The DJI Mic 3 is the latest premium release in the company’s popular wearable wireless microphone range, supplanting the DJI Mic 2. The Mic 2 was only released around 18 months ago, and has topped TechRadar’s best wireless microphone guide for some time, so I was a little skeptical about the need for a new model.
After receiving my review sample of the DJI Mic 3, though, it only took me a few seconds to see why people might want to upgrade from the Mic 2. The Mic 3’s transmitter component, or TX, is far more compact and lightweight than that of its predecessor, making it easier to wear on clothing.
And – praise be! – it’s now possible to fit not only two TX units and the receiver (RX) in the charging case, but accessories like clips, magnets, windscreens and even a 3.5mm-to-3.5mm cable. One of the irritations I’ve had with my own DJI Mic 2 over the past year is that the furry windscreens, which are all but mandatory when recording audio outside, don’t fit inside its charging case. To see that fixed here (as it was on the DJI Mic Mini) is wonderful.
Delving deeper over the course of testing the Mic 3, I found that DJI has made improvements elsewhere: there are now two levels of active noise cancellation rather than one; it’s possible to transmit lossless 24-bit audio from the TX to the RX; and there are three new voice presets to add instant color to vocal recording. All of these features are easy to use and add instant, tangible impact to recordings.
The DJI Mic 3 (center) alongside the DJI Mic Mini (left) and DJI Mic 2 (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
Another new feature is the dual-mode Adaptive Gain Control, designed to deliver balanced audio in trickier recording conditions. The Automatic setting is used to prevent audio clipping during unexpected rises in volume (I found it worked well when recording in unpredictable outdoor environments, such as walking around town where traffic noise can jump up at any second), while Dynamic is more situational, being designed for two-person recordings using a single TX unit in a more controlled environment like a studio.
And, while I wasn’t able to personally test this (having just the standard setup of two TX units and one RX in my possession), DJI says the Mic 3 is able to capture clear voices from larger gatherings of people thanks to 4TX+8RX group recording. It also adds support for timecode, which wasn’t on the Mic 2. So, the Mic 3’s professional production credentials are definitely a bit more impressive than the Mic 2’s.
The wireless transmission range has been increased from 250m to 400m, and battery life also gets a major bump, up from 18 hours (with the charging case and two TXes) on the Mic 2 to 28 hours (although it can’t come close to the Mic Mini’s imperious 48 hours). Oh, and the on-board storage space on the TX units has been increased fourfold, from 8GB to 32GB.
The RX unit now features a locking TRS output, but is otherwise little changed from the Mic 2's (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
All of these are compelling reasons to make the upgrade from the Mic 2, and there’s very little missing feature-wise. The TX units no longer have a 3.5mm input for a separate lavalier mic, which might be an issue for users who want to hide it when filming, and the Safety Track recording mode has been dropped, but that’s about it.
In terms of general sound quality the Mic 3 is excellent, and similar to the Mic 2. With 32-bit float on board for those who need the extra level of safety and control, and 24-bit for everyday use, I think very few content creators will have issues with the audio side of things here.
With the Mic 3, DJI has managed to combine the best bits of its Mic 2 and Mic Mini into a single brilliant wireless mic – and one that, remarkably, is cheaper than the Mic 2 was at its launch. In fact, when compared to competitors’ pricing, it’s very hard to see how I couldn't recommend it to anyone on the hunt for a new premium wireless mic.
The charging case is a major improvement on the DJI Mic 2's, with much more efficient use of space (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
DJI Mic 3: price and release date
Available to order now priced from £169 / AU$369
Components available individually or in bundles
No official US availability at the time of writing
The DJI Mic 3 is available to order from its launch date of August 28 2025, and the company is offering a range of bundles. For a complete package comprising two TX units, one RX, a charging case, cables, magnets and windscreens, the price is £259 / AU$569; for a simple one TX and one RX package, it’s £169 / AU$369. Buyers can also purchase individual components like the TX, RX, charging case, and new accessories available at launch include a Lightning adapter and alternate color windscreens.
I think the price is extremely reasonable given the Mic 3’s capabilities and specs, and I’m a big fan of the company selling individual components separately, as it gives consumers the opportunity to start small and upgrade over time.
The complete kit includes the charging case, two transmitters, one receiver and a USB-C connector for the receiver. There are also two clips, two magnets, four windshields, a 3.5mm to 3.5mm TRS cable and a USB-C charging cable in the box, plus a zip-up case to hold it all (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
There’s bad news for US-based readers hoping to get their hands on a Mic 3, however. As with other recently announced DJI products, the company isn’t officially launching in the US, in an apparent response to uncertainty surrounding tariffs. A company spokesperson told me the following:
“DJI Mic 3 is not in stock in the US upon the global launch. DJI remains committed to the US market and making our products and services available to our US-based customers. However, we’ve recently had to adjust our market strategies for certain products in light of evolving market conditions. While we do not have a timeline for when we can introduce the product to the U.S. market, we are closely monitoring the situation and actively exploring every possible solution.”
US-based consumers may be able to obtain the Mic 3 through third-party stockists, however, so it may be worth checking camera stores such as B&H.
DJI Mic 3: specs
Dimensions
28.8 x 28.3 x 16.4mm (TX, with magnet)
Weight
16g (TX, with magnet)
Range
400m
Connectivity
Receiver: USB-C / Lightning, 3.5mm jack
Bluetooth
Yes
Battery
10 hours (TX), 8 hours (RX), up to 28 hours with fully charged case
Noise cancelling
Two-level active
DJI Mic 3: Design
TX unit weighs just 16g with magnet
RX has 1.1-inch AMOLED touchscreen
Charging case now accommodates more components
I’ve already mentioned the smaller, lighter build of the TX units, but there are other clever design touches worth noting too. When using the clips, for instance, you can now rotate the TX orientation to ensure that the mic grille is pointing towards the sound source. The TX units are also now magnetized themselves, allowing them to be attached securely to metal surfaces.
The design of the receiver (RX), meanwhile, seems fundamentally unchanged from the Mic 2’s. There’s a bright, crisp 1.1-inch AMOLED touchscreen on the front, plus a rotating and pressable dial to help select and change settings. The design allows for a USB-C adapter to be attached (or Lightning, but that’s an optional extra), and the 3.5mm output now supports a locking screw to keep it in place.
The Mic 3's transmitter (or TX) units are almost as small and lightweight as those of the Mic Mini, but offer far more flexibility for mounting thanks to an integrated magnet (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)
The charging case, despite being smaller than the Mic 2’s, is a lot better. As I mentioned in the section above, it makes much more efficient use of its space, and can now accommodate not only two TX and one RX but attached windscreens and clips, with room for magnets and the 3.5mm to 3.5mm TRS cable in the lid.
Also included in the larger bundle are extra windshields (so two black and two grey in total), as well as a zip-up fabric bag for storing everything, including the charging cable.
DJI Mic 3: Performance
Two-level active noise cancelling and voice tone presets
Supports OsmoAudio direct connection
Omnidirectional audio and up to 400m range
The Mic 3 seems to be built on similar audio bones to the Mic 2. That’s no bad thing, as it means users get access to 32-bit float recording (large file sizes, but ideal for users who want to ensure their audio doesn’t clip) as well as standard 24-bit recording with adjustable gain. Having used it extensively indoors and outdoors in a variety of conditions, I've found the Mic 3 to be a highly reliable recording partner, no matter what it’s paired with.
And it can be paired with a lot. The RX can hook up to cameras, computers, tablets and smartphones via its USB or 3.5mm outputs (or the Lightning adapter, should you buy it), and it’s also possible to connect the TX directly to recording devices via Bluetooth.
The TX is also compatible with DJI’s OsmoAudio ecosystem products, supporting 24-bit audio and even 32-bit float (which will be recorded as a separate, second file stored directly on the TX’s memory). I used it with the DJI Osmo 360 and DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, and was highly impressed with both the ease of use and audio quality; it’s possible to control gain and other settings through the cameras’ menu screens, and the Mic 3 represents a massive improvement on those cameras' built-in microphones.
Noise cancelling manages to be highly effective without distorting voice recordings too much. You can hear for yourself in the embedded video above, which also demonstrates the new built-in voice tone presets and general audio quality straight from the mic.
As with the Mic 2, the Mic 3's TX units can also record on their own, acting as a completely independent mic thanks to 32GB of internal storage space.
Should I buy the DJI Mic 3?
Buy it if…
You want the most versatile wireless mic
The Mic 3 can connect to a wide variety of products either through its RX unit or via direct wireless connection. The TX even works as a solo recorder with a massive 32GB of internal storage space.
You want a discreet but powerful mic
The DJI Mic 2 is a bit bulky; the Mic 3 is about half the size while delivering even better performance and features. I'm not sure how DJI has pulled this off.
You want flexible buying choice
As with its other microphones, DJI is selling the Mic 3 as a complete kit, a half kit, or as individual components, so you don't need to buy what you won't use.
Don’t buy it if…
You want a budget option
While good value for money, the Mic 3 is still a premium option. If you're just getting started with wireless mics, something like the DJI Mic Mini or Boya Mini is a better bet.
You only shoot with a phone
Smartphone-first creators should consider something with a smaller RX unit, as the Mic 3's can add a little too much bulk to your handset's profile.
DJI Mic 3: also consider
Saramonic Ultra
Previously our top pick for a cheaper but similarly professional-quality alternative to the Mic 2, the Saramonic Ultra offers 32-bit float and flexible connectivity. The Mic 3 comes in at a similar price, though – which makes the Ultra's main USP no longer so compelling.
Ultra-affordable and ultra-compact, the Mic Mini remains a great budget choice that offers excellent 24-bit audio and incredible battery life. A perfect budget-friendly alternative to the Mic 3.
DJI sent me a review sample of the Mic 3 a couple of months ahead of its launch date, giving me the chance to spend a few weeks testing it in a range of environments and conditions. I connected to a range of devices: my Panasonic Lumix GH6 mirrorless camera, the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro and DJI Osmo 360 action cameras, my MacBook Air laptop and my iPhone 13 smartphone. This meant I was able to test both its direct connection and receiver connection methods.
The firmware was updated to the newest available version at the time (v01.01.02.10) prior to the writing of this review, but manufacturers often release updates to coincide with the public launch – so please note that DJI may have tweaked performance slightly since this review was published.
As you can probably tell from my star rating, I'm completely split on My Life with the Walter Boys season 2. I've been around the block with this type of cozy TV show before – I'm a self-proclaimed Virgin River expert, Emily in Paris is my guilty pleasure, and I've even been sucked into watching Prime Video's The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 this year. But if I think about these type of cozy dramas in a broader capacity, My Life with the Walter Boys season 2 would be flour if it was a spice.
Let me explain. Our core concept is a very simple one: privileged New York teen Jackie Howard (Nikki Rodriguez) moves to a ranch in rural Colorado to live with her mother's best friend, Katherine Walter (Sarah Rafferty), and her large family after a family tragedy. Based on the book series of the same name, we then follow the ups and downs of Jackie's new life as she settles in, dissecting all the complicated relationships forged along the way. It should be a recipe for Netflix success, but there's something missing here.
The Rotten Tomatoes score for My Life with the Walter Boys season 1 should give you an idea about its existing division. Critics like myself have absolutely slammed it, while 'normies' (that's a compliment, I promise) largely enjoy it, even though the fan score is still lower than rival shows. Why? I think the answer is because its quality across the board isn't up to muster, and that's also the case in season 2.
My Life with the Walter Boys season 2 does the job, but that's not exactly positive
I don't wish to be a massive negative Nelly here. I completely believe TV shows like My Life with the Walter Boys season 2 serve a purpose, and their easy-going spirit and ethos is exactly what we need to tune out an increasingly difficult world. I typically use my mum as a gauge for the genre – if she watches a show without ironing at the same time, binges more than 2 episodes in one go and remembers its name, the show is a hit with its core demographic. Season 2 ticked all of these boxes, and she's already foaming at the mouth (metaphorically, sorry mum) for the green lit season 3.
