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Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro review
6:00 pm | July 29, 2022
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Comments: Off

Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro: two-minute review

The Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro 3.3L food processor is a useful kitchen companion, offering family-sized capacity and plenty of functions, but beware – it’ll steal your cupboard space, and lighten your bank balance.

At a price of £280, the Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro is far from a budget option, but you certainly get what you pay for. You can purchase this model directly from Cuisinart in the UK. It has been discontinued in the US, but is still available from third-party retailers such as Amazon.

With dimensions of 8.1 x 10.43 x 16.43 inches / 206 x 265 x 417mm, and a weight of about 22lb / 10kg the Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro isn’t going to be one you’ll want to maneuver every time you need to use it. It lacks the useful in-bowl accessory storage that some KitchenAid food processors offer, but it does at least have a handy storage case for the shredding and slicing discs, chopping blades, and plastic dough blade, and another for the dicing and spiralizing accessories. Though of course, you will need space to store these.

The Cuisinart Expert Prep Pro food processor pictured against a pink background. The accessories storage case is pictured to its left, and the dicing accessory kit is pictured on its right. The stone-effect tabletop that it sits on has apples and bananas on.

(Image credit: Future)

Unlike some larger KitchenAid food processors which have a useful one-click attachment system, the Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro uses a twist-lock system. While this does reduce the risk of accidentally knocking the work bowl off the base unit, the bowl's large size and weight make it cumbersome to twist and remove. This isn’t helped by the fact that one needs to put their back into it a bit to get it to unlock. The same can be said of the lid, which attaches via the same method. With this in mind, perhaps this food processor is best avoided if you have any mobility issues, but you may find a suitable alternative in our pick of the best food processors.

There are a few safety features to be aware of when using this processor, such as the requirement to remove the lid before the work bowl can be released – this took a little getting used to. Further safety features include the chopping blade's ability to stay in place when you tip the work bowl and that the food processor will not operate if the largest food pusher is not in situ.

A close up view of almonds inside the smaller work bowl of the Cuisinart Expert Prep Pro.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

In addition to its large work bowl, the Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro also comes with a smaller inner bowl and blade which is useful for when you just need to mix or chop smaller quantities of say herbs or salsa. During testing however, we did find that small particles, like almond powder, can find its way into the large work bowl below, which isn’t ideal when Cuisinart claims that the smaller bowl is fully sealed.

It excelled in virtually all of our tests, chopping, mixing, shredding, and slicing everything we threw at it. Plus, we were impressed with the dicing and spiralizing accessories too. This food processor is best suited to passionate home cooks who will get the most out of all the functions it offers. But those looking for an appliance for basic chopping, shredding, and slicing tasks might find this one has too many accessories that’ll just clutter up valuable kitchen space.

The Cuisinart Expert Prep Pro food processor pictured against a pink background. The small chopping blade is pictured to the left of the processor, and the spiralizing accessory is just in front.

(Image credit: Future)

If you’re still undecided whether the Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro 3.3L is worth the investment, check out our full review below for a more in-depth analysis and full details on how it performed during our rigorous testing.

Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro review: price & availability

  •  List price: £280 
  • Available direct from Cuisinart in the UK
  • Available from third-party retailers in the US

The Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro is available direct from Cuisinart for £280. It is also available to purchase on Amazon, along with other appliance retailers. It was previously available in the US under the name Cuisinart Elemental 13 Cup Food Processor with Dicing, but it has since been discontinued. It is still available to purchase from some third-party retailers, however.

While the Expert Prep Pro is a bit more expensive than comparative products such as the KitchenAid 13 cup / 3.1L Food Processor, you’re getting a lot of additional functions for the extra investment. Spending almost £300 on a food processor may be extravagant, but if you’re going to take advantage of its abilities, have a tendency to batch cook, or have a large family, it could save you a lot of prep time in the long run. That, along with its safety-conscious and sturdy design, should make it an investment you won’t regret.

  • Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5

Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro specs

Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro: design & features

  • Good safety locking features
  • Two speeds plus pulse
  • Dishwasher friendly parts

If you’re thinking of leaving it out on your counter, the Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro has a relatively compact footprint given all the functions it’s able to perform. The main food processor measures 8.1 x 10.43 x 16.43 inches / 206 x 265 x 417mm. However, it’s important to consider that alongside the processor there are two accessory storage cases to store, that’ll take up a fair amount of valuable cupboard real estate.

Aside from that aspect, the main accessory storage case is super useful for keeping all the sharp blades and discs safely organized in one place. It houses the large and small chopping / mixing blades, reversible shredding disc, adjustable slicing disc, dough blade, spatula, and the stem adapter. It’s got a useful latch on the front to lock the lid closed too, but at 9.1 x 8.3 x 7.4 inches / 230 x 212 x 187mm, it’s not exactly compact.

The dicing kit offers a quick and easy way to dice all sorts of fruit and veg, and also comes with its own storage case. Again though, you’ll want to consider where you’ll store it as it measures 8.3 x 8.7 x 4.6 inches/ 210 x 220 x 117mm.

The Cuisinart Expert Prep Pro accessory storage case is pictured open, with the adjustable slicing disc, reversible grating disc, dough blade, small blade, and stem adapter inside. The case is surrounded by other accessories, including the large chopping blade and spiralizing accessories.

(Image credit: Future)

The spiralizing kit which comes as standard with the UK model offers both a spaghetti and ribbon cut disc, but the storage solution for this kit isn’t quite so neat and you’ll have to store most of these extra parts individually rather than in a case. If you are able to buy this optional extra kit in the US, it comes with a third Angel hair disc too.

As there are only two speeds and a pulse button, the controls don’t take long to figure out. Getting to grips with the safety mechanisms is a little trickier. We are more used to being able to remove a work bowl from the base unit while the lid is still attached when working with the likes of Magimix and KitchenAid food processors. In the case of the Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro, however, it has been designed so that you cannot remove the work bowl until the lid has been removed. Additional safety features are that the blade stays in place even when the work bowl is tipped for emptying, and the food processor will not operate if the largest pusher is lifted any higher than the top of the feed tube. While these aspects may take some getting used to at first, these safety features are reassuring, especially if you happen to have curious sproglets running about. 

A close up of the Cuisinart Expert Prep Pro control panel showing the high, low, off, and pulse buttons.

(Image credit: Future)

We found the twist-to-lock mechanisms on the work bowl and the lid to be a chore. At various times both were stiff to undo. The lid is a little on the heavy side, which combined with the twisting motion needed to unlock it, made it awkward to maneuver. Plus, we had to put a lot of force into unlocking the work bowl, resulting in a couple of not-so-fun moments when it would suddenly loosen and give way. At least the processor’s base is heavy, which helped to keep it stable in those moments, but this means that it is not the easiest to relocate. With these details in mind, perhaps this food processor is best avoided if you have mobility issues. You may find a suitable alternative in our pick of the best food processors instead.

We like the concept of the small bowl that comes with the Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro. It easily fits into the larger work bowl and can be used with the small chopping / mixing blade to cut up or mix smaller quantities. Cuisinart states on their website that the inner bowl is fully sealed, so you don’t have to worry about washing up the larger bowl. However, we found when chopping almonds that this was not the case, as a fair amount of almond dust found its way down into the large bowl, so perhaps “fully sealed” is a bit of a stretch.

Image shows almond dust that has escaped from inside the smaller work bowl of the Cuisinart Expert Prep Pro into the larger work bowl.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

There are three different-sized feed chutes on the top of the lid, so you can have more control when pushing ingredients into the work bowl. Unlike some of the KitchenAid processors we’ve tested, such as the KitchenAid 13 cup / 3.1L Food Processor, larger-diameter cucumbers had no issue fitting in the largest feed chute on the Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro.

Cleaning any food processor is a fiddly chore, this one’s no different. Thankfully though, all the parts can be cleaned in a dishwasher, which certainly makes life easier. It’s worth noting that if you do wash it in the dishwasher, water droplets get trapped in the handle and some parts of the lid, it does eventually dry out though. If you need some more top tips about how to clean a food processor then our step-by-step guide will help.

  • Design score: 4 out of 5

Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro: performance

  • Simple to use
  • Fast and efficient
  • Can be noisy

We really put the Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro through its paces during testing, trying out virtually every function to get a true picture of whether it's worth the money and, we can safely say, it's good at what it does.

There is a max fill line on the largest food chute. The corresponding food pusher has a fixed attachment that stops the processor from functioning when raised beyond a certain point. This means the food must fit below the max line so the pusher can be positioned before processing. I used the low speed for cucumber, with the adjustable slicing disc on setting 4. The cucumber was sliced very quickly into perfect discs. 

A close up of sliced cucumber inside the Cuisinart Expert Prep Pro large work bowl.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

We used the coarser side of the reversible grating disc for cheese and carrot, which proved no match for this appliance. Both were shredded evenly and quickly, only a minuscule piece of the carrot was left un-shredded, and a very small amount of cheese got stuck in the lid.

A close up of some carrot that was grated by the Cuisinart Expert Prep Pro.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

The large chopping blade was powerful, we cut an onion into six wedges and it only required six presses of the pulse button to turn it into even, finely diced pieces. The tougher task of grinding diced beef was no match for it either, taking just 15 seconds on the lower speed setting to chop up all the meat to a fine ground beef texture. 

Similarly, cake mixture ingredients were quickly combined into an even, smooth batter in under a minute. It didn’t perform quite as well when making pastry, as unmixed flour gathered on the top and took a while to combine. When the pastry was finished there was a layer of flour coating the inside rim of the bowl, and the inside of the blade housing.

A close up of the flour that has leaked inside the blade housing of the Cuisinart Expert Prep Pro.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

To chop nuts we used the smaller bowl and blade, it was a little slower than the large blade and required 20 pulses to turn whole hazelnuts into a finely chopped texture. Although the nuts were a bit uneven with some fine powder mixed in, it was a good result in comparison to some other food processors we’ve tested. The results were similar when we chopped almonds inside the smaller bowl, with uneven almond pieces and a fair amount of dust.

A close up of unevenly chopped lamonds inside the small work bowl of the Cuisinart Expert Prep Pro.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

When we diced potatoes, they had to be cut in half to fit in the feed tube. Unlike slicing, the size of the diced food isn’t variable, and the pieces come out at around 0.4 inch/ 1 cm cubes, but it’s fast and effective. It diced a whole potato in around 10 seconds. Some potato did get lodged in the blade after dicing a second one, but given the speed and convenience, we didn’t mind needing to open it up to remove a bit of potato before continuing.

Dicing potato in the Cuisinart Elemental 13 Cup Food Processor with Dicing

(Image credit: Future)

Spiralizing was equally fast and easy, we made cucumber ribbons and carrot spaghetti. There was some waste, but there always is when spiralizing foods. It’s worth noting that the pusher has to be in position for the spiralizer to start up, so you have to cut food down to size accordingly, you can’t have cucumber poking out of the top, for example.

spiralizing cucumber with the Cuisinart Elemental 13 Cup Food Processor with Dicing

(Image credit: Future)

The dough blade is effective at combining bread dough and we mixed up the ingredients with five pulses, followed by 30 seconds on high speed, however, it can’t continue on and knead the dough. If you leave it too long and allow it to continue mixing after a dough has been formed, it shakes violently and has to be held down. The usually firm suckers on the feet aren’t enough to hold it to the counter in this instance, so we’d advise kneading by hand.

Making dough with the Cuisinart Elemental 13 Cup Food Processor with Dicing

(Image credit: Future)

Our noise meter maxed out at 86dB on several of the tests, but since this food processor is so speedy, the noise doesn’t last too long, making it bearable.

  • Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Should I buy the Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro review: also consider

How I tested the Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro

  • We assessed the setup and performance
  • We ran our usual series of chopping, grating, and combining tests
  • We checked how easy it was to clean

We spent time getting the Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro setup, read the instruction manual, and assessed the design and accessories.

To put the Cuisinart 3.3L Expert Prep Pro through its paces, we made use of the accessories to chop, dice, slice, grate, mix and spiralize a number of ingredients including onion, nuts, potato, carrot, and cucumber. We also used it to process bread to make breadcrumbs, and made cake batter, pastry and bread dough. These tests are in line with the process we follow for all food processors, making it easy to see how different models compare. 

We tested how easy it was to clean the processor parts by hand-washing, and using the dishwasher to establish how well you can clean the parts with either method.

  • Read more about how we test
  • First reviewed: June 2022, re-tested July 2024
Apple Preview review
11:12 am | July 26, 2022
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: | Comments: Off

Bundled with every modern Mac, the Apple Preview app may be software you use often, yet you might not think too much about its capabilities. After all, it’s just a quick and easy image viewer and PDF reader for Mac, there when you need it. But did you know it contains some tools that could help you fill in a PDF form, and even sign it digitally?

