TechRadar Reviews

A global proxy provider for individual and business use established in 2020, IPRoyal has grown to offer infrastructure to over 10,000 businesses around the world. What started out as an IPv4 and IPv6 address leasing business is now a full-fledged proxy service provider for a wide array of clientele, ranging from individual developers to startups to data teams to enterprises.

Currently, the platform bestows access to residential, mobile, and datacenter proxies, with locations in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, Australia, and more. It includes more than 650 tools and software integrations, and has so far provided over 98,000 petabytes (PB) of data traffic for its clients.

IPRoyal: Plans and Pricing

IPRoyal offers different proxy types and pricing plans. Users can choose among residential proxies, ISP providers, datacenter proxies, and mobile proxies, each with their own particular characteristics and perks.

You can purchase residential proxies either on a pay-as-you-go basis or as a subscription (with a 5% discount in this case). Pricing is based on the amount of traffic you want, which begins at 2 GB and costs $6.25 per GB. The more GBs you take, the lower the price goes per GB, so 10,000 GB is priced at $1.84 per GB.

The pricing for ISP proxies (previously called static residential proxies) is based on the plan duration and the number of proxy locations you require, whereas the traffic is unlimited. For instance, 24 hours of one proxy will set you back by $2, while adding another location brings the price up to $4.60, and three months of one address cost $3.60/month ($2.70/month/address if more than one).

Datacenter proxies have 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day subscriptions, and a one-month access to one proxy is $1.80. As is the case with ISP plans, this offering also includes better discounts with lengthier plans and more numerous proxy addresses. There are also bundle-based plans with their own specifics and discounted prices, but the traffic is unlimited, whichever you choose.

Finally, mobile proxies (supporting 5G, 4G, 3G, and LTE), arranged by the location and provider (e.g., T-Mobile and Verizon for the U.S., Orange for Spain, and so on) and rotating automatically every six minutes, are also priced according to the plan duration and the number of locations. Bandwidth and sessions are unrestricted.

Although IPRoyal doesn’t offer a free trial, it does give access to its trial proxies so you can test its features before deciding. If unsatisfied after paying, you can request a refund or a replacement, but this has to happen within a short 24-hour window, which is a lot shorter compared to some of the competition.

IPRoyal supports payment using credit cards, over 25 cryptocurrencies, PayPal, Google Pay, and Alipay.

IPRoyal: Features

Accessing IPRoyal’s features starts with creating an account. You can sign up with your email address or use an existing Google or LinkedIn account. You’ll be redirected to your dashboard after registration, where you can access these features:

Residential IPs

Residential proxies are sourced from real devices across the globe. Every internet-connected device has a unique IP address, and people agree to contribute their IP addresses to IPRoyal’s network for a benefit, e.g., a VPN subscription. As an IPRoyal user, you can then use one of these IP addresses to surf the web and bypass geographical restrictions.

IPRoyal offers roughly 34 million IPs, of which residential proxies constitute the majority (32 million). The countries with the largest available residential IPs are the U.S. (1.4 million), the U.K. (422,000), and Germany (439,000). You can choose an IP address by country, state, and city, making it easy to protect your anonymity and bypass geographical and IP restrictions.

Suppose you run a flight deals website that frequently scrapes prices from airlines’ websites. Many airlines don’t like external data scraping, so they use geographical and IP restrictions to block it. For example, website admins identify IP addresses used by scraping bots and block them from further access. In that case, IPRoyal’s residential proxies let you circumvent this block.

You can choose an endless list of proxies to scrape data from external websites. If one gets blocked, choose another and continue your scraping activity. Residential proxies also hide your online identity and prevent third-party tracking. As far as a website is concerned, your device is browsing from whichever IP proxy you use and not the actual location. You could be in the U.S. and surf the web with a German IP address.

During our test, IPRoyal’s residential proxies provided a reliable and fast internet connection. We noticed no slowdown compared to browsing without a proxy IP address. The dashboard provided detailed insights on our proxy usage, including bandwidth and speed.

ISP proxies

IPRoyal now also offers a wide selection of ISP proxies across over 30 countries, with 100% dedicated IPs, unlimited traffic, HTTPS and SOCKS5 support, speeds of up to 10 Gbps, and highly customizable plans. Users can select a specific number of proxies starting from a single IP.

After funding your account, you can select the exact number of proxies you need for the offered duration - 1, 30, 60, and 90 days - in your user dashboard on the IPRoyal website. Besides selecting the duration, number of proxies, and their location, you have the option to list extra requirements for an additional fee.

Once set up, you’ll be able to see your ISP proxies’ orders and their status in your online dashboard, filter them for easier navigation, or search through them based on the notes you left. Clicking the Details button for a specific confirmed order will take you to the configuration page for those particular proxies.

Upon testing, there were some problems with erroneous rerouting of certain proxies to wrong locations (like choosing a Portugal IP address and getting a UK one). Thankfully, the IPRoyal staff was helpful and quick to act, so we got the correct location not long after contacting them. That said, some users have reported not getting proper assistance with similar issues.

(Image credit: IPRoyal)Mobile Proxies

IPRoyal offers a network of 2.5 million+ IP addresses from real mobile devices. These IPs mask your IP address for data scraping, ad verification, social media management, and many other use cases.

Mobile proxies work like typical residential IPs on IPRoyal. You can choose proxies from a specific country, state, or city, a specific mobile carrier (Vodafone, Orange, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc.) and a network type (3G, 4G, or 5G). You can auto-rotate mobile proxies or do that manually by clicking a button.

The mobile proxies were notably fast during our test, with up to 100 Mbps download speeds. Your monthly IPRoyal mobile slot subscription grants access to the entire pool of 2.5 million+ IPs with unlimited rotation.

Mobile proxies are particularly useful for social media management and research. Most social networks like Facebook and Instagram have strict limitations on the number of accounts users can create on a single device. You can bypass these limitations with IPRoyal's massive pool of mobile proxies. Your device's real location stays hidden, and the social media platform assumes it's another device because of its proxy IP address. Hence, it doesn't flag your accounts.

You can manage as many social media accounts as possible with mobile proxies. You can also create many social accounts for research purposes, e.g., an academic study, without being flagged.

Datacenter Proxies

IPRoyal runs a network of IPv4 and IPv6 proxy servers that provide unlimited bandwidth for end users. These datacenter proxies are sourced from secondary corporations rather than internet service providers (ISPs). They provide much higher browsing speeds than residential and mobile proxies. The drawback is that they’re easier for websites to detect. But even if that happens, you can spin up a new one and continue your online activities.

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(Image credit: IPRoyal)

On IPRoyal, you have access to datacenter proxies in roughly 40 countries, unlike residential IPs available in 195 countries. Datacenter proxies cost more for IPRoyal to obtain, so their limited availability is understandable.

You can connect to IPRoyal’s proxy servers via the HTTP/HTTPS and SOCKS5 protocols. During our test, they offered first-rate speed and performance with no downtime. IPRoyal places no bandwidth or session limits on proxy IPs, making them ideal for bandwidth-intensive use cases like data scraping, online streaming, content downloads, and app testing.

Browser extension

IPRoyal offers a browser extension that makes deploying and managing proxies easier. Instead of frequently logging into your dashboard to choose new proxies, you can use the extension to switch with a click. The proxy add-on is available on Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.

IPRoyal has an intuitive, user-friendly dashboard (Image credit: IPRoyal)

These browser extensions offer all-in-one proxy management. You can create distinct profiles for different proxies and switch between them with a single click. Each profile can have a single proxy or use different proxy IPs for specific traffic types (HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP). You can assign a backup proxy to ensure your internet access remains secure if your current proxy fails.

The browser extension doesn’t only work with IPRoyal’s proxy IPs. You can use it to manage IP addresses from other proxy providers your organization uses.

We’ve talked much about IPRoyal’s features, but there’s a crucial feature it lacks: web scraping APIs. Many proxy providers offer APIs that let users automate data scraping tasks. Users set a target website and the type of data they want to scrape. Then, the API scrapes the data to present in a tabular format. Unfortunately, you won’t find web scraping APIs on IPRoyal, so you’ll need an external platform for automated data scraping.

IPRoyal: Ease of Use

One of IPRoyal’s strengths is its high level of user-friendliness. Users get an intuitive dashboard to manage their proxies and other complementary tools. All features are neatly arranged in the left-hand menu, whereas on the right, you can gain access to the main menu. The interface is visually pleasing and easy to navigate, and you can select between light theme, dark theme, or the automatic theme that matches your browser settings.

IPRoyal has an intuitive, user-friendly dashboard (Image credit: IPRoyal)

IPRoyal’s browser extension (for Chrome and Firefox) also contributes to its ease of use. It lets you manage proxies regardless of the web page you’re currently on. Usually, you’ll need to open your IPRoyal dashboard to do this, but the extension removes this requirement. That said, you must first set up proxies on your IPRoyal dashboard before you can manage them via the browser extension.

IPRoyal: Customer Support

IPRoyal offers direct email and live chat support. You can open a chat support ticket from your dashboard or send a support email and expect a response within 24 hours. IPRoyal’s support staff was reliable during our test and answered our inquiries speedily. The drawback is that IPRoyal does not offer a telephone support option.

Users can access complementary support resources, including a FAQ page, user guides, and extensive technical documentation. The website’s “Docs” section provides detailed information about all features, making it the ideal first place to consult when facing challenges. If you don’t find a solution in the documentation or FAQ section, you can seek direct help.

IPRoyal: The Competition

The proxy software market is very competitive. IPRoyal has numerous competitors, and we’d like to highlight Webshare, Oxylabs, and Bright Data. These platforms have pros and cons compared to IPRoyal.

Webshare offers a network of 30 million+ residential and datacenter proxy IPs, slightly less than IPRoyal’s 34 million. Residential IPs constitute the majority of Webshare’s network, just like IPRoyal. Users have an intuitive dashboard and a browser extension to manage their proxies, just like IPRoyal. Webshare differentiates itself by being more affordable than IPRoyal and offering a free-forever 10-proxy plan.

Oxylabs has a massive network of 100 million proxy IPs, nearly triple that of IPRoyal. This broader network provides users with more redundancy and reliability. Oxylabs provides web scraping APIs and ready-made datasets, two features lacking in IPRoyal. We consider it a much better proxy provider than IPRoyal, albeit a more expensive one.

Bright Data has a robust network of 72 million+ IPs, more than double IPRoyal’s network. It offers a broader selection of residential, ISP, mobile, and datacenter proxies for data scraping. Bright Data also offers APIs for automated data scraping and pre-built datasets, which IPRoyal doesn’t have. Overall, we consider Bright Data a better proxy provider for enterprises, but IPRoyal is a more affordable solution we’d recommend for individuals and small businesses.

IPRoyal: Final verdict

IPRoyal has a reputation as a reliable proxy provider for individual and business use, and for a few very good reasons. It not only provides a robust and plentiful proxy network, but also friendly and capable customer support, as well as affordable and customizable pricing plans.

While it may lack some features you’ll see in rival platforms, such as a more extensive network and web scraping APIs, its proxies have low block rates, and some of them rotate automatically. This makes web scraping almost equally easy as if you were using an API.

Its user-friendliness and low entry cost make IPRoyal an ideal platform for individuals and small businesses seeking an affordable, reliable, and easy-to-use proxy provider with premium customer support available at all times.

To find out more, see our guide to the best proxies available. You might also like to read our guide to sneaker proxies, or find out the difference between residential and datacenter proxies.

Kaleidescape Strato E: One-minute review

Kaleidescape is a California-based company that has been at the forefront of digital home movies since 2001. While its brand name is likely known predominantly in the custom-install market for those with the space (and budget) for dedicated home theaters, the Strato E represents the most accessible route for anyone wanting to experience the best possible video and sound quality at home.

It’s an entry-level 4K movie player, slotting itself between the Strato M 2K player and the Strato V 4K player. By this, I mean the Strato E supports 4K Ultra HD movies, along with HDR10 and Dolby Vision HDR formats and is the cheapest Kaleidescape product to do so. The more expensive Strato V does the same, so to get the Strato E down to a more approachable price, Kaleidescape has dropped the internal storage from 960GB to 480GB and removed a few of the connections from the player’s rear panel.

The limited storage is something any potential buyer should think carefully about, as it’s only enough space to store around six 4K movies, downloaded from the Kaleidescape Movie Store, at any one time. The only way to expand the storage is to invest in one of the company’s Terra Prime servers, but with prices for these starting at $6,955 / £5,910 / AU$12,499, it’s a huge extra expense.

Aside from the players’ abilities, Kaleidescape’s other key selling point is its Movie Store. Not only is it the only way of obtaining content to watch, but it’s a gorgeous and fun interface to interact with. Content is displayed in rows that can be scrolled through quickly, with posters looking vibrant and sharp. It provides plenty of information for each title, including video and sound quality, cast and crew and even Rotten Tomatoes critic ratings. A nifty way of displaying related content also makes it great for discovering new titles.

As with many of the best streaming services, however, the content you have access to depends on where you live. The US gets the best version of the Movie Store, with several titles available to buy and download before they’re released on physical media. While limited, I was happy with the amount of content available in Australia, where I’m based, and I was pleasantly surprised by the cost of movies, which is comparable to (and sometimes cheaper than) 4K Blu-ray discs.

The content looks and sounds stunning via the Strato E. Colors are exemplary, blacks and shadow detail are the best I’ve seen from any home-entertainment source device and Dolby Atmos soundtracks – which are delivered in full lossless audio – more than prove why Kaleidescape demands the money it does. If picture and sound quality are important to you, you’ll notice a night and day difference between what the Strato E can offer compared to what you get from streaming services and, to an extent, 4K Blu-ray discs. You just need to be able to make your budget stretch to do so.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)Kaleidescape Strato E: Price and availability

• Released May 2025
• List price: $2,995 / £3,399 / AU$5,299

The Kaleidescape Strato E movie player was released in the US and Australia in May 2025, with a launch in the UK following soon after. It’s available in all three territories from registered dealers and select online sellers.

The Strato E has been introduced as a more affordable, entry-level 4K movie player and now finds itself sitting in the middle of Kaleidescape’s current three-strong lineup, between the Strato M 2K player ($1,995 / £2,395 / AU$3,499) and higher-specced Strato V 4K player ($4,495 / £5,389 / AU$7,999).

At $2,995 / £3,399 / AU$5,299, it’s certainly still a pricey bit of kit, but considering the quality Kaleidescape offers, combined with the fact it has a similar spec sheet as the Strato V, it does present as good value.

One of the key differences between the Strato E and Strato V is the amount of onboard storage – 480GB vs 960GB – and so if you want to download a large library of movies or TV shows, you’ll almost certainly need to factor in the additional cost of one of the company’s Terra Prime servers – which start at $6,955 / £5,910 / AU$12,499 for a 12TB HDD – or make the leap to the Strato V.

• Value score: 5 / 5

Kaleidescape Strato E: Specs

Built-in storage

480GB SSD

Resolutions

Up to 4K (3,840 x 2,160) 60fps

Bit rate

Up to 100Mbps

Audio support

Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, DTS-HD Master Audio

HDR support

Dolby Vision and HDR 10

Aspect ratios

1.78:1 and 2.35:1 (automatic or user interface selectable)

Connectivity

HDMI 2.1

Dimensions

16.26 x 2.8 x 16.26 cm / 6.4 x 1.1 x 6.4 inches

Kaleidescape Strato E: Design

• Excellent build quality
• Superb remote app
• Limited connections

The Strato E adopts a slightly different aesthetic to the Strato V, yet still very much looks like a premium product. Where the higher-end Strato V is made from anodized aluminum, the Strato E is built with black perforated steel. The perforations allow you to take a peek at the circuitry inside, and upon startup, a blue light glows through them. The light turns off during use so as not to distract you from the main event.

The ventilation afforded by the perforations means the Strato E remains cool and completely silent during use too. It has 480GB of onboard storage, which is enough for around six 4K movies downloaded from the Kaleidescape movie store.

This is my first time experiencing a Kaleidescape product, and, having read reviews of the company’s other models and salivating over various images on its website, I was a little taken aback by just how compact the Strato E was when I opened the box. Its diminutive dimensions make it easy to accommodate in/on TV units, and, thankfully, an optional faceplate is available for mounting onto an equipment rack, along with a dual faceplate for use with a compact Terra Prime server. You’ll likely need the latter if you want to hold on to more than the six 4K titles that you can save locally on the device itself.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Connecting the Strato E to your TV or home theater system is via HDMI only and Kaleidescape provides a THX Certified cable in the box. The only other connections on the rear of the unit are an Ethernet for a wired connection – essential, as there’s no Wi-Fi connectivity – a USB-A port for connecting external storage devices or a disc drive, and the 12V power input. The power cable integrates a brick, and both cables at either end of it are relatively long, so you should have little issue getting everything connected in your space.

A remote control is also supplied. It’s a simple unit, although it adopts a trapezoid shape for a touch of style. It does the job well, although it would’ve been nice for it to have been backlit (my colleague Stephen Withers said the same of the Strato V’s remote), although I spent the majority of my testing using Kaleidescape's smartphone app.

The latter offers a seamless connection to the player, provides access to the movie store and can be used as a remote to navigate menus. Plus, it has the added benefit of letting you use the phone’s built-in keyboard to type in search terms.

• Design score: 5 / 5

Kaleidescape Strato E: Features

• Highest video quality
• Full lossless audio
• Extra storage options available

With the Strato E effectively arriving as a more affordable alternative to the Strato V, and being capable of supporting 4K HDR content, it’s ultimately designed to offer the best possible video and audio quality of any home entertainment device available. It supports resolutions up to 4K (3,840 x 2,160) at a maximum frame rate of 60p. Dolby Vision and HDR10 support is also here, as is lossless audio, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.

The key factor allowing the Strato E to deliver such high quality is that it’s not limited to a file size or bit rate. Compare this to 4K Blu-ray discs that have storage limitations or the best streaming services that compress movies so they can run with minimal buffering, and you start to realize why Kaleidescape movie players command the price tags attached.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

As mentioned earlier, the 480GB of solid-state storage means there’s only enough space for up to six 4K movies, but the Strato E can upscale HD or SD movies to great effect and allow you to save more files in the bargain. For the absolute best quality, however, you’ll want to stick with 4K.

Any movies you buy will remain on your account in the cloud, so if you run out of space and want to download something new, an older movie can be removed from storage to be accessed and downloaded again at a later date.

If you want to build a larger library of movies, you’ll need to invest in a Terra Prime server, with prices starting at $6,955 / £5,910 / AU$12,499 for a 12TB HDD. Prices currently max out at $79,995 / £55,500 / AU$139,999 for 123TB. A server can provide simultaneous playback to up to 25 Kaleidescape players in one home, should you have the space, need, and, importantly, budget.

While the Kaleidescape Strato E is likely to be something only those with dedicated home cinema spaces gravitate towards, the fact that it can work as a standalone unit, and that it’s compact, means anyone who values the best possible video and audio quality can get involved.

• Features score: 5 / 5

Kaleidescape Strato E: Setup

• Web-based interface provides more in-depth setting adjustments
• Owned discs can be catalogued
• Movie Store content is location-dependent

Kaleidescape has made the Strato E as fuss-free to set up as possible. Simply plug it into mains power, insert an Ethernet cable and connect it to your TV or AV processor via HDMI and you’re away. You’ll be met with some onscreen instructions that are easy to follow and understand, and you’ll soon be able to access the movie store and enjoy the content.

You will need to set up an account with Kaleidescape, including providing card information as a means of payment to purchase movies or TV shows from the online store on an ongoing basis. While you can access essential settings via the player itself, a web-based interface offers greater control. To access this, you’ll need to enter the player’s IP address (found in the settings menu) into a browser on your computer.

You’ll soon learn that the majority of settings on the web interface can be left as is because the Strato E can determine what your system is capable of in terms of video and audio quality, and optimize itself accordingly to perform at its best. For example, it will be able to determine if you have a 4K display with a 5.1-channel speaker system. If you use a projector, you can adjust the aspect ratio to fit a 2.35:1 screen.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Aside from the physical capabilities of the Kaleidescape Strato E, one of the biggest selling points of the ecosystem as a whole is the Movie Store, as it’s the only method of obtaining content. Where you live will determine what you have access to due to licensing agreements, but this is also the case with many streaming services. As expected, the US store has the greatest range of content, including movies that have only just left cinemas. In Australia, where I’m based and this review was conducted, I could tell early on that the library wasn’t particularly vast, although many of my favorite flicks were available.

Kaleidescape says there are currently about 15K titles on the US store, around 12K and 7K on the Canadian and UK stores, respectively, and just about 5K on the Aussie store. However, since the Australian store only launched in April 2025, the amount of content already available is commendable. The company promises it will continue to populate the store with more titles in all territories where Kaleidescape players are available.

To help build your collection, the company offers the option to catalog any Blu-rays or DVDs you already own. I wasn’t able to test this feature, but in essence, you can connect an external disc drive with the USB input to trigger the Strato E to enter a Recognition Mode. (I wasn’t able to test this feature as I don’t have an external disc drive.) Insert a disc, and the player will search the Movie Store for a digital version that you can then purchase to download.

The company says that you can usually download that title at a discounted rate, although pricing is influenced by each production studio. What’s more, if you own a DVD and the Movie Store has a 4K version, you can purchase the higher-quality version if you wish.

Kaleidescape Strato E: Performance

• Outstanding picture and sound quality
• Interface is simple to navigate, but not always easy to search
• High-speed internet connection is ideal

As soon as you finish setting up your new Kaleidescape Strato E, you’re presented with the Movie Store. It’s a good-looking interface that’s quick to navigate using either the supplied remote or the smartphone app.

Content is logically laid out, with a selection of recommended titles along the top row, content you’ve downloaded but not yet watched on the next row down, followed by sections for paused movies, content you’ve watched and anything you’ve saved to your favorites list. After this are categories for genres, along with a dedicated section for 4K Dolby Vision titles.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Searching for something specific is mostly a fuss-free affair, especially when using the smartphone app, because, as previously mentioned, you can quickly type in a title using your phone’s keyboard. I was surprised (and a little disappointed) to find, however, that typing in ‘Dolby Atmos’ didn't return any results. I eventually found filters when browsing the Movie Store within the smartphone app, including one for Dolby Atmos, among many others, so the search isn’t as intuitive as I had hoped.

One particularly good feature of the Movie Store is the ability to summon related content when hovering over a particular title. For example, when highlighting Top Gun: Maverick, press the Kaleidescape logo button on the smartphone app, or navigate to Explore > Related Content on the movie’s information page using the physical remote, and the Movie Store interface kicks into action, reorganizing all available and related content around it.

This includes movies similar in style and genre; for the Top Gun example, I was presented with Tom Cruise movies and other content either from the same director or starring supporting actors. It’s a quick and easy way to instantly discover new titles and a feature I found myself using an awful lot – not least for the aforementioned discovery, but also because watching poster thumbnails float around my TV screen was just cool to see.

Once you’ve found something you want to watch, then, as mentioned, you need to first download it. Due to the large file sizes, a very high-speed internet connection is practically a necessity if you want to minimize the time it takes from selecting a movie to watching it. Where I’m based in Australia, I can only achieve a maximum download speed of 100Mbps (multi-gigabit plans are available, just not in my apartment building), which made me nervous that it would take days to download a single title.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

When I set The Batman to download, it had an immediate effect on my network, and shows I was trying to watch on other services kept buffering – all of the available bandwidth was going to Kaleidescape.

To get around this problem, I set The Batman, along with Wicked and Gravity, to download overnight and sure enough, when I woke up the next morning, they were there. Remember when you’d wake up as a kid on Christmas morning to see presents under the tree? That was the exact feeling I had that morning.

The app lets you know how long each piece of content took to download, with The Batman taking the longest at just under three hours (Gravity, being an HD movie, finished in 40 minutes). Kaleidescape says if you have at least a 1Gbps internet connection, you can reduce the download time of a 4K movie to around 10 minutes.

If you have a high-speed internet connection, you can also set the maximum download speed for Kaleidescape. For example, with a 1Gbps plan, you could set Kaleidescape to max out at 600Mbps, leaving you with bandwidth so you can continue to watch other content at the same time.

Having read reviews of other Kaleidescape products, and having a good understanding of what makes the brand so appealing to home theater enthusiasts, it’s safe to say I had high expectations of the Strato E. And those expectations were exceeded. For context, I had the Strato E connected to an 83-inch LG G5 TV and a Sonos home theater system comprising the Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar, two Sonos Era 300 speakers for surrounds and a Sonos Sub 3.

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(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Watching the opening scene of Wicked, the Wicked Witch of the West’s hat sitting in a puddle looked absolutely stunning. I compared it to the 4K Blu-ray version and noticed extra sharpness and detail when watching on the Strato E. Blacks were slightly deeper and the light reflection on the puddle glistened with greater intensity.

What took me by surprise the most, however, was the Dolby Atmos soundtrack. When the flying monkeys swooped in from behind the viewing position and smashed out of the window, I was blown away by the pinpoint accuracy of the movement from behind my seated position and towards the screen. It really was like being in a cinema; in comparison, the effect just wasn’t as pronounced when watching the Blu-ray version with the same home-theater setup.

It was a similar story when watching Gravity. Not only did the picture look incredible – the Strato E did a fantastic job of upscaling HD content, with the deep blacks of space well-defined and brighter lights shining with great intensity – but the Atmos mix was conveyed expertly through my speaker system. When Sandra Bullock and George Clooney’s characters are spinning out of control at the beginning of the movie, the soundtrack panned around my living room to great effect.

The Strato E truly shines with live concert recordings. As I mentioned in this issue’s lead-in, I downloaded and watched Hans Zimmer: Live in Prague — available in 4K Dolby Vision and, crucially, recorded in Dolby Atmos. I’d seen the soundtrack maestro perform in Sydney earlier this year — if you ever get the chance, grab a ticket, you won’t regret it — so I was curious whether a Kaleidescape playback of one of his shows could capture the same energy.

It did. The scale of the music hit me from the first note. My Sonos home theatre system was finally given a soundtrack that pushed its limits — I hadn’t realised how convincingly it could handle the dynamics of Zimmer’s iconic scores. When The Dark Knight Trilogy suite kicked in with Like a Dog Chasing Cars, the Strato E expertly reproduced the shifts from hushed, delicate passages — a lone violin or a subtle electronic texture — to the thunderous crescendos of the full orchestra, all without sounding compressed or strained.

That sense of contrast gave the performance real drama and made the experience feel startlingly lifelike. While I didn’t have a Dolby Atmos passive speaker system to test the Strato E’s talents — nor do I have a dedicated home cinema space — the player was able to deliver an impactful performance in my modest setup. Those with full Atmos rigs are in for a treat.

• Performance score: 5 / 5

Should you buy the Kaleidescape Strato EKaleidescape Strato E 4K Movie Player Score Card

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

It’s highly subjective, but as an ‘affordable’ entry point to the best picture and sound quality available, it’s worth the investment

5/5

Design

Excellent build quality and a superb smartphone app; more outputs would be nice, but the cost would inevitably increase

5/5

Features

Unrestricted file size for the best quality, and can be paired with servers for more storage

5/5

Performance

Unmatched picture and sound quality, especially content in 4K Dolby Vision and with object-based soundtracks

5/5

Buy it if...

