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I’ve fallen in love with the Asus ROG Falchion Ace HFX 65% keyboard because of its brilliant touch bar and Hall effect keys
2:47 am | March 3, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Keyboards Peripherals & Accessories | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

Asus ROG Falchion Ace HFX: one-minute review

Asus has introduced another fantastic keyboard with the ROG Falchion Ace HFX. This 65% board, which compresses only the most essential keys onto a short panel, offers immense functionality across several areas.

The drawcard of the Falchion Ace HFX is its incredible switches. While the standard Falchion Ace is available with three switch choices, the HFX only offers one tactile feel option – comfortable to the touch magnetic keys, making this Asus’ first hall effect keyboard. It’s one of the most satisfying keyboards to use that I’ve ever laid my hands on.

Despite not offering a wireless connection, it does include a dual USB-C arrangement so that it can quickly switch between two computers with a press of a button on the side, similar to how a monitor might switch between devices. A USB dongle or Bluetooth solution might have been more practical to pull this trick off, but it’s still a welcome ability.

The Asus ROG Falchion Ace HFX keyboard up close

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

More interesting to me is the return of Asus’ proprietary touch bar, a unique design element of the Falchion series that compresses media controls, volume, keyboard RGB brightness and other handy features into a touch panel, letting you adjust settings with taps and swipes of your finger. This feature rocked and is much more intuitive than a FN + key macro solution, though the depth of macroing with this keyboard is immense, allowing you to arrange quick commands, website hotkeys and quick Windows commands with a bindable keystroke.

With so much positive to say about the ROG Falchion Ace HFX, there aren’t many drawbacks, although the ones that are there might keep you from a purchase. This board doesn’t come cheap and is one of the most expensive options that Asus offers. The lack of a wireless variant will also leave buyers cutting down on cable clutter unimpressed, and those seeking wrist support will need to make a separate purchase.

More diehard keyboard shoppers will also be left unimpressed by the lack of hot-swapping functionality, and that there's only one switch type available (though the standard ROG Falchion offers three different options).

It’s a tremendous piece of kit. The ROG Falchion Ace HFX is one of the keyboards to beat in 2025, and it may be my favourite keyboard since the Logitech G PRO X TKL.

Asus ROG Falchion Ace HFX: price and availability

The Asus ROG Falchion Ace HFX keyboard

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)
  • How much does it cost? $199/£239.99/$AU$359
  • When is it available? Available now
  • Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, Australia and other regions

The ROG Falchion Ace HFX is the fourth most expensive keyboard that Asus offers, below the base model Azoth, customizable Claymore II, and the extremely expensive Azoth Extreme. The price marked for the Ace HFX is reflective of the epic magnetic switches underlying its awesome-feeling keys, but given its 65% size profile, it lacks a lot of the typically essential buttons present in the higher-priced models, including a dedicated function row and numpad.

Not that you should feel you need to move up the range for said features, because the Falchion Ace HFX is more than competent and exclusive on its own terms. Compared to the competition, it’s one of the only options to offer magnetic switches on a 65% board. You may want to consider the Logitech G Pro X 60 if you want an even smaller board, or the Glorious GMMK 3 Pro 65 if you want greater customization, but there aren't many major brands offering magnetic switches right now.

  • Value: 4/5

Asus ROG Falchion Ace HFX: specs

Asus ROG Falchion HFX: design and features

The Asus ROG Falchion Ace HFX keyboard with a keycap removed

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)
  • More reserved ROG design
  • Brilliant build quality
  • Useful multifunction panel and dual computer support

Asus’ ROG gaming accessories are at their best when they don’t look too gamery, and the Falchion HFX looks fairly neutral compared to many other high-end boards offered by the manufacturer.

Available only in black, the one thing about this board that I would consider a tad excessive from a design perspective is the spelling out of ‘Republic of Gamers’ across the top. RGB lights behind each key are programmable with several lighting animations available.

At the top left, you’ll see an illuminated symbol, indicating which setting you’ve got your multi-function touch panel set to, cycleable with the press of a multifunction button in the top left. The panel across the back can be swiped with a fingertip, and can be used to adjust brightness and volume, change key actuation points, play and pause media, or even pull off any dedicated macros you have in mind. In the Armory Crate app, you can limit which functions the cycling button switches between, allowing for a more streamlined experience (I simply have it set to volume and media controls). This touch bar isn’t a new feature, as it’s been available on other Falchion models since 2022, but it works especially well on a small board like this.

There are also lights at the top right, indicating if win lock has been activated, if caps lock is currently on, and if ‘Rapid Trigger’ has been enabled, allowing for much quicker keystroke response times than whatever your preset mode is set to.

Your keyboard’s RGB lighting and per key actuation points can also be adjusted in the ROG Armory Crate app, where you'll find Speed Tap mode. This changes the function of the keyboard to allow for quicker directional changes by prioritising the last pressed in key – so instead of coming to a full stop when strafing in a game, you’ll move left to right or vice versa without lifting your fingers off the keys.

  • Design and features: 5/5

Asus ROG Falchion HFX: Performance

The back of the Asus ROG Falchion Ace HFX

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)
  • 8,000Hz polling rate
  • Magnetic hall effect switches with five layer dampening
  • Useful competitive gaming features

The Asus ROG Falchion HFX is a gaming keyboard aimed at competitive play, through and through. It offers an exceptional 8,000Hz polling rate – an enormous amount of reports the keyboard provides your computer in a second, theoretically improving response time. As a result of this, click latency is as low as 1.1ms on average with the Falchion HFX.

The keys feel coarse in a comfortable way, allowing for satisfying tactile contact between your fingertips and your inputs. A raised dot on the W key allows you to position your hands for gaming without looking down, brilliant for low-light battle stations.

The actuation point of your keys can be adjusted readily on the fly using the multi-function touch panel, allowing for much more shallow keypresses if you so wish. Backing all of this up is the fact that the keys are magnetic, and well damped to allow for a satisfying press while also being quick and not too loud. On the less technical side, the keyboard has three adjustment angles with two sets of feet underneath.

Many of these features may go above and beyond the needs of a casual gamer and indeed are well past the desires of somebody just after a useful typing tool. But for a dedicated gamer, the ROG Falchion HFX might be the exact device for your hobby.

Mechanical keyboard enthusiasts will likely be disappointed by the lack of hot-swappable keys, and that there's only one switch to choose from. Thankfully, the base model ROG Falchion offers more switch variety – the Falchion HFX is more of a performance model with its magnetic keys.

  • Performance: 5/5

Should I buy the Asus ROG Falchion HFX?

Buy it if...

You crave good performance and feeling

The ROG Falchion HFX offers a brilliant intersection of form and function, contained in a 65% board and offering some of the first magnetic switches on a mainstream model.

You want to ROG out

With its lighting and key programming reliant on Asus’ Armory Crate, you’ll likely want this to compliment other Asus peripherals in your arsenal.

Don't buy it if...

The price isn’t right

The ROG Falchion HFX isn’t designed to be a budget winner, and it’ll be a poor fit if you want to save cash.

You want greater customization

Mechanical keyboard fans will likely crave hot-swappable keys, which the ROG Falchion Ace HFX does not offer.

Asus ROG Falchion HFX: also consider

Keychron C3 Pro

Compatible across Mac and Windows PCs, the C3 Pro offers a solid design and a nice price, though it won’t be a winner among serious gamers.

Read our full Keychron C3 Pro review

Corsair K65 Plus

Slightly larger at 75%, the K65 Plus is comfortable and wireless, though it is on the pricey side.

Read our full Corsair K65 Plus review

Logitech G Pro X 60

Logitech’s smallest gaming keyboard might be a welcome option if you’re after switches from a premium brand but in a tinier unit.

How I tested the Asus ROG Falchion Ace HFX

I tested the Asus ROG Falchion Ace HFX over four weeks, paired with other Asus products including an OLED monitor, mouse and headset. I used it exclusively on my Windows 11 gaming PC and played games including Marvel Rivals, Avowed, The Headliners and Forza Horizon 5. I also used it for some productivity tasks, such as for typing out documents.

Over that time I used it across several lighting settings, enabled different macros and put it in different positions, while constantly adjusting actuation points and diving into toggles in the Armory Crate app.

  • First Reviewed February 2025
I swapped my everyday display to the BenQ GW2486TC Eye-Care Monitor for a month, here’s my verdict
8:53 am | February 28, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Monitors Peripherals & Accessories | Comments: Off

BenQ GW2486TC Eye-Care Monitor: Two-minute review

The BenQ GW2486TC is a great monitor for those that just need more screen real estate. It helps that there are some included features to make hours of use a bit more palatable, such as the ones focused on minimizing eye strain. After all, not everyone needs an ultra widescreen 8K monitor with HDR and a super fast refresh rate. Most of us just want more space while working. This monitor does that.

It also helps that it is very affordable for an external monitor. Sure, this is just a 24-inch model with quite a few limitations, like a 1080p resolution with a somewhat limited color coverage – you shouldn’t be using this for most types of color correction and editing. And there’s no KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) switching on hand, either. But, it’s got great ergonomics to help you get the most comfortable view of your work.

So, if you’re okay with those compromises, meaning you’re not also a gamer or creative, and can skip out on the unfortunate lack of cable management, this might be one of the best business monitors for you.

BenQ GW2486TC: Price and availability

BenQ GW2486TC Eye-Care Monitor HERO

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
  • How much does it cost? $189.99 / £149.99 / AU$289.00
  • When is it available? Available now
  • Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK and Australia

The best monitors come in at all sorts of price points, and you usually have to pay a bit more than the BenQ GW2486TC Eye-Care Monitor. The going price of this monitor, $189.99 / £149.99 / AU$289, is about as reasonable as it gets.

While you can find some other great deals such as the 27-inch gaming-oriented Arzopa M1RC with its £239 / $269 MRSP out there, they’re few and far between. Of course, the Arzopa does have QHD (2560 x 1440p) resolution and a 180Hz refresh rate. But it’s missing speakers and the eye-care oriented features of the BenQ reviewed here.

If you need more features, you’re most likely going to have to spend a bit more. The 4K BenQ PD2705UA has about every feature one could imagine as well as the kind of color coverage and accuracy for editing work, unlike the GW2486TC. You can even split the screen between two different sources as well as use KVM. It’s also more than double the price at $549.99 / £549.99 / AU$739.

  • Value: 5 / 5

BenQ GW2486TC: Specs

BenQ GW2486TC: Design

  • Fantastic ergonomics for personalized viewing angles
  • Good port selection including USB-C with power delivery
  • No cable management

The BenQ GW2486TC Eye-Care Monitor might be cheap, but it is an attractive looking monitor. In all-white, it’s neither drab or boring. In fact, the worst thing about this 24-inch monitor is probably its display panel, which is a basic IPS 1080p one with a typical 178-degree viewing angle.

But when it comes to this monitor’s design, there’s plenty to like, particularly the ergonomics. Thanks to its tall stand, there’s 130mm of height adjustment. Once you have at eye level (or wherever you prefer to have the monitor seated), there’s a 45 degree swivel either left or right, a five degree downward tilt and a 20 degree upward one, not to mention a 90 degree pivot in either direction if you need the display in portrait for some reason (like coding).

Image 1 of 4

BenQ GW2486TC Eye-Care Monitor rightside ports

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Image 2 of 4

BenQ GW2486TC Eye-Care Monitor cable management

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Image 3 of 4

BenQ GW2486TC Eye-Care Monitor OSD buttons

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Image 4 of 4

BenQ GW2486TC Eye-Care Monitor portrait mode

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

The only real issue I have with the BenQ GW2486TC Eye-Care Monitor’s design is the fact that there’s no real cable management. There is a hole at the top of the stand that, to me at least, looks like it’s to pick up the monitor that could be conceivably used for cable management. However, the ports all face downward so that is fairly inconvenient.

As far as ports go, there’s a decent array including one DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 1.4, USB-C with 65W power delivery (enough for an Ultrabook but not a gaming laptop), and two USB-A downstream ports for charging up accessories. However, those USB ports are not for KVM and don’t do any passthrough to the source computer. On the bright side, this monitor can be daisy chained with another for more screen real estate.

  • Design: 4 / 5

BenQ GW2486TC: Features

  • OSD Menu is easy to navigate
  • A number of eye-care modes help with long sessions in front of the screen
  • Plenty of additional modes for various work purposes

BenQ GW2486TC Eye-Care Monitor OSD Menu

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

The OSD menu is pretty straightforward to use on the BenQ GW2486TC Eye-Care Monitor. Instead of a single joystick for control, there are a number of buttons along the bottom right corner of the monitor. Whenever you press any of the buttons, the OSD menu pops up with an overlay on your screen showing icons for categories. Once you select a category, the OSD opens up deeper menu options while providing icons for what each button does. Overall, it’s very straightforward to navigate, whether you’re changing modes, messing with specific settings like color temperature or adjusting audio settings.

