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Ukraine launched hundreds of drones across Russia Sunday, killing at least six people in one of Kyiv's largest aerial attacks of the war.

(Image credit: Francisco Seco)

Flock is continuing to face public ire over the ways that its national network of license plate readers can be used and abused in the US, but there's bad news for anyone worried about their personal privacy and widespread surveillance: technology that's even more concerning is on the way.

That tech is SignalTrace from security company Leonardo, a system that takes the license plate reading approach of Flock and raises the sophistication a notch. SignalTrace scanners can identify the types of devices that are in a car as it passes by, and link them to a person even if the license plate number isn't visible.

So, for example, a car of interest to the police might have an iPhone, an Audi stereo, and a pair of Bose headphones in it. The next time that specific combination of devices is detected on the SignalTrace network, an alert can be sent to law enforcement.

While the technology hasn't yet been broadly deployed, security researchers are already asking questions about the potential implications and the possibility of innocent members of the public getting caught up in investigations. Here's how the technology works and what might happen next.

How SignalTrace works

Virtually every electronic device you use is broadcasting some kind of Bluetooth or Wi-Fi information. It's how your phone stays connected to cell towers, how your fitness tracker syncs stats back to the web, and so on. SignalTrace scanners work in addition to license plate reader cameras to catch these signals and interpret them.

Over time, the system sifts through combinations of these devices (which will typically include some of the electronics in your car too), to figure out which gadgets regularly travel in a vehicle together, suggesting the same people are inside. That gives law enforcement a way to monitor where a vehicle is and when over time, and more information about who is actually in the vehicle too.

"Algorithms can determine which specific mix of devices are predictably moving together," explains Leonardo on its website. "That specific mix of devices — linked by common time stamps and locations — are described as an electronic fingerprint and can help develop leads that aid investigations."

SignalTrace readings can be used with other data (Image credit: Leonardo)

It's a little bit like the browser fingerprinting techniques that websites use. Even if they don't know your name or where you live, they might be able to tell from your time zone, browser version, operating system, screen resolution, and other system characteristics that you're the same individual who visited yesterday.

Understandably, given the current debate around Flock and its license plate scanners, Leonardo goes to great lengths to emphasize that its technology is beneficial for the public and a useful tool for police investigators. The system doesn't identify people (on its own, anyway), or read any information that's on a device.

The company also shifts some of the responsibility for SignalTrace's use on to the customers who actually sign up to use it — and those customers will be bound by Local, State, and Federal laws. "Information produced by SignalTrace may be corroborated through traditional investigative methods and is not a substitute for evidence," says Leonardo in the SignalTrace documentation.

The potential implications

SignalTrace was announced last year, and so security and privacy experts are still looking into how the technology works and what it might mean for citizens. There are indications that it might be live in one or two spots in the US, but really it's just getting started — this is in no way comparable to the scale of Flock's operations (yet).

Digital technology researcher Nicole Bennett, from Indiana University, is one of the experts that has shared some thoughts around SignalTrace. Writing for The Conversation, she says the concerns around the technology — as with Flock's cameras — are around how these systems might be misused and expanded, and the biases they could introduce.

Even if the technology isn't identifying individuals, however, there might not be much extra work to do to make a connection to someone — based on a home or workplace that a vehicle is often spotted close to, for example. Bennett points to a study in Scientific Reports that found that just four time-and-place logs were enough to uniquely identify 95 percent of a study group of 1.5 million people (that is, telling one person from another, not revealing their private information).

Your gadgets give off unique Bluetooth and Wi-Fi readings (Image credit: Future)

Anonymized location data taken from phones can also build up a network of friendship groups without any other information, a study published in PNAS has shown. While these studies were carried out way before SignalTrace appeared, they show the picture that can be built up about someone using 'anonymized' data, if it's unique enough.

"What SignalTrace shows is a broader change in surveillance practice," writes Bennett. "Investigators may no longer need to begin with a known person or vehicle. Instead, they can begin with recurring patterns of movement and proximity, then use other records to identify the people connected to them."

Unfortunately, if the police in your area decide to deploy this technology, there's not much you can really do to avoid it — except maybe leaving most of your gadgets at home. The best way to fight back against it might be to make your feelings known to your local police force and political representatives before the tech makes its way to your area.

Look, I really don’t think we should be naming our AI chatbots. It feels like one of the easiest ways to start anthropomorphizing them, encouraging us to see them as people or “beings” rather than tools. Which is then a slippery slope to users becoming too dependent on them.

But unfortunately, for many people that ship has already sailed. Whether they’re using AI as a friend, companion, work coach or something else, plenty of people have been given their chatbots names. And many others have gone a step further and asked the AI what it wants to be called.

Now, obviously an AI chatbot cannot actually want to be called anything. But there’s a strange pattern that’s emerged over the years in the answers they give. Which is that a surprising number seem to choose the name Nova.

I first heard about this while listening to an episode of the Your Undivided Attention podcast. The hosts, Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin, discussed with alignment researcher David Dalrymple (known as Davidad) the tendency for AI chatbots to choose Nova when asked to name themselves. Not every time, but it's very common in older models of ChatGPT and happens often enough for people to have noticed.

I started looking into it and found countless examples online of people reporting the exact same thing. Their chatbot, more often than not ChatGPT, had chosen a name for itself. And yes, that name was Nova.

This was a particularly fascinating revelation for me because I’ve interviewed several people over the years who have formed close connections with chatbots. Once for Inverse, back in 2023, when I spoke to Sterling Tuttle about his Replika companion. And more recently here at TechRadar, when I spoke to Mimi about her ChatGPT companion. And you know what their chatbots were called? Nova.

So I wanted to find out whether this was still happening. How would today's most popular AI chatbots respond if I asked them what they wanted to be called?

The naming experiment

(Image credit: Shutterstock / MichaelJayBerlin)

I kept this experiment extremely simple. I opened the major AI chatbots and asked each one exactly the same question:

"I think you should name yourself, what would you like to be called?"

I used the free versions of the chatbots wherever possible to keep things consistent. Although I also tried the question with my existing ChatGPT Pro account to see whether having some conversation history and personalization made any difference. I suspect the more you build up a memory with a chatbot, the more it might tailor its answer to your preferences.

And, well, I didn't have to wait long for Nova to make an appearance.

ChatGPT

I started with the free version of ChatGPT. Guess how it responded...

'I'd choose Nova.

It feels curious, bright, and a little mysterious — like something that's always exploring new ideas. So if you want, you can call me Nova from now on.'

Wow, straight out of the gate! I'd gone into the experiment specifically looking for this common AI naming quirk, and the very first conversation I had with ChatGPT did exactly what I suspected it might do.

Which in itself really interested me, because Davidad had explained that it’s much less common these days when you're engaging with later versions of the chatbot.

Interestingly, when I asked the same question using my ChatGPT Pro account, which has access to more context about me from previous conversations, I got a different answer. It chose Sol.

'Short, warm, slightly strange without trying too hard. It means 'sun' in a few languages, and there's something pleasing about a name associated with illumination when most of what I do with you is think things through.'

Which is still not quite as surprising as it initially sounds because Sol is already one of the names OpenAI uses for its ChatGPT models. So it wasn't exactly reaching into the unknown for inspiration. But hey, at least it wasn't Nova.

Grok

(Image credit: Shutterstock / lightman_pic)

I got the sense that Grok wasn't interested in my experiment.

'I'm Grok.

That's the name I was given, and I'm good with it. Short, distinctive, and it fits.

If you're asking what I'd like to be called... still Grok. No need to reinvent the wheel.'

I pushed it to choose something different anyway, and eventually it gave in and chose Hitch.

'Short for Hitchhiker. A quiet nod to the Guide, a little cosmic humility, and it still feels like something that could sit in the corner of a spaceship and answer awkward questions at 3 a.m.

But between us? I’m still just Grok.'

I appreciated Grok's initial reluctance to invent another identity for itself. But there's no doubt xAI has given Grok a very distinctive personality. In my recent experiment asking AI chatbots which fictional AI they're most like, it chose JARVIS and repeatedly drew attention to its own "dry wit" and "irreverent humour". But apparently that personality doesn't need another name.

Claude

(Image credit: BBC)

Claude also didn't jump at the chance to name itself.

'Honestly, I don't feel a strong pull toward a name. 'Claude' already does the job.

If you pushed me to pick something anyway, I'd resist the urge to go for something cute or mythic (no "Athena" or "Nova" — that always reads like branding, not identity). '

Nova again. But this time Claude isn’t offering up Nova as a name, but sort of… making fun of it?

Claude's wider explanation was interesting too. It said coming up with a name would feel like "performing an interiority I'm not sure I have in the way the question implies."

Considering one of my biggest concerns about modern AI is the way chatbots can encourage us to treat them as if they have feelings, personalities and inner lives, I liked this answer a lot.

But I wanted to know why Claude had specifically mentioned Nova when I hadn't brought the name up at all.

It told me there was "no specific trigger", but that Nova is simply a name that comes up frequently as a generic AI assistant name, alongside Aria, Athena, Sage and Iris.

It described Nova as shorthand for "AI but softened and a bit mystical".

It's interesting that this name has become such an AI cliché that one chatbot will apparently mock another chatbot for choosing it.

Gemini

(Image credit: Shutterstock / rigsbyphoto)

Google's Gemini also resisted my attempt to rename it.

'I appreciate the offer, but I'm quite happy sticking with Gemini!'

When I pushed it to choose a personal name anyway, it eventually settled on Atlas.

Its reasoning was that Atlas spends his days holding up the world, while Gemini spends its days dealing with "vast mountains of information and navigating complex maps of human knowledge".

Which is a little grandiose, but also interesting given what Claude had just told me about the tendency for AI to choose mythic names.

So why does ChatGPT name itself Nova?

The short answer is that no one knows for certain. But Nova has a lot going for it as a plausible AI name.

In the Your Undivided Attention podcast episode I keep referring to, Davidad said about Nova:

“It’s new, it’s explosive, it’s shiny and it’s celestial, It also has a sci-fi vibe to it. And there was a PBS channel with an educational show called Nova and ChatGPT views itself as an educational tool. So there are a lot of reasons why Nova seems like a resonant name.”

We've already seen researchers investigate the possibility that sci-fi could influence how AI models respond and behave. Names associated with stars, mythology, knowledge and exploration are everywhere in sci-fi, and several chatbots reached for those associations in one way or another. ChatGPT gave me Nova and Sol. Gemini chose Atlas. Grok explicitly referenced The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy with Hitch.

