Reviews

Viaim OpenNote: 30-second review

I’ve looked at a fair few of these AI note takers in recent months, and they’re getting progressively more impressive. The Viaim OpenNote takes a slightly different approach to some, like the superb Plaud Note, as in the hardware is designed as a pair of open-ear earphones, essentially the type that hook over your ear with the small speaker unit resting just outside the ear canal, and like so many other earphones of this design, they enable music playback and enable you to make calls.

However, music and calls are only part of the story; they also offer internal recording, making them an ideal option for work and meetings. When you enter the office, simply squeeze the speaker section, and it starts capturing whatever's being said. Once the meeting has finished, the audio can then be sent to the app, where it’s then transcribed and summarised. Unlike some rivals, the recording is activated and stored in the earphones, so no need to use your phone to capture.

In meetings, wearing a set of earphones may well look a bit rude, until you explain, and here’s where the open design really comes into play. As the earphones don’t go into your ear, you can hear everything around you as if the earphones weren’t in. So, throughout the test, I was able to attend meetings, record the session, and afterwards download the transcription for use as key points and action points, and even visualise it using a mind map. In meetings, I found that through the app the “Live Recording” option meant that I could actually take them out of my ear and just leave them on the desk to the same effect.

Where they really came in use was through phone calls, again enabling them to record calls through the App and then deliver the prepared summaries of what had been said and what was needed.

For work, these earphones are exceptional, and I liked that I could work, listen to music and podcasts, talk to people without needing to remove them, and record conversations with a quick squeeze. It all became very second nature with the summaries becoming invaluable. If you love your music, the lack of insulation and isolation in the design will be a bit of a let-down, but for their core use as work-focused, AI-enhanced earphones, they’re impressive.

Viaim OpenNote: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? From $169
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? Directly from Viam and online retailers

The Viaim OpenNote is priced at $169.99 in the US and is available in black or white directly from the Viaim store.

It's also listed for $221 on Amazon.com, as well as sites like Newegg and Target. A confirmed UK price is still to be announced at the time of writing.

Advanced AI models are available from $9.99 a month / $79.99 a year

• Value: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)Viaim OpenNote: Specs

Type: Open-ear wireless earphones
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3, dual-device connection
Codecs: SBC, AAC, device-dependent LHDC
Drivers: high-polymer racetrack-shaped dynamic drivers
Microphones: four, with call noise reduction
Battery: 115mAh per earbud / 750mAh case; 19 hours (earphones) / 53 hours (total with case)
Fast charge: 3 hours from a 10-minute charge
Weight: 10.5g per earbud / 55.5g charging case
Frame: 0.8mm titanium memory wire, silicone contact surfaces
Water resistance: IP55
Software: iOS and Android app, plus web platform
In the box: earphones, charging case, USB-C cable, quick-start guide
Warranty: 12 months
Price: $169.99 (UK price TBC)

Viaim OpenNote: Design

A first look at the OpenNote package, and it would be easy to mistake these for a standard set of over-the-ear open earphones, rather than an advanced set of AI-enhanced note-taking earphones. The design differs from other over-the-ear earphones in that the small speaker unit rests just by the opening of your ear canal rather than sitting in it, which means there’s no airtight seal, so no boost in base or isolation from the world beyond the audio that you’re listening to.

The OpenNote, on the other hand, will play music and podcasts perfectly well, though if you are an audiophile, the depth of tone will disappoint. However, these are for work, not play. Listen to music and podcasts by all means, but the OpenNote design means that if someone talks to you, you’ll hear it instantly. Just turn the volume down, if needed, and chat. They essentially give you a personal version of listening to traditional radio while still allowing you to carry on conversations.

However, the design, available in black or white, simply hooks over your ear, and a 0.8mm flexible titanium wire lets you wrap each in place securely. The slender design and flexibility meant that, even though I wear glasses, the earphones sat neatly alongside the arms of the glasses.

The earphones are also compact, each weighing 10.5g, which is light, and, thanks to the design, even when hooked over the ear, they didn’t put any noticeable pressure on my ear and were surprisingly comfortable to wear all day.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Inside is a small battery that lasts a reported 19 hours between charges, and the charging case, which weighs 55g, can give the buds a boost, enabling 3 hours of use from a 10-minute charge and up to 53 hours in total.

Checking over the earphones and case, it all seems solid enough, with the case featuring a single USB-C port for charging, and the earphones sitting inside to store and charge.

The buds also offer IP55 protection, which should stop dust, sweat and light rain, so they’ll survive most conditions, just don’t go swimming in them.

Beyond being used as wireless headphones, the recording and playback features are all activated by a pinch, while the transcription features require the app to work.

• Design: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)Viaim OpenNote: Features

As with all of these devices, Viam has come up with its own feature names for many of the earphones' functions, with the main one being FlashRecord. This is essentially the feature the earphones are designed around, and it enables you to record directly onto the earphones without needing to control them with your mobile phone. This means you can be fast and responsive when you need to take notes, without fumbling around for a phone, dictaphone or notepad, depending on how you work.

Once the recording has been captured, you can connect to the App, download it, and transcribe it. What’s impressive here is that if you’re on a call, you can get real-time transcription in 78 languages and, apparently, 145 regional accents. Once the text transcription is complete, you can get it delivered as a key, an action point, notes, or mind maps, among several templates. This in itself is nothing new, but nonetheless, it is incredibly useful, and if you need to, you can share that transcript live with a colleague.

What I like about the companion app's feature set is that once you’ve finished recording, you can automatically have it transcribed in real time. A difference between this and many other AI Note hardware options is that 600 minutes of transcription are included per month for free, which is far more than most other options.

In addition to transcribing the audio you’ve recorded, the app can also transcribe existing recordings and, again, apply templates to the way that information was supplied.

When it comes to connectivity technology, the earphones utilise Bluetooth 5.3 with dual-device pairing and support for SBC, AAC, and device-dependent LHDC codecs. To ensure excellent audio pickup, there are four microphones with electronic call-noise reduction for voice calls, although it’s worth pointing out that this is very different to the sealed-ear active noise cancellation you’ll be used to with standard in-ear options.

One of the big issues with many AI transcription hardware is that there is always a subscription model attached, and that’s true here as well, with a free allowance of 600 transcription minutes a month; anything beyond that goes onto the paid models and again if you want to upgrade the AI model.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

• Features: 4 / 5

Viaim OpenNote: Performance

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

After a quick charge to 100%, I downloaded the APP, which, in the literature, is referred to as OpenNote; however, searching for that in the Apple Store just returned a variety of unrelated apps, and eventually typing in Viaim brought up the correct option. Once downloaded and connected via Bluetooth, the home screen appears. To connect, click the add device button at the top. After a quick scan, it’s set and ready to go.

The home screen shows a variety of sample recordings to give you a flavour of what's possible, then you can make your own through the app interface or transcribe existing recordings. To make a recording through the App, you hit the red record button at the bottom-centre of the screen. On the first push, it pops up asking for a few more details about you, what job type and position, this is to fine-tune the experience, but it feels a little invasive.

After that, each time you hit record, you can access different recording types: Call Recording for phone calls; Audio and video recording for real-time transcription; Live recording for meetings; and Live Translation and Recording if you need translation. I opted for English-to-French in this test.

I’ll run through these options first, as they offer more advanced transcription options. In all cases, the quality and accuracy of the transcription from the recordings were good; however, not quite 100%. With some words, such as card constantly being captured as Cart and earbud as Earbi, aside from small word errors, the action reliability overall was good. What I liked about the system was the ease of switching between recording types, all done through the app, with the earbud mics picking up the audio.

Having tested Ai earphone options in the past, the accuracy here with the dedicated hardware is a step up, though still not quite 100%. The live recording, where you can essentially pop the earphones down on the table during a meeting rather than wearing them, worked incredibly well, and the transcription started as the conversation began. What I liked here is that it can identify the speakers although not in realtime. It does this after the meeting: as you look at the transcription, click the “Speaker diarization” button, select the number of speakers, and the App identifies and labels accordingly. Again, this worked well, and best of all, this is included in the free plan.

Through this test the AI model that the App used was GPT 5.4 Nano, although there are other options including Gemini 3 Flash, Claude Haiku 4.5 which are all free options and then GPT 5.4, Gemini 3.1 Pro and Claude Sonnet 4.5 all incur a charge of £9.99 a month or £79.99, however, those slight miss transcriptions of the free models do take a sudden uplift on the paid for versions.

The live translation is also handy, although not quite as smooth as dedicated AI translation options. You choose the main language, in my case English, and as I speak, it translates into French. However, when someone answers in French, you then need to switch the main language to French and the translation language to English. It all works well, but it isn’t an easy switch, and it would have been good, at least, to have a speaker 1 main language and speaker 2 main language so you could quickly flip between the two.

At present, this is all about the app and not the hardware, although the small mics play their part throughout.

Popping the earphones in, they fit extremely well, with the speaker units resting at the openings of my ear canals. The first step before checking out the recording functions was to listen to some music, and in this user scenario, they work much like any other headphone connecting to whatever app you use and playing the music.

It’s instantly apparent that listening to music or podcasts isn’t the intended primary use, more through the open design than audio quality. As the speaker unit rests in front of your ear canal rather than in it, there’s no seal, so the audio lacks the depth I’ve come to associate with in-ear. However, in the office, listening to a bit of music, you can hear the content perfectly well, and everything else that’s going on around you. And if someone wants to talk to you or shout to you across the office, the earphones don’t muffle the sound; it’s a far more sociable solution for the office environment than standard headphones. In fact, it's more like listening to a traditional radio in that respect; you can have the audio in the background.

To record a conversation, simply squeeze the main section of the bud for 3 seconds. You'll hear a confirmation sound, and then you know the earphones are recording. When the conversation stops, another squeeze ends the recording.

In the App options, there is the FlashRecord option. If this is selected, the track is automatically downloaded to the phone once the recording ends, ready for transcription. At this point, you need to go to the app, click Transcribe, and then you’ll get the summary, transcription, and mind map. There are additional options here as well, with the transcription process taking around a minute for most short conversations and longer as the length of those conversations increases. That process takes around a minute to download a 15-minute recording from the earphones to the iPhone 15 Pro and a further 42 seconds to transcribe and generate the summaries.

While most of the options are straightforward, the workflow sometimes requires an additional step, and you can’t help but feel that an auto-switch would be a good idea. When taking calls, for instance, you need to select the call option from the App when recording. While a quick pinch will answer a call, it doesn’t automatically start recording; you need to select that from the app.

However, there’s no getting around how useful the summaries are and the ability to share the transcripts afterwards. Through the test, I used the headphones for a couple of weeks, with them being active through-out the day, playing music or recording from 7:30am through to 7pm in the evening and then being put on to charge overnight.

Through that time, I recorded several conversations and phone calls. While the recording process wasn’t at first that natural, it felt like something that would come with time, and ultimately, aside from letting people know that you were about to record, it fitted in well with day-to-day working life, and there was absolutely no doubt that the transcriptions and summaries were extremely useful.

• Performance: 4.5 / 5

Viaim OpenNote: Final verdict

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

These earphones work on several levels, from listening to music and podcasts, to recording and transcribing meetings, conversations and calls, to being the perfect option for busy working environments where traditional earphones can be unsociable due to the isolation.

On the first point, listening to music, think of it as a background radio, you can get good volume if you need it, but at the same time keep the volume low, and you can hear everything around you , even have conversations without removing them. To the last point, this means that if someone needs to get your attention from the other side of the office, they can. You may not get the audio depth of in-ear or cans, but in a working environment, these are probably a better option.

Then there's the app functionality, which gives you access to the advanced features and different language models. During the test, I used GPT 5.4 nano, which worked well but occasionally omitted a few words or replaced them with close-but-not-quite-right alternatives. However, the summaries and the usefulness of what it could do, all on the free tier, were exceptional. If you take the step up to one of the newer, more advanced models, the price starts to climb, but the quality of the transcription improves.

Away from the app and the simple squeeze to record gesture makes them easy to operate, and if you’re around the office, then this works incredibly well, and I even could in meetings with the earphones on the desk, even without switching to the Live mode in the app, the earphones were still able to pick up what was said with ease.

At the end of the test, the usefulness for work is readily apparent: you can document your day through snippets of transcribed audio, which are then turned into useful formats that enable summaries and action points. I do wish there were a little more automation and that call recording could be activated from the headphones, but still, there’s a lot on offer here.

Should I buy a Viaim OpenNote?

Value

Excellent value for money, especially with the free 600 minutes of monthly transcription

4/5

Design

Surprisingly comfortable to wear and easily fits around glasses if needed

4/5

Features

A little more automation through the modes would be good, but a solid set of features

4.5/5

Performance

Even on the free tier, the transcription quality is good, boosted as soon as you pay for a subscription to a more advanced model

4/5

Overall

Great option for busy professionals who need to take notes from conversations, meetings, and calls.

4/5

Buy it if...

Meetings fill your days.

If you switch between conversations with colleagues, meetings and calls, and need summaries of everything, then this is a superb option with more in-depth analysis available through subscription models.

Open-ear comfort matters

If you don’t like in-ear earphones, these are a great alternative, and their open design means you can hear what’s going on around you, making them a better office option.

Don't buy it if...

Music is important

Without the in-ear seal that earphones offer, music and podcasts lack the audio depth through this open design, so while the audio is good, it won’t satisfy audiophiles.

Consent is a problem.

This is worth considering. The fact is that you will be recording people, and really, you should be seeking consent. During the test, a quick ask was met with agreement, and most people wanted the meeting transcripts anyway.

For more note-taking tools, we reviewed the best speech-to-text apps around.

Medion Signium 27 S1: One-minute review

I'm a big fan of all-in-one (AIO) PCs, so I was pretty eager to get my hands on the Medion Signium 27 S1. I've long been a big proponent of the idea that we need more budget options in the PC hardware market, and with the current pricing crisis surrounding PC components like RAM and GPUs, reasonably priced systems are more important than ever.

Unfortunately, my excitement to review the Signium 27 S1 may have been somewhat misplaced. This certainly isn't a bad AIO desktop, offering decent (if unspectacular) performance in a clean, compact design. But there are a few too many small flaws here that make it difficult for me to recommend it wholeheartedly; if you're looking for one of the best all-in-one computers, this probably isn't it, though I do still think it can fill a certain niche in the market.

(Image credit: Future)

For the uninitiated, Medion is a German electronics company that cut its teeth producing budget PCs and notebooks in the 2010s and was recently purchased by Lenovo (whose leadership appears content to let Medion keep doing what it was already doing). I've tested some of Medion's gaming laptops in the past, and while they rarely wow, they're typically pretty good in terms of value for money.

And to be fair, the Signium 27 S1 is indeed good value for money. Its design language (particularly of the bundled keyboard and mouse) is clearly meant to evoke the Apple iMac 24-inch M4, and if you're only looking to do basic everyday tasks on your PC, it can offer a similar experience to Apple's excellent AIO for a far lower price. But if you crave the high-end build quality of Apple hardware or want a PC that can handle more demanding workloads, this won't be the right one for you.

Medion Signium 27 S1: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future)

• How much does it cost? Starting at $875 / £649 (around AU$1,250)
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

With a starting price of $875 / £649 (around AU$1,250), the Medion Signium 27 S1 is aggressively positioned in the all-in-one PC market, undercutting similar offerings from the likes of Lenovo and MSI.

There are a few different configurations available, which seem to vary greatly from region to region. My review unit uses an Intel Core 7 240H, while the cheapest configuration available uses the Core 5 210H. 1TB of storage comes as standard, which is very nice for the price, with 16GB of RAM in the lowest configuration and 32GB in my review model.

The closest comparison is the HP OmniStudio X, which costs $830 for the 27-inch 1080p configuration with an Intel Core Ultra 5 CPU. The HP AIO offers superior build quality and very marginally better performance, which makes it a more attractive option for US shoppers – but Medion wins in Europe and Australia, since that super-budget configuration of the OmniStudio X is only available in the US.

The only real problem with the Signium 27 S1 from a purchasing standpoint is availability. It's available exclusively through Aldi (yes, that Aldi) in the US and Australia, which means the prices above are pretty much just guidelines since Aldi retains the power to adjust the price on a per-store basis – though of course, you may well find one for cheaper. Fortunately for UK consumers, you can get it through Amazon or directly from Medion's website.

• Value: 4 / 5

Medion Signium 27 S1: Specs

(Image credit: Future)Medion Signium 27 S1 specs

Base configuration

Review configuration

Price:

$875 / £649 (around AU$1,250)

$1,150 / £849 (around AU$1,635)

CPU:

Intel Core 5 210H

Intel Core 7 240H

Graphics:

Integrated Intel Arc Graphics

Integrated Intel Arc Graphics

RAM:

16 GB DDR5

32GB DDR5

Storage:

1TB SSD M.2

1 TB SSD M.2

Display:

27" FHD (1920 x 1080), IPS, non-touch, 400 nits, 60Hz

27" FHD (1920 x 1080), IPS, non-touch, 400 nits, 60Hz

Ports:

Ethernet (RJ45), 2x USB-C, 4x USB-A, HDMI-in, HDMI-out, Combi audio jack

Ethernet (RJ45), 2x USB-C, 4x USB-A, HDMI-in, HDMI-out, Combi audio jack

Wireless:

Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3

Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3

Camera:

1080p webcam with privacy shutter

1080p webcam with privacy shutter

Weight:

3.8kg / 8.38lbs

3.8kg / 8.38lbs

Dimensions (H x W x D):

615 × 180 × 480mm

615 × 180 × 480mm

Medion Signium 27 S1: design

(Image credit: Future)

• Sleek design with easy assembly
• Limited range of screen movement
• Solid port selection

Gone are the days when AIO PCs were chunky, ugly devices. Now even a budget all-in-one can look good – and the Medion Signium 27 S1 certainly does look good.

Things do begin to fall apart a little once you actually touch it, though. The three buttons on the underside of the display are unsatisfyingly spongey, and although the base is solid metal and feels fairly durable, the rest of the device (including the keyboard and mouse) is made of cheap-feeling plastic. The mount is also very limited, only allowing for a small range of tilt with no height or rotation adjustment.

Still, there are several redeeming features here. The whole thing is very easy to assemble and start using, and the port selection is good for a PC in this price range, with a USB-C and USB-A on the side of the unit for easy access plus another USB-C, three more USB-As, Ethernet, and HDMI inputs and outputs – meaning you can either connect a second display for productivity, or use the whole device as a dumb monitor for a different system.

The webcam is merely passable, providing 1080p recording with pretty washed-out colors. It'll work for Zoom meetings, but don't expect to look good. On the bright side, there's both a physical camera shutter and a kill switch (which is a little redundant) for privacy purposes.

(Image credit: Future)

The display is decent enough, more than capable of handling everyday office tasks, and built with nice slim bezels. With a resolution of 1080p, a 60Hz refresh rate, and decidedly average color reproduction, it's not great for gaming or watching movies. The maximum brightness is fine, but again, it could definitely be better. Unsurprisingly, this monitor doesn't support HDR.

The IPS panel used here has a good-quality anti-glare coating, which helps offset the lackluster brightness; I had no problems using it in a brightly-lit room in the middle of the day. Strangely, the display can actually be raised to a 73.5Hz refresh rate, but doing so immediately knocks the resolution down to a blurry 720p, so 60Hz is the effective maximum (as listed on the spec page for the Signium 27 S1).

Surprisingly, the Signium is upgradable, with the option to remove the back panel and swap out the RAM and SSD for higher-spec components should you so desire. My review unit wouldn't really benefit from this kind of bump in performance terms, but being able to add more storage is definitely a plus.

FutureFutureFutureFuture

Lastly, the Signium 27 S1 comes bundled with a keyboard and mouse, both of which are clearly meant to evoke the aesthetic of Apple's Magic peripherals. They're absolutely nowhere close to Apple's hardware in terms of quality, immediately feeling cheap and tacky under the fingers.

They work, but they're undeniably very far from any of the best keyboards and best mice, especially the keyboard, so you'll most likely want to consider upgrading unless you have a high tolerance for poor-quality technology.

• Design: 3.5 / 5

Medion Signium 27 S1: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Good performance for basic workloads
• Ill-suited for gaming and creative tasks
• Sound quality is poor

Here's how the Medion Signium 27 S1 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

GeekBench 6 (single-core) 2,409; (multi-core): 10,227

3DMark Fire Strike: 4,337; Time Spy: 1,617; Night Raid: 16,686

CrossMark Overall: 1,540; Productivity: 1,473; Responsiveness: 1,287; Creativity: 1,719

Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (1080p, High): 16 fps

Without beating around the bush, the performance on offer here is merely alright. If you want a svelte all-in-one desktop for basic office tasks like web browsing, word processing, and video calls, then it can get the job done very competently. It comes with Windows 11 as standard and the usual free trial of Microsoft 365.

I found that for my straightforward work, the Signium 27 S1 was very responsive and effective, giving me no noticeable slowdown or issues with productivity. Once I swapped out the mouse and keyboard for something more amenable to my tastes, I actually quite liked working on it.

But for more demanding tasks, like gaming or creative workloads, the Intel Core 7 240H falls short. You can squeeze a bit of casual gaming out of it by tweaking down the graphical settings and using resolution upscaling tools like AMD FSR or Intel XeSS, but don't expect to be playing Cyberpunk 2077 on this PC.

(Image credit: Future)

Creative tasks offer similarly lackluster performance. While the Signium is arguably capable of low- to mid-level 3D rendering, digital art, and video processing, it's really not ideal for that sort of work. While not part of our standard benchmarking suite for AIO PCs, I fired up Canva and Photoshop during my testing period and found that it really started to struggle once numerous layers were involved.

Finally, you'll want to get your hands on a decent headset or a set of the best computer speakers if you have any intention of playing audio via this PC. The integrated speakers are weak and tinny with poor noise cancelling, more or less hopeless for anything beyond very basic video playback.

• Performance: 3 / 5

(Image credit: Future)Should you buy the Medion Signium 27 S1?Medion Signium 27 S1 scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

The pricing here is competitive, but availability issues and configuration confusion might turn off some potential buyers.

4 / 5

Design

It looks excellent and offers solid functionality, but the build quality is lackluster.

3.5 / 5

Performance

Performance in basic tasks is good, but don't expect to run any demanding software or get good audio performance from the built-in speakers.

3 / 5

Total score

The Medion Signium 27 S1 offers an undeniably solid value proposition, but fails to impress in a few key areas.

3.5 / 5

Buy the Medion Signium 27 S1 if...

You're on a tight budget
In terms of value for money, this AIO delivers the goods. Few desktop systems can offer this sort of spec sheet at this price point.

You want an attractive all-in-one computer
Despite my issues with the build quality, the Medion Signium 27 S1 looks excellent considering the price point.

You want an extra monitor and an extra PC
Using the Signium 27 S1 as a second monitor is a seamless process, which is a neat bit of additional functionality.

Don't buy it if...

You need strong performance
Even with the upgrade options, there's no real chance that you'll be able to use the Signium 27 S1 for creative workloads or triple-A gaming.

You want good build quality
Although it looks nice at first glance, this isn't a system that was built to a premium standard. The bundled keyboard in particular feels extremely cheap.

Also consider

If my Medion Signium 27 S1 review has you considering other options, here are two other AIO PCs to consider...

Apple iMac 24-inch M4
The Apple iMac 24-inch M4 is the pinnacle of this type of computer and still sets the bar, especially in the looks department. It’s also fairly powerful thanks to Apple’s M4 chip, even though it hasn’t gotten a meaningful update outside of that Apple silicon and upgraded RAM in quite a while.

Read the full Apple iMac 24-inch M4 review

HP OmniStudio X
The lower-spec version of the HP OmniStudio X 27 in the US is probably the closest product to the Signium 27 S1, making it a very strong alternative – plus, it offers higher-spec configurations with discrete graphics, if you're willing to drop a bit more cash.

Read the full HP OmniStudio X review

How I tested the Medion Signium 27 S1

• Tested for one work week
• Used it for productivity and gaming
• Ran it through our standard benchmarking suite, plus some extra tests

I used the Medion Signium 27 S1 as my regular work system for one week, swapping it out for my everyday desktop at home and using it for the usual range of work I do for TechRadar: online research, video calls, and writing reviews like this one.

I also ran our usual selection of benchmark tests (which you can see in the Performance section of this review) as well as firing up some extra programs to do further testing, including Canva, Photoshop, and Cyberpunk 2077 (which ran very poorly, no surprise there).

I've been reviewing PC hardware for more than eight years, testing all kinds of products from desktop computers to individual peripherals. I put every bit of my industry experience into my review process, so you can trust that it's both accurate and impartial.

• First reviewed July 2026

All good things must come to an end, and unfortunately for Netflix subscribers, that includes the blossoming romance between Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie (Joe Locke). The Heartstopper franchise is drawing to a close with Heartstopper Forever, a feature film in lieu of a full fourth season.

Like most fans when they first heard the news, I felt cheated. Much like the original graphic novel books by Alice Oseman, Nick and Charlie's story is one best told over time. Two teens grappling with their feelings and identities need time to breathe together, let alone without their smorgasbord of friends who also all have their own delicious narrative arcs.

Now I've seen all 114 minutes of Heartstopper Forever — which is the equivalent of about 4.5 standard episodes — I stand corrected. As Nick, Charlie, and the gang all brace before going their separate ways to university, a feature film actually reflects their growing maturity and crises of confidence much more fittingly.

Newsflash, people: Nick and Charlie aren't kids anymore. In fact, the new Netflix movie wastes little time reminding fans of that, with a significant increase in drinking, partying and all-out sex scenes. Tender and wholesome romance can have an incredibly passionate side, too.

As a Heartstopper fan who has been in the trenches since the release of Oseman's first novel installment, Heartstopper Forever feels like the most satisfying ending that's able to be delivered. Nobody really wants to be in this position, but all of my questions are answered, and every single character is set up for their future away from our prying eyes.

Heartstopper Forever delivers everything a hardcore fan will want

You're going to have to trust my (excellent) judgement on the above statement, because there's no way I'm divulging anything even faintly resembling a spoiler in this review. As we know, Nick is getting ready to leave for university, and Charlie is taking on new responsibilities at school.

Elle (Yasmin Finney) has her mind set on big artistic goals, which means her relationship with Tao (William Gao) also hits its snags. More than any other characters' storylines, both relationships hit on the central theme of worth: does teenage romance even mean that much anyway?

As the push-pull effect of university and a daunting, vague future takes hold, Nick falls apart at the seams. Unlike Charlie, who has always been able to effectively communicate how he's feeling, Nick doesn't know how to describe what's going on in his head. It has the pair doubting the validity of their love and connection, even though nothing is overly wrong from an objective point of view.

It should be frustrating to watch two teenage boys self-sabotage, but the reality is overwhelmingly poignant. Even though the movie is called Heartstopper Forever, nothing in life is guaranteed — and I, for one, am fed up with pretending that doesn't keep everyone up at night.

As Tao points out, everyone has assumed up until this point that Nick and Charlie are a "perfect couple," and it's fascinating to watch how they deal with actual grown-up problems. Oseman has always had a unique knack for conveying the best of what love has to offer, and she's just as adept at holding a mirror up to the worst.

On top of this, watching the boys get physically intimate, drunk, and accosted by topless men wearing leather chaps at the local gay club feels like emotional whiplash in itself. Socially, we seem to have a difficult time understanding that young people grow up to do adult things, and Oseman handles these changes with touching sensitivity. There are some fans out there who have been waiting on tenterhooks for these moments... and the reality is spot-on.