That’s right, Apple Preview is much more than just one of the best free PDF reader. There’s potentially no need for expensive online tools like eSign software services - your (albeit not cheap) Mac can do that from the moment you take it out of the box. Let’s take a closer look. 

Apple Preview: Interface

Apple Preview during our eSign software tests

Apple Preview’s interface is clean and simple, yet offering you all the tools you need to read through a document and search for specific sections (Image credit: Apple)
  • The interface has that classic Apple minimalism, but all the options you need to look through and search a document are there

Software gets updated all the time, so for the purposes of this review, we’ll be taking a look at Preview version 11, running on Ventura, ie, MacOS 13. However, you’ll find the interface hasn’t changed in a good long while, making this review potentially relevant should you own an older copy.

Apple being Apple, the interface is as bare and streamlined as can be, with only a few icons present at the top of the window. If you’re browsing through a PDF, scrolling down will take you to the following page by default in a continuous scroll. You also have the option to see the document page per page, or have two pages displayed on the screen at the same time. There’s also the possibility of displaying thumbnails of each page in a sidebar to the left, helping you find the one you’re looking for more quickly. There’s also a search field top right, which will work as long as your PDF is properly formatted (most are, but some contain only images of text which negates that option, as it would for any other similar software).

All very simple and straightforward, but we’re not here to just browse through documents. We need to manipulate it in various ways.

  • Interface: 4.5/5

Apple Preview: Getting started

Apple Preview's clean interface in action on display

Apple Preview's interface is pretty bare, leaving the focus on the document you’re perusing  (Image credit: Apple)

So just how good is Preview? At first glance, it looks like you can do pretty much everything Adobe Acrobat Reader DC does (without being bombarded with adverts to upgrade, of course).

Double-click on a PDF (or image - but we’ll take those as a given and focus on the documents in question for this review), and it opens up, just as you’d expect. You can scroll through the document, zoom in or out of it, and even print it if you like.

There’s a thumbnail sidebar you can trigger on the left that allows you to scroll through a multi-page document with ease, by displaying a tiny version of all available pages, one above the other. Dragging the border between it and the main preview section lets you increase or decrease the size of those thumbnails.

Scrolling can be set on a page by page basis, or as a continuous scroll, and if your screen is large enough to see them without squinting too much, you can also set Preview to show you two pages side by side if you prefer.

You’ll find a large search field top right of the interface, which you can use to find specific words within the document (as long as the PDF is properly formatted of course, and not just a JPEG of a page formatted as a PDF, but this is a problem for every PDF reader).

  • Getting started: 5/5 

Apple Preview: Tools

Highlighting text in free PDF reader Apple Preview

Highlight your text with multi-coloured digital highlighters  (Image credit: Apple)
  • Lots of tools to cover broad plenty of use-cases

If that’s all you need, fantastic! Preview can cater to all your needs. But there’s more. What if you need to make notes, for instance? You’ll find a wealth of tools to help you achieve this.

There’s a highlighter pen for instance, which comes with a choice of five colors, and even offers you the possibility of underlining or striking through text (only in red for those two options, mind).

But if you need more than that, say hello to the Markup Toolbar. It isn’t activated by default, but a simple click of an icon will reveal numerous other features.

With it, you can add text boxes to any page, should you need to add a comment. The editing flexibility of these boxes is as extensive as you’d expect from a basic word processor: you can change the font, alignment, style, color, add a background fill, or an outline color - there’s a lot of flexibility there. Preview will remember those settings and apply them to the next text box you create - but you’re of course free to alter it should you so wish.

Use Apple Preview's text tools to do more

Add  notes, objects, freehand drawings, and more to your documents  (Image credit: Apple)

But that’s not all: you have freehand tools to create editable shapes. If you prefer more defined ones, you have a handful of pre-made templates, like a line with an arrow, a speech bubble, a circle, a square, another with rounded edges, that sort of thing. These shapes are fully customizable too.

If post-it notes (or equivalent) are more your thing, you can add those as well, and place them wherever you like (only when they’re minimized). And if you’re bored of those yellow notes, that’s just the default color - the highlighters’ five colors are also available for your notes.

With eSign software growing in popularity, you have the ability to add a digital signature and use that toolbar to insert it wherever you like on the document. You'll find our thoughts on this tool.

This should cover most people’s needs. But Apple went further still…

  • Tools: 5/5 

Apple Preview: PDF editor

Reordering pages in Apple Preview, the free PDF reader for Mac

Apple Preview allows you to reorder pages, rotate them, delete them, or copy them to another document  (Image credit: Apple)
  • Not a true editor, but useful and easy to customize and reorder documents

Now this title could be a little misleading as you can’t actually edit the content of an existing file using Preview. This isn't a full PDF editor with all the tools that brings. Technically, it's almost a free PDF editor, since you can delete unwanted pages, reorder them, change their orientation, and essentially customize a document to focus on just what you need.

Even better, you can copy one or more pages from one document, and paste them into an entirely new one. Or, if you have two documents open side by side with the thumbnail sidebar switched on, just drag a page from one sidebar to the other to duplicate it in that second document.

This kind of flexibility is most welcome, and although you can’t create a PDF document from scratch - an alternative would be to use Pages and save it as a PDF. You can just save the sections you’re most interested in to create a custom PDF perfect for your needs.

When it’s time to save this new document, click on the ‘Permissions’ button to be offered a wealth of options: you can choose to password protect it, and even allow the reader certain abilities, even if they don’t know the password, such as printing, inserting pages, or filling form fields, for instance.

  • PDF editor: 4/5 

Apple Preview: Annotations

Apple Preview during our eSign software tests

Annotate, draw on, add notes to any file Preview can open (Image credit: Apple)
  • Drawing, adding shapes, and even notes to a document can all be done via Preview’s Annotate tools

Preview lets you make notes on any document you can open with it. This is done thanks to its annotation tools, which you can access either via the MenuBar (Tools > Annotate), or by clicking on the relevant icon in the toolbar (the circle with the tip of a pen inside it).

This reveals a new Toolbar, directly beneath the main one. With it, you can draw directly on the page, or add various shapes, even manipulate each point of the curve you’ve created (you’re essentially working with bezier handles and vector images).

You’ll also find ways to add notes to a document (think of them as digital post-it notes), and perhaps more relevant to this review, add text boxes, or even your signature, both of which will prove invaluable when filling in a digital document.

  • Annotations: 4/5

Apple Preview: Forms

Apple Preview during our eSign software tests

Add as many text boxes you need to fill in a form, and customise them with the font, size, colour and alignment you prefer (Image credit: Apple)
  • The Text tool is very versatile although control of your chosen font cannot be done from the Form Filling toolbar

The text tool is the best - and only - way to add text boxes to a document, and reposition them so they’re over the sections that need your input. It’s worth noting that the main Toolbar has a Form Filling Toolbar icon, to the right of the Markup Toolbar we explored. However, it’s best to stick with Markup when filling in forms for one simple reason: Markup contains tools to edit your text box, altering the font, size, colour and alignment, whereas the Form Filling Toolbar, puzzlingly, doesn’t.

Those text boxes can be resized left and right, but not up or down, but it’s not really an issue. The box extends down the page automatically the more you write in it. Changing the style is a simple matter of clicking on the right icon to reveal an expanded menu, where you get to choose from any of the fonts installed on your Mac, along with your preferred colour, size, format and alignment.

One thing we appreciated during our testing is the next text box you add will bear those choices. So, if you want a consistent look for your text boxes going forward, you only need to set your preference once. It's also possible to copy and paste a text box. The position of it will be close to the existing one. Should you move to another page and hit paste, the new box’s position will be identical to the original, but on the different page. Repositioning them is but a matter of clicking and dragging.

The text box allows you to fill in any form you can open in Preview, but what about signing a document?

  • Forms: 3.5/5

Apple Preview: Signatures

Apple Preview during our eSign software tests

Adding a signature is quick and easy, although the connection to your iPhone misses a reorientation trick (Image credit: Apple)
  • Creating a signature has got that Apple panache to it

If you’re aware of online digital signature services, you’ll know that they all offer various ways for you to import your signature into the system. They allow you to choose a cursive font to write your name, sign using a mouse or trackpad, or import a photo of your signature. Apple’s approach is similar yet different. They offer different options, although the option to use a cursive font is conspicuous by its absence.

You’ll have three choices available to you, the first one being Trackpad, which is greyed out if your computer doesn’t have one. Maybe it’s because Apple controls the software and the hardware, but we found tracing our signature on a trackpad to be the finest we’ve experienced to date. It had just the right amount of smoothness and precision to get a pretty decent approximation of our trademark squiggle.

Camera is the second method. Hold up a signed piece of paper to your webcam, and Preview will cleanly extract it. It works best if it’s taken from a blank sheet of paper, as there are no photo editor options. But more often than not, you do end up with a signature on a transparent background.

iPhone is the final choice. Ideal for those who have no trackpad, no available piece of paper, but have their phone handy. The concept is very similar to Trackpad, with a very cool ‘it just works’ moment, as Apple Preview seamlessly connects to your mobile device to perform the task. Annoyingly, if you need to use your phone in landscape mode to sign, you’ll have to rotate it manually each time you add it to a document. You’d think Apple’s programmers would’ve thought of that, as signing holding your phone vertically seriously reduces your canvas size.

Once Preview has your signature, you can name it, and keep as many different signatures as you need. It can then be added, moved, and resized in any document, just like any other object. 

What Preview doesn’t offer, which online services do, is a means of sending documents to others, and tracking their progress. However, it’s an ideal solution should you need to fill in and sign forms digitally for yourself, without having to log in to an online service or pay monthly for the privilege.

  • Signatures: 4/5

Apple Preview: Final verdict

For a free PDF reader that comes pre-installed with every Mac, Apple Preview is a remarkably powerful tool, offering you the basics, while also allowing you to perform what could be considered pretty powerful editing and note taking functions. You'll even find a PDF merging tool  and a seamless way to combine PDFs.

Unless you need a fully-fledged PDF editor (or even the best free PDF editor) to actually modify the content of a PDF, Preview should be able to cater to all of your needs. It’s just a shame it’s only available on Macs. 

Apple Preview scorecard

Should I try?

Apple Preview's clean interface in action on display

(Image credit: Apple)

Try it if...

Don't try it if...

Dell XPS 17 (2022)
2:40 am |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

Editor's note

  • Original review date: July 2022
  • Newer Dell XPS 17 with updated components now out
  • Launch price: $1,749 / £2,099 / AU$3,999
  • Target price: $1,599 / £1,599 / AU$2,999

Update: January 2024. The model we reviewed here is almost two years old now, but it still remains one of the best laptops you can buy. This is because its powerful components are still very good, and the slim and light design remains one of the best you'll find on a 17-inch laptop, which can often be big and bulky due to their larger screens. This particular model is no longer sold directly by Dell, but can be found at other retailers, often with a nice price cut that makes it better value. Dell has also released more modern models of the XPS 17, so if you fancy getting this larger laptop with even more powerful components, you've got that option as well. The rest of this review remains as previously published.

Dell XPS 17 (2022): Two minute review

If the Dell XPS 17 looks familiar, that’s because it is. Physically, this revised 2022 model is a dead ringer for last year’s XPS - and the one from 2020, too. But that’s no bad thing given this is one of, if not the slickest and sleekest laptops around. 

What actually is different can be found inside, most notably Intel’s latest 12 Gen CPUs. Our review unit is rocking the Intel Core i7-12700H, which packs six performance cores plus eight efficiency cores and turbos up to 4.7GHz. 

Honestly, it ought to be enough CPU for even the most demanding users, making it one of the best laptops around for productivity and business users. But if you really insist you can pay extra - and an awful lot extra because the upgrade typically forces more expensive components in other areas - for Dell to stick in a Core i9-12900K, which has the same core count but peaks at 5GHz. We wouldn’t bother, since you’ll barely feel the difference, if at all.

Dell XPS 17 (2022) Key Specs

Here is the Dell XPS 17 (2022) configuration sent to TechRadar for review:
CPU: Intel Core 17-12700H
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050
RAM: 32GB DDR5
Screen: 17-inch 3,840 x 2,400, 500 nits
Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD
Ports: 4 x USB-C with Thunderbolt 4, 1 x 3.5mm combo jack, 1 x  SD card reader
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2
Camera: 720p with IR
Weight: 4.79 lbs | 2.17 kg
Size (W x D x H): 14.74 x 9.76 x 0.77 ins (375 x 248 x 20 mm)
Battery: 97WHr

Elsewhere, one thing the XPS isn’t is an out-and-out gaming laptop. Our configuration runs an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU with 4GB of graphics memory. It’s dandy for a spot of casual gaming and will also add some welcome grunt to GPU-accelerated productivity and content creation apps. But it’s not a 4K powerhouse, nor is the RTX 3060 chip offered as an upgrade, which it ideally would need to be given the specification of the XPS’s screen.