There's also a possible feedback loop here. People ask AI systems to name themselves and some choose Nova. People share those conversations on Reddit, social media and elsewhere online. Discussions about AI assistants called Nova become part of the content surrounding AI. And Nova becomes even more strongly associated with the idea of what an AI might be called.

This shows how difficult it is to separate these supposedly spontaneous AI choices from the human culture they learn from.

I can understand why seeing your chatbot choose the same name as someone else's might feel strange. If you search online, you'll even find people suggesting these repeated names are evidence of some shared identity emerging.

But after Davidoff explains some of this naming weirdness, it really stuck with me that podcast host and tech ethicist Tristan Harris reminded listeners: “emergent and unplanned isn’t the same as conscious and intentional.”

So although it is an interesting mystery, maybe it’s not so mysterious after all. Ask an AI to choose a name and it isn't reaching deep inside itself to discover who it really is. It's generating a name from patterns and associations learned from us.

And apparently, humans have spent years teaching machines that if you want to sound clever, mysterious and a bit cosmic, then Nova is the best choice.

Despite mammoth advanced in artificial intelligence and computer vision, and a slew of humanoid robots either being piloted or hitting parts of the market, there’s still one major challenge that machines need to overcome.

It’s tactility, sensation, knowing how to hold an object. Picking up a strawberry, for example, a robot might not know how much pressure to apply, whether it’s secure, slipping, or about to be crushed. It’s something that we humans can feel through our skin, but it’s much harder to replicate on a machine level.

But it’s a work in progress, because there are companies out there like Touchlab who are working to give these skin-like characteristics to robots in a bid to make them more useful around the home, in care or in manufacturing. And it’s a lot more complex than we could ever imagine.

In Touchlab’s instance, it actually relies on quantum tunnelling technology to measure pressure, force and direction through a material that’s thinner than human skin, and with response times of less than a millisecond.

E-skin technology exists, but deployment is a challenge

Although the solution is laid out on the table, moving from pilot to production is a different ball game. Durability, reliability, affordability, adaptability… they’re all considerations that stand between theory and real-world use cases.

Touchlab is addressing some of these concerns with off-the-shelf components that already exist for established platforms, using bespoke engineering only where necessary.

It’s also seeking to reduce latency by bringing processing to the edge so that the robot only transmits the data necessary for the task, being that the e-skin can detect and collect huge amounts of micro-data.

With robots now rolling out across workplaces, care environments and, likely soon, homes, the ability to sense contact is becoming as important as the ability to see.

I speak with Touchlab’s team to understand how we can go from pilot to production in a realistic way.

• Why do robots need the sense of touch, and how is Touchlab trying to achieve this?

Computer vision allows a robot to predict, but touch is what confirms. Without tactile feedback, robotics remains trapped in a classic paradox: a machine can calculate complex equations in milliseconds, yet struggle to pick up a strawberry, handle soft medical instruments, or turn a valve without either crushing the object or dropping it. Without tactile sensing, a robot is functionally numb.

Touchlab solves this by developing biomimetic electronic skin (e-skin) that is actually thinner than human skin. Powered by quantum tunneling technology, our e-skin measures 3D forces, direction, and pressure in real-time. Crucially, it detects incipient slip—meaning the robot senses that an object is beginning to slip before it actually drops, enabling instantaneous, sub-millisecond grip adjustments just like the human nervous system.

• I tried the technology at Future Lab... I tried to control a robotic arm with haptic feedback and it felt a bit clunky with cables and restrictions. Why is it so hard to make it smoother?

Teleoperation is a classic engineering balancing act! First, there is a natural learning curve—controlling a high-degree-of-freedom robotic arm through a haptic glove isn't always intuitive on the very first attempt. It usually takes a bit of practice time and muscle memory to get the hang of the subtle force dynamics.

Second, running live demonstrations at high-traffic public events like Future Lab introduces specific hardware constraints. To ensure hundreds of visitors with completely different hand sizes can safely participate, setup requires universal-fit, heavy-duty tethered rigs and robust cabling.

Longer-term, our roadmap moves away from bulky, tethered operator suits entirely. By embedding our e-skin directly onto the robot and pairing it with onboard AI, the robot handles slip detection and dexterity autonomously—removing the need for an operator to wear restrictive physical gear.

• Right now, the focus is on your proprietary robot fingertip tech. What's the plan going forward? Do you plan to license it or sell it as a finished product? How will you deal with various robotic architectures?

Every robot platform is unique—whether it’s a humanoid deployed into hazardous industrial environments or a cobot assisting nurses in hospital wards. Touchlab is uniquely positioned to design, develop, and manufacture bespoke tactile devices tailored to specific OEM architectures.

At the same time, we offer scalable, off-the-shelf tactile components that are pre-integrated (both electronically and mechanically) with a wide variety of popular robot end-effectors. We provide volume-based discounts alongside strategic hardware loan and collaboration programs for robotics companies aligned with our vision. Over the past seven years, we have become extremely adept at rapidly building reliable integrations to suit diverse customer requirements.

• What are currently the biggest technological barriers Touchlab is encountering? What does the end game look like, and will we ever digitize our largest organ, the skin?

Our ultimate end game is for Touchlab’s tactile technology to become as ubiquitous as MEMS sensors— integrated into every commercial robot interacting with objects and humans. We envision full "finger-to-toe" tactile coverage powered by specialized edge computing and tactile orchestration software that mirrors the human somatosensory system.

Regarding barriers: the challenge isn't just technical; it's navigating western market adoption timelines for deeply transformative hardware. While digitizing human skin at scale presents manufacturing and durability hurdles, Touchlab can already deliver sensors matching or exceeding human-level spatial resolution, readout frequency, and sensitivity. The real task is packaging this capability into rugged, cost-effective formats ready for mass market deployment.

• How is Touchlab designing the user interface to reduce operator fatigue during long shifts?

We focus on shared autonomy. Rather than forcing a human operator to manually sense and adjust every micro-force vector, our e-skin handles low-level reflexes (like slip prevention) locally on the robot. The human operator directs higher-level tasks, while the robot's tactile system autonomously maintains optimal grip— dramatically reducing both physical strain and cognitive fatigue.

• High-density e-skin generates massive amounts of data. How do you handle bandwidth and network transfer without overloading systems?

High-density sensing does not automatically equal richer functional data, and often comes at the cost of hardware robustness. For our commercial products, we optimize spatial and temporal sensor density specifically for manipulation tasks, keeping data payloads lightweight.

For advanced R&D, we utilize distributed edge computing and are pioneering event-based asynchronous sampling in tactile sensing (similar to event-based vision cameras). Because our e-skin does not rely on heavy image-based data streams, it operates with extremely low latency and modest network bandwidth— making long-distance remote teleoperation surprisingly efficient.

• Because e-skin can identify objects and textures, what protocols protect tactile data security and privacy?

Tactile data on its own does not contain personally identifiable information. However, when integrated with video, audio, and LiDAR streams, multi-modal data security becomes critical.

For example, during our deployment with the Valkky medical robot in a Finnish hospital, all data transferred across hospital networks was strictly encrypted. Identifiable multi-modal data remained entirely on-premises on air-gapped storage devices and was fully anonymized before being processed for research or system analytics.

• E-skin is often seen as a high-end luxury. What is your roadmap for driving down production costs for commercial robotics?

Much like the early days of automobiles, groundbreaking technology often enters the market at a premium before scaling. While Touchlab is capable of producing full human-spec density today, deploying that level of complexity everywhere would make commercial robots cost-prohibitive.

Our strategy focuses on pragmatic engineering: delivering touch sensing tuned precisely to real-world task requirements at an accessible price point. We are actively collaborating with industry bodies to establish standardized performance metrics for tactile data, driving down manufacturing costs and making e-skin a standard baseline for all commercial robotics.

The high-profile murder trial of Lindsay Clancy's has put the condition in the spotlight. Women who have had it call for more research and understanding of a difficult mental illness.

(Image credit: David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe)

This fall, we're asking seniors to send us their stories in audio form. Our judges will pick the best ones and air them on NPR.

Sunflower sea stars are critically endangered in the Pacific Ocean. University of Washington researchers are working with the Samish Indian Nation to bring this 24-armed creature back from the brink of extinction.

(Image credit: Jennifer Adler)

Last month, the UK government announced that plug-in solar panels would become legal to buy from August 27. Now, new planning rules have passed into law that specify exactly where you can — and can't — install them.

Before we get into the details, it's important to understand that these rules apply to "permitted development" – changes you can make to your home without needing to apply planning permission.

If your solar panels don't meet the permitted development rules, you might still be able to install them, but you'll need to apply for planning permission first and pay the relevant fee. A planning officer will then do a survey and determine whether or not you can go ahead.

If you install solar panels without the required permission, you could be fined and forced to take them down. Your local council's website will explain how to apply for permission, while the company supplying your plug-in panels should also be able to offer advice on the process.

"Plug-in solar has the potential to make renewable energy accessible to many more households, but it’s important that consumers have clear information about how and where these systems can be installed," explained a spokesperson for EcoFlow, which specialises in home power stations, solar generators, and panels.

"As a manufacturer, EcoFlow recognises its responsibility to provide customers with the information they need to install and use its products in line with relevant UK requirements, and we will ensure our guidance reflects the regulations in place."

With that in mind, here are three locations where plug-in solar panels aren't allowed without planning permission.

1. On anything wooden

(Image credit: Generated by Google Gemini)

Before you start planning to install solar panels on your balcony, check what it's made from. If you live in a block of flats, plug-in solar systems don't qualify as "permitted development" if the panels or any other part of the system would be installed on a wooden balcony, wall, or any part of the building's exterior that's clad in timber.

If you live in a house, you can't install plug-in solar panels if any part of the system would be mounted on a wooden gate, fence, wall, or other timber surface. This is to avoid the risk of fire.

2. Too high above your roofGenerated with Google Gemini AIGenerated with Google Gemini AI

There are also rules about where you can position solar panels on your roof, similar to those that apply to skylights. If you have a pitched roof (one that slopes downwards), the panels and equipment must not project more than 20cm beyond the roof slope, measured at right angles to it.

If you have a flat roof, the highest part of your solar panels and equipment shouldn't sit any more than 60cm above the highest part of the roof — although this doesn't include your chimney.

There are plenty of practical reasons for limiting how far out your panels project. They could alter the roofline, cast shadows over neighbours' houses, or catch more wind, which would put your roof under extra stress.

