October, 2022 - Organizer

Dell XPS 13 (2022) review

11:58 am | October 6, 2022

Editor's Note

• Original review date: October, 2022
• Newer models have since released
• Dell XPS 13 (2024) is shaping up to be an excellent laptop

Update: August 2024

Since we reviewed this version of the XPS 13 back in 2022, Dell has released several new models, as well as relaunching its XPS 14 lineup. This means that the 2022 model is no longer easy to buy. Retailers that do stock this older model may be offering it for a steep discount, which makes it a good budget choice, though if you can afford a newer model, such as the Dell XPS 13 Plus (2023), then you'll get a much more future-proof laptop. Our Dell XPS 13 (2024) review is almost finished and - spoiler alert - it looks like it could be one of the best laptops yet.

Dell XPS 13 (2022): two minute review

The Dell XPS 13 (2022) has huge shoes to fill, but while it does what it sets out to do very well, there are going to be those who are going to be sorely disappointed by some of the changes Dell makes to the XPS 13, and some of these are going to be absolute deal breakers.

But the XPS 13 (2022) deserves to be judged on its own merits, rather than solely in comparison to the Dell XPS 13 (Late 2020), this model's immediate predecessor. This is especially the case since that model is arguably the best laptop in its class, even though it is not a couple of model generations behind the latest Dell laptops.

Still, while we'll get around to weighing the XPS 13 (2022) objectively a bit later, it is important to acknowledge that the new Dell XPS 13 comes with a pedigree and that can't be ignored. In this regard, the XPS 13 outperforms the model it's replacing in some key areas, but it falls short in others. How you're going to feel about the new XPS 13 is going to depend entirely on where your concerns fall between the two, whether or not some of these are entirely in Dell's control.

What is in Dell's control is the design of the XPS 13, and this is where most of the controversy is going to be. The Dell XPS 13 (2022) is a gorgeous laptop, through and through, from the thinness of its form to its featherweight portability and beautiful display. These come at a cost though, namely in terms of ports, and the two, solitary USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports are going to mean you'll have to juggle some dongles. Fortunately, Dell includes some of them with the laptop itself.

The biggest change though is the absence of the carbon fiber palm rests, which still remain on the Dell XPS 15 (2022) and Dell XPS 17 (2022), in favor of a more svelte aluminum keyboard deck. There is also the new color option, Umber (a bluish-purple), in addition to Sky, which is the standard silver color for the XPS laptop line.

The carbon fiber palm rests are one of the things about the last XPS 13 that we fell in love with, so we're sorry to see them go, but on its merits, the keyboard is still spectacular to use.

The sound still sucks, but all of the best ultrabooks have terrible audio, thanks to underpowered down-firing speakers. It's the tradeoff you have to make for the form factor, so the XPS 13 was never going to break free of that fate.

Overall, the performance of the XPS 13 (2022) was excellent for everyday use and productivity work, making it one of the best thin and light laptops for professionals who find themselves constantly on the go. Unfortunately, this is also where we run into the XPS 13 (2022)'s major failing: battery life.

While the battery life on the new XPS 13 does last longer than most Intel Alder Lake-powered laptops, it is still a noticeable downgrade from the last XPS 13, which was Intel Evo certified. This, though, isn't in Dell's control as Alder Lake chips just guzzle the juice with wanton abandon and with no consideration for your needs or convenience. You'll be getting close to all-day battery life with the XPS 13 (2022), but it's not the all-day-plus battery life some might be expecting from an XPS 13.

Still, the XPS 13 (2022) absolutely holds its own as an ultrabook, and it does so at a price far below what came before it. Of all the ultrabooks we've tested this year, the XPS 13 (2022) is the closest competition to the new MacBook Air (M2, 2022) on the market right now, which is great for someone looking for an Air-like appeal from a Windows laptop - making it a great choice of laptop for students.

Are some of us shaking our fists at Dell-shaped clouds over the redesign? Of course, but change is inevitable, and with a genuinely appealing design, the Dell XPS 13 (2022) shines just as bright as the rest of the XPS lineup, even if it blazes a different trail all its own.

Dell XPS 13 (2022): Price and availability

A Dell XPS 13 (2022) on a wooden table — (Image credit: Future)

How much does it cost? Starting at $899 / £854 / AU$1,898
When is it out? It is available now
Where can you get it? You can get it in the US, UK, and Australia

Dell XPS 13 (2022) Key Specs

Here is the Dell XPS 13 (2022) configuration sent to TechRadar for review:
CPU: Intel Core i5-1230U
Graphics: Intel Iris Xe
RAM: 16GB LPDDR5
Screen: 13.4 FHD+ (1920 x 1200) InfinityEdge Non-Touch Anti-Glare 500-Nit Display
Storage: 512GB PCIe SSD
Ports: 2 x Thunderbolt 4
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Camera: 720p at 30fps, no privacy shutter
Weight: 2.59 lb | 1.17 kg
Size (W x D x H): 11.63 x 7.85 x 0.55 in (295.4 x 199.4 x 13.99 mm)
Battery: 51WHr

The Dell XPS 13 (2022) – also called the Dell XPS 13 (9315) by some retailers – is available now in the US, UK, and Australia, starting at $899 / £854 / AU$1,898. The entry level configuration will get you an Intel Core i5-1230U with integrated Iris Xe graphics, 8GB LPDDR5 RAM, and a 500-nit, 13.4-inch, FHD+ (1920 x 1200p) display. In the US, the minimum storage option is 512GB SSD, while the UK and Australia start out with a 256GB SSD.

The best configuration will get you a Core i7-1250U with Iris Xe graphics, 32GB LPDDR5 RAM, 1TB PCIe SSD, and a 500-nit, 13.4-inch, FHD+ (1920 x 1200p) display with anti-reflective coating, and costs $1,549 / £1,754 / AU$3,441.

The configuration we tested was one step removed from entry level, with 16GB RAM rather than 8GB, and it costs $1,049 / £1,004 / AU$2,299.

This XPS 13 model is more oriented towards value rather than performance (which would be the Dell XPS 13 Plus), and so the processors aren't powerful enough really to manage the kind of heavy duty workloads that would necessitate more than 16GB RAM or 512GB storage, and most people will do just fine with the starting configuration so few people will ever need to spend more than $1,000 / £1,000 / AU$2,000 to get one of the best Dell laptops on the market.

This is in stark contrast with the last XPS 13 model from late 2020, which had a starting price of $1,499 / £1,399 / AU$2,399. This is a substantial price cut for a laptop that will give you more or less the same level of performance.

Compared to the rest of the market, the XPS 13 (2022) is positioned squarely in the sweet spot in terms of price and performance. The other obvious comparison to make is with the MacBook Air. Compared to the MacBook Air with M1 from 2020, the Dell XPS 13 is very competitive, matching the MacBook Air on price, though it won't get you nearly as much battery life. The new MacBook Air with M2, however, is more expensive, and while its performance is outstanding, it still doesn't blow the XPS 13 out of the water beyond having better battery life.