Where this monitor shines best is in its various modes, particularly the eye-care oriented ones, meant to minimize eye strain from sitting in front of a screen too long. Not only are there modes that limit the amount of blue light, as well as one to adjust for color weakness, but it has its brightness intelligence gen 2 tech, which automatically adjusts screen brightness according to ambient light for what’s most ideal. And, I found it to work fairly quickly. There are also modes for coding, ePaper, sRGB, and MBook that are helpful to have on hand, even if these aren’t necessarily all that unique.

  • Features: 4.5 / 5

BenQ GW2486TC: Performance

  • Screen is good, but nothing special, except for a faster refresh rate
  • Audio quality is passable
  • Comes with built-in mic with noise cancellation

BenQ GW2486TC Eye-Care Monitor angled

(Image credit: Future / James Holland)

When it comes to performance, it’s critical to take the BenQ GW2486TC Eye-Care Monitor for what it is – a budget-oriented office monitor. You’re not getting a wow factor here, nor should you. The IPS panel is a basic 1920 by 1080 resolution with a solid color coverage of 99% sRGB. Its 250 nits is good enough for office use, but can be a bit dark when using it for certain types of media. While I did use this for some gaming and had no issues with it, this is certainly not where it excels, especially with a 1300:1 contrast. It’s fine for that purpose, helped along by a 100Hz refresh rate (despite having a 5ms response time).

The audio quality on monitors is usually nothing special. The BenQ GW2486TC is no exception. The two 2-watt drivers offer enough volume for anyone sitting at their desk who doesn't want to purchase or fiddle with external speakers, though they’re worth it in my humble opinion. There’s not much in terms of low-end from the downward-facing speakers – no surprise there – and, overall, are fairly boxy sounding. The best thing one can say about the audio is that it’s there and it’s not terrible. For an office monitor, that’s generally good enough.

It’s worth noting that there’s also a built-in microphone with adjustable noise cancellation for use with zoom calls.

  • Performance: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the BenQ GW2486TC Eye-Care Monitor?

 Buy it if… 

You want a productivity monitor on a budget

If you have limited funds but you want a monitor for productivity, the BenQ GW2486TC Eye-Care Monitor is an ideal one thanks to the eye-care features, USB-C port, and flexible ergonomics.

You need great ergonomics

This monitor can go into a portrait orientation in either direction, has a broad height adjustment range, and can swivel and tilt enough so that it can properly face you no matter your setup.

You need USB-C

Even now, not all monitors come with a USB-C port. If you need one to connect your MacBook Air, for example, you can not only do that, but you can charge it in the process.

 Don’t buy it if… 

You need cable management or KVM

This is a budget monitor so there are some things missing that one would find on pricier models, such as cable management or KVM. If you’re a neat freak or want to connect more than one computer, you should invest in a monitor with one, or preferably both, features.

You want a higher resolution

The panel on this monitor is fairly basic so you’re limited to 1080p. If you want a sharper resolution for any reason, it’s worth spending the extra cash for it.

Also Consider

Arzopa M1RC

The Arzopa M1RC might be missing some of the productivity-oriented features and appointments of the BenQ, but you get a sharper QHD resolution and an even faster 180Hz refresh rate for not much more money.


Read our full Arzopa M1RC review

BenQ PD2705UA

If you want a little more out of a productivity-oriented monitor, consider the BenQ PD2705UA. It’s more than double the price but has a much sharper image, KVM, and side-by-side picture as well as picture-in-picture for those with two computers, not to mention HDR and cable management.


Read our full BenQ PD2705UA review

How I tested the BenQ GW2486TC Eye-Care Monitor

I used the BenQ GW2486TC Eye-Care Monitor regularly for a month. I tested it with various games and media, used it for work, and tested out its various eye-care modes. I spent some time listening to the speakers. And played around with the ergonomics.

The BenQ GW2486TC Eye-Care Monitor has shown itself to be a capable monitor for productivity, particularly for those on a budget who don’t need things like KVM and don’t care about cable management.

I’ve tested a lot of tech gear over the years from laptops to keyboards and speakers, and so have been able to use my expertise towards giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.

  • First reviewed January 2025
I tested the new Lemokey L5 HE 8K and while it offers plenty of analog adjustments, it doesn’t feel quite as good as its rivals
3:18 pm | February 27, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Keyboards Peripherals & Accessories | Comments: Off

Lemokey L5 HE 8K: Two-minute review

The Lemokey L5 HE 8K is a gaming keyboard with Hall effect analog switches and an 8K polling rate – two factors designed to whet the appetites of serious players. The austere design isn’t complimented well by the dated design of the translucent outer keys, coming across a tad desperate in its attempt to appeal to games.

With that monolithic appearance comes a seriously heavy chassis, thanks to the aluminum construction. Some may prefer the extra stability this heft provides, but it’s certainly not as easy to move around as some of its rivals.

Perhaps because of this weight, the L5 HE 8K has no fold-out feet. I thought this would cause ergonomic issues, but thankfully the body isn’t too thick, and the keys are slightly tilted forward too, which makes typing and WASD positions more comfortable, even without a wrist rest – which is just as well, since it doesn’t come with one.

Rather than the standalone software that many of the best gaming keyboards come with, Lemokey has a web app for customizing the L5 HE 8K. This runs well for the most part, although I did experience a few UI issues, some of which required a refresh. Some might not like the idea of having to run a peripheral tool in a browser, either.

Once it’s working, though, it provides plenty of tweaking options, especially for the analog functionality, allowing you to make full use of those Hall effect switches. In addition to Rapid Trigger, single-key multi-input and snap action features, there’s also controller emulation, allowing you to replicate the analog behavior of triggers and joysticks.

In practice, this works well – to an extent: the precision offered by the analog keys is no match for that of an actual controller. The movements aren’t smooth enough, and I found that presses didn’t offer enough resistance to provide adequate control. This is true of analog performance more generally, as the Hall effect switches in the L5 HE 8K just aren’t as smooth or as precise as some of the best analog keyboards out there.

In other performance-related areas, though, the L5 HE 8K does better. The keys rebound quickly, allowing for rapid movements, and I found the concave nature of the key layout comfortable – two aspects that help with both gaming and typing. I wasn’t fond of the back-tilt of the space bar, though, as it resulted in hits on its edge rather than its top.

The L5 HE 8K is undeniably expensive, eclipsing many of its rivals. The SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3, for instance, is slightly cheaper, and while it lacks quite the same number of analog adjustments, it makes up for it with its superlative performance and build quality.

Rear of Lemokey L5 HE 8K on table with pink wall and plant in background

(Image credit: Future)

Lemokey L5 HE 8K review: price and availability

  • $220 (about £175 / AU$346)
  • Available now for backers
  • Same price as the best analog keyboards

The L5 HE 8K will cost $220 (about £175 / AU$346) and is set for general release some time between April and May this year. However, it's available now for Kickstarter backers at the discounted price of $199. It comes with a braided USB-C-to-C cable (with a USB-A adapter included), a keycap puller, spare screws and rubber fixings, and screwdrivers.

This makes it about the same price as the SteelSeries Apex Pro Gen 3, already a pricey keyboard. However, it’s about the best analog keyboard I’ve experienced when it comes to performance. There’s also a wireless variant which is naturally more expensive, but the difference isn’t huge. It does miss out on a few analog tweaks that the Apex Pro Gen 3 has, though, such as controller emulation, and lacks the same 8K polling rate.

If you want a more budget-friendly alternative in the analog sector, the Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro isn’t a tempting proposition. Like the L5 HE 8K, it too offers gamepad emulation, although this isn’t as refined as I would’ve liked; Lemokey’s implementation is slightly better.

Value: 2.5 / 5

Lemokey L5 HE 8K review: specs

Close-up of volume wheel on Lemokey L5 HE 8K on table with pink background

(Image credit: Future)

Lemokey L5 HE 8K review: design and features

  • Dated looks
  • Very heavy
  • Web app for customization

The L5 HE 8K is reasonably understated, although some of the outer keys adopt a translucent design with some kind of tech-based sigil, which looks outdated and gives the sense that Lemokey is pandering to a gamer stereotype. Thankfully, this look is kept to a minimum.

The sharp angles of the body add to its industrial aesthetic too. It’s also very heavy, thanks to the aluminium body, which at least makes it durable and very sturdy, although some will find this level of heft unnecessary.

It’s also reasonably thick, but not as substantial as some other gaming keyboards. It lacks feet and wrist support, but thanks to the slight forward tilt of the keys, I could still get a comfortable hand position.

The included cable is braided, but doesn’t feel particularly premium, and it’s not as long as some others, which may be a problem for desktop users depending on their setup. At least the USB-C port is angled upwards, which is a small but convenient design feature, as it makes it easy to locate and use.

The L5 HE 8K can be customized using Lemokey’s web app, which opens in a browser. As you would expect for a keyboard with Hall effect switches, there are various adjustments for the analog functionality. You can set the actuation distance between 0.10mm and 3.35mm, selectable via a slider offering increments of one hundredth of a millimeter.

You can also toggle Rapid Trigger mode, again via a slider offering the same increments, although the range dynamically changes depending on your actuation distance settings. What’s more, you can also split the trigger and reset distances, allowing you to adjust their sensitivity independently, which not every analog rival to the L5 HE 8K offers.

Close-up of keys on Lemokey L5 HE 8K with one keycap removed, exposing switch underneath

(Image credit: Future)

One of the best aspects of these adjustments – and one few analog keyboard software offer – is the visual indicator, which lets you see exactly where in the switch the actuation point you set is. It also shows the distance of your presses in real time, again to one hundredth of a millimeter, which is very useful for dialling in your preferred settings.

There’s also a bar that moves in tandem with your presses, and changes color to indicate when the key reaches the actuation point. This also allows you to see how your Rapid Trigger settings play out too, although unfortunately there’s no real-time millimeter readout for this.

Other analog adjustments include configuring up to four inputs for a single key, triggered depending on how far you press, and setting the Snap Action, with two options to choose from: Snap Click and Last Key Priority. These, along with controller emulation, amount to a large number of tweaks – more than many other analog keyboards offer.

The web app also offers common customization options too, such as key remapping (with plenty of system shortcuts available), macro creation, three profile slots and RGB lighting tweaks.

The web app isn’t without its issues, though. No doubt there’ll be some gamers who’d prefer a standalone app rather than having to open a browser tab. Also, there were occasions where certain settings failed to work as intended, with minor freezes and lock-ups, and certain text and UI elements failed to render properly. Thankfully, many of these were easy to remedy, and for the most part the web app runs well enough without causing too much frustration or major issues.

Design & features: 3 / 5

Lemokey L5 HE 8K review: performance

  • Clicky and responsive switches
  • So many analog adjustments
  • Not the smoothest action

When gaming, the L5 HE 8K performs reasonably well. The 8K polling rate is sure to peak serious gamers’ interests, as it claims to provide next to no latency, and is a common spec found on the best gaming mouse contenders.

However, I struggled to notice much of an improvement over other gaming keyboards with lower polling rates, but hardcore gamers may well do. But unless you’re on the esport circuit, you’ll likely not require this polling rate boost in a keyboard.

The Hall effect switches are clicky with minimal dampening, which may deter certain gamers and please others. While I generally prefer a more cushioned press, I found them satisfying to use for the most part, if not as smooth as other magnetic switches I’ve experienced. There’s a small amount of resistance to presses – just enough to make hitting predefined actuation points relatively easy – but they rebound very quickly, which was something I liked as it allowed for faster taps.

The gamepad emulation works reasonably well, although the analog gradation isn’t as precise as the best PC controllers; it can be a little jerky at times, no matter how you alter the curve profile. Also, the switches could do with more resistance to provide better feedback and in turn make it easier to control in-game movements, especially those of vehicles.

Typing with the L5 HE 8K is pleasant enough, and it performs better on this front than some other gaming keyboards I’ve used. The concave nature of the key layout is more amenable to typing than I expected, even without wrist support, and that springy rebound helps with speed. It isn’t the quietest around, though, with the space bar being especially noisy.

Speaking of the space bar, its elevated seating and backwards tilt (along with all bottom row keys) meant I regularly hit its edge with my thumb rather than the top, which is less satisfying and more awkward. Some may prefer this positioning, but others will fall into the same camp as me.

Performance: 3.5 / 5

Close-up of modifier keys on Lemokey L5 HE 8K with RGB lighting on

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Lemokey L5 HE 8K?

Buy it if…

You want plenty of analog adjustments
With precise actuation point adjustments and modes such as Rapid Trigger, Snap Action, multi-input and gamepad emulation, there’s little it can’t do with its analog functionality.

You want good ergonomics
The sheer weight of the L5 HE 8K means it’ll stay in place, and the concave key layout is actually quite comfortable for the most part.

Don’t buy it if…

You want plenty of dampening
The clicky and somewhat loud key presses might irk some gamers, although as someone who usually prefers more dampening, I actually didn’t mind the feel of them.

