In photography, we often want more light. It’s why people seek out larger sensors and wider apertures in their cameras and lenses – in order to capture a greater amount of light in a shorter space of time. That’s brilliant if you want a fast shutter speed to freeze the action – but what if you want to use a slower shutter speed, in order to capture the motion blur of a car racing past or turn a raging river into a smooth, silky ribbon of blue?
Achieving a slow shutter speed, particular on a sunny day, can be tricky – which is where ND filters like the PolarPro QuartzLine range come in. Available in a wide range of strengths, these circular filters screw onto the front of a camera lens and reduce light transference without affecting color rendition. At least, that’s the idea.
PolarPro sent me four ND filters to test, all in 67mm thread size (they’re also available in 77mm and 82mm), in ND8, ND16, ND64 and ND1000 strengths. The ND8 filter drops light input and increases exposure time by three stops; the ND16 four stops; the ND64 six stops; and the ND1000 filter 10 stops. Obviously, having a set like this in your camera bag would be handy if you want to cover every eventuality – but it’ll be mighty expensive too.
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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
Each filter comes with its own hinged hard carry case and microfiber cleaning cloth, emphasising their premium positioning. The cases are hard plastic, but have a fetching brushed metal finish and magnetic closure, and each is helpfully labelled with the thread size and ND value, to reduce the time it takes to pull out the right one from your bag.
The filters themselves are well crafted and beautifully solid, so it does at least feel like that money is going somewhere. Made of brass and aluminum (and with a distinctive brass-colored finish), they’re reassuring tough, with pleasingly chunky ridges that gave me plenty of grip whenever I was attaching or detaching them from my Panasonic Lumix GH6’s lens (I used a 62mm to 67mm step-up ring, also made by PolarPro, in order to do so).
The brass frame construction should keep the screw threads in good shape too, in theory – so these filters should be fitting smoothly for many, many years to come. I found them very easy to fit, but you’d expect that from new filters. They also feature front threads, allowing other filters and attachments to be fitted over them.
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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
The glass, dubbed Cinema Series Glass by PolarPro, is made in Germany. A series of coatings purportedly eliminate color shift (any sort of color cast being added by the filter), and PolarPro also claims its ultra-low refractivity keeps the effects of the light passing through so minimal that it can fully resolve sensors with up to 400MP resolution. The coatings add anti-scratch, anti-oil and hydrophobic qualities too.
My Lumix GH6’s sensor is just 25.2MP, so doesn’t really help in putting the refractivity claims to the test, but in terms of color shift I can say I’m impressed. Even the most powerful filter of the four I was testing, the ND1000, doesn’t add much of visible color cast to images – but when closely comparing test shots without the filters to those with, there is a slight warm tint visible in the filtered images.
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This photo was shot as a control, with no ND filter attached (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
PolarPro QuartzLine ND color cast comparisons
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Sample photo using the ND8 filter. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
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Sample photo using the ND16 filter. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
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Sample photo using the ND64 filter. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
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Sample photo using the ND1000 filter. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
I wouldn’t call this a huge drawback, particularly as I think anyone spending this much money on ND filters probably has some experience in post-processing and editing photos. It’s nothing that can’t easily be fixed in Lightroom or similar, and most observers wouldn’t even notice it unless they were looking, but it’s definitely present.
Using the filters, I was able to capture long exposures (10 seconds or more) on bright, sunny days by the sea. These photos smoothed out the motion of the waves and made the surface of the water more transparent to give my images a much more dream-like quality. They would have been completely impossible to take without an ND filter, as too much light would have entered the camera and blown out the image.
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This long exposure turned crashing waves into silky, smooth ribbons of motion. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
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Shot with no filter. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
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Shot using the ND1000 filter and converted to black and white in Lightroom. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
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A long, multi-second capture using the ND1000 filter smooths out the sea's surface and blurs the motion of a paddle boarder. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
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A second seascape, shot with no filter. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
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Here, the ND1000 filter was used to slow down the shutter speed for a multi-second capture. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
I was also able to use the filters to aid my videography by helping me to shoot video with a wider aperture (i.e. for a shallow depth of field) or slower shutter speed (for more motion blur). I did find this a little more challenging at points, as it involved swapping between filters a little too often – and it’s times like that when a variable ND (or VND) filter feels invaluable. These allow you to adjust ND strength by twisting the filter, offering a much more immediate solution. I’m also currently reviewing PolarPro’s own PMVND Edition II filter with a 2-5 stop range, so look out for an in-depth review of that soon.
While PolarPro QuartzLine ND filters are certainly expensive, I was thoroughly impressed by their premium construction, glass quality and general usability, and wouldn’t hesitate to use them in my own landscape photography and videography.
PolarPro QuartzLine ND filter: price and availability
In the US, PolarPro QuartzLine ND filters cost the same price, regardless of their thread size and filter strength at the PolarPro store. Whether you pick 67mm, 77mm or 82mm threads, or the ND8, ND16, ND64, ND1000 or ND100K strengths, every filter costs $99.99. Simple and, in my opinion, good value for money – particularly given that you also get a hard storage case and cleaning cloth with each filter.
In other countries, the price can vary a lot more. In the UK, for instance, the filters seem very expensive in comparison to US pricing, and thread size and ND value seemingly have little bearing on the cost – i.e. at Amazon UK, the larger thread sizes are sometimes cheaper than the smaller ones, where logic would dictate the opposite. It’s a slightly confusing situation, with some retailers offering decent discounts while others charge the full whack.
Should I buy the PolarPro QuartzLine ND filter?
(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
Buy it if...
You want an ND filter that’ll last you many years With its rugged construction, coated glass and included hard case, there’s no reason a QuartLine ND filter shouldn’t last you a lifetime of shooting.
You want minimal distortion and color cast I experienced no obvious ghosting or other distortion when using the filters, and only a tiny shift in color. It’s got great optical quality.
Don't buy it if...
You want a flexible filter for ever-changing conditions For video shooting especially, a variable ND filter that can be quickly adapted to different lighting conditions may make more sense.
You’re on a tight budget These are premium filters and the price reflects that. If you’re a beginner or on a budget, pick up some cheaper filters first to make sure they’re something you’ll use in your photography.
How I tested the PolarPro QuartzLine ND filter
One week of use
Tested with photography and video capture
Used with Panasonic Lumix GH6 camera
I tested these PolarPro QuartzLine ND filters over the course of a sunny summer's week by the sea in southern England – an ideal time and place to put this type of light-stopping filter through its paces. I tested four filters in the range, fitting them onto my Panasonic Lumix GH6 camera (with the help of a step-up ring) to capture both still photos and video, comparing the results against shots captured without the filter.
My first thought as soon as I took the InkPad Eo out of its packaging was, “Ooh, that’s different.” It’s physically unlike any PocketBook device I’ve tried before, with a premium and hefty build that it’s borrowed from Bigme – made possible after the Chinese brand became a co-owner.
This was a good move as the metal-bound chassis feels nice to hold and, despite an 8MP rear camera, there’s no bump, so it lies completely flat on a table. However, the use of metal edges and the camera could be what’s made the InkPad Eo heavier (at 470g) than some of its competition, like the Onyx Boox Go 10.3 (375g), and uncomfortable to hold for long sessions. I've tested other 10-inch E Ink writing tablets and most of them are more comfortable to hold than the InkPad Eo.
Other than its design, there’s just a couple of other positives I appreciate about the PocketBook InkPad Eo. One is the adoption of the global handwriting feature – aka the ability to write on third-party apps – which is not always supported in other epaper note-taking tablets and could well sway some potential buyers. The other is the color palette – while not as well optimized as the Kobo Colour Libra's screen, book covers on the InkPad Eo look lovely in color. However, this has not quite translated to the ink colors when writing or drawing and those look far more washed out.
(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
And that's where my positives for this device stop. While I commend the attempt at giving the Onyx Boox devices competition, the Eo is unable to hold its own in other areas.
For starters, it’s very easy to lose the stylus as it doesn’t secure magnetically to the side of the tablet itself. Moreover, the eraser on the top of the pen doesn’t quite behave as expected – it’s more a selector, and the erasing happens after you’ve selected something in the notes app. It’s not a massive lag, but I much prefer the way the Kindle Scribe’s Premium Pen or the Kobo Stylus 2 behaves – erasing as you move along the writing (or drawing), much like an actual pencil eraser would do. Even the reMarkable’s Marker and the Boox pens erase in real time.
The camera, despite being a nice touch, isn’t worth having at all. It doesn’t actually ‘scan’ a document as your phone might do – instead it takes a photo. And the quality of the image isn’t great either, much like the Onyx Boox Palma 2.
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(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
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(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
The one thing you expect to do easily with any ereader is transfer files, but even that basic task was frustrating with the InkPad Eo. While there’s Dropbox support (and I’m not a user of this cloud service), there’s no cable transfer possible from a MacBook (I’m not a Windows user either). All possible solutions recommended by PocketBook that I found online to move ebooks to the library application didn’t work and I had to resort to using a microSD card instead. That worked well, along with allowing me to add custom fonts, and a restart enabled the latter easily enough. Even Boox devices don’t have Apple support, but it’s still a lot easier to transfer files without resorting to using a microSD card, and that's thanks to BooxDrop and Google Drive support.
It’s also not easy to check if a file import (in my case via the microSD card) has been successfully completed on the InkPad Eo. There’s no progress bar and the files don’t uncheck when the import is done. Strangely, there is a greyed-out Import button with a check mark, but it’s barely visible.
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(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
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(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
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(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Even ghosting is a massive issue. Nearly every app and every page turn results in a light overlay of the previous screen, which can get distracting after a while because you keep expecting it to happen. And that’s despite PocketBook adopting the multiple refresh rate options that Boox devices also have, and yet the latter does it better. I found that the best refresh rate setting to successfully minimize ghosting on the Inkpad Eo is the Regal option, but the only way to select that is to choose Custom Mode, otherwise it’s greyed out. It’s a simple thing and should be available as one of the default options.
