The best carbon plate running shoes all share the same purpose: to help you run more efficiently at high speeds, but they don’t all do this in the same way.

I love ludicrously light and aggressive super-shoes myself, like the Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 and Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo. Still, they’re not the most durable or practical option for anything other than race day, and many runners find them too unstable and uncomfortable for longer events too.

The On Cloudboom Strike 2 is a super-shoe that offers more comfort and stability than its rivals, and even if it’s not the lightest and fastest racer I’ve tested, it still performed well for me across a variety of hard training runs.

It won’t be the perfect racing option for runners seeking the absolute fastest shoe they can strap on, but the balanced ride of the On Cloudboom Strike 2 might hit the spot for marathoners looking for a more controlled ride that’s still fast enough to chase PRs.

On Cloudboom Strike 2 review: Price and availability

The Cloudboom Strike 2 launched in July 2026 and costs $250 in the U.S. and £230 in the U.K., which actually makes it one of the more affordable super-shoes on the market, though you can get cheaper options by shopping for older models in sales.

It’s one of two new On racers, sitting beneath the On Cloudboom Strike 2 LS in the brand’s line-up. The LS version has a one-piece LightSpray upper that makes the shoe considerably lighter, but it’s also considerably more expensive at $310/£300.

On Cloudboom Strike 2 review: Design and fit

The On Cloudboom Strike 2 is currently available in three colors, with bright green and purple designs joining the white and yellow model I tested in the lineup.

I found that the shoe fit me well in my normal running shoe size. It’s a bit tighter around the toes than other On shoes, but you would expect that in a racing shoe. The traditional upper is not as light as On’s LightSpray material, but does allow you to adjust the fit, and some people find the brand’s LightSpray shoes difficult to get on.

My US men’s size 9.5 Cloudboom Strike 2 weighs 7.2oz, and judging by On’s stats, the LS model would be 1-1.5oz lighter than this. The standard shoe is certainly pretty light, but many top carbon racers are under 6oz.

The shoe has a 5mm drop and stack height of 39.5mm at the heel and 34.5mm at the forefoot to match World Athletics regulations, which limit racing shoe stacks to a maximum of 40mm.

Upper

The Cloudboom Strike 2 has an open-weave upper made from quite a stiff material. It’s breathable and lightweight, and I had no problems with comfort during my testing of the shoe.

I’m a fan of On’s LightSpray uppers, which I’ve tested on the original On Cloudboom Strike LS and On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper LS, but they don’t fit every foot perfectly, so the more adjustable design of the standard Cloudboom Strike 2 will create a better fit for some.

Midsole

The Cloudboom Strike 2 has a dual-density midsole that uses two layers of the brand’s springy PEBA-based Helion HF foam that sandwich a curved carbon plate (called a Speedboard here).

That’s all quite standard for a racing shoe, but what is novel about the Cloudboom Strike 2 is the CloudTec Sphere geometry, where channels have been cut into the midsole to increase the rebound you get from the foam.

There’s also a large cutout in the middle of the midsole that runs the length of the shoe and shows off the carbon plate from beneath, which helps to reduce weight.

Outsole

It’s rare to see a lot of rubber on the bottom of a racing shoe, with most brands opting for minimal patches in the heel and forefoot to reduce weight, so it’s a pleasant surprise to see the fuller outsole coverage you get on the Cloudboom Strike 2.

This does add a bit of weight but will improve the durability if you’re using it for a lot of training alongside racing, and the Cloudboom Strike 2 has also gripped well for me throughout testing.

On Cloudboom Strike 2 review: Running performance

I’ve run 45 miles in the On Cloudboom Strike 2 so far, doing a series of workouts in the shoe on the track and road, as well as some light trails. Those workouts have included short, all-out reps and longer stints at my half marathon and marathon race paces.

Most of my runs in the shoe have been fast, since it’s a racing shoe first and foremost, but I also did an easy-to-steady progression run to see how it feels at slower paces.

The ride is more subtle than with many carbon shoes that have very soft, springy foams or highly rockered midsole shapes. The Cloudboom Strike 2 does have a bouncy feel, but it isn’t exaggerated, so it feels a little more natural to run in.

It’s certainly quick, too, and makes holding fast paces feel smooth and controlled. I did a series of 2km reps in the shoe at around 5:15/mile pace and 60-second reps at sub-5/mile pace, and it turns over quickly and gives the added "pop" off the toes you expect from a super-shoe.

That said, it doesn’t feel quite as fast as my favorite super-shoes, which are lighter and more explosive. The Cloudboom Strike 2 is more balanced and feels better than those shoes at slower paces, but for all-out performance I’d opt for something like the Puma Fast-R 3 myself, and I look forward to testing the lighter Cloudboom Strike 2 LS.

However, the more stable, natural feel of the Cloudboom Strike 2, coupled with its extensive outsole, means that it’s a shoe that I’d be happy to use for lots of training as well as racing. I even found it a good option for fast runs on light trails because it’s not as soft and wildly rockered as some rivals.

Should you buy the On Cloudboom Strike 2?

If you just want the fastest super-shoe on the market, I don’t think it’s the On Cloudboom Strike 2. The Puma Fast-R 3 and Asics Metaspeed Sky Tokyo top my list, or the Mizuno Hyperwarp Pure if you’re looking for a short-distance speedster in particular.

I also think the LS version of the shoe will be a speedier option thanks to its lighter upper, even if the midsole and outsole are the same as on the standard Cloudboom Strike 2.

However, if you need a bit more stability and comfort in your racer, and prefer a more natural ride, the Cloudboom Strike 2 is a strong option, alongside the Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 4.

Both shoes are good options for regularly fast training as well as race day, and are at the more affordable end of the super-shoe spectrum, with the On being more comfortable and bouncy, while the Puma is lighter.

The carbon plate shoe market is crowded, but I do think the Cloudboom Strike 2 fits a profile some runners will be looking for, especially for longer events like marathons.

Headphones that are specifically labeled for children tend to feature a ton of drawbacks, especially when it comes to sound quality. That said, why we recommend specific kid headphones is because most of the ones we test feature volume limiters designed to protect little ears from future hearing damage or loss.

With that in mind, the iClever Q950 might be the best kid headphones I’ve ever tested. They’re comfortable and sound amazing for kids’ cans. No, they won’t replace the best headphones for adults, but a kid won’t complain, and even most grown-ups will enjoy listening to this set. Read my full iClever Q950 review to find out why.

iClever Q950 review: Specs

iClever Q950 review: Price & availability

The iClever Q950 cost $69 at Amazon, but we’ve seen them a bit lower at $59 during sales events. Even at full price, these are pretty good value for money.

The Q950 competes with other iClever offerings like its colorful Auraa headphones ($39) and the Puro Sound Lab BT2200s ($99) or the extremely low-cost $20 JBL Junior 320s. I don’t think you’d go wrong with the other options, especially if you’re trying to save a buck, but personally, I’d recommend the Q950 as the middle ground. Plus, they sound better than the other offerings.

iClever Q950 review: Design

Compared to most kid headphones, the iClever Q950 look more sophisticated while also clearly being made for children.

Compared to the usual grays, blacks and whites that make up adult headphones, the Q950 are quite colorful but not quite as garish as they could be. Largely that has to do with the bright blue or purple hues. The holders have a pleasant metallic sheen.

Outside of colors, these are pretty durable headphones; I performed a couple of drop tests and twisted the headphones around a few times and never felt afraid that I was about to break them, though I’m sure an enterprising tot could destroy them.

They’re over-ear headphones with extendable ears that fold in, but can also turn out to lay flat if you want. They won’t disappear, but it gives you some flexibility, especially when trying to store them in a backpack. For extra protection, the Q950 does come with a bulky carry case that can hold charging wires and the 3.5mm wire. The case isn’t as bag-friendly, but you can stuff some Pokémon cards in there if you want.

Comfort

With comfort in mind, one of my personal bugaboos with over-ear headphones is the headband. If I notice the band during a listening session, it becomes grating. I never noticed it with the Q950, which is one of the highest compliments I can pay.

Despite my adult ears, the ear cups didn’t squish them, and they fully cover a kid's ears, meaning there isn’t sound leakage. I was able to wear the iClever headphones for a full workday without noticing them.

At 9.9 ounces (238 grams), these are some of the heaviest kid headphones I’ve tested. As an adult, I didn’t find the weight uncomfortable, but while 8 or 9 ounces isn’t much for grown-ups, it does add up for your kid.

My son tried the headphones, and he didn’t find them uncomfortable, but he has complimented lighter headphones like the JBL Junior 320 when we’ve had them before. In comparison, those headphones only weigh 4 ounces, less than half the weight of the Q950.

Connectivity

The iClever Q950 comes with both wired and Bluetooth connectivity. I’m a big proponent of 3.5mm wired connections when they’re available. These headphones come with a 3.5mm wire that sends the audio pretty cleanly. I can’t tell how they’ll hold up in the long run but for now it seems pretty sturdy.

Q950 features Bluetooth version 6.0; the most recent version which offers better connection stability and reduced power consumption. This is a huge get for headphones meant for kids. Not every headset has this version, including major releases from this year, like Apple’s AirPods Max 2, which still use version 5.3.

I was able to cleanly connect to an iPad mini and my Galaxy S26 Ultra with no noticeable dips or drops. That’s all you need, especially if you’re on a road trip and using movies on the tablet to distract.

iClever Q950 review: Sound quality

As mentioned up top, the Q950 headphones might be the best-sounding kids headphones that I’ve tested to date. Now with that praise, if you’re dropping down from a high-end set like the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 or the Sony WH-1000XM6, then you’ll notice a huge difference.

But compared to other kid headphones, the Q950 have an open, warm sound. The trebles and mids are clean without losing depth, meaning you should hear what the music is meant to sound like. Conversations in podcasts have a warmth that I found pleasant.

The bass is surprisingly punchy. No, you won’t mistake these cans for a set of Bowers drivers. But as someone who grew up on a steady diet of Paul Oakenfold passed through terrible headphones and winMX, the Q950 are pretty decent.

It’s honestly surprising how good these sound. I doubt it’ll turn your kid into an audiophile straight away, but they’ll be able to appreciate what they’re hearing, especially as they start playing their own music.

iClever Q950 review: ANC

Unfortunately, there is one big flaw you should know. Most kid headphones now feature active noise cancelling, which is marketed as a way to keep your kids from turning the sound up when outside noises get too loud. The Q950 does feature an 80 dB volume cap, which is good. However, I found that the ANC actively made the sound worse, flattening it or making it feel too quiet. It’s a surprising flaw for such a prominent feature.

As an example, I was listening to a podcast and decided to try out ANC while my partner was in a meeting. Tapping the button suddenly felt like I’d been sucked into an aural void, and I thought I’d accidentally hit a half-mute button I didn’t know existed. Music felt similarly pillowed.

Normally when I use ANC, like on the JBL Tour One M3, it just deadens outside noise. I don’t think I’ve ever felt the feature fundamentally change the sound of what I was actively hearing. It’s not necessary to use ANC, but if you or your child is bothered by too much outside stimulation, this is a significant drawback to the Q950.

iClever Q950 review: What the kids are saying?

My son tried out the Q950 over a couple different sessions with an iPad mini, once on a road trip and once at home. He liked that the headphones were comfortable, though he initially thought they were the iClever Auraas, and at first glance they do look similar.

He didn’t have much to say about the sound, though he said he liked it. He doesn’t really care about ANC, but he did say he never had to turn up the audio even despite a nagging little sister.

iClever Q950 review: Verdict

The bar can be pretty low for kid headphones when it comes to audio quality and iClever Q950 clears that bar with flying colors. Honestly, you could buy a set for yourself, and I don’t know that you’d be disappointed.

The weight and ANC are potential problems, but if your child isn’t bothered by headphone weight and doesn’t use ANC, these are good headphones. Plus, at $69, they won’t break the bank, making them one of the best pairs of kid headphones you can buy.

As a kitchen appliance reviewer, some of my favorite and top-rated products hail from KitchenAid. I've owned an Artisan Stand Mixer for years now, and use many KitchenAid appliances and accessories on a daily basis, so it's no surprise that when the opportunity arose to review the brand's new fully automatic coffee machine range, I volunteered immediately.

Now, I'm no stranger to a manual espresso maker — I love my Ninja Luxe Cafe more than anything else — so I really wanted to switch it up to see how a fully automatic machine compares to the manual control I'm used to. After all, these automatic coffee machines claim to deliver the perfect espresso in one touch, without worrying about grinds, milk or the like, so my curiosity was definitely piqued. (And spoiler alert: the KF2 did not disappoint).

Launched earlier this year, KitchenAid's new machines — the KF2, KF3 and KF4 — each have different functions, prices and colorways to suit every kind of one-touch coffee-lover. The machine reviewed here, the KitchenAid KF2, is the most affordable option and offers some hands-on time for hobbyist baristas who want manual control over their milk.

Over the course of a month, I put the KitchenAid KF2 through its paces and used it to make hot, iced and milk-based drinks.

KitchenAid KF2 review: Specs

KitchenAid KF2 review: Price and availability

The KitchenAid KF2 in Australia, where I'm based, is priced at AU$1,099. For those in the UK, it's £699 and in the U.S., it's $799.99. When compared to the other coinciding releases of the KF3 ($999.99 / £749 / AU$1,349) and KF4 ($1,299.99 / £899 / AU$1,599), this is the "budget" or entry-level option in KitchenAid's new fully automatic lineup.

Now the word budget is a bit of a stretch — it's still pretty expensive — and it doesn't quite dazzle compared to similarly priced automatic machines. I’m talking largely about De’Longhi here, as you can often pick up one of the esteemed brand’s machines for less, in return for more extensive features, like one-touch drink presets and automatic milk-foaming systems. That said, the KF2 offers six drink presets and a steam wand (which some 5-star automatic machines neglect entirely). And, I won't lie, the KF2's sleek, matte black design is nice to look at.

KitchenAid KF2 review: Design

KitchenAid's newest fully automatic machines, including the KF2, have a much smaller footprint than their predecessors. Measuring just 14.2" x 7.7" x 18.5" / 36.07cm x 19.56cm x 46.99cm, the KF2 takes up very little counterspace, making it ideal for those with smaller kitchens. The KF2 has five function buttons on the front of its backlit LED screen, as well as a power button on the right side. It also features a 1.8L water tank at the back, a Pannarello steam wand, a drip tray and a concealed 250g bean hopper.

Unlike the KF3 and KF4, which are both available in matte black and KitchenAid's signature Porcelain white, the KF2 is limited to the former. I quite like the simplicity of the black colorway, but it isn't as visually appealing as the white or Juniper green colorways that the KitchenAid KF8 offers, in my opinion. The stainless steel accents in the drip tray and the steam wand are a nice contrast to the matte machine body, but I didn't love the feel of the function buttons.

A fun surprise discovered during set up were two wheels under the machine, making it easy to move around if you needed to fill the water tank. It's also not that heavy, at just 22lbs / 10.1kg, so I could easily lift it and move it into place.

KitchenAid KF2 review: Performance

Grinder

The KF2 uses KitchenAid’s Intelligrind technology, which aims to take the guesswork out of selecting the best grind size for your chosen beans. For most users, it allows for a hands-off approach, just pour your beans into the top-mounted hopper and select a drink. If you do want to make some finer adjustments, you can open the machine's side panel, where you’ll find a slider to make the grind finer (to the left) or coarser (to the right). However, for most users, I don't think any adjustments would need to be made, as the automatic function takes away any manual hand tamping or grinding.

Regardless of whether you make adjustments or not, the KF2's grinder is so quiet. That's largely due to its Quiet Mark certification, meaning it won't make too much noise while you're brewing your early morning coffee.

If you prefer decaf or coffee grounds, the KF2 also has a 250g ground coffee section next to the bean hopper. It is worth noting that when you add in ground coffee, the machine will switch into its ground coffee mode and exclusively use it over any beans in the hopper. To fix this, you'll need to toggle the bean setting before every use.

Espresso

The KF2 can truly customise your coffee to your liking, thanks to its drink, strength and dosage settings. Once you choose your drink recipe — e.g. either an espresso, coffee or over ice — you can make your coffee or espresso shot as weak or strong as you'd like using the strength and dose buttons. If you make adjustments to the strength, the KF2 will grind fewer or more beans, resulting in a dose that’s between 7g and 14g.

Regardless of the strength setting you choose, the KF2 excels at pulling a consistently well-extracted shot of espresso. For the test brew, I used the double strength on the espresso setting to extract a single shot, and it was perfectly balanced. Just look at that crema! This was using medium-dark roast beans with notes of rich caramel, butterscotch and sweet red fruits. I'm not one to drink straight espresso — I prefer iced coffee all year round — but I really enjoyed the deep caramelly notes I achieved with the KF2.

When extracting an americano, I used the coffee setting with double strength, single cup dose, and it was pretty spot on for a black coffee. There was a bit of trial and error — initially, I opted for triple strength, and it was too strong for my liking — but the second time around, it worked a charm.

Milk

If you have milk with your coffee, then you’ll likely want to know how well the KF2 can froth milk. You may also have an opinion as to the best method for foaming milk. For me, the fact that the KF2 uses a conventional steam wand as opposed to a hose system on the KF3 and KF4 is a huge plus point. While it might not be as hands-off as the other KitchenAid models — you have to pour the milk into the jug (sold separately) and then pour it into your mug — the result, in my opinion, is much better milk foam. Conversely, when using the KF3 and KF4, milk was silky in texture and did have some froth, but it paled in comparison to what the KF2 could achieve.

What’s more, having manual control means the KF2 inherently performs better with plant-based milks. This is because you can easily check the temperature whilst milk is heating up and turn it off when it reaches the optimal heat.

I am a big fan of manual control when milk frothing, so I was very eager to try the steam wand, and as a plant-based milk drinker, I preferred the wand to the milk jug/hose set-up. I could easily check the temperature and make sure my almond milk didn't burn, as most plant-based milks will burn at lower temperatures than dairy. The wand also has a side toggle where you can adjust the foam to your liking, so you don't have to second-guess too much when heating milk to your preferred foaminess.

Before using the steam wand, you need to wait a short while for the internal water system to preheat. It’s not a long process, just something to be aware of. When you’ve finished frothing your milk, you’ll want to purge the steam wand to remove any residue. The purge process can get quite messy as the wand is rather powerful and sits an inch or so above the drip tray. I resorted to purging it a few times inside an empty milk jug, just to avoid powerful steam explosions.

My first test was an Aussie staple, a flat white, which is typically made from steamed milk with very little foam. To do this, I flicked the foam setting to ‘less’ and put the wand in just below the surface.

The result clearly speaks for itself, as I made the most perfect flat white to ever exist. Even in my teenage barista days, I've never made glossy steamed milk like this, so it was a true feat to be admired for KitchenAid's steam wand.

Next up was a latte, so I moved the toggle to the highest foam setting and made sure to keep the wand under the surface of the milk. There were some bubbles initially, but after a few attempts, I ended up getting an equally perfect latte with some great microfoam. (My latte art definitely needs work, though.)

Iced coffee

KitchenAid has given its new compact trio of coffee machines the ability to make iced drinks, although the method in which they make them gave me a little cause for concern, as they’re made ‘over ice’. By this, it means you still need to put ice in your cup or glass first, and the KF2 will then pour a shot of espresso over it. The company says it brews at a cooler temperature than a ‘regular’ shot of espresso, but it’s not quite the same as the Ninja Luxe Cafe I use daily, for example, which has dedicated settings for brewing cold shots of espresso.

The results were interesting to say the least. I was a little anxious before making my first iced drink, because I'm picky about iced lattes, and if it's too watery, I don't want it. The fact that an iced latte made with the KF2 has to include a few ice cubes indicated that it may indeed end up being a bit weak.

Fortunately, my worries weren’t necessary, as the KF2 did a commendable job of making an iced coffee. When coupled with cold milk and ice, it was particularly delicious, although it was, admittedly, on the weaker side due to the melted ice.

After the first try, I tweaked the strength higher as the machine automatically selects the lowest setting, and it made a better improvement to the taste. I also opted most days to not brew it immediately over ice to avoid watery shots, and that made the experience much more pleasant.

KitchenAid KF2 review: Storage and maintenance

When it comes to everyday maintenance of the KitchenAid KF2, it was pretty straightforward and I didn't need any handholding to keep the machine running. The drip tray has a handy full alert sign when it needs emptying, and can be easily removed. And if you need to add more coffee beans, the backlit screen will give you a helpful alert.

The KitchenAid KF2 comes with a couple of cleaning tablets for cleaning the brewing group and water filter inside the box. It also comes with a handy water filter insertion tool, which doubles as a ground coffee scoop. As per the manufacturer, the water filters will last two months if using tap water, but could last up to 6 months if you use filtered water. You will need to buy descaling solution separately.

KitchenAid's routine cleaning and maintenance is pretty easy, as the machine rinses itself before and after each use. This also clears the system of any blockages as well as warm the internal pipes to the right temperature before making a coffee.

If you need to descale the machine, clean the steam wand, add beans or water, the screen will give you an alert and guide you through the process if needed. Now, during my review period, I didn't need to descale the machine at all; however, I am certain that the machine would let me know if it needed an extra clean.

KitchenAid does sell additional water filters and brew units if you need more, and offers a 3-year limited warranty.

KitchenAid KF2 review: Verdict

If you prioritise time in the mornings, then the KitchenAid KF2 is something to consider and add to your routine. It's easy-to-use, delivers excellent crema, and offers some hands-on control for your milk. All you need to do is add your preferred beans (or grounds), and you've got the perfect morning brew.

That said, it doesn't offer full one-touch convenience — you'll need to tweak your strength and dose settings with each use — however, that doesn't knock too many marks off for me. And iced lattes could be better, but that won't matter to most non-iced coffee drinkers.

That being said, if you're interested in a fully automatic, low-maintenance coffee machine, the KitchenAid KF2 is hard to beat.

Framework’s new Laptop 13 Pro is a “complete ground-up redesign” of the company’s original Framework Laptop 13 that debuted back in 2021. Originally, when I saw the laptop this past spring, it was pitched for power users and developers, especially with the ability to install Ubuntu Linux out of the box. I was ready to crown it one of the best laptops then and there.

At the time, CEO Nirav Patel was promising not to gouge customers over RAM pricing and making apocalyptic predictions on the future of personal computing. Unfortunately, while my Laptop 13 Pro review unit was still in the mail, Framework announced increased RAM pricing that basically doubled the price for certain tiers.

The laptop features a sturdier design with a new matte black color scheme (though certain parts can be swapped out to a more N64-esque transparent plastic). The aluminum chassis feels stronger than the one in the older Framework Laptop 13 too and operates smoothly.

The new 13.5-inch touchscreen display is brighter with a decent 30 - 120Hz refresh rate. Plus, it comes with a larger 74 WHr battery that promises 20 hours of use.

The Framework Laptop 13 Pro might be the best version of the company’s system to date, but pricing and availability make it hard to recommend right now. Find out why this is a tough decision in my full review!

Framework Laptop 13 Pro: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The Framework Laptop 13 Pro is a modular, repairable laptop with an aluminum chassis, bright touchscreen display, and lots of customization options on both the hardware and software sides.
• Who is it for? Power users, developers, and those who want to upgrade or repair their laptop easily.
• What does it cost? The Framework Laptop 13 Pro starts at $1,199 for the DIY edition (before you pick parts) and $1,599 for the pre-built version.
• What do we like? The premium build, modular design, bright display, and excellent battery life.
• What don’t we like? The price is high, and it's not exactly available. Plus, the webcam isn’t great.

Framework Laptop 13 Pro: Specs

Framework Laptop 13 Pro: The ups

The Framework Laptop 13 Pro impresses with its sturdy design, modular system, and excellent battery life.

Sturdy, premium-feeling design

On the surface, the Laptop 13 Pro will look familiar to fans of the Laptop 13 as it shares a similar size and overall design. However, the new matte black finish feels more premium than the older silver hue. Likewise, the hinge on its aluminum chassis feels smoother than the older one.

It’s the parts where you can feel the difference, including the “purpose-built” 13.5-inch display that comes with a 700-nit screen and 2880x1920 resolution. Yes, the plastic bezel, which comes in a variety of colors, feels flimsy and attaches with magnets, but I found it a fun bit of flair, especially with the transparent orange version I tested.

The keyboard deck feels solid too, and Framework put some thought into replacing it (more on that below). I found the keys large and spaced well for typing.

Measuring 11.67 x 9 x 0.62 inches and weighing just over 3 lbs, it’s not as light as the budget-friendly Dell XPS 13, but it will fit comfortably in your backpack for travel.

The modular choice is yours

Framework promises you can upgrade older laptops with new parts and promises easy repairability. That continues with the Framework Laptop 13 Pro. In fact, if you have a Laptop 13, you could buy the necessary parts to turn it into a 13 Pro (though some components like the bottom panel would need to be swapped to accommodate the new, larger battery).

I reviewed the DIY edition of the Laptop 13 Pro, which meant installing the Framework-supplied SSD, RAM, and display bezel. The only tool you need is the Torx T5 screwdriver, which comes with the laptop. Everything was easy to slot in, and Framework provides guides so you don’t break anything or need a little help along the way.

One of my favorite small additions in the 13 Pro is a new little pop-up nodule under the keyboard deck. It makes separating the laptop for repairs easier once you’ve unscrewed the bottom panel screws. The older 13 doesn’t have this nodule, which means you have to do a little more prying to get into the laptop.

Outside of that, you can replace everything else on the laptop, and Framework sells parts from new displays and batteries to bezels and expansion cards that let you swap out a USB-C port for an Ethernet jack or an HDMI port. My configuration came with 2 USB-C expansion cards and 2 USB-A ones.

MacBook levels of battery life

These days, the best laptops for battery life promise well north of 14 hours of use. Framework claims the 13 Pro can last up to 20 hours, which would put it in line with the MacBook Pro M5 Pro and its 21 hours of use.

In our lab tests, we achieved nearly 17 hours of screen on time, averaging 16 hours and 48 minutes of battery life. Even running Windows 11, this new battery is no joke. Our battery test browses websites, streams videos, and runs light OpenGL tests, meaning this beats even most other Windows-based laptops.

Framework Laptop 13 Pro: The downs

Overall, the Framework Laptop 13 Pro is a pretty good laptop. However, as of this writing, the biggest flaw has nothing to do with the technology itself but rather the exploding price. This also means that the adequate performance isn’t quite enough for the money you’re going to pay.

Additionally, availability is a concern, as most new parts and the laptop itself aren’t available for at least another six months.

From hobbyist to premium

There are other flaws, but the price and availability of the Framework Laptop 13 Pro are the biggest drawbacks. As of this writing, every iteration of the 13 Pro is up for pre-order and won’t ship until November. Additionally, if you have the Laptop 13 and want to upgrade, the necessary parts are listed as “Registered Interest” or “Coming Soon” in Framework’s shop.

As for price, when I put in our preferences for the version we wanted to test, it still had a high but reasonable price for the laptop. Since receiving the laptop, the prices have nearly doubled thanks to the ongoing RAM crisis. Prices for individual LPCAMM2 modules now reach $800 and $1,600 for the 32GB and 64GB, respectively.

Currently, on the Framework website, the configuration I tested is $2,915. The prebuilt version of the laptop we tested now goes for $2,899, up from $2,099 at launch. That said, the 16GB version only saw a $100 increase to $1,599, so if you’re not hogging too much RAM, that might work for you.

Look, everything is more expensive. The Dell XPS 14, our current pick for the best Windows laptop, in a similar configuration as what I tested, will set you back $2,579. The question is whether upgradeability is worth an extra $400 to you.

Performance is okay for the price

I specifically tested the mid-level Framework Laptop 13 Pro because, at the time, it had a friendlier price point and improved performance over the entry model. I also tested the laptop with Windows 11 for an easier comparison to other laptops we’ve tested.

On Geekbench 6.7, the Laptop 13 Pro managed a single-core score of 2836 and a multicore score of 14,715. I’ll note that the Intel CPU is only cooled by one fan, and while I didn’t notice any heating issues during my testing, this isn’t a laptop you’re going to want to redline.

The Dell XPS 14 is much higher, but again I wonder if cooling could improve the performance. The Framework does have comparable single-core performance.

I’ve put this in the downs section, but honestly it’s mostly because of the price. For what you’re paying, I believe you’d want a little more oomph. At its previous cost, I could recommend the 13 Pro and say that it’ll get the job done and you’d have enough juice for some light gaming as long as you turn the settings down and don’t mind playing at 1080p. But at the current price, I’m not sure it’s enough.

Finally, this is a bit of a nitpick, but if your job requires you to be on a lot of Zoom calls, the webcam turns on. I found it a bit grainy no matter the quality of my internet speed or lighting. Plus, for those who use it, the laptop doesn’t have an infrared camera for Windows Hello.

Framework Laptop 13 Pro: Verdict

I really want to recommend the Framework Laptop 13 Pro. I believe in what they’re doing wholeheartedly, and I’ve been quite impressed with the upgradeable and repairable system the company has developed. It’s fun to put together, easy to use, and there are a ton of configuration options to choose from. Plus, Framework has leaned into letting you put whatever OS you want on this laptop, from Windows to Linux and everything in between.

And it's not their fault by any means, but RAM prices have truly made what is already a niche product in the PC world a harder sell. If the prices were still around what they were when it was first unveiled, I’d easily recommend giving the 13 Pro a shot. It’s a great little laptop you’ll be able to use, repair, and even upgrade for years to come. But at nearly $3K, I’m just not sure. Especially with limited availability and a shipping timetable that won’t get you a computer until November?

If you can support an interesting company doing interesting things, then go for it, but if you actually need a laptop right now, this might not be the one for you.

When I look at a premium consumer laptop with branding like “Pro” or “Ultra,” I expect a bit more than the average laptop experience. I don’t just want decent performance, a usable display, and at least 8-hours of battery life.

I expect a sleek aluminum chassis packed with high-performance components, more than all-day battery life, a powerful audio system, vivid OLED display panel, a keyboard that feels good to use, and enough ports to handle a variety of accessories.

I also expect to see a high price tag attached, because you don’t get an Ultra laptop for bargain prices. But once a laptop hits the $2,000 mark, it becomes hard to justify a device that's using only an integrated GPU.

But do the OmniBook Ultra’s cons outweigh its strengths enough to keep it off our best laptops list?

HP OmniBook Ultra 14: Cheat sheet

• What is it?: The HP OmniBook Ultra 14 is a premium consumer laptop designed for users who want powerful performance, great battery life, and a slim, portable device.
• Who is it for?: The OmniBook Ultra is designed for power users and working professionals who demand a combination of extreme performance, fantastic power efficiency, and the ultimate in portability.
• What does it cost?: The starting price of the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 Snapdragon X2 edition is $1,899 while our top-of-the-line review model costs a cool $3,599.
• What do we like?: The new HP OmniBook Ultra chassis has a sleek modern design with chrome detailing, stellar performance, and a bright, vivid display.
• What don’t we like?: The OmniBook Ultra does leave a lot to be desired in terms of connection ports, and while its performance and power efficiency are fantastic, those come at a steep price.

HP OmniBook Ultra 14: Specs

HP OmniBook Ultra 14: The ups

HP’s revamped Omnibook Ultra does quite a lot right. It looks and feels like a premium laptop with a sleek chassis, chrome detailing, a crisp keyboard, powerful speaker system, OLED display, combined with impressive performance and an all-day battery life.

Sleek modern design

The OmniBook Ultra has a new look this year with extra chrome detailing along the sides and back of the chassis along with a debossed brushed chrome logo on the top cover panel.

While this isn’t a huge break from the previous OmniBook Ultra design, it does feel just a bit more polished than previous generations.

This notebook also comes in two different colorways, a cool Stone Blue or dark Eclipse Gray for the aluminum body. Both colorways come with the same chrome detailing, so it pops a bit more on the darker Eclipse Gray but adds a great, subtle premium touch to either color.

HP kept portability in mind while crafting the 14-inch Ultra chassis, with a Z-height of just 0.42 inches and a total weight of just 2.83 pounds.

It’s not the lightest laptop on the market, but it is incredibly lightweight and thin, which makes it easy to carry to the office, the coffee shop, or on a plane. And you won’t even have to worry about back strain or whether the 14-inch ultrabook can fit in your bag.

Stellar general performance

Qualcomm has made a lot of performance claims about the X2 Elite CPU, and we’ve verified quite a few. Though that can change between laptop to laptop based on how the OEM configures the chipset for their thermal design.

So some variation will always be seen depending on the specific laptop in question. That said, I was still pretty impressed with the overall performance of the Snapdragon X2 Elite on the OmniBook, which put up quite a lot of multicore performance despite its ultra-slim design.

Whether it was photo editing, video calls, or just doing some light word processing, I ran into no slowdowns with the OmniBook, even when running 15+ Chrome tabs at a time with a few other programs like Spotify running in the background. And that’s backed up by our lab test results as well.

