Feed aggregator

Need a browser to handle sensitive information? A secure and encrypted browser like Vivaldi might just be what you’re looking for.

Vivaldi might not be one of the most popular browsers, but if you’re after a feature-loaded option, it's a must-try. The browser is created by former Opera developers, and aims to add unique features and functionality on top of its Chromium-base.

It's also fast, responsive, and incredibly light on your system. Read till the end to find out more about Vivaldi and see if it's the best browser for you.

Vivaldi browser: Features

The best thing about Vivaldi is its tag management features. For starters, you can put inactive tabs on hibernation mode to save battery and free up more space. For managing multiple tabs, Vivaldi offers a separate set of features. You can open them in a split-screen view to see multiple pages at once. Or, you can also group similar tabs together in a two-way stack, keeping your workspace clean and clutter-free.

Say you want to access all the tabs you opened in one particular session — Vivaldi allows that by giving you the option to name each session. Once done, all you have to do later is type in a particular session’s name, and the tabs will be in front of you. It's the perfect feature for both students and working professionals who work on the same topic on a long-term basis.

Vivaldi comes with a built-in ad blocker, so it offers a calm and peaceful “Reader View.” This basically means that you can cut through all the unnecessary notifications, ads, and floating windows to concentrate on your work and enjoy nothing but the content you’re looking for online. It can also hide the irritating cookie banners and popups on most websites.

You can also use its “Break mode” that fades content and pauses any playing media to help you take your eyes off the screen, and relax. It also includes a mail client, calendar, and a feed reader. They are disabled by default, but you can enable them from the settings.

If you want to watch a video as you work or browse the internet, Vivaldi will put that on a floating window. Of course, you’ll be able to adjust the position of this small window so that you can look at it and still see what’s playing on the screen behind it. This facilitates multi-tasking too.

Vivaldi’s installation sharing is another benefit of using this browser. No need for multiple installations for different users — after you create a user profile, you can share the installation with other users.

If you want to check social media feeds or chat with someone as you work, you can add additional web panels on the side of the screen. If not, this space will be occupied by the default menu that lets you manage your bookmarks, downloads, and more.

The sidebar also includes a Notes feature, as well as a Translate tool. Like any modern browser, Vivaldi also has a Sync feature that allows you to synchronize bookmarks, history, passwords, open tabs, and more with other Vivaldi installations.

Another interesting feature is its support for mouse gestures. Thanks to this feature you can perform common tasks such as open and close tabs, open a link in a new tab, reload page, and more with a flick of the mouse. The browser ships with several default gestures, and you can also define your own.

(Image credit: Vivaldi)Vivaldi browser: Privacy

Vivaldi does pretty well in terms of privacy and security. It doesn't track your browsing history, and according to its privacy policy, it doesn't profile and track users, nor does it collect and sell user data.

If you use the Sync option, your download history and other browser data will be synced to other devices via an encrypted channel. As already mentioned, there’s also a built-in tracker and ad blocker, plus the ability to disable all cookies from third-party sites. Also, like most of its peers, Vivaldi supports private browsing and has a very capable password manager as well.

Together, these features protect you from trackers and potential hackers who might want to break into your system.

(Image credit: Vivaldi)Vivaldi browser: Ease of use

Vivaldi is quite easy to use. It’s Chromium-based and made using the latest algorithms, so the user interface won't take too long for you to master. The same goes for the Vivaldi mobile app, which is quite similar to the web version in terms of aesthetics and appeal and is just as easy to use.

After installation, it takes through an onboarding process that helps you import bookmarks and other data from other browsers, choose a theme, and more. By default it places tabs at the top, but you can also place them on the left, right, or at the bottom of the window.

The best thing about the browser is its fully functional sidebar. Besides providing easy access to the browser’s downloads, history, and bookmarks, you can also access all of Vivaldi’s most used tools from here.

We particularly like how the browser’s design is customizable, and you can experiment with multiple themes of your choice.

Vivaldi browser: Competitors

Vivaldi faces tough competition from Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Safari, and Opera, to name a few.

The biggest drawback of Vivaldi is that it's relatively new to the market. On the other hand, browsers like Opera, Firefox, and Chrome have been around for a long, long time. They have a strong hold over the market, making it difficult for new browsers like Vivaldi to break in.

The browser has also deliberately avoided jumping on the AI-bandwagon with its CEO saying that AI isn't a priority for them.

Vivaldi also doesn’t have extensions of its own. Instead it points users to the ones on the Chrome Web Store, thanks to its Chromium base. But this comes with a caveat—not all extensions designed for Chrome will work flawlessly on Vivaldi.

However, on the flip side, Vivaldi not only includes a free VPN like Opera and Edge, but its implementation, courtesy of ProtonVPN, is uncapped. That said, the VPN facility is currently only available on the desktop version.

Also, Vivaldi is one of the few browsers that provides a commendable environment to foster work and efficiency — it offers a separate set of task management tools that helps you manage your tabs and keep your workspace clutter-free.

Vivaldi browser: Final verdict

People who enjoy feature-rich browsers will certainly enjoy Vivalidi. After all, there’s just so much to do.

For example, it makes browsing multiple tabs more efficient through the Tab Stacking feature — group two or more tabs of the same subject together. You can also send the inactive ones into hibernation mode to save battery and CPU power.

On top of all this, Vivaldi also comes with a built-in tracker and ad blocker, which, to be fair, are available on most browsers. That said, their presence is certainly appreciated. One protects you from malicious websites that collect user data, while the latter blocks annoying pop-ups and ads that might otherwise disrupt your experience.

All said and done, thanks to the inclusion of an email client, and a feed reader, Vivaldi is designed for people who want to use their web browser for more than just browsing the web.

Also check out our roundup of the best anonymous browsers.

• Some Pixel 9 exclusive photo-editing tools could be heading to older phones
• The Auto Frame and Reimagine AI tools may roll out more widely
• Handsets from the Pixel 6 onwards are tipped to get the upgrade

The Google Pixel 9 series launched with a stack of AI photo-editing features that were exclusive to those devices – but now it looks like Google is preparing to push some of these features out to older Pixel handsets.

As spotted by @AssembleDebug and Android Authority, the latest version of the Google Photos app for Android features code that suggests both Auto Frame and Reimagine are going to be made available to the Pixel 6 and newer phones.

Auto Frame lets you make sure the primary subject of your photo is well placed within that photo – that might involve cropping the image, or expanding the background using some AI magic. There's also a similar feature on the best Samsung phones.

As for Reimagine, this lets you tweak parts of your photo using a text prompt and AI image generation. You might want to add a car to a street scene, for example, or a tree to a nature landscape – if you can imagine it, Reimagine in Google Photos can do it.

Pixel exclusives

Reimagine lets you add elements to photos, like these palm trees (Image credit: Google / Future)

Google hasn't said anything officially yet, so it's not clear when these new features will reach handsets such as the Google Pixel 8 (assuming Google follows through with this) but the rollout shouldn't be far away.

It makes sense that Google would want to make as many of its AI photo-editing features available to as many people as possible, assuming that their phones have the necessary processing power to run them.

While keeping features exclusive to newer handsets can drive sales, it's not clear how many users have been upgrading to the Pixel 9 just to use the AI image features – though we've been largely impressed by what they're capable of.

