Organizer
Gadget news
I like the snappy performance of the Logitech Pro X 60 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Keyboard, but it’s expensive considering its limitations
12:30 pm | March 31, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Keyboards Peripherals & Accessories | Comments: Off

Logitech Pro X 60: Two-minute review

The Logitech Pro X 60 is a compact wireless gaming keyboard featuring Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connectivity, employing the brand’s Lightspeed standard for improved gaming performance.

Its no-thrills appearance makes it suitable for any setting, although the magenta variant adds a lot more vibrancy if that’s what you’re after. It’s also small and light enough to fit easily into any setup.

What’s more, the build quality is excellent. Despite its lightness, it still feels solid and is put together as well as the best gaming keyboards. The various buttons and folding feet also seem durable and engineered to a high standard, while the double-shot PBT keycaps feel as premium as you would expect.

Despite the compromised layout, the Pro X 60 still manages to include a volume wheel, positioned on the left side of the chassis and within comfortable reach of the middle fingers, although it’s a shame it has no click-to-mute function. There are also two buttons on the rear for hot-swapping between devices connected via Bluetooth and the 2.4GHz dongle.

There are a good number of FN shortcuts available on the Pro X 60, too. However, even more customizations and shortcut options are possible with Logitech’s G Hub software. Numerous binding layers are available, and you’ll find an impressive number of system commands and media functions to map, and even the ability to assign mouse inputs.

There are also shortcuts for actions specific to certain applications, such as Streamlabs, OBS, and Discord. Key combinations with modifiers can also be bound, as can five inputs to a single key. As is customary for gaming peripheral software, G Hub also offers macro creation and RGB tweaking.

When gaming, the Pro X 60 performs admirably. Despite using optical switches, it feels more like a mechanical keyboard, with snappy and responsive inputs. It isn’t as damped as others, but I still found the tactile switches in my unit a pleasure to use. Typing is equally satisfying, although the lack of wrist support does become more of a problem in this instance, given the steep angle created by the thick chassis.

Connectivity via both wireless standards is good, and hot-switching between devices is quick and easy. Battery life is decent too, although charging is a little on the slower side.

The Pro X 60 is an expensive keyboard, especially for one with optical switches and a 60% layout. It does perform well, but there’s plenty of competition at this price point: for not much more, you could get the SteelSeries Apex Pro, which offers tremendous analog switches, although it’s wired only. And if you really want to save money, the Keychron C3 Pro is one of the best budget keyboards around.

Close-up of backspace key on Logitech Pro X 60, with pink background

(Image credit: Future)

Logitech Pro X 60 review: price and availability

  • $179.99 / £179.99 / AU$399.95
  • Available now in multiple colorways
  • Expensive for its form factor

The Pro X 60 costs $179.99 / £179.99 / AU$399.95 and is available now in black, white, and magenta colorways. It comes with a USB cable and an extension adapter for the USB dongle, as well as a spare Escape key and a carrying case.

For a 60% keyboard, the Pro X 60 is certainly expensive. It’s not far behind the price of the SteelSeries Apex Pro, which is one of the best analog keyboards I’ve tried. As such, it also features a vast amount of tweaking options to get the set up just so. However, it’s wired only, and while a wireless variant is available, that’s more expensive.

If you want something decidedly more budget-friendly, then the Keychron C3 Pro is about the best keyboard for those looking for a cheap, compact companion. We found it performed well, even for gaming, although it might not satisfy more serious players.

Value: 3 / 5

Logitech Pro X 60 review: specs

Close-up of escape key on Logitech Pro X 60, with pink background

(Image credit: Future)

Logitech Pro X 60 review: design and features

  • Good build quality
  • No wrist support
  • G Hub software is versatile

The Pro X 60 cuts a sleek and elegant figure, with its floating key design, which I’m usually a fan of. It has a rather muted appearance for a gaming peripheral – although the magenta colorway certainly makes it more vibrant, as does the RGB lightning.

Since it has a 60% layout, the Pro X 60 is small and compact, with a light weight as well. The feet are a little on the shallow side, as they only raise the board by eight degrees. Still, I found this just enough to get a comfortable position.

However, no wrist rest is included, and despite finding it more comfortable than other rest-less gaming keyboards, after longer sessions the Pro X 60 can get uncomfortable, especially when typing.

There are two convenient buttons on the back to quickly switch between wireless modes, and a small volume wheel is located on the left side, which saves space and is easy to use while in the WASD position. It’s a shame, though, that this wheel has no click function for muting – this is instead handled via an FN shortcut.

Close-up of volume wheel on side of Logitech Pro X 60

(Image credit: Future)

All aspects of the Pro X 60 feel premium, from the chassis to the double-shot PBT keycaps, which have a subtle texture while still being smooth to the touch. They’re quite thick and have a small indentation.

Despite the lack of keys, the Pro X 60 does a good job of including numerous FN shortcuts. These are clearly marked on the keys that have this function, although it’s a pity that the RGB lighting doesn’t illuminate them, so you’ll need a good memory if you’re using the Pro X 60 in the dark.

Logitech also allows for extra layers of customization via its G-Shift functionality and the custom assignment button, which is mapped to FN+A by default. Using the G Hub software, you’ll be able to rebind keys to a wealth of system commands, including audio output cycling and other media controls, as well as mouse inputs. You can also assign key combinations involving modifier keys, and assign up to five binds to a single key.

G Hub also provides shortcuts for specific functions in Overwolf, Streamlabs, Discord, and OBS. The obligatory RGB customizations and macro creation sections are also present. The interface is clear and easy to navigate, with handy explanations provided for various settings. G Hub also runs stably for the most part, although it can be a tad sluggish at times.

Design & features: 4 / 5

Logitech Pro X 60 review: performance

  • Snappy, fast switches
  • Feels mechanical
  • Fast connectivity switching

The Pro X 60 performs well when it comes to the business of gaming. The tactile switches feel just as snappy as some of the best mechanical keyboards – despite being optical – yet they’re not too light to allow for mispresses. They’re quick to rebound too, allowing for rapid inputs. However, those who like a good amount of dampening probably won’t be too keen on the feel of the Pro X 60, as they’re more clicky than cushioned.

The space bar, though, is more damped with a smoother actuation, yet is even more springy than the other keys, which again helps quick, successive inputs. However, due to its angle, which slopes away from the user, I occasionally hit it with the edge of my thumb rather than flush. The other keys on the bottom row follow the same trajectory, but I didn’t experience any issue with these and were easy to hit comfortably.

Even though the aforementioned FN shortcuts are impressive in their scope, the positioning of the arrow key shortcuts could be better. They’re on the same side as the FN key itself, which means the combination of all keys involved has to be done on one hand, which I found awkward and unintuitive. The SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini, for instance, places its arrow key shortcuts on the WASD keys, which makes more sense. However, you can of course remap the arrow key shortcuts to other keys if you wish, so the inconvenience isn’t that great.

I also found the Pro X 60 good for typing, as that tactility and bounce provides plenty of feedback while being easy to use. The shallow indentations of the keycaps makes them amenable to gliding, too. What’s more, since the actuation point isn’t too high, I didn’t make many typos, at least compared to similar keyboards I’ve tried. As someone who generally prefers low profile, laptop-style keys for productivity, I was surprised how well I got on with the Pro X 60 in this regard.

I experienced no issues with connectivity during my time with the Pro X 60, and switching between 2.4GHz and Bluetooth devices was fast and easy. After several days of varied use, the battery dipped by about 10%, which seems roughly in line with Logitech’s 65-hour claim. Charging it from half to full capacity took about three hours, which isn’t especially quick, but it suffices.

Performance: 4 / 5

Close-up of Game Mode button on side of Logitech Pro X 60

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Logitech Pro X 60?

Buy it if…

You want top-draw build quality
Every aspect of the Pro X 60 is premium, which is all the more impressive considering how light it is.

You want snappy performance
The response of the switches is excellent, as is their feel, for both gaming and typing.

Don’t buy it if…

You want mechanical switches
Despite feeling like a mechanical keyboard, the Pro X 60 uses optical switches, which might deter some gamers.

You want something budget friendly
The Pro X 60 is expensive, and although it performs well, it has some fierce rivals at this price point – and below.

Logitech Pro X 60 review: Also consider

Keychron C3 Pro
If you want something with a similar form but considerably cheaper, then the Keychron C3 Pro is the best keyboard for those on a budget in our view. We were very impressed with its strong performance, although elite gamers might not be entirely satisfied. At this cost, though, it’s hard to do better. Read our Keychron C3 Pro review.

SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL
For not much more than the Pro X 60, you could also bag yourself this fantastic analog keyboard. Such switches have several advantages, including adjustable actuation points, top-tier accuracy, and the added rapid tap ability. A more costly wireless variant is also available. Read our SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL review.

How I tested the Logitech Pro X 60

  • Tested for several days
  • Varied usage
  • Plentiful gaming experience

I tested the Pro X 60 for several days, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general browsing. I used both the 2.4GHz dongle and Bluetooth to connect to two different PCs.

I played games such as Counter-Strike 2, which is a great test for peripherals given the demands it places on accuracy and responsiveness. I also played S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 : Heart of Chornobyl, which similarly tests these aspects, but requires a broader usage of keys.

I have been PC gaming for over a decade, and have experienced a good deal of keyboards in that time. I have also reviewed numerous examples, ranging in their form factor, switch type, and price.

I admired the quality of the Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid, but I found it hard to wrangle its analog switches
6:25 pm | March 28, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Keyboards Peripherals & Accessories | Comments: Off

Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid: one-minute review

The Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid is a compact wired gaming keyboard with analog switches for greater precision and versatility when it comes to tweaking performance.

It looks like a fairly typical keyboard, lacking the pomp and ceremony of some of the more extravagant gaming peripherals out there, although the RGB lighting does make it stand out more, as do the white and pink colorways.

