Reviews

Razer BlackShark V3 Pro: one-minute review

The Razer BlackShark V3 Pro is, as the keen-eyed will have surmised, an upgrade to the 2024 V2 wireless gaming headset, which adds active noise cancellation to the proposition. Razer’s BlackShark headsets fit into the manufacturer’s range right at the top, in terms of both features and pricing, so the changes it makes to this model are always a real statement of intent.

What is that intent? A combination of one big addition in ANC, plus a few smaller tweaks that demonstrate an open ear to community feedback. It’s odd to see noise cancellation added to a headset that features breathable fabric earcups, since ANC relies on the headset’s ability to isolate sound passively through its physical design in order to work effectively.

In other words, the earcups need to block out maximum ambient sound by creating a vacuum around your ear before the listening technology gets involved. It’s not unheard of, though, as AirPods Max users will attest, and despite the cloth fabric’s inferior isolation properties, these updated BlackSharks do indeed manage to tune out a good deal of unwanted external noise. Best of all, there’s a button on the headset that toggles between ANC on, ambient (using the listening mics to actively amplify external noise), or ANC off.

Those other small tweaks: a slightly redesigned hinge connecting the earcups to the adjustable headband, which is now finished with an aluminum panel and operates slightly more smoothly and – the holy grail of headset features – a physical chat mix scroll wheel, just like SteelSeries adds to their Arctis cans.

Truthfully, there wasn’t much wrong with the existing model, as you’ll see from our Razer BlackShark V2 Pro review. I’ve been using the V2s ever since they released, and I’m delighted that the V3 retains all the strong points like incredible comfort, finish quality, battery life, audio, adds a couple of welcome tweaks, and then slaps in a big value-add like ANC without upsetting the apple cart. The Xbox and PlayStation versions feature very similar offerings, distinguished only by some green headband trim on the Xbox model and a slightly different variant of the dongle.

The only significant downside to using the BlackShark V3 Pro ANC, regardless of platform, is the dongle situation. The supplied HyperSpeed wireless dongle actually requires a USB cable to connect to either a PC or console, while the smaller, neater BlackShark V2 USB-C dongle won’t pair with V3 models. So although the headset’s wireless, the dongle is… wired? That seems like a bit of an odd situation, despite the improved latency that HyperSpeed brings.

(Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)Razer BlackShark V3 Pro: Price and availability

• List price: $249.99 / £249.99 / around AU$510
• $50 more than the BlackShark V2
• Considerably cheaper than SteelSeries’ Nova Pro Wireless ANC option

This certainly isn’t a cheap headset. Then again, the BlackShark never has been, and ANC tends to add a considerable price premium on any headset model that offers it, gaming or otherwise.

The cost of blocking out external sound is about $50, versus the outgoing 2024 model of BlackShark V2 Pro, which means anyone considering hitting the buy button has an important question to ask themselves: is ANC essential, or would they be just as happy to use the V2 model instead and enjoy the lion’s share of the same features, for less? V2s sell for less than $180 now and are likely to be discounted further while stocks last.

The other big player in the ANC gaming headset space is SteelSeries, whose Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is among the most feature-rich and lavishly finished models we’ve ever seen. Priced at $349.99 MSRP, it’s a full hundred dollars more expensive than this Razer model, which almost makes the Pro V3 ANC seem like a bargain.

Razer BlackShark V3 Pro: Specs

Razer BlackShark V3 Pro

Price

$249.99 / £249.99 / around AU$510

Weight

367g / 0.81lbs

Battery life

70 hours

Compatibility

PC, Xbox Series X|S, PS5 (Xbox version), PC and PS5 (PC/PS5 version), iOS, Android

Connectivity

Bluetooth, 2.4GHz wireless

Microphone

16-bit/48KHz

(Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)Razer BlackShark V3 Pro: Design & features

• Beautifully stealthy looks with immaculate stitching
• All-day comfort, despite the weight
• Great suite of physical controls

BlackSharks are built around an aviation-style headset design, similar to HyperX’s Cloud, which was itself based on the OG QPAD QH90s. That entails two oval-shaped earcups connected not at the top but via a hinge at the side of each to a padded headband.

I’ve been testing headsets for far too many years at this point, and I’ve found this earcup size and design generally offers the best comfort and passive noise cancellation. So when it’s manufactured to a high standard like this and finished with a generous wedge of memory foam, you’ve got a recipe for long-term comfort.

Some people don’t get on with the hinge design. While other headsets offer a notched sensation when you adjust the headband and even show you measurements that you can reference, these BlackShark V3 Pros, like their ancestors, don’t have any of that. Personally, I’ve always found that a bit pointless – surely it’s quicker and easier to adjust until you feel comfortable, rather than dialing in a prescribed number?

It’s true that the thin telescopic aluminum poles that let you adjust for size have traditionally been a bit stiff to operate, and to me it feels like they’re smoother on this model. That could just be the new headset effect, though.

The finish is typically immaculate, as per Razer’s standards. The stitching on the upper leather portion of the headband looks like an Italian sports car’s interior, the imprinted Razer logo running along the top is pin-sharp, and so are the gloss finish Razer logos on the matte earcups. There’s a new aluminium plate on the hinges for these V3s, finished in an engraved spiral design, which breaks up what was previously a plasticky-looking component with a bit of added shine. They probably don’t bring the weight down, but despite its 0.81lbs/367g being towards the heavier end of the market, discomfort isn’t an issue as the headband and earcup cushioning, together with the headset’s clamping force, work together to prevent anything digging in.

(Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)

I’m such a big fan of the right-hand earcup’s physical controls. Firstly, there’s a button that cycles through three ANC modes: on, off, or ambient, and not even my Bose QC45s offer that much control over ANC, so well done for that, Razer.

Second, I always find a chat mix wheel useful, so its addition to the BlackShark V3 Pro ANC is an extremely welcome one for me. Streamers might like to hear a small amount of their mix audio just to check they’re not muted, and personally, I find it helps to regulate my speaking volume for in-game chat.

There’s also an EQ cycle button, which I never, ever use. Some people might. At least it’s positioned so that I never hit it by accident.

The only significant negative is an enduring one: the supplied HyperSpeed dongle needs a USB cable to be connected to it. The USB-C dongle for the V2 gen won’t pair with these V3s, so HyperSpeed dongles are the only option. This won’t impact your enjoyment of the headset’s features, but it feels like a strange solution, a bit of a stopgap until Razer releases a HyperSpeed dongle that plugs directly into your device. Until then, grit your teeth and brace for some cable spaghetti emitting from your PC or console.

(Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)Razer BlackShark V3 Pro: Performance

• ANC works well, if not perfectly
• Booming but precise sound
• Absurd battery life

Let’s get into the headline addition to this V3 iteration of the BlackShark Pro: active noise cancellation. Seeing ANC on a gaming headset’s spec sheet is a recent phenomenon, probably because the areas where we play games tend to be quiet in the first place. But there are scenarios when it could come in handy: doubling up as work and gaming headphones, playing on a mobile device on public transport, or, for the very few players skilled enough to find themselves in such a situation, playing an esports match in front of a crowd.

Until the Worms Armageddon competitive scene blows up, the only use case I have for ANC is when using a headset with a mobile device out in the world, particularly on a plane. I must disclose that I haven’t used the BlackShark V3 Pro ANCs on a plane yet, but I have taken them on train journeys and on walks, using the Bluetooth connection with my phone.

The listening mics do their job well, negating a lot of ambient noise in both situations. However, the downside to using cloth fabric instead of pleather around the earcups is that if you really listen out for it, you can hear the ANC making tiny adjustments whenever your headset’s position changes slightly. Which it does, because that breathable fabric doesn’t ‘stick’ the headset in place like pleather does. You really have to listen out for it, but the sound of low frequencies adjusting is perceptible as your headset shifts.

I don’t find that a major issue. ANC is a big value-add for me, but not because I need to drown out sound while gaming. Instead, it adds to the BlackShark V3 Pro ANC’s versatility, as a smartphone headset, a night-time phone session buddy, or a study aid to help me focus.

Speaking of versatility, since the V2s were released, Razer updated their firmware to allow simultaneous 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth connectivity, meaning you can take calls from your phone while you play on your PC or console. Yet another value-add.

(Image credit: Future)

Like its predecessor, the model comes in PC, PS5, and Xbox variants, both also compatible with PC, with only minor cosmetic differences and one compatibility difference (the Xbox version works on all platforms, the other two not so) between them - some green trim and a different dongle on the Xbox version, basically. Setup is easy on both consoles, and new to this gen, you can use them wired while they’re charging on consoles, too.

Not that charging is an especially frequent task. The spec sheet gives these 70 hours of life on a full charge when using a 2.4GHz wireless connection, which is an extraordinary figure. Based on my year of heavy usage with the V2s, the 70-hour claim held up long-term, so I’ll be interested to see what effect the ANC has on the V3’s battery performance over the coming months. All I can say at present is that 70 hours is correct out of the box.

I don’t think the mic’s been updated this gen, at least not as far as I can tell. The same detachable design returns, with a big foam pop shield, decent noise suppression, and a well-rounded sound. In the last year, I’ve been using the V2s, people on Discord always asked if something was wrong with my mic when I used a different headset for testing. The consensus this time? It sounds… the same.

Let’s mention the driver sound quality, since it’s the bottom line of any gaming headset. It’s been a long time since Razer and its contemporaries used to artificially boost the low-end frequencies to make everything you listened to sound like a bone-rattling action film. Modern gaming headsets offer a much flatter EQ response, which gives you numerous benefits, from versatility to precise audio articulation. It also means that headsets from different manufacturers sound a lot more like each other than they used to, but nevertheless, the BlackShark family has ‘a sound’.

It’s precise and flat, but with an authoritative thud to the bass response when it’s truly needed. You can, of course, tinker with those properties via the EQ presets and Razer’s Synapse software, but I find software EQ tends to introduce a digital artifice to the sound that’s always counterproductive.

The bottom line is that they sound fantastic in every setting. Like their predecessor, the V3 Pro ANCs are a complete package that’s hard to find fault with.

(Image credit: Future/Phil Iwaniuk)Should I buy the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro?Buy it if...

You play in noisy areas
Take that, inconsiderate housemates! ANC is a great option for improving your focus by filtering out unwanted external noise.

You’re a device-hopper
Constantly taking phone calls while playing on PC, then switching to a Sony-exclusive on PS5? The dual-wireless connectivity and new wired console use will make you smile.

You’re not pinching the pennies
During an ongoing cost-of-living crunch, it’s worth reminding ourselves that there are headsets at half this price, which, while not offering the same suite of features, let you enjoy your games and won’t break. This is definitely priced in luxury purchase territory.

Don't buy it if...

You’re deep into ANC effectiveness
The cloth fabric earcup covers aren’t optimised for passive noise cancellation, and that does affect the ANC’s potency too.

You already own the V2 Pros
All the upgrades are well thought–out and welcome, but this doesn’t mean your expensive V2s now need to go in the bin.

Razer BlackShark V3 Pro: also consider...

Is something fishy about the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro to you? Consider these wireless alternatives.

Razer BlackShark V3 Pro

Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro

PlayStation Pulse Elite

Price

$249.99 / £249.99 / around AU$510

$349 / £329 / AU$649

$149.99 / £129.99 / AU$239.95

Weight

0.81lbs / 367g

0.75lbs / 339g

0.76lbs / 347g

Battery life

70 hours

36 hours

30 hours

Connection type

Bluetooth, 2.4GHz wireless (HyperSpeed dongle)

Bluetooth, 2.4GHz wireless

Wireless (PlayStation Link via dongle), Wired (3.5mm audio jack), Bluetooth

Compatibility

PC, Xbox Series X, PS5 (Xbox version), PC and PS5 (PC/PS5 version), iOS, Android

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

PS5, PlayStation Portal, PC, Mac

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless
Featuring SteelSeries’ unique dual-battery charging solution, premium looks, and similar ANC implementation, the Nova Pro Wireless is a similarly premium headset option with few faults.

For more information, check out our full SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless reviewView Deal

PlayStation Pulse Elite
Obviously, Xbox players need not apply, but for switching between PlayStation devices and PC, Sony’s wireless cans offer great comfort and audio quality for a surprisingly affordable price that’s not too far above the Nova 3X’s tag. Plus, they make you look like you’re on Star Trek.

For more information, check out our full PlayStation Pulse Elite reviewView Deal

How I tested the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro

• Over a week of solid use on PC, PS5, and mobile
• Desktop station and noisy environments field-tested
• Comfort and battery life were evaluated via long-term usage and extended play sessions, audio via music, and in-game sound

There are two ways to test the effectiveness of active noise cancellation outside the lab: one is to observe the difference in a quiet space, and the other is to go somewhere noisy. I did plenty of both during testing, on commuter trains and walks through the park, as well as at my nice, tranquil desktop PC setup.

I put the BlackShark V3 Pro ANCs through their paces in direct comparison to the V2s, across multiple consoles, and in a selection of games, including Death Stranding 2: On the Beach on PS5, Far Cry 5 on Xbox, and my old favorite, MotoGP 25 on PC, as well as a range of music too.

My typical play sessions these days are a couple of hours each, but I also logged some longer sessions to test out the long-term comfort, and used the battery from full charge down to full depletion, using both wireless modes and the full suite of ANC options.

First reviewed July 2025

Read more about how we test

Buzzsprout has always been on my list to test out when talking about podcast hosting providers. While it’s known for its beginner-friendly interface and powerful features, Buzzsprout’s extensive support stood out for me.

I tested Buzzsprout’s features, set my podcast live, and explored its analytic tools to get to know how it really works.

For a comparison on how Buzzsprout compares against the competition, check out the best podcast hosting providers.

Advantages of Buzzsprout (Pros)

Unlimited storage

Except for the free plan, all paid subscriptions have unlimited storage, so you never have to worry about running out of space for your podcasts.

Unlimited team members

Using just one account, you can add as many team members as you want. This allows your editors, managers, and others to access it without having to create separate access.

Manage multiple podcasts in one place

Running multiple podcasts? With Buzzsprout, you can manage them all under one roof. From uploading them to editing and even checking statistics, find everything in one account.

Plenty of learning materials

Buzzsprout has plenty of guides and support materials for you to learn everything that you need to. From their tutorials on YouTube to DIY fixes, there's plenty of content.

Free Plan Available

There is a free plan available for users who want to test out the platform. However, it is only available for 90 days, and features are limited. For instance, you can’t have a podcast website, import podcasts, etc.

Multiple monetization options

While I’ve talked about this in detail ahead, Buzzsprout offers various monetization options like ads, subscriptions, and direct payments that you can receive from your listeners.

Buzzsprout Celebrates Your Milestones

To ensure you never give up or lose the motivation of your podcasting journey, Buzzsprout sends you reminders of your achievements so far. In addition, it also shows you how close you are to your next achievement. Eventually, you’ll always strive for the best!

Who is Buzzsprout Right For?

Buzzsprout is perfect for beginner podcasters who want a simple, all-in-one solution to launch and grow their show without technical know-how.

You don’t need any advanced skills to get started. Features like Magic Mastering and one-click distribution make it easier to make your podcast live without spending hours on editing or hosting knowledge.

Furthermore, you get automatic updates to the latest version, dynamic ad insertion, and reliable hosting, so you can focus on content rather than tech.

Lastly, Buzzsprout takes the initiative to guide you step by step in publishing and making your first episode live. While Buzzsprout works for experienced podcasters, its biggest strength is removing barriers for newcomers, making it ideal for first-timers who want a hassle-free start.

Using Buzzsprout (Interface)

Buzzsprout's interface is clean and easy to understand. You can visit your statistics, podcast episodes, fan emails, your website, etc., all in one place.

Buzzsprout user interface (Image credit: Future)

Even as a beginner or a new podcaster, you won’t have a hard time figuring out how Buzzsprout works or how to publish your episodes. Secondly, I like how the dashboard also gives you a glimpse into your podcast pace (meaning how your podcast is performing) and shares resources.

From here, you can even check your fan emails and edit any existing podcast. If you want to upgrade your plan, you can do so directly from your dashboard.

Features BreakdownMagic Mastering

It works like an Instagram filter for your audio, and this feature uses advanced technology to optimize your audio with the best practices. This makes your podcast more professional with high-quality audio.

Automatic episode optimization

Forget about figuring out technical audio details. Upload your podcast recording directly to Buzzsprout and let their smart system handle all the optimization work behind the scenes. The platform automatically processes your audio to sound professional without requiring you to understand complex audio terminology or settings.

Transcriptions

For every episode, Buzzsprout lets you add a transcript to make your podcast easily accessible to people and search engines. In this feature, you can also choose your export format to use on other platforms as texts.

Embed And Sharing Options

With a one-click sharing option, you can embed your podcast directly into your website by customizing it to match your brand color. Moreover, your listeners can also directly hear your podcast from the embed and control it for speed, rewind, forward, etc. Lastly, you can also enable a sharing button that lets your listeners share your podcast with others.

Friendly Mobile App

Buzzsprout offers a mobile app that is available on Android and iOS. The mobile app works similarly to the website, allowing easy access to edit and publish your episode, check your stats on the go, or even celebrate your milestones.

Customizable Podcast website

Irrespective of the plan you choose, Buzzsprout gives you a free podcast website with your own domain (except for the free plan). This sharable website lets your audience find you without wandering on multiple platforms. At the same time, you can customize the majority of the aspects of the site.

How to Get Started With BuzzSprout?

You can sign up on Buzzsprout for free without entering your credit card. Once you’ve signed up, you can start your new podcast by entering your podcast title and description.

Here is a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Enter your title and description that aligns with what your podcast is going to be about.

Getting started with Buzzsprout (Image credit: Future)

Step 2: Once you’re redirected to your dashboard, click on “Upload a New Episode.”

Uploading podcast on Buzzsprout (Image credit: Future)

Step 3: Enter your podcast details as asked on your screen. These include title, episode description, artwork, etc. You can also choose to post it immediately or schedule it.

Publishing on Buzzsprout (Image credit: Future)

Step 4: Your episode is now live! You can customize or edit it by adding chapter markers, mid-roll placements, and visual soundbites.

Podcast Distribution With Buzzsprout

Buzzsprout allows you to submit your podcast to all the major directories. From Apple Music and Spotify to YouTube, you can manually submit episodes. This can also be done if you are on the free plan.

While this is great, there is no option for Buzzsprout to automatically submit your podcast, unlike its competitor RSS.com, which offers automatic submission once you upload your episode. We have broken down this in detail in our RSS.com Review.

Podcast distribution (Image credit: Future)Migration from Other Podcast Hosting to Buzzsprout

Migrating from another podcast hosting provider to Buzzsprout is easy. You can directly import your podcast by typing the name or add from an RSS feed URL.

Once you’re done, Buzzsprout will automatically take care of migration without you having to struggle with technical know-how. You will be notified once the migration is successful, and you can start editing and uploading your podcast through Buzzsprout without having to start over.

Monetization Options

Buzzsprout allows you to monetize your podcast with two primary options – let your listers be supporters and pay a “value 4 value” amount, or enable a subscription to provide exclusive content.

(Image credit: Future)

All the payments received will be collected in your Buzzsprout wallet. You can either take it out or carry it forward to your next paid plan invoice. Also, note that Buzzsprout charges a 15% fee for the payments you get.

Another monetization option is to allow ads on your podcast. For this, you get complete control over which ads you want to display and the ones that align with your audience's needs.

What Is BuzzSprout Ads?

A separate feature called Buzzsprout ads is where you can reach millions of listeners across 120,000+ active podcasts. You can customize your ad as per your preference and reach a wider audience directly.

This privacy-focused ad campaign targets podcasts that are related to yours, helping you find the right audience. The price for these ads is two cents per impression. You can further customize your ad budget.

(Image credit: Future)Analytics & Data

Buzzsprout’s analytics and statistics for your podcast stood out the most to me. From 30 days of statistics of your podcast to custom dates, you can find all the details of how your podcast is performing. These include your top episodes and top apps where your audience found your podcast.

But this isn’t the reason why I liked analytics. Buzzsprout has a built-in feature (even for free users) called “The Podcast Predictor,” which predicts how many downloads your podcast will receive in the next 90 days.

Another amazing option is that you can directly import your statistics from Spotify and Apple Music without having to track them separately.

Analytics (Image credit: Future)Buzzsprout Pricing & Plans

Buzzsprout has a free plan that hosts your episodes for 90 days and offers 2 hours of upload every month. The free plan comes with restrictions wherein you get limited storage, no access to monetization, and restricted features. While restricted, the free plan is perfect for anyone who wants to test our Buzzsprout before committing to its paid plan.

Talking about its paid plans, you can choose from its 3 options:

Price (per month)

Upload hours/month

Best For

$12 /month

3

Absolute Beginners

$18 /month

6

Podcasters who publish regularly

$24 /month

12

Big podcasters

Buzzsprout hasn’t named its plans because the features with all the tiers are the same. The only difference is the upload hours you get every month.

All plans include embedded players, statistics, podcast websites, and directories. But here’s a drawback I found. Despite paying for the premium plans, you don’t get Cohost AI and Magic Mastering as a part of your subscription. Instead, you need to add them separately to your plan by paying $10-30/month. This can add an extra cost for podcasters besides the regular subscription, especially if you’re looking for an all-in-one podcast hosting provider.

(Image credit: Future)Customer Support & Resources

Known for its award-winning customer support, Buzzsprout has a detailed resource section that covers guides, FAQs, news, etc. The resource hub is updated every month with new guides that you can check out. If you’re new to podcasting, their detailed guides will help you get the basics right.

If the DIY method doesn’t work or you are stuck, you can contact the Buzzsprout team by email. The “Help” option at the right corner of the header of your dashboard will automatically redirect you to email support. Note here that the team responds Monday-Friday 9:00-5:00 EDT (GMT-4).

(Image credit: Future)

Besides, you can tune into their YouTube channel or join the private Facebook community to stay updated with the podcasting world.

(Image credit: Future)Verdict: Is Buzzsprout Worth It?

Buzzsprout is absolutely worth it if you want to begin podcasting without any technical hassle. Its beginner-friendly user interface allows you to set up everything within a few steps. Besides, you can market your podcast with its easy social sharing and customizable embed and even monetize it with ads and subscriptions.

All plans are loaded with the right features a podcaster needs to kickstart their career. And if you get stuck, do not forget to check out their award-winning customer support and plenty of free resources to help you.

Meet the authors

After making it big with one of the best VPNs on the market, Surfshark launched Surfshark One - an entire security bundle for users who seek to go the extra mile for their online safety and privacy. Aside from featuring its own VPN, the company has thrown in antivirus software, a data leak detection system, and a powerful private search engine.

Thus, with Surfshark One, the team has fulfilled its long-held objective of providing more than just a VPN for its users. Today, it offers a powerful and comprehensive package that takes all of its four services and blends them into a single and cost-effective solution.

Surfshark One’s Alternative ID feature (Image credit: Surfshark)Features

If you’re already familiar with Surfshark VPN, you may know all about its qualities. These include a full set of privacy mechanisms, a budget-friendly price that makes it one of the best cheap VPNs, and advanced capabilities in terms of speed, unblocking, and server capacity of over 3,200 servers across 100 countries.

Furthermore, its features like NoBorders and Camouflage Mode help bypass censorship and unlock all the major localized streaming platforms, such as Prime Video, Netflix, Disney +, BBC iPlayer, and others. Add high speeds into the mix, and this makes Surfshark VPN one of the best streaming VPNs.

When you add military-grade encryption, a strict no-logs policy, and a kill switch, you get one of the most secure VPNs in the industry as well. As a bonus, Surfshark VPN offers its software-defined networking (SDN) Nexus technology, connecting the user to the network’s entire infrastructure instead of servers physically disconnected from the rest of its peers.

As for Surfshark Antivirus, it provides real-time protection to ensure you’re safe from cyber crooks and malicious software when downloading, installing, or using files and apps. On top of that, it enhances the digital hygiene of your devices through scheduled scans. This can include entire devices or specific files or folders.

And the best part? Surfshark’s AV tool got the ‘Top Product’ award from AV-TEST in its June 2024 test, rating its protection, performance, and usability. In particular, it reported a 100% detection rate against advanced zero-day malware attacks.

With Surfshark Alert, the platform’s data leak detection system, you will easily and immediately know if your sensitive data was included in any of the latest breaches. The service will notify you in real time if anything like this happens.

Whether related to your email accounts, passwords, personal identification number, or credit cards - you can have peace of mind, as it will alert you if any such information was part of breached online databases or is circulating around the darkest corners of the World Wide Web.

Finally, Surfshark Search is an ad-free private search tool that guarantees never to monitor or log your search history. At the same time, it keeps at bay any web trackers that may be snooping on you and making your browsing experience cumbersome.

This handy little tool also allows you to switch between regions and pick the one that delivers better and more relevant results for the location you want - wherever your real location may be. Moreover, it provides organic search results unaffected by previous searches.

Surfshark One’s app will ask you to log in only once (Image credit: Surfshark)Getting started

To start using all the perks included in Surfshark’s comprehensive security package, you’ll need to head over to its website, pick a plan (Surfshark Starter, Surfshark One or Surfshark One+), the subscription length (1-month, 12-month, or 24-month, currently with 3 extra months for free), and that’s it.

There are some differences between the three packages. Surfshark Starter only includes a VPN and Alternative ID tool. Surfshark One adds Antivirus, Alerts, and Search to the list of tools, and Surfshark One+ has all the tools from Surfshark One, but it also comes equipped with data removal from company databases and people search sites.

In terms of pricing, Surfshark Starter's 24-month plan costs $1.99 a month, (billed annually), and the 12-month plan costs $3.19 a month. Surfshark One’s 24-month subscription costs $2.49 a month (billed annually), whereas its 12-month option would require $3.39 per month. This leaves Surfshark One’s 1-month subscription, which would set you back for $17.95 - the least cost-effective option.

Surfshark One+ is $3.99 a month on the 24-month plan, $6.09 a month on the 12-month plan, or can be purchased on a rolling monthly subscription for $20.65.

After you’ve selected your desired plan and its length, just enter your email address, choose a payment method and input the requested information (so you can be automatically billed once the trial ends), create a password, and you’re good to go!

The next step is to download the suite (should start automatically) and install it. This happens pretty quickly, depending on your internet connection and the device’s speed. Now just sign in with your credentials and Surfshark One can begin protecting your device(s), identity, and online presence.

You can give the service a trial run for the first seven days completely free, as long as you pick a 24-month or 12-month subscription, cancel before the trial ends, and pay via a credit card or PayPal (it also accepts Google Pay and major cryptocurrencies - Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP).

The platform also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re not completely satisfied with the service - no questions asked.

