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Amazon's head of devices and services discussed the company's focus on artificial intelligence, Alexa Plus and new types of technology to support it.

• Six new F-35Bs entered service carrying ballast inside their noses instead of radar
• The APG-85 delay created stealth fighters without their primary sensor
• Lot 17 redesign decisions eliminated compatibility with older radar hardware

The United States Marine Corps has accepted delivery of six newly built F-35B stealth fighters carrying ballast weights where a radar should be installed.

The aircraft left production lines without the AN/APG-85 radar that future F-35 variants are expected to rely upon for combat operations.

Instead of delaying delivery, officials accepted aircraft configured with dead weight occupying the nose section reserved for the missing equipment.

A new radar arrives before the aircraft can actually use it

The unusual situation emerged because Lot 17 aircraft were redesigned around the forthcoming AN/APG-85 radar architecture and mounting structure.

Those modifications prevent installation of the older AN/APG-81 radar, leaving no interim option while the replacement remains unavailable.

The radar is to be supplied by Northrop Grumman rather than prime contractor Lockheed Martin, further complicating delivery schedules.

Marine Corps Lieutenant General Gregory Masiello informed lawmakers on June 23 2026 that only six Marine aircraft currently lack installed radars.

Acceptance testing for those aircraft began in February 2026 after successfully completing production earlier in the year.

Although the Air Force and Navy have not yet received comparable aircraft, similar deliveries are reportedly expected later this year.

Without radars, the aircraft can support basic flight familiarisation and pilot instruction activities while remaining unsuitable for combat operations.

The Joint Program Office defended the decision, stating the Pentagon "deliberately undertook a highly concurrent development and production program for advanced capabilities."

"This decision was made with full understanding of the risk of having production aircraft ready ahead of the capabilities."

Delay exposes larger questions around F-35 readiness

The missing radar arrives amid wider concerns surrounding operational readiness across the broader F-35 fleet during fiscal year 2025.

According to a recent US Government Accountability Office assessment, only about 25% of the F-35 aircraft achieved fully mission-capable status in 2025.

Aircraft capable of performing at least one assigned mission reached 44.1%, although this remained considerably below historical expectations.

Masiello said he would not "dispute their numbers or how they do it" during congressional testimony discussing the findings.

Using Joint Program Office calculations, he argued the mission capable figure stood closer to 56% across operational fleets instead.

The delayed APG-85 radar forms part of the wider Block 4 modernization package that continues encountering schedule and integration challenges.

Future F-35 models will require more cooling capacity, as new systems will draw between 62 and 80 kilowatts, more than double the 32 kilowatts current hardware consumes.

A next-generation engine that could have addressed this cooling gap was developed but ultimately defunded after proving too costly.

Current plans indicate that the APG-85 will enter service around 2028 but meaningful cooling will not arrive until after 2031.

The sight of stealth fighters carrying lead ballast instead of radars may therefore become an enduring symbol of contemporary defence procurement realities.

Via Defence Industry

I had to make sure Prime Day in Australia hadn't already started when I saw this AU$200 saving on the AirPods Max 2, since it's not everyday that Amazon discounts Apple tech. And, if there are any discounts to be found, it's the online retailer's annual mid-year sale that tends to throw them up.

So if you've had your eye on the latest set of Apple's over-ear headphones, then this price cut might just be of interest.

It would have been nice to have seen this AU$200 discount applying to more colours other than just blue, but I can't complain too much. The AirPods Max 2 are simply terrific. While the design hasn't changed much, the internals have been upgraded to deliver even better ANC performance, Lossless audio over USB-C and a wealth of useful features made possible by the new H2 chip. View Deal

It's no secret that the AirPods Max 2 are among the most expensive headphones we've ever tested here at TechRadar, and with a AU$999 RRP, you can easily spend less on a highly capable pair from the likes of Sony, Bose or Sennheiser.

Apple has thrown everything at the Max 2s though to help justify the high price, and they're easily some of the best headphones on the market right now, particularly if you can make use of their Apple Intelligence features (provided you have an iPhone 15 or newer device).

