28 Years Later reunites Alex Garland and Danny Boyle, and it’s everything you could hope for from this genius writing and directing duo.
It’s been more than two decades since we saw Cillian Murphy wandering around an abandoned London in the opening scene of 2002's 28 Days Later, and the impact of that movie on the post-apocalyptic horror genre can still be seen to this day.
At the time, that movie stood out for its pioneering take on the horror staple that is the zombie, imbuing the 'infected' with an especially terrifying trait: they were able to run. Before this, films like Dawn of the Dead had portrayed zombies as slow-moving, imbecilic creatures, which made the idea of sprinting monsters even more petrifying.
The first sequel, 2007's 28 Weeks Later, wasn't made by the original filmmakers and is not now regarded as canonical, so does not factor into the plot of the new movie28 Years Later. Instead of the infected reaching Europe, as we saw at the end of 28 Weeks Later, in this telling the 'rage' virus, which escaped from an animal testing lab, has been contained by quarantining Britain from the rest of the world.
A recording of Rudyard Kipling's poem Boots features on the soundtrack of 28 Years Later, evoking parallels with Britain's historic wars (Image credit: Sony Pictures)
28 Years Later has a more folk-horror feel compared to the original, centering on a community of survivors who've made a home for themselves on Lindisfarne, an island separated from the coast of northern England, and from the infected, by a gated causeway.
It's here where we meet Alfie Williams' (His Dark Materials) character Spike, a young boy who's about to make what seems to be a rite of passage to manhood by accompanying his father Jamie, played by Aaron Taylor-Jonson (Kick-Ass), to the mainland for his first kill, the quarry being the infected.
Before they leave, the pair are reminded that the rules of their society mean they won't be rescued if they don't return. This adds a foreboding note to their journey, setting us up for our first encounter with the now-evolved infected, which have morphed into new variants that feel inspired by The Last Of Us.
The new infected include fat, crawling bloaters, pack-like families that can still sprint, and ripped 'alphas' that have evolved to be much smarter and bigger than the rest – and these new leaders aren't as easy to kill, even if Spike, like his father, is already a skilled archer.
The introduction of a baby raises a lot of questions about what this means for the lore of the film series (Image credit: Sony Pictures)
The movie soon shifts from a father and son's fight for survival to an equally fraught mission. When Spike sees a opportunity to save his sick mother Isla, who's played by the incredible Jodie Comer (Killing Eve), mother and son set off in search of a reclusive doctor who's rumored to live on the mainland.
Queue perhaps of the best performance of the movie, as we meet Ralph Fiennes' (Schindler's List; The Grand Budapest Hotel) Dr Kelson, surrounded by skulls and bones in one of the most elaborate graveyard shrines I've ever seen. The introduction of Fiennes' multi-layered character marks a turning point for the film, setting up events that will likely play a central role in the next film – 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple – that's set to be released in January 2026.
In a lot of ways 28 Years Later is a coming-of-age story that grapples with themes of loss, grief, and survival, making it a lot different to the societal breakdown that was the focus of 28 Days Later. The themes running through both films, though, are underpinned by Garland's unsparing exploration of what makes us human.
Much as 28 Days Later did with its flower-painting scene, 28 Years Later at times employs a dream-like aesthetic – look out for the galaxy of stars (Image credit: Sony Pictures)
Despite the time between the two films, 28 Years Later pays homage to the original by including the same lingering wide shots, and by featuring the iconic and unsettling track In the House – In a Heartbeat by John Murphy, while also setting the scene for the next chapter.
The opening scene of 28 Years Later, which shows a group of children watching Teletubbies before they have to flee an attack by the infected, may seem disconnected from the rest of the film, but it all makes sense when Spike unknowingly encounters Jack O'Connell's (Eden Lake) character, who wears the same cross we saw one of the children being given, in the closing scene.
This sets up the film series to go forward on a much more larger scale, as it introduces us to different strands of survivors that will no doubt be a big part of the next two movies. As the first of this new trilogy, 28 Years Later is a captivating watch with multi-layered filmmaking, phenomenal performances, and a story that hits closer to home than it might, initially appear.
28 Years Later is available to watch in cinemas around the world from June 19. We don't yet know which of the best streaming services it will be added to, or when.
After what felt like an eternity of waiting after all the leaks and eventual official announcement back in January 2025, the Nintendo Switch 2 is finally here.
To say the console’s had a rough start is an understatement, though, with retail stock difficult to come by at this early stage. This, plus the console’s relatively lofty price tag (as well as those of its games), means there are some folks seeking handheld gaming console alternatives.
At the time of writing, I’ve had my Nintendo Switch 2 a couple of weeks, and I’ve been spending each and every day playing its games and testing the hardware to rate its performance and assess any improvements over the original 2017 console.
Despite the lack of ambition and innovation (at least compared to prior consoles like the Wii and Nintendo DS), I think Nintendo has produced an exceptional system here that finally realizes the full potential of the Switch concept.
The obvious upgrades, such as support for 4K and 1440p resolutions in docked mode and 120Hz capabilities (both in portable mode and docked on compatible displays) are extremely welcome, and move the Switch 2 a step closer to parity with its more powerful peers in the PS5 and Xbox Series X and S.
Of course, the Switch 2 doesn’t quite have the raw graphical prowess of those Sony and Microsoft-built machines, but it’s not a million miles away, as we see with certain Nintendo Switch 2 ports like Street Fighter 6 or Cyberpunk 2077.
Other display-oriented modernities are present here, too, such as HDR10 and VRR support (though, confusingly, variable refresh rate is currently only available in handheld play).
The former provides juicier contrast and richer colors on compatible displays, while the latter smooths out framerates for more stable performance.
Unfortunately, it’s fair to say that the Switch 2’s launch game line-up is on the slighter side. Mario Kart Worldis great and an ideal title to have from day one, but a good chunk of launch day games have been ports of original Switch games or ones carried over from other platforms.
While it is great to see big hitters like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomrock an extremely solid 4K/60fps on Switch 2, it hasn’t been the most fulsome launch if you’re coming at it from a strictly first-party point of view.
(Image credit: Future)
Thankfully, the Switch 2 breathes life into original Switch titles via impressive backwards compatibility. I’ll delve more into this in its own section, but I’ve seen monumental results playing some of my own Switch favorites on the new console – some of which Nintendo itself hasn’t even officially mentioned.
There are some downsides worth talking about, of course. For one, battery life is sorely lacking in handheld mode and feels like an abject downgrade compared to the original Switch models.
I also clocked some very noticeable audio delay with multiple gaming headsets and earbuds via Bluetooth connection. Furthermore, the skeleton of the original Switch is still present in many ways, with an almost identical Home dashboard, a lack of customization, and the ongoing threat of drift prevailing in the new Joy-Con 2 controllers.
Still, the Switch 2 is an accomplished bit of kit, and one that provides a night and day upgrade over its eight-year-old predecessor. I’m definitely looking forward to its game library expanding, as well as the system itself receiving various quality-of-life upgrades via future firmware updates.
Nintendo Switch 2: price and availability
(Image credit: Future)
The Nintendo Switch 2 went on sale on June 5, 2025. The console by itself costs $449.99 / £395.99 / AU$699.95. There is also an official bundle that packs in a digital copy of Mario Kart World alongside the console for $499.99 / £429.99 / AU$769.95. Some US and UK retailers have also stocked their own bundles, often throwing in an extra pair of Joy-Con 2 controllers or Nintendo Switch Online subscription time, but you can expect to pay a premium for these.
Price-wise, though, the Nintendo Switch 2 (while certainly more expensive than its predecessor) falls about in line with similar contemporary handheld gaming devices, including the original Steam Deck ($399 / £349 / AU$649) and the Asus ROG Ally ($549.99 / £449 / AU$999). Premium devices like the Steam Deck OLED and ROG Ally X are even more expensive, positioning the Switch 2 at a relatively mid-range price point among gaming handhelds, but certainly on the more affordable side within the space.
In terms of home consoles, the Switch 2 does come in cheaper than the PS5 ($499.99 / £479.99 / AU$799.95) and lands in the same ballpark as the PS5 Digital Edition ($399.99 / £389.99 / AU$649.95). It’s also comparable in price to the Xbox Series X Digital Edition ($449.99 / £429.99 / AU$699).
It’s also worth noting that Nintendo Switch 2 stock has been an ongoing issue since the pre-order phase. At launch, it’s been incredibly difficult to purchase a Switch 2 at retail, and flashes of stock in all major regions come and go in an instant. However, this was also the case with the original Switch and competing systems like the PS5. In both cases, stock became much more plentiful in the months after launch, so I’m hoping the same is true for Nintendo’s latest.
Nintendo Switch 2: specs
Price
$429.99 / £395.99 / AU$699.95
Weight
1.18lbs / 535g (with Joy-Con 2 attached)
Dimensions
10.7 x 4.5 x 0.6in / 272 x 114 x 15mm
Storage capacity
256GB internal
Storage expansion
microSD Express
Connectivity
WiFi 6, ethernet, Bluetooth
Display
Vivid LCD
Resolution (docked)
Up to 4K
Resolution (handheld)
Up to 1080p
GPU
Custom Nvidia processor
CPU
Custom Nvidia processor
Battery life
2-5 hours
Ports
2 x USB, 1 x HDMI, 1 x LAN, 2 x USB-C, 1 x 3.5mm headphone jack
Nintendo Switch 2: design and build quality
(Image credit: Future)
What’s most striking about the Nintendo Switch 2 out of the box is its look and build quality improvements over its predecessor. The console looks distinctly less toy-like, largely helped by an overall sleeker design and the ditching of the original Joy-Con’s neon red/blue aesthetic.
Some may lament the loss of whimsy, and that’s fair enough. But it nonetheless stands out amongst the busy gaming handheld crowd. The Switch 2, despite its increased size, remains impressively slim. In fact, it’s just as thin as the original Switch, and importantly, lacks the bulk of the likes of the Steam Deck OLED and ROG Ally X. This means that even though it is bigger thanks to the larger display size, it remains an eminently portable console.
Though I would recommend investing in a carry case if you’re planning on taking your Switch 2 out and about. While it’s undoubtedly sturdier than the Switch, it’s still prone to the same environmental wear and tear of any handheld system.
The Switch 2 dock has also seen a size increase, but for good reason. This time, the dock houses an internal fan to help keep the unit cool during lengthy play sessions. Thankfully, the dock is still small enough to fit into even the most compact gaming spaces. Whether that be on a TV stand or your computer desk, or elsewhere, you should have little issue incorporating your Switch 2 into a docked setup. The dock also houses two USB ports, one ethernet port, and a HDMI slot for use on TVs or gaming monitors.
(Image credit: Future)
As for the handheld itself, there’s a lot to go over in terms of design. The unit now houses two USB-C ports - one on the top and the other at the bottom. Next to each port are sets of speakers. At the top, you’ll also find the power and volume buttons, as well as the game card slot, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a built-in microphone.
The Switch 2’s kickstand is a huge improvement. The 2017 model had a simple stub kickstand on one side, which felt extremely rigid. The Switch OLED did widen this design idea, but it wasn’t much better overall. On Switch 2, the kickstand has been entirely redesigned. It spans almost the entire length of the handheld and can be rotated to a much greater degree. This allows for greater freedom with how you place your Switch 2 on a surface for tabletop play.
Another massive improvement comes in how the Joy-Con 2 controllers attach to the handheld. Instead of the original Switch’s rigid rail system, the Switch 2 opts for a magnetic connection. As such, the Joy-Con 2 click into place seamlessly and instantaneously. You can also easily pop them back out by pushing in a button housed just underneath the ZL/ZR trigger buttons.