In short, this means the people actively seeking out the mess that comes with trashy teen romance are getting exactly what they signed up for. But if you don't fit the bill, or you've had enough of the Netflix series hitting the same beats over and over again, season 2 doesn't do much to win you around. Jackie has inevitably arrived back in Colorado after returning to New York at the end of season 1, and her relationship issues have picked up right there they left off.
It goes without saying that romance and family remain at the core of My Life with the Walter Boys season 2, but this time, Jackie is almost acting like Belly (Lola Tung) in The Summer I Turned Pretty. Given how chaotic season 3 of the Prime Video show is going, that's a huge insult. The parallels between the two shows are now closer than ever (you can see this from the trailer above), but rest assured that Jackie isn't quite as bad... yet.
A knock-off The Summer I Turned Pretty isn't what we need this month
Jackie Howard (Nikki Rodriguez) in My Life with the Walter Boys. (Image credit: Netflix)
Now we've got my main grievances out of the way, let's dig a little deeper into the show's craft. Compared to rival shows, My Life with the Walter Boys season 2 looks slightly cheaper, which is probably a major part of why season 3 was renewed so early on. That wouldn't be an issue if the performances and execution of the storylines weren't so poorly done, at points feeling more like a high schooler's documentary film than a production on one of the best streaming services in the world.
We feel like we're going around in circles when it comes to Jackie's relationship with Alex (Ashby Gentry) and Cole (Noah LaLonde), with Danny (Connor Stanhope) and Erin's (Alisha Newton) only make our heads spin even further. We've even got a separate triangle going thanks to Zach (Carson MacCormac), Skylar (Jaylan Evans) and Nathan (Corey Fogelmanis), and that's all before we even get to George's (Marc Blucas) future plans for the ranch.
It does feel as though you need to study up before diving into season 2, and it can feel mind-boggling to keep up with all the changes, which simultaneously move incredibly slowly and like time is flashing past you at the speed of light. But by the time we get to the final few episodes, you know exactly what's going to happen. Without giving it away, My Life with the Walter Boys season 2 ends on a cataclysmic cliffhanger, but I could tell exactly what was going to happen about two episodes earlier. Still, it's a major shock to see it unfold, and will hopefully shift season 3 in a better direction. I'm sorry, Melanie Halsall, but a better direction is something that My Life with the Walter Boys sorely needs.
I’ll admit that it was with reticence that I agreed to test earbuds clearly angling for the title of ‘cheapest ANC buds’ but let me dispel any similar cynicism you may have: the JLab Go Pods ANC are, for their price, excellent.
Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised, because these new cheap earbuds come from esteemed affordable audio brand JLab, which has a lot of experience with affordable audio options. But anyone who’s tried to save a buck by buying lower-cost tech knows that you can’t take anything for granted, even with legacy brands.
Let’s first address the selling point in the headline: are these the best noise-cancelling earbuds on the market? No, but if you add 'cheap' to that question, quite possibly. They are cheap, they do have noise cancellation, and they certainly are earbuds. Plus, they’re really good at what they do, and so I can give them a tick there. But are they the cheapest buds with ANC?
I was expecting to be able to find plenty of cheap Amazon rivals with ANC, but I was wrong; one or two ANC-toting options from unnamed brands sit at the same price as the JLabs here, but there’s not much on offer for less that also has ANC. So from the right angle, the Go Pods ANC tick that box too.
What same-price rivals probably don’t offer is decent audio quality. For budget earbuds these sound really good, with (depending on how you set up the equalizer) crystal-clear treble, hearty mids or scooping bass, and a broad soundstage that you don’t often get in buds twice the price.
The ANC itself also works well, plastering over background sounds with little tact but with heart. That said, the transparency mode is a nightmare which will cause you to hear every little thing going on around you with frightening accuracy.
Like all good earbuds, the JLabs are also nice and lightweight, so you can wear them for ages without getting earache. Similar can be said of the tiny plastic carry case, which completely disappears into a trouser pocket.
I can’t pretend that these earbuds are perfect, and they do have a few things which annoyed me during testing. For one, JLab has replaced a charging port with a charging cable, so you plug the case into something, rather than plugging something into the case, to power it up. Good in theory, but functionally I found it less useful than the standard option which every other company uses, of simply letting you plug a cable into the case.
The in-box ear tips also didn’t offer much in the way of grip, so when I walked or ran in the buds they had a habit of falling out pretty quickly. This is a problem you can solve with the added expense of third-party eartips (or using ones you have left over from your last earbuds).
But even as earbud shortcomings go those aren’t the biggest I’ve ever faced, or even a huge issue at all in the case of the first one. Know this: these are fantastic-value earbuds.
JLab Go Pods ANC review: Price and release date
(Image credit: Future)
Released in summer 2025
Costs $36.99 / £29.99 (roughly AU$60)
The JLab Go Pods ANC were announced in May 2025 and put on sale in the months after. It took them barely any time to go on offer, but more on that in a moment.
The default retail price for these buds is $36.99 / £29.99 (roughly AU$60), so they’re some of the most affordable noise cancelling earbuds you can find, and the few alternatives I can find at this price tag almost all come from unknown brands on Amazon.
I say ‘default price’ because only a few months after release, the Go Pods ANC can easily be found for a discount. In the US I found them for $29.99 and in the UK they’re at £24.99, making these super-cheap buds even cheaper. And that’s before Black Friday.
JLab Go Pods ANC review: Specs
Drivers
10mm
Active noise cancellation
Yes
Battery life (ANC off)
7.5 hours (buds) 26 hours (case)
Weight
4.2g (buds) 27.6g (case)
Connectivity
Bluetooth 5.4
Waterproofing
IP55
JLab Go Pods ANC review: Features
(Image credit: Future)
Battery life of just 5 hours with ANC on
Good ANC but iffy transparency
JLab app brings a few useful extras
During my testing time, I didn’t once have any kind of connection issue with the JLab Go Pods ANC, so you don’t need to worry about them having an unreliable Bluetooth link.
The buds have some extra features via the JLab app, though it’s mostly just some customization and tweaks rather than anything truly novel.
It took my while to get my head around the Noise Control Modes tool, which lists ANC on, off and Be Aware mode, but with toggles by all of them, so it’s easy to turn two or all three of them on at the same time… right? That’s what I thought, until I realized that toggling these selects whether you can switch to them via the buds via touch controls. The real way to switch ANC modes is to physically select the mode you want, not toggle its slider.
Another option via the app is an equalizer, which comes with three unnamed presets and a custom mode. It’s a 10-band equalizer so it’s pretty advanced, and audiophiles will be able to get a lot of depth in how they customize their tunes.
(Image credit: Future)
Running down its list, the app also lets you set a max volume limit for safety, change what touch controls do, switch between a Music Mode and Movie Mode (which seems to increase the sound spread but decrease quality) and… set up a workout interval timer? That’s not exactly a standard headphone feature but it might prove useful to a few people.
The battery life of the Go Pods sits at 7.5 hours, according to JLab – that’s with ANC turned off and, from my testing, you’re looking at about 7.5 hours with it turned off which isn’t exactly a competitive figure. The company puts the extended play time offered by the charging case at 26 hours.
One final thing we probably need to touch on is the ANC itself – is it any good in these cheap buds? Surprisingly, it really is. It hushes your surroundings pretty substantially, and while it obviously doesn’t reach the heights of rivals in the market – a light background hum always got through, and sharper noises weren’t dimmed as much – it’s a lot better than JLab could have got away with for the money.
I wasn’t as impressed, though, with Be Aware mode (JLab’s take on Transparency). While using it I was too aware – not only did it not cancel noise, it seemed to amplify every little thing that occurred around me in a jarring experience overall.
Features score: 4/5
JLab Go Pods ANC review: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Both buds and case are super lightweight
Case has a built-in charging cable
Ear tips don't offer much grip
The JLab Go Pods ANC have one small design difference that sets them apart from the vast majority of other samey wireless earbuds, and it’s built into the case.
The buds’ charging case is a 4.52 x 6 x 2.61cm pebble which opens lengthwise along the side; it’s made of plastic so it only weighs 27.6g (for context, most buds I test have cases double that weight). This is all to say that it’s quite small and very light.
While most charging cases are nondescript save for perhaps a logo and a USB-C charging port, JLab does away with the latter and replaces it with its own USB-C cable; you can plug this into a port to easily power up the buds.
In theory I get why JLab would use this instead of a simple port: it means you can power it up via your phone or laptop without needing an extra cable. In practice though I found it annoying, as it meant I couldn’t use the standard USB-C charger I bring for my other gadgets. I couldn’t power up the case from my phone if I was also charging said phone, and I couldn’t plug it into wall outlets on public transport or adaptors at my home (all of which use standard USB).
Onto the buds: these weigh 4.2g each so they continue the Go Pods style of being lighter than the competition. They’re stem-style buds, consisting of a large body, tips angled slightly downwards and a flat stem bearing JLab’s logo.
(Image credit: Future)
There are touch controls on each of said logos, which worked reasonably well although there were a few mis-touches when I was readjusting the buds or times when one press would be picked up as two. Also the default controls are a little odd so I’d recommend jumping into the app to customize them yourself.
I really appreciate low-weight buds like the Go Pods as they were easy to use for long periods of time without feeling any ache or wear. That was only the case if I was sitting still though.
The in-box eartips seem to offer so little friction that they may as well be made out of WD40: as soon as I went for a walk, or heaven forbid a run, the earbuds began slipping from my ears (yes, I tried all three options included in the box). Even putting in or removing the buds normally, you can feel how little they’re inclined to stay in the ear – not great for active people.
While the case doesn’t have any official protection, the buds have an IP55. This means they’re mostly protected against dust ingress and can withstand low-press jets of water (including rain and sweat) but aren’t suitable for swimming.
The JLab Go Pods ANC come in three color versions: black, lilac and green, and as you can tell I tested the former.
Design score: 3.5/5
JLab Go Pods ANC review: Sound quality
Single 10mm driver
Can handle regimented bass and clear treble
High max volume
(Image credit: Future)
I’m going to wager that your expectations for the JLab Go Pods ANC’s audio chops probably match what mine were going into the testing: you see the price and shudder at the thought of those cheap buds you bought on Amazon once and know what to expect. But banish the thought.
The JLab Go Pods ANC actually sound pretty good; I’m not sure I’d pick them over something like the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro but for the price, they’re surprisingly capable.
By default (that is, with the JLab Signature equalizer mode), music sounds bright with defined treble and mids, and a laudable breadth of soundstage so you can hear different passages and harmonies in the music surrounding you.
There’s clearly a little distortion crackling away when too many different instruments are playing at once, or when the hi-hat gets going, but only in mixes that can trouble much pricer buds too.
I’ll admit that I largely listened with some heavy equalizer tweaks, but I was surprised by how much bass the Go Pods were capable of when asked. There’s scope for hearty, scooping bass with the right song and right EQ set-up. But even without this set-up, lower-register lines felt well-defined.
The buds’ max volume is really high – higher than you’d ever normally need, unless you accidentally held down the ‘volume up’ button on your phone like me – and doesn’t distort as much at louder settings as many other buds do.
Sound quality: 4/5
JLab Go Pods ANC review: Value
(Image credit: Future)
The JLab Go Pods ANC are basically the cheapest noise-cancelling earbuds that are actually worth buying.
Because of their feature set and audio quality, these aren’t just ‘good for the price’; they’re good full stop. JLab didn’t need to offer them for such a low price but in doing so, it’s made them a fearsome value proposition.
Value: 4.5/5
Should I buy the JLab Go Pods ANC?
