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I’ve used the Dreame U20 for months and it still surprises me how well this affordable cordless vacuum cleans pet hair

8:20 am | September 9, 2025

Dreame U20 cordless vacuum: two-minute review

Hailing from parent company, Xiaomi, Dreame is fast becoming a popular sub-brand with an extensive product lineup. Ranging from wet-dry vacuums, air purifiers, robot vacuums (including a robot lawnmower), cordless stick vacuums and hair dryers, Dreame has it all, and across different budgets, too.

While its high-end robovacs are items to dream about (pun intended), as you can see in our Dreame X50 Ultra review, I’m in love with a much cheaper product that helps me clean up after my pets. The affordable Dreame U20 has become my lifesaver, combining Dyson-like tech with the signature Dreame style. It’s a versatile and lightweight cordless vacuum that delivers great performance for an exceptionally low cost, as it’s very frequently discounted.

Its color scheme belies its budget price point – available in a gorgeous gold and beige colourway, the Dreame U20 looks far more premium than its $249.99 / £250 / AU$399.99 price point suggests.

What I found even more impressive is its suction. For the price, its 120AW power isn’t bad at all, which isn’t too far off the Shark Cordless Detect Pro’s 123AW of suction, and yet it was more than enough to clean my pup’s fur off my sofa and carpets well. Needless to say, it handles hard floors very easily, making it a candidate for being one of the best cordless vacuum cleaners.

It comes with the standard attachments, including a multi-surface brush head with LED blue lights to illuminate dark areas, a mini motorized brush for cleaning upholstery, a crevice tool and a removable battery that's rated for up to 60 minutes.

Realistically, though, you'll get no more 37-40 minutes when using the two motorized attachments on the lowest suction, but that's fine for smaller homes – I can easily vacuum my living area, two bedrooms and two bathrooms within that time. However, if you mostly have carpets, I found it can take longer to get it clean as you may need to go back and forth a few times, thus consuming more battery. The only battery indicator on the U20 is a tiny light on the end cap, which is hard to see while in use, and it blinks when it’s running low. There’s also no quick charging here, and the vacuum can take up to 3.5 hours to fully recharge.

The only other downside to this otherwise great buy is that the dustbin capacity is only 0.5L, meaning you might need to empty it frequently if you have a large home with pets. If you don't need any more bells and whistles, the Dreame U20 is easy to recommend as a top-notch budget cordless vacuum cleaner.

Dreame U20 vacuuming with blue light — (Image credit: TechRadar)

Dreame U20 review: price & availability

List price: $249.99 / £250 / AU$399
Availability: Sold in the US, UK and Australia at third-party retailers

The Dreame U20 can be picked up in the US at Target for a list price of $249.99. It’s also available on Instacart, with supplies stocked at Costco and other smaller retailers. It is currently not available on Dreame's US store.

In the UK, the list price is £250, and you can pick it up from Amazon UK or Curry's, but again, the vacuum is currently unavailable at the brand's UK store.

For customers living in Australia, Amazon AU lists it for AU$399.99, but it's typically discounted to AU$199.99. Even in Australia, the U20 isn't available on the Dreame website.

The Dreame website lists 27 countries where its devices are available, including the U20. If you're having trouble finding the product, check their website to see if it's available where you live.

Even at full price, the Dreame U20 represents superb value for money, particularly if you can find it at a discounted price. Admittedly it's a very basic model, so if you want a touch more suction, Dreame has other mid-range models, with the Dreame R20 review scoring very well for balancing price and performance.

Value for money score: 5 out of 5

Dreame U20 review: specs

Type:	Cordless stick vacuum
Bagless:	Yes
Weight:	7.27 lbs / 3.3kg
Bin size:	0.5 liters / 500ml
Max runtime:	60 mins
Charge time:	3.5 hours
Tools:	Multi-surface brush head, motorized mini brush head, wide combination crevice tool and extension rod
Power:	120AW

Dreame U20 review: design

Compact cordless stick vacuum in a lovely color scheme
Five attachments, including LED multi-surface brush, mini motorized brush and combination tool
Can be used as a stick vacuum or a small handheld vacuum

I’m new to the world of vacuum testing, with just one other for sister site Tom’s Guide under my belt. Needless to say, the Dreame U20 has been quite the dream, especially when it came to design. For me, the gold and beige colorway was a winner, a stray away from the typical grey or black of other competitors. It lends the affordable vacuum a classy look.

Other than that, the Dreame U20 has a stock-standard design which allows it to become a handheld unit quickly for cleaning cars, sofas, mattresses and, hey, even dog beds. To pair with the handheld unit, there’s a motorized mini brush in the box that would be handy for said dog bed and the sofa. It could even be used on carpeted stairs.

Dreame U20 attachments in lifestyle — (Image credit: TechRadar)

It has a trigger, like most Dyson models, but you don’t need to keep this pressed at all times to run the machine – you just need to click it on and off. There’s just one other control button on the motor’s end cap to change suction modes and that should be easy to reach for most users with the thumb when holding the U20.

The main floor-cleaning attachment is called the Multi-Surface Brush, which features LED blue lights that help illuminate the floor in front of the brush head but don’t highlight miniscule dust particles like Dyson’s Fluffy tool does. And that’s OK because it still helps you see in dark areas – for example, I was able to see scattered kitty litter in an unlit bathroom.

The other attachment in the box is a combination crevice tool, but a wall-mount kit also ships with the vacuum in case you want to stow it away in a convenient place without compromising floor space.

Weighing 3.3kg / 7.27lbs, the Dreame U20 isn't exactly lightweight (in comparison, the Shark Cordless Detect Pro weighs 2.7kg / 5.9lbs), but it's still very easy to push around. It measures 16cm x 30cm x 68cm with the extension rod attached.

Dreame U20 speed modes — (Image credit: TechRadar)

The 120AW motor is capable of running at three different speed modes, indicated by three lights on the end cap of the motor. You can switch between the speed settings (low, medium and high) by tapping the button directly below the lights and switching it on by using the trigger. For most cleans, I found I tended to flick between medium and high, especially when cleaning carpets.

According to Dreame, the U20 motor has a multi-layer filtration system that captures up to 99.9% of fine dust and particles. Its HEPA filter also keeps debris out of the air and inside the bin while vacuuming, which is pretty standard for any cordless vacuum cleaner these days.

For its price point, the 0.5L bin is quite standard, but it'll likely fill up fast if you have, say, a two-bedroom or larger home with pets, meaning you'll need to make more trips to empty it. The bin has a handy sticker on the front (which I did refer back to many times) that indicates how to insert or remove it to empty, and its as simple as pushing the button on the base and twisting the canister clockwise. After detaching, all you have to do is unscrew the filter from the container to remove the debris – finer dust or crumbs fall out easily, but you may need to get your fingers inside to remove clumps of hair from the bin.

Dreame U20 attachments — (Image credit: TechRadar)

The detachable battery pack could be handy for some users as you can clip it into the wall-mount attachment and begin charging it while you’re emptying the vacuum for example. However, if you’re a renter who can't drill holes into your wall – like me – you can leave the battery attached to the U20 and keep the vacuum propped up against a wall or in a cupboard for topping up.

It lacks an LCD screen to show suction modes or time remaining before the next charge. Instead, the battery life is displayed by a small vertical light on the pack itself, which flashes when it needs charging. It's unfortunate that it faces forward, so it’s not visible to the user, and neither is it a very noticeable light – and this is my biggest complaint with the Dreame U20 as there were a few instances where the machine shut down mid-clean during my testing.

Dreame U20 on dog bed — (Image credit: TechRadar)

The U20’s multi-surface brush head is quite similar to many floor-cleaning attachments from other brands, but it features blue LED lights on the front that illuminate two small triangular sections of the floor immediately in front of the brush head. While it looks similar to Dyson’s green dust-illuminating light on the Fluffy Optic, this blue light doesn’t highlight invisible dust on the floor, but I found it’s bright and vivid enough to help walk around in a dark room without bumping into things. Case in point: it perfectly showed scattered kitty litter in an unlit bathroom that was, at the time, pitch dark.