The InkPad Eo is the first epaper writing tablet from PocketBook that I’ve tested, but the user interface was instantly familiar. It’s like a love child of reMarkable and Boox, inheriting more from the latter. And, of course, that means the Eo struggles with similar issues that I’ve previously complained about with Boox. The interface is clunky and not very streamlined, with important submenus tucked away when they should be easier to access.
I’m also not too chuffed about a tablet released in April 2025 running Android 11. That’s outdated now and, even though I don’t expect security to be an issue on a device like an E Ink note-taking tablet, surely it’s time to move on – even Boox has adopted Android 13.
(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
There are a whole lot of other little bugs which can be fixed via a firmware update, but are, at present, rather annoying. For example, tapping on the Home icon doesn’t take you to a home screen at all – it just refreshes the screen you’re already on or takes you to the home page of the app you were using.
Another example is that even though PocketBook has thought about adding a Night and Bedtime frontlight setting, they’re both very bright by default and require manual adjusting anyway. So having those presets was of no use, at least to me who prefers dim screen light when reading at night.
Long story short, PocketBook needs to do better. The InkPad Eo has the makings of a good epaper writing tablet but, as it is now, it’s hard to recommend when there are other brands that do a far superior job at the same or lower price.
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(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
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(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
PocketBook InkPad Eo review: specs
Display type:
E Ink Kaleido 3
Screen size:
10.3 inches
Screen resolution:
300ppi grayscale; 150ppi color
Processor:
Mediatek MT8768 (octa core 2.3GHz)
Frontlight:
Yes (SMARTlight)
Storage:
64GB (expandable via microSD)
Battery:
4,000mAh
Speaker:
Yes (stereo)
Water protection:
None
Software:
Android 11
Connectivity:
USB-C, Wi-Fi (dual band), Bluetooth 5.0
File support:
14 document, 3 image, 2 audio
Dimensions:
226 х 191 х 7 mm
Weight:
470g
PocketBook InkPad Eo review: price & availability
Announced March 2025
Available now in North America and Europe from authorized sellers
List price: $550 / £449 (about AU$850)
The PocketBook InkPad Eo was announced at the end of March 2025 and has been available to buy in select markets from third-party sellers since April. With a price tag of $550 / £449 (about AU$850), it’s an expensive E Ink note-taking tablet, but then so is the Bigme InkNoteX from which it takes its cues, as are other color 10-inch E Ink writing tablets.
For example, the reMarkable Paper Pro will set you back $579 / £559 / AU$929 at the very least. For that kind of money, you’re getting a much better device too – an e-paper screen that displays color better and a very streamlined, minimal user interface. That said, it’s not the best for using as an ereader as well – its sole purpose is to be a writing tablet.
While we haven’t tested the Boox Note Air4 C, we’ve liked the previous generations and, for a color e-note taker of the same size as the InkPad Eo, with the same screen tech and very similar UX, it could be the better buy at $529.99 / AU$874 (ships to the UK via the EU warehouse for about £465).
PocketBook devices aren’t officially available in Australia, but imports are listed on Amazon AU and eBay, but at high markups.
Should I buy the PocketBook InkPad Eo?
Buy it if...
Global handwriting is an important feature you need
Not all epaper writing tablets support handwriting in third-party apps. In fact, it's pretty rare. But PocketBook has enabled it on the InkPad Eo, which gives it a major edge over the competition.
You're a PocketBook or Bigme loyalist
There's no denying that PocketBook or Bigme fans will appreciate this tablet – it's well made and inherts Bigme's global handwriting feature. For everyone else, it might be worth looking elsewhere for an alternative.
Don't buy it if...
You don't have the patience to deal with bugs
There's a heck of a lot that's not executed well with the PocketBook InkPad Eo, and it's more than just bugs. If things like ghosting and a clunky interface are going to annoy you, you're better off spending your money elsewhere.
You want value for money
For what it offers, the InkPad Eo is expensive. You'll find far more value for money by opting for a similar tablet from another brand. And if it's an Android one you're after, the Boox devices should be top of your list.
Also consider
Onyx Boox Go 10.3
It looks lovely and it's arguably the thinnest and lightest 10-inch E Ink writing tablet I've used. It doesn't have a color display, but its feature packed and runs Android 12. It's my pick for being the best E Ink writing tablet as its more versatile than the reMarkable 2. Read my in-depth Onyx Boox Go 10.3 review for more information.
reMarkable Paper Pro
If money is no object and you want a color epaper writing tablet, there's none better than the reMarkable Paper Pro. Instead of using the standard E Ink Kaleido 3 screen tech, it uses a customized version of the Gallery 3 display, so colors are more saturated in comparison. And as a reMarkable, it's a creator's tablet through and through. Read our full reMarkable Paper Pro reviewto learn more.
How I tested the PocketBook InkPad Eo
Used every day for three weeks as ereader and note taker
Downloaded a few Android apps, including Kindle and Kobo for reading
Listened to some audiobooks and music files to test speaker quality
(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
I've tested about 30 ereaders in the last eight years, so I've developed a routine when I begin a new review. First, I connect to Wi-Fi to set up the device, then immediately see if I can transfer some ebooks and comic files for testing. And if it's a note-taking tablet like the PocketBook InkPad Eo, I start a new notebook called Scribbles where I test writing, drawing and handwriting recognition.
I did all this for the InkPad Eo, then also signed into the Google Play Store to download some other apps, including some benchmarking ones as I'm always curious to see how the processor performs.
I spent about 30 hours over a period of three weeks reading ebooks, and took all my work-related notes on the InkPad Eo. This gave me plenty of experience with the workings of the tablet. I also tried out the rear camera a few times, plus tested all the refresh rate options and various settings.
Given my experience with different brands of ereaders and E Ink writing tablets, I was able to compare the InkPad Eo as objectively as possible with the competition from Onyx Boox, Kindle, Kobo and reMarkable.
Ironheart is an underdog in every sense of the word.
Despite man-of-the-moment Ryan Coogler's involvement, the final TV show of the Marvel Phase 5 era was mostly written off well ahead of release; few other live-action Marvel TV projects have faced an uphill battle to convince Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) devotees and casual fans alike to watch it.
Write off Coogler, the comic giant, and the series' titular hero at your peril, though, because Ironheart is an impressive Disney+ TV Original that largely hits its marks. Yes, it falls into the perennial traps that other small-screen MCU projects have, but after watching all six episodes I was pleasantly surprised by its style, energy, and emotionally impactful story that explores themes around family and flawed heroes.
Tech check
Ironheart reintroduces us to Riri Williams, who made her MCU debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)
Set days after Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, i.e., the MCU movie in which Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) made her live-action debut in, Ironheart opens with the eponymous character returning to her hometown of Chicago. The reason? She's kicked out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for selling completed assignments to other students to fund development of her Iron Man-inspired super-suit.
Financially broke and suit-less – after the self-made prototype suit, which she steals from MIT, malfunctions on the flight home – Riri soon crosses paths with Parker Robbins/The Hood (Anthony Ramos). The mysterious, magical cloak-wearing leader of a street gang, Robbins preys on Riri's ambition to build a new, souped-up suit by saying he'll fund her creation in exchange for helping his crew conduct heists.
Ironheart occasionally paints Riri as an anti-hero in the vein of Breaking Bad's Walter White
Central to Ironheart's story is the internal struggle Riri continually wrestles with. At her core, she's a good person – indeed, due to a deeply traumatic event that occurred years prior, Riri wants to "revolutionize safety" by creating a suit that can be used by first responders and other emergency services personnel.
After she's kicked out of MIT, Riri builds a new suit at her Chicago-based childhood home (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)
It's that philanthropic nature, among other things, that draws parallels with a certain Tony Stark, whose ghost looms large over yet another MCU project. However, given their comic book ties – Stark is a long-time mentor of Riri's in Marvel literature – Stark's posthumous influence is more valid here than in prior MCU productions, even if the namedropping is occasionally incessant.
That said, while Riri wants to build on Stark's legacy and make something "iconic", her unwavering ambition and Stark-sized ego occasionally paints her as an anti-hero in the vein of Breaking Bad's Walter White or, in more familiar MCU terms, Frank Castle/The Punisher and Loki. Riri's a more complicated and naïve hero than we're used to seeing, and that make the decisions she makes, and the consequences spawned by her actions, all the more fascinating.
Fight off your demons
Ironheart does a much better job of examining post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and panic attacks than Iron Man 3 did (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)
The dichotomy at the heart of Riri's story is further heightened by the moral complexities and grief born out of the loss of her stepdad Gary (LaRoyce Hawkins) and best friend Natalie (Lyric Ross) in a random act of gun violence.
This excruciatingly painful event is not just a driving force behind Riri's ambition to make the world a safer place, but also a moment she refuses to confront. Such a deep-seated mental and emotional scar is a breeding ground for PTSD and panic attacks, which here are handled with greater precision, creative flair, and sensitivity than Stark's post-Avengers mental health problems were in Iron Man 3.
In Thorne, Ironheart has a talented lead with the swagger, emotional nuance, and comedic timing – despite its melodrama, occasional toe dips into horror, and suspense-filled Ant-Man-like heisting, Ironheart is a surprisingly funny show – to bring all aspects of its protagonist to life, too.
Thorne has the swagger, emotional nuance, and comedic timing to bring all aspects of Ironheart's protagonist to life
The scene-stealing Ross, who plays Natalie in flashbacks and also portrays N.A.T.A.L.I.E – an AI construct like Iron Man's J.A.R.V.I.S. and F.R.I.D.A.Y, and Black Panther's Griot, who Riri inadvertently creates – helps to bring a playful and squabbling relatability to the dynamic Riri shares with both characters. The pair's natural rapport is evident from the outset and, while the way in which N.A.T.A.L.I.E helps to strip away Riri's metaphorical armor to allow the latter to process her grief is a little on the nose thematically, it's a 'bestie' dynamic that's full of real heart.