All told, the Dell XPS 13 (2022) is one of the best, if not the best, value on the market among the best Windows laptops, and other than a few of the best Chromebooks out there, there is little that can really compete with the XPS 13 (2022) on this front. If you're looking to save on the laptop, you can check out our list of the best Dell coupon codes to see this month's best discounts.

Value: 5 / 5

Dell XPS 13 (2022): Design

Redesigned for 2022, like it or not
Beautiful display
Serious lack of ports

The Dell XPS 13 (2022) is going to split the entire tech reviewer community in two over its design, with defenders and haters making valid points on each side. But consumers don't buy a new laptop every 18 months, so for everyone else, this is still an absolutely gorgeous laptop, though there are some functional issues that will be a problem for many.

First, the XPS 13 is very lightweight, and its slim dimensions make it an easy laptop to toss in a bag as you head out the door. The exterior is little changed from its predecessor and features the XPS line's brushed aluminum chassis, with the biggest change being the option to get it in a purplish-blue color option, Umber.

Opening it up, however, and the redesigned interior removes the carbon fiber keyboard palm rest and replaces it with a sleek aluminum that let the hands glide over its surface with ease. The keys and trackpad are also well positioned and spaced to allow for fluid and comfortable typing, even for many hours at a time.

The display is a full HD+, meaning its a 1920 x 1200p resolution at the 16:10 aspect ratio, and it can get as bright as 500 nits. It's not an OLED display, so it's not going to have the kind of vibrant colors that you get with the Asus ZenBook S 13 OLED, but it is more than clear enough to see everything you need to see at this size.

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The down-firing speakers are audible, but they will hardly fill a room, even if you have it sitting on a hardwood desk. The 16:10 display is beautiful and very easy to work with, though a 13-inch laptop is not nearly big enough to be using multiple windows at once.

The webcam is the basic 720p@30fps that you see on nearly every other ultrabook on the market, so don't expect much from its image quality. One thing that is lacking is a privacy shutter for the webcam, something many of the best HP laptops and best Lenovo laptops have featured for a long time now. Dell really does need to get with the program on this, in our opinion.

Finally, the biggest issue with the XPS 13 (2022) is the derth of ports. There are just two Thunderbolt 4 ports, that's it. While both are capable of charging the laptop, having it plugged in means that you're now down to a single USB-C port, so any peripherals you have with you either have to be triaged for the most important one, or you're going to need a dock for more than two items.

And since they're USB-C ports, any USB-A or other types of input will need a converting dongle to work. Dell includes a couple in the box with the XPS 13, a USB-A to USB-C and a 3.5mm audio jack to USB-C, but you'll likely need more, which can really cut into the laptop's portability.

Design: 4 / 5

Dell XPS 13 (2022): Performance

Solid productivity and general use performance
Not so hot on the gaming side of things

Benchmarks

Here is how the Dell XPS 13 (2022) performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

Cinebench R23 Multi-core: 5,478
3DMark Time Spy: 1,068; Fire Strike: 3,100; Night Raid: 10,272
GeekBench 5: 1,629 (single-core); 6,546 (multi-core)
PCMark 10 (Home Test): 4,324
PCMark 10 Battery Life: 7:31
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 9:17

The Dell XPS 13 (2022) is designed to be an affordable, ultraportable laptop that can do what most people need it to do: some web browsing, video streaming, and maybe messing around with a couple of spreadsheets for work or writing reports on an airplane.

It does all of these very well, and it has decent enough processor benchmark scores for a laptop priced as it is. The biggest problem you'll find is if you try to run any resource-heavy apps on the XPS 13, such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Blender, and Photoshop.

On these points, it will be able to complete most tasks, but expect it to take a lot longer than it would on a more professional workstation like the MacBook Pro 13-inch (M2, 2022), if it finishes them at all and doesn't simple stall or crash. This is a laptop for light to medium work at most, and the more you can use cloud apps like Google Docs and Google Sheets, the better.

We could also have run a number of games on it to see how they fared, but after the first test with Civilization VI, run on the lowest possible settings, scored a paltry 18 fps, we called it a day and spared the XPS 13 any more gaming embarrassment. A candidate for the best gaming laptop of the year, this is not.

Considering that you can get one of the best Chromebooks on the market and it will perform about as well on cloud-based apps, the performance of the Dell XPS 13 on its own might not be enough to justify the relative premium you're pay for it. If all you're going to be doing is running Google Chrome and listening to Spotify or watching Netflix, definitely consider saving yourself some serious money and give Chromebooks a look before you make the jump on a nearly $1,000 Windows laptop.

Performance: 3 / 5

Dell XPS 13 (2022): Battery life

Not great, but decent enough for an Alder Lake laptop
Charges from 0% to full in about two hours

The battery life on the Dell XPS 13 (2022) is not great, if we compare it to its predecessor. On our PCMark 10 battery test, it lasted on average about seven hours and 31 minutes. It did better on our looped video test, managing an average nine hours and eight minutes.

The XPS 13 (late 2020) managed a battery life of nearly 12 hours, so the XPS 13 (2022) has definitely regressed in this regard, but that has been the case with Alder Lake laptops across the board. They just consume too much power and we've seen many ultrabooks last between six to seven hours on average, so the XPS 13 (2022) is at least ahead of its competition on that front.

Battery Life: 3.5 / 5

Dell XPS 13 (2022): Report card

Should you buy a Dell XPS 13 (2022)?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

First reviewed October 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.

Stellar Data Recovery: Plans & pricing

There are four Stellar Data Recovery plans available, with prices ranging from free to $99.99. The free plan includes standard file recovery tools, but users can only retrieve up to 1GB of data. If you need to retrieve a larger files, you can upgrade from within the program.

Paid subscriptions start from $59.99 per year for a Standard plan, which includes everything in the free plan along with unlimited data recovery. Those with more advanced needs will benefit from one of the will need to upgrade.more advanced Stellar Data Recovery subscriptions.

These include Stellar Data Recovery Professional ($89.99), which has all the features of Standard, as well as the ability to recover files from lost partitions, support for unbootable system recovery and retrieving deleted files from CDs and DVDs.

The top "Premium" Tier costs just ten dollars more at $99.99 and includes the ability to repair corrupted photos and videos.

Each option adds more advanced tools than the one before it, and the developers encourage you to download the free trial to see if you can preview lost files before paying, so there's no obligation when you install.

There is also Stellar Data Recovery for Mac. There's a free version, which like the Windows version allows you to recover up to 1GB of data. The "Standard" version is $69.99, while Stellar Data Recovery Professional and Premium cost the same as their Windows counterparts and have the same features.

There's also a "Technician" version for macOS, which costs $149. This has the same features as Stellar Data Recovery Premium but can be installed on up to 3 separate Macs.

All prices quoted are per year, though it's also possible to buy a lifetime licence.

Stellar Data Recovery: Features

Stellar Data Recovery review — (Image credit: Stellar)

As we've learned, Stellar Data Recovery is available on both Windows and Mac operating systems. As one of the top hard drive data recovery tools available, it includes powerful features to improve the user experience.

Stellar Data Recovery's website claims it enables the retrieval of all file formats, including custom ones. This said, there are only certain types of files that can be previewed from within the app itself. Naturally the fact you can't preview a file doesn't necessarily mean you can't recover and open it in a different program.