The brush also has V-shaped bristles with comb-like teeth – in my experience, this not only prevents tangles effectively, but can pick up human hair and pet fur from low-pile carpets just as well.

This brush head is quite flexible, rotating 90º around chair legs and furniture. It’s also not as large as you’d find on other (more expensive) vacuum cleaners and I found it can get into corners, which is particularly helpful in my pet hair-filled home.

My favorite attachment, however, is the motorized mini brush, which clips in just under the bin for handheld use. It’s just right for sucking up fur from my couch and cushions – it’s both maneuvrable and anti-tangle.

If it wasn’t for the missing display to check battery life, I’d say that Dreame would deserve top marks for the U20’s design.

Design score: 4 out of 5

Dreame U20 review: performance

Excellent maneuverability
Impressive performance on hard floors and low-pile carpets
Lower suction than competitors but still tackles pet hair well

I've spent a few months with the Dreame U20 (as of publishing this review) and I still can’t get over how impressive its maneuverability is. The 90º rotating main brush head makes it very easy to clean around chair legs and furniture and I had no trouble handling the 3.3kg / 7.2lbs vacuum. That said, if you are using the extension tube to clean ceiling corners, the U20 could begin to feel heavy for some users quickly.

The controls are well placed, which are as simple as pushing the end cap button to select the speed and hitting the trigger underneath. And as I’ve mentioned previously, there’s no need to keep the latter depressed continuously for power like a Dyson.

Speaking of power: sure, we could ask for higher suction than its 120AW, but given its price point, it’s hard to argue with what it has. If you do need better performance, you could consider the Dreame R20 (if it’s available where you live), but I found the U20 does an admirable job nonetheless. It can struggle on some carpets as you will need to go over a particular spot multiple times to get a deeper clean, and I've found myself needing to push with full shoulder force on occasion.

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Dreame U20 hardwood floors with oats — (Image credit: TechRadar)

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Dreame U20 on hardwood — (Image credit: TechRadar)

Throughout my testing, the Dreame U20 impressed in more ways than one. I performed TechRadar’s standard tests for vacuum cleaners, sprinkling a smattering of oats and tea from a bag on both my hardwood and carpeted floors. As an extra measure, I also made sure the floors had extra pet debris – i.e. kitty litter and fur – which were my two motivations for purchasing the U20 in the first place.

During the hardwood mess test, the U20 performed remarkably well on the lowest speed setting in picking up most of the oats. I needed to boost the speed to the second (or medium) setting to do another pass to pick up every last speck of oats, though, but that left the hard floor entirely clean.

As for the tea, the U20 did a better job, sucking it all up in one go on the low setting, so it handles lighter and smaller dirt better than larger debris. It was the same for pet hair on hardwood – all strands got sucked up in one pass on the low setting. The vacuum struggled a touch with kitty litter, leaving a few specks behind on hard floors in a single pass, but it was cleaned up in the second go.

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Dreame U20 on carpet — (Image credit: TechRadar)

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Dreame U20 carpet — (Image credit: TechRadar)

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I wasn’t expecting as impressive a performance on carpets, but the U20 did better than I had anticipated on a low-pile carpet in my tests, quickly removing the oats and tea dust from a bag in one pass on the low suction setting. It will, however, struggle with medium and high-pile carpets, particularly if the dust and debris is deep-seated, although loose dirt will come away if you give the area a few gos with the U20.

In terms of pet hair on carpet, the U20 did indeed struggle at the lowest setting, leaving more than a few strands behind after the first pass. The U20 performed the best with pet hair on the same low-pile carpet at maximum suction, and didn't require several passes to get the job done. The kitty litter yielded a similar result to the hardwood floor test, but I needed to boost suction again to pick up every last piece.

While it can tackle low-pile carpets with ease, pet hair embedded in medium- or high-pile carpets will remain even after several passes – you can expect about 80% off the fur to be sucked up from these kinds of flooring.

As a pet mum, it was important to me to own a vacuum cleaner with a tangle-free brush, as I’ve often painstakingly cleaned out wads of hair from cleaning attachments of older machines. I was thrilled to find that the U20's V-shaped bristles were especially impressive at leaving no evidence of entanglements. That's made ongoing maintenance of the vacuum easier.

This sentiment also rang true for the mini motor brush when cleaning my couch and cushions. It does, however, require several passes when using the handheld motor and mini brush to clean up pet hair due to its smaller footprint, but it still worked a treat.

The U20 collects a nice volume of hair in its 0.5L bin, and I have particularly enjoyed how easy it is to empty the bin with a twist of the base. If you are a pet owner with a shedding furry friend, then I would recommend the U20 for a quick, daily tidy-up, but you might want to consider other pet-focused vacuum cleaners, like the Shark Stratos Pet Pro (IZ400), as they usually have a larger-capacity bin and boast more suction power.

Despite its relatively lower suction and smaller bin, the U20 performs very well, given its budget price – it's very easy to recommend for quick clean-ups.

Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Dreame U20 on carpet resting against white wall — (Image credit: TechRadar)

Dreame U20 review: battery life

Average battery life for an affordable cordless vacuum
3.5-hour charging time
Expect shorter runtimes if the floor is dirty

According to Dreame, the U20 has a battery life of up to 60 minutes on a full charge, and takes around 3.5 hours to top up from practically empty. Take that number with a pinch of salt, as it indicates runtime when using non-motorized tools, which in this case is the combination crevice attachment only.

With a motorized head like the main floor cleaner and the mini brush, I found that it lasts a maximum of 37 minutes on its lowest setting – and there’s no dynamic suction here to drain the battery faster. At TechRadar, we've tested over a hundred vacuum cleaners over the last decade, and we've found that the average battery life for a budget cordless vacuum is around 40 minutes, which puts the U20 on par with others, including the Dyson V8 .

Higher the suction, the faster the battery will drain, of course and, in testing, I got about 17 minutes of runtime on a full charge when set to maximum. That’s not bad, considering some premium models like the Dyson V15 Detect can give you lesser runtime on Boost mode (about 8 minutes on a dirty mid-pile carpet), although it automatically adjusts suction power to suit the amount of dirt it detects.

So while the U20 has average battery runtime, I’d recommend it for smaller homes or something for the shed, perhaps.

Battery life score: 4 out of 5

Should you buy the Dreame U20?

Attribute	Notes	Rating
Value	Often on sale, the U20 is an excellent budget option with great performance.	5/5
Design	The color combination makes it look premium, and its attachments are useful. It would have been good if there was a better way to gauge battery life.	4/5
Performance	Great for everyday, quick cleaning, even of pet hair, on hard floors and low-pile carpets, but it may struggle on particularly dirty mid- and high-pile carpets.	4.5/5
Battery	Rated for up to 60 minutes, but expect about 35 minutes in real-world use on low power.	4/5

Buy it if...

You need something to quickly clean up after your pet

The U20 handled masses of pet hair quite well, thanks to its V-shaped multi-surface brush head.

You want something easy to maneuver

It might be heavier than the likes of the Shark Cordless Detect Pro (which weighs around 2.7kg / 5.9lbs), but its swivelling main brush head makes it very easy to move around, particularly on hard floors.

Don't buy it if...

You live in a large home

With average battery life for its price point, the U20 is better suited for smaller areas or homes that don't require extensive vacuuming.

You want the latest vacuuming tech

The U20 doesn't house the most advanced features, it even misses out on an LED screen to display battery life. If you don’t want something this basic, you’ll need to look elsewhere and spend more money.

Dreame U20: alternatives to consider

Product:	Dreame U20 (reviewed)	Shark Cordless Detect Pro	Dyson V8
Weight:	7.27lbs / 3.3kg	6lbs / 2.7kg	3.48lbs / 1.58kg
Bin volume:	0.5L	0.4L	0.54L
Max runtime:	60 mins	40 mins	40 mins
Accessories:	Multi-surface brush head, motorized mini brush head, wide combination crevice tool and extension rod	Duster, crevice tool, optional auto-empty dock (costs extra)	2 x floorheads, Hair screw tool, Combination tool, Crevice tool

Shark Cordless Detect Pro

The Shark Cordless Detect Pro costs a lot more than the U20, but it has better suction and, you can opt for the additional auto-emptying dock, which is handy as the onboard bin canister here is very small. However, it's often discounted and, until it was displaced by the Shark PowerDetect, it used to be our pick of the best cordless vacuum for most people.