In terms of general CPU performance, the OmniBook Ultra 14 had more Geekbench 6 multicore horsepower than many of its competitors, including the Apple MacBook Air M5, Dell XPS 14 with Intel’s Panther Lake X7 CPU, and even the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x with the previous Snapdragon X Elite chipset.

The OmniBook Ultra even outpaced the Apple MacBook Pro M5 in both the Geekbench 6 multicore benchmark and Handbrake video encoding test, though the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air both outperformed the OmniBook on single-core performance. Though the Snapdragon X2 Elite CPU has closed that singlecore performance gap to just a few hundred points.

On the BlackMagic Disk Speed test, the OmniBook clocked 6922 write and 5607 read speed. That’s pretty similar performance to both Apple M5 laptops in terms of write speed, though it is a bit behind on reading speed. It also leaves the Dell XPS 14 in the dust.

While I wouldn’t use the OmniBook Ultra as a daily gaming laptop, it can handle some basic gaming on Medium graphics settings at 1080p.

And that’s a significant upgrade over the previous generation Snapdragon laptops which failed to even scrape past 20 fps on most games. I personally booted up Baldur’s Gate III and Final Fantasy XIV as both are well-optimized games that should play nicely on integrated graphics cards compared to some more GPU-heavy games like Black Myth: Wukong or Monster Hunter Wilds.

Baldur’s Gate III performed well on Medium to High settings at 1080p or 1200p settings, though the game really struggled with the graphics and computational load when run at the OmniBook’s native 1800p resolution.

Final Fantasy XIV was a bit more of a struggle on Laptop (High) and 1080p settings with frequent frame drops from 70fps to 50fps. Even when dropped down to Laptop (Standard) graphics settings, the OmniBook struggled with occasional frame drops, though they were less frequent.

It wasn’t enough to make the game unplayable but it was certainly frequent enough to be annoying. And FFXIV boots with AMD FSR on by default so serious frame drops shouldn’t be too common. Unfortunately, I can only assume this is due to the game putting a heavy load on Microsoft’s Prism emulation layer since FFXIV does not currently have a native client for Windows on Arm.

However, even with the frame drops on Final Fantasy XIV, the fact the Snapdragon X2 Elite could run both games at over 60fps for even some of the time is a massive improvement over the previous generation. And that’s more than playable enough for some casual gaming while on a business trip or vacation.

Bright, vivid HDR display

The viewing experience of the OmniBook Ultra is pretty top-notch, with a powerful quad-speaker array featuring HP’s PolyStudio tuning and a bright, HDR-capable OLED display.

In terms of raw numbers, the OmniBook Ultra’s OLED panel covers 87% of the DCI-P3 color gamut with an average max brightness of 414 nits with an HDR peak brightness of 847 nits.

This makes it both bright and vivid enough to be a great option for your next streaming binge. Combined with the powerful quad-speaker system that can easily fill a room, and the OmniBook is a proper entertainment machine.

That vivid OLED display and powerful audio also make it a great option for any photo or video editing you may need to do. Whether that’s adjusting images and video for work or tweaking your vacation photos to look their best on Instagram, the OmniBook has the audio-visual fidelity to tackle some serious editing.

Long-lasting battery life

Snapdragon laptops tend to have some impressive battery life, and the OmniBook Ultra isn’t much of an exception. However, it does trend to the lower-end as far as Snapdragon power efficiency goes. In our lab, the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 lasted a respectable 13 hours and 27 minutes on our web-surfing battery test.

While that isn’t the longest record we’ve ever seen, it is more than enough to last for even a demanding work day.However, the OmniBook Ultra’s competition really does blow it away on this one.

The Apple MacBook Air M5 lasted 15 hours and 37 minutes on the same battery test, while the MacBook Pro 14 M5 lasted 18 hours on the same test. Even the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x with the previous generation Snapdragon X Elite chipset lasted longer, with a battery life of 14 hours and 14 minutes.

Only the Intel-powered Dell XPS 14 under-performed compared to the OmniBook Ultra with a battery life of 12 hours and 23 minutes. Though, both the XPS and OmniBook have upgraded integrated GPUs which can help account for some of the increased power consumption on both laptops.

HP OmniBook Ultra 14: The downs

While the OmniBook Ultra deserves its name due to its usability and battery life, all those premium components come at a high price. Add on a sub-par port selection and some Microsoft Prism Emulation pitfalls, and the OmniBook’s faults start to weigh a bit heavy.

Port selection leaves a lot to be desired

While the OmniBook Ultra 14’s sleek design gives it a proper premium air with chrome detailing and a carry weight that’s beyond easy to carry, some sacrifices were made in the design phase. The biggest sacrifice made for the OmniBook Ultra’s sleek new chassis is its port array.

There are just three USB-C ports and one headphone jack on the 2026 OmniBook Ultra. That’s less than what you get on an Apple MacBook Pro, though it is one extra USB-C port compared to the MacBook Air.

However, with the price of the OmniBook Ultra, I’d expect it to compete more with a higher-end Mac chassis in terms of features. And while the OmniBook Ultra does win on the OLED front, the port selection is just a little too short.

Sure, you can fix the port array by getting a dock or using Bluetooth accessories. But on a high-powered premium laptop, I’d at least like to get an SD or MicroSD card reader to truly take advantage of the X2 Elite’s powerful CPU and GPU combo to do some light photo or video editing without needing to use a clunky dongle that’ll slow down large file transfer speeds to a crawl. But ultimately, this isn’t even the worst of the OmniBook’s problems.

Microsoft Prism emulation doesn’t solve everything

My biggest issue with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon laptops has always been the app support issue. And Qualcomm has essentially tried to pretend there isn’t an app support issue while relying on Microsoft’s Prism emulator to close most of the app support gaps between Windows on ARM and Windows on X86 computers.

To Qualcomm and Microsoft’s credit, most of the common applications are native on ARM now, and most others can be run through Prism’s emulation layer.

The problem is all the niche cases. While your average laptop user will have no major problems with Windows on ARM, there are still sizeable software gaps becomes a problem when it's time to outfit an entire business or school with laptops.

That's because some highly-specific software suites like much of the AutoDesk suite, either cannot run on ARM-based systems at all. Or require heavy use of Prism, which causes a severe slowdown due to the computational load of such intensive programs.

While you might expect most AutoDesk users to utilize dedicated workstations, the workstation and premium PC market now have some serious overlap.

Intel and AMD have been closing the gap between entry-level discrete graphics and their integrated GPU solutions to the point that some lightweight workstations eschew discrete GPUs entirely.

So while your average OmniBook Ultra customer won’t have much issue with Prism emulation vs Arm-native applications, anyone with any kind of fringe application in their daily rotation should take a hard look at the list of Arm-native applications before deciding on a Snapdragon PC.

All that performance comes at a high price

Any piece of tech that requires DDR5 RAM is currently significantly more expensive than it would have been a year ago, and the OmniBook Ultra is no exception. However, the OmniBook Ultra 14 (2026) has a starting price of $1,899 while our review unit costs $3,599.

While the starting $1,899 price tag is a bit high compared to last year’s OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 ($1,499) is a bit high, it falls in line with the standard RAM shortage price hike and is somewhat forgivable in that light.

The upgrade cost for our review unit is prohibitive. Even with the sale HP has going on the OmniBook Ultra right now, the price only comes down to $2,959 which is still egregious for a 14-inch ultrabook.

For $3,599, I could get a Razer Blade 16 (2026) model with an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H and Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070Ti with 32GB of DDR5 RAM and an OLED display and still have $100 left over.

Or I could save even more and get an M5 Pro Apple MacBook Pro 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU with 24GB RAM, and 1TB of storage for about $2,699. Both options would have better raw performance, more graphics horsepower, and more ports for less than the cost of the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 with the Snapdragon X2 Elite CPU.

Verdict

As far as premium laptops go, the OmniBook Ultra 14 does most things right. It’s got a sleek new chassis in a crisp Stone Blue or sleek Eclipse Gray colorway with premium chrome detailing on the edges and debossed modern HP logo.

It’s got more than enough horsepower to crunch through demanding workloads, though the app support gap can still be a bit of an issue for certain users, and it’s got enough battery life to make it through a full work day without needing a charge.

But the OmniBook Ultra isn’t a perfect laptop. Even for those with the budget to afford either the pricey base model or the exorbitant amount for our over-specced review unit, there are a couple of major downsides.

While over 13-hours of battery life is great for an average laptop, it’s a bit below the average for a Snapdragon laptop and there are plenty of laptops on the market with significantly better battery life. Including laptops by Qualcomm’s main competitors: Intel and AMD.

However, the real detriment is the port selection. A premium portable laptop that needs a dock to be fully functional is never going to be as Ultra as the name suggests. If you never need to move the OmniBook Ultra, that’s fine.

But if you want it to be your portable work and play powerhouse, having just a handful of USB-C ports and an audio jack isn’t sufficient. Having at least an onboard SD or microSD card reader would at least put it in MacBook Pro competitor territory.

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H100 are a set of luxury over-ear ANC headphones from the legendary Danish high-end audio manufacturer. I’ve seen these cans described online as the Rolex of headphones, and that sentiment tracks pretty true. These things cost $2,200 in the U.S. these days, so yeah, we’re into 1% territory here.

When it comes to build and comfort, the H100 are truly a luxury product. They also pack some impressive features, boasting the last word in wear detection and a fantastic app. Sound quality is solid, although I had to do a little EQing to match my preference.

Aside from that, and some minor connectivity gripes, I really have very little to say against the H100. If you can afford them, I’m sure they’ll make you very happy. So, could these be the best headphones for millionaires? Find out in my full Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H100 review.

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H100 review: Specs

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H100 review: Price & availability

There’s no getting around it, at $2,200 the H100s are eye-wateringly expensive in the States. Admittedly, the H100 are at an all-time high right now, likely thanks to tariffs, and have been hiked from $1,549 back in May 2025. We’ve since seen them drop back to around $1,750 during sales events — scant consolation, I know.

In the U.K. where I live, the H100s are still very pricey, but retail for a decidedly more palatable £1,450, although as I write this they’re on sale for £1,299. I would definitely advise waiting for a sale — or for one of B&O’s “Reloved” refurbished fire sales.

The only more expensive ANC headphones that I can think of are six-figure jewel-encrusted limited runs like the Loewe LEO x Jacob & Co. As far as consumer cans go, the closest and only real rivals to the H100 are the Loewe LEO ($1,680) and DALI IO-12 ($1,750). The IO-12 sound beautiful, but lack features like ANC modes or a companion app for custom EQ. There’s also the Focal Bathys MG ($1,299), which offer supreme magnesium build quality and gorgeous sound, although cost nearly a grand less.

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H100 review: Design

The H100 are built as you’d expect from $2,200 cans: exquisitely. The aluminum machining is nanometer-precise, with not a single imperfection to see. Then there are the earcups. Pillow-soft doesn’t cut it. These things are soft like a chinchilla wrapped in silk and marshmallow, sitting on a cloud. They’re not actually made from chinchilla, I ought to add. Unfortunately, they are actually made of lambskin leather, and for a vegan that’s just as bad. There are no vegan replacement options, either.

The thick, comfy headband is wrapped in good ol’ cow leather, and clicks off if you need to replace it. These cans are intended to last you a long time, so B&O has made it easy to swap out parts. I love that.

If I had one minor design complaint, it’s that, while they look utterly luxe, the H100 aren’t particularly striking. Not that it matters when they’re on your head, of course. And besides, if you’ve spent $2,200 on headphones, it’s probably best they don’t stand out.

The H100 come with an ultra-premium protective case that looks like a designer handbag. Not only does it look great and protect your cans, it’s a lot more flexible and forgiving than the solid and scratch-prone case of the younger B&O sibling, the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95.

Comfort

As might be obvious from my prior gushing, the H100s are extremely comfortable to wear. You don’t get the sheer breeziness of a suspended headband design, as on a lot of open-back audiophile cans, but it’s not like the H100s are heavy enough to give your neck or noggin any real problems.

Weatherproofing

The H100 have an IP53 rating, so they’re dustproof enough for the beach and waterproof enough for the odd bit of sweat or a light rain shower. This suits them nicely to the role of daily driver — remember, most over-ear headphones have no waterproofing.

Controls

I love the H100 controls, which are very similar to those on the H95. There are two wheels for volume and ANC levels; a touchpad with taps and swipey-swipes for controlling playback; and a button for shifting between ANC modes. Once you know your way around, it’s highly intuitive. It’s also reliable — I’ve never missed an input and the controls prove surprisingly difficult to engage accidentally. Everything is also fully customizable in the B&O app, so you can make the controls your own.

The H100 also feature excellent wear detection. After a short (customizable) while off your head, though, they’ll also power off and back on automatically, saving battery. There’s also single earcup detection, so you can just raise an earcup to talk to someone if needed — very handy.

Connectivity

The H100 are a little behind the times in 2026 as I write this, sporting only Bluetooth 5.3, which offers less stability, inferior power consumption and narrower codec support than the latest version 6.0. But hey, the Apple AirPods Max 2 launched in 2026 with only 5.4, so it’s not just B&O at the back.

The H100 only support AAC and SBC Bluetooth codecs. The B&O website says: “The selected codec solutions are more relevant for the Beoplay H100 design and performance profile than LDAC, which is only supported by specific devices.” Utter baloney. It’s not a binary issue: every LDAC device I’ve ever seen, tested or owned also supports SBC and AAC.

Personally, advanced codec support bothers me very little. I only use Bluetooth when out and about or working, and therefore not listening particularly critically. But I can see how the lack of hi-res codecs could be frustrating when paying $2,200.

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H100 review: Sound quality

I tested the H100 using Qobuz, in our eyes the best music streaming service for audiophiles. I streamed in hi-res or CD quality and over USB-C.

Putting the H100 on, the first thing I noticed was the warmth. Bass is thick and rich, but fast and well-controlled nevertheless — the surreal oscillating bassline of James Blake’s Limit To You Love was delivered with absolute precision. I was particularly impressed with the sub bass, too. I haven’t yet tested a set of closed backs with as much oomph in the subby section of SOHN’s Antigravity. It's almost high-end planar performance.

I found the default Optimal EQ a little too dark for my preference, especially with ANC on. Treble and upper mids sounded somewhat muted and hazy; vocals soft and distant. Thankfully, there’s a custom EQ in the B&O app so you can dial in the sound to your liking. It’s not the most comprehensive EQ, with adjustments made based on the sound characteristics you want, but it is user-friendly and quick. I tweaked the sound to be more energetic and the upper range cleaned up nicely.

EQ’d up, the resolution and speed of the drivers across the frequency range was on full display. Mids, especially guitars, had plenty of definition and texture in sludgy tracks like Melvins’ Honey Bucket and Siva by The Smashing Pumpkins. In bassy electronica like Dusky’s Stick By This and Burn Water’s Ikigai, the added airiness helped ethereal backing effects shine. Vocals were clean and pronounced, with natural timbre and strong separation to the harmonies in Blusher’s cover of Your Love Is My Drug.

Overall, I’m pleased with how the H100 sound. The default EQ tuning isn’t for me, as I felt it was a little too dark at the top end. But it’s fine, because if you want something else, the H100 let you get exactly what you’re after via EQ, and can handle pretty much anything.

Listen along to my testing playlist on Qobuz.

Soundstage

B&O claims the H100 are tuned with spatiality and Dolby Atmos media streaming in mind. Indeed, in the app’s Stereo Spatial mode, the springy opening percussion of Antigravity pinged inwards and outwards with an impressive amount of width for closed backs.

Using the Dolby Atmos mode, there was an equally wide soundstage on display in the two movies I watched, Dune and Dune: Part Two. In Paul’s hallucinations on Arrakis, hearing the shimmering foley effects sparkling all around my head was like being in a movie theater, especially when combined with that hammering bass.

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H100 review: ANC

The H100’s ANC is extremely good. I live next to a very busy road. So, at rush hour, I opened and sat next to the window with the H100 on my head, using maximum ANC and my music volume at around 50%. I could barely hear a thing from outside. Trucks, motorcycles, cars — all blocked save the odd faint whoosh during quieter moments in songs. In the office, I couldn’t hear my colleagues talking around me, or their music being played.

Not bad at all from the H100, although I’d say my much cheaper Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 are equally as proficient (they even managed to cut the noise of a screaming baby directly in front of me on a plane returning from, of all places, Denmark).

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H100 review: Call quality

The H100 call quality is fairly run-of-the-mill. I called my wife over WiFi and she reported that I sounded a little quiet and distant — she had to take me off loudspeaker to hear. After that, though, she said the clarity of my voice was pretty good, and she could make out everything I was saying. It's like 3.6 Roentgen: not great, not terrible.

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H100 review: App

The B&O app is excellent. It’s slick and polished, giving you full control over controls and the custom EQ. My only gripe is that the EQ is a little basic — as I mentioned earlier, it's a circle with various characteristics, rather than a proper parametric equalizer. But hey: it works, and it's quick.

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H100 review: Battery life

Bang & Olufsen claims the H100 will last 32 hours with ANC on, which is really strong. The Sony WH-1000XM6, Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 2) and Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 will all give you a respectable 30 hours, while the Apple AirPods Max 2 last just 20.

After using the headphones for around 7-8 hours over the course of two days in testing, the battery dropped to 74%, which correlates to the manufacturer-stated figure. I only had to charge the cans once during the week I tested them. Not bad at all.

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H100 review: Verdict

Obviously, the elephant in the room here is price. The H100 are a flagship product from a high-end audio brand, so they were always going to be spenny. And it’s not like they don’t justify their position at the top of B&O’s range. Their sound quality and custom EQ are fantastic, the ANC is top-notch, they’re packed full of features to make your life easier, and they’re literally built to last a decade (or more).

I’m not going to tell you that they’re $1,300 better than the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 or B&O’s own H95, though. Because that simply isn’t true. You can get more value for money elsewhere. But you probably already knew that.

In the end, the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H100 are a gloriously extravagant status symbol. In my eyes, they’re probably the best over-ear ANC headphones you can get, performance- and quality-wise. But if you want the best, you’re gonna have to pay through the nose for it.

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I much prefer flip phones over notebook-style foldables. Part of the reason is that they’re way more compact than the average slab, while offering better utility as a backup vlogging camera over notebook foldables like the Z Fold 8 Ultra.

But after spending extended time testing generation after generation of flips, I can’t shake the feeling that the Z Flip line has plateaued. With the Galaxy Z Flip 8, Samsung seems content at adding minor polish — all while asking for more of your hard-earned money. Don’t get me wrong: last year’s Galaxy Z Flip 7 emerged as one of the best foldable phones around, but this year, Samsung hasn’t given the Flip quite the same level of treatment as its Z Fold line.

What used to feel like the most exciting form factor in tech is starting to suffer from incremental fatigue, which I’ll explain thoroughly in my Galaxy Z Flip 8 review. It’s still a sleek piece of engineering, but when modest tweaks are paired with a price hike, it’s a lot harder to justify the upgrade.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 review: Specifications

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? Samsung’s 8th generation flip-style phone, serving as the successor to the previous Galaxy Z Flip 7.
• Who’s it for? The Galaxy Z Flip 8 is best suited for tech enthusiasts and casual content creators who value a sleek, pocketable clamshell design that gives them creative and more intuitive ways of capturing content.
• What does it cost? The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 starts at $1,199 for the base model with 256GB of storage — marking a $100 price increase over last year's model. Upgrading to the 512GB option will set you back $1,399.
• What do we like? The Galaxy Z Flip 8 delivers substantial performance gains thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, alongside a noticeably brighter screen that hits a peak of 2,150 nits. It also remains a superb, highly versatile vlogging camera, made even better by the addition of horizon-level stabilization.
• What don't we like? A $100 price hike makes the Z Flip 8 harder to justify, especially since the overall design, camera hardware, and battery life remain almost the same as before.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 review: Release date and price

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 officially hits shelves on August 7, 2026, with pre-orders live now. However, that tech comes at a higher cost: the Z Flip 8 starts at $1,199 for 256GB of storage.

That’s a $100 price hike over last year's model, which also saw a $100 increase over the Galaxy Z Flip 6 before it. And if you want the extra storage, Samsung’s asking a whopping $1,399 for the 512GB model. While it’s still cheaper than the Motorola Razr Ultra 2026’s premium price tag of $1,499 (which comes with 512GB), the bigger problem is how this new price point intrudes on traditional flagship territory.

You have four color options: Pink, Graphite, Cream, and Mint, which is an online exclusive. The pink shade of my review unit is charming, but the Mint option is definitely the standout of the bunch.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 review: The Ups

Substantial performance gains

One of the biggest upgrades I’m happy to see is the decision to go back to Qualcomm. Samsung made a surprising switch last year with the Z Flip 7 by using its own Exynos chip, but the return to Qualcomm’s flagship silicon gives the Z Flip 8 its most important hardware upgrade.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 certainly proves it’s a powerhouse for this flip-style phone, delivering huge performance leaps over the Z Flip 7 — and even its main rival, the Motorola Razr Ultra 2026. In Geekbench 6, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 delivers a single-core score of 3,627 and a multicore score of 11,215. That’s a massive step up over last year's model and noticeably outpaces the Razr Ultra 2026.

Graphics performance tells a similar story. On 3DMark Wild Life Unlimited, the Z Flip 8 notches an overall score of 29,723 with an average frame rate of 177.9 fps. By comparison, the Z Flip 7 ran at a much slower frame rate (114.6 fps) — while the $1,499 Razr Ultra 2026 reached 24,437 (146.3 fps).

Brighter screen

Despite there being no physical changes to either display, I’m happy to report that the main 6.9-inch AMOLED screen is noticeably brighter, reaching a peak brightness of 2,150 nits. It’s a solid step up over the Z Flip 7’s peak of 1,989 nits, though it still trails the Razr Ultra 2026’s more astounding 2,322-nit reach.

This increase makes it much easier to watch Instagram and TikTok reels outdoors on sunny days. I just wish Samsung had added the same anti-reflective coating found on the Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra, as glare from reflections can still be problematic at certain angles.

Action-cam stability with Horizontal Lock

One software addition I’m happy to see Samsung borrow from the Galaxy S26 is the new Horizontal Lock option built into Super Steady video mode. No matter how I’m holding the phone — even when jitters are introduced while recording — the video footage stays completely level.

Because the Z Flip 8’s folding clamshell design naturally lends itself to handheld vlogging, Horizontal Lock is a fantastic pairing for this form factor. While it does result in a slight crop to achieve that gimbal-like stability, the level footage it produces makes handheld clips look surprisingly professional without needing an external stabilizer — and you can see how well it works compared to the Z Flip 7 above.

Still a superb vlogging camera

Even if the camera hardware remains largely unchanged, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 continues to be one of the best pocketable vlogging setups you can buy. A big reason for that is its flip-phone form factor, which allows me to prop it up on any flat surface like a built-in tripod or bend it to a 90-degree angle to hold like a classic camcorder.

What continues to make it such a great tool is the outer FlexWindow paired with the rear cameras. This lets me easily preview the frame while vlogging, while also delivering much better selfie captures than a standard front camera. Plus, compared to larger notebook foldables, it’s still far more intuitive to hold with one hand while keeping an eye on your shot.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 review: The downs

It’s more expensive

While the original Galaxy Z Flip from 2020 remains the most expensive model in the series, the Z Flip 8 marks the second consecutive year of a price hike. It’s $100 more at $1,199 for the 256GB base model, while stepping up to 512GB sets you back a steeper $1,399.

Although it still manages to undercut the even more expensive Motorola Razr Ultra (2026), I don't think the upgrades offer enough value to justify the extra cost. In fact, this higher price point pushes the Z Flip 8 directly into competitive flagship territory. When you're paying this much, minor refinements and a chip upgrade feel a lot harder to rationalize — especially when the overall hardware design, camera specs, and battery performance have largely remained stagnant.

Design is starting to look and feel stale

On paper, Samsung manages to make the Z Flip 8 ever so slightly thinner and lighter than its predecessor, but these minor improvements are practically impossible to notice when it’s side-by-side with the Z Flip 7 in real life.

The fundamental aesthetic remains completely unchanged, as well. From the outer FlexWindow shape, to the flat aluminum sides and hinge mechanism, Samsung is sticking to the exact same visual playbook for another year. While it’s still a sleek, solidly constructed device, the design is undeniably starting to look and feel stale. It deserves the same redesign that allowed the Z Fold 7 to gain attention with its mind-boggling thinness.

Camera performance is barely improved

Taking photos with the Galaxy Z Flip 8 feels almost identical to using its predecessor. Across most everyday shooting conditions, I don’t see significant gains in image performance from either its 50MP main camera or its 12MP ultrawide.

Take a look at the daytime shot I captured above of the side of the building in shadow. From the dynamic range performance to the fine details of the stone facade, there’s barely any difference between them.

Another perfect example is the 10x zoom shot of the tree in the gallery above. The fine details in the trunk and branches are no different between the Z Flip 8 and the Z Flip 7.

Against the Razr Ultra 2026, the Z Flip 8’s 12MP ultrawide doesn’t come close to matching the detail and definition captured by the Razr Ultra. When I zoom into the tree, the Razr's shot exhibits noticeably more definition in the bark and branches.

The sole area where I see significant improvement is low light. I’m referring to near pitch-dark conditions, as opposed to dim scenes with ambient light around. Notice how the Z Flip 8 makes the top level of the house look much brighter compared to the Z Flip 7, all while drawing out more stars in the night sky.

Marginal battery improvement

Battery life on the Galaxy Z Flip 8 moves in the right direction, but only by a hair. In our battery drain test, the Z Flip 8 logged an average time of 12 hours and 5 minutes, edging out the Z Flip 7 by under half an hour. What’s strange is that despite having the same 4,300 mAh capacity as before, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 doesn't bring as dramatic an endurance boost as what I found with the Z Fold 8 Ultra. At the same time, the Motorola Razr Ultra (2026) blows past both Samsung clamshells with a massive 16:20 battery runtime.

Unlike the new Folds, the Z Flip 8 doesn’t get faster 45W wired charging. Instead, it remains capped at 25W, and its charging times are barely faster than the Z Flip 7's — with the phone reaching 59% in 30 minutes compared to last year's 55%.

Not enough software improvements

On the software front, One UI 9 covers all the basics I want, offering the same strong level of multitasking and productivity Samsung’s custom experience has continually delivered. However, there are only a few new AI tricks, including more multimodal tools, enhanced Flip Shot shooting options, and minor updates to both Now Brief and Now Nudge.

The outer FlexWindow, in particular, feels underutilized despite bringing more apps and basic actions to the cover screen. Aside from minor widget updates and basic app support, Samsung hasn't introduced any breakthrough features here. I was hoping for more specialized Galaxy AI tools, but the fact that Samsung didn’t give the Z Flip 8 the same AI-tracking My FanCam feature found on the Z Fold 8 says a lot about where the software falls short.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 review: Bottom line

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 remains one of the sleekest, most refined clamshell foldables you can buy, but its generational leaps are getting harder to see. On one hand, the return to a Qualcomm silicon with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 delivers impressive performance gains, the screen gets bright enough to tackle outdoor glare with ease, and video features like Horizontal Lock make it an even more formidable tool for vlogging. If you're coming from a Z Flip 5 or an older slab phone, these upgrades are enough to warrant buying.

However, when paired with a $100 price hike that pushes the base model to $1,199, Samsung's baby-step approach feels tough to defend. With the overall design aesthetic, camera specs, charging speeds, and battery endurance remaining unchanged as before — all while competitors like the Motorola Razr Ultra 2026 push the envelope in battery life and image detail — the Z Flip 8 feels less like a step forward and more like a complacent upgrade settled on just getting by.

It's still a great foldable, but in a market where price tags keep climbing, minor polish is no longer enough to justify the upgrade.

If you want one of the best soundbars in your home, you could be spending thousands and thousands of your hard-earned cash. But what if I told you you could upgrade your TV’s sound for less than £350? I know — shocking. The Samsung Q600H has a good balance between voice, SFX, and OST. It’s a sleek, easy-to-use, budget-friendly soundbar and can be customized to suit you using the SmartThings app.

But be aware that, since it’s so cheap, the sound lacks the width and height you’d usually get from more expensive soundbars. This model is also only available in the U.K. and E.U. markets, but if you’re in the U.S., you can pick up last year’s model, the Samsung Q600F, instead. We gave this soundbar 4.5 stars, and it’s our top choice mid-range option to spruce up your home sound system.

To find out more about the new soundbar, you can keep reading this full Samsung Q600H review.

Samsung Q600H review: Specs

Samsung Q600H review: Price & availability

The Samsung Q600H retails at full price for £549 on the Samsung website, but you can find it cheaper on Amazon U.K. for £349 or at Currys for £499. This soundbar is only available in the U.K. and E.U., which is a shame for those of you who are stateside, as this is a really great soundbar for the price.

If you’re in the U.S., the closest soundbar would be the Samsung Q600F. The F is the 2025 iteration of the Q600H and costs just $379 at Amazon U.S. If you’re in the U.K. and are happy to buy a model from the previous year, the Q600F will cost you £221 at Amazon U.K. We gave this soundbar 4.5 stars when we reviewed it last year, and it remains one of our top picks, so I’d recommend it if you’re trying to save money without sacrificing performance.

For a soundbar with more room-filling sound and better width and height distinction, check out the Samsung QS750F for $899/£699. This all-in-one soundbar performs well beyond its price tag and is suited for anyone who wants a more expansive sound or needs separate rear speakers.

And if you don’t want to spend too much money because this is your first venture into the world of soundbars, the Klipsch Flexus Core 100 could be a great option. It’s very affordable at $349/£299 and gives you the option to add on a subwoofer, but lacks Wi-Fi connectivity, which I found very beneficial from the Q600H for AirPlay and Google Cast.

Samsung Q600H review: Design

The Samsung Q600H doesn’t exactly stand out from the crowd. It looks like every other soundbar I’ve seen. But that’s a good thing. I appreciated that when I was watching TV, it was barely noticeable when set up underneath. The Titan Black Colour looks great and isn’t distracting.

The unit weighs 29.1 pounds, and I found it easy to lift and set up by myself. It measures 46.5 x 18.4 x 10.7 inches, so it doesn’t take up too much room either. I set the subwoofer up off to the side of my TV stand, and it looked good, without drawing too much attention.

Controls

You can adjust the sound using the on-board buttons at the top of the soundbar, or you can use the included remote control. I get a little overwhelmed when I have multiple remote controls on the go. One for the TV, Blu-ray player and soundbar can all get a bit much. Luckily, the remote of the Q600H is very thin so doesn’t feel cumbersome — it feels more like a genuinely useful addition. I also controlled settings such as sound mode and EQ through the SmartThings app on my phone, which was straightforward, which I’ll get into in more detail later on.

Features

The Q600H soundbar has customisable sound modes, EQ adjustment for bass and treble, night mode, and voice enhancement. Most of this can be controlled via the SmartThings app, which I’ll discuss more below.

Samsung Q600H review: App

This was my first time using the SmartThings app, and I was blown away by how easy it was. In my job, I have used a whole host of smart home apps, but this has to be one of the most straightforward to navigate.

In the app, you can switch between different sound modes. I found Standard mode the best for balanced audio and natural sound when watching sitcoms. Surround mode gave me more expansive sound for action sound effects. AI Adaptive sound was the best for detail, prioritizing ambient sounds over the soundtrack. The soundbar also has Game Pro mode, but unfortunately no dedicated music mode.

You can control EQ settings in the app, as well as the level on the subwoofer. I enjoyed the level of customization I got with the soundbar, but you get more freedom by paying a premium price for something like the Samsung QS90H ($999/£899). The QS90H is an all-in-one system with a 7.1.2 channel configuration — a lot more powerful than the 3.1.2 of the Q600H.

Samsung Q600H review: Sound quality

I tested the Samsung Q600H soundbar with our standard watch of “Top Gun: Maverick”, as well as a few other films I know and love, TV streaming, and music streaming via AirPlay.

Movies

I watched “Top Gun: Maverick”, “La La Land”, and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” on 4K Blu-ray. The opening scene of “Top Gun: Maverick” allowed me to evaluate the width, height, high-frequency sound and bass. I enabled AI Adaptive Sound and increased the bass. I also increased the subwoofer to the max to get the full effect of the rumble of the plane engines. In this scene, the high-frequency sounds such as ropes swishing and clanging chains were very clear — I could hear everything distinctly, but not as crisp as when using the Samsung QS90H. The bass of the jet engines stirring to life was well-balanced without rumbling, and the song “Danger Zone” wasn’t overpowered by the planes.

Using AI Adaptive Sound prioritizes diegetic sounds (things like sound effects, foley, vocals etc), as I was able to hear high-frequency details such as the light ticking of a clock, and the dialogue remains incredibly clear. In the scene where we see the Darkstar hypersonic plane take off for its Mach 10 flight, I didn’t get the impact I was anticipating with the sonic boom. While the radio dialogue in the dogfight scene was clear over the OST, it’s also worth noting that there wasn’t a great deal of width or height, and while this soundbar has SpaceFit Sound Pro, I was unable to test it as I didn’t have a compatible Samsung TV to hand — despite testing in a room with 10 TVs.

