TechRadar Reviews

HoneyBook is a comprehensive client management platform that helps small businesses streamline their operations. It combines the functionality of a CRM with invoicing, contract management, scheduling, and more into one easy-to-use package.

The CRM platform is designed to handle the full client lifecycle, from initial contact through project completion and payment. You can manage all client communication, share files and proposals, get contracts signed, send invoices, and collect payments without leaving HoneyBook.

Where this CRM really shines is its powerful automation features. You can set up customized workflows to automatically move projects forward, send reminders, and follow up with clients. This allows small teams to operate efficiently and stay on top of all their client relationships.

HoneyBook CRM core capabilities

(Image credit: HoneyBook)

HoneyBook is an accounting tool with a basic CRM, designed to enhance business operations for small businesses and solo entrepreneurs. It offers essential CRM functions like contact management, an intuitive sales pipeline, and automated workflows to reduce manual tasks.

HoneyBook also offers user-friendly contact forms, which effortlessly capture lead information and create new contacts and projects in your pipeline. Plus, it provides tools for important administrative tasks such as invoicing, contracts, and scheduling.

Its interactive smart files let you combine actions like service selection, contracts, and invoicing for a smooth client experience. Automated payment reminders help ensure timely payments. You can create professional invoices, set custom payment plans, and collect payments online through credit card or bank transfer—all within HoneyBook.

Legally vetted contract templates are customizable with project details, pricing, and e-signature options. Scheduling is managed through a personalized client portal that syncs with your Google or iCloud calendar, preventing double-bookings. All client communications are organized within the relevant project for easy reference.

While not as advanced as specialized solutions, HoneyBook offers basic tools for tracking performance insights. You can monitor key metrics like conversion rates, project value, and payment status. However, I hope that future updates will enhance the reporting functionality with more CRM-specific KPIs.

But, HoneyBook focuses primarily on client projects. It lacks traditional CRM features such as lead scoring, opportunity tracking, territory management, or sales forecasting. However, for service-based businesses, HoneyBook's workflow is ideal for managing client engagements from start to finish.

I’m also impressed by HoneyBook's mobile apps for iOS and Android, which provide full functionality for working on the go. You can send invoices, receive payments, and manage projects from anywhere. Desktop users will benefit from Gmail and Calendly integrations.

How easy is HoneyBook CRM to use?

(Image credit: HoneyBook)

HoneyBook provides an intuitive and user-friendly interface that makes it easy to get up and running quickly, even for those without prior experience using a CRM. The clean, modern design is simple to navigate, with features logically organized in the left sidebar and settings accessible from the top menu.

To help new users get started, HoneyBook offers a helpful 30-minute Quick Start onboarding session that covers the key areas to focus on for setting up your account. There are also on-demand video courses available with over 50 step-by-step lessons.

I really like how the drag-and-drop pipeline tool makes it a breeze to customize your sales stages and client flow. You can easily create custom contact fields, email templates, questionnaires and contracts to streamline your processes. The visual pipeline view provides a great snapshot of where each lead/client is at.

HoneyBook also provides strong accessibility options, including a high contrast mode and the ability to navigate most of the interface using just a keyboard. The forms and client portal are mobile-responsive and look great on smaller screens.

While the breadth of features may seem overwhelming at first, most users report feeling comfortable with the core functionality after just a few hours of exploring and watching tutorials. The average time to get fully up and running seems to be around 2-4 weeks, factoring in time to thoughtfully configure your account, import data, and test your workflows.

Overall, HoneyBook is one of the most user-friendly CRM options I've come across for small businesses and freelancers. The modern design, strong customization options, and well-produced help resources make it accessible to a wide range of tech comfort levels. While it may take a few weeks to fully optimize your account, the core features can be learned in a matter of days, enabling you to start seeing the benefits quickly.

HoneyBook CRM integrations

When it comes to integrations, HoneyBook offers a solid set of capabilities that allow it to connect with the other tools small businesses rely on.

The CRM provides several pre-built integrations out of the box, including ones for QuickBooks accounting, Gmail for email, Calendly for scheduling, Facebook, and the popular automation platform Zapier. These native integrations make it easy to sync data and automate workflows between HoneyBook and these key external systems.

For custom integrations, HoneyBook also provides a full-fledged API. Developers can use the API to build integrations that allow reading and writing data between HoneyBook and virtually any other application. The company provides comprehensive API documentation and code samples to help with the integration process.

In testing out some of HoneyBook's built-in integrations, I found the data syncing between apps to be fast and reliable overall. Connecting a new app is also a straightforward process from the integrations settings page.

One potential downside is that, while HoneyBook offers a Zapier integration, it does not appear to directly integrate with some other popular iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) vendors like Make. However, Zapier alone enables support for thousands of integrations.

HoneyBook also provides some nice features to make managing integrations easier for non-technical users. The ability to retrieve your API key and manage 3rd-party app connections from the integrations dashboard is convenient.

Overall, HoneyBook covers the bases well in terms of supporting integrations. The combination of key direct app integrations, Zapier support, and a full API provides ample options for connecting data and workflows with external tools. While a few more iPaaS integrations would be nice to see, HoneyBook still offers solid capabilities for most small business integration needs.

How good is HoneyBook CRM support?

When it comes to customer support, HoneyBook has received mixed reviews.

The company offers live chat and email support channels, but does not provide phone support, which some customers find frustrating. Response times can vary, with some users reporting prompt and helpful replies while others have experienced delays of hours or even days to hear back, especially on weekends.

On the plus side, many users praise the friendliness and attentiveness of HoneyBook's support team when they are able to connect. The live chat tends to be the quickest way to get answers. I also found out that HoneyBook provides a fairly robust library of self-service resources, including a searchable knowledge base, tutorials, and webinars to help users troubleshoot issues on their own.

However, the quality and consistency of live support seem to be hit or miss. In my research, I came across a number of complaints about "pass-the-buck" responses and difficulty getting timely help with urgent problems. One reviewer even called it the "worst customer experience ever." Yet others rave about how HoneyBook's excellent support has made their lives easier.

Overall, HoneyBook appears to be working to provide solid customer service, with a capable and caring support staff. But the lack of live phone support and inconsistent response times are definite drawbacks compared to some other CRMs. The company could improve by expanding real-time support options and ensuring more reliable follow-up.

For many satisfied HoneyBook users, the support is good enough, and the product's benefits outweigh any frustrations. But if reliable and always-available customer service is a top priority for your business, it's worth carefully evaluating the support limitations before committing to the platform.

HoneyBook CRM pricing and plans

Plan

Starter

Essentials

Premium

Price

$19/user/month

$39/user/month

$79/user/month

Best For

New businesses, low client volume

Growing businesses, increased efficiency

Established businesses, advanced needs

Features

Unlimited clients/projects

Invoicing and payments

Basic reporting

All features from Starter plan

Automations

Scheduling tool

All features from Essentials plan

Priority support

Advanced reporting

Limitations

No automations or scheduling tool

Limited reporting capabilities

May be costly for very small businesses

HoneyBook offers three main pricing plans to fit the needs and budget of different types of businesses. The Starter plan at $16 per month, billed annually, provides the core CRM features like unlimited clients and projects, invoicing, contracts, and a client portal. This is a great entry-level option for solopreneurs just getting started with a CRM system.

For growing businesses that need more advanced features, the Essentials plan at $32 per month (billed annually) adds a lot of valuable capabilities. Automated workflows, scheduling, QuickBooks integration, and support for up to 2 team members can really streamline operations. Plus you can remove HoneyBook branding and access more robust reporting.

Larger teams will appreciate the Premium plan at $66 per month annually. It supports unlimited team members for collaboration and includes priority support, the ability to manage multiple company accounts, an onboarding specialist, and advanced reporting features.

You can start with a 7-day free trial to test out if the platform is a good fit before committing. While this is still less than the industry standard, having a free trial at all is a welcome feature that new users will appreciate.

Across all plans, you'll pay less on a monthly basis by choosing annual billing, which effectively gets you two months free compared to the month-to-month prices. Keep in mind the listed prices don't include applicable sales tax. But overall, HoneyBook's pricing is very competitive and transparent, without a lot of confusing add-ons or upcharges that some other vendors tack on.

My take is that HoneyBook provides a lot of value for the cost, especially for small businesses and self-employed professionals looking for an intuitive all-in-one system to manage their clients and business. While it may lack some of the deeper customization of pricier CRMs, the thoughtful feature set and interface you get for the price make it a compelling option in my book.

HoneyBook CRM review: Final verdict

After thoroughly evaluating HoneyBook, I've found it to be an excellent all-in-one CRM solution for small service-based businesses, freelancers, and independent professionals. The platform shines in its ability to streamline the entire client lifecycle, from initial contact to invoicing and payment.

HoneyBook's intuitive interface and robust feature set make it accessible to entrepreneurs and small teams without extensive technical expertise. The visual sales pipeline, customizable contact forms, and automated workflows allow users to efficiently manage and track all of their projects and client communication in one centralized hub.

I'm particularly impressed with HoneyBook's seamless integration of invoicing, contracts, and scheduling tools alongside traditional CRM functionality. The ability to handle essential administrative tasks like securing signatures and collecting payments without leaving the platform is a major benefit for busy small business owners and freelancers.

While larger enterprises with complex sales cycles may require more advanced CRM capabilities, HoneyBook is perfectly suited for small service providers looking for an affordable, user-friendly system to nurture leads and manage client engagements from start to finish.

Launched in 2013, Agile CRM is a comprehensive platform built for small and medium-sized businesses. By combining sales, marketing, and customer service into one integrated system, it aims to simplify operations and boost efficiency across various business processes.

When I first looked at Agile CRM, I was struck by its affordability and the range of features it offers. The CRM platform provides a free plan that supports up to 10 users, which is more generous than many of its competitors in the small business space.

However, as I dug deeper into Agile CRM's capabilities, I found that its user interface and overall user experience could be seriously improved. While the platform offers a lot of features, it's not always easy to find what you need, and the experience can feel a bit clunky compared to established CRMs.

Agile CRM core capabilities

(Image credit: Agile CRM )

Agile CRM offers a complete set of core capabilities that cover the essential functions of customer relationship management. I found the contact profiles to be quite detailed, allowing me to store and organize a wealth of information about customers and prospects. 360-degree contact views provide a holistic picture of each relationship, including communication history, deals, tasks, and more.

When you're managing leads, Agile CRM includes a lead scoring feature that automatically rates contacts based on their interactions and attributes, helping prioritize follow-ups. I appreciate the ability to create custom deal milestones and stages to match my specific sales process. The visual pipeline view makes it easy to drag and drop deals between stages and get a quick overview of the sales funnel.

I can easily see the value and probability of deals in each stage, which aids in forecasting. The system also allows for multiple pipelines to be created, which is useful for managing different products or sales processes.

Sales forecasting is adequate but not exceptional. Agile CRM's system provides basic revenue projections based on deal values and probabilities. However, I found the forecasting tools to be somewhat limited in the way they handle recurring revenue and deal probability. For small businesses with straightforward forecasting needs, it should suffice, but larger organizations may find it lacking.

Reporting in Agile CRM shows both strengths and weaknesses. The platform offers a good selection of pre-built reports covering sales, marketing, and service metrics. I also appreciate the ability to create custom reports and dashboards to track specific KPIs. However, the depth of data analysis and visualization options falls short of what some competitors offer.

Agile CRM's mobile app, available for both iOS and Android, provides a seamless experience for managing contacts, deals, and tasks on the go. I found the app to be responsive and well-designed, offering most of the core functionality of the desktop version. The ability to access and update CRM data from anywhere is very useful for field sales and remote work.

Unlike some CRM systems that treat marketing as an afterthought, Agile CRM offers robust tools for email marketing, landing page creation, and campaign management. I was impressed by the drag-and-drop campaign builder, which allows for the creation of multi-step marketing workflows. The system includes ticketing, knowledge base, and customer feedback tools, allowing businesses to manage customer support directly within the CRM.

But perhaps most interestingly, Agile CRM offers gamification features to motivate sales teams. While not a core CRM function, I found this to be an interesting addition that can help drive engagement and performance among sales reps. The system allows for the creation of contests and leaderboards based on various sales metrics.

How easy is Agile CRM to use?

(Image credit: Agile CRM)

Agile CRM balances functionality and simplicity, mainly targeting small businesses. I found the dashboard clean, intuitive, and minimalistic — which avoids overwhelming new users. There's a prominent left-side menu for quick access to contacts, deals, and marketing, pretty standard for a CRM.

A drag-and-drop interface makes navigation even easier. It's particularly impactful when using the marketing automation module, where creating multi-step workflows is made significantly easier through visual campaign builders.

But the learning curve for Agile CRM can vary depending on your familiarity with CRMs. There are lots of customization options, so you can tailor the interface to your specific needs. This includes the ability to create custom fields, modify layouts, and set up personalized dashboards with custom KPIs. But while these options enhance flexibility, they can also add complexity for users who are less technically inclined.

For accessibility, Agile CRM supports keyboard navigation and has readable font sizes. But, I didn't find any mentions of screen reader compatibility or advanced accessibility options in the documentation.

Onboarding and training resources are available, though they may not be as comprehensive as those offered by some larger providers. Agile CRM provides a knowledge base, video tutorials, and webinars to help users get started. However, I also found that the depth of these learning resources varies from one topic to another.

I like how Agile CRM aids in the learning process with context-sensitive help. As users navigate through different sections of the software, relevant help articles and tips are often displayed, providing guidance at the point of need. This can reduce the time spent searching for information, accelerating adoption.

Despite the positives, however, many users have reported that certain aspects of the software feel clunky or dated compared to more modern CRMs. Agile's attempt to pack a wide range of features into a single platform sometimes results in a less polished user experience.

Agile CRM integrations

Agile CRM offers solid integration capabilities, allowing users to connect the platform with a wide array of third-party applications and services. There are three ways you can do this: using pre-built connectors for various applications, through an iPaaS vendor like Zapier or Make, or by building custom integrations using the API.

Agile offers direct connections to popular business tools across various categories, including email services like Gmail and Office 365, social media platforms such as Twitter and LinkedIn, and ecommerce solutions like Shopify and WooCommerce. These are quick to set up and easy to modify.

Agile CRM integrates with web tracking and form integration tools, which is great for improving customer engagement. You can also plug into various telephony services, including Twilio and RingCentral.

For users requiring connections beyond the native integrations, Agile CRM provides support for multiple iPaaS vendors. Through Zapier, users can connect Agile CRM to over 1,000 more SaaS applications, enabling complex automation workflows across multiple platforms. Support is also available for Make (Integromat) and Webhooks.

Agile CRM also offers an open API, which provides developers the ability to create custom integrations to extend the platform's functionality. API documentation appears comprehensive, allowing for deep integration with external systems and powerful custom widgets within the interface.

During my testing, I found that data syncing with third-party platforms was mostly reliable. Agile CRM supports real-time and scheduled syncing options for most integrations, allowing users to choose the most appropriate method for their needs.

But while Agile CRM's integration features are generally strong, I did notice some limitations. The depth of integration can vary significantly between different connected apps. Some integrations offer solid two-way synchronization, while others may be more limited in scope.

How good is Agile CRM support?

Agile CRM provides a varied approach to customer support, combining live assistance with self-service options. Email support is clearly the main live support channel. Plus, there's a strong self-service resource ecosystem to help new users get acclimated to the CRM.

Email support system is fairly responsive, although response times can differ. In my research, I found that most users claim to receive initial replies within 24 hours, which is acceptable but not outstanding in the industry. More complex issues often take longer to resolve, sometimes requiring several days of communication.

Phone support is also available, even if not easily accessible. Usual support hours are 09:00 am to 05:00 pm EST, with additional scheduling options also available. But the real problem is the availability of agents, which can make it difficult to get urgent assistance.

Agile CRM makes up for limited live support options with a strong self-service ecosystem. The knowledge base is comprehensive and well-organized, covering topics from basic setup to advanced features. Articles are generally clear, often enhanced with screenshots or step-by-step guides.

In addition to the knowledge base, Agile CRM provides video tutorials and webinars. These resources are especially helpful for users who prefer interactive learning. The tutorials cover various platform aspects, from initial setup to advanced features, offering a solid foundation for new users and a reference for experienced ones.

A community forum enables users to engage with each other, share experiences, and offer solutions to common problems. While evaluating Agile CRM, I observed active participation from both users and staff on the forum, which seems to serve as a feedback channel and a support resource.

User testimonials about support quality are mixed. Some users commend the helpfulness and patience of support staff, especially for complex issues. However, other testimonials indicate inconsistencies in support quality, with some users frustrated by response times or the depth of assistance.

Agile CRM pricing and plans

Plan

Free

Starter

Regular

Enterprise

Price

$0/user/month

$8.99/user/month

$29.99/user/month

$47.99/user/month

Best For

Individuals or very small teams just getting started with a CRM.

Small businesses looking for an affordable all-in-one CRM solution.

Growing businesses that need advanced marketing automation and customer support features.

Large enterprises requiring unlimited contacts, custom reporting, and dedicated support.

Features

Basic contact management

Deal tracking

Email campaigns

2-way email integration

Marketing automation

Helpdesk

Custom deal tracks

Advanced automation workflows

Social media monitoring

Unlimited contacts

Custom reporting

Dedicated account rep

Limitations

Limited to 1,000 contacts and 1 campaign workflow.

Caps at 10,000 contacts and 5 campaign workflows.

Supports up to 50,000 contacts and 10 campaign workflows.

Higher price point may not be suitable for smaller businesses.

Agile CRM employs a tiered subscription-based pricing model, offering four distinct plans to cater to businesses of varying sizes and needs. The pricing structure is designed to scale with the growth of a company, starting with a free plan and progressing through increasingly feature-rich paid tiers.

At the entry-level, Agile provides a Free plan that supports up to 10 users and 1,000 contacts. This plan includes basic CRM features such as contact management, deal tracking, and limited marketing automation capabilities. While the free tier is generous compared to many competitors, I found that it primarily serves as an extended trial, allowing users to get a feel for the system before committing to a paid plan.

The Starter plan, priced at $8.99 a user per month, marks the beginning of the paid offerings. It increases the contact limit to 10,000 and introduces additional features like two-way email integration, custom deal milestones, and social monitoring. This plan provides good value for small businesses looking to expand their CRM capabilities beyond basic contact management.

Moving up the ladder, the Regular plan is priced at $29.99 per user per month with annual billing. This tier supports up to 50,000 contacts and includes more advanced features such as marketing automation, custom deal tracks, and mobile marketing. The plan seems to strike a balance between functionality and cost, making it suitable for growing small to medium-sized businesses.

At the top end, the Enterprise plan is offered at $47.99 per user per month with annual billing. This plan provides unlimited contacts and access to the full suite of Agile CRM features, including call recording, custom reporting, and role-based access control. While the Enterprise plan is the most expensive, it offers the most comprehensive set of tools for businesses with complex CRM needs.

There’s a significant discount offered for annual billing across all paid plans. The savings range from 33% to 40% compared to monthly billing, which could be a substantial incentive for businesses to commit to longer-term subscriptions. Agile CRM also offers volume discounts for businesses requiring a large number of user licenses, though the exact terms of these discounts are not publicly disclosed.

As for trials, Agile CRM provides a 14-day free trial of their paid plans, allowing users to test the full feature set before making a purchase decision. This trial period, combined with the free plan, gives potential customers ample opportunity to evaluate the system's fit for their business needs.

Agile CRM review: Final verdict

Agile CRM’s key strengths are its affordability and scalability. Its pricing model is designed to attract businesses at various stages of growth, with a generous free plan and competitive paid tiers. It’s also very feature-rich, with interesting additions like sales gamification and multi-step automation.

However, Agile has a dated interface that’s in serious need of an uplift. While the advanced features are nice to have, the clunkiness involved in their execution makes them less loved by most users. Still, it’s easy enough to use, with some accessibility features thrown in for good measure. I’d have loved to see more live support options, though, especially given the outdated nature of the UX.

Overall, I recommend Agile CRM for small to medium-sized businesses looking for an affordable CRM with a ton of features. It’s not the most intuitive, but it's still easy enough to use. With the amount of training resources available, user adoption shouldn’t be a major issue.

ACT! CRM, launched in 1987, is one of the oldest names in customer relationship management. It offers tools for small and medium businesses to manage customers, sales, and marketing. Interestingly, ACT! provides cloud and on-premises options, catering to both productivity- and security-focused businesses.

In my review, I found ACT! CRM to be a lot more than just a CRM platform. Like a few other small business platforms, it includes features for automating sales, marketing, and customer service. It also gives a complete view of customer interactions, helping businesses track data, manage sales, and run targeted campaigns.

Flexibility is a key advantage of ACT!. The platform allows rigorous customization to fit specific business needs. Its adaptability, along with its solid reputation, makes this a top choice for small and medium-sized businesses.

ACT! CRM core capabilities

(Image credit: ACT! CRM )

ACT! CRM has a long-standing reputation as a leading contact management tool. Its records are very detailed, allowing users to store information like notes, documents, and interaction history in one place.

Lead management is strong, helping users track potential sales from initial contact to closure. The customizable sales process allows businesses to align stages with their unique sales methods, benefiting companies with specific workflows. A visual sales pipeline view helps users project revenue, adjust strategies, and prioritize efforts. Contextually-relevant metrics provide quick insights into pipeline health, aiding sales managers in making informed decisions.

For sales forecasting, ACT! has solid functionality, though it may lack the depth of some enterprise CRMs. Users can create forecasts based on opportunity data, closure probability, and historical performance. This suffices for most small to medium businesses, though more complex needs may find it limiting.

Reporting has improved significantly. ACT! Insight offers interactive dashboards for individual, team, and business performance metrics. The range of over 50 pre-configured reports covers sales, marketing, and business health KPIs. Users can also create custom reports, providing deeper data insights.

ACT! also offers a companion app for iOS and Android. The app provides access to key contact details, activities, and some dashboard metrics on the go. While it lacks full desktop functionality, it covers essential needs for field sales and remote work.

Beyond the usual CRM features, ACT! offers tools for creating and managing email marketing campaigns, including a template editor and response tracking. Useful for small businesses looking to streamline operations.

Custom tables also allow users to manage industry-specific data alongside standard CRM information. ACT! also syncs with popular platforms like Microsoft Outlook, Google products, and social media channels like LinkedIn and Facebook, creating a seamless workflow.

But while ACT! has a solid core, some users may find the interface less modern compared to newer CRM solutions. Its software has evolved from its contact management roots, but some legacy aspects remain. Still, it's a good platform with strong customization features that could serve niche and security-focused small businesses well.

How easy is ACT! CRM to use?

When it comes to ease of use, ACT! CRM offers a mixed experience. Its interface is functional but feels somewhat outdated compared to modern CRMs. When I first logged in, I had to slowly adjust to the information-dense layout, which can be overwhelming for new users.

A dashboard displays various widgets with crucial information like daily tasks, open opportunities, and sales pipelines. Navigation is handled through a left sidebar that lists all CRM features, providing quick access to different modules.

However, the top menu adds to the interface's overall complexity. It took me around 30-60 minutes to become comfortable with the layout and navigation, which aligns with feedback from other users about the software's learning curve.

ACT! offers robust customization options, allowing users to tailor the software to their specific business needs. Its flexibility is a significant advantage for businesses with unique workflows. However, making these customizations isn't always intuitive and requires technical know-how.

Accessibility features are present but not particularly advanced. ACT! offers basic screen reader compatibility and keyboard navigation but lacks sophisticated accessibility options found in newer CRMs.

On the positive side, ACT! provides comprehensive onboarding and training resources. It includes helpful tutorial videos, a knowledge base, and webinars to assist new users in getting up to speed. The "Welcome Links" on the dashboard, which provide quick access to uploading, importing, and learning about the CRM, was a nice touch.

Available for both iOS and Android devices, the mobile app offers a more streamlined and user-friendly interface compared to the desktop version. I found adding new opportunities or contacts to be much more intuitive on the mobile app, even if it's more limited in functionality.

Overall, ACT! CRM’s ease of use is hampered by an outdated interface and a sometimes overwhelming amount of information. For businesses willing to invest the time in training and setup, however, it can be a powerful tool.

ACT! CRM integrations

(Image credit: ACT! CRM )

ACT! CRM offers a powerful set of integration capabilities, balancing between pre-built integrations and the flexibility to create custom ones.

The ACT! Marketplace serves as the central hub for the integrations, offering a wide array of pre-built connectors categorized by function, such as sales and marketing, business productivity, social media, ecommerce, back office, and customer service.

I particularly appreciated the seamless integration with Microsoft Office suite, including Outlook, which allows for effortless synchronization of emails, contacts, and calendar events. For users of Google Workspace, ACT! also offers solid integrations with Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Contacts.

ACT! also support Zapier, a no-code automation platform that lets you build custom integrations without technical knowledge. This opens up lots of possibilities for connecting ACT! with hundreds of other web applications. During my testing, I was able to create several Zaps (automated workflows) that connected ACT! with tools like Slack for notifications and Trello for project management.

For more advanced users and developers, ACT! provides a comprehensive API. API documentation is well-structured and easily accessible through the ACT! developer portal. It follows REST principles and uses JSON for data exchange, making it relatively easy for developers to create custom integrations or extend the functionality of ACT!.

ACT! also offers a feature called Web API, which allows for more direct integration with web-based applications. This can be particularly useful for businesses with custom web applications or those looking to embed ACT! functionality into their existing web platforms. While powerful, I found that leveraging the Web API requires more technical expertise compared to using pre-built integrations or Zapier.

In terms of data syncing performance, ACT! generally performs well. During my tests, most integrations maintained near real-time synchronization with minimal latency. However, I did notice occasional delays with some third-party integrations, particularly during peak usage times.

How good is ACT! CRM support?

ACT! CRM provides a multi-faceted approach to customer support, offering users various channels to seek assistance. During my evaluation, I found that the quality and accessibility of support resources were generally good, although there were some areas where improvements could be made.

Phone support is available during standard business hours. Response times are reasonable with an average wait time of about 5-10 minutes. Support representatives are knowledgeable about the product. However, it's worth noting that phone support is only available to customers on higher-tier plans, which may be a drawback for smaller businesses.

All users have access to email support. Simple queries are typically answered within 24 hours, while more complex issues sometimes took up to two days for a response. The quality of the email responses is generally good, with clear explanations and step-by-step instructions.

Something that ACT! falls short in is the lack of live chat support. Many users prefer the immediacy of chat for quick questions or troubleshooting, especially when most competitors offer robust chat support options.

ACT! makes up for this somewhat with its extensive self-service resources. Its knowledge base is comprehensive and well-organized, covering a wide range of topics from basic setup to advanced features. I found the search function to be particularly useful, quickly surfacing relevant articles based on keywords. It also includes a good selection of video tutorials.

ACT! CRM's community forum is another valuable resource for users. It's active and well-moderated, with both company staff and experienced users contributing to discussions. ACT! also offers regular webinars and training sessions, which serve as both educational resources and indirect support channels.

In terms of resolution times for support tickets, my experience and research suggests that the company performs adequately but not exceptionally. Simple issues are often resolved within 1-2 business days, but more complex problems can take longer, sometimes up to a week.

User testimonials regarding ACT!'s support quality are mixed. Many users praise the knowledge and helpfulness of the support staff, particularly for phone support. However, some users express frustration with longer wait times for email support and the occasional need to escalate issues to get them resolved.