Read our full Shark Cordless Detect Pro review

Dyson V8

Despite receiving a newer upgrade in September 2025, the older Dyson V8 is still a strong choice, especially since this too can be had for a good discount. It boast good performance and suction, with up to 40 minutes of runtime on its standard setting. It's extremely lightweight at 1.58kg / 3.48lbs, but it lacks some of the useful features of newer Dyson models, and it might not always represent the best value for everyone.

Read our full Dyson V8 review

How I tested the Dreame U20 cordless vacuum

TechRadar adopts a strict testing regime for all its products so potential buyers know exactly what they're getting. To comply with the testing, I used the machine for a few months before putting it through some rigorous carpet and hard-floor tests using common pantry items, such as tea and raw oats. I also took into account the device's ergonomics, design and overall experience to determine my final verdict.

Read more about how we test vacuum cleaners

First reviewed September 2025

I’ve been testing the new flagship Dyson for 3 weeks, and it’s an excellent vacuum completely undermined by a poorly conceived floorhead

2:05 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances Vacuums | Tags: AU, UK, US | Comments: Off

Dyson V16 Piston Animal: two-minute review

The V16 Piston Animal is Dyson's new flagship stick vacuum, and it boasts a number of upgrades over its predecessors. Based on specs, this is the best Dyson vacuum you can buy. I've been busy testing it for three weeks to see how it matches up to the rest of the best cordless vacuums around, and it's a tale of two halves.

Let's start with the good bits. The dust compactor works extremely well and is a logical, solidly useful addition. It gives you more cleaning time without having to empty the bin, and when you do come to that part, the same mechanism expels the contents easily, with no need for fingers to get involved.

Dyson has redesigned the attachment mechanism so that you can connect and release attachments on the end of the wand without having to bend down. This seems like an effort-saver, and should also help those with mobility issues, although it does mean this vacuum isn't compatible with older attachments.

Generally speaking, the cleaning power is excellent, and the Auto mode has been improved so it now offers intelligent adjustment of not only suction power but also brushroll speed, based on floor type and dirt levels.

However, despite various technical improvements, the V16 unfortunately performed worse in our suction tests than both the Gen5detect and V15 Detect – the two previous flagship models. Specifically, it failed to pick up fine particles as efficiently, and it had a tendency to push large debris around rather than sucking it up.

That poorer performance, I think, is down to the floorhead, which has been given a big old redesign, and which is the source of my other big complaint with the V16. While the conical rollers do work well to prevent hair tangles, Dyson has also tapered the front of the floorhead so it comes to a slight point. That's a pain when you're trying to clean along the straight edge of a room, and especially so in situations when you can't approach from the side.

A couple of final notes before I crack on with the finer details of my tests. This is officially the first app-connected Dyson cordless, but at time of writing there weren't any in-app settings to explore. There's also a Submarine version available, with an extra mopping floorhead included (not reviewed here).

That's the short version; read on for my in-depth Dyson V16 Piston Animal review.

Close up of floorhead on Dyson V16 Piston Animal cordless stick vacuum being used on a rug — (Image credit: Future)

Dyson V16 Piston Animal review: price & availability

List price: £749.99 / AU$1,349 (US TBC)
Launched: September 2025
Available: UK and AU now, US sometime in 2026

The V16 Piston Animal was unveiled at the start of September, and is on sale now in territories including the UK and Australia. It will be available in the US, but not until sometime in 2026.

The regular version has a list price of £749.99 / AU$1,349 (the US list price will be released closer to the launch date). A Submarine version is also available, with an extra mopping floorhead, at a list price of £899.99 / AU$1,599.

For comparison, this model's predecessor, the Gen5detect, costs £769.99 / AU$1,549. The model below that, the V15 Detect, is £649.99 / AU$1,449.

Those prices position the V16 firmly in the premium price bracket, and make it one of the most expensive vacuums on the market. It's interesting to note that it's actually slightly cheaper than the Gen5detect in the UK (although that older model will attract more discounts). Perhaps Dyson feels it has reached the limit of what people will realistically pay for a vacuum cleaner, no matter how many advancements it crams in.

In its favor, I will say the V16 looks and feels premium. It has been meticulously designed and is packed with features – including some you can't find anywhere else on the market.

That said, it's a lot to spend on a vacuum, and for many people it won't be worth it. Personally, I'd keep an eye out for a discount on a V15 or Gen5detect.

Value for money score: 3.5 out of 5

Dyson V16 Piston Animal specs

Weight (total):	7.5 lbs / 3.4kg
Weight (body only):	4.9 lbs / 2.2kg
Bin size:	1.3L
Max runtime:	70 mins
Charge time:	3hrs 30
Dimensions (H x L x W):	10.2 x 51.1 x 9.8 inches / 25.9 x 129.8 x 25cm
Filter:	99.9% to 0.1 microns
Max suction:	315 AW

Dyson V16 Piston Animal review: design

Redesigned anti-tangle floorhead with conical rollers
Manual compression lever on bin
Automatic power and roller speed adjustment based on floor type

The V16 Piston is a premium cordless stick vacuum with a number of useful features, many of which are new to the Dyson lineup.

Key amongst the new additions – and the reason for the 'Piston' in the name – is a compression lever on the dust cup. This can be pushed down to squish dust and hair and increase dustbin capacity, and is also designed to wipe fine debris off the inside of the cup, and to be helpful in efficient emptying.

Dyson V16 Piston Animal cordless stick vacuum with bin open — The red lever on the dust cup compresses dirt and helps with emptying (Image credit: Future)

A second addition is the red cuff at the top of the vacuum's wand. This can be pushed down to release the floorhead without the need for you to bend down.

The docking section of the floorhead, meanwhile, sits upright at an angle, so you can also snap it onto the wand from a standing position.

Main floorhead for Dyson V16 Piston Animal vacuum — This model features a completely redesigned floorhead (Image credit: Future)

Speaking of the floorhead: this looks very different to anything I've seen before. Rather than being tube-shaped, the rollers here are conical.

The idea is that the tapering shape shifts long hair down to the narrow end, where it can be sucked up, rather than leaving it to tangle. As usual, there's a slider on the front to enable you to adjust air intake as required.

This floorhead – known as the All Floors Cones Sense, if you can remember all that – is designed for both hard floors and carpet, and is kitted out with a laser to illuminate dirt that might otherwise be missed.

Close up of screen on Dyson V16 Piston Animal cordless stick vacuum, showing that it's in Auto mode — A screen provides information (Image credit: Future)

There's a small screen on the machine itself to deliver information, including which mode you're in and how long you have left on the battery.

More impressively, it'll also provide you with real-time reports on the size and number of particles you're sucking up, as you clean. Yes, really. This works with the V16's 'Auto' mode, where the vacuum will automatically adjust suction and (newly) brushroll speed based on the kind of floor it's on and how dirty it is.

The main body of the vacuum is on the heavier side for a cordless vacuum, but Dyson has added a padded section above the hand grip for comfort.

The finish on this model is also matte rather than shiny, which makes it less likely to rub when you're using it for long periods and your hands are slightly clammy. It switches on with a button rather than a trigger, and the battery is removable and swappable.

This is apparently the first Dyson vacuum to be properly 'connected'. The companion app should provide cleaning summaries and offer advanced setting options, although during my test period (after the official launch) neither were available. I assume they'll filter in during later software updates.

Detail tools for Dyson V16 Piston Animal vacuum — (Image credit: Future)

Detail tools will vary slightly depending on which model you opt for, but there are a couple of notable upgrades.

The Hair screw tool now has a rubberized band across the front to help loosen hair that's 'stuck' to upholstery fabric. Hidden inside the wand, meanwhile, are two stubby Crevice tools – one at the top, attached to the main part of the vacuum, and the other at the bottom of the wand, revealed if you remove the floorhead.