Data can be recovered from a computer’s hard drive, external drive, memory card, flash drive, and optical media like CDs and DVDs, among others.

In addition, Stellar Data Recovery works with both non-bootable and encrypted drives. RAID and virtual drive recovery are also supported, and professional versions of the software can even repair corrupted photo and video files.

Stellar Data Recovery: Client and client setup

Installing Stellar Data Recovery in Windows 11 only took us a couple of minutes. The installer itself weighs in at less than 5MB and it then downloads the remaining files it needs.

On the initial user dashboard, you can select what sort of files (photo, video, etc.) you would like to retrieve. This is useful if you’re looking for a specific file or file type. You can also select what drive and location you want to search, further streamlining the process.

The layout is extremely clear and intuitive. In fact, we noticed it was strikingly similar to the interface of another tool we reviewed: Ontrack EasyRecovery.

Meanwhile, there are numerous advanced options that can be tweaked to optimize performance. For example, you can specify exactly what file extensions you’re looking for.

New file types can be added if necessary, and safe mode can be activated if you’re concerned about security. More advanced tools are available with higher-end plans.

Stellar Data Recovery: How we tested

For our data recovery tests we used a virtual machine with a clean install of Windows 11 with the free version of Stellar Data Recovery.The only third-party tools installed besides the utility itself were VLC Media Player and GIMP.

Data files

The files we chose for recovery are an album of Mozart's Music available from the Internet Archive.

We did this as we wanted to see how the utility performed with a wide variety of files.The album included 4 music files (2 in Mp3 and 2 in FLAC) format, 6 JPG image files of album covers (with thumbnails) and 4 PNG image files. The files also included 2 XML files, a torrent file and an 'SQLite' file containing details of the album. There were 25 files in total.

We copied the files in the music album to a 512MB virtual NTFS-formatted hard drive, which was then attached to the Windows 11 virtual machine.

Data tests

The tests were performed one after the other on three separate virtual drives:

1. File deletion: the album files were simply deleted from the drive and the Recycle Bin emptied. No other data was copied to the drive. We then tried to recover the files.

2. Delete & format: The files were deleted as outlined above and we also performed a 'Quick Format' using the 'Disk Management' utility built into Windows 11. We then tried to recover the files from the formatted partition.

3. Recover corrupted files: We used the freeware program 'Victoria' to overwrite the volume header of the drive containing the files with zeroes. The drive didn't mount automatically in File Explorer and showed as being unpartitioned in Windows "Disk Management" utility. We then checked if the utility could see it and if so, recover the files.

We do not believe that running data recovery tools in a virtual environment has a significant effect on how they function. Still, if you're considering buying software we encourage you to read all reviews thoroughly and make sure that the developer offers a refund policy.

Stellar Data Recovery: Performance

Both in October 2022 and when we ran our most recent tests, Stellar Data Recovery's "quick scan" was able to detect lost files in seconds.

There is also a "deep scan" feature, which we used last time though it consumed significantly more RAM and a similar amount of CPU and took over 12 hours. However, it did retrieve a lot more data—125GB compared to 88GB with the quick scan.

Previously, when we tried Stellar Data Recovery on a Windows 10 laptop with 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive, a quick scan of our hard drive took less than four minutes. However, it did use 200MB of RAM and approximately 75% CPU.

This high CPU usage is not unusual for data recovery software, so it's best not to use it alongside other resource-intensive applications.

Still, we were very impressed by the low footprint of the most recent version of the utility.

In the very first test of files that had simply been deleted from a drive, it completed the scan in under 2 seconds. A total of 37 files were found across 10 folders, including the original 25 deleted files. These opened perfectly in Stellar Data Recovery's "Preview" Pane. The remaining data were system files.

Our next test was performed on the drive where the files had been deleted, after which we'd formatted the partition. The "quick" scan in this case found 13 system files but none of the deleted media. We selected the "Deep Scan" option but the utility froze at 99% whilst trying to scan a particularly nasty data cluster.

We ran into similar difficulties in our final test, which was of a drive with a corrupted volume header. The good news is that although the drive wasn't visible in Explorer, it appeared immediately in Stellar Data Recovery as a "Lost Partition". Next, we tried to scan it only for the utility to freeze at 96%.

After rebooting, the scan went off without a hitch showing that 20 of the 25 files had been recovered. The missing files included the two FLAC audio files, the two XML files and the torrent file. In fairness these file formats aren't specifically listed as being supported by Stellar Data Recovery but they were visible in our first test.

At this stage we'd run up against the 1GB limit for the free version of the utility, so used it's 'Preview' feature to examine the files to find the remaining 20 all opened without issue.

Stellar Data Recovery: Efficiency

Retrieving lost files can be difficult, but Stellar Data Recovery did a great job. In our first test it recovered all the files we'd intentionally deleted and it recovered all but the rarest file types from the lost partition.

Still, it's clear that the utility supports a huge number of file formats, and custom types can be added with the advanced options menu.

For our most recent test, we deliberately chose a small number of files as in our previous benchmark the number of retrieved was over half a million. If this happens to you, rest assured that files can be sorted by file type, size, and location. There's also a search bar. As always it's best to preview files from within the app before restoring, to save cluttering up your hard drive.

Stellar Data Recovery: Support

Stellar Data Recovery users have access to phone, live chat, and online ticket support. Phone support is available worldwide, but only in English. We tested the live chat briefly and were connected with a friendly, knowledgeable agent within a minute.

There are also a few different self-help options available. The FAQ section provides simple answers to common questions, and the comprehensive knowledge base contains excellent step by step instructions on how to perform basic tasks like data recovery as well as helpful information like which file formats are supported by preview.

Stellar Data Recovery: The competition

There are numerous alternatives to Stellar Data Recovery which could better fit your needs. For example, the Ashampoo Undeleter is significantly cheaper (just $14.99 for a lifetime license) and is great for simple file recovery.

Data Rescue 5 is a more expensive alternative (starting at a $99 one-off payment for five recovery drives), but it comes with a selection of powerful features comparable to those of Stellar Data Recovery.

Stellar Data Recovery: Final verdict

Overall, Stellar Data Recovery is a great file retrieval tool with powerful advanced options for business. In its simplest form, it enables anyone to retrieve lost data from a computer or external storage device.

It has performed well in our benchmarks, with our only real criticism being that deep scans can be slow or buggy. Still, this is par for the course when it comes to trying to retrieve fragments of deleted data.

Paid subscriptions are a little expensive, but the program’s impressive performance and user-friendly interface mean that it gets a thumbs up from us. We also appreciate the fact that the developers allow you to try out the premium versions of Stellar Data Recovery free of charge and preview recovered files before you make a decision to buy.

We've listed the best free data recovery software and the best data recovery service.