Surfshark One app interface (Image credit: Surfshark)Interface

Surfshark’s Antivirus is currently available only on Android, macOS, and Windows, whereas its Alert, Search, and VPN services can be used on all of the above, plus on iOS and Linux, as well as on browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. You can also install its VPN manually on devices like routers, gaming consoles, and smart TV systems such as FireTV and Apple TV.

You’ll be happy to learn that Surfshark One covers up to five devices with one account with its antivirus protection - a solid number for a security suite albeit not unlimited as is the case with its standalone VPN solution.

Regardless of the device you’re using to open the Surfshark One app, the interface is sleek and easy to use, even for a beginner. As you open the app and sign in (only the first time), you’re welcomed by the straightforward VPN dashboard, where you can quick-connect to the fastest server based on your physical location or take a pick at any of the others.

The next tool down the left-side menu is Alternative ID, where you can see the details of your alternative persona if you’ve created them, copy all the info, and manage it by clicking on the link that will take you to the online dashboard.

To access Surfshark’s Alert dashboard, you’ll need to click on the link inside the app and it will take you to a web page listing all the detected breaches where your sensitive details have been exposed. There, the breaches are sortable by date of scan or breach, severity, or name, and list what was leaked and when.

Somewhat unintuitively, Surfshark’s Antivirus options are further down the list, just below Alert, but managing them is as easy as they get. In a single click, you can turn on/off the real-time protection, web protection, and webcam protection, start or schedule quick and full scans, and access additional features.

Following Antivirus is Surfshark Search, which you can use right there from the app. The results will open on a web page where you can narrow them down to images or videos, as well as according to a specific region.

Settings are the last option listed in the app’s left-hand menu, and here you can configure specific features related to the VPN tool, the app in general, or your account. You can also check out the referral options to get free months of Surfshark One in return.

Encountered a problem while using Surfshark One? Help is just around the corner, accessible via the app’s settings. From there, you can browse the platform’s helpful guides, access the handy troubleshooting tools, or contact the support team at any time of day or night.

Surfshark One’s antivirus dashboard (Image credit: Surfshark)Protection

Surfshark One’s Antivirus tool constantly watches over your devices through real-time scans, in addition to checking websites and stopping threats before they download. This is in addition to allowing you to conduct on-demand quick or full scans of your entire device or focus on specific files or folders.

Quick and full scans can also be scheduled to run automatically, letting you select specific scan days and scan times - and they won’t consume much of your time or RAM. The virus database updates itself every three hours, but you can also check for updates manually whenever you feel like it.

External storage scans - checking your USBs, hard drives, and network drives for malware, ransomware, and viruses, are also possible. You can choose to include them in the full and quick scans, have the tool ask you to scan them when connecting to your device, or both.

Additionally, the always-on cloud protection feature analyzes suspicious files using the Surfshark cloud, where the platform opens and checks them with no risk to your device. Its other advantages include access to a global virus database and the fact it doesn’t come at the cost of your device’s speed.

As a rare extra perk (though currently in beta phase), you can also turn on the webcam protection to stop untrusted apps on your device from accessing your camera. The trusted app list is easily managed by ticking the boxes next to the apps that should be allowed webcam access and leaving out others.

Already trust certain files, folders, or websites enough to exclude them from the real-time, scheduled, and manual scans? You can add them without hassle through the app’s file or folder picker, or paste the URL of the website (and opt to apply to all its subdomains) you want to exclude from the web protection.

Finally, you can choose to have infected files automatically deleted after 60 days of quarantine.

Surfshark One’s VPN interface (Image credit: Surfshark)VPN

Surfshark’s VPN already has an enviable reputation as one of the top performers in the industry and for many good reasons. Let’s start off with its wide-reaching network of more than 3,200 servers (virtual and physical) spanning over 100 countries across the globe.

Unsure which server is the best for your location? No worries, just run Surfshark’s built-in speed test to see how they perform based on region (Europe, Asia Pacific, The Americas) or type (P2P, virtual, physical, static IP). You can also see how fast the recommended or recently used servers are.

Thanks to such a large and versatile network, you can access just about any type of content you need, be it geo-blocked TV shows and movies on streaming platforms like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, DAZN, Prime Video, Hotstar, Hulu, Crunchyroll, YLE Areena, HBO Max, YouTube, or for some localized regional browsing.

The optional NoBorders mode, supporting internet access and connectivity around the world, is on by default. Additionally, you can download Surfshark’s browser extension for advanced blocking of ads, trackers, and malware when the VPN is connected.

Do note that the kill switch, the mechanism that disables your entire internet access in case the VPN connection fails to prevent any potential IP leaks, is off by default. Hence, you’ll need to turn it on manually as this part of the service is essential for your VPN use and online activities.

That said, Surfshark’s kill switch is customizable as well. Specifically, we’re talking about strict and softer versions of it. The former steps in if the VPN disconnects or is interrupted in any way, whereas the latter acts only if the VPN disconnects by accident or is interrupted.

Other VPN-specific extras include Dynamic MultiHop, Surfshark’s Double VPN feature routing your data through two servers instead of one. This way, it provides additional anonymity that security-conscious users will particularly appreciate. However, it might affect your connection speed as it needs to pass through twice the servers.

Supported protocols include OpenVPN (TCP or UDP) and WireGuard. You can choose any of them as your preferred protocol, or allow the app to select the fastest and most stable one automatically.

The Bypasser option defines the specific apps, websites, and IP addresses that can circumvent the VPN and those that should be routed through the VPN at all times. It is important to note that apps take priority over websites and IP addresses, so if you set your browser to route via the VPN, all the websites you visit will do so too, even if you set them to bypass VPN.

Other advanced options include Rotating IP (automatically changes your IP address while your VPN location remains constant) and Invisible on LAN (hides your device from other devices connected to your local network, like phones, printers, and smart TVs). Both are off by default.

In terms of performance, Surfshark VPN connects quickly and at the first attempt regardless of the server location choice. The speeds we tested independently are very good, even when connecting to India and Malaysia, both far, far away from our actual testing location.

The MultiHop to New York via Toronto was also fast. Changing the exit location to India didn’t make a lot of difference in this area, although switching to Indonesia after that delivered significantly lower download speeds, cutting the previous ones in half (but this was to be expected in some cases).

Surfshark One’s breach monitoring dashboard (Image credit: Surfshark)Other features

As mentioned above, Surfshark Search is a separate tool in the suite, delivering truly organic (and private) results, be it in the form of regular URLs, images, or videos. The results delivered by default pertain to all locales, but you can choose a particular country on the list (there are 36 of them) for more localized outcomes.

In terms of Surfshark Alert, the platform’s own data leak monitoring solution, it lists all the breaches in which your personal details, be it usernames, IDs, names, email addresses, physical addresses, IPs, birth dates, passwords, hashed passwords, security questions and answers, account balances, and the like, may have been involved.

The breached data is listed alongside a short description of the breach, the date when it happened, its level of severity, the number of records exposed, and recommendations on what to do next. You can choose to archive this data, and it will remain there under an appropriate category.

This section also allows you to type in the number of your credit card and your personal number (or social security number) to scan the internet and see if any of them appear anywhere unseemly.

Want to receive breach reports to your email? You can - just go to Alert’s settings, turn on this option, and select how often you’d like to get them (monthly, quarterly, or yearly). It is also possible to have the breach alerts sent to your account email address or the email address affected in the relevant breach.

Finally, if you change your mind and want to have all the data, your email addresses, credit cards, and ID numbers removed from Alert, you can do this in just two clicks in the settings, and voilá - all of this information is permanently deleted.

The Alternative ID feature allows you to keep your personal information hidden by creating an alter ego of sorts online. This means you’ll get a fake email address you can use for newsletters (linked to your actual email address that stays concealed) or an alternative persona for social media.

In other words, it’ll create a whole new person, including inventing their full name (yes, a middle name too!), date of birth, gender, and address - all with a city, a postal code, and a country. You can easily manage these details on the website or copy your new fake info directly from the app.

Surfshark One offers a dedicated IP for an additional monthly fee (Image credit: Surfshark)What's not included

Although there is a lot to like about SuperShark One, there are a few reasons why some would want to upgrade. Among them is the third-party Incogni tool otherwise included in the Surfshark One+ package, specifically designed to protect your personal information against identity theft and data brokers profiting off it.

It does this by removing your details, including your name, address, and other personal data off the internet (like people search sites and databases). If you already have an active Supershark One subscription plan, it will cost you an additional $3.99 per month for the remainder of it to add this. After that, it will charge you $47.88 every 12 months.

For an extra fee, you can also get a dedicated IP address for your use only, facilitating a consistent, private, and faster online experience with no risk of IP blacklisting. This costs $3.75 per month on top of your existing Surfshark subscription, after which it is charged $45 once a year.

The platform also lets you generate an alternative phone number with a US country code for deliveries, online accounts, text updates, and listings so you don’t have to share your real number, thus minimizing spam, data sharing, and identity theft risks.

With it, you’ll be able to receive calls and text messages, and even reply with a limited capability in the Surfshark app. However, it doesn’t support verification codes and you’ll need to pay an additional $2.89 per month to add the alternative phone number to your current plan.

On top of that, the bundle itself is missing some of the nice-to-have features like a password manager, parental controls, and a firewall.

Final verdict

Surfshark One delivers a strong security suite that includes antivirus protection, a VPN, safe search, data leak monitoring, and more - for less than what some charge for a single product. Although it doesn’t offer a password vault or support for iOS (for now), its user-friendly interface, customizable antivirus, high VPN speeds (even with a double VPN), and extras like webcam protection and alternative ID will do an admirable job of keeping your online presence safe and your mind sane.

Hotspot Shield Basic is a mixed bag of a free VPN. Offering differing experiences depending on the app you download, varying success at unblocking streaming services, and speeds that, while fast, can struggle to maintain a connection, it falls short of the best free VPNs.

Despite this, it has seen several improvements to its service since our last round of testing, and, while not perfect, proves to be a more than usable free VPN if you're willing to work within its limitations.

Features

Hotspot Shield Basic is by no means a feature-rich option. That doesn't mean, however, that you don't get a good suite of security tools in the free package. Together, these features provide the same sense of trust that you'd expect from the best VPNs.

Included with the free plan is anti-phishing protection, a kill switch, split tunneling, and IP and DNS leak protection. Plus, on mobile, you can access Hotspot Shield's secure browser from within the app.

Something that became a theme throughout our testing was inconsistency with Hotspot Shield Basic. For example, the iOS app lacks a kill switch on the Basic version, and it's missing entirely on macOS.

A bigger concern surrounding the kill switch was its lack of compatibility. It became apparent in testing that it only works when using the Hydra protocol; what's more, should you switch from Hydra to WireGuard, the killswitch silently deactivates.

This is a major security concern for anyone who relies on a kill switch, especially as users aren't warned about the deactivation, and it underscores Hotspot Shield's position behind the competition in terms of reliable features.

These incompatibility concerns extend to its split tunneling capabilities, too, which is only available on Hydra. Once again, the app doesn't make this clear, and, should you switch to WireGuard at any time, your split-tunneling settings reset. Given this continuous lack of warning and the numerous compatibility issues, it does raise questions surrounding what else may be hiding in the code.

Should you choose to upgrade to a paid Hotspot Shield plan, the only major feature additions to speak of are its streaming and gaming modes, which supposedly optimize the service for these use cases.

This is something most paid VPNs include as standard, so, given Hotspot Shield's steeper cost, I cannot imagine what it does differently to justify the price hike.

Features score: 4/10

Server Network

The ability to pick and choose servers is a fundamental aspect of a paid VPN. Even some free services offer a small, but varied, selection of server locations.

Hotspot Shield Basic has coverage in 4 locations in total, though its website only mentions one. These include the UK, Singapore, Los Angeles, and New York.

For comparison, Hotspot Shield Premium offers 115 locations (though its website claims 125) to choose from worldwide, which, while nowhere near some of the very best VPNs, is a much wider spread.

Server network score: 3/10

Apps

Currently, Hotspot Shield Basic is only available across four platforms: iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS. This leaves omissions in compatibility, most notably, Linux and Smart TVs.

Hotspot Shield seems to have discontinued support for its Chrome extension, as it has been removed from the list of compatible platforms on its website. Plus, it's no longer available to download from the Chrome Web Store.

We've mentioned inconsistencies across apps already, but, as we'll delve into later, something to note is that there's a major disparity between platforms. Most notably, the lack of a kill switch on Mac and the lack of WireGuard, IKEv2, a kill switch, and split-tunneling on its iOS app.

Plus, in testing, we found that depending on your download location, you can find yourself looking at a completely different app. On our Windows testing machine, for example, the app we received from the Windows Store was totally different from the one we got from Hotspot Shield's website.

Upgrading to Hotspot Shield Premium fixes several of these availability issues, including adding Linux, Smart TV, and router compatibility, as well as adding WireGuard and IKEv2 to its iOS app, alongside the kill switch and split-tunneling.

Apps score: 5/10

Ease of use

Limited features mean that there are limited opportunities for confusion, and, in that way, Hotspot Shield Basic claws back some points. However, that doesn't mean its offering is totally simple.

Since migrating the Basic experience into the main Hotspot Shield app, finding your way to the free experience is far from easy on mobile. After loading the app, you have the option to sign up for a free trial (which isn't the Basic plan), and only when you scroll into the smaller print at the bottom of the screen can you find a way of accessing the free app.

Once you've signed in, Hotspot Shield is surprisingly easy to use and pleasant to look at. You're greeted by a black, grey, and blue interface, with icons along the bottom of the screen on mobile and along the left edge on desktop. It bears a resemblance to the layout of NordVPN (albeit without the stacked roster of features).

Hotspot Shield for Windows is impressively clean to look at, resembling the likes of NordVPN. Though it lacks the features to make proper use of the layout (Image credit: Future)

We found accessing the settings easy enough. The menu provides ample description of each option, allowing newer users to quickly get to grips with the functionality, even if these settings lack necessary warnings about silent deactivations (as mentioned earlier).

Our biggest gripe with the usability of Hotspot Shield Basic stems from its mobile apps, which are inundated with ads.

They're (almost) ever-present on the home screen in banner form, and you can be presented with sketchy ads at any given moment if you choose to hop between menus or toggle on features, which adds unwanted wait time to the overall experience. Luckily, using Hotspot Shield Basic on Mac or Windows allows users to avoid these ads.

Ease of use score: 6/10

Speed and performance

No free VPN can match the speeds of today's fastest VPNs, but that doesn't mean they can't impress. In our testing, Hotspot Shield surprised us, recording speeds of 385 Mbps using WireGuard, which is more than enough for stable streaming, searching, and gaming.

Hotspot Shield's proprietary Hydra protocol offered more confusing results. Given that it's based on OpenVPN, it is unsurprising that the speeds were slower than its WireGuard results, achieving a maximum of only 163 Mbps.

During testing, we achieved these speeds when connecting to the US, with slower speeds attained when connecting to UK servers.

Hotspot Shield Basic's UK servers appeared to have a much higher load than its US servers, and this isn't entirely surprising, but it limits your options should you be looking to connect to the UK specifically.

Something to remember is, as mentioned already, Hotspot Shield Basic's kill switch only works on its Hydra protocol, meaning that should you need it, you'll likely experience a slower overall performance.

Speed and performance score: 5/10

Unblocking

Most free VPNs struggle to unblock streaming services, and Hotspot Shield Basic is no different.

In our testing, we achieved mixed results. On Mac and Windows, we failed to unblock any streaming services, including Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, 9Now, 10Play, and BBC iPlayer.

Despite this, on mobile, we were able to access both Netflix and Prime Video without issue.

If you're looking for the best streaming VPN, we will always recommend you look towards paid services, as all the best VPNs we test proved flawless at unblocking streaming services in our latest round of testing.

Unblocking score: 4/10

Privacy and security

Since our last review, Hotspot Shield has made some headway in improving its security, but it hasn't plugged every hole.

To its credit, the Basic plan now includes a kill switch, and in 2023, the service went through an independent security audit.

That said, some things are still either missing or remain red flags. The issues we've raised already surrounding kill switch and split tunnelling support offer little reassurance or reason to choose Hotspot Shield, especially if your privacy is actively at risk. Plus, while its no-logs policy has now been audited, the use of ads in the mobile apps means there are some ways to identify how devices have been used.

In terms of VPN protocols, Hotspot Shield Basic offers its own Hydra protocol, alongside WireGuard and IKEv2, depending on the platform you use. The Hydra protocol uses strong AES-256 encryption to protect your data, while the WireGuard protocol uses the standard ChaCha20 for encryption.

Privacy and security score: 5/10

Track record

Hotspot Shield's track record isn't quite spotless. In 2018, an information disclosure vulnerability allowed a remote attacker to find out whether a user was connected to the VPN, their approximate location (country), and more. It required the user to visit a booby-trapped website, but the vulnerability was fixed after being disclosed to the company.

In 2020, an exploit allowed a local attacker to use Hotspot Shield to corrupt system files, which, while not a privacy concern, drew our concern.

It has been five years since Hotspot Shield reported any issues of the same magnitude, however, and recent security audits serve to further prove the steps the provider has taken to improve on previous errors.

Track record score: 5/10

Customer Support

Using Hotspot Shield Basic limits your customer support options to the support site, rather than also having access to full 24/7 assistance.

The support site, we found, can be somewhat limited. You can easily find yourself reading an article that's years old and now irrelevant or simply outdated, much like we found with some of the data surrounding locations. Plus, we found various instances of duplicated articles when searching for DNS.

We also found the chatbot to be almost humorously ineffective. When asking "how do I cancel my plan?" it responded "I'm sorry, I don't understand, I'm still learning. Give it another shot with different words". However, on trying "How can I close my account?" the chatbot simply gave up and transferred me to a support agent.

Customer support score: 4/10

Pricing and plans

Being Hotspot Shield's free plan, Hotspot Shield Basic is more limited than its paid counterpart, though not by as much as some of its competitors. The main omissions from the free plan include:

• Gaming and streaming modes
• Linux, Smart TV, and router support
• IKEv2
• 9 additional simultaneous connections (10 in total)
• An iOS kill switch
• Split tunnelling on iOS and Mac
• Full 24/7 support
• 111 more locations (115 total)

However, at $6.66 per month, it's arguably a better value choice to simply use the free version should you, for whatever reason, be set on using Hotspot Shield.

If you're looking to upgrade to a paid VPN, there are much better alternatives for much lower prices, such as Surfshark and NordVPN – it even makes ExpressVPN look cheap.

Pricing and plans score: 4/10

Should you use Hotspot Shield Basic?

Hotspot Shield Basic is an extremely limited free VPN, but that doesn't mean it isn't capable. All free VPNs lack features, but Hotspot Shield Basic's omissions, locations, and unblocking consistency leave much to be desired when compared to the likes of PrivadoVPN Free.

What's more, the inconsistencies across its apps, alongside outdated website information and alarming feature limitations, all leave us concerned about other issues lying in wait.

That said, its speeds are impressive for a free VPN service, and offering unlimited bandwidth is something free VPN users on desktop will be pleased to see, given the limited market across Mac and Windows.

Overall score: 45/100

Alternatives

NordVPN – from $3.39 per month
The best VPN overall
NordVPN is one of the most well-rounded VPN services on the market, offering a combination of top-tier security, blazing-fast speeds, and advanced features. It has been fully audited multiple times to confirm its no-logs policy and the safety of its apps, and alongside a suite of extra security features, NordVPN is one of the best choices for keeping your data safe. You can give it a shot yourself with a 30-day money-back guarantee. View Deal

Surfshark – from $2.19 per month
The best cheap VPN (and also the fastest)
Surfshark is a cheap VPN that offers serious quality. It offers unlimited simultaneous connections on a single subscription and advanced privacy tools like Alternative ID, which allows you to generate new identities on the fly (so you don't have to fork over your real details). Take Surfshark for a risk-free test drive with a 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

ExpressVPN - from $4.99 per month
A beginner-friendly VPN package
ExpressVPN has built a reputation as one of the most reliable and secure VPN providers, which is well-deserved. It’s a slightly more expensive VPN than most of the other top-tier providers, but in return, you access a high-speed server network that spans 148 locations in 106 countries. It’s particularly effective at unblocking streaming platforms, including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and HBO Max. See for yourself with a 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Proton VPN is one of many internet privacy products developed by Proton, the team of scientists and privacy advocates behind Proton Mail. The suite Proton offers is certainly impressive, but how does its VPN hold up against dedicated VPN providers like NordVPN and ExpressVPN?

The answer is pretty well. The completely free tier is something no other competitor on our top five list offers. With no ads and the same privacy guarantees as paid accounts, it’s an ideal way to trial the service. The paid version? Starting at $9.99 per month, it’s about the average for a top-tier VPN. Stay with me and I’ll go into whether the paid features are worth paying for, as well as how Proton VPN stacks up to the rest of our top five for speeds, unblocking capabilities, privacy, and overall value for money.

Features

There are lots of extra features built into Proton VPN’s paid version of the app, most of which are designed to either enhance your privacy or make the VPN harder to block. For example, there’s Secure Core, which sends your VPN traffic through an initial hardened, physically owned VPN server in a high-security location before sending it on to a second endpoint VPN server. This secures the traffic you’re sending twice, so you can connect to locations without worrying that the endpoint server you use might be hacked, exposing your IP. Although it’s overkill for everyday use, it’s useful if you’re connecting to countries where VPNs are being heavily monitored by the government.

At the other end of the spectrum, there’s Alternative Routing. When enabled, this routes your VPN traffic along a route provided by external third-party servers such as AWS. While this does allow servers outside of ProtonVPN’s remit to see your home IP, it also allows you to connect to services that are otherwise blocking access from Proton VPN’s servers. You’re not going to get past an ISP’s DPI monitoring with this, but it’ll get you access to some sites that would otherwise detect you’re using a VPN.

As you can see so far, Proton VPN provides expert features that fit specific use cases. The same is true of the VPN over Tor feature, which allows you to access the Tor network directly from certain Proton VPN servers. Not everyone will need to access the Tor network, but if you’re a journalist or whistleblower, it might be the standout feature here when you need the extra anonymity.

Not everything is about privacy, though. Proton VPN uses a technology called VPN Accelerator, which uses multithreading and advanced TCP routing to provide you with better speeds when connecting to servers on the other side of the planet. It doesn’t do much when you’re connecting to servers you have a good connection with, but in situations where there’s high latency or excessive packet drop, it allows you to keep a significant portion of your bandwidth where you’d otherwise be slowed to a crawl by network instability.

Of course, there are all the conveniences here too. The VPN also includes a NetShield Ad-blocker, which blocks ads, trackers, and malware, enhancing both privacy and browsing speed. There’s also a kill-switch and split tunneling across all its apps, as well as DNS leak protection thanks to Proton VPN’s own private encrypted DNS servers.

Features score: 8/10

Server network

Proton VPN’s server network is impressive, to say the least. While the rest of our top 5 (barring Surfshark) offer more locations, Proton VPN is the undisputed winner for countries to choose from, offering a staggering 112. Although this leaves it neck and neck with NordVPN when it comes to country coverage, there are some significant differences in terms of where they cover.

What sets Proton VPN apart is the focus on serving areas of the world that have been traditionally underrepresented by VPNs, such as Africa (with 22 locations) and the Middle East (with 14 locations), both of which more than double any other provider on our top five list. Proton VPN also offers the most locations in Asia, too.

Of course, if you’ve already started doing the numbers, you’ll realize that this comes at the cost of offering less impressive coverage in Europe and North America than its competitors. This isn’t to say that Proton VPN doesn’t offer an acceptable range of locations, but if you need state-by-state coverage across the US, you’re better off looking at Private Internet Access instead. Similarly, ExpressVPN has you covered if you want in-depth access to Europe.

Server network score: 8/10

Apps

There’s a Proton VPN app for every major platform, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. There’s some feature disparity between versions of the app, but you can expect roughly the same experience from all of them, including the Linux app, which is a full GUI program. It’s roughly on par with the Windows version, whereas the macOS version doesn’t offer OpenVPN or split tunneling. Not ideal, but all of the security features are available across every platform.

There’s an interesting quirk in Proton VPN’s desktop app design that sets it apart from the rest of the apps in our top 5. When you unfurl the home menu, it displays a map of every VPN location you can access. It’s a very cool piece of design flair, which, when combined with the pleasing purple and black color scheme Proton VPN has going on, results in a piece of software that looks like something out of a spy film.

Proton VPN recently unveiled a major revamp to some of its apps, including its previously less appealing mobile apps. This update has improved not only the customisability of the service, but also how intuitive it feels to use across different platforms, since the apps now match almost entirely across all major platforms.

The Chrome version is rated significantly lower than the other browser extensions from our top 5 VPNs, but it seems a little unfair. With a score of 2.4 on the Apple App Store, many reviews seem to focus on the lack of a free version of the browser add-on. This isn’t the case anymore, as ProtonVPN has recently released a free version of all its browser apps. Some of these complaints are a little more valid, though. While I haven’t noticed it myself while testing the Chrome extension out, there are a lot of complaints about it requiring multiple log-ins to keep connected, which is an easily avoided frustration for users.

Apps score: 8/10

Ease of use

There’s nothing very difficult about the install process, and once you’re logged in, Proton VPN is easy enough to deploy. There’s a guided tour you can take to check out some of the more advanced features, but it’s easy to ignore if you just want to get started. You click the quick connect button, and you’re connected to the nearest server.

For everything else, Proton is functional if a little intimidating for new VPN users. The world map interface lets you plot out your Secure Core connection by hand, giving you a much better idea of how each location will impact your overall connection path. It’s a great way to optimize your connection speed, but it's a little more involved than just clicking a button and closing the app.

Ease of use score: 8/10

Speed and performance

Our latest testing across Proton’s protocols indicates an overall drop in its average speeds, though connecting to our nearest server still capped our testing rig out over 950+ Mbps, which is great news.

Unfortunately, testing from the UK to the US on WireGuard only clocked in at 630Mbps, which is pretty disappointing after recording around 700Mbps in our previous round of testing. At the very least, our latency and jitter readings didn’t pick up anything particularly alarming.

How we perform speed tests

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

We test OpenVPN and WireGuard protocols across a range of speed-test sites throughout the day using a pair of virtual machines from the US and UK, using a connection with 1GB bandwidth in each location. Yes, it’s overkill compared to a normal internet connection, but it gives us a better idea of how the VPN really performs. You can find our full testing methodology here.

The OpenVPN results are also less than we’d hope, only measuring 220Mbps compared to previous results of 400Mbps. We always expect to see a significant drop from OpenVPN compared to WireGuard, but Proton VPN’s OpenVPN speeds used to be fairly impressive. Now, they’re more or less in line with the rest of the pack.

