The PowerCore 10000 Redux is a mini power bank, designed to be easily transportable, thanks to its pill-like shape and additional carrying strap. Despite the small size, it has a large 10,000mAh capacity, as well as a 25W maximum output. There are two USB ports, one type C and one type A, giving you multiple charging options. There’s no wireless charging feature, though.
The PowerCore 10000 Redux’s USB-C port utilizes Anker’s PowerIQ 3.0 charging technology. Meanwhile, the USB-A port is stuck with the first generation of this standard, which only allows up to 12W of charging power.
Charging a Google Pixel 7a from half to full power using the type-C port took just over an hour, which is a solid performance. The PowerCore 10000 Redux only lost one of its four LEDs on the battery level indicator, which meant it had between 50-75% left in the tank, so you should get about 3-4 charges from it.
USB-A charging, meanwhile, took about an hour and a half – lagging behind what some of the best power banks can offer – but all four LEDs remained lit upon completion, indicating a battery level of between 75%-100%. Charging the power bank itself took about 2 hours and 40 minutes.
The PowerCore 10000 Redux also has Anker’s Trickle Charging mode, which is designed for charging devices with a low power draw (measured in amps), such as earbuds. When activated – which simply requires pressing the main button twice – the PowerCore 10000 Redux will only provide a low charge to your device.
The supplied USB-C cable comes with a USB-A adapter – attached rather conveniently to one end of the cable itself – which is a thoughtful and welcome bonus, saving you the hassle of having to remember to pack multiple cables for all your devices.
Additionally, it comes with a useful carrying handle and pouch, both of which feel well-made and soft to the touch. The handle is easy to attach and remove, and the material resembles a soft, thick shoelace. An adjustable tab allows you to alter the size of the loop, which is another considerate touch.
It’s a shame that the PowerCore 10000 Redux misses out on wireless charging, but the small form factor is practical, although it’s better carried in your bag rather than your pocket given its thickness. The carrying strap does add to its portability, though, and combined with the large battery capacity, it makes for a great power bank to accompany you on your journeys.
(Image credit: Future)
Anker PowerCore 10000 Redux review: Price & specs
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Anker PowerCore 10000 Redux?
Buy it if…
You want a simple power bank This is a no-fuss power bank: just plug and go. Trickle Charge is about the only extra feature.
You want something compact The shape of the PowerCore 10000 Redux means stowing it away in your bag is easy. The carrying strap also adds to its traveling convenience.
Don't buy it if…
You want something thin Although it’s not wide, the PowerCore 10000 Redux is thick, which means putting it in your pocket isn’t as practical as it is with flatter power banks.
You want wireless charging There’s no wireless charging capability on the PowerCore 10000 Redux, so you’ll always need to take the included cable – with its attached USB-C-to-A adapter – with you.
Anker PowerCore 10000 Redux review: Also consider
Anker 621 Magnetic Battery (MagGo) If you want something light and simple, then the Anker 621 is a great alternative. It only has one port (USB-C), but it does feature MagSafe wireless charging, great if you're an iPhone owner (it may also work on Androids with MagSafe compatible cases). The capacity is half that of the PowerCore, but it's thin enough to carry around in your pocket – with or without your phone attached.View Deal
The world of personal finance has lots of options when it comes to managing your money. Pocketsmith is a budgeting app that helps you do just that, but it’s also great for helping to plan for the future with a suite of features and functions that take the pain out of personal finance planning.
This is an app with a strong desktop focus with versions for MacOS, Windows and Linux too, but there’s also the option to use it via the app, which is available for iOS and Android. Another appealing aspect of Pocketsmith is that the folks behind it have made moving from another app, like the much-missed Mint, for example, very easy indeed.
Pocketsmith lets users move their accounts, transactions and associated categories across and into the Pocketsmith domain with very little effort. As you’d expect from any decent financial app, there’s also bank-level 2FA security plus the option for customising the software to suit your own personal needs.
Pocketsmith comes in desktop and app editions plus there's a UK specific edition outside of the US. (Image credit: Pocketsmith)
Pocketsmith: Pricing
There are currently three different options when it comes to using Pocketsmith, aside from a free version that is minimalist to say the least. Things kick off with the Foundation package, which costs $119.95 a year or $14.95 a month. This is followed by Flourish, which is $199.95 annually or $24.95 per month.
Top of the pile is the Fortune package, which costs a sizable $319.95 a year or, alternatively, $39.95 per month. Paying more means Pocketsmith becomes more potent and allows access to more connected banks. A UK edition is also available, with pricing to suit as shown in the image above.
Pocketsmith works well as a desktop package but there are app editions too. (Image credit: Pocketsmith)
Pocketsmith: Features
Pocketsmith comes fully featured, with a host of tools that not only help track expenses but let users keep tabs on their overall spending, plan for the future and also get on top of any outstanding debts. When it comes to monitoring accounts and related transactions there are a wealth of tools at your disposal. Pocketsmith makes it easy to connect to live bank feeds and this extends to in excess of 12,000 financial institutions around the globe.
This is enhanced by the fact that Pocketsmith can handle multiple currencies and can update its data dynamically based on the daily rates of any selected accounts. Even if this is complicated by multiple accounts and currencies, Pocketsmith allows users to categorise, label and annotate any spend, so that it’s easy to keep track on what’s going on with your personal finances.
Pocketsmith also has a powerful array of budget and planning tools. There’s the capacity for producing cash projections with a very generous limit of up to 60 years in the future on the top tier package. Similarly, the flexible way Pocketsmith lets users schedule upcoming bills and budgets makes light work of staying organised. The app rounds things out nicely with a decent set of reporting tools, which offers up cashflow statements and gives an insight on net worth.
The Pocketsmith app experience offers a very detailed insight into finances. (Image credit: Pocketsmith)
Pocketsmith: Performance
Pocketsmith works best in the desktop environment, where all that beefy data can be properly managed without the limitations of a small screen. However, the apps perform just as swiftly as the version used through a web browser, despite the fact that there’s quite a lot going on. Pocketsmith has many different features and functions, so the designers have done a great job at ensuring everything keeps ticking over, even if you’re working on predictions that go way into the future.
Pocketsmith: Ease of use
While there is a free version of Pocketsmith, this is a very simplistic edition of the software and is probably best avoided if your finances are more nuanced. Once the paid tiers are accessed there’s a lot more to understand, with a whole host of features and functions that require time and not a little patience to master. The interface, both on the desktop and mobile editions, is slick enough, but there is quite a lot going on. The base level edition makes a lot of sense, but it’s still not exactly bargain-basement.
Pocketsmith is relatively easy to use although it boasts a very detailed interface. (Image credit: Pocketsmith)
Pocketsmith: Support
There seems to be a decent community spirit present on the Pocketsmith website, with lots of fellow users keen to share their enjoyment of the personal finance organiser. Elsewhere, in terms of proper support, there’s a chunky Learn Center that has a huge array of different articles on how to use the core aspects of Pocketsmith.
These range from basics, such as getting started right on through to reporting and net worth topics. If all else fails, there’s also a Contact Us button in order to get direct support, which takes users initially to a chat-style dialog box where it’s possible to input questions and queries.
Pocketsmith: Final verdict
Pocketsmith isn’t really going to work for anyone who has a fairly simple personal finance setup that doesn’t require them to crunch lots of data. The free version is very basic, however, so the real value comes from one of the three paid-for packages. The downside with these is the expense involved, with the premium package only a realistic option for the well-heeled with super complex financial matters to unpick.
The Anker 335 Charger (67W) is a triple port wall plug that offers speedy charging for your phones, tablets, laptops and more.
Something that I loved about this charger, right off the bat, is that it comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable included. That’s actually quite rare for a lot of these wall chargers but adds a lot of value points for an already cheap product – this charger is $35.99 / £36.99 (about AU$55) but regularly available for less. For those of you who only have USB-A to USB-C/lightning cables, this will undoubtedly be a welcome inclusion, so if you want to get great bang for your buck, the Anker 335 Charger (67W) is a strong option.
But this plug isn’t only good in terms of value, it delivers very decent charging performance too. I tried charging the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE and a DualSense Wireless Controller via USB-C, while also charging the Soundcore Space One Pro via USB-A. And despite using all three ports, the Samsung phone charged from 0% - 100% in the expected timeframe of approximately 80 minutes – that’s in-line with the sort of speeds the best iPhone chargers and best Android phone chargers offer.
It’s also worth noting that each USB-C port can provide up to 67W when single-port charging – this is 22.5W for the USB-A alternative. However, if you’re juicing up two or more devices, USB-C port 1 will deliver a higher power output than port 2 – specifically, port 1 delivers 42W, whereas port 2 and the USB-A slot provide 12W each if you’re triple-charging. If you’re trying to charge multiple power-hungry devices, this might not be enough firepower for you, though. It may, instead, be worth considering an option with a higher total power output, like the Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger (3-Ports).
So performance is solid here, but is it designed for greatness? Well, I’d say it has a simple and decently effective build. Unlike Anker’s Prime products, this isn’t a GaN charger, so it’s not going to be the most hi-tech, compact option, but for its price it’s still pretty well-sized. The charger’s prongs are foldable too, which is ideal if you want to slip it into your pocket without it annoyingly poking your leg. Looks-wise, it’s not a particularly interesting charger. The casing has a matte black finish and the Anker logo with the three charging ports on the top – each of which are well spaced-out. There are no color options, which could’ve been a nice touch, especially given the Black colorway is a little bland.
But overall, this is a very solid wall charger. Sure, it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it doesn’t have a flashy design and it doesn’t offer a sky-high maximum power output. But what you do get is reliable tri-port charging, a foldable design and a solid USB-C to USB-C cable all for a very reasonable price. So, if you’re looking for a cheap multi-device plug, this is a worthy pick.
(Image credit: Future)
Anker 335 Charger (67W) review: Price & specs
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Anker 335 Charger (67W)?
Buy it if…
You need to charge multiple devices simultaneously Thanks to its three charging ports, you’ll easily be able to juice multiple devices up at once. There are two USB-C slots and one USB-A port, all of which can offer a total power output of 67W.
You’re looking for a solid low-priced plug If you don’t want to splash too much cash on a new wall charger, this is a strong option. For $35.99 / £36.99 you get a tri-port plug as well as a USB-C to USB-C cable – not bad value at all.
Don't buy it if…
You want top-level power output If you’re hoping to charge a lot of power-hungry devices at once, this may be a little underpowered for you. When you’re charging three devices at once, Port 1 can deliver a strong 42W, but Port 2 and the USB-A slot can only offer 12W each – that might not be enough if you want super-fast charging for your modern handset or tablet.