In the movie’s beach scene, the track “I Ain’t Worried” by OneRepublic playing over the scene demonstrated impeccable bass performance and great balance between dialogue and overture tracks.

Next, I watched “La La Land”, a film that I think has one of the best original soundtracks of all time (yes, they should have won that Oscar). After watching this, I would wholeheartedly recommend the soundbar for musical lovers, despite the lack of music mode. During “Another Day of Sun”, I could clearly hear the footsteps of the actors and dancers as they jumped across cars and slammed doors. Hearing these sounds so distinctly added a lot of detail to the scenes.

Throughout the movie, the dialogue was clear when the characters spoke at the same time as the OST. When the four roommates were getting ready, I could hear the echo in the bathroom set and, later, the clacking of their heels on the street.

Speaking of click-clacking, I was actually disappointed when listening to the “Lovely Night” dance scene. I could hardly hear Mia and Sebastian’s tap shoes, but other sounds such as the kicking up of dust were clear as day.

Finally, I watched “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”. Sound effects from the movements of the Silver Surfer felt very expansive; however, other SFX sounds weren’t very clear. I switched to Surround mode, which heightened the SFX and resulted in a more immersive experience. For example, when Herbie “speaks”. However, conversation from the human characters wasn’t as clear. But in general, I enjoyed watching this movie with the soundbar and think it elevated my viewing experience.

TV

To test TV performance, I watched ‘Invincible’ on Prime Video. I watched using the AI Adaptive Sound setting in the SmartThings app, and increased the bass and treble, with the subwoofer set to the highest setting.

The first episode of the TV show had a whole lot of action sound effects of a battle, with a lot of dialogue included. Indistinct chatter in the background of scenes, such as when Mark is walking through the school halls, was audible without taking over the soundstage, suggesting that the soundbar handled the layers of sound well.

The subwoofer kicked in for sound effects such as punching and more gruesome sounds like blood splatters, which were emphasised well, without taking over from the dialogue or soundtrack. I could also hear effects like the splatter of blood and guts moving across the room in accordance with the on-screen movements (gross!).

Music

To test the music playback performance, I listened to a couple of different songs using AirPlay. There’s no dedicated music listening mode on the soundbar. Firstly, I listened to “High and Low” by Empire of the Sun. This soundbar demonstrated excellent bass performance during synth sounds; however, the treble sounded harsh. I turned down the treble in the SmartThings app, which helped to improve the vocals, but it still wasn’t great.

Next, I listened to “Famous Last Words” by My Chemical Romance. This didn’t sound as forceful as I’m used to, and the layers of the song sounded disjointed. There was nowhere near enough depth to do the song justice. The stripped-back bridge resulted in a better performance because there were fewer components to confuse the soundbar, but when it built up again, it struggled to keep up.

Finally, I listened to an acoustic track, “Cariad” by The Royston Club. The stripped-back vocals sound amazing and actually made me exclaim “Oh! That’s good!” in shock. But then when the drums kicked in, they overpowered the acoustic guitar. Bass performance is seemingly the priority with this soundbar.

Samsung Q600H review: Verdict

The Samsung Q600H is an ideal option for a cheap, entry-level soundbar for anyone who wants to enhance their at-home movie watching on a budget. I’ve found it incredibly easy to use with the included remote control or the SmartThings app, and the smart features make it feel highly customisable to fit your desired sound. I appreciated the great balance between dialogue, SFX, and OST sound, and the sleek, unobtrusive design is the cherry on top.

My only real qualm with the soundbar is the lack of width and height in the soundstage, but for less than £350, it’s something I’m willing to overlook. Unfortunately, this soundbar is only available to purchase in the U.K. or E.U., with no plan for a U.S. release. However, you can purchase last year's model, the Samsung Q600F, in the U.S.

Overall, the Samsung Q600H is a solid option to upgrade your home theatre, and one I’ll be making use of to watch the best new movie releases.

Need to invest in your first fitness tracker but don’t know where to start? Well, picking up one of the best cheap smartwatches is the best way to understand what you're looking for. You can start to understand your metrics without breaking the bank, and by knowing what data you find most actionable, you can invest in a more advanced model down the line. I think the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 is an ideal entry-level tracker, and it costs just $62.

It’s comfortable to wear all day and all night, water-resistant, and gives very accurate tracking data. The useful companion app is the cherry on top, so you can take in all of your metrics at a glance and use it to make lifestyle changes.

However, some of the data, such as sleep, doesn’t always seem actionable when compared to the feedback and advice I get from the Oura app. The battery life of the Smart Band 10 was also underwhelming, as I couldn’t achieve the advertised 21 days. To find out more about my experience with the wearable, you can keep reading this full Xiaomi Smart Band 10 review.

Xiaomi Smart Band 10 review: Specs

Xiaomi Smart Band 10 review: Price & availability

The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 is available in three different editions. These editions are priced differently and have slightly different designs and materials, but their operation is the same. The standard edition, the Band 10, is available for purchase for $51 on Amazon U.S. and £42 on Amazon U.K. You can pick up this version of the band in three colors, including Midnight Black, Glacier Silver and Mystic Rose.

The version of the watch I tested is the Smart Band 10 Ceramic Edition in Pearl White, which you can purchase on Amazon U.S. for $62 or on Amazon U.K. for £54. You can also purchase a Glimmer Edition of the watch for £69 from the Xiaomi online store, which is available in Glimmer Gold.

This is obviously very cheap for an in-depth fitness tracker compared to well-known models such as the Garmin Venu 4, which starts at $549, or the Apple Watch Ultra 3, which costs $799.

But there are also many cheaper smartwatches and fitness trackers that the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 needs to hold its own against. For example, the Fitbit Air only costs $99 if you want a screen-free tracker. Or the Amazfit Active 3 Premium will only set you back $169 and offers a more Garmin-esque style. We love both of these trackers, so if you’re looking for something more advanced, it could be worth the extra spend.

Xiaomi Smart Band 10 review: Design

After wearing the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 every day, it has seamlessly blended with my accessories and complements most outfits — not just my activewear. I have the Band 10 Ceramic Edition, which is a little heavier than the other models you can purchase at 0.8 ounces, but has the same 1.72-inch AMOLED Touch display. I have small wrists, and the pebble-shaped screen fits perfectly, so this is a great option for anyone with narrower features. It felt secure on my wrist when running.

The Ceramic Edition, which I tested, has a ceramic frame and a fluororubber strap. This was comfortable to wear for the most part, although after I worked out, the strap rubbed slightly. The standard edition of the Band 10 has an aluminum alloy frame and a TPU strap, and the Glimmer Edition has an aluminum alloy frame and a stainless steel and glass crystal strap. The Glimmer Edition certainly looks the most sophisticated option for everyday wear, but practically, the TPU strap of the standard edition will provide the most comfort for workouts.

With a 5ATM durability rating, the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 is water-resistant and can be submerged up to 50 meters. That means you can wear the watch to track activities like swimming, and don’t need to worry about your sweat causing any issues. However, the water resistance is not permanent and may reduce over time, according to Xiaomi — this is the case with almost all tech, as water resistance breaks down eventually, so it isn’t an issue.

Xiaomi Smart Band 10 review: Fitness features

After using the Xiaomi Smart Band 10 to track all of my workouts, I’m impressed by how accurate it is. The watch can track 159 different sports and activities, including card games and board games, which I found very interesting.

It uses a combination of heart rate sensors and a nine-axis motion sensor to track performance. Daily, I wear the Oura Ring 5 to track my movement, and when comparing the data, I can confidently say that the Smart Band 10’s step counting is accurate.

When wearing the Smart Band 10 for running. I appreciated notifications for my splits with a small vibration to keep me on track. The metrics such as heart rate, pace, and distance are clearly displayed on the screen, and even though it’s small, I could still read everything while moving. I was able to pause or stop the workout from my wrist without reaching for my phone, and even paused and skipped my music.

More detailed feedback about your workout can be found in the Mi Fitness companion app, which has your training history and training load. Having these statistics on hand is very useful for managing your training and planning out your future workouts. I used it to plan out my workout days or rest days.

Xiaomi Smart Band 10 review: Health & sleep features

As a girl who is almost unhealthily focused on her readiness and sleep scores, I was impressed by the number of metrics I could track with the Xiaomi Smart Band 10.

Health

First things first. When you get the Smart Band 10, tracking has to be manually enabled for some metrics. Automatically, you get tracking for your heart rate and steps — you know, the basic stuff. But if you want the metrics that give you meaningful insights, you need to head into settings on the Mi Fitness app and enable them.

These tracking metrics include blood oxygen tracking, continuous heart rate tracking, stress monitoring and relax reminders. Again, when comparing my readings to my trusty Oura Ring, there wasn’t much discrepancy. I felt as though I could rely on the Smart Band 10 to give me accurate data post-workout.

Sleep

I was most interested in the sleep tracking on the Smart Band 10. One of the first things I noticed after downloading the app was that after seven nights of sleep, I would be given an animal to suit my sleep personality.

Apparently I am a shark. This means I fall asleep late, sleep very little, and may even sleep while swimming. Not my most glowing analysis.

I like that the app dissects your sleep for analysis, breaking up your deep, light and REM sleep so you can deduce how much rest you actually got. However, I didn’t feel as though I was getting actionable feedback as I do with my Oura Ring or the Amazfit Zepp app. Both of these apps can provide analysis and advice to better your overall health, and I didn’t feel I got that same level of tailored attention from the Mi Fitness app.

Xiaomi Smart Band 10 review: App

The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 is compatible with the Mi Fitness app, which is available to download on Android and iOS devices. The app is very straightforward to use and lays out all of your tracked metrics on the home page.

There are sections in the app for workouts, customizing the watch with digital faces, and your health at a glance. You can delve into all of these sections to get more of an understanding of what they mean and how they are tracked too.

One of my favorite features in the app is the ability to set thresholds for your blood oxygen levels and heart rate spikes and dips when at rest. This is very useful for me as I have an irregular heartbeat, so I like to keep an eye on my heart rate changes throughout the day.

Xiaomi Smart Band 10 review: Battery life

The watch houses a Li-Po 233mAh battery that is charged magnetically with the included cable. Xiaomi says the Smart Band 10 has a battery life of up to 21 days under typical usage, but I was unable to obtain that. In fact, in that time I had to charge the watch twice. When the watch says there are six days of battery remaining, I got just over two. I didn’t mind this, though, as it only takes an hour to fully charge.

Even though I wasn’t able to get the full 21 days of battery life and it was more like seven days, this is far better than the measly 24-hour battery life of the Apple Watch Series 11.

It’s worth noting that if you turn on continuous tracking for blood oxygen and heart rate levels, the battery will drain significantly faster, but I think the trade-off is worth it for in-depth metrics.

Xiaomi Smart Band 10 review: Verdict

The Xiaomi Smart Band 10 is an affordable option if you want a wearable that’s going to accurately track your workouts. The comfortable design makes it ideal for wearing 24/7, so I was able to track my sleep as well as the whole day’s activities. It’s water-resistant too, so it can be used to track swimming or left on when you hit the showers so you don’t misplace it.

The useful companion app is the best thing about this watch, as having all of the metrics displayed in an easily digestible format makes it so much easier to understand your body.

Unfortunately, the battery life isn’t as long as I had hoped. Even when the watch says there are six days of battery remaining, I only got about two. The data also doesn’t feel as actionable as the feedback I get from my Oura Ring, but this is merely a software qualm. The watch itself is great and a decent choice for anyone wanting to start their health tracking journey.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is a groundbreaking entry into the Halo franchise. Not because it's anything particularly special, but because it's the very first time a Halo game has been available on PlayStation. Since I've been playing Halo games on Xbox since 2002, I expected this to be a fairly surreal experience — but this wasn't actually the case.

Halo fits right at home on the PS5, and jumping into Campaign Evolved was a remarkably familiar experience. It just so happened that I was using a DualSense controller this time around.

The game itself is generally fine, though long-time fans will recognize the many changes and alterations Halo Studios has made to the campaign. These range from incredibly effective, modernizing the 25-year-old game for new audiences, to seemingly random alterations that feel unnecessary and awkward.

Still, Halo Campaign Evolved manages to recreate the first Halo game in stunning detail, and in a way that should appeal to existing fans of the franchise and newcomers alike. Just as long as you don't expect to enjoy Halo's famous competitive multiplayer because, for some reason, that has been completely skipped over for this re-release.

Halo Campaign Evolved: The Basics

• What is it? A remake of 2001's Halo: Combat Evolved rebuilt from the ground up
• Who is it for? Nostalgic Halo fans who miss the Bungie-led days of the franchise and new gamers who didn't have a chance to play the original game (or the 2012 remaster)
• What’s the price? $49 for the standard edition (digital and on disc), $69 for the Digital Premium Edition, $199 for the Collector's Edition (sold out)
• What other games has the developer made? Every Halo game since 2011, including Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, the Master Chief Collection and Halo 4 through Infinite
• What games is it similar to? Other Halo games and modern sci-fi first-person shooters.

Modern releases require modern mechanics

Halo may have been an iconic game that changed the first-person shooter in ways that are still felt today, but there's no denying it still feels somewhat dated in comparison to modern titles. It's unlikely that a one-to-one remake of the 2001 game would have gone down very well with anyone who never played it. And not just because we already got that 15 years ago with the Combat Evolved Anniversary.

So things have changed to make Campaign Evolved look and feel more like a

much newer game than its source material. That includes mainstream FPS mechanics like a sprint button, alongside features and weapons that appeared in subsequent Halo games.

Weapons like the Energy Sword and Fuel Rod Gun, which were absent from the original Xbox version of Halo, have been added — as has the previously-unusable Wraith tank. However, this still comes with some drawbacks of older games, such as being unable to use the tank's cannon and turret simultaneously.

Skulls and terminals make an appearance too. 13 terminals with snippets of lore can be found throughout the campaign, while 39 of the 42 collectible skulls are hidden throughout Campaign Evolved's 13 levels — each unlocking a new and unique game modifier for future playthroughs. The other three are automatically unlocked with the Campaign Redux mode, which is available after discovering your third skull.

Enhancing the campaign

Campaign Evolved has made some changes to the campaign that I don't agree with, but these are mostly harmless and inconsequential. It is worth noting that the second half of the game has undergone a complete tonal shift, and the game is all the better for it.

One of the things I liked most was that the original game's repetitive level design is gone. Two Betrayals and Keyes no longer feel like rehashes of previous levels, and that helps them to stand on their own. But part of that change stems from the fact that the second half of the campaign really leans into the story’s horror aspect.

Halo 1 did attempt this, but in 2001 the options to do so were limited, and while the debut of the Flood made the game creepy and more disturbing, Campaign Evolved takes it all to a whole new level. Borrowing a few cues from Halo 3, the game really emphasizes just how much of an impact the Flood are having on the Halo ring itself. They're not just another faction to shoot through; you can feel them slowly taking over as you progress.

More to the point, the Flood themselves are actually a lot more menacing, even on lower difficulties. Not only can infection forms swarm, but they can also do some serious damage if you're not paying attention. The sheer number of infected enemies makes traversing later levels genuinely scary — particularly if you find yourself cornered and low on grenades.

A major graphics overhaul

Halo's graphics have aged, and the less said about the anniversary edition's questionable choices, the better. With that in mind, it's great to see that Campaign Evolved has been given a major glow-up, and the graphics look pretty incredible — even for those of you with a launch-edition PS5 instead of the PS5 Pro.

The cutscenes are easily an exception to this, and at times the character models can look a little uncanny. Cortana is particularly noteworthy here, because the holographic AI has undergone yet another redesign, roughly the ninth time she's changed her look throughout Halo's history.

Sadly, performance can be a little choppy at times, notably during larger areas with increased enemy activity. We're talking serious drops in frame rate, to the point where you can see the character models blinking across the screen. Switching out of Performance mode and into Graphics mode did help, though this comes with the caveat of reduced frame rates across the board.

Extra bonus missions

The bulk of playtime in Halo Campaign Evolved will be playing through the campaign itself, but Halo Studios has done players a solid by adding three bonus missions to throw something new into the mix. Serving as a prequel, these missions feature Master Chief and Sgt Johnson on a mission to assault a Covenant ship.

While nothing to write home about, and with dubious links to the existing Halo canon, these missions are a nice extra for Halo fans. Not only do they include weapons and enemies that weren't present in the original campaign, but they also give players an insight into the wider Halo universe — before Halo, and even before the fall of Reach.

I'm not sure whether newcomers will appreciate them as much, so I'd suggest waiting until after you finished the 10-level main campaign before giving these missions a try.

Losing part of what made Halo so iconic

As much as I've been a fan of Halo's lore and story over the years, it doesn't change the fact that skipping out on competitive multiplayer was a bizarre choice. Halo's campaign is great, but the multiplayer is what made it the success it became — even before the days of Xbox Live and Halo 2's online multiplayer.

Halo Studios said it aimed to make Campaign Evolved stand alone, and not try to replace "what is a masterpiece in the original." Local and online co-op is available, but it doesn't change the fact that no competitive multiplayer is a big loss for the remake — especially for PS5 gamers who can't play older instalments.

There are lots of other things that detract from what made Halo great, including some personal pet peeves in the level design. However, my biggest gripe is that the Warthog controls have been completely butchered, and it makes what was one of the biggest joys of Halo 1 into a stressful chore. Frankly, the driving in GTA 4 was better than this, and I have no love for that game's driving missions.

Those who have played the original know that the jeep plays a major role in the game’s climax, and I had been dreading it for the entire playthrough. My fears were not unfounded, and what should have been a fitting ending to the remake turned into something I never want to experience again — especially on higher difficulties.

Halo Campaign Evolved review: Verdict

Halo Campaign Evolved is a perfectly capable remake of the original Halo game, befitting of the Xbox classic's 25th anniversary. It's not really a game anyone needed, but given the dire straits the Halo franchise has been stuck in recently, it makes sense that Halo Studios would want to go for a soft reset and return to the game that kicked off the whole franchise. It's also rather appropriate that the first Halo game released on a PlayStation revisits that point.

There are things I don't like about Halo Campaign Evolved, particularly in the way various aspects of the gameplay have been changed for seemingly no reason. It's almost as though they took a lot of inspiration from George Lucas's constant tinkering with the original “Star Wars” trilogy. But that isn't to say that this is a bad game, and whether you're a long-time Halo fan or a total newcomer, there's something for you to enjoy here. Even if it isn't really the must-have game of the year.

The De’Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic is an ambitious superautomatic coffee machine. It can make 38 drinks and is even app-compatible, so you can control it from your phone (in theory). Is this enough to make it one of the best espresso machines?

Yes and no. The PrimaDonna Aromatic is extremely pricey, at a whopping $2,500, and I’m… not really sure why. You can get 80% of the same performance with the $1,500 De’Longhi Rivelia and — checks notes — 99.9% of the same performance with the $2,000 De’Longhi Eletta Explore. I’m not saying don’t get the PrimaDonna Aromatic — I’m saying you might be able to save your money without sacrificing quality here.

But, I digress. The PrimaDonna Aromatic is a fun, consistent, and functional coffee machine. Want to find out more? Keep reading this De’Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic review.

De'Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic review: Specs

De'Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic review: Price & availability

The De’Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic is objectively expensive. You’ll find it for $2,499 from De’Longhi U.S. and £1,549 from Currys in the U.K.

If you’re wincing, you’re not alone. $2,499 makes the PrimaDonna Aromatic the most expensive fully automatic coffee machine made by De’Longhi. Yes, the most expensive. As you might already be able to guess, this is markedly more expensive than the De’Longhi Rivelia ($1,499/£749), De’Longhi Magnifica Duo ($999).

However, it’s only (only, she types, while wincing) $499 more expensive than the KitchenAid KF8, which I reviewed a couple of years ago and loved.

If you’re familiar with the world of superautomatic coffee machines, you might’ve come across Jura — its fully automatic models can go up to $5,499. I’ve tested the $2,699 Jura E8, and let me tell you — the PrimaDonna Aromatic is much better.

De'Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic review: Design

Like other automatic De’Longhi machines, the PrimaDonna Aromatic is a somewhat narrow but incredibly deep machine. It stretches a whopping 18 inches deep, so you’ll need to check your kitchen countertops can fit this behemoth before purchasing.

Even so, the 10-inch width is pretty good, even with the water tank on the side. You shouldn’t need to clear too much space if your counters are deep already.

And the PrimaDonna Aromatic also looks like other De’Longhi superautomatics. If I didn’t read the name, I could believe it was the Magnifica Duo or the Dinamica or the Eletta. All these machines are effectively big shiny squares. They’re not massively gorgeous, but they’re functional, unobtrusive, and get the job done. It obviously works, because De’Longhi machines are everywhere.

There’s also a bright LCD screen on the machine. Here, you can select your desired beverage — 38 recipes, some of which I’d never heard of — and customize your intensity and volume. Two buttons on either side of the machine configure hot and cold, so you can view only cold or only hot drinks.

App

I like apps when they’re actually useful. I like the Fellow app. I like the Acaia Brewmaster app. I like the apps for all the earbuds I test. But I do not like the De’Longhi My Coffee Lounge app.

I was prompted to complete a “coffee taste profile”, which told me I should get fruity coffee with notes of citrus, forest berry, and florals. I already knew this, though. It’s why I buy the same Ethiopian beans every time.

I suppose this is helpful for complete newbies — but I wouldn’t recommend complete newbies spend $2,500 on a coffee machine.

The app was also riddled with connectivity issues: There’s a Spotify-Wrapped-esque “Statistics” setting. This never loaded for me. You’re also supposed to be able to make your own recipes, but, again, these never loaded for me. The app just said “Couldn’t load any drink”. Hm, maybe because you won’t let me make any recipes?

I like two parts of the My Coffee Lounge app: One, the “Health status” setting. Here you can see how many uses you have until you need to descale, how empty your water tank is, and how full your grounds drawer is. I love this. This is great for newbies. And “experts”. Everyone, actually.

And two: Suggested recipes. I got some super cool, super unique offerings here: Iced orange coffee, Iced raspberry tonic espresso, Iced espresso Mojito. Yes, please! I want more of this and fewer connectivity issues, thank you!

De'Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic review: Espresso

The De’Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic espresso tastes like an automatic coffee machine’s espresso. That’s neither a good nor a bad thing depending on your preference. If you know you dislike automatic coffee, this wouldn’t be for you. If you know you like it, then great!

Here’s a photo of a shot of double espresso.

As you can see, the coffee has a lovely bright caramelly color, and there’s a layer of fluffy crema. Did it taste like the most nuanced, complex, scintillating coffee in the world? No. It was a little weak, but it had enough of a coffee flavor to be devoured by straightforward coffee fans. I would not recommend this machine for coffee snobs or espresso lovers, but if you’re a general coffee drinker who prioritizes ease-of-use over messing around with doses and flow rates, this would get the job done.

I also made a cold brew, which was, in all honesty, pretty nasty. I wouldn’t recommend this for cold brew aficionados. The coffee was actually hot as it extracted, which means it’s also not “cold brew”. It’s more like an iced Americano.

De'Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic review: Milk

Milk performance is what (mostly) separates the PrimaDonna Aromatic from other De’Longhi models. The PrimaDonna Aromatic comes with both a hot and cold milk frother, so you can have hot microfoam or cold foam.

The De’Longhi Eletta Explore ($1,999) also has this capability, so it might be worth checking out that model if you want to save some $$$. However, the Eletta Explore has a smaller water tank capacity. Again, not sure that’s worth an extra $500, but some food for thought.

Here’s a photo of a drink.

As you can see, the milk is smooth and evenly textured. Hot foam tends to deflate quite rapidly, so I’d recommend not leaving your cappuccinos around before drinking. Get ‘em while they’re hot!

This milk texture is around the same quality as the De’Longhi Rivelia, but that model doesn’t come with cold and hot — you’d have to buy the cool version separately ($129).

I really like the milk function on the PrimaDonna Aromatic. It has great texture, it’s easy to clean, and it comes with all the necessary accessories (unlike Jura).

De'Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic review: Storage & maintenance

The PrimaDonna Aromatic is easy to clean. The app tells you exactly when to clean, and I would recommend cleaning out the drip tray every day at a minimum.

My only major qualm is that you have to empty the grounds drawer more often than you think. I emptied it after around 3-4 drinks each time, and the drawer was full of ground beans each time. I don’t think this machine is particularly economical in terms of coffee and water usage, but that’s true of almost all automatic machines.

In terms of longevity, you get a 2-year warranty as standard, which goes up to 3 years with registration. Comparatively, Breville offers a 2-year warranty, as does Ninja.

De'Longhi PrimaDonna Aromatic review: Verdict

The PrimaDonna Aromatic prioritizes simplicity and speed over coffee snobbery. It’s perfect for automatic machine users who want coffee and want it now. Would I buy it? Probably not. Would I recommend it for people who love Starbucks and Dunkin’ coffee and want to make drinks easily at home? 100%.

However, I’m still not totally sure what separates it from De’Longhi’s $1,999 Eletta Explore — it has Bean Adapt, De’Longhi’s My Coffee Lounge app connectivity, and 50 recipes compared to the PrimaDonna Aromatic’s 38. I think I’d recommend saving your $500 and getting the Eletta Explore — or save $1,000 and get the De’Longhi Rivelia.

But if you have $2,500 to spend, by all means, go for it. The PrimaDonna Aromatic is a great machine capable of making consistent espresso over and over. It’s just very expensive.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is the start of something new, in a way that's a lot closer to how Samsung's non-folding phones have been operating for the past several years. Foldables are going Ultra, and it feels like Samsung is trying to push the idea that this isn't just a simple rebranding — there are some real changes behind the scenes.

There's more to new phones than adding flashier specs and bigger batteries, though, which is why I've been testing the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra to see if it's really worthy of referring to itself as such. The good news is that this isn't just a boring incremental update with some new box art. The Z Fold 8 Ultra may share the same look as its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but it actually feels like one of the more noteworthy upgrades to come out of Samsung for quite a few years.

Read on for our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra review.

Samsung Galaxy Z fold 8 Ultra review: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? The latest and best foldable to come out of Samsung, serving as a sequel to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 despite the addition of the Ultra branding.
• Who is it for? People who want the absolute best foldable experience possible, with the largest screen, and have the money to pay for it
• What does it cost? Prices start at $2,099 / £1,899 / AU$2,999 for a model with 256GB of storage and 12GB RAM. Release date is scheduled for August 7.
• What do we like? The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra offers an incredible screen, that's brighter and less reflective than before, as well as powerful performance, good cameras, and the best battery life of any Galaxy foldable so far.
• What don't we like? Weak performance from the telephoto lens, the lack of S Pen stylus support, minimal design upgrades and the fact the price is $100 more than last year — marking the third consecutive Z Fold price hike.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra review: Specifications

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra review: The Ups

Major battery life gains

Samsung's foldables haven't always been known for their strong battery life, even as the flagship Galaxy S series pushes up our best phone battery life page. This year sees that change, and it's no doubt thanks to the larger 5,000 mAh battery pack. Not only is that the same size as the battery in the Galaxy S26 Ultra, it's also 600 mAh larger than the one in the Z Fold 7.

During our custom battery life test, which involves web surfing over a 5G connection and setting the display to 150 nits of brightness, we recorded a battery life of 14 hours and 33 minutes. That's almost four hours more than the Z Fold 7 and more than two hours longer than the passport-shaped Galaxy Z Fold 8 and its 4,800 mAh battery.

However, it's not quite enough to match the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which scored 16 hours and 10 minutes, or the 14 hours and 44 minute battery life we recorded on the Motorola Razr Fold.

During my time with the Z Fold Ultra, the battery seemed fairly strong, and I regularly went to sleep without plugging the foldable in to recharge overnight because I knew it would still be alive and kicking the very next morning. The faster 45W charging meant that I could plug the Ultra in while getting ready, comfortable in the knowledge that it would recharge enough to get me through the day.

Samsung promised that the Z Fold 8 Ultra could reclaim 67% battery after half an hour of charging, but we found the battery actually hit 76%. We're used to seeing recharge percentages differ from official figures by a percent or three, but it's rare that we see it go this far in the right direction.

On top of this, if you're more inclined to wireless charging, the upgraded Qi2.2 wireless charging protocol offers up to 20W speeds. That's up from 15W, but it does lag behind the likes of Apple and Google, who have offered 25W Qi2.2 speeds.

Major league performance

This year marks the first time that Samsung has used the custom "for Galaxy" chipset in a foldable phone. Normally Z Fold models are left with the standard flagship Snapdragon chip which, while no slouch, isn't as powerful as the Galaxy S-exclusive variant. This means that this year's benchmarking scores are a little higher than we initially anticipated.

Geekbench 6 benchmarking saw the Z Fold 8 Ultra's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip hit a score of 3,733 on single core testing and 11,457 on multi core tests . That's up from 3,052 and 9,735 on the Z Fold 7's Snapdragon 8 Elite chip.

Graphics performance, scored using the 3DMark Solar Bay Unlimited test, also rose by a noticeable amount with a score of 12,950 and average frame rate of 49.24 fps. The Z Fold 7 only scores 10,812 and 41.21 fps. Meanwhile Geekbench AI scored 71,715 to the Z Fold 7's 61,299. The Ultra's figures also thrashed the Motorola Razr Fold, though they do trail the Galaxy S26 Ultra by a small amount

The performance improvements were noticeable to some extent too. Playing PUBG Mobile and I found that the Z Fold 8 Ultra could handle the highest graphics and performance settings without suffering any ill-effects. What's more the phone could run through a game without noticeably heating up, which suggests Samsung is putting that extra power to use in the right place.

Even brighter and more reflective display

The minimized crease might be one of the main talking points for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, but that's not the only upgrade Samsung has on offer. The Ultra now boasts an even brighter display, rated to output up to 3,000 nits of brightness, paired with a new anti-reflective coating. This means that the phone is supposed to be able to handle extremely bright conditions better than ever before.

Our testing showed that the Z Fold 8 Ultra was able to hit a maximum of 2,687 nits, which is a little bit lower than Samsung promised, but is par the course for how these things tend to go. Crucially, though, this actually makes the Z Fold 8 Ultra the brightest phone we've ever tested, narrowly beating out the current title-holder the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL — which we measured at 2,555 nits.

It's well ahead of the Z Fold 7's 2,245 nits, and leagues ahead of the 1,281 nit peak we recorded when testing the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Obviously big numbers are good, but they're worthless if they don't get put into practice. Thankfully the Z Fold 8 Ultra does put its money where its mouth is. We're currently experiencing an abnormally long period of clear skies and sunny weather here in the U.K., which is ideal for testing the capabilities of bright, anti-reflective screens.

Not only am I able to use the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra in direct sunlight without issue, the screen is bright and clear enough that I can still see exactly what I'm doing while wearing sunglasses. That wouldn't have been the case three or four years ago.

(Mostly) great cameras

Seeing as how it includes the 200MP main camera lens from the S26 Ultra and Z Fold 7, alongside a new 50MP ultrawide angle camera, it's no surprise that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra takes some pretty great photos. Provided, of course, that you know which lens to utilize.

The 200MP main lens really shines when compared to the iPhone 17 Pro Max — which is one of the best camera phones you can buy right now. While both phones manage to capture true to life colors in good quality, the Z Fold 8 Ultra seems to have picked up a clearer and sharper image than the iPhone. That's especially true if you zoom in a little bit and look at all the smaller details.

Both phones seemed to take issue focusing on one of my dogs, though, and this is not the first time this has happened during camera testing. Once is an accident, but multiple instances of this make me wonder whether camera phones just hate my pooch.

At first glance the ultrawide angle photography doesn't look all that different, but look closely and you can see how the Z Fold 8 Ultra is taking advantage of the various upgrades — the most prominent of which is the 50MP resolution bump. The details on the church are a lot sharper than on the Z Fold 7, and you can pick out the smaller details without them merging into a washed out jumble of barely-describable details.

Close-up macro-style shots are similar, though both phones seemed to struggle to focus on the berries directly in front of it. However, I will say that in light of those focus issues, telling them apart isn't that easy.

Low light photography has made some considerable improvements, with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra gaining access to the ProVisual engine and Advanced AP-based image processing — just like the Galaxy S26 Ultra. While the Z Fold 8 Ultra's low-light photos might look slightly darker than the Z Fold 7, they're capturing a heck of a lot more detail in the process.

You get a much clearer view of the various details in almost every aspect of the photo. The patchy coloring on the church's brickwork is clearer, while the individual stone decorations are sharper and considerably less fuzzy on the Z Fold 8 Ultra. Even the leaves on the trees can be picked out, rather than forming a giant green mass.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max definitely wins on the selfie front, and there's absolutely no contest. The Z Fold 8 Ultra's 10MP cameras just don't capture the same level of detail as Apple's front camera, and the lens-angle is a lot smaller so you end up capturing significantly less. Then again, both phones managed to hone in on the fact that I have a baby and haven't had anything like enough sleep in the nine months since he was born.

