A mirrorless system will allow you build a lens collection from the start.

Also consider

Nikon Coolpix P1100
It's a bit pricier, at around $900 - $1000, but this buys you an even greater 125 x zoom up to 3000mm EFL, an f/2.8 maximum aperture, 4K UHD video, and a 3in articulating, 921k-dot LCD screen. You still have to make do with a 1/2.3in sensor though, and an even lower 16 megapixel resolution.

Read our Nikon P1000 review

Sony RX10 V
Considered the best bridge camera ever made, this is a serious piece of kit. Featuring a 1-inch stacked sensor and a 24-600mm lens, it still gives you a good focal range, while also offering bigger pixels for better light-gathering and signal-to-noise ratio. It's anything but cheap though; expect to pay about the same as for an entry-level full-frame mirrorless camera.

Read our Sony RX10 V review

How I tested the Kodak PixPro AZ653

• I spent around two and a half weeks with the AZ653
• Images were taken in both good light and low-light conditions, shooting in JPEG mode and RAW
• Most images were shot handheld to test the usability at longer focal lengths

(Image credit: Peter Fenech)

I spent several weeks shooting with the PixPro AZ653, taking in multiple different lighting conditions. I shot in both JPEG and RAW formats to see how differently the built-in processing algorithms might process the images to my own RAW workflow.

Since one of the reasons to buy a bridge camera is for weight saving, I decided to shoot mainly handheld, as this would be how many users would experience the camera. I wanted to thoroughly check the ease with which someone might capture sharp images at the longer focal lengths.

I mainly used Aperture Priority (A) and Manual (M) modes for both creative freedom and to test the auto exposure systems.

To explore the noise performance, I shot with the camera at each ISO setting, from 100 through to 3200, using a tripod to ensure any drop in sharpness was not due to camera shake at the lower sensitivities. I also worked through the focal range, capturing the same scenes from the widest to the longest zoom settings.

First reviewed: September 2026

Scuf Valor Wired: two-minute review

The Scuf Valor Wired is a mid-range wired PC and Xbox controller. It’s actually the second controller to bear this moniker, with the previous version equipped with the less-sensitive Hall-effect thumbsticks rather than the TMR ones here. But is a wired controller worth the investment right now, when there are so many cheap wireless alternatives to pick from?

Despite its mid-market price, the Valor Wired feels suitably premium in the hand. Thanks to its lightly textured grips and thumbsticks, I always felt like I had a firm grasp on it, even with sweaty palms during particularly stress-filled FPS tournaments. I also love the silky-smooth plastic of its faceplate, while the Smoke colorway I tested looked gorgeous, with its translucent gray body and orange highlights.

The Valor Wired isn't a poser, though: many of its features equal those of the best Xbox controllers on the market, even if it can’t fully eclipse them.

Rocking the TMR thumbsticks more usually seen in premium pads, the Valor Wired won’t succumb to stick drift and should prove more sensitive than Hall-effect alternatives. Meanwhile, its dual-mode shoulder triggers allow you to switch between full-range analog movement and clicky micro-switches — sadly, they’re not quite as sensitive as the more premium TMR triggers of some pads — and provide discrete vibrations from the grips for more immersive gameplay. Remappable back buttons deliver plenty of options for in-game shortcuts, although I’d rather its face buttons were of the faster micro-switch variety than the more spongy ones here.

Many of these inputs are customizable in Scuf’s flexible and easy-to-use companion app, available for both Windows and Xbox. Whipping up personal profiles for shooting and racing games took barely any time at all — I was able to tweak dead zones and set custom curves based on my needs, as well as remap buttons to suit my requirements. Saving my preferred profiles to one of three slots on the controller was simple, and I could rapidly flip between them in-game with a single press of a button.

But how does all of this translate to performance? Pretty efficiently, it turns out.

Not only do those TMR thumbsticks offer better durability, but they felt sensitive and responsive, delivering great control over the steering wheel in Forza Horizon 6. I’m already fully converted to the benefits of dual-mode triggers, and they’re fantastic here, enabling me to fire off effective parries in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, even if it wasn’t quite as snappy as on my more premium Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless. And the separate rumble function in the triggers is a fun addition, even if I wouldn’t say it's a revolution in immersion.

And those custom profiles I created definitely seemed to have a material impact on my performance. With its dynamic response curves and trimmed dead zones for the triggers, my racing profile felt like it offered more granular control over the gas and brake pedals, enabling me go from seventh in some races to first place. Meanwhile, aggressive trigger curves in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 made squeezing off headshots faster — although not quite as fast as when using the triggers’ micro-switch mode.

All things being equal, the Scuf Valor Wired is a strong PC and Xbox controller. Its TMR thumbsticks, dual-mode triggers, and sheer customizability are impressive. Its lack of wireless connectivity, TMR triggers, and micro-switch buttons stop it from being truly top-tier, though. Having said that, it's the price that makes it truly compelling. Getting so many features in a pad for $89.99 / £69.99 / AU$179.99 is fantastic, even if that means sacrificing the flexibility of wireless connectivity and the most premium features.

(Image credit: Future)Scuf Valor Wired review: price & availability

• Launched on March 31, 2026
• Available from $89.99 / £69.99 / AU$179.99

Released on March 31, 2026, the Scuf Valor Wired is available now. While its list price is $99.99 / £94.99 / AU$179.99, we're already seeing reductions in some markets, seeing it go down to $89.99 / £69.99 in the US and UK.

Rather than a bunch of different versions for different platforms, the one-size-fits-all Scuf Valor Wired is just for Xbox and PC, so if you’re a PlayStation gamer this isn't for you.

On the plus side, it's available in a huge range of colorways — from the ash-colored body and orange detailing of the Light Grey to the red-and-black, dragon-bedecked Prosperity. Plus, removable face plates mean you can purchase multiple colorways to switch things up when you fancy a new look.

Scuf Valor Wired review: specs

Price

$89.99 / £69.99

Compatibility

Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Connection type

Wired (Detachable 10ft / 3.6m braided USB-C to USB-A cable)

Battery life

N/A

Features

Endurance TMR (Tunnel Magnetoresistance) thumbsticks, 4 customizable rear paddles, adjustable instant triggers, onboard audio control system, 3 onboard profile slots, wraparound bumpers, removable faceplate, textured performance grip, 3.5mm headset jack, 1,000Hz polling rate on PC

Software

Scuf Companion App

(Image credit: Future)Scuf Valor Wired review: Design & features

As soon as I got my hands on the Scuf Valor Wired, I was struck by how comfortable it is to hold. It’s pleasingly ergonomic, perfectly tailored to the shape of my palms, and using it feels effortless even over longer gaming sessions. The satin-smooth finish of its faceplate is wonderfully tactile, too, giving a distinctly premium vibe despite its mid-market price.

While I don’t always love coarser textures for controller grips, the hexagonal print on the rubber here meant the Valor Wired had decent traction in my hands. On top of this, the light texturing on its triggers and around its stock thumbsticks prevents either feeling slippery, even during the sweatiest shootouts I encountered while playing FPS games.

But the Valor Wired tickled more of my senses than touch alone. Visually, I’d say it’s a knockout — I legit love the translucent charcoal casing and orange highlights of the Smoke colorway I tested here. If that isn't your cup of tea, there are plenty of alternative options, such as the sakura-bedecked Cherry Blossom or the cyberpunk-coded purple and magenta Respawn. And if you’re perennially indecisive like me, its faceplate is easily removable, meaning you can buy a bunch of options to switch out depending on your mood on a given day.

Let’s talk inputs. Probably the most immediate attention grabber is its thumbsticks. Unlike Scuf’s previous Valor Wired controller, this incarnation comes with TMR sticks, rather than Hall-effect ones. So not only can you breathe easy knowing your controller won’t eventually succumb to the dreaded stick drift, but it should also offer far better sensitivity, more granular tracking, and better centering.

(Image credit: Future)

Like some of the more premium pads on the market, each of the Valor Wired’s triggers has a toggle that allows you to switch between full-range analog movement and micro-switches, giving you more rapid response for games such as shooters. While these aren’t the super-precise TMR triggers you’ll see on controllers such as the ROG Raikiri II, they do have their own discrete rumble function, which at least promises to add to the in-game immersion.

Perhaps a little less premium-feeling are the Valor Wired’s buttons. I’ll admit it took me a while to warm up to snappier micro-switch face buttons on my controllers, but now I find that the spongier buttons featured on this pad feel a bit less precise.

On the plus side, the mappable back buttons trigger with a satisfying click. However, their horizontal arrangement is a little unorthodox, forcing you to hold the pad in a certain way. When I rested just my index fingers on the pad’s triggers, the rest of my digits naturally found their way to these switches — but if you prefer to double up your index and middle fingers on the shoulder buttons and triggers, activating these switches feels more awkward. A vertical alignment would make the pad feel a little more grip-agnostic.

An equally novel — but definitely less controversial — design decision Scuf has made here is to include two distinct volume controls on either side of the 3.5mm headphone jack, one for controlling the volume of your mic and the other for in-game sound.

Admittedly, I don’t play a lot of online games — a skill issue more than a lack-of-friends issue — but I can absolutely still see the appeal here for those who do. Despite the fact that both dials are lightly notched, I’d say they still feel a little loose to offer super-precise control. Fortunately, though, their position at the base of the controller means you’re unlikely to knock them accidentally, so this is unlikely to cause you too much stress during day-to-day use.

(Image credit: Future)

So that’s it as far as hardware goes. But what about software?

Honestly, the Scuf Valor companion app is very strong. Not only is it easy to download and use on both PC and Xbox, but it also delivers a lot of granular control over various settings on the Valor Wired, which you can then save to custom profiles. You can remap all of its inputs, customize trigger and thumbstick curves and dead zones, and tweak the intensity of trigger or grip vibration. Once you’ve saved the resulting profile, you can then save it to one of three slots on the pad as either red, green, or blue.

Switching between these profiles on-the-fly is super easy. Any time I wanted to change to a different profile, I just had to tap the profile button on the back to cycle through them. Reaching this button can sometimes feel like a bit of a stretch — but, being charitable, this might be an intentional move on Scuf's part to reduce the risk of an accidental knock in the midst of a heated gun battle.

All things considered, the Scuf Valor Wired is well-featured and designed for its price. It may not come with cutting-edge tech such as TMR triggers or micro-switch face buttons, and — spoiler alert — it’s not wireless. But in return for sacrificing a few of those premium features, you get a seriously solid spec for a much lower price. So where’s the downside?

(Image credit: Future)Scuf Valor Wired review: performance

Well, a major downside would be that the features the Scuf Valor Wired offers don’t translate to great performance. Fortunately, this isn't the case — while it can’t quite compete with the best Xbox and PC controllers I’ve ever used, it still does a pretty decent job.

First off, let’s start with those TMR thumbsticks. Not only did their action feel nice and smooth, but they rapidly spring back to their dead zone, making gentle steering corrections in Forza Horizon 6 a breeze. And thanks to that superior sensing tech, their responsiveness really wowed me, always feeling smooth and in control.

In addition, the discrete trigger vibration delivered some decent additional feedback for racing titles, offering a bit of haptic response as my tires locked when drifting around corners. I wouldn’t expect too much here, though — we’re not talking about a PlayStation DualSense level of immersive haptic feedback; it’s not going to substantially up the realism.

In my mind, there’s only one game that provides a worthy test of how responsive shoulder triggers can be: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Using the analog triggers, parrying attacks from new enemies could still be punishingly difficult, but after switching them to micro-switch mode, I found the Catapult Sakapatate's cannon attack in the Endless Night Sanctuary much easier to rebuff. That said, during some of the game's more complex combos, I still found myself flailing around like strips of flypaper glued to an electric drill, suggesting these triggers aren’t quite as responsive as some of the TMR options on the market.

But I wasn’t satisfied simply testing the Valor Wired’s stock settings. I wanted to get to the nitty-gritty of how you can really customize the controller to suit your play style. So I whipped up a couple of custom profiles: a Racing profile and my Pew Pew! profile (FPSes, for anyone with an emotional age of more than eight).

(Image credit: Future)

Trying out the pad’s default profile in Forza Horizon 6, I found I was regularly finishing center of the pack. Basically the only way I could keep control of my 2022 Toyota GR86 was to feather the accelerator approaching the bends, then pump the brake trigger to prevent my wheels from locking. But once I’d activated my Racing profile with reduced trigger dead zones and dynamic response curves, it was far easier to reduce the throttle in a controlled way before easing on the brakes for far more controlled drifts. After this, I happily netted several first-place spots on the podium.

By contrast, for my tailor-made profile for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, I remapped the faceplate buttons to the rear paddles and stuck the triggers to an aggressive response curve. While it took some getting used to, the remapped controls made it easy to control the in-game action without ever taking my thumb off the stick. By contrast, the sharper trigger curve made a small difference, but it was switching on the Valor Wired’s micro-switches that really helped me click some heads.

And the nicest part about all of this is how easy it was to tweak these settings on the fly. My chief complaint about my beloved ROG Raikiri II is that I can’t access its Gear Link software on Xbox, meaning I have to fire up my PC whenever I want to tweak a setting. By contrast, updating my settings or swapping out the profile saved to the controller here was easy to do on either platform — I simply had to switch to the app mid-game, edit and save my profiles, and then I could leap back into the action.

Ultimately, the Scuf Valor Wired offers great performance. On many fronts, it comes close to many premium controllers in its performance, feeling highly responsive and customizable. While a physical umbilical cord connecting your pad to your console is a definite compromise, it’s one of the few sacrifices you have to make here to get snappy, pro-feeling performance without having to pay through the nose.

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Scuf Valor Wired?Buy it if…

You want impressive performance for a mid-range price
With its more sensitive, drift-free TMR thumbsticks, dual-function micro-switch triggers and mappable rear buttons, the Scuf Valor Wired offers pro-level performance without the premium price tag.

You want good looks and a solid build
Not only does it come in a wide range of styles to suit pretty much every taste, the Valor Wired is beautifully built, whether it’s the textured grips or super-smooth satin-finish faceplate.

Don’t buy it if…

You want the best controller you can get your hands on
The Scuf Valor Wired is a strong controller but that doesn’t mean there aren’t even more powerful pads out there. If you want premium features such as TMR triggers or mechanical buttons, it’s worth spending more.

You want a wireless controller
This one has a wire. But if you want low-latency connectivity, make sure you get one with 2.4GHz connectivity.

Scuf Valor Wired review: also consider

SCUF Valor Wired with TMR

Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless

Thrustmaster eSwap X2

Price

$89.99 / £69.99

$149.99 / £139.99

$169.99 / £149.99

Compatibility

Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Connection type

Wired (detachable 10ft / 3.6m braided USB-C cable)

Tri-mode wireless (2.4GHz RF, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C wired)

Wired (detachable USB-C cable)

Battery life

N/A

Up to 50 hours (2.4GHz wireless with RGB/audio off)

N/A

Features

Endurance TMR thumbsticks, 4 remappable rear paddles, adjustable instant triggers, onboard audio controls, 3 profile slots, wraparound bumpers, removable faceplate

Anti-drift TMR joysticks, dual-mode triggers (TMR/micro-switch), 4 micro-switch rear buttons, micro-switch face buttons/D-pad, 1,000Hz polling rate (PC)

Hot-Swap modular thumbstick/D-pad system, mechanical micro-switch face buttons, 4 remappable rear buttons, physical trigger locks

Software

Scuf Companion App

Armoury Crate / ROG Gear Link

ThrustmapperX software

Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless
There’s a reason the ROG Raikiri II has earned a place in my home setup. With both TMR thumbsticks and TMR dual-mode triggers, not to mention 1K polling and a minimum 3.5ms input latency, it offers blisteringly fast performance. It also offers wired, 2.4GHz wireless, and Bluetooth connectivity, and remappable back buttons. While it’s a touch frustrating that its software doesn’t run on Xbox and there are no saveable profiles on the pad itself, this pad still delivers serious punch.

Read my full Asus ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless review

Thrustmaster eSwap X2 H.E
At $179.99 / £139.99, the Thrustmaster eSwap X2 H.E might feel decidedly pricey compared to the Scuf Valor Wired. It's wired, too, and also features slightly less fancy Hall-effect thumbsticks to boot. But it does have a pretty major trick up its sleeve: its modular design. You can hot-swap out its modules to replace them, upgrade them, or even switch up their layout, making it a flexible pad that’s in it for the long haul.

Read our full Thrustmaster eSwap X2 H.E review.

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Scuf Valor Wired

• Tested over four days
• Tried out on a range of platforms and games
• Many years experience writing about gadgets

I tested the Scuf Valor Wired over a long weekend. I tried it out on both my Xbox Series X and my gaming PC, as well as playing a range of games of different genres, including racing games, FPSes, and RPGs. I particularly focused on the sensitivity and responsiveness of the TMR thumbsticks, the triggers, and the buttons to see how they compared to other controllers.

To really test the Valor Wired’s capabilities, I customized its settings in multiple ways. I experimented with different dead zones, utilizing different response curves for its thumbsticks and triggers, saving them to multiple profiles to see how they impacted different styles of game. I also created various custom button mappings to gauge their impact on play.

Alongside working and writing about tech and gadgets for over seven years, I’ve been playing games all my life. I play across multiple platforms, on my desktop PC, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch 2, and Steam Deck.

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

The Lord Of The Rings: War In The North Legacy Edition (henceforth known as WITN) is a new version of the old action role-playing game (RPG) with a few quality-of-life fixes, tweaks, and improvements.

It ends up being diverting fun and well-priced for what it is, and gamers who loved the original (or perhaps loved games like it, such as Dragon Age: Origins) will enjoy the return to this sort of simple-but-satisfying gameplay loop of hitting orcs, looting gear, and upgrading your characters so they can hit orcs harder, faster, and for longer without falling over.

Review info

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch
Release date: 11 August (PS5, Xbox, PC), 18 August (Nintendo)

But while much of the game is fine, if not spectacular, it's a shame there are a few technical problems and deeper issues. Swapping between characters on-the-fly is novel, and there has been an effort to incorporate this into all aspects of gameplay. However, hot-swapping is obviously not quite what the original game intended, so there is some awkwardness here, while glitches and bugs sometimes mar the game at key points.

What about second Fellowship?

(Image credit: Aspyr)

If you never played the old version, the basis of the game is this: as the Fellowship of the Ring embarks on their quest for Mount Doom, you play an adjacent, original party consisting of Eradan, a Dunedain ranger with all the skills of Aragorn; Farin, a dwarf warrior from the Lonely Mountain who looks an awful lot like Gimli with the serial numbers filed off; and Andriel, a Loremaster elf from Rivendell who can create magical blasts and forcefields.

Together, the 'other' Fellowship party chats with old friends like Aragorn, Arwen and Gandalf, visits familiar and new locations (book-readers will get a kick out of delving into the Barrow-Downs and fighting the famous Wights), and slices through hordes of orcs led by an evil man called Agandaûr, a fallen Numenorean like the Mouth of Sauron. Agandaûr is one of Sauron's trusted servants, one we've never heard of before or since.

So yes, it's all a bit fan-fictionesque, and it plays a lot like other action RPGs set in fantasy worlds, only this one takes the basic fantasy character set and plops them straight into Middle-Earth rather than a parallel-but-similar setting of elves, dwarves and dragons. It's even funnier when you get hold of special character weapon options, and you're controlling a random dwarf running around with legendary gear like Anduril or Sting. Dedicated Tolkien enthusiasts might find it a bit egregious, but it's all in the name of good fun and enabling the sort of repetitive hack-and-slash gameplay the genre is best at.

If you've played any other Lord Of The Rings games, whether the PlayStation 2's Return of the King or a more recent title like Middle-earth: Shadow of War, you'll be used to LOTR games taking these sorts of creative liberties. As a result, it works for what it is, and even as a die-hard hobbit-enjoyer I had fun scything through the dark lord's evil hordes and meeting characters never adapted like Elladan and Elrohir, Elrond's twin ranger sons.

Old game, new tactics

(Image credit: Aspyr)

If you've played any action RPG, you'll know what to expect: you and your party are taking on wave after wave of mooks, weapons swinging with basic attacks, but you'll also trigger powerful maneuvers and spells that require cooldowns and replenishing a power meter, so tactical implementation of these moves is vital. Playing as Eradan, I would be skirting low on health and could use my disappearing skill, so I could make a break for it unharmed to Andriel's side, who can create a protective healing field. I'd quickly swap to Farin to unleash War Cry to up my party's health and durability.

It's this sort of synergy that creates tactical play beyond mashing light and heavy attacks until you see the 'Finish Him!' yellow triangle that pops up over an enemy's head. The ability to swap characters allows the quick-of-thumb to set up these combos without the use of the AI characters, who are otherwise competent enough to look after themselves and augment the main player. But you do need to be nimble, as the controls to do this are awkward on Switch: even ten hours in, I was accidentally drinking potions when I was trying to swap from elf to dwarf. Co-operative gameplay is available on most platforms (both online, in which you drop into someone else's game, and couch), but not on the original Switch.

There's a surprisingly steep learning curve once you learn the ropes: enemies come from all sides thick and fast, in numerous varieties, forcing you to switch from attack to defence, and then to ranged as explosive enemies approach, and implement your powers carefully.