One last thing to note is that the Switch 2 is impressively lightweight. At just 1.18lbs (535g), it’s only marginally heavier than the original Switch, which was 0.88lbs (399g), and the Switch OLED’s 0.93lbs (422g). Admittedly, I was expecting something much heavier before my hands-on preview some months ago, but I remain pleasantly surprised by the Switch 2’s slimness. And when compared to the bulkier Steam Deck OLED’s 1.41lbs (640g), playing with Switch 2 in bed or on the go is less strenuous overall.
Nintendo Switch 2: display
(Image credit: Future)
Unlike the namesake screen of the Switch OLED, Nintendo has opted for an LCD display for the Switch 2. This may come across as a downgrade on paper, but in reality, the move back to LCD has its own advantages. For one, LCD is less prone to screen burn-in than OLED, allowing for a panel that should last longer.
I have no complaints when it comes to the Switch 2’s display. It is a monumental upgrade over the original’s 720p LCD screen.
Furthermore, Nintendo has still managed to ensure that your games still look crisp and vividly colorful during portable play. Nintendo describes its display as ‘Vivid LCD,’ and it’s an accurate description to say the least. The display supports HDR10, meaning games that support this screen tech (like Super Mario Odyssey and the upcoming Metroid Prime 4: Beyond) can be just as eye-poppingly colorful on the handheld as they would be on a larger OLED panel.
This 1080p screen also supports VRR (variable refresh rate), helping demanding games maintain a smooth framerate and helping 120Hz-compatible titles meet that target. At launch, there aren’t many games that benefit from the Switch 2 screen’s 120Hz capability, though Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is confirmed to have a 1080p performance mode that targets this high refresh rate. It’s bound to look stunning on the handheld that already has a native 1080p resolution.
Of course, there will be times when you won’t want to make use of HDR10, perhaps in order to save battery or to have a play experience that’s less demanding on the eyes. Nintendo has thankfully thought of this, and there are options in the settings menu to disable HDR entirely or to only enable it for true HDR-compatible games.
In my testing, I have no complaints when it comes to the Switch 2’s display. It is a monumental upgrade over the original’s 720p LCD screen. The jump to 1080p helps both Switch 2 and OG Switch games look incredibly sharp. Even titles that utilize a dynamic resolution in handheld mode - like Bayonetta 3 and Astral Chain - are better able to meet this target thanks to the increased power of the Switch 2.
Nintendo Switch 2: user interface and settings
(Image credit: Future)
The Switch 2’s Home dashboard is a disappointment at first glance. In fact, you might not be able to tell it apart from the original console’s menu if it weren’t for the rounded edges applied to game icons on the Switch 2. It’s still aggressively bland, then, and you’ve still only got the choice between two basic white and black themes, but there have been some key improvements worth talking about.
The big thing to make note of is performance. Issues with the glacial input delay are practically nonexistent now, and nowhere is this more apparent than the revamped Nintendo eShop. There’s a completely new user interface here, and items are organized much more cleanly and smartly than before. And while, yes, you still won’t be escaping the mountains of genAI shovelware when looking through the deals section, I’d still argue that the eShop now is a good deal more responsive than even the PlayStation and Microsoft Stores.
Over to System Settings, then, and you’ll find much of what was available on the original Switch. On Switch 2, there are plenty more options to take advantage of the hardware’s new features. These include setting TV output to 1440p or 4K, fine-tuning HDR, as well as preventing your system from topping up its battery all the way to full in order to help the battery last longer in the years to come. A similar option is common with best iPhones and best Android smartphones, so it’s nice to see it here on a portable gaming device.
Nintendo Switch 2: audio
(Image credit: Future)
One important addition to the Nintendo Switch 2 is the implementation of a bespoke surround sound system, supported by the speakers on both the top and bottom of the handheld.
What impressed me the most here was the surprising level of audio quality when not using a pair of headphones in handheld mode. The speakers are significantly less tinny than the original Switch (though that did also see an improvement with the OLED model), and they provide surprisingly clear audio for such a compact device.
The speakers work great for a wide range of games, whether that’s the vast immersive soundscape of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom or the infectiously catchy tunes of Splatoon 3. Even older NES and SNES games that are playable via Nintendo Switch Online benefit, with their simpler melodies coming through with great clarity.
Bluetooth support is where the Switch 2 falters in the audio department. Don’t get me wrong, you’re still getting strong surround sound support here. But with the gaming headsets and earbuds I tested - including the RIG 900 Max HS and the Nothing Ear (a) earbuds - there was a very noticeable audio delay of around half a second. This was the case in both docked and handheld modes, though it was certainly more pronounced with the latter.
On that note, I’d recommend hooking up a pair of wired headphones via the 3.5mm jack. In this case, I tested my Razer BlackShark V2 headphones, and audio came through crystal clear without a hint of delay.
Nintendo Switch 2: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
Now, overall gaming performance is where the Nintendo Switch 2 really impresses. At least at this early stage in the console’s life, the notion of poor framerates and heavily compromised Nintendo Switch ports seems to be a thing of the past.
Nintendo’s own output has thus far been stellar on this front. Mario Kart World runs at a clean 1440p while docked (1080p on the handheld) at a solid 60 frames per second (fps) at all times. That’s especially impressive given the series’ shift to a vibrant open world.
However, I was even more surprised by some of the console’s ports. Street Fighter 6, for example (while slightly worse off in terms of image quality with some noticeable graining), runs superbly at 60fps both online and offline. The marquee single-player World Tour mode does take some hits with battles being locked to 30fps, but that’s the only real blemish on this otherwise exceptional port.
The one major downside to all this is the Switch 2’s shockingly poor battery life. In handheld mode, Nintendo itself estimates that you can get anywhere between two to six and a half hours. However, in all my testing, I simply didn’t find this to be the case. Of course, more demanding titles will drain the battery a good deal more, but even with original Switch games, I struggled to get more than three hours at full charge. And yes, that’s even after bypassing the bug where the console thinks it’s got around 10% less battery life than what it actually has.
Even when playing less demanding titles, such as side-scrollers or Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) retro games, battery life struggles. You can, of course, mitigate things by turning down the console’s brightness and disabling HDR for certain games, but this does come at the cost of overall image clarity.
I’d say, at a push, you can get around five hours tops with less visually demanding games, after testing titles like Hollow Knight, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S, and numerous Switch Online classic titles. Heck, even idling on the Home dashboard seems to drain the battery at an alarming clip, so do make sure to keep your console in standby when you’re out and about and it’s not in use.
Nintendo Switch 2: Backwards compatibility
(Image credit: Future)
Nintendo Switch 2’s backwards compatibility is - in a word - excellent. Particularly when it comes to running and playing original Switch games. Firstly, most Switch games at a baseline level benefit from Switch 2’s faster internal storage. That means you can expect games to boot and load scenes much faster on average.
For example, booting Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Editiontook me from the Home dashboard to the in-game menu in around 4 seconds. Then, from the menu to in-game was roughly 10 seconds. It’s a similar story with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which loads into a match in literally less than 3 seconds. Another standout example is Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition, which I’ve already written about as being one of my favorite Switch 2 experiences so far, despite being an original Switch title. In the main story mode, the game transitioned from level selection to loading to gameplay in, again, around 3 or 4 seconds.
Many Switch games also benefit from an increase in image quality and overall performance, not just games that have received paid Nintendo Switch 2 Editions. The standout example here is Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Most would agree that the original Switch release was a mess, with horrific image quality and choppy animations. On Switch 2, the game has been transformed, rocking a solid 60fps and targeting 4K while docked and 1080p on the handheld. Now, the game’s overall art style still does feel a bit flat, but with its key performance issues solved on Switch 2, it’s now well worth playing, as it’s still a fine Pokémon adventure.
Another game that benefits is, again, Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition. That game originally had an uncapped framerate, meaning the Switch 2 is able to brute force a 60fps performance at all times. Image quality in handheld mode is also sublime, with the game sporting a 1080p output and no longer needing to downsample to 720p to fit the original Switch display. If you know of any other OG Switch titles with uncapped framerates, definitely give them a try on Switch 2, as the results may surprise you.
Nintendo Switch 2: Joy-Con 2
(Image credit: Future)
Now onto the Switch 2’s pack-in controllers - the Joy-Con 2. And again, we find a pretty sizable improvement over the previous model in some ways. Their overall design is much sleeker, and they’re slightly rounder than the original Joy-Con controllers. Their larger size also makes them much more comfortable to play with for longer sessions - even when sharing an individual Joy-Con 2 with a pal for co-op play.
The big addition here is mouse controls, which are supported by certain titles, including Civilization 7and Cyberpunk 2077. Mouse controls can also be used to navigate the Switch 2’s Home dashboard and Nintendo eShop (though the lack of a scroll wheel does hurt things a little here). It’s a very smart implementation, and performance is extremely smooth with no unnecessary acceleration. You can even adjust mouse sensitivity in the System Settings menu and in supported games.
It is worth mentioning that there have already been reports of Joy-Con 2 controllers suffering from stick drift, and the sticks themselves appear to have the same design as the originals.
This is a huge shame and a big disappointment, as one of my biggest concerns before launch was the lack of improvements in this regard. Nintendo does offer a free repair and replacement service for Joy-Con 2 controllers suffering from stick drift, but I’d obviously prefer a Hall effect solution in order to avoid this issue entirely.
Nintendo Switch 2: GameChat
(Image credit: Future)
Finally, Nintendo has a true party voice chat solution built into one of its consoles. While numerous titles on the original Switch supported voice chat via the official Nintendo Switch Online app, chatting with friends this way was nothing short of awful - often thanks to forced disconnections between matches and low-quality audio.
So, is GameChat a decent alternative to the likes of Discord? Well, yes and no. GameChat obviously takes great inspiration from the world’s leading group chat software. Audio quality via the Switch 2’s built-in mic is surprisingly clear, and headset microphones are also supported. It is objectively a big improvement over Nintendo’s prior efforts.
The problems come with its implementation. Namely, shrinking the game screen down in order to display your friends’ Switch 2 profile icons. This seems needless, especially when not using the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera accessory, not to mention the fact that GameChat adds massive black borders around your game screen. Discord already solved this with its simple and effective overlay that maintains image resolution while displaying profile icons off to the side in a semi-transparent manner.
Editor's note
Good news - the potential issue we identified with GameChat compressing your game's live feed has been accounted for. If you head to the settings within GameChat, you'll see you have two further display options; Extend Main Screen and Fullscreen. The former shrinks the GameChat UI, and the latter removes your friends' icons entirely, instead showing a small overlay in the lower right-hand corner with the name of whoever is currently speaking.
GameChat isn’t lacking ambition, though, and there are some neat ideas here. For example, being able to see your friends’ game screens is a novel idea, and a neat way of translating split-screen play in an online space. The problem, again, is the execution of it. Your friends’ displays are rendered at an uncomfortably low framerate, to the point where it can actually be quite distracting.
I hope Nintendo continues to improve the GameChat service going forward and flesh it out with more customizable options, because it is a handy thing to have for party chat with friends online, and it does have some neat ideas of its own. But for now, I would still recommend setting up a chat with friends via Discord.
Should I buy the Nintendo Switch 2?
Buy it if...
You want a night and day upgrade over the original Switch Simply put, the Nintendo Switch 2 is the Switch’s vision fully realized. An astronomical performance improvement, paired with superb load times and a crisp 1080p display, arguably makes it the definitive gaming handheld.
You already have a decent-sized Switch game collection Your original Switch games play better than ever on Switch 2. While not all benefit from image quality and performance improvements, those that do have never been better. Plus, most games do benefit from the console’s snappier load times.
