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Former USAID administrator reflects on a year since USAID's shutdown and the new direction of US foreign aid.

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If you're looking for reliable backup power for your home, camping trips, or weather emergencies, the Jackery Explorer 1000 V2 is one of the best portable power stations we've ever tested.

Right now, the Explorer 1000 V2 is down to $449 (was $799) at Amazon, which is a solid $350 discount. And for readers in the UK, the power station has dropped to £379 (was £419) at Amazon.co.uk.

That makes an already excellent power station even better value. Whether you're preparing for unexpected outages, planning weekends away, or simply want dependable portable power for work and recreation, the Explorer 1000 V2 offers an impressive balance of capacity, performance, and portability.

Today's top Jackery portable power station deal

This portable power station delivers 1070Wh capacity with 1500W output, making it suitable for running household essentials, devices, and tools. Fast one-hour charging keeps downtime short, while multiple AC, USB, and DC ports allow several devices to run simultaneously.

In the UK: now £379 (was £419)View Deal

In our rave review, we said the "Jackery Explorer 1000 V2 is one of the best portable power stations around, a solid choice and one of the most robust and reliable options available." It scored 4.5 stars and earned a TechRadar Pro Highly Recommended badge.

Its 1070Wh battery and 1500W continuous power output are enough to run a wide range of everyday devices, including laptops, refrigerators, lights, routers, and small kitchen appliances. A 3000W surge capacity also helps when powering devices that require extra energy to start up.

The battery can recharge from empty to full in around an hour, making it ideal if you're heading off on a last-minute camping trip or need to get backup power ready before severe weather arrives.

The Explorer 1000 V2 includes three pure sine wave AC outlets alongside multiple USB ports and a 12V car outlet, allowing you to power several devices simultaneously without relying on additional adapters.

The unit weighs just under 24 pounds and includes a sturdy carry handle, making it easy to move between rooms, load into a vehicle, or carry around a campsite.

It also supports UPS functionality with a switching time of under 20 milliseconds, helping desktop PCs and other sensitive electronics continue running if the mains power suddenly fails.

The lithium iron phosphate battery is rated for up to 4,000 charge cycles, providing years of dependable service, while the companion app lets you monitor the battery and adjust charging settings directly from your phone.

For more choices, check out the best portable power stations we've tested and reviewed.

• Shop all the portable power stations at Amazon

One of my favorite things about the best music streaming services is that they’ve evolved into more than just audio platforms — they give you the freedom to create your own digital music space.

Take Spotify for example, the platform I’ve been using for over a decade. Not only does its algorithm learn to understand your tastes (though it takes quite a bit of time and effort to train it), creating playlists and folders gives you another way to make your Spotify space your own.

One of Spotify’s most handy features is pins, which places select playlists, albums, and artists, as well as audiobooks and podcasts to the top of your Library for quick and easy access, but the four-pin limit is a pain point that pretty much every subscriber has been asking Spotify to upgrade since the pins feature was rolled out some five years ago.

In the case of Apple Music, you can pin up to six different items which, while it’s still a small number, is better than four. Users have been begging Spotify to increase this number for years — and you’ll be relieved to learn that change is finally coming.

(Image credit: Future)From 4 to 20

I first spotted signs of a possible update after coming across a Reddit post (see below) in which a user shared that they had somehow found a way to pin more than four items in their Library. Apparently all they did was update their Spotify app, but other users responding in the comments saw no such change — myself included.

[Breaking | Pins] Look how many things I have pinned :) Update your app now. from r/truespotify

After coming across the post, I reached out to Spotify, which confirmed that it’s increasing the four-pin limit, which was one of the improvements I wanted the most in 2026. A spokesperson shared the following comment:

“Spotify is updating the number of items listeners can pin at the top of Your Library from 4 to 20. This gives our users more flexibility to keep the music, playlists, podcasts, audiobooks, and creators they care about most within easy reach. It's still rolling out and will be available for Free and Premium listeners around the world in the next month”.

Why pine for more pins?

I can imagine many people will read this and question the fuss over such a small feature, but there’s a lot more to it. For those who are seasoned Spotify users, the platform is much more than a music haven — it’s their source for podcasts and audiobooks.

