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Daredevil: Born Again is a fearless Disney+ revival of the best Netflix Marvel TV show that continues to restore my faith in the MCU
5:00 am | March 5, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Disney Plus Gadgets Streaming | Comments: Off

Major spoilers follow for Daredevil: Born Again episodes 1 and 2.

Daredevil: Born Again has been one of my most anticipated Marvel projects since it was officially announced in May 2022. A lot has happened in the near-three-year period between said reveal and its release, though, including a creative overhaul of Born Again's story and the 2023 Hollywood strikes that had me wondering if my faith in it was misplaced.

I need not have worried. Based on its two-episode premiere, Daredevil: Born Again is an unflinching, worthy successor to Netflix's Daredevil TV show that honors what came before, and drives Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk's stories forward in unexpected ways.

The devil reincarnate

Karen, Matt, and Foggy walking down a street at night in Daredevil: Born Again

Episode 1 reunites us with the beloved trio of Karen Page, Matt Murdock, and Franklin 'Foggy' Nelson (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)

Season 4 of Daredevil in all but name, Born Again picks up where the fan-favorite Netflix series ended. Murdock (Charlie Cox), Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), and Franklin 'Foggy' Nelson's (Elden Henson) newly established law firm appears to be doing well, and the group continue to frequent their local haunt – Josie's Bar – after a long day of fighting for those in dire need of legal aid.

Seeing Cox, Woll, and Henson again was like I'd been reunited with three of my best friends

Seeing Cox, Woll, and Henson again was like being reunited with three of my best friends. Their chemistry is a large part of what made Daredevil such a compelling watch, so I was delighted to see that their camaraderie hasn't lost an ounce of its unmistakable magic.

The ease with which the trio slip back into their roles makes it all the more baffling that, until Born Again's creative troubles surfaced in October 2023, it was initially going to be a pseudo-sequel to, rather than a direct continuation of, Netflix's TV adaptation that didn't acknowledge Murdock's closest allies. This group, as well as the returning Wilson Fisk (the always-scene-commanding Vincent D'Onofrio), is the primary connective tissue between the Netflix show and its Disney+ follow-up. It's heartening, then, that Marvel brought Woll and Henson back into the fold, allowing for the resumption of their on-screen dynamics with Cox, and each other.

Karen and Matt sitting on a bench in Daredevil: Born Again

Page and Murdock's sexual chemistry sizzles once more in Born Again (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)

That makes what follows, which was first teased in Born Again's official trailer, all the more heart-breaking. A heart-pounding 10-minute segment, which includes a terrifically choreographed 'oner' sequence involving Daredevil and returning villain Bullseye (Wilson Bethel) that replicates Daredevil's expertly-crafted action set-pieces, such as the infamous hallway scenes, is as soul-crushing and incredibly violent as you'd expect.

I wish Daredevil: Born Again spent more time with Murdock, Page, and Nelson as a collective

Prior to its release, I worried that Page or Nelson weren't long for this world after leaked Born Again images had me fearing for the fate of one of these beloved characters. Nothing could prepare for me, though, for the emotionally blind-siding events that results in one of their deaths and, in the wake of such a tragedy, sees the other leave New York for pastures new. I've spent so much time with this trio across multiple Netflix shows, and now here in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), so it's not an exaggeration to say I was left feeling incredibly hollow over the dismantling of this tight-knit group.

Daredevil fighting Bullseye in a stairwell in Daredevil: Born Again season 1

The action in Born Again is as frenzied, bloody, and bone-crunching as its Netflix forebear (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Necessary as that tragic moment is to move Matt Murdock's story forward, it pains me that the trio's reunion is not only such a short-lived affair, but also that we'll never see them share the screen again.

I appreciate that Born Again represents a new era for The Devil of Hell's Kitchen – after all, he's officially part of the MCU now. His character evolution and the introduction of individuals who enter his orbit notwithstanding, though, I wish the series spent more time with Murdock, Page, and Nelson as a collective. It would have further helped to bridge the gap between one of the best Netflix shows and its sequel, and largely suppress how jarring some aspects of episode 1's first 15 minutes are from an editing perspective. I'm glad that Born Again's creators course-corrected to include Page and Nelson, and I enjoyed (if that's the right word) its unapologetically tear-jerking opening. However, even I'll admit that, compared to how the rest of episode 1 plays out, the scenes that comprise its prelude don't blend or flow naturally as they could.

Letting the devil out

Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk sitting at a diner booth in Daredevil: Born Again season 1

The only scene between Murdock and Fisk in Born Again's two-episode premiere is a mesmerizing watch (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Following that devastating curtain-raiser, episode 1 jumps ahead 12 months to reveal that Murdock has opened a new law firm with fellow attorney Kirsten McDuffie (Nikki M. James) and retired from the crimefighting life. He's also started dating Heather Glenn (Margarita Leveiva), a friend of McDuffie's and a therapist, so Murdock is slowly and positively moving on from the events of a year earlier.

It's utterly absorbing to see these two sides of the same coin verbally and mentally spar

Or so he thinks. Following his own traumatic experiences in Hawkeye and Echo (it's not imperative that you watch these shows and/or Daredevil before Born Again, but it helps if you do), Fisk is not only back in New York but running to become to its new mayor, with a campaign built on the promise of cracking down on the city's vigilante contingent – and it's a race the fearsome former crime lord who went by the name of Kingpin wins.

It's a triumph that inevitably puts Fisk on a collision course with Murdock – and Born Again doesn't make us wait for the first deliciously spine-tingling and suspenseful meeting between the pair since Daredevil's explosive season 3 finale. At Murdock's behest, the arch-rivals convene for a spur-of-the-moment get-together at a diner before election night. It's utterly absorbing to see these two sides of the same coin verbally and mentally spar in a cat-and-mouse game while their anger, plus their resentment for each other, simmers just beneath the surface. On this evidence, I suspect their grip on their new holier-than-thou facades won't last for long.

Wilson Fisk standing in the New York Mayor's office in Daredevil: Born Again season 1

How long will it be until Mayor Fisk loses his cool? (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Different though their ideologies are, these broken men share similarities outside of their disdain for one another. That much is evident through the common ground they now share in wanting to clean up New York's crime-infested streets, but it's further highlighted by the personal struggles that they face. Individually, Murdock continues to be plagued by the loss of his best friends, while Fisk's marital problems with wife Vanessa (Ayelut Zurer) laces their now-fraught dynamic with an appetizing tension, and humanizes Fisk in a way that the Netflix show rarely did. The parallel journeys they embark on in an effort to bury their pasts, and to try and quell the internal conflict raging within, is the mutual cross they bear, too.

Born Again feels like a narrative extension of its forebear... and gratifyingly expands into new storytelling territory

It's this stimulating character development that allows Born Again to cement itself as a narrative extension of its forebear, and empowers it to expand into new storytelling territory. One of my biggest fears with this Marvel Phase 5 project was that it would simply rehash character arcs and story beats from the Netflix show – and given the high regard that Daredevil is held in, that wouldn't have been out of the question. Color me relieved, then, that Born Again courageously drives Murdock and Fisk's singular and joint stories forward in a refreshing manner.

New blood

Matt Murdock and Kirsten McDuffie standing in a courtroom in Daredevil: Born Again

Murdock has professionally partnered with fellow lawyer Kirsten McDuffie in the MCU's present (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)

Born Again's supporting ensemble also adds an original flavor to proceedings that fleshes out the street-level corner of the MCU. James' McDuffie, Leveiva's Glenn, and Clark Johnson's private investigator Cherry challenge Murdock's deeply held black-and-white worldview with a zestfulness and toughness that suggests Murdock will have his hands full professionally and personally.

Daredevil: Born Again's overuse of Zack Snyder-style slow-mo shots is largely immaterial

Where Fisk is concerned, the immediate stand-out is Michael Gandolfini's Daniel, an astute boot-licker who quickly ingratiates himself with Fisk to set up what I expect to become a lively surrogate father-son dynamic. The introduction of Genneya Walton's B.B. Urich, an investigative reporter and daughter of Ben Urich (you know, the journalist that Fisk murdered in Daredevil season 2), who wastes little time in questioning Fisk's motives, lays the foundations for a particularly tasty side story too.

Hector Ayala sitting on a bed as he wears his White Tiger costume in Daredevil: Born Again season 1

Hector Ayala/White Tiger, played by the late Kamar de los Reyes, is a vigilante who Matt Murdock represents in court (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

There are parts of Born Again's two-episode debut that don't work as well as the newcomers who join Cox and D'Onofrio on the cast roster. At times, its visual effects and green-screen application is incredibly janky and noticeable, while the overuse of Zack Snyder-style slow-mo shots is largely immaterial to the feeling that certain scenes try to evoke.

I also found some of the camerawork to be off-putting, not least in Born Again's attempts to take a page out of The Bear's playbook with its creative exterior shots. I can see the appeal of – cliched as this is to say – trying to make New York itself a character in the show but, unlike the award-winning and critically-acclaimed Hulu show, it feels redundant here. That said, I enjoyed the old-school filming techniques employed for B.B. Urich's on-the-ground reporting, which actually serves a storytelling purpose.

My verdict

"I like to think I… we have evolved", Nelson says to Murdock and Page just minutes into Daredevil: Born Again's first episode, and I feel like there isn't a more apt description for Marvel Studios' latest small-screen endeavor.

It's more evolution than revolution but, some niggles aside, Born Again is an absolutely terrific continuation of Netflix's adaptation that, much like its eponymous hero, dares to be brave and is handsomely rewarded for it. It walks the fine line between familiarity (its grounded nature and high-stakes storytelling) and innovation (propelling its character-led, drama-filled narrative forward and seamless MCU integration), with an aplomb that few show revivals have managed.

If its first two chapters are anything to go by, and if the seven that follow are as good or even better, Daredevil: Born Again won't just be one of the best Disney+ shows ever created, but also an all-time Marvel Hall of Famer.

Daredevil: Born Again episodes 1 and 2 are out now. New episodes release weekly (NB: episodes 5 and 6 will be simultaneously released on March 25 (US) and March 26 (UK and Australia)).

It’s no dud, but this cheap Bose soundbar I reviewed felt a little outdated for this one reason
9:00 pm | March 4, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Soundbars Televisions | Tags: | Comments: Off

Bose Solo Soundbar 2 review

The Bose Solo Soundbar 2 is a diminutive yet powerful 2.0 channel soundbar that sets out to take your viewing experiences to the next level. With a list price of $199 / £179.95 / AU$359.95, it’s certainly on the affordable side for Bose – but there are a lot of budget soundbar competitors doing their thing for even less. So, is the Bose Solo Soundbar 2 hot enough to compete in a fiery market?

Well, before we jump to any conclusions, let’s talk about setup. Getting the Bose Solo Soundbar 2 hooked up to your TV is easy enough. It comes with a digital optical cable and an AC adapter that you can plug in for instant access to Bose soundbar goodness. Alternatively, you can use coaxial or AUX connections, but as is often the case, the cables for this aren’t included in the box.

But although setup is straightforward, you’ve probably picked up on a standout omission. That’s right: there’s no HDMI here. Now don’t get me wrong, I understand this isn’t the newest model on the market – specifically, the Bose Solo Soundbar 2 was released in 2021. But still, by then, I’d expect a soundbar at this price point to have HDMI ARC as a connectivity option. It’s an absolute must to qualify as one of the best cheap soundbars.