In less than a month we'll do it all again, when the Google Pixel 10 series gets its grand unveiling on Wednesday, August 20. Expect a lot more talk about the power of AI, and perhaps some features that are only available on the new Pixel 10.

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Google Chrome needs no introduction. For many of us, Google Chrome was our first browser. Credit to its simplicity and close knit integration with the Google ecosystem of apps and services, Chrome remains the #1 browser in searches, user base, integrations, and more.

While the exact figures vary, all benchmarks give Chrome well over 50% of the web browser market share, across all platforms. Many suggest that over two-thirds of the world uses Chrome to browse the web.

If you’re looking for an all-in-one browser that’s fast, secure, and easy to use, Chrome could be the best web browser for you. Read on for more details.

Google Chrome: Features

(Image credit: Chrome)

Google Chrome offers a built-in password manager that automatically asks if you want to save your passwords and then later offers to autofill when you log back in. The browser will also warn you if any of your passwords is compromised due to a data breach anywhere on the web. It’ll also help you identify weak passwords and offer to change reused ones.

The browser’s dark mode is perfect for night owls. If you don't want the pertinent blue light to hurt your eyes, this feature is for you. Google also lets you experiment with many other artistic themes along with the default and dark themes.

The Chrome browser is automatically integrated with other Google products such as Google Drive, Google Sheets, and Google Docs. If you look up something on the browser, all your files containing that keyword will pop up in the suggestions.

Tab management is a cakewalk with Google Chrome. To increase your productivity, Google lets you open and manage multiple tabs at once. You can also group tabs with similar topics so that you keep track of all of them in the crowd.

The best feature of Google’s tab management is that it lets you pin tabs that you use frequently. This way, the pinned tab or website will open automatically, saving you the hassle of starting the process from the beginning.

Managing your other Google accounts is also quite easy. All you have to do is click on your profile picture in the top-right corner, and it’ll roll down a list of your other Google accounts. Having separate accounts is a great way to keep your professional and personal life apart.

Google analyzes your searches to see what exactly you’re interested in. This data is then used to create a personalized news feed for you on your mobile.

For example, you might have noticed that if you research a new college course, all details regarding the best colleges and upcoming exam dates will pop up in your news feed — that’s Google Chrome’s doing.

To top it all, Chrome also bakes in popular Google services like Google Translate and Google Lens. You can use Google Lens to search and ask questions about anything you see on a webpage, including text in a video. Chrome can also translate captions in near real-time while playing audio and video.

The browser also ships with Google Cast built-in, which means you can also stream content from Chrome to your Google TV/Android TV or Chromecast device without much effort. Similarly, you can also quickly access other Google services that aren’t included with Chrome, such as the Gemini AI.

Google Chrome: Privacy

(Image credit: Chrome)

Google Chrome has a built-in security system that protects you from malware and viruses even before they reach your device. It also uses high-level encryption to keep your data safe, especially during transit through emails.

Chrome also has a Privacy Guide feature that’s accessible via the Settings, which takes you through multiple steps to help you strengthen and customize the browser’s privacy settings.

However, despite all these claims of security and privacy, Chrome has often been accused of selling personal user data. Sure, almost every other browser does it, but Chrome does it more than anyone else. In fact, Google had many long-running consumer privacy lawsuits filed against it. One was settled in 2022 for a whopping $85 million. Another seeking $5 billion for misleading consumers regarding Chrome’s Incognito mode was settled in 2024.

So if you’re looking for a truly secure and private browser, you're much better off with Tor, Firefox, or Brave.

Google Chrome: Ease of use

Google Chrome is undoubtedly an easy-to-use browser, at least on a basic level. Your first and most basic interaction with Chrome would be to look up things on the internet. Just open the app and type in your query in the search box located right in the center — it's impossible to miss it.

This design is so popular that it has now been adopted by several of the other leading web browsers in the market.

Next, you can access other Google apps via Chrome. Pretty straightforward again, Click on the dotted square next to your profile picture. All Google apps, such as YouTube, Drive, Contacts, Photos, Google Meet, etc., will pop right up. It won't take you long to learn your way around the app.

On top of this, most of Google’s powerful tools such as Translate, Lens, and Cast are easily accessible via the right-click context-menu.

Google Chrome: Competitors

Google Chrome remains the number one choice of many users due to its wide availability. Unlike many of its peers like Opera or Brave, a majority of devices and operating systems have Chrome as their default browser.

Google’s number one competitor these days is Microsoft Edge. Sure, Edge's market share is far below Chrome, but it has a few points over Chrome with its tab management feature that lets you stack them vertically. Chrome, on the other hand, has only one option, and that’s to line them up horizontally. Another benefit of using Edge, and Opera, are their built-in VPN service.

However, on the flip side, Chrome is faster at pushing out updates and fixing vulnerabilities with security patches. Others do it, too, but not as fast as Chrome.

Also, Chrome’s extension store is much better than Edge, or any other browser. You have about 130,000 options that are easy to add and will drastically improve your experience.

Google Chrome: Final verdict

Google Chrome is the most popular browser in the world commanding well over 50% of the market share. So it's needless to say that Chrome is certainly a reliable and worthy browser that should surely win you over.

Also, you won't have to go through too much trouble to get started with Chrome. The interface is quite simple, and while it offers enough options to maximize your experience, it doesn’t demand technical adeptness.

The browser is especially useful for those who rely on Google’s apps and services. Once you settle in, have all your documents saved in the drive, upload your passwords to the password manager, and get your Gmail account — Chrome will offer an integrated experience and ecosystem that you’ll never want to leave.

Try secure private browsing with the best VPN service.

• The latest PS5 firmware beta update will arrive in the coming months and include a new DualSense pairing feature
• Sony will soon allow DualSense controllers to be paired across multiple devices simultaneously
• A Power Saver mode will also be introduced later on to reduce the power consumption of supported PS5 games

Sony has announced the new features for its latest PlayStation 5 beta firmware update, which includes simultaneous DualSense pairing across multiple devices.

The details were shared on PlayStation Blog, where Sony said that it believes enabling compatibility of its peripherals across multiple platforms "creates a more flexible and seamless gaming experience."

To further this effort, the latest beta update will preview a new feature that allows DualSense wireless controllers and DualSense Edge wireless controllers to be paired across multiple devices simultaneously, making it easier for players to switch between them without needing to pair each time.

"With this update, you can now register up to four devices simultaneously, and easily switch between them directly from your controller," Sony explained.

"For example, you can take your controller which you use with your PS5, then seamlessly switch connection to a PC to play PC games, or connect it to a smartphone to enjoy Remote Play from your PS5. With this enhanced flexibility, you can enjoy gaming more freely across multiple devices."

Sony also revealed a new Power Saver mode that, when enabled, allows supported PS5 games to run with lower power consumption and reduce environmental impact.

This is part of its Road to Zero environmental plan, and will appear as a new option in the PS5 settings menu when it's released.

This feature won't be in the latest beta update, which is set to release globally in the coming months, but Sony did say it will be available at a later date.

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Opera was founded in 1995, which makes it one of the oldest browsers (even older than Chrome and Edge), which adds to its credibility. While its earlier versions were known to be slow and featureless, the recent updates have put it on par with the competitors.