You’re looking for a charger with personality Design-wise, this isn’t a particularly exciting charger. It’s a little plain looking and there are no color options available – and despite having foldable prongs, this isn’t the most compact 67W charger around.
Anker 335 Charger (67W): Also consider
UGreen Uno Charger 100W Want a little more power, an extra charging slot and a more funky design? Then the UGreen Uno Charger 100W is the perfect pick. This wall plug has a charming robot-like design and even has a screen that displays different emotions depending on charging progress. It’s also great value, with a list price of $59.99 / £55.99 (about AU$80), though there’s no USB-C to USB-C cable included in the box. Read our full UGreen Uno Charger 100W review.View Deal
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is the brand’s new top-of-the-line wireless gaming keyboard, featuring hot-swappable mechanical switches and multiple connectivity options.
It cuts a rather formidable figure, with its angular, slab-like body conveying its gaming intentions. The RGB lighting also helps in this regard, and the bars around the bottom edges are a particularly nice touch, boasting just the right amount of opulence. Despite this, it isn’t as heavy or as unwieldy as you might think, and its compact layout makes it easy to get along with.
The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% also comes with a leatherette wrist rest that puts those on even the best gaming keyboards to shame, thanks to its ornate design and plush cushioning for maximum comfort. It might seem too thick at first, but you’ll likely adapt quickly as you sink into it.
A small OLED display is positioned in the top right corner of the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, controlled via a button on the side of the keyboard and a scroll wheel, which can be set to perform various functions, such as adjusting the volume and switching app windows to name a few (further functions are available via Synapse, Razer’s peripheral software). Other keyboard settings are available via this display, although the selection is quite limited. But overall, it’s easy to use and works quite well.
The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is compatible with Synapse 4. During my time with it, I did experience a few technical hitches, including erroneous battery readouts and failed firmware updates. However, these issues eventually went away with updates and restarts, and I had little trouble thereafter.
When working as it should, Synapse 4 offers some useful customizations, with a plentiful selection of binds and shortcuts for both the keys and the scroll wheel. Everything is well presented and easy to navigate.
The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% really shines, though, when it comes to the business of gaming. The Gen-3 Tactile mechanical switches are snappy yet damped just enough to make them satisfying to use. The compact layout and indented doubleshot PBT keycaps are secure and easy to press too. However, if you’re not happy with the stock setup, the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is hot-swappable, allowing you to choose your own switches and keycaps to suit your preferences.
Typing is also a pleasant experience on the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, and the plush wrist pad offers plenty of support. My only minor complaint is the rather shallow six degree angle provided by the feet, but this still didn’t compromise comfort levels for me.
Connectivity between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz modes is easy, although I didn’t notice much improvement when using the included HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, which elevates the polling rate maximum to 4K. Handy keyboard shortcuts also allow you to switch effortlessly between three Bluetooth connected devices, which makes the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% very versatile if you have lots of systems to move between.
Battery life on the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is good, but nothing spectacular. I found it could last a couple of days of varied use, switching between the various wireless modes. Charging from empty to full takes over two hours in my estimation, which is an average performance.
There’s no denying that the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is a very well-made and extremely worthy gaming keyboard. But whether it’s worth that sizable asking price is debatable, especially when you consider others, such as the Razer Huntsman V2 Analog and Steelseries Apex Pro, offer stunning analog performance for less. However, for the mechanical purists, it’s certainly the cream of the crop.
(Image credit: Future)
Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% review: price and availability
$299 / £299 / AU$499
Available now in Black
Top-end of the market
The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% costs $299 / £299 / AU$499 and is available now in one color: black. In the box you get a USB-C-to-A cable, the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, a key cap puller, and three spare switches.
The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% sits atop Razer’s gaming keyboard lineup in terms of price. It’s more expensive than the excellent Huntsman V2 Analog, the best gaming keyboard right now in our view. Unlike the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, the analog capability means that you can set the actuation point just so. However, it isn’t hot-swappable like the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, so you’re stuck with the optical switches, and it’s wired only.
Other high-profile rivals in the premium sector are also cheaper. The Steelseries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3, for instance, is a standout board that also features analog switches, and costs $269 / £259 (about AU$456).
Value: 2 / 5
Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%: specs
(Image credit: Future)
Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%: design and features
Thick body
Supremely engineered
Synapse 4 compatible
The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is a fairly unremarkable looking gaming keyboard from the front, but a three-dimensional view reveals just what a monolithic slab this keyboard really is. The layout is compact, although the keys are still spaced well enough apart to make them easy to use, even if you’re as clumsy as me.
There’s some RGB lighting for the keys and strips running along the bottom edges, which does help to make its appearance more elaborate.
The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% comes with a wrist rest, which is much more plush and padded than many of those offered by its rivals. In fact, I thought it was too thick at first, as it raises your hands higher than usual. However, you do sink into it, and after a short while I acclimatized. The two-stage feet help to get a more comfortable position, although neither setting raises the board that high compared to other keyboard feet.
It’s also more stylish than many other rests too, thanks to its premium leatherette material with a subtle herringbone pattern. It connects to the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% magnetically with just the right amount of force, making it easy to remove yet strong enough to remain secure.
The doubleshot PBT keycaps are lightly textured and feel premium to the touch. The same goes for the stock Gen-3 Tactile mechanical switches, although since this is a hot-swappable keyboard, you can change them if they aren’t to your liking.
(Image credit: Future)
Nestled in the top right corner of the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is a small OLED display. This can be used to show GIFs and make certain adjustments, which can be accessed by holding a button on the side of the board. There are only a few settings available, though, including those for the RGB effects and the polling rate (with a 4K maximum when using the included HyperPolling Wireless Dongle).
Tapping the side button cycles through up to six presets for the scroll wheel functionality; it can be used to adjust the volume, switch between apps, and zoom in and out, with inward clicks of the wheel having related functions too.
The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is compatible with Synapse 4. During my time with this software, I did experience a few glitches, such as the battery indicator giving false readings and the tab for the keyboard itself disappearing from the window. Also, firmware updates failed numerous times, but after a few updates and restarts, it worked more smoothly.
Synapse offers the usual customizations, including key rebinds, but the scope for these is large. You can map mouse buttons, as well as numerous Windows and media shortcuts (more than many other peripheral software offer) to the keys and even to the scroll wheel. There’s also the Hypershift feature, which allows you to add a second layer of binds by pressing the Hypershift button, designated to a key of your choosing.
Design & features: 4 / 5
Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% review: performance
Fantastic stock switches
Great for gaming and typing
Average battery life
Gaming with the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is a joyful experience. Razer’s Tactile mechanical switches are snappy with low travel and damped just enough to allow for light yet satisfying and controlled presses, typical of the best mechanical keyboards. The keys are mildly indented, again offering the right balance between security and ease of use.
When it comes to typing, that snappy yet damped feel is a real boon, providing plenty of feedback and bounce for flitting around the keys with ease. However, the aforementioned thickness of the wrist pad created a somewhat unfamiliar typing position for me, but again I quickly adapted and found it very comfortable thereafter.
The various connectivity modes all work pretty seamlessly too, although I can’t say I noticed much improvement when using the 4K polling rate offered by the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle. Switching between the 2.4GHz/ HyperPolling and Bluetooth modes is fairly quick, although I did find that there was a slight delay, and a key press was required to activate the board after switching to a new device.
There are also three Bluetooth profiles available, which are conveniently accessible via the fn key and number keys 1-3. Again, switching this way to control numerous devices works quickly and consistently.
The battery depleted after a couple of days of varied use, as I switched between the various wireless modes (Bluetooth, 2.4GHz and the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle). This isn’t a particularly impressive performance, and neither is the two-plus hour charging time from empty. However, neither figure is cause for complaint, either.
Performance: 4/ 5
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%?
Buy it if…
You want to connect to multiple devices Wireless and three Bluetooth profiles make it easy to switch the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% between numerous devices. Wired connectivity is also an option.
You want that mechanical magic The tactile profile of the stock mechanical switches, combined with the premium keycaps, make for superb gaming and typing. Plus, if you don’t like them, you can swap them out.
Don’t buy it if…
You’re on a budget There’s no getting around it: this is one of Razer’s most expensive gaming keyboards, so you’ll have to part with some serious cash to get your hands on it.
You want plenty of adjustments Yes, you can swap out the switches for those better suited to your playstyle, but since this isn’t an analog board, you can’t fine-tune the actuation points or toggle rapid trigger.
Also consider
Razer Huntsman V2 Analog For less than the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, you could get the equally capable Huntsman V2 Analog. This board has analog switches as well, allowing for that fine actuation point tuning and rapid trigger activation. It also has a comfortable wrist rest, but it is wired only.
SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3 If you’re after supreme gaming performance, it’s hard to overlook the Apex Pro. Its analog keys feature programmable actuation points and rapid trigger functionality, letting you tailor their responsiveness to your exact preferences. It too is very expensive, but it's still less than the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%.
I tested the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% for over a week, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general browsing.
I played games including Counter-Strike 2 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, FPS titles that test the responsiveness, accuracy and ergonomics of keyboards well. I made sure to use all the different connectivity methods, from wired and Bluetooth modes to the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle.
I have been PC gaming for over 10 years, and have sampled many keyboards over that period. I have also reviewed numerous gaming keyboards of varying sizes, switch types, and price tags.
The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is the brand’s new top-of-the-line wireless gaming keyboard, featuring hot-swappable mechanical switches and multiple connectivity options.
It cuts a rather formidable figure, with its angular, slab-like body conveying its gaming intentions. The RGB lighting also helps in this regard, and the bars around the bottom edges are a particularly nice touch, boasting just the right amount of opulence. Despite this, it isn’t as heavy or as unwieldy as you might think, and its compact layout makes it easy to get along with.
The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% also comes with a leatherette wrist rest that puts those on even the best gaming keyboards to shame, thanks to its ornate design and plush cushioning for maximum comfort. It might seem too thick at first, but you’ll likely adapt quickly as you sink into it.
A small OLED display is positioned in the top right corner of the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, controlled via a button on the side of the keyboard and a scroll wheel, which can be set to perform various functions, such as adjusting the volume and switching app windows to name a few (further functions are available via Synapse, Razer’s peripheral software). Other keyboard settings are available via this display, although the selection is quite limited. But overall, it’s easy to use and works quite well.
The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is compatible with Synapse 4. During my time with it, I did experience a few technical hitches, including erroneous battery readouts and failed firmware updates. However, these issues eventually went away with updates and restarts, and I had little trouble thereafter.