JLab Go Pods ANC score card
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Features
The ANC is good, as is the general feature set, though the battery life is poor.
4/5
Design
The buds are lovely and lightweight, but the eartips don't stick well and I'd have preferred a charging port.
3.5/5
Sound quality
For the price, the JLabs sound really good: cheap and cheerful.
4/5
Value
These offer fantastic value for money given how cheap they are.
4.5/5
Buy them if…
You're on a (low) budget If you've set yourself a budget for earbuds and it isn't a big one, then there are going to be very few alternatives to the Go Pods ANC.
You want noise cancellation Noise cancellation is a feature which is common on expensive earbuds but not so much on cheap ones. That's not the case with the JLabs though.
You want to charge from your phone The charging case's cable attachment lets you power up your buds from your phone, great if you rarely have access to a power point.View Deal
Don’t buy them if…
You're not willing to provide your own eartips I didn't rate the in-box ear tips, so I'd recommend the buds mostly to people who would be willing to buy their own (or, more likely, have leftovers from your last buds).
You need a long-lasting battery If you're listening with noise cancellation, you're only getting five hours of listening time, which isn't a competitive figure.
JLab Go Pods ANC review: Also consider
JLab Go Pods ANC
JLab Go Pop ANC
Earfun Air 2
JBL Wave Beam
Drivers
10mm
10mm
10mm
8mm
Active noise cancellation
Yes
Yes
No
No
Battery life
7.5 hours (buds); 26 hours (case)
7 hours (buds); 24 hours (case)
9 hours (earbuds), 40 hours (total)
8 hours (buds) 24 hours (case)
Weight
4.2g (buds) 27.6g (case)
4.1g (buds); 22g (case)
4.5g (buds) 45g (case)
8.8g (buds) 39.5g (case)
Connectivity
Bluetooth 5.4
Bluetooth 5.4
Bluetooth 5.3
Bluetooth 5.2
Waterproofing
IP55
IP55
IPX7
IP54
JLab Go Pop ANC
Forgive the incredibly similar name. These buds cost just less than, or the same as, the Pods depending on where you live, and have a similar feature set with the design being the biggest difference.
Another low-cost option that has a similar stem-toting design is the JBL Wave Beam. This has a smaller driver and no noise cancellation but it won't break the bank and has a fairly good battery life.View Deal
How I tested the JLab Go Pods ANC
Tested for four weeks
Tested at home, in the office, working out and on walks
I tested the JLab Go Pods ANC for about four weeks, which is longer than the standard TechRadar testing process, but is a testament to their audio chops.
I used the buds while they were connected to my Android phone, mainly for Spotify but also for streaming movies, games and listening to voice notes. I used them while at home, at the gym, on runs and on walks around my neighborhood.
I've been testing gadgets for TechRadar for over five years now and in that time have used other JLab products as well as some of their biggest competitions.
The Dreame AirPursue PM20 is an air purifier with a whole load of tricks up its sleeve. The USP is the 'Follow' mode, whereby the large, cup-shaped head will swivel to follow you wherever you go in a room, blasting purified air in your direction. In practice, it's very impressive to watch. There's also 'AI Purify' – an Auto mode by another name – whereby the AirPursue will monitor for five specific pollutants and adjust settings to clear them when they're detected.
Aside from these and two more special modes, and a variety of manual control options, the appliance can also heat or cool the air as required. So it's positioned to rival not only the best air purifierson the market, but the best fans, too. Not bad for the brand's first ever purifier.
When it comes to air purifiers, I'm often left wondering how I'm meant to know if they're actually doing anything. Not so with the AirPursue PM20, which offers real time pollutant readings within the Dreame companion app, so you can watch at any moment as it cleans the air in your living room or bedroom. It's able to sense and remove 14 different pollutants (although that doesn't include CO2), and gives each one a rating so you can tell how good or bad the air quality is.
All that functionality comes at a bit of a price, and replacement filters aren't especially cheap either (deals are appearing already, and I think it's decent value for what you're getting). While the design is sleek and modern, there's no getting around the fact it's really rather large, although Dreame has helpfully added wheels to make it easy to maneuver from one room to another,
The PM20 is geared towards use in medium or large rooms, with a CADR to match (400 m³/h). If you have a smaller space you'd be better off with the PM10 sister model, which has a has a CADR of 300 m³/h.
Keep reading to see how well the Dreame AirPursue PM20 cleaned the air in my historic home and gave me more peace of mind.
The AirPursue PM20 is Dreame's first ever air purifier, and launched in June 2025. It's available to buy direct from Dreame or via Amazon in the US and Canada, with a list price of $999.99. (The smaller AirPursue PM10 costs $899.99 at list price.)
You can take that list price with a pinch of salt, because at time of writing this review the PM20 had only been out a month and was already attracting significant discounts on Amazon (it dropped to $769.99 during the Prime Day Sale). Even with that discount it's still a premium purchase, though.
The only additional cost associated with this air purifier are the replacements for the carbon filter and the high efficiency composite filter, which are $59.99 and $99.99 respectively. They have to be replaced between 6 and 24 months, depending on how hard they're put to work.
Considering that this air purifier has multiple modes, speeds, heating capabilities, app and voice integration, and AI settings, I'd say the price tag is reasonable. In fact, I've seen more expensive air purifiers that have fewer features. However, it's still a decent investment, so if you're on a tighter budget there are plenty more affordable options about.
Value for money score: 4 out of 5
Dreame AirPursue PM20 specs
CADR:
400 m³/h
Size:
14.9 x 14.9 x 33.4 in
Control:
Buttons, remote, app, voice control
Filters:
HEPA-13, carbon
Modes:
1-10, AI Purify (Auto), Pet Purify, Comfort, Cooling, Heating (77-104F)
Contaminants detected:
PM1, PM2.5, PM10, HCHO, TVOC
Other readings:
Overall air quality status, temperature, humidity
Oscillation:
45, 90, 180 degrees, or 'AI follow'
Timer:
12 hours
Heating:
78-104F
Dreame AirPursue PM20 review: design
Large air purifier that can also operate as a fan or heater
Smart capabilities, AI detection, and app integration
Provides specific information about pollutant levels
The Dreame AirPursue PM20 arrived assembled, allowing me to plug it in and immediately start purifying the air within my home. The only setup required of me was connecting the air purifier to the Dreame app and tap a button in the app to authorize the voice command function.
In terms of appearance, the Dreame AirPursue PM20 reminds me of a mini R2-D2, with its bulbous head, cylindrical body, and the wheels placed on the bottom. I was so glad for the wheels as I could move the air purifier around the house without having to pick it up – as I may have mentioned, it's not small. In the air purifier world, it also bears a striking resemblance to the Dyson Big+Quiet.
(Image credit: Future)
The head has a small, square LCD screen that displays air pollution levels via colored graphs. Buttons on the head allow you to turn the purifier on and off and cycle through information on the LCD screen like air pollutant, temperature, and humidity readings, and the filter life.
Inside, the PM20 is outfitted with two filters. First, a high efficiency composite filter (HEPA-13 grade) which removes indoor pollen, dust mites, haze, bacteria, viruses, and other fine materials, and which must be replaced every 16-24 months (the app notifies you). Second, a carbon filter, which is used to remove indoor kitchen fumes, pet odor, TVOC, formaldehyde and other harmful gases. The replacement time for the carbon filter is every 6-12 months.
There more going on with this air purifier's design that can't be seen. It's outfitted with dual-flow modulation technology, which means the air flows in and out of the head and the body. It can apparently project air forward up to 10 meters.
The airflow fan speed can be adjusted between 1 and 10 and the wind direction can be set on 45, 90, or 180 degrees. You can also utilize various special modes:
AI follow – directs pure air at whoever is in the room
AI purify / Auto – monitors for 5 pollutants and switches on when detected
Pet purify – enhanced airflow specifically geared towards pet hair and odors
Comfort – quiet, long-range air projection
Cooling
Heating – set between 78 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit
The most exciting of those is AI follow, where the purifier head will follow you as you move within a room. If there is more than one person in the room, the purifier will toggle between the two people's positions.
Because I tested the AirPursue in the summer, I usually used the Cooling mode, but I was also pleased to learn it would earn its space in winter by doubling up as a heater. I found Comfort mode was a great option when sleeping at night because it lowered the fan speed so the noise wasn't bothersome.
(Image credit: Future)
Speaking of which, noise-wise, the air purifier is not that loud. On the lowest fan speed, it has a dB rating of 54. I measured the highest speed at 67 dB.
With the remote, you can adjust the direction of the fan, change the fan speed, turn on the heating function, and choose between the different modes. I preferred managing the settings in the app or with voice commands.
Design score: 5 out of 5
Dreame AirPursue PM20 review: performance
Detects and clears pollutants quickly
Can cool or heats spaces while purifying them
App makes it easy to control purifier and monitor pollutants
My house was built over 100 years ago, and as a historic building it produces a lot of dust and allergens. Not to mention, it was probably updated at various times when pollutants weren't necessarily monitored or regulated. As someone who has asthma and allergies, I'm always looking for ways to make my home – where I work, sleep, and live – healthier. After testing the Dreame AirPursue PM20, I feel a lot more confident and comfortable breathing in my own house.
To speak plainly, I love the Dreame AirPursue PM20. It was easy to move it between rooms with the wheels. Once I connected it to the app, I dove in. I was glad to discover that the air quality of my house is better than I thought. I gleaned this information from the overall air quality score. However, thanks to the Dreame sensors, I was able to see the exact levels of harmful pollutants – PM1, PM2.5, PM10, HCHO, and TVOC – present in my home.
I didn't know what these pollutants meant, but the app provided definitions of each one. For instance, I learned that HCHO is a “common indoor pollutant, the release period of formaldehyde from furniture, paint, and adhesives lasting for years". Not only that, but the Dreame app tracked the pollutant reading and provided a value range for each pollutant, and then labelled the reading as either excellent, good, moderate, or poor. I was able to track the pollutant readings at any moment and even by days and weeks within the app.
To see how well the Dreame AirPursue PM20 detects pollutants and clears them, I ran a test with dry shampoo. I began by screenshotting the readings (prior to spraying the dry shampoo) to gain an air quality baseline. Then I sprayed dry shampoo about two feet in front of the air purifier. Within the app, I saw the air purifier recognize the pollutants from the dry shampoo within about 10 seconds.
From there, I monitored the air purifier, noting the initial increase in pollutant readings. The purifier cleaned the room within about 11 minutes. The TVOC reading was the only pollutant that didn't quite reach the original reading after 11 minutes (it was 2 points higher). In fact, the TVOC reading fluctuated over the next few hours within one to two points of the original reading. At least it remained well within the 'excellent' air quality range.
(Image credit: Future)
Most of the time, I set the Dreame AirPursue PM20 on a fan speed of 10, and the wind direction at 180 degrees. Sometimes, I used the AI Follow feature which means the head of the purifier followed me around the room, literally purifying the air around me. This feature was cool to see in action, and reliably well on test.
I don't have pets, so I didn't need the Pet Purify mode, but I know that it could be helpful for those who do share their home with four-legged friends, especially in removing odors (the purifier cleared kitchen odors within my house in minutes). The Comfort mode was great to use at night; it was quieter than my ceiling fan.
Like a few Dyson fans, the Dreame AirPursue can also be used as a fan or heater. Because I was testing in Texas in July, I mostly used the Cooling more, but the Heating option will be ultra-helpful in winter (it lets you adjust the temperature between 78 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit. The 12-hour timer was nice, but for the most part, I turned the purifier on and off at my own will.
(Image credit: Future)
I didn't have any issues with this air purifier. The only thing to keep in mind is that when the fan speed is set to 10 (or the highest speed), you must raise your voice and move near the air purifier to use the voice command. That wasn't a big deal to me, because I usually used the app on my phone to adjust the settings as I always forgot the voice commands and would have to look them up in the app anyways (helpfully, Dreame lists the voice commands here for reference).
