Reviews

Kiwibit Beako Smart Bird Feeder: one-minute review

The Kiwibit Beako Smart Bird Feeder features many of the characteristics that we have come to expect as standard in our Best Bird Feeder Cameras guide. The Beako arrives as a well-thought-out package that requires minimal assembly. Installation proved straightforward, taking just a few minutes to assemble and mount to a tree using the included strap. Wall and pole mounts were also included – I was ready to connect the camera to the Kiwibit app in under five minutes.

The standout feature is the 4K camera - the first bird feeder camera we have reviewed with the feature, and crucially, this resolution is available without requiring a premium subscription. The difference in image quality is noticeable when there's good light on your feathered visitors, with small details like feather patterns and eye markings coming through. However, there is a catch: the minimum focus distance of the lens seems to be at the very edge of the perch, so the birds aren't always in the focus plane to capture the detail that the 4K sensor is capable of. Also, the sensor is still relatively small, so decent lighting conditions are still needed to get the best images.

The design is thoughtful, with a seed hopper that's genuinely clever in execution. The removable hopper makes filling and cleaning simple, and the adjustable flow control prevents seeds from pouring out should the feeder be shaken by a larger bird or squirrel. The seed tray is also removable, making maintenance and cleaning straightforward; however, it could be slightly deeper to prevent seeds from spilling over when squirrels come to visit.

(Image credit: Future)

Bird identification is impressively accurate, with around nine out of ten identifications being spot on in my experience – the Beako's makers claim it can to detect up to 10,000 species. The AI features come with the more expensive Chestnut Brown roof model or can be added for £3.99 per month.

The Kiwibit app feels familiar and easy to use, featuring responsive notifications, calendar views, and the ability to share images, videos, and access to the camera with friends and family. The Beako includes free 1-day cloud storage, with more extended storage requiring a Kiwibit Plus subscription or a microSD card.

Battery life is excellent, lasting around a week or so between charges during my tests. The battery can be easily inserted and removed from a hatch at the bottom of the camera unit, there's built-in USB-C charging, plus an included solar panel, which if positioned correctly, should mean that you don't need to charge at all. After several months of testing, the feeder still looks like new and has withstood the weather and squirrel attention well.

The alarm feature, designed to deter squirrels, proved completely ineffective in my testing - the squirrels quickly became accustomed to it and continued their behaviour regardless. This is common across all bird feeder cameras I've tested, and I have yet to find one that works even 50% of the time, so it's not a Beako-specific issue. The automatic use of the alarm feature is only available with the Plus subscription anyway.

Both the Forest Green and Chestnut Brown color schemes look natural outdoors, although bolder color options would be welcome for those wanting to make the feeder a more prominent feature.

Overall, the Kiwibit Beako stands out as one of the best smart bird feeders available, with 4K footage without subscription fees, thoughtful design touches, and solid build quality. However, despite the 4K resolution, the image quality isn't significantly different from that of HD models due to the camera's focus distance. At $169 for the non-AI version, it represents fantastic value for anyone seeking high-quality bird footage. The AI-enabled model or subscription adds features that bird enthusiasts will appreciate.

Kiwibit Beako Smart Bird Feeder: price and availability

• Available now for $269 with AI recognition or $249 without AI – look out for discounts
• Available at Amazon US and Kiwibit.com
• Kiwibit Plus subscription (£3.99/month or £9.99/month for unlimited devices) unlocks extended features

The Kiwibit Beako Smart Bird Feeder is currently only available in the US from Kiwibit.com and Amazon US – I will update this review should it land in the UK and / or Australia. It comes at two price points: the Chestnut Brown roof version costs $269 and includes AI bird identification, while the Forest Green roof version costs $249 without AI by default, although the AI feature can be activated. At the time of writing, the Beako is on sale for $239 and $169 respectively at the Kiwibit website.

I tested the Forest Green model with AI added. The feeder comes with a wall mount bracket, a strap, and a pole mount in the box.

The optional Kiwibit Plus subscription (£3.99/month, or £9.99/month for multiple feeders) unlocks 60-day cloud storage, smart notifications identifying bird species, custom alert zones, up to 3-minute recording time, and the squirrel alarm. Without a subscription, you receive free 1-day cloud storage and can utilise a microSD card for local storage. To get the most out of the feeder, the £3.99 monthly subscription is worthwhile if you're serious about bird watching, but the standard version with an SD card is sufficient for casual use.

Kiwibit Beako Smart Bird Feeder: specsBird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder Pro specs

Sensor

Unknown

Photo

8MP - 130 degree FOV

Video

4K

Memory

Micro SD or online via subscription

Dimensions

222mm(W) x 280mm(H) x 181mm(D)

Weight

1,450g

Battery

5,200 mAh rechargeable lithium ion

Kiwibit Beako Smart Bird Feeder: design

• Compact all-in-one design with dual seed hopper (1.5L capacity)
• Removable battery and built-in USB-C charging
• Green color blends well with natural surroundings, multiple mounting options included

Setting up the Kiwibit Beako Smart Bird Feeder was straightforward. The instructions are clear, and the whole process - from unpacking to having the feeder mounted and paired with my phone - took less than ten minutes. The app setup follows a familiar pattern similar to that of other smart home devices, so if you've installed a video doorbell or security camera before, you'll feel right at home.

The feeder comes with multiple mounting options in the box - a strap for trees, a wall mount bracket, and a pole mount bracket that allows the feeder to sit on top of a post. This flexibility is welcome, as it means you can position the feeder wherever works best for your garden layout and Wi-Fi coverage. I used the wall mount bracket with the strap to secure it to a tree, which worked perfectly.

The green color is attractive and blends well with the garden surroundings, and the Chestnut Brown roof on the AI-enabled model also looks natural. Both color schemes work well outdoors, though some additional bolder color options would be welcome for those wanting to mount the feeder on a wall or make it a more feature piece.

The feeder itself is made from sturdy plastic and for my tests has weathered several months outdoors without any visible deterioration. The Beako was positioned about 15 metres from my Wi-Fi router with a clear line of sight through a window, and connectivity has been solid throughout.

The seed hopper is one of the Beako's best design features. The removable hopper makes filling and cleaning straightforward, and the adjustable flow control is a particularly neat touch, allowing you to control how quickly the seed dispenses into the tray. This has been genuinely useful for managing seed waste, especially when squirrels are raiding the feeder.

The seed tray is also removable, making cleaning simple without needing to take the feeder down or awkwardly clean it in situ. This is a thoughtful design detail that makes regular maintenance much easier. However, my only criticism is that the seed tray itself could be slightly deeper, as it would help contain seeds better when squirrels are moving around; it would prevent quite so much spillage over the edge.

The included perch is necessary for most garden birds, and those that have visited have appeared to be comfortable using it. However, I think both this and similar feeders would benefit from a slightly larger perch positioned a bit further from the tray, which would allow larger birds to be completely in focus when the camera captures them.

(Image credit: Future)

One of the cleverest design features is the removable battery. Rather than having to take down the entire camera unit for charging, there's a hatch at the bottom of the feeder that allows you to simply pop out the battery. This is far more convenient than systems that require the camera to be removed entirely.

Access to the charging port and SD card slot is well thought out, too, with a silicone cover to maintain the IP65 weather resistance. The solar panel connects easily and, with proper positioning, it provides enough trickle charge even on cloudy days, so you shouldn't need to remove the battery for charging at all.

If you've followed my previous bird feeder reviews, such as the Bird Buddy, you'll know I have ongoing squirrel issues. The Beako includes an alarm feature that can be set to activate automatically when squirrels are detected, but I found it completely ineffective as a deterrent. The squirrels quickly got used to the noise and realised it was just that - noise - with no actual consequences. Given how frequently they visited, I turned the alarm off as it would have started to annoy my neighbours or anyone enjoying their garden nearby, and it also obviously decreases battery life. This isn't solely a Beako issue, but is common to all feeders I've tested that include audible deterrents. The good news is that the housing itself has held up remarkably well despite being scratched and tested by persistent squirrels over several months.

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(Image credit: Future)Kiwibit Beako Smart Bird Feeder: performance

• 4K video quality could be improved with a larger perch
• 8MP photos are heavily cropped
• Impressively accurate bird detection

The image quality from the 4K camera should in theory be better than that of the competition, most of which is limited to lower resolution 1080p. That extra detail is particularly noticeable in the background of the video, especially in good lighting conditions. However, it is limited by the minimum focus distance of the lens, which means that any bird closer than the furthest rung of the perch will be slightly out of focus.

There is also some chromatic aberration visible around high-contrast edges in bright sunshine. When birds are in focus and well-lit, the video is of good quality. However, depending on how you view your image, you may not notice much difference compared to an HD camera.

However, it is important to establish realistic expectations. The camera sensor is still relatively small, comparable to that of a smartphone camera, so good lighting remains necessary for optimal results. As light levels drop around dawn and dusk, shadow detail fades away and image quality deteriorates. However, this is common for cameras of this size and type rather than a specific failing of the Beako.

For those who want to make the most of 4K resolution, you can view images on larger screens thanks to the Micro SD card and the ability to connect to Alexa for viewing on a television.

Still images of the birds from the app are cropped to show just the bird in the picture, which means they are far short of the maximum 8MP quality. This is where a portrait-oriented camera comes into play, and why some of the best quality bird images has come from the BirdBuddy Smart Birdfeeder Pro.

The bird identification AI is impressively accurate. Based on my testing, I estimate that around nine out of ten identifications are correct, with the system recognizing up to 10,000 different bird species. There's a helpful link to Wikipedia summaries for each detected bird, and you can track visit frequencies with a calendar view. Images and videos can be shared directly, and you can share camera access via a link, allowing friends and family to watch the live feed remotely.

Notifications arrive promptly - usually fast enough that I could look out the window and still see the bird at the feeder. I did have to disable squirrel notifications as they became overwhelmingly frequent, but it's good that this level of control is available.

Battery life is good, thanks to the large 5200 mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and I found it lasted around a week or more between charges. However, as mentioned, if you find a good spot to mount the solar panel, you may never need to charge your battery, even in the winter months.

After several months of outdoor use, the Beako continues to perform perfectly, having withstood rain, and bright sunshine without any issues.

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(Image credit: Future)Should you buy the Kiwibit Beako Smart Bird Feeder?Buy it if...

You want an automated nuisance animal deterrent

Although our test squirrels quickly got used to the alarm of the Kiwibit Beako, you may have more luck depending on the creatures you are trying to deter. Having the alarm go off automatically could be a great feature if you are far from your neighbors..

You want an easy-to-maintain feeder

The removable battery with built-in USB-C charging, removable seed hopper with flow control, and removable seed tray make the Beako one of the most practical feeders to maintain. If you're looking for a feeder that's genuinely easy to refill, clean, and charge, this is an excellent choice.

You want flexibility

The two-model approach (with and without AI) allows you to start at $169 and add AI identification later if desired, or opt for the AI-enabled version directly. This flexibility makes it accessible whether you're a serious birder or just curious about garden visitors.

Don't buy it if...

You want a statement feeder

Both the Forest Green and Chestnut Brown color schemes are designed to blend naturally into outdoor settings. If you want a feeder that's a vibrant talking point or garden feature, there are more eye-catching options available.

You want the best photos

With the downloadable images being crops that focus tightly on the birds, the images from the Kiwibit Beako don't match the 8MP resolution.

You want to buy accessories

There are currently no optional extras for the Kiwibit Beako. Other feeders have water feeders or fruit holders to attract different types of a birds and animals

How I tested the Kiwibit Beako Smart Bird Feeder

• I hung the feeder in a tree for 4 months
• It was connected to my home Wi-Fi
• I monitored the visiting birds daily via the Kiwibit app

I tested the Kiwkibit Beako bird feeder by hanging it from a tree in my garden that birds (and squirrels) regularly visit. The feeder was strapped to the tree, and the camera was set up using an iPhone and the Kiwibit app.

I live in the UK and left the feeder up there for the warm from June and into stormy weather come October. I didn't test it in freezing conditions. During my time with the feeder, I monitored the birds visiting via the app in real-time and reviewed photos and videos that had been captured.

I have also looked at AI recognition and the various capabilities of the app.

• First reviewed October 2025

Real-time chat is as important in the business world as it is in our personal lives. It enables information to flow smoothly within organizations, as colleagues can communicate with each other quickly when needed. Save for real-time chat, colleagues can also hold group video and audio calls to share ideas and receive feedback.

Google Chat is a real-time communication platform geared for business use. Its features facilitate effective collaboration among employees, and Google Chat is used by many companies worldwide.

However, what are Google Chat’s key features and what features are missing? How does it compare to its main rivals? I tested Google Chat extensively to help you answer these questions. Read to learn what Google Chat offers and how it compares against competitors, and then you can decide if it’s the best choice for your business.

(Image credit: Google)Google Chat: Plans and pricing

Google Chat isn’t a standalone solution. Instead, the business version is offered as part of a Google Workspace subscription, which includes Chat and many other business tools.

Google Chat also has a free version for personal use. This version enables real-time communication between individuals but lacks the collaborative features offered in the business version.

There are three Google Workspace plans: Starter, Standard, and Plus. The Starter plan costs $6 per user per month, the Standard plan costs $14 per user per month, and the Plus plan costs $22 per user per month.

There’s not much difference in the three Workspace plans regarding Google Chat’s core functionalities. The differences are pronounced in other areas, including storage space, AI features, and videoconferencing, but Google Chat’s core features remain the same. For example, the Starter plan provides 30 GB of storage per user, while the Standard plan increases this to 2 TB, and the Plus plan increases it to 5 TB.

There’s an Enterprise Plus plan available to large organizations, but it does not have standard pricing. It’s reserved for large companies (usually 500+ employees) who want to negotiate custom deals with Google’s sales team.

Google offers a 14-day free trial for its Workspace plans. You can use this free trial to test the features before making your final decision. Google doesn’t have a precise refund policy, so ensure you’re comfortable with your plan before making a payment. A refund is possible, but it’ll take hectic back-and-forth conversations.

Google Chat: Features

Real-time chat is the core feature of Google Chat, as the name implies. It enables employees to chat and share important information, much like friends and family do through instant messaging apps.

Like typical instant messaging apps, Google Chat supports both individual chats and group chats. Users can create chat rooms called Spaces and collaborate, share files, and assign tasks to each other. Google Chat supports threaded replies, which makes it easy to keep up with a conversation.

By default, your chats are stored for 24 hours, but you can enable chat history to save them for up to 30 days. The storage time can be longer if you’re subscribed to the Plus plan, which unlocks Google Vault, a data retention service. You can set chats to be stored for your desired period on Google Vault, e.g., 180 or 365 days.

You can search through your chat conversations in detail, helped by Google’s powerful search algorithms. Google is best known as a search engine, so it’s no surprise that Google Chat incorporates a powerful search algorithm. In my observation, it’s much easier to search for specific information from your Google Chat history compared to other chat apps.

This feature may seem trivial, but I almost didn’t expect Google Chat to have read receipts, like typical messaging apps. I’m glad I encountered this feature, which let me know when recipients had read my messages.

Many business messaging apps purposely don't have read receipts, with the rationale that it creates pressure to respond immediately and can be a privacy intrusion. I understand this rationale, but I also find read receipts useful sometimes. However, I didn’t like the fact that Google Chat doesn’t allow users to turn off read receipts; I think users who aren’t comfortable with read receipts should have the option to do so.

You’ll be pleased to know that Google Chat offers much more than chat, thanks to its integration with other Google tools.

If your business is subscribed to Google Workspace, employees will have access to various Google tools, including Gmail, Google Meet, Docs, Slides, and more. It’s the integration with these tools that separates Google Chat from the competition.

For instance, I appreciated that I could initiate chat sessions directly from the Gmail dashboard, rather than having to open a separate Google Chat tab every time. An employee could be scrolling through their emails and notice an important piece of information to share with a colleague. In that case, they can quickly open the chat interface on the same Gmail dashboard and message the colleague.

Google Docs is another helpful integration. When employees are editing documents on Google Docs, they can open Google Chat on the same page and communicate with each other. This way, everyone working on the same document can share their ideas and suggest changes. There’s no need to juggle separate dashboards for document editing and real-time chat; Google delivers both on the same dashboard.

(Image credit: Google)

The above integration also applies to Google Sheets, which employees use to create spreadsheets. When multiple people are working on the same spreadsheet, they can use Google Chat to communicate without needing to open a separate tab.

Google Chat can be integrated with Google Calendar, which employees use for scheduling meetings and other events. Thanks to this integration, I could create and share calendar invites right on Google Chat. I also got automatic notifications in Google Chat whenever someone added a new event to the shared calendar.

The Google Drive integration lets users share files directly within chats. If you’ve previously uploaded the file on Google Drive, you can search for it and share it with a colleague, reducing the friction involved in sharing corporate files.

Earlier, when discussing the Spaces (group chat) functionality, I mentioned an example of colleagues assigning tasks to themselves. Google Chat is integrated with Google Tasks, which makes this process seamless. You can create a task directly within the chat menu and assign it to someone; the person will be immediately notified, and the task will be added to their dashboard.

A key feature I haven’t yet touched on is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into Google Chat. AI is rapidly advancing in the technology industry, and Google is one of the companies leading the charge in the AI race. It operates Gemini, a generative AI chatbot that has been integrated into various Google tools, including Chat.

Gemini helped me compose messages when using Google Chat, and I particularly liked its quick reply suggestions. Whenever someone sent a routine message, Gemini suggested several replies, which I could easily pick from. The chatbot also suggests the next words and phrases as you type a message.

I’m not suggesting depending entirely on Gemini when chatting, as it has some flaws, but it saves significant time you would have spent typing mundane responses and thinking of what to write next.

Notably, Google Chat isn’t only integrated with Google tools. It’s integrated with many third-party apps, and you can access these integrations on the Google Workspace app marketplace.

For example, businesses can integrate Google Chat with Jira, a popular project tracking and management platform. With this integration, employees can receive Google Chat notifications about any changes made on Jira. Suppose the due date for a Jira task changes; the people assigned to that task will be notified via Google Chat. This is just an example of many valuable integrations I tested on Google Chat.

(Image credit: Google)Google Chat: Interface and in use

I’ve tested many Google tools, and user-friendliness is a criterion where they perform excellently. Google Chat is no exception. It has a simple interface that I think anyone can find easy to navigate. It doesn’t take much to get used to the interface, thanks to its neat arrangement of features and the use of minimal colors that make navigation easy.

Google Chat’s intuitive interface is in contrast to some business messaging apps I’ve reviewed. While these apps offer more functionalities, their interfaces are often cluttered and require more time to get used to. Google Chat stands out by not having a steep learning curve.

Google Chat is accessible from your web browser or mobile app. Employees can access all features conveniently from their web browser or download the mobile app to chat on the go.

A drawback is that Google Chat lacks a desktop app, unlike some of its rivals. For example, Slack offers a desktop app that I enjoyed using even more than the web version.

Google Chat: Support

Google Chat has decent customer support. If you’re on the free, personal tier, there’s no direct support from Google’s team, but you can consult Google’s Help Center to troubleshoot issues. The Help Center contains user guides and manuals to troubleshoot all Google Chat features.

If you’re a paid Google Workspace subscriber, you can get direct help from Google’s support team. The team is available via email, live chat, or telephone and provides help to resolve problems that you can’t solve yourself.

On the bright side, Google Chat has a user-friendly interface that didn’t give me problems to resolve in the first place. The few hiccups I faced were related to learning how to use some features, and I quickly resolved them via the Help Center.

Google Chat: The competition

Slack and Microsoft Teams are the two main competitors to Google Chat that I’d like to highlight.

Slack is a versatile communication tool with many functionalities. It has an interactive and smooth workflow that makes business messaging enjoyable. It’s highly customizable, for example, by allowing users to receive notifications when someone mentions a specific keyword in a group chat. It has advanced search functionalities similar to what’s available on Google Chat.

I wouldn’t say there’s a clear better choice between Slack and Google Chat; it depends more on your needs. Slack is ideal for large companies due to its extensive customizability and third-party integrations. Google Chat is ideal for smaller companies needing a simple solution or for companies already subscribed to Google Workspace that don’t want to pay extra for a communication tool.

Microsoft Teams isn’t a standalone chat app, but rather one that combines Chat and many other functionalities. It’s similar to having a Google Workspace subscription that unlocks access to many features, including chat, document editing, file storage, and videoconferencing.

Microsoft Teams offers more features and has better customizability than Google Workspace. Regarding chat, Google is a streamlined, lightweight option, while Microsoft provides more advanced features for large organizations.

However, Google Workspace beats Microsoft in user-friendliness. I found it far simpler to navigate than Microsoft Teams, which has a steep learning curve. If you choose Microsoft Teams, expect employees to spend more time getting used to its features.

Google Chat: Final verdict

I recommend Google Chat for companies that already use Google services and need a simple chat tool for employees. The seamless integration with other Google apps makes Google Chat a wise choice in this case.

However, I don’t think Google Chat offers much as a standalone alternative against rivals like Slack. If you’re adopting Google Chat, it should be because you’re adopting the whole Google Workspace ecosystem, not just the chat tool.

We've listed the best online collaboration tools.

For a long time, Microsoft Excel has been synonymous with the idea of spreadsheets, owing to its status as the best spreadsheet software. You’d think Microsoft Excel invented spreadsheets, but that’s not the case. The first spreadsheet program was developed several years before Excel.

Excel’s dominance has spawned many competitors seeking to eat into its market share. Google Sheets is one of the leading competitors and, as the name implies, is offered by Google, the company best known for running the most popular search engine.

Google Sheets is a formidable Excel rival designed with a focus on collaboration. It works primarily online, enabling multiple people to collaborate on the same spreadsheet. It has a free tier and paid business plans with advanced features.

I extensively tested Google Sheets so that you don’t have to go through the same stress. This review dives into Google Sheets’ features, pros, cons, and how it fares against Excel and other rivals. Read on to learn what Google Sheets offers and whether it’s the best choice for your business.

(Image credit: Google)Google Sheets: Plans and pricing

Google Sheets has free and paid plans. The free plan is notably versatile, although the paid Workspace plans come with extra features. On the free plan, you can edit documents together with other users and access all core Google Sheets features. The free tier’s drawback is that the collaborative features are limited, and it lacks the extensive integration with other Google tools.

Google Workspace has three plans: Starter, Standard, and Plus. At $7 per user per month, the Starter plan unlocks 30 GB of storage for each corporate account and Gemini, Google’s advanced artificial intelligence (AI) assistant. However, Gemini isn’t integrated directly with Google Sheets on this plan; you have to use it as a separate app.

At $14 per user per month, the Standard plan unlocks a sizable 2 TB of storage per corporate account and direct integration with Gemini. On this plan, you can use Gemini directly on Google Sheets, for example, by asking it to create visualizations with the data on your spreadsheet. Gemini adds much more resourcefulness to Google Sheets, which we’ll dive into later.

At $22 per user per month, the Plus plan unlocks 5 TB of storage per account and the same integration with Gemini as the Standard plan. The storage allowance is important because spreadsheets can get voluminous, and so can other files from other Google services, such as videos, photos, and text documents, which also share the same storage space.