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 review

4:17 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Headphones | Tags: ANC | Comments: Off

Editor's Note

• Original review date: October 2022
• Still B&W's flagship wireless headphones
• Launch price: $699 / £599 / AU$1,150
• Official price now: $699 / £599 / AU$1,150

Update: February 2024. We still love the Bowers & Wilkins PX8 for its particular brand of headphones luxe style – nearly unmatched sound quality (even today) paired with an ultra-classy and premium design, which is now available in a new burgundy and gold finish, if you want to get really royal about it. We still recommend the B&W PX8 as the choice for design connoisseurs in our guide to the best wireless headphones, and their sound quality hasn't been beaten at this price, but they still have the same small concerns that their noise cancellation and battery life are quite average, for a non-average price. In the case of ANC, you may want to consider the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones for offering best-in-class noise stopping with sound that's closer to the PX8 than its rivals. The rest of this review remains as previously published.

Bowers & Wilkins PX8: two-minute review

Sonically, the Bowers & Wilkins PX8 are now the wireless over-ear headphones to beat. There, we said it. If that's all you need to hear, we wish you well. But if you want to know why we said "sonically" rather than "across the board", and why this is a four-and-a-half star review rather than the full five, read on.

The B&W PX8 are a shiny new addition to our best over-ear headphones guide, no doubt. But let's get it right: the PX8 are expensive. There are good, tangible, understandable reasons for this – a new carbon cone 40mm drive unit replaces the bio-cellulose driver in the more affordable Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 and the die-cast aluminum arms, diamond-cut bright metal detailing and Nappa leather trim elevates the build to high-end territory – but for some, anything priced hotter than the AirPods Max is too rich for the blood given the current financial climate. We hear you.

But we have also heard the Bowers & Wilkins PX8 headphones and, cost of living crisis or no, they're exceptional.

Bowers & Wilkins admits the brief was simple: achieve the best possible wireless over-ears and hang the cost. The UK-based audio specialist has fulfilled the brief beautifully. To put these headphones on is to experience a pride of ownership rarely felt, even at this level – I didn't feel it with the slightly odd-looking AirPods Max, for instance. And despite the outlay, the sound quality for the money here is sublime.

Any issues? A few. None of them pertains to sound – that is where these cans truly shine; know that now – but these are why we knocked half a star off the rating in this otherwise glowing review. The cheaper Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless (launched in August 2022) boast a whopping 60-hour battery life even with ANC deployed, and you only get 30 hours here – although, that's the same as you'll get from the Sony WH-1000XM5 (which launched in May 2022 – we like to save you the hassle of checking). Also, the ANC cannot be customized, the EQ tweaks are limited to treble and bass, and there are no big extra features.

But that's where the negatives end. Elsewhere, the Bowers & Wilkins Music app now corrals your streaming services into one place (provided these are Tidal, Deezer, SoundCloud or Qobuz, although B&W hopes to work with Apple Music in the future) and because this one app now rules the roost, it creates a B&W ecosystem whereby whatever's coming through your cans could simply transfer to your Zeppelin, Formation Wedge or other supported B&W speakers when you walk through the door.

As regular TechRadar readers know, in this house, sound is king. And the sonic performance here is detailed, agile, spacious, musical and nothing short of delightful. If you can afford them and you want the best-sounding wireless cans on the market, you will not be disappointed in the PX8.

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 over-ears in hand, on white background — Hang it all, the PX8 are a good-looking set of cans. (Image credit: Future)

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 review: price and release date

Released on September 28, 2022
$699 / £599 / AU$1150

The Bowers & Wilkins PX8 are available now, for £599 / $699 / AU$1,150 / €699.

Expensive, we know, but this is top-tier B&W territory…

OK, so there's no escaping the fact that this makes the PX8 more expensive than the Apple AirPods Max, Sennheiser's Momentum 4 Wireless (at $349 / £300 / AU$549) and the class-leading Sony WH-1000XM5, which retail for $399 / £380 / AU$550.

And considering the Sennheiser over-ears boast double the stamina of the Bowers & Wilkins PX8 (and the XM5, while we're on the subject) that pricing starts to look a little ambitious…

Only, it's not. Why? Because the sound quality makes them an exceptional buy, that's why.

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 in case, on white background — The case also feels premium, with a compartment for the two cables included (Image credit: Future)

Bowers & Wilkins review: features

Excellent Music app support for full, multi-room ecosystems
Simple, dependable physical on-ear controls
ANC and transparency profiles cannot be customized

While the Bowers & Wilkins PX8's spec sheet is good rather than excellent (the ANC profiles comprise on, off, or pass-through, while the EQ tabs involve bass and treble tabs only, so anyone hoping for full five-band EQ settings is out of luck) what the PX8 do, they do very well indeed.

There's wearer detection and auto-standby (which sends them into low power state after 15 minutes of inactivity) both of which can be turned on or off, and the left quick action button can be customized depending on whether you want to scroll through ANC profiles or access your voice assistant of choice.

A nice touch here is the ability to set the streaming quality (using your mobile data or Wi-Fi) and also the wearer sensor, the latter at low, normal, or high. If the PX8 fail to pause when you lift an ear cup to talk to a colleague, switch it to high. Find them pausing unexpectedly during use? Switch it to low.

Perhaps we might have hoped for more than the 'standard' 30-hour battery life, although this is better than both the Bose QuietComfort 45 and Bose Noise Cancelling 700, which offer between 24 and 30 hours. Also, a quick 15 minute charge gets you seven hours playback – a claim we tested and found to be true.

There's a traditional approach here when it comes to on-ear controls, but they work beautifully, with volume, playback and power buttons on the right ear cup and a 'quick action' button on the left, which we use to quickly switch ANC. On this, the ANC here is good, nixing all but the noisiest of buses and aeroplanes overhead as we walk into the office.

The transparency mode is a more subtle affair entirely and seems a little reticent to actively filter in ambient sounds quite so eagerly as the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, say. That said, there is a marked difference in sound pass-through – you will hear the outside world – but we would have dialled it up a tad, if it were possible.

The big ace up B&W's sleeve is its Music app, which now greets you with "spaces" and can group your Bowers & Wilkins products accordingly for multi-room audio when you get home, similar to that offered by Apple Home or Amazon's Alexa app.

The B&W PX8 come toting Bluetooth 5.2 plus support for aptX Adaptive (one of the best Bluetooth codecs available today) as well as aptX and aptX HD, and the six mics in total (four for ANC, two for call-handling) make for clear phone calls during our testing.

Features score: 4/5

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 worn by TechRadar's Becky Scarrott, on beige background — These are over-ears you'll want to be seen in – ideally, on a yacht in the Maldives (Image credit: Future)

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 review: design

Beautiful metal accents (especially on the tan colorway)
Drivers are angled to the wearer's ear
Clamping force is perfect

For flair and beauty, Bowers & Wilkins has hit a home run with the PX8. These are cans to be seen in – as we said in our hands-on review, the PX8 would look right at home around the neck of a bright young thing on a business-class flight to Milan. Adjusting the headband is a smooth, silent experience, and the soft ample ear cups rotate to lie flat around our neck on the rare occasion they're not being worn over your ears.

Yes, the PX8 echo the current inclination towards designs with cups that rotate to lie flat but do not fold up, including the Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 (over the older, foldable Sony WH-1000XM4, say).