You level up quickly too, and loot is plentiful, so there are plenty of regular rewards encouraging you to persevere through the samey waves of orcs and goblins, as PCs, enemies and environments begin to blend into various overlapping shades of brown and grey. I began the game thinking carefully about upgrading stats at each level, but after a while, I just pumped Stamina to keep myself alive while concentrating on that character's main attack stat, and that strategy seemed to work just fine too. I'm honestly not sure how much difference these RPG elements made.

Feeling thin, sort of stretched...

(Image credit: Aspyr)

While a simple-but-satisfying gameplay loop, it's still very much of its time, and parts haven't aged well. The target lock-on can get tricky, and you'll occasionally find your character engaged in a long, sluggish animation, swinging their weapon at empty air while you cringe as you watch orcs running at you from behind.

Despite the hot-swapping feature and inclusion of each character's unique secret-finding ability (the dwarf, for example, can detect treasure hidden behind stone walls), the game is clearly still geared for a single-character experience. Ammo drops are still linked to the character you're playing at the time, so you might find you swap to a character without any ranged capacity. You'll also need to visit shops with each character in turn to do a proper gear comparison before buying new equipment, which is tedious.

Your health and power replenish slowly on their own, but once you've cleared an encounter, you're under no pressure to carry on. Occasionally, I found myself putting the controller down unpaused, heading off to make a cup of tea, and returning with my beverage to a rested, unmolested party at full health.

There's no sheathing weapons, so you'll occasionally be wandering around Bree or Rivendell, incongruously with swords drawn ready for action. There's also no jumping, which is fine on its own, but the frustration of encountering a chest-high wall and having to find a set of stairs is a sensation I've almost forgotten about, a relic of level design marred by the technology of the time.

Worst of all are the bugs, Aspyr's revamp of the game delivering fresh technical glitches alongside the improvements. These are quite common complaints on threads about WITN, and my experience was no different: from flashing inventory tiles to small areas of the map that caused my entire screen to flip to solid green. At one stage I was fighting blind, looking at chequered green flashes, while I could still hear Eradan's shouts of 'You face a Dunedan now!'

Others report platform-specific glitches, such as an 0KB save file problem on PlayStation 5.

The North Remembers

I think you already know if you want this game: you're either a Tolkien fiend who likes the idea of exploring and interacting with lesser-known locations and characters in an original story, a fantasy action RPG junkie, or you played the original and remember loving it. At the reduced price it's selling for, it's worth getting if you fit two out of three of the above criteria.

Personally, even though I'm as Tolkien-mad as they come and I've got no shortage of love for the RPG genre, I think The Lord Of The Rings: War In The North Legacy Edition is... fine. Serviceable. Enjoyable at times, but without much to set it apart from all the other games in the space, even back when it was first released, other than its LOTR wrapper and nostalgia goggles.

I liked my experience with the game, but I can't see myself going back to it once done. It's a poor man's bite of lembas compared to the previous generation's excellent Return of the King hack 'em up.

Should you play The Lord Of The Rings: War In The North Legacy Edition?Play it if...

You love The Lord of the Rings
You're a Tolkien fiend who likes the idea of exploring and interacting with lesser-known locations and characters in an original story,

You love action RPGs
You're a fantasy action junkie who loves nothing more than fiddling with different armors in menus.

You played the original
Liked the old experience and jazzed about the concept of autosaves, better framerates and on-the-fly character switching? It's worth the buy.

Don't play it if...

You hate repetitive hack 'n' slash gameplay
However you slice it, War in the North will have you performing the same few attacks against wave after wave of similar enemies.

How I reviewed Lord of the Rings: War In The North Legacy Edition

(Image credit: Aspyr)

I played Lord Of The Rings: War In The North Legacy Edition on my Nintendo Switch (generation 1) for 15 hours, trying each character's various combinations and progressing through the story mode. I used the Switch both in handheld mode and on my LG OLED TV. When I encountered glitches, I examined community pages and threads for similar reports.

First reviewed August 2026

Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i review

The Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i Air Purifier is designed to combat common household problems with a single device. It purifies the air, cools you down when temperatures rise and provides heat when it gets cooler.

One of two models in Blueair’s ComfortPure range, the ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i Air Purifier sits alongside the larger and more powerful T20i, which is designed for bigger spaces. Blueair also has an established reputation when it comes to air purification.

The appeal of the T10i compared to the best air purifiers is obvious. Rather than filling your home with separate appliances for heating, cooling and air purification, Blueair has combined all three into a single unit that’s designed to keep you comfortable throughout the year.

As someone who lives in a relatively small space, struggles with seasonal allergies and generally loves multi-purpose tech, that’s a compelling proposition. The catch is the price. It’s expensive and you’ll need to factor in placement filter costs over time. But if you genuinely see yourself using all three functions throughout the year, it could offer better value than buying separate devices.

To find out whether that’s actually the case, I spent 10 days testing the Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i, putting its purification, cooling and heating features through their paces to see whether it earns its place in your home.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

I feel like the Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i is already geared towards versatility, simply because it's combining air purification, heating and cooling in a single appliance. That flexibility then continues with a solid range of features and settings that let you tailor the experience to your home and preferences.

Blueair says the T10i can clean a 16m² room in 12.5 minutes, a 39m² room in 30 minutes and a 78m² room in one hour. It also has a Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) of 132 cubic feet per minute (cfm) for pollen, 129cfm for dust and 113cfm for smoke, giving you an idea of how quickly it can circulate clean air around a room.

There are four fan speeds to choose from, alongside dedicated cooling, heating and boosted purification modes. You'll also find a Night mode that reduces noise and dims the display, plus an Auto mode that automatically adjusts performance when pollutants are detected.

According to Blueair, the T10i uses its proprietary HEPASilent filtration technology, which combines mechanical and electrostatic filtration to capture airborne particles like pollen, dust and smoke while keeping noise levels relatively low.

One feature I particularly liked was the way the purifier automatically ramped up when air quality dropped and then settled back down once conditions improved. It meant the unit never felt like it needed to run at full power all the time.

Another highlight is the T10i's 350-degree oscillation. Not only does it provide excellent coverage, but you can customize the oscillation pattern within the app. So if you only want airflow directed towards one side of a room, you can fine-tune that rather than simply choosing between a handful of preset options.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

The app deserves a special mention because it's one of the best companion apps I've used with a home appliance. It looks clean and modern, it's easy to navigate and there are plenty of genuinely useful controls. You can set timers and schedules, monitor filter life, check indoor air quality readings, adjust oscillation settings and even enable location-based automation so the purifier can prepare your home before you arrive.

You can also control the T10i directly from the touchscreen panel on top of the unit, via the included remote control or through Amazon Alexa voice commands. So whatever your preferred way of interacting with smart home devices, there's probably an option here that suits you.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

With its large cylindrical design, the Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i immediately feels more substantial than many standalone air purifiers.

That's not necessarily a criticism. In fact, considering you're getting an air purifier, fan and heater in one appliance, I'd actually say it's surprisingly compact. But it's still worth checking the dimensions (19.69 x 10.24 x 10.24 inches / 500 x 260 x 260mm) before buying because it takes up a noticeable amount of floor space and Blueair recommends leaving clearance around the unit for optimal performance.

Looks-wise, I really liked it. The design is sleek, minimal and unobtrusive enough to blend into a wide range of homes. It feels premium without trying too hard and never looked out of place in my small apartment.

There’s a sturdy fabric handle on the back, which makes it much easier to move around than you'd expect from something of this size and weight. Because, at 13.7 lbs / 6.2kg, it’s not exactly heavy but I'd definitely say that handle is still essential. Blueair has also included an anti-tip sensor that automatically switches the unit off if it's knocked over, which is reassuring if you have children or pets at home.

On top of the purifier you'll find a bright, responsive display with clear icons for different modes and settings. I found it easy to read from across the room and simple to navigate without needing to constantly reach for my phone. Thankfully, Night mode also reduces the brightness significantly if you're using it in a bedroom.

Around the back there's a removable panel that provides access to the filter when it eventually needs replacing. It's all very straightforward and feels thoughtfully designed from a day-to-day usability perspective.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

Getting the T10i up and running couldn't have been much simpler. After removing the protective packaging from the filter and reinstalling it, I was ready to go within minutes. Connecting it to the app was equally straightforward and took just a few moments over Wi-Fi.

It's worth noting that the smart features rely on that Wi-Fi connection. During the final few days of testing, I was in the middle of moving house and temporarily without internet access, which made me realize just how much I'd come to rely on the app's controls and customization options.

Performance-wise, I was testing the T10i at the perfect time. Not only was the UK experiencing a heatwave, but I was also packing up my apartment, moving boxes, cleaning rooms and generally creating the sort of dusty, messy environment that puts an air purifier through its paces.

One of the most impressive things about the T10i was how quickly it responded to changes in air quality. While cleaning, packing dusty boxes and using household cleaning products, I could see the air quality readings change almost immediately. Within a relatively short period of time, the readings would settle back down again as the purifier did its job.

I noticed something similar while cooking. The purifier consistently detected changes in air quality and cooking smells before ramping up its performance to deal with them. Watching the readings change in real time gave me confidence that it wasn't simply running on a fixed schedule but was actively responding to what was happening in my home.

Of course, the bigger question is whether I actually noticed a difference. As someone who's particularly sensitive to allergens and airborne irritants, I genuinely did. There's always a risk of placebo effect when you're reviewing an air purifier because cleaner air can be difficult to quantify in everyday life. But over the course of testing my apartment consistently felt fresher and more comfortable, even while I was creating more dust and disruption than usual.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

The cooling performance was also surprisingly good. Now, I'd recently tested the MeacoFan Sefte Pro 10in Air Circulator and you're not getting that same level of airflow here. That's hardly surprising considering cooling isn't the T10i's primary purpose. But during several days of temperatures above 86°F / 30°C, I still found the fan mode genuinely effective and comforting.

Its heating mode delivered a similarly solid performance. The weather cooled dramatically towards the end of testing, so I had an opportunity to try it out properly. It won't replace a full central heating system, but it quickly produced warm air and helped make smaller spaces feel noticeably more comfortable.

Noise levels were also impressive. During my own testing, I measured around 35dB on the lowest cooling setting and roughly 52dB at maximum fan speed and boosted purification mode from one meter away. For context, my hairdryer measures around 78dB and my kettle reaches around 69dB. So while there's certainly some fan noise at higher settings, I found it surprisingly quiet overall.

That said, noise tolerance is subjective. Some people will inevitably find higher fan speeds a little intrusive. Personally, I'm someone who enjoys white noise and often sleeps with fan sounds in the background, so I found the sound profile more soothing than distracting.

Ultimately, the T10i performed exactly as I'd hoped. It noticeably improved air quality in my apartment, provided useful cooling during hot weather, offered effective supplemental heating when temperatures dropped and wrapped everything up in a smart, well-designed package. It's best suited to small and medium-sized spaces rather than large homes, but within those limits it's a genuinely impressive all-rounder.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i review: Price and release date

• Released in Summer 2025
• Priced at $499.99 / £399 (around AU$700)

The Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i Air Purifier launched in Summer 2025 with a retail price of $499.99 / £399 (around AU$700). While it's available right now in the US and UK, it doesn't currently seem to be available in Australia.

If your first reaction to that price is that it sounds expensive, I get it. That's probably because most of us instinctively compare it to the price of a good fan or a good air purifier rather than a device that's attempting to do three jobs at once.

For example, one of my current favorite tabletop air circulators, the MeacoFan Sefte Pro 10in, costs considerably less at £119.99 and delivers more powerful cooling. Likewise, there are excellent standalone air purifiers available for much less money, including Blueair's own Blue Pure 411i Max / Blue Max 3250i at £169 / $169.99. But neither of those products heats, cools and purifies the air from a single appliance.

That's really how the T10i needs to be evaluated. You're not simply buying an air purifier here. You're buying an air purifier, a cooling fan and a space heater rolled into one. Whether that represents good value depends largely on how often you'll use all three functions.

In terms of direct competition, there aren't many devices that combine air purification, heating and cooling in quite the same way. The closest comparison is probably Dyson's Purifier Hot+Cool range, which offers a similar all-in-one approach. Dyson's models tend to have a more futuristic design and some additional features depending on the model, but they're often significantly more expensive than the T10i. For example, the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Gen1 HP10 purifying fan is $529.99 / £549.99 / AU$899.

Personally, I can imagine the upfront cost feeling a little steep initially, but it's also the sort of product that will earn its keep throughout the year. Cooling during summer, heating during colder months and air purification all year round is a compelling combination.

Of course, not everyone will need that versatility. If air quality isn't a major concern where you live and you're primarily looking for heating or cooling, there are more cost-effective specialist products available. But if you like the idea of cleaner air alongside temperature control, the value proposition becomes much easier to justify.

Blueair also offers a larger version called the ComfortPure T20i. It costs around £100 / $100 more, but it's designed for significantly larger spaces. Blueair says the T20i can clean spaces up to 156m² in one hour, compared to the 78m² maximum coverage claimed for the T10i. If you live in a larger home or have an open-plan living space, the extra investment could make sense.

One final consideration is filter replacement. Blueair says the filter should last up to a year and the app tracks its condition so you'll know when a replacement is needed. However, you'll also need to factor in the cost of a new filter, which currently costs £49 / $66.99.

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i review: Specs

Speeds

1-4, Auto, Night and Eco

Oscillation

350 degrees

Weight

13.7 lbs / 6.2kg

Dimensions

19.69 x 10.24 x 10.24 inches / 500 x 260 x 260mm

Control

Onboard touch panel, remote control, app, voice

Timer

Yes

Additional modes

Warming, Cooling, Air Purification, Auto, Night and Eco

Should I buy the Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Beyond cooling, warming and air purification, the T10i offers plenty of useful extras, include Night mode, Eco mode, adjustable oscillation and a really well-designed companion app. The customization options are solid but never feel complicated.

4.5/5

Performance

Great air purification combined with effective cooling and heating for smaller spaces and apartments. Dedicated heaters and fans might deliver more raw power, but the T10i noticeably improved comfort levels throughout testing.

4.5/5

Design

Larger than rival air purifiers, but the minimal design helps it blend into most rooms. The built-in handle, clear display and handy remote all contribute to a polished user experience.

4/5

Value

The upfront cost is high and ongoing filter replacements add to the overall investment. However, if you’ll regularly use the purification, heating and cooling functions, it offers strong value compared to buying multiple separate devices.

4/5

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)Buy it if...

You want one device for year round comfort
The biggest selling point here is you’re getting air purification, heating and cooling in a single device. If you’d rather have one smart appliance than several, it’s a great choice.

Clean air matters to you
There are stronger fans and heating systems, but combining those functions with air purification is what makes the T10i stand out.

You live in a small or medium-sized space
It’s not a small device, but it fit well in my one bedroom apartment. The T10i works best in smaller spaces where it can effectively manage air quality and comfort levels.

Don't buy it if...

You mainly want cooling power
The cooling fan mode is useful and effective, especially during warm weather. But if your main goal is staying cool this summer then a dedicated fan will deliver more airflow for less money.

You need coverage for a large space
The T10i is designed for small and medium-sized rooms rather than big, open-plan homes or whole house air purification. If you need more coverage, the T20i might be a better fit.

You’re on a tight budget
The upfront cost is high and you’ll also need to factor in replacement filters over time. If cost is your main concern, separate budget-friendly devices might be better value for you.

Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i review: Also consider

MeacoFan Sefte Pro 10in Table Air Circulator
If cooling is your priority, I’d recommend considering this Meaco air circulator instead. It delivers powerful airflow, quiet operation and handy features, like Eco mode and app control. Unlike the Blueair, it won’t purify the air or provide heating, but if your goal is staying comfortable during warm weather, it’s a more focused and cost effective solution. Read our full MeacoFan Sefte Pro 10in Table Air Circulator review.

Blueair Blue Pure 411i Max / Blue Max 3250i
If you’re only interested in air purification, Blueair’s own 3250i / 411i Max remains one of the best options available. It delivers excellent purification performance in a lightweight, easy-to-use package and costs significantly less than the T10i. You won’t get heating or cooling, but if cleaner air is your sole priority, it’s the better value choice. Read our full Blueair Blue Pure 411i Max / Blue Max 3250i review.

How I tested the Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i Air Purifier

(Image credit: Future / Becca Caddy)

• Tested the air purifier for 10 days
• Used all of the settings regularly
• Used it while working, sleeping and relaxing at home

I tested the Blueair ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i Air Purifier for 10 days during a period of warmer weather in the UK when I was also moving house and dealing with some mild allergies. It turned out to be ideal timing, giving me a chance to see how well both the air purification and cooling functions performed in real-world conditions.

I used it most often while working from home at my desk, during the night in my bedroom and throughout the day while cooking, cleaning and relaxing. This gave me plenty of opportunities to switch between the different modes and experiment with various cooling levels, oscillation settings and purification options.

Over the course of testing, I paid close attention to how comfortable it made my home feel, how easy it was to live day-to-day and whether the combination of purification, heating and cooling genuinely offered an advantage over separate devices.

I’ve been testing tech and writing about it for more than 15 years. During that time, I’ve covered everything from health tech and smart home devices to audio tech and wearable gear. Whatever I’m reviewing, my focus is always on whether a product genuinely improves everyday life, rather than delivering an impressive list of features.

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

Sony Bravia 5: Two-minute review

The Sony Bravia 5 is a mini-LED TV with crisp images, strong contrast and great gaming features. It occupies that level in Sony’s TV range where the brand has historically struggled to maintain its high standards. The Bravia 5, though, bucks this trend in pretty spectacular fashion.

The Sony Bravia 5 retains both mini-LED lighting and local dimming, for starters, as well as an 120Hz panel to keep gamers happy. Sony says the Bravia 5 LCD panels are still made to the brand’s Master Backlight Drive standard too, and they’re equipped with a full up-to-date version of the Google TV smart system.

There are ‘catches’ to this promising specification, of course. In particular, the Bravia 5 won’t benefit from as many dimming zones as the step up Bravia 7, or achieve so much brightness. In reality, though, the 65-inch Bravia 5 (AKA the K65XR55) delivers much less of a step down from Sony’s mid-range models than expected based on past Sony lines. Pictures are vibrant, crisp, full of contrast and just way less compromised than previous generations of the same level of Sony TV would have been.

Add punchy, clean and detailed audio to its surprising picture talents, and the Bravia 5 is the Sony value TV we’ve always wanted.

Sony Bravia 5 review: Price and release date

The LG B6 delivers deep black tones and crisp textures (Image credit: Future)

• Release Date: July 2025
• 55-inch: $1,399.99 / £1,299 / AU$1,999
• 65-inch: $1,499.99 / £1,499 / AU$2,299
• 75-inch: $1,999.99 / £1,799 / AU$2,899
• 85-inch: $2,399.99 / £2,299 / AU$3,899
• 98-inch: $4,999.99 / £4,499 (around AU$8,570)

While the Bravia 5 is affordable by Sony TV standards, $1,499.99 / £1,499 / AU$2,299 is no longer cheap for a 65-inch TV.

The Bravia 5 retains much more of Sony’s mid-range — and even premium — TV DNA than expected based on similarly positioned models in previous Sony ranges, though. As a result, it has at least the potential to take a clear performance edge over more affordable rivals.

Sony Bravia 5 review: Specs

Screen type

Backlight Master Drive VA mini-LED with local dimming

Sizes available

55, 65, 75, 85 and 98 inches

Refresh rate

120Hz

Resolution

4K

HDR support

Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG

Audio support

40W acoustic multi-audio speaker system featuring dual full-range (bass reflex) speakers and two ‘frame’ tweeters; Dolby Atmos and DTS:X decoding

Smart TV

Google TV (plus all main UK terrestrial broadcaster catch up apps for UK buyers)

HDMI ports

4 (two full HDMI 2.1)

Sony Bravia 5 review: Benchmark results Sony Bravia 5 review: Features

(Image credit: Future)

• Mini-LED lighting
• Direct lighting with local dimming
• Bravia XR processor

As I’ve hinted more than once already, the Sony Bravia 5 is packing much more feature heat than I would have expected it to, based on Sony TV ranges of the past.

This is particularly true of the screen hardware at the Bravia 5’s heart. Designated one of Sony’s Master Backlight Drive panels, it is illuminated by mini-LEDs driven by a local dimming system that, according to my own counting efforts, operates across an impressive 240 zones. That’s 240 areas of the image that are capable of receiving their own light level, independent of their neighbors, according to the needs of the image.

The Bravia 5’s panel is a VA type, too, which should further enhance contrast (though maybe not viewing angles). Meanwhile, even this far down Sony’s range, the brand's consistently impressive XR processor is still on hand to power all the constituent parts of the TV’s pictures. On top of this, rather than dropping down to 50/60Hz, the panel also maintains a native 120Hz refresh rate.

Meanwhile, its support for high dynamic range images extends to Dolby Vision, as well as the more basic HDR10 and HLG formats. Sony is also unusual in the TV world for automatically applying an HDR upgrade to SDR sources on some of its picture presets. There’s no interest from Sony, though, in the HDR10+ format designed as an open-source alternative to Dolby Vision.

The Bravia 5’s connections keep up with its step-up siblings. So you get four HDMIs (though only two support the TV’s full range of gaming features like VRR and ALLM), USB media playback support, and wireless support that includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, built-in Chromecast, Apple Airplay, and Apple HomeKit.