When you factor this in, having only four pins across music, podcasts, and audiobooks is rather stingy — "Does Spotify think we only listen to 1 of each at a time?", someone commented on the post shared to the Spotify Community page. But it’s not just about being able to pin music, podcasts, and audiobooks simultaneously; it’s about enhancing the user experience.

Whenever you follow a new artist, pre-save an upcoming album, or save a new playlist, it all appears as one messy collection in Your Library. This forces you to scroll through a hoarding eyesore to find what it is you’re looking for, so pinning items bumps your most-used content to the top saving you bags of scrolling time.

Though you can simply search for the playlist you want to listen to, regular listeners have tons of them (I know I do), so it’s much easier having all of your music there at the tap of a button in Your Library. For others, it’s about more than making your playlists easier to navigate; it's about having more say in how you choose to curate your digital music collection — “we should get full control”, another user puts it plainly.

All things considered, then, avid Spotify users everywhere will welcome this update with open arms.

If you look at where global skills demand is climbing fastest right now, two areas are pretty hard to ignore: artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

According to the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025, AI and big data sit at the top of the fastest-growing skills ranking, with networks and cybersecurity directly behind.

These skills are increasingly being asked of the same person.

For most of the last decade, these were distinct careers.

Cybersecurity professionals attended cybersecurity conferences, earned cybersecurity certifications and worked in cybersecurity teams.

AI and machine learning sat elsewhere in data science org charts, research labs, product groups.

The two communities knew about each other. They rarely shared a calendar.

Security teams are now expected to manage AI systems

That separation has collapsed in the last 18 months or so, mostly because security teams are now expected to deploy, oversee and defend AI systems as a routine part of their work.

Research finds that 87% of security teams are prioritizing agentic AI adoption, with 77% of cybersecurity professionals comfortable letting these systems take action without human review. Adoption is happening fast. Demand for people capable of managing that adoption is growing accordingly. And the talent pool, predictably, has not caught up.

“Hybrid skills” is the operative phrase right now. Research finds that 59% of security professionals expect demand for hybrid skills to climb over the next three to five years. What hybrid means here is pretty specific. You need someone who understands attack surfaces and can also interrogate why a model behaved the way it did.

That same person has to have compliance literacy and be able to evaluate whether a deployed system is drifting from its intended behavior. And also be able to talk to engineers about adversarial inputs in the morning and to a general counsel about regulatory exposure in the afternoon.

That's a lot of capability for one job description. But it’s what’s happening.

Active demand and under-supplied

This profile barely existed as a hiring category two years ago. Today it's in active demand and naturally under-supplied. According to the World Economic Forum, only 14% of organization's have the skilled talent they need to meet their cybersecurity objectives.

And that figure becomes more uncomfortable when you remember that the bar keeps moving. AI literacy is now part of meeting cybersecurity objectives. A team that was adequate 18 months ago may not be adequate now, through no fault of their own.

External recruiting is not going to be a panacea for most companies. The supply of candidates who already combine deep security expertise with AI fluency and regulatory awareness is thin enough that aggressive hiring against this profile produces long, expensive vacancies and a lot of bruised hiring managers.

Which means most companies will have to grow these professionals internally. That looks like routing existing security staff through AI literacy training, embedding compliance professionals with model engineering teams, or rotating talent across both functions deliberately enough that the hybrid skill set develops as a byproduct.

This is a longer game than most CISOs and HR leaders want to play.

A real opportunity for cybersecurity professionals

Understandably, at least on the surface. It produces dividends in 12 to 24 months, in a discipline where the threat surface changes every month.

But the alternative is worse. Continuing to hire based on the old talent profile means continuing to deploy AI systems that nobody on the security team is fully equipped to govern, which means continuing to accumulate organizational risk that compounds quietly until it surfaces all at once. And it always surfaces.

There is a real opportunity buried in this for cybersecurity professionals reading the same data. It used to be that a career path like this one would plateau around senior analyst or security architect. Now it extends into AI risk leadership, AI governance, model security and adjacent roles that essentially didn’t exist as career destinations three years ago.