Anna Maxwell Martin, I love you... but Olivia Colman was the better Sarah Nelson

(Image credit: Netflix)

So we can tick off the fact that none of our favorite characters are left hanging, and we know exactly what's happening with them and where they're going. Fantastic. However, there are a few minor misdemeanors that need addressing.

The main thorn in Heartstopper Forever's side the recast role of Sarah, Nick's mum. I feel like an absolute heathen even bringing this up, seeing new Sarah, Anna Maxwell Martin, is one of my favorite actors in the country. But when you remember that you once had Olivia Colman in the same role — and that she delivered one of the best scenes in Heartstopper's history thanks to Nick coming out — well, there's a somewhat sour taste.

Heartstopper Forever is the most narratively and tonally different installment of Nick and Charlie's story to date, but it is still essentially more of the same at its core. Don't get me wrong, this isn't necessarily a negative... but if you've come to the movie looking for something new, you're not going to obviously find it.

Still, Oseman should give herself the biggest paycheck possible for what she's been able to achieve. It's not easy to deliver a finale that already looks nothing like what everyone expects it to, let alone make the final result compelling, endearing, and ultimately remarkably satisfying.

Heartstopper Forever really is forever... at least, it is in my house, where I'll be replaying it so much that Netflix might issue a warning. Its spirit and generation-defining impact will live on, and that might be the most special achievement the streamer has ever been responsible for.

TobenONE UDS060: 30-second review

Most budget docking stations look and behave almost identically. A handful of USB ports, an HDMI output, and maybe Ethernet if you are lucky. The TobenONE UDS060 tries something different. Alongside the usual 11-in-1 connectivity, it adds four physical shortcut keys and a rotary volume knob, both of which can be reprogrammed through a companion app.

On paper, that combination of practical connectivity and genuine customisation is unusual at this price.

The ports on the dock include the usual USB suspects, an audio jack, a LAN port and dual HDMI outputs for connecting monitors. That’s the same as many inexpensive USB-C docks, but what makes this one different is the programmable button and dial technology.

Those might be justification to buy this, but there are at least two significant reasons not to purchase it. The first is that it doesn’t come with a PSU, forcing you to either use your laptop supply or purchase another to power the dock. And the second is that this is a USB-C dock that uses, at best, a 10Gbps connection to the computer, and then shares that across all the ports on the dock. That limits all the USB ports to 5Gbps, or less if you use more than two of them. While it will work with USB4 and Thunderbolt, those connections don’t increase the bandwidth available to the dock ports.

While it might not be the best docking station I’ve tested, it’s certainly one of the most unusual. And if TobenOne ever made and uprated model, it could be a game-changer for some creative people.

TobenONE UDS060: Price & availability

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

• How much does it cost? $89/£69/€81
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? Direct from TobenONE

Docking stations can be expensive items, but the TobenONE UDS060 is relatively affordable at $89 for US customers, £69 for those in the UK, and €80.95 for those in the EU.

It's also available Amazon.com, currently priced at $88.

For those outside the US, you'll need to go direct to TobenOne. But since the company does sell products through Amazon, its appearance on other regional sites is probably only a matter of time.

With such an unusual form factor and features, there aren’t any docks that directly compete with this one. However, TobenOne also makes the UDS048, a simplified design with a single HDMI port, and that can be bought on Amazon.com for only $56.99.

If you are not interested in buttons and merely want a USB-C Dock, then the UGREEN Revodok Pro USB-C Hub is only $15.99 on Amazon, and its USB ports are at least Gen 2 (10Gbps) speed.

• Value: 3.5 / 5

TobenONE UDS060: Specs

Model

UDS060

Connection type

11-in-1 USB-C, compatible with full-featured USB-C, USB4 and Thunderbolt 3/4 hosts.

Video outputs

2x HDMI, up to 4K at 60Hz each on Windows with DP1.4 MST. Mirrored only on macOS, single 4K maximum.

Data ports

USB-A and USB-C, both up to 5Gbps.

Networking

Gigabit Ethernet.

Card reader

SD and microSD.

Audio

3.5mm combo jack.

Power delivery

Up to 100W USB-C PD passthrough. Charger not included.

Controls

4 programmable shortcut keys plus a rotary volume knob with press function. TobenONE quotes 170 fixed combinations plus custom settings through its companion app.

Software

TobenONE app, required to unlock shortcut key and knob customisation. Basic docking is plug and play without it.

Operating systems

Windows 10/11, macOS on MacBooks 2016 or later, ChromeOS if the laptop has full USB-C port

Warranty

2 Years

TobenONE UDS060: Design

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

• Unique design
• USB-C 5Gbps
• No PSU included

The UDS060 follows the compact rectangular design common to this class of dock, finished in a plain grey plastic shell. TobenONE positions the shortcut keys and knob prominently on the top surface, which is the dock's obvious visual differentiator against more conventional rivals.

If we ignore that feature, what we have here is a basic USB-C 11-in-1 Dock (if you include the PD port as a port), that combines USB, LAN, Audio, SD Card readers and dual display HDMI in a remarkably compact form factor.

On the front are two USB-A and one USB-C, all 5Gbps spec, unfortunately. The right side has dual card readers, one for SD and the other for MicroSD. The left is unused, and the rear has the two HDMI ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, the USB-C that links it to the host, and another that is for the power supply and a single 1GbE LAN port.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Given that this dock might only be connected via 10Gbps USB-C, these ports seem adequate, though if you use USB4 or Thunderbolt, you might expect faster USB and a 2.5GbE LAN port. For them, it might be nice to see a Pro model in the future, with all the ports upsized and the construction moving from plastic to metal.

To my mind, the whole point of a docking station is that it’s a single cable connection and you are ready to rumble. But here, you need to remove the laptop PSU from the laptop bag and plug it in before connecting the dock. The issue here is that adding a 100W-capable PSU would have made this device more expensive, but without it, that cost transfers to the buyer, making the outlay more, but by stealth. People aren’t stupid and will realise that the additional cost was transferred intentionally.

On the host side, the UDS060 works over full-featured USB-C, USB4 and Thunderbolt 3/4/5 ports. A Thunderbolt 5 laptop will simply negotiate down to Thunderbolt 4 speeds when paired with a Thunderbolt 4 compatible device like this dock, so the mix of Thunderbolt generations quoted across TobenONE's pages reflects backward compatibility rather than a specification conflict.

• Design: 3.5 / 5

TobenONE UDS060: Features

• Limited Bandwidth
• Programmable buttons
• 100W charging

The port count reads well for the price. Two HDMI outputs support dual independent 4K displays at 60Hz on a Windows laptop with DP1.4 MST support, which is a genuinely useful spec for anyone running a two-monitor desk setup for coding, design or trading. Add a USB-C data port, a USB-A port, both rated to 5Gbps, Gigabit Ethernet, an SD and microSD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack, and the UDS060 covers most of what a desk-based professional needs from a single cable.

It’s worth noting that some features of this dock will work without a PSU connected, drawing power from the laptop instead, but obviously, that does put an additional load on the laptop battery.

The macOS support is more limited. Dual HDMI drops to a mirrored output only, with a single 4K@60Hz display being the practical ceiling on some models, since macOS does not support the multi-stream transport needed for two independent extended displays over this kind of dock. I’ll be honest and say I can’t personally confirm the Mac information, because I don’t own anything with an Apple logo on it. But based on my experience with other docks and their documented limitations, that information tracks.

On the host side, the UDS060 works over full-featured USB-C, USB4 and Thunderbolt 3/4/5 ports. A Thunderbolt 5 laptop will simply negotiate down to Thunderbolt 4 speeds when paired with a Thunderbolt 4 compatible device like this dock, so the mix of Thunderbolt generations quoted across TobenONE's pages reflects normal backward compatibility rather than a specification conflict.

Undoubtedly, the UDS060's headline feature is the dial and buttons. Four physical shortcut keys and a rotary knob, which can be rotated or pressed, are fully customisable through the free TobenONE app. TobenONE quotes 170 fixed combinations alongside fully custom assignments, covering basic keys, media controls, mouse functions and expanded or combination keys. Typical uses include locking the screen, taking a screenshot, controlling media playback, muting audio or launching an application.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Basic docking functions work without installing anything, so the shortcut keys are an optional extra rather than a requirement to get the dock working. The catch is that this customisation requires software to be installed if you don’t want to use the default settings.

A nice aspect of the customisation is that when you modify the settings, the changes are stored on the device. So, if you set one of the buttons to perform a screen capture, that will remain the same on any PC that you then connect the dock to.

According to others who have Apple gear, the mapping will even work if you plug this into an Apple iPad that has USB-C, incredibly. You can’t change the mapping on an iPad, because the applications for this are specifically for Windows and macOS, but once it's set from either of those, it will retain the keys the buttons generate across platforms, including iOS and Linux.

Up to 100W of USB-C Power Delivery passthrough is available, enough to charge most ultrabooks at or near their stock charger's output. TobenONE does not include a compatible charger in the box.

• Features: 3 / 5

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)TobenONE UDS060: Performance

• 5Gbps connections

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

The performance of this dock is heavily affected by the core USB-C functionality, and attaching it to laptops with USB4 or Thunderbolt doesn’t significantly affect the available bandwidth.

The company notes that "basic docking functions are also supported on compatible macOS devices," but I didn’t test it with that.

What I tested it with was a USB4 connection on a laptop, and both USB4, USB-C, and USB-A external SSDs. The consensus was that these connected via USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) links, and the maximum performance I experienced was only 455 MB/s reads and 462 MB/s writes, even on drives rated for 1000 MB/s or better.

Copying from one drive to another halved that speed, depressingly.

From a technical standpoint, this is the biggest issue with this unit. For $16, UGREEN offers a USB-C hub that supports 10 Gbps, so why does this one only support 5 Gbps?

• Performance: 2 / 5

TobenONE UDS060: Final verdict

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

There are things about this dock I genuinely love, and others that make it less than ideal.

Looking at the good things, the concept of a dock that also provides a customisable button and dial cluster is inspired. I just wish the dock were metal, so that it felt nicer to use than the plastic used here.

The port selection is fine, although it avoids bandwidth over subscription by offering only 5Gbps USB, making it invariably better to plug external storage into the host laptop than to attach it to the UDS060. I don't understand this choice; it seems silly.

Where this product isn’t good is that there is no PSU, forcing the purchaser to either use their laptop PSU or buy another one purely to use the dock. As the passthrough is 100W, that’s the maximum amount of power you can have recharging the laptop, even if it uses a 140W PSU. Most laptops will be fine, but it’s worth keeping in mind if you are considering this solution.

Overall, if you remove the customisable buttons, this is a low-end USB-C dock that costs more than it actually delivers. That’s a shame, because if it were USB 4, made of metal and could offer 10Gbps ports and a 2.5GbE LAN, then it would easily be worth twice what the asking price is currently.

TobenONE UDS060: Report card

Value

Inexpensive, but then this is only a USB-C dock

3.5 / 5

Design

Unique design, but mostly plastic

3.5 / 5

Features

Custom buttons, 100W charging, but no PSU

3 / 5

Performance

Only 5Gbps makes for poor external SSD speeds

2 / 5

Overall

Interesting multi-function design but poor USB performance

3.5 / 5

Should I buy a TobenONE UDS060?

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)Buy it if...

You like the custom buttons
The custom buttons and dial on this design are a great feature, even if the hardware feels a little flimsy. Being able to retain the settings and move between devices is also helpful.

You are operating on a budget
This isn't an expensive dock, but there are even cheaper options if you lower your expectations.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You want fast file transfers
With this Dock only connecting to the host computer at 5Gbps, most external SSDs attached to it will be running way below their quoted speeds. And, if you connect lots of devices, their individual slice of the bandwidth pie will only get smaller.

You need more than 100W charging
The maximum amount of power that the uplink port on this dock can deliver is 100W. If you need more than that, then you might need to connect a dedicated PSU to your laptop or find a more power-capable design.

Also consider

Plugable 10-in-1 USB-C Hub

A USB-C Dock with a much higher specification than the TobenOne. This hardware from Plugable has a 2.5GbE LAN port, 125W pass-through power, is made of metal and costs around $76. And, it has a USB 3.2 Gen 2 connection, double the bandwidth of the UDS060.

Check out our Plugable 10-in-1 USB-C Hub reviewView Deal

Boox Go 10.3 Gen II Lumi: One-minute review

As far as epaper writing tablets go, Boox has some of the most versatile options thanks to their Android-based operating systems, and the Boox Go 10.3 (Gen II) Lumi is arguably the best of them despite its rather mouthful of a name — I’m just going to call it the ‘Lumi’ from here on in.

I was already a fan of the original model, calling the reMarkable dupe a pleasure to use in my Boox Go 10.3 review — and by just adding a light and making the battery consumption more efficient, the Chinese ereader maker has made the Gen II model better.

Despite the screen being a touch slower than I’ve experienced with other devices like the 2024 and 2025 Kindle Scribes, the light adds a lot of contrast to the screen, making it easier to read on, whether that’s an ebook or a handwritten note. Now, I have to mention that there is a Gen II without a frontlight as well but, in my opinion, having the screen lit up just makes the epaper writing tablet that much more usable in any situation. With a frontlight, it also becomes a true Kindle Scribe alternative — again, thanks to its Android-based OS that gives the user access to the Google Play Store.

However, the aforementioned slow display is a disappointment as every time I woke up the Lumi to read or write, there would be a couple of screen refreshes (clearly marked as ‘Rendering’ when directly waking up to the native library application) before it settled down. Page turns, though, are fine but, again, Amazon’s 2025 Kindle Scribes are just that little bit faster at this as well. Long story short, screen performance doesn’t seem to have improved over the Gen I Go 10.3.

While I can live with the slower screen, I can’t fathom why Boox would retire the stylus that came with the original Go 10.3 as it was a lot better than the supplied InkSense Plus pen. The new stylus isn’t as smooth to write with, and is heavier, detracting from the all-important writing experience.

So as much as I’d love to say the Lumi is an improvement over its predecessor — and it is in a couple of ways — it just seems like Boox has taken two steps forward (with the frontlight and battery life) but one step back with the stylus.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Boox Go 10.3 Gen II Lumi review: price & availability

• Announced March 2026
• List price: $449.99 / £429.99 / AU$729
• Available directly from the Boox Shop and third-party retailers

With the addition of the frontlight, the price of the Boox Go 10.3 (Gen II) Lumi is a lot higher than the launch price of the original Go 10.3 — you’re looking at shelling out $449.99 / £429.99 / AU$729 for the former, which is about $70 / £50 / AU$120 more than what the latter was when it was released in 2024.

That’s quite steep, although considering how expensive every bit of tech is getting thanks to RAM shortages, I’m not really surprised. It’s still competitively priced considering the 3rd-generation Amazon Kindle Scribe (2025 release with frontlight) retails for $499 / £449.99 / AU$849 for the 32GB flavor, while you get double the storage with the Lumi. Throw in the versatility of Android and it’s arguably better value (even compared to any of the reMarkables), but given its overall performance and user experience compared to the competition, I’d be hesitant to recommend it.

If the frontlight isn’t important, you can opt for the Gen II version without it, which will set you back $419.99 / £399.99 / AU$689. Prices for both Boox Gen II devices include the InkSense Plus stylus and a magnetic sleep case.

• Value score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Boox Go 10. Gen II Lumi review: specs

Display type:

Undisclosed E Ink Carta HD panel

Screen size:

10.3 inches

Resolution:

300ppi

Processor:

2GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 690

Frontlight:

Yes (warm and cold)

Storage:

64GB (non-expandable)

Battery:

3,700mAh

Speaker:

Dual (stereo)

Water protection:

None

Software:

Android 15

Connectivity:

Wi-Fi (2.4GHz + 5GHz); Bluetooth 5.1 USB-C

File support:

20 document, 4 image, 2 audio

Dimensions:

235 x 183 x 4.8mm (9.3 x 7.2 x 0.19 inches)

Weight:

364g (without case and stylus)

Boox Go 10. Gen II Lumi review: design & display

• Good-looking, lightweight epaper tablet, but clunky stylus
• 10.3-inch E Ink display with good contrast
• Textured rear panel adds good grip

With its eggshell-white body and metallic trim, I thought the first-gen Boox Go 10.3 was a pretty tablet, so I’m glad to see that the Gen II version hasn’t been changed — except for a slightly more textured rear panel that affords a little more grip, which is important for a slim device like the Go series slates. I should note here that both Gen II Go 10.3 tablets are identical physically but, without LEDs on the unlit version, it’s about 14g (0.5oz) lighter.

While the slimness doesn’t make for fantastic ergonomics, the Lumi weighing only 364g is, in fact, lighter than the Gen 1 model that tipped the scales at 375g without screen lights. It is about 0.2mm thicker than the previous Go 10.3, but that’s neither here nor there.

It’s still a beautiful device and, despite the thinness, there are dual speakers on either side of the USB-C port on the bottom edge, as does a mic. The only button is for power/sleep on the top edge. There’s no microSD tray here, though, for additional storage. One larger bezel allows plenty of room for your hand, although holding such a slim device, no matter how light, isn’t necessarily ergonomic. If you add in the sleep case, however, it just becomes heavier.

Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadarSharmishta Sarkar / TechRadarSharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar

I should talk about the case here, really quick — it’s a faux suede cover that unfortunately comes with the removable flap that I utterly detest. The brown suede material starts to lose its luster within days of use, so I can’t attest to its longevity, but I can’t fathom why Boox has to make the magnetic flap removable. This has been the case with the last few Boox devices I’ve tested and I find it rather annoying — the magnet is quite strong and the flap tends to entirely come away when you unfold it to close the case or secure the stylus to the side of the tablet.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Speaking of which, the magnetic hold of the stylus is good but, as with nearly every such device, it’s not strong enough to keep the pen secure during travel, so you do need to depend on the case.

Boox has also changed the pen, now offering the InkSense Plus stylus that has a thicker tip that just isn’t as smooth as the previous stylus. It’s also slightly heavier than the older pen, which makes it feel clunky in the hand that, in my opinion, doesn’t lend itself well to controlled mark making on the screen. And as I’ve discussed elsewhere, the stylus can make or break the user experience for epaper tablets. Sadly Boox is moving away from using EMR support on its screens (just like reMarkable), so you can’t use a third-party pen on the Lumi.

Boox hasn’t revealed what E Ink screen technology it’s using here, but the 10.3-inch display isn’t bad, with a 300ppi resolution. It’s not as yellow (warm) as I’ve seen on other Boox devices and the frontlight’s incremental adjustments for both brightness and temperature are excellent, adding wonderful contrast to the text or writing on the screen that makes the Lumi a far better reading tablet than its predecessor.

• Design & display score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Boox Go 10. Gen II Lumi review: Software

• Runs a custom Android 15-based operating system
• A relatively clean user interface, but it takes getting used to
• Plenty of good native apps, but access to the Google Play Store makes it very versatile

Where the original Go 10.3 released in 2024 was using Android 12, the Lumi (and its cheaper sibling) have been upgraded to Android 15, although the software is a very trimmed-down custom version of Google’s operating system. You still get unfettered access to the Google Play Store, so you can, in theory, use any Android app, but e-ink tablets weren’t meant for streaming content or playing games on.

That said, nearly every Boox device comes pre-loaded with native apps that are quite good in their own right and have been improved over time as well, making them more streamlined than before. That’s not to say the UX is easy — if you’ve never used a Boox device before, it will take time to wrap your head around it all as there are still little adjustments that are hidden in sub menus.

What’s different with the Go series compared to other Boox tablets is the home screen navigation — the main menu is arranged vertically on the left, with the Library being your default view. You can change the main menu items in Settings, though, either adding or removing applications.

Customizing the user experience has never been Boox’s problem, which means you can choose between several options for System Display or Gestures, and even tweak individual native apps as you see fit — even the NaviBall is optional to use and can be configured to trigger a plethora of functions.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The Control Center hasn’t changed much over the last couple of years, but I’m still not sure access to an AI assistant is necessary on an e-ink device, but perhaps some power users would appreciate it.

As always, you can sign into a fair few cloud services, including Google Drive and Dropbox, get full support for EverNote and OneNote, or download any other productivity application you might need, but keep in mind that not all third-party apps will be optimized for this device.

One of the things I really like about Boox’s premium note-taking tablets is OTG (on the go) support. This means I can plug in an external hard drive or portable SSD directly into the USB-C port to transfer files. In fact, it’s what I predominantly use even though BooxDrop is a handy app for cloud transfer. I don’t even bother signing into my Google Drive account on a Boox these days.

There really isn’t very much to complain about from a software standpoint — it’s the writing experience that takes a tumble here.

• Software score: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Boox Go 10. Gen II Lumi review: User experience

• Good screen contrast with lights makes for a lovely reading experience
• The supplied pen, however, isn’t as nice as the older version for writing

A device might look lovely and come with the nicest software, but ultimately its user experience determines its value. And that’s the case with the Go 10.3 Gen II Lumi — it does a lot right, like its reading experience is lovely, but its main functionality of writing is a little bit of a letdown.

Reading

Like I said, reading on the Lumi is lovely — the frontlight makes the text stand out, adding contrast where previously, on the Gen 1, it was disappointing. Page turns are quick enough too with the screen quite responsive to taps and gestures.

And yet I feel it’s a little slow for an epaper tablet that was released in 2026. For example, every time I woke up the Lumi during my months-long testing, it took a while to ‘render’ an ebook from its native library app.

Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadarSharmishta Sarkar / TechRadarSharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar

It very much seemed like it was refreshing the app twice before finally rendering the page. On the other hand, the 3rd-generation Kindle Scribe released in 2025 takes a second or two to open but doesn’t flicker or ‘refresh’ the page — it’s a lot smoother on waking up. As are the Kobo Libra Colour and Kindle Paperwhite from 2024.

Boox doesn’t reveal what E Ink screen tech its using, but other than its slight slowness on waking up, I can’t complain about the reading experience. All books and images rendered on screen have been sharp and clear, particularly with the frontlight on.

Writing

The same kind of contrast with the frontlight on is available on the Notes app too where handwriting looks sharp and clear on screen. However, the physical act of writing on the Lumi isn’t as good as it has been on the Gen 1 because Boox decided to change the stylus.

The previous pen had a thinner nib that moved over the screen quite well. The new InkSense Plus stylus is heavier and the slightly thicker tip feels like it needs to be dragged to make a mark — it feels clunkier in comparison.

Boox has also stepped away from using EMR screens, which means you can’t swap that pen out for another. I tried using one of Boox’s own older pens (used to be supplied with the Note series) and it didn’t work. That’s a real shame as writing is the Lumi’s principal function and the experience of doing so is disappointing.

Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadarSharmishta Sarkar / TechRadarSharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar

The native Notes application, though, is full featured — in fact, for the average user it’s probably overkill — and would be ideal for students, teachers and researchers.

• User experience score: 3.5 / 5

Boox Go 10. Gen II Lumi review: Performance

• Generally good performance except on waking up
• A lot of ghosting visible, especially in the Notes app
• Exceptional battery life for an Android device

The Lumi's overall performance is a mixed bag. While it uses a better chipset (Qualcomm Snapdragon 690) compared to the original Go 10.3 (Snapdragon 680), it hasn't really made much of a dent in the speed with which the Lumi performs the tasks at hand.

That's not a complaint — it's an observation. However, Amazon's newest Kindle Scribes are just that much faster at things, like page turns are so quick they barely register that they've moved and the lag between pen input and the mark on screen is barely discernible. On both counts the Lumi is just that smidgeon slower that you can notice if you use it side by side with the 2025 Kindle Scribe (3rd generation).

The slow waking up of the screen is also something that has bothered me, and I've already mentioned how disappointing the writing experience is, but I'm also surprised at how much ghosting there still is on Boox devices, including the Lumi, something Amazon has managed to completely eliminate on its Kindles. You'll be able to notice the ghosting on nearly every single image I have in this review (including in the gallery below).

Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadarSharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar

Where the Lumi really shines (pardon the pun) is with battery life. It still uses the same 3,700mAh battery pack that was in the Gen 1 model and yet whatever software adjustments Boox has made has pushed battery life to weeks rather than days. It's the first Android digital notebook I've used to have such an impressive battery life, one that can match the Kindle Scribes, albeit dependent on use.

In my case, an hour of reading and 30 minutes of writing per day gave me 17 days of use with frontlight at medium brighness and a similar warmth setting, plus Wi-Fi on at all times (but not Bluetooth). Using cloud services and didn't make any dent on the battery usage, although excessive online browsing did drain a little extra but not by all that much.

Topping up was average, with the 3,700mAh pack going from 19% to full in just under two hours when plugged into a wall charger via a high-quality USB-C cable.

• Performance score: 3.5 / 5

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Should I buy the Onyx Boox Go 10.3 (Gen II) Lumi

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

It's cheaper than the 3rd-gen Kindle Scribe, but you'll get better performance elsewhere

4 / 5

Design & display

It's a beautiful device with reMarkable 2 vibes, and a frontlight makes a world of difference. However, the display just seems to lack the oomph factor I've seen in newer epaper tablets.

4 / 5

Software & apps

With an Android-based software allowing for versatility, and a nicer user interface than previous Boox UIs, it's hard to fault the Lumi. It's not perfect, but it ain't bad.

4 / 5

Writing & productivity

It's fantastic to read on, with brilliant contrast when the light is on, but the supplied pen is a major letdown when it comes to writing.

3.5 / 5

Reading

Without a frontlight, it's not the ideal ereader

3.5 / 5

Performance

On its own, the Lumi performs well for most users, but it's hard to give it full praise when there are faster E Ink displays being used on competitive digital notebooks, but the battery life is the best for an Android epaper tablet.

3.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You want a thin, light digital notebook with frontlight

There are more epaper writing tablets without a frontlight now than with, and trust me when I saw that can make a difference to usability, especially at nighttime and in bright sunlight.

You want the versatility of the Google Play Store on your digital notebook

It's not the only Android-toting epaper writing tablet, but it's well priced compared to some of the competition.

Don't buy it if...

You'll be doing a lot more writing than reading

The Lumi's main function is as a writing tablet and, given the disappointing stylus supplied with it, it's hard to recommend when there are competitors offering a better experience.

You want the best performance out of your digital notebook

It's not that the Lumi is bad; it's just that there are better options out there that have more responsive screens with next-to-no ghosting.

You need plenty of storage

64GB is a very good amount of storage that you'll get on the Lumi, but power users with large files saved on the device might need more, and there's no microSD card tray here. For that, I'd recommend Boox's Note series over the Go.

Also consider

I like the Lumi, but I don't I love it. If, like me, you'd be keen to check out other options, the two below are the ones I'd recommend, both of which are cheaper but aren't Android based.

Amazon Kindle Scribe (2nd gen)

It might have been succeeded by the 3rd-gen Scribe that's bigger and better, but it's still available to buy and still makes for an excellent e-ink writing tablet with a lovely screen and, importantly, regularly discounted now since it's an older model.
Read our full Amazon Kindle Scribe (2024) review for more details

reMarkable Paper Pure

It's not as full featured as an Android-based epaper writing tablet, but this reMarkable offers you a distraction-free slate to unleash your creativity. It's essentially the reMarkable 2 in a new body with 32GB of storage.
Read our in-depth reMarkable Paper Pure review to learn more

How I tested the Onyx Boox Go 10.3 (Gen II) Lumi

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

I've tested a range of ereaders and epaper writing tablets for TechRadar, so I'm well suited to compare the Boox Go 10.3 (Gen II) Lumi with its competitors.

