TechRadar Reviews

Keychron G5 review

The Keychron G5 is a small and lightweight symmetrical gaming mouse designed for both work and play.

It sports a gamer-centric design, with nondescript patterns embossed all over the unit. I can’t say I found these appealing, looking dated as they did, but at least they’re reasonably discreet, given they’re close to the same shade of black as the base color. Their texture feels good in the hand, too.

With its small and ergonomic, it sits low to the ground, while the mouse buttons slope downwards quite prominently, and feature deep indents to secure your fingers. The sidewalls are similarly cinched, and the whole unit is narrower and less bulky than many of the best gaming mice.

(Image credit: Future)

It’s no surprise, then, that the G5 is also very light. Weighing just 43g, it's one of the lightest models around. Despite this, it feels well-made: the plastics used are solid and premium-feeling, and put together without a hint of looseness or rattle. All the various buttons feel stable and tightly installed, too.

However, there aren’t many of them. There are no extra inputs beyond the usual, not even a DPI button, which may prove inconvenient for those wishing to switch between productivity and gaming regularly.

All this isn’t to say the G5 is bereft of features, though. Thanks to Keychron’s Web Launcher software, accessible via your browser, there are plenty of input customizations and performance tweaks on tap. Remapping assignments include various system and media shortcuts, (although these are confined to the most basic ones), macros (a macro creator is featured here for this purpose), and DPI and polling rate toggles.

There’s also a remapping mode called Gaming Keys, which allows you to assign a key or mouse button that repeatedly triggers while holding down your chosen button. As well as selecting the number of times it fires, you can also alter the rate of fire in millisecond increments, from 10ms to 1000ms.

(Image credit: Future)

As for performance tweaks, there are three settings for the lift-off distance (0.7mm, 1mm, and 2mm), as well as toggles for motion sync, angle snap, and ripple control. You can also adjust the debounce times for every button on the G5, not just the left and right clicks. Each has a slider with a range of 0-20ms, adjustable in millisecond increments.

It’s somewhat disappointing that the G5 uses a web app for these customizations, as I usually prefer standalone apps for the sake of convenience and ease of use. However, I have to say that Keychron’s works better than many others I’ve tried, proving responsive and stable during my time with it.

In action, the G5 is very effective. It glides very smoothly and easily, thanks to that aforementioned weight and the frictionless skates. Its ergonomic proportions and textured sides made for a comfortable grip and problem-free lift-offs as well.

However, in wired mode, this maneuverability is somewhat compromised, owing to the resistance introduced by the USB cable. I didn’t find the dragging sensation as strong as other gaming mouse cables I’ve experienced, and the upwardly curved jack does help to free the cable from your desktop, like a mouse bungee does. Unfortunately, the benefit here is comparatively marginal; ultimately the cable was still detrimental to my movements.

(Image credit: Future)

The left and right clicks were also heavier than I expected, which I noticed when playing Counter-Strike 2. They failed to provide the snappiness I was after when spamming clicks. But they’re not heavy to the point of being prohibitive and they’re nicely damped, which lends them a satisfying feel.

Oddly, the scroll wheel is perhaps the most pleasing input of them all. Its soft yet textured material feels good and offers a secure grip, while the notching of the wheel itself feels excellent. It’s solid enough to prevent misfires, yet loose enough to allow for fast flicks when needed, such as when navigating web pages or documents. The middle click is also easy to actuate without triggering accidental scrolls.

Connectivity is very good, too. It connected to my devices via Bluetooth and the 2.4GHz USB dongle without issue, and I didn’t experience any drops or lag in my connections. Hot-switching between devices is also easy, thanks to the underside selector. However, I did find that the DPI value I set when connected via the dongle didn’t carry over when I hot-switched to Bluetooth, an issue that’s exacerbated by the absence of a DPI button on the G5.

I wasn’t able to extensively test the battery life of the G5, but it doesn’t seem to be particularly enduring. After about a day of use, switching between two different PCs connected via the two wireless modes, the battery depleted by about 10%.

The G5 isn’t exactly a budget mouse, but it represents good value considering its build quality, performance, customization options and multiple connectivity modes. It might not have many inputs compared to others in the sector, and the clicks are a bit too heavy for certain situations, but these are about its only drawbacks. All in all, then, the G5 makes a compelling rival to the big hitters in the space.

Keychron G5 review: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future)

• $109.99 (about £80 / AU$160)
• Available now in black
• Good value for the spec

The Keychron G5 costs $109.99 (about £80 / AU$160) and is available now in black only. It can be bought directly from Keychron’s website, where international shipping is offered. Charges and additional taxes depend on your region.

For an 8K gaming mouse with multiple connectivity modes and a supremely lightweight construction, the G5 represents good value for money. Pointers from the big brands with comparable specs usually cost more, such as the Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro. This mouse lacks Bluetooth support as well, although we were mighty impressed with its performance when we reviewed it, ranking among the best esports mice you can get right now.

If you need more inputs, the Logitech G502 X Plus is a prime candidate. The line to which this mouse belongs has been a perennial favorite of the gaming community for years. It features 13 buttons, all customizable thanks to Logitech’s versatile G Hub software. What’s more, it’s about the same price as the G5.

Should I buy the Keychron G5?Scorecard

Value

Expensive in absolute terms, but for a 43g 8K mouse with multiple connectivity options and plenty of customizations, it’s a good deal.

4.5 / 5

Design

Small, super light, and very comfortable. The pattern looks a little dated, though.

4.5 / 5

Performance

Very smooth and satisfying, but those heavy clicks do let the side down a little. Connectivity is mostly great, save for the DPI reset issue.

4 / 5

Final score

The G5 mightn’t suit every gamer, but it’s certainly worth considering if you prize lightness and a comfortable form.

4 / 5

Buy it if…

You want something comfortable
At just 43g, the G5 is easy to move around, and the small yet ergonomic shape is easy to grip, too.

You like to tinker
Keychron’s web app offers all sorts of customizations and tweaks that should please pro-level gamers.

Don't buy it if…

You want plenty of inputs
The G5 only gets the basic buttons — there’s not even a DPI cycler, although you could remap another button for this purpose.

You want the snappiest clicks
While clicks are satisfyingly damped, I found them a little too heavy for spamming quickly.

Keychron G5 review: Also consider

Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro
If you want to play like the pros, this is the mouse for you. We loved how well it performed when we reviewed it, and were even taken by its fantastic optical scroll wheel. It’s costlier than the G5 and lacks the same multiple wireless connectivity options, but the V4 Pro is just about the best pure gaming pointer right now in our eyes. Read our full Razer DeathAdder V4 Pro review.

Logitech G502 X Plus
The G502 line has been acclaimed by gamers for years, and this edition is no less impressive. It has a lot more buttons than the G5, all of which are programmable. It also has an ergonomic shape, although it’s much larger and heavier, so not ideal for those looking to shed the weight. Read our full Logitech G502 X Plus review.

How I tested the Keychron G5

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested for a few days
• Used for working and gaming
• Extensive gaming mouse experience

I tested the Keychron G5 for a few days, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general browsing.

I played Counter-Strike 2, a stern test for peripherals given the demands it places on quick movements and accurate aiming. I also made sure to try out as many of the mouse’s customization features via the Keychron Web Launcher.

I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and have used a large number of gaming mice in that time. I’ve also reviewed plenty of them, across a broad range of price points, form factors, and feature sets.

• Read more about how we test
• First reviewed: July 2026

Specs

Type: color multifunction laser printer

Functions: Print, scan, copy, fax, ADF

Connectivity: Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi

Data storage slots: USB Host

Max print speed: 25ppm

Max paper size: Letter / A4

Print quality: 600x600 dpi (4,800 dpi color)

Memory: 1GB

Apple AirPrint: yes

Consumables included: 4 x toner cartridges (750 black, 500 color pages)

Dimensions: 16.18 x 15.71 x 13.58in (411 x 399 x 345 mm (WxDxH)

Weight: 42.9lbs/19.5kg

The first real fruit of the Xerox/Lexmark collaboration is a mid-priced multifunction laser printer aimed at hybrid workers and small businesses looking for high performance from a compact device that doesn’t need IT support.

It’s essentially Lexmark hardware with Xerox software and support, which sounds to me like the best of both worlds. The Lexmark print engine has proved fast and efficient in the past, but I much prefer the Xerox interface and Easy Assist App, so let’s see if this middle-of-the-road office all-in-one is worthy to wear the refreshed Xerox logo.

Xerox C255a: Design and build

(Image credit: Future)

The Xerox C255a is impressively compact for a four-in-one device with two paper inputs and a 50-sheet automatic document feeder (ADF). The main tray can hold up to 250 sheets of A4 or letter paper, while the slot-loading multipurpose tray is for single sheets or envelopes. It’s smaller than the Brother MFC-L8970CDW in all dimensions, which is good, but it’s a pity the display is less than half that printer’s size at just 2.8 inches. At least there’s a USB Host port beside the front panel, in addition to the USB data port at the rear.

It looks much like the Lexmark MC3326i on which this new model is based, except that it now has a playfully shaped plastic front panel that bends its top right corner outwards just enough to look like a furling sheet of paper, while offering an easy way to open up the toner compartment door. The black and gray livery looks smart and it’s showcasing the reworked Xerox logo, which now features a kind of crosshead screw icon that looks like a nod to Lexmark’s green square logo.

It’s reassuringly heavy at just under 20kg or 43lbs and it feels well made, from fifty percent recycled plastic. The toner cartridges lock into place with a satisfying click and the paper drawer opens smoothly. In short, build quality is a strong point. You can even add an optional swivel cabinet or adjustable stand, but sadly, you can’t add another paper cassette.

Xerox C255a: Features & specifications

(Image credit: Future)

As the company’s mid-priced model, the Xerox C255a has all the features on my check list to be among the best small business printers. Wi-Fi with AirPrint and Chromebook compatibility is built in, there’s a USB flash memory slot, strong security and a manual paper feed in addition to the main tray. It can auto duplex print, of course, but it can’t auto duplex scan. That feature is reserved for the step-up Xerox C325.

The print rate is also appreciably slower than the Xerox C325. That said, our Xerox C255a is no slouch at 26ppm (pages per minute) in simplex mode and it doesn’t slow down much when duplexing. I think it’s fast enough for the needs of most businesses.

Print resolution is the usual 600x600 DPI which matches the scan resolution, while color printing is enhanced to 4,800 DPI. The 1GHz processor and 1GB of RAM is an improvement on the old Lexmark and Xerox’s recommended duty cycle of up to 50,000 pages per month suggests that this is a printer that can handle a very heavy workload.

Xerox C255a: Setup and operation

(Image credit: Future)

I found the setup procedure to be quick and painless and did not need to reach for the single-page quick start guide. You just have to remove all the transport packaging, load your paper, power up and follow the on-screen prompts to get online and print the first test page.

The inbuilt 2.8-inch display is rather small, but it’s intuitive and Xerox’s setup procedure makes it easy to link your smartphone so you can use the helpful Easy Assist companion app to get your printer onto your Wi-Fi network for the first time.

Day-to-day operation is simplified by the user-friendly OS which I think Xerox always did better than Lexmark. The Lexmark MC3326i always suffered from a lazy touchscreen and more convoluted menu system, which I’m happy to say has been much improved.

Xerox C255a: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

Firstly, the pages of crisp dark text on plain paper pumped out by the Xerox C255a look great and explain why Xerox was so keen to purchase Lexmark’s print engine. It’s not the quietest laser printer in its class, nor the fastest, but the black on white print quality is consistently excellent. Characters printed at small point sizes always appear legible and well delineated when viewed through a magnifying glass.

Mixed color documents are less impressive because the C/M/Y toner, which doesn’t appear to have changed since the Lexmark days, is somewhat dull. The color tones are actually quite natural and consistent, but they certainly don’t pop in the way that they do with the HP Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw, for example. I don’t think this is a problem for printing handouts and reports etc, but photographs, even when printed on laser photo paper, tend to look flat and disappointing.

The scanner bed and ADF both worked flawlessly during the tests and made accurate multipage copies swiftly and without paper jams. The duplicates appeared noticeably paler than the originals, but not enough to be a problem. As a digital copier, the Xerox C255a is fine, but without single-pass dual scanning, that’s not its strongest suit.

Xerox C255a: Consumables

(Image credit: Future)

The Xerox C255a ships with four pre-loaded starter cartridges containing just enough toner to print 750 black and pages, or 500 in color. That means they’re less than a third full because Xerox’s standard carts yield 1,200 color and 1,300 black pages, while the high-capacity carts yield up to 2500 color and 3,000 black pages.

With the highest yield black Xerox cartridges costing around US$100 or £98, the cost per page can be reasonably competitive, although it’s by no means the lowest running cost among laser printers in this class.

Apart from the badge, the cartridges look identical to those of the Lexmark MC33261i and contain the same toner, so we can assume they’re compatible.

Xerox C255a: Maintenance

(Image credit: Future)

Apart from replacing the toner cartridges, the Xerox C255a may require a new waste toner cartridge costing around $20 when the original becomes full.

The imaging drums are not built into the toner cartridges in this case, so they will also need to be swapped out if you notice serious deterioration in print quality or you receive the dreaded ‘Replace Drum’ message on the display.

None of those things should happen before around 40,000 prints, so I’d say this is a low-maintenance device.

Xerox C255a: Final verdictFutureFutureFutureFutureFuture

The Xerox C255a performed well enough in all of my tests to recommend it to both home workers with high print demands and small businesses in a shared office. It’s compact enough to sit on your desk at home, while also having the print speed and paper/ink capacity to serve a small workgroup, and thanks to the intuitive touchscreen interface and strong app support, you’re unlikely to need IT backup.

It’s not the quietest of laser printers, nor the fastest and it lacks high-end features like NFC or single-pass dual scanning, but crucially, it does have all the essentials, such as Wi-Fi with AirPrint, an ADF and robust security. There’s not much toner in the starter cartridges, but Xerox’s high-yield refills are reasonably priced. Build quality is also reassuringly solid and having tested the Lexmark on which this Xerox is based, I can confirm that it’s a genuine improvement rather than just a rebrand.

For more top-rated options, I've tested out the best home printers and the best laser printers.

Private Internet Access (PIA) is a fifteen-year veteran of the VPN industry, and has carved out a niche as a privacy-focused VPN with tons of customization. Tech vets and power users will appreciate this, certainly, but PIA also nails the basics, making it a solid pick for beginners.

Admittedly, PIA isn't as feature-rich as its closest competitors, and can't keep up with the likes of NordVPN and Surfshark when it comes to releasing new, innovative tools. It's still one of the cheaper VPNs on the market, though, with a 3-year plan coming in at just $2.03 per month.

Keep reading, and I'll dig into PIA's spread of features, speed testing results, and unblocking power. How does it stack up against today's top contenders? Let's find out.

Features

Comparing PIA against its closest competitors, like NordVPN, you might think that it falls short when it comes to features. However, we think that it's a matter of quality over quantity - especially when you consider how many of PIA's tools can be tweaked on a granular level.

Its split-tunnel feature lets you differentiate between apps, IPs, and whether VMs are covered by the tunnel, alongside separate options for forcing DNS requests through PIA’s in-house encrypted DNS servers even if you’re not using the VPN tunnel.

PIA gives you access to some automation rules that you can use to force the VPN to activate (or deactivate) when you’re connecting to certain networks, making it just that little bit easier to work PIA into your daily routine.

Plus, it also uses its own encrypted DNS servers, which keep your browser requests hidden from your ISP. This also allows it to offer Mace, which is a built-in ad, tracker, and malware blocker. By blocking requests to known malicious URLs using their DNS server, Mace keeps unwanted content from being sent to your machine. It’s a good idea, but our testing suggests it shouldn’t be your only defense against ads.

There are some pretty strong obfuscation settings on offer from PIA too, giving you the choice between Shadowsocks and a SOCKS 5 proxy. Both will wrap your VPN connection inside a separate TLS tunnel, making it appear to anyone monitoring your data as though you’re just sending normal encrypted browsing traffic.

While Shadowsocks is a little outdated compared to the obfuscation ExpressVPN offers, it’s still one of the best solutions if you’re being blocked from creating VPN connections by a network administrator.

Shadowsocks is also the foundation for PIA's attempt at multihop. Since its multihop solution is more a part of its obfuscation capabilities than an individual feature, PIA's solution isn't entirely simple. What's more, it's only compatible with OpenVPN, and you won't be warned that multihop will stop should you switch back to WireGuard.

Features score: 8/10

Server network

PIA's servers are spread across 91 countries and 152 locations, including coverage in all 50 US states. Some of the American servers are virtually hosted, however, but PIA is still one of only a handful of VPNs with this kind of presence in the US. Only NordVPN even comes close in terms of North American locations, but with only 17 locations to choose from in the US, it still doesn’t hold a candle to PIA.

Unfortunately, the server network is less impressive on an international scale. PIA lacks coverage across Asia, in particular, lagging behind our other top-rated VPNs. The same can be said for Africa, the Middle East, and Oceania, but this is a rather grim constant across the industry.

Pivoting back to PIA's virtual servers, I was pleasantly surprised to see that PIA doesn't try to hide them away or pretend they don't exist. On the PIA site, they're called "geolocated servers", and you can see at a glance where they're really located.

This honesty is refreshing, but it does highlight just how many virtual locations PIA offers - more than 80, which is more than half of PIA's total location count.

If you're looking for a rock-solid choice for America, with plenty of Stateside coverage, PIA is a stellar choice. If you have your eye on more far-flung corners of the globe, however, the provider just doesn't have the same reach as the likes of NordVPN.

Server network score: 7/10

Apps

PIA has apps for virtually every platform, including Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Linux. They're well-designed and simple, and we found that feature parity is consistent between them. This is a nice change from the norm – a lot of VPNs leave their Mac and Linux users underfed, after all.

The desktop experience is straightforward. Check under the hood, however, and you'll find a roster of handy tools. The quick-connect bar lists different locations, split between your favorite servers and the last server you connected to. It's a handy timesaver if you find yourself frequently swapping between a handful of locations.

(Image credit: Future)

There are two different ways to set up the client dashboard. The first is a basic interface that just gives you the connect button, the location selector, and a reminder of what your home IP and VPN IP are. It’s everything the average user needs to see at a glance, but if you’re interested in all of the techy stuff you can hit the dropdown button and you’ll be presented with a wealth of information, including in-depth details on your connection performance, session statistics, and all the choices you’ve made about how your VPN protocol is set up. It’s all very efficient in how it’s presented, wasting minimal space in the app window.

There’s also a VPN snooze timer that lets you turn the connection off for a few minutes. It’s rare that I’m turning off my VPN regularly enough to remember that there’s a feature to turn it off for a few minutes at a time, but it works and it’s convenient.

While the Android app used to look fairly outdated compared to the rest of the PIA line, a recent update brings the Android app in line with its desktop counterparts as well as the iOS version. The update hasn’t just given it a slick new UI, as you’ve also got access to a new dark mode and some advanced configuration options that let you get the most out of the multi-hop, DNS, and automation features you’ll be familiar with from the desktop version.

Apps score: 9/10

Ease of use

PIA is a great choice for VPN newbies and anyone else who wants a sleek experience. However, we do think it's possible to get lost in the weeds if you toggle over to the "detailed" view of the app. This customizability is one of PIA's biggest selling points, though, and power users will relish the chance to tweak the provider down to the last detail.

The simplified app lets users hit the big "Connect" button and, after a moment, enjoy rock-solid VPN protection. This minimalist approach to a VPN gives PIA serious crowd-appeal, and we like that the options in the settings menu are all explained with a handy tooltip, too. Despite its reputation, PIA doesn't require you to have a degree in cybersecurity to make the most of its functionality.

Ease of use score: 8/10

Speed and performanceHow we perform speed tests

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

We have two virtual computers: one in the UK, and one in the US. We test the service's speeds across OpenVPN and WireGuard multiple times per day over multiple speed test sites, giving us an idea of the average speeds. If you have any questions, you can find out more about our VPN testing methodology.

Testing VPN speeds is a key part of our review process, and we use a freshly upgraded 10 GB line and a local UK-based server in our process.

Private Internet Access isn't a certified speed demon. When we connected to a nearby Dublin server and put its WireGuard protocol to the test, we saw speeds of 419 Mbps. It marks an unfortunate drop from our latest test, which recorded over 600 Mbps. What's more, the very fastest VPNs, such as PrivadoVPN and Mullvad, are now achieving in excess of 2000 Mbps.

Still, we've never experienced any major slowdown or sluggishness when using PIA in our day-to-day browsing. These average speeds are also more than quick enough to keep up with traditionally bandwidth-intensive activities, like HD streaming, online gaming, and torrenting.

Switching to OpenVPN, we recorded results of 129 Mbps. OpenVPN speeds tend to be slower than their WireGuard-based equivalents because it's just not as well optimized for speed. That said, this marks yet another drop from our prior testing, this time down from 244 Mbps. This is far slower than most other VPNs, with the fastest OpenVPN speeds we recorded this time being over 1000 MBps.

Speed and performance score: 6/10

Unblocking

One of the biggest, most thorough tests we put today's top VPNs through determines how well they can access popular streaming platforms from around the world. After all, these services regularly geo-restrict their content libraries and often detect VPN usage, requiring you to switch off your VPN to enjoy your favorite shows or sports.