In terms of build quality, the Pro X TKL Rapid is level with what the best gaming keyboards offer. It has a thick yet sleek form, with enough heft to make itself known without being onerous. All the materials feel premium too, especially the keycaps, which have just enough texture to make them tactile.

There are a few extra media and other buttons at the very top, and a volume wheel that’s smooth and easy to use in the heat of the moment, thanks to its long, cylindrical shape. It’s a minor shame that it has no click-to-mute functionality, though.

The Pro X TKL Rapid can be customized using Logitech’s G HUB software, which offers plenty in the way of rebinding options, and also features the obligatory macro creation and RGB tweaking.

There are also plenty of actuation adjustments available, some of which are more involved than I’ve ever seen before. A real-time visual indicator is provided for general actuation, although such feedback is sadly absent when setting up Rapid Trigger, Multi-action, and Key Priority functions – and where it’s perhaps needed most.

To game with, the Pro X TKL Rapid offers the snappy performance you would expect from analog switches. However, I did find it a little too difficult to hit certain actuation points accurately and consistently, which is a problem if you have multiple inputs assigned to a single key.

I also found typing uncomfortable, owing to a combination of the thick keys and a lack of wrist support. Those who are used to thicker keycaps for typing may find them easier to live with, though.

For the price, the Pro X TKL Rapid represents good value compared to many analog keyboards. However, the Razer Huntsman V2 Analog is cheaper, and we still think it’s the best gaming keyboard around. So despite being a capable analog keyboard, the Pro X TKL Rapid doesn’t quite reach the heights of some of its key rivals.

Close-up of volume wheel on Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid, on table with pink background

(Image credit: Future)

Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid review: price and availability

  • $169.99 / £169.99 / AU$329.95
  • Available now in three colorways
  • Cheaper than some analog rivals

The Pro X TKL Rapid costs $169.99 / £169.99 / AU$329.95 and is available now in three colorways: black, white, and pink. It comes with a detachable USB-C-to-A cable, although it’s wired-only, with no wireless alternative available.

This is a good price for a wired analog keyboard. It’s cheaper than the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL, for instance, although I personally found that board offered better precision, and I could find little wrong with it in terms of performance or design. It also comes with a wrist rest, which the Pro X TKL Rapid doesn’t, although this is perhaps its weakest aspect.

However, there’s also the Razer Huntsman V2 Analog TKL, whose full-size counterpart we still think is the best keyboard for gaming. This smaller variant is cheaper than the Pro X TKL Rapid, yet offers incredible performance, customization, and design.

Value: 3.5 / 5

Close-up of arrow keys on Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid

(Image credit: Future)

Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid review: specs

Close-up of right side of Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid on table with pink background

(Image credit: Future)

Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid review: design and features

  • Muted looks
  • Premium build quality
  • Useful analog tweaks

The Pro X TKL Rapid looks fairly typical for a Logitech gaming peripheral, with a subdued aesthetic that will fit in any setup or situation. However, the white and pink colorways add more vibrancy. Meanwhile, its body is thick but not to the extent of some other boards, and quite weighty without being the heaviest around. The compact layout and floating keys also help to make it appear more sleek than it otherwise would be.

In line with Logitech’s other peripherals, the Pro X TKL Rapid is very well made, with a premium plastic chassis and superb-feeling keycaps that are silky smooth with just enough texture to offer some tactility. Overall, the Pro X TKL Rapid is certainly up there with the best gaming keyboards in terms of build quality.

Its keycaps are also quite thick and have a small indentation. The layout is compact without being cramped, and there’s a very slight dip in the middle to aid with ergonomics. The overall tilt of the keys can be increased using the two-stage feet, which offer four-degree and eight-degree angles.

A handful of media keys adorn the top of the Pro X TKL Rapid, alongside a button for toggling RGB lighting brightness levels and a Game Mode button for disabling keys of your choosing while gaming, with the Windows key deactivated by default.

There’s also a volume wheel in the top right corner, that takes the form of a long, cylindrical roller you scroll up and down on, which gives it a smooth operation and makes it easier to utilize than a laterally rotating dial. It’s a shame, however, that there’s no click-to-mute function, although this is handled by one of the media buttons instead.

Back of Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid with USB-C cable attached, on table with pink background

(Image credit: Future)

The Pro X TKL Rapid can be customized using Logitech’s G HUB peripheral software. Here you’ll find the usual gaming keyboard customization options, including RGB customization, macro creation, and key remapping.

On the latter front, there are a large number of system functions you can assign, including audio input and output cycling and opening certain Windows apps, such as Task Manager and File Explorer. Mouse buttons can also be mapped (although cursor movements can’t), and there are specific shortcut actions for Overwolf, Streamlabs Desktop, Discord, and OBS.

Fn and G-Shift layers are available for rebinding, in addition to a custom assignment shortcut (by default mapped to fn+F1) that can be used to toggle your rebinds on or off.

Since the Pro X TKL Rapid has analog switches, there are various actuation adjustments at your disposal in G HUB, too. You can adjust the overall actuation point of keys between 0.1 and 4mm, as well as toggle a Rapid Trigger function to alter their reset point between 0.1 and 2mm.

There’s also a Multi-action feature that lets you assign two inputs to a single key – which isn’t to be confused with the Multiple Commands feature, which lets you assign up to five inputs to a single key, depending on whether you press, hold, or release the key in question. With Multi-action, each input is triggered at two independent, customizable actuation points. However, only keys and modifiers can be selected for Multi-action, with system functions, macros and the like excluded, which is a shame.

Another analog feature is Key Priority, which lets you decide which of any two keys takes registration precedence when pressed at the same time (beware, though, that this function is banned in certain games, such as Counter-Strike 2).

This mode has settings more in-depth than I’ve seen before in analog keyboard software. You can choose which one always has priority, or prioritize whichever is pressed furthest pressed or pressed last. There’s also a neutral mode, which prevents either key from registering if they’re both pressed, as well as a toggle that allows for both to register as normal when fully pressed simultaneously.

It’s a shame, however, that there’s no controller emulation option, as some other analog keyboards provide. And although there’s an animation conveying real-time actuation in the main menu, none is provided when setting up Multi-action, Rapid Trigger, or Key Priority, which is a real shame since this would provide some much needed visual feedback for the adjustments you make.

These omissions aside, G HUB is hard to fault in terms of usability, with its clear layout making for easy navigation. It was also quite stable in my experience; there were a few occasions where it felt a little sluggish, but not disruptively so. Useful explanations are also provided for most of the analog adjustments, along with guides for these and the remapping functionality in the settings menu.

Design & features: 4 / 5

Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid review: performance

  • Satisfying key strokes
  • Overly sensitive analog switches
  • Uncomfortable typing

The gaming performance of the Pro X TKL Rapid is good for the most part. The keys feel great to press, offering a smooth operation with a satisfying thock, although this isn’t as pronounced as that of the best mechanical keyboards. I still found them pleasurable to use, though.

Their slight indentation also helped my fingers to stay secure, while the angled layout made it comfortable to access the salient keys, including the bottom row as that can sometimes be a problem area for gaming keyboards. I do wish, however, that the feet offered a more acute angle, which would’ve made access even easier and more comfortable.

Close-up of switch underneath key on Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid

(Image credit: Future)

Since the Pro X TKL Rapid has analog switches, the Pro X TKL Rapid is capable of offering extremely snappy performance, too. However, I found that no matter what actuation point I set, the switches were always a little too sensitive. This makes it harder to hit certain actuation points, which is especially a problem if you have Multi-action inputs set up.

That aforementioned thickness also created an issue, especially when typing, as I had to adopt a more unnatural wrist angle and once more the feet didn’t provide a sufficient angle to remedy this. What the Pro X TKL Rapid really needs is a wrist rest, but unfortunately one isn't included.

The thick keycaps didn’t help either, although I’m someone who usually prefers low profile, laptop-style keys for productivity purposes, so other users may not have an issue with these.

Performance: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid?

Buy it if…

You want analog performance at a good price
Analog boards are usually quite pricey, and while the Pro X TKL Rapid isn’t exactly cheap, it does undercut the competition.

You have high build quality standards
The Pro X TKL Rapid is constructed as well as the best gaming keyboards without being too heavy, which is an impressive feat.

Don’t buy it if…

You want absolute control
Despite the analog keys being plenty responsive, I found it hard to meet certain actuation points, given their overly sensitive travel

You want controller emulation
Despite the many analog tweaks available in G HUB, there’s no option to have the Pro X TKL Rapid emulate joysticks and triggers.

Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid review: also consider

Razer Huntsman V2 Analog TKL
The Huntsman V2 Analog is still our pick as the best gaming keyboard around, thanks to its stellar performance and phenomenal build. It does have a steep list price, but it can be found for less if you shop around, while the TKL version is actually even less than the Pro X TKL Rapid. Read our Razer Huntsman V2 Analog review.

SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3
The Apex Pro TKL is one of the best analog keyboards I’ve used, thanks to the incredible control it offers over key presses. It’s also built like a tank. There’s no denying it’s a pricey board, though, and the wireless variant is even more expensive. It also lacks controller emulation, but if pure analog performance is what you’re after, the Apex Pro TKL is hard to beat. Read our SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 review.

How I tested the Logitech Pro X TKL Rapid

  • Tested for several days
  • Used for gaming and productivity
  • Plentiful PC gaming experience

I tested the Pro X TKL Rapid for several days, during which time I used it for gaming, productivity, and general browsing.

I played Counter-Strike 2, which is a great test for peripherals, as it requires the utmost responsiveness and precision. It’s also a good test for the Rapid Trigger functionality of analog keyboards, allowing for very fast micro-movements and counter-strafing. I also played S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, another FPS but one which utilizes more keys on the board.

I have been PC gaming for over a decade, and during that time I have used a large number of gaming keyboards. I have also reviewed a good number of them, including other Logitech models and those with analog switches.