To be clear, these are all speeds that will completely suffice for almost all your internet activity. If you’re on fiber, you might struggle a little to get the most out of your connection while you’re downloading, but otherwise, it’ll handle 4K streaming without any issue at all.

Speed and performance score: 7/10

Unblocking

Given Proton VPN promotes itself as a privacy-first VPN, you'd be forgiven for thinking streaming might not be a strong suit. However, that’s thankfully not the case. We’ve tested the servers against a wide range of streaming services, including regional variants of Netflix (US, UK, Japan, Canada, and Australia) as well as other streaming giants like Amazon Prime and Disney Plus.

In all cases, the Proton VPN servers provided instant access to the services we tested. All you have to do is pick the location you want to watch from and get streaming.

We also tested Proton VPN with more regional services such as BBC iPlayer, Channel 4, ITVX, 10Now, and 9Play, all of which were easily accessible from Proton VPN.

As for torrenting? It’s a breeze. Proton VPN supports port forwarding, so you can easily connect to other peers in a P2P network. There are also a few P2P optimized servers available on Proton VPN, which allowed me to fully connect to the rest of the swarm when downloading Linux ISOs to test.

Unblocking score: 10/10

Privacy and Security

Like every other tool from the Proton team, Proton VPN has been built from the ground up for privacy and security. Depending on which platform you’re using Proton VPN on, you’ll have the choice between OpenVPN, WireGuard, and its proprietary Stealth protocol. OpenVPN and WireGuard have both been stress-tested a thousand times over by real-world deployments and audits, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally choosing an insecure protocol when setting up the service. WireGuard is built to always use the most secure encryption by default, while Proton has set up its OpenVPN deployment to use AES-256, which is about as secure as can be.

Stealth is an obfuscated version of WireGuard that runs over TLS, making it look like normal encrypted browsing data to anyone who’s trying to analyze your traffic to spot a VPN in use. It’s mainly useful for ducking past enterprise rule-based firewalls, but your mileage may vary in how well it works on DPI-based firewalls that ISPs in countries with harsh internet restrictions use.

Of course, Proton has a strict no-logs policy, which has been verified by multiple independent audits, most recently from Securitum in July of 2024. This marks its third consecutive annual no-logs audit, all of which are available to see on Proton VPN’s website without registering for an account. Most providers, including ExpressVPN, will ask you to sign up first, but Proton VPN is demonstrating a commitment to transparency that few VPN providers can match.

While Proton VPN doesn’t use RAM-only servers to run its service, they do employ full-disk encryption on all of its servers, which essentially achieves the same thing. None of your browsing or connection data is ever written to disk, and anyone who attempts to remove one of the servers by force would be completely unable to decrypt the hard disk without an encryption key. Not that they’d find anything useful, anyway.

Proton VPN’s Secure Core architecture adds an extra layer of protection by routing traffic through multiple servers in privacy-friendly countries, effectively defending against network-based attacks. Forward Secrecy is implemented, generating a new encryption key for each session to ensure that even if a key is compromised, past browsing history remains secure.

I can’t say Proton VPN’s malware blocking was particularly good, though. To test it out, we picked 100 brand-new phishing URLs from the anti-phishing experts at OpenPhish and connected to each one with Proton VPN open to see how they’d do. At 11% of malware sites blocked and only 19% of phishing results, Proton VPN could do far better.

Privacy and security score: 8/10

Track record

When you claim that you’re a privacy-first company, you’re going to get a lot of eyes on you. Proton VPN is no exception, which means that some privacy issues from related products tarnish its reputation slightly. In 2019, ProtonMail was forced to log the IP address of a climate activist after a law enforcement request, which significantly undermined its perception as a private email provider.

However, Swiss law works slightly differently for VPN providers. They cannot be compelled to carry out bulk surveillance by either foreign law enforcement or the Swiss government, so Proton VPN as a product is significantly less vulnerable to the same sort of requests. As for individual accounts, Proton VPN has to comply with legally valid cases brought forth by the Swiss courts, even if these are made by a foreign entity. However, Switzerland has no official ties to EU, NATO, or US intelligence sharing pacts, and tends not to recognize law enforcement requests from countries with a poor judicial reputation.

Track record score: 9/10

Customer support

More so than other VPNs in our top 5, Proton VPN feels like it expects you to do a bit of reading to get the most out of your VPN. There’s an incredibly comprehensive knowledge base that very clearly outlines how the whole app works, as well as offering a ton of solutions for common troubleshooting problems. The live chat is only for paying customers, so if you have any trouble signing up, you’ll have to email them or send a support ticket.

Speaking of, its live support isn’t 24/7, unlike NordVPN. Instead, you’ll need to get in touch with a support representative between 9 AM and 5 PM CET. While my interactions with the Proton VPN support staff have been useful, if delayed a little bit (there’s a 24-hour turnaround on any issue when you open a ticket), there have been some poor interactions that resulted in a 2.4 score on Trustpilot.

Customer support score: 7/10

Pricing and plans

Proton VPN starts at $9.99 a month, putting it squarely in the middle of the road as far as pricing. This goes down to $3.99 per month if you buy for the year, or $3.59 per month for two years – both of which are prices exclusive to TechRadar readers. Not the most expensive VPN in the world, but PIA has it beat on price. Anyway, this subscription protects 10 devices on a single plan. Upgrading your plan won’t remove this restriction, but it will give you access to Proton Drive, Mail, Calendar, and Pass for another three dollars a month. If you’re trying to migrate all of your data away from another provider like Google, this is a truly great deal.

There’s also a free version that only offers three locations (The US, the Netherlands, and Japan) but does so with no ads or restrictions whatsoever. You won’t get access to all of the premium features, such as Multi-Hop or Secure Core, but it’s functional enough if you need a secure VPN to cover a single device without paying for it.

Pricing and plans score: 10/10

Should you use Proton VPN?

If you’re looking for a free VPN, get Proton VPN. With an unlimited bandwidth policy, no time-outs, and no ads, Proton VPN is just about the best free VPN you can get today. As a paid VPN? You could do a lot worse. Proton VPN will satisfy just about everyone who uses it, but it falls short in a few key areas where other VPNs simply work better.

It’s fast when it counts, but Surfshark and NordVPN both consistently outdo Proton VPN. All the rest of our top five perform better than Proton VPN at both European and North American locations, especially ExpressVPN and PIA, respectively. Still, these are minor complaints at best. Proton VPN has an extensive list of privacy-focused features, and you can try all of them for yourself with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Overall score: 83/100

Proton VPN – from $2.99 per month
A great pick for small businesses

Proton offers a huge package for an impressively low cost. Offering services such as email, a password manager, and, of course, an impressive VPN, Proton offers a close competitor to Surfshark in terms of breadth of offering and value. Despite falling short in some areas of our testing, it's a surefire solution to anyone's day-to-day security concerns and offers speeds and security more than good enough to put your mind at ease.View Deal

Proton VPN alternatives

1. NordVPN – from $3.39 per month
The best VPN overall

A VPN with a focus on security, NordVPN not only offers a high-speed VPN but also a built-in antivirus, URL safety checkers, additional server protection with Double VPN, and an ad-blocker using their encrypted DNS solution. It’s slightly more expensive than Surfshark but offers a VPN service second to none. View Deal

2. Surfshark – from $2.19 per month
The best cheap VPN (and also the fastest)
Don't be fooled by the price tag. Surfshark isn't just cheap, it's a full-blown privacy suite with the best value-for-money toolkit I've seen in the market so far. Beyond its great features and even better pricing, it's also the current champion in our speed tests, and has been for a while. Check out this budget-friendly privacy demon with a 30-day money-back guarantee and see how it compares to ExpressVPN.View Deal

3. ExpressVPN – from $4.99 per month
The best VPN for beginners and the most secure

With its lightning-fast speeds and excellent unblocking capabilities, ExpressVPN is one of the best choices out there if you’re willing to pay a premium for performance. Its apps are incredibly polished, and its custom VPN protocol, Lightway, combines high speeds with obfuscation to allow you to connect from anywhere on the planet. View Deal

Proton VPN FAQsHow does Proton VPN keep your data safe?

Proton VPN is based in Switzerland and adheres to a strict no-logs policy, verified by independent audits. It also employs strong encryption standards in addition to security features like Secure Core.

Does Proton VPN work with Netflix?

Yes, Proton VPN successfully unblocks Netflix in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Japan. Its speeds are also more than enough to watch 4K content, which makes it a good choice for streaming.

Is Proton VPN good for torrenting?

Proton VPN supports P2P file sharing on dedicated servers. They also use a combination of powerful encryption techniques and audited privacy practices, ensuring your IP won’t be leaked while torrenting.

3i G10+ robot vacuum: two-minute review

The 3i G10+ is a hybrid robot vacuum and mop that has a clever USP that makes it an especially good choice for small homes: the onboard dust cup is around twice the usual size, and compresses its contents to fit even more in. It's an ideal solution for those people who don't have space for a massive self-empty base station taking up their living room, but equally don't want to have to manually empty dust after every clean.

While it lacks the fancier features found on today's best robot vacuums, it's certainly one of the best budget robovacs I've tested, punching above its affordable price tag. There are several features I wouldn't expect in this price bracket, including an extending side brush and a mop pad that kicks out to get closer to the edges of rooms and can lift when traversing carpet. The result is very thorough vacuuming, strong edge cleaning, and solid mopping too.

It's not perfect. I found the 3i G10+ struggled to mount the charger when the dock was placed on a carpet, and the object avoidance is a little hit-and-miss. It's also not the best choice if mopping is your priority – the small onboard tank needs refilling regularly, and the fact the mop pads can't be removed from their base for machine-washing is annoying.

However, given the overall balance of performance to price, I think the 3i G10+ is a very solid recommendation. For me, the pros vastly outweigh the cons. Read on for my full 3i G10+ robot vacuum review.

(Image credit: Future)3i G10+ robot vacuum review: price & availability

• List price: $449 (about £560 / AU$1,110)
• Available: US only
• Launched: January 2025 (on sale June 2025)

The 3i G10+ was unveiled at CES 2025 and then went on sale in June that year. It's only available in the US, and any way you slice it, the 3i G10+ is very well-priced for what you're getting. At full list price, it's $449, but at time of writing it was reduced to $399 (about £560 / AU$1,110). Both fall into the TechRadar budget price bracket for robovacs. Sure, you can go cheaper with some robot vacuum models, but to get one with mopping capability, this is about as low as you can go.

There's also the innovative dust compression, enabling you to avoid having to make space for a bulky dock. There are only a few other bots that offer this. One example is the Narwal Freo X Plus, which costs about the same as the G10+ (going for $399.99 / AU$899), but has some unwelcome quirks that the 3i doesn't suffer from. There's also the Roomba 205 DustCompactor Combo for $469.99 / £399, but the least said about that bot and its performance, the better.

The Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 goes for the same price when discounted, but has a higher MSRP of $699.99 / £449.99. It does have a bigger auto-self emptying base station with a 1.9 quart (about 1.8L) dustbin capacity, so requires a bit more space. It's also a bit older of a model, which at the time of review had a glitchy app and just average mopping. With the 3i G10+, you get 1 still very good 1L dustbin without having to set aside the space for such a big base station. And that's Shark's most reasonably priced mopping robot vacuum.

The Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus might be the robot vacuum that the 3i G10+ reminds me of most. The Ecovacs has a higher MSRP of $649.99 / £499 / AU$999, but can be regularly found at the same price as the 3i G10+. It also has a small auto-self emptying base station. It, however, has an annoying quirk in that you have to physically remove the mop pad for use on carpet. And in that regard, the 3i G10+ is easier to use, as I'll get into below.

While the 3i G10+ isn't quite perfect, it sets a high bar for anything around $400.

• Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5

3i G10+ robot vacuum specs

Max suction:

18,000 Pa

Robot diameter:

14 in / 35.6 cm

Robot height:

4.3 in / 10.9 cm

Dock dimensions (W x D x H):

5.9 x 5.3 x 3.8 in / 15 x 13.5 x 9.7 cm

Dust bin volume (bot):

1L

Water tank volume (bot):

0.2L

Base type:

Charge only

Noise level (average):

52dB

Runtime:

180 minutes

3i G10+ robot vacuum review: design

• Large capacity onboard dustbin with compression
• Water tank is small but easy to access
• Extendable side brush and mop pad

The 3i G10+ might have the typical disc shape, but it doesn't look like most robot vacuums. Instead of the little raised navigation tower poking out of the top, this robot vacuum has a much larger, almost egg-shaped raised portion that not only contains sensors (the typical reason for these raised areas), but also the power button and, most importantly, the dustbin.

That dustbin is unusual in that not only does it have a supersized 1L capacity – most robot vacuums have less than half of that – but also an internal mechanism to compress all the dirt and debris coming in. That means that even though there's no auto-empty dustbin in the dock (instead, it's a compact, charge-only setup), you won't need to empty the onboard bin too regularly. Because the dust is potentially sitting around in the bot for a while, 3i has built in a UV light to keep things hygienic.

Image 1 of 4

The whole bin section can be pulled out of the top of the bot (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 4

The onboard bin features a dust compressing paddle (Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 4

The water tank is tiny (Image credit: Future)Image 4 of 4

The charge-only dock is pleasingly compact (Image credit: Future)

Getting back to the exterior of the 3i G10+. The water tank hugs the back of the unit and pulls off and snaps back into place via magnets, making it very easy to access and fill up. It has a small capacity – just 247ml – so it needs regular refilling.

(If you're using the mop on a regular basis then a bigger, more comprehensive clean station that can wash and dry the mop pads for you, as well as refilling the tanks, is a big effort-saver. Although you will of course have to make space for it.)

Select manual controls can be found on top of the robot (Image credit: Future)

Underneath, there's a single side brush, a brush roll, and a stationary mop pad. However, there's more going on here as well. That side brush can extend out to reach further into the edges of rooms. The mop pad is just a stationary one, but the 3i G10+ can move the whole pad out a bit for more thorough edge mopping too. Those kinds of features are unusual for robot vacuums at this price point.

• Design score: 4.5 out of 5

3i G10+ robot vacuum review: performance

• Very good vacuuming and solid mopping, including edges
• Mop pad can't be removed from mount for machine-washing
• Quiet operation

While I usually prefer robot vacuums to have two side brushes, one on each side, the single brush and brush roll on the 3i G10+ proved more than up to the job of vacuuming whatever dirt, dust, and debris was lying around. It helps that the side brush actually extends out, sweeping anything away from the edge of the room and into the bot's suction path.

Image 1 of 2

The 3i G10+ tackling my suction tests (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

The result after a single pass (Image credit: Future)

I used this robot vacuum on hardwood flooring, tile and carpet, and found it did a very solid job on all three. I also ran TechRadar's usual suction tests, sprinkling flour, sugar, and breakfast cereal on the floor and seeing how efficiently it cleared it. It took two passes to get everything, but once those were complete, you couldn't tell that anything had been spilled.

This bot is especially good at edge cleaning (Image credit: Future)

The mopping performance is pretty good as well, though not quite up to the standard of the vacuuming. The mop pad is the flat kind that gets dragged across the floor. It's great for surface-level cleaning but not tough enough for anything more challenging – I find dual, spinning mop pads offer more thorough clean.

In general use I found the coverage was good, and not streaky the way that this kind of mop pad can be. Because the mop pad can kick out to the side, the si G10+ is great at mopping into the edges of rooms. Also a plus is the fact that it will lift the mop pad up a few millimeters when going onto carpet to keep said carpet from getting wet – you don't always get that kind of functionality with a bot at this price point.

The 3i G10+ tackling my mopping tests (Image credit: Future)

I ran some mopping tests that involved spilling soda and coffee on the floor and seeing how well the bot handled it. While it cleared the area effectively, my whole floor ended up smelling like coffee and soda afterwards. I'd recommend tackling spillages manually, to avoid this.

Because the base station doesn't have mop-cleaning capabilities, you'll also need to stay on top of washing the mop pads fairly regularly. Annoyingly (and unusually), while the mop and its mount can be removed from the bot, the cloth part doesn't come off its mount. That means you can't throw it in a washing machine, but instead have to hand-wash. I was annoyed to find the mop cloth-and-mount took nearly a day to dry, though it went a lot quicker when I put it in the sun.

Object avoidance is hit-and-miss (Image credit: Future)

The object avoidance is unfortunately not as good as advertised. While the G10+ did manage to register and avoid some objects, I also watched it push around a bag clip, bump into a dog water bowl, and climb up on the base of a chair and end up stuck. Overall, the object avoidance is rather hit and miss. I've found that to be par for the course with more budget and mid-range models, though.

On the bright side, operation is relatively quiet, registering at 52dB during regular use and 56dB when extending side brush. I've used some robot vacuums that get much, much louder and it can be distracting. Having one with a quiet drone, especially when I'm trying to work or do something when it's running, is appreciated.

Emptying the onboard dust bin (Image credit: Future)

The battery lasts a very decent 240 minutes – enough time to clean the full 700 square feet area it could reach without having to recharge.

Lastly, though it vacuums just fine on carpet, it can't seem to get back onto its base station when on carpet (medium pile for reference). It's as if the 3i G10+ can't catch onto the ramp attached to the base station to reach the charging contacts. It's a bit strange and one of the drawbacks of not having a bigger mat for the robot vacuum to go up on.

• Performance score: 4 out of 5

3i G10+ robot vacuum review: app

• Straightforward to set up and use including maps
• Has an AI Auto Mode to make things even easier
• Comes with pet camera and manual controls

I typically don't find a lot of issues with robot vacuum apps these days, and it's no different with the 3i app. It's intuitive to get started, from pairing to going through the various instructions to complete the setup process. Other than waiting for the app and vacuum to pair and connect to WiFi, it's also a straightforward process.

Part of setting it up is also mapping your space and, though the 3i G10+ takes its time, it does a thorough job and even guesses the names of different rooms (not always correctly). Editing the map does take a tiny bit of menu diving, but once you get the screen to make changes, it works well and is happy to let you partition certain spaces more than once – an issue I've actually had with some models.

(Image credit: 3i / Future)

As far as using the app, the 3i G10+ home page is straightforward with the map top center, important info at the top, menu diving icons top right, as well as the more specific cleaning functions on the lower half of the screen.

There's a lot of flexibility for adjusting how you want your space cleaned including whether you want to vacuum or vacuum and mop, along with suction power, water level, cycles, and more. But if you don't want to manually set the cleaning mode, 'AI Auto' will decide the various settings for you. I found it useful for spaces with different types of surfaces – for example, it'll adjust automatically when going from hardwood to carpet.

Beyond the meat and potatoes of the app, there are more useful features including Alexa and Google Voice Assistant support. You can even take over the camera and motor functions to check on a pet when you're not home.

• App score: 4.5 out of 5

Should you buy the 3i G10+ robot vacuum?

Attribute

Notes

Rating

Value

Budget bracket, with a very solid feature list for the price.

4.5 / 5

Design

The large onboard dustbin with compression is just part of what sets this bot apart. It also has an extendable side brush and mop pad.

4.5 / 5

Performance

Very solid vacuuming, good mopping and thorough edge cleaning. Quiet in operation, too. However, struggles to return to dock if dock is placed on carpet.

4 / 5

App

The interface and mapping, along with everything else, is easy.

4.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You don't have a lot of space

The dustbin has such a large capacity (for an on-board dustbin) that the base station can be and is tiny. You won't need nearly the same amount of space that mopping vacuums with bigger base stations need.

You're on a budget

The 3i G10+ sits in the budget bracket and offers a very strong featureset. You're getting a lot for your money.

You care about the edges

With both an extendable side brush and an extendable mop pad, the 3i G10+ is able to reach your room's edges when vacuuming and mopping.

Don't buy it if...

You want deep mopping

The mopping performance is fine, but for more thorough scrubbing you're better with dual rotating mop pads than the stationary pad on this bot.

Your entire place is carpeted

It might just be my medium pile carpet, but this robot vacuum could not return to its base station when on carpet. Unless you also want to get a mat to put underneath the base station, you'll want to avoid if your whole place is carpeted.

Your priority is mopping

If you're going to be mopping a lot, the small water tank and lack of automatic mop-cleaning features is going to get annoying – not to mention the fact you can't chuck the mop pad into the washing machine.

3i G10+ robot vacuum review: alternatives to consider

Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus

The Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus is an affordable mopping robot vacuum with an auto self-emptying dustbin that does the job well. It has a longer battery life than the 3i G10+, but it also has the annoying quirk of needing its mop pad removed for use on carpet.

Read our full Ecovacs Deebot N10 Plus review

Yeedi C12 Pro Plus

Originally set at the same price point, the Narwal Freo X Plus also vacuums and mops without a towering base station. Of course, it doesn't have the 3i G10+'s dustbin, but it does come with a mat so it doesn't have the issues getting to its base station on carpets.

Read our full Narwal Freo X Plus review

How I tested the 3i G10+ robot vacuum

To test the 3i G10+, I used it for a couple weeks, testing its vacuum and mop capabilities not only on hardwood floors, but also when going from hardwood floors to carpets (with some intentionally dropped objects here and there). I also tested its cleaning abilities with spillages of various types. I went through every nook and cranny of the app, looking at things like mapping and ease of use.

Read more about how we test robot vacuum cleaners

• First reviewed July 2025

If you're reading this, odds are you've read a thing or two about standing desks and perhaps even thought about building out your setup already. If you've done that, I'd be willing to guess you've seen or considered a desk shelf. That was me years ago when I started my journey in the desk setup world.

Even way back then, I was familiar with the company Grovemade. It was the pinnacle of the desk shelf back then, and even to this day, with more competitors than I could count, they remain the original gorgeous desk shelf, continuing to create beauty to this day.

When I saw they were teasing a standing desk, my excitement was near uncontainable. I knew that if a company cared this much about the quality of a desk shelf, imagine how much care would go into an entire standing desk. Now, I've tested many of the best standing desks around, but I could never have predicted just how good this desk is.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Grovemade Standing Desk: Pricing and Availability

The Grovemade Standing Desk can be purchased directly from Grovemade for $2,900. They have a 4-6 week turnaround time and can ship to the USA, Canada, and Japan only.

They have six wood options and one size option, which is a bummer if you come from a world of heavy customization in sizing, but for everyone else, this desk size feels perfect.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Grovemade Standing Desk: Unboxing & first impressions

Opening up the boxes for this desk grew my excitement by the minute. The spectacular aroma of the real walnut, the curves of genuine craftsmanship, and the intricate parts all fit together beautifully. This desk was built, and I was setting up the workspace and organizing it mere 45 minutes after it was delivered to my door -- that's how excited I was.

I chose to get the complementary desk shelf, along with a desk mat, some other walnut accessories, dual monitor arms, a lamp, and a few other accessories to build out this dream setup.

The standout feature, of course, is the built-in drawer. My first impression of this drawer was one of shock and amazement, as it was exactly what I had hoped Grovemade would do; in fact, it's nearly exactly what I would do in an ideal world. It's organized, designed for quick access to things, and it has a spot for my laptop, allowing me to dock it and keep it out of the way.

Alternatively, can use it to store whatever else I want and have it as an active charging bay or for other purposes. Another standout feature is the slit in the desktop, which allows cables to pass through the middle of the desk instead of coming up and around the outside.

All around, this desk has some of the most wow-factor of any product I have had the pleasure of working with. And the shock and awe doesn't just end at a first glance.

Grovemade Standing Desk: Design & Build Quality

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Specs

Dimensions: 58 x 28 inches
Lifting Capacity: 270lbs
Drawer Capacity: 30lbs
Weight: 134lbs

The craftsmanship of this desk is out of this world. The solid walnut with a soft matte finish is peak craftsmanship in my mind. The CNC's drawer is a modern marvel and a work of art, combining two productivity-enhancing features that are precisely what I could have ever wished for with standing desks. The passthrough slit in the middle of the desk is another one of those spectacular features that I fell in love with.

It shows intentional craftsmanship, and it shows that Grovemade thought ahead to how some people want to be able to do a passthrough, but not all. Unlike others that have huge passthroughs or other systems built in, which can make it hard not to use the system as the company intended, Grovemade added a slit just big enough to be used or ignored, and there isn't a problem either way.

Another notable feature with a spectacular design is the drop-down tray that spans the width of the desk, used for both power and cable management. This option helps make the power accessible, gives ample space, and also helps keep everything clean on the desk itself. Additionally, if the desk were not positioned against the wall, it would also serve as a modesty shield, providing a bit of privacy from that angle.

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

I've had the Grovemade Desk assembled and a part of my fleet for 87 days. For those 87 days, this desk itself has grown on me and has become nearly the perfect desk for most people. I've built it out to be one of my favorite setups, featuring dual monitors on a simple monitor arm, an iPad Pro dock from Kensington, a desk mat, some nice accessories from Grovemade such as the pen holder, and a Magsafe stand, a Thunderbolt Docking Station, another one to run DisplayLink to the dual monitors from Dell. I also added a simple light bar (though I wish I had chosen to spend the extra money on one from BenQ rather than this random Amazon find), an Apple Magic Trackpad, and a gorgeous Keychron K2 HE keyboard.

The drawer organization is, in fact, the dream. It's precisely how I would have set it up if I were designing it. There is a clean spot to place my laptop with plenty of ventilation, keeping it safe and out of the way without needing extra accessories. There is a separate compartment large enough for books, notebooks, papers, pens, tools, accessories, and more.

Over the last 87 days, I have adjusted and tweaked just about everything to make it work exactly as I want. Having a built-in drawer that raises and lowers with the desk and is made of premium material to keep my gear organized is a massive step up in the desk world.

The cable management in the legs is also spectacular. I was able to tuck all my cabling from the desk through the slit and down into this management area, plugging into the power I needed, and hiding my secondary dock in here so that, regardless of the laptop I'm using, I can run both displays.

The controller is another very unique piece of this desk. The controls are very different than a standard controller, but once I got used to it, it feels like second nature now. I can easily and precisely adjust between standing and sitting heights, and I can adapt anywhere in between that I want to. Plus, it hides away under the drawer, sliding out with it when the drawer is extended and tucked away nicely when it's not.

Pairing this desk with a Grovemade shelf is an obvious choice if you have the cash for it, but if you don't, there are still great setup options that you can build without a desk shelf. What makes this desk so beautiful is that it's versatile. This desk can be easily used by a creative designer, a business professional, a teacher, a student, an engineer, a developer, a project manager, and so on. The desk is so versatile that it can accommodate almost any workflow.

Having seen many desks, I've identified some potential pain points for this desk that could make it less ideal for specific users. If you are the kind of person who has to mount things under the desk, like my home office beast of a desk that has servers, switches, a Mac mini, a NAS, and more all mounted under it, then this desk would make it very difficult to do that. There is minimal space where there is no drawer or cable management. But, for just about everyone else, this desk is not only perfect, but a dream come true.