They do this by blocking IP addresses known to belong to VPNs, which means that only VPNs that invest in their IP pools and frequently refresh them can reliably access streaming content.

Unfortunately, PIA's streaming unblocking capabilities have fallen off hugely in recent months. Our latest tests showed it failed to unblock YouTube in every region aside from the UK, and Prime Video everywhere aside from the UK and Australia. Disney+ also failed to unblock when we tested it in Canada. If you're a keen Netflix watcher, there is some good news, as PIA unblocked all Netflix regions without issue.

PIA is thankfully a capable torrenting VPN. Its speeds aren't chart-topping, but it does offer port forwarding – whereas plenty of its competitors don't.

Port forwarding allows you to accept incoming connections to your VPN’s IP address, so you can communicate with more peers in a P2P network.

Unblocking score: 6/10

Privacy and security

Private Internet Access has built a sturdy reputation as one of the most security-focused services on the market – and it delivers, for the most part.

Browsing traffic is protected by industry-standard AES-256 encryption and today's two most popular VPN protocols: OpenVPN and WireGuard. Both are widely accepted as secure, reliable technology, though you'll want to stick with OpenVPN if airtight privacy is your main goal, whereas WireGuard is more suitable for day-to-day browsing, or times when you want to balance security with speed.

Admittedly, PIA lacks the extra features offered by the likes of NordVPN and Surfshark, but it does boast all of the core tools a VPN needs.

There’s a kill switch on all its apps, which automatically blocks internet traffic if the VPN connection drops, ensuring that your data remains secure at all times. There are no DNS leaks here either. PIA’s own encrypted DNS servers route all of your domain requests, which prevents your DNS queries from being exposed to your ISP or a third party on the network.

PIA is committed to a strict no-logs policy. This has been independently verified by Deloitte with three separate audits.

The most recent of which was conducted in early 2026. According to the audit, PIA’s systems log zero user activity, meaning there is no way to trace online actions back to specific individuals. However, the full audit report is only available to PIA customers. While it’s good to see that PIA has undergone independent verification, making these reports publicly accessible, as ExpressVPN does, would bolster trust even further.

Despite providing very strong protection, our testing picked up some areas where PIA could improve. We tried running Mace through a gauntlet of phishing URLs to see which ones it’d block. So, with 100 brand new malicious URLs from anti-phishing experts OpenPhish, PIA managed to block… two of them. We think this is because Mace is pulling from a blocklist of known suspicious links, and most of the URLs we’re testing are fresh threat intelligence. Still, it’s notably weak, far below what we’d expect from a top-tier VPN.

Privacy and security score: 8/10

User reviews

PIA's user sentiment is a strange one. The best indicator of this is its subreddit, which has around 14,000 weekly visitors and 135 weekly contributions. Currently, the majority of these contributions surround reduced functionality, lack of development, and general unfixed problems.

PIA's lack of development, while unconfirmed, is something we're monitoring. That said, this hasn't impacted several of its other ratings.

Its Trustpilot score remains around 4.3/5, and its Google Play Store and Apple App Store ratings remain at 4.5 and 4.7 respectively. The only rating that seems to have noticed the lack of development is Chrome, where it rates only 3.2.

Development or otherwise, PIA is a known, trusted VPN, so I find it unlikely these ratings will drop any time soon.

Track record

Private Internet Access has a strong track record of maintaining user privacy and delivering reliable service over the years. The only black mark against it is the acquisition by Kape Technologies in 2019, which caused some serious concern.

Before its pivot to providing VPN brands, Kape’s primary output was browser add-ons, which injected adverts and monetized the browsing data. Although consumer trust in PIA plummeted after this revelation, it's done a lot of work to win back that trust with regular no-logs audits that demonstrate it's not following in Kape’s footsteps.

In fact, PIA has dealt with several court cases where it was legally obliged to turn over user information. It responded by asserting it had nothing to turn over, which is pretty impressive.

PIA has also demonstrated a commitment to transparency by regularly releasing Transparency Reports, which detail the number of legal requests the company receives and how it handles them.

The most recent of these reports came alongside its most recent no-logs audit in 2026. The report showed 30 requests from authorities were received in the final 3 months of 2025, but, as expected, no information was provided by PIA.

Track record score: 7/10

Customer support

PIA's customer support has room for improvement. As you might expect, there's a 24/7 live chat channel and email ticketing system, but we found responses could be sluggish across both of these avenues. Naturally, that's not ideal if you have a more pressing problem.

What's more, attempting to raise a ticket wasn't easy. The link to submit a ticket from the contact us page sent us to a Linux Manual Connections page instead. Switching to the support centre saw us manage to reach a ticket submission form, though it strangely required us to go through email verification steps first. All in all, not a simple process should you be in dire need.

On the other hand, if you prefer doing your own troubleshooting, you'll be glad to learn that PIA has its very own customer forum and knowledge base. The forums are active and packed with experienced users who are (typically) happy to help squash any issues, and the knowledge base is well organized and easy to navigate.

The one quibble we have with the knowledge base, however, is that a lot of the support articles are outdated. The basic information remains solid, but we'd like to see these pages receive an update that adds extra depth and detail.

Customer support score: 6/10

Pricing and plans

Private Internet Access is one of the most budget-friendly VPNs on the market today. In terms of pure value for money, however, it lags behind NordVPN and Surfshark by a heel.

The monthly plan starts at $11.95, which is just a little bit over what you’d expect to pay for a top-tier VPN. Once you start getting into the long-term plans, however, the price drops through the floor. The annual plan only costs $3.33 a month, which is already cheaper than most plans offered by other top VPNs. It gets even better though, as the three-year plan costs as little as $2.03 per month, which also includes three additional months free.

The service includes all core features in its base price, without any hidden costs or paywalled features. The only extra you’d be expected to pay for is the dedicated IP option, which costs another $5 a month. This is understandable, as providing dedicated IPs is inherently expensive for a VPN provider because of the worldwide shortage of IPv4 addresses. Surfshark’s dedicated IPs are a little less costly at $3.75 a month, but if you opt in for a two-year plan PIA’s dedicated IPs drop down to $2.50 making it one of the cheapest around.

PIA also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, giving you ample time to test the service risk-free.

Pricing and plans score: 9/10

Should you use PIA?

PIA is an excellent VPN for the cost. It might not be as fast as Surfshark, offer as many features as NordVPN, or give you as many locations to connect to as ExpressVPN, but if you need a VPN that absolutely nails all of the core things you need to do and don’t want to spend too much, PIA is perfect. It’s also a VPN you can absolutely trust when it comes to privacy and security, and it’s one of the few providers out there that offers a Linux client that’s just as good as the Windows or MacOS client.

Out of everything that PIA could do better, speeds are at the top of the list. That’s not to say it’s a laggy VPN. It’s still light-years ahead of most VPNs you could pick, but it’s just outclassed by alternatives like Proton VPN or Surfshark. It’s also starting to lag behind in innovation compared to the likes of NordVPN.

Total score: 74/100

3. Private Internet Access – from $2.03 per month Packed with features and advanced tools
Private Internet Access (PIA) is a battle-tested provider with its very own built-in ad-blocker—and one that'll handle trackers and malware, too. PIA is jam-packed with customizable features that advanced users will love and unlimited simultaneous connections. So, you can cover all of your gadgets with one plan, and enjoy a 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

PIA alternatives

Not sure if PIA is the right fit for you? Here are our top alternatives you can currently pick up, all of which you can test with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

1. NordVPN – from $3.49 per month
The best VPN overall
NordVPN sits at the top of our rankings with a virtually unbeatable spread of features and some of the quickest, most reliable speeds we've ever tested. All of its apps, across platforms, are sleek and clutter-free, and you can even add built-in ad and tracker blocking to your plan. Plus, NordVPN is one of our favorite VPNs for streaming, thanks to its ability to access platforms from all corners of the globe. Interested? See how NordVPN compares to Surfshark with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

2. Surfshark – from $2.49 per month
The best cheap VPN (and also the fastest)
Surfshark is a budget-friendly option that doesn't pull punches when it comes to speed, security, or simplicity. It always aces our testing, especially when it comes to unblocking streaming content from all over the world, and its blistering performance means that you won't be slowed to a crawl when checking out HD movies or going about your day-to-day social media scrolling. Plus, with unlimited simultaneous connections to play with, you can protect all of the gadgets in your home with just one plan. Take Surfshark for a test drive today with a 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

3. ExpressVPN – from $3.49 per month
The best VPN for beginners
ExpressVPN might not rule at the top of our overall rankings anymore, but it's still our top recommendation to anyone on the hunt for a beginner VPN. Its apps are nice and easy to set up and use, regardless of your skill level, and it's jam-packed with security-boosting tools designed to keep snoopers at bay. While ExpressVPN is on the pricey side, you can sweeten the pot with a nifty 30-day money-back guarantee.View Deal

Frequently asked questionsDoes PIA log user activity?

No, Private Internet Access has a strict no-logs policy, which has been independently verified by Deloitte through multiple audits. This means that PIA does not track or store any data related to your online activities while using the VPN.

Can PIA unblock Netflix and other streaming services?

PIA is more than capable of accessing in-demand streaming platforms – Netflix included. During our testing, we found that PIA had no trouble unblocking content libraries in the US, UK, and Japan. Plus, it works like a charm with other sites, like Prime Video, Disney+, and BBC iPlayer.

Is PIA suitable for torrenting?

Yes, PIA is a stand-out choice for torrenting and P2P activity. All of its servers support P2P traffic and there aren't any bandwidth caps to worry about. Plus, PIA is one of only a handful of reliable services to offer port forwarding.

AFERIY Nomad 1800 Pro: Design

The Nomad 1800 Pro makes a positive first impression as a portable power station. It's compact, easy to carry and has a clean industrial design that looks at home in a garage, campervan or utility room.

Look a little closer, however, and some cost-saving measures become apparent.

The plastics are perfectly functional but don't quite offer the reassuring solidity you'd expect from a premium product. Nothing feels fragile, yet the overall finish lacks the refinement found on more established alternatives.

(Image credit: Future)

The weakest point is the power button. It has a soft, almost hollow action that doesn't inspire confidence, particularly as it's the one control you'll use every time you switch the unit on.

Fortunately, AFERIY makes some smart decisions elsewhere. Using a standard IEC C13 "kettle lead" for AC charging is a welcome choice, eliminating the need for proprietary charging cables. Likewise, the XT60 solar input means compatible solar panels are easy to source without hunting for obscure adapters.

(Image credit: Future)AFERIY Nomad 1800 Pro: Features

Expansion is one of the Nomad's strongest selling points.

Specifications

Capacity

1,024Wh (2,048Wh tested with expansion battery)

Battery chemistry

LiFePO₄

AC output

1,800W

Surge output

3,600W

Solar input

500W MPPT (XT60)

AC charging

IEC C13

Expansion

Up to four batteries (5,120Wh total)

USB-C

1 × 20W, 1 × 140W PD

Weight

11.6kg

The additional battery connects using an impressively substantial cable, and the connector itself is particularly well designed. A push-to-release mechanism combined with a sliding lock prevents accidental disconnection while remaining easy to remove when required.

The expansion system is also future-proofed, allowing multiple batteries to be daisy chained together for significantly increased capacity.

There are a couple of compromises, however.

The expansion battery serves only as additional storage and doesn't provide any extra output ports of its own. More noticeable is the length of the connection cable, which protrudes around 30cm from the rear of both units. Anyone planning to install the batteries beneath a workbench or inside cabinetry will need to account for the extra depth.

Port selection is generally sensible but not perfect.

(Image credit: Future)

USB-C connectivity feels limited, with just one 20W port alongside a single 140W Power Delivery output. Given the growing number of USB-C powered devices, another high-power port would have been far more useful.

The inclusion of several 12V barrel outputs is also difficult to justify. While some specialist equipment still relies on barrel connectors, most modern devices either use USB-C or their supplied AC adapters, making these ports feel like a missed opportunity for additional USB connectivity.

(Image credit: Future)AFERIY Nomad 1800 Pro: Performance

Where it matters most, the Nomad performs extremely well.

The inverter comfortably powers demanding appliances, charging is quick, and overall operation is quiet and dependable. Day-to-day use inspires confidence, with no unexpected behavior during testing.

The integrated LED light is useful enough for finding tools or navigating around a campsite after dark, but it's very much a basic utility feature rather than a dedicated work light. It does the job, but little more.

(Image credit: Future)AFERIY Nomad 1800 Pro: App

The companion app is easily the weakest part of the ownership experience.

Getting started proved frustrating, with registration and login issues complicating what should have been a straightforward setup process.

Once connected, the app is functional but lacks polish. Navigation feels clunky, some menu layouts appear unfinished and there are the occasional interface glitches that suggest the software still needs refinement.

Everything required to monitor and control the power station is present, but the overall experience feels more utilitarian than premium.

For a company still building its ecosystem, improving the software should be a clear priority.

(Image credit: Future)AFERIY Nomad 1800 Pro: Value

Value is where the Nomad 1800 Pro really shines.

Its hardware specifications compare remarkably well with considerably more expensive products, and if purchased during one of the frequent online promotions, it becomes exceptionally competitive.

While there are areas where refinement is lacking, it's difficult to argue with the amount of capability on offer for the asking price.

(Image credit: Future)AFERIY Nomad 1800 Pro: Final Verdict

The AFERIY Nomad 1800 Pro is an impressive portable power station that gets the fundamentals right. Electrical performance is excellent, the expansion system is thoughtfully engineered and practical touches such as the IEC C13 charging lead and XT60 solar input make day-to-day ownership refreshingly straightforward.

At the same time, it's clear that AFERIY is still a relatively young company. The hardware lacks some of the refinement expected at the premium end of the market, the power button feels oddly inexpensive, and the companion app is in need of further development.

(Image credit: Future)

None of these shortcomings undermine what is otherwise a capable and well-priced product. In fact, they're largely overshadowed by the Nomad's excellent value, dependable performance and flexible expansion options.

For buyers willing to accept a few rough edges in exchange for impressive capability at a competitive price, the AFERIY Nomad 1800 Pro earns an easy recommendation—and suggests AFERIY is a brand well worth watching over the coming years.

(Image credit: Future)

Should you buy the AFERIY Nomad 1800 Pro?

Buy it if...

- You want excellent performance without paying premium prices.

- Expandable battery capacity is important.

- You appreciate standard connectors like IEC C13 and XT60.

- You need reliable portable power for home, workshop or camping.

Don't buy it if...

- A polished mobile app is high on your priority list.

- You expect premium fit and finish throughout.

- You rely heavily on multiple USB-C powered devices.

- You prefer the reassurance of a long-established brand.

We've featured the best rugged phones.

Premium portable power stations usually offer a capacity upgrade path by adding battery modules similar in size to the base unit.

Specifications

Battery capacity: 2112Wh

Number of charge cycles: Over 4000 before 20% drop

Output power: 2112W

Fastest charge time: 2 hours

Additional features: Bluetooth, IP65

Operating temperature: -20°C to 60°C

Storage temperature: -10°C to 50°C

Weight: 15kg

Warranty: 5 years

Changing other features, such as the charging rate or the inverter power, is usually impossible. If you eventually need more output power, you need to buy a new unit.

The Redodo battery and its supporting system change this paradigm, allowing users to build a power station and later extend the inverter or battery charging capacity.

Redodo’s battery unit delivers 165 Ah at 12V, equivalent to 2 kWh of usable power, and uses LiFePO4 chemistry instead of lithium-ion, providing over 4,000 charge cycles before a 20% capacity drop.

Operating temperature range is -20 to 60 degrees Celsius, with an IP65 water-resistant rating. At 15kg and measuring only 33 cm x 17 cm x 22 cm, the battery is small compared to units offering similar capacity.

(Image credit: Future)Redodo 165 Ah Battery: Price and Availability

The reviewed Redodo 12V 165Ah battery retails for $499 and is usually on special for $370. The companion 40A battery charger adds an extra $260, while the battery monitor costs $100 and improves battery usage.

Without an AC power inverter, the battery can only supply 12V to small appliances such as a portable fridge. Adding a 120V 3000W inverter will cost an extra $570. The highest-capacity battery offered by Redodo is the 48V 5.12kWh model at $1700.

Redodo 165 Ah Battery: Design

The Redodo battery ships in a heavy-duty dual packaging carton box surrounded by high-density foam. The tested battery is a Group 31-class unit, measuring 33cm x 17cm x 22cm and weighing 15kg. The only included accessory is a small card that links to the mobile application.

The battery, housed in an IP65 ABS enclosure, has a single top strap that serves as a handle. The working temperature ranges from -20 to 60 degrees Celcius. Charging, on the other hand, can only happen at 0 degrees Celcius and above. The cells used are LFP EV type with a reliability that can reach 15000 charge cycles or over 10 years of usage.

The 12V 165Ah battery outputs 12.8V with an internal resistance of 40 mOhm, which results in a maximum output power of 2.1kW. The charging current can reach 165A, for a charge time of approximately one hour. To prevent heat buildup, the manufacturer recommends charging the battery at a slower rate of 33A, which increases charge time to five hours. Two M8 bolts built into the case serve as positive and negative terminals and must be tightened to the correct torque.

Several accessories are required to use the lithium battery. Redodo’s battery monitor provides voltage, current, and cell capacity information, and protects against over-discharging with an alarm. The illuminated LCD screen is suitable for reading in dark conditions. The 12V battery charger we tested is a 40A unit that is very noisy and charges slightly above the recommended rate.

(Image credit: Future)Redodo 165 Ah Battery: In Use

Redodo’s mobile app, available on both Android and iOS platforms, connects to the battery via Bluetooth using a QR code. The charge level, output voltage, current, and power are all available in real-time. The unit’s Bluetooth module can be turned off using the app, thereby saving energy. Bluetooth is automatically enabled when the battery is charging.

Installation consists of connecting wires to the battery terminals, charger, AC inverter, and monitor, with all except the latter connected in parallel. The monitor has a low-side sensor that connects in series to the negative battery terminal. The monitor supports up to 500A at its input and features a high-resolution display. Using the monitor is optional, as all critical battery information is also available in the mobile app.

The ideal setup is with solar panels and an AC inverter, which will initially bypass the battery entirely if enough solar power is available to the inverter. Any surplus energy is stored in the battery cells. Conversely, the battery provides additional power if the solar panels are insufficient to power connected appliances. A modular design is advantageous if the user eventually wants to double or triple the output power or change battery capacity.

The Redodo 12V battery uses Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) chemistry, which offers higher thermal stability than conventional lithium-ion chemistry, reducing the risk of thermal runaway. The 165A BMS enforces over 20 protections, including overcharge, overcurrent, and short-circuit cutoffs, as well as a low-temperature charging lockout at 0°C to prevent cell damage. The IP65-rated ABS enclosure adds water and dust resistance, making it well-suited for marine and outdoor installations.

(Image credit: Future)Redodo 165 Ah Battery: Competition

We tested the LiTime 320Ah battery some time back, and its smaller 165Ah sibling is equivalent to the current Redodo unit under test. The LiTime offering comes with similar Bluetooth connectivity and specifications but costs 10% more.

(Image credit: Future)Redodo 165 Ah Battery: Final Verdict

The Redodo 12V 165Ah lithium battery fits well in a versatile modular power solution, offering exceptional capacity in a compact format.

Backed by an LFP chemistry, a solid BMS, Bluetooth monitoring, and expandability up to 33kWh, it is well-suited for RV, marine, and off-grid applications.

While a full system can be expensive due to inverter and charger accessories, the long cycle life and upgrade flexibility make it a great long-term investment.

Buy the Redodo solution if you expect to increase capacity or power later.

Don’t buy the Redodo solution if you are looking for a turnkey solution.

We've rated the best rugged phones.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I have tested a vast number of desks. In fact, I would even be able to venture to say that I'm getting close to the arena of saying I've tested most of the key desks in the market.

Uplift has been stepping up their game big time. When I saw the Parsons and realized it came in a 48-inch-wide silhouette with those beautiful four legs and a sleek frame, I knew I needed to get my hands on it as soon as possible.

Personally, I was absolutely drawn to the sleek frame that wraps around the real walnut desktop. I chose a butcher-block walnut desktop, and I am absolutely in love with it. The material feels fantastic, and the quality is spectacular, and that's coming from somebody who has seen a lot of desks. I have seen a lot of what companies consider their premium desktops, and Uplift stands out among the best.

The soft-touch desk legs and the frame around the desk are also a beautiful touch. Also worth mentioning are the four individual legs. Some desks use four legs for stability, but they are really just the same style as the two-legged, blocky look that everybody knows by now. Uplift chose to use more spindle-type legs that retract into themselves, and they look absolutely stunning, even when on wheels, as I have them. They are still stable and still look just as great.

While this desk really only has one potential flaw, it's not even really a flaw. It's simply just something to know. I have found my way around it, and you can as well with just some simple planning on the forefront. Without further ado, we can get into the full review

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Uplift Parsons Standing Desk: Price and Availability

The Uplift Parsons is available direct from Uplift's website, with prices starting at $829.

My desk configuration alone was about $2,000, including the desktop upgrade, the wheels, some power and lighting, and a few other accessories.