Because of the redesigned docking mechanism, none of the tools are compatible with other Dyson stick vacuums.

Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Dyson V16 Piston Animal review: performance

Dust compaction is great, and lever makes emptying super-easy
Suction excellent, but not notably different to previous models
Angled floorhead is a pain for vacuuming the edges of rooms

Let's start with suction performance. In general use, it felt like this vacuum packed plenty of oomph. I tested it out in a four-floor house with hard floor, plenty of carpets, and a black Spaniel, and it had no trouble sucking up impressive volumes of dust, dirt and hair. In Auto mode, I could hear the power and brushroll ramping up and down as I moved into different areas and onto different floor types.

I found the on-screen dust reports as mesmerizing as ever – they've been redesigned here so they work on a traffic light system (green for clean, yellow for okay, orange for acceptable, red for 'oh my goodness your home is disgusting') which is more useful at a glance than the previous color system, which was seemingly just based on what looked cool.

Close up of screen on Dyson V16, showing different colored bars for dirt levels — The real-time dust reports now use a traffic light color coding system that's more useful at a glance (Image credit: Future)

Officially, the V16 has the most suction of any Dyson stick vacuum, due to improvements under the hood. During day-to-day use, I didn't notice a difference in cleaning power compared to the V15, which is what I usually use in this house. That vacuum is two models down from the V16 – despite what the number might suggest, the Gen5detect sits in the middle.

Unfortunately, when I did some side-by side cleaning tests comparing the V16 to its two predecessors, the newest vacuum actually performed the worst. I'll get into this more in the Suction tests section below.

Moving on to comfort. The V16 feels a little weighty in the hand, but the padded section above the grip helps boost comfort, and the fact it has a matte finish also means it's less likely to rub if your hands get a little clammy in longer use.

My 5ft Australian colleague found it was too tall for her to comfortably use – at 5ft 8in I had no issues, but perhaps worth noting if you're on the shorter side.

Dyson V16 Piston Animal vacuum in handheld mode, being used to clean a baseboard — The padded handhold makes the V16 more comfortable to hold for long periods (Image credit: Future)

I'm in two minds about the button operation. For longer cleaning sessions, it's nice not to have to continually compress the trigger, but for quick cleanups, it's a bit cumbersome to have to keep a hand free to turn the machine on and off (you can't reach the button with your gripping hand).

I also preferred the bigger buttons found on older models. Dyson seems on a mission to make the buttons on all of its appliances teeny tiny, and there's no benefit to the user.

Dyson V16 cleaning under a desk — The angled floorhead makes cleaning edges tricky (Image credit: Future)

I'm also not sold on the new floorhead. The front long edge of the floorhead comes to a slight point rather than being straight – and this means that you can't approach the edges of rooms front-on.

Instead, you have to go in from the side, and that quickly becomes very annoying, because it makes cleaning in spots where you can't approach from the side (for example, under the desk pictured above) very difficult.

Otherwise, it pivots well but feels a little harder to push than previous Dysons (and other vacuums I've tested).

Laser on floorhead of Dyson V16 Piston Animal cordless stick vacuum, illuminating a wooden floor — (Image credit: Future)

The quick-release works well and is an effort-saver, but the joints in general feel stiffer than on other Dyson stick vacuums I've used. It's also a shame that existing attachments won't work with the V16.

More of a success is the dust compactor. This is a solid win; the mechanism works a treat, and means you can fit in more cleaning without having to make so many trips to the trash.

It also makes it far easier to empty than most cordless vacuums I've used – including previous Dyson models. Press down the lever and everything in the bin is ejected, with no need to go in with your fingers afterwards.

Suction tests

For a more objective overview of the V16's suction capabilities, I ran TechRadar's standard suction tests. First, I sprinkled a teabag's worth of dry tea and a handful of oats on a carpeted floor. The idea here is to see how well the vacuum copes with fine and chunky debris.

After a single forward and backward pass in Auto mode (I could hear the suction increasing over the spillage) most of the oats were gone – although some pinged about a bit – and there was a fine strip of tea left where the center of the floorhead had passed. This is a good result – the tea test is purposefully very challenging. After a few more passes in Auto mode, everything was cleared.

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Loose tea and oats of the carpet, ready for the suction test — The tea and oats before the suction test... (Image credit: Future)

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A tiny sprinkling of tea and a couple of oat flakes on the carpeted floor after a single pass in Auto mode — ... and after one forward and backward pass in Auto mode (Image credit: Future)

I then repeated the same test on a hard, tiled floor, with surprisingly poor results. Although the tea was whisked away in a single forwards pass, quite a few of the oats were pushed into a pile in front of the floorhead, or behind it when I tried to pull it back over them.

I then lifted the floorhead to position it on top of the spillage, and oats sprayed everywhere. The V16 coped well with picking up single oats after this mini-explosion, but any more than that proved a struggle.

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Dyson V16 during suction tests on a tiled floor — Oats on and tea on the hard floor before the suction test (Image credit: Future)

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Next, I did some side-by-side testing with the previous two models – and here the V16 fared worse still.

Below, from left to right on screen, are the V16, the Gen5detect, and the V15 Detect. On the floor are piles of oats and then loose tea. In the test, you can watch as I vacuum the oats and first pile of tea with each vacuum in Auto mode, then the second pile of tea in Boost mode.

The V16 is the last vacuum to clean each pile, and it leaves a strip of tea in both Auto and Boost modes, and scatters the oats a little. In contrast, both the V15 and Gen5detect clear all the piles with a single pass.

Edges

I also tested how well the V16 cleaned along the edges of rooms. As I've already stated, the shape of the front of the floorhead makes this trickier than it usually would be.

For this test, I put a pile of tea and oats along the edge of a room, and approached from the side. The V16 did a solid job of capturing the spillage, even the bits right next to the edge. The crevices seemed to help with the pooling issue, by providing a break in suction.

Hair

The V16 is specifically designed to be great at dealing with long hair – up to 25 inches / 63.5cm long, actually. That's part of the reason behind the 'Animal' in the name... although I don't know many pets with hair that long, unless someone out there is keeping a horse in the house.

I tested it out on my own hair, which is around armpit length, and also the (much shorter) hair of my Cocker Spaniel – and the good news is that I didn't end up with any hair tangled around the conical rollers. But here's the thing: I never had issues with hair tangling around the rollers on Dyson's old-style floorheads, either.

I've regularly used both a Gen5detect and V15, and both are perfectly good at avoiding hair wrap, at least with hair of my length. Perhaps those with truly Rapunzel-like locks will benefit from the supercharged detangling on offer with the V16.

I was also supplied with longer, synthetic hair to try out on the V16 in the Dyson labs in Malmesbury. Here, I found it worked very well when the hair was laid out neatly in front of the machine, but when faced with a clump of hair it tended to get stuck – either in the space behind the cones, or in the 'corner' of the suction tube.

App

The V16 Piston Animal is the first of Dyson's vacuums to be truly app-connected; older models can be connected to the MyDyson app, but only as a hub for How-to videos and explainers.

You should be able to use the app to change settings on the V16 (including toggling the laser on and off, and changing how Auto mode behaves), and view a cleaning summary.

Unfortunately at time of writing I didn't have any adjustment options available in my app, and my cleaning wasn't being recorded. I assume software updates down the line will add the promised app functionality.

Performance score: 3.5 out of 5

Dyson V16 Piston Animal review: battery life

Up to 70 minutes of cleaning in Eco mode; ~17 mins in Boost
3 hours 30 mins to recharge
Removable and swappable battery

In the lowest mode (Eco) the V16 can last a quoted 1 hour and 10 minutes before needing to recharge. That's the same as the previous model (the Gen5detect) and up there with the longest runtimes on the market. There's also a Boost mode, which is just for the toughest of cleaning tasks. In my tests, the V16 lasted 16 minutes and 49 seconds in Boost.

Of course, most people aren't going to be using Eco mode or Boost mode on the regular. They'll be using Auto mode. This is probably the best feature, from a battery life point of view, because it means the machine is only using just enough power to clean effectively, based on the needs of the situation.