As with all such devices I've previously tested, the first thing I did with the Lumi was to sign into the Google Play Store and down the Kindle and Kobo apps. I then used OTG support to transfer ebooks to the device directly from a portable SSD via the USB-C port, but I also used BooxDrop and cloud transfer from Google Drive to test various services.

The Lumi then became my daily ereader and note taker for 4 weeks, using it an average of 2-3 hours a day to read and write. I'm not an artist, so drawing was out of the question.

Out of curiosity, I also downloaded Geekbench 6 to benchmark the CPU (the app is available on the Play Store). I sideloaded a few MP3 files to test the onboard speakers.

Read more about how we test

[First published July 2026]

Gigabyte Aorus Master 16: Two-minute review

The Gigabyte Aorus Master 16 is built for fast 2560 x 1600 gaming, and it squeezes flagship-class hardware into a slimmer chassis than typical desktop-replacement machines.

The review unit tested here combines AMD’s Ryzen 9 9955HX3D CPU with a 175W Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 laptop GPU, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, so it’s aimed at buyers who want top-tier performance without stepping up to a much larger 18-inch machine.

The 16-inch OLED display is one of the main reasons to consider it. It has a 2560 x 1600 resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, 100% DCI-P3 colour coverage, a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and HDR 1000 support.

Text looks sharp, colour and contrast are excellent, and the finish isn’t so glossy that reflections become a major issue. It’s a very good fit for fast games, high-quality video and creative work, and the laptop itself is fast enough to make proper use of the panel’s resolution and refresh rate.

The Aorus Master 16 is also more portable than its spec suggests. It measures 35.7 x 25.5 x 1.9 to 2.4cm (14.1 x 10.0 x 0.7 to 0.9in) and weighs 2.39kg (5.27lb), so it’s heavy enough to notice in a bag, but still manageable if you need to carry it between home, work, university or when travelling.

The adapter adds another 750g (1.65lb), which matters if you’re trying to pack light, but the 330W charger is still fairly compact for its output.

Build quality is reasonable, but not as premium as the price suggests. The thin metal-backed screen is rigid, while the plastic shell on the main body has a little flex and feels less expensive.

The keyboard has decent travel and plenty of room, though it’s a little bouncy in vigorous use, while the touchpad is large, responsive and easy to use when you don’t have a mouse connected.

The Full HD infrared camera works well for Windows Hello facial recognition, though image quality is nothing special. The speakers are better than typical laptop audio, with excellent volume and little distortion at higher levels, though bass is still limited.

The port selection covers the basics well, with USB-C, USB4, USB-A, HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, microSD and 3.5mm audio. The issue is the layout.

(Image credit: Future)

Because the cooling system takes up the rear section of the laptop, most cables need to plug in further forward on the sides, where they can crowd desk space and get in the way of a mouse.

It’s not a deal-breaker, but it makes the Aorus slightly less pleasant to use with a monitor, dock and other desk accessories connected.

Gigabyte’s GiMate software gives useful control over performance modes, fan behaviour and lighting. The laptop also has plenty of lighting to adjust, including the keyboard, rear light bar and desk glow from the underside.

The software itself can be laggy, though, and that makes quick customisation tweaks more frustrating than they should be on an expensive gaming laptop.

Performance is very good, and the Aorus Master 16 has no issue running the RTX 5090 at up to 175W for extended periods. Compared with an RTX 5080 laptop, the Aorus is up to 35% faster for gaming, with the biggest gains in heavier ray-tracing scenarios where the extra GPU headroom and 24GB of VRAM help it sustain higher frame rates.

That makes it a very capable choice for demanding 1600p gaming, especially if you want high texture settings, ray tracing or very fast OLED refresh rates.

Raw CPU performance is also very good. The Ryzen 9 9955HX3D is a powerful processor, and the cooling system lets it work hard in multicore workloads without obvious throttling.

That matters outside games too, as the Aorus Master 16 is well suited to creator work, video editing and heavier productivity tasks.

The laptop can also charge and run from USB-C, and documents, browsing and calls remain snappy, but it’s limited to Balanced mode or lower and gaming performance drops to about 10% of maximum. So the 330W adapter is still needed for proper gaming performance.

placeholder image (Image credit: Future)

The main trade-off is fan noise. While the cooling system works well, it also makes the Aorus Master 16 one of the loudest laptops I’ve tested at full load. The sound also has a high-pitched note that’s somewhat unpleasant at both low and high speeds, and the fans ramp up quickly even with lighter workloads.

Even the power-saving quiet mode isn’t as quiet as I’d like, so this is not the right laptop if you need near-silent performance when not gaming.

Battery life is the other downside. Despite the large 99Wh battery, web browsing lasted under 2.5 hours, and video playback ran for 3 hours and 46 minutes using power-saving settings. That’s with the RTX 5090 completely off and only using the Radeon iGPU too, and it’s much more power hungry than comparable Intel based gaming laptops.

Gaming on battery is much shorter again, but that is normal and expected. Still, overall the Aorus Master 16 is better treated as a desktop replacement you can move around than a laptop that you can use on the couch without a charger nearby. Hopefully a future driver update can reduce the idle and low load power use, but as tested, battery life is disappointing.

Overall the Gigabyte Aorus Master 16 delivers the speed its high-end hardware promises, and the OLED display is more than capable of showing off the higher frame rates that performance enables.

It’s a good fit if you want a powerful 16-inch gaming laptop that can also handle demanding creative work, and you don’t want to deal with a bulkier machine.

But that does come at a price, so while performance is excellent, the fan noise and battery life stop the Master 16 from feeling as premium as the price tag.

Gigabyte Aorus Master 16: Price & availability

• How much does it cost? The tested RTX 5090 model is priced at $4,299 / AU$6,599
• When is it available? It's available now
• Where can you get it? You can get it in the US and Australia

While it is just hitting shelves in the US and Australia, at the time of writing, we haven't yet seen the Gen 2 Aorus Master 16 for sale in the UK.

Now, the Master 16 is an expensive gaming laptop, and the tested RTX 5090 model sits near the top of the price range. Still, it needs to be judged against other slim but high-power RTX 50 series laptops, rather than chunkier desktop-replacement options.

The price is easier to justify if you want the specific mix of a 175W RTX 5090, Ryzen 9 9955HX3D CPU, 240Hz OLED display and a chassis that is still portable enough to carry around easily.

There are cheaper Aorus Master 16 configurations available, including RTX 5080 and RTX 5070 Ti variants, but the exact CPU and GPU power limits vary by model.

• Value score: 3.5 / 5

Gigabyte Aorus Master 16: Specs

The Aorus Master 16 range is available in a few configurations, so it's worth double checking the exact model before buying. The RTX 5090 version tested here sits at the top of the range with 24GB of VRAM and a 175W GPU power limit, while the RTX 5080 version keeps the same 175W limit but drops to 16GB of VRAM.

There's also an RTX 5070 Ti version, but the CPU and GPU power limits can vary by SKU and region.

The specs are very good overall, with Wi-Fi 7, USB4, a 99Wh battery and upgradeable DDR5 RAM. The main limitation for the models we have seen for sale so far is that they are limited to 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, which is fair enough considering recent memory and storage price rises.

Gigabyte Aorus Master 16 specs

RTX 5070 Ti variant

RTX 5080 variant

US Price

$1,899

$2,199

UK Price

£1,799

£2,099

AU Price

AU$3,299

AU$4,299

CPU

Intel Core 7 240H

Intel Core 7 240H

GPU

RTX 5070 Ti

RTX 5080

RAM

32GB LPDDR5x 5600 MHz

32GB LPDDR5x 5600 MHz

Storage

1TB

1TB

Display

2560 x 1600 IPS, 100% sRGB, 400 nits, 165 Hz

2560 x 1600 IPS, 100% sRGB, 400 nits, 165 Hz

Ports

1x USB-C 5 Gbps, DisplayPort 1.4, PD charging, 2x USB-A 5 Gbps, HDMI 2.1, 1 Gb Ethernet, 3.5mm headset jack.

1x USB-C 5 Gbps, DisplayPort 1.4, PD charging, 2x USB-A 5 Gbps, HDMI 2.1, 1 Gb Ethernet, 3.5mm headset jack.

Connectivity

Wi-Fi 6E, 802.11ax 2x2 + BT5.2

Wi-Fi 6E, 802.11ax 2x2 + BT5.2

Battery

76Wh

76Wh

Dimensions

358.3 x 262.5 x 19.45 - 22.99 mm (14.11 x 10.33 x 0.77 - 0.91 inches)

358.3 x 262.5 x 19.45 - 22.99 mm (14.11 x 10.33 x 0.77 - 0.91 inches)

Weight

2.3 kg (5.1 lbs)

2.3 kg (5.1 lbs)

• Specs score: 4.5 / 5

FutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureGigabyte Aorus Master 16: Design

• Slim for a high-power RTX 5090 laptop
• Customizable RGB lighting
• Useful ports but awkward placement

The Aorus Master 16 is slim for a laptop built around a 175W RTX 5090 and high-end AMD CPU, but it's still a large gaming machine. It measures 35.7 x 25.5 x 1.9 to 2.5cm (14.1 x 10.1 x 0.7 to 1.0in), and the 19mm thinnest point includes the rubber feet.

When picked up, that’s perfectly manageable for a 16-inch gaming laptop, and at 2.39kg (5.27lb), it's portable enough to carry on the go every day if needed.

Of course, the 330W adapter is also part of the portability equation. It weighs 750g (1.65lb) and measures 16.0 x 7.5 x 2.7cm (6.3 x 3.0 x 1.1in), which is compact for a charger with such a high output, but it still takes the total carry weight over 3kg.

USB-C charging is useful if you only need documents, browsing or calls away from your main desk, but the main adapter is still the practical choice for gaming.

Build quality is functional rather than feeling truly premium. The top of the lid is metal and is thin but rigid, while the main chassis is plastic and has a little flex. The laptop didn’t show wear during my testing, including when carried in a bag, but the dark finish picks up fingerprints, though they also cleans off relatively easily.

The rear of the chassis is mostly given over to cooling, with large vents across the back edge and exhausts on the sides. That cooling system is a key part of the design, as it helps the Aorus Master 16 run high-power hardware in a slimmer body. It also leads to some of the compromises, such as fan noise and port placement.

FutureFutureFuture

The port selection is useful, with USB4, a second USB-C port, two USB-A ports, HDMI 2.1, 1Gb Ethernet, microSD and 3.5mm audio. The problem is where those ports sit. Because the rear of the laptop is reserved for cooling, cables plug in further forward on the sides, where they can crowd your desk and mouse space.

For those who value their desk space, the chunky side-mounted power connector can be especially bulky and annoying, so I found a powered USB-C dock is a good option if you use the Aorus Master 16 with a monitor, Ethernet and other accessories. That way you can have just one cable plugged in, and only add the bigger power plug when gaming.

The keyboard has a reasonable 1.7mm of travel and plenty of room, so it works well for both typing and normal WASD gaming. It's a little bouncy in vigorous use, and overall doesn't feel as firm as I'd like for a flagship laptop, but the layout is pretty good overall.

The touchpad is large, responsive and pleasant enough to use when you don’t have a mouse connected.

The RGB lighting includes the keyboard and is pretty extensive overall. The Aorus logo on the rear of the screen is backlit by colour-changing LEDs, and there is front and rear underside lighting that creates a nice nonglare desk glow effect in a darker room.

There's also a small light that projects the Aorus symbol onto the desk behind the laptop. It's a fun idea, but the focus seemed a touch soft.

FutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFuture

Gigabyte’s GiMate software controls lighting, performance modes and fan behaviour, but I find it can be slow to load and respond at times. That’s a mild frustration for anyone who may want to change modes often, especially if you are trying to reduce fan noise during lighter work.

There are also automatic ‘AI’ modes, but I found they left the laptop running hotter and noisier than I’d like when not gaming. Like the laptop itself, the software doesn't feel as slick as you’d hope for the price.

The Full HD infrared webcam works well for Windows Hello facial recognition, though image quality is nothing special and gets softer in darker rooms.

The speakers are better than what I’ve experienced on most other laptops I’ve tested, with great volume and very little distortion at high levels, but as expected, bass is still pretty limited. The speakers can overpower the fan noise when cranked right up, but I'd still recommend a headset for gaming.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

FutureFutureFutureGigabyte Aorus Master 16: Performance

• High 1600p gaming frame rates
• Excellent CPU performance
• Loud fans under load

The Aorus Master 16 gives the cooling and power headroom needed to make a high end GPU worth paying extra for. The variant I tested uses a 175W Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 laptop GPU (and the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D CPU), so it's not one of those slim gaming laptops with a premium GPU bottlenecked by a low wattage limit.

And just as importantly, the cooling system lets the hardware work hard for sustained loads, and that makes the Aorus a proper match for its 240Hz, 2560 x 1600 OLED display.

Compared with an RTX 5080 laptop, the Aorus Master 16 is up to 35% faster for gaming. The biggest gains are in heavier ray-tracing scenarios, where the extra GPU headroom and 24GB of VRAM help sustain higher frame rates. That extra memory also helps if you want high-resolution textures, or play a lot of newer games that push beyond what lower-tier laptop GPUs can comfortably handle.

If you mostly play lighter esports titles, the hardware is overkill, but the 240Hz OLED display still gives it a clear use case for very fast gaming.

The RTX 5090 is also a powerful accelerator for creator work. GPU-heavy video effects, rendering workloads and AI-assisted tools can all use the extra graphics grunt, so the Aorus Master 16 makes more sense if you want one machine for both gaming and demanding creative work.

placeholder image (Image credit: Future)

CPU performance is also very good. The Ryzen 9 9955HX3D is a powerful processor, especially in multicore workloads, and the Aorus cooling system lets it run full tilt without obvious throttling. That is important for gaming, but also for video editing, rendering, compiling code and other higher loads.

The cooling system also lets the CPU and GPU run hard at the same time. During demanding gaming sessions, the Aorus Master 16 generates a lot of heat, but it doesn't make the keyboard or WASD area uncomfortable to use. Hot air exits from the rear and sides, so your exact desk setup will change the impact, but the thermal comfort is better than the fan noise might suggest.

The trade-off is that the cooling system is not subtle. At all. I love that the Aorus Master 16 can give high performance in a relatively slim 16-inch chassis, but it’s important to highlight that it does that by moving a lot of air, loudly.

placeholder image (Image credit: Future)

The benchmark table below compares the Aorus Master 16 with the Alienware 16 Area-51 configuration I tested with an RTX 5080. The Alienware is another premium machine, so it makes a useful comparison for showing what the Aorus gains from the RTX 5090 and 24GB of VRAM.

If you are comparing the Aorus Master 16 with other gaming laptops, pay close attention to GPU wattage as well as the GPU name. A lower-wattage RTX 5090 laptop can perform much closer to an RTX 5080 machine, while the Aorus Master 16 has the cooling and wattage budget needed to make the 5090 worth the extra cost.

Gigabyte Aorus Master 16 benchmark results

Gigabyte Gaming A16 Pro

Alienware 16X Aurora

Alienware 16 Area-51

CPU

Intel Core 7 240H

Intel Ultra 9 275HX

Intel Ultra 9 275HX

GPU

RTX 5080 (115W TGP)

RTX 5070 (115W TGP)

RTX 5080 (150W TGP)

RAM

32GB

32GB

32GB

Battery

76 Wh

96 Wh

96 Wh

General performance

PCMark 10 - Overall (score)

7,523

8,437

8,639

Geekbench 6 - Multi-core

13,503

19,615

20,244

Geekbench 6 - Single-core

2,744

3,068

3,149

Geekbench 6 - GPU

177,521

136,686

213,178

Cinebench R24 - CPU Single Core

117

133

133

Cinebench R24 - CPU Multi Core

832

1,964

2,106

Battery

PCMark 10 - Battery Work (HH:MM)

3:19

6:01

3:09

TechRadar video test (HH:MM)

10:37

6:16

4:27

Graphics performance

3DMark SpeedWay

4,247

3,664

5,610

3DMark Port Royal

10,744

9,031

11,999

Steel Nomad

3,967

2,846

5,109

Cyberpunk 2077 - 1600p RT Low (DLSS)

84

76

114

Cyberpunk 2077 - 1600p RT Low (DLSS off)

52

50

79

Cyberpunk 2077 - 1600p RT Ultra (DLSS)

55

54

72

Cyberpunk 2077 - 1600p RT Ultra (DLSS off)

25

16

37

Black Myth: Wukong - 1600p Cinematic (DLSS)

77

76

104

Shadow of the Tomb Raider - 1600p (DLSS off)

137

131

175

Storage

CrystalDiskMark Read/Write (MB/s)

6,982 / 6,481

6,939 / 6,740

6,575 / 5,890

In real use, the Aorus Master 16 is very capable at its native 2560 x 1600 resolution. Demanding games still need sensible settings if you want to push closer to the OLED screen's 240Hz limit, but this is a laptop where high detail, ray tracing and upscaling can all be used without dropping frame rates too low.

The 24GB of VRAM is a key long-term advantage over lower-tier GPUs. It gives the laptop more scope in the future for high-resolution textures and demanding ray-traced scenes, and it should also help the Aorus Master 16 age better as game requirements keep rising.

Fan noise is the major performance downside. At full load, the Aorus Master 16 is one of the loudest laptops I’ve tested, and the sound has a high-pitched note that makes it more annoying than a lower rush of air.

A headset is already a typical choice for gaming, but the bigger problem is that even when not gaming, the fans ramp up quickly and can get loud even under light loads.

The quiet and power-saving modes help, but they don't make the laptop consistently quiet. Even in lighter use, the fans tend to spin up much more than seems necessary given the internal temperatures, and it becomes loud enough to notice.

Arguably this is the real-world cost of getting this much performance from a slimmer 16-inch design, but it still feels much less refined than it could be. Hopefully Gigabyte works on the fan control and smooths it out somewhat in future software updates.

Stability was good during testing. External display use worked well, including through a dock, and both Ethernet and Wi-Fi behaved reliably. I also didn't run into sleep, wake or lid-behaviour glitches that often plague Windows based machines. I did find Gigabyte's GiMate software slow at times, but on the plus side it gives good access to performance modes, fan settings and lighting controls.

placeholder image (Image credit: Future)

USB-C charging on the Aorus Master 16 is useful, but only if you understand and respect a few limits. The laptop does charge and run happily from USB-C, and in fact tends to be much quieter, which makes it a good option for a docked desk setup, travel or basic work without the big 330W adapter. Light single-core tasks were only 2% slower than full-adapter use in my testing, so web browsing and typical office tasks still feel snappy.

CPU-heavy loads show the limits, though, and were about 60% slower on USB-C than with the power brick, and gaming performance was about 92% lower. That doesn't make USB-C useless, but it does mean you should treat it as a convenience for productivity and top-ups rather than factor it in for gaming.

Still, overall the Aorus Master 16 delivers the high-end performance its hardware promises. It's fast enough for demanding 1600p gaming and creative work, for those who don’t mind the fan noise.

If you want a powerful laptop that stays quiet when not gaming, it’s a harder machine to recommend.

• Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Gigabyte Aorus Master 16: Battery life and Charging

• Under 2.5 hours of web browsing
• 3 hours and 46 minutes of video playback
• USB-C charging suits light work, not gaming

placeholder image (Image credit: Future)

Battery life is not great, especially considering the Aorus Master 16 has a larger 99Wh battery. The slim 16-inch chassis makes it easier to carry than a typical desktop-replacement laptop, but the short runtime unplugged means you'll still want the charger nearby for anything more than brief use.

In my web-browsing battery test, the Aorus Master 16 lasted under 2.5 hours. Video playback ran for 3 hours and 46 minutes using power-saving settings.

Those results are disappointing and they do limit the usefulness of the Aorus when you want to work away from a desk for more than a short session.

The 330W adapter is needed for full gaming performance, and it's compact for a charger with that output. It still weighs 750g (1.65lb), though, so carrying the Aorus Master 16 with its charger pushes the total travel weight well over 3kg.

That’s manageable for a high-performance gaming laptop, but it's enough extra weight that I'd only pack the charger when I expected to game or run heavier workloads.

USB-C charging is useful when you want to work on documents, browse or take calls without carrying the 330W adapter. It also works well for a docked desk setup, and the laptop is much quieter when running from a smaller USB-C charger. The limit is performance: the Aorus Master 16 drops to Balanced mode or lower on USB-C, and gaming performance falls far enough that the 330W adapter is still required for serious play.

That means USB-C is useful for light productivity and top-ups, not as a proper replacement for the main charger. A future driver update may improve battery life, but as tested, the Aorus Master 16 may be easy enough to transport, but it’s not a laptop that can be relied on away from a charger.

• Battery life and charging score: 2.5 / 5

Should you buy the Gigabyte Aorus Master 16?Gigabyte Aorus Master 16 scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Expensive, and the fan noise and low battery life make the price harder to justify

3.5 / 5

Specs

High-end CPU and GPU, excellent OLED display, useful ports and a 99Wh battery

4.5 / 5

Design

Slim for the hardware inside, but little details like the port layout feel unpolished

4 / 5

Performance

High end 1600p gaming and creator performance

4.5 / 5

Battery

Poor runtime despite the 99Wh battery, though USB-C charging helps for documents, browsing and calls

2.5 / 5

Overall

A powerful 16-inch OLED gaming laptop, but fan noise and battery life limit its appeal

4 / 5

Buy it if…

You want fast 1600p gaming in a 16-inch laptop
The 175W RTX 5090 has the graphics performance to make good use of the 2560 x 1600 OLED display, especially if you want detailed settings, ray tracing or very fast frame rates.

You want one laptop for gaming and demanding work
The Ryzen 9 9955HX3D and RTX 5090 give the Aorus Master 16 the CPU and graphics performance for video editing, rendering and other heavy workloads.

You want flagship performance without an 18-inch chassis
The Aorus Master 16 is still heavy, especially with the charger, but it's slimmer and easier to move around than larger desktop-replacement gaming laptops.

Don’t buy it if...

You need quiet operation
The fans are loud, ramp up quickly and have a high-pitched note, so it’s not great for use in quiet spaces or gaming without a headset.

You need long battery life
The 99Wh battery doesn't translate into good unplugged runtime, so look elsewhere if you need to operate away from a charger.

You want a more premium physical design
While the Aorus 16 is functional enough, the design downsides are hard to ignore given the price.

Gigabyte Aorus Master 16: Also consider

If my Gigabyte Aorus Master 16 review has you considering other high-end gaming laptops, these are some other options that are worth a look:

Alienware 16 Area-51
A larger and more polished 16-inch gaming laptop with high end performance, a premium-feeling design and better port placement. It's worth considering if you like the Aorus Master 16's gaming grunt but don't need the slimmer chassis.

Take a look at the full Alienware 16 Area-51 review

Razer Blade 16 (2025)
A premium RTX 5090 gaming laptop with a 16-inch OLED display, a thin aluminium chassis and decent battery life. It's a good choice if build quality and portability matter more than raw performance for the money.

Check out the full Razer Blade 16 (2025) review

How I tested

• I tested the Gigabyte Aorus Master 16 for two weeks
• I used it on a desk, with an external display and while travelling
• I used it for 2560 x 1600 gaming, productivity work, video editing and battery testing

I ran the Gigabyte Aorus Master 16 through the usual TechRadar benchmark suite, as well as using it for day-to-day work at a desk and on the go.

I tested gaming performance at the native 2560 x 1600 resolution, checked performance across the laptop's main power profiles and used it for office work, video editing, external display use and general media playback.

I used the TechRadar movie test for assessing battery life during video playback, plus web-browsing and productivity battery tests to see how long the Aorus lasted away from the charger.

I also tested USB-C charging with a dock and USB-C chargers, and checked how performance changed compared with the 330W adapter. Fan noise, thermal comfort, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, sleep behaviour and Gigabyte's GiMate software were also assessed during normal use.

Read more about how we test.

• First reviewed in July 2026

RayNeo X3 Pro: 30-second review

RayNeo, the AR glasses arm of TCL, launched the X3 Pro globally in December 2025, following a well-received debut in the Chinese market. It represents the company's most ambitious product to date: a standalone pair of AI-powered augmented reality smart glasses that aims to put a useful, persistent digital layer over your view of the world, without requiring you to carry a tethered compute unit.

The headline hardware is the dual-eye full-colour MicroLED display, powered by RayNeo's own 'Firefly Optical Engine' and delivered through waveguides co-developed with Applied Materials. With 6,000 nits of peak brightness and 16.77 million colours, it is probably the best display currently available in any smart glass product, eclipsing even the Meta Ray-Ban Display's 5,000-nit panel. The simulated image is equivalent to a 43-inch screen viewed from two metres, within a 30-degree field of view.

Under the frame sits a Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 processor — the purpose-built platform for this class of device — paired with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. The X3 Pro runs RayNeo's AIOS, an Android-based operating system, and is integrated with Google Gemini 2.5 (Beta) for multimodal AI assistance. A 12MP Sony IMX681 sensor handles photography and 4K video, accompanied by a secondary monochrome camera for spatial positioning and depth tracking with 6DoF + SLAM support.

At 76 grams, the X3 Pro is lighter than the Inmo Air 3 (119g), and only a few grams heavier than the Meta Ray-Ban Display (69g). The frame is built from an aerospace-grade magnesium-aluminium alloy, and control is handled via a five-way touch panel on the right temple, with support for Apple Watch gesture control promised in a future OTA update.

The device's single greatest limitation is its 245mAh battery. Under light use, you may approach three to five hours. Under active use that might be navigation, AI queries, camera recording, or app usage, the running time plummets to as little as one or two hours, and it can be as little as 45 minutes. The only saving grace is a recharge of around 45 minutes via USB-C.

At $1,169, the X3 Pro is a premium early-adopter product with genuine technological credibility, but a hefty price tag. The display alone makes a compelling case for the future of AR glasses. Whether that future is worth over a thousand pounds to experience today is a question each buyer must answer for themselves.

RayNeo X3 Pro: Price & availability

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

The RayNeo X3 Pro launched globally in December 2025, initially priced at $1,099 on an early-bird basis, rising to $1,299 at standard retail.

At the time of writing, RayNeo sells direct from its website here, with delivery to the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, and other markets.

In the UK, the full retail price is £1,169, and in the USA it’s $1,169. Considering that the exchange rate on the day of writing is $1.34 to the pound, UK customers pay roughly 25% more for the same products for no obvious good reason.

Prescription lens inserts are available separately from around $49 / £49, supplied through RayNeo's partner Lensology.

What’s a little odd is that these glasses aren’t available on Amazon.com, when almost everything else RayNeo makes is.

By way of comparison, the Meta Ray-Ban Display starts at $799, the Even Realities G2 at $599, and the Halliday Smart Glasses at $500. Traditional smart glasses without a display, such as the Ray-Ban Meta, are available for considerably less.

The X3 Pro commands a significant premium, but the technical specification that includes the dual-eye MicroLED display and the Snapdragon AR1 platform is a major step up from those alternatives.

RayNeo also offers existing X-series customers a 'RayNeo Explorer' lifetime benefit, providing a $200 discount towards future X Series purchases.

What colours my perspective on the price is that these aren’t dual-purpose glasses that can also be used to watch movies. They’re only for AR, which makes the high price even harder to justify.

