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Silent Hill f will either be your game of the year or one of the worst games you’ve ever played – and I still can’t decide which it is for me

10:01 am | September 22, 2025

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

Silent Hill f is one of the most imaginative, compelling, and striking experiences I’ve had this year. Neobards has also made one of the most tedious, infuriating, and badly designed survival horror games I’ve ever played. We’ve all seen fascinating ideas mired by flawed mechanics countless times in the past, but it’s been a long time since I’ve wanted to completely walk away from a game just as much as I want to press on to see what revelations it has for me.

It’s this back-and-forth that I’m struggling to reconcile when settling on what I really think about Silent Hill f. Some will despise it for its dire combat, inconsistent atmosphere, and poor execution. To others, this will be a game of the year contender, with its beguiling mythology, gorgeous cinematic direction, and audacious design choices. I support the argument from both sides.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
Release date: September 25, 2025

We play as Hinako, a young adult in 1960s Japan. She’s dealing with an abusive alcoholic father, a despondent mother, and a previously tight-knit friendship group that’s starting to show some cracks as emotions and hormones run high. The game’s themes are heavy, with gender, puberty, marriage, motherhood, family, friendship, and maturity just some of the topics that cult-favorite writer Ryukishi07 engages with throughout the story. I don’t have enough praise for the daring and uncompromising ways it engages with these big ideas.

Beautiful nightmare

A scarecrow monster from Silent Hill f — (Image credit: Konami)

It helps that the outstanding performances, stellar cinematic presentation, and moody music elevate many of the game’s biggest story beats and give them the weight they deserve. Silent Hill f may sometimes look a bit plain, but it certainly knows how to frame some grotesque and gorgeous imagery or give a performance the time and attention it needs to shine, especially in the game’s original Japanese dub.

Best bit

Hinako walking through a dark environment in Silent Hill f — (Image credit: Konami)

It's hard to talk about my favorite part of Silent Hill f because it's all to do with the game's ending. Obviously, I won't spoil anything here, but the strong writing, excellent performances, and big story revelations in the final few hours do so much to rescue the game from the drudgery of its repeatedly tedious combat sections. So much so that I was compelled to start a second playthrough to seek out what I'd missed.

It’s a shame the same can’t be said for all of the game’s environments, which swing from the signature foggy alleyways and disgusting visera-covered hallways of the series, to places that are too bright, too mundane, and too, well, clean.

There were brief moments where I was creeped out by the atmosphere (those scarecrows are pure nightmare fuel), but mostly I felt like a tourist taking a casual stroll through a town or temple in some inclement weather. That's a shame for a series that has mastered creating a feeling of dread with every step so many times in the past.

Silent Hill f also mixes up the exploration with a smattering of puzzles that we’ve come to expect from these games. These range from neat little brainteasers to cryptic nonsense, sometimes actually making less sense than what’s supposed to be the easier puzzle difficulty.

What also doesn’t help with the pacing is the way the game jumps between what is ostensibly the real world and a mystical otherworld throughout. Naturally, the two are intrinsically linked, but the transitions between the two are often contrived or completely unexplained, giving the game an inelegant and disjointed structure.

But these disappointing missteps are nothing in comparison to the one element that Silent Hill f gets severely wrong: the combat.

Lost in the fog

Hinako facing off against an enemy in Silent Hill f — (Image credit: Konami)

The majority of Silent Hill protagonists have (intentionally) never been adept at fighting, which has led to a series of awkward and cumbersome combat systems. Most of them, though, are serviceable. Silent Hill f’s is one of the worst I’ve experienced.

It’s all melee-based and a basic light and heavy attack affair, but it layers on unnecessary system after unnecessary system to try and stretch out of its terrible combat mechanics. There’s stamina, there’s a sanity bar, there are focus attacks, there’s weapon durability, there’s perfect dodges, and counterattacks. All of this mess just to try and bolster the simple act of whacking a horrific manifestation with a lead pipe.

None of it helps. It’s painfully slow and frustratingly sludgy, like Hinako is always trying to swing through mud. Hits have no satisfying impact unless you charge up attacks every time, which you will have to do continuously, because it's the only consistent way to stun and kill enemies with any speed.

Enemies, meanwhile, are such jittery and erratic nightmares that it’s impossible to read them, and the dodge is so janky or the window to counter so small that by the time you realise an attack is coming in, it’s too late, you’ve already been slashed or spat on or lunged at. The dodge is the most hilarious and out-of-place choice, which sees Hinako dart about six feet in a straight line in any direction in a split second, like she’s borrowed powers from Goku.

Hinako walking through an old school in Silent Hill f — (Image credit: Konami)

Some sections thankfully make the combat far more trivial in some unique and utterly bonkers ways that I won’t spoil. Ultimately, that’s still not much better, as it’s just as unsatisfying as it’s always been; it just requires less thought to get through it.

Every time I had to deal with the game’s combat, I thought it would be better just to let the Silent Hill fog take me. It wouldn’t be quite as bad if you could simply run past all enemies, but the game regularly forces you to engage with it, with creatures that block your path, walls that only drop once certain enemies are killed, and entire combat gauntlets that are thematically interesting but mechanically horrid.

And that brings me back to the dichotomy that makes Silent Hill f a curiosity that’s so hard to judge. There will be staunch defenders of this game for all of the incredible work it does with characters, story, and presentation. Others will be quick to trash it as a clunky, poorly designed, and maddening experience.

As is always the case with these things, I feel that the truth is somewhere in the middle. At times, it filled me with rage, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that it captivated me in equal measure.

Should you play Silent Hill f?

Play it if…

You want a thematically rich story
Silent Hill f takes the same approach as other greats in the series by telling a remarkable, complex, and gruelling personal story through the lens of psychological horror, with multiple layers to uncover.

You want to play something unique
For all of its flaws, there's little else out there quite like Silent Hill f, and for that reason, I'm glad that it exists. If you want to experience something different from the norm, creatively ambitious and uncompromising in its vision, you owe it to yourself to give it a go.

You miss the PS2 era
At times, Silent Hill f feels like it comes from an entirely different generation of gaming, where bold ideas and creative risks led the way over things like, well, precise and well-refined game design.

Don’t play it if…

You can't look past janky combat
I know I'm going on about this a lot, but the combat in Silent Hill f is so monotonous and unwieldy that it almost put me off the game entirely. If the issues sound too frustrating for you to look past, then you may find it too aggravating to play.

You don't enjoy repeat playthroughs
The story of Silent Hill f does offer a conclusion after you complete the game for the first time, but like Nier Automata and other works by Ryukishi07, there is still much more to uncover after the credits roll.

Accessibility

Silent Hill f doesn't have an extensive list of accessibility options. There are three filters for green, red, and blue color blindness, as well as subtitle customisation options to change the font, size, and color. There are also three different controller layouts to choose from on console, but you cannot create your own custom layout or edit specific button bindings.

The game has separate difficulty settings for the combat and puzzles, ranging from a standard 'Story' option, a more difficult 'Hard' mode, and the most challenging 'Lost in the Fog' setting. These cannot be changed once you begin the game.

How I reviewed Silent Hill f

I played Silent Hill f for around 14 hours on a PlayStation 5 Pro on a Samsung S90C OLED TV using a DualSense Wireless Controller and playing audio through a Samsung HW-Q930C soundbar. In that time, I completed the game twice, with my first playthrough clocking in at a little over eight hours.

The game does not have different graphics modes to choose from, but performance was excellent throughout, although I got the impression that cutscenes were disappointingly locked to 30 frames per second (fps).

The Terra Kaffe TK-02 brings the high-end coffee shop to your home

4:00 pm | September 21, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Coffee Machines Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Comments: Off

Terra Kaffe TK-02: two-minute review

Who knew excellent coffee could be so easy? Fill up the water tank and pour your bag of whole coffee beans into the hopper. If you like milk-based drinks, put your milk of choice into the milk carafe and attach it to the machine. The Terra Kaffe TK-02 will craft your favorite drink that rivals your local coffee shop with just a tap.

Choose from a limited menu on the Terra Kaffe TK-02's screen, or select from a longer list in the app. Create custom beverages to suit your personal taste. You can also teach (Amazon assistant) Alexa to brew your drink of choice on your voice command.

Terra Kaffe TK-02 making a flat white — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

While it's certainly not perfect, this is the be-all, end-all coffee maker that replaces the two Nespresso machines, drip coffee machine, and coffee grinder I had in my coffee nook. The Terra Kaffe TK-02 is an expensive machine, though one could argue that if this gets you to eliminate your daily coffee shop runs it could pay for itself in a couple of years or less. The footprint is pretty large, though not nearly as big as the four machines it replaces for me. And like any coffee machine, it does require regular cleaning and maintenance, though none of it is difficult.

The bottom line is this: I've tested a lot of coffee machines in my personal and professional life, but I have never made better-tasting coffee and espresso drinks more quickly and easily than I have with the Terra Kaffe TK-02.

Flat white coffee — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Terra Kaffe TK-02: price and availability

Available at Terra Kaffe and several high-end online and brick-and-mortar retailers
Retails for $1,995 (£1,461 / AU$2,991)
Terra Kaffe has a rental program

You can purchase the Terra Kaffe TK-02 directly from Terra Kaffe's website, where it retails for $1,995 (£1,461 / AU$2,991). Currently, there is a $300 discount offer if you pair the machine with a coffee subscription. You can also rent the machine from Terra Kaffe for $119 per month.

Other places you can purchase the machine include high-end retailers like Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, CB2, and Seattle Coffee Gear. The Terra Kaffe TK-02 is available in two colors: black and white.

Terra Kaffe TK-02 on counter — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Terra Kaffe TK-02: specs

Name	Terra Kaffe TK-02
Type	Automatic
Dimensions (D x W x H)	17.5” (D) x 10.4” (W) x 14.3” (H) / 44.45 cm (D) x 26.42 cm (W) x 36.32 cm (H)
Weight	29.5 lbs / 13.38 kg
Water reservoir capacity	75 fl oz / 2.22 liters
Milk frother	Yes
Bars of pressure	9

Terra Kaffe TK-02: design

Modern, sleek design
Everything you need except coffee and cups included
So easy to use

The Terra Kaffe TK-02 is sleek and modern, basically a giant rectangular cube with a drip tray sticking out the front. It's not immediately identifiable as a coffee machine, on looks alone. I tested the white model, but it also comes in black. I'd recommend the black version if you don't have a strong preference, since white shows the coffee spatters. The touchscreen on the top left front of the machine comes awake when you tap it.

Terra Kaffe TK-02 with all its accessories — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

The Terra Kaffe TK-02 is pretty big and heavy, at 17.5” (D) x 10.4” (W) x 14.3” (H) / 44.45 cm (D) x 26.42 cm (W) x 36.32 cm (H) and weighing in at 29.5 lbs / 13.38 kg. Still, it easily fits into my coffee nook with plenty of room to spare. And it takes up a lot less room than the four machines I had in there previously. My husband likes to use his own beans, so his coffee grinder and drip machine, plus my two pod machines (both coffee and espresso) were previously filling up that entire nook. The Terra Kaffe TK-02 eliminates the need for all the other machines.