You want the best software
Despite the level of customization the web app offers, I did experience some issues, and there’s no standalone variant.

Lemokey L5 HE 8K: Also consider

SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3
The analog action of the Apex Pro is simply divine, but it does lack a few advanced analog adjustments, such as gamepad emulation. It’s also mighty expensive, just like the L5 HE 8K, but if only the best analog performance will do, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better alternative. A wired variant is available for slightly less. Read our SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3 review.

Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro
The Vulcan 2 TKL Pro is another analog keyboard, but it’s much cheaper than the aforementioned Apex Pro. What’s more, it offers controller emulation, which the Apex Pro doesn’t. However, the implementation isn’t the best, and Lemokey’s is slightly better. That aside, though, the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro is still a solid performer. Read our Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro review.

How I tested the Lemokey L5 HE 8K

  • Tested for several days
  • Used for gaming and productivity
  • Plentiful keyboard reviewing experience

I tested the Lemokey L5 HE 8K for several days, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general browsing.

I used it to play Counter-Strike 2, a great test for peripherals as it demands quick and precise movements, and helps to expose any issues with lag that they may suffer from.

I have reviewed many keyboards before, and have been PC gaming for over a decade. I have owned and used a great deal of keyboards in that time, spanning various brands, switch types, and price points.

Asus’ new high-end ROG Pelta gaming headset is one of the most impressive (and comfortable) I’ve ever tested – and the price ain’t bad either
6:39 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Peripherals & Accessories | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Asus ROG Pelta: one-minute review

The ROG Pelta is another banger device from Asus’ gaming division. Compatible across most platforms with wired (via USB-C, no 3.5mm in-line sound) and wireless (Bluetooth and 2.4GHz dongle) connectivity, the Pelta gets the important things right and skips the over-the-top extras.

The headphones, which are a step down in price and features from the flagship ROG Delta II, axe things like an extensive battery life, full-range size adjustment, extra cushioning and excessive RGB (though you’ll still find a programmable, glowing ROG logo on both sides).

Simplifying the things that made the Delta II such an attractive headset into a more affordable unit makes sense when it feels like everything is getting expensive around us. The same microphone and 50mm audio drivers are used between the Delta II and the Pelta, so you’re not missing out on sound and performance, but perhaps you’ll miss the comfort and battery life boasted by the top model.

Moreover, the greater points of adjustment present on the Delta II would have been welcome on the Pelta, as it can be difficult to find that comfort sweet spot when you only have three size options instead of telescopic arms. The microphone will also be tiresome if you’re the type to remove it when it’s not in use, as its plastic exterior needs to align perfectly with that of the headset if it’s to make a successful connection.

Finally, there’s no 3.5mm headphone jack for audio between your machine and your headphones (again, unlike the Delta II), so if you want to connect this thing over a wired connection, you’ll need to settle for a USB-C cable. Not a huge issue, but it may be a dealbreaker for some users.

For me, though, I’ve been very satisfied with this headset and its feature set. I’ve enjoyed it for the features it offers, including a useful pause/play button on the side and a slider that toggles between Bluetooth/off/2.4GHz, and I’d happily continue to use it instead of my Logitech G Pro X2 headset.

The Asus ROG Pelta gaming headset lying on a table with a glowing red logo

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

Asus ROG Pelta: price and availability

  • How much does it cost? $129.99 / £124.99 / AU$269
  • When is it available? Available now in US/UK, coming soon to Australia
  • Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, Australia and other regions

Coming in at a much lower price point than the ROG Delta II headphones (those were priced at $229 / £219 / AU$369 when they released late last year), the Pelta streamlines a lot of what made the top-end ROG headset so good. In our ROG Delta II review, we criticized the headphones for perhaps being a bit feature light, and the Pelta keeps this up but at a much more attractive cost.

That being said, even the ROG Pelta is in hot competition with more feature-rich rivals, such as the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 ($129.99 / £129.99 / AU$299) and its companion app. The Pelta, though, doesn't give the impression it's losing out on the features front.

The Asus ROG Pelta gaming headset help by a hand, with the microphone inserted

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

Asus ROG Pelta: Specs

Asus ROG Pelta: Features

  • 50mm titanium-Plated Diaphragm Drivers
  • Immersive stereo sound
  • Great physical buttons on the left cup

The Pelta recontextualizes the ROG headset offering. The Delta II was already skimping on extras when it was released last year, but the Pelta adapts the Delta II’s impressive upgrades (in particular its titanium drivers) into a much more affordable package.

That means, for the most part, you’re getting the same high-end beast but cheaper. The 20Hz - 20KHz audio frequency response is the same across both units, as is the 100Hz - 10KHz microphone.

I’ll swear by the sound quality and microphone quality of the Pelta. It’s rich, deep and loud, maintaining high-quality sound to its loudest volume and allowing for a lot of customization in ROG’s Armory Crate application. Though heavy bass does suffer compared to a headset like the Logitech G Pro X2.

The 900mAh battery capacity is impressive, offering up to 90 hours with lighting off and 60 hours with it on. Using the headset casually across four weeks, between games and watching TV shows and Twitch streams, I only needed to charge it twice while having the RGB enabled. It’s an acceptable battery life and a welcome downsize from the enormous 1,800mAh battery in the Delta II.

The Asus ROG Pelta gaming headset from the front

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

The microphone is removable and can be bent around freely, though I found putting the microphone back into the jack could be a pain if you don’t align it just right, due to its unique triangular shape.

Finally, the buttons present on the headset feel very sensible. A volume wheel is there with a decent amount of travel for your fingertip, alongside a microphone off/on button and, my favorite, a pause/play button. Given I'd been using a keyboard that doesn’t have media controls during my testing period, this has been a fairly useful feature and one that I hope more headsets adopt. The off/on slider is mixed with a connection toggle – the central position selects off, sliding up selects Bluetooth, and down selects 2.4GHz. A soundbite played through the headset will indicate if it’s turning on or off and if it’s connecting to either the dongle or Bluetooth.

Just keep in mind that the ROG Pelta uses a USB-C dongle – in case you don’t have a free USB-C port on your device, this may present itself as an issue.

  • Features: 5/5

Asus ROG Pelta: Sound quality

  • High-end audio in a cheap unit
  • Terrific adjustment options
  • Good but not the best deep bass

Carrying over the audio quality from Asus’ top gaming headset, the ROG Pelta doesn’t disappoint where it matters. The standard stereo sound profile is well balanced for all kinds of audio-visual media, which of course includes games, but it’s also fit for music streaming, TV shows and movies. Sound is crystal clear even with the volume cranked to maximum, though bass depth may leave you craving something with a bit more punch.

Asus’ ROG Armory Crate app offers a decent user experience for making sound quality adjustments. For the most part, I set the headset to the ‘communication’ sound profile as it offered the balanced mix I preferred the most (as I switch between a racing, shooting, RPG and sim game quite readily), though I was pretty blown away with the depth of the FPS preset, which made projectiles and explosions in Marvel Rivals really jump out at me. Still, finding the mode that set the best experience across all uses kept me from constantly dipping in and out of Armory Crate, so that’s what I did.

A side shot of the Asus ROG Pelta gaming headset

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

Of course, you don’t merely have to use a preset. There are plenty of sliders to fiddle with so you can tailor the sound to your ears, and there’s also some useful sliders for bass boosting, voice clarity and voice compression.

The microphone quality was a bit middle-of-the-road, but I didn’t expect breathtaking clarity. The much more expensive Logitech G Pro X2 has the same microphone arrangement and produces similar results. You’ll have no problem being understood with this microphone, but it’s certainly not broadcast spec.

On the whole, the headset's sound quality is immersive and had no trouble bringing the worlds of Avowed, Marvel Rivals, Forza Horizon 5, The Headliners and other games to life.

  • Sound quality: 4.5/5

An up-close shot of the Asus ROG Pelta gaming headset, showing the 3.5mm jack used for microphone audio

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

Asus ROG Pelta: Design

  • Comfortable ear cushions
  • Only three points of adjustment
  • Microphone can get a bit annoying

I’m content saying that these are extremely comfortable headphones, particularly for long gameplay sessions in the summer. My home doesn’t have air conditioning, and I’ll typically play games at my computer for hours, often leading to discomfort in and around my ears from the sweat and the constant contact. The ROG Pelta headset hasn’t been irritating my skin as much as other headsets have in the past, and I feel like I can play for longer durations with its comfortable cushioning.

Still, design is another area where the Pelta took a noticeable step down from the Delta II. It features slightly lower-end mesh fabric cushioning around the ears (as above, I personally found this fine), along with only three points of size adjustment for the headband as opposed to the telescoped design you’ll find on many other high-end headsets. This means that it can be difficult to find that comfort sweet spot and, unlike telescoping headsets, you’re stuck with the one size you’ve selected unless you go through the (admittedly easy) process of removing and reapplying the headband. This is no dealbreaker and, indeed, the sizing options are far reaching enough to satisfy a good range of users.

An up-close shot of the Asus ROG Pelta headset, showing its adjustment ribbon for over-head comfort

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

The only other thing that irked me on the design front was the microphone. It’s surrounded by a triangular plastic casing and needs to be inserted at the exact angle. It’s not easy if you aren't looking at the port while plugging it in, and it’ll feel firmly inserted even if the jack isn’t making proper contact with the port. This led to some audio technical difficulties on Discord a couple of times, but once you catch it, it’s easy to identify.

The inclusion of a red light on the end of the microphone boom to indicate if you’re muted or not is also a great feature and I appreciated it being there.

  • Design: 4/5

Should you buy the Asus ROG Pelta?

Buy them if...

You want high-quality sound without the price tag

Sporting the same drivers as the ROG Delta II, you’ll likely be comfortable with the sound achieved by the Pelta.

You’re already in the ROG-o-sphere

For the sake of lowering the amount of peripheral programs on your computer, you may want to skip these if you don’t want Armory Crate.

Don’t buy them if…

You’re an Xbox gamer

Due to the lack of a 3.5mm jack, the Pelta isn’t natively compatible with Xbox consoles.

You’re concerned about it fitting on your head

The three size options may be a bit limiting if you tend to take some time to find the perfect fit for your head.

Also Consider

Asus ROG Delta II

More premium and more expensive, the ROG Delta II might be attractive for its longer battery life, greater comfort and more flashy RGB.

Read our full Asus ROG Delta II review

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5

Available at the same price in many markets, the Arctis Nova 5 is considerable for its great battery life, build quality and brilliant companion app.

Read our full Steelseries Arctis Nova 5 review

Razer Barracuda X Chroma

Similar to the ROG Pelta, the Barracuda X Chroma offers top-end audio quality as a more budget-friendly model.

Read our full Razer Barracuda X Chroma review

How I tested the Asus ROG Pelta

  • Tested for four weeks
  • Used across various Windows PCs
  • Mostly used for gaming, also used for watching TV and music streaming

From the moment I received the Asus ROG Pelta for review, I immediately got to work testing them. I used the headset across a mix of Windows devices and my Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra phone, but I primarily used them for gaming.

The games I tested the headset with include Marvel Rivals, Avowed, The Headliners, Forza Horizon 5. Across these games, I changed up my audio settings with the ROG Armory Crate app, and used both the Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connections, along with the wired connection. I would play games and watch shows for hours on end with the Pelta headset and often wear them while doing housework and cooking.

  • First tested in February 2025
Gamakay TK75 V2 review: a mechanical keyboard that’s a dream to use and comes in at a good price
9:00 pm | February 26, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Keyboards Peripherals & Accessories | Comments: Off

Gamakay TK75 V2: one-minute review

The Gamakay TK75 V2 is a wireless mechanical keyboard that's designed to match the performance of more expensive rivals while being more affordable.

It adopts a retro-modern aesthetic, with a thick, squared-off chassis harking back to more traditional mechanical keyboard designs. However, its pristine white base, combined with some choice colors for certain keys, helps to make the TK75 V2 more appealing, and the RGB lighting adds vibrancy, too.

The TK75 V2 is well built, with every panel of the unit feeling solid to the touch. The PBT keycaps are especially premium, sporting a super-smooth texture, rivaling those adorning the best keyboards.

Many keyboards of this depth usually include a wrist-rest; unfortunately, this isn't the case with the TK75 V2. However, I found it perfectly comfortable to use without one (and I nearly always use one). This is largely thanks to the two-stage feet and the forward tilt of the keys themselves.

The layout is fairly compact, yet the keys are still easy to hit accurately, and Gamakay has managed to squeeze in a volume wheel and a small TFT screen.

This can display information such as battery life and CPU temperatures, and there’s a section for adjusting the RGB lighting. There's a timer, too, which shows how long you’ve been using the TK75 V2 for, which is useful for those who like to keep track of such stats. Note that the screen is quite small and the resolution isn’t the sharpest; but many others don’t fare much better.

