This review first appeared in issue 361 of PC Pro.
Dell has recently updated many of its Latitude business laptops with Intel’s Core Ultra chips, and this is our first chance to look at one in the flesh. If you haven’t checked out Latitudes for a while you might be struck by the dark grey matte chassis, a striking design that’s a welcome move away from the light grey metal finish so common on business laptops.
Duck if one is thrown at you, however, as it’s one dense, heavy machine. That’s partly due to the robustness of the aluminum chassis, but also because convertibles are always meatier due to the hinge mechanism and the extra support this requires.
The laptop offers all the versatility of a convertible together with a superb screen(Image credit: Future)
While you can customize the CPU (Ultra 5 135U or Ultra 7 165U), RAM (16GB, 32GB, 64GB) and storage (256GB, 512GB, 1TB), every version ships with the same screen. It’s a 14in 2,560 x 1,600 IPS panel with a quoted peak of 500cd/m2, though I measured 489cd/m2. It covers 95% of the sRGB colour space with an average Delta E of 0.46, so near-perfect accuracy. With excellent whites, you couldn’t ask for more in a business laptop.
The keyboard is cut from the same cloth as the Dell XPS 13, with a pleasant feel to the keys. Again, though, I didn’t enjoy the off-center typing position. Then we come to the touchpad. Not only is it gigantic, at 135mm wide and 90mm tall, but if you take part in a Teams or Zoom call then four buttons appear at the top. These allow you to mute your mic, switch off the camera, jump to the chat function and share your screen.
The keyboard has a pleasant feel, but is slightly off-centre(Image credit: Future)
I expected Dell to go all out on the webcam, too, but it’s a typical 1080p unit and doesn’t capture the level of detail you’ll find on the best offerings. Where Dell wins is for the granular control over audio in the Dell Optimizer app, including the option to remove background noise. This app is also where you can enable advanced security features such as presence detection, while fingerprint and face recognition are both on offer, too.
During benchmarking, I activated Ultra Performance in Dell’s software to give the system’s Core Ultra 7 165U every opportunity. Two small fans keep the CPU cool, but even in this supercharged mode I rarely heard any noise. The exceptions were during extended tests such as Cinebench 2024, with the multicore section particularly strenuous. A score of 460 highlights that the 165U is built for efficiency rather than outright speed – as highlighted by its incredible battery life for an Intel laptop – but in day-to-day use, you’ll have no issues with this laptop’s performance. It should do sterling service for years.
(Image credit: Future)
The first three of these are covered by the Dell ProSupport warranty that comes as standard, but this Latitude laptop is built with maintenance in mind. Standard crosshead screws keep the base secure, and the owner’s manual provides a detailed guide on how to replace components, from the WAN antenna module to the speakers that sit either side of the keyboard. And those speakers are excellent, delivering a quality I’d expect from a consumer laptop rather than a business machine.
Some businesses may be similarly surprised by a laptop that only offers USB-C ports, with two on the left and a third on the right. Aside from a 3.5mm combo jack and security lock, that’s your lot. Dell provides a tiny USB-C to USB-A dongle, and it’s just about small enough to stay in a port permanently, but there’s plenty of space for other ports on this 16.3mm-thick chassis so it’s an oddly restrictive choice.
Perhaps Dell is looking to the future rather than the past, recognizing that in five years USB-C ports will be the default, and that certainly reflects the progressive feel of the Latitude 9450 as a whole. Ports and price aside, I can’t find anything to fault in this high-quality convertible.
This review first appeared in issue 361 of PC Pro.
Armari has been producing some of the best workstations in the UK market for decades and, together with Scan, is often the first to send us the latest technology. The Magnetar M64T7-AW1650G4 isn’t the only system this month to sport one of the recently released non-Pro AMD Ryzen Threadrippers, but it’s the only one to opt for the 64-core iteration.
The Threadripper 7980X has a base 3.2GHz clock across its 64 cores (with 128 threads) and a maximum boost of 5.1GHz. The most obvious difference between the two variants of the Threadripper is that the Pro version supports eight-channel memory, and the non-Pro variant has a quad-channel controller, so will have lower RAM bandwidth. However, the Pro also has 128 PCI Express 5 lanes whereas the non-Pro only offers 48, plus 24 PCI Express 4 lanes. So the Pro will support a greater number of fast peripherals, such as networking and GPUs. Unless you need the memory and peripheral bandwidth, the non-Pro is much cheaper and therefore more cost-effective.
The Armari gave us some of the highest test results we’ve ever seen(Image credit: Future)
Armari has taken advantage of the quad memory channels by providing four 32GB DDR5 DIMMs running at 5,600MHz, for a total of 128GB. This will be enough for now, although several manufacturers this month have provided a lot more. The Asus Pro WS TRX50 Sage WiFi motherboard supports up to 1TB of memory.
Although the vanilla Threadripper is cheaper than the equivalent Pro, it’s still expensive, so Armari has been more conservative about its graphics acceleration choice. Instead of the range-topping AMD Radeon Pro W7900, the GPU is the W7800 that sits one rung below. This has 4,480 Stream processors instead of 6,144, and 32GB of GDDR6 frame buffer instead of 48GB, with 576GB/sec of bandwidth instead of 864GB/sec.
Also, while there are two storage drives in this system, Armari hasn’t supplied a smaller, faster one for the operating system and applications alongside a larger, slower one for media. Instead, there are two 2TB Crucial T700 M.2 NVMe devices operating at PCI Express 5 speeds. These have been combined using the motherboard’s built-in array capability into a single 4TB RAID0 device. This configuration delivers a staggering 16,134MB/sec of sustained reading and 22,655MB/sec writing (as measured by CrystalDiskMark 8).
One of Armari’s unique features is that it designs its own chassis and cooling solutions, although not for all its systems. The Magnetar M64T7-AW1650G4 sports the latest iteration of Armari’s M60G4 case, which now has some unique airflow tunnelling but most significantly has custom liquid cooling warrantied to deliver 700W for AMD’s Precision Boost Overdrive. Armari systems come with the latter enabled to obtain the maximum possible performance while remaining entirely reliable and stable. The chassis also has side-accessible easy-swap caddies for adding up to three 2.5/3.5in drives and another with a U.2 connection that supports SAS or up to three PCI Express 4 NVMe drives. The 1,650W PSU should be more than capable of supplying a fully stocked system without missing a beat, however.
Armari’s M60G4 case provides custom water cooling(Image credit: Future)
With that 64-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper CPU, the Armari was sure to dominate in most of the processor-focused benchmarks. The overall PC Pro media benchmark score of 949 is the highest we’ve seen, and although the image-editing result of 281 isn’t top of the pack, 869 in video encoding and 1,224 in multitasking trounce the competition. Likewise, 6,294 in Cinebench 2024 multi-CPU rendering was more than three times faster than any of the £4,500 systems this month, and 80% quicker than anything else. It dispatched the Blender Gooseberry render in 89 seconds on CPU, way ahead of anything we’ve seen before. The Adobe Media Encoder OpenCL-enhanced render took only 105 seconds.
The GPU, however, is merely great rather than dominant. SPECviewperf 2020 results include 185 in 3dsmax-07 and 817 in maya-06, 139 in catia-06, 221 in creo-03, 601 in snx-04 and 455 in solidworks-07, showing 3D animation and engineering workloads will be dealt with easily. But the W7900 is significantly faster in all areas. GPU rendering and AI inference is similarly good but beaten by a few competitors.
Overall, though, this is another incredible system from Armari, and a worthy Labs Winner.
This review first appeared in issue 361 of PC Pro.
Last year, Intel stopped developing its popular NUC mini PCs, signing an agreement with Asus that it would “manufacture, sell and support the Next Unit of Compute (NUC) 10th to 13th generation systems product line, and to develop future NUC systems designs”. I assumed that meant Asus would have the monopoly on the NUC name, but not so: MSI has entered the fray with its Cubi NUC line, and assures me that more will follow in the coming months.
You can buy the Cubi NUC 1M as a barebones system, with the Core 3 100U version costing £349 inc VAT. Core 5 120U and Core 7 150U versions are available for £449 and £519 respectively (prices from scan.co.uk). Or you can buy Cubi NUCs as complete systems, supplied with RAM, SSDs and Windows 11 Pro. Here, I test the top-end version, with a Core 7 150U, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.
The Cubi NUC 1M is a great mini PC provided that all-out power isn’t a priority(Image credit: Future)
Arguably, this is a 14th gen NUC as Intel released the 150U earlier this year. However, Intel seems intent on adopting more confusing names for its chips with every release, and the 150U actually has much more in common with the 13th generation Core i5-1335U than the new Core Ultra line. It still uses the Raptor Lake architecture, includes two P-cores and eight E-cores, and there’s no NPU for local AI tasks.
Like all U series chips, the 150U is designed for maximum efficiency rather than all-out speed. When I pushed it to extremes, the Cubi’s fan kept at a low-pitched but audible hum, but its power consumption peaked at 61W (it’s 15W when idle). That compares to 101W from the Geekom A8 Mini PC (see issue 359, p62) when I tested it with an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS.
While the Core 7 150U holds its own in single-core tasks, outperforming the Ryzen 9 8945HS in Geekbench 6 with a score of 2,635 versus 2,561, there’s a gulf in benchmarks that test all cores. In Geekbench, the Geekom A8’s 13,237 return is light years away from the MSI’s 8,651, and the gap grew in Cinebench R23 with 16,615 against 6,342.