And also as you'd expect, these cans come with a hard-shell, fabric covered carry case, but this one is particularly nice since the supplied cables (USB-C to USB-C for charging, USB-C to 3.5mm if your device has such a port) have their own little compartment with a magnetized lid, situated in the dead space beneath the arc of the headband.

The comfort levels are fantastic across the course of our listening too, with ample padding on the underside of the headband and a clamping force that's as perfect as we've ever felt; not too tight but reassuringly secure.

All in all (and at the risk of overstating ourselves) we really really like the premium look and feel of these headphones.

The earcups are fairly chunky, but inside the drivers are at an angle, so that they're parallel to your ears, not to the outside of the earcups. This is designed to help with timing and precision in the sound.

Design score: 5/5

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 ear cup detail — The metallic physical buttons on the right ear cup are cool to the touch and they work beautifully. (Image credit: Future)

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 review: sound quality

Supreme agility and musical clarity
Beautifully expansive and detailed
Weighty but lithe bass

Switching all ANC profiles off, we stream Tom Petty's Free Fallin' on Tidal and the gentle, pensive guitars sound as three-dimensional and energetic as we've heard in a wireless design. Petty's vocal is central and detailed through an agile and expansive midrange. Backing vocals that come in on "Ventura Boulevard" are distinctive, layered, and given extra room to be impactful.

Plucked strings in Sukhwinder Singh's Haule Haule and snaking percussives have us tapping our feet and are just two of the expertly handled musical strands within the PX8's cohesive, vibrant mix. Our playlist continues to Bol Na Halke Halke by Mahalakshmi Iyer and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and if you get a chance, we urge you to listen to it. Hear how the intro snakes from behind your left ear to over near your right, scraping your cerebellum and occipital lobes en route. Note also the dynamic build from near-silence to a cacophony of flutes, drums, strings and Iyer's bell-like vocal through the sparkling treble.

They're just as expressive and weighty through the low end, too. Stream Stormzy's Mel Made Me Do It and the unusual backing track comes alive. Yelps, drum snaps, statements about "not flying economy" and jangled rhythmic sonic articles spring forth from the juicy grime riff, but it's all underpinned by a regimented, crisp performance through the bass.

How do they compare to the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless? Well, given the price gap ($350 / £300 / AU$550 versus $699 / £599 / AU$1150) it's hardly fair – the PX8 are double the price. But we do it anyway, purely because the Momentum 4 Wireless are a five-star proposition at the level.

The extra energy, depth, emotional oomph and overall immersion in excellent-quality music place the PX8 in a different league – which is understandable and this statement is not intended to put the Sennheiser headphones down. What we're saying is, if your budget stretches to this level, the sonic gains are worth it in the sound-per-pound stakes. The sound here is exceptional – but you do have to pay for it.

Sound quality score: 5/5

Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 and PX8 side by side, on beige background — The PX8 on the right, PX7 S2 on the left... for both sound and looks, the PX8 is better. (Image credit: Future)

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 review: value

High-end sound and build at a high-end fee
ANC could be better for the level though
Standard rather than excellent battery life

Look, this is not budget-friendly territory (remember, the PX8's sibling, the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 will set you back a more palatable $399 / £379 – aka $300 / £220 cheaper) and the minor omissions from the PX8's spec-sheet do impact the value here given their high-end pricing.

Which omissions are we referring to? The lack of five-band EQ tab (you only get to customize the bass and treble), the fact that the three ANC profiles are limited to on, off and pass-through (and are not tweakable), the good rather than excellent battery life… at this level, it is our job to nitpick.

The PX8's two strongest suits are glorious looks and exemplary sound quality. If these two features are of paramount importance to you, the PX8 represent some of the best noise cancelling headphones you can buy – but you do have to pay top dollar for the privilege of ownership.

Value score: 4/5

Should you buy the Bowers & Wilkins PX8?

Buy them if…

Don't buy them if…

Also consider…

If our Bowers & Wilkins review has you considering whether to buy them or to scope out other wireless over-ear headphones, take a glance at these three competing cans at the level.

First reviewed: October 2022
How we test: explore TechRadar's review guarantee

Google Drive

6:29 pm | October 4, 2022

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: Google Drive | Comments: Off

Google Drive is one of those ubiquitous apps. It’s everywhere and, in our experience, it just works. Simple but powerful, it offers some of the best cloud storage online, on desktop, and mobile. While it doesn’t have every last bell and whistle, it makes up for this in speed and efficiency. Looking at how advanced its web apps are currently, it's hard to find a fault anywhere with the Google Drive package.

Google Drive features

For those looking for the best free cloud storage, Google Drive includes a somewhat generous 15GB at no cost. This is spread across all of your Google apps, including Gmail and Google Photos.

Extra space is served through what's called Google One, with pricing starting at $1.99 a month or $19.99 a year for 100GB on the Basic plan. The Standard plan, with 200GB, costs $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year. The top-tier 2TB Premium subscription costs $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year.

Google One works in a similar way to Apple’s subscription bundles. However, while Apple One brings with it more of the company’s subscription services like gaming, newsstand and music streaming, Google One adds more limited functionality. All paid plans can be shared with up to five other users, while Standard and Premium versions get a respective 3% and 10% cashback on future purchases in the Google Play Store. Premium subscribers also get access to Google One VPN on Android and iOS.

For businesses, there's Google Workspace, which is essentially all of Google's apps and includes Drive and Gmail with some extra infrastructure and features for managing teams of people. You can choose between 30GB, 2TB, or 5TB storage, priced at $6, $12, or $18 per user per month.

The Enterprise tier allows you to customize your plan as per your business’s needs although you'll need to contact Google directly for a quote. Every plan gets access to the Google Suite of apps.

There’s no unlimited cloud storage or lifetime cloud storage options, which is disappointing - but there’s not much else to complain about with this clear pricing structure and prices that are about average.

Google Drive cloud storage in action — (Image credit: Google)

Google Drive: Interface & experience

Every Google app has a familiar interface with lots of white space, a dash of color, and bold graphics. What the Google Drive interface lacks in sophistication it more than makes up for with intuitiveness and speed. Finding files is quick and simple, whether you're searching for keywords and file types from the top search bar, or browsing through folders and shares from the navigation bar on the left. Google Drive applies its Optical Character Recognition automatically to PDFs and images, letting you search through the text as if they were any other document.

Files can be easily copied, moved, starred, and arranged as you like. You can make use of a thumbnail view, or a more conventional list view on the main web interface, and files can be shifted around via drag-and-drop just as if you were using a regular desktop app. We felt it was impressively straightforward, especially once you get past that everything is working inside a browser instead of a more conventional file system.

On that note, there aren’t many drawbacks to the Google Suite as a whole. It might not be right for those wanting dedicated offline access, but otherwise shines in the web browser. On the go, there are smartphone and tablet apps for Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, as well as offline access tools in the cloud storage app.

If you choose to store a local, offline copy of documents you can always edit these even when not connected to the internet. Naturally, this means any changes you make won't be synced to Google Drive until you're next online though.