Gamakay also provides software to customize the TK75 V2. This offers a pleasing number of rebinding options, with multiple layers that can be switched between using Fn shortcuts. Speaking of which, the stock Fn shortcuts on the TK75 V2 are surprisingly numerous, making it a versatile keyboard.

The software isn’t perfect, though, and it can suffer from slow loading times (unusual for peripheral software) and it did crash once during my time with it. It also lacks some of the more advanced features and functions that gamers would welcome, such as Easy-Shift.

The most positive aspect about the TK75 V2 is the typing performance. The ultra-damped tactile switches in my unit were an absolute joy to use, being super satisfying yet extremely quiet – perhaps the quietest I’ve ever used. For gaming it was similarly adroit, and the switches proved responsive enough for fast inputs.

The connectivity options of the TK75 V2 are impressive as well, with Bluetooth and 2.4GHz options available. With the former, you can hot-switch between three devices using Fn shortcuts. There’s also a wired connection, although the USB port doesn’t appear to offer the most robust physical connection; even so, I didn’t experience any dropouts with it.

The battery life of the TK75 V2 seems reasonable, since it dipped only one bar out of five following a full day of varied use and connectivity modes. However, charging it seemed unduly slow, as it failed to reach full capacity after more than five hours; it’s possible this is something that can be fixed in a firmware update, however.

The TK75 V2 offers a lot for the money: mechanical switches, good build quality, customization software, and multiple wireless connectivity options. Best of all, performance is great.

However, there are even cheaper alternatives available that offer great performance. For instance, the Roccat Magma is great for gaming, and the Keychron C3 Pro offers mechanical switches at a seriously low price. All things considered, though, the TK75 V2 does enough to earn its place alongside the big names in the space.

Close-up of volume wheel on Gamakay TK75 V2 on desk with pink background

(Image credit: Future)

Gamakay TK75 V2 review: price and availability

  • $89.99 / £75 / $AU148
  • Available now with two switch types
  • Great value for the spec

The Gamakay TK75 V2 costs $89.99 / £75 / $AU148 and is available now, configurable with either Pegasus (tactile) or Phoenix (linear) switches as stock (although this isn’t permanent, as the board is hot-swappable). It comes with a braided USB-C cable, keycap puller, and spare case screws.

For a wireless mechanical keyboard with numerous wireless connectivity options, the TK75 V2 represents good value. However, if you want an even cheaper mechanical keyboard, the Keychron C3 Pro is one of the best. We found this board’s switches tactile yet relatively quiet, and you can customize it via QMK or VIA; however, this doesn’t offer the level of tweakability that gamers hanker for.

If you want the best gaming keyboard while keeping cost down, then the Roccat Magma is a great alternative. It doesn’t have mechanical switches; but despite this, we still found it delivered a good feel, and offered useful customization options, too.

Value: 4.5 / 5

Close-up of volume wheel on Gamakay TK75 V2 on desk with pink background

(Image credit: Future)

Gamakay TK75 V2 review: specs

Close-up of side of Gamakay TK75 V2 on desk

(Image credit: Future)

Gamakay TK75 V2 review: design and features

  • Retro yet modern looks
  • Decent build quality
  • Useful software

The TK75 V2 has a retro-inspired design, with its thick and square body. However, the bright white shade helps to modernize its look, as do the various keycap colors, which all complement each other well. Combined with the vivid RGB lighting, this is a vibrant-looking board.

Despite appearances, the TK75 V2 isn’t weighty, especially at this price point. The same is true of the PBT keycaps, which feel silky smooth.

The compact layout helps to keep its overall size to a minimum, yet Gamakay has still managed to include a volume wheel and even a small TFT screen. The former operates smoothly, with light notching to provide some useful feedback.

The two-stage feet are also well made, with the mechanisms feeling solid and stable. However, I did find them a little too easy to knock down when moving the TK75 V2 around, but this is a small gripe. A bonus feature is the slot under the left foot to store the included 2.4GHz dongle, which is handy.

The included cable is long, and is unexpectedly shiny, adding some flair to an otherwise drab accessory. It’s much better than the cable included with the TK101, although the physical connection didn’t seem the most secure, as it had a small amount of wobble to it. Thankfully, though, I didn’t experience any dropouts.

The TK75 V2 also includes a TFT screen, which displays various aspects, such as battery life (represented with five bars, not a percentage) and CPU temperature. There’s also a run timer, which is handy for those who like to track their usage. The menu is controlled via the volume wheel, and there’s also a section to adjust the RGB lighting.

Close-up of power switch and USB-C on back of Gamakay TK75 V2 on desk with pink background

(Image credit: Future)

However, the display area is quite small, and the resolution isn’t that sharp – but these are charges you can level at many built-in screens. Where it does fall behind its rivals, though, is the lack of game-specific information, which boards such as the SteelSeries Apex Pro offer.

Despite the lack of dedicated shortcut keys, there are plenty of shortcuts available on the TK75 V2 via the Fn key. These include typical functions such as media playback controls, opening the calculator or file explorer, and switching between connected devices, to name just a few. Unfortunately, none of these is labelled on the keys concerned, so you’ll need the included manual to hand.

The shortcuts can be customized using the Gamakay software, along with individual key presses, which can be remapped to other characters, media controls, system shortcuts, mouse buttons and movements, and combinations with the modifier keys. Unfortunately, though, the volume wheel can’t be customized.

There are eight layers for remapping keys, although layers aren’t available for Fn shortcuts. Also, only three layers can be switched between using Fn and the Z, X, and C keys.

The software also features a macro recorder, as well as a section to customize the TRT screen, with options to draw your own pictures and animations, or upload them from your files.

All these customization options are welcome, but it’s a shame there aren’t more gaming-related tweaks, such as Easy-Shift functionality; and although you can adjust sensitivity of presses, I barely noticed a difference between low and high settings.

What’s more, the GUI isn’t the sharpest, plus you'll encounter loading times as various settings changes take effect, which is unusual for peripheral software. I also experienced a crash on one occasion; but in the main, it ran well enough.

Design & features: 4 / 5

Gamakay TK75 V2 review: performance

  • Fantastic dampening
  • Comfortable angle
  • Useful connectivity options

The TK75 V2 really comes into its own once you start typing. The tactile Pegasus switches in my unit were a delight to use, with an ultra-damped feel, yet still providing plenty of snap and feedback (and if you don’t like them, they’re hot-swappable).

The Cherry keycaps are also relatively thin compared to those on other mechanical keyboards, which I welcome as someone who prefers typing on laptop-style boards. The slight downward slant of the switches was also welcome in this regard. All of the above make the TK75 V2 one of the best mechanical keyboards for typing that I’ve ever used.

What’s more, it’s also one of the quietest keyboards I’ve used, in line with Gamakay’s claim. If you prefer your key presses with more click than thock, then the heavily damped switches of the TK75 V2 might not be for you. However, I wager most will welcome the combination of easy actuation and cushioned impacts.

When gaming, the TK75 V2 performs admirably. There’s enough snap to presses and response times are good enough for most gamers. However, the aforementioned lack of adjustments and customizations specifically for gaming is a shame.

Despite the aforementioned thickness of the body, I didn’t find it uncomfortable to use the TK75 V2 without a wrist-rest, which is fortunate since one isn't included. The feet offer meaningful adjustments, too, which helps to get the right angle.

Close-up of keys on Gamakay TK75 V2 with RGB lighting on and one keycap removed, exposing switch beneath

(Image credit: Future)

The various connectivity modes work well for the most part, and switching between them is quick and easy via the toggle switch. Switching between devices connected via Bluetooth using the Fn shortcuts was similarly hassle-free.

However, even though you're supposed to be able to use these shortcuts to manually switch between Bluetooth, 2.4GHz and wired modes as well, this didn’t work for me – it was only the toggle switch that worked for me.

The battery life of the TK75 V2 seems good: since there’s no percentage provided via the software or the TFT screen, I was unable to gauge depletion precisely; but I can say that after a day’s worth of use – during which I typed and gamed, and switched regularly between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz modes – it only dropped a single bar.

Charging the TK75 V2 via a desktop PC proved disappointingly slow, however. Even after five and a half hours, the keyboard still wasn’t at full power, reaching only four bars out of five. It’s possible this might be a firmware issue, so there’s every chance an update will remedy this at some point.

Performance: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Gamakay TK75 V2?

Buy it if…

You want exquisite typing feel
This is simply one of the best-feeling – not to mention quietest – keyboards I’ve ever used; if you like soft dampening yet still want snappy performance, it won’t disappoint.

You want multiple connectivity options
With three-way Bluetooth switching, a 2.4GHz dongle and a USB cable, you can go between all your devices with ease.

Don’t buy it if…

You want serious gaming pedigree
While performance is great, the TK75 V2 lacks more advanced features and tweaks that gamers might want, such as Easy-Shift functionality.

You want a number pad
The TK75 V2 is only available with a 75% layout, which might be a deal-breaker for those who want to use it for some serious productivity.

Gamakay TK75 V2 review: also consider

Keychron C3 Pro
If you want a seriously cheap mechanical keyboard, look no further than the C3 Pro. It offers great performance, and you can customize it using QMK and VIA. It might not cut the mustard for hardcore gamers, but it’s good enough for most.

Read our Keychron C3 Pro review

Roccat Magma
If gaming is your primary concern, but you don’t want to spend the earth, the Magma could fit the bill. We think it’s the best gaming keyboard for those on a budget, thanks to its capable performance and useful features, such as Game mode, which turns the Caps Lock into an Easy-Shift modifier. It might not be mechanical, but at this price, that’s to be expected.

Read our Roccat Magma review

How I tested the Gamakay TK75 V2

  • Tested for several days
  • Used for gaming and working
  • Plentiful keyboard experience

I tested the TK75 V2 for several days, during which time I used it for working, gaming, and general browsing. I tested it on two different Windows 10 PCs.

I spent a lot of time typing with TK75 V2 (including for this very review), and played S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, a first-person shooter requiring quick inputs and wider key use beyond those in the WASD position.

I have reviewed numerous keyboards in the past, covering models designed for gaming as well as for productivity. I've been PC gaming for more than a decade, and have owned many keyboards from different brands at different price points and with various switch types.

I tested the Acer Swift 14 AI for two weeks – if you need a new work laptop, this one is close to perfection
8:30 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Acer Swift 14 AI: Two-minute review

Acer Aspire 14 AI laptop closed to show its black exterior

(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)

With so many laptops hitting the scene at the moment, Acer has thrown it’s hat in the ring with the Acer Swift 14 AI. This mighty laptop has swept me off of my feet almost immediately and could very well be a contender for one of the best laptops on the market right now.

Boasting a gorgeous OLED screen, I was stunned by the visuals I was getting when watching videos or editing pictures. You also get a great battery life which will last you all day when working and with some juice left in the tank afterwards. While it didn’t live up to the 17 hours claimed by Acer, it came in pretty close at 14 hours. I took some issues with the design because it just felt a bit clunky, but this is something that you likely wouldn’t notice unless you were specifically looking for issues.

Coming in at $1,199 / £899 / AU$1,899 (currently on sale in the UK), this laptop is on the pricier side, with similar alternatives also coming in around this price point. However, when factoring in the sale price, I am genuinely gobsmacked that you’re able to get a laptop of this quality in terms of both hardware and performance, for less than £900 ($1,200).

Acer Swift 14 AI: Price and availability

  • How much does it cost? $1,199 / £899 / AU$1,899
  • When is it available? Available now
  • Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

The Acer Swift 14 AI comes in at $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$1,899, which is definitely not a budget-friendly option when it comes to laptops, however you get some very good specifications for this price point. You can currently pick it up in most regions. It’s on sale at Currys in the UK at the moment, with the Intel edition sitting at a much more affordable £899. On the US side of the map, you can pick it up on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg, and other similar retailers.

Alternatives on the market include the Asus Zenbook A14, which has similar specs and also features an OLED screen. It sits at a higher price point of $1,399.99, though. Another alternative is the Apple MacBook Air 2024 edition, which features the M3 chip and comes in at $1,199. This makes the Acer Swift 14 AI a great option to pick up while it's on sale, but it’s still decent value when it's not.

Value: 5 / 5

Acer Swift 14 AI: Specs

You can get an Intel or a Qualcomm version of the Acer Swift 14 AI. In the UK these are the same price, however the sale over at Currys only applies to the Intel version, which does make the Qualcomm one more expensive. Elsewhere in the world, you’ll also spend more on the Qualcomm edition as it can deliver more power. All of the rest of the specifications are the same.

As of right now, you can’t configure these specifications, however considering everything other than the processor is identical it doesn’t seem like you’d need to. The Acer website does state that this laptop comes with up to 32GB of RAM suggesting that other configurations may be in the works.

Acer Swift 14 AI: Design

The Acer Aspire 14 AI's keyboard and left-side ports

(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)

When first unboxing the Acer Swift 14 AI, I was somewhat underwhelmed. While it is housed in a high quality and sturdy chassis, it doesn’t have any particular flare in terms of design. It weighs in at 1.28kg (2.82 lbs), which is definitely lightweight, but not the lightest option on the market with the Asus Zenbook 14 coming in at under a kilogram (2.2 lbs).