ACT! CRM pricing and plans

Plan

Premium Cloud

Premium Desktop

Premium Cloud w/ Desktop Sync

Price

$30/user/month

$37.50/user/month

$40/user/month

Best For

Small businesses needing cloud-based CRM with basic marketing features

Businesses preferring on-premises CRM solution with advanced customization

Organizations requiring both cloud and desktop access with data synchronization

Features

Comprehensive contact management

Basic marketing automation

Cloud-based accessibility

Advanced customization options

Robust offline capabilities

On-premises data control

Cloud and desktop access

Data synchronization

Combined cloud-desktop benefits

Limitations

Limited advanced marketing features without addons

Requires IT resources for maintenance and updates

Higher cost may not justify benefits for all users

ACT! CRM offers a straightforward pricing structure with two main plans: ACT! Premium Cloud and ACT! Premium Desktop. There’s also a third plan that brings together the best of both worlds into a single costlier subscription.

The ACT! Premium Cloud plan is priced at $30 per user per month when billed annually. This cloud-based option provides the core CRM functionality along with basic marketing automation features. It offers good value for small to medium-sized businesses that need a comprehensive CRM solution without the hassle of on-premises deployment.

For those who prefer an on-premises solution, ACT! offers the Premium Desktop plan at $37.50 per user per month, billed annually. This higher price point reflects the additional costs associated with self-hosting and maintenance. It provides more control over data and customization, which could be beneficial for businesses with specific security or compliance requirements.

A third plan, ACT! Premium Cloud w/ Desktop Sync, offers a hybrid deployment option for modern businesses who prefer to have an additional layer of security. It lets you create an on-premise backup of your cloud CRM, ensuring redundancy in case of an attack or breach.

ACT!'s pricing includes basic marketing automation features in both plans, providing additional value for smaller businesses. But for more advanced marketing capabilities, ACT! offers additional Marketing Automation plans. These range from $79 to $399 per user per month, billed annually. While these plans significantly increase the overall cost, they provide sophisticated features like advanced campaign management and lead scoring.

ACT! also offers several add-ons that can impact the final pricing. These include enhanced support ($10 per user per month), custom tables ($10 per user per month), additional cloud storage ($5 per month), and SMS messaging capabilities ($19 per month).

A potential drawback I noticed is the lack of a free plan. Many competing CRM solutions offer a basic free tier, which can be beneficial for very small businesses or for those wanting to test the system extensively before committing. ACT! does provide a 14-day free trial, which is sufficient for a basic evaluation of the software, but it may not be enough time for a thorough assessment in a real business environment.

ACT! CRM review: Final verdict

ACT! is a feature-rich incumbent that has successfully adapted to the changing CRM landscape over its long history. Its comprehensive contact management, powerful sales tools, and integrated marketing features make it a compelling choice for small to medium-sized businesses looking for an all-in-one CRM.

The software's strength lies in its flexibility, offering both cloud-based and on-premises deployment options. This, combined with extensive customization capabilities, allows businesses to tailor the platform to their specific needs. However, the somewhat dated interface and steeper learning curve may be deterrents for those seeking a more modern, instantly intuitive solution.

While ACT! may not be the fastest-growing or most innovative CRM on the market, it's well-suited for companies with complex contact management needs or those looking to integrate their sales and marketing efforts within a single platform. It's also a great choice for businesses in regulated industries with complex data security needs.

Spoilers follow for Emily in Paris season 5.

The minute I heard Emily in Paris season 5 was actually going to be Emily in Rome season 1, I breathed a sigh of relief. After four seasons of Emily (Lily Collins) relentlessly chasing after Gabriel (Lucas Bravo), getting into relationships she shouldn't and making chaotic decisions at work that accidentally made her a PR success story, we needed a change of scene.

I was desperate for an injection of fresh energy and a feeling that the tried-and-tested format could be revamped in a way that still honors the show's foundations. But boy, how wrong I was. As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it – and, after watching the entirety of this season, I feel as though I've accidentally manifested a crummier version of what we already had.

The worst part is that the show is now inferior because, rather than let the story evolve naturally, the decisions its creative team made instead are, frankly, baffling.

At the end of last season, Emily had met Italian beau Marcello (Eugenio Franceschini) and was ready to take her career to the next level by heading up the new Agence Grateau office in Rome. However, Emily in Paris 5 u-turns on its forebear's setup by unnecessarily shoehorning Sylvie (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu), Luc (Bruno Gouery), and Julian (Samuel Arnold) into Emily's new Italian life. On top of that, Marcello is revealed to be the most repulsive and odious boyfriend since Logan (Matt Czuchry) in Gilmore Girls.

We stay in Rome for less than half of season 5, too, and the diabolical heavy handling of Emily's time there had me practically sobbing for more Gabriel screentime. How did things change so much during the show's year-long absence?

Emily in Paris' core concept has been ruined by bad creative decisions

It's not an easy thing to say, but I genuinely believe the fabric of Emily in Paris season 5 has been torn to shreds by misguided creative decisions. Not just in one area either, but across the board.

Let's start with Rome. In this season's premiere, Emily finds out that her season 4 finale dream of heading up Agence Grateau in Rome is nothing more than a sham. Instead, Sylvie decides to dispatch the entire team to Rome and resume her leadership there, which in turn undoes season 4's career step-up for the show's protagonist.

Not only is Emily unfulfilled at work (mostly because everyone around her is determined to make her feel inadequate or bulldoze their own dreadful decisions through), but her personal life isn't going too well, either. The Marcello we met in season 4 is sexy, mysterious and full of possibility. In season 5, though, he's selfish, flippant, and not overly interested in building a partnership.

By episode five, all of the above has fallen apart. What's the point in this colossal upheaval if you're not going to do the best by your main character? In hindsight, it all feels pointless and like a missed opportunity – but we're only just scratching the surface of those.

For instance, spoilers notwithstanding, best friend Mindy (Ashley Park) has a relationship with someone she shouldn't. When she lies about it to Emily, the two get in a massive albeit needless fight. With the pair each flitting between two men at any given time, the weary yearning is yet another sign of subpar storyline development.

Only Gabriel can save the day if Emily in Paris season 6 happens

Yes, give me that sweet Emily-Gabriel reunion, season 5! (Image credit: Netflix)

Despite the fact I've fully signed off on suspending any belief before I've sat down to watch, there's only so much partner-swapping I can take in a Netflix series like this. Now that Mindy has joined Emily's romantically indecisive bandwagon in the worst way, investing in any kind of Emily in Paris relationship has never felt so superficial.

The pair's various romances, nor their friendship, offer anything of value, instead only delving further into shock factor that doesn't do anyone justice. Emily and Mindy used to have such a wholesome, nourishing relationship that has now dissolved into high school mean-girl meddling. Whatever happened to girls before guys?

The same can be said for Emily and Gabriel, who are in an uneasy lovers-to-friends middle ground, though Bravo hardly has any screentime. It almost feels like the show's creators know they've made a mistake sending Emily to Rome, and are now trying to furiously backpedal by shoehorning Gabriel into scenes that subsequently feel less coherent

Thankfully, there's potential for Emily in Paris season 6 (which is currently unconfirmed) to set this right. If it happens, I think season 6 would need to be the series' last – and you'll see what I mean when you watch this season's finale. If our end goal of Emily in Paris is for Emily and Gabriel to finally live happily ever after, it has one last shot to land it the proverbial plane.

Basically, I'm just desperately trying to retcon my own past thoughts and get Gabriel back in the thick of Emily's personal life. We thought a change would work but, after it was butchered, the only way up is for the show's creative team to give us what I initially thought I didn't want.

Even Sylvie, Luc, and Julien have veered too far from their start, with Sylvie's personal life becoming one preposterously stereotypical joke, while Luc and particularly Julian pale into existence. Emily's not being treated well, either, but at least she looks immaculate.

I promise that there are moments of light-hearted normality amid an otherwise subpar season. For the most part, though, Emily in Paris' latest chapter is très mauvais. That said, as long as Marcello never shows his face again, there's still enough reason for me to see any future seasons out...

Emily in Paris season 5 is out now in full on Netflix, aka one of the world's best streaming services.

Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.

Geekom AX8 Max: 30-second review

The Geekom AX8 Max is a mid-range mini PC designed for office workers using Microsoft Office and Google Docs, but also needing a machine powerful enough for some light multimedia editing. Inside is a relatively powerful AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS CPU, complemented by an integrated Radeon 780M graphics processor that enables support for up to 4 displays or a single 8K monitor.

The small size of the machine is ideal for small home offices as well as general offices, with plenty of connection options for easy integration. One of the features I always like to see on a mini PC is a VESA mount on the back, so it can be neatly tucked away, further helping to save space.

The Geekom AX8 Max is a well-specified mid-range machine, and this is reflected in its price point. The mix of a new AI-ready CPU and PCIe Gen4 SSD all comes together in a solid mini PC that will suit many different types of users, although Geekom have tried to make this mini PC a little more interesting by giving it a slightly peculiar pale blue colourway.

For most day-to-day office tasks, the AX8 Max fares exceptionally well, ploughing through large PowerPoint presentations without issue. When working with Word and Excel on dual 4K monitors, it takes the whole process in its stride. Surprisingly for a mid-range machine, it also handles Premiere Pro, editing HD and straight 4K video, as long as the edits don't get too complex and there isn't too much colour grading applied. However, as the render process builds up for more complex projects, you can start to hear the fans kick in, helping to keep everything cool and avoid any thermal throttling.

Having edited a 30-minute video, it was possible to feel that some thermal throttling was happening, as the inner workings of the machine were pushed with 4K video from the Sony A7 IV. However, considering the form factor, it fared incredibly well, and whilst the fans were audible, they were by no means the loudest I’ve come across.

In reality, mobile phone 4K and HD video is better suited for editing on this machine. While it does have the power to edit higher resolution video, the limited upgrade options when it comes to memory, with maximum internal storage only reaching 2 TB and RAM capped at 64 GB, mean even with an upgrade, it only has enough clout for base 4K video editing, with little headroom if effects do get more complex.

When it comes to storage, there is the ability to upgrade the internal capacity. However, with two USB4 ports on the back, you have instant expandability with external SSDs that will provide very decent 40 GB/s transfer rates.

Another point that lends itself towards office use is the wide range of connectivity options. There are plenty of USB-A ports across the front, but unfortunately, no USB-C. Around the back, there’s a full array of HDMI, USB-A and USB4 ports, including network LAN, meaning if you’re working in an office, it’s easy to hook this into your network as well as connect accessories.

Like many of the best mini PC machines I've tested this year, the performance all around is exceptionally good. While its Windows Experience score was like other mid-range machines, an exceptionally fast SSD and DDR5 RAM ensure most applications run quickly and smoothly, giving extremely solid performance throughout the test.

Gaming, as with multimedia editing, is well-handled, but again, the fans kick in with anything too complex. Most games play without issue, and if you're into just a bit of light gaming, even with high-end titles, this small machine will suffice.

My only other comment on this machine is the colorway, which appears to be pale blue. While this machine is exceptionally good considering its mid-range profile, that seems a bit of an odd choice.

Geekom AX8 Max: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? From £629 / $629
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? Directly from Geekom or Amazon.com

The price of mid-range mini PCs has definitely escalated, but then again, so has the processing power. The Geekom AX8 Max certainly raises the bar when it comes to what we now expect from a machine at this price level.

The review machine I tested will set you back around $629 directly from the Geekom website and can also be purchased through most major online retailers, including Amazon.com.

• Value: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)Geekom AX8 Max: Specs

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS
Graphics: AMD Radeon 780M integrated GPU
RAM: Dual‑channel DDR5, up to 64 GB
Storage: M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4×4 SSD, up to 2 TB
Front Ports: 4 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 3.5mm headphone, Power
Rear Ports: DC Jack, HDMI 2.0, 2 x USB4, 2 x 2.5G RJ45
Connectivity: Dual 2.5G LAN, Wi‑Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Audio: HDA CODEC
Size: approx. 135 × 132 × 46.9 mm
OS Installed: Windows 11 Pro (64-bit)
Accessories: VESA mount, HDMI cable, power adapter, user manual

Geekom AX8 Max: Design

Geekom mini PCs have continued to evolve, and with the AX8 Max, you can see an update in the quality of the design. The small mini PC feels exceptionally well built and robust, with a metal chassis that means it's equally at home in a static office setup, used in a van, or taken between locations as a powerful portable mini PC. As a choice for Van Life it’s also well suited offering more protection against moisture, shock and dust than most.

As I mentioned earlier in the review, while the build quality of the mini PC is exceptionally good, it is finished in a slightly peculiar colourway which will appeal to some, but for me personally is a little off-putting and doesn’t really feel very office-centric.

The size is also on the larger side for a mini PC, measuring 135 x 132 x 46.9 mm, still small, but slightly larger than what we've seen recently. Weight-wise, it's also well balanced, coming in at 800 g for the machine with an additional weight for the power adapter, meaning it's equally at home placed on the desktop or mounted onto a VESA mount and placed out of sight behind a monitor or on a dedicated wall mount.

Despite the colourway, it does have a premium finish, and this is reflected in the slightly higher mid-range pricing. This also reflects the quality of the internal components that enable this mid-range mini PC to make an impact with higher-demand applications that would have overwhelmed some older mid-range options.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Around the body, there's a good volume of ports. Across the front of the machine, there are 4 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, a 3.5 mm headphone jack and the power button. It is a bit of a shame there’s no USB Type-C on the front of any denomination. However, around the back, again, there's a good volume of ports. Alongside the DC jack for power, there are also 2 HDMI 2.0 ports, 2 USB4 ports, 2 2.5G RJ45 ports, a USB 2.0 Type-A and a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A — enabling accessories both new and old to be plugged in without much issue.

Inside the machine, there is dual-channel DDR5 5600 MT/s RAM with a maximum of 64 GB. In the review sample, it arrived with 32 GB of RAM — more than enough for day-to-day office tasks and just enough for light multimedia editing. Surprisingly, the SSD storage is a little limited: it's only possible to install an M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4×4 SSD up to 2 TB. This is quite limited for this level of machine, and I would’ve expected support for at least 4 TB. However, while the maximum capacity is limited, I think more due to heat dissipation than anything else, it is exceptionally quick and one of the fastest internal SSDs I’ve seen in recent mini PC tests.

Helping to keep everything cool is the IceBlast 2.0 cooling system, which features air outlets on both sides of the machine to help dissipate internal heat from the CPU, memory and SSD. Access to these components is made through the bottom of the machine by simply undoing the screws and lifting away the base plate. Once removed, it reveals the dual-channel RAM and SSD slot, allowing quick upgrades or replacements.

• Design: 3.5 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)Geekom AX8 Max: Features

The speed and specifications of mid-range mini PCs have recently improved with the integration of the latest AI-ready CPUs. The Ryzen 7 8745HS features eight cores, 16 threads, and has been coupled with the integrated Radeon 780M GPU, which has a good track record for performance in mini PCs.

This combination of CPU and GPU, along with 32 GB of DDR5 RAM and a PCIe Gen4×4 SSD, is well-suited for anyone looking to use the machine for software beyond standard office applications, including creative programs such as Illustrator, Photoshop and Lightroom, and even photo and video editing at 1080p and light 4K.

What sets this mini PC apart from other mid-range options we’ve seen in the past is that it features the Ryzen 7 8745HS CPU, which includes AMD’s XDNA-based NPU architecture. This means it’s better able to handle lightweight AI workloads locally, such as background blur in video calls, speech transcription, and voice assistants in applications like Photoshop and Premiere Pro. It also enables faster localised AI processing.

It’s not just the CPU that has an AI boost, the integrated Radeon 780M GPU also supports AI-enhanced media. Although it doesn’t feature dedicated AI silicon, it still improves processing in enhanced video encoding and supports hardware-accelerated AV1 codec, which is useful for both DaVinci Resolve and Adobe products.

If you're looking for an AI workstation for development and thinking this mini PC might be a great option, then it’s worth noting that it's not designed for deep learning or running an LLM chatbot locally. Instead, it’s better suited for more mainstream AI use. For something more AI-tuned, it’s probably best to look at something like the Sapphire Edge AI 370.

As covered in the design section, there’s a good number of ports, including exceptional connectivity with USB4 ports on the back that offer 40 Gbps transfer and 100 W PD power. So, if you have other devices that need quick charging, that port is an option. Alongside the physical ports, there's also Bluetooth 5.2 for connecting most wireless keyboards and mice, and Wi-Fi 6E for fast internet connection speeds.

Another big feature is the ability to connect up to four 4K monitors — two through USB4 ports and two through the HDMI 2.0 ports. There's also the option to connect an 8K monitor, although you’ll only be able to use one 8K monitor at a time, rather than four 4K displays.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

• Features: 4 / 5

Geekom AX8 Max: PerformanceBenchmark scores

CrystalDiskMark Read: 6,731.02 MB/s
CrystalDiskMark Write: 6,023.3 MB/s
Geekbench CPU Multi: 12,660
Geekbench CPU Single: 2,440
Geekbench GPU: 29,050
PCMark Overall: 6,741
Cinebench CPU Multi: 15,518
Cinebench CPU Single: 1,703
Fire Strike Overall: 7,346
Fire Strike Graphics: 7,965
Fire Strike Physics: 27,074
Fire Strike Combined: 2,746
Time Spy Overall: 3,162
Time Spy Graphics: 2,808
Time Spy CPU: 11,076
Wild Life Overall: 16,022
Steel Nomad Overall: 499
Windows Experience Overall: 8.2

Getting started with the Geekom AX8 Max is relatively straightforward. Once plugged in, all you need to do is run through the Windows 11 Pro setup screens, log into your Microsoft user account along with any others, and the machine is ready to go. This process now takes between five and ten minutes to complete, as Microsoft tries to encourage sign-ups to its various services.

However, once done, you don’t have to go through it again, and the speed of the internet connection from the outset, provided by the Wi-Fi 6E, helps speed things up.

During setup and plug-in, it’s worth noting that, while this mini PC is compact, the power adapter must also be considered. While not especially large, it is still a bulky addition.

Starting the tests, both Microsoft Office and Google Docs ran exceptionally smoothly. Microsoft Office applications opened quickly and ran without issue. Checking through the benchmark tests, the Windows Experience score of 8.2 is about average for mid-range mini PCs. While some may experience slight lag in more media-intensive apps like PowerPoint, the very fast SSD ensures image and large file processing is handled exceptionally quickly.

In fact, when I started looking at more advanced applications, I felt like this small machine was able to cope with a lot more than expected. That’s in part due to the speed of the internal SSD, which recorded one of the fastest transfer rates I’ve tested this year, 6,731.02 MB/s read and, more impressively, 6,023.3 MB/s write. This meant it didn’t just handle media-intensive Microsoft applications quickly, but also large image files in Photoshop and Lightroom, as well as video data within Premiere Pro.

This makes it a great option for office workers who need to create large presentations with images or video, or for those involved in multimedia creation using CapCut or Premiere Pro.

Taking processing demands up a notch I loaded a few images from the Canon EOS R5C into Photoshop, the speed was good, and it handled high-resolution image files, applying adjustment layers and effects without noticeable lag.

As I experimented with Lightroom, general use was excellent, and even batch editing was handled without issue. The only time I noticed a slowdown, compared with my desktop, was when using AI features such as Denoise or Enhance Details. While it processed the images, there was a marked difference compared to my desktop machine. In Photoshop, day-to-day work, including layers, effects and exports, was all good, but when using local smart features like Neural Filters or Smart Portrait, some slowdown was noticeable, especially with tasks requiring GPU power.

In multimedia production, starting with CapCut and footage from the iPhone 15 Pro, the machine handled the data with no issue. As templates were applied, the speed remained solid, and CapCut ran smoothly, making editing easy.

Upgrading the production using Premiere Pro, things began to slow down slightly, but the machine still handled thumbnail and timeline renders at a decent pace. It was only when I loaded in 4K video that it started to struggle, with the fans kicking in, especially during grading.

One of the main issues with Premiere Pro was that, while 1080p footage from an iPhone or DJI Action 5 edited without issue, moving to 4K footage led to stuttering during playback and increased render times, along with noticeable fan noise.

When it came to AI features such as Auto Reframe, Scene Edit Detection and Speech to Text, processing was considerably slower compared to my desktop PC.

To finish the test, I played a couple of games, Hogwarts Legacy and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Both were fortunately playable, but settings had to be reduced for smooth playback. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, in particular, showed noticeable stutter, the kind you often get when the CPU and GPU are struggling with the detail.

So overall, this is definitely a machine designed for mid-range office and light multimedia work, less suited to anything beyond that, and especially not a great option if you are gaming.

• Performance: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)Geekom AX8 Max: Final verdict

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

The Geekom AX8 Max is a great option for any office looking for a slightly quirky-coloured mini PC that enables them to complete day-to-day tasks, create relatively complex presentations, and do a little light multimedia editing.

Some highlights of this mini PC include its connectivity, with two RJ45 ports at the back enabling direct network connection and offering plenty of storage expansion. I also like that it comes with two USB4 ports, allowing connection to mass external storage or ultra-fast PC accessories.

Colourway aside, the build quality is exceptionally good, and with all those ports, it offers a great office solution. I am, however, a little surprised that upgrade options are limited to just 64 GB RAM and 2TB internal storage.

If you are in the market for a slightly quirky-coloured mini PC, this offers solid performance across the board and is reasonably well priced, particularly compared with a machine like the Beelink SER9.

Should I buy the Geekom AX8 Max?

Value

Good value for money for a solid office machine that allows light multimedia editing

4

Design

Solid design with plenty of ports that enable easy connectivity — just a shame about the colour

3.5

Features

A well-balanced mid-range mini PC with a good range of features, including AI readiness

4

Performance

SSD transfer speeds are exceptionally good, giving the CPU and GPU a performance boost compared with similarly specced machines

4

Overall

A great no-fuss machine for the office that offers excellent speed for day-to-day administration and multimedia editing

4

Buy it if...

You need office desk space
You want a compact PC that doesn’t take up much desk space but handles office, coding and creative workloads smoothly.

You're creating a multi‑monitor setup
You need 4K/8K output, multiple displays or a hidden setup, but still want good performance in a small form factor.

Don't buy it if...

You're running heavy‑duty GPU workloads
You plan extensive 3D modelling, rendering, high-end gaming or anything where a GPU is needed.

You demand maximum performance under load
If your workflows involve sustained heavy multi-core or graphics tasks, thermal throttling might limit performance compared with a full-size desktop tower.

Gozney Dome (Gen 2): Two-minute review

The Dome (Gen 2) is a beast. Eating 16-inch pizzas for breakfast and capable of firing multiple smaller pizzas at once, the Dome (Gen 2) and its even bigger Dome XL (Gen 2) sibling are something you’d expect in a commercial kitchen rather than in an urban backyard. This big presence is met with refined design and elegant coloring, giving it the personality to be the centerpiece of the most bourgeoisie of outdoor kitchens.

This grand oven is pitched by Gozney as a great outdoor all-rounder and while I agree with this sentiment, the truth is that your kitchen oven is easier to use for most oven-baked dishes and your stock standard barbecue is arguably more versatile. But what these other devices can’t do is make pizza, and the Dome (Gen 2) is the most competent and easy to master pizza oven that a backyard has ever been graced with.

Gozney’s decision to add a second thermometer under the thick pizza stone compliments the usual ambient temperature gauge and gives relatively inexperienced pizza makers the keys to the kingdom for perfectly cooked pizza every time. But the company has also shifted the dial meaningfully on wood-fired cooking capabilities with the new active rechargeable fan that lets you boost oxygen input to quickly adjust the oven’s temperature as if you’re cooking with gas.

The opportunity for wood-fire or charcoal cooking is where you start to see some of the real versatility of the oven, which can be used to infuse wood-cooked flavors into a variety of dishes that would otherwise require another separate technical oven like a Green Egg or an Argentinian grill.

The included dual meat probes and capability for high-heat cooking means it’s can cook proteins particularly well, possibly better than many barbecues if you pair it with a cast-iron skillet. The new lateral gas burners and redesigned interior arch stretch the flames and heat further and more evenly across the top of the oven, and while the ovens are bigger, they’re more efficient than their predecessor, using only fractionally more gas despite the additional internal space.

The new Dome and Dome XL Gen 2 ovens boast a number of new features that offer major advantages over the original design, but the headline act has to be the bigger internal space added without making the oven considerably bulkier. This additional internal floorspace means that the oven is large enough to cook multiple pizzas or dishes simultaneously, making it capable of serving large dinner parties.

The large cooking space is paired with the ability to achieve sustained temperatures up to 500ºC/932ºF for perfect pizzas in quick rotation, which also allows the user to experiment with wood-fire cooking and smoking to make it an extremely versatile outdoor oven that will appeal to a lot of people.

(Image credit: Future / Joel Burgess)Gozney Dome (Gen 2) review: Price & availability

• Dome (Gen 2): $2,300 / £2,000 / AU$2,999
• Dome XL (Gen 2): $2,800 / £2,500 / AU$3,999

The Dome XL (Gen 2) is at the top of Gozney’s current range of pizza ovens and at $2,800 / £2,500 / AU$3,999 the price is a major consideration for any one looking for an outdoor pizza oven. If you’re a sporadic at-home pizza maker, dropping this much cash is steep and, to be honest, the Gozney Arc at $699 / £600 / AU$1,200 or the Tread for $500 / £500 / AU$899 are excellent ovens that’ll more than scratch this level of itch.

Where the Dome (Gen 2) – listed at $2,300 / £2,000 / AU$2,999 – really starts to make a lot of sense is if you're after a professional-level pizza oven at home. Reputable built-in ovens start at more than double what you’re looking at for the Dome (Gen 2) and there are a lot of trade-offs you’ll have to consider if you do go the built-in route. The Dome (Gen 2) may lose out a little on overall thermal mass, but the dual-fuel versatility and Wood-fire Control Kit ($200 / £175 / AU$299), offers additional temperature control that makes it notably easier than managing a traditional pizza oven.

The Dome (Gen 2) can sit directly on the countertop of your outdoor kitchen or can be purchased with the Dome (Gen 2) Series Stand for an extra $500 / £500 / AU$849. The Gozney accessories are all crafted to the same standard as the ovens themselves, so the stand combines sturdy and durable materials with handy hooks for hanging peels, holding gas cylinders and storing wood.

(Image credit: Future / Joel Burgess)

The Dome (Gen 2) Door ($100 / £90 / $149) is a handy bit of kit for those looking to use the oven for cooking anything under about 500ºF/250ºC, and the Dome (Gen 2) Mantle ($170 / £140 / $249) helps you use a peel to rotate pizzas and makes it easier to check on dishes using cast-iron pans, baking dishes or dutch ovens.

Gozney’s more recent Pro Placement Peels start at $90 / £90 / AU$179 for a 12-incher, but they are a big step forward from earlier iterations and have a more dispersed perforation pattern to help your bases slide on and off better. Even the $60 16-inch Acacia Wood Pizza Peel and Server boards earn their keep by giving you a board big enough to build on that’ll keep your pizza from sweating, sticking and ripping as can happen when using a metal peel.

Even the Dome (Gen 2) Neapolitan Arch ($60 / £50 / AU$89) makes it considerably easier to give your pizzas perfect leopard spots, although it’s important to note that it’ll make the opening of the Dome (Gen 2) too narrow to get a big 16-inch pizza peel in.

Gozney Dome (Gen 2) review: Specs

The Dome and Dome XL (Gen 2) ovens are both larger than the original Dome, offering 40% and 90% more internal cooking space respectively. While they’re big jumps in cooking real estate, the ovens actually only take up 17% and 43% more floor space than their predecessors respectively. The (Gen 2) range also includes dual temperature readouts so you can easily see the difference between your stone and ambient oven temperatures.