With 2 TB to 5 TB of storage on the Standard and Plus plans, respectively, there’s ample space to store many spreadsheets and other essential corporate files. The Starter plan has a lower 30 GB storage allocation, but it can work well for small to medium-sized businesses if managed well.

Notably, there’s an Enterprise Plus plan targeted at large organizations, usually 500+ employees. This plan has no standard pricing. If you represent such an organization, you can contact Google’s sales team to directly negotiate a sales deal.

Google offers a 14-day free trial for its Workspace plans. The free version of Google Sheets also lets you test the features before making a payment.

Google Sheets: Features

If you’ve used Microsoft Excel or other spreadsheet tools, you wouldn’t have issues adjusting to Google Sheets. It has similar mathematical functions and advanced formulas for manipulating data. You can visualize data with charts and graphs, and with the help of the Gemini AI assistant if you’re subscribed to the Standard plan or higher.

Before diving deeper into Google Sheets’ features, it’s crucial to point out its competitive edge: collaboration. Google Sheets was late to the spreadsheet software market, having launched in 2006, compared to Microsoft Excel, which launched way back in 1985 and cemented itself as the go-to spreadsheet software provider.

To compete with Excel, Google tuned its focus to collaboration and shared editing. It made the process of collaborative editing as seamless as possible. Many people can collaborate on the same spreadsheet and monitor each other’s changes.

The owner of a spreadsheet document can invite collaborators and control their access to the document (Viewer, Commenter, or Editor). A Viewer can only scroll through and monitor the changes made on a spreadsheet.

A Commenter can’t implement changes, but they can leave comments on specific parts and suggest changes. For example, they can suggest changing a figure, and the suggestion will be highlighted for the document owner. If the document owner agrees with the suggestion, they can click on “Accept” and implement it with a single click.

Alternatively, the document owner can reject a suggestion from a Commenter. The document owner can accept or reject each suggestion individually, or accept or reject all suggestions at once.

Editors have the same rights as a document owner. They can implement changes without the original owner's prior approval. Google Sheets logs the changes made by every user, so collaborators can always know when and which user implemented specific changes.

You might wonder, “What if an editor makes a change I’m not comfortable with? Can I revert?” Yes, you can quickly resolve this issue with the Version History feature.

Google Sheets automatically saves each version of a document at different points in time. Hence, you can view past edits and restore previous versions of a document. For example, if you don’t like the changes someone made yesterday to a shared document, you can revert the document entirely to the version made the day before yesterday.

(Image credit: Google)

The Version History feature maintains the integrity of shared documents. It incentivizes accountability from each collaborator, knowing that any change they make can be traced back to them and reverted if needed.

I’ve discussed the collaborative features, but Google Sheets also offers much more. A noteworthy feature is the integration with Gemini, the Google AI assistant unveiled in 2024.

Gemini is a valuable AI assistant that’s similar to the popular ChatGPT. In this case, Gemini is integrated directly with Google Sheets, so you can ask it to perform tasks on your spreadsheet. For example, if you have a spreadsheet listing the salaries of all employees in your organization, you can tell Gemini to calculate the average and median salary from the data. You can also ask it to visualize the salaries in a chart, enabling you to know which teams or levels the salaries are skewed towards.

Gemini has endless more applications. It can create templates for various spreadsheets, generate summaries of spreadsheet data, write formulas for specific calculations, and extract insights from raw data. Gemini cut down the time I would have spent manually handling tasks, and it made using Google Sheets much more convenient.

In this era, a tool like Gemini might seem common, but it wasn’t the case as recently as five years ago. The AI boom, kick-started by ChatGPT in late 2022, has brought many benefits in a relatively short time. Though Google Sheets has many upsides, Gemini was my main highlight. The drawback is that direct Gemini integration is only available on the Standard plan or upwards.

As mentioned, Google Sheets has similar built-in mathematical functions and advanced formulas as Excel. You can apply these formulas to your spreadsheet data and extract insights. If you have an existing spreadsheet made with Excel, you can upload it to Google Sheets and share it with colleagues for collaborative editing.

However, I noticed a flaw when working with Google Sheets. It often slowed down when working with vast spreadsheets, think thousands of columns and rows. The same also occurred when running complex formulas or third-party add-ons to manipulate the spreadsheet data.

However, “slow” is relative. When working with these large datasets, Google Sheets was still very much usable, but it wasn’t as lightning-fast as when working with smaller datasets.

Google Sheets mainly works online, although it has an offline mode that lets you edit spreadsheets without an internet connection. The dilemma is that you need an internet connection to open the spreadsheet in the first place. Another issue is that the collaborative features can’t work without an internet connection, defeating the main benefit of using Google Sheets. The offline version is very limited; Google Sheets is built for collaborative use with an active internet connection.

(Image credit: Google)Google Sheets: Interface and in-use

Google Sheets is an intuitive tool that I had no complaints about using. The interface is arranged neatly, making it easy to find the features you need at a specific time. It’s like a typical spreadsheet, with the formatting features at the top and the body below.

When multiple users work on the same tool, you’ll see an icon representing each account currently working on the document. Each account has a unique highlight market, and you can easily monitor every user’s changes.

A slight hiccup is that Google Sheets has a steep learning curve, especially on the keyboard shortcuts, but that’s a general characteristic of spreadsheet tools and not limited to Google.

You can access Google Sheets on your web browser or download the mobile app for Android or iOS. Either way, Google Sheets offers a smooth interface that you can easily familiarize yourself with.

Google Sheets: Support

Google provides sufficient support to Google Sheets users. Its Help Center contains abundant informative resources, including user guides, tips, and tutorials. If you’re new to Google Sheets and need help in familiarizing yourself with its features, this Help Center is the go-to resource because it offers extensive assistance for free.

If you’re a paid Google Workspace subscriber, you can get direct help from Google’s team via email, live chat, or telephone. Support is available 24/7, expectedly for a company as large as Google with global customers.

The good thing is that Google Sheets is a well-designed, user-friendly app, so it wouldn’t give many problems in the first place. The little issues I encountered were in learning how to use key features, but I resolved them via the Help Center. Google Sheets’ numerous features constitute a steep learning curve, so expect some time to get used to its ins and outs.

Google Sheets: The competition

Microsoft Excel is undeniably the main competitor to Google Sheets. Whenever people hear about spreadsheets, Excel is the first platform that comes to mind, and Google Sheets is often an afterthought, but it has some pros compared to Excel.

Google Sheets is cloud-based and highly leans towards collaboration. It’s much easier for multiple people to work on the same document on Google Sheets than on Excel.

Another benefit is that Google provides a completely free version of Google Sheets that includes all core features, unlike the free version of Excel, which has very limited features compared to Excel's full capabilities.

That said, Google Sheets isn’t as advanced as Excel when it comes to analyzing complex, vast datasets. It doesn’t have as many formulas and third-party add-ons to analyze massive datasets. As I mentioned earlier, Google Sheets also often slows down when working with huge datasets, while Microsoft Excel handles these datasets more smoothly.

In summary, Google Sheets excels more (no pun intended) in collaboration and accessibility, while Excel outshines Google Sheets in data analysis and computations.

Google Sheets: Final verdict

Google Sheets has its benefits and drawbacks. If you need a tool that enables seamless collaboration when editing everyday corporate spreadsheets, Google Sheets is a perfect choice. It’s intuitive, easily accessible, and has the typical features you’ll expect in a spreadsheet.

On the other hand, if you need a tool to analyze massive and complex spreadsheets, Google Sheets may not be the best choice. Though advanced, it’s not as sophisticated as Microsoft Excel. Google Sheets’ biggest strength lies in collaborative, real-time editing.

We feature the best office alternatives.

PowerPoint has been the go-to presentation software for decades, but competition has gradually eaten into its market share, although PowerPoint remains dominant.

Google Slides is one of the main competitors that are grabbing some market share from PowerPoint. It’s a cloud-based presentation software whose strengths lie in collaboration, an intuitive interface, and advanced features.

Google Slides is a formidable PowerPoint competitor, but is it the best presentation software for you? I tested the app extensively to help you answer this question. Read on to learn about Google Slides’ features, pros, cons, and how it fares against PowerPoint and other rivals.

(Image credit: Google)Google Slides: Plans and pricing

Like most Google tools, Slides has a free version available to anyone with a Google account. This free version gives you access to the core presentation creation features. However, storage is limited to 15 GB, and the free plan doesn’t offer advanced collaborative features that the paid plan does.

The paid version of Google Slides isn’t a standalone subscription. Rather, it’s offered as part of a Google Workspace subscription, which includes Slides, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and many other tools. A Google Workspace subscription gives you access to numerous tools that help your business run smoothly; Slides is one of these tools.

You can choose from one of three Google Workspace plans: Starter, Standard, and Plus. The Starter plan costs $7 per user per month and unlocks 30 GB of storage for each account. It also unlocks access to Gemini, Google’s artificial intelligence chatbot, which assists you in creating the best presentations on Google Slides. However, you can only use Gemini as a separate app on this plan; it’s not directly integrated with Google Slides.

The Standard plan costs $7 per user per month. It provides a sizable 2 TB of storage for each corporate account, enough to store a massive volume of presentations made on Google Slides. The Standard plan unlocks direct Gemini integration with Google Slides. Instead of using Gemini as a separate app, you can interact with it directly on your Google Slides dashboard, which is more convenient than constantly switching between Slides and Gemini tabs.

The Plus plan costs $22 per user per month. It unlocks a whopping 5 TB of storage per account, which covers presentations and other files created with Google apps. Like the Standard plan, it includes Gemini integration, which enables you to ask the AI assistant for direct help when creating presentations. For example, you can ask Gemini to create a presentation template or give you ideas for what to include in your presentation.

There’s also an Enterprise Plus plan, albeit reserved for large corporations. This plan has no standard pricing, so interested companies have to contact Google’s sales team to negotiate a deal. It has the most advanced security features, making it ideal for large corporations (think 500+ employees) with high security needs.

Each Google Workspace plan includes a 14-day free trial, which you can leverage to test the features before making your final decision. The free version of Google Slides, which includes access to the core features, also gives you a hint of what to expect on a paid plan.

Google Slides: Features

Google Slides offers tools that enable you to create visually appealing, informative presentations. If you’ve used PowerPoint, the interface feels very similar. You have access to dozens of pre-built templates covering various topics, which you can edit to create your presentations. Otherwise, you can start from scratch and add different elements (shapes, images, videos, text boxes, etc.) to create your presentation.

Collaboration is Google Slides’ main competitive edge. It makes it easy for multiple people to work together on the same presentation. Under Google Workspace, team members have access to Google Chat, so they can hold real-time conversations on the same dashboard as they create presentations.

Team members can leave comments on specific parts of a presentation, for example, to recommend new information to add. They can also directly suggest changes, and the document owner can decide whether to accept or reject their suggestions. If a suggestion is accepted, it’ll be automatically implemented.

When multiple people work on the same presentation, each person will have a unique icon displayed at the top. These icons let others know who is currently on the same presentation document. Each person will also have a live pointer indicating where their cursor is positioned on the presentation.

You might be wondering who controls access to a presentation during collaborative editing. The answer is you, or the person who created the presentation originally. As a document owner, you decide how to share a document and what others can do with it. When sharing a presentation, you can set one of three permissions for other users: Viewer, Commenter, or Editor.

As the name implies, a Viewer can only view a presentation and monitor the editing process, but they can’t comment or suggest their own edits. A Commenter can leave comments or suggestions for the document owner; it’s up to the owner to accept or reject the suggestions.

In contrast, an Editor has the same permissions as the document owner. They can directly make changes without the owner’s prior approval. These precise permission levels let you assign different roles to people working on the same presentation. For example, you can assign a colleague as an Editor and your supervisor as a Commenter. The colleague can make direct changes, and the Supervisor can suggest ideas without making direct changes.

I liked the Version History feature, which let users restore previous versions of a document if the current one isn’t ideal. For example, when someone edited a presentation in a way I didn’t like, I quickly reverted to a previous version that existed before their edits.

As collaborators edit a document, Google stores each version at different time instants. On the Version History menu, you can view all the previously stored versions and restore any of them. With the Version History feature, you’re confident that any accidental mistakes can be undone. This feature also fosters accountability among collaborators, as everyone knows their changes can be tracked and undone if needed.

(Image credit: Google)

Gemini integration was a major highlight when using Google Slides. I used Gemini in many ways that made creating presentations more fun and convenient. For example, I used Gemini to generate images for presentations. The images weren’t always the best (some looked too unnatural), but they were suitable for use in real presentations.

I instructed Gemini to provide ideas for new presentation slides, and it excelled at this task. It gave valuable ideas and helped me rewrite or generate new text when needed. However, Gemini isn’t perfect. Its text often sounded robotic, requiring further editing to make it sound human-like.

Other ways you can use Gemini include asking it to summarize existing presentations or creating templates for a unique topic you’re about to present. The drawback is that direct Gemini integration is only available on the Standard plan or above. If you’re subscribed to the Starter plan, you can use Gemini as a separate app but not directly in Google Slides, which is less convenient. Gemini isn’t available on the free Google Slides plan.

Google Slides has a wide range of pre-made templates. You can use these templates as the foundation of your presentations instead of creating them from scratch. The pre-built templates cover everything from status reports to case studies, project wireframes, book reports, and many more.

If you don’t find a suitable template in Google’s pre-built library, you can create your own and reuse it many times. As I mentioned earlier, Gemini provides valuable help in creating your templates.

I liked Google Slides’ versatility regarding presentation files. You can upload files created on rival platforms, such as Microsoft PowerPoint and Canva, and edit them on Google Slides.

For example, you may have created a presentation with PowerPoint but need others to help you refine it. In that case, you can upload the PowerPoint file to Google Slides, then take advantage of the collaborative features to edit it together with your colleagues. Note that you may observe some formatting inconsistencies after importing presentations from other apps, but you can easily correct them.

Although it’s primarily built for online use, Google Slides has an offline mode where you can edit a presentation without an internet connection. Once your internet connection returns, every change made offline automatically syncs online.

Google Slides has a network of third-party add-ons that provide extra functionality, from translation to custom fonts, stock images, icons, and more. All in, Google Slides is a reliable presentation platform with many valuable features. If you need a tool for employees to collaboratively create and edit presentations, it’s the go-to choice. Google Slides outshines most competitors in collaborativeness and intuitiveness.

(Image credit: Google)Google Slides: Interface and in use

It may just be my personal observation, but Google tools usually excel in user-friendliness. Google Slides is one of the most intuitive tools I’ve used. Its interface is easy to grasp even for first-time users.

If you’ve used any presentation software before, Google Slides feels very similar. The homepage displays some templates and a button to begin a new presentation, as well as previews of the presentations you’ve previously created. When you tap the button to create a presentation, you’ll be taken to the main page where you can begin working on it.

With formatting options and other features arranged neatly at the top and the main body below, Google Slides is as easy to grasp as it gets. However, some complex features may require time to get used to.

Google Slides: Support

Google Slides users have access to significant support resources. When facing issues, the first place to consult is the Slides section of the Google Workspace Learning Center. This section includes detailed user guides, cheat sheets, and manuals for troubleshooting issues. It also includes tips for creating and sharing the best presentations.

The Learning Center has extensive details and is sufficient to solve most issues. But if you need further help as a Google Workspace subscriber, you can contact Google’s support team via email, live chat, or telephone. Free-tier users don’t have direct access to the support team, but the Learning Center provides ample resources to resolve issues.

Google Slides: The competition

PowerPoint and Canva are the two main Google Slides competitors I’d like to highlight. PowerPoint is the most widely used presentation software, and Google created the Slides app to grab a slice of PowerPoint’s market share.

Google Slides outshines PowerPoint in collaboration and accessibility. It’s a cloud-based tool that enables many people to work on the same presentation seamlessly. PowerPoint also has a cloud-based version that enables collaboration, but it doesn’t feel as seamless as using Google Slides.

However, PowerPoint outshines Google Slides with its advanced features and offline capabilities. If you want to create the most complex presentations full of rich visual elements, PowerPoint is a better choice. It has a broader collection of templates, visual elements, and add-ons that provide functionalities not natively available on PowerPoint.

Canva is similar to Google Slides as it emphasizes seamless collaboration and the ability to create visually appealing presentations. It’s a decent tool for creating presentations, but the drawback is the relative cost.

A Canva Teams subscription isn’t as economical as a Google Workspace subscription, considering that the latter gives you access to not just Slides but many other tools like Google Docs, Sheets, Meet, and more. In contrast, you’ll be paying only for a design tool with a Canva subscription, unlike Google Workspace that kills multiple birds with one stone.

Google Slides: Final verdict

Google Slides has its unique strengths and drawbacks, but it’s a presentation tool I’d recommend to anyone. It’s cost-effective, considering the other tools a Google Workspace subscription also unlocks, and enables seamless collaboration to create presentations. Google Slides might not be a PowerPoint killer, but it’s a reliable alternative for personal and business use.

We've featured the best Microsoft Office alternatives.

Pineapple Builder is an AI-powered website creator that promises to generate professional business websites in minutes rather than hours. Founded by solopreneur Peter Kowalczyk, this platform targets small business owners, entrepreneurs, and freelancers who need an online presence but don't have the coding expertise.

TechRadar reviewers have spent hundreds of hours testing more than 80 website builders, from our best website builder pick Wix to niche solutions like Framer and Webflow.

Pineapple Builder stands apart for its AI-first approach, which carries on past the initial results. Once the AI is done building your site, you can rely on it again for design, content generation, and SEO. We don't think it's groundbreaking, but perhaps it's the modern equivalent of straightforward entry-level tools like Google Sites.

Pineapple Builder: 2-minute review

Pineapple Builder keeps it simple, delivering on its core promise of rapid website creation, generating functional business sites in under 5 minutes through its AI platform. It combines automated design with practical business features like SEO optimization, analytics, and mobile-responsive templates. You simply describe your business and its target audience, then watch as the platform creates a customized website complete with content and styling.

In many ways, Pineapple Builder feels like the AI-powered iteration of simple no-code builders like Google Sites and Weebly. While it doesn't match the template variety of established players like Wix or Squarespace, it can potentially carve out a niche as a fast website builder for busy professionals. Its pricing starts competitively at $15/month, with features like unlimited pages, custom domains, and widget integrations.

What is Pineapple Builder?

Pineapple Builder is an AI-powered website creation platform designed for businesses, freelancers, and professionals who need to establish an online presence quickly. Think of it as having a personal web designer, copywriter, and developer all rolled into one AI assistant that works at lightning speed.

Instead of spending weeks learning the ropes of an advanced no-code platform like Bubble or Webflow, you can simply tell the platform about your business so it automatically generates a complete website tailored to your industry and goals.

Pineapple eliminates the traditional complexities of website building by using AI to handle all the technical aspects automatically. You don't need to understand coding, web hosting, or search engine optimization. What you get is a professional-looking website that includes everything from branded design elements to search-optimized content, even if some of the customization choices are pretty barebones.

Features

(Image credit: Pineapple Builder)

Pineapple Builder offers a suite of AI-powered features to simplify the website creation and management process. It creates customized business sites from simple descriptions, offering access to over 10 million template variations across 7 design styles. Beyond basic site creation, you also get built-in SEO optimization, AI-powered copywriting assistance, mobile-responsive designs, SSL certificates, and integrated hosting.

The AI SEO assistant automatically optimizes site structure, content, and metadata for search engines, while the drag-and-drop editor with AI assistance makes customization intuitive. Integration capabilities include popular tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, and various payment processors, plus support for widgets, forms, and newsletter subscriptions.

Plus, the platform also includes multilingual support for 99+ languages and a built-in blogging system with AI-powered content generation. It will appeal to small business owners, startups, and freelancers, but has limited scalability for growing organizations or high-end professionals.

Pricing appears reasonable given the feature set, with plans starting at $15/month. You get unlimited pages, custom domain, and core business features. For users prioritizing speed and simplicity over extensive customization options, we think the feature-to-price ratio represents solid value overall.

Tools

(Image credit: Pineapple Builder)

Pineapple Builder provides an integrated suite of AI-powered tools designed to handle every aspect of website creation and management from a single platform. These tools work together to eliminate the need for multiple separate services or technical expertise.

AI website generator

Pineapple's core AI website generation tool creates complete business websites from simple text descriptions, analyzing your input to select appropriate templates, colors, layouts, and content structure. It draws from over 10 million template variations to ensure each generated site feels unique and tailored to your industry and audience.

Copywriting assistant

The built-in AI copywriter generates website content, blog posts, and marketing copy that aligns with your business goals and brand voice. This tool helps users who struggle with writing by automatically creating SEO-optimized text that speaks directly to their target customers without any copywriting expertise.

SEO optimization suite

Pineapple Builder's AI SEO tools automatically optimize website structure, meta descriptions, headers, and content for search engine visibility. It handles technical SEO elements like site speed optimization, mobile responsiveness, and schema markup, ensuring your website meets modern search engine requirements without manual intervention.

Drag-and-drop editor

Their visual editor combines traditional drag-and-drop functionality with AI assistance, allowing users to customize layouts, add sections, and modify design elements intuitively. The AI provides real-time suggestions for improvements while maintaining design consistency and mobile compatibility across all changes.

Analytics and integration hub

Pineapple includes built-in analytics tools and seamless integrations with popular services like Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, payment processors, and email marketing platforms. This eliminates the complexity of managing multiple third-party connections while providing insights into website performance and visitor behavior.

Blogging platform

AI-powered blogging helps users create and manage content marketing efforts through automated blog post generation, SEO optimization, and content scheduling. While more basic than dedicated CMS platforms, it provides sufficient functionality for small businesses looking to establish thought leadership and improve search rankings.

Ease of use

(Image credit: Pineapple Builder)

Pineapple’s AI-powered website generation tool requires only basic business information to create fully functional sites, eliminating the traditional learning curve associated with website building. But while it gets the basics right, Pineapple does show several limitations in advanced customization compared to more established competitors like Wix or Squarespace.

Those searching for deep design control or complex functionality may find it very restrictive. And the AI blogging features remain basic compared to dedicated CMS tools, while some marketing integrations are only available on higher-tier plans.

Pricing

(Image credit: Pineapple Builder pricing)

Pineapple Builder offers a straightforward three-tier pricing structure designed to accommodate businesses at different stages of growth.

The platform starts with a free Starter plan that includes up to 3 pages and a Pineapple subdomain, making it perfect for testing the waters. The Basic plan costs $12 per month ($15 when billed monthly) for unlocking unlimited pages, custom domain support, badge removal, widgets, and code embeds—ideal for small businesses establishing their online presence.

The top-tier Grow plan at $24 per month adds blogging, advanced analytics, and enhanced membership features for up to 1,000 members.

This pricing structure represents solid value in the AI website builder market, particularly when considering the comprehensive feature set and AI automation capabilities included at each tier. While the Basic plan at $12/month is comparable to other business-focused builders, the inclusion of unlimited pages, AI copywriting tools, and SEO optimization makes it a compelling option despite the limited feature-set.

The free Starter plan offers genuine functionality rather than just a trial, allowing you to build and publish basic websites without any upfront investment. For businesses requiring features like blogging and detailed analytics, the Grow plan provides substantial value compared to paying for separate services for CMS functionality and SEO optimization.