Bose Solo Soundbar 2 and remote

(Image credit: Future)

The lack of HDMI means you won’t be able to adjust the soundbar’s volume with your usual TV remote – instead you’ll have to use the included separate remote. I also typically find digital optical cables to be more fiddly and awkward than larger, easier-to-handle HDMI cables. One final note on HDMI: without it, you’re going to be locked out of fancy audio features like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X – something that doesn’t always work out with small, cheap soundbars – but that’s worth noting if you’re expecting truly immersive three-dimensional audio.

So, look, the Bose Solo Soundbar 2 and I didn’t get off on the best foot. But I wasn’t going to write it off without a good listen and test session first. And I’m glad to report that the sound quality on offer is a major redeeming factor. I tried watching the movie Smile on Netflix and found that the dialogue was clear and natural-sounding when two women conversed in an isolated room.

At one point during this exchange, tensions flare as one woman falls to the floor – and imposing bass ripples through the scene. I felt that the low-end power on offer was substantial for a small soundbar like this. It grabbed me instantly and filled our medium-sized TV testing room effectively. Some of the lowest notes sounded a touch thin, however.

Ports on reverse side of the Bose Solo Soundbar 2

(Image credit: Future)

I threw on The Matrix and during the famous rooftop showdown scene, deeper bass didn’t have that rumble you’d get from more premium models, especially those with a standalone subwoofer. But given a lot of cheap, standalone soundbars struggle with bass, this can be forgiven – low-end output remains steady. I would say, however, that there was pretty limited width to the soundstage, perhaps accentuated by this soundbar’s small size. So when watching epic movies such as this, don’t expect that room-filling, immersive surround sound that more talented standalone soundbars, like the Sony HT-S2000 can imitate pretty effectively.

It’s also worth noting that you can raise (or lower) bass levels to your liking using the Solo Soundbar 2’s remote. That’s something that even some fantastic budget rivals, like the Sony HT-SF150, skip on. And although this model will still struggle to hit those super-low depth notes, the bass controls still work nicely and provide some much-needed weight to blockbuster movie soundtracks and gaming scores.

Person holding Bose Solo Soundbar 2 remote

(Image credit: Future)

Enough about bass, though. I’d like to loop back around to dialogue. This is generally quite crisp, but you can improve things further by activating Dialogue Mode. The most noticeable effect here is that volume is given a substantial boost. But I tried watching a scene in Smile where four characters were chatting in a busy outdoor seating area and the difference was considerable. With Dialogue Mode on, the characters of interest had their speech lifted a layer above, relegating background chatter to… well, the background. When listening to the Kermode & Mayo’s Take podcast in Dialogue Mode, I certainly felt satisfied with the crispness and forwardness of the hosts’ vocals.

So, if you’re fed up of turning subtitles on to understand what’s being said in your favorite movies or TV shows, the Bose Solo Soundbar 2 will certainly supply a way out of that life. Even some of the best small TVs, for example, tend to have limited audio capabilities, so if you own one of those, the mini, solid-sounding Solo Soundbar 2 could be right for you. Especially if you’ve used up all of your HDMI ports.

Sound rarely gets harsh or abrasive, even at higher volumes. And this thing can get pretty loud, thanks to its maximum power output of 100W. Not bad for a small lil’ fella. The only time I felt sound quality took a significant dive was when I played some music over Bluetooth. For instance, I blasted Electric Tooth Brush by Toronto and was met with an almost ‘boxed-in’ sound and bass didn’t have the thump I’d usually look for. Similarly when tuning into Black Eye by Allie X, the soundbar lacked the dynamism required to faithfully replicate the track – especially as the bouncing bass running throughout the track sounded a touch flat.

Reverse side of the Bose Solo Soundbar 2

(Image credit: Future)

Having said that, music didn’t sound tinny or horrible and vocals in Black Eye were certainly clear enough. I just wouldn’t recommend using this as your main way to stream music at home, especially when there are some excellent options to pick from in our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers.

Something I did like about the Solo Soundbar 2, though, is its design. It’s a fairly attractive mini bar with a classy black speaker grille and famous Bose logo imprinted front and centre. OK, it’s a little plasticky – but that’s to be expected at this price point. And the included remote is pleasingly slim and sleek, which adds a few more style points anyway. Of course, the soundbar's compact size can limit the expansiveness of audio, but in terms of practicality, it doesn’t get a whole lot better.

All in all, the Bose Solo Soundbar 2 is a decent, small-sized option if you’re looking to upgrade your TV’s underwhelming audio. It sounds surprisingly powerful and looks pretty sweet too. And if you’re all out of HDMI slots, then it might be worth a look.

But in my view, it’s not the best value for money option, let alone the best quality one in its class. You can get the Hisense HS214 – a cheaper, more modern, HDMI-ready mini bar if you’re short on space. You could even grab the Panasonic SC-HTB100 if you want clear audio with a bit more width. And both of these alternatives are considerably cheaper than the Solo Soundbar 2, so make sure to weigh up your options before pulling the trigger on a purchase. Speaking of options, you can check out our list of the best soundbars if you want a best-in-class soundbar for truly cinematic sound.

Bose Solo Soundbar 2 with LED light on

(Image credit: Future)

Bose Solo Soundbar 2 review: Price and release date

  • $199 / £179.95 / AU$359.95
  • Launched in 2021

The Bose Solo Soundbar 2 (sometimes stylised ‘Bose Solo Soundbar Series II’) released in 2021 with a list price of $199 / £179.95 / AU$359.95. Now, a few years later, you can often find it at a discounted price. For instance, I spotted this model for less than £150 directly through the Bose UK website, so keep your eyes peeled for a tasty price drop.

Bose Solo Soundbar 2 review: Specs

Person using Bose Solo Soundbar 2 remote

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Bose Solo Soundbar 2?

Buy it if...

You want to add some power to your TV setup
It didn’t always hit the lowest notes and audio wasn’t pitch perfect all of the time, but it’s hard to deny this Bose soundbar’s power. Considering its short length and slim build, it plates up a solid 100W maximum power output with impressive bass levels and general loudness.

You’re a little short on space
If you’re a little limited in terms of room, the Bose Solo Soundbar 2 will likely be a fantastic fit. It’s pretty slim and not long at all, meaning it should seamlessly slot into your TV unit.

Don't buy it if...

You want premium sound quality
Considering its miniature size and low price, you’ll likely not be expecting audiophile-grade audio from the Bose Solo Soundbar 2. And you’d be correct to expect that. It doesn’t sound bad at all, but if you’re looking for detailed, rich, expertly controlled sound, you’ll be better served by an option like the Sony HT-S2000.

You’re on the search for surround sound
If you want true surround sound, the Bose Solo Soundbar 2 isn’t going to be the answer. It’s a basic 2.0 channel soundbar with no surround or virtual surround capabilities. If you want truly immersive, three-dimensional sound, I’d recommend checking out our guide to the best Dolby Atmos soundbars.

Bose Solo Soundbar 2 review: Also consider

Sony HT-SF150
I loved my time with the Sony HT-SF150. It’s a premium-looking standalone soundbar with surprisingly good virtual surround sound technology. There’s nothing like Dolby Atmos or DTS:X compatibility here, but audio is decently expansive, dialogue is clear and there are loads of ways to connect. That includes HDMI ARC, by the way. Read our full Sony HT-SF150 review.

Hisense HS214
The Hisense HS214 is pretty similar to this bar from Bose. It’s a small, slim soundbar that musters up an impressive amount of power and keeps dialogue nice and clean. Its built-in surround mode is poor, but there’s a built-in subwoofer to offer a leg up to low-end sound. Again, this one has HDMI ARC connectivity among a number of other options, so it's a bit better equipped for the modern era. Read our full Hisense HS214 review.

Bose Solo Soundbar 2 review: How I tested

  • Tested across one week
  • Used in our TV testing space at Future Labs
  • Connected up using the soundbar’s digital optical port

I spent hours testing the Bose Solo Soundbar 2 at our TV testing space at Future Labs. During this time, I used the digital optical connectivity option and hooked the Solo Soundbar 2 up to the excellent Panasonic MZ1500 TV.

For my tests, I viewed a variety of TV shows, videos and movies – mainly using streaming services like Netflix and YouTube. In addition, I connected the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE to the soundbar to assess audio quality over Bluetooth. I made sure to play tracks from the TechRadar testing playlist as well as my own personal library to judge the capabilities of the soundbar’s Bluetooth mode.

  • First reviewed: February 2025
  • Read more about how we test
I’m an outdoors photographer, and this f-stop backpack has gone on every photography trip with me for many years – here’s my long-term review
7:32 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Camera Accessories Cameras Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond: Two-minute review

There are typically two types of outdoor backpacks for photographers: those that follow a traditional photography backpack design and those that are based on hiking backpacks and feature a modular ICU (internal camera unit) design where you can customize the camera storage within the bag. The f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond is a high-end modular bag that fits into the latter camp and is designed specifically for outdoor photographers like me, for whom it's one of the best camera bags available.

The f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond has been available for a few years and is a newer, tougher version of the original Tilopa. It's a large bag with a 50-liter capacity, and this can be paired with large ICUs for carrying mostly camera gear alongside other items in the additional compartments, or with a smaller ICU for less photo gear and lots of outdoor kit including camping equipment for a one- or two-night wild camping trip.

This cavernous bag is built to an incredibly high standard and it's versatile too – as well as offering compatibility with f-stop ICUs, there are lots of pockets and compartments to store your essentials, including space for a three-liter hydration bladder and up to a 16-inch laptop. The bag also features an internal frame like traditional hiking backpacks alongside being made of tough waterproof material.

I've been an outdoors photographer for more years than I can count, exploring tough terrains in inclement weather, and the f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond has been a reliable and versatile backpack throughout. It might cost a lot, but for me its decent value given the years of service.

f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond on the ground

(Image credit: James Abbott)

f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond: price and availability

  • Several kit options
  • Available in three colors
  • Available direct and from third parties

The f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond has been available for years directly from the f-stop website, Amazon and other online retailers. Pricing on the f-stop website is in US Dollars and Euros, with the bag coming in three colors: Anthracite Black, Cypress Green and Magma Red. You can purchase the pack/bag only, which is ideal if you already own f-stop ICUs, or in three bundles which include Essentials, Elite and Master. You can, alternatively, buy the pack/bag only and purchase the desired ICU separately.

The pack Only costs $399.99 / €399.99, while the Essentials bundle costs $499.99 / €499.99 and also includes a Pro Large ICU, Gatekeeper Straps and Large Rain Cover. Step up from Essentials to the Elite bundle ($579.99 / €579.99) and you'll also get a Shallow Small ICU, while the Master bundle costs $769.99 / €769.99 and further adds a Slope Medium ICU, Large Accessory Pouch and Packing Cell Kit.

Mindshift Backlight 26L: specs

f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond: design

  • Extremely comfortable
  • Built for the outdoors
  • Modular design

The f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond is a modular backpack so you can change the ICUs depending on your photography needs. There are also lots of additional accessories available including packing cells, straps and accessory pouches, so you can build the perfect bag system for you and your outdoor photographic adventures.