If you're a practitioner who adds AI literacy to existing security depth, you are positioning yourself for roles that are scarce, valuable and likely to remain so for at least the rest of the decade.

For employers, the takeaway probably feels less shiny, but it’s no less urgent.

The cybersecurity workforce of 2030

The cybersecurity workforce of 2030 is being trained right now, mostly by companies willing to invest in development before the market makes it cheap to hire ready-made talent.

There may not be an explosion of market talent, because they’re already in house. That means you really can’t wait around for these unicorn skill sets to hit the talent market. Instead, you have to cultivate them.

Look at your existing security and compliance teams. Find the people with curiosity about how AI systems work. Invest in them now.

The organizations that move first will be the ones best prepared to secure what comes next.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

• Daisy One: new headphones from a new brand — and they're not cheap
• No app, heavier than average build, smaller drivers…
• …but I truly think the dedicated on-ear 'Still Mode' button could be a winner

You’ve never heard of Daisy (the Californian tech company; you may have heard of the flower) but it wants you to hear of it. Or hear it…’s debut over-ear headphones, which are called the Daisy One.

These new cans retail at the not-insignificant price point of $399 / £364 (about AU$700), money which could, it's important to say, be buying you some Sony or Bose cans. So why buy these instead? Refreshingly, rather than play the heavy-hitters at their own game, Daisy's throwing out the rule book on how to convince you.

Take the cans’ audio chops; instead of using the same 40mm drivers that almost everyone opts for, Daisy’s gone for a 35mm option, tuned by former Harman engineers and weighted towards the low-end. That’s pretty uncommon in pricier wireless models, where neutral sound is the typically the goal.

Then there’s the design: it’s heavier than average, at 318g, and uses a more slender, metallic look than your average over-ears and comes in silver, dark green or blue (no traditional 'charcoal' option here).

Perhaps the biggest selling point — something many brands (and reviewers) could consider a minus — is the lack of an app. Instead, controls are done on the headphone, with a dial for volume controls and play/pause, and a dedicated button that plays soundscapes recorded from around California. And what a dial/button it is! It puts me in mind of Montblanc's bijou earbuds or indeed the tip of a Montblanc pen.

What this button offers is called the 'Still Mode', and it includes access to rainfall sounds, five-minute breathwork tracks, ocean tides and more, but from the headphones themselves — ie. without the need to open an app or keep your phone connected to its source device.

There is a noise cancellation listed on the spec sheet too, but perhaps Daisy knows it can't beat the class-leaders at that game. Where most flagship cans want to give you silence with ever-improved ANC algorithms, Daisy is pushing a different route straight to the desired effect of said silence: a calmer mind — and one that is better able to focus.

Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do

(Image credit: Daisy)

By turning traditional headphone flaws (see the lack of an app and a slightly smaller driver) into selling points, Daisy makes it clear that it’s trying something different.

It’s not clear if that’s by design, or by accident. In an interview with Wired, company CEO Jack Mulroe confirmed the designers were “from outside the audio industry”. So the brand brings some fresh perspectives, but potentially some shortcomings — Mulroe admits “I tweaked out on transparency for months” when trying to fix its issues.

In recent years, we’ve seen that headphone fans will welcome in new brands, perhaps more so than in other tech sectors. The likes of the CMF Headphone Pro, Nothing Headphone (a) and Soundcore Space 2 have proven popular (at least, I’ve seen people out and about wearing them) and you can see from the very end of the next train carriage that they’re not from the traditional Sony, Bose or Sennheiser roster.

We've seen other headphone startups try to help wearers stay calm and focus, albeit using very different tech. Take Neurable's 'brain-hacking' headphones, which monitor your brain activity while you wear them and thus aim to help you achieve a flow state. But Daisy's this approach is different again, and it does strike me that by taking a more hands-off approach (and leaving our gray matter alone) Daisy's approach perhaps sounds more conducive to calmness…

Ultimately, it’s always good to see a new brands step up to the plate, especially if it thinks it can do things differently to the big dogs. It’ll be very interesting to see what impact the Daisy One has, and where the company goes from here.