It comes with a milk carafe that hooks up to the Terra Kaffe TK-02 to make lattes and other milk drinks, a wooden spoon for measuring ground coffee, a water filter, cleaning solution, and descaling solution.

Terra Kaffe TK-02 top of machine — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

There are two coffee compartments on top. The main hopper holds up to 16 ounces (a typical bag) of whole bean coffee. A smaller, secondary compartment is for pre-ground coffee. If you use this option, add just one scoop of ground coffee and select the pre-ground coffee option from the brewing menu. Note that Terra Kaffe does not recommend using oily or flavored coffee beans.

A dial on the right side of the machine adjust the amount of steam you get in your milk. Dial it to the top to just heat your milk, or dial it to the bottom marker to froth.

Terra Kaffe TK-02 water tank — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

The water tank sits behind a door on the front of the machine. As with all maintenance, the Terra Kaffe TK-02 will alert you when the water is running low, though the water level is visible even with the door closed.

The touch screen is the brain of the machine, and it will also let you know when the grounds container (which holds nine pucks) or drip tray needs to be emptied, when you need to descale or deep clean the machine, and when you need to refill the coffee hopper.

Terra Kaffe TK-02 removing grounds — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Design score: 4.5/5

Terra Kaffe TK-02: performance

Crafts amazing coffee and espresso drinks
Steam or froth your milk of choice
Could not be easier to use

What you really want from a coffee machine is delicious coffee, and the Terra Kaffe TK-02 delivers. You probably also want flexibility to create different kinds of beverages, easy/quick brewing, and easy clean-up. You get all of that with this machine. There are definitely some quirks, but overall, this machine's performance is excellent.

Double espresso over ice in front of Terra Kaffe TK-02 — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

The Terra Kaffe TK-02 has lots of pre-set coffee and espresso settings, but any of them can be altered to your tastes. You can adjust the grind size, the amount of coffee, the amount of water, and the amount of milk. When making espresso, you can choose between "TK Standard" and "TK Specialty" brew. The TK Specialty tastes slightly stronger to me, so I reached out the company and they confirmed that it is indeed a stronger brew.

You can create your own custom beverages to your exact specifications, so the possibilities are nearly endless. You can only put 10 drinks at a time on the machine's touchscreen menu, but it's easy enough to add and remove your favorites in the Terra Kaffe app.

Terra Kaffee TK-02 brewing iced coffee — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

I brewed an iced coffee, which comes out at a slightly lower temperature and is specially designed for drinking over ice. I found it a bit weak, so I just changed the recipe, reducing the amount of water and increasing the amount of coffee. That made it perfect for my tastes. I also created a drink just for my husband, which is basically a standard Americano with an extra two shots of espresso. You can literally create anything and make it an option on your touchscreen menu.

The touchscreen menu is limited to ten drinks, so put your ten favorites there. You can still access plenty more (or create more anytime) easily with the Terra Kaffe app. You can teach your Alexa Amazon Assistant to work your Terra Kaffe TK-02, but I found that connection to be rather inconsistent.

The machine has to be on already; Alexa won't turn it on. Then you have to ask Alexa to launch the machine, because if you just ask to brew right away, she won't get it. Even then, sometimes she doesn't do what you ask. And she keeps asking you questions when you're done brewing, which is kind of annoying. Frankly, I found myself not really using Alexa much; both the touchscreen and the app are so easy to use. I open the app and wake the machine while I'm still in bed; by the time I get downstairs, the Terra Kaffe TK-02 is ready to brew.

Terra Kaffe TK-02 brewing a macchiato — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Though I'm not really a milky coffee drinker, I did test out a number of milk-based drinks such as latte, cappuccino, macchiato, and flat white. They were all quite good, the milk frother heats and froths the milk as you'd expect. How much foam you get can also depend on the sort of milk you use. I used 2% dairy milk.

Terra Kaffe TK-02 brewed latte — (Image credit: Karen Freeman /Future)

The Terra Kaffe TK-02 automatically grinds your beans to the correct size for the type of coffee you're brewing. For drip coffee, the beans will be ground on the coarser side. For espresso, you'll get a finer grind. Both of those can be adjusted to your preferences. Like all the best espresso machines, the Terra Kaffe TK-02 brews espresso at 9 bars of pressure.

If you prefer to use pre-ground beans, you put them in a separate designated hopper and select the pre-ground beans option before brewing. This is helpful for the occasional cup of decaf or using gifted grounds, but otherwise I'd stick to fresh whole beans.

Terra Kaffe TK-02 brewing Americano — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Cleaning is pretty simple, but the machine does require regular attention. The Terra Kaffe TK-02 self-rinses frequently. I got in the habit of keeping a cup under the spout when not in use to catch the majority of rinse cycles. You can expect the machine to rinse out a few ounces of water when warming up, and again when shutting down. It also just rinses itself at random times.

We drink four cups a day on average, and even with the cup under the spout, I still have to empty the drip tray roughly daily. This is because water comes out directly into the drip tray sometimes too. If you froth milk, you'll need to run a rinse of the milk system right after. As you might expect, the water tank needs to be refilled pretty frequently as well.

Cleaning up the grounds couldn't be easier. All of the grounds end up as pucks in the grounds bin, you just have to pull it out and dump it roughly every nine brew sessions.

At some point, I'll need to do a deep clean and a descale. But in several weeks of use, it has not come up yet. You do not have to guess when to do any of this maintenance, as the machine will let you know when to do it and offer guidance if you're not sure how to go about it.

Terra Kaffe TK-02 cappuccino — (Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)

Performance score: 5/5

Should you buy the Terra Kaffe TK-02?

Terra Kaffe TK-02 score card
Attribute	Notes	Score
Value	It's expensive, but is it cheaper than your daily coffee shop runs?	4/5
Design	It's cleverly designed and looks sleek on your countertop.	4.5/5
Performance	There's no learning curve. Brewing amazing coffee and espresso drinks is so easy.	5/5

Buy it if

You want delicious coffee and espresso drinks

Both the coffee and espresso are just delicious. Drip coffee, iced coffee, espresso, Americano, latte, cappuccino, macchiato, flat white: all amazing. I have no notes.

You want to kick the daily coffee shop habit

I can't imagine wanting to pay for a drink in a shop when the Terra Kaffe TK-02 is at home. Other than buying your whole coffee beans of choice, you might not even go to the coffee shop anymore.

You want easy

It literally couldn't be easier to make coffee from whole beans. Touch a button or tell Alexa to make your drink of choice in seconds. It's no harder than a pod machine but offers so many more options and produces excellent results.

Don't buy it if

You don't have it in the budget

If you have an expensive coffee shop habit and do the math, you might find that the Terra Kaffe TK-02 pays for itself—eventually. But this machine is quite pricey, even if you do a monthly rental.

You don't have space

While the Terra Kaffe TK-02 fits quite nicely in my coffee nook, it's not a small machine by any means. If you have a smaller kitchen, you'll need to decide how much counter space you can give up.

Terra Kaffe TK-02: also consider

Jura J10

In a similar price range but slightly cheaper, the Jura J10 makes all the espresso drinks you'd expect. But its specialty is incorporating your favorite flavored syrups into your milk foam.

Read our full Jura J10 review

De'Longhi La Specialista Touch

Looking for something smaller and cheaper? A semi-automatic espresso machine like this one might be for you. It has a built-in frothing wand, coffee bean grinder, and touch screen. It makes nine different drinks with ease.

Read our full De'Longhi La Specialista Touch review

How I tested the Terra Kaffe TK-02

Over the course of two weeks, I brewed multiple variations of coffee, espresso, iced coffee, and Americanos. I also made espresso-based milk drinks such as latte, cappuccino, macchiato, and flat white using cold 2% dairy milk. I performed maintenance on the Terra Kaffe TK-02 as directed by the machine: emptying the drip tray, refilling the water, emptying the coffee grounds, and adding new coffee beans.

First reviewed September 2025

I tested the Creative Chat Wireless business headset – and I love the comfort, cost, and call quality

9:47 am |

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

The Chat Wireless from Creative is a lightweight Bluetooth headset designed for business use. It doesn't seek to reinvent the wheel, but instead deliver exceptional comfort and crystal-clear audio at what I'd consider to be a very fair price.

As a chap who lives inside his headphones - for everything from conference calls to music playback and gaming sessions - I was keen to see how well they performed.

Spoiler alert: they're definitely worth a look if you're a professional. Yes, I have issues with the buttons, but the design, price, and overall quality of the audio and noise-canceling mic are excellent.

Creative Chat Wireless: Price & availability

The Creative Chat Wireless headset is currently priced at $70 from Creative’s official US site - while in the UK, it’s retailing for £50 via Creative.

I’m also seeing it available on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk for the same price.

Compared to alternatives, it’s priced pretty much at the low- to mid-range - it’s certainly not as pricey as offerings like the Jabra Evolve 2 65 Flex I’ve reviewed, which far surpasses the $150 mark.

Creative Chat Wireless: Design & features

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The Creative Chat Wireless headset during our review — (Image credit: Creative // Future)

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The design of the Chat Wireless headset is par for the course and in line with what I’d expect from a unit at this price. Inside the box, there’s the headset itself, a USB cable, the USB dongle, and a quick start manual.

In hand, the headset is impressively lightweight with plenty of give to fit a range of head sizes. The band is made of a firm plastic, neatly rounded on one side, which I think gives it an attractive, premium style compared to bland, budget headsets. Encompassing the top is padding for a more comfortable fit. As an accent, there’s bronze-colored metal connecting it to the pads.

I found the earcups well-cushioned, with a foam interior covered with a synthetic material. They fit nicely over the ear, but don’t envelope them in the way casual consumer headphones do. These also swivel inward for easier storage - although they aren’t foldable and don’t come with a case.

On the left earcup is a USB-C port for charging and separate volume up and down buttons. I particularly like how they’re positioned on either side of the band, so I wasn’t blindly fumbling for the correct one.

It’s also home to the stowable microphone, which rotates both ways and features a physical mute button. At the base of the mic is a Call button, used to turn the unit on and off or entering Bluetooth pairing mode.

All in all, the headset boasts a simple and efficient design with all the core features you’d expect.

Creative Chat Wireless: Performance

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I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the Chat Wireless is light, tipping the scales at 0.3lb / 137g when I weighed them. It’s the sort of headset you can easily wear all day (and I did) without discomfort. If you’re taking a lot of calls, they’re pitch-perfect in this regard.

When wearing the headset, it’s surprisingly firm on the ears - and while there’s no noise-cancelling on the earcups, the snug fit did prevent extraneous background noise filtering in.

I found audio quality to be excellent, with just the right amount of bass and treble, while voices had the correct timbre. I used these for video calls using both Bluetooth and the USB dongle, as well as hooking up via Bluetooth to my phone to listen to music and podcasts, and a Nintendo Switch 2 while playing games. Each time, I experienced no tinniness here, which I sometimes find from cheaper devices.

Microphone quality came out incredibly clear. There is noise-canceling on the mic and in my own tests, this worked well. Which is useful, as I have an especially vocal cat that likes to make its presence known during calls. I experienced absolutely no issues throughout my use, and yes, the mute button on mic works instantly and well (a perennial fear of mine). A discrete voice will whisper in your ear to let you know when it’s muted or unmuted, and the LED simultaneously switches from blue (unmute) to white (mute), too.