I’ve reviewed dozens of gaming laptops, and the new Razer Blade 16 with Nvidia’s RTX 5090 is one of the best I’ve ever seen
4:00 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Gaming Computers Gaming Laptops | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Two minute review

Weeks of stock shortages and scalping later, I can finally breathe: RTX 5000 laptops are here, offering a fresh path into Nvidia's glorious ray-traced future that doesn't involve selling your soul on Ebay - though you might need to sell a kidney to afford the new Razer Blade 16, especially if you're eyeing the top-of-the-line RTX 5090 configuration graciously provided to me for this review.

Yes, Razer is not beating the 'pricey hardware' allegations any time soon; the new Blade 16 starts at a wallet-battering $2,999.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$4,899.95, and the higher-spec configurations rocket beyond the four-thousand mark in the US, UK, and Europe.

Don't get me wrong, though: the sky-high pricing is just about the only criticism I have here. Razer's iconic 16-inch laptop has undergone a subtle redesign - and I mean subtle, bordering on indistinguishable - that provides a range of small but worthy improvements, and at the heart of it all, Nvidia's Blackwell GPU lineup delivers boosted performance and a new wealth of features ready to do battle with the best gaming laptops.

The Razer Blade 16 photographed for TechRadar on a white surface with plants in the background.

(Image credit: Future)

I'll get into the real meat of these graphics upgrades later on, but here's the short version: this thing goes hard. Between DLSS 4, Multi Frame Generation, Reflex 2, and the general generational improvements from RTX 4000, even the most demanding titles deliver crisp, speedy frame rates on the QHD+ OLED screen - and the 240Hz refresh rate means you won't find your game performance capped by the display.

The Razer Blade 16 isn't all steak and no sizzle, either. This is one classy-looking gaming laptop, as I've come to expect from Razer, with an anodized aluminum chassis, per-key RGB lighting, and the same overall top-notch build quality any previous Razer owner will be well accustomed to. Again, scroll on down to that Design section for all the juicy deets, but I will take a quick moment here to remark on the new-and-improved keyboard, which now features greater key travel and smoother actuation than previous models to provide a more pleasant typing experience as well as responsive inputs when gaming.

With how difficult it's proving to get your hands on a desktop RTX 5000 GPU, many will be looking towards the incoming slate of Blackwell-equipped laptops to scratch that hardware upgrade itch. If that's you - and you can stomach the price tag - then the Razer Blade 16 is the laptop to pick.

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Price and availability

The Razer Blade 16 photographed for TechRadar on a white surface with plants in the background.

(Image credit: Future)
  • How much is it? Starting at $2,999.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$4,899.95
  • When is it available? Available now
  • Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

There's no getting around it: this is one expensive laptop, even pricier than the previous RTX 4000 Razer Blade 16 we reviewed back in late 2023. Granted, you're getting a hell of a lot of gaming power for your money, but it's still pricey.

The Razer Blade 16 (2025) will cost you $2,999.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$4,899.95 for the base configuration: that gets you an RTX 5070 Ti, 10-core AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 365 processor, 32GB of ultra-speedy LPDDR5X 8,000MHz memory, and a 1TB SSD. That's right - the long-standing industry baseline of 16GB of RAM is out, 32GB is the new standard for Razer.

There are a few different configurations, with more RAM or storage and an upgrade to either an RTX 5080 or 5090. The top-spec model costs a piggy-bank-busting $4,899.99 / £4,299.99 / AU$7,999.95, packing the RTX 5090 along with a 12-core Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU, 64GB of RAM, and a huge 4TB of storage (in the form of two 2TB SSDs). Every version has the same 16-inch 240Hz QHD+ OLED display; sadly, there's no 4K model on offer, which does feel like a somewhat odd omission considering that the RTX 5090 is absolutely capable of 4K gaming.

I really can't stress enough that this is a comically enormous amount of money for the average PC gamer. As a fun little exercise, I went looking online for used cars that cost less than the Blade 16 review unit I'm typing this review on. 47,764 results. Oof.

Still, when scalpers are selling RTX 5090 cards on Ebay for upwards of four thousand bucks, it's not an entirely unattractive proposition. I mean, you're getting the whole system here, while the additional cost of a full desktop PC build capable of supporting Nvidia's latest flagship GPU without bottlenecking isn't exactly cheap. I have no doubt there will be laptops from other manufacturers that offer the same (or at least similar) specs at a lower price, but there will be sacrifices made - whether that's chassis materials, display quality, or memory speed.

  • Value: 2.5 / 5

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Specs

The Razer Blade 16 photographed for TechRadar on a white surface with plants in the background.

(Image credit: Future)

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Design

The Razer Blade 16 photographed for TechRadar on a white surface with plants in the background.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Same classic Blade finish with premium-feel anodized metal casing
  • New keyboard design is a real improvement
  • Chassis is lighter and more compact than previous models

Razer has long held a reputation as a company known for using premium materials for its hardware, and the new Blade 16 certainly doesn't buck this trend: every Blade begins life as a singular slab of tempered aluminum, which is then precision-milled into shape and electrochemically anodized to create a wear-resistant color finish designed to last.

The Razer Blade 16 photographed for TechRadar on a white surface with plants in the background.

(Image credit: Future)

Although the overall aesthetic of Razer's modern Blade lineup has changed very little over the years - compare this laptop side-by-side with the Razer Blade we reviewed back in 2018, and you'll see what I mean - there have been some small adjustments this time around, and all of them are good changes.

For starters, the laptop has been retooled to reduce the overall weight and size; there's a limit to this, especially with a 16-inch display, but Razer has managed to cut down the total package volume by almost 30%. It's almost half a centimetre thinner than the previous-gen Blade 16 (4.59mm, to be precise), and it adds that half-centimete to the length of the laptop instead - in practice, this doesn't make the Blade 16's footprint any appreciably larger, but does make it look and feel a lot thinner. It's also 310 grams lighter than the previous model.

The Razer Blade 16 photographed for TechRadar on a white surface with plants in the background.

(Image credit: Future)

Razer has also seen fit to improve the keyboard this time around, and it makes for a more satisfying typing experience than previous Blades. The key travel has been increased by 50%, and the actuation force sits at a finely-tuned 63G, providing a good amount of physical feedback that helped me avoid misinputs while both gaming and typing. The keys are quite widely spaced, which makes it comfortable to use even for long periods.

Naturally, this Blade now comes with a dedicated button for Copilot, Microsoft's AI assistant for Windows, though I doubt most buyers will have much cause to use that. More interesting is the new row of five programmable macro keys, giving you instant access to the functions you use most often.

Additionally, this ain't your daddy's backlit RGB keyboard: not only does the full layout have per-key RGB lighting, but multiple keys actually feature two LEDs beneath the keycap, enabling a nifty feature where holding down Fn or Shift switches the illumination to instantly highlight the relevant keys. You can see what I mean in the GIF below - it's a small bonus, but I rather like it.

A GIF showing the swap-lighting effect on the Razer Blade 16's RGB keyboard when the Shift and Function keys are pressed.

(Image credit: Future)

The touchpad is nothing to write home about (let's be honest, you'll be using a mouse anyway), but it is nice and large with a firm click to it. There's also a pretty straightforward 1080p webcam and microphone array, both of which work fine.

More impressive are the speakers: a six-speaker array with THX Spatial Audio support makes for one of the best audio experiences I've seen on a laptop. It's no secret that laptop makers often skimp on speaker quality because so many people will simply connect a headset anyway, but that's certainly not the case here. The bass is rich and punchy, and the midrange is crystal clear; high pitches are a little bit thin, but it's still a strong showing overall.

I'm not going to dedicate a huge amount of time here to the pre-loaded Razer Synapse software package, but I will say that there are some welcome improvements over the old (and rather wonky) version. Tweaking your system performance and lighting effects is nice and straightforward, as well as syncing and modifying any Razer peripherals you want to use.

The Razer Blade 16 photographed for TechRadar on a white surface with plants in the background.

(Image credit: Future)

I can't not talk about the screen, of course. Razer's hardware lineup has always offered high-end display configurations, often employing OLED panels, which remains the case here - though as I mentioned further up in this review, there's strangely no 4K configuration available this time around. Instead, every 2025 Blade 16 model comes with the exact same 16-inch 240Hz OLED display, with a resolution of 2560x1600. That's a 16:10 aspect ratio, which I'm personally a big fan of on laptops.

Still, it's an undeniably gorgeous screen: colors are bright and vibrant, contrast is sharp, and blacks are deep. It looks fantastic in motion while playing games like Cyberpunk 2077; the rainy, neon-splattered streets of Night City after dark are vividly colorful and realistic on this display.

One feature that I'm always happy to see is upgradability. Unfortunately, the RAM in the Razer Blade 16 is soldered, but the SSD is user-upgradable. In fact, anything less than the 4TB configuration (which uses two 2TB SSDs) comes with an empty NVMe slot for you to easily plug in a second drive if you want to expand the storage yourself.

Lastly, we've got a nice broad port selection here, with two USB-C ports, three USB-As, an HDMI port for connecting a second display, the omnipresent 3.5mm headphone jack, and finally a full-size SD card reader for creative users - a wise inclusion considering that this laptop can comfortably pull double duty as a work system (more on that later).

  • Design: 5 / 5

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Performance

The Razer Blade 16 photographed for TechRadar on a white surface with plants in the background.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Best-in-class performance
  • RTX 5090 and Ryzen 9 AI HX 370 are a deadly combo
  • New Nvidia features offer a huge performance boost

Enough about aesthetics: this is a gaming laptop, so how well does it run games? The answer is: extremely well, especially once you factor in Nvidia's DLSS and frame-gen tech.

Our standard testing process involves running games without using any form of upscaling or frame-gen tech, and you can see the results below. It's worth noting that the 2024 Razer Blade 16 with RTX 4090 I've used for comparative purposes has an Intel Core i9-14900HX processor, which quite literally has double the core count of the Ryzen 9 AI HX 370 chip in this laptop, so without implementing Nvidia's latest goodies, the differences are relatively minor in many games.