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Gorgeous, intuitive design

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ease of use

Easy to use for anyone

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Practicality

Practical for most

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price

Expensive, but fair

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Grovemade Standing Desk: Final verdict

Grovemade didn't just build a desk - it changed what I think of when I think of a standing desk. The company designed an entire workspace, not just a phenomenal base on which to build a workspace. And somehow managed to do this in a way that did not limit users to a single niche.

The company chose to invest in R&D, utilize high-quality products, and create something that nobody has before. Everything feels intentional, planned, thought through, and designed, rather than being hastily put together to make a profit.

If you're looking for a workspace, not just a plank of wood or wood-like material on some legs, then the Grovemade Desk needs to be at the top of your considerations, seriously.

Creating the perfect, productive workspace? We've tested and reviewed the best office chairs around.

Thunderbolt 5 is a part of the newest laptop line-ups, whether we are ready for it or not. TB5 has incredible speeds, excellent reliability, and a plethora of other features that make it great. However, if your laptop has Thunderbolt 5, why wouldn't you want your docking station to support it so that you can take advantage of all the speed?

The FusionDock Pro 3 from iVanky is a single dock with two styles. They have the tower design and the deck design. The tower is designed to stand upright, much like the old Nintendo Wii. And the deck style looks about like every other docking station you may think of.

I grabbed the deck model because it would fit better into my workspace area. This model features three Thunderbolt 5 ports, a port for connecting to the laptop, 140W charging, a 2.5GbE network, multiple USB-A ports, an SD Card reader, and a headphone jack. Overall, this adds 11 ports to your MacBook Pro, Dell Pro, Lenovo, or any other laptop you may have.

Like just about all of the best docking stations supporting TB5, one thing to note right off the bat is that you can use this dock with any USB-C-enabled device; however, you won't get full-speed functionality unless your machine has a Thunderbolt 5 port available.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )iVANKY FusionDock Pro 3: Pricing and Availability

The FusionDock Pro 3, as a tower, is a whopping $459 on iVANKY's website. The deck that I grabbed is $439.99 on the same website, making a powerful docking station a tad more palatable.

You can purchase this newly released docking station from iVanky's website, Amazon, or B&H.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )iVANKY FusionDock Pro 3: Unboxing & first impressions

The FusionDock Pro 3 is a plain-looking device. However, it feels substantial and durable, with a weighty feel. Additionally, the metallic casing gives it a sturdy feel, suggesting it can withstand a few hits and bumps without breaking.

One thing that shocked me was the size of the power brick, but then again, it can output power to my laptop at up to 140W, so I shouldn't be too surprised that it has a hefty power brick.

iVANKY FusionDock Pro 3: Design & Build Quality

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Specs

Ports: 3x TB5, 4x USB-A, 1x RJ45, 1x SD card, 1x Audio Jack,
Ethernet: 2.5GbE
PD: 140 W upstream, 60 W downstream PD

The FusionDock Pro 3 features a simple, matte metallic shell with a matte black plastic front and back, housing the ports. The port layout is straightforward and thought through. While my personal preference for the desk setup determines whether I prefer the cable connecting to the computer to be in the front or the back of the dock, for this one, it's positioned up front.

On the front of the dock, we have (from left to right) the power button, some indicator lights, the 140W port for the laptop or computer, a TB5 port, a USB-A port, the SD Card reader, and then the headphone jack. That all makes a lot of sense to have readily accessible on the front, and I'm happy to see a TB5 on the front. Too many docks have those hidden away in the back only.

On the back of the dock is a row of three USB-A ports, an RJ45 port, two TB5 ports, and then the barrel connector. I am not a fan of barrel connectors, so I understand why some docks still use them.

Some other features worth mentioning are the rubber pads on the bottom side of the dock, which help prevent sliding, and the numerous ventilation holes that keep the device cool while it's working hard.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )iVANKY FusionDock Pro 3: In use

I recently purchased an M4 Pro MacBook Pro, which features the TB5 port, making me all the more excited to try this docking station out. In addition, a handful of the laptops I have in for testing (reviews coming soon) also feature Thunderbolt 5. In my testing, I was able to transfer files back and forth between my laptop and my Synology BeeStation as well as my Synology DS925+.

I was able to set up an entire workstation through a single dock, without feeling like I was missing anything. I tested single-monitor setups, dual-monitor setups, and, using one of the laptops I have, even a triple-monitor setup with just this dock. I did have to use an adapter for one of the monitors, though, which is an important thing to note.

This docking station, since it doesn't have an HDMI or DP port, will need adapters to connect non-USB-C displays. Many of the newer monitors are compatible, but if it's not a new one, you'll need to obtain an HDMI to USB-C or DisplayPort to USB-C adapter or dongle.

During testing, especially when running triple displays or transferring large files, the docking station did get a bit warm, but it never became too hot, nor did it activate a fan or any other similar mechanism. Watching that little dock do so much and all at speeds that didn't feel possible a mere few years ago was impressive.

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Sleek and clean

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ease of use

Easy to use once and setup

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Practicality

Practical for TB5 Users

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price

Expensive, but fair

⭐⭐⭐⭐

iVANKY FusionDock Pro 3: Final verdict

The iVanky FusionDock Pro 3 is an impressive Thunderbolt 5 docking station, available at a brand-new price with cutting-edge technology. If you don't need Thunderbolt 5, a different, more cost-effective dock may be better suited for you. However, if you have Thunderbolt 5 in your computer and need to maximize transfer speeds, then this is a spectacular choice in a docking station for you.

I'm a massive fan of workstations. I love customizing a space, whether it's simplistic, stylish, or robust, to suit the person and task at hand. Thankfully, I've found a career and a role that allows me to do this far more regularly than the average person.

Simple desk designs are fun. They are clean and beautiful, with a purpose, and they have things tucked away and organized, making them aesthetically quite pleasing.

Portable desk setups are also quite fun. The challenge of fitting all that's needed and helpful into a backpack, allowing for full productivity everywhere and anywhere.

Robust and maximalist desks are a whole different beast. Everything you could need, within arm's reach. Ready for anything, prepared for everything.

At the heart of a robust and built-out setup, you need a fantastic, reliable, quality, high-end standing desk. Without a solid foundation, the structure (or desk setup in this scenario) will not be stable.

That's precisely why, when I saw this desk, I knew I could transform it into a maximalist desk. I knew that this desk could withstand whatever I threw at it, and that I could have it be one that I could rely on for years to come.

The Uplift V2 Commercial 2-Leg Standing Desk is a two-legged, C-frame standing desk with a more stable design than the standard V2, thanks to a crossbeam. This crossbeam not only makes the desk far less wobbly, but it also allows Uplift to lower the legs by 3 inches, providing a wider range of motion, making it one of the best standing desks I've ever used.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Uplift V2 Commercial 2-Leg Standing Desk: Pricing and Availability

The best place to purchase the Uplift V2-Commercial Standing Desk is directly from Uplift's website. There aren't many desk companies that offer the same level of customization that Uplift does.

A basic desk can run you around $600. Nothing fancy, all the basic options. However, you can customize it to exceed $2000, changing and customizing the size, wood type and material, legs, colors, casters, accessories, keypads for controlling the desk, grommets, and more.

With all of these changes, you have the opportunity to create a one-of-a-kind custom desk that nobody else has. In all actuality, you can make a fully customized, one-of-a-kind desk by using the live edge with epoxy desktop type.

In short, the price will swing quite aggressively depending on what you build out, and what you choose can be customized to precisely the kind of base you want for your dream workstation.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Uplift V2 Commercial 2-Leg Standing Desk: Unboxing & first impressions

I remember it well. I saw the delivery truck back into my driveway - always a great sign - and then I saw this delivery driver grab a thin box I knew had to be a desk out of the back of the truck.

Once she picked it up, it had to have been three times her size. She somehow managed to get it over to my front porch by the time I got out there to take it from her. I remember grabbing the box and thinking, 'This thing weighs easily several times my weight; how on earth did she manage to carry this over here?'

The legs box for some desks is the heaviest, but for this desk, the desktop, made of real 1.5-inch reclaimed birch butcher block at 72x30 inches, was by far the heavier box. The desk itself took about 45 minutes to build with my Hoto Toolset. However, due to the desk's considerable weight, I had one more person assist me in building parts to ensure the desk was not damaged in any way.

Uplift V2 Commercial 2-Leg Standing Desk: Design & Build Quality

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Specs

as tested

Frame: Dual‑motor, 2‑leg V2 Commercial
Height Range: ~21.6″–47.7″ (+ desktop thickness)
Lifting Capacity: 355 lb
Dimensions: 72x30 inches

The reclaimed birch-butcher block desktop is downright gorgeous. I didn't expect it to look this good in person, but now that I see it, it looks even better than I thought it would. The legs are clean and sleek, providing incredible stability, and even a place to rest my legs when fully reclined if I want to. The controller is easy to use, although I swapped it out for a black one after taking these pictures to match the leg frame a bit better.

The controller is responsive and functional, making it super easy to preset heights that I want to use throughout the day. I have one set for my sitting height, one for my standing height, one for the standing height of another member of my team who uses this desk a lot, and one for a working height where I can do things on the desk a bit smoother without having the ergonomics dialed in for standing and typing.

This desk setup has two main things that everything else is built around. First of course, the desk, but secondly, this desk is the perfect build for the Hexcal Studio Desk Shelf. But more on that below.

For this robust desk setup, I chose to pick up some of Uplift's Monitor arms, the Range-X Dual Monitor Arm to be exact, I also decided to grab a lot of the other accessories I wanted too, like the proper grommets, the casters, a hefty surge protector, a magnetic cable channel for routing cables and some modesty panels to help with keeping a clean look all around. Lastly, to complete the power aspect of this desk setup, I added the iVanky FusionDock Max 1 to control the desk from that perspective.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Uplift V2 Commercial 2-Leg Standing Desk: In use

Building the physical desk is only half the battle. I spent several hours perfecting this setup once assembled. The Hexcal was assembled quickly, but then I chose to go all out for this desk, while still making it functional for most people on my team. I added dual monitors, a lamp, the dock, a soundbar, the iconic cup holder, cable management, a modesty panel, and more.

First, I added the monitor arms and positioned them exactly as I wanted. Thankfully, these arms have enough range that I can still maintain the one vertical and one horizontal look that I wanted, mainly since this setup features two different types of monitors. This setup is in the same orientation as the one I am replacing in this office.

A significant addition I wanted to make to this setup was the Hexcal Studio. I had gotten this around the same time as the Uplift Desk, so I knew it would be a great match. What's unique about the Hexcal is that it incorporates lights, power, data, cable management, and even a wireless charger all into one unit. So, I was able to run one power line from the Hexcal Studio down to the power strip mounted under the desk, and then I ran the power from the desk to that strip, and the lamp. That's it. Everything else I was able to run into the outlets built into the Hexcal, and then also manage the cables in the trough without any issues. The Studio fit perfectly under the monitors, providing room for me to place the iVanky FusionDock Max 1 right on top for easy access.

Moving back to the desk, I was easily able to set up the monitor arms right where I wanted them, without having to avoid any crossbars or frames, or choose a less-than-ideal mounting spot, because all areas were suitable for mounting. The 1.5-inch-thick butcher block1.5-inch-thick butcher block made mounting super easy, and it also made it easy to build everything else. I chose exactly where I wanted the control panel, my ridiculous (but now I secretly love it) cup holder, lamp, desk mat, and laptop stand.

My team and I usually pop in and out of here, so we kept the laptop stand pulled forward for easy access, and we put it right over the control panel so that when we come and go, we can press a button on our way to dock the laptop or as we are grabbing it to leave. I could have put the controller on the left, but I chose the right because I didn't want to bump it with my knee when moving around or twisting in and out of my chair.

Lastly, the modesty panel isn't just for covering peering eyes from looking at places you may not want them to, it's also great for covering up cables and giving a more professional look to things. I installed a modesty panel long enough for the back of the desk as well as the side, but due to the current arrangement of the desk and the monitor arm location, I chose to put the side one on for now. Though if I ever pull this desk out into the middle of the space as I hope to in the future, I'll toss that modesty panel on the back right away.

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Maximalist and gorgeous

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ease of use

Easy to use once set up

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Practicality

Practical for the right user

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price

Expensive, but fair

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Uplift V2 Commercial 2-Leg Standing Desk: Final verdict

The Uplift V2 Commercial 2-Leg Standing Desk is a powerful standing desk that transforms into a powerful workstation. It's a fantastic desk, providing smooth and consistent height adjustments, a sturdy desktop even at standing height, and a gorgeous surface to create your dream workspace, no matter how complex or simple it may be. And, since you can customize it, there isn't a reason not to check out this desk if you are in the market at all, no matter how small or how big that budget may be.

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

The Dell Pro 14 Plus is the portable version of Dell's new line of Pro Plus monitors, following their recent name change.

The Pro 14 Plus features a 14-inch display, making it one of the smaller portable monitors I have tested, and it's probably the simplest in all respects. It's highly portable, easy to use, with no frills and no extra mess. It's sturdy, well-built, and offers a respectable price. It's a clear market for those who need more screen space on the go, without needing anything fancy or power-hungry.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Dell Pro 14 Plus: Pricing and Availability

The Dell Pro 14 Plus is typically available for just over $300, and it's currently listed on Dell's site for $323.74. For this price, you get a standard 3-year warranty on a WUXGA 1920 x 1200, 14-inch display with two USB-C ports, a built-in multi-functional stand, and an easy-to-use package.

Dell ships these products worldwide, so they are available anywhere. Better yet, due to its compact size, you can also take it almost anywhere. It can slip into a backpack, briefcase, suitcase, or even just along in your arms without adding much bulk.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Dell Pro 14 Plus: Unboxing & first impressions

At this point, I've tested several portable monitors. This one functions much like the others, except it feels simpler. The other portable monitors I have tested have cooler features or nicer displays, but what they cannot top is this one in terms of simplicity and ease of use. The Dell Pro 14 Plus comes with only two USB-C cables and a fold-out stand, so you're good to go. You plug in, and it works. Nothing fancy, no setup time, no wondering which port to plug into - nothing like that. It's plug-and-play in the best way.

Amidst all the other portable displays, what makes this one so interesting is that it provides more screen real estate when needed. You don't need 4K, you don't need OLED, or a fancy stand; you don't need something with ports, speakers, or any other features. This display checks those boxes of simplicity very easily.

Dell Pro 14 Plus: Design & Build Quality

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Specs

Display: 14″ IPS
Resolution: 1920×1200
Refresh Rate: 60 Hz
Brightness: 400 nits
Contrast: 1500:1
Ports: 2× USB‑C (DP Alt + PD 65 W pass-through)
Weight: 0.57 kg, 0.62 kg with built-in stand

There isn't a whole lot to say about design -- and that's a good thing. This is a simple panel with a fold-out stand. It features two USB-C ports, one on either side of the stand, for easy use. The shell is constructed from slim aluminum with a plastic casing and rubber edges for enhanced grip and protection against scratches.

The bottom of the monitor, when used in landscape mode, features a slight chin with minimal branding, nothing too elaborate or complicated. The top of that same orientation view has a smaller chin, but still retains a slight bezel.

Due to its design, this monitor can be easily rotated to a vertical or portrait orientation, making it a more functional stand by far. This also explains why they placed one USB-C port on either side, allowing for a spot to plug the monitor into your computer from any angle.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Dell Pro 14 Plus: In use

This has been a fantastic little display to keep in a lightweight backpack for a trip, to use when working away from my desk, or even to add just a bit more screen space to my main desk. One thing to note right off the bat is that yes, this is only a 1080p display. It's nothing brilliant, and it's not overly impressive, but that's also what makes it great for certain things. I think of it like why I love my iPad Mini 7. It's not the best by any means, but the size and simplicity help me realize that it's not supposed to replace my primary machine. This display is unapologetically secondary; it's meant to enhance, not replace or become primary. Some of these other portable displays have become my primary workspace when I use them, for better and for worse. But the Pro 14 Plus stays secondary in every situation.

With that in mind, it's fine that it's not the best in terms of graphics, colors, or size. The ergonomics with the fold-out kickstand make it easy to set up, the anti-glare screen helps reduce distractions, the easy USB-C port means that I won't try to use it as a dock too, or try to run anything through it, I'll remember that all this is used for is expanding my workspace just a tad. There are no speakers, no high refresh rate, no mics, and no cameras. No frills, just a simple 14-inch addition to my screen.

The simplicity of this screen is what makes it special, just like the iPad mini. I can throw this in my bag and forget it's there, except when I want to be able to throw Notion, Slack, Spotify, Jira, Basecamp, Asana, metrics, or my email up on a dedicated screen to keep an eye on it while I knock out my work on my laptop. It's great for that, and for some, that's exactly what they want.

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Sleek and minimal

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ease of use

Very easy to use

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Practicality

Practical for many

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price

Understandably priced

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Dell Pro 14 Plus: Final verdict

The Dell Pro 14 Plus is simple, easy to use, easy to move, and easy to remember its purpose. It's got okay specs, but what makes it great is that it knows what it is and isn't. And that's a lot more than what some tech these days can say.

For more screen options, we've tested and reviewed the best business monitors.

Philips LatteGo 5500 Series: two-minute review

The Philips LatteGo 5500 Series is a compact fully automatic espresso machine that's a solid choice for couples and individuals. It has a relatively small water tank and bean hopper that's perfect for making a couple of cups, so you won't have large quantities of coffee and water going stale.

The built-in ceramic grinder offers some super-fine grind settings, and with just a little adjustment you should be able to brew consistently well-extracted espresso, which you can enjoy alone or as the foundation of over 15 different drinks. The most popular options (such as cappuccino and americano) are accessible via buttons beside the color display, while others can be found by tapping "other drinks" and selecting either hot or iced beverages.

It's worth noting that the LatteGo 5500 Series doesn't offer cold coffee extraction. Instead, you're prompted to add six to eight ice cubes to your cup, and the machine pours over a shot of hot espresso (followed by cold-foamed milk, if appropriate for your chosen drink). The results are OK, but you don't get the same mellow flavor you do from coffee infused using cold water, and the melting of the ice means drinks usually made without water can taste weak.

The LatteGo milk system works well, producing a thick and creamy foam from plant or dairy milk (Image credit: Future)

For me, the most interesting feature is the LatteGo's automatic milk-foaming system. Unlike most other coffee makers I've tested, the 5500 Series has a milk carafe that clips onto a steam nozzle on the front of the machine, and is designed to be filled while attached.

This might seem odd at first, but it actually makes a lot of sense. Not carrying containers of milk across the kitchen means less risk of spillage, and this carafe isn't intended for storing milk in the fridge between brews. Instead, it has markers on the side that show you exactly how much to add for different drinks, meaning there won't be any left at the end, and the carafe can be washed out, ready for next time (either by hand or in a dishwasher). It's a smart system for making just one or two drinks.

You do have to be very careful with how you position your cup, though. There's no way to adjust the LatteGo system's spout, and your cup needs to be further forward on the drip tray than you'd expect. Move it over the red water-level indicator, then a bit further still to avoid your milk spilling over the edge.

Overall, this is a well-made bean-to-cup machine for small households (or ones with just one coffee-drinker), and it does the basics very well. It wouldn't be my top choice if you want to make cold drinks regularly, however. For that, you'd be better opting for a machine that can handle cold extraction, so your drink isn't watered down. Take a look at my list of the best cold-brew coffee machines for some suggestions.

Philips LatteGo 5500 Series: price and availability

• List price $1,099.95 / £649.99 / AU$1,194
• Available globally
• Often discounted in the UK

The Philips LatteGo 5500 Series is available globally, and has a list price of $1,099.95 / £649.99 / AU$1,194 (although it’s often reduced to £549.99 in the UK). It’s the top-tier model in the LatteGo series, with 20 hot and cold drink options compared to 12 drinks for the less expensive 4400 Series. You’ll find all today’s best deals on the LatteGo 5500 Series listed below.

That price is about standard for a compact bean-to-cup espresso machine, and is roughly the same as the De’Longhi La Specialista Touch. However, the La Specialista Touch offers greater control over brewing options, along with both manual and automatic milk-foaming.

• Value score: 3.5/5

Philips LatteGo 5500 Series: Specifications

Name

Philips LatteGo 5500 Series

Type

Fully automatic bean-to-cup espresso machine

Dimensions (W x H x D)

9.7 x 14.6 x 17in / 24.6 x 37.1 x 43.3cm

Weight

17.6lbs / 8kg

Water reservoir capacity

1.9qt / 1.8 liters

Milk frother

Yes (automatic)

Bars of pressure

15

User profiles

4 (plus guest)

Philips LatteGo 5500 Series: Design

• Well suited to individuals or couples
• LatteGo system is easy to use and clean
• Simple button-based interface

At just 9.7 inches / 24.6cm wide, the Philips LatteGo 5500 Series is one of the narrowest espresso machines I’ve tested to date. It's ideal for tucking into small spaces – particularly because the water tank slides out of the front, so you only need to access the side of the machine when it’s time to clean the brewing group.

Although it has four user profiles (plus a guest option for visitors), this machine is best suited to individuals or couples who only want to make one or two drinks at once. Its 1.9qt / 1.8-liter water tank is quite small, and the optional (but recommended) water filter supplied with the machine takes up quite a lot of space, effectively making it smaller still.

Image 1 of 2

The LatteGo 5500 Series has quite a small water tank, which is fine for single people and couples (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

The water filter supplied is quite large, and uses a considerable amount of the tank's capacity (Image credit: Future)

At first that sounds like it could be a problem, but when you’re only making a couple of drinks at once it’s fine, and refilling the tank regularly is always a good idea. Most of your coffee is made of water, so you want to keep it fresh.

As the name suggests, one of the LatteGo 5500 Series’ key features is its milk system, which comprises a small carafe that pushes onto a steam nozzle on the front of the machine. Unlike every other automatic espresso machine I’ve tested, you fill this container while it’s attached to the machine. This feels odd at first, but it actually makes sense; no carrying containers of milk across the kitchen means no potential for spillage.

Image 1 of 2

The LatteGo system has just two removeable parts, and is easy to keep clean between uses (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

The milk carafe is filled while attached to the machine, which is quite unusual (Image credit: Future)

Markings on the side of the carafe show how far to fill it for different drinks, whether you’re preparing one or two cups. The idea is that you’ll use all the milk in one go. Unlike most other machines (such as the Jura J10, for example), the LatteGo’s carafe isn’t airtight. Nor is it intended to be stored in the fridge with milk inside between uses. Instead, you add just the amount of milk you need, then wash it out for next time (either by hand or in the top drawer of the dishwasher) to keep everything fresh.

The bean hopper doesn’t have a huge capacity either. Again, this is no bad thing for a machine intended for just one or two people, because it means you won’t have unused beans hanging around for too long.

The hopper has a tinted plastic lid to help stop light degrading the flavor compounds in the beans, and an airtight seal to keep them fresh. The seal also helps muffle the noise of the machine’s ceramic grinder. Indeed, this espresso machine is one of the quietest I’ve tested, with both the grinder and milk system making very little noise.

Image 1 of 2

The LatteGo 5500 Series has a fairly small bean hopper, which means individuals and couples won't have to worry about lots of beans going stale (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

The grind size is adjusted using a small dial in the hopper (Image credit: Future)

The grind size is adjusted using a small dial inside the hopper. I would have preferred this to be on the outside for accessibility, but that’s a minor quibble. For me, the bigger issue was the height of the hopper, which made it tricky to open and refill when the machine was under a cabinet. The machine is quite light, but if you don’t have much headroom, you’ll have to shimmy it out when it’s time to refill.

Just in front of the hopper, you’ll find a chute for adding a scoop of pre-ground coffee if you’d like to switch to something different, such as decaf for after lunch.

The drip tray is nice and deep, which again helps to avoid spillage, with a pouring spout at the back for easy emptying, plus a level indicator so you can see at a glance when it’s time to empty it. There’s also a deep detachable container for used coffee grounds, and the LatteGo 5500 Series will alert you when it needs emptying.

The drip tray has high sides to prevent spillage, and there's a generously-sized container for used coffee grounds (Image credit: Future)

This alert will appear on the machine’s TFT display, which is surrounded by a set of buttons that provide quick access to the most popular drink options. The rest are accessed by pressing the "More drinks" button, which presents you with a choice of two lists: one for hot beverages, and one for iced.

Selecting the "Setting"' button will reveal more comprehensive brewing options, including the ability to change the temperature, plus various energy-saving settings such as toggling the lights above your cup, and determining how long the machine should wait before powering off.

It was refreshing to see that the machine’s packaging was mostly cardboard, with only a few plastic bags for components. Even the best coffee makers are often packaged in large pieces of polystyrene

• Design score: 4/5

Philips LatteGo 5500 Series: performance

• Brews well-balanced espresso once grinder is dialled in
• Iced coffee isn't cold-extracted
• LatteGo milk spout is somewhat awkward

The LatteGo is very simple to use, and the buttons around the display will be all most users need on an everyday basis. Select a beverage, and you’ll be able to tweak a few options to determine the strength and volume of your drink, then the machine will handle the rest.

There’s no equivalent of De’Longhi’s BeanAdapt system for configuring the brew settings to suit your chosen coffee, but adjusting the grinder and tweaking the options when preparing your coffee should allow you to create consistently well-extracted espresso.

Each time you change the brew settings for a drink, your adjustments will be saved to the currently selected profile (red, blue, yellow or green). You can switch between profiles by tapping a button on the left of the screen, and there’s an extra guest profile, so visitors don’t accidentally override your custom cappuccino settings.

There are four colored profiles to store custom drink preferences, plus a guest profile so visitors don't override your favorites (Image credit: Future)

You can use the LatteGo system with any type of milk you choose. During my tests, whole and full-fat dairy milk foamed well, as did oat milk – although the results were less impressive when using one of the iced drink options, which dispense cold milk. An iced cappuccino had some foam on top, but not very much compared to the same drink brewed hot.

I particularly like that the LatteGo system is so easy to keep clean. The carafe comes in two parts, which are easy to unclip, and there are no awkward tubes to clean. Milk never enters the body of the coffee machine either, so you don’t need to worry about bacteria breeding inside.

Image 1 of 2

It's easy to adjust the volume of drinks to suit different-sized cups (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

The machine works well with both plant-based and dairy milk (Image credit: Future)

My biggest complaint about the LatteGo 5500 Series (and it’s one that’s easily avoided) is that you can’t change the angle of the milk spout, so you have to position your cup just right to avoid milk spilling down the side. The perfect position is much further forward than you might expect, and your cup needs to be completely covering the red level indicator on the drip tray.

It helps to use quite a wide cup for your milky beverages; otherwise, you may not be able to position it just right for both the coffee dispenser and the milk spout, causing one or the other to miss.