Both ovens come with LPG gas connections included, with compatibility for the optional Wood-fire Control Kit. Since it’s such a core feature, it would have made sense to include this by default, but those interested in gas only will appreciate the discount.

Dome (Gen 2)

Max temp:

500ºC / 932ºF

Heat time:

40 – 45 minutes

Pizza capacity:

1 x 16-inch pizza or 2x 10-inch pizzas

Weight:

136lbs / 62kg

External dimensions incl. flue (HWD):

986 x 826 x 652 mm / 38.8 x 32.5 x 25.7 in

Oven mouth size (HW):

140mm x 419mm / 5.2 x 16.5in

Dome XL (Gen 2)

Max temp:

500ºC / 932ºF

Heat time:

40 – 45 minutes

Pizza capacity:

1 x 18-inch pizza or 2x 12-inch pizzas

Weight:

161lbs / 73kg

External dimensions incl. flue (HWD):

997 x 946 x 697 mm / 39.3 x 37.2 x 27.4 in

Oven mouth size (HW):

140mm x 470 mm / 5.2 x 18.5 in

Gozney Dome (Gen 2) review: Design & features

• Wood and gas temperature control
• Extremely spacious
• Stylish design

The overall material selection and considered design of the Dome (Gen 2) ovens are bold enough to make them a hero piece in even the most luxe outdoor kitchens, but the Bone and Off Black color options are also subdued enough to not clash with your home’s unique style.

This wide appeal and versatility continues through the overall design allowing users to make more than just excellent pizza, but also indulge in high-heat steak sears, wood-fired veggies and smoky slow cooks on occasions when you really want to lean into your outdoor cooking.

The original Dome included an adjustable air intake vent to facilitate some control over the heat generated by the wood fire, but the Dome (Gen 2) takes this convenient feature a step further by adding a rechargeable fan that actively pumps air through the burning wood to dramatically increase the level of temperature control. This active ventilation even includes a boost function to supercharge oxygen delivery and considerably speed up temperature-saturation time. The residual ash and other prep requirements mean the option to wood fire your pizza is more work than gas, but the additional airflow control makes this the easiest wood-fire oven on the market.

While Gozney has done an amazing job reducing the additional work in wood-fire cooking, the immediacy and control of gas means it’s still likely to be the go-to fuel for your day-to-day pizza making. The Dome (Gen 2) incorporates the lateral burner design that debuted on the Arc range and combines it with the reengineered ceiling shape to enable the flames to stretch right across to the far side of the oven. This helps to spread heat across the 30mm cordierite stone base during warmup and cooks pizzas more uniformly from the top down.

(Image credit: Future / Joel Burgess)

There’s a new digital interface powered by a rechargeable battery that’ll get you through 10 pizza sessions (at least) before needing a recharge. The new display comes with an easy-to-use timer with readings for both stone base and ambient oven temperatures, which does away with the need for remote thermometers and guesswork.

For those that do want to cook non-pizza dishes, the Dome (Gen 2) comes with a pair of meat probes that plug directly into the display to help you cook proteins to the desired level using higher heat or wood-fire methods that would otherwise be a little tricky to translate.

The other main design feature is the flu extension, which helps maintain airflow and improves resilience in windy weather. The oven works best with little to no wind, but it’s also fine in winds that approach from behind the oven. If you do have gusts blowing directly in and you can’t reorient the wheeled oven stand, you’ll need to use the door (or a baking tray) a little off the mouth as a windbreak to help you maintain temperature control.

• Design & features score: 5/5

(Image credit: Future / Joel Burgess)Gozney Dome (Gen 2) review: Performance

• Perfect pizza every time
• Solid thermal retention
• Easy wood-fire operation

It’ll come as no surprise that the Dome (Gen 2) is exceptional at cooking pizza. It nails the basics of being able to sustain 932oF/500oC temps and has a stone base thick enough to cook dough as quickly as the toppings, but all Gozney’s ovens (and many others) are able to achieve this.

Where this range really begins to separate from the pack is in offering a balance of insulation and thermal mass that facilitates back-to-back pizzas in minutes. The added luxury of cooking multiple pizzas at once without seeing major dips in core temperature means you can upscale your production and host larger pizza parties with confidence.

Nothing on the market comes close to the added speed and convenience of wood-fired pizza that the active fan adds. The fan boost function brings the control almost up to the level you get from gas-fired pizza making. This reduces the effort and required skill down considerably and means that frequent wood-fired pizza is a feasible staple rather than an occasional labor of love. This makes the Dome (Gen 2) a difficult option to pass up for anyone serious about wood-fire pizza.

Image 1 of 5

(Image credit: Future / Joel Burgess)Image 2 of 5

(Image credit: Future / Joel Burgess)Image 3 of 5

(Image credit: Future / Joel Burgess)Image 4 of 5

(Image credit: Future / Joel Burgess)Image 5 of 5

(Image credit: Future / Joel Burgess)

Throw in the additional height of the Dome (Gen 2) Series stand and it elevates the cooking platform to a comfortable shoulder level for easier delivery and retrieval, plus it makes for better visibility without the need for crouching.

If you really want to perfect your traditional Neapolitan pizzas, then the Arch accessory intensifies the oven’s capacity to maintain perfect ambient temperatures for leopard spots. In fact, all the accessories add convenience or expand capabilities in different ways that do not disappoint.

The larger mouth opening means you can fit a dutch oven or taller pot in and the additional floor space can accommodate a pair of cast-iron skillets or multiple baking trays side by side. All of which adds considerable versatility to your outdoor cooking capabilities.

(Image credit: Future / Joel Burgess)

If you're hoping to use it more as an oven at lower temperatures, don’t expect it to be quite as easy as your electric oven. Maybe in Gen 3 we’ll get a wood-fire thermostat, but for now it still requires active management. The Door does reduce temperature loss to a degree every two or three seconds, so you can prep other dishes or have a short conversation before firing it up again.

The new series does miss out on the Steam Injector bread-making attachment, but given the oven is much better at high-heat cooking, it’s a sensible sacrifice that made way for the improved internal oven arch and heat distribution.

• Performance score: 5/5

Should you buy the Gozney Dome (Gen 2)?Buy it if...

You like wood-fire pizzas

The Dome (Gen 2)’s active wood-fire fan provides unparalleled control and ease for anyone interested in using wood to cook. The boost functionality considerably speeds up initial heating and the rechargeable fan provides enough control to make it easily to master.

You want to make more than pizza outdoors

For anyone hoping to get a little more out of their pizza oven, the Dome (Gen 2) is a standout when it comes to internal capacity and versatility. You can fit an entertainer's feast in there and utilize any oven-safe kit you’d usually use indoors to really stretch and experiment with your outdoor cooking.

You’re keen to make pizza at scale

There are plenty of cheaper Gozney options for those looking to make a few pizzas for the family once a week, but if you’re looking to cook pizza for larger groups or you often daydream about starting your own pizza truck business, then the heat retention of the Dome (Gen 2) allows you to upscale to make tens of pizzas back to back with minimal downtime.

Don't buy it if...

You need a portable oven

If you think you might like to make pizza while camping as much as you will at home, then the Gozney Roccbox or Tread are likely to serve you better.

You won’t cook more than five pizzas in a night

If you’re just going to cook pizza for your family and at the occasional dinner party, then an Arc or Arc XL is a considerably more compact and affordable offering.

You aren’t that interested in wood fire

The Wood-fire Control Kit is an optional extra and there are arguably enough features to justify the Dome (Gen 2) without this attachment, but a lot of the unique appeal of this device comes from its ability to use wood and charcoal to cook pizza and other dishes.

Gozney Dome (Gen 2) review: Also consider

Gozney Roccbox
This compact portable pizza oven is more than capable of cooking excellent 12-inch pizzas at home or anywhere you can think to carry it. It’s fast, efficient and makes pizza good enough to be the perfect option for most people’s requirements.

Read our full Gozney Roccbox review

Gozney Arc
The Arc and Arc XL are Gozney’s mid-range offerings that provide exceptional 14 or 16-inch pizza capacities in a small enough footprint to sit on an apartment balcony. If you’re keen for the most convenient way to make perfect pizza at home, then the value offered by the Arc ovens is unbeatable.

Read our full Gozney Arc review

Gozney Dome (Gen 2) review: How I tested

• Cooked over 40 pizzas
• Noted heat-up time and used a thermometer for temperature readings
• Used all available fuels

I tested the pizza oven over a period of a couple of months, making pizzas frequently for guests, family dinners and sometimes even for lunch.

Various other kitchen utensils were utilized to explore the versatility of the oven and all accessories mentioned (with the exception of the wood-fire kit) were tested for usability and frank feedback on each has been provided. The wood-fire kit was in short supply at the time of testing and will be tested following the review publication. The review will be updated with any pertinent findings at a later date.

The internal stopwatch was used to measure heat-up time and an infrared thermometer was used to verify the internal thermometer’s readings.

The oven was tested at various temperatures and using a range of settings to cook different toppings.

Over 40 pizzas and other dishes were cooked before coming to a final conclusion.

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

Nex Playground: two-minute review

More of a purpose-built living room toy box, the Nex Playground is quick to set up, easy to understand, and designed to get bodies moving immediately. Yes, you’ll notice the technical ceiling in visuals and occasional frame stutters, and the Play Pass model won’t work for everyone. But as a family-friendly, camera-controlled alternative that’s safe, approachable, and surprisingly versatile, from party chaos to light fitness, it delivers on its core promise: making play feel effortless for all ages.

The console has carved out a rare lane in gaming, so much so that it reportedly outsold both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series gaming consoles during one week in November 2025. That outcome isn’t hard to understand: as development budgets climb, hardware R&D gets pricier, and tariffs add pressure, mainstream gaming has become an increasingly expensive form of entertainment. At the same time, the motion-control boom of the mid-to-late 2000s, the massive growth of mobile gaming, and the rise of free-to-play games have expanded the audience, making it easier than ever for anyone to pick up a controller.

Spending over a year with the Nex Playground, I’ve realized that this small cube-shaped gaming console is the little engine that could. On a surface level, this device feels like an extension of what Nintendo did with the Wii. Outside of an included remote to select games alongside managing settings and your account, the 40+ games available are all controlled through an ultra-wide camera that sits on the console’s front panel.

All of that comes at a cost of an MSRP of $249 (around £188 / AU$380 - worldwide availability TBC), despite a handful of retailers selling the Nex Playground at a sale price of $199. This definitely places it as a cheaper alternative to more mainstream consoles. When it comes to games, users of the console are provided five games to start with: a full-scale version of Fruit Ninja, Whack-a-Mole, Goal Keeper, mini-game-centric Party Fowl, and rhythm title Starri. They all do a great job in setting the tone for what the Nex Playground is actually capable of.

(Image credit: Future)

Anyone looking to go deeper into the console’s library of games will need the Play Pass subscription service, which opens users up to over 40 games that, unfortunately, can’t be purchased individually. Some folks may also have an issue with the service only being available in three-month $49 and one-year $89 intervals.

Regardless, the variety of games does offer something for everyone, with age ranges split between preschool level to around 10 years old. It also helps that the Playground is kidSafe+ COPPA certified and lacks any online play capabilities. So games are family-friendly, lacking mature or inappropriate content here.

Alongside fun games like Tennis Smash and Arrow Party, there are more action-oriented options like Sword Slash Adventure, which has some clever RPG elements, alongside Aeon Guard. There are also various licensed IP games, including Bluey, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Miraculous, Barbie, and Peppa Pig, among others. There is also a fitness section featuring games such as Nex Fitness and Zumba Fitness. These games control fairly well and are definitely fun in short bursts or at parties.

Most of the games outside a handful lack depth, length or visual fidelity compared to what’s coming out of mainstream consoles, and many have some performance issues. In fact, many look like games that would be either on the Wii in 2006 or early 2010s mobile games. That’s because the Nex Playground isn’t that powerful when it comes to performance specs.

What’s packed into this small cube is run by an Amlogic A311D2-NOD CPU, Mail-G52 MC4 GPU, and 16GB LPDDR4X RAM. That’s enough to play these games at 4K resolution and up to 120 frames per second. With the specs, that trade means very low poly models, unsophisticated lighting and lack of post-processing effects. So don’t expect anything like Ray Tracing and the likes. When it comes to storage, there’s 64GB of SSD storage, which is fine, as many of the games don’t get any larger than a few gigabytes anyway.

Nex Playground review: price and availability

• List price: $249
• Available now in the US, worldwide availability to be confirmed
• Available through the Nex Playground store alongside other retailers, including Amazon and Walmart

Currently available in the US, the Nex Playground can be purchased right now through the manufacturer’s online store or through other retailers, including Amazon and Walmart. It's available at a retail price of $249, though some retailers occasionally have it listed at an introductory sale price of $199.

Though it’s not directly available in the UK and Australia, individuals in those territories can still purchase the device from the US storefront through services like Big Apple Daddy or Amazon. The price alone places the Nex Playground below mainstream consoles, including the Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and both Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.

In a modern world where development costs are pushing price points of games to nauseating degrees, the Nex Playground comes packed with a five-game starter pack.

Buyers looking for a bigger selection will need the Play Pass subscription. That’ll run users $49 for three months or $89 for a year. And the catalog of around 40 games has been steadily growing as well. Out of all of the games I played, more than half of the 40+ games provide adequate levels of entertainment. Regardless, for what users pay for the console and the subscription service, it’s definitely worth it.

Nex Playground review: Specs

Price

$249 (around £188, AU$380)

Weight

14.2oz / 403g

Dimensions

5 x 5 x 5in / 127 x 127 x 127mm

CPU

Amlogic A311D2-NOD

GPU

Mail-G52 MC4

RAM

16GB LPDDR4X

Frame rate

Up to 120fps

Resolution

Up to 4K

Optical

N/A

Storage

64GB SSD

(Image credit: Future)Nex Playground review: design and features

The Nex Playground is beautiful with its yellow and teal accents at the top and off-white on everything else. With dimensions of 5 x 5 x 5 inches (127 x 127 x 127mm) and an overall weight of 0.89lbs / 14.2oz (430g), it’s impressively portable, and there’s a handy carrying case available for purchase through the Nex Playground site for $24.97.

Outside of the ultra-wide camera on the left side, the right side features a small horizontal LED bar that lights up when the device is switched on. On the bottom side, panels are small holes for ventilation purposes. The back panel is where the HDMI and USB-C power port are located. The USB-C power cord also has a string connected to the magnetic camera cover. It connects and disconnects fairly easily from the ultra-wide camera. This will give parents a sense of relief in terms of privacy concerns.

The Nex Playground is an incredibly simple machine and one that’s very easy to set up, then. Just plug in the HDMI cord alongside the power adapter, and users are ready to go.

Also included is a Roku-sized remote to move the on-screen cursor, make selections, return to previous menus, or go to the Home screen. Users initially will use the remote for the simple start-up screen, which also requires a phone to create a Nex Playground account for various settings. After that, the setup is complete, and you’re good to go.

(Image credit: Future)Nex Playground review: Performance

As mentioned previously, the specs lean more toward a lower spec Android TV boxes include popular options like the Beelink GT King II, the Khadas VIM4 SBC, and a range of generic streaming players from brands such as SZ Tomato through its Amlogic A311D2-NOD CPU, Mail-G52 MC4 GPU, and 16GB LPDDR4X RAM.

Don’t expect anything on the level of Cyberpunk 2077 or even Super Mario Odyssey. The visuals here will remind many of something one would play on a smartphone in the 2010s or a higher-res Nintendo Wii game. Expect simple texture, animation, and lighting work all around that does exactly what it’s supposed to do.

To put things into perspective, Fruit Ninja made its debut in 2010 for iOS devices. Seeing it on the Nex Playground is fine as it runs great, but it’s just Fruit Ninja in 4K. Some games can rely on cool visual design that makes up for the lack of visual fidelity, such as Sword Slash Adventure and Aeon Guard.

Though it’s worth noting that some games I played had performance issues, with some going below 30fps. For example, when too many explosions and effects are happening in games like Arrow Party and Kart Racer Miniacs: Steering Madness, there are noticeable dips in frame rate.

One thing for sure is that the performance of the ultra-wide camera and AI-motion engine is top-notch when it comes to actually controlling games. If there’s an outstanding example of how well camera-based controls have evolved over the decade, the Nex Playground’s catalog of software is definitely it. Pulling an imaginary arrow with a friend feels really good in Arrow Party, and moving side to side while trying to serve in Tennis Smash does feel like an evolution of Wii Sports' Tennis.

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Nex Playground?Buy it if...

You need an affordable gaming console
Not only is the Nex Playground currently available at a $249 MSRP, but the cost of its Play Pass is also affordable.

You want an attractive, compact console that’s simple to set up
Setup is effortless; just connect the HDMI for video, plug it into a power outlet, and you’re ready to go. The process is simple enough that even kids or individuals who aren’t technologically savvy can jump in and start playing with ease.

You want a nice amount of games available that work really well
Several dozen games are available on the console, and most of them are fun to play solo or with friends. Most importantly, there’s a little something for everyone.

Don't buy it if...

You want games that offer significant amounts of depth and length
Most of the games offered on the Nex Playground are more for short bursts than anything incredibly deep.

You want to avoid subscriptions and buy individual games
Outside of the five games that come with the Nex Playground, the other several dozen games require a Play Pass service subscription that can only be purchased in three-month or one-year intervals. This also means that users can’t buy games individually.

You want cutting-edge graphics
The price and form factor alone should let anyone know that this isn’t going to be a graphical powerhouse. Most of the games on the Nex Playground are definitely mid-range mobile phone or Wii era visuals.

Nex Playground review: Also consider

The Nex Playground is certainly for a specific niche, so here are a couple of other console options worth considering, too.

Nex Playground

Nintendo Switch 2

Xbox Series S

Price

$249 (around £188 / AU$380)

$429.99 / £395.99 / $AU699.95

$399.99 / £349.99 / AU$599

Weight

14.2oz / 403g

18.8oz / 535g

68oz / 1,920g

Dimensions

5 x 5 x 5in / 127 x 127 x 127mm

10.7 x 4.5 x 0.6in / 272 x 114 x 15mm

10.8 x 5.9 x 2.6in / 275 x 151 x 65mm

Connection type

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C, HDMI Output

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C, HDMI output (in TV mode)

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-A, HDMI output

Battery life

N/A

2-5 hours

N/A

Features

Ultra wide Camera control, Nex AI-Motion Engine, Remote Control

8-inch OLED multi-touch display (1080p resolution), 256GB internal storage, improved stereo speakers, next-gen dock with 4K output and integrated LAN port, reinforced adjustable kickstand

512GB Storage, Xbox Game Pass

Nintendo Switch 2
Users looking for a more traditional console that’s more family-friendly can look to the Nintendo Switch 2, which provides a wide variety of games that appeal to all age groups. Not only can you get more traditional first-party and third-party games, but the hybrid form factor lends to good portability.

Read our full Nintendo Switch 2 review

Xbox Series S
If a simple box and controller setup is what you’re looking for, then the Xbox Series S has a large library of modern games, backwards compatibility with previous Xbox generation titles, and is ideal for the Xbox Game Pass subscription service as well.

Read our full Xbox Series S review

How I tested the Nex Playground

• Tested over the span of a year
• Played a large share of the games including the starting five pack
• Experienced the games included with the Play Pass subscription

I’ve owned the Nex Playground for about a year, which gave me plenty of time to really learn the ins and outs of this unique console. Beyond the five games included out of the box, my Play Pass subscription opened up access to more than 40 additional games.

The games that came closest to a traditional console experience were Sword Slash Adventure (RPG), the Wii Sports-inspired Tennis Smash, Arrow Party, and Aeon Guard. Together, they made it easy to see how well the ultra-wide camera and AI-powered motion engine work in tandem.

First reviewed December 2025

Read more about how we test

OnePlus Pad Go 2: two-minute review

As the successor to 2023’s OnePlus Pad Go, the OnePlus Pad Go 2 is the latest mid-range tablet from OnePlus, sitting between the budget-friendly OnePlus Pad Lite and the premium-tier OnePlus Pad 3. As with any mid-range device, there’s always the expectation that one or two big compromises have been made to keep the price down, but with the OnePlus Pad Go 2, I’ve struggled to find one.

This is as good a mid-range tablet as I’ve tested yet, and it's emboldened by a handful of upgrades that give it far more in common with the more expensive OnePlus Pad 3 than its more affordable sibling. The jump to using the MediaTek Dimensity 7300-Ultra chipset is the biggest change of the bunch, as it doesn’t just pave the way for amazing gaming and everyday performance; it also allows for the inclusion of OnePlus’ excellent Open Canvas software, which is a big win for productivity users.

Having Open Canvas available in tandem with the now larger 12.1-inch display, which uses a 7:5 ratio, means the OnePlus Pad Go 2 is an instant win for students or buyers on a budget who want the productivity experience provided by the OnePlus Pad 3 without having to fork out such a substantial amount of cash.

In fact, with the inclusion of 5G connectivity (something which the Pad 3 does not have), there’s a case to be made that, until OnePlus’ more powerful tablet gets the same treatment, the Pad Go 2 might be more preferable by default for anyone who’s constantly on the move and can’t stay connected to a single Wi-Fi network for too long.

(Image credit: Future)

The battery in the OnePlus Pad Go 2 has also been beefed up, jumping from 8,000mAh to a whopping 10,050mAh cell, which means you can go for longer between charges (always helpful if there isn’t a power outlet in sight).

The only setback with the Pad Go 2 is that the design isn’t quite as striking as what we’ve had before, with the OnePlus moving away from the green colorway that made the original Pad Go stand out, and instead moving towards a subdued style that will feel familiar to anyone who’s seen the similarly redesigned OnePlus Nord 5.

Still, it’s a minor blemish on what is, overall, an outstanding tablet. The next time someone’s shopping on the mid-range market, I can’t imagine a world where the OnePlus Pad Go 2 isn’t immediately brought up as one of the first options to consider.

OnePlus Pad Go 2 review: price and availability

• Starts at $399.99 / £319 for 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage
• A more expensive 8GB RAM/256GB storage model is available in the UK, which comes with 5G connectivity

The OnePlus Pad Go 2 has a starting price of $399.99 / £319 for the 128GB Wi-Fi-only model, which then jumps up to £399 for the UK-exclusive 256GB, 5G-enabled variant. We're still waiting for confirmation of the tablet's availability in Australia.

For context, the OnePlus Pad Go cost £299/$299 at launch, making it something of a lower mid-range option designed to compete with the likes of Apple’s entry-level iPad at the time.

Even though there is a slight uptick over what the original Pad Go went for at launch, such a price increase is far from unexpected given the current state of the world economy. But it doesn’t derail the Pad Go 2’s value, which is the most important thing.

With that $399.99 / £319 starting price, the OnePlus Pad Go 2 is still $50 / £10 cheaper than the iPad 11-inch (2025), which is sure to make it a more tempting option for buyers who aren’t completely sold on Apple’s ecosystem.

• Value score: 4 / 5

OnePlus Pad Go 2 review: specs

As for the Pad Go 2's specs, there are quite a few upgrades this time around, the most notable of which have been applied to the display. With a larger 12.1-inch size, the screen also has a higher resolution and a faster refresh rate of 120Hz.

Although the Wi-Fi and 5G models of the OnePlus Pad Go 2 share a lot of key specs, the latter is ever-so slightly heavier at 599g (as opposed to 597g).

Here are the OnePlus Pad Go 2's specs in full:

Starting price

£319

Operating system

OxygenOS 15.0.1

Chipset

MediaTek Dimensity 7300-Ultra

RAM

8GB

Storage

128GB/256GB

Display

12.1-inch 2800 x 1980 LCD, 120Hz

Weight

597g/599g

Battery

10,050mAh

Charging

33W wired charging

Cameras

8MP main, 8MP front

OnePlus Pad Go 2 review: display

(Image credit: Future)

• A large 12.1-inch display that's brilliantly bright
• The 7:5 ratio is perfect for productivity

As much as I enjoyed testing the OnePlus Pad Lite for what it was (a budget buy) earlier this year, its lower-resolution screen made me realize just how good I had it when the OnePlus Pad 3 came in for testing. I was bracing myself for a similar compromise with the Go 2, but ended up being pleasantly surprised by what's on offer.

Instead of having a display that's a major step down from its more premium siblings, the Pad Go 2 has a gorgeous 12.1-inch display that's both larger than before (up from 11.35 inches) and brighter, at 600 nits. There's even a 2.8k resolution, which makes everything look crisp.

The viewing experience overall is fantastic, and I've been using the tablet to catch up on It: Welcome to Derry, being massively impressed with how well the screen conveys both the saturated colours of 1960s Derry and also the dark, foreboding sewers connected to Pennywise’s lair.

(Image credit: Future)

This alone would make it easy to recommend the OnePlus Pad Go 2 to users who just want a solid tablet to take with them on their next flight, but it's the use of a 7:5 ratio that allows it to double as a great productivity tablet.

With a more squat frame than the true wide-screen look of something like the Pad Lite, the Pad Go 2 is far more aligned with the Pad 3, offering plenty of space for multitasking with two apps sitting side by side. For when I'm studying a press release or testing notes for an article as I write, this is exactly the type of display I want – one that never asks me to squint to see what's right in front of me.

• Display score: 5 / 5

OnePlus Pad Go 2 review: design

(Image credit: Future)

• A bit more subdued than before
• It can pick up fingerprints quite quickly

The OnePlus Pad Go 2 has undergone something of a design shift versus its predecessor, moving away from the green backing and center-facing rear camera of old and towards something that feels far more subdued – not too dissimilar to the changes implemented on the OnePlus Nord 5.

The Shadow Black variant that I had in for review feels particularly reminiscent of OnePlus’ mid-range phone, with a sleek albeit unexciting backing that’s designed to look confident rather than eye-catching. It’s also something of a fingerprint magnet, so you may want to put a case on the device before things get too smudgey. These sentiments don’t quite apply to the Lavender Drift alternative, but even that more colourful option is a world away from the head-turning pink of the 11th-gen iPad.

Before I run the risk of sounding overly negative, I want to point out that even though it’s less striking than before, I do like the design of the OnePlus Pad Go 2. As someone who regularly uses tablets for both productivity and entertainment, I appreciate having a device that can blend in as seamlessly as a laptop in my local cafe, and it’s now even easier to carry around in a backpack thanks to a slightly slimmed-down build.

(Image credit: Future)

While the height and width of the tablet have increased, owing to the slightly larger display, OnePlus has managed to fit everything into a thinner chassis that rings in at just 6.83 inches. Not only does this mean it takes up less room in a bag (handy for someone like me who’s constantly carrying multiple devices), but it also makes the Pad Go 2 more comfortable to hold.

With the Wi-Fi and 5G models of the Pad Go 2 coming in at 597g and 599g, respectively, the Pad Go 2 is heavier than its predecessor, but that increase doesn't result in any negative change to the way it feels in the hand. On the contrary, there’s a nice bit of heft that complements the smooth backing of the Go 2, making it comfortable to hold for long periods of time.

Thanks to the more squat nature of the design, my hands were never at risk of covering the center-placed front-facing camera, so even if you are taking a call while holding the tablet vertically, you won’t have any issues there.