Dancing with the devil
Anthony Ramos' Parker Robbins/The Hood is Ironheart's primary antagonist (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)
Ross, Riri's concerned and warm-hearted mom Ronnie Williams (Anji White) and Natalie's brother Xavier (Matthew Elam) notwithstanding, Thorne shares the most screentime with Ramos' The Hood, whose introduction is not only novel in its execution, but also happens very early on.
Some Marvel TV shows are guilty of prolonging their narrative setup, but Ironheart gets to the crux of its primary plot within the first 30 minutes of its premiere. That might seem quick, but I can fully get behind a story that tackles its meatier content sooner rather than later – and which still maintains an air of mystery despite its fast-paced nature.
Ironheart follows in most MCU TV series' footsteps by rushing through its finale
This doesn't mean Ironheart's narrative structure is consistent in its quality. Some episodes feel hurried and, by proxy, don't spend enough time reflecting on character choices or fleshing out certain plot threads. It also follows in most MCU TV series' footsteps by rushing through its finale that, spoilers notwithstanding, sets up a possible sequel season and teases wider implications for the MCU via the arrival of a character MCU fans have waited years for.
Some MCU fans think they know who Alden Ehrenreich is really playing in Ironheart (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)
Ironheart has a semi-regular issue with its villains, too. Fans were full of praise for Ramos' take on The Hood when the show's first full clip was released online, but he feels a little underdeveloped in Ironheart's first half. It's not until the series' second three-episode batch that he's fully realized as a menacing antagonist through his powerset, and positioned as a sympathetic villain via his backstory. In certain lighting, his magic-infused cloak is a tad garish, too, but I suspect that's intentional.
Joe McGillicuddy (Alden Ehrenreich) falls into a similar category. A fascinating mix of bumbling and unhinged with his own tragic past, Joe bonds with Riri over their shared technical expertise and grief until their budding camaraderie is shattered by events midway through Ironheart's six-episode run. The fallout creates another conflicted antagonist for Riri to deal with but, while Ehrenreich does a fantastic job of capturing Joe's betrayal of trust and emotional turbulence, his evolution from timid ally to complicated foe happens too quickly for my liking.
Ironheart satisfyingly blurs the lines between the magic versus technology-led storyline we've been sold
Still, Joe's transformation, along with Riri's magic-based suit upgrade and other references to the MCU's mystical elements (there are as many ties to Doctor Strange as there are to Iron Man here), satisfyingly blur the lines between the magic-versus-technology storyline we've been sold. Yes, Ironheart pits these diametrically opposed forces against each other, but also acts as a collision point where they can come together and create something wholly unique for the MCU.
What's more common is the at-times clunky and stifled dialog, which some fans pointed out in Ironheart's first trailer and isn't aided by hard cuts between specific scenes, particularly in early episodes.
It's also another Marvel production that refuses to explain certain things with enough intent. Sure, the MCU is a franchise where superpowered beings run riot and parallel universes exist among other things, but I don't think I'm asking for much by wanting a bit more story exposition, especially for viewers who haven't seen Black Panther 2. I guess my Wakanda Forever ending explainer will have to do!
It isn't the best Marvel TV Original, but I suspect Ironheart will prove a lot of people wrong. It'll be a tough ask to win round anyone who's already dismissed it but, if it does so through mine and other critics' reviews, plus positive word of mouth, then Coogler, showrunner Chinaka Hodge, and the rest of its chief creative team might have built something iconic for Riri Williams after all.
Ironheart episodes 1 to 3 are out now on Disney+. Read my Ironheart release schedule article to see when its final three episodes will be released.
I’ve always had one big complaint about many of the best gaming desks: namely, the fact that they’re all so big. It seems that most brands assume that if you’re willing to splash out for a premium product, it means that you’re likely to have a lot of room to put it in. That leaves those of us with smaller gaming setups and no room for the likes of the Secretlab Magnus or Cooler Master GD160 ARGB in a bit of an awkward spot.
Enter Corsair, with the Corsair Platform:4. The smaller sibling of the gargantuan Corsair Platform:6, the Platform:4 has a desktop that comes in at a comparatively tiny 40 x 30 inches / 120 x 76 cm. It easily fits in the small corner where I keep my desk and, despite the smaller size, doesn't skimp on build quality and is absolutely overflowing with features.
It comes in three attractive colorways: a sleek Black with a laminate desk surface or, if you’re willing to pay more for the more premium wood variant, Light Pine Stain or Dark Walnut Stain options. As someone with mostly white PC peripherals, a blue gaming chair, and light color walls, the Light Pine Stain matches my setup perfectly and is a refreshing departure from the darker aesthetics of most gaming desks.
The desk comes bundled with a modular T-channel metal rail system that is mounted across the top of the desk and supports the mounting of accessories like microphones and storage cubbies. You also get a VESA monitor arm, which attaches to the rail and frees up some room on the desktop that would otherwise be occupied by your monitor stand - definitely appreciated when you’re working with limited space.
(Image credit: Future)
Considering the high price of the Corsair Platform:4, you’re paying a hefty premium for this rail system, though, so make sure that it’s something that you’re actually going to use before making your purchase. The desk is fully functional without it attached, but there are significantly cheaper options out there (especially if you expand your search to some of the best office desks) if you don’t like using monitor arms.
Placing a monitor directly on the desk will also block access to the built-in storage cubby. It’s a little small, with only room for a few small accessories or knick-knacks, but it does have handy integrated USB ports for charging your devices. Under the desk, you can mount a cable management tray, which is fantastic for keeping things tidy or storing little accessories. There’s ample space in it, which is ideal for holding power bricks or stashing extra cables that you don’t want to lose.
I tested the more expensive Elevate version of the Corsair Platform:4, which comes with motorised adjustable legs. I appreciate how the control panel can be mounted on either side of the desktop, but raising and lowering the desk can be a tad fiddly. It feels just a little unresponsive, and sometimes comes to a stop without warning. This isn’t too unusual for electric standing desks, which tend to move very cautiously to avoid trapping cables (or worse, limbs) in their mechanisms, but is still worth bearing in mind.
Even so, it’s easy to recommend the Corsair Platform:4 if you have the budget. It's small, stylish, constructed from quality materials, and doesn't skimp on features.
Corsair Platform:4: Price and availability
Corsair Platform:4 starts at $699.99 / £799.99 / around AU$1,600
Corsair Platform:4 Elevate starts at $899.99 / £999.99 / around AU$2,000
On the premium end of the market
There's no getting around the fact that the Corsair Platform:4 is an expensive gaming desk. It starts at $699.99 / £799.99 for the basic Black laminate version. The wooden variant is then $799.99 / £899.99 and comes in either Light Pine Stain or Dark Walnut Stain.
The Corsair Platform:4 Elevate, the standing desk version, is more expensive still, starting at $899.99 / £999.99 for the Black Laminate or $999.99 / £1009.99 for wood.
This puts it right at the top of the premium end of the market and makes the wooden version even more expensive than the likes of the $949 / £829 Secretlab Magnus Pro XL, which is a considerably larger desk but offers a similar adjustment mechanism and plenty of accessories.
When there are many cheaper standing desk options out there, like the $340 / £360 / AU$420 Flexispot E7, this is only one to consider if you have a hefty budget and want unique features like the rail system.
Corsair Platform:4: Specs
Price
$699.99 / £799.99 or $899.99 / £999.99 (Elevate)
Height
29in / 74cm (up to 48in / 122cm Elevate)
Load capacity
330lbs / 150kg
Material
Steel, laminate / birchwood
Dimensions (with D-board)
29in / 74cm x 47in / 120cm x 30in / 76cm
Noise level
~50db
Corsair Platform:4: Design and features
Lengthy assembly
Looks and feels premium
Plenty of customization
Given the inclusion of the rail system and many accessories, the assembly of the Corsair Platform:4 took a fair chunk longer than I’m used to. It comes well-packaged in just one massive box, with everything clearly labelled, but the added parts of the rail system and monitor arm will add on time, even for experienced gaming furniture assemblers like me.
I also had to rely on an extra pair of hands for some key steps, namely flipping the desk once the legs had been attached. With the thick wooden desktop and solid steel legs, this is a particularly heavy desk, and for safety, I would not recommend attempting to lift it solo.
I was disappointed to find that my Corsair Platform:4 also didn’t include any printed instructions. You can find a manual on the Corsair website, though it doubles as the instruction manual for the Corsair Platform:6 as well. They’re very similar products, but it does still mean that certain steps don’t apply to the Corsair Platform:4.
To give you an example, one asked me to locate some text on each leg that tells which side they need to be mounted. I looked all over for these for about 15 minutes before an internet search eventually revealed that only the Corsair Platform:6 seems to have these labels. This isn’t the end of the world, but it stings at such a high price point. If I’m paying close to $1,000 / £1,000 for a desk, clear instructions are a bare minimum.
With everything built, it’s easy to forget all this as you appreciate the meticulous quality of everything here. The legs are like steel tree trunks, with massive bases that effectively anchor it to your floor and keep wobble to an absolute minimum. The desktop, in my case, wooden, is thick and smooth with a lovely pattern and even a subtly embossed Corsair logo in one corner.
The desk cubby is small, but quite handy thanks to its USB charging capabilities. I use mine to store my PC webcam and a few other small accessories, which would otherwise be left littered around my desk, and occasionally plug my phone or DualSense Wireless Controller in using the ports down there for a bit more juice.
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(Image credit: Future)
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(Image credit: Future)
The rail system is a bit bigger than I was expecting, but still surprisingly useful. I’ve never been a huge fan of VESA monitor arms, mainly because they’re tricky to secure properly to your desk and tend to add lots of awkward adjustments, but the one included here is rock solid.