Indeed, we’ve got the optional upgrade panel which packs 3,840 by 2,400 pixels - more than standard 4K thanks to the taller 16:10 aspect ratio. It’s a stunner of a screen rated at a punchy 500 nits and with 100 percent coverage of the Adobe RGB gamut, so it’s fully capable of content creation workflows. It also supports HDR, but isn’t a new-fangled mini-LED panel, so keep expectations in check. The HDR experience is OK rather than eye-popping.

The screen looks all the better thanks to those signature Dell XPS slim bezels on all four sides. It’s a design feature that keeps this two-year-old design looking bang up to date, and also minimizes the laptop’s overall footprint. It’s not just the screen that stands out, so does the sound quality. The XPS 17 really packs an audio punch, with remarkably dynamic sound including decent bass, good stereo separation and strong volume.

Rounding out the best bits of this revised 2022 model of the Dell XPS 17 is battery life of over 10 hours during light workloads, which is outstanding for this big a beast. On the other end of things, this isn’t anywhere close to being as portable as the best Ultrabooks, but no 17-inch laptop will ever score very highly in that regard. 

But if you do take it with, you can genuinely get a day’s work done away from the mains, which makes it one of the best student laptops for anyone about to head off to uni in a couple of months.

So whether you're a student, a content creator, or just want a gorgeous device, the Dell XPS 17 (2022) retains its place as possibly the best Dell laptop ever made that's not called the XPS 13.

Dell XPS 17 (2022): Price and availability

A Dell XPS 17 (2022) on a table

(Image credit: Future)
  • Starting price looks appealing
  • Quickly gets pricey with options

The Dell XPS 17 (2022) kicks off at $1,749 in the US, £2,099 in the UK and AU$3,999, the apparent discrepancy outside of the US accounted for by a higher spec base CPU. Anyway, if that’s not exactly cheap, things only get worse when you add upgrades. 

The gorgeous UHD+ touchscreen, for instances, adds $300 / £300, doubling the RAM to 32GB will sock you for $150 / £200 and the 1TB SSD costs an extra $100 / £100. All told, as configured here, you’re looking at $2,749, £2,599 in the UK and AU$4,798 down under.

  • Value: 3.5 / 5

Dell XPS 17 (2022): Design

A Dell XPS 17 (2022) on a table

(Image credit: Future)
  • Super slim bezels
  • Gorgeous build quality

The design of the Dell XPS 17 (2022) is a dead ringer for last year’s model and the year before, but we're grateful for that. 

The XPS is super sleek and beautifully built, with the main chassis and screen cover in machined aluminum and the palmrest in carbon fiber. It still looks modern too, thanks to ultra-slim bezels on all four sides of the display. And that despite still squeezing in a 720p webcam up top with Windows Hello facial recognition support.

The chassis is very solid and the keyboard bed fairly stable, though a little flex is present. The large trackpad is about as good as it gets on a Windows laptop. Only Apple’s MacBooks do trackpads better. 

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A Dell XPS 17 (2022) on a table

(Image credit: Future)
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A Dell XPS 17 (2022) on a table

(Image credit: Future)
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A Dell XPS 17 (2022) on a table

(Image credit: Future)

Of course, this is still a big machine weighing in at well over 2kg and measuring in excess of 14 inches across, but that's the case with all of the best 17-inch laptops; they're simply never going to be compact. That said, the slim bezels ensure about as small a footprint as possible and ensures that if you've got to have something this large you at least get the absolute most out of its size. 

The XPS 17 is about as haulable as 17-inch laptops get, with the possible exception of the featherweight LG Gram 17, which is slightly wider in terms of footprint but much lighter at 1.35kg.

If we do take issue with the XPS’s proportions, it’s how they map to the port selection. On the one hand, the quartet of USB-C ports all support full Thunderbolt 4 functionality with power delivery and DisplayPort alt mode, which is great. 

There’s also a full-sized SD card slot and an audio jack. But that’s it. There’s no USB Type-A, no full sized HDMI socket nor a LAN port, but that's the price you pay for the slick looks and chiselled chassis sides.

  • Design: 4.5 / 5

Dell XPS 17 (2022): Performance

A Dell XPS 17 (2022) on a table

(Image credit: Future)
  • Grunty 12th Gen Intel CPUs
  • Good cooling
  • Not a true gaming laptop

With six performance cores and eight efficiency cores, the XPS 17’s Intel Core i7-12700H has as many cores as the top Core i9 processor from Intel’s latest 12th Gen Alder Lake CPU family. It just runs at slightly lower clockspeeds, but not that you’d notice. 

As CPU performance goes, this laptop has everything you could ask for. It’ll tear through everything from video encodes to 3D renders with ease. Alder Lake’s world-beating single-core performance also guarantees that this laptop feels snappy in day-to-day tasks like web browsing. 

Indeed, with fully 32GB RAM, you’re rarely going to run out of memory, which makes multi-tasking a breeze. With that much RAM, swapping application data to the SSD will hardly ever happen. Even if it does, there’s a fast PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD ready to minimise the performance hit of disk swapping. Overall, it really is a very speedy machine, this XPS 17.

Benchmarks

Here is how the Dell XPS 17 (2022) performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

3DMark Night Raid: 27,398; Fire Strike: 11,908; Time Spy: 5,439
Cinebench R23 Multi-core: 17,747
GeekBench 5 Single-core: 1,682; (Multi-core) 13,725
PCMark 10 (Home Test): 6,810
Battery Life (Techradar movie test): 10:14
Total War: Warhammer III (1080p, Ultra): 48 fps; (1080p, Low): 121 fps
Dirt 5 (1080p, Ultra): 44 fps; (1080p, Low): 96 fps

If there is an exception, it involves graphics performance and gaming. As tested, our review unit runs Nvidia’s GeForce RTYX 3050 mobile GPU with 4GB of video memory. It is a big step up over plain old integrated graphics, to be sure. As our benchmarks show, you can get playable frame rates at 1080p in modern games. But only just. It’s not a truly high performance gaming GPU.

You can optionally go for the RTX 3060, which will improve your frame rates. But even that GPU isn’t nearly powerful enough to play games at the XPS’s native 4K-plus screen resolution. Even Nvidia’s fastest mobile GPU, the RTX 3080 Ti, is only just capable of that.

Anyway, the point is that the XPS is certainly up for some casual gaming. But if gaming is one of your top priorities and you can afford this class of laptop, we’d recommend going with one of the best gaming laptops instead with at least an RTX 3070 GPU, something which is certainly available at this price point.

  • Performance: 4 / 5

Dell XPS 17 (2022): Battery Life

  • Impressive battery life for a large machine
  • Full workday battery life is doable

Large powerful laptops like the Dell XPS 17 (2022) used to be nailed-on certainties for awful battery life. Not these days. In light workloads like watching video and web browsing, you can expect over 10 hours of battery life. That’s true all-day performance. 

Admittedly, if you do anything remotely demanding, that number will tumble dramatically, despite its ginormous 97WHr battery. But this certainly isn’t one of those old-school desktop replacement rigs that had you worrying about battery life the moment you unplugged from the outlet. This thing has legs.

  • Battery Life: 4 / 5

Should you buy a Dell XPS 17 (2022)?

A Dell XPS 17 (2022) on a table

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

Dell XPS 17 (2022): Report Card

  • First reviewed July 2022

How We Test

We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.

Read more about how we test

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 review
6:23 pm | July 25, 2022
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Hi-Fi Wireless & Bluetooth Speakers | Comments: Off

Editor's Note

• Original review date: July 2022
• Launch price: $60 / £60 (approx. AU$86)
• Target price now: $60 / £50

Update: February 2024. We still rate the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 as the best Bluetooth speaker for cheap bang-for-buck – delivering loud volume that resists distortion, and impressive bass that helps the sound to feel full, without overwhelming the well-detailed treble. The official price has risen in some regions since launch, but you can regularly find it for the target price listed above, or with even bigger discounts in sale events such as Black Friday. We haven't tested anything that's beaten it at this price so far. The rest of this review remains as previously published.

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2: two-minute review

The Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 is the latest proof that 'Tribit' and 'value' are two words that skip happily hand-in-hand down this road we call life. The Chinese audio specialist doesn't yet have the big-brand clout of heavy-hitters such as JBL, Sony, Ultimate Ears and Bose in the best Bluetooth speaker realm – and we almost don't want to shout out the virtues of Tribit's latest offering for fear that it'll join them and prices will go sky high. 

But we're duty bound, so know that Tribit's Stormbox Micro 2 cheap Bluetooth speaker takes everything that was good about the original and betters it – and that little speaker was a high-level contender to begin with.  

With a standard price of $60 or £60 (around AU$86), but already seeing a 10% discount on Tribit's own website, you simply can't do better for design, durability, features and sound quality in a cheap Bluetooth wireless speaker at this wallet-friendly level. 

As with the original 2020 Stormbox Micro, the StormBox Micro 2 is about the size of a stack of drinks coasters, and it has a handy strap on the underside so you can lash it onto a table leg, bag strap or your bike's handlebars – we even managed to strap it onto a hire car's cup holder. 

Now though, the Stormbox Micro 2 is just a little bit larger and weighs 35g more (315g rather than 280g). Like its older brother, the Micro 2 is IP67 dust- and waterproof, but its battery life is now a claimed 12 hours at moderate volumes, which is up from eight hours for the original – and remember, you'll only get five from similarly-sized options such as the JBL Go 3.

The power rating is also improved, from 9W to 10W, which means that the Stormbox Micro 2's loudness is increased. You're also getting Bluetooth 5.3, (up from Bluetooth 5.0) the chief perk here being a new Bluetooth range of 120 feet, according to Tribit. Personally, I was able to stray up to 60ft (18m) from the speaker before it lost connection to my phone – which is seriously impressive when walls and doors were involved. 

Perhaps the biggest improvement is that you can use the Stormbox Micro 2's two-way USB-C port to charge out (ie. to juice up your mobile device) as well as to charge the speaker itself, although it's standard 5W charging rather than fast charging. You get a USB-C to USB-C cable in the box, although no plug, and do note that if you own an iPhone you'll need a USB-C to Lightning cable to use the feature. 

You can also pair two Stormbox Micro 2 speakers together to get either 'Party' (read: mono) sound or create a stereo pair. Although it's a little disappointing to see you must have two Micro 2s to pair them up at all, so you can't daisy-chain other original Stormbox Micros as you can with JBL's PartyBoost tech or the UE WonderBoom 2 and original Wonderboom, say, it's a relatively small gripe at this level. 

And the sound is now beefier, crisper, more exciting and will bring even more fun to your picnic, hike or campfire. The Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 offers features you'd never expect at this price, and it's hard to imagine anyone balking at the minimalist, refined design. 

All things considered, the cheap Bluetooth speaker category has a new front-runner – and because of the Micro 2, Tribit is about to get a lot more famous. 

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 held at an angle over a yellow table

That Bluetooth light is slightly bigger: all the better to see it with, my dear… (Image credit: TechRadar)

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 review: price and release date

  • $60 / £60 (around AU$86)
  • Released in Spring 2022

The Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 was unveiled in April 2022 and right now it is available in black only (the first-gen model occasionally came in a fresh and limited-edition orange colorway but this was an exception rather than a rule), and although regularly priced at $60/£60, it is already discounted by 10% when buying direct from Tribit – which means it'll cost just $54/£54. 

Price cuts and Tribit are fairly common too (and we're very grateful for them) across big online retailers such as Amazon – so keep your eyes open because even at the original price, this is a supremely talented Bluetooth speaker. 

Tribit Stormbox Micro and Micro 2 side-by-side on yellow table

The first gen Stormbox Micro is on the left, the Micro 2 is on the right: note the extra height.  (Image credit: TechRadar)

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 review: design and features

  • Compact, pocketable design with built-in bike-friendly strap
  • Cushion-shape means a large driver
  • Up to 12 hours paytime – ie. four more than the first-gen model

Every design tweak Tribit has made here for the second-generation Stormbox Micro is both welcome and adds value – irrefutable proof that a little more can always be squeezed out of even the best-value portable wireless speaker designs. 

As mentioned, it now doubles as a useful power bank (although it's a 5W charger so don't expect super-fast charging of your phone) and it's just a tad bigger and more rotund. If you think of the Tribit Stormbox Micro as a stack of drinks coasters, Tribit has simply added another coaster to the pile for the Micro 2 – and it has paid dividends when the thing is playing music. 