When working as it should, Synapse 4 offers some useful customizations, with a plentiful selection of binds and shortcuts for both the keys and the scroll wheel. Everything is well presented and easy to navigate.
The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% really shines, though, when it comes to the business of gaming. The Gen-3 Tactile mechanical switches are snappy yet damped just enough to make them satisfying to use. The compact layout and indented doubleshot PBT keycaps are secure and easy to press too. However, if you’re not happy with the stock setup, the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is hot-swappable, allowing you to choose your own switches and keycaps to suit your preferences.
Typing is also a pleasant experience on the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, and the plush wrist pad offers plenty of support. My only minor complaint is the rather shallow six degree angle provided by the feet, but this still didn’t compromise comfort levels for me.
Connectivity between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz modes is easy, although I didn’t notice much improvement when using the included HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, which elevates the polling rate maximum to 4K. Handy keyboard shortcuts also allow you to switch effortlessly between three Bluetooth connected devices, which makes the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% very versatile if you have lots of systems to move between.
Battery life on the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is good, but nothing spectacular. I found it could last a couple of days of varied use, switching between the various wireless modes. Charging from empty to full takes over two hours in my estimation, which is an average performance.
There’s no denying that the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is a very well-made and extremely worthy gaming keyboard. But whether it’s worth that sizable asking price is debatable, especially when you consider others, such as the Razer Huntsman V2 Analog and Steelseries Apex Pro, offer stunning analog performance for less. However, for the mechanical purists, it’s certainly the cream of the crop.
(Image credit: Future)
Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% review: price and availability
$299 / £299 / AU$499
Available now in Black
Top-end of the market
The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% costs $299 / £299 / AU$499 and is available now in one color: black. In the box you get a USB-C-to-A cable, the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle, a key cap puller, and three spare switches.
The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% sits atop Razer’s gaming keyboard lineup in terms of price. It’s more expensive than the excellent Huntsman V2 Analog, the best gaming keyboard right now in our view. Unlike the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, the analog capability means that you can set the actuation point just so. However, it isn’t hot-swappable like the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, so you’re stuck with the optical switches, and it’s wired only.
Other high-profile rivals in the premium sector are also cheaper. The Steelseries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3, for instance, is a standout board that also features analog switches, and costs $269 / £259 (about AU$456).
Value: 2 / 5
Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%: specs
(Image credit: Future)
Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%: design and features
Thick body
Supremely engineered
Synapse 4 compatible
The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is a fairly unremarkable looking gaming keyboard from the front, but a three-dimensional view reveals just what a monolithic slab this keyboard really is. The layout is compact, although the keys are still spaced well enough apart to make them easy to use, even if you’re as clumsy as me.
There’s some RGB lighting for the keys and strips running along the bottom edges, which does help to make its appearance more elaborate.
The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% comes with a wrist rest, which is much more plush and padded than many of those offered by its rivals. In fact, I thought it was too thick at first, as it raises your hands higher than usual. However, you do sink into it, and after a short while I acclimatized. The two-stage feet help to get a more comfortable position, although neither setting raises the board that high compared to other keyboard feet.
It’s also more stylish than many other rests too, thanks to its premium leatherette material with a subtle herringbone pattern. It connects to the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% magnetically with just the right amount of force, making it easy to remove yet strong enough to remain secure.
The doubleshot PBT keycaps are lightly textured and feel premium to the touch. The same goes for the stock Gen-3 Tactile mechanical switches, although since this is a hot-swappable keyboard, you can change them if they aren’t to your liking.
(Image credit: Future)
Nestled in the top right corner of the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is a small OLED display. This can be used to show GIFs and make certain adjustments, which can be accessed by holding a button on the side of the board. There are only a few settings available, though, including those for the RGB effects and the polling rate (with a 4K maximum when using the included HyperPolling Wireless Dongle).
Tapping the side button cycles through up to six presets for the scroll wheel functionality; it can be used to adjust the volume, switch between apps, and zoom in and out, with inward clicks of the wheel having related functions too.
The BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is compatible with Synapse 4. During my time with this software, I did experience a few glitches, such as the battery indicator giving false readings and the tab for the keyboard itself disappearing from the window. Also, firmware updates failed numerous times, but after a few updates and restarts, it worked more smoothly.
Synapse offers the usual customizations, including key rebinds, but the scope for these is large. You can map mouse buttons, as well as numerous Windows and media shortcuts (more than many other peripheral software offer) to the keys and even to the scroll wheel. There’s also the Hypershift feature, which allows you to add a second layer of binds by pressing the Hypershift button, designated to a key of your choosing.
Design & features: 4 / 5
Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% review: performance
Fantastic stock switches
Great for gaming and typing
Average battery life
Gaming with the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% is a joyful experience. Razer’s Tactile mechanical switches are snappy with low travel and damped just enough to allow for light yet satisfying and controlled presses, typical of the best mechanical keyboards. The keys are mildly indented, again offering the right balance between security and ease of use.
When it comes to typing, that snappy yet damped feel is a real boon, providing plenty of feedback and bounce for flitting around the keys with ease. However, the aforementioned thickness of the wrist pad created a somewhat unfamiliar typing position for me, but again I quickly adapted and found it very comfortable thereafter.
The various connectivity modes all work pretty seamlessly too, although I can’t say I noticed much improvement when using the 4K polling rate offered by the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle. Switching between the 2.4GHz/ HyperPolling and Bluetooth modes is fairly quick, although I did find that there was a slight delay, and a key press was required to activate the board after switching to a new device.
There are also three Bluetooth profiles available, which are conveniently accessible via the fn key and number keys 1-3. Again, switching this way to control numerous devices works quickly and consistently.
The battery depleted after a couple of days of varied use, as I switched between the various wireless modes (Bluetooth, 2.4GHz and the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle). This isn’t a particularly impressive performance, and neither is the two-plus hour charging time from empty. However, neither figure is cause for complaint, either.
Performance: 4/ 5
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Should I buy the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%?
Buy it if…
You want to connect to multiple devices Wireless and three Bluetooth profiles make it easy to switch the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% between numerous devices. Wired connectivity is also an option.
You want that mechanical magic The tactile profile of the stock mechanical switches, combined with the premium keycaps, make for superb gaming and typing. Plus, if you don’t like them, you can swap them out.
Don’t buy it if…
You’re on a budget There’s no getting around it: this is one of Razer’s most expensive gaming keyboards, so you’ll have to part with some serious cash to get your hands on it.
You want plenty of adjustments Yes, you can swap out the switches for those better suited to your playstyle, but since this isn’t an analog board, you can’t fine-tune the actuation points or toggle rapid trigger.
Also consider
Razer Huntsman V2 Analog For less than the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, you could get the equally capable Huntsman V2 Analog. This board has analog switches as well, allowing for that fine actuation point tuning and rapid trigger activation. It also has a comfortable wrist rest, but it is wired only.
SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3 If you’re after supreme gaming performance, it’s hard to overlook the Apex Pro. Its analog keys feature programmable actuation points and rapid trigger functionality, letting you tailor their responsiveness to your exact preferences. It too is very expensive, but it's still less than the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%.
I tested the BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% for over a week, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general browsing.
I played games including Counter-Strike 2 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, FPS titles that test the responsiveness, accuracy and ergonomics of keyboards well. I made sure to use all the different connectivity methods, from wired and Bluetooth modes to the HyperPolling Wireless Dongle.
I have been PC gaming for over 10 years, and have sampled many keyboards over that period. I have also reviewed numerous gaming keyboards of varying sizes, switch types, and price tags.
Have you ever wished your charger could express its deepest, most heartfelt emotions? Perhaps you wondered how it really feels while it juices up your devices? OK, maybe you haven’t. But even so, the UGreen Uno Charger 100W is sure to put a smile on your face with its charming expressions and super-fast charging, which make it a standout product in a competitive market.
Something that’s amazing about the UGreen Uno Charger 100W is that you get four charging ports, three of which are USB-C with the other being USB-A. This means that even if your phone, laptop, wireless headphones and tablet (just for example) need juicing up, you can get all of them back to life simultaneously. It’s worth mentioning, however, that the UGreen Uno Charger 100W doesn’t come with any charging cables, so you’ll need to acquire these separately.
So how does it fare charging-wise? Very well indeed. I attempted to charge the Samsung Galaxy A35 via a USB-C port while charging three other devices in the remaining slots. And luckily, it got back to full power in the expected timeframe of one hour and 30 minutes – that’s in-line with some of the best iPhone chargers and best Android phone chargers. However, if you’re not using all of the ports, power output can scale to fit your device’s requirements. For instance, the top two USB-C ports can deliver up to 100W each (if only one is being used at a time), making this a great choice if you want to charge more demanding devices.
But I’ll be honest, reader, I know why you’re here…you want to hear about the Uno Charger’s emotive display. And it works very nicely. The charger is bursting with emotions – from joyful, through surprised, to flushed. And there are a few more too, for instance, the Uno Charger sometimes assumes an eating animation when in-use or displays a ‘cool’ emoji when a device is fully charged. Am I easily amused? Perhaps so, but given this is nothing but a charger, I appreciated the personality UGreen injected into this product.
Other design choices are strong too. The placement of USB ports on top of the robot is practical and it’s a decently compact charger overall given the amount of power it can supply. And although prongs aren’t foldable, you can insert them into something of a sheath – or should I say the robot’s lower half. That’s right: when you remove the charger from the lower half you’re actually taking away his legs and feet. A bit mean really.
So, I actually have very little in the way of complaints. I would argue that the display isn’t super-bright, so at more awkward angles it might be slightly harder to ascertain the robot’s emotion. It could be fun too, if there was a button to manually change emojis, or perhaps even see power usage between the different ports – but these are very nitpicky complaints/suggestions.
Finally, I know this may not be the cheapest charger on the market, but when it comes to value it performs nicely. For instance, the Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger (3 Ports) has one less port, the same maximum power output, but lacks any kind of display – not to mention it has a considerably higher list price. So overall, you’re getting a stellar product with the UGreen Uno Charger 100W – great performance, versatile charging options, strong value, and a fun, original design. It really doesn’t get much better.
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UGreen Uno Charger 100W review: Price & specs
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Should I buy the UGreen Uno Charger 100W?
Buy it if…
You want super-fast, multi-port charging The UGreen Uno Charger 100W boasts four charging ports, one of which is USB-A, the rest USB-C. On top of that, it has a very solid maximum power output of 100W, meaning you’ll be easily able to bring multiple devices back to life in no time.