This is a large backpack – not the largest f-stop option available, but at 50 liters the Tilopa has a huge amount of storage space on offer. Just to give you an idea of its dimensions, the bag is 62.3 x 34.8 x 24.4cm / 24.5 x 13.7 x 11.1in with an empty weight of 4.2lb / 1.9kg.

That empty weight is as heavy as some traditional outdoor backpacks that are half the capacity of the Tilopa with fixed camera compartments, but obviously increases depending on what ICUs you're using; they don’t weigh much, but the Pro Large I tend to use weighs 1.71 lbs / 0.76 kgs.

When you consider the weight in this context, the Tilopa is lightweight given the capacity of the bag. The overall capacity is obviously fixed, but you can extend the amount of additional space for personal/outdoor items by using smaller ICUs. There are also pockets in the lid of the bag and on the sides with one able to accommodate a three-liter hydration bladder, complete with a guarded hole for the tube to maintain water resistance.

There's also a large front pocket on the bag with further compartments in the flap; this is quite large and can hold a wide range of items including a jacket. There's a slot to accommodate a 16-inch laptop in the padded rear-entry back panel as well as two larger pockets and four memory card slots that secure magnetically.

On the front of the bag, there are attachments for two walking poles or ice axes as well as the ability to carry a tripod on the front or sides of the bag. There are also pockets and netted straps on the waist belt and shoulder straps, while there are plenty of loops for attaching straps to carry items such as a tent outside of the bag.

Image 1 of 4

f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond on the ground

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 2 of 4

f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond hydration bladder system

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 3 of 4

f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond waist best

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 4 of 4

f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond rear panel

(Image credit: James Abbott)

The build quality of the bag is excellent and the proprietary DuraDiamond material is both extremely tough and also water-resistant. Tougher Hypalon material is used as reinforcement in a few areas where additional strength is required and the large and comfortable-to-use zippers feature weatherproofing to keep moisture out.

On the inside, the Tilopa features an aluminum frame like traditional hiking backpacks to add rigidity and comfort. This, I have to say helps to make the Tilopa incredibly comfortable to wear.

For the purposes of this test, I paired the Tilopa with the Pro Large ICU which provided enough storage for my standard kit; two full-frame camera bodies with 70-200mm f/4 and 16-35mm f/2.8 lenses attached, a third lens, square filters, shutter remotes and lens cleaning accessories. It could be reconfigured to carry more if lenses weren't attached to the camera bodies, but this is a setup that works perfectly for me.

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f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond with Pro Large ICU

(Image credit: James Abbott)
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f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond inside of rear panel

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 3 of 4

f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond notebook sleeve

(Image credit: James Abbott)
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f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond top pocket

(Image credit: James Abbott)

The only negative with the Tilopa is that it doesn’t have a pouch/pocket that can carry a water bottle, like the side pouches on the smaller 37-liter f-stop Ajna. It's not the end of the world because you can put a bottle in the main front pocket, and one of the side pockets is designed to be used with a hydration bladder. You can also purchase the Mano Water Bottle Pouch separately and this will carry a 17 fl oz / 500ml bottle.

One of my favourite features of the bag, alongside the versatility of the ICUs and its comfort in use, is that you can access gear without fully removing the bag and putting it down on the ground. This is ideal when shooting in water or muddy locations. To do this, you simply remove the shoulder straps and rotate the Tilopa to your front with the waistbelt in use. This allows you to access your kit via the rear panel – perfect for outdoor photography.

Should I buy the f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond?

Photographer wearing an f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond

(Image credit: James Abbott)

Buy it if...

You'd like a modular backpack
Having a backpack that can accommodate several different modular units allows you to configure the bag to your needs on a day-by-day or trip-by-trip basis, so it's like having several backpacks in one.

You want a bag you don’t have to put down
Gear can be accessed without removing the Tilopa from your body, which is great when you're standing in mud, water or snow. DuraDiamond material can be easily wiped clean, but it's still a useful feature.

Don't buy it if...

You don’t require modularity
If you don’t require the ability to customize camera storage / utilize modular units, then the Tilopa may not be for you. Just know that the Small ICUs do allow for a great deal of non-photographic kit to be carried.

You'd like a smaller bag
With 50 liters of total storage, the Tilopa will be too large for some people. If you only need a medium-size backpack, the 37 Liter f-stop Ajna may be a better option.

How I tested the f-stop Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond

  • Long term review based on several years hands-on use
  • All features tested
  • Used in outdoor locations, including mountains and coast

I've owned the f-stop Tilopa for several years and use it either when I'm on a wild camping photography trip or when I need to carry more kit alongside outdoor gear. The Tilopa has been tested over an extended period where all of its strengths and weaknesses have been exposed, and it has been used in all weather conditions in the hills, mountains and at the coast. While the Tilopa would function perfectly in urban environments, I typically use lower-capacity backpacks in the city.

First reviewed March 2025

I rode a dragon, sizzled as a sausage, and won a dance-off with a monkey in Split Fiction, and that’s not even the half of it
7:02 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Tags: | Comments: Off

Split Fiction is an explosive co-op game with a kaleidoscope of mechanics. If you’ve played either of Hazelight Studios’ previous multiplayer masterpieces, then you’ll know what I mean by this – there’s a level where you literally have to navigate your way through one of those colorful rotating toys, but for those of you who have not (go play them now) I'm more so referring to the various game types it has managed to pack into it, from platforming and puzzling to action-adventure role-playing game and racing (and that’s only a small flavor of what you’ll find).

Indeed, the studio is waving the co-op flag high and I’m all for it as it’s great to see such an under-served area of gaming getting the attention it deserves.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Release date: March 6, 2025

Stepping into the incredibly imaginative minds of two writers who get trapped in a simulation of their own fictionalized sci-fi and fantasy worlds is an ingenious premise for a multiplayer, multi-genre game. It’s a lot different to two criminals trying to escape a prison like in A Way Out or a married couple that gets turned into their child’s toys in It Takes Two, making it feel like a completely fresh take on the co-op adventure gaming genre that Hazelight is repping.

A screengrab from the game Split Fiction

I could’ve easily spent more hours wandering around the virtual imaginations of the game’s two main characters (Image credit: Hazelight Studios)

In Split Fiction, you can choose to play as either a decisive sci-fi lover called Mio Hudson (voiced by Kaja Chan) or an emphatic fantasy fan known as Zoe Foster (voiced by Elsie Bennett). Each character has unique abilities – for example, Mio gets to use her dragon to glide in one level as Zoe uses her dragon’s tail to climb up obstacles.

While I played as Mio, who I think has the more exciting abilities, a lot of care has been taken to make sure whichever character you play as you get a chance to experience a new mechanic that’s introduced throughout the gameplay – whether that’s being the one to tilt the screen to help your partner navigate across a series of obstacles or move objects to create new pathways.

A screengrab from the game Split Fiction showing a cyberpunk city

(Image credit: Hazelight Studios )

The game's nemesis is the CEO of Radar Publishing, who Mio and Zoe discover is trying to steal their ideas without their consent. However, before you get to inevitably challenge him, you and your co-op partner will have to face a series of bosses, including a rogue AI robot, an evil cat, and a Hydra of Lerna-type mythical dragon beast, just to name a few, as you move through glitches to escape the idea stealing machine. Each battle is different and requires a combination of maneuvers to get past, which you’re introduced to as you proceed through each level, such as timed jumps, shapeshifting, dodges, target shooting, and more.

A screengrab from the game Split Fiction

Any gamers recognize this sword?! (Image credit: Hazelight Studios)

A multiverse game

Despite the back and forth between different sci-fi and fantasy styles, neither style suffers from a dev overload with each level being crafted in absolutely stunning detail. Sure, Hazelight has clearly invested more time and resources into Split Fiction this time as it’s noticeably more polished, but that also means it has less of that rustic indie dev charm that you might find with their previous two games or from titles like Campo Santo’s Firewatch or Moon Studio’s Ori and the Blind Forest.

I'd say it's almost certainly needed for a game with this much ambition, though, and you’ll see why when you get to the final chapter. It’s a AAA game from a passionate indie studio, what more could we ask for?

Best bit

A screengrab from the game Split Fiction

(Image credit: Hazelight Studios)

Split Fiction has taken the best bits of It Takes Two and A Way Out, and made a varied co-op adventure with a dynamic storyline. The final level ties into the title in a way that made for a crescendo of a finale that will forever stay with me.

One aspect I love is how Hazelight's passion for playing games is beautifully integrated into its homages to the mechanics that make great games alongside a huge amount of pop culture references and easter eggs. For example, throughout the game you’ll wallrun and grapple in a similar fashion to Star Wars: Jedi Survivor.

Other times you’ll find yourself in a side-scroller with a simple black and white colorway that’s reminiscent of Limbo or a 2D platformer that will give you those nostalgic Mega Man and Sonic vibes or a dance battle with a monkey that has a section where you play the retro mobile game Snake – there’s even a level where you have to use portals, which is absolutely a nod to the best co-op game ever made: Portal.

A screengrab from the game Split Fiction

Split Fiction is already a co-op icon (Image credit: Hazelight Studios)

This additional consideration becomes a fun activity to spot in itself and provides some of the most enjoyable moments in the game. I loved guessing which movies a section of the game was referencing. Some are more obvious than others, like the cutscene that sees you change into your next character style in true Sailor Moon fashion or the bit of dialogue where one of the bosses says something about, “You think darkness is your ally?”, which felt like a nod to The Dark Knight Rises, while others are less subtle like the level where you’re lowered by your teammate down an air vent having to dodge lasers that had me feeling like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible. It feels like the developers had a lot of fun weaving these references into the game and they sure make for brilliant sections.

Side note: keep your eye out for the fun little things the devs have had fun including, my personal fav was the revolving doors that would stop if you rushed and tried to push them a nice touch that anyone who’s ever been inpatient in one would have experienced.

My favorite part of the game, though, is the chaotic multiverse final level. This completely blew my mind and is a testament to the creative genius of Hazelight Studios. It’s like nothing I’ve ever played before, mixing different level’s skins with gaming elements in a way I’ve never seen done before.

A screengrab from the game Split Fiction

Is that tree Groot? (Image credit: Hazelight Studios )

Bringing new players together

What I love most about this is that a game like this has really wide appeal – I’m not just talking about veteran gamers who will get a kick out of all the old game references but also those that the closest they’ve ever gotten to a game is something like Tetris. When It Takes Two came out, I noticed people that I never would have thought to play video games, raving about the experience they’d just had, and to me that’s what makes this even more special.

You don’t have to be a serious gamer to enjoy this entertaining adventure. It’s so varied and mixed that I don’t doubt it will be played many times again and again. Split Fiction is another great success in a co-op arena Hazelight is beginning to dominate.

Should you play Split Fiction?

A screengrab from the game Split Fiction

Well, this was unexpected... (Image credit: Hazelight Studios)

Play it if…

You love gaming with a buddy
It's an easy one but an important one: Split Fiction is best enjoyed with a pal. However, don’t worry if you don’t have someone in your household, because you can play Split Fiction both locally and online with Friends Pass. Hazelight Studios has also added crossplay options for even more frictionless pairing.

You want a genre-bending game
You’ll go from platforming and puzzles to top-down RPG, racing, rhythm battles, and more. This is primarily an action-adventure platformer, but there are so many mini-games within it that it’ll keep you on your toes. Split Fiction manages to incorporate all this while still following a linear storyline.