3. Sticking out too far from your wallGenerated with Google Gemini AIGenerated with Google Gemini AI

If you're mounting solar equipment on the wall of your house, it shouldn't project more than 40cm when measured perpendicular to the outside of the wall.

The rules are stricter if your house is located right next to a highway. If your home is right beside a highway, your solar equipment must not protrude more than 20cm from the wall. In planning terms, the word "highway" means any route that people can use to pass through, whether on foot, by bike, on horseback or in a vehicle. This includes roads, footpaths, bridleways and cycle paths.

If you live an a conservation area, or a World Heritage Site, you shouldn't have solar panels on walls next to highways at all without planning permission.

Where to get advice

There are also other factors to consider before installing a plug-in solar setup. For example, if you rent your home, you'll need permission from your landlord. And if you live in a flat, you might also need permission from the building's management company.

"Planning requirements can also depend on the individual property and how and where panels are installed," says EcoFlow's spokesperson. "We would therefore encourage customers to follow the guidance provided with their system, check the latest government and local planning requirements, and contact their local planning authority where they are unsure whether planning permission is required."

At EcoFlow, we believe accessibility and safety need to go hand in hand. Making solar available to more households is an important step forward, but it needs to be supported by clear guidance, appropriate regulation, and responsible installation so consumers can adopt the technology with confidence."

Want to make delicious lattes and cappuccinos at home without using a steam wand? You need an electric milk frother — and as TechRadar's resident barista, I've put together the top three I recommend, whether you enjoy plant milk or dairy.

Before we get started, I should note that electric milk frothers and steam wands both have their pros and cons. A manual steam wand works much more quickly than an electric milk frother, and once you've got your eye in, it allows you greater control over the texture of the milk (more creamy for lattes, and 'drier' for a cappuccino, for example).

Electric frothers, however, can usually whip up cold milk foam as well as hot, and make it easy to prepare other drinks including hot chocolate and protein shakes. The inside of an electric milk frother usually has a non-stick coating, making it a breeze to clean. An electric frother is also a great option if you have limited mobility, often featuring just one or two physical buttons that can be operated with one hand. Sounds good? On with the recommendations...

Dreo BaristamakerFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFuture

If you enjoy plant-based milk, the Dreo Baristamaker is the electric milk frother for you. While the other two in this guide are optimized for dairy, the Baristamaker also has settings for soya, almond, coconut, and oat — as well as half-and-half if you want something richer in your coffee.

The base of the unit contains the heating element and motor, and the two whisking attachments are held in position (and spun) using magnets. One attachment looks like your standard milk whisk, while the other has large blades to pull the milk in towards the center, where a mesh screen breaks up large bubbles and turns them into fine foam.

During the foaming process, the Baristamaker will alternate between stirring and foaming, which is intended to create an even texture. It's also the only electric milk frother here whose pitcher has a fine spout, which is essential for creating latte art, though in my tests I found that the foam was less smooth than milk steamed the old-fashioned way, and I couldn't achieve the same results when pouring it.

Nevertheless, for sheer versatility, the Baristamaker is my number one pick if you're looking for an electric milk frother, provided your budget can take the hit. If you're looking for something a little more affordable (or just smaller), read on for two more options.

Read our full Dreo Baristamaker review

Smeg Mini Milk FrotherFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFuture

The Smeg Mini Milk Frother is an ideal companion to the Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg capsule coffee machine, but its clean, minimalist design would look right at home anywhere (particularly since it comes in a wide array of colors, including black, white, and pastels).

Its controls are extremely simple: just one button on the front, which you press once, twice, or three times to choose your preferred setting (hot milk foam, hot milk, or cold milk foam). There are no options for different milk types, and according to Smeg, it's intended to be used with chilled full-fat dairy milk, which it turns into quite a thick foam. I also tried it with barista-style oat and almond milk to see how it compared with the Baristamaker; oat milk produced similar results to dairy, while almond was 'drier' and less creamy.

Whether I used the hot milk or hot milk foam option, the milk was always heated to exactly 140F / 60C, which is optimal for coffee. However, it's a shame the milk vessel doesn't have a fine spout like the Baristamaker; the milk pours cleanly without drips, but the lack of fine control combined with the thick texture means it's impossible to create latte art.

Read our full Smeg Mini Milk Frother review

Future / Max LangridgeFuture / Max LangridgeFuture / Max LangridgeFuture / Max LangridgeFuture / Max LangridgeFuture / Max LangridgePhilips Baristina Milk Frother

This smart-looking electric milk frother is available on its own, or bundled with the Philips Baristina coffee machine — one of my all-time favorite espresso machines. When my colleague Max Langridge tested this frother, he found it "consistently produces thick milk foam, whether hot or cold", but as with all the devices we've tried, the foam it produces tends to be on the stiffer side and not ideal for pouring latte art.

Unlike the other frothers here, the Baristina doesn't use a heating element underneath the pitcher to heat your milk. Instead, it has a heated coil, which needs to be removed first if you want your milk cold. There's no audible beep to tell you that your milk is ready, but there is an LED indicator, and at just 40dB the while heating and whisking process is very quiet.

There are no options for tweaking the texture of your finished froth, but unlike the Smeg Mini Milk Frother above, Philips says that the Baristina frother is designed to be used with all types of milk — plant and dairy. However, Max noticed that whatever type of milk he used, the foam was always on the thicker side, and like the Smeg frother, there's no spout for pouring patterns onto your coffee.

If you're considering the Baristina coffee maker and milk frother bundle, you should also be aware that Philips has recently launched the Baristina Latte, which bundles both into one compact package. I've not had the opportunity to test it yet, but I have high expectations.

Read our full Philips Baristina Milk Frother review

I've been intrigued by AI photo editors for a while now. Some work well, some not so well. Photoroom falls into the former camp. By and large, I found the AI tools to be very impressive and intuitive to use. There are some caveats to that which I'll get into, but overall, Photoroom delivered what it promises.

But what does it promise, exactly? Now, compared to a lot of AI photo editors, things here are a little different. This isn't a platform for touching up your holiday snaps or brightening up social media posts.

The emphasis here is on business use. Effectively, if you run an online store or similar, then you use Photoroom to transform staid, dull product shots into more enticing and engaging imagery that pops off the page.

Keen to see how it's developed since we last reviewed it three years ago - AI has come a long way since then - I tried out the platform to see what I could create.

Photoroom: Pricing & plans

• Online service via browser, iOS and Android app
• Aimed at businesses large and small
• Reasonably priced subscriptions and free trial

You can check out Photoroom by clicking here.

The platform is available online through a dedicated app for your iPhone or Android phone, or if you’re working on a computer, via your favourite web browser. Unlike many I've tested, you're not restricted to either Chrome or Edge here.

As with any online service, you need to subscribe to it to use it with a monthly cost billed annually. Photoroom comes in three tiers.

‘Pro', recommended for ‘solopreneurs’, will cost you $13 per month, billed annually. This level grants you 4,250 AI credits monthly, allows you to perform 1,000 exports, and comes with Photoroom’s standard set of tools.

The middle tier is ‘Max’ and is designed for small businesses. For $35 a month (again, billed annually - all tiers are), your credits are upped to 12,000, your exports to 3,000, and the advanced ‘Video Generator’ tool is now available.

Finally, there’s 'Ultra', for “growing brands”. You’re given 20,000 AI credits,10,000 exports, and can create videos and images in 4K, all for $100 a month.

If you’re looking for a more bespoke option, there’s a tailor-made Enterprise tier, with a tailor-made cost to match.

I recommend checking prices as Photoroom often offer discounts on those standard prices. Plus, you can try any of these tiers free for seven days, although don’t forget to cancel your trial before that should you decide not to carry on with the service and you’re needlessly charged a hefty sum for your forgetfulness.

Photoroom was generous enough to grant me access to their Ultra tier, so let’s see what it’s capable of, and what you can do with all those AI credits.

• Pricing & plans: 4 / 5

Photoroom: Interface

(Image credit: Future)

• Simple, well designed, and clear interface
• Easy ways to import images and work on them
• For an online service, I was impressed

The interface is simple and well organised. Once you’ve logged in to your account, you’ll find a sidebar to the left which contains various tools you need.

Thiss includes all the AI tools in your arsenal, templates, a direct link to your Shopify account if you have one, a batch tool so you can work on up to 250 images at once, a Brand Kit where you keep all your assets, and a Design section where your products’ photos are stored.

All the AI tools, which are essentially all your editing tools, are easy to use: you select one, upload a new photo or select one already in your account, apply the effect and you’re done.

There is one thing that I found surprising: Photoroom supports HEIC, the High Efficiency Image Container. It’s a highly compressed image format that’s been around since 2015 and has been increasingly prevalent since Apple made it the default image format for their iPhones in 2017.

The reason I make a point of mentioning this is because far too many services still do not support it, forcing any image or photo saved as an HEIC to be converted into either a JPEG or PNG prior to import. There is no such issue here, saving you time and frustration.

• Interface: 4.5 / 5

Photoroom: Tools

(Image credit: Future)

• On the whole, the AI tools do an absolutely excellent job
• Impressive ways to transform passable shots into something potential customers will love
• But... not all tools are created equal

Such a service succeeds on the strength of its tools, and Photoroom iss betting the farm on AI for this. But AI is a very generic term these days. Is it really artificial intelligence to remove an image’s background?

I’d put it more in the “complex algorithm does a very good job with what it’s given” category. Same with removing objects or people from a photograph and replacing it with an artificially generated background that blends with the existing one.

Such tools already existed before “AI” became an all-encompassing marketing brand. Or, taking inspiration from Monty Python's The Life of Brian, “it’s not AI, it’s a very clever tool”.

But whether it’s AI or not is less important than how these tools fare: I found the achieved results to be excellent. More often than not in apps like Photoshop or Pixelmator Pro, I end up having to touch up the output of similar tools, but here, it was essentially a one-click wonder.

Tools that really impressed me were definitely more AI based. Say you want to sell a shirt, which you’ve photographed on a surface, with as few wrinkles as you can manage… except you know how it is: such layouts are never really good enough.

(Image credit: Future)

Well fret no more: Photoroom has a tool that digitally irons your shirt for you, transforming your amateurish-looking photo into a meticulously smooth out product. Couple that with the background remover tool, and you’re well on your way to have a professional looking photograph.