Visually, there's a little more flair too; the plus, minus and multi-function buttons are now white so as to show up better in low-light situations, and the blue Bluetooth light on the front edge is a little wider and easier to see, although the useful five-strong LED volume indicators are still there. On the underside, the excellent rubberized and slightly stretchy strap remains, but the rubber feet are slightly more substantial. 

And if you thought there were no microphones for speakerphone duties here, you'd be wrong – there's an integrated mic on the front corner, next to the power button, which works just fine as long as you stay relatively close to the speaker on calls. Start strolling up and down the room dictating an email and your caller may tell you to come closer a little closer and speak up. 

It's important to note that the JBL Flip 6 has none of those speakerphone/power bank features and still costs significantly more, so Tribit is performing well before it has even relayed a note. And things don't go downhill there either – but we'll get to the sound later. 

Perhaps our only gripe (and emphatically the only reason we removed half a mark) is the lack of backwards compatibility. Because the first and second-gen models look so similar (and because other firms such as JBL offer it) it would be good if you could beef up the sound by pairing old and new-gen Micros in mono – but this is not possible. 

That said, for newcomers to Tribit, at this money it is well-worth buying two Micro 2s to create an affordable wireless desktop speaker setup – we watch Carrie Underwood's Ghost Story on Apple Music Sessions on our MacBook Pro and found pleasing levels of separation and minimal lag between the music video and its sonic accompaniment. 

  • Design and features score: 4.5/5

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 showing the strap, on yellow background

Strap this around your belt, over your bike's handlebars or even on a camping table leg. (Image credit: TechRadar)

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 review: sound quality

  • Meaty, zealous, remarkably talented sound
  • Impressive bass performance given its size
  • Only starts to distort at 80% volume

Tribit has remained tight-lipped about the driver under the grille here, but whatever is going on inside the Stormbox Micro 2, we like – and it'll certainly go loud enough to fuel your picnic, barbecue, campfire or beach day with tunes, even at 60% volume. 

Listening to You Should See Me in a Crown by Billie Eilish is among the toughest test for a bijou speaker's bass chops we can think of, and the Tribit doesn't disappoint. Treble elements (what sounds like the dragging of a knife over a jar) and a synth scream ahead of the low-level beat are impactful, but when the bass drops it really sinks low in the best possible way, delivering a gifted, snappy, agile performance. 

Provided you don't go too loud (anything beyond 80% starts to upset the mix and bloat the bass – but that's hardly surprising given this speaker fits comfortably in your palm) you'll find yourself digging out different tracks to see what the Tribit makes of your more niche music. 

We stream The Waterboys' The Whole of the Moon and cymbal crashes, backing vocals, violins and even the cannon are given ample space to shine in a cohesive and well-handled mix that has us tapping our feet happily. For this money, it's head-scratchingly good. 

The Chemical Brothers' In Dust We Trust is a similar story: sounds fly in with ease and energy, but smaller musical articles which we might have expected would be lost in the mix given this speaker's dimensions are still layered here within its commendable tuning. 

And seeing as it's a five-star review, of course we have to put it to the ultimate classical test, don't we? Richard Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries features all of the three-dimensional strings and soaring trumpets we could possibly hope for at this level, all held firmly in check and with a perceptible, rumbling and exciting dynamic build.

  • Sound quality score: 5/5

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2's USB-C port, on yellow background

USB-C charging port: we love to see it – only this time, you can use this to charge your phone too.  (Image credit: TechRadar)

Tribit Strombox Micro 2 review: value

  • Incredibly competitive pricing
  • A recommended alternative to bigger brands

We hope we're not over-egging the pudding by saying the Stormbox Micro 2 is incredibly good for its nominal pricing – and as such is incredibly good value. 

It's important to balance this glowing praise by saying it is not the best Bluetooth speaker ever – this tiny design cannot compete with the bigger JBL Charge 5 and its brethren, because aside from their relative size, these designs feature more power, a dual-driver design and a more significant asking fee. 

What you need to know is that for this size and price, nothing on the market comes close, across the board – and by that we mean in terms of design, durability, feature-set and sound quality. Tribit's Stormbox Micro 2 has set a new benchmark. 

It is worth noting that although Tribit does have an app (which works for the splendid Stormbox Blast and two of Tribit's earbud options), the Micro 2 doesn't get app support, so there's no scope for EQ alterations or a numerical volume indicator – but at this level, we think it would be churlish to expect such a thing. 

  • Value score: 5/5

Tribit Stormbox Micro and Stormbox Micro 2 side by side on a yellow table

The one on the right is the Stormbox Micro 2, the left is the original: shame you can't pair the two, but those accents make for easier use in low-light scenarios.  (Image credit: TechRadar)

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 review: should you buy it?

Buy it if…

Don't buy it if…

Also consider…

Think the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 might not be the Bluetooth speaker for you? That's cool, here are three alternatives that could offer just the design, feature-set and sound quality you're looking for. 

Thinkware X1000
5:55 pm | July 21, 2022
Author: admin | Category: Computers Dash Cams Gadgets Vehicle Tech | Comments: Off

Editor's Note

• Original review date: July 2022
• Launch price: $299.99 / £259.99 / AU$839.99
• Official price now: $219.99 / £ n/a / AU$699

Update: March 2024. Thinkware's X1000 remains one of the most user-friendly dash cams on the market, thanks to its large touchscreen and icon-based user interface. It's simple to set up and, unlike many modern dash cams, you don't need to pair it with a smartphone to access its best features. While the market is very competitive in 2024, the X1000 still claims a spot in our best dash cams guide. As it's been available for a couple of years, the official price has fallen in most regions. It's also worth looking for discounts on the X1000 during seasonal sale events, particularly Amazon Prime Day.

The Thinkware X1000 dash cam is from a brand that really knows its stuff when it comes to capturing video on the go. This model has proved popular with buyers thus far too, and it’s easy to see why. 

There’s everything inside the box, including two cameras, to help you get the best from dash cam monitoring. The downside is that you’ll need to get it hard-wired in to enjoy the best from its potential. But if you don't mind this, or the absence of built-in GPS or Wi-Fi for cloud backups, it's one of the best dash cameras you can buy.

Take a peak inside the box and you’ll find everything you need. There are the two cameras, with one being the front facing unit and the other a smaller rear facing model. You also get the cabling needed to carry out the hard-wiring installation.

The Thinkware X1000 dash cam and its included accessories on a wooden table

(Image credit: Future)

While this hard-wiring is doable by a novice, you may find your time and money is better spent getting someone to install it for you. Of course, the big bonus with this route is it’s always ready to go and any cabling can be tucked out of harm’s way.

Usefully, Thinkware also supplies the X1000 with a chunky 32GB microSD card, which can be used as is. Alternatively, you can always add in a larger capacity one if you prefer. Popping that in is easy enough, while getting the camera set up and running can be done using the convenience of a 3.5in touchscreen on the back of the casing. 

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The Thinkware X1000 dash cam sitting on a car seat

(Image credit: Future)
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The Thinkware X1000 dash cam sitting on a car seat

(Image credit: Future)
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The Thinkware X1000 dash cam sitting on a car seat

(Image credit: Future)

There are also the various sticky pads needed to affix the cameras to your preferred surfaces. The quick start guide, meanwhile, proves handy as you’re navigating the installation procedure, though it could do with being more comprehensive. You also get a robust plastic mount for the main camera, which helps to keep it from moving around too much, once it’s in situ.

The unit itself feels nicely put together, as does the rear-facing camera. Using the Thinkware X1000 is also doddle. Once you’ve powered it up, the touchscreen gives you access to all of the core features and functions. 

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The Thinkware X1000 dash cam sitting on a car seat

(Image credit: Future)
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The Thinkware X1000 dash cam sitting on a car seat

(Image credit: Future)
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The Thinkware X1000 dash cam sitting on a car seat

(Image credit: Future)

This works really well, with self-explanatory icons leading you through the tasks. There’s no need to fiddle around with a supporting app either, which might be of particular interest to some users who want a more 'direct action' route with their dash cam.

In terms of performance, the Thinkware X1000 delivers everything you’d expect from a premium dash cam solution. There’s a cracking little Sony IMX335 5.14 Starvis image sensor packed inside the svelte lines of the casing. Working with the lens, the footage proves to be really impressive. 

You have options to tweak capture settings via the touchscreen too, though we found the Thinkware X1000 worked fine right out of the box. It even starts recording without needing any manual input, from the off. This isn't necessarily what everyone wants, mind you.

As for the resulting footage, expect Quad HD 1440p, 2560 x1440 resolution from both cameras and they also both deliver a wide 156-degree field of view, too. 

Results during both harsh light and after dark were impressive, with plenty of crisp detail on show and a decent level of dynamic range thanks to the HDR processing. Overall, we found the results to be impressive in a variety of conditions.

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Photos of cars on a road taken on the Thinkware X1000 dash cam

A still taken from the Thinkware X1000's rear-facing camera (Image credit: Future)
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Photos of cars on a road taken on the Thinkware X1000 dash cam

A still taken from the Thinkware X1000's front-facing camera (Image credit: Future)
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Photos of cars on a road taken on the Thinkware X1000 dash cam

A still taken from the Thinkware X1000's front-facing camera (Image credit: Future)

If you take the time to get the Thinkware X1000 hard-wired, you may as well exploit other features and functions in its arsenal. There’s a parking surveillance mode, for example, which detects any unwanted movement around your prized vehicle. 

If you’re looking for even more assistance with vehicle protection then it may be prudent to pick up the additional radar detector companion. Also, an optional GPS accessory is needed if you wish to make use of Thinkware’s lane departure modes.

There's a lot to like about the Thinkware X1000. It’s great that you can be up and running in very little time. If you get Thinkware’s Dash Cam Accessory pack, this model can be plugged into your car via the power socket, which does free you up from being faced with hard wiring. This and the other accessories mentioned do add to the overall cost, however, unless you’ve got an existing DC-in connector that will do the same job. 

The best feature of all, though, is the X1000's ease of use. The touchscreen works well and the menus are intuitive. In this respect, the Thinkware X1000 ticks most of the right boxes, for those who need a front-and-rear model. 

It might lack built-in GPS or Wi-Fi for cloud backups, but if those don't matter to you and your priority is a stress-free, high-performance dash cam, the Thinkware X1000 should be high on your shopping list.

Should I buy the Thinkware X1000?

The Thinkware X1000 dash cam mounted inside a car windshield

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Acer Predator Orion 3000 (2022)
2:05 pm | July 18, 2022
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming PCs | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

Editor's Note

• Original review date: July 2022
• New model is out with updated components
• Launch price: $1,449 / £1,099
• Official price now: $1,449 / £1,099 (with new components)

Update: February 2024. We originally reviewed this model of the Acer Predator Orion 3000 almost two years ago, and we were so impressed that it went straight to the top of our best budget gaming PCs guide. Now in 2024, it is still in that list, but it has slipped down a few places, thanks to some more modern gaming PCs coming out. However, it remains a great budget buy, especially if you're looking for a compact gaming PC to play on. If you can find the model we reviewed here with the same components, you should be able to get it for a very good price as well. If you like the look of this machine but want more modern components, the good news is that Acer has released new models with 13th generation Intel processors, giving you a bit more future-proofing while keeping the same affordable price.

Acer Predator Orion 3000: One-Minute Review

The Acer Predator Orion 3000 desktop PC presents newer players with one of the best and most affordable opportunities to make their mark in the PC gaming scene. After all, there’s a reason why it sits comfortably at the top of TechRadar’s list of the best budget gaming PCs. 

Acer’s latest Predator Orion 3000 line-up offers gamers the ability to choose from several mid-tier configurations that now include a 12th Gen Intel processor, an Nvidia RTX 30-series graphics card, and up to 64GB of DDR4 RAM, all packed neatly into a compact micro ATX case. 

Understandably, this PC series makes a few compromises in terms of its components that can only be described as cost-saving measures. For example, although the Orion 3000 features both HDD and SSD storage, the most basic configurations tend to include just 256GB of the latter. Similarly, the Predator Orion 3000 series also features DDR4 RAM as opposed to the newer industry standard of DDR5. 

Still, minor shortcomings aside, the hardware featured as part of the Acer Predator Orion 3000 series lends itself well to the average gamer. Plus, the PC is relatively easy to upgrade, should the need or desire to do so ever arise. 

Acer Predator Orion 3000 desktop gaming PC on a desk with RGB lighting turned on.