(Image credit: Future)

Sony’s TV business has long traded on its ‘from camera to TV’ product chain, and the potential for accuracy that this can bring. So as usual the Bravia 5’s Professional Mode setting, at least, will have been tuned alongside one of Sony’s professional mastering monitors, and the set is equipped with a bunch of so-called Calibrated modes designed to replicate as closely as possible the mastering standards of the Prime Video, Netflix and Sony Pictures Core video streaming services.

Buying a Bravia 5 entitles you to 10 free films and 24 months of access to Sony Pictures Core too, by the way, complete with its unique high-bandwidth streaming speeds for enhanced picture quality.

Further ‘third party’ endorsement finds the Bravia 5 earning an IMAX Enhanced badge, indicating that it has been deemed capable of doing justice to the special noise-limiting mastering processes and potential shifting aspect ratios associated with the IMAX Enhanced system. IMAX Enhanced titles are available on Sony Pictures Core and Disney+.

The Bravia 5’s audio setup is pretty potent by mid-range TV standards. It offers two full range Bass Reflex-design drivers and two separated tweeters getting 10W a piece to deliver both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks — the latter even includes the special tweaked version of DTS:X associated with IMAX Enhanced content.

• Features score: 4.5 / 5

Sony Bravia 5 review: Picture quality

• Impressive brightness and light control
• Bold but also natural colour
• Genuine 4K sharpness and excellent 4K upscaling

The Sony Bravia 5’s image quality instantly changes the fortunes of this level of Sony’s TV range, leaning much more towards the Sony TVs above it than those below.

Particularly great to see is how much contrast the Bravia 5 retains for this level of Sony’s range. Black colors look deep and strikingly consistent, exhibiting minimal issues with backlight blooming around bright objects or general areas of clouding. That's despite the fact the screen is capable of hitting nearly 900 nit brightness peaks on a 10% HDR window and sustaining an OLED-beating 595 nits with a full 100% HDR window.

Combining Sony’s backlight structure and XR Processor, the Bravia 5 can maintain more intensely bright highlights against dark backdrops than you’d expect for its price tag, despite how limited the clouding around such highlights is. This combination of bright stand-out objects and limited clouding is very difficult to achieve with locally dimmed TVs, yet the Bravia 5 makes it look easy.

Dark scenes look stable, too, in the sense that you never feel aware of the sudden brightness jumps or obvious ‘handovers’ between different dimming zones as bright objects move around a dark backdrop.

(Image credit: Future)

Many screens with strong contrast performances are often capable of good color reproduction too — and this trend continues with the Bravia 5. In its Standard preset, it produces strikingly vibrant, rich and bold tones (actually upgraded to HDR if you’re watching an SDR source) that still feel balanced, full of subtlety and nuance, and connected to source tones for the most part. They feel more like amplifications of source content colors rather than aggressive departures from them.

Unfortunately, the Bravia 5 pushes this amplification effect way too far in the Vivid preset, which is best avoided. But the Standard setting is an excellent bright room option, as well as actually being delicate and balanced enough to hold up as a dark room movie night option if your image tastes tend towards the bright and vibrant.

Unlike most other TV brands, Sony doesn't offer a Filmmaker Mode preset for AV fans who favor ‘as the director intended’ viewing. Its Professional Mode, though, does pretty much the same thing, with an emphasis on trying to match the image as closely as possible to Sony’s professional video mastering monitor.

Using Portrait Display’s Calman Ultimate software, G1 signal generator and C6 HDR5000 colorimeter, the accuracy of the Bravia 5 Professional mode was easy enough to demonstate. Errors recorded in both SDR and HDR across the board came in at well under the 3.0 DeltaE 2000 average beyond which errors might become visible to the human eye.

(Image credit: Future)

The Bravia 5’s Professional mode doesn’t just measure well. It also looks subjectively lovely, packed with the subtle texturing, immaculate color balance, and remarkable light control for a lower mid-range LCD TV. The benefits of Sony finally being able to introduce a superior core panel in a TV at the Bravia 5’s level are arguably at their most obvious in the Professional preset, in fact, given that this mode uses relatively few processing tools to help ‘boost’ its appearance.

Inevitably, given it’s far from the most premium TV in Sony’s range, there are a few limitations to the Bravia 5’s picture performance. Dark scenes in the Professional mode look a little grayer than they do in Standard mode, and backlight blooming around bright objects can become more noticeable if you view the TV from an angle. Strangely, certain shades of red can look a bit over-ripe during dark scenes, and some dark shots also take on a slightly green undertone.

Finally, some of Sony’s preset choices don’t actually help the Bravia 5’s pictures at all. Motion processing only really helps 24p movie sources if it’s switched to its True Cinema mode, for instance, with other settings tending to generate unwanted digital side effects or leave the image looking unnaturally smooth. I’d also recommend turning off the noise reduction features, especially with native 4K sources, to ensure the screen’s impressive native sharpness isn’t unnecessarily softened away.

The Bravia 5’s issues are mild enough or easy enough to fix, though, that they don’t stop it from being an all-round excellent picture performer for its money.

• Picture quality score: 4.5 / 5

Sony Bravia 5 review: Sound quality

(Image credit: Future)

• Impressive clarity and detailing
• Sound doesn’t suffer with distortions
• Bass is a bit lightweight

The Bravia 5’s sound joins its pictures in being impressively expressive and clean, working within the speaker’s limitations rather than pushing things beyond their breaking point as so many integrated TV sound systems are wont to do.

Even the brightest, shrillest treble sounds are produced without sounding thin or brittle, while the mid-range is clean and pretty expansive, able to cope with the ebbs and flows of even quite dense action scenes without sounding forced, muddy or compressed.

It uses its four-speaker system well to create a fairly large soundstage, too — one that’s well populated with accurately placed, crisp but never overstated details.

My only complaint is that the Bravia 5 feels a bit light in the bass department. Dinosaur footprints, rumbling space ships, meaty explosions and the like don’t hit with quite as much heft as I’d like. At the same time, though, not even Hollywood’s most extreme bass moments cause the Bravia 5’s speakers to succumb to distracting crackles or distortions.

• Sound quality score: 4 / 5

Sony Bravia 5 review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Multi-point foot attachment
• Recycled plastic remote control
• Minimal frame

The Bravia 5’s design doesn’t feel like much of a step-down at all from Sony’s Bravia 7 series. Its screen frame is extremely narrow, distracting scarcely at all from the pictures within, and it also stays fairly trim around the back for a lower mid-range LCD TV.

Its feet look a little basic when attached to such an elegantly minimalistic screen, perhaps. But Sony has thoughtfully provided the option to attach them either quite close together or out towards the TV’s bottom corners, depending on the width of the furniture you want to stand the TV on.

Build quality is good, too, and despite its relatively affordable position in Sony’s current TV range, it ships with two remote controls. The sleeker, more modern and more feature-rich handset is made largely made from recycled plastic, as part of Sony’s wide-ranging attempts to make the TV production process greener.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Sony Bravia 5 review: Smart TV & menus

LG's webOS 26 is easily one of the best smart TV platforms around (Image credit: Future)

• Google TV smart system
• YouView for full UK app coverage
• Optional Bravia Cam

The Sony Bravia 5 runs the latest Google TV system very well, avoiding the sluggishness the system sometimes causes on less powerful TVs. Google TV carries pretty much all of the most popular and important video streaming services, and Sony has helpfully worked round Google TV’s blind spot when it comes to some of the UK’s most popular terrestrial broadcaster catch up services by adding the YouView app.

Google TV can still feel a little overwhelming in its presentation and doesn’t feel as intelligent as some rival smart systems when it comes to recommending content based on your viewing habits. The smarter of the two remote controls Sony provides, though, makes navigation of the menus feel straightforward. On top of this, you can access a good range of features and issue quite complex search instructions just by talking to the Bravia 5 via the Google Assistant voice recognition system.

You can even add basic gesture control features to the Bravia 5 if you cough up £200 for one of Sony’s Bravia Cam accessories. This add-on camera can also detect your location in the room and adjust the TV’s picture and sound settings accordingly, as well as issuing audio warnings if it detects anyone getting too close to the screen. I’m not personally convinced Bravia CAM does enough to justify its price, but if the features I’ve just described sound good to you, then fill your boots!

• Smart TV & menus score: 4.5 / 5

Sony Bravia 5 review: Gaming

(Image credit: Future)

• 4K/120Hz support
• VRR support
• Perfect For PlayStation 5 support

The Sony Bravia 5 is fairly, rather than brilliantly, well specified as a gaming display. For instance, while it does support 4K game feeds at 120Hz refresh rates, it only does so over two of its HDMIs, rather than all four. It also doesn’t stretch the refresh rate support to 144Hz or even 165Hz, like some rival TVs currently do.

Similarly, while the Bravia 5 supports variable refresh rates, that support doesn’t extend to the AMD Freesync or Nvidia G-Sync systems. There is support for auto low latency mode switching, though, so the TV can automatically switch into its fastest responding picture mode when a game source is detected. While in this mode, the Bravia 5 takes just 13.3ms to render 60Hz gaming feeds.

There’s support, too, for Sony’s unique Perfect For PlayStation 5 features, comprising a PS5-specific version of automatic game mode switching, and an excellent system where a connected PS5 is able to tell which Sony TV model it’s attached to, and automatically optimize its HDR output accordingly.

You can also call up a dedicated gaming menu when the Bravia 5 is in Game mode, containing information on the game feed and a few helpful gaming assistants. Finally, the actual gaming experience when using one of the two wide-bandwidth HDMIs is very enjoyable. The TV’s vibrant, exceptionally sharp and contrast-rich pictures provide a perfect fit for today’s usually HDR and 4K graphics, while the rapid response time and VRR support means gaming never feels sluggish or laggy.

• Gaming score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future)Sony Bravia 5 review: Value

Not so long ago, spending $1,499.99 / £1,499 / AU$2,299 to get a 65-inch TV as good and feature rich as the Sony Bravia 5 would have felt like a great deal. Recently, though, TCL in particular has drastically shifted the TV value ‘window’, with its bright, vibrant and gaming-friendly 65-inch C7K currently going for just £779.

The Bravia 5 does offer more precision and balance in its pictures than the TCL C7K, but the price gap is big enough to mean you may feel like holding out for a special offer on Sony’s model, or searching beyond the most popular electronics retailers for a better deal.

• Value score: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Sony Bravia 5?Sony Bravia 5 scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Aside from a few gaming limitations, the Bravia 5 is well featured for its money.

4.5 / 5

Picture quality

Vibrant, bright, sharp and contrast rich pictures reveal the presence of more excellent Sony backlighting and video processing systems.

4.5 / 5

Sound quality

While bass heads might wish for a bit more low frequency impact, the Bravia 5’s sound is clean, punchy, detailed and unusually well staged.

4 / 5

Design

With its choice of foot position, elegantly minimalist frame, slender frame and strong build quality, the Bravia 5 looks premium enough to match its price.

4 / 5

Smart TV and menus

Google TV runs stably and reasonably slickly on the Bravia 5, making it easy to access the huge array of content options it offers. The set up menus are well organised and graphically rich, too.

4.5 / 5

Gaming

Only two HDMIs support the Bravia 5’s full array of gaming features, and those features don’t include absolutely everything some rivals offer. However, the exclusive to Sony TVs Auto HDR ‘Perfect For PlayStation 5’ feature is excellent, and the screen feels responsive and immersive.

4 / 5

Value

While the Bravia 5 is well priced for a Sony TV that performs as well as this one, competition at this price level is brutal these days.

3.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You want that Sony picture feel for less
The Bravia 5 holds on to more of the panel and processing prowess of more premium Sony TVs than you'd expect at this price.

You have a PlayStation 5
The Bravia 5’s Perfect For PlayStation 5 features allow a PS5 console to automatically feed it optimized HDR games — a genuinely helpful feature given that HDR gaming is still in something of a ‘wild west’ stage at the moment.

You want to put your TV on a narrow piece of furniture
While the widest foot placement looks more elegant, Sony provides the option to place the Bravia 5’s feet close together as well.

Don't buy it if...

You are on a tight budget
Some rivals, most notably TCL, sell bright, vibrant 65-inch TVs with good gaming features for substantially less than the Bravia 5 costs.

You have more than two premium gaming sources
Only two of the Bravia 5’s HDMI ports support the full range of cutting-edge gaming features that today’s gamers are looking for (4K/120Hz and VRR).

You want a Filmmaker Mode and/or HDR10+ support
If you happen to be a real fan of Filmmaker Mode presets and the HDR10+ rival to Dolby Vision HDR, you should know that the Bravia 5 doesn’t support either of these features.

Sony Bravia 5 review: also consider

Sony Bravia 5

TCL C7K

LG C5

Samsung QN90F

Price (65-inch)

$1,499.99 / £1,499 / AU$2,299

$899.99 / £779 / AU$2,295

$1,399.99 / £1,599 / AU$2,699.99

$1,599.99 / £1,399 / AU$2,899

Screen type

Backlight Master Drive VA mini-LED with local dimming

Mini-LED with local dimming

WRGB OLED

Mini-LED with local dimming

Refresh rate

120Hz 4K

144Hz (up to 288Hz at lower resolution)

144Hz

120Hz (up to 165Hz with Motion Xcelerator technology)

HDR support

HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision

Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG

Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG

HDR10, HDR10+, HLG

Smart TV

Google TV (plus all main UK terrestrial broadcaster catch up apps for UK buyers)

Google TV with YouView

WebOS 25

Tizen OS

HDMI ports

4 (two full HDMI 2.1)

4 (two HDMI 2.1)

4 x HDMI 2.1

4 x HDMI 2.1

TCL C7K
With its extreme brightness, surprisingly good backlight control and uncompromising gaming features, the C7K has single-handedly rewritten the TV value rulebook. While Sony’s set delivers a more controlled image, the C7K’s bang for your buck is crazy. And it supports all four key HDR formats too. Read our full TCL C7K review.

LG C5
With LG’s 2026 OLED TV range just arriving, at the time of writing you can buy 2025’s C5 at a knock down price. Every pixel in OLED TVs delivers its own color and light without compromising its neighbors, delivering stunning contrast. The C5 also delivers excellent gaming support, and some of the most accurate pictures around. Read our full LG C5 OLED TV review.

Samsung QN90F
Samsung’s flagship 4K mini-LED TV for 2025 is also still around as we wait for the brand’s 2026 models, and it looks like strong value at its current $1,599.99 / £1,399 / AU$2,899 price. Its impressive pictures are joined by four full HDMI 2.1 ports, and an Object Tracking Sound (OTS) system that does a strikingly good job of placing sound effects in the right place on screen. Read our full Samsung QN90F TV review.

How I tested the Sony Bravia 5

• Tested over three weeks
• Tested with 4K Blu-rays, multiple streaming platforms and resolutions, Freeview HD broadcasts, and HD Blu-rays
• Reviewed in both dark and light dedicated test room conditions, on its feet in both corner and mid wall positions

I tested the Sony Bravia 5 over a three-week period in a variety of room conditions — including using it as a regular living room TV for more than a week.

I checked out streamed content at a variety of resolutions from all of the main video streaming platforms, including Sony’s exclusive Sony Pictures Core high-bandwidth services. I also watched tuner channels and fed it a selection of our regularly used test Blu-rays and 4K Blu-ray discs. Gaming was explored using a PlayStation 5, an Xbox Series X and a gaming PC.

Objective testing was performed using Portrait Displays’ Calman Ultimate analysis software, G1 signal generator, and C6 HDR5000 light meter.

• First reviewed: September 2026
• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

JBL Live Buds 4 review

Ever wondered what life would be like if your earbuds had a touchscreen case? OK, you probably haven’t, but stick with me here. The JBL Live Buds 4 are the new generation of the audio specialist’s in-ears that pair with a smart charging case, enabling you to adjust sound settings, adapt ANC, and more — all without having to download a companion app.

They’re a standout model in a congested market. The Live Buds 4 also sit within JBL's wider Live range, which is itself fairly congested in that it also includes the stemmed JBL Live Beam, plus the open-fit JBL Live Flex. This specific model, though — the Live Buds 4 — comes with a number of claimed upgrades over its predecessor, including enhanced ANC, new “fidelity drivers,” and boosted call quality. But are they worth the money and can they compete with options in our best earbuds roundup? Here’s what I think after three weeks of testing.

We’ve got to start with the smart charging case, which has a revamped UI for a smoother, more complete user experience. The touchscreen is undoubtedly small, but it's highly responsive, and there are clear menus to access EQ tweaking, ANC modes, appearance options, and even tools like a flashlight and timer. I sometimes preferred using the JBL Headphones app for the ease of a larger screen, and the ability to set a custom wallpaper from my photo gallery, but for on-the-go tweaks, the charging case is a neat option — even if it is arguably a little bit gimmicky. But hey, I like a good gimmick now and then.

Beyond what I’ve already mentioned, the case features a lot of fun features, like a smart-talk option, which picks up voices if you want to have a conversation while keeping your buds in. There are also customizable touch controls for the buds themselves (which I found to be reactive and convenient), and settings for how your voice sounds on a call, including a bright, natural, and powerful option.

Speaking of calls, JBL has included 6 mics in these earbuds, as well as its new Perfect Calls 2.0 tech, which makes use of AI to keep your voice clear, even in noisier environments. As I mentioned in my JBL Live Beam 4 review (I know, it's easy to get confused with names), I did find my voice to be relatively clear on calls and when taking a recording, but unfortunately I didn’t get the premium clarity I was expecting. There was some noticeable sibilance in my recording, and I also found that some background noises remained more prominent than anticipated.

I also want to talk about active noise cancellation, which has been improved for the Live 4 series. Overall, ANC is decent, but it’s still not up to the standards offered by buds from Apple and Bose. When out and about or on public transport, I could still make out background chatter, and in the office, typing sounds and doors closing were still audible. Sounds are still dulled effectively, and ANC is by no means bad — but if you’re expecting a curtain of silence when using the Live Buds 4, you may be left wanting more.

(Image credit: Future)

One area that the Buds 4 totally excel in, though, is sound quality. For earbuds in this price-range, the Buds 4 are excellent, dishing out impactful bass, clean mids, and expressive highs, impressive handling of dynamics, and good attention to detail.

When tuning into Labor of Love by Ned Doheny, I was struck by the beautifully textured and weighted acoustic guitars, which were well separated from clear, tonally accurate vocals. Subtle percussive details also came through beautifully, and funky bass sounded impactful without drowning out other sounds across the frequency range. What’s more, by activating the higher-res Bluetooth codec, LDAC, I could make out some more intricacies in the mid-range, with almost life-like guitars taking the listening experience to the next level.

The Live Buds 4 proved to cope brilliantly with any genre, though. With a deeper, more energetic track, such as Don’t Compare Yourself by Kolter, the pumping deep bass hit phenomenally hard, and reached down to tremendous depths for this level. Bassy synths sounded textured and controlled, lively drums sounded articulate and precise, and emotive vocals, while impactful, never overwhelmed the mix.

I have very few complaints about the sound, and it’s super-simple to customize it to your liking with the EQ settings on the charging case or JBL headphones app. But one thing that could’ve been better was the spatial audio setting, which just lacked the clarity and openness of the standard tuning. I’d also argue that the soundstage is relatively broad on the Live Buds 4 anyway, so you should just keep this mode off if you ask me.

(Image credit: Future)

Let’s also talk design, as this is the main area where the Live Buds 4 differentiate themselves from the Beam and Flex. They take up a small, snug in-ear feel, which is ideal for those who prefer earbuds without the stems. I found the buds to be incredibly comfortable, and had no issue keeping them in for multiple hours at a time. They’re also highly secure, never feeling as if they’ll fall out of your ears.

The buds also have a good standard of build, the case has an attractive, textured finish, and the model can be purchased in a wide range of colors. The buds are also IP55-rated, making them splashproof. Some rivals offer superior IP57 protection, but IP55 is enough to keep your buds safe on a rainy day.

One more difference the Buds 4 have, is that they offer the least amount of battery life in the Live 4 lineup, with 8 hours of playtime with the buds when ANC is on, and up to 40 hours with the case. That’s still a good amount of playtime, and competes well with major rivals.

So, are the JBL Live Buds 4 worth their £179.99 / AU$269.95 (about $240) asking price? For me, it’s an emphatic yes. Of course, they’re not the cheapest buds on the market, but they’re also a fair bit cheaper than big-name rivals like the AirPods Pro 3 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2. They also sound fantastic for the money, with the nifty charging case only adding more value. Sure, they could do better in the call quality and ANC department, but ultimately, they still offer decent enough quality in those areas.

(Image credit: Future)JBL Live Buds 4 review: price & release date

• List price of £179.99 / AU$269.95 (about $240)
• Revealed in May 2026

The JBL Live Buds 4 were revealed in May 2026, alongside their siblings, the JBL Live Beam 4 and the JBL Live Flex 4. They released about two years after their predecessor, the JBL Live Buds 3.

They come in at £179.99 / AU$269.95 (about $240), which is the same as their predecessors cost at the point of launch (in the UK). We’re yet to catch wind of a release date and pricing for the US, but we’ll update this review accordingly if and when further details emerge.

These buds are available at a relatively affordable price for the quality on offer, coming in at a lower cost than rivals such as the Apple AirPods Pro 3 and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2.

