TechRadar Reviews

JVC DLA-NZ700 projector: two-minute review

The JVC DLA-NZ700 is a new mid-range projector from the brand, combining its existing BLU-Escent laser light source and redesigned D-ILA 4K chipset into a more compact and lighter body.

The result with the JVC DLA-NZ700 is a highly capable beamer that builds on JVC’s success with the previously released DLA-NZ800 and DLA-NZ900, while allowing its lineup to more effectively compete with the best projectors in terms of price.

The new lens may combine plastic with glass, but it still delivers a crisply detailed image, and the picture accuracy is superb with both SDR and HDR. The latter really impresses thanks to JVC's proprietary dynamic tone mapping, along with support for HDR10, HLG and HDR10+. The laser power setting also offers more precise control for dialling in brighter HDR without fan noise.

What is most remarkable about the NZ700 is that, despite its lower price, it delivers a brightness and contrast performance that matches the earlier, and more expensive, NZ8. It even includes a colour filter to cover the DCI-P3 colour space, along with the Deep Black function and Balanced dynamic laser mode. There’s also an effective remote, redesigned menus, and flexible installation.

Of course, JVC has dropped some features to shave off costs, although most probably won’t miss the lack of 8K or 3D support. On the other hand gamers will bemoan the lack of 4K 120Hz, along with a rather high input lag. Otherwise, this affordable and feature-packed native 4K HDR projector will give any other high-end beamer a run for its money.

JVC DLA-NZ700 projector review: price and release date

A new optical unit and 80mm hybrid lens in the NZ700 contribute to its compact size (Image credit: Future)

• Price: £9,499 / $8,999 / AU$14,999
• Release date: May 2024
  

The JVC DLA-NZ700 (DLA-RS2200) is the mid-range model in the brand’s revised line-up of 4K laser-powered projectors. It’s available now and retails for £9,499 / $8,999. The NZ700 replaces the outgoing DLA-NZ7 (DLA-RS2100), and sits between the equally new DLA-NZ500 (DLA-RS1200) at £6,499 / $5,999, and the higher range DLA-NZ800 (DLA-RS3200), which costs £15,999 / $15,999.

JVC DLA-NZ700 projector review: Specs

Screen sizes supported:

30-150 inches

Brightness (specified):

2,300 lumens

HDR support:

HDR10+, HDR10, HLG

Display technology:

Laser, D-ILA

Resolution:

Native 4K (4,096 x 2,160)

Connections:

2x HDMI 2.0

Dimensions:

450 x 180 x 479mm (18 x 7 x 19 inches)

Weight:

15.2kg (33.5lb)

JVC DLA-NZ700 projector review: design and features

The NZ700 uses the same third-generation D-ILA 4K chipset found in JVC's step-up NZ800 and NZ900 projectors (Image credit: Future)

• World's smallest native 4K projector
• New 80mm hybrid lens
• Gen2 Frame Adapt HDR

The JVC DLA-NZ700 sports a completely new design inside and out, resulting in a more compact chassis that, along with the NZ500, makes it the world’s smallest native 4K projector. The NZ700 is noticeably smaller and lighter than its predecessor, especially when they’re placed side by side.

The NZ700’s size and weight have been reduced by utilising a new optical unit and 80mm hybrid lens. However, the build quality remains excellent, and the NZ700 is still finished in matte black, making it ideal for dedicated home theatre installations. It measures 450 x 180 x 479mm (18 x 7 x 19 inches) and weighs in at 15.2kg (33.5lb).

At the rear are a pair of HDMI 2.0 inputs that support bandwidths up to 32Gbps and are limited to 4K 60Hz (which isn’t great news for console or PC gamers). The HDMI ports can also handle HDCP 2.3, and high dynamic range – specifically HDR10, hybrid log-gamma (HLG), and HDR10+.

The provided remote is the same slightly tweaked version included with the NZ800 and NZ900, with its more luminescent light button, and small bumps on the on/off and enter buttons – all of which make this well-designed controller very easy to use in a fully blacked-out home cinema.

The JVC DLA-NZ700 incorporates the same third-generation D-ILA 4K chipset introduced on the NZ800 and NZ900. The new design is more efficient, allowing for brighter images, deeper blacks, and improved uniformity. As a result, despite using the same laser light source as earlier models, the NZ700 has a claimed peak brightness of 2,300 lumens and a native contrast ratio of 80,000:1.

In addition to the improved black levels offered by the upgraded D-ILA chipset, the NZ700 has the new Deep Black function with its revised algorithm to further enhance contrast without crushing shadows. In addition, the dynamic laser control includes the new Balanced setting for pictures that appear punchier without introducing the brightness fluctuations seen on earlier models.

The NZ700 has the improved sliding scale control in the laser power sub-menu, allowing for more granular adjustments as you gradually boost brightness without a sudden increase in fan noise, thus enabling the creation of more useful settings for HDR. There’s also the new “Vivid” mode that JVC added previously for watching SDR sports or gaming in a room with some ambient light.

The NZ700 retains the BLU-Escent laser diode light source with its claimed minimum 20,000-hour lifespan and greater consistency. Other features include motorised focus, zoom and shift controls, which makes installation easier, plus there are lens memories for different aspect ratios on a 2.35:1 screen. There’s also a Filmmaker Mode, along with ISF-certified calibration controls.

JVC’s tone mapping remains state-of-the-art, with the latest proprietary Gen3 Frame Adapt HDR dynamically analysing HDR10 content on a frame-by-frame basis to optimise the image, while 18-bit gamma processing results in smoother and finer gradations. However, JVC has dropped the Theatre Optimiser, which enhances tone mapping based on your screen’s size, shape and gain.

In addition to the existing analysis of an incoming HDR signal, the NZ700 now reads the Display Mastering Luminance (DML) metadata that tells the tone mapping the peak brightness of the display on which the content was originally mastered. This is useful because the more metadata the tone mapping has to work with, the better the results in terms of the displayed HDR images.

The NZ700 has a revised menu system compared to the NZ800 and NZ900, with a new main Setting Menu Select page. Here you choose between Picture Settings, HDMI Settings and Installation Settings. Once you’ve selected the Settings you want to adjust, you’ll find all the related sub-menus for those particular settings available, and you can move between them.

• Design and features score: 4.5/5

JVC DLA-NZ700 projector review: picture quality

Rear-panel ports include two HDMI 2.0 connections (Image credit: Future)

• Detailed and cinematic 4K delivery
• Impressive HDR tone mapping
• Wide colour gamut filter

The JVC DLA-NZ700 is nothing short of a revelation, and delivers a performance that I could immediately see was comparable to the NZ800 I reviewed previously. There are similar components, such as the D-ILA chipset and laser light source, but I hadn’t anticipated the new lens producing such a sharp image, nor did I expect the black levels to be quite so impressive.

My first impressions were confirmed during testing, with the NZ700 delivering a contrast ratio of nearly 50,000:1, which is better than the earlier and more expensive NZ8. The laser brightness approaches the claimed 2,300 lumens, although you only hit these peaks in the Vivid mode, and in the preferable Filmmaker or calibrated Natural mode, this is closer to around 1,700 lumens.

The out-of-the-box SDR accuracy is excellent with the white point close to the industry standard of D65, an even greyscale, and colours hitting their saturation targets for BT.709, but this can be improved through calibration. I was able to get reference accuracy using the built-in controls, and anyone spending nearly nine grand should really get their new NZ700 professionally calibrated.

This accuracy also extends to HDR, with the NZ700 covering 97% of DCI-P3 with its colour filter in place. What’s even better is the filter only reduces the brightness by about 15%, although if you’d rather not use the filter (and with HDR10+ you don’t have a choice), then the brightness increases, but the gamut coverage now drops to around 83% of DCI-P3 instead.

The NZ700 may be more affordable, but it still includes JVC’s class-leading HDR tone mapping with the beamer not only accurately tracking the PQ curve standard, but also using dynamic tone mapping to get the best out of content based on the available metadata and real-time analysis of the HDR signal. The ability to read the Display Mastering Luminance also helps in this regard.

The Deep Black feature remains a useful addition, bringing slightly more detail out of shadows while keeping the blacks suitably inky. The Balanced dynamic laser setting is also useful, adding greater depth at the low end while also boosting the brightness at the other end without any ‘pumping’ in the image itself. The superior tone mapping ensures the highlights are also free of clipping.

The NZ700's dynamic tone mapping feature is very adept at optimising its performance (Image credit: Future)

This NZ700 is equally impressive with motion handling, producing smooth pictures that are free of blurring and unwanted artefacts. The projector may be limited to 60Hz, but the motion with games remains excellent, although the responsiveness suffers due to the lack of a low-latency mode. As a result, this projector’s input lag measures 51ms, which is probably too high for serious gamers.

When it comes to SDR content, the NZ700 is a fantastic performer, producing detailed and natural images that enjoy added depth thanks to the impressive contrast ratios. Watching Samsara on Blu-ray reveals a remarkably detailed image, and any concerns I had about the new 80mm lens using a combination of plastic and glass were dispelled by the finely rendered images on display.

Moving on to HDR, the NZ700 continues to dazzle with a spectacular delivery that retains all the fine details in the snowy landscapes of The Revenant. The colours of The Greatest Showman burst off the screen during the musical numbers, and the rain-soaked neon-lit streets of Gotham are bathed with beautifully rendered blacks, deep shadows and nuanced colours in The Batman.

The dynamic tone mapping is very adept at optimising the performance of the NZ700, and the resulting HDR is often comparable to high-end video processors that cost more than the projector itself. When able to use the dynamic metadata of HDR10+, the results are equally impressive, and the kinetic and colourful Motorball sequences in Alita: Battle Angel are brought vividly to life.

• Picture quality score: 5/5

JVC DLA-NZ700 projector review: value

The JVC NZ700's fully backlit remote control (Image credit: Future)

• Exceptional value for money
• Has no direct competitor
• The sweet spot in JVC's projector line-up

The JVC DLA-NZ700 represents remarkable value, especially when you consider it offers much of the same image quality and feature set as the more expensive DLA-NZ800. Yes, you lose support for 8K 60Hz, 4K 120Hz and 3D, plus there’s no low latency mode, but in terms of overall picture performance there isn’t a significant difference between the two, making the NZ700 a great choice for film fans looking to save a few bucks without compromising on contrast and HDR tone mapping.

The NZ800 has a direct competitor in the form of the Sony Projector 8 (VPL-XW6100ES), which is priced at £15,999 / $15,999, while the flagship DLA-NZ900 goes up against the Sony Projector 9 (VPL-XW8100ES), which costs £25,999 / $31,999. However, the NZ700 currently has no direct competitor, and while it’s more expensive than the NZ500, Sony VPL-XW5000ES and Epson EH-QB1000, when you consider its performance and features, it may well be the sweet spot in the JVC projector line-up.

• Value score: 5/5

JVC DLA-NZ700 projector

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design and features

Compact chassis, and backlit remote; motorised lens controls with memories, class-leading HDR tone mapping, and HDR10+ support, but no 4K 120Hz input or low-latency mode

4.5/5

Picture quality

Excellent black levels and accurate 4K images combine with a bright and cinematic delivery with SDR and HDR

5/5

Value

Remarkable value given the feature set and performance

5/5

Should I buy the JVC DLA-NZ700 projector?

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

You want detailed 4K images with that all-important film-like quality: The new 4K chipset and hybrid 80mm lens deliver crystal-clear images, with superior black levels and excellent contrast that result in wonderfully cinematic images that elude the competition.

You want class-leading HDR tone mapping: JVC’s proprietary dynamic tone mapping reads the available metadata and analyses the incoming HDR signal to produce remarkable HDR images that rival ultra-high-end video processors.

You want HDR10+ support: The inclusion of HDR10+ allows the NZ700 to take advantage of the format’s dynamic metadata, ensuring tone mapping that’s optimised for the lower brightness of a projector compared to a TV.

Don’t buy it if… 

You want support for 4K 120Hz high frame rate gaming: The NZ700 lacks HDMI 2.1 inputs, so it doesn’t accept 4K images with a frame rate higher than 60Hz, and that means those with the latest consoles or high-end PC rigs can’t game at 4K 120Hz.

You want a projector with a low input lag: There’s no low-latency mode, and as a result the input lag is 51ms. This is far too high for serious gamers, who should probably consider the cheaper Epson or Sony projectors.

You want support for 3D: JVC has dropped 3D support on both the NZ500 and NZ700, bringing them in line with Epson and Sony. Unfortunately for 3D fans, you’ll have to buy the more expensive NZ800.

Also consider... Comparison: 4K projectors

JVC DLA-NZ700

JVC DLA-NZ800

Epson Pro Cinema LS1200

Price:

£9,499 / $8,999 / AU$14,999

 $15,999 / £15,999 / AU$24,999

$4,999 (£4,399 / about AU$7,090)

Screen sizes supported:

60 to 200 inches

60 to 200 inches

50 to 130 inches

Brightness (specified):

2,300 lumens

2,700 lumens

2,700 lumens

HDR support

HDR10, HDR10+,HLG

HDR10, HDR10+,HLG

HDR10, HLG

Display technology:

Laser, D-ILA

Laser, D-ILA

Laser, 3LCD

Resolution:

Native 4K (4,096 x 2,160)

Native 4K (4,096 x 2,160)

4K (3,840 x 2,160)

Connections:

2x HDMI 2.0

2x HDMI 2.1

2xHDMI 2.1

JVC DLA-NZ800
JVC's NZ800 costs quite a bit more than the NZ700, but adds 8K, 4K 120Hz, and 3D support. For most buyers, choosing the NZ800 over the NZ700 will come down to this projector's gaming features, since it has a low-latency mode plus 4K 120Hz support for console gaming.

Here's our full JVC DLA-NZ800 review

Epson Pro Cinema LS1200
The Epson LS1200 is our pick for the best projector for most people due to its powerful contrast, HDM1 2.1 ports, and reasonable price given the performance and features it delivers. It's a great alternative option if the JVC NZ700 exceeds your budget.

Here's our full Epson Pro Cinema LS1200 review.

How I tested the JVC DLA-NZ700 projector

(Image credit: Future)

• Measured with Calman calibration software
• Evaluated using SDR and HDR content
• Reviewed in a dedicated home cinema

As with all my TV and projector reviews, I use a combination of subjective viewing and objective measurements against the industry standards. For projectors, I also do all my testing in a dedicated home cinema with a completely blacked-out environment and high-quality screen.

The subjective testing is based around watching a variety of familiar scenes, primarily sourced from 4K and 1080p Blu-rays, plus the Spears & Munsil UHD Benchmark 4K disc. Any test scenes have been specifically chosen to evaluate a display’s black levels, contrast performance, colour accuracy, upscaling, image processing, motion handling, and HDR tone mapping.

For the objective testing, I measured the NZ700’s brightness, greyscale and colour gamut in SDR, before doing the same in HDR. I also evaluated the accuracy of the HDR tone mapping, along with the colour gamut coverage for DCI-P3. To do this, I used a pattern generator and colour meter combined with Portrait Display’s Calman calibration software. I measured the NZ700’s input lag in milliseconds using a specialised Leo Bodnar tester.

First reviewed: May 2025

Branch is a professional ergonomic furniture company that I have grown to appreciate over the last few years. I've reviewed a pretty wide range of the company's desks and chairs - so I was pretty excited to try out the Branch Aire.

As the name suggests, this chair is light. It has a very breathable design, with a single piece of material running from the seat to the back, creating a cohesive, all-in-one look. All around, this chair is solid. It's lightweight and a bit skimpy, but it's solid, comfortable for most, and out of all the best office chairs I've tested, it's the easiest one I have ever assembled (other than chairs that come fully assembled).

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Branch Aire: Price and Availability

The Branch Aire is available on the Branch website right here, where it retails for just under $500 in three different colorways - Vapor (reviewed here), Graphene, and a brand new Hunter color.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Branch Aire: Unboxing & first impressions

The Aire arrived in a compact yet well-packaged box. Each component is labelled and protected with packing material to ensure no rips or punctures in the mesh material during transit.

The chair took only about 7 minutes to assemble as I did not have to screw a backrest into a base or armrests into a base/backrest like I usually have to with the chairs that I test. All I had to do was take the base, add the wheels, add the piston, and then put the chair on top of the piston/base combo. All around, it's it's pretty simple.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

Before I saw this chair in person, I looked it up online. It appeared sleek, sharp, and futuristic. However, experiencing it in person was a completely different story. The mesh material feels both durable and comfortable.

Sitting in it for the first time confirmed my expectations; it conformed to my body so perfectly that it felt like I was sitting in a custom-molded chair. It was significantly lighter than I expected it to be, but that's not a bad thing in the slightest. I've had a lot of cumbersome chairs, so having one that is super lightweight is a nice change of pace.

Branch Aire: Design & Build Quality Specs

Dimensions: 27.4" x 24"
Height: 45.9" to 48.4"
Seat Height: Adjustable from 17.9" to 20.5"
Weight Capacity: 275 lbs
Materials: Polyester and polyelastomer mesh, plastic, and nylon frame
Warranty: 5 years

As I have said, the Branch Aire is an all-mesh chair with one cohesive section of mesh running from the shoulders down to the thigh. The entire back and seat is one piece of mesh, making it minimalist and simple while allowing maximum airflow and comfort.

The frame is sturdy, and the wheels roll nicely on my low-pill carpet, glass pad, and hardwood floor. The waterfall edge makes for a super comfortable thigh portion of the chair, allowing no circulation to cut off from my thigh, hitting a bar or something else uncomfortable.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Branch Aire: In use

Due to the nature of my role, I have a few desk setups. I have one to test new gear, so I can always leave a primary workstation set up to be operational to get work done quickly and easily. For the last 100 days, the Branch Aire has been one of the chairs I have rotated in and out of my secondary workspace, and I have gotten a pretty good feel for it. While it's not the most ergonomic option I've had, it is comfortable even for extended work hours.

I weigh around 205 pounds and stand at 6'2". This chair feels like it was made for people up to about 6', maybe 6'1". Even though I am noticeably too tall for this chair, it's still comfortable. The armrests can raise and lower and move forward and backward while sitting in the chair. However, they cannot get closer to your body.
The chair's design does not allow adjusting seat depth or include any form of lumbar support. So, although the chair does fit snugly against the body of most users, taller or larger users might find that the fit of this particular chair is less adjustable than other chairs manufactured by Branch.

I've done full 8-10 hour days in this chair, occasionally swapping to standing at my Flexispot E7 Plus standing desk. While a part of me misses the heavier-duty chairs that feel more robust, there is something fantastic about the minimalism of this chair. I could see enjoying this chair if I had a simpler workspace, a basic desk and laptop, or even a clean, simple desk in a more visible space like a living room. Since then, this chair has looked more like a statement piece than a comfortable, ergonomic office chair.

Another situation that would be great for this chair would be a conference room or co-working space. I would probably avoid having this in a highly-traffic space like a conference room that's open to the public or has a lot of new people in and out.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Beautiful and sleek

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ease of use

Easy to use

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Practicality

Restrictive for larger users

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price

Mid range price

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Branch Aire: Final verdict

Branch Aire Chair undoubtedly tops the list due to its innovative design and excellent breathability, collectively making it a highly worthy contender for an office chair that is both comfortable and good-looking.

However, if you're considering this chair, you'll want to note the non-adjustable seat size and the headrest height to ensure a good fit according to your needs.

I recommend this chair for anyone looking for a minimalistic chair to match a minimalistic workspace or someone looking for a modern yet comfortable chair.

For more office essentials, we've rounded up all the best standing desks.

The most eye-catching thing about the EKSA S30 wireless headset is its open-ear design. For anyone looking for an airy alternative to large, padded ear-cups or invasive earbuds, this may prove ideal.

Unlike many of the best Bluetooth headsets around, this boasts a twin-headset – one for each ear, with a moveable mic on the left – rather than a single unit that leaves one ear exposed (and all the office distractions that come with it).

Speaking of which, the manufacturer claims that the open-ear air conduction unit cuts out 99.9% of environmental noise on the mic, despite hanging over the ear. That said, there’s no ANC for audio, which depending on your POV may be good or bad.

It’s retailing for $150 – although on Amazon, I saw it on sale at around the $100 / £100 mark. But how does it measure up? I took it into meeting after meeting to find out if the EKSA delivers on its promise.