• Design score: 4 / 5

OnePlus Pad Go 2 review: software

(Image credit: Future)

• A wonderfully uncluttered experience with next to no bloatware
• Having Open Canvas on board is a big win for productivity users

I've tested enough tablets now to know that OnePlus’ secret weapon is its software. OxygenOS is already a delight to use on the best OnePlus phones (which is why next year’s best phones really have their work cut out against the stellar OnePlus 15), but its value feels more palpable when it comes to tablets.

There's no denying that Apple has a comfortable lead above all Android competitors in this area. Everything just works in iPadOS, and it's exactly why the entry-level iPad 11 is such a great-value buy. But for my money, OxygenOS is the next best thing.

For starters, there really isn't any bloatware to speak of, which already sets OnePlus’ software apart. This was also the case with the OnePlus Lite, and nothing’s changed with the Pad Go 2. The only thing that could vaguely be considered bloatware is a handful of OnePlus’ own brand apps, but they’re fairly well designed. OnePlus’ Notes app in particular is a much sleeker alternative to Google Keep, so these apps are worth exploring to see if they can work for you.

It also helps that OxygenOS has a much nicer look than most Android overlays. With circular app icons and easy-to-navigate menus, it feels far more akin to what you’ll find in Google’s stock Android package, and you get a nice selection of wallpapers built in, including OnePlus’ signature mountain range collection.

What really separates the Pad Go 2 from the Pad Lite, however, is the inclusion of Open Canvas. Whether it’s been on the Pad 3 or the OpenPlus Open, I've loved my time with OnePlus’ multitasking software, as it makes the process of setting up apps side by side an easy one. As mentioned earlier, it works so well with the Pad Go 2’s 7:5 display that you could easily use this tablet for work, either as a student or a professional.

(Image credit: Future)

Of all the layout options available via Open Canvas, it’s the 90/10 split that I really enjoy using. As its name implies, this allows one app to take up the majority of the display while another is just peeking out from the side, but the latter can be brought out in a 50/50 split the moment you tap on it. Again, when I want to quickly check on my notes while writing a review like this one, it works incredibly well.

Another key difference here is that, unlike the Pad Lite, the Go 2 has OnePlus’ AI features built in. This may differ for some people, but personally, I can’t stand the way in which a big push in AI is being shipped as a viable alternative to new features in modern tech. Honor is guilty of this, as is Apple, but OnePlus has a fairly relaxed approach, which I appreciate.

(Image credit: Future)

There are AI features onboard, like an AI writer as well as an AI summarizer for web pages, but neither of them is forced upon you and are fairly easy to miss if you’re not looking for them. While I don’t have much use for AI in general, I have appreciated OnePlus’ AI summarizer on occasion if I need to know more about a certain product but don’t have time to read a full breakdown, as it does a decent job of honing in on what’s important and getting that information to me in a concise way.

OnePlus has yet to confirm how long it will be supporting the OnePlus Pad Go 2, but this section will be updated once that information is made clear.

• Software score: 4.5 / 5

OnePlus Pad Go 2 review: performance

(Image credit: Future)

• The MediaTek Dimensity 7300-Ultra is a capable chipset
• The tablet doesn't buckle under heavy multitasking

Even though it was pitched as a more affordable tablet, the OnePlus Pad Go certainly wasn’t lacking in terms of performance for its price point. The MediaTek Helio G99 chip did a solid job of keeping day-to-day use feeling smooth, but now that the Go 2 has additional features like Open Canvas and AI integration to consider, a leap forward in performance was always going to be a necessity.

This time around, it’s the MediaTek Dimensity 7300-Ultra powering the show, which is built on a more efficient 4nm process. Almost by design now, I get a bit weary whenever I see a chipset listed that isn’t from Qualcomm (almost certainly a result of Snapdragon chips dominating the flagship market), but any concerns were quickly abated the moment I switched on the Go 2 and started using it.

Jumping between apps felt very smooth, and they would load quickly, too. Wanting to see how far I could push the CPU, I jumped into Open Canvas with Chrome and YouTube sitting side by side, but then had picture-in-picture video playing from Sky Go on top of it, whilst also bringing in OnePlus Notes as a floating window. With effectively four apps running at the same time, I waited to see if the Go 2 would buckle under the pressure of it all, but to my amazement, such a moment never came to pass. For the mid-range market, the Pad Go 2 is a real powerhouse.

When swapping over to a bit of gaming, I connected a wireless Xbox controller over Bluetooth and dove into a match of Call of Duty: Mobile. As expected, based on my experience with the CPU up until that point, it all ran flawlessly (and I knew as much because I won the match, which is rarely a guarantee). Not only did the gameplay run smoothly without any lag or stuttering, but the colors came through tremendously, and I didn’t feel any disconnect between my actions on the controller and what was taking place onscreen.

Moving over to Honkai Star Rail – a more demanding title that can trip up a lot of lesser-powered tablets and phones, I’m glad to relay that the Pad Go 2 ran the game rather well. It didn't run quite as flawlessly as Call of Duty, with the odd frame rate dip when exploring the world of the game, but performance during battles was pretty solid, and even when performing special moves that can involve particle effects and more objects appearing onscreen, the tablet didn’t really budge under the pressure.

What helps the performance of the CPU in delivering a great entertainment experience is the jump to having a 120Hz refresh rate, which, as any gamer can attest, is a night and day difference, but the quad-speaker system that’s onboard is important, too. Even when using the speakers at a low volume, the Pad Go 2 does a great job at projecting its soundscape, so you won’t have to crank up the audio in order to hear anything.

The Pad Go 2 is also the first OnePlus tablet to feature 5G connectivity (in the UK at least), which, oddly enough, might make it a more tempting buy over the Pad 3 for productivity users who are constantly on the go. Even though the Pad 3 is more powerful overall, the ability to latch on to a 5G signal when you’re away from a trusted Wi-Fi network is a huge win.

Alongside my review unit of the tablet, OnePlus was kind enough to send over the OnePlus Pad Go 2 Stylo, which I’ve also put to use during this testing period. Admittedly, I’m not a digital artist (I only wish I had that talent), but I am someone who carries a Remarkable Paper Pro with me at all times for digital notetaking, and in that regard I found the Stylo to be quite handy. It’s a long way from the pen and paper feeling of the Remarkable and similar tablets like the Kindle Scribe (2024), but the Stylo itself is responsive and very comfortable to use, so I can see it being an instant buy alongside the tablet for some users.

• Performance score: 4.5 / 5

OnePlus Pad Go 2 review: battery

(Image credit: Future)

• A much larger 10,050mAh cell is included
• Reverse charging is now possible
• No charging brick included

One of my favourite aspects of the OnePlus Pad 3 is just how big the onboard battery is. The company’s flagship tablet packs a 12,140mAh cell, which can really go the distance, but what’s great to see is that the Pad Go 2 has been given such an upgrade in this department that it really isn’t all that far behind what’s achievable on its more powerful sibling.

For the Go 2, OnePlus has leapt from an 8,000mAh battery to a massive 10,050mAh alternative, and it makes a huge difference. OnePlus claims that you can now get up to 15 hours of video streaming at a time, as well as 60 days of standby, which is a big win for anyone who’s always worried about getting to a charger in time.

When testing the tablet on my own terms, I was able to get through about an hour of streaming, half an hour of gaming (which involved online play and downloaded texture packs/content), and another half an hour of web browsing, all with the brightness turned up almost to the max, and the battery had only gone down from 100% to 82%.

Under typical use, I wouldn’t have the brightness anywhere near as high as I did, so I have no worries about getting much closer to OnePlus’ claims of longevity when using the Pad Go 2.

Things have stayed the same where charging is concerned, with 33W SUPERVOOC available on the Pad Go 2, but I don’t see this as a major issue. Of the two options, I would much rather have a larger battery than faster charging, and with the Go 2 now able to run for longer between charges, you won’t have to spend all that much time topping up the tablet anyway.

As an added benefit, the OnePlus Pad Go 2 now supports reverse charging, so if you do need to give your phone or earbuds a quick top-up and you don’t have a battery pack to hand, the Go 2 can step in to plug the gap.

• Battery score: 4.5 / 5

Should you buy the OnePlus Pad Go 2?OnePlus Pad Go 2 scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

With only a minor uptick in price and a ton of upgrades, the Pad Go 2 is a mid-range bargain.

4.5 / 5

Display

The increased resolution and brightness make for a better viewing experience overall.

4.5 / 5

Design

While functional, the Pad Go 2 isn't as exciting as its predecessor, and it can catch fingerprints.

4 / 5

Software

With Open Canvas and OnePlus' AI features being brought into the mid-range, there's now greater functionality.

4.5 / 5

Performance

The newer chipset is capable of heavy-duty multitasking and solid gaming performance.

4.5 / 5

Battery

With a big 10,050mAh cell, you'll struggle to drain the entire battery in a day.

4.5 / 5

Buy it if…

You want a productivity tablet without spending too much
Thanks to its 7:5 aspect ratio and Open Canvas multitasking software, the OnePlus Pad Go 2 is perfect for users who want to work on the go.

You want a proper all-day battery life
With a massive 10,050mAh cell now under the hood, the Pad Go 2 is capable of going the distance over an intensive day of use.

You want a simple Android overlay free of clutter
With a hands-off approach to AI alongside next to no bloatware, OxygenOS is a joy to use.

Don’t buy it if…

You only need a tablet for entertainment
If all you want to do is stream films and TV shows, then the OnePlus Pad Lite fits the bill perfectly with a very affordable price tag.

You don’t plan on using 5G connectivity
Even with the Wi-Fi version available, you can save more money by opting for a tablet that doesn’t feature network connectivity.

You want super-fast charging
If you’re more concerned with having faster charging than a longer battery life, you may want to look elsewhere.

Also consider

Wondering whether or not the OnePlus Pad Go 2 is right for you? Here are some alternatives worth considering:

OnePlus Pad Go 2

Apple iPad 11-inch (2025)

OnePlus Pad Lite

Price

£319 / £399

$349 / £329

£199 / €229

Storage

128GB/256GB

128GB / 236GB / 512GB

128GB

Screen size

12.1-inch 2800 x 1980 LCD, 120Hz

11-inch Liquid Retina, 60Hz

11-inch 1920 x 1200 LCD, 90Hz

Chipset

MediaTek Dimensity 7300-Ultra

Apple A16 Bionic

MediaTek Helio G100

Battery

10,050mAh

28.93Wh

9,340mAh

Charging

33W

20W

33W

Cameras

8MP main, 8MP front

12MP main, 12MP front

5MP main, 5MP front

OS

OxygenOS 16

iPadOS 18

OxygenOS w/ Android 15

Apple iPad 11-inch (2025)
Apple’s entry-level iPad is a bargain, given that you’re getting access to almost all of the main features from iPadOS. Despite its low-level price tag, you can still use the tablet for productivity as well as entertainment, especially since the iPadOS 26 update, which allows apps to be windowed, much like how you’d see them on a Mac.

Read our full Apple iPad 11-inch (2025) review

OnePlus Pad Lite
Unless you’re dead set on having features like OpenCanvas and AI integration that make productivity feel more seamless, the OnePlus Pad Lite already has the entertainment side of things on lock. With a more portable build and a wide screen that’s perfect for cinematic viewing, the Pad Lite is a great device for on-the-go entertainment, and it’ll save you quite a bit at checkout as well.

Read our full OnePlus Pad Lite review

How I tested the OnePlus Pad Go 2

For the purpose of this review, the OnePlus Pad Go 2 was used over the course of a week to determine how well it functions as an everyday tablet for both productivity and entertainment needs.

Streaming was conducted via the Sky Go app, whlie Call of Duty Mobile and Honkai Star Rail were used to verify the tablet’s abilities as a gaming machine.

First reviewed December 2025

Nikon ZR: two-minute review

The new Nikon ZR is the first in a new line of Nikon / RED cinema cameras, and instantly makes Nikon a major new player in this space, capable of going to toe-to-toe with Sony, Canon, Blackmagic and Panasonic.

Nikon only acquired RED Digital Cameras 18 months ago, and it's made fast work of producing the surprisingly polished and capable ZR, adorned with Z Cinema Camera and Nikon / RED branding, and available for a tantalizing price that significantly undercuts rivals.

It packs a bunch of Nikon Z6 III tech, including the same 24MP partially stacked full-frame sensor, 5-axis image stabilization, subject-detection tracking autofocus and more, into an extremely compact, weather-sealed cinema camera body.

@techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar

We get 6K 60fps video with internal RAW recording, with any one of nine industry-favorite RED color profiles baked in – that's the Nikon / RED amalgamation truly bearing fruit – plus 4K 120fps and Full HD 240fps slow-motion recording.

Handily, shutter angle can be set automatically to 180 degrees, so there's no need to mess around with manual exposure settings, plus the shutter angle can be set to any position between five and 360 degrees manually, should you wish.

The Nikon ZR with new ME-D10 shotgun mic attached – the mic supports the camera's 32-bit float audio capture skills (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

We don't get open gate video recording as in some rivals like the Canon EOS C50, but the ZR has another trick up its sleeve: hold the camera vertically, and its UI automatically rotates, with the vertical orientation embedded in the video files and automatically detected in Nikon's editing software, delivering full-resolution vertical video.

The ZR is the first camera of its kind with internal 32-bit float audio capture, plus what Nikon says is the best-quality internal mics yet – a triple mic combo with Ozo audio and a choice of five directional pickup patterns, including binaural.

Alongside the ZR, Nikon has launched the ME-D10 directional mic (you can see it slotted into the camera's hotshoe in the image above), which is compatible with the camera's 32-bit float capabilities.

This is also the smallest cinema camera I’ve used, yet it still squeezes in a large, brightest-in-class 4-inch vari-angle touchscreen. Naturally, there's no viewfinder.

Nikon has put both its own and RED's branding on the ZR, together with Z Cinema Camera (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Given its tiny size, there are compromises. We don’t get some of the pro connectivity found in other pricier compact cinema cameras – for example there’s only a micro HDMI port, not a full-size one. However, if you still feel the need to use an external monitor even with the large 4-inch built-in display, all you'll need is a micro-to-full-size HMDI adaptor to get connected.

Sadly, the ZR lacks mounting points for video accessories and, with no grip, you’ll definitely want to rig it up with a grip or a cage for a better hold. That means forking out for ZR-dedicated gear – Nikon outsources to leading accessory maker SmallRig.

However, at just $2,199.95 / £2,199.99 / AU$3,499, no other cinema camera comes close to the ZR for video features – and this aggressive pricing will soften the blow of any additional outlay on accessories.

I can see the Nikon ZR as a go-to b-cam for many pros, especially those already shooting with a RED camera, for whom the color profile matching will make for a seamless workflow. That said, this is a capable video camera in its own right too.

The Nikon ZR is an incredibly capable and polished compact cinema camera with world-first features, and an exciting first step into the filmmaking space for Nikon. Should video lenses soon follow (most Z lenses are designed primarily for photography), along with a higher-end cinema camera with pro connectivity to sit above the ZR, then Nikon will truly find its footing in this space.

The compact body is the smallest in this class of cinema camera, with a fairly simple control layout (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Nikon ZR: price and release date

• Costs $2,199.95 / £2,199.99 / AU$3,499
• There will be various accessory bundles, TBC
• Sales start in October

The Nikon ZR costs $2,199.95 / £2,199.99 / AU$3,499. At that price it significantly undercuts rivals – such a feature set is typically found in cameras that cost around 50% more, and more often in cameras closer to twice the price.

That said, there are no video accessories included, and you'll want to fork out for some in order to enjoy the ZR's handling and feature set to its full potential. These will likely include a grip and / or cage, plus Nikon's new ME-D10 directional mic, which is compatible with the camera's 32-bit float audio format.

Nikon doesn't make its own accessories such as grips or rigs, relying on third parties such as SmallRig to supply those. At the time of writing I don't have pricing for dedicated ZR accessories.

The Nikon ZR is due to go on sale in October 2025.

The ZR is compact cinema camera for run-and-gun filmmaking – an ideal b-cam (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Nikon ZR: specs

Video

6K up to 60fps, Raw internal

Photo

24MP full-frame

Lens mount

Nikon Z

Autofocus

Dual Pixel CMOS AF II

Screen

4-inch, 3.07m-dot, vari-angle

Viewfinder

N/A

Weight

19oz / 540g (body only)

Battery

EN-EL15 (same type as Nikon Z6 III / Z8)

Nikon ZR: Design

• Smallest and lightest cinema camera of its kind; weather-resistant
• Large 4-inch, 3.07m-dot touch LCD with brightest in-class display, no viewfinder
• No mounting points for accessories
• 3x internal mics, Ozo audio with five directional pickup patterns

As far as I know, the Nikon ZR is the smallest and lightest camera of its kind, weighing just 19oz / 540g (body-only). It's also weather-resistant, which is a rarity in the cinema camera world.

There are pros and cons resulting from the tiny dimensions. Drawbacks include enthusiast-level connectivity, like micro HMDI rather than full-size (though you only need an adaptor to remedy this), and the absence of a grip or mounting points for accessories. A camera like the Canon EOS C50 feels more high-end, given its pro-level connectivity.

It feels best to keep things simple with the ZR, making the most of its compact body and powerful features by minimizing the number of accessories in play. A grip is the one accessory I would absolutely look into buying, while if you want to rig up the ZR you'll need a cage, which will in turn allow you to attach accessories such as lights and mics – Nikon has partnered with SmallRig to create grips and cages for the ZR (pricing TBC).

Image 1 of 4

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 2 of 4

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 3 of 4

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 4 of 4

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Despite its tiny body, the ZR packs a large 4-inch touch display. As such, I don't really see the need for attaching a bulky external 5-inch monitor. It certainly helps that the ZR's 3.07m-dot display is wonderful bright and vivid – the brightest in its class, says Nikon. Mind you, I've only used the ZR in a studio; a truer test will be the bright outdoors.

Other cinema cameras, like the Sony FX3 and Canon EOS C50, only have 3-inch displays, while the Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K has a mega 5-inch unit. In the case of the Sony and Canon models, I'd absolutely want to add a monitor to my setup.

The camera's top plate is pretty simple: there's a photo / video switch (though sadly the UI remains the same whichever setting you're in, rather than there being dedicated menus for photo and video), record button with rocker, plus three buttons for accessing items such as display settings.

The rear is dominated by the large touch display, which when folded away reveals the Nikon / RED branding. Beside it are a joystick for controls such as autofocus point selection, a menu button (a quick press brings up the main menu and a long press brings up the quick menu, which is a nice touch) and a playback button.

Image 1 of 4

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 2 of 4

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 3 of 4

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 4 of 4

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Battery life promises to be okay, given that the ZR uses the same EN-EL15 battery as the Nikon Z6 III and Nikon Z8. There are no vents or cooling fans, though, which would normally suggest that a camera of this type would be prone to overheating during long recording sessions.

I haven't recorded clips any longer than a few minutes, but I'll be sure to run the camera for longer during my in-depth testing. However, Nikon says the camera's magnesium alloy body is a natural heat sink, and promises that long record times are possible, and based on my experience with previous Nikon cameras I have no reason to doubt it.

There's exciting tech under the hood, too, namely a totally new Ozo audio setup, which comprises three mics. Together, these offer five directional pickup patterns, including front narrow (like a shotgun mic), front wide, rear and binaural 3D stereo.

Nikon says this Ozo system is the best internal mic setup of any camera, and it's supported by a world-first: in-camera 32-bit float audio capture. Nikon's new ME-D10 shotgun mic, released at the same time as the ZR, supports 32-bit float audio too.

Those are impressive audio features for any camera, let alone one at this price point, and I look forward to properly testing them out.

Nikon ZR: Performance

• 6K up to 60fps, 4K up to 120fps, Full HD up to 240fps
• Internal RAW recording and RED color profiles (up to nine in-camera at any time)
• Subject-detection autofocus and 5-axis image stabilization
• 24MP stills, partially stacked full-frame sensor

For the most part, the Nikon ZR has the same photo and video specs as the Z6 III (which we awarded five stars out of five in our in-depth review), which means a full-frame partially stacked 24MP sensor equipped with 5-axis image stabilization.

Add in decent subject-detection tracking autofocus and the ZR is a capable stills shooter, although while this is useful for on-set stills, the main focus of my testing is of course the ZR's video chops.

There's the partially stacked 24MP full-frame sensor and Nikon Z mount (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Like the Z6 III, the Nikon ZR shoots 6K up to 60fps, 4K up to 120fps and Full HD up to 240fps. There's the option for shooting internal RAW with a 12-bit color depth, or keeping things simple and baking in the look at capture with 10-bit recording.

Given the array of creative styles and color profiles on board, which includes space for up to nine RED color profiles at any one time, you might just feel happy to skip shooting RAW, with its large file sizes and grading demands, and use one of the many baked-in color profiles instead to save editing time and space on your hard drives.

I shot a variety of video clips during a half-day session with a drummer in action inside a studio, including 6K RAW, a few of the RED profiles baked in, and 240fps slow-motion – see my sample video, above.

In this setting, the ZR delivered some superb-looking video. I'll be expanding this first impressions review with more detail about its video and audio quality, once I've had an extended time with the ZR.

The ZR is a decent camera for photos too, with 24MP stills (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Nikon ZR: also consider

Canon EOS C50

Canon announced the EOS C50 just a day before the Nikon ZR. It costs around 50% more, but comes with a top grip. In many ways the two cameras' video features are similar, including video resolution, maximum frame rates, internal RAW recording and autofocus. However, the Canon camera feels slightly more high-end with pro connectivity, while in the ZR's favor are its compact size, larger touch display and, impressively, its sensor-based stabilization.

See my Canon EOS C50 reviewView Deal

Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K

The Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K is pretty much the same price as the Nikon ZR, and in many respects has similar video features: a full-frame sensor with 6K video, 12-bit internal RAW recording and dual base ISO. It also packs a mammoth 5-inch display and has a solid choice of L-mount lenses. However, its slow-motion recording is more limited, while autofocus performance isn't a patch on Nikon's. It's also much bulkier and heavier.

See our Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K reviewView Deal

Sony FX3

The Sony FX3 is an industry-favorite compact 4K cinema camera with superb low-light skills, thanks to its 12MP full-frame sensor. Like the ZR, it's designed to be rugged, with accessories such as its (bundled) top handle. It has the pro connectivity you'd hope for, excellent battery life, and a wide range of video lenses. However, its video recording feels somewhat dated compared to the ZR's 6K internal RAW, and it's practically twice the price. View Deal

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)How I tested the Nikon ZR

• I had just half a day with the ZR
• I paired it with multiple Nikon Z lenses and tried out the new ME-D10 mic
• No third-party accessories were available, so I used the camera handheld

I had the opportunity to shoot with the Nikon ZR for half a day ahead of its launch, using it for an indoor stage-lit shoot of a drummer in action.

Nikon supplied an array of Z-mount lenses for the shoot, of which I used a few primes and zooms. The new ME-D10 directional mic was also available on the day.

Nikon doesn't make its own rigs or cinema camera accessories, relying on third parties such as SmallRig instead. None of these accessories were available to me, so I shot with the ZR entirely handheld, without a grip or rig.

During my limited test time I made sure to shoot in 6K RAW, 240fps slow motion, and to try out various color profiles, focusing on the RED looks.

I have plenty of experience using rival cinema cameras such as the Sony FX3, so I'm well equipped to make an informed initial assessment of the ZR. That said, cinema cameras need to prove themselves as tools their users can rely on shoot after shoot, so check back soon for my in-depth verdict after I've spent more time with the camera.

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

Sachtler Ace M MS Mk II: two-minute review

Many years ago I worked in a camera store, and a regular topic of conversation was how to make tripods sound exciting to customers.

Admittedly, they are accessories that many photographers see as necessary tools, but not ones worthy of the same attention as the latest cameras and lenses. I doubt every photographer would be as actively vocal about a new tripod as they might the release of the Canon EOS R6 Mark III, Leica M EV1, or even an action camera like the DJI Osmo Action 6.

Every so often, however, a tripod comes along that truly defines what every content creator should aspire to own in a camera support. These are the models that usually make it onto our list of the best tripods guide.

Some tripods, like the fabulous Manfrotto One hybrid photo and video tripod, hit the headlines due to their mainstream appeal, while others quietly fill a gap in the market for specific uses and a tightly-targeted customer base, and the Sachtler Ace M MS Mk II is one such model.

Before diving into what makes this set of legs the best for shooting video, it’s important to understand how a video-centric tripod differs in its features compared to one made solely for stills photography.

Unsurprisingly, a photo tripod is all about providing the ultimate stability for sharpness in a single frame. You need these models to allow you to precisely place the camera for a stationary composition. With a video tripod, meanwhile, you need the freedom to move the camera during a shot, to create a cinematic pan that follows the subject.

You need to keep the target in the frame as it moves through the scene, while maintaining smooth, fluid movement that isn’t jerky or rife with distracting micro-vibrations. If you're shooting with one of the best 4K cameras or best cameras for professional filmmaking, you want to ensure the quality of your footage isn't let down by your tripod.

The Sachtler Ace M MS Mk II has a rugged aluminum construction with high-grade plastic joints and control knobs (Image credit: Future/ Peter Fenech)

When fully extended, the head can be comfortably raised to head height for dynamic framing opportunities (Image credit: Future/ Peter Fenech)

Video models also have a greater provision of accessory attachment points, which allow the user to add audio and lighting equipment, a larger external monitor or teleprompter, for example. The Sachtler Ace M MS Mk II has three 3/8-inch accessory mounting points arranged around the tripod bowl, which not only enables multiple accessories to be added to your system but also allows you to select a position for the optimal balance of the setup.

Speaking of stability and balance, the Ace M MS Mk II features a mid-level spreader to prevent leg creep under the weight of a heavier cine camera system and to ensure that all of the legs are properly spaced. The camera level changing between shots is a pain for photographers, but a potential disaster if it happens mid-video clip. The unit on the Ace M MS Mk II is sturdily constructed, and easily removed when it’s not required.

The bundled spreader is well-made, matching the metal construction of the legs themselves (Image credit: Future/ Peter Fenech)

The leg sections slide past each other externally, meaning they can be more easily cleaned after a shoot than a collapsing stacked design (Image credit: Future/ Peter Fenech)

I’ve always preferred a mid-level type, rather than ground-level, which might provide good stability in a studio setting but quickly becomes an obstruction and speed killer when on location. It’s ideal that such a spreader is removable, giving users the stability needed for high payloads, but the flexibility to spread the tripod and capture lower-level shots.

The Ace M MS Mk II an aluminum tripod, rather than carbon fiber, and with an aluminum design there is always going to be a weight penalty. None of Sachtler’s tripods could be described as lightweight, but this is not uncommon for video models; indeed, it’s necessary to provide the proper support for the larger gear they will be paired with.

Yet at 4.4kg, the Ace M MS Mk II is still highly manageable compared to other professional video products. The Manfrotto MVH502A, for example, weighs in at 11.7lbs / 5.3kg while supporting up to a 22lbs / 10kg payload. Meanwhile, the Sirui BCT-3203 matches the Sachtler’s weight exactly despite being made from carbon fiber.

Build quality is impressive throughout, from the aluminum tubes of the legs themselves to the high-impact plastic of the control points and bowl surrounds. All of the materials are solid to the touch, notably the plastic components, which have very little give when depressed. All threads and screws are precisely milled, and didn’t exhibit any sticking or slipping when operated during testing.

I liked that there didn’t seem to be many potential points for moisture and dirt ingress. Unlike the common stacked multi-segment leg design seen in many photo tripods, where one section collapses into the other, possibly taking contaminants with it that can cause seizing over time, most moving components are external and can be accessed on the Ace M MS Mk II. This makes cleaning and maintenance easier, and less likely to be neglected post-shoot.

