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Google Drive cloud storage review: primarily for Google users
7:09 pm | July 3, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Tags: | Comments: Off

Google Drive is built to be web-centric but also provides useful mobile applications. It offers desktop backup tools for Windows and macOS platforms to quickly upload your files to the cloud. Although it may not have all the advanced features, it excels in speed and efficiency.

Google Drive has grown nicely from its shaky start to be a genuine competitor to the likes of Box and Dropbox as a cloud storage and file syncing solution. 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

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, which sit somewhere between read-only and editing rights, which is great 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, and which can now genuinely compete with the dominant player, Microsoft Office (they do an admirable job of converting Office files into the Google Drive equivalents too). If you don't want to convert 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.

(Image credit: Google)

Google Drive interface

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 as 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 (OCR) automatically to PDFs and images, which allows you to search through the text they contain 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 find it very straightforward, 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, but those wanting to have dedicated offline access will be disappointed. On the go, there are smartphone and tablet apps for Docs, Sheets, and Slides, as well as offline access tools in the Google Drive app. Users working off a computer or laptop will be disappointed when they find out that an Internet connection is needed to access all their information.

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, but we found this somewhat hit and miss overall, but 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, analogous to 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, however 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 as a browser version. 

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. There are better cloud backup tools out there, but for a basic consumer-facing tool, Google does quite well. 

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, iCloud Drive (one of Google’s key competitors) doesn’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.

(Image credit: Google)

Google Drive security

 Drive stores files and transfers them using encryption, but take note that it's not end-to-end encryption, which 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 (2FA), 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.

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 pricing

The free version of Google Drive provides 15GB of cloud storage shared across all Google apps, including Gmail and Google Photos. Additional storage is available through Google One, starting at $1.99 per month for 100GB. The 200GB plan costs $2.99 per month, and the 2TB plan is $9.99 per month. There's also a premium package for $19.99 per month, which includes Google AI Premium.

Google One is similar to Apple’s subscription bundles, but with less variety. Paid plans can be shared with up to five users, and subscribers receive 3% or 10% cashback in the Google Store, depending on the plan. Premium subscribers also get access to a VPN on mobile devices.

For long-term subscribers, annual payment options are available at a discounted rate of $29.99 per year for the 200GB plan and $99.99 per year for the 2TB plan.

For businesses, Google Workspace offers Google apps such as Drive and Gmail, along with additional features for managing teams. Storage options include 30GB, 2TB, or 5TB per user, with costs ranging from $6 to $18 per user per month. An Enterprise tier is also available for customization. Every plan includes access to the Google Suite of apps.

(Image credit: Google)

Google Drive: Our tests 

We performed three tests on Google Drive using a Windows 11 virtual machine running the desktop client. The virtual machine was connected to the internet via fiber broadband and a VPN server, and it exhibited an average upload speed of 2500 Mbps. The tests assessed the sync speed, file recovery, and versioning.

  • Test 1 - Sync speed

During our initial test, we used the Google Drive desktop client to transfer a test folder with 232 files spread across seven folders to the Google Drive cloud. The total size of the files was 589MB. We were happy to see that the app displayed the number of remaining files and the progress of the upload.

The app confirmed the successful upload of all files in just 60 seconds. The upload speeds were comparable to those of well-known competitors such as Dropbox and OneDrive.

Google Drive web

(Image credit: Future)
  • Test 2 - File recovery

After uploading our test folder to Google Drive, we accessed the web portal and selected "Move to Trash." When we checked the trash, we immediately saw the folder and were able to click "Restore."

The Google Drive web interface is excellent for previewing files. We used this feature to open images and audio tracks to confirm the restoration's success.

When finished, we permanently deleted the uploaded files. Otherwise, Google keeps them in the trash for up to 30 days.

  • Test 3 - Versioning

In our final test, we wanted to observe the effects of uploading a Google Docs document to Google Drive and then editing it. We used the Google Drive interface to accomplish this.

After syncing the document, we opened it and removed all the text except for the introduction. Once these changes were synced, we accessed Google Drive and located the file in the virtual drive.

While doing this, we found the "Previous Versions" feature available in the Google Docs interface, where both the original and modified versions of the document were displayed.

Google Drive automatically maintains a history of modifications, which can assist users in keeping track of file changes and content revisions. In the revision history, users can view the edits made and revert to a specific version of a file with specific edits.