Recharge takes a quoted 3 hours and 30 minutes, which is a whole hour less then the two models below it in the Dyson lineup.

Finally, the V16 has a removable, swappable battery. That means you can, if you want, buy a backup battery to hot-swap for longer cleaning sessions. It's also good news for overall longevity, because on cordless vacuums it's often the battery that starts to fail first.

Battery life score: 5 out of 5

Should you buy the Dyson V16 Piston Animal?

Attribute	Notes	Rating
Value	Ultra-premium, with high build quality and truly innovative features.	3.5 / 5
Design	Advanced stick vacuum with lots of unique features such as dust compression, quick-release tools and an anti-tangle floorhead.	4.5 / 5
Performance	Strong suction and the compression is very useful, but the floorhead is poorly designed for edges, and the V16 performed worse than older Dysons in my suction tests.	3.5 / 5
Battery	Up to an 70 minutes per charge, with strong runtimes in Boost mode too, the V16 is up there with the best in terms of battery.	5 / 5

Buy it if...

You have a big home with lots of dust

The advanced automation capabilities, dust compaction and easy-release attachments come into their own when tackling big cleaning tasks.

You have trouble with hair tangling

With its conical rollers, the V16 really brings out the big guns when it comes to preventing hair tangling. If you've found other vacuums' anti-tangle functions can't handle your home's hair, this might be the model for you.

You want a 2-in-1 vacuum and mop

The V16 has an optional Submarine floorhead that you can add on to tackle hard floor mopping (this costs extra). It's one of only two vacuums in the Dyson lineup to have this option – the other is the V15s Detect Submarine.

Don't buy it if...

You want the edges of rooms ultra-clean

The new-style floorhead comes to a slight point at the front, which means to clean flush to the edges of rooms you'll need to reorientate yourself and approach from the side. The V16 is not compatible with older Dyson floorheads.

You're on a budget

The V16 is very expensive, and there are plenty of cheaper models that'll do just a good as cleaning job, day to day, for most people. Features such as the dust compaction are great – but you'll need to decide if they justify the extra cash. (If I was spending my own money, I'd probably go for a V15 Detect.)

There's a V15 or Gen5detect available

These two older Dyson cordless vacuums proved more effective at clearing both fine and chunky debris in my tests, so if you can find one for less than the price of the V16, I'd recommend either over this model.

Dyson V16 Piston Animal review: alternatives to consider

Model:	Dyson V16 Piston Animal	Dyson Gen5detect	Shark PowerDetect Cordless
Weight:	7.5 lbs / 3.4kg	7.7 lbs / 3.5kg	8lbs / 3.7kg
Bin size:	1.3L	0.77L	0.7L
Max runtime:	70 mins	70 mins	70 mins
Charge time:	3hrs 30	4hrs 30	4 hours
Filter:	99.9% to 0.1 microns	Whole-machine HEPA filtration	Felt + Washable Foam Filters plus HEPA Filter
Max suction:	315 AW	280AW	Not stated

Dyson Gen5detect

The Gen5detect is the model down from the V16 Piston in the lineup. It has the older (better) floorhead, but lacks the dust compactor and the Auto mode adjusts suction but not roller speed. It's an outstanding cleaner, packs tons of power and is easy to maneuver.

Read our full Dyson Gen5detect review View Deal

Shark PowerDetect Cordless

This is currently the best Shark vacuum based on specs. It's significantly cheaper than the Dyson (and feels notably less premium) but still boasts some cool automation features – including the ability to boost suction on the relevant side of the floorhead when approaching the edges of rooms.

Read our full Shark PowerDetect Cordless review View Deal

How I tested the Dyson V16 Piston Animal

I tested the Dyson V16 Piston Animal in a four-floored house with lots of carpet, plus tiled and engineered wood floors. It's home to one long-haired and one short-haired human inhabitant and a Cocker Spaniel.

I ran a series of standard suction tests to see how it could handle fine (dry tea) and chunky (oats) debris on hard floors and carpet. I also ran the same tests alongside two older Dyson stick vacuums to see how the three compared. I also assessed how the V16 dealt with hair and cleaning along the edges of rooms, and timed how long it took to run the battery flat and recharge it again.

Aside from the controlled tests, I also used the V16 regularly for a fortnight, to get a general feel for how easy it was to wield, how effectively it cleaned and if there were any niggling issues. I downloaded and explored the app, and tested the different functions available there.

Read more about how we test vacuum cleaners

First reviewed September 2025

This cooling pad makes a good first impression – but my tests revealed something that might cool your enthusiasm

1:05 am |

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

Aimiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad: review

The Aimiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad is a relatively affordable cooling pad designed to prevent your laptop from overheating during serious gaming sessions or heavy creative workflows. Topping out at 1500RPM, its fans aren’t the fastest we’ve ever seen, but with four large fans and one small one, it should still be capable of reliable cooling.

While it doesn’t have the most premium build quality – there's a reasonable amount of give at the back, especially with my chunky 16-inch laptop on it – it has nice enough aesthetics. There are none of the razor-sharp angles that tend to dog gaming peripherals and the lighting is nicely understated, with just some blue lighting around the fans.

The Aimiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad is also pretty comfortable to use, with well-balanced ergonomics. It offers five adjustable height settings – far more than most of the best laptop cooling pads – meaning that finding a comfortable angle for your wrists is a breeze. Another detail I appreciated is the fact that its single laptop rest sits in the middle, rather than there being one on each side, meaning it side-steps the trap so many cooling pads fall into where the rests dig into your wrists when your arms are placed in a default typing position.

There are some odd design quirks on show here though. First, those height settings reach some pretty extreme angles. The top, 64-degree setting was just ludicrous – not only could I not rest my wrists at that angle, but even if I was just using my laptop as a second screen with an external mouse and keyboard, the angle was so steep that the screen hinge wouldn’t open far enough for the display to sit vertically.

I’m also not a huge fan of the fold-out phone stand. Yes, it’s a point of difference that few competitors offer, but there’s probably a reason for that: it feels like an unnecessary gimmick, and wasn’t sturdy enough to stop my phone rocking as I typed. Frankly, if you want a stand that’s stable and actually serves a purpose, you’re probably better off picking up one of the best wireless chargers instead.

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The underside of the Aimuzi F2 Plus laptop cooling pad while it's propped up using its built-in stand. — (Image credit: Future)

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A closeup of the Aimuzi F2 Plus laptop cooling pad's phone stand. — (Image credit: Future)

Ultimately, though, when it comes to cooling pads, aesthetics are just window dressing – what matters most is how well they cool. So how did the Aimiuzi fare on this front?

If I were to sum it up in a single word, that word would be ‘unexceptional’. I ran a 3DMark Steel Nomad stress test on our Acer Predator Helios 300 testing laptop with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU for 15 minutes, measuring the temperature before and after with a thermal camera. The laptop’s temperature rose 33.1F / 18.4C – that’s significantly better than the laptop’s baseline rise of 57.4F (31.9C) without additional cooling, but it’s also worse than quite a few of the cooling pads I’ve tested. Only the Klim Wind and the TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad performed worse, seeing a temperature rise of 35.1F (19.5C) and 41F (22.8C) respectively.

An off-center shot of the Aimuzi F2 Plus laptop cooling pad showing most of its fans. — (Image credit: Future)

When it comes to the noise it kicks out, the F2 Plus also doesn’t really stand clear of the crowd. Using a sound level meter to measure the combined output of the cooling pad and the laptop’s fans, I recorded it as 61dB from a few inches away and 44dB from my head height, which is reasonably quiet. While the sound level up close and personal to the device was a few dB louder than many of the budget pads I’ve tested, that’s really not enough to register much of a difference – the Center for Hearing and Communication puts that at roughly the same level as a sewing machine, which should be tolerable in most contexts.