In fact, in some areas, such as performance and security, Opera has surpassed other popular browsers with its consistent and remarkable service. If you’re planning to give Opera another try or have yet to experience it, read this guide till the end to find everything you need to know about whether it's the best browser for you.

Opera browser: Features

Opera is perhaps one of the only widely recognized browsers that provides a free VPN to all users. Sure, Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge provide an option to use VPN, but they are either paid services or have a data cap. VPN-enabled browsing is undoubtedly far safer than any incognito mode or private browsing mode.

(Image credit: Opera)

It also comes with a built-in adblocker that gives you a seamless browsing experience without the distraction of pop-ups. Also, since pop-ups from unknown websites could be bait from hackers, keeping them blocked is a great way to protect your system against such digital attacks. Another notable benefit of having ads blocked is the browser will load much faster.

Opera also integrates with many popular social media sites such as Instagram, X, and Facebook Messenger. If you frequently use these platforms on the web, Opera’s instant access feature will definitely benefit you. Opera also integrates with WhatsApp and lets you chat through a small WhatsApp window on the sidebar as you browse online. It's the perfect way to work online while collaborating with your team.

One of Opera’s most unique features is the “Lucid Mode,” which instantly improves the quality of your videos and images with a click. Opera has also made managing web snapshots easier than ever. While traditionally, you had to go back to the folder where any snapshots you’ve taken are saved to edit them, Opera allows you to edit them as soon as you capture the screen.

If you want to watch videos as you work, Opera has the perfect solution for you — Video Pop-Up. Using this, you can make the video window float on the screen as you browse other things. The same goes for music and podcasts — you can play any audio in the background as you work. Unlike music on YouTube that disappears as soon as you close the tab, this feature will keep the music running at all times.

Opera provides you with an easy way to save and share web content that you frequently browse, all thanks to its “Pinboards” feature. Additionally, you can share this saved content visually with other users.

Talking of sharing content, the browser also has a file sharing service built-in that securely sends data between the connected devices via an encrypted channel.

Opera also has wonderful tab management features. For starters, you can easily identify tabs by adding emojis to them. If you have lots of open tabs, you can organize them in groups, and workspaces for easier access. You can even view the content of two tabs alongside each other by splitting the screen.

Opera browser: Privacy

Opera has a high standard for user privacy. For starters, it provides a free VPN to all its users so that none of you have to worry about your activities being tracked.

Secondly, it blocks all ads and pop-ups that could possibly lead you to websites that steal data.

Thirdly, you get a tracker blocker that's specially designed to keep away third-party tools that are infamous for stealing your data.

These features come together to not only keep your data safe but also reduce the load time, lighten the load on your CPU and RAM, and boost the overall performance of your device.

(Image credit: Opera)Opera browser: Ease Of use

Opera has upped its game when it comes to user experience. The browser’s onboarding process is similar to its peers and lets you quickly import bookmarks, and more.

The browser’s interface is neatly arranged and again looks similar to other popular browsers. There’s a search bar in the middle of the landing page along with a list of some popular websites that you can customize or disable altogether.

It also groups and makes available commonly accessed settings in an easily accessible Easy setup menu. From here you can customize the start page, alter the layout, switch themes, and more.

Accessing your social media apps via Opera is easy too. You’ll find all the necessary shortcuts on the left-side menu of the screen. The sidebar comes with its own setup settings, which help you quickly customize the content of the sidebar. You can also hide it altogether if it is a distraction, and further unclutter the interface.

Opera browser: Competitors

As with other tier 2 browsers, Opera faces tough competition from Chrome, Edge, and Firefox.

Chrome has the biggest market share in the browser industry, and commands over half of the web browser market share. However, more doesn't always mean better. Opera is slightly ahead of Chrome in terms of user security and performance efficiency.

For example, while Chrome offers a paid VPN service, Opera offers it for free. Chrome takes up too much space and slows down your system, whereas Opera is fast and responsive. Along with that, Chrome has faced several lawsuits and allegations for leaking user data, but Opera is widely renowned for its safe network.

The same goes for Edge. When compared for privacy and security, Opera is the clear winner. It not only has a wide range of security settings but many features, such as an intuitive ad-blocker, are set by default. This way, your browsing experience remains secure from day one.

Speaking of Firefox and Opera, the latter is a few brownie points above the former with faster loading, enhanced tracking protection, and a built-in tracker blocker.

Also, unlike its peers, Opera has a “Battery Saver” mode that can extend battery life. You can even set it up so that it kicks in automatically when you unplug your laptop.

Opera browser: Final verdict

Opera is a comprehensive browser with enough in it to win you over. It provides you with a secure browsing space like no other and offers a free VPN too, which further adds to your protection.

Despite not being one of the top contenders in the market, Opera’s catalog of features is praiseworthy. Starting from multiple browser themes and integrated social media platforms to AI integration and simpler task management, Opera does it all.

Last but not least, Opera takes much less space and CPU power than its more popular peers, meaning your system and other apps work smoother.

We've listed the best privacy tools and anonymous browsers.

Last year was the year of the best smart rings, and 2025 is shaping up to be another interesting one in the world of wearables – and we discuss that and lots more on the latest episode of the TechRadar podcast.

From the scramble to find the next 'it' form factor in the wearables space to the race for AI feature supremacy, there's plenty to talk about, and we're particularly interested in some of the new devices we've seen this year, like the Garmin Venu X1 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 8.

We've also seen our first glimpse of Meta's latest smart glasses, which it produces in collaboration with Ray-Ban's sister-brand, Oakley. Alas, we're not exactly thrilled with the outcome – you'll have to catch the episode to find out why.

Plus, with more devices set to land later this year, including the Pixel Watch 4 and the Apple Watch Series 11 (and, hopefully, the Apple Watch Ultra 3), it's still all to play for in the contest to release the best smartwatch of 2025.

To hear our thoughts on all of the above (and a robot vacuum), join me, Hamish Hector and Matt Evans, as well as friend of the show and special guest, YouTuber and tech reviewer Mark Ellis.

Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, or if you prefer an audio-only podcast experience you can listen along on Spotify, or Apple Podcasts – and wherever you catch us, you'll also find all of our previous episodes, including our CES and gaming specials.

So, what are you waiting for? Tune in to find out why we think Garmin has a long way to go before winning over die-hard Apple or Samsung users, why Meta's Oakley collab fell flat in our estimations, and who has the lowest antioxidant level on a table of overworked tech journalists.

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Mozilla Firefox was introduced in 2004 and hit 100 million downloads in less than a year after launch. However, things began to go downhill for it after Google Chrome was launched and heavily promoted in lieu of Firefox.

Still the default web browser on virtually all Linux distros, Firefox, at one point, had over 350 million users. But its market share has now dropped significantly, pushing it to the fourth spot behind Chrome, Safari, and Microsoft Edge.

Although Chrome might have gained immense popularity, the speed and security provided by Firefox remain unbeatable to date.

If you’re looking for a privacy-friendly browser that’s lightweight and kind on your system, read on till the end, as we believe Firefox might just be the best browser for you.

Mozilla Firefox: Features

Firefox has been proven to use less memory than Chrome, for a majority of users. When using multiple apps along with Firefox, they won't lag or freeze, which is a common problem with other slow browsers.