EKSA S30: Unboxing & first impressions

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)

The headset comes nicely packed, in a bright orange box – a color theme that’s continued across the design, from the buttons to the branding on the case. As you’d expect, packed away in a sleeve, is the instruction manual and warranty cards. It’s a nice touch, perhaps overkill, but ever since Apple began its tech domination, it’s all about making packaging and unboxing an ‘experience’.

Inside the well-padded carry case, you’ll find the two headsets, sat in a removable molded base unit that charges them when not in use. The headsets are kept in place with concealed magnetics, preventing movement, too. At the front of the base unit is a single orange button for turning the headsets on or off.

There’s also a USB cable neatly slotted in the space in front. For my money, this case offers all the protection you need. It’s lightweight, but feels durable – I put plenty of weight on top of it, and the structure still held out, making it ideal for the commute, or leaving around in a manic office.

EKSA S30: Design & operation Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)Image 2 of 3

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(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)

The headsets themselves are light, with a plastic front and rear connected by a flexible rubberized ear hook which can be adjusted for fit. For what it’s worth, I didn’t feel any sense of these being too tight or too loose during use, so it must be doing something right.

On the underside of the speaker sections of each headset are the textured control buttons – again, bright orange, so you can’t miss them. Positioning is good, but I found operating them was a little stiff, with the hard plastic never giving me the feedback I wanted when switching on or off. I had to rely on the small lights to check whether or not the headsets were ready for the meeting.

These lights will also serve up the battery level, flashing red when they require a recharge. A light on the carry case performs the same function, showing green, orange, or red depending on how much battery charge remains.

The left earpiece also has a microphone that smoothly swivels into position. Towards the end of this there’s a button (guess which color) for muting, but happily, this one offers a better tactile experience, with a soft but definitive click when depressed.

One of the biggest missteps here is not allowing access to the USB-C charging port from the outside of the case. This means you’ll need to take the base unit out to charge it up when the battery inevitably dies. A solution like the one found on the case for the Xbox Elite controller, with a rubber cap that can be lifted to allow charger access, would just keep everything cleaner and more compact.

EKSA S30: In use Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)

Alright, so that’s the design – but how do they work in a real-world setting? First, I was keen to find out how that open-ear air conduction felt and sounded. As a man who practically lives in his over-ear Anker Q20 headphones, I wanted to know if this headset would offer a more breathable experience, especially in the hot weather.

And I was pleasantly surprised. Draped over my lobes, the EKSA S30 felt comfortable – so light, in fact, that I almost forgot I was wearing them. Before I knew what had happened, I’d listened to an hour-long podcast without once fiddling with them or shifting their position. If you’re just using these for meetings (even all-day meetings), you’ll have no issues popping these on.

However, this headset doesn’t just cater to meetings on your desktop or laptop. As a Bluetooth device, it’ll connect to your phone, letting you answer calls, play or pause music and YouTube videos, adjust volume, or activate your phone’s AI assistant. This, too, worked well.

More importantly, everything sounded good, with the correct timbre and bass (as expected for a device that bills TubeBass Technology as a selling point). Voices sounded natural and real, with none of the tinniness you sometimes get from a headset.

During calls and meetings I could hear others perfectly, and those on the call noted that my mic delivered clear audio. When I recorded myself to listen to the playback, I experienced the same.

According to EKSA, the headset’s AI-powered microphone delivers up to 99.9% environmental noise-cancelling (ENC) Technology. A figure like that is red rag to a bull for a reviewer, so I ran a makeshift test by playing TechRadar's YouTube videos at varying volumes during calls. Once I moved around half a meter away from the source and began speaking, no-one could hear any background chatter.

Where users may have some difficulty switching from headphones to headset is the lack of noise-cancelation on the audio. But, then, I suppose that’s part of the appeal for the S30’s open-ear design, preventing the alienation that comes from blocking out absolutely everything but what’s being pumped into your ears, and generally keeping you aware of your surroundings.

EKSA S30: Final verdict Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)Image 2 of 3

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(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)

Light, comfortable, breathable open-ear design, good audio. For me, the EKSA S30 headset ticks all the key boxes for those who want a unit for all-day meetings.

The price might be a little higher than for some headsets, but you get a fair amount in the box, including the molded charging case for protection during travel and some decent tech operating inside the twin headsets, with excellent audio clarity across speakers and microphone.

A lack of ANC may put off some users. However, I had no issues using this in a relatively quiet workspace – and with AI-powered ENC on the mic, others in your meeting won’t hear all the background chatter, even if you can.

Should I buy the EKSA S30?

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

✅ You want an open-ear headset: I really like how the design of this headset doesn’t shut you out the way a pair of cans does, without compromising on audio.

✅ You want a headset for all-day use: I found the S30 so light and comfortable, I practically forgot I was wearing it. The fit is snug without being tight, and ideal if you’re on calls all day.

Don't buy it if...

❌ You need ANC: While the microphone blocks out background noise, the speakers have no active noise cancelation. That may be an issue if you work in a particularly noisy office.

❌ You prefer on-ear headphones: This speaks for itself, really – if you’d rather traditional headphones, this model won’t appeal. However, even as an avowed headphone addict, I found plenty to like and recommend here.

For more options for regular meetings, we've also reviewed the best headsets for conference calls.

Sony WH-1000XM6: two-minute review

The Sony WH-1000XM6 are here to try to cement Sony's status as the go-to brand for headphones, three years after the release of its previous flagship model.

Sony says that the WH-1000XM6 are “the best noise cancelling product on the market” as well as being “improved in every single way” over previous models – talk about setting a high bar. But thankfully, they manage to jump that bar on almost every metric.

As you may expect, the Sony WH-1000XM6 offer expressive and clean audio from a new 30mm driver alongside a new QN3 processor, featuring a ‘noise shaper’ that levels up digital to analogue conversion and pre-empts sudden sound changes, resulting in a more controlled listening experience. There’s also a more balanced sound signature out of the gate, which doesn’t compromise on punchy bass, rich mids or energetic treble.

The new QN3 processor also harnesses the power of 12 microphones – four more than last time – to serve up truly incredible noise cancelling capabilities. These supply better ANC than the majority of the best noise cancelling headphones out there. Yes, they even stand up to the critically acclaimed Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, which have ruled the noise cancelling roost since their launch. When on public transport, walking near traffic or working away in the office, I had either near-silence or total silence, enabling me to indulge in beautifully isolated listening sessions.

But that’s not all. There are a ton more features to get your teeth sunk into via Sony’s Sound Connect app. There’s adaptive sound control, LDAC and DSEE Extreme, extensive EQ options, Cinema mode for immersive audio, and Auracast – among others. Almost everything you could want from a premium pair of cans is here, all in one place.

On top of that, there’s an updated design, which compiles the best of what the Sony WH-1000XM5 and the Sony WH-1000XM4 had to offer. See, foldability is back from the XM4 era, and I think the majority of people will be grateful for that.

There are new, more durable hinges (the XM5 had a hinge issue) and a slightly smaller magnetic carry case as well. But the sleeker look of the XM5 has still been largely maintained.

There’s an evolution of what came before too, with a wider headband for increased comfort and a more snug fit around the neck when the headphones are out of use. Overall, you’re getting a fantastic combination of style and comfort, though some may still feel that the earcups are a tad chunky.

(Image credit: Future)

Other incremental improvements include the ability to charge while streaming over Bluetooth, refined touch controls and better call quality. And when all the little adjustments come together, it’s clear – these are the best Sony headphones produced to date.

Still, there are a few areas in which the WH-1000XM6 fall just short of their rivals. You get 30 hours of battery life with ANC, which is by no means bad, but lots of rivals (even much cheaper ones) beat that, and some can double it.

On top of that, they are quite expensive. At $449 / £399 / AU$699, these are $50 / £20 / AU$50 pricier than their predecessors were at launch. And given the WH-1000XM5 are now widely available for around $300 / £250, some may be a little tentative at taking the plunge on Sony’s newest flagship headphones.

Finally, the newly released Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 are the same price in the UK (US release and pricing tbc), but sound even better than these Sony over-ears. Sure, they don’t quite match the XM6 on ANC or features overall, but they're clearly better sound for the price.

All in all, though, the Sony WH-1000XM6 still have a strong claim to be some of the best headphones around, with their noise-crushing ANC being the real highlight. Their treasure trove of features and talented audio performance also help them to stand tall in a convoluted market, and the design tweaks meld all the highlights from their ancestral lineage. Sure, they’re pricey, but if you’re willing to splash the cash, you’ll almost certainly love Sony’s latest release.

(Image credit: Future) Sony WH-1000XM6 review: price & release date

• $449 / £400 / AU$699
• Launched on May 15th, 2025

The Sony WH-1000XM6 launched in May 2025, three years after the preceeding WH-1000XM5 model. Sony is unclear on the exact release date at the time of publishing, stating just that they'll be available "from May" in the UK/US, while Sony Australia says you can get them "from June 2025. Pre-order available from May 16th, 2025."

At launch, they’re available in three colorways: Black; Silver; and Midnight Blue. However, there could be scope for more color variants in the future – we saw the XM5 adopt a new Smoky Pink only back in September 2024.

At the point of release, the Sony WH-1000XM6 cost $449 / £399 / AU$699. That’s $50 / £20 more than their predecessors launched at. This price puts Sony’s flagship cans up against the likes of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra and Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 – more on those later, but basically they're very much in the premium range.

Despite the slight price bump over their predecessors, these are still notably cheaper than the Apple AirPods Max – which have a huge list price of $549 / £549 / AU$899.

(Image credit: Future) Sony WH-1000XM6 review: Specs

Drivers

30mm dynamic

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Battery life

30 hours (ANC on)

Weight

254g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm

Frequency range

Not listed

Waterproofing

None

Sony WH-1000XM6 review: features

• Super-impressive active noise cancellation
• The best touch controls I’ve used
• Battery life may not wow, but in-use charging is now here

When I attended the launch of the Sony WH-1000XM6, Sony described its new flagship headphones as “the best noise-cancelling product on the market”. And the ANC is far and away the standout feature these headphones have in their arsenal.

You’re getting some of the best noise cancellation that any headphones can offer with the XM6. ANC has been improved over the XM5 thanks to Sony’s new QN3 noise cancelling processor, which harnesses twelve microphones to shut out the world around you.

Even when compared to the awesome Bose QuietComfort Ultra, the XM6 perform exceptionally well. I tried both pairs of headphones while vacuuming my home and walking in high-traffic areas, among other tasks, and each dealt with external noise fantastically.

But in my experience, the XM6 performed ever so slightly better, producing a minimum of near-silence from the outside at 60-70% volume in each test. Rest assured – these really are the real deal as far as ANC is concerned.

I also tested the XM6’s noise cancelling capabilities at Sony’s 5020 studio in Madrid, before doing real-world testing. While there, I played a song at about 50% volume with a bunch of people chatting around me and the outside world was totally shut out – it was just me and my music. At one stage, a super-harsh static sound was blasted at the studio and that slightly crept through. It was dampened severely, though, and I was barely disturbed.

If you want to be more aware of your surroundings – fear not – there’s a very fleshed-out Ambient Sound mode. This includes a slider that ranges from 1 to 20 and lets more exterior noise seep through the higher you go. On top of that, there’s a voice passthrough checkbox, which filters through speech while still suppressing other noises.

Ambient mode worked very nicely for me; I could easily hear the sound of typing in my office, murmurs from a nearby conversation and doors opening. Also, it’s worth noting Auto Ambient Sound mode, which adjusts volume of ambient sounds depending on noise levels around you.

But another one of my favorite features on the Sony WH-1000XM6 is their excellent touch controls. Something that may seem gimmicky, but is actually incredibly helpful, is that you can cup your hand over the right earcup to smoothly, yet drastically reduce media volume and dampen noise cancelling effects.

This isn't new to the XM6, but it's really worth highlighting. I found it incredibly useful in an office environment when a colleague wanted to talk with me, or if I was in a story and didn’t want to rip the cans off. In fact, I didn’t even bother turning on the Speak-to-Chat function, because this option is so responsive.

Generally, the XM6 have the most consistent, intuitive touch controls I’ve ever used on a pair of headphones. On the right earcup, you can slide your finger up or down and hold it in position to continually raise or lower volume respectively. That’s an improvement over the XM5, which required you to constantly flick up or down to amend loudness.

You can also double tap to pause music and flick forwards or backwards to skip or return to the previous track. Touch controls are locked to the right earcup only, much like the WH-1000XM5 model.

And there are plenty of returning features from the previous model to enjoy. Of course, you’ve got the likes of multi-point connectivity, wear detection and a good app in Sony Sound Connect.

But there’s more: adaptive sound control, which adjusts audio output depending on your environment and movement; head gesture monitoring for taking or rejecting calls; and voice assistant compatibility.

There are a few new nuggets to uncover as far as features go, however. Perhaps one of the biggest inclusions is Auracast. This is a type of Bluetooth technology that enables you to tune into an audio broadcast transmitted from a phone, TV or similar device without any pairing.

Furthermore, you can now mute the mic on the XM6 by simply double pressing the noise cancelling button. You’ll need to enable this in settings, but it’s ultra useful when on a Microsoft Teams or Slack call, for instance.

There’s only one real area where the Sony WH-1000XM6 failed to impress me as far as features: its battery life. You’re getting 30 hours of playtime from this model, which is by no means bad – it’s the same you’ll get on the XM5 and a whole host of rivals. But there are some cans that are capable of more. The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, for example, can go 60 hours with ANC on – now that’s impressive.

Still, you can charge the XM6 while using them now, and even get three hours of playtime from just three minutes of charging – that is if you have a USB PD charger around.

If you’re looking for over-ears with highly astute call quality, you can trust the XM6 to deliver. The strongest example of this was a demo at Sony’s 5020 Studio in Madrid, in which someone make a call in an artificially noisy environment – and after placing the XM6 on, their voice was totally separated from clamoring and noise littering their surroundings.

In my real-world use, my own speech came through cleanly when making phone calls to family and friends, with vocals sounding crisp. That’s in part thanks to the additional beamforming mics used on the XM6 – there are six this time and they help to shift focus towards the mouth – while AI also enters the fray to scoop out external sounds.

• Features score: 5/5

(Image credit: Future) Sony WH-1000XM6 review: sound quality

• Beautifully rounded and immersive audio
• DSEE extreme and LDAC for improved Bluetooth streaming
• Default tuning is great, but great EQ options also available

Like their predecessors, the Sony WH-1000XM6 use a 30mm driver, rather than the larger 40mm one used for the legendary XM4 model. But the driver itself is new and improved, designed to offer more balanced audio across all frequencies.

That QN3 processor I mentioned earlier also includes a ‘noise shaper’, which refines digital to analogue conversion and enables the cans to anticipate sudden sound changes, intended to reduce distortion and produce a more controlled listening experience.

So, yes, there’s plenty of flashy new tech in the XM6 headphones, but do they actually deliver a premium audio performance? Short answer: yes. You’ll get a rhythmic, detailed, and well-balanced listen with the Sony WH-1000XM6 that still doesn’t skimp on punchy bass and exciting treble output. And that’s regardless of whether you’re listening with ANC turned on or off.

For instance, I tuned into Fluffy by Himiko Kikuchi – a laid-back jazzy track – and expressive piano sounded pleasantly forward, while full-sounding smooth bass and tightly controlled percussion accompanied subtle strings dancing through the track.

The balanced output across all frequencies is really pleasing, and there does seem to be a bit less emphasis on the low-end compared to Sony’s previous pair of flagship cans – at least out of the box.

The default EQ calibration is certainly even enough to ensure you can hear those finer details across the frequency range. No need to worry about overbearing bass, harsh treble or overly recessed mids.

When tuning into I Want You by Moloko, I was struck by the breathy vocals, impactful and response cymbal hits and pumping, yet disciplined bass output. This song adds instrument after instrument as it unfolds, resulting in a densely layered climax. Yet the XM6 had the capability to keep things in check, maintaining clear, distortion-free audio throughout.

There’s some incredibly stiff competition for Sony’s new headphones. I tested out a number of rivals, including the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3.

Vocals and some finer details sounded slightly clearer on the XM6 compared to Bose’s effort, though the latter did still sound great considering you can now regularly scoop them up for closer to $350 / £350.

The Px7 S3 launched mere weeks before the XM6 at essentially the same price-point (at least in the UK) and I found they had a slightly more luxury sound. They could lift vocals out of the mix and push them forwards a little more precisely than the XM6, and their open, spatial-sounding audio output was truly hypnotizing.

You get slightly better ANC from the Sony XM6, plus I found the Sony cans to be more comfortable – but if we’re talking pure sound, you could do a little better for the same price.

But still, there are plenty of ways to get a sound that matches your style with the XM6. To truly adapt them to your palate, head over to Sony’s Sound Connect app and get playing with EQ adjustment.

You have a few options here: Find Your Equalizer, which lets you pick the sound signature that suits your tastes best; presets, including Heavy, Clear and Game; or custom EQ, which lets you manually create your own calibration with a 10-band equalizer.

And there’s even more to experiment with in the Sound Connect app that can elevate your listening to the next level. Specifically, you get access to DSEE Extreme, a technology that up-mixes lower quality audio files to bring out the most detailed, quality-sounding audio possible. This works really well on music platforms such as Spotify, which is yet to offer higher-resolution streaming.

There’s also LDAC, which enables you to access ‘hi-res’ Bluetooth listening. And if you want to keep it old-school, there’s also a 3.5mm port on the headphones, as well as a cable in the box so you can engage in wired listening.

The Sony WH-1000XM6 are designed for more than just music listening, though. There’s improved width to the XM6’s soundstage, which is useful if you’re watching movies or TV series on your phone, for instance. And on top of that, there’s a cinema listening mode, which harnesses Sony’s 360 Reality Audio Upmix and can convert a stereo signal into an immersive, wraparound sonic experience.

I tried watching The Boy and the Heron on Netflix in Cinema mode and was impressed by the expansiveness and directionality of audio. Voices, for instance, may not have been as crystal clear as Standard mode, but if immersion is what you’re chasing, it’s well worth checking out.

There’s also a Background Music option, which can make your music sound as if it’s playing in a café or living room. Spatial audio and head tracking are included too – but will only work on certain devices that support Android's built-in head tracking, and this doesn't include Samsung phones (and obviously rules out Apple devices).

• Sound quality score: 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future) Sony WH-1000XM6 review: design

• Foldability is back and better than before
• Ultra-comfortable headband
• Some may find them to be a little bulky
• New magnetic case is much more convenient

The WH-1000XM6 may not look drastically different to their predecessor, but Sony’s made a handful of small tweaks that I really appreciate.

Stitching on the front of the headband is gone in favor of a smoother, more premium look, and the headband itself is a little wider for improved comfort.

The earcups also fit more seamlessly around the neck in a downward facing position, which is super useful if you’re on the go or just need to stop for a chat.

There’s one major difference between the XM6 and the XM5, though, and that’s the reintroduction of a folding headband. Controversially, the XM5 ditched this in favor of a single-hinge, slimmer look – but XM4 fans, it’s your lucky day.

There are new, more durable hinges on the XM6 that enable them to neatly fold into a new magnetically closed carry case – this isn’t the smallest or the most flashy, but is still assembled to a high standard.

They also don’t fold up as compactly as headphones like the Marshall Monitor III ANC or Anker Soundcore Space One Pro, say, so are not quite pocketable – but it's nice to packing in a bag.

But how do the headphones look and feel in-use? Pretty good all round! They’ve been designed in a way that makes them appear more straight on your head, rather than curved inward. That wider headband I mentioned also goes a long way in improving comfort for multi-hour listening sessions. Pair that with beautifully padded earcups and easily accessible buttons and there’s not much more I could ask for.

There are a few minor things I don’t love about the design of the XM6, though. First of all, the earcups look quite bulky, meaning you’re not getting the most sleek, stylish look compared to something like the Sonos Ace.

The color options, while classy, also feel a little bit safe. I would’ve liked to see a more vibrant option thrown in there, or even the Smoky Pink variant – which was released as a late addition to the XM5 lineup – available from the get-go.

Finally, there’s still no waterproofing on this new model. That’s usually the case for over-ear headphones, but it would’ve been nice to see Sony lead the way with some kind of water resistance rating.

All in all, though, there’s still so much to love about the XM6 design-wise. They have a premium-looking, almost paper-like matte consistency to the casing’s finish. And they’re nice and light once again, weighing in at just 254g.