• Score: 3/5

RayNeo X3 Pro: Specifications

Chipset

Qualcomm Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 (4nm)

RAM

4GB LPDDR5

Storage

32GB

Display type

Dual full-colour MicroLED, waveguide optics (both eyes)

Resolution

640 × 480 per eye

Peak brightness

6,000 nits (typical: ~3,500 nits)

Field of view

30 degrees

Virtual screen

43-inch equivalent at 2m distance

Refresh rate

60Hz

OS

RayNeo AIOS (Android-based)

AI engine

Google Gemini 2.5 (Beta)

Cameras

12MP Sony IMX681 (front, colour) + monochrome OV (positioning/depth)

Video

4K / 3K recording

Tracking

6DoF + SLAM; Falcon Image spatial positioning

Audio

Open-ear directional speakers (both temples)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 6

Controls

5-way touch panel (right temple); voice ('Hey RayNeo'); Apple Watch (future OTA)

Weight

76g

Battery

245mAh; ~1–5 hours depending on use; full charge in ~38–45 min via USB-C

Translation

Real-time audio + on-screen text; 14 languages; ~2.1-second response

Prescription

Supported (lens inserts via Lensology, from ~$49/£49)

Colours

Black (single style)

RayNeo X3 Pro: Design & build

• Divisive aesthetics
• Wearability issues

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

There is an obvious problem with products like the X3 Pro, which is that the design telegraphs that these aren’t just glasses, drawing attention to the wearer.

This tension between engineering achievement and social wearability is perhaps the defining characteristic of this first generation of capable AR glasses, and the X3 Pro didn’t dodge that bullet.

The frame takes broadly Wayfarer-style cues, i.e. being thick, squarish and dark. In short, these look like John-Paul Belmondo wore them at the end of the 1960s, before Michael Cain borrowed them to play the classic British spy, Harry Palmer.

That might be delightfully retro, but two cameras sit in the bridge between the lenses, a small indicator light sits on the front frame (active when recording), and distinctive protrusions near the temple hinges house the MicroLED projectors, giving the game away.

The temples are noticeably thicker than conventional eyewear, accommodating the speakers, electronics, and battery. The USB-C charging port sits at the tip of the right temple.

Structurally, the X3 Pro is more refined than its predecessor, the X2 Pro. RayNeo cites eleven structural optimisations and the use of aerospace-grade magnesium-aluminium alloy to achieve a 36% weight reduction over that earlier model. The result is a frame that, at 76g, sits comfortably on most faces without the ear pressure or nose strain that plagued heavier competitors. Multiple reviewers noted that they occasionally forgot they were wearing them during prolonged use.

The lenses themselves have good optical transparency when the display is off, meaning the world doesn't take on the tinted quality of sunglasses during non-display use. Interchangeable nose pads in different sizes are included, and prescription lens inserts are available through Lensology.

For older people, me included, these lens inserts are a necessity, since the glasses require abnormal eye-muscle acrobatics that those without perfect vision are unlikely to achieve without some help.

Fit adjustment is largely limited to nose pad selection, which does tend to put more pressure on the bridge of the nose. Previously, with the Air 3s Pro, RayNeo offered adjustable temple angles, but these aren’t available on the X3 Pro.

And, because of this, depending on your face shape, you can find that the display is dramatically offset from the ideal line of sight. As I’ll talk about later, I had big issues with this, and it made using them extremely difficult.

In short, if social discretion is a priority, this is not the device for you. If you are the sort of person who wears technology proudly, or who has a professional or specialist use case, the design is functional as long as your face and eye geometry fall within a specific envelope.

• Design & build: 3.5/5

RayNeo X3 Pro: Features

• Impressive display technology
• Sony IMX681 camera sensor
• Tiny battery

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

The X3 Pro's MicroLED dual-eye display is, by wide consensus, the standout feature of this device. Unlike single-eye displays used by some competitors, the X3 Pro projects identical imagery to both eyes, producing a more natural and immersive AR experience that doesn’t assume binocular compensation on the viewer's part. The 640 × 480 resolution per eye is modest by smartphone standards, but it is appropriate for a heads-up overlay and is rendered with genuine clarity at the 30-degree field of view.

Peak brightness of 6,000 nits is a notch above the Meta Ray-Ban’s 5,000 nits, making the display legible in direct sunlight and suitable for navigation or outdoor use. These aren’t meant for media consumption, and therefore don’t include shields to reduce external views, so the graphics need to be bright.

The display sits centrally in the wearer's field of view, rather than in the lower-right corner (as on the Meta Ray-Ban Display). This means AR content is more prominent and easier to read, but also more obtrusive. You cannot easily consume AR content passively while doing something else. It is a deliberate design choice that suits dedicated, task-focused use over an ambient, always-on overlay.

The primary camera uses a Sony IMX681 sensor capable of 12MP stills and 4K/3K video. A secondary monochrome camera assists with spatial positioning, depth tracking, and dual recording. In daylight conditions, camera output is described as decent, with the wide-angle field of view well-suited to point-of-view recording.

But in low light, there is a tendency to visible noise and graininess, and the lack of digital zoom or manual camera controls reduces flexibility. A recording indicator light on the front frame activates when the camera is in use, serving both as a privacy indicator and a practical reminder.

These don’t take pictures that would worry any mid-tier phone, and most entry-level Android phones have better sensors.

The X3 Pro's battery life is probably its greatest limitation, since a 245mAh cell is simply not large enough to support extended active use of the device's headline features.

RayNeo's claim of up to five hours applies to very light use, and by that, they probably mean music playback and limited screen time. In practice, active use scenarios significantly reduce this figure. In a few of my sessions, the time was a fraction of that amount, and the worst offenders for eating battery capacity were translation, video capture and navigation.

In theory, you could have a hip-mounted power pack attached to the USB port of the X3 Pro, but when I tried this, it pulled them out of square and made reading the display even harder.

Thankfully, the glasses do feature wear detection, automatically powering down when removed. This helps conserve battery during breaks, but carrying a power pack around is practically a necessity if you intend to use them for any extended time.

Contextually, the limited battery is an inevitable consequence of the 76g weight target. A larger cell would mean a heavier device. RayNeo engineers have made a considered trade-off here, and future hardware iterations will presumably seek to improve energy density. It may be that the makers can engineer better power management through firmware adjustments, but with only 245mAh of battery to work with, there is only so much that can be done.

Without a doubt, the primary reason to hesitate before purchase is battery life.

• Features: 3.5/5

RayNeo X3 Pro: Software

(Image credit: RayNeo)

• Google Gemini 2.5 (Beta)
• Live translation
• Side-loading apps

RayNeo AIOS, the operating system built on Android and structured around four primary screens: a home screen showing time and status indicators, a quick-actions panel, an app launcher, and a notifications screen. Navigation is via the five-way touch panel on the right temple, with voice commands available via 'Hey RayNeo'. The interface is responsive and, for the constrained form factor, relatively intuitive.

According to RayNeo, it's Google Gemini that’s the flavour of AI baked into AIOS, and I suspect it’s Google Gemini 2.5 (Beta), which is a long way behind the current models that Google is promoting.

Compared to some other talking AI’s I’ve used, this one is pretty average. For starters, even though I’m in the UK, it insisted on using a chirpy American accent. And, if I asked what the temperature was, the answer arrived in Fahrenheit, times in a 12-hour clock and distances in feet and inches. Yes, Gemini, the world is America.

But aside from being fixated on a region that’s more than 3,000 miles away, the other issue was that it got simple questions wrong from the outset. As it loves America, I asked it to name the last ten U.S. leaders. It got the name and the order correct and then fumbled the answer by saying that all these people had been President in the past ten years.

I tried to subtly nudge it in the right direction by asking which ones were the President in the past ten years, but it failed to notice the discrepancy between what it was saying now and what it said previously.

Thankfully, it didn’t fall for the classic "walk or drive" question for the car wash, but I think all AI platforms are hardwired to answer that way, since it’s an obvious pitfall.

Compared to the latest versions of the major AI providers, the AI on this platform isn’t going to write Skynet anytime soon.

Real-time translation is a more advanced feature, supporting 14 languages and delivering approximately 2.1-second response times. Translation can be delivered as on-screen text or synchronised audio. In testing by other reviewers, accuracy was broadly good, though the system waits for the speaker to finish before translating. That’s necessary in some languages, like German, but it does come across as a less-than-natural conversation and can feel stilted.

Navigation is powered by HERE WeGo Maps (used by BMW and Audi), projecting turn-by-turn directions and nearby landmarks directly into your field of view. This is one of the most practically compelling use cases for the device, eliminating the need to look down at a phone while on foot. Unfortunately, the app never loaded on my glasses. Every time I tried to download and install it, it failed. Other apps were installed, so I’m unsure why this one refused to.

I know that some software for this device requires side-loading, which isn’t something many users will be happy to perform.

• Software: 3.5/5

RayNeo X3 Pro: Performance

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

The Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 is purpose-designed for augmented reality applications, and the X3 Pro benefits accordingly. Day-to-day navigation, AI queries, notification handling, and app use are smooth under normal conditions. The combination of 4GB LPDDR5 RAM and 32GB storage is appropriate for the use cases the device targets.

That said, compared with a modern smartphone, this isn’t the most powerful platform, and with some more resource-intensive tasks, the cracks start to show.

The glasses do support 6DoF + SLAM with Falcon Image spatial positioning, and the AR overlay alignment is typically accurate and stable under testing. But the issue here is more about how close this platform is to being overrun, and there are hints it's not ever too far from the edge.

But this reviewer had many more issues with this device, which is partly why I waited more than six months before completing my review.

When I first got these in 2025, they did almost nothing. Since then, the firmware updates and enhancements that come via the mobile app have transformed the functionality provided, but they haven’t addressed some of the issues I’ve had from the outset.

The first big problem I had was seeing the projected images, not because the glasses didn’t work, but because they were almost out of my field of view. Some of this was my long-sightedness that made the images seem soft, but I couldn’t see the entirety of the display without balancing the glasses on the very tip of my nose. If I didn’t do that, the image would have been presented as below me and barely in sight. Lifting the glasses to make the image central causes it to disappear.

I’m not confident that spending another £50 on the proper lenses would fix that issue.

That made just seeing things a challenge, but the other issue I had was using the touch panels on the sides of the glasses for directing the interface, because half the time they just ignored my instructions or did something I didn’t ask for. In one instance, I deleted the To-do application from the glasses, not because I wanted to, but because the glasses took one swipe as my instruction to do that, and then refused to cancel that erroneous request.

I did consider getting a small hand controller to make it easier to use or even using the phone as a touchpad, but frankly, at this price, it should be easier than it was.

My final complaint about this device is how some aspects aren’t thought through. One of the apps is a translation app, and you can stand in front of a person from another country and get real-time translation of what they are saying. And, it works. You can even run a YouTube video of someone speaking another language and see it translated.

However, my problem is how you might use this in the context of being a tourist in a foreign country. Let’s imagine I’m in Japan, where they speak a language I don’t, and I walk into a shop where a sales assistant asks, ‘What are you looking for?’ I understand this, because the glasses translate for me, but it can’t reply in Japanese.

At which point, phone translation, where you can show the person your reply in their language, or it speaks for you, works much better. Obviously, if you like to sit on a train and listen to people gossiping about you in their language, thinking you can’t understand them, it's great, but it seems an expensive device to do just that.

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• Performance: 3.5/5

Should you buy the RayNeo X3 Pro?

The RayNeo X3 Pro is, technically, the most impressive pair of smart glasses currently available for purchase. The dual-eye MicroLED display is genuinely impressive, with bright enough images for outdoor use, colourful, and binocular in a way that no other glasses at this price point can match.

The integration of Gemini AI would make it genuinely useful beyond being a novelty if the model were newer and didn’t assume that all English speakers are Americans.

The camera produces capable results in good light, and the 76g weight is a remarkable achievement for the hardware it contains.

But the £1,000+ price tag demands honest scrutiny of what you're buying, and the answer is: a first-generation product. The battery will frustrate most users who intend to use its headline features for more than an hour or two at a time. The app ecosystem requires technical workarounds.

The aesthetic is also overly conspicuous, and considering how people are quite rightly objecting to unwanted image capture and AI in general, expect some push-back from others if you wear these in public.

For early adopters, AR developers, and professionals with specific use cases, such as live translation, heads-up navigation, and meeting transcription, the X3 Pro is credible but far from perfect. For mainstream buyers hoping for an all-day, all-purpose wearable, the technology is not quite there yet, but this is the clearest indication yet of where it is heading.

Value

An expensive option even with these features

3/5

Design

Lightweight design, but obviously AR

3.5/5

Features

Great displays but tiny battery

3.5/5

Soware

AI and navigation, but side-loading is a thing

3.5/5

Performance

Wearability issues and patchy performance

3.5/5

Total

Expensive and the ecosystem is a work in progress

3.5/5

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

You want the best AR display available today
The dual-eye MicroLED is a genuine leap forward. If seeing what AR glasses can look like is important to you, nothing else currently matches it.

You have a specific professional use case
Live translation, navigation, meeting transcription, and developer access make the X3 Pro a serious productivity tool for the right scenarios.

Don't buy it if...

Social discretion matters to you
Multiple experienced smart glasses reviewers noted that the X3 Pro draws looks and comments in public. If you are not prepared to stand out, this is not the device for you yet.

You need all-day battery life
Under active use, the 245mAh cell simply cannot deliver a full day of use. If you need more than an hour or two from a single charge, look elsewhere or accept that a power bank becomes a permanent companion.

The Bambu Lab A2 L is a printer I’ve been expecting for some time. Essentially, it’s a larger A1, just with technology tweaks and, of course, scale. The big feature here is a 330 x 320 x 325 build area, making it one of the largest in its class of large open 3D printers.

While the A1 is a superb printer for beginners, there’s often a feeling that the print bed size can be a little bit restrictive, especially for some enthusiasts as well as businesses looking to model, create costume items or larger-scale prototypes, and this is what the A2 L’s larger print bed essentially facilitates.

What I like here is that Bambu has essentially created a large-frame design that keeps costs down compared with the more expensive, professional-level H2, P2, and X2 designs. This is more of the entry-level, but still it offers all of that technology and refinement that Bambu Lab always offers, and whilst many people will look at the open-frame design as a little bit of a negative point because you won’t be able to use engineering filaments, if the bulk of what you do is basic print farm work or you’re just printing PLA or basic TPU, then this machine is going to be a perfect option.

During the test, another point that came up was that the Wi-Fi is limited to 2.4 GHz. Since I was testing other kit at the time and didn’t have that 2.4GHz bandwidth, I couldn’t quite figure out what was happening. Only when I went for the dual 2.4 and 5GHz did it connect okay, but really, this is a minor thing for most businesses, and that would be absolutely fine.

The build area is obviously the major difference between this and the A1: the A1 has a nice square 256 x 256 x 256 build area, whereas this one upgrades to 330 x 320 x 325. I do kind of wish that Bambu Lab had kept an absolute cube build, as it just makes things easy when you’re orienting; however, it’s nice to have such a large space to work with.

Along with a larger build volume comes a new extrusion system, fully upgraded from the A1 standard direct-drive setup. On the A2, it adds a PMSM closed-loop servo extrusion system, designed to deliver smoother extrusion and monitor for issues during the print process. Another good upgrade is the motion stability system, which is far more advanced, as you’d expect given the couple of years between releases. Part of the reason for this is not just the passing of time, but also the fact that, because this is a much larger machine, it’s more prone to errors, so this part is finely tuned.

Further aiding error-free printing is a new package: physical blob and clogging detection, PMSM extrusion monitoring, and all live alongside all the safeguards the A1 featured when it was released.

One of the other features I have been really keen to see is the creative tool expansion, which essentially means, like the H2D, you can pop on an optional blade-cutting or pen-plotting module, so you can also work with stickers, card, leather, fabrics and a whole range of drawing and plotting projects alongside the 3D printing.

Really, this is a machine designed to sit there and get on with the work out of the box, and for less than £500/$500, you have a machine that can print multi-filament easily. If you do want to print engineering materials, you'll just have to spend a little bit more on one of the enclosed machines, but for most people, given the price, this is actually a fair option.

Bambu Lab A2L: Price and availability

The Bambu Lab A2L is available in the US for $469 direct from Bambu Lab - with a Combo version priced at $569.

It's also available in the UK for £319 at Bambu Lab, with the Combo version costing £429.

Bambu Lab A2L: Design

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)Bambu Lab A2L specifications

Print Technology: FDM / FFF, single direct-drive servo extruder
Build Area: 330 × 320 × 325mm
Minimum Layer Resolution: 0.08mm
Maximum Layer Resolution: 0.28mm
Dimensions: 544 × 529 × 505mm
Weight: 12.8kg
Bed: Heated bed, max 80°C
Print Surface: Flexible steel build plate with Textured PEI Plate
Software: Bambu Studio; Bambu Handy app; cloud or LAN-only control
Materials: PLA, PETG, TPU, PVA; PLA-CF and PETG-CF with hardened nozzle.
Print Speed: Up to 500mm/s

It’s obvious that the A2L is in the same family as the A1. Essentially, it looks similar, just on a larger desktop-style frame, that measures 544 x 529 x 505mm, quite a substantial footprint, and it’s no lightweight at 12.8kg.

That scale of machine offers the current build area of 330 x 320 x 325mm, which is substantial, and in order to ensure proper rigidity for this large-format printer, the construction is made from aluminium with steel for the chassis, and a plastic outer frame to make it look nice rather than the look of printers past. To be honest, with Bambu Lab's usual design flair, this really does look like a great machine.

One thing to note is that this is an open-frame construction, and there is not, and probably will never be, an enclosure for it. There are higher-level machines like the Super P2S if you do need to utilise more engineering materials, and they don't cost a lot more.

What really appeals to me about this design is the optional cutting-and-drawing module that can be attached. This essentially boosts the machine's usability, and if you’re into crafting or modelling, as well as working in a small design business, having all these optional extras in one machine makes a lot of sense. One point to note here is that, unlike the H2D, which offers both of these modules to expand its functionality, it is slightly stripped down here, and for safety reasons, there’s obviously no laser module.

While it’s pitched to a wide range of users, it's primarily for a home enthusiast, although I’ve already spoken to several people who run print farms and are excited about this machine because of the sheer volume of prints they’d be able to produce on each print platform. Having run successive tests over a one-month period, I can confirm that the reliability for this type of use makes this a really great option, even in the commercial business sector, as long as you don’t want to print with engineering materials that require an enclosure.

Like all Bambu printers, it's designed for multi-filament printing and is fully compatible with both AMS and AMS Lite units. If you do purchase the combo unit, then you’ll get the AMS Lite, as you did with the A1. With this machine, you can link up four AMS units to get up to 19 colours.

Bambu Lab A2L: Features

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The first thing that should really be said about the A2L is that it’s not a huge leap in technology, although there are improvements across the board, mainly to facilitate its larger build area, more than material support or additional new features. So, firstly, the headline is the scale of this machine, and as stated before, the 330 x 320 x 325mm build volume is ideal for large-format printing. If you’re thinking about cosplay or prototyping larger objects, then, to be honest, for the price, there is really very little at the moment that can match this.

That larger size usually means it’s much more prone to errors, and whilst the larger H2 machines are in line with the print volume this machine offers, the one big difference here is that it is open-frame. That not only makes it much cheaper but also restricts the types of materials you can utilise. Essentially, day-to-day prototyping in PLA or one of the other more common materials is absolutely fine, and you can pop in a hardened nozzle if you do want to print with something like PLA-CF or PETG-CF. However, if you want to print with engineering materials, such as nylon, then you are going to have to look at an enclosed machine.

There are several features that really stand out that will help make the printer as reliable as possible. The first is the aluminium-and-steel construction of the frame and chassis, which results in an ultra-rigid unit. During the test, I was surprised to see that, even when printing flat out, it appeared just how stable it was. It is, of course, always a good idea to have a really good, solid table.

Built into the extruder is one of the major upgrades over the A1: a PMSM closed-loop servo extrusion system that offers smoother filament extrusion than the direct drive we saw on the A1. There’s also adaptive vibration compensation with multiple calibration and load-adaptation options, again helping with filament flow. Another surprising thing is that they’ve added granular dampers to the frame. This is essentially to cope with the high speed that this printer is capable of, and it’s worth noting that, at full pelt, this machine is quite ferocious in the corner of the workshop.

As with the A1, blob detection, run-out detection, clog detection and tangled-spool detection are all pretty much standard features.

Some of the standout features are the optional blade-cutting and pen-plotting modules, which expand the machine's capabilities and are ideal for crafters and enthusiasts, especially at this price point.

Once again, there’s full support for the AMS Lite system, and if you buy four AMS units, then you can print up to 19 colours, which is an impressive amount for a base machine at this price.

Bambu Lab A2L: Performance

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Getting started with the Bambu Lab A2 L is relatively quick and straightforward. Unlike the fully enclosed machines that we’re starting to get used to from the company, this does require a little bit of construction, but ultimately it’s just the vertical frame with the print head pre-installed, and once you’ve bolted it down and connected a couple of cables, you can then run through the initial calibration process.

This used to be the faffy part, and construction took some time. Now, the construction takes only 5 to 10 minutes; however, once you switch the machine on, you need to connect to your Wi-Fi before it can download and install any updates. You then have to run through the calibration process, which is fully automatic, so just let it run its course; it can take almost an hour on the first run. After that, it should be pretty much self-sufficient, with an automatic reminder alerting you as to when it needs recalibration or when the rails need a little oil.

As I ran through the first prints, all stored on the small MicroSD card, I was impressed by the machine's speed and robustness. Whilst it’s just an enlarged A1 with refinement, the rigidity feels just as good as that of the smaller machine, and Bambu Lab has really made quite a lot of adjustments to the base design in order to facilitate ultra-strong joints that don’t create any wobble or movement through the print process, which is definitely needed at maximum speed.

As the first few prints rolled off the print bed, they had that unique Bambu Lab look, with very fine layering and superb overall surface and inner print quality. Single-filament prints were exceptionally quick, and I checked the models as they were produced. I could see that the fine flow control was exceptionally good, with fine detail printed well.

The point I was going to see, especially with the test models, was that the overhangs and bridges seemed well handled, demonstrating that the new head is capable of producing enough cooling air to set the filament quickly throughout the print.

After checking a series of prints, from those just for fun to more functional parts, in both PLA and PETG, I was really impressed with the quality. Realistically, if you put the prints from this machine up against those from the H2D, which is obviously far more expensive, it’s actually extremely difficult to tell the difference. Whilst this machine is cheaper, the print quality on a purely visual side-by-side basis is identical. Realistically, at the base level, you are just paying for that enclosed space, but then it is obviously a lot more than that. However, for most people, that’s really all they need: a good, large machine for printing in these base materials, which, to be honest, is what most of us use.

If you’re working in design and you need to print out a large prototype, as I have with an air cooler this summer, then this is a really great option. For the models I was printing, it printed at full height, so I could quickly prototype an entire product without breaking it down into too many parts. If you do need to break it down into parts, there’s enough out there to support plenty of different models at the same time.

During the print process and testing, I printed solely for quality purposes, then looked at printing on sale to see how many models I could reliably print, and moved on to more functional models, including an air-cooling system and the associated parts. I am also using the printers to create many props and costume parts for various projects, and, again, the additional size offered by the Bambu Lab A2 L is extremely useful.

What I like about this printer is that, it’s large, and it printed large reliably. I have three or four large-format printers, all of the open design from various manufacturers. However, most regularly fail, whereas the A2 L was consistent with those larger prints, time after time. It’s also large enough for a fully wearable helmet, which is now my go-to test when testing print volume.

A quick check of the 3D test model, and to be honest, it’s as good as any. This test, which used to challenge so many printers, really now just highlights one or two printers that aren’t quite so good, and we just see a little bit of surface imperfection, which means that you need to have a little bit more oil on one of the rails, or give the machine a good clean or calibration, rather than anything more fundamental. Re-printing a 3D Benchy, it came out absolutely perfect.

Moving on to the more in-depth Kickstarter Autodesk 3D printer check, the model produced again looked good. I was a little surprised that there was only a bit of stringing on one of the overhangs, but otherwise the model itself looked exceptionally good, with fine flow control and dimensional accuracy that really highlighted what it was capable of. Whilst this is the larger of the two relatively entry-level models from Bambu, it’s still very, very capable.

Further, to put this to the test, I ran it for two weeks nonstop, producing multiple parts of the same model to check reliability. What I was interested in seeing was that after a certain number of hours, the interface asked me to maintain the rails. This is just a good reminder that Bambu Lab is really looking after the machines and notifying users when maintenance is required. I was also pleased to see that printing just pure PLA from four reels was consistent. I am not a huge fan of the AMS Lite four-reel design; however, there’s no doubting that it works. Here again in the workshop, it produced prints without issue.

The Bambu Lab A2 L is a natural progression as a 3D printer. It’s not one to get overly excited about; it is what it is and will enable you to print large. It’s relatively inexpensive. Budget-wise, what impressed me was just how reliable it proved to be, and with that large build area, you can not only print more but also print at a higher volume, at one of the lowest prices for this level of reliability and quality on the market.

If you run a print farm or you prototype goods, or you’re just looking for your next larger-format printer for producing cosplay costumes, then I can see the A2L being a popular choice that gives you far greater flexibility than its smaller and now slightly older sibling.

Bambu Lab A2L: Print quality

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Dimensional accuracy - score of 4/5

Target 25 = X: 4.88mm / 0.12mm Error | Y: 4.82mm / 0.18mm Error
Target 20 = X: 9.55mm / 0.45mm Error | Y: 9.89mm / 0.11mm Error
Target 15 = X: 14.86mm / 0.14mm Error | Y: 14.83mm / 0.17mm Error
Target 10 = X: 18.84mm / 0.16mm Error | Y: 19.81mm / 0.19mm Error
Target 5 = X: 24.81mm / 0.19mm Error | Y: 24.71mm / 0.29mm Error

X Error Average = 0.212
Y Error Average = 0.188
X&Y Error Average = 0.2

Fine Flow Control - score of 5
Fine Negative Features - score of 5
Overhangs - score of 5
Bridging - score of 4
XY resonance - score of 2.5
Z-axis alignment - score of 2.5

Adding up the totals gives a final score of 28 out of 30

BambuLab A2L: Final verdict

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

When you are looking at the A2L, you have to think about the build quality, given its size, and what I’m really pleased to see is, firstly, that Bambu Lab has continued with its design principles. This is a large-format printer that looks great. It has all the features from Bambu that many have come to expect.

Set-up and maintenance are exceptionally easy. As long as you follow the prompts, you’re going to have trouble-free printing. The only thing I would say, like with Bambu Lab’s other printers, is that it can be a little overprotective of the print: at any sign of string or debris on the build plate, it will stop, and you will have to check it. It won’t just plough through, which in itself is actually a good thing, but I can’t help but feel it’s just a little bit oversensitive.

This is still an open-frame design, so whilst the size will definitely appeal to professionals and high-end enthusiasts, you do need to consider that it will only print materials such as PLA, PETG and specialist TPU. Anything you would probably choose to make functional parts does require an enclosure, so from that point of view, it’s a little limited. However, that’s not what the A2 series is about, and actually, as a large-format printer for printing PLA prototypes, costumes and all manner of other objects in that fashion, it’s a great choice.

The other point about this 3D printer is that it has printing and cutting ability with the pen and cutter, which lends it to even greater use. Whilst this is a good option and a space-saver for many, I definitely prefer a cutter that draws the material through rather than one that pushes it down, as this machine does. Still, for my stuff, as long as the blade is exceptionally sharp, it works very well for both cutting and plotting.