Final 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), so it simply won't be the best cloud backup storage solution for everyone. 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 is available from any computer or device, too.

We've listed the best free cloud storage services.

Xiaomi Mix Fold4 will go global with an ultra-thin body
7:01 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

Xiaomi will launch the Mix Fold4 internationally, claims noted tipster Ice Universe. The leakster stated that the phone will be even thinner than the Honor Magic V3, which in turn will beat the 9.9mm Magic V2. Honor is preparing to launch its foldable on July 12 and it already confirmed it will drop below Honor Magic V2's 9.9 mm in folded state and 4.7 mm unfolded. Xiaomi should follow up with its own announcement soon, and it could happen in China as early as this month, even if the two previous Mix Fold variants were launched in August. It will be the first Xiaomi foldable to...

Pentax 17 review: a modern analog charmer
6:41 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Cameras Compact Cameras Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

Pentax 17: two-minute review

The Pentax 17 marks a big moment for film photography: it's the first new film camera in decades from one of the historically big names in the analog format. And it's not just a reimagining of a vintage Pentax model, but a completely new concept and design, and the first in what could be a number of cameras spawned by the Pentax Film Project. 

I shared my initial thoughts in my Pentax 17 hands-on review when the camera was announced. It wasn't love at first sight, but in the couple of weeks since the Pentax 17 has charmed me – and the more I've thought about it, the more it makes sense for 2024 and beyond.

But what exactly is the Pentax 17? It's a compact film camera with a fixed wide-angle 25mm f/3.5 lens, and it's half-frame, which means it accepts the widely available 35mm film, but you get double the amount of pictures from a roll at half the size; the pictures are a vertical-format 17 x 24mm, hence the camera's name. 

When we consider that it's a half-frame camera, the lens' effective focal length for a single photo is around 37mm – that's similar to the portrait lens of your phone, and the lens of the trending Fujifilm X100 VI digital compact, which has become 2024's most popular camera. 

The Pentax 17 is similar in size to the X100VI, and the cameras look similar too, so we can see how Pentax is tapping into today's digital photography trends with its new film model. It also has the obligatory retro look and feel, complete with tactile response from the film crank, and audible feedback as you wind the film on – this could be the digital detox camera that a growing portion of Gen Z is looking for. 

Loading film into the Pentax 17 camera

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

Half-frame cameras shoot vertical- or portrait-format photos, which is how most people compose photos on their smartphones and share images on social media, so it won't take newbies long to get to grips with the Pentax 17 (you can rotate the Pentax 17 by 90 degrees to vertical to get horizontal, or landscape, half-frame photos too).

Simply put, Pentax has delivered a point-and-shoot camera that taps into today's photography trends, and it might have arrived at the optimum moment to become a big hit. However, there's a sticking point: the camera's $499 / £499 / AU$899 list price. That's kind of high given the intended users, especially considering the Pentax 17's plasticky feel.

If it's a compact film camera you're after there are plenty of vintage alternatives on the secondhand market for less than half the price, such as the Canon Canonet 28 or Olympus Trip 35. And if you don't mind a simpler half-frame modern rival with a lesser-quality lens, the Kodak Ektar H35 is a snip by comparison at around a tenth of the price.

However, I think Pentax is onto a winner with the 17. Its lens is admirably sharp, it has some neat design elements, and its film format makes sense for today. I've really enjoyed my time with the camera, and I won't be the only one who will.

Pentax 17 compact film camera front-on, in the hand with boats in background

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

Pentax 17: price and availability

As mentioned, the Pentax 17 costs $499 / £499 / AU$899, and at first the price seems laughable: why so high? However, there isn't really a direct competitor to this camera, and the 17 is a better-quality compact than cheap point-and-shoot alternatives like the Kodak H35 Ektar; and in the digital space, this kind of camera would be retailing for around double the amount. I still think the price should be lower though. 

You get a wrist strap in the box, but otherwise there are currently no real accessories to speak of besides a cable release, though you don't need to buy Ricoh Pentax's own version. I'd like to see a leather half-case and a full case for the 17 – it seems a shame that neither is available yet because this is the kind of camera that suits a case and, with its plasticky build quality, would benefit from one. 