(Image credit: Daisy )

Forget BBQs, I'm all about outdoor pizzas this year. If you want to hop on the homemade pizza bandwagon (welcome, there's plenty of space!), then now's a good time to get yourself set up with a pizza oven. Making your own pizzas is fun and satisfying, and the results are so much more delicious than oven pizzas or takeaway. If you're short on time or not especially gifted in the kitchen, it's pretty easy to find premade dough base balls that you can just roll out and add toppings to (this is my preferred method).

When picking a pizza oven, your main decision will be the type of fuel you want it to run on. Most modern pizza ovens — including the one I have at home — run on gas, which is speedy, convenient, and easy to control by just adjusting a dial. Another option is to opt for wood, which gives that delicious smokey smell and taste (although your pizzas won't be cooking for very long, so the impact won't be massive), but requires more effort to control the temperature.

There are a few 'multi-fuel' pizza ovens that can be used with either wood or gas. Alternatively, you could opt for an electric pizza oven. These are ultra-convenient, easy to control and versatile too. However, they tend not to get as hot as the other options, and you lose that authentic experience and charred flavor.

Below, I've rounded up some of our favorite pizza ovens. If you want to see how these options compare, hop to the bottom of the page for a specs comparison table.

Gas pizza ovens

I tend to think of gas pizza ovens as a 'happy medium' option. They can reach scorching temperatures, so you'll get those authentic charred edges, but are reliable to use and it's easy to adjust the heat up or down.

You won't get the 'smokey' wood-fired flavor — however, given your pizza's only going to be in there for a couple of minutes max, the difference isn't going to be nearly as noticeable as, for instance, using a gas versus charcoal BBQ.

Ooni Koda 16 Gas Pizza Oven

Ooni Koda 12 Gas Pizza Oven

ZANUSSI ZGPO1PC Gas Powered Pizza Oven

Gozney Arc XL

Read our full review

Pros

• Larger pizzas
• More stable temperatures
• Digital thermometer

Cons

• Not portable
• No door for fast heat up
• No wood-fire option

Jamie Oliver by Tefal Outdoor Gas Pizza Oven, Rotating Stone

Wood fired pizza ovens

Wood fired pizza ovens run on pellets. Like gas options, they can get super-hot, but controlling the temperatures is trickier — it requires adjusting the vents and adding fuel. You'll also need to deal with the ash leftover afterwards. However, you will get the delicious smokey smell, and a more traditional cooking experience.

GEORGE FOREMAN Outdoor 12-inch Wood Pellet Pizza Oven

George Foreman Outdoor 16-inch Wood Pellet Pizza Oven

Zanussi ZPO1BPC Outdoor 12-inch Wood Pellet Portable Pizza Oven

Electric pizza ovens

An electric pizza oven won't give you that unique cooking experience; instead, it'll be a lot more like using an air fryer or regular oven. They also tend not to have a lower maximum temperature, so it's trickier to achieve those crispy bases and charred edges. However, what you lose in authenticity you gain in convenience — you can control temperatures precisely, and the results are very predictable.

Ninja Artisan Electric Outdoor Pizza Oven & Air Fryer MO201UK

Ooni Volt 2 Electric Pizza Oven

Ninja Woodfire 8-In-1 Electric Outdoor Oven, Pizza Oven & Smoker

Multi-fuel pizza ovens

Ooni Karu 2 Multi Fuel Portable Outdoor Pizza Oven

Gozney Dome (gen 2) Multi Fuel Outdoor Pizza Oven

Pizza oven specs compared

For the past year or so, predictions of SaaS's demise have dominated the tech conversation.

Headlines warned that AI tools would replace traditional software, engineers would become obsolete and the SaaS industry itself was headed for extinction.

The narrative became so widespread that Wall Street gave it a name: the ‘SaaSpocalypse’.

Fortunately, reality has proved far less dramatic.

While the SaaS market - once the darling of investors - has undoubtedly taken a substantial hit, it is a long way from dead. In fact, I would argue that software doesn't die; it evolves.