Functionality is also excellent. The many dials, knobs, and locks take some familiarization when you first use the tripod, but every control is smooth and logically placed. The friction controls for both head pitch and pan movements are exceptionally effective, allowing fluid motion in dynamic footage. Meanwhile, when locked, static clips were sharp and generally vibration-free, at least in moderately still air.

There are three levels of friction selectable for rotational panning and for pitch control (Image credit: Future/ Peter Fenech)

The knobs and locks on the bundled video head are made from plastic, but still have a knurled, high-quality finish (Image credit: Future/ Peter Fenech)

The less rigid microstructure of carbon fiber means it has fewer resonant properties, so it transmits less vibration to the tripod head. Despite this, the overall weight of the aluminum Sachtler Ace M MS Mk II made it more resistant to wind buffeting than my Gitzo carbon tripod, and I was able to capture sharper images once the wind speed increased.

Similar to the excellent Manfrotto One hybrid tripod, the legs of the Ace M MS Mk II can be extended with a reduced number of actions. Rather than having to unlock each leg section individually, unscrewing the mid-level locks raises the head to chest height, and then the lower section can be further extended with the secondary screw locks. It’s not quite as smooth an operation as the Manfrotto One, but it still wins points for speed.

The tripod can be extended to full height in two actions, using the leg locks at the mid-point and base of the legs (Image credit: Future/ Peter Fenech)

I must also give a mention of the tripod feet, which are both tough and easy to adjust. By simply rotating them on their screw thread, you can reveal or retract the spikes within, depending on the terrain type on which you plan to use the legs. It might sound like a minor point, but I really appreciate that they are also bright red. The weakness of this screw-thread design is that it’s not too difficult to over-loosen a tripod foot, which then detaches, and standard black rubber feet are easy to miss – I’m ashamed to add up how many tripod feet I’ve ‘misplaced’ like this over the years. Perhaps I’m just careless, but in the heat of a rapid shoot, where you're changing locations a lot, the highly visible color is a thoughtful touch.

The mid-level spreader can be removed when the need arises to place the legs on an incline or when uneven ground makes the setup unstable with it in place (Image credit: Future/ Peter Fenech)Sachtler Ace M MS Mk II: key specs

Maximum height:

66.5 inches / 169cm

Closed height:

30.7 inches / 78cm

Bowl size:

75mm

Materials:

Aluminum

Max payload:

8.8lbs / 4kg

Leg sections:

Two

Tilt Range:

90 to -75 degrees

Attachment points:

3x 3/8-inch accessory threads

Weight:

9.7lbs / 4.4kg

Sachtler Ace M MS Mk II price and availability

The Sachtler Ace M MS Mk II video tripod was launched in April 2024 and is available from several specialist photographic retailers, bundled with the Ace M Fluid Head and flowtech®75 Mid-level spreader. The cost of the kit is $985 / £858 / AU$1,545.

The tripod is available across major markets, in the USA, UK, and Australia, although as this is a specialist video accessory it can be trickier to find at some mainstream retailers, or it is listed but with limited availability. We sourced examples at Adorama in the United States, WEX in the UK, and Videocraft in Australia.

Sachtler Ace M MS Mk II: Also consider

Manfotto One hybrid tripod

The Manfrotto One is probably the best alternative option if you shoot both video content and still photos. It combines several features catered for each type of user. While it lacks a spreader, it does feature a rapid extension system and a balancing center column.

Read our Manfrotto One hybrid tripod review

Should I buy the Sachtler Ace M MS Mk II?

(Image credit: Future/ Peter Fenech)Buy it if...

Video content is your primary focus
The Sachtler Ace M MS Mk II is a video-oriented product from the ground up, so you'll find plenty of tailored features for motion content creation. The included spreader, quick set-up speed, and fluid head are the ideal tools for pro-looking video.

You use a mirrorless camera system
The 4kg payload limit might not be enough if you regularly use a large camcorder or interchangeable lens video camera system. If, however, you make lots of content with your mirrorless system, such as a Canon EOS R5 Mark II, or Sony A7 V, the load-weight balance is perfect.

Don't buy it if...

You don't use lots of accessories
The tripod is designed to support a modular system of accessories, which is in part what you're paying for. If you don't plan on using an external monitor, or a rig such as a Magic Arm, these attachment points will be somewhat wasted on you.

You're a vlogger
While vlogging still requires a good-quality camera support, if you're used to a POV style of filmmaking, you might find the bulk and weight of the Sachtler Ace M MS Mk II more of a hindrance than a help.

How I tested the Sachtler Ace M MS Mk II

• I spent approximately one month testing the tripod in a variety of weather conditions
• I used the tripod to support my camera in various locations, across multiple types of terrain
• I mounted a variety of camera types on the tripod to test stability, from a lightweight mirrorless system to a pro DSLR

To ensure I got a representative idea of the capabilities of the Sachtler Ace M MS Mk II, I took it out on location with me several times over several weeks. These shoots covered landscapes, coastal shots, woodland scenics, and even low-light cityscapes.

I captured video footage and examined frame grabs to assess sharpness in windier conditions or when water was moving around the tripod feet. I also shot some long-exposure still images to get a better picture of the type and direction of vibrations, where present.

I tried using the legs with and without the spreader fitted. I placed the feet on different terrain conditions as a routine part of my test shooting, including waterlogged soil, sand, and concrete. I also used the tripod at various heights to test how stability and vibration absorption changed as the legs were extended.

First reviewed December 2025

Honor Band 10: One-minute review

When I made the jump over to using an Honor phone as my daily driver, it only made sense to leave my old Huawei Band 9 behind and pick up a matching fitness tracker. Enter the Honor Band 10, the Chinese tech brand’s latest affordable fitness tool promising a wealth of smartwatch-lite features at an incredibly low price.

But does the Honor Band 10 actually deliver? Absolutely, although there are one or two rough edges to bear in mind before you rush to add it to your cart. Starting with the good, the sleek design is a winner; there’s only one color available, a basic black, but a charming golden accent around the edges of the sleek 1.57-inch AMOLED touchscreen make it look far more premium than the price would suggest.

Sure, the body of the Honor Band 10 is made from plastic, or ‘durable polymer materials’ according to the manufacturer, but it doesn’t feel cheap and my model hasn’t managed to pick up any noticeable scratches even after months of daily use. Unlike other options on the market, the Honor Band 10 doesn’t have any buttons either, giving it a very streamlined appearance.

When you first take it out of the box you have to turn it on by plugging it into its magnetic changing cable and during use, waking the screen is as simple as raising your wrist or a quick tap on the glass – a very seamless, almost Apple-like experience.

(Image credit: Dashiell Wood / Future)

The battery life is solid, lasting about three days with the always-on-display enabled, but there are plenty of smart features to extend that to over a week. I particularly like the ability to schedule the always-on-display, so you don’t waste any charge keeping a clock on screen outside the times you really need it.

It's compatible with the Honor Health app (which you can sync with the likes of Apple Health easily), which is simple to use and offers access to a good amount of data including the usual overall activity level, daily step count, total calories burned, sleep tracking and your heart rate, in addition to a daily health report. The watch comes with a decent number of faces out of the box in both analog and digital styles, but you can always download more if you’re not happy with them thanks to a wide range of both official and community-made options to choose from.

My one complaint comes from the step tracking on the band itself. It’s a little optimistic, especially compared to my other fitness trackers. I make an effort to hit 10,000 steps per day and when I wore it at the same time as an old Fitbit Charge HR, I found that the Honor Band 10 was off by about ten percent or so in the upwards direction, which isn’t the end of the world given the low price – but could be a good reason to consider a more premium option instead.

There are also some small issues with the smartwatch features. Notifications come through almost instantly, but the media playback controls are very hit-and-miss. I often have to tap multiple times to skip a song, or notice that the song title hasn’t actually updated to reflect what’s playing. This feature is also entirely disabled if you’re using iOS, which is a shame. However, you’re not really missing out on too much in my experience.

Honor Band 10: Specifications

Price

£44.99 (around $60 / AU$90)

Dimensions

43.2 x 28.2 x 8.99mm

Display

1.57-inch AMOLED

GPS?

No

Battery life

14 days

Honor Band 10: Price and availability

• Costs £44.99 (around $60 / AU$90)
• Not available in the US
• Expect frequent discounts

I purchased the Honor Band 10 when it first arrived on the Honor store back in May.

It was priced at £49.99 and cost me a total of £44.99 plus shipping thanks to a £5 launch day discount. I can confidently say that the band is great value at the price I paid, though its going rate has since been lowered to £44.99, with frequent discounts down to £39.99, making it an even more tempting proposition.

Unfortunately, as with other Honor products it’s hard to find in the US as it’s not officially sold. Your best option would be to import the band from third-party sellers on sites like Aliexpress, but you should be aware that you may lose any warranty or support and that compatibility isn't guaranteed.

Honor products are also not officially available in Australia, so expect similar hurdles there.

Scorecard

Category

Comment

Score

Value

The Honor Band 10 is fantastic value, especially if you grab it one of the many sales throughout the year.

4.5/5

Design

The classy buttonless look of the Honor Band 10 helps it stand out from the crowd, though it is still a plastic body.

4/5

Features

There are plenty of features here given the low price, including some that you would usually expect from a more expensive smartwatch.

4.5/5

Performance

The performance is good, but has some compromises. The step counter is a tad optimistic, and media playback controls are a bit iffy.

4/5

Should I buy the Honor Band 10?

(Image credit: Dashiell Wood / Future)Buy it if…

You want a fantastic value fitness tracker
It’s hard to complain about the Honor Band 10 given its rock bottom price tag. You’re getting an awful lot of smart band here for not very much cash.

You love the look
The Honor Band 10 stands out from its biggest competitors with its sleek, buttonless design. It only comes in black, but the gold accent looks lush on your wrist.

Don’t buy it if…

You want perfect accuracy
If you’re after the most accurate possible step counter, then you should probably swerve the Honor Band 10 as it is a little off. You’ll need to spend more to get something significantly better, though.

Also consider

Xiaomi Smart Band 9
This is the budget fitness tracker to beat, and the Honor Band 10 puts up a pretty good fight. The Smart Band 9 is a little cheaper and is more widely available, but I prefer the design of the Honor.
Read our full Xiaomi Smart Band 9 review

Fitbit Charge 6
The Fitbit Charge 6 is double the price of the Honor Band 10, but delivers much more accurate step tracking. It’s the one to choose if that’s your biggest concern, though it comes with its own drawbacks.
Read our full Fitbit Charge 6 review

How I tested the Honor Band 10

I bought the Honor Band 10 back in May 2025 and have been using it daily since. I’ve taken it on plenty of walks in my quest to hit 10,000 daily steps and measured its accuracy against other fitness trackers that I own. I’ve also been using it as a watch – even occasionally glancing at the time throughout the writing of this review.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed November 2025

Dreame Aqua10 Ultra: Two-minute review

Innovation in the world of robot vacuum cleaners is evolving by leaps and bounds – you only have to look at the Dreame Matrix10 Ultra and the Ecovacs Deebot X11 OmniCyclone to see how far we’ve come. While the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra isn’t so groundbreaking, it still boasts industry-leading vacuum suction (30,000Pa) and features I’ve not seen anywhere else – like all brushes getting raised when mopping and the mop getting covered when rolling over a carpet. In fact, this is Dreame’s first robovac to get a roller mop.

While these unique features are welcome additions, the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra shines where it matters the most – cleaning floors. I’ve previously said the same thing in my Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni review, but this Dreame does a better job of vacuuming carpets.

I wouldn’t put too much stock in that 30,000Pa of suction as that spec doesn’t always translate to 100% hair pickup on very dirty carpets, but I’d say it gets close – 98% to 99% – which is much better than most other robovacs I’ve tested. Edge cleaning on carpets, though, is a little disappointing in comparison, but this isn’t unique to Dreame – most side brushes don’t have stiff bristles to sweep up embedded hair, fur and fibres along room edges of wall-to-wall carpets, and suction power isn’t distributed evenly across the entire length of the central bar brush. In fact, even my Dyson V15s Detect Submarine finds it hard to get right to the edge where carpet meets wall – unless I use the crevice tool.

Hard-floor cleaning, however, is 100% pickup of all visible dirt and debris. Importantly, there's very little scattering of larger debris as the side brush is raised when it senses excessive dirt. And mopping by the roller results in perfect stain removal, no matter how old and deep-seated it is. I love that it dries the dust bag after each cleaning run, which means it can safely go over a little wet area and suck up some moisture, although I would still hesitate to send it over a large wet spill.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Mobility is fantastic, with extremely silent wheels, although the raising mechanism can be heard and the robot dropping back to its normal position after crossing a threshold sounds like something is breaking. And despite some teething issues when I first set it up, I found its navigation abilities quite efficient. I will admit, however, that it does occasionally clean one spot repeatedly even though it’s not excessively dirty, and that eats into its battery life.

Battery use is also affected slightly by the fact that its suction kicks in as soon as the robot exits its dock, so it’s using up precious power even before it gets to its starting point. In my tests, the battery would drop by 1% to 2% depending on which room I would send it to before it began its task. This isn’t a deal breaker for some homes, but it may not finish cleaning larger spaces in one go.

Another minor complaint I have is the app. As nice as it looks, it takes a little getting used to and, even for someone like me who has ample experience with robovacs, I struggled to find some necessary settings (in my case, carpet-cleaning options). Again, not a deal breaker – and I’m yet to meet a robot vacuum with the perfect app (Roborock comes close) – but a touch of streamlining would make it a lot easier to use, especially if you’re going to shell out a four-figure sum on the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Dreame Aqua10 Ultra review: Price & availability

• List price: $1,599 / £1,299 / AU$2,999
• Released date: November 2025
• Available in most major markets, including the US, UK and Australia

With a suggested retail price of $1,599 / £1,299 / AU$2,999, there’s no denying that the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra sits firmly in the premium robovac space, although it’s not as expensive as the $1,999.99 / £1,399 / AU$3,499 mop-swapping Dreame Matrix10 Ultra. It’s still a flagship model and has features to justify its high asking price but, if clean floors is what you’re after, you can get something a little cheaper and not compromise on what’s important.

Case in point is the Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni: it performs wonderfully well although, like most robovacs, its app leaves much to be desired, and you get flagship cleaning for $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$2,499 at full price. Given how often robot vacuums get discounted, this Deebot can be had for around the $800 / £800 / AU$1,500 mark, if not cheaper. I suspect the Aqua10 Ultra will also see a similar treatment during major sales, but its full price stings a little.

In comparison, the Ecovacs Deebot X11 OmniCyclone brings some cutting-edge tech to the table – fast charging and an agentic AI helper to name just a couple – and does away entirely with the replaceable dust bag. It costs $1,499 / £1,199 / AU$2,999 and potentially offers better value for larger homes.

Dreame, however, is known for pricing its robot vacuums quite high – the X50 Ultra Complete, which uses traditional mop pads instead of a roller and doesn’t have all the fancy features of the Aqua10 Ultra, has a list price of $1,699 / £1,299 / AU$2,999.

• Value score: 3.5 / 5

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Dreame Aqua10 Ultra review: Specs

Max suction

30,000Pa

Robot dimensions (W x H)

35cm x 120cm (LDS raised) / 35cm x 9.75cm (LDS lowered)

Robot weight

5.8kg

Dock dimensions (H x D x L)

50.5cm x 44cm x 42cm

Dock weight

11.1kg

Robot bin volume

220ml

Dust bag capacity

up to 3.2L

Dock water-tank volume

4L clean / 3.5L dirty

Mop type

Roller

Battery capacity

6,400mAh

Robot max clearance

4.2cm single step / 8cm double step

Navigation

Retractable LiDAR

Dock type

Charge, dusty emptying, roller hot-water washing, roller drying, auto-dispensing one of two detergents

Dreame Aqua10 Ultra review: Design

• First Dreame robovac to get a roller mop
• Boasts step-vaulting feet and a retractable navigation turret
• Boxy and classy dock design with dual-detergent dispenser drawer

The moment I took the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra out of its box, my first thought was, “It looks like a large Marshall speaker!”. If you aren’t familiar with this speaker brand, they’re quite boxy and most of the models I know about have a black finish. This is in no way a complaint; it’s my brain making connections I didn’t expect it to – and I love the look. It’s very classic, with clean lines and metallic accents that ooze ‘premium-ness’. Somehow even the green light around the main control button of the robot while it's charging makes it look fabulous rather than garish.

There are a lot of thoughtful design elements here other than the looks, like soft rubber washers that make it easy to remove the dock cover, a dual detergent dispenser drawer and a retractable navigation puck on the top of the robot. It even comes with a brush to clean the wash tray, which I’ve even used to scrub the dirty-water tank.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Robot design

Sticking with the usual round robot, the Aqua10 Ultra isn’t all that different from many of its premium competitors, with a sleek look – a black robot in my case – that’s enhanced by a retracting navigation puck. When docked, the puck stays lowered and has a ring of green light when it’s moving up or down, or when it’s charging – but is unlit when fully topped up and on standby.

The top of the puck is brass coloured and houses the main controls. It looks like a single button that’s divided in two, with one half to power the robot up or down, while the other half is to send it back to its dock (home button).

Around the puck is a fully removable lid, under which you’ll find a dust box which, strangely, is a lot smaller than I’ve seen in competing models. It’s just 220ml and while it’s not affected my cleaning routines, I suspect it will be emptying itself a lot more frequently in homes with pets.

Under the lid is also the Wi-Fi indicator light and the all-important QR code to get you set up with the companion app. Watch out for how much you handle the robot, though, because it’s highly prone to picking up fingerprint smudges that aren’t easy to wipe off (I’m fussy, what can I say?).

Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The front of the robot, as with all others like it, is the camera window that houses not one, but two AI cameras with HD quality that, Dreame says, allows it to capture a 3D image of the robot's surroundings. A side sensor window is also visible towards the end of the bumper.

The undercarriage is where all the action is and here’s where the Aqua10 Ultra differs from many of its competitors. Firstly, it has a dual-brush system for better cleaning on carpets and hard floors alike without hair tangles.

Second, it’s the first Dreame robot vacuum to get a roller mop and here too there’s been some innovation. The roller is made from slightly more bristly fibres than fluff or microfibre to allow it to get into cracks or grouting to ‘scrub’ as it passes over hard floors. It also has a fluffer that spins in the opposite direction to the roller to keep the fibres, well, fluffed so it’s effective at all times.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Importantly, this is the first robovac I’ve tested that actually has a cover for the roller that engages automatically when it senses a carpet. I couldn’t even see the cover when it was doing a mop and went over my living room rug, but no part of my colorful carpet was damp, something I’ve experienced with other robot vacuum cleaners. The roller also extends to clean along edges, although it does miss corners like pretty much every other robovac I’ve tested.

Like its X50 Ultra and Matrix10 Ultra siblings, the Aqua10 also gets the ProLeap system that allows the robot to traverse shallow steps – it can climb 4cm in one step, and another 4cm in a second step if it needs to. It’s no stair climber though, this only helps it get across higher thresholds that some other robots would have trouble with. At setup, the app will even ask you if you want it to use one ‘foot’ at a time, like a human, or raise both feet and roll over.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

I’ve gotten to a point where I wish robovac makers would use stiffer bristles for the side brush because I’ve seen them all struggle to push dirt when moving over carpets, although they work very well on hard floors. It’s the same here – stiffer bristles on my fully carpeted bedroom would have been fabulous. This isn’t a complaint, more a wish for the next iteration.

Dock design

I was sent a black unit for this review, although I’ve seen pictures of a white model too. Either way, the base station for the Aqua10 Ultra looks darn good. Sharp corners and clean lines are reminiscent of mid-Century architectural aesthetics and, as I’ve said before, I get Marshall speaker vibes. And that’s a compliment – I love it!

A lot of thought has gone into the various parts of the base station too. For example, I love that the front cover that hides the dust bag and detergent dispenser is tight thanks to a rubber washer around it, but it comes off and slips on smoothly – no harsh clicks or excessive elbow grease needed as I’ve experienced with other such models that make me feel like I’m about to break something.

Image 1 of 4

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Image 2 of 4

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Image 3 of 4

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Image 4 of 4

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

I have to mention the dispenser here before moving on. It has two slots for different solutions (there’s a bottle of detergent and pet odor neutralizer in the box – color-coded so you know which goes in what slot), so you could switch up your detergent use if you wish, but the grip to pull the dispenser out of the base station is designed for right-handed people. That’s not to say left-handers can’t remove it, it will just need a little wrist twisting.

Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Above this slot is the covered hatch for the two water tanks, while below is the housing for the robot itself. Inside, the wash tray can be removed for cleaning as necessary and you’ll find a brush in the box to aid with that. In fact, I found the brush to be handy in scrubbing out the dirty-water tank when I’ve forgetfully let a little ecosystem grow inside it.

Handily, the rear of the base station has a niche for your fingers when you need to move it to another location, plus cable management that is missing from some robovacs I’ve previously reviewed.

• Design score: 5 / 5

Dreame Aqua10 Ultra review: Performance

• Arguably the best vacuuming and mopping I’ve experienced with a robovac
• 100ºC/212ºF roller mop washing
• Mostly good navigation and battery life, but it could be better

Getting the Aqua10 Ultra connected to my phone and set up for mapping barely took any time. Before the map creation, though, I allowed the robot to charge fully while I tried to get familiar with the app.

Mapping took no more than seven minutes in the test space for this review, which was a one-bedroom apartment of about 40sqm/430sq ft area. It has mixed flooring, with wall-to-wall carpeting in the bedroom and two types of tile flooring everywhere else. The map was accurate for the most part, but I merged and divided a couple of rooms to delineate the open-plan space.

One thing I loved about the initial mapping process was that I didn’t hear the robot at all. Other such models I’ve tested, I’ve at least heard the wheels – here, not a sound. Wheels are well oiled and very smooth, at least on the tiles in my test space.

I then had some teething issues with the Aqua10 Ultra in that my very first task for it was a single-room clean, which it refused to do. I kept getting a ‘destination not found’ error. Even after a full reset and remapping, the issue didn’t go away. I later got it to do a full-home clean (what Dreame calls “global cleaning” in the app) and everything worked a charm after that, even custom routines or single-room cleans.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Vacuuming tests

Dreame lists the suction power at an industry-leading 30,000Pa, but don’t get taken in by that number – a few factors go into how well a robot vacuum can suck up hair, dirt and debris, including airflow through the inside of the bot. That said, the Aqua10 Ultra doesn’t disappoint.

I don’t think I’ve been better impressed by any other robovac as much as I’ve been by this Dreame. I made sure there was a lot of hair embedded into the carpet fibers of the bedroom before its first real test and it did a fantastic job on its Intense setting (there is a Max suction too). On hard floors, Standard is more than enough for regular cleaning tasks, although I would recommend switching it up to Intense if you’re trying to clean up a relatively dirty section of tile or wood.

Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The Aqua10 Ultra is a rare robovac that also managed to get bits of dirt out of grout too. I tested this by sprinkling some tea from a bag into spaces between tiles in my kitchen and not a speck of black was visible on the white background after it was done on its Intense suction setting. Other premium models I’ve tested have struggled with this task.

Another vacuuming feature I love is the raising of the side brush. This happens every time the robot senses a very dirty area with larger pieces of debris (oats in testing) to prevent scattering. And that translates to 100% pickup across the entire area.

Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The only time I used Max suction power was when I allowed dust and hair to collect on the bedroom carpet over three weeks and pickup was about 98%, with only the edges suffering from a not-so-good vacuuming. The reason that edge cleaning on the carpet suffers is not unique to Dreame, it’s all robovacs – the bristles of the side brush just aren’t stiff enough to push all hair and debris within carpet fibers along room edges towards the central brushes.

I tried the lowest suction setting (Quiet) only once and I wasn’t particularly impressed – it might be fine if your floors are cleaned daily and you don’t have pets or kids.

Mopping tests

Mopping is probably what the Aqua10 Ultra was truly designed to do and it does it very well. Not only is the roller continually washed with fresh water as it’s mopping, but you also get two choices of pressure the roller can apply on floors. The latter might seem like a good thing on paper but, to be honest, Light pressure is fine for daily mopping when the floors are relatively clean. I would think Normal pressure is what most users would need on a regular basis.

With water levels set to high (level 27) to suit the kind of tiles in my test space, I found the Aqua10 Ultra was capable of tackling most dried stains. Dusty footprints are very easy for it to remove, but it also managed to get rid of spilt-and-dried tea. It even got rid of an unidentified caked-in stain close to my living room rug that my previous robot vacuum wasn’t able to mop up.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

For the first time when testing a robovac I felt comfortable sending it to mop up a small wet spill – and that’s only because Dreame promised that the central and side brushes would be raised. Sure enough, a few drops of water weren’t an issue and any moisture that got sucked into the onboard dust box and, hence, into the dust bag, isn’t going to be an issue as the bag in the dock is dried after every single vacuum or mop-after-vacuum session is complete.

Admittedly this test is based on small spills, like a few drops of water on the bathroom floor or a tiny bit of milk on the kitchen tiles, but I’ve previously avoided sending any robovac over something wet, no matter how small. That being said, I’d still be very hesitant to get the Aqua10 Ultra to clean a larger wet spill as I’d worry about the filter inside the onboard dust box.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

If you’ve got mixed flooring, you can choose what action the robot takes when mopping – avoid carpets altogether, raise the roller mop or cross without cleaning. I had the Aqua10 Ultra set to mop-raise at all times and, the best part, the roller has its own cover that automatically engages as soon as it senses a carpet.

I’ve never been able to see the cover engage, but I’ve had no damp patches on my carpets, not even the edges or corners where other robovacs would be too slow to raise mops.

Mopping can be done with detergents and a small bottle ships in the box to get you started. Dreame doesn’t specify that the floor cleaner needs to be proprietary, but I’d err on the side of caution and purchase what the brand recommends to avoid damaging the internal mechanisms and voiding warranty.

Dock performance

The standout feature here is the dust-bag drying, which you will need to toggle on in the app under Dock Settings. When switched on, the dock will dry the dust bag with warm air after every cleaning session. This prevents odors building or an ecosystem growing inside if moisture gets trapped when the robot vacuums over a few drops of water or any other small spill.

That's not all, though, because the Aqua10 Ultra also looks after the roller well by washing it at 100ºC / 212ºF. That's as good as sterilization and eliminates any odors, washes out stains and gets the roller ready for its next clean. This feature is optional and, if you don't have pets, you could just have the roller cleaned with warm water, sterilizing it every once in a while. The usual hot-air drying takes place to make sure the roller is dried between uses.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The first time I used the Aqua10 Ultra, though, I thought it was using a lot of water, but from the second mopping run onwards, water use has been quite efficient and I didn't need to constantly ensure the clean-water tank was topped up. The only thing that needs doing is ensuring the dirty-water tank is cleaned frequently or you will have nasty odors to contend with. However, not only does the tank have a tight lid, but there's another lid (not hermetically sealed, though) between you and the bad smells. You still wouldn't want to leave dirty water in there for long.

The Aqua10 Ultra dock also allows you to ensure the wash tray is cleaned thoroughly. This is done via the app to start, wherein clean water is poured over the washboard and excess moisture is removed from the roller. The robot will then exit the dock so you can use the provided brush to scrub the tray – just click on finished button on the app when you're done and the dock will take care of the drying once the bot is nestled back in.

Long story short, dock functionality is just as good as the robot's cleaning.