All button presses feel soft and pleasant - neither too clicky nor too mushy, but somewhere in between. However, I did find when attempting to adjust the volume, I had to be quite firm in order for it to register. Light taps just won’t work here.

This wasn’t the case with the Call button, which was immediately responsive when answering calls and hanging up. Other features like holding the volume buttons to skip tracks during playback or tapping the Call button to play or pause worked well.

Where I did run into problems, though, was when hitting this button multiple times to activate the various functions, like redial or opening my AI assistant. It took some time to figure out the appropriate amount of time between each click. It needs to be neither rapid nor too drawn out. Experimentation is recommended.

But where it really counts - audio and mic quality - I was highly impressed, and confident I was being heard. Never once did I have to ask “Can everyone hear me?” or “Is this thing on?”

Creative Chat Wireless: Final verdict

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Whenever I’m reviewing a device like this, I ask myself: Would I buy this with my own hard-earned cash? And, considering the cost and the overall audio experience, this one is a resounding yes. It’s impressively lightweight, and ideal for professionals in an office or home office setting.

I do have some issues with the buttons, which could be more responsive - but to some degree that might be user error on my part - and some may wish for extra features like a foldable design or a storage case. And if you prefer a wired connection, these aren’t the ones for you, as they’re wireless-only.

But for a low- to mid-range wireless unit that makes meetings more bearable, especially if you're using them all day, they’re one of the best Bluetooth headsets I’ve used.

Should I buy the Creative Chat Wireless?

Buy it if...

✅ You wear a headset all day: The Chat Wireless is pleasantly lightweight for all-day use, and the earpads feel snug over the ear without pressing against them too hard. I found them to be very comfortable, even after wearing them for hours at a time.

✅ You want a well-priced headset with all the core features: It’s not overloaded with unnecessary features or expensive technology, but audio quality is great and the buttons deliver a multitude of additional functions for navigating calls and playback.

Don't buy it if...

❌ You need wired and wireless connection: As the name suggests, this headset is wireless only using Bluetooth 5.4 or the USB dongle. Creative does sell the Chat USB, which has a slightly thicker design but near-identical price with - you guessed it - a wired USB connection.

❌ You want noise-canceling audio: While the mic does have noise cancelation, the earcups don’t have this feature. I didn’t find this to be an issue even in somewhat active rooms, but it may be a deal-breaker for those in noisy workspaces.

For more top picks, we've reviewed the best headsets for conference calls.

After a year of searching, I’ve finally found a rival for my favorite earbuds

12:30 am |

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

Skullcandy Method 360: One minute review

As my editor at TechRadar well knows, I’ve spent the last year enamored with the Nothing Ear (a) as the best earbuds you can buy for a relatively affordable price, and nothing has come close to toppling these svelte and low-cost buds.

That’s all changed now though, because the Skullcandy Method 360 give their year-and-change older rivals a run for their money. And I see them being the new big buds that, going forward, I shall compare all contemporaries too.

These buds from American audio company Skullcandy are dead ringers for the brand’s cheap Dime Evo buds, coming in the same novel carry case, but I’ve already got to correct myself: these aren’t just from Skullcandy, but from another key player too.

In a big partnership, top audio dog Bose contributed to the sound of the Method 360, and it shows. These have the energy of Skullcandy buds but the audio precision of Bose ones, and the fantastic audio quality shows that the Method 360 benefits from the best of both worlds.

While Skullcandy boasts that the Method 360 have ‘Sound by Bose’, the design of the new buds also bears more than a passing resemblance to recent Bose earpieces too, especially with a gel fin around the buds to help them stick in your ear. Whether this was another case of the Bose helping hand or just a total coincidence, it’s welcome, with the Method 360 staying in the ear reliably even during workouts. They’re comfortable too, letting you listen for long bouts without your ears getting achy.

Design of the buds may be great, but the carry case itself provides problems: namely, that it’s absolutely huge. It’s a massive long tube which hides an inner shell that you slide out to retrieve the earbuds, and it’s far too big to easily fit in trouser pockets. According to promotional images Skullcandy sees you using the O-ring to strap the case to your bag, or perhaps your trousers, but the sheer size would make that about as unwieldy as walking about with a scabbard.

A few rough edges show their face in the feature set too: the app often failed to connect to the earbuds, even when they readily connected to my phone without issues, which was irritating when I wanted to change ANC mode. Plus, the voice announcer on the buds is both terrifyingly loud and surprisingly low-res, making me wonder if I’d accidentally been sent a pair of Method 360 which had been cursed by the Babadook.

Are these flaws enough to ruin the Skullcandy? Not by any means, they’re just minor gripes, and ones that give me something to write about to seem even-handed too. But they do little to counteract the real strengths of the Method 360: its reliable fit, its fantastic sound and its affordable nature.

Skullcandy Method 360 review: Specifications

Component	Value
Water resistant	IPX4
Battery life (quoted)	11 hours (earbuds), 29 hours (total)
Bluetooth type	Bluetooth 5.3
Weight	11g / Charging case: 77g
Driver	12mm

Skullcandy Method 360 review: Price and availability

The Skullcandy Method 360 on a shelf. — (Image credit: Future)

Announced in April '25
RRP $119 / £99 / AU$189
Priced against mid-range rivals

Skullcandy announced the Method 360 in April 2025 and put them on sale straight away afterwards.

The official price of the buds is $119 / £99 / AU$189, although they were cheaper for their first few weeks of existence thanks to introductory pricing. When considering their value, though, we’ll consider this official price.

At that price these can be considered mid-range buds, with the aforementioned Nothing Ear (a) costing more or less (depending on region) at $99 / £99 / AU$192. Their other big rival at that price is the WF-C710N which has an RRP exactly the same as the Skullcandy and we’ll get more into the differences in our comparison section below.

Skullcandy Method 360 review: Design

Huge case that's fiddly to insert buds into
Buds are comfortable and fit reliably
Range of color options

The worst part of the Skullcandy Method 360 is its case. It’s absolutely huge – you’ve got no chance of fitting this thing in your trouser pocket and it was even a squeeze fitting it into the folds of my jacket. It’s significantly bigger than the case of any other earbud I’ve tested recently, making it a pain for portability.

That’s a shame because it’s a bit more interesting-looking than your generic clamshell earbud case. It uses what Skullcandy calls ‘Clip It and Rip It’; this means that there’s an internal column holding the earbuds which you reveal by sliding it out of a protective tube. There’s an O-ring which lets you clip the case to a bag or, according to Skullcandy, trouser belt loop, which also makes it easy to do this sliding action.

It’s an interesting design which Skullcandy has used before, but two extra things beyond the size damn the case. Firstly, the charging port is on the bottom of the internal column so if you slide this column up, the charging port is hidden by the external case – it’s quite a procedure to keep charging while you remove the buds. Secondly, the buds only fit in their respective slots if you insert them at just the right angle, and it’s hard enough to tell which bud goes in which slot, let alone which angle to put them in at (there are a faint ‘L’ and ‘R’ to solve the first problem but it could be made more clear). These are the single most frustrating earbuds I’ve ever tested in terms of returning them to the case after use, and I constantly wasted time trying to rotate the buds to work out how to get them into their gap.

It’s not just me on this latter point: Skullcandy’s listing for the Method ANC has an FAQ question and one query is “How do I put my Method 360 ANC earbuds back in the case?” complete with a surprisingly in-depth 5-point answer. Skullcandy: if earbud users need to go through five steps to put an earbud in the case, perhaps there’s a better way of doing things. I also presented my much-smarter girlfriend with the buds and the case and she too found it akin to solving a Rubix cube.

At least Skullcandy has done something I love in earbuds: offered multiple color options. As well as the standards of black and white there’s bright red, a sandy hue which Skullcandy calls ‘Primer’ and your grandma’s favorite option: leopard print.

Now onto the buds themselves: they seem to work as a medley of the two core types of in-ear buds with large bodies which stay in your ears with a silicon ridge, but they also have a slight, dumpy stem. Whatever color of case you fit, affects the buds too, though in the case of leopard print it’s just on one surface.

The buds weigh 11g so they’re among the heaviest earbuds I’ve tested, but in the grand scheme of things a couple of grams doesn’t make much difference on the ears. And that tells – not once in my testing did the buds fall out of my ears, even though I went on runs with them and took them to the gym. I’m going to point towards their fin as the reason for this, with the material of the tip also making them stay in my ear snug. In the box you get an array of sizes for both too.

Both buds have touch controls, activated if you tap the right spot on the body of the bud (if you look at the picture, it’s just below the slight ridge, around where the LED light is). This worked fine in picking up fingertips but I found it quite hard to reliably tap the correct spot when I wanted to pause music.

The buds both have an IPX4 rating making them protected against splashes of water, which essentially means they’re safe against sweat or a light drizzle of rain but nothing stronger (or wetter).

Design score: 3.5/5

Skullcandy Method 360 review: Features

Good on-bud battery life
ANC is strong, but not competition-beating
Skull-IQ app for extra features

With a case of its size, you’d expect the Skullcandy Method 360 to have a battery life longer than creation. And it’s definitely good, though set your expectations a little lower than ‘forever’.

According to Skullcandy, the bud battery life reaches 11 hours with ANC off or 9 hours with it turned on, with the case providing an extra 23 or 29 respectively. From my testing I’d say Skullcandy’s figures are, if anything, a touch conservative – either way those are respectable figures

You’re offered the two standard noise cancellation modes we often see: standard ANC and ‘Stay-Aware’, both with a slider letting you change intensity mode (before you ask the same question I did: higher intensity affects the strength of ANC, not of background noise allowed through).

Regardless of which option you pick, the ANC is strong and capable, and you’ll struggle to find better at this price point. It’s so effective, however, that Stay-Aware often failed to let through the kinds of loud nearby sounds that these ambient modes are designed to do. In fact I didn’t notice a huge difference between ANC and Stay-Aware most of the time.

You can download the Skull-IQ app on your phone or tablet to get extra features for the earbuds. Some of these are ability to toggle ANC and change what tapping the buds does, but there are a few more.

One of these is nigh-on mandatory at this point: an equalizer. You get several presets here but there’s also a five-band custom option. While that’s not as complex as we normally see in equalizers, I honestly don’t mind, as it’s a lot more simple for the average earbud user to get their head around.

Beyond that we’ve got features for low latency audio (useful for gaming), multipoint pairing to connect to multiple devices at once, the ability to use your earbud as a remote trigger for your smartphone camera and Spotify Tap, which lets you press and hold an earbud to instantly play from a certain Spotify playlist.

A few features I like to see are absent like Find My Earbuds, listening tests or earbud fit tests, but the features you do get work well… unlike the way you control them.

One thing that I’d love to see Skullcandy fix with the app is its reliability. A fair few times I’d boot it up while listening to music only to be told that the earbuds weren’t in use – one time this incorrect message was ironically covered up by my phone system’s own notification telling me the buds’ battery life. I’d have to either refresh the app, or give up on plans to change the EQ or noise cancellation.