Security

(Image credit: Pineapple Builder)

Pineapple Builder prioritizes website security through comprehensive protection measures built into every plan. All websites created on the platform automatically receive SSL certificates that ensure encrypted connections between users and websites, protecting sensitive data during transmission.

Also, the platform implements regular security updates and monitoring to safeguard against emerging threats, with automatic backup features that protect user content against data loss and allow restoration of previous site versions when needed.

Beyond basic security protocols, Pineapple Builder also maintains a secure hosting infrastructure and pushes out regular system updates that keep websites protected without user intervention.

Support

(Image credit: Pineapple Builder)

Pineapple Builder provides 24/7 customer support across all plans, including the free Starter tier, so users can access assistance whenever needed during their website building process. It includes multiple channels such as email, live chat, and a knowledge base designed to address both technical issues and general website building questions.

Support quality appears consistently high based on user feedback, with the team providing personalized guidance tailored to specific website needs and challenges rather than generic responses. The support extends beyond basic troubleshooting to include custom advice on design decisions, SEO optimization, and platform feature utilization, effectively serving as an extension of users' technical teams. Notably, even free plan users receive the same level of support access as paid subscribers, which is uncommon in the website builder space and demonstrates the company's commitment to user success regardless of plan tier.

However, users should note that while support is available 24/7, response times may vary depending on query complexity and current support volume. The platform's emphasis on AI automation means that many common issues are resolved automatically, but more complex customization requests may require escalation to technical specialists, potentially extending resolution timeframes.

Alternatives

Pineapple Builder competes with the best AI website builders rather than traditional drag-and-drop systems, positioning itself as an alternative to manual website creation for time-constrained entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Its main competitors include Squarespace as the overall market leader, Wix AI for AI-assisted building, Durable for comprehensive AI business solutions, and emerging players like Gamma, 10Web, and Butternut AI that focus on different aspects of automated website creation.

Pineapple Builder: Summary

Pineapple Builder delivers on its promise of rapid AI-powered website creation for business users, combining intelligent automation with practical features at competitive pricing. While it lacks the customization options of established competitors like Wix or Squarespace, its generous free plan with round-the-clock support is sure to be a draw for many users.

FAQsHow quickly can I build a website with Pineapple Builder?

Pineapple Builder can generate a complete business website in under 5 minutes using its AI technology. You simply provide a business description and target audience information. The AI creates a customized website with appropriate design, content, and SEO optimization.

Do I need coding experience to use Pineapple Builder?

Pineapple Builder is specifically designed for users without any coding background. It handles all technical aspects automatically, from hosting and SSL certificates to SEO optimization and mobile responsiveness.

Can I use my own custom domain with Pineapple Builder?

Yes, custom domains are supported on both the Basic ($12/month) and Grow ($24/month) plans, allowing you to use your own branded web address rather than a Pineapple subdomain. The free Starter plan includes only a Pineapple-branded subdomain (yoursite.pineapplebuilder.com), but upgrading to any paid plan enables custom domains.

What happens to my website if I cancel my subscription?

While the specific details of cancellation policies aren't explicitly covered on the website, you can contact Pineapple Builder's support team 24/7 for detailed information about data retention, export options, and grace periods before making any subscription changes.

How does Pineapple Builder compare to other AI website builders?

While platforms like Wix AI website builder offer broader customization options, Pineapple Builder specifically targets business users who need functional websites quickly rather than extensive design flexibility. It's also very competitively priced, with a generous free plan that offers quality support to reflect their commitment.

OM System OM-5 II: two-minute review

The OM-5 II is an affordable enthusiast camera that can turn its hand to just about any genre of photography. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

What the OM System OM-5 II lacks in sensor and video specifications it makes up for with photographic features. If you want to go full-frame, or get a more powerful APS-C hybrid, then go for it; if you need these things, you need them. But if what you need is a small, affordable and supremely versatile camera that can follow you anywhere, then this is it.

What do you want to shoot? Landscapes? Nature? If you’re okay with 20MP, then the OM-5 II will do perfectly, thanks to its lightweight, hike-friendly size, weather sealing and rock-steady IBIS. Will you need to use any ND filters? The camera’s in-built Live ND can give you up to four stops longer exposures – perhaps not always enough, but it helps.

If you're into nature photography, and particularly macro work, you can use the in-built focus-stacking mode to keep your whole subject sharp, or focus bracketing if you want to merge the frames later in software.

Is the OM-5 II's high-res mode just a gimmick? I'm not convinced the 50MP handheld mode delivers a lot more detail, but I set this shot up to check the 80MP tripod mode... (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

Here's a zoomed-in comparison that shows the 80MP tripod mode (left) does offer significantly more detail than the regular 20MP version (right). (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

Fancy some night photography? Experts will insist you need the low noise of a full-frame sensor, but the OM-5 II does pretty well with a fast prime and its Starry Sky AF. While you’re at it, you can use the Live Bulb mode to see long exposures build on the screen in front of your eyes, or use the Live Composite mode to capture bonfires, fireworks or urban light trails, recording only ‘new light’ so that the image isn’t overexposed.

What about sports and wildlife? The OM-5 II is not a dedicated action camera, but it does pretty well, shooting at up to 10fps with AF and up to 30fps with focus locked on the first frame. It also has a Pro Capture mode, which offers a rolling buffer of 14 frames with the shutter button half pressed so you don’t miss the moment the action starts.

The OM-5 II has a 20MP Micro Four Thirds sensor that's really not far behind the quality of APS-C and full-frame sensors, and features excellent image stabilization. It's a generation behind the stacked sensors in the OM-1 II and OM-3, though (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

There are limits. The OM-5 II does not have the newer stacked sensor that's in the OM-3 and OM-1 II, and it uses an older 121-point AF system rather than OM Systems’ new subject-tracking quad-pixel AF. But at this price something’s got to give, and the OM-5 II’s AF is still quick and effective, and fine for everyday use.

Video isn’t a strong point either. The OM-5 II peaks at 4K 30p, and while it can do the slightly wider C4K format, that’s only at 24p. You do get Flat, OM-Log400, OM-Cinema1 and OM-Cinema2 profiles, but since this camera shoots only 8-bit video there’s a limit to how far you’ll want to push any color grading later.

There’s one more thing to mention: the OM Art Filters. Fujifilm fans make a huge fuss over Fujifilm Film simulations, but that’s nothing. From gritty black-and-white (with borders, if you like!) to super-saturated pop-art to HDR-like dramatic tone effects to vintage, bleach bypass and instant camera looks, OM System Art Filters are a fantastic playground for creative photographers. Yes, you can shoot a raw file at the same time as a backup – heck, you can even bracket Art Filter effects to get multiple alternatives for each image.

Can the OM-5 II handle high ISOs? I would probably stop at ISO 6,400, but you can get good results beyond that, especially with today's AI denoising tools (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

Beware of Lightroom's default noise settings for raw files! If you shoot raw you might be dismayed by the noise at ISO 25,600 (right), but the OM-5 II's in-camera JPEGs (left) show how it should be done (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

The OM-5 II does have limitations – of course it does. You’ll want to stay away from sky-high ISOs, its AF can’t match the latest AI subject-recognition tech in rival cameras, and its video features are basic.

And no, it’s not a huge advance on the old camera, the OM-5; but as I've said, it doesn't need to be. If you stand back and look at what this camera can do, at this price (unchanged from the Mark I version, by the way), it’s an absolute pocket rocket, even today. In my book, the OM-5 II is the best affordable travel camera going.

OM System OM-5 II: price

(Image credit: Rod Lawton)

You can buy the OM-5 II for around $1,199 / £1,099 body-only or $1,599 / £1,499 with the 12-45mm f/4 kit lens. Don’t underestimate this lens; it’s small, portable and offers excellent image quality well beyond the typical kit lens. OM System calls it a Pro lens, and it is. And, like the OM-5 II, the camera is weather sealed. You can get cheaper ‘starter’ cameras than this, but none which approach the OM-5 II’s feature set.

OM System OM-5 II: specs

Sensor

4/3-inch Live MOS sensor, 20.4MP

Lens mount

Micro Four Thirds

ISO range

200-6,400 (64-25,600 exp)

Autofocus

121-point phase/contrast AF

Burst shooting

6fps mechanical with C-AF, 10fps electronic with C-AF, up to 30fps electronic with S-AF, Pro Capture mode with S-AF

Video

C4K 24p, 4K UHD 30p, FHD up to 120p

EVF

2.36m-dot OLED

Rear screen

3-inch 1.037m-dot vari-angle touchscreen

Storage

1x SD UHS II

Battery

BLS-50, 310 shots

Size (body only)

125.3 x 49.7 x 85.2mm, 418g

OM System OM-5 II: design

This gives you an idea of just how compact the E-M5 II and 12-45mm lens combo actually is – remember, this lens is equivalent to a 24-90mm in full-frame terms (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

• Reshaped grip for better handling
• Excellent top-mounted twin control dials
• Weather sealed (as are OM Pro lenses)

The OM-5 II is a small camera with remarkably good ergonomics. The grip has been reshaped so it handles larger lenses better (just as well, because the old add-on grip no longer fits), and the top-mounted control dials are easy to reach with your thumb and forefinger and have a precise, quality feel with just the right amount of weight.

This also applies to the main mode dial, which has a central locking button to prevent accidental adjustments. The buttons are a little less impressive, and seem a bit on the small side for anyone with big hands, but they work fine, and they’re clearly labelled and well spaced. There’s a new CP (computational photography) button on the top to make it easier to access the camera’s clever computational features, though you still have to turn a dial to select the one you want.

I’ll admit the button placement here did annoy me. The CP button and the video Record button are just too close together, and too hard to tell apart by touch. Hitting CP instead of Record was endlessly annoying during my video tests.

I think the OM-5 II is actually pretty good for casual video work, but the placement of the Record button is annoying, and it's too easy to press the CP button by mistake. Those twin control dials, however, are superb (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

I'm not a big fan of power switches away from the shutter release, but I do like the drive mode and display mode buttons on the top (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

The ‘OK’ button on the back activates the camera’s ’Super Control Panel’ where you can make practically all of your day-to-day settings adjustments, and one of the key improvements in this camera over the old one is the redesigned menu system. That doesn’t sound like much of a thing, right? In fact, it transforms the experience of using this camera – if you’ve used the ‘old’ menus, you’ll know this was long overdue.

The EVF is not the highest-resolution, but it’s clear, contrasty and crisp, and it’s fine, especially at this price. The vari-angle rear screen is great too – and if you have the touch-shutter mode enabled, you can tap to focus and shoot in a single action and the response is practically instantanous.

For its size, this is an exceptionally well designed camera. Yes, if you’re new to it you will have to learn where things are, as with any camera. But once you’re past that phase you’ll find this camera fast and intuitive to operate, with fewer button presses and less lag than many of its rivals. What the OM-5 II lacks in state of the art specs, it makes up for as a pure shooting tool.

OM System OM-5 II: performance

• Only 121 AF points, but fast
• Excellent detail
• ISO best kept to 6,400 or below

The 12-45mm f/4 kit lens is great for travel photography. This was taken at its 24mm equivalent widest setting (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

At the opposite end of the zoom range, the 90mm equivalent focal length gives you a much flatter perspective for tighter cropping and fewer distractions (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

The color rendition is great and there's plenty of detail from this 20MP sensor (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

The OM-5 II is an extremely responsive camera. It starts up fast, it switches between the EVF and the rear screen in a fraction of a second as you move your eye to and from the viewfinder, and the autofocus is extremely fast too, especially using the tap shutter option on the rear screen. The only respect in which the AF system is starting to show its age is the relatively modest 121 AF points on offer, and the fact that the individual AF boxes/targets are fairly large, though you can swap to a more precise Single-S (small) option.

Detail rendition is excellent with OM Pro lenses like the 12-45mm f/4 pro and OM primes like the 17mm f/1.8, 25mm f/1.8 and (especially) the 45mm f/1.8. All optical corrections are carried out in-camera, applied automatically, and embedded in the raw files as ‘manufacturer’ correction profiles. Dynamic range is really good too, though you can’t drag up really deep shadows more than 2-3EV before they start to get a little noisy – this is where a larger-sensor camera will often do a little better (though not always).

The IBIS on this smaller sensor verges on the uncanny. I shot this handheld at 1/2 sec to blur the windblown grasses in the foreground. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

This was taken handheld with the Computational Photography 4-stop ND option to slow the shutter speed right down to 1/2 sec. I'm not quite convinced by the movement in the leaves and the grass, but it's great if you don't like carrying filters

The OM-5 II's raw files process very nicely, with similar highlight recover to larger sensor cameras, though you might not want to bring up the shadows quite as far (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

What I especially like about the OM system is the consistent quality of the Pro lenses. With the 12-45mm f/4 you don't have to worry about edge detail or longer focal lengths – it's great at every zoom setting and every lens aperture (Image credit: Rod Lawton)

The maximum standard sensitivity on this camera is ISO 6,400, but it does offer an expanded ISO range up to 25,600 – personally I’d stick at ISO 6,400. At this setting the OM-5 II still produces very good results, though if you shoot raw files and use Adobe Camera Raw/Lightroom you might see a little more noise than you bargained for. That’s Adobe’s raw engine, not the camera. Of course, these days you can get some terrific AI noise reduction tools – I’ve used them on OM camera raw files and the high-ISO image quality is transformed.

As for video, check out the sample below. The conditions were pretty wild, but the OM-5 II did a great job under the circumstances

If you do use the OM-5 II for video you’ll get decent results. It won’t track you as effectively as some other hybrid cameras as you move around the frame, but if you keep reasonably still you should be fine. The OM-5 II is not designed for video in the same way that many hybrid mirrorless cameras are, but if you typically use video straight from the camera without any fancy grading effects, it’s fine, especially for social media use.

Should you buy the OM System OM-5 II?Buy it if…

You need a go-anywhere camera
The OM-5 II is a rugged, affordable travel camera that can tackle just about anything, from landscapes to travel to night photographyView Deal

You're fine with 20MP
Most full-frame alternatives are only 24MP anyway. 20MP is fine for even larger wall art, and for online/social use you'll be downsizing your images anyway.View Deal

You don't want a cotton-wool camera
You don't need to baby the OM-5 II. It will shrug off rain and sea spray, it won't care about dust, and it's inexpensive enough not to make you anxious about it.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

Your main interest is sports and wildlife
The OM-5 II's burst mode is nippy enough for casual shooting, but for any serious work you should look for a camera with subject-tracking AF and faster burst speeds.View Deal

You're a serious/pro filmmaker
The OM-5 II shoots decent 4K video with excellent stabilization, but you have to drop to full HD for faster frame rates, and its 8-bit video is not ideal for heavy color grading later.View Deal

You already have an OM-5!
The updates in the Mark II version are useful but probably not enough to make you swap. The OM-5 II is probably aimed more at new users rather than OM-5 upgraders.View Deal

How I tested the OM System OM-5 II

• I tested the camera for two weeks
• I used it with OM System's 12-45mm f/4 kit lens
• I shot both stills and video in a variety of conditions

(Image credit: Rod Lawton)

I’ve owned several Olympus and OM System cameras in the past, so I’m very familiar with their strengths and weaknesses and exactly what they're capable of. I spent some time with the OM-5 Mark II, comparing its improved handling and menu system with the original OM-5 which I've also reviewed, and also with the E-M5 III before that.

I used the OM-5 II and its 12-45mm f/4 kit lens for a variety of projects including landscapes, street/travel shots, and video in wet and wild weather conditions. I wanted to compare the detail rendition with my full-frame cameras, the image quality at higher ISOs, and the effectiveness of the IBIS in order to explore the compromises and advantages of this smaller format.

• First tested: October 2025
• Read more about how we test

Freshworks is a multiproduct, scalable software solution that offers total support for commercial businesses. Its five products provide customer relationship management (CRM) support for customer service, sales and marketing, as well as software support for IT and HR.

With this Freshworks review, we go over every aspect of the Freshworks product suite, compare its products with the competition, and tell you everything you need to know to decide if Freshworks is the best CRM software solution for your business.

Freshworks review: Snapshot

The Freshworks software suite offers a comprehensive CRM solution for commercial businesses. There are five products available to users: customer support, sales, marketing, HR, and IT.

Budget-sensitive users can benefit from Freshworks’ generous free offering, which provides enough functionality to meet the needs of a solopreneur or small business. Freshworks also boasts a very short setup time—around 48 hours. Conversely, most competitor products can take weeks or months to set up.

On the other hand, Freshworks has a smaller range of customization options relative to its competitors. Some users, especially larger organizations, may need to make major changes to the UI or create very specific custom fields, and might be better served by Salesforce (US-only link) or HubSpot in this regard.

Despite the limited amount of customization, though, we consider Freshworks to be a well-rounded software suite that is best suited for small business users.

Score: 4.5/5

Read on for the full review.

Freshworks: Key features

Freshworks offers five products, each with four levels of pricing depending on your needs and the size of your organization. Each product is a fully functional platform that provides support for a specific business need: customer service, sales, marketing, human resources, or IT.

Freshdesk

Freshdesk is a CRM focused on customer service across all channels. Its core function is to provide a ticketing system that converts customer inquiries from all channels into one inbox. From there, tickets are automatically processed and forwarded to the relevant agent. Users can customize which agent receives each type of ticket and which tickets are considered a priority. Read our full Freshdesk CRM review for more.

Freshsales

Freshsales is a CRM designed to maximize the effectiveness of users’ sales teams. Its key features include a visual sales pipeline and a system for automatically prioritizing and qualifying leads. It also has configurable automation settings for repetitive tasks, such as sending follow-up emails to clients. To learn more, read our Freshsales CRM review.

Image 1 of 5

Freshdesk is Freshworks’ full featured customer service CRM (Image credit: Freshworks)Image 2 of 5

Freshsales is a CRM designed to maximize the efficiency of sales teams (Image credit: Freshworks)Image 3 of 5

Freshmarketer is a CRM that facilitates robust email marketing campaigns (Image credit: Freshworks)Image 4 of 5

Freshservice is a total IT support solution for businesses (Image credit: Freshworks)Image 5 of 5

Freshteam is an HR management service provided by Freshworks (Image credit: Freshworks)

Freshmarketer

Freshmarketer is a CRM for streamlining and automating marketing activities. You can use Freshmarketer to run email marketing campaigns, optimize your website for maximum conversion, and communicate directly with customers via email and chat. Find out more in our detailed Freshmarketer CRM review.

Freshservice

Freshservice is Freshworks’ IT support CRM. It’s functionally similar to Freshdesk, in that it is primarily a CRM for optimizing support tickets. It contains the same basic features, such as aggregating inquiries from multiple channels into a single ticket inbox. However, unlike Freshdesk, it is ITIL compliant and therefore suitable for IT support. It also adds IT-specific functions for incident management handling, change, problem and release management, and asset management. For more, take a look at our Freshservice review.

Freshteam

Freshteam is an HR management service that provides paperless onboarding, automation for repetitive tasks like resume screening and follow-up emails, and a system for tracking employee time off. It also aggregates staff information into one employee database. Employees can access the system to request time off, browse internal job openings, and connect with other members of the organization easily within the CRM.

Freshworks: What’s new?

Freshworks continues to update its total business CRM suite on a monthly basis, and 2021 saw numerous changes. A particularly noteworthy feature is CRM migration. It is now possible to migrate CRM data from competitors, such as HubSpot, directly into the Freshworks suite with just a few clicks.

In terms of cross-platform features, Freshworks has implemented full Slack integration in its sales CRM, Freshsales. Users can create a private chat channel specific to a particular deal, and chat directly from an integrated window in the Freshsales web app.

Another change is the ability to reorder sections of the page in Freshworks. The Freshworks UI features multiple sections. For instance, in Freshsales, some sections show recent conversations, recent activities, and related accounts. These sections can be hidden or unhidden, and rearranged as needed. Although customization still remains limited, this change gives users more options than they had before.

Freshworks pricing Freshsales' pricing plans

Plan type/feature

Free

Growth*

Pro*

Enterprise*

HubSpot* Sales Starter

Salesforce Essentials*

Cost per month

$0

$15

$39

$69

$22.50

$25

Cost per year

$0

$180

$468

$828

$270

$300

Customer database

✓

✓

✓

✓

X

✓

Mobile app

✓

✓

✓

✓

X

✓

24x5 support

✓

✓

✓

✓

✓

X

Limited pipelines

X

✓

X

X

X

✓

Unlimited pipelines

X

X

✓

✓

✓

X

Custom modules

X

X

X

✓

X

✓

Freshworks offers four different pricing tiers across each of its five products: Free, Growth, Pro, and Enterprise. Overall, we find its pricing to be quite competitive, especially for the lower-end plan options.

Billing is flexible, with monthly and annual options available. Compared to the monthly option, the annual pricing is discounted 17% across the board for all of Freshworks’ pricing plans. Below is a comparison of one of Freshworks’ most popular offerings, Freshsales, against comparable offers by key competitors.

*Prices are per user. HubSpot pricing is $45 for a minimum of two users, so one user is priced at $22.50.

Freshworks competitorsHow does Freshworks compare to the competition?

Freshworks

HubSpot

Salesforce

Score

4.5/5

4.5/5

5/5

Pros

- Wide range of products - Robust free offering - Quick setup

Decent free offering - Over 300 customizable apps

Very wide range of tools - Large community with active peer support

Cons

Less customization than competitors - Premium plans are expensive if all five products are purchased

Free plan lacks telephone support - Setup takes eight to 12 weeks

No free plan - Can be expensive compared to competitors

Verdict

Freshworks is great for small businesses seeking a CRM at an affordable price, with a quick and easy setup.

HubSpot is powerful CRM software, with many customization options that are relatively easy to use.

Salesforce offers unparalleled customization options for mid- to large-sized businesses with the time and capital to implement it effectively.

View deals

Visit site

Visit site

Visit site (US link)

Salesforce and HubSpot are Freshworks’ closest competitors in the CRM market.

Salesforce is an established total CRM solution. At its core, it functions similarly to Freshworks, providing CRM products to fit specific business needs. The difference is in the scope: where Freshworks offers five products, Salesforce offers 14. It also offers near total customization to the user.

Implementation is a two-to-eight week process, during which the user works with the Salesforce development team to create a CRM experience that is uniquely tailored to their needs. The software is priced accordingly, being significantly more expensive than a Freshworks subscription.

Salesforce is most suitable for an organization with a large budget and CRM needs that go beyond what a basic product package can provide. Read our Salesforce review to find out more.

HubSpot is also a total CRM solution, offering products for sales, customer service, and marketing. Unlike Freshworks, HubSpot does not offer HR and IT support. Also, we found that HubSpot is a bit more expensive than Freshworks at each pricing tier.

On the other hand, all fields in the HubSpot CRM, as well as most of the UI, can be modified, rearranged, or removed as the user requires. Additionally, HubSpot’s app marketplace is larger than Freshworks’, with 900 apps to Freshworks’ 650. This means that overall, HubSpot provides more customization options than Freshworks. Read our HubSpot CRM review to learn more.

Freshworks is less expensive, offers IT and HR products, and is faster to set up. So unless the user places a huge amount of importance on customization, we consider Freshworks to be the best option for small commercial businesses.