(Image credit: Future)

Acer Predator Orion 3000: Price and Availability

  • Starting at $1,449 / £1,099
  • Available now from the Acer store and third-party retailers
  • You can buy it in the US, UK and worldwide
Spec Sheet

Here is the Acer Predator Orion 3000 configuration sent to TechRadar for review:

CPU: 12th Gen Intel Core i5-12400F (2.50 GHz)
Graphics: Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti 
RAM: 16GB DDR4
Storage: 256GB M.2 SSD + 1TB HDD
Optical drive: N/A
Ports front: 1 x USB-A 3.1, 1 x USB-C, 1 x headphone jack and 1 x microphone jack
Ports back: 2 x USB-A 3.1, 4 x USB-A 3.0, 3 x analog audio jacks, 3 x DisplayPort, 1 x HDMI, Ethernet
Operating system: Windows 11 Home
Connectivity: Intel Killer E2600 Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.0
Weight: 21 pounds (9.5 kg)
Size: 15.4 x 15.2 x 6.9 inches (392 x 386 x 175 mm) 

The Acer Predator Orion 3000 gaming PC series can be found on sale in the US, UK, and worldwide, with a range of slightly varying configurations available depending on each gamer’s individual needs. 

The latest iteration of the Orion 3000 series features the new Intel Alder Lake chipsets. The starting configuration is priced at $1,449 / £1,199 and includes a 12th Gen Intel Core i5 CPU, an Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and 16GB of RAM, as well as 256GB of SSD and 1TB of HDD storage. Pricier variations allow users to opt for either an Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti or 3070 for the GPU and a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor for the CPU. 

The configuration that TechRadar reviewed is a slightly more powerful model available in the UK for £1,299 (approximately $1,600 in the US). The Predator Orion 3000 arguably presents one of the best values for money especially when you take into account its decent gaming performance and esports-ready hardware. It could be even better value if any currently available Acer promo codes bring the price down more.

  • Price and Availability: 5/5

Acer Predator Orion 3000 desktop gaming PC shown side-on on a desk with RGB lighting turned on.

(Image credit: Future)

Acer Predator Orion 3000: Design

  • Neat, compact design
  • Configurable RGB lighting
  • Loud cooling fans

The Acer Predator Orion 3000 features the classic gaming black-and-RGB design within the confines of a compact micro ATX chassis. 

At the front of the case, you’ll find a single USB Type-C port, alongside a Type-A USB 3.1 and two 3.5mm headphone and microphone ports. The PC’s back panel contains all the basic ports you can expect from your average gaming computer: four 3.0 USB Type-As, two 3.1 USB Type-As, and three analog audio ports. The back of the Nvidia RTX 30-series GPU allows gamers to connect their favorite display through either HDMI or DisplayPort.

In terms of software, the PC comes with a pre-installed version of Acer’s PredatorSense, which gamers can use to monitor internal temperatures, control the cooling fans and configure the RGB lighting system. It should be noted that on full blast, the PC’s cooling fans are extremely loud almost to the point of being distracting, even when using headphones on near-full volume. 

In terms of hardware and affordability, the Acer Predator Orion 3000’s closest competitor would likely be the latest HP Omen product range, which can typically be found on offer for a similar price. However, it should be noted that in terms of design, the Predator Orion 3000 is the likely winner in the match-up. 

The HP Omen comes equipped with a full ATX case, which – despite its slight upgradability advantage – will wind up taking up much more desk space. Another key aspect within the match-up is that the HP Omen series often receives criticism for its uninspiring design – something the Predator Orion 3000 excels at with its sleek appearance.

  • Design: 4/5

Acer Predator Orion 3000 desktop gaming PC shown from the rear. A Snorlax Pokemon plushie sits next to it.

(Image credit: Future)

Acer Predator Orion 3000: Performance

  • Great gaming performance
  • Decent CPU benchmarking results
  • Minimal SSD storage on cheapest configurations
Benchmarks

 Here is how the Acer Predator Orion 3000 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

3DMark: Night Raid: 50,215; Fire Strike: 22,948; Time Spy: 10,381
Cinebench R23 multi-core: 11,164 points
GeekBench 5: 1,436 (single-core); 7,537 (multi-core)
PCMark 10 (Modern Office): 7,160 points
Total War: Warhammer III (1080p, Ultra): 78 fps; (1080p, Low): 246 fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Ultra): 76 fps; (1080p, Low): 115 fps
Dirt 5 (1080p, Ultra): 98 fps; (1080p, Low): 219 fps 

Although the Acer Predator Orion 3000 can be considered an affordable option, this certainly doesn’t mean that it compromises on gaming performance as much as you would expect from a budget PC. Thanks to the inclusion of an Nvidia 30-series graphics card, the Predator Orion 3000 is capable of coasting through even the most graphically intensive games such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Total War: Warhammer III, consistently hitting over 70 fps on both titles on Ultra settings. 

The Acer Predator Orion 3000’s performance in our usual benchmarking tests exceeded expectations too. For example, our review unit’s duo of Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti and Intel Core i5 processor achieved 7,160 points in the PCMark 10 test. This meant that the Predator Orion 3000’s hardware scored higher than 93% of other PCs and placed higher than the average premium gaming PC from two years ago. 

Overall, given the wide range of configurations available for purchase, the Acer Predator Orion 3000 line-up is perfectly capable of catering to most players looking to break into the world of PC gaming. Despite its lack of DDR5 RAM across the series and its base models including just 256GB of SSD storage, both are arguably minor shortcomings and can be easily overlooked considering the product’s reasonable price. 

Although those on the lookout for more premium hardware would likely benefit from exploring other options, this gaming computer is a solid choice for those looking to balance a decent gaming performance with a more than palatable price range. 

  • Performance: 4/5

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider...

First reviewed July 2022.

How We Test

We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.

Read more about how we test

Acer Predator Orion 3000 (2022)
2:05 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming PCs | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

Editor's Note

• Original review date: July 2022
• New model is out with updated components
• Launch price: $1,449 / £1,099
• Official price now: $1,449 / £1,099 (with new components)

Update: February 2024. We originally reviewed this model of the Acer Predator Orion 3000 almost two years ago, and we were so impressed that it went straight to the top of our best budget gaming PCs guide. Now in 2024, it is still in that list, but it has slipped down a few places, thanks to some more modern gaming PCs coming out. However, it remains a great budget buy, especially if you're looking for a compact gaming PC to play on. If you can find the model we reviewed here with the same components, you should be able to get it for a very good price as well. If you like the look of this machine but want more modern components, the good news is that Acer has released new models with 13th generation Intel processors, giving you a bit more future-proofing while keeping the same affordable price.

Acer Predator Orion 3000: One-Minute Review

The Acer Predator Orion 3000 desktop PC presents newer players with one of the best and most affordable opportunities to make their mark in the PC gaming scene. After all, there’s a reason why it sits comfortably at the top of TechRadar’s list of the best budget gaming PCs. 

Acer’s latest Predator Orion 3000 line-up offers gamers the ability to choose from several mid-tier configurations that now include a 12th Gen Intel processor, an Nvidia RTX 30-series graphics card, and up to 64GB of DDR4 RAM, all packed neatly into a compact micro ATX case. 

Understandably, this PC series makes a few compromises in terms of its components that can only be described as cost-saving measures. For example, although the Orion 3000 features both HDD and SSD storage, the most basic configurations tend to include just 256GB of the latter. Similarly, the Predator Orion 3000 series also features DDR4 RAM as opposed to the newer industry standard of DDR5. 

Still, minor shortcomings aside, the hardware featured as part of the Acer Predator Orion 3000 series lends itself well to the average gamer. Plus, the PC is relatively easy to upgrade, should the need or desire to do so ever arise. 

Acer Predator Orion 3000 desktop gaming PC on a desk with RGB lighting turned on.

(Image credit: Future)

Acer Predator Orion 3000: Price and Availability

  • Starting at $1,449 / £1,099
  • Available now from the Acer store and third-party retailers
  • You can buy it in the US, UK and worldwide
Spec Sheet

Here is the Acer Predator Orion 3000 configuration sent to TechRadar for review:

CPU: 12th Gen Intel Core i5-12400F (2.50 GHz)
Graphics: Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti 
RAM: 16GB DDR4
Storage: 256GB M.2 SSD + 1TB HDD
Optical drive: N/A
Ports front: 1 x USB-A 3.1, 1 x USB-C, 1 x headphone jack and 1 x microphone jack
Ports back: 2 x USB-A 3.1, 4 x USB-A 3.0, 3 x analog audio jacks, 3 x DisplayPort, 1 x HDMI, Ethernet
Operating system: Windows 11 Home
Connectivity: Intel Killer E2600 Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.0
Weight: 21 pounds (9.5 kg)
Size: 15.4 x 15.2 x 6.9 inches (392 x 386 x 175 mm) 

The Acer Predator Orion 3000 gaming PC series can be found on sale in the US, UK, and worldwide, with a range of slightly varying configurations available depending on each gamer’s individual needs. 

The latest iteration of the Orion 3000 series features the new Intel Alder Lake chipsets. The starting configuration is priced at $1,449 / £1,199 and includes a 12th Gen Intel Core i5 CPU, an Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU and 16GB of RAM, as well as 256GB of SSD and 1TB of HDD storage. Pricier variations allow users to opt for either an Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti or 3070 for the GPU and a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor for the CPU. 

The configuration that TechRadar reviewed is a slightly more powerful model available in the UK for £1,299 (approximately $1,600 in the US). The Predator Orion 3000 arguably presents one of the best values for money especially when you take into account its decent gaming performance and esports-ready hardware. It could be even better value if any currently available Acer promo codes bring the price down more.

  • Price and Availability: 5/5

Acer Predator Orion 3000 desktop gaming PC shown side-on on a desk with RGB lighting turned on.

(Image credit: Future)

Acer Predator Orion 3000: Design

  • Neat, compact design
  • Configurable RGB lighting
  • Loud cooling fans

The Acer Predator Orion 3000 features the classic gaming black-and-RGB design within the confines of a compact micro ATX chassis. 

At the front of the case, you’ll find a single USB Type-C port, alongside a Type-A USB 3.1 and two 3.5mm headphone and microphone ports. The PC’s back panel contains all the basic ports you can expect from your average gaming computer: four 3.0 USB Type-As, two 3.1 USB Type-As, and three analog audio ports. The back of the Nvidia RTX 30-series GPU allows gamers to connect their favorite display through either HDMI or DisplayPort.

In terms of software, the PC comes with a pre-installed version of Acer’s PredatorSense, which gamers can use to monitor internal temperatures, control the cooling fans and configure the RGB lighting system. It should be noted that on full blast, the PC’s cooling fans are extremely loud almost to the point of being distracting, even when using headphones on near-full volume. 

In terms of hardware and affordability, the Acer Predator Orion 3000’s closest competitor would likely be the latest HP Omen product range, which can typically be found on offer for a similar price. However, it should be noted that in terms of design, the Predator Orion 3000 is the likely winner in the match-up. 

The HP Omen comes equipped with a full ATX case, which – despite its slight upgradability advantage – will wind up taking up much more desk space. Another key aspect within the match-up is that the HP Omen series often receives criticism for its uninspiring design – something the Predator Orion 3000 excels at with its sleek appearance.

  • Design: 4/5

Acer Predator Orion 3000 desktop gaming PC shown from the rear. A Snorlax Pokemon plushie sits next to it.

(Image credit: Future)

Acer Predator Orion 3000: Performance

  • Great gaming performance
  • Decent CPU benchmarking results
  • Minimal SSD storage on cheapest configurations
Benchmarks

 Here is how the Acer Predator Orion 3000 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

3DMark: Night Raid: 50,215; Fire Strike: 22,948; Time Spy: 10,381
Cinebench R23 multi-core: 11,164 points
GeekBench 5: 1,436 (single-core); 7,537 (multi-core)
PCMark 10 (Modern Office): 7,160 points
Total War: Warhammer III (1080p, Ultra): 78 fps; (1080p, Low): 246 fps
Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Ultra): 76 fps; (1080p, Low): 115 fps
Dirt 5 (1080p, Ultra): 98 fps; (1080p, Low): 219 fps 

Although the Acer Predator Orion 3000 can be considered an affordable option, this certainly doesn’t mean that it compromises on gaming performance as much as you would expect from a budget PC. Thanks to the inclusion of an Nvidia 30-series graphics card, the Predator Orion 3000 is capable of coasting through even the most graphically intensive games such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Total War: Warhammer III, consistently hitting over 70 fps on both titles on Ultra settings. 

The Acer Predator Orion 3000’s performance in our usual benchmarking tests exceeded expectations too. For example, our review unit’s duo of Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti and Intel Core i5 processor achieved 7,160 points in the PCMark 10 test. This meant that the Predator Orion 3000’s hardware scored higher than 93% of other PCs and placed higher than the average premium gaming PC from two years ago. 

Overall, given the wide range of configurations available for purchase, the Acer Predator Orion 3000 line-up is perfectly capable of catering to most players looking to break into the world of PC gaming. Despite its lack of DDR5 RAM across the series and its base models including just 256GB of SSD storage, both are arguably minor shortcomings and can be easily overlooked considering the product’s reasonable price. 