If you own a company and want to create large-scale models or PLA, it’s a brilliant 3D printer. In my tests, I found it to be good and reliable, except that it stops on almost anything. But a quick check, either physically or through the Bambu Handy app, and get it set going. If you’re a keen model crafter or enthusiast of any type, this is a superb option, as long as you’ve got that slightly larger space to keep it. If you’re working in product design and you just need a large-scale printer for prototyping, this is again a superb choice.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)Should I buy the Bambu Lab A2L?Buy it if...

You need to print big.
There are a few other machines that can print at this size and quality, but with the open-frame design and Bambu Lab’s leading technology, it comes together in a combination that ultimately produces superb prints reliably.

You need mass printing.
Many print farms now utilise enclosed printers due to space and reliability. If you’re regularly printing multiple objects, the large print platform and reliability make this a superb option.

Don't buy it if...

Limited on table space
The A2 L does come in a size, so you will require quite some space in order for it to sit. It’s also a bed-slinger design, so whilst you might put it on your desktop, you do need to make sure that the print platform has enough room to move forward and back.

You need engineering materials.
The downside of the design is that you are limited to standard materials, so if you need engineering-grade materials for functional parts, you’ll have to use an enclosed printer.

For more models, I've tested the best 3D printers you can get right now.

MelGeek Made68 Ultra V2: One-minute review

The MelGeek Made68 Ultra V2 is a wired analog keyboard with a retro design that belies its advanced analog adjustability.

It certainly harks back to a time when the ‘gamer aesthetic’ was in full swing, with its translucent keycaps and faux-industrial body. The rear and side lighting are interesting touches, though.

It’s also a veritable slab of a keyboard. It’s very thick, although it gets thinner towards the front, which means the keys angle towards the user slightly. This is just as well, since the Made68 Ultra V2 doesn’t have any pop-out feet, as many of the best gaming keyboards do.

The materials feel premium enough and solidly put together. It’s heavy, which helps the board to stay planted, but this could be an issue if you frequently move your board around.

Although the Made68 Ultra V2 has bright RGB backlighting, it’s a misstep that it doesn’t shine through the keycap characters. In fact, it actively obscures them, so you’d best get familiar with touchtyping if you aren’t already.

(Image credit: Future)

There are plenty of useful FN shortcuts, but unfortunately none of them is labelled on the relevant keycap, so you’ll have to refer to the manual and learn them by heart.

If you want to customize bindings, you can use MelGeek’s web app for this purpose. There are plenty of options here, but it’s the precise and copious analog adjustments that are even more impressive.This app is easily accessible via two taps of the Mode button on the rear, which is a thoughtful touch and one I wish more gaming keyboards featured. For a web app, it’s also very fast and stable.

In a word, the best way to describe the performance of the Made68 Ultra V2 is solid. The keys don’t wobble at all, and presses are firm with a satisfying thunk once they reach the end of their travel. This provides plenty of feedback, while the dampening is sufficient enough to prevent harshness. At the same time, they’re also very snappy and responsive, thanks to their quick rebound.

I also found the WASD position comfortable, and all peripheral keys were easy and comfortable to hit. I did find myself hitting its edge on occasion, but its springiness and dampening still make it better than many others I’ve encountered.

All of this performance and adjustability doesn’t come cheap, though. The Made68 Ultra V2 is more expensive than many of its rivals — even those with bigger names, which makes the Made68 Ultra V2’s price harder to swallow. But if you prize a sturdy construction and a solid feel above all else, there aren’t many that can beat it on these fronts.

MelGeek Made68 Ultra V2 review: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future)

• $219 (about £160 / AU$300)
• Available now in multiple colorways
• Top-of-the-sector pricing

The MelGeek Made68 Ultra V2 costs $219 (about £160 / AU$300) and is available now in multiple colorways from the brand’s website. International shipping is offered, with region-dependent charges.

This is expensive for any wired gaming keyboard, even analog models. It’s costlier than some offerings from the big hitters in the space, such as Razer and SteelSeries. For instance, the former’s Huntsman V3 Tenkeyless 8KHz costs $169.99, yet it has similar analog tweakability and even includes controller emulation, which the Made68 Ultra V2 misses out on.

As for SteelSeries, its Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 is also cheaper than the Made68 Ultra V2, and what’s more it’s one of the best analog gaming keyboards I’ve ever used in terms of build and performance. Its keys feel great and offer superb control. It might miss out on controller emulation, but it shines in virtually every other area.

MelGeek Made68 Ultra V2 review: Specs

Layout

TKL

Switch

KOM Lite Magnetic / Flip King Magnetic

Programmable keys

Yes

Dimensions

12.6 x 4.6 x 1.6 inches / 319 x 117 x 40mm

RGB or backlighting

Yes (customizable)

MelGeek Made68 Ultra V2 review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Retro looks
• Very thick and heavy
• Advanced customization options

I think it’s fair to say that the appearance of the Made68 Ultra V2 will prove divisive. Some may view it as charmingly retro, while others will think it dated. The translucent keycaps allow the switches underneath to be seen and let the RGB shine through. The effect is nice, but it does look like something we might have seen 20 years ago.

The frame is also a throwback to a time when gaming peripherals had an industrial bent, with its metallic side plates and sharp corners. However, the large rectangular lightbar adds some interest, and I haven’t seen anything like this before on a keyboard. The same is true of the side light bars, so the Made68 Ultra V2 at least has something to distinguish it from others in the space.

(Image credit: Future)

Complementing that sharp and angular appearance is its thickness. This tapers off somewhat towards the front, which has the effect of tilting the keys towards you. This is a good thing, since the Made68 Ultra V2 has no folding feet, although I still would’ve welcomed some to create even more of an angle.

Perhaps the sheer weight of the unit is the reason for this absence. Whether this is a flaw or a feature will likely depend on personal preferences. If you want a solid, planted feel, then you may well appreciate its heft; however, if you move your board around frequently, or take it with you on your travels, you won’t.

There are numerous Fn shortcuts on the Made68 Ultra V2, although it’s a shame that none of them is marked on the keycaps themselves, which means you’ll have to commit them to memory.

But even if they were marked, you’d be hard pressed to see them, since the RGB backlighting fails to shine through the keycap characters. In fact, it actively obscures them; turning off the backlighting actually makes the keycap symbols easier to read, which defeats the point of the feature in the first place. This is perhaps the biggest design flaw of the Made68 Ultra V2.

(Image credit: Future)

If you want to customize these shortcuts, and rebind all the other keys, you’ll need to use MelGeek’s web app. This is easily accessed by double-tapping the Mode button on the rear of the board, which is a thoughtful touch and one I wish every keyboard featured. There are plenty of system and media commands available for mapping, but it's the analog features and adjustments that really stand out here.

Take the multi-binding features. There’s a counter-strafing mode that triggers a second input when releasing a key; so if you’re holding A to strafe left, you can set this same key to trigger a D input when released to stop you quicker. There’s also a Rappy Snappy mode that gives priority to a single input when two keys are pressed depending on which is pressed further down.

There are a pleasing amount of actuation adjustments, too. You can set the actuation point between 0.1mm and 3.3mm, and even alter the deadzone at the bottom of a key’s travel between 0mm and 0.07mm, which is something I haven’t seen before in other keyboards.

(Image credit: Future)

The Rapid Trigger mode also offers plenty of scope for meeting the demands of pro gamers. There’s an adaptive mode with three presets to choose from: Stable, Balanced, or Agile. But if you’re a tinkerer, there’s a manual mode with sliders for adjusting up- and downstrokes independently. These have a large range of 0.01mm to 2.4mm and increments of one hundredth of a millimeter. There’s also a Continuous Rapid Trigger mode, where a key only deactivates when you fully release the key, rather than merely releasing above your predefined actuation point.

This level of analog adjustability is very welcome. It’s a small shame, however, that there’s no controller emulation feature, as some other analog gaming keyboards have. But given the inconsistent effectiveness of such modes, I’m not too disappointed about its absence here.

I often find web apps less effective than standalone software, but I’m pleased to report that MelGeek’s is a fine example of the former. It’s fast, stable, and easy to use, thanks to its uncluttered layout and explanations of its various features. The only real drawback is the lack of visualization; I find this helps to inform all my actuation-related adjustments by letting me see their effects in real time.

MelGeek Made68 Ultra V2 review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Solid yet snappy keys
• Reasonably comfortable WASD position
• Great for typing

Perhaps the most striking aspect of the Made68 Ultra V2 is its key feel. The keys have no play to them and fire straight as an arrow. This makes them very secure, a feeling that’s bolstered by their mild but noticeable indentations. Their surface is pleasantly smooth without compromising traction.

Equally gratifying is the solid thud when the keys hit the end of their travel. There’s just enough dampening here to avoid them feeling harsh, and they still only require a light touch. They also rebound with impressive alacrity, which makes them feel snappy and responsive.

This combination of solid and springy means the Made68 Ultra V2 offers speed and control in equal parts, and makes it just as suitable for typing as it does for gaming. I made far fewer typos than I usually do with keycaps this tall and narrow, which is testament to the keyboard’s precise action.

Thanks to the forward tilt of the keys, the WASD position was comfortable, and reaching the outer keys was easy. I found myself hitting the edge of the space bar on occasion, but its lightness, feedback, and springiness made up for this. It’s a joy to use and one of the best I’ve experienced. I still wished the angle of the keys was a little steeper, though, and I would’ve welcomed a wrist rest for longer sessions to compensate for the thickness of the unit.

Should I buy the MelGeek Made68 Ultra V2?Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Very expensive, even for an analog gaming keyboard. Equally capable boards from bigger names are sometimes cheaper.

2.5 / 5

Design and features

Very heavy and sturdy with a retro appeal. Plenty of customizations are available thanks to the web app.

3.5 / 5

Performance

The solid yet snappy keys are excellent for gaming and typing. The angle of the board is a bit too shallow, though.

4 / 5

Overall rating

The Made68 Ultra V2 is a high-performing and highly adjustable analog keyboard. But its faults are hard to excuse at this price point.

3.5 / 5

Buy it if…

You want solid keys
The thud of the keys is always satisfying, while their lightness and snappy rebound makes them easy to use.

You want plenty of customizations
Aside from controller emulation, the Made68 Ultra V2 has all the analog features you could wish for.

Don't buy it if…

You’re on a budget
Despite MelGeek being a relatively unknown brand, the Made68 Ultra V2 commands a premium price tag that would make even the big names blush.

You can’t touchtype
You’ll struggle to see the key markings when the RGB backlighting is on, which defeats the point.

MelGeek Made68 Ultra V2 review: Also consider

SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3
In terms of sheer performance, the Apex Pro is one of the best analog gaming keyboards I’ve ever used. The feedback of the keys allows for precise control of inputs, while the myriad adjustments and customizations allow you to get the perfect setup. It’s also built very well, and is slightly cheaper than the Made68 Ultra V2. Read our full SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 review.

Razer Huntsman V3 Tenkeyless 8KHz
Another analog keyboard with a smorgasbord of adjustments and features, the Huntsman is a very competent performer. It perhaps doesn’t have the same satisfying feel as the Made68 Ultra V2, but it’s considerably cheaper. Read our full Razer Huntsman V3 Tenkeyless 8KHz review.

How I tested the MelGeek Made68 Ultra V2

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested for several days
• Used for gaming and working
• Plentiful gaming keyboard experience

I tested the Made68 Ultra V2 for several days, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general browsing.

I played games such as Counter-Strike 2, which is a stern test for peripherals, given the demands it places on speed and precision.

I’ve been using gaming keyboards for years, and have reviewed a large number of them, across all manner of price points, switch types, and form factors.

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

Dreame Z30 Pro Aqua: two-minute review

The Dreame Z30 Pro Aqua is one of those products that leaves you feeling both impressed and slightly perplexed. No question, this is an impressive cordless stick vac with suction powerful enough to deal with everything from fine dust to larger debris, especially when used on carpet. However, while the provided multi-floor head is well engineered, I do wish Dreame had included its clever GapFree hard floor head as featured with the Dreame V20 Pro, which I consider a much better bet for hard floor sweeping.

Battery life is a respectable 35 minutes or so in Auto mode, and the whole machine feels fairly light in the hand, well balanced and easy enough to maneuver. Whether you're tackling carpets or rugs, it performs with the confidence you'd expect from what is essentially a flagship model. However, it’s not the best hard-floor model I’ve seen, at least when it comes to picking up larger debris.

While its detachable mopping unit is a class leader at collecting accidental spills and lifting everyday grime, its twin water tanks are simply too small to support cleaning across an entire home without frequent refills. As a result, it feels more like a maintenance tool than a genuine wet-cleaning solution, making it best suited to localized cleaning and single-room mopping rather than cleaning the floors of an entire house.

I'm not convinced by Dreame's docking solution, either. Instead of the elegant wall-mounted charging docks offered by some rivals, the Z30 Pro Aqua comes with an ungainly stand featuring a collection of bolt-on accessory holders. It's undeniably practical, but it looks more like an afterthought than something designed to complement a modern home. Put another way, you may want to tuck this stand well out of sight.

Nevertheless, strip away the awkward storage system and you’re still left with a very decent cordless vacuum cleaner and exemplary spot mopper for occasional household mishaps.

Dreame Z30 Pro Aqua review: price & availability

• List price: £549 (about $730 / AU$1,060)
• Launched: May 2026
• Availability: UK and Europe

The Dreame Z30 Pro Aqua sits firmly in the premium end of the cordless vacuum market. In the UK, its official retail price is a lofty £549 (about $730 / AU$1,060) but Dreame is currently selling it for a more reasonable £479 (about $640 / AU$920). Across Europe, pricing varies by country but generally lands at around €479.

While you can purchase the vac-only Z30 variant in the USA, the Z30 Pro Aqua we’re reviewing here hasn't been officially released over there yet, though Dreame is expected to bring the Pro Aqua (or a similar wet-dry variation) Stateside sometime later in 2026.

The Z30 Pro Aqua is competing against some seriously capable cordless cleaners and, while its vacuuming credentials are generally excellent, you are paying a premium for a mopping system that doesn't quite live up to the rest of the package. Unless your hard-floor cleaning needs are limited to quick maintenance mops, you may find better value elsewhere.

One alternative is to buy a stick vacuum and a dedicated wet-dry floor cleaner separately. Pairing something like the Dreame R20 (around £179 in the UK) or Shark PowerDetect (around £330) with a specialist floor washer such as the Dreame H15 Pro, Tineco Floor One S7 Pro or Roborock F25 Ultra will deliver much better range for whole-home mopping without constant refills and emptying. Yes, you'll need storage space for two appliances, but you'll also end up with a far more capable cleaning setup that excels at every task instead of compromising on either.

• Value for money score: 3.5 out of 5

Dreame Z30 Pro Aqua specs

Type

Cordless vacuum with wet-and-dry unit

Bagged / bagless

Bagless

Weight

7.72lbs / 3.5kg

Bin size

20.2 fl oz / 0.6 litre

Max runtime

Claimed 90 mins in Eco mode

Max suction

310 AW (28,000Pa)

Clean water tank:

13.5 fl oz / 400ml

Dirty water tank:

10.8 fl oz / 320ml

Hot air drying time

30 mins

Hot air drying temperature

158F / 70C

Charging time

4 hours

Tools

TangleCut Multi-Surface Brush, AquaCycle 2.0 Wet Cleaning Brush, wide fluff tool, crevice tool, dusting bush

Noise level

90dB

Dreame Z30 Pro Aqua review: design

• Elegant hand unit
• Impressive suction stats
• Unattractive docking system

(Image credit: Future)

There are two main floor-cleaning disciplines — vacuuming and mopping — and both require a completely different approach. For vacuuming of hard floors and carpet you obviously need a vacuum cleaner — preferably of the cordless stick variety — but when it comes to mopping hard floors you have several choices.

There’s obviously the classic mop and bucket (which reigns supreme despite the paraphernalia and elbow grease required), a large handful of paper towels for liquid spills, or the good old damp tea towel for either messy spills or general hard floor cleaning. However, I know of a more practical solution and it’s called a cordless hard floor cleaner or, for want of a better description, a wet-dry vacuum cleaner.

These machines use a self-dampened spinning roller to quite literally suck up liquid spills of almost every variety — even vomit and puppy wee if you can handle the thought — depositing the disgusting mess into a large dirty water tank which is then emptied into the toilet bowl while holding one’s nose.

The big bonus with wet-dry vacs is that they cleverly eliminate the need for a bucket of water or any other accoutrements, so when you’re faced with a liquid spill, you simply grab the machine, run it over the mess a few times and return it to its charging plinth where it undergoes a robust self-cleaning regime in readiness for the next calamity.

Of course, these handy home helpers are also sterling floor moppers in general, removing most stains and grime off kitchen and bathroom floors in record time. However, the upshot is that you end up with two machines cluttering the home, which is where this all-in-one vaccy-moppy model from Dreame comes into the equation.

Before I discuss the Dreame Z30 Pro Aqua’s versatile list of credentials, I must chip in with a quick caveat regarding its looks. Attired in Dreame’s usual posh rose gold bling, the Z30 Pro Aqua’s main vacuum unit is actually very stylish and elegant but I can’t say the same for the storage system-cum-charging-and-mop-cleaning plinth, which is so ugly that even Dreame is shying away from making a song and dance about it on its web page.

I’m struggling to think of what this tangled melange of bendy pipes and bolted-on plastic accessory holders looks like but it’s quite an eyesore that you will definitely want to hide deep in the recesses of the utility room – or at the very least well away from any living areas.

(Image credit: Future)

The Z30 Pro Aqua’s charging system entails pushing the suction tube into a pair of arm clamps until they click shut, and it’s a bit of wobbly affair it must be said. But here’s the thing — the suction tube needs to be attached to the mopping head because the charging contacts don’t line up if docked with the vacuum head. Given that most of the time you’ll be using the vacuuming function, I think this is a major oversight because it requires having to change the vacuum head to the mopping head every time you dock the unit. Anyway, to remove the unit, you simply push back against the clamps to release it.

I’ve never been a fan of multiple accessories, but this one comes with a mini banquet, namely the obligatory dusting brush, flat head and crevice nozzle, which all clip into the charging base assembly. However, it’s not very often that I’m able to attach any of the detail tools to the storage post without fiddling about with the connectors. There’s only one way to insert them and even this requires wiggling the accessory until you finally locate the correct entry angle. This is not such a good thing when you’re in the middle of a clean and you’re swapping tools like a plumber fixing a leaky pipe.

(Image credit: Future)

Disappointingly, you get just one universal brush head with this machine, and not the clever edge-cleaning hard floor-specific head that shipped with the excellent Dreame V20 Pro stick vac. Yes, I know that would perhaps be one accessory too many but I’d be happy to find someone to store it, mostly because it’s so good at cleaning right to the very edge of skirting boards.

The 8.6-inch (22cm) brush head itself is essentially a solid, molded cylinder with protruding paddles, each with a soft nylon bristle attached. Despite its simplicity, it makes an extremely good fist of beating dust out of carpets but it feels and sounds too rigid for hard floors. On the plus side, the brush head is easy to maneuver around furniture legs and I like the suction reduction vent on the front of the head which is handy on deeper pile carpet. A full blue beam of blue light, meanwhile, illuminates detritus when sweeping in darker areas, though it’s not a patch on Dyson’s Lazer Dust Detection system.

(Image credit: Future)

This leads me to the last part of this unusual entry into the world of floor cleaning – the detachable mop head. Unlike purpose-built wet-dry hard floor cleaners like the class-leading Roborock 25 Ultra – which comes with a large 33.8 fl oz (1L) clean water tank and 24.3 fl oz (720ml) dirty water reservoir – the Z30 Pro Aqua’s detachable mop head is equipped with a titchy 13.5 fl oz (400ml) fresh water tank, an even smaller 10.8 fl oz (320ml) one for the filthy stuff and, uniquely, a separate collection box for solid debris.

(Image credit: Future)

Unlike dedicated electro moppers that port all muck — liquid and solid — into one large container for pouring into the toilet, this one separates the waste into liquid and solids. I can see the reasoning behind it if one were to use the sink for disposing the contents because it keeps the solid stuff aside for emptying into the kitchen bin by simply lifting out the solids container.

Granted, the mop system is self cleaning, but this process uses most of the water in the tank so you’ll likely need a refill for the self-cleaning process followed by yet another refill and emptying session before you can take it out on its next run. On the plus side, the front-mounted wooly spinning mop head – thicker and more absorbent than others I’ve seen – is thoroughly cleaned and then dried on its bucket-shaped base for 30 minutes using hot air at a very effective 158F (70C).

(Image credit: Future)

Let’s take a closer look at the engine room of this new vac-and-mop system. The handheld unit alone weighs 5lb (2.3kg) and 7.7lb (3.5kg) with the suction tube and floor head attached. This is the exact same combined weight as the Dyson Gen5Detect, and par for the course given its larger-than-average 20.3 fl oz (0.6L) dust bin capacity. To empty the bin, you simply tap a side button and it lifts off the unit to be taken to the bin and emptied by pressing another button to eject all detritus. In terms of suction power, the Z30 Pro Aqua produces a whopping 28,000 Pascals – more than enough oomph for deep-pile carpet cleaning duties.

The Z30 Pro Aqua’s hand unit doesn’t come with a trigger. Instead you press the On button and choose from Auto (which increases suction automatically when heavy deposits of dust are detected), Eco or Turbo. You can see which mode you’re in by looking at the circular display which, incidentally, also illustrates the levels of debris being collected in Auto mode, a bit like a Dyson only nowhere near as bright or as readable.

Dreame’s 90-minute running time is based on it being in Eco mode on hard floor and that may be true or taken with a pinch of salt. However I have always used Auto mode, for which I got about 35 minutes of suction and/or mopping when running the unit on a hard wooden floor. That’s not too bad for a stick vac in auto mode — I’ve seen worse.

(Image credit: Future)

I’ll end this chapter with a shout out to the rose gold suction tube that bends 90 degrees for reaching under sofas and beds. If I’m not mistaken, Shark was the first to produce an articulating suction tube. It’s a great feature to have, mostly because it saves having to get on one’s knees when cleaning under low-slung furnishings.

My final thoughts on the design of the Z30 Pro Aqua? Firstly, build quality is excellent throughout. The main unit feels reassuringly solid without becoming too cumbersome, while the large transparent dust bin, easy-release battery and intuitive controls all contribute to a very premium vacuuming experience.

In essence, it looks to me like this product was created mostly for vacuuming, but with the ability to clean up small spills and odd stains as and when they occur. I don’t think it’s a valid alternative to a dedicated wet-dry vacuum cleaner which is suitable for cleaning a whole home. But, hey, if the concept of a multipurpose two-in-one floor cleaner floats your boat then by all means go ahead. Just be aware that you may not be able to mop more than half a large kitchen before having to perform an empty-and-refill session.

• Design score: 4 out of 5

Dreame Z30 Pro Aqua review: performance

• Exceptional carpet performance
• Not as efficient on hard floors
• Perfect for spot mopping

Aside from some daily vacuuming and low-level mopping, I also set up three performance tests for the Dreame Z30 Pro Aqua: carpet and hard floor vacuuming using a variety of dry ingredients, including rice, partly broken cornflakes, oats and flour; and hard floor mopping using a splash of milk and a few cornflakes. For both tests I set the suction mode to Auto, which adjusts the power according to the amount of dust and dirt the built-in sensor detects.

(Image credit: Future)

The result for the hard floor test in my kitchen was about average. It certainly wasn’t a match for my Dyson Gen5Detect with its hard floor-specific attachment fitted. Although it collected the cornflakes, oats and flour well enough, the Z30 scattered more rice than it should have. I put this unexceptional performance down to the design of the universal brush head which doesn’t seem particularly well suited to hard floors. It also sounded a wee bit clattery as if it was crying out for a smooth velveteen brush roller. A very good reason, me thinks, for Dreame to include its excellent GapFree hard floor-specific head with this product.

(Image credit: Future)

The carpet test, on the other hand, was a much rosier picture. In fac, I’d say that the Z30 may well be one of the better carpet sweepers on the market since it had no issues collecting everything in a single stroke bar a few obstreperous grains of rice. It also left no trace of flour, even when examined close up. The Z30 has also proved very adept at collecting huge amounts of Labrador hair during its general cleaning routines.

(Image credit: Future)

For my final test I grabbed the mopping unit, filled it with fresh water and introduced it to some spilled milk and soggy cornflakes. Blow me down with a feather! This thing performed exceedingly well in this test, collecting every last flake of corn and all the milk in a single pass. I put this down to the material used for the roller which is thick, dense, and has a slightly grippy feel. In fact, I also noticed the effectiveness of this roller during standard mopping duties because it dealt with general stains and floor marks with consummate aplomb. I have also been impressed by how well the mop has steered around furniture and how it can be angled to over 90˚ for tight areas.

• Performance score: 4 out of 5

Should you buy the Dreame Z30 Pro Aqua?

Attribute

Notes

Rating

Value

The Z30 Pro Aqua is expensive, but its powerful vacuuming and integrated mopping may justify the outlay for some households, though not everyone.

3.5 / 5

Design

An intriguing combo for those after a two-in-one floor-cleaning solution but the jury’s out on the ungainly look of the mop-cleaning dock.

4 / 5

Performance

This isn’t the best option for hard floors but it’s excellent on carpet. And while its mop is intended for short bursts, it’s surprisingly excellent at cleaning up stains and spills.

4 / 5

Buy it if...

You want decent vacuuming performance

Powerful suction and an effective floor head make light work of carpets, rugs and, to a lesser degree, hard floors.

You need to perform occasional spot mopping

This model is just the ticket for quick mopping duties.

You love premium build quality

The Z30 Pro Aqua feels every bit like a flagship appliance, with solid construction and refined ergonomics.

Don't buy it if...

You need to perform whole-home mopping

The mop unit’s small clean and dirty water tanks limit how much floor you can tackle before stopping for a refill.

You have an eye for aesthetics

The stand works okay, but its bulky, ugly design and silly charging system are a let down.

You don’t need a mopping system

This may not be the model for you.View Deal

How I tested the Dreame Z30 Pro Aqua

After I’d had my eyes abused by the sight of this model’s convoluted dock design, I managed to find somewhere out of sight to store it before embarking on a series of tests. Aside from a two week period of using it for general cleaning purposes – at which it mostly excelled – I set up a couple of challenging vacuum tests, plus a mopping test using a liquid spill.

I also evaluated its weight in the hand and overall maneuverability on both carpet and hard floors – the mopping attachment is especially impressive in this department. However, on even closer inspection of the dock, I still maintain that there’s work to do in improving its looks and functionality, especially the disappointing charging system that only works if the mopping head is attached. But, hey, each to their own.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed July 2026

BoomTown is a full-featured real estate CRM that provides the marketing muscle agents need to generate and convert leads. The cloud-based platform offers a comprehensive suite of tools spanning lead generation, IDX websites, email campaigns, transaction management, AI business analytics, and more.

What sets BoomTown apart from other CRM platforms is the breadth of its capabilities. While it may not be the absolute best in any one area, few CRMs can match its overall scope. The automated marketing features and lead gen services are particularly strong. You also get a dedicated success manager to help turn those leads into commissions.

BoomTown's slick mobile app puts the power of the CRM in your pocket when you're on the go. Plus, the open API enables integrations beyond the 20+ third-party solutions it natively supports to further extend the functionality. If you're looking for an all-in-one platform to run your real estate business, BoomTown is a solid contender.