(Image credit: Future)
The gulf in performance continued into gaming, as illustrated by the Geekom’s return of 3,215 in 3DMark Time Spy, almost twice the MSI’s 1,711, and where the Ryzen’s 780M graphics proved good enough for 35fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider (at 1080p High settings) the MSI could only rustle up 22fps.
So, if all-out speed is your priority, the Cubi NUC is not your best choice. However, few people need such power, especially in businesses where MSI is certainly targeting this mini PC. For instance, it includes two 2.5GbE ports, one of which can be used for out-of-band management, while those IT directors who need to show they’re making environmental strides will appreciate that 43% of the plastics are PCR. MSI takes renewables seriously, too, with 92% of its factory’s power coming from renewable sources.
I also asked MSI about its customer support. You’ll be buying from a reseller rather than direct from MSI, but for businesses its approach is to have a ready supply of buffer stock so that faulty units can be swapped out and then fixed at MSI’s recently established UK service center. It’s hardly Dell next-business-day on-site support, but there is a plan.
The Cubi’s impressive range of connectivity includes two 2.5GbE ports(Image credit: Future)
The Cubi should be of particular appeal to any business wanting to mount mini PCs on a monitor. If you buy a compatible MSI display then its power switch can also switch on the PC, but otherwise MSI supplies an external power switch that sits at the end of a cable and means users don’t need to reach round the back. You can even power the Cubi via USB-C, with up to 100W of power, massively simplifying cable management. There are two USB-C ports here, both supporting Thunderbolt 4, and when you add Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, four USB-A ports, a microSD card reader and two HDMI 2.1 ports it’s hard to think of something that isn’t included.
Those looking for a home entertainment system will be pleased to discover those HDMI ports support CEC (so universal remotes will work), and there are plenty of ways to extend storage. A second M.2 socket sits empty, albeit M.2 2242 rather than 2280, and you can mount a 2.5in SSD externally via four screw slots on its bottom. Or plug fast external storage into the USB-C ports.
As ever with NUC designs, the big advantage of the Cubi is its ability to squeeze into any situation. Here, you could use the Cubi for digital signage (the Core 3 version will be fine for such tasks), in schools, in businesses and in homes. It isn’t the fastest mini PC around, nor the smallest, but for versatility it’s an absolute winner.
Antennas Direct ClearStream Max-V Pro: Two-minute review
The Antennas Direct CleaStream Max-V Pro is about as powerful an indoor antenna as you can buy. Antenna gain matters for receiving more distant or lower-power broadcast TV stations, and that gain comes from multiple, large elements like those employed in the ClearStream Max-V Pro. Compared to the best indoor TV antennas, this is quite large at about 32 x 17 x 4 inches and is billed by Antennas Direct as an “indoor/outdoor” design, with both a wall-mount bracket and mast-mount hardware included. (No mast is included, but the company has several options available on its website.)
The Antennas Direct ClearStream Max-V Pro uses two double-loop UHF elements (the figure-8 shaped things) and a VHF element (the straight horizontal rod) to maximize signal-pulling abilities. All of this must be assembled out of the box, fixed to a central pod that holds a short output-cable “whip” terminated with a standard F-connector. Using supplied longer and shorter screws and plastic stand-offs, this requires only a screwdriver and should be doable by even the un-mechanically minded in 15 minutes or so, though the supplied instructions could be a lot clearer and more detailed.
The payoff, however, is the performance. The ClearStream Max-V Pro pulled in more stations from my semi-rural test location than any other indoor antenna I’ve tried – and that was without a signal amplifier, as none is included in the package. But remember, location and, especially, elevation is everything for antenna performance. My spot is about 700 feet above sea level, with clear line-of-sight to a variety of transmitters to the east, south, and southwest at distances ranging from 17 miles to more than 75 – a very nearly ideal location.
The basic ClearStream Max V-Pro package includes hardware for wall mounting (Image credit: Future)
While temporarily set in a second-story window facing southeast, the ClearStream Max-V Pro received 13 main-channel carriers, spanning that full range of distances, for a total of 48 main- and sub-channels combined. And this was with no signal amplifier. When I re-scanned with a ClearStream’s18 dB “Jolt-USB” amp in line ($25, or in a bundle with the antenna, mast, and other extras for $199), these totals went up to 15 and 64 respectively – close to the results delivered by the attic-mounted full-sized, multi-element outdoor-type antenna that normally serves this location.
Of course, the price for this performance is size and bulk, in an antenna that stretches the definition of “indoor” a bit: despite its less-angular, all-black design, the Max-V Pro is going to dominate any wall upon which it’s mounted. (The fact that the supplied wall-mount bracket is plain, unfinished metal doesn’t sweeten the deal much.) And then there’s the actual price: the Max-V Pro is two to three times the cost of typical indoor antennas.
That said, this is an antenna that will bring in nearly as many stations as possible in a far-suburban or fringe/rural location, especially if located higher up in an attic or roof/mast-mount setup. In such installations, an RF signal amplifier to maximize reception and overcome the losses from longer cabling should certainly be considered (ClearStream offers a bundle that adds a short mast, signal amplifier, and splitter for $50 more on its website).
The ClearStream Max-V Pro uses two double-loop UHF elements (the figure-8 shaped things) and a VHF element (the straight horizontal rod) to maximize signal-pulling (Image credit: Future)
Antennas Direct ClearStream Max-V Pro: Price and release date
First available: March 2023
Price: $159.99 ($199.99 with mast and RF amplifier)
The Antennas Direct ClearStream Max-V Pro commands a premium price but delivers premium performance, especially when combined with the optional RF amplifier. If you're looking for a less expensive but similarly powerful option specifically for an indoor installation, check out the Antop HD Smart Bar AT-500SBS.
(Image credit: Future)
Should you buy the Antennas Direct ClearStream Max-V Pro?
Buy it if...
You live in a fringe/suburban or semi-rural location: The ClearStream Max-V Pro offers maximum signal-pulling ability, especially when combined with the optional RF amplifier.
You want an indoor/outdoor antenna: The Max-V Pro is designed to be mounted both indoors and outdoors, though an outdoor installation will require paying extra for the optional hardware package.
Don't buy it if...
You’re on a tight budget: The Max-V Pro’s excellent performance comes at a cost, with even the base package priced considerably higher than other indoor antennas.
You don’t want to see your antenna: This is a large, somewhat bulky and imposing antenna that will be hard to conceal in an indoor location unless you install it in an attic.
Antennas Direct ClearStream Max-V Pro review: Also consider
Antop HD Smart Bar AT-500SBS This antenna provides nearly the same performance as the ClearStream Max-V Pro but at a lower price. It's specifically designed for indoor installation and, like the ClearStream Max-V Pro, is large and bulky.
Winegard FlatWave Amped Pro TH-3000 This indoor antenna has a more discreet design than the ClearStream Max-V Pro and provides very good performance over a 60-mile range. At around $110, it's not cheap, but a useful installation app enhances its value.
How I tested the Antennas Direct ClearStream Max-V Pro
Tested at semi-rural location
Compared with powerful "reference" antenna
I test indoor TV antennas at a semi-rural, hilltop location with good elevation and a clear line-of-sight over nearly 360 degrees to TV transmitters ranging from about 15 to about 70 miles. This testing environment gives me the ability to evaluate models catering to a full spectrum of indoor antenna needs.
For the testing process, I first place the antenna high up in a south-facing window and run the tuning process on a TV with an ATSC 3.0 “next-gen TV” tuner. I then record the number of carriers tuned, along with the total number of sub-channels. A powerful inside-the-attic rooftop-type antenna at the same location is also used as a reference for comparison.
The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro, the brand's new flagship wearable, promises a longer battery life among other enhanced features over its previous incarnation, the TicWatch Pro 5.
The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is a well-engineered device with a robust feel, yet it’s light and relatively slender for a fitness-focused watch. The screen glass is dense and feels tough enough to withstand the rigors of more extreme activities, while the display is clear and renders the UI very well. It’s responsive to gestures, but unfortunately, contact still registers through various materials, so accidental swipes when brushed against clothes and the like are possible.
Aesthetically, the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is no standout, but it’s discreet enough to be worn on any occasion. The included straps are durable, but as someone who prefers nylon over rubber, I didn’t find them to be the most comfortable, and the loop failed to keep the excess slack in place consistently.
Running Google’s Wear OS, the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is a fast performer, for the most part, thanks to the Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 chip. I did experience the occasional stutter and instances where apps and various functions didn’t work as intended, but nothing that drastically derailed the overall experience.
The Mobvoi Health Android app is great for tracking your workouts and physical data, with a clear layout, stable performance, and plentiful features and functionality. As you would expect, there’s a miscellany of health and fitness apps available on the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro right out of the box. Some of these work better than others: the measurements for steps and distance covered appear quite accurate, while those for activity, blood oxygen and anaerobic exercise seem to miss the mark.
All the performance and functionality of the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro comes at a cost. While there are certainly more expensive fitness wearables out there, there are also cheaper models, including the Fitbit Inspire 3 and the Apple Watch SE 2, that offer the same levels of performance and functionality (or close to them).
(Image credit: Future)
Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: specs
(Image credit: Future)
Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: price & availability
$349 / £329 / about AU$504
Available in Slate or Obsidian colorways
Costs more than some Apple Watch models
The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro costs $349 / £329 / about AU$504 and is available in two color schemes: Slate, which is a pale shade of green, and Obsidian.