For mid- to large-sized enterprises, it comes down to how much they want to tailor the software to their specific needs. If a default product that is ready to go quickly is sufficient, then Freshworks is again the best option. Otherwise, Salesforce is probably the best CRM solution.

Let’s see just how Freshworks compares to its primary competitors.

Getting started with Freshworkds

Getting Freshmarketer up and running was easy, and took less than five minutes (Image credit: Freshworks)

We tested setup time by downloading Freshmarketer, the marketing CRM, which was very easy to implement. After we input our login information, the system was ready to use in-browser, leading to a total setup time of fewer than five minutes.

With the help of Freshmarketer’s tutorial, it took another 10 minutes or so to import some contacts and create a basic marketing "journey". Journeys are Freshmarker's marketing campaigns. Our journey mapped out our cold email campaign and set follow-up dates.

Freshworks’ website features testimonials describing setup in less than 48 hours. Based on our own testing experience, this timeframe is realistic. It can be even shorter, depending on the user’s customization needs.

Some users will want customization beyond the default offering, so we decided to test just how much customization Freshworks offers.

Freshworks customizations

Freshworks features limited customization, allowing users to edit and move some fields while keeping most of the UI static (Image credit: Freshworks)

Customization is an important part of any CRM software. Every user has their own unique needs, and some tailoring of the software will inevitably be required. With this in mind, we tested exactly how much customization Freshworks offers to users.

The major features of the program UI, like sidebar layout and navbar position, are fixed, but there is a large amount of useful customization within the existing fields. For example, contacts in the database can be edited with up to 27 pre-set fields such as name, address, annual revenue, and territory. If none of those 27 options suit you, it is easy to create your own custom field in just a few clicks.

Moreover, Freshworks features one-click import from other CRMs and easy integration of apps from the Freshworks marketplace. Although Freshworks may not have the same level of customization as some of its competitors, the available options are more than sufficient for a client looking to make tweaks to the basic package.

How we test CRMs

Since Freshworks features five separate products, we chose to test features that are common across all of them: namely, setup time and customization. These features are particularly important to small business owners and solopreneurs, who may not be able to accept weeks of downtime while setting up a CRM service.

Freshworks: Final verdict

Freshworks is a powerful platform offered at a reasonable price. It offers comprehensive HR and IT support, something that is missing from many CRMs. It's great for empowering collaboration and boosting employee productivity.

It is also extremely straightforward to install. Many features, such as the Freshmarketer product, are ready to use almost immediately. Most CRMs can take several weeks to get up and running, while Freshworks can be online in less than 48 hours.

Its customization options are decent, with a growing marketplace of over 650 apps. But CRMs with a larger customization offering, like Salesforce or HubSpot, might be more suitable for companies with high customization needs.

Customer support is present 24/5 by live chat, phone, and email on all product tiers. At the highest pricing tier, Enterprise, users receive a dedicated support person for their account. This means that Freshworks support improves for premium users, but is still highly accessible for free and growth tier users.

Overall, thanks to its broad umbrella of software, Freshworks offers something for everyone. Its products are quick to get up and running, and are easy to use. They cover a wide range of use cases and offer limited but sufficient customization. Moreover, Freshworks is highly scalable and offers a robust free plan for all its products.

For these reasons, we consider it to be the perfect solution for budget-conscious users, or businesses that prioritize a quick launch and ease-of-use over extensive customization.

Freshworks FAQWhat sort of tools can Freshworks integrate with?

Freshworks CRM offers a number of native integrations with popular platforms, including Google Calendar, QuickBooks, and Mailchimp. It also provides an API for custom integrations.

What are Freshworks AI capabilities?

Freshworks' AI functionalities revolve around its AI tool, Freddy. Freshworks' AI assistant Freddy provides smart deal insights and a built-in AI chatbot, as well as email and sales sequences. IT can also score contacts based on historical data and engagement.

What features are not included in the Freshworks basic plan?

They say nothing in this life comes for free and certainly there are some Freshworks features that only become available the higher you move up the pay scale. Some essential features, for example, like custom reports, sales forecasting, and certain AI capabilities may not be included in the entry-level plans. If, say, you want multiple sales pipelines or access to Freddy AI, you'll need the Pro plan. However, it's worth bearing in mind that there is a 21-day free trial if you want to check out a pricing tier without committing.

As a business owner, you need the best web hosting service to ensure that your online presence runs smoothly. With so many services available out there, it can be overwhelming to choose the right hosting for your business. 

One web hosting service that stands out is Nexcess. Founded in 2000 and based in Southfield, Michigan, USA, Nexcess provides various hosting solutions for businesses of all sizes. It offers a range of hosting services including shared hosting, managed WordPress hosting, cloud hosting, and dedicated server hosting.

Nexcess is also a part of the Liquid Web family and has grown into a well-known and reputable web hosting company with a global presence. Nexcess is known for its reliability, security, and top-notch customer support, as well as its use of cutting-edge technologies like containerization and auto-scaling.

Nexcess offers WordPress, Magento and WooCommerce hosting as well as a site builder (Image credit: Nexcess)Nexcess features

One of the standout features of the Nexcess service is its autoscaling capabilities. This means that if your website experiences a sudden surge in traffic, Nexcess can automatically increase the resources allocated to your site to ensure it stays up and running smoothly.

Another useful feature is the ability to create development sites. This allows you to test out changes to your website or store before pushing them live. With the development sites feature, you can experiment with new themes, plugins, and other changes without worrying about disrupting your live site. Nexcess also offers a CDN (Content Delivery Network), which can help improve the speed and performance of your site by caching your content and delivering it from a server that's geographically closer to your visitors.

Containers are another key feature of Nexcess that I like. By using containers, Nexcess can isolate your site's resources from other sites on the same server, which can help improve security and prevent resource conflicts. SSL Certificates are included with all Nexcess hosting plans, which can help secure your site and protect visitors' data. 

If you're running an ecommerce site, you'll appreciate Nexcess's PCI compliance features. This ensures that your site meets the payment card industry data security standards, which can help protect your customers' payment information. 

Nexcess also offers DNS management tools, which can help you easily manage your domain's DNS settings. If you're looking to switch hosting providers, you'll be pleased to know that Nexcess offers free migration services. Its team of experts can help you move your site to Nexcess with minimal downtime or disruption.

Nexcess also offers a wide range of hosting options, including Magento, WooCommerce, WordPress, StoreBuilder, Sylius, ExpressionEngine, Craft CMS, Flexible Cloud, and Enterprise Hosting. This means that no matter what platform you're using, there's a hosting plan that's tailored to your needs.

(Image credit: Nexcess)Nexcess performance

The first test I conducted for Nexcess’s WordPress site involved the WebPageTest feature, a widely-used speed test tool. I set up a WordPress site and ran the URL via WebPageTest in six different locations worldwide. My site loaded in five seconds, which is somewhat slower than competitors like Bluehost and SiteGround. However, it is still a decent time frame for a website to load entirely.

Next, I used Load Focus, another popular speed test tool, to measure Nexcess’s performance. Load Focus simulates real-world scenarios like browsing, surfing, and transactions on your site, to give a more accurate view of its performance. The outcome was impressive, with Nexcess’s website loading speed averaging 2.51 seconds. It goes on to show that Nexcess can handle a reasonable influx of traffic. Speed, security, and caching are three vital aspects of an ideal web host. With Nexcess, you can opt for shared hosting, VPS hosting, or dedicated hosting plans, with differing levels of support provided in each. Regardless of what you choose, speed, security, and caching are given priority. It is evident that Nexcess has invested in excellent technology to ensure that they meet customers’ needs by providing them with fast, secure, and reliable web hosting services.

Nexcess is knowledgeable of its client's needs, and as such, it offers customized web hosting packages to meet those needs. It uses top-of-the-range hardware alongside content optimization techniques that ensure your website pages load faster. 

(Image credit: Nexcess)Nexcess pricing

Nexcess offers fully managed hosting for WordPress, WooCommerce, Magento, Drupal, Sylius, ExpressionEngine, Craft CMS, and OroCRM. It also offers a website builder called Storebuilder for ecommerce platforms. 

 Its fully managed WordPress hosting starts at $15.83 per month, and the plan includes the maximum speed with free Object Cache Pro, premium image compression, and a built-in CDN. The plan also includes intelligent plugin update tools like visual compare and performance monitoring, as well as free migrations and a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

There are no overage fees, traffic limits, or metered pageviews, and proactive server monitoring and support from WordPress experts is available 24/7. For fully managed WooCommerce hosting, Nexcess offers a plan starting at $15.83 per month. The plan includes built-in image compression, abandoned cart and page builder plugins, 1-click staging, sales monitoring, and checkout testing. The plan also includes free Object Cache Pro for fast-loading products, extra PHP workers for smooth checkout with a global CDN and DNS service. 

Proactive monitoring and helpful support from WooCommerce experts is available 24/7. Nexcess's fully managed Magento hosting starts at $31.00 per month and includes daily backups, PCI compliance, built-in Elasticsearch for M2.4+, add-on server clusters, and expert 24/7 support. The plan also includes server-side scripting, dedicated IP addresses, and instant autoscaling. 

On-demand performance testing is available to troubleshoot and improve site speed, and the built-in edge CDN offers 22 locations and advanced caching for ultra-fast loading. Support from Magento experts is available 24/7, and the plan includes generous resources and PHP workers for robust performance.

How fast is Nexcess?

With eight data centers spread across the US, Europe, and Asia Pacific, Nexcess carefully selects each location based on security, performance, and strategic positioning.

The company owns three of its data centers, including the US-Central, US-West, and EU-Central regions, which contain over 25,000 servers with redundant cooling, networks, and power to ensure uptime and speed. Additionally, all Nexcess data centers are PCI compliant and have a 24/7 support team to provide extra security and support. Nexcess uses cutting-edge technologies such as MySQL 5.7, SSDs, PHP 7.0/7.1, RAID, and Apache 2.4 to optimize cloud storage and improve website performance. These technologies help reduce memory usage, enhance load balancing, and increase security, resulting in faster website load times.

One of the significant advantages of Nexcess is its 99.9% network uptime guarantee, which is rarely seen in the web hosting industry. Nexcess also offers several features to enhance website speed, such as tier-1 bandwidth connections that minimize latency across the globe and built-in image optimization tools that compress images to ensure fast loading. 

Additionally, the company supports the latest PHP 7 and HTTP/2, further improving site speed and security. In the event of a massive influx of traffic, Nexcess's Auto-scaling add-on automatically allocates more resources to your website for free for 24 hours to avoid any downtime on your WP site, which is one of the main reasons for losing visitors. However, if the increased traffic continues, you may eventually need to upgrade to a more expensive plan with enhanced capabilities. Overall, Nexcess provides superior performance and speed, making it an excellent choice for businesses and individuals looking for reliable web hosting.

Nexcess security features are available across all plans (Image credit: Nexcess)Nexcess security

One of the easiest ways to keep your website secure is to ensure that you are always running the latest version of WordPress and any plugins you have installed. Nexcess takes care of these updates for you, including visual comparison testing to automatically catch any update problems before they happen on your live site. This means you don't have to worry about manually updating your website and can focus on running your business.

Another crucial security feature of Nexcess is the automatic daily backups and on-demand backups. In the event of a security breach or issue with your website, you can easily restore your website to a previous version. This security feature ensures that your website is always recoverable, even in the worst-case scenario.

Nexcess also provides free access to iThemes Security Pro, a powerful security plugin for WordPress. This plugin includes features like two-factor authentication, malware scanning, and brute force protection. With iThemes Security Pro, you can add an extra layer of security to your website and protect it from potential security threats.

An SSL certificate is a must-have for any website that collects sensitive information, such as credit card details or personal information. Nexcess provides free SSL certificates, ensuring your website is secure and adding an extra layer of trust for your customers. Testing your website updates, changes, or new features can be a time-consuming process. However, with Nexcess, this process is made easy with the one-click staging site security feature. This feature allows you to create a clone of your live site where you can test new changes before deploying them to your live site. This ensures that you don't disrupt your live site and can quickly fix any issues that arise.

Nexcess also offers malware monitoring as part of its security features. This service constantly scans your website to detect any security threats, and if any are found, Nexcess's team will act quickly to remove the threat and restore your website's security.

(Image credit: Nexcess)Customer support 

Nexcess has three major customer support centers located in America, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Each support center has its hotline number for you to reach out to Nexcess customer support. In the Americas, you can reach Nexcess via +1-866-639-2377, while in Australia, you can use the toll-free +1-800-765-472 or international line 1-313-279-0722 to contact Nexcess. In the United Kingdom, use +0-808-196-5715. You can reach out for help 24/7, and someone is always there to help when you need it.

Aside from its customer service line, Nexcess also provides customers with a plethora of resources. One can access the help, knowledge base, blog, store builders podcast, WooCommerce resources, case studies, web tools, and system status. These tools have useful information and resources for troubleshooting and fixing any problem with your website. In addition to the resources, Nexcess also provides chat support for those who need quick replies to their website queries. 

You can chat with them at any given hour if you have concerns that you want to be resolved without a phone call. Nexcess additionally has social media accounts such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube where you can follow or like to stay updated about news, and promotions. Sometimes, you might want to go beyond the chat or the phone to meet up with Nexcess staff to get a better understanding of how your website is hosted.  You can visit Nexcess's physical address for more information. The corporate office is located in Southfield Data Center [MEL01], 21700 Melrose Avenue, Southfield, MI 48075, the United States. 

Final verdict: Is Nexcess right for you?

If you value excellent uptime and speed, superior security features, and around-the-clock support, Nexcess may be a good fit for you. Also, if you're looking for a hosting provider that offers lots of freebies and transparent pricing, Nexcess could be worth considering. 

The 30-day money-back guarantee is also a positive feature that could give you peace of mind. On the other hand, if you're on a tight budget, you may find Nexcess to be a bit pricey compared to other hosting providers. 

Additionally, if you're new to website hosting and require a beginner-friendly interface, Nexcess may not be the best option. Lastly, if you need a dedicated IP address, this is not available with Nexcess.

Nexcess FAQsWhat payment type does Nexcess accept?

Nexcess accepts payments through major credit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. They also accept payments via PayPal.

Does Nexcess offer refunds?

Yes, Nexcess offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for its hosting plans. This means that if you are not satisfied with the service within the first 30 days, you can request a full refund.

Where are Nexcess’ data centers?

Nexcess has multiple data centers located in different regions around the world. Some of its data centers are located in the US, Europe, and Asia Pacific.

What are Nexcess’ nameservers?

Nexcess’ nameservers are ns1.nexcess.net and ns2.nexcess.net. These nameservers are used to point your domain name to Nexcess servers.

How do I cancel a Nexcess product?

To cancel a Nexcess product, you need to log in to your account dashboard and submit a cancellation request. You can also contact the support team via phone, chat, or email to initiate the cancellation process.

Star Wars: Beyond Victory has the makings of a perfect Star Wars buffet and a contender for one of the best VR games of recent times.

The promise of a VR story delving into the previously one-inch deep lore of podracing is enticing – especially to someone for whom the prequel trilogy was a hallmark of their childhood.

Review Info

Platform reviewed: Meta Quest 3
Available on: Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S
Release date: October 7, 2025

Podracing not only provides the opportunity for exhilarating VR gameplay, but gives storytellers the chance to expand on characters like Sebulba – a key antagonist of the Phantom Menace, who we only spend about 5 minutes with before he's benched in favor of a dual-blade-wielding Sith – and explore the seedy underworld that would facilitate this dangerous and deadly sport.

After plating up, however, you realise Beyond Victory's buffet has gone stale, and there’s not nearly enough of it to satiate your hunger.

Beyond Boring

Like a growing number of titles this generation, Star Wars: Beyond Victory blends virtual and mixed reality elements in its gameplay and storytelling. Unfortunately, every segment you'd want to be in VR is instead relegated to MR, and the remaining first-person segments left me wishing there wouldn't be more.

Effectively cutscenes, the VR sections have you mostly standing around in one of a few tiny locations that you can hardly explore, with the occasional ‘puzzle’ to solve – tedious minigames where you use tools to fix up vehicles, but which require next to no thought to work out.

Everything else plays out in MR via a virtual table you can place in your room. This includes exploration of more expansive spaces (though the exploration wasn't super enjoyable, so I always just made a beeline for the objective) and podracing.

Yes, that's right. In this VR podracing game, you never sit in a podracing cockpit; instead, you look down at the virtual table as you race through a track using your controllers to accelerate, steer, and boost your podracer from a bird's-eye view.

(Image credit: Industrial Light and Magic)

While somewhat enjoyable, the simplistic podracing gameplay feels like it was lifted from a mediocre mobile game – right down to the table offering only a limited view of what's ahead, like a smaller phone screen restricting your vision.

Oh, and there’s only three podraces – and one car chase. You can replay them in arcade mode with unlockable characters, but there's only so much enjoyable replayability to be extracted from repeating the same few tracks over and over.

A Star Wars Short Story

(Image credit: Industrial Light and Magic)

A common theme for Star Wars: Beyond Victory is that its ingredients sound an awful lot more delicious than the final concoction.

Story-wise, things start well. You have a podracer desperate to become a champion to honor his friend, allies who support him but who believe podracing is a vile sport and are willing to face arrest (or worse) to stand up for their beliefs, and Sebulba's criminal crew – led by the former podracing champion looking to raise a champion of his own, and also pull him down into his villainous activities.

The issue here is that the game is far too short – I finished it in about an hour. You don't spend long enough with any of these factions to do anything more than rush through cliché story beats and conflicts that start and resolve in mere minutes.

I would love to have seen our protagonist Volo evolve more gradually over a longer story. Perhaps seeing his racing style adapt to be more aggressive across a series of races to reflect him turning into a true member of Sebulba's crew before eventually standing up for his friends.

(Image credit: Industrial Light and Magic)

Or heck, give us some kind of basic choice-based story for different endings and race abilities based on who we side with.

That way, at least the short experience could be replayable a few times to get different outcomes, and make this game feel more worthwhile.

Unfortunately, lackluster gameplay and story left me frustrated at the time I'd spent reviewing this game – with one of my favorite moments being when the credits rolled and I could finally go back to Hades 2 on my Nintendo Switch 2.

A single star in the night

There was nowhere else in my review to work this in, but I also want to talk about the playset feature. So I'm tacking it on the end here.

This alternative to the campaign and arcade modes is a full MR experience that allows you to move, scale, and place 3D models of Star Wars characters and vehicles in your home to construct static dioramas. You can even add explosive effects to bring your models to life.

(Image credit: Industrial Light and Magic)

I did think the models were well-crafted – with a good level of detail that works with the sculptures at tiny all the way up to human scale – however, while it would be a neat add-on to an already good game, it doesn’t do enough to save Beyond Victory in my books.

If you’re a Star Wars mega fan and see Beyond Victory on sale for a heavily discounted price, then I think playset does just enough to be worth playing around with – it helped me feel like a kid again playing with action figures.

Otherwise, this is still a Star Wars game worth skipping over.

Should you play Star Wars: Beyond VictoryBuy it if...

You want to play with MR action figures
Playset is the only mode in Star Wars: Beyond Victory that I actually enjoyed playing around with. Unfortunately, it’s quite simplistic and isn’t enough to justify buying the whole game at full price.

Don't buy it if...

You want a VR podracing game
The mixed reality podracing gameplay is not what you’d expect from Beyond Victory if you came into it blind. You’ll find the classic Star Wars: Racer series does a better job of scratching that immersive itch – and the first came out in 1999.

You aren’t a mega Star Wars fan
There’s not a lot here to love, and even less if you care little about Star Wars. Sometimes these sorts of games can find ways to appeal to non-fans, but that’s certainly not the case here.

Accessibility

For everything negative I’ve had to say about Star Wars: Beyond Victory, the game is quite accessible by VR’s standards.

You can enjoy the experience entirely seated, you can turn on settings like teleportation movement and screen shake to make the few VR segments less motion sickness-inducing if you’re still new to the medium, and the mostly mixed reality gameplay is even better for managing your motion sickness.

You could even play the game with only one controller if you need to. I used both, but all of the controls are doubled up across each handset, so you could put one down and still have every button you’d need.

How I reviewed Star Wars: Beyond Victory

I played this game on my Meta Quest 3, using a Kiwi design battery strap and controller grips. I played through the entire story from start to finish in two sessions (as I hadn’t charged my Quest 3 up before diving in for the first time) after completing the tutorial. Afterwards, I went straight into arcade mode and then spent a bit of time in playset mode.

I completed a few achievements to unlock some bonus racers for the arcade, and models for my playset, but decided to call it quits after no more than two and a half hours with this title, as I had sampled everything it had to offer.

First reviewed October 2025

Steven Lisberger’s dormant digital mecca is finally being rebooted for the big screen, with director Joachim Rønning (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales; Kon-Tiki) crafting a sequel that takes us back inside the neon-washed virtual world known as the Grid. Picking up the baton from Joseph Kosinski’s Tron: Legacy more than a decade after that film’s release, Tron: Ares moves the action out of the Grid and into the real world.

This ambitious shift takes the franchise in a new direction, which Rønning manages to do while honoring the film series’ style and tone, peppering the movie with numerous references that eagle-eyed fans will pick up on. Just like the second installment, Tron: Ares opens with a quick flash of newsreels that establish a futuristic setting where two tech titans, ENCOM and Dillinger Systems, are competing to find the long lost ‘Permanence Code’, a technology that could enable digital life to exist in the real world.

From the beginning, it’s clear that Tron: Ares is setting out a bold new direction for the franchise. It flips the original premise, so rather than a human entering the Grid, a program enters the real world, raising timely questions about AI’s next advancements and the nature of human morality.

Jared Leto’s (Requiem for a Dream; Dallas Buyers Club) titular Ares is a self-learning AI known as the Master Control Program. Like his mythological namesake, Ares is built as a security protocol, so it’s fitting when we’re introduced to him during a combat training montage inside the Dillinger Grid. Keeping in line with the original movie, Dillinger is the same corporate antagonist in this latest chapter.

In the original movie Dillinger Systems was owned by the nefarious Ed Dillinger, who was played by David Warner. Dillinger’s son now calls the shots, with Evan Peters (X-Men: Days of Future Past; Monster) replacing Cliian Murphy who previously took on the role in Tron: Legacy. Dillinger Junior has his sights set on retrieving the code, and in his desperation to beat ENCOM to the punch he invents a technology that can make the programs he’s coded in the Grid temporarily exist in the real world – except that’s not what he tells investors, much to the annoyance of his mother Elisabeth Dillinger, who’s played by Gillian Anderson (The Last King of Scotland; The X-Files).

Tron: Ares revisits the same neon-soaked sci-fi setting of the original 80s movie. (Image credit: Disney )

The limitations of the technology mean that when Ares is finally transmitted into the real world, he can only survive in a temporary physical state for 29 minutes before his new form completely destabilizes, sending him back to the Dillinger Grid. This digital resurrection echoes the story of Frankenstein’s monster, as we watch Ares grapple with what it means to be human throughout the film. Anchoring this moral struggle is a quote from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein that’s referenced more than once in the dialogue: “Beware, I am fearless and therefore powerful”. But, unlike Frankenstein’s monster, Ares is less a cautionary tale about the perils of unchecked experimentation than a mirror for human morality.