Although those on the lookout for more premium hardware would likely benefit from exploring other options, this gaming computer is a solid choice for those looking to balance a decent gaming performance with a more than palatable price range. 

  • Performance: 4/5

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider...

First reviewed July 2022.

How We Test

We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.

Read more about how we test

Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) review
4:00 pm | July 14, 2022
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Two-minute review

Spec Sheet

Here is the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) configuration sent to TechRadar for review:

CPU: Apple M2 (8-core)
Graphics: Integrated 10-core GPU
RAM: 16GB Unified LPDDR5
Screen: 13.6-inch, 2,560 x 1,664 Liquid Retina display (backlit LED, IPS, 500 nits brightness, wide color P3 gamut)
Storage: 1TB SSD
Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C), 3.5mm headphone jack, MagSafe 3 charging port
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
Camera: 1080p FaceTime HD webcam
Weight: 2.7 pounds (1.24kg)
Size: 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches (30.41 x 21.5 x 1.13cm; W x D x H)

While writing this MacBook Air (M2, 2022) review, I was struck by a thought: what if Apple had actually originally planned for this to have been a redesigned MacBook Pro 13-inch with an M2 chip?

It sort of makes sense, as the new MacBook Air has a larger screen, better speakers and a 1080p webcam, compared to the MacBook Pro 13-inch (M2, 2022) that we actually got.

The M2 chip in both laptops offer very similar performance, and unlike what many people had hoped for, the new MacBook Air doesn’t come in a range of pastel colors, like the 24-inch iMac, but instead a limited amount of rather professional-looking hues. 

Finally, the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) launched with a much higher price tag of $1,199 (£1,249 / AU$1,899), which is a price we’d expect with a MacBook Pro, rather than the entry-level MacBook Air.

However, at WWDC 2023, Apple announced the new 15-inch MacBook Air with the Apple M2 while simultaneously cutting the price of the MacBook Air by $100, bringing the price to $1,099 (£1,149) and making it much better value.

Screenshot from WWDC 2023 livestream showing MacBook Air pricing.

(Image credit: Apple)

Having a redesigned MacBook Pro, alongside a MacBook Air with the same old design (but new M2 chip and cheaper price), would have made a lot of sense – but Apple did the opposite.

So, we have a redesigned MacBook Air that’s now more expensive, and a MacBook Pro 13-inch with the same old design. I can’t help but think this was a bit of a missed opportunity.

That’s because the Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) has big shoes to fill. Its predecessor, the MacBook Air (M1, 2020), has been our pick as the best laptop you can buy since its launch two years ago.

Does the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) finally knock its predecessor from the top? There’s plenty going for it, including a new eye-catching design that increases the screen size while making the entire laptop smaller and lighter, while also upping the webcam resolution to 1080p, as well as some other goodies. 

Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) on a white desk in a studio

(Image credit: Future)

The new look follows Apple’s reinvention of many of its other iconic products, including the iMac 24-inch and MacBook Pro 16-inch. In fact, the only MacBook to not get a redesign now is the new MacBook Pro 13-inch (M2, 2022), as mentioned earlier, which despite having the same new M2 chip, keeps its old look, and therefore feels like a bit of an afterthought.

Not so the new MacBook Air (M2, 2022), however. Along with a new look, it also gets the aforementioned M2 chip. This is the follow-up to the impressive M1 found in the previous MacBook Air. After ditching Intel, Apple now creates its own processor and graphics to power its Macs and MacBooks, and the results have already been spectacular, with excellent performance and industry-leading battery life.

As we saw with the new MacBook Pro 13-inch, the M2 chip continues this, with boosted performance and once again long battery life. The good news for the MacBook Air is that it gets the same M2 chip as the more expensive MacBook Pro 13-inch, which allows it to offer almost identical performance.

Throw in the new design (which offers a larger and brighter screen than the MacBook Pro 13-inch) and lower price tag, and there’s a strong case to make for the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) making the 13-inch MacBook Pro obsolete.

It’s not all good news, however, as the new MacBook Air launched with a higher price tag. Starting at $1,199 (£1,249), this is a large increase over the MacBook Air (M1, 2020), which launched at $999 / £999. This, sadly, means that it lacks the pure value for money that the M1 MacBook Air offered. It seems Apple is aware of that, as unlike other models, which get discontinued once a new version is out, Apple will continue to sell the older MacBook Air, marketing it at people who want a more affordable MacBook.

It means that the new MacBook Air isn’t such an easy recommendation as the older model, as that’s a high price tag for pretty much anybody.

So, while we’d recommend anyone who was thinking of buying the MacBook Pro 13-inch to actually get the MacBook Air (M2, 2022), we can’t recommend it to everyone, which is what we did with the previous MacBook Air. That’s a bit of a shame.

MacBook Air (M2, 2022) review: Price and availability

  • Launched at $1,199 / £1,249 / AU$1,899
  • More expensive than previous model
  • Now $100 less

The new MacBook Air was announced at Apple’s WWDC 2022 developer conference. While the MacBook Pro 13-inch (M2, 2022) was the first M2-powered Mac to come out, we’ve had to wait until July to get a solid launch date for the new MacBook Air, possibly due to Apple’s uncertainty about component and material availability. The new MacBook Air (M2, 2022) eventually went on sale on July 8 for order, with deliveries starting on July 15.

However, we expect this to be a very popular product, and with current stock issues, delivery dates may be delayed, though hopefully not by too much.

This MacBook Air starts at $1,199 (£1,249/AU$1,899). The M1-based Air will continue to be available for $999, though education users can grab one for a little less at $899.

Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) on a white desk in a studio

(Image credit: Future)

This leap in price is understandable, but it means it feels like poorer value than the older MacBook Air, which is a shame, as one of the best things about the 2020 MacBook Air was its low price and excellent performance.

The base model of the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) comes with an 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 8GB of memory and 256GB SSD storage.

Meanwhile, the new M2 MacBook Pro 13-inch starts at $1,299 / £1,299 / AU$1,999, which puts Apple in an odd place, as it now means the price of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 13-inch aren’t that different.

While both base models come with the new M2 chip, the cheapest MacBook Air comes with an 8-core GPU, while the MacBook Pro 13-inch’s base model comes with an M2 chip with a 10-core GPU, which means the more expensive MacBook has the edge when it comes to graphical performance, but the MacBook Air isn’t that far off, as we discuss later.

However, at WWDC 2023, Apple announced that it is knocking $100 off the MacBook Air (M2, 2022). This means this laptop is now a lot better value, and isn't quite as expensive at the M1 MacBook Air.

  • Price score: 3.5/5

MacBook Air (M2, 2022) review: Design

  • Brand-new design
  • Bigger screen, lighter body
  • New color choices

One of the most radical design overhauls we’ve seen Apple make to an iconic product has reinvigorated the new MacBook Air, and, while you may mourn the loss of the Air's iconic wedge, it looks far more modern and elegant than previous models.

As the name suggests, the MacBook Air is the thinnest and lightest MacBook Apple produces, and with the new MacBook Air 2022 model, Apple has made further improvements, shrinking the overall size and weight of the unibody design, while actually increasing the screen size.

The company's engineers have managed this in part by slimming down the bezels that surround the screen by as much as 30% on the top and bottom, while it’s 20% thinner on the sides. The chunky borders of previous MacBook Air screens were beginning to look rather outdated, especially when compared to high-end Windows rivals like the Dell XPS 13, so the thin bezels in the new model make this MacBook Air look much more contemporary.

Close up of Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) webcam and notch

(Image credit: Future)

The MacBook Air's webcam has been upped to 1080p, to match those found in the MacBook Pros from late 2021, and this boost in resolution (alongside improved image and low-light handling with the new M2 chip), will be welcome for anyone who relies on video conferencing or making video calls to friends and family. And in this age of hybrid working, that’s most of us.

Less welcome will be the news that the combination of a bigger webcam and thinner bezels means there’s a visible "notch" that surrounds the webcam and drops down into the menu bar. This is the same as the notch found in the MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) and MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021), and when it debuted with those MacBooks, it proved divisive.

We didn't mind the notch on those other systems, as Apple expanded the screen upwards, actually giving you more screen real estate, which made the trade-off worth it.

The same is true with the MacBook Air (M2, 2022), which comes with a 13.6-inch screen, compared with the 13.3-inch of the previous model. The resolution has also been upped from 2,560 x 1,600 to 2,560 x 1,664. This means the larger screen doesn't lose sharpness, and once again we think the trade-off with the notch for a larger screen is the right way to go, and you’ll hardly notice it’s there, while still benefiting from the extra screen space and better webcam.

The new Liquid Retina screen is also brighter by 100nits, so it's now 500nits, and also now supports one billion colors. There's no ProMotion support, however. Despite that, it means that we have a remarkable situation where the cheaper MacBook Air (M2, 2022) comes with a larger and brighter screen compared to the new MacBook Pro 13-inch. For people relying on visual quality, especially photographers, the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) looks a much better buy.

Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) on a white desk in a studio

(Image credit: Future)

Another big design change is, as we noted earlier, that the MacBook Air is no longer a "wedge" shape with a thinner front and thicker back. Instead, it's uniform, bringing it into alignment with virtually every other portable design Apple now produces. It also avoids the awkward issue where the previous MacBook Air was actually a little thicker than the MacBook Pro at one end. Now, there’s no doubt that this is by far the thinnest MacBook you can buy.

There's also new colors. People hoping for vibrant, pastel-like colors like the iMac 24-inch will be disappointed by the relatively low-key Space Gray, Silver, Starlight, and Midnight Blue colors. They do, though, look very good in person. We saw all of them at Apple's WWDC event, and our favorite by far was Midnight Blue, which is the color of the review unit Apple sent to us, and it looks just as gorgeous as we remember. Each color comes with matching power cables - a supremely Apple touch.

Outside of the different shades available, the laptop features MagSafe (yes, it's back) charging as well as two Thunderbolt ports and even a 3.5mm headphone jack, which will be welcome for people who use non-Bluetooth headphones and headsets. The MacBook Air (M2) is also as slim and lightweight as we hoped for: just 11mm thick and weighing in at 2.7 pounds.

The standard base model MacBook Air ships with a 30W charger, but you can opt to upgrade this to a 67W adapter for $59, which can get you to 80% battery capacity in just 20 minutes, and comes with two ports, so you can also charge up your iPhone, iPad or other devices at the same time, though this does impact charging times slightly, as the 67W is split between devices.

Overall, the redesign is, in our view, a triumph. It’s made the MacBook Air feel more modern, increasing the screen size and quality, and making it thinner and lighter. It’s pretty much everything you’d want from a visual overhaul, and while anyone hoping for vibrant, multi-colored, pastel shades will be disappointed, the new colors are nevertheless stylish and attractive.

  • Design score: 5/5

MacBook Air (M2, 2022) review: Performance

  • Excellent performance
  • On par with MacBook Pro 13-inch (M2, 2022)
Benchmarks

Here’s how the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

Cinebench R23 CPU: Single-Core: 1,597; Multi-core: 8,098
Geekbench 5 Single-Core: 1,936; Multi-Core: 8,917
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 16 hours and 6 minutes

The new MacBook Air (M2, 2022) comes with the M2 System on Chip (SoC), Apple’s second-generation, 5-nanometer chip that the company claims will offer an 18% faster CPU, 35% faster GPU (now 10 cores), and a 40% faster neural engine than its predecessor. It’s worth noting that the base system of the MacBook Air ships with an 8-core GPU, but you can upgrade to a 10-core GPU.

Meanwhile, the MacBook Pro 13-inch base model comes with an M2 chip and 10-core GPU as standard for not much more.

During our time with the MacBook Air, the laptop performed incredibly well. The pre-installed macOS Monterey boots quickly and runs well, while also looking fantastic on the new screen. As usual, we used the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) for day-to-day use. 

Browsing the web in both Safari and Chrome was fast and responsive, even with multiple tabs open (the model we have on test comes with 16GB of unified memory, which certainly helps here), and typing up documents on the slightly redesigned keyboard (which is slightly narrower due to the redesign, but keeps the same Magic Keyboard switches) feels nice and comfortable.

Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) on a white desk in a studio

(Image credit: Future)

Since the launch of the M1 chip, and increasing number of applications have released M1-compatible apps, which also work with the M2, and that means your favorite apps should run brilliantly, and take advantage of the M2’s capabilities. Not just Apple apps, either, but applications from the likes of Adobe and Microsoft have M1 and M2-native versions.

For those that don’t, Apple’s Rosetta 2 tool once again helps here, allowing you to run apps made for Intel-based Macs almost as if they were designed for M2, with minimum impact to performance.