The Enduro is priced the same as its predecessor, the TicWatch Pro 5, which is still available to buy. However, it has a few more enhancements, including a battery with a longer life and fast charging, a new ultra-low-power display, and new biometric measurement tools.
It’s cheaper than some dedicated fitness wearables, such as the Garmin Forerunner 265, but considerably more than other popular smartwatches, such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and the Apple Watch SE. These both offer similar fitness credentials to the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro, although they lack ECG features and blood oxygen sensors.
If you’re only buying a wearable for health and fitness purposes, the Fitbit Luxe is our pick as the best fitness tracker around, or the Fitbit Inspire 3 if you’re after the best cheap fitness tracker.
Value score: 2/5
(Image credit: Future)
Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: design
Solid build
Anonymous looks
Sleek interface
In line with other Mobvoi TicWatch models, the Pro 5 Enduro sports a round face with a thick chassis that’s not too bulky. As someone with small wrists, it didn’t feel oversized, although it isn’t as sleek as some wearables on the market, such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 or the Apple Watch.
As for the build quality, the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro feels very well put together, with a sturdy yet lightweight construction, and a rugged strap that feels secure and durable. However, I found it too thick to be breathable, generating quite a lot of sweat during physical activity, which makes for an uncomfortable sensation. This is an issue I usually have with most rubberized straps; I much prefer nylon.
Mobvoi does sell replacement straps, and there are plenty of compatible third-party ones out there. The TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro utilizes pins common on many standard watches to secure each end in place, with sliding bolts that allow you to install new straps without needing any tools.
The loop has a nodule that’s supposed to fit into the empty strap holes to secure it in place, but this didn’t work for me: at least once or twice a day, the strap would escape the loop, which is especially inconvenient during exercise.
What’s more impressive on the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is the switches. The swivel on the crown is smooth and offers good haptic feedback, which is noticeable without being intrusive. Presses are also pleasingly tactile and the same goes for the side button above. This can be customized to perform various actions and functions, such as setting it as a shortcut for opening apps of your choosing. All these factors combine to make it easy to operate the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro.
The interface itself is sleek and minimal. Menus are easy to navigate, for the most part, and the UI is laid out clearly. There are also a generous amount of watch faces to choose from, with varying degrees of information displayed that can be customized further in the Mobvoi Health app. The included TimeShow app offers even more face designs, but requires a paid subscription.
There is a variety of display settings that can only be controlled when the main watch face appears, such as when you tilt the watch towards you. The AMOLED display is clear and bright, making it easy to view in all but the sunniest of conditions. The default ultra-low-power display, however, is hard to see no matter what the ambient lighting is like, regardless of what backlight setting you choose.
Design score: 3.5/5
(Image credit: Future)
Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: Features
Accurate GPS
Plenty of fitness functions
Good customization options
Setting up the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro was simple enough, requiring the Mobvoi Health app to get going. You’ll also need to create an account (or sign in with your Google account) to save your workouts and other health data.
At time of writing, the app had a poor rating among users on the Play Store, scoring a meager 1.9 from 3,000 reviews, but during my time with it, I struggled to find much to criticize. It has a clear layout and a good set of customization options, with plenty of health data available for you to dig into. I didn’t experience any performance issues with it either. My only real complaint is that you can’t adjust the same number of settings as you can on the watch itself.
Once set up, the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro recommends apps to install, including those that are already present on your phone. Even though I checked the boxes for this during my setup, they failed to install as the Wi-Fi took a while to establish a connection. Thankfully, the Play Store app on the watch has the same list, enabling you to install your phone apps whenever you wish.
There are numerous Mobvoi apps related to fitness, which can seem overwhelming at first. The main one is TicHealth, which tracks metrics such as your steps and calories burned, as well as your heart rate, sleep and blood oxygen. Many of these require an initial measurement to get set up, which can be done via the new one-tap measurement app and takes only 90 seconds to complete its assessment.
Another key app is TicExercise, which can track your workouts. It offers a myriad of activities to track, from walking and yoga to Tai Chi and Motocross, and includes individual exercises in addition to overall routines.
As a fully-fledged Wear OS watch, the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro can run popular third-party apps downloaded from the Google Play Store, including Strava, Spotify, Audible, Microsoft Outlook, and WhatsApp, as well as Google’s own suite of apps, including Maps, Docs, and Keep. Although the selection is a far cry from what’s available on mobile devices, it’s still enough to make having a Wear OS smartwatch useful.
Features score: 4/5
(Image credit: Future)
Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: performance
Lots of data available
Inconsistent measurements
Average battery life
Although many of the aforementioned TicWatch apps are effective for giving a general overview of your stats, they’re far from perfect. While the heart rate monitor seemed reasonably accurate, I found the sleep and blood oxygen measurements inconsistent. The latter was particularly dubious, ranging from 100% to 91% after taking numerous readings (bearing in mind that below 94% indicates insufficient oxygen supply). Naturally, Mobvoi does issue a disclaimer that the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro cannot be used for medical purposes.
It also gives some tips for improving your blood oxygen that verge on the eccentric, including recommendations to eat liver and fungus for their plentiful iron stores, as well as informing you that oxygen cylinders are used to increase oxygen saturation.
As for sleep tracking, there were times when it seemed to get the hours spot on, and know how many quality hours of sleep I got. However, there were also times when it grossly underestimated the amount of sleep, such as when it said I only got 3 hours and 15 minutes. Admittedly, this was a fitful night, but I certainly got more hours than this.
Activity monitoring was also inaccurate in its assessments, telling me on more than one occasion that I had been active for three hours from 9am to 12pm, despite the fact I was sitting at my desk the whole time. It also gave me a prompt to get more steps in to meet my daily target, straight after going for a 10-minute dog walk. And it failed to notice my three-minute run to catch a train, not even registering my elevated heart rate. Admittedly, this could be explained by how loose I had the strap at that moment – a consequence of the discomfort it caused me.
Despite the TicExercise app having a wide variety of exercises available for tracking, in practice, they didn’t offer the tailor-made experience I was hoping for. When using the weightlifting option for one of my workouts, the only data it offered was duration, calories burnt, and heart rate. It also broke down my workout time into warm-up, fat-burning, cardio, anaerobic and danger zone phases.
I found this breakdown quite inaccurate, since it said I spent most of the time in warm-up, a minimal amount in cardio, and none in the anaerobic state – essentially the opposite of how my actual workout went. I’m not an athlete by any stretch, but I certainly exerted my muscles during the workout, far beyond what the watch impertinently thought was a “warm-up”, and I certainly did more anaerobic than aerobic work.
(Image credit: Future)
For my outdoor run, it seemed much more accurate with its account of my pace, max speed, and time spent in a cardio-intensive state – although strangely it did seem to think that for five of my 18 minutes spent running, I was in an anaerobic state. It also split my times per kilometer covered, and offered average and maximum readings of my heart rate, pace, cadence, and stride length. It provided a very detailed route map too, showing exactly where I had been, along with a reading of the elevation gain, so the GPS certainly functions well, and I found it established a signal fairly quickly too. Clearly, TicExercise is at its best when assessing aerobic rather than anaerobic activity.
In terms of general use, the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is responsive, with swipes being smooth, fast, and easy to perform. Functions and apps are quick to run too, and overall the Wear OS integrates nicely with Android devices, receiving push notifications and messages promptly – even when there’s no Wear OS app equivalent (Slack was a case in point here). There’s a good degree of cross-platform functionality as well, including the ability to easily control media playback from your smartphone on the watch.
There are a few minor usability issues, such as the watch failing to wake up when I brought my arm up, particularly when lying down at night, and coming on when I didn't want it to. Gestures occasionally failed to register, and some apps failed to open on the first tap. Notification and media playback symbols can also obscure the battery level indicator on some watch face designs. Overall, though, my experience with the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro wasn’t ruined by these niggles and minor bugs.
Third-party apps perform well on the whole. However, Spotify – an app many are likely to use during their workouts – did give me a few issues, ranging from playback and UI failures to Bluetooth headphones disconnecting unbidden. Whether the blame lies with the Spotify app or the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is hard to determine, but it’s an issue worth mentioning.
Mobvoi claims that the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro battery lasts up to 90 hours, 10 hours more than the Pro 5. During my tests, however, I was getting substantially less than this. Over the course of 12 hours, I went from full to 70% with minimal use. The upshot is that I was getting closer to three days of use out of the TicWatch rather than four. On the positive side, charging is quick, thanks to its fast charging capability.
You can turn on essential mode to extend the battery life to up to 45 days, but you can’t access any of the other features beyond what’s shown on the ultra-low-power display. Since you can’t access the settings or control the watch from your phone in this mode, to return to normal you have to restart by holding the side button, which takes longer than it should. It feels as if the mode switching could’ve been implemented better than this.
Performance score: 3/5
Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro: Scorecard
Should I buy the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro?
Buy it if...
You do aerobic exercise The TicWatch is at its most accurate when counting steps and tracking distance, with useful pace and route tracking functionality, thanks to the excellent GPS.
You have an Android phone As a Wear OS device, the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro integrates superbly with Androids. Some of your favorite apps are also available from the Play Store.
Don't buy it if...
You do anaerobic activity While runs can be tracked comprehensively, resistance training tracking isn’t at the same level.
You’re on a budget With an asking price of $349 / £329 / about AU$504, it's more expensive than most Fitbit and even some Apple Watch models, and these may be better options depending on what you want from a smartwatch.