Overall, I think the Dreame AirPursue PM20 does what it says it will do and brought me a lot more peace of mind. I feel better knowing that I'm breathing cleaner air in my home day or night.
Performance score: 4.5 out of 5
Should you buy the Dreame AirPursue PM20?
Attribute
Notes
Rating
Value
A premium air purifier occasionally discounted but well priced considering the control and features. Filters represent and ongoing cost.
4/5
Design
Large but stylish. Can operate as a fan or heater as well as a purifier. Manual control or a selection of special modes – including one where the pure air follows you around. Easy to read, real-time pollution readings. Control via app, voice or remote.
5/5
Performance
Detects and cleans pollutants efficiently. The app makes it easy to monitor pollutants, understand how clean your air is, and adjust the settings.
4.5/5
Buy it if...
You want to monitor and understand the air quality in your home
The Dreame AirPursue PM20 senses 14 different pollutants, and you can watch it clean in real time by monitoring the pollutant readings in the app. This also offers in-depth explanations and notes where the readings fall within the safe and unsafe ranges.
You want an air purifier that heats or cools in different directions
Air purifiers emit bursts of air. Dreame capitalized on this feature by adding some cooling and heating features to the PM20. Adjust the fan speed between 1-10 or let your air purifier push out heated air (between 78-104 degrees) in the winter. You can even adjust the direction of the airflow between 45-180 degrees or set the purifier to follow you as you move in the room.
You want multiple control options
Control the Dreame AirPursue PM20 with a button, voice command, app, or remote. Or simply set it on AI purify and let the purifier automatically adjust the settings to keep your home clean.
Don't buy it if...
You just want something simple
The Dreame AirPursue PM20 has plenty of tricks up its sleeve, but if you don't fancy all those special features then there are plenty of cheaper, still effective purifiers to choose from.
You live in an apartment or small space
The Dreame AirPursue PM20 is geared towards use in bigger spaces (although it does have a sibling model for smaller rooms). Standing at nearly 3 feet tall and over a foot wide, it's also too large to tuck out of the way.
You want a purifier that reads and scrubs CO2
The one thing that the Dreame AirPursue PM20 can't do is read CO₂ levels. Some air purifiers can sense CO₂ and even scrub it, though you'll likely pay more for them.
How I tested the Dreame AirPursue PM20
I used the Dreame AirPursue PM20 for a few weeks in July in my 105-year-old home in Texas. I used the purifier in various rooms to get a variety of readings, as well as testing each of the windspeed settings and special modes. To get a more objective view of how efficiently it cleared air, I also sprayed dry shampoo a few feet from the purifier to see how quickly the purifier detected it and cleared it from the room.
The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL is the Pixel phone to buy this year. The Pixel 10 Pro can match the Pro XL on the most important features, but the benefits of the larger display, along with a couple of features that are simply better on the XL device, make the Pixel 10 Pro XL my favorite of the new Pixel family, and the phone I would recommend first, but not last.
I feel confident recommending the Pixel 10 Pro XL above the rest – and above any other Android phone you can buy right now – because I spent the last year using the Pixel 9 Pro as my primary work phone. That means I know exactly why the Pixel is a great phone for being productive, but I also know that I wish I’d had a bigger screen than the 9 Pro's. The Pro XL will be my primary device this year, for sure.
If you haven’t checked out a Pixel phone in a while, you really should head to a store and get your hands on one. The latest Pixel 10 Pro XL is polished and well-built, with a refined look and gorgeous materials and color combinations. It’s a much nicer-looking phone than the latest iPhone 16 Pro Max, and it delivers on a number of features Apple hasn’t been able to match.
Google’s AI features are the most advanced on any smartphone, and often the most unobtrusive. The newest AI features, like Magic Cue and the live translation, don’t feel pushy or overblown, and they don’t produce embarrassing or useless results. Google is pushing AI into the background as a silent helper, where it should be.
Of course, all of the new Pixel 10 series phones have Google’s advanced new AI features, like the live translator that not only converts your language into another tongue, it also speaks with a voice that sounds remarkably like yours. That may sound alarming from a privacy viewpoint, but Google says this processing happens on the Pixel 10 Pro XL, and not on a distant cloud computer, so your conversations – and your voice – should be safe.
So what makes the Pixel 10 Pro XL so special, the best of the Pixel 10 bunch? First of all, Google’s Pixel displays – so-called Super Actua displays – are among the best you’ll see on any smartphone. These screens are bright and colorful and very sharp. When the screen is this good, I want as much screen as I can get, so I prefer having the larger XL display. At 6.8 inches, it’s 0.5 inches bigger diagonally than the Pixel 10's display, and that equals 13 square centimeters of extra screen space.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL also has the largest battery of all the new Pixel phones, and that equates to the longest battery life, both in my real-world testing and in our Future Labs battery rundown tests. It wasn’t a massive difference – the Pixel 10 Pro XL only lasted an hour longer than the Pixel 10. Still, every bit helps.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL also charges faster than any other Pixel 10 device, whether you’re charging wirelessly or with a USB-C cord. If you have a 45W charger, the Pixel 10 Pro XL can charge that fast, compared to the 30W charging on the other two Pixel 10 phones. The Pixel 10 Pro XL can also use faster wireless charging. Again, it’s not a huge difference, but every bit yada yada yada.
The biggest benefit for me is the combination of Google’s winning Super Actua display with the Pixel 10 Pro XL cameras. If I’m taking serious photos, I want the biggest viewfinder possible to get the right shot. The extra screen space on the Pro XL phone felt like a big advantage, and if photography is important to you, I’d recommend the Pro XL phone first. The Pixel 10 Pro has the exact same camera specs, but having the bigger Pro XL display helped me take better shots.
Are there other benefits to the Pro XL? Well… not really. It isn’t any faster than the Pixel 10 Pro… or even than the Pixel 10. In our benchmark tests, the extra RAM in the Pro models didn’t seem to make much difference. Pixel phones still disappoint if you only care about the numbers.
I don’t rely on benchmarks, though, and the Pixel 10 Pro XL was satisfying and quick in almost every task. There was some lag on the camera, but most other features – including the latest AI helpers – ran smoothly with no delays.
Google has another winner with the Pixel 10 Pro XL – and the whole Pixel 10 family. Between the premium design, the excellent software, and the advanced AI features, this is a phone that iPhone fans should seriously consider, and Galaxy owners should envy. I’ll be keeping this phone close by – snapped to my MagSafe charging stand – until an even better Pixel comes along.
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL review: Price & availability
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
Starts at $1,199 / £1,199 / AU $1,999 for 256GB of storage and 16GB RAM
Costs more than last year, but starts with more storage than the rest
I remember the days when a new phone would cost the same but come with more storage and RAM than last year's model because component costs had decreased. This year’s Pixel 10 Pro XL is more expensive than before, and it comes with 256GB of storage, but I’m not awarding Google any medals for giving the phone enough space. This phone should be cheaper.
To be fair, 256GB of storage is the right amount, unless you play a ton of games or you shoot video with your phone at high-resolution. There’s a 1TB model available, but only serious enthusiasts need apply – and you know who you are.
The color options this year are a bit drab. I like the Moonstone color and the Jade, but they aren’t very exciting. My review unit is the Porcelain white, which looks classy but a bit bland. Google also sent along a silicone case with magnets built in that matches the hone perfectly. If you want the 1TB storage option, it’s only available in the black Obsidian.
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL pricing
Storage
US Price
UK Price
AU Price
256GB
$1,199
£1,199
AU $1,999
512GB
$1,319
£1,319
AU $2,199
1TB
$1,549
£1,549
AU $2,549
Value score: 4 / 5
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL review: Specifications
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL has nearly the same spec sheet as the Pixel 10 Pro, with a few key differences. The display is larger, with more pixels (no pun intended), but it isn’t quite as sharp. You won’t notice, though, and both displays use LTPO tech for the best always-on display with low power drain.
There’s a bigger battery in the Pixel 10 Pro XL as well, and that meant longer battery life in my tests. I also found the 45W charging made a difference, with the Pixel 10 Pro XL charging faster than the other Pixel 10 phones.
Sleek and solid, with great materials and matching color options
Mostly the same as last year’s model, which is fine with me
The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL is the Pixel 10 Pro all blown up. It doesn’t add any extra buttons or physical details; the two phones look identical, just at a different scale. That’s a good thing because the Pixel 10 Pro is a great-looking phone, and it keeps the same exact design as the Pixel 9 Pro that was my favorite phone of last year. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
I like the Pixel 10 Pro XL design even more than the latest iPhone 16 Pro Max. It feels just as refined as Apple’s phone, with fewer unnecessary buttons to get in the way. Does anyone actually use the Camera Control? I know I don’t. To be fair, I don’t use the temperature sensor on the back of the Pixel 10 Pro XL, but I can ignore that easier than a button.
The color options are a bit 'professional' and bland, but closer inspections shows more attention to detail than I would have expected from Google. The Jade color of my Pro review sample, for instance, was matched with a light gold frame that looks barely gilded. It’s a gorgeous match.
The speaker grilles on the bottom of the phone are new, and color-matched to the frame you choose. It’s a nice touch that most people won’t ever notice.
I have no complaints about the Pixel 10 Pro XL design, except that I’d like to see more interesting color options. Google at least matches its phones perfectly with its silicone case colors, and like the Pixel 10 phones, the latest cases have magnets inside that secure a very strong connection to any Pixelsnap (or MagSafe) accessories you might buy.
Design score: 5 / 5
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL review: Display
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
One of the absolute best smartphone displays
Super-sharp and very bright in all situations
Wow… I was expecting to be pleased with the Pixel 10 Pro XL’s display, but this phone somehow looks even better than I anticipated. Google’s Super Actua displays are among the best you’ll find on any smartphone. For the past few years, Google’s new Pixel displays have been dominant, topped only by Samsung’s best Ultra screen, and this year hasn’t been disappointing at all.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL is a joy to use in any situation. It’s great in outdoor light, even for shooting photos or reading my social feeds. It’s perfect for navigating in the car or on the street. It’s a great phone for reading in the dark late at night, or as a bedside lamp with the Pixelsnap screen savers.
In fact, I like this display so much that I think it justifies paying more to have more of it. The Pro XL is the Pixel to buy not just because it has a bigger screen, but because the screen is so enjoyable that I want to have as much of it as possible.
Whether I’m watching videos, taking photos, or playing games, the Pixel 10 Pro XL display is my favorite on any smartphone I own.
Display score: 5 / 5
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL review: Software
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
Material 3 Expressive looks fantastic and adapts nicely to themes
AI features are most useful when you barely notice them
The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL highlights Google’s clean and well-designed interface. I love the Material 3 Expressive interface design, as Google calls its Pixel version of Android. It’s friendly without feeling cartoonish, and it packs plenty of useful widgets and tools that are easy to manage and don’t hog my attention.
With so much screen space, it was a joy to create AI wallpapers and populate my home screen with Google’s slick widgets. I let the phone set all of my icon and widget colors to match my wallpaper, creating a unified theme, and the phone darkened the colors as the day went on, finally flipping to dark mode after sunset.
That’s the best of Pixel – a well-designed interface filled with just enough useful features to make the phone a tool you always want in your pocket. The Pixel 10 Pro XL will definitely remain my primary work phone after this review is published. It gives me simple customizations and shortcuts that remove the clutter of apps from my home screen and surface just the information I need. I wish iOS was better at this.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL also has some of the most useful AI features you’ll find on a phone, and I’m a big fan of Google’s call-screening tools. I can let Google AI answer when an unknown number calls, and it will give me a text transcript of whatever my caller says. Then I can decide whether to answer the call or not. This feature is only available on Pro Pixel models, and it’s worth the upgrade if you take a lot of calls.
