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The Joy-Con 2 are definitely an improvement, but I’d still prefer almost any other Nintendo Switch 2 controller

3:00 pm | August 2, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Consoles & PC Gadgets Gaming Nintendo | Tags: Nintendo Switch | Comments: Off

Joy-Con 2: one-minute review

The Joy-Con 2 controllers are what you’ll get packaged with your Nintendo Switch 2 console. They differ greatly from the likes of the DualSense or Xbox Wireless Controller in that the Joy-Con 2 are essentially two separate gamepads that can be used either combined as one, or individually for local multiplayer.

From a design standpoint, that makes the Joy-Con 2 quite clever, as was the case with the original model. For families and at social gatherings, they can make access to multiplayer easier - even if their small size doesn’t make for the most comfortable of play sessions.

The Joy-Con 2 controllers do improve things on this front. They’re slightly larger than the 2017 model and more ergonomically sound. Using them both for handheld play, or with the (included) Joy-Con 2 grip, the play experience is serviceable. While I much, much prefer the overall feel of the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, you won’t be hard done by with the Joy-Con 2 thanks to its build quality improvements, convenient magnetic connectors, and decent battery life.

That said, for some Nintendo Switch 2 games, you may be incentivized to opt for the Joy-Con 2 over other controllers. That’s because of the standout new feature: mouse controls. While not a ton of games support this at present, mouse controls work surprisingly well across a variety of surfaces.

Despite the overall improvements, the Joy-Con 2 hasn’t quite managed to escape some design awkwardness of its predecessor. The asymmetrical stick layout just doesn’t sit right with me here, and while I know it would prove irksome for local multiplayer, I found myself wanting a symmetrical stick layout like we see on devices like the Nitro Deck and Steam Deck OLED.

The analog sticks themselves also aren’t much of an improvement. The sticks are still very shallow, and the concave design isn’t particularly comfortable. They’re also not Hall effect, as confirmed by Nintendo itself, so the possibility of stick drift down the line still looms large.

Joy-Con 2 review: price and availability

$94.99 / £74.99 / AU$139.95
Available at My Nintendo Store
On the expensive side

A single pair of Joy-Con 2 controllers come packaged with Nintendo Switch 2 consoles. However, they can also be purchased separately if you need a spare or you’re looking to get some big multiplayer groups together.

They’re definitely on the expensive side, though, costing $94.99 / £74.99 / AU$139.95.

That’s $10 pricier than the Switch 2 Pro Controller in the US, but in the UK, they come in at the same £74.99 price. In both regions, the Joy-Con 2 are available to purchase from the My Nintendo Store.

Joy-Con 2 review: Specs

Price	$94.99 / £74.99 / AU$139.95
Weight	4.7oz / 133g (combined)
Dimensions	4.6 x 1.2 x 0.6in / 116 x 31 x 14mm (each Joy-Con 2)
Compatibility	Nintendo Switch 2
Connection type	Wireless
Battery life	Around 20 hours

Joy-Con 2 review: design and features

Are the Joy-Con 2 controllers a better product overall than its 2017 predecessor? The short answer is yes. Nintendo has largely stuck to its guns with the overall concept, but has refined it for a decidedly more polished experience.

Build quality is a noticeable step-up. The Joy-Con 2 are slightly larger, and thus are much friendlier on larger hands. It’s a smart redesign, considering that kids who played with the original Joy-Con controllers as early as 2017 are a good deal older now.

It also means that adults will have an easier time using a single Joy-Con, though not by much. Wielding a single Joy-Con 2 horizontally is still a bit of a squeeze. Though thankfully, the SL and SR buttons have been made larger to compensate.

The Joy-Con 2 definitely give off a less toy-esque impression. The bold neon red/blue color scheme that many original Switch owners had has been swapped out for a more mundane black, though that red and blue can be found beneath the analog sticks and at the sides where the magnetic connector and SL/SR buttons are housed.

They do look slick, boasting slightly rounder edges than its predecessor. Otherwise, you’re getting a familiar Joy-Con experience here. Analog sticks, directional, and face buttons are all found in the same place. The only big difference here is the addition of the GameChat button for accessing the Switch 2’s bespoke voice chat app.

Unlike the original Joy-Con, there’s no rail system here for connection purposes. Mercifully, this has been swapped for much more elegant magnetic connectors, allowing the Joy-Con 2 to click into the Switch 2 handheld or the Joy-Con 2 grip with ease.

A button nestled next to the triggers also pushes the Joy-Con 2 back out. It remains to be seen if these connectors wearing down over time becomes a bigger issue, especially as the magnetic pull is quite strong. But for now, it’s something I much prefer over the awkward rail system of the first Joy-Con.

Joy-Con 2 review: Performance

The most notable addition to the Joy-Con 2 has to be their mouse controls. By detaching one (or both), they can be turned sideways with the SL/SR buttons facing down and used as a mouse. Some games were heavily advertised with this feature, including Cyberpunk 2077, Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition, and Sid Meier’s Civilization 7.

Mouse controls work rather well, and can be used in certain games as well as the Switch 2’s Home dashboard and Nintendo eShop. The lack of a scroll wheel definitely hurts navigation and general usability, but overall sensitivity feels fine, and this can even be adjusted in the system settings if you’d prefer faster or slower cursor movement.

The sensor is decent enough that you can use mouse controls on many surface types, including your own trousers. Though for best results, I’d stick to a flat surface like a desk or table.

For more traditional gameplay, the Joy-Con 2 are serviceable, though it’s not much of a jump from the original Joy-Con controllers. I still find the analog sticks to be uncomfortably shallow, and their slippery concave cap design can make it hard to find purchase while playing more hectic or action-focused titles.

I also lament the return of individual buttons for the d-pad. I understand the decision here - opting for buttons makes them more multiplayer-friendly - but I much prefer a more traditional d-pad like we see on the Switch 2 Pro Controller.

Otherwise, all the gubbins from the original Joy-Con are here, too. That includes gyro aiming support - best used with games like Splatoon 3 and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition - and near-field communication (NFC) support for the scanning of amiibo figures and cards.

Battery life holds up decently, as well. I managed roughly 20 hours on a full charge - give or take a couple. This does line up with Nintendo’s official projections, but do note that your mileage will vary here. Each Joy-Con 2 has its own battery, as well, so it’s entirely possible that one could run out of juice before the other.

Should I buy the Joy-Con 2?

Buy it if...

You need a spare pair
You’re getting a pair of Joy-Con 2 in your Switch 2 box, but if you’re keen to get some four-player sessions going in your favorite games, picking up a spare Joy-Con 2 is worthwhile.

Don't buy it if...

You’d prefer a more traditional controller
This is where the Switch 2 Pro Controller comes in. It’s far more comfortable, has a proper d-pad, and features like NFC and gyro aiming. It’s much better-suited to single-player games in this regard. Alternatively, the GameSir Nova Lite makes for an excellent budget pick.

Joy-Con 2 review: Also consider

Consider these two alternatives if you’re looking for a Switch 2-compatible controller that offers something different.

	Joy-Con 2	Switch 2 Pro Controller	GameSir Nova Lite
Price	$94.99 / £74.99 / AU$139.95	$84.99 / £74.99 / AU$119.95	$24.99 / £19.99 / AU$39
Weight	4.7oz / 133g (combined)	8.3oz / 235g	7.2oz / 205g
Dimensions	4.6 x 1.2 x 0.6in / 116 x 31 x 14mm (per Joy-Con 2)	5.8 x 4.1 x 2.4in / 148 x 105 x 60mm	6.1 x 4.1 x 2.4in / 155 x 104 x 61mm
Compatibility	Nintendo Switch 2	Nintendo Switch 2	Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
Connection type	Wireless	Wireless (Bluetooth), Wired (USB Type-C)	Wireless (2.4GHz, Bluetooth), Wired (USB Type-C)
Battery life	Around 20 hours	Around 40 hours	10-15 hours

Switch 2 Pro Controller
Quite simply, the best Switch 2 controller available now. It’s certainly pricey, but you’re getting sublime build quality, class-leading battery life, and a pair of handy remappable buttons for secondary inputs. A quality controller that every Switch 2 owner should consider buying.

Read our full Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller review

GameSir Nova Lite
For something much more budget-friendly, the GameSir Nova Lite really punches above its weight at its price point. Excellent build quality, Hall effect sticks, and decent battery life make this one well worth considering, and it can connect to Switch 2 via Bluetooth.

Read our full GameSir Nova Lite review

How I tested the Joy-Con 2

Tested for over a month
Played in both handheld mode and with the Joy-Con 2 grip
Compared to the original Joy-Con and the Switch 2 Pro Controller

I’ve tested the Joy-Con 2 regularly since getting my Switch 2 console on launch day (June 5, 2025). I’ve primarily used them in handheld mode when traveling or as part of a cheeky before-bed session. However, I’ve also used them while slotted into the Joy-Con 2 grip, as a more traditional controller.

While I think the Joy-Con 2 are perfectly fine controllers, I found myself preferring the Switch 2 Pro Controller for longer gaming sessions, especially in docked mode. The Pro Controller is one I just find to be more comfortable, and its long-lasting battery life cannot be taken for granted. Still, in local multiplayer environments, the Joy-Con 2 shone thanks to the two controllers acting as separate entities, minimizing the need to dig out other gamepads.

First reviewed July 2025

Huion Kamvas Pro 19: one-minute review

The Huion Kamvas Pro 19 is a drawing tablet with a huge 19-inch screen, 4K resolution and wide color gamut offering 99% sRGB, 96% Adobe RGB and 98% DCI-P3 coverage. While its $1,099 / £1,099 list price is hardly chump change, you can often get it cheaper, and that price includes a range of accessories, including a shortcut remote, stylus box with two styluses, and a selection of cables. So, is it worth the investment? Well, it would be – if it wasn’t for one fairly critical flaw.

Whether I was sketching or blending colors with paint-like brushes, using the Kamvas 19 Pro was seriously smooth. Not only is it without parallax and completely jitter-free, but it can also register strokes at a steep angle of up to 60 degrees, making it easy to trace wide arcs and circles. Its driver software offers a decent amount of customization, despite not always being the most intuitive to use, and the shortcut remote made accessing all my go-to tools and menu items a breeze.

When it comes to its design, though, the Kamvas Pro 19 is more of a mixed bag. Don’t get me wrong: its screen is capable of seriously impressive color and a detailed 4K resolution, and it's ergonomic enough that I always felt comfortable using it. Unfortunately, it gets marked far too easily, in a way I’ve never seen from the best drawing tablets. After roughly eight hours of sketching, the screen was covered with scrapes and scuffs – while these rubbed off with a screen wipe, it does make me worry that eventually this kind of wear will become permanent.

Aside from this tendency to mark the display, the Huion’s two styluses are actually very decent. They’re lightweight and easy to hold, even during long scribbling sessions, and their programmable shortcut keys minimize the number of times you have to shift to another input. Their customizable pressure sensitivity is also excellent, although I wouldn’t put too much stock in the advertised 16K pressure levels – I’ve honestly never been able to tell much difference in practice from devices that offer 8K.

On paper, the Huion Kamvas Pro 19 is a very decent device, offering great performance and accessories for a pretty reasonable price. Certainly, with sale prices sometimes offering it for as little as $939 / £879, it is a pretty tempting package. But, try as I might, I can’t ignore how susceptible to wear that screen seems to be. In light of that, you may well find that a device like the XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2 is a sounder investment long term.

A closeup of the bottom of the Huion Kamvas Pro 19's screen featuring artwork of recolored fireworks. — (Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)

Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: price and availability

Launched January 5, 2024
Retails for $1,099 / £1,099

Released on January 5, 2024, the Huion Kamvas Pro 19 is available to buy now. While its list price is $1,099 / £1,099, you’re unlikely to pay that – at the time of writing, Huion has it on sale for $939 / £879.

Included for that price is the drawing tablet itself, the Huion Keydial Mini shortcut tool, pen box, Battery-Free Pen PW600, Battery-Free Slim Pen PW600S, and all the cabling you’ll need. If you’re buying in the UK, you’ll get Huion’s Adjustable Stand ST100A bundled in as a free gift, but unfortunately, you’ll have to pay $29.99 for this if you’re in the US.

All told, though, this is a pretty competitive price when compared to some of the other mid-range drawing tablets I’ve reviewed in recent months. For example, the similarly specced XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2 has a list price of $899.99 / £899.99 / AU$1,499.99, while the seriously talented Xencelabs Pen Display 16 goes for $999 / £969 (around AU$1,597) – and that’s without all the accessories that come in the fully kitted out, $1,299 / £1,199 (around AU$2,080) Bundle edition. So the Kamvas Pro 19 is pretty on the money in terms of value.

The side of the Huion Kamvas Pro 19, showing off its ports and stand. — (Image credit: Future)

Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: specs

Dimensions	17.7 x 10.7 x 0.8 inches (448.9 x 272.4 x 21.3mm)
Active drawing area	14.1 x 9.1 inches (409 x 230mm)
Weight	2kg
Display resolution	3840 x 2160
Pressure levels	16,384
Compatibility	Windows 10 or later; macOS 10.12 or later; Android 6.0 or later; Linux(Ubuntu 20.04 LTS)

An image of a nautilus shell on the Huion Kamvas Pro 19, in front of a pink background. — (Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)

Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: design

Display offers gorgeous color but could be brighter
Screen scuffs and marks to an inexcusable degree
Good range of accessories

Given the price, the Huion Kamvas Pro 19’s display is pretty impressive, making any art I worked on look pleasingly crisp and well-defined. With a 3840 x 2160 resolution across an 18.4-inch screen, it has a pixel density of 238ppi – that’s essentially the same as the slightly pricier XPPen Artist Pro 19, although it’s a fair bit lower than the 275ppi offered by the smaller and spendier Xencelabs Pen Display 16.