You enjoy high-quality graphics
Split Fiction is truly gorgeous. Given that the two main styles are fantasy and sci-fi, it’s mesmerizing to navigate through each level but the mini-games are even more different as some completely abandon the two main styles to bring you a new whacky, weird, and wonderful game look.

Don’t play it if…

You’re looking for challenging puzzles

Compared to It Takes Two, the puzzles weren’t as challenging in Split Fiction. This does mean that you and your buddy will likely not get stuck on any level, so don’t expect anything like the Water Temple conundrum in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time to keep you scratching your head.

You’re not an adaptive gamer
The camera perspectives change at the drop of a hat in Split Fiction as you enter new mini-games and levels, making some of the transitions a bit jarring. If you’re familiar with the game references, you’ll likely intuitively know what to do but if you’re not familiar with these then I expect there will be a sight learning curve for some.

A screengrab from the game Split Fiction

Who else loved SSX 3? (Image credit: Hazelight Studios )

Accessibility features

Hazelight Studios has added plenty of features to make Split Fiction a very frictionless experience. The checkpointing is generous, with an option to jump between saved points. There are plenty of settings to modify the buttons, including key binding, camera rotation assistance, and reducing enemy damage. Unfortunately, you can't change the size of subtitles but you do get the option to add solid backgrounds to the text to boost its visibility.

Meanwhile, the voiceovers of the characters in Split Fiction have been recorded in seven different languages, including English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese (simplified) and Japanese. There are also nine different language subtitles – German, French, Spanish, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, Japanese, Chinese (traditional and simplified), and Korean. Like It Takes Two, the game has an ESRB rating of teen for 13-year-olds and upwards, which makes it more widely accessible for different ages (unlike A Way Out, which has a mature rating due to its subject matter).

A screengrab from the game Split Fiction

Tron anyone? (Image credit: Hazelight Studios )

How we reviewed

I played Split Fiction for around 19 hours on a PS5 Pro and still didn’t earn every trophy. Out of the 21 available, I only got three for completing all side stories, finishing the game, and feeding a dragon (although this was purely accidental as I had not seen all the trophies until after I finished). I don’t doubt that anyone taking more time could clock up even more hours on this game, making it great value for the completionists out there.

The graphics looked incredible on a Sky Glass TV and the audio was fully immersive on a Sonos surround sound setup made up of the Beam (Gen 2), two Era 100s, and the Sub Mini.

I tested Audioengine’s tiny wireless speakers with a beautiful design and surprisingly impressive audio performance
7:00 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Hi-Fi Speakers | Comments: Off

Audioengine A2+ review

Designed for desktop use, and living rooms where even bookshelf monitors claim too much space, this compact Bluetooth speaker package from Audioengine punches above its weight when it comes to versatility and design. But can the A2+ also hit the right notes when it comes to musicality?

I fostered a pair, eager to find out if pint-sized speakers really can deliver a reassuringly big sound to match the best stereo speakers.

The Audioengine A2+ Bluetooth speakers are tailored for near-field listening. Measuring a mere 152 x 101 x 134mm, these titchy enclosures offer a wealth of connectivity, including Bluetooth aptX-HD, USB, and analogue stereo input/outputs via RCA phonos and 3.5mm minijack. They lack a digital audio input though.

Available in a choice of matte (blue or black), and gloss finishes (red or white), build quality is excellent. My glossy red review set oozed premium appeal, their reflective glossy finish contrasting beautifully with the black drivers.

The cabinets themselves have decent heft. Made from MDF, they stand just slightly taller than a Snickers bar and should be easy to accommodate on untidy desks, or even as part of a minimalist Hi-Fi setup.

The left speaker is the active model, with connectivity, built-in amplification and volume control, while the right is its passive partner. The power supply is separate from the active enclosure, thankfully the brick isn’t too large.

Each cabinet houses a 70mm aramid fibre woofer and 19mm silk dome tweeter, with venting at the base to enhance low-frequency performance.

Unsurprisingly, given their size, these speakers are not volume monsters. The system is rated at 15W RMS per channel at 4 ohms, with a peak power output of 30W per channel.

When it comes to system configuration, there’s the option of USB audio, stereo RCA inputs, and a 3.5mm minijack input. There’s also a subwoofer output should you want to add extra bass, in the form of Audioengine’s S6 subwoofer.

Audioengine A2+ viewed from the rear

(Image credit: Future)

Despite this versatility, I expect most buyers will probably do the majority of their listening via Bluetooth. Here, aptX HD ensures high-resolution wireless audio streaming (when connected to an aptX HD compatible smartphone), though there's no Wi-Fi, unlike most of the best wireless speakers. My system was ready to connect as soon as it powered up.

Also included in the box are 2m of connecting speaker wire, a minijack audio cable, plus a USB lead to connect your PC. All of this, plus the speakers, comes packed in microfiber cloth bags for protection. There’s no remote control included (although you probably don’t need one).

Setup is nice and straightforward: just connect the passive right speaker to the powered left with the included speaker cable, connect the power brick, and you’re good to go.

It’s worth noting that the A2+ is not a smart system; there’s no voice assistance from the likes of Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.

Audioengine A2+ held in a man's hand, showing the compact size

(Image credit: Future)

Straight from the box, the A2+ are an enjoyable listen, not least because they’re capable of true stereo imaging, something of a rarity in the predominantly one-box Bluetooth speaker market. Tracks like Stevie Nicks’ Edge of Seventeen showcase this well, with the choppy guitar riff anchored on the left and percussion neatly spread across the stage. Their spatial presentation is coherent and involving.

Clarity and detail are also good; the A2+ reward hi-res audio sources, finding subtle nuance in Pearl Jam’s Present Tense (24-bit/48kHz) and Radiohead’s sonically layered Burn the Witch (24-bit/48kHz). They definitely have a knack for detail retrieval.

Given their compact size, low frequency performance is understandably limited. Chase and Status’ thumping Baddadan lacks the visceral low-end thump associated with this drum and bass belter. If you want more slam, you’ll need to add that subwoofer.

The mid-range is the sweet spot here. From Dire Straits’ Sultans of Swing, where the interplay between tweeter and woofer handles intricate riffs effortlessly, to the soaring piano of In This Moment’s Into the Light, the A2+ system proves adept across genres – those treble highs always as clear as crystal.

I’d hesitate to call the A2+ speakers musical, though. I never felt myself carried away by its beats, and I was always aware sounds were emanating from the two shiny enclosures, rather than hanging in the air before me. That said, what the A2+ offers is precise and performative.

Loren Allred’s pleading vocals in Never Enough, from The Greatest Showman soundtrack, manages to elicit an emotional tingle, exactly as it should.

While 15W per channel is perfect for desktop use (Audioengine optimistically quotes 60W peak power output), these speakers struggle to serve larger rooms. They’re also quite directional, sounding sharpest when aimed squarely at eye/ear level, so position accordingly.

Audioengine A2+ volume dial being turned by a man's hand

(Image credit: Future)

Audioengine A2+ review: Price & release date

  • £255 / $269 / AU$449
  • Launched August 2024

The Audioengine A2+ Bluetooth speakers are available now for £255 or $269 (US), which undercuts many of their main rivals, including the likes of the Kanto Ren, which are around twice the price.

The S6 subwoofer (£299 / $299) pushes up the system price quite considerably, though, and you certainly can find other Bluetooth stereo speakers for a similar price or cheaper, including from the likes of Edifier and Majority.

Audioengine A2+ review: Specs

Should you buy the Audioengine A2+?

Buy them if…

You want big sound from small speakers
You’ll have no problem sitting them either side of a PC monitor, and they’ll look great in situ too. It’s worth springing for the bespoke stands from Audioengine, which help angle the drivers upwards.View Deal

You want multiple connectivity options
Bluetooth aptX HD is the big draw, but there are plenty of other options, including USB for direct connection to a PC or laptop, and analog stereo for a turntable (if it has a built-in phono stage) or DAP (digital audio player).View Deal

You want premium design and build
There’s nothing cheap looking about the A2+. The design is stylish and the quality of finish is high.View Deal

Don't buy them if…

You want big bass out of the box
One inevitable consequence of the A2+’s diminutive design is a lack of bass. It’s not that they sound thin, it’s just that they can’t drop deep. For desktop use this shouldn’t be an issue, but for open space listening, adding a subwoofer makes sense.View Deal

You want advanced wireless features
The inability to connect more than one wireless device at a time could prove an issue for households with multiple users, and there's no Wi-Fi streaming.View Deal

Audioengine A2+ review: Also consider

Ruark Audio MR1 Mk2
Perennial favourites, these compact Ruark desktop speakers are known for both their clarity and overall musicality. They go surprisingly low, thanks to a canny bass reflex design, but can be augmented with an additional subwoofer if required. Bluetooth aptX is available for streaming, and there’s both analogue and digital audio inputs for local source devices. Read our full Ruark Audio MR1 Mk2 review for more.View Deal

Kanto YU4 Active Bluetooth speakers
Slightly larger than rivals, these well specified compact speakers are another strong compact hi-fi option. In addition to Bluetooth connectivity, there’s a pair of optical digital audio inputs, as well as analogue phono (with ground) and a 3.5mm Aux minijack. The driver complement comprises silk dome tweeters and Kevlar mid-range woofers, and if the bass reflex cabinet design doesn’t go low enough for you, there’s also a subwoofer output.View Deal

How I tested the Audioengine A2+

Over the course of a week, I evaluated the Audioengine A2+ in various settings, focusing on near-field desktop use. Material was streamed via aptX HD Bluetooth and played through a wired high-resolution music player. Tracks ranged from classic rock to EDM and orchestral pieces, allowing me to assess tonal balance, clarity, and stereo imaging.

Speaker width was dictated by the supplied speaker cable which links the two enclosures, which were positioned at head height (or thereabouts) for optimal performance.

I really wanted to like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, but it broke my heart and it shouldn’t have to break yours, too
5:00 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Computing Computing Components Gadgets | Tags: , , , , | Comments: Off

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070: Two-minute review

A lot of promises were made about the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, and in some narrow sense, those promises are fulfilled with Nvidia's mainstream GPU. But the gulf between what was expected and what the RTX 5070 actually delivers is simply too wide a gap to bridge for me and the legion of gamers and enthusiasts out there who won't be able to afford—or even find, frankly—Nvidia's best graphics cards from this generation.

Launching on March 5, 2025, at an MSRP of $549 / £549 / AU$1,109 in the US, UK, and Australia, respectively, this might be one of the few Nvidia Blackwell GPUs you'll find at MSRP (along with available stock), but only for lack of substantial demand. As the middle-tier GPU in Nvidia's lineup, the RTX 5070 is meant to have broader appeal and more accessible pricing and specs than the enthusiast-grade Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, and Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, but of all the cards this generation, this is the one that seems to have the least to offer prospective buyers over what's already on the market at this price point.

That's not to say there is nothing to commend this card. The RTX 5070 does get up to native Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 performance in some games thanks to Nvidia Blackwell's exclusive Multi-Frame Generation (MFG) technology. And, to be fair, the RTX 5070 is a substantial improvement over the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, so at least in direct gen-on-gen uplift, there is a roughly 20-25% performance gain.

But this card is a far, far cry from the promise of RTX 4090 performance that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang presented on stage at CES 2025, even with the qualifier that such an achievement would be "impossible without artificial intelligence," which implies a heavy reliance on DLSS 4 and MFG to get this card over the line.