There are plenty of new AI features as well, and I’ve talked in depth about the new Magic Cue in my Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro reviews. I think it could be an important addition to Android in the long run, but it still doesn’t work consistently. It offers useful links and buttons to info as you need it, and it doesn’t get in the way or seem pushy, like other AI features, so I have high hopes for it.
Otherwise, there are many smaller improvements that I’ve found scattered throughout the interface and which bring Google’s experience closer to the holistic, thoughtful design I expect from iOS more than Android.
Apple lets you make a contact card for yourself that will accompany your phone number when you share your details. Google lets you make the contact card for your contacts, instead of making them do the work. That seems like a better solution, since not everybody owns an iPhone, and Apple’s contact cards don’t work across platforms.
Even Google’s Daily Hub is more useful than other attempts I’ve seen. Samsung, Motorola, and now Google all offer a home page for your personal information, gathered and summarized by AI. On my Galaxy S25 Ultra, the Now Brief page has been useless at best, and oddly flippant at worst. On the Pixel 10 Pro XL, the Daily Hub offers more useful information, links I actually enjoy, and easy access to more information.
There are still some odd and off-putting AI features, usually generative AI tools. The Recorder app for some odd reason offers to generate a musical background for your recordings; I don’t really need a pop-metal soundtrack for my business interviews, thanks. Still, it’s easy to ignore these oddities, and Google mostly doesn’t shove its AI in your face.
Software score: 5 / 5
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL review: Cameras
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
The best Pixel to buy for photography
Excellent low-light photos and unique AI zoom capabilities
The Pixel 10 Pro XL and the Pixel 10 Pro have identical camera lenses and sensors, but I’m calling the Pro XL the better camera phone because of the larger display and longer battery life. Both of those attributes are features that camera buyers look for, and they make a difference when shooting with the Pixels.
The photos I got from the Pixel 10 Pro XL were fantastic, perhaps the best I’ve seen on any camera phone (and I compile the Best Camera Phones list for TechRadar). I’ll need to test the cameras in more situations, and head-to-head against more competitors, but in my week with the Pro XL it took pics that matched or beat my iPhone 16 Pro Max in most conditions.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL took photos with very accurate colors and plenty of detail at every focal range. For night photography, it was no contest. The Pro XL took pics that looked like I had a professional flashgun attached, while the iPhone shots looked much darker and lacked focus.
You can see plenty of AI help in the photos, but usually the results don’t look fake or off-putting. It’s a trade-off. I took a picture of a snowy egret from far away with my iPhone and the Pixel 10 Pro XL. The iPhone photo was grainy and fuzzy, but you could see the bird’s reflection rippling in the water. The Pixel created a smoother, more recognizable image, but the AI removed the ripples from the end result.
The only downside to Pixel photography is Google’s Camera app. It’s a nightmare. It’s hard to use, with settings that seem to conflict with each other. Adjust one setting, like changing from 12MP to 50MP resolution, and a handful of other settings suddenly go dark without warning.
I also tested the new Camera Coach feature, and you can read more about it in my Pixel 10 review. I think it helps more on the base-model phone, while the Pro XL Pixel takes photos that are good enough that you may not want an AI coach to get in the way.
Camera score: 5 / 5
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL review: Camera samples
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Google Pixel 10 Pro XL review: Performance
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
Tensor G5 performance lags all but the cheapest bargain phones
Camera stalls after taking a high-res photo
The Pixel 10 Pro XL’s performance is the phone’s only real letdown, and even though it didn’t make a difference most of the time, at key moments the phone struggled to keep up. The gap between Pixel performance and the rest of the smartphone world isn’t shrinking – it’s getting bigger and uglier every year.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL had no trouble navigating the Android menus and launching apps as quick as can be, but not every feature was so smooth. I had trouble in the Camera app, especially when I changed to the higher 50MP resolution. The camera sometimes stalled after I hit the shutter button, and made me wait for a few moments until I could snap my next shot.
That’s a huge disappointment, and I don’t know any other phone outside cheap bargain options that fails to perform basic tasks this manifestly. I can press the shutter button on my OnePlus 13 as fast as my finger can fly and it never misses a beat – likely thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset inside.
Qualcomm has a superior platform this year, and phone makers who don’t use the latest Elite option are being left behind in more ways than one (see my battery complaints below). I no longer think the Tensor G5 is good enough for the Pixel 10 Pro XL. It isn’t. It can’t keep up with the latest Android software and features, and it’s time for Google to rethink its platform strategy.
Performance score: 3 / 5
Google Pixel 10 Pro review: Battery
(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
Mediocre battery life – is the Tensor G5 to blame?
Magnetic chargers make up the shortfall
The Pixel 10 Pro XL has the best battery life of any Pixel 10 phone so far (we haven’t tested the Pixel 10 Pro Fold yet), but that isn’t saying much. The Pro XL lasted through a full day with little trouble, but I was still nervous when the battery hit single digits before bed time, which was often.
I alleviated my stress with the MagSafe chargers I have littered throughout my house and office space. Like the Pixelsnap charger, MagSafe is convenient for fast charging when I have 15 minutes to let my phone sit on a stand. A couple of those charge breaks every day made sure I had enough battery to last as long as I needed.
This mediocre battery life is especially disappointing because I’ve seen massive gains in the rest of the Android world. Phone makers like Samsung and OnePlus – using the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite platform – are offering new phones that get hours more battery life than last year’s models.
The Pixel 10 Pro XL lasted 15 minutes longer in our Future Labs battery tests than last year’s Pixel 9 Pro XL. That’s pathetic.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra achieved two hours more battery life than the Galaxy S24 Ultra, even though it uses a battery that's the same size, thanks to the newer Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. If Google can’t offer similar improvements year over year, it’s time to change platforms or it will be time to stop recommending the Pixel.
Battery score: 3 / 5
Should you buy the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL?
Google Pixel 10 Pro scorecard
Value
The most expensive Pixel, but also the best. The bigger display, longer battery life, faster charging and larger storage capacity justify the higher price tag.
4/5
Design
Mostly unchanged from the Pixel 9 Pro XL, and that’s a good thing. This is one of the most refined and polished phones you’ll see, and it’s even more durable than before.
4/5
Display
You won’t see a better display on a smartphone than the Pixel 10 Pro XL’s Super Actua screen. It’s incredibly bright and perfectly sharp, even in bright sunshine.
5/5
Software
The latest Pixel interface is one of Google’s best, and it makes the Pixel appealing and easy to use. New AI features can be useful, but if you hate them they won’t bother you much.
5/5
Cameras
Image quality is excellent, especially night photography, which is easily the best you’ll find on any smartphone. This might be the best camera phone you can buy. Camera Coach is a fun feature, but is it replacing real experts? Best editing tools, now helped by useful AI instructions.
5/5
Performance
Frankly unacceptable performance from such an expensive phone. It can’t even run the Camera app properly, and benchmarks are lower than any phone that isn’t cheap. Google needs to take this seriously, or next year won’t be so fun.
3/5
Battery
Battery life suffers under the yoke of the Tensor G5 chipset. While Qualcomm-powered phones see massive battery gains, the Pixel 10 Pro XL can’t last longer than last year’s phone, and even with its faster charging it doesn’t charge as fast as the competition. Get magnetic chargers to keep your phone topped up – you’ll thank me for it.
3/5
Buy it if...
You want the best Pixel phone yet The Pixel 10 Pro XL is the Pixel to buy this year. The screen is fantastic, and everything is improved by the larger size and enhanced capabilities.View Deal
You take a lot of photos at night The Pixel 10 Pro XL is one of the best camera phones, but it really shines at night. Low-light photos were mind-boggling in clarity and color.View Deal
You're switching from an iPhone and have a bunch of magnets I’m an unabashed fan of magnetic charging, so I welcome the Pixel 10 Pro XL to my household filled with charging stands and accessories galore.View Deal
Don't buy it if...
You need a gaming powerhouse to win The Pixel 10 Pro XL should be great for gaming, thanks to its incredible display, but performance is a letdown, especially for gamers.View Deal
You want a phone that lasts all day, and you hate magnets Battery life on the Pixel 10 Pro XL could be better, and my MagSafe chargers saved the day. If you won’t be charging periodically, get a phone that lasts longer.View Deal
You want great cameras but wear tight pants The Pixel 10 Pro has the same amazing cameras as the Pixel 10 Pro XL, so you don’t need to buy a big phone to get the same capabilities.View Deal
Also consider...
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max The biggest iPhone gives you all of Apple’s great iOS 26 features on a big display, making it easier to share, shoot videos, and play games with iPhone friends.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra It’s a bit more expensive, but the S25 Ultra is jam-packed with features, including the S Pen stylus and a fourth camera lens for more zoom options. It’s also super-fast.
I tested the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL for a week, alongside the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro. I used the Pixel 10 Pro XL as a work phone with my high-security work accounts. I loaded the phone with more than a hundred apps, and multiple Google accounts.
I used the Pixel 10 Pro XL as a camera, testing every camera feature. I used AI features to ask questions and generate sample images. I connected Magic Cue to all of my personal Google account information, and I fed the Pixel 10 Pro XL a regular diet of screenshots of my personal dealings for the Screenshots app.
I connected the Pixel 10 Pro XL to my Pixel Watch 3, my Pixel Buds Pro, and many other Bluetooth headsets and devices. I used Android Auto in my Kia and my friends’ Acura and Subaru cars, and connected to Bluetooth in an older BMW.
I've been testing phones for more than 20 years, since the days of BlackBerry and Palm OS smartphones and Samsung flip phones. I have tested hundreds of devices myself, and our Future Labs experts have tested hundreds more. I even did a brief stint as the internal phone reviewer for Samsung Mobile, testing products before launch in order to predict review scores and reception.
Future Labs tests phones using a mix of third-party benchmark software and proprietary, real-world tests. We use Geekbench, CrossMark, JetStream, WebXPRT and Mobile XPRT, and 3DMark for performance testing. We test a phone's performance on video editing tasks using Adobe Premiere Rush. We also measure display color output and brightness.
For battery testing, we have proprietary rundown tests that are the same for every phone, which we use to determine how long it takes for the battery to run down.
Caught Stealing is a nostalgic slice of '90s New York City life that comes out swinging. Set in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Darren Aronofsky’s new movie captures the nostalgic atmosphere of the time in this cat-and-mouse crime caper chase.
Austin Butler (Elvis; Eddington) plays Henry Thompson, a former baseball player turned bartender with a drinking habit, who insists on being called Hank. Tormented by a car accident that ended his promising sports career, the San Francisco Giants fan has been lifted straight from the pages of Charlie Huston’s novels that the movie is based on.
Hank gets caught up in a case of mistaken identity when his neighbor Russ, played by Matt Smith (The Crown; Doctor Who) – who looks like a punk-rocker that just stepped out of Camden in London (mohawk, studded leather jacket, piercings – the full uniform's here) – asks him to look after his Maine Coon cat named Bud (who you might recognize from Pet Sematary), setting in motion a chaotic chase with a growing group of eclectic goons across underpasses, subways and basements through East Village.
Caught Stealing is a chaotic crime caper crashing into the summer box office (Image credit: Columbia Pictures; Protozoa Pictures)
You wouldn’t expect that cat-care could get you killed, but that’s exactly the catalyst that drives the next 107 minutes of the white-knuckle drama. The bone-splitting violence splattered throughout does not hold back, letting you hear every crunch and snap against the backdrop of a soundtrack composed by Rob Simonsen (The Whale; Deadpool & Wolverine).
What starts with Russian mafia, played by Yuri Kolokolnikov (Tenet; The White Lotus) and Nikita Kukushkin (Attraction), beating up Hank (Kukushkin's mobster has a signature headbutt move) quickly snowballs as more players become involved to look for a mysterious key that they all believe Hank is hiding.