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You can't adjust the angle of the milk spout, so it's essential to position your cup just right (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

The correct position for your cup is further forward than you might expect (Image credit: Future)

Iced coffee is one of the biggest trends in home espresso machines right now, so it’s no surprise that the top-tier LatteGo comes with plenty of options for chilled beverages. Select one and the machine will tell you how many ice cubes to add to your glass or cup, then pour coffee and milk on top.

However, it’s worth noting that the espresso used in the LatteGo 5500 Series’ iced drinks isn’t actually brewed cold. It’s hot, and relies on the ice to bring the temperature down. This means it doesn’t have the same mellow flavor profile as true cold-extracted coffee, and you may find that your drinks taste watered-down due to the melted ice. You can get around this problem by increasing the strength of the shot, but it’s something to be aware of.

The machine doesn't make cold-extracted espresso, instead dispensing hot-brewed espresso onto ice cubes to make chilled drinks (Image credit: Future)

• Performance score: 4/5

Should you buy the Philips LatteGo 5500 Series?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

Typical price for a fully automatic espresso machine, but there are other great options available more cheaply if you shop around.

3.5/5

Design

Very compact and well suited to small households. Milk nozzle position can't be adjusted,.

4/5

Performance

Easy to use and maintain and brews excellent espresso. Hot drinks are very good, but iced options are diluted by hot espresso melting ice cubes.

4/5

Buy it if

You're brewing coffee for one (or two)

If you're only brewing in small quantities, a large bean hopper and water tank will just allow the beans and water to go stale. This compact machine is a smarter choice, and the LatteGo system helps you measure out only the milk you need.

You have a small kitchen

This is a particularly narrow machine, and you don't need to access the sides to remove the water tank, so you can push it up against a cabinet without any issues.

Don't buy it if

You want cold-brewed coffee

The LatteGo 5500 Series makes perfectly acceptable iced drinks, but the espresso is extracted using hot water and cooled by pouring it over ice. For mellow coffee extracted using cold water, take a look at my list of the top three coffee machines for cold-brew.

Philips LatteGo 5500 Series: also consider

If you're not sure that the Philips LatteGo 5500 Series is the right coffee maker for you, here are two other options for your consideration.

De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic

If you're serious about iced coffee, the Primadonna Aromatic offers true cold extraction that creates a similar flavor profile to coffee steeped overnight in the fridge. It also has two milk carafes (one for foaming hot milk and one for cold) – and you can adjust the angle of their spouts. No puddles of milk here.

Read our full De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic review

KitchenAid KF6

Looking for something more stylish? The KF6 is a great-looking bean-to-cup machine with a sleek, streamlined chassis and simple touch controls. It brews sublime espresso too, but it's a pricier proposition than the Philips LatteGo 5500 Series.

Read our full KitchenAid KF6 reviewView Deal

How I tested the Philips LatteGo 5500 Series

I used the Philips LatteGo 5500 Series with my favorite espresso blend from a local coffee roaster, bought fresh that week. I tested the water hardness using the strip supplied in the box, and fitted the water filter in the tank following the instructions provided. I used fresh water each time I began using the machine.

I tested the LatteGo system using fridge-cold whole and semi-skimmed dairy milk, as well as barista oat milk.

I tested the machine's various hot and cold drinks, using the amount of ice specified by the machine for chilled recipes.

For more details, see how we test, rate, and review products at TechRadar.

The Hbada E3 Pro is designed with the bigger and taller community in mind. It's not as well-known a brand, but they are doing a great job filling the place of a budget-conscious chair that provides it all, while still fitting those of all sizes.

While I may not be familiar with the Hbada brand itself yet, the armrests remind me a lot of Sihoo. The legrest is something I've seen a lot in recent chairs, especially those that aim to do it all, like Hbada. The lumbar support is solid. It might not be the best office chair I've tested, but overall, the chair is quite promising.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Hbada E3 Pro: Pricing and Availability

The Hbada E3 Pro is currently on sale for $549.99 at the time of writing, down $160 from its regular price of $709.99.

You can grab one from Hbada's website, and a few other retailers, including Amazon.com (click here) and Amazon.co.uk (click here).

The chair comes in three colorways and offers the option to set up with or without a leg-rest. I chose the lighter gray colorway, though the black and even pink look nice too (for the right person). The pink is more of a grey seat with a pink backing.

From what I can see on the website, the default option is to add the footrest, which is unique, as I usually see this as a priced add-on. However, the leg-rest is a fun feature that many are enjoying.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Hbada E3 Pro: Unboxing & first impressions

The Hbada E3 Pro Ergonomic Office Chair was easy to assemble, nothing too crazy there. The instructions were clear, and it wasn't too hard to assemble with just one person. Right away, as we removed the chair from the box, we noticed that it felt sturdy, heavy-duty, and supportive.

After assembly, we checked out the chair, and it felt sturdy, yet not too rigid, especially with the mesh. It felt breathable, easy to get comfortable in, and enjoyable to sit in for extended periods.

There is a slight quirk with our model; the footrest moves a little too freely, but that may be an inherent characteristic of our model.

Hbada E3 Pro: Design & Build Quality

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Specs

Material: Breathable mesh seat/back, padded headrest
Weight Capacity: ~300 lbs
Adjustments: Recline w/ lock, seat height, headrest tilt, lumbar shift, arm rotation
Footrest: Retractable, padded
Colors: Black/Grey
Dimensions: Designed to fit most users—but may run short for users 6’5”+

The Hbada frame is sturdy. With these chair companies that I'm unfamiliar with, I'm always wary of plopping down and relying on a chair to provide both stability and comfort. But, from the first sit until now, 114 days later, this chair hasn't given me any reason to doubt its stability. The mesh is comfortable, cool in both temperature and design, and it's supportive.

The armrests take a minute to get used to, as do any armrests that are different than what you are used to using now. I have a love-hate relationship with hyper-mobile armrests. 90% of the time, I will appreciate them, but then I'll stand up and push off of them, or I'll lean on them the wrong way, and I'll hate them for a few minutes, then forget about it again - but maybe that's just me.

The headrest adjusts more than most I have seen, allowing me to make it fit my head and neck just right, and then easily adjust it to another individual's preferences. It's the right balance of support and ease of use.

The legrest is okay in my book. It feels like an afterthought, though ironically, this is possibly the first chair I have seen that comes shipped with the chair and not as an accessory add-on. It seems like it's missing something, but I'm not sure what, as it technically works fine and is comfortable.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Hbada E3 Pro: In use

Hbada is very keen to promote its 3-zone elastic lumbar support, the 4D bi-axial headrest, the 6D adjustable armrests, and so on. What that translates to in real-world applications is that this chair is hyper-adjustable. While that's mostly great, there are a few areas where this poses an issue.

When I go to grab this chair in the morning to sit down, I feel like just about anywhere I hold is an adjustable piece, so I grab multiple areas to move the chair around, ensuring I don't make unwanted adjustments. Outside of that, though, the adjustment features allow for customized seating, unique to your body type and preferences, and then I can go in and do the same for me, and just about anyone.

So, if you are sharing this chair, get ready to fiddle with it for a few minutes at the start of every use. If it's yours, though, take an hour to enjoy tweaking every feature until you have it dialed in just right.

The lumbar support gently caresses your midsection, love handles, lower back, whatever you want to call it. Hbada does a good job with the H3 Pro, providing comfortable support that is less intrusive and bothersome. They extend further than most chairs, wrapping more closely around your front, but for those who want more lower back support, that might be the perfect solution you've been looking for.

The headrest is also interesting; it does an excellent job of caressing my neck without pushing my head forward at all, and provides support when I need it without making me feel like my neck is excessively far forward.

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Simple and clean

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ease of use

Easy to use

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Practicality

Practical for many

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price

Understandably priced

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hbada E3 Pro: Final verdict

So far, this chair has exceeded my expectations. For $700+ regular price, I was hoping it would be, but it has been an excellent chair for the last 114 days. My team has loved using it; it's been a fantastic option for both taller and smaller individuals, thanks to all the adjustments, and it's held up quite nicely. If you find this one on sale, it's a great option to consider for your home office, dedicated office, or even a co-working space, as it allows for adjustable seating for multiple users.

To help make your workspace more productive, we've also tested and reviewed the best standing desks.

Quersus ICOS.2: One-minute review

The Quersus ICOS.2 is a striking gaming chair with a few unique features that help it stand out even more in the homogeneous gaming chair space.

The slender frame and sharp angles certainly look different, but despite this, the ICOS.2 remains quite formal. True to the brand’s claim, it wouldn’t look out of place in an office.

Overall build quality is quite good. The velvet upholstery on my review unit was incredibly soft, eclipsing even the best gaming chair fabrics in terms of feel. The wheel base is a highlight, although some of the plastics in other areas are less impressive, and the arm rests are prone to wobbling.

There are a few unconventional features on the ICOS.2. For a start, there’s no head pillow, but rather an integrated, adjustable headrest. I personally found this very comfortable, but its lack of give and inability to lower it to neck-level might deter some users.

Another unique aspect of the ICOS.2 is the ability to slide the seat base back and forth – an adjustment usually absent from gaming chairs. Naturally, you can also adjust seat height, and the minimum setting is pleasingly low to the ground – but the maximum will likely prove disappointingly short for tall users.

There’s also no traditional recline function on the ICOS.2. What you get instead is a tilt function that allows the backrest to lean back to a large degree, with a generous amount of resistance adjustments. There’s also a dial to lock and unlock the tilt angle in position. In my view, this tilt function does a fine job of making up for the omission of a recline system.

Integrated lumbar support is featured in the ICOS.2, too, which can be adjusted for height and depth. The range for the latter is good, and the dial is very easy to use, even while seated. The height range is more limited, and you seem to sacrifice lumbar depth the lower down it goes, which isn’t ideal.

Overall comfort is good, with plenty of padding and space on both the seat and the backrest to remain comfortable for long periods.

Assembling the ICOS.2 was a straightforward process. It came in two boxes, both neatly packaged, and included a large handle with two magnetically attachable hex keys. I could attach the seat to the backrest while both laid on the floor, which made the process easier.

At over £600 (it's unfortunately only available in the UK and EU right now), the ICOS.2 is mighty expensive, eclipsing even the biggest names in the business. And despite its standout features, I don’t think it’s better value than the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022, for instance, which is still the leading light in the gaming chair world.

(Image credit: Future)Quersus ICOS.2 review: Price and availability

• £649 (around $870 / AU$1340)
• Available in UK and EU only
• Expensive end of the market

The ICOS.2 costs £649 (around $870 / AU$1340) and is available now in the UK and EU, in one size only. Various colorways can be had if you opt for the fabric upholstery, but the faux leather finish is currently only available in black. You can also personalize the headrest for an additional £25. The chair comes with a five-year warranty, which is very competitive.

However, the ICOS.2 is on the more expensive end of the gaming chair spectrum, and considering the competition in this space, it's a big ask. It costs more than the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022, which we think is the best gaming chair around, and I don’t think the ICOS.2 beats it on every front.

If you’re looking for a budget option, the Corsair TC100 Relaxed is one of the best in this regard. It’s comfortable and well-designed, although some parts don’t exactly feel premium – but that’s to be expected at this price.

Quersus ICOS.2 review: Specs

Price

£649 (around $870 / AU$1340)

Dimensions

54.7 x 29.1 x 22.7in / 139 x 74 x 55cm

Max user weight

330lbs / 150kg

Min seat height

17.7in / 45cm

Seat width

20.9in / 53cm

Recline angle

140 degrees

Warranty

5 years

Material

Leatherette, fabric (velvet)

Quersus ICOS.2 review: Design and aesthetics

• Unique look and features
• Cheap in places
• Flimsy arms

The ICOS.2 sets itself apart from other gaming chairs with its streamlined figure. The seat and backrest are much thinner than you might expect, and the various sharp angles wouldn’t look out of place on a stealth jet.

At the same time, though, the ICOS.2 is also quite understated, especially in the monochromatic finishes. Quersus pitches this chair as being suitable for both gaming and working environments, and I think it’s struck this balance well in terms of design.

The velvet finish I had in my review unit felt super soft. It’s also water-repellent and seems fitted to a high standard. However, certain aspects of the ICOS.2 feel a little cheap by comparison. Many of the plastics don’t look or feel as expensive, and the sharp rim of the backrest frame where it meets the upholstery is an oversight.

Some of the adjustment levers are a little flimsy, although thankfully, this doesn’t affect their operation. The lateral wobble of armrests is a little more concerning, although this shouldn’t present a problem under normal usage. They feel more plush and forgiving than many other armrests, which is good since you’ll be in constant contact with them.

The wheel base also seems built to a high standard, with its metal construction feeling sturdy yet light, at least compared to others. I appreciated the rounded ends of the spokes, too, as these make it somewhat less painful if you stub your heels into them.

The casters complement the base well: their gloss finish and hollowed-out centers are nice touches, and they’re also conducive to smooth glides – although there’s more grip than you might expect on carpeted surfaces, which helps to keep the chair stable.

(Image credit: Future)Quersus ICOS.2 review: Comfort and Adjustability

• Seat base depth adjustments
• No recline, only tilt
• Shallow height adjustments

Despite the perceived lack of padding, the seat of the ICOS.2 provided me with enough cushioning to remain comfortable in it for extended periods. It’s also wide and there are no side bolsters, which means it should accommodate a variety of body shapes and seating styles with ease.

The backrest is just as soft and comfortable, and the bolsters here open out wide, so I didn’t feel hemmed in, and there was no danger of knocking them with elbows – a pet peeve of mine with gaming chairs.

One of the unique features of the ICOS.2 is its headrest. Rather than including a separate pillow, head support is integrated within the backrest and can be adjusted for height by sliding it up and down. There’s no lever or button to hold down while doing this, though, which means it requires a fair amount of force to make these adjustments.

Although it doesn’t protrude all that much compared to more traditional gaming chair head pillows, I still found it comfortable and supportive; in fact, I was thankful for the minimal protrusion, as I often find pillows too thick.

One of the drawbacks of this system, though, is the lack of versatility. With head pillows, you can place them lower down if you wish to give your neck more support. You can also remove them altogether if you find them uncomfortable. Neither of these options is available to you here.

What you think might be the recline lever on the left side is actually used to slide the seat forwards and backwards. This is rather unique in the world of gaming chairs, and a welcome addition for those who prize good seating ergonomics.

If you want to recline in the ICOS.2, then you’ll have to use its tilt function instead, unlocked via a dial on the left. The seat only tilts back slightly, whereas the backrest tilts all the way to 140 degrees.

You can then lock the backrest into your desired position with said left dial. In effect, then, this tilt function replaces the more traditional recline function of other gaming chairs, and it does a good job of doing so – although some rocking still remains after you’ve locked the tilt mechanism in your desired position, so it’s not the most robust of mechanisms.

On the right, you’ll find the dial for adjusting the resistance of the tilt. I found this stiff to turn and awkward to reach, owing to the lack of outward protrusion. However, it does at least provide a generous range of resistance levels.

(Image credit: Future)

The ICOS.2 also features integrated lumbar support, which can be adjusted for both height and protrusion, which I’m always thankful to see, since some systems only allow for depth alterations.

A single dial is used for both adjustments, which is located on the back right-hand side of the backrest. I found it easy enough to reach and use while seated, although I can imagine some may struggle.

The dial has an ergonomic shape that helps with twists, and the subtle rubberized finish makes it easy to grip. It turns much easier than the tilt resistance dial and other lumbar dials I’ve experienced. It feels more like loosening or tightening a screw, becoming less resistant the further inward the lumbar retracts.

The range of depth adjustments it offers is good, too. And unlike other integrated lumbar systems I’ve experienced, the one on the ICOS.2 doesn’t feel as sharp; it seems to offer more cushioning than is typical.

To adjust the height of the lumbar, you pull out the dial first before turning. As with the depth adjustments, these turns feel easy to make, although the range of positions is limited. Also, when the lumbar is at its lowest position, it feels as if the depth retracts somewhat, leading to a feeling of less support.

The seat of the ICOS.2 can go lower to the ground than many other gaming chairs I’ve tried, but it might not rise enough to meet the needs of taller folk. This is disappointing considering Quersus’ claim that the ICOS.2 has a universal fit, and suggests that a larger version won’t be coming.

The arms on the ICOS.2 can be adjusted across four dimensions. Their height range should be sufficient for most to get comfortable, but the width range is quite limited; personally, I would’ve liked them to be able to move inwards more.

There are no levers or buttons you have to hold when moving the arms inwards or outwards, back and forth, or when rotating their angle. This means adjusting them requires a fair amount of force, which causes rather loud clicks as various mechanisms ratchet through their notches. As a result, it feels quite clunky to make these adjustments.

One positive aspect of the arm rests, aside from their aforementioned padding, is that they can easily be removed and replaced with other designs, varying in their shape and material, which Quersus says it’s currently in the process of creating.

Quersus ICOS.2 review: Assembly

Assembling the ICOS.2 proved to be relatively easy. The unit came in two separate boxes that were very neatly packaged, and included is a large handle and two magnetically attached hex wrenches

I managed to build it solo without trouble. You can attach the seat base to the backrest while both are resting on the floor, which alleviates one of the most laborious aspects of putting together a gaming chair.

One of the hardest parts of the build was attaching the casters to the seat base, as I found the fit quite tight. But this is a minor grievance, all things considered. The chair isn’t too heavy, either, at least when compared to other gaming chairs.

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Quersus ICOS.2?Buy it if...

You want an integrated headrest
I really liked the adjustable headrest, offering enough support and adjustability to get comfortable.

You want to adjust seat depth
Not many gaming chairs allow you to alter the seat depth, which ergonomists will tell you is an important aspect to consider.

Don't buy it if...

You want to save money
There’s no doubt that the ICOS.2 is expensive, even by gaming chair standards, and there are better value alternatives if you don’t need the niche features

You want a traditional recline
While the tilt function admirably makes up for the lack of a traditional recline, some might not like it.

Quersus ICOS.2: Also consider

If the ICOS.2 doesn't sound right for you, here are some alternatives to consider instead:

Quersus ICOS.2

Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 (Regular)

Corsair TC100 Relaxed

Price

£649 (about $870 / AU$1340)

$549 / £469 / AU$799

$199 / £199 / AU$399

Dimensions

54.7 x 29.1 x 22.7in / 139 x 74 x 55cm

51.2 x 27.6 x 19.3in / 130 x 70 x 49cm

53.5 x 23.4 x 19.7 in / 136 x 59 x 50cm

Max user weight

330lbs / 150kg

285lbs / 130kg

264lbs / 120kg

Min seat height

17.7in / 45cm

17.7in / 45cm

17.7 inches / 45cm

Seat width

20.9in / 53cm

18.5in / 47cm

21.2in / 54cm (incl. bolsters), 14.2in / 36cm (excl. bolsters)

Recline angle

140 degrees

165 degrees

160 degrees

Warranty

5 years

3 years

2 years

Material

Leatherette, fabric (velvet)

Leatherette, fabric

Leatherette, fabric

Secretlab Titan Evo 2022
Still the undisputed king of the gaming chair world, the Titan Evo 2022 does it all: it has the looks, build quality, and comfort levels to satisfy any gamer. It isn’t cheap, and certain editions carry astronomical price tags, but no gaming chair has yet been able to topple the Titan Evo 2022 from its perch.

Read our full Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 review

Corsair TC100 Relaxed
If you want to spend considerably less on a gaming chair, the TC100 Relaxed is one of the best in the budget category. Its build quality might not be up to the standards of its peers, but for the money it’s an admirable chair that offers sufficient levels of comfort to enjoy gaming for long periods.

Read our full Corsair TC100 Relaxed review

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Quersus ICOS.2

• Tested for two days
• Tried all available adjustments
• Extensive gaming chair experience

I tested the ICOS.2 for a few days. I made sure to make all of its available adjustments, and tried various seating positions and styles to comprehensively assess its performance across different scenarios.

I have been gaming for decades, and during that time, I’ve used a number of gaming and office chairs, ranging from budget affairs to premium offerings. I have also reviewed a number of gaming chairs, too, ranging in their designs and price points.

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

Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII: Two -minute review

The Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII is a predictably good-looking wireless speaker with plenty going for it purely in design terms (as long as you're OK with monochrome). It’s lost its handle and its Amazon Alexa voice control compared with the original model, but it’s gained a swanky new streaming platform (thanks, WiiM!) which offers an absolute stack of options where music sources and system flexibility are concerned.

Best of all, it’s a fine-sounding speaker that is able to extract an absolute stack of information from a recording and put it into convincing context. It’s punchy when it needs to be, it’s insightful, and it sounds a heck of a lot bigger than it looks. Deft control of the low frequencies, plenty of midrange articulacy and a winning way with dynamic variations all add to its sonic charm. If it was just a little more vibrant and exciting when the music demanded it, the Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII would be absolutely ideal, but it is nevertheless worthy of a place among the best wireless speakers out there.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII review: Price and release date

• Cost $360 / £259 / AU$530 (approx.)
• Launched in 2021

When the Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII first launched back in 2021, it cost $450 / £329 / AU$674 (approx.).

Fast-forward to today, and not only has this product become even more compelling thanks to upgrades in its streaming support and smart features, but it’s also routinely available for $360 / £259 / AU$530 (approx.). It looks like rather than becoming outdated, the C10 MkII has matured and evolved…

Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII review: Features

• 80 watts of power
• Dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2
• Numerous streaming options

It’s fair to say that Bluetooth 4.2 with SBC and AAC codec compatibility is not the most inspiring specification for a wireless speaker in 2025. But what the Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII lacks in cutting-edge Bluetooth chops, it more than makes up for in its wireless network abilities.

The exemplary control app, which is now bolted to WiiM’s extremely well-regarded streaming platform, allows you to integrate a lot of music streaming services – and I mean a lot: Amazon and Apple Music, Deezer and Spotify, Qobuz and Tidal, QQ Music, iHeart Radio and vTuner, and plenty more besides. The C10 MkII is compatible with Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Chromecast, and the app allows the speaker to be half of a stereo pair or part of a multi-room system without any fuss whatsoever. It’s an extremely flexible device.

Once aboard, digital audio information is processed by a 24bit/96kHz DAC and then is breathed on by 80 watts of Class D amplification. A pair of 19mm tweeters get 20 watts of power each, and in between them there’s a 133mm midrange driver that receives the other 40 watts. This bigger driver is supported by a rear-facing vertical bass reflex port.

• Features score: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII review: Sound quality

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

• Open, detailed and well-controlled sound
• Great tonal balance and frequency response
• Could sound a little more exciting

Yes, by the standards for $350-ish wireless speakers the Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII is quite large. But be assured the sound it creates is plenty larger than the cabinet it’s coming from.

The sort of scale the Audio Pro can invest in a FLAC file of Hookworms’ Negative Space is straightforwardly impressive. It can open the recording out and offer a proper sense of space at the same time, even though the point-source of sound is always obvious. The amount of dynamic headroom that’s available allows the speaker to track the ever-increasing intensity of the recording convincingly, and the control of the lowest frequencies is such that rhythmic expression is confident and naturalistic, too.

And as well as being controlled with real authority, the bottom end – like the rest of the frequency range – is loaded with detail and variation. The C10 MkII is no thumper – it hits good and hard at the low end, but is textured and tonally varied. The same is true at the opposite end, where treble sounds are bright and substantial, with plenty of information available regarding tone, attack and decay. Through the midrange, the Audio Pro is about as explicit and as eloquent as any device of its type and price I’ve heard. It communicates in absolute torrents.

The tonal balance is nicely judged – it’s not absolutely neutral, but the tiny suggestion of warmth (especially towards the bottom end) is almost certainly sensible in the context of the circumstances the C10 MkII will probably be used in. The evenness of the frequency response is splendid, too, giving measured and appropriate weighting to every part of the tonal range, without underplaying or overstating any particular area.

Really, about the only area of mild concern where the sound of this speaker is concerned has little to do with the specifics of performance – it’s more about attitude. For all of its undoubted dynamic potency and ability to paint a full and nicely detailed picture, the Audio Pro is not the most demonstrative listen.

It sounds quite like it looks: sophisticated, understated and in unarguable good taste. This, where audio quality is concerned, can be considered shorthand for ‘slight lack of excitement’. No one is interested in a feral loudspeaker, of course, but at those moments when a recording demands vigor and attack, I get the strong impression the C10 MkII thinks this kind of behavior is a little beneath it.

• Sound quality score: 4.5 / 5

Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII review: Design

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

• 165 x 320 x 185mm (HxWxD)
• Black, white or gray matte finishes
• Magnetically attached grille

The Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII is, by the standards of a ‘rectangular box’ wireless speaker, very nicely finished and actually quite elegant in an understated sort of way.

This is just as well – given the 165 x 320 x 185mm (HxWxD) dimensions, it could have very easily ended up looking a bit bulky. As it is, though, the standard of construction and finish, along with the unapologetically monotone options of black, gray or white matte colours, make for a very harmonious look. The magnetically attached grille helps with the clean look, too.

It’s a fairly sizeable proposition on the average desk, though, and the lack of a handle makes transporting its 4.3kg weight rather less easy than it might be. I can’t deny I’ve used the bass reflex port as a handle, but I can’t imagine Audio Pro would recommend it as an option…

• Design score: 5 / 5

Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII review: Usability and setup

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

• Great control app, extensive physical controls
• No voice control
• Can easily be part of a multi-room set-up

Unlike the previous generation of C10, there’s no Amazon Alexa voice control here – there’s no voice control at all, in fact. You may count this as a negative, you may not, but there’s no denying that your other control options are very nicely realized indeed.

That WiiM-powered control app, as already mentioned, is stable, logical and slick in operation. As well as the ability to integrate a generous number of music streaming services and internet radio providers, it’s also where you can form a stereo pair or establish a multi-room system. There’s bass and treble adjustment, the ability to establish as many as half a dozen presets, input selection, the ability to check for firmware updates and various timer and alarm-clock functions.

The top surface of the cabinet features a selection of controls, too, embedded in a tactile steel plate. Power, volume, playback control and Bluetooth pairing are all available here, and access to the six presets you’ve defined in the control app are also available. There’s also a little LED giving confirmation of the selected input.

• Usability and setup score: 4.5 / 5

Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII review: Value

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

• Excellent standard of finish
• Versatile streaming platform and app
• Extras add up to value for money

Consider the standard of build and finish, and then consider the out-and-out sound quality. Take into account the great new WiiM-powered streaming platform and all its possibilities, from forming a true stereo pair to easily creating a multi-room system.

And then look around at what this kind of money can buy you from alternative brands. Yes, the Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII is very good value for money indeed.

• Value score: 4.5 / 5

Should you buy the Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII?Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth (albeit 4.2 with SBC and AAC codec) and WiiM’s excellent streaming platform.

4.5 / 5

Sound quality

Open, detailed and well-controlled, but could be a little more exciting.