Performance is still strong, make no mistake - but if you're aiming to play the latest games at maximum graphical settings on this laptop's native 1600p resolution, you're going to want to use DLSS.

Kick DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation (MFG) into gear, and it's a totally different story. I tested a few different supported titles at their respective maximum presets with ray tracing enabled, and both enjoyed a serious performance bump with Nvidia's fancy AI-powered software enabled.

There's been quite some debate about tools such as resolution upscaling and frame generation, not least due to the use of AI for both, and I admit I've been skeptical in the past. Here, it's a revelation. Earlier iterations of DLSS - and the frame-gen model seen in the previous RTX 4000 generation - were imperfect, prone to impact lag and visual glitching, especially on hardware that would struggle to hit 60fps without any AI-assisted add-ons. But DLSS 4 and MFG work phenomenally well on a laptop packing an RTX 5090; in Alan Wake 2, a thoroughly beautiful (and therefore demanding) game, I was lucky to reach above the 60fps mark without any upscaling or frame-gen enabled. With those settings turned on? 200fps, easy.

Meanwhile, Cyberpunk 2077 and Returnal saw similarly massive framerate bumps. In Cyberpunk, the maxed-out ray-tracing preset struggled a bit at native resolution, scoring a meager average of 43 fps. With DLSS 4 and MFG, it averaged 217fps while still looking absolutely stunning. In Returnal, 113fps went to 240fps (which was the active cap) at 1440p - it doesn't have the option to run at the Blade 16's 1600p 16:10 resolution, but still, you get the idea.

It looks so good now, too; gone are the tearing and blurring I noted in my early experiments with DLSS, without any appreciable amount of input latency either. I imagine it's still there, perhaps noticeable to a pro esports gamer playing a twitchy shooter like Counter-Strike 2 or Valorant, but I certainly wasn't able to detect it.

Of course, DLSS 4 and MFG aren't available universally. Developers have to add support for the functionality, although there's also a new DLSS Override option for 'force-enabling' it in unsupported games, which I deployed for Returnal - as far as I could tell, it worked without issues, though of course that's just for one modern game.

Performance in synthetic tests was also strong, with good - though not world-beating - performance across both gaming and creative workloads. If you're hoping to use this laptop for professional creative work, it won't let you down. In fact, the performance it offers compared to the weight of the laptop is among the best I've ever seen, making it ideal for working on the go.

It's worth noting here that the 2024 Blade 16 actually outperforms the new model across several of our tests, but again, we can put that down to the significantly more powerful CPU found in the 2024 model. The power efficiency of the Ryzen chip is not to be understated, though - take a look at the battery life section, and you'll see what I mean.

  • Performance: 5 / 5

Razer Blade 16 (2025): Battery life

  • Surprisingly good battery life
  • Almost a full day's regular use, about two and a half hours of gaming
  • Charges fast but uses a proprietary charger

Battery life is rarely a selling point of gaming laptops, but I was pleasantly surprised with the battery life on the Razer Blade 16. In the PCMark 10 Gaming battery test, it lasted for almost two and a half hours; in real-world tests, I found this figure highly accurate, assuming you're playing with the battery efficiency preset on in Windows and brightness at 50% or lower.

Outside of gaming and running similarly demanding software, the Blade 16 offers some impressive longevity for a gaming laptop. The 90Whr battery lasted for almost seven and a half hours in our Battery Informant Web Surfing test, and it also holds charge remarkably well when not in use. This is likely due to the improved Nvidia Optimus tech, which offloads graphical processing to the Ryzen CPU's integrated graphics when you're not playing games or running GPU-intensive apps. Razer claims that the new Blade 16 offers 'up to 11 hours' of use, which is probably true if you really try to squeeze the battery with minimum brightness and power-saving mode turned on.

Although it needs a fairly chunky power adapter with a proprietary Razer connector, the Blade 16 also charges very quickly, charging up to 50% in about 30 minutes and 100% in just over an hour.

  • Battery Life: 4.5 / 5

Should you buy the Razer Blade 16 (2025)?

Buy the Razer Blade 16 (2025) if...

You want the best gaming performance there is
The RTX 5090 laptop GPU inside this laptop is a monster, delivering top-notch frame rates in games and offering the full suite of performance-boosting Nvidia software.

You want a gaming laptop you can use for work
Thanks to its surprisingly strong battery life and great capabilities when it comes to handling creative and AI workloads, the Razer Blade 16 can comfortably pull double duty as a work laptop when you're not using it for gaming.

Don't buy it if...

You're on a budget
Starting at over two grand, this is not a cheap gaming laptop by any means.

You want something compact
Although Razer has worked miracles reducing the weight and thickness of the new Blade 16, no 16-inch laptop can reasonably be called 'small'.

Also consider

If my Razer Blade 16 (2025) review has you considering other options, here is another laptop to consider:

Razer Blade 14 (2024)
If you're in the market for something a bit more svelte, consider the Blade 16's little sibling, the Blade 14. These aren't available with RTX 5000 GPUs, however - at least, not yet. But you still get the same excellent design and build quality, and a lower price tag too.

Read our full Razer Blade 14 (2024) review

MSI Titan 18 HX
Another absolute beast of a gaming laptop, the Titan 18 HX from MSI is a strong pick if you're looking for a gaming laptop that can also function as a premium workstation PC. With an Intel Core i9-14900HX CPU and up to 128GB(!!!) of RAM, this is one of the finest desktop-replacement systems on the market.

Read our full MSI Titan 18 HX review

How I tested the Razer Blade 16 (2025)

I spent just over a week with the Razer Blade 16 (2025), using it almost every day for both work and gaming. I don't always love working, but damn, if this didn't make it more pleasant.

Naturally, we ran plenty of performance tests on the Blade 16, taking additional time to test out the new DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Generation features on a handful of supported titles. What I played the most was Warframe, which isn't in our testing suite but look, I'm an addict.

In terms of work, I used the Blade 16 for everything from word processing to web browsing to image editing, and even took it out into my garden to work in the sun and put the battery life and display to the test in a real-world setting - both held up great.

  • First reviewed March 2025
Obsbot Tiny SE review: a conference room camera king
1:04 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Peripherals & Accessories Webcams | Tags: | Comments: Off

Obsbot Tiny SE webcam: Two-minute review

The Obsbot Tiny SE is an entry-level pan-tilt-and-zoom gimbal webcam with AI features that punches well above its weight. At a remarkably affordable price point of $99 / £109 / AU$199, it offers a compelling blend of features and performance that makes it a strong contender, but only if you need a camera that can follow you around a room.

The Obsbot Tiny SE webcam.

Watching the Tiny SE swivel and tilt to follow your movement is oddly adorable. (Image credit: Future)

The low price point is probably down to the Obsbot Tiny SE maxing out at 1080p resolution. If you’re a stickler for 4K, check out the Obsbot Tiny 2, but for most users, 1080p strikes an excellent balance between quality and practicality. What's more important is that this webcam will go up to 100 frames per second, if you’re moving around a room, gesturing, or being rather animated in general having smooth motion is going to be important.

The webcam utilizes a 1/2.8-inch CMOS sensor with an f/1.8 aperture, resulting in decent low-light performance with minimal noise and grain. This is a significant advantage for home offices with terrible lighting; gamers who prefer a moody, backlit setup will also appreciate how well this webcam performs.

Here is a side-by-side image comparison against the budget webcam king, the Logitech C920. As you can see, the lines are sharper, the details are clearer, and the color balance is better.

Image quality comparison of the Logitech C920 HD and the Obsbot Tiny SE, showing a figurine of a samurai.

Granted, the Logitech C920 has been around for a while now, but at the same 1080p resolution the Tiny SE is notably sharper. (Image credit: Future)

The Tiny SE is, as the name suggests, tiny. Especially for a camera that includes motors able to follow you around a room. There is something undeniably cute about something so small following you around a room. Its compact design ensures it doesn’t hog space on your desk or screen. Here is a picture with it next to an SD card to give you an idea of how small it really is:

The Obsbot Tiny SE webcam next to a regular SD card for size comparison.

The Tiny SE certainly lives up to its name. (Image credit: Future)

The webcam comes with a standard monitor mount, making it easy to clip onto your laptop or desktop display. For added versatility, it also includes a 1/4-inch thread for mounting on tripods or other camera accessories.

The USB-C connection ensures compatibility with modern devices, and the included USB-C to USB-A adapter covers legacy ports. This thoughtful inclusion makes it adaptable without forcing you to rummage through your drawer of forgotten dongles and adapters.

The built-in AI tracking is a showstopper. Whether you’re pacing during a presentation or showcasing a product for your audience, the webcam keeps you perfectly framed. You can choose between different framing like upper-body tracking, or close-up shots.

The tracking works pretty well, keeping subjects in focus even when they move around the frame. Paired with the smooth 100 FPS recording, the result is buttery-smooth footage that doesn’t feel like a typical static webcam shot.

The Obsbot Tiny SE webcam.

When not in use, the Tiny SE 'goes to sleep' by rotating the camera downward. (Image credit: Future)

Gesture controls are a fun addition that I personally found annoying but I could see being useful for someone who is presenting. Need to zoom in? Flash an “L” with your hand. Want it to follow your movements? Raise your hand, and it locks onto you. Sometimes however it interprets hand gestures incorrectly and will zoom into a random area or follow you when you don’t want it to. Try it out for yourself to see if it's useful, but personally, I turned it off.

When testing the built-in microphones for the Tiny SE in a quiet room, my voice is clear with good range for webcam use, although a small amount of room echo and noise are present. The mic isn’t exceptional but then I was never expecting it to be and it does struggle a little in a crowded office. You'll always sound better with a dedicated headset or microphone but for a webcam, the Tiny SE offers acceptable audio quality.

The Obsbot Tiny SE webcam.