I specifically chose to get the power inlay from Uplift so that it could mount seamlessly to the frame and not have to be bolted into the beautiful wood desktop. I also chose to get the wheels so that I can move this thing around a little bit more easily.

I chose to get the Bluetooth upgrade so that when I wanted to control my Bluetooth from my phone, or when Uplift decides to upgrade their app to be more integrated with my day-to-day technologies, then I could utilize this to its fullest.

The desk was roped in within just a matter of days and assembled quickly as well. I don't remember the exact time, but I believe it was just under 30 minutes, and then it took me several hours to set everything up on top just right. I've been tweaking ever since I built it, which was now, at this point, a hundred days ago or more.

Uplift Parsons Standing Desk: Unboxing and First Impressions

For most desks, I look at the sizing online, estimate the space I have and the features I want to showcase with this desk, and order that way. For this desk, I actually had a very specific spot I could fit it into, so unlike other desks, I measured more than I normally do to make sure it fits perfectly.

Thankfully, Uplift is very true to size, and their desk is exactly 48 inches wide, not 48 in a hair or just over, just under, but it is exactly 48 inches. When I measured and made room for a 48-inch-wide desk, this was spot on. The frame doesn't jut out past it, nor does the desk overlay the frame to add more width. The one thing that does extend a little bit past it is the wheels, but I can just have those swivel in and out instead of out and around when moving the desk.

Assembly was incredibly easy and straightforward, as all the Uplift desks are. I was even able to assemble it in the small room where I was going to have the desk, because assembly was so straightforward. I didn't need a ton of space to spread things out and make a mess. I could do it in a pretty tight space and assemble everything to get it up and running.

It was a quick little build session, and then I spent an absurd amount of time tweaking every little thing about the setup on top of the desk when it came to monitors, placement, docks, and the like.

Uplift Parsons Standing Desk: Design & Build Quality

Since I was going with such a small desk, I wanted to make sure that it was of the highest quality that I could find. That's where I'm thrilled that I was able to get my hands on the Parsons in such a short time. I chose the Walnut Butcher Block, and when I say that this is some of the most beautiful wood I've ever seen, I genuinely mean it. Some desk companies use MDF wrapped in laminate walnut or walnut pieces, but Uplift uses genuine materials and makes an absolutely beautiful desk that you can feel and tell the difference in right away.

This smoke-gray or light-black frame is also fantastic. Feels good in the hand and is made of quality materials. It's not a plasticky frame or something that you feel like is going to chip away, but it's metal parts that click together, forming a sturdy frame to support the weight of the desktop and everything you put on top.

One of the things that Uplift does really well is the allowed cutouts for grommets or power inlays at the top corners or the middle of the desk. For this desk, I chose to add one grommet hole in each back corner, allowing me to install a storage cup in one grommet and a power inlay in the other.

Another spot where Uplift has added some holes is the front plate of the frame to allow for an inlay control panel. This lays flat against the front face of the desk, and it is super clean. The buttons are easy to press. There are four presets, a height readout on the screen, and it's quite aesthetic. All Things considered.

Uplift Parsons Standing Desk: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

I'll start with the two things I wish were different about this desk and get those out of the way.

First, the ledge of this desk, or more like the frame, will make it hard for some monitor arms to mount. Not all, just some. Depends entirely on how the clamp works and what that shape looks like. I was able to get two different models with it. Clearly this is not an all-or-nothing problem, but something worth noting if you already have the monitor arm picked out.

Second, I wish that this desk could go just a little bit higher. This is an edge case and truly not a need in any way, shape, or form, nor even a negative about the desk. If it could go just a little higher, I could slide my chair completely under the desk to make space in a small office.

This could also be solved by removing the headrest from my LiberNovo Omni Pro chair. Again, not a negative on the desk at all, just one very, very niche and specific wish.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

Now to talk more about my use case with this desk. I have this as my main desk, which I use some on the weekend and then Monday through Wednesday at the church where I work. Currently, until we finish the renovations, my office is a multi-purpose room used for other things on the weekend as well. The space I had to fit into was unique and only 48 inches wide.

When I saw that the Parsons could fit a 48-inch desk, I was absolutely ecstatic! Even though I didn't have a ton of room to work with, I knew I would still need this desk to be highly functional because of the nature of what I do both at the church and outside.

This desk needed to be able to house:

• Two large monitors
• My laptop and iPad or two
• Accessories like mouse and keyboard
• Chargers
• Power
• Lighting
• Plenty of ports which would require a docking station or two

Lastly, I also wanted this to be a hot desk, so a single cable to run it all, with a mouse and keyboard that could switch between whatever was plugged in, which, of course, meant more ports. I chose a Keychron keyboard, the Logitech MX Master 4 mouse, and a Magic Trackpad for some niche scenarios. The keyboard is wired down to a dock that I actually mounted underneath the desk to save space, and so is the dongle for the MX Master 4 mouse. The Magic Trackpad is only used with my MacBook and is wireless over Bluetooth.

Along with those accessories, I have my BenQ RD280UG monitor in landscape on a monitor arm; then I have the brand-new (review coming soon) BenQ MA270UG in portrait off to the right of my main monitor. To the left, I have a Grovemade vertical stand for my MacBook, an air purifier from Uplift, and I still have room for a felt desk pad, and I don’t feel cramped at all.

One thing that helped, of course, was mounting so much underneath the desk and adding a BenQ light bar on top of the main monitor to avoid having another thing on the desk itself.

That's a lot of material on my desk and a lot more underneath my desk, and still the Parsons shines.

It looks clean and elegant. It's minimal. It works beautifully. There are absolutely zero issues in my well over a hundred days of testing this desk every single week, at least five to six days a week, with upwards of six to eight hours straight working at this desk, going up and down several times an hour.

If you're trying to build out an entire workspace, Uplift also has phenomenal shelves, organizers, storage, and other accessories and furniture you should check out. All made from the same incredibly high quality.

Uplift Parsons Standing Desk: Final verdict

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

After 100 days, this is still one of my favorite desks. It's clean, elegant, simple, and it doesn't make me feel bad for having a small desk in the slightest. Rather, it makes me feel great about optimizing such a small space to create something amazing, and all that is made possible by the stability and quality of the Uplift desk.

If it weren't for this quality, I wouldn't feel comfortable mounting the things I have. If it wasn't for the slimmest and cleanest design, I couldn't have put a desk where I did in the first place. Thanks to all of these things, this desk is so incredible.

If you're looking for a small or simply elegant desk to put in a non-traditional office, or you just care about your design, then you should check out the Uplift Parsons desk in all of its many shades of colors and materials. This desk is high quality. It's rather pricey, and it holds up to its reputation as a top-tier desk.

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For more office furniture, we've tested the best standing desks and the best office chairs.

ASUS ProArt PZ14: 30-second review

The Asus ProArt PZ14 arrives as one of the most impressive pieces of hardware to come through the test setup this year. At 9mm thick and weighing in at an impressive 0.79kg, it’s closer in scale to an iPad Pro than a conventional laptop, but with a 14-inch 3K OLED display, and the optional removable keyboard and Asus Pen 3.0, all powered by a Snapdragon X2 Elite processor, it proved to handle every Adobe Creative Suite application without issue.

Lightroom Classic, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects, and DaVinci Resolve all ran well, with no compatibility or performance issues that I have experienced when running ARM machines in the past. Microsoft Office ran as well as ever, and it was only when testing some of the games at the end of the test that those compatibility issues did appear. Some games, such as Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, were a no-go, while Hogwarts Legacy, suffered some graphics breakup, but beyond that, the performance was generally balanced.

Plugged into AC power you get the option to push the tablet into Performance mode, this boost the processing speed, and while it makes editing and game play smooth, the fans tended to kick in to quite a level.

The touchscreen display is the best 3K resolution display I’ve seen, and for creative work, the 144Hz, Pantone-validated panel with an anti-reflective coating looked great and handled bright outdoor conditions better than most OLED panels, with limited reflections.

One of the weak points was the detachable Bluetooth keyboard, which flexes at the joint, as is common with this type of design, making any use away from a solid desk difficult. Early on in the test, I realised that at a desk, the keyboard was great, away, it was best to use the Asus Pen 3.0 or a finger as the primary input method. Not only did this make sense, but it also transformed the machine's use.

Overall, however, the power for the size and price is exceptional, and in the creative workflow, like the iPad Pro, it can integrate with the project from beginning to end, from being used to tether to your camera through to the editing, uploading and distribution of your work.

ASUS ProArt PZ14: Price and availability

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

• How much does it cost? $2000 TBC
• When is it out? Now
• Where can you get it? From retailers such as Best Buy

In the US, the ProArt PZ14 is currently available for $1900 at Best Buy. This is for the 16GB / 512GB configuration.

Outside of the US, I can't see much availability. UK pricing for the 32GB, 1TB configuration with the ASUS Pen 3.0 and Bluetooth keyboard has not been confirmed at the time of writing. Going on what has come before, expect the price to be around the £2,000 mark in the UK.

• Value: 4/5

ASUS ProArt PZ14: Specs

CPU: Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-88-100, 18 cores, up to 4.7GHz
GPU: Qualcomm Adreno X2-90, 128MB dedicated GPU memory
NPU: 80 TOPS
RAM: 32GB LPDDR5X
Storage: 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD
Display: 14-inch ASUS Lumina Pro OLED, 3K
Connectivity: 2 × USB4 (40Gbps), SD card reader, WiFi 7, Bluetooth
Battery: 75Wh
Cameras: 8MP IR front, 13MP rear
Durability: IP52, MIL-STD 810H
OS: Windows 11 Home
Weight: 0.79kg, 9mm thin
Accessories optional: ASUS Pen 3.0, Bluetooth keyboard, stand cover

ASUS ProArt PZ14: Design

The ProArt PZ14 is an exceptionally well-built tablet, and the hardware is very minimal. On the left side of the screen are the two USB4 ports that let you plug into the mains and attach accessories, and these are joined by an SD card slot, which is covered. Around the edges are plenty of ventilation slots that help expel the heat away from the Snapdragon processor and electronics inside.

Lifting the tablet from the packaging, the Nano Black CNC-machined aluminium chassis gives an instant premium feel, and the finish proved to be pretty much smudge-resistant. Over the month of testing, the build quality proved exceptional as it was moved between the studio, office, and location work, and used at home in the evenings while catching up on TV.

The aluminium chassis gives the table a tough feel, and this is paired with the IP52 rating, which means it can withstand a light rain shower for a short time without issue, but doesn’t go as far as being left out in it.

During the test, I found that the detachable keyboard supplied with the PZ14 was fine for use on a desk, where it offers a decent enough typing surface with good key travel, and likewise, the touchpad. Away from a desk, however, the flex between the keyboard and tablet can make it difficult to use; this is a tablet.

Think of it this way: in the office/studio, the keyboard is a traditional input device; in the field, it's just part of the protective shell, with the Asus Pen 3.0 and on-screen keyboard handling input.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

I’m not used to using a pen to interact with a screen; however, the Asus Pen 3.0 with MPP 2.6 support and haptic feedback is excellent. It paired instantly, and, in Lightroom, Photoshop, and Asus' own StoryCube and MuseTree apps, offers a more natural and intuitive way to navigate than the trackpad.

On location with the tablet held in hand, I started using the pen as the primary input method, and it worked far better than the keyboard and I expected.

The magnetic stand cover, of which the keyboard is part, enables you to fold out a small stand, which is handy when everything is supported on a desk, and there’s plenty of flexibility over the angle. In the studio, I tend to use a wired mouse and an external keyboard connected via USB4 to provide a fast input for video editing, which is standard.

• Design: 4.5 / 5

ASUS ProArt PZ14: Features

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The PZ14 has been designed with the Creator in mind and features a decent array of creative-focused apps that will help you organise files and generate ideas. The ProArt range has in the past been closely tied to Adobe products, and here the Adobe Creative Suite performance is in mind; the Snapdragon X2 Elite does seem to have been optimised.

Lightroom Classic, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects, and DaVinci Resolve all opened and ran without compatibility errors on the Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-88-100, 18 cores, up to 4.7 GHz, with thumbnails and timelines rendered at speed, supported by the Qualcomm Adreno X2-90, 128 MB of dedicated GPU memory, and graphics.

Inside is a relatively small 1TB SSD, but this provides exceptional transfer rates, exactly what you need when transferring large quantities of files, although it would have been good to see at least 2TB with the file sizes associated with the latest cameras.

Testing the capabilities of this hardware, I checked the Adobe Bridge thumbnail rendering for images from a Sony a7 IV and a Canon EOS R5 C RAW files and was impressed by the speed, though the noise from the cooling system was louder than expected.

Lightroom's touchscreen workflow seems to be made for the system, scrolling through the library and making adjustments with the slide controls; it felt natural on the 14-inch ASUS Lumina Pro OLED (3 K).

Alongside the CPU and GPU is an 80-TOPS NPU that enables Copilot+ features and boosts AI-powered tools in Premiere Pro and Photoshop. Generative fill and timeline expansion both ran smoothly and quickly. Local LLM inference via LM Studio was downloaded and was functional with a few issues.

However, if you really want to reach your full potential, StoryCube, Asus' AI media management app, highlights exactly what can be done and works well alongside Adobe Bridge, offering useful automatic organisation of RAW files and video assets.

The hardware features of the tablet design differ slightly from those of most laptops and mini PCs, so there are some compatibility issues. For instance, when gaming, ARM isn’t always as compatible as other systems.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle would not load at all due to a Vulkan plugin compatibility error. Hogwarts Legacy loaded slowly but ran smoothly once started, aside from some graphics break-up, and always with the background of the fans working hard. PCMark 10 and the Windows Experience Index did not run at all, even with the usual workarounds.

Through the test in the ProArt Creator Hub, I shifted the resources into Performance, although this mode is only accessible when plugged directly into the mains. While in all other modes, cooling and noise are well balanced, everything is cranked up to 11, including the fans. However, in the 0dB whisper mode, fans are kept off during light use, meaning the system runs silently.

In Performance mode, which I used for video editing, the fans activate during rendering and timeline processing, and are noticeably audible. If you’re working on audio-sensitive work, it’s best to switch to one of the quiet modes and then back when that content needs editing or wear headphones.

• Features: 4.5 / 5

ASUS ProArt PZ14: Performance

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

As with most laptops and mini PCs, the tablet is almost ready to run out of the box. To get started, I plugged in the power supply and gave the tablet a full charge. It’s worth noting that the power supply is 65W, and while it is USB-C, if you plug in a higher-wattage USB-C connection, the machine will prompt you to use the provided power supply or one of equivalent rating.

Once the final steps of the Windows 11 Home setup were complete, I could install all the usual apps. It was apparent from the outset that the internal SSD was fast. With files downloading from my external storage nice and quickly. Sure enough, the benchmarks highlight results of 6,065 MB/s read and 5,356 MB/s write, really showing that the PCIe 4.0 SSD was close to the upper limit.

As the machine filled with all the test applications, the 1TB internal SSD quickly filled with programs and files, including most of the Adobe Creative Suite, local LLM models and video project files; games had to wait due to space limitations.

Storage is always a consideration, and with the ProArt PZ14, if you’re working with video, you’re going to have to supplement the internal storage with a USB4 external SSD or, in this review, a direct NAS connection. During the test, editing 4K Canon EOS R5 C footage via a Ugreen DXP4800 GT NAS connection delivered approximately 800MB/s transfer speeds over USB4-to-10GbE, which was more than enough for smooth Premiere Pro timeline editing.

Over the test period, using Lightroom Classic was one of the major highlights, tethering a camera to the tablet so I could shoot, adjust, and share files with other members of the team. Touch input via the screen, combined with pen interaction for adjustments, just made things easy and far more natural than using my MacBook Pro M1 Max for on-location work.

After the shoot, editing images in batch in Lightroom and editing footage in Premiere Pro were handled well by the system. Run in performance mode, the fans were on constantly; however, switching down to standard mode in Photoshop and Lightroom still provided a good balance of speed, but did cut out the fan noise.

When it came to video editing, a pair of headphones helped me to focus on the vocals and video audio rather than the noise from the machine. It’s also worth noting that Performance mode is only available when plugged into the mains, Standard is the default.

Benchmark results

CrystalDiskMark Read: 6,065.91 MB/s
CrystalDiskMark Write: 5,356.66 MB/s
Geekbench 6 CPU Multi-Core: 9,976
Geekbench 6 CPU Single-Core: 2,908
Geekbench 6 GPU: 39,018
Cinebench CPU Multi: 4,345
Cinebench CPU Single: 634
3DMark Fire Strike Overall: 8,174
3DMark Fire Strike Graphics: 8,787
3DMark Fire Strike Physics: 19,321
3DMark Fire Strike Combined: 3,423
3DMark Time Spy Overall: 3,522
3DMark Time Spy Graphics: 3166
3DMark Time Spy CPU: 9737
3DMark Wild Life Overall: 31,823
3DMark Steel Nomad Overall: 3,788
PCMark 10: N/A
Windows Experience Index: N/A

Two other big points about the performance are the screen, which is just exceptional, with clean, clear detail and tone that, once calibrated, was absolutely ideal for all areas of creative work.

The other is the battery life, which just seemed unending. Usually, when video editing, image processing, or processing endless documents, this processing draws additional power, especially when accessories are also plugged in and drawing on resources.

However, with the combined use, the battery lasted all day, and a two-hour gaming session in Hogwarts Legacy the battery stood at 70%.

One other point to make is compatibility; while most applications load, some won’t. During the test, the usual benchmarking software, PCMark, refused to run a full test, and games such as Indiana Jones would not run either.

• Performance: 4 / 5

ASUS ProArt PZ14: Final verdict

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The Asus ProArt PZ14 is a great machine for photographers who work in the field and need a slim, light, colour-accurate display for Lightroom editing and camera tethering. It’s also a decent option for lightweight Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve editing, especially as a, with a display quality that makes colour grading reliable even without a secondary monitor.

The keyboard is a bit of a compromise, depending on how you work. On a desk, it is adequate. Away from a desk, it’s frustrating, as this design tends to be with the flexible connector.

The Asus Pen is excellent and, in many workflows, becomes the better primary input device. You also have to consider the noise from the fans, which did seem louder than with past models, likely due to the increased performance.

ARM compatibility for creative applications is not an issue with all of the Adobe apps, Microsoft Office and the Asus AI apps running without issue. This is a tablet PC that would suit enthusiasts, photographers, and students, providing performance in a very flexible format and a great alternative to a laptop and actually better suited in many situations.

Should I buy the ASUS ProArt PZ14?

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Value

Well balanced for the OLED display, ARM performance and all-day battery

4/5

Design

Exceptional tablet chassis and display; although the keyboard flexibility is an issue

4.5/5

Features

Large touch screen, powerful CPU, USB4 and all day battery life

4.5/5

Performance

Snapdragon X2 Elite handles all creative applications and workflows; however, 1TB SSD fills quickly, and fans are audible under load

4/5

Overall

A great option for field photography and Lightroom, especially in the tablet format. Video editors will need external storage from day one.

4/5

Buy it if...

You shoot stills and need a field editing and tethering device.

The 3K OLED display, Lightroom touchscreen workflow, Pen 3.0 input, and all-day battery make the ProArt PZ14 an ideal companion for on-location photography. When tethering, reviewing and sharing images, it just seems purpose-made.

You work at a desk to type.

On a desk with the keyboard at a stable angle, the ProArt PZ14 works as a full creative workstation. Connect a USB4-to-10GbE adapter for NAS access, and the storage limitation is effectively removed.

Don't buy it if...

You need to type or edit from your laptop.

The keyboard flex makes lap use impractical. This is a tablet first. If a comfortable laptop typing experience away from a desk is essential, look at a traditional clamshell design at this price.

You edit long-form video without a NAS or external SSD

1TB fills fast when the Adobe suite, project files and local AI models are all installed. External storage is a near-immediate requirement for video editors; it's worth factoring this in.

For more content creation machines, we've tested the best video editing laptops and best video editing computers.

Ruko U11Mini 4K: One-minute review

DJI's dominance of the consumer drone market is so total that you have to wonder whether any rival can land a meaningful blow. The Ruko U11Mini 4K is the latest contender to step into the ring, and on paper it looks like a credible one: a sub-250g folding quadcopter with a 1/2-inch CMOS sensor, 4K video, and an optional touchscreen controller that's clearly modeled on DJI's own RC series.

Unfortunately, the closer I looked, the more the U11Mini 4K's limitations revealed themselves, and the gulf between Ruko and DJI's similarly-priced beginner drones remains huge.

In the air, the U11Mini 4K is a mixed bag. Flight is reasonably stable in calm conditions, but it's easily pushed around by wind, and during one flight I experienced an alarming voltage drop that triggered an unscheduled emergency landing. The touchscreen RC3 controller is a solid piece of hardware, and a smart way to sidestep the usual phone-pairing headaches, but its joysticks lack the precision of DJI's equivalents, making smooth, cinematic camera moves a struggle.

There's no obstacle avoidance whatsoever, and the automated flight modes feel half-baked: Point of Interest mode, for instance, simply circles wherever the drone happens to be, rather than the subject you actually want to showcase.