4.5 / 5

Design

Three possible matte finishes, sizeable with carry handle removed, magnetically attached grille.

5 / 5

Usability and setup

Great control app, extensive physical controls, can be part of a multi-room set-up.

4.5 / 5

Value

Not cheap, but extras provide added value to make the expense more than worth it.

4.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You admire a bit of Scandi design
‘Elegance’ is in the eye of the beholder, of course, but there’s no denying the Audio Pro is a bit of a looker.

You enjoy slick operability
Co-opting WiiM’s streaming platform has turned the C10 MkII into a very versatile and easy-to-use speaker indeed.

You know the devil is in the details
By the standards of their price-comparable rivals, the Audio Pro is able to resolve a heck of a lot of fine detail.

Don't buy it if...

You’re after sonic fireworks
There’s plenty to recommend the sound of the C10 MkII, but ‘excitement’ is not an area of expertise.

You think life should be Technicolor
One person’s ‘understated’ is another’s ‘boring’, and if you don’t like black, or white, or gray, then you’re going to be struggling here.

Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII: Also consider

JBL Authentics 200
If you fancy a bit of retro charm rather than Scandi cool, the JBL Authentics 200 will be just the thing. It's got that JBL sound (punchy, driving and forceful), that JBL look (fully mid-70s hi-fi heyday) and is nothing if not fully featured. See our full JBL Authentics 200 review for more.

Apple HomePod 2
If you’re already deep in the iOS ecosystem, the Apple HomePod 2 is a great-sounding option, although it lacks some features most alternatives consider ‘essential’.
Here's our full Apple HomePod 2 review to add to the pile.

How I tested the Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII

Because the C10 MkII is mains-powered rather than battery-powered, I listened to it exclusively in my home. It’s a bit big for a desktop speaker, but nevertheless I gave it a go – it was much more at home on a shelf in the lounge, though.

I listened to music from Tidal and Qobuz via the excellent control app, of many types and quite a few different file sizes. And I listened both critically and with the Audio Pro functioning simply as a ‘background’ device – and there were never less than thoroughly enjoyable.

• First reviewed: July 2025

TCL QM8K: Two-minute review

The TCL QM8K is the company’s flagship mini-LED TV for 2025, and it brings several refinements over last year’s TCL QM851G, which was the brightest TV we’d ever tested at the time. The QM8K also delivers high brightness via a new Super High Energy LED Chip. Still, that brightness is now balanced with a Halo Control System, a 23-bit backlight controller, and a Dynamic Light Algorithm to ensure that pictures also have solid contrast and deep, detailed shadows.

The improvements made to the TCL QM8K make it one of the best TVs for movies, but its anti-reflection screen and new Ultra Wide Angle feature also make it perfect for sports. Not only do you get a very bright picture, but its anti-reflection coating lets you watch without having to worry about screen glare, while the Ultra Wide Angle feature means that groups can gather around the screen and everyone will experience the same picture quality no matter where they are sitting.

TCL tapped speaker Danish speaker maker Bang & Olufsen to design the QM8K’s built-in speaker system, which supports both Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X. Audio by Bang & Olufsen on the QM8K entails a ‘Beosonic’ equalization interface that lets you tune the sound using categories like Bright or Relaxed, as opposed to typical EQ options. Overall, the QM8K’s built-in sound is good for a TV, though it’s unsurprisingly light on bass and dynamics.

The QM8K’s Ultra Slim design uses a Zero Border bezel that reduces the distance between the TV’s edge and the actual picture to a mere 3.4mm. It has a more premium look than many TVs, and models up to 85 inches all get a sturdy pedestal stand with adjustable height to clear space for a soundbar.

Google TV is used for the QM8K’s smart TV platform, and it’s a serviceable one, but also one that serves up ads. A quick menu lets you easily access basic picture and other settings, and Google TV’s Live program guide can incorporate broadcast channels pulled in by the QM8K’s ATSC 3.0 ‘NextGen TV’ tuner.

Gaming is well represented on the QM8K with 4K 144Hz support, though that refresh rate is only supported on two of the TV’s four HDMI ports. A Game Accelerator 288 VRR feature also lets you double the TV’s native 144Hz refresh rate for 1080p resolution gaming. The QM8K’s 13.2ms input lag would be considered an average level for most TVs, though most gamers should be perfectly satisfied with its gaming performance.

Value is a strong point with the QM8K. TCL’s current discounted $1,599 price for the 65-inch model is several hundred dollars less than the 65-inch Samsung QN90F, and it offers many of the same features, including an anti-reflection screen and Ultra Wide Angle feature. But it's also more expensive than the Hisense U8QG, another super-bright mini-LED TV with impressive picture quality.

TCL QM8K review: Price and release date

The QM8K's powerful contrast and wide color gamut coverage results in rich-looking color (Image credit: Future)

• Release date: May 2025
• 65-inch: $2,499.99
• 75-inch: $3,199.99
• 85-inch: $3,799.99
• 98-inch: $6,499.99

Similar to its TCL QM851G predecessor, the new TCL QM8K series is available in 65- to 98-inch screen sizes. All QM8K sizes launched at a higher list price than the preceding models, but have since dropped significantly, with the 65-inch version I tested now widely selling for $1,599.

With its reduced pricing, the QM8K is now more competitive with the Hisense U8QG, which is that company’s flagship mini-LED TV series. The 65-inch U8QG dropped to $1,299 during the time I was reviewing the TCL QM8K. Another close mini-LED competitor for the QM8K is the Samsung QN90F, a 2025 model that has since dropped in price to $1,999 for the 65-inch model.

TCL QM8K review: Specs

Screen type:

QLED with mini-LED

Refresh rate:

144Hz

HDR support:

Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG

Audio support:

Dolby Atmos, DTS Virtual:X

Smart TV:

Google TV

HDMI ports:

4 (2x HDMI 2.1)

Built-in tuner:

ATSC 3.0

TCL QM8K review: Benchmark resultsHisense U8QG review: Features

The QM8K has two HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 144Hz support, plus two HDMI 2.0 ports (Image credit: Future)

• Ultra Wide Viewing Angle
• Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG support
• Audio by Bang & Olufsen

The TCL QM8K series uses a new CrystGlow WHVA Panel with TCL’s Halo Control System. To decipher all that, it’s a QLED display with a mini-LED backlight that uses a Super High Energy LED Chip for increased brightness, along with a reduced optical distance between the light modules and display panel. The Halo Control System in QM8K series TVs also feature a 23-bit backlight controller for more precise local dimming, which is helped by a Dynamic Light Algorithm.

Two other CrystGlow WHVA Panel features are a Zero Border display that reduces the distance between the TV’s edge to the actual image down to 3.4mm, and Ultra Wide Viewing Angle, which provides a 40% improvement in off-axis picture uniformity compared to last year’s TCL QM851G series, according to TCL.

QM8K series TVs feature up to 3,800 local dimming zones and up to 5,000 nits specified brightness. An anti-reflective screen is also provided to reduce screen glare when viewing in bright rooms.

HDR support on the QM8K series includes the Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG formats. The TVs are also IMAX Enhanced and they provide a Filmmaker Mode picture preset – a new feature for TCL TVs in 2025.

The Audio by Bang & Olufsen built-in speaker system on QM8K series TVs supports Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X. No specific speaker configuration or wattage information is supplied in TCL’s specifications, but there are upfiring Atmos speakers on the TV’s top edge, along with dual subwoofers on the rear panel.

Like other TCL TVs, the QM8K series uses the Google TV smart TV platform, and it also features a built-in mic for hands-free Google Assistant voice control. If you don’t want to deal with Google Assistant, other control options include Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit.

Gaming features on the QM8K include 4K 144Hz support on two of the TV’s four HDMI inputs. A Game Accelerator 288 VRR feature lets you double the TV’s native 144Hz refresh rate to 288Hz for 1080p-resolution gaming, and there’s also a Game Bar menu for easy onscreen access to gaming-related adjustments.

The QM8K’s connections include an ATSC 3.0 tuner input. This lets you connect one of the best indoor TV antennas to receive both standard and ‘NextGen’ digital TV broadcast channels, and there are options to view channel data either in a dedicated program grid guide or integrated in the Google TV Live TV guide along with free streaming channels.

• Features Score: 4.5/5

TCL QM8K review: Picture quality

The QM8K's picture looks great for both light and dark room viewing, and it has has an effective anti-glare screen (Image credit: Future)

• Excellent brightness
• Accurate out-of-the-box picture
• Impressive off-center picture uniformity

When I tested the QM8K’s predecessor, the TCL QM851G, it was the brightest TV I’d yet measured. The QM8K doesn’t hit the same brightness heights as that model, but it still has very high brightness even by flagship mini-LED TV standards.

In Filmmaker Mode, the QM8K hit 2,268 nits peak brightness (measured on a 10% HDR white window pattern) and 584 nits fullscreen brightness. Standard mode brightness was even higher, at 3,176 and 629 nits, respectively.

For comparison’s sake, the Samsung QN90F measured 2,086 and 667 nits, respectively, on the same tests in Movie mode when I reviewed it, while the Hisense U8QG – 2025’s current reigning brightness king – hit 2,888 nits peak brightness and 744 nits fullscreen brightness in my tests.

Color gamut coverage was also excellent, with the QM8K measuring 97% for UHDA-P3 and 78.7% for BT.2020. Picture accuracy was also notably good, with the QM8K delivering Delta-E (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen) averages of 1.9 for grayscale and 0.8 for color, which means both are indistinguishable from perfect to the human eye.

The QM8K features an Intelligent picture preset that uses AI to determine the proper picture settings based on content. I used this for casual TV viewing with generally good results, though I’d recommend the more accurate Filmmaker or Movie modes for movies. Upscaling was impressive, with the QM8K presenting older TV shows and other lower-resolution content with a good level of clarity.

Brightness is one of the QM8K’s main advantages, and it helped sports come to life on screen, and also made highlights in movies like Alien: Romulus visually pop. In dark movies like that one, the QM8K’s refined local dimming ensured that shadows looked deep and detailed. Contrast was consistently strong, and, true to the promise of TCL’s Halo Control System, there was virtually no sign of backlight blooming.

An Ultra Wide Angle features means the QM8K's picture looks good from a range of seating positions (Image credit: Future)

Motion handling on the QM8K was average, with a reference scene from the James Bond film No Time to Die showing a fair amount of blur and judder as Bond traversed a rocky hillside cemetery. Selecting the Custom Motion Clarity option in the Motion menu and setting both the judder and blur settings to 2 reduced this, however, and it didn’t add any soap opera effect to the picture in the process.

The QM8K’s anti-reflection screen proved effective when viewing with bright overhead room lights turned on. I could see mirror-like reflections when a lamp was placed in the way of its screen, but otherwise, general ambient room lighting didn’t harm picture contrast, even when watching movies.

Equally impressive is the QM8K’s Ultra Wide Viewing Angle feature. During my testing, pictures retained their contrast and color saturation even when viewed from a far-off-center seat. That’s a big step up from last year’s QM851G, which performed poorly in the same test.

Less impressive was a faint vignetting, an effect that is likely related to the QM8K’s Zero Border design, which places the LCD panel driver circuitry along the outer edges of the screen. The effect was minor, and I mostly saw it only on gray full-field test patterns during my initial testing, but during normal viewing, I occasionally noted it on flat fields of color, such as an empty blue sky.

• Picture quality score: 4.5/5

TCL QM8K review: Sound quality

Dual bass drivers on the TV's back panel deliver extra low end, but certainly not subwoofer-level bass (Image credit: Future)

• Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X
• Audio by Bang & Olufsen built-in speakers
• Good overall sound quality

The QM8K’s Audio by Bang & Olufsen built-in speakers support both Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X. TCL doesn’t provide any specs about speaker configuration or power, but there are upfiring drivers on the TV’s top surface, and bass modules on the back panel.

Sound features are mostly limited to presets such as Speech, Movies, Game, and Night. There’s also a Custom preset that lets you make adjustments using Bang & Olufsen’s Beosonic interface, which involves moving a cursor between Relaxed, Energetic, Bright, and Warm options until you settle on a sonic mix that you like. Using this, I found it useful for taking off the bright edge that’s typical for built-in TV sound.

I did most of my viewing using the TV’s Movie preset, which provided a good level of spaciousness with Dolby Atmos soundtracks while retaining speech clarity. The QM8K’s sound was good overall, with accurate positioning, but bass was limited, and soundtracks could also get a bit muddied when pushed to higher volume levels. Movie fans will want to consider pairing the QM8K with one of the best soundbars.

• Sound quality score: 4/5

TCL QM8K review: DesignImage 1 of 2

The QM8K's pedestal stand uses an aluminum base and a plastic top panel (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

A contoured design gives the QM8K a slimmer look when viewed from the side (Image credit: Future)

• Ultra Slim design
• Adjustable height pedestal stand
• Full-sized, backlit remote control

The QM8K’s “Ultra Slim” design features a sloping back panel that gives the impression the TV is thinner than it actually is. A sturdy plastic-capped aluminum pedestal stand is used for all sizes except the 98-inch model, and it has an adjustable height to clear space for a soundbar. Many TVs claim to have a “bezel-free’ design, but the QM8K with its 3.4mm, Zero Border bezel comes closer to presenting an all-image look than most I’ve seen.

Connections are located on a side-mounted input section and include four HDMI ports (including one with eARC and two HDMI 2.1 with 4K 144Hz support), an optical digital audio output, RF antenna, two USB type-A, and Ethernet.

TCL’s remote control strikes a nice balance between the more minimalist ones that come with TVs from LG and Samsung and the button-heavy remotes included with Hisense TVs. The buttons are backlit so you can actually see what you’re doing in the dark, and there are dedicated controls for input selection and for accessing Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, and the ad-supported TCLTV free streaming channels portal.

• Design score: 4/5

TCL QM8K review: Smart TV and menusImage 1 of 4

The QM8K's Google TV homescreen (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 4

Ads, such as this one from Coca-Cola, are part of the Google TV experience (Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 4

The QM8K's digital TV channel grid guide (Image credit: Future)Image 4 of 4

The main Google TV Live guide also incorporates broadcast TV channels (Image credit: Future)

• Google TV
• Live program grid integrates FAST and broadcast channels
• Quick settings menu

TCL TVs use the Google TV smart TV platform, which features a homescreen with a large banner at the top with rotating show recommendations and a few sponsored ads. A ‘Top picks for you’ row of recommended programs is located directly below, and the options can be determined by your Google search activity and viewing history when you’ve signed in with a Google account. The final component of the homescreen is a ‘Your apps’ row at the bottom of the screen, which can be edited to reflect your most-used apps.

Tabs located at the top of the homescreen let you access the following: Live (a program guide with Google TV Freeplay channels and channels pulled in by antenna), Apps (a portal for downloading and organizing apps), Library (for purchasing and renting shows and movies on Google TV), and TCL (TCL’s own TCLtv free, ad-supported channels).

As usual with Google TV, picture adjustments and other settings can be accessed by clicking the gear icon onscreen, or its equivalent on the remote control. There are a fair number of adjustments available, including advanced ones such as 2- and 20-point white balance and variable gamma settings.

A quick menu can also be accessed via a dedicated remote control button, and this presents an overlay at the bottom of the screen for easy access to a range of settings, including essential ones like brightness and picture mode.

• Smart TV & menus score: 4/5

TCL QM8K review: Gaming

The QM8K's Game Menu in action (Image credit: Future)

• Two HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 144Hz support
• Game Accelerator 288 VRR
• 13.2ms input lag is an average level for TVs

Gaming features on the QM8K include two HDMI 2.1 ports with support for 4K 144Hz, ALLM, and FreeSync Premium Pro. There’s also a Game Accelerator 288 VRR feature that doubles the TV’s native 144Hz refresh rate for 1080p-resolution gaming (which may be of interest to PC gamers), and an onscreen Game Menu that lets you make quick gaming-related adjustments without having to exit the main screen.

I measured the QM8K’s input lag in Game mode at 13.2 using a Bodnar 4K meter. That’s an average level, and below the 15ms threshold most gamers look for, but other TVs we’ve recently tested from Samsung and LG, and also the new Hisense U8QM, yielded under 10ms lag times when we measured them.

• Gaming score: 4/5

TCL QM8K review: Value

The QM8K's full-size, fully backlit remote control (Image credit: Future)

• Great value at current price
• Cheaper options available with similar brightness
• You’ll pay considerably more for premium brand options

At its current reduced $1,599 price for the 65-inch model I tested, the TCL QM8K is an excellent value.

That price is more than what you’ll pay for the Hisense U8QG, that company’s flagship model, but the TCL arguably has better overall picture quality and also better built-in sound. It’s also less than what you’ll pay for the Samsung QN90F, another flagship mini-LED, and one that offers a better smart TV platform and gaming features, along with a slimmer design.

Taking all that into consideration, the TCL is a solid middle mini-LED option, and perhaps the best value of the three.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Should I buy the TCL QM8K?

(Image credit: Future)TCL QM8K

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Comorehensive HDR support and Audio by Bang & Olufsen built-in speakers

4.5/5

Picture quality

High brightness, refined local dimming, an anti-reflective screen, and a wide viewing angle make this a great all-purpose TV

4.5/5

Sound quality

Good overall sound quality but limited bass. A Beosonic interface allows for fine-tuning audio

4/5

Design

A literally bezel-free design with a sturdy pedestal stand and solid, backlit remote control

4/5

Smart TV and menus

Google TV is a serviceable smart interface plus the quick menu provides easy access to basic settings

4/5

Gaming

4K 144Hz and FreeSync Premium Pro supported, but only on two HDMI ports

4/5

Value

At its current discounted price, the QM8K is a great value

4.5/5

Buy it if...

You want a great TV for movies
The QM8K’s high brightness, refined local dimming, and comprehensive HDR format support make it an excellent choice for watching 4K movies.

You also want a great TV for sports
An anti-reflection screen on the QM8K effectively reduces screen glare during daytime sports viewing, and an Ultra Wide Angle feature means its picture looks solid even from off-center seats.

You don’t want to pay top dollar for a mini-LED TV
The QM8K offers much the same performance level as other flagship mini-LED TVs from brands like Samsung, while costing several hundred dollars less.

Don't buy it if…

You want the best gaming TV
While the QM8K has a strong set of gaming features, including 4K 144Hz and FreeSync Premium Pro support, those features are only supported on two of its HDMI ports. Also, there are other TVs with lower input lag time than the TCL.

You want the best smart TV platform
Google TV is a generic, serviceable smart TV platform, but it's been eclipsed by the smart platforms on LG and Samsung TVs, which have seen strong improvements over the past few years.

You want to watch movies, but don’t want a soundbar
The QM8K has good built-in sound, but movie soundtracks can get congested at loud listening levels, making a soundbar a necessity for best audio quality.

TCL QM8K: Also consider...

TCL QM8K

Samsung QN90F

Hisense U8QG

Sony Bravia 9

Price (65-inch)

$2,499.99

$2,499.99

$2,199

$2,999

Screen type

QLED w/ mini-LED

QLED w/ mini-LED

QLED w/ mini-LED

QLED w/ mini-LED

Refresh rate

144Hz

165Hz

165Hz

144Hz

HDR support

DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG

HDR10+/HDR10/HLG

DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG

DolbyVision/HDR10/HLG

Smart TV

Google TV

Tizen

Google TV

Google TV

HDMI ports

4 (2x HDMI 2.1)

4x HDMI 2.1

3x HDMI 2.1

4 (2x HDMI 2.1)

Samsung QN90F
The QN90F is pricier than the QM8K, but it has better gaming features and performance and a superior smart TV platform. Its Glare Free screen is also more effective at reducing reflections in bright rooms.

Here’s our Samsung QN90F review

Hisense U8QG
Hisense’s flagship mini-LED TV is currently a cheaper option than the TCL QM8K. It has a similarly bright picture plus refined local dimming, but it lacks the QM8K’s Ultra Wide Angle feature and has less impressive built-in speakers.

Here’s our Hisense U8QG review

Sony Bravia 9

The Sony Bravia 9 is significantly more expensive than the other TVs listed here, but it has a bright picture with refined local dimming plus excellent built-in sound and audio-related features.

Here’s our Sony Bravia 9 review

How I tested the TCL QM8K

Measuring a 10% HDR white window pattern during testing (Image credit: Future)

• I spent about 15 viewing hours in total measuring and evaluating
• Measurements were made using Calman color calibration software
• A full calibration was made before proceeding with subjective tests

When I test TVs, I first spend a few days or even weeks using it for casual viewing to assess the out-of-the-box picture presets and get familiar with its smart TV menu and picture adjustments.

I next select the most accurate preset (usually Filmmaker Mode, Movie or Cinema) and measure grayscale and color accuracy using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software. The resulting measurements provide Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen) for each category, and allow for an assessment of the TV’s overall accuracy.

Along with those tests, I make measurements of peak light output (recorded in nits) for both standard high-definition and 4K high dynamic range using 10% and 100% white window patterns. Coverage of DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color space is also measured, with the results providing a sense of how faithfully the TV can render the extended color range in ultra high-definition sources – you can read more about this process in our guide to how we test TVs at TechRadar.

For the TCL QM8K, I used the Calman ISF workflow, along with the TV’s advanced picture menu settings, to calibrate the image for best accuracy. I also watched a range of reference scenes on 4K Blu-ray discs to assess the TV’s performance, along with 4K HDR shows streamed from Max, Netflix, and other services.

• First reviewed: May 2025
• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

DreamHost has recently revamped its approach to website building. Instead of competing with other no-code builders on our best website builders roundup, they now focus on two separate but complimentary services.

TechRadar reviewers have spent thousands of hours testing 140+ website builders, giving us deep insight into what works. While Wix remains our top pick for 2025, DreamHost's revamped service is unique enough to deserve a spot and a mention.

DreamHost now offers both an AI-powered website builder called Liftoff and a professional website service for WordPress. Both come free with any hosting plan, including the shared hosting that starts at just $2.59/month for the first year. Plus the company has been hosting websites since 1997 and powers over 1.5 million sites, so you know you're in good hands.

DreamHost Website Builder: 2-minute review

DreamHost takes a refreshingly different approach to website building. Rather than creating another traditional drag-and-drop tool, they've developed two complementary services that address different user needs. The AI-powered Liftoff builder creates complete sites in under 60 seconds, while their professional service delivers custom 4-page websites built by experts that integrate with WordPress.

Both services excel at what they do, but they're not for everyone. You're locked into WordPress, which limits flexibility compared to platform-agnostic builders. However, for small business and professional users who want WordPress, DreamHost's approach works quite well. And it's completely free if you're subscribed to any DreamHost hosting plan, which is great value.

What is DreamHost Website Builder?

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The second option is their professional service, where DreamHost's team builds a custom 4-page website for you. You provide your content and branding, but they handle all the technical work. No dragging elements around screens or learning design principles. Everything still runs on WordPress, so you get powerful blogging features and can expand your site later if needed.

Features

You get access to hundreds of WordPress block patterns and page templates through their Design Library, plus an AI-powered help center for support. (Image credit: DreamHost)

DreamHost's feature set focuses heavily on WordPress integration and AI assistance over traditional website building tools. The AI builder includes content generation, image creation, and automatic site structuring based on your business description. You get access to hundreds of WordPress block patterns and page templates through their Design Library, plus an AI-powered help center for support.

On the other hand, the professional service delivers more hands-off features — expert design, mobile responsiveness, SEO optimization, and hosting setup. Both services include free domain registration, SSL certificates, and unlimited traffic. WordPress integration also means you get built-in blogging capabilities, plugin support, and the ability to scale up later.

Missing features include advanced customization using animations and interactions, built-in ecommerce tools beyond WooCommerce, and support for other platforms besides WordPress. However, the pricing justifies these limitations since everything comes free with hosting plans starting at $2.59 monthly.

DreamHost's approach works best for small businesses, bloggers, and anyone who prefers WordPress over proprietary platforms. AI-powered workflows suit tech-comfortable users who want speed, while the professional service appeals to those who'd rather outsource everything. The feature set feels intentionally focused rather than comprehensive.

Tools

DreamHost's content generator integrates directly with the WordPress editor for seamless workflow. (Image credit: DreamHost)

DreamHost provides several integrated tools designed to work seamlessly with WordPress to simplify the website creation process. Each tool focuses on a specific aspect of building and managing your online presence.

Liftoff AI builder

DreamHost's new AI-powered tool creates complete WordPress websites in under 60 seconds. Simply answer questions about your business purpose and goals. Liftoff generates a personalized site with content, images, and design elements. It can also add ecommerce functionality or appointment booking systems based on your input. You maintain full ownership and can continue editing later in WordPress.

Site assistant dashboard

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Design library

Access hundreds of WordPress-native block patterns and page templates for visual customization. These professionally designed elements help you quickly modify layouts and add visual appeal without starting from scratch. The library focuses on WordPress blocks, ensuring compatibility and performance.

Professional website service

DreamHost's new human-powered service assigns a team to create a custom 4-page website (Home, About, Services, Contact) using your content and branding. This service includes mobile optimization, SEO setup, and professional design - delivered ready to launch. Perfect for those who prefer expert handling over DIY headaches.

Content creator

DreamHost offers AI-powered writing assistance for creating blog posts, product pages, and website copy. This tool helps maintain consistent messaging across your site and speeds up content creation. It integrates directly with the WordPress editor for seamless workflow.

Ease of use

For advanced customization, you transition from DreamHost to WordPress's familiar interface. (Image credit: DreamHost)

DreamHost's website builder prioritizes simplicity over complexity. Once in, the control panel features a modern interface that's easy to navigate, though it heavily promotes paid add-ons which can feel pushy. Setting up a website takes less than five minutes, with an additional few minutes for server-side processing.

The AI-powered Liftoff tool eliminates traditional learning curves entirely, because you just answer a few questions about your business and it builds your site automatically. You can use DreamHost's editor to customize your AI-generated results, which uses a block-based system where you drag elements to reorder them, remove sections, or insert new ones.

You can't drag objects anywhere on the page like traditional builders, although you get decent layout control through column adjustments and block spacing. For advanced customization, you transition from DreamHost to WordPress's familiar interface.

Pricing

DreamHost offers three different plans for its website builder (Image credit: DreamHost)

Plan

Starting rate (paid annually)

Renewal rate (paid annually)

Shared Starter

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DreamPress Basic

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VPS Basic

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VPS Business

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VPS Professional

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VPS Enterprise

$80.00/month

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DreamHost's pricing structure follows the industry standard of significant discounts for long-term commitments. The Shared Starter plan at $2.59 monthly offers excellent value for beginners, including the free AI website builder and professional service. DreamPress plans cater to WordPress enthusiasts who want managed hosting with enhanced performance and security features.