The flip-out mount makes attaching the Tiny SE to a monitor or tripod a breeze. (Image credit: Future)

In terms of usability, the setup process is straightforward. Plug it in and you’re good to go. The Obsbot Center software does take this webcam to the next level and while it is annoying installing an app for a webcam, it really is worth it to get the most out of the Tiny SE. Its intuitive interface makes adjusting settings a breeze, whether you’re tweaking the tracking mode or fine-tuning image quality. You can adjust ISO, shutter speed, white balance, and refresh rate, as well as play with its AI features. The software also supports integration with tools like the Elgato Stream Deck, letting you set up presets for different angles or zoom levels at the push of a button.

While the AI-driven tracking around a room is almost flawless, the autofocus leaves something to be desired. While it technically works, it isn’t as snappy or accurate as autofocus found in higher-end and more expensive models. There’s noticeable focus hunting and occasional warping, which can be distracting when trying to present or walking around. It’s one of the few compromises they clearly made to keep the price so low.

Obsbot Tiny SE webcam: Price & availability

  • How much does it cost? $99 / £109 / AU$199
  • When is it available? Available now
  • Where can you get it? The US, UK, and Australia

Here’s where the Obsbot Tiny SE hits it out of the park: the price. At $99 / £109 / AU$199, this webcam is fighting way above its weight class. Comparable models with similar features and gimbal tracking often cost significantly more. The Tiny SE provides a budget-friendly option for those who want tracking without the premium price tag.

Obsbot Tiny SE webcam: Specs

Should you buy the Obsbot Tiny SE webcam?

The Obsbot Tiny SE webcam.

It's not included in the box, but you can also buy Obsbot's standalone Tiny Smart Remote 2 for controlling the webcam. (Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

You're upgrading a conference room setup
This is a "no-brainer" for businesses looking to upgrade conference calls. Its ability to track speakers and provide a more dynamic meeting experience while also being affordable and easy to use makes is easy to recommend.

You need AI tracking on a budget
The Tiny SE offers smooth, reliable AI tracking. If you move around during presentations, demonstrations, or online teaching, this camera will keep you framed effectively.

Don't buy it if...

You don't need pan, tilt, and zoom
The AI tracking and PTZ features are the Tiny SE's main selling points. If you primarily sit stationary in front of your computer, a less expensive, static webcam will likely suffice and save you money like the cute Obsbot Meet SE.

You need 4K video quality
If you're a professional content creator (or you're very serious about video conferencing) you might want to spring for a 4K webcam instead.

Obsbot Tiny SE webcam: Also consider

Logitech C920
The quintessential 1080p webcam. Logitech's C920 has been a reliable and sensibly-priced choice of webcam for years, making it a good pick if you'd like to save some cash and don't need the fancy AI-tracking features found on the Obsbot Tiny SE.

Read our full Logitech C920 review

Obsbot Tiny 2
If you're looking for a more premium webcam than the Tiny SE, the Tiny 2 from Obsbot is virtually the exact same device - but with a 4K camera and some extra bells and whistles. For those who want a high-end video experience, this is a great pick (though it's naturally more expensive than the Tiny SE).

Read our full Obsbot Tiny 2 review

How I tested the Obsbot Tiny SE webcam

  • Tested the webcam in video calls
  • Spent a while experimenting with the gesture command feature
  • Compared image quality to other webcams

I used the Obsbot Tiny SE for video calls and general image quality testing, as well as trying it out with various lighting levels to see how well it performed. I also tried out the gesture controls, and did some side-by-side comparisons with other webcams the offer the same resolution.

Read more about how we test

  • First reviewed March 2025
Want to upgrade your VR headset? Look no further than my new favorite Meta Quest 3 headstrap
3:56 pm | March 26, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Software Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality | Tags: | Comments: Off

Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap: One-minute review

At $99.99 / £82.00 / AU$161 this Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery strap is not cheap. But if you use your VR headset frequently it could be a worthwhile upgrade to your Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S – it’s already become my favorite Quest 3 accessory.

The built-in battery – the main reason to buy this strap – boasts a 5,300mAh capacity, which is a little more than the battery life of either the Quest 3 or Quest 3S. This doubles your VR and MR sessions, an advantage anyone who has ever had to cut a session far too short because their battery ran out will appreciate.

Beyond direct utility, the battery strap helps improve your Quest setup’s comfort to some degree as it serves as a counterweight to the headset proper and includes front and back padding. With its adjustable hard plastic mechanism, the strap will also remain comfortably attached to your head providing a more stable fit than the strap you get with your Meta Quest 3.

The only downside is that the strap weighs 446g, which is about 60g shy of what the Quest headsets weigh on their own. So while the battery is useful, a non-battery-equipped head strap like the H4 Halo Comfort (which is otherwise identical to the H4 Boost Halo) could be a better pick if you find your headset is heavy enough as it is.

The Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap

(Image credit: Future)

Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap: Price

  • Normally costs $99.99 / £82.00 / AU$161
  • Regularly on sale for less

At $99.99 / £82.00 / AU$161 this Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery strap is not cheap. But if you use your VR headset frequently this cost could be worthwhile as the strap effectively doubles how long you can use your Quest 3 for between charges.

What’s more, Kiwi design’s accessories are frequently on sale on Amazon and its store. We’ve seen it drop as much as 40% during sales so it’s worth waiting for a discount unless you’re desperate for a Quest 3 upgrade.

  • Value score: 4

Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap: Design

  • Comfy and secure Meta Quets 3 or 3S headstrap
  • Doubles your Quest headset's battery life

The Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap

(Image credit: Future)

The Kiwi design H4 Boost Battery Halo head strap can easily replace the base head strap included with your Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S – just unclip and unloop the original, and attach the H4 in its place – and it’s a near-total upgrade.

First, the hard plastic strap is adjustable and has cushioning on the back and front of your head which combine to create a more secure and comfy setup than the basic Quest head strap. Second, and more importantly, it comes equipped with a battery that increases how long you can use your Quest 3 between charges and can be easily connected to your headset via a built-in USB-C cable.

The battery – which is housed at the back of the head strap and serves as a counterweight to the headset proper, improving comfort – boasts a 5,300mAh capacity.

This is just over the battery capacity of both the Quest 3S (4,324 mAh) and Quest 3 (4,879 mAh) so your headset’s battery life will more than double; if you got 2 hours of usage out of your Quest you’ll now get 4 hours.

Best of all, with your headset hooked up to the battery pack you can use a USB-C cable to charge the pack and headset simultaneously, and fairly quickly, too. Kiwi design promises that a 45W charger can restore 60% charge to your headset and 65% to the strap in an hour.

The Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap

(Image credit: Future)

In my experience, the setup does recharge fairly speedily, and the extended battery is more than enough to game for a whole evening without needing to take a break for my headset to recharge – which is a frustration I’ve dealt with in the past.

The only notable downside is that at 446g this head strap is just 60g lighter than either the Quest 3 or Quest 3S on their own, doubling your setup’s weight as well as its battery life. If you already find your headset is too heavy as is then adding this strap could be a bad idea.

However, during my testing, I never had trouble wearing the H4 Boost Halo Battery strap for an extended play session, so I expect many VR users won’t struggle too much with it either.

  • Design score: 5/5

Should you buy the Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap?

Buy it if…

You wish your headset could go the distance
If two hours of battery life per charge is never enough, then this battery strap will go a long way to solving your Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S woes.

You want comfort
If the regular Quest 3 head strap isn’t comfy or secure enough for you then you’ll appreciate the cushioning and adjustable design of the Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap.

Don’t buy it if…

You use your headset infrequently
The H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap is excellent, but it’s not good value if you use your VR headset infrequently. If you’re new to VR wait and see how often you use it before upgrading to this head strap.

You find your headset too heavy already
This strap effectively doubles the weight of your Quest 3 setup. The battery acts as a counterweight to keep it from feeling too uncomfortable, but it’s something to consider if headset weight is already an issue for you.

How I tested the Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap

To put this strap through its paces I used it for a few weeks with my Meta Quest 3 and made sure to swap back to the base strap every so often to get a sense of the advantages and disadvantages of each design. I also compared it to the Razer head strap and the K4 Battery strap from Kiwi to judge its effectiveness against other third-party headsets.

Read more about how we test.

  • First reviewed March 2025
Want to upgrade your VR headset? Look no further than my new favorite Meta Quest 3 headstrap
3:56 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Software Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality | Tags: | Comments: Off

Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap: One-minute review

At $99.99 / £82.00 / AU$161 this Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery strap is not cheap. But if you use your VR headset frequently it could be a worthwhile upgrade to your Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S – it’s already become my favorite Quest 3 accessory.

The built-in battery – the main reason to buy this strap – boasts a 5,300mAh capacity, which is a little more than the battery life of either the Quest 3 or Quest 3S. This doubles your VR and MR sessions, an advantage anyone who has ever had to cut a session far too short because their battery ran out will appreciate.

Beyond direct utility, the battery strap helps improve your Quest setup’s comfort to some degree as it serves as a counterweight to the headset proper and includes front and back padding. With its adjustable hard plastic mechanism, the strap will also remain comfortably attached to your head providing a more stable fit than the strap you get with your Meta Quest 3.

The only downside is that the strap weighs 446g, which is about 60g shy of what the Quest headsets weigh on their own. So while the battery is useful, a non-battery-equipped head strap like the H4 Halo Comfort (which is otherwise identical to the H4 Boost Halo) could be a better pick if you find your headset is heavy enough as it is.

The Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap

(Image credit: Future)

Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap: Price

  • Normally costs $99.99 / £82.00 / AU$161
  • Regularly on sale for less

At $99.99 / £82.00 / AU$161 this Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery strap is not cheap. But if you use your VR headset frequently this cost could be worthwhile as the strap effectively doubles how long you can use your Quest 3 for between charges.

What’s more, Kiwi design’s accessories are frequently on sale on Amazon and its store. We’ve seen it drop as much as 40% during sales so it’s worth waiting for a discount unless you’re desperate for a Quest 3 upgrade.