You want the best possible video and sound quality

The unrestricted file sizes mean the Kaleidescape Strato E is able to receive more information for a movie or TV show, resulting in the best possible quality of any home entertainment product.

You want early access to the latest movies:

The US gets the best version of the Movie Store, with multiple titles available before their physical release. Other countries reap some of the same benefits.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget

It goes without saying the Strato E isn’t cheap, and if you want to build a large movie collection, you’ll realistically need to invest in an even more expensive Terra Prime server.

You don’t have the AV system to take advantage

The Strato E – and the wider Kaleidescape ecosystem – is best suited for people with high-quality home AV setups that benefit from the player’s capabilities.

How I tested the Kaleidescape Strato E

• Tested over a period of 4 weeks
• Connected to LG G5 OLED TV and Sonos home theater system
• 4K Dolby Vision and HD content used

I tested the Kaleidescape Strato E at home in my living room, connected to an LG G5 OLED TV, partnered with a Sonos home theater system in a 7.1.4-channel configuration to take advantage of Dolby Atmos soundtracks. I wasn’t able to evaluate DTS:X soundtracks, however, as my Sonos system can’t decode it.

Kaleidescape kindly provided me with some credit to spend in the Movie Store, as opposed to preloading it with content, so that I would have the same experience as any new customer.

Read more about how we test.

First reviewed August 2025

Fortect may not be one of the biggest names when it comes to the best antivirus and security, but this German business demands attention thanks to an ethos that prizes transparency, trust and user empowerment.

They’re all good qualities when trying to identify your next piece of security software, and it means that we’re eager to evaluate the company’s specific antivirus credentials in this review.

If you need a free antivirus product, then Fortect does have one option available – but it’s very limited. You can view and fix issues one-by-one using a manual repair system, but automatic repairs are only supported in the paid versions of the product.

Fortect’s paid antivirus module is found within a wider product called PC Suite, which also includes a slate of PC tweaking, optimization and repair tools alongside security features.

Fortect’s most affordable paid product, Essential, protects one system for one year and includes all of the app’s core features for $38.

Upgrade to the multi-device plan for $47 and you get unlimited annual usage for three devices. The Ultimate product, which costs $65, includes licenses for five devices.

Those single-device and three-device plans are priced reasonably, but the Ultimate product feels a tad expensive: Norton 360 Deluxe supports five devices for $49, for instance, and you can get Sophos Home Premium protection for ten devices for $44.99.

(Image credit: Fortect)Fortect: Interface

Installation is easy and, once it’s complete, Fortect runs through a comprehensive system scan. Because this is a PC suite rather than just an antivirus scanner, its results outlined a host of issues, but Fortect was comprehensive when tackling security: it detected a vast array of potential privacy issues, for instance.

Get beyond that initial scan and Fortect has one of the best interfaces we’ve seen on a PC security and tweaking app.

It’s modern and mature, with navy blue shades throughout, and the dashboard has a huge “On” button that starts a full system scan.

The front page has indicators so you can see if malware and real-time protection are both activated, and on the left-hand side there are links to the app’s performance, security, privacy and VPN modules.

(Image credit: Fortect)

Delve into the Security section and you can deploy quick and custom scans and toggle malware and real-time protection, and drag and drop folders and files for custom scans.

In the Security settings menu you can enable real-time protection, cloud-based analysis and the browsing shield, which blocks harmful sites. You can also customize the frequency of security reports and tweak file quarantine settings.

The app’s Privacy module includes browser cache cleanup, and a unique tool that enables users to remove traces of Office apps from their system. You’re also invited to install an effective, free Chrome browser extension that monitors your browsing activity and highlights any issues.

(Image credit: Fortect)Fortect: Antivirus and Protection

Fortect’s Antivirus module delivers real-time malware and web browser protection, comprehensive scanning for malware and unwanted apps, and cloud-based technology that provides the app with updates of new and emerging threats.

The app automatically fixes and removes threats, repairs your system if it becomes unstable, and can be used to create system restore points. Malicious files, folders and apps can also be quarantined.

Fortect’s macOS version also includes real-time protection, cloud-based security, full system scanning, quarantine management and detailed security reports, and its Android and iOS apps include all of those abilities alongside network scanning, website blocking, data breaches alerts and a system advisor.

To access these features across multiple devices, you’ll have to pay for one of the pricier tiers that supports multi-device usage.

(Image credit: Fortect)

Most of the antivirus products we cover have been independently tested by AV-Comparatives and AV Test – or a reputable alternative like SE Labs.

Sadly, none of those organizations have evaluated Fortect, so we’re turning to Virus Bulletin and AppEsteem.

VirusBulletin is a global authority on the antivirus industry and has been testing consumer and enterprise security software for over two decades. VirusBulletin’s publications include reports by leading researchers and details about new threats, with archives going back to 1989.

VirusBulletin’s VB100 certification is awarded to apps that “meet the basic standards required to be recognized as legitimate and properly functioning anti-malware solutions.” Fortect has earned that certification with a Grade A result, with 99.19% of malware detected and only 0.007% false positives.

AppEsteem certifies apps using the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization’s protocols to provide consumers can see which apps offer effective antivirus performance without false positives and over-aggressive monetization tactics.

AppEsteem’s testing saw Fortect rated as a Contender, with an 88% rating for Deceptors and a 94% pass mark for certification. That’s not the best score and it means you’ll likely see some upselling attempts in this app – and we can vouch for that, given that upon installation we were presented with an offer to upgrade to a multi-device app.

Apps from Avast, AVG, Sophos and others provided a cleaner experience than Fortect, but tools from Malwarebytes, Bitdefender and Norton received poorer ratings – so Fortect is not the worst offender here, and you shouldn’t let the occasional special offer put you off.

(Image credit: Fortect)Fortect: Other features

As Fortect Antivirus is included in a wider PC Suite, that means you get a solid range of additional features in the app.

Fortect’s Performance Scan identifies junk files and crashed apps that can slow your PC down, and the app also has a Driver Updater that will make sure your system is always up to date.

Those PC performance features are not particularly extensive, though, and there are plenty of features missing elsewhere if you compare Fortect to apps like Norton 360 and Sophos Home Premium.

(Image credit: Fortect)

Norton, for instance, included an unlimited VPN, dark web monitoring, parental controls, a password manager and a private browser. Sophos had more in-depth web filtering. None of that is available with Fortect.

Support options are underwhelming, too. If you need help with Fortect, you can complete a web form and get a response within 48 hours – below the industry standard in 2025. Norton has live chat and phone support options and paid options for more extensive help, and Sophos has chat options.

It’s worth mentioning that Fortect is a slightly different product to those two rivals: it concentrates on PC optimization and security. But given the pricing parity between all of these tools, it makes Fortect’s value proposition look a little underwhelming.

Fortect: Final verdict

The antivirus testing that we’ve found indicates that Fortect does an excellent job of protecting devices from the latest threats.

That said, its lack of testing from our favored testing sites means that we’re reluctant to give a wholehearted recommendation when compared to tools that have scored well across a wider array of testing services.

There’s no doubt that this app is a slick, easy to use tool: it’s got an excellent interface with straightforward design and sensible organization. But that does mean that Fortect lacks the in-depth tweaking and customization options that are commonplace on tools that will appeal for a more technical audience.

Go beyond its core antivirus and PC performance functionality, though, and there’s not much on offer here compared to other tools – rivals routinely include VPNs, password managers, parental controls and more, alongside better support.

Fortect may do a good job with antivirus abilities, but rivals offer more functionality and customization. Fortect is not bad, but there are better options available.

We've listed the best firewall software.

OpenNMS has carved out a solid position in our best network monitoring tools roundup as a compelling open-source alternative to commercial solutions. The platform offers two distributions — Horizon for rapid innovation and Meridian for enterprise stability, both completely open source. You'll find comprehensive fault, performance, and traffic monitoring capabilities that rival expensive proprietary tools.

Techradar reviewers spend several weeks researching each major IT platform in the market. We found that OpenNMS excels at handling large-scale networks, with Fortune 500 companies using it to monitor tens of thousands of devices. While LogicMonitor remains our pick for the best network monitoring tool of 2025, OpenNMS delivers exceptional value for teams with strong technical skills.

OpenNMS: Features

OpenNMS packs an impressive array of monitoring capabilities that rival commercial platforms costing thousands more. You get comprehensive network discovery, fault detection, performance monitoring, and traffic analysis in a single platform.

The feature set is well-suited for large enterprises and technical teams who need deep customization options. While some competitors offer more polished interfaces, OpenNMS compensates with raw power and flexibility. At $44,100 annually for enterprise support, the pricing reflects the platform's enterprise-grade capabilities.

Network discovery and auto-discovery

OpenNMS automatically discovers devices across your network using industry-standard protocols like SNMP, HTTP, and JDBC. You can configure discovery ranges and let the platform map your entire infrastructure without manual intervention. The system integrates with over 2,000 networking vendors, ensuring compatibility with your existing hardware.

Fault management and alerting

The platform excels at fault detection with intelligent path outage analysis. Instead of flooding you with alerts when a core device fails, OpenNMS sends a single notification for the root cause. You may also appreciate features like escalation policies and contact groups that ensure the right people get notified at the right time.

Performance monitoring and graphing

Real-time performance data collection covers everything from CPU utilization to custom metrics. OpenNMS generates comprehensive graphs that integrate beautifully with Grafana for advanced visualization. The system handles up to 300,000 data points per second, making it suitable for the largest enterprise networks.

Flow analysis and traffic monitoring

Built-in support for NetFlow v5/9, IPFIX, and sFlow provides deep traffic analysis capabilities. You can track bandwidth utilization, identify top talkers, and analyze traffic patterns across your entire network. This feature alone justifies the platform for many organizations.

Business service monitoring

OpenNMS maps network performance to business services, helping you understand how technical issues impact operations. You can create custom service definitions and track their health across multiple network components. This business-focused approach sets OpenNMS apart from basic monitoring tools.

(Image credit: OpenNMS)OpenNMS: Ease of use

OpenNMS demands significant technical expertise, and you'll need to invest time learning its configuration approaches. The web interface handles basic tasks, but advanced features require editing XML files and command-line work. We found the learning curve particularly steep for teams coming from simpler monitoring tools. However, once you master the basics, the platform's flexibility becomes a major advantage.

The interface itself feels dated compared to modern alternatives like LogicMonitor or Datadog. You'll spend time navigating between different sections to accomplish tasks that other platforms handle in single dashboards. OpenNMS has acknowledged this limitation and continues improving the web UI, but significant configuration work still happens outside the browser. The rigorous community documentation helps, but expect weeks of learning before you're fully productive.

OpenNMS: Pricing

Plan

Starting price (paid annually)

What's included

Horizon (Community)

Free

Open source version, community support, all core features

Meridian Core

Contact for pricing

Basic enterprise features, email support

Meridian Essential

Contact for pricing

Installation consulting, guaranteed SLAs, regular support

Meridian Premier

Contact for pricing

Enhanced SLAs (2hr critical response), priority support

Meridian Premier+

Contact for pricing

1hr critical response, 24/7 support options

OpenNMS offers an attractive pricing structure with a completely free open-source option that includes all core monitoring features. But the jump to enterprise support is significant at about $44,100 annually, which gives you installation consulting and guaranteed response times.

This pricing model works well for organizations that either have strong internal expertise (free version) or can afford to pay for the enterprise-grade support guarantees. Compared to competitors like LogicMonitor starting at $375 monthly, OpenNMS provides better value for large deployments where per-device pricing becomes expensive.

OpenNMS: Customer support

OpenNMS provides tiered support options ranging from community forums to enterprise-grade SLAs. The free community version relies on extensive documentation and active user forums. You'll find helpful resources, but response times depend on community availability. They also maintain a detailed knowledge base and video tutorial tfor common issues.

Enterprise customers get dedicated support portals with guaranteed response times. Critical issues receive 1-4 hour responses depending on your plan, with business-hours coverage standard across paid tiers. Support tickets integrate with internal development processes, ensuring bug fixes and enhancements get proper attention. However, enhancement requests don't carry SLA guarantees, which may frustrate teams expecting rapid feature development.

OpenNMS: Alternatives

OpenNMS occupies a unique position as the most capable open-source network monitoring platform, competing directly with commercial giants like SolarWinds and PRTG. You'll find it particularly valuable if you need enterprise-scale monitoring without per-device licensing costs. The platform works best for large organizations with dedicated network teams who can invest time in proper configuration and customization.

Key competitors include LogicMonitor for cloud-native environments, Datadog for application-focused monitoring, and Nagios for simpler network oversight. OpenNMS differentiates itself through comprehensive flow analysis, business service mapping, and the ability to handle massive device counts without licensing restrictions. However, teams wanting plug-and-play simplicity should consider commercial alternatives that prioritize ease of use over raw functionality.

OpenNMS: Final verdict

OpenNMS delivers exceptional value for organizations willing to invest in proper implementation and training. You get enterprise-grade monitoring capabilities that rival solutions costing significantly more, plus the flexibility that comes with open-source software. The platform works best for sprawling networks where customization and scalability matter more than interface polish.

However, you shouldn't underestimate the learning curve and ongoing maintenance requirements. Small teams or organizations lacking dedicated network expertise may find commercial alternatives more cost-effective when factoring in implementation time. For the right use case, technical teams monitoring large, diverse networks — OpenNMS represents one of the best values in enterprise monitoring.

FAQs

What's the difference between OpenNMS Horizon and Meridian?

Horizon is the community version where new features are developed and tested rapidly, making it ideal for organizations wanting the latest capabilities. Meridian focuses on long-term stability with enterprise support options, receiving thoroughly tested features after they've proven stable in Horizon deployments.

Can OpenNMS monitor cloud infrastructure and hybrid environments?

Yes, OpenNMS supports distributed monitoring through Minion collectors that can be deployed in remote locations or cloud environments. You can monitor AWS, Azure, and other cloud services alongside traditional on-premises infrastructure from a single platform.

How does OpenNMS licensing work for commercial use?

The core OpenNMS software is completely open source and free for commercial use. You only pay for enterprise support, consulting services, and additional commercial components if needed. There are no per-device licensing fees, making it cost-effective for large deployments.

What level of technical expertise is required to implement OpenNMS?

You'll need solid networking knowledge and Linux administration skills for successful deployment. While basic monitoring can be configured through the web interface, advanced features require XML editing and command-line configuration. Plan for several weeks of learning and configuration time.

Does OpenNMS integrate with other IT management tools?

OpenNMS offers extensive integration capabilities through its REST API, supporting connections with ticketing systems like Jira, messaging platforms, and visualization tools like Grafana. The platform can also integrate with configuration management systems and other network tools through various protocols and APIs.

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Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) and Sync Module Core: two-minute review

The days of traditional ‘analog’ doorbells connected via wires to an internal chime are fast coming to an end. Increasingly, people are turning to video doorbells, which will send an alert to your mobile phone when someone comes to the door. They will even act as an intercom so you can talk to whoever is there whether you are in the house, walking the dog or sitting on a beach.

Like its predecessor, the Blink Video Doorbell doesn’t come with its own indoor chime. Instead, you can pair it with a Blink Mini 2 camera (sold separately) or connect via the Alexa app on your phone to a Fire Stick or Amazon Echo Show. This will allow you to see who is at the front door on your TV screen/multimedia display or you can get a voice message via your Amazon Echo Dot when someone presses the doorbell.

Alternatively, it may be possible to connect existing doorbell wiring from the Blink Video Doorbell to a legacy indoor chime providing its rated between 16 and 24 volts. Batteries are required for use whether you use existing doorbell wiring or not.

The Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) uses three AA lithium batteries (Image credit: Chris Price)

What I like about Blink devices is just how easy they are to add to an existing system. I’ve already got several Blink cameras around the house so adding one more was simply a case of scanning the QR code on the back of the device and adding it to the home set up. However, if you’ve never installed a Blink camera before you will need to download the app (Android or iPhone) as well as connect the sync module provided to your broadband router (this acts as a hub for up to 10 Blink security devices).

Unfortunately, as the one supplied isn’t compatible with local storage via a connected USB flash drive, you will need to pay a monthly subscription for storing video footage and accessing the latest features – see subscription options below.

When it comes to mounting the video doorbell on the door there are two options. You can either use the standard flat mount or a wedge mount if you are placing it on a door architrave. As I was replacing the previous Blink video doorbell (Gen 1) I was hoping I could re-use the mount from that one to save time on installation. However, that wasn’t possible because this unit is a slightly different size.

Instead I used the black mount provided for the black video doorbell supplied by the manufacturer (a white version with white mount is also available). At least I didn’t have to screw two new holes in the wood as they’re positioned in the same place on the mount as the previous version.

Installing the Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) is very straightforward, particularly if you already have other Blink devices at home (Image credit: Chris Price)

Once installed, controlling the camera is simply a case of using the Blink app. One of the main differences between this model and its predecessor is the camera’s lens, in particular the aspect ratio. Whereas the previous model offered a more conventional 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio with 1080p resolution, the new video doorbell boats a square 1:1 aspect ratio with improved 1440p resolution.

It also offers a larger field of vision (150 degrees horizontal and 150 degrees vertical) compared to 135 degrees horizontal and just 80 degrees vertical on the previous model. The result is that not only is it possible to get a head-to-toe image of someone coming to the door, you can also view the ground – handy to see any deliveries that have been left outside your front door.

The in-app setup process is very simple (Image credit: Chris Price)

Certainly the 1:1 aspect ratio does take a little bit of getting used to, especially the square shape on the Blink home page next to all of the other more conventional widescreen cameras. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that, because the field of view is so much bigger than its predecessor you will need to reduce the device’s sensitivity, especially if you are paying for the Blink subscription with AI-powered Smart Detection.

Otherwise, you may well record every person and vehicle that goes past your house as well as those who come to the door. Not only will this severely reduce the lifespan of the batteries, it is also highly annoying to get pointless alerts every few minutes.

Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) and Sync Module Core: subscription options

There are two different subscription plans available depending on the number of Blink devices you own, and which features you require.

Location

Blink Basic Plan

Blink Plus Plan

US

$3/month per device, or subscribe via Amazon for $30/year

$10/month for unlimited devices or subscribe via Amazon for $100/year

UK

£2.50/month per device, or subscribe via Amazon for £24.99/year.

£8/month for unlimited devices or subscribe via Amazon for £80/year

Australia

AU$4.95/month per device, or subscribe via Amazon for AU$49.95/year

AU$15/month for unlimited devices or subscribe via Amazon for AU$150/year

Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) and Sync Module Core: price and availability

• List price $69.99 / £59.99 (about AU$110)
• Launched August 2025 with Sync Module
• Currently available in UK and US (not Australia)

With its second-generation video doorbell, Blink has managed to maintain the same $69.99 / £59.99 price point as the original video doorbell (you can now buy the earlier model for under £30 on Amazon in the UK without the sync module). Really, it’s exceptional value for money, much cheaper than a Ring video doorbell device, despite the two companies sharing Amazon ownership.

However, it's not available in Australia at the time of writing, and it’s worth bearing in mind that if you want to benefit from the full functionality of the device, including the ability to store video clips, you will need to pay for a subscription costing from $3 / £2.50 a month. That’s because - unlike the first video doorbell which incorporated a sync module with the option of adding local storage – it’s not the case with the second-generation model.

You won't be able to store videos recorded by the Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) on the Sync Module Core (Image credit: Chris Price)

Instead of the Sync Module 2, the second-generation Blink video doorbell features the more basic Sync Module Core. Personally, I find that a little bit cheeky, but then at least the monthly subscription fees are cheaper than most of the rivals (Ring subscription plans start at $4.99 / £4.99 a month).

In addition to unlimited cloud video storage, the Blink subscription package includes Blink Moments which stitches together multiple events from multiple cameras into one video. Then there’s AI-Powered Smart Detection which tells you whether the camera has captured a person coming to the door/walking past your house, or a vehicle in your driveway/driving along the road. To reduce the amount of footage captured, which can be quite overwhelming, we recommend reducing the device’s sensitivity and also editing the ‘motion zones’ (areas of the frame that are active or private).

• Value score: 4/5

Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) and Sync Module Core: design

• Easy-to-install mounting bracket
• Chunky design
• Available in white or black

Blink cameras are renowned for being some of the most compact and lightweight devices on the market. However, the Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) is a little bit of an exception. Tipping the scales at 4oz/113g, it’s both heavier than the first-generation model (3.2oz/91g) and also a little thicker too at 1.44in/36.6mm compared to 1inch/27mm.

Image 1 of 2

The Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) is a little bulkier than its predecessor (Image credit: Chris Price)Image 2 of 2

The Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) is a little bulkier than its predecessor (Image credit: Chris Price)

The main reason for this, of course, is that the new model incorporates space for three AA lithium batteries whereas the original model featured just two batteries. In turn, this means that battery life is much longer though it’s unlikely to be as long as the two-year lifespan that Blink’s marketing suggests.

Like its predecessor, two colour options are available (white or black) and there are two types of mount – one for placing flat on the door frame and another for mounting on a door architrave. Using the standard mount with the screws provided, it only takes around five minutes to install wirelessly, although if you are connecting to existing doorbell wiring the process is much longer. Since there's no built-in chime, you'll need to connect it to Alexa devices or buy a Blink Mini 2 camera to hear the doorbell indoors.

It only took around five minutes to install the doorbell with the included mount (Image credit: Chris Price)

Looks-wise, the second-generation model is a little different from its predecessor with a larger oval shaped button in the middle, compared to the round button on the first generation model. Recording is also more subtle with a small blue light on the top right indicating when video is being captured, rather than the area around the central button becoming illuminated in blue.

When the button in the centre is pushed by a visitor, it illuminates white and a message is sent to the connected phone telling you ‘someone is at the door’. As with the first-generation model, the doorbell sits inside a bracket but can be removed for changing batteries etc. by inserting a small metal ‘key’ in the base. It is also rated IP-65 weather resistant which offers greater protection against the elements than the previous model which was only IP-54 rated.

• Design score: 4/5

Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) and Sync Module Core: performance

• Good image quality (especially in Best mode)
• Stable video connection
• Overly sensitive camera

There’s no question that when it comes to performance Blink has upped its game with this second gen model. The first one was certainly OK, but not as good as some of the admittedly more expensive video doorbells from companies such as Ring. However, in nearly every respect, the Gen 2 model offers better performance than its predecessor.

Not only does it have a wider field of horizontal view (150 degrees compared to 135 degrees for the first model), it also offers a 150-degrees vertical field of view for a perfectly square 1:1 aspect ratio image. At first I thought that was a bit odd, but having used it for a little while it’s incredibly useful. Not only can you see an entire head-to-toe image of someone at the door you can also see if a parcel has been left on your doorstep.

Image 1 of 2

The new square aspect ratio makes it easier to see both visitors and packages (Image credit: Chris Price)Image 2 of 2

The new square aspect ratio makes it easier to see both visitors and packages (Image credit: Chris Price)

Whereas the previous model offered 1080p video resolution, the second-generation model boasts improved 1440p video resolution. Three video quality settings are on board (Best, Standard, and Saver). I settled on Best as it’s good to be able to see details more clearly although this will obviously reduce battery life. The second-generation model also offers improved night vision.

Of course, it’s not all good news. The downside of the camera lens being much bigger is that it also collects much more footage – too much. Blink cameras are known for being sensitive anyway and this latest model is no exception.

Even with privacy zones set up, I found it necessary to dial the sensitivity right down to avoid false alerts (Image credit: Chris Price)

With motion sensitivity set to five, I found the camera was recording around 100 events a day, most of them of people walking their dog past the house or delivery vans going by. Even with the ‘privacy zones’ set up to block out the extremes of the frame (including areas of sky) the camera was still extremely active. In the end it was necessary to reduce sensitivity to just two out of 10 so it only captured people actually coming to the door.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning the sync module. Whereas the previous model included the Sync Module 2 with a USB socket so you could insert a USB flash drive for storing video clips, this model comes with the Sync Module Core without local storage. Essentially this means if you want to store video clips you will need to pay a subscription of at least $3 / £2.50 a month.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) and Sync Module Core?Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) score card

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

This video doorbell represents pretty good value for money. Even the monthly subscription charge for premium features is around half the price of some devices.

4/5

Design

Available in black or white, the Blink doorbell is a much bulkier model than its predecessor. It is accompanied by a small sync module which connects to your router.

4/5

Performance

Although the motion sensor is a little overly-sensitive, performance is very good indeed particularly the 1:1 aspect ratio for ‘head-to-toe’ video capture.

4.5/5

Overall

When it comes to performance Blink have upped their game with improved quality images and longer battery life. Just a shame the supplied sync module can’t be used for storing clips.

4.5/5

Buy it if

You already have a Blink camera

The software makes it easy to use the video doorbell as part of a Blink home security system comprising indoor and outdoor cameras.

You want a wide viewing angle

One of the main benefits of the latest Blink camera is the head-to-toe viewing angle so you can see whoever comes to the door and the parcels that are left on the doorstep.

Don't buy it if

You need a separate chime indoors

The Blink doesn’t come with a chime so you will need to turn up the volume of the device or rely on either a separate Blink camera or connect to Alexa-enabled device.

You don’t want to buy expensive batteries

With this model you will need to buy three expensive Lithium AA batteries. Blink claims up to two years’ battery life but it’s likely to be a lot shorter.

Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) and Sync Module Core: also consider

Product

Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) and Sync Module

Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 1) and Sync Module

Yale Smart Video Doorbell and Doorbell Chime

Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus

Subscription price

From £2.50 a month

From £2.50 a month

From £3.50 a month

From £4.99 a month

Viewing angle

150 degrees horizontal

135 degrees horizontal

154 degrees horizontal

150 degrees horizontal

Network connection

Wi-Fi (2.4GHz)

Wi-Fi (2.4GHz)

Wi-Fi (2.4GHz)

Wi-Fi (2.4GHz)

Audio

Two-way audio

Two-way audio

Two-way audio

Two-way audio

Video

1440p Full HD resolution

1080p Full HD resolution

1080p Full HD resolution

1536p Full HD resolution

Power

Battery

Battery

Mains or battery

Battery

Hardware price

£59 (with Sync Module Core)

£59 (with Sync Module 2)

£129 (video doorbell), £29 (chime)

£129 (video doorbell), £139 (with basic chime)

If you're not sure whether the Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) and Sync Module Core are the right combo for you, here are two other options to consider.

Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus

Amazon-owned Ring has firmly established itself as the ‘go to’ company for video doorbells. It offers several models including this wire-free model which also features a head-to-toe view.

Read our full Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus review

Yale Smart Video Doorbell and Doorbell Chime

A solidly built video doorbell, the Yale device offers good image and sound quality. However, streaming recorded content and speaking to people at the door can be a little slow.