I use a dinky 23.8-inch Lenovo monitor, much to my colleague Rob’s amusement, and it holds in place securely. Even an ultrawide model should also pose no issue according to Corsair, though bear in mind that the arm has a 27lbs / 12.2kg weight limit.
The monitor arm can be mounted at any point along the rail, which opens up loads of customization possibilities. As I only use one display, I have mine mounted in the middle at eye-level, but those with dual monitor setups could easily slide the mounted monitor off to one side or raise the arm to give it some extra vertical height.
If you’re looking for some more ways to use the rail, you also get a small plastic tray that can be mounted to it in the box. I didn’t use this, but it could be handy if you want to really maximise your storage space.
The Corsair Platform:4 is compatible with a wide range of modular accessories, too, with options to mount everything from microphones, webcams, studio lighting, a pegboard, and more. None of these are particularly cheap, but the rail will also fit standard t-nuts, so you can basically bolt whatever you want to it if you’re handy enough.
If you’re particularly DIY minded or a content creator willing to invest in creating the perfect setup, this alone could make splashing out for the Corsair Platform:4 worthwhile.
As I previously mentioned, I tested the Corsair Platform:4 Elevate - which comes with an electric height mechanism. You can save two presets or adjust the height on the fly between 29 - 48 inches / 74cm to 122cm. A handy LCD display alerts you to your current height and makes it easier to save exact presets.
(Image credit: Future)
Corsair Platform:4: Performance
Loads of cable management options
Rail system works well
Nice and compact size, friendly for smaller setups
I can’t complain about the performance of the Corsair Platform:4, as it’s exceptional across the board. Despite the compact overall size, the thick legs make this one of the most stable desks that I’ve ever tested, and the combination of metal and wood lends everything a luxurious feel. There are plastic elements here, but they’re kept to a tasteful minimum, so the whole thing looks absolutely fantastic and befitting of the price.
Even the rail system works brilliantly, holding my monitor in place very securely. Having the monitor mounted means that there’s much more space for my PC peripherals and my usual assortment of scattered documents, testing samples, and so on. This might be a small desk, but it punches well above its weight when it comes to just how much you can cram on it.
I absolutely despise cable management, especially given how much I have to plug in and out of my PC on a regular basis. Seriously, just try swapping between four different gaming microphones in a week without it quickly becoming a complete mess. I could still appreciate the wire management tray, though, which kept the most important cables firmly in one place.
(Image credit: Future)
Given the focus on accessories here, you do get a lot of spare bolts and tools that you will likely want to hang on to for upgrades down the line. I found that these all easily fit neatly into the wire management tray in one small box, which should hopefully reduce the chance of losing them.
The built-in storage cubby is also a practical addition, with a modest but still useful amount of space. You can also use it to run cables up to your desktop, with multiple slots for them to go in and out.
Although I mainly use my desk seated at a static height, I nevertheless also endeavoured to test the standing functionality of the Corsair Platform:4 Elevate frequently. Raising and lowering the desk is relatively quiet, but it does occasionally stop in the process. A quick tap of the button gets things moving again, but I could see this becoming frustrating if you intend to swap between standing and sitting throughout the day.
(Image credit: Future)
Should you buy the Corsair Platform:4?
Buy it if...
You want a premium gaming desk, but don’t have much space There are few high-end gaming desks that are comparable in size to the Corsair Platform:4. If you’re willing to spend a lot but don’t have the room for something massive, it’s definitely worth picking up.
You’re sick of boring designs While most gaming desks are a boring black or dark brown, the Corsair Platform:4 also comes in a charming Light Pine Stain. With its white legs and rail, it looks stunning if you have a more colorful setup.
You’re a content creator The innovative rail system of the Corsair Platform:4 is perfect for content creators, with the ability to fit everything from your monitor to a microphone arm, studio lighting, and even your webcam.View Deal
Don't buy it if...
You don’t want the rail The rail system here is very useful and goes a long way to justifying the desk’s high price, but if you don’t intend to use it, you are undeniably better off with cheaper alternatives.View Deal
Also consider
Not keen on the Corsair Platform:4? Here’s one cheaper standing desk to consider and a larger, but similarly premium, gaming desk option.
Corsair Platform:4
Flexispot E7
Secretlab Magnus Pro
Price
$699.99 / £799.99 / around AU$1,600 or $899.99 / £999.99 (Elevate) / around AU$2,000
$340 / £360 / AU$420
$799 / £770
Height
29in / 74cm (up to 48in / 122cm Elevate)
22.8-48.4in / 58-123cm
25.6-49.2in / 65-125cm
Load capacity
330 lbs / 150kg
275lbs / 125kg
264.6lbs / 120kg
Material
Steel, laminate / birchwood
Steel
Steel, wood fiberboard
Dimensions
29in / 74cm x 47in / 120cm x 30in / 76cm
43.3-74.8 x 26.7 x 22.8-48.4in / 110-190 x 68 x 58-123cm
59.1 x 27.6 x 25.6-49.2in / 150 x 70 x 65-125cm
Noise level
~50db
N/A
N/A
Also consider the Flexispot E7 If you want something similar to the Corsair Platform:4 that doesn’t break the bank, consider the Flexispot E7. It’s not a gaming desk, but it still performs excellently and comes in a wide range of color options.
Also consider the Secretlab Magnus Pro If you have the space for something larger, then the Secretlab Magnus Pro should be on your radar. It’s a bit cheaper than the Corsair Platform:4, but it still boasts a lot of features that make it fantastic for gaming.
I used the Corsair Platform:4 as my main desk for well over a month. In that time, I played a huge variety of games on both my gaming PC and Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S while sitting at it. I was careful to use lots of the desk’s features, including its rail system, and experiment with the included accessories. I also worked from the desk daily, spending multiple hours sitting at it at a time.
Throughout my time with the Corsair: Platform 4, I compared my experience to my hands-on testing of other desks and other gaming furniture items.
This article is part of TechRadar's Smart Home Week 2025. From lighting and switches to robot vacuums and smart thermostats, we're here to help you pick the right devices to make your life easier, and get the most out of them.
The main function of the Philips Hue Dimmer Switch, as its name suggests, is to adjust the brightness of your Philips Hue lights without the need to use a mobile app or smart speaker command. However, it can also do a lot more thanks to its customizable buttons (particularly those above and below the main dimmer control).
It's not quite as flexible as the Philips Hue Tap Dial Switch, but it puts scenes and time-based controls at your fingertips, and is one of the best smart switches for your home lighting setup.
Setting up the switch is a piece of cake. Like almost all Philips Hue accessories, it has a QR code printed on the back, which you scan using the Hue app to identify the device. You'll then be instructed to hold the top button for three seconds until the status light on the switch blinks orange, and within a few moments the switch will be added to your home.
Once that's done, you'll be asked which lights you want the remote to control. Signify (the company behind Philips Hue) recently added a new feature that prompts you to create a room or zone when adding an accessory if you haven't done so already, which prevents an issue where some users found themselves unable to use all of the switch or sensor's features later on.
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Scan the QR code on the back of the Philips Hue Dimmer Switch to add it to the app (Image credit: Future)
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Once the Dimmer Switch is assigned to a light, a zone, or a room, you can configure what each of its buttons does (Image credit: Future)
With that done, it's time to configure the buttons. The brighten/dim controls can really only be used for that purpose, which is what differentiates the Dimmer Switch from the Tap Dial. However, you have a lot more choice when it comes to the top 'power' button and the 'Hue' button at the bottom.
As standard, the top button lets you turn your selected lights on or off, but you can choose different settings depending on the time of day. For example, you might want your lights to turn on fully during the day, but have them come on at a lower brightness level at night to avoid jarring you or your partner awake.
(Image credit: Future)
The bottom button cycles through a set of scenes. The default option includes a selection of different light temperature and brightness settings, but you can choose any scenes you like – either presets from the gallery, or custom-made. You can also decide the order in which your favorites should appear as you tap the Hue button to scroll through them.
It's all very simple to configure, and once it's set up, all members of your household will be able to access use and settings with a familiar physical control. Smart lighting just got a lot more accessible.
The Dimmer Switch is lightweight and comfortable to hold, with buttons that give a pleasingly tactile click when pressed (Image credit: Future)
Philips Hue Dimmer Switch: price and availability
One of the cheaper Philips Hue smart switches
Available globally from Philips Hue and third-party retailers
Often sold at a discount or as part of a bundle
The Philips Hue Dimmer Switch is widely available, and can be bought direct from the Philips Hue store, or from third-party retailers.
The Dimmer Switch is one of the cheaper controllers in the Philips Hue range, with a list price of $27.99 / £19.99 / AU$39.95. For comparison. the Philips Hue Smart Button (which can perform just one function when pressed and another when held) costs $32.99 / £19.99 / AU$49.95, and the four-button Philips Hue Tap Switch Mini is $49.99 / £44.99 / AU$79.95.
The Dimmer Switch is often available at a discount, and is frequently included in bundles with the Philips Hue Bridge and a selection of smart light bulbs. You'll find all of today's best offers below.
Philips Hue Dimmer Switch: design
Can be used as a remote or mounted on a wall
Lightweight and comfortable to hold
Can be mounted with screws or no-drill options
Only available in white
The Philips Hue Dimmer Switch is a lightweight rectangular device that can be used as a handheld remote, or attached to a backing plate for use like a regular light switch. It's held on the plate with a magnet, so you can easily remove it if you want to control your lights from your sofa.
The plate offers a choice of mounting options: there are holes in the back so you can attach it to the wall using screws (not supplied), it has two strips of strong 3M tape so you can stick it up in seconds, and it's magnetic if you want to attach it to your fridge (for example). I used the adhesive tape to attach it to the wall near my blinds and it didn't budge, even when knocked.