On the topic of annoying features: the voice announcer, which tells you when the buds are connected when you put them in as well as when you change ANC modes, is both incredibly low-res and incredibly loud. Calm down please, announcer!

Features score: 4/5

Skullcandy Method 360 review: Sound performance

12mm drivers
Bose tuning pays off
Energetic sound with meaty bass

As I said in the introduction, Bose helped with the tuning of the Skullcandy Method 360 (though possibly not in lending the 12mm drivers, which are actually bigger than the ones we normally see Bose use in its earbuds).

This helping hand shows because the Method 360 are some of the best-sounding earbuds I’ve ever tested for their price. And, more obviously, they faintly resemble the tone of the Bose QuietComfort Buds from last year, in that music sounds rich, meaty and full (which I doubled down on by activating the bass booster EQ repeatedly through testing, though it’s far from necessary).

That’s not to say that the buds are just for bass-heads, as mids were just as energetic and electric as lower-frequency sounds. I found the audio profile perfect for punchy and fast-paced rock music which fits well with the Skullcandy branding. Treble could have been a little more glistening though and, while not audibly falling behind in the mix, it did lack a little zest when other parts of a song were going full-force.

If you like listening to high-velocity music, you’ll be glad to know that the Method 360 gets very loud, and I didn’t even test it at its top volume.

The Skullcandy also has a fairly pronounced sound stage, perhaps not as dramatic as the aforementioned Bose buds, but still great compared to many same-priced rivals. Instruments aren’t just panned left or right but to varying degrees around you, and audio was clear enough that I could hear the sound of fingers on guitar glissando or the type of drumstick a drummer would use.

Here’s where I’d discuss audio codecs or connection types but neither Skullcandy’s website nor the Skull-IQ app make any mention of them, so I’ve got to presume that high-res music isn’t supported.

Sound performance score: 4/5

Skullcandy Method 360 review: Value

The Skullcandy Method 360 are great value for money because in two big ways, they rival alternatives which you'd be spending twice the price on.

Both the sound quality and precision-designed fit feel like features you'd normally have to pay way more for. Yet here you go, finding them at a mid-range price. Good job!

Value score: 4/5

Skullcandy Method 360 review: scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	They hold a candle to some pricier rivals with aplomb.	4/5
Design	Some of the best-designed earbuds you can find, marred by one of the most annoying charging cases out there.	3.5/5
Features	The Method 360 has a range of features, and most of them work pretty well.	4/5
Sound	An energetic sound which stands apart from other similar-priced rivals.	4/5

Skullcandy Method 360: Should I buy?

Buy them if...

Ear fit is important

The Skullcandy fit the bill if you find that other earbuds keep falling out, or you need something reliable for running.

You like fast-paced rocking music

The Method 360's audio balance lends itself well to energetic music that gets the blood pumping (although it's great for other genres too).

You need to listen for long periods of time

It's not a headline feature but the Method 360 battery life is quite a step above average, for the buds at least, making them solid options for long-term listening.

Don't buy them if...

You need a svelte carry case

If you want a carry case you can easily slip in a trouser pocket, the Skullcandy will disappoint.

You want a detailed equalizer

If you like tinkering with the minutiae of your audio, the Skull-IQ 5-band equalizer might not give you enough control over how music sounds.

Also consider

Component	Skullcandy Method 360	Nothing Ear (a)	WF-C710N
Water resistant	IPX4	IP54	IP54
Battery life (ANC off)	11 hours (earbuds), 29 hours (total)	9.5 hours (earbuds), 42.5 hours (total)	12 hours (buds); 30 hours (case)
Bluetooth type	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
Weight	11g (buds) 77g (case)	4.8g (buds) 39.6g (case)	5.2g (buds) 38g (case)
Driver	12mm	11mm	5mm

Nothing Ear (a)

These ever-so-slightly-cheaper alternatives to the Skullcandy have equally powerful bass and a lovely slender carry case. The fit isn't as solid as the Method 360's though, nor is the battery life as good.

Read our full Nothing Ear (a) review

Sony WF-C710N

These newer mid-rangers from Sony cost the exact same as the Skullcandy with a similar feature set too. The design is the main difference.

Read our full Sony WF-C710N review

How I tested

I used the Skullcandy Method 360 for about two weeks before writing this review.

For the most part of the review, the headphones were paired with my Android phone for Spotify streaming as well as the occasional gaming and Netflix. I listened to music at home and in quiet environments, but also took the buds for a spin at the gym and on runs.

I've been reviewing products for TechRadar since the beginning of 2019 and have tested countless headphones amongst other gadgets. I've also used past Skullcandy options not for review purposes, but simply through having bought them myself.

Genki Aegis Shield: review

The Genki Aegis Shield has a pretty sublime namesake. In Ancient Greek mythology, Aegis sometimes refers to the shield of a deity, such as the thunder god, Zeus, or the goddess of wisdom, Athena. It is, then, a word that symbolizes protection of the highest order. And so, in comes the Genki Aegis Shield – a screen protector for the Nintendo Switch 2. Can it really offer divine levels of protection? I tested it to find out.

Out of the box, there was a lot going on. You get two screen protectors, an application frame, screen wipes, a microfiber cloth, and even a squeegee (great word, isn’t it). The application frame is pretty large compared to some others I’ve used, and it wasn’t the firmest around our Switch 2 – but it was still perfectly able to get the job done. There’s a lot of plastic here, with elements like a D-pad frame and play button etched into the application tool.

The application was fairly straightforward overall. The instructions weren’t as comprehensive as I’ve seen on other models, but the steps are accompanied by pictures to support your installation. I simply had to slot the frame onto the Nintendo Switch 2, pull a release tab out, swipe across the protector, and remove the frame.

Person pulling tab attached to the Genki Aegis Shield — (Image credit: Future)

After a bit of squeegee action, I was able to get all of the air bubbles out from under the Aegis Shield, ensuring a clean, well-aligned application.

At some angles, I could see a little bit of inconsistency on the left edge of the screen protector, but otherwise, the end result was fairly discreet. Of course, you may not encounter this minor hiccup, but it’s worth flagging.

Genki Aegis Shield with Mario Kart World on display — (Image credit: Future)

Next came the damage test, and the Aegis Shield nailed it. I tried scraping a key across the protector, applying increasing pressure over time. But even when pressing pretty hard, the key glided across the surface with almost no resistance, and never left a single mark. Genki itself claims to have tested a drill on the screen, so this thing should be able to withstand all kinds of action.

Image 1 of 2

Person attempting to scratch Genki Aegis Shield with a key — Before... (Image credit: Future)

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Genki Aegis Shield after scratch test — ...and after! (Image credit: Future)

One thing that I picked up on is that the Aegis Shield was pretty prone to picking up obvious fingerprint marks – even when I compared it to the DBrand Prism 2.0 screen protector for Switch 2. However, all it takes is a quick wipe with the microfiber cloth, and you can cast those pesky marks away.

Elsewhere, this is a strong performer. When playing Mario Kart World, the protector didn’t inhibit display clarity whatsoever. No parts of the Switch 2’s screen were obscured, foggy, or discolored, which was very pleasing indeed. When picking at the corners of the protector, it also remained comfortable in place, so it’s safe to say that it’s a secure pick.

Fingerprints on the Genki Aegis Shield — (Image credit: Future)

And when you consider this model is only $19.99 / £17 / AU$35, it’s great value for money. It’s considerably cheaper than that DBrand model I referenced, and in the same ballpark as the impressive Belkin TemperedGlass screen protector that we tried out during batch testing.

Yes, the application frame may seem a little overkill. I could see a small inconsistency on one edge of the screen, and you will notice fingerprints fairly easily. But still, you get a clear display and plenty of toughness at a reasonable price. For that alone, this is a model worth checking out.

Genki Aegis Shield review: price & specs

Price	$19.99 / £17 / AU$35
Number of screen protectors	2
Material	Tempered glass
Application type	Drop-in-place frame
Additional items	Microfiber cloth, screen wipes, squeegee

Genki Aegis Shield with Switch 2 console and cleaning tools — (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Genki Aegis Shield?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Ease of application	Instructions could be a touch clearer, but fairly straightforward, tiny inconsistency on the left edge of the screen post-application.	3.5/5
Design	Application tool is quite large, but easy enough to use, fingerprints picked up easily, but cleaning tools work well.	3.5/5
Toughness	Easily withstood key scraping, with no signs of scratching or wear.	5/5
Value	Despite a couple of quirks, you’re getting a tough, low-priced protector.	4.5/5

Buy it if...

You’re looking for reliable protection
After scraping the screen protector with a key, I didn’t see even a spec of damage. And believe me, I pressed pretty hard. Genki itself claims to have put the Aegis Shield through a drill test, so I think it’s safe to say you won’t have to worry all too much about scratches.

You’re on a budget
At just $19.99 / £17 / AU$35, the Aegis Shield is a great budget-friendly option. You get two screen protectors in the box and all the cleaning tools you could possibly need, so this model offers plenty of bang for your buck.

Don't buy it if...

You want the most seamless application possible
During testing, the application frame was a little larger and clunkier than some other models I’ve used. Meanwhile, the instructions are fairly easy to follow, but not the most detailed. So, if you want the most seamless application possible, the Aegis Shield may not quite hit the spot.

You’re looking for something fingerprint-proof
This screen protector picked up fingerprints a little easier than the DBrand Prism 2.0, for example, which may frustrate some. Having said that, there is a microfiber cloth included in the box if you ever need to give the surface a quick clean.

Genki Aegis Shield review: also consider

Belkin TemperedGlass Screen Protector for Nintendo Switch 2
During batch testing, we were really impressed with the Belkin TemperedGlass screen protector. There’s no chunky plastic mechanism, just a basic frame. On top of that, the instructions are easy to follow, the application feels smooth, and the end result looks great. It's even cheaper than the Aegis Shield too – what’s not to like?

How I tested the Genki Aegis Shield

Person holding application frame on the Genki Aegis Shield — (Image credit: Future)

Applied the screen protector using the written instructions
Tested its effect on display, fingerprint resistance, and how easy it is to damage
Tested by a lifelong gamer

For the Genki Aegis Shield, I used TechRadar's standardized process for testing Nintendo Switch 2 screen protectors. First off, we apply the screen protector using the included instructions. Then, we test the protector's impact on the console's display by assessing aspects like brightness and viewing angles.

After this, we test how the surface copes against fingerprints, before scratching the model with a set of keys and attempting to peel at the edges. Ultimately, all of this helps us to judge ease of application, durability, and general build quality.

But let's talk about my experience. I've tested more than a hundred products at TechRadar – everything from gaming accessories, such as the Hori Piranha Plant Camera for Nintendo Switch 2, through to other screen protectors, like the DBrand Prism 2.0.

On top of that, I'm a lifelong gamer with a massive love for Nintendo. I own a Switch 2 personally, and have reviewed a number of games for the platform, including Drag x Drive and Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army.

First reviewed: September 2025
Read more about how we test

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 10 Aura Edition review: I tested this convertible business laptop and the pros far outweigh the cons

9:47 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Tags: CPU, GPU, RAM | Comments: Off

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 10 Aura Edition is a convertible two-in-one laptop well-suited to both business and creative tasks.