  • Value score: 4

Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap: Design

  • Comfy and secure Meta Quets 3 or 3S headstrap
  • Doubles your Quest headset's battery life

The Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap

(Image credit: Future)

The Kiwi design H4 Boost Battery Halo head strap can easily replace the base head strap included with your Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S – just unclip and unloop the original, and attach the H4 in its place – and it’s a near-total upgrade.

First, the hard plastic strap is adjustable and has cushioning on the back and front of your head which combine to create a more secure and comfy setup than the basic Quest head strap. Second, and more importantly, it comes equipped with a battery that increases how long you can use your Quest 3 between charges and can be easily connected to your headset via a built-in USB-C cable.

The battery – which is housed at the back of the head strap and serves as a counterweight to the headset proper, improving comfort – boasts a 5,300mAh capacity.

This is just over the battery capacity of both the Quest 3S (4,324 mAh) and Quest 3 (4,879 mAh) so your headset’s battery life will more than double; if you got 2 hours of usage out of your Quest you’ll now get 4 hours.

Best of all, with your headset hooked up to the battery pack you can use a USB-C cable to charge the pack and headset simultaneously, and fairly quickly, too. Kiwi design promises that a 45W charger can restore 60% charge to your headset and 65% to the strap in an hour.

The Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap

(Image credit: Future)

In my experience, the setup does recharge fairly speedily, and the extended battery is more than enough to game for a whole evening without needing to take a break for my headset to recharge – which is a frustration I’ve dealt with in the past.

The only notable downside is that at 446g this head strap is just 60g lighter than either the Quest 3 or Quest 3S on their own, doubling your setup’s weight as well as its battery life. If you already find your headset is too heavy as is then adding this strap could be a bad idea.

However, during my testing, I never had trouble wearing the H4 Boost Halo Battery strap for an extended play session, so I expect many VR users won’t struggle too much with it either.

  • Design score: 5/5

Should you buy the Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap?

Buy it if…

You wish your headset could go the distance
If two hours of battery life per charge is never enough, then this battery strap will go a long way to solving your Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S woes.

You want comfort
If the regular Quest 3 head strap isn’t comfy or secure enough for you then you’ll appreciate the cushioning and adjustable design of the Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap.

Don’t buy it if…

You use your headset infrequently
The H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap is excellent, but it’s not good value if you use your VR headset infrequently. If you’re new to VR wait and see how often you use it before upgrading to this head strap.

You find your headset too heavy already
This strap effectively doubles the weight of your Quest 3 setup. The battery acts as a counterweight to keep it from feeling too uncomfortable, but it’s something to consider if headset weight is already an issue for you.

How I tested the Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap

To put this strap through its paces I used it for a few weeks with my Meta Quest 3 and made sure to swap back to the base strap every so often to get a sense of the advantages and disadvantages of each design. I also compared it to the Razer head strap and the K4 Battery strap from Kiwi to judge its effectiveness against other third-party headsets.

Read more about how we test.

  • First reviewed March 2025
I test VR headsets for a living, and this affordable headstrap is the first Meta Quest 3 accessory you should buy
3:56 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Software Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap: One-minute review

This battery-equipped head strap might not be as impressive as Kiwi design’s H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap from a design perspective, but it still ticks many boxes.

It boasts a 5,300mAh battery capacity – effectively doubling the battery life of your Meta Quest 3 or Quest 3S – and the padding and adjustable plastic deliver a secure yet comfortable fit that’s an upgrade on the default fabric strap that would have arrived with your VR headset.

Best of all, it costs only $69.99 / £57 / AU$113. As such, it’s a relatively affordable option and the perfect choice for first-time or more casual Meta Quest users who aren’t ready to splash out on top-of-the line upgrades, but still want something worthwhile.

The only negative of note is that at 358g this strap weighs about 70% of what the Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S each weigh on their own. So, if you’ve been struggling with the headset’s weight already then this will add over half as much weight again and could make your VR system unmanageable.

The Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap froim the side

(Image credit: Future)

Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap: Price

  • Usually costs $69.99 / £57 / AU$113
  • Typcially discounted during sales like Black Friday and Prime

You can pick up the Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery Strap from Kiwi design’s official store or Amazon for $69.99 / £57 / AU$113 – although it can regularly be found at a discount through both outlets.

At this price, the K4 is a more affordable battery strap for your Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S – being cheaper than Kiwi’s own H4 strap, and Meta’s official Elite Strap with battery.

  • Value score: 5

The Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap padding

(Image credit: Future)

Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap: Design

  • Like an upgraded version of the official Meta Quest 3 Elite strap with battery
  • Just over doubles your Meta Quest 3 headset's battery life

The K4 Boost Battery Strap shares several design similarities with the official Meta Quest 3 Elite Strap with Battery. It’s a hard plastic strap with a battery at the rear, which can be adjusted to fit the size of your head. The hard plastic with padding ensures the design delivers a secure yet comfortable fit on your head; it feels significantly more solid on the head over the fabric strap the Quest 3 headset comes with in its box.

There are some differences between this and the official plastic battery strap, however. The first is that the head strap is padded for additional comfort, and the other is the Kiwi design has a hinge half way along each side.

Not only does this hinge help you to find a better position for the strap on your head; it means you can more easily put on and take off the headset without putting stress on the arms as it just folds up.

I had previously used an official Elite Strap with my Meta Quest 2, but it snapped on one side – roughly where the K4’s hinge is positioned – following just a few months’ use. Based on the K4 Boost Battery Strap’s design then, I expect it to be more durable.

As for the battery itself, beyond serving as a counterweight to the front of the headset, helping improve the comfort of your setup, the 5,300mAh unit will more than double the length of time for which your Meta Quest setup can be used. The Quest 3S features a 4,324mAh capacity battery and Quest 3 a 4,879mAh battery, so with the K4 supplying an extra 5,300mAh, you can expect to run each device for just over double the time.

The Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap back

(Image credit: Future)

What’s more, while the K4’s battery pack is hooked up to your Quest 3 using the built-in USB-C cable, you can use your Quest’s USB-C charger to refuel both the headset and strap simultaneously. Kiwi design promises that a 45W charger can restore 60% charge to your headset and 65% to the strap in an hour – just like its H4 battery strap – by dividing 22.5W of power between the battery and headset.

The only downside to consider here is that the battery isn’t light. At 358g, the K4 strap weighs about 70% of the Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S on their own. It’s lighter than some battery straps, and from my experience makes up for the weight with added comfort. However, if you already struggle with the weight of either headset then you may prefer Kiwi’s K4 Comfort Strap (which is identical except it lacks the built-in battery).

In addition, the K4 Boost Battery Strap doesn’t offer as much in the way of adjustments as more high-end options such as the H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap – which includes an adjustable front cushion, for example. However, the latter is also more expensive, so this is to be expected.

  • Design score: 4/5

Should you buy the Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap?

Buy it if…

You’re on a budget
If you want an affordable but capable battery strap then this is one of the best options we’ve tried.

You want to stay in VR for longer
This battery strap effectively doubles the battery life of a Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S, meaning you’ll be able to play VR and MR games for longer.

Don’t buy it if…

Your Quest 3 feels too heavy already
This battery strap weighs about 70% of a Quest 3 or Quest 3S headset alone, so you may prefer the K4 Comfort instead, which comes without the battery.

You demand something high-end
This strap lacks some of the adjustability of slightly more high-end VR headset straps.

How I tested the Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery Strap

To test the Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery Strap thoroughly, I attached it to my Meta Quest 3S and used it as my primary head strap on that headset for a few weeks. I also made sure to swap between the K4 and the base strap to compare, while also pitting against the Razer head strap and the Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery strap (which was attached to my Meta Quest 3) to contrast different third-party options.

Read more about how we test.

  • First reviewed March 2025
I test VR headsets for a living, and this affordable headstrap is the first Meta Quest 3 accessory you should buy
3:56 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Software Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap: One-minute review

This battery-equipped head strap might not be as impressive as Kiwi design’s H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap from a design perspective, but it still ticks many boxes.

It boasts a 5,300mAh battery capacity – effectively doubling the battery life of your Meta Quest 3 or Quest 3S – and the padding and adjustable plastic deliver a secure yet comfortable fit that’s an upgrade on the default fabric strap that would have arrived with your VR headset.

Best of all, it costs only $69.99 / £57 / AU$113. As such, it’s a relatively affordable option and the perfect choice for first-time or more casual Meta Quest users who aren’t ready to splash out on top-of-the line upgrades, but still want something worthwhile.

The only negative of note is that at 358g this strap weighs about 70% of what the Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S each weigh on their own. So, if you’ve been struggling with the headset’s weight already then this will add over half as much weight again and could make your VR system unmanageable.

The Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap froim the side

(Image credit: Future)

Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap: Price

  • Usually costs $69.99 / £57 / AU$113
  • Typcially discounted during sales like Black Friday and Prime

You can pick up the Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery Strap from Kiwi design’s official store or Amazon for $69.99 / £57 / AU$113 – although it can regularly be found at a discount through both outlets.

At this price, the K4 is a more affordable battery strap for your Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S – being cheaper than Kiwi’s own H4 strap, and Meta’s official Elite Strap with battery.

  • Value score: 5

The Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap padding

(Image credit: Future)

Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap: Design

  • Like an upgraded version of the official Meta Quest 3 Elite strap with battery
  • Just over doubles your Meta Quest 3 headset's battery life

The K4 Boost Battery Strap shares several design similarities with the official Meta Quest 3 Elite Strap with Battery. It’s a hard plastic strap with a battery at the rear, which can be adjusted to fit the size of your head. The hard plastic with padding ensures the design delivers a secure yet comfortable fit on your head; it feels significantly more solid on the head over the fabric strap the Quest 3 headset comes with in its box.

There are some differences between this and the official plastic battery strap, however. The first is that the head strap is padded for additional comfort, and the other is the Kiwi design has a hinge half way along each side.

Not only does this hinge help you to find a better position for the strap on your head; it means you can more easily put on and take off the headset without putting stress on the arms as it just folds up.