While touching up and recoloring some photography in Photoshop, I was impressed by how boldly it expressed colors, with reds, greens and blues in particular looking deliciously punchy thanks to its color gamut coverage of 99% sRGB / 96% Adobe RGB / 98% DCI P3. It’s not quite as bright as some rivals, however: its 220-nit typical brightness is bested by both the XPPen and Xencelabs above, which can hit 250 nits and 300 nits respectively.

There’s more to a drawing tablet than meets the eye, though: how it feels is also important. And while the Kamvas Pro 19’s anti-glare etched glass does a decent job of keeping reflections at bay, I didn’t find its texture to be that impressive. Rather than offering a paper-like bite when sketching, I could barely feel the grain of the glass at all. The only time it really became noticeable was when I was moving the stylus toward the top left, meaning the haptic feedback the display gave was often inconsistent.

The Huion Kamvas Pro 19 screen, showing various scuffs and marks built up during drawing sessions. — (Image credit: Future)

But there was an even bigger issue with the glass – and it’s the source of my only significant reservation about Huion’s slate. While using the erasers on the styluses, I quickly noticed that they seemed to be leaving marks on the glass, which isn’t ideal given how often you might find yourself correcting mistakes. However, it was only when I turned the screen off after a long session of sketching that I noticed the extent of the scraping; the glass was covered with marks from both the stylus nibs and erasers. These can be wiped away, at least superficially, but it does concern me that the glass will eventually sustain permanent wear.

Fortunately, elsewhere, the build quality feels a lot more robust, with the main body of the device feeling sturdy and well put together. At 2kg, it is hefty enough that you may not be all that comfortable sitting it on your lap, but it does have built-in feet that raise it to a nicely ergonomic 20-degree angle. Several height options would have helped me find the absolute best angle, though. To really maximize the ergonomics here, a deeper bezel might have provided more room to rest my wrist. As it was, I felt its 0.78-inch (2cm) screen borders didn’t give me quite enough space to lean on.

Accompanying its two styluses – the three-button Pen PW600 and two-button Slim Pen PW600S – is a supply of standard and felt nibs, as well as a nib changing tool. You also get a Bluetooth-powered shortcut remote, the Keydial Mini, and all of the cabling you’ll need. It doesn’t include any clips for you to rest the styluses or a carry case, but you can get a free stand when you buy it in the UK, which definitely feels like a decent bonus.

When it comes to cabling, the Kamvas allows you to go maximalist or strip things right back. On the upper end of the scale, you can plug the supplied 3-in-2 adapter into your drawing tablet’s power and data ports, then hook the other end into your computer’s USB and HDMI ports and the mains. This will allow you to both sketch and record the slate’s video output to your hard drive. Alternatively, you can simply plug it directly into the mains and hook it up to your laptop – and thanks to its 40W reverse charging, it can charge your laptop in the process, meaning that’s one less cable on your desk.

Design score: 3 / 5

A man's hand holding a stylus and recoloring an image of fireworks on the Huion Kamvas Pro 19, in front of a pink background. — (Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)

Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: performance

Accurate strokes without parallax or jitter
Shortcut remote works well
Some user unfriendly quirks to driver software

Carrying out some line tests, I found the Kamvas Pro 19 to be accurate. There's no discernible parallax between the nib of the stylus and the brushes on screen, which is fortunate, as I couldn’t see any obvious way to recalibrate this in the drivers. While there is a little lag when moving the nib quickly, I didn’t find this to be a huge issue in maintaining accurate strokes.

When I got started with some actual artwork, the Kamvas Pro 19 felt fluid and responsive, allowing me to sketch out a nautilus shell with remarkable accuracy. While it didn’t feel quite as natural as when drawing on the Xencelabs Pen Display 16, it was able to register the stylus at up to 60 degrees, making tracing wide, fluid circles and spirals a snap. Additionally, the pressure sensitivity made blending colors using an oil-paint brush a cinch, with that vibrant screen making the pastel peaches and pinks look bold and brilliant.

The Keydial Mini shortcut remote makes it far easier to trigger various functions, without having to reach for the keyboard or mouse. Each key has a wide range of assignable shortcuts – including key combos, mouse click or scroll wheel functions, launching apps, media controls, or system-level functions like show desktop or launch mission control – while the wheel can be assigned to various functions from zooming and scrolling to adjusting parameters like brush size or flow.

The Huion Keydial Mini shortcut remote. — (Image credit: Future)

Broadly speaking, these made it much easier to interact with menus and manipulate the canvas, although I did experience some slightly odd behavior when it came to assigning shortcuts in the driver software. Once you’ve entered a title or key combination, there’s no way to leave the field, and clicking either ‘X’ button wipes what you’ve entered. It took some trial and error for me to work out that you have to just click away from the window to save the shortcut, which is an odd bit of UX design.

Elsewhere, the driver software lets you further customize various settings. You can assign additional shortcuts to the buttons on the styluses. As well as the options listed above for the Keydial Mini, you can also trigger precision mode – this focuses input from the whole screen onto a tiny area for fine control – pan & scroll, and Fixed Pressure Sensitivity, a handy function that holds pressure at the current level when the button is pressed. You can also tailor the styluses’ pressure curves to your needs, choosing between five settings, from soft to hard, or shaping your own curve.

Performance score: 4.5 / 5

The Huion Kamvas Pro 19's stylus case. — (Image credit: Future)

Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: stylus

Both styluses are light and ergonomic
Increased 16K pressure levels probably unnoticeable for most people
The erasers are great – if you ignore how they mark the screen

The Huion Kamvas Pro 19’s styluses are well-designed and feel comfortable in the hand. No small part of this is due to their light weight and ergonomic shape, both of which make them comfortable to use for long drawing sessions. As a result, I didn’t experience any cramping or strain even when working on artwork for hours at a time. Sadly, they’re not quite as well weighted as XPPen’s X3 Pro Roller Stylus – with its center of gravity right where you grip it, that stylus felt almost weightless when pitching or spinning – but Huion’s pens are still easy to manipulate.

Both the Pen PW600 and the Slim Pen PW600S are capable of recognizing 16,384 pressure levels. That sounds seriously impressive, but I wouldn’t put much stock in this; in practice, I’ve rarely been able to distinguish any difference between 16K and 8K pressure sensitivity. The styluses are remarkably responsive, though, fluidly reproducing the weight of your hand. Using the most extreme curves, I did occasionally find it hard to maintain an even pressure, but that’s inevitable: every slight wobble of your hand is exposed at that high a sensitivity.

Buttons on the styluses are well-placed and make triggering shortcuts a breeze. Yes, I occasionally accidentally triggered them with my fat fingers, but this is an issue I’ve found with most styluses I’ve used, so I’m not going to hold this against Huion. if you find this particularly distracting, you can disable the shortcuts in Huion’s driver software.

The inclusion of an eraser on each of the styluses is appreciated as well, as I much prefer the tactile act of erasing with the stylus tip. However, as I mentioned above, the materials of the erasers are hard enough that they tend to mark the screen – this feels like it could become a real issue over time, and isn’t something I experienced with the erasers on Xencelabs’ pens.

Stylus score: 4 / 5

The top right of the Huion Kamvas Pro 19's screen, featuring the Adobe Photoshop color picker. — (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Huion Kamvas Pro 19?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Design	Ergonomic and comfortable to use, richly colored 4K display – but the screen gets far too easily scuffed for my liking.	3 / 5
Performance	No noticeable parallax or jitter, generous 60-degree tilt recognition, easy-to-use shortcut remote, some odd software quirks in the driver.	4.5 / 5
Stylus	Lightweight and comfortable to hold, handy shortcut keys and eraser, 16K pressure levels hard to differentiate from 8K.	4 / 5
Value	Competitive price, good range of accessories – but is it worth the cost if it eventually succumbs to screen damage?	4 / 5

Buy it if…

You want an expansive, colorful display
At 18.4 inches, the Huion Kamvas Pro 19 gives you a huge amount of drawing room. And its wide color gamut means you can be sure every hue you use is as accurate as possible.

You don’t want to be tied down with excess cabling
Not only can you hook up the Huion Kamvas Pro 19 with just one power cable and one USB-C cable, but it also offers 40W reverse charging, meaning you don’t need another cable to keep your laptop juiced.

Don’t buy it if…

You care about having a pristine screen
As I remarked above, my test unit’s display got scuffed pretty quickly during use, particularly while using the styluses’ erasers. If the idea of marks on your drawing tablet sets off alarm bells for you, look elsewhere – or at least pick up a screen protector for it.

You want the brightest display for your spend
With its 220-nit screen, the Kamvas Pro 19 is hardly a dim bulb. But several of its rivals are capable of a typical brightness of at least 250 nits, making them easier to view in stronger light.

The top right corner of the Huion Kamvas Pro 19, showing off its power button and stand. — (Image credit: Future)

Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: also consider

	Huion Kamvas Pro 19	XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2	Xencelabs Pen Display 16
Dimensions	17.7 x 10.7 x 0.8 inches (448.9 x 272.4 x 21.3mm)	18.1 x 12.1 x 0.8 inches (460 x 306.6 x 21.5mm)	16.1 x 10.2 x 0.47 inches (410 x 259.4 x 12mm)
Active drawing area	14.1 x 9.1 inches (409 x 230mm)	16.1 x 9.1 inches (409 x 230mm)	13.55 x 7.6 inches (344.2 x 193.6mm)
Weight	2kg	4.91 lbs (2.23kg)	2.67 lbs (1.21kg)
Display resolution	3840 x 2160	3840 x 2160 pixels	3840 x 2160 pixels
Pressure levels	16,384	16,384	8,192
Compatibility	Windows 10 or later; macOS 10.12 or later; Android 6.0 or later; Linux(Ubuntu 20.04 LTS)	Windows 7 or later; macOS 10.13 or later (latest update); Android (USB3.1 DP1.2); Chrome OS 88 (or later); Linux	PC: Windows 7 or later (latest service pack/build); macOS 10.13 or later (latest update); Linux - Ubuntu 14.04 or above, Debian 9.5, CentOS 7.0 or above, RedHat 7.0 or above

XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2
The XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2 rocks pretty similar specs to the Huion Kamvas Pro 19, without costing much more. It offers great color reproduction, an expansive 19-inch display, an identical 4K resolution, two wonderfully well-balanced styluses and a shortcut remote. But the clincher is that its screen doesn’t get scuffed or marked as easily as the Kamvas Pro 19, making it a more reliable choice. Read my full XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2 review.

Xencelabs Pen Display 16
While more expensive than either the Huion or the XPPen once you’ve picked up all its accessories, the Xencelabs Pen Display 16 is still a dream drawing tablet. I was seriously impressed with its lightweight portable build, higher pixel density, 300-nit brightness when mains powered and fantastic accessories, ranging from its super-reliable shortcut remote to the packaged carry case. Read my full Xencelabs Pen Display 16 review.

How I tested the Huion Kamvas Pro 19

Tested it over several weeks
Conducted multiple line tests
Used it to work on both sketches and retouching photos

I spent several weeks putting the Huion Kamvas Pro 19 through its paces. First, I used it for a range of line tests to help me assess its accuracy, check its tilt recognition and monitor for issues like parallax or jitter. Additionally, I spent some time tweaking its driver settings to see the kind of control this gave me over the styluses’ pressure sensitivity and various shortcut buttons.

From there, I started creating artworks in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Sketching out a nautilus shell helped me get a sense of how it performed when creating line drawings and using various paint-style brushes. On top of this, I used the Kamvas Pro 19 to touch up several photos, which helped me assess both its utility and its color accuracy.

Having spent several decades creating digital artwork, I’ve got a large amount of experience creating vector art and manipulating photos. On top of this, I spent many years as the editor of a print magazine, meaning I’m well-versed in assessing how well digital artwork performs in terms of color and resolution when compared to printed proofs.

First reviewed: July 2025
Read more about how we test

Movavi Video Suite 2025 review

6:53 pm | August 1, 2025

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

Video editing tools are everywhere these days. You have cheap, not very powerful options bundled with your computing device, you can purchase expensive, very powerful apps with a steep learning curve, or you can opt for a more middle of the road option: software that is brimming with features, looks fun to use, and is affordable.

And it's in the latter camp that I'd place Movavi. It's unlikely to trouble the likes of Premiere Pro and Resolve any time soon, but it's superior to the likes of Apple iMovie or ClipChamp. And it might be one of the best video editing software for beginners around right now.

I took Movavi Video Suite 2025 for a spin to see how it handles the post-production process, and precisely where it fits into this crowded field.

Movavi Video Suite 2025: Pricing & plans

A choice of subscription or one-off fee for a perpetual license, with a massive discount at time of review

The Movavi Video Suite is available as both a subscription service or a perpetual licence, with wildly fluctuating prices throughout: you have the standard cost, and more often than not, you’ll have a special limited time discount, which, in our experience with other software and services, almost always gets reset and extended when their time runs out. But in case it doesn’t, we’ll list you all the prices we found on their website.

The monthly subscription is the only one that remains static at around $30. By contrast, the yearly subscription should cost you a little under $250, but was discounted to around $100 as of this writing.

If you fancy combining your rentals, you can grab the Video Suite and Movavi’s Photo Editor for a yearly subscription of $234 (currently discounted to $105).

Should you not be a fan of renting your software however, you have the option of purchasing the latter (i.e. the Video Suite and the Photo Editor) for $334 - or $150, if the discount holds.

All of the above come with a 30-day money back guarantee, and you also have the ability to download a 7-day free trial which works without you having to hand out your card details. This trial has limitations, as you’d expect, such as limiting the length of your outputs and watermarking them, for instance.

You can check out the full pricing details on Movavi's website by clicking here.

Score: 4/5

Movavi Video Suite 2025: Getting started

Movavi Video Suite 2025 during our review — (Image credit: Movavi // Future)

The software made it somewhat tricky for us to get to a language we understood, so we could start using it

Launching Movavi Video Editor for the first time, we were greeted with a difficult conundrum, one which never happened to us before, so it couldn’t have been our computer’s setting, and we felt it was worth us mentioning it, should it also happen to you: everything was in Japanese, which made any kind work impossible if you’re unfamiliar with that noble language.