If history has taught us anything, then it’s that major technology shifts rarely eliminate software altogether. Instead, they reshape it, with the biggest winners often being those agile enough to adapt.

From the rise of the internet to the shift to cloud computing, time and time again we’ve seen established players demonstrate an ability to evolve alongside technological change.

The AI era is unlikely to be any different.

SaaS subsectors best positioned to unlock AI-enabled growth

And I’m not alone in this view. Over recent months a number of high-profile economists, technology historians and analysts have arrived at that same conclusion. JPMorgan continues to champion the SaaS subsectors best positioned to unlock AI-enabled growth. Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs projects the global app software market could still reach $780bn by 2030, with agentic AI ultimately expanding the market rather than shrinking it.

Put bluntly, AI isn’t killing SaaS but rather separating the bad from the good. For years, SaaS startups have benefited from intense market hype and lofty valuations, often with minimum regard given to operational efficiencies, product differentiation or true value creation. Today that playing field looks a lot different. In effect, AI is now acting as a filter, revealing which SaaS models are superior and offer a genuine point of differentiation and, in turn, those which have for far too long favored style over substance.

For SaaS founders then, it isn’t time to panic. In our experience, investors-in-the-know will be more than willing to overlook the misguided SaaS narrative and recognize a genuine high potential opportunity should it arise.

Take, for example, the mid-market. Although much focus tends to surround the startup scene, I would argue that established software vendors are actually best positioned for AI transformation. After all, they already possess powerful structural advantages, including proprietary customer data, deeply embedded workflows and long-term contracts.

Moreover, they often sit on years of customer data. In this way, unlike startups where the focus is typically product, these firms actually have something meaningful to transform.

Well positioned to use AI to strengthen their market position

Far from becoming obsolete overnight, many are well positioned to use AI to strengthen their market position. Take, for example, Keyword.com. Having early recognized that search itself is changing, it launched a product to track brand visibility across AI platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini. That repositioning opened up an entirely new growth vector.

In terms of how founders can best navigate this new terrain, it’s important to look beyond product and focus on structural resilience. For a long time, SaaS benefited from assumptions such as high multiples on ARR, heavy adjustments for stock-based compensation, and a willingness to prioritize growth over almost everything else.

That is now being replaced by a much more grounded framework. Investors are increasingly looking at real profitability, on a GAAP basis, and asking harder questions about cost structure, for example around sales and marketing efficiency, and now AI-related compute costs as well.

At the same time, as founders will be aware AI is introducing new variables. Revenue may be less predictable if it’s usage-based, and margins can be more dynamic because of inference costs, meaning investors won’t simply rely on simple rules of thumb anymore.

Valuation is becoming less about applying a multiple and more about understanding the underlying business, with a focus on true earnings quality, defensibility and efficiency.

Another significant but largely underappreciated upshot of the current environment is the emergence of roll-up opportunities.

The SaaS landscape is becoming increasingly fragmented

As valuations normalize and weaker players struggle to differentiate, the SaaS landscape is becoming increasingly fragmented. This creates fertile ground for consolidation strategies, particularly for investors with deep sector expertise.

Importantly too, AI enhances this model by enabling efficiencies across portfolios, from automated customer support to streamlined marketing and product development.

For investors, this is opening up a different kind of opportunity in terms of not just backing individual high-growth companies but participating in broader aggregation strategies that can unlock value through scale and operational improvement.

This means that purposefully positioning your business for ease of integration and standardization could pay dividends.

The short of it? Software isn’t going anywhere. Just like the major tech trends before it, it is simply evolving from a market that is less about hype and surface-level metrics to a more practical, mature model driven by genuine business outcomes.

For founders, this may mean navigating a more complex operating environment. But it also creates an exciting opportunity to differentiate.

Not all SaaS firms are primed for this new investment landscape, so those who pay due diligence by prioritizing intelligence over features, operational prowess and AI interoperability to deliver clear, measurable value will be best positioned to succeed.

We've reviewed and ranked the best business cloud storage.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

While it's certainly well designed and delivers respectable 1080p gaming performance, another PC offers better frames per dollar.