Pentax 17: design

  • Optical viewfinder has pretty accurate frame lines
  • Handy built-in flash for creative low-light shots
  • Decent grip and overall handling

At first sight and feel, the look of the Pentax 17 and the experience in the hand don't match. You expect the 17 to be weightier given its retro design and price tag, but it feels more toy-like. Apparently the top and bottom plates are magnesium alloy, but I scratched the top plate within the first day of moderate use. 

It's a far cry from the all-metal, tough-as-nails SLR cameras from the 1970s and 80s, and you'll need to look after it – if I was buying a Pentax 17 I'd be on the lookout for a third-party protective case that compliments the retro look of the camera. 

There are various textures going on: the faux-leather body, mag-alloy top plate, and the ridged hand grip, which by the way houses the included CR2 battery, which isn't rechargeable but should last for months if not years. Other than the lightweight and plasticky feel, the 17 has a nice balance in the hand, and is a good size for an everyday camera.

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Pentax 17 camera with film door open

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Loading film into the Pentax 17 camera

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Loading film into the Pentax 17 camera

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Winding on film in the Pentax 17 camera

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Winding on film in the Pentax 17 camera

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Using the Pentax 17 camera film crank

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

On the top plate is a mechanism that you pull up to pop open the film door to load a film, and which you also use to rewind a film once you've used it up – if you're new to film, it's a super-simple process. The film-wind dial is also used to set the ISO speed, which you need to select based on the film that's inserted in the camera; if you want a visual reminder of this you can cut out the logo from your film roll's packaging and slip it into the window on the film door.

There's also a film crank for winding onto the next frame after you've taken a photo, complete with audible feedback, an operation which is pretty addictive, actually. There's a shooting mode dial with auto, program, bokeh, and night modes, plus you get a selection of modes that utilize the built-in flash. Bokeh keeps the 17 set to its maximum f/3.5 aperture, and you'll want to use this mode for portraits, although the program mode delivers similar results.

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Pentax 17 compact film camera front-on

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Pentax 17 compact film camera rear-on

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Pentax 17 compact film camera top down

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Close up of the Pentax 17 compact film camera's film crank

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Close up of the Pentax 17 compact film camera's top dials and film crank

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Close up of the Pentax 17 compact film camera's ISO dial

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

I love the optical viewfinder, which has frame lines so you can line up your shot. The outer lines are for distant focusing while the inner guides are for near focusing (parallax correction), and through the viewfinder you can see the active zone-focusing mode – it's a really neat bit of design. If you're shooting in the bokeh mode, you'll need to pay attention to zone focusing: the six modes cover close-up (0.82ft / 0.25m, indicated by the flower symbol) to infinity (indicated by mountains), so be sure to pick the right one for your subject.

At first you'll be semi-blinded by flashing orange and blue lights next to the viewfinder display, and you'll need to refer to the instruction manual to know what those lights indicate. Among other things they offer handy reminders that the film needs winding on (you can't shoot multi-exposures unfortunately), and that the lens cap is still on (the 17 knows because the exposure meter is built into the lens).

Overall, plenty of thought has gone into the design of the Pentax 17, and it's a sensible mix of point-and-shoot simplicity with a decent dose of manual control for creative shooting.

Pentax 17: performance

  • Half-size pictures make sense for 2024
  • Surprisingly sharp lens
  • Decent exposure metering

There's a reason that the Pentax 17 is pricier than a camera like the Kodak H35 Ektar: it's lens is much sharper. Its design combines elements of the lenses used in the Ricoh Auto Half and the Pentax Espio Mini, and results in a 25mm f/3.5 optic that's effectively a 37mm lens in the half-frame format. Put simply, it's a surprisingly sharp everyday lens 

The 17 is primarily a point-and-shoot camera, but there is scope for some manual control, too. If you select auto, the brightness values are set by the camera, and there's really nothing else to do other than compose your shot and press the shutter button. However, there are other shooting modes that you can select for specific looks. 

If you opt for the bokeh mode, the 17 will automatically try to shoot with a wide-open aperture. At f/3.5 and for single-person portraits (using the correct zone focusing mode), it's possible to get a shallow depth of field. Otherwise, in auto you'll pretty much always get everything in focus. 