It’s a highly portable machine, measuring 0.31 in - 0.64 in x 12.31 in x 8.57in and with a starting weight of 2.97lb (1.35kg). As I’d expect from a true ThinkPad - even a 2-in-1 model - it’s robustly built and ideal for home and office working.

As an Aura Edition laptop, it’s an AI PC running on an Intel Core Ultra chip which, according to Lenovo “accelerates your AI experience” without being a drag on the battery. Whether that’s a plus or a minus in your book will vary. In my experience it was…fine. But I’m not the world’s biggest AI user anyway.

But as a self-confessed ThinkPad fan, I was excited to check out the overall feel and performance.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 10 Aura Edition: Price & availability

Prices for the laptop start from $1892 / £1820 (currently discounted from £2250 at time of review).

At that price, the US version of the machine comes loaded with Windows 11 Home running on the Intel Core Ultra 5 226V, 16GB RAM, and 512GB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 SSD.

In the UK, the base model runs W11 Home on the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V chip, 32GB RAM, and 512GB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen5 SSD.

You can also spec-up the machine with up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 268V vPro processor, 2TB SSD, and Windows 11 Pro operating system.

Either way, the base model 14in IPS touchscreen display panel has a resolution of 1920 x 1200, with Anti-Glare. It hits 100% sRGB, has a brightness of 500 nits, and a 60Hz refresh rate.

There are two other screen options, too - either the business-oriented display with its ePrivacy filter, which is otherwise identical to the base model. Or the more complex 2.8K OLED Low Blue Light display with HDR 500 True Black with 100% DCI-P3, 500 nits, VRR 30-120Hz, making it the better pick for creators.

The ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 10 Aura Edition is available from Lenovo US and Lenovo UK, as well as online retailers.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 10 Aura Edition: Design & features

Specs

As reviewed:

CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
RAM: 32GB
GPU: Integrated Intel Arc 140V GPU (16GB)
Storage: 1TB
Display: 14in OLED
Brightness: 500 nits
Refresh rate: 30-120Hz
Color gamut: 100% DCI-P3
Ports & connectivity: 2x USB-A, 2x USB-C Thunderbolt 4, 1x Nano SIM, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x audio jack, 1x Kensington Nano Security slot, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 7
Operating system: Windows 11 Pro

The look and feel of the X1 2-in-1 is distinctly ThinkPad - I found it robust in hand thanks to its aluminum chassis, which boasts MIL-STD-810H construction. Not exactly a true rugged laptop, then, but durable enough for the most hardened commuters. Besides the silvery accents, the main body is a stylish space grey that I thought looked professional without being boring.

The 14in screen has a thin bezel that sits behind the glass, with an elevated notch where the camera sits. The camera itself is 5MP, comes complete with physical privacy shutter, and supports Windows Hello for a passwordless sign-in.

Along the right-hand side is a USB-A and two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a Nano SIM slot. To the left, there’s another USB-A port, as well as HDMI 2.1 port, audio jack, a Kensington Nano Security slot, and a discrete power button that sits flush with the frame. In a world where laptop makers are gradually stripping back connectivity, I find this array generous enough, and I didn’t feel the immediate need to hook up a laptop docking station. Another bonus here is the support for Wi-Fi 7, perfect for future-proofing connectivity.

Now, I’m a big champion of ThinkPad laptops (I use the T14s on a daily basis, but I’ve been a fan since I first got my trusty old T431s). In my experience, they easily offer the best typing experience compared to other laptop brands. Alright, the new Lenovo models may lack the key travel of the older IBM ThinkPads (1.5mm vs 1.8mm), but even still, they’re a joy to use.

In this regard, I was a little wary of trying out X1 2-in-1 Gen 10, as some older X1 laptops had previously used a keyboard with a stubby 1.35mm travel depth. Lenovo has, thankfully, done away with that - here, you get the same 1.5mm backlit board you’ll find on the T-series ThinkPads. As such, using this for long writing sessions is a total breeze.

However, I spotted a few differences here compared to your more traditional business laptops. Of course, there’s the iconic red Trackpoint, but there’s also a fingerprint scanner for signing in without a password and beside it, a dedicated Microsoft Copilot button - clicking this unlocks the AI assistant, while granting easy access to all the usual Office apps.

Interestingly, Lenovo has switched the Fn and Ctrl keys around here, bringing it in line with most keyboards. Older ThinkPads place the Fn key to the left, rather than the right, and I have to change this using the Lenovo Vantage app.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 10 Aura Edition: Display

My review model featured an OLED screen at 2880 x 1800 resolution with 60-120Hz refresh rate. Colors are vivid and bright, near-perfect in reproduction due to the 100% DCI-P3 gamut. For those looking for a general laptop for photo editing as well as productivity tasks, this is a pretty safe bet, I found.

The laptop operates in four ways - laptop, tablet, tent, and presentation mode, and all four work very well. I experienced no issues here at all, with the screen orientation changing swiftly and without lag when I switched from one configuration to the next. The movement feels sturdy and smooth, and pleasingly there’s no additional play to the 360-degree hinges.

What I didn’t like, however, was how reflective the screen was. Turn off the laptop and it’s like staring into a black mirror. That might not be a deal-breaker for some, but it certainly gave me pause and if you’re going to be using this outside or in direct sunlight, you’ll want to crank up the brightness to mitigate it as much as possible.

As a touchscreen device, this unit also included a stylus, which magnetically clamps to the right side of the screen. Using this in tablet mode was a total joy. Input was instant and the whole experience felt smooth.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 10 Aura Edition: Performance

I experienced no issues when using the laptop - running Microsoft’s Office suite, browsing the internet, opening many, many, many, many tabs in Chrome, at this level, nothing seemed to slow down this machine.

Under heavier workloads, there is a tendency for the X1 to run a little warm, and there, I did experience some minor slowing. But even, the impact felt negligible and it’s unlikely to prove an issue for professionals using this for general business tasks.

For a convertible business laptop, then, I found it well-specced and impressively powerful enough for day-to-day operations. Ok, it won’t deliver the same performance you’ll find from a mobile workstation or gaming laptop, but that’s not what it’s been designed for.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 10 Aura Edition: Battery life

One of the stand-out areas with the X1 2-in-1 Gen 10 Aura Edition is the battery life. The machine is rocking a 57Whr battery, which is hardly massive, but acceptable. Don’t let that fool you, though, because battery life is surprisingly spectacular.

The device itself is rated for up to 20.2 hours when benchmarked using MobileMark 25, according to Lenovo. But this assumes minimal use. Streaming video playback should net up to 16.3 hours. For those using this laptop on the go, it’s positively perfect.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 10 Aura Edition: Final verdict

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Overall, I enjoyed my time with the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 10 Aura Edition - whether I was using it as a tablet or laptop.

It’s more than capable of handling the usual suite of business apps and software, and here, the laptop performs brilliantly. Everything feels smooth, responsive, and efficient, making it a good pick for those who prize productivity above all else.

True, it’s not the most powerful around, it’s expensive for what it is, and I’m still not a fan of the glossy screen, but all told, there’s little else to complain about.

Couple that durable design with a good port selection, excellent battery life, and a neat, multi-use design, and you have one of the best 2-in-1 laptops for professionals around.

Should I buy the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 10 Aura Edition?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Design	Convertible, durable, and distinctly ThinkPad in style	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Performance	Perfect for office duties as well as lighter weight creative tasks	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price	A steeper cost than I'd like, but par for the course with a business laptop	⭐⭐⭐⭐

Buy it if…

You want a business 2-in-1: As a convertible laptop, this works superbly well in all its configurations. I especially like the smooth efficiency when using it as a tablet alongside the Yoga Pen stylus.

Battery life is a concern: I found the longevity of the battery to be superb here, and if you’re working on the go or away from a mains outlet, it’s perfect.

Don’t buy it if…

You need absolute power: Yes, it’s a powerful little machine, but with these specs, it can’t measure up to the performance of the ThinkPad P-series. This is, after all, a business laptop first and foremost.

You’re on a budget: Arguably the biggest issue with this device is the cost - it’s a pricey number, as business machines tend to be.

For more productivity performance, we tested the best business computers and the best business tablets.

If you thought belt-driven racing wheels were dead, the Thrustmaster T248R would like a word

3:00 am |

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

Thrustmaster T248R: One-minute review

It’s not a new racing wheel you’re looking at here, but instead a revamped and thoughtfully tweaked 2025 edition of the existing Thrustmaster T248. The youthful maverick that is the T248R features many small but noticeable improvements, including a visual facelift, upgraded gear shift paddles, and a sharper digital display that offers genuinely useful readouts.

As for the tech powering your driving sensation, that’s a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s a downside that the T.HD wheelbase is built on a hybrid of gear and belt-driven feedback, which can’t compete with direct drive for smooth, fast, precise feedback.

And with the price of direct drive bundles tumbling down lately into price points not that much more than the price of this bundle, that’s definitely a major consideration for anyone hovering over the ‘add to cart’ button.

The Thrustmaster T248R set up. — (Image credit: Future)

On the other hand, nobody does belt-driven feedback quite like Thrustmaster, so the driving sensation you actually get out of this wheel in your hands isn’t anything as old-fashioned as you might imagine.

It’s plenty powerful for the entry-level sim racer it’s designed for, outputting a peak 3.1Nm of torque, and there’s some subtlety to the feedback too, which doesn’t produce a detrimental amount of cogging (that grindy, stuttering feeling associated with older belt-driven feedback).

Down at your feet, the pedal base is everything you could ask for at this price. It stays where you put it, even on a carpeted floor; the three pedals are well-spaced apart from each other, and the brake has a satisfying amount of stamping force thanks to its stiff load cell.

It’s a wheel to be recommended, ultimately, but it’s a qualified recommendation. If the cheapest direct drive wheels like the Nacon Revosim or the Thrustmaster T598 are out of budget, or you simply don’t race enough to justify the extra outlay for the improved sensation, this bundle makes a lot of sense.

That’s even factoring in the great Logitech G923, a true titan of non-direct drive wheels at the sub-$300 mark. Logi’s wheel offers slightly better build quality, and its TrueForce feedback offers impressive detail, but those are marginal gains over this dependable and well-priced T248R.

Thrustmaster T248R: Price and availability

List price: $349.99 / £249.99 (around AU$512)
Priced cheaper than outbound T248 and Logitech’s G923
It may be old tech, but it still offers great bang for buck

Price is a vital bit of context here. It’s true that direct drive (DD) is becoming much more affordable, with bundles like Nacon’s Revosim and the fantastic T598 from Thrustmaster’s own stable bringing high-quality DD sensation to the masses at a price point below $500. But this T248R’s pricing is so far below that $500 threshold that a belt and gear-driven bundle is still a worthwhile consideration.

That does mean the looks and finish quality do feature some obvious compromises compared to the G923. But with a crystal-clear digital display, nice tactile buttons, quiet shifters, and a high-quality set of pedals, there’s real value here. The build quality and driving experience are more than enough for casual racers and even more committed enthusiasts on a budget.