This hunt has got the attention of not just the Russian mobsters but a Puerto Rican gangster, played by Benito Martínez Ocasio aka Bad Bunny (Bullet Train; Happy Gilmore 2), and two extremely ruthless Orthodox Jewish brothers.
These last two might be the most threatening characters of the movie, but who also happen to have the most comedic lines. That's largely down to menacing performances from Liev Schreiber (Spotlight; X-Men Origins: Wolverine) and Vincent D'Onofrio (Full Metal Jacket; Men in Black) that make for a humorous contrast when you find them slurping soup or refusing to drive during Shabbat.
Liev Schreiber and Vincent D'Onofrio provide some of the best laughs in the film (Image credit: Columbia Pictures; Protozoa Pictures)
There may not be any baseball in this film (apart from the brief opening scene) but funnily enough, it's the more violent scenes where it really comes out as we watch Hank sprinting past pedestrians like he's on a home run and swinging a baseball bat at his assailants as if he's a deadly batter.
The sport offers a bridge between the violence and Hank's soft nature. After all, Hank's not a fighter – a fact we're reminded of throughout by police detective Roman, played by Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk; Ray), as well as by his relationships with people (and creatures) around him, from his mother to the homeless man on the street outside of his apartment that he helps out.
Zoë Kravitz’s (The Batman; Blink Twice) Yvonne, Hank’s girlfriend, is a welcome respite from all the violence, breaking up the gut punches and shootouts with a softer charm that shares the heart of the film with the weight of a drink driving accident from when Hank was younger.
Bad Bunny joins Russian mobsters played by Yuri Kolokolnikov and Nikita Kukushkin. (Image credit: Columbia Pictures; Protozoa Pictures)
The biggest highlight of the movie is the nostalgic set created by production designer Mark Friedberg (Joker; Noah) that immerses the characters in the gritty streets of East Village in 1998 during its transformation into the trendy art scene it is today. This is complemented by a soundtrack that includes '90s hits such as Bitch by Meredith Brooks and Wandering Star by Portishead.
However, unlike the secrets of Bud’s litter tray, Caught Stealing isn’t too mysterious, relying on action movie ideas you've seen many times before. From the reluctant hero to the classic revenge storyline, it goes exactly where your brain naturally expect it to go based on the familiar elements – despite it coming from an interesting an unpredictable filmmaker in Darren Aronofsky.
It also lacks the intensity that his movies are known for, and can feel disjointed at times as it transitions from scene to scene, sometimes brushing over key moments. For instance, a lingering shot of a chameleon seems like it could be a reference to Hank's resourcefulness, but this idea isn't hinted at again, making it feel like a stray musing rather than an interesting theme.
Caught Stealing is not a deep psychological character study like Aronofsky's The Whale or Black Swan, it's an action-packed adventure centered around a self-destructive protagonist that's trying to turn the corner.
Indeed, the sunny grasses of California where Hank is originally from are in real contrast to the grimy streets of the Lower East Side, where he now finds himself, is not the subtle backstory that we're used to seeing from the filmmaker. They say stealing third base is a high risk, low reward play in baseball; unfortunately, I think that phrase captures the end result of Aronofsky's push into a new genre.
It’s fair to say that Nintendo’s slate of Nintendo Switch 2 Editions has been a mixed bag, both in terms of what the company offers in each, how much it’s charging, and how the reception has been.
Review information
Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2 Available on: Nintendo Switch 2 Release date: August 18, 2025
In many ways, that makes the hilariously titled Kirby and the Forgotten Land - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World an outlier, and not just because it’s got possibly the longest name on the platform.
It meshes a modest visual improvement with additional content that’s easy to recommend, and takes a fantastic platformer to new heights, not unlike its protagonist floating on the breeze. It’s not perfect, but it’s still a great stand-in as the wait for a new open-world Mario game goes on.
Rescue mission
(Image credit: Nintendo)
It sounds odd, but I’ve always likened Kirby and the Forgotten Land to the early Astro Bot games, before Sony’s cute mascot went and became a platforming megastar. Its levels feel diorama-like - they’re 3D, but with minimal camera panning, and you’re tasked with searching in every nook and cranny to find a Waddle Dee.
Best bit
(Image credit: Nintendo)
The best part of Star-Crossed World is how it expands on areas from the base game in surprising new ways, with one highlight being a new ‘train track’ style area that begins at ground level before climbing ever higher, with the original level stretched out below it.
If you’re coming to this new version, wondering if anything has changed in that regard, the answer is yes, but only insofar as you’ll be hunting down Starries this time around. While I must admit I had been expecting a separate menu icon a la Jamboree TV Switch 2 upgrade, or even Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, I was surprised to jump into my old save and see that everything happens in the same world map.
Star-Crossed World's story is as simple as a mystery meteor landing and turning various older areas into more colorful, crystal-tinted versions, while even giving some of Kirby’s (admittedly adorable) foes a crystalline makeover, too.
Your pink blob’s mission is simple: rescue Starries in each level, while also ticking off some side objectives that might require a little more exploration.
What’s old is new
(Image credit: Nintendo)
While there’s an argument that for around $20 / £16.99, fans should be able to expect wholly new levels, that’s not what’s happened here. In fact, it’s much cleverer than that. Kirby is tasked with reclaiming Starries (not as cute as Waddle Dees, for my money) by finding them in existing levels, but each becomes a much more expansive quest.
As an example, one area sees Kirby travel through an existing level, only to essentially part the sea midway through and explore a whole new region under what would have been the water. In another (and a personal favorite), our puffy pink protagonist hits the gem to open a new path, only for it to begin a railway track or rollercoaster of sorts that they need to fight and platform their way along.
Given a big differentiator of the base game from the rest of Kirby canon was having our hero wander through a sort of post-apocalyptic, recognizable world, some took umbrage with the more restrictive creativity brought upon by a new setting. That’s almost entirely jettisoned here, like Nintendo is letting its hair down somewhat.
In fact, if you’re jumping in for the first time, the meteor hits right after the first set of levels is completed, so you don’t have to reach the end credits to experience everything new.
All you can eat
(Image credit: Nintendo)
The Mouthful mode returns in Star-Crossed World, and the same criticisms from the original TechRadar Gaming review apply - namely that, as funny as it is to see Kirby become a vending machine or a traffic cone, its implementation is all very linear.
This time around, there’s a Spring for jumping high and crashing down on foes, as well as a Sign that turns Kirby into a sort of flat shape for downhill sliding sections. The highlight, however, is the Gear Mouth, which allows Kirby to roll around on floors, walls, and ceilings, adding a literal new dimension to platforming.
That brings us to the platforming, and while it’s mechanically great to play, it’s just lacking the challenge of, say, a Super Mario Odyssey or even some of Donkey Kong Bananza’s trickier sections. I should stress that this doesn’t make all of the game’s imaginative ideas moot, but it does mean it’s easier to blow through in a weekend than some of its genre peers.
Another holdover from the base game is that boss fights are a little formulaic. While I appreciate that there are usually a handful of approaches to take with a few different upgrades available before the start of each skirmish, it does tend to devolve into dodging as much as you can and then spamming whichever attack you have to hand.
There’s a new Ultimate Cup Z EX boss rush that’s been added to the Coliseum for those looking for more of a challenge, though, which is a nice touch and helps scratch that trickier itch similarly to the Forgo areas of the 2022 original.
Not quite 4K(irby)
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Although the original game was hardly a slouch in terms of visuals, the bump in resolution on Nintendo Switch 2 is welcome.
Both The Forgotten Land and its Star-Crossed World additions run at what appears to be 1440p while docked, meaning it’s not quite as sharp as the Switch 2 upgrades of Tears of the Kingdom or Breath of the Wild, but it does run at a crisp 1080p in handheld.
The real relief is that it’s now running at 60fps across the board, which makes replaying even old levels feel just a little fresher thanks to the smoothness on offer. Load times have been improved, too.
Still, I do feel like Nintendo could have divorced the new content and the visual upgrade when it comes to what’s on offer.
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Is the company really going to be any worse off for giving away the visual upgrade for free and charging just for the extra content? It’s hard to say, but if you’ve been waiting to play Kirby and the Forgotten Land on Switch 2, you won’t get any visual improvements without paying.
All in all, then, Kirby and the Forgotten Land - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World is one of the easiest ‘upgrade packs’ to recommend at the time of writing for Nintendo’s nascent console.
While I wish the visual upgrade had been free to anyone with a Switch 2 and a copy of the base game, the added areas in Star Crossed World are some of the best yet, and I’d wager playing the game without them would now make the game feel incomplete in some ways.
Should you play Kirby and the Forgotten Land Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World
Play it if...
You want a meaty adventure There’s so much here to keep you busy, from finding Waddle-Dees and Starries to completing additional objectives across new and older areas alike, that you could be playing for a while to earn 100%.
You’re looking for a platformer post-Donkey Kong Bananza’s destruction-based platforming wasn’t for everyone, and if you’re looking for something more traditional, Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star Crossed World will fill that gap.
You want a Switch 2 upgrade that’s actually worth the money While Super Mario Party Jamboree’s Switch 2 upgrade pack was less comprehensive, it’s hard to argue that what’s on offer in this Switch 2 upgrade is worth the money, between the visual improvements and additional content.View Deal
Don't play it if...
You’re looking for a challenge While the new content is a tad more challenging than the base game, it’s a low bar to clear. It’s simply not the game for anyone looking for a real challenge, but that does make it pretty approachable for almost everyone.
Accessibility
Sadly, there aren’t a huge number of accessibility features here. There are two difficulty modes, Wild Mode and Spring-Breeze Mode, which offer additional difficulty for more coins, or additional health, respectively.
There’s no button remapping outside of swapping between a pair of preset options, either.
How I reviewed Kirby and the Forgotten Land Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World
I spent the last couple of weeks playing the new content, immediately after replaying the entirety of the base game to give me a better perspective on how things differ and what’s new.
I played both in docked and handheld, with the former being on a Sky Glass TV while the latter made use of AirPods Max for listening to those oh-so-satisfying sound effects that had me itching to play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate again.
The LG Ultragear GX9 is an impressive, immersive gaming monitor that’s ideal for a relatively small subset of gamers. Let's get a couple of things out the way early though: first, it’s not cheap, so any gamer on a budget will probably want to look elsewhere; and as awesome as a 45-inch (well, technically 44.5-inch) ultrawide screen is, some might find it too wide for practicality’s sake.
After all, it can be tough to focus on the action in the center of the screen and also keep tabs on your health bar in the top-left corner when you have to move your gaze over 20 inches to check on it. This also means it's not ideal for esports gamers, despite the impressive refresh rate and response time.
However, those are issues endemic to this ultrawide form factor and not necessarily a knock on the LG Ultragear GX9. All the best gaming monitors with an ultrawide screen are on the pricier side, and too wide to rely on peripheral vision to catch important information.
For those who have the money and aren’t playing esports (or still want that wrap-around experience), that wide display and 800R curvature, along with the 4K resolution, good color coverage, and speedy refresh rates and response times, make this monitor a delight to use with most games.
Cyberpunk 2077 or Monster Hunter Wilds, for example, look gorgeous and completely envelop my vision during gaming sessions. Of course, it helps that the built-in speakers sound pretty decent as well.
There are a few other pluses as well, such as all the necessary ports (minus a USB hub with KVM support), including a USB-C port with power delivery, and good ergonomics for such a wide monitor. This is a hearty recommendation as the best monitor for the right gamer.
LG Ultragear GX9: Price & availability
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
How much does it cost? $1,999.99 / £1,799.98 / AU$3,499.00
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia
When you look at the best ultrawide monitors, the price of the LG Ultragear GX9 doesn’t seem out of place, though it’s still expensive. You can get a nice gaming laptop with an OLED panel or a powerful gaming desktop for the LG Ultragear GX9’s $1,999.99 / £1,799.98 / AU$3,499.00 asking price.