Thankfully, feeding a screenshot of the settings window to Google Translate helped us see which menu led to our preferred language. It’s not a hard issue to resolve, but it would’ve been preferable had the software noticed which language our computer was using, and default to it during installation.

Score: 2.5/5

Movavi Video Suite 2025: Interface

Movavi’s video editor is well-organized and surprisingly simple to use, with all the tools you need easily accessible, including some very well-implemented and powerful features

Movavi Video Suite is essentially broken down into three separate tools: the Video Editor, the Video Converter, and the Screen Recorder. We’ll focus primarily on the former as that’s where anyone interested in filmmaking will be spending most of their time, and we suspect, if you’re reading this, that this means you.

And frankly, we were really impressed with it. It’s clean, simple, well organised, and gives you access to all the tools you need quickly and efficiently. The interface offers the media section, top left, the preview window, top right, and the timeline taking up almost half of the screen real estate at the bottom.

To the left you have a sidebar, giving you access to tools, effects, transitions, titles, even Movavi’s online store. Just above the Timeline are the editing tools you’ll use most often, and also includes other features, such as ‘auto subtitling’, which is almost too easy to use (and more competent and flexible than what some higher end software offer).

The whole interface is extremely friendly: drag footage from a hard drive straight onto the media section, then drag the clips you want onto the timeline to start building your edit. You can work with multiple layers of audio and video, apply transitions and various effects just by dragging them onto the clip you wish to affect. It’s all very simple. So much so in fact, that what could be moderately tricky to complex actions, are handled with ease.

We found the AI Tracker, for instance, to provide excellent results with the user barely doing anything to make it work, and the algorithms behind the ‘Background Remover’ were remarkably good, even when the background itself was quite complex (such as foliage).

Movavi’s Video Editor also has an online store which is accessible via the ‘Packs’ menu, on the left sidebar. As it’s a store, most items are Premium ones (they have a little dark pink crown, top right of their thumbnail), but a handful can be used for free. In any case, you’re allowed to download even the Premium ones and include them in your project. You’ll just need to deal with financial matters upon export.

Speaking of Exports, this video editor comes with numerous options. MP4 is chosen by default (which makes sense as it’s so ubiquitous), but you have numerous other options available to you, including DVD formats, and even the long obsolete SWF. In addition to generic formats, you also have presets for specific devices, such as iPhones, Xbox and more, and you can upload your project directly to social media with links to YouTube, Vimeo, and TikTok. It’s a well stocked series of options.

Score: 4.5/5

Movavi Video Suite 2025: Converter & Screen Capture

The Movavi Suite comes with two other apps, one to convert video and images to numerous different formats, and the other to record your screen (or take screenshots). Both are full featured, offering numerous options, and very easy to use

The Movavi Video Suite isn’t limited to their excellent Video Editor: it also comes with a Video Converter and a Screen Capture tool. Let’s quickly take a look at them.

The Video Converter’s interface is sparse, but then again, what do you need to convert image and video? An area to drag files onto, and a list of formats to choose from, and that’s exactly what Video Converter offers. It’s incredibly easy to use, whether you’re after software that does it all for you, in which case just select the preset you’re after and you’re done. But should you need to manipulate every available parameter, those are but a drop down menu away.

On top of this, Video Converter also offers you a surprising range of editing tools, from adjusting the audio, to making basic colour correction, applying effects, adding subtitles or a watermark, and cropping and trimming the footage. It’s unexpectedly full featured.

When it comes to Screen Recorder, you have the choice of taking a screenshot or a video. The software can instantly recognise open windows (it even selects the frontmost one by default), or allows you to set a specific area, or forego all of that and capture the entire screen.

It will also record the computer’s audio, an external microphone and your webcam, which it burns into the recording (you can’t choose to move it around after the recording or remove it altogether after the fact). Frustratingly, as is the case with every other screen capture tool, you have to grant it so many permissions for it to work properly, it can take a while.

Score: 4.5/5

Should I buy Movavi Video Suite 2025?

Buy it if...

You’re looking for editing software that covers everything from editing, to formatting, and even has a powerful screen capture tool, with interfaces that are sleek and well designed, to make it as easy as possible for you to get your work done.

Don't buy it if...

You’re put off by the additional tools that come with the suite beyond the editing options, as you either already have similar products or don’t need them, or feel the features available are just too advanced for your needs.

For more creative apps, we've tested and reviewed the best video editing software, the best free video editing software, and the best video editing apps for mobile devices.

Medium review 2025

3:20 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Website Building | Tags: SEO | Comments: Off

Medium stands out as one of the most writer-friendly platforms in our comprehensive best blogging platforms roundup. Unlike traditional blogging tools, it functions more like a social network for long-form content, where your stories can reach millions without any marketing effort.

Our reviewers have tested 140+ of the best website builders and blogging tools giving us deep insight into what makes each platform unique. What sets Medium apart for us is its focus on content over customization. You won't find the design flexibility of Wix, our top pick for 2025. But the tradeoff’s not for nothing.

Instead, Medium prioritizes discovery and engagement through its algorithm-driven feed system. The platform currently serves over 100 million monthly visitors and pays writers more than $2 million monthly through its Partner Program.

What is Medium?

Medium is essentially a hybrid between a blogging platform and a social media network, designed specifically for long-form written content. Founded by Twitter co-founder Evan Williams in 2012, it removes the technical barriers of traditional blogging by handling all the hosting, design, and infrastructure for you. You simply create an account and start writing. No coding, no theme selection, no server management required.

Think of Medium as a digital magazine where anyone can contribute articles, called "stories" in Medium's terminology. Your content appears not just on your personal profile but also gets distributed through Medium's recommendation system to readers who might be interested in your topics. This built-in audience discovery is Medium's biggest advantage. Your first article could potentially reach thousands of readers without any promotional effort on your part.

Features

Medium's feature set reflects its philosophy of simplicity over complexity, offering just enough tools to create engaging content without overwhelming writers with options.

The platform excels at content creation and discovery features but falls short on customization and branding capabilities that business users typically need. At $5 monthly for the basic membership, Medium offers reasonable value for writers focused purely on content creation, though it can't compete with full-featured platforms for businesses requiring extensive customization.

The platform's strength lies in its community-driven features like publications, follower systems, and engagement tools that help writers build audiences organically. However, you'll miss advanced features like custom domains, detailed analytics, or ecommerce integration that competitors offer. Medium's pricing becomes more justifiable when you consider the built-in audience and monetization potential through the Partner Program, though serious bloggers may eventually outgrow these limitations.

Content editor

Medium's editor stands out for its clean, distraction-free interface that focuses entirely on writing. The editor uses a simple plus-sign system to add multimedia elements like images, videos, and code blocks, while text formatting appears when you highlight content. This approach eliminates the complexity found in traditional CMS platforms, letting you focus purely on crafting your message.

Publications system

Publications function like digital magazines where multiple writers can contribute content around specific themes or topics. You can either create your own publication or submit stories to existing ones with established audiences. This system provides an excellent way to reach targeted readers beyond your personal followers, with some publications boasting thousands of dedicated subscribers.

Partner program monetization

The Partner Program allows writers to earn money based on reading time from paying subscribers, with earnings calculated through factors like engagement, follower bonuses, and story boosts. Writers can earn anywhere from a few dollars to thousands monthly, with top performers making substantial incomes. The program requires a $5 monthly membership and at least one published story to qualify.

Social features

Medium incorporates social networking elements like following other writers, clapping for stories (similar to likes), and highlighting specific text passages for comments. These features create a more interactive experience than traditional blogs, encouraging community building and reader engagement. The platform also offers audio narration for stories, expanding accessibility for different types of content consumption.

Ease of use

Medium interface — You create an account, choose topics to follow, and can immediately start writing or reading. (Image credit: Medium)

Medium prioritizes simplicity above all else, making it one of the most beginner-friendly publishing platforms available. The onboarding process takes just minutes. You create an account, choose topics to follow, and can immediately start writing or reading. The interface feels more like using a word processor than managing a complex website, with all technical aspects handled automatically in the background.

The writing experience centers around Medium's elegant editor, which reveals formatting options only when needed. New paragraphs show a plus sign for adding multimedia, while highlighting text reveals options for bold, italic, headers, and links. This progressive disclosure approach prevents interface clutter while keeping powerful features accessible when you need them.

Medium's approach to publishing reflects founder Evan Williams' vision of removing friction from content creation. Unlike traditional blogging platforms that require decisions about themes, plugins, and hosting, Medium handles everything automatically. You write, hit publish, and Medium's algorithm immediately begins showing your content to potentially interested readers based on their reading history and followed topics.

The platform does have some accessibility considerations worth noting. While the clean design works well for most users, the limited customization options mean you can't adjust fonts, colors, or layouts for specific accessibility needs. However, Medium's built-in audio narration feature helps serve users who prefer listening to reading.

Pricing

Medium plans — The $5 monthly membership unlocks unlimited reading of all stories, enables Partner Program participation for earning money, and includes audio narrations. (Image credit: Medium)

Plan	Starting rate (paid annually)	Renewal rate (paid annually)
Free	$0/month	$0/month
Medium Member	$5/month	$5/month
Friend of Medium	$12.50/month	$12.50/month

Medium's pricing structure is refreshingly straightforward compared to most blogging platforms. The free tier allows unlimited publishing and reading of non-member stories, but limits you to three member-only articles monthly. A freemium approach lets you test the platform thoroughly before committing to a paid plan.

The $5 monthly membership unlocks unlimited reading of all stories, enables Partner Program participation for earning money, and includes audio narrations. The $15 monthly "Friend of Medium" tier provides the same features but pays writers 4x more when you read their content, making it more of a supporter tier than a feature upgrade.

Unlike traditional blogging platforms, Medium has no transaction fees, hosting costs, or additional charge. The membership fee covers everything.

Customer support

Medium support center — Medium's customer support operates primarily through email and social media channels, with no live chat or phone support available for immediate assistance. (Image credit: Medium)

Medium's customer support operates primarily through email and social media channels, with no live chat or phone support available for immediate assistance. You can reach their support team by filling out a form at help.medium.com or contacting them directly at yourfriend@medium.com. For specific issues like complaints or feedback, they provide dedicated email addresses including trust@medium.com for platform concerns and legal@medium.com for legal matters.

The quality of customer support receives mixed reviews from users. According to customer satisfaction data on TrustPilot, Medium scores just 1.7 out of 5 stars for customer service, with most users reporting dissatisfaction with response times and issue resolution. Only 5% of customers who contacted support reported having their issues resolved on PissedConsumer, which is concerning for a platform serving millions of users. The average call time when reaching their phone line is just 1 minute, suggesting limited depth in support interactions.

Medium's support structure reflects their focus on self-service solutions rather than hands-on customer care. They maintain a comprehensive knowledge base for common questions and troubleshooting. However, this approach can frustrate users dealing with account issues, billing problems, or content disputes that require human intervention. The lack of real-time support options like live chat makes Medium less suitable for businesses requiring immediate technical assistance.

For serious publishers or businesses considering Medium, the limited support infrastructure represents a significant drawback. You'll need to rely heavily on community forums and self-help resources when problems arise. This hands-off approach works fine for casual writers but becomes problematic when dealing with monetization issues, publication management, or account security concerns that demand prompt resolution.

Alternatives

Medium occupies a unique position in the blogging landscape as a social publishing platform rather than a traditional content management system. With over 99,522 companies using Medium globally as of 2025, it holds a modest market share compared to competitors like Tumblr (72.09%) and Google Blogger (5.33%). Medium's strength lies in its built-in audience of 100 million monthly readers and its focus on content discovery over customization.

The platform works best for individual writers, thought leaders, and content creators who prioritize reaching audiences over building branded websites. It's particularly valuable for freelance writers building portfolios, startup founders establishing thought leadership, and journalists sharing insights without technical overhead. Medium's Partner Program makes it attractive for writers seeking immediate monetization opportunities based on reader engagement rather than traditional advertising models.

Medium's main competitors serve different needs across the blogging spectrum. WordPress.org dominates for users wanting complete control and customization, while platforms like Ghost cater to professional publishers seeking speed and membership features. Substack competes directly in the newsletter space, and newer platforms like Bullet.so target Notion users wanting SEO control with custom domains. Newer solutions like Wix offer more design flexibility for brand-focused creators.

For businesses requiring custom branding, SEO control, or advanced features, Medium's limitations become apparent quickly. The platform's algorithm-dependent distribution and lack of custom domains make it unsuitable for companies building long-term digital assets. However, for writers prioritizing content creation over technical management, Medium remains one of the most accessible publishing platforms available, especially when combined with its built-in monetization and discovery features.

Medium: Summary

Medium succeeds as a streamlined publishing platform that removes technical barriers between writers and their audiences. Its clean editor, built-in readership, and Partner Program monetization create an appealing package for content creators focused purely on writing. The platform's social networking features and algorithmic distribution help new writers gain exposure that would take months or years to achieve on independent blogs.

However, Medium's limitations become significant for users requiring control, customization, or long-term brand building. The lack of custom domains, limited design options, and algorithm dependency make it unsuitable for businesses or serious bloggers planning sustainable content strategies. While Medium works excellently for individual writers and thought leaders, its constraints ultimately position it as a stepping stone rather than a permanent solution for most professional content creators.

Medium review: FAQs

Can I use my own domain with Medium?

Medium offers custom domain support only for publications, not individual writer profiles. This means you can connect a custom domain if you create a Medium publication, but your personal Medium profile will always use the medium.com/@username format. This limitation significantly impacts branding efforts for businesses and professional writers who want to build their own digital presence rather than relying on Medium's platform.

How much money can I make through Medium's Partner Program?