Thrustmaster T248R: Specs

Weight	12.6lb / 5.7kg
Peak torque	3.1Nm
Features	Digital display, load cell brake pedal, magnetic shifters, cushioned pleather wheel finish
Connection type	USB-A
Compatibility	PC, PS4, PS5
Software	My Thrustmaster

Thrustmaster T248R: Design and features

Well built, if a little plasticky
Pleather wheel feels great
Useful display

Thrustmaster has been making the T248 in its various iterations for long enough to know that its audience isn’t likely to be attaching it to a sim rig, so it’s sensibly built both the wheel and pedals to be used comfortably at a desktop. The pedal base is heavy and grippy, which is absolutely crucial for an enjoyable drive.

The last thing you want when you’re stamping on a load cell brake at 180mph in Assetto Corsa Competizione is to feel the whole base shift position or rotate, and happily, there’s next to none of that with this bundle, despite a relatively stiff load cell on the brake. The aluminium contact points on the pedals are a nice touch at this price, too.

Working our way up, the wheelbase and wheel itself show a few more concessions to the affordable price point. Primarily, all the plastic. Although it’s a definite upgrade versus the outgoing T248 (which will still be on sale in Xbox config, as this new T248R supports PC, PS4, and PS5 only, so is targeting the best PS5 racing wheel market), there is still a lot of quite light, flimsy plastic used on the face, inner wheel, and hub.

Thrustmaster’s done its best to disguise some of this with a carbon fiber-style weave effect, but realistically, it’s fooling no one. Personally, for this price, I can live with it, but it’s worth noting that the slightly pricier G923 does look and feel more substantial and somehow, well, more pro.

Buttons are laid out sensibly around the centre, and at the top there’s a digital display with a sharper resolution now, which can give you some really useful readouts and telemetry – a definite perk for the price.

The biggest weakness in the T248’s overall design comes in the desktop clamp. There’s no major issue here - it does its job in keeping the wheel fixed in position on your desk, but now with the same rigidity or assuredness as the G923, whose two tightening screws at either side of the wheelbase lock it tightly in position. Here, there’s just one central screw, and while it does keep out of the way of your legs, it’s not as secure a contact point as Logitech’s.

Thrustmaster T248R: Performance

Plenty of power
A pleasing sensation considering the older tech
Buttons, shifters, and pedals all feel great while driving

How does it feel to drive a lap with this updated model?

Well, firstly, it’s pretty straightforward to get onto the track in the first place, since most games recognise this as either the older T248 or the TGT wheel. That means you’ve got default assignments for inputs across the wheel, and pretty good axis and force feedback values from the off. Every title I tried with this new model was recognised enough that all my mappings were done for me, and I didn’t need to calibrate the wheel axis by axis.

On the track, Thrustmaster’s unique hybrid of belt and gear-driven force feedback shows its merits. It does feel very different to direct drive – it’s nowhere near as smooth to rotate the wheel, for starters. But it’s also not coggy or rough in the way that older traditional belt-driven models (remember the MOMO Force?) used to be.

Instead, you’ve got a happy medium between smooth wheel actuation and rumbly feedback that feels about right for the price point. Does it offer the same variety of feedback types as Logitech’s TrueForce-enabled G29? It does not.

The Logi wheel conveys tarmac rumble a little better and gives a more convincing sense of weight to the vehicle you’re driving, but that doesn't really have a meaningful effect on lap times.

I noticed how well built the input buttons feel as I was driving, too. It’s common for the face buttons – translated from a traditional console controller and arranged around the wheel – to feel loose and flimsy on a lower-end wheel, but here they feel higher quality. You’re always sure that a button input was registered properly.

It’s a small tweak, but the magnetic paddle shifters have been lavished with some redesign attention to produce a smoother, quieter shift. I’d say more than that, it just feels nicer than it did to change gears on the older T248.

Speaking of, previously the digital display was monochrome and had a limited viewing angle, but it’s much sharper now and thus much more useful. You don’t have a dynamic rev counter, but you do have an RPM light that lets you know when it’s time to upshift. While on the main display, you might have your current lap deltas.

I’m a particular fan of the pedals, and they contribute a lot to the quality of the driving experience in this bundle. It’s great to have a load cell brake that can be adjusted for stiffness by swapping elastomers and springs in, and equally great to feel so planted when you exert a pedal input.

Should I buy the Thrustmaster T248R?

Buy it if…

You’re a desktop racer
This bundle is designed to be enjoyed at a desktop rather than fitted to a sim rig, so if that’s your intended use, you’ll enjoy the planted pedals and functional desk clamp

The G923 is out of budget
Logitech’s standard-setting belt-driven wheel offers slightly better feedback, but it’s also pricier. If you can live with that tradeoff, this is a great value alternative.

You race for fun
Seriously competitive racers will look for every advantage that technology can offer, starting with direct drive feedback. If you’re more about the experience than the lap times, though, going with this more modest bundle makes sense.

Don’t buy it if…

You’re looking for the newest tech available
Direct drive is becoming increasingly mainstream, not to mention affordable. This bundle doesn’t offer it. Worth keeping in mind.

You race on Xbox
This revamped ‘R’ version of the T248 supports PC, PS4, and PS5 only, with the older T248 continuing to support Xbox racers.

You’ve got sim racing aspirations
Long-term, if you’re dreaming of competing against the best in serious sim racing titles, racing with this older tech could hamper your competitiveness

Also consider

If the Thrustmaster T248R doesn’t hit your apex, try these similarly priced rivals.

	Thrustmaster T248R	Logitech G923	Hori Apex
Price	$349.99 / £249.99 (around AU$512)	$299.99 / £299.99	$119.99 / £99.99
Weight	12.6lb / 5.7kg	4.96lbs / 2.3kg	3.09lbs / 1.4kg
Peak torque	3.1Nm	2.2Nm	N/A
Features	Digital display, load cell brake pedal, magnetic shifters, cushioned pleather wheel finish	TrueForce feedback, dial controls, rev display	Textured wheel grip, simple setup
Connection type	USB-A	USB-A	USB-A
Compatibility	PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5	PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC, or Xbox Series X/S, PC	PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC

Logitech G923
Five years since release, Logi’s mid-priced, belt-driven force feedback wheel is still the gold standard at this price range. It doesn’t have as much peak torque as the T248R, but its TrueForce feedback implementation offers more subtlety and immersion.

For more information, read our full Logitech G923 review

Hori Apex
Want to take the price-saving to the extreme? For considerably less than the T248R, Hori’s no-frills Apex wheel will do the job. No force feedback though, and just two – rather flimsy – pedals.

For more information, read our full Hori Apex review

How I tested the Thrustmaster T248R

Tested in F1 24, F1 25, Rennsport, ACC, and AC Evo
Two weeks with a desktop
A variety of FF strength settings tried

I loaded up my usual racing titles to test this updated T248R wheel, since I’m already familiar with how they feel with a variety of both belt-driven and direct drive wheels.

Happily, every title recognised the wheel to some degree and offered sensible default mappings and values.

There’s a range of different force feedback strength levels available here via Thrustmaster’s ‘BOOST’ tech, although in practice, that’s no different from adjusting the strength of any other wheel via the in-game settings or manufacturer app. Nevertheless, I adjusted to different strengths during testing.

Finally, and importantly, all testing was conducted at a desktop setup, since this bundle can’t easily be mounted onto a sim rig like my Playseat.

Thrustmaster T98: One-minute review

The Thrustmaster T98 is about as budget as a budget racing wheel and pedals can get, but that’s by design. This entry-level bundle includes everything a young racer needs to get started with a wheel, pedals, and mounting clamp, but does away with plenty of standard features in order to keep costs down.

Feeling more like a racing toy than a piece of sim racing gear, the T98 is made entirely of plastic but still carries an impressive overall build quality. The wheel itself has all the usual buttons and inputs, but the attached wheelbase offers no force feedback or even simple vibration. Instead, the T98’s wheel has a light, linear resistance from what Thrustmaster calls ‘bungee cord technology’ and will always spin back to centre when let go

The pedals are equally simple, just an accelerator and brake with a short travel distance and no real pushback. Remarkably, though, Thrustmaster has managed to include Hall effect sensors here, which almost feels out of place with the rest of the unit but is certainly a welcome addition.

I’ve hit the track in a few different games, and while racing with the Thrustmaster T98 is more fun than with the stock Xbox Wireless Controller, it’s a very superficial experience. The wheel feels floaty and disconnected from your digital car, making it surprisingly hard to achieve any real control, even with three sensitivity profiles to choose from.

It may be targeted at kids and the entry-level market, and I can see such an audience initially enjoying it, but I’d imagine most will quickly outgrow the T98 and soon be wanting a wheel that offers a little more.

The Thrustmaster T248R in use. — (Image credit: Future)

Thrustmaster T98: Price and availability

List price: $109.99 / £89.99 / AU$199.99
Available direct from Thrustmaster
Great value for money for an entry level wheel

You’re not going to find many full racing bundles much cheaper than the Thrustmaster T98, and that’s worthy of applause in itself.

It’s a refreshing change to see a genuine, modern, entry-level option around that $100 mark. Perhaps more importantly, it’s nice to see brands starting to fill in options at both ends of the market. Beyond the similarly priced Hori Racing Wheel Apex for PlayStation, the numbers quickly increase until you reach the genre staple Logitech G923 racing wheel.

What’s particularly pleasing is that the T98 is a complete set; there are no asterisks or sold separately disclaimers here. There’s even a desk clamp included, too; one box really is all you need to go from nothing to racing.

This makes shopping easy for parents, just make sure you get the right version, as there are separate Xbox and PlayStation variants with just a single letter differentiating the model names - GTS for Xbox and GTB for PlayStation.

Thrustmaster T98: Specs

Dimensions	10 x 9.6 x 9.8in / 255 x 245 x 250 mm
Weight	2.9 lbs / 1.3kg
Rotation	240 degrees
Force Feedback	No
Platform Compatibility	Xbox/PC or PlayStation/PC
Box Contents	T98 Ferrari 296, clamping system, T2PM pedal set, instruction manual, and warranty information

Thrustmaster T98: Design and features

Complete set with wheel, pedals, and table clamp
Three on-board driving profiles
H.E.A.R.T. Hall effect sensors in pedals

At this price point, it’s really no surprise that every part of the Thrustmaster T98 bundle is entirely made of plastic. Usually, I’d be critical of this; it’s not exactly the most premium material, but this isn’t a premium bit of kit, so it’s understandable. As far as plastic goes, it’s not bad, though.

Pulling it out of the box, I was immediately struck by just how solid the wheel and wheelbase both feel. There’s no flex or creakiness to either of them; they feel reassuringly sturdy. Thrustmaster’s experience in the genre really shows here, even if this is the closest thing to a toy it’s ever made.

The Thrustmaster T98’s 10” wheel is inspired by the one you’ll find in the Ferrari 296 GTS, and it’s not a bad recreation. The overall shape is sporty, and it’s comfortable enough to hold. There’s a little grip texturing embossed into the plastic on either side, which is a welcome addition, and a few faux carbon fibre accents to break things up.

The standard range of controller buttons is neatly spread across the face of the wheel, with a pair of clicky paddle shifters behind. I could easily reach all of them without adjusting my grip on the wheel, and it’s something I not only appreciated but have regularly not been able to do with more expensive options.