But why stop there? Photoroom has a bunch of AI-generated models who can wear your outfit for you. There’s even what they call a ‘ghost mannequin’ to puff up your shirt so customers can see what it would look like on someone, without being distracted by an actual (or virtual) person wearing it.

I found all this pretty incredible, and that’s just scratching the surface. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows though: for instance, Photoroom has a Video Generator.

Select a photo, browse through all available templates, maybe even type in a prompt if you need, and the AI will get to work… this is where I encountered the familiar “AI tries way too hard yet fails miserably” syndrome.

Some templates removed my test products from the usual confines of physical reality, sometimes in a most disturbing way. Or they just didn’t work at all as expected. I trust the team working hard on this aspect of the service (what I was able to use bore no relation to their intro video about it, so things are moving fast in this arena), but for now, maybe stick with still images, where the results are truly impressive.

Photoroom: AI credits

(Image credit: Future)

• Set number of monthly credits, so use them wisely
• Many common AI tools don't cost any credits at all
• However, sometimes, the requested action won’t work, so try, try again

As you’d expect, most AI tools will cost you credits. A video generation goes for 500 (money not well spent for now), Exporting an image at 2K or 4K will cost you 135 and 240 credits respectively, adding an AI background to an image is worth 5 credits, and so forth.

Thankfully though, some tools you’ll use most often, like removing the background of a shot, retouching a photo or performing some image enhancements won’t cost you a thing (beyond your subscription).

You’ll just have to balance what you are given each month with what you hope to achieve in that time period, with the relief that when an action doesn’t work, you won’t have lost any credits - yes, sometimes an error occurs.

However, I found that if I request the same action again - and again - it finally does what I asked it to. Teething problems, I’m sure, and at least it does work impressively well eventually.

Should I buy Photoroom? FutureFutureFutureBuy it if...

You’re looking to sell a ton of product and want the images advertising your wares to look their best, using a service that is well designed, and is easy to use (when it works)

Don't buy it if...

You don’t want to encourage the proliferation of AI, know your way around Photoshop anyway, and can’t justify yet another subscription, no matter how great some effects are.

How I tested Photoroom

I tested this service on my trusty Apple MacBook Pro. Generally I do my best to check how software works on a variety of devices, both Macs and PCs and portable devices, when needed.

But as this was an online service, whose tools are dependent on servers the main bottleneck would be my fibre connection. I experienced no issues on that score.

Everything was extremely responsive. The free tools were nearly instantaneous, and depending on the complexity of what I was asking the AI to do, it took gradually longer.

Video creation took the longest amount of time, clocking in at around 4 minutes for me. Still, that didn't feel like a long time, when I got it working.

For more creative tools, we tested the best photo editors.

I've been intrigued by AI photo editors for a while now. Some work well, some not so well. Photoroom falls into the former camp. By and large, I found the AI tools to be very impressive and intuitive to use. There are some caveats to that which I'll get into, but overall, Photoroom delivered what it promises.

But what does it promise, exactly? Now, compared to a lot of AI photo editors, things here are a little different. This isn't a platform for touching up your holiday snaps or brightening up social media posts.

The emphasis here is on business use. Effectively, if you run an online store or similar, then you use Photoroom to transform staid, dull product shots into more enticing and engaging imagery that pops off the page.

Keen to see how it's developed since we last reviewed it three years ago - AI has come a long way since then - I tried out the platform to see what I could create.

Photoroom: Pricing & plans

• Online service via browser, iOS and Android app
• Aimed at businesses large and small
• Reasonably priced subscriptions and free trial

You can check out Photoroom by clicking here.

The platform is available online through a dedicated app for your iPhone or Android phone, or if you’re working on a computer, via your favourite web browser. Unlike many I've tested, you're not restricted to either Chrome or Edge here.

As with any online service, you need to subscribe to it to use it with a monthly cost billed annually. Photoroom comes in three tiers.

‘Pro', recommended for ‘solopreneurs’, will cost you $13 per month, billed annually. This level grants you 4,250 AI credits monthly, allows you to perform 1,000 exports, and comes with Photoroom’s standard set of tools.

The middle tier is ‘Max’ and is designed for small businesses. For $35 a month (again, billed annually - all tiers are), your credits are upped to 12,000, your exports to 3,000, and the advanced ‘Video Generator’ tool is now available.

Finally, there’s 'Ultra', for “growing brands”. You’re given 20,000 AI credits,10,000 exports, and can create videos and images in 4K, all for $100 a month.

If you’re looking for a more bespoke option, there’s a tailor-made Enterprise tier, with a tailor-made cost to match.

I recommend checking prices as Photoroom often offer discounts on those standard prices. Plus, you can try any of these tiers free for seven days, although don’t forget to cancel your trial before that should you decide not to carry on with the service and you’re needlessly charged a hefty sum for your forgetfulness.

Photoroom was generous enough to grant me access to their Ultra tier, so let’s see what it’s capable of, and what you can do with all those AI credits.

• Pricing & plans: 4 / 5

Photoroom: Interface

(Image credit: Future)

• Simple, well designed, and clear interface
• Easy ways to import images and work on them
• For an online service, I was impressed

The interface is simple and well organised. Once you’ve logged in to your account, you’ll find a sidebar to the left which contains various tools you need.

Thiss includes all the AI tools in your arsenal, templates, a direct link to your Shopify account if you have one, a batch tool so you can work on up to 250 images at once, a Brand Kit where you keep all your assets, and a Design section where your products’ photos are stored.

All the AI tools, which are essentially all your editing tools, are easy to use: you select one, upload a new photo or select one already in your account, apply the effect and you’re done.

There is one thing that I found surprising: Photoroom supports HEIC, the High Efficiency Image Container. It’s a highly compressed image format that’s been around since 2015 and has been increasingly prevalent since Apple made it the default image format for their iPhones in 2017.

The reason I make a point of mentioning this is because far too many services still do not support it, forcing any image or photo saved as an HEIC to be converted into either a JPEG or PNG prior to import. There is no such issue here, saving you time and frustration.

• Interface: 4.5 / 5

Photoroom: Tools

(Image credit: Future)

• On the whole, the AI tools do an absolutely excellent job
• Impressive ways to transform passable shots into something potential customers will love
• But... not all tools are created equal

Such a service succeeds on the strength of its tools, and Photoroom iss betting the farm on AI for this. But AI is a very generic term these days. Is it really artificial intelligence to remove an image’s background?

I’d put it more in the “complex algorithm does a very good job with what it’s given” category. Same with removing objects or people from a photograph and replacing it with an artificially generated background that blends with the existing one.

Such tools already existed before “AI” became an all-encompassing marketing brand. Or, taking inspiration from Monty Python's The Life of Brian, “it’s not AI, it’s a very clever tool”.

But whether it’s AI or not is less important than how these tools fare: I found the achieved results to be excellent. More often than not in apps like Photoshop or Pixelmator Pro, I end up having to touch up the output of similar tools, but here, it was essentially a one-click wonder.

Tools that really impressed me were definitely more AI based. Say you want to sell a shirt, which you’ve photographed on a surface, with as few wrinkles as you can manage… except you know how it is: such layouts are never really good enough.

(Image credit: Future)

Well fret no more: Photoroom has a tool that digitally irons your shirt for you, transforming your amateurish-looking photo into a meticulously smooth out product. Couple that with the background remover tool, and you’re well on your way to have a professional looking photograph.

But why stop there? Photoroom has a bunch of AI-generated models who can wear your outfit for you. There’s even what they call a ‘ghost mannequin’ to puff up your shirt so customers can see what it would look like on someone, without being distracted by an actual (or virtual) person wearing it.

I found all this pretty incredible, and that’s just scratching the surface. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows though: for instance, Photoroom has a Video Generator.

Select a photo, browse through all available templates, maybe even type in a prompt if you need, and the AI will get to work… this is where I encountered the familiar “AI tries way too hard yet fails miserably” syndrome.

Some templates removed my test products from the usual confines of physical reality, sometimes in a most disturbing way. Or they just didn’t work at all as expected. I trust the team working hard on this aspect of the service (what I was able to use bore no relation to their intro video about it, so things are moving fast in this arena), but for now, maybe stick with still images, where the results are truly impressive.

Photoroom: AI credits

(Image credit: Future)

• Set number of monthly credits, so use them wisely
• Many common AI tools don't cost any credits at all
• However, sometimes, the requested action won’t work, so try, try again

As you’d expect, most AI tools will cost you credits. A video generation goes for 500 (money not well spent for now), Exporting an image at 2K or 4K will cost you 135 and 240 credits respectively, adding an AI background to an image is worth 5 credits, and so forth.

Thankfully though, some tools you’ll use most often, like removing the background of a shot, retouching a photo or performing some image enhancements won’t cost you a thing (beyond your subscription).

You’ll just have to balance what you are given each month with what you hope to achieve in that time period, with the relief that when an action doesn’t work, you won’t have lost any credits - yes, sometimes an error occurs.

However, I found that if I request the same action again - and again - it finally does what I asked it to. Teething problems, I’m sure, and at least it does work impressively well eventually.

Should I buy Photoroom? FutureFutureFutureBuy it if...

You’re looking to sell a ton of product and want the images advertising your wares to look their best, using a service that is well designed, and is easy to use (when it works)

Don't buy it if...

You don’t want to encourage the proliferation of AI, know your way around Photoshop anyway, and can’t justify yet another subscription, no matter how great some effects are.

How I tested Photoroom

I tested this service on my trusty Apple MacBook Pro. Generally I do my best to check how software works on a variety of devices, both Macs and PCs and portable devices, when needed.

But as this was an online service, whose tools are dependent on servers the main bottleneck would be my fibre connection. I experienced no issues on that score.

Everything was extremely responsive. The free tools were nearly instantaneous, and depending on the complexity of what I was asking the AI to do, it took gradually longer.

Video creation took the longest amount of time, clocking in at around 4 minutes for me. Still, that didn't feel like a long time, when I got it working.

For more creative tools, we tested the best photo editors.

A handheld electric fan makes a huge difference during summer heatwaves, but there's no need to stash it away in a drawer when the weather cools down. Whether you need an ad-hoc hair styler or a quick way to cool your kids' dinner without blowing on it, your mini fan can be your best friend.

Great fans don't have to be expensive, either. I recently tested five portable fans from across the price spectrum, and the most expensive model was outranked by a humble model costing a fifth of the price.