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

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

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

Features

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Features score: 8/10

Server network

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

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

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

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

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

Server network score: 7/10

Apps

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

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

(Image credit: Future)

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

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

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

Apps score: 9/10

Ease of use

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

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

Ease of use score: 8/10

Speed and performanceHow we perform speed tests

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

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

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

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

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

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

Speed and performance score: 6/10

Unblocking

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

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

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

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

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

Unblocking score: 6/10

Privacy and security

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Privacy and security score: 8/10

User reviews

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

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

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

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

Track record

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

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

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

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

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

Track record score: 7/10

Customer support

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

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

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

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

Customer support score: 6/10

Pricing and plans

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

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

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

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

Pricing and plans score: 9/10

Should you use PIA?

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

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

Total score: 74/100

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

PIA alternatives

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

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

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

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

Frequently asked questionsDoes PIA log user activity?

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

Can PIA unblock Netflix and other streaming services?

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

Is PIA suitable for torrenting?

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

• KnowBe4 finds 55% of UK workers admit to using unapproved AI tools
• Only 16% believe they're effectively managing safe AI
• 27% supplement corporate AI with more suitable tools

More than half (55%) of UK employees admit to using unapproved AI tools at work, with as many as one in 10 knowingly sharing sensitive company information with these unauthorized tools, new research has warned.

The new report from KnowBe4 serves a purpose of defining shadow AI as unapproved AI, not AI use that goes under the radar, because the number of UK cybersecurity decision-makers identifying shadow AI as the biggest risk is nearly matched (58%), implying they're well aware of the challenges.

However, little seems to be being done, because only 16% believe their organization is effective at managing AI's safe use at the moment.

Shadow AI is an ongoing challenge

Nearly half (46%) have implemented targets to improve AI agent safety over the next 12 months, but with one in five (19%) already reporting that AI agents take autonomous action across multiple workflows with limited human oversight, the risks remain clear.

"UK businesses are embracing AI to drive productivity [but] many employees are still under pressure, using unapproved tools and regularly facing (and fearing) sophisticated threats such as deepfakes and phishing," Lead CISO Javvad Malik wrote.

Shadow AI doesn't necessarily mean that employees are turning their backs on enterprise-grade tools, with 27% admitting to occasionally sourcing their own tools on top of the tools they're given, indicating that companies are failing to provide the right tools that workers need.

So while governing AI's use with clearly defined policies is one area for improvement, simply providing workers with the tools they're demanding could go a long way to reducing shadow AI's impact on any organization.

Even though Prime Day is over, the big summer sales aren't going anywhere just yet. Currys is keeping its latest Epic Deals event going for just a little longer, giving you more time to save up to 40% on thousands of items. That's a whole lot of tech, so I've searched through the sale and picked out the 18 best deals I'd buy that are actually good offers.

• View the full Currys Summer Epic Deals sale

One of the biggest areas of the sale is TVs, with several displays on offer across a vast range of price points. It's been a popular time to upgrade with the World Cup going on, and if you've felt the need for a bigger and better screen, then consider this Hisense U7Q Pro 55-inch Mini-LED TV for £649 (was £699) — a great price for a TV packed with so many premium features that offers excellent picture quality.

I've gathered up more of the top deals from the Currys Epic Deals sale I recommend below, including discounts on laptops, headphones, appliances, vacuums, and more.

Currys bank holiday sale — quick links

• Appliances: up to 40% off Hotpoint & LG
• Headphones: JBL & Bose from £29.99
• Health & Beauty: up to £150 off Philips & Oral-B
• Kitchen: up to £70 off Tefal & De'Longhi
• Laptops: from £149
• Outdoors: up to 40% off spas & BBQs
• Phones: up to £205 off Honor & Samsung
• Tablets: Lenovo & Samsung from £89
• TVs: from £129
• Vacuums: up to £150 off Dyson & Shark

Currys Summer Epic Deals sale — my 18 top picks

As some of the best noise-cancelling earbuds on the market, it's great to see this £50 price drop on the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds. For the money, you get amazing active noise cancellation and beautifully balanced sound, all topped off with a gorgeous design and impressive 8.5-hour battery life. Altogether, these are some of the best mid-range earbuds available now and are back to a record-low price.View Deal