Our top pick for wireless earbuds whatever your budget is the Technics EAH-AZ100, at $299 / £259 (around AU$478). So at quite a bit less than those figures, the JBL Live Buds 4 can be yours for a shade under flagship money — and that's a very good thing in terms of value.

That said, the Huawei Freebuds Pro 5 are our current 'best mid-range' pick in that detailed guide, and those excellent buds retail for the same £179.99 fee as the JBL option. They don't have a smart charging case, but still, food for thought…

JBL Live Buds 4 review: specs

Drivers

10mm dynamic

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Battery life

8 hours (buds, with ANC on); 10 hours (buds, with ANC off); 40 hours (with charging case)

Weight

4.8g (per bud)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0

Frequency range

20Hz-40kHz

Waterproofing

IP55

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the JBL Live Buds 4?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Massive suite of features and neat smart case, but ANC and call quality could be better.

4/5

Sound quality

Detailed, impactful, and rich audio, but spatial sound option in need of improvement.

4.5/5

Design

Small and secure fit, strong standard of build, IP55-rated.

4.5/5

Value

Great price for the sound and feature-rich case.

4.5/5

Buy them if…

You want a more discreet in-ear look and feel
Unlike the stemmed JBL Live Beam 4 and Flex 4, the Buds 4 have a low-key, ultra-compact in-ear look and feel. They’re more akin to models like the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 in terms of build, and if you want compact and comfortable buds then they’re a top option.

You’re digging the smart case
There’s no doubt in my mind that a lot of people buy the Live series of earbuds for one reason, and one reason only: the smart charging case. Can I blame them? No. Is it a bit gimmicky? Sure. But do I like it? Yes, I genuinely do. You get quick access to all of the important features on the smart case, as well as tools like a torch and stopwatch, and it adds a bit of a fun factor to these great-sounding in-ears.

Don’t buy them if…

You want silence-inducing ANC
Although JBL has improved the ANC in its latest batch of Live earbuds, the quality is still a bit middling in my view. You can get much better noise-cancelling from rivals like the AirPods Pro 3.

You’re looking for amazing spatial audio
I didn’t find the spatial audio mode on the Live Buds 4 to be particularly effective, and preferred using them with this setting turned off. My go-to most days, the LG Tone Free T90S, have a great immersive listening mode, and even support Dolby Atmos.

JBL Live Buds 4 review: also consider

JBL Live Buds 4

Apple AirPods Pro 3

Huawei Freebuds Pro 5

Price

£179.99 / AU$269.95 (about $240)

$249 / £219 / AU$429

£179.99 (around $240; AU$270)

Drivers

10mm dynamic

Custom high excursion

11mm dynamic woofer and micro-planar tweeter

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Yes

Yes

Battery life

8 hours (buds, with ANC on); 10 hours (buds, with ANC off); 40 hours (with charging case)

8 hours (buds, ANC on); 6.5 hours (buds, heart rate sensor on); 24 hours (case)

9 hours buds, 38 hours case

Weight

4.8g (per bud)

5.6g (per bud)

5.5g (per bud)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0

Bluetooth 5.3

Bluetooth 6.0

Frequency range

20Hz-40kHz

Not stated

10Hz to 48kHz

Waterproofing

IP55

IP57

IP57 buds, IP54 case

Apple AirPods Pro 3
If you want earbuds that are stylish, sound fantastic, supply stellar ANC and an iPhone will be your source device, look no further than the AirPods Pro 3 — if your budget will stretch to them We loved their comfortable, secure fit, new heart-rate monitor option, hearing health software and impressive waterproof rating, but they are still a little weak in the battery life department. Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 3 review for more.

Huawei Freebuds Pro 5
Five-star svelte earbuds for the same money as the JBL set you came here to read about? Worth a look, surely — they're the model we recommend as the best mid-range buy in our dedicated earbuds buying guide. They might not be available if you happen to reside in the US, however, they're still worth shouting about to anyone else; the drivers are huge, the battery life is exceptional, the IP rating is a step up on most rivals, they're stuffed full of perks and the ANC is, as we said in our review, "excellent".
Read all about them in our Huawei Freebuds Pro 5 review.

How I tested the JBL Live Buds 4

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested over the course of three weeks
• Used in the office, on walks, and on public transport
• Mainly streamed tunes over Tidal, but tapped into Spotify too

I spent three weeks putting the JBL Live Buds 4 through their paces. During this time, I listened to countless hours of music, messed around with everything the smart charging case had to offer, and exhausted their various features.

As always, I made sure to use these buds in a range of environments — including at home or at the office, but also when out on walks near busy roads, and when on public transport like buses and trains. When listening to tunes, I predominantly streamed music over Tidal on my Xiaomi 17 phone, but I also jumped into Spotify now and then. I made sure to soft through the multi-genre TechRadar reference playlist, but also bumped a bunch of tunes from my personal library.

More generally, I’ve spent years testing audio gear here at TechRadar, where I serve as a Senior Reviews Writer. I’ve reviewed everything from premium wireless headphones like the Sony 1000X The Collexion to hulking party speakers like the Marshall Bromley 750. Of course, I’ve also tested many pairs of wireless earbuds, so I know exactly what it takes for a model to stand out in a highly competitive market.

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

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: one-minute review

(Image credit: Future / Julia Clarke)

When the Fenix 8 finally dropped in 2024, it quickly earned a reputation as the best Garmin GPS watch money can buy, even if that meant parting with a lot of money. I gave it a thorough test on the 11-day trek to Everest Base Camp, and with Garmin’s full suite of training features, a bright AMOLED display, microphone and speaker, plus an LED torch, there was no doubt that it was a big step up from the hugely popular Fenix 7.

Last year, Garmin followed the Garmin Fenix 8 up with the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro, which took the winning formula and added built-in LTE cellular and inReach satellite connectivity for phone-free messaging and SOS alerts. I tested it at the Love Trails running festival this summer, and genuinely started to doubt the rumours that a Fenix 9 could really be imminent. What more could there possibly be to add?

I went along to the Fenix 9 release in Chamonix to find out, and immediately afterwards I strapped the Fenix 9 Pro on and hit the trail. It hasn’t been off my wrist since, and between its refined design, faster processing, plus some very fun new navigation and tracking features, I can say it’s a clear improvement over the Fenix 8.

Built with a titanium case and bezel, the 9 Pro is lighter, more durable and resistant to the elements. Side-by-side with my 8 Pro, it looks nicer and more expensive thanks to a nanomoulding construction process that produces a more streamlined build without the need for screws. This also makes it significantly thinner, in all sizes, and with the arrival of a 43mm case option (which I’m testing), it’s more wearable day-to-day than its predecessor.

(Image credit: Future / Julia Clarke)

The 3,000-nit AMOLED display is brighter, sure (although not as bright as the 8 Pro’s MicroLED option), but it’s more the improved clarity that I find myself appreciating. The green light option that’s been added to the LED torch makes a fantastic difference to my night vision, whether I’m out late on the trail or trying to make a cup of tea in the middle of the night without disturbing my entire household.

Garmin is already the industry leader in maps, and the Fenix 9 Pro map loads faster and adds a new Perspective orientation, which I think is useful when navigating in urban areas, and it’s more useful to be able to see what side streets and road junctions are up ahead.

Rolled out with the Fenix 9 are improved Stamina readings, including new Stamina Zones, which I’ve started using to help me manage my effort and pace when I’m on the trail. Brand new is the Garmin Epic feature, which essentially lets you group workouts such as training blocks, long-distance treks or adventure holidays so you can see their cumulative effect. There are also updates to the Rucking activity mode, so it now reflects the additional energy demands of your pack weight.

Like the Fenix 8 Pro, this watch boasts LTE-M cellular technology, which means I can easily respond to messages and phone calls from my wrist so long as my phone is nearby. There are some improvements to LiveTrack and Location Tracking, which are useful for both urban explorers and long bouts in the wild.

For hikers like myself, inReach satellite connectivity means I can reach emergency response from almost anywhere on the planet, and it does mean I can message friends and family when I’m offline; however, that’s only through the Garmin Messenger app. When I spoke to Garmin’s Global Lead Product Manager Jon Hosler in Chamonix, he admitted that the brand’s functionality here does lag a bit behind competitors like Apple, which have more control over the cellular ecosystem, but he also stressed that the Fenix remains a performance watch first and foremost.

In summary, the Fenix 9 Pro plants a flag firmly at the GPS watch summit as a top-of-the-line option. It’s brighter, faster, ludicrously well-featured, and, unsurprisingly, even pricier. All of that said, this shouldn’t be considered a realistic upgrade for Fenix 8 users, who are already sporting a fantastic timepiece. But compared to anything before the 8, it’s better by a country mile.

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: specifications

(Image credit: Future / Julia Clarke)

Component

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro (model tested: 43mm with inReach)

Price

From $1,099.99 / £949.99 / AU$1,749

Dimension

43 x 43 x 13.3 mm

Weight

62 g (case only: 45 g)

Case/bezel

Titanium

Display

416 x 416 pixels, AMOLED (up to 3,000 nits)

GPS

GPS+Beidou+Glonass+Galileo+QZSS

Battery life

10 days (18 hours in activity mode, up to 50 hours in Max battery mode)

Connection

LTE, Satellite, Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi

Water resistant?

Yes, 10ATM

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: price and availability

(Image credit: Future / Julia Clarke)

• Starts at £949.99 for smallest 43mm
• Prices for Fenix 9 start at £859.99
• Reaches up to £1,209.99

The Fenix 9 Pro starts at $1,099.99 / £949.99 / AU$1,749 for the 43mm case size without inReach connectivity. With inReach, pricing starts at $1,199.99 / £1,029.99 / AU$1,899. The Fenix 9 Pro Solar is the same price, while the regular Fenix 9, which has a fibre-reinforced polymer case instead of titanium, starts at $999.99 / £859.99 / AU$1,599, and that’s for both the 43mm and 47mm.

The largest and most expensive 51mm Fenix 9 Pro with inReach is priced at $1,399.99 / £1,209.99 / AU$2199, and for that you get yourself a considerable increase in battery life with up to 31 days in smartwatch mode / 56 hours in activity mode compared to 10 days / 18 hours in the 43mm watch.

If you’re looking at a model with satellite technology, you’ll also need to factor in the cost of an inReach subscription if you actually want to use it (which starts at £7.99 / $7.99 a month), and all in, it definitely prices a lot of people out.

But the high price shouldn’t come as a surprise for anyone familiar with Garmin Fenix watches, and it’s hard to criticize it on being a high-performing piece of tech made with premium materials. There are plenty of other great options out there right now, including the Fenix 8, which you’re likely to find at a discount now that the Fenix 9 has been unleashed.

• Value score: 4/5

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: design

• Titanium case and bezel
• Slimmer design
• Brighter AMOLED display

I tend to feel a bit indifferent to changes in materials in my GPS watches, but I have to admit that the titanium case and bezel on the Fenix 9 Pro do make this look and feel like the expensive watch that it is. It’s sleeker and less rugged, down to both the materials and the nanomoulding process, which removes the need for screws.

It’s not totally fair to do a side-by-side comparison with the Fenix 8 Pro here because the latter isn’t available in 43mm, and that accounts for some of the 15g weight difference (equalling an almost 25% increase), but suffice to say that my Fenix 9 Pro is considerably lighter and thinner (to the tune of 16%, according to Garmin), and it has a less sporty aesthetic, which for me is a huge upgrade. If I’m being honest, this is the first Garmin watch I’ve tested that I’m happy wearing all of the time, though I might take it off to go to a wedding.

The AMOLED display is brighter than both my Fenix 8 and 8 Pro models, while the new, more subdued colour scheme is a bit more sophisticated, and it’s all a little sharper whether I’m looking at the stats of a run or using maps to navigate. I’m also amazed at how accurate the touchscreen keyboard is for typing out text messages, even on the smallest display available.

Other than that, everything will feel familiar to existing Fenix users, including the five-button setup, intuitive widget-based layout and responsive touchscreen (that is sometimes a little too responsive, pulling up the weather forecast when I’m in the shower). I’ve finally taken the time to add a bunch of widgets that I use frequently to my quick list, such as my endurance score and recovery estimates, last activity, moon phases and tides, so it’s ready to go before I even leave the house.

You’ll need the enormously comprehensive Garmin Connect app to view your metrics, and the slightly clunkier Garmin Messenger app if you want to use satellite technology for messaging, and if I were to pinpoint a weakness, I’d say it’s a shame that these two aren’t yet integrated into one app.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: features

(Image credit: Future / Julia Clarke)

• Updated build
• Better maps and LED torch
• New training and adventure tools

First up, maps have been updated, and according to Garmin, they render 40% faster than on the 8 Pro and pan 30% faster when you’re searching for something up ahead. There’s a new perspective view added to the map orientation, which you can enable to better see what’s up ahead.

Also new are Stamina Zones, which use heart rate, pace and speed, and Hosler explains that they can be more useful than Heart Rate Zones for managing your effort. I’ve added them to the data screens in different activity modes, so I can see what zone I’m in and how much of my potential stamina I’m using. It’s more obvious in interval training, where I can see my zones dip and rise, but even on long plods it’s an interesting way to see how much gas I might have left in the tank at a current pace.

After an activity, I can view the top contributors to my Endurance Score (hiking for me), and see estimates of how long I should be able to run at a given pace: apparently over seven hours at my easy pace and nearly 20 minutes at max effort, which I’m yet to put to the test.

Garmin’s commitment to upgrading Rucking mode in recent years signals that this is an activity in ascendancy, and it now calculates better estimates of your energy expenditure rather than just being a way to catalogue different activities. The Fenix 9 allows you to set a calorie goal rather than distance or time, and to edit your pack weight mid-activity, which Hosler explains gives ruckers more accurate readings when they’re hiking uphill with water or rocks that they ditch for the descent. I often hike with a heavy pack, and now my activity report shows the difference between my calories burned through activity and the additional calories from the weight of my pack. This is mildly interesting, and could in theory change my fuelling strategy on a long thru hike.

A very fun – if non-essential – feature rolled out with the Fenix 9 and 9 Pro is called Garmin Epic, which lets you group workouts. When I heard about it in the press conference, I worried it might be similar to the gratuitous Adventure Journal in the Coros Nomad, but after testing it out, I genuinely love it. I gave it a quick test in Chamonix by grouping together all five hikes and trail runs I went on so I could see my cumulative distance, time on the trails and related health stats. But it’s also retrospective, so I’ve been able to make an Epic for last year’s trek to Everest Base Camp and finally see that entire, unforgettable trip as one adventure, from the map of my entire 11-day route to my total elevation gain. I can share my Epic with friends and family, but I can see the demand for Garmin to develop this into a video that users can share on social media.

As for connectivity, I have an active inReach subscription, so I’m able to signal for help from anywhere, but fortunately haven’t had to do so yet. This feature does rely on the Garmin Messenger app, and most of my friends and family are not on there, so this is an area where the Fenix lags behind the Apple Watch Ultra 3. In our conversations, Hosler was clear that he doesn’t consider this watch a true replacement for a satellite device like my Garmin inReach Mini 2, but more of a nice-to-have backup. LiveTrack has improved and now you can send a tracking link directly from your phone, which has good implications for urban runners as well as hikers.

And last but not least, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention everyone’s favourite feature: the upgraded LED torch, which was being heralded by elite trail runners like Katie Schide, Tom Evans and Elsey Davis in Chamonix, who all said this was among their top Garmin features.

The Fenix 9 and 9 Pro have both added a green light option, which is better for night vision, though perhaps not quite as kind to your significant other when you’re looking for your running socks at 5 a.m. It may not be a substitute for a headtorch on a night run, but when your torch runs out of batteries, you’ll be glad you have your Garmin.

Add on to this all the features of the Fenix 8, and I can’t imagine what else you could possibly want from your watch.

• Features score: 5/5

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: performance

(Image credit: Future / Julia Clarke)

• Reliable sensors
• Lightning-fast maps
• Better night vision

The Garmin Fenix 9 Pro has all the same sensors as its predecessor, and after testing the two out on the same run, I’m confident that the readings were all virtually identical (though Hosler did explain that GPS differences can be down to the two watches being on different wrists and pointing in different directions).

I prefer the smaller case size, but it does mean I’m sacrificing battery life. My battery lost 17% during my first two-hour hike, which was a little shocking, but going forward I’ve been using Max Battery mode for longer sessions, which uses energy-saving measures and means a little less accuracy from GPS.

In the last 10 days, I did four short hikes and runs in Chamonix, two spin sessions, a pool swim, a long trail run, a short treadmill workout and a base run. I ran the battery all the way down, had to charge it once, and now it’s at 61%. In regular use, where I’ll typically have it in activity mode for at least 30 minutes a day, I expect to have to charge it once a week, and for a multi-day trek, I’d expect to be charging it at least every other day. That said, if you compare the 51mm Fenix 9 Pro and 8 Pro side by side, the 9 Pro has a better battery life, so if you’re after endurance, size up.

The display is really easy to see in all light conditions, brilliant sunshine and torrential rain and is really responsive when I lift my wrist, although this naturally declines as the battery runs low.

I put maps to the test straight away in Chamonix, charting a course to a mountainside cafe on the Tour du Mont Blanc, and it all renders so quickly and smoothly I don’t even really have to stop and think about it. Though I didn’t find the perspective view that helpful on the trails, it was great for navigating through the busy streets of Chamonix, which often poses a challenge as my phone doesn’t work well there. On my first test, I tried going off-course to see if the maps would reroute me and it didn’t work, but I’ve since been able to chalk that up to Garmin rolling out the watch to the world at the very same time I was testing it, as when I got back to Scotland, I went out on a 12k trail run and found the rerouting to work perfectly.

he LTE connectivity means I can leave my phone in my backpack, and that is really quite refreshing. I did send my boyfriend a link to track me on my most recent trail run via Garmin Connect, and he was able to do so, if not with a fair amount of apathy. I’ve also sent some test messages to my few Garmin Messenger contacts; it’s easy to type directly on the watch, and the message sends in a flash.

I don’t love wearing a watch to bed, but thanks to the slimmer design, I’ve been able to test out the sleep tracking, and it’s really accurate. My subsequent training Readiness scores and Recovery predictions have been pretty in line in accordance with how I feel.

Also at night, the green light function on the torch has quickly rendered my beloved red light nearly obsolete, making it easier than ever to creep around the house without bumping into things and even read a book in bed without turning my lamp on.

• Performance score: 5/5

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: should I buy?

(Image credit: Future / Julia Clarke)Buy it if…

Your adventures take you into the wild

The Fenix 9 Pro has all the field tools for a backcountry adventure, and the technology to help get you out of there if things go wrong.

You’ve been running on a Fenix older than the 8 for years

Even the fabulous Fenix 7 pales in comparison to this one.

You’re a tech junkie with a big budget

All the best tech is on display here at an aspirational price.

Don’t buy it if…

You have the Fenix 8

The Fenix 8 is a cracking watch, and while we admit this is an upgrade, we can’t make a compelling case to switch

You’re saving up for a down payment on a house

This watch comes with some serious sticker shock

Also consider

Apple Watch Ultra 3

The best Apple Watch for adventuring, with dive computer functionalities and a titanium body.

Read our full Apple Watch Ultra 3 review

Coros Vertix 2

The best affordable Garmin Fenix alternative

Read our full Coros Vertix 2 review

How I tested

I’ve tested this watch from the French Alps to Scotland, over multiple hikes, trail runs and road runs, with a few indoor workouts on the bike, treadmill and in the pool thrown in. I’ve compared it with the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro and the Suunto Vertical 2 for good measure, and spent hours talking to Garmin experts and poring over the data in the watch and on the Garmin Connect app.

Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless 8KHz: One-minute review

The Huntsman line has long been a distinguished marque in the gaming keyboard world, and now this new analog addition seeks to add Hall Effect technology to the formula.

It looks like a high-performing machine. The all-black colorway might be a little drab, but the floating keycaps and subtly brushed metal faceplate add touches of class. The bright RGB backlighting also helps to sell its gaming prowess.

(Image credit: Future)

What’s more, it’s built exceptionally well. That faceplate feels incredibly smooth and solid, while the keycaps are planted and have a great-feeling texture. At the same time, the V3 HE is also very light and compact — doubly impressive when you consider it includes quite a few navigation keys.

Razer’s Synapse software can be used to customize the inputs of the V3 HE. You’ll find plenty of analog adjustments here, and there’s even a handy visualizer to display key travel in real time, although this isn’t available for every analog setting. The software is easy to use and I didn’t experience any major issues during my time with it.

Once you’ve dialled in your preferred settings, gaming with the V3 HE is a joy. The keys are very tactile and provide plenty of feedback without feeling heavy. However, due to the height of the keycaps and the lack of wrist support, I found typing quite uncomfortable.

This is perhaps the major drawback of the V3 HE, along with its price, which is quite high for a keyboard lacking wireless connectivity. However, its gaming performance and build quality are to be admired, and might just make it worth the outlay.

(Image credit: Future)Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless 8KHz review: Price and availability

• $139.99 / £139.99 / AU$229.95
• Preorders available now
• Expensive for a wired keyboard

The Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless 8KHz costs $139.99 / £139.99 / AU$229.95 and will be available later this year, but you can preorder it now. A mini 65% variant will also be available for $20 / £20 / AU$30 less.