Firefox uses the bare minimum memory so that it works fine without slowing down the entire system. It also automatically blocks ad trackers and third-party cookies from collecting your personal data.

Like most other popular browsers, Firefox also has its own built-in password manager.

As you create a new account on a website, it’ll ask whether you want to save its credentials or not. If you do, the next time you log into that account, it’ll give you the option to autofill the password on your behalf.

Firefox offers much more security and privacy than any other browser. There’s the Private Browsing mode that deletes your history and cookies after every browsing session. Each time you close the tab, all links that could trace back to your searches will be erased automatically.

While many other browsers let you bookmark your favorite websites, Firefox goes a step ahead and lets you create separate folders. You can customize the names and categorize similar links into the same folder. This way, you’ll save a lot of space, plus it'll be much easier to look for the bookmarked page.

You can also pin tabs in Firefox to keep your favorite and often visited websites, like email, always open. The browser will also notify you when the content of a pinned tab is updated, for instance, when you get a new email.

Firefox's built-in language translator lets you translate the web pages in the results into 100 different international languages of your choice — a truly global browser that erases language barriers.

Firefox also has a built-in screenshot tool that gives you several options for capturing a web page. Using this feature you can save the entire page, including the sections that aren’t visible without scrolling.

It also includes the Pocket app by default. You can use it to save content as you browse the web and access it later, even when offline.

Like some of its peers, Firefox also has a PDF reader that’s good enough to eradicate the need for having a dedicated app, for most users.

Most web browsers can pop out videos into their own individual floating windows, thanks to a feature called Picture-in-Picture mode. However, Firefox’s implementation offers more functionality than many of its peers. You can turn it on by clicking the Picture-in-Picture button when you hover over a video.

Firefox is indeed a highly functional and powerful web browser, but there’s always room to improve, right? That’s why it lets you add extensions to the default browser to make your life easier.

Mozilla Firefox: Privacy

(Image credit: Firefox)

We cannot emphasize enough that Firefox is one of the most secure and privacy-friendly browsers out there.

Even on its FAQ page about privacy, you’ll see that it has addressed the issue and stated that Firefox neither sells your data nor buys it from other parties. It wants you to have a truly authentic and unbiased browsing experience.

On top of that, while other popular browsers such as Chrome are swimming in privacy violation lawsuits, Firefox has hardly ever landed in any such scandal.

If you’re still unsure about how safe it is, you can use its Private Browsing mode, which automatically wipes off every trace of your browsing session once you close the tabs.

Firefox also has a Forget functionality that you can use to wipe your recent browser activity. When used, the “Forget” button can help you quickly delete the last five minutes, two hours, or 24 hours of activity.

Security advocates will also appreciate the fact that Firefox automatically tries to upgrade any images, audio and video content from HTTP to HTTPS if they are embedded within an HTTPS page. If they do not support HTTPS, they will no longer load.

Firefox users on MacOS and Windows can also tweak Firefox to ask for a device sign in, such as your operating system password, fingerprint, face or voice login, every time you access and fill in stored passwords.

Mozilla Firefox: Ease of use

One of the most important features of a good browser is a simple user interface so that everyone, regardless of their technical expertise, can use it. Thankfully, Firefox flairs quite well in that department.

The design of the main page is a lot like Chrome. It has the search bar in the center of the page, and the tabs are lined up horizontally at the top, which makes the first few steps simpler.

Firefox also offers a high level of customization. You can, for instance, change the appearance, layout, and functionality of the browser with lots of themes and add-ons. While this is possible with other browsers as well, the ability is implemented more extensively in Firefox.

In the same vein, while not as large as Chrome's extension store, Firefox still has a wide variety of extensions available for added functionality.

New users will also appreciate Firefox’s strong default privacy features that’ll help them stay safe straight out of the box. Firefox is also hailed for being one of the first browsers to rope in accessibility features.

Mozilla Firefox: Competitors

Firefox might not be as popular as Chrome or Edge, but it certainly stands out with a few unique features under its belt.

For example, it's one of the few browsers that automatically blocks trackers from collecting your personal data. At a time when the market leader, Chrome, is accused of selling consumer data, Firefox is your best bet for safety.

Also, compared to Chrome, Firefox takes much less memory space, which in turn, helps it run faster. On top of that, using Firefox does not affect the speed or performance of any other apps you might be running simultaneously.

Firefox not only uses the Google Safe Browsing database but also automatically blocks pop-ups. You can also add more extensions to keep away ads and trackers. Since these things are known to hide malicious links, blocking them will also reduce your overall vulnerability.

On the downside though, unlike some of its peers like Opera and Edge, Firefox does not have a built-in VPN. Similarly, its AI assistant, Orbit, is also available as an extension, and isn’t part of the browser.

Mozilla Firefox: Final verdict

Firefox, one of the best web browsers in the industry for a long time, is certainly a great choice for any internet user. It comes with a diverse range of features, beats popular peers like Chrome and Safari in terms of privacy, is easy to use, and is also lightning-quick.

Plus, it doesn't ask for too much space either, so you don't have to think twice before installing it. What's more, Firefox also has multiple customization options — whether you want to stick to the default theme or experiment with a thousand other themes, the choice is yours.

Also check out our roundup of the best anonymous browsers.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is one of the best phones in Australia, and in 2025 it’ll be a difficult handset to beat as our attention turns to the Google Pixel 10 Pro and the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max coming later this year. It only improves upon the best cameraphone of 2024, the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and it continues a trend set by the S24. In 2025, software took over the stage almost entirely in San Jose at Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event.

Yes, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra received a new rounded design that makes it look more like its standard S25 and S25 Plus counterparts. Samsung also decided to axe Bluetooth features from the S Pen with the S25 Ultra, which enabled users to take photos with the phone’s included stylus (super useful for group shots and selfies, though Samsung said it’s not a popular feature). Hardware undoubtedly changed and indeed the phone did receive its annual CPU/GPU performance buff – but in 2025, Samsung’s more interested in software.

With the launch of One UI 7, Samsung’s app icons, widgets, status bar and other core software features have gotten a refresh. They feel more efficient, space-aware and better in line with the customization that many users crave from their smartphones. When I first received this phone, my colleagues and I were saddened at how limited the ‘Good Lock’ OS-modifying tool had become with One UI 7, but after toying with the operating system, I’ve come to realize that I could finally get by without it.

Better yet, the introduction of the Now Bar and the all-new Now Brief are actually useful productivity features that look good on the display, and they’re my favorite features of the launch.

Whether or not Samsung’s useful Now Brief page, which generates an AI-assisted snapshot of the rest of your day (or next day), effectively encompasses what has become the popular perception of AI (incorporating the use of large-language models and the like) feels beside the point. This is a genuinely useful feature and to some extent, I’m disappointed that it has been tarnished by the ‘AI’ tag that justifiably puts a bad taste in people’s mouths.

To that end, we can ignore the elephant in the room no longer – the messy state of affairs that is AI on a Samsung phone. Such phones are torn between Galaxy AI tools (many of which function on-device) and Google Gemini, and there’s cause for concern in this discrepancy.

So let’s chat Samsung’s latest OS polish, its handy new tricks, and its spotty AI-fication.