Google indicates that Drive has AI processing that brings documents and shares you're likely to want next up to the top of the file list. However, we found this somewhat hit and miss overall. Still, it's easy enough to sort through the folders you've created or search more specifically. The view we particularly like is Recent, which is essentially just a list of files in reverse chronological order, and works well enough in most cases.

In the mobile apps for Android and iOS, files can be instantly accessed with an interface design that very closely mirrors that on the web, with no need to swap between different mindsets as you change devices.

For Windows and macOS, along with accessing Google Drive through a browser and uploading files there, you can also download the Backup and Sync tool which lets you sync your Google Drive locally, a lot like Dropbox, as well as upload files to the web from other commonly used folders.

Because apps like Docs, Sheets and Slides are accessed online, it makes sense to use the browser version of Google Drive, although we suspect some users will still like to sync files to their computer’s file management system to keep things in check. Previous versions of the desktop client were clumsy and lacking in features, but the latest version is just as easy to navigate from within a web browser.

Hidden away in the settings of the Google Drive client is the option to backup files from your computer. For those with a reasonable amount of storage space, this can add reassurance that, should something go wrong with your computer’s hard drive, copies are saved in the cloud. It’s not in the same league as the best cloud backup tools, but for a basic consumer-facing tool, Google performs well.

When you install the Google Drive app, it will automatically be mounted as a virtual drive. On Windows, appropriately enough it assigned itself the drive letter 'G', though you can change this. Items backed up to your virtual Google Drive won't take up space on your machine.

If you choose to mirror content the virtual drive contains a shortcut to the dedicated My Drive folder in your home directory. Any local files placed here will automatically sync to your Google cloud drive.

We like the extra granularity when it comes to control. Google Drive’s desktop client offers bandwidth throttling, which is especially useful for houses with poor connections. While this is fairly common for other cloud backup services, some similar platforms like iCloud Drive don’t allow for this level of control.

In our testing, upload and download speeds were as expected across the board including desktop and smartphone apps and browser access. It’s likely that your own broadband connection will pose the biggest limiting factor here.

Google Drive: Features

Google Drive impresses easily when it comes to the key areas you look for a cloud storage solution to offer. The web interface and mobile apps allow you to get at your files (and edit them) from anywhere. Also, the sharing options strike an excellent balance, walking the line between functionality and ease-of-use.

Sharing permissions can be set at the admin level of course, which allows different contacts access to different files, and you can also share files and folders as needed with regular links or email invites.

We like the commenter permissions, letting you choose between read-only and editing rights, ideal for collaborating on an important document.

The Team Drives component is really well done, although it is only available on the Business and Enterprise plans, with customized spaces where groups of colleagues can work together on files and folders collaboratively. Managing access to Team Drives is simple, with the ability to see who can (and can't) get to and edit the files. There are thoughtful touches as well, like the way each Team Drive can be themed differently, or the feature to email all the members of a Team Drive in one shot.

There is integrated access to Docs, Sheets and Slides, each of them a slick web app that is mature and polished. These genuinely compete with the dominant player, Microsoft 365 Office apps. And they do an admirable job of converting Office files into the Google Drive equivalents too. If you don't want to convert Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files, you can just store them in Google Drive instead, syncing them between computers and devices as needed.

With file versioning, advanced search, offline access, and variety of preview and layout options, Google Drive is an impressive offering. The desktop syncing isn't quite as simple as you get with Dropbox, but you can sync any folder you like to the cloud from Windows and macOS, as well as keep certain files and folders exclusively on the web (with no need for local copies to take up room on your hard drive). The slick notification feature for changes to files and collaborations works really well, too.

Google Drive: Security

Drive stores files and transfers them using encryption, but take note that it's not end-to-end encryption. This means that Google can see your files, if it wants to.

Generally, Google has a decent record with security, and offers various levels of two-factor authentication, with numerous checks to catch unauthorized account access should it occur. Basically, if someone wants to get at your files, they're going to have to work very hard to get them.

The Google Drive app contains an acknowledgment that it was developed using open source components but as the program itself isn't open source there's no way to be certain how exactly your data's secured.

Files and folder sharing tools are quite specific and difficult to get confused, as you can see at all times who has access to what. For those on a Business or Enterprise plan, the ability is gained to analyze Google Drive usage via comprehensive audit logs so you know every 1 and 0 is accounted for, along with customized admin alerts for specific events occurring on files in Google Drive.

Google Drive: Our tests

We tested Google Drive across three key areas, measuring sync speed, file recovery and versioning. These tests were undertaken on a Windows 11 virtual machine running the Google Drive desktop client. The virtual machine was connected to the internet via VPN server, which in our speed tests consistently showed an average upload speed of 70 Mbps

Test 1 - Sync speed

For our initial test, we copied a folder containing 22 files into the application directory and measured how quickly the desktop client was able to sync the files to the cloud.

Despite Google's huge market dominance, we were surprised to find that our test files didn't sync particularly quickly with the tech giant's servers. We copied our test folder into the Google Drive folder. The app showed the files as they uploaded but the process took almost 4 minutes on a connection with a 70 Mbps upload speed - over twice as long as other cloud storage providers we've reviewed.

Test 2 - File recovery

In our second test, we deleted the test folder from the application directory, removing it from the device. We then checked to see if the files had been removed from the cloud drive and if it was possible to recover them.

As soon as we deleted the local copy of the synced folder from Google Drive, a notification appeared saying it had been sent to trash. We were also told we had 30 days to recover it and were presented with a link to Open Trash.

Upon clicking this, we were able to see the deleted folder and choose Restore. The restored folder was synced back to the device in less than a minute.

Test 3 - Versioning

File versioning lets you switch back to a file’s previous version or original state. In this test, we copied a Microsoft Word file to the cloud application folder. Once it synced, we then deleted all the text except the introduction, then saved and closed. We then tried to restore the document back to its original form.

Although we all know that Google Docs is more than capable of handling multiple versions of files, we decided to put Google Drive through its paces by avoiding G Suite altogether.

Instead, we copied the Word document to Google's My Drive folder then stripped out all the text except the introduction. When we accessed Google Drive via the web interface, we found the file and saw Manage Versions.

Google displayed the original version of the file. It also took the opportunity to remind us that it will only store different versions of files for up to 30 days or 100 versions, whichever happens sooner. We clicked Download to recover the original, unedited file.

Google Drive: Verdict

Google lives and breathes the web (unlike some of its competition), which is a natural fit for robust and reliable cloud storage. Add in the simple appearing, but powerful apps for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS, and it's a comprehensive package for both consumers and businesses. Of course this also ties in nicely to Google's other excellent apps, including Google Calendar or Gmail.

Google Drive certainly doesn't have everything. Notably, bare metal backups and end-to-end encryption are missing. As such, it simply won't provide the full cloud backup experience. Any files you place into the virtual 'G' drive, are stored on Google's servers, but you have to trust that the data can't be intercepted.

Google's business model also mostly relies on showing advertising so again you also have to trust Google not to use your personal data for marketing purposes.

Our tests showed that Google's file mirroring function worked perfectly (if a little slower than we expected). We also think Google offers great peace of mind, given that deleted files can be recovered for up to 30 days after being erased. The software also supports recovering multiple versions of files, even if you decide not to open them in G Suite.