It's undeniably expensive for a wired gaming keyboard. However, it’s still cheaper than some of its rivals, such as the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL, another fantastic analog keyboard. This is easily one of the best analog keyboards I’ve tested. It also features an integrated OLED screen for a visually appealing way to access various settings and adjustments, and it can display certain in-game information as well.

If you’re looking for a decidedly more budget-friendly analog keyboard, you can’t do much better than the MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra. Not only is this much cheaper than the Huntsman, but it also performs very admirably and has multiple wireless connectivity modes to boot.

Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless 8KHz review: Specs

Layout

TKL

Switch

Analog (Razer Hall Effect Magnetic)

Programmable keys

Yes

Dimensions

14.2 x 5.5 x 1.6 inches (361 x 139 x 40mm)

RGB or backlighting

Yes (customizable)

(Image credit: Future)Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless 8KHz review: Design and features

• Great build quality
• Bright RGB lighting
• Copious customization options

In line with Razer’s other products, the V3 HE looks like a premium product. I especially liked the floating keycaps and the brushed metal faceplate, which add elements of sophistication. The all-black colorway is a little austere, but the bright and customizable RGB backlighting does well to liven things up, especially since those aforementioned floating keycaps increase the illumination.

Equal to its appearance is the build quality of the V3 HE. Despite the plastic material, the chassis is incredibly solid, while that faceplate feels lusciously smooth. The double-shot PBT keycaps have a gratifying texture to them as well, and are as planted and as stable as you could wish for.

Another nice touch is the recessed USB port. This encloses the jack completely, adding security and creating a neater look. The included cable should prove long enough to accommodate most setups, and what’s more it’s braided, which is more common on the best gaming mice. This improves flexibility, although it’s thicker and seems more durable than those on said mice.

(Image credit: Future)

Despite the strong build, the V3 HE is also very light, which pleasantly surprised me. It’s also quite compact, yet still features some useful keys for navigation. And there are plenty of Fn shortcuts dotted around, including those for tweaking certain aspects of the V3 HE, such as the RGB, actuation point (between 0.1mm and 4mm), and Rapid Trigger sensitivity. Thankfully, these shortcuts are also labelled.

For further customizations, you’ll need to download Razer’s Synapse peripheral software. Alongside those mentioned above, you can adjust the Rapid Trigger sensitivity of upstrokes and downstrokes independently, map up to four inputs to a single key, select up to four keys to have a secondary function on their release, and decide which key takes priority when two are pressed at the same time (with numerous options to choose from). There are also a few pre-made profiles catering to certain game types and scenarios, as well as a remapping suite with a large selection of assignments at your disposal, including gamepad buttons, sticks, and triggers.

I was glad to see the inclusion of a visualizer that shows the travel of your presses in real time by filling up a bar. This bar is also marked with your currently set actuation point in millimeters, so you can see when you’ve passed it. It’s a shame there’s no visualizer for the Rapid Trigger function, given this can be a little tricky to comprehend. For the most part, though, Synapse is clearly laid out and easy to use.

(Image credit: Future)Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless 8KHz review: Performance

• Snappy and tactile
• Comfortable and secure when gaming
• Hard to type with

As with most Razer keyboards, the performance of the V3 HE is exemplary. The analog switches have plenty of tactility, being easy to press yet providing just enough resistance to allow for controlled presses; relative to other analog keyboards, I found it easy to hit certain actuation points. They also have a wonderfully springy response, which makes them feel snappy. But they’re quite clicky, too, with just enough dampening to prevent them feeling harsh.

The keycaps themselves are a boon when gaming, too. Their aforementioned texture not only feels great but should also help to prevent slips when things get sweaty. Prominent indentations improve finger security further, as well as helping you to avoid hitting the wrong key.

However, I found them less amenable to typing. Their sheer height means that even though the base of the V3 HE is reasonably thin, I still found myself having to angle my wrists upwards to an uncomfortable degree. I wish a wrist rest was included in the box like other Razer models, especially as Razer’s are some of the best in class thanks to their exceedingly plush padding.

Should I buy the Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless 8KHz?Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Cheaper than some other premium analog keyboards, but a lot more expensive than others, too.

3.5 / 5

Design and features

The Huntsman looks sleek and is built incredibly well. It’s a shame there’s no wrist rest, though.

4.5 / 5

Performance

The analog switches are tactile and very customizable, but the tall keycaps make typing a chore.

4 / 5

Overall

The Huntsman V3 HE is a fantastic gaming keyboard with analog switches that perform as well as you could wish for. It would seriously benefit from a wrist rest, and it’s expensive compared to some others in the space, but its performance and build are matched by very few.

4 / 5

Buy it if…

You want great analog performance
I haven’t experienced many analog switches better than these, and their copious adjustments should please every gamer out there.

You prize build quality
The sleek floating keycaps are attractive, while the super solid yet super light and compact design is a marvel.

Don't buy it if…

You’ll be typing alot
I found the keycaps too tall to type comfortably with for long periods.

You want the best value
The V3 HE is expensive, especially when you consider its wired-only connectivity and TKL layout.

Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless 8KHz review: Also consider

SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3
Another high-performing analog keyboard, the Apex Pro also has the build quality to match the Huntsman’s. It’s more expensive, but it does at least come with a wrist rest, although it’s not the best example. Read our full SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 review.

MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra
If you’re looking to spend a lot less on an analog keyboard, look no further than the FUN60 Ultra. Not only is it surprisingly high performing, but it’s also seriously well made. And to cap it all off, it has multiple wireless connectivity modes. Read our full MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra review.

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless 8KHz

• Tested for a few days
• Used for a variety of tasks
• Lots of gaming keyboard experience

I tested the Huntsman V3 HE for a few days, using it for gaming, working, and general browsing. I used it with two different Windows 11 PCs.

I played games such as Counter-Strike 2, which offers a stern test for peripherals given its emphasis on quick and precise inputs. I also played S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, which requires a broader use of the layout, so I could test how easy it was to use keys outside of those within the immediate vicinity of the WASD position.

I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and have used many different keyboards in that time. I’ve also reviewed a large number of them with various switch types, form factors, and price points.

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

With more than 1 billion registered members, calling LinkedIn popular might be an understatement. Virtually all business professionals know LinkedIn, and chances are they have an account.

What exactly is LinkedIn? It’s partly a business-oriented social networking platform and partly a job search platform. Users create profiles to showcase their professional acumen, connect with fellow industry professionals, and find job opportunities.

What are the pros and cons of using LinkedIn? What are its core features, and how does it fare against competitors? I’ve extensively tested the platform to answer these questions.

Read on to learn what LinkedIn offers and whether it’s your best choice for networking and job-hunting.

LinkedIn: Plans and pricing

LinkedIn is free for most users. Anyone can create an account, refine their profile, and connect with other professionals for free. However, LinkedIn offers premium subscriptions that unlock advanced features for individuals and businesses.

For individuals, LinkedIn Premium unlocks the ability to send direct messages to people you haven't yet connected with, see a complete list of accounts that view your profile, use extra search filters to find professionals, and get unlimited access to the LinkedIn Learning collection of video courses to build new skills.

There are four Premium tiers: Career, Business, All-in-One, and Company Page. For $40 per month, the Career plan lets you message 5 people you aren't yet connected with each month, see a complete list of who've viewed your profile, identify jobs your profile matches with, and unlock access to 25,000+ LinkedIn Learning video courses.

For $70 per month, Premium Business allows 15 monthly messages, unlimited LinkedIn profile browsing, and unlocks enhanced profile tools (e.g., a custom call-to-action button), plus everything available under the Career tier.

For $90 per month, Premium All-in-One takes things a step further with 30 monthly messages to accounts you aren’t yet connected with, run unlimited searches with custom filters, monthly ad credits, an AI assistant to help generate posts, and daily AI-driven recommendations to find potential clients.

For a pricey $100 per month, Premium Company Page offers specialized tools for businesses running dedicated LinkedIn pages. For instance, it unlocks the ability to add a call-to-action button (e.g., Contact Us) to a business page, use a dynamic cover image or add a slideshow at the top of your page, display client testimonials and certifications, and add a verification badge with a gold LinkedIn logo to build credibility.

LinkedIn also offers business prospecting and relationship-building tools for businesses under the Sales Navigator package. There are three Sales Navigator tiers: Core, Advanced, and Advanced Plus.

The Core plan, for $120 per month, is designed for individual sellers. It unlocks unlimited LinkedIn searches with 50+ search filters to pinpoint ideal business prospects, 50 messages to accounts outside your network per month, and the ability to save up to 10,000 leads and custom filter setups.

For $160 per month, Sales Navigator Advanced unlocks team collaboration with saved searches, shared custom lists, and insights; aggregated engagement data; AI-powered insights to improve buyer conversations; and the ability to import target account lists via CSV files, alongside everything in the Core plan.

The Sales Navigator Advanced Plus plan takes things further with enterprise-grade security features (e.g., Single Sign-On) and direct integration with CRM platforms like Salesforce. This tier has no standard pricing, so you’ll need to contact the sales team for a quote.

If you pay annually, LinkedIn offers discounts of up to 25% compared to paying month-to-month. Yet, that doesn’t change the fact that LinkedIn’s plans are pricey. Although the premium plans offer valuable features, you’ll need some clear justification for spending upwards of $40 per month, so I’ll advise only subscribing if you’re dedicated to using LinkedIn as a career advancement tool, not just a casual networking site.

LinkedIn: Setup

LinkedIn’s setup process is as simple as it gets. Anyone can create an account and fill out their profile.

Anyone can also create a business page and fill it out with details. Similarly, getting a subscription is easy: choose a plan, pay, and access the newly unlocked features.

LinkedIn: Features

For an average user, LinkedIn is a simple professional networking site, but there’s much more under the hood.

Sure, it’s important to create a profile and fill it out with details like your current and past professional roles, educational background, and core skills.

LinkedIn uses these details to suggest like-minded professionals to connect with, and connections can help you snag valuable professional opportunities.

(Image credit: LinkedIn )

There’s a news feed where you can scroll through posts from your network. People often share professional milestones like new jobs, new certifications, and academic achievements. The news feed is also where many users post valuable opportunities that you can snag.

Just like on other social media platforms, you get notified about posts and mentions from your network. LinkedIn also notifies you about jobs you may be interested in.

You can send connection requests to other profiles and, if accepted, you’ll see their posts and can message the profiles without limits. But for profiles you aren’t connected to, messaging is restricted.

A premium subscription lets you message such profiles, varying from 5 messages per month under Premium Career to 30 per month under Premium All-in-One. People often use LinkedIn to pitch products to potentially interested parties, and a Premium subscription comes in handy in this case.

LinkedIn also restricts the number of profiles you can view, but a Premium subscription removes the restrictions. Note that LinkedIn often alerts people when you view their profile, so they’ll often know if you did that. Similarly, you’ll get notified about who views your profile, although not the complete list unless you’re a Premium subscriber.

A Premium plan has other benefits, like unlocking an AI assistant that helps you write posts, refine your LinkedIn profile, and find opportunities. It also provides full access to LinkedIn Learning, a suite of 25,000 video courses on broad topics like data science, data analysis, product development, web design, creative writing, and cybersecurity. For professionals looking to upskill and broaden their knowledge, LinkedIn Learning is a goldmine.

Under a Sales Navigator subscription, LinkedIn offers advanced tools for businesses seeking potential customers. It lets you find ideal customer profiles with comprehensive search filters, provides AI-powered recommendations to improve buyer conversations, and integrates directly with customer relationship management (CRM) platforms like Salesforce. These are valuable tools for businesses, albeit pricey.

LinkedIn: Ease of use

LinkedIn is quite easy to navigate when focused on its core features. From creating an account to filling out your profile, building connections, and interacting with your network, these basic parts work easily.

However, navigation can get complex when using advanced features like search filters, ad management, and page analytics. These advanced features have a substantial learning curve, but you can get used to them with time.

I like that LinkedIn offers both a web interface, a native desktop app, and mobile apps on iOS and Android. I could access it from whichever medium was most convenient at specific times, and the same applies to other users.

LinkedIn: Support

LinkedIn offers extensive support resources for both free and paid users. The LinkedIn Help Center contains detailed guides and info for every feature you’ll encounter on LinkedIn. Feel free to use the search button to find a solution to your problem in this Help Center.

For direct support, you can contact LinkedIn’s support team via live chat or fill out a support ticket and wait for an email response. LinkedIn offers phone support only for Premium or Sales Navigator subscribers, understandably because of the steep fees they pay for subscriptions.

This phone support is available only in English, while live chat support is available in English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, and Italian.

LinkedIn: The competition

When it comes to professional networking, LinkedIn easily dominates the competition. No other site offers the widespread user base and potential business connections you can get on LinkedIn. It’s the golden spot where professionals create profiles, promote their services, and build connections.

However, LinkedIn has serious competition when it comes to finding jobs. Rival platforms like ZipRecruiter and Indeed also help everyday job-seekers find the best opportunities in their industries.

There’s also Glassdoor, which facilitates recruitment and also offers a platform for job-seekers to learn major details about companies (like salary data, interview processes, benefits, and even workplace photos).

LinkedIn: Final verdict

Do you want to expand your professional network and meet the right people that’ll connect you to better opportunities? LinkedIn is unbeatable here. You’ll find the broadest network on LinkedIn and can snag opportunities or sell products to professionals.

In terms of the job searches, it's very easy to use, and the ability to upload your CV and use Easy Apply is a nice - if occasionally impersonal - touch. I found broad job opportunities on the platform. However, I do think it faces stiff competition from the likes of Indeed and Glassdoor in this area.

Subscriptions cost also more than I'd like. Premium plans are quite pricey, but LinkedIn still offers great value even for free users.

For more picks, we've tested the best recruitment platforms and the best job sites.

ZipRecruiter is a popular job marketplace used by both candidates and employers. It’s known for its straightforward model, where candidates upload a resume and get matched with fitting jobs from a large employer pool.

For employers, posting an available role on ZipRecruiter gets that posting syndicated to over 100 other job boards, helping them find candidates faster.

How does ZipRecruiter compare to competitors? What are its pros and cons? Is it your best option? I’ve extensively tested and reviewed the platform to answer these questions. Read on to learn what ZipRecruiter offers.

ZipRecruiter: Plans and pricing

ZipRecruiter is completely free for job candidates. However, employers posting roles on ZipRecruiter need a subscription plan. The Standard plan costs $299 per month, unlocking AI job matching and the ability to post a limited number of jobs.

For $419 per month, the Premium plan unlocks more job postings and access to ZipRecruiter’s vast 56-million-resume database.

For $719 per month, the Pro plan allows unlimited access to ZipRecruiter’s resume database, paid promotions for job postings, and direct integration with various applicant tracking systems, making hiring smoother.

(Image credit: ZipRecruiter)

ZipRecruiter’s subscription prices are quite high, and the short 2-to-4-day free trial periods don’t help. However, the prices can be worthwhile for large enterprises seeking to fill strategic roles quickly, as ZipRecruiter broadcasts jobs to a massive candidate pool, and you can search its vast resume database to find your exact matches. However, for small and mid-sized businesses, I wouldn’t advise getting ZipRecruiter’s paid plans.

You can check out ZipRecruiter by clicking here.

ZipRecruiter: Setup

ZipRecruiter has an easy setup process, both for candidates and employers. Candidates can quickly sign up, create a profile, and upload resumes.

With a resume uploaded, ZipRecruiter’s AI system analyzes your resume to match it with suitable jobs. You can see those jobs right on your dashboard, and new opportunities will be emailed over time. If you find the right job, you can apply right on ZipRecruiter and await the employer’s response.

The setup process is similarly straightforward for employers. Sign up, select a subscription plan, and pay. Then, you can begin posting job roles and scouring through ZipRecruiter’s vast database for candidates.

ZipRecruiter: Features

At its core, ZipRecruiter is a hiring marketplace that matches job candidates with employers. It’s designed for both parties to get exactly what they want, while being free for job candidates but a paid platform for businesses seeking to hire candidates.

ZipRecruiter uses an advanced AI-assisted system to scan candidates’ resumes and match them to the right employers’ job listings. The moment a resume is uploaded, the candidate starts getting matched to suitable offers. The same occurs when an employer posts a new job role: the system starts to find ideal candidates who can be contacted for further interviews.

When a candidate finds a suitable job, applying is as easy as clicking a button to send your resume to the employer. But sometimes, you may be required to answer some screening questions or be directed to an external website to complete the application. You can apply for multiple jobs, and everything will be monitored from your central ZipRecruiter dashboard. You’ll see every job you’ve applied for and track your progress in one place.

(Image credit: ZipRecruiter )

Employers can also manage all processes, including reviewing resumes, tracking candidates’ status, and managing applicant flows from a central dashboard. On the Pro subscription tier, ZipRecruiter connects directly to the employer’s applicant tracking system (ATS), enabling them to manage even more of the application process without leaving ZipRecruiter.

I liked a feature I found on ZipRecruiter: an AI tool that helps job candidates to polish their profiles. With this tool, I used AI to help draft a new resume from scratch and to refine an existing one to fit a specific job. It’s generally good advice to tailor your resume for each job application, but this can be stressful when applying to many jobs. An AI tool saves the day by helping refine your resume for every role, but always review the resume afterwards and ensure it doesn’t sound too robotic. Recruiters already complain about dealing with excessive AI-generated resumes, so you shouldn’t be adding to their problems.

I also liked ZipRecruiter’s email and SMS alerts sent to candidates about new job matches. As the algorithms constantly search for roles based on your resume, you’ll receive these alerts about new opportunities you can quickly apply for. Think of ZipRecruiter now as an AI-powered assistant that’s constantly scouring new job roles for you.

For employers, there’s a relatively new Smart Outreach feature, unveiled in June 2026. This feature uses AI to convert job descriptions into personalized messages for employers to send to fitting job candidates. This way, an employer wouldn’t just be reaching out to a candidate about a possible job, but would do so with a compelling message that’ll encourage the candidate to consider the offer.

All in, ZipRecruiter does a good job of matching job candidates to available opportunities. If you need a job, you can sign up for free, get matched to fitting roles, and apply at the click of a button. If you’re an employer, you can post jobs to both ZipRecruiter and 100 other job boards at the click of a button, get matched to the right candidates, and contact them easily. However, ZipRecruiter isn’t free for employers; the subscription plans are pricey, ranging from $299 to $719 per month.

ZipRecruiter: Ease of use

As I’ve hinted at, ZipRecruiter is a user-friendly platform. During my extensive testing of ZipRecruiter, both as a job seeker and as an employer, I didn’t find noticeable issues navigating the platform.

From signing up to uploading resumes, posting jobs, getting alerts, and navigating mock interviews, the processes felt very straightforward.

(Image credit: ZipRecruiter)

I like that job candidates can use ZipRecruiter’s Job Search mobile app to find opportunities on the go.

Instead of opening a web browser each time you need to scour job opportunities, you can just open your smartphone and do that conveniently. This app lets you apply for jobs at the click of a button, and you'll receive an instant notification when an employer views your application.

However, for employers, a web browser is the primary way to use ZipRecruiter. There’s no app that lets you post jobs, review resumes, and manage applications on the go.

ZipRecruiter: Support

ZipRecruiter provides decent support for both candidates and employers. But given that employers foot the bill with expensive subscription plans, support resources lean more toward them.

First, there’s a Help Center filled with detailed user guides and answers to frequently asked questions. Maybe you want to know how to update your password, see all your saved jobs, or create a job alert; the Help Center answers your questions in detail.

If you need further support as a candidate, you can fill out a form on ZipRecruiter’s support page and await an email response. This response comes within 24 to 48 hours, or more in some cases.

Employers have their designated ZipRecruiter Help Center filled with detailed user guides and answers to frequently asked questions. Maybe you want to know how to add notes to a candidate’s profile, create a custom auto-reply message for applicants, or set screening questions for a job role; you’ll get detailed answers in the Help Center.

For further support, employers can contact ZipRecruiter via email, telephone, or live chat. Instant answers are available via telephone and live chat, but this isn’t available for candidates, understandably, because employers pay substantial subscription fees and deserve more bang for their buck.

ZipRecruiter: The competition

ZipRecruiter fares well against the competition. It’s one of many job search sites available, with major competitors like Indeed, Monster, and LinkedIn.

ZipRecruiter stands out with its job post syndication, as a post made on ZipRecruiter automatically gets broadcast to 100+ other job boards, widening the potential applicant pool.

The AI-assisted candidate matching system also makes ZipRecruiter stand out, although rival job sites are increasingly implementing similar systems. It helps candidates find the right jobs quickly and helps employers meet the right candidates without much strain.

ZipRecruiter: Final verdict

ZipRecruiter is a good option for proactive job candidates and employers. It lessens the time candidates spend on finding jobs and employers spend seeking the right candidates.

The matching system helps link the right talent to the right opportunities, quickly and conveniently.

My main complaint is the pricey subscription plans for employers, so I advise only large businesses to use ZipRecruiter, not small and medium-sized businesses with limited budgets.

For more picks, we've tested the best recruitment platforms and the best job sites.

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL: Two-minute review

The Google Pixel 11 Pro XL, like the rest of the new Pixel 11 phones, doesn't offer much in terms of huge upgrades over the Pixel 10 line. The Pixel 11 Pro XL's design is only slightly altered versus that of the Pixel 10 Pro XL, with a new all-glass camera bump and an LED light in place of the temperature sensor that I'm convinced no one ever used anyway.