Something that particularly irked me when using this laptop was the fact that the edges weren’t rounded off properly which made it feel a bit clunky. You’ll also find a slightly thicker bezel around the webcam which again subtracts from the sleekness of the design. However, the Acer Swift 14 AI is 1.49cm (0.59 inches) thick, which keeps it slimline. It’s easy to stick in a backpack or sleeve and take on the go with you.

You get two USB-C ports, either can be used for charging. You also get two USB-A ports which is greatly appreciated. As someone who uses a range of peripherals, whether it be a USB headset, keyboard, mouse or extra monitors, I found there were enough ports for me to use this laptop as part of my workstation, just about. You also get an HDMI port.

The chassis of this laptop is made of metal rather than plastic like some other lightweight alternatives making for a more premium feel. The keyboard is very low profile, making for satisfying key presses. You’ll find that the keys are the same texture as the rest of the laptop too rather than being made from plastic which again contributes to the higher quality feeling.

Design: 4 / 5

Acer Swift 14 AI: Performance

Acer Aspire 14 AI laptop display showing the Windows 11 login screen

(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)

Using the Acer Swift 14 AI did feel like a bit of a step down from the Asus Zenbook A14 I just tested, however at £200 less this is to be expected. Using it on the go wasn’t as satisfying as my typical MacBook Air despite it being a similar size and weight, with it feeling more clunky when putting it in my bag.

When booting up the laptop, I was stunned by the screen. The 2K OLED panel is gorgeous and makes for a fantastic experience when watching videos or movies. For creatives who design graphics or video assets, seeing the screen bring your creations to life through color is amazing. With most laptops being able to deliver great performance, they now have to stand out with other features and the OLED screen does a great job of this.

Acer Swift 14 AI: Benchmarks - Gaming laptops only

Here's how the Acer Swift 14 AI performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

3DMark: Night Raid: 36616 ; Fire Strike: 8898 ; Time Spy: 4438

GeekBench 6: 1884 (single-core); 7657 (multi-core)

CrossMark: Overall: 978 Productivity: 914 Creativity: 1082 Responsiveness: 883

PCMark 10 Battery Life: 14 Hours 7 Mins

TechRadar movie test: 13 Hours 43 Mins

While this laptop isn’t made for intensive tasks, I still put it to the test. Things like basic photo and video editing on Abode Photoshop and Adobe Premiere Pro worked absolutely fine, and while Premiere Pro did feel a bit sluggish, it was by no means unusable. Taxing 3D animation is certainly off the table here but using this laptop for standard everyday productivity is perfectly fine.

I was sure to try multitasking here too, with a range of programs open at once and to my surprise, it functioned quite well even with just 16GB of RAM. Even being in a video call while also creating a PowerPoint and watching a video, the laptop didn’t stutter at all. This felt like a decent upgrade from my old Macbook Air which immediately starts whining when I open a second Chrome tab.

Even when using this laptop on the go, it stayed very quiet which was great. One of my biggest fears is booting up my MacBook on a train and its begins to sound like a rocket taking off, and I never had to worry about that with the Acer Swift 14 AI.

Of course you get the benefits of CoPilot+ with this laptop too but for me this is no longer a standout feature and instead just expected.

Performance: 5 / 5

Acer Swift 14 AI: Battery life

When using the Acer Swift 14 AI in my day to day life I found that the battery life was pretty impressive. It wasn’t a device you could go days without charging by any means, but you could certainly get through a full workday and still have some battery left over at the end of the day.

Acer claim that this laptop boasts 17 hours of battery life and our testing came in pretty close…but no cigar, at 14 hours of continuous video playback - which is obviously not how many people will be using their device on a day-to-day basis.

Battery life: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Acer Swift 14 AI?

Buy it if...

You want a slightly more affordable laptop

Currently on sale to £899 ($1,199), the Acer Swift 14 AI delivers the same performance as higher priced alternativesView Deal

You want good battery life

You can easily work all day and have battery left over. View Deal

You want to be able to multitask

The laptop will happily run multiple programs at once without stuttering or slowing downView Deal

Don't buy it if...

You want something easy and satisfying to travel with

Despite being thin and lightweight, the design leads to a clunky feeling device. View Deal

You want something with a lot of processing power

While this device is powerful, it won’t be able to undertake super intensive tasksView Deal

You want a device you can game on

This laptop is just not made for gaming and while you likely could play some titles on here, they wouldn’t be the best performanceView Deal

Also Consider

If our Acer Swift 14 AI review has you considering other options, here are two laptops to consider...

Asus Zenbook A14

If you’re looking for a premium option that's lightweight and easy to take with you on the go then the Asus Zenbook A14 is the laptop for you. You still get the stunning OLED display and a powerful processor with even better portability. It does come with a slight price tag increase, though.

Read our full Asus Zenbook A14 reviewView Deal

Apple Macbook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024)

If you want a laptop that's capable of performing more intensive tasks like 3D Animation or heavy video rendering then the M4 Pro processor in the Apple Macbook Pro is going to help you out more.

Read our full Apple Macbook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) reviewView Deal

How I tested the Acer Swift 14 AI

I spent two weeks using the Acer Swift 14 AI as my every day laptop for work and leisure. I was sure to use the device all day for my typical work day, and then also watched videos, movies and browsed social media on it in the evenings. I took it on the go with me to different locations where I needed to work to see how it would feel outside of my workstation. As well as using it every day I also benchmarked the laptop using a range of different benchmarking software.

First reviewed February 2025

I think the Gamakay TK101 is a capable mechanical keyboard, but my testing found it still lacks the performance and features of the very best
7:44 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Keyboards Peripherals & Accessories | Comments: Off

Gamakay TK101: one-minute review

The Gamakay TK101 is a wireless mechanical keyboard with a compact form factor at a reasonable price. It adopts a more retro aesthetic, reminiscent of older style mechanical keyboards. The multicolored keycaps do help to add interest, and their rounded edges are inviting.

They also feel as good as they look since they’re made from double-shot PBT. They have a slight yet satisfying texture, and are more premium than you might expect at this price point. In fact, the whole construction of the TK101 is admirable.

The chassis is quite thick and reasonably heavy considering its small layout. There’s no included wrist rest, though, which is a shame since I had to bend my wrists uncomfortably for most of the time.

While there are various shortcuts you can perform using the FN and other keys, there’s no labelling on the keys themselves for these extra functions, so you’ll have to refer to the manual. What’s more, unlike with many of the best wireless keyboards, there isn’t any customization software, which means more advanced tweaks are missing. This makes it less amenable for gaming, where such tweaks can be important.

The unit I had came with tactile switches, and while I found them satisfying to use thanks to their dampening and lubrication, they are quite heavy, and not as snappy as I would’ve liked for gaming. For typing, I found the MDA profile of the keycaps too thick, as I generally prefer low-profile laptop-style keys. And despite what Gamakay claims, I didn’t find them to be quiet either.

Connecting to multiple devices is easy, and the quick switching shortcuts work well. Up to three Bluetooth devices can be switched between, in addition to devices connected via the included 2.4GHz wireless dongle or a USB cable.

While I wasn’t able to deplete the battery completely during my time with the TK101, after a few days of varied use it dropped to about 50%, which isn’t a very impressive performance.

For the price, the TK101 punches above its weight thanks to its premium construction and hardware. However, I found the tactile switches a little too heavy, and the lack of customization hurts it. If you’re after a keyboard with an even lower price but still has great performance, the Keychron C3 Pro is a great choice, and for something more gaming-orientated, the Logitech G213 Prodigy may be a better alternative.

Side view of Gamakay TK101 on table

(Image credit: Future)

Gamakay TK101 review: price and availability

  • $89 / £76 / AU$150
  • Available now in multiple colorways
  • Good price, but some cheaper alternatives

The Gamakay TK101 costs $89 / £76 / AU$150 and is available now in three colorways: White & Grey, Black & Red, and Cyan & Grey. You can configure it with Saturn (linear) or Pluto (tactile) switches, although these are hot-swappable, with Gamakay selling more on their website.

The TK101 is well-priced for a wireless mechanical keyboard with multiple connectivity options. The Logitech G213 Prodigy, one of the best mechanical keyboards, is even cheaper than the TK101, but it lacks wireless connectivity, and while we enjoyed using it, we weren’t hugely impressed with its build quality. It can be customized, though, which may make it better for gamers.

There’s also the Keychron C3 Pro, which is the best keyboard with mechanical switches and a compact layout in our eyes. It’s even cheaper than the TK101, and we were very impressed with the feel of its mechanical switches. But, again, it lacks wireless capabilities.

Value: 4 / 5

Close-up of foot on Gamakay TK101

(Image credit: Future)

Gamakay TK101 review: specs

Rear panel of Gamakay TK101

(Image credit: Future)

Gamakay TK101 review: design and features

  • Retro looks
  • Thick chassis
  • No software

The TK101 harks back somewhat to traditional mechanical keyboards, thanks to its chunky-looking keys and basic design. It’s certainly not as brash as other gaming keyboards, although the multi-tonal colorways do add elements of interest and vibrancy.

While the 98% form factor of TK101 feels compact, the spacing of the keys is still wide enough for comfortable finger placement. To achieve this, though, dedicated media keys and a volume wheel have been sacrificed.

It’s reasonably thick and heavy, although not as substantial as some other mechanical keyboards. The overall construction is solid, and the mirrored back panel – which frames the USB-C port, power switch and a compartment for storing the 2.4GHz USB dongle – is a nice touch.

The two-step feet are useful, offering meaningful height adjustments to meet individual preferences. These also feel well-made and didn’t create any wobble when propping up the keyboard.

Close-up of keys on Gamakay TK101 with one key missing, exposing switch underneath

(Image credit: Future)

The rounded double-shot PBT keycaps appear quite thick despite their MDA profile, but they’re comfortably indented and their texturing feels premium, being smooth while offering enough grip. If you don’t like them, though, you can swap them out, along with the switches, as the TK101 is hot-swappable.

While various keys have alternative functions accessible via the FN key, these aren’t labelled, meaning you’ll have to acquaint yourself with the manual. Functions include media playback controls, opening Windows Explorer, adjusting the RGB lighting.

These shortcuts are welcome, but it’s a shame there’s no software for the TK101 to provide further customizations, such as key rebinding and macro creation. Many other keyboards, especially those in the gaming sector, provide such tweaks via software.

What isn’t limited, however, is connectivity. The TK101 can connect to devices wirelessly via the 2.4GHz USB dongle or via Bluetooth. Up to three devices can be connected simultaneously via the latter, which can be switched between by using the FN and number keys. The USB port can also be used for establishing a wired connection as well as charging, which adds to the versatility of the TK101.

Design & features: 3 / 5

Gamakay TK101 review: performance

  • Nicely damped
  • Heavy tactile switches
  • Could really do with a wrist rest

The performance of the TK101 is somewhat mixed. The gasket mounting helps to cushion presses, while the tactile Pluto switches I had preinstalled in my unit were well lubed. However, they felt a little too heavy, offering more resistance than others, which can cause fatigue after a while. If you’re after something more snappy, then these switches probably won’t suit you. However, the MDA profile of the keycaps does at least shorten travel distance.

For typing, though, I still found this profile too thick, as I generally prefer low profile keys for productivity tasks. And despite Gamakay’s claims regarding its sound-deadening design, I found the TK101 quite noisy too.

Most egregious of all, though, is the lack of wrist support, since the aforementioned thickness of the chassis forces your hands to angle sharply no matter how you adjust the feet. This makes gaming equally uncomfortable when adopting the standard WASD position, and also causes your thumb to hit the edge of the space bar rather than the top. Both these issues were remedied when I used my own wrist rest. Combined with its lack of customization options, the TK101 isn’t as capable as the best gaming keyboards.

Close-up of keys on Gamakay TK101 on table

(Image credit: Future)

I had no problems connecting via Bluetooth or the 2.4GHz dongle, and switching between three Bluetooth devices using the keyboard shortcuts was easy and responsive. However, the manual states that switching to a 2.4GHz connection can also be done via these shortcuts, but this didn’t work for me; only toggling the rear switch did.

I wasn’t able to test the battery to exhaustion, but it dipped to about 50% after several days of varied use, connecting to multiple devices via Bluetooth and the 2.4GHz dongle. This isn’t exactly a stellar performance, and many wireless keyboards do last longer.

Performance: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Gamakay TK101?

Buy it if…

You want a well-priced mechanical keyboard
You usually have to pay a premium for mechanical keyboards, especially wireless variants, but not so for the TK101.

You want to connect to multiple devices
The TK101 can handle three Bluetooth connections and one 2.4GHz connection, with hot-switching between them. Wired connectivity is also an option.