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)Hello, beautiful

I’ll quickly admit that Samsung’s approach to UI design up until now hasn’t been my favorite. Coming from iOS in 2022, the Google Pixel range won me over with the uniform aesthetic that makes it the closest thing to an iPhone on the Android side of the fence. Samsung’s phones, albeit partly due to their overstuffing of bloatware with a fresh install, tend to have a more tech-savvy aesthetic – showing more icons on a space, settings icons at all times across the settings bar (top of the display) and generally sharing more information than is necessary for a casual user.

That doesn't seem to be the case with the Samsung Galaxy S25 series and One UI 7. With this launch, subtle but sweeping changes have been made to the home screen, including app icon scale choice, dark icons in dark mode when ‘Color Palette’ is applied to apps, and expanded folders (which you can tap to open apps without opening said folder).

One of my big reservations about Samsung phones up until now has been the cluttered Status Bar, showing oh so many symbols that don’t need to be displayed at all times (for example, the 5G icon, NFC icon and Bluetooth icon, to name a few). These icons have now been relegated to the status bar only when accessing the quick settings and notifications menu (accessed by swiping down), while app notifications continue to persist on the left of the status bar (unless disabled).

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)How to customize the Galaxy S25’s lock screen and always-on display

Widgets and lock screen/notifications menu pop-ups have also received a glow-up, and are now rounded at the corners and displaying more information on the home screen. However, to activate these notification ‘cards’ on the lock screen, you’ll need to do so in your lock screen settings (switching over from icons to cards).

Beyond that, there are a few ways to customize the always-on display: You can change the wallpaper, clock style, font, color, and add widgets galore. Some widgets might require the Good Lock app for customization, but it's a simple download that will help you fully customize your phone.

Then there's the new Now bar; a multi-function widget that appears contextually at the bottom of the lock screen. I really love how it expands when tapped while playing music, displays timers and how it communicates Google Maps info. It’s great having it so low on the screen, so it’s more accessible one-handed. It feels more intuitive than Apple’s Dynamic Island, which it seems inspired by.

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

Moreover, Now Brief is a genuinely useful addition to the One UI suite of features. In the morning, at mid-day and at night, the phone will produce a ‘Now Brief’ rundown of upcoming events (including weather reports, travel information and calendar notifications) and a recap of your last several hours (including sleep data, missed calls and photos taken).

It’s a useful tool for putting all your contextually appropriate alerts in the one spot for your review, and it pains me that it’s not even more useful. I’d love for it to pull information from more apps – recommending me to continue listening to a podcast, select audiobook or keep watching a Disney+ series. The best it’ll do on these fronts is recommend you a Spotify playlist or push you in the direction of YouTube Shorts.

I’d also like it to be a little less… wrong? After waking up one morning, it recommended me a ‘liquid EDM’ playlist. I've been known to l listen to the odd EDM song here or there, but it seems like a wild genre to wake up to.

But it’s in Now Brief that we approach the cluttered state of Samsung’s AI suite.

Samsung’s AI confusion

And then there’s Google Gemini. On One UI 7 and the S25 range, Gemini has replaced the default Google Assistant (Bixby who?), and while I do like Gemini as a virtual assistant, its coexistence with these other AI tools is potentially confusing to a casual user.

That being said, Samsung has added cross-app actions to the S25 range with Google Gemini. You can ask Gemini to perform a complex series of commands, such as finding the information on several businesses online to be added to your Notes app, and it will be done so fluidly (as demonstrated by our friends at Tom’s Guide). The only third-party apps currently supported are Whatsapp and Spotify, but this awesome time-saving feature genuinely has the potential to help get stuff done quickly.

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

Erring on the critical side, I think we’re being a bit liberal with what we’re appropriately calling an ‘AI feature’. For example; Google Circle to Search continues to be one of my favorite features of Android phones in 2024. It’s supposedly underpinned by AI, but it’s unclear how AI actually factors into the function of this tool. After all, it’s basically a simple-to-access spin on Google Lens with support for on-screen circling.

Similarly with Now Brief, it’s not clear just how much of it benefits from so-called AI features. A day-to-come or day-passed snapshot is simply a splash screen displaying your upcoming events, weather alerts, a smattering of content recommendations and health figures from throughout the day.

It might seem bereft to criticize AI features on the merit of being ‘AI-powered’, but I have one major concern. Since the launch of the Galaxy S24 range, Samsung has noted that it may, eventually, start to charge for its AI features. At the time of writing, the official company tagline is:

“Fees may apply for AI features at the end of 2025. Certain Galaxy AI features require [a] Samsung and Google Account. [An] internet connection may be required to use some features. AI Features will be provided free of charge until the end of 2025 on supported Samsung Galaxy devices.”

My concern is that access to some of these genuinely useful features will be paywalled alongside the AI tools that many people won’t actually get any use from.

I have no problem paying a subscription for a genuinely useful product or service if I’m actually getting value from it. Between Circle to Search and Now Brief, I now have two AI features that I like.

And I don’t think I could sensibly pay for either.

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)Samsung needs to steer carefully

While Samsung has spent a fair amount of time beautifying its operating system, its AI software is starting to become a different story altogether. No doubt people are using such features at their own discretion, but so far there hasn’t been a must-have AI tool built into One UI (or any phone OS for that matter).

On the bright side, One UI 7 brings with it a nice aesthetic refresh, and in a hardware lull year, it’s the best I could have wanted from Samsung.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 range is available now.

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Edge is Microsoft’s latest web browser, and it looks its best when you use it as it was intended to be used: by running Bing, which is Microsoft’s search engine.

Microsoft Edge is undoubtedly the second-biggest fish in the pond, as of now. But it offers virtually everything users need to put up a tough fight to its long-time competitor, Google Chrome.

After dragging its feet with Internet Explorer, Edge is Microsoft’s best answer to the competition. It has all the features and enhancements users expect from a modern web browser. Windows users swear by Edge’s speeds and performance improvements. With the introduction of AI-powered functionalities on Edge, the user experience is way more personalized than before.

For the ones looking for a reliable browser that comes with security, user data privacy, and an easy user interface, Edge is a great choice. If you want to know more about the browser and how it can make a difference to your online experience, read on!

Microsoft Edge: Features

Microsoft Edge offers one of the fastest browsing experiences in the industry, thanks to its performance features such as “Sleep Tabs”. Thanks to this feature, Edge will put the tabs that haven't been used in a while to sleep, opening up more space and power for your CPU and RAM so that they can take on the active tabs.

Edge is also one of the quickest browsers as far as launching is concerned. That’s because it uses a special feature called “Startup Boost.”

Whether you’re opening the browser from the main menu, taskbar, or a link, the Edge window will open up almost instantly, whereas Opera and Safari usually take a lot longer.

So if you’re in a hurry to look up something or open a link, Edge won't stand in your way. This feature is available on all current versions of Windows.

Edge is highly battery-efficient. Microsoft is constantly working to optimize energy usage so that Edge can function on minimal battery power.

Current tests show that Edge’s efficiency mode helps you save up to 25% of your battery life. Features like putting your tabs to sleep further contribute to it. Even for your active tabs, Edge uses a rather tiny portion of the battery to keep them running in the background.

With Edge’s Clarity Boost protocol, all the visuals on your screen look much clearer and life-like. For avid gamers or movie enthusiasts, this feature is a huge win. Currently, this feature is available on devices running Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Speaking of gaming, if you’re looking for a browser that’s masterfully crafted for gamers, Edge is a must-try. With its “Efficiency mode”, Edge keeps your PC running fast and smooth even when you’re playing a demanding game.