You have an iPhone The TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro doesn’t work with Apple’s smartphones, so you’ll need to go for a Fitbit, Apple Watch or other compatible wearable if you want cross-device support.
Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: also consider
Apple Watch SE Apple still reigns supreme in the smartwatch space, and for good reason. Although it’s not strictly billed as a fitness watch, there are plenty of apps for the Apple Watch SE, both first and third-party, that can add that capability. And at $249, it’s cheaper than the TicWatch. You will, of course, need an iPhone to get going with it, though, and beware: there’s no ECG or blood oxygen sensor.Read our full Apple Watch SE review
Fitbit Luxe Fitbit was one of the first to kickstart the fitness wearables trend, and it’s still going strong with various models. In our Fitbit Luxe review, we said it’s one of the company’s best models. Note, however, that there have been a number of controversial changes to Fitbit services of late, including the axing of much-loved features, casting doubts over its longevity.
How I tested the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro
Tested for one week
All features and first-party apps used
Regularly active
I tested the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro for a week, wearing it every day and some nights. During that time I went about my normal routine, which included working at a desk, walking and exercising. I did a mixture of resistance training and cardio work, both indoors on a treadmill and out in the wild.
I also used as many of the available functions and apps the watch had to offer as possible, including all the preinstalled health and fitness apps, as well as other third-party apps.
I partake in physical activities, such as walking and resistance training, between two to three times a week, with some cardio thrown in when I can. I also commute to work, which can vary from taking public transport – including 10-minute walks either side – or walking the whole two miles each way to the office and back.
With AI tools now becoming a common sight in businesses everywhere, it's clear adoption is coming on fast.
However, it's one thing having this incredibly powerful new era of technology as purely software, but another getting it integrated into your everyday hardware.
If you're looking for a solid workplace companion, the HP Envy x360 14-fc009na should tick all your boxes. Offering a bright display, lightweight build and all-day battery life, it manages to handle everything we threw at it - and although not quite the indispensable business tool it promises to be soon, having the opportunity to utilize Copilot via a dedicated key is a welcome touch.
The HP Envy x360 14-fc009na looks to help users, primarily freelancers and creators, take a step forward in this AI age with an integrated Microsoft Copilot button, putting the Windows AI tool front and center - but how does it stand up as an everyday working device?
HP Envy x360 14-fc009na - Price & availability
The base-level HP Envy x360 14-fc009na (Intel Core Ultra 5 125U/512GB SSD) is available from HP's UK website for £999 although we're currently seeing a reduced price offer of £911.98, saving £87.02.
If you're able to push the boat out a little more, confusingly, there is the option of an Intel Core Ultra 7 155U/1TB SSD edition for the same price - £999.
The device doesn't appear to be available on HP's US website - instead, there's the similarly-specced HP Envy x360 14-fc0097nr, which also features the Intel Core Ultra 7, 1TB SSD and 16GB RAM, for $1,199.99.
HP Envy x360 14-fc009na - Design & build
(Image credit: Future / Mike Moore)
As noted, the big selling point of this device is regarding its software - which we'll get on to shortly, as the build of the HP Envy x360 14-fc009na definitely deserves some attention.
From the outside, it's a pretty standard business laptop, with its dark grey metallic build making it seem like so many other devices out there today.
However as with HP's other 360 brand offerings, flexibility is the biggest surprise here, with the HP Envy x360 14-fc009na able to fold back its display into a tablet form factor.
This is perfect for portability, especially when moving between meetings or appointments (I used it when dashing between sessions at a busy conference) - with the ability to quickly annotate or make notes using the touchscreen a very welcome option.
The screen itself is a very handy 14in display available in your choice of 2K (1920x1080) or 3K (2880x1880) which performs brilliantly no matter what lighting situation you're in. We would prefer slightly less thick bezels, but on the top of the display, this does house the very capable integrated 5MP webcam, which was well-suited for the range of video conferencing meetings we attended.
The keyboard is a little small for our personal tastes, and due to the Copilot key, some others have been shuffled around - we kept hitting the # key, which has been shifted to above Caps Lock, presumably for heavy social media users. But this does mean there is a huge scrollpad, which was incredibly useful in environments such as busy offices and press rooms.
Outside of that, there isn't much that's too exciting or different about the HP Envy x360 14-fc009na to be honest - it's a beautifully-designed sleek and slight device, with its slimline design (just 1.69cm tall when closed) making it ideal to slip into a rucksack or laptop bag with ease - especially when it weighs in at just 1.39kg.
The material itself features a sandblasted anodized finish which is pleasingly tactile, but does lend itself to picking up small scuffs and scratches along the way.
HP Envy x360 14-fc009na - Features
The HP Envy x360 14-fc009na sports Windows 11 Home as a default, which is perhaps expected now, but as mentioned, the big addition here is the integrated Microsoft Copilot key.
Supplanting the Windows key (which is shifted over to the left of the space bar), the Copilot key is a quick way to access Microsoft's AI platform, instantly launching a question window.
Although as mentioned elsewhere, we aren't the biggest users of Copilot just yet, but having the technology literally at your fingertips is incredibly handy, and something we did grow used to.
(Image credit: Future)
The HP Envy x360 14-fc009na does come with some connectivity options, although possibly not as many as you may like if you are working in a creative field. Included are two USB Type-A ports, along with a single HDMI, USB-C, Thunderbolt port each - which was OK for us, connecting to a wireless mouse and keyboard along with external monitor, but some users may crave more connectivity.
Battery life was another big selling point, with USB-C charging meaning we could top up with a phone charger if we ever forgot the (somewhat chunky) bundled charger, with HP's proprietary Fast Charge feature helping us get up to power nice and quick.
Elsewhere, we'd like to give a special shout-out to the built-in camera privacy shutter, which saved us embarrassment on more than one occasion, and the mic mute key - ideal for us video conferencing veterans.
HP Envy x360 14-fc009na - Final verdict
(Image credit: Future / Mike Moore)
If you're looking for a solid mid-range work laptop that is as happy in the boardroom as on the conference floor, the HP Envy x360 14-fc009na is ideal for you. A great blend of power, portability and style, its all-day battery life is perfect for workers on the go.
If you're looking for a super-powered AI laptop that can handle intense tasks such as video editing or rendering, it's worth spending more for something a bit more powerful, but for everyone else, the HP Envy x360 14-fc009na is a great addition to your working life.
It should be very easy to work out whether the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner is the add-on for you. If the idea of additional leg support when you kick back in your Secretlab gaming chair to watch a movie or even sneak in a quick nap in between competitive games isn’t appealing enough to justify the hefty $199 / £159 price tag, then stop reading now because I doubt that there’s anything that I can say to change your mind.
If that prospect does sound up your street, though, then the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner is well worth your consideration. This useful accessory adds dedicated leg support to any Secretlab Titan Evo or Secretlab Classics Series chair, many of which rank among some of the best gaming chairs, bringing all the comfort of a traditional recliner to a considerably more compact format that would fit under any of the best gaming desks. It’s incredibly easy to install too, securely locking to the bottom of your chair in a matter of minutes.
The overall build quality and design are also up to the high standards that you would expect from a Secretlab product. Its plush exterior is soft and cozy and the company’s excellent PlushCell Memory Foam is used to good effect, providing the perfect level of support without ever feeling overly firm or stiff. The recliner can be freely adjusted to a range of angles via a conveniently placed lever, making it well-suited to a number of sitting positions, and can be smartly tucked away underneath the bottom of the chair when not in use.
The many metal elements of its construction do make the accessory very heavy, though, which makes it considerably more difficult to roll your chair around when it’s fitted. This seems like an almost unavoidable limitation given the choice of material and is definitely preferable to a more flimsy plastic design, but is still worth bearing in mind if you need to frequently move your chair from place to place. Otherwise, the experience of using the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner is hard to fault if you have the cash to splash and want to invest in some serious comfort.
The recliner's roughly 20 inch wide soft cushion (Image credit: Future)
Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner: Price and availability
$199 / £159 version coming soon
Limited Founder’s Edition costs $249 / £199
Available via Secretlab
The Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner that I tested will be available in early 2025 and will cost $199 / £159. If you don’t want to wait, you can pick up the limited Founder’s Edition which is on sale right now via the Secretlab website. This costs $249 / £199 and features an added layer of cooling gel in addition to a special quilted pattern and Founder’s Edition metal tag.
The idea of a limited edition for die-hard Secretlab fans is quite appealing, but it’s frustrating that it comes in at a higher price when the other model isn’t available yet. Rather than being a cool bonus for early adopters, this seems designed to push these upgrades on shoppers who might not want to spring out for them given the choice.
Launching both at the same time, with the Founder’s Edition offered as a pricier limited edition alternative, would have been a much more consumer-friendly move.
Specs
Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner: Design and aesthetics
Sleek black look
Matches most colorways
Durable materials
The Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner comes in a sleek black design that compliments many of the existing Secretlab Titan Evo colorways. I tested the accessory with the already fantastic looking bright Plush Pink Secretlab Titan Evo and found that it fitted the overall design perfectly, matching the black accents of the side of the chair and the black magnetic neck pillow.
There are two gold details on the recliner: a Secretlab logo and a tag that’s labeled with the product name. They’re just small enough not to be intrusive and the gold color adds to the premium look. The same is true of the subtle pattern on the recliner’s cushion, which features two stitched grooves for some added texture.