I had previously used an official Elite Strap with my Meta Quest 2, but it snapped on one side – roughly where the K4’s hinge is positioned – following just a few months’ use. Based on the K4 Boost Battery Strap’s design then, I expect it to be more durable.

As for the battery itself, beyond serving as a counterweight to the front of the headset, helping improve the comfort of your setup, the 5,300mAh unit will more than double the length of time for which your Meta Quest setup can be used. The Quest 3S features a 4,324mAh capacity battery and Quest 3 a 4,879mAh battery, so with the K4 supplying an extra 5,300mAh, you can expect to run each device for just over double the time.

The Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap back

(Image credit: Future)

What’s more, while the K4’s battery pack is hooked up to your Quest 3 using the built-in USB-C cable, you can use your Quest’s USB-C charger to refuel both the headset and strap simultaneously. Kiwi design promises that a 45W charger can restore 60% charge to your headset and 65% to the strap in an hour – just like its H4 battery strap – by dividing 22.5W of power between the battery and headset.

The only downside to consider here is that the battery isn’t light. At 358g, the K4 strap weighs about 70% of the Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S on their own. It’s lighter than some battery straps, and from my experience makes up for the weight with added comfort. However, if you already struggle with the weight of either headset then you may prefer Kiwi’s K4 Comfort Strap (which is identical except it lacks the built-in battery).

In addition, the K4 Boost Battery Strap doesn’t offer as much in the way of adjustments as more high-end options such as the H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap – which includes an adjustable front cushion, for example. However, the latter is also more expensive, so this is to be expected.

  • Design score: 4/5

Should you buy the Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap?

Buy it if…

You’re on a budget
If you want an affordable but capable battery strap then this is one of the best options we’ve tried.

You want to stay in VR for longer
This battery strap effectively doubles the battery life of a Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S, meaning you’ll be able to play VR and MR games for longer.

Don’t buy it if…

Your Quest 3 feels too heavy already
This battery strap weighs about 70% of a Quest 3 or Quest 3S headset alone, so you may prefer the K4 Comfort instead, which comes without the battery.

You demand something high-end
This strap lacks some of the adjustability of slightly more high-end VR headset straps.

How I tested the Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery Strap

To test the Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery Strap thoroughly, I attached it to my Meta Quest 3S and used it as my primary head strap on that headset for a few weeks. I also made sure to swap between the K4 and the base strap to compare, while also pitting against the Razer head strap and the Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery strap (which was attached to my Meta Quest 3) to contrast different third-party options.

Read more about how we test.

  • First reviewed March 2025
I thought VR controller grips were pointless until this Meta Quest 3 accessory proved me wrong
3:56 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Software Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips: One-minute review

I’ve fallen in love with the Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips since outfitting my Meta Quest 3’s controllers with them (they’re also compatible with the identical Meta Quest 3S handsets). They offer a thorough improvement over the naked controllers – especially for fitness apps and more active VR games like Beat Saber – and I don’t think I could ever go back to standard controllers.

The textured silicone surface is easier to grip than the bare plastic, the side strap more securely attaches the controllers to my hands, and the battery hatch ensures it’s easy to replace the controller’s battery as and when needed.

The Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips from the front

(Image credit: Future)

That said, for all my praise I’m well aware that these grips fall into that luxury add-on category. Not because they’re particularly pricey – they’re just $39.99 / £29.99 / AU$65 – but because I don’t think these grips are something everyone with a VR headset needs to own.

If you use your Meta Quest 3 or Quest 3S fairly regularly and have already upgraded it with a silicone facial interface (and maybe a battery head strap too), then the G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips are a solid next step. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a gift that isn’t just Meta Quest Store credit for someone you know who loves their Meta Quest 3, then these grips are an ideal purchase.

Otherwise, while the grips are great, people who use their headset infrequently would be better served spending their money on great Quest 3 software instead.

Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips: Price

  • Normally cost $39.99 / £29.99 / AU$65 for a pair
  • Often discounted during sale events like Prime Day

The Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips staying in a person's hand

(Image credit: Future)

The Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips are available in the US, UK and Australia for $39.99 / £29.99 / AU$65 from Amazon or Kiwi’s own store, although they’re regularly available for less with discounts and limited-time vouchers. It’s worth checking both sites as you might find one has the accessory for a lot cheaper than the other.

This means they’re not overly pricey, but are in the same ballpark as an AA VR game – or a couple of indie titles. I’ll get into why the G4 Pro Performance grips are fantastic in a minute but at this price, I believe people who are complete newcomers to VR or only wear their Meta Quest 3 every so often would generally be better off buying software instead of these grips.

  • Value score: 3

Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips: Design

  • Effective Meta Quets 3 or 3S controller grips
  • Perfect for active games like Just Dance VR or Supernatural

The main design advantage of Kiwi’s G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips is that they make it much easier to, well, grip your controller securely during a VR session. The silicone covering provides more friction between your hand and the controller, so you’re less likely to accidentally let go when swinging your arms around compared to the naked plastic. The adjustable side strap replaces the flimsy cord you get in the Meta Quest box to more securely attach the handsets to your hands.

I’ve found this is especially useful for active fitness games and apps with a lot of movement like Just Dance VR or Supernatural.

The Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips battery cover

(Image credit: Future)

What I particularly like is that you can completely let go of the controller and the strap will still keep it pressed against your palm. So if you’ve ever found it awkward or slightly strange immersion-wise to let go of a virtual object without completely letting go of your controller, this grip’s design could help you out a lot.

An issue I was anticipating with the grips is that the silicone would make it significantly harder to access the Quest controllers’ batteries whenever they need replacing. Thankfully, Kiwi design thought ahead with a built-in battery hatch. A custom plastic battery cover replaces the default Quest controllers’ covers to add a window and pull cord – if you run this cord under the battery you can later tug it to easily free the cell from its cage – then a hatch built into the silicone can be peeled back to reveal the battery without removing the grip.

These simple yet effective design features make the grips a delight to use and a complete upgrade on the base Meta Quest controllers.

  • Design score: 5/5

Should you buy the Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips?

The Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips being held

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if…

You love VR
If you use your Meta Quest 3 or Quest 3S regularly then these grips are worth picking up.

You’re getting a Meta Quest 3 user a gift
I think these G4 Pro grips might be the perfect gift for a Meta Quest 3 user as they’re something I can’t see someone buying for themselves, but they’ll love using them when they get a pair.

Don’t buy it if…

You’re a VR newbie
You don’t need to get the perfect VR setup right away. Use your Quest 3 for a bit, see how often you put it on, and if you’re convinced you still need to upgrade, then consider picking these grips up.

You don’t own a Quest 3 or 3S
These grips are designed to fit Meta Quest 3 or 3S controllers. So even if your handsets look really similar you’ll probably find these grips don’t fit and will be a wasted purchase.

How I tested the Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips

To test these Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips I put them onto my Quest 3 controllers and used them for a few weeks in a wide variety of different VR games. I’d also make sure to swap between my Quest 3 and Quest 3S – which still uses naked controllers – to compare the experience.

Read more about how we test.

  • First reviewed March 2025
I spent a week testing the HP OmniStudio X 31.5, and while it’s not the best choice for gaming, it is great for everyday computing
11:25 pm | March 24, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Desktop PCs Gadgets | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

HP OmniStudio X 31.5: One-minute review

With Apple stepping away from larger 27-inch-screen all-in-one iMacs, HP seized the opportunity with the OmniStudio X 31.5—a sleek, powerhouse Windows PC that’s far more than just a pretty display. At its heart is a 32-inch 4K IPS screen (or 27-inch FHD option), but under the hood lies serious performance muscle: an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, an Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU and a 1TB SSD.

This makes the OmniStudio X more than capable of juggling everything from dozens of Chrome tabs to high-resolution creative workflows in Photoshop and Premiere Pro.

Its setup is refreshingly straightforward, while the design is both thoughtful and practical.

Multiple ports are neatly placed along the rear panel and adjustable neck, and a cleverly integrated pop-up webcam delivers solid performance for video calls and meetings.

The overall aesthetic and functionality make it a perfect fit for offices, libraries, and creative studios alike.

One disappointing aspect of the design is the included keyboard and mouse combo. The keyboard style does a great job of matching the overall desktop but lacks a lift for better positioning beyond its flimsy feel. On the other hand, the mouse isn’t any better as it's simply not very comfortable; especially during long typing sessions.

Priced at $1,660, the OmniStudio X 31.5 offers impressive value. From its high-end audiovisual features to its streamlined yet sophisticated design, this all-in-one desktop balances everyday productivity with creative performance—making it a compelling purchase. That doesn’t mean this all-in-one isn’t without some problems.

Even though the desktop has an Nvidia RTX 4050, it’s not enough for serious gaming experiences. In the modern AAA space, the 6GB of V-RAM just isn’t enough for most games going as low as 1080p.

You can forget about playing games in native 4K, though DLSS upscaling can help at least match the display’s resolution. Add a 60Hz refresh rate limit to the display itself and it’s only so much it can do in that department.

However, if you're looking more for casual gaming sessions between writing a review like this or editing social media content, you'll likely be satisfied with what the OmniStudio X 31.5 has to offer.

For professionals and creatives seeking a capable, visually striking desktop that handles demanding tasks with ease, this all-in-one makes a strong case.

While it falls short in areas like gaming and peripheral comfort, its overall performance and design still deliver a premium experience. It’s not built to be everything, but it nails what it sets out to do—serve as a stylish, high-powered productivity hub.

For those willing to overlook its minor setbacks, the OmniStudio X 31.5 offers a solid, future-forward option in today’s all-in-one desktop market.