These features include things like live translate, advanced call screening, gesture control, conversational awareness, and adaptive audio. Pair all of these with a stunning high-end design, class-leading noise cancellation, and fantastic audio quality, and the AirPods Max 2 are definitely worth considering.

As we said in our Apple AirPods Max 2 review, they're the "the best noise-cancelling iPhone headphones on the planet", with a soundstage that's "expansive" and "a noise floor so low that bass frequencies rumble, snap and boom in so much space it's almost a crime".

If you own an iPhone, they're a no brainer.

Should I wait for Prime Day?

(Image credit: Future)

That's tricky question to answer. As I mentioned earlier, it's surprising that there's a discount of any sort on the AirPods Max 2. However, it only applies to the blue colourway — could Amazon be teasing discounts to expect when Prime Day rolls around next week, and apply a saving to all colours?

We'll ultimately have to wait and see. I feel the blue colour is pretty inoffensive and should suit most people pretty well — midnight (navy blue) or silver are obviously more ambiguous — so if you've been considering Apple's top-tier cans, but don't want to pay a grand, this is a good opportunity to save a decent chunk of cash.

The vast majority of the best TVs use a dedicated OS, complete with access to the full gamut of video streaming apps. However, if you've found yourself struggling with your TV's native interface — be that due to its age, or because it's from a niche/no-frills TV brand and doesn't have the fastest processor — then a dedicated streaming device can often breathe new life into an old TV.

The Amazon Fire TV Stick range is a perfect example. They couldn’t be simpler to install — just plug one into an HDMI port on your TV — or use. They can speed up navigating through menus by using dedicated processors that often outperform the built-in chips found in cheaper TVs — they’re literally built for one task — while also adding more functionality.

I’ve broken down the benefits of using a dedicated streaming device compared to sticking with your TV’s own operating system.

• Faster navigation: Budget TV manufacturers often prioritise the display technology and tend to skimp on the processor to save on manufacturing costs. In these cases, a dedicated streaming stick with a more powerful chipset allows them to better handle both menu transitions and running apps.
• Longer lifespan - TV manufacturers eventually stop updating the built-in OS as your TV gets older, so a newer streaming device is a great way to bypass the OS altogether. The newest devices from Amazon and Apple also support Wi-Fi 6 and 6E, which both can deliver speeds of up to 9.6Gbps, whereas most TVs over 2 years old only support the slower Wi-Fi 5 (3.5Gbps) standard.
• Smart home integration - While some of the bigger TV brands have built-in smart home support, Amazon, Google and Apple’s dedicated streamers are all designed to serve as central hubs for their respective smart home ecosystems (Alexa, Google Home and Apple HomeKit). That means if you have other smart home devices, you can control them all from the comfort of your sofa.

Of course, Apple and Google's latest dedicated streamers cost around AU$400 and AU$160 respectively, so they're not exactly cheap – which is where Amazon's Fire TV Sticks come in as a better option, with RRPs starting as low as $79.

What’s more, this pre-Prime Day deal on Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Plus (the middle option of the family) sees it hitting an all-time low price, making that value proposition even more apparent — especially if you don’t need all the bells and whistles of the pricier Apple and Google offerings (and don’t mind a bit of integrated advertising).

This Plus model is a refreshed version of the Fire TV Stick 4K, with its new name differentiating it from the lower-specced Fire TV Stick 4K Select, which has less RAM, no Dolby Vision support and only Wi-Fi 5 connectivity. The Select also isn’t discounted, making the Plus AU$5 cheaper than the latter with this deal. Don’t have a 4K TV? The Amazon Fire TV Stick HD runs on 1080p resolution and is also discounted to just AU$39.View Deal

Still not convinced? Here’s how the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus compares with the Apple TV 4K and the Google TV Streamer:

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus

Apple TV 4K

Google TV Streamer

RRP

AU$99

AU$299

AU$159

Processor

MediaTek MT8696D (1.7GHz Quad-core)

Apple A15 Bionic (6-core CPU / 5-core GPU)

MediaTek MT8696 (2.0GHz Quad-core)