My lasting impression of the Aimiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad is that it’s merely so-so – it’s not the worst cooling pad I’ve tested, but it’s not the best by any means. And then there's its price: at a list price of $23.39 / £29.99, its more expensive than superior performers like the Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad, which kept our laptop from warming any more than 27.5F (15.3C) and yet retails for just $19.99 / £23.69. Even factoring in a limited-time deal on Amazon – which at the time of writing reduces it down to $15.29 / £22.99 – I just don’t think the Aimiuzi F2 Plus offers enough value to be worth your while.

A closeup of the Aimuzi F2 Plus laptop cooling pad's top-right fan blade. — (Image credit: Future)

Aimiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad review: price & availability

Released on October 27, 2023
List price: $23.39 / £29.99
Can be found on sale for less, but that doesn't necessarily make it better value

Launched on October 27, 2023, the Aimiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad is available now. Its list price is $23.39 / £29.99 but you'll likely be able to get it cheaper – for example, at the time of writing, you can pick up its blue colorway from Amazon for $15.29 / £22.99. And if blue's not your bag, you can get it with red lighting instead, although this will set you back $17.99 / £25.79.

While this is a reasonable price, it doesn't necessarily translate to value. With its so-so performance, the F2 Plus doesn't exactly lead in its price category – in fact, there are several options that cost less yet offer superior performance, like the Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad. In light of this, it's definitely worth shopping around and checking out our guide to the best laptop cooling pads to make sure you're getting the best breeze for your buck.

The Aimuzi F2 Plus laptop cooling pad holding up a gaming laptop and a smartphone in front of a pink background. — (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Aimiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad?

Buy it if…

You’re not a fan of gamer aesthetics
If you’re not a fan of sharp angles and technicolor lighting, you’ll likely be happy with the F2 Plus’s more subtle design – some blue lighting around the fans is about its only concession to the gamer style.

You’re sensitive about noise
Unlike more premium laptop cooling pads, the F2 Plus is still relatively quiet, even if it is a few dB louder than a few of the other budget pads out there.

Don’t buy it if…

You want the best cooling available
Unfortunately, while the Aimiuzi isn’t the weakest performing cooling pad we’ve tested, its chilling is pretty mediocre. You can cool your laptop more effectively for less money.

You’re put off by odd design choices
Some elements of the F2 Plus feel frankly unnecessary, like the fold-out phone stand and height settings that raise your laptop to an impractical angle.

Aimiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad review: Also consider

Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad
Despite the fact that it has a lower list price of $19.99 / £23.69, the Liangstar still offers superior cooling to the F2 Plus. It kept our laptop’s heat rise to just 27.5F (15.3C) during stress testing, which is a solid 5.4F (3C) cooler than the F2 Plus, making it a bit of a no-brainer if you’re trying to choose between the two.

Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad
If money’s simply not an object, then this is the laptop cooling pad you should buy. Absolutely the best cooling pad I’ve ever tested, it ensured our testing laptop only rose 14.4F (8C) during our stress test – which is positively arctic cooling. You will pay for the privilege though: at a list price of $139.99 / £129.99, it’s firmly at the premium end of the market.

How I tested the Aimiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad

I tested it over the course of several days
I used a thermal camera to track heat rise during a stress test
I recorded its noise output with a sound level meter

I spent several days testing the Aimiuzi F2 Plus Laptop Cooling Pad, using the standardized process I use to test all laptop cooling pads for TechRadar. First off, to test out its cooling performance, I used it to cool our testing laptop – an Acer Predator Helios 300 with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU – while I ran a 15-minute 3DMark Steel Nomad stress test. Using a thermal camera, I recorded the laptop’s peak temperature both before and after the test to assess how much it had risen compared to its baseline, and compared those results with those of other cooling pads.

To test the amount of noise the cooling pad generates I used a sound level meter to check the volume of the pad and the laptop’s combined fan output once the test had been underway for 10 minutes. To get a sense of how loud it was in both absolute terms as well as a subjective level, I recorded the noise level from a few inches away, as well as from my head height (approximately 21 inches from the surface of the laptop).

Finally, I wanted to test out the ergonomics and overall design of the laptop cooling pad in a real environment, so I used it while playing several games as well as during my typical working day to feel how comfortable it was during sustained use. Having been a laptop gamer for several decades, and being no stranger to creative workflows in my day job, I have a strong appreciation of the importance of keeping my CPU cool.

First reviewed: September 2025
Read more about how we test

I want to love Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion, but its empty world and listless combat scupper a promising mech action game

1:00 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Comments: Off

I think mecha action role-playing game (RPG) Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is worth checking out. While clearly taking inspiration from the Xenoblade Chronicles series - particularly Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition - it nonetheless boasts excellent customization options and some very neat ideas all its own.

Review information

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
Release date: September 5, 2025

If you like fine-tuning mech builds and applying your own stamp of visual flair, a la Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon, then Titanic Scion will definitely scratch that itch. Parts, weapons, and auxiliary equipment are all individual pieces of gear, allowing you to build a loadout to suit your specific play style and preferences. You can then also apply distinct color schemes and decals for a more personal touch.

The game’s fusion system is similarly brilliant, altering your character’s appearance in alarmingly eldritch fashion and unlocking new abilities for your mech suit and its various weapon types. For me, this was Titanic Scion’s coolest feature, and it was always fun to see what kinds of crazy combinations would come as a result of the fusion system.

It’s a shame that everything else surrounding these great elements feels half-baked. Its story, characters, and voice acting range from nonsensical at best to downright annoying at worst. Those big explorable open areas are also shockingly lifeless, with little to do outside of setting up supply outposts, finding the odd bit of loot, or mining for resources. Interior locations are even worse, with bland corridor-like design and endlessly respawning enemies to deal with.

It’s all capped off with combat that feels rather listless. There’s little impact on your attacks, and some of the slower, heavier weapon types are rendered useless thanks to the game’s relatively fast pace.

Ultimately, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is a game I want to love, and it’s got plenty going for it. There are just far too many frustrations present to wholeheartedly recommend it to a wider audience. But if you love mech suits and strong customization elements, it’s definitely worth a look, especially as it has a playable demo.

Against the world

Take out your notebook, because Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion’s plot involves a lot of quirky terminology that can be quite difficult to parse in its initial hours. Essentially, the plot revolves around a planetary conflict between humans and a race known as ‘Outers’. Outers are capable of turning themselves and humans into Immortals, monstrous creatures that vary in size and power. Both sides also make use of a substance called Femto - crystallized Immortal remains - to power both themselves and their ‘Arsenal’ mech suits.

It’s a lot at first, but the story really boils down to ‘humanity rises up to fight a genetically enhanced, technologically superior evil empire’. The main cast of villains, then, is a group known as the Neun; nine high-ranking Outer generals, each with their own specialties.

I’m not really a fan of the story for various reasons. It’s fairly cookie-cutter, and its cast of characters range from bland to insufferable, with few that are actually outright likable or well-written. But one aspect I do like is that our player character - whom you customize via a character creator at the start of the game - is an Outer that reluctantly sides with the humans to get revenge against their masters.

It’s certainly the most interesting part of the plot. Many members of the Reclaimers (that’s the resistance outfit we ally ourselves with) are understandably wary and slow to trust our character. And we also don’t do ourselves any favors by being brash and rude towards human characters. However, we are the Reclaimers’ wild card, so it’s usually down to us to sort things out and pull its other members out of the various fires they find themselves in.

Built to last

So the story’s not much to write home about, but it thankfully does not get in the way of what Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion does really, really well. And that’s customization. Being a game where you’re spending 99% of your time in a mech suit, you want to make sure it’s a place you can call home. Titanic Scion delivers that feeling in spades.

Best bit

I absolutely love the fusion system in Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion. Effectively a way to unlock new active and passive abilities for your suit and weapons, it also biologically alters your character in unpredictable ways. From sprouting veiny wings and stony shoulders to glowing tattoo-like marks, it always felt fun to jump into the goo chamber to see what horrifying mutations would happen to my character next.

Firstly, your Arsenal suit is broken down into various parts: head, torso, legs, and left and right vambraces. These usually come in light, medium, and heavyweight flavors, though some parts offer additional perks like better laser weapon defence or increased stamina or Femto reserves.