Cushion aside, the majority of the rest of the recliner, which hangs just underneath the seat of the chair, is constructed from a durable feeling metal. For movement, it has a pneumatic gas spring that provides up to 80 degrees of motion. This is controlled via an easy-to-reach plastic lever that neatly slots next to the chair’s existing height adjustment controls.
The recliner attached to a chair and viewed from the side (Image credit: Future)
Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner: Comfort and adjustability
Very spacious and pleasantly soft
Range of supported seating positions
Can withstand lots of force
It’s hard to fault the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner in terms of raw comfort. It’s spacious, soft, and provides a good level of support for your legs. Images of a number of suggested positions are included alongside the instruction manual, each geared towards different activities.
For everyday work or playing in an upright position, the cushion can be positioned at a slight angle. I found the sensation of having something pressed up against the back of my legs a little disconcerting for the first few hours, but it was easy to appreciate the added support once I got used to it. If you’d rather sit upright with nothing touching your legs at all, you can always lock the recliner out of reach by pushing it backward with the adjustment lever raised - a very convenient feature.
As you begin to recline the backrest you should set the recliner to increasingly greater angles, taking pressure away from your lower back and leading to a more natural body position. It’s great if you want to kick back and watch a movie on your PC display or just need to change up the feel of your seat while you take a break and browse social media on your phone.
With the recliner set all the way out to the full 80 degrees and the backrest fully reclined, your Secretlab chair becomes the perfect vehicle for relaxation. It’s comfortable enough for a nap and is perfect if you really want to stretch out and give yourself a bit of a rest after a long day or particularly intense gaming sessions.
That being said, users who frequently recline their chairs to this position are the ones who will notice the biggest benefits here. I do it quite often, so I really appreciated the addition of the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner. If that’s not you, then it’s safe to say that you’re better off just sticking to your existing chair on its own.
On a final note, there’s no need to be concerned about any potential issues if you use an XL chair. The accessory is fully compatible with them and should provide more than enough space for most legs. The mechanism it uses is also extremely high quality and durable. Throughout my testing, I repeatedly pushed down on it with as much force as I could muster and it didn’t budge an inch.
The accessory's adjustment lever (left) (Image credit: Future)
Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner: Assembly
No tools required
Incredibly quick setup
Impressively easy
No tools are required to install the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner. A large and clear set of instructions is included in the box, which have you fitting some small rubber clips to underside of your chair and then sliding the recliner on to them and pulling a lever to fasten it all in place.
The manufacturer states that everything can be installed in just three minutes, so I timed myself to see how this claim would stack up. Although I expected to exceed that estimate, I actually managed to complete the process in just 65 seconds. This didn’t include getting the product out of the box, which I had done a few hours earlier, but I can’t imagine that taking more than about a minute to accomplish.
It’s incredible to see such a substantial and mechanically complex addition installed so quickly and easily, so hats off to Secretlab. The process was so smooth that I would even go so far as to say that it partly justifies the high price tag.
Although it’s not required in any way, a spare chair assembly toolkit with an allen key and magnetic screwdriver tool is still included too, which could be handy if you want to adjust the armrests or tighten up any screws before getting the add-on in place. Top marks across the board.
Preparing the chair for installation. (Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner?
Buy it if...
You want a high-end accessory If you love luxury and will only settle for the very best, then the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner is a great addition to your setup. It’s pricey, but feels incredibly premium.
You love a cheeky nap Users who recline their chairs all the way are going to benefit the most from the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner. If you want to catch some Zs in between matches or after a long day at work, then this is a great choice too.
Don't buy it if...
You can make do without This accessory really doesn’t come cheap, so unless you’re completely sold on the concept you’re probably better off without it. If you still really want to pick up an official add-on for your chair, consider the two cheaper options highlighted below.
Also consider...
For some other ways to customize your Secretlab chair, take a look at these two official accessories.
Secretlab Skins These chair sleeves allow you to customize the look of your Secretlab Titan Evo with ease. They’re pretty pricey for a bit of cloth, but still come in cheaper than shelling out for a whole new model in your desired color.
Secretlab PlushCell Memory Foam Armrest Top If you want to add some extra comfort to your chair without breaking the bank, the Secretlab PlushCell Memory Foam Armrest Top is a great choice. It adds some pleasant extra padding to each of the armrests.
I tested the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner for over two weeks with a Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 provided by the manufacturer. During that time I made sure to use the chair and accessory daily, assessing its overall performance and the level of comfort that it provided.
I carefully compared my experience to my hands-on testing with some of the most comfortable gaming chairs plus other models including the Razer Iskur V2 and Herman Miller Sayl Gaming Chair in addition to the feeling of sitting on the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 on its own.
The variety in iPad sizes is impressive. You can get everything from a 13-inch giant iPad Pro down to an 8.3-inch iPad mini. Most people probably live in the middle with the popular 10.9-inch iPad Air or the new 11-inch Air, but that little one with the 8.3-inch Liquid Retina Display has its adherents.
It's an almost pocket-friendly device that's popular with pilots, artists, ardent notetakers, social media scrollers, students, and readers. It's the color reading screen for those who don't want to read comics on a black-and-white Kindle (though that new Colorsoft does change things, am I right?). It's sometimes the second multipurpose slab in your arsenal, small and light enough to join you on vacation, and it's sometimes the perfect back-porch streaming companion.
The iPad mini is also a product that's been on the bubble. Many worried that Apple might simply cancel it. It was among the last two iPad holdouts to not get an M-class Apple silicon chip, and also the last mobile device to still include the 'mini' name (RIP iPhone mini) – the only other Apple product with that designation is the Mac mini.
Instead of killing it, Apple has essentially done a brain transplant, upgrading the previous model's A15 Bionic mobile CPU to the much more powerful A17 Pro. The choice is surprising, because Apple seems almost anxious to stuff its latest Apple silicon into every new device (see the M4-running iPad Pro); but this time Apple tapped the brakes a bit. There's nothing wrong with the A17 Pro, which is the same chip you'll find in last year's iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. It's Apple Intelligence-capable, and has more than enough power for a screen of almost any size.
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
If I have a frustration with the latest iPad, alternatively known as the iPad mini 7th Generation or iPad Mini A17 Pro, it's that it's virtually identical in every respect to the three-year-old iPad mini 6th generation. Apple didn't bother to upgrade the design, the screen, the cameras, or the speakers. The only hardware change that expresses itself on the outside of the tablet is one you can only see if you have an Apple Pencil.
The new iPad mini supports just two styluses: the Apple Pencil USB-C and the new Apple Pencil Pro. I wouldn't expect it to support the original Apple Pencil, but I am a little surprised that there's no support for the Apple Pencil 2. You can't even properly seat that Pencil on the charging base that sits on one long edge of the iPad, because Apple has reengineered the hardware underneath.
It's a small thing, really, and you will appreciate all the cool stuff you can do with a Pencil Pro, like squeeze it or use gestures to change tools and Scribble. And with 18.1 and Apple Intelligence, you can even Scribble to Siri.
What might matter most to iPad mini fans, though, is its ability to support Apple Intelligence. Only the A17 Pro and above (along with all M-class Apple chips) supports it, but you need to be running iPadOS 18.1. If you buy this new iPad, it will likely arrive with iPadOS 18 and, like my test unit, not yet support Apple Intelligence. That speaks to the general frustration many of us have when it comes to Apple's own brand of AI. It's dribbling out slowly, and still lacks core features like Siri with app access, user activity knowledge, contextual awareness, and ChatGPT access.
Some of these features may arrive by the end of October; others might not arrive until 2025. It's a mystery to me why Apple is moving so slowly in this regard. Eventually, I got a developer beta of iPadOS 18.1 onto the iPad mini, and it performs just as well as I hoped, enabling you, among other things, to quickly summarize notes or change the tone of an email with Writing Tools, have your Notifications summarized, and even get a priority look into your inbox. Hand-writing queries to Siri is pretty much tailor-made for the iPad, and you can be more precise when cleaning up photos.
Even without Apple Intelligence, the iPad mini is an excellent tablet. It's also a premium device, and priced like one, starting at $499 / £499 / AU$799 for 128GB of storage. At 9.7 inches, that iPad was larger and heavier (it weighed a pound and a half). The nice thing about the modern iPad mini is that the screen isn't much smaller than the one on the OG iPad, but it's a much higher resolution, and the device is so much smaller and lighter.
Few tablets are as versatile and powerful as the iPad mini. I used it for all kinds of work, creative, and entertainment activities and was never disappointed. It remains one of my favorite drawing devices.
If you own an iPad mini 6th generation, hold onto it and upgrade to iPadOS 18. Even without Apple intelligence, you'll be happy. If you've never owned an iPad and think the new iPad Air 11-inch and 10.9-inch iPad 10th gen are too large, and a 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max is too small, perhaps the iPad mini is the sweet spot you've been looking for. Plus, it supports a stylus, and even though the iPhone screens are getting mighty big, that's one thing they still don't offer.
Apple iPad Mini A 17 Pro (2024) review: price and availability
Pricey for its size
Fresh new colors
Apple unveiled the iPad mini A 17 Pro on October 15, 2025. It starts at $499 / £499 / AU$799 for 128GB of storage – that's the same price as the 2021 iPad mini in the US, but a £20 increase in the UK and AU$50 more if you’re in Australia. It costs $150 / £170 / AU$200 more than a 10th Gen iPad, which only has an A14 Bionic, and $100 / £100 / AU$200 less than the base iPad Air. There are cheaper mini-tablet options on the market, like the 8-inch Amazon Kindle Fire HD, which starts at $99.99 / £99.99 (it's not currently available in Australia), although you're only getting 32GB of storage, a pair of not-so-great 2MP cameras, and a Hexa-core CPU. Apple is essentially asking you to pay a premium price for a well-equipped product to perform premium and professional tasks. The new iPad mini is available in four colors: Space Gray, Blue, Purple, and Starlight (somewhere between silver and rose gold).