However, what it has offers so much – across online apps and sharing options and file management, making it one of the most impressive cloud storage services at the moment. As it's very web-focused, it’s a versatile app available from any online computer or device.

ScreenPal screen recorder review

1:17 pm | October 3, 2022

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Software & Services | Comments: Off

ScreenPal offers video-centric tools for businesses, education and personal use. The app is compatible with PCs, Macs, iPhone, Android and Chromebook devices. For the purposes of this review, we’ll be exploring the desktop versions.

We last reviewed ScreenPal back when its name was Screen-O-Matic - and were generally pleased with the results on offer. Having tested out the previous version, we re-reviewed the software to see, after its name change, how it compares with the best screen recorder and best free screen recorder apps around.

ScreenPal Screen Recorder: Plans & pricing

Many features for free - many more when you pay

Before we get started, we need to add a caveat to this ‘free’ moniker. While it’s true you can use the service for free, it should come as no surprise that limitations have been imposed on that tier.

For instance, you’re restricted to a maximum recording time of 15 minutes, and the output will be watermarked. You won’t be able to record the system audio, nor will you have access to the Speech to Text captioning tool, amongst others.

However, you’re able to record from your webcam at the same time, specify which area of your screen to record, and add freehand drawings, text boxes, shapes, and so on - all while recording.

The video editing side of this app has greatly improved since we last explored it, making its feature set much more attractive, even for the casual user. If you need additional tools though and no restrictions, then you need to venture into the paid tiers.

Solo Deluxe includes additional editing tools, the ability to work with up to 300 audio tracks, the best audio editor tool for a screen recorder, and removes any time limit on your recording, all for $3 a month.

Solo Premier doubles that price, but adds 8 million stock media clips to the mix (both images and videos), the ability to add custom branding, and offers unlimited cloud hosting, among others.

$10 a month gets you Solo Max, which offers the additional inclusion of video quizzes and polls, premium content from stock image library Shutterstock, auto titles, summaries, and captioning, and advanced analytics.

And finally, there’s Team Business for $8 per user per month. You’ll get online collaboration tools, including team management and the ability to transfer ownership of your recording, and includes live chat support, phone support and live training.

Plans & pricing: 3.5/5

ScreenPal Screen Recorder: Setup

ScreenPal screen recorder during our review — The main screen contains very few features, all located top of the screen with the rest dedicated to explaining what each tool does (Image credit: ScreenPal)

Control app from the browser, as long as you grant security access

There was a time, back in the Screen-O-Matic days, when you needed to control the recording process, in part, via your web browser. No longer. The specialized app, which already existed back then, now takes care of everything.

As usual, you need to grant the service permission to access your screen, your webcam, and so on. This is nothing unexpected as all services that offer such functionality require access to potentially sensitive parts of your machine’s software, and your modern security-conscious operating system needs to make sure you know what you’re doing. Still, the process is incredibly straightforward, and the app guides you through it.

The app’s overall design is pretty simple. You have buttons top right, access to your file system top left, and the rest of the interface briefly explains to you what each function does.

Setup: 4/5

ScreenPal Screen Recorder: Recording

Easy as clicking on a button - many live manipulating tools

Like many screen recorders, ScreenPal is incredibly simple to get started. Once you’ve clicked on the ‘Record’ button, top right, you’ll see an overlay on your screen. This shows you which part will be recorded. You can of course resize it and move the selection around if you’re not going to tape the whole screen. The webcam overlay can be moved anywhere within the designated area by dragging it around, or removing it altogether.

We liked that you have the option of blurring its background, or replacing it with a still image. There are default images available, but you can also use your own, or pull more in directly from Shutterstock. We were also able to effortlessly connect to our iPhone, rather than use our computer’s built-in webcam. A nice option to grab better quality video.

The floating window lets you choose between recording the screen, your webcam or both. You can see the maximum recording time allowed (as long as you’re not paying), the recording quality (from 480p to 720p to the entire screen), which microphone to choose should you have more than one connected, and whether or not to record the system audio (not possible for free users).

When you’re ready, click on the big red ‘Rec’ button.

What we found interesting are the tools you can apply as the recording goes on. You have a pen, a marker tool and an eraser, text boxes for which you have various colour options to choose from for both the text and its background fill, access to shapes, and a magnifying tool.

This allows you to draw attention to various areas as you record your video. We did notice that if you’re recording while a video clip is playing, the visuals will pause as you’re doodling on the screen, even though you can still hear the video’s audio in the background.

Once you’re done, click on the blue Pause button, which replaces the red Rec one. You then have the option of saving your recording as is, or performing some editing.

Recording: 4/5

ScreenPal Screen Recorder: Editing

At last - a decent, comprehensive set of editing tools

The video editing capabilities of ScreenPal’s free service are head and shoulders above what was available before it changed its name. Back then, you were pretty much limited to trimming the footage.

Now, you have a wide range of options which will allow you to properly edit your screen capture. You have tools to copy a clip, hide your webcam, the cursor or any overlay you added during the recording process, even move the webcam footage around on the screen. You can insert a new recording, add a new voice over narration, or some additional overlays, freeze a frame, insert music or sound effects, alter a clip’s speed, choose from a large number of transitions, alter a clip’s volume… Essentially, you have a lot at your disposal to fine tune your edit without having to use the best video editing software. It’s a remarkable and most welcome improvement over the last time we explored this app.

Saving your work is fast and straightforward, and unlike the previous version, you can easily go back to your project to edit it further. ScreenPal now acts like a proper editor which makes this app definitely worth checking out. And the watermarking only appears as an outro, which you cannot edit out unless you pay (obviously), but also doesn’t distract from the work you’ve produced.

Editing: 4/5

Should I buy?

Buy it if...

You need a multi-platform screen recorder with annotation and callout tools
ScreenPal is ideal if you’re looking for a simple cross-platform screen recorder with lots of annotating options you can apply during a live recording or afterwards, and now includes a well stocked editing section.

Don't buy it if...

You want granular control over screen captures and edits
When it comes to editing content, the free screen recorder version may feel limited for professional use. When you need precise control over your recording, capture system audio, and more, a subscription or an alternative is the answer.

For more essential content creation tools, we reviewed the best video editing apps.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless

6:43 am | October 1, 2022

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets | Comments: Off

Editor's Note

• Original review date: September 2022
• No new version out
• Launch price: $179.99 / £174.99 (about AU$310)
• Official price now: $159.99 / £174.99 / AU$399

Updated: January 2024. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless remains a compelling option for gamers who love playing on both the PC and their PS5, not to mention one of the best PC gaming headsets on the market, especially if you're looking for a wireless gaming headset. It remains a pricey proposition, like many wireless options, but its comfort, audio quality and battery life are still unparalleled at its price point. The rest of this review remains as previously published.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless: One-minute review

If you’ve seen the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless, you’ll know that this is more than just the Arctis 7 with a fresh coat of paint. It may retain its predecessor’s general design, but the ear cups and headband are both slimmed down for a sleeker, more ergonomic package. It’s no wonder that it’s 14% lighter.