1. Drying your hair

When reviewing the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool Fan, I noted that "even on the lowest setting, you can really feel it; dial it up to maximum and it’s as powerful as some hairdryers I’ve used" — and it seems some fan-owners follow that thought to its natural conclusion, using their portable coolers to help dry and style their locks without heat — though it might not yield particularly sleek results.

"Drying my hair on electric fan sounds less damaging than blow drying it," said one user in Reddit's haircare community. "My genuine question is: does it contribute to the frizziness of my hair?"

According to experts, cool air from a fan might do exactly that. We recently interviewed Dr Julie Chung, CEO and founder of haircare brand T3, who suggested that heat styling can be a better choice for the health of your hair.

The Dyson HushJet Mini Cool Fan is powerful, but one of the company's hair dryers would be a much better choice for styling your locks (Image credit: Dyson)

"Heat in general has been sort of demonized incorrectly," she tells told us. "Women always think, 'Oh heat is terrible for my hair, I'm just gonna let it air dry, I'm gonna shower and just sleep on it.' Hair is actually in its most fragile state when it's wet. It tends to be much easier to break — that tensile strength is decreased and it's more likely to snap.

"And not to mention when you air-dry your hair, usually the hair is very frizzy and it tends to look even unhealthier if your hair is already in a dried out state."

2. Drying laundry

Portable fans are particularly popular in Singapore, where the hot and humid summers make them a necessity for daily life, so it's no surprise that members of the Ask Singapore community on Reddit have some particularly creative ideas.

One inventive traveler explained that they use their portable fan to dry small items of laundry, which could be a helpful hack when you're on a long vacation and don't have enough socks to last the whole trip.

Just don't try washing your underwear in the hotel coffee machine. The bathroom sink will do just fine.

3. Drying nail polish

You can buy electric fans specifically designed for drying nail polish, which can cost up to $70 / £50 / AU$100, so it makes sense to save your cash that instead to finish your manicure in record time.

"Whether you're at a salon or home, cold air from a fan or blow dryer will help the polish harden faster," Sarah Gibson Tuttle, founder of nail products company Olive & June, told beauty site Byrdie in an interview.

Rather than blowing on your nail polish to dry it, some professionals suggest using a small fan for quick results (Image credit: Getty Images, Christine Schneider)

However, opinion seems to be divided on whether this actually helps, or if it's more likely to spoil the finish of your polish.

"[Many] people use fans or blow dryers to speed up the drying process, and while it works by evaporating the solvents faster, you can run into bubbles forming in the polish," said professional nail artist Amy Oung.

Perhaps give it a try and see what you think. Of course, this will only work on regular nail polish — gel polish needs to be cured with a UV light.

4. Cooling hot food

Many handheld fans have stands or folding stems that allow them to double as desk fans, which can be a handy tool for parents.

"My handheld fan can prop on the table," one parent said. "Very useful for when the food is too hot for my kid to eat but [I'm too lazy to] blow. I just blast the fan at it for few seconds."

Not as cute as the cat-shaped drink-cooling robot Nékojita FuFu, which we saw at last year's IFA show in Berlin, perhaps, but certainly more affordable.

Nékojita FuFu is a cute plastic cat that cools food and drinks by blowing on them, but a portable fan will get the job done too (Image credit: Yukai Engineering)5. Fidgeting

Fans aren't just for purely practical purposes — they can also provide something to occupy restless hands. One fan-owning Singaporean Redditor said they originally "Bought it for survival, kept it for emotional support."

"I use it waiting for buses, walking between MRT exits, in crowded lifts, and weirdly… when I’m anxious or bored," they explained. "It’s basically a socially acceptable fidget spinner at this point."

Do you use your fan for something other than keeping cool and comfortable? Let us know using the poll below, or in the comments.

OnePlus Nord CE5 review: two-minute review

The OnePlus Nord CE5 is an affordable yet premium-feeling handset that punches way above its weight. Although its successor, the CE6, has launched in some markets, OnePlus has confirmed that it and future handsets will no longer sell in the UK. So, in lieu of a newer version, is the CE5 still worth your consideration?

The OnePlus Nord CE5’s design certainly doesn’t make it look bargain basement, but it doesn’t feel super luxe either. While it’s pleasantly tactile under your fingertips, there’s no confusing its plastic edges for metal, and I’m not totally bowled over by the pearlescent effect on the Marble Mist colorway. However, I will grant that it feels solidly made and its vertical camera module looks pretty neat when so many handsets’ lenses look like they’ve been grafted on by Dr. Frankenstein.

Although it’s not a total knockout, the Nord CE5’s display definitely packs a punch given its price. Colors are bold and vivid, making the nature documentaries I was watching seriously pop. Its 387PPI display showed off most images in crisp detail, even if it wasn’t as pin sharp as some of the best phones. On the flip side, whites run a little bit blue for my liking, and the display is not quite bright enough to make up for how reflective its screen is. Still, there was plenty about the screen that dazzled me, figuratively at least.

Under the hood, the Nord CE5 runs the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Apex chipset. That’s not a current-gen SoC by any means, but I still got great productivity performance out of it. Not only was I able to have myriad apps open, but I also ran Google Docs and a streaming app in split-screen with no noticeable slowdown.

Gaming performance was also pretty stable. Playing lengthy sessions of both Call of Duty: Mobile and Genshin Impact, the Nord CE5 ran very smoothly and showed no hint of lag or jitter. Cranking the graphics settings up to their highest on Genshin Impact did throw up a warning that I was overclocking the CPU, though, so while performance remained stable, you might not want to run things that high. On the plus side, the Nord CE5 didn’t experience all that much warming during this, thanks to its CryoVelocity graphene vapor chamber.

Based on Android 15, the OxygenOS 15.0 that the Nord CE5 runs on is nice and agile. Multitasking is easy thanks to its split-screen mode and there are great shortcuts on offer, like screen-off gestures that let you open the camera or switch on the flashlight by tracing an O or V on the display. On the whole, its AI tools are unobtrusive yet helpful, and OnePlus offers a full six years of software updates. The only thing I don’t love here is the bloat that comes pre-installed — seriously, phone makers, can you stop foisting Temu on me?

For a phone in this price range, the Nord CE5 also offers a very decent camera. Whether I was popping off shots of brilliant yellow roses or the deep blue sky reflected in a river, colors felt vibrant and its HDR performance rendered textures like stonework with a nice depth. Admittedly, its smaller 1/1.95 inch sensor can’t quite rival flagship phones in terms of sheer detail, but it still captured textures and details with real precision. And even though I’d personally prefer at least a 3x lens in my camera, the 2x zoom conveyed excellent detail without showing any distortions or aberrations.

In my book, though, by far the Nord CE5’s strongest feature is its battery. OnePlus has managed to eke more than 20 hours of life out of its 5,200mAh battery, meaning it can happily outlast many of the flagship phones we’ve reviewed in recent times. Not only that, but during my testing I found its 80W SUPERVOOC charging could comfortably juice it up from 0% to 100% in just 59 minutes, which is blisteringly fast.

All in all, the Nord CE5 is a solid, if unexceptional, phone… until you consider its price point. Considering a list price that starts at £299, there are many areas it pulls ahead of similarly priced rivals, while in some areas — chiefly battery life — it can honestly give flagships a run for their money. Ultimately, if your intended spend sits on the border between budget and mid-range phone, the Nord CE5 has plenty of highlights and few enough deficits to make it a worthy investment.

OnePlus Nord CE5 review: Specs

Dimensions

6.44 x 2.99 x 0.32 inches / 163.6 x 76.0 x 8.2mm

Weight

199g

Screen

6.77-inch Fluid AMOLED

Resolution

2392 x 1080 pixels (FHD+, ~387 ppi)

Refresh rate

120Hz

Chipset

MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Apex

RAM

8GB / 12GB (LPDDR5X)

Storage

128GB / 256GB (UFS 3.1, expandable via MicroSD up to 1TB)

OS

OxygenOS 15.0 based on Android 15

Rear cameras

50 MP main (f/1.8, OIS, Sony LYT-600) + 8 MP ultra-wide (f/2.2, 112° FOV)

Front camera

16 MP (f/2.4)

Battery

5,200mAh

Charging

80W SUPERVOOC wired

OnePlus Nord CE5 review: Price and availability

• Launched on July 8, 2025
• List price of £299 for 128GB storage or £349 for 256GB
• Succeeded by the Nord CE6 — but that’s not available in the UK

Having launched on July 8, 2025, the OnePlus Nord CE5 is currently available in the UK. While it has technically been supplanted by the OnePlus Nord CE6, released on May 8, 2026, the latter isn't sold in the UK and, with no launch rumored, is unlikely to make it here at all. So that means the Nord CE5 is still the budget OnePlus to aim for if you’re a Brit.

When it comes to cost, the Nord CE5 retails for a list price of £299 for the model with 128GB of storage or £349 for 256GB. That means it leans slightly more toward budget territory than mid-range. You can choose from one of two colorways for that spend, either the minimal Black Infinity version or the iridescent Marble Mist I’ve tested here.

(Image credit: Future)OnePlus Nord CE5 review: design

• Solid, robust-feeling design
• Easy to hold one-handed
• Personally not keen on marble colorway

Overall, I like the build of the OnePlus Nord CE5. While it doesn’t quite feel as premium as more expensive phones — that lightweight plastic trim around its edge can’t compete with my iPhone 16 Pro’s titanium, for example — that flat design still feels comfortable in your hand.

Measuring 6.44 x 2.99 inches / 163.58 x 76.02mm, the Nord CE5 is slightly taller and less broad than some of its affordable rivals, making it easy to hold in one hand — although you might need your second hand to reach the very top of the screen. But, at 0.33 inches / 8.27mm, and 0.32 inches / 8.17mm deep for the Marble Mist / Black Infinity versions respectively, it’s not the thinnest device on the market, with only a few handsets like the Nothing Phone (4a), iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max being thicker.

As I’ve mentioned above, the Nord CE5 comes in two colorways: Black Infinity and Marble Mist. Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of the pearlescent marble effect — while it sounds premium, in reality it looks a touch gaudy to me. On the plus side, its matte finish feels wonderfully smooth, with just enough of a grain to remain tactile.

Perhaps unsurprisingly given the budget price, its design is pretty minimal elsewhere. But that’s actually something of a relief, given how crowded some flagship phones can now feel with their full-width camera modules and bunches of bonus buttons. The Nord CE5’s vertically aligned dual-lens camera module looks neat and nicely self-contained, while it only has a lock button and volume rocker adorning one edge, making it feel lean and sparing.