You want a handheld gaming device that’s genuinely portable While larger than the original Switch, it remains just as thin. If you’re put off by the bulk of the Steam Deck in particular, then the Switch 2 is an excellent portable alternative if you like to game while out and about.
Don't buy it if...
You’re waiting on more first-party games Nintendo’s own launch roster for the Switch 2 is very slim. If Mario Kart World isn’t your bag, and you’re not too keen on playing some of these Switch 2 Edition games again, I’d say it’s best to hold off until the game library improves.
You want a gaming handheld that’ll go the distance, battery-wise The Switch 2’s battery life is incredibly poor. And while battery packs do exist to extend portable playtime, these do have the unfortunate side effect of bulking up the console. If you’re a frequent flyer or regularly find yourself on long commutes, the Switch 2’s battery life might let you down.
Also consider...
If the Nintendo Switch 2 isn’t quite for you, or if you simply can’t find stock for the currently hard-to-get console, here are a couple of alternatives that might better suit your preferences.
Nintendo Switch 2
Steam Deck OLED
Asus ROG Ally X
Price
$429.99 / £395.99 / AU$699.95
$549 / £479 (around AU$849)
$799.99 / £799 / AU$1,599
Weight
1.18lbs / 535g
1.41lbs / 640g
1.49lbs / 678g
Dimensions
10.7 x 4.5 x 0.6in / 272 x 114 x 15mm
11.7 x 4.6 x 1.9in / 298 x 117 x 49mm
11 x 4.5 x 1.5in / 280.2 x 114 x 37mm
Storage capacity
256GB internal
512GB NVMe SSD
1TB M.2 2280 SSD
Storage expansion
microSD Express
microSD
microSD
Connectivity
WiFi 6, ethernet, Bluetooth
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Display
7.9in Vivid LCD
7.4in OLED
7-inch FHD
Resolution
4K docked, 1080p handheld
1080p
1080p
CPU
Custom Nvidia processor
AMD Zen 2 four core 2.4-3.5GHz
AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
GPU
Custom Nvidia processor
AMD RDNA 2
AMD Radeon Graphics
Battery life
2-5 hours
2-3 hours
Around 8 hours
Ports
2 x USB, 1 x HDMI, 1 x LAN, 2 x USB-C, 1 x 3.5mm headphone jack
1 x USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD
2x USB-C, 1 x combo jack, 1 x SD card reader slot
Steam Deck OLED Valve’s premium gaming handheld is impressively customizable, supporting your entire Steam library as well as third-party apps and emulators. The OLED screen is a real treat, too. Just be prepared for some Steam games not being perfectly compatible with the handheld, and expect some performance hits for the more demanding titles.
Asus ROG Ally X A performance powerhouse and decent battery life position the Asus ROG Ally X as a seriously tempting gaming handheld. While still not quite up to spec with gaming laptops and Windows 11 not being the best fit as an operating system, it’s nonetheless a superb way to play Steam, Xbox Game Pass, GOG titles, and more.
Nintendo Switch OLED It does belong to the original Switch family, meaning it’s certainly not packing the power of the Switch 2. But still, the OLED is still a worthwhile and more affordable alternative, and packs a gorgeous 7-inch OLED display.
I tested the Nintendo Switch 2 for just over two weeks for this review. In docked mode, I played on a 4K-capable LG CX OLED TV, but I also split my time evenly between docked and handheld play. My picks for controllers during my testing were the Joy-Con 2, Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, and the wireless Nintendo GameCube Controller for use with the new GameCube classics library via Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.
My testing also involved playing a whole bunch of Switch 2 and original Switch games. These include Mario Kart World, Street Fighter 6, Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, Tears of the Kingdom - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, Deltarune, Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, and Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition.
I also compared the Switch 2’s gaming performance to that of the base PS5 and the Switch OLED. While it does lack the sheer power of the former, it’s not too far off the mark as we see with some of the Switch 2’s excellent ports. And in the case of the latter, it’s no contest, and I found it exceptionally hard to revisit my older Switch especially when the new system is almost fully backwards compatible.
For audio, I mostly relied on the Switch 2 handheld’s in-built speakers, but tested headset audio with the RIG 900 Max HS, Nothing Ear (a) earbuds, and the Razer BlackShark V2 gaming headset.
Ask around, and most enthusiast photographers and creators are familiar with the accessory maker Peak Design, but newcomer Heipi? Nope.
Well, I have a welcome surprise – Heipi's carbon fiber 3-in-1 Travel Tripod W28S beats the Peak Design Travel Tripod in just about every regard, plus it's cheaper too. Three-Legged Thing's Punks Brian 2.0, however, provides stiffer competition for standard use – I explain why, below.
The W28S replaces the W28 – which I described as one of the most relevant and best travel tripods today in my in-depth review – delivering several refinements for a virtually complete and highly versatile three-legged support, in three ways.
Its 3-in-1 credentials cover regular tripod support for camera gear, the ability to support a phone instead via a clamp that's hidden in the integrated ball head, plus a generously-sized removable mini tripod, which is nestled inside the main legs, and which doubles up as a center column – the novelty of this feature hasn't worn off in this second-gen model.
Image 1 of 2
You're not seeing double – this is the Heipi 3-in-1 tripod's main legs (right) and mini tripod that slots inside the main legs when not in use (left) (Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 2
(Image credit: Future)
Given that the main legs can tuck inside the mini tripod legs when you're done, there's no wasted space and the Heipi 3-in-1 is able to pack away more compact than most, plus it comes supplied with a snug-fit carry case.
There are limitations though. I'd hesitate to mount particularly large and heavy gear – although that's true of all travel tripods – and the Heipi tripod's maximum height is bettered elsewhere. Also, despite its 3-in-1 party tricks, there's no monopod built into one of the legs. Nor can you swap out the supplied ball head for a fluid head, which would provide smooth panning movements for video.
If none of the above are dealbreakers, though, then Heipi's latest travel tripod is the complete package, with some unique features.
It's carbon fiber build quality is top-drawer, while improved leg locks are easier to lock-off and unlock than before. Also, they lock-off with even distribution on the leg sections (rather than a clamping lock), which reduces lateral movement between sections.
The addition of a bubble-level in the base is a neat touch, even if you can't see it properly when the center column is tucked away.
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Heipi also offers handy extras for accessory-laden users, such as clamp arms, which easily screw into the mini tripod legs via a 3/8-inch screw. The arms Heipi supplied to me for this review can support accessories such as an external monitor, and can even work with Heipi's optional phone clamp, so you can support a camera and phone simultaneously.
I've been able to switch between using a phone and a mid-range mirrorless camera with moderate size lens, with ease. Panning movement? No problem, unlike the Peak Design which is locked off.
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Even the design of the mini tripod, which easily rests on a table top for vlogging and is impressively sturdy with a 11 lbs / 5kg max payload, has been improved. The last version felt like it sacrificed ease of use for versatility, because it was stiff to extend and put away compared to a regular center column.
Now the mini tripod slides up and down much more easily, and when fully removed it even offers multiple leg angles to work from for a variety of shooting angles, including close to the ground.
It can also be reversed and locked-off upside down in the main legs in order to shoot from lower angles. Put simply, the mini tripod is one of the most sophisticated of its kind.
With camera gear generally getting smaller and lighter, and many creators using their phones as much as 'proper' camera gear, the case for the travel tripod grows as the case for bulkier supports diminishes.
And of all the many travel tripods I've reviewed, the Heipi 3-in-1 Travel Tripod W28S is the one I come back to most often – I reckon this is the best tripod for most people.
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Is Heipi's travel tripod perfect? No. There were times that I wished it could work from a higher level than its 59in / 150cm maximum reach (with the center column fully raised).
However, given it packs away with a tighter diameter than most and to just 17.7in / 45cm in length, while it weighs just 3lbs / 1.35kg (with ball head included), I'm happy to sacrifice any extra reach.
And one party trick it lacks, which you can find in many alternatives, is the ability to remove one of its legs for used as a monopod.
If you can live with the few limitations mentioned above, then the Heipi 3-in-1 Travel Tripod W28S will be the most versatile tripod you've ever used, complete with a high-quality and lightweight carbon fiber build, plus tiny pack-away proportions.
If you want a lightweight support for a variety of camera gear, Heipi would be my first recommendation.
You can discover more about the W28S's design and features in my W28 in-depth review, the two share much in common besides some of the design tweaks mentioned above.
Heipi 3-in-1 Travel Tripod W28S: key specs
Total weight
3.04lbs / 1.38kg (including ball head and mini tripod)
Max height
59.8in / 152cm (with center column fully raised, or 47in / 119cm without)
Legs sections
5
Packed length
17.7in / 45cm
Max capacity
Up to 44lbs / 20kg
Heipi 3-in-1 Travel Tripod W28 price and availability
There are also optional accessories such as a QR plate, and a different type of ball head in a pricer bundle. Heipi also sells clamp arms, an add-on phone clamp, plus a hammock for stowing accessories or even a weight to increase stability.
Heipi 3-in-1 Travel Tripod W28: Also consider
Peak Design Travel Tripod For the look and compact fold-away design, the Peak Design Travel Tripod is a leading alternative. However, Heipi's tripod is a compelling newcomer – its ball head has a panning motion, which Peak Design's tripod doesn't, plus the mini tripod and integrated phone clamp. Did I mention Heipi's is much cheaper, too?
3 Legged Thing Punks Brian 2.0 The 3 Legged Thing Punks Brian 2.0 sits in top spot in our best travel tripod guide and with good reason; it's the most versatile tripod for regular use – being easier to use and make fine adjustments, and with a better max height. However, Heipi's tripod is versatile in a different way for users that switch between types of gear and uses cases. Both are excellent supports.
You shoot with a variety of gear in a variety of ways The phone clamp is a neat trick, while the tripod plate gives a secure hold for camera gear. The mini tripod impresses too.
You want a lighter-than-most tripod I'm struggling to think of a tripod with a ball head that packs away as compactly as the Heipi 3-in-1. If you need a small package, this is the real deal.
Don't buy it if...
You need a tall working height It's maximum height of 59.8in / 152cm with the center column fully raised is bettered elsewhere.
You'd like an integrated monopod It offers features no other tripods do, but what Heipi lacks is a built-in monopod. Perhaps that'll come with a future Heipi 4-in1?
How I tested the Heipi 3-in-1 Travel Tripod W28S
I've used it over several months
I've extensively used its 3-in-1 features
I've attached various mirrorless cameras and smartphones
I've had the Heipi 3-in-1 Travel Tripod W28S for months and it has been my go-to camera gear support during this period.
It has ably supported beginner, mid-range and pro mirrorless cameras, although I've drawn a line at the larger sports-focused bodies and bulky telephoto lenses.
I've also used the phone clamp, attached a variety of smartphones the largest of which was an iPhone 15 Pro Max, plus tried out optional extras including clamp arms for an external monitor.
The mini tripod has had equally thorough testing as the main tripod legs. Generally I've used the gear in fair weather, but it has also withstood moderate rain and use on sandy beaches.
In my twenty years as a professional writer, I don’t think I’ve ever looked forward to using a keyboard before. Some are good, some are bad, some, like the ones on modern ThinkPads, are easily the best you can get on a laptop and offer very comfortable typing experiences.
In fact, I’ve always hated changing to a new keyboard, with the inevitable typos and finger-slips as muscle memory goes right out the window and the brain tries to relearn the new key placement.
But never, ever, have I wanted to find excuses to type something, anything on a keyboard, or just pressed a few keys as I passed the desk for the thrill of it all.