The new color options are fun, including the matte black, despite yours truly being bored of black phones.

Inside the 11 Pro XL is Google's new Tensor G6 processor. Storage options start at 256GB, then double to 512GB and 1TB. With the base model doubling in storage from last year's 128GB entry, Google didn't lower the price to match. Instead, you're going to pay $100 / £80 / AU$150 more than last year for the entry-level XL.

Not only does it cost more to buy a Pixel phone, but Google also dropped the base model's memory from 16GB to 12GB (you'll get 16GB if you choose the 512GB or 1TB storage variants). It's unclear how much of an impact this has on the overall performance, but Google says it's made optimizations to get more out of less memory.

The Pixel 11 Pro XL's cameras are fantastic, as usual. There's a new Magic Capture mode that takes the guesswork out of recording video or snapping pics of precious moments, and is surely something parents will use a lot. However, 120x Pro Zoom is more of a parlor trick than something useful. I found that, after 30x, you're not really getting good results.

The Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL are nearly identical phones, with the XL having a larger footprint, battery, and display. As such, virtually everything I said about the 11 Pro in its review applies to the 11 Pro XL. Be sure to read my Google Pixel 11 Pro review to get a full picture of what to expect from either phone.

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL: Price and availability

• Starts at $1,299 / £1,279 / AU$2,099 for 256GB + 12GB RAM

Google's Pixel 11 Pro XL was announced in mid-August 2026, alongside a revamp of the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro Fold. The new line started shipping on August 20.

Like the Pixel 11 Pro, the XL version is available in Canyon, Olive, Fog, and Obsidian. There's no longer a 128GB storage option, with Google instead bumping up the starting storage amount to 256GB. Other storage options include 512GB and 1TB. The 256GB comes with 12GB of memory — a downgrade from last year's equivalent — while the rest of the portfolio has 16GB.

Google kept the price of the 256GB model the same as last year — $1,299 / £1,279 / AU$2,099 — effectively raising the price of the 11 Pro XL by $100 / £80 / AU$150. The 512GB and 1TB models are $1,419 / £1,399 / AU$2,299 and $1,649 / £1,629 / AU$2,649, respectively.

The same base-model price hike happened across the entire Pixel 11 lineup and is becoming commonplace industry-wide. Smartphone makers like Apple, Samsung, and now Google seem to have adopted the same pricing approach, with the Pixel 11 Pro XL priced to match the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Last year's iPhone 17 Pro Max still starts at $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,149. However, that's likely to change on September 9 when Apple announces the iPhone 18 line; price increases seem inevitable.

• Value score: 3 / 5

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Specs

Here's a breakdown of the Google Pixel 11 Pro XL's key specs:

Dimensions:

162.6 x 76.2 x 7.6mm

Weight:

226g

Display:

6.8-inch Super Actua display

Resolution:

1344 x 2992

Refresh rate:

120 Hz

Peak brightness:

3,600 nits

CPU:

Google Tensor G6

RAM:

12GB, 16GB

Storage:

256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS:

Android 17

Cameras:

50MP main, 48MP ultra-wide, 48MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom, 120x Pro Zoom

Selfie Camera:

42MP

Battery:

5,115mAh

Charging:

45W wired, 25W wireless

Colors:

Canyon, Olive, Fog and Obsidian

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Design

The Google Pixel 11 Pro (left) alongside the Google Pixel 11 Pro XL (right) (Image credit: Future)

• Nearly identical design to the Pixel 10 Pro XL
• Camera bar is all glass
• Obsidian (matte) looks great

You wouldn't have to try very hard to convince me that Google recycled last year's Pixel 10 Pro XL design with the Pixel 11 Pro XL. The two phones are nearly identical, with the biggest noticeable differences being an all-glass camera bump and new colors.

I've been using the matte black model, or Obsidian (matte) as Google refers to it, and I'm obsessed. Black phones are boring, sure, but the matte finish on every single surface of the 11 Pro XL looks really nice.

There's a new scratchproof coating on the display glass that's — surprise! — supposed to make it very hard to scratch. And while I haven't been gentle with the 11 Pro XL over the last week or so, I haven't purposely tried to scratch the screen, and I don't plan on doing so.

(Image credit: Future)

The 11 Pro XL measures 162.6 x 76.2 x 7.6mm and weighs 226g. On the right side is a volume rocker with a sleep/wake/Gemini button just above it. Other than those buttons and a USB-C port on the bottom, the Pro XL's exterior is unblemished. It'll survive an accidental splash or two thanks to its IP68 rating.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Display

(Image credit: Future)

• 6.8-inch Super Actua panel
• 120Hz refresh rate
• Smooth, bright, and vivid

If you pull up Google's phone comparison tool and look at the Pixel 11 Pro XL's screen compared to the 10 Pro XL, you'll be hard-pressed to find many differences. It's still a 6.8-inch Super Actua display with a resolution of 1,334 x 2,992 and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz.

There's that new anti-scratch coating I previously mentioned, along with a boost in HRD and peak brightness. Peak brightness now maxes out at 3,600 nits and HDR at 2,400 nits, up from 3,300 and 2,200, respectively.

The display looks sharp and is easily viewable outside on bright days. The OLED panel does a great job with both dark and bright colors, making it easy to feel as immersed as you can on a phone.

I appreciate the larger display of the Pro XL over the Pro's smaller panel, but that's a matter of personal preference. Both are great.

• Display score: 5 / 5

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Software

(Image credit: Future)

• HiLight needs a rethink
• Proactive Assistance is missing in action
• Rambler is just too cool

The Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL have the same software tricks. Android 17 is preinstalled and brings with it many Gemini features.

You can read my Google Pixel 11 Pro review for a more thorough take on the software features found in this year's crop of the Pixel Pro models, but the gist of it is this: Proactive Assistance is still something I've yet to see in action. I haven't seen a dish recommendation at a restaurant, and the conversations I've had in various apps have yet to trigger any sort of Gemini suggestion.

HiLight, a new notification light that takes the place of the temperature sensor in the camera bump, is pretty pointless in its current form. It only works during hands-free conversations with Gemini or when you receive an incoming call — when your phone is face down.

Rambler, the Pixel's new voice dictation tool, feels like a step forward for voice dictation as a whole. Talk how you normally would, make mistakes, correct yourself, and stammer through your thoughts, and Rambler will make sense of it all. It's pretty great.

• Software score: 4 / 5

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Cameras

(Image credit: Future)

• 50MP main camera
• 48MP ultra-wide
• 48MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom

The Pixel 11 Pro XL boasts three rear cameras: a 50MP main, 48MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom, and a 48MP ultra-wide.

I appreciate the larger screen on the 11 Pro XL when taking pictures simply because it's a larger viewfinder, and it makes framing shots easier.

One thing I noticed when testing the 11 Pro XL's 120x Pro Zoom feature is that its AI rendering powers are hit and miss.

Several photos have obvious AI-like qualities to them. For example, the smokestack I took various pictures of at different zoom levels suddenly has two ladders — one white, one black — the closer the zoom gets.

FutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFuture

Another photo of several American flags on top of a building looks like a really bad Photoshop job, with strips placed where the stars should be, and other blatant mistakes.

(Image credit: Future)

I also used Pro Zoom to capture some pretty cool pics of the 96% lunar eclipse, but I'm not sure I trust what I see. Nonetheless, they look pretty darn cool.

FutureFutureFuture

Interestingly, to me, the photos I captured with the 11 Pro XL didn't have the same flat look as those I snapped with the smaller 11 Pro. I'm honestly not sure what's caused that difference; I took nearly identical pictures on both phones.

For my full thoughts on the Pixel 11 Pro's new camera setup, including the impressive new Magic Capture feature (which automatically takes high-quality stills while you're shooting a video), be sure to read my Google Pixel 11 Pro review.

• Camera score: 4 / 5

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Camera samplesFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureGoogle Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Google Tensor G6 chipset
• 12GB or 16GB of memory
• 256GB starting storage

On paper, the Pixel 11 Pro XL matches a mid-range phone in the performance department. Its benchmark performance isn't impressive; it beats out three-year-old processors but falls short of current flagship models.

For example, the Pixel 11 Pro XL's Geekbench 6 single- and multi-core scores are 2,721 and 7,305, respectively. The same test on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 produces results of 2,625 and 8,430. So, the Pixel 11 Pro XL wins on single-core performance, but there's a notable drop-off in multicore, which is indicative of performance during resource-heavy tasks.

But benchmarks aren't the complete story. In my daily use with the Pixel 11 Pro XL, I haven't run into a single performance-based issue. Apps open without delay, and bouncing between multiple apps while streaming a video in picture-in-picture mode or listening to music is a process the Pixel 11 Pro XL handles without issue.

The Pixel 11 Pro XL uses Google's Tensor G6 chipset, and as previously mentioned, it comes with 12GB or 16GB of storage. Like the Pixel 11 Pro review sample, I received a 512GB/16GB sample of the Pixel 11 Pro XL. As such, I can't vouch for what the experience is like on the base model.

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL benchmark scores

Geekbench 6 single-core

2,721

Geekbench 6 multi-core

7,305

3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test best

3,251

3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test low

2,535

3DMark Solar Bay

Would Not Run

• Performance score: 3.5 / 5

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Battery

• 5,115mAh battery
• 45W wired charging
• 25W wireless charging

The Pixel 11 Pro XL comes with a 5,115mAh battery and is capable of wired charging up to 45W. Support for the Qi2.2 standard also brings 25W wireless charging to the phone; Google claims 30 hours of battery life, and my experience has matched that with regular use.

My days start at 6am and usually end around 10pm, with lots of messages sent in several apps — Slack, BlueBubbles, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, etc. — too much doomscrolling, and plenty of interacting with Gemini.

When connected to a 65W charger, the Pixel 11 Pro XL went from completely drained to 25% in 15 minutes. At 30 minutes, it was at 49%, and it took 1 hour and 32 minutes to fully charge.

I experienced the same charging cadence with a 45W charging adapter, which I suppose is to be expected. During both of those tests, I monitored the charging output and never saw it go above 28W.

However, there's a new Extreme Charging Mode that you can enable in the quick settings panel. When running the same charging test, going from 0-100%, the Pixel 11 Pro XL charged much, much faster.

At the 15-minute mark, it was at 38%; at 30 minutes, it was at 73%; at 1 hour and 3 minutes, it was fully charged. I recorded a peak charging speed of 38W with Extreme Charging Mode turned on, which limits background activities while your battery is below 50% to increase charging speeds.

I would love to see a permanent toggle to always have Extreme Charging Mode turned on, instead of having to enable it every time you want to use it. Hopefully that's something Google implements in the future.

• Battery score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Google Pixel 11 Pro XL?Google Pixel 11 Pro scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Double the storage but half the memory for $100 / £80 / AU$150 more? Boo!

3 / 5

Design

A format Google keeps refining.

4 / 5

Display

Smooth, bright and vivid.

5 / 5

Software

Gemini and Android 17 make a great team.

4 / 5

Cameras

A trio of cameras make it easy to take great pics.

4 / 5

Performance

You’re not going to notice any hiccups despite low benchmark scores.

3.5 / 5

Battery

All-day battery life with impressively fast charging.

4 / 5

Buy it if...

Your current Pixel is older than three years
There's almost no reason to upgrade from a Pixel 9 or Pixel 10, especially if you're coming from a Pro XL variant. But if you have an older phone that's starting to show signs of age, then the Pixel 11 Pro XL is a great choice.

You're an avid Gemini user who wants more, sooner
Everywhere you look on a Pixel, Gemini is waiting. The same can be said about almost all Android phones, but Gemini and other bleeding-edge Android features typically make their debut on the latest Pixel before trickling down to other devices.

Don't buy it if...

You have a smartphone released in the past two years
There's really no reason to jump up to a Pixel 11 Pro XL if your phone is less than three years old — especially if it's a Pixel phone. This year's hardware is more of a software bump, and some of these features may very well make their way to older Pixel phones. Staying on the sidelines this time around is A-OK.

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Also consider

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL
Google's Pixel 10 Pro XL is practically the same phone as the 11 Pro XL, with a slightly new design and new software tricks. Sure, there's a new processor, a bump in performance, and faster charging, but if you want to save some cash and get virtually the same experience, then last year's model is a good pick.

Read our full Google Pixel 10 Pro XL review

Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
Android fans may get upset, but there's something to be said about joining the blue bubbles gang. The iPhone 17 Pro Max is a solid choice, offering a robust camera and reliable performance.

Read our full iPhone 17 Pro Max review

How I tested the Google Pixel 11 Pro Why you can trust TechRadar

☑️ 100s of smartphones reviewed
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☑️ Nearly 200,000 hours testing tech

After wrapping up my Pixel 11 Pro review, I switched to the Pixel 11 Pro XL. The phones are nearly identical, save for the latter's larger size, and as such, I didn't spend as much time with the Pro XL as the standard Pro.

That said, I went through the same testing process, just in a condensed timeframe. I chatted with Gemini, took plenty of photos, texted, scrolled, and even gamed a bit.

In other words — I lived with the phone, treating it as my daily driver.

Read more about how we test here.

• First reviewed: August 2026

When I spoke to new presenting trio James Engelsman, Francis Bourgeois and Thomas Holland about their debut on The Grand Tour, I admitted that I am an absolute dunce when it comes to cars. Are they prepared to impart wisdom to idiots like me? "Well, did you enjoy it [the series]?" Engelsman asks me. When I reply yes, he says "That's all that matters."

In a nutshell, this is what I think we need to keep coming back to now that Prime Video has revamped its hit car show. Not everybody is going to be thrilled with the changes, and understandably so — original presenters Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond are the absolute lifeblood of the concept. But at the end of the day, no single person can sustain a light entertainment show forever.

And light entertainment The Grand Tour is. None of the core sections of the show have been altered, with our new trio still galivanting across the world in expensive supercars, or doing something stupid like sticking parts of a classic school bus to a microcar. If chaos is what you're tuning in for, it hasn't gone anywhere.

Neither, in a way, have the original trio. Amazon has shrewdly been able to include their spirit and legacy in a way that doesn't overshadow the authority of the new presenters (no spoilers here, though), and the new six episodes feel like the perfect homage to everything that has come before.

Do I miss Clarkson, Hammond and May having the run of resources and Amazon budget? Without question. But just because something has changed doesn't inherently make it worse.

Don't write our new hosts of The Grand Tour off as mere 'content creators'

(Image credit: Prime Video)

If, like me, you're chronically online but don't fall into any type of niche content, you might only recognize one of the three faces above. Bourgeois went viral on TikTok for his (frankly, nerdy) love of trains, but the internet was won over by his wholesome charm. As luck would have it, his love and understanding of cars is almost as strong as a high-carbon steel train track.

But our other two presenters shouldn't be overlooked. Engelsman and Holland are the creators of popular car YouTube channel Throttle House. Fans have dubbed it "the spiritual successor to Top Gear for years," and with a similar blend of fun and smarts, it's easy to see why. They even had Hammond on in a cameo role years before any of the TV stuff took off.

For the trio to be asked to take over feels somewhat written in the stars, particularly as more traditional media formats are actively looking to capitalize on the success of online influencers. However, TV and content creation are two entirely different disciplines, and having an active social media presence doesn't automatically mean that you'll make a great presenter.

Yes, there are bouts of awkwardness, stilted banter and hesitant connection, but there's a great deal of promise in the three as a newly-formed team. There's an underlying ease between them that proves why they were brought together, and their expansive love for all things transport is all the glue that they really need. In time, they'll clearly be seasoned, and I don't think they'll need much help to get them to that level.

Yes, I still miss the original team — I can't help it

(Image credit: Prime Video)

I'm desperate to talk about — but won't, at least here — the ways that Prime Video has incorporated the essence of Clarkson, Hammond and May into The Grand Tour's new episodes, but you're just going to have to see it to believe it. It's a mixture of passing the baton onto a new generation, and knowing there's a huge chance that viewership will drop if they're not somehow included.

The meat of the show, from the global car trips to sheer stupidity, acts as a constant, regardless of who is presenting. Our new boys might not be as hilariously mean to each other as the originals were, but the spirit of just being idiots on the telly hasn't died out. Who is involved here almost doesn't matter, because you're so wrapped up in the possibility of that being you. I hate driving, but I still want to try out a supercar on the palm tree-laden streets of Malaysia.

Ultimately, The Grand Tour's revamp is as successful as it ever could have been. Nothing has been compromised, yet everything subtly feels different... in a positive way. A particular shoutout must go to Bourgeois, who I think is easily the strongest of the bunch. His combination of deep-dive intellect and soft-spoken delivery will make him the James May of tomorrow, and I can't help but feel immensely proud of that.

Logitech G305 X Superlight: Review

The Logitech G305 X Superlight is a lightweight wireless gaming mouse. Logitech is no stranger to this category, but this addition to its G305 line aims to keep things relatively simple while including some surprisingly advanced features relative to its price point.

It has quite a basic appearance, with a lack of branding or any odd contours. There’s an RGB light strip that looks too small to be effective, but it manages to brighten up the G305 X Superlight to an impressive degree — especially the black model — thanks to its wealth of animation customizations.

(Image credit: Future)

The overall build quality is great, too, adhering to Logitech’s typically high standards. Despite how light the unit is (it weighs just 61g), it’s surprisingly solid, lacking any flimsiness or hollowness. The plastic body is smooth with just a hint of texture that feels tactile and just as premium as the best gaming mouse shells. Furthermore, all of its buttons and the scroll wheel are solidly planted without a hint of play.

To customize the inputs (as well as the aforementioned RGB lighting) of the G305 X Superlight, you’ll need to download Logitech’s G HUB software. In one section, you’ll find five configurable DPI sliders that you can set to a range between 100 and 44,000 — you can then cycle through these using the dedicated button on the G305 X Superlight, which is thankfully placed on top rather than underneath, making it easy to access. You can save your five settings as a custom preset or select from several provided by Logitech, catering to various game types and scenarios — something I haven’t seen much in peripheral software.

In another section, you can reassign all of the G305 X Superlight’s buttons. There are a large number of assignments available, ranging from a multitude of system and media commands to keyboard inputs and mouse adjustments. You’ll also find custom actions for Discord, Overwolf, OBS, and Streamlabs Desktop. What’s more, a second mapping layer is available via Logitech’s G-shift feature, which is accessed by holding down a button of your choosing.

(Image credit: Future)

However, there aren’t any performance-related tweaks for the G305 X Superlight; you can’t alter the lift-off distance or debounce times, nor can you enable motion sync or angle snapping, for example. About the only feature in this area is what Logitech calls BHOP mode. This is designed to prevent accidental knocks of the scroll wheel from registering by ignoring the first scroll event unless a second is performed within a certain time frame (adjustable between 100ms and 1000ms).

Such omissions didn’t spoil my time gaming with G305 X Superlight, though. Its low profile suited my grip style, and the rear hump was just about prominent enough to sit comfortably in my palm without being obstructive. Also, I could grip the mouse securely with my thumb and ring finger during lift-offs thanks to the sidewalls that narrow as they reach the bottom, making up for the lack of grip tape or embossing.

Maneuvering the G305 X Superlight is easy thanks to that aforementioned lightness, too. And despite the relatively small skates, swipes were smooth and frictionless on my mouse pad. This was the case even when I had the USB cable attached — a surprise given it isn’t braided as many gaming mice cables are. Although it created some noticeable drag, it’s still lighter and more malleable than your average rubber cable.

(Image credit: Future)

As for the mouse buttons, I appreciated the ergonomics of their downward slant and subtle indentations. Clicks are solid yet snappy, with a good amount of feedback and a surprisingly deep travel. This means spamming is relatively effortless while accidental taps are unlikely to register. The side buttons are easy to reach and actuate, too.

The scroll wheel is easy to flick thanks to its light notching, yet there’s still just enough feedback to make single scrolls easy to perform. However, there were a few occasions when scrolls triggered when I pressed the middle button. This button can also feel quite firm if you don’t hit it at precisely the right angle, which can make presses awkward, but with practice this became less of an issue.

I had no problems with the connectivity of the G305 X Superlight. It connected to my devices via both Bluetooth and the 2.4GHz dongle without a hitch, and hot-switching between them was quick and easy thanks to the selector button underneath. You’ll also find a handy slot here for storing the dongle.

(Image credit: Future)

It is a shame there’s no native 8KHz support, although most PC gamers probably won’t need it. Taking everything into consideration, though, the G305 X Superlight is a great value gaming mouse that offers high performance and has a pleasing amount of features at this price point.

Logitech G305 X Superlight review: Price & availability

• $79.99 / £69.99 / AU$149.95
• Available now in black or white
• Good price for a wireless gaming mouse

The Logitech G305 X Superlight costs $79.99 / £69.99 / AU$149.95 and is available now. Two colorways are available: black and white. A USB cable is included for charging and wired play, but it isn’t braided. There are also no spare skates or optional grip tape to adhere to the sidewalls or mouse buttons.

Nevertheless, the G305 X Superlight is well priced for a gaming wireless mouse that has two wireless modes. It also performs very well and has a generous number of input customizations, although it lacks performance-related adjustments. It’s much cheaper than the Razer Viper V4 Pro, even though that mouse has a similar number of input customizations and no additional Bluetooth support. However, we loved virtually every aspect of its performance when we tested it, and gamers may find its form more ergonomic.