You’d like a splash of personality It’s quite rare that a wall charger exudes any kind of personality and I love the originality from UGreen here. There’s a fun selection of emojis available here, including eating, smiling and blushing and I can’t lie, I got a lot of joy out of watching these play out.
Don't buy it if…
You only need to charge your phone If you only need to revitalize your handset after a long day of scrolling, there’s no need to spend this much money. There are a bunch of high-quality chargers out there for less than half the price of this robotic guy – one of my personal picks would be the excellent Anker Nano USB-C Wall Charger (30W). If you really want emojis though, it may still be worth splashing the cash on the Uno Charger 100W.
You’re on a very tight budget This charger has a list price of $59.99, and even if that’s solid value-wise, it’s still a fair amount to shell out for a charger. There are some decent, cheap multi-port options out there too, for example, the UGreen USB-C 40W.
UGreen Uno Charger 100W review: also consider
Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger (3 Ports) In terms of basic functionality, this is very similar to the UGreen Uno Charger 100W. Anker’s alternative only has three ports and costs a bit more too, but it does have excellent build quality with sturdy outer casing. So, if you’re not a fan of the quirky robo-display, this could be a more appropriate choice for you. Read our full Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger (3 Ports) review.View Deal
Have you ever wished your charger could express its deepest, most heartfelt emotions? Perhaps you wondered how it really feels while it juices up your devices? OK, maybe you haven’t. But even so, the UGreen Uno Charger 100W is sure to put a smile on your face with its charming expressions and super-fast charging, which make it a standout product in a competitive market.
Something that’s amazing about the UGreen Uno Charger 100W is that you get four charging ports, three of which are USB-C with the other being USB-A. This means that even if your phone, laptop, wireless headphones and tablet (just for example) need juicing up, you can get all of them back to life simultaneously. It’s worth mentioning, however, that the UGreen Uno Charger 100W doesn’t come with any charging cables, so you’ll need to acquire these separately.
So how does it fare charging-wise? Very well indeed. I attempted to charge the Samsung Galaxy A35 via a USB-C port while charging three other devices in the remaining slots. And luckily, it got back to full power in the expected timeframe of one hour and 30 minutes – that’s in-line with some of the best iPhone chargers and best Android phone chargers. However, if you’re not using all of the ports, power output can scale to fit your device’s requirements. For instance, the top two USB-C ports can deliver up to 100W each (if only one is being used at a time), making this a great choice if you want to charge more demanding devices.
But I’ll be honest, reader, I know why you’re here…you want to hear about the Uno Charger’s emotive display. And it works very nicely. The charger is bursting with emotions – from joyful, through surprised, to flushed. And there are a few more too, for instance, the Uno Charger sometimes assumes an eating animation when in-use or displays a ‘cool’ emoji when a device is fully charged. Am I easily amused? Perhaps so, but given this is nothing but a charger, I appreciated the personality UGreen injected into this product.
Other design choices are strong too. The placement of USB ports on top of the robot is practical and it’s a decently compact charger overall given the amount of power it can supply. And although prongs aren’t foldable, you can insert them into something of a sheath – or should I say the robot’s lower half. That’s right: when you remove the charger from the lower half you’re actually taking away his legs and feet. A bit mean really.
So, I actually have very little in the way of complaints. I would argue that the display isn’t super-bright, so at more awkward angles it might be slightly harder to ascertain the robot’s emotion. It could be fun too, if there was a button to manually change emojis, or perhaps even see power usage between the different ports – but these are very nitpicky complaints/suggestions.
Finally, I know this may not be the cheapest charger on the market, but when it comes to value it performs nicely. For instance, the Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger (3 Ports) has one less port, the same maximum power output, but lacks any kind of display – not to mention it has a considerably higher list price. So overall, you’re getting a stellar product with the UGreen Uno Charger 100W – great performance, versatile charging options, strong value, and a fun, original design. It really doesn’t get much better.
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UGreen Uno Charger 100W review: Price & specs
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Should I buy the UGreen Uno Charger 100W?
Buy it if…
You want super-fast, multi-port charging The UGreen Uno Charger 100W boasts four charging ports, one of which is USB-A, the rest USB-C. On top of that, it has a very solid maximum power output of 100W, meaning you’ll be easily able to bring multiple devices back to life in no time.
You’d like a splash of personality It’s quite rare that a wall charger exudes any kind of personality and I love the originality from UGreen here. There’s a fun selection of emojis available here, including eating, smiling and blushing and I can’t lie, I got a lot of joy out of watching these play out.
Don't buy it if…
You only need to charge your phone If you only need to revitalize your handset after a long day of scrolling, there’s no need to spend this much money. There are a bunch of high-quality chargers out there for less than half the price of this robotic guy – one of my personal picks would be the excellent Anker Nano USB-C Wall Charger (30W). If you really want emojis though, it may still be worth splashing the cash on the Uno Charger 100W.
You’re on a very tight budget This charger has a list price of $59.99, and even if that’s solid value-wise, it’s still a fair amount to shell out for a charger. There are some decent, cheap multi-port options out there too, for example, the UGreen USB-C 40W.
UGreen Uno Charger 100W review: also consider
Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger (3 Ports) In terms of basic functionality, this is very similar to the UGreen Uno Charger 100W. Anker’s alternative only has three ports and costs a bit more too, but it does have excellent build quality with sturdy outer casing. So, if you’re not a fan of the quirky robo-display, this could be a more appropriate choice for you. Read our full Anker Prime 100W GaN Wall Charger (3 Ports) review.View Deal
Honor's Magic 6 Pro made a splash last year, debuting at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) expo in February with a massive battery, a unique camera system, and some novel software features. Now, the brand is back with its flagship offering for 2025, and it's hoping to one-up itself in every department.
The Honor Magic 7 Pro has adopted a more boxy design for 2025, as is the trend, and it now has flat side rails and subtle symmetrical ‘micro curves’ at the edge of its display. The camera bump is less outlandish, too, and the ‘squircle’ bezel has been toned down to make less of a statement. Overall, I think it's an improvement.
The camera hardware is mostly the same, but the telephoto has a few more megapixels and can now get you even closer to distant subjects. These cameras can take fantastic photos, but the image processing is a little inconsistent, and I got more blurry images than usual. Hopefully, this will be tweaked in future firmware updates. The Studio Harcourt portrait mode, developed in collaboration with the legendary Paris photography studio, never failed to impress, at least.
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The battery on this model is even larger than the one in the Magic 6 Pro, and this is easily one of the longest-lasting flagship phones I’ve tested. You can get two days on a full charge without trying particularly hard, and when it's time to charge you can get topped up in a flash, with the Magic 7 Pro supporting up to 100W charging with a cable and 80W with the right wireless charger.
Performance is exceptional. You get the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, plus a suite of software enhancements and an NPU (neural processing unit) co-processor to keep games running smoothly. Honor's Magic OS 9 adds some useful features like Magic Portal, as well as relatively new AI features that have already become familiar favorites, like Circle to Search and Google Gemini.
Overall, this is a superb phone, with a great balance of specs and features that make it a pleasure to use. The software won't be to everyone's taste, and the camera could use some tweaking, but otherwise, this is easily one of the finest flagship phones available today.
Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Price and availability
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Costs £1,099.99
Available in the UK and Europe, but not the US or Australia
The Honor Magic 7 Pro is available to order now in most regions. As usual, though, the list excludes the US and Australia, so our stateside readers will need to import if they want to get in on the action.
The Magic 7 Pro costs £1,099 in the UK, the exact same price as its predecessor. This means it's more expensive than the Oppo Find X8 Pro and Apple iPhone 16 Pro, but a little cheaper than the Pro Max or Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. That said, the latter phone can currently be purchased for the same price, as it’s been on the market for a while.
Given such premium pricing, Honor will need to impress on all fronts if it’s to remain competitive, and thanks to a pretty stacked spec sheet it could well justify that lofty sum. Plus, Honor always has bundle offers on its devices, so nabbing a few freebies could make the price more palatable.
Value score: 3 / 5
Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Specs
Here's a look at the Honor Magic 7 Pro's key specs:
Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Design
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Velvety-feeling matte glass back
Breeze Blue, Black, and Lunar Shadow Grey options
IP68/IP69 dust- and water-resistant
The Honor Magic 7 Pro follows the recent design trend that we've seen with devices like the Vivo X200 Pro and Oppo Find X8 Pro. It ditches the lateral curves of its predecessor in favor of a boxier design. The side rails are completely flat, with beveled edges, while the front and back are mostly flat, with symmetrical ‘micro curves’ on all sides.
The result is a phone that feels a little thicker than Magic 6 Pro, but at the same time it feels premium and confidence-inspiring. It's a similar size to its predecessor, just less curvy, and if you've used any other recent Android flagship, you'll feel right at home.
The global version is available in three colorways: Breeze Blue, Black and Lunar Shadow Grey. There are no vegan leather variants this time around, with all options featuring a velvety-feeling matte glass rear. The Lunar Shadow Grey option is the most striking in my opinion, with a marble-like texture running across the back panel that becomes more visible as the light catches it.
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There's still a large circular and centrally-placed camera island, and it's still surrounded by a ‘squircle’-shaped bezel. However, this time the bezel is decidedly more circular, and it looks a little less outlandish than the Magic 6 Pro did.
The Honor Magic 7 Pro is rated IP68/IP69 for dust and water resistance, which means that as well as being able to handle submersion in freshwater, it can also withstand jets of hot water up to 176F / 80C. I'm not sure when that would ever come in useful, but hey, if you want to scroll Instagram in the shower, your phone should survive it.
Design score: 4 / 5
Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Display
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6.8-inch quad-curved 120Hz OLED display
4320Hz PWM dimming
5000 nits peak brightness
The Honor Magic 7 Pro has a 6.8-inch display with a dynamic refresh rate that can shift from 1Hz to 120Hz as needed. It's a mostly flat panel, and the curves only start around the bezels of the display. The result is a screen that resembles an over-filled glass of water.
I’ve never been a huge fan of curved screens – they can invite accidental touches, and cause odd reflections and color shifts at the edges. There's no denying that they feel nice under your fingertips when using gesture controls, though. These new ‘micro curve’ displays offer the best of both worlds, as you get the smooth feel of a curved display without the usual drawbacks. I'm a convert.
The display is covered with Honor's NanoCrystal Shield glass, and after spending months with the Honor Magic 6 RSR (that’s the Porsche Design version of the Magic 6 Pro) last year, I'm confident in saying it's one of the most scratch-resistant coatings in the business. It's also supposedly 10 times more drop-resistant than traditional glass screens, and while I haven't tested that, it's good to know, especially as there's no case included in the box.