Earnings through Medium's Partner Program vary dramatically based on your content quality, audience engagement, and publishing frequency. Top writers can earn thousands of dollars monthly, while most participants make anywhere from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars. Your earnings depend on reading time from paying subscribers, with factors like follower bonuses and story boosts affecting your total compensation. You need a $5 monthly membership and at least one published story to qualify for the program.

Can I export my content from Medium if I decide to leave?

Medium allows you to export your stories, but the process has limitations. You can download your data through your account settings, which includes your published stories in HTML format. However, you'll lose the engagement metrics, comments, and social proof built up on the platform. The exported content also requires reformatting for use on other platforms, and you won't retain the SEO benefits or backlinks generated through Medium's domain authority.

Is Medium good for SEO?

Medium provides mixed SEO benefits due to its high domain authority but limited control over optimization. While your content benefits from Medium's strong search engine presence, you can't customize meta descriptions, URLs, or implement advanced SEO strategies. Medium automatically handles basic SEO elements like canonical tags and meta titles, but you're restricted to their format and structure. For serious SEO efforts, dedicated blogging platforms offer much better control and long-term visibility potential.

What's the difference between Medium's free and paid memberships?

Medium's free tier allows unlimited publishing and reading of non-member stories, but limits you to three member-only articles monthly. The $5 monthly membership unlocks unlimited reading of all stories, enables Partner Program participation for earning money, and includes audio narrations of articles. The $15 monthly "Friend of Medium" tier provides the same features but pays writers 4x more when you read their content, functioning more as a supporter tier than offering additional features for your own content creation.

Substack review 2025

12:58 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Website Building | Comments: Off

Substack has been a genuine surprise among blogging platforms in 2025, aimed for writers who want to ditch the search and monetize their content directly. Unlike some conventional options featured in our best blogging platforms roundup, Substack focuses on newsletter subscriptions and social discovery over traditional SEO. This unique publishing experience has gained significant traction among independent creators, especially journalists and influencers.

Our reviewers have spent thousands of hours testing 140+ of the best website builders and blogging tools, giving us deep insight into what makes platforms succeed or fail. While Wix remains our top pick for overall blogging excellence in 2025, Substack carves out its own niche with a distinctly different philosophy. It prioritizes simple publishing workflows and direct reader relationships over complex features and design flexibility.

Substack's growth trajectory has been remarkable, with writers building substantial audiences and generating significant revenue through paid subscriptions. Its success stems from its focus on quality content and genuine reader engagement, creating an environment where thoughtful writing thrives over algorithm-chasing tactics.

What is Substack?

You can think of Substack as a hybrid between a blog and an email newsletter service, designed specifically for writers who want to build direct relationships with their readers.

At its core, Substack is a content publishing platform where you can share newsletters and monetize your writing. Unlike traditional blogging platforms that rely heavily on search engine traffic, Substack delivers your content directly to subscribers' inboxes while also maintaining a web presence for broader discovery.

This platform operates on a simple premise: writers create content, readers subscribe to receive it via email, and successful creators can charge for premium subscriptions. Substack handles all the technical aspects — payment processing, email delivery, subscriber management — so writers can focus purely on creating content. This unique model has attracted everyone from independent journalists to niche experts who want to build sustainable businesses around their expertise, without dealing with complex website management or marketing automation tools.

Features

Substack social discovery — Substack's community features help writers discover audiences and build relationships with peers. (Image credit: Substack)

Substack offers a focused feature set that prioritizes writing and reader engagement over extensive customization options. The platform provides essential tools for content creation, email distribution, basic analytics, and monetization, making it particularly well-suited for writers who want to start publishing immediately without technical barriers. While feature-rich compared to basic newsletter services, Substack deliberately keeps things simpler than full-featured content management systems, which may disappoint users looking for advanced functionality.

The pricing structure reflects this streamlined approach. Core features like writing, publishing, email distribution, notes, videos, podcasts, and analytics are completely free. You only pay when you start earning through paid subscriptions, with Substack taking a 10% platform fee plus payment processing costs. This model makes it accessible for beginners while scaling costs with success, though the lack of advanced email marketing features like segmentation and automation may limit monetization potential for experienced marketers.

Writing and publishing tools

Substack's editor focuses on clean and distraction-free writing with basic formatting options that keep content readable and professional. The platform supports multimedia content including images, videos, and embedded podcasts, allowing creators to build rich publications without technical complexity. Publishing is instantaneous. You write, hit publish, and your content goes live on your profile page and optionally hits subscriber inboxes.

Email newsletter system

Email functionality forms Substack's backbone, automatically formatting your posts for inbox delivery with professional templates. Subscribers receive posts directly in their email, creating more intimate reader relationships than traditional blog followers. The system handles subscriber management, delivery optimization, and basic segmentation between free and paid subscribers. But it lacks advanced email marketing features like automated sequences or detailed subscriber tagging.

Monetization features

Substack's subscription system allows writers to offer free content alongside premium paid tiers, with flexible pricing for monthly, annual, and founding member subscriptions. The platform handles all payment processing through Stripe integration, manages subscriber access to paid content, and provides revenue analytics. Writers can experiment with different pricing strategies and offer various subscription benefits, though the system lacks sophisticated pricing experiments or advanced subscriber lifecycle management.

Community and discovery tools

Substack Notes functions as the platform's social layer, allowing writers to share shorter thoughts and engage with other creators' content. The Recommendations feature enables cross-promotion between compatible publications, creating organic growth opportunities within the Substack ecosystem. These community features help writers discover audiences and build relationships with peers, though discoverability remains challenging for new creators without existing audiences.

Analytics and insights

Basic analytics cover essential metrics like open rates, click-through rates, subscriber growth, and revenue tracking. The dashboard provides clear insights into content performance and audience engagement, helping writers understand what resonates with their readers. However, the analytics remain relatively simple compared to advanced email marketing platforms, lacking detailed subscriber behavior tracking or sophisticated conversion analysis.

Ease of use

Substack design — Your writing experience feels natural and distraction-free, but the simplicity comes with trade-offs that some users find limiting. (Image credit: Substack)

Substack excels in simplicity, offering perhaps the most straightforward onboarding experience among content platforms. New users can create an account and publish their first post within minutes, with no technical setup required. The minimal interface eliminates the overwhelming array of options that plague traditional blogging platforms, allowing writers to focus on content creation rather than configuration.

Your writing experience feels natural and distraction-free, with a simple editor that handles formatting automatically while maintaining professional appearance. Publishing requires just a single click, the platform handles email distribution, web posting, and subscriber notifications seamlessly. This extends to subscriber management, where basic analytics and payment tracking remain accessible without complex dashboards or confusing metrics.

However, simplicity comes with trade-offs that some users find limiting. Customization options are minimal. You can adjust colors, add a logo, and choose from basic layouts, but advanced design control simply doesn't exist. Writers who want unique branding or complex page layouts will find Substack restrictive compared to platforms like WordPress or Ghost.

The platform occasionally suffers from performance issues too, with some users reporting unresponsive pages during editing sessions. While these technical hiccups don't affect the core publishing experience, they can frustrate users trying to customize their publications or manage subscriber settings. Despite these limitations, most writers appreciate the focus on content over complexity, finding it liberating rather than restrictive.

Pricing

Substack payments and fees — Substack operates on a unique revenue-sharing model with no traditional subscription tiers. (Image credit: Substack)

Plan	Starting rate (paid annually)	Renewal rate (paid annually)
Free	$0/month	$0/month
Pro	10% of subscription revenue + processing fees	10% of subscription revenue + processing fees

Substack operates on a unique revenue-sharing model with no traditional subscription tiers. The platform is completely free to use for publishing free content, regardless of subscriber count.

Writers only pay when they enable paid subscriptions, at which point Substack takes a 10% platform fee plus payment processing costs through Stripe (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, plus 0.5% for recurring billing). You also pay a one-time fee of $50 if you’d like to connect your own domain, which can be purchased separately from a domain registrar.

This aligns Substack's success with creator success. It only profits when writers earn money. For a typical $50 annual subscription, total fees would amount to approximately $7.10, leaving writers with around $42.90. While a percentage-based model can become expensive for high-earning creators compared to flat-rate alternatives, it eliminates upfront costs and makes the platform accessible to writers just starting their monetization journey.

Customer support

Substack support — Only about 10% of callers manage to speak with an actual person, with the average resolution rate being just 1%. (Image credit: Substack)

Substack's customer support has become a significant pain point for many users, with the platform heavily relying on AI-powered chatbots in 2024-25. The company launched an automated support system in early 2024, claiming it resolves over 90% of user inquiries. However, user experiences tell a different story, with many reporting frustrating interactions and difficulty reaching human representatives.

The primary support channel is a chatbot that appears on Substack's support page, though users can still email support@substack.com. While Substack claims there's a "seamless handoff" to human support when needed, many users report getting stuck in automated loops without receiving actual human assistance. The platform does provide a phone number (415-592-7299), but customer satisfaction ratings are extremely low at just 1.4 out of 5 stars on TrustPilot.

Real user experiences reveal significant issues with the support system. People report being charged multiple times for subscriptions, unable to cancel payments, and receiving only automated responses despite repeated attempts to reach human support. AI sometimes fabricates email addresses or provides incorrect information, leaving users without resolution for weeks or months. Only about 10% of callers manage to speak with an actual person, with the average resolution rate being just 1%.

For urgent security issues, you can contact security@substackinc.com, which appears to receive more attention than general support requests. However, the overall support experience remains frustrating for most users, with many describing it as "nonexistent" and recommending alternative platforms partly due to these service limitations.

Alternatives

Substack occupies a unique position in the content publishing market as a hybrid newsletter-blog platform focused on direct reader monetization. While competitors like WordPress offer more customization and Ghost provides better technical control, Substack's strength lies in its social publishing features and built-in community elements. The platform combines traditional newsletter functionality with social media-style interactions through Notes, recommendations, and cross-promotion features that most competitors lack.

For writers seeking maximum customization and control, WordPress remains the strongest alternative, offering extensive themes, plugins, and the ability to sell various digital products beyond subscriptions. Ghost CMS appeals to technically-minded creators who want full ownership without revenue sharing, providing advanced analytics and automation features that Substack lacks. Beehiiv and ConvertKit serve writers focused purely on email marketing with sophisticated automation tools.

Substack works best for independent writers and journalists who prioritize simplicity over customization and want to build direct relationships with readers. It particularly suits creators who appreciate the social discovery aspects and don't need complex email marketing features. However, writers requiring advanced design control, detailed analytics, or diverse monetization options may find better fits elsewhere.

The competitive landscape shows Substack maintaining its lead through community features rather than technical superiority. While platforms like MailerLite offer more comprehensive email tools and Gumroad provides broader monetization options, none match Substack's combination of publishing simplicity and social discovery. This positioning makes Substack ideal for content creators who want to focus on writing rather than platform management.

Substack review: Summary

Substack succeeds as a streamlined publishing platform that removes technical barriers between writers and their audiences. The platform's greatest strength lies in its simplicity. Writers can start publishing and monetizing immediately without dealing with complex setup, payment processing, or email delivery systems. The built-in social features like Notes and recommendations create genuine discovery opportunities that traditional blogging platforms lack, while the direct subscription model aligns creator and platform incentives effectively.

However, Substack's limitations become apparent for creators seeking growth beyond basic newsletter publishing. The minimal customization options, basic analytics, limited SEO capabilities, and problematic customer support create significant constraints for serious content businesses. Writers who need advanced email marketing features, detailed subscriber insights, or professional design control will quickly outgrow what Substack offers, making it hard to recommend as a long-term publishing solution for ambitious creators.

Substack: FAQs

Can I use my own domain with Substack?

Yes, Substack allows custom domains for your publication, giving you a more professional appearance and helping with branding. You can set up a custom domain through your Substack settings, though you'll need to purchase the domain separately and configure DNS settings. This feature helps maintain your brand identity and makes your publication look more established to potential subscribers.

How much does Substack cost for creators?

Substack is completely free to use for publishing free content with unlimited subscribers. You only pay when you enable paid subscriptions, at which point Substack takes a 10% platform fee plus payment processing costs (approximately 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction through Stripe). This means for a typical $50 annual subscription, you'd pay around $7.10 in total fees, keeping roughly $42.90. There are no upfront costs or monthly subscription fees.

Can I export my subscriber list from Substack?

Yes, you own your subscriber list and can export it at any time through your Substack dashboard. This includes both free and paid subscriber information, ensuring you're not locked into the platform. The export feature gives you flexibility to move to other platforms if needed, though you'll need to handle the technical migration and payment processing setup elsewhere.

Does Substack help with content discovery?

Substack offers several discovery features including Notes (short-form social content), recommendations between publications, and curated lists that can boost visibility. However, discoverability remains challenging for new creators without existing audiences. The platform's algorithm-based discovery is limited compared to social media platforms, making it essential to bring your own audience or actively participate in the Substack community to gain traction.

What content formats does Substack support?

Substack supports various content formats including written posts, images, videos, podcasts, and embedded media. You can publish both long-form newsletter content and short-form Notes, create podcast series, and include multimedia elements in your posts. However, the platform lacks advanced formatting options and design flexibility compared to traditional blogging platforms, keeping the focus on clean, readable content rather than complex layouts.

I test gaming PCs for a living, and I was more impressed by the build and performance of the NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) than I was expecting

11:18 pm | July 31, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming PCs | Tags: CPU, PC, RAM, Total War | Comments: Off

NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition): Two-minute review

The NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) is an ideal PC for the kind of gamer interested in building a gaming desktop, but finds picking parts and the process of assembly overwhelming. The price does reflect that, as you could conceivably save a few bucks doing everything yourself.

That said, the NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) is a well-built and organized machine that’s easy to get into for future upgrades, while offering the convenience that the best gaming PCs provide. And with the powerful internals, it can do just about whatever one could want.

A NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) sitting on a desk — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

You’ll find that some of the best desktops with higher spec’ed CPUs and GPUs have more oomph, but that’s more important if you’re rendering video or 3D projects. For gaming, what this desktop has to offer is more than enough.