The exposure meter built into the lens automatically sets the shutter speed based on the shooting mode and ISO film selection. It's the perfect place to put the meter – the 17 will detect if the lens cap is left on, and won't take a photo until you remove the cap, plus it'll automatically adjust the exposure when you attach a filter to the lens that necessitates new exposure settings. 

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Pentax 17 films scans of sailing and yacht details

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Pentax 17 films scans of sailing and yacht details

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Pentax 17 films scans of sailing and yacht details

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Pentax 17 films scans of sailing and yacht details

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Pentax 17 films scans of sailing and yacht details

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Pentax 17 films scans of sailing and yacht details

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Pentax 17 films scans of sailing and yacht details

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Pentax 17 films scans of sailing and yacht details

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Pentax 17 films scans of sailing and yacht details

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
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Pentax 17 films scans of sailing and yacht details

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

Half-frame pictures are half the size of 35mm, and therefore an individual shot is half the quality in terms of resolution. However, the size is still big enough in my opinion to show good levels of detail, and it's much larger than the 110 film used in the recent Lomography Lomatic 110. 

Ideally you'd ask the lab developing the roll of film to provide scans at the best possible resolution so that you have as many pixels to play with as possible. I received 6MP scans (2904 x 2048) with an average file size of around 4.5MB. 

The look of your shots is down to what film you use. I had Kodak Ultra Max Color and Ilford HP5 to work with, and you can see the results for yourself above. The best camera apps like mood.camera, are doing an increasingly good job of rendering smartphone snaps into film-like photos, but the results don't usually compare to the real analog thing. 

You also get another creative option with half-frame that you don't get so easily with full-frame: diptics. You can consider shooting complimentary pairs of images to sit side by side on the roll of film, for example a portrait alongside an abstract object.

Should I buy the Pentax 17?

Pentax 17 compact film camera front-on, in the hand with ocean backdrop

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Pentax 17

Pentax 17 compact film camera

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)
  • I used the camera for two weeks
  • I shot three rolls of film
  • I took pictures in a variety of everyday scenarios

I shot three rolls of 35mm film with the Pentax 17, two color and one black-and-white. All rolls of film were ISO 400 with 24 exposures. Given that you get double the number of photos as you would when using a full-frame 35mm film camera, I've got around 150 photos altogether. 

I mainly used the 17 to document everyday life, and I took photos in various scenarios, including outside in bright light by the coast, and indoors. I used all the different shooting modes, using the full range of fully auto and semi-automatic exposure modes, and I also used the built-in flash. 

First reviewed June 2024

Xiaomi Redmi Pad Pro review
6:16 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones reviews | Comments: Off

Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9 review: a solid if unspectacular 1080p gaming laptop
6:13 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9: Two-minute review

If you're looking to get into the portable PC gaming scene without breaking the bank then the Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9 is a viable option to consider in 2024. It's not going to give the best gaming laptops a run for their money in terms of leading performance, battery life, display, and design, but it does enough to stand out from a price-to-performance perspective. 

While the manufacturer has made waves in the mid-range and premium end of the gaming laptop market, its budget offering favors function over form. My review unit features a 13th Gen i7 CPU, Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU, 16GB RAM, and a 512GB NVMe Gen 4.0 SSD - all of which is more than enough to play today's games in 1080p. You won't always be maxing everything out in the graphical settings, due to the GPU's limited 8GB GDDR6 VRAM, but Nvidia DLSS 3's Frame Generation or AMD FSR can help ease the stress. 

There's also the LOQ 15 (AMD) to consider if you would rather go for a Team Red rig instead of a Team Blue offering. Regardless of CPU choice, the GPU is decidedly mainstream, so there's no great power differential. It means that the same problems largely apply, meaning a so-so display, lacking battery life, and a port placement that may be cumbersome. 

That battery life really does leave a lot to be desired. Web browsing and media playback achieved just under two hours with battery saving modes and the screen brightness halved. It's not great, and this extends to battery gaming which can't even manage an hour. You'll want to keep this gaming laptop plugged in to enjoy a lengthy gaming session, or when used as a desktop replacement when hooked up to one of the best gaming monitors. 

So yes, while the Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9 is unlikely to wow you, it is entirely serviceable at providing a solid 1080p gaming experience.  It's ultimately going to come down to the pricing of the unit; if you can find an RTX 4060 variant around the $1,000 / £1,000 / AU$1,300 mark then it's worthwhile, but I can't really recommend splashing out upwards of $1,300 / £1,300 / AU$2,000 when RTX 4070 rigs offer more power for the money. 

Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9: Price and availability

1080p 144Hz refresh rate display on the LOQ 15

(Image credit: Future / Aleksha McLoughlin)
  • How much does it cost? Starting from $999 / £1,049 / AU$1,297
  • When is it available? The Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9 is available now 
  • Where can you get it? US, the UK, and Australia 

The Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9 is available with a starting price of $999 / £1,049 / AU$1,297 for a variant running an RTX 4050 GPU. Alternatively, there's a more powerful version running the more capable RTX 4060 discrete graphics for around $100 / £100 / AU$300 more depending on the retailer's availability - and I'd recommend springing for that slightly more powerful GPU.

In terms of price, the Lenovo LOQ 15 is one of the more affordable gaming laptops on the market at the budget end of the spectrum. Whether you're considering an RTX 4050 or RTX 4060 version, these aren't powerhouse machines, but they are priced as such. It's less aggressive when considering you can pick up some RTX 4070 laptops such as the MSI Katana 15 and Asus TUF A15 from $1,199 to $1,349 nowadays. 

  • Price: 4 / 5

Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9: Specs

The Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9 is available in a variety of configurations from Lenovo itself or found from retailers in the US, the UK, and Australia. As touched upon above, you can find the budget rig with either an RTX 4050 or RTX 4060 GPU. A major difference is the choice of GPU, depending on price, you can get a Ryzen 7000 or Intel Raptor Lake variant. 

Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9: Design

Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9 keyboard

(Image credit: Future / Aleksha McLoughlin)
  • Durable build quality 
  • Thick bezels around the 1080p display 
  • Lovely full-size RGB keyboard

Display-wise, the Lenovo LOQ Gen 9 is primarily plastic with a rugged build quality. It's a far cry from the single-sheet aluminum of premium gaming laptops but feels considerably better than some budget models available. The cracks begin to show, however, when looking further into the screen. With a peak brightness of 350 nits and a 1080p IPS screen, things are serviceable but dull. The 144Hz refresh rate is smooth enough but the bare minimum for machines in 2024. 

The exposed hinges and thick bezels aren't the most pleasing to look at, as Lenovo has opted for function over form here. Simply put, it's not sleek or stylish, but it gets the job done. This utilitarian approach can also be seen in the protruding rear I/O as the hinged screen is around an inch ahead. It's done to maximize airflow, sure, but it's quite an outdated idea that was common on rigs from around 10 years ago.

The design of the Lenovo LOQ Gen 9 gets a lot of things right with its excellent array of connectivity options on the left, right, and rear of the device. You're fully equipped with a full-size HDMI 2.1 port, USB-C, and USB 3.2 ports so there are no complaints here. This extends to the keyboard which features four-zone RGB backlighting with its full deck size. It's lovely to type and game on. Unfortunately, this doesn't extend to the trackpad which is small and feels cheap, but that's not a huge concern as you really should be be utilizing one of the best gaming mice instead. 

  • Design: 3 / 5

Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9: Performance

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Side of the Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9

(Image credit: Future / Aleksha McLoughlin)
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Rear I/O of the Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9

(Image credit: Future / Aleksha McLoughlin)
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Rear fans of the Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9

(Image credit: Future / Aleksha McLoughlin)
  • Solid gaming performance in 1080p 
  • The fans are very loud under stress 
  • The 13th Gen i7 CPU is still powerful
Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9 benchmarks

Here's how the Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9 got on in our suite of industry-standard benchmarks and game testing. 

PCMark10 - 7,328
3DMark:
Night Raid - 57,918
Port Royal - 5,532
Time Spy - 10,117
Fire Strike - 22,507
Geekbench 6:
Single - 2,358
Multi - 13,144
Cinebench R23:
Single - 1,652
Multi - 15,698
CrossMark - 1,572
Productivity - 1,500
Creativity - 1,699
Responsiveness - 1,439
Cyberpunk 2077
RT Ultra - 88fps
Ultra - 84fps
Low - 114fps
Total War: Three Kingdoms
Ultra - 80fps
Low - 246fps
Red Dead Redemption II
Ultra - 67fps
Low - 159fps
TechRadar Battery Test: 59 mins

For the most part, the Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9 delivers on its promise of providing playable framerates at 1080p. The 144Hz Full HD display is fast enough seeing as you'll be getting around 60 to 90fps when maxing out games such as Red Dead Redemption II, Cyberpunk 2077, and Total War: Three Kingdoms. For the best possible experience, you're going to want to enable DLSS 3 Frame Generation and Ray Reconstruction to take the strain off of the native hardware. 