There are plenty of changes beyond its aesthetics as well. It can connect to multiple sources simultaneously. It has fast charging capabilities. And, thanks to the Sonar software suite, it has the kind of sonic customization that will let you customize the sound beyond anything you could have done with the Arctis 7. It still has some of the previous model’s DNA, good and bad, including that slightly weak bass, but there’s enough to like that you might consider upgrading even if you own its predecessor.

Though it doesn’t reach the same aural heights as the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, the Arctis Nova 7 Wireless is still a stellar entry into the oversaturated world of gaming headsets – even if it costs a little more than it should.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless: Price and availability

How much does it cost? $179 (£174, about AU$310)
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, the UK, and Australia

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless: SPECS

Interface: 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, 3.5mm
Compatibility: Windows, Mac, PS4/5, Meta Quest 2, mobile devices
Mic: Bidirectional noise-cancelling
Surround sound: Microsoft Spatial Sound / Tempest 3D audio for PS5
Weight: 11.45oz (325g)

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless, which entered the marketplace in late August 2022, is far from the cheapest of SteelSeries’ Nova gaming headsets. That honor goes to the much more stripped-down Arctis 1, which costs $59 (£59, about AU$69). And, though it’s not the most expensive headset either, it will set you back a decent amount with a price tag of $179 (£174, about AU$310).

Along with the 7P and 7X, the console-oriented versions of the same headset, it’s a solid performer (you can certainly find worse headsets for the same price). But, considering the competition and what it offers, a price tag closer to $150 / £150 would be more appropriate.

Of course, the most expensive Nova headset, the Nova Pro Wireless, does sell for $349 (£329, about AU$649). However, it comes with such a wow factor that we would gladly pay that much for it.

Value: 3.5 / 5

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless on a white coffee table — (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless: Design

Plenty of personalization available
Clamping force is a little too light
Compatible with most devices

Though the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless is more than just a light refresh, you can still see the general outline of previous SteelSeries headsets in its design. The ear cups are oval where they meet the ear pads, and the headset still comes with replaceable ski goggle headbands and ear cup plates. It also uses similar materials, namely durable-feeling plastic for the earcups and metal for the headband (PVD-coated steel in the case of the Nova 7). That’s where most of the similarities end.

Unlike the Arctis 7, the ear cups are thinner except for the raised circular portions that house the replaceable ear cup plates. These small, circular plates act as an accent instead of covering the entire outside surface as the ones on the Arctis 7 do.

The steel headband is slimmer, as are the ski goggle headband inserts. They only need to be clipped into place on the inside, abandoning that iconic velcro-ed, wrap-around design.

Both the ear cups and ski goggle headbands are completely replaceable with several different colorways available from SteelSeries. This allows you to personalize the Nova 7 Wireless far beyond what you can do with most headsets, though you’ll have to purchase them separately.

All the controls you could want are at your fingertips. The right side houses the power and Bluetooth buttons, as well as the chat mix and USB-C port, while the left side has the mic mute, volume dial and 3.5mm audio jack. The retractable mic is also on the left ear cup and sits flush when stowed away.

Ergonomically, there’s enough swivel and height adjustability to accommodate just about any head shape. You can even swivel the ear cups flat if you want to throw the headset in a backpack. When wearing the Arctis Nova 7, however, it has one glaring issue. There isn’t enough clamping force to keep it in place during intense moments. If you move your head quickly, it slides around a bit. While it doesn't fly off, we would have preferred a little tighter fit. After all, you can loosen a headset’s clamping force but you can’t tighten it.

It’s still surprisingly comfortable to wear despite that one issue. The ski goggle headband keeps the steel band from putting pressure on your head, while the airweave memory foam ear pads are plush and keep you from feeling any fatigue even after wearing it for long periods. Having also tested the Nova Pro Wireless, though, we much prefer the soft leatherette covering its ear pads to the coarser cloth here. Considering the price, a softer fabric would have given it higher value.

Considering all the connectivity on the Nova 7 Wireless, it’s no surprise that you can hook it up to just about any system. The USB-C dongle lets you use the headset with a PC, PlayStation, or Switch, while you can use the Bluetooth capability for Mac, tablets and phones. Of course, you can also connect it to any analog device thanks to the 3.5mm connection.

One of the benefits of having that wide range of connectivity is the ability to connect to multiple devices at once, and SteelSeries has made that a feature here. Its multi-device, multi-platform support lets you connect to a wireless source and Bluetooth source simultaneously, so you can take that important call in the middle of a battle without having to grab your phone.

Since it has that simultaneous connectivity, SteelSeries has decided to include separate buttons for power and Bluetooth. If you’re connected to a Bluetooth source and use the power button to power off, the headset will still receive that Bluetooth signal. You have to press that Bluetooth button to power it off.

If you’re hoping to use this for anything else, it also comes with a 3.5mm port for wired connectivity. In essence, you can connect the Nova 7 Wireless to just about anything, though if you want wireless connectivity to an Xbox, you need to get the Nova 7x instead.

Design: 4 / 5

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless: Performance

Very good, if a bit too neutral, sound quality
Plenty of battery life including fast charging
Good sounding mic

There are headphones and headsets that sound more fun with boosted lows and highs, and then there are ones with a more neutral sound. The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless sits firmly in the latter camp. The mids are just right, and the low-ends are present enough for you to feel them, even though they’re quieter than we like. Meanwhile, the high-end is detailed if slightly veiled.

You can hear everything clearly and as intended. It won’t compare to the cleaner, punchier sound of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless. But, it gives pretty accurate audio that’s immersive once your ears adjust to the more neutral sound.

Along with audio quality, mic quality is a crucial consideration with headsets. The boom mic sounds loud, clear, and very present, with only a tiny bit of compression on the voice. Essentially, it sounds very good. It does pick up background noise but not at a volume that’s distracting or will affect how well others hear your voice. And, there is some AI noise cancellation available via the software.

When testing, we used the mic without retracting it from the earcup. Of course, the mic quality suffered a bit, but our voice still came through clearly, just not as loud, a bit more compressed, and like it’s farther away. The mic also picks up much more background noise this way.

Battery life is also an important factor. Luckily, it’s pretty stellar here. While you won’t be able to hot-swap batteries, as on the Pro Wireless, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless does give you 38 hours of battery life. That’s about five days of gaming if you put in eight hours a day. It also offers fast charging via its USB-C. With just 15 minutes of charge, you get an extra six hours of use.

We’re impressed with some of the software-related features that come with the Arctis, notably the new Sonar Audio Software Suite. It’s an add-on to the SteelSeries GG Engine and provides a ton more control. You can adjust mic volume, game volume, chat volume, chat mix, and much more. You can also turn on the ClearCast AI noise cancellation here.

Most importantly, it gives you access to a parametric EQ. This means you can not only adjust the boost or cut of individual EQ bands but also change which frequencies you’re adjusting, as well as add more bands to play with. This is much deeper and more customizable than the usual five-band EQ that most headsets give you. Just be aware that these customizations are only available when you’re plugged into a PC and using the app.

Performance: 4 / 5

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