Read our full Yale Smart Video Doorbell review

How I tested the Blink Video Doorbell (Gen 2) and Sync Module Core

• I used the doorbell every day for 10 days
• I installed it myself
• The doorbell was set up on the front door facing towards the road

To test a video doorbell properly you need to use it as part of your home system. Fortunately, I already have other Blink cameras so adding another one was particularly straightforward. But even if I didn’t then downloading the app would have been easy enough.

Installation takes around 15 minutes or so, requiring a screw driver to attach the mount to the door frame before positioning the camera in place. It’s roughly the same size as the previous one, in terms of length and width, so thankfully I didn’t have to worry about unsightly screw holes all over the door frame.

The new Blink Video Doorbell is roughly the same height and width as its predecessor, so I didn't have to worry about messy screw holes when I upgraded (Image credit: Chris Price)

During the period of testing, I really began to appreciate the device’s head-to-toe viewing. I get a lot of deliveries, so being able to see if they have been left on the doorstep when I’m out is handy. Another bonus is the additional power that having another AA battery brings.

Whereas the previous model relied on two lithium AA batteries that had to be changed every three months, this one has three. However, I think it’s extremely unlikely these will last two years as Blink claims in its marketing blurb. I’m pretty sure I’ll be changing the batteries again in six months time given how sensitive the camera’s motion sensor is!.

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

First reviewed August 2025

SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor is a solid choice among network monitoring solutions, delivering comprehensive SNMP-based monitoring for multi-vendor environments. This platform focuses heavily on traditional network infrastructure monitoring, making it particularly valuable for organizations with complex on-premises setups.

TechRadar reviewers dedicate several weeks to researching each major IT platform, ensuring our assessments reflect real-world usage scenarios. We've spent considerable time evaluating NPM alongside other major platforms in this space. While LogicMonitor remains our top pick for 2025, SolarWinds NPM carved out its niche through deep SNMP integration and robust device support.

SolarWinds NPM: Features

SolarWinds NPM offers a feature-rich monitoring platform that's particularly well-suited for traditional network environments and medium to large IT teams. The platform is perfect for SNMP-based monitoring with strong multi-vendor support, though it lacks some of the cloud-native capabilities and AI-powered insights that competitors like LogicMonitor provide.

While the feature set justifies the investment for organizations with complex network infrastructures, smaller teams might find the complexity overwhelming relative to their needs. The modular pricing approach means you pay for what you use, but costs can escalate quickly.

Network auto-discovery

NPM's auto-discovery feature automatically identifies and catalogs network devices using SNMP protocols. You don't need to manually configure every device - the system scans your network and builds a comprehensive inventory. This saves significant setup time and ensures new devices get monitored without manual intervention.

NetPath analysis

NetPath provides hop-by-hop analysis of critical network paths, offering advanced troubleshooting capabilities. The feature traces network paths from source to destination, working even when traditional tools like traceroute fail. This gives network engineers unprecedented visibility into performance bottlenecks and connectivity issues.

PerfStack dashboards

PerfStack enables cross-stack data correlation on a common timeline, helping you analyze performance metrics from different network sources simultaneously. The drag-and-drop interface lets you create custom views combining live and historical data. This makes it easier to share insights with stakeholders through generated URLs.

Network insight features

Network Insight provides deeper visibility into complex network devices including F5 BIG-IP load balancers, firewalls, and switches. The feature offers comprehensive performance analysis across distributed services and helps with capacity planning. This is particularly valuable for organizations running critical applications across multiple network segments.

(Image credit: SolarWinds)SolarWinds NPM: Ease of use

SolarWinds NPM features a redesigned interface that prioritizes usability without sacrificing functionality. The new dashboard provides intuitive navigation with color-coded status indicators and graphical elements that make network health assessment straightforward. However, the initial learning curve remains steep, particularly for teams new to SNMP-based monitoring. The platform requires understanding of network protocols and device configurations to maximize its potential.

The setup process demands significant technical expertise and time investment. While the auto-discovery feature helps identify devices, configuring alerts, thresholds, and custom dashboards requires careful planning and network knowledge. The platform's strength in customization becomes a double-edged sword - you can tailor everything to your needs, but this flexibility means more configuration work upfront.

SolarWinds NPM: Pricing

Plan

Starting price (paid annually)

What's included

Network Performance Monitor

$6/node/month

Full-stack visibility for on-premise, hybrid, and cloud-based ecosystems.

Application Observability

$27.50/service/month

Real-time application metrics, tracing, and profiling.

Network and Infrastructure Observability

$12/device/month

Observability for network devices, cloud services, and containers.

SolarWinds uses a modular pricing structure based on the number of network elements you're monitoring. This works well for organizations that want to start small and scale up, but costs can mount quickly as your network grows.

The pricing is competitive for traditional network monitoring, though cloud-focused alternatives often provide better value for hybrid environments. The lack of transparent pricing on their website means you'll need to contact sales for detailed quotes.

SolarWinds NPM: Customer support

SolarWinds offers 24/7 technical support through email and online ticketing, with typical response times of 1-2 business days. The company emphasizes email and ticket-based support over phone calls, allowing for better documentation and file sharing. Live chat is available during business hours (8pm Sunday to 8pm Friday EST), though wait times can be lengthy during peak periods.

The SolarWinds community, known as Thwack, provides additional support through user forums and knowledge sharing. While this community resource is valuable for troubleshooting and learning, it doesn't replace direct technical support for critical issues. The lack of phone support may frustrate some users who prefer immediate voice communication, though the email-first approach often proves more effective for complex technical problems.

SolarWinds NPM: Alternatives

SolarWinds NPM occupies a strong position in the traditional network monitoring market, particularly for organizations with significant on-premises infrastructure. It's best suited for medium to large IT teams who need comprehensive SNMP monitoring and have the technical expertise to manage complex configurations. The platform competes directly with solutions like LogicMonitor, Datadog, and PRTG, though each has distinct strengths.

LogicMonitor leads in cloud-native monitoring with superior AI capabilities and faster deployment times. Datadog excels in application performance monitoring and offers more modern APIs, while PRTG provides a simpler setup for smaller networks. SolarWinds differentiates itself through deep SNMP integration, extensive device support, and powerful analysis tools like NetPath, making it particularly valuable for traditional enterprise networks.

SolarWinds NPM: Final verdict

SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor delivers solid value for organizations that need comprehensive network monitoring with strong SNMP capabilities. The platform's strength lies in its mature feature set, multi-vendor support, and advanced troubleshooting tools that can significantly reduce network downtime.

While the setup complexity and resource requirements present challenges, the investment pays off for teams managing complex network infrastructures. However, the platform shows its age in areas like cloud integration and user experience compared to newer solutions.

Organizations planning significant cloud migrations or seeking AI-powered automation might find better value elsewhere. For traditional network environments where deep device monitoring and path analysis are priorities, SolarWinds NPM remains a compelling choice despite its limitations.

FAQs

How many devices can SolarWinds NPM monitor?

SolarWinds NPM can scale from small networks to enterprise environments with thousands of devices. The actual limit depends on your server specifications and licensing tier. Most organizations find the platform handles their current needs well, though very large deployments may require additional polling engines for optimal performance.

Does SolarWinds NPM work with cloud services?

NPM includes some cloud monitoring capabilities, particularly for hybrid environments, but it's primarily designed for on-premises infrastructure. While NetPath can trace paths into cloud services, the platform lacks the native cloud integration found in solutions like LogicMonitor or Datadog. Consider SolarWinds' SaaS offering if cloud monitoring is a priority.

What's the difference between NPM and SolarWinds' other monitoring tools?

NPM focuses specifically on network performance monitoring using SNMP and flow data. Other SolarWinds tools cover server monitoring, application performance, log analysis, and IP address management. Many organizations start with NPM and add other modules as their monitoring needs expand across different infrastructure layers.

How difficult is SolarWinds NPM to set up?

Initial setup requires significant networking knowledge and time investment, typically taking several days to weeks depending on network complexity. The auto-discovery feature helps identify devices, but configuring meaningful alerts, dashboards, and reports demands careful planning. Most organizations benefit from dedicating experienced network administrators to the implementation process.

Can SolarWinds NPM replace multiple monitoring tools?

NPM can consolidate many network monitoring functions into a single platform, particularly for SNMP-based device monitoring and performance analysis. However, you may still need specialized tools for application monitoring, log management, or security monitoring depending on your requirements. The modular approach lets you add SolarWinds components gradually rather than replacing everything at once.

We've listed the best website change monitoring software.

LG xboom Stage 301: two-minute review

If you’re looking to get the party moving, the LG xboom Stage 301 could be the perfect Bluetooth speaker for you. This floor monitor-inspired party speaker aims to unleash powerful bass, AI-optimized sound, and karaoke features – for casual users and performers alike. But can it live up to the hype? Well, yes – yes it can.

During my time testing the LG xboom Stage 301, I was hooked on its clean, impactful, yet controlled sound. Bass is meaty, sure, but it doesn’t overwhelm sounds elsewhere in the frequency range. There’s also AI calibration and EQ modes so that you can uncover the perfect tuning for your space and the genre of music you’re playing.

Even when blasting bass-heavy house tunes at top volumes, the LG xboom Stage 301 didn’t produce distorted or overly compressed audio – like the best Bluetooth speakers around, it’s a disciplined, talented sonic companion. It may not be capable of ‘hi-res’ Bluetooth audio, and its front-facing design means that you get pretty directional audio, but I was still very impressed with the speaker’s sonic capabilities.

This thing doesn’t only sound good, though, it’s also rammed full of features – most of which are accessible through the LG ThinQ companion app. Auracast, multi-speaker pairing, a sleep timer – you name it. There are even some fun (but kinda gimmicky) DJ sliders and sound effects, a karaoke mode (if you’ve got mics or a guitar to plug in), and Healing Therapy sounds, for when you want to wind down.

Design-wise, this model is a hit too. It has a quality dual-bar LED light system, which can be synced to your music or customized from scratch in LG’s companion app. Elsewhere, a classic black finish, well-sized buttons, and a classy speaker grille all combine for a solid overall look.

You can also angle this speaker upwards, stand it upright, or mount it on a stand, making it a very versatile option.

What’s more, this model is actually priced pretty well – something LG hasn’t always got right with its other Bluetooth speakers. It comes in with a list price of $299.99 / £299.99 / AU$449, but you’ll already spot it going for less in some territories.

Now, you probably won’t get the maximum 12 hour battery life LG quotes – that is unless you have lights off and play music at a low volume, but you can use this speaker plugged in, which also enables the speaker to hit its maximum power output. You can also replace the battery, which is handy if you run out of juice and want to slot a second in to keep the party going.

Overall, I’m feeling highly positive about this model. The IPX4 waterproof rating is average for a stage-style model, but won’t compete with typical party speakers like the IP67-rated Earfun UBoom X, for instance. There are a couple of small technical quirks in the app, too, but otherwise, it’s a really useful companion.

And in the end, the LG xboom Stage 301 stands tall as a versatile, fantastic-sounding, and feature-rich model that’s up there with some of the best party speakers I’ve tested. LG’s xboom range – produced alongside will.i.am – has been a bit of a mixed bag so far. But the Stage 301 is, without a doubt, one of the highlights of this line, and I’m more than happy to recommend it.

(Image credit: Future)LG xboom Stage 301 review: price and release date

• $299.99 / £299.99 / AU$449
• Launched in April 2025

The LG xboom Stage 301 was announced at CES 2025 as part of a new Bluetooth speaker range, alongside the LG xboom Bounce and LG xboom Grab. It’s the largest, and, as you’d expect, priciest speaker in the line-up, which was launched in collaboration with producer and artist will.i.am.

Although the Stage 301 has a list price of $299.99 / £299.99 / AU$449, I’ve already seen it going for less – it’s down to under £250 in the UK via LG's digital store, for instance. It’s worth noting that there’s no stand included for Concert Mode, so you’ll have to purchase one separately.

LG xboom Stage 301 review: specs

Weight

14.7lbs / 6.7kg

Dimensions

12.3 x 12.2 x 11.1 inches / 312 x 311 x 282mm

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.4, 3.5mm, USB (MP3 playback)

Battery life

12 hours

Speaker drivers

2x 2.5-inch midrange woofers, 1x 6.5-inch subwoofer

Waterproofing

IPX4

(Image credit: Future)LG xboom Stage 301 review: features

• Incredibly feature-rich companion app
• Customizable lights and EQ, room calibration, DJ and karaoke modes
• 12-hour battery life, but can play while charging

As is usually the case, LG has packed a ton of neat smart features into this speaker. There’s classic stuff like multi-point connectivity and multi-speaker pairing (with xboom models), for example. But with the LG ThingQ companion app, you can access so much more.

You can customize the speaker’s LED lights, with a variety of presets with differing colors and motion patterns. You can also enable AI Lighting, which analyzes playback and produces optimal lighting for your audio content. I made use of the AI mode and it worked great – it really made my music come alive.

The lights aren’t the only thing you can customize though. You can also adapt the speaker’s sound to fit your needs with EQ settings. There are a handful of presets here, such as Bass Boost and Voice Enhance, but the AI sound option was the one that piqued my interest the most. This performs a real-time “genre analysis” of the media being played, in order to output the best possible audio, and again, I could really hear the difference in the best way here.

One issue I had, though, is that while listening to music, changing to a different EQ causes playback to cut out for a split second. That was a bit jarring when I simply wanted to activate Bass Boost in a pinch, say. In addition, the custom equalizer option only uses three bands, which is a bit basic compared to a Bluetooth speaker like the Sony ULT Field 3, which has a seven-band alternative.

Anyway, let’s go back to the good stuff. Something I personally appreciated was an AI calibration tool, which tailors the speaker’s sound to your listening space. After you perform this, the app provides a before and after, making the difference more tangible to listeners. This is a really smart inclusion from LG, and it genuinely improved the clarity of my tunes.

And really, I could go on all day about the app’s copious options. I’ve not even mentioned the Healing Therapy sounds, which are great if you want a bit of ambience or just want to wind down at night. On top of that, there’s a sleep timer, Auracast, customizable shortcut button (called MY Button), and a tab that integrates locally stored music files. Whew. I did say there was a lot.

But perhaps some of the more unique options are the DJ and karaoke related modes. DJ mode allows you to alter playback with delay, wah, phaser, and flanger effects, play drum and ‘club’ sound effects, and even layer vocal samples that you can record in the companion app. These sounds aren’t perfectly responsive, but it's a fun little mode to play around with.

Meanwhile, karaoke mode can be accessed if you hook a microphone or guitar up to the Stage 301. It includes vocal effects like helium, robot, and soprano if you fancy switching things up a bit, and you can alter volume or reverb using control knobs on the reverse side of the speaker.

So, there’s a lot of options at your fingertips with the LG xboom Stage 301, but does it have the battery life to keep the party moving? Well, even though LG quotes battery life at twelve hours, your mileage will almost certainly vary. See, if you’re using AI sound mode with volume high and both lights on, you won’t get close to that. With this setup, I lost 20% capacity in about 40 minutes. If you’ve got the lights off and you’re keeping volume low-high in Clear Voice mode, though, you can expect a ton more playtime.

That max 12 hours is standard for this type of speaker, though most users will probably struggle to get that much. Instead, I found it best to keep the Stage 301 playing while plugged into the power socket. You get louder max volume and don’t have to worry about the speaker dying on you. It’s worth noting, too, that the battery is replaceable. So, if you’re not near a socket, you could insert a second battery to keep the tunes blasting well into the early hours.

• Features score: 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future)LG xboom Stage 301 review: sound quality

• Clean, rhythmic bass
• Limited distortion and compression
• By design, sound is pretty directional

When we tried the LG xboom Stage 301 at CES 2025, our Managing Editor of Entertainment, Matt Bolton, said that it offered “bass that felt suitably deep but not overwhelming at all”, while also providing “tons of space for the rest of the music to leap out at you”. So, after putting the speaker through its paces in our music testing space, does this still ring true?

Well, before I give a definitive answer, let’s talk bass, which is the most important aspect of the Stage 301’s sonic abilities. I’ll start by saying that our first impression was very much accurate. This speaker didn’t spit out the heftiest bass I’ve ever heard, but that’s not inherently a bad thing. Low-end output remains meaty, but it doesn’t smother sounds elsewhere in the frequency range.

In addition, bass output is both clean and responsive. When blasting Fascinator by Max Dean, the hard-hitting kick drum sounded pleasingly deep and rapid, never sounding lethargic or unrhythmic. Sub-bass entering the fray around the minute-mark was also handled really well – every note was clear and impactful, resulting in an immersive, almost hypnotic listening experience.

If you feel like you do want a bit more low frequency weight, you can always enable Bass Boost in the speaker’s companion app or set your own custom EQ.

When bumping various bass-heavy bangers, vocal chops in the mid-range – as well as high-pitched percussion – were both well-defined in the mix, so you’ll get a disciplined, yet exciting listen out of the Stage 301. Even with a ballad like Solji’s Rains again, rain sound effects were true-to-life rather than staticky, while the delicate vocal performance was replicated adeptly, indicating that this model has the talent to handle a range of genres.

I tested the Stage 301 at a range of volumes, even cranking it up to the max for a bit. Something I realized was that peak loudness is only available if you’re using the speaker while its AC adapter is plugged in – it’s a fair bit quieter while battery powered. But when listening at top volumes, I was impressed with the lack of distortion and noticeable signal compression.

One shortcoming here, which may seem obvious, is that the Stage 301’s front-facing design limits the soundstage to a degree. For example, I tried listening to music from behind the speaker, and both mid-range and treble sounds were a bit muffled and far less prominent. This speaker is designed to fire audio towards listeners, rather than be a true 360-degree stereophonic hub, like the Marshall Kilburn III, say, so just ensure you work around its build and most will love what they hear.

And as one final note, there aren’t any ‘hi-res’ Bluetooth codecs here. The best this speaker can manage is AAC – there’s no LDAC or Snapdragon sound to uncover, something LG has experimented with on other products like the LG Tone Free T90S earbuds, which are fantastic by the way.

But still, you can expect a decently detailed, full-sound from the Stage 301. For so many speakers, ‘hi-res’ Bluetooth audio really isn’t the bottleneck. It’s well engineered drivers and enclosures, quality materials, and intelligent tuning that make a world of difference.

• Sound quality score: 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future)LG xboom Stage 301 review: design

• Classy, customizable LED lighting
• Three different ways to stand the speaker
• IPX4 waterproof rating

When I reviewed the LG xboom Buds, I was very critical of their looks. How could a pair of buds designed alongside the fashion-savvy will.i.am look so plain and uninspired? Well, LG can consider itself redeemed, because I love the look of the Stage 301!

First of all, I’m a huge fan of the dual bar LED lights, which can sync up to your music for a highly immersive listening experience. Unlike a party speaker like the original Tribit Stormbox Blast, this model takes a much classier approach to LEDs. They’re housed behind a speaker grille and don’t appear cheap – there’s also a million ways to customize them via LG’s companion app.

The speaker itself also has a well-finished black exterior alongside red-detailed ‘xboom’ logos on either side. Being able to see the drivers behind the grille is a nice touch too. The handle is conveniently placed as well, and 14.7lbs / 6.7kg is fairly lightweight for a model of this size and shape, making it fairly easy to transport.

In addition, buttons on top of the speaker are well-sized and backlit, while the volume control can be twisted clockwise or anti-clockwise to crank things up (or tone them down).

Something I really loved about this speaker, though, was its ability to be stood in various positions, enabling you to find the optimal sound and display type. It can be placed flat like a regular Bluetooth speaker, but I personally enjoyed using it in Street Mode, an upward-angled configuration that made me feel like I was at a rave. There’s also Concert Mode, but this requires a stand, which is sold separately.

Finally, this speaker is IPX4-rated, essentially meaning it's splash resistant. Although that’s disappointing against IP67-rated party speakers like the JBL Xtreme 4, say, IPX4 is fairly standard for a stage speaker like this. It may not be the best for outdoor environments, though, so if you’re not totally sold on the wedge design, maybe look to a typical party speaker, such as those in the ‘Also consider’ section.

• Design score: 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future)LG xboom Stage 301 review: value

• Competitively priced against rivals
• Already on sale in some markets
• Very good all-round quality

LG doesn’t always get it right when it comes to pricing. I can recall testing out the LG XBoom Go XG8T and being totally bamboozled by its sky-high $379.99 / £400 (about AU$600) list price. We weren’t quite bowled over by the $179.99 / £139 / AU$299 cost of the LG xboom Bounce, either, which couldn’t stack up to rivals in its price-class.

But when it comes to the LG xboom Stage 301, it’s a different story. This speaker is priced competitively if you stack it against rivals like the JBL Partybox range or the Bose S1 Pro+ PA system. It's even on par in terms of cost against Bluetooth speaker/karaoke machine hybrids like the Tribit Stormbox Blast 2, which has a list price of almost $300 / £260.

For new DJs looking for a stage speaker, it’s fairly affordable too, with a lot of the more industry-specific models costing well upwards of $300 / £300 for similarly designed alternatives. Considering the versatility of the Stage 301 for casual listening, karaoke, and even DJing, it’s a strong value pick.

It’s already on sale in some territories too. In the UK, for instance, you can scoop the speaker up for less than £250, which is well worth it. Sure, this isn’t a budget product, and if you want mics and a stand you’ll have to purchase them separately. But with a combination of great sound, features galore, and neat looks, you certainly get what you pay for.

• Value score: 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the LG xboom Stage 301?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Standard battery life, but AI features rock and it has customizable sound and lights.

4.5/5

Sound quality

Clean, impactful, but disciplined bass, controlled audio at higher volumes.

4.5/5

Design

Attractive lights, neat positioning options, IPX4 waterproofing is average.

4.5/5

Value

Well-priced against rivals, strong quality all round, overall well-worth it.

4.5/5

Buy it if...

You want plenty of bass
The LG xboom Stage 301 produces clean, impactful bass, but it never sounds overwhelming or muddy. When blasting a range of house tunes, I was treated to rapid, responsive, and rhythmic low-end output that had me hooked.

You’re looking for a versatile party speaker
The LG xboom Stage 301 is ideal for parties thanks to its floor speaker style design, immersive lighting, and pumping bass output. It even has DJ and karaoke modes if you want to make use of those. Wired connectivity is also handy if you want low-latency audio for performances.

Don't buy it if...

You want a rugged audio companion
This model is only IPX4-rated, meaning it’s not going to be ideal for outdoor use if it’s raining, or if you’re poolside, for example. IPX4 is normal for a model like this, but I would’ve liked to see LG push the boundaries.

You’re expecting ultra-long battery life
The LG xboom Stage 301 is a powerful stage speaker and won’t have the battery life of typical party rivals, such as those listed down below. Even compared to rival options, it's got a fairly standard battery life, and you’ll have to keep things very minimal to get the max 12 hours of playtime, as listed.

LG xboom Stage 301 review: also consider

LG xboom Stage 301

Tribit Stormbox Blast 2

Sony ULT Field 7

Price

$299.99 / £299.99 / AU$449

$299.99 / £257 (about AU$490)

$499 / £399 (about AU$770)

Weight

14.7lbs / 6.7kg

19.2lbs / 8.7kg

14 lbs / 6.3kg

Dimensions

12.3 x 12.2 x 11.1 inches / 312 x 311 x 282mm

18.8 x 10.2 x 7.6 inches / 477.5 x 259.1 x 193mm

20 x 9 x 9 inches / 512 x 224 x 222mm

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.4, 3.5mm, 6.3mm (mic/guitar) USB (MP3 playback)

Bluetooth 5.4, 3.5mm, mic ports

Bluetooth 5.2, 3.5mm, 6.3mm (mic/guitar), USB

Battery life

12 hours

30 hours

30 hours

Speaker drivers

2x 2.5-inch midrange drivers; 1x 6.5-inch woofer

2x 45W mid-range drivers; 2x 15W tweeters

2x 46mm tweeters; 2 x 114mm woofers

Waterproofing

IPX4

IP67

IP67

Tribit Stormbox Blast 2
It’s safe to say I was blown away by the Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 when I tested it at the start of 2025. It offers phenomenal thumping bass, customizable LED lights, and wonderful battery life – it really is the full package. Pair that with a karaoke mode, IP67 waterproofing, as well as a regularly discounted price, and you’re looking at a class-leading party speaker. Read our full Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 review.

Sony ULT Field 7
The Sony ULT Field 7 has a lot in common with LG’s party-ready speaker, and thanks to price-cuts, it’s now well-worth considering. Both the Sony and LG are almost equal in weight, each offer ports for guitars and mics, and they each assume a unique build in what is a fairly ‘same-y’ market. You’ll get better battery life and wraparound sound from the ULT Field 7, but its build isn’t as optimal for DJs as the LG speaker and the lighting isn’t as classy. Read our full Sony ULT Field 7 review.

How I tested the LG xboom Stage 301

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested across the course of one week
• Mainly used in the music testing space at Future Labs
• Predominantly tested using Tidal

I tested the LG xboom Stage 301 Bluetooth speaker across the course of one week, spending most of my time with the unit in our music testing space at Future Labs.

During the testing period, I spent hours on end blasting tunes from a variety of genres, though I did put more of an emphasis on bass-heavy tracks to get the best out of the model. On top of that, I ran through the TechRadar testing playlist, which is standard practice for me when trialing audio gear.

When listening to music, I typically used Tidal, but I also tried bumping some tunes from my library on Spotify. I listened at a variety of angles and volumes, exhausted all of the features in the LG companion app, messed around with various lighting calibrations, and used the speaker in its various standing positions.

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

Another month, another attempt to capture the magic of FromSoft’s genre-defining epic (even if French-Canadian developer Rogue Factor claims it isn’t). Yes, action-adventure game Hell Is Us sits with one foot in the soulslike category, but that's not a criticism; it takes what it needs from Dark Souls and its ilk, discards what it doesn't, then absconds in the night with a suitcase full of dodge-rolls and ominous-sounding characters.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PC
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Release date: August 12, 2025

See, as a big fan of FromSoft’s games, I've come to the conclusion that it's almost impossible to properly capture the magic of a game like Bloodborne or Elden Ring. Many have tried, and there have been some successes; Lies of P and Remnant II were two recent standout examples for me. I think the trick is not trying to mirror exactly what FromSoft does; it's taking the formula and doing your own thing with it.

Does Hell Is Us succeed in this regard? For the most part, yes. If you're a fan of either action-adventure or the best soulslike games - or are curious about getting into the oft-impenetrable latter genre - it's worth a look. The setting is unique and interesting, the gameplay is enjoyable, and it's more forgiving overall than most games within the soulslike genre, even if the underlying DNA is impossible not to notice.

Needless to say, the 'Week of Peace' did not go so well. (Image credit: Rogue Factor / Nacon)Hard times

Straight off the bat, this game is bleak - the world you inhabit feels dark and dangerous, poised to collapse into unmitigated chaos at any moment, with only small glimmers of hope left. Wracked by a long and bloody civil war, the setting of Hadea is an insular, vaguely eastern European nation with a rich history of animosity between two religious factions, the traditionalist Palomists and the more progressive (but still pretty damn zealous) Sabinians.