Value score: 4 / 5
iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: specs
iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: display
Still a brilliant and colorful screen
500 nits max
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
When Apple first introduced the iPad mini 6th generation in 2021, it was a big deal not only because of the wholesale redesign that brought the mini more in line with the iPad Air 4th Gen, which was released a year earlier, but also because was fitting a relatively large screen into a much smaller body.
The new mini also came with new display technologies, introducing the 326ppi Liquid Retina Display and LED backlighting to the mini line.
It's an excellent and responsive touchscreen that offers a wide color gamut, and, of course, Apple Pencil support. It has an antireflective coating, and is somewhat resistant to fingerprints. I'm not thrilled that the peak brightness is stuck at 500 nits when Apple's other mobile devices are pumping out, under certain conditions 2,000 nits. Still, this is a three-year-old technology, so I should not expect 2024 display updates.
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
My experience with the iPad Mini A 17 Pro was, in many ways, no different than with the 6th Gen model, and this is a good thing. As before, everything looks fantastic on the 8.3-inch display; games, photos, movies, apps, and web browsing are all great (I especially enjoyed perusing photos of baby animals on National Geographic – it tells me we're all hardwired to love baby animals, and I totally believe it).
The iPad mini truly shines, though, when you add an Apple Pencil. The mini now only supports the Pencil Pro and Pencil USB-C, and only the former can magnetically charge on the edge of the iPad Mini. The pens are optional extras though, so you'll pay an additional $129 for the Pro or $79 for the USB-C model – I think they're a worthwhile investment.
Apple Pencil Accessory
As an amateur artist, few things make me happier than drawing on an iPad, usually in Procreate. I alternate between drawing on a large 13-inch iPad Pro and the pint-sized mini, and even though the screen on the latter is comparatively small, I never find it constraining.
I can understand how some might think the 8.3-inch screen is too small a canvas or not large enough to multitask, but I'd have to disagree. I spent hours drawing the puppy you can see below in Procreate, and I did most of it on a split screen. I dragged the Safari browser window with my reference images up to the left and gave two-thirds of the screen to Procreate. It's enough space, I promise you.
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
One of the reasons why sketching on the iPad mini works is the feel of drawing with an Apple Pencil on the screen. Even though the screen is perfectly smooth, the Pencil tip provides just enough friction to make it feel like I'm drawing on something other than glass. In some apps, I can hover my pencil over the screen and see the cursor or drawing dot move with the Pencil. I can also squeeze it to change tools.
The Pencil is not just for drawing. For those who don't want to type, you can scribble words in various fields and, depending on the quality of your writing, the iPad will convert them to text. In Notes, I used the new Math Notes to write equations and had the iPad solve them for me in something that looked like my own handwriting. I wrote '200+36=' and the iPad quickly returned '236'. When I added a line under my original equation and the number 2 under that, Math Notes automatically knew to divide by two and updated my sum to '118'. Impressive – and fun.
With Apple Intelligence you'll be able to double tap near the bottom of the screen to open the Siri Text window, but instead of typing you'll write in your query with the Apple Pencil.
Display score: 4.5 / 5
iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: design
This looks familiar
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I've spent quite a bit of time examining the new iPad mini 7th gen from every angle, and there's virtually no difference between it and the previous model. I'm fine with that – this is a good and solid design. The 100% recycled aluminum chassis is thin, 6.5mm, and light, just 293 grams. To put that in perspective, the iPhone 16 Pro Max weighs 227 grams, so Apple's smallest iPad is just 66g heavier. I have big hands, and I can comfortably hold the 7.69in x 5.3-inch tablet in one hand; I usually have the Apple Pencil in the other.
The bezel around the screen is perhaps a bit thick by modern iPad standards, and I'm surprised that the FaceTime camera still lives on the narrow side of the display (Apple moved it for the iPad Pro). This means that if you want to make eye contact during a call you need to look at the left side of the iPad mini.
On one short edge is the very effective Touch ID (also power and sleep) button that I use not only to unlock the device but to sign into myriad accounts. Opposite it are the two volume buttons, and in between are a pair of speaker grilles; the other half of the stereo speaker system is on the other side of the iPad, which also houses the USB-C port.
The iPad mini offers no water resistance and doesn't have a dust rating. If you plan to take it to the beach, buy a case. There are still four colors to come from, but joining Starlight and Space Gray are new Purple and Blue shades. At first, I was very drawn to the Blue, a sort of light anodized take on the color that can change depending on how the light hits it, but Apple's latest take on Purple is surprisingly airy in lower light and can really pop when under direct light. These two new shades and Starlight – perfectly match the new AirPods Max.
Design score: 4.5 / 5
iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: cameras
Decent 12MP cameras
Centerstage
No telephoto
(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
The iPad mini is just small enough that I could imagine people carrying it and taking pictures wherever they go. With a single 12MP wide-angle camera on the back, it will get the job done, and the photos it produces are rich in detail and color. However, they don't hold up to close scrutiny as well as photos from the iPhone 16 Pro Max's 48MP main camera.
The front camera takes nice selfies, but not portrait-mode shots. It's far more useful as a FaceTime camera and, when I used Centerstage, the ultrawide camera auto-cropped the frame to follow me around. It's a nice feature, especially if you like to walk and talk while conducting Facetime calls.
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Camera score: 3.5 / 5
iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: software
Control Center customization
Home screen and widgets are more customizable
Calculator
New Photos app
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The iPad mini A17 Pro ships with iPadOS 18, which brings with it many of the same features you'll find on iOS 18, including a customizable Control Center, the Photos app redesign, the new Passwords app, updated Messages, and the aforementioned Math Notes (one of my favorites).
Apple Intelligence is coming, too, bringing writing tools to help you craft better prose in almost any situation, Siri with a completely new look, and, eventually, better insights into how you use your iPad.
Aside from what's coming with Apple Intelligence, none of these changes will radically alter your iPad experience, though I do think most of them will make it better. I'm still on the fence about the Photos app, which is so different that I can't seem to find anything. At least it now includes natural language search queries that should make finding photos across vast libraries far easier.
In my brief time with Apple Intelligence on the iPad mini, courtesy of a developer beta of iPadOS 18.1, I was mostly impressed. Similar to the Apple Intelligence experience on the iPad Air, iPad Pro, Mac, or iPhone, it's currently a well-rounded set of firsts.
You can summarize notifications automatically, which makes it easier to triage them after your device has been in sleep mode overnight, or while you have 'Do Not Disturb' engaged during a long meeting. I especially like how it summarizes Slack and Group messages, generally providing a good gist and summary. The same goes for Mail in Apple's own app or third-party ones in Gmail.
The Apple Pencil Pro (or the Pencil USB-C) really shines when it comes taking notes, and while it's not an Apple Intelligence feature, Smart Script is still really impressive in use, as it cleans up your handwriting in a way that matches your style. I also still desperately wish I had Math Notes when I was growing up.
Maybe the most purpose-built part of Apple Intelligence for the iPad is Scribble to Siri, though, and it's handy for those times when you're taking notes or just using the Apple Pencil. You can double-tap on the bottom of the screen and start writing in the Siri box that appears to get answers – it could be a question about your calendar, the weather, a sports score, or even a smart home command.
Of course, there are still many Apple Intelligence features we're still waiting for, from the completely redesigned Siri with personal context and the ability to work within apps deeply, to Genmoji, Image Playground, and ChatGPT integration. When those do arrive, the iPad mini will be able to handle them all, and will be the cheapest way to get any of these or future Apple Intelligence features.
Software score: 4.5 / 5
iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: performance
A17 Pro is a generation back
Still has ample power
Double the RAM
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(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)
While I'm surprised the iPad mini 7th generation is not running on top-of-M-class Apple silicon (not even a now last-gen M3), the A17 Pro is no slouch. Plus, it's the first A-class chip that could support Apple Intelligence.
Adding a Pro-level chip to the mini is almost a recognition of the iPad's mini place in the creative and professional world. Pilots run apps like ForeFlight on it to plan trips. It's a complex and rich app that's not for the faint of heart (me) or a lightweight CPU. The iPad is also a popular drawing and image editing platform, and running pro-level image editing app Adobe Lightroom on it is no problem.
(Image credit: Future)
Similarly, I edited four streams of 4K videos at once in Adobe Premiere Rush. And when it came time to unwind, I played Asphalt Legends Unite, Madden NFL 25 Mobile, and Fallout Shelter.
The performance boost you'll see in the new iPad mini is borne out in its Geekbench 6 numbers. The CPU scores are all measurably higher.
It's not just the CPU that's powering all this performance – Apple has doubled the RAM from 4GB to 8GB. Most people believe this has to do with Apple Intelligence support, which appears to require at least that much RAM to perform Apple Intelligence's generative AI tasks locally (some tasks will still have to be done in Apple's encrypted Private Cloud Compute).