Honestly, while the Ultra's selfie camera isn't terrible, it's also nothing to brag about. To the point where you're probably better off using the 200MP main camera to snap selfies with the help of the cover display viewfinder.

When it comes to portrait mode, it feels like these are from two completely different points in time, rather than being snapped within seconds of each other. I'm not a fan of either photo, to be honest, but the iPhone 17 Pro Max still comes out ahead of the Z Fold 8 Ultra. It's a slightly clearer image, noticeably brighter, and captures a wider view of the world.

I'm not impressed with the bokeh in either photo, to be honest, since both phones struggled to handle the fact my hair was being whipped around by the wind at the time.

We haven't touched on the quality of the telephoto lens yet, but the truth is that the quality of those photos is so bad that I had to discuss them more in depth below.

Helpful AI features

AI is a core part of the modern Galaxy experience, and the Z Fold 8 Ultra is no exception to this — though Samsung hasn't added as many features as you might have expected. The main one is the introduction of Now Nudge, a contextual AI tool that's capable of pulling up pieces of information whenever it feels you might need it — such as during phone calls or while browsing emails.

The Z Fold 8 Ultra ups the ante by blending Now Nudge with multitasking. This means you can tap on your nudged prompts and open up the relevant apps in split-screen mode, and keep your existing window open. The addition of Ambient Nudge also makes the whole process a lot more subtle, surfacing those contextual prompts at the bottom of your screen rather than with an in-your-face notification.

However my favorite new feature is MyFanCam, which takes your existing videos and lets you hone in on a single person and turn them into the main character. It works with all videos you've shot, even those not filmed on a Galaxy phone, and so far I haven't found a single video featuring human beings that it doesn't like.

The same can't be said for animals, though, and I found that the AI refused to acknowledge that you may want to focus your video on them.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra review: The Downs

No S Pen or magnets

The main issue I have with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is that the design hasn't changed in any meaningful way since last year. It's not identical to the Z Fold 7, as I discovered when trying to use one of last year's cases on the Ultra model, but it's close enough that you wouldn't be able to tell without some well-calibrated measuring tools.

This naturally means that the design choices people didn't like about the Galaxy Z Fold 7 have stuck around for another generation. My personal pet peeve is that the phone still doesn't offer magnetic wireless charging without a case, despite offering Qi2 technology. It's an issue exacerbated by the fact Samsung originally said it was avoiding Qi2 magnets because they interfered with the S Pen stylus.

Though that excuse doesn't really hold weight considering the Z Fold 8 Ultra doesn't have S Pen support either. That controversial change happened last year because Samsung removed the crucial digitizer layer to reduce thickness. Samsung has confirmed that it is exploring alternative options, but that doesn't change the fact the stylus is a glaring absence from this phone.

Using the Z Fold 8 Ultra and you can feel its absence. It feels like something is missing when you're using the large screen, and it's a void the stylus would have helped to fill.

Awful telephoto performance

The Z Fold 8 Ultra's camera quality may be pretty good compared to its rivals, there's no denying the fact that the telephoto lens is not doing a good job. The 10MP telephoto lens pales in comparison to the other two cameras, and bumping the magnification up makes it look considerably worse.

Even jumping up to 3x, the maximum level of optical zoom afforded by the lens, and you can see just how poor these photos actually are. Push it up even further and it feels like you might not have bothered taking the photos at all.

These 3x pictures of berries growing near my house aren't terrible at first glance, but when you compare them to the 50MP telephoto lens on the Galaxy S26 Ultra and you can see that Samsung really dropped the ball with this particular bit of hardware.

The 10x zoomed photos of a local cat are even worse, to the point where I'm starting to wonder whether it was worth trying to zoom in at all. Samsung really needs to do a lot better, because the weak telephoto performance is weighing the rest of the cameras down — which is far from ideal when you have the 200MP main lens.

Another $100 price hike

The biggest issue that we can't ignore is the fact that Samsung has raised the price of its flagship foldable by $100 for the third consecutive year. This means that the starting price is now $2,099 for a Z Fold 8 Ultra with 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM. That price rises to $2,299 for a 512GB model and $2,699 for a 1TB model with 16GB of RAM.

It's no secret as to why this is happening. RAMageddon has pushed up the price of memory and storage to unprecedented levels, all while the overall cost of phone manufacturing has been rising over the past few years. A phone as difficult to mass produce as a foldable already commands a high price tag, but Samsung has clearly decided that the old prices still aren't high enough.

So while the new "Ultra" designation does come with a bunch of great upgrades, it doesn't change the fact that you're paying out of your nose for them.

Perhaps worst of all, Samsung isn't offering its usual "double storage" pre-order bonus this time, nor are there any other incentives to take advantage of. That means there isn't really a benefit to ordering early, unless you're absolutely desperate to get your hands on the Z Fold 8 Ultra as soon as possible.

Samsung Galaxy Z fold 8 Ultra review: Verdict

It would have been really easy for Samsung to roll out the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra with the usual weak-sauce upgrades, slap on the new name and call it a day. But that's not what's happened here, and while the phone may be imperfect, a lot of effort seems to have gone into making sure this is an upgrade worthy of the Ultra name.

Battery and performance have made huge leaps forward, to the point where it doesn't feel as though Samsung is deliberately holding back and limiting the foldable's capabilities in comparison to its non-folding counterparts. There's still some catching up to do in this regard, but it's certainly a big step forward. Likewise the improvement in screen technology is a massive win for users, especially those that live in spots with a lot of sun.

Of course there are a bunch of things Samsung should have anticipated would be a problem. Telephoto quality is appalling for a phone that costs this much, and the missing S Pen is still very noticeable. Worst of all is the increased price, which is just the latest in a long time of Galaxy price increases, and those basic flaws make it sting even harder.

Overall the Z Fold 8 Ultra is a great addition to the Galaxy Foldable lineup, but that doesn't mean Samsung should get complacent and let the innovations stagnate ahead of 2027's inevitable Z Fold 9 Ultra.

The LiberNovo Omni was a surprise hit last year, combining ergonomics and comfort without compromising on either. Following its success, LiberNovo is back with a new version of the Omni that retains the original’s design and key features, but at a more affordable — yet still premium — price.

The LiberNovo Omni SE ditches its predecessor’s electronic adjustments and battery pack for a more manual approach. Instead of pressing buttons on the left armrest to adjust the lumbar support mechanism, you now use a knob behind the backrest. While you do lose access to the original’s spinal stretch functionality, there’s also no battery to charge and no electronic parts to worry about breaking in the long run.

I spent the better half of this year using the LiberNovo Omni as my daily driver long after my review before swapping it out for the Omni SE. Even though this is a mechanical take on the chair, it’s still just as comfortable and supportive as the original, albeit with slightly fewer extras.

My LiberNovo Omni SE review will help you decide if this is one of the best office chairs for your workspace, or if it’s worth spending a bit more on the original or going all out on the new Pro model.

LiberNovo Omni SE: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? A dynamic, highly adjustable ergonomic chair that swaps the original LiberNovo Omni’s motorized lumbar controls for a manual knob.
• Who is it for? People who spend long hours working in their office chair who want top-tier ergonomics combined with excellent comfort and like the look of the Omni, but not its high price tag or electronic parts.
• What does it cost? The LiberNovo Omni SE costs $899 on its own or $1,097 bundled with a footrest. The chair can currently be picked up at a pre-sale price of $569 until July 31.
• What do we like? The chair’s highly engineered backrest, its very comfortable fabric-covered foam cushioning, the straightforward assembly process, and its manual adjustment controls.
• What don’t we like? The premium price for what was supposed to be a budget-friendly alternative, the awkward reach for the lumbar knob, and how the footrest is still an optional accessory.

LiberNovo Omni SE: Specs

LiberNovo Omni SE: The Ups

If you liked the look and features of the original, the LiberNovo Omni SE delivers a nearly identical experience for less. You’re still getting the same highly engineered backrest, very comfortable fabric-covered foam cushioning — and straightforward assembly process.

No electronic parts here

The LiberNovo Omni SE sent over for review arrived in one carefully packaged, large brown box. Once I took out everything, I was left with the chair’s base, seat, backrest, headrest, and all of the necessary parts to put it all together. Just like last time, I really appreciate how LiberNovo prints the chair’s instructions on a large, easy-to-read cardboard poster.

Putting the chair together began with inserting its casters into the base. Despite being a premium office chair (more on that later), the base is made from plastic, though the one on the original Omni has held up well over time. If you want a sturdier metal base, you’ll have to jump all the way up to the Pro model.

After dropping the chair’s frame onto the base, it was just a matter of tightening a few bolts to connect the lumbar support bar to its Bionic FlexFit backrest. Since the Omni SE is entirely manual, I also didn’t have to connect a USB-C cable from the frame to the base like I did with the Omni. Nor did I have to charge up a battery before making adjustments to its lumbar support mechanism.

With assembly out of the way, it was time to take the Omni SE for a spin to see how it compared to the original.

Space-age ergonomics for less

When viewed from the front, the Omni SE looks just like a standard office chair, but its fabric-wrapped seat, backrest, and headrest are immediately more inviting. The seat is made from high-density foam that’s organized in such a way that it’s firmly closer to the backrest and softer at the edge. This gives your glutes plenty of support without the edge of the Omni SE digging into your hamstrings or your calves if you’re using LiberNovo’s optional footrest.

With the Omni SE spun around, though, its Bionic FlexFit Backrest gives it a much more futuristic look. Made up of eight flexible panels held together by 14 connection points with 16 pivot points, the backrest is able to flex and respond to your body’s movements as you shift in your chair throughout the day. Its design is reminiscent of the Haworth Fern, but between the two, I’ve found LiberNovo’s approach to be more flexible overall.

The biggest differentiator between the Omni and the Omni SE is how you adjust its lumbar support mechanism. On this chair, there’s a knob behind the backrest on the right side that you turn clockwise to bring its lumbar support closer to the small of your back, or counterclockwise to move it away from you.

In practice, I found it slightly awkward to adjust while seated in the Omni SE. Reaching behind my back and turning the knob was a stretch for sure, so I got up while doing so instead. Fortunately, once you get the Omni SE’s lumbar support in the right position, you likely won't have to adjust it again.

Still cloud-like comfort

Compared to the other ergonomic chairs I’ve tested over the years, the original Omni remains the most comfortable — and this holds true for the Omni SE as well. I love how its stretchy elastic fabric wraps around my body when I sit down, and the soft yet firm seat cushion remains a highlight.

While headrests are often a point of contention with ergonomic chairs — which is why you won’t find one on the iconic Herman Miller Aeron — I like that LiberNovo includes one here right out of the box rather than making it an optional add-on. Just like the Omni SE’s backrest, the headrest flexes with you as you turn your head from side to side. It also pivots with your head as you recline to keep your neck fully supported.

The Omni SE is definitely the kind of office chair you can spend long hours working in. Beyond its cushioning and flexible backrest and headrest, a big part of this comfort comes down to how it reclines. Next to the lever used to adjust the chair’s height, there’s a second handle that controls the recline.

It’s clear a lot of thought went into this aspect of the Omni SE, as it features five distinct recline positions tailored to different tasks — ranging from an upright 105 degrees, all the way back to 160 degrees. By comparison, other chairs I’ve tested with built-in footrests, like the Hinomi X1 or the Hbada X7, only recline to 135 or 140 degrees respectively.

If you want to practice good posture while seated at your desk without feeling stiff, the Omni SE is certainly worth considering. However, like the original Omni, it remains a serious investment for your home office or gaming setup.

LiberNovo Omni SE: The Downs

The LiberNovo Omni SE is a comfortable and supportive ergonomic office chair, but it’s not without its downsides — which include its high finalized price and the fact that you’ll need to opt for the bundle to get its best accessory.

Still in premium territory

When I first heard the news that LiberNovo was going to launch a more affordable version of the Omni, I was ecstatic — especially considering you weren’t really losing anything except for the electronic adjustments and the rechargeable battery pack, all for $569. Then I read the fine print.

Like a lot of other companies do, LiberNovo launches its new products at a discounted rate before they eventually go up to their actual cost. With the Omni SE, that full sticker price is $899 — taking the chair from mid-range to premium instantly.

Things were similar but slightly different with the original Omni. That chair started on Kickstarter for $698 before having a pre-sale price of $849 on LiberNovo’s site. Given that the company wasn’t established at that time, this was quite a lot to invest in an unproven chair. Now though, with the Omni SE, LiberNovo has a solid track record and picking one up at a pre-sale discount makes a lot more sense.

Still, when I first heard "more affordable Omni," I really thought the Omni SE would be closer to $500. At $899, we’re very much in premium office chair territory — and unless you work from home or spend countless hours gaming at your desk, it's definitely an investment. You can’t put a price on your health, but I wish the chair was slightly less expensive. Then again, you are getting an almost identical design to the original with only two of its core features cut.

Locked behind a bundle

With both the original Omni and the Omni SE, LiberNovo was kind enough to send along its StepSync Footrest. As someone on the shorter side at 5’4”, using it alongside both chairs has definitely made a difference — placing far less strain on my legs by relieving pressure on the back of my thighs.

The footrest isn’t just about upright work, though. Its upper platform features the same fabric and padding as the Omni SE itself, which becomes essential when taking advantage of the chair's excellent recline. When you’re reclined all the way back at 160 degrees, you definitely want somewhere to kick your feet up.

While I appreciate the quick convenience of a pull-out footrest like the ones on the Hinomi X1 or Hbada X7, being able to manually position LiberNovo’s standalone unit let me fine-tune my setup — to the point where I built a rolling workstation just to use my laptop while lying almost completely flat.

Though frequently on sale, the StepSync Footrest costs just under $200 on its own. You can soften the blow by bundling it directly with the Omni SE, but doing so pushes the total price from $899 to $1,097 — turning an already premium home office upgrade into a significantly larger investment.

Given that the footrest shares the chair’s exact design language and the two are explicitly built to complement each other, I’d love to see LiberNovo ditch the bundle structure entirely and ship a footrest in the box with every chair.

LiberNovo Omni SE: Verdict

The LiberNovo Omni SE is an exceptionally comfortable and supportive office chair that — rather than cutting corners — simply strips away the excess of the original. You’re still getting the exact same ergonomic design and core functionality, but without the hassle of recharging a battery or the looming worry of electronic components failing down the line. It’s just as effortless to adjust and assemble as its predecessor, while remaining a genuine head-turner in any home office setup.

While a slightly lower price tag would have been welcome, the Omni SE never feels like a stripped-down compromise. Instead, you’re getting practically the exact same chair, albeit at a price that firmly remains in premium territory. Still, if you want an outstanding office chair built for long work sessions — and if the original Omni I still use daily is any indication — the Omni SE will comfortably serve you for years to come.

The Gozney Arc XL is all the pizza oven most people will ever need. As you might’ve guessed from the name, it’s the larger variant of the Gozney Arc, which we’ve also reviewed and loved.

The Arc XL sits below Gozney’s Dome / Dome XL (Gen 2), which are enormous and can fit multiple pizzas on their dual stones. The Arc XL is intended for those without the enormous amounts of space and cash it takes to get to a Dome. Nevertheless, the Arc XL should be plenty for most home pizzaioli, and even small-time commercial ventures.

Running on gas, it offers high heat and stable temperatures, plus it’s easy to use thanks to the digital display and simple controls. It’s beautifully styled and made, and will be a complement to any patio or pizza shelter.

It isn’t perfect. The elephant in the room is the Arc XL’s high price. Gozney also makes its stones quite tricky to remove versus Ooni, which is a problem if you get the front of the stone (which doesn’t get very hot) messy.

But could this be the best outdoor pizza oven for you? Probably! Read my full Gozney Arc XL review to find out more.

Gozney Arc XL review: Specs

Gozney Arc XL review: Price & availability

The Gozney Arc XL isn’t cheap, costing $999 / £799, which is a sizable $300 / £200 more than the 14-inch standard Arc. Other than the extra 2-inch capacity, the ovens are pretty much the same, so it’ll just depend on how much larger pizzas mean to you.

Personally, I love cooking larger pies. It’s trickier, so more of a challenge, but when you get it right you can feed more people easily, so the XL will be better if you plan on cooking for multiple guests regularly.

The Arc XL’s main rival is the Ooni Koda 16, which cooks 16-inch pizzas, runs on gas and undercuts the Gozney by a healthy margin, costing $599 / £499. The Koda is lighter, uses Ooni’s folding leg system for easier storage, and features an L-shaped burner for wider flame dispersion and less rotating required during cooking. We awarded the Koda 16 our full five stars, and you can probably now see why — for the money, it’s difficult to beat.

Gozney Arc XL review: Design

The Gozney Arc XL looks beautiful, employing Gozney’s typically slick, neo-retro aesthetic. It looks straight out of a trendy London pizzeria, which is the point. It’s beautifully made and finished, with a high level of attention to detail, and feels built to last.

I wouldn’t say it’s any better or worse than an Ooni in this respect, so which manufacturer you pick will depend on whether you want the more luxurious styling of Gozney, or the more futuristic look of Ooni. That is unless you’re a commercial user — if you’ve got a pizza van or small kitchen to kit out, I think the round shape and flat base of the Gozney is more versatile than the Ooni Karu 16, with its oblong shape and tall legs.

The Arc XL is a behemoth, though, measuring 20.9 x 24.8 x 13.5 inches and weighing nearly 60 pounds, so you’ll want a second person on hand to help you set up. My wife was on vacation so I had no choice but to set the Arc XL up on my own, and very nearly put my back out getting it unboxed and onto the stand.

Colossal weight aside, setting the Arc XL up is very easy — you just remove the packaging and padding; pull the stone forward a fraction of an inch; put the metal flame guard in place; and put batteries (supplied) in the thermometer and digital dial. There’s a helpful quick start guide included to cover all this.

I was ready for the burn-in after about 10 minutes — burning in is something you must do with most pizza ovens before you can make pizza — although it actually took me around 5 days because I couldn't find any fuel in my area (it was peak summer).

Fuel

The Arc XL runs on propane gas. You can theoretically use butane, too, although Gozney doesn’t recommend it, and butane is less likely to work in colder temperatures. My Arc XL was supplied with a clip-on regulator for the patio gas canisters we get here in the U.K.

Something I love about multi-fuel ovens is that, if you’re out of gas, you can simply use wood or charcoal. It’s worth considering a multi-fuel oven like the Gozney Dome or Ooni Karu 2 Pro if you’d rather have that extra flexibility.

The Arc XL is fairly fuel-efficient and Gozney says a 28lb / 13kg canister should last around 30 hours. You’ll need as much efficiency as you can get, as the only way to easily clean the Arc XL is by burning it for three hours, which sucks, as I’ll touch on later.

Gozney Arc XL review: Accessories

Something many don’t understand before they buy their first pizza oven is that you need accessories. You can’t make a pizza without at least a launching peel and a turning peel. I tested Gozney’s 16-inch Pro Placement peel ($109) and Balance Turning peel ($89) and would highly recommend them both. Although, if you’re just starting out or are on a tight budget, you can find cheaper alternatives at Amazon, which will work just fine.

I would also recommend you buy an infrared thermometer for measuring stone temperature (the temperature on the Arc XL only measures ambient temperature, which won’t tell you precisely when the stone is ready for cooking). The Gozney infrared thermometer gun costs $49, which is similar to Ooni’s pricing.

Gozney also sells a variety of other accessories that I found exceptionally useful. Firstly, there’s the $49 dough tray, which I absolutely love. This tray features a thermometer to show you which type of proof (cold, warm, etc) your ambient conditions will result in, allowing you to tailor proof times. It also shows you when conditions are too warm, and features a bulk fermenting tray and a silicone insert for six dough balls (for up to 14-inch pizzas).

I’m also a huge fan of the Arc XL mantel ($119), which gives you a couple of inches of surface outside the oven mouth — enough space to safely turn food or leave your pizza to rest for a moment without burning while you find a board for it. And Gozney's $39 heat resistant gloves, which can stand up to 950F / 500C heat.

I also tested the Gozney Pizza Cutter ($44). My wife hated pizza cutters and always refused to use our other ones (choosing a knife or scissors instead). The Gozney cutter has converted her — thanks to its weight and sharp blade, it's much more stable and effective than cheaper cutters.

Gozney Arc XL review: Performance

The Gozney Arc XL performs like a professional pizza oven. The stone heats up to 750F / 400C in around 15-20 minutes, which is hot enough for Neapolitan-style pizza. Alternatively, you can cook other styles of pizza before then — low’n’slow pizzas like NY-style.

The thermometer gauge on the front of the oven is very useful to give you an idea of ambient temperatures, which dictate how quickly the upper sections of your pizza will cook (although the cooking of your toppings will also be affected by the size and intensity of the gas flame).

Annoyingly, the temperature gauge turns itself off after a while — on a few occasions I turned back to the gauge while cooking to check temperatures, only to find it switched off. I get that this is to save battery, but it’s really annoying.

The Arc XL is very predictable thanks to running on gas, and you have a high level of control over the flame size by twisting the control knob on the front.

You’ll need to cook a few pizzas and get used to the temperature of the oven, and to get a feel for how to adjust your flame while cooking. Once you’ve got it down, though, you can cook a Neapolitan pizza in just a minute or two.

I cooked a variety of pizzas, from 12-inch through to 16-inch bases, in Neapolitan and NY styles. On several occasions, I cooked for groups of six. The Arc XL handled it all beautifully. Thanks to the large 16-inch stone, you can cook bigger pizzas to feed multiple people, so you don’t need to spend the entirety of a pizza party churning out 12-inch pies for each person.

It’s very easy to burn larger 16-inch pies, as they sit so close to the flame. This means that you’ll want to turn them early, which can cause rips in the dough and an awful mess. This happened on a few occasions for me — to avoid this, ensure the stone is at least 750F / 400C before launching, so pizza bases cook very quickly.

I also cooked large garlic flatbreads, as well as sides like charred broccoli spears and caramelized roasted carrots. The stone also gets hot enough to sear steaks and meat, so it’s a highly versatile oven.

Gozney Arc XL review: Storage & maintenance

My one major gripe with the Arc XL is how difficult the stone is to remove. Without buying a removal kit, you’ll need to tip the oven on its side and support the stone out — a two-person job, which also involves removing the oven from any stand or base you have it fastened to.

This is infuriating if you make a mess. Gonzey’s advice is to burn the oven for 3 hours to clean it (wasting gas), which works, but only on the middle and rear of the stone. The front never gets hot enough to self-clean, so if you make a mess there when launching or removing a failed launch, you can’t clean it properly without a lot of hassle. You can scrape most mess off when cool, but not everything. And besides, food still gets stuck between the stone and the oven lip.

I love that Ooni’s stones are much easier to remove, so you can take them out and properly clean them up. As I mentioned before, this also means you don’t need to waste hours of gas just to clean. Gozney should include a stone removal kit with every oven.

Gozney also recommends burning the oven for several hours to clean soot from the roof, which is just ridiculously wasteful. I just waited for it to cool and cleaned with a dry cloth. Maintenance is otherwise very simple — just wipe down the exterior parts when cool.

Storage is as you’d expect for such a huge cooker: you’ll need a fair bit of space. I’d recommend Gozney’s Arc + Arc XL stand ($299), which features fold-away ledges, storage hooks, and wheels to move the oven to and from position. It’s also important to cover the oven and keep it safe from the elements — Gozney sells covers for this (including a cover that goes over the whole stand).

Gozney Arc XL review: Verdict

The Gozney Arc XL is a fantastic pizza oven. With its large 16-inch stone, you can cook big pizzas for multiple people and simplify your pizza parties. It’s easy to use, beautiful to behold and built to last. And most importantly, it makes fantastic pizza.

There are a couple of things to consider. First, it’s pricey — you can get the rival Ooni Karu 16 for much less money, which is better than the Arc XL in almost every way. Secondly, the stone is tricky to remove, which makes the Arc XL trickier to clean than Ooni ovens.

If you’re willing to overlook those flaws, though, as I have, then I’ve no hesitation in recommending the Arc XL to small commercial and home pizzaioli.

I’ve been reviewing foldable phones since the very first Galaxy Z Fold, and there’s something that’s “just right” about the Galaxy Z Fold 8. It’s super light, gives you a wide front display, and the big inside screen has two distinct orientations for video watching and browsing or reading.

Other perks include a much less noticeable crease, an anti-reflective coating for the main display and handy new AI features that take full advantage of the wide canvas.

But Samsung has definitely made some trade-offs, like no telephoto zoom lens. But now that I’ve been living with the Fold 8, this feels like the future of foldables — and not just because Apple is reportedly making one just like this.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 review: Release date and price

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a release date of August 7th and is available to pre-order now.

This foldable has a starting price of $1,899/£1,699/AU$2,699 for 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. You’ll pay $2,099 or $200 more for the 512GB model and $2,499 for the 1TB Fold 8 with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra starts at a steeper $2,099, but it also gives you bigger displays, a telephoto zoom and larger battery.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 specs

What I Like

The passport-like design

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is about the same size as a passport, which makes it really easy to slip into a front pocket. And at 201 grams (7.1 ounces), this is the lightest book-style foldable in the world.

I really like the 10:16 front display for scrolling through TikTok videos, and there’s plenty of room for typing with two hands. Reaching across the display with one hand can be a stretch, but overall using the Fold 8 just feels right compared to the taller Fold 8 Ultra.

Plus, opening the display is a lot easier versus the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Fold 8 unfolds almost perfectly flat.

As for colors, the Fold 8 comes in Lavender, Graphite and Cream, and there’s a Pistachio option online only. I prefer the Lavender hue on our review unit because it has more personality.

The display is awesome (especially anti-glare coating)

If the crease on foldable phones has always bugged you, the Galaxy Z Fold 8’s main 7.6-inch display will make you happy. Thanks to Flex Titanium tech, the crease is much less visible than before.

Samsung paired a titanium alloy film with a titanium base plate with micro-perforations that allow the display stack to adhere flush to the plate with virtually no air gaps. The result is a crease you can still feel but almost disappears when you’re viewing content.

The bigger deal for me is the anti-reflective coating. It drastically cuts down on glare when viewing the Fold 8 outside. Check out the difference between the new Fold and the Fold 7.

The main 7.6-inch display has a 4:3 aspect ratio when you open it up. The benefit here is that you get smaller black bars above and below the display when watching videos versus the more square 8-inch Fold 8 Ultra.

The viewing area itself is not larger, but I found watching the Red Hot Chili Peppers documentary on Netflix pretty immersive, as well as the “Avengers: Doomsday” trailer.

When you flip the Fold 8 around into portrait mode with the main display open, you get a 3:4 aspect ratio. This gives you more real estate vertically, making it the better option for surfing the web and reading ebooks.

Helpful AI features

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 has some AI features that I really like.

My favorite is Now Nudge, which prompts you to open a related app in Split View without having to leave the app you’re currently using.

For example, I received a text message asking if I was free for dinner next Friday at 7 p.m. A little calendar icon appeared, and when I tapped that I opened the Calendar app in split screen mode. That’s pretty handy.

Another super useful AI feature is My FanCam. When editing a video with multiple people in the frame, you can select the subject you want, and the Fold 8 will crop in and “follow” that person throughout the clip.

You can even choose the aspect ratio. This is great for sports parents, concert lovers and more, though it only works on humans — and only one at a time.

Very snappy performance

Powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 offers flagship-level performance on par with the Galaxy S26 Ultra. I mowed down several enemies in Call of Duty Mobile and raced around tracks in Asphalt 8 without seeing any slowdowns.

The Fold 8 is also a multitasking champ. I could run up to three apps on screen at once without any noticeable lag. For example, I scrolled through my inbox in Gmail while playing 311 Radio on Spotify and skimming through and zooming in on my photos in the Gallery app.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 performed very well on our lab tests, too. It beats the iPhone 17 Pro Max on multi-core performance in Geekbench and in the 3DMark graphics benchmark.

Solid battery life, faster charging

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is one of the first Samsung phones to offer a silicon carbon battery, which allows for more capacity without adding thickness to the phone. The Fold 8 has a 4,800 mAh battery, compared to just a 4,400 mAh Li-ion battery on the previous Fold 7.

On the Tom’s Guide battery test, which consists of web surfing over 5G, the Fold 8 lasted a pretty good 12 hours and 19 minutes. That beats the Fold 7 by nearly 1.5 hours, though the Fold 8 isn’t good enough to make our best phone battery life list.

In my time with the phone I enjoyed fairly strong endurance. For example, after a day of mixed usage, including checking email, capturing photos and videos and playing music, the battery meter was at 52%.

Still, other foldables last longer. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra with its 5,000 mAh silicon carbon battery lasted 14:33, and the Razr Fold’s 6,000 mAh battery lasted 14:44.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 benefits from 45W charging, up from 25W on the Fold 7. At 30 minutes the Fold 8 reached 70%, compared to 54% for the Fold 7.

Wireless charging sees a boost for the Fold 8, too, going from 15W to 20W. Unfortunately, you need to buy a case if you want to get magnets for Qi 2 charging, as they’re still not built into the phone.

What I Mostly Like

Cameras are good, but where's the telephoto?

Don’t get me wrong. The dual rear 50MP cameras on the Fold 8 are solid. But not having a telephoto zoom is pretty frickin’ lame for a $1,900 flagship.

On the plus side, check out the excellent dynamic range in this photo of a street in London dappled in sunlight. This close-up of a zinnia flower is vibrant and detailed and the richer colors in this shot of peppers versus the more washed-out Razr Fold.

The 50MP ultrawide lens is a major upgrade over the 12MP Fold 7. I actually give the edge to the Fold 8 over the iPhone 17 Pro Max in this ultrawide shot of a beach. The green trees pop a pit more, and there’s more detail in the rocks along the sand.

Samsung also improved the Nightography on the Fold 8 for better low-light shots. And you can see the difference in these photos of a clock tower. It’s brighter and crisper. And in this image of string lights the Fold 8’s makes everything brighter and you can make out the individual bulbs easier.

What makes the Z Fold 8 Ultra an Ultra camera phone is its 200MP main camera. In this fountain shot you can make out more detail in the water bubbles and in the rocks. You just have more freedom to crop in overall.

But the biggest Z Fold 8 vs Fold 8 Ultra difference is the lack of telephoto zoom. At 4x, the Fold 8 delivers a crisper image of this Queen Anne statue in London. Check out the lines in the stonework.

But this 10x digital zoom shot of a tree stump rising from water shows the Fold 8’s limitations. The lines in the bark look blurrier compared to the 10MP Fold 8 Ultra with 3x optical. And the Razr Fold’s 50MP telephoto is even sharper.

I don’t have any complaints about the selfies from the Galaxy Fold 8. The front 10MP camera. My blue shirt pops, and there’s plenty of detail in my hair and the surrounding grass. The inside 10MP produced a vivid but somewhat blurrier image.

Plus, you can always flip the display around and use the main 50MP wide camera to take selfies. The results look sharp though the shadows are more pronounced than I’d like.

What I Don't Like

More apps need optimization for the big screen

There’s a fair number of apps that are truly optimized for the Fold 8’s wide display. In Gmail, you can see your inbox on the left and the content of your images on the right. And in TikTok the comments will pop up on the right side of the display while the video plays on the left. Spotify looks pretty slick, too, with your playlists here and play window there.

However, some apps just feel like stretched out phone experiences. Slack should have you rooms and contacts on the left and messages on the right instead of just really wide conversation windows. Other apps that could use the dual-pane treatment include Reddit and especially X.

I get that the iPhone Ultra isn’t out yet. But you know there's going to be a better app experience right from day one. Just look at iPadOS on the iPad mini.

Where is the dust resistance?

Unfortunately, you’re stuck with the same IP48 durability rating on the Galaxy Z Fold 8. That means this device can withstand being submerged in water for 30 minutes but is not dust resistant. I’d like to see Samsung take the leap to IP68 so you can actually take foldables like this to the beach.

Other foldables like the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold and Motorola Razr Fold are IP68 rated.

During a roundtable discussion, a Samsung exec told us that the company is not chasing numbers but real-world scenarios. But I’d argue dust and sand are “real world.”

Flex view is Ultra exclusive

Because of the way the hinge was designed, there’s no Flex Mode on the Fold 8 — that’s exclusive to the Fold 8 Ultra. So that means you can’t use the Fold 8 as a mini laptop. I missed not being able to watch YouTube videos in this mode or do quick Google Meet calls.

Still no S Pen

The Galaxy Fold 8 one again eschews the S Pen. While I’ve never been a heavy user, there’s lot of people who would like a stylus for taking notes, editing photos and drawing, especially on such a wide canvas.

Samsung has clearly prioritized thinness and the lack of a crease over including a digitizer. Company reps have told us they are open to exploring the possibility of the S Pen’s return. But that will have to be another foldable.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 review: Verdict

Overall, I’m a big fan of the Galaxy Z Fold 8. It’s the foldable design I’d rather carry and use every day over any other foldable. It’s lighter and more compact than the Fold 8 Ultra, and the main display is big enough for split-screen multitasking and binge watching.