Until, that is, I got my hands on the Keychron V6 Max mechanical keyboard. And if I could, I’d sit at my desk all day and all night just to feel that pleasing feedback, listening to the satisfying clackety-clack as my fingers depress the keys. It might just be the best office keyboard I’ve ever used.
Keychron V6 Max: Price & availability
This is no budget keyboard - but that’s expected with this sort of design and the features packed in here. It’s a definite ‘investment’ product for those who will be using it day in and day out.
You can also pick up from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk and other online retailers, where it’s going for the RRP.
Keychron V6 Max: Design
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This little beast is beautifully designed, with its carbon black frame and light and dark blue keys. To me, it really looks the business, eye-catching but professional.
Unlike some Keychron keyboards, like the Q6 Max we reviewed, this model is built from a hardened ABS plastic rather than dense aluminum. It’s still pretty heavy, though, and not suited to portability. On the other hand, the weight also made it very stable, refusing to whizz across the desk under the slightest provocation while I used it. So, pros and cons.
The V6 Max comes in a range of configurations - first off, you can select between a barebones version and one that’s fully assembled.
In the US, you’ll get the double-shot OSA PBT keycaps, while in the UK, you can choose between PBT and ABS keys, with the latter allowing the backlight to shine through.
You can also choose between a few different mechanical switches (Gateron Jupiter Red, Brown, and Yellow), which will subtly adjust your experience (you can see the full differences between each by clicking here). In this review, I’m looking at the PBT version with Gateron Jupiter Red linear switches.
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Along the top row, nestled between F12 and Print Screen, is a sturdy volume knob that can be clicked to mute/unmute. It’s really useful if you want easy access to volume controls, and easily ignored if you don’t.
Around the back are two switches for changing compatibility between Windows, Mac, and Android devices, and alternating connectivity (2.4GHz, cable, and Bluetooth). Over to the right is a nub which houses both the USB and USB-C receivers.
In the box, you’ll also find a wealth of tools - a charging cable, keycap and switch puller, screwdriver, screws, hex (Allen) key, extension adapter for the receiver, and eleven replacement keys.
Keychron V6 Max: App
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One of the big highlights of the Keychron V6 Max is its near-total customizability, both physically and while using the app at launcher.keychron.com. You’ll need to run Chrome, Edge, or Opera, and connect the keyboard with the wire. I found the app found the keyboard pretty quickly - not instant, but quick enough. And I was pleasantly surprised by the host of options on offer here.
Arguably the most useful here is the keymap, where you can alter what each key does when pressed. It’s very straightforward to use. Then, alongside this, there’s a key test to make sure everything’s running smoothly, an option to create macros, which will be essential for coders, firmware updates and bug reporting, and backlight selection.
To my mind, this backlight tab is where every user should head first. To manually change the keyboard’s backlight, you’ll need to turn it on with Fn + Tab, then cycle through each option using Fn + Q. There’s loads of presets here, but let me tell you, it takes ages to find the one that’s right for you - and one wrong press and you’ll need to cycle through them all over again. In the app, on the other hand, you can quickly find your preferred style, and adjust the color using the palette. Job done.
All in all, I thought the app was a nice extra that gives you much more control over layout and style to fit how you want the keyboard to perform.
Keychron V6 Max: In use
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This keyboard is an absolute delight to use. Typing feels natural, comfortable, I used it for hours and hours at a time and never once had any issues. Every keystroke registered quickly and accurately, and there’s a pleasing softness to each one. What more could you want from a mechanical keyboard?
Of course, it helps that it’s incredibly customizable to suit your work, and the desk boasts a gasket mount design with sound-proofing foam under the hood. Saying that, it’s in no way silent during use. As a mechanical keyboard, it has a muted clack that will remind readers of a certain age of busy offices and typist pools.
Personally, I quite enjoy the sound it makes when in full writing flow- it’s somehow soothing. However, it won’t be ideal for those looking for a super low-profile keyboard, where a scissor-switch or rubber-dome keyboard will offer a quieter experience.
Keychron also claims the V6 Max has a polling rate of 1000Hz, which has a theoretical latency of 1ms. So, while it should easily handle competitive gaming, it isn’t strictly designed for this.
For me, it’s one of the best keyboards around, perfectly positioned for productivity-minded professionals, students, programmers - effectively anyone who’s going to be spending a lot of time at their desk. On that score, it delivers an awesome experience.
Should I buy the Keychron V6 Max?
Buy it if...
✅ You want comfort when typing I can’t fault the overall performance of the V6 Max when it comes to general typing, even at speed.
✅ You want to customize your set-up This keyboard can basically be configured any way you want, from switching out keycaps to redefining the key map using the app.
Don't buy it if...
❌ You don’t type much For the price and the specs here, it’s going to be overkill for sending the occasional email or replying on Teams - although it’ll feel good while you’re doing so, at least.
❌ You want a silent keyboard As a mechanical keyboard, this isn’t exactly quiet in use, which you may want in shared workspaces.
After testing the Xreal One glasses I declared them the best smart glasses you could buy, and as you’d hope from an upgraded model, the Xreal One Pro glasses have just bested them.
Overall the specs are more similar than different, but the ways in which they do differ make a world of difference.
The larger 57-degree field of view allows for a bigger image – perfect for a private movie night – and the image quality is better too, thanks not only to the Pro model using the latest Sony micro-OLED displays, but also to a new optic engine which allows the specs to achieve a higher 700-nit perceived brightness, and reduces distracting reflections and blurriness.
On top of the upgrades you can also look forward to the same solid audio tuned by Bose engineers, 120Hz 1080p visuals, an electrochromically dimmable lens backdrop, and a sleek design which helps make the Xreal Ones and now the Xreal One Pros excellent.
There are just two downsides. For one, the Xreal One Pro glasses are 3g heavier than the Xreal Ones at 87g, which is admittedly a fairly minor difference. The bigger issue is that they’re pricer – these glasses will set you back $649 / £579.
The Xreal Eye (Image credit: Future / Hamish Hector)
Factor in add-on costs like the $199 / £189 Xreal Beam Pro, prescription lenses (if you need them) and extra adapters (like an HDMI to USB-C cable), and the complete Xreal One Pro package can get very expensive. You don’t need these add-ons, as the Xreal One Pro glasses come with enough in their box to use them with a wide range of compatible devices, but they're a lot better with add-ons like the Beam Pro.
That said, the Xreal One Pro are meant to be a high-end offering, and you can absolutely see what you’re paying extra for. That's why they've cemented themselves as one of the best smart glasses of 2025.
If you have the cash to splash you’ll be delighted by what the Xreal One Pro offer as an entertainment and productivity device. If, however, you’re on a budget there are more affordable options that offer excellent value for money, even if they’re not able to match the Pro’s highs.
Xreal One Pro: Price and Availability
Costs $649 / £579
On the pricier side of things, but boast high-end specs
A pair of Xreal One Pro glasses cost $649 / £579 which puts them on the higher end of the smart glasses spectrum. For that you’ll get the glasses, a USB-C to USB-C cable, a cleaning cloth, and a hard carry case.
If you’re looking to improve them you can grab the Xreal Beam Pro for $199 / £189. It’s a phone-like Android device with nifty features like a camera setup for 3d spatial photography, easy access to a suite of apps for downloading and watching shows, and two ports so you can use your glasses and charge the Beam Pro at the same time.
There’s also the Xreal Eye for $99 / £99. Right now it is just a camera for snapping some simple photos, but it slots into the glasses comfortably and might allow for some other exclusive features in the future.
Value: 4/5
Xreal One Pro: Design
New optical design is best yet
Comfortable to wear for hours
Offer electrochromic dimming
At a quick glance the Xreal One Pro glasses look almost identical to the base Xreal One specs.
They both resemble typical sunglasses with a few noticeably technological features. For a start one arm has a USB-C port at the end so you can use a cable to tether the spaces to a compatible USB-C device (like a phone, computer, or console).
They have the same button layout – a button on the top of the right arm to quickly swap into transparency mode, as well as a brightness control button (which adjusts the electronic dimming, and the brightness of the image) and a red menu control button on the bottom.
There’s even the same interchangeable nose clips and hard carry case, though their cleaning cloths are different colors (the Pro uses a gray cloth while the regular model uses black).
But one obvious change is the optical setup.
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Smart glasses like this use lenses to reflect an OLED screen into your eyes so you can see the screen and what’s going on behind it. The Xreal One Pro glasses have a new shape of lens which is flat and thinner, rather than being chunky and more triangular in shape.
This means the resulting image is disrupted by fewer reflections caused by light from the world around you, and it’s able to boast a wider field of view to boot (giving you a larger virtual image, more on that below).
It’s also easier to look through these lenses when the screen isn’t in use than with the Xreal One glasses. Previously transparency mode was good for simply quickly checking your surroundings, whereas now I’m comfortable moving around while wearing the Xreal One Pro glasses in this mode.
Design: 5/5
Xreal One Pro: Performance
700-nit bright 120Hz full-HD image
Bose tuned audio from in-built speakers
57-degree field of view provides a giant virtual screen
The Xreal One Pro glasses deliver a truly superb performance that’s a Pro-worthy upgrade over the base Xreal One glasses.
This is thanks to the new optical engine I touched on above as well as new Sony OLED panels which combine to deliver some top-notch stats.
You’re getting 700 nits of perceived brightness (100 more than the Xreal One) which helps to further improve contrast and make bright scenes dazzle – qualities which are further aided by the black backdrop provided by the outer lenses with electrochromic dimming.
The field of view is now larger too, at 57-degrees. This makes the virtual screen much larger at a max size of 171-inches – for comparison the 50-degree Xreal One boasted a max screen size of 147-inch.
It’s further enhanced by the optical engine’s reduced blurriness and lack of reflections. The old shape of lens used by other smart glasses can reflect light from the outside world into your eyes distorting the image. Thanks to its new design the Xreal One Pro has far fewer reflections which makes for a far superior viewing experience.
If I’m ever travelling with a pair of smart glasses again, it’ll be these – no doubt about it.
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As for the audio the Bose tuned sound is just as impressive as it was with the Xreal One glasses.
That is to say at home you’ll be fine just relying on the glasses’ in-built speakers but while travelling you’ll want a pair of headphones – not only to reduce the noise from the outside world, but reduce the noise your glasses cause.
Headphones are still an upgrade when using the smart specs at home, but with the Xreal One Pro glasses (as with the Xreal Ones) they don’t feel like a necessity for a good sonic experience.
Thanks to its plethora of upgrades the only remaining gripe is still that the image quality is still only 1,080p (full-HD) rather than 4K. 4K is a barrier other smart glasses have yet to cross, and frankly the image looks pretty darn good even at this lower resolution and runs at 120Hz which is nothing to sniff at.
Performance: 5/5
Should you buy the Xreal One Pro?
Xreal One Pro scorecard
Attribute
Notes
Score
Design
The Xreal One Pro glasses don’t mix up the formula much, but there was already a lot to love and their new optical design has only elevated the experience.
5/5
Performance
With a bright 700-nit 120Hz full-HD display, Bose tuned audio, and reduced reflections which make combine into first-class performance.
5/5
Value
The Xreal One Pro glasses are expensive but they’re also an excellent pair of smart specs which makes them solid value for money.
4/5
Buy it if...
You demand peak performance The Xreal One Pro glasses are very very good. If you’re after the best pair money can buy for entertainment, that’s these glasses.
You want a (near) complete package Ignoring the need for a device to connect them to, thanks to their great visuals and solid sound the Xreal One Pro glasses feel like a complete package rather than necessitating add-ons like headphones to make up for their sonic deficiencies (something which can’t be said of many of their predecessors).