A new addition to this model is a layer of circular polarization, which makes the screen slightly less reflective and is easier on the eyes. In theory, according to Honor, it can reduce eye fatigue by up to 16%.
When it comes to brightness, the Honor Magic 7 Pro has lumens to spare. It can peak at a whopping 5000 nits in certain conditions, which means HDR content looks exceptional, and you'll never have trouble seeing it.
As usual, the brand has put plenty of effort into eye-care features. The PWM (pulse-width modulation) dimming rate is one of the highest I've ever seen, topping out at 4320Hz. You'll never have to worry about flicker on this panel, and if that's not enough you can activate eye comfort and low-blue-light modes to keep your peepers feeling fresh.
There's a 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensor under the display, and a pill-shaped camera cutout housing a 3D face unlock camera. Apparently, this is the first phone to come with both, and it's very convenient. I especially like being able to log into banking apps using my face, and for me that's worth the slightly larger camera cutout.
Display score: 5 / 5
Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Cameras
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50MP main (f/1.4-2.0)
200MP 3x telephoto (f/2.6)
50MP ultra-wide (f/2.0)
Most of the cameras on the Magic 7 Pro share their specifications with its predecessors’. The main camera still has a 50MP 1/1.3-inch sensor, and a mechanically adjustable aperture that shifts between f/1.4 and f/2. The ultra-wide and selfie cameras seem to be unchanged, too. Both have a 50MP resolution and a f/2 lens.
The telephoto, however, has changed more significantly. The Magic 6 Pro had a 180MP 2.5x optical zoom telephoto snapper, while the Magic 7 Pro upgrades that to a 200MP unit with a 3x lens. It's one of the largest telephoto sensors on the market at 1/1.4-inch, and it's also one of the fastest telephoto cameras, with an f/2.6 aperture.
These days I find myself using the telephoto camera on my smartphone as often, if not more, than the main camera, so I'm pleased to see telephoto specs that come close to matching those of the primary snapper.
I'm still not fully convinced that we need so many megapixels, though. The idea is that you can digitally zoom further with less of a drop in quality, as the high pixel count makes up the difference. In reality, though, it doesn't seem to work so well.
I said the same thing about the Honor Magic 6 Pro, and while this model is an improvement (due to the longer optical focal length) zooming past 10x or so delivers middling and inconsistent results.
Honor's solution to this is something called AI SuperZoom, and it kicks in beyond 30x zoom to clean up your images. At times the results can be quite impressive, but the downsides are plain to see. Images tend to have that watercolor-like effect to them, and sometimes details that don't exist in reality are added in.
I've recently been shooting with the Oppo Find X8 Pro, which has an almost identical feature, but it seems to work a little better than Honor's attempt. In fairness, Honor says this feature is in its infancy, and it will mature and improve over time. It's also worth noting that it requires an internet connection to function, while Oppo's equivalent is processed on-device.
Another new feature in the camera department is the addition of the Studio Harcourt portrait styles that we first saw on the Honor 200 Pro. If you like taking portraits, this is a serious upgrade. The color tuning and blur effects are just as stunning here, and they're only enhanced further by the higher-fidelity optics. The only downside is that, as on the 200 Pro, the feature is restricted to the main and telephoto cameras, so you can't use these effects on your selfies.
All in all, this is a very capable camera system, and it can deliver outstanding shots in all lighting conditions. When it hits, it's among the best camera systems on the market, but it's not the most consistent.
Maybe it's just the pre-release software on the phone I’ve been testing, but I got a lot more blurry shots than I'm used to, and the image processing often pushed the sharpening too far, while blues and greens became over-exaggerated, even when using the Natural picture style.
These problems are all fixable, and I hope we see them addressed in future firmware updates. As it stands, the hardware is impeccable, but the inconsistent processing sometimes leaves you guessing as to how your photos will turn out.
Cameras score: 4 / 5
Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Camera samples
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Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Performance and software
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Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset
12GB RAM and 512GB storage
Magic OS 9, based on Android 15
The Honor Magic 7 Pro is powered by Qualcomm's most powerful chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite, so you would expect impressive performance. There's only one configuration available on the global market, which comes with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, which should be more than enough to satisfy most users.
Honor has taken things a step further with this phone by utilizing the power of its onboard NPU to further improve performance. The phone has something called an AI Predictive Scheduling Engine, and exactly what that does is a little above my comprehension level, but I think it's a bit like DLSS on a gaming PC.
All you need to know is that, with the aid of some new features in the game overlay, you can achieve better image fidelity and higher framerates without adding additional load to the GPU. This means that you can game at higher settings, with less battery drain and lower temperatures.
In practice, it seems to work exactly as advertised. I played Genshin Impact at maximum settings for a couple of hours, and the phone had no trouble maintaining a solid 60fps. It remained shockingly cool under the pressure – cooler to the touch than even the gaming-specific ROG Phone 9 Pro, in fact.
The gaming experience is also enhanced by a very capable set of speakers. They might be the most bassy speakers ever to grace a smartphone, thanks to an integrated subwoofer and ultra-large sound cavity design, and they really add some oomph to in-game sound effects.
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The Magic 7 Pro runs Magic OS 9, a highly customized version of Android 15, and it's a bit divisive. Personally, I've become quite fond of Magic OS, but it's a very different experience from stock Android. The notifications shade and quick settings menu are split, like they are on iOS, and navigating the system can be a little challenging if you're coming from a phone that offers a more traditional Android experience, like a Google Pixel.
Aside from the layout changes, Honor has heaped on plenty of extra functionality. My personal favorite is Magic Portal, which allows you to select text or an image on your screen and drag it into another app for quick sharing or searching. This feature is now even easier to access, as you can circle things with your knuckle to quickly select them.
You also get plenty of AI-powered features, of course. There's nothing too novel here, but it's all pretty useful. There's an AI translator, the ability to format and transcribe notes with AI, and an array of AI-powered image-editing tools. At some point soon the phone will also use AI to automatically protect you from deepfake video chats – I can't say I've ever received one, but the extra peace of mind is always nice.
Also new this year is the inclusion of Circle to Search and Google Gemini as the default voice assistant. It's getting to the point where most Android phones come with these features, but they’re still worth mentioning because they're great, and I very much miss them when they're not there.
Performance score: 5 / 5
Software score: 3 / 5
Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Battery
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5,850mAh silicon-carbon battery
100W wired charging
80W wireless charging
There's a lot to love about the Honor Magic 7 Pro, but for me, the best thing might be the battery life. I tested this phone after spending lots of time with the Vivo X200 Pro, which has a mammoth 6,000mAh battery, so I wasn't expecting to be amazed by this slightly smaller 5,850mAh unit – but I was.
Honor has clearly optimized its software very well, and I was able to manage two days on a full charge without even trying. And I managed that more than once, and that's with lots of screen time, navigating maps, shooting lots of photos, and streaming content. It’s just brilliant.
We’ve seen some Chinese manufacturers dial back their charging speeds for this generation, but not Honor. Here you get an impressive 100W wired charging rate, and a staggering 80W with Honor's Wireless SuperCharger.
Unfortunately, there's no charger in the box, but I happened to have the right kit to charge at max speed, and it makes living with this phone extremely convenient. If you have the requisite charger, a wired charge from flat to full takes less than 35 minutes, while a wireless charge can be achieved in less than 45 minutes.
Battery score: 5 / 5
Should you buy the Honor Magic 7 Pro?
Buy it if...
You want flagship power and long battery life With most phones, you have to decide between long battery life and raw power, but not with the Magic 7 Pro. It's supremely powerful and can still last two days between charges.
You love taking portrait shots The Studio Harcourt portrait mode is among the most impressive that I've tried. I loved it when it first debuted with the Honor 200 Pro, and it's just as good here.
You love a nice display The Honor Magic 7 Pro has easily one of the nicest screens in the business. It's bright, vibrant, extremely scratch-resistant, and has more eye-care features than most.
Don't buy it if...
You love generative AI Honor has been steadily adding more AI features to its operating system, but they're a little basic compared to some of the competition.
You're looking for the classic Android experience Magic OS makes so many tweaks and adjustments to Android 15 that it almost feels like a completely different operating system. I quite like it, but fans of stock Android might have a hard time adjusting.
Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Also consider
The Honor Magic 7 Pro is an excellent all-rounder with a brilliant camera, but the competition is fierce. If you're not sure this is the handset for you, it's worth checking out these competitors.
Oppo Find X8 Pro
The Oppo Find X8 Pro is a similarly feature-stacked Android flagship with a heavy focus on cameras. It offers an extra telephoto lens, a dedicated camera button and has better consistency with its photos. It has an even bigger battery, but in my experience, the Honor still lasts longer.
Android flagships may have Apple beat when it comes to camera specifications, but for video shooting, the iPhone 16 Pro Max reigns supreme. It has amazing stabilization, ProRes recording, and can shoot 4K slow motion at 120fps. The new Camera Control button is fun to play around with, too.
Testing included: everyday use including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
Tools used: Geekbench 6, 3DMark, GFXBench, native Android stats, Honor 100W charger, and wireless SuperCharge stand
I put my SIM card into the Honor Magic 7 Pro and lived with it as my main phone for around two weeks before reaching any conclusions. I used it exactly as I would any other phone, taking lots of photos, gaming, messaging, working, streaming video, and navigating with Google Maps and Waze.
I also compared the experience of playing graphically challenging games like Zenless Zone Zero, Genshin Impact, and PUBG Mobile to my experience with other Android flagships like the Oppo Find X8 Pro, Vivo X200 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. I also ran multiple benchmarks on the handset using 3DMark, GFXbench, and Geekbench.
I assessed the battery performance based on my real-world usage and charging times were measured using an official Honor 100W wall adapter and cable. I also tested the wireless charging capabilities with Honor’s Wireless 100W SuperCharge stand.
Honor's Magic 6 Pro made a splash last year, debuting at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) expo in February with a massive battery, a unique camera system, and some novel software features. Now, the brand is back with its flagship offering for 2025, and it's hoping to one-up itself in every department.
The Honor Magic 7 Pro has adopted a more boxy design for 2025, as is the trend, and it now has flat side rails and subtle symmetrical ‘micro curves’ at the edge of its display. The camera bump is less outlandish, too, and the ‘squircle’ bezel has been toned down to make less of a statement. Overall, I think it's an improvement.