I also really appreciate that the crease is less visible and especially the anti-glare coating, as well as the strong performance and pretty solid battery life. And while I’m getting AI fatigue, features like Now Nudge just make sense on a foldable.

On the other hand, I don’t like that I have to give up a telephoto lens. And while I personally don’t mind the lack of an S Pen, there are apparently many people who do.

I do care about the lack of dust resistance, and that some pretty high-profile apps aren’t optimized for the big screen — when you know the iPhone Ultra will likely have an advantage on day one.

So for now the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is the foldable I want. But Samsung please give us a better zoom next time.

When looking for an electric scooter for commuting, there are three things you need to balance: weight, range, and power (we’ll leave price out for a moment). The further you want to go, and the more hills you want to climb, the heavier the scooter.

The Apollo Explore 2.0 is by no means a light scooter — it checks in at 60 pounds — but it has the power and the battery to go the distance, and, thanks to a beefy suspension system, can get you over rougher roads. Compared to the best electric scooters, it can hold its own against the likes of Segway and others. I’ve been riding the Apollo Explore 2.0 for a few months; here’s what I like about the scooter, and a few things I think could be improved.

Price

The Explore sits at the top end of Apollo’s commuter line of scooters. The Explore 2.0, which costs $849 on sale (regularly $1,299) weighs 60 pounds, has a top speed of 25 MPH, and a range of 37 miles. Coming later in 2026 is the $1,699 Explore Stellar, which has a top speed of 40 MPH and a range of up to 50 miles.

By contrast, the starting model is the $649 Dash (available Q3 2026), which weighs 43 pounds, has a 25-mile range and a top speed of 21 MPH.

What I liked

Thanks to its dual suspension and large tires, the Explore 2.0 delivers a smooth ride, and its large battery and powerful motor also make for an engaging trip.

Comfortable ride

The Explore has triple-spring suspension (one for the front wheel, two for the rear) which, coupled with 10-inch tires, made for a very cushy ride over all but the biggest of potholes. The design of the Explore’s suspension gives it six inches of ground clearance; you’d have to go over something pretty big to need that, but it’s nice that it’s there.

The handlebars are raked back slightly; it’s something I’ve seen on some of my favorite Segway scooters, such as the Ninebot Max G3, and which provides a bit more control while also looking cooler than straight bars.

Powerful motor

While it has just a single, 500W rear hub motor, the Explore proved more than powerful enough for my neighborhood’s hills. One day, as I was commuting home from the train station, I was stopped at the bottom of my steep test hill, next to another rider on an electric scooter.

“Can that make it up the hill?” he asked me. “We’ll find out,” I replied.

I gave him a few seconds head start, then roared past at a steady 15 MPH as he looked on enviously. I made it to the top well ahead of him. (To be fair, he was riding a less powerful scooter, which had only a 350W motor).

By comparison, the Segway E3 Pro, which has a smaller 400W motor, topped out at around 10 MPH on the same hill.

Good range

Apollo says the Explore has a range of up to 37 miles, but that’s in its Eco mode, which has you limp along at around 9 miles per hour. More realistic is its Sport (22 miles) and Ludo (15 miles) modes, which are more reflective of its top speed of 25 MPH.

In my typical riding — I live in a somewhat hilly area, and I weigh around 200 pounds — I’ll get around 40% of the advertised range, and that was true here, too. I was able to average around 10-ish miles before needing a recharge. If you need something with greater range, I’d suggest the Segway Ninebot Kickscooter Max G3, which can get up to 50 miles on a charge (I got around 12 miles).

On the left handlebar is a regular brake lever, as well as a thumb button to use regenerative braking. The latter doesn’t slow the scooter down as readily as the handbrake — I used regen to regulate my speed, but the handbrake to come to a full stop — but thisit will let you eke out a little more range.

It’s easy to lock

One of the design challenges with electric scooters is that there’s rarely an easy way to lock them. The Explore has a nice big handle at the back of the deck, which not only makes it easier to pick up, but provides a convenient slot through which you can slide one of the best bike locks.

Should that not be enough to deter thieves, the scooter can be locked electronically via the app. However, I do wish it had Apple FindMy or some other location-tracking feature, as you’ll find on Segway scooters and some other brands.

What I didn’t like

While the Explore 2.0 does have turn signals in the handlebars, I also wish they were in the rear of the deck. It also has a pretty basic display, and lacks location-tracking services should your scooter get lost or stolen.

Only one set of turn signals

One thing I really like about the Apollo CiIty is its two sets of turn signals — one in the handlebars, and one at the rear of the deck. Not only do they look cool, but it makes you a lot more visible to drivers behind you. However, on the Explore, the only turn signals are on the handlebars.

A previous complaint from my other Apollo reviews is that the turn signal controls are split between the right and left handlebars; I much prefer them to be clustered on the left.

Basic display

The Explore has a rather basic “dot matrix” display that gives you the bare minimum — battery life and speed — while riding, and really, that’s all you need. I rarely look at the display myself, so my issue isn’t with that, although it should be noted that virtually every other electric scooter has a more sophisticated screen.

What I don’t particularly care for is the fact that I would need to buy a separate Quad Lock phone case and a Quad Lock mount ($40 and $28, respectively) should I want to dock my phone to the scooter, so I can use the Apollo app to see things such as directions and real-time stats. It’s important to have a case for your phone, but I’m not thrilled with the idea of having to buy a new case and mount just for my scooter.

This is also a little bit of a nitpick, but the Explore's folding and locking mechanism is a bit finicky. To secure the handlebars to the deck, you have to extend a tab on both the deck and the downtube (not always easy, especially if you're wearing gloves.

Bottom line

The Apollo Explore 2 is yet another well-built model that should please those looking for a mid- to upper-range electric scooter, especially if you live in a hilly area, or have less-than-ideal roads. While it’s not my favorite model, it is worth buying.

If you don’t have as many hills to climb, I would suggest checking out the Segway E3 Pro. It has a less powerful 400W motor, but it's less expensive, 20 pounds lighter, and includes niceties like turn signals and Apple FindMy. It typically costs $599, but we’ve seen it as low as $529. But, if you want something with a little more oomph and can get it at around $850, the Explore 2 is worth checking out.

The Samsung QS09F is a beast of a soundbar. With a 7.1.2 channel configuration for under $999, this could be one of the best soundbars if you need something compact yet powerful. There’s a built-in subwoofer and two side-firing surrounds for truly wide sound and immersive Dolby Atmos.

As per Samsung’s naming conventions, the QS90H is a part of 2026’s new soundbar lineup. Last year’s models had an “F” suffix. Unsure why Samsung skipped “G”, but if you see a soundbar with an “H” in the name, it’s new in 2026 (and old thereafter).

So what separates the Samsung QS90H from the rest of the new lineup? The QS90H can do it all. It’s one soundbar with a four-woofer built-in sub, surrounds, and thirteen speakers in the soundbar itself. This is an incredible performance for a one-bar device. Want to find out more? Keep reading this Samsung QS90H review.

Samsung QS90H review: Specs

Samsung QS90H review: Price & availability

The Samsung QS90H is $999 from Best Buy and £899 from Amazon U.K. Although an objectively huge amount of money, you get a soundbar, a subwoofer, and surrounds for that $999 — and you don’t have to make extra space in your living room.

I’ve also tested the fantastic-value Samsung QS750F ($899) and the gorgeous mid-range Samsung Q600F ($599). I’d recommend the Q600F if you’re not concerned with Wi-Fi music playback and the QS750F if you want separate sub and rears. However, these are 2025’s models now. I would be more than happy to use a 2025 models — the sound is still industry-leading as I write this in 2026 — but it’s just something to note if you’re the kind of person who always wants the newest tech.

I’ve also reviewed the fantastic JBL Bar 1300XMK2. I would recommend this wholeheartedly if you want the best home cinema setup without needing to fork out on AVRs, floor standers, and the like.

Samsung QS90H review: Design

The QS90H looks like any other soundbar. It won’t win any design awards, but it won’t steer attention away from your TV, either. It’s a pretty long 49 inches, so anything smaller than a 55” TV will look strange. I tested with the LG G6 OLED 55” and I’d say even that looked a bit weird.

The only frustrating design aspect is the HDMI port. Both the power port and HDMI port are angled, so you need a side-oriented cable. Of course, the soundbar comes with an angled power cable and HDMI, but if you want an aftermarket HDMI, you’ll need to find one that fits under the soundbar.

Controls

There are a few controls on the soundbar itself: volume up/down and power. There’s the classic Samsung remote with all the usual controls: input, Bluetooth, volume, woofer volume, sound mode, channel volume, and settings. I honestly did most of the controlling via the SmartThings virtual remote on my phone.

Features

I’ll go into app features in more detail below, but you’ve got all the expected features: sound modes, a few AI features, EQ adjustment, channel level adjustment, night mode, virtual mode, bass enhancement, and dialogue enhancement.

Samsung QS90H review: App

SmartThings is by far my favorite smart home app. It just makes sense. It’s easy to navigate, straightforward for newcomers, and has zero connectivity hiccups.

As you can see, there’s a huge array of smart features: “SpaceFit Sound Pro”, “Active Voice Amplifier Pro”, “Sound Elevation”, and “Auto Volume”. Last year, “SpaceFit Sound Pro” only worked with an AI-powered Samsung TV, but I was able to turn it on with my LG G6 OLED. However, SpaceFit Sound Pro isn’t a traditional room calibration tool that sends out sound waves and analyzes them with built-in microphones, à la Klipsch or JBL. Honestly, I didn’t notice a huge difference between SpaceFit on and off, which is a shame.

You can also adjust each channel individually.

You can control the woofer volume, “side”, “center”, “wide”, and “front top”. I got the best sound with “side” and “wide” up to the max. I got a touch more height with “front top” set to max, but I still didn’t reach the huge highs I did with the JBL Bar 1300XMK2.

Finally, there’s wireless Dolby Atmos — but this is locked behind recent AI-enabled Samsung TVs. You can also sync up your Roon, Spotify, Tidal, and Alexa.

Samsung QS90HS review: Sound quality

I test every soundbar with “Top Gun: Maverick” on 4K Blu-Ray, TV streaming, and music on Qobuz via AirPlay.

Movies

I watched “Top Gun: Maverick”, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie”, and “Fight Club” on 4K Blu-ray.

The opening scene in “Top Gun: Maverick” is ideal for testing width, height, high-frequency sound, and bass simultaneously. I activated “Voice enhancement” and “Bass enhancement” in the SmartThings app, which brought all the high-frequency sounds to the center of the soundstage. Whooshing planes, whirring engines, flicking ropes, and tinkling metal diegetic sounds were focal and loud without pinching or overpowering the bass-heavy “Danger Zone”. I didn’t struggle to hear anything — this was a perfect performance.

Dialogue was clear, even in flight scenes with distortion from the radio. Engines were loud and clear, layered under the dialogue with zero overpowering. There was a touch of over-processing in some of Maverick’s radioed dialogue, but this was seriously negligible. It didn’t impact my viewing experience in the slightest.

There wasn’t as much height as I would like, which is a consistent issue with Samsung soundbars. The QS750F sounded expansive, but not massively high. If you want serious, room-filling height, you might want something like the JBL Bar 1300XMK2.

In the first dogfighting scene, the planes whooshed around the side of the soundscape, while the radioed dialogue and soundtrack were clear in the foreground. When the planes spiralled, I could feel it around me. However, I couldn’t hear the planes that were supposed ot be above me, which means the soundbar struggles with height. I think some more sophisticated room calibration might mitigate this in the future.

Next, I watched “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie”. The soundtrack in this movie was super expansive. Each violin motif sounded like it was coming from around me. The twinkling sound effects were particularly powerful.

It’s unlikely your kids would notice this, but the treble crackled when the spaceship took off in the opening scene. I didn’t notice any treble issues during the rest of the movie, though, or elsewhere in testing.

Lastly, I watched “Fight Club”. The sped-up sound effects squelched through the soundbar with fantastic width. Dialogue was clear and audible and the soundtrack sounded textured and controlled. Again — this was a perfect experience. No notes.

TV

To test TV performance, I watched “Heated Rivalry” on NOWTV, a British streaming service. I watched using “AI Adaptive Sound” in the SmartThings app, and upped the width and side channel volume to the max.

The soundbar heightened surround sound: in a locker room celebration scene, I could hear the spraying champagne and excited chatter in the background clearly, even over the exuberant soundtrack. There’s an aquarium scene later in the episode and the underwater-style diegetic sound effects married perfectly with the ethereal ambient OST.

Music

To test music playback, I listened to a number of songs on Qobuz. “Beatback” by Fcukers is an electronic track with a powerful bassline and groovy synth modulations in the verses and a breathy female vocal. The bass sounded particularly excellent, clear, rich, and propulsive, but the percussion sounded a touch underwater. Even so, the vocals were textured and sonorous.

Next, I played a psych-rock track, “Apocalypse Dreams” by Tame Impala. I switched off “Voice enhancement”, which massively improved the sound quality. It’s a shame there’s no dedicated music mode, but I recommend turning off both “Active Voice Amplifier Pro” and “Voice enhancement” to get the best from your music. The bass, again, was powerful and rich, but the treble was a touch pinchy.

Lastly, I played a guitar-led bluesy track: “Pigeon” by Faye Webster. This song has smooth guitars, nostalgic keys, and a soft female vocal. The vocals sounded particularly beautiful; super complex and warm. There’s some really nice stereo imaging after the first chorus that sounds immersive and all-consuming. The softer percussion didn’t pinch — the guitars were smooth throughout. This song sounded the best out of all the tracks I listened to, likely due to the sparser, warmer, smoother soundscape.

Samsung QS90H review: Verdict

The Samsung QS90H is the best all-in-one soundbar I’ve tested, and I’d go so far as to say it’s the best all-in-one on the market right now. I knocked off half a star for the sound height issues, but this isn’t to say the soundbar is lackluster, because that’s completely untrue. This is a powerful, controlled, and adept soundbar with a monumental soundstage.

If you want the “best” home cinema experience possible, you should probably look to spend a little more on something like the JBL Bar 1300XMK2 or the Samsung Q990H. However, if you’re short on space or don’t want to spend more than $1,000, then you will not be disappointed by the QS90H.

I loved testing the Samsung QS90H and would have zero reservations about buying this soundbar for myself. If you want a multi-channel experience without needing rears and a sub, there’s very little else I’d recommend.

The MSI Pro Max 271UPXW12G is a 4K QD-OLED monitor designed with creative professionals in mind — specifically those who prefer Mac over Windows. Despite its Mac-centric design, it manages to pack in many of MSI’s best gaming features to make it an ideal display for both work and play.

I remember when I first saw the MSI Pro Max 271UPXW12G back at CES, as it left an immediate impression on me. Unlike the Studio Display or Studio Display XDR, you won’t find any of Apple’s usual limitations here. Instead, this is a full-featured QD-OLED monitor with all the ports you could ever need — and then some.

After using the Pro Max 271UPXW12G as my daily driver for the past month across both macOS and Windows, I’m just as impressed as I was when I first laid eyes on it. From its sleek, minimalist design to its packed array of ports and, of course, its 4th-Gen QD-OLED panel, this display has served me well both on and off the clock. Still, while I appreciate that it has built-in speakers, they do leave a bit to be desired.

My MSI Pro Max 271UPXW12G review will help you decide if this is the best monitor for your Mac (and even your gaming PC or PS5) — or if it’s worth paying the Apple Tax for a Studio Display instead.

MSI Pro Max 271UPXW12G: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? A 27-inch 4K QD-OLED monitor designed for Mac that you can also game on.
• Who is it for? Creative professionals who need full color accuracy on Mac or Windows and don’t want to deal with the limitations and higher price of Apple’s Studio Display.
• What does it cost? The MSI Pro Max 271UPXW12G costs $999, but now you can find this monitor for $710 in white or $650 in black and often for even less when it’s on sale.
• What do we like? Its sleek design, the vibrancy and detail of its 4th-Gen QD-OLED panel, the integrated Mac controls, its 120 Hz refresh rate, the full-featured ports and its built-in KVM switch.
• What don’t we like? That the monitor auto-mounts a drive on both Mac and Windows and that the built-in speakers leave something to be desired.

MSI MSI Pro Max 271UPXW12G: Specs

MSI Pro Max 271UPXW12G: The Ups

The MSI Pro Max 271UPXW12G is an incredibly capable professional monitor in a sleek and stylish package. You’d be hard-pressed to find a similar port array on even more expensive displays — and beyond creative work, it manages to hold its own against top-tier gaming monitors even if that isn’t its primary focus.

As clean as can be

Just like with MSI’s MPG 321URXW gaming monitor I reviewed last year, the Pro Max 271UPXW12G is incredibly thin thanks to its QD-OLED panel. On the top and sides, the display is razor-thin at four to five millimeters (0.16 to 0.2 inches) — with its internal components and built-in power supply housed in the center.

Underneath the Pro Max 271UPXW12G’s display, you’ll find an AI Care Sensor that houses a CMOS camera/sensor and an NPU used for features like presence detection and adaptive brightness. This monitor also comes with MSI’s OLED Care 3.0 tech to protect its panel from burn-in.

Around back, there’s a joystick and two buttons for navigating the monitor’s OSD menu to adjust its settings. While the Pro Max 271UPXW12G has a circular cutout for the included monitor stand, MSI includes a standard 100 x 100 VESA mount adapter if you want to use this display with one of the best monitor arms. There’s also a square plate in the box in case you want to mount a mini PC like the MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG or the updated 3MG behind your monitor.

Speaking of the monitor stand, it’s made entirely from metal — and to date, it’s one of the highest-quality included stands I’ve seen yet. I typically use a monitor arm, but with the Pro Max 271UPXW12G, I didn’t even consider it.

I also really appreciated that MSI includes every cable you need right in the box — from DisplayPort to USB-C. The ones that came with my review unit were color-matched to the white version of the Pro Max 271UPXW12G I tested, blending in seamlessly with the rest of my setup too.

A multi-workstation hub

Although MSI designed the Pro Max 271UPXW12G with Apple’s Macs in mind, you wouldn’t want to limit yourself to one operating system (or device) with this monitor. While other displays have built-in KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) switches to let you use the same peripherals seamlessly across two computers, this one actually supports three.

As such, the Pro Max 271UPXW12G is outfitted with an impressive selection of ports. For video, you get dual HDMI 2.1 connections, DisplayPort 1.4a, and two USB-C inputs with power delivery. While one is limited to 15W, the other delivers 98W of power so you can use and charge one of the best laptops simultaneously. For the KVM switch, there’s a USB-B port alongside four USB-A ports.

Since I switch between computers quite often while reviewing the best mini PCs, I like to use my mouse and keyboard’s 2.4 GHz USB dongles instead of Bluetooth. Even with a webcam connected too, I still had one free USB port — which was really impressive.

Another detail I really like about the Pro Max 271UPXW12G is its internal power supply instead of a bulky power brick. This made cable management under my desk a lot easier — and if you ever need to replace this monitor’s power cable, it uses the same standard one as a desktop PC.

Sure, you could plug in one of the best MacBooks or even a Mac mini M4 into the Pro Max 271UPXW12G and call it a day. However, by doing so, you’d be wasting one of its best features: the built-in KVM switch. With a Mac on one side of my desk and a PC on the other, switching between the two and using the same keyboard and mouse was almost instant. Likewise, it worked like a charm over both USB-C and with the included USB-B cable.

Crisp, colorful and Mac-friendly

In the past, it was often difficult using a third-party monitor with a Mac due to how macOS handles pixel density. This causes text fringing, where the words on your screen look fuzzy or blurry. Fortunately, MSI considered this when developing the Pro Max 271UPXW12G and gave it a higher pixel density of 166 PPI.

One of the best things about the Studio Display and the Studio Display XDR I reviewed is being able to use your keyboard to adjust things like brightness and volume — which you can’t do on a lot of third-party displays. To address this, MSI created a dedicated Mac app called M-Mate. After installing it from the App Store, not only can you control this monitor using the keys on your MacBook, but you can also match the Pro Max 271UPXW12G’s color profile with your Apple laptop or even your iPad.

If Apple’s color profile isn’t the one you use for photo or video editing, no worries — this monitor comes with a ton of other popular ones too. With a few clicks on the joystick around back, you can switch between sRGB, Adobe RGB, DCI-P3, and several other color spaces depending on the task at hand. Though not for everyone, creative professionals will really appreciate this feature.

During my time testing out the Pro Max 271UPXW12G, I started with my Mac mini M4 on one side and the Khadas Mind 2S mini PC — equipped with Khadas’ Mind Graphics 2 eGPU — on the other. From there, I swapped out the Mac mini for a 16-inch MacBook Pro M5 Pro, which let me take full advantage of that USB-C port with 98W of power delivery. Everything worked and looked great on MSI’s Studio Display alternative, but I wasn’t done there….

Made for more than work

Having used both the Studio Display and Studio Display XDR, I’m still a bit baffled by how both monitors only come equipped with Thunderbolt ports. I’d love to hook up a gaming PC or a console to one of Apple’s monitors alongside a Mac, but unfortunately, I don’t know if that will ever be possible.

Fortunately, with the Pro Max 271UPXW12G, you can actually do this — and at higher frame rates too, since its QD-OLED panel has a refresh rate of 120Hz. Now, I know that isn’t as high as what you’ll find on dedicated gaming displays, but this is a monitor designed around productivity after all.

To put the Pro Max 271UPXW12G’s gaming capabilities — and aesthetics — to the test, I hooked it up to the Minisforum G1 Pro mini PC, which features a desktop-grade Nvidia RTX 5060 GPU. In addition to finishing Death Stranding 2 on PC this way, I also played through a bit of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. Both games looked incredible on the Pro Max 271UPXW12G, with a bit of help from Nvidia’s DLSS tech. However, I wasn’t done there.

As I simultaneously reviewed the Pro Max 271UPXW12G alongside Splatoon Raiders, I hooked up my Nintendo Switch 2 to MSI’s monitor as well. The colorful hues from the game’s ink-filled battles looked amazing on the panel, and just like with Death Stranding 2, I actually ended up beating the game while using MSI’s display.

There are definitely higher-refresh options out there if you're looking for one of the best gaming monitors. However, this is the only productivity-focused monitor for creatives I know of that lets you jump straight into gaming without severe limitations.

MSI Pro Max 271UPXW12G: The Downs

The MSI Pro Max 271UPXW12G sets itself apart as a third-party Mac monitor with some solid gaming chops to boot. However, it’s not without a few slight downsides — one of which I’m still thoroughly confused by.

An auto-mounting annoyance

Following the recent controversy with LG’s monitors auto-installing software, imagine my surprise when I saw an auto-mounted drive from MSI on both my Mac and PC after connecting the Pro Max 271UPXW12G. Fortunately, we’re dealing with a different beast entirely here.

You see, instead of auto-installing software, the monitor’s onboard microcontroller automatically mounts the contents of a tiny flash storage chip whenever a device is connected via USB-C or through the USB-B cable for its KVM switch.

This drive doesn’t force-install anything, but it does give you a direct download link for MSI Productivity Intelligence on Mac or MSI Gaming OSD on Windows.

The software itself lets you adjust settings like brightness and contrast with your mouse and keyboard so you don’t have to reach for the physical joystick around back. In theory, this is meant to be a convenient shortcut for end users so they don’t have to hunt down extra software on MSI’s support page. In practice, however, I found it fairly annoying — especially on Mac.

Due to how macOS operates, any connected volume automatically mounts directly onto your desktop. While you can turn this off by going to Finder > Settings > General and unchecking External disks under “Show these items on the desktop”, this is still a minor nuisance. Alternatively, you could skip connecting your computer via USB-C or avoid using the included USB-B cable for the KVM switch altogether, but that defeats the entire point of buying a feature-packed, productivity-focused monitor like the Pro Max 271UPXW12G.

Good but not great built-in speakers

Unlike with MSI’s gaming monitors, its business and productivity-focused ones often come with built-in speakers. This is a feature that’s always nice to have in a pinch since you can test your audio easily, and if they’re good enough, you don’t have to bother cluttering up your desk with extra hardware.

The Pro Max 271UPXW12G has dual 2.5W speakers, and for attending meetings or other less demanding tasks, I found they worked well enough. Since their wattage is on the lower side, they do sound a bit tinny, though.

I relied on the Pro Max 271UPXW12G’s built-in speakers for the most part during my testing. However, when it was time to put its gaming capabilities to the test, I opted for a pair of Kanto Ora 4 bookshelf speakers, which made a massive difference.

Now, if you’re the type who wears headphones while working or gaming, this won’t be a problem. The built-in speakers are good enough, but if you want more volume or bass, I’d recommend going a similar route with a pair of the best computer speakers.

MSI Pro Max 271UPXW12G: Verdict

The MSI Pro Max 271UPXW12G is a breath of fresh air when it comes to Mac-focused monitors. Not only can you control its brightness and audio with your MacBook’s keyboard, but you can also match the display’s color profile directly with your Apple laptop. All of those full-featured ports and the built-in KVM switch also make the Pro Max 271UPXW12G a productivity powerhouse for anyone who relies on multiple operating systems and devices for work.

The 4th-Gen QD-OLED panel is another major highlight thanks to its vibrant colors, deep contrast, and anti-glare, low-reflection finish. Similarly, MSI deserves credit for including every cable you could ever need alongside plenty of extra accessories right in the box.

Still, I do wish you could permanently disable the auto-mounting drive on the monitor itself, and the built-in speakers leave some room for improvement. Overall though, if you want a more affordable Studio Display alternative that doubles as a high-performance gaming monitor, the MSI Pro Max 271UPXW12G is an excellent choice — especially given its more competitive pricing post-launch.

The Sennheiser RS 275 are a pair of TV headphones, designed to let you enjoy movies, TV and multimedia without bothering family, roommates or neighbors. I’m an avid LOTR fan, and I regularly re-binge the Extended Editions, often taking me late into the night. I’ll usually get an angry, volume-related text from my wife upstairs at about 1am — just as the Rohirrim launch their awe-inspiring, tear-jerking charge into the fray on Pelennor Fields. So the RS 275 are, on paper at least, right up my street.

After a few weeks of testing, I’m happy to say these are a wonderful addition to my lounge setup. They’re not perfect, lacking the soundstage and subbiness of a proper surround system or soundbar. Their passive noise cancellation, meanwhile, isn’t the best, and they’re pricey in the U.S.

However, the sound quality is generally excellent, with a bright treble to bring out fine details, a clear mid-range for vocals, tidy bass, plus strong stereo imaging. There’s a wealth of connectivity and customization options, too.

Are these the best headphones for TV? Find out more in my full Sennheiser RS 275 review.

Sennheiser RS 275 review: Specs

Sennheiser RS 275 review: Price & availability

Unfortunately, the Sennheiser RS 275 headphones ain’t cheap. In the U.S., they cost $299 from Amazon, while in the U.K. they’re a slightly more palatable £219 from Richer Sounds. That’s about the cost of a cheap soundbar, so if these will be your only audio output aside from a TV speaker (if you live in a dorm or something), I think that’s a reasonable price.

However, if you already have, want, or need a soundbar or speaker system, the RS 275 will be a secondary purchase. And that makes the $299 MSRP a little trickier to justify. I suppose the ‘cost:benefit’ analysis will depend on how much flak you’re getting for watching TV, and how often.

Thankfully, you’re not stuck for cheaper alternatives. The older Sennheiser RS 175 ($349) are regularly on sale for as little as $139. Then there’s the $159 Sennheiser RS 120-W, which are often reduced to the $100 mark.

Sennheiser RS 275 review: Design

The RS 275 look like typical Sennheiser cans: jet black, understated but obviously high quality. The plastics feel premium; the headband is (mostly) nice and squishy; while the earcups are thick and padded, yet lightweight and breathable. I tested the RS 275 during a heatwave here in the U.K., with some extremely humid nights, and my ears never got sweaty. The headset is also super lightweight, so it never fatigued my neck.

My only issue, comfort-wise, is that the squishy headband padding doesn’t extend that far down the band itself. The last two inches have no padding. I didn’t have an issue, but I can see it being a problem for different head shapes.

Included is a headphone stand, which doubles as a platform and cable-tidy for the wireless transmitter. It helps keep my TV cabinet tidy, so I’m a big fan.

Controls

The RS 275 offer a few different control options. There are the on-ear controls for power and volume, plus sound mode and source controls on the transmitter. They’re all pretty self-explanatory and easy to get to grips with. Everything can also be controlled via the Sennheiser smartphone app, though, which I’ll cover below.

Connectivity

The RS 275 feature four connection methods to your TV: Bluetooth, optical, USB and HDMI. You’ll want at least USB or HDMI connected, as these power the transmitter. You can hook up via Bluetooth directly to your TV, but I’d advise using the transmitter as it enables higher quality codecs, including aptX, aptX Adaptive, PCM/LC3 and AC3 (Dolby Digital).

The transmitter uses Bluetooth version 5.4 and features Auracast, so you can hook up multiple Auracast-compatible Bluetooth devices and hear the same audio stream. That means you can watch movies with friends and family, yet still not wake the neighbors.

I mostly used the optical and USB connections. There won’t be a huge difference between any of the wired connections, really — by the time the signal reaches your ears via the transmitter using, say, the lossy AC3/Dolby Digital codec, it’s no longer high-res anyway regardless of how it came out of the TV or Blu-ray player. Note that optical is prone to timing issues, especially when scrubbing forward or back through a Blu-ray (the app has a feature to help with this).

The headphones also have two-device multipoint connectivity, so you can hook up to your phone and TV and switch quickly between the two to take a call.

Sennheiser RS 275 review: Sound quality

As these are TV headphones, I primarily tested the Sennheiser RS 275 by watching “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Black Hawk Down (Extended Version)” on 4K Blu-ray. I also streamed “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Extended Edition)” on Amazon Prime TV, and “I Will Find You” on Netflix.

Movies

The RS 275 won’t compete with a surround system or one of the best soundbars, but that’s not to say they don’t sound good. The sound is really clean, with expansive treble and tons of mid-range clarity that brought out details I’d never heard, even in my most familiar movies.

In “Black Hawk Down” I’ve never before heard Mo Alim’s voice so perfectly distorted and crackly as he shouts through a megaphone in the early massacre scene. It was like I was in the room with Atto in the interrogation scene — his cigar pack ripping and match striking, then the metallic door latch clanking as the general entered.

There’s so much clarity that, weirdly, you start hearing things you don’t want to hear — in the Atto scene above, the effects sounded hyperrealistic to a fault, giving away that they’re actually quite obviously foley.

Vocals sound great, too. Even in noisier scenes throughout “The Fellowship of the Ring” and “Black Hawk Down”, I was never struggling to hear what any characters said.

Bass was fairly nice and well-textured in musical elements, although the headphones lack sub-bass response, sapping impact from heavy sound effects like explosions and aircraft in “Top Gun Maverick” and “Black Hawk Down”. Still, these are headphones, so you can’t expect the power delivery down low that you’d get from a subwoofer.

Separation is really strong. In the “Top Gun Maverick” opening scene, I could hear the clanking of machinery amidst the sound of engines and the “Danger Zone” soundtrack. Stereo imaging is solid, too. In “Black Hawk Down”, I could hear voices on each side in the busy Mogadishu marketplace, and in a scene with two choppers, I could distinctly hear the lighter Little Bird blades in my left ear, with the slower Black Hawk thrum in my right.

Admittedly, the RS 275’s soundstage isn’t that wide — expected given these are closed-back headphones. On the other hand, the closed-back sound gave a level of intimacy that I really enjoyed in certain scenes. I felt like I was inside Maverick’s helmet as he spoke to his colleagues over radio: the sound of his voice muted by his own helmet, with his colleague’s walkie-talkied voice piping in over the radio.

TV

In “I Will Find You” on Netflix, vocals were unfailingly clear, even whispered tones, while that bright treble shone again for gentler effects like handcuffs clanking. Here, too, I relished that closed-back intimacy — when the main characters were talking through a prison phone, for example, it sounded like I was in the visitor’s booth with them.

Admittedly, without the sheer loudness of movie effects and scores, I began to have trouble with passive noise cancellation, or a lack thereof. I could hear the radio in my kitchen playing, as well as road noise from outside my house, breaking the immersion.

Audio modes

The RS 275 have three modes: 3D for surround sound; Speech for vocal priority; and Plus, which combines the first two. Honestly, I didn’t find much use for them. Speech and 3D mostly resulted in a tinny, compressed sound. Plus mode, meanwhile, just sounded like listening underwater. I can see Speech being useful in situations where vocal audio is just terribly mastered, but in everything I watched, the RS 275’s default tuning was good enough.

Mileage will probably vary depending on how an individual film or TV’s audio is mastered, but honestly, the default mode sounds good enough to just forget the gimmicks.

Music

Although they’re primarily intended as TV headphones, the RS 275 headset is actually a pair of HDR 275 headphones. That means they double up as music cans, and it’s nice to know you can pick them up for a few tunes between movies.

I tested with my usual playlist on Qobuz, the best music streaming service for audiophiles, and was pretty impressed. It’s the same story as above: a clean mid-range and airy treble, highlighting vocals and percussion; warm, refined bass; plus decent stereo imaging.