As long as you’re willing to cover the price tag, there’s little to fault here. My only nitpick is that there isn’t a clear way to expand internally as opposed to swapping and upgrading parts. This might be minor for many people, but for those who haven’t built a PC, this might be a sticking point.

After all, this kind of desktop is going to be more appealing to those who don’t want to go with the usual pre-built machines and their proprietary parts, but aren’t yet ready to build their own.

NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition): Price & availability

How much does it cost? $2,033 (about £1539 / AU$3,162)
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US

The NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition), along with the other models on offer, is only available in the US. And since this model only has one configuration, it has one price: $2,033 (about £1539 / AU$3,162). NZXT does have a controversial PC rental option called NZXT Flex that is essentially like leasing a gaming PC available to consumers, but that doesn’t seem to be available for this model.

The price tag of this model is not cheap, but it’s not surprising either. If you want to build your own, getting an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 will set you back at least $549 / £549 / AU$1,109 if not more (especially if you live in the US with impending tariffs). That’s a quarter of the cost of this computer just in the GPU.

Consider that the RTX 5070 is not quite the upgrade over the previous generation’s 4070 Super one would expect, you can get most of the way there performance-wise with something like the Alienware Aurora R16, which ran for $1,749 / £1,349 / around AU$2,670 at launch and is still available at certain retailers at a discount. It is a little older, but it’s also a little more compact.

However, if you compare the NZXT model reviewed here to the current version of the Maingear MG-1 (our review is from last year so the components are older), which costs $2,049 for a similar model, specifically with a Intel Core Ultra 5 245K, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, 16GB RGB DDR5 6000MT/s, and 1TB SSD, you can see that the NZXT Player PC is not overpriced. It does come with more RAM than the Maingear MG-1, though the MG-1 comes with more customization options, including a completely personalized front panel.

Value: 4 / 5

NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition): Specs

The NZXT lineup is interesting insofar that there are a number of models in the company’s prebuilt lineup totaling twelve unique listings, but they all revolve around three models – the Player: One, Player: Two, and, of course, Player: Three – differentiated by the case.

Of course, they’re all slightly different with a range of CPUs, GPUs, and so forth. The NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) uses the H5 Flow case that the Player: One and Player: One Prime uses. This model reviewed here is the most powerful NZXT model with this case with a 20-core Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF CPU, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070, and 32GB of RAM, not to mention 2TB SSD storage. There’s not really any customizations here, so you have to choose the model that fits your budget and performance needs.

NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) specs
Price:		$1,999.99
CPU:		Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF
Graphics:		NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070
RAM:		32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5 5200MHz
Storage:		2TB NVMe M.2 SSD
Ports:		Front I/O: 1x USB 3.2 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Type-C, 1x Headset Audio Jack Back I/O: 6x USB 3.2 Type-A, 2x USB 3.2 Type-C, DisplayPort, Mic In / Line In / Line Out
Wireless:		Wi-Fi 7 / BlueTooth

On the bright side, there’s plenty of after-the-fact customization available with the NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) since the parts are standardized, such as a Z890 motherboard. And getting inside the desktop is very simple, which I’ll get into in the next section.

NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition): Design

Lots of venting
Tool-less tempered glass side panel
No clear expansion slots inside

The NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) uses the black version of the company’s H5 Flow case (the case itself is also available in white), which is a compact mid-tower ATX form, measuring 18.31 x 8.86 x 16.93 inches (465 x 225 x 430 mm). The “Flow” in its name refers to all of the venting covering the front, top, back, and bottom of the case to keep things cool.

Most of the case is a very durable galvanized steel (SGCC), but the side panel is made of tempered glass so you can easily see what’s inside. And the internals are arranged very cleanly in a way that’s fairly aesthetically pleasing. Most of the wiring is hidden or fed into a compartment at the bottom that’s separated by a steel plate so that you can only see it through the venting near the bottom of the case.

It’s worth noting that the top fans do have some backlighting but the NZXT Player PC does not come with RGB lighting despite the fact that this case is available with RGB. At least, the side panel is also a nice touch because it allows tool less entry, allowing for easy upgrades and swaps without having to grab a screwdriver.

As far as ports go, there’s quite the selection. There’s a USB-C, USB-A, and headphone jack on top of the case next to the power button. And on the back, there’s an additional six USB-A along with two USB-C ports, three audio jacks, and, a bit more unusually, it has attachments for an included Wi-Fi Antenna that helps boost its Wi-Fi 7 support.

All in all, it’s a pretty impressive-looking PC. Being very nitpicky, it’s not apparent where any expansion slots are for upgrades. I didn’t see any additional places for an SSD either on the motherboard or anywhere else inside the case even though there’s plenty of space.

Design: 4.5 / 5

NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition): Performance

Powerful internal components
Easily runs performance-heavy games
Stays fairly cool under duress

NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) CPU benchmarks
Benchmark		Score
Geekbench 6.4 Single-core		3,081
Geekbench 6.4 Multi-core		18,984
Crossmark Overall		2,298
Crossmark Productivity		2,159
Crossmark Creativity		2,495
Crossmark Responsiveness		2,166

Unless there’s some poorly planned layout or issues with a case that cause overheating, you can usually tell how a gaming PC will perform almost completely based on the internal components.

Considering, then, that the NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) has an Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF with 20 cores and 20 threads as well as 25 TOPS, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, and 32GB of DDR5 5200Hz RAM, it’s no surprise that it’s able to run all the latest games at or near the highest settings.

NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) GPU benchmarks
Benchmarks		Score
3DMark Fire Strike		45,049
3DMark Time Spy		21,414
3DMark Fire Strike Ultra		14,727
3DMark Time Spy Extreme		10,943
3DMark Speed Way		5,855
3DMark Steel Nomad		4,967
3DMark Port Royal		14,139

I’ve had no issues not only playing games like South of Midnight, Monster Hunter Wilds, Baldur’s Gate 3, and Cyberpunk 2077 but running them at High or Ultra settings on an ultrawide 5K monitor with HDR on, which requires quite a bit of power in and of itself. I didn’t have any issues with screen tearing, stuttering, or any other performance-related issues. And all the games stayed at the 165Hz refresh rate the monitor supports.

NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) gaming benchmarks
Game		Average FPS
Black Myth: Wukong (Cinematic, 1080p)		60
Cyberpunk 2077 (Ultra, 1080p)		70
Monster Hunter Wilds (Max, 1080p)		83
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Very high, 1080p)		201
Total War: Warhammer III (Ultra, 1080p)		182

It’s also worth mentioning that I’ve never had Cyberpunk 2077 boot up as quickly as it did on this PC. Speaking of that game, it’s still a very demanding title with all its updates for newer tech like DLSS 4.

Yet, running the game only pushed the system a little, and the overall affair stayed fairly cool, thanks to the various fans placed around inside the case.

Performance: 5 / 5

Should I buy the NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition)?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	The price tag is high, but it’s what one would expect for a computer sporting an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 GPU.	4 / 5
Design	Tool-less entry, lots of venting, and a durable, clean build are all part of the package. Too bad, expansion slots aren’t well marked and you can’t upgrade to RGB.	4.5 / 5
Performance	There’s little to fault when it comes to performance as the desktop can do it all gaming-wise.	4.5 / 5
Average rating	It’s a little pricey, but the convenience, durability, and performance are all worth it.	4.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You want a powerful gaming PC
The NZXT Player PC reviewed here has enough power to handle any gaming situation. Whether you want something capable of supporting a 5K ultrawide monitor, high ray tracing, DLSS 4, and any other performance-heavy technologies, this PC can do it.

You want easy upgradability
Sure, there’s only one configuration out of the gate. But, once you have the PC in hand, its tool-less entry and use of standardized parts make upgrading the CPU, GPU, RAM, or anything else pretty straightforward.

You want an attractive-looking PC
With all the ventilation, tempered glass side panel, and clean, organized internal setup, this is an attractive, if straightforward-looking desktop.

Don't buy it if...

You want lots of options
While you can certainly upgrade quite easily after the fact, you can’t do so or customize when purchasing. If that’s important to you out of the gate, then you should probably look elsewhere.

You’re on a budget
As good as the NZXT Player PC is, it’s not cheap. There are other options, including within the company’s own product line, that are more affordable. You just have to be willing to go with less powerful components.

Also Consider

If our NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) review has you considering other options, here are two desktops to consider...

Alienware Aurora R16
The Alienware Aurora R16 is compact with great port selection, more than adequate ventilation, and, most importantly, excellent performance. It does have an aesthetic that can’t decide if it’s for professional settings or gamers, but that’s a small complaint. Though the R16 has been discontinued by Dell, it’s available through some online retailers and at a discount.

Read our full Alienware Aurora R16 review

Maingear MG-1
The Maingear MG-1 is powerful if pricey, and comes with a lot of customization options – many more than NZXT including the ability to get a personalized front panel. Of course, depending on the upgrades, it can get very expensive, but, as they say, you get what you pay for.

Read our full Maingear MG-1 review

How I tested the NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition)

Tested for a couple of weeks
Used it for heavy gaming
Spent some time looking at the build

I used the NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) for a couple of weeks, mainly using it for heavy gaming. I poked around inside the desktop to get an idea of the quality of the parts, as well as explored the software to see what tricks this desktop had up its sleeves.

The NZXT Player PC (5070 Intel Edition) is a gaming PC that’s ideal for the kind of person who wants all the benefits of building one’s own desktop, but doesn’t want to for the headaches that come with doing so. It has the kind of quality control and clean build that one doesn’t always see in prebuilts, while making it convenient to get inside and swap out parts.

I’ve spent the last few years reviewing tech gear for gaming and otherwise, where I’ve gotten a feel for what to look for and how to put a piece of kit through its paces to see whether it’s worth the recommendation.

DJI Osmo 360: two-minute review

The DJI Osmo 360 is DJI’s long-awaited entry into the 360 camera game, and it lands with the kind of swagger and polish you’d expect from a brand that’s spent years perfecting its action-cam chops.

It’s a slick, pocketable camera that blends design cues from rivals like the Insta360 X5 and GoPro Max: it’s square-bodied, dual-lens, dark grey, and built to withstand a beating – sort of. Despite being IP68-rated and able to function in sub-zero temperatures, DJI itself discourages underwater use due to potential stitching issues, which is an odd caveat for something that’s otherwise billed as rugged. It also lacks the user-replaceable lenses that made the Insta360 X5 so appealing to adventure-minded types.

That aside, the Osmo 360 impresses from the get-go, not just for what it can do but also for how much it undercuts its main rival on price. Starting at £409.99 / AU$759, it’s significantly cheaper than Insta360’s equivalent bundles (the Osmo 360 is not available in the US at launch – see the 'Price and availability' section below for more info). And that’s before factoring in the Osmo 360’s generous 128GB of built-in storage.

DJI Osmo 360 camera — (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

Design-wise, there’s a lot to like: a crisp 2-inch touchscreen, an intuitive three-button layout, a removable battery, USB-C charging, and two mounting options (tripod thread and DJI’s own magnetic quick-release system). It feels solid in the hand, well-balanced and thoughtfully laid out.

The camera itself uses a pair of 1/1.1-inch square CMOS sensors with large 2.4μm pixels, and DJI claims that the shape allows it to use the full sensor area, setting it apart from rivals which crop quite heavily from their rectangular sensors. Whether that’s marketing spin or technical fact, the results are undeniably sharp. Video tops out at 8K 50fps in 360 mode or 5K 60fps (or 4K 120fps) with a single lens, with 10-bit color and support for the flat D-Log M profile if you want to color-grade in post.

Footage looks punchy and vibrant straight out of the camera, if occasionally a little over-processed. The camera also captures 120MP stills and includes several specialty modes, including SuperNight, which enhances low-light performance in 360 mode, and Boost, which delivers wide-angle, high-frame-rate single-lens footage reminiscent of a classic action camera. Both are welcome additions, and SuperNight in particular is impressive for after-dark footage.

DJI Osmo 360 camera mounted on bicycle handlebars — (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

Audio is handled by four built-in microphones that do a competent job in fair conditions but struggle with wind. The real standout on this front is the Osmo 360's compatibility with DJI’s own wireless microphone systems: pair it with a DJI Mic 2 or DJI Mic Mini and you can record pristine 24-bit sound, control gain and noise cancellation directly on the camera, and get clean, clear voice capture in challenging environments. It’s a genuinely useful ecosystem advantage for DJI users.

Performance is strong across the board. The Osmo 360 pairs with the existing DJI Mimo mobile app for control, previews, firmware updates and quick editing. The app includes an AI-powered auto editor for creating quick shareable clips with barely any human input, though its functionality is currently limited to daylight action like cycling or skiing.

More comprehensive editing is available in the new DJI Studio desktop app, which brings keyframing, tracking, filters and export tools to macOS and Windows PCs. It’s streamlined, easy to pick up, and feels like a real competitor to Insta360’s more mature software suite.

Ultimately, while the Osmo 360 doesn’t manage to dethrone the Insta360 X5 on pure performance (it can’t match its battery life, underwater confidence or lens swappability) it comes very close, and at a very palatable price. For anyone already in the DJI ecosystem, or those getting into 360 video capture for the first time, it’s a very solid option.

DJI Osmo 360 specs

DJI Osmo 360 specs
Type:	360 camera
Sensor:	1.1-inch x 2
Max aperture:	f/1.9
Screen:	2-inch 314 x 556 touchscreen
Storage:	128GB internal plus microSD slot (1TB max.)
Dimensions:	2.4 x 1.4 x 3.2 inches / 61 x 36 x 81mm
Weight:	6.45oz / 183g

DJI Osmo 360 camera attached to a selfie stick, on the beach — The Osmo 360 magnetically mounted on a selfie stick (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

DJI Osmo 360: Price and availability

Launched worldwide on July 31 2025 – except for the US
Standard Combo priced at $TBC / £409.99 / AU$759
Adventure Combo priced at $TBC / £549.99 / AU$989

The DJI Osmo 360 was announced on July 31 2025, and is available to order now from DJI’s own online store and various retailers.