The camera hardware is mostly the same, but the telephoto has a few more megapixels and can now get you even closer to distant subjects. These cameras can take fantastic photos, but the image processing is a little inconsistent, and I got more blurry images than usual. Hopefully, this will be tweaked in future firmware updates. The Studio Harcourt portrait mode, developed in collaboration with the legendary Paris photography studio, never failed to impress, at least.
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The battery on this model is even larger than the one in the Magic 6 Pro, and this is easily one of the longest-lasting flagship phones I’ve tested. You can get two days on a full charge without trying particularly hard, and when it's time to charge you can get topped up in a flash, with the Magic 7 Pro supporting up to 100W charging with a cable and 80W with the right wireless charger.
Performance is exceptional. You get the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, plus a suite of software enhancements and an NPU (neural processing unit) co-processor to keep games running smoothly. Honor's Magic OS 9 adds some useful features like Magic Portal, as well as relatively new AI features that have already become familiar favorites, like Circle to Search and Google Gemini.
Overall, this is a superb phone, with a great balance of specs and features that make it a pleasure to use. The software won't be to everyone's taste, and the camera could use some tweaking, but otherwise, this is easily one of the finest flagship phones available today.
Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Price and availability
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Costs £1,099.99
Available in the UK and Europe, but not the US or Australia
The Honor Magic 7 Pro is available to order now in most regions. As usual, though, the list excludes the US and Australia, so our stateside readers will need to import if they want to get in on the action.
The Magic 7 Pro costs £1,099 in the UK, the exact same price as its predecessor. This means it's more expensive than the Oppo Find X8 Pro and Apple iPhone 16 Pro, but a little cheaper than the Pro Max or Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. That said, the latter phone can currently be purchased for the same price, as it’s been on the market for a while.
Given such premium pricing, Honor will need to impress on all fronts if it’s to remain competitive, and thanks to a pretty stacked spec sheet it could well justify that lofty sum. Plus, Honor always has bundle offers on its devices, so nabbing a few freebies could make the price more palatable.
Value score: 3 / 5
Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Specs
Here's a look at the Honor Magic 7 Pro's key specs:
Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Design
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Velvety-feeling matte glass back
Breeze Blue, Black, and Lunar Shadow Grey options
IP68/IP69 dust- and water-resistant
The Honor Magic 7 Pro follows the recent design trend that we've seen with devices like the Vivo X200 Pro and Oppo Find X8 Pro. It ditches the lateral curves of its predecessor in favor of a boxier design. The side rails are completely flat, with beveled edges, while the front and back are mostly flat, with symmetrical ‘micro curves’ on all sides.
The result is a phone that feels a little thicker than Magic 6 Pro, but at the same time it feels premium and confidence-inspiring. It's a similar size to its predecessor, just less curvy, and if you've used any other recent Android flagship, you'll feel right at home.
The global version is available in three colorways: Breeze Blue, Black and Lunar Shadow Grey. There are no vegan leather variants this time around, with all options featuring a velvety-feeling matte glass rear. The Lunar Shadow Grey option is the most striking in my opinion, with a marble-like texture running across the back panel that becomes more visible as the light catches it.
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There's still a large circular and centrally-placed camera island, and it's still surrounded by a ‘squircle’-shaped bezel. However, this time the bezel is decidedly more circular, and it looks a little less outlandish than the Magic 6 Pro did.
The Honor Magic 7 Pro is rated IP68/IP69 for dust and water resistance, which means that as well as being able to handle submersion in freshwater, it can also withstand jets of hot water up to 176F / 80C. I'm not sure when that would ever come in useful, but hey, if you want to scroll Instagram in the shower, your phone should survive it.
Design score: 4 / 5
Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Display
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6.8-inch quad-curved 120Hz OLED display
4320Hz PWM dimming
5000 nits peak brightness
The Honor Magic 7 Pro has a 6.8-inch display with a dynamic refresh rate that can shift from 1Hz to 120Hz as needed. It's a mostly flat panel, and the curves only start around the bezels of the display. The result is a screen that resembles an over-filled glass of water.
I’ve never been a huge fan of curved screens – they can invite accidental touches, and cause odd reflections and color shifts at the edges. There's no denying that they feel nice under your fingertips when using gesture controls, though. These new ‘micro curve’ displays offer the best of both worlds, as you get the smooth feel of a curved display without the usual drawbacks. I'm a convert.
The display is covered with Honor's NanoCrystal Shield glass, and after spending months with the Honor Magic 6 RSR (that’s the Porsche Design version of the Magic 6 Pro) last year, I'm confident in saying it's one of the most scratch-resistant coatings in the business. It's also supposedly 10 times more drop-resistant than traditional glass screens, and while I haven't tested that, it's good to know, especially as there's no case included in the box.
A new addition to this model is a layer of circular polarization, which makes the screen slightly less reflective and is easier on the eyes. In theory, according to Honor, it can reduce eye fatigue by up to 16%.
When it comes to brightness, the Honor Magic 7 Pro has lumens to spare. It can peak at a whopping 5000 nits in certain conditions, which means HDR content looks exceptional, and you'll never have trouble seeing it.
As usual, the brand has put plenty of effort into eye-care features. The PWM (pulse-width modulation) dimming rate is one of the highest I've ever seen, topping out at 4320Hz. You'll never have to worry about flicker on this panel, and if that's not enough you can activate eye comfort and low-blue-light modes to keep your peepers feeling fresh.
There's a 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensor under the display, and a pill-shaped camera cutout housing a 3D face unlock camera. Apparently, this is the first phone to come with both, and it's very convenient. I especially like being able to log into banking apps using my face, and for me that's worth the slightly larger camera cutout.
Display score: 5 / 5
Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Cameras
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50MP main (f/1.4-2.0)
200MP 3x telephoto (f/2.6)
50MP ultra-wide (f/2.0)
Most of the cameras on the Magic 7 Pro share their specifications with its predecessors’. The main camera still has a 50MP 1/1.3-inch sensor, and a mechanically adjustable aperture that shifts between f/1.4 and f/2. The ultra-wide and selfie cameras seem to be unchanged, too. Both have a 50MP resolution and a f/2 lens.
The telephoto, however, has changed more significantly. The Magic 6 Pro had a 180MP 2.5x optical zoom telephoto snapper, while the Magic 7 Pro upgrades that to a 200MP unit with a 3x lens. It's one of the largest telephoto sensors on the market at 1/1.4-inch, and it's also one of the fastest telephoto cameras, with an f/2.6 aperture.
These days I find myself using the telephoto camera on my smartphone as often, if not more, than the main camera, so I'm pleased to see telephoto specs that come close to matching those of the primary snapper.
I'm still not fully convinced that we need so many megapixels, though. The idea is that you can digitally zoom further with less of a drop in quality, as the high pixel count makes up the difference. In reality, though, it doesn't seem to work so well.
I said the same thing about the Honor Magic 6 Pro, and while this model is an improvement (due to the longer optical focal length) zooming past 10x or so delivers middling and inconsistent results.
Honor's solution to this is something called AI SuperZoom, and it kicks in beyond 30x zoom to clean up your images. At times the results can be quite impressive, but the downsides are plain to see. Images tend to have that watercolor-like effect to them, and sometimes details that don't exist in reality are added in.
I've recently been shooting with the Oppo Find X8 Pro, which has an almost identical feature, but it seems to work a little better than Honor's attempt. In fairness, Honor says this feature is in its infancy, and it will mature and improve over time. It's also worth noting that it requires an internet connection to function, while Oppo's equivalent is processed on-device.
Another new feature in the camera department is the addition of the Studio Harcourt portrait styles that we first saw on the Honor 200 Pro. If you like taking portraits, this is a serious upgrade. The color tuning and blur effects are just as stunning here, and they're only enhanced further by the higher-fidelity optics. The only downside is that, as on the 200 Pro, the feature is restricted to the main and telephoto cameras, so you can't use these effects on your selfies.
All in all, this is a very capable camera system, and it can deliver outstanding shots in all lighting conditions. When it hits, it's among the best camera systems on the market, but it's not the most consistent.
Maybe it's just the pre-release software on the phone I’ve been testing, but I got a lot more blurry shots than I'm used to, and the image processing often pushed the sharpening too far, while blues and greens became over-exaggerated, even when using the Natural picture style.
These problems are all fixable, and I hope we see them addressed in future firmware updates. As it stands, the hardware is impeccable, but the inconsistent processing sometimes leaves you guessing as to how your photos will turn out.
Cameras score: 4 / 5
Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Camera samples
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Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Performance and software
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Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset
12GB RAM and 512GB storage
Magic OS 9, based on Android 15
The Honor Magic 7 Pro is powered by Qualcomm's most powerful chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite, so you would expect impressive performance. There's only one configuration available on the global market, which comes with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, which should be more than enough to satisfy most users.
Honor has taken things a step further with this phone by utilizing the power of its onboard NPU to further improve performance. The phone has something called an AI Predictive Scheduling Engine, and exactly what that does is a little above my comprehension level, but I think it's a bit like DLSS on a gaming PC.
All you need to know is that, with the aid of some new features in the game overlay, you can achieve better image fidelity and higher framerates without adding additional load to the GPU. This means that you can game at higher settings, with less battery drain and lower temperatures.
In practice, it seems to work exactly as advertised. I played Genshin Impact at maximum settings for a couple of hours, and the phone had no trouble maintaining a solid 60fps. It remained shockingly cool under the pressure – cooler to the touch than even the gaming-specific ROG Phone 9 Pro, in fact.
The gaming experience is also enhanced by a very capable set of speakers. They might be the most bassy speakers ever to grace a smartphone, thanks to an integrated subwoofer and ultra-large sound cavity design, and they really add some oomph to in-game sound effects.
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The Magic 7 Pro runs Magic OS 9, a highly customized version of Android 15, and it's a bit divisive. Personally, I've become quite fond of Magic OS, but it's a very different experience from stock Android. The notifications shade and quick settings menu are split, like they are on iOS, and navigating the system can be a little challenging if you're coming from a phone that offers a more traditional Android experience, like a Google Pixel.
Aside from the layout changes, Honor has heaped on plenty of extra functionality. My personal favorite is Magic Portal, which allows you to select text or an image on your screen and drag it into another app for quick sharing or searching. This feature is now even easier to access, as you can circle things with your knuckle to quickly select them.
You also get plenty of AI-powered features, of course. There's nothing too novel here, but it's all pretty useful. There's an AI translator, the ability to format and transcribe notes with AI, and an array of AI-powered image-editing tools. At some point soon the phone will also use AI to automatically protect you from deepfake video chats – I can't say I've ever received one, but the extra peace of mind is always nice.