Listen along to my audio testing playlist on Qobuz.

Sennheiser RS 275 review: Call quality

The Sennheiser RS 275 can be used like a traditional set of headphones. This means they have a microphone for calls. Unfortunately, it’s not the best, and my voice sounded quiet and tinny. However, I can’t knock too many points off here, as these are primarily intended to be used for movies and TV, which you’d want to pause for a call anyway — so you can just use your phone’s built-in mic.

Sennheiser RS 275 review: App

The RS 275 pair up to the Sennheiser SmartControlPlus smartphone app, which connects over Bluetooth (regardless of how the headset is connected to your TV). The app is pretty slick, and gives you full control over using and updating the RS 275. It’s the only way to fully control the RS 275, so I have no choice but to recommend using it — but thankfully, it’s great.

I found the app particularly useful for switching between connectivity channels to get the best sound for whatever media I was watching, checking which codecs were in use on-the-fly, and tweaking audio delay for sound/video sync issues over optical connection.

Sennheiser RS 275 review: Battery life

The RS 275 offer up to 50 hours of playback, according to Sennheiser. And I have no reason to doubt that. After watching two movies and most of a TV season, I still had 70% charge left, which was very impressive.

When you do need to charge them, using the USB-C port on the transmitter will recharge the headphones fully in just 2 hours, which is pretty quick. Realistically, if you stay on top of juicing them, you shouldn’t experience much downtime at all.

Sennheiser RS 275 review: Verdict

As I mentioned above, as a night owl and a movie lover, I am the RS 275’s target audience. As a tech reviewer by profession, I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I didn’t know TV headphones were a thing, and so never knew I needed them. But I’m not sure I can go back now.

The RS 275 aren’t perfect. They’re pricey, they lack the bass and width of a proper sound system, and their passive noise reduction isn’t the best. However, place them in context, and none of that really matters. They’re designed to circumvent loudspeaker systems, so you can’t blame them for lacking the attributes of a subwoofer or Atmos setup. And realistically, they’re intended for use at night when it’s quiet.

But used as intended, the RS 275 are excellent, with clean sound, strong separation, decent stereo imaging, great comfort, plus a wealth of control and connectivity options. These ones are staying on my TV cabinet for good.

The new Dell XPS 13 ($699) is the best budget Windows laptop right now and a true competitor to the equally priced MacBook Neo. Unlike other laptops in this price range, Dell’s laptop doesn’t skimp on features you’d only see on higher-end machines—proving you don’t have to sacrifice quality for an affordable notebook.

Instead of cheap plastic, the XPS 13 has a sturdy CNC aluminum chassis that both looks and feels high-grade. It’s also the thinnest XPS laptop ever, and even slimmer and lighter than the MacBook Neo and MacBook Air M5. This is one of the best laptops for people who are always on the go, as you’ll barely feel it in your backpack.

The 13.4-inch display is also extremely impressive for a $699 laptop, thanks to its sharp 2.5K resolution and vivid image quality. This is certainly a departure from the dull, dim panels found on most budget laptops. The fact that it’s also a touchscreen adds even more value and functionality.

Inside, the XPS 13 features the new Intel “Wildcat Lake” CPU. Though a lower-end chip compared with other Intel Core Series 3 chips, it has more than enough power to handle everyday workloads. You also get exceptional battery life, lasting 14 and a half hours in our testing.

Though its webcam isn’t the best, there’s not much to dislike about the new Dell XPS 13. If I were looking to buy a new productivity laptop, I’d certainly consider buying it. Find out why the XPS 13 is one of the best Windows laptops in my full review!

Dell XPS 13 (2026) review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The Dell XPS 13 (2026) is a budget laptop packing premium-grade features like an aluminum chassis, bright touchscreen display, and an ultraportable design.
• Who is it for? For budget-conscious folks who still want a quality laptop for everyday work.
• What does it cost? The new Dell XPS 13 starts at $699 for a model with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. It can be configured with up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, though that will raise the price. You can buy it now from Dell.
• What do we like? We like the premium, thin and light design, vivid display, fast performance, and long battery life.
• What don’t we like? We don’t like the poor webcam quality.

Dell XPS 13 (2026) review: Specs

Dell XPS 13 (2026) review: The ups

The new Dell XPS 13 impresses thanks to its elegant build, fast performance, vivid touchscreen display, and epic battery life.

Thin and light design

Dell didn’t skimp on the XPS 13’s design. Yes, it’s a budget laptop, but it doesn’t look or feel like one, thanks to its CNC aluminum chassis and sleek overall design. Though it's the company’s thinnest XPS laptop and lighter and slimmer than the MacBook Neo and MacBook Air, its sturdy frame doesn’t flex easily.

Measuring 11.69 x 7.90 x 0.50 inches and weighing just 2.2 pounds, it’s the perfect travel laptop. If you’re carrying many things in your backpack, the XPS 13 won’t add much burden. Taking it around your office or home is also easy.

Speaking of size, the keyboard deck gives you just enough space to type comfortably. One interesting thing is that, unlike the current XPS laptops, this 13-inch model swaps the lattice-less keyboard for a more traditional keyboard deck. I don’t mind typing on the Dell XPS 14 and Dell XPS 16’s keyboards, but I must admit that the XPS 13’s key spacing and key caps feel more natural to type on.

Opening the laptop is seamless thanks to the handy lip on the lid. I've often complained about the lack of this design element in other XPS laptops, so it's great to see a lip on the budget model. Thank you, Dell!

Connectivity-wise, the XPS 13 has only two USB-C ports. While that’s a bummer, they’re both USB 3.2 Gen 2 compared to the Neo’s single USB 3.2 Gen 2 and older USB 2.0. There isn’t a 3.5mm headphone jack either, which is disappointing.

Regarding audio, the quad-speaker audio setup with 8W total peak output is generally good, especially for podcast-type content. However, the middling bass isn’t ideal for music. Still, for a laptop at this price, you get surprisingly decent sound.

Vivid display

On its own, the XPS 13’s display is fairly standard. However, compared to similarly priced budget laptops, the panel here is very impressive.

Static images, videos, text, and everything else look sharp on the 13.4-inch screen thanks to the 2.5K resolution. Both SDR and HDR content appear bright and colorful, as I experienced firsthand while watching a video featuring colorful animals and scenery. And thanks to the 30-120Hz variable refresh rate, everything moves smoothly.

Our lab tests align with my experience. The XPS 13 delivers good color representation (sRGB and DCI-P3) and color accuracy (Delta-E). The MacBook Neo delivers slightly oversaturated hues compared to the XPS 13, and its display can get much brighter with both SDR and HDR content.

Again, I want to stress how impressive it is to see these values on budget machines, as you’d usually get duller displays at this price point.

Lastly, there’s the XPS 13’s touchscreen. Touch support on laptops is a feature I don’t often use but always appreciate if it’s there. This is also a big feature that the MacBook Neo lacks. I find touch controls as responsive as the touchpad’s, with the screen never failing to register my gestures. If you’d prefer using touch controls with certain apps, you have that option here.

Strong performance

All configurations of the XPS 13 include the new Intel Core 5 320 “Wildcat Lake” CPU, which is the company’s lower-end processor for budget laptops. You can configure the XPS 13 with up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. We reviewed the $699 entry-level model with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

The XPS 13 handled my average workflow without issue, which usually includes up to 15 open Chrome tabs and the occasional YouTube video running in the background. It also didn’t get too hot under that workload. While tasks like video editing or gaming are too demanding for this laptop, it’s more than capable for everyday work and video streaming.

Dell’s laptop performed well in our lab tests. On Geekbench 6, which measures overall CPU performance, the XPS 13 scored 2684 in single-core and 7952 in multi-core. Those aren’t mind-blowing numbers, but given this laptop’s specs and price, they’re solid. However, the MacBook Neo has better overall CPU performance.

On the Handbrake test, the XPS 13 took 10 minutes and 38 seconds to transcode a 4K video to 1080p. It performed this task about 40 seconds slower than the MacBook Neo. On the Blackmagic SSD test, Dell's laptop completely outperformed the Neo.

The Dell XPS 13 isn’t designed for high-end gaming. In the 3DMark Wildlife Extreme test, which measures a machine’s graphical performance, the XPS 13 scored 2455, averaging 14 frames per second. The MacBook Neo did better, with a 3661 score and 21 fps. Using its built-in benchmark tool, Borderlands 3 ran at an unplayable 8.7 fps at 1080p, just one frame lower than the MacBook Neo’s 9.6 frames per second.

Long-lasting battery life

In our battery life test, which involves continuous Wi-Fi web surfing with the display set to 150 nits, the Dell XPS 13 lasted an impressive 14 hours and 26 minutes. While that’s short of the advertised 17 hours, 14 and a half hours of endurance from a Windows laptop is still no joke.

In comparison, the MacBook Neo lasted for 13 hours and 26 minutes on the same test. That’s also impressive, but it’s still an hour shorter. Thanks to its endurance, you won’t have to worry if you accidentally leave the XPS 13’s 65W charger at home.

Dell XPS 13 (2026) review: The downs

While the XPS 13 has a lot going for it, it falls short in one main area.

So-so webcam

The good news is that the XPS 13 doesn’t have a cheap 720p webcam that budget laptops have been known for. However, while its 1080p webcam isn’t the worst, don’t expect it to make you look your best during video calls.

As you can see above, the image quality is generally blurry and a little washed out. I'm pale, but I have some color on my skin! You can always connect one of the best webcams for better results, but out of the box, you’ll get so-so quality at best.

Dell XPS 13 (2026) review: Verdict

If I haven't already made it clear, I'll say it again: The Dell XPS 13 (2026) is the best budget Windows laptop right now. I know someone will eventually come to challenge the MacBook Neo, but I didn't expect it to happen this fast or this well.

By bringing the finest aspects of the XPS laptop line to an affordable laptop, Dell has delivered a winner. For $699, this is a laptop that's hard to deny.

Adding one of the best ring lights to your setup is the easiest way to level up your content game. There are so many options to choose from. While I think the Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro is a decent option for amateur content creators, it’s worth bearing in mind that there are cheaper options out there with better maximum illumination settings.

But with that said, if you can drop $300 on a light, the conveniently portable build is ideal for anyone who needs to swiftly move locations, and the highly adjustable brightness, temperature and height can suit most eventualities. It’s great to have remote control over the settings, and having the choice between battery-powered or wired operation opens up a lot of doors.

To find out more about my experience using the light, you can keep reading this full Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro review.

Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro: Specs

Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro: Price & availability

The Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro is available to purchase directly from the Lume Cube online store or from Amazon for $299. The ring light only comes in black or white, and while both colors look good, I think black has the more professional appearance.

While there’s a lot to love about the Lume Cube ring light, the price is not one of those things. At $300, it’s an investment, but not one you need to make if you’re looking for a light for content creation — other options are just as good for a fraction of the price.

For example, the Godox LR120 18-inch ring light is just $59 and still offers plenty of temperature and brightness adjustments. There’s also a built-in phone holder with this light, but the tripod feels a little unstable compared to the Lume Cube. My top choice for a larger ring light is the Neewer RP19H, a 19-inch ring light for $149. The Neewer light is far brighter than the Lume Cube and has much better color replication.

If you are looking for something for content creation but don’t need anything as big as the Godox or the Lume Cube, consider the Neewer Basics R06 7-inch Round Light for $35. The light is evenly diffused and has excellent color replication.

Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro: Design

The Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro has a convenient design. The light looks very professional when set up, and doesn’t take much time to assemble. You simply have to set up the tripod, which extends from 18 to 70 inches, and connect the ring light to the top. With the light attached, the tripod feels well-balanced and sturdy once it has been sufficiently tightened. The ring light head alone weighs 2.4 pounds, so it can flop around if it’s too loose.

The ring light houses 256 LEDs covered with a diffuser for soft lighting with even coverage. Having a cover on the light makes it look a lot sleeker than the Godox LR120. The head of the light can tilt vertically 180º, which is useful depending on what you’re using it for.

At the center of the light, there’s a thread to attach the included phone holder. It could hold my iPhone 17, but it was a little tight. Luckily, you can attach any phone holder with a thread attachment. The holder rotates to switch easily between portrait and landscape shooting without any fuss. The thread mount is also compatible with most mirrorless cameras.

The light comes with a power cord and remote control. The 18-inch light comes with a travel case to store all of the components. This is padded and feels very protective. A handle also makes it easy to transport between locations if you’re on the move a lot.

Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro: Controls

You can control the Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro with either the onboard switches and dials or the included remote control.

There are two dials on the back of the light for brightness and color temperature, and the changes are displayed on the digital screen. However, I found it easier to make changes using the remote control, so I didn’t have to go back and forth to the light.

The remote can connect to multiple ring lights using different channel frequencies to control a studio setup if needed. This is useful if you’re shooting complex portraiture and you want to pair with some of the Lume Cube panel lights. While Lume Cube has an app for controlling some of its ring lights, it’s not compatible with the Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro.

You can adjust the color temperature of the ring light between 2700K and 7500K, which is a very wide range, giving you an option for most situations. It’s a wider range than the Lume Cube Edge Light 2.0, which has a range of 2700K to 7200K. The adjustment on the Cordless Ring Light Pro is stepless, so I feel like I had more control when compared to the Edge Light 2.0.

Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro: Performance

The Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro provided me with consistent lighting for filming video content and taking pictures. However, it’s not the best light I’ve used, and for the price, I want something that I can rely on to make me shine.

The 256 LEDs provide a maximum illumination of 1700 lux/0.5m, which is less than options by more affordable brands such as Neewer and Godox that provide illumination up to 3000Lux/0.5m. And while the Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro lit me (the subject) very well, the background looked incredibly dull and lackluster.

With that said, the light has a CRI rating of 96+, which means it can excellently replicate real-world color on camera, and I would have to agree. The yellow on my t-shirt looked bright, and my complexion looked even. But the Neewer Basics BR60 does a better job of replicating color, even though it is on a much smaller scale at just 5 inches.

Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro: Battery life

The Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro can be used anywhere since it has a rechargeable lithium ion battery battery. For a more reliable wireless battery option, you can look to the Westcott 18-inch ring light, which uses NP-F batteries — but this is a lot more expensive. The screen on the back of the light displays how much charge is remaining so you know when it’s time to juice up. At full brightness, you get about an hour and a half of battery life, but when using dimmer settings, you can get up to two hours.

And if you need a fixed setup for all-day use, you’re in luck, because the light also comes with an AC power adaptor. This provides more reliable lighting, and you won’t need to rush for fear of running out of battery life.

The light also has a fast-charging USB-C port at the back so you can plug your phone in and keep it charged whilst using it with the ring light. This is especially useful if you plan on using the light for live streaming.

Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro: Verdict

The Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro would be a decent ring light option if it were a little cheaper. While it has some great qualities, I can’t justify the price tag when there are better options available, such as the Godox LR120 and the Neewer RP19H for a fraction of the price that provide more intense illumination.

But with that said, if you’re willing to spend $300 on a middle-of-the-road ring light, there’s a lot to like. The convenient and portable build makes it easy to transport and assemble, and it’s highly adjustable to suit most eventualities.

The color accuracy with the light is great, and you can easily make adjustments with the included remote control. I also appreciate that you can use the light wirelessly or plugged into a power outlet depending on your needs.

Overall, it’s a decent light; I just can’t get on board with that price tag.

The Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus does the one thing I know most new home baristas struggle with: dialing in. Ever wondered why nothing is coming out of your espresso machine, or it’s coming out like water from a newly unblocked pipe? It’s because you haven’t dialed your coffee in yet.

But Ninja said ‘No more!’ No longer do you have to waste precious coffee on figuring out optimal grind size’ The Luxe Cafe Mini Plus has auto-grind-size calibration that tells you the precise “click” you should grind your beans at. This is genuinely so helpful for newbies.

So, is this enough to make the Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus one of the best espresso machines? For beginners, totally. Say goodbye to coffee-related headaches (unless you’re slamming double espresso after double espresso, but that’s a completely different type of headache). Want to find out more? Why wouldn’t you? Keep reading this Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus review.

Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus review: Specs

Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus review: Price & availability

The Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus is $499 from SharkNinja U.S. and £499 from Amazon U.K.. Although this looks like an objectively large amount of money, I can assure you this is actually reasonable for an espresso machine with a built-in grinder.

Ninja also makes the Luxe Cafe Mini ($459). The Mini doesn’t have automatic milk frothing. On the Luxe Cafe lineup is the Luxe Cafe Pro ($749), Luxe Cafe Premier ($599), and then you’ve got the eye-watering AutoBarista Pro ($949).

The cheapest setup I’d recommend is the Casabrews 3700 Essential ($129) and the Timemore C2s Chestnut ($60), which works out to $189. However, this is a hand grinder, so it might not be best for those who have no desire to spend ten minutes turning a crank (me included — I make my boyfriend grind my beans).

When you get into bean-to-cups, the price increases dramatically. You’ve got the Casabrews Marenza ($349), the cheapest bean-to-cup I’ve ever reviewed, but there’s a catch — the grinder hopper smashed after the second use, so I wouldn’t recommend it for longevity.

You’ve also got the Breville Barista Express ($699), one of the most iconic bean-to-cups ever made, and the De’Longhi La Specialista Arte Evo ($699), the best-value bean-to-cup I’ve reviewed. The Luxe Cafe Mini Plus undercuts both by some margin.

Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus review: Design

Just like the Ninja AutoBarista Pro I reviewed last month, the Luxe Cafe Mini is effectively a big plastic square. The machine gets the job done, but I don’t think it’s as pretty as the Breville Barista Express, De’Longhi Arte Evo, Lelit Mara X3, or the Fellow Espresso Series 1.

Of course, though, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and you may totally disagree. That’s fine! Ninja knows what works, obviously; it wouldn’t keep releasing espresso machines with the same functional aesthetic otherwise. It must work.

What separates the Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus from the Luxe Cafe Pro or AutoBarista Pro is pretty obvious — its size. The Luxe Cafe Mini is 3 inches narrower, half an inch slimmer, and 1 inch lower than the Luxe Cafe Pro. I’d recommend it for small spaces any day.

There’s an LCD screen on the front of the machine: you can see your grind size and coffee settings here. It’s easy to change said settings: just twist the knob and press the buttons. They’re all labeled, and it’s practically impossible to go wrong here.

Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus review: Espresso

As this is a bean-to-cup, I’ll discuss grinder and espresso here. I’ll go through milk performance later. The grinder operates at 71 dB, which is around the same volume as a running shower or a flushing toilet. As it only grinds for a few seconds, I’d say this is pretty quiet, all things considered.

Grinder

Unfortunately, you can’t set the grinder to whatever step you please. As the machine recommends you a grind setting, you can’t just go rogue and do what you want. As a result, I was only able to do a portion of my “normal” grinder testing. Obviously, if you’re making “drip”, the machine will suggest a much coarser grind size.

You get a dosing collar that slots into the grinder mechanism to prevent mess, too.

Normally, I would go through every fineness: Turkish all the way to cold brew. Here, though, I was only able to test the espresso-fine 12-step.

Here’s my standard uniformity testing. I’m looking for big jumps here: I want 0% to 90%. This proves the grinder is uniform, as all the grounds are the same size.

I would have liked to do more testing — but as I said, the machine only lets you grind on its recommended size!

As you can see, the grinder isn’t overly uniform. However, dialing in is super easy, as the machine does everything for you. No weighing or dosing or adjusting the grind. The machine takes care of all that headache.

Espresso

The Ninja’s espresso tastes fine. It’s not delicious, but it’s not disgusting, either. If you’re the kind of person who puts syrups or flavoring in your coffee, you probably won’t notice the taste flavor at all — but isn’t that kind of the point? The espresso tastes like coffee. Not massively nuanced or bright coffee, but coffee. It tastes like Starbucks.

As you can see, the shot is a nice caramel color with a layer of crema. The crema isn’t as creamy as I’d like, but it still tasted good. There was no nuance or complexity to the shot: it tasted like chain coffee. However, this is still good enough for most people — and without the dialing-in headache. It brewed 34g of coffee in 26 seconds.

I will note that the portafilter is tiny — just 53 mm. This means you likely won’t be able to get much aftermarket stuff in terms of accessories, but, again, I’m not sure that’s who this machine is aimed at. You do, however, get a dosing collar and a spring-loaded tamper as standard.

As I mentioned earlier, while the grinder isn’t “technically” perfect in the same way you’d expect from a standalone grinder, it’s fine for casual coffee drinkers who prioritize ease of use over coffee snobbery.

Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus review: Milk

The Luxe Cafe Mini has two milk steaming modes: automatic and manual. You can choose from three levels of foam: low, medium, and high. Weirdly, the “medium” foam level is more like a cappuccino. It took 1 minute 49 seconds to heat a jug of milk to drinking temperature, which is longer than the Breville Bambino Plus’s auto milk frothing time.

Manual milk steaming works the same as any other espresso machine. I was surprised to see the Luxe Cafe Mini Plus has a super strong steam wand — much stronger than Casabrews alternatives I’ve tested. It’s around the same strength as a De’Longhi Arte Evo.

Here’s a photo of automatically frothed milk.

As you can see, the texture is okay. It’s not perfect, but it’s soft enough to achieve some latte art. There was a disconnect between the milk and froth, which resulted in a dodgy pour. I’d recommend serious home baristas foam their own milk, but newbies might find this super helpful.

Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus review: Storage & maintenance

As the Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus is, well, mini, it’s a better option for smaller spaces. Although it’s not as small as a standalone espresso machine, it’s smaller than alternative bean-to-cups. Let’s get our comparison caps on! N.B.: the last model, Breville Bambino, is a standalone espresso machine. This is just for a baseline comparison as the Bambino is the small machine of choice for many. I’m aware they serve slightly different audiences.

As you can see, the Luxe Cafe Mini is considerably lighter than the other bean-to-cups. It’s also shorter and slimmer than all the others, but the De’Longhi Arte Evo is narrower.

I have no qualms about recommending the Luxe Cafe Mini to those who need a smaller espresso machine but don’t want to sacrifice a built-in grinder.

In terms of longevity, Ninja offers a 2-year warranty, which is the same as Breville and De’Longhi, so pretty standard. As the machine doesn’t come with cleaning products, you’d need to get backflush tablets and descaler yourself. These are $34 for a 4-month supply directly from Ninja. It does come with a water filter, though, which is nice!

Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus review: Verdict

The Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus is a fantastic first espresso machine. I won’t impress coffee snobs, but it will hit the spot if you value ease of use, simplicity, and consistency. The automatic dial-in process is perhaps the best thing for newbies. No stressing over why no coffee came out or why your coffee tastes like sour bean water. You do get a decent shot of espresso every time.

No, there’s no nuance of complexity in the shot. I use the same beans for all my testing, and they tasted like Starbucks rather than the snobby shop down the road. But is that a bad thing? Starbucks is popular for a reason. People love coffee that tastes like coffee. I personally wouldn’t get this machine, but I’m a coffee snob. Take what I say with a pinch of salt.

If you’re reading this and nodding along, you’re definitely the target audience for the Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus. It helps you make consistent espresso and milk. Coffee lovers looking for a one-ticket route to consistently great coffee? Ninja Luxe Cafe Mini Plus.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni is the successor to 2022’s fantastic Arctis Nova Pro. The reasoning behind adding the ‘Omni’ bit is twofold: the new headset now packs an omnidirectional microphone, but it also works on every major platform.

Now, the technical challenge of making an all-platform headset is not to be sniffed at. Gaming headsets typically come in either Xbox or PlayStation guise, due to lots of proprietary software nonsense (mostly from Microsoft) — malarkey that SteelSeries has managed to negotiate its way around.

Creating a worthy successor to the Nova Pro would’ve no doubt been a little easier. While old, the Pro is a fantastic gaming headset that still holds up today, so SteelSeries didn’t have to do much. It changed the mic, widened the connectivity, tweaked the drivers and added a little of the Nova Elite’s polish. Voilà.

So, is this one of the best gaming headsets out there? Certainly. Keep reading my full SteelSeries Arctis Nova Omni review to find out more.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A premium gaming headset and successor to the original Arctis Nova Pro
• What does it cost? Quite a bit: $399 / £349
• Who is it for? Competitive and/or multi-platform gamers who value sound quality
• What’s good? The sound, connectivity options, comfort, new mic and ‘zero-downtime’ battery
• What’s not? The ANC isn’t as good as SteelSeries says, and it’s pricey

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni review: Specs

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni review: The ups

From the excellent sound quality to the reams of control, plenty of connectivity options, and comfortable design, there’s a lot I love about the Arctis Nova Omni.

Killer sound quality

Obviously, the most important thing about any gaming headset is how it sounds when gaming. Thankfully, the Nova Pro Omni has sound quality in buckets, sporting 96K / 24-bit hi-res audio over Wi-Fi.

It lacks the carbon fiber drivers of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite, but the neodymium drivers have been re-tuned from the Arctis Nova Pro for tighter bass response. Bass is indeed nice and punchy — the booms of explosions in Isonzo and the rumbles of tanks in Hell Let Loose all sounded powerful and frightening, with no distortion perceptible. You won’t get that stomach-quivering sub bass as you would from a subwoofer, but if that’s what you’re after, I’d advise the SteelSeries Arena 9 speaker system.

There’s a decent amount of mid-range resolution, with satisfying mechanical clicks and clacks to reloads in Hell Let Loose, and a thrumming timbre to car engine noise in Forza Horizon 5.

The Nova Pro Omni’s treble is impressively light and airy, giving bags of fine detail. Combined with strong spatial imaging, this helps you pinpoint enemy footsteps. I was able to hear enemies walking and reloading in Counter-Strike 2, which was enough to score me a few kills I wouldn’t otherwise have got. In Isonzo, I was able to precisely track an enemy snaking through a trench behind and around me, helping me get the jump on them and score a kill.

The sound quality makes the Nova Pro Omni pretty good for music, too. I tested the headset using my usual audio testing playlist on Qobuz, the best music streaming service for audiophiles, and had no complaints — I’d rather put $399 into the Omni than overpriced premium headphones like the $449 Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen II.

Listen along to my audio testing playlist on Qobuz.

Bags of control

As with SteelSeries’ other high-end headsets, the Nova Pro Omni comes with a desktop USB DAC/hub. This serves as a wired connection hub, but it’s also the primary way to control your headset on-the-fly, letting you quickly adjust EQ (including a custom EQ profile), ANC and microphone settings as you game.

For more in-depth control, the SteelSeries GG app is perfect. In GG, you get greater customization over audio and mic EQ, including per-game audio presets to help you tailor your sound to individual titles. GG is slick, reliable and delivers genuine performance enhancements, and I much prefer it to the bloatware from other brands, like Asus’ Armoury Crate.

There’s also Sonar, which is a digital audio interface to mix game audio, mic, stream and chat levels. I don’t have much use for Sonar, as I’m not a streamer and only need to monitor audio and mic levels. But it’ll be a handy tool for any streaming newbies who haven’t got the cash yet to invest in a more advanced audio interface

Wide compatibility

It’s great to see the advent of headsets that are compatible with both consoles from the two main troublemakers, Microsoft and Sony. If you own both consoles, with the Arctis Nova Omni, you won’t need to buy two headsets for switching between. The Omni can be used with both, plus Switch, PC (obviously) and a host of other platforms.

The USB-C DAC/hub is also handy here as you can plug in 3x devices for high-res Wi-Fi sound, then keep a final fourth channel for Bluetooth. You also have access to a fifth wired channel, giving a massive array of connected devices.

Effortless comfort

We always say the same thing about every Arctis Nova headset: that they’re super comfortable. They all use the same suspended headstrap, but it’s a winning formula, making the headset feel weightless and effortlessly comfortable.

It’s much preferable to the classic single padded band of headsets like the Fractal Design Scape, and miles better than Audeze’s suspended headband design, found on the Audeze Maxwell 1, Maxwell 2 and Maxwell 2 ANC. The Maxwell’s headband has very limited adjustment, meaning I have to wear it lop-sided as I fall between two levels. The Nova Pro Omni, meanwhile, can be adjusted using both the headband and earcup sliders, so I can get the fit just right.

The Nova Pro Omni’s earcups are thickly padded, using the same memory foam and vegan leather as Nova Elite. By the time I’m writing this, I’m several hours into a testing and writing session with the Nova Pro Omni, and feel no need to take them off.

SteelSeries has also tweaked the position/shape of the ANC mic near the headphone driver, to ensure it doesn’t rub on your helix — clearly a frequent-enough complaint to force a change. I’ve never had this issue, but everyone’s ear anatomy is different, so it’s nice to see the brand taking steps to address it.

Premium construction

I like that the Nova Pro Omni looks and feels almost exactly like the Nova Elite. The Nova Pro was nearly there, to be fair — the only real difference is that the volume wheel now uses the same metal as the Nova Elite, instead of the tacky plastic wheel on the Nova Pro (the same wheel as the cheaper SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2).

Generally, this feels like a very premium headset, and a step up over the Nova 7 Gen 2. Admittedly, though, I don’t think any SteelSeries headset can quite match the high-quality materials and sleek scandi styling of the Fractal Design Scape.

No downtime

Just like its siblings, the Nova Pro Omni features SteelSeries’ "Infinite Power System.” That’s a rather hyperbolic way of saying it comes with two batteries, one of which charges in the USB hub while you use the other in the headset.

Hyperbole or otherwise, I always love this system, as it means virtually no downtime if you’ve forgotten to charge your headset the night before a long gaming session. SteelSeries promises up to 30 hours from each battery, although mileage will naturally vary and you can expect a drop with ANC on. With ANC on and streaming over WiFi, four hours of constant use ate up around 20% battery, equating to 20 hours extrapolated.

Of course, for home use, as long as the spare battery charges faster than the in-use one drains (which it does), the specific number of hours doesn’t really matter. But it’s nice that you can get decent life out of the headset if you need to take it out and about.

Upgraded mic

The Arctis Nova Omni features a new microphone — now an omnidirectional mic (hence the name). This replaces the bi-directional mic on the original Nova Pro, and is similar to the omnidirectional mic on the Nova Elite.

The change is intended to provide a more natural timbre to your voice by picking up a wider array of vocal tones. Interestingly, it has a wider frequency pickup range than the Nova Elite’s omnidirectional mic — so, technically, vocals will sound better on the Omni. The downside is that the omnidirectional mic will pick up other voices around you (in testing, it picked up my colleague’s voice), but that’s not a big issue if you’re gaming alone.

I think the mic sounds pretty good. As you can hear in the recording above, my voice sounds clear, with a rich and natural tone in the flat EQ. Unfortunately, most of the Omni’s mic EQs aren’t worth bothering with. The Broadcast Low, Deep Voice and Balanced EQs just made me sound boomy. The Less Nasal preset worked fairly well (guess I have a nasal voice, then), but honestly, I’d just stick to the basic Flat EQ profile.

While it doesn’t quite pip the Audeze Maxwell 2’s mic, the Nova Pro Omni will be a solid choice for most gamers and amateur streamers. For anyone taking streaming seriously, though, I’d advise a higher-quality standalone mic like the Shure MV6 ($149), Shure MV7+ ($279) or Shure MV7i ($349).

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni review: The downs

The Arctis Nova Omni isn’t perfect. The ANC is OK, but only that, so it’d be remiss of me not to call out the overhyped marketing. Otherwise, it’s just a bit pricey, and I have little else to say against it.

Overhyped ANC

I admit I’m a little spoiled when it comes to ANC, owning and testing some of the best noise-cancelling headphones around. My standards are pretty high. The beef I have with SteelSeries’ recent ANC systems (here and on the Nova Elite) isn’t that they’re terrible; it’s that they’re marketed as being incredible when in actuality they’re decidedly mediocre. The same claim is being made for the Nova Pro Omni as was made about the Nova Elite: that the ANC will cut out the noise of a helicopter.

A. Frickin’. Helicopter.

As with the Nova Elite, the Nova Pro Omni’s ANC could barely cut out basic office sounds: my colleague playing music through her laptop speakers; people talking around me; keyboard noise; traffic outside the window. I’m pretty sure choppers are louder than all that. And even if this is a frequency-specific issue, I have beef with that, too — frankly, I don’t give a damn if a headset can cut the sound of a helicopter, because I’m never gaming on a heli pad. I need it to cut out, oh, say… music, voices, traffic and keyboard noise.

Like I said, the Omni’s ANC isn’t bad. It still reduces a fair amount of noise, and some ANC is better than none. It’s just not the powerhouse ANC that SteelSeries is telling you. Not in my experience.

As I write this, I’m about to test the Nova Omni’s main competitor, the Maxwell 2 ANC. Audeze also claims to have ‘class-leading’ ANC (and proof of it, apparently), so it’s not like SteelSeries is the only one hamming things up here. We’ll see.

Kinda spenny

Credit where credit is due: SteelSeries has priced the Nova Pro Omni in line with its key rival, the $429 Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC. I was a little flabbergasted by the price of the $599 Nova Elite, but the Nova Pro Omni shows SteelSeries has at least re-entered planet Earth.