Performance score: 4.5 / 5
iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024) review: battery
A long work or play day
Apple rates the iPad Mini 7th Gen at about 10 hours of battery, and in my anecdotal tests that's about right. It's not great battery life, and I wonder if we might have gotten more had Apple made the switch from the A17 Pro to a more efficient M2.
In our Future Labs tests, the new iPad mini managed around 10 hours and 36 minutes.
There's no wireless charging, which is a shame since this iPad seems like the perfect size to rest on a Qi MagSafe charger. At least the iPad ships with a woven USB-C cable and a nice 20W adapter.
Battery score: 4 / 5
Should you buy the iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024)?
Buy it if…
You want the most affordable Apple Intelligence Experience The iPad mini might be expensive for its size, but it's also a rare sub-$500 Apple Intelligence experience.
You want a powerful iPad that doesn't weigh you down This 8.3-inch device is light, thin, and very powerful.
Don’t buy it if…
You're on a tight tablet budget This is a lot of money for the smallest iPad, especially when you can get an 8-inch Amazon Fire HD tablet for $100 / £100.
You'll never buy an Apple Pencil The iPad mini is wonderful, but it truly flourishes with an Apple Pencil Pro. If you'll never invest in one, perhaps look at a different tablet.
iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024): Also consider
Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 Plus
With storage expandable up to 1TB and a cheaper price than the Pad Go (if you go for Wi-Fi only version), the Galaxy Tab A9 Plus is a similarly capable media playback device. The display isn't as sharp, with a 1920 x 1200 resolution, but it does feature Samsung's useful split-screen multitasking abilities.
Amazon Fire Max 11
Another budget 11-inch tablet, the Fire Max 11 has the same 2.2GHz Octo-Core chip as the Galaxy Tab A9 Plus. The display has a resolution of 1200 x 2000, and it has an expandable storage capacity up to 1TB. Like the Pad Go, it also features Dolby Atmos capability. It is more expensive, though, and Google Play isn't supported. You'll also have to pay slightly more if you want the ad-free version.
How I tested the iPad Mini A17 Pro (2024)
Drew
Watched TV
Played Games
Browsed the web
Edited movies
Edited photos
I used the Apple iPad mini A17 Pro as I would any other iPad, for every activity I do throughout the day, including Slack, email, conducting video meetings, drawing, editing, videos, and photos, playing games, and watching the Mets lose through the my favorite streaming platform.
I also spent several hours with the iPadOS 18.1 developer beta installed on the iPad mini seventh-generation, testing the currently available Apple Intelligence features, to get a sense of how they perform here.
Come for the promise of game-changing 8K action cam footage, stay for the genuinely great-looking, great-sounding 4K footage. That’s the top-line story with Insta360’s new flagship action camera, the Ace Pro 2, which makes a big deal of its class-leading 8K video resolution – even if it’s a feature very few owners will end up using due to its file sizes and various limitations.
What they’ll quickly discover instead is that the Ace Pro 2 excels at delivering smooth, stabilized and crisp-looking 4K footage, which it can capture at up to 60fps in regular video modes and 120fps for slow motion playback purposes. It’s particularly impressive in low light conditions (at least by action camera standards) and offers log recording to support post-production tweaking to color and exposure settings.
(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
It does all of the above while offering the usual action cam advantages: it’s small, lightweight, waterproof, rugged, simple to operate, blessed with long battery life and able to be fixed onto all manner of first- and third-party accessories like selfie sticks, mini tripods, bike mounts and helmet mounts.
With all that being said, there’s not a lot between any of the main three action camera flagships at this point (the other two being the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro and GoPro Hero 13 Black). The Insta360 Ace Pro 2 does distinguish itself from its rivals not only with the 8K recording option but its single flip screen, which offers a larger display than the camera’s dual-screened competitors.
Put simply, the Ace Pro 2 warrants careful consideration for anyone shopping for a fully featured flagship action camera, and fully deserves its place as an alternative to its DJI and GoPro competitors.
Insta360 Ace Pro 2: price and release date
Priced from $399.99 / £389.99 / AU$689.99
Available from October 22 2024
Sold in Standard and Dual Battery Bundles
The Ace Pro 2 is available to order from October 22 2024, and sold via the Insta360 web store and a host of other online retailers.
There are two packages available at launch. The Standard Bundle ($399.99 / £389.99 / AU$689.99) contains the camera, a wind guard, a microphone cap, one battery, one standard mount and one USB-C cable. The Dual Battery Bundle ($419.99 / £409.99 / AU$719.99), as its name suggests, features two batteries rather than one, but is otherwise the same.
Note that neither of Insta360’s bundles come with a memory card which, given the Ace Pro 2’s lack of built-in storage, is something you’ll need. So, if you don’t already have a microSD card, make sure to obtain one at the same time as the camera. It accepts cards up to 1TB in capacity.
The Ace Pro 2’s pricing is in the same ballpark as its closest action camera competitors such as the GoPro Hero 13 Black and DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro (although, at around $50 cheaper, the latter would leave you a little extra money left over for accessories).
Price score: 4/5
Insta360 Ace Pro 2: key specs
Insta360 Ace Pro 2: design and handling
Integrated microphone wind guard
Waterproof to 12m/39ft
Flip-up touchscreen
Quick-release magnetic mount system
The Ace Pro 2 looks a lot like the original Ace Pro. A quick side-by-side comparison reveals a few minor differences in styling and size, but it shares the same standard action camera look – blocky, squat and with as few buttons as possible – and red and black color scheme. The detachable, replaceable lens guard has been upgraded according to Insta360, giving a small boost to its protection and dive capabilities.
Probably the biggest difference of note is the new microphone wind guard, a removeable metal grille, lined with acoustic foam, that protects the front mic port from wind noise. It’s inconspicuous and adds virtually nothing size-wise, so can be left in place most of the time while the camera is in use.
The only time it needs to be removed and replaced by the standard mic cap is during underwater use. On that note, the Ace Pro 2 can dive to a depth of 39ft / 12m without additional protection (a slight improvement on the 33ft / 10m of the Ace Pro). Bolder swimmers can fit the optional dive case accessory and take it all the way down to 197ft / 60m.
The control system is simple and straightforward, with only two physical buttons on the Ace Pro 2 itself: one on the side to power it on and off, which doubles as a shooting mode switcher; and a shutter button on top. Everything else is taken care of via touchscreen controls or, if you prefer, the Insta360 mobile app (more on that in the next section of this review). I found the touchscreen controls generally simple: you swipe down to open the main settings menu; right to open the gallery; left to open settings for the current shooting mode; or up to open yet more settings for the current shooting mode.
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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
The screen itself is a major differentiator between Insta360’s action cameras and those of its main rivals GoPro and DJI. The Ace Pro 2, like the Ace Pro, uses only one screen where its competitors put one at the back and one at the front (that front screen you see is just for menus). The screen here, a nicely crisp and colorful 2.5-incher, can flip up 180º to face forwards, which has its plus and minus points for me. The plus is that it’s a lot bigger than the front-facing screens you get on those rival cameras, giving you a clearer view and more space for touchscreen tapping (it also doubles as a t-shirt clip or bite adapter for POV shots). The minus is that you have to physically flip it back and forth every time you switch from front to back shooting, which is more effort than simply spinning the camera round and continuing to shoot.
One thing I do like a lot is the magnet- and clip-based mounting system, which allows for fast fixing and unfixing of the Ace Pro 2 to mounts and accessories. This is similar to the systems used by the DJI Osmo Action series and latterly the GoPro Hero 13 Black, however, so I can’t say the Ace Pro 2 does any better than its rivals here.
The Ace Pro 2 has two secure flaps on its body, which lock in place when closed and require a button press to open. One flap protects the microSD card slot and USB-C port, while the other protects the removable battery.
Design score: 4.5/5
Insta360 Ace Pro 2: features and performance
1800mAh battery and Endurance Mode
Compatible with Insta360 Android/iOS app
Two levels of electronic image stabilization
The Ace Pro 2’s removable batteries boast a larger capacity than the Ace Pro’s (1800mAh opposed to 1650mAh). Insta360 claims it can record for longer as a result, providing a figure of 180 minutes of 4K/30p recording on a full charge – a lot better than the 100 minutes offered by the original camera. Keen to find out if these claims hold water, I performed my own tests. I found that I could get 69 minutes of stabilized HDR footage at 4K/60p. Switching the camera into Endurance Mode, which limits video resolution and frame rate and turns off certain functions, I was able to record about 140 minutes at 4K/30p before the battery died. So, not quite as high as Insta360 claim, but impressive nonetheless.
The battery also supports reverse charging via USB-C, so in a pinch you can use the Ace Pro 2 as a portable power bank for your phone or other portable gear. The USB also supports a webcam function when plugged into a computer.
Overheating can be an issue, if not a major one. When recording at 8K resolution, the Ace Pro 2 will eventually get too warm to function and shut itself down as a result. I tested it at room temperature conditions, finding it was able to record 8K/30p footage for 43 minutes before overheating, and think that’s fine. 8K recording is probably something you’ll use situationally rather than all the time, after all.
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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
As mentioned above, one way to control the Ace Pro 2 is using the Insta360 smartphone app. Connecting via Wi-Fi, it allows users to change the camera settings (and update its firmware), take photos and videos, browse through photos and videos they’ve taken, edit together content and share it on social media. I’ve always found the app an intuitive and stable method of remotely controlling Insta360’s various cameras, and as is customary in 2024 it also features an AI-powered auto editor to swiftly assemble and score short videos from your captured content.