By 1992, the war has reached a fever point, with brutal pogroms, fighting in the streets, and virtually every crime against humanity you could care to list. Seriously, this game is not for the faint-hearted; you're going to see some pretty visceral evidence of those crimes against humanity.

Yep, that's a mass grave. Don't expect a cheery time in Hadea. (Image credit: Rogue Factor / Nacon)

It's all rather horrible, but it does have a purpose. Although Rogue Factor didn’t seek to evoke any singular real-world conflict, the setting certainly echoes events like the Bosnian War, the Georgian Civil War, and the Croatian War of Independence. There's even a thinly-veiled UN imitator called the Organized Nations, characterised by their blue helmets just like in real life. Considering that Hadea is entirely fictional, there's an unsettling weight of reality to it all that stands as a testament to the quality of the world-building.

Our protagonist, Remi, doesn't really give a shit about any of this, though. He's come back to Hadea to find his parents, from whom he was separated as a young child. Naturally, said parents turn out to be entwined in the core narrative. See, that civil war is merely the backdrop; the real meat of the story here concerns an outbreak of bizarre, violent creatures, an ancient religious order, and a mysterious black-ops group doing nefarious things under the cover of Hadea’s present conflict.

The framing narrative is well-implemented, even if they do use the 'well, that's not how it happened' joke sometimes when you die. (Image credit: Rogue Factor / Nacon)Uncovering the mystery

The story is told via a framing narrative, which sees Remi - immediately recognisable as Elias Toufexis, best known as the iconic baritone of Adam ‘I Never Asked For This’ Jensen in the newer Deus Ex games - being drugged and interrogated by a deeply unpleasant man with a chainsmoking habit and about sixteen chins. See, Hell Is Us loves its classic environmental storytelling, but it's also not above using actual cutscenes. There are also proper dialogue scenes with some (non-player characters) NPCs, which serve to both progress the story and deliver optional exposition about the world.

For the most part, I found the characters believable and (usually) likable. From sardonic war journalist Tania to the kind-hearted Abbot Jaffer, these NPCs inject the world with humanity and authenticity. Unfortunately, Remi himself doesn't have quite the same screen presence. He's the cold, brooding type, which mercifully does mean that he doesn't chatter to himself constantly while you're exploring or solving puzzles, but also results in him feeling a bit flat. Early in the story, it's revealed that he's a diagnosed sociopath with a military past, but this seems to serve mainly as a convenient reason to make him largely unbothered by the insanity unfolding around him.

Best Bit

(Image credit: Rogue Factor / Nacon)

A handful of sections later in the game pit you against literal hordes of weaker enemies, which are so much fun to carve through with reckless abandon.

Many of the people you encounter while journeying across Hadea have side-quests to offer you, though this is usually done in a roundabout way; in typical soulslike fashion, there's no world map or objective markers. Instead, you might hear a soldier complaining about running low on his medication - and wouldn't you know it, later on, you'll find a bottle of the very pills he needs. Sometimes, the clock is ticking; I found a woman with a starving infant hiding from Sabinian soldiers, and by the time I returned with some bottles of baby formula, I was met with a shoebox with a pacifier on top. That hurt a little, honestly.

You can talk to many characters, but don't expect them all to be friendly or helpful - there's a war on, after all. (Image credit: Rogue Factor / Nacon)

There's little handholding here, which admittedly had me wishing for a wiki on a few occasions while I was reviewing the game, but it's not quite as oblique as the average Souls series entry, instead feeling strangely more like a retro point-and-click adventure game. Remi has a chunky tablet device that doubles as an inventory screen and ‘investigation log’, noting down key information you come across and helpfully sorting the stuff you find into quest-critical items and the many, many lore snippets you can uncover.

Often, the pace is slowed by the inclusion of a puzzle, and these range from laughably easy to moderately head-scratching. Thankfully, these puzzles rarely outstay their welcome; even when you're hunting for the right combination of arcane sigils to unlock a door in some ancient ruin, you can expect to be set upon by ravenous monsters at any given moment.

Remi's stolen APC takes you from A to B across Hadea, and also serves as a sort of mobile base of investigations. (Image credit: Rogue Factor / Nacon)Fight for your life

Speaking of monsters: let's talk combat. This is where Hell Is Us cribs from FromSoft’s homework the most, with the classic block-dodge-parry mechanics that should feel immediately familiar to any soulslike enjoyer. Of course, virtually every action consumes stamina, which is tied directly to your health bar, meaning that taking even a single hit immediately makes the fight harder.

Simply put, the combat gameplay is solid. Attacks that can be countered are telegraphed by the enemy pulsing red, with a reasonably generous parry window, but Rogue Factor still manages to distinguish itself from the usual business thanks to the ‘healing pulse’ mechanic. There’s no refillable healing flask here, and actual healing items are relatively sparse; instead, dealing damage to enemies releases particles, which periodically coalesce into a ring around you. At this point, you can tap a button to regain a bit of health based on the damage you’ve dealt, but you have to be fast, as the ring dissipates after barely a second.

As is typical of soulslike combat, you can lock onto enemies to more easily dodge and parry their attacks. (Image credit: Rogue Factor / Nacon)

You also get a gradually expanding suite of extra abilities. These take three forms: glyphs that can be slotted into your weapons and consume ‘Lymbic Energy' (read: mana), powerful relics with long cooldown timers, and programs for the owl-like tricopter drone that perches on Remi’s shoulder and doubles as your flashlight in dark areas. You get three glyphs each across two equipped weapons, one relic, and four drone slots, making for a total of eleven abilities equipped at once - meaning there's plenty of build diversity available here, even if Remi doesn't have a traditional stat sheet. Most of these abilities are pretty fun - I was particularly partial to the drone skill that let me grab onto it and zoom forward, dealing heavy damage to anything in my path.

The creatures besieging Hadea are invulnerable to conventional weaponry, with the only way to kill them being ‘Lymbic weapons’. Unfortunately, there's not a huge amount of variety here: you get a regular sword, twin axes, a polearm, and a hulking great sword, filling the usual melee weapon archetypes. These can be upgraded and imbued with elements (Grief, Rage, Terror, and Elation), but all this does is make them hit harder and determine which type of glyphs you can equip on them. I quickly settled into using a Polearm of Terror and Twin Axes of Rage, but if you're the sort of gamer who enjoys experimenting with every new weapon you find, you might be disappointed here.

Some of the boss battle arenas are visually striking. (Image credit: Rogue Factor / Nacon)

There's another issue with the combat that doesn't emerge until later in the game, though: some of those special abilities are pretty dang overtuned. For example, once I got my hands on the max-level Rage Spike glyph (an explosive ranged attack), most fights became comically easy, with Remi repeatedly blasting enemies to smithereens from far outside melee range. It's not a massive issue for me, since you have to conquer a good chunk of the game to become that powerful, but it did trivialize the majority of encounters towards the tail end of the story.

Rise to the challenge - or don't

Speaking of difficulty, Hell Is Us isn't overly punishing. I experimented with all three difficulty levels (described as Lenient, Balanced, and Merciless), which purely affect the combat and can be further fine-tuned in the settings to adjust enemy health, damage, and aggression, and found that the highest difficulty gave the ‘truest’ soulslike experience. Yeah, I know that customizable difficulty options are a personal affront to the most die-hard fans of the genre, but I honestly think it's a good inclusion: on ‘Lenient’ difficulty, even someone who has never played a soulslike before could have a good time here.

There's no shortage of ominous tombs to plunder in Hadea. (Image credit: Rogue Factor / Nacon)

There's also no real penalty for dying; you just respawn at your most recent save point, and the enemies you killed remain dead (although there is an optional setting to make death fully reset any progress from your previous save). Hostiles *do* respawn, however, if you leave one of the game’s many areas by travelling between them in the armored vehicle Remi commandeers in the opening act. You can stop this - and render an area permanently safe - by collapsing Timeloops, which are large ferrofluid-looking orbs that sustain the creatures you face.

To do this, you have to track down specific enemies marked as ‘Timeloop Guardians’, kill them, then take a special item to the Timeloop and chuck it inside. These are mostly optional, but you do get loot for each Timeloop you shut down, and doing so is its own reward anyway; there's a lot of backtracking to be done if you're shooting for 100% completion, so it's nice to return to a region and find it free of enemies.

Then again, the hostiles you face are actually pretty fun to fight. The ‘Hollow Walkers’ are a brilliantly creepy piece of enemy design, feeling like something straight out of the SCP Foundation universe, with unsettling, jerky movements and eerie vocalizations. Some Hollow Walkers are paired with a ‘Haze’, a floating ball of the aforementioned elemental emotions which must be slain before its linked Walker can be harmed - and if you're not quick enough, the Haze will reform and you'll have to kill it again.

These are another good example of strong audiovisual design, with the Rage Haze unleashing a barrage of attacks and screaming with fury, while the Elation Haze cackles maniacally as it zooms around. The creatures were unleashed by the negative human emotions that spiked because of the Hadean civil war, and that plays nicely into their design.

That's a Timeloop: kill the guardians nearby to shut it down and stop them from coming back for good. (Image credit: Rogue Factor / Nacon)

Sadly, a lack of diversity again hampers enjoyment a little here, as you basically fight the same measly selection of enemies over and over throughout the game. There are three tiers of enemy threat levels, but only the Hazes actually change in appearance and moveset from tier to tier; the Hollow Walkers merely get bigger health bars and more damaging attacks, and there are only five types of Walker to encounter. There's also a surprising dearth of boss fights - a common staple of both the action-adventure and soulslike genres - with only four real bosses to be found throughout the entire course of the game. The final boss, disappointingly, is just four much bigger versions of a basic enemy type. Clearly, no lessons were learned here from the final boss of the original Destiny campaign.

Hadean tourism

If I’m being honest, though, my criticisms are small. I really enjoyed my time with Hell Is Us, which clocked in at just shy of 30 hours for my review - and I was doing my best to do and see everything, which is possibly why I ended up being so overpowered. I played with both a gamepad and my usual mouse and keyboard, and although the game advises using a controller, I didn’t have any problems playing with the latter.

The biggest issue I have with the game is that I want more, which is quite the double-edged sword. The game is divided into three acts, but the third act is essentially just the underwhelming final battle, followed by a ten-minute cutscene that didn’t quite wrap things up to my satisfaction. Sure, it leaves things open for downloadable content (DLC) or an expansion and perhaps even a sequel (which I genuinely hope we get), but the finale feels a bit rushed, and it’s a shame not to end on a high note.

Arriving on the shores of the peaceful Lake Cynon reminds the player that underneath the violence of the civil war, this world can be quite beautiful. (Image credit: Rogue Factor / Nacon)

Still, it’s a super experience overall that I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys either soulslikes specifically or just dark action-adventure games in general. It runs on Unreal Engine 5 (which may set off alarm bells for some gamers), but I found it to be reasonably well-optimized, with no noticeable performance issues at 1440p on my RTX 5060 desktop or at 1080p on the RTX 4060 gaming laptop I also used for testing. Hadea is genuinely beautiful at times, too. For every dank cave and bombed-out village, there’s a vibrant field of flowers or the crumbling majesty of an antediluvian ruin.

If you like good melee combat and won’t be turned off by graphic depictions of war crimes, Hell Is Us is definitely worth a shot. Just be prepared to consult Google from time to time - or, like I did, keep a pen and notepad handy, so you don’t forget exactly where you were supposed to take those baby formula bottles.

Should you play Hell Is Us?Play it if...

You love brutal melee combat
The combat in Hell Is Us is a definite strength of the game, with a satisfying weight to your strikes and (on higher difficulties) a constant feeling of peril, meaning every enemy needs to be taken seriously.

You’re keen to get into soulslikes
As a sort of almost-soulslike action-adventure with fully customizable difficulty, Hell Is Us could provide a more accessible avenue into the frequently gatekept genre spawned by FromSoft's legendary series.

You want to get lost in a dark world
The setting of Hadea is grim and unsettling in the best of ways, making for a seriously engrossing gameworld - provided you can stomach some of the bleaker stuff on show here.

Don't play it if...

You want in-depth RPG mechanics
One of my main criticisms of Hell Is Us is the lack of diversity in its weapon selection, and with no customizable stats for Remi himself, this isn't a game that encourages deep buildcrafting - though there is a decent range of equippable special abilities.

You’re looking for a chill game
This game is anything but relaxing. The combat is challenging, and the gameworld is bleak and filled with horrors both man-made and beyond human comprehension.

Accessibility

We've got the usual selection of accessibility options here, with three color blind modes - Deuteranope, Protanope, and Tritanope - which can be adjusted to varying degrees of color correction, as well as being able to reduce or disable motion blur and camera shake.

There are also gameplay accessibility options, which let you independently adjust the health, damage, and aggression of enemies, plus some customization options for the HUD and the ability to automate enemy lock-ons.

Of note is a directional audio indicator: this displays an on-screen marker denoting the direction and distance of gameplay-related sounds, including enemy attack sounds in combat and the identifying noise emitted by Timeloop Guardians. Considering how important directional sound can be in Hell Is Us, this is a good inclusion for hearing-impaired players.

How I reviewed Hell Is Us

I played Hell Is Us from start to finish, which took me a little under 30 hours - though I was being very thorough in my exploration, and a speedy player less concerned with 100% completion could likely beat the game far quicker.

I used my gaming desktop, which uses an AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D and Nvidia RTX 5060 with 32GB of RAM, as well as an Acer Predator gaming laptop with an Intel Core i7, RTX 4060, and 16GB of RAM. On desktop, I used an Asus ROG keyboard and mouse and a Razer Raptor 27 gaming monitor. With the laptop, I used a Scuf Instinct Pro gamepad.

I frequently took the time to adjust both the difficulty level and graphical settings in several in-game locations to get a good idea of both how much challenge the game presents and how well it runs. I naturally also tested out each new weapon and ability the game gave me - though I quickly found my favorites and stuck with those for the majority of the game.

First reviewed August 2025

Bosch ErgoMaster Series 6: one-minute review

The Bosch ErgoMaster Series 6 (sometimes known as the Serie 6) is an ergonomically designed stick blender, particularly well suited for users with limited hand mobility as a result of its curved body that sits comfortably in the hand, and trigger-style control.

The ErgoMaster has a 1,000W motor, and comes with a blending foot, a mini-chopper with two blades (one for general use, one for ice), a balloon whisk, and a 600ml mixing vessel. Attaching and removing accessories is easy, requiring no awkward twisting motions, and many of the components are dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup.

During my tests, the main blender foot produced silky-smooth sauce and soup in just a couple of minutes, while the mini-chopper attachment processed herbs, onions, garlic, cheese, and nuts quickly and evenly. The ErgoMaster's instruction manual offers advice on quantities, how to prepare ingredients, and the length of time for which you should blend.

The balloon whisk worked especially well, whipping egg whites to stiff peaks even faster than my hand mixer (ideal for meringue and light sponge cakes).

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You can use the trigger control with your whole hand, which is much more comfortable than holding a small button with one finger (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

The blender has a premium construction with a stainless steel body (Image credit: Future)

The only attachment that didn't meet my expectations was the mini-chopper's ice blade, which took a lot longer than anticipated, and produced ice that was quite unevenly crushed.

The ErgoMaster has a premium build, sporting a stainless steel body and soft-touch handle for comfort, but I found that the metal heated up noticeably when I'd been using the blender for several minutes (when blending soup and sauces, for example). Fortunately, the grip itself never became hot, but it did take the appliance some time to cool down after use.

Overall, the ErgoMaster Series 6 is a super-versatile multifunction blender that's particularly beneficial for those with hand mobility issues, although if you want to process ice regularly, you'd benefit from picking up a personal smoothie-maker as well.

Bosch ErgoMaster Series 6: price and availability

• List price £99.99 (about $140 / AU$210)
• Often available for less during sales events
• Not widely sold outside Europe

The Bosch ErgoMaster Series 6 stick blender was released in 2023, and has a list price of £99.99 (about $140 / AU$210), although it’s often available for a discount, particularly during sales events such as Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday.

It’s available direct from Bosch, and from third-party retailers such as John Lewis and Amazon. You’ll find today’s best prices below. Note that the ErgoMaster Series 6 isn’t sold widely outside Europe.

Its price is pretty much standard for a high-end hand blender, and similar to the Ninja 2-in-1 Immersion Hand Blender and Mixer, for example. If you want something a little less expensive, the ErgoMaster Series 4 sports a plastic body rather than stainless steel, and is priced at £84.99 (about $110 / AU$180).

• Value score: 4,5/5

Bosch ErgoMaster Series 6: design

• Comfortable to hold and easy to operate
• Particularly good for people with restricted mobility or hand strength
• Includes well-made mini-chopper and balloon whisk attachments

The Bosch ErgoMaster Series 6 is a solidly made stick blender that, as the name implies, is particularly comfortable to hold and use. The body of the blender, containing the motor, has a curved shape that sits better in the hand than a straight-sided cylinder, and rather than a button, the blender is activated by gently squeezing a large trigger-style control.

It’s a thoughtful design, and would be particularly good for anyone who doesn’t have full strength in their fingers, since the trigger doesn’t require much pressure and its operated using your whole hand, rather than just a single digit. The more firmly you hold the trigger, the faster the blender will mix.

The blender's body is stainless steel, while the hand grip is made from a soft-touch plastic. The trigger button is ridged to prevent slipping.

The mini-chopper attachment is great for preparing onions and garlic (Image credit: Future)

The ErgoMaster Series 6 comes with a set of attachments for different ingredients: the standard blender for soups and sauces; a mini-chopper with two blades (one for ingredients such as cheese, nuts, and vegetables, and one for ice), and a whisk. To remove an attachment, hold down two large buttons on the handle (one on either side) and pull gently. To attach one, simply push it gently into place. There’s no need for awkward twisting movements that you might find uncomfortable if you have limited mobility in your hands.

You also get a tall mixing vessel with a capacity of two and a half cups, or 600ml, which is useful for blending or whisking wet ingredients such as cream or eggs. It’s a useful addition, and its shape makes it possible to whisk relatively small quantities that might be tricky to whip in a bowl without spillage.

The only downside is that this vessel isn’t totally cylindrical, which means it can be difficult to remove thick ingredients with a spatula. Ingredients tend to become stuck on the flat sides where the volume measurements are embossed. The tall vessel also has no pouring spout.

The balloon whisk attachment is excellent, although it can be tricky to scrape all your cream or meringue out of the mixing vessel when you're done (Image credit: Future)

Not all of the blender's components are dishwasher-safe, but the metal blending attachment, the whisk, the large vessel, the bowl of the mini-chopper, and the chopper’s two blades all are, which makes maintenance easy.

The blender is accompanied by a manual with diagrams explaining how to prepare different ingredients, and how long it will take to blend or chop a particular quantity. For example, a smoothie made using a 40:60 ratio of fruit to liquid should take 60-90 seconds to blend at full power in the tall mixing vessel.

• Design score: 5/5

Bosch ErgoMaster Series 6: performance

• x

I started testing by preparing some ingredients for a pizza sauce (you can find the sauce recipe on Good Food) using the mini-chopper attachment and the cutting blade, and following the preparation instructions in the manual.

Herbs don’t need any special preparation, so I added my basil to the bowl and gave it a few pulses of around one second each. After around six pulses, the leaves were chopped into small, even fragments ideal for cooking (the manual suggests it could take up to 10 pulses).

Image 1 of 4

Fresh herbs were quickly and evenly chopped (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 4

Fresh herbs were quickly and evenly chopped (Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 4

Herbs like basil don't require any special preparation before chopping (Image credit: Future)Image 4 of 4

Herbs like basil don't require any special preparation before chopping (Image credit: Future)

The chopper also worked very well for preparing onion (roughly chopped into wedges first) and garlic (peeled, but added whole). I was impressed by how evenly and quickly the ErgoMaster prepared all of these ingredients. If you have a condition such as arthritis, for example, you might find fine knifework difficult and usually opt for pre-chopped ingredients. With this blender, you’ll be able to buy cheaper whole produce and prepare it easily yourself.

Once my pizza sauce had cooked down, I used the main blender foot to whizz it all to a smooth consistency. Exactly how long this takes will depend on the quantity and consistency of the ingredients, and the desired texture. I wanted my sauce as smooth as possible, and found that blending took about three minutes.

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Blending a large batch of pizza sauce to a smooth texture took about three minutes (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 3

Blending a large batch of pizza sauce to a smooth texture took about three minutes (Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 3

Blending a large batch of pizza sauce to a smooth texture took about three minutes (Image credit: Future)

It wasn’t much faster than using my jug blender (which would be my usual choice; it too has a 1,000W motor, the same as the ErgoMaster), but then you don't have to pour hot liquids, and there’s much less washing up afterwards. The only requirements are that you take the pan off the heat and ensure the end of the blending foot is submerged before you start the motor – and don’t immerse it beyond the "maximum" level.

I was surprised by just how quiet the blender foot was in use. It registered under 40dB, which is around the same as the hum of my fridge. It was louder when mixing harder ingredients, but still far less noisy than a jug blender.

I also used the ErgoMaster to prepare a roasted red pepper and sweet potato soup (the soup recipe is also from Good Food). Although the ingredients were tougher, the overall volume was lower, and the blending process took about the same time.

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The blender also made light work of a roasted vegetable soup (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

The blender also made light work of a roasted vegetable soup (Image credit: Future)

While blending the soup and sauce, I noticed that the body of the blender was heating up. The handle itself never became hot, but the metal part below was distinctly warm after the motor had been running for a few minutes, and it took quite a long time to cool back down afterwards.

The mini-chopper made light work of cheese, breaking it down into crumbs ideal for melting. It’s necessary to cut it into 1cm cubes first, but this is certainly easier on the hands than using a box grater, particularly for hard cheese such as parmesan. I used 100g of mature cheddar, and it was finely chopped in 20 seconds.

Our standard battery of blender tests here at TechRadar also includes nuts. I used 150g of shelled, toasted hazelnuts, which I was preparing to use in dukkah. The smaller the nuts, the longer you need to pulse the blender, and it took the maximum recommended 30 seconds to break them down; but there was none of the dust that’s usually created when I chop nuts using my Kenwood food processor. Another win for the ErgoMaster.

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It's necessary to cut cheese into 1cm cubes before chopping (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

It's necessary to cut cheese into 1cm cubes before chopping (Image credit: Future)

The only ingredient that the ErgoMaster really struggled with was ice. As per the instruction manual, I used the chopper’s ice attachment with 100g of ice, and pulsed for five seconds. When I released the trigger, the ice was barely touched. Chopping it to a usable texture took closer to a minute, and even then it was rather rough. If you want to chop ice regularly (particularly in large volumes), you’d be better served by a smoothie maker.

By contrast, the whisk attachment is superb, and performed even better than my Dualit hand mixer. I used the tall mixing vessel with the whisk, and it whipped two eggs to stiff peaks in 30 seconds. I used these to make a half-quantity of meringue (see the Lightest Ever Meringues recipe on Good Food) and they were ready to be baked within two minutes.

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Chopping ice took a lot longer than suggested in the manual, and the results were uneven (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

Chopping ice took a lot longer than suggested in the manual, and the results were uneven (Image credit: Future)

Overall, the Bosch ErgoMaster Series 6 is a great stick blender, particularly for those with mobility issues in their hands, and an excellent chopper and whisk. It’s a piece of cake to use, and could happily replace several small appliances in the typical kitchen. Just avoid ice, and you won’t be disappointed.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Bosch ErgoMaster Series 6 ?Bosch Serie 6 ErgoMaster score card

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

A premium blender with a price tag to match, but can often be found discounted. Not widely available outside Europe, though.

4.5/5

Design

Ergonomic, with comfortable grip and trigger operation. Excellent accessories, most of which are dishwasher-safe.

5/5

Performance

Purees, whisks, and chops almost all ingredients effortlessly. Just don't bother with ice.

4.5/5

Buy it if

You have limited hand strength or mobility

This is a thoughtfully designed stick blender that's comfortable to hold, and doesn't require any awkward pressing or twisting motions to operate or swap accessories.

You want fewer appliances in your kitchen

This multifunction device can easily replace both a blender and electric whisk, and may make your food processor redundant, too, if you only tend to chop small quantities of ingredients at a time.

Don't buy it if

You want to make slushies

Ice is the ErgoMaster's one weakness. If you're a fan of slushies, opt for a personal smoothie-maker instead.

You're on a tight budget

There are good-quality stick blenders available for less, including the ErgoMaster Series 4 , which is essentially the same but has a plastic chassis rather than stainless steel.

How I tested the Bosch Serie 6 ErgoMaster

I used the Bosch ErgoMaster Series 6 in my kitchen for two weeks, during which time I prepared a selection of my favorite recipes that I'd normally prep using a jug blender to compare the results for speed, texture, and noise.

As with all our stick and jug blender reviews, I also tested the ErgoMaster's performance with onions, cheese, nuts, and ice to see how quickly and evenly it could process these common ingredients. For more details, see how TechRadar tests, rates, and reviews products.

First reviewed August 2025.

Segway Navimow X3 Series: two-minute review

The Segway Navimow X3 Series robot lawn mowers are built specifically for sizeable lawns. And when I say sizeable, I mean sizeable – the range covers lawns from 0.5 acres / 1,500 square meters right up to a massive 2.5 acres / 10,000 square meters. To make them suitable for such vast spaces, these bots are designed to operate quickly, efficiently and accurately, with batteries capacious enough to allow for long mowing periods, without having to make the arduous journey back to the dock to recharge.

To see if this lawnbot could deliver on these promises, I sought out the largest yard I knew of. The lawn at my sister's home, measures around 1,000 square meters / 0.25 acre (although Segway sent me the X350, which is designed for even larger areas still). The first thing I was struck by is the speed of the mower. It rolls along at quite the pace, navigating with confidence, even when traversing under trees.

The lawnbot itself is really quite large (and the same size as the other X3 Series models), but if you have a lawn big enough to need one, that's not going to matter so much. It feels solid and high quality, with a friendly orange and grey color scheme and slightly retro-feeling dot-matrix screen to provide key information.

(Image credit: Future)

A big reason as to why the experience of using the Segway Navimow X3 Series is so enjoyable is down to the design of the companion app. It's intuitive to use, walking you clearly through all the steps required to complete each process, and providing background information – rather than leaving you to figure things out by yourself. There are plenty of setting options to explore, and planning a schedule is straightforward.

In terms of performance, I had no issues. Throughout the test period, the bot behaved exactly as I'd hoped, mowing neatly and within boundaries, taking a logical route and never missing any spots. It also reliably avoided medium (soccer ball-sized) obstacles, although it did mow over a satsuma-sized ball (understandable, given it was sitting below camera height). Since this bot is two-wheel drive rather than four-wheel, it might struggle with especially rough terrain; but for the average yard, it will be absolutely fine.

Overall, a very strong recommendation for those looking for an efficient, fuss-free mower to take care of larger lawns. That's the short version; read on for my full Segway Navimow X3 Series review.