To any other manufacturer, the Nova Pro Omni would be a flagship. Its sound quality, while not quite rivalling the super tight response of the Maxwell’s planar magnetic drivers, is nevertheless excellent, and it boasts all the goodies aforementioned. Aside from the carbon drivers of the Nova Elite, the Nova Pro Omni is basically just as good as the top model, and at $200 cheaper, makes much more sense.

Objectively, though, $399 is a lot of cash to drop on a headset. If you’re on a budget, I’m afraid this headset isn’t for you. Instead, check out the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 ($129), Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2 ($199), or the older Arctis Nova Pro (usually around $229 these days).

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni review: Verdict

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni is a Goldilocks headset. The Nova Pro is by now kinda old and a little limited, while the flagship Nova Elite is simply too pricey. The Nova Omni fits in nicely between the two, offering a blend of sound quality, gaming performance and price. I love the wide connectivity options and attention paid to the new mic, plus SteelSeries’ usual effortless comfort.

Sure, the Omni isn’t totally perfect. I’m a supreme skeptic of the ANC claims, given my personal experience with the headset. And it ain’t exactly cheap. But the ANC isn’t terrible, and top-tier products simply cost money, so both of those are fairly minor quibbles. If I had to choose only one headset from SteelSeries’ lineup to live with, it’d be the Nova Pro Omni.

The HEDDphone TWO GT are a set of premium audiophile open back headphones from German audio manufacturer HEDD. Slightly counterintuitively, the TWO GT aren’t a successor to a ONE GT, but rather a redevelopment of the HEDDphone TWO (which themselves follow up the original HEDDphone).

The TWO GT pack tweaked AMT drivers and a warmer sound profile than the TWO, pitching them more towards leisurely home listening rather than pure, detail-oriented reference use.

With their striking yet comfortable aesthetic and unerringly premium German build quality, the TWO GT do much to justify their high price. Add on the utterly fantastic sound quality, and the TWO GT ought to be, at the very least, a serious shortlist candidate for any discerning listeners in search of new cans.

Could these be some of the best headphones for audiophiles? I think so. But read my full review to find out more.

HEDDphone TWO GT review: Specs

HEDDphone TWO GT review: Price & availability

The HEDDphone TWO GT cost $2,199 / £1,899 from HEDD. However, if you have your own cables already, you can save a bit of cash by buying the ‘UNPLUGGED’ variant without cables included, which cost £1,472 / $1,699.

While they objectively cost a lot of money, in the context of audiophile headphones, the TWO GT aren’t priced beyond the pale. In the audiophile landscape, $2,199 is just getting started. The Meze Audio Elite, for example, will set you back $4,000, while my other high-end cans, the Audeze LCD5-S, cost $4,500. I’m not saying those aren’t great headphones, but to a large extent there’s a law of diminishing returns at play here. The HEDDphone TWO GT sound utterly fantastic, so I don’t see why you’d really need to go further unless you want something specific that other cans offer.

HEDDphone TWO GT review: Design

What do you get if you cross a set of F1 pitwall headphones with a WWE-worthy stash of anabolic steroids? The TWO GT, obviously. These are absolute chonkers, and frankly, if I had to wear them anywhere outside the house, I’d probably feel a little self-conscious. Luckily, I don’t have to — like most audiophile open-back cans, these are intended for indoor (and, more specifically, home) use only.

They look great though: blacked out and replete with German neo-futurism. And besides, they wear their large size and hefty 1.2lb curb weight extremely well, proving effortlessly lightweight and comfortable atop the ol’ noggin.

That’s thanks to an unashamedly overengineered suspended headband. It’s a piece of padding suspended on a strip of synthetic fabric that weaves in and out of the main carbon-fiber headband. It distributes the weight extremely well, and also offers lots of adjustment. Sure, the end result isn’t any different from other suspended straps — a la Audeze LCD-X or Meze Poet. But it’s cool, different, and complements the general extra-ness of the overall aesthetic.

Included with the TWO GT are two sets of ear pads: one gloriously soft set of lamb’s leather; one vegan velour for the less carnivorous of disposition. I prefer the lamb’s leather pads, but both are incredibly thick and comfy anyway, so if HEDD had just given me the velour pads, I wouldn’t have complained. Also, while it’s nice to see a vegan option included, I find it kinda weird that they ship with both instead of letting you select one or the other at checkout — sure, a vegan won’t have to wear the lamb’s leather pads, but they’ll still have been forced to buy them, which isn’t much better.

Build-wise, these things earn their price. They feel premium. They feel special. They feel German. This is a double-decade set of cans at least, make no mistake. I love the loose-weave braided cables included (with the standard model), too, which feel super premium. Additionally, there’s a fabric hard case included, which features a cable storage compartment. This is much less bulky than the aluminum hard case that came with my Audeze LCD5-S, making the TWO GT easier to travel with.

Connectivity

The HEDDphone TWO GT are passive headphones, which won’t surprise any audiophiles. I’ll cover their amplification requirements below, but their unpowered nature means there are no mod-cons like wireless connectivity, battery life, ANC, etc.

They connect to your amplifier via a wired connection, and HEDD is generous with the included cablewear on the standard variant (the UNPLUGGED variant comes with no cables). There are two cables, one balanced 4.4mm, one unbalanced 6.35mm, with two adapters — a 4.4mm to XLR 4-pin adapter and a 6.35mm to 3.5mm — chucked in too.

Drive

As passive headphones, the TWO GT must be powered. You’ll want to use a DAC/amp to handle both the digital audio conversion and power. With an impedance of 41Ω and a sensitivity of 88dB / 1mW, they’re not too tricky to drive. HEDD suggests a minimum power of 200mW, but recommends around 1,000mW for peak performance. I powered the headphones using my FiiO K15 (up to 30,000mW), which was comfortable at 85% volume on the medium gain setting, and the iFi iDSD GR2 (up to 2,173mW), which I needed to run at about 80% volume without any added gain.

HEDDphone TWO GT review: Sound quality

Like other HEDD gear, the TWO GT use AMT transducers. These drivers employ a series of folded metal diaphragms to push and pull air, rather than the cones or wafer-thin layers of metal filaments used respectively by dynamic and planar magnetic drivers.

Historically, AMT drivers have been great for use as dedicated tweeters or mid-range speakers, but lacked bass response. To solve that, HEDD employs its “Variable Velocity Transformation” (VVT), which actively modulates the profile of the folds for response down as low as 10Hz. In short: bass good.

I tested the TWO GT using Qobuz, the best music streaming service for audiophiles. I streamed in lossless hi-res or CD quality via USB-C through the FiiO K15 and iFi DSD GR2 DAC/amps.

Bass

As you can see on the manufacturer’s frequency response curve, the TWO GT’s tuning is deliberately slightly warm, but it’s not aeons from the neutral tune of the HEDDphone TWO or HEDDphone D1. The TWO GT offer rich, enveloping bass, but nothing overwhelming. You could definitely still use these cans for reference or studio work.

As far as easy bass, the TWO GT relayed beautifully the thick, undulating double bass of Odetta’s Hit or Miss, as well as the powerful electronic bass warbling of Burn Water’s Ikigai.

When it comes to the trickier stuff, there’s less oomph in the sub region by default. However, the TWO GT can handle it if you dial in some extra low down power. I mostly used my FiiO K15 DAC/amp, as I like its clean, natural feel without EQ. But in songs where I wanted more sub bass — like the last 20 seconds of SOHN’s Antigravity — I switched to my iFi DSD GR2 and used the ‘XBass’ bass boost mode for a few dB extra at 20-30Hz. The TWO GT still weren’t as subby as my planar- and slam-plate-fitted Audeze LCD5-S, but did a respectable job, gently vibrating my temples (with no distortion whatsoever, I might add).

Mids

As I mentioned, while warm, the TWO GT are still well balanced across the curve, with a prominent, clean mid-range. There was a pleasantly-expressed, natural timbre to acoustic guitars, with a gorgeous woody resonance to 49 Winchester’s riff in Russell County Line. In Melvins’ dual-riffed sludge-fest, Honey Bucket, the lower mid-range packed bags of texture, with plenty of crunch to those distorted guitars, while strong separation let me pick out the individual riffs.

The upper mid-range also packs bags of resolution and natural timbre: vocals in Blusher’s Last Man Standing sounded full and lifelike, and I could pick apart the individual voices and whispered backing vocals throughout harmonies.

Treble

The treble is fairly bright. Personally, I felt myself wanting a tad more sharpness on certain tracks — typically it was busier, older recordings like Honey Bucket and The Who’s Eminence Front where I craved just a little more snap to cymbals and hi-hats. This is mainly down to personal preference and individual ear anatomy, though, and can simply be EQ’d or otherwise tweaked to taste. Using my iFi GR2, I applied a GTO digital filter with the Kenwood K2 HD upsampling mode, which worked a treat, adding that smidge of extra definition I was looking for up top.

Soundstage

As open backs, the TWO GT are plenty spacious. I could track the haunting, industrial percussion in Chris Stapleton’s Death Row fading backwards out of earshot. SOHN’s Antigravity, meanwhile, felt truly wide, the reverby opening percussion effects pinging inwards and outwards on a distinct horizontal plane.

Listen along to my testing playlist below, on Qobuz.

HEDDphone TWO GT review: Verdict

It’s really difficult to fault the HEDDphone TWO GT. Sound, comfort, build quality — it’s all there. The only major points I can really knock off are for the huge size and objectively high price, although with the caveat that, in the crazy arena of audiophile gear, they’re not priced beyond the pale. In terms of performance, you’re getting a hell of a lot here, and personally this is the sweet spot for me, in terms of audiophile sound versus cost.

Sure, if you want deeper bass, from both an extension and power standpoint, then I’d advise looking into warmer-tuned planars from the likes of Audeze or Meze, but that’s a sheer preference thing. And besides, the TWO GT can get respectably bassy if you play about a little with your DAC/amp. Wanna know the only really bad thing about reviewing the TWO GT? I’ll tell ya: It’s that I have to give them back.

Last year, I tested the Cadillac Optiq and I came away with the impression it was simply a baby Lyriq — mainly for how it copies its commanding style, but in a smaller footprint. This time around I’m putting the 2026 Cadillac Optiq V-Series to the test, equipped with a high-output dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain that delivers a blistering 519 horsepower.

While the base trim of the Optiq has an attractive $50,697 starting cost, the V-Series packs a sport-tuned suspension, larger 21-inch Satin Graphite alloy wheels, carbon fiber trim accents, and more. This brings the cost up to $79,270, putting this compact luxury crossover in the same price bracket as the premium midsize BMW iX and Audi Q6 e-tron models I’ve tested.

In my 2026 Cadillac Optiq V-Series review, I’ll show you what makes this performance-tuned EV worth it.

2026 Cadillac Optiq review: Specifications

2026 Cadillac Optiq review: Testing summary

I drove a total of 239.1 miles during my week of testing the Cadillac Optiq V-Series, accumulating an average efficiency of 2.9 mi/kWh. That’s a smidge less than what I got out of the standard Optiq last year, but it's understandable given this model's sporty performance. At the very least, it pulls ahead of the 2.6 mi/kWh average I recorded with the larger, Cadillac Lyriq-V.

Clearly, the trade-off here is a less efficient package in exchange for a more powerful drive. When it comes to longer distances, I clocked an impressive 3.2 mi/kWh over a 30-plus-mile stretch on mostly highways. It’s still quite good with city driving, too, achieving 3 mi/kWh in one of my local road tests. Needless to say, it’s not the most efficient EV out there, but it certainly isn't the worst.

Oddly, its Level 1 charging speed at home through a standard 120V outlet is lower than what I recorded with last year’s model. Charging at a rate of 1.98 mi/hr, it added back just 19 miles of range overnight in about 9.6 hours.

2026 Cadillac Optiq review: What I like

Sporty, luxury design

While the standard Optiq relies on clean lines to project a modern luxury aesthetic, the V-Series injects an aggressive attitude that gives off a completely different demeanor. Up front, Cadillac’s signature black crystal shield grille is swapped for a deeper sport mesh design that ditches chrome in favor of darkened trim accents.

Inside, the story changes from pure comfort to high-end performance tailoring. There’s a clear desire to show off its performance side, highlighted by heavily bolstered sport seats, racing-inspired carbon fiber accents, and striking options like the Santorini Blue interior colorway. It’s not often you find a design language that satisfies both a sporty and luxury aesthetic so seamlessly, but the Optiq V-Series hits the sweet spot.

Personalized performance at your fingertips

I know how much of a hassle it can be trying to tune a vehicle’s performance settings through endless touchscreen menus, but the Optiq V-Series makes it a breeze. That’s because there’s a dedicated V-button integrated directly into the steering wheel, which when activated, acts as a shortcut that instantly transforms the SUV’s driving characteristics.

Luxury vehicles tend to have just one driving performance: whatever comes stock from the manufacturer. But the Optiq V-Series lets me adjust many of the driving parameters, like the steering weight, tightness of the brake pedal’s response, suspension stiffness, motor response, and much more — all through the touchscreen display. Once that button is activated, it turns the normally quiet drive into a performance tuned vehicle that can almost make it feel like a sports car.

Large head-up display

As much as the 33-inch dashboard display is a visual feast, it can be a bit distracting while driving — which is why I love that the Optiq V-Series features one of the largest head-up displays around. Like any good HUD, it projects essential driving telemetry, such as current speed and turn-by-turn navigation, directly onto the windshield so your eyes stay focused on the road ahead.

It’s not just expansive. It's also bright enough that daytime visibility is never an issue, making it exceptionally easy on the eyes in direct sunlight.

Hands-free highway driving

Even though I’ve used it countless times on other GM electric vehicles, Super Cruise continues to set the standard for driver-assistance technology. Its implementation in the Optiq V-Series is as seamless as ever, allowing me to travel hands-free on highways while the vehicle manages steering, acceleration, and braking.

Unlike typical adaptive cruise control systems I’ve tested, Super Cruise adds a genuine layer of autonomy with its automated lane-change feature. When it detects a slower vehicle ahead, the system automatically checks the adjacent lane for traffic, signals, and executes a smooth pass — all on its own. Once it safely clears the slower car, it even initiates a signal to return to the original lane without any intervention on my part.

Not-So-Compact Size

Don't let the compact crossover label fool you: the 2026 Cadillac Optiq V-Series has a footprint that makes it surprisingly spacious. By stretching the wheelbase and pushing the wheels out to the far corners, Cadillac managed to create a cabin that feels remarkably expansive.

There’s plenty of legroom everywhere, including in the rear seats, which makes for a comfortable ride no matter where you sit. Honestly, it feels much closer to a midsize SUV than a compact one. Throw in a deep rear cargo bay that easily accommodated my JackRabbit OG2 Pro micro ebike without needing to fold down the rear seats, and the Optiq V-Series proves it’s compact in classification only.

Low starting price

While luxury electric SUVs often come with staggering price tags, the base trim of the 2026 Cadillac Optiq has a far more accessible starting price of $52,695. What makes that baseline cost so impressive is that Cadillac didn't gut the entry-level model to achieve it.

You’re still getting a standard dual-motor rear-wheel-drive setup delivering 315 horsepower, an estimated 317 miles of range, and the same breathtaking 33-inch continuous display found in higher trims.

It also comes packed with premium extras like a fixed panoramic glass roof and standard Super Cruise hands-free driving. When you stack it up against comparably sized SUVs I’ve tested, like the BMW iX and Audi Q6 e-tron, the base Optiq stands out as one of the strongest value propositions in the entire luxury EV segment.

2026 Cadillac Optiq review: What I don't like

Notorious driver's side blind spot

Just as before, there’s a frustrating driver's side blind spot. The combination of the wide driver's seat position and the sweeping slope of the side roofline creates a significant dark zone over my left shoulder.

That’s why I’m always leaning on the blind-spot indicator light on the side mirror to tell me if the lane is clear, alongside the option to activate the blind-spot camera monitor — which projects a live camera feed of the blind spot directly onto the main display. It's a classic case of aggressive exterior styling taking precedence over raw visibility.

2026 Cadillac Optiq review: Bottom line

At $79,270, the 2026 Cadillac Optiq V-Series demands a serious financial investment, representing a significant leap over the $52,695 base trim. However, it backs up that price tag with genuine muscle and an unmistakable road presence. It particularly suits car enthusiasts who crave the ability to fine-tune driving dynamics on the fly, while proving it doesn't skimp on high-end luxury features.

It isn't without its quirks, though. The driver's side blind spot requires real adjustment, and its high-output dual-motor setup inevitably trades off some range efficiency. Regardless, it easily satisfies drivers who want an engaging ride while exuding a commanding presence on the road. The Optiq V-Series proves that a compact luxury crossover can look, feel, and drive like a true heavyweight.

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Garmin has officially entered the screen-free fitness tracker/band wars with the debut of the new Garmin Cirqa, a $199, subscription-free wearable with haptic feedback, up to ten days of battery, and a single button.

I’ve been wearing the Cirqa for just a few hours, but I can already say with some certainty that both Google/Fitbit and Whoop should be a bit worried. While the $99 Fitbit Air is aimed at enthusiasts and the subscription-only Whoop 5.0 is geared more toward serious and pro athletes, the Garmin Cirqa seems to strike a delightful balance between the two, in terms of features, cost, and specs.

Here are the five biggest things you should know about the Garmin Cirqa based on my hands-on experience, including why it just might make my list of the best fitness trackers in 2026.

Garmin Cirqa: Cheat sheet

• Price: $199 with core feature subscription-free; the optional Garmin Connect+ plan is $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year
• Design: Screen-free, the Cirqa is a lightweight, plastic fitness tracker with a single button, haptic feedback, and... that's it; it's bigger and heavier than the Fitbit Air but smaller and lighter than the Whoop 5.0
• Health features: Comprehensive sleep reports, women's health tracking (with support for the Natural Cycles app), 24/7 heart rate monitoring, Sp02 readings, jet lag advisor
• Fitness features: Supports 80+ workout types with support for auto-workout tracking for popular exercises; users can manually start and stop a workout using the physical button
• Battery life: Garmin promises up to ten days per charge, a little less than the Whoop 5.0 (14 days) but more than the Fitbit Air (7 days)

Garmin Cirqa: Versus competition

1. Garmin Cirqa: Cheaper than the Whoop but more than the Fitbit Air

Priced at $199 via Garmin direct, the Garmin Cirqa is twice the cost of the $99 Fitbit Air, but still pretty affordable (for a Garmin). However, unlike Google, which sells additional Fitbit Air straps starting at $34.99, accessory straps for the Garmin Cirqa start at $49.99.

2. Garmin Cirqa: No subscription required

Similar to the Fitbit Air, the Garmin Cirqa is a one-and-done affair in terms of cost. Once you have it, all of the core health and fitness features are yours to use without the need to pon subscription.

However, for added insights and training advice, Garmin offers the Connect+ plan for $6.99 monthly or $69.99 annually. That's a better value than the Google Health Premium plan for the Fitbit Air, which will set you back $9.99 a month or $99 a year.

Whoop takes a different approach to pricing, where users get the device itself on the house but pay a much higher annual subscription cost ranging from $199 to $359 depending on the tier.

3. Garmin Cirqa: Bigger than the Air but still light and comfy

The Garmin Cirqa is bigger and heavier than the Fitbit Air, with a noticeably wider strap (24 mm vs 18 mm). Compared to the Whoop 5.0, it's roughly the same shape and size, but a whole lot lighter.

The Garmin Cirqa fabric strap is a tad scratchy for my liking, based on first impressions, but I am hoping it will soften a bit over time. Like the Whoop 5.0 and Fitbit Air, the device itself — a plastic case with a sensor array, status lamp and single button — is protected by the strap.

Unlike the Fitbit Air, swapping one strap for another on the Garmin Cirqa is a pain in the butt. I had to use a dedicated watch spring bar tool to get the job done. The spring bars are also an oddly thin length, limiting third-party strap options.

4. Garmin Cirqa: No GPS, but lots of holistic insights and tracking modes

Garmin smartwatches and wearables offer some of the most comprehensive, subscription-free sleep insights around. And even though the Cirqa is not FDA-approved to detect potential signs of sleep apnea, it does monitor your breathing while you snooze, along with your heart rate, body temperature, and movement.

Users are greeted each morning with a numeric sleep score out of 100, along with detailed insights into sleep cycles, disturbances, and more. The Cirqa also boasts a skin temperature sensor, which is used for both women's health tracking and early illness detection.

In terms of fitness tracking, the Cirqa supports over 80 common workout types, including winter sports, team sports, and common gym workouts. Users can pre-program up to ten of their favorite activities for quick access in the Garmin Connect app.

Unlike the Fitbit Air or Whoop 5.0, manually starting a workout with the Cirqa doesn't require a trip to the app. Users can start and stop workout tracking with a press of the device's only button. Haptic feedback confirms when your efforts start and finish. You can additionally schedule vibration-based alarms in the companion app.

5. Garmin Cirqa: Ten days of battery

Garmin says the Cirqa's battery should last up to ten days per charge, which puts its longevity squarely between the Fitbit Air at seven days and the Whoop 5.0 at 14 days.

With my official battery test underway, we should know soon whether or not the Cirqa lives up to its ten-day rating. Oh, and it uses the same exact charging cable as every other modern Garmin watch, something I love to see.

Garmin Cirqa: Outlook

As noted in the title, the Garmin Cirqa seemingly strikes a compelling balance between the entry-level Fitbit Air and the pro-level Whoop 5.0. Like the Fitbit Air, it's reasonably priced and doesn't require a subscription. It's not quite as small or light as the Air, but it does have better battery life.

Like the Whoop 5.0, the Garmin Cirqa should easily last for over a week per charge, while delivering heady fitness, sleep, and workout recovery insights that go beyond what the Fitbit Air provides.

Stay tuned for my full review of the Garmin Cirqa screen-less fitness tracker. In the meantime, what are your thoughts on Garmin's latest wearable? Let me know in the comments below.

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The Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 just got unveiled during the brand's annual summer Galaxy Unpacked event alongside the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, Galaxy Z Fold 9, and Galaxy Z Flip 8 handsets.

A fairly iterative update compared to the Galaxy Watch 8, the biggest improvements the new model brings to the table are (potentially) improved battery life and a fairly impressive list of new fitness and holistic tracking tools, which may or may not ultimately make it to older models via future firmware.

Here are the five biggest things you need to know about the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 9.

Galaxy Watch 9 cheat sheet

• Price: $379 for 40mm (no LTE) or $409 for 44mm (no LTE); add $50 to either for cellular
• Design: Same design and size options as Galaxy Watch 8; 40mm is available in Cream or Graphite; 44mm comes in Graphite or Silver
• 'Classic' model: Samsung did not announce a Galaxy Watch 9 Classic with a clicky bezel
• Screen: Same max brightness, 3,000 nits, as Galaxy Watch 8
• Health features: New 'Vitals' dashboard with key metrics including heart rate, HRV, Sp02, body temp, breath rate in one place; new 'Heart Health' score
• Fitness features: New 'Cardio Load' insights, new 'Fitness Index' score out of 100 and based on factors like daily step count average, V02 Max, average heart rate, BIA (Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis), and average workout recovery time
• Battery life: 40mm Galaxy Watch 9 has a 390 mAh battery compared to a 325 mAh battery for the 40mm Galaxy Watch 8; 44mm Galaxy Watch 9 sports a 445 mAh battery compared to a 435 mAh battery for the 44mm Galaxy Watch 8

Galaxy Watch 9: Versus the competition

1. Samsung increased the price across the line

When Samsung announced the Galaxy Watch 8 this time last year, I wasn't surprised to see a $50 price increase across the board compared to the Galaxy Watch 7. However, I was surprised to see Samsung raise the price of the Watch 9 this time around.

The 40mm Galaxy Watch 9, for example, starts at $379 without LTE, compared to $349 for the Galaxy Watch 8 equivalent. The 44mm Galaxy Watch 9, meanwhile, is $409 versus $379 for last year's equivalent.

Preorders are now available for the Galaxy Watch 9, which should ship later this month.

• Galaxy Watch 9 (Bluetooth, 40mm): $379
• Galaxy Watch 9 (LTE, 40mm): $429
• Galaxy Watch 9 (Bluetooth, 44mm): $409
• Galaxy Watch 9 (LTE, 44mm): $459

2. There's no Galaxy Watch 9 'Classic'

I was a big fan of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic (see image above), which sports a bidirectional clicky bezel for navigation and an additional customizable button compared to the standard Galaxy Watch 8 models.

Unfortunately, there is no Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 Classic. That said, Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic will remain in the brand's lineup for the time being.

3. The external design is the same as Galaxy Watch 8

While Samsung made all sorts of under-the-hood upgrades to the Galaxy Watch 9, including a new processor and increased battery capacity, the outward appearance remains unchanged from its predecessor.

The physical dimensions and the weight are also essentially the same, as is the 50-meter water resistance rating. Finally, the Galaxy Watch 9 also boasts the same 3,000-nit max brightness display and twin-button design as the Galaxy Watch 8.

4. There are lots of new holistic features

Samsung's latest generation of wearables is all about preventative rather than reactive holistic insights. As a result, the Galaxy Watch 9 — and the new Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 — both feature a whole host of new wellness scores, dashboards, and insights.

The list includes a new Vitals dashboard, Heart Health Score, Daily Cardio Load metric, and Fitness Index score.

The Vitals dashboard brings your most important wellness metrics into one easy-to-view panel with your current heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), blood oxygen saturation percentage (Sp02), body temperature, and breath rate.

The new Heart Health score, meanwhile, is based on four metrics including your seven-day physical activity average, sleep time average, Body Mass Index (BMI), and estimated blood pressure.

For runners and high-cardio athletes, the new Cardio Load metric is designed to help you train more effectively, with built-in recovery suggestions to help avoid injury.

Finally, the new Fitness Index is a personalized score based on factors like daily step count average, V02 Max, average heart rate, BIA (Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis), and average workout recovery time.

The output is five individual Fitness Index scores: Body Composition, Cardio, Endurance, Strength, and Flexibility, ranging from one to 100. These scores are calculated by comparing your fitness levels to other users in your age range.

5. Battery life should be slightly improved

Both the 40mm and 44mm Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 models see modest battery capacity increases. For the smaller model, that's a jump from 325 mAh for the Galaxy Watch 8 to 390 mAh for the Galaxy Watch 9. For the bigger model, the capacity has increased from 435 mAh on the Galaxy Watch 8 to 445 mAh for the Galaxy Watch 9.

Increased battery capacity, coupled with up to 15% more efficient processing, thanks to the new Snapdragon Wear Elite chipset, should mean that the Galaxy Watch 9 lasts longer than its predecessor, which averages about 30 hours per charge with the always-on display enabled.

Here's hoping that the Galaxy Watch 9 pushes that closer to 40 hours per charge or more to stay competitive with brands like Google; the 45mm Pixel Watch 4 lasts nearly 60 hours per charge in my testing.

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Samsung is back with another generation of foldable phones, though things are shaping up to be a little different this year. There are three new Galaxy foldables, and that means the successor to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is being given an Ultra upgrade. It's easy to be cynical and assume this is a simple name change, but it feels like Samsung has worked hard to make the phone worthy of the name Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

While the incoming software and AI features are not that impressive — with the exception of the foldable-friendly Now Nudge — there's plenty of hardware upgrades to be excited about. This includes a brighter and nearly crease-free display, a larger silicon carbon battery and an even thinner design. Plus, you get a beefed up 50MP ultrawide camera. But there's also some trade-offs versus Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra that I wish you didn't have to make.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra hands-on review: Specs

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra hands-on review: What we like

Big display improvements

Samsung has invested a lot in improving the screen on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. The screen itself is now brighter, offering up to 3,000 nits, up from 2,600 nits on the Fold 7, while Samsung has added an anti-reflective coating to ensure that the screen is visible no matter the conditions.

Having compared the Z Fold 8 Ultra side-by-side with a Z Fold 7, the difference is very noticeable. The Z Fold 7 looks dull and washed out in comparison, while the Z Fold 8 Ultra is noticeably brighter and clearer. The anti-reflective coating is pretty nice too, which should make the new foldable easier to use in direct sunlight.

The big upgrade is the new Flex Titanium display, which adds a titanium plate and a flexible titanium-alloy film to the underside of the foldable OLED panel. The benefits of these two layers are threefold: It improves the strength and durability of the display, reduces the thickness of the display panel itself and reduces the amount of creasing in the display.

It doesn't erase the crease completely, but it's a lot less noticeable than the crease on the Z Fold 7. The crease is still there, but it's a heck of a lot harder to see.

Much-needed silicon carbon battery upgrade

For me, the most exciting upgrade for the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is the silicon carbon battery — a first for Samsung. The battery capacity has increased from 4,400 mAh to 5,000 mAh. Not only does this mean the Z Fold 8 Ultra's battery is the same size as the Galaxy S26 Ultra's, it's also a whopping 600 mAh increase compared to the Fold 7.

Samsung claims that the Fold 8 Ultra battery will offer up to 27 hours of video playback, up from 24 hours on the previous model.

Samsung has also taken the chance to upgrade charging speed, boosting wired charging from 25W to 45W — which Samsung says will restore 67% of your battery in 30 minutes. Wireless charging has also had a boost from 15W to 20W, though the Qi2 magnets are still missing in action.

Upgraded 50MP ultrawide camera

Galaxy Z Fold cameras have not been on the same level as those on Galaxy S series phones, but Samsung has been slowly making changes to close the gap. Last year that meant adding the 200MP main camera lens, and this year it's the ultrawide camera's turn to get some new hardware — with a 50MP lens.

It's a marked improvement over the 12MP lens that was packaged into the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

On top of this, Samsung has added HDR support for the 200MP main lens, as well as a bunch of improvements to improve nightography and low-light performance. This includes the addition of the ProVisual engine and advanced AP-based image processing, both of which were previously been seen on the Galaxy S26 series.

The first 'for Galaxy' chip in a foldable

Samsung has been employing custom versions of flagship Snapdragon chips for a few years, but so far those "for Galaxy" chips have only been available with certain Galaxy S-series phones — and never in a foldable. Galaxy foldables always ended up with either the standard, off-the-shelf Snapdragon chips or one of Samsung's own Exynos chips.

That has changed this year, thanks to Samsung including the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset in all three foldable phones. That means we should see a big leap in performance and efficiency compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

We haven't had the chance to benchmark the Z Fold 8 Ultra yet, so we don't know how significant that leap may be. But it should hopefully mean that the new Galaxy foldables are more capable than before, and at the very least should perform similarly to the Snapdragon-equipped Galaxy S26 variants.

Made for multitasking with Now Nudge

The Z Fold 8 Ultra is being marketed as a productivity device, as a way to set it apart from the Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8. Samsung has added a bunch of upgrades centered around multitasking, with the goal of helping users make the most of the larger foldable screen inside the phone.

Now Nudge has been added to the phone, and optimized for both multitasking and the larger 8-inch display. This means that relevant apps will be opened in split view when you get a nudge in, say, the Messages app, with support for up to five split view actions at a time. The screen also supports multiple touchpoints, and can surface relevant actions based on contextual clues. The addition of Ambient Nudge also lets Now Nudge operate with a little more discretion, surfacing suggestions in the corner of your screen

Naturally, this also means Samsung is emphasizing the fact that the foldable screen is the equivalent of two 6.5-inch screens side-by-side. That's true of most foldables, but it emphasizes that this really is a tablet that you can fit in your pocket — and it's good to see Samsung really push this particular use case a little more.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra hands-on review: What we don't like

$100 price hike

We knew that price hikes were coming for the Galaxy Z 8 series, thanks to ongoing issues with RAMageddon and the memory supply chain. But that doesn't mean we're pleased to see the price of the flagship Z Fold 8 increase for the third year in a row.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra starts at $2,099, which gets you a model with 12GB of RAM and 256GB. For reference, the cost of the Z Fold 7 with the exact same memory/storage configuration costs $1,999, which means we're all being asked to pay an extra $100 simply because this phone is a little bit newer and more "Ultra."

There are a bunch of great upgrades to be had, but the prospect of paying even more for an already-expensive handset leaves a bad taste in our mouths.

Limited AI and software upgrades

If you were hoping to see a bunch of new AI features and software upgrades launch alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, then you're going to be sorely disappointed. There are new AI features coming with the entire Galaxy Z 8 series, but that doesn't seem to be Samsung's primary focus this time around.

Now Nudge obviously launched with the Galaxy S26 series, but the new version has been updated to better perform on a larger-screen foldable. That includes optimizations for multitasking, and the subtle alerts from Ambient Nudge.

Samsung is also including Gemini Notebook (formerly Notebook LLM) on the Z Fold 8 Ultra , which turns various sources into "structured, actionable knowledge." It essentially usies AI to create summarized notebooks from photos, recordings, documents, videos and so on.

AI automation is also getting a boost, with the new Gemini Advanced Automation feature capable of controlling what's going on across 40+ apps without making you witch between them all manually. AI task automation is note new to Galaxy phones, but it's optimized for the foldable experience in that there's a floating window that you can interact with at any time.