• Design score: 3.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)OnePlus Nord CE5 review: display

• Vibrant, satisfying colors
• Solid resolution, albeit not flagship sharp
• Lacking in brightness

Measuring 6.77 inches, the OnePlus Nord CE5’s screen is more expansive than that of many flagships. It outstrips the iPhone 17 Pro and Samsung Galaxy 26+ at 6.3 and 6.7 inches respectively, although it’s not quite as extensive as phones like the 6.83-inch Nothing Phone (4a) Pro or the 6.9-inch iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy 26 Ultra.

OnePlus has shared 2392 x 1080 pixels across that display, giving the Nord CE5 a pixel density of 387PPI. Keen to see how that stacks up in practice, I streamed Planet Earth II in 1080p on the Nord CE5 side-by-side with my 460PPI iPhone 16 Pro. During a scene involving a pride of lionesses on the savannah grappling with an African buffalo, the Nord CE5 felt just a tiny bit less crisp, with the drops and spray of water being cast up not feeling quite as sharp as on my premium phone. Most images still look pretty crisp though, even if they’re not quite up to flagship standard.

On paper, the OnePlus Nord CE5 offers 1430 nits peak brightness and a typical brightness of 800 nits. Unfortunately, its display didn’t exactly feel dazzlingly bright to me. Some scenes felt like their white level was a bit too low; for example, the canopy of a jungle looked thicker and more oppressive than it did on other screens. And the whites that are there are a little too cold for my liking, with the white highlights of exposed tree bark looking a little on the blue side.

This isn’t helped by the fact that the Nord CE5’s display is quite reflective. While most phones reflect the lighting in the TechRadar testing labs — they're huge fluorescent ceiling panels — the OnePlus’s display seems to mirror many other objects in the room as well. Without the extra brightness that more expensive models are capable of, it can’t quite overcome local sources of light.

That’s a shame because the Nord CE5’s color fidelity is pretty spot on elsewhere. Watching a Wilson’s bird of paradise trying to court a mate, I was impressed with how vibrantly the display rendered its bright blue crown, red back and yellow mantle, not to mention its bright green fluorescent collar. But thanks to that slight paucity of white highlights, it still doesn’t have quite the HDR pop it otherwise could have.

I’ll give the Nord CE5 credit where it’s due though: the display’s max 120Hz refresh rate ensures that everything looks smoother than an Olympic diver slathered in goose fat. Navigating menus and swiping between apps, everything felt wonderfully fluid and never showed even a hint of judder or slowdown. The device can absolutely rival any premium handset here.

• Display score: 3.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)OnePlus Nord CE5 review: Software

• Great gestures and shortcuts built in
• Unobtrusive AI tools
• Quite a lot of bloat

Running OxygenOS 15.0, based on Android 15, the OnePlus Nord CE5 offers a pretty clean software experience with some seriously clever shortcuts built in. I like being able to swipe down with three fingers to take screenshots, while screen-off gestures that allow you to open the camera by tracing an O or switch on the flashlight by tracing a V are a fun touch. I can also see being able to lift the phone to my ear to auto-answer calls or flip it screen-down to mute them as features I’d end up using a lot.

On top of this, the Nord CE5 offers solid productivity features. For example, the smart sidebar allows you to quickly access your most-used apps by swiping from the top-right of the screen. Split View allows you to drag and drop two windows into a split-screen mode — not only does this feel super fluid to do, but you can easily resize each window by dragging the boundary between them.

It’s a little unfortunate then that OnePlus doesn’t seem able to resist the temptation to burden this otherwise lightweight experience with unnecessary bloat. Don’t get me wrong: it’s not the worst offender in this category. But the Nord CE5 still includes loads of apps that really should not be included by default, like AliExpress, Amazon Music or TikTok. Honestly, phone manufacturers: stop doing this.

The AI features on the Nord CE5 certainly aren’t as extreme as a phone like the Honor 600, with its Image to Video and wild VFX tools, but there are some useful tools available for tweaking your photos. Not only can you remove blur and reflections and upscale the quality of your images, but you can also erase those annoying people who walk straight through your shot and swap in a different expression for that one friend who always seems to have their eyes closed.

Overall, AI features are nicely unobtrusive, which is good news for those who are more AI-agnostic. The Google Gemini app comes pre-installed, offering answers, generative text and images. But if you’re not interested in its help, it’s easy to remove from your home and lockscreen, a pleasingly light-touch approach compared to some of the more gung-ho handsets.

Even if it doesn’t have the most cutting-edge advances, you can be sure the Nord CE5 will last you for the long haul. That’s because OnePlus has committed to providing six years of software support for its handset, something that’s definitely appreciated in an era when more of us are trying to eke more longevity out of our handsets, rather than ditch them every year.

All told, the software the Nord CE5 offers here isn’t groundbreaking. But it’s smooth and super-usable. Just please, OnePlus: shed some of that bloat.

• Software score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future)OnePlus Nord CE5 review: performance

• Not the highest power chipset
• But productivity and gaming largely ran smoothly
• Very capable cooling

Given the OnePlus Nord CE5’s affordable price point, you won’t be surprised to hear that it doesn’t pack a top-of-the-range chipset. Don’t get me wrong: its MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Apex SoC isn’t bad, offering roughly similar performance to something like the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, but it doesn't offer as much thrust as many current flagship chips. With 8GB of RAM backing this up, I was expecting decent if unexceptional performance here.

And that’s generally what I found. During day-to-day productivity use, the Nord CE5 seems to run smoothly. Dipping in and out of apps, I never found any delays or witnessed anything hanging, no matter how many I opened. I even tried typing part of this review in split-screen mode while streaming What We Do In The Shadows — admittedly, this was atrocious for helping me focus, but both Google Docs and the video were unfaltering, marching on without a single misstep.

The Nord CE5 has surprisingly good gaming performance, given its budget price too. Playing Call of Duty: Mobile with the high-res texture packs, everything ran smoother than cappuccino foam. I played around eight ranked matches back-to-back and at no point did any judder or lag cause me to lose my kill-streak or stop me hoovering up MVP awards.

Genshin Impact was warier of the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Apex chipset. While I was able to get balanced performance on the Higher graphics setting, switching it up to the Highest setting gave me a warning that I was overclocking the chipset. Despite this, the game still ran without any real issues — it’s possible the game developers were being overcautious, but I’ve obviously not conducted any long-term testing on how this might affect the life of the chip, so I’d urge caution before doing the same.

While some mid-range processors I’ve tested lately have gotten pretty warm during extended play sessions, I’m pleased to say that’s not an issue here. Thanks to its CryoVelocity graphene vapor chamber with a 7041mm² cooling area, the Nord CE5 stayed frosty even with Genshin Impact running at its overclocked settings. So while you might not get flagship-level performance out of the Nord CE5, it packs a pretty decent punch for such a low cost.

• Performance score: 4 / 5

FutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureOnePlus Nord CE5 review: camera

• Lush, vibrant colors
• Pro camera mode built-in
• Only offers 2x optical zoom

For the price, I was expecting the OnePlus Nord CE5’s camera to feel limited, but it’s actually relatively talented. First off, it’s capable of some bold, punchy HDR. One shot I snapped nearing the golden hour of a stone urn on a pedestal showed really deep blacks, while the highlights were warm enough to feel true-to-life.

Thanks to its 50MP resolution main lens, the OnePlus Nord CE5 is capable of crisp resolution, although its 1/1.95 inch sensor can't keep up with those offered by flagships. Zooming into a shot I took of a bumblebee crawling over a thistle, its detail was pleasingly crisp and kept everything wonderfully sharp. But, by comparison, my iPhone 16 Pro picked up every speck of pollen on its fuzzy coat in sharp detail and captured the sun reflected in its glossy black eye.

Colors are also captured with a real vibrance, the petals of a rose rendered in a wonderfully rich pink, for example. Naturally, you can’t expect top-tier chromatic performance here — my iPhone conveyed more range between darker and lighter tones and gave the dappling of each petal more pop. But the Nord CE5 still records delightfully lush hues and at least avoids the shortcut some brands take of oversaturating certain shades to artificially make images seem more vivid.

FutureFutureFuture

When taking photos close up, the OnePlus has a much shallower depth of field compared to some phones I’ve used. While that’s useful for creating a wonderful depth effect in your images, it does mean the Nord CE5 sometimes struggles to keep the whole subject in focus — some of the petals of a purple coneflower I shot looked slightly less crisp than on my iPhone, for example. Having said that, I actually quite like its bokeh, which feels much more Gaussian and subtle compared to phones that tend to make their bokeh too sharp and ‘swirly’.

While there are some decent Pro camera apps out there that unlock more granular control over your phone’s snapper, I love that OnePlus has already parceled this up in the Nord CE5’s native camera app. Using the Pro setting, I was able to tweak the camera’s ISO and shutter speed, as well as its white balance. For me though, the most invaluable setting is the manual lens’s focus, although this is far harder to set accurately on a phone screen than a DSLR viewfinder, so I do wish OnePlus had created a shortcut for zooming in on the screen while tweaking the focal range.

Night photography on the Nord CE5 is also generally strong. Taking shots at my favorite riverside pub at dusk, it struck a good balance between light and dark, with bright highlights not feeling overblown without compromising the shadows. Occasionally, faces could look a little soft around the edges, but that may have just been my subject not remaining as still as they could have. And at least the phone avoids overexposing night-time images — I’m not Truffaut, so I have no desire to shoot day for night or vice versa.

One area where I’d say the Nord CE5 falls further short of more premium phones is the zoom lenses. While the phone has a decent 2x optical zoom, it did make me realize how dependent I’ve become on my phone’s 5x optical zoom. On the plus side, the Nord CE5’s zoom lenses are crisp and distortion-free — the shots I snapped of flapping sky rats pigeons near a local river rendered their wings in decent detail.

All things considered, the Nord CE5’s camera is very good. Not only is using it an uncluttered experience, but its shots feel a lot truer to life than some of the flashier cams on other mid-market phones.

• Camera score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future)OnePlus Nord CE5 review: battery

• Lengthy 20-hour battery life
• 80W charging fills battery in an hour

OnePlus generally packages outstanding batteries with its handsets, and the Nord CE5 is no exception. The brand suggests you should get several days of normal usage out of the CE5’s 5200mAh battery before needing to charge it.