We also played around with Garage Band (Apple’s music-making software that comes pre-installed) and edited 4K home movies in iMovie, and again, the improved performance of the M2 chip kept everything running extremely well. We’d even go so far as to say that we didn’t notice any perceptible difference to the M2 MacBook Pro when using it for similar tasks.

One difference Apple likes to point out is that the MacBook Air has a fanless design, while the MacBook Pro 13-inch uses fans to keep its components cool. This should mean that the MacBook Pro 13-inch is better at sustained performance – it can work at full pelt for longer without overheating.

In practice, it means the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) is thin and light, and also completely silent when in use. However, we found that the MacBook Pro 13-inch’s fans rarely – if ever – kicked in, which suggests that it’ll only make a difference for seriously heavy workloads (think Logic Pro projects with hundreds of tracks, or 8K video editing in Premiere Pro), and you wouldn’t really buy the MacBook Air – or the MacBook Pro 13-inch for that matter – for those kind of demands. You’d be better off getting the more powerful MacBook Pro 14-inch or 16-inch.

Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) on a white desk in a studio

(Image credit: Future)

Our benchmark tests again showed how similar the new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 13-inch are when it comes to performance. Single-core performance in both Cinebench and Geekbench were almost identical for the two devices, which makes sense as they both use the same 8-core M2 processor. 

Multi-core performance was also very similar in Geekbench, but in Cinebench, the 13-inch MacBook Pro had a slight edge. So, you may get a bit better performance when multitasking with the Pro, especially if some of those tasks are graphics-based, but otherwise performance is so similar, it’s hard to recommend the Pro over the MacBook Air, considering the Air has a new design, bigger screen and is cheaper.

So, we’re in a very odd situation. It looks like the MacBook Pro 13-inch wasn’t killed off by a competitor like Dell or HP… but by Apple’s own MacBook Air.

  • Performance score: 4.5/5

MacBook Air (M2, 2022) review: Battery life

  • Lasts over 16 hours
  • Charges very quickly

We had high hopes for the MacBook Air’s battery life, as the M1 chip was an extremely efficient chip that offered both high performance and long battery life, and Apple has promised the same with the M2 chip.

Our hopes weren’t dashed, with our battery life benchmark, where we run a 1080p looped video until the battery dies, lasting a huge 16 hours, which is seriously impressive, and far outstrips Windows-based laptops of around the same price tag.

It actually lasted 30 minutes longer than the MacBook Pro 13-inch, which is surprising, as the Pro has a larger battery. The Touch Bar of the Pro, and a less energy-efficient screen, may explain the faster battery drain on the Pro.

It’s also a substantial increase over the M1 MacBook Air from two years ago, which managed 11 hours in the same test.

This means you can easily use the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) throughout an entire work day, or on a long flight, and still have battery life left, which is seriously impressive stuff. We found that we were able to work easily without needing to think about where to plug the MacBook Air in to top up the battery, which gives you so much more freedom when using this laptop.

We had the more powerful charger, and it did indeed fill up the battery quickly when we did need a charge. The MagSafe port is also great, allowing you to easily plug the charger in quickly, thanks to the magnetic connection, and if it accidentally gets pulled out (which actually happened to us while we were reviewing), it disconnects easily without any danger of damaging the port.

You can also charge the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) via the USB-C port, which is handy if you need to borrow a charger when you’re out and about.

  • Battery life score: 5/5

Should you buy the MacBook Air (M2, 2022)?

Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) on a white desk in a studio

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if…

 Don’t buy it if…

First reviewed July 2022

Also consider...

If our Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) review has you considering other options, here are three more laptops to consider...  

Testing scorecard

How we test

We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.

Read more about how we test

Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) review
4:00 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Two-minute review

Spec Sheet

Here is the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) configuration sent to TechRadar for review:

CPU: Apple M2 (8-core)
Graphics: Integrated 10-core GPU
RAM: 16GB Unified LPDDR5
Screen: 13.6-inch, 2,560 x 1,664 Liquid Retina display (backlit LED, IPS, 500 nits brightness, wide color P3 gamut)
Storage: 1TB SSD
Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C), 3.5mm headphone jack, MagSafe 3 charging port
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
Camera: 1080p FaceTime HD webcam
Weight: 2.7 pounds (1.24kg)
Size: 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches (30.41 x 21.5 x 1.13cm; W x D x H)

While writing this MacBook Air (M2, 2022) review, I was struck by a thought: what if Apple had actually originally planned for this to have been a redesigned MacBook Pro 13-inch with an M2 chip?

It sort of makes sense, as the new MacBook Air has a larger screen, better speakers and a 1080p webcam, compared to the MacBook Pro 13-inch (M2, 2022) that we actually got.

The M2 chip in both laptops offer very similar performance, and unlike what many people had hoped for, the new MacBook Air doesn’t come in a range of pastel colors, like the 24-inch iMac, but instead a limited amount of rather professional-looking hues. 

Finally, the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) launched with a much higher price tag of $1,199 (£1,249 / AU$1,899), which is a price we’d expect with a MacBook Pro, rather than the entry-level MacBook Air.

However, at WWDC 2023, Apple announced the new 15-inch MacBook Air with the Apple M2 while simultaneously cutting the price of the MacBook Air by $100, bringing the price to $1,099 (£1,149) and making it much better value.

Screenshot from WWDC 2023 livestream showing MacBook Air pricing.

(Image credit: Apple)

Having a redesigned MacBook Pro, alongside a MacBook Air with the same old design (but new M2 chip and cheaper price), would have made a lot of sense – but Apple did the opposite.

So, we have a redesigned MacBook Air that’s now more expensive, and a MacBook Pro 13-inch with the same old design. I can’t help but think this was a bit of a missed opportunity.

That’s because the Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) has big shoes to fill. Its predecessor, the MacBook Air (M1, 2020), has been our pick as the best laptop you can buy since its launch two years ago.

Does the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) finally knock its predecessor from the top? There’s plenty going for it, including a new eye-catching design that increases the screen size while making the entire laptop smaller and lighter, while also upping the webcam resolution to 1080p, as well as some other goodies. 

Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) on a white desk in a studio

(Image credit: Future)

The new look follows Apple’s reinvention of many of its other iconic products, including the iMac 24-inch and MacBook Pro 16-inch. In fact, the only MacBook to not get a redesign now is the new MacBook Pro 13-inch (M2, 2022), as mentioned earlier, which despite having the same new M2 chip, keeps its old look, and therefore feels like a bit of an afterthought.

Not so the new MacBook Air (M2, 2022), however. Along with a new look, it also gets the aforementioned M2 chip. This is the follow-up to the impressive M1 found in the previous MacBook Air. After ditching Intel, Apple now creates its own processor and graphics to power its Macs and MacBooks, and the results have already been spectacular, with excellent performance and industry-leading battery life.

As we saw with the new MacBook Pro 13-inch, the M2 chip continues this, with boosted performance and once again long battery life. The good news for the MacBook Air is that it gets the same M2 chip as the more expensive MacBook Pro 13-inch, which allows it to offer almost identical performance.

Throw in the new design (which offers a larger and brighter screen than the MacBook Pro 13-inch) and lower price tag, and there’s a strong case to make for the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) making the 13-inch MacBook Pro obsolete.

It’s not all good news, however, as the new MacBook Air launched with a higher price tag. Starting at $1,199 (£1,249), this is a large increase over the MacBook Air (M1, 2020), which launched at $999 / £999. This, sadly, means that it lacks the pure value for money that the M1 MacBook Air offered. It seems Apple is aware of that, as unlike other models, which get discontinued once a new version is out, Apple will continue to sell the older MacBook Air, marketing it at people who want a more affordable MacBook.

It means that the new MacBook Air isn’t such an easy recommendation as the older model, as that’s a high price tag for pretty much anybody.

So, while we’d recommend anyone who was thinking of buying the MacBook Pro 13-inch to actually get the MacBook Air (M2, 2022), we can’t recommend it to everyone, which is what we did with the previous MacBook Air. That’s a bit of a shame.

MacBook Air (M2, 2022) review: Price and availability

  • Launched at $1,199 / £1,249 / AU$1,899
  • More expensive than previous model
  • Now $100 less

The new MacBook Air was announced at Apple’s WWDC 2022 developer conference. While the MacBook Pro 13-inch (M2, 2022) was the first M2-powered Mac to come out, we’ve had to wait until July to get a solid launch date for the new MacBook Air, possibly due to Apple’s uncertainty about component and material availability. The new MacBook Air (M2, 2022) eventually went on sale on July 8 for order, with deliveries starting on July 15.

However, we expect this to be a very popular product, and with current stock issues, delivery dates may be delayed, though hopefully not by too much.

This MacBook Air starts at $1,199 (£1,249/AU$1,899). The M1-based Air will continue to be available for $999, though education users can grab one for a little less at $899.

Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) on a white desk in a studio

(Image credit: Future)

This leap in price is understandable, but it means it feels like poorer value than the older MacBook Air, which is a shame, as one of the best things about the 2020 MacBook Air was its low price and excellent performance.

The base model of the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) comes with an 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 8GB of memory and 256GB SSD storage.

Meanwhile, the new M2 MacBook Pro 13-inch starts at $1,299 / £1,299 / AU$1,999, which puts Apple in an odd place, as it now means the price of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 13-inch aren’t that different.

While both base models come with the new M2 chip, the cheapest MacBook Air comes with an 8-core GPU, while the MacBook Pro 13-inch’s base model comes with an M2 chip with a 10-core GPU, which means the more expensive MacBook has the edge when it comes to graphical performance, but the MacBook Air isn’t that far off, as we discuss later.

However, at WWDC 2023, Apple announced that it is knocking $100 off the MacBook Air (M2, 2022). This means this laptop is now a lot better value, and isn't quite as expensive at the M1 MacBook Air.

  • Price score: 3.5/5

MacBook Air (M2, 2022) review: Design

  • Brand-new design
  • Bigger screen, lighter body
  • New color choices

One of the most radical design overhauls we’ve seen Apple make to an iconic product has reinvigorated the new MacBook Air, and, while you may mourn the loss of the Air's iconic wedge, it looks far more modern and elegant than previous models.

As the name suggests, the MacBook Air is the thinnest and lightest MacBook Apple produces, and with the new MacBook Air 2022 model, Apple has made further improvements, shrinking the overall size and weight of the unibody design, while actually increasing the screen size.

The company's engineers have managed this in part by slimming down the bezels that surround the screen by as much as 30% on the top and bottom, while it’s 20% thinner on the sides. The chunky borders of previous MacBook Air screens were beginning to look rather outdated, especially when compared to high-end Windows rivals like the Dell XPS 13, so the thin bezels in the new model make this MacBook Air look much more contemporary.

Close up of Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) webcam and notch

(Image credit: Future)

The MacBook Air's webcam has been upped to 1080p, to match those found in the MacBook Pros from late 2021, and this boost in resolution (alongside improved image and low-light handling with the new M2 chip), will be welcome for anyone who relies on video conferencing or making video calls to friends and family. And in this age of hybrid working, that’s most of us.

Less welcome will be the news that the combination of a bigger webcam and thinner bezels means there’s a visible "notch" that surrounds the webcam and drops down into the menu bar. This is the same as the notch found in the MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) and MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021), and when it debuted with those MacBooks, it proved divisive.

We didn't mind the notch on those other systems, as Apple expanded the screen upwards, actually giving you more screen real estate, which made the trade-off worth it.

The same is true with the MacBook Air (M2, 2022), which comes with a 13.6-inch screen, compared with the 13.3-inch of the previous model. The resolution has also been upped from 2,560 x 1,600 to 2,560 x 1,664. This means the larger screen doesn't lose sharpness, and once again we think the trade-off with the notch for a larger screen is the right way to go, and you’ll hardly notice it’s there, while still benefiting from the extra screen space and better webcam.

The new Liquid Retina screen is also brighter by 100nits, so it's now 500nits, and also now supports one billion colors. There's no ProMotion support, however. Despite that, it means that we have a remarkable situation where the cheaper MacBook Air (M2, 2022) comes with a larger and brighter screen compared to the new MacBook Pro 13-inch. For people relying on visual quality, especially photographers, the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) looks a much better buy.

Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) on a white desk in a studio

(Image credit: Future)

Another big design change is, as we noted earlier, that the MacBook Air is no longer a "wedge" shape with a thinner front and thicker back. Instead, it's uniform, bringing it into alignment with virtually every other portable design Apple now produces. It also avoids the awkward issue where the previous MacBook Air was actually a little thicker than the MacBook Pro at one end. Now, there’s no doubt that this is by far the thinnest MacBook you can buy.

There's also new colors. People hoping for vibrant, pastel-like colors like the iMac 24-inch will be disappointed by the relatively low-key Space Gray, Silver, Starlight, and Midnight Blue colors. They do, though, look very good in person. We saw all of them at Apple's WWDC event, and our favorite by far was Midnight Blue, which is the color of the review unit Apple sent to us, and it looks just as gorgeous as we remember. Each color comes with matching power cables - a supremely Apple touch.