Image stabilization is a vital feature for any self-respecting action camera, and the Ace Pro 2 is well-served in this area. There are two levels of ‘normal’ image stabilization (Standard and High) plus two horizon levelling options (45º and 360º). I found all to be very effective. Being electronic-based, all apply a crop (of varying degrees) to the image.
Other video-centric features include gesture and voice controls, timecode for multi-cam synching, a new dashcam mode and a pre-recording video mode, which records up to 120 seconds before the shutter button is pressed. All useful in certain situations.
The Ace Pro 2 is also compatible with several types of Bluetooth-based wireless microphones (including the DJI Mic and Mic 2, Rode Wireless series and Hollyland Lark series) and several Bluetooth motorcycle headsets (for hands-free camera control while riding).
Features and performance score: 4.5/5
Insta360 Ace Pro 2: image and video quality
Upgraded 1/1.3-inch 50MP sensor
F2.6 lens with 157º field of view
Video up to 8K/30p, 4K/120p or FHD/240p
The original Ace Pro’s headline feature was 8K/24p video recording, and the Ace Pro 2 takes things further, if only ever so slightly; you can now record 8K footage in 25 and 30fps as well. The image sensor, while remaining the same 1/1.3-inch size, has been upgraded to also allow for 13.5 stops of dynamic range and 4K/60p Active HDR recording, and is bolstered by the addition of a new 5nm AI Chip that sits alongside the image processing Pro Imaging Chip. Insta360 say this doubles the computing power of the Ace Pro 2 compared to the original Ace Pro. The lens, made by Leica, has also been slightly improved and now offers a wider field of view: 157º opposed to 151º.
Personally, I find 8K to be a bit of a gimmick, especially on a camera so small. The vast majority of us watch videos on devices with 4K or smaller resolutions, so 8K capture feels like massive overkill unless you’re planning on cropping down the video later on. I should point out here that the field of view when capturing 8K is smaller than with 4K, 2.7K or Full HD recordings. 8K also doesn’t support the best level of image stabilization, doesn’t allow you to use the flat I-log color profile and, despite the bump up to 30fps, still limits frame rate compared to the lower resolution modes.
As a consequence, I found myself much more drawn to 4K which, as on the Ace Pro, is excellent. Most of the vlogging footage you see in the embedded sample video here was shot using the I-log profile and color graded and corrected in post, but the night time footage uses the low light PureVideo mode, while the cycling footage below uses the standard color profile with the Active HDR turned on.
Low light footage is strong by action camera standards but still a weakness compared to even a modestly priced mirrorless camera. Insta360 can throw all manner of algorithms at the footage to sharpen, denoise and bring out the detail in gloomy areas, but it’s still coming from a small sensor with limited light-gathering potential. When viewed on a smartphone screen PureVideo footage looks clean and clear, but on a larger monitor or TV strange artefacts and effects become much more prominent. Still, the Ace Pro 2 is much better at low-light video than a GoPro Hero 13 Black and on a par with the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, although their characteristics are quite different. I've created a short comparison video of the Ace Pro 2 and Osmo Action 5 Pro so you can see for yourself how they fare.
All in all, it’s a very impressive showing. In general, I still think straight-out-of-the-camera videos from a GoPro Hero 13 Black taken in good lighting look slightly more appealing, but for those who like to put in a bit of work in post-processing the Ace Pro 2 is every bit as capable as the Hero 13 Black and DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro.
Audio is unexpectedly clear when using the built-in microphones. The wind guard seems to do its job admirably and voices are picked up well. The camera comes with three AI-assisted audio modes: standard stereo, wind reduction and voice enhancement. Living by the sea, I kept my Ace Pro 2 set to wind reduction at all times and was pleasantly surprised by the results.
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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
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(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
The Ace Pro 2 can also take photos (in JPEG and/or DNG RAW) at 12.5MP or 50MP resolution, and while I’ve personally never been a fan of using action cameras for still photography, it does as good a job at it as any of its major rivals. The JPEGs tend to look over-processing and over-sharpened; when I shot images in RAW and processed them myself in Lightroom I was able to achieve much more natural-looking results.
Image quality score: 4.5/5
DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro: testing scorecard
Should I buy the Insta360 Ace Pro 2
Buy it if...
You absolutely must have 8K footage Currently this is the best 8K action camera on sale, so if you really require video recording in this resolution it’s the top choice.
You want an all-round image quality performer With its excellent video performance in good lighting and more than acceptable performance in low light, it’s a jack of all trades.
You hate tiny screens The Ace Pro 2’s 2.5-inch screen beats its rivals’ dual-screen setups for size. Ideal if you want clearer-looking previews and menus.View Deal
Don't buy it if...
You're expecting 8K recording to transform your life You probably don’t need 8K video, and the Ace Pro 2’s execution of it comes with loads of caveats. It’s still a niche recording mode.
You like to switch between front and back recording quickly The dual-screen setups of DJI and GoPro rivals suit this style of shooting better than the Ace Pro 2’s flip screen.
Insta360 Ace Pro 2: also consider
GoPro Hero 13 Black
GoPro’s flagship is a polished performer, recording gorgeous 5.3K video and supporting a wide range of accessories – including the auto-detected Lens Mods that drastically widen its creative options. It also features built-in GPS, and finally supports the faster magnetic mounting system already used by rival action cam makers.
Stacked with unique features like wireless Hi-Res audio recording when using a DJI Mic 2 and blessed with excellent battery life, class-leading waterproofing and a generous 47GB of built-in storage, the dual-screen Action 5 Pro is a worthy alternative to the Ace Pro 2. It’s also cheaper than its close rivals, although it doesn’t record 8K, maxing out at 4K/120p.
I spent a week using a pre-release version of the Insta360 Ace Pro 2, capturing vlog-style and cycling videos at different times of the day and in different weather conditions. I also tested battery life and heat management by allowing the camera to continuously record until the battery died or the camera overheated and shut down.
I recorded video at different resolutions and frame rates, using different color profiles and video modes and with the various forms of stabilization on or off. Footage was later edited on my MacBook Air using Davinci Resolve Studio 19 software, which I used to color grade and correct some clips.
This review first appeared in issue 361 of PC Pro.
Netgear has traditionally offered an outstanding range of the best network switches and wireless access points (WAPs) for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), but routers have always been conspicuous by their absence. Not any more: the PR60X Pro fills this void in Netgear’s product portfolio by delivering a 10GbE-ready solution offering plenty of routing capabilities, dual WAN failover, support for up to 30 site-to-site IPsec VPNs and an integral firewall.
Powered by a 2.2GHz quad-core ARM A73 CPU partnered by 2GB of DDR4 memory, this slimline 1U rack unit offers a 10GbE copper port configurable for LAN or WAN duties, a 2.5GbE WAN port and three 2.5GbE LAN ports, all of which are the multi-gigabit variety. You get a 10GbE SFP+ uplink port for long-distance connections over fiber, and a neat touch is its status LEDs are presented front and back so you can rack-mount it in either orientation.
Deployment scenarios are manifold since the PR60X Pro can be used to head up a small office network and provide secure internet access to all connected devices. Larger businesses with regional offices can place a router in each location and link them together over site-to-site VPNs.
The PR60X supports a standalone mode plus Insight cloud management and includes a one-year Insight subscription in the price. The pricier PR460X is exactly the same, but this model is aimed exclusively at integrators, has a four-year Insight subscription and a more generous five-year hardware warranty.
We started testing in standalone mode and followed the router’s quick-start wizard, which sensibly requested an admin password change and upgraded its firmware to the latest version. The console is nicely designed and presents an informative dashboard, with a topology graphic showing connected devices along with status views of the system, each network port and all VPNs.
The fifth port defaults to LAN duties but you can change this to a WAN port and team it up with the other one for failover duties. You can decide which are primary and secondary connections and apply a policy so that if one fails, the second takes over; the router doesn’t support load balancing.
The slimline PR60X offers a 10GbE copper port for LAN or WAN duties(Image credit: Future)
The firewall is enabled out of the box and provides basic SPI (stateful packet inspection) services, along with port scan and denial of service protection. It can be customized with rules that specify connection directions, source and destination addresses, protocols and allow or deny actions.
The router comes with a set of predefined IPsec VPN profiles for services such as Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services, to which you can add custom profiles. Along with site-to-site VPNs, the router supports client-to-site VPNs and the third-party OpenVPN service.
Quality of service (QoS) configuration for the WAN ports is simplified by the router’s Smart Queue Management (SQM) feature. Run an internet speed test from the web console and it will automatically configure itself with the discovered upload and download speeds to ensure that latency and congestion are kept to a minimum.
It can be managed locally or remotely via Netgear’s Insight web portal(Image credit: Future)
Adding the PR60X to our cloud account was simple enough, as we used the Insight iOS app on an iPad to scan its QR code and assign it to a site. It duly appeared as a new device on the portal’s router section, and we noted that you can still manage it from the local interface.
The Insight portal provides access to all the same settings, so you can remotely configure the WAN ports, firewall traffic rules, port triggering and forwarding, IPsec VPNs and the like. A topology map shows how your devices are linked to each other, you can view connected clients and keep an eye on hardware stats such as operating temperatures and cooling fan speeds.
The PR60X Pro neatly fills a gap in Netgear’s networking armor and provides a powerful set of routing, VPN and WAN failover features. It’s an affordable option for SMBs, can be easily managed locally or in the cloud, and its 10GbE WAN port is ready and waiting for ultra-fast broadband.