While there are versions of the Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9 with 14th Gen processors, our review unit with the Intel Core i7-13650HX still impresses. This can be evidenced by the CPU-bound title Total War: Three Kingdoms, reaching a staggering 246fps with the settings dialed down to low. The single-core and multi-core performance through Geekbench 6 and Cinebench R23 is also solid, even though these figures have recently been eclipsed by Meteor Lake and Ryzen 7000 models. 

As mentioned further up the page, the display here is what sets the side down to an extent. Yes, it's fast enough with a 144Hz refresh rate being smooth with no screen tearing or artifacting. With that said, the colors are washed out, there's no HDR support, and the peak brightness leaves a lot to be desired. It's not an issue that's unique to the LOQ 15 Gen 9, but it also doesn't break from convention here either. 

What you will notice is just how loud the fans are on this gaming laptop. It's particularly noticeable at start-up, or when under any level of moderate stress. The LOQ 15 is easily among the loudest machines I've ever tested, distractingly so at times, even drowning out gameplay and media playback from the otherwise fine 2x 2W stereo speakers. 

  • Performance: 3.5 / 5

Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9: Battery life

  • Poor battery life whether gaming or media playback
  • Battery can be quick-charged to full in just over an hour

Battery life can make or break a laptop and, unfortunately, the Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9 falls into the latter category. In our battery test, the machine was able to achieve just under two hours of media playback when prioritizing the battery life and reduced screen brightness. Simply put, you're going to want to keep the 135W power adapter close at hand to get through a lengthy film or take your gaming experience on the go. Granted, that's the case for many gaming laptops, but I'd expect a bit better from a lower-powered unit like this - there's not an RTX 4090 guzzling down power here.

The Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9 features a 60Whr battery that supports quick charging, but it drains almost as quickly so it's a double-edged sword. The manufacturer claims a full charge from completely flat about 80 minutes, and my testing can verify this. It can reach 50% in about around half an hour, which is solid enough, even if the battery retention is far from impressive.

  • Battery life: 3 / 5 

Should you buy the Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9?

closed lid of the Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9

(Image credit: Future / Aleksha McLoughlin)

Buy it if...

You can find it discounted 
There are regular deals on the Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9 available from both the manufacturer and major retailers in the US, UK, and Australia. For the right price, it offers a ton of value. 

You play a range of less-demanding PC games 
The RTX 4060 and 1080p display are a good pair for entry-level PC gaming. 8GB GDDR6 VRAM should be enough to play most titles at 60fps for the next few years, even if you won't be maxing out all settings settings. 

Don't buy it if...

You can find an RTX 4070 machine for around the same price 
Some variants of the Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9 may be nearly as expensive as some other budget RTX 4070 models. This graphics card is considerably more powerful in 1080p and can be found inside 1440p machines, too. 

You want a more powerful gaming laptop 
Regardless of which variant you consider, the Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9 isn't a very powerful machine. It's available with an RTX 4050 or RTX 4060 which are far from leading offerings. 

Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9: Also consider

MSI Katana 15
The MSI Katana 15 is the most comparable alternative to the Lenovo LOQ 15 Gen 9 with its 144Hz refresh rate and Full HD  resolution. It's available with either the RTX 4050, RTX 4060, or RTX 4070 so the pricing may be more of what you're looking for. 

Read our full MSI Katana 15 review. 

Asus TUF Gaming A15
The Asus TUF Gaming A15 combines excellent 1080p gaming performance with a stellar battery life and a solid design. It also has a wonderful RGB keyboard and a fast refresh rate, while being available in several different configurations. 

Read our full Asus TUF Gaming A15 review. 

  • First reviewed July 2024
Bluetti AC240 portable power station review
6:11 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Comments: Off

Having previously reviewed the Bluetti AC200L, I got to grips with another, the AC240 to see if the portable power station is any different or better.