There are two physical buttons – one to turn the headphones off and on or pair via Bluetooth and one to toggle between noise cancelling modes or mute the mic during calls.

• Design score: 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future) Sony WH-1000XM6 review: value

• A very premium price, no question
• Truly awesome noise cancelling and great audio quality
• Best of both worlds from previous two gens

Let’s address the elephant in the room. The Sony WH-1000XM6 are a pricey pair of headphones. And they’re also more expensive than their predecessor at launch. Yep, these come in at $449 / £400 / AU$699, which is $50 / £20 / AU$50 more than the XM5 at the point of release.

Of course, there have been economic issues for Sony and co to deal with, and there are a number of significant improvements on this model. But nonetheless, it’s a lot to pay for some over-ears considering there are so many excellent competitors floating around for considerably less.

For example, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra – which offer incredible noise cancelling capabilities, adept audio and a nice selection of smart features – are now more than a year-old, so you can find them on sale for under $350 / £350 pretty regularly. That's a great deal less than the new XM6.

Even the WH-1000XM5 are now widely sold for around $300 / £250. And spending that extra $150 / £150 to get the newest instalment, won't be a clear-cut decision for everyone, though I think the XM6 make the case for themselves.

But let’s give the XM6 their flowers. In terms of ANC, it really doesn’t get much better than this. You get top-tier isolation as well as fantastic sound quality, a boat-load of features and a design that marries the best of the XM4 and XM5 together. Sure, you may prefer the Bowers & Wilkins Px& S3 for sound, but the WH-1000XM6 are still, undoubtedly, among 2025’s very best over-ear headphones.

• Value score: 4/5

Sony WH-1000XM6 next to their predecessor, the Sony WH-1000XM5 (Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Sony WH-1000XM6?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

In-use charging is neat, but incredible ANC and smart features steal the show.

5/5

Sound quality

Expressive, impactful audio that is more tuneable than ever.

4.5/5

Design

A touch chunky, but pleasingly foldable and highly comfortable.

4.5/5

Value

A little more than the XM5 and there's hot competition, but hard to beat as all-rounders.

4/5

Buy them if…

You want incredible noise cancellation
The Sony WH-1000XM6 plate up seriously impressive noise cancellation capabilities. Seriously, I could barely hear anything other than my favorite tunes when using these cans, even when walking in areas with heavy traffic or while vacuuming. If you’re sick of hearing the clicking and clacking of the train on your daily commute – or maybe your neighbor’s non-stop DIY projects, it might be time to snap these cans up.

You want top-tier features
These Sony cans supply no end of features to mess around with. You get adaptive noise cancelling, cinema upmixing, ‘hi-res’ music streaming options, Find Your Equalizer… need I say more? Pretty much everything you could ever want from some headphones is at your fingertips with the XM6. Just download the Sound Connect app and you’re off.

Don’t buy them if…

You’re on a budget
At $450 / £400, these over-ears are hardly wallet-friendly. You can get a lot of the features from the XM5 for far less, and there are some awesome affordable options out there such as the 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51, which pack ANC, solid sound and wonderful battery life for less than $100 / £100.

You want bundles of playtime
Now don’t get me wrong, 30 hours of playtime with ANC on isn’t too bad. It’s just not anything special either. The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless deliver an astonishingly high 60-hour battery life. And that’s with ANC on!

(Image credit: Future) Sony WH-1000XM6 review: also consider

Sony WH-1000XM6

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3

Bose QuietComfort Ultra

Price

$449 / £399 / AU$699

$TBC / £399 / AU$699

$429 / £449 / AU$649

Drivers

30mm dynamic

40mm dynamic

35mm dynamic

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Yes

Yes

Battery life

30 hours (ANC on)

30 hours (ANC on)

24 hours (ANC on)

Weight

254g

300g

250g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm

Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm

Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm

Frequency range

Not listed

10Hz-20kHz

20Hz-20kHz

Waterproofing

None

None

None

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3
I tested the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 during the course of this review, and they blew me away. Their ability to lift vocal performances to the forefront while still delivering pounding bass and tight treble is something that you have to hear to believe. ANC isn’t quite as good as the XM6 and some features, like spatial audio, are only coming via update. But for £400 – US release and pricing is TNC – you really are looking at top-tier sound. Read our full Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 review.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Even though it’s been more than a year since the Bose QuietComfort Ultra came to market, they’re still among the best over-ear headphones money can buy. Why? Well, it’s really all about ANC. You’re getting phenomenal isolation from the outside world here and with their price now slashed a fair amount, they’re a seriously strong candidate to be your next audio companion. Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review.

Sony WH-1000XM6 review: How I tested

• Tested for a week
• Used while travelling, in the office, and at home
• Predominantly tested using Tidal streaming

I tested the Sony WH-1000XM6 over the course of a week. I used the over-ears in a variety of environments, including Sony’s 5020 Studio in Madrid, on walks near built-up roads and on public transport. I mainly connected the headphones to Tidal with the LDAC codec enabled for the best quality audio. But I also tried Cinema mode on Netflix and used DSEE Extreme on Spotify music files.

When listening to tunes, I went through the TechRadar testing playlist, which includes tracks from a number of genres, before expanding to a wider music selection. I also tested the headphones with my Windows laptop to trial quality using a wired connection. On top of that, I compared the WH-1000XM6 to a number of competitors we recommend, including Sony’s own WH-1000XM5, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3.

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

Motorola Razr Ultra 2025: Two-minute review

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

I really dig the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 – this phone delights in ways other flat slabs simply can't. Using it with the cover display like a tiny, competent smartphone? Love it. The sheer satisfaction of snapping the phone shut to end a call – or my doom-scrolling session? Chef's kiss. The Razr Ultra makes every other phone feel like a boring rectangle. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty great.

What’s your excuse for not owning a Motorola Razr? Cameras? Durability? Raw gaming power? Whatever your hesitation, the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 is here to gently overcome your doubts. This isn’t just the best Razr ever; it's a genuinely remarkable mobile device.

Let’s get the sticker shock out of the way early: the Razr Ultra 2025 is more expensive than any previous Razr (yes, even that golden Dolce & Gabbana Razr V3i from the 90s). Starting at $1,299 / £1,099.99, it’s a cool $600 pricier than the base Razr 2025. That's a leap.

However, more than any other phone in this lofty price bracket, the Motorola Razr Ultra earns every penny. Consider what you're getting:

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

A glorious 7-inch main display. That’s one of the biggest screens you'll find on a non-tablet-style foldable. And it's not just big; our testing found that it's incredibly bright, and just as colorful as Moto claims.

But wait, there's more! The Razr Ultra's cover display isn't just for glancing at notifications. It’s a bona fide second screen that ran every app I threw at it. Plus, it's bright, sharp, and boasts a silky-smooth 165Hz refresh rate. Yes, the Razr Ultra's bonus screen is faster than any iPhone display.

This year's Razr Ultra 2025 also finally packs a flagship-level chipset: the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, a processor that's been crushing it in every Android phone I've tested.

That powerful processor contributes to remarkable battery life. Despite its folding nature, the Razr Ultra packs enough juice to last all day, and even beat most competitors in our lab tests.

Even the cameras are good this year! During my cloudy New York City review period, I pitted it against the iPhone 16 Pro and Galaxy S25 Ultra. The Razr Ultra 2025 held its own, with photos sometimes better, sometimes worse – the hallmark of a decent camera shootout.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Need more? The Razr Ultra boasts the most unique selection of materials and finishes around. My review unit is literally made of wood (responsibly sourced, no less).

My colleague at Tom's Guide has one in Alcantara, like a fancy sports car steering wheel. The Alcantara and faux suede devices are technically plastic, but they feel much more premium.

The best you'll get from Samsung and Apple? Glass or titanium. Oh, and speaking of titanium, this year's entire Razr family uses it to reinforce the hinge. Take that, boring slabs!

The Razr is catching on, and Motorola loves to talk about iPhone switchers. After a week with the Razr Ultra 2025, I'm surprised I'm not seeing more of these flip phones in the wild.

Durability is a common concern, and it’s a fair one. The Razr Ultra is the first foldable to use Gorilla Glass Ceramic on its cover display. And did I mention the titanium? It’s also IP48 rated, meaning it can handle an unexpected dip, but dust remains its nemesis.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

I’d love to say the Razr Ultra is bulletproof, but my first review sample had a screen hiccup within a day – it turned white intermittently, then fixed itself after a few days.

Moto replaced it, and the second unit has been flawless. I'll chalk it up to a fluke for now, but reliability is a hurdle for foldables. That said, the folding mechanism feels incredibly solid, closing with a deeply satisfying clap.

More than anything, using the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 reminds me how refreshing a unique design and capabilities can be. Also, I adore hanging up on… well, everything.

Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

• $1,299 / £1,099 for 512GB storage and 16GB RAM
• No Australian pricing or availability announced yet

The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 is Motorola’s priciest Razr, starting at $1,299 / £1,099 / AU$TBC. A 1TB US model is an extra $200, but it's not available in the UK. We'll update this article with Australia pricing when we get it.

Yes, it's expensive – Galaxy S25 Ultra territory, and more than an iPhone 16 Pro Max. Only tablet-style foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 6 cost more.

I'd argue that you get more bang for your buck with the Razr Ultra. The Galaxy Ultra gives you a stylus. Do you really need a stylus? The iPhone 16 Pro Max gives you… well, more iPhone. Both have more cameras, but that’s about it.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Razr gives you a huge, foldable display that vanishes into your pocket like magic, and a 4-inch cover display larger than the original iPhone's screen. It’s genuinely two phones in one.

You also get a design with unmatched colors and materials. If natural titanium and moody blues are your jam, Apple and Samsung have you covered. For tactile wood and soft suede, Motorola is your dealer.

A word to the wise: the Motorola Razr Plus 2024 was frequently on sale. Discounts, bundles, you name it. Right now, US buyers get a free storage upgrade to 1TB at launch. If you want to save some money, patience might be rewarded with a future deal.

• Value score: 5/5

Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review: Specs

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Finally, a Razr that’s mostly flagship with few compromises. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is fast and efficient. The cameras are on a par with flat smartphones (though you only get two lenses). Even battery life is admirable.

I wouldn’t pay extra for 1TB of storage, and at launch, it's a free upgrade. My concern? Instead of price drops on the 512GB model, we might just see "special deals" offering the 1TB version at the 512GB price.

Dimensions:

154.7 x 73.3 x 8.9mm

Weight:

185.9g

Display:

6.3-inch Actua display

Resolution:

1080 x 2424

Refresh rate:

60-120Hz

Peak brightness:

2,700 nits

CPU:

Google Tensor G4

RAM:

8GB

Storage:

128GB / 256GB

OS:

Android 15

Cameras:

48MP main; 13MP ultra-wide

Selfie Camera:

13MP

Battery:

5,100mAh

Charging:

23W

Colors:

Obsidian, Porcelain, Peony, Iris

Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review: Design

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

• Excellent material options, including actual wood and Alcantara
• There’s a new button… for AI. You can mostly ignore it

The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 looks almost identical to last year’s Razr Plus 2024, but it's available in new materials and new Pantone-inspired colors: Mountain Trail (real, responsibly sourced wood!), Rio Red, Cabaret, and Scarab (Alcantara suede).

No other phone feels like this. Motorola has refined the Razr design to a peak.

It’s not all sunshine and wood grain. There’s a new button on the left side of the Razr Ultra 2025, and I’ll give you one guess what… never mind. It’s AI. It’s a Moto AI button, and you can’t reprogram it to do anything but open Moto AI features (or just to do nothing at all).

To be fair, you can tie Motorola’s fascinating 'Pay Attention' feature to the button, and that intrigues me. I’ll talk more about the AI features in the Software section below, but it really bugs me that there's a whole new button and it’s just for AI.

The new Moto AI button on the side of the Razr Ultra 2025 (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Why? Because Google’s Gemini AI already uses the power button on the other side! So, now there are two different AI buttons sitting on opposite sides of your Razr. Ugh.

If you’re concerned about the crease, don’t be. It never bothered me once. It’s hardly visible, and easy to ignore. It may look dramatic if you’ve never used a foldable phone, but it’s actually quite smooth. When you look at the unfolded screen head-on, you won’t see the crease at all.

Image 1 of 4

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 in Pantone Rio Red

Image 2 of 4

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 in Pantone Scarab

Image 3 of 4

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 in Pantone Mountain Trail

Image 4 of 4

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 in Pantone Cabaret

• Design score: 3/5

Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review: Display

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

• Incredibly large man display folds into a surprisingly small package
• The large cover screen is also fantastic

Think of the Razr Ultra 2025 as a two-screen device, because the cover display is half the fun. Using it closed, interacting with just the 4-inch display, feels wonderfully clever and so convenient; I loved finding new ways to enjoy it. It became my Roku remote, my palm-sized hiking navigator via AllTrails, and my Slack monitor so I could keep my desktop less cluttered.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

That 4-inch cover display isn't just capable with software; it's advanced, refreshing up to 165Hz! Overkill? Maybe. Awesome? Definitely.

The inner display is remarkable as well. It’s a 7-inch, LTPO AMOLED panel that's Dolby Vision certified. The display is nearly the same size as the 6.9-inch screen on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but the Galaxy is also a millimeter thicker and 20 grams heavier than the Razr.

In our Future Labs tests the Razr Ultra 2025 displayed a wider color gamut than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and it was just as bright. Samsung still doesn’t support Dolby Vision, so if you’re a Netflix fan, that might give the Razr Ultra’s display a leg up over Samsung’s mightiest screen.

• Display score: 4/5

Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review: Software

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

• Useful gestures to open the camera and turn on the torch
• AI image generator can be... problematic, producing stereotypical and offensive results

First, the good: Motorola’s interface gestures are great. Twist your wrist for the camera – it's the fastest camera shortcut out there. Chop thrice for the flashlight. I use these constantly; so does every Moto fan I've met.

Now, the AI. Motorola has also partnered with Perplexity AI. Perplexity is known to have trained its AI engine by ignoring the robots.txt page on media sites, a serious violation of web ethics. This allowed Perplexity to steal content freely, even content that was behind a paywall. I’m not going to say more about Perplexity here, they don’t deserve my support. Let's move on.

Moto AI has some interesting tricks. ‘Pay Attention’ records and summarizes audio. It can record phone conversations, or it can just record you and your friends talking.

‘Catch Me Up’ summarizes notifications, though it was hit-or-miss in my testing, often ignoring texts or other key alerts.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Then there’s the AI image generator. Guardrails seem optional. You can generate images of copyrighted characters and realistic-looking humans. Ask for humans, and you will likely get offensive stereotypes.

If you ask for an image of a person of any nationality or ethnicity, and you'll get a picture of what a bigot might think that person looks like. Ask for a "successful person"? Expect white dudes in suits.

• Software score: 2/5

Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review: Cameras

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

• Better than expected, occasionally even outshining the competition
• Great macro mode helps compensate for the lack of a dedicated zoom lens

Cameras were always the Razr's Achilles heel, but the Ultra 2025’s dual 50MP shooters are a huge step up. I was more impressed with its images than I have been with images from any previous flip phone.

AI processing clearly helps. Compared to the iPhone 16 Pro, the Razr Ultra showed less noise and better detail in distant signs, though close inspection reveals some artificial sharpening. The end result is still pleasant. These aren't the best cameras, but they're very good. You're no longer sacrificing photo quality for that cool flip.

In fact, the Razr Ultra sometimes outperformed top camera phones. Its macro mode is excellent, capturing sharper, more vibrant low-light macros than the Pixel 9 Pro. Motorola seems to have borrowed Samsung’s color tuning philosophy – photos are 'Pantone validated' to be vibrant, making my flower shots pop against dreary scenes. Photographers might prefer the iPhone's naturalism, but I liked the Razr's shareable, satisfying images.

Plenty of modes are available, including Pro and a cool camcorder mode. The Photo Booth feature, using the folded phone as a stand, is perfect. There's room for improvement, but this Razr no longer feels like a camera compromise, especially for selfies using the main 50MP camera and cover display.

• Camera score: 3/5

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(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future) Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review: Performance

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

• Excellent Snapdragon 8 Elite performance
• Tons of RAM helps, but occasional lag during busy moments

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite continues its reign, with the Razr Ultra 2025 delivering impressive real-world performance and benchmark results.

It's great for gaming. Call of Duty Mobile ran maxed out with my Xbox controller connected, and Vampire Survivors was smooth with tons of enemies on screen.

You can game on the cover display. Vampire Survivors and Mighty Doom were playable, but CoD was illegible.

Benchmarks put the Razr Ultra 2025 on a par with the OnePlus 13 (another Snapdragon 8 Elite, 16GB RAM phone), and slightly below the Galaxy S25 (which gets a slightly overclocked Snapdragon). You won't notice the difference.

The only lag I saw was with cloud-dependent AI features or when downloading multiple apps, where button presses sometimes became unresponsive.

• Performance score: 4/5

Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review: Battery

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

• Excellent all-day battery life
• Faster charging than most of the flagship competition

The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 turned in impressive battery life. The phone had no trouble lasting all day in my weeklong review period, every day I used it.

The phone kept going whether I was using it for work, making video calls and using productivity apps, or using it for fun, taking photos and playing games on the train home. The Razr Ultra never quit before I went to bed.

In our Future Lab tests, the Razr Ultra is a top performer, lasting 18 hours and 30 minutes – just five minutes less than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which has a larger battery. Moto's power management is clearly on point.

It also charges at 68W, faster than many rivals at this price (the Galaxy S25 Ultra is 45W). With a compatible Motorola charger, you get nearly a full charge in 30 minutes, while the Galaxy Ultra hits around 70% in the same time.

• Battery score: 5/5

Should you buy the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025?

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future) Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

The most expensive Razr, but also the first that doesn’t compromise on flagship specs, from the processor to the cameras. The Razr Ultra gives you more than other phones this expensive.

4 / 5

Design

Excellent Razr design keeps getting better, with improved durability, more unique materials and color options, and a new titanium hinge. Not to mention the cover display. Forgive the AI button, there’s still plenty to love if you ignore it.

5 / 5

Display

If the Razr Ultra only had the excellent 7-inch internal screen it would be great, but the 4-inch cover puts this phone in a class of its own. It’s the only flip phone that is truly two phones in one.

5 / 5

Software

Motorola has a clean interface and useful software editions. I especially love the added gestures. Moto AI may have some promise and I like the ‘Pay Attention’ feature, but an offensive image generator spoils the party.

2 / 5

Camera

Much better cameras than you’d expect on a flip phone, and I even liked some of the Razr Ultra’s photos better than my iPhone’s pics. It also excels at macro, which almost makes up for the lack of telescopic zoom.

3 / 5

Performance

Excellent performance from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite inside. It’s not the fastest you can find, but it keeps up with all the best flagship phones and it plays my favorite games at their highest settings with no trouble at all.

4 / 5

Battery

Surprisingly good battery life, as good as the Galaxy Ultra even though the battery is smaller. Fast charging makes it worth splurging on a faster Moto charger – this is a phone that doesn’t want to miss the party, after all!

5 / 5

Buy it if...

You want a phone that is actually stylish
Are you tired of raw metal and phone colors that aren’t colorful? Motorola is making phones stylish again, with faux suede and real wood.

You want two devices in one, a big phone and a compact
Somehow the Moto Razr Ultra gives you one of the biggest displays on any smartphone along with one of the smallest, and both are quite capable.

You're really, really into AI and all the AI apps
AI isn’t my thing, but if you love AI, the Moto Razr puts AI tools front and center – literally, on the cover display, so you can talk to the robot without opening your phone.

Don't buy it if...

You need serious zoom cameras
If your kid plays a sport or you love bird watching, you might want that extra reach to get better photos from far away. The Razr Ultra doesn’t have it.

You want all the style but don’t need the performance
You can get a stylish flip phone for much less if you don’t care about performance or great cameras. The Razr 2025 is just over half the price of the Ultra.

Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review: Also consider

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
The Razr Ultra 2025 might be great, but the king of smartphone heap is the Galaxy S25 Ultra, with the fastest performance, most versatile cameras, and so many features.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review

Motorola Razr 2025
You don’t sacrifice any style by choosing the less expensive Razr 2025, just the faster processor and better cameras. You still get great colors and two amazing displays.
We'll have a full review of the Razr 2025 on TechRadar soon.