Segway Navimow X3 review: price & availability

• List price: from $2,299 / £2,199
• Available: US, UK, AU
• Launched: Spring 2025

The Segway Navimow X3 Series was unveiled in spring 2025, and is available to buy in various countries including the US, UK and Australia. You can only purchase direct from Segway Navimow in the US, and in general these lawnbots aren't stocked widely online (you won't be adding one to your Amazon Prime order). Instead, you might need to check the Segway Navimow site for distributors local to you.

When it comes to pricing, brace yourself: the Segway Navimow X3 Series doesn't come cheap. The cheapest in the lineup costs $2,299 / £2,199 at list price, and the priciest is $4,999 / £4,299. That's a significant investment, and if you don't have a large yard – or a yearning for ultra-speedy mowing – there are plenty more affordable alternatives. However, for those in need of large-scale mowing, the Navimow's pricing isn't too far away from what you'd pay elsewhere on the market.

Let's say you want something for a 1-acre / 3,000m² lawn. The Mammotion LUBA 2 AWD 3000 costs $2,499 / £2,549 at list price, and the Navimow X330 is $2,799 / £2,599. The LUBA 2 has slightly more advanced features all round, including all-wheel drive and two cutting decks, which makes it a better-value buy at full price. Nevertheless, both are excellent, advanced, high-quality lawnbots.

Overall, my experience with the Navimow X3 series was extremely positive, and it felt well built and thoughtfully designed, so I think for large lawns it's worth the investment.

• Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Segway Navimow X3 specs

Segway Navimow X350 (reviewed)

Segway Navimow X315 (cheapest)

Recommended lawn size:

1.5 acres / 5,000m²

0.5 acre / 1,500㎡

Cutting width:

9.3in / 23.7cm

9.3in / 23.7cm

Cutting height:

0.8-2.8in / 2-7cm

0.8-2.8in / 2-7cm

Drivetrain:

2-wheel drive

2-wheel drive

Incline ability:

50% / 27 degrees

50% / 27 degrees

Waterproof:

IP66

IP66

Lawnbot size (L x W x H):

27.5 x 21.7 x 12.1in / 69.8 x 55 x 30.7cm

27.5 x 21.7 x 12.1in / 69.8 x 55 x 30.7cm

Lawnbot weight:

43.7 lbs / 19.8kg

43.2 lbs / 19.6kg

Charge time:

80 mins

60 mins

Mowing time per charge:

200 mins

120 mins

Cutting blades:

6

6

Segway Navimow X3 review: design

• Available in versions with different batteries for different lawn sizes
• On-bot info via a screen, and cameras on three sides for obstacle avoidance
• Comes with RTK receiver (option to add a second) and charge station

The Segway Navimow X3 Series is a big bot for big lawns. There are a few options in the lineup, all of which are identical in design and specs, except the ones at the top end of the range have a bigger battery and as such are suitable for larger areas. These are the options:

Model

Recommended mowing area

Runtime per charge

Charge time

X315

0.5 acre / 1,500m²

120 mins

60 mins

X330

1 acre / 3,000m²

160 mins

65 mins

X350 (tested)

1.5 acres / 5,000m²

200 mins

80 mins

X390

2.5 acres 10,000m²

240 mins

100 mins

Moving on to the lawnbot itself, and the brand has opted for a friendly look, with a dark gray and bright orange color scheme, and a dot matrix screen to provide key information in real time. On test I found this limited in its practical usefulness, although it is quite fun. There are physical buttons for Go, On/OK and Return to charge, plus a big emergency stop button. However, for the most part you'll be controlling the bot via the companion app, which I'll cover in detail in a separate App section below (there's also support for voice control via Alexa or Google Home, if you prefer).

(Image credit: Future)

The Navimow X350 is rather large, and for the times you might need to manually maneuver it, Segway has added a big handle around the rear of the bot. Unfortunately, there's no grip area at the front – so unless you stick your hand in the charge slot, which goes against an important lesson I learned as a toddler, you'll need to make do with crouching and dragging rather than picking it up.

It's fairly common for modern lawnbots to come equipped with a camera for object identification and avoidance, but the X3 Series has not one, but three: one at the front and one on either side, delivering a 300-degree field of view. Alongside one of the side-mounted cameras you'll find an Expansion Bay section, where you can attach add-ons. There's an edge trimmer attachment that already exists in a few countries (I didn't test this), and open API access means if you have the skills, you can create your own additions.

Also hidden somewhere on the top is a compartment for a tracker, should you wish to add one for added security reasons (there's also an out-of-bounds alarm, lift alerts and GPS tracking to guard against theft).

(Image credit: Future)

There are two main wheels, plus two smaller wheels at the front. Since this bot is a two-wheel drive machine, it isn't designed for very uneven terrain, although it can still handle slopes up to 50%, and will be more than up to handling the average yard (or football field).

Flip it over and you'll find the cutting deck, which consists of six blades mounted on a rotating disc, which can be raised or lowered automatically via the app (it can cut at heights of 0.8-2.8in / 2-7cm). The whole thing is designed to avoid the mechanism becoming clogged up with cuttings. Like most lawnbots, there's no grass collection here – instead you're meant to use it regularly enough that the tiny cuttings end up mulching back into the lawn. The Navimow delivers a generous cutting width of 9.3in / 23.7cm.

(Image credit: Future)Additional components

The X3 Series is at least partially reliant on satellites for navigation, so in the box you also get an RTK receiver to improve the accuracy of the satellite information. You'll need to find a good spot for this – ideally it needs to sit somewhere high up, with a wide, uninterrupted view of the sky. Since I was only borrowing this machine, I just stuck it on the provided lawn-mount spike, and it worked remarkably well even in this sub-optimal position, as you'll learn in the Performance section. You can purchase a secondary antenna to act as backup if you have an especially large lawn.

(Image credit: Future)

You're also provided with a charge station, where your lawnbot will return to juice up. This needs to sit on flat ground, with access to a power source.

The lawnbot is IP66 rated, which means it's resistant to both water (everything apart from complete submersion) and dust. Even so, I tend to think a plastic garage roof is a good idea for a little extra protection from the elements in the long term.

(Image credit: Future)Features

Let's look quickly at what's going on under the hood. Like most modern lawnbots, the X3 Series doesn't require boundary wires, but instead uses a combination of RTK satellite navigation, cameras and sensors to find its way around (here's more on how lawnbots navigate, if you're interested).

To ensure the bot always knows where it is, even when being used on a palatial lawn, Segway has introduced a number of navigation upgrades. The RTK system has been improved and can apparently deliver 40% better observation, to keep it moving in potential blind spots such as narrow pathways or under rooftops.

(Image credit: Future)

Inside, two complementary wayfinding systems work together to help the bot find its way about: VSLAM, which relies on recognizable visual cues; and VIO, which is great for new, featureless areas. All of that, added to the wide field of view provided by the three onboard cameras, should mean this bot is an absolute pro when it comes to navigation.

• Design score: 5 out of 5

Segway Navimow X3 review: performance

• Neat, thorough and very speedy mowing
• Confident, accurate navigation, even under trees
• Strong obstacle avoidance, although can't spot very small items

Let's start with setup, which I found fairly painless. There's a bit of self-assembly required of the base station and RTK receiver, but if you hook up the app first then it walks you through the process quite clearly (there's also a paper instruction booklet, if you prefer). The app also guides you through the mapping process.

My test lawn has unclear boundaries and tree coverage, so I opted to create a map manually, by remote-controlling around the perimeter of the area I wanted mowing and then editing the results in-app. I found the process straightforward. If you have a very simple lawn, you'd use AI Assist Mapping, where the bot will automatically map the area for you.

The first thing I was struck by when I started mowing was how speedy the Navimow proved. I was promised efficiency, and the Segway Navimow has delivered. The X3 rolls confidently along at an impressive pace compared to other bots I've tested.

I mostly used the Standard speed for my tests, but bumped it up to Efficient at one point but couldn't really notice a difference. The app states that it's 0.2m/s faster in this mode, which would be noticeable over time if you were mowing an especially large lawn.

(Image credit: Future)

I was also very impressed by navigation. My test lawn has a number of large trees, which I thought might cause the X3 to get lost – especially given the RTK receiver was just stuck in the ground, rather than elevated above the trees and buildings, as it really should be. However, all the test-runs were free of issues. The bot made its way around confidently, covering the full lawn in a logical pattern. It also accurately avoided a no-mow zone I'd set up in the center of the lawn, on a patch of ground that had recently been re-sown with grass seed. I guess whatever Segway Navimow has done to "improve the RTK performance by 40%" has worked.

(Image credit: Future)

I also ran a couple of specific object avoidance tests by placing large (a toddler's ride-on car), medium (soccer ball) and small (a tangerine-sized ball) obstacles in the X3's path. It had no issues spotting the car or football, duly skirting around each one, even when I kicked the football about to try to confuse it, but the smallest ball met a grizzly end beneath the X3's blades.

We've yet to test a lawnbot at TechRadar that can spot small obstacles such as this, so it isn't a particular failing on Segway Navimow's part. However, it's worth noting if you have, for example, a dog that likes to poo in your yard, and you don't want to spend an afternoon cleaning it out of wheel crevices.

• Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Segway Navimow X3 review: app

• Lots of useful explanations and info, with diagrams
• Plenty of fine-adjustment options
• Well laid out and easy to navigate

From the off, I was super-impressed with the Segway Navimow app. It provides plenty of information and clear explanations – often with diagrams – to walk you through everything from setup to how to map. Other lawnbot apps I've tested use opaque language and leave you to mostly figure things out for yourself, which can be especially confusing if it's your first robot lawn mower.

(Image credit: Segway Navimow / Future)

Here, however, everything is logically laid out and easy to navigate. There are also plenty of options to fine-tune your mowing. There's a straightforward schedule-maker, where you can select days, times and zones for cutting. You can also choose between three mowing speeds (Quiet, Standard and Efficient) and grass length (20-70mm, in increments of 5mm).

(Image credit: Segway Navimow / Future)

There's a section for Map management, where you can split, add or remove sections, or add no-go zones (or, as Segway Navimow whimsically calls them, "BioLife Islands"). It will let you select where you want to start on the map, with the bot cleverly driving itself over to your chosen spot, and then the app will guide you to drive the new boundary line using remote control. I found this process straightforward and logical – again, not always a given.

Segway Navimow also offers a range of "Advanced" features, too. There's an "Animal friendly" mode that will see the bot stop if it spots an animal and take a new route so as not to disturb it, rather than just skirting around it. You can also toggle on "Traction control" for particularly muddy or challenging terrain.

• App score: 5 out of 5

Should you buy the Segway Navimow X3 Series?

Attribute

Notes

Rating

Value

Very much a premium lawnbot, but performance and features help justify the investment.

4 / 5

Design

Rather large, well-built lawnbot with RTK station and charge dock. Two-wheel drive and cameras to the front and both sides, plus a dot matrix screen on the bot itself.

5 / 5

Performance

Neat, fast, efficient mowing. Confident navigation even in challenging conditions, and solid obstacle avoidance (bar very small objects).

4.5 / 5

App

Extremely usable and well designed, with plenty of useful, clear information.

5 / 5

Buy it if...

You have a massive lawn

The Navimow X3 series is designed specifically to cover large areas quickly, efficiently and without getting lost.

You need something easy to use

The Segway Navimow app guides you through the setup and mapping processes and provides you with useful background information – perfect if this is your first lawnbot.

Your grass grows quickly and needs to look neat

This is a very efficient mower, so it will come into its own when faced with a fast-growing lawn.

Don't buy it if...

You have a small / medium-sized yard

This bot is for big lawns – if you're mowing an area less than 0.5 acre / 1,500m² (or even around that size), there are plenty of cheaper, smaller options that will suit the job better.

Your lawn is very uneven

For challenging terrain, you might need an all-wheel drive model such as the Mammotion LUBA 2 AWD (the Segway Navimow is two-wheel drive).

Segway Navimow X3 review: alternatives to consider

Segway Navimow X330

Mammotion Luba 2 3000

Mammotion Yuka Mini S (US) / Yuka Mini 600 (UK)

Recommended lawn size:

1 acre / 3,000m²

1 acre / 3,000m²

0.15 acres / 600㎡

Cutting width:

9.3in / 23.7cm

15.7in / 40cm

7.5in / 19cm

Cutting height:

0.8-2.8in / 2-7cm

1-2.7in / 2.5-7cm

0.8-2.4in / 2-6cm

Drivetrain:

Two-wheel drive

All-wheel drive

Two-wheel drive

Incline ability:

50% / 27 degrees

80% / 38 degrees

50% / 27 degrees

Waterproof:

IP66

IPX6

IPX6

Lawnbot size (L x W x H):

27.5 x 21.7 x 12.1in / 69.8 x 55 x 30.7cm

27.2 x 20.2 x 27.3in / 69 x 51.3 x 27.3cm

20.7 x 16.3 x 11.1in / 52.5 x 41.3 x 28.1cm

Lawnbot weight:

43.7 lbs / 19.8kg

41 lbs / 18.6kg

23.4 lbs / 10.6kg

Charge time:

65 mins

120 mins

90 mins

Mowing time per charge:

160 mins

190 mins

55 mins

Cutting blades:

6

12

5

Mammotion LUBA 2 AWD
Another hi-tech, premium bot for large yards, the LUBA 2 has the edge if you need something for especially challenging terrain. It boasts all-wheel drive, two cutting decks working in tandem, and the ability to handle steeper inclines.

Read our full Mammotion Luba 2 AWD reviewView Deal

Mammotion Yuka Mini
If you have a much smaller yard, check out this more compact option. The app is nowhere near as intuitive as Segway Navimow's, nor are there as many features or fine-tuning options, but it's still a very capable mower and comes in at a far lower price.

Read my full Mammotion Yuka Mini reviewView Deal

How I tested the Segway Navimow X3

I tested the X350 model of the Segway Navimow X3 Series. I used it for several weeks in the garden of my sister's home. The test lawn measures around 1,000 square meters, and has unclear borders and several large trees. I set up the bot myself from scratch, following the instructions in the app, including constructing the charge station and RTK receiver. I mapped the lawn into different mowing zones and added no-mow areas. I assessed the lawnbot based on the neatness and speed of mowing, accuracy of navigation, and general ease of use. I also explored the different options in the app to see the extent to which I could fine-tune settings, and ran object avoidance tests using different-sized obstacles. I then compared all of my findings to other lawnbots I've used, while also weighing everything up against the price to gauge whether the bot offers good value for money.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed August 2025

Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE: Two-minute review

Here's a thing very few of the best wired earbuds offer, at least in the mass-produced consumer space: specialized tuning for each member of your band – yes, even the bass player. But that's what Beyerdynamic did at the very start of the year, releasing not one but four sets of IEMs tuned just slightly differently, in a bid to give each of your musician friends what they need.

The set I have under review here is the DT 72 IE, "for guitarists and singers". These IEMs boast a "subtly tuned bass" so as not to overwhelm during performance. The optimized frequency response here is also listed as between 200-500 Hz to compensate for the occlusion effect. This is a known issue wherein the perception one's own voice is too loud, hollow, or even boomy due to the ear canal's obstruction (with said IEMs, funnily enough) and the trapping of sonic vibrations within.

What of the rest of the range? DT 70 IE is billed as the set "for mixing and critical listening". DT 71 IE is "for drummers and bassists" with a sound signature that Beyerdynamic says "enhances low frequencies while ensuring detailed reproduction of cymbals, percussion and bass guitar overtones". DT 73 IE is the pair for the orchestral musician, pianist or keyboard player, with extra care taken on treble overtones (there's a subtle boost from 5kHz upwards).

I think it's fair to say that given the asking fee of whichever set you pick (which is $499, or anywhere from £431 to £479 in the UK, so around AU$900) these are IEMs for the successful musician – something emphasized by acclaimed jazz pianist, gospel artist and producer Cory Henry and Gina Miles (winner of The Voice Season 23) who both agreed to help showcase the new products in January of this year.

(Image credit: Future)

Am I qualified to give these singer-specific buds a thorough appraisal? I'd say so. It's been a while, granted, but I've performed in several big musicals, films, and a fair few gigs over the years, often with a trusty pair of cheap and cheerful Shure SE215 in (or hanging out of) my ears. Hey, I sang solo and covered leads, y'know…

The Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE are not like my old Shure workhorses, though, reader. This is what I would have bought myself if I'd been making something other than a lowly performer's wage, and/or had the promise of work engagements lasting for more than six months at a time. The latter is something not even the best of us regularly gets… and I was far from the best.

But let's put the delicate topics of coin and talent to one side. The DT 72 IE are very well made. The case is fabric but pocketable and holds its shape – the 1.4m cable will not tangle, is near-silent and comes with a 3.5mm termination and 6.35 mm adapter. The headshells are beautifully small. Your accessories are also resoundingly high-end: alongside the five pairs of silicone ear tips, you also get three in Comply memory foam (which I'll always go for, if they're offered). You even get a spare set of earwax guards and detailed instructions on how to switch them out, if and when the need arises.

You'll need to shape the ear hooks yourself, but once you take a moment to get it right, I found them very comfortable and also hardly noticeable (from a visual perspective) once in my ear. So far, so successful.

What about for sound? I fired up my FiiO M23 and a few of my old audition standards. Now, I had no access to the pro mixer, mic or gain stages I used to enjoy, back in the day – so full disclosure: I couldn't set any of that up. What follows is my analysis of the DT 72 IE as listening devices to analyze my own recorded vocals and also to record a quick demo – en route to a last-minute audition, say.

And, good grief, did I hear extra detail and even a bit of vib to be proud of in my own rendition of The Show Must Go On from 2018, sung as an aerialist/singer in a German Queen tribute show called We Are the Champions. All true, I promise.

It's as if guitar riffs and my voice has been plucked from the soundstage and held above the mix in a surgical layering system, like items to be admired (or admonished) aside from all else. It's exactly what your lead vocalist of axe man needs, to hone their craft and I wish I'd had them when performing every day. If I'd had the DT 72 IE, I might've realized I was just a touch flat when trying to reach "for waiting up there is the Heaviside layer" on that cruise ship gig…

Any drawbacks to the DT 72 IE sonically? This is an analytical listen, rather than an exciting one. From a listener's perspective, things can feel just a little flat on occasion. This is because the bass injection has been pulled back and so, dynamically, tracks can feel just a touch uneventful. Beyerdynamic has expressed as much and offers another model for critical listening and/or mixing, but it's still worth stating for those who want something to lay down tracks with and to listen purely for the pleasure of doing so.

Personally, I love them. If your favorite aspect of recorded music is the lead singer and/or the guitar solos, you may have found the set of IEMs for you. No, they're not neutral – that's the whole point.

(Image credit: Future)Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE review: Price and release date

• Released on January 23, 2025
• Priced $499 / from £431 (around AU$900)

It's important to state that the Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE are not unique – IEMs pitched squarely at vocalists exist (from companies such as Moondrop, 64 Audio and even Sennheiser) and the 64 Audio U12t, for example, costs four times as much as the Beyer product you're reading about.

The Sennheiser IE 100 Pro, however, (a popular choice among the musicians I know) cost around a fifth of the DT 72 IE's asking fee. So it really is a mixed bag…

Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE review: Specs

Drivers

Dynamic (closed)

Weight

3g per earpiece (without ear tip)

Frequency range

5Hz - 40kHz

Waterproof rating

None

Other features

No in-line mic, plenty of accessories

(Image credit: Future)Should you buy the Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE review?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

What these earbuds are designed for has been beautifully achieved – no more, no less

5/5

Sound quality

If picking out the vocal or guitar is what you need, they deliver. If you want to listen casually, too, they may not be for you – but that's hardly fair

4.5/5

Design

Beautifully svelte earpieces and cable, only let down by the need to bend (and re-bend) the ear hooks yourself

4.5/5

Value

To call them 'mid-range' feels unfathomable, but the prices you can pay in this niche sector of the market are variable, to say the least

4/5

Buy them if...

You're a pro singer or guitarist – and you're good
Done OK for gigs recently and want to level up your art? I think these are a great professional product.

You have a smaller ear
I may well put these into our best earbuds for small ears guide, because they slip so happily into my smaller tragus and present no issues to my bijou ear canal.

Don't buy them if...

You want an all-round listen
These are not that product, despite their considerably gifted performance when it comes to vocals and midrange instruments.

Gigs haven't been plentiful lately
These are either a treat for the end of a lucrative run of shows or something for the muso not short of work in general. Those of us who don't know where (or from whom) the next paycheck is coming may sadly have to look elsewhere.

Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE review: Also consider

This particular product is a tad niche for TechRadar (we're not a dedicated musician or performer site, as you'll know) but personal experience has taught me that Shure's 215 SE are often the entry-level option here, as are the Sennheiser IE 100 Pro – both of which are a lot cheaper than the model listed above.

Are they as good? No, that wouldn't be fair given the dearth in price – and that's the point I want make here: if you have the money, the Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE are very, very good for singers and guitarists.

(Image credit: Future)Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE review: How I tested

• Tested across two weeks
• Used at home, listening to my vocal recordings and regular testing tracks
• Predominantly tested using my iPhone (and hi-res Flac files on my laptop)

I had to go back to 2018 (the last time I sang professionally, and the year before I became a full-time audio journalist) in the name of testing the Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE.

I revisited a time when money was tight but professional fulfilment was plentiful. I had work! Lots of it – and I also had a post-grad degree to pay for. I listened to both my own vocals (even the ones recorded quickly as voice memos on my iPhone, to learn a tricksy harmony line in rehearsal) and then to everything from Melissa Etheridge to Ginuwine – both of whom I love for what they've given to music.

And know this: the Beyerdynamic DT 72 IE were never uncomfortable and always enlightening during my testing.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed: August 2025

Oukitel WP210: 30-second review

Having seen a few rugged phones, they typically fall into one of two categories: either being excessively bulky to achieve extended battery life, or lightweight with less longevity and features.

Curiously, the Oukitel WP210 strikes a sweet spot between these two positions, making it appealing to a few distinct user groups who might be drawn to its blend of ruggedness, performance, and sleek design.

At a weight of 311g and with a relatively slim 13.7mm profile, sized like a standard phone, this is a design that manages to hide its rugged credentials effectively. Yet it still manages to deliver its IP68 / IP69K / MIL-STD-810H ratings, enabling it to handle harsh environments and even submersion.

From an aesthetics angle, this is a rugged phone that isn’t trying to be a Sci-Fi prop or project a military resilience; its carbon-fibre accents, matte polycarbonate shell, and metal frame give it a modern industrial look.

Available in red, black and grey, for a rugged phone, this design is classy while being understated, which is something many business customers will like. It’s styled to appeal to both outdoor adventurers and business professionals - rugged, but not overbuilt.

It features a high-end MediaTek SoC, making apps and the interface slick and responsive. It comes with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, but alas, no Micro SD card expansion beyond that capacity. The 6.7-inch OLED display delivers intense colours and brightness, while the rear camera cluster features the 108MP Samsung S5KHM6, capturing high-quality images and videos.

Having high-end features such as these comes at a cost, but in this design, the asking price from Oukitel is only $399.99 for US customers, which seems like a bargain.

While it might not be the best rugged phone I've tested, it's certainly one of the best value devices in its category.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)Oukitel WP210: price and availability

• How much does it cost? $400/£311
• When is it out? Available globally
• Where can you get it? Direct from the maker or via an online retailer

Oukitel sells the WP210 directly, though not in all regions. Currently, US customers can get it directly for $399.99.

However, it isn’t shown on the UK, French or German sites. I'm also seeing it on Amazon.com for $499.99 and Amazon.co.uk for £351.49. Worldwide, it's available via Aliexpress, too.

The obvious competitors for the WP210 are the Ulefone Armour 30 Pro and its bigger brother, the WP300.

The Oukitel WP300 has a higher battery capacity, but less RAM, a less powerful SoC, and a lower-quality camera. And, it costs almost the same price. The selling point of the WP300 is its detachable second screen, which doubles as a watch.

The Ulefone Armor 30 Pro features a heavier design at 509g, offering more battery capacity and 16GB RAM, but it comes with a less powerful SoC and a lower-quality camera. If you need longer running, it's an alternative, but it doesn’t offer the same performance levels as the WP210.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

• Value score: 4/5

Oukitel WP210: Specs

Item

Spec

CPU:

MediaTek Dimensity 8200 (Octa-core, up to 3.1GHz)

GPU:

Mali-G610 MC6

NPU:

MediaTek NPU 580

RAM:

12GB

Storage:

512GB

Screen:

6.7-inch AMOLED,120Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Glass 5

Resolution:

1080×2412 pixels

SIM:

2x Nano SIM (no TF)

Weight:

311g

Dimensions:

163.6 × 77.85 × 13.7 mm

Rugged Spec:

IP68 IP69K dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min), MIL-STD-810H Certification

Rear cameras:

108MP Samsung S5KHM6 + 2MP GalaxyCore GC02M1 macro + 0.3MP depth

Front camera:

32MP Sony IMX615

Networking:

WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.3

OS:

Android 15

Battery:

8800 mAh battery (Max 45W charge wired, 10W reverse)

Colours:

Red, Black, Grey

Oukitel WP210: design

• Solid construction
• No headphone jack
• Lacks TF card expansion

What’s great about this phone design is how relatively normal it feels to use. It’s a classic modern Android phone-sized device, slightly thicker than a standard smartphone.

The metal banding about the outside feels solid and secure, and Oukitel provide it out of the box with a solid plastic bumper already mounted.

From a button perspective, there is nothing to see here. It’s the standard layout, featuring a power and audio rocker on one side and a user-customizable button on the other. In this respect, it’s a design that most people could simply pick up and use, rather than needing to adapt.

One nice feature on a phone this affordable is that the fingerprint reader is embedded under the screen, rather than being located on the power button. This makes the phone much easier to use for left-handed users.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

There are a few oddities which aren’t normal, and one of these is that there is no headphone jack, sadly.

However, there is an IR blaster on the top edge, the usefulness of which is undermined by the fact that no corresponding app is provided for its use. I suspect this should have been in the Oukitel Toolbox, but it might work with third-party tools.

Unusually, the SIM tray is next to the USB-C port on the bottom edge, and not the left side. It can accept two Nano SIMs, but it does not have a MicroSD card slot in the tray.

That’s the single biggest disappointment for those who use extra storage, even if Oukitel did give the phone 512GB of space to cushion that blow.

Overall, the WP210 appears designed not to push anything too radical on the customers, and except for the missing MicroSD functionality, it hits all the key areas that most people are looking for in a rugged phone.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Design score: 4/5

Oukitel WP210: hardware

• MediaTek Dimensity 7050
• 16000 mAh battery

The MediaTek Dimensity 8200 is a powerful mid-range system-on-chip (SoC) designed to deliver impressive performance and efficiency for smartphones. It features an octa-core CPU, combining high-performance Cortex-A78 cores with energy-efficient Cortex-A55 cores, along with a Mali-G610 MP6 GPU for enhanced graphics capabilities.