If we're just talking framerates, then in some very narrow cases this card can do that, but at 4K with ray tracing and cranked-up settings, the input latency for the RTX 5070 with MFG can be noticeable depending on your settings, and it can become distracting. Nvidia Reflex helps, but if you take RTX 4090 performance to mean the same experience as the RTX 4090, you simply won't get that with MFG, even in the 80 or so games that support it currently.

An Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Add to all this the fact that the RTX 5070 barely outpaces the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super when you take MFG off the table (which will be the case for the vast majority of games played on this card) and you really don't have anything to show for the extra 30W of power this card pulls down over the RTX 4070 Super.

With the RTX 5070 coming in at less than four percent faster in gaming without MFG than the non-OC RTX 4070 Super, and roughly 5% faster overall, that means that the RTX 5070 is essentially a stock-overclocked RTX 4070 Super, performance-wise, with the added feature of MFG. An overclocked RTX 4070 Super might even match or exceed the RTX 5070's overall performance in all but a handful of games, and that doesn't even touch upon AMD's various offerings in this price range, like the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE or AMD's upcoming RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 cards.

Given that the RTX 4070 Super is still generally available on the market (at least for the time being) at a price where you're likely to find it for less than available RTX 5070 cards, and competing AMD cards are often available for less, easier to find, and offer roughly the same level of performance, I really struggle to find any reason to recommend this card, even without the questionable-at-best marketing for this card to sour my feelings about it.

I caught a lot of flack from enthusiasts for praising the RTX 5080 despite its 8-10% performance uplift over the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super, but at the level of the RTX 5080, there is no real competition and you're still getting the third-best graphics card on the market with a noticeable performance boost over the RTX 4080 Super for the same MSRP. Was it what enthusiasts wanted? No, but it's still a fantastic card with few peers, and the base performance of the RTX 5080 was so good that the latency problem of MFG just wasn't an issue, making it a strong value-add for the card.

You just can't claim that for the RTX 5070. There are simply too many other options for gamers to consider at this price point, and MFG just isn't a strong enough selling point at this performance level to move the needle. If the RTX 5070 is the only card you have available to you for purchase and you need a great 1440p graphics card and can't wait for something better (and you're only paying MSRP), then you'll ultimately be happy with this card. But the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 could have and should have been so much better than it ultimately is.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070: Price & availability

An Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 sitting on top of its retail packaging

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
  • How much is it? MSRP/RRP starting at $549 / £549 / AU$1,109
  • When can you get it? The RTX 5070 goes on sale on March 5, 2025
  • Where is it available? The RTX 5070 will be available in the US, UK, and Australia at launch

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 is available starting March 5, 2025, with an MSRP of $549 / £549 / AU$1,109 in the US, UK, and Australia, respectively.

This puts it at the same price as the current RTX 4070 MSRP, and slightly less than that of the RTX 4070 Super. It's also the same MSRP as the AMD's RX 7900 GRE and upcoming RX 9070, and slightly cheaper than the AMD RX 9070 XT's MSRP.

The relatively low MSRP for the RTX 5070 is one of the bright spots for this card, as well as the existence of the RTX 5070 Founders Edition card, which Nvidia will sell directly at MSRP. This will at least put something of an anchor on the card's price in the face of scalping and general price inflation.

  • Value: 4 / 5

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070: Specs

  • GDDR7 VRAM and PCIe 5.0
  • Higher power consumption
  • Still just 12GB VRAM, and fewer compute units

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 is a mixed bag when it comes to specs. On the one hand, you have advanced technology like the new PCIe 5.0 interface and new GDDR7 VRAM, both of which appear great on paper.

On the other hand, it feels like every other spec was configured and tweaked to make sure that it compensated for any performance benefit these technologies would impart to keep the overall package more or less the same as the previous generation GPUs.

For instance, while the RTX 5070 sports faster GDDR7 memory, it doesn't expand the VRAM pool beyond 12GB, unlike its competitors. If Nvidia was hoping that the faster memory would make up for keeping the amount of VRAM the same, it only makes a modest increase in the number of compute units in the GPU (48 compared to the RTX 4070's 46), and a noticeable decrease from the RTX 4070 Super's (56).

Whatever performance gains the RTX 5070 makes with its faster memory, then, is completely neutralized by the larger number of compute units (along with the requisite number of CUDA cores, RT cores, and Tensor cores) in the RTX 4070 Super.

An Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The base clock on the RTX 5070 is notably higher, but its boost clock is only slightly increased, which is ultimately where it counts while playing games or running intensive workloads.

Likewise, whatever gains the more advanced TSMC N4P node offers the RTX 5070's GPU over the TSMC N4 node of its predecessors seems to be eaten up by the cutting down of the die. If there was a power or cost reason for this, I have no idea, but I think that this decision is what ultimately sinks the RTX 5070.

It seems like every decision was made to keep things right where they are rather than move things forward. That would be acceptable, honestly, if there was some other major benefit like a greatly reduced power draw or much lower price (I've argued for both rather than pushing for more performance every gen), but somehow the RTX 5070 manages to pull down an extra 30W of power over the RTX 4070 Super and a full 50W over the RTX 4070, and the price is only slightly lower than the RTX 4070 was at launch.

Finally, this is a PCIe 5.0 x16 GPU, which means that if you have a motherboard with 16 PCIe lanes or less, and you're using a PCIe 5.0 SSD, one of these two components is going to get nerfed down to PCIe 4.0, and most motherboards default to prioritizing the GPU.

You might be able to set your PCIe 5.0 priority to your SSD in your motherboard's BIOS settings and put the RTX 5070 into PCIe 4.0, but I haven't tested how this would affect the performance of the RTX 5070, so be mindful that this might be an issue with this card.

  • Specs: 2.5 / 5

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070: Design

An Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
  • No dual-pass-through cooling
  • FE card is the same size as the RTX 4070 and RTX 4070 Super FE cards

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Founders Edition looks identical to the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 that preceeded it, but with some very key differences, both inside and out.

One of the best things about the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 FE cards was the innovative dual pass-through cooling solution on those cards, which improved thermals so much that Nvidia was able to shrink the size of those cards from the gargantuan bricks of the last generation to something far more manageable and practical.

An Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

It would have been nice to see what such a solution could have done for the RTX 5070, but maybe it just wasn't possible to engineer it so it made any sense. Regardless, it's unfortunate that it wasn't an option here, even though the RTX 5070 is hardly unwieldy (at least for the Founders Edition card).

Otherwise, it sports the same 16-pin power connector placement as the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080, so 90-degree power connectors won't fit the Founders Edition, though you will have better luck with most, if not all, AIB partner cards which will likely stick to the same power connector placement of the RTX 40 series.

The RTX 5070 FE will easily fit inside even a SFF case with ease, and its lighter power draw means that even if you have to rely on the included two-to-one cable adapter to plug in two free 8-pin cables from your power supply, it will still be a fairly manageable affair.

Lastly, like all the Founders Edition cards before it, the RTX 5070 has no RGB, with only the white backlight GeForce RTX logo on the top edge of the card to provide any 'flair' of that sort.

  • Design: 3.5 / 5

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070: Performance

An Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)
  • Almost no difference in performance over the RTX 4070 Super without MFG
  • Using MFG can get you native RTX 4090 framerates in some games
  • Significantly faster performance over the RTX 4070
A note on my data

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

Boy howdy, here we go.

The best thing I can say about the performance of this card is that it is just barely the best 1440p graphics card on the market as of this review, and that DLSS 4's Multi Frame Generation can deliver the kind of framerates Nvidia promises in those games where the technology is available, either natively or through the Nvidia App's DLSS override feature.

Both of those statements come with a lot of caveats, though, and the RTX 5070 doesn't make enough progress from the last gen to make a compelling case for itself performance-wise, especially since its signature feature is only available in a smattering of games at the moment.

On the synthetic side of things, the RTX 5070 looks strong against the card it's replacing, the RTX 4070, and generally offers about 25% better performance on synthetic benchmarks like 3DMark Steel Nomad or Speed Way. It also has higher compute performance in Geekbench 6 than its direct predecessor, though not be as drastic a margin (about 10% better).

Compared to the RTX 4070 Super, however, the RTX 5070's performance is only about 6% better overall, and only about 12% better than the AMD RX 7900 GRE's overall synthetic performance.

Again, a win is a win, but it's much closer than it should be gen-on-gen.

The RTX 5070 runs into similar issues on the creative side, where it only outperforms the RTX 4070 Super by about 3% overall, with its best performance coming in PugetBench for Creators' Adobe Premiere benchmark (~13% better than the RTX 4070 Super), but faltering somewhat with Blender Benchmark 4.3.0.

This isn't too surprising, as the RTX 5070 hasn't been released yet and GPUs tend to perform better in Blender several weeks or months after the card's release when the devs can better optimize things for new releases.

All in all, for this class of cards, the RTX 5070 is a solid choice for those who might want to dabble in creative work without much of a financial commitment, but real pros are better off with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti if you're looking to upgrade without spending a fortune.

It's with gaming, though, where the real heartbreak comes with this card.

Technically, with just 12GB VRAM, this isn't a 4K graphics card, but both the RTX 4070 Super and RTX 5070 are strong enough cards that you can get playable native 4K in pretty much every game so long as you never, ever touch ray tracing, global illumination, or the like. Unfortunately, both cards perform roughly the same under these conditions at 4K, with the RTX 5070 pulling into a slight >5 fps lead in a few games like Returnal and Dying Light 2.

However, in some titles like F1 2024, the RTX 4070 Super actually outperforms the RTX 5070 when ray tracing is turned on, or when DLSS is set to balanced and without any Frame Generation. Overall and across different setting configurations, the RTX 5070 only musters a roughly 4.5% better average FPS at 4K than the RTX 4070 Super.

It's pretty much the same story at 1440p, as well, with the RTX 5070 outperforming the RTX 4070 Super by about 2.7% across configurations at 1440p. We're really in the realm of what a good overclock can get you on an RTX 4070 Super rather than a generational leap, despite all the next-gen specs that the RTX 5070 brings to bear.

OK, but what about the RTX 4090? Can the RTX 5070 with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation match the native 4K performance of the RTX 4090?

Yes, it can, at least if you're only concerned with average FPS. The only game with an in-game benchmark that I can use to measure the RTX 5070's MFG performance is Cyberpunk 2077, and I've included those results here, but in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Dragon Age: Veilguard (using the Nvidia App's override function) I pretty much found MFG to perform consistently as promised, delivering substantially faster FPS than DLSS 4 alone and landing in the ballpark of where the RTX 4090's native 4K performance ends up.

And so long as you stay far away from ray tracing, the base framerate at 4K will be high enough on the RTX 5070 that you won't notice too much, if any, latency in many games. But when you turn ray tracing on, even the RTX 5090's native frame rate tanks, and it's those baseline rendered frames that handle changes based on your input, and the three AI-generated frames based on that initial rendered frame don't factor in whatever input changes you've made at all.

As such, even though you can get up to 129 FPS at 4K with Psycho RT and Ultra preset in Cyberpunk 2077 on the RTX 5070 (blowing way past the RTX 5090's native 51 average FPS on the Ultra preset with Psycho RT), only 44 of the RTX 5070's 129 frames per second are reflecting active input. This leads to a situation where your game looks like its flying by at 129 FPS, but feels like it's still a sluggish 44 FPS.