BoomTown CRM core capabilities Take advantage of powerful automation features and reporting with BoomTown’s CRM.BoomTownBring in more leads with BoomTown’s lead gen team, and nurture those leads with its success management team.BoomTownBuild IDX-powered websites and link them together with BoomTown’s site builder.BoomTownDo everything you can do on the desktop CRM from a clean, mobile-friendly interface using BoomTown’s Now app.BoomTownIntegrate your BoomTown experience with over 20 third-party partners.BoomTown

BoomTown CRM delivers on all the features aimed at empowering real estate professionals to efficiently manage their contacts, track sales pipelines, forecast deals, and gain actionable insights through analytics.

A solid contact management system, BoomTown allows users to centralize all their leads and client information in one place, making it easy to navigate and stay organized. I found the ability to add detailed notes, set reminders, and automate follow-ups valuable for nurturing relationships and maintaining communication.

When it comes to pipeline tracking, BoomTown CRM offers a visual and intuitive interface. The pipeline view provides a clear overview of where each deal stands, enabling agents to identify bottlenecks and prioritize their efforts. I appreciate how the system automatically updates the pipeline stages based on predefined criteria, saving time and reducing the risk of manual errors.

Sales forecasting is another area where BoomTown outperforms many competitors. The platform leverages historical data and current pipeline information to generate accurate revenue projections. Very useful for strategic planning and resource allocation. I found the customizable forecast reports especially neat, as they allow for a granular analysis of expected sales by agent, region, or property type.

For analyzing performance, BoomTown offers a wealth of insights and metrics to help agents and brokers measure their success and identify areas for improvement. From lead conversion rates to average time to close, the analytics dashboard provides a comprehensive view of key performance indicators. I particularly like the ability to benchmark individual and team performance against industry standards, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

The platform's mobile app, available for both iOS and Android devices, provides agents with on-the-go access to their contacts, pipeline, and tasks. I found the app's user interface to be intuitive and responsive, allowing for seamless productivity even when out of the office and in the field.

Beyond the core features, BoomTown CRM offers a range of additional capabilities that enhance its value proposition. The system integrates with popular real estate tools like MLS databases, task managers, and marketing automation platforms, streamlining workflows and eliminating data silos. I also appreciate the customization options, which allow brokerages to tailor the platform to their specific needs and branding.

While BoomTown CRM excels in many areas, there are a few aspects that could be improved. The learning curve for some of the more advanced features can be steep and the initial setup process may require dedicated training. Additionally, the pricing structure may be a bit steep for smaller brokerages or individual agents.

Overall, BoomTown CRM delivers a comprehensive and powerful solution for real estate professionals looking to optimize their contact management, pipeline tracking, sales forecasting, and performance analytics. The platform's mobile access and additional features further enhance its value. Despite some minor drawbacks, I believe BoomTown CRM is a top contender in the real estate CRM space, offering the tools and insights needed to drive success in today's competitive market.

How easy is BoomTown CRM to use?

Coming over to the UX, BoomTown CRM gets mostly positive remarks from users and reviewers. The user interface is frequently described as visually appealing and enjoyable to use. One reviewer noted, "It is by far the most visually appealing real estate software, which makes it incredibly easy to use."

The mobile app also receives praise for bringing the full CRM functionality together in a neat, mobile-friendly format. Generating and managing leads, tracking progress, and automated email marketing are all called out as working smoothly.

However, the learning curve isn't zero. Some reviews mention it takes time to get everything set up and running optimally. At least one user complained about slow response times when seeking support.

BoomTown loses some points compared to competitors for its landing page builder. While functional, it's based on WordPress, which involves more of a learning curve compared to proprietary builders offered by some rival CRMs. That said, WordPress is also known for its outstanding flexibility.

Overall, though, BoomTown appears to be an intuitive platform that becomes easy to use once you're over the initial learning curve. But those looking for more of a "just works" experience with minimal customization may want to evaluate other options.

Integrations

When it comes to integrations, BoomTown doesn't disappoint. The CRM offers a wide range of pre-built integrations and connectors with popular real estate tools and services, allowing agents to seamlessly connect their entire arsenal of apps into one central command center.

Some standout native integrations include Sisu for syncing transaction and lead data, BombBomb for easily embedding video content into marketing materials, Brokermint for transaction management, CallAction for capturing inbound calls as new leads, dotloop for syncing deals, and even Google Calendar for scheduling appointments.

Through Zapier, BoomTown can integrate with a whopping 6,000 other apps, making it incredibly versatile. You can use Zapier to set up automated workflows between BoomTown and apps like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and countless others with just a few clicks. The possibilities are nearly endless.

BoomTown also offers an API for custom integrations if you have more advanced needs. While I wasn't able to test the API directly, user reports suggest the documentation is comprehensive and that it’s reliable for syncing data across systems.
That said, some users have reported occasional hiccups with the speed and consistency of data syncing between apps using pre-built connectors. However, this seems to be more the exception than the norm. Generally speaking, however, I'm impressed with BoomTown's integration capabilities despite being a niche real estate CRM.

How good is BoomTown customer support?

Booking an appointment with BoomTown’s sales team is easy with BoomBot’s help. (Image credit: BoomTown)

BoomTown offers a solid range of live support channels, including phone, email, and live chat, to get help from a real person. They also provide self-service support options like a knowledge base and community forum to let users find answers on their own.

In terms of responsiveness, BoomTown's support team is generally prompt, based on my experience and user reviews. While I couldn't find specific data on the CRM support’s average first response and resolution times, most customers seem satisfied with how quickly the support reps get back to them.

The quality of support also appears to be a strength for BoomTown. Their support staff is consistently described as helpful, knowledgeable, and easy to work with in solving issues. That said, support experiences aren't consistent across the board. Some users have encountered slower or less reliable support at times.

So while there's room for improvement, BoomTown delivers responsive support more often than not. The multiple support channels and self-service resources provide flexibility, with most customers having only positive things to say about their support interactions. But as with any vendor, individual support experiences may vary.

BoomTown CRM pricing and plans

Plan

Launch

Grow

Advance

Price

$1000/month

$1300/month

$1500/month

Best For

Small-to-medium enterprises starting with CRM tools

Growing teams needing enhanced features and support

Large-scale organizations requiring dedicated support

Features

Lead management

Smart-drip plans

Mobile app access

More user seats

Dynamic retargeting

Success assurance

Reduced setup fee

Custom integrations

Account manager

Limitations

Limited advanced features, higher setup fee

Higher cost, no custom integrations

Most expensive plan, only for large teams

BoomTown offers a few different pricing plans catered to teams of different sizes, but their main "Advance" plan, aimed at larger teams and brokerages, comes with a hefty $1,500 per month price tag and a $1,500 setup fee. This places BoomTown on the higher end of the real estate CRM price spectrum.

There are no discounts advertised on BoomTown's website, though some agent coaching programs, like Tom Ferry's "Advantage", offer a slight discount on the platform. BoomTown also doesn't provide a free trial of its software, so you'll have to rely on demos to get a sense of the system before committing.

In addition to the base monthly fee, BoomTown requires an advertising budget of at least $1,000 per month to fund lead generation through channels like Google Ads and Facebook. So all-in, expect to pay a minimum of around $2,500 per month plus the one-time setup fee for a standard BoomTown plan.

For that price, you get a relatively full-featured CRM with built-in IDX websites, lead generation and qualification tools, and automated marketing features. But there are certainly more affordable options out there that cover much of the same ground.

The lack of transparent a la carte pricing or a free trial period is a downside in my view. CRMs these days usually offer some sort of try-before-you-buy option, even if it's limited. And the additional marketing spend on top of the base platform fee means your monthly software costs can quickly add up with BoomTown.

Still, for larger teams and brokerages with the budget to match, BoomTown is a proven CRM system used by many top real estate offices. Just make sure you factor in the total costs, including setup fees and ad spend, when comparing the platform to lower-priced competitors. A thorough demo or an agent coaching program discount could help take some of the sting out of the steep sticker price.

How we tested BoomTown CRM

BoomTown is built as a complete command center for scaling brokerages, which means evaluating it requires looking closely at how it manages data visibility, team accountabilities, and heavy database segmentation. To determine whether the platform's premium price tag translates into actual operational ROI, I subjected BoomTown to a dedicated, hands-on evaluation period.

As with our standard CRM testing methodology, I assessed the platform's core capabilities, integrations, support, and - crucially - its price tag. In addition, I also subjected BoomTown to some more bespoke assessments. Given that BoomTown's standout feature is its backend lead breakdown and tagging framework, I populated a mock database with 250 disparate real estate contacts to test the system's "Smart-Drip" and "To-Do" triggers. Overall, my goal with these strict operational stress tests is to strip away marketing hype and provide transparent, data-backed insights so you can confidently decide if BoomTown’s premium platform will deliver a genuine return on investment for your real estate business.

BoomTown CRM review: Final verdict

BoomTown delivers an impressive real estate CRM that provides the sales and marketing capabilities agents need to effectively generate and convert leads. What sets BoomTown apart is the scope — while it may not be the absolute best-in-class in any one thing, few competitors can match its feature set.

While mastering all the features involves a learning curve and the price point is on the higher end, BoomTown is a serious contender for tech-savvy teams and brokerages looking for an all-in-one solution to run their business. If maximizing productivity with a single, streamlined platform is the goal, BoomTown fits the bill nicely.

Cinc is making waves in the real estate CRM space with its feature-rich all-in-one platform. This cloud-based solution equips agents and teams with sleek IDX websites, powerful marketing automation, and intelligent contact management tools - all under one virtual roof.

From my experience demoing the product, Cinc's intuitive interface makes it easy to capture and nurture leads through the sales funnel. The system automatically enriches contact data, enabling highly targeted email and SMS campaigns. AI-powered insights help prioritize the hottest opportunities.

That said, Cinc's wealth of capabilities can feel overwhelming at first. Plan to invest time in onboarding and training to reap the full benefits. Also, smaller teams may find the price tag steep compared to more basic CRM platforms. But for agents serious about scaling their business, Cinc's robust feature set and glowing user reviews suggest it's a worthwhile investment.

Cinc CRM core capabilities In CINC CRM, you can store all your leads, customers, and prospects and sort them by priority.CINCTake your CRM experience to the next level with three specialized mobile apps.CINCUse CINC’s ready-made IDX site to save time and money on web development.CINCUse CINC’s VoIP dialer to call contacts straight from your CRM.CINCLeverage CINC’s proprietary SMS-based artificial intelligence tool to nurture leads.CINC

Cinc is an easy-to-use and mobile-friendly real estate CRM platform suitable for teams of all sizes. It has the essential capabilities you'd expect in a CRM system. This includes contact management to organize and store customer information, lead capture to automatically identify and save potential leads, and lead management features to nurture prospects throughout the sales cycle.

But where Cinc shines is its focus on mobile-first access for field agents. The platform offers three mobile apps that allow agents to close deals on the go, gather open house data, and put listings out to the world. Having tested the mobile apps myself, I found them intuitive and convenient for staying productive out in the field. The built-in VoIP phone service is also a nice touch for making calls.

On the sales enablement side, Cinc provides sales pipeline management to track opportunities and deals. The activity dashboard gives a useful overview of ongoing processes and incidents. Basic reporting and analytics are included to surface key metrics.

One area that could be improved is the website customization. While Cinc does include a premade IDX website for listings, the customization options are limited compared to some competitors. The email marketing tool gets the job done for sending campaigns, but advanced automation would be welcome.

On the plus side, Cinc offers impressive customer support. The company offers phone, email and chat support, plus an extensive knowledge base. From my research, the support team seems to be responsive and helpful.

While it may not have all the bells and whistles of enterprise real estate CRMs, Cinc covers the fundamentals well. For small real estate teams looking for a simple and mobile-friendly CRM they can pick up quickly, Cinc is a compelling option. Just be aware of the limitations around website customization and marketing automation as the business scales.

How easy is Cinc to use?

CINC’s user-friendly interface is constructed around your pipeline, displayed on the main dashboard. (Image credit: CINC )

Getting started with Cinc CRM is a quick and painless process. After requesting a demo, the Cinc team provides an interactive walkthrough of the platform's key features. Since it's a cloud-based solution, no installation is required; you can dive right in.

While the website customization options are more limited compared to some competitors, Cinc makes up for it with extensive training resources. The Cinc Academy knowledge base provides detailed self-serve guides, while periodic live and recorded webinars dive deeper into specific topics. For a more hands-on approach, in-person networking events and intensive classroom training sessions are also available.

Cinc claims that the average agent can set appointments worth over $7,500 in commissions during these training workshops. At the very least, it's clear that it has invested in helping users quickly master the platform and start generating real results.

Every aspect of the CRM is supported by interactive walkthroughs, so you're never left guessing how to accomplish a task. Between the knowledge base, webinars, and in-person training, Cinc provides all the resources needed to get up to speed efficiently, regardless of your learning style.

While Cinc doesn't specify an exact timeframe for reaching proficiency, the breadth and depth of their educational resources should have new users feeling confident navigating the platform's core functions in short order. The intuitive interface also goes a long way in flattening the learning curve.

Cinc CRM offers an accessible and well-supported user experience. What it may lack in website customization, it more than makes up for in its array of practical training resources designed to help agents turn the CRM into a lead generation machine with minimal ramp-up time. For teams looking to start capitalizing on Cinc's robust feature set from day one, they won't be disappointed.

Integrations

Cinc makes it straightforward to connect its CRM with a wide range of applications. It offers pre-built integrations and connectors for many popular real estate apps, including BombBomb, Callingly, BrokerMint, and Realty.com. If a native integration isn't available, you can still link Cinc with over 6,000 other tools via Zapier.

For situations that require custom integrations, Cinc provides a robust API. Developers can use it to sync data bi-directionally and build tailored solutions. The documentation seems quite comprehensive from what I could tell after perusing their developer portal. That's good news if you have unique integration needs not covered by the pre-built connectors and Zapier.

In terms of data syncing reliability and performance, there isn't a ton of information available online. A few comments I came across in user reviews suggest that Cinc's integrations are generally solid, and data transfers happen quickly without major issues. Personally, I haven't encountered any issues either.

Cinc also incorporates some helpful quality-of-life features for simplifying the integration process. The integration library allows you to explore available connectors and provides setup guides for each. You can also view and manage all your active integrations from a centralized dashboard in the CRM.

How good is Cinc customer support?

Cinc provides multiple channels for customers to access support, including phone, email, and live chat. Its US-based support team is available Monday through Friday from 9:30 am to 7 pm Eastern Time and on Saturdays from 9:30 am to 2 pm ET. The company lists dedicated phone numbers and email addresses to reach their sales and support teams directly.

Live chat reps answer within a few minutes. They are friendly and knowledgeable, more than happy to offer step-by-step instructions to guide you through key tasks.

Cinc also offers a variety of self-service support resources. An online knowledge base, called Cinc Academy, contains detailed articles and video tutorials covering all aspects of using the platform. There's also a community forum where users can ask questions and share best practices.

In reading through reviews on sites like Capterra and G2, I found a lot of praise for their support team. More than a few reviews highlighted the strong relationships they've built with Cinc's support reps and account managers, which shows that the company is willing to go the extra mile for good, long-term customer relationships.

While I wasn't able to find data on Cinc's average first response and resolution times, the general consensus from customers is that their support is prompt, knowledgeable, and goes above and beyond. However, I'd love to see them extend their live support hours and share more specific data on support KPIs, which could help create a more accessible and transparent customer experience.

Cinc pricing and plans

Plan

Solo

Ramp

Pro

Select

Price

Custom pricing

Custom pricing

Custom pricing

Custom pricing

Best For

Individual agents needing basic CRM tools

Small to medium teams seeking collaborative solutions

Large teams requiring extensive features and support

Enterprise teams needing even more user seats

Features

Basic lead routing

CRM tools and functionality

Limited integration options

Many more integrations

Team collaboration

Advanced lead routing

Advanced video messaging

Custom integrations

Dedicated account manager

50+ user seats

Same features as Pro plan

No new additions

Limitations

Limited team tools, higher ad spend required

Higher cost, still limited customization

Requires consultation for pricing

No new feature additions

Cinc offers a variety of pricing plans to accommodate different-sized real estate teams, from individual agents to large brokerages. The details of each pricing tier aren't publicly disclosed, but here's what I was able to uncover.

The Solo plan is designed for an individual agent and includes core features like a CRM, marketing automation, a mobile app, landing pages, seller marketing tools, basic lead routing, and some integrations. Meanwhile, SMBS with up to 4 users can opt for the Ramp plan, which has all the functionality of the last plan with lead routing and additional integrations.

Larger teams of up to 49 agents would look at the Pro plan, while the Select plan handles brokerages of 50+ users. Both come with the full set of Cinc platform capabilities. All plans have access to Cinc's lead generation products, which include paid leads from Google and Facebook, as well as their proprietary List Cast and remarketing tools. Optional add-ons, like a power dialer or artificial intelligence, can raise costs.

I don't love the lack of transparency around pricing. You have to contact Cinc for a custom quote based on your team size and needs. Sources suggest that pricing is also generally quite high compared to other CRMs, likely due to the lead gen features.

Bottom line, Cinc's pricing model offers flexibility for different-sized businesses, but be prepared to spend close to between $900 and $1,500 per month. Although you'll occasionally see introductory teaser rates or limited promotional tiers (such as $499/month for the first two months before escalating to $999/month), as a baseline rule, agents should budget a minimum of $1,000/month for licensing alone.

Furthermore, keep in mind that CINC usually requires a mandatory minimum monthly co-managed ad spend (typically starting around $500/month) to run their automated Facebook and Google lead-generation campaigns. Between onboarding fees, a required 6 to 12-month contract commitment, and the advertising budget, true monthly out-of-pocket costs realistically land between $1,500 and $3,000+.

How we tested Cinc CRM

Much more than just a passive address book, Cinc serves as a proactive, high-velocity lead generation machine designed for real estate teams. To see if the platform justifies its steep, thousand-dollar-plus monthly cost, I subjected Cinc to a weeks-long evaluation.

The CRM review process is built entirely around hands-on, objective testing: we never rely on vendor press releases, and we do not accept paid placements to alter our scores. To determine our final ratings, I examined real estate agents' daily workflows, the platform's ease of use, value for money, integration capability, and customer support quality. By putting every CRM platform through these identical operational stress tests, we provide clear, side-by-side comparisons to help you choose the right hub for your business.

Cinc CRM review: Final verdict

After thoroughly testing Cinc CRM, I think it's a feature-rich platform well-suited for real estate teams serious about scaling their business. Cinc takes an all-in-one approach, combining essential CRM capabilities with sleek IDX websites and AI marketing automation. The intuitive interface and strong mobile apps make it easy to stay productive on the go.

That said, Cinc's extensive feature set can feel overwhelming initially and areas like website customization and advanced marketing automation have room for enhancement. But, overall, for established teams ready to level up their lead generation and relationship management, Cinc is a compelling choice.

RealOffice360 is a simple CRM designed to help real estate agents streamline their business and boost productivity. Its intuitive interface makes it easy to get up and running quickly.

Some standout features include automated reminders to keep in touch with clients, the ability to build customized pipelines and processes, and AI-powered communications. Lead capture tools pull in prospect information from various sources to create a centralized database. A mobile app provides agents with fast access on the go.

In testing out the CRM platform, I found it reasonably priced for the functionality, and the interface was very user-friendly. Some areas for improvement are the email marketing capabilities and the limited third-party integrations currently. But overall, RealOffice360 offers a solid set of core CRM features tailored for busy real estate professionals looking to better manage client relationships and grow their business.

RealOffice360 core capabilities The RealOffice360 CRM contact pages highlight associated details, tasks, and properties.RealOffice360You can edit deal stages and easily add new properties to your pipeline.RealOffice360Increase your chances of closing deals by setting workflow tasks.RealOffice360Integrating with real estate lead capture websites can increase your lead pool.RealOffice360

RealOffice360 provides a robust set of client management capabilities. Its all-in-one contact database lets users easily add and manage real estate clients. Contacts can be imported from various sources, such as Google, Microsoft Outlook, iPhone, Excel, or other CRM software. The system also allows categorizing contacts with group labels and favorites to keep the database well-organized.

The client profile in RealOffice360 acts as a central hub, housing notes, communications, files, property details, and even family information - all in one place. I particularly like the smart follow-up reminders for important dates like client birthdays, home purchase anniversaries, and wedding anniversaries - this enables agents to effortlessly keep in touch with past clients.

Another strength is the CRM's client communication features. It syncs emails, enables bulk emailing, provides an AI assistant to help craft professional emails, and supports customizable email signatures. Having all client interactions and touchpoints logged in one system is invaluable.

Beyond contact management, RealOffice360 CRM offers capable deal tracking functionality. Users can manage the full sales cycle, from lead capture and follow-up to commission calculations and tax handling. The visual sales pipeline with drag-and-drop controls makes it simple to advance deals to close.

Rounding out the feature set are tools for daily task management and scheduling via the built-in calendar and to-do lists. The system also provides email marketing, note-taking, cloud storage, and more.

But while RealOffice360 covers the CRM essentials and requirements for real estate quite well, the feature set feels a bit limited compared to some more mature mainstream players that offer deeper customization, extensibility, and third-party integrations.

How easy is RealOffice360 to use?

The drag-and-drop feature easily updates deal stages for contacts and properties. (Image credit: RealOffice360)

RealOffice360 shines in its simplicity and intuitiveness. The software takes a streamlined approach, stripping away unnecessary complexity to provide a clean and modern interface that is easy to navigate. Even users with minimal technical skills can quickly get up to speed and start managing their client relationships effectively.

But RealOffice360 also allows you to tailor the CRM to your specific workflow and preferences. You can create custom fields, views, and pipelines to match how you do business. The flexibility means you're not forced into a rigid one-size-fits-all system. Instead, the CRM adapts to you, enhancing your work style.

The thoughtful UI design carries through to mobile, with a responsive interface that is just as intuitive on a smartphone as on a desktop. Whether you're in the office or on the go, you have full access to your client data, communications, and deal pipeline. Updates sync seamlessly so your whole team is always on the same page.

Onboarding is refreshingly painless thanks to the software's inherent simplicity. RealOffice360 provides a library of concise tutorial videos that walk you through the key features and configuration options. In my experience, most users can dive right in and learn by doing, with the videos there as a fallback for any stumbling points. The time from setup to full productivity is remarkably short compared to more complex CRM systems.

As your business evolves, RealOffice360 scales smoothly alongside you. The well-organized settings allow you to adjust your account as needed, without technical headaches. You can add new users, tweak permissions, and expand your usage while maintaining the same core interface your team is familiar with.

Sure, RealOffice360 may lack some of the advanced features found in higher-end CRM suites. But those bells and whistles often come at the cost of usability. For the vast majority of small to midsize real estate businesses, RealOffice360 delivers exactly what's needed in a package that's intuitive, accessible, and easy to adopt.

Integrations

RealOffice360 has been putting in more effort into making the CRM integrate with other business software, which is important for any modern CRM. The product supports pre-built integrations with popular apps like Gmail, Outlook, Slack, QuickBooks, and more, allowing data to flow seamlessly between systems.

RealOffice360 also has an open API that enables developers to build custom integrations. While the API documentation could be more comprehensive, it does cover the core CRM objects and allows pulling data into 3rd party apps. The API supports both REST and Webhooks for real-time notifications.

For non-technical users, RealOffice360 offers integration with Zapier, a leading iPaaS. This opens up connections to 1000s of apps without needing to write code. Setting up Zaps was relatively intuitive when I tested it. RealOffice360 has provided Zapier triggers for common events like new lead created, deal updated, etc., which can then kick off actions in other apps.

One area I'd like to see RealOffice360 improve is the breadth of its pre-built integrations. Several CRMs that I've reviewed have marketplaces with hundreds of apps that integrate out of the box. RealOffice360's selection is more limited currently. Expanding this, as well as creating more comprehensive docs for the API, could make the platform even more extendable.

How good is RealOffice360 support?

RealOffice360 offers a few key channels for users to get assistance, such as email, chat, and self-service.

Live chat support is available, allowing customers to get quick answers to their questions or concerns directly through the platform. This is a convenient option that can provide more immediate help compared to other methods.

In terms of self-service resources, RealOffice360 maintains a fairly comprehensive online knowledge base. This searchable support hub contains helpful articles, tutorials, and FAQs across a range of topics. It's a good first stop for users looking to troubleshoot issues on their own or learn more about certain features.

RealOffice360's documentation doesn't specify average first response or resolution times, which would be helpful to know. Responsiveness and the speed at which issues get resolved are important factors in evaluating support quality.

From the user reviews I came across, it seems that support does earn some praise. Several customers mentioned that the support team was helpful and ensured their problems were solved. Of course, a broader set of testimonials would paint a clearer picture.

One potential limitation is that live support via chat and email is only available on weekdays from 11 am-7 pm EST. Round-the-clock coverage would be better for users in different time zones or those who need assistance outside regular business hours.

The free plan also has a slower 48-hour maximum response time, compared to higher tiers. While understandable, it's something for free users to keep in mind.

RealOffice360 pricing and plans

Plan

Essentials

Premium

Team

Price

$12/user/month

$25/user/month

$50/user/month

Best For

Solo agents starting with CRM tools

Agents needing advanced marketing features

Teams requiring collaboration and shared data

Features

Unlimited contacts

Task calendar

Deal tracking

Customizable workflows

Bulk email

AI assistant features

Collaborative calendars

Team management

Shared pipelines

Limitations

Limited to basic CRM functions

Advanced features at higher cost

Additional users cost extra

The first thing that stands out to me about RealOffice360 is their very generous 14-day free trial, which doesn't even require a credit card to get started. This makes it easy and risk-free to fully test drive the platform before making any financial commitment.

Once you're ready to upgrade, their paid plans start at a very reasonable $12 per month for solo agents on the Essentials plan. This gets you access to their core CRM features for managing your contacts, properties, and transactions.

Stepping up to their Premium plan at $25 per month unlocks some powerful automation capabilities, like email syncing and customizable workflows, that can really streamline your business. For an individual agent, this tier likely provides the best bang for your buck.

Small teams will appreciate the affordability of RealOffice360's Team plan, which supports 2 users for $50 per month, with additional seats at $30 each. So a team of 5 could get everyone up and running for around $140 monthly. The inclusion of team-oriented features at this level, like shared calendars and pipelines, adds a lot of collaborative value.

Larger brokerages with many agents have access to volume pricing starting at $125 per month for unlimited users. This allows bigger firms to take advantage of RealOffice360's capabilities at scale.

Other factors that enhance RealOffice360's pricing attractiveness are the lack of any long-term contracts or cancellation penalties, and the ability to save up to 20% by opting for annual billing. All in all, RealOffice360 delivers robust CRM functionality at price points that should fit comfortably within most real estate businesses' budgets.

How we tested RealOffice360 CRM

RealOffice360 pitches itself as a streamlined, low-complexity tool for agents who prefer building client relationships over managing heavy tech stacks. Because of this, our testing methodology focused on how the tool helps mitigate real-world friction.

My evaluation followed our standard CRM testing methodology, looking at core functionality, integrations, support, and, of course, the price. Drilling down further, there were various other areas that were important considerations.

Onboarding, for instance, was a crucial factor, particularly as many agents abandon new CRMs shortly after adoption. Relationship nurturing was also given significant weight as RealOffice360’s design is built around maintaining personal client touches. Overall, my review process centered on making sure the assessment was aligned with our other CRM reviews, without missing the specific features and functionalities that make RealOffice360 unique.