But it's the renewal rates that tell the real story. Prices can double or triple after your initial term ends. VPS plans see the steepest increases, jumping from $10 to nearly $25 monthly for the basic tier. But, DreamHost offers a generous 97-day money-back guarantee, giving you plenty of time to test their services. Also, monthly payments cost up to 60% more than 12-month+ commitments, making longer terms essential for budget-conscious users.

Security

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DreamHost covers security basics well across all plans. You get free Let's Encrypt SSL certificates, web application firewalls, automated daily backups, and domain privacy protection. Their server-side security includes intrusion detection systems, malware scanning, and 24/7 monitoring. And the user management system lets you create role-specific accounts, so team members only access what they need.

But the catch is DreamShield, their premium malware removal tool, which costs extra at $29.99/year. With the latest updates, this offers impressive additional features like real-time threat monitoring, 30-day scan history, and color-coded security status indicators. Their new centralized dashboard gives you instant visibility into your site's security health, making it easier to spot problems early.

Support

DreamHost won both 2025 Stevie Gold and Globee Awards for customer service excellence. (Image credit: DreamHost)

DreamHost won both 2025 Stevie Gold and Globee Awards for customer service excellence. You get 24/7 live chat and email tickets, plus a comprehensive knowledge base that's actually useful. Chat support typically connects you within 2-5 minutes, where agents explain things clearly without robotic scripts. Their knowledge base covers most common issues with step-by-step tutorials.

Phone support exists but works differently, as it's callback-only and costs extra for most plans. Shared hosting users pay $9.95 for one callback or $14.95 monthly for three callbacks. Only managed hosting and dedicated server customers get free callbacks included. Email tickets get responses within an hour, though some can take up to a whole day during busy periods.

DreamHost's community forum provides additional help, though responses aren't always quick. Professional services are available for hands-on assistance with site management, SEO, and development work. Overall, support quality is solid if you're comfortable with chat and email, just don't expect free phone calls unless you're on premium plans.

Alternatives

DreamHost occupies a unique position by focusing entirely on WordPress rather than competing with general-purpose builders. This works well for users who specifically want WordPress sites but limits appeal for those seeking platform flexibility. Their dual approach targets different user types within the WordPress ecosystem effectively.

Main competitors include traditional hosts like Bluehost, HostGator, and SiteGround, all offering similar WordPress-focused services. Bluehost provides stronger beginner tools and phone support, while SiteGround excels at performance and security. For pure website building, Wix and Squarespace offer more design flexibility.

DreamHost Website Builder: Summary

DreamHost's reimagined website builder succeeds by doing something different rather than trying to beat everyone at the same game. The AI-powered approach creates WordPress sites instantly, while the professional service handles everything for users who prefer expert help.

Both options eliminate traditional building complexity, though you're locked into WordPress. Pricing remains competitive with generous renewal terms, while security and support quality cover the basics well.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen: Two-minute review

I've been wanting Bose to lighten up a bit for years where its earbuds are concerned and with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen, the usually oh-so-serious audio heavyweight got the memo. Would you look at that 'Deep Plum' hue?

When setting up the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen (try saying that three times in quick succession after 5:30pm) you're prompted to rename them if you'd like – and someone on Bose's payroll clearly had a jolly old time coming up with cheeky suggestions such as "Cherry Wine", "Burgundy Buds" or "Sonic Sangria". You love to see it. (They're also available in black and white, naturally.)

But that's far from the end of the fun times where this particular Bose vintage is concerned. These buds are the most sonically exuberant listen I've heard to date in this type of form factor, a fact only enhanced by their rock-solid, near-impenetrable active noise cancellation (ANC), which you can usefully tweak on a slider when creating Bose's hugely successful 'Modes' (more on that later).

This time around, you also get wireless charging from the box and multi-point connectivity that works seamlessly, something the original Ultras bizarrely lacked on their release. Some of the best earbuds on the market then? Oh absolutely.

But not everyone will be wholly happy with the update. If you were expecting a complete design overhaul from the inaugural late-2023 Ultras (which were not too dissimilar in design to the September 2022-issue QuietComfort Earbuds 2), you're still not getting that.

My colleague in Australia, Sharmishta Sarkar has been waiting for a rework there for some time now – and to be clear, she means an alternative to wedging the buds in with stability bands because these silicone accessories eventually wear out (even though a total of three, in different sizes and separate from the interchangeable tips, has been provided in the box). Anyone who wanted Bose to take its smaller QuietComfort Earbuds 2024 design and Ultra-fy it for 2025 (are you out there?) will also be disappointed.

I am not disappointed. The ovoid nozzle actually slips happily into my bijou ear canal and serves up exciting, expansive audio that nixes more low-level constant noise than anything else I've tested on the market. And with the (admittedly incremental, but still welcome) upgrades Bose has given me in the QuietComfort Earbuds Ultra 2nd Gen, I'll be thoroughly recommending them to anyone who'll let me for some time.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen review: Price and release date

(Image credit: Future)

• Released on June 12, 2025
• Priced $299 / £299 / AU$450
• Available in black, off-white and 'deep plum' (pictured)

Key things to note here: they're newe,r and while they're not cheaper, they're also not more expensive than what's gone before them. Bose has generously carried over the original Ultra Earbuds' 2023 launch price (which was the same as the prices listed above) to 2025 and ignored inflation, although you can now find the older set for nearer $220 / £199 / AU$399.

Why mention this? Because if the deep plum limited colorway and wireless charging as standard don't matter to you, you might think the smart money goes on the older set. I actually disagree, as you'll see, but there's definitely a case to be made for it…

In terms of direct competition, your rivals at the level are of course AirPods Pro 2 which can be yours for around $50 / £70 less than the Bose (though often drop to being much cheaper), the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 (which are pricier, at $399 / £349 / AU$599), or the Technics EAH-AZ100 which are virtually the same price as the Bose depending on where you live, at $299 / £259 / AU$478.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen review: Specs

Drivers

9.3mm dynamic

Active noise cancellation

Yes, plus Immersive audio and 'Modes'

Battery life

6 hours (earbuds), 24 hours (total)

Weight

7.7g per bud

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3

Waterproofing

IPX4

(Image credit: Future)Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen review: Features

• Up to 24 hours of battery (up to 6 from the buds)
• Excellent and useful Modes options
• Option to switch off on-ear controls

Via a few clicks within the Bose companion app, Bose has added (drumroll)… the ability to switch off on-ear controls with this iteration. Why you'd want to switch off the capacity to scroll through your listening modes (you can customize the long-press function too, if you'd rather use it to switch source devices manually, access your voice assistant or deploy a hotline to Spotify), stroke the stem to alter volume or tap to pause and play your tracks is strange to me – but if you want to, you can now. And you couldn't before.

Now: Modes. It's not new, but I was a huge fan of the feature in the original Ultra Earbuds and I still love it now. What are these Modes? Essentially, you can combine however much of Bose's excellent ANC or ambient passthrough you want on a slider – although take note, the solo slider starts at full transparency or awareness and goes through to maximum ANC – along with Immersive Audio.

You can pick whether you want Immersive Audio on or off, 'Still' (so you can move your head around your source device and feel the different sounds being piped into each ear accordingly) or in 'Motion' (which means that whichever way you turn your head, the three-dimensional immersive soundstage will not change).

There are three presets from the box: Quiet (max ANC, Immersive Audio off); Aware (max Ambient passthrough, Immersive Audio off); and Immersion (max ANC, Immersive Audio set to 'Motion'). I created a fourth preset: Work. Here, I set ANC to 75% and select 'Still' under Immersive Audio. This way, all but the most important noises are gone at my desk, and said desk is my fixed audio source – so I'm less tempted to leave it!

The thing is, if these profiles didn't do exactly what they promised to do, you'd say they were surplus to requirements. But because they genuinely enhance the listening experience better than any similar solutions currently offered by rivals (for me, it's better than JBL Spatial Sound, for example), they're emphatically worth using and celebrating.

On the ANC, Bose says there are new AI algorithms included this time, for better filtering of sudden noise spikes via its ActiveSense system. What I can tell you is that I've never heard more effective ANC in a set of noise-cancelling earbuds. Better than the outgoing model? Yes. I even missed my own doorbell while testing (which meant an extra journey to collect my next review product) – and my music was not loud.

Image 1 of 4

Not to hammer the point home, but from a design perspective, there's a new wax guard and… not much else, to differentiate the original QCUE (left) from the QCUE 2 (right) (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 4

(Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 4

(Image credit: Future)Image 4 of 4

(Image credit: Future)

It's not all great news: your Bluetooth version is still 5.3 (when 6.0 now exists) and although you get Snapdragon Sound again, which means aptX Adaptive is on the menu as well as aptX Lossless, you've still got to be using an Android non-Samsung device with a compatible Qualcomm chip (see our aptX explainer for more on that tricky business).

None of that is Bose's fault, of course, but it is a roundabout way of saying that LDAC would've been a great addition this time around – especially when cheaper options such as the Nothing Ear (a) proudly offer it.

Also, the three-tab EQ graph is relatively basic compared to some flagship options and there are no listening tests to augment certain frequencies to create your own 'Personi-Fi' type profile – which is a feature of the JBL Live Beam 3, for example.

However, that doesn't mean there's no sonic tailoring whatsoever in the QCUE 2 – just that you might not be aware of it. CustomTune is a feature that actually made its debut in the QuietComfort Earbuds 2, but it's worth noting nonetheless, because I think it's a big part of what makes the sound and ANC so effective.

Basically, that thwomph sound in each ear when you put them on? It's not performative. What's happening is that this test sound travels through your ear's unique canals, bounces back to the buds nestled within them and is picked up by the microphones.

Then, Bose's CustomTune tech gets to work, potentially amplifying some frequencies while pulling back a touch others, depending on the architecture of your auricles. It's just that you don't take an active part in this test, in the way you do with lengthier tests offered by the Nothing Ear, for example.

Battery life? It's fine, but not exceptional. In my tests, I managed to get the promised six hours from them with my 'Work' mode deployed, but not a minute more – and that's largely because I found (unlike many rivals) they're able to play relatively loud and I was able to listen at just under 45% volume at my desk.

• Features score: 4.5/5

Note the stabilizer fins and separate tips (Image credit: Future)Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen review: Sound quality

• Loud, zealous, crisp and expansive audio
• Excellent across the whole frequency range
• Immersive Audio is beautifully handled

Let's take the excellent ANC performance as read (scroll back if you missed that). Sonically, the QCUE 2nd Gen are also a rare treat across the frequencies, with a layered and expansive soundstage that allows bass registers ample space to rumble and clack, midrange vocals and instruments to sound textured and fully realized, and treble trills to soar unaffected above it all.

If you love a considered hip-hop album (and I really do) you'll find much to celebrate here. I cue up OutKast's Stankonia and through the Bose buds Gasoline Dreams is an emotive romp filled with guitar kerrangs, drum fills and sonic articles lesser earbuds cannot unearth. Big Boi sounds extra indignant; Andre 3000's playful Georgian twang is just that bit more noticeable.

Switching to Ozzy Osbourne's Bark at the Moon (thank you, Ozzy), the complex layers of laughter, driving guitars and bass are faithfully captured and held dutifully in a cohesive but energetic mix – and when that guitar glances from left to right through the soundstages, it whooshes past each ear like a Tokyo bullet train.

For detail, they're also very good, and while there will always be that old argument about integrated, neutral hi-fi sound versus fun and excitement, for me, Bose has absolutely aced the sonic treatment here.

For detail and neutrality, you'll get just a little more from the aforementioned Technics EAH-AZ100, but for bass impact and zeal, the Bose buds take it. And there's so little in it this time around, I cannot dock any stars.

• Sound quality: 5/5

(Image credit: Future)Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen review: Design

• Excellent mics for call-handling
• On-ear touch controls work very well
• Winning 'deep plum' finish

As mentioned (and pictured), the earbuds and case are extremely similar to the older model in terms of size, shape and driver array. What I didn't mention before is that there is a small difference to the build, and it's the addition of something Bose calls an embedded ear wax guard, to prevent any of the stuff produced naturally by our ears (let's not be weird; a healthy body creates ear wax) finding its way beyond the casework and into the driver housings.

I cannot say I had this issue with the older set, but having seen a few Reddit threads that mention it, it's a sensible addition from Bose.

Bose also promises improved voice pickup from the four mics per bud and thus improved call quality this time around, and I think the company has made good on that claim. It was a sore point in the older set, and this time callers felt I sounded much clearer and more present.

You can also tweak how much of your own voice you'd like to hear in the app (something rival Technics calls 'Sidetone') and it is beneficial if you prefer to hear a little more of your dulcet tones in calls, to avoid shouting at your recipient.

In the Bose app, there's a fit test to work out whether you've got the correct tips and fins fitted, and although it's quick and relatively rudimentary (I passed first time with the pre-fitted options, no issue) I did find the buds secure and comfortable during my testing.

Basically, if you've liked the fit of Bose's flagship earbuds to date, it's more of the same here. OK, in today's money the charging case could be considered a touch on the large side. For me it's no biggie, since its flat underside means it sits happily in my hand and in my bag without issue.

• Design score: 5/5

(Image credit: Bose)Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen review: value

• Simply the best ANC earbuds on the market
• …but not the cheapest

Value is an odd thing to quantify here, since it really is horses for courses. I keep coming back to this: there will be those out there who simply want the best noise-cancelling earbuds on the market, that also do great things with their music. This is that pair of earbuds.

No, they're possibly not the absolute best earbuds for small ears (although to clarify: I had no issue with fallouts and I have bijou ears, but they do protrude more than rivals) nor do they ask you various questions about what you're hearing and when you stop hearing certain frequencies to create sound profiles.

If you want to take an active part in augmentation, you'll be better served by AirPods Pro 2 or Nothing Ear. That said, not everyone wants this – and for me, the overall sound quality here is so good I wouldn't touch it anyway.

• Value: 5/5

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Excellent ANC and now, wireless charging. Every perk is class-leading

4.5/5

Sound quality

Immersive audio is wildly fun and engaging but even with all profiles off, the sound is zealous and powerful

5/5

Design

A case of 'it wasn't broken, so we didn't fix it' but the added wax guard is a nice touch

4.5/5

Value

Simply the best earbuds for ANC on the market – and that's worth paying for

5/5

Buy them if…

You need class-leading ANC in earbuds
I've never heard bubble-of-silence noise cancellation in earbuds quite like it – no, not even in the older set.

You like immersive, head-tracked audio
With Bose's earbuds, you get to choose whether you want your own personal surround-sound performance fixed or moving, and in conjunction with whatever level of ANC you want.

You like vivacious, dynamic, pro-active audio
Want your grime tracks with a thumping bassline? Bose can give it to you and then some. If I had to use just one word to describe the audio performance here, I'd go with 'powerful'.

Don’t buy them if…

You've already got the Ultras
If wireless charging doesn't matter to you, you're not fully sold on the new color, the incremental upgrade in the inaugural set's very good ANC isn't a deal-breaker and, er, wax buildup has never been an issue for you, you might give this update a miss.

You prioritise stamina
The battery life here isn't terrible exactly, but compared to certain rivals, it can certainly be bettered – the Technics EAH-AZ100 lasted a lot longer on a single charge, for example.

You want LDAC
No dice here, friend. If you need Sony's higher-resolution Bluetooth audio codec, look to the Cambridge Audio Melomania A100.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen review: Also consider

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)

Technics EAH-AZ100

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100

Drivers

10mm

10mm free-edge dynamic

10mm Neodymium dynamic

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Yes

Yes

Battery life

6 hours (earbuds, ANC off; 4 hours with it on) case not specified

12 hours (earbuds, ANC off); 17 hours (charging case)

11 hours per charge; up to 39 hours with the case

Weight

7.7g per bud

5.9g per bud

4.7g per earbud

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3 with aptX Lossless / Adaptive

Bluetooth 5.3 with LDAC and LC3 compatibility

5.4 with LDAC and aptX Lossless

Waterproofing

IPX4 earbuds only

IPX4 earbuds only

IPX5 earbuds only

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100
Cambridge Audio also offers an excellent listen in its latest earbuds with good ANC. No immersive audio profiles (Cambridge doesn't believe in tinkering with recorded music in that way) but if it's an integrated hi-fi listen you seek, add them to your list – and they'll last longer than the Bose option. Read more in our Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 review.

Technics EAH-AZ100
Another option with better stamina that also offers excellent sound quality and decent noise cancellation. Here, you even get multi-point to three devices (rather than the standard two) though, and the classy finish makes them nothing short of a joy to own. Get the full picture in our Technics EAH-AZ100 review.

How I tested the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen

• Tested for two weeks
• Tested at home, walking along a crowded beach and on a packed train

I used the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen for two weeks when writing this review, and my testing involved listening to music, podcasts and watching streamed movies from various devices – including Android and Apple sources.

I listened at home when working and taking calls, during several beach-combing walks and on a busy commuter train – and let me tell you, with these as my musical companion, it was no hardship.

I've been testing audio products full-time since 2019, firstly over at our sister publication What Hi-Fi? as a staff writer (locked in our hi-fi testing facility for two years, I was), then as senior writer at TechRadar and, since early 2024, audio editor. My background as a professional dancer is what drives me to search for faithful timing, precision, clarity and good old fashioned fun in recorded music.

• First reviewed in July 2025.

• Read TechRadar's review guarantee
• Learn more specifically about how we test earbuds at TechRadar

Samsung QN80F: Two-minute review

The Samsung QN80F is the mid-range model in the company’s 2025 4K Neo QLED mini-LED TV lineup. It is available in 50-100-inch sizes (with the 50-inch only available in the UK and the 100-inch only available in the US and Australia) and carries a stacked feature set.

The QN80F uses the same NQ4 AI Gen2 processor as its predecessor, the Samsung QN85D. While not as effective as the step-up Gen3 processor, it still delivers useful picture and audio enhancements.

Picture quality is mixed on the QN80F. Its vibrant yet natural colors are up there with the best TVs, and it also delivers refined details and solid contrast. While brightness is lacking compared to cheaper rivals such as the TCL QM7K (and even the TCL C7K in the UK), it can still give pictures a nice boost. Black levels, while raised at times, are also generally respectable. Where the QN80F struggles is with its highly reflective screen and inconsistent motion handling, particularly with sports – something its more premium counterpart, the Samsung QN90F, has no issue with.

Sound quality is average on the QN80F. Speech is clear and sound placement is accurate, with a good sense of direction, but bass is lacking, and the narrow soundstage never extends beyond the screen’s threshold. Movie fans will definitely want to invest in one of the best soundbars for this TV.

Gaming is a strong area for the QN80F, which has a near-full list of gaming features, including 4K 120Hz, FreeSync Premium Pro and ALLM across four HDMI 2.1 ports. Plus, Samsung's Gaming Hub is an excellent portal for cloud-based gaming apps. Pair all this with an ultra-low 9.9ms input lag time, and the QN80F competes with the best gaming TVs.

Samsung’s own Tizen 9.0 smart TV platform serves as the QN80F’s smart interface. With smooth performance, tons of picture settings, a customizable home page, several ‘hubs’, and a useful quick menu, Tizen 9.0 is the best iteration of Samsung’s smart TV platform to date. Some settings are buried deep in menus, but this is one of my only gripes.

While the QN80F does have a strong feature list and generally solid performance, its value is a tough category to score. At $1,299 / £1,399 for the 55-inch model I tested, there are cheaper mini-LEDs from Hisense and TCL that deliver very similar features and performance for a lower price. The QN80F is still a good option, but one that you should look for during major sales events.

Samsung QN80F review: Price and release date

The Samsung QN80F demonstrates decent contrast but minor backlight blooming (Image credit: Future)

• Release date: May 2025
• 50-inch: $N/A / £1,099
• 55-inch: $1,299.99 / £1,399 (roughly AU$1,991)
• 65-inch: $1,799.99 / £1,699 (roughly AU$2,757)
• 75-inch: $2,299.99 / £2,599 (roughly AU$3,524)
• 85-inch: $3,499.99 / £3,699 (roughly AU$5,363)
• 100-inch: $5,999.99 / £N/A (roughly AU$9,196)

The Samsung QN80F is the mid-range model in Samsung’s 2025 4K Neo QLED (mini-LED) lineup, sitting above the Samsung QN70F and below the Samsung QN85F and the flagship Samsung QN90F. The QN80F is not available in Australia. For the 55-inch model I tested, its May 2025 launch prices were $1,299.99 / £1,399 (roughly AU$1,990).

Since its launch, there have been discounts across the entire lineup. The 55-inch price remains unchanged in the US, but in the UK, its price has dropped to £1,199.

Samsung QN80F review: Specs

Screen type:

QLED with mini-LED

Refresh rate:

120Hz

HDR support:

HDR10+, HDR10, HLG

Audio support:

Dolby Atmos

Smart TV:

Tizen

HDMI ports:

4 x HDMI 2.1

Built-in tuner:

ATSC 3.0 (USA)

Samsung QN80F review: Benchmark resultsSamsung QN80F review: Features

The QN80F has four HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 120Hz support (Image credit: Future)

• NQ4 AI Gen 2 Processor
• HDR10+ HDR support
• Four HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 120Hz for gaming

The Samsung QN80F uses a mini-LED backlight and has a standard gloss screen rather than the Glare Free screen used in the step-up Samsung QN90F mini-LED TV. It features Samsung’s QN4 AI Gen2 Processor, a step-down from the Gen3 processor used in the QN90F, that supports 4K AI upscaling and Real Depth Enhancer.

Like all Samsung TVs, the QN80F supports the HDR10+ High Dynamic Range format, but not Dolby Vision.

The QN80F’s four-channel, 30W sound system supports Dolby Atmos. There are also AI-based tools such as Active Voice Amplifier and Adaptive Sound, both of which analyze the content on screen and adapt the sound accordingly.

Gaming features include 4K 120Hz, VRR (AMD FreeSync Premium Pro included) and ALLM, with all supported on four HDMI 2.1 ports. There is also Samsung’s Gaming Hub, which provides access to cloud-based gaming apps including Xbox and Luna.

The QN80F uses Samsung’s Tizen 9.0 as its smart TV platform. Along with the AI-based picture and sound enhancement tools mentioned above, the TV provides AI content recommendations based on viewing history. It has access to all major streaming apps such as Netflix and Prime Video, and there is built-in voice assistant support from Alexa and Bixby. The QN80F also supports the Samsung Art Store feature previously exclusive to Samsung’s The Frame TVs, which lets you display artworks when the TV is in standby mode.

• Features Score: 5/5

Samsung QN80F review: Picture quality

The QN80F's strength lies in its color reproduction, which is punchy and accurate (Image credit: Future)

• Bold, vibrant colors
• Generally good contrast
• Screen reflections

I measured the QN80F in its Standard and Movie picture modes. I did find that Filmmaker Mode was the more accurate picture preset overall, but Movie provided a brightness boost (in default settings) that allowed the QN80F to better show off its picture quality strengths.

Peak brightness (measured on a 10% HDR white window pattern) hit 1,106 nits in Movie mode and 975 nits in Standard. That is a big drop from its step-up sibling, the QN90F, which registered 2,086 nits in Movie and 1,987 nits in Standard. It’s even less than the cheaper mid-range TCL QM7K, which hit 1,733 nits in Filmmaker mode (the UK equivalent TCL C7K hit 1,706 nits). This is quite a disappointing result for the QN80F.

Fullscreen HDR brightness, however, was significantly higher, with the QN80F hitting 754 nits in Movie mode and a mammoth 869 nits in Standard, which should make Samsung’s mid-range mini-LED TV great for daytime viewing in brighter rooms.

This does, however, bring me to the elephant in the room: the QN80F’s reflective screen. I found that I could see objects reflected on the TV’s screen when watching dark scenes, even in dim room lighting conditions.

The QN80F does an effective job upscaling non-4K movies and TV shows. An HD stream of Fight Club viewed on Disney Plus benefited from an uplift in sharpness, giving textures a cleaner look, and contrast was also stronger. But upscaling wasn’t as effective with lower-resolution content. The TV’s Auto Remastering HDR setting is an option here, but I found it gave pictures a too-sharp look.

Color reproduction is the QN80F’s main strength. A scene from Elemental (on Disney Plus) where Ember makes a red and orange glass vase showcased the TV’s vibrant, punchy color display. Watching a 4K Blu-ray of Wicked, a scene where Elphaba sings under pink flowers showcased the QN80F’s ability to deliver more natural hues, giving the flowers and Elphaba’s green skin a realistic yet dynamic look.

When I measured the QN80F’s HDR color gamut coverage, it yielded results of 70.3% for BT.2020 and 93.05% for UHDA-P3. These are surprisingly low results for a mini-LED in this range, but also not far off the QN90F’s numbers, which hit 76.3% and 93.6%, respectively, for the same color gamuts.

Black levels are surprisingly deep on the QN80F, but can also sometimes take on a raised gray tone (Image credit: Future)

The QN80F’s black levels were generally quite good. As Hutler made his way to Orlock’s castle in Nosferatu, blacks looked pretty deep, although they did take on a slightly raised gray tone at times. Contrast was solid, with light sources such as torch and lamplight contrasting well with the dark surroundings in both Nosferatu and The Batman. The QN80F also showcased good local dimming with very few instances of backlight blooming.

Viewed from an angle, the QN80F’s screen took on a gray wash in darker areas, but its contrast wasn’t as bad as what I’ve seen on some older or cheaper mini-LED TVs.

Watching the black and white scenes in Oppenheimer, the QN80F had a good range of gray tones, and while screen uniformity wasn’t as good as what you’d find on more premium mini-LED and OLED TVs, it was still solid.

Textures and details throughout my viewing were rich and lifelike, with the right level of sharpness. Faces looked detailed, and the QN80F’s solid contrast helped to give objects and textures definition and depth.

Motion handling was an area the QN80F struggled with. Setting motion and judder reduction to between 3 and 5 seemed to be the sweet spot for movies, depending on how ‘smooth’ a picture you’re looking for. With these settings active, a scene in No Time To Die where a camera pans across a cliff face was smooth without any of the dreaded soap opera effects.

Using the same settings, sports never looked quite right, however. There always seemed to be motion artifacts, regardless of the settings I used. While football games on both YouTube and Prime Video were watchable, the action wasn’t as smooth as on other TVs I’ve tested, such as the Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED.

• Picture quality score: 4/5

Samsung QN80F review: Sound quality

The QN80F delivers clear speech and accurate sound placement, but struggles in every other aspect with its sound quality (Image credit: Future)

• Four-channel, 30W speaker system
• Direct sound
• Narrow soundstage and limited bass

The QN80F has a four-channel, 30W speaker system that supports Dolby Atmos. It has two preset sound modes, Standard and Amplify, as well as AI sound enhancement tools such as Active Voice Amplifier Pro (to enhance speech volume) and Adaptive Sound Pro (analyzes the content on screen to optimize the sound).