For most games, this isn't going to be a deal breaker. While I haven't tried the RTX 5070 with 4x MFG on Satisfactory, I'm absolutely positive I will not feel the difference, as it's not the kind of game where you need fast reflexes (other than dealing with the effing Stingers), but Marvel Rivals? You're going to feel it.

Nvidia Reflex definitely helps take the edge off MFG's latency, but it doesn't completely eliminate it, and for some games (and gamers) that is going to matter, leaving the RTX 5070's MFG experience too much of a mixed bag to be a categorical selling point. I think the hate directed at 'fake frames' is wildly overblown, but in the case of the RTX 5070, it's not entirely without merit.

So where does that leave the RTX 5070? Overall, it's the best 1440p card on the market right now, and it's relatively low MSRP makes it the best value proposition in its class. It's also much more likely that you'll actually be able to find this card at MSRP, making the question of value more than just academic.

For most gamers out there, Multi Frame Generation is going to be great, and so long as you go easy on the ray tracing, you'll probably never run into any practical latency in your games, so in those instances, the RTX 5070 might feel like black magic in a circuit board.

But my problem with the RTX 5070 is that it is absolutely not the RTX 4090, and for the vast majority of the games you're going to be playing, it never will be, and that's essentially what was promised when the RTX 5070 was announced. Instead, the RTX 5070 is an RTX 4070 Super with a few games running MFG slapped to its side that look like they're playing on an RTX 4090, but may or may not feel like they are, and that's just not good enough.

It's not what we were promised, not by a long shot.

  • Performance: 3 / 5

Should you buy the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070?

An Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Buy the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 if...

You don't have the money for (or cannot find) an RTX 5070 Ti or RTX 4070 Super
This isn't a bad graphics card, but there are so many better cards that offer better value or better performance within its price range.

You want to dabble in creative or AI work without investing a lot of money
The creative and AI performance of this card is great for the price.

Don't buy it if...

You can afford to wait for better
Whether it's this generation or the next, this card offers very little that you won't be able to find elsewhere within the next two years.

Also consider

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti
The RTX 5070 Ti is a good bit more expensive, especially with price inflation, but if you can get it at a reasonable price, it is a much better card than the RTX 5070.

Read the full Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti review

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super
With Nvidia RTX 50 series cards getting scalped to heck, if you can find an RTX 4070 Super for a good price, it offers pretty much identical performance to the RTX 5070, minus the Multi Frame Generation.

Read the full Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super review

How I tested the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070

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

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

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

I spent about a week testing the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, using it as my main workstation GPU for creative content work, gaming, and other testing.

I used my updated testing suite including industry standard tools like 3DMark and PugetBench for Creators, as well as built-in game benchmarks like Cyberpunk 2077, Civilization VII, and others.

I've reviewed more than 30 graphics cards for TechRadar in the last two and a half years, as well as extensively testing and retesting graphics cards throughout the year for features, analysis, and other content, so you can trust that my reviews are based on experience and data, as well as my desire to make sure you get the best GPU for your hard earned money.

  • Originally reviewed March 2025
A Way Out is a gritty co-op game that challenged me to make the right choice in a world full of bad ones
4:36 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Comments: Off

Early in co-op game A Way Out, my partner and I found ourselves starving in a forest after a taxing escape from the police. While a burger was definitely out of the question, we came across a riverside camp with fish rushing in its shallow waters. To catch our lunch, one of us needed to splash the water and funnel the fish into a tight spot, while the other used a wooden spear to finish the job. It was an archaic process that made for a thoughtful moment in a game occupied by chaos, and put into focus the clarifying themes of teamwork and survival that define Hazelight’s prison-breaking adventure game.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5 (PS4 via backward compatibility)
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Release date: March 23, 2018

In A Way Out, you and a partner play as the criminals Leo Carusa and Vincent Moretti as they seek to escape their incarceration after being led astray by the same rotten apple. Landing somewhere between a playable film and an action-packed adventure game, A Way Out’s opening act sets the tone for its silver-screen story. Introduced in tandem, Leo’s character is confident despite being locked in a corrupt system and surrounded by danger. He wanders the halls, chatting and nearly getting into fights as if it’s nothing new.

In contrast, Vincent is just learning about the starkness of his new home, as he is hosed down and marched through the concrete trappings, talking to other new prisoners who have abandoned all hope. The difference in their personalities becomes a central theme throughout the prison-breaking plot, despite their shared goal of escape and ultimate freedom.

A split-screen screenshot of co-op game A Way Out and the characters in the prison

(Image credit: Hazelight Studios)

Wrong place, wrong time

Across A Way Out’s mayhem-tinged levels, you’ll choose dialogue threads to follow and perform an array of actions like stealthily taking down cops or commandeering getaway cars. Most tasks require the other player to create a distraction or assemble to lift doors and clear obstacles, though there are many pursuits that can be enjoyed on your own. The shared workload works well for the most part, but on a few occasions, one character's exploits can be cut off by the other if they accidentally trigger a key cutscene or interaction, which can be frustrating if you want to immerse yourself in A Way Out’s detailed environment.

Additional quick-time events also crop up in moments of heightened tension and require precision to succeed, like tapping the right button to avoid taking a punch or holding down a trigger to catch yourself before falling from a great height. To account for the shifting attention between the pair, A Way Out trades between a classic 50/50 screen split and a flexible one that offers more display real estate to the player performing a key action. This dynamic blend of perspectives meant that my partner and I both had a chance to feel like the central anti-hero. Occasionally, other characters can also claim a space on the screen for themselves, which adds palpable tension to your actions. Seeing this pressure manifest as a gun-wielding menace pervades the screen is an electric feeling and enough to get you sweating as you force solutions and desperately try to proceed.

Levels are broken up by story events that require you and your co-op buddy to vote and follow a particular narrative path – Leo’s or Vincent’s. Your choices shape the story and give each playthrough a more bespoke feel, even if the overarching narrative remains largely the same. Many of the differences in their personality can feel intangible. However, these impactful decisions help to give them depth by weaving those differences into the gameplay. In my playthrough, I was confident in my choice to play as Vincent, as I thought his analytical mind was more reasonable than Leo’s brash one. However, as the story played out and I became acquainted with them, I began questioning Vincent's motives. A Way Out is keen to keep you in the dark just enough to make you unsure what to choose without making you feel disconnected from the characters or the decision – an aspect I thoroughly enjoyed.

A split-screen screenshot of co-op game A Way Out and the characters escaping an enemy

(Image credit: Hazelight Studios)

Brains or brawn

A Way Out’s world is a harsh and unforgiving one. The prison is cement and grey, with sparse spotlighting offering little escape from the oppressive mood. Metal bars and staircases shine between tarnish, with matte posters hanging from walls, faded with age. Outside, the surrounding farmland and rural areas feel hazy and vulnerable. Throughout A Way Out, you dance between these cold and warm spaces, with each location thoughtfully dressed with accessories like leaking aircon vents and playable mahogany pianos. Moreover, while many objects are just there to gawk at, some kick-off competitive games like wheelchair balancing or horseshoe pitching. While unnecessary to the story, these optional side objectives do well to offset A Way Out’s heavier themes with some lighthearted fun.

Best bit

A split-screen screenshot of co-op game A Way Out and the characters in the prison yard

(Image credit: Hazelight Studios)

On the surface, Vincent and Leo are two protagonists who could not be more different. Leo’s short-tempered sharpness rubs against Vincent’s careful eye, resulting in tense moments as well as warm ones. As you learn more about them and watch their relationship unfold, it’s hard not to be drawn into their strange chemistry.

Whether you’re mainlining the plot or goofing off in a minigame, A Way Out is made all the better courtesy of Vincent and Leo’s voice actors, Fares Fares and Eric Krogh, who deliver their lines with attitude and grit. And despite solid writing throughout, some of my favorite deliveries came from the casual one-liners rather than the more significant and plot-relevant cutscenes. During the initial prison break, you can find an antique globe in one of the rooms. While interacting with it doesn’t offer anything substantial to the plot, if you spin it enough, Leo dreamily mutters, “Ah, the Pacific Ocean… that sounds nice.” Later, in the hospital, Vincent encounters an old couple bickering about a car accident. After asking their age, the old man makes a poor guess and quickly admits fault. Instead of showing empathy, Vincent sarcastically agrees that he is actually too old to drive. These small, punchy moments offer comic relief to A Way Out’s otherwise heady story and champion the protagonist’s humanity, despite the game’s often unforgiving setting.

A Way Out feels like playing through all the twists and turns of a high-end HBO show – emotionally taxing but very hard to put down. The game’s simple prison break premise quickly gives way to a complicated story about family and friendship, and I thoroughly enjoyed struggling through its immersive set pieces with the help of a friend.

Should you play A Way Out?

Play it if...

You like classic dramas
A Way Out strikes a careful balance between dramatic storytelling and game mechanics, putting players in pole position to not only impact the story but also sit back and enjoy their choices in intense and rewarding ways.

You want to stress test your friendship
It turns out escaping prison takes a lot more than just blind belief, and you’ll need to think your way through many complex situations, often deliberating with your co-op partner about which path to take. Due to the high-stakes nature of the story, disagreements are likely to come up, giving you a measure of how close you and your co-conspirator are under pressure.

Don't play it if...

You want a lighthearted co-op game
A Way Out is packed with emotive themes, violence, and plenty of swearing. While it features Hazelight’s well-curated cooperative gameplay, the story leans much darker than the likes of It Takes Two.

Accessibility

When it comes to controls in A Way Out, many settings can be toggled per character, so one player can play with different preferences. Inversion horizontal and vertical) and aim/focus sensitivity can be toggled individually. Vibration can be toggled on and off from the settings menu as well. Where audio is concerned, players can toggle on and off subtitles, as well as choose their audio preset (TV, Headphones, and Home Theatre).

A split-screen screenshot of co-op game A Way Out and the characters escaping on bikes

(Image credit: Hazelight Studios)

How I reviewed A Way Out

I reviewed A Way Out in a local co-op on a PlayStation 5 playing the PlayStation 4 release via backward compatibility and did so alongside It Takes Two, in the run-up to Hazelight's latest game, Split Fiction.

I teamed my PS5 with an AOC CQ27G2 27-inch QHD VA 144Hz gaming monitor and external Creative Pebble V2 computer speakers.

First reviewed February-March 2025

It Takes Two pushed me to the limit with clever platforming puzzles and moreish co-op challenges
4:35 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Comments: Off

A couples counselling puzzle platformer might sound like a strange elevator pitch. Yet, this quizzical pairing is the backbone of Hazelight Studios' co-op game. Following the studio's success with its prison-breaking simulator A Way Out, It Takes Two inspects a new kind of high-stakes relationship… marriage.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PlayStation 5
Available on: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch
Release date: March 25, 2021

Here, you play as a separated couple, Cody and May, whose consciousness is magically transported into doll versions of themselves after their daughter makes an unorthodox wish to a secret magic romance book. From this sudden transformation, the duo are forced to navigate a jumbo-sized version of their home, where inanimate objects and carelessly tossed junk have gained sassy omnipotence. As they determine bric-a-brac friend from foe, their issues frequently rear their head, giving you an impression of how their marriage slid towards breakdown not by one incident but rather a series of slow nudges.