This deal brings the Hisense U7Q Mini-LED TV, which is a TV with a lot to offer, down to a record-low price. The U7Q supports Dolby Vision and HDR10 Plus formats for more vivid colours and a sharper image, while 4K 144Hz and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro are available for smooth and responsive gaming. There aren't many TVs on the market that come with these features at this kind of price point, so this is a deal worth checking out. View Deal

The Nespresso Vertuo Pop is one of the best entry-level coffee machines around, with one-touch brewing so you can easily heat up in just 30 seconds. Use it with the included pods, and it does all the hard work for you, with the option of different brew sizes depending on how much you want to drink. As well as the Vertuo Pop machine, the bundle comes with coffee pods, mugs, spoons, and a milk frother.View Deal

Display - 14 inches
Processor - Snapdragon X
RAM - 16GB
Storage - 512GB

This is a great price for a relatively modern laptop that comes with a well-performing and efficient Snapdragon X CPU. On top of that, you get 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and incredible battery life of up to 28 hours, which represents good value for money overall. I like it as a light, portable and capable all-around everyday machine.View Deal

A clear party piece or ideal addition to your World Cup viewing party if there ever was one, this PerfectDraft Beer Dispenser connects up to compatible 6-litre kegs of your favourite tipple and pours them like you were just down the pub. The convenient LCD screen shows how much is left and when the beer or cider is at the right temperature, while its compact design and dishwasher-safe components mean it's easy to store and clean.View Deal

Promising simplicity of use, the De'Longhi Magnifica S features an easy-to-use touch control panel that lets you brew two cups simultaneously with minimal effort. It also has a silent integrated grinder with 13 settings, plus a handy milk frother too, so it’s a good all-in-one solution at a very affordable price after this near-£200 discount.View Deal

The Dyson V8 is now older, but it remains one of the top affordable vacuums and also one of the best Dyson vacuums – period. This still more-than-capable vacuum comes with a couple of essential attachments for cleaning around the home. Given its age and basic features, it's a struggle to recommend it at its full price, but now that it's discounted so heavily at Currys, it's an easy recommendation.View Deal

The Samsung S90F is a last-generation display now, but it's still one of the best OLED TVs you can buy — especially in terms of value for money following this discount.. A recipient of a five-star rating in our Samsung S90F review, we praised this display's outstanding picture quality, handy gaming features, and terrific value for money. Altogether, it's a brilliant TV to buy if you've still got some cash to splash on a big and brilliant brand-new display.View Deal

This Ninja Creami ice cream maker has become all the rage as a quick and convenient way to make all of your favourite frozen treats, milkshakes and sorbets at the touch of a button. While it's been a little cheaper over Black Friday, this is still a good price for the appliance that will only be more popular now that the warmer months are on the horizon.View Deal

Samsung's lineup of Crystal UHD TVs is less feature-rich compared to the pricier OLED and QLED displays, but they are a capable and affordable option for general everyday viewing. This 55-inch model is now available at a tempting low price in the latest Currys sale if you don't need all the fancy features of a premium TV. For the money, you get a large and modern TV that supports high-quality 4K resolution and all the most popular streaming apps. Other-sized versions are also available if you want to go bigger or smaller.View Deal

The excellent XM6s may have superseded these headphones, but the Sony WH-1000XM5s remain a top option when it comes to noise-canceling cans — and are an even better buy at this new record-low price. You can check out our review of the Sony WH-1000XM5 to get all the details, but the main points we love are the fantastic ANC, superior comfort, and top-tier sound quality.View Deal

Display - 14 inches
Processor - Intel Core Ultra 5
RAM - 16GB
Storage - 512GB

This powerful HP laptop has everything you need for business and productivity needs, and is down to a solid price after a £150 discount at Currys. The spec is strong, with an Intel Core Ultra 5 processor, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD all working together to provide excellent levels of power and performance.View Deal