The Efficiency mode is turned on by default. But if you want to turn it off, go to “Settings,” click on “More,” select “System & Performance” and turn off the “Improve your PC gaming experience with efficiency mode” setting. However, if you’re keen on getting the best browser performance, we don't recommend turning it off. After all, it's not going to take up any extra power or space.

When comparing Microsoft Edge and Chrome for gaming performance, most benchmarks favor Edge primarily due to its integration with the Windows operating system. This is even true for machines with less powerful hardware since the browser tends to use less system resources than its peers.

(Image credit: Microsoft Edge)

Also of note are Edge’s AI features, primarily the “Copilot” functionality. When enabled by clicking its icon, you can interact with Copilot using natural language. You can ask it to summarize the content of a page, ask questions about the content of a web page, and more. Copilot can also help you compose social media posts and emails.

Microsoft Edge: Privacy

(Image credit: Microsoft Edge)

Microsoft Edge comes equipped with several privacy-enhancing features. For starters the browser ships with three Tracking Prevention mechanisms to block trackers from tracking your movement through the web.

By default, the browser uses the Balanced Mode where it blocks trackers from websites you haven’t yet visited. If you are truly paranoid about tracking, you can toggle the Strict Mode, which will block a majority of the trackers, but could potentially degrade the browsing experience on some websites.

Some users prefer to use the Strict Mode of tracking when using the browser’s InPrivate browsing mode. This is similar to the Incognito mode in other browsers, and prevents the browser from storing any browsing history, or cookies.

Additionally, you can also choose to clear all cookies and block all or certain websites from saving cookies during browsing sessions. Remember however that while this does enhance your privacy, it can also potentially prevent some webpages from displaying correctly.

The browser’s headline privacy protection feature is the “Defender Smartscreen”. It helps you stay away from malicious websites and can also block phishing and malware attacks.

Edge also includes 5 GB of free VPN data protection that renews every month. The protection obscures your location and IP address, and kicks in automatically when you connect to an open Wi-Fi network or visit a non-HTTPS secured website.

Talking of visiting insecure websites, you can use Edge’s “Enhanced Security Mode” that automatically applies stricter security settings on unfamiliar sites. The opt-in feature isn’t enabled by default, but will adapt to your browsing habits once you toggle it.

The browser also includes a Password Monitor that alerts you if any of your saved passwords have been exposed in a data breach anywhere.

Microsoft Edge: Ease of use

If you’re not a fan of complex browsing applications, you’ll certainly appreciate Edge’s simple interface. The biggest advantage here is that Edge comes pre-installed on most devices running Windows 10 and 11. This means that you won't have to go through the hassle of downloading and setting up a new browser.

Once you open the browser, you’ll have everything you’ll need at your fingertips. Granted, at first, it might be a little overwhelming because there are too many options, but you’ll soon get the hang of it.

You can also ask Edge to display Vertical tabs. This is a space saving functionality that puts tabs on the left side of the screen instead of across the top.

You can also use the browser in the “Immersive Reader” mode that makes the text easier to read by removing all distracting elements from the webpage. There’s also the AI-powered “Read aloud” feature that helps you listen to the content on a webpage in multiple languages. You can control the pace of the speech, and even the voice accent.

There’s also the Collections feature using which you can collate webpages, images, text snippets, and more from different websites into a single location. This comes in handy when you’re researching on the web for a holiday, or planning an event.

Microsoft Edge: The competition

Edge and Google Chrome are the two most popular browsers, and although they share a lot of similarities, many people consider Edge to be easier to use.

This is primarily because of features like vertical tabs, Collections, Immersive Reader, and a whole gamut of AI-powered functionalities. Edge has also been designed to be familiar to Windows users with a similar design philosophy, giving it an advantage over its peers.

What’s more, Edge is also faster than Google Chrome. When it was initially launched, Microsoft claimed that it was 112% faster than Chrome. While we cannot confirm that exact number, tests run by Avast show that Edge is faster than Chrome, Opera, Firefox, and many other popular browsers.

It's also the default browser for Windows, unlike others like Opera or Mozilla Firefox, which have to be downloaded and installed separately.

That said, Opera does outperform Edge in some parameters, particularly VPN. While Edge's VPN has a limited monthly data allowance and automatically connects to the nearest location, Opera bundles a more flexible free VPN with no data cap. Another potential downside is that Edge doesn’t offer as vast a selection of extensions as Google Chrome.

However, in short, if we consider its ease of use, speed, features, and overall performance, Edge is by and large at-par, if not ahead, of most of its competitors.

Microsoft Edge: Final verdict

Considering all the reviews, facts, and results from our own evaluation, we find Microsoft Edge to be a good browser and certainly worth your time.

Thanks to its beginner-friendly yet uncompromising nature, it's the perfect browser for people who aren't-tech savvy. Another point to consider here is that it’s the default browser for Windows, so you won't have to put any effort into setting it up.

As the cherry on top, the Edge browser is battery plus internet usage efficient. For people who are constantly on their laptops/computers, a power and data-saving browser is a must-have. No matter how many tabs you have running at any given moment, Edge will always minimize power usage.

We've listed the best business VPN.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps director has revealed how he shot scenes that are supposed to be set in space – and what differentiates those sequences from other cosmic Marvel movies, including Guardians of the Galaxy.

In an interview with TechRadar, Matt Shakman admitted he didn't use a zero gravity (Zero-G) simulator to film sequences that involved The Fantastic Four heading into space via their Excelsior star ship. The group do so on a couple of occasions in the flick, with the most notable space-based set-piece seeing them confront Galactus in deep space after he threatens to destroy their world. You can read more about why he wants to in my review of The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

It's during this intense intergalactic sequence that the film's crew needed to achieve the feeling of weightlessness for the eponymous team.

Indeed, as they flee in their spaceship (the Excelsior) after unsuccessfully attempting to negotiate with Galactus, the quartet are forced to act on the fly as they try to evade capture. Subsequently, there's no time to strap themselves into their seats, hence the need to carry out their actions in Zero-G.

First Steps' cast and crew used as many practical effects and sets as they could throughout its production (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

So, how did Shakman and company replicate the absence of gravity for this sequence? And what is it about the approach they took that separates it from the likes of Guardians of the Galaxy?

"One of the things I really wanted to do is imagine the Fantastic Four as the Apollo 11 astronauts," Shakman said. "When they go into space, it's zero gravity. It's not like Guardians, where they're able to walk around their ship like Star Trek. I wanted it to feel as real as possible.

"But shooting zero gravity is difficult," the Marvel Phase 6 film's director added. "It involves a lot of wire work and it's hard on the actors' bodies. It's very difficult for them to be able to perform and do what they need to do, while also dealing with that sort of physical discomfort. So, while it was a wonderful thing to execute and bring to life in an authentic way, it was challenging."

That scale of that challenge is more remarkable when you consider how much work goes into shooting a sequence like this.