The Samsung Odyssey OLED G9, which originally went for $2,199.99 / £1,599 / AU$3,399 and is now $400 cheaper, is a good comparison. It is a little bit older, hence the price drop, but it’s got a great OLED screen with sharp resolution, fast refresh rates/response times reaching up to 240Hz, and good color coverage. It’s also bigger than the Ultragear GX9 at 49 inches across.
However, like most ultrawide monitors, it peaks at a 5,120 x 1,440p resolution compared to the LG Ultragear GX9’s 5K2K or 5120 x 2160p resolution.
The LG Ultragear GX9 is a massive gaming monitor. Its 44.5-inch monitor (measured corner-to-corner diagonally) results in a length of 39 inches and a height of 18 inches, not including the stand. This can be an overwhelming monitor to use.
Of course, it has a nice 800R curvature, which brings the far ends of the screen in so that, experientially, its outer reaches fill out the peripheral vision.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
It’s big enough that I have to dart my eyes to the edges to read specific information, like a health bar, which makes the size and curvature great for immersive experiences but not for esports-type gaming (I’ll get into the actual performance aspect below).
Since the monitor is so big, it does have somewhat limited ergonomics. While no specifics are listed, its biggest possible adjustments are a height adjustment of about 5 inches. If I had to guess, it swivels and tilts about 15 degrees in each direction. It’s not a lot, but more than enough for this kind of monitor.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Since this is such a big monitor, it has a large, strong, and stable stand with a wide base. There is cable management, though it’s basic, with a passthrough hole in the middle of the stand so all the cables go in one direction out the back and towards whatever they’re connected to.
Speaking of ports, the selection is pretty good. There are two HDMI 2.1 ports, so you could use this with a next-gen console or gaming computer, a single 1.4 DisplayPort, and one USB-C with 90 watts of power delivery for use with Ultrabooks, MacBooks, and the like.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
There are also two USB-A downstream ports for charging peripherals. Unfortunately, there's no KVM capability via those USB ports.
Lastly, there’s a single button in the center of the lower back for power and navigating the OSD menu.
Design: 4.5 / 5
LG Ultragear GX9: Features
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Game modes in OSD menu
Supports variable refresh rates
Has picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture, but no KVM
The monitor has a couple of cool features baked into the OSD menu worth knowing about beyond the usual, such as HDR and curvature. For instance, there’s a Game Mode icon in the OSD that brings up four presets with settings such as color temperatures, refresh rate max, and whether VRR, HDR, and DAS Mode (Dynamic Action Sync to minimize lag) are on.
Beyond the different modes, you can change the aspect ratio in the OSD menu to a narrower image for when you need all your gaming info in front of you, offsetting the potential esports-related issue I’ve mentioned with using such a large screen.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Not only is there support for HDR, but the LG Ultragear GX9 also comes with support for VRR (variable refresh rate), which synchronizes the frame rates of the monitor with the source to minimize screen tearing, stuttering, and the like.
Picture-by-picture and picture-in-picture are both available as well if you want to use two sources at the same time. Unfortunately, as I’ve previously mentioned, there’s no KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) system where you can use a keyboard and mouse plugged into the monitor to control whichever source you have pulled up.
Features: 4.5 / 5
LG Ultragear GX9: Performance
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Can handle any game, though some are not ideal for the aspect ratio
Very good contrast and colors, along with a 5K2K resolution
Good but not great audio
I've played a number of games on the LG Ultragear GX9, namely Monster Hunter Wilds, South of Midnight, Baldur’s Gate 3, Cyberpunk 2077, and Gotham Knights, and found the monitor to be everything it's advertised to be.
Really, the only limitation is when loading up a game that doesn’t support the ultrawide resolution, such as South of Midnight – this just means there are black bars on the sides instead of the game stretching edge to edge – or when a game isn't ideal for that ultrawide resolution.
However, as mentioned before, you can change the aspect ratio. If you don’t change it, and then open up something fast-paced where you need to keep an eye on that health bar, you’re going to be in trouble.
The OLED screen and HDR support provide very good contrast – specifically DisplayHDR TRUE BLACK 400 – enabling me to see in the shadows in certain games. And the colors look more vibrant because of it. It also helps that the LG Ultragear GX9 has a rated 1500000:1 contrast ratio and 98.5% DCI-P3 color coverage.
Between the 165Hz refresh rate, 0.03ms response time, and VRR support, the action is smooth no matter how fast. And the 5K2K resolution (5120 x 2160p) is sharper than most of the competition, as most ultrawide monitors I’ve come across use a 5120 x 1440p resolution.
Since this monitor is so large, I appreciate the fact that it comes with built-in speakers. And while they’re not as good as the best computer speakers, discounting the budget options, they sound pretty decent. You don’t get any real low-end or rumble, but the sound is full and packs a good punch otherwise.
Performance: 4.5 / 5
Should I buy the LG Ultragear GX9?
LG Ultragear GX9 scorecard
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Value
The LG Ultragear GX9 is very pricey. However, considering what it is and what it does, the price is more than justified.
4 / 5
Design
Yes, it’s massive, but it has decent if limited ergonomics and a good selection of ports.
4.5 / 5
Features
Variable refresh rates, picture by / in picture, and more make this fairly feature-rich, even if it doesn’t have KVM.
4.5 / 5
Performance
It’s gorgeous, immersive (sometimes a little too much), and has great contrast and colors.
4.5 / 5
Average rating
The good news is that it’s massive. The bad news is that it’s massive. Either way, you have to decide if it’s worth the price.
4.38 / 5
Buy the LG Ultragear GX9 if…
You want an immersive gaming experience The LG Ultragear GX9 is so massive that it will cover your peripheral vision, transporting you into any game that can take advantage of the ultrawide screen real estate.
You want a great-looking screen Not only is it OLED, but it has great contrast, helped by the HDR, as well as strong color coverage. Last but not least, it has 5K2K resolution – a higher resolution than what I usually see in the ultrawide monitor space.
You want a gaming monitor with USB-C There are a lot of good gaming monitors out there. However, USB-C with power delivery is still not standard. So, if you need that to plug in a MacBook when not gaming, it's available here.
Don’t buy it if…
You’re turned off by the price Whether it’s out of your budget or dropping 2K on a gaming monitor puts a pit in your stomach, there are much cheaper gaming monitors that still offer a good gaming experience.
You don’t want to be overwhelmed Even if the price doesn’t make you flinch, the sheer size of the monitor could be overwhelming for some, especially if you like playing esports and want a screen where you can see it all without having to constantly move your eyes.
Also Consider
If my LG Ultragear GX9 review has you considering other options, here are two more monitors to consider...
Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 The Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 is a little older, so its price is now much lower than the LG Ultragear GX9 while offering an even wider 49-inch size. The resolution is lower at 5120 x 1440p, but it has a lot of the same features, including the same level of HDR.
MSI MPG 491CQP QD-OLED The MSI MPG 491CQP QD-OLED might be a mouthful to say, but it’s a great ultrawide monitor. Again, it has that lower ultrawide 1440p resolution, but also an almost-as-fast 144Hz refresh rate, and the same HDR and color coverage, plus it goes for about half the price.
I used the LG Ultragear GX9 Gaming Monitor regularly for a couple of weeks. I tested it with various games and media, especially Monster Hunter Wilds, South of Midnight, Baldur’s Gate 3, Cyberpunk 2077, and Gotham Knights, to see how it would fare. I also played around with the OSD menu, features, and ergonomics.
The LG Ultragear GX9 Gaming Monitor is clearly meant for gamers who want an immersive experience, specifically those who like their games to feel more cinematic, and it does that job well. Of course, it comes with a price tag to match.
I’ve tested a lot of tech gear over the years, from laptops to keyboards and speakers, so I can use my expertise towards giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i may face some stiff competition from the usual excellent offerings from Apple, Dell, and the like, but it’s more than up to the challenge. In fact, I believe it deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the best Ultrabooks of this generation.
It’s very slim and portable, helped by the fact that the webcam is hidden under the display in a unique and space-saving measure. And its performance is snappy and responsive, comparing well to the best laptops of this type (don’t expect it to match the power of a gaming laptop, of course). Just as important, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i is a gorgeous-looking laptop with an equally gorgeous-looking OLED display.
Really, there are only two drawbacks. The first is price. It’s not anywhere near a budget offering, though that's to be expected of this type of laptop, not to mention that an OLED display always brings a price bump.
The other issue is a little more concerning. The port selection is worse than on an Apple MacBook Air, which is saying something, as that’s already very minimal. More specifically, there’s no audio jack, so hopefully, you have a good pair of Bluetooth earbuds on hand.
However, that’s a pretty short list of things to be concerned about, and one of them (price) is to be expected with a nice Ultrabook. All in all, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i is a wonderful laptop that will make a solid upgrade for anyone looking for an attractive, portable, and powerful Ultrabook.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i: Price & availability
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
How much does it cost? Starting at $1,759.99 / £1,800.00 / AU$3,829.00
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia
The 10th-generation model of the Yoga Slim 9i comes in two configurations, with both available in the US, UK, and Australia. And both configurations are very similar.
The more basic configuration goes for $1,759.99 / £1,800 / AU$3,829 and comes with an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V CPU and 16GB of RAM. The more robust configuration with Intel Core Ultra 7 258V and 32GB of RAM costs a nominally higher price tag of $1,899.99 / £1,900 / AU$4,179. There’s very little difference in performance between the CPUs – it’s just that the 258v supports 32GB of RAM. Essentially, the price difference comes down to whether you want 16 or 32GB of RAM. Everything else is the same, from the color options to the screen and the storage capacity.
The Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4) makes for an easy comparison. Not just because they have a similar-sized screen, though the Yoga Slim 9i has better resolution, but because they have similar price points. This 14-incher from Apple starts at $1,599 / £1,599 / AU$2,499, but that gets you a 512GB SSD. If you want the same amount of storage (1TB), the price goes up to $1,799 / £1,999 / AU$3,299, which is a little more than the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i. Of course, you’ll probably gravitate towards one over the other, mostly depending on whether you want macOS or Windows.
The Dell XPS 13 offers an interesting comparison, too. It comes in at a similar price – $1,999.99 / £2,049 / AU$3,998.50 – if you opt for a touchscreen like the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i has, but the screen is smaller. And while the Dell XPS 13 does have an OLED display, it’s at a lower, though still pretty good, 2880 x 1800p resolution. Both laptops have limited ports, but both have plenty of power.
However, the Dell XPS 13 has an interesting design with its edgeless keyboard (meaning it stretches edge to edge) and a touchpad that just uses haptic feedback and doesn’t have a defined physical boundary. This is one of those love-it-or-hate-it design choices and will probably be a deciding factor for most.
Price: 4 / 5
Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i: Specs
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Of the two available configurations, there’s very little difference. You basically get to choose between two almost identical CPUs, the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V and the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, which is about 0.5% better.
However, if you select the ever-so-slightly better CPU, you get 32GB of RAM instead of 16GB, since that CPU supports the higher amount of RAM.
14" WQUXGA (3840 x 2400), OLED, Glare, Touch, HDR 600 True Black, 100%DCI-P3, 400 nits, 120Hz, Glass, Camera Under Display
14" WQUXGA (3840 x 2400), OLED, Glare, Touch, HDR 600 True Black, 100%DCI-P3, 400 nits, 120Hz, Glass, Camera Under Display
Storage:
1TB SSD
1TB SSD
Ports:
2x USB-C Thunderbolt 4
2x USB-C Thunderbolt 4
Wireless:
Wi-Fi 7 2x2 BE 320MHz & Bluetooth 5.4
Wi-Fi 7 2x2 BE 320MHz & Bluetooth 5.4
Camera:
32MP camera-under-display with e-privacy shutter
32MP camera-under-display with e-privacy shutter
Weight:
Starting at 1.25kg / 2.76lbs
Starting at 1.25kg / 2.76lbs
Dimensions:
312.93mm x 203.5mm x as thin as 14.55mm / 12.32 x 8.01 x as thin as 0.57 inches
312.93mm x 203.5mm x as thin as 14.55mm / 12.32 x 8.01 x as thin as 0.57 inches
Outside of the internal upgrades to CPU and RAM, there are no other upgrades. Both configurations come in one color, Tidal Teal, which is admittedly beautiful.