RealOffice360 CRM review: Final verdict

After an in-depth evaluation, RealOffice360 emerges as a solid CRM contender purpose-built for real estate professionals. Its intuitive interface and streamlined feature set make it easy to adopt and use on a daily basis to manage contacts, properties, and deals.

A major strength lies in RealOffice360's ability to facilitate collaboration among real estate teams, but RealOffice360 does have some room for improvement in terms of customization and integration. Security-conscious firms may also find the lack of two-factor authentication problematic. All in all, a good, of not quite great, CRM.

TeraBox built its name on 1TB of free cloud storage, which is still the headline pitch. What's changed is everything sitting next to the storage. An AI Presentation Maker, an essay writer, a scanner, a transcriber, and a research tool called Deep Research are now baked into the same free account I've used for years.

Until recently, TeraBox functioned more like a toolkit than a dedicated AI assistant. Many of the tools only did one job, like generate a deck, paraphrase a paragraph, or scan a document — then handed back results rather than a conversation.

But now, Terabox has added a dedicated research assistant that can access the web and parse through complex queries for information. It can also generate graphics and create properly-formatted documents to help with your research tasks. It's neat, but the most capable versions of these tools sit behind a Premium+ subscription priced under $4 a month.

I've covered hosting, storage, and AI software for TechRadar Pro since 2012, including our 2026 buying guide for vibe coders. If you'd like to see a wider selection of dedicated AI tools to pick from, check out our list of 70+ other AI tools across different categories. For this Terabox AI review, I had access to a 7-day trial of Premium+, which let me try all of the platform's features in depth over the review period.

What is TeraBox AI?

TeraBox AI is the set of generative tools Flextech Inc. has added to TeraBox, the free storage app it took over from Baidu in 2020. Rather than one assistant, it's a handful of single-purpose tools, an essay writer, presentation maker, paraphraser, transcriber, scanner, and research assistant, living inside the app I use for backups.

I'd call it a productivity add-on rather than an AI platform in its own right. You pick a tool, type or upload your input, and get a finished result. That suits someone wanting a quick deck or a tidier paragraph, but the platform left something to be desired when it came to more complex tasks requiring advanced reasoning.

TeraBox AI: At a glance

Attribute

Notes

Underlying model(s)

Not publicly disclosed. TeraBox doesn't name the large language models powering its tools.

Best for

Quick presentation drafts, document scanning and OCR, meeting transcription, light essay and paraphrasing help, existing TeraBox users.

Distinguishing functions

AI Presentation Maker with Agent Mode, Deep Research reports, AI Scan, AI Transcribe, bundled 1TB free storage.

UI features

Web app at terabox.com/ai, plus desktop and iOS/Android clients, each with a simple prompt box per tool.

Subscription costs

Free (basic AI, ad-supported, 1TB storage), Premium around $3.49/month (2TB storage, no AI), Premium+ around $3.89/month or $39.99/year (full AI suite, 2TB storage).

API pricing

No dedicated AI API. A separate OAuth-based Open Platform API covers file storage access only.

Buy it if…

• You already use TeraBox for storage. The AI suite rides on cloud space you may already pay for, so the extra cost is small.
• You need quick scans and transcripts. AI Scan and AI Transcribe handle everyday OCR and meeting notes well for casual use.
• You want a fast presentation starter. One prompt turns into a usable slide deck in seconds, ready for further editing.

Don't buy it if…

• You need a serious writing or design tool. Dedicated tools go deeper than TeraBox's essay writer and paraphraser for professional output.
• Data jurisdiction matters to you. TeraBox's storage business began inside Baidu before Flextech took over in 2020, which still gives some professionals pause.
• You can't stand ads. The free tier's AI tools sit behind the same ad-supported experience as TeraBox's storage.

My time with TeraBox AI

I tested TeraBox AI through the web app and Android client, running presentations, transcriptions, and scans over several days. The Presentation Maker stood out. A one-line prompt about small business marketing trends produced a ten-slide deck, icons and chart included, in under a minute.

AI Scan and AI Transcribe felt the most useful day to day, turning a printed invoice into clean, editable text in seconds. Transcribing a short interview gave me a readable summary alongside the full transcript. The essay writer and paraphraser, by contrast, were serviceable but generic.

However, my experiences with the dedicated AI chat and Research Assistant were somewhat mixed. A simple query asking for Elon Musk's updated net worth returned accurate input, but a more complex task involving generating a graphic of his net worth over the years seemed to fail entirely.

TeraBox was able to offer the information as a table instead on further attempts, which led me to believe that the failure was a result of being unable to pull up the necessary integrations for data visualization rather than an error in the research itself. That does redeem it in my eyes given the price point, just don't go in expecting the same level of functionality as a dedicated AI platform like ChatGPT.

On value, Premium+ is an easy call. It costs under $4 a month and bundles 2TB of storage with the full AI suite. The caveat is that nothing here matches a tool built solely around AI writing or design.

TeraBox AI: Features

TeraBox AI isn't the best do-everything assistant, which also shows in how the features are organized. Presentation, writing, scanning, and research tools each live in their own corner of the AI tab, which keeps things simple but means there's no unified chat for mixing tasks together.

The Presentation Maker impressed me most, with Agent Mode generating decks up to 40 slides from a prompt or uploaded document, complete with citations when it pulls from web sources. A separate Beautify option restyles slides you've already made. For students or small business owners needing a deck fast, this alone might justify upgrading.

AI Scan and AI Transcribe are the most practically useful tools for office work, handling OCR, ID document capture, and on-the-fly translation on one side, and audio-to-text conversion with an AI summary on the other. Both worked reliably in my testing, needing only minor cleanup afterward.

Deep Research, the suite's research tool, builds a structured outline you can edit before it writes a full report. The output reads more like a market briefing than original analysis, so treat it as a starting point rather than a finished document.

The essay writer and Smart Paraphraser are the weakest links. Output reads competently but generically, and TeraBox doesn't disclose which model is doing the writing. Given the price for Premium+, the overall feature set still feels reasonably generous for a bundle riding on storage you might already want.

TeraBox AI: User experience

I got started in under a minute. I logged into my existing account, tapped the AI tab, and was generating a presentation within seconds, with no separate sign-up or onboarding flow to slow things down. Each tool opens to a simple prompt box, so the learning curve is close to zero.

But the experience feels bolted onto a storage app rather than designed around AI from the ground up. Switching tools means backing out to the main AI menu each time, and the free tier's ads occasionally interrupt what otherwise feels quick and uncluttered.

TeraBox AI: Customer support

Support looks decent on paper. Users across review platforms rate TeraBox's customer service 4.0+ out of 5 and Flextech representatives respond to public reviews directly, including the ones flagging slow replies.

I didn't need to contact support during testing, since the AI tools worked as expected. The bigger caveat is documentation, since TeraBox's help content for the AI suite leans on blog posts and FAQs rather than a structured knowledge base.

(Image credit: TeraBox)TeraBox AI: Pricing

• Free tier includes limited AI access, plus 1TB of ad-supported storage.
• Premium adds 2TB of storage and removes ads, but doesn't unlock the AI suite.
• Premium+ is the only tier with full AI access, priced from around $3.89 a month or $39.99 a year.

TeraBox's free plan gives a limited taste of the AI tools, including a small number of free presentation generations, on top of the full 1TB allowance. That's enough to test whether the tools suit your workflow before paying anything.

Premium+ is where the AI suite lives, bundling the essay writer, presentation maker, transcriber, scanner, paraphraser, and search tools alongside 2TB of storage for under $4 a month. TeraBox's official pricing page renders dynamically and didn't return visible data when I checked the source directly, so these figures come from cross-referenced third-party listings instead. There's no separate API pricing, since TeraBox doesn't offer developer access to the AI tools.

TeraBox AI: alternatives you should consider

• pCloud: A privacy-focused cloud storage service with optional zero-knowledge encryption, starting around $49.99 a year for 500GB, without TeraBox's bundled AI tools.
• Google Drive with Google AI Pro: Google's storage plans now fold Gemini directly into Drive, Gmail, and Docs, bundling 5TB of storage with AI access for $19.99 a month.
• Canva: A more polished option built for AI-assisted presentations and design, with Magic Studio included in Canva Pro for around $15 a month.

How I tested TeraBox AI

• Used the Presentation Maker, AI Scan, AI Transcribe, Deep Research, and Smart Paraphraser across free and Premium+ access.
• Tested the AI suite through TeraBox's web app and Android app over several days of regular use.
• Cross-checked pricing and ratings against TeraBox's official site, G2, and Capterra, noting where the vendor's pricing page wouldn't render visibly.

I focused testing on the tools most useful for a typical small business or student workflow, presentations, scanning, and transcription, rather than edge cases. Beyond the data obtained from their official website and documentation, I cross-referenced features across multiple third-party sources. as well as verified them during my own testing, to confirm consistency before including them here.

Brave Leo arrived in November 2023 as a sidebar AI assistant for the Brave browser, and it has grown into one of the more unusual offerings in the AI chat market. Unlike most platforms that treat privacy as an afterthought, Leo bakes it into the architecture: no IP logging, no conversation storage, and no requirement to create an account. In late 2025, Brave went further by introducing Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) powered by NEAR.AI and Intel TDX technology, giving users cryptographically verifiable assurance that requests are processed exactly as described.

Two features set Leo apart from the field. The Bring Your Own Model (BYOM) option lets you connect Leo to locally-running models via Ollama or your own API endpoints, which is rare among browser-native AI tools. The Skills feature, launched in December 2025, lets you assign keyboard shortcuts to frequently used prompts to cut down on repetitive setup.

Agentic browsing, which lets Leo autonomously navigate and complete tasks on your behalf, entered early testing across all Brave release channels in May 2026.

I've been covering AI platforms and B2B software at TechRadar Pro since 2018, including our 2026 vibe coding buying guide and the Microsoft Build conference this year in San Francisco. Here's how Leo holds up.

What is Brave Leo AI?

Brave Leo is an AI chat assistant built directly into the Brave browser, accessible from a sidebar panel, a full-page view, or the address bar. It's available on Windows, macOS, and Linux on desktop, and on Android and iOS on mobile. No separate installation, app, or account is needed to get started with the free tier.

Leo's defining quality is page awareness. It reads the content of the active tab, whether that's a webpage, PDF, Google Doc, Google Sheet, or YouTube video, and uses that content as context for your questions. You don't need to copy-paste anything or upload files to an external server.

Moreover, Brave Search pulls in real-time information from across the web when your question calls for it.

The platform targets privacy-conscious individuals, students, and professionals who want AI assistance without feeding personal data to third parties. It's also a practical option for people already running Brave who'd rather not switch tabs to reach a separate AI app.

Brave Leo AI: At a glance

Attribute

Notes

Underlying model(s)

Qwen, Meta Llama, Google Gemma (free); Claude Haiku, Claude Sonnet, DeepSeek V3.1 (premium); all hosted on Brave's own secure infrastructure

Best for

Privacy-conscious users, web research, document summarization, coding assistance

Distinguishing functions

Privacy proxy, BYOM, Skills shortcuts, Automatic mode, agentic browsing (early access)

UI features

Sidebar panel and full-page mode; address bar integration; in-chat model selector

Subscription costs

Free (open models, rate-limited); Leo Premium at $14.99/month or $149.99/year

API pricing

Not available; Leo is a browser-only product with no public API

Buy it if…

• You prioritize AI privacy above all else. Leo doesn't log your conversations, store your IP address, or use your chats for model training. For users handling sensitive research or confidential work, that's a real distinction from most AI chatbots.
• You're already a Brave browser user. Leo is built directly into Brave with no extra installation required. It picks up page context automatically, making web research faster with very little setup.
• You want model flexibility. The ability to switch between Llama, Claude, Qwen, and others, or connect your own model via BYOM, gives you more control than most browser-native AI tools offer.

Don't buy it if…

• You need AI across multiple browsers or tools. Leo only works inside Brave. If you regularly use Chrome, Firefox, or other apps, you won't have Leo available in those environments.
• You rely on intensive daily free usage. The free tier hits its ceiling quickly during heavy use. A Premium subscription is more or less necessary for anyone using Leo throughout the working day.
• You need enterprise features or team access. Leo is a personal assistant with no team accounts, admin controls, or organization-level management. Businesses looking to deploy it across multiple users will need individual subscriptions for each.

My time with Brave Leo AI

My first impression of Leo was how little friction there was to getting started. No account confirmation, no model selection screen, no onboarding pop-ups. Within seconds of opening the sidebar, I was summarizing a lengthy policy document open in another tab.

The sidebar stays out of the way until you need it, which I found more practical than switching to a dedicated AI app.

Automatic mode worked well in practice. Leo picked Claude Sonnet for a nuanced writing task and shifted to a faster model for a quick factual question, all without me having to intervene. I did run into rate-limit warnings during a longer research session on the free tier.

Those limits don't reset frequently enough for sustained daily use, and that was what ultimately pushed me to test the Premium plan.

The Skills feature was a useful addition for repetitive tasks. I set up a shortcut for a summarization prompt I return to frequently. After a few days, it saved real time.

New users may not find it easily, though, since it's tucked away and not highlighted in Leo's default interface.

Brave Leo AI: Features

Leo's feature set has expanded considerably since its 2023 launch. The platform covers summarization, translation, code generation, content writing, question answering, and document analysis across webpages, PDFs, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and YouTube videos. Image understanding was added more recently, and agentic browsing, which lets Leo autonomously complete multi-step tasks in an isolated browser profile, entered early access across all release channels in May 2026.

Page awareness is one of Leo's strongest practical assets. It reads whatever you're currently viewing and uses it as live context for your prompts. This works without uploading anything to a third-party server, which keeps the privacy model consistent across all use cases.

BYOM is a genuine differentiator. You can connect Leo to locally-running models via Ollama, to OpenAI-compatible endpoints, or to other third-party APIs. For developers or power users who want a specific model or prefer to keep everything on-device, this adds a level of control that most browser AI tools don't offer.

The Skills feature lets you save and trigger custom prompts with keyboard shortcuts. It's useful for repetitive workflows, though the current library of built-in skills is still relatively narrow. More customization here would strengthen the feature, and it's an area I'd like to see Brave expand.

Multi-tab context and Tab Focus Mode let Leo work across several open tabs rather than just the active one, which helps when cross-referencing multiple sources. The Brave Talk integration is a useful bonus for anyone using Brave's video conferencing tool: Leo can transcribe meetings in real time and produce summaries and action items without sharing data externally.

The one area where Leo falls behind dedicated AI platforms is memory. Leo doesn't retain context between separate sessions, so every conversation starts from scratch. Users who want a long-running assistant that remembers preferences or project history will find this limiting.

Brave Leo AI: User experience

The interface is clean and minimal. The sidebar slides open without disturbing your active page, and the full-page view at brave://leo-ai works well for longer sessions. Switching models takes a couple of clicks from the dropdown at the top of the chat.

Automatic mode removes the decision entirely if you'd rather not think about it.

The address bar integration is a small but practical touch: typing a question and selecting "Ask Leo" opens the response in full-page view without interrupting your browsing. Mobile support on Android and iOS covers the same core features as desktop, with voice input available on iOS. The experience is consistent across platforms, which isn't always the case with browser-based AI tools.

Brave Leo AI: Customer support

Brave handles Leo support through its Help Center at support.brave.app. The documentation is well-organized and covers most common scenarios, from initial access to advanced configuration options like BYOM and model settings. Articles are generally current, which is more than can be said for some AI products that update fast but leave documentation behind.

There's no live chat or dedicated support line for Leo. Community forums and the Help Center are the primary routes for getting help. For a free or modestly priced tool, this is standard, but business users with time-sensitive issues may find the self-serve model inadequate.

(Image credit: Brave Browser)Brave Leo AI: Pricing

• Free tier: Access to open-source models (Llama, Qwen, Gemma), rate-limited usage, no account required
• Leo Premium: $14.99/month or $149.99/year, with a 7-day free trial. Includes Claude Haiku, Claude Sonnet, DeepSeek V3.1, and other advanced models; higher rate limits; early access to new features

The free tier works for light, occasional use. You get solid open-source models and full privacy protections without signing up for anything. Rate limits are the catch: they kick in faster than you'd expect during sustained sessions, and there's no way to pay for a small top-up without committing to Premium.

At $14.99/month, Leo Premium is cheaper than ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) and sits comfortably within range for an individual AI subscription. The annual plan at $149.99 brings that down to about $12.50/month, which is reasonable given the model access on offer. There's no team or enterprise pricing.

Leo also has no public API, so external workflow integration isn't an option.

Brave Leo AI: alternatives you should consider

• ChatGPT Atlas: A Chromium-based web browser from OpenAI with built-in access to the most widely used AI assistant. However, it's only available to macOS users for now and has now Windows version.
• Microsoft Copilot: Built into Microsoft Edge and deeply integrated with the Microsoft 365 suite. The stronger pick for users already working in the Windows and Office ecosystem.
• Perplexity AI: A research-focused AI that delivers sourced, real-time answers from the web. Worth considering if web research and fact-finding are your primary use cases rather than general-purpose chat.

How I tested Brave Leo AI

• Used Leo's free tier for web research, PDF summarization, and content drafting over multiple sessions to assess response quality and the real-world impact of rate limits.
• Tested Premium-tier models including Claude Sonnet on complex writing and analysis tasks, comparing output quality against the default open-source models.
• Configured BYOM with Ollama, created custom Skills shortcuts, and put the multi-tab context feature through a multi-source research task.

Testing covered Brave Leo on desktop (Windows and macOS) and on Android, using both the sidebar and full-page chat modes. I evaluated response accuracy across summarization, factual questions, code generation, and writing tasks, and cross-referenced Brave's privacy claims against official documentation and third-party reporting from sources including The Register.

Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO: One-minute review

If you follow my camera coverage at TechRadar, you'll need no introduction to Viltrox, a Chinese lens manufacturer who's rapidly becoming a major player by delivering high-quality and particularly affordable optics.

Viltrox's most recent efforts are the 75mm f/1.8 and 90mm f/2.2: a twin-like pair of lightweight primes for APS-C cameras from its mid-range 'EVO' series, available in Sony E, Nikon Z and Fujifilm X-mount versions.

Viltrox offered to send me a lens to test, and I strategically asked for the Fujifilm X-mount version of the 90mm f/2.2, because it was the only option with a proprietary alternative for me to pit it against: Fujifilm's XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR. A 'character rich' XF 90mm f/2 APD was also listed in a public poll earlier this year among lenses that Fujifilm would love to make — but we don't know if it will be made.

Could the Viltrox 90mm do the unthinkable — beat Fujifilm's legendary portraiture lens? I called in the Fujifilm lens, and tested the pair using a Fujifilm X-T5, and much of my test focuses on how viable an alternative the Viltrox lens is.

The Fujifilm XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR lens (left), alongside the Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO lens attached to a Fujifilm X-T5 camera (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

For context, a fast aperture 90mm lens for APS-C has a 135mm equivalent focal length in full-frame terms, meaning it's a mid-telephoto focal length, delivering a highly compressed background and dreamy bokeh — the hallmarks of high-end portraits. At this focal length, you'll need the freedom of moving a decent distance away from your subject, so it's not necessarily one for tight studio spaces.

I shot self portraits controlling the camera remotely from my phone using the Fujifilm X app, and various closeups with low-lying sunlight involved, plus a range of other shots just with the Viltrox lens. Overall, I've come away majorly impressed, especially when you consider just how small, lightweight and affordable the Viltrox 90mm f/2.2 is.

The bulkier Fujifilm lens wins for the dreamiest bokeh and will be worth the extra outlay for portrait specialists. If I had the choice, I'd probably still go for this lens. However, for most people, the Viltrox is a stellar alternative, and furthermore the only one of its kind for Sony and Nikon crop-sensor mirrorless cameras, and I highly recommend it for both — after all, Nikon especially has so few options for its crop-sensor cameras such as the Z50 II.

Once again, Viltrox has delivered an excellent value autofocus prime lens.

Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO: Price and availability

• Costs $369 / £359 / Australia price TBC
• Available in Sony E, Fujifilm X and Nikon Z-mount versions

The Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO is available in Sony E, Fujifilm X and Nikon Z-mount versions, and I tested the Fujifilm version, not least of which because Fujifilm has its own legendary 90mm lens and I was keen to see how the two compared. Sony and Nikon have no such lens for APS-C — and the closest alternative would be a full-frame optic.

Viltrox's EVO lenses are almost always way more affordable when compared to the closest proprietary alternatives. Costing $369 / £359, that's certainly the case with the Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO, when you consider how the Fujifilm 90mm lens costs between 2-3x the price. It's the small, light, and affordable choice.

Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO: specsViltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO specs

Type:

Mid-telephoto prime

Mount:

Sony E, Fujifilm X, Nikon Z

Sensor:

APS-C

Focal length:

90mm (135mm effective)

Max aperture:

f/2.2

Minimum focus:

0.74m

Max reproduction

0.14x

Filter size:

58mm

Dimensions:

2.7 x 3.0in / 69 x 76mm

Weight:

11.3oz / 320g (bare lens without hood)

Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO: Design

• Just 11.3oz / 320g — lightweight and compact for a lens of this type
• Modest 0.74m minimum focus distance — not one for closeup photography
• Very well-made, with rubber sealed mount

The lens comes with a lens hood, and Viltrox has improved on the fiddly design of previous efforts. This one attaches easily. Tim ColemanA really decent balance with the X-T5Tim ColemanTim ColemanTim Coleman

As an APS-C lens, the 90mm focal length is equivalent to 135mm in full-frame terms, which is a classic portraiture lens. I've tested my fair share of full-frame 135mm lenses, including Viltrox's own 135mm F1.8 LAB and indeed Fujifilm's own 90mm f/2 for APS-C, and the Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO is the smallest and lightest of the lot by some margin.

I've shared some comparison photos below alongside the Fujifilm 90mm f/2 to illustrate the difference — at 11.3oz / 320g, the Viltrox lens is not far off being half the weight. When paired with an X-T5, I thought both lenses balanced well, but with a rangefinder-style camera such as the X-E5, the Viltrox would win for balance.

Don't let its size and price fool you, though — the Viltrox 90mm is very well made, with an all metal body, rubber-sealed lens mount, while both control rings handle beautifully: the focus ring is smooth and light, the knurled aperture ring precise. No doubt it would be a bigger and heavier lens if it had a larger maximum f/2 aperture like the Fujifilm.

The lens takes 58mm threaded filtersTim ColemanThe Fujifilm version has no external controls, whereas the Sony and Nikon versions have three buttons/ switchesTim ColemanThis means the X-mount version has a clicked aperture ring onlyTim ColemanThe rear mount has a rubber seal to keep out dust / water ingressTim Coleman

The metal barrel of some of the previous Viltrox lenses that I've tested has scratched easily. I didn't thrash the 90mm lens around particularly, so it remains mint. I'll update this review if I discover it also scratches easily.

Curiously, the X-mount version of the Viltrox 90mm f/2.2 EVO has no buttons or switches, whereas the Nikon Z and Sony E-mount versions (which I didn't ask to test) have three; an AF/MF switch, customizable function button and a click switch for the aperture ring.

Omitting the click switch especially is an oddity given that Fujifilm cameras also shoot video — Fujifilm X users here are stuck with a clicked aperture ring. As a result, despite being excellent value, it feels like Fujifilm users are shortchanged. That being said, however, the Fujifilm 90mm f/2 lens also has zero buttons or switches.

The Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO lens (left) held alongside the Fujifilm XF 90mm f/2 lens (right)Tim ColemanTim Coleman

The STM stepping motor makes light work of the 10 lens elements in 8 groups, for snappy and quiet autofocus. Of course autofocus performance accuracy and speed are affected by which camera system and autofocus mode is in use, but I never felt like the lens was slowing down the X-T5 camera's autofocus.

Minimum focus is 0.74m, which delivers a maximum 0.14x magnification. Put simply, this is not a lens for closeup photography, though neither is the 75mm f/1.8 EVO which has a 0.12x magnification, nor most 135mm lenses I've used.

Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO: Performance

• Optically very sharp
• Smooth bokeh, but with cats-eye shaping. Minor chromatic aberration and vignetting
• Snappy and quiet autofocus

I've included a range of photos taken with the Viltrox and Fujifilm 90mm lenses below, matching the lens settings where possible (though the Fujifilm lens has an extra photo at f/2), and you can read on for my analysis of the images.

ViltroxViltrox at f/2.2Tim ColemanViltrox at f/2.8Tim ColemanViltrox at f/4Tim ColemanViltrox at f/2.2Tim ColemanViltrox at f/2.8Tim ColemanViltrox at f/4Tim ColemanFujifilmFujifilm at f/2Tim ColemanFujifilm at f/2.2Tim ColemanFujifilm at f/2.8Tim ColemanFujifilm at f/4Tim ColemanFujifilm at f/2Tim ColemanFujifilm at f/2.2Tim ColemanFujifilm at f/2.8Tim ColemanFujifilm at f/4Tim Coleman

Viltrox's lens portfolio is split into various series, being topped by the LAB series of full-frame lenses, which is followed by its Pro series, and then below that the Evo series. Evo lenses are mid-range; small, lightweight, excellent value, with one or two concessions.

For me, all of the Evo lenses I've tested are an easy recommendation for enthusiast photographers, including the AF 90mm F2.2. Optically its sharp. Not the sharpest lens I've ever seen, but in a similar league as the pricier Fujifilm 90mm nonetheless.

Where sharp detail is top concern, stopping the aperture down to f/4 yields better results than wide open at f/2.2. You'll see a reduction in vignetting and chromatic aberration by doing so, too. Those lens distortions are only minor at f/2.2, but they are present.

The main topic for a wide aperture 135mm equivalent lens is bokeh — the quality of out of focus areas — and I have good news, with two caveats.

ViltroxThe Viltrox lens, see the bokeh cats eye shapingTim ColemanTim ColemanTim ColemanFujifilmFujifilm XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR lens — bokeh is smooth and roundTim ColemanTim ColemanHere I've dropped the aperture down to match the Viltrox's maximum f/2.2. Tim Coleman

Bokeh is deliciously smooth. You can see the smooth edges in the dappled light in my self portraits and the series of photos of a fern (above). This is the most important attribute of bokeh, and the Viltrox 90mm nails it.

Bokeh is clearly cats-eye shaped, mind you, not fully round like you might find in the very best portrait lenses, such as the Nikon Plena. Personally, I don't mind cats-eye shaping in bokeh at all, while you might think it's ugly — it's subjective. What's not subjective, is bokeh smoothness, and like I say, the Viltrox lens scores highly.

The other caveat is the maximum f/2.2 aperture, which is slightly smaller than the f/2 of the Fujifilm lens I was comparing the Viltrox lens with. While this minor difference doesn't particularly affect depth of field, I did find the Fujifilm lens' bokeh to be even bigger and rounder at f/2 compared to the Viltrox lens at f/2.2.

If bokeh is a top concern, money is no object and you don't mind a larger lens, then the Fujifilm XF 90mm f/2 is the better pick (see comparisons, above).

I've included a general sample gallery and included notes with further comments on the lens quality.

Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO sample imagesI love the compression effect you get with a 135mm lens. It's possibly my favorite focal length for portraiture but also landscape photographyTim ColemanWith the aperture set to f/2.2, Tim ColemanThis unedited RAW image was shot at f/2.2. Note the dark corners and then scroll to the next image. Tim ColemanThe same scene at f/5.6. See how vignetting is gone, so the corners are brighter. Detail is also slightly sharperTim ColemanI moved to the other side of the pub sign to shoot towards bright light. The edges of the pub sign bracket and the out of focus house show minor chromatic aberration.Tim ColemanVignetting in this image worked to my advantage because it kept the detail in the sky rather than it being overblownTim ColemanTim ColemanTim ColemanTim ColemanTim ColemanShould you buy the Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO?Buy it if...