Obstacle avoidance & navigation

Not only does the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra clean well, but its obstacle avoidance is superb. Every robot vacuum I’ve tested until now has gotten thin charging cables entangled with the central bar brush – not so here. Even when unfurled (lying stretched out on the floor), the Aqua10 Ultra’s sensors can spot a cable and it just cleans right along the side without trying to roll over it (as pictured below).

I have one area in my living room where most robovacs get confused – a narrow section of hard floor edged by a wall on one side, a carpet on the other, plus a couch and a slim-legged chair to add to confusing textures. Not only did the Aqua10 Ultra navigate around the legs of the chair well, but it also managed to ensure the strip of hard floor was cleaned each time without the mop rolling over the rug.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The automatic 4cm raising of the robot, however, is a little temperamental. Even with a threshold marked in the app – which should tell the robot to rise, step over and carry on – I found the Aqua10 Ultra didn’t often register the threshold and would try to navigate it as any other low-rise obstacle, trying to find the best way over it. When it did rise automatically on its wheels, it was a fun sight to see.

Overall, navigation is great, although I have to note that I had teething issues. Immediately after setup, I wanted to test the robot’s functionality in just one room and it just couldn’t “find the designated area”. A full reset and remapping didn’t fix the problem either. However, it worked just fine if I opted to do a full-house clean (what Dreame calls a “global” cleaning), after which choosing a single room or a zone was fine.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Battery life

Running on a 6,400mAh battery, which is quite standard these days, the Aqua10 Ultra should, on paper, give you upwards of 200 minutes of cleaning. In reality, that’s not going to be the case as most users won’t be running it on its lowest settings to conserve battery life.

In my testing, I found battery use inefficient during its first few runs where the drain was quite significant – dropping from full to 40% on Intense vacuuming after running for 30 minutes. That improved to falling to 62% on the same setting for the same duration as I used the bot more.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Depending on what kind of custom cleaning routine you choose, it’s possible an average one-bedroom home could be cleaned without needing additional time at the mains, but larger homes will definitely have a full-house cleaning interrupted due to battery drain. This is more so if you have mixed flooring as the robot automatically increases suction on carpets.

One small issue that Dreame could consider fixing is not getting the suction to start as soon as the bot leaves the base station. I found that a minimum of 1% battery would always drain before it reached its starting point. That might not seem like much, but that clocks up when it needs to empty its dust box regularly during a single vacuuming session. And unlike the Ecovacs Deebot X11 OmniCyclone, it doesn’t have fast charging to top up a little while its mop is being washed.

• Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Dreame Aqua10 Ultra review: App and voice control

• Nicely designed app, but some setting options are unclear
• Custom routines have limitations
• Voice control is easy, but has limited functionality

The Dreame companion app in its current form isn’t bad at all – in fact, it’s one of the more appealing apps, with perhaps just Roborock outdoing it. However, it took me a while to wrap my head around the app as right from the get go I found no option to start the mapping process. A bit of playing around with it solved that problem, and the resulting map was accurate and I found it easy to edit.

What I love about the editing process is that I could manually add thresholds, something I’ve not seen on any other robot vacuum app – although I will admit that didn’t work as I expected it to (the bot sometimes didn’t even realize it needed to raise itself). In fact, the map adds room names intelligently as it’s being created, but it doesn’t always get it right.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Dreame gives you a heck of a lot of control over the cleaning routines, like adjusting cleaning parameters such as suction strength or mop water flow rates on a per-room basis, while scheduling, remote control and notifications help keep cleaning convenient. This is the first time I’ve seen a robovac brand offer extensive control over the ‘intelligent’ automatic mode – I could choose my own suction and water levels here, while all other brands use machine learning to set these automatically. Dreame calls this the CleanGenius mode.

It took me a while to figure out how to set up custom Shortcut routines, like Bedroom Clean, or Daily Clean. Even then, I had to ensure I'd saved and tapped on any tick icons or it didn't save anything. Roborock and Ecovacs, on the other hand, have made setting up custom routines a lot simpler.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

I also couldn’t figure out why none of the carpets in my test space were getting vacuumed as they’re set to be ‘avoided’ by default and the app doesn’t make that clear – even when you choose to vacuum carpets first. These are little things, but small changes could make the app a lot more streamlined and easier to navigate.

I've also noticed that the Dreame app is slower to respond compared to some other brands I’ve tested – it’s just a few seconds of lag between choosing a clean and the robot exiting the dock, but I’ve seen other brands work a little quicker.

Smart home integration with Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant is available, but the Dreame voice assistant is quite quick to respond if you wake it up. The voice commands you give it are limited in nature, like telling it to start a saved Shortcut or returning to the dock, but it’s an excellent hands-free experience. There’s even Matter support on board for future smart home integration if you ever set up a central hub.

• App & voice control score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Should I buy the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra?

Attributes

Notes

Score

Value

Competition is high and there are now models with cutting-edge technology at the same price point.

3.5 / 5

Design

With clean lines and a sleek robot, the Aqua10 Ultra looks classic and modern at once.

5 / 5

Performance

Arguably the best robovac I've tested to date, but its battery use might not be best for large homes.

4.5 / 5

App control

A well-designed app with a comprehensive list of features, but the learning curve is a touch steep.

4 / 5

Buy it if...

You have rigorous cleaning requirements

Whether it's vacuuming, mopping or doing both, the Aqua10 Ultra will not disappoint. While it's excellent for homes with pets, expect it to keep emptying its small onboard bin frequently.

You live in a home with plenty of obstacles

Whether that's kids toys, a pet running across the robot's path or just a charging cable you've forgotten to pick off the floor, you can trust nothing is going to get gobbled up or collided with.

You're wary of odors building

With intense hot-water washing for the roller and regular dust-bag drying, the Aqua10 Ultra eliminates any issues with bacterial or fungal growth. Just be sure to clean out the dirty-water tank regularly.

Don't buy it if...

Money is an obstacle

There's no denying the Aqua10 Ultra is expensive, and even with discounts, there'll always be something a lot cheaper. However, at a discounted price, I'd definitely recommend it over many of its competitors.

You don't need too many bells and whistles in a robot vacuum

If you don't have pets or live in a large home, you could well not need all the features the Aqua10 Ultra offers. That could save you a lot of money too.

You live in a home with wall-to-wall carpets

If you don't have hard floors, buying a robovac that mops is a moot point. Not only that, the edges of the rooms will remain dirty as I am yet to meet a robot vacuum that can do edge cleaning on carpets well.

Dreame Aqua10 Ultra review: Also consider

Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni

Despite missing out on some of the features that you'll find on the Dreame, this Deebot proved to be an excellent cleaning machine, even along room edges. Importantly, it's cheaper even at full price, but is now frequently discounted.
Read my Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni review to learn more

Roborock Saros 10R

Our reviewer called it the "perfect hybrid robot vacuum cleaner even for the most cluttered of homes". Improved navigation and a low profile means it can get to places other robovacs will typically avoid. It's also quiet, has excellent vacuum and mop skills, and it's pretty much a master of its trade.
Read our in-depth Roborock Saros 10R review for more details

How I tested the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

For this review, I used the Aqua10 Ultra for a period of five weeks, running it on mixed flooring an average of twice a week (there were times when I ran it about four times in a day for various tests).

I initially had issues with the robot unable to navigate to its designated area, but that issue was solved after it did a full-home clean. The test space, as mentioned earlier in this review, was a small one-bedroom apartment with carpet in the bedroom and tiles everywhere else.

I spent quite a lot of time trying to understand the app, but once things were set up as I wished them to be, running the Aqua10 Ultra was easy. I performed full-home cleans, custom routines, single-room cleans, even zone cleaning for some tests. I used the shower divider in the bathroom to test its ProLeap system to clear thresholds.

I also used the provided detergent and odor neutralizer in the dock.

I put the Aqua10 Ultra through TechRadar's usual tests for vacuuming and mopping (using oats and tea from a bag for the former, and a dollop of chutney for the latter). I also conducted our standard obstacle avoidance test, but paid special attention to how it handles cables as Dreame does advertize it to be excellent.

As you've probably already read, the Aqua10 Ultra passed all its tests with flying colors, and my complaints were mostly minor.

Read more about how we test vacuum cleaners

[First reviewed December 2025]

Paul Feig... we need to have a chat. Bridesmaids was legendary, A Simple Favor was strong, Another Simple Favor was fun, but new movie The Housemaid? Where have things gone wrong?

The director's outlandish comedic vision hasn't been without its hiccups over the years, but I don't think it sits in cohesion with The Housemaid. Adapted from the hit novel of the same name by Freida McFadden, the film follows enigmatic Millie (Sydney Sweeney) who has just taken a live-in nanny job at the wealthy Winchester's house. While husband Andrew (Brandon Sklenar) seems like a breath of fresh air, off-the-rails Nina (Amanda Seyfriend) is much harder to manage.

As more time passes, Nina's behavior gets increasingly more erratic, with plenty of family secrets bubbling up to the surface. Sadly, you can guess what the deepest of those secrets is at around the halfway mark.

It's never a good sign when you can immediately tell that the screenplay hasn't been adapted by the book's author, and for besotted book fans, the film has a more-than-healthy dose of creative licence. Key changes to the novel become more apparent the more you watch, and they make the overarching storyline a lot more violent.

The Housemaid is no longer an accessible crime thriller you want to devour as quickly as possible, but a soft body-horror movie with disturbing undertones and ridiculous B-plots. When the action isn't gory, it's laughable.

How The Housemaid turned from an acclaimed mystery into a cinematic mess

As I've touched on, the biggest problem in The Housemaid is the story itself – or more specifically, how the original tale has been interpreted. The casting wildly contrasts with how characters are painted in the book (Millie is more demure and innocent than Sweeney's version is, for example), and there's a much bigger emphasis on shock factor.

In short, we lose the beautiful subtleties of an unfolding whodunnit in favor of big-impact twists and turns that don't always pay off. If you're not a fan of blood, you'll need to bring a pillow to hide behind. By the time The Housemaid draws to a close, it rivals The Substance in terms of bloodshed and body horror, only in a much softer environment.

Largely, the movie hits the same beats as the novel, only there's another problem even when it's behaving. Scenes that should be serious and reflective become so farcical, you're stifling giggles so the people you're watching with don't think you're sociopathic.

While that isn't going to please everyone, I was thrilled to loudly witch cackle at the most preposterous things. From dialogue (Sweeney has a 30-second monologue about a manky Troll doll that she delivers with all the sincerity of being on her metaphorical death bed) to physical movement (some of Andrew's scenes are a unique laugh, let's put it that way), there is something to inappropriately chuckle at every few minutes.

It almost becomes a game: can you and your friends try not to laugh first while Amanda Seyfried is hurling priceless plates around her kitchen?

The performances are standard for a mediocre movie, but entertainment value varies.

Just two average frenemies here, nothing to see. (Image credit: Lionsgate)

I've been an Amanda Seyfried truther since Mamma Mia!, and she's consistently turned out dazzling performances across the two decades since. Frankly, she's earned the right to have fun making a far-from-serious movie where she can be a pantomime villain.

If you think of The Housemaid like this, Seyfried does the least amount of damage. Brandon Sklenar, however, is in his acting element. In the last two years alone, we've seen him in equally questionable movies such as Drop and It Ends With Us, and he fleshes out morally bankrupt husband Andrew with next to no effort. The man knows the landscape, and he isn't afraid to deliver genuinely terrible script with a completely deadpan expression.

I hate to say it, but Sweeney is the biggest problem I have with the cast. At no point do I buy her double-edged persona as a housemaid and stowaway criminal, and her romantic chemistry with Sklenar is non-existent. Where her natural style works in Euphoria and Anyone But You, it doesn't here.

Millie is a character you could root for, but it's frustrating work. In real-life, you'd have told Nina to stick her stupid housemaid job where the sun doesn't shine, walk out of her minimalist mansion and maybe hit a few objets d'art over on the way. I know why Millie rides her unhealthy situation out, but she's not making the best decisions.

If you're choosing to watch The Housemaid this Christmas, let it be known that a) it's not a Christmas movie, and b) it's perhaps the most painful present you could give yourself. Stay for the unintentional laughs, but brace yourself for anything in between.

Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.

Don't start a flame war with me just yet, James Cameron fans. Avatar: Fire and Ash is a movie that I genuinely enjoyed, but its cinematic baggage is a huge problem.

By 'baggage,' I of course mean the two previous Avatar films. When the original was released back in 2009, I quickly assumed (as did the rest of the world, I think) it would be a historical, record-breaking standalone. Now that the sequels have started landing, however, I think the concept has lost its shine.

The most straightforward way of describing Fire and Ash is that it's exactly the same movie as The Way of Water. For about 90% of its arduously long runtime (wear comfy clothes and book a recliner seat, if possible) the only difference is which natural element has stepped into the spotlight.

I'm even convinced that a pivotal scene has been cut and pasted in from the second film, so strong was the sense of déjà vu I experienced while watching it. There's the same inciting incident, the same challenges, and the same conclusion, for the third outing in a row.

However, if we look at Fire and Ash in isolation, I think that it's the strongest film of the bunch. It has the tightest pacing, the most impressive payoff, and Cameron's overall vision for Pandora gets more spellbinding as time goes on.

It's such a shame that it's brought down by context, much as a young person might be blighted by their family history before they've started to make their way in the world. We can't ignore that our third movie functions as a cog in the overarching Avatar machine... and that machine can only tell one, now fairly grating, tale.

Avatar: Fire and Ash's beauty tricks us into thinking that it's interesting

Usually, when I tell people that I find the Avatar movies boring, they look at me as if I've just kicked their dog. But I stand by my overriding IP argument – we are being hoodwinked into believing that what we're watching is interesting because it's so visually transcendent. In other words, beautiful cancels out boring.

I would give 35 stars, rather than 3.5, to how Avatar: Fire and Ash looks alone if the conventions of reviewing let me. I wanted to reach out and touch the Na'avi, marvelling at the detailed wrinkles, blemishes and intricate patterns being beamed across the big screen (in 3D, no less). I felt grateful to have hours witnessing it with my own eyeballs, worshipping at the altar of a kind of filmmaking that has yet to be matched or replicated.

Now imagine we took all of that away ,and the same story was acted out by humans or fully animated characters (let's hypothetically say in a Pixar movie style). What we're left with is a fairly run-of-the-mill sci-fi story comprised of fighting, disagreements, and themes of discovering your own identity and power. That could be applied to pretty much any movie in this genre, and others do it infinitely better (Aliens and The Abyss are Cameron's best work as it is).

Instead, Avatar is heralded as untouchable because of its astonishing visuals, regardless of the fact that The Way of Water and Fire and Ash are telling the same story, even though Fire and Ash does it more successfully. There are virtually no differences between them, especially if it's been a while since you've seen the second movie. How many times can you recycle the same ideas and get away with it, even if you're James Cameron?

Is everything else brilliant or oddly strange? I can't decide

Fire queen Varang in Avatar: Fire and Ash. (Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

As I've said, Fire and Ash is easily the strongest Avatar entry in isolation. Our fire Na'avi, led by Varang (Oona Chaplin) are an invigorating addition to Pandora's worldbuilding, giving both Jake (Sam Worthington) and Quaritch (Stephen Lang) a run for their money.

We surprisingly get much more whale time than in The Way of Water, and that's sensational news if you're a Payakan fan like me. There are a couple of aquatic creatures introduced that I'd like to have seen more of (there are some strange-but-cute-looking otters), and it remains the most remarkable biome in Pandora. It's also the place where the younger cast members can be the most themselves, and they're collectively the strongest performance in our Na'avi ensemble.

This doesn't include Sigourney Weaver, though. Kiri is a major player in Fire and Ash, and in the full pomp of her "this is what I'm capable of" journey. However, I think it's blindingly obvious that a 76-year-old woman is playing a 14-year-old. The giveaway is in the way Kiri moves, which is clearly the one downside of Cameron's maverick filming approach.

The main detail that bothers me, though – in the sense that I can't decide if it's satisfying or dreadful – is the conclusion. Without giving away what actually happens, there's narratively no need for any further movies. We get complete answers to any loose threads that may have been hanging over the franchise, so what does this mean for Avatar 4 and 5?

My guess is that they will each be a huge departure from what we've seen before, and while I should be grateful for that fact (given my biggest complaint here), that's also a concern. Our trilogy currently feels nicely rounded off, and any future sequels could feel gratuitous... or dare I say, like cash grabs.

But that's a problem for 2029, when Avatar 4 is set to arrive. In the meantime I'll remain conflicted about my enjoyment of Fire and Ash, even though I ultimately feel that it's monotonous. Still, at least you can watch essentially the same movie on Disney+ globally right now if you don't want to see Fire and Ash in theaters or wait for it to arrive on streaming – Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water are already on there, and Fire and Ash will likely join them in 2026.

Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.

UPerfect Delta Max: 30-second review

The UPerfect Delta Max stacked monitor is a great idea, essentially two monitors, one on top of the other, in a clamshell design with a full metal build that makes it easy to transport and connect. However, from the outset, it's not quite as easy as it seems, and the single USB connection only gives you limited options over how the display works. Sure enough, it is able to mirror or extend the display from your laptop, be that Mac or PC, but the additional options just aren’t as well integrated as you feel they should be, and it takes quite a bit of messing around with the options and settings both on the machine and on the monitor to get it configured exactly as you want.

This use doesn’t initially give you the option to use it as a triple monitor system, so, for example, your laptop monitor and then two additional displays, one stacked over the other. Instead, what it gives you is either a mirror of your laptop display on those two monitors or a display extension, but with the same extension being shown on both and not two different screens, as you’d normally expect with a triple monitor setup. It’s a little bit confusing, and if you want to use this with anything other than a relatively high-powered MacBook Pro or higher-end PC, then you’ll also find that you’ll need to plug in external power.

To get the actual configuration that I was expecting in this test, I ended up having to plug in external power to the USB-C port at the base of the monitor than another USB-C into the USB port, and a second HDMI cable into one of the upper clusters of ports and then into the MacBook Pro in order to get that triple-screen array that I wanted.

Then I could either configure the way the monitor displayed the content through my computer's display options, or there were a few additional configuration possibilities through the monitor’s on-screen display, although these didn’t always seem to work.

Essentially, it all works, but it does take quite a bit of figuring out. Thankfully, UPerfect has included a decent amount of cables in the box, so you're not having to search around for extras or purchase anything in addition.

In use, the monitor actually works surprisingly well, and I really do like that small footprint. However, when running several tests, I came across a number of small glitches, such as the monitor would flicker on and off, or one would suddenly go blank when loading up another bit of software. Also, if my laptop went to sleep and then reawakened, which is common, especially when I disappear for lunch, then I'd have to reset the monitor, as it seems to lose its settings.

When I ran through the usual SpyderX benchmarking test to check out the quality of the screen, it also came out pretty well. It highlighted that the screens are perfectly suited for office work; however, this won't be the best portable monitor for creative use, as the AdobeRGB percentage for the gamut was in the high 60s. Really, if you want to do anything creative, you need a monitor that at least comes in around 80% plus. However, for office work, it is a good solution once you figure it out.

UPerfect Delta Max: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? From approximately $450 / £450
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? Directly from UPerfect official store or Amazon

The UPerfect Delta Max Touch is widely available online at around the $450 / £450 mark depending on where you buy it. It's available directly from the UPerfect official store and online retailers such as Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

It's worth noting that a non-touchscreen version of the Delta Max is also available, which is otherwise largely the same device with a cheaper price-tag.

• Value: 3 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)UPerfect Delta Max: Specs

Ports: USB-C power, 2× USB-C, 2 × mini HDMI
Audio: Stereo speakers
Size: Folded footprint approx. 18.5"
Resolution: 1080p (FHD)
Weight: 2.36kg
Accessories: 2 x USB-C cable, 2 x HDMI cable, power adapter

UPerfect Delta Max: Design

The build and design of the Delta Max is extremely well thought through, with the two large 18.5-inch panels set in a clamshell design. Essentially, the two screens fold facing each other, ensuring they're fully protected when transported. The main casing for the monitor is a good, high-quality metal, and there's a very sturdy fold-out stand that folds flat into the design. This enables you to prop it up next to your laptop nice and neatly, and because of that stacked, one-over-the-other design, it takes up a minimal footprint on your desktop.

The full metal design has obviously made this monitor a little bit heavier than some other portable monitors, but because of the quality of the workmanship, I’m not too bothered. Even with the additional weight from the high-quality design, it still comes in at 2.36 kg and has a folded size of 425 x 260 x 20 mm. When unfolded, it extends to 425 x 520 x 10 mm, so it’s actually relatively compact despite the large amount of screen space on offer.

This design also means that you can have it standing next to your laptop, or you can fold it over so the two monitors are in a tent-like position, viewable from either side. That means if you place it in the middle of your desk, people on either side will have a good view of the monitor, something that I really like, especially for presentations where a monitor or projector is not available.

On the left-hand side of the lower monitor are all the connection ports. Starting at the bottom, you have a USB-C port for power, then another USB-C and mini HDMI, which feed the display data connection to the bottom monitor, then you have another set of USB-C and mini HDMI for the top monitor.

The reason for this selection of ports becomes apparent as you start to use the monitor. It essentially enables you to use it as two separate monitors or as an extended display for whatever machine you're plugged into. It’s a little bit confusing in configuration, especially when you start to delve into the on-screen display and all the different display options.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

On the right-hand side of the monitor are the controls and on-screen display functions for the top and bottom monitors. Again, these are set out as a single button and toggle/push switch to enable you to navigate all the settings and options.

When it comes to the actual aesthetic and functional design of the physical monitor itself, it's exceptionally high and one of the best portable monitor designs I’ve come across, making it both ultra-portable and offering plenty of connectivity options.

Beyond the actual design, I also liked the fact that the company has included two very decent HDMI cables and two equally impressive USB cables, so you don't have to go searching around for your own. In the box, alongside those cables, is an AC-USB adapter to supply the monitor with power.

• Design: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)UPerfect Delta Max: Features

Taking a look at some of the key features of the Delta Max Touch Stacked Monitor, and first of all, there’s the fact that it is touchscreen. On PC systems, it works as expected with any touchscreen functionality, and on Mac systems, it has limited touchscreen functionality. More often than not, as with other monitors, the touch ability on a Mac can be a bit hit and miss.

For basic use and functionality, you can get away with connecting this stacked monitor set-up with a single cable, although as I discovered through the process of this test, at least two cables, one for power, one for display, is more commonplace. And if you want that display to be properly split into two, then you will need three cables to provide two separate video feeds and additional power for reliable viewing.

The clamshell design of the monitor is really well thought out and enables a 360° foldable design. For transport, you can fold it flat so the two screens face each other and are fully protected when you’re carrying it in a bag or backpack. When you arrive at the location, simply fold it out so it stands on your desk with a minimal footprint, or you can fold it all the way over so that the screens are viewable from both sides.

The stand that's incorporated into the design is simple, but it is one of the most effective that I’ve come across. Again, because it’s really good, high-quality, it holds the monitor nicely and stably, with the base of the monitor screen sitting very close to the desktop, it’s all very neat.

On the back of the monitor, there are speakers. Compared with some other portable monitors, they’re okay, but I wouldn’t rely on them as your primary source of audio for anything other than making video calls or watching back online videos. If you are thinking of watching any modern media or you’re using these monitors for media production, then I would highly recommend plugging in an external audio source.

The design of the monitor means it can be used with both Mac and PC systems, with HDMI and USB connections, which essentially means it’ll work with pretty much any modern system from Windows, Linux, Android, and macOS. It is also fully compatible with consoles, most laptops, tablets and smartphones that are able to output to a display.

When it comes to monitor resolution, it has a max resolution of 1920 x 1080 with a refresh rate of 100Hz, so if you want to do a little bit of gaming, then it will be perfectly suitable.

Whilst this monitor has been designed to be portable, it does include a VESA mount on the back, which makes it extremely easy to mount in your home office or at your desk.

When it comes to brightness, the screen is limited to 300 cd/m², which is okay for most office locations. Setting the brightness around 50–60% should suffice for most settings.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

• Features: 4 / 5

UPerfect Delta Max: PerformanceBenchmark scores

Gamut: 4.5
Tone Response: 4.0
White Point: 3.5
Contrast: 5.0
Luminance Uniformity: 2.5
Colour Uniformity: 4.5
Colour Accuracy: 3.5
Overall Rating: 4.0
Colour Gamut: sRGB 89%, AdobeRGB 68%, P3 68%

The UPerfect Delta Max will work with both Windows and Mac systems, but its integration with both is a little bit glitchy from the outset. Through this test, I found that having external power for almost all the machines I used was essential. Otherwise, there was the potential for the monitors to flicker on and off, even when plugged into a MacBook Pro M1 Max or the Minisforum S-S1 Max, which was surprising.

The basic idea of these stacked monitors is excellent, as the design folds closed in a clamshell style, helping to protect each of the large screens. When folding out, the high-quality metal surrounds and casing not only ensure that it stays well protected in transport but also give it a solid feel and a premium look.

Unfolded, the two screens stack one on top of the other, with the bottom screen at a slight angle and the top screen on three solid hinges that can be angled perfectly for use. This area of the design and concept of the monitor is exceptionally well thought out and executed, and if you fold over the top screen, the display automatically flips to the correct orientation.

However, it’s once you start to plug the monitor in that things start to fall apart. Initially, connecting a single USB-C cable between the monitor and the MacBook Pro, both monitors flicker into life, mirroring the contents of the MacBook on the two screens. You then go into the MacBook’s display settings and change the display so that instead of mirroring, it acts as an extension. But by default, the two screens display the same extension. This would be good if you’re in a presentation or meeting and need the display mirrored, but if you’re using it as a workflow display, then really, you want those two screens to act independently.

This is where things get a little bit confusing. Using the controls on the side, you can select different options, including clone mode (which clones screen A and screen B), expansion (which should show screen A and screen B in a three-screen set-up sequence, essentially splitting the screen in two), and stand-alone, which means that each screen can act independently.

As I was testing several mini PCs, this feature, stand-alone, was exceptionally useful as I was able to have both mini PCs up and running with the display stacked, which helped with the testing process. For anyone who runs several machines at the same time, this is an especially useful feature.

However, in a normal case scenario, you want three independent screens connected to a single machine, so that one monitor shows your browser, one for whatever application you're using, and I always like to have Word or Excel open. This is what I expected through that single USB connection to the monitor. However, selecting expansion from the settings on the monitor doesn’t enable this. If you go into your computer settings, I noted that rather than showing two displays, you only get one.

It turns out that to get the screen to split as two separate monitors, as with other multi-monitor systems, you need to plug in a secondary USB-C or HDMI cable into your computer. Due to the fact that I have other devices plugged into my MacBook Pro, I opted to have USB and HDMI plugged into each of the right-hand ports, then linked out to the two ports on the left-hand side of the monitor.

The configuration of the ports is interesting, as you have mini HDMI–USB-C, mini HDMI–USB-C, and another USB. Essentially, they’re broken into pairs: the top HDMI–USB linking to the top monitor, the bottom HDMI–USB linking to the bottom monitor, and the final USB is for power.

Once you’ve worked it all out and connected the monitors, it does kind of make sense. But even then, there do seem to be a few glitches with the system. Whilst the touchscreen option enables you to extend the functionality of your Mac, even though MacBook Pros don’t have touchscreen functionality as standard, the integration isn’t 100%.

Once you do finally figure out all of your settings, the monitors do work well. However, every time I reconnected the monitors, I’d have to go through the same setup process and also remember which HDMI and which USB to plug in, which did become a little bit tiresome.