Jodie Turner-Smith’s (After Yang; The Agency) Athena, a fellow digital soldier who works for Dillinger, sharpens the movie’s thematic point around humanity. Her robotic obedience stands in stark contrast to Ares’ existential curiosity, and it’s a smart dynamic that works to set them apart when Ares and Athena are sent on a mission to hack into the ENCOM grid. They’re ordered to spy on CEO Eve Kim, who’s played by Greta Lee (Past Lives; The Studio), to see if she’s any closer to getting the ‘Permanence Code’, but the story takes a sharp turn when Ares starts to explore what existing in a permanent physical form could mean for him.

Ares breaks free from the Grid, taking a Light Cycle for a spin on a real-life highway. (Image credit: Disney)

Created by the genius programmer Kevin Flynn, who’s played by Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski; The Old Man), the code is rumored to contain the key to bridging the gap between digital and human realities. It’s this search that also underpins Ares’ desire to understand his new feelings, which becomes the emotional core of the film.

Honoring the original movie’s groundbreaking use of CGI, Tron: Ares uses a mix of physical sets and visual effects (VFX) to give it an edge over Tron: Legacy, which had more of a CGI-heavy video game feel. I found this added another layer of immersion to the ambitious action sequences throughout, as you see Light Cycles cutting across freeways and streets. Visually, it felt like a fever dream in which characters and vehicles from a 1980s arcade game escape into a real-world setting.

Adding to that immersion is an industrial electronic score composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The digital synthesizer-heavy soundtrack also features music from Nine Inch Nails, building on Daft Punk’s signature sound in Tron: Legacy and creating a new futuristic beat that the movie matches its rhythm to.

Seeing Tron's futuristic vehicles in the real world was a highlight of the movie. (Image credit: Disney )

Not everything ties together as seamlessly though. The symbolic references can be heavy-handed, with the dialogue often over explaining (the unnecessary repetition of the Frankenstein story hints at the obvious). The chemistry between Eve and Ares is also nonexistent, often coming across more like the relationship between a scientist and her creation, which given that the themes of the movie are centered around AI and moral evolution would have been absolutely fine, but instead the movie tries to imply a deeper relationship with a throwaway comment at the end of the film. This hints at a budding romance between them that didn’t feel entirely fitting for a sentient AI that’s only just beginning to recognize emotions.

By the time the credits have finished rolling, Rønning sets up a new direction for the sci-fi franchise in a mid-credits cut scene that suggests this won’t be the last of the disgraced tech CEO we see. TRON: Ares may not rewrite the film series’ code the way its predecessor did, but it has an emotional heft and depth, as it does explore some of the biggest questions we have today around our relationship with technology. It by no means answers any of these questions – and to be clear it doesn’t pretend that it’s setting out to do so – making Rønning’s spin at the Tron wheel less about machines being AI gods and more about the flaws within our own creations. It’s ambitious, occasionally obvious, but unmistakably Tron.

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Panasonic Lumix S 100-500mm F5-7.1 O.I.S: one-minute review

The Lumix S 100-500mm F5-7.1 O.I.S is Panasonic's first ultra-telephoto zoom lens for the L-mount system, and an exciting prospect for photographers and videographers looking to shoot subjects at a medium to far distance.

As someone who has occasionally dabbled in wildlife, sports and live music photography, I was keen to see what this lens could do paired up with a Lumix S camera, and a couple of weeks of use left me very impressed.

Given its zoom range, the lens is relatively lightweight and compact, and feels reassuringly solid and well constructed. It's splash-proof and dust-proof, so I had no qualms about using it in inclement weather, and it comes with a lens hood to block unwanted sunlight and give the front element extra protection. It's also supplied with a (removeable) mount to ensure proper balance when it's mounted on a tripod.

Panasonic has lavished the lens with some premium features, most notably dual-ball optical image stabilization (OIS). The company says this offers up to 7 stops of compensation, and with the lens attached to a Lumix S1R II camera I found that it was entirely possibly to shoot at 500mm handheld and achieve consistently sharp stills and video. The OIS ensured the frame barely moved in the viewfinder, suggesting some very impressive work being done by the system.

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

Other key features include some useful external controls, including a Tight-Smooth ring to adjust tension while zooming – something videographers might find very handy – and a customizable focus ring and button.

Performance is very strong across the full 100-500mm range, although the maximum aperture of f/5 (at the widest end) to f/7.1 (at 500mm) may be a little slow for some users. I found I was still able to grab sharp shots at 500mm in lower light conditions with the help of the OIS, but there are faster ultra-telephotos available.

The lens' optics are excellent, with good sharpness even when shooting wide open, no noticeable vignetting, and purple/green fringing kept well under control.

Overall, the Panasonic Lumix S 100-500mm F5-7.1 O.I.S is a fantastic lens for any L-mount camera user who wants to shoot distant subjects with ease and at high quality. There are cheaper alternatives out there, but they're heavier – and I strongly suspect this lens outperforms them thanks to its excellent optics and OIS.

Panasonic Lumix S 100-500mm F5-7.1 O.I.S: price

• Priced at $2,099 / £1,799 / AU$3,699
• Lens hood and tripod mount included
• Available from October 2025

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

The Panasonic Lumix S 100-500mm F5-7.1 O.I.S costs $2,099 / £1,799 / AU$3,699, and is available from October 2025 (November in Australia). The package includes a removable tripod mount and lens hood, but no storage bag.

Those operating on a tight budget might baulk at the price, but you're getting a lot of lens for the money. Not only is it designed for full-frame cameras, weatherproof, and equipped with a very effective OIS setup, it's also Panasonic's first ever ultra-telephoto zoom for the L-mount system; and it's not like Lumix S shooters have a lot of alternative choices out there, especially in such a compact package. Sigma offers some competitors in its 150-600mm F5-6.3 and 60-600mm F4.5-6.3, but both lenses are much larger and heavier.

Panasonic Lumix S 100-500mm F5-7.1 O.I.S specsPanasonic Lumix S 100-500mm F5-7.1 O.I.S specs

Type:

Ultra-telephoto zoom

Mount:

L-mount

Sensor:

Full-frame

Focal length:

100-500mm

Max aperture:

F5-7.1

Minimum focus:

2.62ft / 0.8m to 4.92ft / 1.5m

Filter size:

82mm

Dimensions:

7.72 x 3.62 inches / 196.1 x 92mm (excl. tripod mount)

Weight:

2.83lb / 1.285kg

Panasonic Lumix S 100-500mm F5-7.1 O.I.S: Design

• Lightweight and compact for its range
• Splash-proof and dust-proof
• Tight-Smooth zoom ring

If you're used to wide-angle and standard zooms, the Panasonic Lumix S 100-500mm F5-7.1 O.I.S will feel like a big and heavy lens, but given its focal length range it's actually fairly compact, at just 196.1mm long when set to 100mm, and lightweight at 1,285g.

To aid with balance when it's mounted on a tripod, Panasonic has thoughtfully included a metal tripod ring. This clasps around the barrel, can be rotated if you want to shoot in portrait orientation, and can be completely removed if you're shooting handheld and want to keep bulk and weight to a minimum.

The lens is built to premium standards, with very little play or flex in any of the plastic or metal elements. Panasonic calls it splash-proof and dust-proof, so it's usable in drizzle and light rain, and perhaps even worse conditions.

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Panasonic has included switches to limit focus distance (it can be set to Full, or 5m to infinity), switch between auto and manual focus, and toggle between OIS modes. The focus ring and focus button can also be customized to various functions, at least when the lens is attached to a Panasonic camera.

Perhaps its most noteworthy design feature, though, is the Tight-Smooth ring, which allows the user to make fine adjustments to the resistance of the zoom ring. Videographers who want to zoom while rolling might find this very useful indeed, but I would say personally I found the difference between the tightest and smoothest settings fairly minimal. Then again, I was mostly shooting still photos, so perhaps I'm not the target user here.

Panasonic Lumix S 100-500mm F5-7.1 O.I.S: Performance

• Stabilisation to 7EV compensation
• Silent, fast autofocus
• Max aperture of f/5 to f/7.1

The lens performs to excellent standards across the board, although I should address its potential Achilles heel early on: with a maximum aperture of f/5 to f/7.1, it's not the fastest zoom around. That said, I never found it particularly slow in use, even when shooting in twilight conditions; and increasing the aperture size might have resulted in this being a much more expensive, larger and heavier piece of glass, of course.

The lens is optically excellent, and exhibits no vignetting at 100mm, which I'd expect, but even shooting wide open its sharpness is superb. Those f/5 to f/7.1 settings are, in other words, completely usable if needed – although pixel peeping I can see a slight increase in sharpness when reducing the aperture by a couple of stops.

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Photo shot on Panasonic Lumix S 100-500mm F5-7.1 O.I.S lens at 100mm (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)Image 3 of 15

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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

The image stabilization is a massive help with low-light and handheld shooting, because those extra stops of motion compensation really help when longer shutter speeds are required. I could even shoot video handheld at 500mm with no real issues, and the silent autofocus worked swiftly and accurately throughout, all without being picked up on mic.

The lens has quite a short minimum focus distance of 0.8m at the wide end and 1.5m at the tele end, which allowed me to shoot subjects fairly close up with impressive detail. This is not a macro lens by any means, but use it carefully and you can grab very sharp and detail-rich images of smaller subjects.

Bokeh is smooth and attractive, thanks to the circular aperture diaphragm, and Panasonic has taken steps to eliminate focus breathing in video shooting. Overall, I was hugely impressed by what this lens could do, and if I was a regular wildlife or sports photographer I would be very tempted to add it to my collection.

Should you buy the Panasonic Lumix S 100-500mm F5-7.1 O.I.S?Buy it if...

You want a versatile ultra-telephoto

The huge focal length range of this lens makes it suitable for a range of jobs, from sports and wildlife to candid portraiture and even some landscape shooting.

You shoot handheld

Not only is this lens lightweight and compact for its range, it's also packing truly excellent OIS tech to aid stability during handheld shooting.

Don't buy it if...

You prefer a fast telephoto

While it's usable in low-light situations thanks to its OIS, this lens isn't particularly fast in terms of its maximum aperture.

You're on a tight budget

While the price doesn't feel excessive, there are cheaper L-mount options available from Sigma – but they're significantly heavier and less portable.

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)How I tested the Panasonic Lumix S 100-500mm F5-7.1 O.I.S

• I tested it over two weeks
• I shot wildlife, candids and landscape
• I mounted the lens on a Panasonic Lumix S1R II

I spent two weeks shooting with the Panasonic Lumix S 100-500mm F5-7.1 O.I.S, which I attached to a Panasonic Lumix S1R II. I shot images and video clips of wildlife, people and landscapes at various focal lengths, used the lens handheld and mounted on a tripod, and tested it in different lighting conditions and at different times of day.

All the sample images you see above have been shot in raw format, imported to my MacBook Air and adjusted in Adobe Lightroom. Note that they'e not presented at their original resolution, as the file sizes would be far too large.

• First reviewed October 2025

8BitDo Arcade Controller: One-minute review

Leverless controllers can appear daunting at first glance if you’re interested in picking one up for the best fighting games. The lack of a traditional joystick makes such controllers feel more akin to a keyboard, with buttons dedicated to everything from inputs to movement.

They almost feel counterintuitive when you have one in your hands for the first time. But thankfully, 8BitDo has stepped in with its own take on leverless fighting game controllers, and it’s one that’s relatively beginner-friendly.

The 8BitDo Arcade Controller is a 16-button leverless pad that has some similarities to the 8BitDo Arcade Stick, carrying over that NES-inspired look for the Switch-compatible model. However, both are fundamentally different controllers.

For one, the 8BitDo Arcade Controller is much, much thinner, and thus a lot lighter as well. It can sit in your lap or on a desk or tabletop with ease. This alone makes the device more portable; ideal if you’re heading over to local tournaments.

Its buttons are excellent, too. They feel responsive and immediate with their short travel time, and have a springy, tactile press that makes learning with the controller a satisfying affair.

I’d still recommend some caution if you’re interested in buying the 8BitDo Arcade Controller, though. If it’s going to be your first leverless controller, it’s ideal for that, but you should still expect a fairly steep learning curve if you’re used to the best fight sticks or more traditional gamepads.

(Image credit: Future)8BitDo Arcade Controller: Price and availability

• Switch/PC: $89.99 / £75.99 (around AU$136)
• Xbox/PC: $99.99 / £84.99 (around AU$150)
• Available to purchase now from 8BitDo’s Amazon store

The 8BitDo Arcade Controller comes in two variants. A Switch and Switch 2 compatible model retails for $89.99 / £75.99, while a version for Xbox consoles comes in at $99.99 / £84.99. Both work with PC, too, and are available to buy now, but don’t expect PlayStation compatibility here.

As retail prices go, the 8BitDo Arcade Controller is a sub-$100 leverless that I can happily recommend. Leverless pads often command rather premium price tags, as we see with the Victrix Pro KO ($249.99 / £229.99 / AU$399.95) and Hit Box Ultra ($299.99 / around £249.99 / around AU$429.99). This makes 8BitDo’s hardware very easy to recommend from a cost-effective standpoint.

8BitDo Arcade Controller: Specs

Price

$89.99 / £75.99 (around AU$136)

Weight

2.42lbs / 1.1kg

Dimensions

11.9 x 7.9 x 0.9in / 301 x 201 x 22mm

Compatibility

Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC (Switch and Xbox models sold separately)

Connection type

Wireless (2.4GHz, Bluetooth), Wired (USB-C)

Battery life

Around 20 hours

Software

Ultimate Software V2 (PC)

8BitDo Arcade Controller: Design and features

At just less than an inch thick, the 8BitDo Arcade Controller is impressively discreet and can be easily slid into a backpack or laptop bag for when you want to take your game to the locals. It’s also rather lightweight, coming in at just above a single kilo.

In terms of button layout, there are similarities to that of the 8BitDo Arcade Stick. The top end of the pad is lined with functions, including a dial that swaps between Switch and XInput layouts. Like on the Arcade Stick, different button notations will also light up depending on your layout of choice.

The top end also has a tournament lock switch, preventing you from accidentally pausing during matches, as well as a button to enable or disable custom button profiles. It’s a simple yet robust set of options, all available on the controller itself. The top rear also houses the Arcade Controller’s 2.4GHz receiver, and next to it, you’ll find a USB-C port for wired play, with a cable also included in the box.

As for the main buttons on the pad proper, you’ve got four directional buttons, mapped so you can rest your left hand’s fingers and thumb across them. Eight red buttons sit off to the right side of these in two rows of four, allowing you to rest a finger on each of them. Of course, being a leverless pad, these are just suggestions, and you can freely remap both in-game and via Ultimate Software V2 on PC to your preferences.

You also have four additional remappable buttons here, which aren’t assigned to anything by default. These can be assigned inputs via the Ultimate Software, and you can even set macros here if, say, you want quick access to throws or other per-game mechanics. Alternatively, four lock caps are included in the box, which you can swap in if you’d prefer not to use these at all and avoid any accidental mispresses.

On that note, all buttons on the 8BitDo Arcade Controller can be swapped out for third-party options easily. If you’re brand new to leverless controllers, you probably won’t have any alternative switches lying around, but if you do, they can be used here, which is nice.

(Image credit: Future)8BitDo Arcade Controller: Performance

As I mentioned at the top, getting to grips with leverless fighting game controllers for the first time can be quite the process. But once you get the hang of things like up and down inputs essentially being inverted (down is lodged between left and right on the pad by default, with up/jump being at the bottom), it can quickly become second nature.

I primarily used the 8BitDo Arcade Controller with my main fighting game, Tekken 8. Tekken’s rigid four-way movement actually works brilliantly well with leverless pads, and the responsiveness here had me sidestepping and backdashing faster than on a traditional controller.

Responsiveness is the keyword here. Button inputs feel immediate, and being able to roll a motion input special move in Street Fighter 6 or Guilty Gear Strive felt easier and more reliable to pull off than on a standard controller’s d-pad or thumbstick. Never did I feel at risk of fumbling the input or jumping by mistake, as I often end up doing with those pesky dragon punch motions. Here, just a couple of quick taps of the directional buttons had me inputting specials reliably and instantaneously once I’d gotten used to the motions.

I’ve raved about just how much mechanical and microswitch buttons can improve the feel of a fighting game thanks to their immediacy, and it’s a similar story here with the 8BitDo Arcade Controller. Its buttons are just oh-so satisfying to press. I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m a better player as a result of using a leverless controller like this one, but I have been able to more reliably iron out mispresses and become more efficient at combo strings with lenient timings. I’ve loved my time with it.

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the 8BitDo Arcade Controller?Buy it if…

You want an affordable gateway into leverless controllers
It may not be the absolute cheapest leverless out there, but the 8BitDo Arcade Controller oozes a shocking amount of quality at its sub-$100 price. You can safely dip a toe in here for less if a purely button-based pad appeals to you.

You want to take your game up a notch
Leverless controllers are designed with competitive players in mind first and foremost. A pad like the 8BitDo Arcade Controller can help prepare you for higher-level play by allowing your inputs to be faster, more responsive, and helping you to avoid costly mispresses.

Don’t buy it if…

You prefer casual play
Inversely, the 8BitDo Arcade Controller probably won’t be the best fit if you’re not keen to rewire your brain to its particular input requirements. Inputs aren’t where they would be on a regular controller, so if you’d rather not deal with the headaches that come with learning a leverless layout, give this one a miss.

Also consider...

The 8BitDo Arcade Controller is just one of many quality fighting game pad options out there. If this one’s not quite doing it for you, consider the following two alternatives.

8BitDo Arcade Controller

Victrix Pro KO

8BitDo Arcade Stick

Price

$89.99 / £75.99 (around AU$136)

$249.99 / £229.99 / AU$399.95

$119.99 / £99 (around AU$182.99)

Weight

2.42lbs / 1.1kg

2.7lbs / 1.225kg

4.63lbs / 2.1kg

Dimensions

11.9 x 7.9 x 0.9in / 301 x 201 x 22mm

13.35 x 9.23 x 0.8in / 235 x 334 x 22mm

11.9 x 8 x 4.4in / 303 x 203 x 112mm

Compatibility

Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC (Switch and Xbox models sold separately)

PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC (PlayStation and Xbox models sold separately)

Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC (Switch and Xbox models sold separately)

Connection type

Wireless (2.4GHz, Bluetooth), Wired (USB-C)

Wired (USB-C)

Wireless (2.4GHz, Bluetooth), Wired (USB-C)

Battery life

Around 20 hours

N/A

30-40 hours

Software

Ultimate Software V2

N/A

Ultimate Software V2

Victrix Pro KO
More of a premium pick in the leverless realm, the Victrix Pro KO offers sublime build quality, plenty of customization, and comes in much cheaper than the high-end Victrix Pro FS. One to check out if money’s no object.

Read our full Victrix Pro KO review

8BitDo Arcade Stick
If you’d prefer something more arcade-adjacent, I can definitely recommend the 8BitDo Arcade Stick. While much bulkier than its leverless counterpart, it offers the same level of responsiveness and customizability. If you can’t wrap your head around the lack of a stick on the 8BitDo Arcade Controller, then this one might be the answer if you don’t mind paying a little extra.

Read our full 8BitDo Arcade Stick review

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the 8BitDo Arcade Controller

• Tested for a week
• Played a variety of fighting games on Switch 2 and PC
• Compared to the 8BitDo Arcade Stick

I’ve played with the 8BitDo Arcade Controller for around a week for this review. During that time, I hopped between Switch 2 and my gaming PC to play a wide variety of fighting games, including Tekken 8, Street Fighter 6 Years 1+2 Fighters Edition, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, Guilty Gear Strive, and Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising.

I compared my time with the Arcade Controller to that of the 8BitDo Arcade Stick, really getting a feel for the difference between a traditional joystick and leverless inputs. I did find leverless to be a little trickier to get used to, but I would choose the Controller over the Stick for competitive settings purely thanks to its high level of responsiveness.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed October 2025

70mai Dash Cam 4K T800: two-minute review

I’ve been mildly obsessed with the best dash cams since getting rear-ended by another car. Nowadays, I tend to bypass more basic models, like the Nextbase Piqo and head for something with a more substantial set of features. The Viofo A329 Pro Dash Cam, for example, is a great option. However, the 70mai 4K T800 three dash cam bundle supplants Viofo as my current pick of the dash cam crop.

Since installing it a few weeks ago, I think this model is one of the best for covering all bases thanks to a trio of cameras and lots of shooting power. The 70mai Dash Cam 4K T800 is a premium package, which means it costs more than many other models, even within the rest of the 70mai product portfolio. This is for good reason though, as the bundle is an impressive blend of quality cameras, beefy tech and the sort of user-friendly design that makes setting it up appealing for anyone who’s short on time.

The front and rear cameras both feature Sony IMX678 Starvis sensors, which capture 3840 x 2160p 4K video at 30 frames per second with a 146-degree field of view. The cockpit-facing camera shoots 1920 x 1080p footage, so combined there’s effectively complete coverage both outside and in. Adding to the appeal is a raft of bang-up-to date tech specifications, that including Wi-Fi 6 at 5GHz for speedy transfer of those larger 4K files, plus voice command operation, storage up to 512GB via microSD card and a power supply that uses a supercapacitor arrangement.

(Image credit: Future)

Alongside these impressive specs, I also love the after-dark and low-light capabilities of the 70mai 4K T800. It’s got 70mai Lumi Vision, that helps enhance footage in less-than-ideal conditions, plus there’s the so-called ‘Night Owl Vision’ which captures excellent footage in the dark. I’m also keen on the subtle features, like the MaiColor Vivid+ Solution technology that boosts the exposure capabilities of the cameras to tackle issues that can occur when shooting through different types of windshield glass.

Crucially, for me at least, the 70mai 4K T800 benefits from upgraded Buffered Emergency Recording, which can work from a default 1 minute right up to 3 minutes. The usefulness of this feature is everything, with the ability to retain footage of any kind of incident before, during and after it happens. The way it can do this without me having to worry about it makes the 70mai 4K T800 a very dependable option. If I needed them, I’d also be pretty pleased with the Smart Parking Guardian Mode, which offers permanent 24/7 monitoring in locations such as car parks. An additional, hardwire kit is needed to deploy this, however.

Overall, the 70mai 4K T800 is a complete solution that offers complete coverage with a specification and feature set that’s right up there with the best of them. 70mai also completes this comprehensive dash cam package by supplementing it with an excellent app, which I have used previously without fuss or bother.

70mai Dash Cam 4K T800: price and availability

The 70mai Dash Cam 4K T800 is available to buy now and can be purchased from Amazon in the USA for $400 as a Premium Set bundle that includes the rear camera. It can also be purchased directly from the 70mai website. Meanwhile, Amazon in the UK also sells the bundle for £450.