The QN80F’s built-in speakers delivered direct, clear sound throughout my viewing, with speech coming through with good clarity in most movies. Active Voice Amplifier Pro and Adaptive Sound Pro, found in the TV’s AI Mode in Advanced Settings, worked very well for sports by amplifying the commentary. Sound was also accurately connected to the action on screen, as demonstrated by the swerving traffic in The Batman’s Batmobile chase scene.

Unfortunately, the QN80F falls short elsewhere. In the same Batmobile scene, the soundstage was very narrow, and there was no sense of Dolby Atmos height or surround effects. Bass was also lacking, making the rumble of the Batmobile’s engine feel limited and flat. The balance between the vocals and score in Wicked was effective, but it didn’t have the same weight or dynamic quality I’d experienced with other TVs I've recently tested, such as the TCL C7K.

Bottom line: QN80F’s sound is fine for day-to-day viewing, but I’d recommend using it with a soundbar.

• Sound quality score: 3.5/5

Samsung QN80F review: Design

The QN80F's plain, but sturdy pedestal stand (Image credit: Future)

• Central pedestal stand
• Sturdy build quality
• Bulkier and plainer design than other Samsung TVs

The QN80F’s design plays it safe. It has a slightly bulkier depth than more premium mini-LED TVs and a plain-looking rear panel, though its glossy, silver metal frame does give it a more premium look than other mid-range TVs from Hisense and TCL.

The TV features a central pedestal stand, and due to its placement, it will make it difficult to place a soundbar underneath easily. The stand itself is made of a similar plastic to that used on the TCL C7K, but it still suits the QN80F’s design.

The QN80F uses Samsung’s SolarCell remote, a slim, compact remote control with minimal buttons. It can be charged using USB-C or the solar panel on the rear, eliminating the need for any batteries. In the UK, a second remote with numbered buttons is also included in the box.

• Design score: 4/5

Samsung QN80F review: Smart TV and menus

The QN80F uses Tizen 9.0, the best iteration to date of Samsung's smart TV platform (Image credit: Future)

• Samsung Tizen 9.0 interface
• Home, Game, Daily+ and Art hubs
• Some settings difficult to find

The QN80F uses Samsung’s Tizen smart TV platform, now in version 9.0. The Home screen’s default layout is the For You page, which presents recommendations based on your viewing history, along with a row of customizable apps. There is a large sponsored ad at the top of the screen, but this is not as invasive as the one found on Google TV.

Tizen 9.0 is the most advanced version of Samsung’s smart TV platform to date. A useful Quick Menu provides easy access to major settings categories, and it even remembers your most visited settings for quick navigation. There are four major hubs: Home, Game (a portal for all things gaming), Daily+ (for health and office-based apps) and the Art Store (where artworks can be purchased to display as a screensaver).

There are plenty of picture settings in the menus for those who like to tweak, but this is also one area where Tizen 9.0 falls short. Some settings are buried in several submenus and can be very difficult to find. Still, performance is snappy enough that navigation is easy, though I did find the QN80F to be a bit slower than its more premium counterparts.

• Smart TV & menus score: 4.5/5

Samsung QN80F review: GamingImage 1 of 2

The QN80F with Battlefield V and game menu (1) and Samsung's Gaming Hub (2) displayed (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future)

• Four HDMI 2.1 ports
• 4K 120Hz, AMD Freesync Premium Pro support
• 9.9ms input lag time

The QN80F has a stacked feature list for gaming. It supports 4K 120Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, ALLM and HDR10+ gaming, all featured on four HDMI 2.1 ports. Samsung’s Gaming Hub continues as an excellent portal for everything gaming-related, including access to cloud-based apps from Xbox, Luna and more.

Performance is responsive and snappy, even during fast-paced gameplay. In Battlefield V, the most chaotic of battles felt smooth, and targeting enemies was easy. This is helped by the QN80F’s ultra-low 9.9ms input lag time, which is up there with the best 120Hz TVs.

The QN80F’s Game picture mode delivers superb color and contrast with a nice hit of brightness. Textures are sharp, and motion is smooth and well-handled.

• Gaming score: 5/5

Samsung QN80F review: Value

The QN80F's compact SolarCell remote control (Image credit: Future)

• Good feature set for the price
• Cheaper rivals available
• Price drops help value

Value is a difficult area to score for Samsung’s Neo QLED TVs. That was something we discovered in our Samsung QN90F review, and the same holds true for the Samsung QN80F.

The 55-inch model I tested is available for $1,299 / £1,199 at the time of writing. In the US, you can get the Hisense U8Q (the company’s flagship mini-LED TV) for $848, and the TCL QM7K mini-LED TV for $749, a $4-500 price difference from the QN80F. Yes, the QN80F has more features, but both those TVs are significantly brighter.

In the UK, the QN80F is a more tempting option. Priced at £1,199, it's cheaper than the Hisense U7Q Pro (the U75Q equivalent for the UK), which is priced at £1,499. But the rival TCL C7K 55-inch is priced at £849, so again cheaper rivals exist.

The QN80F’s stacked feature list and generally solid performance make it a more premium option than its rivals, but ultimately, the Hisense and TCL alternatives deliver nearly the same performance at a lower price.

• Value score: 3.5/5

Should I buy the Samsung QN90F?

(Image credit: Future)Samsung QN98F

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

A full suite of gaming features and AI-based enhancement settings

5/5

Picture quality

Punchy colors and contrast and refined textures but motion is hit-and-miss and the reflective screen can be very distracting in bright rooms

4/5

Sound quality

Clear speech and accurate placement but lacking bass and narrow soundstage

3.5/5

Design

Plain design with slightly bulky depth but solid and sturdy with central stand

4/5

Smart TV and menus

Snappier navigation and a 'hub' design make this the best version of Tizen yet, but some settings still buried in menus

4.5/5

Gaming

An strong list of gaming features, with a responsive performance to match

5/5

Value

More expensive than much of the competition and best sought out at a discounted price

3.5/5

Buy it if...

You want a punchy, colorful picture
The QN80F's main strength lies in its colors, which are bold, yet natural-looking.

You want a great TV for gaming
The QN80F carries a near-full suite of gaming features, including 4K 120Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, ALLM, HDR10+ gaming, across four HDMI 2.1 ports, and it also delivers smooth, responsive performance.

You want a smooth user experience
Tizen 9.0 is the best version of Samsung's smart TV software to date, with a useful quick menu, mostly smooth navigation and an intuitive hub layout.

Don't buy it if…

You want Dolby Vision HDR:
As with all Samsung TVs, the QN80F doesn't support the Dolby Vision HDR format used for 4K Blu-ray and by streaming services. It does support HDR10+, however.

You want the best value mini-LED TV
The QN80F faces stiff competition from cheaper rivals that deliver equally strong performance and features for a lower price.

You have a very bright room
The QN80F's reflective screen resulted in mirror-like reflections during my testing in brighter conditions. View Deal

Samsung QN90F: Also consider...

Samsung QN80F

Samsung QN90F

Hisense U8QG

TCL QM7K/TCL C7K

Price (55-inch)

$1,299.99 / £1,399 (roughly AU$1,991)

 $2,499.99 / £2,499 (roughly AU$3,786)

 $999 / £1,799 (roughly AU$1,513)

$749 / £849 / AU$1,395

Screen type

QLED w/ mini-LED

QLED w/ mini-LED

QLED w/ mini-LED

QLED w/ mini-LED

Refresh rate

120Hz

165Hz

165Hz

144Hz

HDR support

HDR10+, HDR10, HLG

HDR10+/HDR10/HLG

DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG

DolbyVision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG

Smart TV

Tizen

Tizen

Google TV / VIDAA

Google TV

HDMI ports

4 x HDMI 2.1

4 x HDMI 2.1

3x HDMI 2.1

4 (2x HDMI 2.1)

Hisense U8QG

The U8QQ is Hisense’s top mini-LED for 2025, and its picture quality is brilliant for the price. Although it struggles in similar areas to the QN80F (such as sound quality) it's arguably overall better value for money (in the US at least).

Here’s our Hisense U8QG review

Samsung QN90F

The step-up sibling to the QN80F, the Samsung QN90F offers superior picture and sound quality, plus its Glare-Free screen makes it better for bright room viewing. It is a significant price increase over the QN80F, but the QN90F is a big quality increase as well.

Here’s our Samsung QN90F review

TCL QM7K/C7K

TCL’s mid-range mini-LED model (QM7K in the US, C7K in the UK) delivers higher brightness, better overall sound and impressive gaming performance again for cheaper than the QN80F. But, the QN80F does offer more as an overall package.

Here’s our TCL QM7K review and our TCL C7K review

How I tested the Samsung QN80FImage 1 of 2

(Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future)

• Subjective tests made using HDR and SDR sources
• Measurements taken using Calman calibration software
• Tested in varying lighting conditions in our testing lab

Before conducting my subjective and objective tests, I did some casual viewing of the QN80F to determine its best picture mode, deciding on Movie mode due to its added brightness. Filmmaker Mode is a good alternative as it provides a more accurate picture but it lacks the visual punch of Movie mode.

For my subjective tests, I used reference scenes from a variety of HDR (4K Blu-ray and 4K streaming) and SDR (broadcast TV and lower-resolution formats such as DVD) sources to test the QN80F's picture quality, focusing on color, contrast, detail, motion handling and upscaling. I used some of these same scenes to analyze the QN80F's built-in speakers as well.

I took several measurements of the QN80F using a colorimeter, test pattern generator and Portrait Displays Calman Color Calibration software. Brightness was measured using 1-100% white window patterns in both SDR and HDR, with results presented for peak (10%) and fullscreen (100%) brightness.

I also measured the QN80F's grayscale and color accuracy, recording its Delta-E results (the margin of error between the test pattern and what's displayed on screen).

I also measured HDR color gamut coverage for the BT.2020 and DCI-P3 color spaces.

You can check out a more in-depth guide to how we test TVs at TechRadar in the link.

• First reviewed: July 2025
• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

For years now, there’s been an online arms race between companies that want to know everything about what you do online, and companies that are trying to stop all these intrusive logging and tracking technologies.

We, as consumers, have a fairly limited privacy-boosting toolbox. Think antivirus apps and today's best VPNs.

But now there’s something new. Something we haven’t seen in a while. A new web-browser called Psylo. While the name might bring up memories of a certain terrible movie featuring a seven-foot-tall dreadlocked alien, the name is a play on the core functionality – the ability to have multiple tabs within one browser, each one completely isolated from the others, and each with its own IP address.

So how does Psylo stand up against today's best secure web browsers? We’re going to take a look and see just what Psylo brings to the table.

Features

User privacy is at the heart of what Psylo does, and a small but focused set of features reflects that. The main feature of this mobile browser is the concept of tab isolation.

This "silo" system means that every tab is isolated from the others, so websites can only attempt to track what you’re doing in that single silo rather than following you around the internet.

Another big driver for Psylo’s developers was to combat browser fingerprinting. Browser fingerprinting works by identifying all the specific ways in which your particular device’s setup is unique. This is done by looking at the apps and extensions you have, what hardware you’re running, where in the world you are, what timezone you’re in, and even the size of your browser window.

No two individual setups are the same, which means, just like a human fingerprint, these details can be used to identify and track a specific user.

Psylo works to foil this fingerprinting by changing your browser's time zone and language to match the location of the proxy server you’re connected to, making it harder for websites to identify and track where you are in the world. It also works to stop another form of tracking called canvas fingerprinting by implementing canvas randomization, all of which makes your unique fingerprint that much harder to pick out from all the others.

(Image credit: Shaun Rockwood)

Psylo is also a no-logs provider. The only information it holds about you is your subscriber number, which it needs to confirm whether or not you’ve paid. It can also see when you’re connected and how much data you’re using, so that it can track your monthly bandwidth allowance. It doesn’t store your browsing history, IP address, or any other kinds of information that might be used to identify you.

Finally, unlike many other browsers these days, you don’t need to worry about Psylo trying to shoehorn in an AI assistant. It’s a browser first and foremost. Oh, and because it’s subscription-supported, you don’t need to worry that it'll overload you with adverts or sell your personal data on to third parties.

Server network

(Image credit: Shaun Rockwood)

Psylo would not work without the network of private proxies that underpin it. The Mysk Private Proxy Network is made up of 40+ servers around the world. While a proxy server usually does not offer the same level of added encryption that you find with a VPN, it still works to anonymize your identity.

Psylo works in partnership with the well-known VPN service Proton VPN to provide the exit nodes for its connections. This means that any website you access through Psylo will see your traffic coming from a Proton VPN IP address.

An additional benefit here is that, because you’re using only Proton VPN’s IP addresses, you’ll still be able to access websites that block or restrict traffic coming from an IP address that’s associated with a datacenter, as these are often connected to fraudulent activity.

These servers are key to Psylo’s functionality, and you must pick a proxy server to connect to before you can create a new silo within the browser.

Apps

As Psylo is built using Apple’s WebKit, it’s currently only available for iPad and iPhone users, though the developers do hope to bring us an Android version in the future.

You can find Psylo in the App Store. Installation is as straightforward as any other app, and the iPad and iPhone apps are laid out the same, so it’s easy to swap from one device to the other.

(Image credit: Shaun Rockwood)

The app is minimalist and simple. Once you’ve created your silos, they’re laid out for you. You tap to open that particular silo and, if you tap and hold, you'll see options to edit the silo details, copy the URL and deep link, or delete that silo.

Other than that, you have a plus sign to add more, and the traditional cogwheel icon to access the settings menu. The settings menu shows your bandwidth usage, subscription details, and you can choose to have the silo tabs show the website address and/or the proxy IP address.

You can also access Mysk’s social media, send an email to the support team, and view the FAQ, Privacy Policy, and TOS.

Ease of use

The Psylo interface could be charitably described as “minimalist”. After you’ve got the app installed and you’ve signed up for a subscription, you’re dropped into an empty black workspace (or a white workspace if you’re not using dark mode on your device), with an invitation to create your first silo.

(Image credit: Shaun Rockwood)

You need to enter a name, the website address you want to connect to, and then choose a proxy server. You can also give each silo an individual icon and color. Advanced options are tucked into a sub-menu, but it’s unlikely your average user will need these.

It only takes a click to access the silo, and the website you’ve chosen is loaded up automatically. It’s pretty easy to get to grips with, though it’s unlikely this is the sort of browser that would appeal to a beginner or even the average internet user. This is a product targeting someone who values privacy above all else.

Speed and performance

Psylo is a browser designed to interact with websites, and it’s very good at doing so. It renders even image-heavy websites like Amazon’s storefront in a couple of seconds, but it’s not really designed or intended to be used for streaming content, torrenting, or downloading large files.

Its speed tests were remarkably consistent, but also very much on the slower end of things. We tested the UK, US, and Australia proxy servers on a 1 Gb connection, and every test returned a speed just above 21 Mbps.

That’s more than enough for most things when it comes to using the internet and interacting with online apps, but if you’re thinking about doing anything bandwidth-intensive, there are better options than Psylo.

(Image credit: Shaun Rockwood)

To put these results into context, a download speed of 25 Mbps is recommended for streaming 4K content, so it’s unlikely this is a browser you’d want to use for your movie marathon. Then again, this isn’t really what Psylo is designed for, so we don’t consider these results to be a mark against it.

Unblocking

As mentioned above, Psylo is not really designed with accessing streaming content in mind, and as such, it struggles with the big streaming sites. Trying to access Disney+ or Amazon Prime Video resulted in a prompt to download the specific platform’s app to view content, and the Paramount+ website refused to load at all when connected to either the UK or US proxy servers.

When connected to BBC iPlayer, it detected that our IP address was not in the UK and refused to display any content, even with the UK proxy server connected. This suggests there might be some issues with accessing geo-restricted content. We’ve raised the issue with Psylo’s tech support team, and they are going to look into it, but for now it’s just something to bear in mind.

Privacy and Security

With such a focus on user privacy and security, you would hope that the company’s terms of service and privacy policy reflect that, and Psylo does not disappoint.

Both documents are written in plain, easy-to-understand English and are up front about the information the company collects from you when you sign up for, and use, the product.

Psylo collects your Apple subscription identifier so it knows if you have a valid subscription or not, your App Store region, how much bandwidth you’re using, and timestamps. All uploaded or downloaded data is aggregated by the hour and is rounded to the nearest 50 Mb, making it all the more difficult to identify a specific user. Psylo also does not collect any sort of personally identifiable information (PII), IP addresses, or logs of website visits.

Each of Psylo’s nodes runs an HTTPS proxy server that routes traffic between the silos you create and the target websites via a Proton VPN exit node. These proxy servers can’t see the content of what you’re doing online, but they do see the destination address. Psylo’s no-log policy guarantees that none of this data is logged or stored.

Psylo’s privacy policy is also one of the rare ones that specifies exactly what happens to any stored data once you stop using the service, and how long it will take the company to delete any information it does collect, such as bandwidth data or the details of your subscription.

Psylo is impressively open about the nuts and bolts of its service, despite not being an official open-source product. You can even see a diagram of the system architecture on the Mysk Inc. blog.

Customer support

Psylo has an FAQ available within the app, which goes into detail about the service, including limits on bandwidth, number of silos, details of the no-logs policy, etc. There is also email support, as well as accounts on Bluesky and X/Twitter that you can reach out to with any questions.

At the moment, there’s no live chat support or AI chatbot, but we found the support team responsive and helpful when we reached out during our testing.

(Image credit: Shaun Rockwood)Pricing and plans

Psylo is available with a monthly or annual subscription. A monthly subscription is currently £9.99 in the UK ($9.99 in the US), and an annual subscription will cost £99.99 (or $99.99). Psylo is running a deal at present that'll net you 30% off an annual sub, but there’s no getting around the fact that Psylo is one of the more expensive options out there.

£99.99 puts Psylo in the same price bracket as Brave VPN’s annual subscription, which was already nearly twice as much as an annual subscription with a VPN provider like Proton VPN, Surfshark, or even Express VPN, though the month-by-month cost is cheaper than some.

A 7-day free trial is available for users who sign up for the annual subscription, while users who opt to pay monthly get 3 days free to decide if the product is right for them before any money is taken.

Should you use Psylo?

Psylo is an interesting product with some strong selling points and an impressive commitment to user privacy, especially defeating browser fingerprinting. There are some alternatives on the market that can be used to obtain a similar result, but none are quite as effective or as elegant as Psylo and often require both multiple apps as well as a fair degree of technical know-how to make them work properly.

The biggest issue is the subscription cost. In a world where it seems almost everyone has their hand out asking users to cough up for an ongoing subscription, wallets are more strained than they ever have been, and an expensive, niche product like Psylo is likely only going to appeal to a specific subset of people.

All this said, we feel that Psylo is a fast, effective product that does exactly what it sets out to do. If you’re someone who values their privacy above all else and you don’t mind paying for it, then Psylo deserves a place as part of your privacy toolkit.

Alternatives to Psylo

• The Brave browser is a product with a commitment to user privacy, through what it calls “Shields”. These are designed to block trackers, cross-site cookies, and alert you to phishing or malware risks. It also works to defeat browser fingerprinting by blocking browser-language and font fingerprinting as well as randomizing and/or removing browser features to make you harder to track. Brave also comes with a built-in VPN that requires a subscription to use.
• Aloha is a privacy-first browser with a built-in VPN. It also features an advert, tracker, and malware blocking, along with a no-logs commitment; however, it does not appear to have any specific measures to defeat browser fingerprinting. So, if that's a specific concern, you'd be better off looking at one of the other alternatives. The free version also comes with adverts that can be removed by signing up for a paid subscription.
• LibreWolf is another browser that was based on the Firefox browser, but this one comes with far tougher security out of the box. It’s a little on the bare-bones side and offers little in the way of added features beyond the basics, but as with Psylo, this is a browser you use for a very specific reason. Librewolf comes with uBlock built in and offers strong protection against web tracking and browser fingerprinting. The absence of any sort of subscription makes it a tempting alternative.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

The Canon imagePROGRAF TC-21M is a large-format printer with a difference; it can also scan and copy. By adding a flatbed scanner to a 24-inch ink tank printer, Canon has created a three-in-one device that could prove indispensable for schools or small businesses wanting to enlarge prints quickly and affordably, or print posters at the point of sale without a PC.

This unique multifunction device can print on cut paper up to LTR or A4 size, or produce banners and personalized wrapping paper on 24-inch wide rolls. With its integrated scanner, you can do more than just copy documents; enlarging graphics such as maps or CAD drawings into A0-size posters can be done via the printer’s own touchscreen interface.

Is it one of the best large format printers? I put it to the test.

Canon imagePROGRAF TC-21M: Design and buildImage 1 of 3

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

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

(Image credit: Canon // Future)Specs

Type: large format color multifunction inkjet printer

Functions: Print, scan, copy

Connectivity: Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi

Data storage slots: USB Host

Print speed: A3+ in 4min 15sec

Max paper size: 24-inch roll

Print quality: 2,400 x 1,200 dpi

Memory: 1GB

Apple AirPrint: yes

Consumables included: 4 x 70ml ink bottles

Dimensions/Weight: 968 x 533 x 245 mm (WxDxH)/31.7lb/34kg

The user-friendly design has the same chunky appeal as Canon’s other professional MegaTank models, with the rounded off white plastic casing and large tilting touchscreen display.

It’s quite a large unit because the 24-inch paper roll fits neatly inside where it’s kept clean and dust-free. The four ink reservoirs add to the bulk, but given its broad functionality, I’d say this printer is pretty compact.

The A4 scanner platen adds nothing to the size when you compare the multifunction imagePROGRAF TC-21M with the otherwise identical print-only version called imagePROGRAF TC-21, without the ‘M' for multifunction.

Canon imagePROGRAF TC-21M: Features & specifications Image 1 of 3

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

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

(Image credit: Canon // Future)

This is a three-in-one device so you can print, scan and copy. There’s no fax, but it has plenty of other features, enriched by its wide format capabilities. Naturally, it has Wi-Fi with AirPrint, Mopria and Chrome OS compatibility, but it can also enlarge A4 or smaller documents up to A0, or repeat the scanned image to produce banners or wrapping paper on the paper roll.

Alternatively, you can shrink your scans down to make name tags or business cards. Basically, this versatile machine has a much longer list of paper size options than your average wide-format printer.

There’s room for 100 sheets of plain letter or A4 paper in the main tray, while larger sheets of cut paper are loaded one at a time. The internal roll holder will take anything up to 24-inches wide. There’s no output tray to collect your prints, unless you buy the optional stand with integrated basket for around US$180 (£140).

There’s no auto duplex mode either, but there is a USB Host port beside the touchscreen display for a convenient way of printing to, or scanning from a thumb drive.

Canon imagePROGRAF TC-21M: Setup and operationImage 1 of 2

(Image credit: Canon // Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Canon // Future)

Getting your new Canon imagePROGRAF TC-21M started is much like installing any inkjet printer, except that it takes two to lift it onto the table. There’s also the extra time needed to fit a roll or paper, but the shaftless roll holder makes this quite easy.

The box includes four 70ml bottles of ink which pour into the tanks on the right hand side and the keyed bottle spouts make it impossible to fill the wrong tank.

The touchscreen simplifies the setup procedure by telling you what to do next. It’s even quicker to download Canon’s Print app onto your smartphone and use that to connect it to your local Wi-Fi network. The app also makes it easy to print and scan remotely, or check the printer’s status and ink levels.

Canon imagePROGRAF TC-21M: Performance

(Image credit: Canon // Future)

The Canon imagePROGRAF TC-21M printed without a hitch and only suffered one A4 paper jam during my tests, which was easily rectified. Overall, it scored highly on ease-of-use and print quality. It takes nearly two minutes to print an A1 poster in standard quality, so it’s not fast, but the results are very good. It also has a draft mode which almost doubles the print speed and the slightly paler print quality is fine for gift paper and the like.

Canon’s single bubble jet printhead has a total of 4,352 nozzles spraying its four pigment inks onto the paper and producing detailed prints at 1,200 x 2,400 dpi resolution. It’s equally adept at printing color documents on A4 paper, as it is on A1.

The four colors look bright and being pigment-based, they dry quickly for smudge-resident and longer lasting results. This is perfect for large maps, CAD drawings and poster-sized graphics, where the vivid colors look pleasing vibrant on plain paper.

With coated photo paper, you still get bright and detailed images, but unsurprisingly, it doesn’t achieve the wide color gamut and natural shading of photo printers like the 12-ink Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100. It’s certainly good enough to say that the Canon imagePROGRAF TC-21M has strong all-round print quality.

The CIS scanner worked well and made it possible to blow up A4 test documents to A1 size without any real loss of detail. I can see how this application would be useful in a shop, or school setting where posters can be produced without the need of a PC.

I found it quite easy to use the printers touchscreen to turn a test scan into a repeated pattern that could be used as wrapping paper. I did the same thing using Canon’s PosterArt, which is an equally user-friendly piece of software that comes free with the printer.

The only slight problem I had was a practical one. Without the optional stand or any extendable flap to collect each printout, you have to catch each print as it emerges and before the internal cutter sweeps across to dump them on the floor. Easily solved by moving the printer to a bigger table.

Canon imagePROGRAF TC-21M: Consumables

(Image credit: Canon // Future)

As a refillable ink tank printer, the Canon imagePROGRAF TC-21M is potentially very economical to run, which is important in a printer designed for running out such large prints.

The box includes four 70ml bottles, which is roughly enough ink for around 6,000 letter or A4 pages. While a replacement Canon PFI-050 multipack is significantly cheaper than cartridge ink, it’s quite expensive for bottled ink.

I found compatible pigment ink tended to be around a quarter the price of Canon-branded ink.

Canon imagePROGRAF TC-21M: Maintenance

Being an inkjet, the Canon imagePROGRAF TC-21M is prone to drying out and suffering clogged nozzles if left unused, but this can usually be solved by simply running a maintenance cycle.

Just enter the printer’s on-screen settings and choose one of the cleaning cycles to flush the nozzles. Further down the line, you may need to replace the PF-08 printhead and MC-32 maintenance cartridge, both of which are reasonably priced by Canon.

Canon imagePROGRAF TC-21M: Final verdict

(Image credit: Canon // Future)

I enjoyed turning out bright poster-sized prints and banners with the Canon imagePROGRAF TC-21M simply by blowing up images on its integrated scanner. It proved to be a very versatile product with its wide paper size compatibility and two input options.

The touchscreen interface and bundled PosterArtist software ensure it’s easy to use, and with the scanner, front USB port and Wi-Fi with AirPrint compatibility, it’s pretty well featured.

No, it can’t auto-duplex and it’s better with graphics and line drawing than photos, but otherwise, the strong print quality, and the affordability of its bottled ink will make this an essential accessory in many a shop, school or studio.

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