Having tested the monitors on the Mac, I then switched to a PC laptop. Again, I had similar configuration issues, this time, definitely needing external power in order to get those two monitors to work correctly. Then, when I plugged it into a mini PC, for some reason, it just seemed to confuse the monitor, as there was no main monitor connected to the host machine. It took a while to go through the display settings to sort everything out.

Through the process, I also noticed, highlighted by the Mac, that the screens had a bad description tag. It looks like, whilst they’ve done quite a lot of product design on the look and style of the monitors, when it comes to actual application of use, there are still a good volume of glitches. The volume of cables that you end up needing to get it to work reliably is far more than I would’ve expected, especially compared with many other systems, which is a real shame. Ultimately, it’s a great product and a great concept, just not applied quite as well as it should have been.

At the moment, this is one of those products that has huge potential and one that I personally would really love to see working well. But even before you delve into the screen quality options, it seems that its development hasn’t been completed.

When it comes to the monitor’s actual visual quality, it fares pretty well, with decent colour gamut, contrast, and colour uniformity, all highlighted by SpyderX2 software as being between 4.5 and 5 points. Likewise, internal response and white point also look pretty good on the results, with the only real let-down being the luminance uniformity, which comes in at 2.5. However, this gives an overall star rating of 4, which for any monitor isn’t bad at all.

When it comes to who this monitor is suitable for, it’s clearly office space work, with 89% sRGB colour gamut, 68% AdobeRGB, and 68% P3, so it’s not really that ideal for any creative use. The other point about this monitor is its clamshell design. If you do get it up and running and you’re running presentations in an office without a projector or screen, then the clamshell design, placed in the middle of the desk, is an easy way for everyone around that desk to see exactly what’s going on. For this, it works exceptionally well.

Ultimately, when it comes to performance, it can be quite time-consuming to initially configure, which is disappointing, as you would expect it to be a simple plug-and-play device, since that’s what it’s designed to do. But it just hasn’t been that well integrated.

• Performance: 3 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)UPerfect Delta Max: Final verdict

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

I really like the idea of the UPerfect Delta Max. It seems like an ideal solution if you're travelling with your laptop and need a compact, easy-to-use monitor to expand your screen real estate. Initial impressions are superb, as the screen features a solid metal surround that gives you a high-quality, premium feel, and with its three large hinges, it all feels of superb quality.

As you fold it out and fold out that rear stand, again, it just reinforces that premium feel, and you start to think that, despite costing nearly £400 / $400, what you have here is something of real value.

Initial setup using a single USB cable into my MacBook Pro and then one of the mini PCs that I was testing duplicated the main screen’s content onto the two displays with no issue. If I were running a meeting and needed screen expansion so that other people could see what I was doing, this screen would be simple to use and straightforward. However, for me, I’d really want this screen as additional real estate when working with documents, applications and email.

This is where things started to fall apart. Whilst the screen itself is good, clear and great for administration work, it took a while to fully figure out the configuration that I needed. In the end, for pure reliability, I discovered that I really needed to plug in power into the base USB port, then connect the first set of ports into either HDMI or USB on my laptop, then connect the second set again into my laptop to split the display output equally between the two monitors. I could then configure them as needed.

The problem was that for most tasks, once set up, it was absolutely fine. However, there were constant glitches; one of the screens would suddenly black out, or suddenly duplicate the other screen’s content or the main display, and trying to reconfigure everything back to how I had it initially was just a complex process.

Having used the monitor for a couple of weeks, I did eventually find a happy medium, but still, there were one too many glitches along the way. Whilst I love the design and the concept of the stacked monitor setup, at present, it's just not reliable enough to meet its full potential.

Should I buy the UPerfect Delta Max?

Value

If the monitors worked as they should, then it would be exceptional value for money. However, the glitches make it expensive and slightly infuriating

3

Design

One of the best designs for portable monitors that I’ve seen. Well-built, robust and full of potential 

4.5

Features

Whilst this is limited to full HD resolution, the suggested features do look attractive. It’s only when you start to use the monitors that you realise how limited this is 

4

Performance

Unfortunately, just one too many glitches through the test affected the performance of what could have been a superb product

3

Overall

While I love the design, there’s just one too many glitches with this stacked monitor system to make it a worthwhile purchase

3

Buy it if...

You need mobile screens
Ideal for professionals or students who need stacked screen space without carrying two separate monitors

You’re short on desk space
Compact vertical layout gives you more viewable area without taking up a wide footprint.

Don't buy it if...

You need a colour-critical display
The Delta Max is not built for professional-grade image or video colour work.

You don't want loads of cables
While this is supposed to be a single cable display, in reality most use requires three.

Minisforum MS-S1 Max: 30-second review

For a machine that just fits the mini PC classification, the Minisforum MS-S1 is something on another level and almost by definition, and this is reflected in the near £2,500 / $2,500 price tag. That price affords the latest components and technology inside, as well as an incredibly solid build. If you're thinking about buying this powerful mini PC, there are a few things to consider.

First and foremost, this isn't your average desktop machine. Sure, it will run all the usual applications like any other mini PC or desktop, but it goes far beyond, with its AI-tuned AMD CPU/GPU providing a perfect localised development workstation for AI or AI-enhanced applications.

It's also worth considering that the major components of this machine are soldered in place, so there's no option, unlike a desktop, to replace the CPU, GPU or RAM. However, there are plenty of options to boost the internal storage capacity, or even boost the graphics with a discrete card, as the machine has space for a full-sized PCIe x16 expansion, though you do need to consider that this is a mini PC, so whatever card you opt for will need to be relatively small.

Looking through the rest of the specifications, all features are cutting-edge, and Minisforum haven’t held back on any part of this machine, with unified RAM, those AI processes, USB4 and PCIe 4.0, with the ability to install up to 8TB of internal storage in the M.2 2280 NVMe SSD slot.

The specification of this machine is impressive, but it’s only once you navigate Windows that you can really start to feel that boost in processing power and the speed at which Windows 11 Pro operates. Applications open almost instantly. When you load Microsoft Office, everything is exceptionally fast and responsive. Copying and pasting huge documents from one application to another presents no issue, and even when you start to load up memory-hungry applications such as Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom, this machine just takes them in.

The real difference comes when you start to utilise the AI features in those applications, and even in Premiere Pro, with the CPU and GPU capable of processing Photoshop, Lightroom, and Premiere Pro’s AI-at-heart features quickly, both locally and utilising remote processing options.

If you are into AI development, then the AI setup is going to work as a perfect starting point, with the ability to install a local LLM such as LM Studio on your machine.

Throughout the test, the machine just impressed. While the AMD Radeon graphics lag slightly behind Nvidia alternatives, it is still incredibly capable, flying through all video production I threw at it, as well as performing well when it came to gaming.

The Minisforum MS-S1 Max is essentially a specialist machine, especially when you consider its price point and the fact that it has been made to fit neatly into a U2 rack system, meaning that whether you use it on your desktop as a very compact and powerful mini PC for content creation, or as a machine that can take full advantage of most programs’ AI-enhanced features, or you’re looking to use the best mini PC for local AI development, the Minisforum MS-S1 Max is an option, especially when you cluster it with others.

What really appeals to me is that because of its small size and its durability, thanks to its full aluminium build, it’s also a great option to utilise in the field, offering a relatively compact and lightweight, yet extremely powerful machine that rivals many desktop video workstations.

Minisforum MS-S1 Max: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? From £2399 / $2499
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? Directly from Minisforum or Amazon

The Minisforum MS-S1 Max is widely available and can currently be purchased directly from the Minisforum US for $2,499 and Minisforum UK for £2,399, down from the recommended price of £2,999 / $2,999. I'm also seeing it available on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

• Value: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)Minisforum MS-S1 Max: Specs

CPU: AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 (16-core Zen5)
Graphics: AMD Radeon 8060S (Integrated)
RAM: Up to 128 GB LPDDR5x-8000MT/s
Storage: M.2 2280 SSD
Left Ports: 1× USB4 v2, 2× USB-A, Mic jack
Right Ports: 1× USB4 v2, Power, DisplayPort, HDMI, PCIe slot
Connectivity: Dual 10GbE LAN, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Audio: 3.5mm combo jack
Camera: None
Size: Compact chassis; fits on desktop or 2U rack.
OS Installed: Windows 11 Pro
Accessories: Power cable, mounting options

Minisforum MS-S1 Max: Design

While the Minisforum MS-S1 Max is classed as a mini PC, you can tell from the outset that it is something far more, with a matte black industrial design that feels a level up from even standard premium mini PCs. The design is exceptional, with rubber feet on one of the longer edges as well as the base, so you have plenty of options for how to position it on your desk. It’s also been designed to fit directly into a U2 rack, so if you want to place it alongside your server, that’s easy enough.

The size, whilst not as small as most mini PCs, is still relatively compact at 222 x 206 x 77 mm, and it comes in at 2.8 kg, so it's substantially heavier than we usually expect.

However, unlike most mini PCs that remain small and compact yet always come with a power adapter that is almost the same size and weight as the actual machine, here with the MS-S1 Max, the power supply is built-in, so all you need is a standard kettle lead for the power.

Checking over the body of the machine, there are plenty of connectivity options. Very neatly on the front, there’s a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A with 10Gb/s transfer rate and 2 USB4 offering 40Gbps DP 2.0, PD power out (15W), and next to this is a 3.5mm audio combo jack enabling you to use standard headphones and mic.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Round the back, the selection of ports is equally impressive, with an HDMI 2.1 capable of providing 8K at 60Hz or 4K at 120Hz, 2 USB 2.0, 2 USB4 v2 (80Gbps, DP 2.0, PD out 15W), two USB 3.2 Gen 2, two 10GbE LAN RJ45 ports, anti-theft lock, and a reset hole to help clear the CMOS if you’ve been doing some development that’s gone wrong.

All these connections and interfaces are cutting-edge, but most mini PCs would stop there. Here with the MS-S1 Max, there’s a little bit more to it - and a feature that makes this closer to a desktop PC than a mini PC.

Opening up the machine (which is done by removing two screws at the back), the whole backplate and internals of the machine can be removed from the metal casing, revealing the SSD slot and the PCIe 4.0 expansion slot. While the connector is full-size, you will need to be a little bit wary about the size of the expansion card you purchase, but it still gives you plenty of options for discrete graphics and possibly AI enhancement cards in the future.

• Design: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)Minisforum MS-S1 Max: Features

For a mini PC, the specification and feature list are slightly abnormal, featuring the latest AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395, and this is coupled with an AMD Radeon 8060S GPU. It’s also backed by an AMD Ryzen AI engine that gives this machine the full range of AI potential. The configuration of this machine has been built so that you can run large AI models locally, with all-scenario AI compute that offers up to 126 TOPS and runs 128B+ LLMs locally, such as LM Studio.

One of the other points about this machine is that it’s been designed so that you can either use it as a single machine or as part of a dual-unit 235B cluster or 2U rack cluster to really boost your AI workflow and development. In the marketing material, Minisforum actually state it’ll run the 235B Q4 large model locally if configured in that dual configuration, although that does obviously mean two of these machines and double the price.

If two machines aren’t enough for what you want to do, then that 2U rack deployment is also possible, where even more MS-S1 Max machines can be distributed into a cluster. Again, in the marketing material, Minisforum states that a four-unit cluster is powerful enough to run the DeepSeek-R1671B Q4 large model locally, which is impressive, firstly considering the size of the machines, and secondly, the fact that it comes in at less than $10,000 / £10,000.

What’s impressive here is that Minisforum have created a bespoke cluster design, which means that once configured and wired up, utilising the reserved cascade power-on header, you can then power on and off all machines in one go as if they were one.

As well as the future potential and upgradability into cluster systems, out of the box with just one unit, there are also a few key AI features, such as precise voice recognition with the AI noise-cancelling mic that will support mainstream AI models and help with speech-to-text and other voice commands.

Many of the internal components are also soldered to the motherboard, and it features 128GB of unified LPDDR5X-8000 MT/s RAM.

There an M.2 2280 NVMe SSD slot that’s able to take up to 8TB of storage.

As you look over the body of the machine, there are several things that really stand out. One of those features that’s really appealing is the inclusion of dual USB4 v2 and dual 10GbE LAN ports alongside Wi-Fi 7, enabling ultra-fast transfer speeds from external storage and accessories, and also the ability to connect to a local area network, and more importantly, a system for network editing.

Another of the huge differences between this machine and many others is the volume of I/O options. Including the latest USB4 v2 enables up to 80Gbps transfer rate, but on top of that, it also offers PCIe 4.0 x4, which offers space for full-length x16 slot expansion cards, giving you plenty of capability options from the outset.

As I previously mentioned, unlike other mini PCs, the PSU is actually incorporated into the casing of the machine and offers 320W, which is huge for this size of machine, but obviously needed for all the computing power it holds.

One of the other big features is the design, with the slide-out structure that enables you to slide the main computer out from the casing, so that upgrading and maintenance are exceptionally easy and fast.

There’s a lot going on with the MS-S1 Max, and cooling is essential. Here, they’ve tried to tackle this with an aerospace-grade aluminium chassis that offers both durability and superb airflow through the componentry.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

• Features: 5 / 5

Minisforum MS-S1 Max: PerformanceBenchmark scores

CrystalDiskMark Read: 6061.76 MB/s
CrystalDiskMark Write: 5374.64 MB/s
Geekbench CPU Multi: 19,653
Geekbench CPU Single: 2,904
Geekbench GPU: 95,729
PCMark Overall: 8,425
Cinebench CPU Multi: 34,648
Cinebench CPU Single: 2,042
Fire Strike Overall: 26,639
Fire Strike Graphics: 29,838
Fire Strike Physics: 35,196
Fire Strike Combined: 12,283
Time Spy Overall: 1,106
Time Spy Graphics: 11,056
Time Spy CPU: 10,732
Wild Life Overall: 65,580
Steel Nomad Overall: 2,135
Windows Experience Overall: 9.1

Running through the setup process, it was apparent that the MS-S1 Max was quite a different machine from most of the mini PCs I tested, only the Sapphire Edge Ai 370 having hints of the same AI enhancement. The Windows 11 Pro setup required the usual final steps, signing into Microsoft and Google and downloading and installing updates.

What’s apparent with that Wi-Fi 7 connectivity is the speed at which you can connect to the wireless router (if, of course, your wireless router supports Wi-Fi 7).

Another noticeable point about this machine right from the outset is not only the number of connection options, enabling you to quickly connect up to 4K monitors. It is worth noting at this early point in the testing that the fans kick in from the outset, and this is far from a silent runner. Obviously, a lot is going on in this machine, and like any server, those fans and the cooling are consistent, unlike the almost silent running we’ve become used to with most mini PCs.

I started off with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. These all loaded almost instantly, even when I threw large documents at the machine, including a large PowerPoint presentation I’d already created on another PC. It was very evident just how well this machine can handle those larger files, and again, there was literally no lag or wait time when it came to saving the files down or editing and adjusting images within any PowerPoint presentation.

As I moved over to some of the imaging applications, such as Photoshop and Lightroom, again, it was apparent that the images from the Sony A7 IV and Canon EOS R5C posed absolutely no issue for this machine. Whilst the Radeon 8060S isn’t quite as powerful as some of the discrete graphics cards, the pure power of the CPU and iGPU is more than enough for these two applications. When it came to running the AI features, it proved just how capable this machine was, running those AI functions locally.

Moving on to Adobe Premiere Pro, I went straight in with some Pro 4K footage shot on the iPhone 15 Pro, and instantly, it was apparent that this machine was going to have no problems with that footage. I then went a level up with some RAW footage from the Canon EOS R5C.

While you could see a little bit of slowdown when it came to 4K after effects and grading, it could still handle a 15-minute edit with absolutely no issues whatsoever. If I were going to do a longer edit, I might consider putting in discrete graphics, but for most people, this machine out of the box will handle pretty much anything you throw at it when it comes to video editing.

One key point here was that I needed to transcribe one of the videos, and the speech-to-text was exceptionally fast, including expanding clips in the timeline, where the AI processing really becomes incredibly valuable.

When it came to CapCut (essentially a far lighter video editor than Premiere Pro and ideal for creating social media content for YouTube), there were no issues. Applying templates gave a really smooth experience; editing was fast and extremely agile.

Of course, this being an AI machine, I had to give some of the more in-depth AI features a go. So here I downloaded and installed LM Studio, as it’s free and has a very easy-to-use interface. Again, the performance was exceptional, and I was able to run that language model locally on the machine. While I’m still investigating the full use of LM Studio and its features, I have to say I was extremely impressed with the speed at which it was able to give responses and compute.

Finally, after trying to figure out the complexities of the AI features, I sat back for a little bit of gaming. This is where the machine starts to have a few issues, mainly because the Radeon 8060S, which, while incredibly powerful, does lag behind most discrete graphics cards I’ve recently seen in the latest Asus ProArt P16 laptop.

Still, playing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Hogwarts Legacy, both were more than playable, getting good smooth motion, although not all settings could be turned up beyond medium.

Essentially, this is an extremely powerful mini PC and sits in between a dedicated desktop workstation and a smaller format machine. The power and capability are, of course, reflected in the price. This is a machine that’s been designed with a specific purpose, to utilise the power of AI locally, either as a single machine or as part of a cluster. For that purpose, while the price of the machine might seem high, it actually offers exceptional value for something this powerful and AI-ready.

• Performance: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)Minisforum MS-S1 Max: Final verdict

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

This isn’t the machine that’s going to suit everyone. Even for content creators, where this machine excels with 4K video editing and image enhancement, there are cheaper and better-suited machines out there. You’ll get the same performance for Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Pro from machines that cost considerably less and include a dedicated GPU.

Likewise, for gaming, all the games I tried on the system worked perfectly well, even at mid to low effects and graphic settings, but again, there are gaming PCs that are far cheaper and better suited for that purpose.

This machine, then, is really designed for AI developers, engineers, and users who want to investigate what the future of computing holds. The fact that it is a single machine, relatively well priced, and offers plenty of upgrade options, with the ability to put in up to 16TB of internal storage, USB4 V2, and with a PCIe 4.0 slot for expansion cards, gives you plenty of future potential.

What’s really interesting is that this machine is not just designed as a single standard unit, but as one that can be added to, so you can run it as a dual cluster or even build it into a far larger system as your budget and needs increase. For AI developers and engineers, this is an incredibly neat and simple out-of-the-box solution.

So for AI developers, this is a superb option that, while similarly expensive, is actually cheaper than many other alternatives. For everyone else, it would be a nice machine to own, but it might be a little overkill and not really tuned to mainstream use.

Should I buy the Minisforum MS-S1 Max?

Value

Extremely high-end AI computing in a compact box at a surprisingly balanced price

4

Design

Superb design that helps to dissipate heat, offers expansion options and cluster potential

4.5

Features

The big excitement here is the AI CPU and iGPU, alongside PCIe 4.0 expansion and cluster support

4

Performance

Closely matched to mid- to high-end desktops. This mini PC is in another class compared with what we normally expect

5

Overall

AI-focused compact workstation as a perfect option for AI developers

4

Buy it if...

You’re an AI developer

You’re running LLMs, multimodal models, or training workflows locally and need 128 GB RAM with 100+ TOPS AI compute

You want a true creative workstation

It's a top choice if you’re editing 4K video, building 3D models, or running simulations where GPU and fast RAM make a difference.

Don't buy it if...

Budget is tight
While this is at the affordable end of AI development machines, if you’re looking for an affordable mini PC for browsing or light media use, this is complete overkill.

You're focused on upgrading everything

If you want to swap RAM and CPU later, unified memory and soldered components mean limited future-proofing.

Leica M EV1: two-minute review

The Leica M EV1 concept is polarizing: strip out the optical rangefinder that Leica M cameras have been famed for for over 70 years, and replace it with an electronic viewfinder (EVF).

It's yet another example of Leica tweaking and evolving its tried and tested rangefinder series design, however, and another reason that the oldest active lens mount still in production today has many years of life still in it.

You'd think the whole experience of taking photos with the M EV1 would be wildly different – but in fact, for me, in many ways it isn't.

Technically speaking, the Leica M EV1 shares many similarities with the Leica M11 / M11-P and Leica Q3 / Q3 43) – all use Leica's 60MP full-frame sensor, which delivers the most detailed photos among full-frame cameras.

It's like a Leica Q3 / Q3 43 premium compact but with Leica's M mount, which felt pretty intuitive to me straight away, as I've used other Leica M series and Leica Q series cameras extensively.

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)

I can see the appeal for many Leica fans already in camp M EV1 – it has useful elements of Leica's Q series (minus autofocus, tilt screen and video recording), combined with the versatility of the Leica M mount and a wide choice of lenses. For some, that's the best of both worlds.

On the plus side, the EVF offers focus peaking, which is an extremely useful visual aid for manual focusing; trust me, it will increase your percentage of sharp shots compared to being guided by Leica's optical rangefinder, at least when you're manually focusing in the moment, rather than sticking to a set focus distance as some street photographers do. You lose a little of that old school rangefinder magic, but the EVF is way more practical in my experience.

Build-wise, there's greater similarity with the M11 – not just the M mount and interchangeable lenses, but also the control layout and fixed rear screen, although I'd rather have more Q3 attributes in the design.

The EVF has a slightly different profile to the optical rangefinder in other Leica M cameras, but the 2.95-inch fixed screen is the same as the M11's (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

For me, the Q3’s tilt screen is super-useful – I generally find myself switching between the viewfinder and rear screen, and I enjoy waist-level shooting for street photography, for which a tilt screen is hugely useful.

That meant I used the 5.76m-dot viewfinder more often with the EV1, and thankfully it works a treat. Rangefinder-style cameras like the EV1 are fairly inconspicuous too, making them ideal for street photography.

There is of course the other camp, for whom the M EV1 is the worst of both worlds, for whom the M EV1 makes less sense as a package. Sure, it costs less than the M11, but it costs more than the Q3, which is much more camera, with its built-in lens, autofocus, tilt screen and video recording. It's a natural comparison when you take the optical rangefinder out of the equation.

The Leica M EV1 with Leica 35mm f1.4 Summilux-M Asph lens attached (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

The M EV1 makes sense in some ways, especially if you already own multiple Leica lenses, but if you're starting out, or generally shoot with one or two lenses, it doesn't.

Nuts and bolts, the M EV1 makes less sense when I talk about it. However, I have to go with my gut, having used the camera extensively with the Leica 35mm f1.4 Summilux-M Asph lens for a week. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Yes, it feels slightly less organic than the M11, but if you don't mind an EVF then the EV1 feels like the new Leica M camera to go for.

The M EV1 is a compact and discreet rangefinder-style camera, making it ideal for reportage photography. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Leica M EV1: price and release date

• Costs $8,995 / £6,840 / AU$13,990 for the body only
• Additional leatherette hand grip costs $460 / £340
• Available from October 23, 2025

Price-wise, the Leica M EV1 sits in between the Leica M11 and Leica Q3, which makes sense because an EVF is cheaper to manufacture than an optical rangefinder.

Ultimately, the EV1's list price makes the Q3 / Q3 43 feel like much better value, especially if you're not going to be swapping lenses a lot. The Q3 is much the same camera, for less, with additional features – and you get a built-in lens.

With the EV1, you're paying for the luxury of being able to swap lenses, and every Leica lens costs in the thousands.

Personally, if I had a spare $14,000 / £12,000 for Leica camera gear, I'd rather pick up both the Leica Q3 and Leica Q3 43 over the EV1 with a lens such as the 35mm f/1.4 Summilux, which together cost the same as two Q3s.

The M EV1 is supplied with a black leather strap.

• Price score: 3/5

There's no grip on the M EV1, but an additional leatherette hand grip is available separately (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Leica M EV1: specs

Video

N/A

Photo

60MP full-frame

Lens mount

Leica M

Autofocus

N/A – manual focus only

Screen

2.95-inch fixed touchscreen, 2.3m-dot

Viewfinder

5.76m-dot EVF

Weight

17oz / 484g (body, including battery)

Battery

244 shots (Leica BP-SCL7)

Leica M EV1: Design

• Compact rangefinder design
• 5.76m-dot EVF instead of an optical rangefinder
• Modest-size 2.95-inch fixed touchscreen

Image 1 of 7

Yes it's a Leica M... without the rangefinder! (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 2 of 7

There's that 35mm f/1.4 Summilux lens attached (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 3 of 7

The control layout is super minimal (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 4 of 7

There's no ISO dial, which you'll find in the top left of Leica M11 cameras (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 5 of 7

There's USB-C charging for the 1,900mAh capacity battery (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 6 of 7

The right side of the camera (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 7 of 7

The left side of the camera – there are no connections whatsoever (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

The obvious place to start when talking about the M EV1's design is its viewfinder, which is the same 5.76m-dot EVF found in the Leica Q3. It's also placed in the corner of the camera where the rangefinder traditionally sits, easily accessed with your right eye.

I was shooting with Leica's 35mm f/1.4 Summilux lens for this test, often wide open at f/1.4 where depth of field is really shallow, and getting sharp manual focus is historically a challenge with Leica M cameras. This changes somewhat with the M EV1.

Focus peaking is indeed supremely helpful for this manual focus-only camera, outlining the hard edges of your subject that's in focus – I had the camera set to red focus peaking, which in general is the color most easily seen. However, you shouldn't totally rely on the accuracy of focus peaking, especially with a shallow depth of field.

Focus magnification gives you a closer look, making it much easier to make fine adjustments and ensure sharp focusing where it matters, assuming you have time to use it. My ratio of in-focus shots has been much higher using the M EV1 than I would expect with a camera like the M11.

Even with an EVF, a manual focus-only camera will keep you on your toes. Here my reactions weren't up to speed – a mirrorless camera with subject detection autofocus would have nailed this photo (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

As a rangefinder-style camera, the EV1 is really compact, plus the shutter action is dampened for minimal vibration and noise, making for discreet picture taking.

The 2.95-inch rear screen feels a little on the small side, and being fixed it's less useful that a moveable screen, say a tilt or vari-angle type. The quality and feel of the display is top-drawer, though – with 2.3m dots it's packed with detail, and touch response feels smooth.

With the screen being less useful than I would like – I prefer the Q3's tilt screen – I leaned more into using the viewfinder, which is a lovely experience, even if traditionalists will turn their nose up at such a digital display. Sure, you lose a little of the rangefinder magic, but the EV1 is a more practical not just for focusing but also composition.

Image 1 of 6

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 2 of 6

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 3 of 6

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 4 of 6

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 5 of 6

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 6 of 6

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Like all high-end Leica M cameras, the EV1 is made in Germany and the body is fully metal – both aluminum and magnesium, with a leatherette finish. This is a classy bit of gear.

The style, profile and control layout of the EV1 are largely familiar – this feels like an M11, save for the omission of an ISO dial (which is a real shame) and of course that new type of viewfinder. I'm a fan of minimalist design, and thoroughly enjoyed shooting with the EV1.

• Design score: 4/5

Leica M EV1: Performance

• Manual focus only
• Poor battery life
• Content credentials included
• 4.5fps for up to 15 RAWs

Battery life, I must say, is pretty poor by today's standards, rated up to 244 shots. It's little wonder given that the camera uses Leica's BP-SCL7 battery with its modest 1,800mAh capacity.

Still, the M EV1 isn't the kind of high-speed photography and video-making heavyweight with which users would quickly drain a battery. The photography process here is slow and considered, and as such I typically got through a whole day without needing to charge the battery (which is done via the USB-C port on the underside of the camera).