Like the AC200L (you can read more in our Bluetti AC200L power station review), the AC240 came in a large plain looking cardboard box with wrap-around plastic straps and additional cardboard edge protectors. And like before there was another cardboard box inside. Again, to honor the warranty you must keep the inner box. 

But how does the unit itself compare to the best portable power stations we've reviewed? We put the Bluetti AC240 to the test. 

Bluetti AC240 during our review process

(Image credit: Bluetti)

Bluetti AC240: Packaging

Opening the main box revealed the documentation and small sack of accessory wires.

The Bluetti AC240 itself was wrapped in a plastic sheath and sandwiched between two large polystyrene bumpers, top and bottom.

What’s included?

Once out I was able to take stock of what was provided other than the Bluetti AC240 and documentation. In the small sack was:

  • An AC power cord with UK plug to charge the Bluetti AC240
  • A 12v car cigarette plug to Proprietary connector
  • MC4 connectors to Proprietary connector
  • A small grounding screw

Bluetti AC240 during our review process

(Image credit: Bluetti)

Bluetti AC240: Fit & feel

The Bluetti AC240 came with a 55% rate which is normal for its LiFePO4 chemistry for storage and transport.

The Bluetti AC240 weighs in at around 33kgs, it is made of a dark grey plastic material with a pretty stripey like texture all around, it comes with large rubberised feet to allow it to feel planted on any relatively flat surface.

Part of its design (and it does need it) are two very large carry handles on either side to ease with transportation.

The front and left side are the main working parts of the battery that consumers would interact with various sockets and ports for charging and using.

I last reviewed the AC200L and noted that it was heavy and large, and the AC240 ups this by being even heavier and bigger. The unit is 40cm tall by 40cm wide and 28cm deep. Despite the additional size and weight, it has less battery capacity than the AC200L.

At the front is the following: 

4 x UK sockets providing 230v with a total combined sustained output of 2400w

2 x USB-C both capable of outputting 100w each

2 x USB-A 18W max each

1 x 12v (max 10A) car charger port

1 x 12v (max 30A) RV port with a 360W max output

Power on/off button and;

Lastly, the large information LCD display screen

Bluetti AC240 during our review process

(Image credit: Bluetti)

On the rights side are the following ports

AC input (proprietary socket)

DC Input (proprietary socket)

AC Parallel Port (more on this)

Also on this side are the circuit breaker and a grounding pole

Bluetti AC240 during our review process

(Image credit: Bluetti)

 On the left is a Battery expansion port. All sockets have captive rubber gaskets over them and the Bluetti AC240 itself does have an apparent IP rating of IP65. 

Bluetti AC240 during our review process

(Image credit: Bluetti)

Bluetti AC240: In use

Having taken receipt of the Bluetti AC240, I charged it to 100% and like the previously reviewed Bluetti AC200L, the AC and DC charging ports are proprietary sockets. However, a slight improvement on the design of the AC200L as they use connectors from JNICON.  

Bluetti AC240 during our review process

(Image credit: Bluetti)

Previously the AC200L had a design where it was difficult to get the orientation correct when plugging either the AC or DC cables then screwing them in. On the AC240 JNICON cables, each cable has an arrow on the top of the connector, you just push the connector into the socket until it clicks and that’s it. To remove it you twist the blue collar and pull out. A vast improvement over the AC200L. 

Bluetti AC240 during our review process

(Image credit: Bluetti)

Furthermore, unlike the AC200L where in order to connect a solar or a car charger, you had to use a short XT90 to screw connector cable. The AC240 has done away with that, instead you get a cable for solar with MC4 connectors and one for car charging both terminated with the JNICON connector.

Again, I found Bluetti’s decision to use proprietary plugs and sockets for the AC and DC charging on the AC200L and AC240 an oversight. If you were to lose any cables then you would have to source them directly from Bluetti. I looked up the AC power cable for the AC240 on Bluetti’s UK website and one isn’t available for separate purchase should you lose or damage the only one you have. However similar cables terminated with JNICON ones appeared to be more expensive.

As previously mentioned, using a common IEC C14 connector and XT90 for DC would have been better as these are recognised and easily obtainable connectors though I suspect the JNICON ones were chosen to maintain the IP rating.