If you’re looking for something even cheaper, the Cooler Master MM311 is one of the best value gaming mice around right now. We were impressed with its light and symmetrical design, as well as its fast performance. Again, it doesn’t feature Bluetooth support, and you also have to supply your battery, but it’s hard to complain too much about such omissions when it’s so cheap.

Should I buy the Logitech G305 X Superlight?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

There aren’t many gaming mice that offer more for less, although the non-braided cable is a slight shame.

4.5 / 5

Design and features

Solid yet light, and with a comfortable form, although the low profile mightn’t appeal to everyone. The input customizations are impressive, although more advanced tweaks are absent.

4 / 5

Performance

The G305 X Superlight is impressively smooth and snappy, with good click feedback. Some may find the scroll wheel a little too light, though.

4.5 / 5

Final score

For not a lot of money, the G305 X Superlight offers a well-made, comfortable, and high-performing gaming mouse with the added benefit of multiple wireless connectivity modes.

4.5 / 5

Buy it if…

You want to good value
The G305 X Superlight is a veritable bargain when you consider its multiple wireless connectivity modes, customization options, and excellent performance.

You want plenty of input customizations
G HUB offers plenty of rebinding and DPI options, which are always welcome.

Don't buy it if…

You don’t like low profile shapes
Although the G305 X Superlight is reasonably long, it’s very low to the ground, which might not suit every grip style.

You want to tweak performance
There aren’t any tweaks you can make to alter the actual performance of the G305 X Superlight, which is a shame.

Logitech G305 X Superlight review: Also consider

Razer Viper V4 Pro
Razer is known for making top-tier peripherals, and the Viper V4 Pro is no exception. It’s fast, well made, and offers plenty of customizations. However, it’s considerably more expensive than the G305 X Superlight, and it lacks Bluetooth support. Read our full Razer Viper V4 Pro review.

Cooler Master MM311
For a mouse that’s even gentler on your wallet than the G305 X Superlight, consider the MM311. Its fast and smooth performance is impressive for the price, although you will have to dispense with an inbuilt battery and Bluetooth support. Read our full Cooler Master MM311 review.

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Logitech G305 X Superlight

• Tested for several days
• Used for gaming and other tasks
• Plentiful gaming mouse experience

I tested the G305 X Superlight for several days, and used it to play several games, including Counter-Strike 2, which is a great test for mice given it requires extremely fast and precise movements. I also used the mouse for general browsing and working.

I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, so I’ve used plenty of mice in that time. I’ve also reviewed a large number of gaming mice before, including other Logitech models.

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

Google Pixel 11 Pro: Two-minute review

Google's Pixel 11 Pro doesn't move the needle very far in terms of new design, hardware, and features. It looks almost identical to the Google Pixel 10 Pro, save for a new all-glass Camera Bar. The temperature sensor has been replaced by an LED that lights up when you're talking to Gemini or you're getting a phone call, but it's about as useful as that temp sensor was in the first place.

Inside the phone is a new Tensor G6 processor, and either 12GB or 16GB of memory. Performance during daily tasks and gaming isn't an issue, despite what Pixel naysayers may like to claim. That smaller RAM allotment is reserved for the entry-level 256GB option, while more storage means more memory for both the 512GB and 1TB models. Google didn't double the storage for nothing, however, as the 256GB model keeps its predecessor's 256GB price, effectively hiking the base cost of the Pixel 11 Pro by $100 / £80 / AU$150.

The cameras are mostly the same as those on the 10 Pro, but with some new software features that are mostly good. The new Camera Looks lets you tailor the 11 Pro's camera performance to your liking and makes it easy to switch between different settings on the fly. Magic Capture, meanwhile, makes it super easy to capture both photos and video of special moments. The new 120x Pro Zoom feature is cool, but only in limited situations; we're still trying to figure out exactly what those are.

(Image credit: Future)

Battery life is good enough to last all day, and if you're in a hurry, you can enable a new Extreme Charge Mode feature to top off the 11 Pro faster than non-extreme charging does.

Software-wise, the 11 Pro is loaded full of AI and Gemini features. The new Rambler voice dictation tool is really cool and will let you talk like you used to in middle school, but get rid of all the fluff and make you sound coherent.

Overall, the Pixel 11 Pro is a solid phone that doesn't move the Pixel line too far forward. Most of the new features are software and could very well come to older Pixel devices in due time. Only Google knows if or when.

That said, it's a great phone that's sure to make any older Pixel owners happy. Or, if you've been tempted to jump into Samsung or Apple's ecosystem, come on over; the Pixel 11 Pro's water is fine.

Google Pixel 11 Pro: Price and availability

• Starts at $1,099 / £1,079 / AU$1,849 for 256GB + 12GB RAM

Google announced the Pixel 11 Pro alongside a refresh of the entire Pixel lineup — except the Pixel 10a — on August 12, with an official launch date of August 20.

The Pixel 11 Pro is available in four colors: Canyon, Olive, Fog, and Obsidian. Google did away with the 128GB base storage model, and instead is offering 256GB and 512GB storage allotments with 12GB and 16GB of memory, respectively. The base model has less RAM than the Pixel 10 Pro, dropping from 16GB to 12GB.

However, instead of keeping the previous starting price of $999 / £999 / AU $1,699 for the base model, the Pixel 11 Pro now starts at $1,099 / £1,079 / AU$1,849 for 256GB or $1,219 / £1,199 / AU$2,049 for 512GB. Sure, you're getting double the storage, but you're also getting less memory and paying more.

Price increases are something we're seeing across all smartphone makers, and even though it's our new reality, it doesn't make it any easier to accept.

That said, the Pixel 11 Pro's starting price is in line with comparable smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus and Apple iPhone 17 Pro.

• Value score: 3 / 5

Google Pixel 11 Pro review: Specs

Here's a breakdown of the Google Pixel 11 Pro's key specs:

Dimensions:

152.7 x 71.9 x 8.4mm

Weight:

204g

Display:

6.3-inch Super Actua display

Resolution:

2856 x 1280

Refresh rate:

120Hz

Peak brightness:

3,600 nits

CPU:

Google Tensor G6

RAM:

12GB, 16GB

Storage:

256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS:

Android 17

Cameras:

50MP main, 48MP ultra-wide, 48MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom, 120x Pro Zoom

Selfie Camera:

42MP

Battery:

4,850mAh

Charging:

30W wired, 25W wireless

Colors:

Canyon, Olive, Fog and Obsidian

Google Pixel 11 Pro review: DesignFutureFutureFuture

• Similar design to the Pixel 10 Pro
• Camera bar is now all glass

There isn't much to talk about in terms of design changes between the 11 Pro and the 10 Pro. It's hard to tell the two apart unless you look closely. I'm undecided if that's a bad thing — I rather liked the design of the larger Pixel 10 Pro XL.

The biggest difference is the camera bar that now features an all-glass design instead of a mix of glass and metal. The thermometer sensor has been replaced with a notification light, which Google calls HiLight. I go into more detail about HiLight in the software section, but after under a week of use, I'd say it's just as useful as the thermometer sensor. As in — there's really no point to it right now.

Along with a revamped camera bar, Google claims the display has a new coating that makes it twice as scratchproof. I haven't put that claim to the test.

The Pixel 11 Pro measures 152.7 x 71.9 x 8.4mm and weighs 204g. The volume and sleep/wake buttons live on the right edge, with a USB-C port on the bottom edge of the phone. It's IP68 rated, meaning it should have no issues surviving a plunge in the pool.

It's available in four colors, all of which I happen to rather like. Google sent me the Olive version of the 11 Pro and the Obsidian (Matte) version of the 11 Pro XL. I've grown rather bored of black or white phones, so I'm pretty fond of the Olive option and imagine I'd be just as happy with Fog or Canyon. They're fun colors. I like fun.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Google Pixel 11 Pro review: Display

(Image credit: Future)

• Direct sunlight isn't an issue
• Crisp, clear and sharp

The Pixel 11 Pro's display is nearly a 1:1 match to the Pixel 10 Pro's on the spec sheet. It's a 6.3-inch Super AMOLED display with a 1,280 x 2856 resolution and a 1-120Hz refresh rate.

Where the 11 Pro breaks away is with brightness, offering a 2,400-nit HDR peak and up to 3,600 nits outdoors. That's up from 2,200 and 3,300, respectively, on the Pixel 10 Pro.

I had no complaints about the Pixel 10 Pro XL's screen, and the same can be said about the 11 Pro's. I can use it outside in direct sunlight without issue, and the small bump in overall brightness helps ensure content remains visible.

There's really nothing groundbreaking about this screen, but the bar was already high. Colors are bright and vibrant for binge-watching videos on YouTube, while text and graphics look clear and sharp when scrolling Reddit. You won't have any display-related problems with the Pixel 11 Pro.

• Display score: 5 / 5

Google Pixel 11 Pro review: Software

(Image credit: Future)

• HiLight is pretty pointless
• Gemini is everywhere you look
• Rambler feels like a leap forward for voice dictation

The Pixel 11 Pro ships with Android 17 and is chock-full of Gemini features — including Proactive Assistance, which Google says will proactively make recommendations and surface information without you explicitly requesting it throughout the operating system.

For example, if someone asks you about an upcoming flight, it's supposed to find and present your flight time without you leaving the conversation. It's also capable of showing meal suggestions for the restaurant you're at in the At a Glance widget.

After over a week of use, I can't tell you whether or not anything I've experienced on the Pixel 11 Pro has been from Proactive Assistance. I certainly haven't seen any meal recommendations when at a restaurant, and nobody's asked me about an upcoming flight. I'm sure, eventually, maybe, perhaps, I'll see a recommendation and the promised magic will make sense, but right now: Meh.

The same can be said for the new HiLight feature. Google swapped out the temperature sensor in the camera bump and replaced it with a multi-color light. The indicator light is reminiscent of my BlackBerry days, when I'd have specific colors set for important contacts and on an app-by-app basis.

The HiLight sensor on the Pixel 11 Pro (Image credit: Future)

Right now, HiLight's only triggered during two very specific scenarios: when you're interacting with Google Gemini hands-free, and when one of your contacts saved as a favorite is calling. It's only active when your phone is face down.

I've triggered Gemini a few times with the Pixel 11 Pro sitting on my desk for the sole reason of invoking HiLight. The animations and various colors are fun to look at, but I rarely talk to Gemini hands-free. And if I do, it's usually while holding the phone, when I long-press the side button and ask about something on my screen (super handy), so the light doesn't come into play at all.

But where HiLight really falls short is the fact that it's limited to just phone calls right now. I can't tell you how often my phone rings, but I can say it's not a lot.

That said, my most used and loved Pixel feature has long been the ability to place the phone face down on my desk during meetings and instantly have do not disturb turned enabled. It effectively cuts me off from the outside world. So when I first read rumors about HiLight, I wasn't very happy.

"Google is ruining my favorite Pixel feature!", I yelled alone in my office.

So, part of me is glad the LED light is so crippled. I'd surely fall victim to enabling it beyond phone calls and be far more distracted during meetings than I'd like.

Google hasn't said if it plans on bringing more apps to HiLight, including those made by third parties, but a developer has already figured out how to do just that. You need to be comfortable with sideloading and reactivating the feature every time your phone reboots — but it's possible with HiLight Studio.

If you're someone who often uses voice dictation instead of tapping on a glass display, you'll love Google's new voice-input tool, Rambler. I rarely use voice dictation, simply because it's historically been so bad, often requiring extra time to fix mistakes.

However, Rambler feels like it's a big step in the right direction. You activate it following the same steps you always have, start talking, and when you're done, you're given a clean block of text, without any awkward pauses and filler words. If you say 'um' a lot, or repeat words while trying to finish your thought, Rambler strips all of that out.

After reviewing your text, you can then tell Rambler which words to fix or ask it to rewrite the entire thing with a different tone.

I don't know if it'll get me to start using voice dictation more often, but I can say it's pretty darn cool.

• Software score: 4 / 5

Google Pixel 11 Pro review: Cameras

(Image credit: Future)

• 50MP main camera
• 48MP ultra-wide
• 48MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom
• Magic Capture is a nice addition

The Pixel 11 Pro has three rear cameras: a 50MP main, a 48MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom, and a 48MP ultra-wide.

There have been slight changes to the sensors and image processor of the Tensor G6, but the most notable improvements to the camera setup of the Pixel 11 Pro lineup this year come in the form of new features.

There's a new 120x Pro Zoom for far-away shots, a new Camera Looks option for fine-tuning photos based on your preferences, and a Magic Capture feature that eliminates the need to decide when to take a video or photo.

I've tested the 120x Pro Zoom on a wide range of subjects, from people to random ducks to buildings — and it's hit or miss. There's a clear degradation of image quality and an increase in the AI-like look to the pictures the more you zoom. I'd say it's nothing but diminishing returns after you get past 30x.

Future/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason Cipriani

When taking a 120x photo of my son from across five tennis courts, he ended up looking more like a watercolor painting than a standard photo. However, a 120x photo of the spire on our town hall — well, it doesn't look terrible. Not great, but not terrible.

Future/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason Cipriani

The new Camera Looks feature is neat, and something the iPhone has had for a couple of years now, in that you can preset your preferred settings for things like contrast and brightness, save it as a look, and use it going forward. Google includes a few Looks to get you started. I'm not sure how many people are going to dive into tweaking and creating their own look, but the option is good and welcome.

Magic Capture is by far the most notable new feature on the Pixel 11 Pro; it's a dedicated shooting mode in the Camera app. When selected, you press the shutter button and hold the phone and frame the subject as if you're recording a video. Tap the shutter button again when you're done.

Then, when you go into the Photos app, you'll see a series of photos and videos from the session. It's very much like Google Clips, the standalone camera Google released in 2017 and abandoned soon after.

I used Magic Capture to get pictures and videos of my niece playing volleyball, and I was totally skeptical going into it. However, after letting Magic Capture do its thing — which also requires some processing after the fact — I was pleasantly surprised to see short video clips of her in action and not just standing around waiting for the ball. There were also several photos of her diving for or setting a ball that made sense — situations I would have tried to capture on my own, sometimes successfully and sometimes not.

Here's an example of Magic Capture being used to snap a moving train:

A photo captured using Magic Capture on the Pixel 11 ProFuture/Jason CiprianiA photo captured using Magic Capture on the Pixel 11 ProFuture/Jason CiprianiA photo captured using Magic Capture on the Pixel 11 ProFuture/Jason Cipriani

Overall, the photo quality of the Pixel 11 Pro sticks to Google's tried-and-true results. That said, I do have to admit that the pics from the 11 Pro feel a little flat to me. Colors aren't as bright and vibrant as I'd normally see, but with some small tweaks to create my own Look, I'm sure I could boost saturation and get the results I wanted.

Then again, there's nothing really wrong with the settings out of the box.

• Camera score: 4 / 5

Google Pixel 11 Pro review: Camera samplesFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiFuture/Jason CiprianiGoogle Pixel 11 Pro review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Google Tensor G6 chipset
• 12GB or 16GB memory
• 256GB starting storage

I'll get the potentially controversial part out of the way: I don't have any issues with the Pixel 11 Pro's performance. It's handled everything I've thrown at it with ease.

That includes watching YouTube live streams while scrolling through Reddit, triaging my inbox, the occasional gaming session in Asphalt Legends, and fumbling my way through a Fortnite match using only touch controls. I'm so bad.

Before I go much further, let's cover the basics. Inside the Pixel 11 Pro is Google's Tensor G6 processor, which boasts better and faster image processing and improved on-device Gemini capabilities. The amount of memory you get is based on how much storage your phone has. If you order the 256GB base model, you're getting 12GB. If you order anything above that, you're getting 16GB.

Google claims it's made improvements to memory usage, and Pixel owners with 12GB of memory shouldn't have any performance issues.

I received a 512GB model with 16GB of memory. As such, I can only speak to my experience with that specific build. I don't know if Google really has optimized Gemini and the rest of the AI features to leverage less memory.

The entire reason there's an industry-wide memory shortage, along with rising costs, is because AI relies heavily on memory. Reducing the amount of memory in a phone that boasts a lot of AI features seems counterintuitive.

But I digress.

On paper, Pixels have never been the fastest phones. The same goes for the Pixel 11 Pro compared to other current flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S26.

The latter beats the Pixel 11 Pro across the board in Geekbench 6 and 3DMark benchmark testing, and while Google's phone does actually beat something like the Motorola Razr Plus 2026 in the same tests, the Razr uses a processor that debuted three years ago. Google's Tensor G6 chipset is box-fresh.

However, in daily use, the Pixel 11 Pro delivered consistent, reliable performance no matter what I was doing. I haven't had a single moment where it felt underpowered or like it wasn't living up to what I'd expect from a flagship phone in 2026. Benchmark scores can be useful, but they rarely tell the whole story.

Google Pixel 11 Pro benchmark scores

Geekbench 6 single-core

2,222

Geekbench 6 multi-core

5,314

3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test best

3,107

3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test low

2,021

3DMark Solar Bay

Would Not Run

• Performance score: 3 / 5

Google Pixel 11 Pro review: Battery

(Image credit: Future)

• 4,850mAh battery
• 30W wired charging
• 25W wireless charging

The Pixel 11 Pro has a 4,850mAh battery and supports up to 30W charging. That battery is only slightly smaller than the Pixel 10 Pro's 4,870mAh cell, but Google estimates battery life at over 30 hours (up from 24 hours last year), and I'd say that's mostly accurate.

On days when I streamed far too many YouTube videos or played Asphalt Legends, battery life still lasted the entire day, but I had to charge overnight.

To test the Pixel 11 Pro's charging speed, I completely drained the battery, plugged it into a 45W power adapter, waited for the phone to boot up, and then turned on Extreme Charging Mode — a new feature, making its debut with the Pixel 11 line.

When enabled — and while your battery is under 50% — Extreme Charging Mode limits background activities to increase charging speeds.

At the 15-minute mark, the 11 Pro reached 25%. At an hour, it was at 86% and reached 100% in under 90 minutes.

And the result? Extreme charging does make a difference in charging speed.

I ran a charging test without it enabled, and the Pixel 11 charged to 24% in 15 minutes, 71% in an hour, and fully charged in 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Even though the 15-minute results were nearly identical, the rest of the charging process was faster. It's worth enabling if you're in a hurry.

In addition to the new extreme fast charging feature, the Pixel 11 Pro now supports 25W wireless charging and the Qi2.2 standard, and it includes the required magnets in the phone itself (unlike Samsung devices) to attach any compatible accessories like wallets, mounts, or to hold it in place on magnetic wireless charging pads.

I'm an avid user of all things MagSafe/PixelSnap/whatever marketing name you want to apply to a ring of magnets on the back of a phone.

• Battery score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Google Pixel 11 Pro?Google Pixel 11 Pro scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

An unwelcome price increase over last year's model.

3 / 5

Design

A tried-and-true design that looks great.

4 / 5

Display

A display that hits all the marks of what you'd want in a flagship phone.

5 / 5

Software

Android 16 and One UI 8.5 team up to provide a reliable experience.

4 / 5

Cameras

All three cameras take solid pics, but don't rely on the telephoto past 3x.

4 / 5

Performance

Quick and powerful, but the phone does get hot during intense tasks.

3 / 5

Battery

All-day battery life is welcome, but slow charging speeds are not.

4 / 5

Buy it if...

You have an older Pixel
If you've done your time and paid off your last phone with your carrier over a few years, you're ready for an upgrade. The Pixel 11 Pro makes for a fine upgrade if your phone is older than, say, a Pixel 9.

You want to go all in on Gemini
The Pixel 11 Pro has Google Gemini baked into it at every turn, and for someone who uses Gemini on a daily basis, it's a fantastic experience.

You never want to miss those special moments
The Pixel 11 Pro's Magic Capture feature eliminates the decision-making process of when to take photos or videos. You just hold your phone up and let the camera do the heavy lifting. It's perfect for someone with young kids or, heck, any proud parent.

Don't buy it if...

You have a Pixel 9 or 10
There's zero reason to upgrade if you currently have a Pixel phone from the last two years. This year's update feels more like a software update than hardware. It's entirely possible most of the 11 Pro's features come to older models. It's safe to wait this one out.

You want the "best" performance
If you look at just the performance numbers, the Pixel 11 Pro isn't all that impressive. There's no denying that, and even though that's not the entire story, for some, it's enough to look elsewhere. There's zero shame in that.

Google Pixel 11 Pro review: Also consider

Google Pixel 10 Pro
Google's Pixel 10 Pro nearly matches every spec of the 11 Pro, save for a slight design tweak and some software features. Yes, it's a year older, but it's also just as capable. Better yet, it forgoes the $100 / £80 / AU$150 price hike and is currently marked down across a wide range of vendors.

Read our full Google Pixel 10 Pro review

Apple iPhone 17 Pro
It's not an Android phone, but Apple's iPhone 17 Pro is everything the Pixel 11 Pro is, with the added bonus (if you're into it) of running iOS.

Read our full iPhone 17 Pro review

How I tested the Google Pixel 11 Pro Why you can trust TechRadar

☑️ 100s of smartphones reviewed
☑️ 15 years of product testing
☑️ Over 16,000 products reviewed in total
☑️ Nearly 200,000 hours testing tech

I was on a road trip dropping my daughter off at college when the Pixel 11 Pro arrived at my house. It was waiting for me when I got back home, and I immediately set it up and started testing it. I've spent just over a week using it for work and play, as if it was my personal device.