You want an affordable mid-telephoto prime for portraiture
At just 40% of the price of the Fujifilm XF 90mm f/2 lens, which also has an equivalent 135mm focal length, the Viltrox is much more affordable, while there is no such lens for Sony and Nikon cameras.

You'd like a compact mid-telephoto prime
The Viltrox lens is particularly compact when you consider that it's a 135mm f/2.2 effective lens, especially when you see it in action alongside the bulkier Fujifilm offering.

Don't buy it if...

You want the absolute dreamiest bokeh
Given its small size and low(er) price, there had to be a compromise somewhere, and for me it's bokeh — which has a tendency for cats-eye shaping — and that maximum f/2.2 aperture, which is ever so slightly smaller than the Fujifilm's f/2.

You'd like external controls
Besides its clicked aperture ring and focus ring, there are no external controls in the Fujifilm version. Only with the Sony and Nikon versions do you get an MF/AF switch, function button, and click control for the aperture ring for smooth video transitions.

How I tested the Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)

• Viltrox sent me the X-mount version of the AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO lens
• I paired it with a Fujifilm X-T5 camera
• Fujifilm loaned me the XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR lens at my request, to make comparisons

Viltrox sent me the X-mount version of the AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO lens and I paired it with a Fujifilm X-T5 camera. It's also available for Sony E and Nikon Z-mount cameras.

I tested the lens over the course of two weeks, alongside the Fujifilm XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR lens, which Fujifilm loaned to me at my request, and I have shot like-for-like images with both lenses to make comparisons.

As with all of my lens reviews, I have put the Viltrox 90mm through a number of real world tests, including a series of the same image at the various aperture settings, and situations where strong light could induce lens distortions such as flare and chromatic aberration.

I always shoot in both RAW & JPEG format, and turn off in-camera lens corrections, checking the unprocessed RAW files. I also use each lens for the situations that it is designed for, in this case portraiture and for isolating subjects.

First reviewed: July 2026

HuggingChat is Hugging Face's free, open-source chat interface . It might be the most underrated AI tool available right now. You get access to over 120 open-weight models including Llama, Mistral, Qwen, DeepSeek, and Falcon, all without spending a cent. The newest addition is Omni, a routing layer that automatically picks the most suitable model for your request.

What makes HuggingChat worth paying attention to is the sheer scope of model access it bundles into a single free product. I've been reviewing B2B software at TechRadar Pro for the past 10 years and our team covers the AI space closely. Take a look at our 2026 best AI tools roundup and read our in-depth explainers on open-source platforms like OpenClaw and Moltbook.

What is HuggingChat?

HuggingChat is the conversational AI interface built by Hugging Face, the company behind the world's largest open-source AI model repository. Instead of locking you into a single proprietary model, it lets you chat with any of 120+ community-hosted, open-weight models directly from your browser.

It's aimed squarely at developers, ML researchers, and technically curious users who want to compare model outputs, test different architectures, or simply avoid handing their data to a closed-source provider. For anyone evaluating an open-weight model before self-hosting it internally, this is an obvious starting point.

The platform also works for general use cases: writing, coding help, document analysis, and Q&A. But it's at its best when the person on the other end knows what they're asking of each model.

HuggingChat: At a glance

Attribute

Notes

Underlying model(s)

User-selectable from 120+ open-weight models including Meta Llama, Mistral, Qwen, DeepSeek, Falcon, and Cohere Command R+

Best for

Developers testing open models, researchers, ML engineers, privacy-conscious users

Distinguishing functions

Multi-model switching, Omni routing, web search, custom Assistants, document upload

UI features

Clean single-column chat interface with persistent model selector and sidebar conversation history

Subscription costs

Free (unlimited), Hugging Face Pro at $9/month

API pricing

Via Hugging Face Inference API; pricing varies by model and hardware; starts from $0.03/hour for CPU instances

Buy it if…

• You want to compare open-weight models side by side. HuggingChat is the fastest way to test how Llama, Mistral, and Qwen handle the same prompt without switching tools.
• You need a free AI chat tool with no usage caps. Unlike many free tiers, HuggingChat doesn't cut you off after a certain number of messages per day.
• Avoiding vendor lock-in matters to your organization. Every model on the platform is open-weight, meaning you can evaluate it here and self-host the exact same model later.

Don't buy it if…

• You want a polished, feature-complete interface. There's no canvas mode, no voice input, and no image generation. That puts it behind ChatGPT and Claude for everyday productivity use.
• Consistent response speed is critical. Inference speed varies depending on server load, and the free tier runs on shared infrastructure. Peak hours can slow things down noticeably.
• You need mobile-first access. HuggingChat is browser-only with no dedicated iOS or Android app, which limits how well it works on the go.

My time with HuggingChat

My first impression was that HuggingChat is more of a research tool than a daily driver. The interface is minimal: a chat window, a model selector, and a sidebar. That's about it. Once I got past the expectation of feature parity with ChatGPT, I found myself appreciating how little gets in the way of just talking to a model.

The Omni routing feature is a genuine improvement. Rather than guessing which model handles a given task best, In my testing, Omni made sensible choices more often than not. For users who don't want to manage model selection manually, it reduces friction considerably.

Where I ran into friction was speed. During busier periods, response latency was noticeably longer than on paid commercial platforms. For quick back-and-forth conversations, that's tolerable. For longer document analysis tasks, it started to feel slow.

HuggingChat: Features

The model catalog is HuggingChat's biggest selling point, and it's hard to overstate how much value that represents for free. At the time of writing, you can chat with 120+ models including Llama 3.1 405B, Mistral Large 2, Qwen 2.5 72B, DeepSeek V3, Command R+ from Cohere, and several Falcon variants. The list updates regularly as new community models are released.

Web search integration is available and works well enough for pulling in current information, which helps avoid stale knowledge cutoff responses. It's not as tightly integrated as Perplexity's approach, but it does the job without requiring a separate tool.

Custom Assistants let you set system prompts, attach knowledge bases via retrieval-augmented generation, and share a pre-configured assistant via a direct link. This is particularly useful for teams who want a repeatable AI workflow without paying for an enterprise platform. Document upload is also supported, which lets you drop in a PDF or text file and ask questions against it.

HuggingChat's limitations are harder to ignore if you're coming from a commercial product. There's no image generation, no voice mode, no plugin system, and no equivalent of ChatGPT's canvas or Claude's Projects feature. For general productivity use, those gaps matter.

HuggingChat: User experience

The interface is clean and gets out of the way quickly. A new conversation starts within seconds. The model selector is easy to find, and conversation history is accessible from the sidebar once you're logged into a Hugging Face account. There's no learning curve beyond understanding what each model is good at. That knowledge gap is real for non-technical users.

Hugging Face has been transparent in interviews about positioning HuggingChat as the open-source community's answer to proprietary chat products. That framing shows in the design decisions: the priority is access and transparency over UX polish. For the target audience of developers and researchers, that's a reasonable trade.

HuggingChat: Customer support

Support for HuggingChat itself is primarily community-driven, via the Hugging Face Discord and forums. There's no in-product live chat or dedicated help desk for the free tier, which means troubleshooting usually involves hunting through documentation or community threads.

Hugging Face Pro subscribers gain access to prioritized support channels, and Enterprise customers get dedicated support. For individual users on the free plan, the documentation is thorough but the response loop can be slow if you hit an edge case.

(Image credit: HuggingFace.co)HuggingChat: Pricing

• Free: Full access to all 120+ models, web search, document upload, and custom Assistants with no daily message limits
• Hugging Face Pro ($9/month): 20x inference credits, 10x private storage, ZeroGPU priority access, Spaces Dev Mode, and early access to new features
• Team ($20/month per user) and Enterprise ($50/month per user): Adds SSO, audit logs, storage regions, SCIM provisioning, and dedicated support

The free tier is impressively generous and covers most use cases without restriction. Upgrading to Pro makes sense if you're a developer who also uses Hugging Face's broader platform for model hosting, inference, or dataset work. The credits and storage benefits extend well beyond HuggingChat itself.

There's no standalone HuggingChat subscription. The Pro plan is a Hugging Face platform upgrade, which means you're paying for the full platform rather than just the chat product. That's either good value or unnecessary overhead, depending on how embedded you are in the HF ecosystem.

HuggingChat: alternatives you should consider

• ChatGPT (OpenAI): The most polished AI chat product on the market, with voice mode, image generation, and a canvas editor. Better for general productivity but fully proprietary and locked behind a subscription for advanced features.
• Claude (Anthropic): Strong at long document analysis and nuanced writing. More consistent response quality than most open-weight models, though it's closed-source and doesn't offer model selection flexibility.
• Perplexity AI: A strong alternative if web search and real-time information retrieval are your main use cases. Less flexible on the model side but more tightly integrated with live web data.

How I tested HuggingChat

• Ran identical prompts across Llama 3.1, Mistral Large 2, and Qwen 2.5 to evaluate output consistency and quality differences.
• Tested web search integration, document upload, Omni routing, and custom Assistant creation over multiple sessions.
• Ran tests across different times of day to assess latency variability on the free tier.

Testing covered both technical tasks (code generation, document Q&A) and general use cases (writing, research, open-ended reasoning) to give a representative picture of day-to-day performance.

Dimplex Rechargeable Cordless Desk Fan: two minute reviewSpecifications

Type: desktop

Speeds: 4

Oscillation: none

Dimensions (HxWxD): 6.7 x 11 x 7.4 inches / 17 x 27.9 x 18.7cm

Controls: power and speed buttons

Battery life: 4-15 hours

Noise level: 36dB to 43dB

Dimplex makes lots of floor, table and pedestal fans, and the Rechargeable Cordless Desk Fan is designed to address one of their weaknesses: they can only go where your plug sockets or extension cables can go. This affordable fan works as wired one via its USB-C port but also includes a rechargeable battery delivering up to 15 hours of air, or around four hours at full speed. That means you you can take it into the garden on a hot evening or take it to your bedroom and run it overnight.

The Dimplex Rechargeable Cordless Desk Fan doesn't oscillate but you can tilt it vertically up to 90 degrees, and it folds down almost flat so it's easy to keep in a drawer or toss into a bag. There are four speed settings here but the high speed one is not recommended while charging, as it depletes the battery faster than the USB-C connection charges it.

The fan works well and is fairly quiet, but it does make a noticeable drone at all speed settings; on a hot day, running the fan at high was very distracting. Of course all fans make some noise, but as this is a small fan with a 6.7 inch / 17cm diameter and 5.1 inch 13cm blades, you need to have it close to you to feel the benefit. In my home office the Dimplex on quiet setting at half a meter distance was noticeably louder than a much larger air circulator running at 50% speed one meter from me. If noise annoys, this may not be the fan for you.

(Image credit: Future)Dimplex Rechargeable Cordless Desk Fan review: price and availability

• Launched July 2025
• UK only
• £34.99 (about $50 / AU$70)

The Dimplex Rechargeable Cordless Desk Fan, model DXRCFN, launched in the UK in July 2025. It has a recommended retail price of £34.99 (about $50 / AU$70), making it the most affordable model in the current range of Dimplex cooling fans and about £10 more expensive than a similarly sized wired desktop fan. It isn't currently available in Australia, and Dimplex doesn't sell its home cooling products in the US.

This fan has been cheaper – it was £25.45 during Prime Day 2026 – but I wouldn't expect to see any price cuts during the summer months in the UK.

Value for money: 4/5

(Image credit: Future)Dimplex Rechargeable Cordless Desk Fan review: design

• Supremely portable
• Finger-friendly grille
• USB-C charging

The design of the fan is rather clever. It's been made for maximum portability, folding in on itself to resemble a small squashed football for travel or storage. It charges via USB-C and takes about four hours to charge fully. Because it's USB you can charge it with a phone charger or power bank, which makes it a good option for travelling. The battery is sealed inside and is not user-replaceable.

In addition to its internal bladed fan there's a circular louvred grille on the front that rotates and enhances the airflow. Although it spins quickly, the front grille is finger-friendly and won't hurt you or a child if you or they touch it (although you can lock it in place if you don't want it to spin).

The Dimplex fan doesn't oscillate, but you can adjust its vertical tilt by up to 90 degrees by moving the fan section up or down. It stays put without having to be screwed in place. Controls are simple, with just two buttons: power and speed. There's no remote control and no smartphone/smart home features.

Design: 4/5

(Image credit: Future)Dimplex Rechargeable Cordless Desk Fan review: performance

• Decent airflow for its size
• Four speed settings
• Distracting sound

There are four fan speeds — quiet, low, medium and high — and I found that for my home office desk the quiet setting delivered a nice breeze without making me feel like I was in a wind tunnel. High speed was a bit intense up close but worked well from a little further away. Dimplex recommends only using High when you're on battery power as it can still deplete the battery when you're recharging it; at its lowest, quiet setting I managed 14+ hours from a single charge.

The Dimplex moves a decent amount of air for its size and it's fairly quiet in terms of its overall volume, which ranges from 36dB to 43dB. However, it does make a noticeable and constant droning sound that rises in pitch as you increase the speed. All bladed fans make some motor noise, of course, but desk fans are designed to sit very close to you, which means any noise is much more noticeable. For me it was too distracting at any speed when I sat it on my work desk, although in the bedroom at its lowest setting it didn't keep me awake.

Performance: 3/5

(Image credit: Future)Dimplex Rechargeable Cordless Desk Fan review: should you buy it?

Value

Not much more expensive than a wired fan of similar size

4/5

Design

Designed for maximum portability with fold-flat design, but no oscillation feature

4/5

Performance

Good airflow for such a small fan but we found the noise a little distracting.

3/5

Buy it if...

You like to move it, move it

The Dimplex Rechargeable Cordless Desk Fan is super light and extremely portable, folding down small enough to put in a bag.

You get around

This fan charges via USB-C, runs for up to 15 hours and can be recharged from a power bank or phone charger.

You're in a small space

The relatively small fan blades mean this is best suited to desktop use or close-up positioning.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

Noise annoys

The fan's motor makes a noticeable drone that your reviewer found distracting.

You're far away

This fan only moves air a short distance, so you'll need something more powerful for larger spaces.

Your home's too hot

Fans like this one move air around but don't have any cooling features.

Dimplex Rechargeable Cordless Desk Fan review: also consider

It's twice the price, but the MeacoFan Sefte 6-inch portable air circulator is brilliant, delivering up to 22 hours of impressive airflow and whisper-quiet operation. That's £69.99, and the slightly larger and more powerful 8-inch is £79.99. Both are in high demand so if you want one you should move quickly: the same firm's 10-inch Sefte fans sold out very quickly and are currently out of stock.View Deal

Dimplex Rechargeable Cordless Desk Fan review: how we tested

I tested this Dimplex fan for a week during summery weather as both a desktop fan in my home office, and as a bedroom fan overnight. Both locations are in my house, where indoor temperatures were around 69.8°F to 75.2°F / 21ºC to 24ºC during the daytime and around 66.2°F to 68.0°F / 19ºC to 20ºC at night.

First tested July 2026

Evil Dead Burn is the sixth installment in the horror franchise, and unfortunately, I found the new movie to be the weakest one of the bunch. Considering the 2013 reboot wasn't great, I think that speaks to how much I'm disappointed in the most recent entry.

On the surface, Evil Dead Burn looks promising. It was directed by Sébastien Vaniček, who is most well known for his movie Infested. I liked that one a lot (mostly because spiders terrify me), and so I was excited for his take on the iconic Evil Dead series.

Vaniček's Evil Dead Burn follows a woman named Alice (Souheila Yacoub) who is grieving over the loss of her husband, William (George Pullar), as she seeks solace with her in-laws. One member of her late husband's family is played by Hunter Doohan, who stars in Netflix's Wednesday, and I must admit it was cool getting to see him in a horror movie.

One by one, the family transforms into Deadites, the malevolent, parasitic demonic spirits we've come to fear throughout the Evil Dead franchise. But it goes in a direction I really wasn't expecting.

I do want to preface my mostly negative review by pointing out that there are some good things about this movie. Horror fans with a thirst for gory set pieces will no doubt have fun, as there are indeed some great moments. Some stand-out scenes involve a dishwasher and a car door, and just thinking about them makes me cringe uncomfortably.

Unfortunately, there's not much else to it beyond some standout gory moments that will stick with you. It's not a patch on the Bruce Campbell-led movies we know and love, and pales in comparison to its predecessor, Evil Dead Rise.

Evil Dead Burn centers around a family terrorized by Deadites, but there's a lot of confusion here surrounding how people become possessed. Sometimes you need a transfer of bodily fluids, and sometimes possession takes longer than others. The inconsistency throughout the movies might frustrate fans, as sometimes, a simpler answer is best.

When the family members are possessed, horrible things happen. It is a very unforgiving movie because the Deadites are particularly cruel here, often to an extreme degree. I should warn people now that yes, there is violence towards animals if that bothers you, and the movie feels nastier than its predecessors as a result.

That's not necessarily a bad thing, as we expect to watch a horror movie to feel uncomfortable and scared. But Evil Dead Burn really struggles to balance these shocking, brutal moments with an actual story, to the point where it feels like you're just watching a montage of gory scenes.

There's also a frustrating overreliance on jump scares here, which previous Evil Dead movies steered away from. There's nothing wrong with a good scare, and horror fans love them, but when you have excessive ones you saw coming a mile away, it becomes tedious.

Sam Raimi wove a really cool horror story when he first created The Evil Dead, but this sequel adds very little to the lore. It's basically a long movie where family members brutally attack and maim each other, and by the credits, I was left with more questions than answers.

Even the post-credits scene isn't really worth waiting for, and since there was a three-year gap between Evil Dead Rise and Evil Dead Burn, it's a shame that's all we got.

Ultimately, Evil Dead Burn is another divisive horror movie that will work for some and not others. It really depends on what you want from a horror movie, and if you're content with some over-the-top gore and repeated easy-to-spot scares, then you'll definitely have fun.

If you want more lore with your gore, then you might want to revisit the previous movies instead. Evil Dead Burn doesn't add much to a long-running franchise, and I found it to be a disappointment.

Express AI, launched on March 31, 2026, is ExpressVPN's attempt to answer a question many AI users haven't thought to ask: who can read your chats? The platform offers access to five AI models inside a confidential computing environment, where prompts and outputs are cryptographically isolated from everyone, including ExpressVPN itself. That's a bold claim in a category where privacy policies tend to be long on language and short on enforcement.

The platform comes bundled with ExpressVPN's Pro plan at no additional cost, positioning it alongside the company's password manager, secure mail, and identity protection tools. I've been covering AI platforms and business software for TechRadar Pro for years, including our 2026 buying guide for vibe coders and our guides on OpenClaw and Moltbook.

For this review, I spent time using Express AI across a range of everyday tasks: drafting, summarising documents, and reasoning through technical problems, to see how it holds up against better-known AI platforms.

What is Express AI?

Express AI is a multi-model AI chat platform built by ExpressVPN and accessible at app.expressai.com. At launch, it offers access to five general-purpose AI models, each selected for a different task type. What separates it from platforms like ChatGPT or Claude isn't the model lineup, but the underlying architecture: every interaction runs inside a confidential computing environment where encryption keys are generated inside the hardware itself, mathematically isolating conversations from cloud providers, model operators, and ExpressVPN.

The platform targets professionals and individuals who routinely share sensitive information in their AI chats, such as financial questions, work documents, and personal communications, and want guarantees that their data won't be retained or used to train future models. It's particularly well-suited to users already in the ExpressVPN ecosystem, since access is tied to the Pro subscription.

Privacy claims in the AI space are easy to make and hard to verify, which is why ExpressVPN commissioned an independent audit from Cure53, a German cybersecurity firm known for rigorous assessments. The pre-launch review, conducted in February and March 2026, covered penetration testing, source code inspection, and analysis of the platform's cryptography and key management. Cure53 confirmed that Express AI processes user interactions within confidential computing enclaves and found no unresolved vulnerabilities at launch.

Express AI: At a glance

Attribute

Notes

Underlying model(s)

Five open-weight models: GPT OSS 120B, DeepSeek R1 Distill 32B, Qwen2.5-VL 32B, Qwen3.5 35B-A3B, and Nemotron 12B

Best for

Privacy-conscious professionals, sensitive document analysis, multi-model comparison

Distinguishing functions

Confidential computing, Ghost Mode, encrypted vault, side-by-side model comparison, zero data retention

UI features

Clean chat interface with per-model selection, credit tracker, file upload support

Subscription costs

Included with ExpressVPN Pro; no standalone free plan

API pricing

No public API access available at launch

Buy it if…

• You share sensitive information with AI tools. If your prompts routinely include personal, financial, or professional details, Express AI's zero-access architecture offers a layer of protection that mainstream platforms don't.
• You want multiple models without multiple subscriptions. The platform bundles five models covering everyday writing, document analysis, and coding in one interface, which reduces the cost and friction of juggling several accounts.

Don't buy it if…

• You're not already an ExpressVPN subscriber. Access requires a Pro plan, so you'd be paying for a full VPN suite alongside the AI platform. That's poor value if you only want an AI chatbot.
• You need API access or developer-level control. Express AI has no public API at launch, which makes it a non-starter for developers building on top of AI models.

My time with Express AI

The interface is spare and deliberately uncomplicated. You select a model, type your prompt, and get a response. There's no sidebar full of tools or settings buried three menus deep. I found the model-switching to be the most useful feature in practice: running the same prompt through DeepSeek R1 Distill 32B for a reasoning-heavy task and then Qwen2.5-VL 32B for document analysis took seconds rather than the tab-switching juggle that typically comes with using multiple platforms.

Ghost Mode worked as described: conversations disappeared after the session ended with no residual trace in the history panel. The encrypted vault stores past conversations behind a user-set password, which means chat history isn't accessible server-side, though a forgotten password loses the history permanently. That's a reasonable trade-off for the privacy guarantee, but it's something to keep in mind for anyone who relies on conversation history for workflow continuity.

One honest caveat: I couldn't independently verify the confidential computing claims beyond what Cure53 has stated in its public report. I'm taking the audit at face value, just as most users will. The 500 daily credits at one credit per prompt felt adequate for my testing but could frustrate users running long, iterative research sessions.

Express AI: Features

Express AI launches with five open-weight models rather than building proprietary ones from scratch. GPT OSS 120B handles everyday writing and reasoning; DeepSeek R1 Distill 32B is the pick for multi-step logic and research analysis; Qwen2.5-VL 32B reads and extracts data from images and documents; Qwen3.5 35B-A3B targets coding and complex prompts; and Nemotron 12B from NVIDIA handles technical and math-heavy workloads. In practice, having these in one interface means you can match the model to the task without maintaining separate accounts or API keys.

The side-by-side comparison tool is a standout. You can run the same prompt across multiple models simultaneously to compare outputs, which is especially useful when deciding which model to lean on for a recurring task type. Few standalone AI platforms offer this natively.

Ghost Mode and the encrypted vault address the two main categories of privacy risk. Ghost Mode auto-deletes conversations after each session, leaving no stored record at all. The vault stores history under user-controlled encryption: only the password set by the user can decrypt it, and neither ExpressVPN nor the model providers can access it. These aren't marketing claims; Cure53's February and March 2026 audit verified both mechanisms before launch.

File uploads are capped at 50 MB per file. The 2 GB of secure storage included with the Pro plan is sufficient for most document analysis tasks. I uploaded PDFs and images without friction, and Qwen2.5-VL 32B handled the analysis accurately in my testing. There's also a transparent credit tracker, which shows remaining daily usage clearly rather than burying it in account settings.

What's missing, at least at launch, is agentic capability. Express AI doesn't support tool use, web browsing, or multi-step autonomous tasks. It's a chat interface, and a deliberate one. For users who want AI agents to run workflows or integrate with external services, they'll need to look elsewhere. The no-API position also limits Express AI's appeal to developers, which may narrow the platform's audience more than ExpressVPN intends.

Express AI: User experience

The interface prioritises simplicity, which suits the platform's core audience. New users can start a conversation in under a minute. There's no onboarding tutorial or feature demo, but the layout is intuitive enough that most users won't need one. The Ghost Mode toggle and model selector are front and centre, so the two features that define the platform don't require hunting through menus.

In terms of design, it reads closer to a focused productivity tool than a full AI platform. That restraint works in its favour for privacy-conscious users who don't want complexity, but it may feel bare to anyone coming from ChatGPT or Claude's more feature-dense interfaces. ExpressVPN has described Express AI as part of a broader privacy ecosystem, suggesting the product will expand, but the launch version makes no concessions to power users hoping for immediate depth.

Express AI: Customer support

Express AI inherits ExpressVPN's customer support infrastructure, which includes 24/7 live chat via the main ExpressVPN site. Response times in my experience have been fast, typically under two minutes for live chat. Support agents are familiar with the VPN suite but may have limited depth on Express AI-specific technical queries, given how recently the platform launched.

The support documentation for Express AI is currently thin. The knowledge base covers setup and billing questions, but more detailed guidance on model selection, credit usage, and the encrypted vault is sparse. Given that this is a new product, that's understandable, but users who run into edge cases may find the documentation less helpful than they'd expect.

(Image credit: ExpressVPN)Express AI: Pricing

• Included with ExpressVPN Pro. Express AI is available at no additional cost to Pro subscribers, which makes it the most accessible pricing model for existing users.
• Pro plan starts at $7.49/month on a 2-year commitment, rising to $8.99/month on a 1-year plan and $19.99/month month-to-month.
• No standalone or free tier. There is no way to access Express AI without an active ExpressVPN Pro subscription.

The pricing is simple once you accept that Express AI is a bundled benefit rather than a standalone product. Pro subscribers get 500 daily credits, 2 GB of encrypted storage, and access to all five models alongside ExpressVPN's other features. For users who already pay for a Pro plan, Express AI costs nothing extra.

For users who don't need a VPN, the value proposition is murkier. The Pro plan at $19.99/month is competitive with some standalone AI subscriptions — ChatGPT Plus costs $20/month, for example — but you're paying for a VPN suite first and an AI platform second. ExpressVPN hasn't announced a standalone plan for Express AI, so that decision point will remain for the foreseeable future.

Express AI: alternatives you should consider

• ChatGPT (OpenAI): The most widely used AI platform, with broader model access, API support, and agentic capabilities, but no confidential computing or zero-access architecture.
• Claude (Anthropic): A strong alternative for writing and reasoning tasks, with competitive privacy policies, though prompts may be reviewed for safety and model improvement purposes.
• Lumo (Proton): A privacy-oriented alternative from the makers of ProtonMail, worth watching as it develops its AI toolset for privacy-focused users.

How I tested Express AI

• Used Express AI for drafting, summarising, and answering research questions across multiple sessions to assess model quality and response consistency.
• Uploaded PDFs and images to test the Qwen2.5-VL 32B model's ability to extract data and answer questions about uploaded content.
• Tested Ghost Mode, the encrypted vault setup, and credit tracking to confirm they behaved as described in the official documentation and Cure53 audit summary.

For this review, I used Express AI as a day-to-day tool across a three-day period, testing each of the five models for their stated use cases and comparing the experience against mainstream AI platforms I use regularly. I reviewed ExpressVPN's official product documentation, the public summary of the Cure53 audit, and third-party coverage from the March 2026 launch to verify the platform's privacy claims and pricing.