Motorola Razr Ultra 2025

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Motorola Razr 2025

Price (at launch):

$1,299 / £1,099 / AU$TBD

$1,299 / £1,249 / AU$2,149

$699 / £799 / AU$TBD

Processor

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy

Mediatek Dimensity 7400X

Display(s)

7-inch AMOLED / 4-inch pOLED

6.9-inch AMOLED

6.9-inch AMOLED / 3.6-inch pOLED

Cameras

50MP main / 50MP ultrawide

200MP main / 10MP 3X zoom / 50MP 5X zoom / 50MP ultrawide

50MP main / 13MP ultrawide

Charging

68W wired / 30W wireless

45W wired / 15W wireless

30W wired / 15W wireless

How I tested the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025

I used the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 for one week. I tested the phone on AT&T’s network in the greater New York area, throughout the city and suburbs. I used the Razr Ultra as my primary work phone with all of my work accounts and apps, as well as using it as a personal phone for photos and gaming.

I tested the Razr Ultra with a Pixel Watch 3 and OnePlus Buds Pro 3. I connected the phone to my car and tested Android Auto. I connected an Xbox wireless controller for gaming.

I tested the Razr Ultra camera to the iPhone 16 Pro and Galaxy S25 Ultra. For macro photo comparisons, I compared to the Pixel 9 Pro.

Future Labs tests phones using a mix of third-party benchmark software and proprietary, real-world tests. We use Geekbench, CrossMark, JetStream, WebXPRT and Mobile XPRT, and 3DMark for performance testing. We test a phone's performance on video editing tasks using Adobe Premiere Rush. We also measure display color output and brightness.

For battery testing, we have proprietary rundown tests that are the same for every phone, which we use to determine how long it takes for the battery to run down.

Read more about how we test

Why you can trust TechRadar

☑️ 100s of smartphones reviewed
☑️ 15 years of product testing
☑️ Over 16,000 products reviewed in total
☑️ Nearly 200,000 hours testing tech

First reviewed May 2025

Imperium Hosting is a veteran-owned game server host which caters for a wide range of games. We focused on its place among the best Minecraft server hosting, but if you can think of a game with an online community, Imperium probably has a server plan for it.

For Minecraft, Imperium Hosting focuses on a range of configurable options rather than specific plan names which means a lot of variety. Besides game server hosting, Imperium also provides web hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated servers. Potentially a good option for someone seeking the best dedicated server hosting, we’ve specifically looked at Imperium Hosting’s dedicated Minecraft server hosting options. Here’s what we found during our time with Imperium.

Plans and pricing

Unlike other game server host providers, Imperium Hosting doesn’t use dedicated names for its plans. Instead, you pick your game then configure the options you need.

For Minecraft, that means you can adjust the memory allocation between 2GB and 20GB, and the disk space between 50GB and 200GB. Additionally, there are options like a superior CPU and other add-ons as needed.

It’s great to have such flexibility but if you’re new to game server hosting, some guidance as to what plan works best for your situation would help.

All plans offer DDoS protection, global server locations, extensive customer support, and one-click mod pack installation.

Refreshingly, while Imperium Hosting offers some add-ons during sign up, like migration, everything is opt-in. As standard, you’re provided with the cheapest plan with Minecraft plans starting from $2.99 for a basic 2GB RAM/50GB disk space plan (you’ll need more RAM in most scenarios). It’s laid out well so you know what you’re getting.

The cheapest plan starts at $2.99 with the price rising to $72 for the maxed out 20GB RAM/200GB disk space/RealTime CPU plan. There’s no extra fee for any of the server location with servers based in Washington, California, Virginia, the UK, France, and Canada. Payment is accepted via PayPal or credit/debit card.

Ease of use

A screenshot of the Imperium Hosting control panel (Image credit: Imperium)

As mentioned, the sign up process on the Imperium website doesn’t involve clicking on specific plan names. Instead, you pick the memory and disk space you need along with the CPU priority you would like. It’s not as clearly laid out as other hosting options (and I never could find full details on concrete differences between the CPU options), but it does give you plenty of control.

In a similar vein, once signed up, the dashboard and control panel aren’t as clearly laid out as others either but there’s all you need once you dig around. Log in and you can dive into the MySQL manager (1 database comes as standard), or the game service manager. The latter is where you’ll be spending much of your time with clearly laid options for adding mods, checking logs, or scheduling tasks? Attractive to look at? Not in the slightest but it gets the job done.

There are many modpacks available as well as the option to switch between Spigot and Paper, or Vanilla. If you’re completely new to setting up a Minecraft server, Imperium Hosting can be a little intimidating but it’s as powerful as you need it to be.

My favorite highlight is how easy it is to add sub users as not every game server host makes that as obviously simple as this. Just go to Create a Sub User and you can easily get set up.

Speed and experience

Adding a user to your Imperium Hosting plan. (Image credit: Imperium)

Imperium Hosting has servers located around the world. These include three within the US, one in Canada, one in the UK, and one in France. When signing up, your options are a little more restricted to Western America, Eastern America, or Western Europe.

Elsewhere in the world, you may find this a little limiting but based in Western Europe, I achieved a steady ping under 40 at all times. While there could be more varied servers, the core market is covered with North America and Western Europe.

As with all Minecraft server plans, aim high if you want to install any mods. Checking out the most basic plan and installing a couple of mods soon maxed out the memory usage. That’s typical when managing any Minecraft server but bear in mind that it’s a smart move to research what you need for your plans as Imperium Hosting doesn’t provide any recommendations.

Support

When it comes to support, it’s a benefit that Imperium Hosting is fairly small. Support is friendly and well-respected by many users. There’s Live Chat, a Discord server, as well as a more typical ticketing system. There’s also a Knowledgebase which covers most queries.

A YouTube channel would round things up nicely but like a lot of the service, Imperium is all about function over form and it still works reasonably well.

Imperium doesn't provide insight into its uptime on the site so there are no statistics to compare with other hosting providers. However, in my experience using the server, there was no downtime.

Final Verdict

Imperium Hosting isn’t the prettiest or most novice friendly of game server hosts, but it deserves some attention. If you’re keen to back a smaller game server hosting service, you’ll gain a decent pricing structure and good customer service.

There’s no chance of paying for features you don’t need here as Imperium Hosting keeps it simply laid out even if it isn’t ideal for newbies. Similarly, while you won’t be regaling Minecraft buddies with tales of how good looking the control panel is, it gets the job done.

Simple yet effective in all the right ways, I’d still recommend Imperium Hosting even if it could be a little more refined in places.

Empower Servers might not be a major name in Minecraft game server hosting but it’s been around since 2018 and offers some key services.

It isn’t quite of the standard to feature among the very best Minecraft server hosting but its choice of standard or premium plans and a sliding scale all ensure it’s well suited for novices and experienced server admins alike.

We focused on our time with its Minecraft server but Empower provides hosting for many of the most popular games including Palworld and Rust. It also offers Discord bots and website hosting if you have wider plans in mind. If you’re looking for some of the best Palworld server hosting, this could be a good option for that as well as Minecraft. There are also options to rival the best Rust server hosting. Here’s how we found the dedicated Minecraft server hosting options within Empower.

Plans and pricing

Pick the game you want a server for and you’re presented with configuration options relating to that game. With Minecraft, that means a choice of tiers between standard and high performance, and the ability to adjust how much RAM you need. Predictably then, there’s a lot of flexibility here.

Once you’ve picked the basics, it’s also possible to pay extra for daily backups, a dedicated IP, plugin and mod install, and a domain registration, As standard, all the Empower plans promise 20GB of NVMe storage, a free subdomain, full mod and plugin support, no player limit, and unmetered bandwidth. Premium plans offer a dedicated IP, daily backups, and unlimited NVMe storage as part of the bundle.

Empower uses a mixture of AMD Ryzen 3900X, Intel i9-11900K, and Xeon-E 2286G CPUs. It’s not possible to pick the specific CPU your server uses if you’re keen for that level of control.

All plans have a 48 hour refund policy which is a little brief compared to the competition which typically offers 72 hours, but should still be sufficient for giving you enough time to figure out if you like how Empower does things.

Ease of use

The Empower dashboard console mid update. (Image credit: Future)

Empower Servers focuses on a simplified process when signing up which continues throughout use. Sign up is simple enough with you picking the game then working out what extras you want to pay for. It’s clearly laid out.

Once set up, the control panel is similarly obvious. It takes seconds to find the console, find plugins or modpacks to add, and all the other essentials you need.

It’s simple enough that you don’t need exactly how to set up a Minecraft server as Empower takes out most of the hard work. In particular, it’s great to see how easy it is to install extras without needing expert knowledge. You can also easily add files via the file manager so it’s not like you’re held back either if you know what you’re doing.

One neat addition is that you can easily add other admins with Empower laying out exactly what each option does via a series of tick boxes. That’s particularly useful for anyone figuring out the basics behind server hosting.

Speed and experience

The Empower dashboard showing all plugins available to install. (Image credit: Future)

Empower has servers located in eight locations. These include Canada, Germany, New Zealand, United States, Netherlands, UK, Australia, and Singapore.

While signing up, you can choose the location. I picked the UK one and had a steady ping of around 40 throughout use. Empower promises 100% network uptime.

Unusually, I did have brief downtime with my server crashing and restarting. However, I suspect that was because of a configuration issue rather than a fault on Empower’s end. I’d installed an out-of-date plugin which was causing connection issues. I think that ultimately led to the server rebooting.

It’s possible to sign up for a 2GB RAM plan but it’s not advisable. Empower suggests that such a minimal plan is only suitable for the Bedrock edition and in my experience, 4GB RAM at minimum is best for small server aims.

Once you install a few mods and plugins, less RAM can really negatively affect performance. Fortunately, Empower’s dashboard shows at a glance how your CPU and memory usage is being affected at all times.

Support

Empower offers quite a few different ways to reach out for support. At its simplest, it has an extensive knowledge base which covers a wide range of the most common issues you might come across.

When you need more assistance, there’s also a Discord for more direct help or general advice. Alternatively, there’s a live chat facility with AI assistance at first leading into human help. If it’s not too urgent, you can also email Empower.

Another option is to watch the Empower YouTube channel which offers some great tutorials on how to complete many tasks.

I found the service across the board pretty efficient and also helpful. Having so many choices means you shouldn't feel stuck with any issue or query you might have.

Final Verdict

Empower is good for everyone but its strength lies with being fairly user friendly. It doesn’t dig too deep into the details at first glance unless you want to go looking for it. Instead, it’s welcoming and ensures its control panel and dashboard make logical sense with clearly laid out terms that don’t require as much prior knowledge as you would expect.

The best option with Empower is a premium plan but you can still get good value from money from a standard plan. It all comes down to your needs. For someone looking to host a few friends, a standard plan will suffice, while those looking to create a community may wish to go for the premium plan.

Minefort is a dark horse of a game server hosting company. That’s because its initial focus is on how it provides free plans. It isn’t a perfect service which is why one of the best Minecraft server hosting providers is likely to be better suited for many needs, but for a quick hit, there’s appeal here.

Besides the free plan, there are premium options too. As the name suggests, Minefort exclusively caters for Minecraft players so others may prefer to use the best dedicated server hosting instead if you have bigger plans. Simpler than the best VPS hosting, here’s how we found Minefort for Minecraft server hosting.

Plans and pricing

Minefort offers five plans each named after a type of accommodation. The free plan is named Hut while there’s also Cottage, House, Mansion, and Fort. The free plan is only online when in use and goes into hibernation mode until you restart it. The others are all available 24/7.

There’s no insight into what CPUs are used for each server plan but you’re provided with the essentials -- RAM, max players, backup slots, and storage limits. The free plan starts things off with 10 player slots at most.

Unlike bigger hosts, Minefort doesn’t lead the way with suggestions or even with a sliding scale to adjust plans, but the basics are here. There’s also DDoS protection and support for all plans. The two priciest plans offer ‘Advanced’ and ‘Premium’ DDoS protection but again, details are pretty non-existent as to what that entails. Consider Minefort simple in both good and potentially frustrating ways for micro managers.

Ease of use

A screenshot of the Minefort control panel (Image credit: Future)

Signing up to Minefort takes mere moments. It leans heavily into its free offering so there’s no need to enter card details until you get to the upgrade screen. A clearly laid out control panel is instantly accessible. Head to appearances to get things personalized while there’s one-click plugin installation for many different mods.

It’s also possible to quickly add another admin, create backups, and connect via FTP. That goes for the free plan as well as paid servers too.

On the free plan, you'll need to remember that the server can go into hibernation mode easily when not in use. Also, while you can set up many free servers, only one can be actively online at any one time.

Still, Minefort offers much of what you need from a paid plan while never feeling like you miss out on much when pursuing the free plan too. This is a service that’s appropriate for anyone new to knowing how to set up a Minecraft server as well as more experienced admins.

Speed and experience

Minefort general server options (Image credit: Future)

Unlike other hosts, Minefort doesn’t explain where its servers are located. You can’t choose the location but a dig around confirms they’re based in Canada. That means if you’re based in Europe like me, ping can be a little higher than average. In my case, it was around 150ish which isn’t too awkward. Certainly not for something a little more forgiving (most of the time) like Minecraft.

The lack of location options feels more of an issue when paying for a plan than it does with the free plan. Your mileage will vary here as obviously, it’s good to have plenty of control when paying a lot, but less relevant on cheaper plans.

Understandably, performance similarly varies depending on what you’re paying. Scant details are provided regarding CPUs and RAM, but the basic free plan lives up to its name which means it’s best just for a few players and not too many mods. It only offers 1GB RAM which is pretty low for most Minecraft installs. Upgrade and you can change things up between 35 players right up to 200. As with other Minecraft server hosts, you get what you pay for.

For any long term plans, aim for the most premium package (or potentially something from the best premium game server hosting).

Support

Minefort has fairly limited support on the free plan with 24/7 access for paid plans. On a free plan, your main route of support is a chatbot until support is available or the knowledge base. The chatbot is reasonably helpful for basic queries while the FAQ also covers many commonly asked questions. There’s also a Discord – an increasingly popular way to solve queries fast by crowdsourcing help in some cases.

It’s not as feature rich as competitors and the lack of a YouTube channel is a missed opportunity. Still, if you know what you’re doing, you may not need support very often.

Final Verdict

Minefort’s strength is in its free offerings. It’s refreshing to find a seemingly catch-free way of enjoying a free server with a few friends. After all, you don’t even need to enter card details. That free server may not offer much power but it’s still sufficient for a quick few sessions with a couple of buddies.

Where it gets trickier to recommend is when it comes to its paid plans. The lack of location choice and the limited details about hardware won’t appeal to experienced server admins and understandably so. It’s well priced but competitors do a better job of explaining all before you commit to anything.

Because of that, Minefort is best suited for anyone who needs an inexpensive or free plan for a short period of time. Something to tide them over rather than if they have plans for a community-driven server.

There’s a place for that kind of service which is why Minefort is worth acknowledging and checking out. Just make sure to temper your expectations. If you know what you’re doing and what you need, there are better alternatives around.

This review first appeared in issue 339 of PC Pro.

AOC has built its reputation on putting together high-quality monitors for a great price, and that’s exactly what it has done here. What lifts the Q27V5CW apart from previous mainstream AOC products is that it offers USB-C docking along with HDMI and DisplayPort inputs, which is quite remarkable for the price: one obvious competitor is HP’s E27d G4, which costs almost £500.

In terms of panel quality, the AOC is definitely a match for the HP. Both offer a 2,560 x 1,440 resolution across a 27in diagonal, and with 94% coverage of the DCI-P3 gamut coupled with an average Delta E of 0.33 the Q27V5CW is a vibrant offering. If you prefer the sRGB color space then head into AOC’s (clumsy) OSD, which switches to a fixed brightness of 255cd/m2. That is a drop from the screen’s peak of 336cd/m2 but it locks you to the sRGB gamut: 95% coverage out of 96% volume with an average Delta E of 0.43. Those are exemplary figures.

Like the HP, AOC also includes a webcam. But where HP sticks at 720p, this one goes up to 1080p. Overall, I was impressed: plenty of detail and solid colors are all most people need. There are no fancy AI features, such as following you around during calls, but it does support Windows Hello logins. The dual microphones are merely fine, suffering as they do from a slight hum, but the pair of 5W speakers are just about good enough for listening to music on. Audiophiles won’t be happy with the lack of bass and detail, though.

The USB-C port delivers up to 65W of power, so not the 100W of the best docking monitors but plenty for most laptops. Connecting over USB-C not only cuts down on cable clutter but also activates the four USB-A ports tucked away at the rear. However, this is no USB-B input so you can’t share a keyboard and mouse between two connected computers.

I took advantage of the well-built stand’s pivot option to access the ports more easily, and it also offers 130mm of height adjustment and plenty of swivel and tilt. It adds up to a superb everyday screen, and while AOC doesn’t offer high refresh rates – up to 75Hz – a 4ms grey-to-grey response time means casual gamers should be satisfied. But the real prize here is the £330 asking price, which is simply amazing for a high-quality 27in USB-C docking monitor.

We've also ranked the best monitors for a dual-screen set-up.

Anker Soundcore C40i: review

Enter the Anker Soundcore C40i, another competitor in the ever-growing field of open ear headphones. Thanks to their lack of a seal, these clip-on headphones are ideal for those who want to be aware of their surroundings – such as runners or gym-goers. At the same time, the Anker Soundcore C40i still aim to deliver a strong sonic experience – something that a lot of open ear models have struggled to accomplish. So how do they fare?

Well, as you may expect, you’re not going to get stunning audio from the Anker Soundcore C40i. Like all open ear headphones, the loose design means that sound is less concentrated and there’s ambient noise to compete with from your surroundings. Yet these still perform decently in the audio department. Well, that is, after a bit of tinkering.

You see, out of the gate, I wasn’t sure if me and the Anker Soundcore C40i would be best pals. The default Soundcore Signature tuning is a little convoluted and bass packs a pretty feeble punch… well, more of a tap really. But I had no need to fear, because like many of the best open ear headphones, the C40i have custom EQ settings. I simply wandered over to the Soundcore app and refined audio by selecting 3D Surround Sound.

I was actually quite surprised that the 3D audio mode was a hit – I’ve seen no end of headphones fail on this, including rival clip-on buds like the Edifier LolliClip. Bass response is improved and you get a decently immersive listening experience – I stuck with 3D mode for much of my testing. There’s also a Bass, Volume Booster and an eight-band custom option for those who aren’t digging the 3D effects.

After getting all set up, I got straight into A Seagull & Clouds by Himiko Kikuchi, a beautiful funk-infused jazz track. The C40i performed very well for a pair of open ear headphones, with subtle percussive elements including tambourines coming through clearly, yet subtly enough to give the expressive trumpet, dancing keys and smooth bass plenty of limelight.

Moving over to Black Eye by Allie X and the pounding drum machine didn’t have the razor sharp speed that I’ve heard from more premium headphones, but its depth was replicated nicely, especially given the C40i’s open build. Higher pitched vocal segments sounded perfectly clear at medium volumes but could sound a little harsh at top levels.

Overall, I’d argue that the C40i sound above-average for a pair of open ear headphones. There’s no LDAC for ‘hi-res’ listening and you’re unlikely to be wowed by massive sub-bass, for example. But these do still offer up surprisingly good separation and impressively immersive overall sound, which is to be applauded.

There’s no noise cancelling here, as seen with some open ear headphones like the Honor Earbuds Open. And if you pair that with the C40i’s inherently leaky open design, you can expect listening sessions to be significantly interrupted if you’re in busy areas.

That could be a big win if you’re concerned about the risks of using ANC-enabled buds in traffic-heavy areas for your morning run. But if you’re instead looking to shut out the world around you, don’t worry – you can check out our guide to the best noise cancelling earbuds instead!

(Image credit: Future)

In general, there really aren’t a ton of features to play around with on the Soundcore C40i. Again, you can adjust EQ in the super easy-to-use app, which also shows devices connected with multi-point and battery life remaining for each bud and the charging case. The only other major inclusion is customizable button controls. You can assign a different function to tapping once, twice, or three times on the buds’ buttons. Options include playback control, voice assistant activation and volume adjustment.