At launch, it’s available in two different bundles. The Osmo 360 Standard Combo includes the Osmo 360 camera, a single Osmo Action Extreme Battery Plus, a protective pouch, a rubber lens cap, a lens cleaning cloth and a USB-C to USB-C cable, and is priced at £409.99 / AU$759.

The Osmo 360 Adventure Combo, meanwhile, comes with all of the above plus the Osmo Action Multifunctional Battery Case 2, a quick-release adapter mount and a 1.2m selfie stick. It costs £539.99 / AU$989.

dji osmo 360 camera with accessories — The DJI Osmo Adventure Combo includes a plethora of useful accessories (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

This is noteworthy pricing, because it’s a lot cheaper than the Insta360 X5, the camera it’s competing with. At launch the X5’s Standard bundle (which is just the camera and one battery) cost $549.99 / £519.99 / AU$929.99 and the Essentials bundle (including a selfie stick, charging case, second battery, fast charging case, lens guards, carry case and lens cap) cost $659.99 / £609.99 / AU$1,109.99. That’s quite a gap, and it doesn’t take into account the microSD card you’ll need for the X5 either.

You’ll have noticed that I haven’t mentioned US pricing, and that’s because it’s still TBC, likely as a result of the continuing uncertainty surrounding tariffs. A DJI spokesperson told me that the camera “will not be available for sale immediately in the U.S. market through official DJI channels. We currently do not have an estimated timeline for when it will be available, but we will keep you posted when we do.”

Price score: 5/5

DJI Osmo 360: Design

IP68 build and ability to operate in -20C / -4F temperatures
Includes tripod and magnetic quick-release mounts
Not recommended for underwater shooting

The DJI Osmo 360 resembles a cross between its 360 camera rivals the GoPro Max and Insta360 X5. It has the squat, square shape of the former and the control layout and centrally located fisheye lenses of the latter. Like both, it’s constructed from robust dark-grey plastic, with its lenses bulging outwards on either side.

There’s a 2-inch 16:9 touchscreen on one side, plus three physical controls: a power button (which can be tapped to toggle between shooting modes), a shutter button, and a third button that flips between the two camera views on the screen. There are also two openable flaps on the device, one covering the USB-C port (used for charging and data transfer) and the other protecting the removable battery and microSD card slot.

The bottom of the camera features a standard 1/4-inch tripod mounting point, as well as clips and a magnet for DJI’s proprietary quick-release mounting system. I like that it comes with two mounting options.

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DJI Osmo 360 — (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

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The Osmo 360 is IP68-rated, waterproof to a depth of 10m and able to operate in temperatures as low as -20C / -4F. However, DJI cautions that, due to its convex optics, underwater shooting may result in “image distortion and stitching errors” and thus doesn’t recommend it. It’s interesting that DJI doesn’t have confidence in its underwater capabilities, because the Insta360 X5 has the same convex lenses and its manufacturer encourages sub-aqua shooting, including a special picture profile and corrections specifically for that purpose.

On the durability front, DJI doesn’t offer the same user-replaceable lenses as the Insta360 X5, which is a real shame – the way in which 360 camera lens extend out of the camera body means they’re easy to scratch, and Insta360’s efforts in this area have been really impressive. On the plus side, Osmo 360 users can at least buy an optional lens protector kit, or take out a DJI Care Refresh protection plan which includes a limited number of free replacement cameras in the event of accidental damage, for either one or two years. It’s priced at £23 / AU$42 for one year, or £38 / AU$69 for two years.

Design score: 4/5

DJI Osmo 360: Performance and features

AI-edited videos via DJI Mimo app
Battery life of up to 100 minutes with 8K 30fps recording
Directly compatible with DJI Mic 2 and Mic Mini

The Osmo 360 works with the existing DJI Mimo mobile app, which will pair your phone with the camera and allow you to remotely operate it, download and apply firmware updates, and browse your photos and videos. The app features a simple but effective video editor that makes creating slick reframed or panoramic clips using keyframes or AI-assisted subject tracking quick and easy.

The app has an AI-assisted auto editor that selects clips, framing angles, transitions and music to create a quick shareable ‘finished’ clip, much like the Insta360 app, but it’s not quite as impressive – at least not at the time of writing. For one thing, it’s currently suitable only for skiing, cycling and motorcycling videos filmed in the daytime, but I’d expect DJI to expand its capabilities and suitable subjects with future updates. I've embedded an example of what it can currently do below.

DJI has also, at the time of writing, just released DJI Studio, a free desktop app for macOS and Windows that allows for similar easy 360 video editing on your computer. After offloading the files, you can set keyframes, use AI-assisted tracking, add filters and music, and trim videos to your liking, before exporting them as a reframed standard video or a panoramic 360 video. I used it to put together a few clips on my MacBook, and found it straightforward and very easy to pick up.

The Osmo 360 uses the same 1950mAh Osmo Extreme Battery Plus that was launched with the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro. Practicality-wise, that’s great news for people who own both cameras, but the Extreme Battery Plus is noticeably smaller than the 2400mAh capacity batteries that come with the Insta360 X5 and offer up to 185 minutes of use.

Battery life on the Osmo 360 is shorter as a result: I left the camera running at 8K 30fps and it recorded about 90 minutes of footage on a full battery. That’s not bad at all – it’s just not as good as the X5’s mammoth battery life – and Osmo Extreme Batteries support PD fast charging and are relatively cheap, too ($49 / £29 / AU$55), so stocking up on a few isn’t a huge investment.

DJI Osmo 360 camera next to DJI Mic Mini on marble table — The Osmo 360 is fully compatible with the DJI Mic Mini and Mic 2 (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

There are four built-in mics on the camera, and audio quality is impressive in good conditions; I found that voices and environmental sounds were captured clearly. As with most built-in camera mics, however, it does pick up wind noise very easily, which can disrupt the clarity.

The Osmo 360 is also compatible with OsmoAudio products, meaning it can directly connect to a DJI Mic 2 or DJI Mic Mini transmitter for higher-quality audio. I used it with my Mic Mini and was able to record 24-bit audio, adjust and preview gain levels on the 360’s screen, and turn noise cancelling on and off, and thanks to the windshield and noise cancelling I was able to record crisp, clear voice audio even while riding my bike on a breezy day.

Performance score: 4/5

DJI Osmo 360: Image quality

Dual 1/1.1-inch sensors
Captures 10-bit 8K video at up to 50fps and 120MP photos
Dedicated low-light and single-lens modes

DJI has kitted out the Osmo 360 with a pair of square 1/1.1-inch sensors, which it claims outperform rivals due to the large pixel size of 2.4μm – that's roughly twice the size of the pixels used by the Insta360 X5. The sensor’s square shape, DJI says, is a key factor, because none of the surface area is wasted; other 360 cameras, built around rectangular sensors, use only the central portions of them, but the Osmo 360 makes use of every bit, allowing it to have those larger pixels and deliver much better image quality. At least, that’s the idea.

The Osmo 360 supports 360-degree video capture up to 8K 50fps (and 5K 60fps or 4K 120fps), and single-lens capture at up to 5K 60fps as well as photos up to 120MB (or 30MB with HDR). It also supports 10-bit color, and gives users the option to shoot in a flat D-Log M profile for more scope in post-production color grading.

I found image quality to be generally excellent for a 360 camera. At the default settings and shooting in bright daylight, 360 videos are sharp with rich, bright colors.

There’s clearly some enhancement going on, resulting in some noticeable over-sharpening and overly intense colors at times (skies can veer too much towards turquoise at times, for instance), but the settings available give users plenty of scope to adjust results to their personal tastes.

The lenses deal relatively well with flare, automatic selfie-stick removal is effective, and the image stabilization and horizon leveling seem nigh-on faultless to me.

Overall, I’m highly impressed, but I would also say that, if I had recently bought an Insta360 X5, I don’t see anything here that would cause me to regret my purchase. Comparing clips side by side, there’s very little between the two cameras when it comes to standard 360 video, despite DJI’s claims about the Osmo 360’s pixel size and sensor design greatly boosting quality.

Perhaps the highlight of the Osmo 360’s specialist video modes is SuperNight. Available with 360 capture only, it's designed to offer high-sensitivity, high-quality low-light recording indoors or at night, although while I was hoping those huge sensor pixels would give the Osmo 360 an edge over the Insta360 X5 after dark, my test footage looked fairly similar.

In other words, it's good by 360 camera standards, but not the kind of pristine, low-noise video I'd be happy using in pro-level content creation – not without a little help in post-processing, anyway. Sudden motion in particular can cause some distracting blur around bright light sources.

There’s also Boost (single-lens only), an ultra-wide-angle mode with high dynamic range, good low-light quality, and up to 120fps frame rate that seems designed to ape a classic action camera. It's definitely a useful mode to have if you're biking or using the Osmo 360 as a dashcam.

Image quality score: 5/5

DJI Osmo 360: testing scorecard

DJI Osmo 360
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Price	Significantly cheaper than the Insta360 X5, for similar spec and features.	5/5
Design	Freezeproof and waterproof, but the lack of replaceable lenses is a pity.	4/5
Performance	Decent apps and battery life, and compatibility with OsmoAudio products.	4/5
Image quality	Challenges the Insta360 X5 on image quality, but doesn't outright beat it despite having a larger sensor.	5/5

Should I buy the DJI Osmo 360?

Buy it if...

You want premium 360 video at the cheapest price
Despite offering similar specs, features and performance to the Insta360 X5 (not to mention built-in storage), the Osmo 360 is significantly more affordable at launch.

You're already invested in the DJI product ecosystem
If you own a DJI Mic 2 or Mic Mini, you can hook it up to the Osmo 360 to instantly up its sound-capture quality a few notches.

Don't buy it if...

You just bought an Insta360 X5
DJI has delivered a strong rival to the excellent Insta360 X5 – but not an outright conqueror. If you already own the X5, there are few reasons to swap it for an Osmo 360.

You want a truly rugged 360 camera
The Osmo 360 is IP68-rated and pretty tough, but it's not as adventure-ready as the Insta360 X5 and its easy-to-replace lenses. If you scratch a lens here, you'll need to replace the whole camera.

Also consider

Insta360 X5 action camera

Insta360 X5

The current top dog of the small 360 camera market, the X5’s rugged build, replaceable lenses, low-light performance, ease of use, and battery life keep it ahead of the Osmo 360 – just about. Its biggest asset is how simple it makes the process of creating great-looking 360 videos, but the Osmo 360 runs it very close.

Read our full Insta360 X5 review

Akaso 360 camera on a white background

Akaso 360

At around half the price of the Osmo 360, budget action camera brand Akaso’s first 360 camera represents real value for money. While it’s short on fancy features, the 360’s automatic stitching and stabilization is impressive, and video quality is more than adequate when shooting outdoors in good lighting.

Read our full Akaso 360 review

How I tested the DJI Osmo 360

I tested a full production model for two weeks
I mounted the camera on an invisible selfie stick and bike mount
I recorded videos day and night on foot and cycling

DJI sent me a review sample of the Osmo 360 Adventure Combo well ahead of its release date, giving me plenty of time to test the camera’s panoramic and single-lens modes in a variety of situations: day, night, indoors and outdoors, on foot and while riding my bike. I was able to test it with DJI’s own invisible selfie stick and Mic Mini, as well as edit videos using the DJI Mimo mobile app and new DJI Studio desktop app.

First reviewed July 2025

Read why I found Deluge to be the best free torrent client

1:34 pm |

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

Torrenting clients give users access to a deluge of content. Unsurprisingly, one of the most popular free torrent clients is aptly named Deluge. It’s a free and open-source torrenting client that’s a favorite for many.

I decided to test Deluge to see whether it’s better than other clients I’ve used. My test centered on its features, performance, user-friendliness, and security, among other crucial factors. Read on to learn my opinion about choosing Deluge as a torrenting client.

Deluge: Versions

Extensive PC compatibility is one of the first things that stood out about Deluge. Its official downloads page listed apps for macOS, Windows, and various Linux distributions like Ubuntu, Debian, and Fedora.

However, I was disappointed that Deluge lacked an Android app. Many free and open-source software tools have Android apps, which I cherish using to control downloads remotely on my PC. Given Apple's unfriendliness to torrenting apps, I didn’t expect an iOS app. No torrenting app I’ve reviewed is directly compatible with iOS.

Deluge: Features

Deluge might not be as popular as rival torrenting clients like Vuze, but it packs many features that give it a competitive edge. I liked that Deluge can be easily customized with plugins that provide extra functionalities. For instance, I used the Notifications plugin to get notified via email about completed downloads.

Like most torrent clients, Deluge lets you add a .torrent file and download the corresponding content. This file contains the metadata of the movie, audio, software package, or any other content you want to download. When added to Deluge, it extracts the metadata and downloads the required content.

Unlike some torrenting clients I’ve tested, Deluge doesn’t offer a built-in way to find .torrent files. Instead, you’ll get them yourself from external sources. Some torrenting clients have built-in search engines to make finding these torrents easier, but not Deluge.

If you don’t have the torrent file for the content you want to download, you can provide a magnet link or an info hash. Both contain the same metadata as a .torrent file, so Deluge can still extract the data and download the corresponding content.

Deluge is ad-free, a feature I appreciate after testing some torrenting clients. Some free clients had ads covering large parts of my screen, often for dodgy products. However, despite being free, Deluge doesn’t include ads for monetization. It’s an open-source tool maintained by a team of volunteer developers.

One major benefit of using Deluge as a torrenting client is its sophisticated encryption software. It uses techniques like Protocol Encryption and Message Stream Encryption to prevent unauthorized third parties from spying on your torrenting activities.

For further security, I turned on a VPN before downloading torrents via Deluge, and you should, too. A VPN routes your traffic through a secure remote server, preventing your ISP and other third-parties from monitoring your downloads. People often run into issues with their ISPs because of torrenting, so a VPN is crucial for protecting yourself.