You appreciate privacy With the glasses on you can put your phone in your pocket or adjust your laptop settings to ensure only you can see your screen even in public places.
Don't buy it if...
You’re on a budget The Xreal One Pro glasses are great, but very pricey. You can spend less on alternatives like the base Xreal One glasses or non-Xreal alternatives such as the RayNeo Air 3S and still get something good (albeit not as good).
You don’t plan to get a Beam Pro You don’t need a Beam Pro to use the Xreal One Pro, but it’s easily the best Xreal glasses add-on out there and runs right up to the line of being a must-buy for Xreal’s specs.
You want Android XR The Beam Pro, even with the Xreal Eye, doesn’t seem like it’ll support Android XR – if you want Xreal’s Android XR glasses you’ll need to wait a little longer for Project Aura to launch.
Also consider
Xreal One The Xreal One AR smart glasses cost less at $499 / £449, and offer a solid HD image and Bose audio, but their overall picture quality isn't as impressive. Read our Xreal One review
RayNeo Air 3S These budget smart glasses punch well above their weight. Their overall quality doesn't match that of the Xreal One Pro, but if you're after the bets value pair you can find it's these.
Meta Quest 3 While not a direct competitor to the Xreal One Pro glasses, the Quest 3 is an XR product that you should consider if you want to experience what VR and MR have to offer – it’s simply superb. Read our Meta Quest 3 reviewView Deal
How I tested the Xreal One Pro
I tested the Xreal One pro glasses over a couple of weeks and predominantly used them with the Xreal Beam Pro, my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, and my computer.
I would also frequently use noise cancelling headphones with them as I love to wear them when travelling, but I made sure to test their in-built speakers in a range of environments to judge their performance.
I also directly compared them with the Xreal One glasses to get a sense of the upgrades the One Pros deliver.
Platform reviewed: PC Available on: PC Release date: June 10, 2025
Early on, while sprinting between rocky islands in Dune: Awakening’s desolate sandy seas, I began to wonder why it's taken so long for Frank Herbert’s fascinating world to be translated into a survival MMO PC game of this scale.
Making the most of the mythic beasts, warring factions, and an unforgiving setting, Funcom’s latest offering reimagines the core material, providing players the opportunity to step beyond the existing lore and carve out their own place amongst the stars. With so much to see and die as a result of, I still feel like I’m only scratching the surface of this monstrously sized expedition into the desert. But, despite the sizable journey ahead, one thing is for sure – I’m thoroughly enjoying the grind.
Dune: Awakening doesn’t take place in the Dune world you know from Herbert’s cult book, Denis Villeneuve’s cinematic duology, or David Lynch’s 1984 space opera. Instead, it’s set in an alternate timeline where Lady Jessica has a daughter instead of a son, and Duke Leto Atreides survives the assault on Arrakis, leading to an all-out war with the opposing Harkonnen dynasty. Without Paul Atreides and his Lisan al Gaib status, the Fremen are missing in action. Naturally, with all this drama, Arrakis has become a battleground over the most important resource in the galaxy – Spice.
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Players enter this conflict as a prisoner, whose job is to find the Fremen people and awaken ‘the sleeper’. But before you dive into the many processes needed to uncover them, you first need to make some decisions about your character, namely what they look like and how they fit into the political landscape.
You’ll first get the chance to tweak the physical form of your character. There’s a decent variety of choices, from hairstyles to stature and tattoos, too. Naturally, I opted for a pre-distressed look, picking out murky blue eye makeup and some messy lipstick. Visual identity chosen, you’ll then pick some personality building blocks: your homeworld, social caste, and mentor.
Each option will provide you with alternative starting abilities and emotes. As someone who’s always wanted to use the Voice, I opted for a Bene Gesserit mentor and based myself in the frosty peaks of IX as a Bondsman. Sadly, it’s mainly your Mentor that factors into gameplay, with the other decisions acting more as role-playing flavor. Regardless, I was ready to feel the sand on my digital feet and test my survival mettle.
Fear is the grind killer
Needless to say, this planet is not exactly hospitable. (Image credit: Funcom)
You aren’t just dropped into Dune: Awakening without a clue, and are run through a pint-sized tutorial sequence first. Here, you learn the basics of combat and survival, which amounts to scavenging morsels of water drops from plants and swiping at enemies with a glorified box cutter, before witnessing a sandworm gobble up the remains of your ship.
Emerging into the open sand, your workload is split between maintaining your hydration and shelter while branching out into the surrounding areas of the map in search of story missions. Much of my first hour was spent cowering in the shade, fearing for my life as I followed my objectives to earn some scrappy sun protection and a ranged weapon. Suddenly, I wasn’t so afraid, and I began assaulting enemy camps with my newfound confidence.
As you run between pockets of shade, scavenging for resources and completing objectives, you’ll naturally start to earn Skill Points and Intel Points that fuel your skills, research, and crafting abilities. Soon, instead of scrounging around for a morsel of water and clipping enemies with a pea shooter, you’ll be drinking the blood of your enemies and hammering targets with the improved arsenal at your fingertips. Dune: Awakening has all the hallmarks of a classic survival MMO. However, it’s the clever grapple between feeling brave and weak that kept me interested beyond the climactic opening.
Best bit
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To complete quests and rise up the ranks, you’ll eventually need to cross large portions of the desert. And, despite the isolation you might feel in the arid landscape, you’re never truly alone. In Dune: Awakening, Sandworms, otherwise known as the Shai-Hulud, are more terrifying than raiders or dehydration. If you’re unlucky, or simply not paying attention to your vibration meter, they can fleece you of all your precious items and leave you in the dust, literally, with nothing but your underwear. Regardless of how terrifying a prospect, the addition of these iconic creatures only makes the world of Dune: Awakening more immersive and entertaining to explore.
It’s not all desert roses, though, and unfortunately, as I sought out more enemies, I ran into issues with the rudimentary combat. You can block and parry, as well as deliver quick, slow, and ranged attacks, which is fine, if not a little underwhelming. Your limited toolbelt, early on, isn’t complemented by the limited enemy variation, and many of the baddies you face look much the same, and frankly, don’t seem too smart either.
On one occasion, while taking out a duo of scavengers, the firing stopped abruptly mid-fight. As I sheepishly wandered around the corner, I noticed that the second scavenger was standing frozen, as if they’d forgotten I was there. As you push into more difficult districts on the map, there are complicating factors like shields, and your opponents have more diverse combat skills, though that does little to make the combat more enticing, and as of right now, it feels like fighting still needs some fine-tuning.
Thankfully, when the combat excursions start to get old, you can tackle story missions called the Trials of AQL, which arrive as alternate challenges that test your dexterity while explaining the history of the Fremen. Hidden amongst the craggy horizons, the trials felt like a carefully constructed extension of the lore, rewarding your attention with gear essential to survival long term. It’s clear Funcom cares about the material that the studio is adapting, and the involved and thoughtful Trials feel like proof of that.
Hope clouds observational skills
See that weird glowing stuff? That's Rapidium - and Jan's going to need a lot of it to make more alters. (Image credit: Funcom)
While exploration will take up the lion’s share of your time, base building is another important aspect to your survival in Dune: Awakening. Say a sandstorm warning pops up on your screen, and you need to quickly assemble a dwelling. All you have to do is craft a useful 3D printing gun and pick a safe spot to place your cover.
Here, external walls and flooring all snap together nicely, while the inside of your home requires a bit more finicky work to get things to fit just right. If you do run into problems, the system itself is quite forgiving, and it’s easy enough to modify your floor plan to fit more appliances if things get a little tight. You can technically build a shelter almost anywhere you’d like, and with the speed at which items respawn, plopping down your possessions in open sand is an obvious no-go.
This brings me to the real antagonist of Dune: Awakening. Beyond the periodic sandstorms, trigger-happy enemies, or unwavering thirst, are the more terrifying and possession-destroying sand worms or Shai-Hulud. Hidden underground in the open sands, the worms are attracted to your movements, which you can track via a friendly vibrations bar that appears at the center of your screen.
Laying out your base smartly (as I have very much not done in this screenshot) is key to making the most of your limited resources. (Image credit: Funcom)
Simply put, the more you move in open sand, the more likely it is you’ll attract a sandworm. Once the bar turns red, it means your luck has run out and you need to sprint away to higher ground or risk losing everything you’ve worked so hard for. Short distances start to feel large, and I felt genuine pangs of fear as I tiptoed between the stone monuments that broke up this seemingly endless world.
Dune: Awakening looks solid in motion, but it isn’t always visually seamless, and there are plenty of frustrating bugs and bouts of texture pop-in that get in the way of the fun. Still, Dune’s desert landscape more than makes up for those small squabbles, and it's easy to get swept up in the carefully constructed details Funcom has embedded on Arrakis.
Visual accents like the billow of a water seal as you cut through it, or the sand particle texture on your windows, help to build the fantasy and commit your exploits to memory. Yet considering how large Dune: Awakening is, I’m sure there’s even more to uncover on my journey to ultimate power, and I’m excited to keep digging and discover more of these details.
Should I buy Dune: Awakening?
Buy it if...
You want a challenging survival MMO that’s connected to its setting Between sunstroke, thirst and the constant threat of sand (worms and storms), Dune Awakening’s survival mechanics do well to complement its sci-fi setting.
You’re looking for a game to sink a lot of time into The world of Dune: Awakening is sizable, and so it’ll take more than a few hours to grow your reach and power.
You think you’d make a better Lisan Al Gaib than Paul Atreides Do you think of yourself more as a Timothée Chalamet Paul or a Kyle MacLachlan Paul? Well, Dune: Awakening provides you with all the necessary tools to see if you can out-Lisan Al Gaib both versions of Paul Atreides to prove yourself the superior sandy survivor.
Don't buy it if...
You prefer a more forgiving survival game In Dune: Awakening, when you die to a sandworm, you lose everything, and I mean everything. As such, it might not be ideal for casual players looking to relax as they mine.
You like complex combat systems While there is a decent diversity in skills and upgrades, Dune: Awakening’s combat can feel repetitive as you continue to face the same few enemy variants to harvest loot.
Accessibility
You can access the settings from the pause menu while in-game, or at the bottom left of the main menu before you join a server. From the accessibility menu, you can toggle on and off camera shakes, controller rumble, and motion blur.
From this menu, you can also toggle on and off subtitles, choose the font size, as well as select an option to have previous subtitles on screen for a longer period of time. You can also tweak the gamma setting from this menu, too. Dune: Awakening allows you to rebind all your keys from the dedicated Keybinds menu.
Where audio is concerned, you can use a slider in the Audio submenu to tweak individual streams of sound (Master Volume, Music Volume in-game, Sound Effects Volume, Cutscenes Volume, Dialogue Volume, and Radio Volume).
The Nexar One is a 4K dash cam that employs a clever modular design and an always-on LTE data connection to offer automatic cloud uploads with unlimited storage, wireless video transfer, and remote streaming. It can be bought with either 128GB or 256GB of internal storage, but there's no microSD card support. Rear and internal cameras are also available.
Unlimited cloud storage and live streaming for as little as $71.90 a year feels like good value, but the One is reliant on a strong cellular signal to work properly; if you have patchy 4G at home, this might not be the dash cam for you.
(Image credit: Future / Alistair Charlton)
Nexar One: price & availability
The Nexar One is priced from $329.95 for the 128GB model (which can hold up to 37 hours of recordings), or from $379.95 for the 256GB model (which has space for up to 78 hours). Adding the interior camera featured in this review increases those prices to $379.95 and $429.95 respectively.
Nexar’s LTE Protection Plan costs $9.99 a month or $71.90 a year. This includes the ability to live stream from the dash cam to your phone, plus unlimited cloud storage, a 24/7 parking mode, real-time GPS tracking, emergency alerts, and rear camera compatibility.