The decision to use traditional button controls was also one that I had no issue with whatsoever. Sure, it’s not the most modern approach, but it removes the frustration I’ve experienced when accidentally triggering touch commands on rivals like the Happy Plugs Clip. These buttons also let you take or reject calls, which brings me onto mic quality. I found the C40i performed nicely, with clear speech on both calls and a voice recording. Background static was very limited and I wasn’t subjected to harsh sibilance either – no complaints here!

Outside of their button controls, I didn’t quite fall in love with the C40i’s design, though. Firstly, they’re not particularly pretty, with the Midnight model I tested having an almost muddy shade to it. The case also feels a little chunky and positioning the sync button on the underside of the case is a little odd – not that I really needed it thanks to the C40i automatically pairing to my phone via Bluetooth 5.4.

I also didn’t find these open ear headphones to be particularly comfortable. They were a little tight for me, so I rarely found myself keeping them on for longer than a couple of hours at a time. That’s something that the slightly newer, more expensive model, the Anker Soundcore AeroClip corrected with a more flexible build.

A couple more things before I stop moaning – both the C40i’s waterproofing and battery life are markedly average, with a number of competitors outperforming them. They’re just IPX4-rated, meaning they can handle some water splashes and sweat, but might not be the best with water jets or submersion. That’s not the case for a model like the IP57-rated Huawei FreeArc, which have plenty of protection against the elements. And you’re getting a moderate eight hours of playtime from the buds and maximum 21 hours with the case – again, nothing special.

The C40i still plate up impressive audio in 3D sound mode and I’m a big fan of the Soundcore companion app, so their list price of $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$149.99 is hardly outrageous. But you can do better. Specifically, the newer Anker Soundcore AeroClip are a more rounded, comfortable pick and only cost a touch more. And if you’re on a tighter budget, you can grab an excellent budget alternative like the Huawei FreeArc, which I’ve spotted on sale for less than £80 fairly regularly – but more on these below.

Anker Soundcore C40i review: specs

Waterproof rating

IPX4

Battery life

7 hours (earbuds); 21 hours (with charging case)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 5.4

Weight

5.8g (per bud); 40g (charging case)

Frequency range

20Hz-20kHz

(Image credit: Future) Anker Soundcore C40i review: price and availability

• $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$149.99
• Launched in October 2024

The clip-styled Anker Soundcore C40i released in October 2024 alongside a more traditional open ear model, the Anker Soundcore Aerofit 2. You can grab this model in three colorways: Desert Bronze; Midnight (black); or my personal favorite, Champagne Mist, which is a see-through variant, similar to the Sony WF-C710.

The C40i launched with a list price of $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$149.99, which is in the budget-to-midrange category. It’s worth noting that this model is significantly pricier than its predecessor, the Anker Soundcore C30i, which are typically $69.99 / £59.99 / AU$99.99. On the other hand, you’ll have to shell out $129.99 / £129.99 (about AU$210) for the more recent (and superior) Anker Soundcore AeroClip.

(Image credit: Future) Should you buy the Anker Soundcore C40i?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Solid mic quality, effective 3D sound mode, battery life just OK, no ANC.

3.5/5

Sound quality

Need some tuning, but offer solid bass output and clear audio for open ears.

4/5

Design

Not the most comfortable, average waterproofing, nice button controls.

3/5

Value

Fairly priced but you can do better in a similar price range.

3.5/5

Buy them if...

You’re on a budget
With a sub-$100 / £100 list price, the Anker Soundcore C40i are far from the most expensive open ear headphones on the market. They’re a bit less than the newer AeroClip model, making them a solid budget alternative.

You’re not into touch controls
If you don’t want fiddly touch controls then you’re in luck, because the C40i stick with good ‘ol buttons. You can customize the button controls in the Soundcore app too, allowing you to assign a different function to one, two, or three button presses.

Don't buy them if...

You’re an audiophile
These sound above average for a pair of open ear headphones, but still, you’re not going to get that rich, detailed and separated sound that a pair of the best wired earbuds can offer, for example.

You’re looking for ANC
Like a lot of open ear headphones, you won’t get ANC out of the Anker Soundcore C40i. Combine that with their open design and you’re going to find that a lot of ambient noise will flow in.

Anker Soundcore C40i review: also consider

Anker Soundcore C40i

Edifier LolliClip

Huawei FreeArc

Price

$99.99 / £99.99 / AU$149.99

$129.99 (about £100 / AU$210)

£99.99 (about $130 / AU$200)

Waterproof rating

IPX4

IP56

IP57

Battery life

7 hours (earbuds); 21 hours (with charging case)

9 hours (earbuds); 39 hours (with charging case)

7 hours (earbuds), 28 hours (with charging case)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.2

Weight

5.8g (per bud); 40g (charging case)

7g (per bud); 46g (charging case)

8.9g (per bud); 67g (charging case)

Frequency range

20Hz-20kHz

20Hz-40kHz

Not stated

Edifier LolliClip
OK, so at the time of writing, this model is only available to those of you in the US, although I got to test them out myself on the other side of the pond. These are a great pair of open ear headphones that have plenty of features – including ANC, heart rate monitoring and blood oxygen tracking. They also supply strong sound quality, a neat design and high comfortability. Sure, their companion app isn’t as sleek as the Soundcore one and EQ options are a bit limited, but they’re still an option that’s well-worth your consideration. Read our full Edifier LolliClip review.

Huawei FreeArc
Conversely, the Huawei FreeArc are an alternate option for UK customers who want a truly excellent open ear experience. We love these buds for their “top-tier sound”, natural fit and competitive price. That’s right, these can also be yours for less than £100 (about $130 / AU$200). Like the C40i, there’s no ANC and battery life won’t blow you away. But still, these are a great value option in a red-hot market. Read our full Huawei FreeArc review.

Anker Soundcore C40i review: How I tested

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested during a one-week period
• Used in the office and while out in public
• Predominantly tested using Tidal

I tested the Anker Soundcore C40i across the course of a week, predominantly when working at Future Labs, but also when out and about. I played around with their full set of features, tuned in for casual and critical listening and assessed their quality across all EQ presets.

When listening to music, I made use of Tidal on my Samsung Galaxy S24 FE. As always, I ran through the TechRadar testing playlist, which includes tracks from a variety of genres and is optimized for assessing sound quality across the frequencies. I also blasted a ton of tunes from my personal music library and compared audio capabilities against the Soundcore AeroClip on ear headphones.

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

Tozo S6: Two minute review

The Tozo 6 is unlikely to make it into our guide to the best smartwatches, but it's certainly good value for money, comparable with some of the best cheap fitness trackers. What you get for the $79.99 / £54 / around AU$111 price tag is pretty impressive, although you’ll be purchasing it knowing its limited feature set. Despite being relatively feature-rich, there are a lot of limitations. We’ll get into those alongside what’s good and commendable about this budget-friendly option below.

The Tozo S6 looks almost identical to the Apple Watch SE, a cheap dupe. I appreciate it can be difficult to make smartwatches stand out from each other, but if you put these two smartwatches next to each other, you’d be amazed at how similar they are. It’s not even just the shape, but also the location of the crown and secondary button, as well as the strap's style.

The Tozo S6 plastic case boasts a smooth curved bezel from back to front, culminating in a sizable 1.82-inch AMOLED display. Tozo has done a superb job of engineering a screen that is both clear and bright, especially for the price. Colors are generally replicated accurately, with a slight tendency towards being too vibrant. Customizable watch faces are an expected, but welcome addition.

On the right-hand side, you’ll find a rotating crown above a secondary button. The crown performs nicely with sufficient resistance and satisfying ‘feedback’ to enable predictable and controlled scrolling. The secondary button protrudes from the case and is easy to locate without looking.

The silicone strap took a while to install due to some rather fiddly pins but once in place, it was pretty comfortable. Once tightened, the rest of the strap folds up underneath so it’s not flapping around. At first, I thought this would be unbearably uncomfortable but in reality, it caused no discomfort at all.

(Image credit: Future)

Moving on from the design and onto the features, we find a smartwatch that covers all the expected bases when it comes to smartwatches, health trackers, and fitness trackers.

The Tozo S6 provides the ability to track metrics, including heart rate monitoring and blood oxygen levels. Unfortunately, the watch is slow to generate results, with a heart rate measurement taking upwards of 30 seconds. This is noticeably slow compared to other smartwatches, including the Huawei Watch GT5, which takes between 10 and 15 seconds. Having to wait for metrics is one of the downsides of paying so little for the watch.

Exercise activities can be tracked using one of 10 sports modes, although more can be added by using the app, which is a slightly odd system. Your desired sports mode can be located by swiping up and down through the list, although the scrolling experience is far from smooth and reliable. However, once in, the interface is actually quite nice; stats during runs and cycles, such as time elapsed, calories burned and distance traveled are prominently displayed, enabling them to be easily seen even during intense exercise or adverse weather conditions.

The accuracy of metrics collected during my test cycles is comparable with other smartwatches that I’d worn while cycling the same routes. These include the recently-tested Huawei GT5 and Suunto Race S, which are both at the more premium end of the market. Recorded activities are nicely displayed in the Tozo app.

I liked how these were organized and presented in a calendar format, with each one showing a set of key stats and presented in easy-to-digest graphs. For such a cheap smartwatch, the Tozo app is actually comparable with anything you’d find from Huawei or Samsung.

Smartwatch features include receiving notifications and reminders. These are delivered reliably and instantly, as long as the device is connected through the app. I did find the device dropping connection more often than I would have liked, but thankfully the pairing process is both quick and easy. For the price, I was impressed that Bluetooth calling was available, although you have to add contacts into the Tozo app first. Audio quality could be improved, but what are we really expecting for one of the most budget smartwatches around?

The watch is advertised as lasting around 15 days on a single charge, although I barely managed 10 days during my ‘only check the time and notifications’ testing period. With activity tracking and health monitoring performed each day, the battery life dropped nearer to 5 days.

Tozo S6: Specifications

Price:

$79.99 US / £54 UK

Dimensions:

44.5*38.5*10.8 mm

Weight:

39.5g

Case/Bezel:

PC+ABS

Display:

1.85-inch AMOLED 390x450 ppi

GPS:

None

Battery life:

Up to 15-days battery life

Connection:

Bluetooth

Water resistance:

1 ATM

Tozo S6: Price and availability

• $79.99 US / £54 UK
• One size only

The Tozo S6 is only available in one size and one color (black). It retails at an unbelievably low $79.99 US / £54 UK. Shipping takes between three and seven days. Every purchase includes a 30-day money-back guarantee, a one-year hassle-free warranty, and lifetime customer support.

Tozo S6: Scorecard

Category

Comment

Score

Value

For $79.99 / £54, you'd be hard pressed to get anything better.

4.5/5

Design

An Apple Watch-style design but without the class. The 1.85-inch AMOLED screen is a redeeming quality.

3.5/5

Features

With only relatively basic and limited health and exercise tracking, the Tozo S6 doesn’t score too highly.

3.5/5

Performance

Given the cost, the performance is quite impressive. But compared to more expensive alternatives, it really lacks features and accuracy.

3.5/5

Total

A basic smartwatch with the budget price to match

3.5/5

Tozo S6: Should I buy?

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

You want a cheap smartwatch
At $79.99 / £54, there aren’t many cheaper options. It’s incredible that you’ll still benefit from a range of tracking for health and exercise.

You want a crisp and clear display
The 1.85-inch AMOLED Ultra-Clear screen looks fantastic.

You are only a casual tracker of exercise
The limited tracking options are good for generalists but not for tracking specific sports.

Don't buy it if...

You like a premium smartwatch
At $79.99 / £54, almost everything about the Tozo S6 is cheap. It also looks cheap and if that’s not what you want, then I’d steer clear.

You want good fitness tracking
For better tracking of your exercise and fitness, you’d be better off investing in one of the budget Fitbit watches.

Also consider

Amazfit Active 2

A gold standard for cheaper smartwatches.

Read our full Amazfit Active 2 review

Garmin Forerunner 165

A more expensive watch, but a better outdoor companion.

Read our full Garmin Forerunner 165 reviewView Deal

How I tested

I wore the Tozo S6 for over a month, during which time I tracked a range of activities, including walking, cycling, and running. I also tested every single health-tracking feature that the smartwatch offers. I paired the watch with my iPhone although there’s also a Tozo Android app.

First reviewed: May 2025

DJI Mavic 4 Pro: one-minute review

I’ve flown and reviewed every DJI drone from the past 10-plus years, and I’m blown away on an almost yearly basis; and that's the case once again with the DJI Mavic Pro 4, which sets a new benchmark for what’s possible with consumer and prosumer UAVs. The Mavic 4 Pro is, without a doubt, one of the best DJI drones you can buy.

The responsiveness of the controls and speed and smoothness of flight remind me more of the DJI Inspire 3 than the Mavic 3 Pro. Let’s not get carried away though; the Inspire 3 and Mavic 4 Pro are different in many ways, and the Mavic 4 Pro takes prosumer drones to a whole new level.

(Image credit: James Abbott)

And this is all before we consider the three impressive cameras with true vertical shooting. That’s right – the gimbal rotates 90 degrees, which is a first for a drone with more than a single small camera and sensor, let alone one with a Four Thirds camera.

The Mavic Pro 4 camera offering is headed by a 28mm 4/3 camera with up to a 100MP resolution and an adjustable f/2-f/11 aperture. This is complemented by a 70mm camera with a 48MP 1/1.3-inch sensor, and a 168mm camera with a 50MP 1/1.5-inch sensor. Video is available up to 6K 60fps with the main camera, and up to 4K 120fps with the two telephotos.

DJI Mavic 4 Pro: release date and price

• Released on 13 May 2025
• Three kit options
• Prices start at $TBC / £1,879 / AU$3,099

The DJI Mavic 4 Pro was announced and released on 13 May 2025, and is available directly from DJI and authorized retailers. There are three kits, starting with the DJI Mavic 4 Pro (DJI RC 2), which costs £1,879 / AU$3,099; as mentioned, DJI has yet to confirm when or if the Mavic 4 Pro will be available in the US. This kit includes the Mavic 4 Pro, RC 2 smart controller, 64GB of internal storage, an Intelligent Flight Battery and accessories.

The DJI Mavic 4 Pro Fly More Combo costs £2,459 / AU$4,039. This includes all of the above plus two additional Intelligent Flight batteries, a DJI 100W USB-C Power Adapter, a Battery Charging Hub and a shoulder bag. In my opinion, this kit offers exceptional value for money.

The third and most high-end kit option is the DJI Mavic 4 Pro 512GB Creator Combo. This costs £3,209 / AU$5,359, and includes everything in the standard kit plus 512GB of internal storage, a 240W power adapter, two additional Intelligent Flight batteries, a Parallel Battery Charging Hub, a USB-C to USB-C High-Speed Data Cable and a Shoulder bag.

(Image credit: James Abbott) DJI Mavic 4 Pro: specs Specs

Camera

28mm 100MP 4/3 sensor / 70mm 48MP 1/1.3-inch sensor / 168mm 50MP 1/1.5-inch sensor

Video resolution

Up to 6K

Frame rates

6K up to 60fps / 4K up to 120fps / FHD up to 60fps / Vertical 4/3 up to 4K 60fps, Tele 2.7K up to 60fps

Video transmission range

18.6 miles (FCC) / 9.32 miles (CE, SRRC, MIC)

Flight modes

Sport, Normal, Cine

Battery

6654mAh / up to 51 minutes flight time

Charger type

USB-C / charging hub

Weight

2.34lbs / 1063g

Dimensions

10.14 x 4.91 x 4.07 inches / 257.6 x 124.8 x 103.4mm folded / 12.94 x 15.37 x 5.32 inches / 328.7 x 390.5 x 135.2mm unfolded

DJI Mavic 4 Pro: design and handling

• Excellent design and build quality
• Impressive gimbal
• Great new controller

The DJI Mavic 4 Pro features the folding design we’ve become accustomed to, but the drone is slightly larger than the Mavic 3 Pro, with larger propellers. As a result, the Mavic 4 Pro is also slightly heavier than its predecessor at 2.34lbs / 1063g. In use, you don’t notice this, but the increase in speed, power, and maneuverability are noticeable.

The most obvious difference between this drone and the Mavic 3 Pro is the new camera and gimbal design. We get three cameras as before, but the camera housing is more spherical, with a more robust gimbal that supports upright shooting, with vertical movement of the camera available between -90 and 70 degrees.

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This opens up new creative possibilities, and during testing I was able to capture the northern lights by flying at a low altitude and tilting the camera up to capture more of the night sky. Further enhancing creative convenience, the drone switches on automatically when you unfold the propeller arms, while the controller switches on when you raise the screen to reveal the controls beneath. The controller goes into sleep mode when closed, unless you switch it off first.

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(Image credit: James Abbott)

The new DJI RC 2 smart controller features a completely new design with an impressive 2000-nit 7-inch high-bright Mini-LED display. This can be rotated 90 degrees when shooting in portrait format to give you a full-screen camera view.

There’s also a new adjustment dial that makes changing camera settings easy, an HDMI port for video-out, up to four hours of battery life, and 128GB of built-in storage, while audio can be recorded with the built-in mic or when paired with a DJI Mic.

The screen also covers the control sticks when closed to make the controller more compact for transport and storage. Since the controller runs Android, you can view a standard Android interface that supports third-party apps.

This wasn’t tested because I didn’t have any relevant APK files to install and the Google Play Store isn’t installed on the controller. The Firefox web browser is, however, installed, so this would provide one way to install apps.

DJI Mavic 4 Pro: features and performance

• Fast and positive flight
• Excellent Return to Home
• Advanced subject tracking

The Mavic 4 Pro's responsive controls and speed and smoothness of flight remind me of the Inspire 3. It’s not as powerful, of course, but flight performance overall is noticeably improved compared to the Mavic 3 Pro. Flight is incredibly smooth and positive, with a top speed of 60.4mph in Sport mode and 40.3mph when tracking moving subjects. Wind resistance is 26.8mph. You also get all the usual features including Quickshots, timelapse, burst shooting, exposure bracketing and free panorama.

Subject tracking is great, and tracking cars works well, with the Mavic 4 Pro maintaining tracking even when the target vehicle is partially obscured by trees, as claimed by DJI. During testing, I tried to position the drone in front of, directly above, and to the side of the car, as well as the standard behind. Above and behind worked well, but when I tried the other two orientations the drone reverted to behind automatically, so although highly effective, the Mavic 4 Pro isn't as versatile as the DJI Flip or Neo for general tracking. The drone also allows adjustment of the gimbal and flight parameters during tracking.

The Mavic 4 Pro features DJI's 0.1-Lux Nightscape Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing system, comprising six low-light fisheye sensors, a forward-facing LiDAR on the right propeller arm, and an infrared sensor at the bottom of the aircraft. When flying in highly complex environments the obstacle avoidance worked well in both daylight and at dusk, with Brake and Bypass options available alongside off. Sometimes, the latter is essential for smooth flight but is naturally high-risk. The drone is also backed up by DJI O4+ with up to 18.6 miles and 10-bit HDR Video Transmission.

Car tracking with the DJI Mavic 4 Pro

Adding to the safety credentials, Return to Home has seen some impressive improvements, including the ability to take off and Return to Home without a GPS signal. This is achieved using real-time vision positioning and map construction technologies, with the drone capturing flight paths when light levels allow.

Then there’s Dynamic Home Point, where the Home Point is set by the controller location rather than the take-off point. This is useful when tracking vehicles if you’re in the vehicle, but if doing so you should always maintain visual line of sight (VLOS) of the drone.

The Mavic 4 Pro can transfer files to your computer without being switched on when connected via USB-C, and it can also transfer files to the DJI Fly app when switched off using off-state quick transfer. I’ve never found phone transfer functionality useful myself, but many people do, and it allows you to view and download files to the DJI Fly app on your phone using WiFi 6, which could be useful for sharing photos and videos quickly to social media and clients.

Flight times per battery are claimed to be up to 51 minutes, and during testing my flight times were typically around 37 minutes, with the drone offering Return to Home at 15% battery. Also, during one test flight, an airplane flew around my flight area at an altitude of roughly 660ft / 200m, and the controller alerted me to the aircraft being close. This is impressive, although I had seen the plane 30 seconds before the alert was displayed on the controller.