#TheFantasticFour: First Steps is Certified Fresh at 88% on the Tomatometer, with 83 reviews: https://t.co/g632UvfMQK pic.twitter.com/BWhJdzUFMnJuly 22, 2025

For starters, over 10,000 feet of wire and almost 30 wire rigs were required throughout the Excelsior's interior. The ship's cockpit and fuselage were physically built by First Steps' production team to further underline the crew's commitment to use practical sets and effects wherever possible.

Once the actors portraying Marvel's First Family were hoisted up in harnesses and attached to various ceiling tracks via the aforementioned wires, they were taught to push off from the set itself without swinging harshly. Doing so would expose the wires and make it more difficult to delete the cables during the post-production phase.

Lastly, puppeteers in gray suits helped to control the speed and movement of each actor, and allow them to hit their marks. Add in the fact that each star had to remember their lines an actually act during this sequence, and you really get a sense of how demanding it was for the entire cast and crew to successfully execute.

Thankfully, all of their hard work pays off in the final product. It'll be interesting to see if a similar set-up will be used in future Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) projects, including Avengers: Doomsday, which is currently in production and might feature one or more space-set sequences. You can read more about the aforementioned film via my dedicated Avengers: Doomsday hub.

There's less than 24 hours to go (at the time of publication) until First Steps is out in theaters, so get your last-minute lowdown on it by reading my ultimate guide to The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Read the section below, too, for more exclusive coverage on it.

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• Was Doctor Doom ever considered as The Fantastic Four: First Steps' main villain? The Marvel movie's director has his say

• IT decision-makers see upgrading as a chance to get the latest AI PCs
• Advanced security and boosted productivity are especially attractive
• 62% would now consider an AI PC over a regular PC

New research on Windows 11 and AI PC Readiness says the timing couldn't be more perfect – Windows 10 end of life has coincided with a surge of AI PCs available on the market, making now the perfect time to upgrade for two reasons.

The study from Dell found with 80% of UK businesses migrating or having already migrated to Windows 11, they're seeing it as a strategic opportunity to adopt AI-ready PCs rather than just a simple OS update.

Nearly three-quarters (71%) of IT decision-makers agree they've been presented with an opportunity to upgrade to more powerful AI PCs at the same time.

Windows 11 upgrade is causing many to consider AI PCs

Nearly half agreed AI PCs bring advanced security features (47%) and greater employee productivity (44%), with around two-thirds (64%) considering AI-capable hardware critical for future operations.

Those additional security features are much-needed, too, with a similar number (46%) citing security breaches as the main driver for refreshing PC fleets – more than the number of businesses refreshing due to the Windows 10 EOS (42%).

However, some factors continue to hold businesses back, and they're the same ones we see time and time again. Software compatibility (45%) was the most frequently cited concern, with many also concerned about hardware compatibility (34%) and operational disruption (32%).

That leaves 20% of the businesses surveyed not yet having started transitioning, even though the deadline is now less than four months away.

"Adding the context of the Windows 11 transition means the AI PC isn't just a new product to sell; it is a gateway to higher-value services like strategic deployment, security hardening and workflow integration," Dell UK Channel and Distribution Lead Ian Heath explained.

Looking ahead, it's clear that AI PCs are gaining in popularity. Three in five (62%) IT decision-makers would choose a Copilot+ PC over a regular one, based on the promises of longer battery life, better performance, local AI processing and integrated productivity tools.

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(Image credit: Jose Luis Magana)

NiSi V7 with True Color NC CPL: two-minute review

When it comes to square filter holders, they’re surely all the same, aren’t they? In terms of basic design, they are, but build quality, functionality and value are another matter. For me, the NiSi V7 with True Color NC CPL is one of the best professional 100mm filter holders available, with an impressive performance that belies its attractive price.

100mm filter holders are typically used with lenses as wide as 15mm full-frame (or 10mm for APS-C). For lenses wider than this, you’ll need to move up to a cumbersome and painfully expensive 150mm square filter system.

150mm filters are also so large that they simply look ridiculous, and I have chuckled watching other photographers on location with me wrestle with their window pane-sized filters. But I digress.

The advantage of the Nisi V7 kit, like many 100mm filter holders, is that you can use up to three square filters at once alongside a polarising filter. So, that’s ND graduated filters, ND filters, color correction filters and special effects filters. Are three slots overkill? Definitely not – I often require all three slots when shooting in tricky lighting conditions while controlling exposure times.

One thing that I love about the NiSi V7 kit is that you get four adaptor rings, which means you can use the holder with four filter thread sizes straight away. These include 67mm, 72mm, 77mm, plus the main ring which has an 82mm thread. This covers the vast majority of landscape photography lenses, plus you can also buy adaptor rings for other sizes separately if you need them. For example, I own a 62mm ring that allows me to use square filters with my macro lens.

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(Image credit: James Abbott)

The V7 filter holder isn’t really suitable for smaller lenses with smaller filter threads, say in the 39mm to 67mm range. For example, I own some small Fujifilm prime lenses, plus some Micro Four Thirds lenses, for which the NiSi M75 II with True Color NC CPL is a better fit. The downside with this smaller holder only is that it only has two filter slots alongside the rear-mounted polarizing filter, rather than three.

Build quality of the V7 kit is excellent and the overall design is reasonably compact. The holder is a CNC-machined single block of matte black coated aeronautical aluminum, with three plastic filter holder slots screwed onto the front. The polarizing filter screws into the main ring, locking in place at around a 10-degree turn, while the holder clips onto the main ring and can be locked in place to avoid detachment of the two parts.

The main ring is also an 82mm adaptor ring, and is attached to the smaller adaptor rings when a smaller thread than 82mm is required. Practically speaking, these are best attached to the lens before the holder is attached. The polarizer can be rotated using a couple of small dials on the rear of the main ring. You can also use any 100mm square filters with this holder.

The advantage of the rear positioning of the polarizing filter is that the filter holder doesn’t vignette with lenses as wide as 15mm. NiSi even says that the Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4S doesn’t vignette at 14mm, although I haven't tried that lens with the holder. The rival LEE Filters LEE100 Polarizer mounts at the front, thereby creating a vignette with ultra wide-angle lenses – meaning Nisi has the advantage in this regard.

Unlike cheap polarizers, the supplied True Color NC CPL also produces clean images with no color casts at different rotations, which is exactly what you want.

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(Image credit: James Abbott)

In my experience, some filter holders can also be too tight, making it hard to slot filters in and out, to the point that this can risk accidental damage.

The V7, thankfully, provides just the right amount of resistance that filters are secure, but they’re easy enough to slot in and out of the holder when it’s attached to the front of your lenses.

The downside to a system like this, however, is that a set of filters and the holder take up space in your kit bag and can weigh more than other types of filters.

As magnetic and stackable filters are growing in popularity, you may be wondering what place there is for larger, heavier and more expensive square filters. The simple answer is ND grads. With square filters, you can get everything as right as possible in-camera, including the sky exposure.

With magnetic filters, the price you pay is no ND grads, so while you get a polariser, NDs and other types of filters depending on the kit, you have to shoot HDR to maintain sky detail. That naturally means you have to take more shots and spend more time at the computer editing. For me, square filters remain the optimal option for landscape photography.