Nexar says the One will be available in the UK soon, but hadn’t announced prices at the time of review in June 2025. The cost of the LTE Protection Plan is also unknown for now, and the One is not available in Australia.
Nexar One: specs
Nexar One specs
Video
4K resolution at 25 to 30 frames per second
Field of view (FoV)
140 degrees (forwards), 160 degrees (interior)
Storage
Internal (128GB or 256GB), cloud (unlimited, fees apply)
GPS
Yes
Parking Mode
Yes, with remote streaming
App support
Nexar Connect app
Dimensions
3.5 x 2.75 x 1.2 inches / 88.9 x 69.8 x 30.5mm
Weight
7.4oz / 210g
Battery
Yes, used to record parking events
Nexar One: Design
The Nexar One is a clever piece of design, as far as dash cams go. It doesn’t have a screen, so there’s no chance of being distracted while you’re driving, and the unit itself is relatively slim, but with the LTE data module and interior camera connected, it’s quite large.
The clever bit is how the Nexar One uses magnets. Firstly, it connects to its windshield mount with a very strong magnet. You then stick the mount to your windshield with an adhesive strip, and a power cable runs from the mount to your car’s OBD2 port for a constant power supply, even when it’s parked and turned off. Power is then sent to the dash cam itself as soon as the magnets snap it into place.
(Image credit: Future / Alistair Charlton)
There are more magnets on either side of the main unit. You can remove a cover from one end to attach what Nexar calls the connectivity add-on, which is basically an LTE (4G) antenna that gives the dash cam a cellular data connection for live streaming to your phone and cloud video storage – more on that later.
Removing the cover from the other end enables you connect the optional interior camera, which sold separately but was also provided by Nexar for this review. Overall, it’s a clever design that's been nicely executed, and I especially like how Nexar includes an OBD2 cable in the box, rather than a USB cable and a 12-volt socket adapter.
As mentioned, there’s no microSD card slot, with the One relying entirely on internal storage.
(Image credit: Future / Alistair Charlton)
Nexar One: Performance
The setup process requires the Nexar Connect smartphone app and, for the dash cam, a decent 4G connection. Although I live in London, my street has awful cellular coverage, so it wasn’t a surprise to see the One fail to get itself online. I drove about half a mile, parked up, and the dash cam then quickly connected to Nexar’s cloud service and completed the setup process.
While video quality is the most important aspect of any dash cam, there’s more to this model than video recording. You can use either the Nexar Connect app or Nexar’s online dashboard to view every journey completed with the One installed. Your driving route is shown on a map, along with the distance and duration of your journey. It’s then easy to either view a low-resolution timelapse of a journey, or download a high-resolution portion.
(Image credit: Future / Alistair Charlton)
If you’re away from your car (and therefore not connected directly to the dash cam via Wi-Fi), you can view the mapped routes and timelapses. And, while you can request to download a high-res portion of between 30 seconds and five minutes, the download won’t happen until the next time you turn your car on. Instead, it’s best to get in your car, connect directly to the dash cam over Wi-Fi, and transfer high-res recordings to your phone.
Another feature is live streaming, where the Nexar One’s LTE connection lets you view a live feed from the dash cam on your phone. This takes about 30 seconds to start and when using LTE (instead of a direct Wi-Fi connection) you’re limited to three minutes of live viewing at a time. This is understandable, given how much data would be swallowed up by longer streams. It’s a handy way to check up on your car, and means you can view a live feed right after the dash cam detects a collision while parked, as it will automatically start recording.
Since I live in an area with patchy cellular coverage, some driving routes and timelapses failed to upload right away. This process happens after you park up, while the dash cam is powering down, but a poor data connection can stop the upload from happening. The downloads are then unavailable until the next time you turn your car on and drive to an area with better signal.
(Image credit: Future / Alistair Charlton)
If you live and mostly drive in an area with strong LTE coverage you’ll be fine, but if not – and you want to regularly use the Nexar One’s connected features – you’ll need to think twice about buying it. The Nexar One is designed to connect to a range of networks, instead of just one, so it should always hunt out the best signal. But I found it sometimes failed to connect, especially in known blackspots.
Incidents – where the dash cam detects a collision, either while parked or driving – are sorted into their own section of the app and dashboard, making them easy to find.
The app lets you pick from three video quality options, but frustratingly these use names – Basic, Standard and Premium – instead of recognizable numbers, like 1080p or 4K. Tapping on 'Learn more' opens Nexar’s website and explains that Basic is 720p (and 540p for the interior view), Standard is 1080p (and 720p for the interior), and Premium is 4K (plus 720p again for the interior).
Standard is the default option. These Full HD recordings look great on the phone app, but quality takes a dip when blown up onto a larger computer screen. Footage is okay, but details like the license plates of oncoming vehicles, even at just 20mph in bright daylight, are often difficult to read.
(Image credit: Future / Alistair Charlton)
Bump the Nexar One up to Premium and the 4K videos are noticeably sharper, with more legible license plates and street signs. Files are also larger, with a five-minute clip weighing in at 1.5GB from the front-facing camera and 360MB from the lower-spec interior view.
The larger size of 4K files highlights the Nexar One’s slow Wi-Fi transfer speeds. Moving those five-minute, 1.5GB and 360MB clips to my iPhone, over a direct Wi-Fi connection, took a full five minutes.
The interior camera is of a lower spec, but still provides a decent view of the driver and front-seat passenger. Since I drive a small two-seater (a Mazda Miata, or MX-5 for non-US readers), this camera manages to capture an acceptable view out of the rear windshield too. However, due to my car’s tiny front windshield, I’ve had to partially hide the Nexar One behind the mirror, which blocks some of the camera’s interior view.
If I bought the Nexar One myself, and still owned a car tight on space, I’d likely do without the interior camera. That said, if you’re a taxi or ride-share driver, having recordings of your interior (and a sign telling your passengers as much) could be useful.
Lastly, there’s a parking mode. This works when the Nexar One is connected either with the included OBD II cable, or the optional hardwiring cable that powers it from the fuse box. When a collision is detected, the camera springs into life and starts recording. These videos appear in chronological order in the app, but can only be downloaded when you next switch your car on – and so long as the camera has a good cellular connection.
(Image credit: Future / Alistair Charlton)
Parking mode, unlimited cloud storage, live streaming and other functions – including emergency alerts, GPS tracking and rear camera compatibility – are all part of a subscription plan. This is priced at $9.99 a month or $71.90 for a full year. Although the Nexar One works like any other offline dash cam without this fee, storing footage locally, not subscribing removes much of its functionality. If you don’t want to pay for a subscription, you’d be better off buying a different dash cam.
That said, I can see the value here – especially if you live in an area with solid cellular coverage. Having videos available online, through the app or any computer browser, takes away the usual dash cam pain point of having to eject the microSD card and transfer footage manually. I also like the idea of being able to check in on my car while I'm away from home, but my local cellular coverage made that tricky.
The dash cam occasionally sent phone notifications, promising more information when tapped. But doing so simply opened the app and showed me the home screen. It also sometimes told me a recording was in process (while the car was parked and switched off), then saved a five-minute journey in the Activity page of the app. Tapping on this brought up a page full of error messages, a map with no indication of where the car was, and the promise of a timelapse and high-res clip being “available shortly”.
Nexar told me it has had some issues with a recent firmware update, but after reinstalling the latest firmware I still experienced connectivity problems. The One connects to multiple phone networks, but it seems that none could provide the coverage it needed to function where I live. It worked fine elsewhere, but poor signal at home takes away a chunk of the One's functionality.
I asked Nexar if it can be connect to home Wi-Fi for video uploads and firmware updates but, and was told that while this is on the roadmap, there's no timeline for launch.
(Image credit: Future / Alistair Charlton)
Nexar One: Sample videos
Front camera
Interior camera
Should you buy the Nexar One?
(Image credit: Future / Alistair Charlton)
Buy it if...
You need lots of cloud storage Nexar’s subscription fee generously includes unlimited cloud storage for your recordings. Low-res timelapses and location data are automatically uploaded after every journey, while high-resolution clips can be requested manually and are uploaded when the dash cam is next switched on. Incidents, like collisions, are uploaded in full.View Deal
You want 4K footage The Nexar One can record at 4K resolution, which captures a good amount of detail in your videos. The interior camera is limited to 720p HD.View Deal
You want live streaming Its LTE connection makes the Nexar One function like a security camera. You can view a live video stream on your phone or computer, so long as the dash cam is in an area with cellular coverage, which is handy for keeping an eye on your parked car.View Deal
Don't buy it if...
You live in an area with poor LTE coverage Since the Nexar One is so reliant on the cellular phone network, it struggles to function properly in areas with poor signal. Clips fail to upload, and even the setup process will fail without a decent connection.View Deal
You’re on a budget At over $300 for even the simplest model, the Nexar One is an expensive dash cam – especially when you factor in the ongoing cost of a data subscription. There are plenty of other dash cams that offer high-quality video recordings for less money, but go without the bells and whistles of the Nexar One.View Deal
You want a compact dash cam If you drive a car with a particularly small and/or shallow windshield, you should pass on the Nexar One. With the LTE module and interior camera attached, it’s a big dash cam that takes up plenty of space. You can tuck it behind the mirror, but that’s likely to partially block the view of the interior camera.View Deal
How I tested the Nexar One
I installed the Nexar One in my own car
I used the dash cam during multiple journeys over the course of a week
I downloaded footage, adjusted settings and experimented with the live streaming function.
I installed the Nexar One in my car and used it as my dash cam for about a week. I used it on numerous journeys, and recorded footage every time I used my car. I then downloaded (and uploaded) footage from the dash cam to check its recording quality, and used the live streaming function to see how well that worked.
This isn’t my first Viltrox lens review, and nor it will it be my last, because the Chinese lens maker is on a roll, producing a string of excellent optics for users of all skill levels and budgets. Coming in at the opposite end of a recent cinema lens that could cost up to $200,000, the 50mm f/2 Air costs less than $200 / £200 / AU$320, and offers excellent value for money.
It’s a tiny and lightweight prime that's available for Sony E and Nikon Z mounts – I had the latter for this review – with a decent maximum f/2 aperture for defocusing backgrounds. You don’t get the sharpest detail or creamiest bokeh I’ve ever seen – for those you'll want to check out the excellent Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 LAB – but the Viltrox 50mm f/2 is an excellent casual lens for enthusiasts, especially for portrait photography, and an ideal foil to a standard zoom.
I’d have preferred the lens’s minimum focus distance to be a little closer, which would bolster its everyday photography credentials, while a couple of external controls to speed up changing settings, such as an AF / MF switch, would be welcome. However, the Viltrox AF 50mm F2 Air delivers performance and image quality that belie its price – and the fact it squeezes proprietary camera-brand alternatives with its aggressive pricing is the cherry on the cake.
(Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Viltrox AF 50mm F2 Air specs
Viltrox AF 50mm F2 Air specs
Type:
Standard prime
Mount:
Nikon Z-mount / Sony E-mount
Sensor:
Full-frame
Focal length:
50mm
Max aperture:
f/2
Minimum focus:
1.67ft / 0.51m
Filter size:
58mm
Dimensions:
Φ68 x 58.6mm
Weight:
7.8oz / 220g
Viltrox AF 50mm f/2 Air: Price and availability
Available for Sony E and Nikon Z mounts
$199 / £229 / AU$319 list price, but it usually can be found for less
Hovering around the $200 / £200 / AU$320 mark and often available for a little less, the Viltrox AF 50mm f/2 Air is an excellent value prime lens, especially when you considering its build quality and optical performance.