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The 3M tape strips hold the switch firmly in place (Image credit: Future)
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You can also attach the switch's backing plate to a wall using screws (Image credit: Future)
The buttons have a pleasing click when pressed, and the handheld device weighs just 70g, including the button cell battery that's preinstalled.
My only criticism of the design, and it's a small one, is that the Philips Hue Dimmer Switch is only available in white. Many other Philips Hue accessories are also available in black, so it's a shame not to have that as an option.
Philips Hue Dimmer Switch: also consider
Philips Hue Tap Dial Switch
If you want more flexibility, this circular switch offers four programmable buttons, plus a customizable dial that you can use to dim your lights, or adjust their color. Like the Dimmer Switch, it can be wall-mounted or used as a handheld remote control.
Smart lighting controls don't come much simpler than this: a single customizable switch that can perform your favorite function with a press. The most obvious use is to switch your lights on and off, but why not get creative in the app? Note that Signify has recently redesigned the Smart Button, making it larger and more angular, but retaining the same functions as the original model.
You live in a household with others If your family or housemates aren't quite as tech-savvy as you, this switch will let them use your Hue setup's different lighting settings with a familiar physical control.
You don't want to replace your existing switches Some smart switches (such as the TP-Link Tapo Smart Switch) are designed to be hard-wired into your home. This has its advantages, but the Philips Hue Dimmer Switch gives you a lot more options when it comes to placement, and there's no DIY necessary.
Don't buy it if
You only want to turn your lights on and off
The Philips Hue Smart Button is a simpler option if you don't need four customizable controls, and can often be found for a lower price than the Dimmer Switch.
You're on a tight budget
This is relatively cheap for a Philips Hue accessory, but if you really want to keep costs down then you can pick up a simple Zigbee smart switch that will work with your lights (though it won't be as customizable).
How I tested the Philips Hue Dimmer Switch
I connected the Philips Hue Dimmer Switch to the smart lights in my living room, and mounted it on a painted wall using the 3M tape provided. I experimented with different options for controlling my ceiling and entertainment lighting within the Philips Hue app, assigning various functions to the switch's buttons. My partner, who isn't familiar with the Hue app, also used the switch to control the lights and shift between different lighting scenes.
This article is part of TechRadar's Smart Home Week 2025. From lighting and switches to robot vacuums and smart thermostats, we're here to help you pick the right devices to make your life easier, and get the most out of them.
Nanoleaf specializes in energy-efficient LED smart lights, or the home, and now the garden too. Recently launched, these solar-powered outdoor lights are available in a two-pack for $49.99 / £49.99, or a six-pack for $139.99 / £139.99.
We tested the pack of two light clusters, which come in a long box along with two solar panels that can either be stuck in the ground or screwed to a fence with the brackets and screws provided (we tried both types of installation).
Alternatively, it's possible to power the lights via a USB-C power socket on the solar panel if there isn’t enough power from the sun. I tested the Nanoleaf lights during an unusually sunny period in London, so I didn’t have to rely on an external power source – the sun’s rays were more than enough to keep the lights going all night.
(Image credit: Chris Price)
Really, it’s best to think of each light as a bunch of eight flowers attached to a central stalk that sticks into the ground or a flowerpot. Two different sized tubes are provided depending on whether you want to have a long or a short stalk (we tried both).
What’s more, each of the flowers in the bunch can be adjusted to face whichever way you want, though they should be handled from the bottom closest to the stalk rather than the top of the stem next to the LED lightbulb.
Once the solar panels are installed where you want them, you can switch on the power using a button on the bottom underneath the actual panels and a green light will indicate you how much charge each of the lights has (four bars means it's fully charged).
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(Image credit: Chris Price)
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(Image credit: Chris Price)
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(Image credit: Chris Price)
Using the bracket and screws provided, I installed one of the solar panels relatively high up on a south facing fence, angling the panel up to the sun, while the other was placed in the ground on a north facing fence. Needless to say, since I'm in the UK, the south-facing panel charged up much quicker, although both provided more than enough power for the LED lights to come on at night.
Of course, the real magic starts once it starts to get dark and the lights actually switch on to illuminate your garden – not until nearly 10pm in the summer in the UK, but much earlier in the winter.
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(Image credit: Chris Price)
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(Image credit: Chris Price)
Unlike other Nanoleaf products, such as the Matter Smart Multicoloured Rope Lights, which connect via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, these lights are actually refreshingly old school. So instead of using a mobile phone connected to the Nanonleaf app for control, you use a conventional remote control instead.
Powered by two AAA batteries (provided), this looks similar to an Amazon Firestick remote. At the top are buttons for switching the lights on and off, while underneath there are controls for changing the color of the lights.
Pressing RGB toggles the lights to the next solid color, with options for decreasing and increasing brightness (marked with sunshine icons) on either side. In addition, you can choose warmer or colder whites. These are marked with thermometer icons with either a sun or a snowflake.-
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(Image credit: Chris Price)
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(Image credit: Chris Price)
Underneath the lighting options are timer settings (four-hour, six-hour and eight-hour timers are provided) as well as an ambient light sensor which will turn the lights on or off automatically at sunset and sunrise.
There’s also the option of toggling between 11 animated scenes with the different bulbs lighting up in an array of colours, like a sort of less noisy firework display.
It's all great fun and overall we were pleased with the lights and the way they performed. Using a standard remote rather than relying on Wi-Fi control via a mobile phone will obviously suit many, especially those who struggle to get a Wi-Fi signal outdoors. The range of the remote also seems quite good (around 33 feet / 10 meters) so it may be possible to control the lights from indoors if you have a small garden or yard.
(Image credit: Chris Price)
However, there are a couple of small niggles. One of the problems we found is that experimenting with the lighting settings was a little bit tricky, especially in the dark when we weren’t able to see the remote control very well to make changes.
Ironically, given you shouldn’t need a smartphone to control the lights, we found we had to use the torch option on the phone to light up the display on the remote control. Also, it took a bit of getting used to all of the different buttons and what they each of them did. Personally, I found the brightly-colored animated scenes a little over-the-top for everyday use though quite enjoyed the solid colours and warm/cool whites the lights could offer. However, it is largely a matter of individual taste.
Nanoleaf Solar Garden Lights: price and availability
$49.99 / £49.99 (two-pack)
$139.99 / £139.99 (six-pack)
Available direct from Nanoleaf
Available either in packs of two or six, the Nanoleaf Solar Garden Lights represent pretty good value for money (I had been expecting them to cost nearly twice as much). Each of the units has eight bulbs and they are quite well made (they also offer IP65 waterproofing). They are available direct from Nanoleaf in the US and the UK.
Particularly impressive are the solar panels which, rather usefully, tell you how much charge they have as well as providing back up power via USB-C charging. And while obviously the garden lights aren’t as high-tech or as sophisticated as some smarter lighting solutions, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Finally, they also offer much more bang for your bucks than many standard LED garden lights, which often don’t allow for any customization at all.
Nanoleaf Solar Garden Lights: specs
Product name
Nanoleaf Solar Garden Lights
Price
From $49.99 / £49.99
Total assembled height
37.4 inches / 950mm
Length of each stem
17.3 inches / 439mm
Solar panel dimensions (W x H)
5.2 x 5 inches / 132 x 102.5mm
IP rating
IP65
Brightness
50 lumens
Color temperature range
2,850 - 3,150K
Color channel configuration
RGBW
Charging methods
Solar, USB-C
Solar charge time
6-10 hours
Control distance
30 feet / 10m
Should you buy the Nanoleaf Solar Garden Lights
Nanoleaf Solar Garden Lights score card
Attribute
Notes
Score
Value
Given all the elements that make up this two-pack, the flower-like Nanoleaf lights represent excellent value for money. In fact they’re not that much more expensive than two bunches of real flowers (much brighter too).
5/5
Design
Maybe it’s not for everyone, but I quite like the innovative design of the Nanoleaf lights. Particularly impressive are the stems which you can easily bend to the optimum position as well as the flexible mounting options for the solidly-built solar panels.
4.5/5
Performance
While many may prefer using a standard remote rather than a mobile phone app in the garden, it’s not always easy to make changes in the dark. That said, once up and running, the lights are impressive.
3.5/5
How I tested the Nanoleaf Solar Garden Lights
I used the Nanoleaf solar garden lights for a week
I experimented with all the lighting options
I used in various configurations with different lengths of ‘stalk’, and both wall- and ground-mounted solar panels
Testing solar garden lights isn’t the most sociable of activities. After all, you can only really make changes after dark, which means testing after around 10pm when approaching the longest day in the UK. Also, as noted earlier, it’s not easy to make changes when you can’t see the remote very well in the dark, which is why I also had to use a phone to provide light.
Will I continue to use these lights long after the review has been published? (That’s always the real test of any review.) Yes I think so although I will probably keep them on a single white light setting rather than having them cycle through various colored scenes which can be a little over the top.
As my son said when he first saw the bright colored lights coming on in the garden after a night out: ‘Why has our garden been transformed into Love Island?’
Having missed the initial AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT review cycle earlier this month for logistical reasons, I wanted to do more with this review than just try to play catch-up with my peers who got to review the 16GB card prior to launch.
Fortunately, doing this post-launch meant that I was able to get my hands on both 16GB and 8GB versions of the RX 9060 XT for a single review, and I'm honestly glad I waited.
Both AMD RX 9060 XT cards bring a compelling value, with the 8GB version starting at $299.99 / £269.99 / AU$569 and the 16GB versions starting at $349.99 / £329.99 / AU$689. This puts it roughly in the middle of the price pack for the best cheap graphics cards of the current generation.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Spec-wise, the only difference between the two cards is really the amount of GDDR6 video memory available, either 16GB or 8GB.
This matters, as that extra 8GB VRAM does improve the performance of the RX 9060 XT (and even makes modest 4K gaming possible), but the difference between the two isn't so large that it overrides any consideration of the additional cost.