Don’t buy it if…

You want light actuation
The Pluto tactile switches I had in my unit were a little too heavy for my liking, which means you won’t get the snappinest performance.

You want to customize
Since there's no software for the TK101, you won't be able to remap keys or tweak performance settings.

Gamakay TK101 review: also consider

Logitech G213 Prodigy
It might not be a mechanical keyboard, but the G213 Prodigy feels close to one, making it great for gaming. It’s also one of the best budget keyboards around, since it offers plenty of features and some decent typing prowess. It has an inbuilt wrist rest as well – something that the TK101 could really do with. Read our Logitech G213 Prodigy review.

Keychron C3 Pro
It’s hard to find a better value mechanical keyboard than the Keychron C3 Pro. The performance it delivers for both gaming and typing is commendable at this very low price point. It even offers customization options via QMK or VIA. Unlike the TK101, though, it’s wired only. Read our Keychron C3 Pro review.

How I tested the Gamakay TK101

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

I tested the TK101 for several days, during which time I used it for working, gaming, and general browsing.

I did plenty of typing with it, and played Counter-Strike 2, a good test for any peripheral given the game’s demand for fast and accurate inputs.

I have been PC gaming for over 25 years, and have experience reviewing keyboards for both gaming and productivity purposes.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti review: nearly perfect, but with one major flaw
7:10 pm | February 20, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Computing Components Gadgets | Tags: , , , | Comments: Off

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti: Two-minute review

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti definitely had a high expectation bar to clear after the mixed reception of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 last month, especially from enthusiasts.

And while there are things I fault the RTX 5070 Ti for, there's no doubt that it has taken the lead as the best graphics card most people can buy right now—assuming that scalpers don't get there first.

The RTX 5070 Ti starts at $749 / £729 (about AU$1,050), making its MSRP a good bit cheaper than its predecessor was at launch, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, as well as the buffed-up Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super.

The fact that the RTX 5070 Ti beats both of those cards handily in terms of performance would normally be enough to get it high marks, but this card even ekes out a win over the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super, shooting it nearly to the top of the best Nvidia graphics card lists.

As one of the best 4K graphics cards I've ever tested, it isn't without faults, but we're really only talking about the fact that Nvidia isn't releasing a Founders Edition card for this one, and that's unfortunate for a couple of reasons.

For one, and probably most importantly, without a Founders Edition card from Nvidia guaranteed to sell for MSRP directly from Nvidia's website, the MSRP price for this card is just a suggestion. And without an MSRP card from Nvidia keeping AIB partners onside, it'll be hard finding a card at Nvidia's $749 price tag, reducing its value proposition.

Also, because there's no Founders Edition, Nvidia's dual pass-through design to keep the card cool will pass the 5070 Ti by. If you were hoping that the RTX 5070 Ti might be SFF-friendly, I simply don't see how the RTX 5070 Ti fits into that unless you stretch the meaning of small form factor until it hurts.

Those aren't small quibbles, but given everything else the RTX 5070 Ti brings to the table, they do seem like I'm stretching myself a bit to find something bad to say about this card for balance.

For the vast majority of buyers out there looking for outstanding 4K performance at a relatively approachable MSRP, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti is the card you're going to want to buy.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti: Price & availability

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti sitting on its retail packaging

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
  • How much is it? MSRP is $749/£729 (about AU$1,050), but with no Founders Edition, third-party cards will likely be higher
  • When can you get it? The RTX 5070 Ti goes on sale February 20, 2025
  • Where is it available? The RTX 5070 Ti will be available in the US, UK, and Australia at launch

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti goes on sale on February 20, 2025, starting at $749/£729 (about AU$1,050) in the US, UK, and Australia, respectively.

Unlike the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080, there is no Founders Edition card for the RTX 5070 Ti, so there are no versions of this card that will be guaranteed to sell at this MSRP price, which does complicate things given the current scalping frenzy we've seen for the previous RTX 50 series cards.

While stock of the Founders Edition RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 might be hard to find even from Nvidia, there is a place, at least, where you could theoretically buy those cards at MSRP. No such luck with the RTX 5070 Ti, which is a shame.

The 5070 Ti MSRP does at least come in under the launch MSRPs of both the RTX 4070 Ti and RTX 4070 Ti Super, neither of which had Founders Edition cards, so stock and pricing will hopefully stay within the bounds of where those cards have been selling for.

The 5070 Ti's MSRP puts it on the lower-end of the enthusiast-class, and while we haven't seen the price for the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT yet, it's unlikely that AMD's competing RDNA 4 GPU will sell for much less than the RTX 5070 Ti, but if you're not in a hurry, it might be worth waiting a month or two to see what AMD has to offer in this range before deciding which is the better buy.

  • Value: 4 / 5

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti: Specs

A closeup of the power connector on the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
  • GDDR7 VRAM and PCIe 5.0
  • Slight bump in power consumption
  • More memory than its direct predecessor

Like the rest of the Nvidia Blackwell GPU lineup, there are some notable advances with the RTX 5070 Ti over its predecessors.

First, the RTX 5070 Ti features faster GDDR7 memory which, in addition to having an additional 4GB VRAM than the RTX 4070 Ti's 12GB, means that the RTX 5070 Ti's larger, faster memory pool can process high resolution texture files faster, making it far more capable at 4K resolutions.

Also of note is its 256-bit memory interface, which is 33.3% larger than the RTX 4070 Ti's, and equal to that of the RTX 4070 Ti Super. 64 extra bits might not seem like a lot, but just like trying to fit a couch through a door, even an extra inch or two of extra space can be the difference between moving the whole thing through at once or having to do it in parts, which translates into additional work on both ends.

The output ports on the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

There's also the new PCIe 5.0 x16 interface, which speeds up communication between the graphics card, your processor, and your SSD. If you have a PCIe 5.0 capable motherboard, processor, and SSD, just make note of how many PCIe 5.0 lanes you have available.

The RTX 5070 Ti will take up 16 of them, so if you only have 16 lanes available and you have a PCIe 5.0 SSD, the RTX 5070 Ti is going to get those lanes by default, throttling your SSD to PCIe 4.0 speeds. Some motherboards will let you set PCIe 5.0 priority, if you have to make a choice.

The RTX 5070 Ti uses slightly more power than its predecessors, but in my testing it's maximum power draw came in at just under the card's 300W TDP.

As for the GPU inside the RTX 5070 Ti, it's built using TSMC's N4P process node, which is a refinement of the TSMC N4 node used by its predecessors. While not a full generational jump in process tech, the N4P process does offer better efficiency and a slight increase in transistor density.

  • Specs & features: 5 / 5

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti: Design & features

The backplate of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
  • No Nvidia Founders Edition card
  • No dual-pass-through cooling (at least for now)

There is no Founders Edition card for the RTX 5070 Ti, so the RTX 5070 Ti you end up with may look radically different than the one I tested for this review, the Asus Prime GeForce RTX 5070 Ti.

Whatever partner card you choose though, it's likely to be a chonky card given the card's TDP, since 300W of heat needs a lot of cooling. While the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 Founders Edition cards featured the innovative dual pass-through design (which dramatically shrank the card's width), it's unlikely you'll find any RTX 5070 Ti cards in the near future that feature this kind of cooling setup, if ever.

With that groundwork laid, you're going to have a lot of options for cooling setups, shroud design, and lighting options, though more feature-rich cards will likely be more expensive, so make sure you consider the added cost when weighing your options.

As for the Asus Prime GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, the sleek shroud of the card lacks the RGB that a lot of gamers like for their builds, but for those of us who are kind of over RGB, the Prime's design is fantastic and easily worked into any typical mid-tower case.

The Prime RTX 5070 Ti features a triple-fan cooling setup, with one of those fans having complete passthrough over the heatsink fins. There's a protective backplate and stainless bracket over the output ports.

The 16-pin power connector rests along the card's backplate, so even if you invested in a 90-degree angled power cable, you'll still be able to use it, assuming your power supply meets the recommended 750W listed on Asus's website. There's a 3-to-1 adapter included with the card, as well, for those who haven't upgraded to an ATX 3.0 PSU yet.

  • Design: 4 / 5

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti: Performance

An Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti on a table with its retail packaging

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
  • RTX 4080 Super-level performance
  • Massive improvement over the RTX 4070 Ti Super
  • Added features like DLSS 4 with Multi-Frame Generation
A note on my data

The charts shown below offer the most recent data I have for the cards tested for this review. They may change over time as more card results are added and cards are retested. The 'average of all cards tested' includes cards not shown in these charts for readability purposes.

And so we come to the reason we're all here, which is this card's performance.

Given the...passionate...debate over the RTX 5080's underwhelming gen-on-gen uplift, enthusiasts will be very happy with the performance of the RTX 5070 Ti, at least as far as it relates to the last-gen RTX 4070 Ti and RTX 4070 Ti Super.

Starting with synthetic scores, at 1080p, both the RTX 4070 Ti and RTX 5070 Ti are so overpowered that they get close to CPU-locking on 3DMark's 1080p tests, Night Raid and Fire Strike, though the RTX 5070 Ti does come out about 14% ahead. The RTX 5070 Ti begins to pull away at higher resolutions and once you introduce ray tracing into the mix, with roughly 30% better performance at these higher level tests like Solar Bay, Steel Nomad, and Port Royal.

In terms of raw compute performance, the RTX 5070 Ti scores about 25% better in Geekbench 6 than the RTX 4070 Ti and about 20% better than the RTX 4070 Ti Super.

In creative workloads like Blender Benchmark 4.30, the RTX 5070 Ti pulls way ahead of its predecessors, though the 5070 Ti, 4070 Ti Super, and 4070 Ti all pretty much max out what a GPU can add to my Handbrake 1.9 4K to 1080p encoding test, with all three cards cranking out about 220 FPS encoded on average.

Starting with 1440p gaming, the gen-on-gen improvement of the RTX 5070 Ti over the RTX 4070 Ti is a respectable 20%, even without factoring in DLSS 4 with Multi-Frame Generation.

The biggest complaint that some have about MFG is that if the base frame rate isn't high enough, you'll end up with controls that can feel slightly sluggish, even though the visuals you're seeing are much more fluid.

Fortunately, outside of turning ray tracing to its max settings and leaving Nvidia Reflex off, you're not really going to need to worry about that. The RTX 5070 Ti's minimum FPS for all but one of the games I tested at native 1440p with ray tracing all pretty much hit or exceeded 60 FPS, often by a lot.

Only F1 2024 had a lower-than-60 minimum FPS at native 1440p with max ray tracing, and even then, it still managed to stay above 45 fps, which is fast enough that no human would ever notice any input latency in practice. For 1440p gaming, then, there's absolutely no reason not to turn on MFG whenever it is available since it can substantially increase framerates, often doubling or even tripling them in some cases without issue.

For 4K gaming, the RTX 5070 Ti native performance is spectacular, with nearly every title tested hitting 60 FPS or greater on average, with those that fell short only doing so by 4-5 frames.

Compared to the RTX 4070 Ti and RTX 4070 Ti Super, the faster memory and expanded 16GB VRAM pool definitely turn up for the RTX 5070 Ti at 4K, delivering about 31% better overall average FPS than the RTX 4070 Ti and about 23% better average FPS than the RTX 4070 Ti Super.

In fact, the average 4K performance for the RTX 5070 Ti pulls up pretty much dead even with the RTX 4080 Super's performance, and about 12% better than the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX at 4K, despite the latter having 8GB more VRAM.

Like every other graphics card besides the RTX 4090, RTX 5080, and RTX 5090, playing at native 4K with ray tracing maxed out is going to kill your FPS. To the 5070 Ti's credit, though, minimum FPS never dropped so low as to turn things into a slideshow, even if the 5070 Ti's 25 FPS minimum in Cyberpunk 2077 was noticeable.

Turning on DLSS in these cases is a must, even if you skip turning on MFG, but the RTX 5070 Ti's balanced upscaled performance is a fantastic experience.

Leave ray tracing turned off (or set to a lower setting), however, and MFG definitely becomes a viable way to max out your 4K monitor's refresh rate for seriously fluid gaming.

Overall then, the RTX 5070 Ti delivers substantial high-resolution gains gen-on-gen, which should make enthusiasts happy, without having to increase its power consumption all that much.

Of all the graphics cards I've tested over the years, and especially over the past six months, the RTX 5070 Ti is pretty much the perfect balance for whatever you need it for, and if you can get it at MSRP or reasonably close to MSRP, it's without a doubt the best value for your money of any of the current crop of enthusiast graphics cards.

  • Performance: 5 / 5

Should you buy the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti?

A masculine hand holding the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Buy the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti if...

You want the perfect balance of 4K performance and price
Assuming you can find it at or close to MSRP, the 4K value proposition on this card is the best you'll find for an enthusiast graphics card.

You want a fantastic creative graphics card on the cheap
While the RTX 5070 Ti doesn't have the RTX 5090's creative chops, it's a fantastic pick for 3D modelers and video professionals looking for a (relatively) cheap GPU.