I'll say upfront that you shouldn't expect a cinematic wonderland from an HD TV at this size and price (although it does support HDR, which is nice), but what I really rate here is that it's just a simple smart TV at a great price. The Freely TV interface is easy to use, intuitive, and supports all the key streaming services. So, if you want a small TV that does the job and has all the smart viewing options you could want to watch your favourite shows and movies, here it is.View Deal

Enjoy instant cinema-quality audio with this sound bar from LG, which is now a massive £700 off at Currys. With its 5.1.3 channel setup (including a wireless subwoofer and rear speakers), a whopping 580W power output, and premium Dolby Atmos support, you get a more immersive experience at a much lower price than normal.View Deal

The latest version of Sony's Bravia 8 is an incredible OLED TV that boasts some of the best picture quality to date, according to our review. The display was only released this year and this is the biggest discount yet. Sure, it's still quite the investment, but you do get a picture quality that's bright, vivid, and detailed, with strong in-built sound as well. It's perhaps not the best pick for gamers, though, given it lacks some features compared to the competition.View Deal

Sage makes some of the best coffee machines we've ever tested here at TechRadar, so I definitely want to shout out this offer on its excellent The Barista Express. We awarded it 4.5 stars in our review for its ease of use, bevvy of customisable settings and tasty results. While it's still a pricey machine, it's worth the investment if you really want to get into your coffee-making at home.View Deal

If you need a cheap and cheerful printer, this DeskJet 2910 is a great budget choice that supports wireless printing, scanning, and copying. This bundle also includes three months of HP Instant Ink, so you can save cash on your first few rounds of prints.View Deal

Here's a quality and good value big-screen TV from Hisense. The QLED displays ensure vibrant colours and excellent brightness, even in a brighter room, while 4K resolution support gives you top-tier picture quality. As far as large TVs go, this is one of the better options I've spotted in the Currys sale that balances price and features really well if you're on a tighter budget.View Deal

The Airbnb-style company Swimply said there have been about 275,000 private pool reservations so far this year.

(Image credit: Stephan Bisaha)

Colonial Americans were drinking coffee long before they dumped tea into Boston Harbor or fought a war for independence. The establishments that served it were already brewing revolutionary ideas.

(Image credit: Hulton Archive)

In a test of a new state law, doctors in Eugene went up against a national physician staffing firm seeking to replace them. Their success is getting attention across the U.S. as other states consider similar laws.

(Image credit: sorbetto/Digital Vision Vectors)

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted shipments of fertilizer and natural gas, a key component in fertilizer manufacturing. It's unlikely to cause major price hikes for U.S. grocery shoppers.

(Image credit: Allison Joyce)

Listen to the best student podcasts about what "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" means for young people today.

AFERIY Nomad 1800 Pro: Design

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

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

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

(Image credit: Future)

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

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

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

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

Specifications

Capacity

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

Battery chemistry

LiFePO₄

AC output

1,800W

Surge output

3,600W

Solar input

500W MPPT (XT60)

AC charging

IEC C13

Expansion

Up to four batteries (5,120Wh total)

USB-C

1 × 20W, 1 × 140W PD

Weight

11.6kg

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

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

There are a couple of compromises, however.

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

Port selection is generally sensible but not perfect.

(Image credit: Future)

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

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

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

Where it matters most, the Nomad performs extremely well.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Value is where the Nomad 1800 Pro really shines.

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

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

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

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

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

(Image credit: Future)

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

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

(Image credit: Future)

Should you buy the AFERIY Nomad 1800 Pro?

Buy it if...

- You want excellent performance without paying premium prices.

- Expandable battery capacity is important.

- You appreciate standard connectors like IEC C13 and XT60.

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

Don't buy it if...

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

- You expect premium fit and finish throughout.

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

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

We've featured the best rugged phones.

Heat threatens U.S. 250th celebrations, Russian advances slow as Ukraine hits back, infighting risks derailing Democrats' House hopes.

On the eve of America's 250th birthday, NPR's Michel Martin asks House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York about the Democratic Party's midterm future.

(Image credit: Anna Moneymaker)

The heat dome encasing much of the eastern U.S. is reviving concerns about protecting workers from the heat. Many states have laws in place but some, including Florida, have rolled them back.