However, Nvidia's RTX 5060 Ti 16GB and RTX 5060 (an 8GB card) offer better performance vis-à-vis the RX 9060 XT 16GB and RX 9060 XT 8GB, respectively. In the case of the RTX 5060, there's no difference in price with the RX 9060 XT 8GB, so that is a much tougher call between the two for reasons I'll dig into in a bit.
On the other hand, the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB offers better performance over the RX 9060 XT 16GB, but not so much better that it justifies the much higher price.
In the end, the AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB strikes the best balance of price and performance in this class, making it easy to recommend as the best graphics card in this segment for most people, and both are two of the best AMD graphics cards the company's ever put out.
AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT: Price & availability
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
How much is it? $299.99 / £269.99 / AU$569 for 8GB, $349.99 / £329.99 / AU$689 for 16GB
When can you get it? Now
Where is it available? Available in the US, UK, and Australia
There's a much more direct comparison between the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT 16GB and the RX 9060 XT 16GB, as both are very comparable spec-wise. In that regard, the RX 9060 XT is a slight price increase over the RX 7600 XT (about $20 in the US), but it's not really large enough to ding its score.
The RX 7600 XT and RX 7600 are very similar, but there are differences beyond just their memory pools, so the RX 9060 XT is not quite as comparable to the RX 7600, meaning even though the RX 9060 XT is slightly more expensive (about $30 in the US), it's much more reasonable given the comparably faster clock speeds.
The RX 9060 XT 8GB is one of the cheapest graphics cards on the market right now, and unlike many others out there, it's easy enough to find at its MSRPView Deal
The RX 9060 XT 16GB is easily the best graphics card you can get this generation under $400, and with 16GB VRAM, it comes with a solid bit of future-proofing built into it.View Deal
Nvidia's competing cards, the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB and RTX 5060, are more expensive ($429 / £419.99 / AU$799 for the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB) or about the same price or slightly more expensive ($299 / £269.99 / AU$599) for the RTX 5060.
Neither RX 9060 XT version has an AMD reference card, so you'll need to buy one from a third-party manufacturer, such as Asus, Gigabyte, or XFX.
The same is true for Nvidia's RTX 5060 Ti and RTX 5060, though, so it's hard to knock the 9060 XT cards too hard for this, especially as we've seen fairly wide availability of MSRP cards for sale online that you can actually buy.
Fortunately, we also haven't seen any real stock shortages of the RX 9060 XT cards, so finding stock at MSRP is fairly easy right now.
Value: 4.5 / 5
AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT: Specs
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
PCIe 5.0
16GB and 8GB VRAM
AMD RX 9060 XT Specs
RX 9060 XT (16GB)
RX 9060 XT (8GB)
Process Node
TSMC N4P
TSMC N4P
Transistor Count (Billion)
29.7
29.7
Compute Units
32
32
Shaders
2,048
2,048
Ray Accelerators
32
32
AI/Matrix Processors
64
64
Render Output Units
64
64
Cache (MB)
32
32
Base Clock (MHz)
1,700
1,700
Boost Clock (MHz)
3,130
3,130
Memory Clock (MHz)
2,518
2,518
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6
Memory Pool (GB)
16
8
Memory Interface (bits)
128
128
Effective Memory Speed (Gbps)
20.1
20.1
Memory Bandwidth (GB/s)
322.3
322.3
PCIe Interface
5.0 x16
5.0 x16
TGP (W)
160
150
Recommended PSU (W)
450
700
Power Connector
1 x 8-pin
1 x 8-pin
Both versions of the AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT have effectively identical specs, other than different memory pools and the slightly higher TDP for the 16GB version to account for powering the additional memory.
Otherwise, they use the exact same GPU die with identical clock speeds, so your decision between the two is really about whether that 8GB of additional GDDR6 VRAM is worth the extra investment.
The number of compute units, ROPs, and available cache on the RX 9060 XT is unchanged over the RX 7600 XT and RX 7600, so the RX 9060 XT is effectively an upgraded version of those cards using the new RDNA 4 architecture and faster game and memory clock speeds.
There's also the issue of whether 8GB is enough for a modern graphics card, even at a sub-$300 price point. Given the performance I found while testing, an 8GB card can perform well right now, even at 1440p, on many games, so long as you don't go anywhere near ray tracing. How much longer will that be the case? It's hard to say, but 8GB cards are already starting to struggle, so even a 10GB card would have been better, much less a 12GB version for the lower-end 9060 XT.
Add to this AMD's maddening decision to stick with a 128-bit memory bus for these cards, which unnecessarily constrains memory bandwidth and inevitably limits the potential performance of the RX 9060 XT. This alone knocks some points off, because if the Intel Arc B570 can use a 160-bit memory bus, there's no reason why AMD or Nvidia continue to do so on their 60-class cards.
That simple widening of the bus could noticeably improve gaming frame rates, and it's something neither AMD nor Nvidia has been able to explain to me beyond vaguely gesturing at cost constraints. If Intel can afford a 160-bit bus, so can AMD, and it makes me wonder how much better these cards might have otherwise been.
OK, end of rant.
Specs & features: 3.5 / 5
AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT: Design
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
No AMD reference card
Good for SFF cases
There is no AMD reference cards for either of the RX 9060 XT versions, so the design of the card you get will depend on the manufacturer.
The two cards I tested, the Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB and the Asus Dual Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB, are both fairly slender and compact cards.
Neither have any RGB lighting, so if you're looking for something with more bling, other cards can definitely offer that.
Also, there are some cards from some manufacturers that use triple-fan designs, which seems overkill to me, but if you want a bigger-looking card for a specific build, you'll definitely have that option.
Design: 3.5 / 5
AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT: Performance
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Big difference between 16GB and 8GB versions
RTX 5060 Ti 16GB and RTX 5060 offer slightly better performance than the two RX 9060 XT cards
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.
As far as performance goes, there's a lot to like about both AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT cards, from their modest power draw to their solid 1440p gaming performance.
It's not all positive though, as there are several points where Nvidia's competing cards outperform AMD's latest offerings, making the final assessment much closer than I initially thought it would be when I began testing these cards.
Across synthetic benchmarks, the RX 9060 XT and RTX 5060 Ti are more or less tied across resolutions, with Nvidia's card only edging out AMD's in ray tracing performance. The RX 9060 XT 16GB is only about 15% slower than the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB in synthetic ray tracing performance. While this is expected, it's not as wide as it's been in previous generations.
The RX 9060 XT 8GB, meanwhile, outperforms the RTX 5060 in 1080p (about 4% better), in 1440p (about 10% better), and in 4K (about 10% better), though the RTX 5060 does hold a slight lead in ray-tracing performance (about 3%).
In creative benchmarks, the RX 9060 XT cards are largely competitive against Nvidia's GPUs in everything but 3D model rendering. Unfortunately, I can't say more about this since Blender Benchmark wasn't able to run on either RX 9060 XT card, so I can't say how they'd fare against the Nvidia RTX 5060 Ti 16GB.
The RTX 5060, interestingly enough, couldn't run Blender Benchmark either, so this will have to be an issue I'll investigate further and update my results once I have them, but given that Blender Benchmark Cycles renderer is optimized for Nvidia CUDA (as is nearly all 3D modeling software), I am very confident that the RX 9060 XT cards aren't going to be competitive on this workload, it's really just a matter of how far behind the RX 9060 XT cards land in the end.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
Creative workloads aren't what AMD Radeon cards are most known for, though. PC gaming is where these cards really compete, and in this regard, the RX 9060 XT 8GB comes in about 4% slower than the RTX 5060 in 1080p overall, while the RX 9060 XT 16GB comes up about 9% slower than the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB at 1080p overall.
Gen-on-gen, though, the RX 9060 XT 16GB outperforms the RX 7600 XT by about 44% at 1080p, overall, while the RX 9060 XT 8GB similarly comes in about 46% faster than the RX 7600 at 1080p overall.
At 1440p, the story is similar for the RX 9060 XT, with it coming in about 9% slower than the RTX 5060 Ti, overall. For the RX 9060 XT 8GB, the gap widens a bit as it comes in about 8% slower than the RTX 5060, overall.
At 1440p, the gen-on-gen performance improvement is even greater, with the RX 9060 XT 16GB outperforming the RX 7600 XT by about 53% overall, while the RX 9060 XT 8GB outperforms the RX 7600 by a massive 62.5% overall.
In terms of power consumption, the peak power consumption of the RX 9060 XT cards are in line with where the RTX 5060 Ti lands and slightly above the listed TDP for the two cards. The RTX 5060, meanwhile, comes in a good bit lower at peak, in my tests.
Temperature, meanwhile, will largely depend on the model card you end up buying, as they will all have different cooling systems. That said, the Sapphire Pulse RX 9060 XT 16GB stayed a few degrees cooler than the Asus Dual RX 9060 XT 8GB in my tests, buy your mileage may vary.
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
In the end, the RX 9060 XT cards kept things pretty close to their respective competition from Nvidia, though couldn't quite overtake them, even considering that I didn't factor Blender Benchmark's results into the final creative score for any of the cards tested, given that I wasn't able to run it on three of the cards in question.
Had those tests run successfully and been factored into the final scores, the two Nvidia cards would have pulled further ahead, most likely.
But would they have pulled far enough ahead to justify buying them? In the case of the RX 9060 XT 8GB, the RTX 5060 simply offers you a better value given that both can be purchased for MSRP right now, but if you don't want to give Nvidia your money, you're not really losing anything by going with the RX 9060 XT 8GB instead.
For the RX 9060 XT 16GB, though, it comes within just a few points of the RTX 5060 Ti at a much lower price, making it the one I'd recommend to anyone shopping for a GPU in this price range.
Performance: 4.5 / 5
Should you buy the AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT?