On paper, the Ruko U11Mini 4K looks like a solid DJI Mini 4K competitor, but a few minutes of flying it sadly convinced me otherwise. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

The camera quality is similarly inconsistent. 4K video in good light is detailed and perfectly watchable, if a little flat and lacking in dynamic range, but stills are a different story; the U11Mini 4K's exposure metering routinely blows out highlights, and there's no way to fix this reliably even when dialing back the EV.

Storage is another sore point: the drone does have a small but usable amount of internal storage, but with no USB port on the aircraft itself, getting your footage off it is a major chore, and I'd recommend sticking exclusively to a microSD card instead. One that you'll have to supply yourself, as none are included in the box.

All of this would be more forgivable if the U11Mini 4K were a budget bargain, but at around £300 (rising to £499 for the bundle I tested, with its two batteries, hard case and that RC3 controller), it's pitched at almost exactly the same price as the DJI Lito 1 — a drone that beats it comprehensively on image quality, obstacle sensing and battery life. The U11Mini 4K isn't a complete disaster, but nobody should pick one over DJI's equivalent.

Ruko U11Mini 4K: Price and availability

• Priced from around $339.99 / £300 / AU$549.99
• Touchscreen RC3 controller bundle costs $424.99 / £499
• Available now direct from Ruko and via Amazon

The Ruko U11Mini 4K is available now, sold directly through Ruko's website and via Amazon in the US, UK and Australia.

Pricing varies considerably depending on region and bundle. In the UK, the base package costs around £300, rising to £499 for the bundle I tested, which includes two batteries, a hard case, and the touchscreen RC3 controller in place of the standard smartphone-based remote.

US pricing follows a similar pattern, though at the time of writing Ruko's online store had both bundles discounted. The two-battery, hard case, RC3 controller bundle was priced at $424.99 (down from $599.99), while a separate three-battery bundle with a hard case and smartphone controller (rather than the RC3) was available for just $339.99 (down from $509.99) — making it the cheaper option overall despite the extra battery.

In Australia, Amazon lists a single-battery, smartphone controller bundle for AU$549.99, with a three-battery, hard case and smartphone controller bundle priced at AU$699.99.

The carry case is a well-designed accessory that'll keep the drone, controller and a couple of extra batteries snug and safe. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

In the UK and Australia, its direct rival is the recently launched DJI Lito 1. This costs £299 in the UK, while in Australia it's priced at AU$539 for the basic bundle (one battery and the RC-N3 smartphone controller) or AU$779 for the Fly More Combo (three batteries, RC-N3 controller, charging hub and shoulder bag). I'd say it's a much better value prospect than the Ruko, and shoppers should definitely consider it if they're hunting for a good entry-level model.

US buyers don't have that option, however, since due to the current DJI ban the Lito 1 isn't sold in America. That leaves older models like the DJI Mini 4K as the more relevant comparison stateside — and despite its age, it's still a better drone than the U11Mini 4K.

• Price score: 2.5/5

Ruko U11Mini 4K: SpecsRuko U11Mini 4K specs

Ruko U11Mini 4K

Camera:

48MP 1/2-inch CMOS sensor

Video:

4K 30fps

Flight modes:

Smooth, Normal, Sport

Storage:

Internal memory + microSD card slot (up to 256GB supported)

Battery:

2,200mAh / up to 32 minutes flight time

Charger type:

USB-C / Battery Charging Hub

Weight:

249g / 8.8oz (approx.)

Dimensions:

141 x 86.9 x 57.9mm / 5.55 x 3.42 x 2.28in (folded)

Ruko U11Mini 4K: Design and build quality

• Folding design, weighing under 249g
• Optional touchscreen RC3 controller
• microSD slot supports cards up to 256GB

The U11Mini 4K follows the same folding quadcopter template as most sub-250g drones on the market right now, including DJI's own Mini and Lito series.

It's made from hard plastic, and folds down to a genuinely pocketable size (if we're talking coat rather than trousers, mind you). At under 249g, it sits just inside a weight threshold that exempts it from the strictest drone registration requirements in the UK, US and elsewhere.

Round the back, you'll find a microSD card slot, supporting cards up to 256GB. There's also internal storage built into the drone itself, but accessing it is far more trouble than it's worth.

That's because, bafflingly, there's no USB port anywhere on the drone. The only way to get photos and video off the internal storage is via the controller, transferring wirelessly to an app like Google Photos — a process that, in my testing, also downgraded my 4K footage to 720p in the process. So I'd strongly recommend buying a microSD card (none is included in the box) and ignoring the internal storage altogether.

When folded, the U11Mini 4K would fit in a large coat pocket.Future | Sam KieldsenThe RC3 controller is well built, but does suffer from some janky software issues.Future | Sam KieldsenThe batteries are recharged directly via their on-board USB-C port.Future | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam Kieldsen

A clip-on cover is supplied to protect the camera and gimbal during transport, which is a sensible inclusion — if a little fiddly to fit and remove. Depending on the bundle you buy, you may also get a nicely sturdy hard-sided storage case, which comes with internal spaces for the controller, drone and up to two additional flight batteries.

The RC3 controller from the bundle I reviewed is pretty impressive, at least at first glance. Its built-in touchscreen is clearly inspired by DJI's RC series, and it's a decent effort: solid in the hand, with a bright, crisp display. But it came with its own set of connectivity issues, refusing to play nicely with my home Wi-Fi network and preventing me from downloading the latest firmware updates. I was able to connect it to my iPhone's hotspot, so the Wi-Fi antennas evidently do work in some circumstances, but the fact they wouldn't hook up to a network that works fine with every other drone I've reviewed recently suggests there's a deeper issue here.

• Design score: 3/5

Ruko U11Mini 4K: Features and flight performance

• 32-minute quoted battery life; around 20 minutes in real-world testing
• No obstacle avoidance
• Automated flight modes feel underbaked

Ruko quotes a battery life of 32 minutes for the U11Mini 4K. In my testing, which happened mostly in fairly breezy coastal conditions, I got closer to 20 minutes before the low battery warnings kicked in.

That discrepancy might be partly down to the wind, which the U11Mini 4K isn't great at handling. Despite Ruko's claimed Level 5 wind resistance (a tolerance of 19-24mph), I watched the drone get visibly knocked around by some standard coastal gusts. You can see the resulting unevenness in the horizon line on some of my footage.

One flight also threw up a worrying issue. A few seconds after take-off, with the battery indicator initially showing around 75%, a low voltage warning flashed up, the battery indicator dropped instantly to around 10%, and I immediately effected a panicked return to home (not wanting the drone to drop straight into the sea). When I checked the battery afterwards, it was still showing roughly 75% charge. Whatever caused that mid-air voltage drop, it's not a reassuring thing to experience while flying.

With no obstacle avoidance tech, you'll need to steer well clear of trees, bushes and lampposts. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

Flight itself is reasonably stable and responsive in calm conditions, but the RC3 controller's joysticks let the side down. There's a wide dead zone before inputs register, which makes smooth, considered camera moves all but impossible, and as far as I can tell there's no way to adjust stick sensitivity to compensate. With a DJI drone, the slightest stick pressure produces an immediate and proportional response; here, you're fighting the controller as much as the wind.

Obstacle avoidance is non-existent, so pilots will need to take a lot of care when flying. There's no forward, downward or omnidirectional sensing of any kind, which is a significant omission next to the DJI Lito 1's full suite of vision sensors.

The automated flight modes are similarly disappointing. Point of Interest mode, for instance, should really let you tap a subject on the touchscreen and have the drone circle it automatically; instead, it just flies in a circle around wherever it happens to be at the time, regardless of whether there's anything interesting in front of it. There's also a tracking mode that follows your phone, though I wasn't able to test this myself, since I was flying with the RC3 controller rather than a paired smartphone.

• Flight performance score: 3/5

Ruko U11Mini 4K: Image and video quality

• 1/2-inch CMOS sensor, 4K video at 30fps
• Stills are overexposed and oversharpened
• No flat/log color profile available

The U11Mini 4K's camera is built around a 1/2-inch CMOS sensor and f/1.8 lens, which on paper is perfectly respectable for a drone at this price. There's no fundamental reason a sensor of this size can't produce good aerial photos and video, but in practice, the U11Mini 4K struggles to get the most out of it.

Stills are the weaker of the two. Exposure metering is unreliable, and the camera has a strong tendency to massively overexpose, particularly in bright conditions. Even dialing back the EV compensation for photos didn't fix this consistently; I was left with whites that were blown out and stripped of any detail far too often. Zoom into the shots even slightly and they're aggressively oversharpened and algorithmically upscaled in a jarring way, too.

Future | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam Kieldsen

Video fares slightly better, for reasons I couldn't quite pin down. At its top quality setting — 4K at 30fps — footage is detailed and rich in good lighting, even if it lacks dynamic range and punch compared to the best in this class. Bright areas can still blow out, while shadows tend to lack detail and look slightly underexposed, but overall it's a far more usable result than the stills.

One thing that might have helped close that gap is a log color profile, but sadly there's nothing of the kind available. A log format may have given me more room to fix the exposure issues in post-production grading, but here what you capture in-camera is largely what you're stuck with, unfortunately.

• Image and video quality score: 3/5

Ruko U11Mini 4K: Testing scorecardRuko U11Mini 4K

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Price

Competitive on paper but matched or undercut by the superior DJI Lito 1.

2.5/5

Design

Decent folding build and solid touchscreen controller, but let down by the lack of a USB port.

3/5

Features and flight

Reasonably stable flying, but imprecise controls, no obstacle avoidance, and half-baked automated modes.

3/5

Image and video quality

OK 4K video, but routinely overexposes and there's no log profile to compensate.

3/5

Should I buy the Ruko U11Mini 4KBuy it if...

You're a US buyer priced out of newer DJI options
With the Lito 1 unavailable in the US, the U11Mini 4K gives budget-conscious American buyers another option to weigh against older DJI models like the Mini 4K.

You want the cheapest possible 4K drone with a screen controller
If budget is your only real consideration and you can live with its flaws, the U11Mini 4K undercuts some screen-controller rivals on price.

You only ever shoot video, never stills
Video output is decent in good light, even if the photo side of things lets the side down badly.View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You can stretch to a DJI Lito 1
At the same or lower price, the Lito 1 beats the U11Mini 4K in nearly every meaningful respect.

You want precise, cinematic camera control
The RC3 controller's dead zones make smooth, considered camera movement a real struggle.View Deal

You fly somewhere with lots of hazards
There's no obstacle avoidance of any kind, a significant safety gap next to rivals like the Lito 1.

Ruko U11Mini 4K: also consider

DJI Lito 1

At the same UK and Australian price as the U11Mini 4K, the Lito 1 is simply a better drone in almost every way, with superior image quality, full obstacle avoidance and longer battery life. The only thing it can't match is the U11Mini 4K's RC3 touchscreen controller, which DJI doesn't bundle with the Lito 1 currently.

Read our in-depth DJI Lito X1/1 review

DJI Neo 2

Smaller, cheaper and a blast to fly, the tiny, whoop-style Neo 2 doesn't need a controller at all, tracking and filming you autonomously straight out of the box. Its video quality is on par with the Lito 1's, and therefore a clear step up over the U11Mini 4K's, even though it's a much more affordable drone.

Read our in-depth DJI Neo 2 review

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)How I tested the Ruko U11Mini 4K

• I tested all available flight modes and control methods
• I captured stills and video in a range of lighting and weather conditions
• I assessed battery life, wind resistance and file transfer in real-world use

I flew the U11Mini 4K over several sessions, in a mix of calm and breezy UK coastal conditions, to get a feel for how it handled real-world flying rather than just ideal, sheltered conditions. I tested manual flight extensively, paying close attention to stick precision and responsiveness, and also tried out the drone's automated modes to assess how well they lived up to their billing.

On the camera side, I shot both stills and 4K video in a variety of lighting conditions, later reviewing the footage and photos on a larger screen to properly judge exposure, detail and dynamic range. The footage you see embedded above was edited in DaVinci Resolve, but not color corrected. Photos were tweaked slightly in Adobe Lightroom.

I also tested battery life under real-world conditions rather than relying on Ruko's quoted 32-minute figure, and ran through the process of transferring footage off the drone via both the microSD card and the internal storage, to evaluate how easy (or otherwise) that process is for a typical buyer.

• First reviewed: July 2026
• Read more about how we test

Dynadot was founded in 2002 in California and primarily focuses on providing domain names. It also offers email hosting, a website builder, and logo maker, but I’m focusing on the domain name side of its business.

I’ve spent a lot of time over the last 20 years or more buying domain names. In the past decade, I’ve reviewed many domain registrars so I know what companies are worth buying for and which should be skipped. In this Dynadot review, I’ve used hands-on testing to evaluate its services as well as consulted its help center, and looked at verified user reviews to determine the wider view of the service.

If you want to consider some alternative services, you can also see our rundown of the best domain registration services.

Dynadot: My experience

(Image credit: Dynadot)

Dynadot has a simple if plain interface. Type in the domain you want or use the AI search and you’re all set. You can add multiple domain names to your basket at once if you like. Unlike many competitors, Dynadot doesn’t upsell. It doesn’t suggest bundling together multiple domains at once (but that is an option) and its stated prices are accurate even if you just want a domain for one year. Free add-ons like domain privacy are clearly laid out too. Auto-renewal isn’t even toggled on by default.

Once bought, Dynadot encourages you to build a one page website, create a logo, or add an email address. All of which are free and don’t take long to do. That’s the trend with Dynadot – simplicity without costing a fortune. It’s not the prettiest of interfaces but it’s certainly convenient.

Dynadot: Features

(Image credit: Dynadot)

Dynadot has all the core features you could need. There’s free domain privacy as standard, along with a free website builder if you just want a one page placeholder solution. You also get one free email address which is a nice extra that rarely happens with other domain registrars.

Its DNS management system works well too, being clear to browse through and make changes. Dynadot may not be pretty but it lays things out in a way that even inexperienced users will find what they want to do. I particularly appreciated the site health tool for troubleshooting any issues.

If you own multiple domains, it’s easy to look through them and also simple to download a list of all your owned domains as a CSV file. Stats are readily available as well.

Dynadot: User experience

Dynadot is well designed for newer users and more experienced customers. Its dashboard is clearly laid out if lacking the finer touches of more mainstream solutions. I liked that it guides users to set up a landing page and email address right from the start, with both available for free. There’s no tough upselling here which is refreshing compared to many competitors.

There are a few tooltips scattered around but mostly, experimentation is the key here. Fortunately, there’s a common sense approach so you can usually find what you’re looking for without poking around too much. Little details like not having auto-renew toggled on is a refreshing touch and I liked that renewal places were generally logical and fair, rather than the hefty renewal prices of other domain registrars.

Dynadot: Customer support

There’s a vast amount of help out there for anyone needing assistance with Dynadot. At its simplest, there’s a help center which should quickly solve a lot of common issues or queries. If you like a more crowd-sourced approach to assistance, there’s also a forum for feedback as well as peer support. Some of it is a little quiet these days but it’s an option.

More conventional help comes in the form of email and a ticket system. You can also use live chat if you need a quicker response. Live chat was what I found most useful, rather than waiting for an email reply. For specific things like reporting abuse, bugs, or simply making a feature request, there are departments for these things. Finally, if you need more individual help, you can also apply for an account manager to help you with all your business plans.

Dynadot: Pricing

Domain

Price from

.xyz

$0.67

.com

$10.88

.eu

N/A

.net

$12.52

.org

$7.99

Dynadot is very competitively priced. In some cases, it has the cheapest prices while other TLDs price match competitors. As always, your mileage will vary but I found it one of the best for low prices. Refreshingly, there’s little upselling either so what you see is what you actually pay.

There are also useful free features like a landing page or logo, while renewal prices remain the same, so everything about Dynadot’s pricing is very attractive.

Dynadot: Specs

Spec

Details

Lowest price from

$0.67 (.xyz)

Highest price from

$2.060 (.inc)

Search tools

Standard search, AI, bulk, IDN, auction

Other services

Website builder, email hosting, logo maker

Dynadot: Should I buy?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Dynadot packs in everything you could need.

4.5/5

User experience

The dashboard is a little basic but you can find all you need.

4/5

Value

Some of the cheapest domains around.

4.5/5

Buy it if...

• You want the cheapest domains. Dynadot is one of the cheapest domain registrars around with clearly laid out pricing meaning you’ll never feel cheated.
• You want a free email or landing page. Dynadot bundles in freebies that you’ll actually use with its free email address being a particular boon but also having an easily added landing page.
• You don’t need added extras like web hosting. There’s better web hosting options out there but keeping it simple keeps Dynadot cheap.

Don't buy it if...

• You want some more niche TLDs. Dynadot misses a few more obscure TLDs so may not suit every need.
• You want an all-in-one solution. If you want a one-stop shop for your hosting and domains, Dynadot isn’t the ideal option. Make sure to shop around.
• You want to keep prices super low. As a quirk, Dynadot sells domains for under $1 but you need to pay $3 or more to pay with a card or Paypal. It’s a good excuse to stockpile domains at least.

Dynadot: The competition

• GoDaddy: If you want a one-stop solution for your hosting and domain needs, GoDaddy is a better alternative. It isn’t as cheap but it is simple.
• Porkbun: Another option for cheap domains is Porkbun. It won’t upsell or be obnoxious. It just gets straight to the point.
• Namecheap: Namecheap is cheap and has a great dashboard for getting things done. Its renewals can get pricier though.

How I tested Dynadot

• Set up an account and purchased two domain names
• Created a landing page
• Looked extensively at dashboard features

I created a Dynadot account and purchased two domain names. I then used those domain names to evaluate the management features offered, and I also created a landing page for one. I also looked through account features to see how easy it was to cancel renewals as well as purchase additional domains. Finally, I compared prices to competitors.

Porkbun is an American-based domain registrar that’s been around since 2015. Underneath its quirky pig-based exterior, it promises to be one of the cheapest options around. It sells most domains at cost price of wholesale pricing, plus ICANN fees, and credit card fees, without making a chunky sum out of hidden fees. Besides domains, it also offers web hosting, and email hosting, but I’m focusing on its domain services here.

I’ve been buying domain names for the past 25 years and have been reviewing services for over a decade. This Porkbun review is based on my hands-on testing, consulting official documentation and support, as well as checking verified user reviews for additional feedback.

For more options, why not look through our list of the best domain registration services.

Porkbun: My experience

(Image credit: Porkbun)

Signing up to a domain via Porkbun only took moments. On the main page, I entered the domain name I was interested in purchasing and was quickly presented with a list of all the domain suffixes available right now. Once choosing to purchase one, there’s an option to add hosting and also to ‘upsell me’. Click the latter button and Porkbun suggests some relevant domain names you might also want to add on.

A minute later and you’re all set. Again, there’s a bit more upselling with the option of adding a site builder or WordPress hosting, but it’s not too intrusive. The domain management page is right there and it's simple to browse through your domains. As with most domain registrations, it takes a minute or two to be registered and it was pretty quick with Porkbun. The simple management page has everything you need and I liked the process. Just make sure to toggle auto-renew off unless it’s essential for you.

Porkbun: Features

(Image credit: Porkbun)

Porkbun keeps things simple so when it comes to features, there’s no filler here. Buying a domain name also brings the offer of web hosting but that’s about as complicated as it gets.

On the domain registration page, you’re given WHOIS privacy as standard. You can toggle the domain lock on or off, and there’s an auto-renew toggle as well. If you’re planning on selling your domain name at some point, you can also quickly add to the marketplace to auction it off to someone. CSV file downloads of all your domain name details, including auth codes, can be quickly obtained from the management page too.

Wrapping things up well, it’s easy to configure your DNS records for many popular services with a couple of clicks of a button. These include Google Workspace, Squarespace, Shopify, and Bluesky, amongst other services.

Porkbun: User experience

Porkbun is very simple to use even if it isn’t exactly attractive to look at. There’s no conventional onboarding process like you’d get with one of the more user-friendly (and more expensive) services, but its domain management page is reasonably straightforward to figure out, even if you’re not a particularly advanced user.

Crucially, a series of tooltips and one line explainers go a long way to ensuring that you won’t break anything. A few toggles are also available and clearly laid out. What it lacks in looks, it makes up for with easily accessible settings.

Porkbun: Customer support

Porkbun offers a good range of support options. It has a knowledge base which should solve most simple queries. There’s also an AI chat bot which answers a lot of questions before transferring you to a person if needed. Refreshingly, you can also click a button to go straight to talking to a real person if you’d prefer.

There’s also phone support although that isn’t 24/7. It’s available between 9am and 5pm PST. Otherwise, email support is 24/7 and human chat support is a somewhat vague ‘hours vary’ although I found I always got a response.

Porkbun: Pricing

Domain

Price from

.xyz

$1

.com

$11.08

.eu

$5.46

.net

$12.52

.org

$7.98

There’s seemingly a domain name suffix for every occasion here. Porkbun’s cheapest are its .xyz domains which cost $1 to register for the first year. .com domains are available from $11.08 while .net starts at $12.52.

As with any domain service, your mileage will vary depending on the domain name you have in mind, but those are good starting prices. Type in the name you have in mind and you’re given a vast list of available options along with a renewal price for the future.