Admittedly, I have reasonably large hands, but they all felt close enough that I imagine smaller users would be able to reach them just as easily.

The Thrustmaster T98’s wheelbase is simple but stylish enough. It’s a compact little unit that takes its design cues from more ‘grown-up’ options, albeit with considerably less going on inside. The included desk clamp took a little fiddling to correctly line up, but eventually held things firmly in place.

With no force feedback and no vibration or rumble motor, it’s left to essentially a rubber band to impose any sort of resistance. It’s not uncommon for wheels to forego force feedback. Logitech’s Heavy Equipment Bundle will set you back nearly three times as much and offers the same experience, but that doesn’t make me miss it any less.

The pedals are the most basic part of the Thrustmaster T98 bundle, though funnily enough feature the most advanced technology. Both the accelerator and brake feel similar underfoot without much travel distance and an equally small amount of resistance. These are definitely designed with junior racers in mind. If you’re pressing it, you might as well floor it; there’s no real in-between.

That makes the inclusion of Thrustmaster’s H.E.A.R.T. Hall effect sensors in each pedal a little unusual. I’m not complaining, it’s great to see this kind of technology in a budget device, I’m just not sure anyone is going to see the benefit beyond some extra lifespan and no chance of stick - I mean, pedal - drift.

Speaking of which, there’s a good chance you’ll find the whole unit drifting across your floor because while there’s a generously sized heel plate with some texturing on top, the bottom of the pedal box is pretty slick.

There’s no spikey carpet gripper bar to keep things still, and while there are four tiny rubber pads, these didn’t achieve a lot when I tested on my laminate floor.

Thrustmaster T98: Performance

Impressive plug-and-play game compatibility
No force feedback or rumble
Bungee cord resistance has quirks and a learning curve

"It's not aimed at sim racers, it's aimed at kids, for first-time steering wheel users”. That’s what Thrustmaster product marketing manager Xavier Pieuchot told us when we got our first look at the T98 at Gamescom in August.

Well, I’m none of those things. I do quite a lot of sim racing, and my usual setup is worth north of $2,000. I know what the top end of the market is like, so I channeled my inner child when I played with the Thrustmaster T98.

Setup was a breeze, and actually an area the T98 performed better than a vast majority of considerably more expensive wheels I’ve tested in recent times.

I plugged in the single, pre-attached cable from the pedals to the wheelbase, and then the USB-C cable from the wheelbase to my Xbox Series X. That’s it. Done. Ready to race. The list of officially compatible games on the Thrustmaster website is surprisingly modest, but pretend-8-year-old Alex doesn’t read product listings, so my first stop was a game not on the list, Forza Motorsport.

Who needs compatibility lists anyway? The Thrustmaster T98 worked perfectly from the moment the game launched. Every button was pre-bound to what I’d have expected it to be, including the pedals, and without even considering an options menu, I was straight out on track and racing.

I can’t overstate how refreshing this was and how many times this hasn’t been the case with ‘premium’ options. It was the same story in almost any other game I tried; Forza Horizon 5, EA Sports WRC, Farming Simulator 25, and even older titles like Wreckfest, everything was fully button-mapped, and the wheel and pedals worked exactly how I’d hoped they would.

The Thrustmaster T98 in use. — (Image credit: Future)

Unfortunately, the actual experience behind the wheel wasn’t quite as positive for either my experienced sim racing side or my childhood alter ego. I can overlook the lack of force feedback; that’s a nice-to-have feature, albeit a basic one, and I remind myself this is a $110 wheel after all. The problem is that while the Thrustmaster T98 was more of a giggle to play with than a controller, even the adult me found the learning curve and overall difficulty much harder than it should have been.

Thrustmaster calls the bungee resistance linear, though I experienced quite a wide physical deadzone before the cord grabbed. For hard corners and aggressive moves, this wasn’t a problem. The 240° max rotation can be a little limiting on some tracks, but I still had a good amount of fun. Across titles, though, it was the gentle, sweeping turns, small adjustments, and overtaking manoeuvres that proved surprisingly difficult.

I’d constantly need to turn the wheel further than I’d like to get the car to respond, and then quickly correct it back the other way when it inevitably went too far. More often than not, this caused me to lose control completely and end up against a wall, even down straights. It was a frustrating experience for me as a 33-year-old; I can’t imagine how much patience a 10-year-old might have before giving up and labelling it dumb and annoying.

There are three ‘driving support profiles’ built into the Thrustmaster T98 that adjust the sensitivity of the wheel. I did notice a clear difference between each setting, and it’s a nice idea to be able to dial down the sensitivity and, in theory, make things easier, though none of them managed to overcome the problem I mentioned before.

It’s also worth noting that these don’t change any physical characteristics of the wheel's behavior, just how your movements are translated into the game.

Should I buy the Thrustmaster T98?

Buy it if…

You’re playing a lot of racing games with a controller
It’s light on realism and not without its quirks, but once I’d gotten used to it, I found racing with the Thrustmaster T98 more fun than if I was just sitting there motionless with a controller.

This is the absolute maximum you can spend
This is about the cheapest racing wheel you’ll find from a major brand, particularly one with the expertise of Thrustmaster. If you can hold off a little longer, there are more features to be gained by spending a bit more.

Don’t buy it if…

You’ve used a racing wheel before
If you’ve been to a friend's house and tried a wheel for the first time, even a lower-end option like the Logitech G923, the Thrustmaster T98 is not going to give you the same kind of experience, and you’ll be left disappointed.

You’re looking for a realistic experience
No force feedback, no rumble, and (semi) linear bungee cord resistance make no effort to deliver an immersive or realistic driving feel. This is an arcade toy rather than a simulator.

Also consider

Not sure if the Thrustmaster T98 is your best option? There are plenty of other sim racing wheels available, though not too many at quite such a low price point.

	Thrustmaster T98	Hori Racing Wheel Apex	Logitech G920
Price	$109.99 / £89.99	$119.99 / £99.99	$299.99 / £349.99
Dimensions	10 x 9.6 x 9.8in / 255 x 245 x 250 mm	11 x 10.8 x 11.3in / 280 x 275 x 286mm	10.6 x 10.2 x 10.9in / 270 x 260 x 278mm
Weight	2.9lbs / 1.3kg	3.09lbs / 1.4kg	4.96lbs / 2.25kg
Rotation	240 degrees	270 degrees	900 degrees
Force Feedback	No	No	Dual-motor

Hori Racing Wheel Apex
The Hori Racing Wheel Apex offers a similar overall package to the T98. It’s equally basic with no force feedback, though you do gain a companion app to fine-tune driving profiles.

For more information, check out our full Hori Racing Wheel Apex review.

Logitech G920
This has arguably been the entry-level racing wheel for years. The Logitech G920 is a considerable step up from the barebones T98, moving from toy racing wheel to sim racing wheel. It’ll set you back just over twice as much, but this is reflected in the experience with full force feedback and higher build quality.

For more information, check out our full Logitech G920 review.

How I tested the Thrustmaster T98

I used the T98 on my Xbox Series X for a few days
Tested across a range of titles
Approached as a complete beginner

I swapped out some of the best Xbox racing wheels and used the Thrustmaster T98 as my primary racing wheel on Xbox Series X for a week. At this time, I reset my expectations, approaching this as a complete novice and casting my mind back to how I’d have felt about this as a child.

I tried a range of different games, including options both on and absent from the official compatibility list.

I jumped into each title blind, avoiding any configuration or settings menus. I aimed for the most plug-and-play experience possible, seeing how the T98 felt in each game out of the box. The only change I made was testing the three on-board driving profiles in each game, often switching multiple times during a single lap to feel the impact this had.

Throughout testing, I had the Thrustmaster T98 clamped to a coffee table with the pedals resting on the floor. Primarily, this was carpeted, though I also moved my setup into the hallway to test movement and feel on a hard, laminate floor.

Keeping it real

Cole Palmer in EA Sports FC 26 (Image credit: EA Sports)

If you pressed EA to tell you this year’s single biggest FC upgrade, it would probably say “the overhauled gameplay experience powered by feedback from the FC Community.” That sounds like marketing mumbo jumbo, but FC 26 genuinely does play better than FC 25 for a number of reasons.

There are fewer bounce-backs this year (read: matches feel less like a game of pinball), dribbling is more responsive, it’s easier to change direction, goalkeepers no longer parry the ball straight into your opponent’s lap (or rather, they do so less frequently), and, mercifully, headers are now scorable again.

These were the five most tangible gameplay improvements I noticed during my short time with FC 26 ahead of launch, though EA also says that tackles are cleaner, interceptions are more controlled, passes are quicker, and skills are easier to perform.

Screenshot from EA Sports FC 26 — Some of the best players in EA Sports FC 26 (Image credit: EA Sports)

Players with high dribbling stats definitely feel more powerful in FC 26. The likes of Lamine Yamal, Cole Palmer, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are now just as fun to play with as they are to watch in real life, and while pace freaks like Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior will undoubtedly remain the weapon of choice for FUT loyalists, it’s nice that more of the world’s best players feel genuinely threatening in-game. There’s a new Gamechanger PlayStyle for flair finishers like Yamal, too, which feels like a cheat code when paired with existing dribble-focused PlayStyles like Technical+.

EA has also rolled a bundle of realism-focused tweaks into an entirely new gameplay preset called Authentic Gameplay. An optional mode in Kick-Off and Career Mode, Authentic is tuned for higher realism and true-to-life match speed; dribbling is slower, tackles are more violent, AI defenders are smarter, and rebounds, blocks, and bounces are more unpredictable. In other words, Authentic is a slower, harder, but (in my experience) more rewarding gameplay experience than Competitive, which is the faster-paced gameplay preset locked to online modes like FUT and Clubs.

Screenshots from EA Sports FC 26 — Just look – look! – at Marc Cucurella's in-game hair in EA Sports FC 26 (Image credit: EA Sports / Future)

In Authentic, it’s much easier to keep hold of possession for long spells, and much harder to slip players in behind using L1. It’s also nigh-on impossible to burst away from defenders with pacey players, which – as in real life – encourages you to aim for space (I do expect EA to tweak the latter aspect in the coming weeks, though, as Mbappé should be able to leave Francesco Acerbi for dead, regardless of the game mode).

It’s true that previous FC games (and indeed previous FIFA games) featured a Simulation preset that, in theory, imposed similar realism-focused gameplay changes. But toggling this option always felt like spiking your players with horse tranquilizer. Yes, in FC 26, Authentic Gameplay feels slower than its Competitive counterpart, but it doesn’t throw the whole FC experience out of kilter. I like it a lot.

Board Expectations 2.0

Career Mode is the perfect place to give Authentic Gameplay a spin, and EA has sprinkled some great new features into its decades-old take on Football Manager.

The headline addition is Manager Live, which evolves last year’s Live Start Points mechanic into a series of full-blown, inspired-by-real-life challenges. Manager Live is essentially Manager Career, but you commit to fulfilling certain objectives or storylines in a given number of seasons. The catch? Each challenge imposes a unique set of feature restrictions and operating conditions, meaning it’s harder to cheese your way to victory by buying the best players or never rotating your squad.