(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT Scorecard
Category
Notes
Score
Value
Both RX 9060 XT cards offer great value for their price.
4.5 / 5
Specs & features
While the 16GB option for the RX 9060 XT is great, 8GB is just too little for a modern GPU.
3.5 / 5
Design
Since there's no AMD reference card for either version of the RX 9060 XT, your design will vary depending on which card you get. The ones I tested were fine, but nothing spectacular.
3.5 / 5
Performance
Both RX 9060 XT versions are capable cards with fantastic gen-on-gen performance, though Nvidia's competing offerings edge them out slightly.
4.5 / 5
Final score
While both RX 9060 XT cards don't quite overtake Nvidia's competing cards, they offer a very compelling value for gamers, especially those who are getting tired of what Nvidia has been offering lately.
4 / 5
Buy the AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT if...
You want excellent 1080p gaming If you're still gaming at 1080p, these cards are fantastic.
You're making the move to 1440p gaming If you just got a new 1440p gaming monitor and want to upgrade your GPU to handle the higher resolution, both of these cards are solid picks for 1440p.
You don't want to spend a fortune While $300-350 isn't cheap, for graphics cards with this kind of performance, they're both excellent values.
Don't buy it if...
You want the best possible performance While the RX 9060 XT cards performed very well, Nvidia's RTX 5060 Ti 16GB and RTX 5060 are still the better GPUs if you want the best performance.
You want to game at 4K The RX 9060 XT 16GB can play some titles at 4K without ray tracing, largely thanks to upscaling, though it definitely struggles. The RX 9060 XT 8GB can only game at this resolution with some pretty heavy compromises.
You can afford to get the AMD RX 9070 If you have some room in your budget, moving up to the RX 9070 is definitely recommended if you want a more future-proofed gaming rig.
How I tested the AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT
I spent about three weeks with the RX 9060 XT 16GB and 8GB versions
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:
I spent about three weeks with both RX 9060 XT cards, using my standard suite of benchmark tests with industry standard tools like 3DMark, PassMark, PugetBench for Creators, and more.
For gaming, I use built-in benchmark tools in games like Black Myth: Wukong, Cyberpunk 2077, and F1 2024.
I also used both cards for about a week each as the GPU in my own PC at home where I used it for work, content creation, and gaming outside of formal testing.
As its name suggests, AdGuard is best known for its ad-blocker services. However, the organization has also expanded into other security and privacy services, including VPN and DNS services.
Its latest offer, still in beta at the time of writing, is AdGuard Mail, which provides security by offering email aliases and temporary email addresses – so you can keep your mail email addresses and services protected.
Aliases and temporary email addresses can be helpful in a wide variety of scenarios. You might want to sign up for a service or trial to acquire a discount code without signing up for spam, or you could just want to avoid subjecting your mail email address to the risk of phishing attacks or data breaches.
You may need temporary addresses for testing during software development, accessing a webinar or accessing services you don’t fully trust.
AdGuard Mail: Plans and pricing
At the moment, AdGuard Mail is completely free – which instantly places this product ahead of many competitors.
Bear in mind that AdGuard says that Mail is free “for now”. Given that users have to pay for AdGuard’s other products, we’d expect AdGuard Mail to become a paid product once it leaves beta testing. Indeed, AdGuard’s FAQ says they plan to add paid features and customization options in the future.
Happily, AdGuard’s other products offer competitive pricing, so we’re not concerned about AdGuard Mail having extortionate pricing once it does leave beta.
For instance, the central AdGuard ad-blocking product costs $2.51/£1.99 per month if you pay annually, the VPN’s monthly costs are similar if you stick to an annual deal, and the DNS service has a basic free service.
AdGuard Mail: Features
AdGuard’s concentration on aliases and temporary email addresses gives users several privacy and security benefits.
By using an alias instead of your personal email address, you can avoid using anything identifiable if you want to send or receive messages. Instead, any emails sent to your aliases are then forwarded to their linked mailboxes, providing a layer of protection between you and the sender.
If you use temporary email addresses instead, you can avoid sharing your details and subscribing to any unwanted spam or services.
Ultimately, AdGuard’s aliases are ideal for ongoing communication without using your real addresses, and temporary emails are better for short-term activities.
This helps you avoid spam, phishing attacks, data breaches and privacy issues because you won’t have to use your own email address.
This approach differs from many other secure email providers, which give users their own, permanent email address, but AdGuard still promises robust security.
AdGuard cannot access your messages when using AdGuard Mail, and AdGuard uses secure SMTP connections whenever possible to protect your emails from unauthorized access.
The firm inspects email and website content before they’re loaded to check for any threats – and does so without retaining any information about the content. AdGuard’s thorough filtering protects you from fraudulent websites and websites that are known to distribute malware, and the firm’s filters are updated regularly – so you’re protected from the latest threats.
AdGuard’s reliance on aliases and temporary addresses protects your personal addresses, and that’s not the only area where AdGuard Mail impresses.
Once created, any emails forwarded from your alias are marked in your email client with a special header, so you can easily see AdGuard’s emails. Multiple aliases can be used for single email addresses, and multiple recipients can receive emails from single aliases.
Attachments are also supported for aliases, although temporary email addresses do not currently support attachments. Also consider that you can’t reply to emails forwarded by your aliases – to send replies, you will need to reveal your email address.
Ultimately, AdGuard’s method is simple and effective: use aliases to add a layer of protection so you can enjoy ongoing communication without compromising your email address – and use temporary emails to enjoy the same protection in short-term scenarios.
Of course, it must be noted that AdGuard Mail is markedly different from other secure email providers. This is a secure forwarding service rather than an actual email client, where you can create your own address and access a new, fully featured inbox.
That’s not necessarily bad, though, especially if you want to keep using your primary email address while adding extra protection. And if you combine AdGuard Mail with AdGuard’s other services, like its ad-blocking, VPN, or DNS, you can build a robust and versatile security package.
AdGuard Mail: Interface and in-use
(Image credit: AdGuard Mail)
AdGuard Mail excels thanks to its simplicity and versatility. It’s available as a desktop app for Windows and Mac, as an Android and iOS app, and it can also be accessed using a web interface.
If you want to create a temporary email address for one-time use, you can also just use AdGuard’s website to make and then copy a new address. Once you’ve used it to register for a service or input into a registration form, the reply will actually appear in a temporary inbox that’s right there on the same website. It’s a very clever service.
(Image credit: AdGuard Mail)
No matter what platform you use, AdGuard Mail is straightforward. Open the app for the first time, and it’ll guide you through the main features and launch a simple Wizard dialog that will help you create your first alias.
To create more, it’s just a matter of opening a panel, picking a random address and choosing its forwarding address. You can tag your aliases to make organization more manageable and add a description so you don’t forget its intended use.
(Image credit: AdGuard Mail)
The app includes an option for adding more recipients, a basic inbox for accessing emails sent to your temporary addresses, and a settings menu where you can choose Light or Dark modes, block senders and customize how the app functions on your system.
(Image credit: AdGuard Mail)
AdGuard Mail: Support
Right now, the support options for AdGuard are basic – no surprise given its beta status. Most support queries can be answered by browsing the FAQ section, and users can email AdGuard’s support address to access help.
There’s also a web form where users can give feedback about AdGuard Mail, with options for suggesting features and reporting bugs.
AdGuard also maintains active Telegram, Reddit and GitHub communities if you’d like to talk to other service users or troubleshoot using these methods.
AdGuard Mail: The competition
AdGuard Mail has no shortage of competition when it comes to email aliases. Many secure email providers offer this as part of their broader service, like Mailbox.org, Soverin and several others.
Those are paid providers, though, and, at the moment, AdGuard Mail is free – and judging by AdGuard’s pricing elsewhere, it’ll still be a very affordable product in the future, too.
One of the only secure mail rivals that offers aliasing using a free account is Proton, which includes ten aliases in its free product alongside a new email address and 5GB of cloud storage. So, while you do have to maintain a whole new email account, it’s arguably a better deal.
If you just want email aliasing, consider Apple’s Hide My Email feature, Firefox Relay, or even DuckDuckGo Email Protection.
AdGuard Mail: Final verdict
There are plenty of other services beyond AdGuard Mail that offer email aliasing and temporary email addresses.
That said, AdGuard is currently free, it works very well for both aliasing and temporary emails, and it’s certainly worth using – even more if you’re already a keen user of other AdGuard products.
Lots of the best secure email providers use their own platforms and clients, but Virtru is an enterprise-level product designed to integrate with your existing workflows – which means that, in theory, Virtru should seamlessly start protecting sensitive data in your organization.
Indeed, Virtru’s secure collaboration and email product is deeply integrated with Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and Microsoft SharePoint, and its Secure Share module integrates with Google Drive, Microsoft SharePoint, OneDrive, Zendesk, and Confluence.
Elsewhere, Virtru works with SaaS products from Salesforce, ServiceNow, Kustomer and more. Virtru’s own Data Security Platform delivers secure collaboration and sharing beyond those apps thanks to an agnostic platform.
In short, then, Virtru works with loads of apps and systems. And, as you may have guessed, this is an enterprise-level product that’s not suitable for individuals who need secure email.
Virtru: Plans and pricing
Despite the service's complexity, Virtru’s products are divided into four tiers, which makes pricing a bit easier to understand.
The Starter package is ideal for smaller businesses that need email protection. It costs $119/£94 per month for a five-user package. With that offering, you get secure email for Gmail and Outlook, Virtru’s full slate of email and file protection abilities, administrator controls, and integration with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365. Basic support is also included.
The Business package, again for five users, costs $219/£174 per month. It includes everything in the Starter package and Virtru Secure Share, bulk decryption, integration with Google Workspace CSE and Google Vault, SSO compatibility, an audit log APU and custom branding for your business. You also get a 99.9% guaranteed uptime SLA.