Porkbun: Specs

Spec

Details

Lowest price from

$1 (.xyz)

Highest price from

$2.575 (.sexy)

Search tools

Standard search, AI, bulk, marketplace, auction

Other services

Web hosting, WordPress hosting, email hosting

Porkbun: Should I buy?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Porkbun has all the essentials you need.

4.5/5

User experience

A little simplistic and basic, but still mostly easy to figure out.

4/5

Value

Excellent value with some very cheap domains.

4.5/5

Buy it if...

• You want a no-frills domain service. Porkbun skips fancy visuals and focuses on providing domain names very cheaply and clutter-free.
• You want the best value. Some kind of domain name for $1? Porkbun makes it very tempting to bulk buy in the best way.
• You want quick access to many domains. Porkbun dishes out a huge list of available domain names making it oh so easy to click on multiple domains to buy.

Don't buy it if...

• You need hand holding. If you want guidance through setting up a domain, Porkbun isn’t the service for you. It’s not complicated but the onboarding could be a little more welcoming.
• You want web hosting from the same place. Porkbun’s web hosting isn’t bad but there are better options if you want an all-in-one service.
• You want a stylish experience. Porkbun is very basic looking and that can be a little off-putting compared to some competitors.

Porkbun: The competition

• Namecheap: For cheap domain names, Namecheap lives up to its name. Its dashboard is a little more appealing than Porkbun but renewals can be pricier.
• GoDaddy: Want good hosting as well as a domain? GoDaddy is the place to go. Just be aware of its upselling tactics.
• Dynadot: Dynadot has fairly cheap domains, limited upselling, and a good approach to domain registration. It misses a few TLDs out but for most people, it’s great.

How I tested Porkbun

• Set up an account and bought two domain names
• Tested the domain management features
• Evaluated the price of domains compared to competitors

I set up an account with Porkbun before searching for new domain names then buying two. I went through the sign up process to purchase the domain, before going into the domain management tools to make adjustments. This included looking at nameservers, how to change DNS records, and how to turn off auto renew and other features.

GoDaddy is one of the oldest domain registrars and web hosting companies around. Founded in 1997, the company is now the largest ICANN-accredited registrar in the world, and you’ll likely have come across many adverts for it online over the years. It’s the go-to place for many people who just want to buy a domain or hosting package quickly.

I’ve been buying domain names for the past 20 years or more, and that includes via GoDaddy in the past. I’ve also reviewed many hosting plans and other web services so I know what to look for. This GoDaddy review is based on my hands-on testing and personal experience with GoDaddy. I’ve bought domain names, looked at how good the support options are, and kept an eye out for any unwelcoming upselling techniques. I’ve also spent time with other domain registrars to see how GoDaddy compares.

For more options, take a look at our list of the best domain registration services.

GoDaddy: My experience

(Image credit: GoDaddy )

GoDaddy has a very welcoming UI right from the start. Type your idea in and the site takes you to all the domains you can choose from, right down to ones that are currently taken but could possibly be acquired via a broker service fee. GoDaddy is a little sneaky with prices as it gives you the price for the first year based on if you commit to 3 or more years at once. That means the actual price is often much higher so it’s worth experimenting with the renewal length for accurate prices.

On the other hand, GoDaddy also suggests useful bundles if you want to commit to a name in a few different ways, and domain privacy is included as standard. You can pay extra for more advanced domain protection but it isn’t necessary. Skip past other upselling like email hosting and you’re all set. GoDaddy even creates a coming soon page for you if you don’t need to forward the domain elsewhere just yet. Its onboarding is very user friendly.

GoDaddy: Features

(Image credit: GoDaddy)

As standard, GoDaddy bundles in a lot of features and, refreshingly, highlights them clearly. You have WHOIS privacy as standard along with automatic DMARC security so you can keep an eye on any suspicious emails. There’s also LLC registration if you need it, along with domain forwarding. For building your vision, there’s also an AI Logo Maker and you can check out a free trial to GoDaddy’s website builder.

That leads into GoDaddy being a tad keen on upselling, right down to offering up free AI credits for its Airo AI builder. Dive into your domain management and it’s simple enough to toggle auto-renew, manage DNS records, and also sell your domain. Bonus points for GoDaddy gauging how much your domain is worth.

GoDaddy: User experience

GoDaddy is one of the easiest domain registrars to use. Its sign up process and dashboard is designed in a way that you don’t need much technical expertise to still get things done. Its onboarding process also guides you towards signing up for hosting, whether that’s email or web hosting, but it can also happily create a quick coming soon landing page so you’re not restricted here.

Everything within the dashboard is laid out clearly, so you can see exactly what you’re doing or might want to consider for later. For instance, one useful extra is how easy it is to set up a subdomain for your social media presence. The main thing to be aware of is that some of these tasks involve additional fees.

GoDaddy: Customer support

When you’re in need of help, there are two obvious port of calls. There’s GoDaddy’s Help Center which has solutions to a huge amount of queries. There’s also Airo, GoDaddy’s AI chatbot, which I found worked pretty well.

If you need to talk to a human being, you can do so by asking Airo to send you to a person for assistance. Adding to that, you can also phone GoDaddy with phone support available 24/7. WhatsApp is another solution along with how-to videos if you want to learn as you go along. Simply put, GoDaddy has it all.

GoDaddy: Pricing

Domain

Price from

.xyz

$0.74

.com

$3.84

.eu

$3.19

.net

$0.01

.org

$7.49

GoDaddy’s pricing looks very appealing at first glance. Its first year prices are some of the lowest around. When you delve deeper though, things often end up more expensive. That’s because the first year discount is often only applied if you plan on buying the domain for a number of years, and those extra years often cost a lot more.

That goes for individual discounts and bundle plans which are convenient but can get very expensive. It’s worth playing around with domain options to see what works out the best value for your needs, but be prepared for the fact that it’s all likely to be more expensive than the deals that lure you in.

GoDaddy: Specs

Spec

Details

Lowest price from

$0.01 (.co.uk)

Highest price from

$374 (.inc)

Search tools

Standard search, AI

Other services

Web hosting, WordPress hosting, email hosting, VPS, marketing services

GoDaddy: Should I buy?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

GoDaddy generally provides all the key components as standard.

4.5/5

User experience

One of the easiest onboarding processes and dashboards out there.

4.5/5

Value

Renewals get expensive but there are some good core deals if you experiment.

4/5

Buy it if...

• You want simplicity. GoDaddy really makes everything very user-friendly whatever your skill level. That makes it an enticing company.
• You’re looking long term. Domains are at their best value prices when you commit for a long time which is certainly useful at times.
• You want 24/7 support. GoDaddy doesn’t miss a trick here with every support option you could possibly need and it’s available 24/7.

Don't buy it if...

• You only want a domain for a year. First year prices are cheap only if you commit for a number of years. This won’t suit every need.
• You hate being upsold. At every turn, GoDaddy tries to upsell you on something. It can get draining to keep an eye on what you’re clicking.
• You want maximum security for free. If you want two factor authentication, you have to pay for more advanced security.

GoDaddy: The competition

• Ionos: For web hosting and domain management, Ionos is a good rival to GoDaddy. It still has some annoying upselling moments, but it packs in the essential features for free.
• Porkbun: Just need a domain rather than be tempted by hosting? Porkbun is the solution. It’s very cheap with a basic dashboard. It also somehow squeezes in phone support.
• Dynadot: Dynadot doesn’t have every TLD on offer but it does have the vast majority. It also boasts fairly limited upselling and clutter which makes it appealing.

How I tested GoDaddy

• Signed up for two domain names
• Investigated domain management features
• Looked at pricing compared to competitors

I signed up for a new account at GoDaddy before browsing domain names that were suitable for my needs. Once signed up, I looked at how easy it was to use GoDaddy’s domain management features and changed a few things. I also looked at pricing conventions and how much upselling there was.

Namecheap has been in the domain name business since 2000 and is a generally reliable brand. Besides domain names, it also provides web hosting, email hosting, marketing tools, and server hosting. In 2023, it launched its sister brand, Spaceship, which aims to be a simpler and more straightforward means in which to buy domains and build websites.

I’m focusing on Namecheap as the bigger brand. I’ve bought domain names for over 20 years and I’ve been writing about them for a decade. In this review, I’ve evaluated how easy it is to sign up to Namecheap, how straightforward it is to manage domains, and I also looked at whether Namecheap’s services are competitively priced.

For more options, take a look at our list of the best domain registration services.

Namecheap: My experience

(Image credit: Namecheap)

Finding a domain on Namecheap is simple enough. Type in your idea and you’re provided with all the most popular TLDs. If you need more inspiration, you can tap the generator tab for Namecheap to suggest domains for you. There’s also beast mode if you plan on buying multiple domains at once.

Predictably, once you add something to your basket, Namecheap tries to upsell you on web hosting, an SSL certificate, email hosting, and marketing to boost your social media. Nothing paid is added on by default though. Instead, you get domain privacy for free for the length of your domain name. As with pretty much all domain name registrars, the first year is a lot cheaper than subsequent years. However, Namecheap.com doesn’t penalise you if you only want the domain name for one year.

Namecheap: Features

(Image credit: Namecheap)

Namecheap has one of the clearest dashboards around, making it very easy to do mostly anything. At a glance, you can easily toggle auto-renew off as well as add additional years if you’d rather pay now than at renewal time. Tap manage, and a range of practical options open up. You can add PremiumDNS which promises 100% DNS uptime and DDoS protection at the DNS level. You can also change nameservers or simply set up a redirect.

It’s also possible to toggle the parking page on or off if you want an easy landing page, and there’s the option to sell your domain. A SSL certificate costs extra, but I can’t really fault Namecheap otherwise. It’s easily one of the better ways to stockpile domain names and manage them too. Its suggestions for new domains are generally useful too.

Namecheap: User experience

Thanks to the aforementioned dashboard, Namecheap is one of the better domain registrars for even the most inexperienced user. Clearly laid out, it’s simple to see what each option does with a tooltip to further assist you along the way.

The UI has been designed well so you can always find what you’re looking for. That goes for whether you’re changing the nameserver or sharing ownership with a business partner. Very little takes long to do here. Namecheap isn’t too pushy with upselling once you’re signed up either, although it is a little overly keen during purchase.

Namecheap: Customer support

Namecheap customer support is pretty good. The help center offers up a vast knowledgebase for most queries. It also lists some popular questions that many people have about their domain so you'll usually find a quick solution here.

If you need more, there are help videos and a live chat bot. The latter can switch to a human being if needed but often, you won’t need more than the AI bot assisting you. For further insight such as to help you develop your plans, there’s also Namecheap’s Guru guides which aim to develop your skillset, as well as a series of blogs.

Namecheap: Pricing

Domain

Price from

.xyz

$1

.com

$11.28

.eu

$6.98

.net

$12.48

.org

$8.98

Domain names with Namecheap may seem ever so slightly more expensive than the competition, but it often works out better value. That’s thanks to things like domain privacy being included as standard but also the fact that you get good customer service and an effective dashboard.

As always, prices will vary depending on the TLD you need but Namecheap’s generator tool helps you play the system a little and potentially find something that works better for your budget.

Namecheap: Specs

Spec

Details

Lowest price from

$1 (.xyz)

Highest price from

$18,500

Search tools

Standard search, AI, bulk/beast, premium, generator, auction

Other services

Web hosting, WordPress hosting, email hosting, VPS, dedicated server, reseller hosting

Namecheap: Should I buy?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Namecheap offers all you need in an accessible form

4.5/5

User experience

My dashboard of choice, Namecheap is very simple to use and make changes through

4.5/5

Value

A few blips doesn’t stop this being mostly good value for money

4.5/5

Buy it if...

• You want the best UI around. Namecheap has a highly accessible UI that’s easy to use even if you’re not used to domain management.
• You want a simple first year. There’s a little upselling but Namecheap keeps it mostly straightforward with useful features as standard and competitively priced for the first year.
• You have big plans. Namecheap offers some useful marketing advice if you need some guidance with what to do next.

Don't buy it if...

• You want the cheapest price every year. Namecheap’s renewal prices can ramp up so be aware the best renewals may not be here.
• Phone support is a dealbreaker. There’s no phone support here which won’t bother everyone but could be vital for some users.
• You want to buy hosting at the same time. Namecheap offers hosting but there are better solutions out there which work out cheaper and more useful.

Namecheap: The competition

• Porkbun: Cheaper than Namecheap albeit with a very plain UI in comparison, Porkbun is ideal if you just want to save as much as possible.
• GoDaddy: For hosting and domain management, GoDaddy has you covered, even if its renewals can get expensive.
• Name: For more niche TLDs, Name is a strong choice and easy to work through, if a little expensive.

How I tested Namecheap

• Bought two domains
• Evaluated domain management services
• Compared prices with competition

I searched for domain names using Namecheap’s standard search before looking at beast mode and its generator model. I then purchased two domain names and evaluated its domain management dashboard. That included searching through its settings and making some changes. I also looked at how easy it was to cancel any renewals and compared the experience to other domain hosting registrars.

Ionos is a familiar name in the web hosting industry having been around since the early days. The company launched as 1&1 in 1988 and has gone through a number of rebrands over the years. Since then, it’s established a strong reputation for web hosting and other online services.

In the case of this review, I’m focusing on the domain name buying experience with Ionos. I’ve bought a lot of domain names over the past 25 years and I’ve written about them and reviewed them extensively. This Ionos review comes from my hands-on testing while checking out the service. I also looked at official support and documentation, and evaluated verified user reviews to see if my experience was unique or not.

You can see more options in our list of the best domain registration services.

Ionos: My experience

(Image credit: Ionos)

Ionos is simple enough to use. I entered an idea for a domain and it quickly came back with the most logical suggestion for me as well as a list to scroll through below. Prices are all for the first year so count on renewals to be pricier. A mixture of premium domains and cheaper suggestions cover all budgets.

Hit the buy button and predictably, Ionos tries to upsell you on email hosting, web hosting, and website building. Pricing is a little vague, as when you actually go through the purchase process you discover the price is actually for a 2-year term which can work out pricier. The first domain I chose ended up costing $2 for the first year because I didn’t tie into the 2-year plan to get the introductory rate. Domain Guard adds extra security but also costs an additional $1 for the first year, so if you want to keep things at their cheapest you need to remove this from your basket.

Other than that, it’s a simple process and takes moments. Just keep an eye on what you’re signing up for.

Ionos: Features

(Image credit: Ionos)

Ionos bundles in a strong number of features as standard. A free Wildcard SSL certificate is included, Domain Connect makes it easy to set up your DNS, and there’s also a free WordPress account with .co.uk domains. It’s particularly useful to be able to connect your domain to over 100 3rd party services or your social media, all with one click. It’s also simple to implement up to 10,000 subdomains if needed. Domain transfer lock is included for free as well which isn’t always guaranteed with other domain hosts.

Using any of these features or performing simple tasks from changing nameservers to turning off auto-renewal is pretty easy.

Ionos: User experience

From the outset, Ionos is simple to use. That includes its AI powered suggestions while you’re considering what domain to buy. From there, the Ionos dashboard continues the simplicity trend. It’s not the most attractive of layouts and feels more geared towards projects than stockpiling many domains, but it works well. It’s simple to browse through all your settings, even if you’re not an experienced hand at domain management.

Some tooltips are available along the way and if you scroll down, you always find relevant help topics which will guide you through whatever your plans are. There are also toggles as needed.

Ionos: Customer support

Hit the support button and Ionos immediately dishes out recommended help articles which should save you a lot of time. It goes much further than that though. At all times, in the bottom right hand corner, you can talk to the Ionos chat bot before being transferred to a human agent if needed.

It’s also possible to submit a support ticket if your issue doesn’t need to be resolved urgently. A final option is to phone Ionos for support. To save a little effort, the contact support area gives you your account number and a temporary phone PIN to get you straight to discussing your query. It’s a well rounded set of support options.

Ionos: Pricing

Domain

Price from

.xyz

$0.96

.com

$10

.eu

N/A

.net

$1

.org

$1

Ionos has a huge wealth of domain names although the US site doesn’t offer .eu TLDs. Most TLDs can be acquired very cheaply in theory but there’s a caveat. Usually, prices go up dramatically for more than one year and sometimes the introductory price is only available if you commit to multiple years.

To offset this, there are some good bundle deals if you just want to invest in a handful of TLDs relating to your brand name. It’s worth experimenting and keeping an eye on how prices differ. While you’re likely to want a domain for more than one year, you still want to know what you’re tied into.

Ionos: Specs

Spec

Details

Lowest price from

$0.96 (.xyz)

Highest price from

$42,000 (.com)

Search tools

Standard search, AI, bulk, marketplace, auction

Other services

Web hosting, WordPress hosting, email hosting, AI receptionist, eCommerce, VPS server, dedicated server

Should I buy Ionos?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Ionos has all the features you need clearly labelled.

4.5/5

User experience

Easy to browse if a little plain, and with good support.

4.5/5

Value

Prices hide a few fees which makes it slightly less great value.

3.5/5

Buy it if...

• You want an all-in-one solution. Ionos isn’t just a place for domains but it easily ties in hosting, servers, email hosting, and even AI receptionist tools.
• You want all the core features. Ionos doesn’t tend to charge extra for core features you need. It’s a simpler thing to sign up than others.
• You have long term plans. Ionos rewards those who need a domain name for a long time by making it easy to commit for long time periods.

Don't buy it if...

• You want the cheapest deals. Ionos is rarely the cheapest option once you factor in renewal fees which ramp up the costs for more than a year.
• You want a simple domain management interface. Competitors are better at laying out multiple domains to manage at speed.
• You just want a domain for one year. The prices for one year aren’t entirely accurate as they assume you’re signing up for multiple years. It’s something to be aware of.

Ionos: The competition

• GoDaddy: A great all-in-one solution that offers a similar experience to Ionos, GoDaddy can get expensive but works well.
• Porkbun: If you just need a domain name, check out Porkbun. It’s one of the cheapest options around with its no-frills approach.
• Namecheap: My preferred dashboard, Namecheap has a much simpler domain management interface for multiple domains.

How I tested Ionos

• Signed up and purchased two domain names
• Evaluated domain management dashboard
• Looked at pricing compared to competitors

I searched for new domain names on Ionos before buying two. From there, I evaluated the sign up process and looked at how easy it was to use domain management tools as well as looked at what features were available.

BosGame VTI-490: 30-second review

The BosGame VTI-490 angled top panel, bright orange power button and the slightly cyberpunk styling suggest a machine aimed primarily at gamers, and for the first few days of testing, I kept that in mind as I started the application installs and connection to the network. By the end of a month, it had become one of the most impressive mini PCs I’ve tested, and while the integrated graphics will impress gamers, creative professionals should also take note.

What sets this machine apart is the new Intel Core Ultra X7 358H, built on Intel's 18A process. This is the company's first 2nm-class node, and the performance reflects what was promised by this new technology and release.

Using all standard applications in Windows 11 Pro is fluid; applications open quickly, and the full Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, and a browser full of tabs run without any issues. This was effectively reflected in the Windows Experience score of 8.9, which is among the highest I’ve seen in a Mini PC of this size.

As part of the new CPU, there's the integrated Intel Arc B390 GPU, and checking out the benchmarks, the results were impressive with Fire Strike Graphics at 17,443, Time Spy at 7,717, and Wild Life at 43,790, which, to put it into context, is well above the usual Radeon 890M integrated GPU scores I’m used to seeing.

Before starting some serious work, I tested running Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Hogwarts Legacy. Both ran smoothly at medium-to-high settings at 1080p, and at lower settings, 4K is also possible.

If you’re looking for a compact mini PC for creative use, for example to run Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve or Lightroom the machine was able to handle 4K footage from the Canon EOS R5 C and Sony a7 IV without issue, no dropped frames during productions lasting up to and beyond 15 minutes, although an external storage solution was needed as the 1TB internal drive is lacking on capacity.

This is where the most impressive feature came into play, the 10GbE LAN port on the rear. Connecting directly to a Ugreen DXP4800 GT NAS at 10Gbps delivered network transfer speeds approaching 800 MB/s, the equivalent of working from a directly attached drive while accessing multi-terabyte NAS capacity.

For video and photo professionals who run a high-speed NAS, this entirely eliminates the need for a separate 10GbE switch or adapter, enabling a neat, tidy workspace with plenty of upgrade potential if needed. Whether or not it's the best mini PC out there will depend entirely on whether you need that level of functionality and power.

BosGame VTI-490: Price and availability

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

• How much does it cost? $1699
• When is it out? Now
• Where can you get it? Directly from BosGame

The Bosgame VTI-490 is available direct from Bosgame's website priced at $1,699 / £1,284.

The review unit that I’ve tested here shipped with Intel Core Ultra X7 358H processor, a 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, and 64GB LPDDR5X RAM.