For instance, one Manager Live challenge – Winning With Youth – tasks you with finishing at least eighth in any European league while only playing players under the age of 24 and not signing any players under the age of 21. Another – European Royalty – challenges you to win the UEFA Super Cup twice in three years with increased referee strictness and no ability to restart matches. These feats are harder to complete than they sound, and they force you to think more like a real-life manager under similar real-life pressures.

By completing Manager Live challenges, you can earn classic kits and, for the first time, the ability to play with Icon and Hero players in regular Manager Career. I haven’t yet had enough time with FC 26 to complete one of these multi-season challenges, but luckily, my Ultimate Edition version of the game included three Career-ready Icons straight out of the box (you best believe Fernando Torres went straight into my 2025 Chelsea side).

Other neat updates for regular Career Mode include Manager Market and Unexpected Events. The former gives managers their own Manager Profile and Job Security rating, and you can track which coaches are untouchable, under pressure, or seeking new opportunities throughout the season in a dedicated Manager Market menu. Previously, you’d have to hope and pray that your next role of choice would appear in the hard-to-find Vacancies tab, but now, you can track your dream managerial job and react accordingly.

Unexpected Events are exactly what they sound like: random scenarios (positive or negative) that test your adaptability as a manager. Events like Abrupt Retirement, Urgent Family Leave, and Budget Malfunction bring new dynamism to long seasons, where previously, you’d only have the odd player injury or contract negotiation to contend with. Again, this is another small-but-welcome change.

No more rage quits?

The new Live Events interface in EA Sports FC 26 — Live Events are a new addition to Ultimate Team in EA Sports FC 26 (Image credit: EA Sports)

For FUT fans, those aforementioned gameplay tweaks will prove the most meaningful change (the improvements made to goalkeeper parries, in particular, should reduce the number of rage quits considerably). But EA has also reintroduced Tournaments under a new Live Events banner in FC 26, while Gauntlets force you to rotate your FUT squad in every round, encouraging you to build two competition-ready XIs. During my pre-launch testing, I only had one live Live Event available – the Early Access Elimination tournament – but three more were listed as ‘upcoming’ post-launch.

Other changes include the removal of Rivals qualifiers, the addition of a second tier of Weekend League, and – finally! – fairer consequences if your opponent disconnects from a match by any method: yes, you’ll be awarded the win if the score is a draw.

Best bit

Lamine Yamal in EA Sports FC 26 — (Image credit: EA Sports FC 26)

Hitting my first trivela assist with Lamine Yamal after beating three defenders using the Technical+ playstyle. These types of moments felt harder to pull off in previous games, but FC 26 actively encourages them.

Those Live Events now feature in Clubs, too, as does a new Archetypes system for developing your Pro, which encourages you to pick a specific style of play (Magician, Creator, Engine, and so on) and run with it. You can choose more than one Archetype (once you’ve unlocked more), but each Archetype progresses separately, so you’ll need to play multiple matches with each one to level them up.

Honestly, I’m not too sure about this new system. Previously, you were able to change your Pro build on the fly to suit the needs of any given position, or just to mix things up. In FC 26, you’ll be able to get really good at being one type of player, but then be forced back to square one if you join a squad that necessitates a position change.

I’m intrigued to see how longtime Clubs fans take to this new progression system – though any annoyances might be offset by the long-awaited ability to join multiple clubs in FC 26.

Should I play EA Sports FC 26?

Ronaldo Nazário in EA Sports FC 26 (Image credit: EA Sports)

Play it if…

You want a more in-depth Career Mode experience
The Authentic Gameplay preset, coupled with the new Manager Live challenges, makes Career Mode the best it’s ever been.

You love FUT, but hate the rage it leads to
EA has taken strides to make FUT a less rage-inducing experience. Gameplay is more enjoyable, and disconnection consequences have been made fairer.

You want the best-looking football simulator
I say this every year, but EA Sports FC 26 is the best-looking football game EA has ever made. Just look at those hair physics.

Don’t play it if…

You’re looking for a dramatically different experience
EA Sports FC 26 brings meaningful tweaks to tried-and-tested modes, but you won’t find radical surface-level changes here.

Accessibility

EA Sports FC 26 offers a comprehensive suite of accessibility options, including settings for subtitles, button remapping, color blindness, and increasing the size of the player indicator. It also introduces a dedicated High Contrast Mode for low-vision and cognitively disabled players. All of these accessibility options can be found in a dedicated Accessibility Settings tab. The game has six difficulty levels – Beginner, Amateur, Semi-Pro, Professional, World Class, Legendary, and Ultimate – and features support for 21 languages.

How I tested EA Sports FC 26

I played EA Sports FC 26 for five days ahead of its official release. During that time, I had access to all modes and features and was able to compete against real-world players who also had early access to the game (before the start of EA’s Early Access promotion).

I played on PS5, using a standard DualSense controller, on a Samsung QN95A Neo QLED 4K TV. I’ve played every EA Sports football title since FIFA 13, and also reviewed FIFA 22, FIFA 23, EA Sports FC 24, and EA Sports FC 25 for TechRadar Gaming.

First reviewed September 2025.

Midnight Murder Club is a lot of fun – but only if you can convince your friends to join in

1:00 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Consoles & PC Gadgets Gaming Playstation | Comments: Off

Midnight Murder Club is a bite-sized first-person shooter with a unique premise that makes it worth trying out.

Set in a pitch black mansion, this PS5 exclusive (well, console exclusive) challenges you to track other players using only the light from a small torch and audio cues like muffled footsteps, the creaking sound of doors opening, and overheard conversations through proximity chat.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PC, PS5
Release date: August 14, 2025

When you have a full match of six players all using their microphones, the atmosphere is absolutely electric. There’s serious tension as you creep around, which always gives way to pure chaos once the shooting starts. If you’re looking for something to try on your next night of gaming with friends, then you can certainly do much worse for the modest $9.99 / £8.99 asking price. There’s even a ‘Guest Pass’ feature that lets your buddies join in completely for free, which is appreciated.

Unfortunately, the experience falls apart when you don’t have a dedicated group. Finding online matches is almost impossible thanks to a tiny pool of players just a few weeks after launch, and the few offline modes, while a decent starter course, won’t keep you entertained for long.

Lights out

Midnight Murder Club promotional screenshots. — (Image credit: Sony)

Midnight Murder Club offers a total of five player-versus-player (PvP) game modes, and while they follow the same general format, a few unique mechanics keep each one interesting.

The main mode is called Wildcards and features three teams of two players vying for the most kills. At the start of the match, every player selects a titular wildcard from a deck, each one boasting a unique effect. This ranges from simple bonuses like faster reload speeds and more effective flashlights to whackier options like a card that turns every gunshot into a loud jazz trumpet toot or another that gives everyone massive heads.

The chosen wildcards affect all players, leading to some enjoyably bonkers combinations. More cards are unlocked with each completed match, too, giving you at least a small reason to keep coming back for more.

Best bit

Nothing quite compares to the satisfaction of nailing a foe using nothing but sound. Hearing footsteps and taking a risky shot only for it to instantly pay off is fantastic every time.

The other modes on offer are a standard free-for-all and team deathmatch, and more exciting ‘Thief in the Night’ and ‘Headhunters’, which see you clamoring to collect valuable skull fragments or destroying evil totems, respectively.

You start off each game armed with a basic revolver that has unlimited ammunition in most modes, but vending machines littered around the map give you access to more powerful machine guns and deadly traps like falling chandeliers. Getting gear from vendors doesn't cost money, but rather produces a huge amount of light and noise - forcing you to weigh up whether the gear on offer is worth exposing your position.

Your flashlight presents much the same risk-versus-reward proposition. Levels are completely pitch black without it on, so it's necessary to navigate unless you want to spend most of your time running into walls. Beams of light make it easy to track your location, though, and if you blindly shoot where one is coming from, more often than not, you'll bag an easy elimination.

Dead silence

Voice chat is a key part of Midnight Murder Club, and coordinating with your team is almost vital for success. It relies on a proximity chat system, where your DualSense Wireless Controller or PS5 headset is constantly broadcasting your voice to nearby players - whether friend or foe.

Turning off your flashlight and following the sound of other players’ voices for a sneak melee attack is a constant source of devilish satisfaction - particularly when you get to hear their panicked screams as you strike.

Although proximity chat can be a lot of fun, its inclusion does present some risks when you're playing with strangers. I was particularly impressed to see an ‘Auto Scramble’ feature that automatically distorts the voices of anyone who's not on your team.

You can still decipher general emotions, but individual words are impossible to make out - an innovative and practical addition that I'd love to see in other online games.

Unfortunately, there are few opportunities to use this as the online matchmaking situation is dire. I’ve been trying to find matches every day for weeks, and it’s borderline impossible to find a full lobby.

To make matters worse, players frequently drop out of matches, and the peer-to-peer hosting means that massive lag spikes are common.

There are some single-player options here, like the ability to play Wildcards against bots or mow down computer-controlled enemies in the stages of the usually two-player Graveyard Shift mode, but they’re very limited, and you really need a large group of friends to make the most of it.

Although there is cross-platform support, players who try the game on PC will have to log in with a PlayStation account in addition to a Steam one. Given this is a PlayStation published game, this does make some sense, but it’s still incredibly annoying in a game that would otherwise be easy to pick up and play.

A few of the friends I had lined up to join me didn’t already have access to PlayStation accounts and weren't willing to fork their email addresses over to Sony for what might be a single night of gaming, so they ended up wanting to play something else. When finding matches is already so difficult, this seems a bit like the developers shooting themselves in the foot.

All of this leaves Midnight Murder Club difficult to wholeheartedly recommend. It can be a fantastic time, provided you’re able to find a full lobby - which is almost impossible if you’re not playing with friends. It’s only really worth picking up if you have a group of five buddies eager to squad up.

Should I play Midnight Murder Club?

Play it if…

You want something to play with up to five friends
If you’re searching for a game to play with a group of up to five friends, then Midnight Murder Club is worth a look. It’s a lot of fun if you’re able to fill a room.

You’re after a new party game
Likewise, if you regularly play games with a group and want a nice change of pace from your usual favorites, the low asking price of Midnight Murder Club will be tempting.

You want to try every PlayStation exclusive
Midnight Murder Club is a PlayStation console exclusive, so it’s a must-have if you’re keen to try every unique experience that Sony’s system has to offer.

Don’t play it if…

Your friends won’t make a PlayStation account
The requirement for a PlayStation account on PC is frustrating, especially when your friends aren’t keen to make one.

You want to play solo
As a multiplayer focused game, Midnight Murder Club is of limited value if you intend to play alone.

Accessibility features

There are a few accessibility features in Midnight Murder Club.

You can customize the colors of in-game teams to make them easier to see and invert your camera controls. Most button inputs can also be tweaked on PS5, allowing you to rebind them as needed.

How I reviewed Midnight Murder Club

I played Midnight Murder Club for almost four hours on PS5 using the DualSense Wireless Controller and a pair of Final VR500 gaming earbuds.

In that time, I played a variety of matches online and explored all of its single-player modes. For communication, I relied on the microphone built into the controller.

First reviewed August 2025

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