RAM

2 GB

4 GB

4GB

Storage

8 GB

64 GB (Wi-Fi) or 128 GB (Ethernet)

32 GB

Wireless Connectivity

Wi-Fi 6 (Dual-band) + Bluetooth 5.2

Wi-Fi 6 (Dual-band) + Bluetooth 5.0

Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) + Bluetooth 5.1

OS

Fire OS 8 (Android-based)

Apple tvOS

Google TV (Android 14)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Uplift Parsons Standing Desk: Unboxing and First Impressions

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

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

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

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

Uplift Parsons Standing Desk: Design & Build Quality

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

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

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

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

Uplift Parsons Standing Desk: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

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

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

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

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

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

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

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

This desk needed to be able to house:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Uplift Parsons Standing Desk: Final verdict

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

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

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

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

Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Getty ImagesCollin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future

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

Though publicly denied by Elon Musk, a new AI device from SpaceX wouldn't be very surprising.

The current president chatted with a life-sized AI version of the 26th US president at the new Theodore Roosevelt presidential library.

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for July 3, No. 648.

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI is reportedly in discussions with the White House over a government financing deal. It may not happen.

A 55-page report from House Democrats accuses Freedom 250 of America's birthday celebrations for profit, using questionable fundraising methods. Watchdog groups had already sounded alarms.

(Image credit: Andrew Harnik)

The company apparently expects to sell a lot of folding iPhones.

Two of the biggest US carriers are battling for your business. We run down all the specs and features of their plans.

The room may be virtual, but the prayer — and the evangelism — are not.

(Image credit: Via Geoffery Powell)

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for July 3 No. 1,118.

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for July 3 No. 852.

Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle for July 3, No. 1,840.

They may not understand every word, but fans appreciate exuberant announcers who match their enthusiasm. Plus, cameras stay on the field during hydration breaks rather than cutting to commercials.

(Image credit: Patrick T. Fallon)

ASUS ProArt PZ14: 30-second review

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

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

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

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

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

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

ASUS ProArt PZ14: Price and availability

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

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

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

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

• Value: 4/5

ASUS ProArt PZ14: Specs

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

ASUS ProArt PZ14: Design

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

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

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

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

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

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

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

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

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

• Design: 4.5 / 5

ASUS ProArt PZ14: Features

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Features: 4.5 / 5

ASUS ProArt PZ14: Performance

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Benchmark results

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

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

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

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

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

• Performance: 4 / 5

ASUS ProArt PZ14: Final verdict

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

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

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

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

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

Should I buy the ASUS ProArt PZ14?

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

Value

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

4/5

Design

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

4.5/5

Features

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

4.5/5

Performance

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

4/5

Overall

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

4/5

Buy it if...

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

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

You work at a desk to type.

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

Don't buy it if...

You need to type or edit from your laptop.

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

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

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

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

Utz Quality Foods voluntarily recalled select varieties of potato chips due to potential salmonella contamination in the seasoning powder.

Ruko U11Mini 4K: One-minute review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ruko U11Mini 4K: Price and availability

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Price score: 2.5/5

Ruko U11Mini 4K: SpecsRuko U11Mini 4K specs

Ruko U11Mini 4K

Camera:

48MP 1/2-inch CMOS sensor

Video:

4K 30fps

Flight modes:

Smooth, Normal, Sport

Storage:

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

Battery:

2,200mAh / up to 32 minutes flight time

Charger type:

USB-C / Battery Charging Hub

Weight:

249g / 8.8oz (approx.)

Dimensions:

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

Ruko U11Mini 4K: Design and build quality

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Design score: 3/5

Ruko U11Mini 4K: Features and flight performance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Flight performance score: 3/5

Ruko U11Mini 4K: Image and video quality

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Image and video quality score: 3/5

Ruko U11Mini 4K: Testing scorecardRuko U11Mini 4K

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Price

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

2.5/5

Design

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

3/5

Features and flight

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

3/5

Image and video quality

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

3/5

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

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

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

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

Don't buy it if...

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

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

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

Ruko U11Mini 4K: also consider

DJI Lito 1

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

Read our in-depth DJI Lito X1/1 review

DJI Neo 2

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

Read our in-depth DJI Neo 2 review

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

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

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

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

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

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