DJI Mavic 4 Pro: image and video quality

• Three impressive cameras
• Up to 6K 60fps and 4K 120fps video
• Up to 100MP photos in raw and JPEG

(Image credit: James Abbott)

The cameras on the DJI Mavic Pro 4, along with the innovative gimbal, are impressive, and each offers excellent image quality alongside some impressive features. There is some fall-off in sharpness towards the edges of the frame when shooting photos, and the higher-resolution images aren’t as sharp as those taken at lower-resolution settings, while video doesn’t suffer from the fall-off in sharpness.

All three cameras feature Dual Native ISO Fusion, a feature seen in previous DJI drones to reduce noise in photos and videos. A photo of the northern lights shot with the main camera at 100MP was quite noisy but still useable, although in theory 25MP should have been more effective. The short duration of the phenomenon didn’t allow for a lower-resolution example to be captured, unfortunately.

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The main Hasselblad camera features a 28mm equivalent focal length and an adjustable f/2-f/11 aperture. F/2 is a hugely welcome upgrade over the Mavic 3 models, which have a maximum f/2.8 aperture. The new Four Thirds sensor can be set to capture at 100MP or 25MP. The 70mm equivalent camera features a 48MP / 12MP 1/1.3-inch sensor, while the 168mm equivalent camera uses a new 50MP / 12.5MP 1/1.5-inch sensor. Both of these telephoto cameras have a fixed f/2.8 aperture. Photos can be captured in raw and JPEG formats.

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Shot with the 168mm camera (Image credit: James Abbott) DJI Mavic 4 Pro 4K 30fps video

The main Hasselblad camera can capture up to 6K 60fps video, while the 70mm can capture up to 4K at 120fps and the 168mm up to 4K at 100fps. Cropped vertical video is also available with all three cameras, with the main camera offering up to 4K 60fps, and the telephoto cameras able to capture up to 2.7K up to 60fps. You can also rotate the camera to portrait orientation to capture video.

During testing rotating the camera allowed me to capture 6K vertical video with the main camera and 2.7K with the 70mm camera. Sometimes, this caused the drone to fly slowly, which may be a quirk of the pre-release firmware because it wasn’t consistent.

Video color profiles include Normal for straight-out-of-the-camera use, D-Log, D-Log M and HLG (HDR). Shooting HDR, the 28mm can capture up to 16 stops of dynamic range, the 70mm up to 14 stops, and the 168mm up to 13 stops. The 512GB Creator version of the Mavic 4 Pro can also capture video in the ALL-I 4:2:2 codec. Overall, you've got plenty of options for a variety of workflows and requirements.

DJI Mavic 4 Pro: testing scorecard DJI Mavic 4 Pro

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Price

A surprisingly inexpensive Fly More Combo.

5/5

Design

New design for aerodynamics with an innovative new gimbal.

5/5

Performance

Flight is fast and smooth while features perform well.

5/5

Image and video quality

Excellent image quality from the three cameras with upgrades to the main Hasselblad camera.

5/5

Should I buy the DJI Mavic 4 Pro? Buy it if...

You require speed and power
The Mavic 4 Pro is a fast and powerful drone with excellent flight performance that allows the drone to be flown in winds of up to 26.8mph.

You need three cameras
With impressive 28mm, 70mm and 168mm equivalent cameras capable of capturing a variety of photo and video formats, you have many creative possibilities available to you

You capture professional aerial video
If you use a drone for professional video capture, the Mavic 4 Pro can capture D-Log, D-Log M and HLG (HDR). The 512GB Creator version can also capture video in the ALL-I 4:2:2 codec.

Don't buy it if...

You’d like a less restricted drone
If you’d prefer an easier-to-carry, more regulations-friendly DJI drone, the DJI Mini 4 Pro is the best sub-250g drone money can buy.

You'd like a less expensive dual-camera drone
The DJI Air 3S offers dual cameras and is smaller and lighter than the Mavic 4 Pro. What’s more, the smart controller kit is considerably less expensive.

You’d like to capture a first-person view
If you'd like to capture immersive FPV video, the DJI Avata 2 is a beginner and expert-friendly FPV drone that offers excellent video quality. Photos, however, are extremely limited with this drone.

DJI Mavic 4 Pro: also consider DJI Air 3S

The DJI Air 3S is similar to the Mavic 4 Pro in several ways, but comes in at a more affordable price for consumers. Not only is it smaller and lighter, it also features dual 24mm and 70mm cameras. This is the logical drone for you if you don't need the Mavic 4 Pro's 168mm camera.

Read our in-depth DJI Air 3S review

How I tested the DJI Mavic 4 Pro

• All features and functions tested
• All three cameras tested for photo and video capture
• Tested in different conditions

I tested the DJI Mavic Pro 4 over several weeks, testing all of its features to assess their effectiveness in real-world situations. I also captured a variety of photos and videos to test the quality of the three cameras.

Photos and videos were captured in a range of conditions including overcast, sunny, and windy to see how well the drone performed in these situations.

First reviewed May 2025

This review first appeared in issue 340 of PC Pro.

HP’s acquisition of Poly in August 2022 gives it a strong presence in the hybrid working market with access to a fine range of VC products. Poly retains its name for now, and the Studio R30 on review aims to offer SMBs an affordable all-in-one solution for small conference spaces.

At first glance, the R30 looks very similar to Poly’s P15 video bar, but its chassis is slightly larger, the central 4K UHD camera has a much wider diagonal 120° field of view (FoV) and its digital zoom steps up from 4x to 5x. Internally, things remain the same: it has an 8W internal speaker, while a triple-microphone beamforming array provides speaker tracking and automatic framing.

The Studio R30 employs Poly’s NoiseBlockAI and Acoustic Fence technologies to identify and remove annoying background noises such as keyboard heavy hitters. It goes a step further as Poly’s new DirectorAI feature ensures no meeting participant feels left out by providing automated group, people and speaker framing, along with presenter tracking.

The central 4K UHD camera has a wide 120° field of view (Image credit: Future)

Rear-mounted ports include an external PSU connector and a USB Type-C port for host connection, with the kit including a generous five-meter cable. Two USB Type-A ports allow the R30 to function as a USB hub but, unlike the P15’s mechanical privacy shutter on its lens, the R30 gets only a cheap rubber cap.

Installation is swift. We connected the R30 to a Windows 10 PC and watched it load the camera and audio device drivers in a few seconds. You’ll want to add Poly’s free Lens Desktop app as this provides a firmware upgrade tool along with local access for manually adjusting audio and video functions and selecting a framing mode.

Using the app to link up with our Lens cloud account, we could remotely manage the R30, change its settings from the portal and use the inventory service to see its physical location. Use the app to connect the R30 to a wireless network and it will link up with a remote Poly provisioning server for pushing custom settings to it.

Rear ports include a USB-C, two USB-A and an external PSU connector (Image credit: Future)

During meetings, we found Poly’s tracking and framing features worked very well, with the camera snapping to the current speaker, zooming back out when they stopped talking and moving effortlessly to other speakers. In presenter mode, the R30 easily kept track of us as we moved around our meeting room while we spoke, with shift delays of around two to three seconds.

The speaker delivers a clean soundscape, and in our 24m2 room we found a volume level of 75% was sufficient to cover all areas. The integral mics also impressed, with remote meeting participants saying they could hear us clearly at distances of up to three meters.

In a direct comparison with the lab’s Studio P15, we found the R30’s wider FoV clearly provides greater horizontal coverage. It didn’t suffer from the P15’s slightly soft focus and presented a sharper, cleaner picture with a more natural color balance, while its backlight compensation coped better with bright sunlight.

Video quality is good and the Poly Lens service enables remote management (Image credit: Future)

The camera’s digital pan, tilt and zoom (PTZ) functions can be manually controlled from the Lens app but only when auto-tracking is disabled. Although currently in a preview testing phase, you can also select a conversation mode to display two speakers in a split screen, while people framing shows all participants using up to six split screens.

Poly’s Studio R30 offers SMBs an affordable and easy-to-use 4K videoconferencing solution. Video and audio quality are very good and its clever people-tracking and framing features add that all-important professional touch to your meetings.

We've also rated the best webinar software.

This review first appeared in issue 340 of PC Pro.

MSI describes the Summit MS321UP as a business and productivity monitor, as opposed to its huge range of gaming screens and a handful of creative displays. With a peak 60Hz refresh rate it’s obvious that gamers won’t be applying, but MSI still hopes to lure designers here as it includes a monitor hood in the box.

Print designers can’t expect miracles at this price. There is an Adobe RGB mode, but with this selected it covers only 79% of that color space; a huge distance behind the 95% you can expect of an Eizo ColorEdge monitor. But, and it’s a big but, even the 27in ColorEdge CG279X costs twice as much, while the 32in and 4K ColorEdge CG319X retails for almost £4,000. Two more pitfalls for print designers: its color accuracy isn’t great, with an average Delta E of 1.97, and there’s no Pantone certification.

There’s far more for digital creatives and photographers to cheer, as coverage of the DCI-P3 space is 92% if you switch to the Display P3 profile, while color accuracy improves with an average Delta E of 0.88. You may also want to take advantage of the Design Assistance tools. Alongside print-focused aids such as guides for business cards, A4 and more (these guides appear as rectangular overlays on the screen, so you just slot your artwork within the lines), there’s a bunch of rulers and grids, including a rule-of-thirds grid.

In general, though, I found myself sticking to the sRGB gamut as it locks so well to the 6500K color temperature – I measured 6501K, which is essentially perfect for whites – while again scoring 0.88 for color accuracy. And while a 4K resolution may seem overkill when working in typical business tools such as Word and Excel, you grow to enjoy the sheer crispness of the words and numbers on screen.

A monitor hood is just one of this flexible display’s many attractions (Image credit: Future)

The panel pushes up to 468cd/m2, which is retina-burning high for daily use, and, as its HDR600 certification illustrates, it can push right up to 600cd/m2 in localized areas. I preferred to keep it at around 375cd/m2 (70 in the controls), but this consumes 47W of power. If you’re trying to control your energy outgoings then you can manually drop this yourself or switch to the Eco mode, where brightness dropped to 175cd/m2 – which is still fine in a typical office – and power consumption to 33W. You can also activate auto brightness control, but I found that distracting.

As you can tell from all these options, it’s worth investigating the OSD menu. Tucked away at the bottom of the profile choices are three calibration profiles for your own use, for example, and if you select the User profile a sophisticated array of tools for controlling color temperature, saturation and hue become available. But these are probably overkill for most users, unless they want to fine-tune the color calibration themselves.

You don’t need to head into the main menu to switch between profiles, as pushing the joystick upwards flicks between them. Pushing down activates the Design Assistance tools, while heading right gives you the option of choosing the display input: there are two HDMI ports, one DisplayPort and the increasingly crucial USB-C port.

Connections include two HDMI ports, a DisplayPort and a USB-C port (Image credit: Future)

It’s disappointing that this only delivers 15W of power, so it will trickle-charge laptops at best, but that isn’t such a problem if a laptop will stay connected most of a working day. And because there’s a KVM built into the monitor, if you connect a second PC or laptop (via the monitor’s USB-B input as well as the video input) then you can share a mouse and keyboard between them. Pressing left on the joystick allows you to switch inputs, or you can keep it as automatic – or you can use the Picture-in-Picture (PIP) and Picture-by-Picture (PBP) features.

You can also share any device connected via the three USB-A ports, with one port tucked awkwardly at the rear and the other two on the left-hand side. There are mic and headphone jacks here, too – note the lack of built-in speakers – along with a full-size SD card slot.

I ended up being grateful for the proximity of those ports, as this 9.7kg hunk of a monitor isn’t easy to move. There’s 35° of swivel to the left and right, and a more than adequate 100mm of height adjustment, but with a 32in panel such as this you’d need an even heftier stand to support 90° pivots into portrait mode.

Despite this lack of physical flexibility, this monitor fully deserves to be described as versatile. The ease with which you can switch between color profiles, along with the shedload of features, mean it can fit into almost any workflow. And at £700, with a five-year warranty, it’s great value.

We've rated the best monitors for a dual screen setup.

This review first appeared in issue 340 of PC Pro.

We are entering another exciting phase for PC processors, particularly if you’re a content creator. While the mid-range pendulum swung back to Intel in our workstations Labs, AMD’s Ryzen 7000 series promises huge potential for content creation. Here, I put it through its paces in Armari’s Magnetar M16R7-1300G3.

Armari has, of course, opted for the top Ryzen 9 7950X for its system. Unlike the Intel Core i9-12900K chips that proved so popular in the Labs, the Ryzen 9 has 16 full-speed cores rather than eight, alongside eight low-power ones. And the 7950X provides a base clock of 4.5GHz across all its cores, with an incredible maximum Boost frequency of 5.7GHz, so it should hurtle through any task with a multithreaded bias.

The Ryzen 7000 series is AMD’s first to support DDR5, with Armari providing a generous 64GB complement of 5,600MHz Corsair Vengeance Black DDR5 as two 32GB DIMMs. This runs at 4,800MHz on the system, but enables the processor’s dual-channel memory capability. It also leaves two DIMM slots free on the Asus X670E ProArt-Creator WiFi motherboard, to make an upgrade to 128GB possible – but this will drop the DIMM operating speed to 3,600MHz.

One area where AMD hasn’t had the upper hand for some years is professional graphics. Nevertheless, Armari sticks with AMD here, via a Radeon Pro W6800 graphics card that sports a hefty 3,840 Stream processors and 32GB of GDDR6 frame buffer. The latter operates at 512GB/sec, a little behind Nvidia’s latest and greatest, but there’s no shortage of connectivity, with six mini DisplayPort 1.4 connectors enabling up to two 8K displays or six 5K ones.

Armari hasn’t gone to town with storage, unlike the £16,000 Scan 3XS GWP-ME A1128T. Just a single drive is included, but it’s a potent one. The 2TB WD SN850 Gen4 M.2 SSD SN850 delivered a sustained reading throughput of 7,050MB/sec in CrystalDiskMark 8, with writing at 5,248MB/sec, making this the fastest single NVMe drive we’ve tested.

Armari’s latest workstation is a powerful beast (Image credit: Future)

If you need secondary storage for large media files, the chassis includes four 3.5in/2.5in easy swap backplanes and drive sleds, which you can switch out when the system is powered down and the side panel off. The case is one of Armari’s secrets, as the firm custom-designs its own. The Magnetar M60 Gen3 chassis has loads of cooling, including a side mount for the CPU liquid system, replete with a trio of 120mm fans.

Despite all this, the Magnetar isn’t a power hog. It consumes 90W when idle, pushing up to 370W when rendering a scene in Blender using both the CPU and GPU. If you run the CPU, GPU and memory all at maximum it consumes 530W, which still isn’t terrible considering how much processing power you’re getting in return. And since Armari has included a hefty 1,300W power supply, you can be confident the system will stay stable even under maximum load.

You may want to make full use of that maximum load, too, because this workstation has outrageous power. The Magnetar was a stunningly quick system in every CPU-related test I threw at it. The score of 773 in the PC Pro benchmarks would have beaten every system in the most recent Labs, and even surpasses the excellent Scan 3XS GWP-ME A1128T with its 64-core Threadripper processor.

Underlining the CPU’s potency is a Cinebench R23 multicore result of 37,170, which trounces a pair of 24-core Intel Xeon Gold processors and would even beat a 32-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX. The single-core result of 2,093 is on a par with that of the Intel Core i9-13900K in the Scan Vengeance 3XS – except the Ryzen 9 7950X has 16 cores capable of this speed, where the Intel chip only has eight. To further underline the AMD chip’s power, the Blender Gooseberry render only took 293 seconds using the CPU.

The single area of weakness is the graphics acceleration, but only relatively. With 3D modelling and animation, using SPECviewperf 2020 the AMD Radeon Pro W6800 achieved 174 in 3dsmax-07 and 456 in maya-06, which are great results, but Nvidia’s Quadro A4500 will surpass the latter. With CAD/CAM, the scores were 99 in catia-06, 133 in creo-03, 431 in snx-04 and 259 in solidworks-05. All good results, but again the A4500 holds the advantage here.

Nevertheless, the Magnetar is an unquestionably capable workstation that can slice through every kind of content creation task, be it modelling and design or rendering the results out to a file. Armari has delivered the AMD platform in its habitual efficient, solid build. The price is high, but the amount of power you get from this 16-core processor workstation is phenomenal.

We also ranked the best monitors for video-editing.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review: Two-minute review

The Galaxy S25 Edge is the phone for Samsung fans who like to complain. Does your Galaxy S25 Plus feel too thick for your tight jeans and small hands? Is the Galaxy S25 Ultra too heavy for your bag? The Galaxy S25 Edge is precisely the phone you want, nothing more and nothing less.

The Galaxy S25 Edge is the solution to a very simple formula. Take a Galaxy S25 Plus. Shave 1.5mm off the thickness by removing the zoom camera and shrinking the battery. Add a 200MP camera sensor. Wrap it in titanium. Voila: Galaxy S25 Edge!

Seriously, that’s it; that’s the whole phone. The Galaxy S25 Edge has the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset inside, with the same 12GB of RAM as the Galaxy S25 Plus. There’s a bigger vapor chamber for improved cooling, but we’re talking about a minuscule space made slightly less so.

The Galaxy S25 Edge is only 5.8mm thin, the thinnest Galaxy S ever (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Even though it’s thin, this isn’t a phone you should experience on paper. You need to get your hands on a device to see just how thin and light it feels. I spent a couple of hours with Samsung to get hands-on time with the new Galaxy S25 Edge, so I can tell you what to expect: expect a little bit.

It feels a little bit thinner and a little bit lighter than other phones I’ve used. Just a little bit. It’s not the thinnest phone ever. Even Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 is thinner when it’s open; it’s just the thinnest ever Galaxy S phone.

It’s not even close to the thinnest flat smartphone ever. The Vivo X5 Max from 2014 was more than 1mm thinner than the Galaxy S25 Edge at less than 4.75mm.

The Galaxy S25 Edge won’t spark a revolution. It won't make your current phone look fat. There will be other thin phones – Apple’s long-anticipated iPhone 17 Air is expected to launch later this year. But I don’t expect a Pixel Edge, or a OnePlus Edge.

Holding the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge immediately put me in mind of past Samsung phones. Foremost, the ancient Samsung SGH-U100 Ultra 5.9, an incredibly thin phone Samsung launched in 2007 at the sunset of feature phones. That was the last time I remember Samsung making a phone whose main feature was being thin.

The Galaxy S25 Edge is thin, but not shockingly thin (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

That phone shocked onlookers. Nobody could believe Samsung could make such a thin phone. You wondered how there was space for the buttons to move; it felt so thin.

That’s not true of the Galaxy S25 Edge. It’s very thin, but nobody is going to be shocked. I expect the reaction will be more like ‘huh, that’s pretty thin,’ and not ‘WOW, what a THIN PHONE!’

That’s ok, because the Galaxy S25 Edge is priced right for a subdued reaction. The phone is a bit more expensive than the Galaxy S25 Plus. You lose some battery and some zoom, but you gain a much better camera. Plus, you have the thinnest Galaxy S!

What’s the benefit? Samsung says the Galaxy S25 Edge is easier to hold than the Galaxy S25 Plus. I had an iPhone 16 Pro Max in my pocket to compare, and the Edge was definitely much thinner and lighter than the biggest iPhone. Easier to hold? Maybe a little, but I keep my phone in a case anyway.

All eyes now turn to Apple to see if it can deliver an even thinner iPhone 17 Air to beat the Galaxy S25 Edge. With a 5.1mm iPad Pro on the market, it seems likely that Apple will launch an even thinner phone, but if it packs cheaper cameras or lacks flagship features, it won’t match the thin new Galaxy.

The iPad Pro is only 5.1mm, will the iPhone 17 Air be just as thin? (Image credit: Future)

Which brings me to some big concerns about the Galaxy S25 Edge – everybody is going to put this phone in a case. Samsung is offering its own thin cases, but any case will add bulk. The phone is durable, but it’s not military standard rugged.

With a benefit of only a millimeter or so, you’re already paying more for less battery life and fewer cameras. If you slap a case on it, can you still feel how thin it is? Not as much.

My second concern is that this is the slimmest Galaxy S phone… today. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is thinner, so we know that even thinner phones are possible. Will tomorrow's Galaxy S26 be just as thin as today’s Galaxy S25 Edge? Is a 5.8mm phone impressively thin in the long run? If you’re going to keep this phone through years of updates, I doubt it’s going to feel as thin as it does today in two years.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

With that in mind, the Galaxy S25 Edge doesn’t stand out. It’s thin, but it isn’t going to blow anybody away. It’s the thinnest Galaxy S today, but not the thinnest phone ever, and not even the thinnest phone Samsung makes right now.