In co-op, players split control, working through the couple's issues in a literal and metaphorical sense by communicating their way across increasingly complex platforming levels. To navigate this danger-filled toy box, you can sprint, jump, dash and equip yourself with level-contextual tools that complement each other. Platforming across the game has a fluid and floaty feel, hammering home the plaything nature of the pair’s new doll bodies.

What’s your love language?

Both characters use firey weapons in It Takes Two.

(Image credit: Electronic Arts)

Despite levels being so full of detail, Hazelight manages a sense of progression and flow well. Points of interest like breakable glass bottles draw your attention, naturally calling you towards the next checkpoint. While it's not always the case, the obstacles often require you to use your special attack to interact with them, which also helps set the tone for future boss battles and teases puzzle solutions within the level.

Bouts of platforming are bookended with multi-stage boss battles based on the surrounding clutter of the area. The connection between each particular boss and the level made the world feel cohesive and thoughtful and helped to immerse me in Cody and May’s tragic love story. The grumbling, rusted toolbox that marks the end of the first zone requires players to work together using their respective hammer and nail tools to deal damage as it cuts away at your fragile metal stage one attack at a time.

This casually instructive style is especially noticeable as puzzles grew in complexity. Despite stopping and starting play sessions, my partner and I maintained solid momentum throughout It Takes Two. That’s not to say we were without arguments or mistakes when navigating the levels, though.

Best bit

It Takes Two

(Image credit: Electronic Arts)

There’s nothing more hilariously frustrating than trying to time and execute a specific move with your co-op partner, especially when it keeps going wrong. It Takes Two frequently requires you to synchronise carefully, whether it be one player throwing a nail for another to swing on or grinding across electrical wires to turn off switches. No matter how often my co-op partner and I prepared for a sequence, we always fell into the same disorganised traps, laughing or accosting each other as we hit the reset button.

What did cause irreparable damage to my co-op relationship, however, were the PVP minigames that allow you and your partner to take on challenges head-to-head. Found across the map, the parlour games allow you to vent frustrations and brutally thwart your bestie.

Early in the campaign, my partner and I happened upon a game called ‘Flip the Switch’, which involved one player hammering buttons while the other shoots them with nails from an aerial perspective. The player who shoots the most within the timer wins – simple, right? Wrong. What ensued was a series of upsets that ended in a solemn vow not to engage with these distractions ever again — until the next one arrived, and it was just as challenging and interesting. Toys-out-of-the-pram moment aside, It Takes Two does well to surprise you with these unique offshoots throughout its story.

Trust fall

A snowy environment in It Takes Two.

(Image credit: Electronic Arts)

The thoughtful set dressing and character designs are a standout feature across It Takes Two, with precious tidbits of lore hidden throughout the levels. For example, if you turn up a pathway in their daughter's room, you can find action figures that pay homage to the protagonists of Hazelight’s previous co-op prison-breaking game, A Way Out. Other hidden areas reveal more tender references to games from the past, such as Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda. As I explored each micro world, I was often reminded of The Borrowers or Stuart Little, gawking at how everyday objects could be repurposed as obstacles or idiosyncratic decor.

The care for world-building applies to Cody and May’s doll designs, too, which were clearly handmade by their creative daughter, Rose. May’s fuzzy wooden tendrils and Cody’s rope belt feel haphazardly crafty in a way that represents Rose’s endearing affection for them. The softened, comforting nature of the dolls also feels like a sharp contrast to the couple’s real-world attitude, which is often barbed and biting. The longer they spend outside their bitter, bickering bodies and in their patchwork personas, the more they resemble Rose’s view of them, which feels like a warm visual metaphor for the overarching themes.

Hazelight has built its newest puzzler with plenty of care, allowing you to immerse yourselves in gorgeous fantasy worlds with considerable depth. In exploring Cody and May’s family home and interpersonal trouble, It Takes Two is a surprisingly grounded game, and I adored flipping and dashing through the family's tricky lives.

Should I play It Takes Two?

A cutscene still from It Takes Two.

(Image credit: Electronic Arts)

Play it if…

You want a challenging co-op adventure
From a surprisingly violent vacuum cleaner with a vengeance to a sequence of agility testing time-sensitive platforming puzzles, It Takes Two doesn’t pull punches when testing your dexterity

You want a co-op game that mixes up its gameplay
As you progress through It Takes Two’s shifting levels, Cody and May are awarded new weapons that diversify how you can solve puzzles, keeping the gameplay fresh across the familiar base platforming elements.

Don’t play it if…

You aren’t a forgiving person
No matter how much you care for your co-op partner, It Takes Two will inevitably lead to moments of anger as either of you make a mistake. No matter how often you become mulch, you’ll need to swallow pride and forgive each other to survive the ordeal.

Accessibility

In the accessibility menu, you can adjust both the contrast and brightness. From here, there are also three color blindness options to choose between (Tritanopia-Blue Weak, Protanopia-Red Weak, and Deuteranopia-Green Weak). You can toggle on Text-To-Speech and toggle the option to convert voice chat to text. Subtitles and vibrations can additionally be toggled on for either May or Cody.

Where camera settings are concerned, you can toggle settings per character. You can invert the vertical and horizontal cameras and choose how strong the automatic camera rotation is (None, Weak, or Strong). You can also adjust the camera and aim sensitivity for both the horizontal and vertical camera from 1 to 100.

How I reviewed It Takes Two

In anticipation of the launch of Spit Fiction, I played through the entirety of It Takes Two in local co-op on a PlayStation 5 and also replayed A Way Out for comparison.

I used an AOC CQ27G2 27-inch QHD VA 144Hz gaming monitor with my PS5, and for audio, I used my external Creative Pebble V2 computer speakers.

First reviewed February-March 2025

Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR finally let me perform a leap of faith in virtual reality and I didn’t even throw up
2:31 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Tags: | Comments: Off

The biggest problem with Assassin's Creed Nexus VR, a VR (virtual reality) entry on the long-running stealth action series exclusively for Meta Quest headsets, is that it feels more supplemental than any fully-fledged Assassin’s Creed installment. All the franchise’s key mechanics are well represented, be that the trademark parkour, delightfully slick hidden blades, or those iconic leaps of faith from high vantage points into nearby piles of hay, but the focus on existing protagonists and familiar settings holds it back.

Review info

Platform reviewed: Meta Quest 2
Available on: Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest Pro
Release date: November 16, 2023

This is a game that doesn’t really have its own distinct identity, seeming more like a ‘best of’ compilation geared towards existing fans rather than something that, like many of the best VR games, newcomers might be incentivized to pick up a new VR headset in order to play. It’s a shame as, otherwise, this is a remarkably solid VR experience elevated by some seriously impressive elements like its massive maps, formidable length, and abundance of side content, and only a handful of frustrations to overcome.

Clip compilation

Tailing a target in Italy in Assassin's Creed Nexus VR.

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Unlike a traditional Assassin’s Creed experience, Nexus VR is divided into distinct episodes that alternate between protagonists from some of the best Assassin’s Creed games.

You begin in 1500s Italy, catching up with fan-favorite Ezio Auditore years after the events of Assassin’s Creed 2. Your home has been infiltrated by bandits and your first task is to navigate through its hidden passages and retrieve your stolen gear. These early segments are very linear, introducing you to the parkour systems (the most impressive part of which sees you able to grab onto practically any surface and hoist yourself along like some kind of spider monkey) and outlining the combat mechanics in some encounters with basic armed goons.

The parkour works fantastically, channeling that simulated physicality that makes VR climbing experiences like Horizon Call of the Mountain so satisfying, but the combat never felt quite right to me. It’s fine on paper, at its most basic level it challenges you to hold your sword in the correct direction of an incoming hit to block it or swing as an enemy strikes for a parry.

Unfortunately, the collision detection seems off and no matter how hard I focus on holding my sword in the right places, it always seems like a fifty percent chance that it would actually register properly. This was despite multiple attempts to recalibrate the game to my height and position in the settings menu.

There’s a chance that this was due to the fact that I was playing on the slightly older Meta Quest 2 headset, which doesn’t have as advanced tracking capabilities as the Meta Quest 3, but it’s not something that I’ve experienced while trying any other VR game thus far.

Lots to do

Exploring colonial America in Assassin's Creed Nexus VR.

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Mercifully, you’re not expected to fight your way through every single encounter and you’re soon thrust into the ancient sandals of Kassandra - the protagonist from Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. Exploring the Greek island of Delos in about 400 BC, her sections are easily the best of the bunch and impressively open despite their small size. While you always have an objective on screen to pursue, there are loads of optional side activities that mean that you can easily squeeze much more out of the already meaty 13 or so-hour runtime.

There are fantastic parkour challenges which have you racing through a series of checkpoints on tight time limits, collectibles that unlock interesting historical facts to browse, and plenty of hidden relics to track down in secret chests. Even if you only focus on the main tasks, you’re completely free to approach objectives as you wish which is where the stealth really starts to shine. It’s nothing hugely complex, but crouching behind boxes and throwing distractions to lure nearby guards over for a one-hit hidden blade takedown was never not satisfying, and truly felt like I was embodying an assassin.

There’s a lot of mileage in experimenting with your arsenal of useful tools like smoke bombs, throwing knives, or your bow too, and I’m still keen to dive back in for more sneaking action even now that the credits have rolled. On top of Ezio and Kassandra’s stories, there are a handful of missions where you play as Ratonhnhaké:ton, or Connor, in the build-up to the American Revolution.

Connor was always my least favorite Assassin’s Creed protagonist and, unfortunately, he is still just as unappealing in Assassin's Creed Nexus VR. His monotone voice lines are faithful to his original characterization in Assassin’s Creed 3 but are glaringly uncharismatic when presented between the amusing innuendos dispensed by Ezio and the brash confidence of Kassandra. His aggressive, edgy attitude to even the most inoffensive non-playable characters (NPCs) often made me cringe too - this is one hero probably best left in 2012.

Best bit

Assassin's Creed Nexus VR.

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

When playing as Connor you have access to his tomahawk rather than your usual sword. This opens up some great new gameplay possibilities, like throwing it in the middle of a fight to stun your opponent or tossing it at unsuspecting guard patrols from a hidden location for long-range stealth takedowns.

These three plotlines are all brought together by an overarching storyline set in the real world that’s centered around the futuristic Animus (the device that lets you look into the past) and the seemingly endless battle between the ancient order of Assassins and the evil Templars. It’s a thread that has run through the series since the beginning and, while it starts engaging enough in Nexus (and makes interesting use of your headset’s front camera for a novel augmented reality effect), it soon devolves into characters standing in practically blank environments lecturing you on the conflict for extended periods of time when you’d much rather be doing literally anything else.

I often resorted to sitting on the floor of my living room while these played out and would have likely skipped them entirely were I not evaluating the game for the purpose of this review. The real-world storyline has always been a sticking point in Assassin’s Creed games, so much so that the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows has simply opted to relegate it entirely to a separate menu, but it’s still a big shame that it’s just so uninteresting here.

Ancient Greece in Assassin's Creed Nexus VR.

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

As I’ve previously mentioned, I experienced the whole of Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR on the Meta Quest 2 headset. This is far from the company’s latest offering (the flagship Meta Quest 3 or even more budget-oriented Meta Quest 3S), but the visuals still manage to be a highlight.