I liked that Deluge provided both a graphical and command-line interface. The graphical interface is the easiest to use, with a minimalistic feel and neatly arranged elements. Yet, I sometimes enjoy feeling like a nerd and using the command-line interface to control my torrenting activities.

The command line lets users connect with Deluge remotely. Normally, I use Android apps for remote connections, but Deluge doesn’t have this feature. I got some solace because I could control my Deluge torrenting activities from another PC. For example, you can be at work and controlling torrenting activities on your home PC. This way, you avoid any issues concerning torrenting on your office network.

When you download any torrent on Deluge, you automatically become a seeder uploading the same torrent for other users. Torrenting is made possible by users acting as file seeders for each other. The more seeders available for a torrent, the faster the download speed.

The thought of constantly uploading files made me wary of my bandwidth consumption, but then I remembered that most torrenting clients let users limit file upload speeds to conserve bandwidth. Deluge makes this process easy, allowing users to limit their upload speeds and the number of simultaneous connections.

Deluge is a feature-rich torrenting client I enjoyed using. It doesn’t have every feature I wanted, but having its existing features for free is a boon.

Deluge: Interface and in-use

With my experience testing numerous torrenting clients, I can attest that Deluge has one of the best user interfaces. It’s not overtly modern, like some torrenting clients that feel overdesigned, and it’s also not too old school, like some torrenting clients that looked designed in the 1990s.

Deluge’s interface strikes the right balance between form and function. You can access it via a graphical interface, command line, or web interface. The web and graphical interfaces look very similar. The command line interface can get complicated, but it’s meant for technically adept users who prefer that mode. An average person can quickly become familiar with graphical or web interfaces.

Deluge: Security

Deluge has the standard encryption features of torrenting clients. It encrypts your activities to prevent unauthorized access, but relying on your torrenting client’s security is enough. I always turn on a VPN to provide an extra security layer when downloading torrents.

I ran Deluge through software scanning tools, and the results were clean. Deluge isn’t known to host malware and hasn’t had any history of negligent security practices. My only issue is that Deluge lacks a built-in anti-virus scanning tool for torrents. I had to rely on another tool to scan torrents for malware, unlike some torrenting clients with built-in scanners.

Deluge: Final verdict

I appreciate Deluge’s user-friendliness, feature richness, and the ability to add plugins for more functionalities. It’s a lightweight app that’s easy to use on any PC, and I’ll recommend it to anyone seeking a reliable torrenting client.

We list the most secure VPN providers.

I tested Denon’s even cheaper AirPods Pro rivals and while the ANC is very effective, they fall short in a few key areas

1:30 pm |

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

Denon AH-C840NCW: Two-minute review

Sometimes when testing some of the best earbuds (and sets that don't make it into that group), it feels like products can easily be broken down into three categories: buds trying to rival AirPods, buds trying to rival the AirPods Pro, and buds which are clearly doing their own thing. The Denon AH-C840NCW can easily be filed into the middle category.

These are the siblings to the Denon AH-C500W, buds listed straight in the former category, but the set you're reading about here come with a key difference: these buds come with silicon ear tips, and noise cancellation to boot. That’s what gets them bumped from the first category to the second.

Denon is a high-end audio company based in Japan that has made a respectable name for itself with home audio, AV systems and speakers, and while it’s also no stranger to personal audio (like headphones and earbuds – see also the PerL Pro), this clearly also isn’t its bread-and-butter diet. Case in point: the AH-C840NCW are perfectly fine earbuds that certainly are a viable option given Apple’s expensive earbuds… but they don’t quite match all the other AirPods Pro alternatives on the market.

The Denon AH-C840NCW hark a lot closer to Apple’s options than most rivals, and that’s most obvious in the design department. There’s no denying that these are doppelgangers – Denongangers if you will – and there’s nothing wrong with that. Denon has aped the well-respected build and these lightweight buds are easy on the ear, even if the tips let the side down a bit.

In audio quality too, these buds are inoffensive. The audio mix is fairly neutral-sounding, skewing slightly towards bass but otherwise offering an easy-to-like (though hard to truly love) quality to songs.

So far, so AirPods Pro, and that isn’t necessarily a flaw – the buds undercut Apple’s premium buds by a meaty margin. But Denon isn’t the only company trying to offer prospective earbuds buyers a Pro option on a non-Pro budget, with so many alternatives at this price point that my word count forbids me from listing even a fraction of them.

It’s the feature set that lets the AH-C840NCW down. Despite some impressive active noise cancellation there’s an overall dearth of extra functionality, and a few stumbles within what’s actually there. This is the area that most often than not defines the best earbuds you can buy, and so I struggle to find a unique selling point for the Denon.

I generally enjoyed listening to the Denon AH-C840NCW during my testing, but that’s not the same as recommending them to buy with your own money. Their myriad rivals typically have a lot more to offer, so they’re only worth buying if you’re looking for buds that match the AirPods Pro exactly, instead of beating them in any way.

Denon AH-C840NCW review: Price and release date

The Denon AH-C840NCW against a wooden table. — (Image credit: Future)

Unveiled and released in April 2025
Costs £149 (roughly $200, AU$300)

The Denon AH-C840NCW were announced in released in April, alongside the AH-C500W which are similar but slightly cheaper and miss ANC.

You can buy the AH-C840NCW for £149 (around $200, AU$300) so they’re mid-ranged in price. I couldn’t find them on sale in Australia or the US, but Denon does offer earbuds in those countries (especially in the US, which saw the AH-C500W and AH-C830NCW) so a launch in those regions is possible.

Judging at least by the UK price, that’s about an 8% price hike on the last-gen model but a 50% higher price than the non-ANC siblings.

I have to point out that, writing three months after the buds’ release, it’s pretty easy to find them discounted. Not by a huge amount, but by 10%-15% depending on which color you want, which is still worth bearing in mind.

Denon AH-C840NCW review: Specs

Drivers	12mm
Active noise cancellation	Yes
Battery life (ANC off)	10 hours (buds) 35 hours (case)
Weight	5.1g (buds) 54g (case)
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.3
Waterproofing	IPX4

Denon AH-C840NCW review: Features

Solid noise cancellation
7-hour battery life with ANC on
Relative lack of extra features

Unlike their siblings, the Denon AH-C840NCW offer ANC, which I think is what the ‘NC’ in the name refers to. I wasn’t expecting much – why would the company skip ANC on that other product if it had anything worthwhile up its sleeves – but was pleasantly surprised by what this model offered.

The AH-C840NCW’s noise cancellation is meaty, wiping out annoying background noises without a trace. The app also offers you a Transparency mode which seemed to work slightly differently from others: instead of scanning for important noises to filter in to your ears (such as voices and important, twig-snapping-in-the-woods treble sounds), I got the impression it was just a weaker ANC. I could be wrong about this, but things felt quieter in Denon’s Transparency mode than in equivalents I’ve tested.

Talking about the app, it’s simply called 'Headphones', but you can find it in the Play Store or App Store by searching Denon’s name. As well as changing ANC modes, it lets you customize the touch controls, monitor the buds’ connections (multi-point pairing allows for two concurrent pairs), turn on LE Audio, change the wear detect to only apply for one earbud and monitor battery levels.

Finally, there’s an equalizer, which is only a 5-band one and doesn’t offer presets. If you’re used to customizing your own earbuds' sound, you might find this one just a little restrictive.

Battery life hits 7 hours with ANC turned on or 10 hours with it off, figures which can go up to 24 or 35 respectively when you factor in the case. The battery life is ever so slightly above average and my own testing roughly matched Denon’s stats provided.

This might be one of the shortest ‘Features’ sections I’ve ever written in a review, because the Denon don’t offer much in the way of useful features beyond the basics. That’s a shame because it’s in the feature set that (headphone) boys become (headphone) men, and with rivals offering plenty of extra modes and functions, it affects the competitiveness of the AH-C840NCW.

Features score: 3.5/5

Denon AH-C840NCW review: Design

Small pebble carry case
AirPods Pro lookalikes
Sensitive touch controls

By referring to the Denon AH-C840NCW as ‘AirPods Pro lookalikes’, I’ve probably conjured certain images of stem-toting earbuds with silicon tips and slight tilts. This description doesn’t necessarily denote AirPods – the world of wireless earbuds is much more varied than that, with buds of different shapes and sizes – but in this case it’s totally right. You’ve seen the pictures, you knew where this sentence was going.

The buds weigh 5.1g so they’re nice and light, and as that description suggests, they’re made up fo a stem that says ‘Denon’, a round body and a tip which protrudes at a slight angle. You can buy the buds in black or white (which also applies to the case) but the design is identical.

Hidden somewhere is a touch control, which you can customize in the app to change volume, play or pause music, and so on. I say ‘somewhere’ because I never quite figured out where to tap to trigger it – usually tapping the top of the stem worked but occasionally I’d accidentally press it while readjusting the buds in my ear, when my fingers were nowhere near the top.

On that topic, I did have to readjust the buds quite frequently in my ear; never when sitting around at home, but when running with the buds (ill advised; these aren’t running earbuds), when walking with them, or when working out at the gym (sit ups is the ultimate fit test!). I even tested different tip sizes in the box (there are four, not counting the ones on the buds by default) and this didn’t help – I’m going to point the finger at the material used in the tip, for not offering enough friction.

If you’re not going on walks and constantly having to readjust the earbuds, they’re pleasant to wear, with the light build ensuring you never get earache from long periods of listening. The buds also have an IPX4 rating which protects them from splashes of water, but not a serious drenching.

Equally lightweight and portable is the AH-C840NCW’s case, which is nice and small at 58 x 21.3 x 25.4mm and light at 54g. Something bijou like this is easy to slip into trouser pockets without it bulging out, or hide it on your desk when you’re charging it up via its USB-C port.

Design score: 3.5/5

Denon AH-C840NCW review: Sound quality

Single 12mm driver
Ever-so-slightly warm audio profile
Max volume is too low

Denon has fit the AH-C840NCW with a 12mm driver. That’s the same piece of kit that its sibling saw but with the eartips ensuring surrounding sound doesn’t leak in, the buds sound a lot better.

The AH-C840NCW have a gently warm sound profile that emphasizes bass just a little, but it's so slight that it won’t put off people who prefer a more neutral sound. Bass is scooping and well-defined, but treble is also is also crystal-clear and sharp.

I’d have liked to see a more pronounced, expansive and layered soundstage, as the buds seemed to lose instruments and harmonies that weren’t prominent, but they’re fairly detailed where it counts in vocals, drums and keys.

The maximum volume isn’t too high though. It’s fine for everyday listening when you’re at home or in an office, but if I wanted to hear music well over traffic, or get some extra oomph for an energetic song on a run, I found myself continually pressing my phone’s volume up button – and it didn't really help.

Sound quality: 4/5

Denon AH-C840NCW review: Value

Decent value compared to AirPods...
...not so much compared to other rivals

Compared to the Apple AirPods Pro, I’m willing to say that the Denon AH-C840NCW offer decent value for money. They undercut the big name buds without cutting down on the quality too much.

However, when you consider some of the other options on the market at this price, you realize you could still be getting a lot more for your money. Rivals within a similar $/£/AU$ range offer hardier designs, wider feature sets or better audio quality, and usually a combination of all three.

Value: 3.5/5

Should I buy the Denon AH-C840NCW?

Denon AH-C840NCW score card
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	Above-average ANC and slightly above-average battery life compensate for a basic feature set.	3.5/5
Design	They're light but not wholly reliable in the ear.	3.5/5
Sound quality	Music sounds detailed and a tad warm but it's still not perfect, and lacks energy.	4/5
Value	They don't pull in front of rivals enough to offer a genuine value proposition.	3.5/5

Buy them if…

You want AirPods-similar design
If you’ve seen the AirPods and want a similar-looking pair of earbuds, these certainly are options, as they’re some of the closest Doppelgangers we’ve seen so far.

You need decent noise cancellation
While it’s not the tippy-top bubble-of-silence performance I’ve ever heard, the active noise cancellation offered by the AH-C840NCW is robust, removing all but the most persistent background sounds.

You need a slender carry case
Some earbuds carry cases can sit in your pocket like a boulder. Denon wouldn’t be seen with anything like that, though, and the AH-C840NCW’s holder is lovely and slender.View Deal

Don’t buy them if…

You like customizing your audio
While the Denon does have a 5-band equalizer, that’s not much control over your music for audiophiles. There aren’t any presets, and no option for toggling higher-resolution audio should you want to stream it.

You rely on transparency mode
If you like toggling this and thus hearing what’s going on around you, I wouldn’t recommend the Denons. The transparency mode here sounded to me like weaker noise cancellation (yes, odd), and doesn’t let in much surrounding sound.

You’re sporty
Some eartip-toting buds are reliable for gym workouts, cycling or running. Not the Denon, as I found they’d slip out of my ears even on walks.View Deal

Denon AH-C840NCW review: Also consider

	Denon AH-C840NCW	OnePlus Buds 4	Skullcandy Method 360	Nothing Ear
Drivers	12mm	11mm woofer + 6mm tweeter	12mm	11mm
Active noise cancellation	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Battery life	10 hours (buds) 35 hours (case)	11 hours (buds); 45 hours (case)	11 hours (earbuds), 29 hours (total)	5.2 hours (buds) 24 hours (case)
Weight	5.1g (buds) 54g (case)	4.73g (buds); 40g (case)	11g (buds) 77g (case)	4.62g (buds) 51.9g (case)
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
Waterproofing	IPX4	IP55	IPX4	IP54

OnePlus Buds 4

A very recent competitor, the OnePlus Buds 4 have the best noise cancellation I’ve tested in earbuds at this price point. They sell at the same price as the Denon and offer a much more bass-heavy sound profile.