Then there are the weapons, of which there are loads of different types. One and two-handed swords, maces, mauls, laser blades, bows, Gatling guns, and even fist-type weapons that quite literally pack a punch. You can equip up to four weapons on your suit, and you also have space for a shoulder-mounted weapon and auxiliary unit like homing missiles, shields, or an ammunition pack.

Your character and their Arsenal suit can also be customized aesthetically, using a wide range of color palettes, text, decals, clothing, and facial features. At your home base, you can change your look at any time entirely for free, so Titanic Scion does a great job of encouraging you to mix things up from time to time.

Build variety feels truly limitless, and while the breakneck pace of combat renders some options borderline useless, I still can’t help but appreciate the sheer variety of equipment on offer. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to try out different styles, too, as enemies out in the field routinely drop Arsenal parts and the like on death.

That leads me into the loot system, which I wasn’t sure of at first, but did grow to like quite a bit. Basically, fallen enemies and bosses often house multiple pieces of loot, but you can only choose one before the wreckage dissolves. Often, this means you’ll have to think carefully about which items you want to pick up. A stat-boosting vambrace might be the way to go, but if you’ve run low on healing items, grabbing a healing spray from the corpse might not be a bad idea, either.

Fusion frenzy

Customizing your character and Arsenal doesn’t stop there. Partway through the game, you’ll be introduced to fusion, which your character, as an Outer, can make liberal use of. While you’re out exploring, you can occasionally pick up DNA from fallen enemies as loot, and certain combinations of DNA can unlock various weapon skills and ancillary abilities, such as providing you with an auto-dodge or cloaking.

Take this DNA to the fusion chamber at home base, and it’ll be integrated into your character, permanently unlocking these abilities. The trade-off is that fusion can drastically alter your character’s physical appearance, too, turning them into a bit of a monstrosity - and that’s awesome.

Seeing your character grow increasingly more eldritch as you pile up fusions is a clever method of visual progression and storytelling. And while you can reset to your default appearance for a hefty credits fee, you likely won’t have such funds until near the end of the game.

Fusion is where your build really comes alive. The abilities you unlock can be set to each weapon type so long as they’re compatible with that weapon. Examples include an overhead strike with blades or a Matrix-style spin-and-shoot technique with various firearms. Some are certainly more powerful than others, but the ceiling for player expression here is impressively high.

Don't stop to smell the roses

With such a strong showing on the customization and build variety fronts, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion would be well on its way to a glowing review. Unfortunately, many of its other aspects fall well short of providing a decently enjoyable experience.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment is the game’s large, open maps, one area where it takes clear inspiration from developer Monolith Soft’s much-praised RPG series. In Titanic Scion, however, these areas are visually bland and really don’t offer much in the way of rewarding exploration.

At best, you’ll come across a cave network or underground bunker to check out for additional loot, but I couldn’t stomach doing more than a handful of these. They have largely identical layouts and rely on a very boxy, corridor-like design that’s just a slog to get through.

Despite the size of the world, it immediately feels rather small, as your Arsenal suit has the ability to fly at great speeds. While this in itself is cool and can feel quite liberating, being given such a function right at the start of the game disincentivizes exploring these areas properly. But even then, you’re largely running into simple things like setting up supply outposts, small pockets of enemies, and the odd emergent quest.

Speaking of quests, side missions are especially dull. Often boiling down to simple fetch quests or taking out a pack of baddies, they rarely offer anything rewarding or narratively compelling. And that’s a shame, as you’ll need to spend much of the early game ticking off these missions to build up funds and materials for Arsenal parts and home base improvements.

Should you play Daemon x Machina: Titanic Scion?

Play it if...

You want heaps of mecha customization
This is what the game does best. Tons of build variety mixed with the excellent fusion system offers players plenty of ways to find a playstyle and aesthetic that suits them. I absolutely loved this aspect of the game.

You enjoy simple, straightforward combat
While I lament its rather shallow combat, Titanic Scion keeps things straightforward and easy to learn, an advantage of which is that it makes builds you may not have considered using fairly easy to grasp.

Don't buy it if...

You were hoping for rich exploration
It’s not a world you can really get lost in for hours on end, as we see with the Xenoblade series. It’s unfortunately bland and lacking in meaningful activities or striking vistas.

Accessibility

There’s a good amount of accessibility options in Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion.

Protanopia, deuteranopia, and tritanopia colorblind settings are available, and you can adjust the filter intensity of them. Controls are fully customizable, and you can even adjust the size and position of all HUD elements.

Further tweaks, like individual vibration values for various actions, are also welcome.

How I reviewed Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion

I put in around 25 hours into Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion for this review. I played the game on PlayStation 5, primarily using the DualSense Wireless Controller, on an LG CX OLED TV.

Those 25 hours were enough to see the game to its conclusion, as well as tick off a handful of side missions, some exploration of the world, and the optional one-on-one colosseum battles at the home base.

First reviewed September 2025

I tested this cheaper rival to Bose and Shokz’ cuff-style open earbuds and other brands could learn a lot from it

11:30 pm | September 8, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: EQ | Comments: Off

Baseus Inspire XC1: Two minute review

In every headphone niche there are going to be the big-name players, and there are going to be the little-known challengers offering a more affordable or even more novel take on the form factor, and it’s no different with clip-on, cuff-style sets, which still count among the best open earbuds we've tested.

Open earbuds are a type of headphone which intentionally doesn’t block out surrounding sound, letting you hear what’s going on when you’re working out, going on a run outdoors or are on your commute, and clip-ons are one style which clips onto your ear, in a kind of cuff style, rather than a hook style that snakes behind the curve of your ear.

While this form factor is dominated by names like the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds and, more recently, the Shokz OpenDots One, a few other brands offer something different, and Baseus is now one of them.

The Baseus Inspire XC1 are the third 'clipping' headphone from Baseus, so you’d hope the brand has some expertise it can bring. Their pitch is that they fix open-ears’ common sound quality problems by bringing Bose-tuned audio, support for Hi-Res Audio and LDAC availability, all for a relatively modest price.

To that end it was claimed at launch that the XC1 were the first open earbuds with two drivers per bud, an assertion which the aforementioned Shokz OpenDots One might take issue with, but that certainly shows a focus on sound quality.

It’s ironic, then, that the sound quality was a weaker point for these open earbuds. The sonic profile is warm yet ill-defined, so bass lacks punch and trebles and mids are missing something themselves. While some fitness users might enjoy this kind of indistinct wall of noise (something to tune out with, while focusing on your workout), audiophiles aren’t going to be impressed.

I also found that the buds’ bridge could pinch over long listening periods, which isn’t ideal, but I do mean long – I could listen for several hours before noticing the issue, so it won’t be a problem everyone faces. And the fit is reliable beyond that.

I’m starting this synopsis with two negatives, but there’s a lot to like about the Inspire XC1 beyond these pitfalls. The battery life is longer than on many rivals, for one thing, and the equalizer is advanced with several presets and plenty of customization. Also, the touch controls are easy-to-use and convenient.

That last point in particular is something I want to emphasize. The vast majority of headphones and earbuds do touch controls terribly but Baseus' solution was simple and easy – other brands could learn a thing or two here.

As mentioned above, the Baseus also undercuts both Bose's and Shokz’ alternatives, and offers good value for money when you compare their feature sets and audio qualities. If you don’t want to stretch your budget to reach for those pricier options, the Baseus Inspire XC1 option could be a good compromise.

Baseus Inspire XC1 review: Specifications

Component	Value
Water resistant	IP66
Battery life	8 hours (earbuds), 40 hours (total)
Bluetooth type	Bluetooth 5.4
Weight	5.5g / Charging case: 55g
Driver	1x 10.8mm, 1x tweeter

Baseus Inspire XC1 review: Price and availability

The Baseus Inspire XC1 above a green blanket. — (Image credit: Future)

Announced in September 2025
Priced at $129 (roughly £100, AU$200)
Undercuts many rivals

The Baseus Inspire XC1 were released at the annual tech conference IFA in September 2025, alongside the XH1 over-ear headphones and XP1 in-ear buds.