• Value: 4/5

BosGame VTI-490: Specs

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

CPU: Intel Core Ultra X7 358H, 16C/16T, up to 4.8GHz
GPU: Intel Arc B390
NPU: Intel NPU 5
AI performance: 180 TOPS combined
RAM: 64GB LPDDR5X 9600 MT/s, soldered, dual-channel
Storage: 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD (Plus one M.2 slot available for upgrade)
Front ports: 3.5mm jack, 2 × USB 3.2 Gen2 (10Gbps), 1 × USB 2.0, 1 × Thunderbolt 4 (8K 60Hz), power button
Rear ports: HDMI 2.1 (8K 60Hz), DisplayPort 1.4 (8K 60Hz), Thunderbolt 4 (8K 60Hz), 1 × 2.5GbE LAN, 1 × 10GbE LAN, 2 × USB 2.0, OCuLink
Wireless: Wi-Fi (Intel AX201, Wi-Fi 6), Bluetooth
OS: Windows 11 Pro
Dimensions: 5.98 x 5.98 x 2.05in (152 x 152 x 52mm) (including rubber feet)
Weight: 1.62lb (736g)

Bosgame VTI-490: Design

The VTI-490's design is slightly different from the understated boxes that dominate the mini PC market. Firstly, there’s the angled top section, made from sheet metal with plenty of venting slots, complemented by quality plastic for the remainder of the chassis. The cyberpunk aesthetic, essentially angular lines, is minimalistic, and the bright orange power button sets off the front nicely. I personally like that it’s easy to find, which isn’t always the case.

While I say it has a slight cyberpunk style, it could equally be a piece of broadcast equipment, looking like a little smaller hardware encoder box. Either way, it sits neatly on the desk, taking up far less space than a workstation with comparable power.

At 5.98 x 5.98 x 2.05in (152 x 152 x 52mm) and 1.62lb (736g), it’s compact and light by mini PC standards, especially with this specification. It’s also worth noting that, unlike most mini PCs at this price, the VTI-490 does not include a VESA mount. It’s designed to sit on a desk rather than be mounted behind a monitor. If you rely on VESA mounting to keep the workspace clear, or to fix it to the inside of a van or cabinet, then this is something to think about.

I’m not a great fan of the design. However, the port layout is well thought through, and the front panel offers a good selection of ports. These ports are set off by the bright orange power button, which is easy to find, and it sounds minor, but it matters in a busy studio environment. This power button is joined by two USB 3.2 Gen2 10 Gbps ports, one USB 2.0 port, a Thunderbolt 4 port capable of 8K output at 60Hz, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

The rear panel offers an HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4, both supporting 8K at 60Hz, alongside a second Thunderbolt 4 port, two USB 2.0 ports and the OCuLink port for future eGPU expansion.

The standout rear feature for creative professionals is the dual LAN: one 2.5GbE port for standard network connection and a dedicated 10GbE port, something no competing mini PC at this price that I’ve tested currently offers. This high-speed port enables direct NAS connection without additional switching hardware, which, for 10GbE, can be expensive.

The Core Ultra X7 358H and Arc B390 draw significant power for a mini PC, and the thermal design works well, though not silently.

• Design: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)BosGame VTI-490: Features

At the heart of the machine is an Intel Core Ultra X7 358H with integrated Arc B390 GPU. In the test, this GPU delivered impressive performance, as was seen in the benchmark scores across the board. These controlled tests and the high scores that resulted were reflected in the real-world tests.

Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve handled 4K video editing with files from the Canon EOS R5 C more like a desktop machine than a mini PC. I was personally impressed that I could edit productions up to 15 minutes long and beyond without the performance drop-off that usually limits these small PCs. AI-accelerated features in Photoshop, such as generative fill and timeline expansion in Premiere Pro, all worked well.

As is now standard, the CPU and GPU are joined by a dedicated NPU, in this case the Intel NPU 5, which offers 50 TOPS of AI processing, and sits alongside the CPU and GPU rather than sharing resources with either. Using older Mini PCs without the NPU acceleration, it’s obvious the benefit you get, especially when using Copilot+ features, and then there’s the ability to run your own local language models via LM Studio.

During the test, LM Studio was used to set up a local AI agent capable of organising files within the home network, a workflow that picks up on a project that I had started with a high-speed NAS. Connecting the VTI-490 to the UGREEN iDX6011 Pro NAS creates a powerful local AI hub. It’s an ongoing project, and the potential is growing.

Looking at the more traditional hardware, 64GB of LPDDR5X at 9600 MT/s runs in a dual-channel configuration across all eight soldered memory chips, providing the bandwidth creative applications need.

Checking out Adobe Bridge, and it was able to render thumbnail catalogues from Sony A7 IV and Canon EOS R5 C shoots. Lightroom Classic batch editing, Photoshop file handling and Premiere Pro timeline management and rendering are all boosted by the higher RAM.

Checking out the stability of the machine by keeping everything open, including all of Microsoft Office, the full Creative Suite (including InDesign), and a well-loaded browser, didn’t noticeably affect the speed or stability.

During the test, the one feature that really stood out to me was the 10GbE LAN port, especially since I’ve been looking at the Ugreen DXP4800 GT NAS, and this compact partner proved to be a great solution for creative applications.

Connecting the mini PC and 16TB NAS directly via the 10GbE network ports enabled transfer speeds of around 800 MB/s, comparable to a directly attached storage device of this capacity.

What was good about this partnership was that I could make the connection without needing a separate 10GbE switch or a USB4-to-10GbE adapter. For videographers and photographers working from a NAS, this changes the economics of a simple desktop setup; a 10GbE switch will set you back around £250 and an adapter £80+. The second 2.5GbE port handles the standard network connection, leaving the 10GbE port free for the NAS direct link.

On arrival, the machine has Windows 11 Pro installed, and, as ever, the final steps of the installation are required: complete the Windows setup, register accounts, and the machine is ready to use.

On the back, you also have the OCuLink port; unfortunately, I don’t at present have an OCuLink eGPU to test this part of the machine.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

• Features: 4.5 / 5

BosGame VTI-490: Performance

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The machine arrived almost set to go with the final stages of the Windows 11 setup process needing to be completed before the tests could begin.

After running updates and ensuring all settings had been switched to performance, I started out with the main benchmark tests. Here, the machine instantly started to show its potential with a PCMark 10 score of 9,378, which is high. I then double checked this by running the Windows Experience Index, which, with a score of 8.9, is amongst the highest I have recorded for a mini PC.

This performance essentially reflected my experience with the day-to-day use. Microsoft Office applications open swiftly, and working across Word, Excel and PowerPoint with copy-paste between all three produces no notable lag. That new Intel CPU delivers plenty of speed for Windows 11.

I’m always interested in the disk speed as this is essential for video editing, although speeds are now reaching a point where, for the moment at least, they’re fast enough. Sure enough, CrystalDiskMark results of 6,052 MB/s read and 5,271 MB/s write showed that the PCIe 4.0 SSD is performing well.

Benchmark results

CrystalDiskMark Read: 6,052.4 MB/s
CrystalDiskMark Write: 5,271.62 MB/s
Geekbench 6 CPU Multi-Core: 15,615
Geekbench 6 CPU Single-Core: 2,869
Geekbench 6 GPU: 56,442
PCMark 10 Overall: 9,378
Cinebench CPU Multi: 4,297
Cinebench CPU Single: 511
3DMark Fire Strike Overall: 14,593
3DMark Fire Strike Graphics: 17,443
3DMark Fire Strike Physics: 28,356
3DMark Fire Strike Combined: 4,941
3DMark Time Spy Overall: 7,717
3DMark Time Spy Graphics: 7,163
3DMark Time Spy CPU: 13,742
3DMark Wild Life Overall: 43,790
3DMark Steel Nomad Overall: 1,645
Windows Experience Index: 8.9

In practice, Premiere Pro cache operations, Lightroom catalogue loading and project file access all benefit from this speed. The limitation, however, is capacity.

1TB isn’t a great deal and fills quickly with 4K footage from the Canon EOS R5 C, for this test and due to that high-demand workflow, an external SSD or, more aptly, connecting to the NAS via the 10GbE port and editing directly from network storage would be the solution. There are, however, two M.2 slots in the chassis, which makes a 4TB upgrade straightforward when needed.

The Arc B390 is a GPU that I haven’t tested before, and the performance was exceptional. The first real example of this was the Fire Strike Graphics score at 17,443, then Time Spy Graphics at 7,163 and Wild Life at 43,790. This is a significant boost for integrated graphics.

What this meant was that in Premiere Pro, the GPU handles 4K Canon EOS R5 C footage through colour grading and effects without the slowdown that I’m used to seeing with productions over five minutes. Productions up to 15 minutes and beyond were handled well.

Loading up DaVinci Resolve for the colour grading, and this was equally impressive. For anything beyond 15 minutes at professional-quality settings, an OCuLink eGPU would provide that welcome additional boost in power.

For RAW image editing, the combination of 64GB LPDDR5X and the Arc B390 makes Lightroom Classic and Adobe Bridge work extremely well, and for the most part, both applications were surprisingly stable.

As I went through the images from a museum brochure shoot, the Adobe Bridge selection, Lightroom Classic batch edit, and Photoshop output all worked without having to wait for thumbnails to render. Photoshop generative fill and AI-enhanced adjustments also appeared to benefit from both the Arc B390's hardware acceleration and the NPU 5.

Of course, while the creative applications are good to push the system, I was also interested in the gaming performance, especially with the Arc B390 and the new ARC GPUT.

Starting with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and then Hogwarts Legacy, I found that both ran at medium-to-high settings at 1080p with smooth frame rates. Pushing to 4K at lower-to-mid settings remained playable, with image breakup appearing at the higher end of the 4K quality options.

While I was unable to test it, I liked the fact that there’s the OCuLink port to upgrade if you need to edit higher-resolution video or play games that would otherwise require a full desktop.

Through the test, the feature that impressed me the most was the 10GbE LAN port that was able to deliver network editing speeds of up to 800 MB/s when connected directly to a DXP4800 GT NAS using the 10 Gbps port.

In Premiere Pro, editing 4K footage directly from the NAS over this connection was effectively the same as editing from a locally attached SSD, with little if any difference. If you are a photographer or videographer running a high-speed NAS, this feature alone makes it a great choice.

The final feature that I looked at was the Intel NPU 5 with 50 TOPS of dedicated AI processing. This enabled far faster use of Copilot+ and enabled me to set up a local LLM inference via LM Studio. Running a local language model to assist with file organisation within a home network showed the machine's potential as a local AI node, particularly when paired with a NAS system.

• Performance: 4.5 / 5

BosGame VTI-490: Final verdict

The Bosgame VTI-490 is a machine that really did surprise me, first with its aesthetics, which suggest a gaming focus, and then with the performance and features it actually delivers. After a month, the fact that it had some mild cyberpunk styling was forgotten, and what remained was a mini PC that handled every creative and productivity task thrown at it with ease and far exceeded expectations.

The Arc B390 is impressive and far outpaces other integrated GPUs. It’s fast and works well with all apps and games tested. The benchmark scores essentially translate directly to real-world performance that easily competes with entry-level discrete GPU workstations, just at a fraction of the size and cost.

What impressed me most about the machine was the 10GbE LAN, and this is a feature that will appeal to video and photo professionals. A direct 10 Gbps NAS connection, without a switch or adapter, that’s capable of delivering network speeds suitable for video editing is not a common feature on mini PCs or desktops, so it’s impressive to see here.

There are a few areas where I would have expected a little more, and for starters, the 1TB SSD is just too small, and the fact that there’s no VESA mount is annoying. Then there’s the fan noise under load, which isn’t bad but is notable, will annoy some, but most should be able to live with it.

It’s also worth considering that there are plenty of upgrade options; an additional SSD can be added, and the OCuLink port on the back enables even more power.

While there is a definite gamer theme to the aesthetics, in reality, this is equally suited to the creative sector.

Should I buy the BosGame VTI-490?

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Value

It's expensive, but Arc B390, 10GbE LAN, dual Thunderbolt 4 and OCuLink potential justify the cost.

4/5

Design

The design is balanced, and the cyberpunk aesthetics may be of an acquired taste, however, decent port layout.

4/5

Features

10GbE LAN, dual Thunderbolt 4, OCuLink, Intel NPU 5, clean Windows 11 Pro, this is alot in a small case. 

4.5/5

Performance

4K video editing and gaming performance exceeds anything previously seen in a mini PC at this size

4.5/5

Overall

This is essentially a mini PC workstation, and impressive not only for it’s size but price. 

4.5/5

Buy it if...

You edit video or process RAW in a NAS workflow.

The 10GbE LAN enables direct NAS connection at 800MB/s with the Arc B390 handles 4K editing in Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve without the performance issues of typical mini PCs.

You want a compact workstation you can grow with

The OCuLink port, dual M.2 slots and 10GbE LAN give the VTI-490 plenty of upgrade options. Start with the base specification, add storage when needed, add an eGPU when projects demand it and money allows.

Don't buy it if...

You need to VESA mount

No VESA mount is included or supported. The VTI-490 is designed for desktop positioning. If monitor mounting is important for your setup, most other mini PCs at this price include a VESA plate.

You need large internal storage

The 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD fills quickly with 4K video. An external drive, NAS connection or M.2 upgrade is an easy additional purchase.

For more productivity machines, we've tested the best business computers.

Lexar TouchLock Portable SSD: 30-second review

The popularity of compact portable SSDs has made them a mainstay of storage options; after all, they’re relatively inexpensive, easy to use, and for the most part, simply plug-in ready for use. With the latest design evolution, many models now feature a MagSafe connector, enabling you to attach them directly to the back of your mobile device.

However, this ultraportable and compact design means that whilst you can always carry them with you, and they’re robust enough to do so, they are far easier to lose than more traditional desktop solutions.

There are, of course, software encryption options which, off the shelf, will stop your general user from accessing the contents of your drives. But with a little time and some freely downloadable software from the internet, most software encryption is easy enough to overcome. However, if you do want more security for your portable SSD, for your work files, videos and other content, then the likes of the Lexar Touch Portable SSD, which includes 128-bit AES hardware encryption, are a great option.

Whilst there are many portable SSDs that offer similar levels of file security, this portable SSD differs by featuring an NFC chip that lets you quickly unlock the drive without entering any PIN codes or passwords.

It works through an initial setup: download the Lexar app, connect to the SSD via the included USB-C cable, and set up the simple NFC touch, which will later enable you to quickly unlock the device once it’s connected to either a mobile phone or a computer.

There are a few things to consider: unlike some other secure portable SSDs, this one can only be unlocked by the phone with the app installed. Whilst you do have a recovery process during the setup process, it makes it far more secure than many other options on the market. The fact is, this is hardware encryption, so without unlocking the drive, any machine you plug it into won’t recognise that it is even attached. It’s only once that connection has been made with a tap of the phone that you’ll be able to see and access the contents of the drive.

The hardware encryption is exceptional, and none of my off-the-shelf software could access the contents of the drive.

One downside about secure drives is that speed, and sure enough, speeds are relatively limited; whilst we’ve come to expect SSDs with transfer rates of 1000MB/s+, here you’re lucky to hit 400MB/s for read and far less for write, which also limits how you can use this as a working SSD.

Used alongside all newer iPhones and Android devices, you’ll be able to record video in log video quality perfectly well. But if you switch over to the iPhone 17 Pro, then not all of those log frame rates will be available to you due to those limited transfer rates. Likewise, if you’re thinking this would be a great solution to use in combination with your video cameras when shooting productions, just for an added level of security, then the transfer rate lags a little too much.

It's not the best portable SSD on the market - but it is one of the simplest and cheapest encrypted drives I've ever used. As long as you’re not trying to push what you’re doing with this portable SSD and are just using it to transfer secure files for work, then it is an exceptionally good drive. If you’re looking at it as a portable, secure working drive, those speeds will be limiting.

Lexar TouchLock Portable SSD: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? From $100 / £100
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available from retailers including Amazon

The Lexar TouchLock is in 512GB and 1TB capacity models from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk, with prices started at $100 / £100.

There's also a 2TB model listed on Lexar's site.

• Value: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)Lexar TouchLock Portable SSD: Specs

Capacity options: 512GB / 1TB / 2TB
Connectivity: USB 3.2 Gen 1, NFC phone authentication
Encryption: 128-bit AES hardware encryption
Size: 1.4oz (40g)
Weight: 3.37 x 2.09 x 0.28in (85.6mm x 53mm x 7mm)

Lexar TouchLock Portable SSD: Design

The Lexar TouchLock Portable SSD is a premium storage device designed for use with both your mobile phone and your laptop. The design features a high-quality metal-effect casing that gives the device a good, solid feel, and includes a MagSafe connector on the back that enables it to quickly attach to the back of your mobile phone. Due to the device's slim design, it’s extremely comfortable to hold even with the drive in place.

When it comes to the size and dimensions, it’s extremely light. The unit weighs 1.4oz (40g) for the drive itself (for the one-terabyte version reviewed), and the USB-C cable weighs 7g, bringing the grand total to 47g. In terms of size, it’s obviously been designed to fit neatly on the back of your mobile phone, and it measures 3.37 x 2.09 x 0.28in (85.6mm x 53mm x 7mm).

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The drive, as well as being usable with your mobile phone, is compatible with any laptop or, for that matter, desktop PC. It features a standard USB-C connector, and Lexar includes a USB-C-to-USB-A adapter in the box.

What marks this portable SSD out from most others is its NFC security TouchLock, which requires your mobile phone and the Lexar app to be installed to unlock the drive and recognise it by your mobile phone or the computer it’s attached to.

• Design: 4 / 5

Lexar TouchLock Portable SSD: Features

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

As a compact, rugged, lightweight portable storage device, the Lexar TouchLock Portable SSD stands out from the majority of others with features such as dual-layer encryption and fortified data protection.
What this means is that when you connect the portable SSD to your computer or mobile device, unlike most others, it isn’t instantly recognised. Even if you go into Disk Utility to search for connected devices, this portable SSD won’t appear. It is completely locked until you unlock it using the dedicated Lexar app.

Activating NFC and AES encryption for the drive is all handled during the initial setup process, which enables the NFC chip in the portable SSD and your mobile phone to communicate when they’re tapped together, acting as a key to access the drive's contents.

Lexar has ensured that the drive has wide compatibility, so whilst it features a MagSafe connector on the back that enables you to connect it directly to an iPhone, a metal ring is included in the box to attach it to an Android phone. It’s also widely compatible with other mobile phones, tablets and even desktop PCs.

The overall quality is good and solid. Whilst it might not be waterproof, it has been tested to withstand a two-metre drop and, through the test, proved durable enough for everyday use, being carried around in a camera backpack.

Taking a closer look at the lead feature, multilevel encryption, this is essentially 128-bit AES hardware encryption, which gives you far greater security than standard software encryption methods on most drives.

The Lexar Touch Portable SSD pairs an NFC chip with AES hardware encryption, so you can access the drive only after that connection is made. If, for whatever reason, you try to access the drive using another device, like other hardware-encrypted devices that require passwords, without that NFC tap (as with a password), there’s no access to the contents of the drive.

Lexar highlights that the level of encryption makes it ideal for business professionals, government and enterprise users, or everyday users seeking a higher level of security.

One of the things I like about the feature set is that, like other Lexar storage devices compatible with the Lexar app, it offers all the usual backup options that can be configured. So if you want a secure way to back up your mobile phone, it is perfectly possible. All you need to do is set up the process, connect the drive via USB to your mobile phone, tap to unlock with the NFC chip, and then, through the app, select ‘backup’ and the rest will be handled automatically.

One final point here is that, unlike most portable SSDs, security is the key attraction of this drive. Whilst it is relatively fast at around 400MB/s, it’s slower than the likes of the Lexar ES5 Magnetic Portable SSD, which means that whilst it’s great for archiving and backing up your data, it’s not a great option if you’re looking for a working drive.

• Features: 3.5 / 5

Lexar TouchLock Portable SSD: Performance

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)Benchmark scores

AmorphousDiskMark Read: 391.10MB/s
AmorphousDiskMark Write: 221.94MB/s
AJA System Test Lite Read: 266MB/s
AJA System Test Lite Write: 229MB/s
ATTO Disk Benchmark Read: 383.10MB/s
ATTO Disk Benchmark Write: 397.49MB/s

Most portable SSDs require little in the way of setup; just plug them in, and the storage will appear, ready for use on your laptop, desktop, or mobile phone. However, with the Lexar TouchLock Portable SSD, it’s not quite as straightforward because you have to set up the drive's security before you can actually mount the storage on the system you’re using. To do this, first connect it to your mobile phone via the USB-C cable, and make sure your mobile phone has an NFC chip; otherwise, you won’t have the key to unlock the drive.

The next step is to download the Lexar app. Then, as long as the SSD is connected, the app will detect the drive when you start it. You then run through the setup process, including the final step: saving your recovery key, a long string of words used if you need to set up the SSD on another device.

Once everything is done, in place and registered, the drive is ready to use. On your mobile phone, you simply plug it in, tap where the NFC chip is, and the SSD will then be ready for use, to back up your files or record video footage if you're using an iPhone with a Lightning port, although there are limitations for the latest iPhone model due to the video file size and data rates.

If, however, you’re connecting it to your laptop or desktop machine, once it’s connected, tap the unlock pad on the drive with your mobile phone's NFC and the drive will unlock and mount.

One thing I noticed right away: for the NFC chip to work and unlock the SSD, you need the Lexar app installed and open. You can’t just pick up your mobile phone and tap the NFC area on the SSD for it to unlock; you need to unlock the phone, access the Lexar app, select the Lexar TouchLock SSD option, and then tap the lock. It’s not a long process, but it’s not the one-touch I was hoping for. However, once the SSD is unlocked, essentially, it’s like any other portable SSD.