Considering Samsung has been so heavily focused on AI over the past few years, it's surprising to see such an AI-lite phone launch. But some may be relieved that it's not getting as much hype.

No S Pen

Samsung pulled S Pen support from the Galaxy Z Fold 7 in the name of reducing thickness, since the stylus was reliant on a relatively bulky digitizer layer inside the foldable display. While there have been rumors suggesting Samsung was working on a version of the S Pen that didn't require the digitizer, it has not been included in the Fold 8 Ultra.

That means you have a large 8-inch foldable display, which has been built for productivity and multitasking, but no official writing implement to use with it. We didn't have high hopes that the S Pen would make an appearance on this year's foldables, but it's still a shame to get confirmation that it's not supported.

Here's hoping that, with increased competition from the foldable iPhone Ultra, Samsung figures out a way to bring this breakout productivity feature back to Galaxy Folds in the near future.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra hands-on review: Outlook

There's a lot to like about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. This year's batch of hardware upgrades actually feel pretty meaningful, compared to the incremental upgrades that have been so common in the phone world. While the Z Fold 7 certainly made headway in this area, the Z Fold 8 Ultra takes that progress and expands upon it in a lot of areas.

For once, it feels as though a Galaxy foldable isn't lagging too far behind the flagship Galaxy S series. That's all down to the greatly reduced crease, upgrade silicon carbon battery, faster charging, and upgrade ultrawide camera. It certainly feels as though the "Ultra" rebrand is more than just a cynical name change.

However, the Fold 8 Ultra is certainly not the perfect foldable. The price has risen by $100 for the third consecutive year, and it still falls short in a few areas. There's no S Pen, no Privacy Display from the S26 Ultra series, and the lack of an IP68 rating means you should not take this foldable to the beach.

Still, based on the limited time I've spent with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, I'm optimistic about what this next generation foldable has to offer. Now we just need to put it through its paces with some in-depth testing to see how it really performs.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra pre-orders begin today, ahead of an August 8 release date. Prices start at From $2,099 / £1,899 / AU$2,999.

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For years now, we’ve had two kinds of foldable phones. While notebook-style models like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 tend to get superior specs and features, I’ve often preferred flip phones instead, largely for their pocketable design and how they’re better suited for vlogging.

Now that I’ve gotten some hands-on time with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8, I feel a bit let down. That’s because it feels like a simple, iterative upgrade that doesn’t quite leave as deep an impression on me as, say, the Galaxy Z Fold 8.

I know, it’s surprising because I’ve clamored for flip phones in the past. What makes it even harder to like is the $100 price hike — bringing it to $1,199 — which makes me question if it has what it takes to justify the higher cost.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 hands-on review: Specifications

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 hands-on review: Release date and price

You can score a pre-order for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 starting today, July 22, with general retail availability starting August 7 at major carriers and select retailers.

However, the Z Flip 8 commands a higher $1,199 price tag for the base model with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It’s a tough pill to swallow because it’s approaching flagship territory alongside devices like the Galaxy S26 Ultra — a phone that inherently offers a more robust camera system, a larger battery, and more productivity features. In the past, there was a huge price gap between the flagship Galaxy S model and Samsung's flip phones, but not anymore.

While I find the new Pink colorway particularly charming, it also comes in standard Graphite and Cream, along with a Mint option exclusive to Samsung.com.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 hands-on review: Design and displays

On paper, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 is technically thinner than its predecessor, measuring 0.24-inches when unfolded and 0.52-inches folded — and it’s also lighter at 6.35 ounces. Samsung likes to tout that it's the thinnest and lightest Flip model to date, which it is, but that trim comes at the expense of being a smidge taller and wider. Now, if it were as thin as the Galaxy S25 Edge, then maybe I’d be more impressed, but it isn’t.

Despite these dimensional tweaks, the design language remains unchanged, which is part of the reason it feels a bit boring. It’s still sturdy and solidly constructed, featuring an Armor Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and an IP48 water resistance rating.

Just as before, it’s rocking a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X main display and a 4.1-inch FlexWindow cover screen that look crisp and bright thanks to Vision Booster, but visually, there isn't much to write home about.

If you're looking to give the familiar design some fresh personality, Samsung introduced a couple of new Flipsuit covers that I checked out that are genuinely worth a look, thanks to their charming FlexWindow animations and embedded LEDs. They’re exactly the kind of thing that makes flip phones feel more personable.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 hands-on review: Cameras

I’ll give it this much: the Galaxy Z Flip 8 is still a better phone for vlogging than either the Z Fold 8 or Z Fold 8 Ultra. That’s primarily due to its form factor, which is far better suited for capturing video using the rear cameras alongside the FlexWindow display. But that’s where the praise ends.

If you were hoping for a major hardware upgrade, prepare for a bit of disappointment because it features the exact same camera specs as before: a 50MP main sensor with 2x optical-quality zoom, 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 10MP selfie camera. All of their apertures are also identical, which leads me to suspect that we won’t see any drastic leap in overall photo or video quality.

Instead, all of Samsung's effort went into software refinements and new recording functions. For example, it borrows the new Super Steady Horizontal Lock feature first introduced with the Galaxy S26, along with a hands-free Camcorder Grip with Zoom Rocker and an improved Mirror view for more expressive selfies.

While these software features are nice additions for content creators, I still would have much preferred actual hardware upgrades — like a larger main sensor or a faster aperture — to truly justify a generational jump.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 hands-on review: Performance

Under the hood, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, paired with a generous 12GB of RAM. I’m pretty confident benchmark scores will show it’s a powerhouse on par with the rest of the Galaxy S26 series, and from what I could see during my hands-on time, it delivers roughly the same level of responsiveness as those other phones.

For standard tasks like messaging, watching YouTube clips, and multitasking, it feels fast and fluid. While I don’t think there's a massive leap in responsiveness during typical use, those benchmark scores might ultimately show that the processor is the biggest upgrade on the Z Flip 8.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 hands-on review: Battery & Charging

Looking at the specs, you might notice that it packs a 4,300 mAh battery — but there’s a surprising difference under the hood. Even though it’s technically the same capacity as last year, Samsung’s switch to a silicon-carbon battery this time around plays a pivotal role in making the phone thinner and lighter without sacrificing capacity.

However, while the physical tech is impressive, it remains to be seen whether this setup translates to noticeably longer real-world endurance. I suspect it will improve, largely thanks to the power efficiency of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

Unfortunately, Samsung still caps the Galaxy Z Flip 8 at 25W wired and 15W fast wireless charging. Given the price bump this year, I was hoping to see wired charging bumped up to 45W. And did I mention there's no magnetic charging? It would've been a great addition, but it's another missed opportunity.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 hands-on review: Software and AI

AI has been a pivotal focus for Samsung with each new device generation, but there’s a bit of a pause this time around with the One UI 9 experience running on top of Android 17. There aren’t many new Galaxy AI features that weren’t already introduced with the Galaxy S26 earlier this year.

Instead, there are subtle tweaks to Now Brief and Now Nudge. What I’m really eager to test out more is how Gemini task automation has expanded to support 40+ apps and services. I’ve already been impressed by how I was able to ask Gemini to order me Dunkin’ via DoorDash, so I’m genuinely excited to see what more complex tasks it can handle.

Multitasking remains virtually identical to previous generations as well, offering the same familiar split-screen view and pop-up window when you unfold the main display. It also inherits the same Samsung DeX experience as the Galaxy S26 series, giving users access to four workspaces with up to five apps running in each.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 hands-on review: Outlook

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 lands in a tricky position. While it’s undeniably Samsung's sleekest and most refined flip phone to date, the lack of meaningful hardware upgrades is hard to ignore. Sticking with the same cameras, screen dimensions, and charging speeds makes this feel far more like an incremental update.

Pair that lack of hardware innovation with a $100 price hike—bringing the starting price to $1,199—and the Z Flip 8 becomes a much tougher sell. At this price point, it creeps dangerously close to traditional flagships like the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Galaxy S26 Ultra, which offer superior camera systems, larger batteries, and far more robust productivity features.

I could be proven wrong once full testing is complete—especially considering it’s packing the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and adopting a silicon-carbon battery—but it’s still shaping up to be a tough sell.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 pre-orders begin today ahead of an August 8 release date. Prices starts at $1,199 / £1,149 / AU$1,949.

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I’ve been wearing the new Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 — just announced at Galaxy Unpacked alongside the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 — for nearly a week, and I'm impressed.

Two years after the launch of the original ultra-rugged Samsung Galaxy Watch and Apple Watch Ultra competitor, the updated version adds better battery life, tons of new health and fitness insights, a brighter screen, and improved water resistance, all in a familiar design.

As one of TG’s resident smartwatch nerds, after five days on the wrist, here are the five things I dig the most about the new Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, along with one thing that I don’t like.

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: Upgrade cheat sheet

But first, here’s a cheat sheet to all the most notable Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 stats and upgrades.

• Price: At $699, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is $50 more than its predecessor, which launched two years ago, but still $100 less than its nearest competitor, the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
• Design: The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is a tiny bit thinner than the original Galaxy Watch Ultra, but you may not notice the difference; the dimensions and weight are identical to the original model
• Screen: Maximum screen brightness has been bumped up from 4,000 nits to 5,000 nits, making it remarkably visible in direct sunlight
• Health features: New 'Vitals' dashboard with key metrics including heart rate, HRV, Sp02, body temp, and breath rate in one place; new 'Heart Health' score
• Fitness features: New Cardio Load insights, new Fitness Index score out of 100 based on factors like daily step count average, V02 Max, average heart rate, BIA (Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis), and average workout recovery time
• Battery life: 800 mAh battery is the largest in an Android wearable and a 35% capacity increase over the original Galaxy Watch Ultra; battery life usage averages ~25% drain per day in testing so far

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: Versus competition

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 like #1: The price

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is priced at $699, a modest $50 increase over the launch price of its two-year-old predecessor. More notably, it's a hundred bucks cheaper than the latest Apple Watch Ultra 3, its nearest non-Android competitor.

Meanwhile, the latest Galaxy Watch 9 models —which share pretty much all the same features, just in a less beefy package — range from $379 to $459.

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 like #2: Super-bright display

The new Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 3 sports a sizable 1.52-inch display that maxes out at an impressive 5,000 nits, making it one of the brightest displays in any full-featured wearable, including 2026's best smartwatches.

The Apple Watch Ultra 3, by comparison, maxes out at 3,000 nits of max brightness. Real-world translation: the new Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is a lot easier to read in bright sunlight than the newest Apple Watch Ultra.

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 like #3: A (finally) dive-ready design

The original Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra promises 100 meters of water resistance, but unlike the newest Apple Watch Ultra 3, it's not rated for use while diving or even snorkeling.

Samsung no doubt caught some flak for this shortcoming. Thankfully, the new Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is thoroughly dive-ready. In fact, Samsung is partnering with the Mares diving app to turn the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 into a fully-fledged dive computer, complete with speed monitoring and safety-stop alerts.

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 like #4: New holistic features galore

Similar to the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 9, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 ships fully-loaded with all sorts of new health and fitness insights. While some of these will possibly make their way to older models, for now, most are exclusive to the latest launches.

The features include a new Vitals dashboard for viewing your most important up-to-the-minute health stats in one place, a new Cardio Load score to see your heart health, a freshly launched Fitness Index score that compares your fitness to your peers, and more.

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 like #5: Big on battery life

Not only did Samsung equip the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 with a higher-capacity battery — 590 mAh for the old model vs 800 mAh for the new one — but the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is noticeably more power-efficient than its predecessor, despite a brighter display.

In my testing so far, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 uses about 35% battery every 24 hours, including tracking a daily ~45-minute outdoor workout and a full night of sleep.

This leads me to believe that the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 can last roughly three days or 72 hours per charge without using any power-saving features, a notable improvement over its predecessor, which lasted closer to 40 hours per charge.

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 like dislike #1: The case is still massive

The original Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra required nothing short of a burly wrist to look and feel "at home." With dimensions as grand as 47.4 × 47.4 × 12.1 mm and a weight just over 60 g, the new Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 feels nearly as overwhelming on my normal-ish, 6.5-inch wrist as its predecessor.

Samsung made the new Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 a tiny bit thinner, shaving off over 2 mm of thickness. Still, the width and height remain the same.

That said, the new Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 strap is thinner, softer, and more flexible than its predecessor, which is a major improvement.

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Arlo has long been a major player in the world of smart security cameras and for good reason. Its cameras have always offered high-quality footage, sleek designs, and advanced features. But over the past few years, we’ve seen more and more low-cost models with similar advanced features — something that has led to the Arlo Essential line, including the Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K.

The new model is part of the third generation of Arlo Essential cameras, and offers pan/tilt functionality, a 2K resolution, AI descriptions, and more, at a pretty reasonable price. Is Arlo successfully taking on the budget players, or should you stick with something else?

Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K Review: Price and availability

The regular price for the Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor 2K camera is $49, but it's frequently on sale. For example, at the time of this writing, it was discounted to $34.99 at Arlo.com. The camera can be widely found at most online retailers.

Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K Review: Design and installation

The Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera doesn’t break any boundaries when it comes to design, but it still looks nice enough. Like most of Arlo’s lineup, it has a white matte plastic body, with a black face. It’s not the most premium-looking camera, and it doesn’t feel as durable as Arlo’s higher-end models, but it still looks and feels perfectly fine.

Its design is kind of split into two parts. There’s a base, which can rotate around as needed for panning. Above that, there’s a bracket holding the camera itself in place – and on the bracket, the camera can tilt up or down. On the back of the base of the camera can be found a USB-C port, which is how the camera is powered. There’s no battery in the camera – you’ll have to keep it plugged in at all times.

The Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera is designed to be easy to set up. You can place it on a table or another surface, but it also comes with a bracket to mount the camera to a ceiling. I opted to simply place the camera on a flat surface.

Once you’ve positioned the camera how you want, all you have to do is plug it in and it should turn on. Then, download the app and sign in to your account or create a new one. When you go to add the camera, it should detect it automatically and allow you to connect it to your Wi-Fi network. The setup process took around five minutes, including installing a firmware update that was available.

Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K Review: Image and audio performance

Generally speaking, footage captured by the camera looks quite good. For starters, it’s decently crisp and detailed. The 2K resolution genuinely helps. I have tested plenty of 1080p cameras and could notice the difference between this camera and those models.

The wide field-of-view, which sits in at 130 degrees, allows the camera to capture most of a room. Theoretically, it can capture most of a backyard when pointed out of a window, however it’s not really built for this purpose (the company makes the Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Outdoor camera for that), and the infrared lights will reflect on the glass in low-light environments, making for footage that doesn’t really show anything beyond the window itself.

The camera has subject-tracking, and it seemed to work well during testing. Decent subject-tracking is one of the biggest advantages to cameras with pan/tilt functionality, as it means that you’ll still be able to track suspicious activity even when a subject would otherwise be out of view.

One of the trade-offs you get by buying this camera over some of the others is the lack of HDR, which can have an impact depending on how you use the camera. For example, it struggled to capture both darker indoor environments and brighter scenes through the window on a bright day, at the same time.

Another trade-off is the lack of a spotlight. This means that you’re stuck with infrared-based night recording, rather than color night footage of any kind. I did find that night footage was reasonably crisp, but without a spotlight to illuminate a scene you will miss out on some details that could be important. That said, depending on the power of a spotlight, infrared is often better at capturing far-away details.

The camera supports two-way audio, and it worked pretty well. Arlo says that the camera has “noise-canceling 2-way audio,” which supposedly lets it detect and play audio more cleanly. In a two-way audio setup, I was able to hear someone in front of the camera, through my phone, quite well, and while I did have to ask them to speak up, the camera’s microphones and audio processing made for a sightly better audio experience than the Wyze Cam Pan v4 that I tested at the same time.

That said, the speaker built into the camera wasn’t as good, and made my voice sound tinier. That’s not a huge deal though – my voice was still easy to hear through the camera’s speaker.

Overall, the Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K offers crisp and detailed video. Only one problem – the Wyze Cam Pan v4 exists, and it costs only $10 extra. I happened to be reviewing the two at the same time, and found that while there are areas in which Arlo does slightly better, like in picking up audio and having a wider lens, the Wyze Cam Pan v4 generally captured far better footage, both in resolution (it’s a 4K camera), and in color accuracy. That’s not to mention the fact that the Wyze camera has a spotlight for color night recording.

Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K Review: App and smart home support

The Arlo app is generally well-designed and easy to use, and if you use multiple Arlo cameras, you’ll be able to manage them all easily. The app is split up into five different tabs. The main screen is the Dashboard tab, which shows thumbnails for all of your Arlo cameras and lets you arm and disarm your security system as a whole (or at least all the Arlo products in your system).

The other tabs include the Feed (which shows footage in chronological order), an Emergency tab (for getting in touch with emergency services and activating sirens), a Devices tab (to manage your devices), and a Routines tab (to set up automations).

From the Dashboard and Devices tabs, you can tap on a camera to access a live feed of what the camera sees and tweak its settings. This is where you can do things like enter two-way audio mode and control the pan/tilt settings of the camera.

Controlling the positioning of the camera is relatively easy, and you can set a “home” point, which is where the camera will return to after it either automatically tracks a subject, or you manually move its position. You can also set additional positions, which will allow you to set the camera’s position easily without having to manually move the camera.

AI features

Some of the smart features included in the subscription worked well too. You’ll get what are now common features, like person detection, animal detection, package detection, and so on. Obviously, you’re unlikely to use a camera like this for package detection, but the camera did a pretty good job at telling me that a person was detected instead of just that “motion” was detected.

The object-recognition tech goes a step further too – using generative AI to provide a short text summary of what was captured alongside events. I was pleasantly surprised with how well this worked. Here’s an example of the kinds of summaries it produced:

“A person is holding a camera and walking towards the camera. The person is wearing a blue shirt. The scene is a backyard with a wooden fence, a lawn, and some patio furniture. There are also some toys on a table in the foreground, including a pineapple-shaped container and a purple bottle.”

For reference, in the clip recorded I was carrying my camera in my backyard as I was taking photos of a speaker for a review. The other details were almost entirely correct – with the only incorrect detail being that the pineapple “container” (a small kids bubble machine) and purple bottle were actually on a Traeger smoker, instead of a table – but there was no way for the camera to possibly know this, as the smoker was directly in front of the window the camera was pointed out of, and only the top of it, with its cover on, was visible.

And, after all, objects were placed on top of it as if it were a table. When I moved the camera to the driveway instead of the backyard, the camera even identified my car make and model correctly in some descriptions.

The Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K works with Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT, and Samsung SmartThings. The main smart home ecosystem it doesn’t support is HomeKit – so if you’re looking for a HomeKit camera, you’ll need to keep looking.

Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K Review: Video storage and subscriptions

The Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K doesn’t have local recording, and unfortunately, it doesn’t work with any of Arlo’s base stations or hubs, so you can’t record locally at all. Instead, you’ll need to subscribe to one of Arlo’s cloud storage plans, called Arlo Secure.

Arlo Secure gets you a 60-day video history, but it also offers other features. Notably, you can’t access features like the person recognition, or the audio recognition features, without it. If you go for the highest-tier subscription, you’ll also get 24/7 emergency response and professional monitoring.

Here’s a rundown of pricing for Arlo Secure. Arlo Secure Plus costs $9.99 per month or $95.88 per year for one camera, or $19.99 per month or $215.88 per year for unlimited cameras. Arlo Secure Premium (which includes professional monitoring) costs $29.99 per month or $299.88 per year, and supports unlimited cameras. There’s no single-camera Arlo Secure Premium option.

Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K Review: Verdict

The Arlo Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K is an excellent pan/tilt camera, with a solid app, at a great price. It represents a continuation by Arlo to offer affordable alternatives to its higher-end models – and if you’re in the Arlo ecosystem already, then it’s easily worth considering for those who want an indoor pan/tilt camera. That’s especially true for those who have an Arlo Secure subscription.

But if you’re not already in the ecosystem, then another option might be better for your needs. The Wyze Cam Pan v4 in particular is a better option than the Arlo model, at least when it comes to the basics. It costs only $10 extra, has a 4K camera instead of a 2K one, has similar AI-powered object recognition and tracking features, and even has a microSD card slot for local recording.

The higher resolution genuinely makes a difference, and in general, you’ll get more detailed and accurate images from the Wyze model. The only thing to consider is the fact that while the Wyze model has AI-generated descriptions, they’re locked behind Wyze’s most expensive subscription, which costs $19.99 per month, while Arlo offers it in its Plus plan for $9.99 per month.

Similarly, the Eufy Cam S350 is another pan-and-tilt camera that delivers 4K video, local storage, and even better, gives you AI summaries for free.

Ultimately, if you already have Arlo cameras, then the Essential Pan Tilt Indoor Camera 2K is a good complement to your system. Otherwise, it's worth looking elsewhere.

Unless you're training for your next marathon or your doctor has very specific concerns about your health, you're going to take some convincing about whether or not the Withings BodyScan 2 is for you.

At $599 / £495, it's an expensive contender for our list of the best smart scales. But if you're prepared to invest in it, the BodyScan 2 can become an at-home laboratory for monitoring almost every aspect of your day-to-day health and fitness.

The BodyScan 2 takes measurements its predecessor offered (things like body fat, muscle, basal metabolic rate, and water mass) and turbocharges them. You can drill down into a total of 60 different biomarkers subdivided into various categories and track their changes across time.

The BodyScan 2 is also, to my knowledge, the first smart scale to spot signs of potential hypertension. And while it's not meant as a diagnostic tool to replace a professional physician, there's a very real chance it could become a life-saving feature in some circumstances.

In fact, the amount of data on offer can be dizzying. Do you really need to know that your skeletal muscle mass is 44.7% or that you have a nerve response score of 75? Or, perhaps more accurately, do you need to know these metrics when alternatives like the Garmin Index S2 or Withings' own Body Comp will give you enough actionable information for less than half the price?

And if you want to unlock the full functionality of the Withings BodyScan 2, you're going to want to pair it with one of the best fitness trackers or an Apple or Garmin smartwatch, as well as sign up for the $99-per-year subscription.

What you get in return is probably the most accomplished and inclusive at-home health device on the market right now. So let's break down exactly what it offers and whether or not you need it in this full review.

Withings BodyScan 2: Cheat sheet

• Who is it for? Anyone who wants the most granular health information, a centralized hub for a multitude of different devices, and doesn't mind spending big to get it.
• What does it do well? Measures a dizzying array of health metrics (with more to come) in an effort to inspire lifestyle changes to increase longevity.
• What are its weaknesses? Not all features are live yet, and some features are locked behind the Withings+ subscription tier.
• What should you use it for? Training to hit a very specific goal or to manage long-term health issues like diabetes.

Withings BodyScan 2: Specs

Withings BodyScan 2: Price & availability

The Withings BodyScan 2 is available to buy directly from withings.com in the United States for $599.95. Other retailers, such as Amazon, are likely to stock the scale in the future, too.

Over in the U.K, the BodyScan 2 is available for £449.95 directly from withings.com, and will be available from select retailers like Amazon, Boots, and Currys in due course.

Like other Withings products, you can purchase a Withings+ subscription alongside it. You'll get the first three months for free, then you're looking at $99/£89 per year. The BodyScan 2 comes with a two-year warranty.

Withings BodyScan 2 review: Design & display

The Withings BodyScan 2 is constructed with a sleek tempered glass design, weighs 4.8 kg / 10 lbs and features a retractable handle that magnetically attaches to the top of the scale when you're not using it to take a measurement.

The company has moved the bright LCD display from the scale — where it was on the original Body Scan — to the handle. This makes it much easier to read as it guides you through its various measurements.

On the underside of the handle are two stainless steel electrodes that work in conjunction with the eight Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) electrodes in the glass plate taking your measurements.

The handle itself is attached via a fabric cord, and beneath the LCD are two indentations containing sensors where your thumbs naturally rest.

The platform measures 135 x 140 x 2 inches (342 x 356 x 5 cm), so even if you have big feet, you should be able to stand on it comfortably. Markings on the glass (the eight horizontal lines correspond to the electrodes) help you position your feet correctly, and the weight limit goes up to 440 pounds (200kg).

Running along the base of the scale are two non-stick, rubberized strips that keep it from wobbling and also won't mark your floor. Like any scale, the BodyScan 2 isn't suitable for carpeted floors.

Around the back is the power button, which also lets you change the units of the scale from lbs to kg depending on your preference. Next to the button is a single USB-C port that charges the scale's internal battery. Withings says the BodySmart 2 will run for an entire year on a single battery charge.

I have to say this looks and feels like a premium piece of consumer technology, but it's not immune to smudging and flakes of dust that get left behind on the glass. Withings recommends that users clean the glass plate and handle electrodes before every weigh-in with a cloth dampened with warm water.

Withings BodyScan 2 review: Getting started

Getting started with the BodyScan 2 is an extremely simple process: you start up the scales by holding the power button for three seconds and pair it with the Withings app (available on iOS and Android) via a code displayed on the LCD screen.

The scale will also connect to your Wi-Fi network for a more seamless link and to keep itself updated when necessary. That Wi-Fi connection also means it can upload your data directly to the Withings cloud servers immediately after you step off. You won't need to always have your phone nearby and connected via Bluetooth to see the results.

You can add up to eight users on the scale, which can include child profiles for members of your family under 16. Once the primary account holder is up and running, they can share an invite (or show a QR code) to another family member who can then complete their own setup and measurements while keeping their health data separate.

Child profiles must be managed by the account holder and omit certain measurements like body composition, vascular age and ECG.

When you're actually standing on the scale and gripping the handle, you get a small graphic on the LCD screen — a small yellow circle that lights green within a larger one — to help you position yourself.

Before you dive in and start taking measurements, you're going to want to link the Withings BodyScan 2 to any other fitness trackers or health apps you may use. That's because although the scale pulls in a ton of data on its own, it can leverage all the information from the best Apple Watches or the best Garmin watches to become a one-stop shop for your daily, weekly, or monthly health tracking.

Withings BodyScan 2 review: Weigh-in, app and features

Stepping onto the scale and pulling up the handle will cause the BodyScan 2 to automatically recognize you and begin running you through the "longevity assessment." That's right, the buzzword around the BodyScan 2 isn't "health," "wellness," "vitality" — it's longevity.

Over the course of the 90-second weigh-in, the LCD takes you through a variety of tests, including weight, body composition, a medical-grade 6-lead ECG and your nerve response.

All contain handy traffic light-style graphics and, in the case of the ECG and nerve response test, a countdown timer. These top-level measurements are just the tip of the longevity iceberg. Once they're fed through to the app, you can start digging into the data even further.

For instance, the ECG measures arterial stiffness and cardiac output (basically your heart's ability to pump blood to your organs) as well as any irregular heart rhythms. The former gives you a "Vascular Age" while the latter is on the lookout for a possible hypertension alert.

Hypertension, caused by high blood pressure, is a leading cause of strokes and, according to the CDC, can affect nearly half (45%) of Americans. Withings is quick to recommend that any hypertension alerts from the scales are confirmed with a clinically validated blood pressure monitor and consultation with a healthcare professional.

I'm a committed runner and non-smoker who just cracked 40 years on the planet, so it's nice to see that after five measurements my vascular age settled in at 37. My sinus rhythm, heart rate and oxygen saturation are all healthy, with a nice big green tick next to them in the Withings app.

But here's what I mean about deep-diving: beyond those stats, I can see my heart responsiveness (how quickly it starts pumping after receiving the electrical signal to beat) could be improved, while its efficiency (how long the main chamber spends actively pushing blood out with each beat) is within the expected range for my age.

This granularity is great — but I'm a writer, not an athlete. It may not be so for you, but for me these are bells and whistles I can do without in exchange for a lower price.

Many people will be interested in a set of smart scales for the body composition feature. This tells you how much of your body is muscle and how much is fat. Withings makes this really easy to see with a 3D body silhouette, giving a precise breakdown and letting you toggle between fat and muscle.

This kind of feedback is great for constructing a tailored fitness plan. Perhaps you regularly play tennis right-handed and, as a result, you're neglecting the biceps and triceps on your left arm. Or maybe you ignore leg day a little too often — the BodyScan 2 will confirm this for you.

The BodyScan 2 uses a proprietary 13-frequency Bioimpedance Spectroscopy (BIS) system to deliver independent fat mass and muscle mass readings for each of the six body segments: right arm, left arm, trunk, right leg, left leg, and core. To get back to that "longevity" buzzword again, everyone knows that muscle mass begins to decrease with age, so Withings hopes this will help you keep tabs on that and adjust accordingly.

In practice, over five measurements, I saw my body fat percentage vary between 6.8% and 8.7% (I expect this to settle down with future measurements) while my muscle mass oscillated between 88.6% and 86.7%. Meanwhile, my BMI, skeletal muscle mass and water mass are all good — green ticks all around.

My feeling is that it's still too early (five measurements over the course of two weeks) to really put hard faith in these numbers as it stands. I will continue to track the metrics over the next few months and update this review as appropriate.

One cool feature (unfortunately locked behind the Withings+ subscription) is called BodyPath, and this allows you to set a weight loss/gain goal and have the scales guide you towards it. You can log meals (calories consumed) and workouts (calories burned) to help you see your progress mapped out on a graph. As I said, if you want to go granular, these are the smart scales for you.

To list all the features available here would take days, but Withings has seemingly thought of everything: you can log your mood in a health journal, add notes to your logged workouts and share access to your Withings Health Record with your doctor or healthcare professional at your next checkup.

Finally, there's also an AI-powered health assistant that will crunch all the data for you and talk to you about your overall health and longevity.

Withings BodyScan 2 review: Compatibility and limitations

As I've already alluded to, the Withings app will go far beyond just what the BodyScan 2 can pull in for you. In fact, it supports over 100 compatible third-party apps like Apple Health, Google Fit, Strava and MyFitnessPal. The BodyScan 2 can't, after all, measure the number of steps you've taken in a day or how much you slept last night.

Furthermore, the Withings ecosystem is a deep and expensive rabbit hole you can fall very far down if you're inclined to. The company offers a sleep mat that slips under your pillow, a blood pressure arm cuff and even a toilet-mounted sensor that picks up biomarkers from your pee.

The point I'm trying to make here is that while the BodyScan 2 is a powerhouse health tracking device and the most informative I've ever used, it's also not the complete package some people may be hoping for, considering the asking price.

Meanwhile, the $99-per-year Withings+ subscription is another factor you'll want to consider if you want to unlock advanced metrics like predictive "Health Trajectory" scores, the BodyPath feature I mentioned earlier and remote cardiologist reviews of your ECG scans.

Not every feature is also available on the BodyScan 2 right now. During my testing, the Glucose Resilience and Diabetes Risk Score measurements weren't accessible. These features, like the hypertension alerts, could be worth the price of admission alone for anyone concerned about or managing diabetes.

I obviously wasn't able to test them, but according to Withings, Glucose Resilience uses two independent signals (nerve health measured via Electrodermal Skin Conductance and visceral fat levels) to see how "your daily habits shape your metabolic wellness over time, so you can make informed lifestyle choices."

When I pressed the company on when this feature will arrive, I was told it "will roll out in the Withings+ app before the end of 2026."

Withings says the Diabetes Risk Score is a medical feature currently going through European regulatory clearance to — as you'd expect — give users a score of their risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Again, the CDC estimates that around 11 million Americans are currently suffering from undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. And nearly 80% of people with prediabetes are unaware they have it. The condition can remain symptom-free for nine to 12 years before progressing to type 2 diabetes.

Acting at the reversible stage cuts the risk of developing the disease by more than half, so having a piece of tech like this in your home could, quite literally, save your life. It's just a shame that Withings couldn't have this feature ready to go at launch, but I understand that clearing regulations can take a whole lot of time.

Withings BodyScan 2 review: Verdict

My thoughts on the Withings BodyScan 2 after the best part of two weeks testing it are easy to quantify. I love the number of features, the depth of analysis and the intuitive companion app that works with tons of other health services.

At the same time, I'm not blind to the amount of money you'll need to invest in other wearables, Withings products and a subscription fee to get the most out of it.

The BodyScan 2 is clearly the best premium smart scale out there when it comes to those who value health above all else. I'm thinking of pro (or semi-pro) athletes, personal trainers and those who need to manage an ongoing health condition. Specifically, having ready access to early hypertension or diabetes alerts could genuinely help save someone's life.

Of course, anyone who just needs a casual steer on their body fat percentage would be best advised to pick up a cheaper alternative, like Withings' own Body Comp. It's less than half the price of the BodyScan 2 and still lets you tap into the excellent Withings Health app.

Alternatively, the Wyze Scale X will use bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to give you body fat percentage and bone mass for less than fifty bucks. You can pair that with one of the best fitness trackers for around $100, and you're off to the races with your wallet still intact.

But that shouldn't diminish the fact that Withings has built a verifiable health laboratory with this product. The BodyScan 2 is easily the most comprehensive piece of health tech I've used, even with some of its features yet to land. I'll continue to test it over the coming months and will update this review with any relevant findings.