At retail price, the Inspire XC1 cost $129 (roughly £100 or AU$200 but TechRadar wasn’t provided international release information prior to launch).

That price is in the ballpark of rivals, confirming that the Baseus product undercuts lots of its competition to a greater or lesser degree; the Huawei FreeClip, Shokz OpenDots and Bose Ultra Open earbuds all cost increasingly more.

But there are some well-respected options for cheaper still, including the JLab Flex Open and Anker Soundcore C40i. And let's not forget, Baseus itself has two other alternatives that undercut this, in the MC1 and BC1.

Baseus Inspire XC1 review: Design

Bud and counterweight connected by small hook
Lightweight but can pinch after extended use
Easy-to-use touch controls

For those of you who skipped the intro, the Baseus Inspire XC1 is a clip-style (or cuff-style, if you prefer) open-ear earbud. The latter hyphenation indicates that these are earbuds which don’t block your ear, so you can hear your surroundings, and the former signifies that instead of using a sports loop to hover over your ear, they clip onto your auricle, using a small earbud which nestles into your ear and a counterweight behind the ear which are linked by a plastic bridge.

Clipping earbuds always look frightfully unreliable but that’s rarely the case, and it’s not true for the XC1 either: the buds’ hold is reliable and I went on many hours of runs without any slipping or falling. However, it does pinch a little which, although only noticeable after sustained use, means they can stop being comfortable if you’re listening for long amounts of time. I also found myself knocking the behind-the-ear counterweight with my shoulder on occasion when I was stretching or rolling my head, but those were rare cases.

Each bud weighs roughly 5.5g, so they tip the scales to a similar degree as rivals, and they have an IP66 rating which certifies them against any kind of solid particles like dust, as well as high-pressure water jets… I think. Elsewhere in the information Baseus provided to TechRadar, it referred to the buds as having an IPX7 rating, which offers no proofing against dust but increased water resistance.

The counterweight has a small physical button, and you can customize what this does using the app – but by default, it pauses music. I found it pretty easy to pinch this to control my music once I got used to the position, and I’m glad Baseus isn’t trying to do anything more complex with its controls like some other brands.

The case weighs 54g and it’s fairly small, although that’s not saying much given that most clip-on earbuds have tiny cases. It opens horizontally and accepts either earbud in either hole, saving a lot of faff when you want to put the buds away.

Design score: 4/5

Baseus Inspire XC1 review: Features

Not as many features as rivals
Battery life is 8 hours, 40 hours with case
EQ with lots of useful presets

The Baseus Inspire XC1 will offer you 8 hours of listening time in one go, according to the brand’s figures – my own testing didn’t raise any reasons to doubt this. That just a hair on the long side compared to lots of other rivals using this form factor.

Using the case, you can get an extra 32 hours of listening time, for 40 hours in total, and again lots of the Baseus’ rivals fall a little short.

Due to the form factor, there’s no noise cancellation – it’s not unheard of in open-ears, but it’s incredibly rare and so we don’t expect it.

Baseus offers an app with a few extra features including an equalizer, a low latency mode, the ability to customize touch controls, toggles to high-res audio and a feature I haven’t seen much of on headphones: a battery-saver mode. As someone who gets battery anxiety on long trips, this is certainly a welcome feature.

The equalizer comes with seven presets, including a Bose-designed one, but you can create your own sound mix using an eight-band EQ mode too.

I’ve never written this sentence about an earbud tie-in app before, but the Baseus app felt very slow to use on my powerful Android phone. This shouldn’t dictate your purchase decision but it’s just to say ‘no, your phone isn’t breaking down’.

Features score: 4/5

Baseus Inspire XC1 review: Sound performance

Two drivers per bud
Muddied sound profile
Support for several standards

Each bud of the Baseus Inspire XC1 gets two drivers: a 10.8mm woofer for low-end sounds and a balanced armature tweeter for high-end ones that we weren’t told the size of.

It’s rare to see a dual-driver open-ear, with most manufacturers opting not to kit out earbuds that will be competing with so many background sounds, but that’s not all. The buds also support higher-resolution audio and the LDAC codec if you switch them on in the app.

Listening to music, it’s clear that the sound is good quality, and that’s especially true if you do opt to make the most of the standards offered. And so you’re probably wondering why I criticized the audio before. Well, that comes down to the tuning.

The Inspire XC1 have a warm sound profile, with the woofer coming up clutch to support lots of bass. However it’s an ill-defined kind of bass, muddy and indistinct, a that’s an issue that plagues music as a whole: treble isn’t sharp, mids are mushy.

The result is that music seems to lack a lot of energy and spark. I don’t know about you, but lifeless tunes are the last thing I want with earbuds designed for exercise.

You’re probably wondering why I didn’t just jump into the equalizer to fix the problem; I tried, and it didn’t really work. Other presets beyond the default (the Bose-tuned one, I must add) maintain the issue to a lesser or greater degree. If you’ve got the buds, I’d recommend opting for the Jazz Rock preset, which was the most energetic to my ears.

Sound performance score: 3.5/5

Baseus Inspire XC1 review: Value

The Baseus XC1 undercut a decent amount of the competition, including options which don’t offer substantially more for your money, although you can get alternatives that are a lot cheaper if you shop around.

Bearing in mind the cost and what you’re actually getting for your money, they offer a reasonable value set, letting you get all of the features of pricier rivals with a few downgrades to justify the cost.

Value score: 4/5

Baseus Inspire XC1 review: scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	While they don't match premium options in terms of feature set, they don't in price either.	4/5
Design	They're not the most comfortable open-ears I've ever used, but they're lightweight and don't fall out.	4/5
Features	The equalizer is handy but beyond that there aren't any unique features and the battery life is about average/	4/5
Sound	I wasn't wowed by the Inspire XC1's audio chops, despite the hardware, but non-fussy workers-out will find them fine.	3.5/5

Baseus Inspire XC1: Should I buy?

Buy them if...

You want something protected
I don't often see earbuds with an IP66 rating, with most opting for less protection against dust ingress and sometimes just sweat resistance, instead of the ability to survive jets of water.

You know your way around an equalizer
I appreciate how much customization Baseus offers over your music. You've got plenty of presets for people who don't want to fuss over their tuning, and a 10-band EQ for people who do.

You don't want to stretch for a name brand
Clip-on earbuds from well-known brands cost more, but Baseus offers most of those features for a lower price, even though it's not an out-and-out budget option.

Don't buy them if...

You're an audiophile
Despite the specs, I wasn't won over by the Baseus' sound quality, as it didn't offer energy in tunes. If you need perfectly-optimized music in order to enjoy your workout, you might not enjoy these buds.

You plan to wear for long periods
I could feel the Baseus on my ear after working out for an hour or longer, so if you're about to do an ultramarthon and want something comfortable, this isn't it.

Also consider

Component	Baseus Inspire XC1	Shokz OpenDots One	Huawei FreeClip
Water resistant	IP66	IP54	IP54
Battery life	8 hours (earbuds), 40 hours (total)	10 hours (earbuds), 40 hours (total)	8 hours (earbuds), 36 hours (total)
Bluetooth type	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.3
Weight	5.5g / Charging case: 54g	5.6g / Charging case: 52g	5.6g / Charging case: 44.5g
Driver	10.8mm, tweeter	2x 11.8mm	10.8mm

Shokz OpenDots One

For a little bit more money you can get these Shokz options, which are more comfortable to wear, sound better and come with a longer-lasting battery.

Read our full Shokz OpenDots One review

Huawei FreeClip

For roughly the same price as the Baseus, this option from well-known Chinese brand Huawei comes with similar specs in most areas. However its age means that you might be able to find it greatly discounted.

How I tested

I wore the Baseus Inspire XC1 for two weeks in order to write this review, which is TechRadar's standard testing time for headphones.

The buds were connected to my Android smartphone through the test. I used them on runs, on cycle rides, at the gym, on public transport, at home and on walks around my neighborhoor, mostly for music streaming but for some spoken word too.

I've been testing products for TechRadar since 2019 and this has included plenty of other workout headphones, as well as loads of open earbuds.