That means I spent a lot of time chatting with Gemini, taking photos and the occasional video, texting with friends and family, and playing the occasional game. I also spent my fair share of time doomscrolling on social networks I should have ditched long ago.

I even have a BlueBubbles server set up at my house, which allows me to continue my iMessage conversations — the platform of choice for my entire family — while testing Android phones.

Read more about how we test here.

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

DJI Osmo 360 II: two-minute review

Just a year after launching its debut 360 camera, the Osmo 360, DJI has delivered a sequel that addresses pretty much every complaint I had with the original — without asking you to pay through the nose for the privilege.

The Osmo 360 II looks and feels almost identical to its predecessor: same dimensions, same weight, same general shape. But DJI has used that 12-month gap wisely, fixing the two biggest issues I had with the original Osmo 360 in one swift update.

First, the lenses. They're now built with a tougher optical coating, and — far more importantly — they're user-replaceable if you crack or scratch one. For anyone using this camera to capture action sports, that alone might be worth the modest price increase.

Second, DJI's approach to underwater shooting has changed. The waterproof rating hasn't budged from 10m, but where DJI once actively discouraged submersion with the original Osmo 360, it now positions the Osmo 360 II as a viable sub-aqua option for snorkelers and scuba divers.

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

On the imaging side, the headline feature is native 8K video at 60fps — a first for any 360 camera, edging out even the freshly-launched Insta360 X6 (which tops out at 8K/50fps). Dynamic range, slow motion, timelapse resolution and SuperNight low-light performance have all improved too, though the underlying sensor appears to be physically the same as before, suggesting these are largely processing-driven gains rather than a major hardware leap.

Performance is solid across the board: battery life is roughly on par with the original, storage remains a generous 105GB built-in, and DJI's Mimo and Studio apps are dependable if unspectacular.

Is this a transformative upgrade? Not quite — image quality is a slight rather than dramatic step forward. But DJI has plugged the gaps that mattered, kept what already worked, and done it all while keeping this camera's price significantly below that of the Insta360 X6.

Against the GoPro Max 2, the Osmo 360 II's low-light performance is a clear win too. Right now, my instinct is that there's very little to separate the Osmo 360 II and the X6 on image quality alone — I'll be testing the two head-to-head in more depth soon to see which comes out on top overall — but as an all-rounder at this price, the Osmo 360 II is a seriously compelling 360 camera.

DJI Osmo 360 II specsDJI Osmo 360 II specs

Type:

360 camera

Sensor:

1.1-inch x 2

Max aperture:

f/1.9

Max video resolution:

8K / 60fps

Max photo resolution:

120MP

Storage:

105GB internal + microSD card slot

Screen:

2-inch OLED

Connectivity:

USB-C 3.0, Bluetooth 5.1, Wi-Fi 6

Dimensions:

2.4 x 1.4 x 3.2 inches / 61 x 36.3 x 81mm

Weight:

6.5oz / 183g

DJI Osmo 360 II: Price and availability

• Launches on September 15 2026, roughly a year after the original DJI Osmo 360
• Standard Combo costs £509 / AU$921, up from the original's £409.99 / AU$759
• The Adventure Combo (£639 / AU$1,096) throws in useful extras

The DJI Osmo 360 II arrives around 13 months after its predecessor, and it's more expensive: the Standard Combo will set you back £509 / AU$921, compared with £409.99 / AU$759 for the original Osmo 360 at launch. That's a pretty big jump, but it doesn't stop the Osmo 360 II being significantly more affordable than its biggest rival.

That rival is the Insta360 X6, which starts at £619.99 / AU$1,049.99 for its own Standard bundle. Not that the Osmo 360 II is the budget option in this category, though: the GoPro Max 2, now available for as little as £269.99 / AU$849.95, undercuts DJI comfortably if outright affordability is your main concern.

If you can stretch to it, the pricier Adventure Combo (£639 / AU$1,096) is worth consideration. It throws in two extra batteries (three in total), a charging case that holds three batteries at once, plus a 1.2m selfie stick — accessories that anyone shooting for extended periods will likely want anyway, and which would cost more bought separately.

As with several other recent DJI launches, the Osmo 360 II won't be arriving in the US for now, with the company's application for regulatory authorization still pending. American buyers will need to look elsewhere (or import through a third party) in the meantime.

• Price score: 4.5/5

DJI Osmo 360 II: Design

• Same 61 x 36.3 x 81mm dimensions and 183g weight as the original
• Lenses are now tougher and user-replaceable if damaged
• Still 10m waterproof case-free, but DJI now encourages underwater use

Hold the Osmo 360 II next to its predecessor and there's very little physical difference. DJI has kept the same 61 x 36.3 x 81mm body and 183g weight, and the overall silhouette — a squat, screen-fronted block with two bulging lenses, one on either side — is unchanged. The screen, connectivity options and mounting hardware, including the 1/4-inch tripod thread and DJI's own magnetic quick-release mount, all carry over unaltered from the original too.

Future | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam Kieldsen

The main changes here are on the lenses themselves. DJI says the Osmo 360 II's lenses use a tougher optical coating that better resists scratches, and if you do manage to crack or damage one, it's now a user-replaceable part via DJI's own lens replacement kit (£35 / AU$50 — and if you prefer, there's also the option of taking or sending it to an authorized repair spot to get someone else to fix it). It sounds like a modest tweak on paper, but it's the biggest change DJI has made this generation from a peace-of-mind perspective, particularly for anyone shooting the kind of high-impact action footage where dinging the lenses is a real risk.

DJI hasn't increased the Osmo 360 II's case-free waterproof rating, which remains at 10m (half of the 20m offered by the Insta360 X6). What has changed is the company's own confidence in the camera underwater: where DJI previously discouraged underwater capture on the original Osmo 360, it now positions the Osmo 360 II as a viable option for snorkelers and scuba divers working within that 10m limit.

• Design score: 4.5/5

DJI Osmo 360 II: Performance

• Battery capacity increased slightly, and format stays interchangeable across the Osmo range
• DJI's claimed 100 minutes of 8K/30fps recording held up in testing
• Extended 8K/60fps recording can cause overheating

DJI has nudged the Osmo 360 II's battery capacity up from 1950mAh to 2150mAh, but real-world battery life is roughly on a par with the original. The batteries themselves remain interchangeable across both Osmo 360 generations and recent Osmo Action-series cameras, so anyone already invested in DJI's action camera ecosystem can use batteries across their various devices.

DJI claims you get 100 minutes of continuous 8K/30fps recording on a full charge. In my testing, I used 25% of the battery to capture 25 minutes of 8K/30fps footage, which backs up DJI's figure almost exactly.

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

Push the Osmo 360 II to its most demanding setting, 8K at 60fps, and a warning prompt appears letting you know that overheating is a possibility. How long you actually get before that happens depends on ambient conditions, with airflow and temperature both playing a part, but in my testing indoors at room temperature, with no fan or breeze to help cool the camera, it lasted around 19 minutes before shutting itself down to cool off. If you're planning extended 8K/60fps sessions, especially somewhere warm, it's worth considering that limitation.

Storage carries over unchanged from the original Osmo 360, with a generous 105GB of usable built-in space, plus a microSD card slot if you need more.

The new Insta360 X6 next to the even newer DJI Osmo 360 II. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

Already own a DJI Mic? There's a good chance it'll connect wirelessly to the Osmo 360 II for 24-bit audio, as part of DJI's OsmoAudio ecosystem. If you don't, the camera's four built-in microphones do a decent job of capturing usable sound on their own.

Editing and reframing your 360 footage means going through one of DJI's two companion apps: the mobile DJI Mimo app, or desktop-based DJI Studio. I tested both, and found them solid and dependable overall, if not spectacular. Mimo's AI-assisted auto-editing tools left me distinctly unimpressed, so if you were hoping to shoot all day and wake up to a finished edit, temper your expectations — but for anyone willing to manually cut, reframe and tweak their own clips, both apps get the job done without drama. DJI Studio stood out in particular for its excellent subject tracking and the impressive 64x slow-motion mode, which uses interpolation to smooth out footage.

• Performance score: 4/5

DJI Osmo 360 II: Image quality

• First 360 camera offering native 8K/60fps video recording
• SuperNight low-light mode now runs at up to 60fps
• 120MP still photos with HDR

The Osmo 360 II is the first 360 camera on the market to offer native 8K video at 60fps — even the just-released Insta360 X6 tops out at 8K/50fps. That's not the only imaging upgrade either: DJI has added a stop of extra dynamic range, bumped slow-motion up to 4K/240fps (from 4K/100fps), pushed timelapse resolution to 16K/30fps (from 4K/30fps), and introduced HDR support for the 120MP photo mode. Edit your footage in DJI Studio and you can also access up to 64x slow-motion via frame interpolation.

Then there's SuperNight 2.0, DJI's low-light shooting mode. I wasn't blown away by the original Osmo 360's version of SuperNight — it was decent, no more — but here the results look significantly cleaner and sharper, and you can now record at up to 60fps rather than being capped at 30fps. There is one catch: you still can't shoot in D-Log M with SuperNight 2.0 active, so you're restricted to the standard color profile (Adaptive Tone remains available, however).

Interestingly, the image sensor itself appears to be physically identical to the one in the original Osmo 360, which suggests that all of the above gains have come via processing and software refinement rather than new hardware. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean these image quality improvements are evolutionary rather than the product of some new imaging leap.

All the usual 360-camera fundamentals — stabilization, stitching, selfie stick removal and flare handling — are brilliantly handled here. It's a slick camera that can capture good-looking footage while requiring very little effort from the user.

Taken as a whole, image quality is excellent, if perhaps not a huge leap over the original — more a slight but real improvement on what was already a very good setup built around a large, capable sensor. For the sample video embedded in this review, I shot footage using the default Standard color profile, D-Log M (graded afterward using DJI's own LUT plus some manual color tweaks), and SuperNight 2.0, all recorded at 10-bit. Everything was reframed in DJI Studio on my Mac, then edited in DaVinci Resolve.

Video is, understandably, still noticeably sharper, more detailed and more impactful in daylight, but shoot with a bit of care and it's absolutely possible to capture excellent after-dark footage too.

Photos are perfectly fine too, though I've never considered still photography much of a draw on a 360 camera personally — it feels like a secondary feature here rather than a primary selling point.

Future | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam Kieldsen

• Image quality score: 5/5

DJI Osmo 360 II: testing scorecard DJI Osmo 360 II

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Price

Pricier than the original Osmo 360, but significantly cheaper than the Insta360 X6.

4.5/5

Design

Same body as before, but user-replaceable lenses and newfound underwater confidence are big wins.

4.5/5

Performance

Solid battery life and storage, dependable apps, but 8K/60fps can trigger overheating.

4/5

Image quality

First native 8K/60fps 360 camera, with better dynamic range and a much-improved SuperNight 2.0.

5/5

Should I buy the DJI Osmo 360 II?Buy it if...

You want flagship features without flagship pricing
The Osmo 360 II undercuts the Insta360 X6 by over £100 while offering the first native 8K/60fps 360 video on the market, plus meaningfully improved SuperNight low-light performance.View Deal

You like peace of mind when shooting action sports
Cheap, user-replaceable lenses mean a cracked or scratched lens is no longer catastrophic — a direct answer to one of the biggest weaknesses of the original Osmo 360.View Deal

You regularly shoot in low light
SuperNight 2.0's jump to 60fps and its cleaner results make this a far stronger nighttime shooter than the GoPro Max 2, which stumbles noticeably once the sun goes down.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You're on a tight budget
If price is your primary concern, the cheaper (if lower-spec) GoPro Max 2 undercuts the Osmo 360 II comfortably, especially now that it's available at discounted pricing.View Deal

You're based in the US
The Osmo 360 II isn't launching stateside for now, with DJI's regulatory authorization still pending — so US buyers are out of luck unless they're willing to import.View Deal

Also consider

If money is no object and you want the sharpest, cleanest 360 footage around in any light, the Insta360 X6 remains the camera to beat — it's just going to cost you considerably more than the Osmo 360 II.

Read our full Insta360 X6 reviewView Deal

GoPro's comeback 360 camera is significantly cheaper than the Osmo 360 II and delivers excellent daylight image quality, but its low-light performance can't compete, and its own replaceable lenses haven't been engineered for the same low-light or dynamic range gains DJI has made here.

Read our full GoPro Max 2 reviewView Deal

How I tested the DJI Osmo 360 II

• I tested the DJI Osmo 360 II Adventure Combo ahead of its official release
• I shot video across a long weekend trip to northeast England, plus my hometown
• I used the included 1.2m selfie stick and a car mount, in daylight and at night

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

I was sent a DJI Osmo 360 II Adventure Combo a few days ahead of its official release for testing. I put the camera through its paces on a long weekend trip to the northeast of England, as well as around my Kent coast hometown, mounting it on the included 1.2m selfie stick for on-foot shooting and attaching it to my car for vehicle-mounted footage. I tested it across a range of lighting conditions, from strong daylight to full nighttime darkness, and also shot a handful of 120MP stills alongside my video testing. I also tested both DJI's desktop and mobile companion apps, using them to reframe footage and photos.

• First reviewed September 2026

When I spoke to star Theo James a few months ago for Sky TV movie Fuze, he teased that The Gentlemen season 2 would be "even darker" than its Netflix debut. At the time, I wrote this off as something he might say simply to create buzz and a good headline — but it turns out, he wasn't kidding.

I think that it takes a lot to shock the modern viewer, given how immediately exposed we are to everything in the world thanks to social media. Somehow, The Gentlemen season 2 (which is out now) manages exactly that, and I spent a good deal of time while watching its eight episodes with my mouth wide open.

The sense of crazed chaos established in its first season, which debuted back in 2024, is only heightened, which in itself feels like an extraordinary feat. If you strip it back, Eddie (James) is following the classic 'chosen one' archetypal storyline, but his unhinged family and work colleagues add layers of deranged complexity... and a fair few obstacles along the way.

Eddie is still working directly with Susie (Kaya Scodelario) and Bobby (Ray Winstone) as the action picks back up, but the trio's new business partners come in the form of an Italian crime network. Cue some questionable under-the-table deals, alliances and betrayal, and a tiger kept in a questionably small cage.

At the Halstead manor, things aren't exactly quiet either. Freddy (Daniel Ings) has been quietly sent to a rehab centre while Lady Sabrina (Joely Richardson) tentatively tries to keep him in check from a distance. Bobby's decision-making takes on a more spiritual approach, while Susie genuinely seems like the only person around with her head screwed on.

The groundwork is set, then, for a Shakespearean level of drama that's tinged with signature Guy Ritchie-style brutality to unfold. But whatever you think that looks like, times it by 100, and add in a chainsaw.

The Gentlemen season 2's darker storylines are the ideal step forward — and make for a tasty season 3 setup

It's odd to think of The Gentlemen season 1 as superficial or even jovial, but compared to season 2, that's how it feels in hindsight. Without giving the game away, new episodes are integral to Eddie's development, transforming him from a criminal network cog into a brutish, no-nonsense leader.

Because we already know that season 3 has been renewed, the only clear path for The Gentlemen to follow is charting the rise of Eddie's own illegal underground empire, or at least his individual role within that world. Susie describes him as a dog desperate to be free of his leash in episode 1, and by episode 8, there really is no turning back.

In essence, the brutal underbelly that we've always known was there — both in the wider network and within Eddie himself — comes to the surface. Whether it's mental manipulation, underhand strategy or outright physical force, everyone should be scared of what is actually capable of happening... including Eddie.

For us, that means getting stuck into scene after scene of wildly outlandish chaos. People die in ways that I didn't actually think people could die, cruelty and deception translate into delicious onscreen tension, and where do I even begin with the physical and emotional torture? Ball-achingly good, to put it one way.

It's no surprise that Jame and his gaggle of core co-stars are as impeccably brilliant as they always have been, and it's a relief to know that each person involved in The Gentlemen can be so solidly relied on. But at the same time, a huge shoutout must go to our new cast members, none of whom feel at all out of place.

Hugh Bonneville's eccentric aristocrat feels like Downton Abbey on acid, and is worth tuning in for alone. First-time actors Maya Jama and Chris Eubank Jr. are astounding in a completely different way, never letting their lack of experience get in the way of a convincing performance. They're somewhat playing fictional versions of themselves (or at least share characteristics), but still: credit where credit is due.

Style and satisfaction are still number 1 priorities

(Image credit: Netflix)

The more of The Gentlemen season 2 you see, the more you perversely want to watch, yet the best way to describe a single episode is that it feels like a sumptuous feast. You feel full digesting one, able to sit apart as a full, complete story.

I like the fact that the Netflix show feels so rich that you don't — or perhaps can't — binge it all in one go, and the devil really is in the detail. Given how heavy-handed the streamer usually is with how its TV shows look (read: they all look the same), The Gentlemen is able to adhere to this while being incredibly stylish at the same time.

Through shrewd editing, handwritten effects, sound and narrative structure, new episodes feel playful and unserious despite its often sombre and hard-hitting undertones, with Ritchie's tonal balance across it all being nothing short of impressive. Clearly, the best way to deal with the bad things in life is to sprinkle in as much absurdity and humor as possible, and Ritchie never lets us forget that.

Do parts wane in interest and have pacing issues? Absolutely, but what modern TV show doesn't suffer from that? In fact, I doubt that The Gentlemen season 2 actually cares about this: it exists in the world with wanton abandon, and you're going to like it however it's packaged, or else.

I shouldn't still be on the fence about a show's existence as it enters its second season, but here we are. The Paper season 2 returns to Peacock on September 9 — but out of its 10 new episodes, I'd say that only half are worth watching.

Why? Because The Office spinoff is still suffering from the same overarching issue as it did in season 1: everything is just that little bit underwhelming. Exactly a year after we left the writers of the Toledo Truth Teller, not much has changed in terms of the big picture.

Editor-in-Chief Ned (Domhnall Gleeson) is still desperately searching for the stories that will take his team to the next level, while Esmeralda (Sabrina Impacciatore) rarely thinks about anybody's reputation but her own. Nicole (Ramona Young) is still giving Kelly Kapoor vibes in a majorly inferior way, while Mare (Chelsea Frei)... well, she's just trying her best.

Without giving anything away, there are enough major dramatic plot points to steer the drama away from journalists despairing in an office. However, some of these are short-lived, and worse, give off trying-too-hard energy.

In Mean Girls, Regina George tells Gretchen Wieners to "stop making fetch happen. It's not going to happen," and I almost want to shake Peacock by the shoulders and explain that the same thing is happening here. The Paper season is being forced into existence, rather than having having a natural evolution.

Still, you can grab laughs where you can in some places, but for Brits, there's a lot more reason to be smiling. Tim Key and Gbemisola Ikumelo are easily the strongest players in this wayward cast, and they alone would be enough reason for me to keep watching if season 3 is given the green light.

The Paper season 2 is trying (and mostly failing) to make fetch happen

I think we can all agree that The Paper is far more similar to Parks and Recreation than it ever has been to The Office. This awkward resemblance only becomes more noticeable in season 2, as Ned's eagerness to become a pillar of the community (which incidentally seems to hate him) only increases.

I think the key difference here is how easy and natural the camaraderie, and sense of community, comes in Parks and Rec. None of that is genuine in The Paper, to the point where I'm almost rooting for Ned to fail. With the exception of Esmeralda, everyone is better off spending their time elsewhere — something that is directly explored as season 2 continues.

Some fans have critiqued The Paper's 10-episode bursts, arguing that seasons should rival the 25 episodes a piece we used to get for such shows back in the glory days of the early 2000s. However, I'd argue that the season already struggles to fill those 10 episodes, with some feeling like stagnant filler content in between the more intriguing storylines.

I can also see how Esmeralda was so divisive in season 1, and in bad news for critics, I think creators have doubled down on her grating personality traits this year. From the moment episode 1 kicks off, her extroverted vanity is on display in full force, and it hits pantomime levels of performance.

While there are points in season 2 where I enjoy this, her temperament does risk overshadowing the rest of the ensemble cast... and I've come away wishing that I felt a more invested in their stories as a result.

Tim Key Supremacy

(Image credit: Peacock)

But never fear! There are two heroes in our midst in the form of Tim Key and Gbemisola Ikumelo. Where Esmeralda is spiralling into chaos, Key's character Ken is the only one able to use this to his advantage. Esmeralda becomes the sidekick in their compelling (and genuinely hilarious) double act, which hits its peak between episodes 2 and 3.

A sharp, witty British man who is always armed with thinly-veiled criticism is exactly what this show needs, and Key plays his part to perfection. In fact, his scenes made me feel ashamed that I'd forgotten how good a comedic actor he is — since The Ballad of Wallis Island, I'd filed him in the director directory part of my brain.

Then there's Ikumelo. I couldn't believe that this quietly sassy and genius American accountant was the same woman who found Diane Morgan's fake farts on Last One Laughing UK season 2 so funny that she screamed her tears out. Metamorphosis is an incredible (and incredibly rare) skill to have as an actor, meaning she should never be underestimated. Now she just needs more bookings on UK comedy shows, please.

I know I may have made it sound like it's the case, but The Paper season 2 is far from the worst TV show, or comedy series, in 2026. But don't think it will be gracing my 'best of the year' lists, either.