However, it scratches an itch. If you were considering the Galaxy S25 Plus, you can spend a bit more and get a thinner, arguably cooler phone. But coolness, like being thin, doesn’t last forever.

I wish there was something unique to this phone to make it stand out from the rest of the Galaxy lineup, but I’m not sure what that should be. Even a new theme or some Edge-related widgets would have been a nice addition. It just feels like otherwise this phone launch is all about giving us the perfect compromise, with no new benefits.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge hands-on: Price and availability

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

• Starts at $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,849 for 256GB and 12GB of RAM
• That’s $100 / £100 / AU$100 more than the Galaxy S25 Plus

The Galaxy S25 Edge is available for pre-order now, and it should be in hands by May 30, assuming the current global economic climate causes no delays. That was a question I heard Samsung folks discussing, but they don’t anticipate any problems.

The phone will come in three colors: black, blue, and silver. You can get it with 256GB or 512GB of storage, and Samsung will have a deal at launch to double the storage for free. Both models include 12GB of RAM inside.

The Galaxy S25 Edge slots in nicely between the Galaxy S25 Plus and the Galaxy S25 Ultra on Samsung’s price ladder. It also costs more than an iPhone 16 Pro, but less than an iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Storage

US Price

UK Price

AU Price

256GB

$1,099

£1,099

AU$ 1,849

512GB

$1,219

£1,199

AU$ 2,049

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge hands-on: Specifications

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Galaxy S25 Edge has most of the same specs as the Galaxy S25 Plus, with some Ultra inspiration thrown in. It has the important Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor that made the Galaxy S25 Ultra such a winner.

The camera is a 200MP sensor, but Samsung said it is not the exact same sensor found on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Megapixels don’t mean anything, it’s the sensor size that really matters, so I’m assuming there is a smaller sensor in this phone than its bigger Samsung brethren.

The Galaxy S25 Edge has a 3,900mAh battery, which is much smaller than the 4,900mAh cell in the Galaxy S25 Plus. Samsung says we should expect better battery life than the Galaxy S24, but not as much longevity as the Galaxy S25 provides.

For charging, the Galaxy S25 Edge tops out at 25W, slower than the 45W charging that the rest of the Galaxy S25 family can use. There is wireless charging, at least, along with reverse wireless power sharing.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge

Dimensions

75.6 X 158.2 X 5.8mm

Weight

163g

OS

OneUI 7, Android 15. 7 major Android upgrades promised.

Display

6.7-inch LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz

Chipset

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy

RAM

12GB

Storage

256GB / 512GB

Battery

3,900mAh

Rear cameras

200MP main, 12MP ultra-wide with macro

Front camera

12MP

Charging

25W wired, 15W wireless

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge hands-on: Design

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

• Thinnest Galaxy S ever, thinner than any iPhone
• More Galaxy Ultra than Galaxy Plus

Samsung might be selling the Galaxy S25 Edge short by comparing it freely to the Galaxy S25 Plus. In fact, with its titanium frame and muted color options, it feels more like a waifish Galaxy S25 Ultra. In any case, the phone is clearly a current-generation Samsung device, while veering just a bit from the formula.

The camera bump looks, frankly, more like the leaked design of the iPhone 17 than the current Galaxy S25 family. It’s not small portholes, it’s an entire bar that seems to be attached to the back of the phone.

The look is decidedly less polished and clean than the similar round bar that holds the Google Pixel 9 cameras. Google’s phone seems to be a single block of metal, while the Galaxy S25 Edge looks like pieces stuck together.

The Galaxy S25 Edge is not symmetrical, and the pieces don't seem to fit perfectly (Image credit: Future)

The phone is not very symmetrical, and it doesn’t seem to have the same fit and finish as the Galaxy S25 Ultra. On the bottom, USB-C port is centered, but the speaker port and the SIM card slot are both haphazardly aligned. The SIM card holder doesn’t even seem to fit perfectly flush with the phone on some of the units I saw, as you can see in my photo below.

I worry about this phone. I worry that it will bend easily, even with a titanium frame. I worry that the protruding camera will make the lens glass more vulnerable in a fall. I worry the gap between the camera bump and the back of the phone will gather unsightly dust and grime.

I’ll feel better if our review unit proves solid, so check back soon once we’ve had an opportunity to run this phone through a thorough battery of tests.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge hands-on: Software

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

• All of the Galaxy software you know...
• Nothing special to the Edge, but plenty of Galaxy AI

Samsung’s OneUI 7 is looking good on the Galaxy S25 Edge, running on top of Android 15. All of Samsung’s software tricks are here, including the Edge panels, which now sport some AI selection tools. You can even hook this phone up to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse and use the Samsung DeX desktop environment.

I’m a big fan of DeX, so I was thrilled to see it wasn’t left off. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 inexplicably lacks DeX, so I was worried it would be sacrificed for thinness. Nope, DeX is here, along with all of Samsung’s software features. The endless layers of Settings menus. The massive flotilla of bloatware.

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(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

That latter is probably just a regional choice, because not every Galaxy S25 Edge I saw had the same software preloaded, but some of the devices were jam-packed with junk. There were tons of garbage games, along with carrier software, additions from Microsoft and Google, and then the Samsung folder of apps.

There was a brief time when it seemed like Samsung was pulling back its software bloat, but those days have been washed away with the tide.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge hands-on: Cameras

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

• 200MP main camera, but not the same as the Ultra
• 12MP wide lens with macro capabilities

The camera on the Galaxy S25 Edge is just what I was hoping to see… I hope. We knew that Samsung would be reducing its camera load from the triple-lens system on pretty much every other Galaxy phone besides the Galaxy Z Flip series. I was hoping for one big main camera with a big sensor, and that could be what we got with the 200MP sensor on the Edge.

I don’t expect quality on par with the Galaxy S25 Ultra and its 200MP main camera. Samsung says the sensor is not the same, and it would not tell us what sensor it's using or the size of the sensor.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

A tiny sensor cut into 200 million pieces will not produce high-quality images. Megapixels don’t matter, what really matters is the size of the sensor, and it’s likely the Edge sacrifices some sensor size compared to the Ultra.

The marketing might say this phone has 2X 'optical quality zoom,' but in fact Samsung is using the 200MP sensor to simulate a variety of zoom lengths, and then enhancing the results with AI.

I kind of wish more phones would use this technique, paired with a larger sensor, because I think we’d get better photos than we do from today’s 5X zoom lenses mated to teeny-tiny sensors.

We’ll see if Samsung can pull off a satisfying camera with only two lenses instead of three. It can’t be too good, of course, or else you won’t want to buy the Galaxy S25 Ultra, still the most expensive in the Galaxy S family.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge hands-on: Battery

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

• 3,9000mAh battery is smaller than even the Galaxy S25
• Battery life won’t be great, and charging will be slower

The Galaxy S25 Edge packs a 3,900mAh battery inside. That’s much smaller than the 4,900mAh cell in the Galaxy S25 Plus – it’s closer to the smaller Galaxy S25, which uses a 4,000mAh battery inside.

In fact, Samsung says battery life will fall somewhere between the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S25, and you'll be able to get a full day of normal use out of this phone. So, it won’t be great for a phone this big, but it will be acceptable. That’s an expected trade-off for a much thinner phone.

@techradar

♬ stellar (Sped Up) - .diedlonely & énouement

What I didn’t expect was slower charging. I was hoping for a charging miracle, maybe even faster charging speeds than the Galaxy S25 to make up for the smaller battery.

If I could charge this phone to full in 30 minutes, I wouldn’t mind that it can’t last all day on a single charge. But with only 25W charging, Samsung says 30 minutes will get me just over halfway, to 55% charged.

We’ll know just how long the phone can last after we’ve tested it in Future Labs and given it a full review. For now, don’t buy this phone expecting great battery life. Buy it for the style.

You might also like...

• Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: latest news, rumors, and everything we know so far
• Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge launch live: all the last-minute Unpacked news
• Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus review: I used it for two weeks, and it's so good...

SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Gen 3: one-minute review

The SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 is a compact analog keyboard that promises incredibly responsive performance courtesy of its analog switches. Its looks don’t exactly reflect its gaming prowess, but it’s smart and sleek enough to adorn any setup. The black colorway is a little austere, but this is alleviated somewhat by the vibrant RGB backlighting.

Once you get your hands on it, though, you start to realize this is a premium slice of engineering. It’s reasonably light considering how solid it feels, and the double-shot PBT keycaps have a more textured finish than usual, which feels great under the fingertips. Even the included detachable USB cable is made to a high standard.

As you would expect from any of the best gaming keyboards, numerous customization options are available via the SteelSeries GG software – or more specifically, the Engine section within this app. It hurts usability somewhat that Engine opens in a separate window to GG, but this is a minor gripe.

Alongside the typical RGB tweaks and macro creation features, there are a healthy selection of rebinding options, with plenty of media and system shortcuts available, with various adjustable parameters for binding behavior.

Naturally there are various alterations for actuation, with points settable between 0.1mm and 4mm, which is a generous range of travel. You can also toggle rapid trigger and protection modes, while various SOCD settings (called rapid tap here) and dual binding features are available in addition.

This makes Engine a versatile tool and one that’s easy to use, thanks to its clear layout and useful explanations. The visualizer for key actuation, though, doesn’t respond in real time, which is a drawback.

The Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 excels when it comes to performance. Presses are very tactile and rebound fast, imbuing it with a pleasingly snappy feel, which is great for both gaming and typing.

Hitting certain actuation points is easy too, thanks to the satisfying resistance to the keys which impart just enough feedback without disrupting its light touch.

It’s also comfortable to use, thanks to the indentations of the keycaps, which make it a very tactile board to use while still allowing for easy gliding. The bottom row is very accessible too, especially the space bar, with its low profile making for consistent hits with the tip of your thumb, rather than the edge.

What’s more, the tilt angle, especially when used with the very stable two-stage feet, gave me a comfortable position for typing as well as gaming – although for very long sessions, I would still benefit from using a wrist rest.

The Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 is certainly an expensive keyboard, especially when you consider its small 60% layout and lack of wireless connectivity. However, there’s no denying this is premium hardware, and it performs as well as you could hope an analog board would.

There are a few much cheaper alternatives out there that come quite close to rivaling its performance, but the Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 is hard to beat if you want the absolute best analog performance.

(Image credit: Future) SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 review: price and availability

• $179.99 / £174.99 (about AU$282)
• Available now in black only
• Very expensive

The Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 costs $179.99 / £174.99 (about AU$282) and is available now in black only. It comes with a detachable USB-A-to-C cable and a keycap puller. It’s one of the more expensive analog keyboards around – especially when you consider its compact 60% layout and wired-only connectivity.

If you’re looking for a much cheaper alternative, the MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra is admirably close to the Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 in terms of performance, yet also features multiple wireless connectivity modes. What’s more, it uses TMR rather than the Hall effect sensors of the Apex Pro Mini Gen 3, which are considered more accurate, although in truth I couldn’t discern a difference. MonsGeek’s software provides a few more features than Engine, but it suffers from a few usability issues.

Another viable option for budget hunters is the Gamakay TK75HE V2. This is similarly cheap for an analog keyboard, but again comes close to rivaling the performance of more expensive models, including the Apex Pro Mini Gen 3. What’s more, it has a larger 75% layout, which might be more useful for those looking for some productivity prowess as well. However, like the FUN60 Ultra, its software isn’t the best from a usability perspective.

Value: 3 / 5

SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 review: specs

Layout

60%

Switch

Analog (Hall-effect magnetic)

Programmable keys

Yes

Dimensions

11.5 x 4 x 1.6 inches / 293 x 103 x 40mm

RGB or backlighting

Yes (customizable)

(Image credit: Future) SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 review: design and features

• Muted looks
• Solid but light construction
• Useful customization software

The Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 doesn’t push the boat out aesthetically. It adopts a rather functional design that’s inoffensive but still sleek enough to work in any environment. The RGB backlighting also helps to offset the somewhat gloomy black finish.

It’s very well made, and the build quality is certainly level with the best keyboards around. It’s quite light for a board that feels this solid and durable, and the double-shot PBT keycaps are an especial highlight, with more texture than others, but feel great under the fingertips. What’s more, their indentations were a perfect fit for my fingers, which improved their tactility and security when hammering away.

The tilt of the layout ensures a comfortable typing position, which is further aided by the two stage feet, which are incredibly stable and offer meaningful differences in angle. This made the Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 comfortable for me despite its lack of wrist support; although for longer sessions, I would still prefer to use a rest with the Apex Pro Mini Gen 3.

The Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 doesn't have an Fn key; instead, you get SteelSeries’ Meta key, which functions in much the same way. There are numerous useful shortcuts available, including those for adjusting actuation points, rapid trigger and other analog functions.

What’s more, these shortcuts are labelled on the keys themselves, which is very helpful, especially on a compact board such as this, lacking as it does arrow keys, a dedicated F row, and the like.

(Image credit: Future)

The Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 can be further customized using SteelSeries GG – or more specifically, the Engine app within GG. It’s a little inconvenient that the latter opens in a separate window to the former, but this is a small complaint.

You’ll find the usual customizations on offer in Engine, with a generous selection of rebinding options available, including plenty of media and system shortcuts. Five configuration slots are available, and there are even preset configurations for certain games, including one for Counter-Strike 2 created by esports brand FaZe Clan.

Being an analog board, there are plenty of actuation adjustments as well. The actuation point can be set between 0.1 and 4mm, and there’s a rapid trigger toggle with its own accompanying slider to adjust sensitivity within the same range.

A protection mode is also available, which reduces the sensitivity of adjacent keys to prevent mispresses. An SOCD feature called rapid tap is present as well, with different key priority behaviors to choose from when two are pressed simultaneously: you can choose which key always has priority, let whichever is pressed last take precedence, or make neither register. There’s also a dual binding mode, although it’s a little annoying that there’s a separate window for setting up dual actuation first, since both rely on each other.

Overall, however, Engine is laid out clearly and features useful explanations for its various features and settings. However, the visualizer for key actuation is severely lacking, as it doesn’t illustrate presses in real time, which I would’ve appreciated so I could see exactly how my tweaks manifest themselves in practice.

Design & features: 5 / 5

SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 review: performance

• Excellent springy keys
• Responsive and precise analog switches
• Great for gaming and typing

The Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 is an excellent performer on pretty much every front. The keys are very light and springy, yet still offer enough dampening and weight lower down in their travel, which helps to provide feedback.

Actuation points are also easy to hit thanks to the tactile switches and relatively long key travel. The space bar is also a highlight thanks to its very satisfying response, and its low profile makes it very easy to hit flush with your thumb tip rather than the edge. In fact, the whole of the bottom row is easy to use, thanks to the slightly concave layout and keycap indentations.

When typing, these indentations are especially useful, offering plenty of security while still allowing for easy gliding around the board. Also, the amount of Meta shortcuts available to access functions reserved for larger layouts makes the Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 more viable for mild productivity purposes.

(Image credit: Future)

Performance: 5 / 5

Should I buy the SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Gen 3? Gamakay TK75HE V2 Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

With a 60% layout and wired-only connectivity, the Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 demands a lot, and there are much cheaper rivals around.

3 / 5

Design and features

The Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 is built to an incredibly high standard, and the software for customizing its analog keys is mostly great.

5 / 5

Performance

The analog switches are springy and satisfying, making them great for gaming and typing. It’s hard to find fault here.

5 / 5

Overall

The Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 does most things right, thanks to its excellent analog switches and superb build quality. It might be eye-wateringly expensive, but there aren’t many that can outperform it.

4.5 / 5

Buy it if…

You want incredible build quality
The board itself and the accompanying software are both expertly engineered. It’s also surprisingly light for something so solid.

You want superlative analog performance
The analog switches are very snappy yet ultra precise, and the layout and feel make it great for gaming and typing.

Don’t buy it if…

You want to save money
The Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 is very expensive no matter how you slice it – especially when you consider its small layout and wired-only connectivity.

You want wireless connectivity
The Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 is wired-only, so those who want to go wireless or switch between multiple devices on the fly might want to look elsewhere.

SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 review: also consider

SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Gen 3

MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra

Gamakay TK75HE V2

Layout

60%

60%

60%

Switch

Analog (Hall-effect magnetic)

Analog (TMR magnetic)

Analog (Hall-effect magnetic)

Programmable keys

Yes

Yes

Yes

Dimensions

11.5 x 4 x 1.6 inches / 293 x 103 x 40mm

Not stated

12.8 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches / 325 x 136 x 28mm

RGB or backlighting

Yes (customizable)

Yes (customizable)

Yes (customizable)

MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra
If you want analog switches at a fraction of the cost of the Apex Pro Mini Gen 3, then the FUN60 Ultra is an excellent choice. Its performance isn’t far behind that of the Apex Pro Mini Gen 3, although it’s not quite so satisfying. However, it offers multiple wireless connectivity modes, whereas the Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 is wired-only. Its software is versatile too, with a few more features than the Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 offers, although it’s not as easy to use. The clunky device switching is another drawback, too.

Gamakay TK75HE V2
The TK75HE V2 is very similar to the FUN60 Ultra in many respects, and although it’s perhaps not quite so satisfying to use, it still competes very admirably considering its relatively low price. However, it suffers from the same software issues as the FUN60 Ultra, so it isn’t quite as refined as Engine.

How I tested the SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Gen 3

• Tested for a few days
• Used for gaming and productivity
• Over a decade of PC gaming experience

I tested the Apex Pro Mini Gen 3 for a few days, during which time I used it for gaming and working, on both Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems.

I played Counter-Strike 2, a great game for testing peripherals, given it requires fast and precise inputs. It’s especially useful when playing with analog keyboards, since the need for controlled micro-movements provides the perfect testing ground for the rapid trigger functionality.

I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and during that time I have experienced a great deal of keyboards. I’ve also reviewed a number of them, including other analog and SteelSeries models.

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

Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad review

The Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad is a premium laptop cooling pad. Its huge 5.5-inch (140mm) fan is capable of spinning at up to dizzying 2,800rpm, meaning it should be perfect for chilling your CPU during heavy workloads. Cheap it certainly isn't, though: costing a cool $119.99 / £129.99 (around AU$190), it's an expensive cooling pad.

However, in return for this princely sum, you get some glacial cooling. I ran a 3DMark Stress Test using our Acer Predator Helios 300 testing laptop with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU. Before the test, the laptop’s ambient temperature sat at 82F / 28C; after running the stress test for 15 minutes with the Llano in place at 2800rpm, the laptop had warmed to only 97F / 36C. That 15F / 8C rise is one of the most impressive results I’ve seen in my time testing laptop cooling pads, and should definitely mean that your laptop will be remain nice and frosty during long gaming sessions.

So, on the plus side, the Llano is more frigid than a blizzard; the downside is it sounds like one, too, with its fans kicking out some gale-force noise. Ten minutes into my benchmarking tests, I used a noise level meter to gauge the sound kicked out by the laptop and the Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad set to maximum – it recorded 64dB from head height and 79dB from only a few inches away. This is much louder than many of the best laptop cooling pads, and, according to the Center for Hearing and Communication, it's roughly the same volume as a small blender, so you likely won’t be popular using this in an office environment.

Overall, the design of the Llano is tastefully done – there are no aggressively sharp angles of the type often seen on gaming accessories, and the RGB lighting is restricted to a single, modest bar around the cooling pad's edge; there are four lighting modes you can cycle through. Note that I did find the power cable a little on the short side: my power socket is just to the left of my desk, but the cable plugs in on the right-hand side of the device, which was more of a stretch.

Ergonomically, the Llano Cooling Pad is well thought-out, too: its slope ensure wrists are held at the perfect angle, and its three different height settings should make it easy for you to find the optimum slope for your needs. Be aware that the laptop rests do come very close to sitting exactly where you’ll want to lay your wrists, though – I’m not sure why so many brands think right below the WASD keys is the perfect place for a jutting piece of plastic; but it's a common problem with laptop cooling pads.

Despite this, the Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad is a fantastic piece of kit, capable of delivering pretty extreme cooling – and looking good while it does it. Yes, it sounds like an idling jet engine, and getting such performance will cost you a pretty penny. However, it will do an astounding job of keeping your laptop cool during demanding tasks, so if you have the money spare, you really can’t go wrong with it.