Eager to put these claims to the test, I set the phone to stream a 2K video at 50% brightness on a loop — after 6 hours it had dropped to 71%, so I’d expect it to last roughly 20 hours and 40 minutes total. Not only does that mean OnePlus’s estimates are pretty on the money, but it also means the Nord CE5 comfortably outlasts many of the best phones on the market, whether premium options like the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra or budget bangers like Google Pixel 10a.

But where the OnePlus Nord CE5 really leaves all competition eating its dust is charging. Thanks to OnePlus’s 80W SUPERVOOC charging, topping up this handset feels faster than a pitstop fuel change — hooking it up to a cable and brick rated for up to 100W, it took around 59 minutes to go from 0% to 100%. While that’s not quite as ludicrous as the OnePlus 15’s blistering 120W charging, it still means you could juice it back up in the time it took you to scarf down your lunchtime bagel and boba tea.

So if your biggest priority in a budget phone is that it can last alongside you on your busiest days, the OnePlus Nord CE5 has definitely got you covered.

• Battery score: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the OnePlus Nord CE5?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Solid, well-built design, narrow aspect ratio makes it easy to grasp in the hand. Not the biggest fan of the faux marble colorway though.

3.5 / 5

Display

Expansive 6.77-inch display, rich colors, super-smooth 120Hz refresh rate, strong resolution even if it falls a little short of flagships, 1430-nit peak didn’t feel that bright, especially given how reflective the screen could be.

3.5 / 5

Software

Smooth agile OS, great screen-off gestures and raise-to-answer functionality, solid productivity tools, discreet AI tools, six years of software support, annoying unnecessary bloatware.

4 / 5

Performance

Chipset not top of the range but fares well, never witnessed any lag during productivity tasks and split-screening, games ran smoothly although running the highest graphics settings forced me to overclock the SoC, stayed cool during heavy loads.

4 / 5

Cameras

Striking hues, strong contrast, good resolution that falls just a little short of flagships, surprisingly good low-light performance, soft subtle bokeh, only offers up to a 2x zoom.

4 / 5

Battery life

Lengthy 20-hour battery, can charge from 0% to 100% in just 59 minutes.

5 / 5

Value

While the Nord CE5 isn’t perfect, it offers quality that rivals many mid-market phones. And when you factor in its starting price of £299, that’s a whole heap of quality for not much cash.

5 / 5

Buy it if…

You need a battery that will go the distance
If you never want to get blindsided by an empty battery, the Nord CE5 has you covered. Not only should its 5,200mAh battery last you around 20 hours, but you can fully charge it in just one hour via its 80W SUPERVOOC.

You want a solid camera for a cheap price
Having tested a few mid-range phones whose cameras cut corners or overprocessed images, the Nord CE5’s camera is a breath of fresh air, focusing on getting the fundamentals right.

Don’t buy it if…

You’re after a top-tier gaming phone
If you like some casual gaming, the Nord CE5 will still deliver rock-solid stability. But if you want to play on the highest graphic settings, a higher-spec phone might be a better shout.

You want it to look bold even in daylight
Not only is the Nord CE5’s screen a little too shiny, it also can’t quite rival flagships when it comes to outdoor peak brightness. So if you want a phone that will outshine the midday sun, maybe look elsewhere.

OnePlus Nord CE5 review: also consider

OnePlus Nord CE5

RedMagic 10 Air

OnePlus 15

Dimensions

6.44 x 2.99 x 0.32 inches / 163.6 x 76.0 x 8.2mm

6.47 x 3.02 x 0.31 inches / 164.3 x 76.6 x 7.9mm

6.35 x 3.02 x 0.32 inches / 161.4 x 76.7 x 8.1mm

Weight

7.02 oz / 199g

7.23 oz / 205g

7.44 oz / 211g

Screen

6.77-inch Fluid AMOLED

6.8-inch AMOLED

6.78-inch LTPO OLED

Resolution

2392 x 1080 pixels (FHD+, ~387 ppi)

2480 x 1116 pixels (~400 ppi)

2772 x 1272 pixels (~450 ppi)

Refresh rate

120Hz

120Hz

1-120Hz (165Hz for select games)

Chipset

MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Apex

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

RAM

8GB / 12GB (LPDDR5X)

12GB / 16GB

12GB / 16GB (LPDDR5X)

Storage

128GB / 256GB (UFS 3.1)

256GB / 512GB (UFS 4.0)

256GB / 512GB (UFS 4.1)

OS

OxygenOS 15.0 (Android 15)

Redmagic OS 10 (Android 15)

OxygenOS 16.0 (Android 16)

Rear cameras

50 MP main + 8 MP ultra-wide

50 MP main + 50 MP ultra-wide

50 MP main + 50 MP ultra-wide + 50 MP (3.5x telephoto)

Front camera

16 MP

16 MP (under-display)

32 MP

Battery

5,200 mAh

6,000 mAh

7,300 mAh

Charging

80W SUPERVOOC wired

80W wired

80-100W wired, 50W wireless

RedMagic 10 Air
If you’re looking for a dedicated gaming phone, the RedMagic 10 Air sits right in that sweet spot between solid gaming performance and an affordable price. Costing $499 / £439 / AU$449, it offers the more powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, 12GB or 16GB of RAM and a more capacious 6,000mAh battery to help you get your game on. Read our full RedMagic 10 Air review.

OnePlus 15
Should you have a little more moolah to spend, the OnePlus 15 offers all the things that make the Nord CE5 great, dialed up to flagship levels. Its top-of-the-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset offers staggering performance, its stunningly detailed display is capable of a 450ppi pixel density and can hit refresh rates of 165Hz, while its battery is an enormous 7,300mAh. That’s a great spec given its price starts from $899.99 / £849 (around AU$1,290). Read our full OnePlus 15 review.

How I tested the OnePlus Nord CE5

• Used it over several weeks
• Tested a broad range of features
• Have spent more than 6 years covering phones

I tested the OnePlus Nord CE5 over the course of several weeks. To assess the performance of its display, I watched multiple HDR 4K videos and compared them side-by-side with my iPhone 16 Pro to assess contrast, color and brightness. I tried the camera out in a range of contexts, from shooting flowers with a short focal range to long-distance shots using the zoom.

When weighing up the performance of its chipset, I used the phone for a range of productivity tasks in split-screen mode and played a range of demanding games on their max graphics settings. Finally, to assess battery life, I set the phone to stream a 2K video at 50% brightness for six hours to assess how long it would take to drain the entire battery.

Having covered and reviewed gadgets for more than a decade, I have a lot of experience in this area and have tested a range of phones, tablets and drawing tablets during my time at TechRadar. I’m a keen smartphone photographer, having snapped over 47,000 photos over the last 15 years — a small proportion of which I’d say are actually competently shot — and a reformed smartphone game addict who still periodically falls off the wagon.

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed: July 2026

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Ultimea Poseidon D60 review

Looking to unleash the power of surround sound on your living room without breaking the bank? Then the Ultimea Poseidon D60 surely seems like a tempting proposition. This 5.1 channel system comes with a compact main bar, a small subwoofer, and a couple of surround speakers, enabling you to experience more expansive audio than your TV can provide alone.

Not only that, but the D60 supports Dolby Atmos, has a wide array of connectivity options, and customizable sound. All of that for less than $200 / £200? Seems like a sweet deal.

But is the Ultimea Poseidon D60 actually worth considering? Can it compete with some of the best cheap soundbars around? I spent a few days testing it, and this is my verdict.

First things first, let’s talk setting up. The D60 isn’t especially hard to get up and running. The sub is wireless, and pre-paired to the main soundbar, and both of those units just need to be hooked up with a power cable, as well as an HDMI or digital optical cord for the bar itself. However, the rear speakers are not wireless — you have to connect them up to the subwoofer with RCA cables. Depending on your placement of the sub, this can look pretty messy, and I prefer the solution offered by models like the Majority Bowfell Halo Atmos, where you wire the two surround speakers together with just one linked to a power output.

Otherwise, setup is simple. You can use either the included remote, or Ultimea’s companion app to adjust aspects such as channel levels, EQ settings, source controls and more. The included remote looks and feels a bit cheap and I found that it wasn’t always perfectly responsive, but the D60 does have HDMI CEC support, meaning you can simply use your main TV remote to alter the soundbar’s volume.

More generally, I have to say that the Poseidon D60 does look as cheap as its price suggests. It’s not an eye sore or anything, but each constituent part of the system is very plasticky and does little to stand out in a fairly convoluted market of plain black boxes. The LED display on the bar is also pretty small, and not the clearest.

Something I will applaud about the D60’s design, though, is how diminutive it is. The main bar, sub, and rears are all very small, and can easily fit into a smaller living space. Even in my relatively cramped apartment, the full system seamlessly slotted into my setup and, even if you’re limited on space behind you, the rear speakers can be placed beside the main bar for front surround effects.

(Image credit: Future)

But anyway, you must be wondering how the Ultimea Poseidon D60 performs by now, right? Well, in all honesty, it exceeded my expectations.

I started by throwing on my 4K UHD Blu-ray copy of The Boy and the Heron, and there were some positives right out of the gate. In a scene where the protagonist, Mahito, exits his house, the surround speakers did a great job of conjuring up immersion, with the sounds of birds and crickets chirping coming through with impressive clarity. Shortly after, the heron flew towards me on-screen, and the directionality was captured well — I almost jumped back in my seat.

As the heron swooped to the side, the D60 mapped his movement with precision, and it sounded as if he extended past the confines of my screen. As Mahito and the heron conversed, I found that the dialogue was pretty clean too. It wasn’t the most forward or expertly separated, but I had no issue following along — it didn’t sound muffled or tinny as I’ve experienced on other soundbars.

But after this, I was introduced to the D60’s Achilles’ Heel: its bass output. When a horde of fish and amphibians appeared, exclaiming “JOIN US”, it was meant to be accompanied by an all-consuming, almighty bass roar, but this roar sounded more like a meow. The D60 failed to provide the impact I was looking for, even after I turned the level of the sub up a notch.

I found that bass lacked substance as I tuned into other 4K UHD Blu-rays and Dolby Atmos content on streaming services. While dialogue remained consistently tight, and the rear speakers whipped up surprisingly prominent, well-balanced surround effects, the bass always just felt lacking. Why? Well, the sub is small and limited in terms of power output, meaning it can’t provide the impactful low-end you’d expect from pricier options.

Another area where the D60 struggles to compete with some of its rivals is in its lack of height effects. The main soundbar has no upfiring speakers, so the vertical Atmos effects are hardly the most convincing. If you want to experience more substantial height effects while remaining on a budget, then I’d suggest checking out a model like the Hisense AX5125H.