70mai Dash Cam 4K T800: specs70mai Dash Cam 4K T800 specs

Video

Front: 3840 x 2160p (4K)
Rear: 3840 x 2160p (4K)
Interior: 1920 x 1080p @30fps

Field of view (FOV)

146 degrees front / 146 degrees rear / 147 degrees interior

Storage

MicroSD up to 512GB, Cloud

GPS

Yes

Parking mode

Yes, with constant power cable, not included

App support

70mai app

Dimensions

1.81 x 4.84 x 2.48 inches / 4.5 x 12.2 x 6.2 cm

Weight

2.07lb / 938g

Battery

Yes

70mai Dash Cam 4K T800: Design

I really like the design of the 70mai Dash Cam 4K T800. The main camera unit, which contains both the front-facing lens as well as the cockpit surveillance camera, is chunky but relatively unobtrusive. This is mainly down to the way it has been designed, with a body that can be easily attached near a rear-view mirror without feeling like it's encroaching too much on screen space.

That was good news for me as I fitted the 70mai Dash Cam 4K T800 to the screen of my two-seater sports car, which does have a fairly small windshield. The main camera has a sloping bracket, which contains the self-adhesive pad that can be mounted using a static sheet on the glass to make removal easier.

The really clever bit with this design, though, is the way that the 70mai designers have made the cockpit camera lens swivel on its mount. This means it can be adjusted so the view is just right and covers all of the interior space. I found it really useful because my two-seater makes mounting a rear-facing camera all but impossible due to a retracting top. The 70mai Dash Cam 4K T800 covers this scenario as the cockpit camera also gets the view out of the back window. In my case, it effectively does the three-camera job using just two.

(Image credit: Future)

However, the third camera, if it is needed, is the standard barrel-type design and that too can be adjusted using the swivel technique, once it’s been stuck in situ using the adhesive pad. Again, this can be done using a static sheet attached to the glass, then sticking the camera to that if the setup might need to be moved to another vehicle at some point.

Around the back of the main camera unit there’s a 3-inch IPS display screen, which features a very decent 640x360 resolution that works well in a variety of lighting conditions. Once powered up, the view displayed is a full-front outlook with a picture-in-picture layout showing the cockpit view to one side. Attach the rear-facing camera and that view also appears within the screen space. Amazingly, it all seems to fit in perfectly fine.

On the side of the body, there’s a circular light that is coloured depending on the mode of operation. On the other side is a microSD card slot and along the bottom of the camera, underneath the screen, are four control buttons. If the screen is powered up there are matching menu icons on the screen itself, making setup and adjustment all very straightforward. The 70mai app is best used in order to get the best from all of the features and functions though. It’s also great for managing those chunky 4K files.

(Image credit: Future)70mai Dash Cam 4K T800: Performance

Alongside a practical design, the 70mai Dash Cam 4K T800 has proved to be very dependable in the performance department. If the three-camera setup is being used there is some inevitable time taken to plumb in the various cables and get everything into place. However, I found having those camera lenses mounted in a rotating case made getting the shooting angle really straightforward. This was further aided by the live view that appears on the rear screen.

I also found the setup procedure a no-nonsense affair, with the usual formatting of the memory card needed to get the ball rolling. I also had to pick through the time and date settings, which is very simple using the default time zone sections, or it can be setup manually. I did all the basic steps using the controls on the back of the camera, and the buttons and menu options were all self-explanatory.

It’s also well worth getting the 70mai app, which acts as a brilliant supplement to the camera bundle itself. Available for iOS and Android, the software is nicely executed and makes managing those larger 4K files much easier. This is helped by the Wi-Fi connectivity of the 70mai Dash Cam 4K T800, which features Wi-Fi 6 that can be used at 5GHz for faster transfers.

Footage-wise, all three cameras are excellent. The quality is of a really good standard, with great definition when it comes to things like license plates and road signs. Best of all, the combined field of view of the trio of lenses offers up complete coverage. I found using a two-camera setup worked well in my small car too, with crisp and clear cockpit footage complimenting the views of the road ahead. And, because my car’s cockpit is so small, it’s possible to enjoy a recorded view through the back window, just by using the cockpit camera.

(Image credit: Future)

(Image credit: Future)

The 70mai 4K T800 dash cam is generously endowed with additional features and functions too. Of course, the suite of parking surveillance tools only gets tapped into by enlisting the services of an optional hardwire kit. However, there is also plenty to enjoy if hardwiring isn’t an option, including voice control for added convenience.

Best of the specification features, though, has to be the muscle offered by the Sony Starvis 2 sensor technology. 70mai reckons the sensors in this bundle help deliver 90 percent higher light sensitivity and 100 percent improved low-light performance. I see no reason to disagree.

Should you buy the 70mai Dash Cam 4K T800?

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

You want a three camera solution
The 4K T800 can be used as a single camera if that's all you need, but it is best exploited via the Premium Set bundle for complete coverage.

Good quality video is a must-have
Anyone with a desire to improve the quality of their dash cam video content will find the 4K footage returned by the 4K T800 top drawer.

An excellent supporting app is required
The 70mai 4K T800 packs a brilliant supplementary app, which is available for both iOS and Android. It allows for easy management of those big video files.

Don't buy it if...

Three cameras might seem too much
Some of us prefer a single camera for front-facing coverage. The 70mai 4K T800 works best as a bundle, but might be too much for some users.

You want less wiring not more
Admittedly, the rear camera of the 70mai 4K T800 does add to the wiring job, but everything needed to get the job done is inside the box, save for a hardwire kit.

You need a more compact model
While the 70mai 4K T800 is nicely proportioned, it might be a little too big for some very small windshields. However, it worked just fine in the sports car used here..

How I tested the 70mai Dash Cam 4K T800

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

70mai loaned me the Dash Cam 4K T800 and supplied everything I needed to test it.

I subsequently used the dash cam over a period of around two weeks, after being sent the Premium Set bundle, which contains the main camera unit with two lenses plus the supplementary rear-facing camera. Using the contents of the box, I was able to plumb in the cameras and connect them using the supplied cables. 70mai also supply a fitting tool, which was used to push wiring behind trim panels where it was needed.

I also downloaded the app, which was installed on an iPhone 17 and put through its paces. The Wi-Fi connectivity between the cameras and app was also tested, which based on the size of the 4K video files, was a big part of the testing criteria. It all worked as expected.

• First reviewed October 2025

I've reviewed a significant amount of gear from Sihoo over the years. Sihoo is one of those companies that offer a wide range of prices, covering budget gear all the way to higher-end gear.

The Sihoo M56C-V2 favors the budget side, but it's not as budget-friendly as the Sihoo M76A-M101. However, it does remind me of it a lot. Where the M76A-M101 was very lightweight, making it feel a bit cheaper, the M56C-V2 feels a bit heftier, without significantly increasing the price tag. Is it one of the best office chairs around? I took it for a spin to find out.

Sihoo M56C-V2: Price and availability

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The Sihoo M56C-V2 can be purchased from the Sihoo website, Amazon, Best Buy, and several other retailers, and I'm sure that number will grow over time, as this is still a relatively new release chair. The chair costs just over $200, and depending on where you buy it from, you could get next-day delivery, pickup, or relatively fast shipping.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Sihoo M56C-V2: Unboxing and First Impressions

I've reviewed a significant amount of gear from Sihoo over the years. Sihoo is one of those companies that offer a wide range of prices, covering budget gear all the way to higher-end gear. The Sihoo M56C-V2 favors the budget side, but it's not as budget-friendly as the Sihoo M76A-M101.

Some users or businesses want a good chair with some ergonomics, but they don't want to spend an exorbitant amount of money. Sadly, when it comes to budget chairs, ergonomic features are often the first to be sacrificed. For this chair, however, the ergonomics are still present, providing good back support, albeit with the lumbar support a little too low for some users.

Assembly will depend on your comfort level with building chairs. If you know what you're doing and are fairly comfortable assembling items like this, you can probably build it in around an hour. However, those with less experience may take longer to build. Another thing that could help speed up the process of assembling this chair is an electric screwdriver.

Sihoo M56C-V2: Design & Build Quality

The Sihoo M56C-V2 has a firm mesh back with a self-adjusting lumbar system. It's designed to lean and adjust with you while you move in the seat, and for some, it will work great. For others, it may feel slightly lower than desired, although Sihoo aimed to support the true lower lumbar region, rather than the mid-to-low back, unlike many chairs.

The seat cushion, although not the best on the market, still provides a reasonably decent seat for the price. Lastly, the armrests and headrest provide enough flexibility and adjustment options to be helpful, without being ground-breaking and expensive.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Sihoo M56C-V2: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

I've had the Sihoo M56C-V2 in my inventory for 100 days at the time of writing this review. So far, this chair has held up nicely to everything we have thrown at it, including long working days.

All around, I'm impressed with just how good this chair is for the price. Granted, it has its ups and downs, but for around $200, it's pretty impressive that it offers any ergonomic features. There is a comfortable headrest, a great cushion that provides support without being uncomfortable, and it has good armrests.

While, for the most part, this chair is excellent, some users on my team have noted that the chair's lumbar is lower than they prefer. Additionally, the armrests cannot move inward, though that's usually a feature I only see on the more premium chairs, so no marks against the M56C in that regard.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The members of my team who felt like the lumbar was too low took matters into their own hands and added a DIY towel roll to the top of the lumbar support to help adjust the relief to the proper spot.

Other members of my team like the lowest part of the lumbar support because it feels like it properly holds their lower back.

Over the last 100 days of use, I've had one member use this chair far more than anyone else on my team. They have found that this chair is just about perfect for them. The armrests are great, the seat is comfortable, the lumbar support is helpful, the headrest is supportive, and the overall feel is wildly beneficial. This team member has suffered from migraines and tension headaches for quite some time, so having a chair that can give them a comfortable seat, a supported back, and a headrest makes all the difference.

Sihoo M56C-V2: Final verdict

The Sihoo M56C-V2 is not the fanciest chair, nor is it perfect, but it is a budget-friendly option that is well worth the money. If you are looking for a great budget chair for your home office or want to buy in bulk for a conference room or office bullpen, this chair is a great option to consider.

Should you buy a Sihoo M56C-V2?

Value

Good level of ergonomics for the price

4.5 / 5

Design

Simple design, clean, aggressive lumbar support

4 / 5

Hardware

Basic armrests, and adjust-less lumbar are simple. They work but are not for everyone

3.5 / 5

Performance

Great for budget buyers, also for average height to shorter users

4 / 5

Overall

Not perfect, but one of the better wallet-friendly chairs you can buy today if you like lumbar support

4 / 5

Buy it if...

You want a budget-friendly chair with lumbar support
The Sihoo M56C-V2 is easy on the spending side and works well for most with the lumbar support. Simple and sweet.

You need to buy in bulk
If you are buying chairs for a conference room or for a bullpen or general office use, this chair may just what you are looking forView Deal

Don't buy it if...

You want a super ergonomical chair
While the M56C-V2 has good features, it's not the most adjustable and customizable chair

You are above average height
This chair may still work for you, but there are other options that may be a better fit

For more office furniture essentials, we've reviewed the best standing desks around.

Google is best known for its search engine and suite of digital tools covering emails, document editing, presentations, spreadsheets, and many more. Popular among both individual and business users, Google provides alternatives to dominant platforms in various software niches. For example, Google Sheets is an alternative to Microsoft Excel, and Google Docs is an alternative to Microsoft Word.

For a long time, Google has bundled its digital tools into various tiers for enterprises. This bundle was initially known as Google Apps, then rebranded to G Suite in 2016 and Google Workspace in 2020. Over the years, Google has added many more features to its software suite, and its user base has increased significantly.

What does Google Workspace offer that the competition doesn’t? Is it worthwhile for my business, and what benefits do I get from it? These are essential questions business owners and managers ask when considering adopting Google Workspace. You’ve arrived at the right place if you have these questions.

Having extensively reviewed each tool within Google Workspace, I’ve put together this broad review covering its pros, cons, and unique features. Read on to learn what Google Workspace offers and whether it’s the best choice for your business.

(Image credit: Google Workspace)Google Workspace: Plans and pricing

Google Workspace has distinct pricing plans: Starter, Standard, Plus, and Enterprise Plus, with each having its benefits. The higher the plan, the more functionalities and storage space your enterprise can access.

The Starter plan costs $7 per user per month. Under this plan, each account has access to 30 GB of cloud storage, double the 15 GB limit for free Google accounts. The Starter plan lets your company's employees create email addresses tied to your company's domain name. Other benefits include the ability to use Google's Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) assistant and hold video meetings with up to 100 participants.

The Standard plan costs $14 per user per month. Under this pricing tier, each user has access to 2 TB of cloud storage, which is dramatically higher than that of the Starter plan. All features of the Starter plan are included, plus more benefits like access to NotebookLM, Google's AI-based research tool; video meetings with up to 150 participants; and the ability for employees to append digital signatures to documents.

The Plus plan costs $22 per user per month. Cloud storage for each user increases to 5 TB on this plan, and other benefits include video meetings with up to 500 participants, a digital vault to retain data for a long period, and advanced endpoint management and security features.

The Enterprise Plus plan isn’t like the others. It doesn’t have a standard price. Instead, you’ll need to contact Google’s sales team to negotiate a custom deal. This plan has the most advanced security features, endpoint security and the ability to choose the geographical storage location for your company’s data. Storage can be 5 TB or more, depending on the deal negotiated with Google’s sales team.

The Enterprise Plus plan is best suited for large companies with hundreds or thousands of employees that need Google Workspace tools. Pricing varies, but large companies may negotiate discounts compared to the unit price of the Plus plan.

Google Workspace: Features

Think of Google Workspace as a one-stop shop that provides the tools a company needs to communicate, collaborate, and manage documents seamlessly. A Google Workspace subscription unlocks access to many valuable tools, including Google Meet for videoconferencing, Google Sheets for spreadsheets, Google Docs for document editing, Google Slides for presentations, Google Chat for real-time chat, Gmail for emails, etc.

If you’ve used Gmail individually, the corporate version offered via Google Workspace is easy to understand. It has the same interface and similar features, but the corporate version lets you create emails attached to your company’s domain name instead of the generic “@gmail.com.”

Another benefit is that the Gmail interface doesn’t include ads when subscribed to Google Workspace, unlike the free version, where ads are displayed at the top of your inbox. Notably, the Starter, Standard, and Plus plans are capped at 300 users, making this figure the maximum number of Gmail accounts a company can create.

Google Meet is a popular video conferencing tool used by both individuals and companies. With Google Workspace, your company unlocks access to advanced Google Meet tools, including the ability to host up to 500 participants on the Plus plan.

You may be confused that the Plus plan is capped at 300 users but allows up to 500 participants in a videoconference. The answer is that participants aren’t always employees with Google Workspace accounts. You can invite people outside your organization to meetings, and there’ll still be ample space to host them alongside employees. Besides that, the Enterprise Plus plan works for well over 300 users but requires direct negotiations with Google’s sales team.

Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides are powerful alternatives to Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, the leading tools for creating and managing text documents, spreadsheets, and visual presentations, respectively. While Word, Excel, and PowerPoint remain capable tools, Google’s alternatives outshine them in collaborative features.

With a Google Workspace subscription, employees can collaboratively create and edit text files on Google Docs. Each person working on the same document is represented by a unique icon and cursor indicating their position on the document. Every collaborator can suggest changes, leave comments, or edit text directly, depending on the permission given by the document owner, and every change gets reflected in real-time.

In my case, I liked the idea of integrating Google Chat with Docs, which let me send instant messages to collaborators on the same page where we edited documents. The same applies to Google Sheets and Slides, where I could chat with collaborators on the same page.

On Google Sheets, employees can simultaneously edit the same spreadsheet, with each collaborator represented by their unique icon and cursor. Any changes, comments, or suggestions will be delivered in real-time. Google Slides is similar, but for collaboratively editing visual presentations.

The document owner, who can be any employee, decides who can access their document and what they can do with it. Three distinct permissions can be given to a collaborator: Viewer, Commenter, and Editor.

(Image credit: Google)

A Viewer has read-only access, i.e., they can read the document but can’t comment, suggest a change, or edit anything directly.

A Commenter can leave comments on specific parts of the document, for example, a highlighted paragraph on Google Docs or a highlighted cell on Google Sheets. They can suggest changes at particular parts, but the document owner decides whether to accept or reject the suggestions.

An Editor has complete access to a document just like the owner. They can edit the document extensively and undo or redo changes.

When editing documents on Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides, the Version Control feature allows you to revert to previous versions of a document if needed. As employees edit a document, their changes are saved at different time instants. Then, the document owner can view previous versions and revert to any version if needed.

I liked the Version Control feature for two reasons. Firstly, it fosters accountability because the document owner can view different versions of a document and know who made specific changes, incentivizing collaborators to always stick to the agreed-upon rules. Secondly, it assures all collaborators that mistakes can be undone, so there’s no need to panic when they make errors.

Gemini is Google’s proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) assistant, released in 2023 in response to the rise of ChatGPT and other rival AI chatbots. Google Workspace users have complete access to Gemini, either via the standalone app or via direct integration with Docs, Slides, Sheets, and other Google tools.

I found Gemini very useful when working with documents on various Google tools. For example, I used it to generate text when writing on Google Docs and also to translate and edit text. The output wasn’t perfect – it often sounds too bland and robotic – but a few edits were enough to make it sound more human.

On Google Sheets, I used Gemini to analyze data, specifically to visualize the data I entered into my spreadsheet. You can do much more, for example, by asking it to calculate specific values based on the figures in your spreadsheet.

On Google Slides, I used Gemini to generate text and ideas for my presentations. The use cases are endless, making Gemini a valuable companion for any company’s employees.

Other useful tools you can access under Workspace include Google Calendar, a tool for employees to set and manage schedules, and Google Keep, a note-taking app with collaborative features. There’s also Google Forms, which your company can use to survey customers, collect data from leads, or conduct internal surveys.

Google Workspace offers such a broad set of features that it would be too much information to provide in this review. It provides a valuable software suite to run your business operations, but it’s not without its drawbacks. In my opinion, Google Workspace is best suited for companies with a few hundred employees, but it becomes more difficult to manage above this figure. The costs can also be high for small businesses, although Google Workspace’s pricing is generally competitive.

Google Workspace: Interface and in use

I’ve reviewed all Google Workspace tools, and a smooth, intuitive interface is a commonality among them. In my opinion, Google has zeroed in on simplicity and intuitiveness as a way to stand out amid intense competition, considering it was a latecomer to various software niches. From Google Docs to Sheets, Slides, Meet, and other tools, their interfaces are much more seamless to navigate compared to rival apps.

Google Workspace enables smooth communication and collaboration among your employees. From collaborating on text documents, spreadsheets, and presentations to holding videoconferences on Google Meet or group chats on Google Chat, Google Workspace excels in its user-friendliness and makes these functions work smoothly.

Google Workspace: Support

As paid subscribers, Google Workspace users have access to abundant support resources, both self-help and direct support from Google’s team. Each Google tool has a dedicated section on the company’s official Help Center. Every section covers all features related to the specific tool, making it the ideal first stop when troubleshooting issues.

For example, on the Google Meet Help Center section, you can find user guides, tutorials, and answers to common issues users face on Google Meet. The same applies to all other tools offered under Google Workspace.

If self-help resources on the Help Center aren’t sufficient to resolve issues, Google Workspace users can contact Google’s support team via email, live chat, and telephone. Throughout my experience with Google Workspace, the support team has been very responsive and knowledgeable. A good thing is that the intuitive interface of Google tools reduces the number of times you’ll need direct help in the first place.

Google Workspace: The competition

I’ve repeatedly mentioned Microsoft tools in this review, giving a hint that Microsoft is Google Workspace’s primary competitor. The Microsoft 365 bundle mirrors Google Workspace by offering businesses access to a broad suite of Microsoft’s software tools, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, OneNote, and more.

I’ve tested Microsoft’s software tools extensively, just like I’ve done with Google’s, and Microsoft’s tools generally have broader functionalities. For example, you’ll find more formatting options in Word and Excel than in Google Docs and Spreadsheets. PowerPoint has a broader collection of templates and insertable visual elements than Google Slides. Microsoft Teams is more capable of hosting large video conferences than Google Meet.

However, Google’s tools outshine Microsoft’s in ease of use and collaborative features. I found Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides much simpler to navigate than their Microsoft counterparts. Collaborating with colleagues was also much smoother when working with Google tools. Although Microsoft’s tools also support collaboration, Google’s tools felt more designed for collaborative use.

Google Workspace: Final verdict

Google Workspace is an all-in-one software suite that fosters collaboration and productivity. It unlocks access to broad software tools and lets employees share files, communicate, and collaborate on the same documents.

I think Google Workspace is best suited for mid-sized companies, given its features and price. It’s not the best for small businesses, given its pricing, nor large companies because of the 300-account limit on the regular plans, but the pricing and features are ideal for a mid-sized company with a sizable IT budget.

We've featured the best Microsoft Office alternatives.

Narwal Flow: two-minute review

The Narwal Flow is a high-end, self-emptying hybrid robotic vacuum with an especially unusual and impressive mopping system. I've been testing one out for the past fortnight, and the performance is such a mixed bag that coming to a definitive conclusion is tricky. On one hand, its mopping is among the best of any robovac I've tested. The mop pad is mounted on a wide roller, which extends outwards to reach into corners, and uses hot water to clean both your floor and itself. The system works remarkably well.

The Flow's vacuuming abilities are also strong, and it performed very well in TechRadar's standardized tests. It's not only very powerful (up to 22,000 Pa of suction), but cleverly adjusts the speed of its rotating side brushes to prevent dry debris from being flung across hard floors. It also performed very well at in my obstacle avoidance tests. There don't seem to have been any negative results of installing the LiDAR module in the back of the bot instead of in a raised puck on top. The benefit is that the overall profile is relatively shallow, which means the bot can clean beneath low furniture.

On the other hand, the Flow occasionally let itself down. During one cleaning task, it spilled a large amount of debris from its dust bin onto the floor, despite being set to automatically empty itself into the base station. The robot then drove over the mess, lifting itself off the ground enough to trigger its cliff sensors, and requiring help. Another time, it repeatedly failed to enter a room and, despite not vacuuming a single square centimeter, returned to its charger and declared the task a success.

The app is also so packed with adjustable settings that it'll likely feel intimidating to robovac rookies – an issue compounded by numerous examples of poor translation. I have no doubt these issues can be addressed by software updates, and I was ultimately still very impressed by the Flow's cleaning performance. The fundamentals are sound, it just needs a little finesse to reach perfection.

That's the short version – read on for my full Narwal Flow review, including an in-depth look at the design, performance and value for money, plus how it compares to the rest of the best robot vacuums on the market.

(Image credit: Future)Narwal Flow review: price & availability

• List price: $1,499.99
• Launched: August 2025
• Available: US

The Flow launched in August 2025, and a month later its price fell from $1,499.99 to $1,299.99. That's for what Narwal calls the basic dock, which contains a dust bag and tanks for clean and dirty water. A smaller dock that plumbs into your water supply for a full hands-off experience costs $1,599.99, but was discounted by $200 during the pre-order phase.

Currently, the Narwal Flow is only available in the US. The brand hasn't announced plans to bring the Flow to the UK just yet. However, it's available in some European countries, including Germany, for €1,299 with the standard dock and €1,499 for the smaller, plumbed-in dock. Those prices were cut for a limited time at launch to €899 and €1,099 respectively. The Flow is not currently available in Australia.