I found charging the AC240 via mains to be relatively quick and easy, plug it in, switch it on, and away you go. The Bluetti AC240 can be charged from multiple sources and even allows through charging where it can provide power to a device whilst itself is charging. Of course, it can be charged from the grid using the provided AC charging cable, it can be charged via DC using the provided cables that terminate with MC4 connectors or the car charger. Alternatively, it can also be charged from a car battery with a separately available cable with crocodile clips.

Using it on high-draw products such as irons, air fryers, an induction hob worked well as it has the capability to output over 2400W of AC energy. However, the smaller capacity of 1536Wh of the battery means that it does last as long as previously reviewed models.

I noted a significant improvement Bluetti made on the AC240 over the AC200L: the AC plug sockets. Previously the AC200L had an issue where some of the AC plugs were rendered useless because of the rubber gaskets fouling the plug cable. Not so for the AC240.

The upper AC sockets have been rotated 180 degrees so that the plugs are essentially upside down and the gaskets for those plugs have been placed below too, this means that now all plugs are separated away from each other and the gaskets do not foul the sockets or plug cables anymore.

Bluetti AC240 during our review process

(Image credit: Bluetti)

There is a large LCD display, useful for monitoring live energy input/output from AC or DC sources/outputs, the screen displays percentage of battery remaining, roughly in time how much is left depending on the discharge as well as what the battery is dis/charging at and where.

There is an app available for the battery allowing you to monitor DC in/out, AC in /out and various other features to configure. The AC240 has a Bluetooth connection for local use and even Wi-Fi for remote use. Some will like the app functionality; others won't and frankly it's just another app in the catalogue of apps on most phones.

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Bluetti AC240 during our review process

(Image credit: Bluetti)
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Bluetti AC240 during our review process

(Image credit: Bluetti)

A useful feature is that this battery can be used as a UPS providing power to equipment in the event of a grid power loss with near instant switchover and true sine wave output as some equipment is sensitive to stepped wave inputs.

Also of note is a battery expansion port which can be used to extend the capacity of the AC240, there are separately available Bluetti B210 expansion batteries. Sadly, whilst the AC240 does have the expansion port which can have current flowing both ways for dis/charge, it cannot be used as part of an excess Solar store system for a residential home, despite Bluetti having a Solar micro inverter and battery charger (the A80 and D100S respectively), these are not compatible with the AC240.

A shame really, and possibly a missed opportunity. Competitor products such as the EcoFlow PowerStream allows you use most of their battery line ups to do just this.

With regards to its combined 2400W output, according to the documentation it can actually (albeit briefly) output 3600W and a “power lifting” mode for use on high resistive loads such as kettles, this must be set manually using the buttons and is not on by default.

There is a possibility to get the AC240 to output over to 4800W, but this requires you to own another AC240 and a yet to be available Parallel Kit Box. You may remember a previously mentioned AC parallel port in the list of connections. 

This port allows you to connect two AC240s together via a parallel kit box (the P480A) combining an AC output of 4800w. As of yet there is no mention of one for the UK market at this time.

All in all I believe the AC240 is aimed at a different group or user than the AC200L, both at the outdoor/camping lifestyle yet the AC240 is made to more stationary in a caravan or RV than the AC200L which is taken on such trips and the moved from vehicle to campsite. That said, for the size and heft of the AC240, I do wonder what they have (or haven’t done) with the additional space in the case.

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Bluetti AC240 during our review process

(Image credit: Bluetti)
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Bluetti AC240 during our review process

(Image credit: Bluetti)
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Bluetti AC240 during our review process

(Image credit: Bluetti)
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Bluetti AC240 during our review process

(Image credit: Bluetti)
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Bluetti AC240 during our review process

(Image credit: Bluetti)
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Bluetti AC240 during our review process

(Image credit: Bluetti)
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Bluetti AC240 during our review process

(Image credit: Bluetti)
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Bluetti AC240 during our review process

(Image credit: Bluetti)
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Bluetti AC240 during our review process

(Image credit: Bluetti)
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Bluetti AC240 during our review process

(Image credit: Bluetti)

Should I buy the Bluetti AC240?

Red Magic 9S Pro and 9S Pro+ arrive with overclocked SD 8 Gen 3, improved cooling
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Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: | Comments: Off

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Realme reveals key features of Chinese GT6 flagship
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Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

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Our vivo X100 Ultra video review is out
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Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 official images leak
3:17 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Comments: Off

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