Burst-shooting top speeds are a modest 4.5fps. The buffer memory is rated to 3GB, which means you can shoot 15 full-size raw files or 100 JPEGs at that top speed before the camera slows up, assuming you're using a high-speed UHS-II SD card. Put simply, this is no high-speed shooter.

Image 1 of 2

I love the dual-lock design of the battery door, which is unlocked using the lever, and then fully released by pushing the battery back in a little. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 2 of 2

Battery capacity is pretty low by today's standards (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Following the Leica M11-P, the EV1 is equipped with content credentials, which is the most widely adopted industry standard for authenticating the origin of digital images. It does so through a secure digital label, holding details such as names, dates, and any edits made to an image’s metadata.

GPS geotagging data can also be added to images via the Leica Fotos app, which is available on the Apple store and Google Play store for iPhone and Android devices. It's also possible to wirelessly transfer images to your device from the M EV1 through the app, as well as remotely control the camera.

I tested the EV1 before its official launch, which meant that it wasn't registered on the Leica Fotos app. However, I have plenty of experience with the app, such as with the screen-less M11-D, and it's one of the more reliable and pain-free app experiences from leading camera brands.

• Performance score: 3.5 / 5

Leica M EV1: Image quality

• Same 60MP sensor as the M11 and Q3, with digital crops
• Manual focus only
• No video recording

If you want a detail-rich full-frame camera there are none better than those that use this 60MP sensor, as Leica's current crop of M cameras do, along with the Sony A7R V.

Leica offers two digital crop modes: 1.3x and 1.8x, with a reduced 36MP and 18MP resolution respectively. With the 35mm lens I had for this review, those crops give a perspective equivalent to 45mm and 63mm lenses.

Image 1 of 10

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 2 of 10

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 3 of 10

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 4 of 10

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 5 of 10

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 6 of 10

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 7 of 10

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 8 of 10

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 9 of 10

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 10 of 10

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)

The ISO sensitivity range starts at ISO 64 and tops out at ISO 50,000, so images taken in good light with the base ISO are particularly clean and crisp.

Leica uses the widely adopted DNG raw format, with a 14-bit output and a limited number of color profiles to choose from – I mainly stuck to standard profile, and made color edits to raw files afterwards.

Image 1 of 10

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 2 of 10

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 3 of 10

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 4 of 10

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 5 of 10

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 6 of 10

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 7 of 10

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 8 of 10

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 9 of 10

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)Image 10 of 10

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Sticking with the Leica M ethos, the EV1 doesn't shoot video at all. For video recording with a Leica, you'll need to look to the Leica Q series.

Would it have harmed Leica's reputation to add video recording to an M mount camera for the first time, in the same swoop as an EVF? No! I think the same video recording skills as a Q3 series camera could have been an excellent string to the M EV1's bow.

To conclude, assuming you nail focusing and are using one of Leica's high-quality M mount lenses, then photo quality is top drawer.

• Image quality score: 4.5 / 5

Leica M EV1: testing scorecard Leica M EV1

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Price

Less than an M11 bur pricier than the Q3, the M EV1's price was predictable

3.5/5

Design

All the premium hallmarks of Leica M, but with one new bold design change that makes sense for some

4/5

Performance

The EVF has a hit on battery life, while burst shooting speeds are slow

3.5/5

Image quality

There's no better full-frame sensor for outright image quality (backed up with Leica glass), but video recording is absent

4.5/5

Should I buy the Leica M EV1?Buy it if...

You own Leica M mount lenses
No Leica lenses? The Q3 could be a better pick. But if you already own Leica lenses, the M EV1 could be the next step in your Leica journey.

It's time for a more practical Leica M
Perhaps your eyesight isn't what it once was, or you're simply wanting a Leica M that's easier to use – the EV1's EVF could make all the difference.

Don't buy it if...

You love the Leica M soul
Yes the hands-on experience with the M EV1 feels largely familiar to other Leica M cameras, but there's no denying it loses a little of the old school soul.

You expect a comprehensively modern digital camera
An EVF makes the M EV1 the modern Leica rangefinder, but it still lacks autofocus, video recording and a handy moveable screen.

Leica M EV1: also consider

Leica Q3

If you're considering the M EV1, then you're probably already okay with using an EVF. And unless you already have a bunch of pricey Leica lenses, the Q3 and / or Q3 43 premium compacts feel like a wiser pick overall – you get the same 60MP sensor but also a built-in lens, the ability to switch to autofocus, a versatile tilt screen, and video recording. Oh, and both Q3 models cost much less.

See my Leica Q3 reviewView Deal

Leica M11

Design-wise there are two key differences between the M11 and M EV1; the viewfinder type – the M11 has an optical rangefinder, while the M EV1 has a 5.76m-dot electronic viewfinder – and the M11 features a handy ISO dial that's missing on the EV1. Besides that, the user experience and image quality are effectively the same. The EV1 costs less than the M11, though.

See our Leica M11 reviewView Deal

(Image credit: Tim Coleman)How I tested the Leica M EV1

• Leica loaned me the M EV1 for a week ahead of its launch
• I had one lens to test it with – the Leica 35mm f1.4 Summilux-M Asph
• I've used the M EV1 as an everyday camera, documenting the world around me

My experience with the Leica M EV1 was wonderfully simple. I had it close to hand for a whole week ahead of the global announcement, with the Leica 35mm f1.4 Summilux-M Asph lens attached to it the whole time.

I'm a fan of this lens for reportage photography, and naturally found myself documenting the world around me, mostly making use of the EVF and focus peaking to manually focus.

Of course, there's a decent range of Leica M lenses to choose from, making the most of the M EV1's design advantages over the Leica Q3 premium compact with its fixed lens.

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

Many software packages and services let you design the perfect house, complete with plumbing, electrics, furniture, and more. Some even go further and expand their canvas to allow you to design the surrounding landscape.

Idea Spectrum Realtime Landscaping Pro 2025 does things differently, focussing primarily on the landscape itself, and its features and quite impressive. it's easily one of the best landscape design software tools around - as long as you own a Windows PC, the only platform it supports.

• You can download Realtime Landscaping Pro from Idea Spectrum by clicking here.

Realtime Landscaping Pro 2025: Pricing and plans

Fine tune your design with numerous changeable parameters (Image credit: Idea Spectrum )

• Far from the cheapest landscaping software out there, but at least you own it outright: no subscription deals, plus you can download a trial version to check it out

Idea Spectrum deserves praise for not treating their software as a service they can let out. Instead, you need to purchase Realtime Landscaping Pro outright - the old fashioned way - for $279. This is quite refreshing in this day and age. Yes, you have to pay more upfront, but that’s one less rental you have to deal with every month.

Additionally, you can upgrade from a previous version: Pro owners of versions 2011 to 2023 can do so for $129, whereas Plus owners from 2011 to 2025 have to pay $149 to get the latest version of Pro.

If you wish to try the software out for yourself, you can also download a free trial which limits some of the features, but will give you a good feel for what’s on offer.

• Score: 3.5/5

Realtime Landscaping Pro 2025: Interface

Design your home in minutes thanks to the help of one of Realtime Landscaping Pro’s handy wizards (Image credit: Idea Spectrum )

• A clean, easy to understand interface, with multiple views and handy wizards to speed up the design process

Realtime Landscaping Pro is designed for you to work in a 3D environment. Should you prefer to focus on a 2D space, Idea Spectrum also offers ‘Realtime Landscaping Photo’ as an alternative.

The interface is very standard: all your tools can be found on a sidebar to the left, with all the objects you can add being located at the top, broken down by category, such as Terrain, Water Features, Utilities, and Building (yes, you can add buildings to your design; you just can’t venture into them). The left side of the interface is your Inspector, showing all of a selected object’s changeable parameters.

Since you can’t explore the inside of the house, you’d be forgiven for thinking the options available for designing the outside might be limited. Although a lot is automated for you, you have a heck of a lot of customisation capabilities. From setting up the structure, to adding windows, guttering, lights, it’s pretty much all there. Plus you can change the types of material, their colour, the wall heights, the pitch of the roof, etc. Everything you need to make a building look great - from the outside. You also have the ability to add ‘window facades’ that make it seem like your house has an interior when looking through the windows.

There are three separate views at your disposal, all accessible via buttons, lower left of the interface: ‘Plan’ is a top-down view - selected by default; ’Perspective’, allows you to see elevation and work in a 3D environment, which we found helped us design better. The third view is called ‘Walkthrough’, and is really there for you to peruse your creation using your mouse and keyboard. As the project is rendered in high quality, there is no way to alter it in that view.

On the whole, the interface is clear, and easy to understand, giving you a large canvas in the centre of the interface to design your project. Should you feel at a loss, Idea Spectrum offers a series of online tutorials to help you familiarise yourself with what’s on offer.

In order to facilitate the design process further, Realtime Landscaping Pro comes with various wizards. One is used for creating houses, as mentioned above, but others are also available to quickly create landscapes, decks, ponds, accents and swimming pools. The concept is very simple: choose a template, place it onto your project and more often than not, you’re done. These templates are fully customisable of course, to help them blend in more perfectly with your landscape.

• Score: 4/5

Realtime Landscaping Pro 2025: Planting

You’ve got over 6,000 plants to choose from, and customize to suit your needs (Image credit: Idea Spectrum )

• An unbelievable inventory of plants which you can customise, choose their size, and set their look. You also have control over the time of day, and season. Your customisation options are as impressive as the number of plants available

Software designed to recreate an outdoor environment should be well stocked when it comes to flora, and this is exactly what Realtime Landscaping Pro offers. You have at your disposal over 6,000 plants, subdivided by category such as Annuals, Succulent, Tropical, etc, to make it easier to find what you’re after. But with so many to choose from, you’ll be grateful for that handy search field as well!

But that’s not all: you get to choose plants ideal for the geographical location you’re designing in - or not - the choice is completely up to you, as you add trees and shrubs that can look great together, but might not survive in the real world. You also get to choose each plant’s age, which mostly just alters their height, as well as the season you’re working in. This is set for your overall design, but you can also supersede that choice for each plant individually if you’re looking for an unusual and striking look, such as having plants displaying their spring appearance, next to others in the fall. Essentially, you can be as realistic and accurate as you please, or as fanciful as you desire.

This level of control extends to the weather, time of day, season, and even the phase of the moon. All of this is available through the ‘Settings’ menu.

You’ll find that each category has a ‘Currently Used’ section, which allows you to reuse objects currently in your project, elsewhere. This only works on your current project though. Should you wish to use the same plants in multiple projects, that’s where the ‘Favourites’ section comes in, making it easy to locate items once, and use them again and again in future works.

• Score: 5/5

Realtime Landscaping Pro 2025: Objects, people, and animation

Change the weather and time of day to suit your needs (Image credit: Idea Spectrum )

• You also have a large list of materials, objects and people to further refine your design, and bring your creation to life with a few fun animations

Plants are but the start of your designing journey. Realtime Landscaping Pro also contains a generous library of 3D objects, from lawn furniture, to cars, as well as a wealth of materials you can use for your walls, driveways, and more.

But what we particularly enjoyed was how you can bring your design to life through animation. Water can shimmer, and fountains flow, for instance. But people - and even animals - can be animated as well. Some can walk, others jog, and a few even swim. Set a path for them to follow and they’ll repeat their action on a loop. Even those sitting or lying around will have some kind of animation set for them, like a head tilt, or a hand movement. All of these help your creation come to life when exploring it in Walkthrough.

Speaking of Walkthrough, you’re able to create movies meandering through your project, although you don’t actually control the movement through your keyboard and mouse, but rather by setting a path for the camera to follow. You can even connect it to an Oculus Rift.

As it stands, this software is very versatile with a wealth of features. It’s simple enough for casual users to have fun with, yet versatile enough for professional use, creating your dream garden, virtually, complete with seasons, and fun animations.

• Score: 4/5

Should I buy Realtime Landscaping Pro?

Set up a video path around your project to create a movie of your design (Image credit: Idea Spectrum )Buy it if...

You’re looking for a detailed landscaping tool with a wealth of features to help you design the project of your (or your clients’) dreams.

Don't buy it if...

You don’t fancy playing with so many features that you can get lost in the minutia, and you find the animations superfluous and creepy.

For more design tools, we've reviewed the best architecture software and the best interior design software.

A few days before I started watching Amadeus, an influx of young people flooded my TikTok For You Page, playing various Bach pieces on different orchestral instruments while remixing each song with modern music. It was all thanks to a passing trend, but it did briefly make me wonder if classical musical was making a resurgence in digital pop culture.

If those same kids watch the new five-episode Sky TV series, I think they'd be astounded. Amadeus goes far beyond a musical education for the uninitiated, delving further into the supposed rivalry between composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri than previous accounts, including Miloš Forman's 1984 film.

Summing this rivalry up in one word would be easy: unhinged. The pair go far beyond the stereotypical boundaries of 'frenemies,' leaving their desperate acts of reconciliation until it's too late. I would never have paired Will Sharpe (Mozart) and Paul Bettany (Salieri) up to portray this, but their chemistry is undeniable.

What's more difficult to explain are the complexities behind this rivalry. To me, the duo's battles put me in mind of a 1700s version of Peggy Mitchell and Pat Butcher, from UK soap opera Eastenders. I'm in danger of losing non-UK readers at this point, but theirs was a connection that spanned decades, ranging from heartfelt consolation to vindictive plotting and literal fist fights. You never knew where you stood with them, and that was a big part of what made them so watchable.

It's not the best analogy I've ever come up with, but the atmosphere of palpable tension punctuated with violent outbursts means you never fully catch your breath. But, while Amadeus is narratively sound, it's visually questionable.

Sky has saved its best show of 2025 until last with Amadeus

If you look at the YouTube comments on the above video, fans of the 1979 stage play by Peter Shaffer, which he adapted for the subsequent movie, aren't pleased that the same tale is about to be retold. However, while it sometimes feels like we can hardly move for TV and film adaptations that cover familiar ground while not bringing much that's new to the party, I don't think Amadeus can be tarnished with the same brush.

Even if both those earlier versions had been flawless (and the three-hour long film is far from structurally sound, in my opinion), another adaptation would be worthwhile if it added a fresh perspective. Luckily for us, that's exactly what Amadeus does.

Without giving too much away, in addition to the story itself the TV series features Shaffer's own journey to writing his play, with the final scene of episode 5 breaking the fourth wall in a way I'm not sure I've ever seen attempted in television. Sky's creative risk-taking has flown under the radar, and the rest of the series is just as ambitious.

Sharpe effortlessly captures Mozart's supposed fiery temperament, and it's the foundation for the rest of the story's chaos. No one episode can contain the multitudes of emotions on show, with either Mozart of Salieri (or sometimes both) crumbling, celebrating, or threatening to jump out of a window (that's our unintentionally hilarious opening, so keep your eye out).

Amadeus throws everything and the kitchen sink at its storytelling, and the charged atmosphere is almost a character in itself.

Some of our cast have 'iPhone face', and that's a problem

Paul Bettany as Antonio Salieri in Amadeus. (Image credit: Sky)

As for the actual characters, both Sharpe and Bettany give the performance of their careers. I do wonder whether Bettany is going extra hard to distance himself from upcoming Marvel series VisionQuest, but perhaps that's just me being a franchise cynic.

Gabrielle Creevy (Constanze Mozart) also hits the right note (sorry) as the long-suffering go-between for the musical rivals, but there's something about the cast that bothers me. To me, the younger members (and by that, I mean under the age of about 40) look as though they have 'iPhone face'. What I mean by this is that, looking at them, you can escape the sense that they've seen an iPhone in their lifetime.

The makeup and costumes in Amadeus are beautiful, but they don't hide the fact that some of the cast just feel too modern. Even so, Sharpe particularly surprised me with his raucous, obscene and ridiculously arrogant take on Mozart.

The five-episode run does suffer from the classic issue of narrative lag between episodes 3 and 4, but when everything else has such a frenetic energy to it, this isn't hard to overlook. This of course includes the music, which Sharpe learned to play (rather than just flailing his hands about while the camera is carefully positioned to conceal that fact that he's not really playing).

As captivating as the scandal, drama and intricacies of Viennese society in the 18th century are, it all comes back to the music. It helps us to understand the world, Mozart and Salieri's struggles and ourselves in the process, and it's pushed me to make some conscious additions to my usual Spotify playlists. Their work is what both tortured composers ultimately wanted to be remembered for, and Amadeus certainly does them justice.

Stream Amadeus from December 21 in the UK using the below deals:

Sky 'Essential TV' package: from £15 per month at Sky
This is the cheapest Sky TV package available. It includes a Sky Stream device as well as access to 'Sky Atlantic', which airs Sky and HBO Originals through the Sky Stream streaming service, Netflix (its 'Standard with ads' tier), Discovery+ and over 100 free to air channels, such as BBC, ITV and Channel 4. This price is for a 24 month rolling contract but you can get it for £18 on a 31 day rolling contract too. Just note that the price will convert to £21 a month after the 24 months. View Deal

Sky 'Ultimate TV' package: from £22 per month at Sky
While it's a bit more expensive, you definitely get a lot more content for the extra £7 compared to the 'Essential TV' package. On top of 'Sky Atlantic', Netflix and Discovery+, Sky Stream and 90 free to air channels, this deal throws in 35 extra channels, such as 'Sky Comedy', 'Sky Crime', National Geographic and MTV. This monthly fee is for a 24 month rolling contract that will go up to £35 a month after the period, but you can also get it for £25 on a 31 day rolling contract. View Deal

Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.

Ring Outdoor Cam Pro: two-minute review

Although probably best known for its video doorbells, Ring offers a range of both indoor and security cameras, including the 2K Ring Outdoor Cam Plus launched earlier this year. However, with the Ring Outdoor Cam Pro, the manufacturer has upped its game by going full 4K for the first time.

Available in black or white (we tested the white version), this new model can be used either outdoors or indoors, with a number of different mounting options to suit your individual set up. Screws and wall plugs are provided for mounting on a wall, fence or even a celling. Alternatively, you can use the built-in stand for placing indoors on a bookshelf or a unit.

Unfortunately, unlike other models in the range, the Ring Outdoor Cam Pro is mains-powered only. There are no battery or even solar charging options available for the unit which means it will need to be located close to a power supply (Ring supplies 6m/20ft power cable with the camera). And although there is POE (Power over Ethernet) version of the camera, this will set you back an additional £100 (£279 rather than £179) – rather a hefty premium in our opinion.

(Image credit: Future)

While the lack of battery/solar power options will certainly deter some buyers looking for a quick, wire-free fix, the use of mains power does enable more advanced high-bandwidth features that battery power simply can’t sustain. Chief among these is 24/7 4K recording, turning the camera from a conventional security unit triggered by motion alerts into a fully-fledged surveillance system. However, this will require a Premium Ring subscription currently costing a hefty £15.99 a month. Another Premium feature is Smart Video Search. Using AI, this allows you to type in a word or phrase such as ‘man wearing a red top’ into the search bar and it will automatically scour the captured footage looking for a man in a red top.

Without a monthly subscription, the camera’s functionality is a lot more basic, restricted mostly to viewing live video streams and basic motion alerts. It’s not possible to save or review past recordings. However, it does include Ring’s Smart Responses feature which will play the automated message ‘Hi, you are currently being recorded’ to intruders letting them know they are being filmed.

(Image credit: Future)

Other basic features not requiring a subscription include a loud 85dB Siren option (once pressed this will sound for thirty seconds) and two-way audio so you can speak to whoever is in view. It’s also possible to set motion alerts for certain times of the day (handy if you use the camera indoors and know other family members will be back in, say, the afternoon/evening ), as well as create different motion zones so – for example – the camera doesn’t pick up passers-by walking past the house or activity in the neighbour’s garden.

Finally, motion sensitivity can be adjusted to reduce the number of motion alerts you get, as security cameras can tend to be a little over sensitive picking up the slightest movement such as a branch swaying on a tree!

Ring Outdoor Cam Pro: subscription options

Ring Home Basic (formerly Protect Basic)
Cost: $4.99 / £4.99 / AU$4.95 per month or $49.99 / £49.99 / AU$49.95 per year
Covers: one doorbell or camera.
Features: cloud storage (up to 180 days), person/package alerts, video previews.

Ring Home Standard (formerly Protect Plus)
Cost: $9.99 / £7.99 / AU$15 per month or $99.99 / £79.99 / AU$150 per year
Covers: All devices at one location
Features: All Basic features plus Extended Live View, Picture-in-Picture, Daily Event Summary and 10% off Ring products.

Ring Home Premium (new tier)
Cost: $19.99 / £15.99 per month or $200 / £159.99 per year (not currently available in Australia)
Covers: All devices at one location
Features: everything in Basic and Standard, plus 24/7 recording and unlimited video storage.

Ring Outdoor Cam Pro: price and availability

• How much does it cost? $199, £179, AU$329
• When is it available? Since November 2025
• Where is it available? UK / US / Australia

Given it’s a high-end security camera aimed at those who want the very best video quality on the market, I didn’t expect Ring Outdoor Cam Pro to be cheap. Nevertheless, its near-£200 price tag puts it at the very top of the range when it comes to price.

For example, you can now buy the Ring Stick Up Cam for under £50. And while the Stick Up Cam only offers 1080p video resolution (compared to 4K on the Ring Outdoor Cam Pro), it is – unlike its high-performance sister model - battery-powered. This gives you much more flexibility when it comes to installation, especially if you want to cite the camera a long distance away from mains power.

Nor is it just the price of the hardware you have to think about when investing in a security camera. There’s also the monthly subscription. Ring isn’t alone in charging a monthly subscription for its premium features, but with prices starting at £4.99 a month it is one of the more expensive. What’s more, if you want the most advanced features, such as 24/7 video recording and Smart Video Search, you will need to pay £15.99 a month – more than many people’s monthly mobile phone subscriptions.

• Value score: 3/5

Ring Outdoor Cam Pro: design

• Solidly built camera
• Various mounting options
• IP65 weather-resistance

When it comes to design, the Ring Outdoor Cam Pro certainly doesn’t disappoint. Standing around 6 inches / 15cm tall, it’s a solid-enough design with a base that can be easily angled to match your needs. Various mounting options are provided for indoor and outdoor use and set up is straightforward enough thanks to an easy-to-use app and a QR code that you can scan with your phone’s camera.

(Image credit: Future)

Plenty of cable is provided although this is divided up with a slightly ugly power adapter (this can be screwed into the wall). On the one side of the power adaptor is the mains cable, on the other is a flatter USB-C cable that goes into the back of the camera.

(Image credit: Future)

Turn the camera around and there’s the 4K lens, offering a 140° horizontal and 85° vertical field of view, plus a small microphone and speaker at the bottom running along the bottom of the unit. Boasting an IP (Ingress Protection) rating of 65 – an improvement on earlier models - the Ring Outdoor Cam Pro offers protection from dust and low-pressure water jets, but isn’t suitable for submersion or high-pressure jets. It can also be used in temperatures as low as -5°F and as high as 120°F (-20°C to 50°C).

• Design score: 4/5

Ring Outdoor Cam Pro: performance

• Retinal 4K resolution
• 10x digital zoom
• Adaptive night vision

One of the first of the manufacturer’s cameras to incorporate Retinal 4K technology (3840 x 2160 pixels), the Ring Outdoor Camera Pro certainly stands out when it comes to performance. Indeed, we found that the higher pixel density, coupled with a 140° field of view and 10x digital zoom, meant it was possible to capture detail from footage filmed during the day that wasn’t previously possible.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future)

However, night vision was a little bit more of a mixed bag. Ring advertises ‘adaptive and colour night vision’, but the colour functionality requires quite a bit of ambient light to work. Generally, we found that while it was very high quality most of the footage we captured at night was black and white, unless movement triggered one of the nearby security lights.

One area where the Ring Outdoor Cam Pro does excel is ease of use. Like many of Ring’s products, set-up is straightforward and the product’s menus are straightforward to use. Alerts are sent directly to your phone in an instant, complete with details such as ‘person detected’ (providing you subscribe to a Ring plan). It is also linked with the Alexa skill so you can activate the camera with a voice command such as ‘Alexa, show me the garden camera’.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Future)

Finally, it’s possible to reduce the number of false alerts that you get using the Ring’s innovative Bird’s Eye View feature. This works by combining 3D motion detection (with radar) with a satellite map of your property to track an intruder’s path with pinpoint accuracy! It’s also a good idea to reduce the motion sensitivity of the camera using the onscreen menu.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Ring Outdoor Cam Pro: Should you buy the Ring Outdoor Cam Pro?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

With a price tag close to £200, the Ring Outdoor Cam Pro is one of the pricier home security cameras on the market. And that’s before you add in the additional cost of the monthly subs.

3.5 / 5

Design

Available in black or white, the Ring camera is well designed with different mounting options both for indoor and outdoor use.

4 / 5

Performance

When it comes to performance, the 4K camera generally excels with 10x digital zoom providing particularly detailed close-ups.

4.5/5

Overall

The Outdoor Cam Pro represents a leap into high-resolution surveillance for Ring. However, the high levels of performance come at a fairly hefty price, especially when you factor in the subscription plan.

4/5

Buy it if

You want high quality video footage

The Ring Outdoor Cam Pro offers exceptional video quality thanks to 4K resolution and 10x digital zoom.

You already have Ring products

This camera fits neatly into the Ring ecosystem, enabling you to link to other Ring products including cameras, video doorbells and alarms.

Don't buy it if

You are on a limited budget

The Ring Outdoor Cam Pro is one of the more expensive models on the market and functionality is limited without spending at least £4.99 on a monthly subscription.

Mains power isn’t available where you want the camera

The high performance levels of this camera, including the option of 24/7 recording, mean that it must be connected to the mains.

Ring Outdoor Cam Pro: also consider

Attribute

Ring Outdoor Cam Pro

Ring Spotlight Cam Pro (Battery)

Eufy 4K S330 Security Camera

Subscription price

From £4.99 a month

From £4.99 a month

None

Viewing angle

140° horizontal, 85° vertical

140° view horizontal, 80° vertical

360° view

Network connection

Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz)

Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz)

Wi-Fi/4G

Audio

Two-way audio

Two-way audio

Two-way audio

Video

4K video resolution

1080p Full HD resolution

4K video resolution

Power

Mains-powered

Battery

Battery

Hardware price

£179 (mains only)

£199 (battery model only)

£189 (with solar panel)

Ring Spotlight Cam Pro (battery)

Available in black or white, this outdoor security camera from Amazon-owned Ring boasts two 3000°K spotlights. You can also buy a mains-powered version as well as a separate solar panel.

Read our full Ring Spotlight Cam Pro review

Eufy 4K S330 Security Camera

An extremely innovative battery and solar-powered camera, the Eufy can be used with the supplied 4G Sim card to capture recordings, making it ideal for those who live in areas with poor Wi-Fi/broadband.

Read our full Eufy 4K Security Camera review

How I tested the Ring Outdoor Cam Pro:

• I used the Ring every day for a week
• I set it up myself both indoors and outdoors

To test this camera, I first connected it to the mains plug in my garden and placed it in various positions and in all weathers – including sunshine, rain and heavy wind! I also tested it both during daylight and at night (it was dark in London from about 4.30pm onwards). During this time, I didn’t have any performance issues, despite extremely inclement weather conditions (thanks Storm Bram).

I then moved indoors to complete the testing with the device in various locations including the kitchen and my home office. One of the great things I noticed during the testing period was just how flexible the Ring camera is. All of the fittings are provided for installing on a wall or ceiling. However, it can quite as easily be moved around for placing on a desk or a bookshelf – handy if you go away and just want to monitor a particular area for a short period of time.