Even at the new, lower list price, the Narwal Flow is firmly in the premium price bracket for robot vacuums. It sits above other high-end robovacs, like the $1,099 Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni, but below the lofty $1,599.99 recommended retail price of the Roborock Qrevo Curv. However, discounts are common in the robot vacuum market, so in many cases you'll be able to take list price with a pinch of salt.

If you're comfortable with the idea of a four-figure vacuum – something we've all had to get used to as their features and performance continue to grow – then the Flow feels like good value. This is especially true when you start digging through the spec sheet and the many, many pages of features and settings accessible in the app. Things like the use of hot water with the mopping system – to clean the floor, not just the pad itself – and an extending, track-based mop help the Flow stand apart. I'll come back to these features in more detail later.

Like other robotic vacuums, the Flow will require replacement parts over time. Examples include dust bags and detergent for the mopping water, and the spinning side brushes can also be replaced if they wear out or break. Narwal sells a kit of parts that includes two mops, two filters, a replacement roller brush, three dust bags, two bottles of detergent, two pairs of side brushes and other accessories. But it's rather expensive, at $259.99.

• Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Narwal Flow specs

Max suction:

22,000Pa

Robot diameter:

13.8in / 35.1cm

Robot height:

3.7in / 9.5cm

Dock dimensions (W x D x H):

16.9 x 15.6 x 18.2in / 43 x 40 x 46.1cm

Dust bin volume (base):

2.5L

Water tank volume:

Requested

Base type:

Charge, auto-empty, wash mop pads with hot water, dry mop pads with hot air, refill clean water, self-clean

Max threshold clearance:

1.6in / 4cm

Mop type:

Roller track with hot water mopping

Mop pad lifting:

0.5in / 1.2cm

Max runtime:

190 mins

Narwal Flow review: design

• Hybrid robot vacuum with LiDAR integrated to give a shallower profile
• Track-style roller mop that can extend, with hot water mopping
• Comprehensive dock with hot water mop cleaning and self-clean cycle

The Narwal Flow is a robotic vacuum cleaner and mop with a self-emptying charge station that also cleans and drys the integrated mop. As well as emptying the robot's onboard dust bin, the charge station empties the robot's dirty water tank and refills it with clean water. For an even more hands-off approach, there's an option that has a dock that can be plumbed in (I didn't test this version).

(Image credit: Future)

The standard base station is comprehensive. It'll take care of basic things like charging the bot and emptying the dust, but also tasks like refilling the onboard water tank, washing the mop pads with hot water and drying them with hot air. It'll even clean itself, rinsing the dirty water tank and pipes with hot water. It's a shame, then, that there's no automatic detergent dispenser; instead you just add cleaning solution to the clean water tank.

I like how the robot is housed almost entirely inside the charge station, instead of protruding out the front when parked. This makes for a neater appearance, and means the system takes up less floor space than some rivals.

As with other robovacs, the Flow asks for plenty of free floor space around the base station, though. Officially, you should keep 18 in / 45cm free to each side and in front of the dock. This isn't critical though, so you can put the dock in a corner of the room (or next to a kitchen cupboard, as I have) and the robot will still drive in and out just fine.

(Image credit: Future)

The underside of the robot houses a rotating, anti-tangle brush, a pair of spinning side brushes, two wheels that promise to lift the robot over thresholds up to 1.57 in / 4cm tall, and a reusable mopping pad.

Unlike some other robotic vacuums, the Flow's spinning LiDAR unit is housed within the body instead of mounted on top, which reduces its height to 3.74 in / 9.5 cm, which is on the shallower side for a robot vacuum and means it's able to drive beneath low furniture.

When in use, the mop pushes down onto the floor with a force of 2.7 lbs / 1.22 kg to help it scrub at dirt and dried-on stains, while grime is scraped off, and the pad is fed with clean water. The mop uses water warmed to 113F / 45C while in use, then lifts by 0.47in / 1.2cm to keep clear of carpet and rugs.

(Image credit: Future)

Unlike some other robotic vacuums, the rotating side brushes of the Narwal Flow do not pivot outwards to reach further into corners. Instead, there's a clever mechanical solution: one brush on each sweeper has a hinge halfway up. When the bot approaches the edge of a room, the sweeper changes direction of rotation, causing the hinge to open up and extend the reach of the brush.

The mop does extend outwards, getting it closer to walls but not quite within touching distance.

Setup

Setting up the Narwal Flow is relatively quick and easy. The spinning brushes clip into place, then it's just a case of picking a good spot for the charging station, filling the water tank, letting the robot charge its battery, and using the Narwal app to connect the robot to your Wi-Fi network. After that, you're prompted to send the Flow out on a mapping mission, where it quickly drives around, without cleaning, and uses its vision system to map your property.

The Flow performed this quickly and did a decent job of splitting the floor plan into rooms. It even correctly labeled the kitchen and living room, spotted how the latter is carpeted, and placed icons to represent a dining table, chairs and sofa. I had to adjust some of the wall locations, then split the hallway and downstairs toilet into two rooms, but this process is all quite intuitive.

(Image credit: Future)

The Flow also spotted a couple of obstacles – a cable and some shoes – and marked them with relevant icons on the floor map. Narwal says the Flow can recognize 200 different types of objects this way – and yes, that includes pet mess. This system was inconsistent, as it later mistook a stainless steel kitchen bin for a mirror and labelled a single table leg as 'other' despite previously adding the same table and chairs to its map of the kitchen. Up to four maps can be saved, which is handy if you live in a multi-storey house instead of an apartment.

Lastly, the Flow offers smart home integration and support for voice commands via Siri, Alexa and Google Home. However, there's a bit of clunky Chinese-to-English translation going on here, which can make some settings nonsensical. That aside, I like being able to ask Alexa to 'clean the kitchen', for example, or set up a Siri Shortcut to control the Flow.

• Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Narwal Flow review: performance

• Strong vacuuming and excellent mopping when you get the settings right
• Occasional navigation failures
• Impressively thorough self-cleaning from the dock

Narwal suggests the Flow is best left to think for itself. This is because, while there's lots of granular customization of cleaning schedules and mopping strategies to sink your teeth into, Narwal's artificial intelligence, called Freo Mind, can be summoned to do the thinking for you.

The AI adjusts the cleaning strategy based on the room and how much dirt there is. It'll adjust the suction power, mopping water usage, cleaning frequency and other variables on the fly, and work especially hard on tougher stains.

(Image credit: Future)

This is most obvious when tasked with mopping dried-on stains, which the robot will scrub at repeatedly, sometimes with multiple trips back to the docking station to clean the mop and grab more warm water, before the job is done.

The Flow's intelligence and navigation skills are mostly good, driving very close to walls but rarely crashing into them, and cleaning in neat, straight lines.

But it isn't perfect. On one occasion the Flow pushed a chair about 12in / 30.5cm across the kitchen floor, then seemingly got stuck, unsure of where to go or how to get back to its charger. I was also disappointed to see how the Flow once dropped a large amount of debris onto the carpet after cleaning, and another onto its own dock when returning to base. The robot can be set to empty its bin either after every clean, or intelligently based on how full it is, but in neither scenario should the bin be overflowing. Those minor hiccups aside, during general use I found the Flow to clean very well indeed.

Vacuuming tests

Now for the specific cleaning tests. I started by challenging the Narwal with a mixture of crushed digestive biscuit and flour on a wooden floor. I set the robot to its lowest suction setting and asked it to vacuum the area just once, and with what the app refers to as 'standard coverage precision', instead of the more meticulous option.

I started on the lowest of four suction settings (this is called 'Quiet, and lives up to its name, reaching just 58 dB.) Most of the debris was collected after a single pass. But, while the Flow managed not to flick dirt around the room, as some other robovacs are guilty of, larger pieces of food were missed, and there's no doubt I could have done a better job with a handheld vacuum or a dustpan and brush. The bot then returned to its dock and disinfected the internal bin. I measured this process at 42 dB; noticeable in a quiet room, but only slightly louder than a refrigerator.

I repeated the test at the next suction level, called Normal. This picked up more debris, but still left some behind – and I also noticed how the robot left two sizable trails of crumbs at the entrance to its charging dock. I then selected the highest setting, called Super Powerful, but before starting the app suggested I try 'Vortex suction power', which was previously hidden but, the app said, was suitable for the current area I was cleaning. Vortex suction is much louder, at 76 dB, but did an excellent job, picking up almost all of the crumb mix and leaving behind only a few faint trails.

As a final test, I scattered some more of the crumb mix and this time selected the Narwal Flow's Freo Mind setting, which promises to intelligently adjust depending on the environment and dirt level.

The robot drove in a more meticulous way, but left quite a few patches of crumb in its wake, plus some trails of debris spread around by its tank tracks. Honestly, I was expecting a little better here. As is almost always the case with robovacs, the best approach is to have it vacuum the entire room twice, rather than focus on a single area from which it is likely to flick dirt. This approach produced the best results.

(Image credit: Future)

Next, I repeated this test in a carpeted lounge. Strangely, the robot repeatedly failed to even leave the kitchen, yet twice proudly told me it had completed the task (and stated how it had cleaned 0.0 square meters in the app).

After the third failure, I asked it to vacuum the entire lounge instead of a custom zone. This also failed, and – after deleting the map and creating a new one – I discovered the Flow had designated the lounge carpet as an area to 'Cross' instead of 'Clean'. This is intended for rugs, creating the option to avoid them, but in this case it meant the robot refused to enter the room. A notification explaining this would have been helpful.

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Crumb mix on a carpeted floor before the suction test (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

... and the results of the crumb test (Image credit: Future)

Issue resolved, and even the lowest suction mode did a fantastic job of vacuuming the carpet, with only very small patches of the crumb mix left behind. It was an impressive performance, and I liked how, even in 'standard' coverage precision, the Flow methodically drove twice across the selected zone. I repeated the task using Normal suction with two vacuuming cycles, and the carpet was cleaned perfectly.

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Oats on a carpet ahead of suction test (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 4

All the oats cleared away after the suction test (Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 4

Oats on a wooden floor before the suction test (Image credit: Future)Image 4 of 4

... and the results (Image credit: Future)

For my next test, I used oats to see how the Flow performed with larger debris. On a hard floor it passed with flying colors, even with the lowest suction level. Crucial here is how the Flow's rotating side brushes vary their speed depending on the task, so instead of flicking the oats around – as many other robovacs do – the Flow slowed down and picked up almost everything.

On carpet I saw similarly impressive results, with just a single pass on the lowest suction enough to leave the floor totally spotless.

Mopping tests

Next, the mop test. For this I tested the Flow with some spilt water, then a few drops of ketchup smeared across a wooden floor and left to dry. For every mopping task, the bot first cleans its mop with hot water inside the base station, then sets off. The Flow did a great job of wiping away the spilt water, without pushing it around and creating more mess, but the rotating side brushes are dragged through the liquid (and, later, the ketchup too), so could start to smell over time.

The Flow's Freo AI function didn't scrub at the ketchup as much as I'd hoped, and instead returned to base after one pass without properly cleaning the area.

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Water and ketchup on a hard floor, ready for the mopping test (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 3

.. after one pass (Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 3

... and after two passes (Image credit: Future)

I tried again – this time with the mopping set to 'meticulous' and with increased water usage to help loosen and remove the ketchup stain – and the floor was left spotless. Worth noting is how the Flow comes with a bottle of detergent, but this is added manually to the base station water tank, instead of being administered automatically, via a separate tank, as is the case with some premium robovacs.

Especially impressive is how the mop uses hot water to clean the floor, then is itself washed with more hot water and dried inside the base station after every task. Remarkably, even after a few weeks' use and the ketchup test, the mopping pad still looked like new.

Obstacle avoidance tests

Finally, obstacle avoidance. I tasked the Flow with vacuuming my lounge and placed a shoe, a sock and a USB charge cable in its way. The robot did an excellent job of avoiding every object, while still vacuuming very closely to each of them.

(Image credit: Future)

I was particularly impressed by how it dodged the charge cable, since most robovacs fail at this test. The app showed an icon of a cable on the map, but strangely didn't identify the sock and shoe.

• Performance score: 4 out of 5

Narwal Flow review: app

• Some poor Chinese-to-English translations
• A ton of settings to explore – in fact, an overwhelming number
• Drains phone battery quickly when left open

The Narwal app is a complex beast, packed with adjustable features and settings. It's designed nicely though, and most of the menu system is logical enough, although some questionable translation into English will have you scratching your head.

Ideally, you'd leave the Freo Mind AI to work everything out for you. But I found the Flow vacuumed best when configured to perform two cycles with strong suction and the coverage precision set to meticulous. Mopping worked best when set to two cycles, with normal water usage and, again, the meticulous coverage mode.

Beyond that, there are pages and pages of settings to read through and tinker with. There's even a setting to increase suction power to compensate for living at high altitude, a graph to show the 'health index' of the dust bag over time, and three options for how intensely the mop is dried. A 'simple mode' that strips out most features would be welcome.

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

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

(Image credit: Narwal / Future)

More helpfully, you can create and save up to four maps, so using the Flow across multiple floors is possible, and there's a page showing you when each consumable accessory will need replacing.

One of the app's best features is how shortcuts can be created for common cleaning tasks. I made one called After Meal, which is configured to vacuum the entire kitchen with normal suction and two passes. These shortcuts live on the home page of the app, and begin with a single tap.

It's a good app, but there's too much going on for the average user. I'd urge most buyers to take manual control of the various cleaning functions, see what works best in your home, then set up a handful of shortcuts to fit your use case. I prefer this approach to relying on the Freo AI and trusting the robot to always do the right thing. Lastly, I noticed the Narwal app runs quite hot and quickly depleted my iPhone battery when left open.

• App score: 3.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Narwal Flow?

Attribute

Notes

Rating

Value

Expensive, but justified at least in part by an extensive feature list and generally very strong performance.

4/5

Design

Hybrid robot vacuum and mop with integrated LiDAR and extending, track-style roller mop. Comprehensive dock.

4.5/5

Performance

Vacuuming is strong, mopping excellent, and the dock's cleaning functions are impressively thorough. Let down by occasional bugs and navigation issues.

3.5/5

App

Nicely designed, but overflowing with far too many features and settings and some poor translation into English. A resource hog that makes your phone run hot.

3.5/5

Buy it if...

You need a great mop

For homes with predominantly hard floors, the Flow is a great robot – the mopping is amongst the best I've tried, and it's remarkably good at keeping itself clean, dry and odor-free. Get the plumbed-in dock for a fully hands-off experience.

You rely on obstacle avoidance

The Flow is very good at avoiding obstacles, then plots their location on the floorplan and even takes photos of whatever it encounters. It didn't once ingest a stray sock or charge cable during my testing.

You want minimal maintenance

The Flow empties its dust bin, but also disinfects itself after vacuuming, then washes its mop with hot water and dries it too. After several weeks of use, and producing two tanks' worth of filthy used water, the mop still looked like new.

Don't buy it if...

Your priority isn't mopping

Much of the cost here is related to the advanced mopping and mop maintenance features. If you don't have a ton of hard floor or intensive mopping needs, this probably isn't the robot vacuum for you.

You want simplicity

With pages of settings to adjust, function names that don't always make sense, and some poor translation, the Narwal app can be overwhelming. One-tap shortcuts can be created, and work well once you've spent some time configuring them, but the app could be more user-friendly.

You're on a budget

Naturally, a four-figure robovac won't appeal to consumers who want to spend less. Thankfully, there are plenty of more affordable options from brands like SwitchBot, Roborock, Tapo and Eufy, although not all can mop as well as the Narwal Flow (or at all).

How I tested the Narwal Flow

I set up the Narwal Flow and used it as my own vacuum cleaner and mop for a couple of weeks, before conducting a series of specific tests. During the initial period, the Flow was tasked with vacuuming and mopping the entire ground floor of my home. I experimented with the Flow's ability to create additional maps, and used it to clean my first floor bedrooms and bathrooms too. The specific vacuuming, mopping, navigation and obstacle avoidance tests are outlined in the Performance section above.

Read more about how we test robot vacuum cleaners

• First reviewed September 2025

I've worked with Uplift in the past, so when I heard they released a new desk, I, of course, had to try it out for myself.

I've tried out their V2 Standing Desk with commercial legs, and the team has reviewed the V2 standing desk with standard legs. Both desks scored 4.5 and are widely recognized by the TechRadar Pro team as fantastic standing desk options. Sometimes when companies knock it out of the park, they swing too far in a different direction and lose touch with what made their original product so successful. Uplift, on the other hand, did the right move - they listened to their customers.

The Uplift V3 is everything that made the V2 great, everything that the V2 Commercial refined, and made it just a little bit better. Assembly is improved, stability is enhanced, and we still have the same great desktop and accessory options. We also have a sturdier frame and the same high-quality materials. For me, this might be the best standing desk around right now.

Uplift V3 Standing Desk: Price and availability

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The Uplift Standing Desk V3 offers some of the most customizable options I have seen, including material choices and built-in features. Depending on what you choose, you'll adjust the price and time it takes to get to you drastically.

With the base-level desk in the smallest size, without any modifications, you'll come in around $700 and will get it shipped that day, free of charge. However, if you want to, and your budget allows of course, you could go all out and get a desk, and come out to over $2000 without accessories.

There are so many combination options that we could all make unique desks if we wanted to, and that is one of the things that sets Uplift apart.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Uplift V3 Standing Desk: Unboxing and First Impressions

I've customized and ordered numerous standing desks. Uplift still has the most robust number of options for me to choose from when I build, making it feel like I have a truly customized and almost one-of-a-kind desk.

I get to design it to be precisely what I want. Granted, there are other companies, such as Oakywood, that allow you to customize down to the exact inch, but when it comes to options for materials, Uplift may have just about everyone else beat. Even with this incredible selection of desktops and accessories, delivery time is still within a week, which is insane, sometimes as quickly as three days.

Everything comes well-packaged, with all the accessories you chose, and easy-to-follow directions to help with setup. Right off the bat, the desk feels sturdier than the V2, providing the rigidity I wanted with the V2 and even the V2 Commercial, while still maintaining a sleek and minimal appearance. The biggest game changer for me is the inclusion of the FlexMount Cable Manager.

I am the kind of person who loves a clean desk, even if it's cluttered; I still like it to be tidy and have the cables organized. The FlexMount cable Manager is the cable management solution that FlexiSpot added to their E7 Pro, except on the back of the desk, which works out well, as that's where most of the cable mess is.

Uplift V3 Standing Desk: Design & Build QualitySpecs

Height range: 22.6” – 48.2” (BIFMA-certified)
Lift capacity: ~355 lbs
Frame: dual-motor, steel, crossbar stability design
Noise: <50dB
Keypad: programmable memory, hush or RGB options
Warranty: 15 years

For my V3 desk, I built out a beautiful Heritage Oak desktop paired with the V3 C-Shaped legs, a handful of accessories, and powered grommets. The Heritage Oak is lovely. It looks excellent from a distance, and even up close, it still looks great for a laminate. It is worth noting that it is laminate, so it's not solid wood, but for what it is, it feels very nice.

I wanted to see how good their laminate could be, and I'm glad I did. If a more accessible desk can be this good, and I've also tested a solid wood option from Uplift, I know that their desks, overall, are solid and worth suggesting and promoting now.

Another element I really like about the design is the ability to add features like powered grommets at the point of purchase. These wouldn't be as beloved as they are, but the powered grommets are frequently the most notable feature of this desk, according to my team. We use them all the time to plug in whatever we are working with, all without having to run an extension cord, leave out a cable mess, or look for an outlet. We can pop up the grommet, plug in, and get to work.

The upgraded V3 legs still feature the same four programmable presets, and we also have a selection to choose from when it comes to the controller, which is quite impressive. We can choose the variant that best suits our working style and aesthetic, and it will work seamlessly with the desk out of the box.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Uplift V3 Standing Desk: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

I've had this desk set up and in use for my team and I for the past 39 days at the time of writing this review. In that time, we have had numerous people rotate using it.

We have had multiple meetings, working sessions, and full days of work at this desk. We have it set up with dual monitors, an external Logitech MX Keys Keyboard, and the Logitech MX Master 3. We added a desk pad to protect the desk and enhance its aesthetic appeal. We also built out dual docking stations, one to run dual monitors for a Mac (that shouldn't be able to run dual monitors) through DisplayLink Manager, and another Thunderbolt Dock pulled forward for easy port access.

On top of this, we added a lamp, speakers, and multiple power options with under-mounted power strips and both grommet power solutions all running to where the desk itself can be powered with a single cable, and one ethernet port for wired internet (though it could be wireless if required).

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

This is how I like to build my desks, over-built but ready for modifications in the future if desired. Creating this way also highlights the limitations of a desk, if any exist. So far, this desk has withstood the hefty build beautifully, and it is working precisely as intended. The privacy screen blocks exactly where we'd want it to, and provides some lovely pouches for quick access to books or documents.

The grommets are easy to use and highly convenient. The desk has not bowed or sagged at all. The cable management solution keeps everything in place without allowing any cables to come into contact with the ground. Additionally, the wheels provide super-easy maneuverability.

After using this for a month and walking into the office every day, looking at the desk as I do in the photos, I wish that the cable management solution were either black to blend in or a more rigid and refined metal to match the desk frame. Everything looks so high quality, and then that stands out as an outlier. But not in a terrible way - just a little room for growth for V4.

Uplift V3 Standing Desk: Final verdict

The Uplift V3 is a significant and highly welcomed update from the Uplift V2 and V2 Commercial lines. Not to say that those are bad by any means, but the V3 is a definite step above. This desk has been excellent for all kinds of office work and would work beautifully in a dedicated office or a home office space. If you're investing in a standing desk, consider one that offers not only a fun, customizable option but also a quality, well-tested desk.

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(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

Value

Can be built out to be very affordable, or very bougie depending on your budget

4 / 5

Design

Beautiful and sturdy design, with room to grow

4.5 / 5

Hardware

Dual motors, great range, sturdy, and high lift capacity

5 / 5

Performance

Quiet, responsive, stable, great to build a setup with

5 / 5

Overall

The V3 continues the line of greatness with Uplift's standing desk, giving us a fantastic desk all around

5 / 5

Buy it if...

You want a customized desk
The Uplift Standing Desk V3 builder allows for what feels like a custom desk, without paying absurd amounts of money for other companies. You get to choose most elements, creating a one-of-a-kind piece for your space.

You need a buy-it-once kind of desk
Sometimes you want a cheap desk that fits a space, sometimes you want to buy a desk that will last for a decade without even batting an eye.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You need to adjust the size down to an inch
While Uplift has a ton of options, you do have a set number of options for sizing, if you need custom sizing, you'll have to look elsewhere

You expect the best cable management solution to come first party
There are a few desk companies that have better cable management solutions, but you could also grab those and add them to this desk, which is what we'd suggest

For more office furniture essentials, we've tested and reviewed the best office chairs.

When I first saw the LiberNovo Omni announced, I thought that if they delivered half of what I am seeing in the previews in real life, I'd be impressed.

Now, I've reviewed some of the best office chairs for the home and office, but this? This is something very different. Let me explain.

LiberNovo Omni: Price and availability

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The LiberNovo Omni began on Kickstarter and has recently emerged from that initial phase. The next round of chairs will start shipping on October 21, 2025, and LiberNovo is still accepting more pre-orders until October 20th.