HP OmniStudio X 31.5: Price and availability

HP OmniStudio X 31.5 all-in-one PC on a desk in between house plants with pop-out webcam revealed

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
  • Where can you get it? Available now in the US, UK, and Australian territories
  • When can you get it? Available now
  • How much does it cost? $830 - $1,715 / £1,599.00 - £2,249.99 / AU$3,399 - AU$4,199

Available now in the United States, United Kingdom and Australian territories, the HP OmniStudio X 31.5 can be purchased in various customization options through HP’s online store.

Potential buyers in the United States have the most options available with choices of a 27.5-inch 1080p or flagship 4K 31.5-inch screen. On the lowest $830 tier, users can get the FHD 27.5-inch display with the Intel Core Ultra 5 processor with integrated Arc Graphics, 16GB DDR5 RAM and 256GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD.

For more money, there are options for giving the display touch capabilities alongside a more powerful CPU, RAM and SSD storage.

Even more flexibility is offered on the 31.5-inch UHD model. Our review model with the specs mentioned above comes out at the price of $1,660. There are a few options to push the storage to 2TB SSD alongside Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200 (2x2) and Bluetooth5.4 wireless card outside of the standard Realtek Wi-Fi 6E RTL8852CE (2x2) and Bluetooth 5.3 wireless card for $1,715.

The HP OmniStudio X 31.5 only comes in one screen size featuring the Intel Core Ultra 7 with RAM, Storage and GPU options ranging between £1,599 and £2,249. Though more options will be available in the future, there is currently only one version right now in Australia for $3,399. That’ll get users the 31.5 UHD display, Intel Ultra 7, RTX 4050, 32 GB DDR5-5600 RAM and 1 TB SSD.

Value: 4 / 5

HP OmniStudio X 31.5: Specs

The HP OmniStudio X 31.5 currently comes in several configurations based around CPU, GPU, RAM and storage options.

HP OmniStudio X 31.5: Design

HP OmniStudio X 31.5 all-in-one PC's pop-out webcam

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
  • Set-up is a breeze
  • Ports are well-placed and the pop-up webcam is nice
  • Keyboard and mouse could use some work

Design-wise, there’s so much to love about the HP OmniStudio X 31.5. Starting with the relatively easy installation process. All users have to do is connect the base to the neck via a pre-installed screw and snap both parts into the back panel of the desktop via USB-C.

The Meteor Silver colorway blends an aluminum material for the base and neck with hard plastic on the actual all-in-one itself. For the display itself, thin bezels on the right, top and left of the display with a bigger one to showcase the HP logo provide enough screen real-estate.

The all-in-one isn’t just sleek looks but also offers serious functionality through port placement alone.

Image 1 of 2

HP OmniStudio X 31.5 all-in-one PC port selection

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Image 2 of 2

HP OmniStudio X 31.5 all-in-one PC port selection

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The right side of the neck features a singular USB-C and two USB-A slots. On the rear panel is a singular USB-C, two USB-A, HDMI-in, HDMI-out, ethernet and power ports besides a 3.5 headphone/mic combo jack. On the right side of that same panel is a power button and clickable thumbstick for in-display menu options.

Popping the top of the OmniStudio X 31.5 reveals a 5MP webcam which feels good to push back in once done with it. Posability is respectable with tilt and height adjustment as well.

HP OmniStudio X 31.5 all-in-one PC bundled keyboard and mouse setup on a blue mousepad

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

As mentioned previously, the sore spot of the design is the included mouse and keyboard. The mouse tries to be something for all sorts of hand sizes and shapes but ends up being uncomfortable for my medium-sized hand. After long-typing sessions, I definitely noticed a bit of hand cramping.

The keyboard works well enough but holding that back is the lack of a level raiser. Both keyboard and mouse unfortunately also require AAA batteries to work which is a shame considering its biggest competitor in the space features rechargeable batteries.

The OmniStudio X 31.5 nails the essentials of modern all-in-one design with a clean aesthetic, intuitive assembly and thoughtful hardware placement. For users prioritizing performance and style in a streamlined package, this all-in-one desktop makes a confident impression right out of the box.

Design: 4.5 / 5

HP OmniStudio X 31.5: Performance

HP OmniStudio X 31.5 all-in-one PC Intel Core Ultra 7 sticker

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
  • General tasks and creative software performance is top tier
  • Gaming performance is a bit wonky
  • Audio/visual and webcam capabilities are great

Over the course of a week with the HP OmniStudio X 31.5, I put the all-in-one through a mix of hybrid work tasks, creative projects, and light gaming. The bulk of my day job involved running Google Chrome with multiple tabs open—everything from Docs, Gmail, and Sheets to Asana, Hootsuite, and Wix—without a single hiccup in performance.

Even while managing those apps, I was able to jump into Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Pro to create high-resolution social media graphics and short-form video content, all without any lag or slowdown. That real-world performance aligns well with its PugetBench scores of 7102 for Premiere Pro and 6085 for Photoshop, making it a solid option for content creators who need reliability and speed.

HP OmniStudio X 31.5: Benchmarks

Here's how the HP OmniStudio X 31.5 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

Blackmagic Disk Speed Test: Write - 2455.8, Read - 2759.9
GeekBench: Single Core - 2133, Multi-Core - 12128
HandBreak: 1.8.2 - 4:50
PugetBench for Adobe CC: Premiere Pro - 7102 , Photoshop - 6085
3DMark: Fire Strike - 17292, Time Spy - 7582, Speed Way - 1827
Assassin’s Creed Mirage: 1080p - 65fps , 3840x2160 - 26
Borderlands 3: 1080p - 60.69fps , 3840x2160 - 16
Dirt 5: 1080p - 65fps , 3840x2160 - 26

One would think having the Intel Core Ultra 7 and Nvidia RTX 4050 would mean some low-to-mid-range gaming experiences. Because the mobile GPU is throttled to a total graphics power of 60 watts, it can barely handle most modern games even with the 6GB of VRAM.

This means many games released over the past five years are going to struggle on 4K settings without DLSS upscaling which doesn’t help much in this case. This is why it’s imperative for users who want to game stick to around 1080p resolution as many of our benchmarks would suggest.

For example, trying to play Ninja Gaiden Black II or Forza Motorsport at 4K even on lower settings turned the games into slide shows while other titles known for their visual prowess like Cyberpunk 2077 and Far Cry 6 wouldn’t run at all. In fact some games like Black Myth: Wukong wouldn’t run at all on low settings at 1080p because of VRAM limitations.

It’s unfortunate because the 4K display truly stands out, especially for work tasks and streaming ultra-high-definition content. The IPS panel delivers vibrant, true-to-life colors, sharp text, and solid brightness levels that make everyday use a pleasure.

HP OmniStudio X 31.5 all-in-one PC with display showcasing a white rabbit wearing yellow sunglasses

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

For creatives, the color accuracy is especially impressive, with coverage of 100% sRGB, 93% P3, and 85% Adobe RGB—ideal for design and visual work. It’s a display that thoroughly caters to both productivity and creative precision. The dual 5W speakers featuring DTS:X Ultra provide some nice audio too. Though volume levels aren’t necessarily high and even lose audio quality at their highest setting, mid-levels sound pretty great.

Sometimes while testing, I had a meeting with my therapist and nutritionist through various video conferencing software like Zoom. During those times, video quality was excellent in mid-day lighting conditions and I was told by both individuals that they could hear me just fine.

Users can also utilize the webcam as a bio-metric security for log-in but response time may differ depending on lighting conditions as well.

Performance: 4/5

Should I buy the HP OmniStudio X 31.5 ?

Buy it if…

You need an all-in-one desktop with fine performance for general and creative tasks

The HP OmniStudio X 31.5 can handle multiple Google Chrome tabs without breaking a sweat while handling large files for creative software like Adobe Premiere Pro and Photoshop.

You want a superb visual/audio experience

A lovely 4K display that’s crispy yet vivid in colors and dual 5W speakers with DTS:X Ultra capabilities sound amazing.

You require a solid design that looks great and has plenty of ports

Putting the all-in-one together is pretty easy allowing set-up to happen in seconds. There are also plenty of ports behind the display and on the side as well. Using the pop-up webcam feels good as well.

Don’t buy it if…

You need better gaming performance in your all-in-one

More serious gamers are going to be a bit disappointed despite the included mobile Nvidia RTX 4060 GPU. There are some AAA games that work well at low-to-mid settings where some are going to have issues on even the lowest graphical settings.

You want a better packed in keyboard and mouse

The keyboard is above average but lacks any lifts but the mouse isn’t the most comfortable for long sessions.

Also Consider

If our HP OmniStudio X 31.5 review has you considering other options, here are two all-in-one desktops to consider...

Apple iMac 24-inch M4 (2024)

If gaming isn’t a priority and you’re comfortable with a compact 24-inch display, the 2024 iMac delivers exceptional performance for everyday tasks and creative work.

Read our full Apple iMac 24-inch M4 (2024) review

The HP Envy 34

While the HP Envy 34 shares similar GPU limitations for gaming as the OmniStudio, it offers a larger 34-inch ultrawide display and slightly more power at its highest configuration, even with older components.

Read our full HP Envy 34 review

How I tested the HP OmniStudio X 31.5

  • Tested over the span of a week
  • Used for general computing tasks including Chrome and Zoom
  • Played a handful of games including Ninja Gaiden Black II, Forza Motorsport and Red Dead Redemption 2 among others

For the review of the HP OmniStudio X 31.5, we tested various features of the all-in-one desktop over the span of a week. For general computing tasks, Google Chrome served as the base to use services like Docs, YouTube, Asana, Hootsuite and Wix. Creative app capability was split between Adobe Suite software including Premiere Pro alongside Photoshop. Zoom conferencing software was also utilized to test the webcam and microphone combo.

In order to test the visuals of the UHD display, I watched several YouTube videos in 4K which also gave insight into the audio quality of the speakers. Meanwhile, to further test the speakers, I played various music on Tidal. Finally, we played various AAA games to test performance. Games included Cyberpunk 2077, Ninja Gaiden Black II, Forza Motorsport, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Grand Theft Auto V and more.

  • First reviewed March 2025
« Previous Page — Next Page »