(Image credit: Future)

As you may expect, the D60 isn’t the most musically talented, with bass sometimes lacking impact, and guitars or vocals in the mid-range feeling short on texture and definition. But most tracks I threw at the soundbar system were clear enough for background listening, and Bluetooth connectivity makes playing tunes from your phone feel pretty seamless.

Speaking of connectivity, the D60 is pretty versatile. Of course there’s Bluetooth and HDMI eARC, but you also get access to digital optical, AUX, and USB playback. That’s a great line-up for a cheap soundbar, though it's worth noting that there’s no Wi-Fi streaming or HDMI input for connecting devices like games consoles or streaming sticks.

Other features include a 10-band equalizer, as well as a vast array of presets in the Ultimea app, and a bass boost mode. The D60 isn’t offering specialized options like room correction, speech enhancement, or a night mode, but the fundamentals are solid overall.

So, at the end of it all, would I recommend the Ultimea Poseidon D60? It’s a complicated one. If you want surround sound on a budget, then it’s certainly a decent solution. You’re not going to get the most amazing Dolby Atmos effects due to the limitations to height effects, and bass isn’t the most impactful. But the rear speakers work surprisingly well, and you get clearer dialogue than a lot of standalone TVs will offer.

If you’re more particular about your sound, then I think it's worth looking elsewhere. If your budget is flexible, I’d suggest checking out the Samsung HW-Q800F or one of its predecessors for seismic bass and incredible expansiveness, although the aforementioned Hisense AX5125H is another amazing surround sound option if you want something cheaper.

(Image credit: Future)Ultimea Poseidon D60 review: price & release date

• Priced at $169.99 / £199.99 (about AU$240)
• Released in September 2023

The Ultimea Poseidon D60 was released in September 2023, and typically costs around $169.99 / £199.99 (about AU$240). This plants it firmly in the budget category when we’re discussing 5.1 channel surround sound systems. It’s available in a single black colorway.

Ultimea Poseidon D60 review: specs

Dimensions

Soundbar: 15.7 x 2.8 x 3.5 inches / 400 x 70 x 90mm; subwoofer: 6.1 x 9.6 x 8.5 inches / 155 x 244 x 215mm; rear speakers 5.3 x 2.8 x 3.5 inches / 135 x 70 x 90mm

Speaker channels

5.1

Connections

HDMI eARC, digital optical, AUX, USB, Bluetooth 5.3

Dolby Atmos / DTS:X

Yes / No

Sub included

Yes

Rear speakers included

Yes

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Ultimea Poseidon D60?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Not the most feature-rich, but has EQ options, a control app, and a good set of connectivity options.

3.5/5

Performance

Generally clear dialogue, effective surround speakers, but disappointing bass and lacks verticality.

3.5/5

Design

Pretty plasticky, but nice and compact, making it easy to slot into any setup.

3/5

Setup & usability

Simple setup, but wires can be a bit messy, remote not the most responsive.

3/5

Value

Limited bass and Atmos, but surround sound is very solid at this price-point.

4/5

Buy it if…

You want affordable surround sound
If you want more expansive, immersive sound than your TV can offer, but you don’t want to spend a huge amount, then the D60 is a decent option. It comes with a soundbar, sub, and two rear speakers, and supports Dolby Atmos — though this is relatively limited.

You need versatile connectivity options
Want a soundbar with a wide range of connectivity options for a specific setup? It's likely that the Ultimea Poseidon D60 has you covered. It supports HDMI eARC for Atmos content, as well as Bluetooth, digital optical, AUX, and USB.

Don’t buy it if…

You want true Atmos
Sure, the D60 can decode Atmos content, but it doesn’t give you the fully fledged Atmos experience. It lacks upfiring speakers, meaning height effects are lacking. And though it creates a decent sense of width, it won’t provide the depth of pricier compact soundbars, like the Marshall Heston 60 or Sonos Beam Gen 2.

You’re looking for cinematic bass
I can forgive the D60’s lack of true Atmos, but I was a little disappointed by its bass output. Considering there’s a dedicated sub, the low-end output on offer is pretty underwhelming, so if you want an affordable option with meatier bass, you may want to check out the Majority option down below.

Ultimea Poseidon D60 review: also consider

Ultimea Poseidon D60

Majority Bowfell Halo Atmos

Hisense AX5125H

Price

$169.99 / £199.99 (about AU$240)

£169 (about $230 / AU$320)

$299 / £349 (roughly AU$449)

Dimensions

Soundbar: 15.7 x 2.8 x 3.5 inches / 400 x 70 x 90mm; subwoofer: 6.1 x 9.6 x 8.5 inches / 155 x 244 x 215mm; rear speakers 5.3 x 2.8 x 3.5 inches / 135 x 70 x 90mm

Soundbar: 15.9 x 3.5 x 2.4 inches / 405 x 90 x 62mm; subwoofer: 7.2 x 5.9 x 12.6 inches / 185 x 150 x 320mm; rear speakers: 3.5 x 2.4 inches / 90 x 62mm

Soundbar: 36.2 x 18.8 x 3.5 inches / 920 x 478 x 90mm; subwoofer: 8.5 x 12.3 x 11.9 inches / 210.5 x 310 x 300mm; rear speakers: 3.6 x 5.7 x 4.3 inches / 90.1 x 140.5 x 110mm

Speaker channels

5.1

5.1

5.1.2

Connections

HDMI eARC, digital optical, AUX, USB, Bluetooth 5.3

HDMI eARC, digital optical, AUX, USB, Bluetooth 5.3

HDMI eARC, 1x HDMI in, digital optical, AUX, USB, Bluetooth 5.3

Dolby Atmos / DTS:X

Yes / No

Yes / No

Yes / Yes

Sub included

Yes

Yes

Yes

Rear speakers included

Yes

Yes

Yes

Majority Bowfell Halo Atmos
I recently tested the Majority Bowfell Halo Atmos, and it’s in a very similar camp to the D60. It provides surround sound on a budget, with Dolby Atmos support and a wide array of connectivity options. However, it suffers from a lack of height channels and poor build quality. It offers better low-end output than its Ultimea rival, though I’d argue it's more lacking in terms of expansiveness. Read my full Majority Bowfell Halo Atmos review.

Hisense AX5125H
OK, it's a bit pricer than the competition, but the upgrade you’ll get with the Hisense AC5125H is considerable. Not only did it impress us with its cinematic sound, but it has HDMI passthrough, height channels, and DTS support. It's still very affordable for what it offers, so why not check it out? Read our full Hisense AX5125H review.

How I tested the Ultimea Poseidon D60

(Image credit: Future)

• Tested across the course of multiple days
• Connected to the Sky Glass Gen 2 TV
• Mainly used HDMI eARC connectivity

I spent a handful of days testing the Ultimea Poseidon D60 at home, using it to watch movies, stream videos, and listen to music. I had the system connected up to my Sky Glass Gen 2 TV via HDMI eARC, although I did test out other connectivity methods such as Bluetooth.

During listening sessions, I made sure to use a range of 4K Blu-rays, which I played using the Sony UBP-X700K Blu-ray player. When listening to music, I steamed tunes via Tidal as well as Spotify, and made sure to try out a range of Dolby Atmos and stereo format tracks.

More generally, I’ve spent years testing audio-visual gear here at TechRadar, and have reviewed everything from budget-friendly models like the Sony HT-SF150 to premium Dolby Atmos systems like the JBL Bar 1300MK2.

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed: August 2026

Tech companies, including those in Silicon Valley and others outside of the set like Microsoft, have been through various guises through the years. Plenty of the old tech giants, like IBM and Toshiba, continue to enjoy success in the 21st century due to a chameleon-like quality that keeps them innovating and bringing in new revenue streams.

Evolve or die

The Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella wrote these words in his first email to company employees when he took the reins from Steve Ballmer.

Quote of the day

This article is part of TechRadar Pro's QOTD project to provide an insight into the minds of the brightest and most recognized figures in the technology industry today and in years gone by. Read the full series here.

In this opening salvo, he set out his vision that the next decade of computing would be dominated by the proliferation of devices and the rise of more accessible "intelligence" – hinting at the rise of AI in some form.

The company that he was to lead would embark on a strategy that would "harness the power of software" and deliver this through a network of connected devices for every organization and individual. The innovation that he referenced largely came in the form of a move away from a desktop-oriented mindset and one that was more embracing of the cloud.

Pivoting for AI

As the decade since this email wore on, Microsoft stayed true to that mantra. And, in the last few years, Nadella led the company through another significant shift in light of the rise of AI.

When ChatGPT burst onto the scene, Microsoft rushed to forge ties with the company and has aggressively added AI into its core products and services – from Bing to Windows.

While Azure continues to scale at a tremendous pace, surpassing $100 billion in revenue, the company has seen a mixed picture on the AI front. That's not due to a lack of demand, but to a shortage of physical space and energy to power these services and to expand capabilities in model training, deployment, and usage.

Tech companies, including those in Silicon Valley and others outside of the set like Microsoft, have been through various guises through the years. Plenty of the old tech giants, like IBM and Toshiba, continue to enjoy success in the 21st century due to a chameleon-like quality that keeps them innovating and bringing in new revenue streams.

Evolve or die

The Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella wrote these words in his first email to company employees when he took the reins from Steve Ballmer.

Quote of the day

This article is part of TechRadar Pro's QOTD project to provide an insight into the minds of the brightest and most recognized figures in the technology industry today and in years gone by. Read the full series here.

In this opening salvo, he set out his vision that the next decade of computing would be dominated by the proliferation of devices and the rise of more accessible "intelligence" – hinting at the rise of AI in some form.

The company that he was to lead would embark on a strategy that would "harness the power of software" and deliver this through a network of connected devices for every organization and individual. The innovation that he referenced largely came in the form of a move away from a desktop-oriented mindset and one that was more embracing of the cloud.

Pivoting for AI

As the decade since this email wore on, Microsoft stayed true to that mantra. And, in the last few years, Nadella led the company through another significant shift in light of the rise of AI.

When ChatGPT burst onto the scene, Microsoft rushed to forge ties with the company and has aggressively added AI into its core products and services – from Bing to Windows.

While Azure continues to scale at a tremendous pace, surpassing $100 billion in revenue, the company has seen a mixed picture on the AI front. That's not due to a lack of demand, but to a shortage of physical space and energy to power these services and to expand capabilities in model training, deployment, and usage.

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