When compared to other mid-range SoCs, such as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, the Dimensity 8200 holds its ground with competitive benchmark scores and efficient power consumption. While the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 may have a slight edge in memory bandwidth and higher clock speeds, the Dimensity 8200 offers a balanced performance that caters to both everyday tasks and demanding applications .

Overall, the MediaTek Dimensity 8200 is a solid choice for those seeking a capable and efficient SoC in the mid-range smartphone market, and I’ve seen it previously in the Oukitel WP200 Pro, which, on specification, bears an uncanny resemblance to the WP210.

The WP210 appears to be an externally redesigned WP200 Pro, which, from an economic perspective, makes perfect sense. But the WP200 Pro cost $200 more when it was launched.

Another common feature of the WP200 Pro is the 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display, which is rated at 500 nits and features a 120Hz refresh rate.

This display technology offers vibrant colours, deep blacks, and excellent contrast, enhancing the visual experience for users. Additionally, the screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 5, ensuring durability against scratches and impacts. The high refresh rate provides smooth scrolling and fluid animations, making it ideal for both everyday use and gaming. Overall, the OLED display on the WP210 combines durability with impressive visual quality, making it an excellent choice for those seeking a rugged yet visually appealing smartphone.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

The last feature I wish to talk about is the battery, which, by rugged phone standards, is on the modest end of the spectrum. 8800mAh is still about twice what a typical phone has, and as we’ll see later in the benchmarks, it provides decent longevity.

The charging capability is 45W using the included charger of that exact specification, and charging takes about 2.5 hours. It can reverse charge at up to 10W, although in the Oukitel marketing material, it's shown doing this using an addon that then wirelessly charges a tablet. Given that the tablet would undoubtedly have a USB-C port, that would be an idiotic thing to do, as it would further reduce the efficiency of the power transfer.

There isn’t any wireless charging in the phone, even if it looks like the designer made the underside of the phone intentionally flat for that purpose.

To summarise, the SoC is punchy, the screen is lovely, the battery is big enough for the job, and it charges reasonably quickly.

• Hardware score: 4/5

Oukitel WP210: cameras

• 108MP, 2MP and 0.3MP sensors on the rear
• 32MP on the front
• Four cameras in total

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

The Oukitel WP210 has four cameras:

Rear camera: 108MP Samsung S5KHM6SX , 2MP GalaxyCore GC02M1 macro, 0.3MP Galaxy Core GC032A
Front camera: 32MP Sony IMX615

This is the identical camera configuration as the WP200 Pro, with the main sensor being the 108MP Samsung S5KHM6SX. This 1/1.67-inch format, 108 MP stacked imager boasts a 0.64 µm pixel pitch, ISOCELL 2.0 technology, and Nonacell Bayer RGB colour filters, according to Samsung.

With a whopping 108 megapixels, this sensor is capable of producing incredibly detailed images or can effectively pixel bin to achieve vibrant colours and HDR contrast. The results, especially in outdoor lighting, can be impressive; however, there are times when the focus system appears to target the wrong object in the shot.

One downside is the absence of optical zoom; instead, the digital zoom transitions can feel quite jarring. The rear camera also lacks wide or telephoto sensors, relying on a somewhat lacklustre 2 MP macro sensor and a 0.3 MP sensor for depth effects. Therefore, the main sensor shoulders the majority of the photographic responsibilities. On a positive note, Oukitel has included a comprehensive camera application that features a full PRO mode for manual controls, alongside options for timelapse, slow-motion, night views, and panoramas.

What I would avoid is a feature that the user-defined button offers, which is to switch into underwater mode. While this phone is rated for full submersion for a limited time period, it's only to a depth of 1.5M, and that could be difficult to control in the ocean or even a pool.

Under the right conditions, images taken are decent, though they might not stand out as extraordinary. But given the price point of this device, the main sensor is a practical choice that is better than some phones that use 50MP sensors.

On the front, the choice of a 32 MP Sony sensor for selfies might seem excessive, especially since it only records at 1080p. It raises questions about the need for such high resolution for 1080p video, but this sensor does manage to capture good-quality images for those who enjoy digital self-portraits.

It's worth noting that this phone lacks Widevine L1 video encryption, offering only L3. This limitation means that when streaming from primary services like Netflix or Disney+, you'll only have access to 480p resolution, even with a fast 5G connection.

In short, the cameras are probably better than one might have anticipated, but they lack the optical focus and stabilisations that premium phones offer these days.

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• Camera score: 4/5

Oukitel WP210: performance

• Decent SoC
• GPU is game-friendly
• Big battery

Phone

Oukitel WP210

Ulefone Armor 30 Pro

SoC

Dimensity 8200

Dimensity 7300X

GPU

Mali-G610 MC6

Mali-G615 MC2

Mem

MediaTek NPU 580

MediaTek NPU 655

NPU

12GB/512GB

16GB/512GB

Weight

311g

509g

Battery

8800

12800

Geekbench

Single

1246

1030

Multi

3968

3269

OpenCL

4310

2509

Vulkan

4736

2502

GFX

Aztec Open Normal

73

36

Aztec Vulkan Norm.

57

42

Car Chase

60

36

Manhattan 3.1

114

61

PCMark

3.0 Score

13970

11282

Battery

22h 44m

26h 38m

Charge in 30 mins

%

26

42

Passmark

Score

16455

14377

CPU

8490

7142

3DMark

Slingshot OGL

Maxed Out

7238

Slingshot Ex. OGL

Maxed Out

5446

Slingshot Ex. Vulkan

Maxed Out

3814

Wildlife

6023

3284

Nomad Lite

625

360

I chose the Ulefone Armor 30 Pro as the phone to compare with the WP210, because it's roughly the same price, has a similar profile and also has plenty of RAM and storage.

However, what the 30 Pro lacks is the Dimensity 8200. It uses the Dimensity 7300X instead, and the difference is striking in terms of performance. In many graphical tests, the WP210 is twice the speed of the Armor 30 Pro, and even in pure computing benchmarks, it has about a 20% edge.

Where the Armor 30 Pro is advantaged is with its battery capacity, which is 45% bigger.

However, the flip side of that win, and its increased longevity, is that it takes twice as long to charge the battery, and the battery life wasn’t 45% longer. When you also consider the weight difference, the WP210 is a much better option unless total running time is your only criterion.

Overall, the WP210 delivers the same excellent user experience as its WP200 Pro brother, with the exception that it has more storage and RAM. But the price difference between them makes the WP210 a better value, as it does in comparison to the Ulefone Armor 30 Pro.

• Performance score: 4/5

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)Oukitel WP210: Final verdict

There is plenty to like in the WP210, as it manages to magically provide a decent battery life and a punch processor without being the size and weight of a house brick.

Those aspects, along with the OLED screen and 108MP camera, should bring the WP210 plenty of attention, and the mid-range pricing should seal the deal.

I don’t understand why Oukitel left the SD card option from the card slot, or why this is a dramatically more powerful phone than the WP300, but these are mysteries that only the designers at Oukitel could answer.

Overall, for those who want a well-built mid-range rugged phone, you could do substantially worse than the WP210, which surprised this reviewer at numerous points.

It’s also an excellent choice for anyone who fancied the WP200 Pro but didn’t like the price, as it is roughly the same phone with less storage and RAM for a significant cost reduction.

If there is a question mark over this device, it’s the level of support that Oukitel is likely to provide throughout the product's life. My review phone came with Android 15 installed and a June security update, but it’s worth flagging the trade-off between upfront cost and lifecycle reliability. Only time will tell, but Oukitel is not known for timely Android version upgrades or regular security patches, and its customer service is also not a strong point.

These points are equally applicable to the majority of Chinese rugged phone makers; however, it's worth noting that two to three years is the typical life cycle of these products, and beyond that point, they are often no longer supported.

Should I buy a Oukitel WP210?Oukitel WP210 Score Card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Affordable for a phone with these specs

4/5

Design

Not much heavier than an ordinary phone, but rugged and well-featured

4/5

Hardware

Gorgeous OLED screen, 512GB of storage, but no TF expansion

4/5

Camera

Excellent main sensor, slightly undermined by a lack of anti-shake on video capture

4/5

Performance

GGreat performance and decent battery life

4/5

Overall

A practical and effective design that many will love

4/5

Buy it if...

You need an outdoor phone
The WP210 is a robust design that can withstand being dropped 1.5M and exposure to water. This makes it ideal for outdoor occupations, adventure vacations and those who are inherently clumsy.

You carry lots of data or apps
With 512GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, this phone is ideal for those who like to carry data and install numerous apps. However, there is no TF card expansion beyond that capacity.

Don't buy it if...

You want more than 512GB storage
Without a TF card (Micro SD card) expansion, you can’t expand the internal capacity of this phone beyond its default 512GB. You could connect an external SSD, if it takes less than the 10W of power output of the USB-C port, but that’s less than an ideal option.

You want WiFi 7
The MediaTek Dimensity 8200 used in the WP210 supports 5G comms and WiFi 6, but it doesn’t connect using multiple bands over WiFi 7. That would require the Dimensity 9200, a chip that isn’t in this phone.

Also Consider

Ulefone Armor Mini 20 Pro
Another practical, rugged design with an inbuilt camping light, night vision camera and about 25% more battery capacity than the A56. It’s also dramatically cheaper, but conversely, the cameras aren’t as good, and the SoC isn’t as powerful. For those needing a cheap, tough phone, the Ulefone Armor Mini 20 Pro might be a good choice.

Read our full Ulefone Armor Mini 20 Pro review

Oukitel WP300
Another dial display phone, but with this one, the small second screen is detachable and becomes a smartwatch. It costs more than the WP210, but it has a bigger battery that gives it extended running time.

Read our full Oukitel WP300 review

For more ruggedized devices, we've reviewed the best rugged tablets, the best rugged laptops, and the best rugged hard drives

Honor MagicBook Art 14 2025: 30-second review

The Honor MagicBook Art 14 2025 is a direct update to last year's impressive MagicBook Art 14 2024, and as you would expect, it boosts almost every aspect of the specifications and performance.

The new model is just as slim and light; however, the performance takes a huge leap forward. When it comes to the performance, it's worth noting that the "Art" is more in the name rather than indicating a creative focus for its use.

The ultrabook's slimline profile and weight are key features, which meant that throughout the review period I was able to take it comfortably with me without it adding too much weight or bulk; an additional kilo really doesn't feel like a great deal in a backpack.

There's also the build quality to consider, which once again feels good and robust. The main chassis is made from aerospace-engineered magnesium alloy, while the keyboard utilises titanium. The ceramic-style surface also gives the machine one of the best aesthetic finishes I have seen, especially with the way it reflects the light.

Away from the build and style of the machine, the performance is equally impressive. Although the "Art" label is once again a little confusing, this really refers to the art of the machine rather than it being aimed at the creative market, such as the ASUS ProArt series.

This laptop is aimed at those looking for a high-end office, lifestyle or general machine that looks great and has a decent amount of power to match.

Through the benchmark and real-world tests, the high-level performance became apparent, and there was no doubt about just how good the new Intel Core Ultra CPUs are. Microsoft Office apps ran quickly, with the high-resolution display affording greater screen real estate for spreadsheets and Word documents. Likewise, utilising cloud-based office applications proved strong with a stable internet connection.

Used for general office work, the machine is exemplary, keeping up with demands placed on it as well as enabling superb audio for media playback. The integrated Arc graphics handled all day-to-day tasks with ease, although it did start to struggle under more intensive tasks such as video production and gaming.

However, as an office-focused machine that's slimline, lightweight and looks great, there is little to fault in one of the best ultrabooks (and best-looking) on the market.

HONOR MagicBook Art 14 2025: Price & availability

• How much does it cost? $950 / £950
• When is it out? Available soon
• Where can you get it? Widely available

The Honor MagicBook Art 14 2025 will be available soon with several different iterations. No US pricing is available yet, but in the UK, it's retailing for £1499.99.

You can check it out on Honor's official site by clicking here.

• Value: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)Honor MagicBook Art 14 2025: Design

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)Specifications

CPU: Intel Core Ultra 5 225H / Ultra 7 255H
Graphics: Intel Arc Graphics 140T (integrated)
RAM: 32 GB LPDDR5x
Storage: 1 TB or 2 TB SSD
Left Ports: Webcam dock, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Thunderbolt 4
Right Ports: USB‑A 3.2, HDMI 2.1, 3.5 mm audio
Connectivity: Wi‑Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Audio: 6-speaker setup, DTS spatial audio
Camera: 1080p removable magnetic webcam
Size: 316.8 × 223.6 × 11.3 mm
Weight: 1.03 kg
OS installed: Windows 11 Home
Accessories: USB-C charger, cable, webcam, documentation

The quality of the build, style, design and materials really do stand out. Like the previous version that offered an attractive matte green surface, my review sample of the Art 2025 features a white ceramic finish that accents colours in different environments. It's instantly striking, sometimes looking like a flat colour and other times as though there's a gradient.

The size and weight of ultrabooks are always important factors, and here the machine measures 316.77 x 223.63mm x 11.5mm and weighs approximately 1.03kg, much the same as the previous version. Once again, the chassis is made from aerospace-grade magnesium alloy with a triangular topology that helps provide the strength of the design. Titanium alloy is used for the keyboard, and there's an aluminium alloy fan inside, helping to keep the components cool while also keeping the weight down.

Around the edges of the machine, there's a small but good selection of ports including USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, USB4/Thunderbolt 4, USB-A 3.0, HDMI 2.1 and 3.5mm audio jack.

The screen is one of the big features of this machine. At 14.6 inches with a resolution of 3120x2080, it's also a touchscreen and offers a massive 1600 nits of brightness, making it a great solution for use at a café or other outdoor venue.

While the laptop isn't designed for creative use, it still offers decent colour accuracy with 100% DCI-P3, 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio and 60/120Hz refresh rate.

Another feature I liked in the previous model that once again appears here is the removable webcam. This inserts into the side of the laptop and can be removed and popped on top as required. This means there's no break in the screen or thick bezel to house the camera, it's a great solution and one that obviously increases security as well.

On biometrics, the laptop features a dedicated fingerprint recognition key in the top right of the keyboard, enabling fast access when needed.

• Design: 5 / 5

Honor MagicBook Art 14 2025: Features

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Delving into the features of this ultrabook, there's a little bit more to this machine than most. Firstly, there's the ultra-slim design that houses the Intel Core Ultra 7 Processor 255H and integrated Intel Arc 140T GPU. The machine is available in a series of configurations depending on your needs, with the review sample featuring a 1TB SSD and 32GB of LPDDR5x 8400MT/s.

One of the fetaures that I liked when I reviewed the precious version was the small detachable magnetic webcam. While the quality is relatively low at 2.1MP and a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080, this is more than enough for most conference calls. What I do like is that it can also be placed to face forward or backwards.

The screen is superb and fully touchscreen, and the hinge has been designed to enable easy one-hand opening and offers a good range of movement, although it won't lie fully flat.

In use, complementing the screen are the six small DTS audio speakers that give good depth of sound in line with other premium laptops.

Despite the sleek design, the keyboard and touchpad are full-sized, with only the up and down cursor key half sized. The touchpad is also large and responsive, with several preset gestures for volume, brightness, screenshots and more.

Alongside the impressive array of features, there's enough processing potential to take the workflow beyond spreadsheets. As this machine offers the latest AI-enabled CPU, it can handle more than most machines of this size. HONOR has ensured the internal cooling can cope and it stays impressively quite at just 3dB.

Overall, when it comes to features, from aesthetics, build materials to ports and connectivity, this is a machine clearly focused on those looking for a premium work laptop with plenty of power.

• Features: 5 / 5

Honor MagicBook Art 14 2025: Performance

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

CrystalDiskMark Read: 7114.89MB/s
CrystalDiskMark Write: 6352.79MB/s
Geekbench CPU Multi: 2659
Geekbench CPU Single: 13615
Geekbench GPU: 32073
PCMark Overall: 5752
Cinebench CPU Multi: 14375
Cinebench CPU Single: 1970
Fire Strike Overall: 8436
Fire Strike Graphics: 9128
Fire Strike Physics: 27605
Fire Strike Combined: 3233
Time Spy Overall: 4323
Time Spy Graphics: 3933
Time Spy CPU: 9884
Wild Life Overall: 25169
Steel Nomad Overall: 839
Windows Experience Overall: 8.4

From the outset, the MagicBook Art 14 2025 impressed, especially with Windows 11 Home edition installed as standard. Opening apps and general use felt fast and responsive, and the quality of the screen and touchscreen responsiveness stood out.

One aspect that impressed me was the power of the small speakers, that despite the slim chassis, they delivered a decent depth of sound.

Opening large spreadsheets, I found that the increased resolution enabled easier viewing of more content than expected from a laptop this size. The screen throughout is a strong feature, with the 1600 nits maximum brightness allowing it to be seen in most situations, even outside a café. However, as is common with office-focused machines, the reflective surface did reduce visibility in bright environments.

For office and Windows-based tasks, including web browsing and multimedia playback, this machine performs as well as any I've used. This was reflected in a Windows Experience score of 8.4, one of the highest I've recorded.

RAM and storage are well balanced, and during testing, the machine easily handled switching between multiple apps. When using CapCut to edit a quick video, the speed of the SSD really stood out. While it doesn't quite reach PCIe 5.0 speeds, with read speeds of 7114MB/s and write speeds of 6352.79MB/s, it is still one of the fastest laptop SSDs I've used, this also means it boots up exceptionally fast.

As I started to push the system further, the CPU performance boost became clear. The Cinebench Multi result of 14375 showed that CapCut, Lightroom and Photoshop were all handled easily. Even with multiple layers and high-resolution images from the Canon EOS R5 C, performance remained good. However, storage became an issue, and I needed an external SSD. Fortunately, the Thunderbolt 4 port enables ultrafast SSDs, such as the LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5, to be connected.

Impressed by the image enhancement, I moved on to video editing. iPhone 15 Pro 4K footage was handled well in CapCut, allowing fast social media edits with some complexity. However, switching to Log3 footage from a Sony A7 IV pushed the machine to its limits, and performance began to falter.

Having reached the limits for work, I tested a few games. I was initially surprised that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle loaded, but while initially playable, there were plenty of dropped frames and frequent crashes. Other newer titles also struggled, though I did manage a round of DiRT Rally.

When pushed, the fans do kick in, but they remain well-balanced and quiet.

The final note is on the 60W battery, which provided around 4 to 6 hours during multimedia, office and light creative work. For pure office use, I'd expect closer to the quoted 10 hours. Gaming would naturally yield much less.

• Performance: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)HONOR MagicBook Art 14 2025: Final verdict

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The Honor MagicBook Art 14 2025 is an impressive ultrabook that will suit anyone looking for a powerful, premium machine for office and general use.

The aesthetics are stunning, and I think that this is one of the best-looking ultrabooks available, with a slimline design and lightweight build that means it will easily slip into a backpack or laptop bag without adding much bulk.

In the office or on the move, there are plenty of connectivity options, and while there's no network port, Wi-Fi speed and signal strength proved impressive during testing.

In use, the screen really impressed with its large, bright, crisp display and touchscreen functionality. I just wish it would fold flat or, better yet, fold over to be used as a straight tablet.

The power for most tasks is impressive. As long as you don't plan on playing the latest games or editing high-bitrate, high-resolution video, it can handle most creative applications. When it comes to Windows and Microsoft Office, this laptop handles everything with ease with the best Windows Experience score I've seen which was ultimately reflected in the real world use.

If you're after a premium ultrabook, the MagicBook Art 14 2025 is a great option.

Should I buy a HONOR MagicBook Art 14 2025?

Value

A premium laptop with a price and build quality to match

4

Design

The materials ensure that the laptop remains lightweight and strong, with one of the nicest finishes I've seen

5

Features

A strong set of features for a powerful laptop for general use, while remaining compact

5

Performance

Keeping in mind this is a high-performance office machine, it supplies power where needed

4.5

Overalls

Outstanding machine for office and general use with a great look and premium feel

4.5

Buy it if...

You need a work-focused machine.

Everything from the premium build to the hardware configuration has been optimised for business use and portability.

You need something small and ultra-light

The fact that this laptop is so thin and light makes it ultra-portable, yet it still offers good levels of connectivity.

Don't buy it if...

You're a creative

While this machine packs plenty of power, it shouldn't be seen as a creative option, as that integrated GPU and the storage will struggle.

You want to play games.

Again, while the Intel Arc graphics are exceptionally good for all-around use, they lack the power required for modern gaming.

For more professional picks, we've reviewed the best business computers and best business laptops around.

MSI Datamag: 30-second review

The MSI Datamag is a rare portable SSD that combines real-world speed with a genuinely useful design twist. The 20Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 interface keeps transfers moving fast and in testing the drive very comfortably met and exceeded its rated read and write speeds.

It’s quick to launch projects, back up big shoots and handle transfer tasks without fuss and is a notable step above 10Gbps rivals that top out under 1,000MB/s.

The standout feature is the magnetic mount. Snap it to an iPhone or any MagSafe-compatible case or use the included stick-on rings to park it on laptops, rigs or consoles. Cable management is easy thanks to the included short and long USB-C leads plus a USB-C to USB-A adapter for older gear.

The compact square shell uses aluminum as a heat spreader and the finned edges help the drive stay cool in sustained work. In extended stress runs I saw consistent throughput and no throttling.

Two quick caveats: you need a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port for full speed and there’s no stated IP rating, so treat it as a tough metal portable drive rather than a truly ruggedized model.

The MSI Datamag uses a metal shell and connects via USB-C, though includes an adapter to USB-A (Image credit: Future)

Price and availability vary by region but it generally compares well for the performance on offer – especially considering the five-year warranty that adds some extra peace of mind.

If you want a compact fast drive that mounts neatly on a phone or workstation without extra fuss, the Datamag is an easy pick for everyday use. You can pay more for flagship USB4 drives that are a shade quicker or spend less on 10Gbps options but few match the overall blend of speed, thermals and magnetic attachment convenience.

MSI Datamag: Pricing and availability

• How much does it cost? 2TB: $160 / £160 / AU$269
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in most major markets including the US, UK and Australia

The MSI Datamag 20Gbps isn’t always stocked at all retailers, so start with your local MSI website and its Where to Buy page or check your country’s authorized retail partners for current options.

It’s generally easier to find in Australia and the UK while US availability varies by capacity and retailer.

In the MagSafe-friendly portable SSD niche there are only a few direct rivals and among 20Gbps-class drives the Datamag is competitive, but some almost as fast models do undercut it on price.

• Value: 4 / 5

The MSI Datamag uses a tough aluminum shell (Image credit: Future)MSI Datamag: Specs

Model No.

S78-440Q870-P83

Controller

Phison PS2251-U18

Capacities

1TB / 2TB / 4TB

Capacity tested

2TB

Tested sequential performance (Read/Write)

1642 / 1514 MB/s

Connection

USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20Gbps) on USB-C

IP Rating

None

Dimensions

66 x 66 x 13 mm (W x H x D)

Weight

81g

Power source

USB-bus power

Warranty

5-year limited warranty

MSI Datamag: Design

• MagSafe compatible
• USB-C with USB-A adapter
• Aluminum heatsink

The Datamag looks and feels purpose-built rather than being just another generic plastic-wrapped portable SSD. MSI uses a compact square footprint with trimmed corners and a radial brushed top that keeps fingerprints in check and gives the logo a low-key finish.

The aluminum enclosure doubles as a heat spreader and the ribbed edge detailing is more than cosmetic, helping the drive shed heat during long writes. It’s a tidy pocketable shape that doesn’t snag cables in a bag and the single USB-C port sits flush so it’s easy to pack.

The headline design trick is the magnetic mounting system. On an iPhone or any MagSafe compatabile phone (and that now includes the Pixel 10 thanks to Pixelsnap) it snaps on securely and for non-magnetic surfaces MSI includes two stick-on metal rings in black and white. That makes the Datamag handy on varied rigs, claptops, consoles and other devices since you can park it exactly where you want it and keep the cable strain-free.

MSI also bundles both long and short USB-C cables plus a USB-C to USB-A adapter, so you can go access it on older devices, or just have a bit of versatility when you run out of ports. The lanyard loop in the corner is a small but smart touch for tethering for extra security.

At 66 x 66 x 13mm (2.60 x 2.60 x 0.51 inches) and 81g (0.179lb), the Datamag carries a reassuring heft without feeling bulky. The square puck format spreads weight across a phone well, so it stays put during handheld shooting and the rounded edges keep it comfortable against a palm.

There’s no stated IP rating, so treat it as a solid metal portable rather than a true rugged drive. Overall the design is simple, durable and very practical.

Image 1 of 2

The MSI Datamag comes with two stick-on magnetic rings for attaching it to any surface. (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

The MSI Datamag is MagSafe compatible so can be attached to device like iPhones (Image credit: Future)

• Design: 4 / 5

MSI Datamag: Performance

• Great performance
• No throttling

Rated sequential read

1600 MB/s

Rated sequential write

1500 MB/s

ATTO peak read

1660 MB/s

ATTO peak write

1860 MB/s

Sustained read in Windows

1642 MB/s

Sustained write in Windows

1514 MB/s

Thermal throttling in 30-minute read/write test

None

Aside from magnetic wizardry, performance is the Datamag’s calling card and the 20Gbps USB interface and Phison PS2251-U18 controller deliver impressive throughput.

In the ATTO benchmark I saw peaks of 1,660MB/s reads and 1,860MB/s writes, while sustained transfers in Windows managed 1,642MB/s read and 1,514MB/s write. That’s comfortably above the rated 1,600 / 1,500MB/s and well ahead of 10Gbps rivals like the SanDisk Extreme and Samsung T7 that top out near 1,000MB/s. In comparison, higher-tier 20Gbps options such as the SanDisk Extreme Pro can read a touch faster at around 1,900MB/s and of course USB4 drives are even faster.

The aluminum body with finned edges helped keep temps in check and I saw no throttling in a 30-minute mixed read and write run. For large media copies, camera offloads and scratch disk use the Datamag feels snappy and dependable under load.

• Performance: 4.5 / 5

MSI Datamag: Final verdict

MSI’s Datamag is a portable SSD that feels ready for real-world workloads. It’s fast in everyday tasks, doesn’t slow down on long transfers and stays cool thanks to the metal shell.

The square pocketable design is easy to carry every day and the magnetic mount and included rings make it quick to attach to a phone or other equipment.

Pricing is decent for the class and the five-year warranty is a great bonus. If you want speed with a smart attachment system, the Datamag delivers dependable 20Gbps performance in a compact easy-to-mount package.

Should I buy the MSI Datamag?

Value

Well priced considering the features

4.5 / 5

Design

Sturdy metal build with magnetic attachment

4 / 5

Performance

Excellent read / write speeds with no throttling

4.5 / 5

Overall

A very unique and handy drive with performance to match

4.5 / 5

The MSI Datamag has chunky fins in the aluminum shell to aid cooling (Image credit: Future)Buy it if...

You’ll use the magnetic mount
There are cheaper options if MagSafe compatibility isn’t a key need in your usage.