NiSi V7 with True Color NC CPL: key specs

Filter slots

Three

Adaptor rings

67, 72, 77, 82mm

Polarizing filter

True Color NC CPL

Case included

Yes

Lens cap

Yes

NiSi V7 with True Color NC CPL price and availability

The NiSi V7 with True Color NC CPL costs $259 / £199 / AU$389, which is an incredible price considering what’s included in the kit: a Filter Holder for three 100mm filters and a CPL, an 82mm main ring with polarizing adjustment, a True Color NC CPL (removable), three adapter rings (67/72/77), a soft case and a V7 Lens Cap.

To provide a point of reference, the LEE Filters LEE100 Polarizer filter alone costs as much as the NiSi V7 kit.

There are V7 kits available that also include several filters and offer excellent value for money compared to purchasing separately. The NiSi Starter Kit – V7 – 100mm Filters costs $499 / £345 / AU$849 and includes most of the above, a few additional accessories, a 3-stop medium GND and a 10-stop ND filter.

If you already own 100mm filters and would simply like a new filter holder, the NiSi V7 with True Color NC CPL is perfect for you. If you’re getting started with 100mm filters, I’d recommend the NiSi Starter Kit – V7 – 100mm Filters or one of the other kits that come with filters, because you will save money and have several filters to use from the get-go.

NiSi square filters themselves are expensive. They’re optically fantastic and made of high-quality optical glass, but expect to pay in the region of $245 / £95 /AU$279 per filter. The glass used is much better than traditional resin square filters in many ways, but they do cost more.

Should I buy the NiSi V7 with True Color NC CPL?

(Image credit: James Abbott)Buy it if...

You need a pro filter holder

This is a professional filter holder kit offering excellent performance and several extremely useful accessories.

You want incredible value

While not cheap, the NiSi V7 with True Color NC CPL is a high-quality professional filter holder at an affordable price, certainly versus LEE filters. For me, it's a bargain.

Don't buy it if...

You’d prefer lighter weight filters

The weight of square filters does add up once you factor in several glass filters, so you may find magnetic circular filters are better for you.

You don’t require ND Grads

The main reason to have square filters is to combine NDs and corrective filters with ND grads. So, if you don’t use ND grads, square filters aren’t for you.

How I tested the NiSi V7 with True Color NC CPL

• Long-term test
• Tested with a variety of lenses
• Used for landscape, cityscape and astrophotography

I've tested the NiSi V7 with True Color NC CPL over many years, with a range of different NiSi filters in different combinations, for subjects including landscape, cityscape and astrophotography.

As my go-to filter holder, I've also used it with a wide range of lenses, including zooms and primes, ranging between 16mm and 200mm on a full-frame camera.

With nearly 30 years of photographic experience and 17 years working as a photography journalist, I’ve used many of the cameras and lenses that have been released in that time. As a working photographer, I aim to test cameras, lenses and accessories from a photographer’s point of view.

First reviewed July 2025

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Once a rare refuge in war-torn Gaza, the beach offered relief and a glimpse of freedom. Now, even the sea is off-limits — as Israel bans access to the coast, warning it could cost lives.

The technology industry is always trying to tempt consumers into buying or upgrading to the latest offerings. However, where consumers once rushed to get their hands on the newest technology as soon as possible, the diminishing returns that come from upgrading most devices today makes people much more reluctant to part with their hard-earned cash.

With this in mind, technology companies have started looking for new ways to appeal to consumers and something that’s become more and more prevalent in recent years is the promotion of ‘rugged’ features on consumer grade devices, such as rugged phones and rugged laptops.

In particular, ingress protection (IP) ratings have become commonplace amongst the latest smart devices, with many now boasting ratings as high as IP68. But what exactly does this mean?

IP ratings explained

IP ratings are a useful standard for understanding how resistant a digital device is to the intrusion of dust and liquids. The rating is split into two numbers with the first denoting the level of resistance to dust and outside objects, measured on a scale from 0 to 6 (with 6 being the highest resistance). According to the IEC’s rating guide, 5 means “dust-protected” and 6 means “dust-tight.”

The second number in the IP rating represents the device’s water resistance and is measured on a scale of 0 to 9 (with 9 being the highest resistance). Devices rated 7 can be fully submerged in shallow water for a short period of time, while those with an 8 rating are certified to go a few meters deeper and remain unscathed, although the increase in depth is variable.

For example, a device rated as IP68 is sealed off from dust and can be submerged in water up to a depth of six meters for a short time (around 15-30 mins) without breaking.

If an IP rating uses an “X” in one of the two number slots, it means the device isn’t rated for water or dust protection accordingly.

IP rating alone does not make a device truly rugged

While something like an IP rating can help with consumer confidence in the event of the device accidentally falling in the sink or down the toilet, it’s important to realize that this alone doesn’t make a device ‘rugged’.

Modern rugged design is about optimizing device performance in challenging environments where consumer grade devices simply wouldn’t survive for any meaningful length of time. Consequently, an effective rugged device must excel in multiple categories, from damage resistance and excellent all-weather performance to comprehensive connectivity and manufacturer support. Below are some of the key considerations for anyone looking to purchase a truly rugged device.

1. Independent rugged certifications

All rugged devices are IP and MIL-STD certified but a lack of legislation around the certification process means many manufacturers self-certify their products, making it hard to know how rugged they really are. True rugged manufacturers always will have their devices independently certified, so be sure to look out for this when choosing a device.

When it comes to specific rugged standards to look for, MIL-STD 810H is considered the benchmark, meaning the product has passed rigorous US Military standard testing focused on environmental conditions. Extreme temperature, moisture, dust, shock and drop resistance are just a few of the 30 situations in which a device is tested before it can be MIL-STD 810H certified. Similarly, IP ratings remain key to the process, with most fully rugged devices now coming with IP67-IP68 as standard.

2. Excellent battery life

Long battery life is another key consideration for anyone that wants to use a rugged digital device for extended periods of time in the field, where there’s usually no access to charge facilities. As such, many rugged devices are designed to accommodate high-capacity batteries and allow users to hot swap batteries on the go without having to switch the device off first. This means many more hours of uninterrupted operation than would be possible from a device with a fixed battery capacity.

3. Multiple connectivity options

Rugged devices typically feature a diverse set of connectivity options, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, and 4G/5G. This enables users to collect/share information and communicate with colleagues in a wide range of environments, from busy city centers to remote outdoor regions and everything in between. When it comes to connectivity options, the more a device has, the better.

4. Comprehensive aftermarket support and OS longevity

Before buying a rugged device, customers need to make sure it comes with a level of aftermarket support that fits their needs. This includes things like service and repair, diagnostic assistance, and provision of any software drivers that might be required, both now and at a later date. Another key thing to look at is OS longevity, particularly if their app ecosystem is built around a specific version.

5. A top-tier warranty

True rugged manufacturers stand behind their products. If a rugged device doesn’t come with a top-tier warranty, it’s best to steer clear.

In the fast-paced technology industry, manufacturers are increasingly using ‘rugged features’ to promote and differentiate their latest consumer devices. But while the inclusion of something like an IP rating can be great for a little added peace of mind, that alone is not enough to turn a consumer-grade product into a truly rugged device.

Rugged manufacturers specialize in creating devices that can thrive in highly challenging environments and this is reflected in their exceptional build quality, overall specification and aftermarket support. Not everyone needs the all benefits that a true rugged devices offers, but for those that do, there’s no substitute for the real thing.

We list the best rugged hard drive and SSD.

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