Price-wise, it reminds me of the old Canon EF and Nikon F-mount cheap nifty fifties for DSLRs, being an affordable first prime for enthusiasts. There's bad news for some though – Viltrox's lens is only available for Sony E and Nikon Z lens mounts.
Viltrox AF 50mm f/2 Air: Design
Weighs just 7.8oz / 220g
No external buttons or controls
Available for Sony E and Nikon Z mounts
The 50mm f/2 Air lens is, as the name suggests, designed with an emphasis on light weight over absolute performance – it’s positively featherweight, especially compared to alternatives such as Nikon’s own Z 50mm f/1.4.
It’s a small lens, too. I paired the 50mm f/2 Air with a Nikon Z6 II, and I could barely feel the lens. It's not often that I'd describe a camera / lens pairing as rear-heavy, but that's the case here.
This is also excellent value, with a sale price often dipping under $200 / £200 /AU$319, and the list price only a little more. For context, the Nikon-own f/1.4 lens is double the price (and double the weight), while Nikon's Z 50mm f/1.8 is four times the price.
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Viltrox’s lens well made too – a rugged metal barrel and rear mount instil confidence, even though there’s no proper weather-sealing to speak of (such are the compromises with such a low-cost lens).
There's a generously sized focus ring with smooth and easy rotation, and that’s it for controls. No AF / MF switch, no optical stabilization, no focus distance limiter – this is a simple bit of gear.
The lack of controls could, depending on which camera you pair the lens with, make changes to camera settings a little fussy. My camera doesn’t have an AF / MF switch, and because the lens doesn’t either I need to dive into a menu to switch between the two focusing methods, which can be frustrating.
Otherwise, there's little to talk about regarding design – this is a simple and lightweight optic that accepts 58mm threaded filters and comes supplied with a decent lens hood.
(Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Viltrox AF 50mm f/2 Air: Performance
Bright maximum f/2 aperture ideal for portraiture
Fairly limited close-focusing capabilities
Snappy autofocus speed
This is no pro-quality lens, but for beginners and enthusiasts the optical quality and performance of the Viltrox 50mm f/2 Air are perfectly sufficient.
The bright, zoom lens-beating maximum f/2 aperture ensures plenty of light intake and makes this lens great for low-light photography, as well as for defocusing backgrounds for dreamy portraits. Bokeh is smooth enough – I didn’t really spot the ugly ‘onion ring’ effect that can be evident in cheap optics.
(Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Optical clarity is perfectly acceptable, even if this isn't the sharpest 50mm lens I’ve used. With a little extra sharpening in post, most users should be perfectly happy with the results.
I shot all images in JPEG and uncompressed raw, and with lens corrections switched off there are slight signs of chromatic aberration, but the Viltrox has a reasonable handle on such distortions.
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Note the minor lens flare in the bottom middle of the frame when shooting straight towards sunlight (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
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For head and should portraits, bokeh is generally big, smooth and round, with a little cat's eye shaping the corners (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
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There's little sign of bokeh fringing either (technically known as longitudinal chromatic aberration) (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
I found the 1.67ft / 0.51m minimum focus distance a little limiting for close-up shots – the maximum magnification is a modest 0.11x. This isn't really a macro lens in any way, and perhaps even less of an everyday lens, with portraiture being its strongest suit.
With such a small and lightweight collection of ashperical (ASPH), ED and IF lens elements, the 50mm f/2’s STM autofocus motor has an easy job – those lens elements are moved with ease for quick and precise autofocus. Not once did I perceive sluggish autofocus on account of the lens rather than the camera.
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Shot using the maximum f/2 aperture, vignetting is evident in this bright scene (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
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I stopped the aperture down to f/5 at which point vignetting is pretty much gone (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
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Using the f/2 aperture helped to isolate the tree in the foreground. Chromatic aberration is well controlled, but vignetted means the corners are a little dark. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
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Stopped down to f/5, brightness is more consistent throughout the frame. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Overall, the Viltrox AF 50mm F2 Air is a capable performer, especially when you consider its compact size, low price and bright maximum aperture. For users on a budget who are looking to step up from a standard-zoom kit lens, this is an ideal choice.
Viltrox AF 50mm F2 Air sample gallery
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Should you buy the Viltrox AF 50mm F2 Air?
Buy it if...
You want a low-cost fast prime
Mirrorless lenses can get pretty pricey, but the Viltrox 50mm f/2 Air is a true nifty fifty – it’s that cheap second lens you can pick up after a kit lens.
You have a small full-frame or APS-C camera
Mirrorless lenses can get pretty big and heavy, and aren't always the best fit with a number of today’s compact, rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras. Not so the Viltrox 50mm f/2 – its light, small, and pairs wonderfully.
Don't buy it if...
You’d like quick access to manual controls
There’s only one external control on the lens, and that's a focus ring. All other changes need to be made in-camera, which, depending on your camera’s external controls, could prove to be a menu-diving time sink.
You shoot a lot in adverse conditions
The Viltrox 50mm f/2 lens isn’t weather sealed. Its build quality is solid enough, but you’ll want to think twice about shooting with it in poor weather.
(Image credit: Tim Coleman)
How I tested the Viltrox AF 50mm F2 Air
I've used it over a loan period of several months
I paired the lens with a Nikon Z6 II
I've used it in a range of scenarios, generally in fair weather, and checked image quality at the various aperture settings
I paired a Z-mount version of the Viltrox AF 50mm F2 Air with a Nikon Z6 II for several months, during which time it has seen moderate use, generally in fair weather. Size-wise, the camera and lens are perfectly balanced, with no hint of wrist strain due to front-heaviness.
To test optical quality I’ve snapped portraits with the aperture wide open at f/2, and also taken series of images at each aperture setting to compare sharpness and check for lens distortions.
Launching alongside the Nintendo Switch 2, Fortnite Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is quite simply the same game, but better. Bless developer and publisher Epic Games for trying, but Fortnite on the original Nintendo Switch is hardly the most elegant way to play and feels like you’re at a significant disadvantage thanks to the decreased graphical fidelity, framerate, and draw distance. It’s forgivable on handheld, but with TV mode, it looks rough and feels rougher. But I’m glad to say the Nintendo Switch 2 edition is a great way to play, no matter where you are.
Review info
Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2 Available on: Nintendo Switch 2; Non-Switch 2 version available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, PC, Android, iOS (in some regions) Release date: June 5, 2025
I mean, what can you even say about Fortnite at this point? Epic Games’ 100-person Battle Royale game has taken over the world over the last eight years, and it’s only grown larger in the time since. In the vein of something like Roblox, Fortnite is both a battle royale and a user-generated game platform where you can find an endless amount of custom maps to play with your friends on.
But let's get into why the Fortnite Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is such a great way to play.
Chug jug with you
(Image credit: Epic Games)
To really hammer that “you can play Fortnite without even touching its main mode” point home, I don’t like Battle Royale – the marquee mode – thanks to the game's building mechanics. However, when it comes to the Zero Build mode, it’s undoubtedly the best Battle Royale game on the market right now. Over the years, Epic has augmented the core mechanics of the game with a host of new movement options like wall kicking and roll landing that keep things fluid in what used to be the jankiest of movement systems.
Of course, the problem with any ‘evolving game’ is that it’s tough to give a review of the main mode because of how it changes. Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 1 was peak, while Chapter 4 and Chapter 5’s third seasons were two of the absolute worst seasons of a live service game I’ve played. This means there could be three-month stretches where you just simply don’t like the game. And considering Epic Games has been experimenting with seasons based around media franchises like Marvel, Star Wars, and a rumored upcoming Simpsons season, if you don’t like those, that’s all you get for months.
Thanks to the use of the Nintendo Switch 2’s feature set and specs, it's one of the best ways to play the game on console and by far the best handheld version.
Outside of that, there are the Epic Games-created modes. There’s Fortnite OG, which brings back the original Chapter 1 map (which can also be played in Zero Build, thankfully); Reload, which is a faster-paced 40-player battle; and Ballistic, a first-person mode that is a take on Counter-Strike. While none of these stand up to the core mode, they offer different ways to take on the mechanics of Fortnite and are solid games in their own right.
Then there are non-shooting modes like the Minecraft-inspired Lego Fortnite, Rocket Racing, and the best side mode, Fortnite Festival, which is a rhythm game mode and the closest thing we’ll get to a new Rock Band game, considering it was developed by Guitar Hero and Rock Band creator Harmonix. This mode gets constantly updated with songs and artists, with a new singer taking center stage with a skin and big song drop every few months or so (with the likes of Sabrina Carpenter, Metallica, and Hatsune Miku showing up).
And despite having so many options, the player base for each main mode is really healthy, meaning you’ll never wait too long to find a game of anything, with some custom games even having dedicated player bases. A few of these Epic-made modes have their own seasons and battle passes, too, which does add up if you don’t subscribe to the Fortnite Crew. However, Epic recently changed it so XP earned in any mode goes towards every single pass, which is a massive step up.
Mouse trap
(Image credit: Epic Games)
Fortnite Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is the same game as it is everywhere else; there are no exclusive modes or anything of the sort. However, thanks to the use of the Nintendo Switch 2’s feature set and specs, it's one of the best ways to play the game on console and by far the best handheld version of Fortnite.
Compared to the Nintendo Switch version, which ran at 880p docked and 660p in handheld mode, FortniteNintendo Switch 2 Edition runs at 1224p docked and 900p in handheld, so it still isn’t 4K / 1080p, but it is a significant boost. However, the resolution isn’t where the upgrade matters; the improved textures as well as a far greater draw distance, which was one of the original console’s biggest hindrances – especially with how big the Fortnite map is. Most importantly, Fortnite Nintendo Switch 2 Edition runs at a solid 60fps as opposed to the 30fps of the Nintendo Switch – which in an online shooter that has cross-play with more powerful platforms – makes a world of difference.
Gyro aiming returns from the Nintendo Switch edition of Fortnite, but new to the Switch 2 version is support for mouse controls via the Joy-Con 2 controllers. Effectively, this allows you to use a mouse setup for aiming with the movement capabilities of an analogue stick, and is a wonderful combination.
Best bit
(Image credit: Epic Games)
As I was writing this review, Epic released a Hank Hill skin alongside an emote recreating the King of the Hill intro: my best bit can only be that and even how it looked on the Switch 2, which was excellent.
However, the mouse implementation is a touch awkward. Due to the lack of buttons available, you’ll still need to access the face buttons on your Joy-Con to jump and reload, which creates some uncomfortable moments as you crane your hand. Plus, the mouse controls need to be activated from the in-game menu, as opposed to just sticking the Joy-Con in mouse position like in other games. This isn’t the biggest pain in the world, but it doesn’t revert back once you use a controller that doesn’t support mouse controls (such as attaching your Joy-Con 2 to the Switch 2 itself), which means you’ll need to get the controller off and go through the menu with the mouse to deactivate it.
Fortnite is a phenomenon for a reason; if you let yourself get by the “popular game bad” noise that you often see with this and the likes of Call of Duty, you’ll find what is probably the best Battle Royale game in the genre. And even outside of that, it’s a massive game platform that has an endless supply of whatever you like, from racing, rhythm games, and even custom Fall Guys games.
However, the risks of an ongoing game persist because you’ll occasionally be hit with a season that makes the game bad for months, and there’s not much you can do to help it.
Having said that, Fortnite Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is easily the best way to play on the go or on a handheld device, and while it’s outclassed in power by the PS5 and Xbox versions when it comes to TV mode, it’s still solid to look at, and the mouse controls give it an edge that those consoles don’t have.