You want Nvidia's latest DLSS features without spending a fortune
While this isn't the first Nvidia graphics card to feature DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation, it is the cheapest, at least until the RTX 5070 launches in a month or so.

Don't buy it if...

You want the absolute best performance possible
The RTX 5070 Ti is a fantastic performer, but the RTX 5080, RTX 4090, and RTX 5090 all offer better raw performance if you're willing to pay more for it.

You're looking for something more affordable
While the RTX 5070 Ti has a fantastic price for an enthusiast-grade card, it's still very expensive, especially once scalpers get involved.

You only plan on playing at 1440p
If you never plan on playing at 4K this generation, you might want to see if the RTX 5070 or AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 cards are a better fit.

Also consider

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080
While more expensive, the RTX 5080 features fantastic performance and value for under a grand at MSRP.

Read the full Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 reviewView Deal

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super
While this card might not be on the store shelves for much longer, the RTX 5070 Ti matches the RTX 4080 Super's performance, so if you can find the RTX 4080 Super at a solid discount, it might be the better pick.

Read the full Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super reviewView Deal

How I tested the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti

  • I spent about a week with the RTX 5070 Ti
  • I used my complete GPU testing suite to analyze the card's performance
  • I tested the card in everyday, gaming, creative, and AI workload usage
Test System Specs

Here are the specs on the system I used for testing:

Motherboard: ASRock Z790i Lightning WiFi
CPU: Intel Core i9-14900K
CPU Cooler:
Gigabyte Auros Waterforce II 360 ICE
RAM: Corsair Dominator DDR5-6600 (2 x 16GB)
SSD:
Crucial T705
PSU: Thermaltake Toughpower PF3 1050W Platinum
Case: Praxis Wetbench

I spent about a week testing the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, using it mostly for creative work and gaming, including titles like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Avowed.

I also used my updated suite of benchmarks including industry standards like 3DMark and Geekbench, as well as built-in gaming benchmarks like Cyberpunk 2077 and Dying Light 2.

I also test all of the competing cards in a given card's market class using the same test bench setup throughout so I can fully isolate GPU performance across various, repeatable tests. I then take geometric averages of the various test results (which better insulates the average from being skewed by tests with very large test results) to come to comparable scores for different aspects of the card's performance. I give more weight to gaming performance than creative or AI performance, and performance is given the most weight in how final scores are determined, followed closely by value.

I've been testing GPUs, PCs, and laptops for TechRadar for nearly five years now, with more than two dozen graphics card reviews under my belt in the past three years alone. On top of that, I have a Masters degree in Computer Science and have been building PCs and gaming on PCs for most of my life, so I am well qualified to assess the value of a graphics card and whether it's worth your time and money.

  • Originally reviewed February 2025
I tested the Asus Zenbook A14 for two weeks and it’s so light that I forgot it was in my bag
8:06 pm | February 19, 2025

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

Asus Zenbook A14: Two-minute review

Asus Zenbook A14 with a closed lid resting on the floor

(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)

Despite it only being February, Asus has already had it’s fair share of laptops revealed this year. From the brand new Asus Zenbook Duo showcased at CES, down to the shiny ROG Ally gaming lines, it’s clear that Asus has been busy in the workshop. The Asus Zenbook A14 is no stranger to the limelight, and this new 2025 edition could just be the best Asus laptop you can pick up right now if not one of the best laptops on the market.

Coming in at less than a kilo, the Asus Zenbook A14 is extremely lightweight, to the point I often forgot it was in my backpack making it a great laptop to use on the go. Despite being so small, you also get an impressive battery life with Asus promising up to 32 hours of video playback, which although the laptop didn’t quite live up to, the battery was still pretty impressive.

While you can find other laptops which can provide you with a similar performance at a cheaper price point, the Asus Zenbook A14 also features a stunning display which makes using this device to watch movies an absolute pleasure.

However, with great performance and some amazing features comes a high price point. If you’re not ready to splash the cash with a price point of $1,399.99 / £1,099.99 / AU$2,899, then this might not be the right one for you.

Asus Zenbook A14: Price and availability

Asus Zenbook A14 laptop at Windows login screen

(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)
  • How much does it cost? $1,399.99 / £1,099.99 / AU$2,899
  • When is it available? Available now
  • Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

You can currently pick up the Asus Zenbook A14 in most regions, though certain configurations are not available in the US. Sitting at a pretty steep $1,399.99, it’s definitely a premium option in the world of productivity laptops. It’s currently on sale in the UK, coming down to just £1,099.99 over at the Asus website, but still costing above the £1,000 mark, there’s no doubt the Asus Zenbook A14 is expensive.

Alternatives on the market at this price point include the Apple MacBook Air 2024 edition, which features the M3 chip and comes in at $1199. You can also pick up the Microsoft Surface Laptop which comes in at around $1,099 for 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD, while it doesn’t have a flashy OLED screen, the specs are very similar for $200 less.

Value: 3 / 5

Asus Zenbook A14: Specs

The Asus Zenbook A14 comes in 2 configurations, with the main difference being the CPU. You can also opt for different RAM options, but overall you’ll find a major leap in the performance of the higher specification laptop compared to the more budget friendly option. Either way, you get your hands on an absolutely stunning display and lightweight chassis.

As of right now, while the second model is listed on the Asus website, no retailers are stocking it and no prices are shown just yet.

As of right now, you can’t adjust each of these specification options individually. If you want the SnapdragonX X1 with 32GB of RAM, then you’re out of luck. It’s also worth noting that the memory in the laptops is maxed out too, so if you pick up a model with 16GB of RAM, you can’t add more yourself.

Asus Zenbook A14: Design

Asus Zenbook A14 laptop resting on the floor

(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)

When first unboxing the laptop, the packaging already blew me away. Coming in an ultra-thin, lightweight box, I originally wasn’t even sure there was anything in it because of how light the laptop is. When picking it up and moving it around, the laptop felt more like an iPad or tablet in terms of thickness and weight. Measuring in at just 1.34cm (0.53 in) thick, the Asus Zenbook 14 was practically thinner than my fingertip, and while my current Macbook Air is thinner at 1.13cm (0.44 in), the Zenbook actually felt lighter and smaller thanks to the smooth casing.

While being sleek and stunning, the aluminum casing on the laptop does feel somewhat like plastic making for a seemingly cheap finish. You can pick up the laptop in a Zabriskie Beige, which we tested, or an Iceland Gray. Looking back, I would have opted for the Gray version instead as the beige somewhat resembles the color of recycled cardboard.

The keyboard is very low profile but still makes for satisfying key presses with large spaced-out buttons to prevent too much fat fingering when typing. You also get a large, smooth trackpad which has a range of alternative functions built into the edges such as increasing the volume and brightness.

You get a few ports on the Asus Zenbook A14, including one USB-A port, two USB-C ports, a HDMI port and an audio jack. While this is a decent amount of ports by modern laptop standards, it certainly wasn’t enough for me when plugging in peripherals such as a mouse, USB headset, extra monitors etc. I used a USB extender most of the time I used the laptop. I preferably would have had an extra USB-A port.

Design: 4 / 5

Asus Zenbook A14: Performance

Asus Zenbook A14 laptop with its lid closed resting on the ground

(Image credit: Future / Jasmine Mannan)

Generally, using the Asus Zenbook A14 has been a great experience and I’m actually disappointed that my review period with it is coming to an end. Right off the bat, having a laptop this lightweight is such a pleasure, I can take it anywhere with me and don’t have to think twice. Often I get frustrated taking my laptop on the go due to the weight and impending back pains but I didn’t feel that for a second with this device.

When actually booting up the Zenbook, the first thing I noticed was how beautiful the screen was. The OLED panel is beyond spectacular and watching movies or videos on this thing was great. Given how similar specifications for laptops can be nowadays, the main standout for me is when a device can deliver power as well as some flashy features, and the OLED screen does just that.

Asus Zenbook A14: Benchmarks - Laptops only

Here's how the Asus Zenbook A14 performed in our suite of benchmark tests:

3DMark: Night Raid: 16215; Fire Strike: 3606; Time Spy Extreme: 507

GeekBench 6: 2103 (single-core); 8793 (multi-core)

CrossMark: Overall: 913 Productivity: 764 Creativity: 1135 Responsiveness: 817

PCMark 10 Battery Life: 17h 16 min

TechRadar movie test: 22h 25 min

While the Asus Zenbook A14 didn’t deliver the best score in our Time Spy Extreme test, this device obviously isn’t made for gaming or high intensive processes. If you’re intending to complete pro level tasks on your laptop, like 4K video rendering, then this probably isn’t the laptop for you. I did attempt some editing on Photoshop while also being in a video call on Teams and the device didn’t stutter even for a second, which was a breath of fresh air from my Macbook Air which starts screeching if I open too many Chrome tabs at once.

Even when having a load of different programs open at once, or while putting the laptop through its paces during benchmarking, it stayed extremely quiet the whole time. At first I was worried it wasn’t cooling very efficiently but it stayed at a reasonable temperature while also being quiet enough for me to barely hear it - it's a great choice if you don’t want to disturb everyone around you while you use your laptop on a train or plane.

Performance: 5 / 5

Asus Zenbook A14: Battery life

One of the main selling points of the Asus Zenbook A14 is the battery life, with Asus claiming 32 hours of video playback on one charge and I have to say it definitely felt like I was able to stretch the battery out of this thing. Despite using it every day for work and then watching movies and videos on it in the evening, a single charge would last a couple of days easily.

In my PCMark 10 battery life test, I found that despite turning off the lighting on the keyboard, it would sometimes come back on periodically. I would then turn it back off with the tap of the F4 key, however this does make me believe that I probably could have gotten some more usage time out of the device had this not happened. My TechRadar movie test felt a bit more accurate thanks to the lighting staying off, coming in at over 22 hours.

While neither of these scores stack up to the promised 32 hours, when not using the laptop with constant video playback, it's clear that you’ll get your money’s worth out of the battery.

Battery: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Asus Zenbook A14?

Buy it if...

You want a long-lasting battery

You can comfortably use this laptop for days at a time without needing to charge it.

You need something portable

Weighing less than a Kilo, this laptop is perfect for taking on the go with you.

You want stunning visuals

The OLED panel is beyond beautiful, and makes watching movies and videos a great experience.

Don't buy it if...

You want a powerhouse of a machine

While you do get excellent performance here, this laptop is not designed for heavy duty usage like intensive gaming or video rendering.

You need a load of ports

There are some ports on the Zenbook A14, but there definitely aren’t enough here to power a whole set up without some USB extenders

You’re on a budget

While you do get the performance and features to back up the price here, the Asus Zenbook A14 is by no means cheap.

Also Consider

If our Asus Zenbook A14 review has you considering other options, here are two laptops to consider...

Apple Macbook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024)

If you’re on the hunt for a more powerful device that can handle more intensive tasks like video rendering or 3D animation then the Apple Macbook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) could be the one for you thanks to its meaty M4 Pro processor.

Read our full Apple Macbook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro, 2024) reviewView Deal

Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a device that can handle some pretty intense gaming, then the Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition is likely a better option. Hosting a AMD Radeon RX 7600S 8GB GPU.

Read our full Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition review

How I tested the Asus Zenbook A14

I spent two weeks using the Asus Zenbook A14, replacing my typical laptop for everyday usage. I used the laptop for productivity including work purposes as well as leisure and entertainment like watching videos and movies.On top of typical everyday usage, I benchmarked the laptop using a wide range of software such as 3DMark, Geekbench and PC Mark.

First reviewed Feb 2025

Dell XPS 13 (Intel Core Ultra 2nd Gen, 2025) review: still one of the best laptops money can buy
3:06 pm | February 18, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Gadgets Laptops Windows Laptops | Tags: | Comments: Off

Dell XPS 13: Two-minute review

The Dell XPS 13 pictured on a white surface in front of a window with two potted plants.

(Image credit: Future)

Dell's XPS 13 laptop line has been kicking about for quite a while now, and it's come a long way. The XPS brand debuted more than two decades ago, with the very first XPS laptop launching back in 2007; needless to say, the latest iteration of the Dell XPS 13 looks and feels far more modern, sharing very little DNA with that first XPS laptop, and it's (almost) flawless.

Sporting the same sleek design we saw in the 2024 Dell XPS 13 with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip, the new model basically takes everything that laptop did and does it better, thanks to new Lunar Lake processors from Intel. In our review model, that's the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, which delivers staggeringly good battery life and a general uptick in performance over the Snapdragon model.

When I say staggeringly good, I do mean staggeringly good – I'll get into the details later in this review, but in our video playback test the Lunar Lake XPS 13 clocked in just shy of 24 hours, beating most of the machines on our current list of the best laptops. In terms of general use, it can literally go for days without a charge if you're just doing basic tasks like word processing and answering emails. It feels like a giant middle finger from Dell and Intel to the MacBook Air's generational drops in battery life, and I'm so here for it.