(Image credit: Virtru)
If you're willing to pay extra, you can also add optional virtual private key stores and integrations with other third-party tools.
The next tier costs $399/£317 per month, again for five users. It includes everything in the Business package, as well as features designed for organizations that do business with US federal agencies.
It’s built to help ensure compliance with CMMC, DFARS 7012, and ITAR. It also includes FIPS 140-2 validated encryption.
It includes moderate FedRAMP ATO and a Virtru shared responsibility matrix for CMMC documentation. It also allows your organization to host private encryption keys. You also get deployment support, phone support and a dedicated customer success team. Premium support is also available as an optional extra.
The top package, Enterprise, uses custom pricing. It includes everything from the previous products alongside integration with Zendesk, Salesforce, and more SaaS systems. You can also add optional integrations with more systems and premium support.
It goes without saying that when you want to expand a package that includes support for five users, the price will rise accordingly.
Virtru: Features
Virtru is a far-reaching, complex product, but underneath it all you’ll find robust security credentials. Virtru’s systems use Trusted Data Format, or TDF, which is an open-source end-to-end encryption standard that protects your data at every stage of its lifecycle.
Underneath all of that, you’ll find AES 256-bit encryption, and it’s worth bearing in mind that encryption keys are not stored on Virtru’s servers – so you can control who has access to those, too.
This decentralized approach means you and your organization can maintain complete control over your data and its protection, and this zero-trust model ensures extra layers of security. Additionally, Virtru’s reliance on TDF means that you can embed policies and encryption directly into individual apps and objects across your organization’s workflows, which means you benefit from flexibility and full control.
Beyond the excellent underlying format, you can deploy attribute-based access control to enforce who can access your content dynamically.
Virtru’s underlying security prioritizes protection, control, and flexibility, and this ethos is evident in other features of its software suite.
Opt for its Google or Microsoft-integrated products, and you can secure your email and cloud storage data, encrypt meetings, safeguard documents, protect presentations and ensure data privacy.
Choose file-sharing integrations, and you can meet advanced compliance requirements, monitor and audit your data, give collaborators an effortless experience and, again, keep your data protected.
Virtru’s Data Protection Gateway protects emails and files before they leave your domain with inbound and outbound end-to-end encryption to ensure total protection for sensitive information, no matter the services involved.
Virtru’s Data Security Platform uses a zero-trust architecture and granular controls to ensure that your business has complete control over its data and who can access it.
Virtru: Interface and in-use
(Image credit: Virtru)
Virtru’s interface is a little different from many other secure email products – because this is a necessarily complex service that takes a different approach.
Instead of signing in to a web client, for instance, Virtru largely integrates with your existing software, with management handled by Virtru’s Control Center. In this regard, Virtru is excellent: its interfaces and management apps are attractive, well-designed and easy to navigate as long as you’ve got the requisite experience dealing with complex administrative tools.
Given Virtru’s high-end abilities, your organization should already have people who are well-versed in those apps.
(Image credit: Virtru)
Virtru: Support
Varying levels of support are available with different Virtru products: at the lower levels, you get online help, and if you pay for the higher-end products, you can add phone support, a dedicated success team, premium options and deployment help to the package.
Those latter options are precisely the kind of support features we’d expect from a high-end enterprise product like Virtru.
In addition, Virtru’s website has an extensive knowledge base and basic live chat functionality.
Virtru: The competition
Virtru’s status as a high-end, enterprise-grade secure email and data product means it competes with similar products, such as Zoho’s suite of business apps. Indeed, Virtru even competes with Google and Microsoft, albeit with a greater focus on security and encryption.
In many ways, though, Virtru stands alone. Zoho is more focused on productivity across a wider variety of apps, and Google and Microsoft are designed to act as the underlying tools beneath Virtru. There isn’t much out there that offers the broad concentration on enterprise-level security and protection like Virtru.
Virtru: Final verdict
That leaves Virtru in a good position, especially with larger organizations – and that’s no surprise, because there’s lots to like about this product.
It’s packed with features and has excellent security credentials. The overall design of the Data Security Platform means that Virtru’s tools should integrate smoothly with virtually all of your systems.
Virtru can undoubtedly become expensive, but you get what you pay for – and if you’re a large business that wants to take data protection seriously, you should be considering Virtru.
Lots of the best secure email providers function by providing a web client or mobile app for you to use, but PreVeil is a bit different: as well as using PreVeil’s web client or Android and iOS apps, you can also send using your existing Outlook, Gmail or Apple Mail clients.
That immediately adds a huge amount of versatility to this app. If you move beyond that, you’ll find a secure email provider trusted by defense contractors, education institutions and legal organizations – so there’s some pedigree here.
PreVeil: Plans and pricing
That sort of customer base and feature set makes it all the more amazing that PreVeil actually starts its offering with a free product.
PreVeil’s free account gives you 5GB of encrypted data storage, end-to-end email and file encryption, integration with Outlook, Gmail and File Explorer and mobile device access, so it’s a well-rounded offering if you need secure email and cloud storage.
The Individual plan costs $25/£20 per month, which is immediately more expensive than most of the other individual plans you’ll find on the market – but, in PreVeil’s defense, that package comes with a mammoth 5TB of data storage. That’s more than you’ll find anywhere else. You can also provide free accounts to third parties using this product.
(Image credit: PreVeil)
The Business product costs $30/£24 per user per month but the feature set accelerates. The Business tier meets compliance requirements for HIPAA, FERPA, SOC 2, GLB, FTC and IRS standards, and you can use an admin console, system logs, admin protection and data loss prevention.
Each user in the business product gets a massive 10TB of storage, too, and you get priority support and a dedicated customer success team.
If you work for a government organization or in the defense industry, PreVeil has a product that meets compliance requirements for DFARS 7012, CMMC, and ITAR and is FIPS 140-2 validated.
In this final tier, you get FedRAMP Moderate Equivalent, all data is stored in the AWS GovCloud, and you enjoy a Compliance Accelerator with pre-filled forms – and access to compliance experts.
If you’d like to access that final tier, you’ll need to contact PreVeil for a quote. SMEs can also use PreVeil Pass, a CMMC compliance solution that costs $415 per month for three users and includes encrypted email, pre-filled CMMC documentation, and specialist support.
PreVeil: Features
PreVeil operates using Zero Knowledge encryption with end-to-end ability, which means that all information associated with your emails is only encrypted and decrypted on user devices – so PreVeil can never see or access the contents of your messages. Underneath it all, you’ll find robust AES-256 used for symmetric encryption and elliptic curve P-256 used for asymmetric keys.
Passwords aren’t used with PreVeil, either. Instead, account access is managed by secret encryption keys that are only stored on user devices. Levels of encryption are used to “wrap” those keys to prevent unauthorized access. Your key remains stored on your device, so login is simple and secure.
To encrypt your emails and files, PreVeil deploys a symmetric system with varying keys used with Public Key Infrastructure technology. PreVeil doesn’t use any PGP system, though, which may be worth bearing in mind if you want to work with people who use PGP-based encryption.
Approval Groups cryptographically distribute trust to predetermined groups of users to avoid individuals compromising entire networks, and Trusted Communities allow organizations to safelist domains and email addresses.
We’ve got no qualms about PreVeil’s security, and the service remains impressive elsewhere. Its ability to work with email clients and free Android and iOS apps means that you can access your encrypted emails from anywhere – a boon when using PreVeil’s services in mission-critical business and government scenarios.
It’s not just about email, either, because PreVeil includes secure cloud storage that deploys the same level of encryption as email.
Administrators can manage users, devices and approved groups of users, define rules across their organizations and record the actions of users with tamper-proof logging.
PreVeil: Interface and in-use
(Image credit: PreVeil)
If you use PreVeil’s web browser or mobile apps, you’ll benefit from a straightforward, simple, and well-designed experience. Navigation is down the left, and your inbox is right in the middle.
A pop-up window makes composing emails easy, although there’s no option here to switch to a three-pane email management interface. Indeed, many other products offer a wider range of configuration settings in general. PreVeil is easy to use but not overwhelmed with tweaks and options.
(Image credit: PreVeil)
If you want to use PreVeil with your existing email client, you’ll need to go through a cryptographic setup process. Once that’s done, PreVeil adds a Secure Messages folder to your email app or interface, and a toggle at the bottom of your composition window allows you to activate or remove PreVeil encryption from your messages.
So, while PreVeil may not have as many settings as some rivals, it’s easy to use, whether you use the web client or your existing email app.
PreVeil: Support
Support tickets with PreVeil are filed over email, and there’s a huge knowledge base with loads of information on configuring and using the product.
The support ticket itself is comprehensive. You can provide a phone number to give PreVeil another option for contacting you, and they also have the facility to launch Zoom meetings to provide live assistance.
Certain customers at upper tiers also get priority support, phone support, and onboarding sessions, and PreVeil can provide webinars and training sessions.
PreVeil: The competition
PreVeil’s status as a certified provider for defense, government, and enterprise ensures that the service competes with some major players.
Hushmail, for instance, offers plans designed around the compliances required by legal and medical firms, so both services are worth investigating if you work in those industries. Zoho, too, offers HIPAA compliance. PreVeil goes further than both with military and government accreditations, though.
If you need to explore those accreditations and compare PreVeil to a key rival, check out Virtru. Both aim at the defense industries alongside healthcare and education, and they share many of the same accreditations.
PreVeil: Final verdict
PreVeil might not be the only secure email provider to deliver such a high level of security, compliance and encryption – we’re looking at you, Virtru – but it’s undoubtedly one of the best.
PreVeil's encryption and security are rock solid, and despite the level of power offered, they are very easy to use and, in most cases, very easy to set up.
PreVeil’s ability to work with existing email clients alongside its own interfaces and apps adds versatility.
It might be a little pricier than some secure email providers, but PreVeil justifies the cost with excellent design and security, especially for sensitive data in mission-critical scenarios.