Also new this year is the inclusion of Circle to Search and Google Gemini as the default voice assistant. It's getting to the point where most Android phones come with these features, but they’re still worth mentioning because they're great, and I very much miss them when they're not there.
Performance score: 5 / 5
Software score: 3 / 5
Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Battery
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5,850mAh silicon-carbon battery
100W wired charging
80W wireless charging
There's a lot to love about the Honor Magic 7 Pro, but for me, the best thing might be the battery life. I tested this phone after spending lots of time with the Vivo X200 Pro, which has a mammoth 6,000mAh battery, so I wasn't expecting to be amazed by this slightly smaller 5,850mAh unit – but I was.
Honor has clearly optimized its software very well, and I was able to manage two days on a full charge without even trying. And I managed that more than once, and that's with lots of screen time, navigating maps, shooting lots of photos, and streaming content. It’s just brilliant.
We’ve seen some Chinese manufacturers dial back their charging speeds for this generation, but not Honor. Here you get an impressive 100W wired charging rate, and a staggering 80W with Honor's Wireless SuperCharger.
Unfortunately, there's no charger in the box, but I happened to have the right kit to charge at max speed, and it makes living with this phone extremely convenient. If you have the requisite charger, a wired charge from flat to full takes less than 35 minutes, while a wireless charge can be achieved in less than 45 minutes.
Battery score: 5 / 5
Should you buy the Honor Magic 7 Pro?
Buy it if...
You want flagship power and long battery life With most phones, you have to decide between long battery life and raw power, but not with the Magic 7 Pro. It's supremely powerful and can still last two days between charges.
You love taking portrait shots The Studio Harcourt portrait mode is among the most impressive that I've tried. I loved it when it first debuted with the Honor 200 Pro, and it's just as good here.
You love a nice display The Honor Magic 7 Pro has easily one of the nicest screens in the business. It's bright, vibrant, extremely scratch-resistant, and has more eye-care features than most.
Don't buy it if...
You love generative AI Honor has been steadily adding more AI features to its operating system, but they're a little basic compared to some of the competition.
You're looking for the classic Android experience Magic OS makes so many tweaks and adjustments to Android 15 that it almost feels like a completely different operating system. I quite like it, but fans of stock Android might have a hard time adjusting.
Honor Magic 7 Pro review: Also consider
The Honor Magic 7 Pro is an excellent all-rounder with a brilliant camera, but the competition is fierce. If you're not sure this is the handset for you, it's worth checking out these competitors.
Oppo Find X8 Pro
The Oppo Find X8 Pro is a similarly feature-stacked Android flagship with a heavy focus on cameras. It offers an extra telephoto lens, a dedicated camera button and has better consistency with its photos. It has an even bigger battery, but in my experience, the Honor still lasts longer.
Android flagships may have Apple beat when it comes to camera specifications, but for video shooting, the iPhone 16 Pro Max reigns supreme. It has amazing stabilization, ProRes recording, and can shoot 4K slow motion at 120fps. The new Camera Control button is fun to play around with, too.
Testing included: everyday use including web browsing, social media, photography, video calling, gaming, streaming video, music playback
Tools used: Geekbench 6, 3DMark, GFXBench, native Android stats, Honor 100W charger, and wireless SuperCharge stand
I put my SIM card into the Honor Magic 7 Pro and lived with it as my main phone for around two weeks before reaching any conclusions. I used it exactly as I would any other phone, taking lots of photos, gaming, messaging, working, streaming video, and navigating with Google Maps and Waze.
I also compared the experience of playing graphically challenging games like Zenless Zone Zero, Genshin Impact, and PUBG Mobile to my experience with other Android flagships like the Oppo Find X8 Pro, Vivo X200 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. I also ran multiple benchmarks on the handset using 3DMark, GFXbench, and Geekbench.
I assessed the battery performance based on my real-world usage and charging times were measured using an official Honor 100W wall adapter and cable. I also tested the wireless charging capabilities with Honor’s Wireless 100W SuperCharge stand.
Maybe a giant tablet like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra seems wild to some, but to me it makes a lot of sense. I love a huge screen; the bigger the better. I want a tablet that can be a work surface, a drawing space, a tabloid newspaper, and a television stand-in when I’m moving to a new house and my TV is packed. Like all of Samsung’s ‘Ultra’ devices, the Tab S10 Ultra is all I need and much more.
How much more? There’s the S Pen, of course, which clings loosely to the back of the Tab S10 Ultra, so you’ll definitely want to buy Samsung’s Smart Book Cover case, at least.
Also, the Tab S10 Ultra is water resistant enough to take a dunk, which may seem superfluous for a tablet that would never possibly fit in a toilet, but it speaks to the Tab's durability. You can use it in the bath tub, or the pool, or in a wet environment, then wash it in the sink. That’s pretty amazing for a tablet this size.
There’s also… um, actually that’s kind of all there is? Okay, there’s Galaxy AI, of course, but nobody should buy a premium Android tablet for features like Sketch to Image or Circle to Search. Maybe someday AI will be a ‘system seller,’ as the gamers say, but for now it’s barely a bonus feature.
You can easily see two full windows side-by-side on the Tab S10 Ultra (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is so close to last year’s model that all of the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra accessories work with this tablet. But a warning: if you want a keyboard, don’t buy Samsung’s offering. I wouldn’t usually knock accessories so hard, but this is an important component of a laptop replacement tablet. Samsung needs a much better keyboard for the Tab S series. Samsung’s keyboard is flimsy and unpleasant.
The Tab S10 Ultra version has an AI key... awesome. For the same price (even less!), Apple owners get a Magic Keyboard that's rigid and premium. You can lift the iPad by the lip of the keyboard, but don’t try that with Samsung’s QWERTY.
The good news is that all the third-party cases and covers for the Tab S9 Ultra fit the S10 Ultra. Cool, there are some good options on Amazon, at least. But that means this tablet is basically unchanged from last year, on the outside at least.
Usually, when a product doesn’t change much year-over-year, there's either a big upgrade under the hood, or there is a price drop for new buyers. Unfortunately, neither of those things happened.
The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is the same price as the Tab S9 Ultra in the US and UK, and it’s $50 more in Australia. Inside, you get a… hold on, [checks notes] MediaTek Dimensity 9300. Wait, seriously?! Samsung is using a MediaTek processor? Instead of Qualcomm? Instead of Samsung Semiconductor!?
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Oooooookay. Well, the results are what you’d expect. It’s a good brain for a tablet, but it isn’t a Snapdragon. Last year’s Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra came with the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset found in the Galaxy S23 family. This year’s Galaxy S24 uses a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The MediaTek 9300 can mostly keep up with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and once in a while beat it, but not always.
Why is there a MediaTek chip in this flagship Samsung tablet? MediaTek makes a respectable, less expensive chip that focuses more on graphics performance than overall raw power. The Tab S10 Ultra does have slightly better graphics capabilities than a Galaxy S24 phone, but this is supposed to be Samsung’s best tablet. Why is it only slightly better?
Apple is loading its comparably priced iPad Pro with an Apple M4 chip, which is more powerful than most Windows laptops. Samsung gives you a lot more display on the Tab S10 Ultra, but at the cost of so much performance that it knocks the Ultra back into a lower category. This is a gigantic mid-range tablet, not a premium flagship.
If you want to run pro-level software, you should buy Apple’s tablet. If you want the biggest, best display to run all of your Android apps and games and watch your favorite content, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is a great choice, with a screen that will knock your socks off. But we all know it should be a few hundred bucks cheaper.
Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: price and availability
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Starts at $1,1199 / £1,199 / AU$2,049 for 12GB RAM and 256GB storage
A 5G version is available, but not in the US
The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is Samsung’s biggest and most expensive tablet, and it costs a bit less than the iPad Pro 13-inch, which is a point in its favor, considering Samsung gives you a humongous 14.6-inch display. That’s not a small difference: the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra display offers 65% more screen area than the iPad Pro 11-inch.
Besides the big screen, does the Tab S10 Ultra justify its price tag? Let’s consider features that you won’t find anywhere else. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is water resistant, like all of Samsung’s recent Galaxy Tab S tablets (including the Galaxy Tab S9 FE, if you need a cheaper, water-resistant tablet). If you’re going to use your tablet in the rain, or in the pool, or if you just want to doomscroll in the bathtub, the Galaxy Tab S is your only choice.
Otherwise, Samsung’s key advantage is, surprisingly, software. Samsung does a much better job with tablet software than Apple. It’s easier to multi-task, open multiple windows, and use your tablet with an external monitor and keyboard. Samsung even does a great job integrating its tablet with your Samsung phone and Galaxy Book laptop, if you have recent Samsung devices.
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All of Samsung’s tablets are good at multitasking, you don’t need to spend $1,1199.99 / £1,199 / AU$2,049 to get this software experience. Even the Tab Ultra’s display isn’t the advantage it was in the past. Apple’s latest iPad Pro tablets pack the most advanced OLED I’ve ever seen on a tablet. It’s thinner, brighter, and sharper looking than Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, even if it’s smaller.
Samsung gives you an S Pen with the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, while Apple makes you pay $129 / £129 / AU$219 for an Apple Pencil. That’s a nice bonus, but it doesn’t justify Samsung’s high price.
Apple gives you a desktop-class chip, while Samsung includes a MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ chipset that is… not bad? It’s good at gaming, but not as powerful as Apple’s M4 in the iPad Pro, and it doesn’t even top the Apple M2 in the iPad Air, except in a few graphics benchmarks.
Apple gives you a better, more advanced display, a thinner tablet, and incredible power. Unless you need a water-resistant tablet, or if your games are only available on Android, it’s hard to justify the price tag for the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. The Tab S9 FE is a much better buy for those benefits.
Value: 3/5
Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: specs
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It was a shocking move for Samsung to include a MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ chipset in its Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. The last Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra used the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which was the same processor used in the Galaxy S23 Ultra phone, launched the same year. This year’s Galaxy S24 Ultra phone uses a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, and that’s what I expected on the premiere tablet.
the MediaTek Dimensity 9300... falls short on processing performance compared to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon
Why use MediaTek instead of Qualcomm or a Samsung Exynos chip? My guess is that Samsung wants to diversify its chip supply, and the Tab S10 Ultra is a safe place to stick the first processor from a new partnership. [Full disclosure: I worked on Samsung’s PR team from 2011 to 2017 and was never involved in chip decisions, I only know what other technology journalists know.]
Samsung will tell you that the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 is exceptional at gaming, and it wanted this tablet to appeal to gamers. While MediaTek does win some benchmark races on the graphics side of Future Labs testing, it falls short on processing performance compared to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon, and it’s generations behind Apple’s M4 chipset when it comes to processing power.