The Dell XPS 13 pictured on a white surface in front of a window with two potted plants.

(Image credit: Future)

Performance-wise, things are a bit less impressive, but still basically excellent. The laptop ran smoothly no matter what I threw at it, and overall performance in my benchmarking tests exceeded that offered by the previous Snapdragon-powered XPS 13 – and many other laptops at this price point.

Speaking of price, I should probably clarify right now that this isn't a cheap laptop; our review unit is priced at $1,999.99 / £2,049 / AU$3,998.50, placing it squarely in 'premium ultrabook' territory. Still, it delivers great value for money when you look at the specs and performance, with an absolutely gorgeous OLED display

The only reason this isn't an immediate five-star review is the fact that Dell hasn't resolved some issues with the design that I've noticed in previous models, dating back to the 2023 Dell XPS 13 Plus. These are mainly related to usability and accessibility; while the design looks incredible, the edgeless touchpad and lack of physical Fn keys hurt the laptop's functionality a little, stopping it from achieving perfection.

Despite these niggling issues, the new XPS 13 is still an absolutely fantastic laptop that I'd happily use for the next five years or more – how do you feel about letting me keep this one, Dell?

Dell XPS 13: Price and availability

  • How much does it cost? Starts at $1,199.99 / £1,399 / AU$3,198.80
  • When is it available? Available now
  • Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

There are multiple configurations of the 2nd-gen Intel Core Ultra version of the XPS 13, with prices starting at $1,199.99 / £1,399 / AU$3,198.80 for the non-touchscreen model. In a strange twist, the Core Ultra 5 configuration is actually $50 more expensive in the US for no discernible reason; elsewhere, that's the cheapest model.

You'll likely at least want a touchscreen and a Core Ultra 7 processor to get the full experience from this laptop, which is what our review unit offers, and that model checks in at a cool $1,999.99 / £2,049 / AU$3,998.50 – certainly not inexpensive, but about par for the course for premium ultrabooks. It is notably more expensive than the latest M3 MacBook Air, which is almost a year old now – in other words, macOS fans likely won't be making the switch to Windows 11 based on this review.

The top-end configuration of the Dell XPS 13 will cost you $2,349.99 / £2,634 / AU$4,899.40, and offers an Intel Core Ultra 9 288V chip, 32GB of RAM, 2TB of SSD storage, and the same lovely 3K OLED touchscreen in my review model.

  • Price score: 4/5

Dell XPS 13: Specs

Dell XPS 13: Design

The Dell XPS 13 pictured on a white surface in front of a window with two potted plants.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Lightweight but sturdy
  • Looks fantastic
  • Still has some accessibility issues

Aesthetically speaking, Dell didn't need to change a thing for this new iteration of the XPS 13: it's still rocking the same sleek chassis as last year's model, combining a modern style with a robust traditional clamshell design in either Platinum (featured here) or Graphite colorways.

The screen is the star of the show here: my review unit has the top-spec 3K (2880 x 1800) InfinityEdge OLED touch display, and it's glorious. Colors are bright and vivid, contrast is deep, and picture quality is generally very sharp and detailed. Even in more demanding tests that battered the frame rate a bit (like 3DMark's Time Spy benchmark), it looked magnificent.

The keyboard feels great to type on, with a decent amount of key travel and a satisfying bounce despite the super-thin chassis (it measures just 1.48cm in total thickness), and the cool backlighting makes it easy to use in low-light conditions. Naturally, it features a dedicated Copilot key as well as a fingerprint scanner integrated into the power button.

Unfortunately, I have the aforementioned beef with aspects of the keyboard and touchpad layout. The touchpad is 'invisible', integrated edgelessly into the palm rest, and while it's very responsive, and the palm rejection works perfectly, the lack of tactile edges is actually a little irritating in practice. While testing the XPS 13, I would sometimes unknowingly slide my fingertip past the edge of the pad's sensor range and try to click, to no avail.

These frustrations continue with the function bar above the keyboard, which is actually an LED-backlit touch bar that can swap seamlessly between traditional Fn keys and media keys when you hold down the Fn button. While this is a clever (and rather visually satisfying) solution, the lack of physical feedback is annoying, and in brightly-lit conditions – like working outside on a sunny day – these backlit 'keys' become virtually impossible to actually see. It's annoying, and both of these problems pose accessibility issues for sight-impaired users; not being able to feel a button or the edge of the touchpad with your finger would make using this laptop extremely difficult for a blind or partially-sighted person, even with screen reader tools.

The Dell XPS 13 pictured on a white surface in front of a window with two potted plants.

(Image credit: Future)

The quad-array speakers and 1080p webcam are both very good – not the best I've ever seen, but perfectly capable of handling high-quality video calls and even playing music or videos out loud. I do generally recommend using a headset over integrated speakers when it comes to laptops (especially for gaming), but these do the job well. The webcam array also features an IR camera for facial recognition logins, although it lacks any sort of privacy shutter or kill switch, which would have been a nice inclusion for security-conscious users.

In terms of overall construction, this is one very sturdy laptop in spite of its thin-and-light design. The outer metal shell is scratch-resistant machined aluminum with a matte finish (though it does pick up fingerprints), and the internal plastic of the keyboard and palm rest feels durable too.

One downside to the overall design is the dearth of physical ports: you get two Thunderbolt 4 USB-Cs, and that's literally it. No USB-A, no Ethernet or video output (although those USB-C ports do support DisplayPort video), no microSD slot, not even a humble 3.5mm audio jack. I get it; USB-C is a great multipurpose connection standard, and this sort of port layout is increasingly common in modern ultrabooks, but if you need to use the laptop while it's plugged in, you're limited to just a single Thunderbolt port, which is a shame. Prepare to buy a USB-C hub if you're planning to connect a lot of devices to your XPS 13, basically.

  • Design score: 4/5

Dell XPS 13: Performance

  • Lunar Lake performs excellently
  • Copilot+ works as advertised

As expected, the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V in my XPS 13 review unit performs admirably, delivering strong performance in virtually every department, helped along by its hefty 32GB of DDR5 memory. It's truly mind-blowing to me how rapidly laptops have improved in the past decade. Speaking as someone who's been testing them for years, being able to play modern games on an ultralight compact laptop like this just feels unreal.

That said, this isn't a gaming laptop – though I'll discuss the graphical performance in a bit – so let's focus on what the XPS 13 is really for: everyday productivity. Across almost all of our synthetic benchmarks, it beats last year's Snapdragon X Elite model handily by a decent margin. Multi-core performance in Geekbench 6.4 was notably a bit weaker, but still good, while single-core performance was stronger.

Dell XPS 13 review: Benchmarks

Here's how the Dell XPS 13 (Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, 2024) performed in our suite of benchmark tests:
3DMark: Night Raid: 34,618; Fire Strike: 9,058; Time Spy: 4,407; Steel Nomad: 889
Cinebench R23: Multi-core: 8,494; Single-core: 1,874
Geekbench 6.4: Multicore: 11,001; Single-core: 2,716
Geekbench AI: Single Precision Score: 2,359; Half Precision Score: 1,217; Quantized Score: 4,811
PCMark 10: 6,827
Crossmark: Overall: 1,839; Productivity: 1,684; Creativity: 2,174; Responsiveness: 1,467
Sid Meier's Civilization VI: (1080p, Ultra): 65fps; (1080p, Low): 155fps
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 23 hours, 26 minutes

In any case, when it came to real-world use, I had zero problems. Opening 20 Chrome tabs and multitasking between them caused no slowdown, and the laptop boots up and wakes from sleep mode incredibly fast. General responsiveness and functionality were excellent. Dell's own pre-installed software is here, naturally, but it's mercifully quite unobtrusive – no bloatware here, besides the usual Windows 11 stuff.

Given that the Core Ultra 7 258V packs an Intel AI Boost neural processing unit (NPU), I put that to the test as well. In the Geekbench AI benchmark, it produced a quantized score of 4,811; a reasonable showing, but weak compared to a system with a discrete GPU for advanced AI processing. However, in practice, Windows Copilot worked quickly and effectively on the XPS 13.

The Dell XPS 13 handled everything I threw at it with relative calm, only spinning up its fans to any noticeable volume during the 3DMark rendering tests. In most tests, I heard barely a whisper from the fans, and general use was completely silent most of the time.

The Dell XPS 13 pictured on a white surface in front of a window with two potted plants.

(Image credit: Future)

Intel's focus on power efficiency and thermal performance for the 2nd-gen Core Ultra chips has clearly paid off. The laptop barely got warm throughout my entire testing process – opting for a rear exhaust vent rather than the underside vents I often see on ultrabooks was a wise move from Dell, as it means using the laptop on a soft surface (like a duvet, or your own thighs) won't block any heat output.

When it comes to gaming, it's surprisingly viable on the XPS 13: toss in features like Intel XeSS upscaling (or AMD's open-source FSR 3.1), and you can reasonably play the vast majority of PC games on this laptop, even modern titles – just be aware that you'll probably need to tweak down some of the graphical settings in order to get a decent frame rate. This certainly isn't one of the best gaming laptops, but it'll happily stand up to a bit of casual gaming when the workday is done.

The Dell XPS 13 pictured on a white surface in front of a window with two potted plants.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Performance score: 4.5/5

Dell XPS 13: Battery

You probably got this from me raving about the battery further up in this review, but wowzers. Yeah, never saying that again. Seriously though, the battery life on this thing is absurd, beating out virtually every other laptop I've tested. Dell promised 24-hour battery life, and I'll be damned if it didn't deliver.

Our battery test involves running a looped 1080p video clip with the laptop set to standard power efficiency mode in Windows 11, with Bluetooth off, the volume at zero, and brightness at 50%. Running on battery power, the XPS 13 shut down after 23 hours and 26 minutes of playback – if you were using it at minimum brightness with additional low-power modes enabled, you could probably stretch it even further.

Granted, this isn't indicative of everyday use; many people will want brightness set to maximum or Bluetooth turned on to support a mouse or headset (because, you know... not enough ports on this bad boy). Still, it's a phenomenal showing that batters most of the competition, and virtually guarantees that this laptop will see you through a full workday.

One thing I really value in a laptop battery is its ability to hold charge when turned off or in sleep mode, and the XPS 13 also excels in this area. After sitting on a desk for several days, unplugged and unused, I cracked it open and found it still had more than 50% battery. Thanks to Thunderbolt 4 power delivery, it also charges very fast, going from empty to 80%-plus in one hour when not in use.

  • Battery score: 5/5

Should you buy the Dell XPS 13?

Buy it if...

You need long battery life
If you want your laptop to last through a full day's work and then some (or you're just prone to forgetting your charger), then Dell has you covered.

You want something lightweight but powerful
With a thin chassis and low overall package weight, the XPS 13 is a compact powerhouse that doesn't skimp on performance for its lightweight design.

You want to use AI locally
Intel’s Lunar Lake chips bring boosted NPU performance against previous models, so anyone who wants an ultrabook capable of running on-device AI tools should consider the XPS 13.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a tight budget
Even though it backs up its price tag with excellent performance and a strong spec sheet, there's no denying that the Dell XPS 13 is a pricey piece of hardware.

You're sight-impaired
The edgeless touchpad and lack of tactile feedback on the function bar above the keyboard will prove to be a real issue for blind or partially-sighted users – this feels like a case of form over function.

You like plugging stuff in
Two USB-Cs, Dell? That's all we get? A measly showing for physical connectivity, something that won't bother some users but will really irritate others.

Also Consider

Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3)
The Apple MacBook Air 13-inch with M3 is one of the best compact laptops on the market, and its performance is top-notch too – the XPS 13 beats it in some areas, but if you prefer macOS to Windows, this is the one to pick.

Read our full Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3) review

Dell XPS 17 (9730)
If you want a powerful laptop but would prefer a larger display (and you're not overly concerned about portability), then the Dell XPS 17 is worth a look.

Read our full Dell XPS 17 (9730) review

How I tested the Asus Zenbook S 14

  • I used the Dell XPS 13 for a week, both for work and personal projects
  • I ran it through our full suite of benchmarks
  • I tested the battery using the TechRadar movie test as well as general use

As usual with laptops, my process for reviewing the Dell XPS 13 involved replacing my daily driver with it for a week (usually I'd like a little longer, but deadlines are deadlines). This helps me get a feel for how the laptop handles everyday workloads, as well as giving me a good amount of insight into the build quality and user experience.

Once I'd used the XPS 13 for a little while, I ran it through our grueling gauntlet of synthetic and real-world benchmarking tests, running every test at least three times to produce accurate averages.

Lastly, I always try to play some games on every laptop I review, and the XPS 13's performance genuinely surprised me – I was able to play Warframe and Elite Dangerous with few to no hiccups after a bit of tweaking in the graphical settings, although the demanding Black Myth: Wukong proved a bit much for the integrated graphics in this laptop.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed January 2025

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