The basic bundle is currently on sale for $848 through the LiberNovo website, originally priced at $ 1,099.

If you want to get your hands on this chair before the price increases or before there is a delay in shipping due to high demand, grab one from LiberNovo directly by clicking here.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )LiberNovo Omni: Unboxing and First Impressions

The Omni arrived in a large box and took 10 minutes to assemble with minimal frustration or strain. The hardest part was coping with the realization that I had missed a step in the directions and hadn't moved the wire controls to the side before attaching the seat to the frame, meaning I had to undo everything.

That brings up another point -- the assembly was straightforward, partially due to a design and setup process that I have yet to see among my 50+ chairs that I have reviewed over the last several years. Most chairs I have tested have a backpiece that mounts directly to the seat of the chair, usually with three bolts.

This chair, though, has what I can only describe as a spine that extends to the top of the backrest, and then seats directly onto the pedestal. Then, a base is added on top of the spine, and a backrest is attached to the top section of the spine. This assembly and design method, while unique, also provides a tremendous amount of stability to the chair, making assembly a breeze.

From the moment I first sat in this chair, I have absolutely loved it. It's different than what I expected in feel, but in a good way. The seat is firm yet comfortable, the backrest functions well, and the adjustments are excellent. The shock for me was that the seat felt a bit narrower than expected.

Without taking too long, I was able to dial it in to be exactly what I wanted, and I got back to work, forgetting about needing to make any further adjustments, which speaks to just how comfortable the chair is.

LiberNovo Omni: Design & Build QualitySpecs

Height range:
Lift capacity:
Dimensions:
Warranty:

As I mentioned above, the frame for the LiberNovo Omni is unique. It has three main components, with the primary structure of the frame spanning where most chairs have a gap.

The spine portion of the chair effectively conveys the stability it offers. The mesh seat is comfortable, even for all-day use, the backrest is incredibly supportive, and the frame is stable.

The footprint is small enough to fit even in smaller setups, to the point where I moved this chair to my smallest desk setup, and it works perfectly.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )LiberNovo Omni: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The LiberNovo Omni has a backrest that is not only comfortable but also hugs my spine when I sit. Most chairs require adjustment throughout the day, but I've spent several long days sitting in this chair without any issues.

Admittedly, even when I'm at my standing desk, I haven't stood up in a few days (while working, of course). The headrest can be adjusted to push forward or back, helping to support my neck when I'm sitting. I can recline when thinking or on a virtual call, and I can get a quick massage by pressing a simple button.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

One more thing worth mentioning is that this chair features a nice lumbar support, unlike many chairs that have a gap. Right at the lower back, where your seat meets the backrest, most chairs have a gap, or some padding is used to try to make up for it.

Since this chair is designed in such a unique way, there is not only an option for a small gap, but also a zero-gap option, utilizing electronics to close that gap, meaning you are supported all day without slouching to relieve pressure on your spine.

It wouldn't be a non-biased review without some cons. After a few days of using this chair, I noticed that the headrest drops too easily, and it moves side to side more easily than expected. This is probably due to the thin, small piece of plastic holding the headrest in place. If you're the kind of person expecting that to be rigid, you'll be sadly disappointed in this headrest's level of maneuverability.

LiberNovo Omni: Final verdict

The LiberNovo Omni is impressive. This is the kind of quality that I would expect from a well-established company, and several variations of a chair.

But, instead, I have found it within a chair that is still technically on Kickstarter at the time of writing this review. Yes, it's expensive, but it truly is worth the money if you spend all day at a desk.

If you're looking for a comfortable chair that supports your lower back all day long, consider LiberNovo's Omni offering before making your decision. It may change your mind - or at least make you reconsider what an office chair can be.

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Value

Good level of ergonomics for the price

4.5 / 5

Design

Simple design, clean, aggressive lumbar support

4 / 5

Hardware

Basic armrests, and adjust-less lumbar are simple. They work but are not for everyone

3.5 / 5

Performance

Great for budget buyers, also for average height to shorter users

4 / 5

Overall

Not perfect, but one of the better wallet-friendly chairs you can buy today if you like lumbar support

4 / 5

For more office furniture, we've reviewed the best standing desks.

Levoit EverestAir air purifier: two-minute review

Air purifiers designed for large rooms tend to be big and bulky – but the Levoit EverestAir Air Purifier is an exception to that rule. It's a slim machine that can fit into tight spaces, and fit flush against a wall, but which packs enough power to use in extra-large spaces.

Inside, you'll find a 3-stage filtration system that includes a washable pre-filter, and a H13 True HEPA filter and an activated charcoal filter combo. I have an open plan home with no walls separating the living room and kitchen, and the EverestAir did an excellent job of purifying the space quickly and effectively, including clearing my neighbor's cigarette smoke. In fact, this is one of the most effective air purifiers I've ever reviewed – and I've tested over 50 of the best air purifiers on the market.

The mode I used most often was Auto, where a laser dust sensor scans for airborne particles and increases or decreases the fan speed as necessary. There's also a Sleep mode and a Turbo mode.

The control panel includes plenty of options, but they're clearly presented and the information is easy to navigate and digest. The air quality score, along with color-coded rings, provide you with an at-a-glance overview. At the touch of a button, you can also cycle through readings for specific particulate matter, such as PM 1.0 (fine dust and microtoxins), PM 2.5 (dust, smoke, and pet dander) and PM 10 (pollen, ash, and airborne allergens). There's no remote control, but you can control the EverestAir from a distance using the companion app, which includes options to turn the device on or off, switch modes, create a schedule and more.

Normally, the airflow on an air purifier is in a fixed position. However, the Levoit EverestAir has adjustable vent angles, which is ideal for directing the clean air to suit the position of the purifier. Cleverly, when the air purifier is not in use, the vents close completely to keep dust out.

That's the short version – read on for my full Levoit EverestAir review.

(Image credit: Future)Levoit EverestAir review: price & availability

• List price: $499
• Available: US

The Levoit EverestAir has a list price of $499.99 and is available to purchase direct from Levoit US via Amazon. While Levoit does have a presence in the UK and Australia, at time of writing this model wasn't available in either territory.

The Levoit EverestAir replacement filter is rather expensive ($99). However, it only needs to be replaced every 12-15 months with normal use… so you could think of it like a $50 filter that needs to be replaced every 6 months, if that helps.

In the air purifier market, the Levoit EverestAir is considered a mid-range purchase. It's more expensive than the Levoit Core 300S, which is TechRadar's top budget air purifier choice. On the other hand, it's significantly less pricey than the likes of the Dyson Purifier Big+Quiet Formaldehyde BP04. For me, the features, functions, and build quality certainly justify the price, and it delivers strong value for the money.

• Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5

Levoit EverestAir specs

CADR:

354 CFM / 601 m³/h

Size:

18.9 x 8.5 x 23.2in / 48 x 21.6 x 58.9cm

Control:

Buttons, app, voice

Filters:

Pre-filter, H13 HEPA, activated carbon

Modes:

Low, medium, high, Auto, Sleep, Turbo

Contaminants detected:

PM1, PM2.5, PM10

Model code:

LAP-EL551S-AUS

Levoit EverestAir review: design

• Sleek, compact design with easy filter access and wheels for moving
• Vents can be angled to suit the position of the purifier
• Can be controlled via touchscreen buttons, a companion app, or voice

Air purifiers can be bulky, but the Levoit EverestAir Air Purifier has a sleek design that's less than 9 inches / 22.9cm wide. When I'm working at my desk, it's usually positioned in the tight space between my desk and sofa.

The EverestAir has a white front, stainless steel back, and black top, and the design is unique enough that visitors to my home often point to the machine and ask what it is. (For context, I also have a TruSens air purifier that looks like a speaker, and a Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin speaker that looks like a football, so you can understand how it's easy for guests to get confused.)

(Image credit: Future)

As well as looking stylish, it's very functional. Levoit has added wheels underneath, which make it easy to roll the whole thing around (it weighs 20.7lbs / 9.4kg, so it's not really heavy, but I wouldn't want to pick it up). Some purifiers have to be turned upside down to access and remove the filter. However, with this air purifier, I merely need to gently pull the panel door and it comes off immediately.

I also appreciate the fact the vents are adjustable, enabling me to customize my airflow. By touching the Angle icon, I can choose to set the vent angle to 45 degrees, 60 degrees, 75 degrees or 90 degrees. So if I put the air purifier under my kitchen island, I can angle the vent so the clean air flows out and away from the island rather than blowing upwards into the bottom of the countertop.

(Image credit: Future)

On the top of the purifier you'll find a touchscreen control panel. With white text and icons on a black background, the display panel is clear and easy to read, and the contrast is sharp enough that the items are visible in bright light as well as no light. On the left hand side of the panel, you'll find options to toggle between three special modes (Sleep, Auto and Turbo), as well as buttons to access 'Air info' and filter info. To the right of the control panel are the controls for speed, vent angle, and the timer function, as well as the on/off button.

Of course, you don't have to use the touchscreen panel for control if you don't want to. You can also adjust settings using the companion app, where you'll find options to turn the purifier on or off remotely, change the mode, create a schedule, explore air quality, or check on remaining filter life. There's also support for voice control via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.

• Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Levoit EverestAir review: performance

• User-friendly display with useful information
• Cleans air quickly and effectively, even in large spaces
• Auto mode works well to detect pollutants

One unique feature of the Levoit EverestAir is that it provides a clean air score as a percentage. The air purifier works this number out based on the concentration of particles and changes in detected particles during the purification process. Keep in mind that the clean air percentage is based solely on particles, not odors or gases. Typically, in my home, the score is between 98% and 99%.

By default, the Air Info button displays the clean air score as a large percentage, in the center of the control panel, and surrounded by rings that are color-coded to indicate air quality. The ring is blue when the air quality is very good, green when it's good, orange when the air quality is moderate, and red when the air is bad.

Press the Air Info button again and it'll show you PM (particulate matter) information. One press shows PM 1.0 (fine dust, micro-toxins), a second press shows PM 2.5 (dust, smoke, pet dander), and a third press shows PM 10 air info (pollen, airborne allergens).

(Image credit: Future)

When the air purifier is in Auto mode, it will automatically detect a change in the air's quality and boost or lower the airflow in response. There have been plenty of occasions where I've noticed a change in fan speed, looked down to see what was happening, and noticed that the air quality indicator rings had turned orange. That usually means my neighbor is smoking, and the air purifier is working hard to clean my air.

The Levoit EverestAir does an excellent job of removing pollutants from the air. That's due, in part, to the combination of filters. The washable pre-filter captures dust, lint, hair, and pet fur. I love to see pre-filters on an air purifier, because they help to extend the lifespan of the filter.

Behind the pre-filter is the H13 True HEPA main filter, and it is designed to trap such pollutants as fine dust, smoke, pollen, and pet dander. Lastly, the high-efficiency activator carbon filter is what makes the air smell so clean. The carbon absorbs smoke, fumes, and odors, ranging from secondhand smoke to smells from food and pets.

(Image credit: Future)

The average air purifier has a CADR (clean air delivery rate) in the 200 range. However, the Levoit EverestAir has a much higher CADR: 354 CFM (cubic feet per minute). In my bedroom, the air purifier can clean/change the air around 5 times per hour when it's on the highest setting and my bedroom door is closed. In the living room, which is open to the kitchen and the steps leading downstairs, it cleans the air around twice an hour.

The Levoit EverestAir does an excellent job of clearing odors. This is due, in part, to the activated carbon filter, which is specifically designed to absorb odors. One pleasant surprise I discovered as I was testing: most air purifiers have to be set on high to clean the air and remove odors. However, even on a medium setting, the Levoit EverestAir effectively cleans the air.

For the purposes of this review, I recorded how long it took for the purfier to clear the smell of second-hand smoke in various spots in my home. It completely removed smoke from my bedroom in roughly 10 to 12 minutes, and took 20-30 minutes to clear the smell from my large, open-plan living space.

(Image credit: Future)

Don't let anyone fool you. Air purifiers on high tend to be noisy. On Turbo, this one gets quite loud as well – although not as loud as many others that I've tested. The noise level ranges from 24db on the lowest setting to 56dB on the Turbo setting.

If you're looking for a setting that creates minimal disturbance, you'll want to activate Sleep mode. This turns off the display and uses a fan speed that is lower than the Low speed. It's great for people who like to keep the air purifier running all night, but are easily bothered by lights and noise. However, I tended to use a higher setting overnight.

(Image credit: Levoit / Future)

As a general rule, I'm quite happy to manually operate the control panel on the top of the machine. However, for testing purposes, I also downloaded the app to my smartphone and controlled the air purifier by this method. The app was easy to set up and integrated seamlessly, providing the same level of control as the touch controls.

Regarding maintenance, every two to four weeks, I've wiped the exterior with a dry cloth, and vacuumed the pre-filter. On other occasions, I've also rinsed the pre-filter in the sink, and washed it with a damp cloth and liquid detergent. Every three months I use the vacuum cleaner attachment to clean the dust sensor on the side of the air purifier.

The process for changing the filter is really easy and entails removing the front cover, removing the old filter, cleaning any dust or hair with a vacuum hose, and inserting the new filter.

• Performance score: 5 out of 5

Should you buy the Levoit EverestAir?

Attribute

Notes

Rating

Value

It's not a budget pick but considering the features, it's well worth the money.

4.5 / 5

Design

Slim and compact considering how powerful it is. Adjustable vents, and manual, app, and voice control options.

4.5 / 5

Performance

User-friendly with controls that are easy to read and understand. It also cleans the air quickly and efficiently, and app integration is seamless.

5 / 5

Buy it if...

You want a purifier you can tuck out of the way

The Levoit EverestAir Air Purifier has a slim design that doesn't take up much space, and it can fit into tight spaces and still work effectively. Also, since the vents are adjustable, you can angle them so the clean air is directed out into the room.

You want a purifier for a larger space

The Levoit EverestAir has a higher-than-average CADR (clean air delivery rate) to quickly remove pollutants from the air, and the pre-filter, HEPA filter, and activated charcoal filter combine to trap particles of various sizes.

You want something you can control from afar

The EverestAir can be controlled remotely, via the companion app, and it's also possible to set a schedule. If you're in the same room, there's support for voice control.

Don't buy it if...

You have small kids

Admittedly, many air purifiers may not be ideal to use around curious toddlers and small kids. My primary concern with the Levoit EverestAir is the adjustable vents, since their tiny fingers may get caught in the vents if they accidentally tap the adjustment button.

You're on a budget

While there are plenty of air purifiers that cost more than the Levoit EverestAir, there are also cheaper and simpler options that might be absolutely fine if you're on a budget or only need something for a relatively small space.

You want something simple

The Levoit EverestAir is very user-friendly, but there are nine different items on the display panel. Not everyone wants that level of insight or control – and there are plenty of simpler options if that includes you.

How I tested the Levoit EverestAir purifier

I've been using the Levoit EverestAir in my home for the past two years and 5 months. My house was built in 2016 and includes an open living room/kitchen and two bedrooms, and a HVAC system. During this time, I've used the EverestAir in the living room/kitchen to clear cooking smells and second-hand smoke from my neighbor. I’ve also used it – to great success – in my bedroom.

For this review, I made note of how quickly it responded to and cleared pollutants. I also explored all the various special modes and control options, including digging into the companion app. I compared my findings to other air purifiers I've tested – I've reviewed over 50 different models in my years as a consumer tech journalist – to get a feel for how it compares to the wider market and if it offers good value for the money.

• First reviewed October 2025

To me, as a video editor, being able to shoot, edit, and share a short film all from a small handheld device has always been these slabs of glass’ revolutionary concept. I’ve been editing and experimenting with them since I downloaded iMovie for the iPod Touch.

Since then, I've tested out all the best video editing apps, with some focusing on simplicity, while others try to cram a desktop video editor into a phone. There’s truly something for everyone. Even Adobe was on the scene with Rush.

But there's a new Adobe app in town that, I think, might be a massive game-changer for creators on the go. Adobe Premiere, also known as ‘Premiere on iPhone’, likely to differentiate it from its desktop big brother, Premiere Pro.

Adobe Premiere on iPhone: Pricing & plans

• Most tools are free. What isn’t are the AI features and online storage, but if you already have a subscription with Adobe, it’s possible it could now include this new app, meaning you won’t have to fork out more of your precious money to take full advantage of Premiere.

Competing in the mobile market is hard, what with most apps being sold for so little… How can you expect to make a profit? That doesn’t seem to be too much of a concern for the mighty Adobe, as they’ve released Premiere on iPhone for free (henceforth just referred to as Premiere for simplicity). You can download it by clicking here.

Yes, there are in-app purchases in the form of monthly and annual subscriptions. These unlock some features on the app, including online storage, and likely a certain number of generative credits each month.

Do be aware however that these unlocked features can also be accessed simply by login into your Adobe ID, and if you already subscribe to one of their other plans, you might not even need to pay for an additional subscription.

For instance, I have access to the Creative Cloud All Apps package, and I’ve encountered no limitation in my use of Premiere. I realise this is quite nebulous: as of this writing I haven’t received a response from Adobe about what you get with a Premiere Mobile subscription, and which other subscriptions grant you the same access to this new app.

• Score: 4.5/5

Adobe Premiere on iPhone: Interface

(Image credit: Adobe // Future)

• An excellent, well polished interface, which makes it easy to control, while getting out of your way when editing, letting you see only what you need to see, when you need it.

Although Adobe refers to this app as ‘Premiere on iPhone’, it’s a bit of a misnomer as it’s also designed to work perfectly on iPad. Sorry Android users, you’ll have to wait a little longer for yours; it’s coming, but it’s just not quite ready.

On iPhone, just like Rush was, you’ll be working exclusively in portrait orientation. The iPad is way more flexible, and the interface will work in either portrait or landscape.

When you first launch the app, you’ll be greeted with a handful of tutorials, and a series of 8 icons at the top of the screen. Any project you’ve worked on will appear beneath them, represented by large thumbnails.

These icons allow you to start a new project, either one from scratch, or by choosing some clips from your Photos library. You also have dedicated tools, like being able to extract audio from a file, adding captions, or even access AI tools such as generating an image, turning a photo into a video, or expand an image beyond its original borders.

Once you’re working on a project, the screen is divided into two parts. The top section is for a Preview of your film, and the lower part represents the Timeline. There’s a very handy slider to the left which lets you resize both sections, which is a very clever addition, especially when your project becomes very complex with multiple layers, and you need to see all of them to fine tune your edit.

At the bottom is a contextual toolbar: by default, this is where you get to add additional video clips, audio files and titles. Tap on a clip in the Timeline, however, to reveal adjustment tools instead; tap on an edit point to see a paltry number of transitions. It’s a simple concept: you only see the tools you need when you need them.

You’ll also find a handful of icons at the top of the screen, and perhaps the most interesting one offers you various aspect ratios for your project. By default, it’ll take on the format based on the first clip you add to it, but if this isn’t right for you, this button enables you to override that.

Overall, the interface is simple, uncluttered and clean, and allows you to control your project with ease.

• Score: 4.5/5

Adobe Premiere on iPhone: Video editing

(Image credit: Adobe // Future)

• The interface is designed to make editing easy and fluid, and it works great, offering you surprising frame-accurate precision, whether you’re on an iPad or iPhone.

Editing is really nice and fluid. You can effortlessly zoom in and out of your project, select a clip, trim it, move it around, the works. I did mention when the app was announced, that it felt a lot more like Apple’s Final Cut Pro (FCP) than Adobe’s desktop Premiere Pro. The clips’ rounded look for one.

The fact clips reorder themselves when you drag one to another location, reminded me very much of Final Cut’s magnetic timeline. I’m obviously biased as I love the magnetic timeline, as it allows you to edit much quicker in my opinion, and here, it makes it so easy to work using only a finger or two. Also, just like FCP, the layers aren’t numbered; new ones appear as you need them. Good to see Adobe being comfortable with being inspired by its competitors, for the benefit of its users.

When it comes to altering clips, you have a handful of tools at your disposal. With them, you can change their speed, reverse them, alter their opacity, create a freeze frame, or perform some colour correction, among others. It’s all done through icons and sliders, and that interface resize tool I mentioned earlier to see more or less of the viewer and timeline, works great for this too, as you can see those parameters, your Timeline and the Viewer all at the same time, even on an (large) iPhone.

Some tools, such as Transitions and Adjust also have an ‘apply to all’ button which greatly speeds up your workflow if you wish to paste the same effects across the board. It’s impressive and very well done. Working with Premiere was slick and smooth, even on a 7 year old iPhone XS.

• Score: 4.5/5

Adobe Premiere on iPhone: AI

(Image credit: Adobe // Future)

• A good selection of AI tools which, along with the usual generative text prompts, are designed to enhance your project in useful and creative ways, especially the ‘generate sound effect’ one.

A sleek interface is already a big plus, and you get that for free, without having to log in to or create an Adobe ID. But if you don’t mind opening your wallet, or if you’ve already got an eligible subscription, then Adobe offers a string of very impressive tools, most based on some kind of AI.

Take ‘Enhance Speech’. It’s designed to improve the quality of spoken audio if you recorded something with a lot of background noise. It works extremely well, enriching the quality of the spoken audio immensely. You’re also offered a couple of sliders so you can choose how much of the background noise to keep.

You also have the ability to generate images and stickers, but perhaps the most impressive AI tool is ‘Generate Sound Effect’. On the surface, it looks like any other AI feature: you’ve got a text prompt where you input the description of what you hope to get, but what sets it apart is the optional extra: you can use your voice to ‘perform the sound’, and the AI will base the effect on your performance. It works surprisingly well, and could become quite addictive.

• Score: 4.5/5

Adobe Premiere on iPhone: Exporting video

(Image credit: Adobe // Future)

• Two easy to use options, one offers simple changeable parameters when exporting your project to your Photos library, the other is a way to send your project to the beta version of Premiere Pro via the Cloud.

A sleek interface is already a big plus, and you get that for free, without having to log in to or create an Adobe ID. But if you don’t mind opening your wallet, or if you’ve already got an eligible subscription, then Adobe offers a string of very impressive tools, most based on some kind of AI.

Take ‘Enhance Speech’. It’s designed to improve the quality of spoken audio if you recorded something with a lot of background noise. It works extremely well, enriching the quality of the spoken audio immensely. You’re also offered a couple of sliders so you can choose how much of the background noise to keep.

You also have the ability to generate images and stickers, but perhaps the most impressive AI tool is ‘Generate Sound Effect’.

On the surface, it looks like any other AI feature: you’ve got a text prompt where you input the description of what you hope to get, but what sets it apart is the optional extra: you can use your voice to ‘perform the sound’, and the AI will base the effect on your performance. It works surprisingly well, and could become quite addictive.

Should I buy Adobe Premiere on iPhone?

(Image credit: Adobe // Future)

Buy it if...

You’re on the lookout for a very easy to use, and elegantly designed video editing app for your iPhone or iPad, with most tools being available for free.

Don't buy it if...

To be honest, there’s no real reason not to get this app, at least to try it out. Most of the features are free, and you don’t need to subscribe to it if you don't need to use those advanced AI-driven tools. Shame it’s not available for Android just yet.

For more essential creative tools, we've reviewed the best video editing software, best free video editing software, and the best video editing software for beginners.