Your device has a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port
To get the full speed of the Datamag you need a modern device with a fast 20Gbps USB port.

Don't buy it if...

You need absolute top-end speeds
The MSI Datamag is fast but there are even quicker drives if you need bleeding-edge performance.

You want a soft-touch drive
The Datamag has a tough aluminum shell and can scratch other gear if left loose in the same bag.

Also consider

Corsair EX400U
A faster alternative from Corsair, the EX400U is an excellent choice for those wanting USB4 performance plus MagSafe compatibility.

Read our full Corsair EX400U review

Ugreen 40Gbps M.2 Enclosure
This flexible option means you can drop in your own M.2 NVMe drive (2230, 2242 or 2280) and convert it into a fast USB4 external drive.

Read our full Ugreen 40Gbps M.2 Enclosure review

For more options, we've tested out the fastest external SSDs you can get right now.

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel: Two-minute review

The Acer Nitro V 15 Intel is yet another gaming laptop from the esteemed brand that promises high-end performance for a relatively modest outlay.

It has a fairly muted design for the most part, although the variegated lines and Nitro symbol on the lid hint at its potential. It’s quite bulky and reasonably heavy, but still manages to be more portable than some of its rivals. This is also helped by the omission of a rear ventilation bulge common on many gaming laptops.

It’s not as well built as the best gaming laptops, though. It employs less-than premium materials in places, and the flex of the chassis doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. In the main, though, it’s perfectly acceptable, and the important aspects, such as the keys and the lid hinge, are of a higher standard.

Most of the usual ports are present and correct on the Nitro V 15 Intel, although they’re loaded on the left-hand side; all you get on the right is the headset jack and one USB-A port. I would’ve liked to have seen a few more here for versatility’s sake, but this is a minor gripe.

The performance of the Nitro V 15 Intel isn’t exactly off the charts, but it’s more than sufficient for solid 1080p gaming. You’ll get around 60fps or above with high – if not the highest – settings in many AAA titles.

(Image credit: Future)

The display impressed me with its vibrant color rendering colors and deep black tones. Reflections can get in the way somewhat, but its maximum brightness level is just about enough to mitigate the worst of them. It’s a small shame, however, that the lid doesn’t open all that wide.

There’s also a fair amount of fan noise, even when gaming with modest settings, although it’s still within tolerable bounds for the most part. Plenty of heat is also generated, which can be a little disruptive as it makes its way to the space bar and radiates from the right vent. It can also climb up to the display, which is less than ideal.

With its relatively low starting price, the Nitro V 15 Intel makes for a tempting proposition. However, there are some other great budget picks at this end of the market, including its bigger sibling, the Nitro 16. And if you don’t need the latest tech, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is another admirable 1080p performer. But the Nitro V 15 Intel can stand proud alongside these as another reasonably priced gaming laptop worth the money.

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Price & Availability

• Starts from $899.99 / £849.99 (about AU$1370)
• Available now
• Budget end of the market

The Nitro V 15 Intel starts from $899.99 / £849.99 (about AU$1370) and is available now. It can be configured with an RTX 5050 or 5060, an Intel Core i5 or i7 of the 13th generation, and 512GB or 1TB of storage.

This is a good value for a gaming laptop with an RTX 5000 series GPU. It does face some stern competition at this price point, however – chiefly from its larger counterpart, the Nitro 16, which we think is the best budget gaming laptop around right now, and has the advantage of having a larger display (albeit only slightly).

If you don’t need the absolute latest components, then the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is another strong alternative with a reasonable price. It does have a few flaws, such as a poor trackpad and middling battery life, but there are worse areas to have made sacrifices.

• Value: 4 / 5

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: SpecsAcer Nitro V 15 Intel Specs

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel Base Config

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel Review Config

Price

$899.99 / £849.99 (about AU$1370)

$1,199.99 / £999.99 (about AU$1830)

CPU

Intel Core i5-13420H (8 cores) 2.10GHz

Intel Core i7-13620H (10 cores) 2.40GHz

GPU

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 8GB

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 8GB

RAM

16GB DDR4 SDRAM

16GB DDR4 SDRAM

Storage

512GB PCI Express NVMe 4.0 M.2 SSD

1TB PCI Express NVMe 4.0 M.2 SSD

Display

15.6-inch Active Matrix TFT LCD (1920 x 1080), 16:9, IPS, 165Hz

15.6-inch Active Matrix TFT LCD (1920 x 1080), 16:9, IPS, 165Hz

Ports and Connectivity

3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (Thunderbolt 4), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1x RJ-45, 1x 3,5mm Audio, WI

3x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (Thunderbolt 4), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1x RJ-45, 1x 3,5mm Audio, WI

Battery

76Wh

76Wh

Dimensions

14.3 x 9.4 x 0.9in / 362 x 240 x 24mm

14.3 x 9.4 x 0.9in / 362 x 240 x 24mm

Weight

4.65lbs / 2.11kg

4.65lbs / 2.11kg

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Minimal design
• Reasonably thick and heavy
• Well-made keyboard

The Nitro V 15 Intel adopts a fairly minimal aesthetic for a gaming laptop. About the only indication of its leanings is the multicolored linear pattern on the lid, which adds a small amount of interest to its appearance.

It’s a somewhat bulky, blocky unit and it weighs a considerable amount, although there are certainly thicker and heavier examples in this class. It also lacks the rear bulge for cooling purposes common on many gaming laptops, which improves its portability.

The materials employed throughout the unit don’t strike me as being among the most premium, feeling a little cheap compared to those of the competition. There’s also some flex to the enclosure for the keyboard and trackpad, but thankfully not to a disconcerting extent.

Thankfully, the lid hinge seems built to a higher standard, opening with ease and offering sufficient stability. It doesn’t open very wide, though, since the bottom of the lid hits the underlying surface if you take it even slightly past 90 degrees.

The keys are also a highlight in terms of build quality. They’re smooth to the touch and comfortably proportioned, as well as being generously spaced apart. And despite the inclusion of a number pad, the overall layout doesn’t feel cramped.

One strange omission, though, is the lack of an FN lock shortcut. Instead, you have to toggle this setting in the BIOS, which is very inconvenient – especially given there are no dedicated media control keys (they’re bound to the F row).

There are four rubber feet underneath the Nitro V 15 Intel that provide adequate grip and support, and raise the chassis from the surface by a small amount – but perhaps not enough for optimal airflow.

You’ll find most ports on the left-hand side of the Nitro V 15 Intel. The power port is furthest, followed by the ethernet and HDMI ports, and then two USB-A ports and one USB-C.

On the right there’s only a USB-A port and the headset jack. I would’ve preferred a better balance between the two sides – perhaps more USB-A ports on the right for connecting various peripherals, but this is a small gripe.

The power brick that comes with the Nitro V 15 Intel is pleasingly small, while the cable that runs from it to the laptop is relatively long, which makes it better suited to a wider variety of setups.

• Design: 3.5 / 5

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Runs AAA titles at very high settings
• Maximum settings not attainable
• Vivid and bright display

With the RTX 5060 equipped in my review unit, the Nitro V 15 Intel performed quite well, if not blisteringly so. When I played Cyberpunk 2077 on the Ray Tracing: Low preset (which the game chose by default), I was getting somewhere in the region of 60-70fps. I’m sure many gamers are happy to play at these rates (myself included), but those looking for figures in the hundreds will be disappointed.

The display does a commendable job of rendering colors vibrantly and providing plenty of contrast, with blacks being particularly impressive. It’s also devoid of the washed-out tones that can plague other LCD displays. It can be overly reflective at times, but thankfully there’s enough brightness to combat the worst offenders.

A fair amount of fan noise accompanied most of my playing time with the Nitro V 15 Intel, but this was nothing a good pair of headphones or the best PC gaming headsets couldn’t mask. As expected, heat was also generated, which can make its way to the keyboard, even after a short time playing. I found it particularly concentrated around the space bar, which can exceed temperatures I find totally comfortable handling.

(Image credit: Future)

Also, since there’s no protrusion behind the lid, vents are placed in front of the display. And since the display housing reaches all the way down, level with the bottom of the chassis, the expelled hot air radiates onto the display, which isn’t exactly the best place for it.

As for the keys, their lack of dampening and surprising resistance can make them somewhat uncomfortable to game with, as I would sometimes experience fatigue when using the WASD keys for long periods. However, their clicky feel and short actuation point makes them snappy and responsive, which in turn makes them ideal for typing as well as gaming (their aforementioned size and spacing also help in this regard).

The trackpad, however, frequently got in my way while typing, registering swipes accidentally even when I made marginal contact with the palm of my thumb.

• Performance: 4 / 5

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Battery Life

(Image credit: Future)

• Middling longevity
• Quick to charge

The Nitro V 15 Intel has a reasonable, if not spectacular, battery life. It managed to last six and a half hours during our movie playback test, and one hour and 37 minutes in the PCMark battery test for gaming scenarios, neither of which are class-leading scores.

Having said that, there are certainly gaming laptops with worse batteries, and thankfully the Nitro V 15 Intel is very quick to charge, taking about an hour and twenty minutes to totally replenish.

• Battery Life: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Acer Nitro V 15 Intel?Acer Nitro V 15 Intel Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

It’s well-priced for an RTX 5000 series laptop, and it hasn’t skimped on the important aspects of a gaming laptop.

4 / 5

Design

It might not have the most premium construction, but it suffices, and quality is high in the areas that matter most.

3.5 / 5

Performance

You’ll get decent 1080p gaming at high settings, but maximum ones are beyond it. There’s a fair amount of heat generated, too.

4 / 5

Battery Life

Nothing special, but not the worst either. At least it’s quick to charge.

3.5 / 5

Total

The Nitro V 15 Intel does well in the most important areas considering its low price tag, and it can hold its own against other budget offerings in the gaming laptop space.

4 / 5

Buy the Acer Nitro V 15 Intel if...

You want solid 1080p gaming
AAA titles run smoothly on the Nitro V 15 Intel, and you won’t have to dip that far below maximum settings. The display is also impressive.

You want to save money
The Nitro V 15 Intel is very well-priced considering its spec and performance, and the compromises made are sensible – for the most part.

Don't buy it if...

You want the best battery life
The 76Wh battery can’t endure to the extent of some of its rivals, so those without a power outlet nearby might be disappointed.

You want the best gaming keyboard
Although the keys are great for typing, their short travel yet surprising resistance can make gaming a little fatiguing.

Acer Nitro V 15 Intel review: Also Consider

Acer Nitro 16
Our pick for the best gaming laptop for those on a budget, the bigger sibling to the Nitro V 15 Intel is an equally enticing proposition. It’s similarly capable and features the same 165Hz refresh rate, but you do have to sacrifice some portability for that larger screen.

Read our full Acer Nitro 16 review.

MSI Katana 15 (2023)
If you’re willing to go for an older model, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is a fine choice. Again, the 1080p performance here is admirable, and its low cost makes it the ideal gateway model. Of course, you won’t get top-tier performance, and it’s hardly the most portable of units, but these are drawbacks to expect given the price.

Read our full MSI Katana 15 (2023) review.

How I tested the Acer Nitro V 15 Intel

• Tested for a few days
• Used for gaming, work, and browsing
• Plentiful gaming experience

I tested the Nitro V 15 Intel for a few days, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general browsing.

I played AAA titles and ran our series of benchmarks that test gaming and productivity performance, storage speeds, and battery life.

I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and have experienced various machines and components during that time. I’ve also reviewed a number of laptops previously, including other Acer and gaming-oriented models.

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

Acer Aspire 14 AI (2025): Two-minute review

The Acer Aspire 14 AI (2025) is a mid-range laptop with AI capabilities that aim to streamline advanced tasks without compromising processing power.

It looks smart and sleek with its minimal design. The blue colorway of my review unit also added an element of vibrancy to proceedings, offering something a little different from the usual black and silver finishes.

It’s also very light and thin, which makes it easy to use and carry around. The bezel around the screen is very small, too, which helps to maximize the size of the display.

The materials feel premium enough, especially the keys, but it’s not the sturdiest unit. There’s a considerable amount of flex to the lid and chassis, falling some way short of the best laptop constructions.

As you’d expect given its name, there are various AI features in the Aspire 14 AI (2025). However, there aren’t as many as you might think, with the flagship app appearing to be Acer LiveArt – a disappointingly basic image editing suite.

The AI apps run fairly smoothly in the main, though, and the Aspire 14 AI (2025) performs everyday tasks quite well, from productivity and browsing to streaming. However, it can succumb to the occasional slowdown and lag, and doesn’t handle 4K content particularly well. More strenuous tasks, such as gaming, are beyond it, as you might expect given the middling GPU it’s saddled with.

(Image credit: Future)

What’s more, there’s a pretty consistent fan noise, even during moderate workloads, which increases the harder the Aspire 14 AI (2025) is pushed. I also noticed a strange rattling sound at times, which was slightly concerning.

The display is more impressive, providing plenty of sharpness and brightness. Colors are rendered quite well, too, although they’re not the most vivid, with some of its rivals achieving greater saturation.

The keyboard is mostly pleasant to use, thanks in no small part to the sizable and generously spaced keys. The trackpad is smooth enough, but taps and clicks lack consistency and feedback.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Aspire 14 AI (2025) is the battery life. It lasted 22 hours in our movie playback test, which trounces most of the competition, even at the top end of the market.

Ultimately, the Aspire 14 AI (2025) ends up being a somewhat underwhelming laptop considering its price tag. You might be better off paying a little more to have a laptop with a better design and overall performance.

Acer Aspire 14 AI (2025) review: Price & Availability

• Starts from £699 / AU$1,399
• Currently unavailable in the US
• Well-price for the spec

The Aspire 14 AI (2025) starts from £699 / AU$1,399 and is available now in various finishes. It can be configured with 512GB or 1TB of storage. Currently, the only model available in the US is the larger Aspire 16 AI.

On the face of it, this is a reasonable price for a laptop with this spec. But it does face some stern competitors who, despite being a bit more expensive, might represent better value, all things considered.

Take the Microsoft Surface Laptop: this starts at $899.99 / £1,039 / AU$1,498, and while it has a similar everyday performance to the Aspire 14 AI (2025) and a marginally shorter – but still impressive – battery life, it’s built to a higher standard and more enjoyable to use in our view.

Similarly, there’s also the Dell Inspiron 14. Again, this is more expensive than the Aspire 14 AI (2025), but its everyday performance is better – although it still can’t handle the most intensive workloads, like video editing and AAA gaming. It too has an impressive battery life, although it’s still not quite as enduring as that of the Aspire 14 AI (2025).

• Value: 3.5 / 5

Acer Aspire 14 AI (2025) review: SpecsAcer Aspire 14 AI (2025) Specs

Acer Aspire 14 AI (2025) Base Config

Acer Aspire 14 AI (2025) Max Config

Price

$TBA / £699 / AU$1,399

$TBA / £749 (about AU$1570)

CPU

Qualcomm Snapdragon X X1-26-100 (8 cores), 3GHz

Qualcomm Snapdragon X X1-26-100 (8 cores), 3GHz

GPU

Qualcomm Adreno GPU (shared memory)

Qualcomm Adreno GPU (shared memory)

RAM

16GB LPDDR5X

16GB LPDDR5X

Storage

512GB PCI Express NVMe 4.0 (M.2)

1TB PCI Express NVMe 4.0 (M.2)

Display

14-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200), 16:10, Active Matrix TFT LCD, IPS, 120Hz

14-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200), 16:10, Active Matrix TFT LCD, IPS, 120Hz

Ports and Connectivity

2x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4), 2x USB-A, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x headset jack, 1x microSD, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4

2x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4), 2x USB-A, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x headset jack, 1x microSD, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4

Battery

65Wh

65Wh

Dimensions

0.6 x 12.3 x 8.9in / 15.9 x 312 x 225.9mm

0.6 x 12.3 x 8.9in / 15.9 x 312 x 225.9mm

Weight

2.7lbs / 1.24kg

2.7lbs / 1.24kg

Acer Aspire 14 AI (2025) review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Very thin and light
• Flimsy build quality
• Poor AI features

The Aspire 14 AI (2025) is very portable, even for a 14-inch laptop, thanks to its light and slender frame, free from any bulges or protrusions. This also adds to its sleek appearance. The dark blue colorway of my review unit suited it very well, and helped distinguish it from the monochromatic homogeneity of the sector.

The lid is easy to open, yet offers sufficient stability. Pleasingly, it also reclines all the way back by 180 degrees, making it versatile for various stands and setups.

Instead of four feet, the Aspire 14 AI (2025) features two long bars running across its width, with the rear one being taller than the front. They don’t provide as much grip as more traditional rubber feet, but they suffice for keeping the Aspire 14 AI (2025) stable while in use. What’s more, some may find this lack of traction preferable, as it makes the laptop easier to slide around on a given surface.

Build quality is good in places, such as the keyboard, with the plastics looking and feeling premium. I also appreciated the very thin bezel around the screen, which serves to maximize the full real estate.

However, there’s a considerable amount of flex to the chassis and the lid, which is somewhat disconcerting. It’s probably not one to take on more extreme adventures – it’s certainly no match for the best rugged laptop units in this regard – but it should suffice for basic travel.

(Image credit: Future)

As for software, the Aspire 14 AI (2025) is mercifully free from bloatware – although that statement largely depends on how you feel about AI features. Thankfully, those that are installed are unintrusive and only there if you need them.

The included AI features of the Aspire 14 AI (2025) are mainly confined to image and video editing, courtesy of Acer LiveSense. This app has some very basic image editing and webcam effects to play around with, but to call this an AI feature is a stretch. Its generative features boil down to buttons that open Microsoft's Copilot app instead.

If you want more AI offerings from Acer than those preinstalled, you’ll have to download Acer Intelligence Space, which acts as a hub for its suite of AI apps. However, I couldn’t get this to install on my unit, with the app failing to appear once the installer had finished running.

As a side note, if you’re looking to install third-party apps, keep in mind that the Aspire 14 AI (2025) uses an ARM processor, so you may run into compatibility issues. Check with the software provider where you can to determine suitability for the architecture.

There’s a well-judged selection of ports on the Aspire 14 AI (2025). It features two USB-C ports, both of which employ the Thunderbolt 4 standard. These are both located on the left-hand side, in front of the HDMI 2.1 port and USB-A port, which may prove inconvenient for certain setups, since you’ll need to connect the power adapter to one of them.

On the right you’ll find a USB-A port, followed by a headset jack and a microSD slot. It’s a shame there isn’t at least one more port on this side, but this is a minor complaint.

• Design: 3.5 / 5

Acer Aspire 14 AI (2025) review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Reasonable workaday performance
• AI apps eat memory
• Noisy even under moderate loads

The performance of the Aspire 14 AI (2025) is good, if nothing spectacular. It can handle most everyday tasks, including word processing, spreadsheet editing, and video streaming, although 4K content can result in significant pauses for buffering. There were also a few occasions where it was a little sluggish, such as when waking from sleep.

The AI apps and features run well enough, although they do tend to eat up a considerable amount of memory, despite the 16GB of RAM on board. Models with more would be preferable to deal with such workloads on a regular basis.

Even under moderate loads, the fans of the Aspire 14 AI (2025) are audible. The noise isn’t too loud or shrill, but it’s still noticeable and unexpected. The volume does increase with heavier tasking, though – but at least the unit remains cool throughout.

I also noticed a strange rattling sound at times, as if some part was loose and vibrating. Pressing the offending area fixed the issue temporarily, but this speaks further to the less-than-stellar build quality of the Aspire 14 AI (2025).

(Image credit: Future)

Intensive tasks are beyond the Aspire 14 AI (2025). It doesn’t handle gaming very well, even when playing moderately demanding titles with modest settings. I encountered severe stuttering and lag when playing Counter-Strike 2 on the Medium preset, rendering it virtually unplayable; this certainly isn’t a device to replace the best gaming laptops.

The 1920 x 1200 display is sharp and renders colors quite well, although it’s not the most vibrant you’ll ever see. It has high levels of brightness, too, which helps to keep reflections at bay.

The keys are large and generously spaced, which makes them easy to type with. They lack the feedback and satisfying feel of the best laptops for writers, and the omission of a number pad might deter those after maximum productivity, but for basic note taking and essay writing, the keyboard should suffice.

The trackpad manages to stay out of the way while typing for the most part, with it refraining from registering palm contact. It’s smooth and pleasingly large, but the taps are a little inconsistent, and the click feels quite nasty and lacks feedback, making it awkward to use for constant navigation around documents and web pages.

• Performance: 3.5 / 5

Acer Aspire 14 AI (2025) review: Battery Life

(Image credit: Future)

• Incredible longevity
• Beats all the competition

The battery life of the Aspire 14 AI (2025) is very impressive. During our movie playback test, it managed to last an incredible 22 hours – a few hours shy of Acer’s 28-hour claim, but this is forgivable given there are very few rivals that can match this kind of endurance.

It trounces even more premium laptops, such as the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) (the best student laptop in our view), which only managed a little over 14 hours. The Microsoft Surface Laptop managed just over 17 hours, while the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus lasted over 18 hours.

• Battery Life: 5 / 5

Should I buy the Acer Aspire 14 AI (2025)?Acer Aspire 14 AI (2025) Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

It’s at the lower end of the mid-range pack, but there are perhaps better value alternatives.

3.5 / 5

Design

It’s light and slender, but hardly the most solid. The included AI software is poor.

3.5 / 5

Performance

It’ll suffice for everyday tasks and productivity, but more serious workloads are beyond it. The display is bright and clear.

3.5 / 5

Battery Life

You’ll struggle to find many laptops that can last as long as the Aspire 14 AI (2025).

5 / 5

Total

The Aspire 14 AI (2025) is somewhat inconsistent, with great portability and battery life, but middling performance and build quality. There are better options if you’re prepared to pay a bit more.

3.5 / 5

Buy the Acer Aspire 14 AI (2025) if...

You want the best battery life
The battery life of the Aspire 14 AI (2025) is truly phenomenal – no other laptop can beat it.

You want something easy to use
The light and thin chassis makes this easy to carry around, and the 180-degree folding display makes it versatile, too.

Don't buy it if...

You want the strongest build
The Aspire 14 AI (2025) is far from the sturdiest laptop out there, so best kept out of intrepid situations.

You want the best performance
For everyday tasks you should be fine, but it can’t handle demanding workloads. It can get noisy, too.

Acer Aspire 14 AI (2025) review: Also Consider

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch
As the best Windows 11 laptop in our eyes, the Surface Laptop is a great all-rounder. It’s better made than the Aspire 14 AI (2025), and although its battery life is shorter, it’s still top-tier. The starting price is higher, but you get a laptop that equates to better all-round value.

Read our full Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch review.

Dell 14 Plus
If you’re looking for another affordable yet capable laptop, the 14 Plus fits the bill very well. This has a more impressive performance, and yet again has a battery that’ll last all day and then some.

Read our full Dell 14 Plus review.

How I tested the Acer Aspire 14 AI (2025)

• Tested for a few days
• Used for various tasks
• Plenty of laptop reviewing experience

I tested the Aspire 14 AI (2025) for a few days, using it for productivity, entertainment, and general browsing.

I did plenty of typing and content streaming, and even tested its gaming credentials. I also ran our series of benchmarks to assess various aspects of its performance, and made sure to use as many of its in-built AI apps and features as I could.

I have reviewed many laptops before, ranging in their price points and usage types. I’ve also used them consistently for decades for all manner of tasks.

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

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025): Two-minute review

The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is a gaming laptop that promises top-tier performance at an affordable price. It doesn’t exactly convey its power visually, looking rather muted compared to others in this class. However, it does exude a fair amount of elegance, which belies its budget price tag.

It’s surprisingly thin and free from bulk, although it’s still quite heavy. The lid hinges are pleasingly small, and the bezel around the screen is very minimal – in fact you’ll struggle to find a more slender frame on even the best gaming laptop models.

Build quality is also respectable, although the keyboard doesn’t look the most premium. Thankfully, the keys themselves feel great, offering sufficient dampening, travel, and feedback, which makes them a joy to use when gaming.

And, on that front, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) acquits itself very well. The RTX 5050 in my unit performed remarkably well, achieving very high frame rates with demanding graphics settings selected, although Cyberpunk 2077 labored considerably on the highest preset, with disruptive stutters, lag, and visual glitches. But dropping the settings down slightly improved the experience greatly, while maintaining plenty of visual fidelity.

(Image credit: Future)

More bothersome, however, was the noise the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) generated, which is distractingly loud and pretty much rules out playing without headphones. At least the unit stays relatively cool for the most part, with any heat steering clear from any touchable surface.

The large 16-inch, 1920 x 1200 display of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is certainly good enough to represent AAA games faithfully, but it’s not the best in class, guilty of looking a little washed out at times. It also lacks the high brightness levels of its rivals, and is a little too reflective.

As mentioned, the keys feel great to use when gaming, but the cramped layout – owing to the inclusion of a number pad – can make typing awkward, at least for someone as ham-fisted as me.

This isn’t too big a gripe, though, and if you’re willing to put up with the incessant noise and can settle for gaming at close-to maximum settings, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is a respectable performer that won’t break the bank – at least not to the extent other gaming laptops will.

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Price & Availability

• $1,449.99 / £1,399.99 / AU$2,499
• Available now
• Well-priced for the spec

The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) starts from $1,449.99 / £1,399.99 / AU$2,499 and is available now. In the US, we couldn't find a model equipped with an RTX 5050; the base model here appears to start with a 5060 instead.

This is a decent price for a 16-inch laptop with an RTX 5000 series GPU. There are few compromises, too, with the 1920 x 1200 resolution being the main concession. But the overall design and build quality of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) aren’t what you’d call cheap.

However, the Acer Nitro 16 AMD is cheaper by a significant amount. This has a less impressive spec, though: the base Nitro 16 AMD gets an RTX 4050 GPU, an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, and only 512GB of storage. It’s also quite bulky and doesn’t exactly look premium. We were very pleased with its 1080p performance, though, and we also liked its keyboard.

• Value: 4 / 5

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Specs

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) Base Config

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) Maximum Config

Price

$1,449.99 / £1,399.99 / AU$2,499

$1,699.99 / £1,699.99

CPU

AMD Ryzen 7 260 Processor 3.8GHz (24MB Cache, up to 5.1 GHz, 8 cores, 16 Threads)

AMD Ryzen 9 270 Processor 4.0GHz (24MB Cache, up to 5.2GHz, 8 cores, 16 Threads)

GPU

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050, 8GB

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, 8GB

RAM

8GB DDR5

32GB DDR5

Storage

1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD

1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD

Display

16-inch, FHD+ 16:10 (1920 x 1200, WUXGA), 165Hz, IPS, Anti-glare display, G-Sync

16-inch, FHD+ 16:10 (1920 x 1200, WUXGA), 165Hz, IPS, Anti-glare display, G-Sync

Ports and Connectivity

1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack, 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x USB-A (1x USB 2.0 and 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2), 2x USB-C (1x USB 3.2 Gen2 and 1x USB 4), 1x RJ45, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3

1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack, 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x USB-A (1x USB 2.0 and 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2), 2x USB-C (1x USB 3.2 Gen2 and 1x USB 4), 1x RJ45, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3

Battery

90WHrs

90WHrs

Dimensions

13.94 x 10.59 x 0.70 inches (354 x 269 x 17.9mm)

13.94 x 10.59 x 0.70 inches (354 x 269 x 17.9mm)

Weight

4.85lbs (2.20kg)

4.85lbs (2.20kg)

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Surprisingly thin
• Very thin screen bezel
• Good-feeling keyboard

To my personal delight, ASUS hasn’t done much to gamify the appearance of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025). It has a minimal aesthetic and the whole unit looks surprisingly elegant for a gaming machine.