Outside of the different shades available, the laptop features MagSafe (yes, it's back) charging as well as two Thunderbolt ports and even a 3.5mm headphone jack, which will be welcome for people who use non-Bluetooth headphones and headsets. The MacBook Air (M2) is also as slim and lightweight as we hoped for: just 11mm thick and weighing in at 2.7 pounds.

The standard base model MacBook Air ships with a 30W charger, but you can opt to upgrade this to a 67W adapter for $59, which can get you to 80% battery capacity in just 20 minutes, and comes with two ports, so you can also charge up your iPhone, iPad or other devices at the same time, though this does impact charging times slightly, as the 67W is split between devices.

Overall, the redesign is, in our view, a triumph. It’s made the MacBook Air feel more modern, increasing the screen size and quality, and making it thinner and lighter. It’s pretty much everything you’d want from a visual overhaul, and while anyone hoping for vibrant, multi-colored, pastel shades will be disappointed, the new colors are nevertheless stylish and attractive.

  • Design score: 5/5

MacBook Air (M2, 2022) review: Performance

  • Excellent performance
  • On par with MacBook Pro 13-inch (M2, 2022)
Benchmarks

Here’s how the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

Cinebench R23 CPU: Single-Core: 1,597; Multi-core: 8,098
Geekbench 5 Single-Core: 1,936; Multi-Core: 8,917
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 16 hours and 6 minutes

The new MacBook Air (M2, 2022) comes with the M2 System on Chip (SoC), Apple’s second-generation, 5-nanometer chip that the company claims will offer an 18% faster CPU, 35% faster GPU (now 10 cores), and a 40% faster neural engine than its predecessor. It’s worth noting that the base system of the MacBook Air ships with an 8-core GPU, but you can upgrade to a 10-core GPU.

Meanwhile, the MacBook Pro 13-inch base model comes with an M2 chip and 10-core GPU as standard for not much more.

During our time with the MacBook Air, the laptop performed incredibly well. The pre-installed macOS Monterey boots quickly and runs well, while also looking fantastic on the new screen. As usual, we used the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) for day-to-day use. 

Browsing the web in both Safari and Chrome was fast and responsive, even with multiple tabs open (the model we have on test comes with 16GB of unified memory, which certainly helps here), and typing up documents on the slightly redesigned keyboard (which is slightly narrower due to the redesign, but keeps the same Magic Keyboard switches) feels nice and comfortable.

Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) on a white desk in a studio

(Image credit: Future)

Since the launch of the M1 chip, and increasing number of applications have released M1-compatible apps, which also work with the M2, and that means your favorite apps should run brilliantly, and take advantage of the M2’s capabilities. Not just Apple apps, either, but applications from the likes of Adobe and Microsoft have M1 and M2-native versions.

For those that don’t, Apple’s Rosetta 2 tool once again helps here, allowing you to run apps made for Intel-based Macs almost as if they were designed for M2, with minimum impact to performance.

We also played around with Garage Band (Apple’s music-making software that comes pre-installed) and edited 4K home movies in iMovie, and again, the improved performance of the M2 chip kept everything running extremely well. We’d even go so far as to say that we didn’t notice any perceptible difference to the M2 MacBook Pro when using it for similar tasks.

One difference Apple likes to point out is that the MacBook Air has a fanless design, while the MacBook Pro 13-inch uses fans to keep its components cool. This should mean that the MacBook Pro 13-inch is better at sustained performance – it can work at full pelt for longer without overheating.

In practice, it means the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) is thin and light, and also completely silent when in use. However, we found that the MacBook Pro 13-inch’s fans rarely – if ever – kicked in, which suggests that it’ll only make a difference for seriously heavy workloads (think Logic Pro projects with hundreds of tracks, or 8K video editing in Premiere Pro), and you wouldn’t really buy the MacBook Air – or the MacBook Pro 13-inch for that matter – for those kind of demands. You’d be better off getting the more powerful MacBook Pro 14-inch or 16-inch.

Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) on a white desk in a studio

(Image credit: Future)

Our benchmark tests again showed how similar the new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 13-inch are when it comes to performance. Single-core performance in both Cinebench and Geekbench were almost identical for the two devices, which makes sense as they both use the same 8-core M2 processor. 

Multi-core performance was also very similar in Geekbench, but in Cinebench, the 13-inch MacBook Pro had a slight edge. So, you may get a bit better performance when multitasking with the Pro, especially if some of those tasks are graphics-based, but otherwise performance is so similar, it’s hard to recommend the Pro over the MacBook Air, considering the Air has a new design, bigger screen and is cheaper.

So, we’re in a very odd situation. It looks like the MacBook Pro 13-inch wasn’t killed off by a competitor like Dell or HP… but by Apple’s own MacBook Air.

  • Performance score: 4.5/5

MacBook Air (M2, 2022) review: Battery life

  • Lasts over 16 hours
  • Charges very quickly

We had high hopes for the MacBook Air’s battery life, as the M1 chip was an extremely efficient chip that offered both high performance and long battery life, and Apple has promised the same with the M2 chip.

Our hopes weren’t dashed, with our battery life benchmark, where we run a 1080p looped video until the battery dies, lasting a huge 16 hours, which is seriously impressive, and far outstrips Windows-based laptops of around the same price tag.

It actually lasted 30 minutes longer than the MacBook Pro 13-inch, which is surprising, as the Pro has a larger battery. The Touch Bar of the Pro, and a less energy-efficient screen, may explain the faster battery drain on the Pro.

It’s also a substantial increase over the M1 MacBook Air from two years ago, which managed 11 hours in the same test.

This means you can easily use the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) throughout an entire work day, or on a long flight, and still have battery life left, which is seriously impressive stuff. We found that we were able to work easily without needing to think about where to plug the MacBook Air in to top up the battery, which gives you so much more freedom when using this laptop.

We had the more powerful charger, and it did indeed fill up the battery quickly when we did need a charge. The MagSafe port is also great, allowing you to easily plug the charger in quickly, thanks to the magnetic connection, and if it accidentally gets pulled out (which actually happened to us while we were reviewing), it disconnects easily without any danger of damaging the port.

You can also charge the MacBook Air (M2, 2022) via the USB-C port, which is handy if you need to borrow a charger when you’re out and about.

  • Battery life score: 5/5

Should you buy the MacBook Air (M2, 2022)?

Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) on a white desk in a studio

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if…

 Don’t buy it if…

First reviewed July 2022

Also consider...

If our Apple MacBook Air (M2, 2022) review has you considering other options, here are three more laptops to consider...  

Testing scorecard

How we test

We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.

Read more about how we test

Naenka Runner Diver
8:28 pm | July 8, 2022
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Headphones | Comments: Off
Naenka Runner Diver key specs

Waterproof standard: IPX8

Battery life: 10 hours

Storage: 16GB

Audio formats: MP3 and FLAC

Weight: 33g

Editor's note

  • Original review date: July 2022
  • Original price $169.99 / £135/ AU$238
  • Price now $73.99 / £58.57 / AU$127.99

Update: February 2024. The Naenka Runner Diver headphones are better value than ever thanks to a significant drop in price, but they're no longer the monarchs of underwater music storage. The Shokz Openswim Pro and Runner Diver 2, both on the docket to be tested at time of writing, boast 32GB capacity storage, able to fit far more music into their headsets than the original Runner Diver. However, the reduced prices make it an excellent thrifty buy. The rest of the review is as originally published. 

Two-minute review

The Naenka Runner Diver waterproof headphones are unique among the best waterproof headphones and best bone conduction headphones.  Like most underwater audio gadgets they can store a bunch of MP3 files (remember them?) so you can listen to music, podcasts or audiobooks while you swim. 

However, they have something most rivals don’t in the shape of a Bluetooth module. It doesn’t work underwater, so you can’t stream to them using a smartphone on your sun bed, but you can switch to it when on dry land. In an instant, it turns these waterproof headphones from a one-trick gadget into a lifestyle accessory good for using in the pool, the gym, while out on a run, and even around an office. 

Based on bone conduction technology that sends vibrations directly to your inner ear, however, means bass-heavy audio that’s low on treble detailing. That makes music a largely narrow affair, though that’s probably not a deal-breaker for swimming when any kind of distraction will do. 

Able to store an impressive 16GB of MP3s, the Naenka Runner Diver waterproof headphones is an ambitious product whose minimalist design means a few long presses of buttons must be learned to switch between modes and tracks. Learn them well and the Naenka Runner Diver waterproof headphones will allow you to go to great lengths. 

Naenka Runner Diver waterproof headphones review: Price and release date

  • $169.99/£135/AU$238
  • Launched in April 2022

Naenka is a challenger brand in the bone conduction headphones space, with this unique product selling for $169.99/£135/AU$238. It’s manufactured by Shenzhen Mengqu Life Technology Co. in Shenzhen, China and sold on Naenka’s website.   

Naenka Runner Diver waterproof headphones

(Image credit: Jamie Carter)

Naenka Runner Diver waterproof headphones: Design 

  • Minimalist design
  • Proprietary charging cable
  • Teardrop-shaped transducers

Design score: 4/5

You can get the Naenka Runner Diver waterproof headphones in whatever color you want. As long as it’s gray. It’s a smart, minimalist design that weighs just 34g and uses the same silicon plastic finish found on almost all bone conduction headsets. It’s there because it’s both smooth and it doesn’t move around when placed against wet skin. 

It also uses an ear-hook design to keep the transducers in place. That’s important because they rest against the tops of cheekbones to send sound vibrations directly to the inner ear. Here they’re shaped like teardrops.

Like all new bone conduction headphones, the Naenka Runner Diver waterproof headphones use a proprietary charging cable that magnetically attaches to the battery via four gold connector points. 

Naenka Runner Diver waterproof headphones: Performance 

  • Works well in and out of water
  • Lacks ultimate treble detailing
  • Ear plugs improve sound quality in water

Performance score: 4/5

The Naenka Runner Diver waterproof headphones are the last word in versatility. They’re actually at their best when being used in either ‘music mode’ (i.e. playback of MP3 or FLAC files on its flash storage) or ‘Bluetooth mode’ out of the water. Used outdoors or around the office and you obviously get the trademark ‘open ear’ design that lets you hear what’s going on around you. In practice that can be as handy around a home office (depending on whether you work alone or not) as when out on a run, but the design has obvious safety advantages for the latter. 

Sound quality when used out of water is good, though the maximum volume is a little too low. At no point did we experience any bassy ‘tickle’ in our cheekbones, but it got close. At all times the sound quality is good, but not excellent. There’s a lot of bass, but not much in the way of treble detail. If you listen mainly to podcasts or audiobooks it’s not going to make any difference. 

However, for its headline act the Naenka Runner Diver waterproof headphones needs a little help. They ship with no bag, but they do come with a small box of earplugs. That’s because by blocking your ear canals while swimming the transducers can do their bone conducting work in auditory silence. The results are much better than if you don’t use the earplugs, but only in water. Sound quality underwater is a little different to above it, with more bass – aided by those ear plugs – though here the low volume is an issue.

Naenka Runner Diver waterproof headphones

(Image credit: Jamie Carter)

Naenka Runner Diver waterproof headphones: Features 

  • IPX8 waterproof to 5m
  • Bluetooth 5.2 mode
  • 180mAh battery

The Naenka Runner Diver waterproof headphones are rated IPX8 waterproof down to 5m, but that rating also means they’re sweat proof and dust-proof. Inside is a 180mAh battery (which fully charges in 1.5 hours and is good for about 10 hours, though only if they’re used at 60% volume, which is unlikely) and a flash drive capable of storing up to 16GB of MP3 and FLAC files. 

The latter is a lossless high resolution format, so tends to produce very large files. However, considering the rather basic sound quality of the Naenka Runner Diver waterproof headphones we’re not sure why FLAC compatibility is necessary. Either way it’s obviously a pain to have to drag and drop files onto the flash drive, and you do need a computer to do so. 

The main other feature here is its Bluetooth module, which uses the new 5.2 specification. The upshot is that in practice the Naenka Runner Diver waterproof headphones always stay connected to a smartphone. 

Naenka Runner Diver waterproof headphones: Value for money 

  • High-range choice 
  • Challenger brand in bone conduction headphones

Value for money score: 3/5

 The Naenka Runner Diver waterproof headphones are more expensive than the market leader, whose Shokz OpenSwim sells for $149.95/£139.95/AU$219.95. However, they’re more affordable than the Zygo Solo, a premium package of waterproof headphones and a coaching app, which sells for $299/£218/AU$400. 

Buy it if...

 Don’t buy it if… 

Also consider

First reviewed July 2022

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