As I ran through a series of tests, I noted that the speed, whilst good at around 400MB/s for read speeds, the write speeds on the Mac averaged around 200MB/s, lagging well behind most other recent portable SSDs, and this is no doubt due to the level of security in place. This means it's a great portable SSD for storing and archiving sensitive data. However, if you’re looking at this as a secure working drive, then those transfer rates will be a bit limiting. If you were thinking of using this with one of the many cameras that can utilise external storage, then for many cameras, those transfer rates are below the minimum requirements needed to capture the latest video.

Once I copied some content to the review sample's 1 TB of storage, I unplugged and plugged it into a PC and tried to access the files with a variety of software. Unlike software-encrypted devices that still mount and appear in the drive listings, here the drive wouldn’t be recognised by the computer until the NFC lock was tapped. This made it far more secure than all software-encrypted drives, and a great option.

After giving the drive a good test, there was one big question I had to answer: what if I needed to post my secure files to my accountant, or if I was working on a project that required sending them securely? It seemed the drive itself could be transported, and the contents would be nice and secure, but my main question was: could it be unlocked at the other end without using my phone, which had the NFC key set up?

The simple answer is: while you can set up the Lexar app on another device, you’ll need the recovery key to do so. It does take a little time to select all the options, but as long as you have the recovery key you saved at the outset, you can send it to another party. When they receive the drive, they can install the app, use the recovery key to set it up, and then unlock the drive.

The pure simplicity of the Lexar Touch Portable SSD makes it exceptionally straightforward, and, from my point of view, it’s very much a personal device rather than one to be used by a business. The reason is that you set it up for a single user, and if you are thinking about posting it, then the process is a little convoluted. Other secure drives have a far more fluid system, enabling admin users and user accounts to be set up with different passwords and access levels, whereas here, through the Lexar app device management, you only really get the option to change the name of the drive and the password, so from that perspective, things are rather limited.

However, if you’re looking for a good, solid, very secure portable SSD for everyday use, then the Lexar Touch Portable SSD is a good, lightweight and secure option.

• Performance: 4 / 5

Lexar TouchLock Portable SSD: Final verdict

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The Lexar Touch Portable SSD is a neat and stylish secure drive that will suit individuals, small businesses, and anyone looking to secure their files. Throughout this review, it was clear that this is more of a personal secure drive than one used by enterprises or larger businesses. There’s no mass management, admin user access, or access rights for different sections of the drive. It’s more just a hardware-encrypted drive, you plug it in and use NFC to lock and unlock.

Once you start to look at it from this perspective, it’s a very solid choice. Considering the cost of secure drives, it’s exceptionally well priced, with a good range of capacities from 512GB to 2TB, which, for most documentation, will be absolutely fine. However, if you are looking to store multimedia and larger files, then that 2TB top capacity might be a little limiting.

Likewise, whilst this is a secure drive, the transfer rates, fast compared with traditional HDDs, are around 400MB/s, slower than a standard SSD. So if you are looking to use this as a working drive, then again, it might be a little limiting.

The MagSafe connector on the back makes it usable with mobile devices. Whilst it’s very good for backing up your mobile phone data and for recording some log video, again, with the latest iPhone 17, those transfer rates are a little limiting.

However, for everyday users looking for a portable SSD that offers far more protection than your average storage device, this is a very compact, lightweight, and secure option.

Should I buy the Lexar TouchLock Portable SSD?

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Value

Compared to the competition, this hardware-encrypted portable SSD is excellent value

5

Design

Stylish, slimline design that makes it ultra-portable and useful with mobile devices

4

Features

A limited range of features focused on simple, easy-to-use security 

3.5

Performance

Excellent hardware encryption security, decent build quality, and okay transfer speed 

4

Overall

An exceptionally well-priced hardware-encrypted drive, great for secure backups

4

Buy it if...

Password-free security
You want your drive locked by default, without having to type in passwords or use complex encryption apps.

iPhone-friendly setup
You like the idea of a MagSafe-style drive that can sit neatly on a phone for securely transporting and storing content.

Don't buy it if...

You capture the Log video.
The latest mobile phones require higher transfer rates than this portable SSD can deliver to capture the latest log video.

No advanced options
If you're looking to equip staff with a secure portable SSD, then the lack of administration management will be an issue.

For more storage solutions, we've tested out the best external hard drives and the best rugged drives.

If you’ve used Wix in the past, any domain name you’ve bought through it has come from Name.com. Name.com has been around since 2003 and is a reliable name in the field. Based in Denver, Colorado, it continues to be a popular hit for anyone looking to buy a domain name quickly. Its services extend to web hosting, WordPress hosting, and email hosting.

I’ve been buying and using domain names for over 20 years. I’ve also been reviewing hosting products for more than 10 years, so I know what to look out for. This Name.com review evaluates the sign up process, prices compared to the competition, and how well it all works for the average consumer.

For more options, why not take a look at our rundown of the best domain registrars?

Name.com: My experience

(Image credit: Name.com)

Signing up with Name.com doesn’t take long at all. I entered the domain idea and within a second, I was given a list of TLDs all with different prices. There’s no way to arrange that list by price, but it didn’t take long to browse through. From there, you can add multiple domains to your basket at the same time. Premium domains are tagged and renewal prices are offered up too.

There’s a little upselling when you add a domain, with the option to add on email hosting, Gmail, or Wix hosting, but you can skip past that quickly. Whois privacy, domain lock, and an SSL certificate also cost an additional fee, unlike some competitors. The original price doesn’t include the ICANN fee either.

Name.com: Features

(Image credit: Name.com)

Name.com has a clear and simple domain management page. At a glance, you can see all the domains you own. It’s simple to add Whois privacy, renew them, manage the nameservers and DNS records, and everything else you might need to do.

Head to the domain actions and video tutorials and FAQs guide you through what to do. Renewal is a simple toggle so you can switch it off easily enough. The bulk of the features comes from the My Products part of the dashboard which offers up a lot of free trials to tempt you in. You can tie your Name.com domain into a custom email service, Wix account, Google Workspace, or other hosting accounts. Name.com doesn’t have the best hosting services, but Wix is useful if you just want pure simplicity for your setup.

Name.com: User experience

Name.com is a simple to use service. It’s relatively basic looking, but it uses color to highlight key elements like renewal statuses and to help divide things up well. Management options are all contained in the same area with short guides on what each option means.

The site is also keen to help you establish your business through adding on hosting or even setting up an LLC if you’re in the US. While there are potentially easier hosting packages for beginners, Name.com builds fairly well on its strongest reputation as a domain provider. It’s just unfortunate you have to pay extras for basics like WHOIS privacy.

Name.com: Customer support

Name.com lacks phone support but otherwise, it has good support options. As mentioned, you get videos and guides scattered throughout the domain management page. It also has a knowledge base for step-by-step guides.

Another option is its 24/7 chat bot which converts to human support if needed. There’s also a support ticket service, which I found wasn’t the fastest but was useful when dealing with a non-time sensitive query.

Name.com: Pricing

Domain

Price from

.xyz

£0.76

.com

£9.97

.eu

£8.44

.net

£12.66

.org

£7.67

With over 600 TLDs to choose from, Name.com isn’t short of options. Its cheapest domains are under £1 in the UK for the first year with .coms working out as quite affordable too. This will vary depending on the domain you want, so the thing to look out for is the renewal fee.

Also, Name.com does throw in additional fees. If you want WHOIS privacy and advanced domain lock protection, you’ll need to pay a little extra. That’s worth thinking about when comparing domain name prices.

Name.com: Specs

Spec

Details

Lowest price from

£0.76 (.xyz)

Highest price from

£1,280

Search tools

Standard search, bulk, by TLD groups

Other services

Web hosting, WordPress hosting, email hosting, Wix

Name.com: Should I buy?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Name.com has all the management tools you need as well as some hosting options.

4.5/5

User experience

Fairly easy to use with some convenient tutorials along the way.

4/5

Value

Slightly hidden fees make it not quite as cheap as its competitors.

3.5/5

Buy it if...

• You want the professional touch. Name.com looks a little more professional than others. That isn’t a dealbreaker but it does make it very easy to look through your domain name portfolio.
• You want domain suggestions. One feature allows Name.com to suggest groups of TLDs based on your intentions. It’s a valuable time saving tool.
• You want to add extra features. Want to try out Wix for less or check out free trials? Name.com is great at dishing these out to give you a good commitment-free taster.

Don't buy it if...

• You want the cheapest price. Name.com slips in extra fees for fairly important features. Be aware.
• You want the best hosting. Name.com’s hosting is good but not great. If you want an all-in-one solution, go elsewhere.
• You want phone support. No phone support won’t bother everyone but if that’s you, dodge Name.com.

Name.com: The competition

• GoDaddy: If you want professionalism with slightly better prices, GoDaddy offers that in abundance while making things pretty simple.
• Porkbun: Few domain registrars are cheaper than Porkbun even if it isn’t the most stylish or appealing option out there. It’s ideal for establishing a portfolio.
• Namecheap: Easy to use with reasonable prices across the board, Namecheap is perfect for many needs if you don’t mind the lack of phone support.

How I tested Name.com

• Set up an account and bought two domain names
• Searched for other domains
• Compared prices and services to other companies

I searched for a domain name through Name.com before signing up for an account. I bought two domain names while evaluating other options. I went through the sign up process when purchasing and looked out for any additional fees or any caveats that needed to be acknowledged.

Once purchased, I looked at the domain management tools available to me as well as how I could expand my portfolio, either through new domains or by adding a hosting package.

Network Solutions has been around longer than I’ve been alive. Set up in 1979 as a technology consulting company, it later became the first operator of the DNS registry in 1991 under a sub-contract with the US DISA. It’s been a core part of what we’re used to seeing every day online now.

It’s also a domain registrar which anyone can sign up for with a wealth of TLDs available. I’ve been purchasing domain names for about 25 years and I’ve been reviewing web hosting and domain services for the past 10 years. When evaluating Network Solutions, I’ve used that experience as well as conducted hands-on testing, looked at its features, and investigated other verified reviews of the services available.

You can also take a look at our list of the best domain registrar services.

Network Solutions: My Experience

(Image credit: Network Solutions)

Network Solutions is very easy to sign up to and very keen to upsell. I searched for domains, found a very cheap one at 99c and then stared in awe as the price increased massively. That’s because you’re given the price for the first year, but Network Solutions immediately suggests tying yourself in for five years. Only the first year is particularly cheap. It also adds a free trial for domain privacy and starter hosting, and suggests a lot of other add-ons as well.

Be careful while you look through the basket so you only pay for what you actually want. Once you’ve bought a domain, you’re taken to a dashboard that looks identical to the Domain.com one because Network Solutions has acquired Domain.com.

Network Solutions: Features

(Image credit: Network Solutions)

Predictably, Network Solutions follows a similar path to Domain. That means you’re paying extra for every service you might need. There’s a domain lock, but other than that you need to pay for Whois privacy protection—something that tends to come for free with other domain registrars.

Its dashboard is also like Domain’s, which means it’s simple but fairly unattractive. You can easily connect your domain here to a website or email hosting, with Network Solutions keen for you to sign up to its own services. There are free trials available but generally, there are better hosting options out there. You can also connect your social media with separate guides for each type of account. Other than that, expect to pay. Even domain forwarding costs extra here.

Network Solutions: User experience

Like Domain, Network Solutions is very focused on upselling. You can ignore all this, but at times you do need to be aware of what has been added to your basket before tapping the buy button. That makes Network Solutions feels a little cynically designed.

The trend continues when looking around the dashboard, applying domain privacy, adding marketing tools, and so forth. But it is simple to find and change nameservers at least and if you want an all-in-one solution, Network Solutions is exceptionally keen to provide that.

Network Solutions: Customer support

Network Solutions has the usual suspects for support. There’s an AI chat bot which helps with a lot of commonly asked queries. At the time of writing, it also offered me a 20% discount on SSL certificates so it’s worth consulting once in a while. If you need to talk to a person, you can switch over by asking to do so.

Elsewhere, there’s the knowledge base which provides a lot of how-to guides for many situations. The knowledge base and chat bot should solve most of your problems, but if not, you can call Network Solutions with phone support being a neat bonus that not every domain registrar offers. There’s also a ticketing system.

Network Solutions: Pricing

Domain

Price from

.xyz

$14.99

.com

$11.99

.eu

$34.99

.net

$14.99

.org

$14.99

One year fees for most TLDs with Network Solutions are fairly competitive, but they don’t tell the full story. Sometimes, you only get this discount if you commit to a longer period of time and in all cases, renewals end up much more expensive than the enticing first year offer.

There are also many hidden fees with domain privacy, SSL certificates, and even domain forwarding all costing extra. Even ICANN fees are added on in the basket so that initial fees seem cheaper than they truly are.

Network Solutions: Specs

Spec

Details

Lowest price from

$0.99 (.online)

Highest price from

$2,488 (.org)

Search tools

Standard search, bulk, AI search, by TLD grouping

Other services

Web hosting, WordPress hosting, email hosting

Should I buy Network Solutions?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Network Solutions has all you need, but you’ll pay for it.

4/5

User experience

Easy enough but far from visually appealing.

3.5/5

Value

A little sneaky with hidden fees and pricey renewals makes it poor value.

2/5

Buy it if...

• You want something reliable. With so much experience in the field, you’re in safe if expensive hands with Network Solutions. For some users, that’s worth the price.
• You want an all-in-one solution. Everything from domains to hosting to email is available here which simplifies your decision making somewhat.
• You want to add features individually. By requiring payment for so many services, you only pay for what you need. That could work well for some users.

Don't buy it if...

• You want the cheapest domains. Network Solutions rarely works out cheapest so if price is everything, go elsewhere.
• You hate upselling. At every turn, Network Solutions tries to upsell you on its products. This can get annoying.
• You want a stylish onboarding experience. Network Solutions lacks good looks even if it does get the job done.

Network Solutions: The Competition

• GoDaddy: If you need web hosting as well as a domain, GoDaddy is the superior choice. It’s more visually appealing and a better price, even with upselling.
• Porkbun: For cheap domains and a no-frills experience, Porkbun is the place to go. It requires a little more knowledge at times, but its prices are great.
• Dynadot: Another good option for value, Dynadot misses a few TLDs but it’s otherwise great for stockpiling domains over time.

How I tested Network Solutions

• Searched for two domain names and bought them
• Investigated the Network Solutions dashboard
• Looked at features and support options

I signed up for an account with Network Solutions and purchased two domain names. I then looked through the dashboard to see what was available for free and how easy it was to make adjustments. I also looked at how simple it was to get advice from the help center, and I looked at other details like how to cancel auto-renew.

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Domain or domain.com has been a significant name in the domain registrar world since 1999. One of the oldest brands out there, it’s been through a few acquisitions and is now part of Network Solutions. Over the years, it has expanded its domain services to also bundle in hosting accounts, and email hosting.

I’ve been purchasing and using domain names for over 20 years, while reviewing hosting products for more than 10 years. I’ve used that experience to evaluate Domain. That includes looking to see how simple signing up is, how competitive its prices are, and whether it’s worth recommending to people.

Domain: My experience

(Image credit: Domain.com)

As with most domain services, Domain is easy enough to search through. Head to the site, type in the domain you’re considering and you get a bunch of domain results. The results are a little different from others, focusing on what Domain thinks will be your best options. That meant a search for Jenjea initially provided some related results like jenjho.net rather than TLDs connected to Jenjea. You need to toggle ‘View all TLDs’ to see the more traditional results.

There are filtering options but no way to organize by price. Each domain suggestion also includes explanations as to why they might be a good purchase. Hit Add to Cart and you’re given one month of domain privacy and protection for free, along with professional email. Further upselling comes from the domain switching to 3 years when you’re initially told the price for just one year. Make sure to check what you’re paying for. A lot of extras are automatically added to your basket that you need to opt out from.

Domain: Features

(Image credit: Domain.com)

Domain is a service immediately keen on selling you more features. Without paying additional fees, you don’t really get any extras bundled in. It’s possible to add Whois privacy but that comes at a cost. At least a domain lock is included, so there’s no risk of unauthorized transfers.

Via the domain management page, you can easily connect your domain to a website or email hosting service, with Domain offering both if you need them. I’d recommend going elsewhere for the best value—why not consider our list of the best free web hosting services? Even domain forwarding isn’t free so potentially, your very cheap domain could end up much more expensive than other options.

All the core features are here. It’s just unfortunate that very few are freely available and many are focused on upselling. Even the dashboard promotes all the other similar domain names you may wish to purchase.

Domain: User experience

As soon as you purchase a domain, Domain offers suggestions such as setting up coming soon pages, creating a logo, forwarding the domain, and much more. It’s a little muddled, and not everything is free.

That trend continues with the rest of the Domain dashboard. There’s a strong focus on promoting additional services — whether that’s domain privacy or something much pricier. It’s still pretty simple to find the things you need like nameservers, but there’s a cynicism to how things are laid out at times.

Domain review: Customer support

Domain offers reasonable support options. There’s phone support based in the US, a comprehensive knowledge base, and live chat. The latter is AI-based starting out, but if you simply ask to talk to a human, you get connected pretty quickly.

There’s no ticket system though which is an annoying omission if you’d prefer to leave a ticket and come back later. Still, live chat is reasonably effective at solving queries quickly.

Domain: Pricing

Domain

Price from

.xyz

$14.99

.com

$5

.eu

$34.99

.net

$14.99

.org

$14.99

Domain is an interesting one for pricing. Sometimes it’s very cheap, with some popular TLDs like .com .org and .net costing just $5 — but when it comes to more unusual options like .xyz, it can get much more expensive than competitors.

There’s also the matter of everything having an additional fee. Prices exclude the ICANN fees but also domain privacy protection, a SSL certificate, domain expiration protection, and anything else you can think of that’s adjacent to actually just buying the domain.

Domain: Specs

Spec

Details

Lowest price from

$1.99 (.xyz)

Highest price from

$5,000 (.com

Search tools

Standard search, bulk, by TLD groups, AI search

Other services

Web hosting, WordPress hosting, email hosting

Should I buy Domain?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Domain has all the features you need. For a price.

4/5

User experience

Simple to use and buy multiple domains if a little cluttered.

3.5/5

Value

Expensive first years followed by many additional fees and pricey renewals makes this poor value.

2/5

Buy it if...

• You want a large domain portfolio. Domain makes it very easy to buy multiple domains quickly. If you want to flip domains or protect your brand, this is a simple option.
• You need guidance. Domain is keen to promote its other services and help you set up a landing page, create a logo, and more, so it’s a reliable, straightforward solution (for a price).
• You want to add features as you go. By charging individually for many of the features, you could potentially get a bargain if you’re shrewd.

Don't buy it if...

• You want straightforward pricing. Domain is a little sneaky, suggesting prices are low till you bear in mind how many extras you ideally need.
• You want ticket support. If you don’t want to sit around on live chat, Domain’s support isn’t ideal.
• You want the cheapest domains. Domain is far from the cheapest in most cases even if it looks it at first.

Domain: The Competition

• Dynadot: If you’re looking for cheap domains and common TLDs, Dynadot is a better solution. It’s fairly basic but perfect for a quick few purchases.
• GoDaddy: For an all-in-one solution that works well despite getting a little pricey, GoDaddy is a good option. It’s appealing, easy to figure out, and an ideal choice for long-term commitments.
• NameCheap: Namecheap offers fairly cheap domains depending on your plans, and is very easy to use. It’s an easy recommendation to make.

How I tested Domain

• Created account and purchased two domain names
• Searched for other domains
• Evaluated how easy management services are

I searched for domain names using Domain and then purchased two of them. Along the way, I compared prices with competitors and also looked at how simple the process was. This included investigating the many extra fees for services that would have been useful if they’d been included, and looking at how pushy Domain was at promoting extra services. I also looked at how easy it was to change or cancel services.

Lovable is a relatively new entrant in the rapidly expanding field of no-code platforms that help businesses spin up all kinds of apps without writing a single line of code.

To learn more about this tool, we developed a prompt to generate a web app with Lovable, enabling us to fully explore its features and see how it stands in comparison to its competition. You can also take a look at our other picks for the best no-code platforms.

Lovable: Features

One of the main reasons for Lovable’s growing popularity is its AI app builder.

You describe your app idea in natural language, which the platform will use to create a fully functional app for you. The AI prompt can be as simple as “Create a login page” to something more complex like “Can you build me a CRM app and hook it up to a database, along with an authentication system that allows users to sign up, and log in.”

Once you enter the prompt, Lovable’s AI builder will generate the app’s user interface (UI), along with the backend, complete with the necessary database tables, forms to input customer details, and even set up functionality for viewing, editing, and deleting customer records.

(Image credit: Lovable)

Going one step ahead, you can also use the AI to further edit and refine your app by describing changes to the AI.

Templates and databases

Besides AI, Lovable also offers an array of pre-built templates that you can use as starting points to speed up the development process. These templates cover a wide range of application types, such as marketplaces, CRMs, analytics, cryptocurrency trading, and more.

This is especially helpful if you are new to development and don’t have a clear idea for the app, or you’re someone who wants to roll out apps quickly.