(Image credit: Future) Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad review: price & availability

• Released July 30, 2023
• List price of $119.99 / £129.99 (around AU$190)

Originally released on July 30, 2023, the Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad retails for $119.99 / £129.99 (around AU$190) on Amazon. However, it's occasionally available for less: at the time of writing, it was reduced to $92.79 in the US – its lowest ever price. It also dropped down to £103.99 in October in the UK, so it's worth keeping your eyes peeled for potential discounts.

At its full price, the Llano definitely comes in at the premium end of the market, dwarfing the price of affordable cooling pads such as the $19.99 / £20.99 Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad. But on the flip side, it offers far better cooling – some budget options saw our testing laptop temperatures rise by over 68F / 20C, while it was just 46F / 8C with the Llano. For high-intensity gaming or creative work, you may well find that extra spend is well worth it.

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad? Buy it if…

You want icy cooling
Even during an intensive CPU workout, this laptop cooling pad kept our testing laptop from warming any more than single digits – that’s positively polar cooling.

You want comfortable, ergonomic design
With three height settings, it’s easy to find the perfect angle to support your wrists while using this laptop cooling pad. And its memory foam pad and laptop rests keep your laptop firmly in place.

Don’t buy it if…

You can’t handle a bit of noise
The Llano is no shrinking violet: when it’s hard at work, you’ll definitely hear it. When it’s running at its peak speed of 2800rpm, it hits around 80dB, which is about as loud as a garbage disposal or dishwasher.

You want an explicit gamer aesthetic
While it features stylish RGB lighting, this laptop cooling pad is still pretty discreet. If you fancy something with a much more in-your-face gamer look, you’ll probably want to look elsewhere.

(Image credit: Future) Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad review: also consider

Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad
If your budget won't stretch that far, my current pick for affordable laptop cooling pads would have to be the Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad. In the same benchmarking tests run on the Llano, the Liangstar saw our laptop temperature rise from 22.2ºC to 37.5ºC – a rise of just 15.3ºC. Not bad, given it costs just $19.99 / £20.99 / AU$66.91. Read our full Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad review.

How I tested the Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad

• Tested the cooling pad over several days
• Measured the device’s cooling during a stress test on a gaming laptop
• Used a sound level meter to assess how much noise it made

When testing the Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad, I ran it through TechRadar’s standard benchmarking tests. First, I used a thermal camera to record the temperature of the hottest point of our Acer Predator Helios 300 with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 testing laptop as a baseline. I then ran a 3DMark Stress Test for 15 minutes with the Llano dialled up to its maximum cooling, before recording its new temperature.

I also used a sound level meter to check how much noise the device kicks out while running. Once our stress test had been underway for 10 minutes, I checked the volume of the combined noise of the laptop and cooling pad from a few inches away and from head height. I then compared this to the noise generated by the laptop’s fans alone, when it wasn’t being cooled.

On top of all of this benchmarking data, I made sure I got plenty of experience using the laptop cooler, to assess factors such as comfort, stability and ergonomics. Here I was helped by many years of experience reviewing gadgets and several decades spent gaming on laptops.

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

MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra: one-minute review

The MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra is a compact wireless gaming keyboard with TMR switches, which claim to have greater precision than other analog varieties. It certainly makes a good first impression, with its sleek yet minimal looks, which are accentuated in the white colorway, and makes the RGB appear even more vibrant.

The build quality is also excellent. This is quite a heavy board for the size, which may be a positive or a negative depending on your preferences. But the overall construction is hard to fault.

Thankfully, the FUN60 Ultra isn’t too thick, which makes it more comfortable to use – although, as with most keyboards I’ve tried, some wrist support still would’ve been welcomed for extended sessions.

The PBT keycaps are similarly premium, and feel just as satisfying as you could wish for from any of the best gaming keyboards around, thanks to their smooth texture that offers just enough grip.

However, perhaps the worst aspect of the FUN60 Ultra’s design is the switch for toggling between Windows, Mac, and wired modes. It’s located underneath the Caps Lock, which means removing this keycap every time you want to change modes. What’s more, this switch isn’t labelled and has a different orientation to the manual illustrations, all of which makes knowing which position to select harder than it should be.

The FUN60 Ultra can be customized using the MonsGeek Driver, which offers all the usual gaming keyboard adjustments, alongside plenty of analog-related tweaks. It’s very versatile in this regard, but there are a few issues with it, such as the cumbersome actuation adjustment process, and the uninformative visualizer that accompanies it.

When it comes to performance, however, I found little wrong with the FUN60 Ultra. The keys are snappy and very satisfying to use, with plenty of bounce but enough dampening for enhanced tactility, which is a boon for typing as well as gaming.

Connecting the FUN60 Ultra via the 2.4GHz dongle and Bluetooth proved easy enough, with no discernible dips in performance over wired play. Switching between wireless and wired modes, though, was more hassle than it should have been.

Battery life seems quite good, with the RGB indicator staying green after a couple of days of varied use. Unfortunately, the software doesn’t provide a percentage, so I wasn’t able to get a precise read on how much remained.

When you consider its relatively low price, the FUN60 Ultra represents great value for those after a high-end analog keyboard experience, as it punches far above its class in terms of performance. It’s slightly cheaper than the Gamakay TK75HE V2, which is one of its closest rivals, although this has a slightly larger layout and is wired only.

For a more luxurious alternative, the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 is one of the best analog keyboards around, but is considerably more expensive than the FUN60 Ultra, and doesn’t outstrip its performance by as much as the price difference might lead you to believe. So if you’re looking to get into the analog gaming keyboard world, the FUN60 Ultra is a great place to start.

(Image credit: Future) MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra review: price and availability

• $89.99 / £75.59 / AU$142.54
• Available now in black and white
• Very well priced

The FUN60 Ultra costs $89.99 / £75.59 / AU$142.54 and is available now in white and black finishes. It comes with a keycap puller, a switch puller, a 2.4GHz USB-A dongle, and a USB-A-to-C cable. You can also configure it with PBT or PBT-SP keycaps. Wired and Hall effect variants are available as well, with cheaper price tags.

This makes the FUN60 Ultra one of the cheapest analog keyboards you can buy, and has the potential to be one of the best cheap gaming keyboards around. Other budget-friendly examples include the Gamakay TK75HE, which is slightly more expensive and is wired only but has a larger 75% layout. It performs similarly to the FUN60 Ultra, although the keys don’t feel quite as bouncy and therefore satisfying in my view.

If you want something more premium, the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 is one of the best analog keyboards I’ve experienced, offering very responsive and accurate presses. This also has a larger layout, but is considerably more expensive than the FUN60 Ultra, and the difference in performance isn’t as great as you might expect. However, the FUN60 Ultra is probably the easier board to live with, and the software, while not featuring quite as many tweaks, is still better to use.

Value: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future) MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra review: specs

Layout

60%

Switch

Analog (TMR)

Programmable keys

Yes

Dimensions

Not stated

RGB or backlighting

Yes (customizable)

(Image credit: Future) MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra review: design and features

• Great build quality
• Bizarre selector switch placement
• Software isn’t the best engineered

The FUN60 Ultra has a neat and minimalist design, with a few design quirks that hint at its intended audience, such as the (rather pointless) side hook and diagonally cut corners. It looks sleek, and in its white finish, quite vibrant, which is emphasized further by the RGB backlighting.

The overall build quality is excellent, with the chassis feeling reassuringly solid, although it’s quite heavy despite its compact size. There isn’t much tilt angle, and the lack of feet means you won’t be able to adjust this.

Thankfully, though, the body isn’t too thick, so I found it comfortable to use, even without wrist support – although for longer sessions I would benefit from using a rest, and I suspect others would too.

The keycaps feel very premium, as you would expect from their PBT construction. It’s a shame, though, that they’re not labelled with their Fn shortcuts, so you’ll have to keep the manual close by.

One very annoying aspect of the FUN60 Ultra is the fact that the switch for toggling between Windows, Mac, and wired connectivity is located under the Caps Lock, which means you have to remove this keycap every time you want to switch between them.

Why MonsGeek chose this location is beyond me. What’s more, the switch isn’t labelled, and runs vertically rather than horizontally as pictured in the manual, so there’s no way of knowing which side is Windows and which is Mac (for your information, down is Windows, up is Mac).

The FUN60 Ultra can be customized using the MonsGeek Driver. Here you’ll find the typical gaming keyboard features, including a macro creator, a section for altering the RGB backlighting, and key remapping.

(Image credit: Future)

The latter offers a reasonable selection of media and system shortcuts, although these aren’t as copious as some gaming keyboards provide. You can bind mouse movements to keys, though, which isn’t a function that’s always present in customization software.

As you’d expect given its analog switches, there are also plenty of actuation adjustments available. You can set the actuation and reset points independently, with a range between 0.1mm and 3.4mm, and there are various modes and features you can use too.

These include a non-stop rapid trigger, continuous trigger and snap tap modes, as well as the ability to bind up to four inputs to a single key, depending on its actuation point and direction of travel. There’s also a rapid trigger stabilizer setting, which prevents unintended inputs when setting very short actuation points.

This makes it a versatile piece of software, with more actuation tweaks than some other software provides. However, the tool isn’t the easiest to use, and I experienced a number of issues with it.

The window can’t be resized, and there are relatively long loading times after making certain changes. I also experienced an issue where the drop-down menus wouldn’t work, requiring a full restart of my PC to rectify – although admittedly, this might’ve been an issue with my particular system rather than with the software itself.

What’s more, while there’s a visualizer to simulate key actuation in real time, this can lag at times, and the color-coded bar representing presses and releases fails to change with the actuation points you set, so its usefulness is somewhat limited. More frustration comes in the form of having to hit a confirm button every time you make these tweaks – and doing so when multiple keys are selected deselects them all (bar one), which only makes the process more cumbersome.

Design & features: 3.5 / 5

MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra review: performance

• Bouncy keys
• Short yet controlled travel
• Great for typing and gaming

The overall performance of the FUN60 Ultra is very good. The TMR magnetic switches I had in my review unit promise a lot, claiming to be even more accurate than Hall effect ones.

In practice, I can’t say I noticed a huge improvement in this regard, but that’s certainly not to disparage them. They are very snappy and tactile, with just enough dampening to make them very satisfying to hammer away on. In terms of feel, they come close to giving some of the best mechanical keyboards a run for their money. And despite the short travel of the keys, there’s enough resistance to make for controlled presses.

The typing performance is also excellent, largely thanks to the fast rebound of the keys. And while it has a clicky sound, it’s not as loud as some other analog keyboards. I would label the FUN60 Ultra as a great keyboard for productivity, if it wasn’t for the compromised layout, which doesn’t even include arrow keys or a dedicated F row.

(Image credit: Future)

Connectivity is mostly great, with no dropouts of noticeable lag when using wireless modes. Switching between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz modes on the fly using the relevant Fn shortcuts also proved responsive enough.

However, switching between wireless and wired modes isn’t the easiest, due to the aforementioned location of the selector switch under the Caps Lock. Worse still was the fact that on occasion, the FUN60 Ultra wouldn’t connect to my wired device even with the selector in the right position, requiring me to remove the 2.4GHz dongle from my other device before it would, which only adds to the inconvenience of switching between devices.

Battery life on the FUN60 Ultra seems quite good. After using it for a couple of days, the backlight indicator remained green, which means it at least remained above 90%. However, I can’t be more accurate than this, since there’s no percentage readout in the software.

Performance: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra? MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

There aren’t many cheaper analog keyboards than this, especially those with TMR sensors.

4 / 5

Design and features

The FUN60 Ultra is solid and premium feeling, although the decision to place the connectivity toggle under the Caps Lock key is baffling. The software offers plenty of tweaks, but it’s not the easiest to use.

3.5 / 5

Performance

The FUN60 Ultra is snappy and with plenty of bounce, with just enough dampening to make it satisfying. Great for gaming and typing.

4.5 / 5

Overall rating

The FUN60 Ultra offers a very compelling package, with top-tier analog switches and build quality at a relatively low price. A few usability issues aside, it’s a great value gaming keyboard all the same.

4 / 5

Buy it if…

You want responsive, satisfying switches
The analog switches are responsive, and that bouncy feel is great for gaming and typing.

You want to save money
For a wireless keyboard with analog TMR switches and PBT keycaps, the FUN60 Ultra is hard to beat in terms of value for money.

Don’t buy it if…

You want a keyboard for productivity
Despite its excellent typing performance, the 60% layout means you’re missing out on some useful functions, such as arrow keys, F keys, and the home-end cluster.

You want to hot-switch between devices
Switching between wired and wireless devices was needlessly convoluted, and concealing the mode switch beneath the Caps Lock key is one of the worst design choices I’ve come across.

MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra review: also consider

MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra

Gamakay TK75HE V2

SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3

Layout

60%

75%

TKL

Switch

Analog (TMR magnetic)

Analog (Hall-effect magnetic)

Analog (Hall-effect magnetic)

Programmable keys

Yes

Yes

Yes

Dimensions

Not stated

12.8 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches / 325 x 136 x 28mm

14 x 5 x 1.7 inches / 355 x 129 x 42mm

RGB or backlighting

Yes (customizable)

Yes (customizable)

Yes (customizable)

Gamakay TK75HE V2
If you’re looking for an analog keyboard without spending large amounts, the TK75HE V2 is another contender in the space. It uses Hall effect rather than TMR sensors in its switches, which in theory are less precise, but you’d be hard pressed to notice the difference. I didn’t find it quite so satisfying in terms of feel, but it still acquits itself very admirably at this price. It does suffer from software issues, however. Read our Gamakay TK75HE V2 review.

SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3
The Apex Pro is a premium analog gaming keyboard in every sense. It has excellent analog switches, offering plenty of precision and responsiveness. The software for customizing is also better than MonsGeek’s, but you’ll certainly have to pay for all these privileges, and the performance isn’t exactly streaks ahead of the FUN60 Ultra’s. But if only the best analog keyboard will do, the Apex Pro is hard to beat. Read our SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 review.

How I tested the MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra

• Tested for a few days
• Used for gaming and typing
• Plentiful PC gaming experience

I tested the FUN60 Ultra for a few days, during which time I used it for gaming and typing. I also made use of its various connectivity modes, and used it on both Windows 10 and Windows 11 machines.

I played Counter-Strike 2, which is a great test for peripherals given its need for fast and accurate inputs. It’s also ideal for putting analog switches through their paces, with counter-strafing and other player movements revealing the effectiveness of rapid trigger modes.

I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and I’ve experienced plenty of keyboards in that time. I’ve also reviewed a number of them, ranging in manufacturer, switch type, and price.

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

You might not think it to look at the Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF, but this 27-inch monitor is actually a portable display.

Now, we’ve reviewed plenty of the best portable monitors, but most clock in at around 14 to 16 inches - so this is a big jump.

It might be relatively light, all things considered, and it does have a built-in kickstand, but with a screen this size, this isn’t one for whipping out to work in the library or cafe, or playing games on a long flight. To my mind, this is a screen designed for businesses, collaboration, and a second screen for desktop set-ups, especially across multiple locations.

We’ve previously reviewed the 24-inch Asus ZenScreen MB249C portable monitor. It’s not dissimilar in design, but we found it had a few flaws - chiefly the low resolution (1080p) and pixel density (92.56 ppi), and the so-so built-in speaker, a perennial issue for portable displays. It seems Asus has sat up and taken notice. The new MB27ACF now boasts a 2.5K resolution that better suits the big-screen experience, a pixel density of 218 ppi, and vastly better speakers.

I took the Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF for a test drive for several weeks as a second screen hooked up to a 14in laptop, to see how it measures up against my favorite portable displays.

Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF: Unboxing & first impressions Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Asus // Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Asus // Future) Specs

Screen size: 27in

Panel: IPS, LED

Resolution: 2560x1440

Pixel density: 218 ppi

Color space: 99% sRGB

Brightness: 300 nits

Ports: 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x USB-C (DP Alt), 1x 3.5mm audio jack

USB-C Power Delivery: 70W

In the box: Monitor, monitor arm, hanging hooks, HDMI cable, USB-C cable, PSU

VESA mount: 75x75mm

Dimensions: 24.06" x 29.76" x 11.85in / 61.1 x 75.6 x 30.1cm

Weight: 6.57 lbs / 2.98 kg

First impressions? This display is big. Far bigger than any portable monitor I’ve used in the past. At first glance, I seriously doubted the portability of this display.

In the box you’ll find the VESA-mountable display, of course, alongside a pretty hefty monitor arm, hanging hooks for attaching to whiteboards, HDMI and USB-C cables, and the power supply unit.

Despite my initial misgivings, drawing it from the box, I was pleasantly surprised with how easy it is to carry. Yes, it’s large and relatively heavy at 6.57 lbs before any stand is attached, though not ridiculously so. I wouldn’t like to cart this around on the commute every day, particularly since it lacks any protective covering or sleeve.

With that in mind, I maintain this is still best for multiple set-ups across a single location.

Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF: Design & operation Image 1 of 4

(Image credit: Asus // Future)Image 2 of 4

(Image credit: Asus // Future)Image 3 of 4

(Image credit: Asus // Future)Image 4 of 4

(Image credit: Asus // Future)

Given its size, to look at the MB27ACF, you’d be forgiven for thinking this is just an ordinary computer monitor. The screen is broad, the bezels are fairly slim, except along the bottom of the frame where you’ll find the speakers - a 2.1-channel audio with subwoofer that’s acceptable in use.

It’s only when you spin the monitor around that it gives itself away as a portable device. Around the back is a fold-out silver kickstand that pulls out and downward, which helps support the weight compared to those that just flip out from the bottom. Asus is billing this as a carry handle, but I wouldn’t chance it.

Initially, I found folding out this stand was a bit stiff, and I’d advise using a hand on either side to pull it into position, because it does feel like one hard yank might snap it. Once out, you can set it to multiple positions depending on desk-space and required viewing angle. At the center of the rear is a socket for attaching the C-clamp monitor arm, too.

Along the left side is the power jack, alongside three ports - a HDMI, USB-C, and audio jack. On the right is the menu, arrow keys, and power buttons. As such, operation is very straightforward. That USB-C port also offers 70W power delivery, letting you charge your laptop via the monitor, which is useful if you’re short on power sockets - the monitor already uses one, and there’s no built-in battery to help keep down the weight.

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(Image credit: Asus // Future)

Throughout testing, I had no trouble using this transportable monitor. It does everything I needed it to do without any fuss or issues, no dead pixels, problems seeing what’s on the screen. Yes, it is heavy. So, as a fully portable monitor, it’s not ideal. That’s not what it’s designed for, of course.

Surprisingly, the speakers were… acceptable. You’re never going to get high-end audio from a device like this, however, the sounds here are a lot less tinny than on many of the speakers on portable monitors. Saying that, I’d still recommend making use of the display’s 3.5mm audio jack or external speakers for tasks that demand the best audio experience.

Outside of that kickstand, which I would’ve liked to see somewhat reinforced, my only real issue is I didn’t find the screen especially bright. The display has a matte covering, which does a great job of limiting screen glare and reflections, but I’d hesitate to use this in direct sunlight.

I would’ve loved this to have a wider color gamut, too. 100% sRGB is fine for creating online assets. But now imagine if this packed 100% P3, or even AdobeRGB - it would make it a very attractive choice for mobile photographers, video editors, and all-round creators who want to conduct detailed creative work. And, wishful thinking though it may be, i can’t help feeling it’s a missed opportunity.

Realistically, though, that’s not who this monitor is for. It’s for business professionals in a collaborative office, and those who want a second screen on their desk that can be easily stashed away when not in use. On that score, the Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF delivers the goods.

Should I buy the Asus ZenScreen MB27ACF?

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

✅ You want a big, portable display: With its 27in screen, this is a great choice for those who want a large screen with a high resolution for detailed work, and to supplement your laptop or computer screen.

✅ You’re collaborating with others: For my money, this display is best-suited for businesses who need to collaborate with colleagues or present to the wider team.

Don't buy it if...

❌ You want ultra portability: Ok, it might be thin, light, and transportable, but the size and weight limit its portability - I’d suggest only moving this around multiple spaces in a single location, like an office.

❌ You’re a content creator: At just 100% sRGB, this monitor lacks a wide color gamut demanded by creative professionals like photographers.

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