Should you play Fortnite Nintendo Switch 2 Edition?
Play it if...
You want to play Fortnite on a handheld Fortnite Nintendo Switch 2 Edition outclasses the version on the original Switch in every way, taking what is a means to an end and making it a fantastic way to play in its own right. Plus, the mouse controls make tabletop mode a great way to play, too.
You want something free to play on Switch 2 Fortnite has a seemingly endless amount of modes and content, and is being updated constantly. And unless you want to pick up a skin of John Cena or Raiden from Metal Gear Solid, you don’t have to pay a single penny to play all of the game’s modes.
Don't play it if...
You need the best graphics and performance from Fortnite While the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Fortnite has a perfectly fine resolution and – in my experience – sticks at a solid 60fps, that’s where you cap out. The current-gen console versions and PC ultimately look better and support higher framerates.
Accessibility
Fortnite has a ton of accessibility options, including multiple color blindness filters, the ability to remap controls however you like, alongside multiple control options like gyro aiming and mouse controls.
A standout feature is the visual sound effects toggle, which displays a ring around your character to indicate the source of sound effects and their corresponding representations (footsteps, loot, gunfire, etc.). This is particularly beneficial for those with hearing difficulties or when playing the game with the sound muted.
How I reviewed Fortnite Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
I played around eight hours of Fortnite Nintendo Switch 2 Edition on top of a good 300-400 hours played across PlayStation, PC, and Nintendo Switch. During my time with the Nintendo Switch 2 edition, I tested Zero Build mode, Fortnite Festival and a number of custom games.
I played this in a mixture of handheld mode on the Nintendo Switch 2 itself and on a Samsung Q60D TV and a Samsung HW-T450 soundbar using the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller and the Joy-Con 2 controllers when using mouse mode.
Peak Design’s tripods have a couple of unique design features. One is the leg design, which is not tubular but has a six-sided cross section with an inner edge that fits straight up against the center column, with no gaps. The center column is thinner than most but also has a six-sided cross section for the legs to fit neatly against the legs when folded. This non-tubular construction does seem to give both the legs and the center column unusual stiffness.
The Peak Design Pro Tripods don't use tubular carbon fiber legs. They have a more complex six-sided cross-section designed to fold up tight against a flat-sided center column. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
Peak Design's clever leg and column design means these new Pro tripods fold down to a very small diameter compared to regular tripods. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
The other unique feature is a low-profile ball head with no protruding locking nut. Instead, it’s clamped with a rotating collar, and another, just above locks and releases the compact Arca Swiss compatible camera plate.
This low profile head design means that the original Peak Design travel tripod does not have to have its legs rotated 180 degrees from their folded position before you can use it. The low height of the ball head means that you can simply fold the legs in and pack it away without any complicated manoeuvers.
The new Pro Tripods also come with a new Pro Head. It still uses rotating collars to release the ball and the QR plate but it's bigger and more substantial than the original. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
The Pro head takes regular Arca Swiss compatible plates and also accepts Peak Design's clever new Tilt Mod specifically for video work. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
These design features made the original Peak Design Travel tripod very different to anything else. Now Peak Design has taken those same design concepts and scaled them up into a Pro version designed for serious professional use.
In fact, there’s not one Pro tripod but three. The regular Pro tripod is the one I spent most time with for this review, but I also got to try out the Pro Lite and Pro Tall variants. The Pro Lite is almost the same height and folded length of the regular Pro Tripod, but has a lighter construction for easier portability. The Tall version has longer leg sections and can even reach eye level for tall people without any center column extension – it exceeded my eye level!
The new Pro tripods aren’t just bigger and more substantial than the original Travel Tripod – they have a new Pro ball head that’s larger and more substantial than the original, plus it has a neat ‘inverted’ design so that the pan axis is above the ball not below it. This means that you can level the pan axis for panning shots and panoramas without having to fiddle around with the leg lengths. It’s not a huge range of adjustment but it might be all you need.
For more extreme pan axis adjustments, or if a lot of your work is video, Peak Design has you covered. There are two new ‘mods’ to go with these tripods: one tilt head for video work, and the other a leveling bowl which you swap out with the standard center column, and which has a regular head attachment screw so that you can use your favorite video head if you want to.
This is Peak Design's new Tilt Mod, which attaches directly to the Pro head to offer a smooth tilt movement for video. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
Here you can see the Tilt Mod fitted. It clamps straight into the Pro head's Arca Swiss mount so it takes just a few seconds. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
The Tilt Mod and the Pro head feel as if they were made to go together... but there's another clever touch. The Pro head uses an 'inverted' design so that the pan axis is above the ball. This means that it also acts as a basic but effective levelling head for video work. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
I love the original Peak Design Travel Tripod, so do the new Pro tripods leave me just as impressed? Yes! It is, literally, just like using scaled up versions of the Travel Tripod. The carbon fiber legs feel just as smooth and warm to the touch, the leg clamps are just as quick and positive, and because these Pro tripods have four leg sections rather than five, they’re a little quicker to set up.
The new Pro ball head is terrific. It’s big and chunky, it locks tight and it doesn’t add a whole lot to the tripod’s height when you’re packing away. As before, there are no protruding knobs or levers to get in the way either.
Peak Design’s use of a rotating collar to lock the QR plate does take a little getting used to. The head has two collars in close proximity and at first it can be a struggle to remember which does what and how they work.
The new Pro head, though, feels absolutely rock solid, and it’s with the pan and tilt mod that it gets really clever. All you need to do is take out the regular Arca Swiss plate and slot in the pan and tilt add-on for a proper fluid pan and tilt action.
There’s an extending panning handle which is stowed against the side of the head via a magnet (Peak Design loves magnets) and can be quickly screwed into the head ready for use. It sounds like a kludge, with one head mounted on top of another, but it absolutely isn’t. It looks like it was made to work this way, and feels like it too. The tilt axis is sprung, by the way, so if you use a longer camera plate you should be able to balance it up fairly well for light and controlled tilt movements.
If you're into more serious video work, you might want to take a look at the Pro Leveling Base. This replaces the center column with a shorter 'stub' column incorporating a leveling bowl. This also has a regular head fitting, so you can still use your favorite video head – it doesn't have to be Peak Design's. (Image credit: Rod Lawton)
The center columns on these tripods are longer than the one in the original Travel Tripod, which is useful, but even though they’re fixed with a small-looking locking knob, they lock down really tight and with no flex.
You can also get spiked feet but these are an optional extra, nor does it seem like Peak Design includes a phone clamp with these tripods, so that will be a paid extra too. It kind of makes sense because these Pro tripods are overengineered for phone use anyway. If you do get the phone mount, it will still slide up into the base of the center column for storage. Here, Peak Design has stuck with its slightly complicated pull-and-twist hook release which is easy when you’ve learned how it works but can be annoying at first.
So that’s a quick tour of the Peak Design Pro Tripods, but which is the best one to get? That’s quite tricky because they are somewhat similar, both in size and price. The standard Pro tripod is expected to sell for $899.95 when it goes fully on sale in November 2025, the lighter Pro Lite will be $799.95 and the Pro Tall will be $999.95. I haven't seen prices for the UK or Australia yet.
Personally, I wouldn’t go for the Pro Lite. I can understand the reasoning – it’s a slightly lighter, slightly cheaper alternative to the regular Pro model – but it’s not a lot smaller and I think I’d rather just pay the extra for the thicker legs of the Pro model. The Pro Tall is interesting, though. If I was 6ft tall and didn’t like using center columns, I would go for this one. It’s definitely longer when packed away, but all of these tripods are too long to fit inside a backpack anyway and would end up strapped to the outside. Besides, for those times when you didn’t need the extra height you could just extend three leg sections not four, for even more stability.
Peak Design Pro Tripods: key specs
Pro Lite
Pro
Pro Tall
Packed length
48.8cm
50.1cm
58.1cm
Packed diameter
8.5cm
9.3cm
9.3cm
Max height, center column down
133.2cm
138.0cm
162.0cm
Max height, center column up
162.5cm
168.4cm
197.4cm
Min height (low mode)
15.8cm
15.9cm
17.3cm
Weight
3.74lbs / 1.7kg
4.19lbs / 1.9kg
4.4lbs / 2.0kg
Max payload
15.9kg
18.1kg
18.1kg
Head
Integrated Pro Ball Head
Integrated Pro Ball Head
Integrated Pro Ball Head
Material
Carbon fiber
Carbon fiber
Carbon fiber
Leg sections
4
4
4
Peak Design Pro Tripods price and availability
The Peak Design Pro Tripods launch on Kickstarter on July 17 2025 but are expected to go on general sale in November 2025. The Pro Lite tripod has an expected price of $799.95, the Pro tripod will be $899.99 and the Pro Tall will sell for $999.99.
The Tilt Mod and Pro Leveling Base will be sold separately and we’re currently waiting for price information on these, but we are told the option spiked feet will sell for $49.95.
Peak Design Pro Tripods: Also consider
Gitzo Traveler Series 1
If you like a tripod with style and quality but in a more traditional form, the Gitzo Traveler Series 1 could be a great choice. It has a straightforward, classic design with no frills or gadgets, just superb materials and construction. It doesn’t go quite as tall as the Peak Design Pro models nor fold so neatly, but it’s a classic design that’s stood the test of time.
3 Legged Thing Punks Brian 2.0 If you want a full height carbon fiber tripod, you don’t need to pay Peak Design money to get it. The Punks Brian 2.0 is from 3 Legged Thing’s more cost-conscious Punks line, but is both well-made and typically colorful and stylish. There is some flex at full height, though, and when it’s folded up the Punks Brian 2.0 is nowhere near as neat as Peak Design’s tripods. This is still a great value choice, though.
You already love the Peak Design Travel Tripod Good as it is, the Travel Tripod is not really set up for heavier gear or taller working heights, but the new Pro tripods have all the same design finesse but scaled up for pro use.
You’re more concerned with design quality than price Heaven knows the new Peak Design Pro tripods aren’t cheap, but they are beautifully designed, exceptionally compact and, based on our samples, very rigid
Don't buy it if...
You’re trying to save money! If all you need is rock-steady everyday value from your tripod, then you don’t need to pay these prices. There are plenty of cheaper carbon fiber or aluminum alternatives
You need flexible angle/boom options If you shoot nature close-ups in the wild or you’re working with flat-lays or table-top setups then you need the flexibility of a boom arm, and that’s no an option here
How I tested the Peak Design Pro Tripods
Operational speed and efficiency
Stiffness and rigidity
Ball head operation
Effectiveness of add-ons
I had just two weeks to try out the Peak Design Pro tripods because loan stocks were in short supply and shared between many different reviewers. However, I know the original Peak Design Travel Tripod very well and I review tripods as part of my work, so I already had a list of what I was looking for and expected from these new Pro tripods.
I particularly wanted to test the speed and ease of deployment and was pleased to find it was just as slick as with the original Travel Tripod but quicker, thanks to the 4-section legs and larger leg clamps. I also wanted to check if the excellent stiffness of the original Travel Tripod had scaled up to these new, bigger sizes, and it has. I don’t remember any other tripods I’ve tested with more torsional rigidity and lack of leg flex than these.
I was also keen to check how the new Pro Ball Head worked. The original was good but quite small and fiddly. This one is much better. Not only does it clamp tighter and hold heavier loads better, the inverted ball design makes levelling the camera for panning shots so much easier.
Lastly, I spent some time trying out the Tilt Mod and Pro Leveling Base and came away impressed. The Tilt Mod fixes so well to the Pro Ball Head that they feel like a single (very smooth) unit and the Pro Leveling Base took a minute or so to swap out with the regular column but lets you use your own tripod head.