On the backend, Lovable uses Lovable Cloud, a Postgres based database running via Supabase (an open source alternative to Google’s Firebase platform). Zero setup is required for this as adding databases, authentication services, and other backend functionalities is all handled automatically for you.

If you need them, external databases – Snowflake, BigQuery, Databricks, and Airtable – are also supported, as are Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Databases that support REST/HTTP API can also be used with Lovable.

You can also hook Lovable to your GitHub, and it will transfer your project's code to your GitHub repository for two-way sync of edits. This means the platform will be aware of any manual commits you make in the repo, and roll them into the app on its own. This functionality is somewhat unique, as most other no-code platforms just hold on to the code.

If you don’t have a GitHub repo, you can view and even edit the code in Lovable itself.

Lovable: Interface and ease of use

Lovable has a simple dashboard with a textbox smack in the middle of the screen where you can describe your app idea.

If you’re new to building apps, Lovable suggests leveraging pre-built styles to improve your app’s appearance. Lovable points to 21st.dev where you can browse pre-built designs, and then copy its prompt into Lovable.

After you’ve described the project, Lovable will tell you how it plans to go about building the initial version of the app, describing its features and design elements.

When it’s done spinning up the first iteration, it will open it up for preview. You can then tweak the layout, and other aspects of the app via more prompts. For more control, you can even make edits to the different elements inside the app using Lovable’s Figma-like visual editor.

You can also attach images to guide the AI. For instance, you can browse the designs at Dribble, screenshot the relevant section, upload it to Lovable, and ask it to redesign the relevant section of the app based on the uploaded design.

(Image credit: Lovable)

Templates for a quick start

The dashboard also gives you access to various templates for a quick start. The intuitive interface makes it fairly simple to navigate through the different pages in your app. You can also easily switch between the manual edit mode, and the AI mode.

Lovable ensures the UI of your app is responsive, and works well on both desktops and mobile devices. You can easily toggle between web, and mobile views to visualize how your app looks across different screen sizes.

Very helpfully the platform also lets you define global styles by adding a system prompt in the project settings’ Knowledge field, such as “make sure all buttons have rounded corners.” From then on, every time you ask Lovable to add a button, the AI builder will ensure it adheres to this predefined style.

If you’re struck by an idea for a web app while away from your computer, Lovable available as a mobile app for both Android and iPhone. While the user interface is stripped-back, it has largely the same menu options, and supports not just fresh and revised prompts, but restoring earlier builds of your project and even publishing/deploying. You can also manage connectors and review the generated code in the app, and run the preview project.

Lovable: Integration and extensibility

Lovable leverages popular tools and frameworks such as React, Tailwind CSS, and the Vite JavaScript build tool to optimize frontend performance. This helps ensure your app adheres to industry best practices.

One way to extend your app is to ask Lovable AI to modify the database to connect the frontend UI to the backend, for instance, to create and save login details. Based on this information, Lovable will then automatically create the appropriate tables as required, and it’ll write the SQL for you.

(Image credit: Lovable)

You can instruct Lovable to integrate payment gateways, social media APIs, or data analytics tools directly into your project. Simply ask the AI to "help me integrate Stripe into my app," and then follow its instructions to implement the integration, which basically involves handing it your API keys. Paddle is also supported.

However, it's important to note that Stripe integration doesn’t work in the preview. To test the integration, make sure to first deploy your app. You can refer to the platform’s documentation to see how to make test payments using dummy card details.

Besides Stripe, Supabase, and GitHub, Lovable also has a list of over a dozen verified integrations that work well with the platform. These include OpenAI, Anthropic, Replicate, Highcharts, p5.js, Clerk, and more.

Elsewhere, connectors to various popular apps are available, with everything from Asana and Gmail to Wiz and Notion. These open up your options considerably for integrations with your no-code web app.

(Image credit: Lovable)Lovable: Deployment and maintenance

Deploying and maintaining apps built on Lovable is pretty straightforward.

Once you’re happy with the way the project looks, you can deploy it. Various deployment options are available. You can share it directly to GitHub, but your project can also be hosted on Lovable. By default, your app is accessible via a Lovable subdomain, but you can also connect it to any custom domain you own. For free plans, this is only available as a public option, but if you use a paid Lovable plan, you can keep it private – perhaps sharing with collaborators or colleagues for internal use.

You can maintain, and debug your apps using the Lovable AI. For most issues, the platform will give you a “Try to fix” button that will automatically solve many issues for you. If that doesn’t work, you can describe the error in detail to the AI, and ask it for directions.

Lovable: Creating a crypto price calculator

Lovable can build web apps from quite basic prompts. (Image credit: Lovable)

To test Lovable’s ability at building a usable and user-friendly web app without any coding at all, I explored several potential projects. Eventually, I settled on a tool that calculates the price for popular cryptocurrencies in standard national currencies (USD, GBP, and Euro), relying on an open API.

This same prompt has been used with various no-code tools that we’ve looked at:

Build a tool that compares the price of a specific asset (like Bitcoin) against multiple fiat currencies simultaneously.

Functional requirements

API Integration: Connect to a free API (like CoinGecko or ExchangeRate-API).

Input Handling: A field where the user enters a "Budget" (e.g., $1,000$).

Dynamic Calculation: A list or table that automatically updates to show how much of the asset that budget buys in USD, EU, GBP

--

The resulting no-code web app was recorded as taking 1 minute and 4 seconds to complete. Lovable delivered a working preview of a web app that met the specifications of the prompt. However, it also went beyond the requirements: it added other fiat currencies such as the Yen and Canadian dollar.

Based on the preview, the tool responded well, delivering instant calculations for the selected cryptocurrency in each of the fiat currencies. I asked it why the additional currencies were included, and it responded: “Good catch — the spec only asked for USD, EUR, and GBP. I added JPY, CHF, and CAD as extras thinking "more = better," but that wasn't requested. Want me to trim the list back to just the three?”

I agreed; the revision was completed in just 27 seconds.

Note that none of this processing had any impact on my PC or browser. Using the Linux resource monitor top, I observed no additional RAM or CPU usage, which confirms that Lovable runs entirely as a cloud AI tool.

(Image credit: Lovable)

Revising your project

If you’re not happy with the no-code creation, some amendments can be made.

With a paid plan, you can edit the code if tweaks and revisions are required in the background. Otherwise, all plans can make changes to the design, layout, and CSS elements using the Visual edits button. This presents you with the option to click into the generated interface and make changes to each element, revise the text, change colors – pretty much anything you would do in a CSS file.

Once I was happy, I published the project – you can view it here: https://budget-asset-bliss.lovable.app/

One of the best things about Lovable is that it actively monitors your code, and might recommend refactoring your code to make it more scalable, and easier to maintain.

The platform also includes built-in version control, which allows you to track changes, bookmark important versions, and via the history tool, effortlessly roll back to previous versions. This makes it easier to track, and review your progress, and undo any mistakes.

Lovable: Pricing and documentation

Lovable has a tiered pricing plan, starting with a free tier with limited functionality, followed by several paid plans that offer more features and higher usage limits.

For instance, on the free plan, you can prompt the AI five times/day, with a total limit of 30 messages/month.

The Pro plan costs $25/month (working out at $21/month if you pay annually) and increases this to 100 messages a month, with no daily caps, and an additional 5 messages per day (these don’t roll over, but any left over from the 100 will be available the following month). If this isn’t enough, you can increase the number of messages/AI credits.

For more features such as team workspaces and internal-only publishing, the Business plan is $50/month (or $42/month if you pay for a year up front) but by default also gives you just 100 messages a month. Again, you can scale this up with more messages, with options for 200, 400, 1200 all the way up to 10000 messages per month.

Lovable handholds you through a series of illustrated introductory documentation, quick start guides, and video tutorials. They cover everything from helping you write the right AI prompts, to fleshing out your apps by integrating them with third party services, , Stripe, and other verified and unverified services.

You can take your queries to Lovable’s Discord community, while paid users also get access to premium support options.

Lovable: The competition

Lovable shares the space with other AI-assisted no-code app builders.

For instance, Bubble, one of the popular platforms, also has an AI builder with a 2,500-character limit to the prompts. Bubble is often touted as a good option for building complex apps, as it offers greater flexibility, but has a steeper learning curve.

Then there’s Softr, although this solution has a tighter 200 character limit on its prompts. It’s very user friendly, but might fall short for those of you who need deep customization, and control over their apps.

(Image credit: Lovable)

Hostinger Horizons is a strong alternative. Like Lovable, you can use Horizons to build, edit, and enhance your apps just by using AI, and deploy it instantly to existing Hostinger hosting.

Lovable: Final verdict

Lovable’s extensive use of AI for everything from creating the app, to adding new functionality, and debugging, makes it one of the best no-code platforms for anyone who’s new to building apps.

You’ll need to hone your prompt writing skills to get the most out of the platform, especially if you are on the lower tiers of its paid plans. Based on the list of featured projects, it appears the platform can manage rather complex workflows, which is a definite plus.

Our test project was based on a straightforward prompt which yielded excellent results. While it over-delivered on the request, Lovable reacted positively to revision instructions, and the ability to easily tweak the user interface further emphasizes its no-code credentials.

All things considered, Lovable’s user-friendly interface, integration capabilities, and extensibility, make it a compelling option for anyone looking to build apps in record time.

Garmin Forerunner 70: One minute review

The Garmin Forerunner 70 is a Garmin watch that we’ve waited a long time for. This is the natural successor to the Forerunner 55, the watch that was pitched at beginner runners or runners who like to stick to the basics (and can even run a marathon in under two hours, as it was worn by record-breaker Sebastian Sawe).

With such a large time gap between the two watches, it’s hardly surprising to see Garmin make some big changes, not only with the hardware but the software too.

It’s clearly been a task of bringing the 70 in line with other new Forerunner watches, which includes adding an AMOLED display and touchscreen while keeping the full array of physical buttons to give it that traditional running watch feel. While keeping the AMOLED on at all times does dent the battery much quicker, it elevates the software and what it’s like to use the 70 as a smartwatch.

There’s some upgrades to the sensors, and while you don’t get Garmin’s latest multi-band GPS or Gen 5 Elevate optical sensor, the improved GNSS sensor and move from Gen 3 to Gen 4 sensors does deliver strong GPS and heart rate tracking performance still.

The additions made in the training and smartwatch departments also make this feel like a more advanced watch than the Forerunner 55. You now have a watch that has full access to Garmin’s Connect IQ store and brings in some of Garmin’s nicest smartwatch features like morning and evening reports. No you don’t get payments, Bluetooth calls or a music player, but if you’re looking for the basics that go beyond what the 55 offered, the 70’s got you well covered.

It’s also great to see some of Garmin’s best training features. Training Readiness now features on a cheaper Garmin to help you decide when to train and rest. You can now use the 70 to navigate your way. You don’t get full maps, but the breadcrumb navigation still makes it useful to have on your wrist when exploring new surroundings or struggling to get back home after a run.

Those added features do, unsurprisingly, come at an added cost. A cost that does push the Forerunner 70 out of that entry level category into more of a mid-range one. That does mean you can find cheaper alternatives like the Suunto Run or can pay a bit more for the Coros Pace 4 and get newer sensors including dual-band GPS. If you’re sold on Garmin’s software, still want that strong tracking performance and like the idea of having an AMOLED screen and the best smartwatch experience you’ll find on a running watch at this price, those are going to be the biggest reasons to grab the Forerunner 70.

Garmin Forerunner 70: Specifications

Component

Garmin Forerunner 70

Price

$249.99 USD / £219.99 UK / $399 AUS

Dimensions

42.6mm wide, 11.9mm thick

Weight

40g

Case/bezel

polymer case, polymer bezel

Display

1.2-inch AMOLED Screen, 390 x 390 px resolution

GPS

GNSS, 6 satellite systems

Battery life

Up to 5 days of heavy use, or 13 days typical

Connection

Bluetooth, ANT+

Water resistance

5 ATM

Garmin Forerunner 70: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future / Mike Sawh)

• $249.99 / £219.99 / AU$399
• More expensive than the Forerunner 55
• Cheaper than the Forerunner 170

The Garmin Forerunner 70 has a launch price of $249.99 USD / £219.99 UK / $399 AUS, which puts it firmly in the mid-range running smartwatch category. That’s in contrast to its predecessor the Forerunner 55, which launched with a sub-$200 price tag when it landed back in 2021.

Given there’s been some pretty sizable upgrades with the hardware and software, including adding an AMOLED display and richer smartwatch features, it’s not surprising that the price has leapt up a bit. It does feel like it’s lost a bit of the beginner-friendly appeal of the Forerunner 55 in the process.

The Forerunner 70 was launched alongside the Forerunner 170, which at $299 / £259.99 / AU$479 gives you additional features like contactless payments and a music player, longer battery life and additional sensors like an altimeter.

• Value score: 4/5

Garmin Forerunner 70: Design

• One case size option
• Added AMOLED screen
• Combination of touchscreen and physical buttons

Like the Garmin Forerunner 55, the Forerunner 70 remains a watch that sits pretty small on your wrist. That might be an issue for fans of bigger watches like a Fenix. For runners, typically smaller and lighter is better and that is what you get here.

Garmin has moved up slightly from a 42mm sized-polymer case to a 42.6mm one. It’s just the one case size that’s light to hold and comes in four different colors. Whether you want something plain or like a splash of color, you’re catered for here. The strap attached to the case is pretty typical of the ones you find partnered up to most Garmin Forerunners. It’s a 20mm silicone one that uses a pin mechanism, so you can remove it when the strap included gets sweaty or dirty or you just fancy switching to another color.

Garmin sticks to including five physical buttons for that classic running watch navigation experience. That’s now matched up with a 1.2-inch, 390 x 390 resolution AMOLED touchscreen. That sees Garmin move away from the memory pixel display on another watch line, sacrificing the longer battery life and more impressive viewing angles in brighter outdoor light for that added colour, vibrancy and to be more in keeping with other smartwatches. It’s still going to be a screen you can view comfortably outside when it’s really sunny. You just might need to crank up the brightness to do that, which will have an impact on battery life.

Like the Forerunner 50 and most other more affordable Garmin watches, the Forerunner 70 carries a 5ATM waterproof rating. That makes it safe for swimming and showering with it. There’s only a pool swimming tracking mode as Garmin leaves out open water and triathlon modes. That’ll be disappointing for anyone hoping they could pick this up as an affordable triathlon watch.

• Design score: 4/5

Garmin Forerunner 70: Features

(Image credit: Future / Mike Sawh)

• Upgraded Gen 4 Elevate sensor from Forerunner 55
• Includes latest training insights like Training Readiness
• Offers breadcrumb-style navigation

Garmin is pitching the Forerunner 70 as an entry-level running smartwatch, so it’s giving you some running features, but not all that it has to offer.

Like the GPS support, where the Forerunner 70 uses multi-GNSS, as opposed to the latest multi-band GPS included on the Forerunner 570 and above watches. This means you miss out on having improved tracking accuracy when running or moving near tall buildings or locations with a lot of tall trees.

Other hardware improvements include upgrading from the Gen 3 Elevate optical heart rate sensor to the Gen 4 version. That’s actually not the latest version of Garmin’s in-house sensor technology. That’s Gen 5, which gives you added features like ECG heart rate measurements. This will cover continuous monitoring and tracking heart rate during exercise. You can also pair external heart rate monitors to it as well.

In terms of software features, there’s a lot that’s been added to the Forerunner 70 over the Forerunner 55. Along with bringing the UI up to date with other AMOLED-toting Garmins, you’re now getting more smartwatch features. You can set up smart alarms, view morning and evening reports for a summary of your day and recommendations for the following day.

There’s improved notification support for Android users, so now you can view more information being shared in notifications. A big one is the added Connect IQ support: previously, this was restricted to only downloading watch faces. Now you have full access to the storefront to download apps, watch faces and data fields.

There’s plenty that’s been upgraded on the tracking and training front too. You can now follow routes using breadcrumb-style navigation as opposed to the full maps you’ll find on pricier Garmin watches. Garmin has brought in a raft of its latest training metrics and features including Training Readiness, wrist-based running power, more strength-focused training support and this is a watch that’s compatible with Garmin’s Coach. That’s free access to Garmin’s training platform that now comprises running, cycling and strength training plans that can be synced over to the watch.

• Features score: 4/5

Garmin Forerunner 70: Performance

• Good GPS despite lack of dual-band
• Smartwatch features work well across Android and iOS
• Heart rate tracking solid with support for external sensors

In terms of tracking your runs, the Forerunner 70 does a sterling job like most other Garmins and not just for running. When I’ve used it for pool swims, indoor rows, treadmill runs and bike sessions, the tracking has been as solid as other Garmins I’ve tested.

Some will be disappointed that Garmin doesn’t include its latest multi-band GPS technology. As I’ve found when using Garmin’s watches with multi-GNSS setups, they still perform better than a lot of dual-band watches. I’d say it’s the same story for the Forerunner 70. It might get a bit more shaky in places with a lot of tall buildings for the GPS technology to deal with, but I’ve been using it alongside the Forerunner 170 and Garmin’s markedly more expensive Garmin Forerunner 970, and the 70 has more than held its own.

It’s a similar story with heart rate tracking. While you’re getting the older Gen 4 version of Garmin’s Elevate optical heart rate sensor technology, that doesn’t equal a bad performance. For steady paced runs and runs in some significantly hotter running conditions, the 70 held up well against Garmin and MyZone heart rate monitor chest straps. It can take a bit longer to match up when you’re easing off during interval work. Overall though, the 70’s older sensor gets the job done, with the option to pair a Bluetooth heart rate sensor to improve performance.

Where Garmin has really bolstered things on the 70 compared to the 55 is the influx of training insights and bringing it more up to speed in terms of smartwatch features. It’s great to see Training Readiness make the cut where previously Garmin had left this useful insight into your preparedness to tackle a tough session off from its more affordable watches. It’s also about the presentation of these features, which is something Garmin does better than the competition. Like the well integrated daily suggested workouts or helping you keep an eye on your recovery time.

While you’re not getting the best that Garmin has to offer in smartwatch features, the added AMOLED touchscreen and general changes made to the user interface does mean it operates better as a smartwatch than most other running-focused smartwatches. The stream of Glances (widgets) offer a nice snapshot of your data, morning and evening report summaries are great additions, while the music playback controls work well with third party music services like Spotify. Unlike the Forerunner 55, you do now have full access to the Garmin Connect IQ store and that means increasing your ability to personalise the watch software with the features, apps and data fields you care most about.

Sleep tracking has been a bit of a weakness for Garmin. Particularly when overreporting sleep duration and the time it’s taken to recognise when you’d fallen asleep. Things thankfully have gotten better and I count the Forerunner 70 in the 'good' camp of sleep trackers. I’ve been wearing it to bed with an Oura Ring 5 and core sleep stats have largely told a similar story about my night’s sleep. The now added sleep coach and recommendation features brings sleep more into the training equation as well as helping you think more about your recovery time between runs and other workouts.

In terms of battery life, you’re unsurprisingly not getting the best Garmin has to offer on that front. What you are getting is a watch that should hold for a week’s worth of training. If you’re using it with the always-on display mode while tracking outdoor runs, you’re going to get less than a week.

GPS battery numbers give you a good amount to play with as well. I found that an hour's worth of running in the best available GPS mode hit the battery by just shy of 10%. That doesn’t add up to the 16 hours promised.

• Performance score: 4/5

Garmin Forerunner 70: Scorecard

(Image credit: Future / Mike Sawh)

Category

Comment

Score

Value

It’s lost the budget status still attached to the ageing 55, but it offers features in keeping with the closest competition

4/5

Design

A no surprises, sporty-looking Forerunner watch that offers a good AMOLED screen and a full array of physical buttons.

4/5

Features

A running watch capable of tracking more and offering richer training insights than the Forerunner 55

4/5

Performance

Delivers that great Garmin sports tracking with watch software that’s cleaner and more polished than the competition

4/5

Garmin Forerunner 70: Should I buy?Buy it if...

You like a small watch

If you like your smartwatches compact and lightweight, the 70 absolutely fits the bill.

You want a Garmin at a good price

It might not have all the bells and whistles of a Forerunner 570 or 970, but if you want a good-performing running watch and sports watch, that’s what you get with the 70.

Don't buy it if...

You want the best Garmin for smartwatch features

You will have to pay more if you want Garmin smartwatch features like contactless payments, LTE and a built-in music player.

You want an affordable triathlon watch

The Forerunner 70 doesn’t include an open water swimming or dedicated triathlon mode for those interested in using it to train across all three multisport disciplines.

Also consider

Suunto Run

Suunto’s entry-level running watch is cheaper than the Forerunner 70 and while software and smartwatch support isn’t as slick, the core run and sports tracking is very good.

Read our full Suunto Run review

Coros Pace 4

The Pace 4 isn’t that much more expensive than the Forerunner 70 and gives you richer training insights, a triathlon mode and features like dual-band GPS in a similarly compact and lightweight design.

Read our full Coros Pace 4 review

How I tested

I’ve been wearing the Garmin Forerunner 70 for three weeks, tracking my outdoor and treadmill runs. I’ve also used it for pool swimming and indoor cycling, wearing it alongside other running watches to compare GPS performance. I’ve also been using it alongside a heart rate monitor chest strap to compare heart rate tracking during exercise.

First reviewed: June 2026