I’ll talk about whether the MediaTek 9300 delivered on that gaming promise below in the Performance section (spoiler: it did, but it’s still a mobile chipset).
Otherwise, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra has an impressive list of specs. It comes with plenty of RAM to start, 12GB, and you can boost that to 16GB if you buy an upgraded storage model.
The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra also uses Wi-Fi 7, which the iPad Pro still lacks. If you have the latest networking equipment installed and you want to take advantage, the Galaxy Tab is ready.
Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: display
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Massive 14.6-inch screen is a new level of tablet bigness
Samsung thankfully sticks with Wacom tech for the S Pen
You can’t find a bigger, better display on a tablet than the huge 14.6-inch OLED screen on the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. If you are considering a tablet as a laptop replacement, the Tab S10 Ultra gives you more screen space than a 14-inch Macbook Pro, though finding the right keyboard could be tricky.
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab gives you much more screen real-estate than a similarly-priced iPad, but is it still a better display? The latest iPad Pro uses an OLED screen that is more sharp, with 264 pixel-per-inch density, compared to 239 ppi on Samsung’s display. Is that enough to notice? Not really, but bragging rights are important at this price.
Apple’s latest iPad Pro is also much brighter than the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, which makes a difference if you work outside, though the iPad Pro can’t handle a rain storm like the Galaxy Tab.
Samsung still refuses to support Dolby Vision on its displays, and you can spot the difference side-by-side if you compare, say, Netflix movies on an iPad Pro and the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. There is HDR10+ support, but not the Dolby HDR video standard.
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I’m happy to see Samsung keeps using Wacom’s electromagnetic resonance (EMR) technology for its S Pen. I’ve seen a few mobile manufacturers switch to their own technology recently. That usually means a battery and an added expense. Samsung’s S Pen has a battery, but it’s for additional features like Bluetooth and the motion sensor; the pen still works without a charge if you just want to draw.
Display: 5/5
Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: design
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
Water resistant design is unique among premium tablets
Same size and shape as Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra
With a tablet this big, the design should get out of the way of the screen and the viewing experience, so I’m not expecting much. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra has some design highlights but nothing special. I like the cool, tech-y antenna lines on the back that give it a futuristic sheen, but otherwise it’s just a big slab.
There are four speakers hidden around the edges of the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, so things get loud when you hold the tablet in landscape mode for movie watching. The camera is also centered for landscape viewing, as it should be.
The only buttons on the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra are the power and volume buttons, and Samsung has managed to screw up the volume keys. You’ll need to remember which side is up, because the Galaxy Tab won’t help.
Here’s what I mean: an Apple iPad is smart enough to know that however you are holding the tablet, pressing the volume rocker button on top should turn up the volume. If you hold the iPad upside down, it flips the orientation of the volume keys.
The Galaxy Tab has fixed Up and Down volume keys, and if you hold the tablet upside down, you need to press down to turn the volume Up. If this seems hard to explain, it’s even worse to use in real life.
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
If you plan on using the S Pen and not losing the S Pen, I highly recommend buying Samsung’s back cover. It has a nice garage that holds the S Pen in the right spot to charge wirelessly against the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. I wish there was a proper silo like there is on the Galaxy S24 Ultra phone, but that would mean a much smaller S Pen, so I’ll accept the trade off.
I don’t recommend Samsung’s keyboard case, and I’m not sure there is a great option to turn the Galaxy S10 Ultra into a proper laptop replacement, which is a huge miss on Samsung’s part. Apple’s Magic Keyboard, which costs less than Samsung’s Keyboard Cover with a trackpad, is a much more premium accessory. You can lift the iPad Pro by grasping the front of the Magic Keyboard, while Samsung’s expensive keyboard cover feels cheap and flimsy, with keys that are too shallow.
Design: 4/5
Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: software
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
Still the best tablet software for multitasking
No significant enhancements for gaming
Samsung’s One UI software, running on top of Android 14, is packed with features, and maybe overstuffed for a smaller smartphone screen, but on a big tablet Samsung lets you cut loose. You can run up to four windows on screen at once, and it’s easy to tile and arrange windows by dragging them where you want them. You can open apps or conversations in pop-up bubbles, and we haven’t even got to the pop-up note taking and screen writing with the S Pen.
While Apple pays lip service to multitasking on the iPad Pro, Samsung really makes it easy to do two or more things at once. I could research on the web while taking notes in Google Docs, or chat on a webcam meeting on one side, play a game on the other, and doomscroll in a floating window.
Taking notes (left) while surfing the web (right) while watching Skeleton Crew (bottom left) all at once (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
While Samsung’s operating system is great, I’m worried that a big, expensive tablet like this is let down by the Android ecosystem. What are the premium apps that require so much screen size and power? Well, maybe not power, since the MediaTek processor isn’t exactly a powerhouse. But it's pretty good at gaming, and Samsung has said this tablet is aimed at gaming enthusiasts.
So, where is the gaming software? When you buy an Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro, our best gaming phone, you don’t just get top performance. You get a suite of software tools to help you control your game, tweak your system settings, and stream your sessions over your favorite social network. That’s what it takes to call your device a gaming device. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra was great for playing games, but it’s not an excellent gaming device.
Software: 4/5
Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: performance
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
Good enough for Android, but not competitive with the iPad Pro
There better be a Snapdragon 8 Elite in the next Tab Ultra
It’s a very weird time for Samsung to release a Galaxy Tab Ultra with a relatively underpowered MediaTek chipset. Apple offers the iPad Pro tablet with an Apple M4 chip that's more powerful than most Windows laptop computers. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra doesn’t come close to that level of performance.
Then we have Qualcomm, which followed up one of its best chips in memory, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, with a chipset that could truly be a revolutionary step forward, the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite. The latter wasn’t available in time for the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra launch, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 has been the most powerful chip in smartphones over the past year. Samsung should know, that’s the chip inside the Galaxy S24.
For the same price, you can have an Apple M4-powered iPad Pro. Heck, you could buy a Samsung Galaxy Book 4 360 laptop with a Snapdragon X processor inside and you’d get more in just about every way for the same price. Why pay for a big, mid-range Android tablet when you can have a premium convertible laptop or professional-strength iPad?
Multi-window is as easy as dragging an app to where you want it (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
If the answer is Android games, then the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra will satisfy hardcore gamers with its performance, but I wonder if a gigantic tablet is what the mobile gaming world wants.
Many games won’t work with a joystick. Genshin Impact, for instance, works with a joystick on the iPad, but not on Android tablets. That means I need to hold the huge tablet and manipulate the controls that were meant for a mobile phone.
There are quite a few games like this, and while I enjoyed playing games with my Xbox controller connected, I had a hard time manipulating onscreen controls while holding the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. Don’t get me wrong, I love the huge size of this tablet, but for some tasks it simply might be too big.
Performance: 3/5
Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra review: battery
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
Less battery life than last generation
Much less battery time than an iPad Pro
Battery life on the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra was, frankly, unacceptable. While the tablet lasted through most of a work day, I usually kept it plugged in or charging when I was working at a desk because the big display can chug through battery time.
Our Future Labs tests report the same. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra performed worse on our battery tests than the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. Both tablets came in behind Apple’s iPad Pro, but the Tab S9 Ultra lasted around 9.5 hours and the Tab S10 lasted just over 9 hours. A small difference, but battery life should never, ever go down year over year.
Four days?! Not likely (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
In comparison, an iPad Pro 13-inch will give you almost 15 hours in the same test. That’s a huge loss for Samsung, and battery life needs to be a priority on the next generation of Galaxy Tab S devices.
I have to imagine that a Tab S10 Ultra with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 would have offered better battery life, based on tests I’ve seen comparing the Gen 2 and Gen 3 platforms. Too bad Samsung didn’t use that chipset here.
Battery: 2/5
Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra?
Buy it if…
You play a lot of Android games If you’re playing a lot of games on your Android tablet, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra offers impressive gaming performance and the best big screen for gaming.View Deal
You want a big office tablet that’s easy to use An Android tablet is much simpler than a Windows tablet, and you have your work accounts loaded, just like with your phone. Go ahead, work on the Tab.View Deal
You want to draw and play and have fun The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra is a big tablet for fun, indoors and outdoors, for doodling and gaming and playing with AI. Don’t take it too seriously.View Deal
Don’t buy it if…
You need a serious productivity tool If you need real power and performance, and real desktop apps, you might need an iPad Pro or iPad Air.View Deal
You can get a deal on the Tab S9 Ultra This is almost the same tablet as last year, so if you find the Tab S9 Ultra for much cheaper, just buy it instead.View Deal
You want a laptop replacement The Tab S10 Ultra doesn’t have any great keyboard options to help you replace a laptop, though you can use any desktop keyboard and mouse instead of Samsung’s accessories.View Deal
Also consider
Not convinced by the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra? Here are a few other options to consider:
Apple iPad Pro 13-inch It costs a bit more, but Apple’s iPad Pro 13-inch is more powerful, much thinner and lighter, and even brighter than Samsung’s Tab S10 Ultra.
Apple iPad Air 13-inch The Air is Apple’s mid-range iPad, but it is still more powerful than Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, and it lasts longer on a charge.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus If you really just want a big Samsung display that’s water resistant and packed with OneUI features, the Tab S9 FE might be enough, and it’s battery life can’t be beat.
I have been using and reviewing tablets since the very first Samsung Galaxy Tab 7-inch tablet and the original Apple iPad, and I use tablets every day in my personal life and work environment. I carry two or more tablets when I travel for work and personal business, and I travel every month, often every few weeks.
I used the Galaxy Tab 10 Ultra for two months as my primary work tablet, using it when I traveled for business and as a second screen at my office when I was working. I loaded it with my work accounts and apps, including Slack, Google Meet, Airtable, and Vampire Survivors.
I tested the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra’s durability by dunking it in my sink filled with water and rinsing it repeatedly. I used the Tab S10 Ultra with Samsung’s keyboard with trackpad cover, as well as with my own SteelSeries USB-C keyboard, and a Bluetooth mouse. I also connected the Tab Ultra to my Dell monitor.
I played many games on the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, mostly using an Xbox controller with Bluetooth. I played Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile, Vampire Survivors, and games from my Xbox Series X console over Wi-Fi.
The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra was also tested and benchmarked in Future Labs independently. Future Labs uses benchmark software like Geekbench and Crossmark, as well as proprietary tests for color gamut and battery rundown times. Future Labs runs the same tests on every tablet to compare them equally.
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