It's not perfect, with a few cutbacks to overall image quality and the resolution of textures, but the bright sunny streets of Italy or Greece and the moody fog of colonial America oozes with atmosphere. This would, however, seem even more impressive if these weren’t well-worn settings that we have seen represented in even more life-like detail by other games in the series.

This all raises the question, is Assassin's Creed Nexus VR worth playing? The great graphics and stellar stealth would definitely suggest so in spite of the wonky combat, especially given the relatively low $39.99 / £34.99 price of admission. If you’re an existing fan of Assassin’s Creed like me, there’s also some extra enjoyment in revisiting familiar characters from games gone by (yes, even Connor) - though an original setting and cast would undeniably be much more appealing and approachable to newcomers.

Should I play Assassin's Creed Nexus VR?

Receiving the crossbow in Assassin's Creed Nexus VR.

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Play it if…

You love all things Assassin’s Creed
Assassin's Creed Nexus VR is a solid VR take on the Assassin’s Creed series, letting you live out your assassin fantasy with first-person leaps of faith, lots of sneaking around, and historical settings to explore.

You’ve played the old games
With protagonists returning from Assassin’s Creed 2, 3, and Odyssey, Assassin's Creed Nexus VR is a treat for long-time series fans.

You want a lengthy VR experience
Many VR games tend to be on the shorter side, so the 13+ hour length of Assassin's Creed Nexus VR helps it stand out from the crowd. It’s brimming with side content to help get that number up even further too.

Don’t play it if…

You down yet own a Meta Quest 2 or 3
Is it worth running out to buy a Meta Quest 2 or 3 to play Assassin's Creed Nexus VR? Definitely not. This is very much an optional spinoff, not a system-selling must-play VR installment à la Half-Life: Alyx over on PC.

Accessibility

Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR has lots of accessibility features designed to improve your comfort in VR. There is a dedicated accessibility menu with features such as hand stabilization, multiple control layouts, and more. The game has four different comfort presets to choose from, with the option for continuous motion or teleportation movement. The game also offers a fear of heights mode, which adds a visible floor beneath your character when you’re high up in the virtual world. On top of this, the entire game can be played while seated.

You also have the option of turning on a vignette or virtual nose, which can help prevent motion sickness. There is a dedicated crouch button and the game can also be played either seated or standing. There are also multiple difficulty levels to choose from. As far as VR games go, these are some of the most fully-featured and comprehensive accessibility options that I’ve ever seen - so props to Ubisoft here.

How I reviewed Assassin's Creed Nexus VR

I played Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR for over 13 hours using a Meta Quest 2 headset. During that time I completed the missions of the main story and also spent a bit of extra time exploring the more open areas of the world to track down collectibles.

My playthrough mainly focused on stealth, though I was also careful to evaluate the quality of the combat by engaging in a few head-on fights.

First reviewed March 2025

I reviewed HP’s Series 7 Pro 734pm and I’m obsessed with the sheer connectivity of this widescreen monitor
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The importance of connectivity is such a given these days, it's normally hard for a monitor to stand out by that metric. But the new 34-inch ultrawide HP Series 7 Pro 734pm meets that challenge handily thanks to one of the most comprehensive features sets around, putting it immediately in the running among the best business monitors we’ve tested.

Highlights include Thunderbolt 4 in and out, an additional USB-C input, a multi-port USB hub, ethernet and more. Along with the explicit connectivity of physical ports, this monitor's 5MP pop-up webcam further adds to its connected functionality by enabling a great video conferencing experience.

The 34-inch widescreen form factor also makes for a great basic productivity proposition and the use of LG's IPS Black panel technology puts it at the cutting edge of LCD technology when it comes to inherent contrast and colour performance.

All that said, this is a very expensive display, especially for a 34-inch ultrawide model. That makes the relatively low 3,440 by 1,440 resolution and mediocre pixel density that comes with that a little hard to stomach. Likewise, the limited HDR support included is that much more conspicuous at this price point.

HP Series 7 Pro 734pm: Design & features

HP Series 7 Pro 734pm during our review

(Image credit: HP)
  • Nicely engineered
  • Fantastic connectivity
  • Strong productivity package
Specs

Panel size: 34-inch

Panel type: IPS Black

Resolution: 3,440 x 1,440

Brightness: 400 cd/m2

Contrast: 2,000:1

Pixel response: 5ms GtG

Refresh rate: 120Hz

Colour coverage: 98% DCI-P3

HDR: VESA DisplayHDR 400

Vesa: 100mm x 100mm (bracket included)

Inputs: DisplayPort 1.4 x1 in, DisplayPort 1.4 x1 out, HDMI 2.0 x1, Thunderbolt 4 in with 100W PD, Thunderbolt 4 out with 15W PD, USB-C with 65W PD

Other: 5x USB-A plus 1x USB-C hub, KVM switch, audio out, ethernet

HP's latest ultrawide productivity monitor, the HP Series 7 Pro 734pm, is very nicely put together. The stand base and vertical support are both made from robust alloy and the rest of the chassis is plastic but fairly high quality. Of course, that's the least you'd expect at this elevated price point.

With slim bezels on three sides and a mix of black and silver surface finishes, it's a tidy, reasonably slick device even if you probably wouldn't pick it purely on looks. More likely to swing it in your favour is the outstanding array of connectivity. For starters, you get both Thunderbolt 4 in and out, the former with fully 100W of power delivery for keeping a laptop charged.

There's also a further USB-C input with 65W of power delivery, plus a KVM switch, multiport USB hub and ethernet. That means you could actually share this monitor across two different laptops, keeping both charged and connecting them to a range of peripherals like keyboard, mouse and external storage, all hooked up to the display.

HP Series 7 Pro 734pm during our review

(Image credit: HP)

Oh, and you can also use those inputs to run two PCs fully in parallel thanks to split-screen capability, which includes HP's Device Bridge 2.0 for secure file sharing. For the record, HP Device Bridge 2.0 supports both PC and Mac.

Notably, all the ports including the power connector are located within easy reach on the rear of the chassis. You don't have to reach or peer under the lower bezel to connect any cables and the manner in which they all exit perpendicular to the rear of the chassis helps with cable management, too.

To that you can add a 5MP AI webcam. It pops out of the top bezel, which ensures full physical security and offers built-in AI functionality including face tracking and lighting adaptation.

As for the 34-inch LCD panel itself, it's the latest IPS Black technology from LG with enhanced contrast. However, it offers a pedestrian if conventional 3,440 by 1,440 native resolution, which makes for unimpressive pixel density.

It also only meets VESA's DisplayHDR 400 standard, which means that it's not a true HDR display and doesn't support local dimming. Still, there's decent colour coverage at 98% of DCI-P3 gamut.

HP Series 7 Pro 734pm: Performance

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HP Series 7 Pro 734pm during our review

(Image credit: HP)
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HP Series 7 Pro 734pm during our review

(Image credit: HP)
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HP Series 7 Pro 734pm during our review

(Image credit: HP)
  • Punchy IPS panel
  • Great webcam
  • Low pixel density

The HP Series 7 Pro 734pm sports LG's cutting-edge IPS Black panel tech. On paper it offers much higher inherent contrast than competing IPS screens at 2,000:1. Anything from 1,000:1 up to 1,300:1 is more typical for IPS.

In practice, however, it's hard to see the difference in subjective terms. If you want really good inherent LCD contrast, VA panel tech offers up to 4,000:1 and a more noticeable upgrade in terms of black levels. Of course, OLED and its per-pixel lighting is the ultimate in contrast performance, but that's a whole different type of display.

Either way, IPS Black does make for very accurate colours, something which HP has capitalised on with a very nice factory calibration setup in sRGB mode. You can also choose from DCI-P3 and a range of other gamut presets or go with a user-defined solution.

Strictly speaking, this isn't a professional grade content creation monitor. But it is Pantone Validated and well enough set up for mainstream image and video editing workflows. The HDR 400 certification means there's no local dimming and indeed limited actual HDR support. But it does ensure 400 nits peak brightness and a very punchy over experience. This is a vibrant, pleasant display to use day-to-day.

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HP Series 7 Pro 734pm during our review

(Image credit: HP)
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HP Series 7 Pro 734pm during our review

(Image credit: HP)
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HP Series 7 Pro 734pm during our review

(Image credit: HP)
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HP Series 7 Pro 734pm during our review

(Image credit: HP)
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HP Series 7 Pro 734pm during our review

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HP Series 7 Pro 734pm during our review

(Image credit: HP)
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HP Series 7 Pro 734pm during our review

(Image credit: HP)

The exception to that is the mediocre pixel density. The 3,440 by 1,440 native resolution stretched over the gently curved, 21:9 aspect, 34-inch LCD panel makes for a pixel density of just 109DPI. For context, a 32-inch 4K monitor comes in at about 140DPI, a 27-inch 4K screen at 165DPI.

The result of that lower pixel density includes slightly rough looking fonts and a very slightly pixelated look and feel compared to higher density displays. This is far from unique to the HP Series 7 Pro 734pm, it's the norm for most 34-inch ultrawide panels. But given the four-figure price tag in both the US and UK, that's a little hard to swallow.

Still, the 120Hz refresh and reasonably zippy pixel response, the latter adjustable via four levels of pixel overdrive, certainly make for a versatile display. This isn't a gaming monitor, for instance, but it will turn its hand to that task very well, indeed.

Another highlight is the 5MP AI-powered webcam. It's certainly a cut above the norm for integrated webcams. It offers sharp, clear image quality and good colours. The AI face tracking also works reasonably well, even if it's a little laggy.

Less impressive are the integrated speakers. They put out plenty of volume, but it's a pretty thin, unpleasant din and not even a decent substitute to good laptop speakers, let alone a full desktop audio solution.

HP Series 7 Pro 734pm: Final verdict

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HP Series 7 Pro 734pm during our review

(Image credit: HP)
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HP Series 7 Pro 734pm during our review

(Image credit: HP)
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HP Series 7 Pro 734pm during our review

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HP Series 7 Pro 734pm during our review

(Image credit: HP)
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HP Series 7 Pro 734pm during our review

(Image credit: HP)

HP is asking a lot of money for this 34-inch ultrawide display. In return you get fantastic connectivity and productivity features. There's Thunderbolt 4 in and out, support for two laptops attached and charging at the same time, KVM functionality, split screen, file sharing, ethernet, the works.

The 34-inch widescreen form factor is also great for multi-tasking and generally getting things done, while the IPS Black panel technology makes for a great viewing experience in terms of colours and vibrancy, even if the heightened contrast compared with "conventional" IPS technology isn't exactly obvious.

The 5MP AI webcam also performs better than most integrated webcams and adds to the overall utility and connectedness of this monitor. The one really obvious shortcoming is the 3,440 by 1,440 resolution and resulting low pixel density.

That's very much the most common resolution for a 34-inch ultrawide panel. But at this price point, the low pixel density is pretty conspicuous, something an upgrade to the 5K2K resolution of 5,120 by 2,160 pixels would fix.

Normally, 5K2K wouldn't be in the mix, it's a fairly rare and premium option. But with a price tag into four figures in both the US and UK, you'd be justified to expect a premium experience. As it is, if you're OK with the pixel density, this is otherwise a really excellent productivity display and an exceptional feature set.

For high-resolution displays, we've rounded up all the best 5K and 8K monitors.

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