It isn’t saddled with the typical gaming laptop bulk, either. The chassis is pleasingly thin and the rear protrusion is comparatively small. While it's still quite weighty, again it’s not as heavy as some of its rivals.

The lid hinges look rather smart, and are easy to operate yet provide plenty of stability, while the bezel around the display is very small, allowing almost all of the allotted space to be used.

There are a few missteps in the design, though: the corners of the base are a little too sharp, and the keyboard looks a little cheap. A number pad is also included, which unfortunately makes the whole layout a little more cramped than it otherwise would be. Still, I did appreciate the translucent WASD keys, which distinguishes them from the others.

Underneath the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) are four rubber feet and plastic strips that raise the unit from the surface by a fair amount, which helps to improve airflow.

You’ll find the usual selection of ports on the TUF Gaming A16 (2025), with most of them located on the left side. They’re sensibly ordered, too; I particularly appreciated the headset jack being at the front and the power port at the back.

Along with an ethernet port and an HDMI port, you’ll also find two USB-C ports on the left – one is 3.2 Gen 2 and the other 4, but both support external display connections. On the right are two USB-A ports, which are again logically located, since it makes them amenable to connecting peripherals such as mice.

• Design: 4 / 5

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Impressive AAA performance
• Quite loud
• Display not the most vibrant

I was impressed by the overall performance of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025). When I played Cyberpunk 2077 on the Ray Tracing: Low preset – which the game selected by default – I was getting roughly between 175-200fps, depending on the in-game environment.

Turning the preset to Ray Tracing: Ultra naturally resulted in a decrease, but I was still in the respectable region of 115-150fps. Ray Tracing: Overdrive caused a further dip, down to 70-100fps, but with the added bane of significant stuttering and input lag, as well as some strange visual artefacts and pop-in effects. Suffice to say this isn’t a setting I can recommend playing on.

Nonetheless, the above demonstrates a laudable effort on the part of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025). However, the price is paid in noise – a loud one. Under load it’s a veritable cacophony, as the fans whir away with considerable force. Needless to say this can be quite disruptive, requiring one of the best PC gaming headsets with strong noise cancellation to drown it out.

At least the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) stays relatively cool. Any heat generated is confined to reasonable temperatures, and concentrated mainly at the very back of the unit – although this can spread to the underside, so if you are using the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) on your lap, your legs might get a little toasty. Mercifully, though, the heat doesn’t encroach on the keyboard or the sides of the chassis, so there’s no chance of scorching your fingers.

The 1920 x 1200 display on my unit provided sufficient sharpness, even at 16 inches, and proved to be very bit as smooth and responsive as you’d expect from its 165Hz refresh rate. Colors appear vibrant enough, but they can look a little washed out at times. What’s more, the maximum brightness level isn’t that high, and reflections can rear their ugly heads under certain lighting conditions.

(Image credit: Future)

The keys are tactile and well damped, and have more travel and resistance than those on your typical laptop, which makes them easy and satisfying to use when gaming. I also appreciated the prominent nub on the W key, making it easy to locate.

While the keys also feel good to type on, the aforementioned cramped layout can hamper the A16's productivity credentials. I never fully got used to it, and what’s more the large trackpad does encroach on your hand placement, so you need to take care in not pressing down too hard.

The trackpad is smooth and makes for effortless swipes and gestures, but it can be inconsistent in registering taps, sometimes requiring a harder hit than normal. This might be a moot point for many gamers, though, since they’ll likely be pairing the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) with one of the best gaming mice.

Typical of many Asus products, there are a few annoying pop-ups from Armory Crate, as well as some bizarre notifications from Nvidia about display mode changes, which usually appear when booting up a game; for some unknown reason the system frequently thought two displays were connected.

Thankfully, this didn’t seem to affect performance in any way, and Windows at least makes it easy to change projection settings with the Win+P shortcut. Aside from these niggles, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) provides a pretty seamless experience overall, as you might expect given the power on tap.

• Performance: 4 / 5

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Battery Life

(Image credit: Future)

The battery life of the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is pretty impressive. It managed to last two hours and ten minutes in the PCMark gaming battery test, which is close to the time achieved by the Acer Nitro 16 AMD.

In our movie playback test, where we ran a short film on a continuous loop, it lasted an impressive 12 hours and 18 minutes. What’s more, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is also quick to charge, taking just under two hours to fully replenish.

• Battery Life: 4 / 5

Should I buy the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025)?ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

The TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is priced very competitively considering the spec. The relatively low resolution is about the only sacrifice.

4 / 5

Design

It’s surprisingly thin and elegant for a gaming laptop, and it also appears built to a high standard

4 / 5

Performance

The TUF Gaming A16 (2025) delivers high frame rates in AAA titles with demanding settings, although it won’t handle max presets all that well, and the noise is bothersome.

4 / 5

Battery Life

It performed well in our series of battery benchmarks, and it's fast to charge, too.

4 / 5

Total

The TUF Gaming A16 (2025) seems to have achieved its aim of delivering high performance at a relatively low price point, which makes it a tempting proposition for those on a budget – if they can put up with the noise.

4 / 5

Buy the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) if...

You want a sleek design
For a large powerhouse, the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) does remarkably well to keep the bulk to a minimum, and the build quality seems reasonably solid, too.

You’re on a budget
The TUF Gaming A16 (2025) is very well priced, especially considering its powerful spec. The 1920 x 1200 resolution is about the only major cutback.

Don't buy it if...

You want the best display
While it’s perfectly good enough for gaming, the colors can look a little washed out, and it’s prone to irksome reflections, too.

You want peace and quiet
The sound of the fans when gaming, even at moderate settings, is persistent and distracting, so a good pair of headphones are a must.

ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025) review: Also Consider

Acer Nitro 16 AMD
Our current pick as the best affordable gaming laptop, the Nitro 16 AMD does most of the important things right. The 1080p performance impressed us, while the 165Hz refresh rate is very welcome at this price point, especially since it’s cheaper than the TUF Gaming A16 (2025). Read our full Acer Nitro 16 AMD review.

MSI Katana 15 (2023)
If you’re willing to go with a model a few years old, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is another capable gaming laptop at a relatively low cost. This again has solid 1080p performance and a fast refresh rate, although it’s let down somewhat by the middling battery life and poor trackpad. Thankfully, these areas are where compromises are some of the least egregious. Read our full MSI Katana 15 (2023) review.

How I tested the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (2025)

• Tested for a few days
• Used for gaming and everyday tasks
• Plentiful PC gaming hardware experience

I tested the TUF Gaming A16 (2025) for a couple of days, during which time I used it for gaming and everyday tasks such as typing and browsing.

I played various games, including Cyberpunk 2077, which is a demanding test for systems and remains a cutting-edge AAA experience. I also ran our series of benchmark tests, designed to assess the gaming, creative, and productivity credentials of PCs, as well as storage speeds and battery life.

I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and during that time I’ve experienced plenty of systems and hardware. I’ve also reviewed a number of laptops, from gaming machines to those designed for productivity and general use.

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

Network Solutions was launched in 1979 as one of the first companies to provide DNS (domain name system) technology. Since then, it has developed to provide many more services, all related to web hosting. Today they provide “all you need, in one place”, that is: domain names and various hosting options with a whole variety of features and accessible applications including a page builder. The company is headquartered in the US, with its main office located in Herndon and its data center situated somewhere in North America.

In 2011, Network Solutions was acquired by Web.com Group, one of the leading web technology companies that provided services to millions of customers all over the world. Then, in 2021 web.com merged with EIG to become Newfold Digital. Later, in 2025 Newfold Digital consolidated brands and absorbed web.com into Network Solutions.

So, it's fair to say Network Solutions has had a long and varied life changing hands and merging more than most hosts. Is this Network Solution's final form? Who knows but one thing is certain. It's not staying power.

• Want to try Network Solutions? Check out the website here

• Also check out our roundup of the best shared web hosting

You'll have to opt for the Premium plan in order to get an SSL Certificate (Image credit: Future)Is Network Solutions good value for money?

Network Solutions’ Starter Plan is perfect for businesses just getting started. This plan costs only $2.99 per month for the first year and includes 10 GB of disk space, 1 website, and five email boxes. You also get 25 FTP accounts, a drag and drop page builder, and unlimited bandwidth.

For $4.99 per month, the Essential Plan gives you even more features than the Starter Plan. It includes 20 GB of disk space, 3 websites, 1,000 email boxes, and a domain name included in your package (for one year). If your business needs more than the Essential Plan provides, consider Network Solutions Premium Plan. This plan covers all of the features of the Essential plan plus 40 GB disk space and supports 10 websites for $6.99 for the first year.

Is Network Solutions easy to use?

Because Network Solutions doesn’t exactly have a myriad of hosting options, picking out a preferred plan shouldn’t be a time-consuming decision. The first thing you’ll need to know is if you want a simpler cloud-based solution or a WordPress-optimized one. For the most part, together with these hosting packages, you’ll be getting email services as well. If not (and you want them), digging a bit more around the website will take you to a few email hosting solutions as well.

Network Solutions is a decent choice for anyone looking for an easy-to-use web hosting service with sufficient features. Not only does it offer a good range of benefits such as domain registration, design tools, email hosting, marketing tools, and more but its user interface is also incredibly intuitive and simple to navigate whether you’re a novice or an experienced user. 

Network Solutions offers a drag-and-drop website builder in addition to its web hosting plans (Image credit: Network Solutions)

All plans come with a proprietary control panel, which isn’t as user friendly as some industry-standard alternatives, but we managed to find our way around. From there, most of the famous apps can be yours after a click or two (WordPress, Joomla, Durpal and so on) and all developers out there will be glad to hear that a whole variety of website development features are supported as well (PHP5, Python, Ruby on Rails, Java Servlets, Zend Libraries and much more). A number of e-commerce features (and all-inclusive ecommerce solution) are available for purchase, as well as a competent drag-and-drop website builder.

We used GTmetrix to measure the uptime and response time of our Network Solutions site (Image credit: GTmetrix)Speed and experience

When trying to convince us of the superiority of their services, Network Solutions brings up their “reliable” uptime with the guarantee of 99.9%, live tech support and flexible hosting plans, without any promises regarding the speed. Not knowing what to expect, we tested the speed performance of Network Solutions’ main website using GTmetrix as a tool. It placed the website's speed performance above the average with the conclusive result of B (85%), which is quite good.

We decided to test the uptime of Network Solutions’ main website by using UptimeRobot and see if we're going to take advantage of the guarantees they provided us with. After a month of constant monitoring, UptimeRobot reported a few occasions of downtime, with the longest one lasting for 19 minutes straight. However, the total of downtime was around 42 minutes. This means the total recorded uptime was 99.917% and that Network Solutions managed to deliver on their promises by a whisker.

While this isn't a true reflection of the speeds you can expect from your site on shared hosting, it is a good indicator of how reliable and powerful Network Solutions' infrastructure is.

Network Solutions has a searchable Help Center (Image credit: Network Solutions)Help and support

The first help options you’ll probably notice with Network Solutions are their telephone number (which is advised to be used for urgent matters only) and “Contact us” button that will present you with a few ways to help yourself. Their knowledgebase (titled as “Help Center”) can be browsed with the help of a search box or you can pick out some of the preselected categories. There seems to be a decent number of articles which are mostly written in an easy-to-follow way (often with pictures) and rated by users with a five-star rating system. 

If you would rather rely on support agents from Network Solutions’ technical team, you can get in touch with them via support ticket, live chat and telephone, all of which ought to be available around-the-clock.

Network Solutions features a community forum, where its registered users (we assume, since trying to proceed without registration made us hit the dead end) can seek answers to their questions, answer questions from other users or leave feedback for others to see. However, when we tried to register, not a single one from dozens of display names (and some were quite original) was deemed acceptable (the only explanation we got was “Name you entered is already in use”, which doesn’t seem to be the case), so we can’t report anything more than this.

The competition

Bluehost is also one of those hosts that will provide their users with everything need but also have servers in Europe and Asia. Even so, Bluehost provides a great value for money and offers (unlike Network Solutions) VPS hosting, managed WordPress and dedicated server in addition to basics, so it is better suited for more ambitious users.

HostGator can provide you with everything Network Solutions can and go beyond that, and we are not thinking about hosting types only. The entry-level (adorably named “Hatchling”) plan with HostGator includes a domain name, website transfer, unmetered bandwidth and SSL certificate, all cost-free. In comparison, Network Solutions’ elementary plan has less bonus features to attract new users with.

Both of those brands are also owned by Newfold Digital. If you wanted to look outside of that group you could also consider Hostinger.

Is Network Solutions right for you? 

Since it was founded at the end of the disco era, Network Solutions certainly knows how to get groovy with its hosting packages, offering a great deal of helpful tools to get your website down with a boogie in no time. 

When deciding on a web hosting service, there are many factors to consider such as price point, customer service availability, and uptime guarantee. Network Solutions offers all these features in one package, making them a great option for anyone who wants reliable web hosting without breaking the bank. 

Network Solutions FAQsDoes Network Solutions support WordPress?

The short answer is yes. Network Solutions supports WordPress, which means you can create a fully functioning website with ease. The service includes auto-installers so that you don’t have to worry about installing WordPress manually or dealing with complex server configurations. You also get access to hundreds of themes so you can customize your site with ease, as well as numerous plugins that further extend the functionality of your online presence.

What is Network Solutions used for?

Network Solutions can be used for much more than just hosting websites and registering domains. The service also offers support for email services, online stores, SSL certificates, marketing, and SEO tools.

• We've also featured the best web hosting

Web.com was founded in 1999 and worked its way to become one of the leading web hosting technology companies, as well as one of the largest providers of online marketing services in the USA. It was a part of the Web.com Group which also owned a whole portfolio of brands including Network Solutions and Register.com. Their main aim was (or so they claim) to “help customers of all sizes build an online presence that delivers results”.

In 2021 web.com merged with Endurance Web Presence resulting in a new company Newfold Digital. Then, in 2025 web.com was absorbed by Network Solutions.

Plans and pricing

Web.com services aim to cover all the bases when it comes to hosting, website design and the problem of security. Besides shared hosting, they provide domain registration (and transfer) services, their own website builder and WordPress-optimized hosting (managed and unmanaged).

At first, the pricing seems cheap and cheerful, but if you decide to dig a bit deeper you’ll reveal that the displayed price is valid for the first month only. From the second month onward, the price will be more than doubled and if you haven’t read everything through and through, you might feel like you’ve been played for a fool. For instance, the cheapest hosting package (labeled as “Essential Hosting”) is priced at $5.95 per month, yet this goes for the first month only and the second one is going to cost you $14.95, which is a broad daylight robbery in comparison. Well, at least you should get a “free” domain name registration with every package in addition to their beginner-friendly website builder.

As for supported payment methods, they accept all major credit/debit cards and PayPal. If you are wondering about their refund policy, they are rather rigorous about not providing any, although you can cancel their services at any time.

Yes

No

Small business hosting

Colocation hosting

Managed hosting

Free hosting

Linux hosting

s://www.techradar.com/web-hosting/best-green-web-hosting">Green hosting

Shared hosting

Video hosting

WordPress hosting

Cloud hosting

E-commerce hosting

Email hosting

Managed WordPress Hosting

VPS hosting

Website builder

Bare metal hosting

Windows hosting

Dedicated hosting

Reseller hosting

Web.com gives you access to a website builder and even an online store (Image credit: Web.com)Ease of use

To kick off your website, you’ll first have to decide which is the right hosting solution for you and whether you want to build your website by yourself (there are several ways to do so) or you would rather put it in the hands of experts (by opting for the “Build It For Me” option). If the latter is the one you want, you should schedule a call with Web.com’s team to get a consultation on the matter (at no cost).

Anyhow (sooner or later), you’ll have to pick out a plan and, since they are well presented, this should be as easy as anything. If you are new to all this, the FAQ section below might be of some help. After adding this plan to the cart, you’ll be asked (as expected) to register a new domain (all of them are free for a year, except for “.co”) or use the one you possess. However, keep in mind that after the renewal period your domain can cost you up to $38 per year, which is a handsome sum of money. There, you can apply a promotional code (if you are lucky to have one), enter your name,e-mail address and password and proceed to create your Web.com’s account.

With all shared hosting packages, Web.com provides its users with an access to cPanel, which is great news. Thanks to its intuitive and beginner friendly interface and one-click installer (for about 25 open-source applications), your website will be on fire in a heartbeat. If you haven’t had much experience with coding and yet you want to develop your website by yourself, Web.com offers a newbie-friendly drag-and-drop website builder which should do the trick.

We used GTmetrix to measure the uptime and response time of our Web.com site (Image credit: GTmetrix)Speed and experience

Although Web.com is quite keen on presenting itself in the best possible light, it (curiously) doesn’t emphasize blazing speed performance as one of its greatest assets. Nevertheless, after putting Web.com’s main website to the test, we learned that they have nothing to worry about concerning this. After taking into account all of the vital web metrics, GTmetrix (our speed testing tool) rated speed performance of Web.com’s website with a B (95%), which is a pretty good result.

Web.com promises an industry-standard uptime of 99.9%. However, after consistent monitoring of Web.com’s main website for a month we got a less favorable outcome resulting in 99.83%. There were four instances of downtime and together they lasted for 67 minutes, the longest one persisting for 28 minutes straight. Although this is not the most dreadful performance we’ve seen, it’s needless to say that we were hoping for better results.

Web.com has an extensive Online Help Center that offers similar functionality to a knowledgebase (Image credit: Web.com)Support

If you find yourself in need of help, proceed to Web.com‘s “Online Help Center'', which has familiar functionality of a knowledgebase. There, the articles are sorted out into eight fitting categories and each of them is rated by a system involving stars, from one to five. Most of these are beginner-oriented and offer solutions to various potential problems described in great detail, more often with pictures than without. Using the search box should get you a good deal of hits, although a number of them might be rather loosely connected to the actual problem.

As an addition, there is a FAQ section on Web.com‘s site for each product type presented and it provides some helpful insight for all the newcomers.

As a more human-centered alternative, you can reach out to Web.com's technical team via telephone, ticket and live chat, all of which should be available day-and-night. Other than that, you can get in touch with them via text messages on Facebook and Twitter, which is a nice touch for all the users out there.

The competition

As children of the same parent company, Network Solutions and Web.com are somewhat similar. Both try to be accessible to new users and offer some affordable hosting solutions without the need for compromising the quality. That being said, Web.com gives its users an access to cPanel (probably the user-friendliest solution of its kind out there), while Network Solutions doesn’t, so the choice might be up to that.

Both Bluehost and Web.com have packages aimed at new users in particular, and pretty good ones to boot.  Nevertheless, if you’re looking to save some bucks, Bluehost is a better choice, since its entry-level plan goes for $2.95 per month, while it is $5.95 with Web.com. However, if you fail to read about the renewal rates after the promotional period, both hosts might make you jump out of your skin.

While both HostGator and Web.com are more than able to cover everything needed to launch a small business, HostGator can do the same for medium-sized businesses as well. In addition to shared hosting, it provides several options for reseller, VPS and dedicated servers, which is a must-have for a growing business.

WestHost is a fellow US-based web hosting provider with more than two decades of experience in the industry. The smallest plans with both of them are beyond budget-friendly at start (especially WestHost’s entry-level plan which is going for $0.99 at the moment), but they will raise the price after the promotional period to its fullest capacity. Even so, Web.com’s starter plan (which comes as no surprise) puts less restriction on its features and throws in a free domain registration to even the odds.  

Final verdict

At the end of the day, Web.com is pleasantly honest in not trying to be something more than it actually is. Their hosting solutions are primarily aimed at newcomers, which they try to supply with everything it takes so they can quickly kickstart their website across the virtual web highway. Hence, if you consider yourself one of them, Web.com’s hosting packages might provide you with a good value for money.

However, if you have bigger plans for your website (or are determined to save some money for the rainy days), your dream website might find a forever home with more celebrated companies like Hostgator, Bluehost or GoDaddy.

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Auvik positions itself as a comprehensive network management solution designed specifically for modern IT teams and managed service providers. The platform automatically discovers and maps your entire network infrastructure, providing real-time visibility into device health, traffic patterns, and performance metrics.

Techradar reviewers spend several weeks researching each major IT platform in the market, testing core functionality and evaluating real-world performance. We found that for the most part, Auvik delivers on its promise of simplified network management through automation.

While LogicMonitor remains our pick for the best network monitoring tool of 2025 thanks to its AI-powered IT workflows, Auvik offers compelling advantages for teams seeking straightforward deployment and management.

Auvik: Features

Auvik delivers a feature-rich platform that's particularly well-suited for IT teams and MSPs managing multiple network environments. It excels in automated discovery, real-time monitoring, and data visualization, with over 64 pre-configured alerts out of the box.

While the feature execution is generally solid, we noticed gaps in advanced customization options that competitors like SolarWinds NPM offer. The device-based pricing model justifies the cost for smaller networks, but larger deployments may find better value elsewhere.

Network mapping

Auvik's automated topology mapping stands out as one of its strongest features. The platform uses automated discovery protocols to map your entire network infrastructure, creating visual representations that update in real-time as devices connect or disconnect. You can track traffic flow between devices, even across VLANs and subnets, and investigate issues with interactive maps that provide instant access to device details.

Performance monitoring

The platform provides comprehensive real-time monitoring across all network devices. You get instant bandwidth monitoring with intuitive charts, active alert tracking, and detailed insights into top applications and traffic flows. Monitoring extends beyond basic metrics to include geo data analysis and application performance tracking.

Configuration management

Auvik automatically backs up device configurations and tracks changes over time. This feature is invaluable for maintaining business continuity and conducting audits. You can compare configurations side-by-side to spot unauthorized changes and restore previous configurations when needed.

Traffic analysis

Using NetFlow data, Auvik delivers detailed insights into traffic patterns and application usage. You can identify bandwidth-consuming applications, detect potential congestion points, and plan capacity upgrades based on real usage data. This helps optimize network performance and justify infrastructure investments.

Remote management

Auvik includes three key remote management features: an in-app terminal, remote tunneling, and a remote browser. These tools allow you to SSH or Telnet into devices, access web interfaces remotely, and establish secure tunnels for any network protocol. This reduces the need for on-site visits and enables faster issue resolution.

(Image credit: Auvik)Auvik: Ease of use

Auvik prioritizes user experience with an intuitive interface that requires minimal training. New users consistently praise how quickly they can get up and running, the platform scans networks automatically and populates dashboards without extensive configuration. The learning curve remains gentle even for less experienced IT staff, though some advanced features require deeper networking knowledge to fully utilize.

The platform's design philosophy centers on reducing complexity through automation. Interactive network maps provide hover-over details for quick troubleshooting, while pre-configured alerts eliminate weeks of manual setup. However, some users report that the interface can feel restrictive when trying to customize views or create complex monitoring scenarios that deviate from standard implementations.

Auvik: Pricing

Plan

Starting price (paid annually)

What's included

Essentials

$15/device/month

Basic monitoring, network discovery, alerting, configuration backup

Performance

$25/device/month

Advanced monitoring, traffic analysis, NetFlow data, performance insights

Auvik's device-based pricing model offers transparency but can become expensive as networks grow. The five-device minimum means you'll pay at least $175 monthly for the Essentials plan, even with fewer devices.

While the pricing includes unlimited users and sites, larger organizations often find the costs escalating quickly compared to competitors that offer flat-rate enterprise pricing.

Auvik: Customer support

Auvik provides support through multiple channels including live chat, email, and a comprehensive knowledge base. Support hours run from 4 AM to 10 PM ET, Monday through Friday, with response times varying by severity level. Critical issues (Severity 1) receive responses within two business hours, while lower-priority requests may take up to 24 hours.

The support team demonstrates strong technical expertise, particularly helpful given Auvik's focus on complex network environments. However, the limited weekend coverage could pose challenges for organizations requiring 24/7 support. Educational institutions and non-profits can access discounted pricing, though specific support tier differences aren't clearly documented.

Auvik: Alternatives

Auvik occupies a strong position in the mid-market network monitoring space, competing primarily with Paessler PRTG, SolarWinds NPM, and NinjaOne. The platform appeals most to IT teams and MSPs who value automated discovery and simplified management over extensive customization options. Its cloud-based architecture makes it particularly attractive for organizations managing distributed networks.

Key competitors include Paessler PRTG for Windows-focused environments, LogicMonitor for AI-driven insights, and SolarWinds for enterprise-scale deployments. While Auvik excels in ease of deployment and automated mapping, larger enterprises might find more value in platforms offering advanced analytics, custom reporting, or integrated IT service management capabilities.

Auvik: Final verdict

Auvik delivers exactly what it promises: simplified network monitoring that works well out of the box. The automated discovery and mapping capabilities save significant time during deployment, while the intuitive interface ensures teams can become productive quickly. For IT teams and MSPs managing multiple client networks, these advantages often outweigh the platform's limitations.

However, the device-based pricing model and limited customization options may not suit all organizations. Larger enterprises or teams requiring custom monitoring scenarios might find better value with more flexible alternatives. Despite these constraints, Auvik remains a solid choice for organizations prioritizing ease of use and automated network visibility.

FAQs

What types of devices does Auvik monitor?

Auvik monitors network infrastructure devices like routers, switches, firewalls, and wireless controllers as billable devices. Non-billable devices including servers, workstations, access points, and printers are monitored for free, providing comprehensive network visibility without additional per-device costs.

How long does Auvik take to set up?

Initial setup typically takes just a few hours, with the platform automatically discovering and mapping your network infrastructure. Most users report having full visibility within their first day of deployment, thanks to Auvik's automated discovery protocols and pre-configured monitoring templates.

Can Auvik integrate with other IT management tools?

Yes, Auvik offers API access and various integrations to connect with existing IT workflows. The platform supports integration with ticketing systems, documentation tools, and other network management platforms, though the specific integration catalog isn't as extensive as some enterprise-focused competitors.

Does Auvik offer on-premises deployment options?

Auvik operates as a cloud-based SaaS solution, with on-premises collectors that securely relay network data to the cloud platform. This provides the benefits of cloud management while keeping sensitive network data collection local to your environment.

What's included in Auvik's free trial?

Auvik offers a 14-day free trial with full access to all platform features. No credit card is required for the trial, and you can monitor your entire network infrastructure during the evaluation period to assess the platform's fit for your specific requirements.

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