See our full OnePlus Buds 4 review

Skullcandy Method 360

Another bassy option is the Skullcandy Method 360. Ignore the ludicrous case size; these have solid in-ear design, a fun and funky sound profile and a long-lasting battery. Again, these go for roughly the same price as the Denon. Our review is incoming…

Nothing Ear

Finally – and yes, for the same price as the AH-C840NCW, although they’re a bit older and more prone to price cuts – we’ve got Nothing’s most recent top-end earbuds. These have a really impressive feature set and I loved the sound profile, but be warned for an awful battery life.

See our full Nothing Ear reviewView Deal

How I tested the Denon AH-C840NCW

Tested for two weeks
Tested at home, in the office, working out and on walks

My testing period for the AH-C840NCW earbuds was two weeks long, and it came straight after I wrote the Denon AH-C500W review, so I got to test the siblings back-to-back.

I paired the Denon with my Android smartphone for the whole testing period and tested apps like Spotify, YouTube, Netflix and certain games. Testing was done at home, around my neighborhood (on runs and on walks), on public transport, at my office and at the gym.

I've been reviewing audio products for TechRadar for years now, including products made by many of Denon's rivals and all three competitors mentioned above.

First reviewed in July 2025

Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

I tested an outrageous Acer Predator laptop with Nvidia 5090 GPU, and I wish I could recommend it, but I just can’t at this price

12:10 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: Battery Life, Razer Blade | Comments: Off

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI: Two-minute review

The Acer Predator Helios 18 AI is a top-tier gaming laptop with a phenomenal spec that’s sure to whet the appetites of even casual gamers. Despite what lurks inside, its exterior is remarkably restrained. At 18 inches, it's obviously very large, but the black finish and lack of branding keep its profile reasonably low. However, that large rear protrusion and ostentatious RGB lighting give away its intentions.

I think Acer has done well to keep the Predator Helios 18 AI as slender as possible. Of course, this is all relative given the size of laptop we’re dealing with here, but it’s impressively thin for the most part, although it thickens at the rear.

Build quality is also excellent, equaling the best gaming laptops in this regard. Premium materials are employed everywhere, and the hinge for the lid is smooth and easy to operate, while offering plenty of stability once set.

The keyboard is tactile and snappy, and the generous spacing of the keys makes it easy to type and game on the Predator Helios 18 AI. The number pad somewhat compromises the layout, though, with the space bar paying the highest price; it’s a little too short for my liking.

On the other hand, the large trackpad does a fine job of not interfering while using the keyboard, with accidental contact failing to register in my experience. It’s also very smooth and accurate, should you wish to use it over one of the best gaming mice.

Considering its mighty spec, the Predator Helios 18 AI performs as well as you might expect. Cyberpunk 2077 and Doom: The Dark Ages ran with aplomb, each delivering fps figures in the hundreds with maximum graphics settings, including those for ray tracing.

Rear of Acer Predator Helios 18 AI open on desk with pink background — (Image credit: Future)

You will have to endure constant fan noise when gaming, but thankfully this isn’t egregious when the default Balanced mode is selected in the Predator Sense app. The Predator Helios 18 AI also generates a fair amount of heat, which can spread to the sides and the keyboard after a while. Again, though, this isn’t bad enough to cause an issue.

The biggest price you’ll have to pay for all this performance is… well, the price. Starting at $3,000, the Predator Helios 18 AI is incredibly expensive. I struggle to think who’ll need such a large and powerful laptop, and be willing to pay this much for one.

Of course, the entire gaming laptop market is a premium one, but there are better value alternatives out there if you don’t need an 18-inch display and triple-digit frame rates, such as the excellent Razer Blade 16 (2025) or the MSI Katana 15 (2023), the latter of which we think is currently the best budget gaming laptop around.

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Price & Availability

Starts from $2,999.99 / £3,499.99 / AU$7,299
Hugely expensive
Better value alternatives

The Predator Helios 18 AI starts from $2,999.99 / £3,499.99 / AU$7,299 and is available now. It comes with spare WASD and arrow keys, as well as a thermal pad upgrade kit for the RAM.

You don’t need me to tell you what an eye-watering sum this is. It’s understandable considering the spec, and my review unit was even more outlandish, equipped with a 3840 x 2400 display and 192GB of RAM(!).

Prices are similar to the Razer Blade, which performs similarly too. If you want something that’s even better value, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) is, in our view, one of the best budget gaming laptops around, if you’re happy to game at 1080p.

Value: 2.5 / 5

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Specs

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Specs
	Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Base Config	Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Review Config
Price	$2,999.99 / £3,499.99 / AU$7299	TBC
CPU	Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24 Cores), 2.70 GHz	Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX (24 Cores), 2.70 GHz
GPU	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 (16GB)	Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 (24GB)
RAM	64GB DDR5	192GB DDR5
Storage	2TB PCIe NVMe SED SSD	2TB PCIe NVMe SED SSD
Display	18-inch WQXGA (2560 x 1600), 16:10 ComfyView (Matte), 250Hz, IPS	18-inch WQUXGA (3840 x 2400), 16:10 ComfyView (Matte), 250Hz, IPS
Ports and Connectivity	3 x USB-A, 2 x USB-C, 1 x RJ-45, 1 x SD card, 1 x HDMI, 1 x 3.5mm audio in/out; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	3 x USB-A, 2 x USB-C, 1 x RJ-45, 1 x SD card, 1 x HDMI, 1 x 3.5mm audio in/out; Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Battery	99Wh	99Wh
Dimensions	401 x 308 x 29.6mm	401 x 308 x 29.6mm
Weight	3.5kg / 7.7lbs	3.5kg / 7.7lbs

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Design

Close-up of left side ports on Acer Predator Helios 18 AI open on desk — (Image credit: Future)

Large but surprisingly thin
Relatively understated
Excellent build quality

Given its large display size, the Predator Helios 18 AI is a reasonably understated gaming laptop. The rear bulge that extends beyond the lid hinge gives it some distinction, and the RGB lighting can light up the whole unit like a Christmas tree if you want it to (the bar that runs along the front edge and wraps around the side is especially striking). But switch this off and you’ll struggle to tell it apart from the best business laptops.

It’s quite bulky, although I think the Predator Helios 18 AI does an admirable job of keeping its dimensions contained considering the beastly components that lay within. The front end is reasonably thin, but thickens as it moves towards the back. This increased size does allow for larger vent openings, though, so it’s a worthy sacrifice to improve cooling performance.

The overall build quality is hard to fault. All the materials that are used look and feel premium and durable. The lid is also impressively smooth to operate yet remains sufficiently stable when set in position.

Underneath you’ll find three feet that run across the width of the Predator Helios 18 AI, and they provide plenty of grip on desktop surfaces. They also raise the chassis from the surface by a significant degree, again allowing for improved ventilation.

There are plenty of ports on the Predator Helios 18 AI. On the left, you’ll find an ethernet and a USB-A port, as well as an SD card slot and a 3.5mm audio in/ out jack. On the right are two more USB-A ports, which is a sensible location considering this is where you’ll likely be connecting external peripherals.

On the rear are two USB-C ports, an HDMI port, and a large power cable port. As you would imagine, the power supply is large, but unfortunately the cable running from the brick to the jack end is quite short. Owing to my setup, this meant I had to keep the brick on my desk rather than placing it on the floor, which was quite the inconvenience.

Design: 4 / 5

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Performance

Close-up of rear ports on Acer Predator Helios 18 AI open on desk — (Image credit: Future)

Fantastic AAA performance
Vibrant and sharp display
Some fan noise and heat

Gaming with the Predator Helios 18 AI didn’t get off to a particularly auspicious start. When I ran Cyberpunk 2077 for the first time, the game’s benchmark function recorded a disappointing 42fps, with the maximum 3840 x 2400 resolution and Ray Tracing: Ultra preset selected.

Some tinkering with the graphics settings resulted in modest improvements to performance, but it wasn’t until after restarting the game a couple of times that things suddenly improved: I started getting about 100fps, even in busy in-game environments, without lowering the resolution or any other graphical settings.

Similar figures were achieved when I played Doom: The Dark Ages, although I did have to change the DLSS mode from Auto to Ultra Performance to get there. Thankfully, this made no discernible difference to the image quality.

And on that front, both games looked fantastic on the WQUXGA display. Colors were accurate and vibrant, if very slightly washed-out. This is a common issue on many IPS displays, but here the effect did little to detract from the awesomeness of the visuals.

The ultra-high 3840 x 2400 resolution in my review unit offered incredible levels of sharpness, while the high response times resulted in super-smooth gameplay. It’s also capable of very high brightness levels, which helps to keep pesky reflections at bay.

Close-up of trackpad on Acer Predator Helios 18 AI open on desk — (Image credit: Future)

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Benchmarks

Here's how the Acer Predator Helios 18 AI performed in our series of benchmark tests:

Geekbench 6.2:
Single - 2,803
Multi - 16,720
Cinebench R24:
Single - 125 13.89x
Multi - 1,728
3DMark:
Fire Strike - 36,158
Time Spy - 17,341
Port Royal - 12,994
Night Raid - 60,951
PCMark10:
8,885
Cyberpunk 2077:
1080p Low - 469fps
1080p Ultra - 361fps
1080p Ray Tracing: Overdrive - 128fps
Battery test:
Movie playback - 3 hours and 2 minutes
PCMark10 (Gaming) - 1 hour 27 minutes

Fan noise is constant when gaming on the Predator Helios 18 AI, but I didn’t find it distractingly loud. The volume increases considerably if you set the Predator Sense profile to Performance mode, though – then you’ll really need one of the best PC gaming headsets to drown out the noise.

The Predator Helios 18 AI does a good job of keeping temperatures down. Its underside doesn’t get too hot, although over time heat leaks out of both sides, which can be a little distracting for your mouse hand. After a couple of hours of gaming, I noticed the bottom of the keyboard became quite hot, too, especially around the space bar.

It wasn’t hot enough to make using the keyboard a problem, though. And what’s more, the keyboard on the Predator Helios 18 AI is great to game with. The keys are clicky but damped enough to make them tactile.

They’re a little on the small side (although they’re generously spaced apart), owing to the inclusion of the aforementioned number pad. This compromises the layout somewhat – especially the space bar, which isn’t as long as I would’ve liked, and therefore somewhat awkward to hit with my left thumb.

The trackpad on the Predator Helios 18 AI is large and very smooth, making it easy to use. Mercifully, it also appears unaffected by contact with the sides of your palms, meaning it won’t accidentally register movements while your hands lean over it to use the keyboard.

Performance: 5 / 5

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Battery Life

Close-up of keyboard with RGB lighting on Acer Predator Helios 18 AI — (Image credit: Future)

Large 99Wh capacity
Underwhelming longevity
Quick to charge

The battery life of the Predator Helios 18 AI isn't particularly impressive. Despite its 99Wh capacity, it lasted just under 90 minutes PCMark10's battery test for gaming scenarios.

This makes it considerably worse than the Razer Blade 16 (2025), which managed about an hour more, but much better than the MSI Katana 15 (2023), which didn’t even last one hour.

Charging the Predator Helios 18 AI back up to full is a surprisingly quick process, though – and given the size of the power brick, you would hope it would be.

Battery Life: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Predator Helios 18 AI?

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI Scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Value	The Predator Helios 18 AI is incredibly expensive, and only worth it if you need the absolute best gaming performance in laptop form.	2.5 / 5
Design	The Predator Helios 18 AI is very large, but is admirably thin considering what’s inside. It’s brilliantly made, too, and the RGB lighting is tastefully vibrant.	4 / 5
Performance	My review unit had an RTX 5090 and an Intel Core Ultra 9, so naturally its performance is out of this world. The display is excellent, too.	5 / 5
Battery Life	The Predator Helios 18 AI can't last an especially long time, but at least it's capable of replenishing quickly.	3.5 / 5
Total	There’s no denying this is a ferocious gaming machine; you can’t really ask for more from a gaming laptop. But the astronomical price puts it beyond the reach of many gamers, and there are many better value propositions out there.	3.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You want the best portable performance
With Nvidia RTX 5000 series GPUs available, the Predator Helios 18 AI can achieve astonishing fps figures, while the CPU and configurable RAM are equally capable components.

You want a large display
At 18 inches, the screen is more than big enough for laptop gaming, and renders AAA titles in all their glory.

Don't buy it if...

You want to save money
You’ll need plenty of cash to buy even the base model, and there are better value options out there.

You want a truly portable device
You’ll want something much smaller and lighter than the Acer Predator Helios 18 AI if you’re constantly on the go.

Acer Predator Helios 18 AI review: Also Consider

Razer Blade 16 (2025)
We were already big fans of the Razer Blade 14 from 2024, but the Blade 16 (2025) surpasses it in many ways. Like the Predator Helios 18 AI, it too can be equipped with an RTX 5090, and is built to a similarly high standard. It’s a shame there’s no 4K option this time round, though, and it’s still about as expensive as the Predator Helios 18 AI. Read our full Razer Blade 16 (2025) review.

MSI Katana 15 (2023)
Our current pick as the best gaming laptop for those on a budget, the MSI Katana 15 (2023) gets the balance right between price and performance, impressing us with its 1080p gaming. The trackpad and battery life might be weak points, but these are areas in gaming laptops where we’re willing to forgive shortcomings. As your first foray into the sector, it’s a great place to start. Read our full MSI Katana 15 (2023) review.

How I tested the Predator Helios 18 AI

Tested for a few days
Played AAA games
Extensive PC gaming experience

I tested the Predator Helios 18 AI for a few days, during which time I played games such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Doom: The Dark Ages, both AAA titles that provide stern tests for rigs owing to their demanding, cutting-edge graphics.

I also ran TechRadar’s series of benchmarking tests, including a battery test where I played a movie on a continuous loop until the Predator Helios 18 AI shut down.

I have been PC gaming for over a decade, and during that time I have experienced a number of systems and components. I have also reviewed laptops previously, as well as copious amounts of gaming hardware.

First reviewed: July 2025
Read more about how we test

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