And there’s just the one display available. Thankfully, it’s also very nice with high-resolution and responsive touchscreen capabilities.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i: Design
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Attractive and slim
Gorgeous and impressive display
Limited ports, including a lack of an audio jack
Available in Tidal Teal, a shimmery blue with hints of green, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i is a beautiful laptop even before opening it up. It’s slim and light, even for a laptop of this size, and is about as portable as it gets.
In terms of form factor, the one unusual thing I noticed is that there is a raised bar near the top of the lid. This houses the 32-megapixel webcam that’s hidden under the display and pops up near the top-middle of the screen when in use. Though there’s no physical shutter for the webcam, it does have an effective e-privacy toggle next to the right USB-C port.
Image 1 of 2
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
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(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
It’s also worth noting that, despite having a touchscreen, this is not a 2-in-1, so don’t expect to be able to fold it to use as a tablet. That said, the touchscreen is very responsive and very sensitive, enough so that I’ve accidentally closed my browser multiple times when lightly touching the corner of the screen without thinking.
The screen is pretty remarkable beyond its touch capabilities. This 14-inch OLED panel has a 4K or 3840 x 2400 resolution (that’s a 16:10 aspect ratio) with a 120Hz refresh rate, along with 100% sRGB and DCI-P3 color coverage, which is ideal for photo editing. It also has a Vesa Certified DisplayHDR True Black 600 rating. It even supports Dolby Vision. You get the idea – the display is pretty spectacular.
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
The keyboard is a bit shallow, so it's not the most comfortable one I’ve used, but that’s to be expected with a laptop this slim. It’s otherwise accurate and responsive, and I had no trouble pounding out a couple of articles on it.
The touchpad is just as snappy and accurate. While a lot of newer laptops seem to increase the size of the touchpad, that’s not the case here. If you want a really big touchpad, you’re not going to get it here.
Finally, the port selection is very, very minimal. There are just two USB-C ports, one on each side. They’re both Thunderbolt 4, so there’s plenty of throughput if you want to use a dongle. Still, it’s very limited. What I’m most upset about is the fact that Lenovo has done away with any kind of audio jack. As ubiquitous as wireless earbuds are, some of us still use wired headphones from time to time.
Design: 4.5 / 5
Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i: Performance
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Snappy, responsive performance
Copilot+
Great audio quality with spatial audio
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i is quite powerful. It can handle day-to-day work easily. Opening, scrolling, clicking links, typing, photo editing: all the sorts of things most people want from an Ultrabook. For example, I was able to open 20 browser windows very quickly, just by pressing the Plus sign in Microsoft Edge.
Each window, which opens the MSN homepage filled with different news stories and information, loaded up almost immediately. Of course, I reviewed the 32GB configuration, but the CPU and RAM still do quite a bit of heavy lifting.
Even the camera behind the screen pops up promptly. Speaking of which, the webcam performs smoothly and looks good, though it does struggle with noise in low light.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i CPU / System Benchmarks
Benchmark
Score
Geekbench 6.4 Single Core
2,755
Geekbench 6.4 Single Core
11,186
Crossmark Overall
1,689
Crossmark Productivity
1,638
Crossmark Creativity
1,934
Crossmark Responsiveness
1,234
25GB File Copy Transfer Rate (MB/s)
1,032.87
Now, it’s not a gaming laptop, but I was able to run some less demanding or older games without any trouble, like Sable and Alan Wake. For those games, the action was crisp, clear, and smooth. That gorgeous OLED screen really helps. Still, there were some games I tried to run that wouldn’t even open.
As this is a newer laptop, it comes with Copilot+. Using the app is quick and responsive, though I still don’t find it to be a game-changer in my computing experience.
I’ve rarely been impressed by the audio from a laptop. I was when I reviewed the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i, and I am here. That’s probably because there are more than two speakers in the Lenovo Yoga Slom 9i. Specifically, there are two 2-watt tweeters and two 3-watt woofers. There’s also some virtual spatial audio since the laptop supports Dolby Atmos.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i: Battery life
(Image credit: Future / James Holland)
Decent if disappointing battery life
Doesn’t seem to do fast charging
Laptops with OLED displays aren’t always the most efficient, so the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i’s just under 10 hours of battery life in the PCMark 10 Battery benchmark is not surprising, though it is a bit disappointing. It did manage a better showing in our Web Surfing test, where it managed to get just over 11 hours of battery life.
While not the best results we've seen, this isn't terrible battery life. However, we’re seeing a few laptops, particularly ones that this one competes with, hitting up to double those numbers. To be fair, I turned off the laptop’s battery-saver feature, which makes the laptop run more efficiently when the battery is low, so you might manage to squeeze more juice from the battery depending on the settings.
On the bright side, it was very good at maintaining battery life when the lid was closed. I’ve used and tested some laptops where the battery would continue to run down when idling, and that’s not an issue here.
Battery life: 3 / 5
Should you buy the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i?
Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i scorecard
Category
Notes
Rating
Value
While pricey, this laptop is thin, powerful, and comes with a wonderful OLED screen.
4 / 5
Design
It’s not only thin and light, but it is gorgeous. Too bad it lacks an audio jack and only comes with two USB-C ports.
4.5 / 5
Performance
The performance (and audio quality) is excellent, especially for productivity work.
4.5 / 5
Battery Life
The battery life is decent, but compared to the competition is lower than expected.
4 / 5
Final score
It’s gorgeous, light, and comes with robust performance. Plus, it has that OLED screen.
4.25 / 5
Buy the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i if...
You want a thin, light laptop At under three pounds (and with a 14-inch screen), this laptop is about as portable as it gets.
You want a gorgeous screen Not only is the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i a looker, but it comes with a high-resolution OLED display that might be the centerpiece.
You want responsive performance This might not be a gaming laptop, but its performance is snappy and responsive, exactly what one needs for most productivity work.
Don't buy it if...
You want more ports Only two USB-C Thunderbolt ports are limiting enough. The fact that there’s no audio jack is pretty disappointing.
You have limited funds While worth the cost, this is not a cheap machine. If you’re limited on funds, there are some great laptops out there without an OLED screen that are probably within reach.
Also consider
If my Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i review has you considering other options, here are two laptops to consider...
Dell XPS 13 Between the long-lasting battery life, strong performance, and gorgeous OLED screen, the Intel Core Ultra 2nd Gen version of the Dell XPS 13 is the ideal Ultrabook. That is, if you’re game for an innovative design change that some will love and others not so much – essentially a haptic-only touch bar and touchpad.
Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4) The Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4) may not have WiFi 7 or any major physical design upgrades, but it’s an almost perfect laptop otherwise. It has powerful and incredibly efficient performance (meaning it also has a very long battery life) and comes with some unique features such as the centerstage camera and optional nano-texture screen.
I used the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i for a month, testing it for work, including this review (along with the requisite online research). I used it to stream video. I even did some light gaming. I played with the webcam, the audio, and the AI features as well.
After spending time with the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i, it’s clear that this is perfect for those who want a premium experience (and can pay for it) in a gorgeous wrapping.
I’ve spent the last few years reviewing tech gear for gaming and otherwise, where I’ve gotten a feel for what to look for and how to put a piece of kit through its paces to see whether it’s worth the recommendation.
The SwitchBot Air Purifier Table integrates an air purifier with a tabletop, a wireless Qi charger, a colored ambient light, and a fragrance diffuser.
It has a list price of $269.99 / £299.99, and can be purchased from SwitchBot and Amazon; however, there appear to be very regular discounts on the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table, and at the time of writing, it’s on offer for $175.50 / £180.
Replaceable filters cost $39.99 / £44.99, and will need to be replaced roughly every 6-12 months, depending on use, so it’s important to factor this extra cost in.
(Image credit: Future)
Setting up the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table was fairly simple but a little fiddly, on account of the little electrical connector I needed to plug in before putting the tabletop in place.
It’s a good height for having next to the couch or bedside, and the built-in wireless charger proves particularly useful in these cases. The onboard controls are a little tricky to see due to the tabletop, but I found myself using the SwitchBot app to control the purifier most of the time.
The simple-to-use companion app was pleasingly responsive when operating the air purifier and offers air quality data, scheduling, and a timer, which are all good features to have.
(Image credit: Future)
During testing, the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table quickly detected and cleared dry shampoo contamination. While it didn't immediately remove fragrance, it was cleared fairly quickly once I intervened and increased the fan speed myself.
It operates quietly in sleep mode, and is only as loud as light traffic when on top speed. Pet Mode didn’t operate as I’d expected, but the overall low volume of the purifier meant that it didn't bother my cats. I also found the fragrance diffuser to be efficient in lightly fragrancing the room after I’d applied drops of fragrance oil to the pop-out pad.
Overall, this is a good price for a multi-talented and Matter-compatible air purifier with an efficient companion app. If you’d like to explore other air purifiers we recommend, I suggest taking a look at our guide to the best air purifiers.
SwitchBot Air Purifier Table review: price & availability
List price: $269.99 / £299.99
Available now in the US and UK
The SwitchBot Air Purifier Table is available to purchase from the official SwitchBot website and Amazon, and has a list price of $269.99 / £299.99.
The list price sounds pretty high considering the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table only detects and reacts to PM2.5; however, there appear to be regular discounts on offer on the SwitchBot site and at Amazon, so it’s common to find it available at a lower price. For instance, at the time of writing, the Air Purifier table has 35% off in the US, and 40% off in the UK at SwitchBot, knocking a considerable $94.50 / £120 off the list price, and lowering the cost to $175.50 / £180.
(Image credit: Future)
There’s a cheaper model available too, the SwitchBot Air Purifier, which includes most of the features mentioned in the following review, just without the tabletop and wireless charging. This has a list price of $219.99 / £239.99 but, as with the Air Purifier table, this price is often discounted, and it’s listed at $119.99 / £139.99 at the time of writing.
Both models use the SwitchBot Air Purifier Filter, which has a list price of $39.99 / £44.99. As with all HEPA filters, this will need to be replaced on occasion, with SwitchBot advising a lifespan of 6-12 months depending on usage and air quality, so it’s important to factor in this regular cost.
Taking into account the convenience and additional features of the Air Purifier Table, and that it’s very regularly available for less than its official list price, I would say that you’re getting good value for money here.
SwitchBot Air Purifier Table review: design and features
4-in-1 air purifier, wireless charger, fragrance diffuser, and ambient light
Simple to set up, but a little fiddly
Detects and reacts to PM2.5 contamination
It feels like they were having a “yes” day in the SwitchBot office when they came up with the concept of the Air Purifier Table, like every idea thrown out was met with an enthusiastic nod. But somehow they found a way to make it work.
The SwitchBot Air Purifier Table consists of an air purifier with a tabletop, as one might expect, but it also boasts a wireless Qi charger, a colored ambient light, and a fragrance diffuser. It made a useful little side table next to my couch, and the built-in Qi wireless charger proved handy for keeping my iPhone or Motorola Moto Buds+ earbuds topped up, which was a nice bonus feature.
Does an air purifier really need all these things? Perhaps not, but I appreciated the thought, and found these extra features useful, so you may do, too.
(Image credit: Future)
The air purifier is capable of detecting and reacting to PM2.5 (particle matter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller), but it is also capable of filtering VOCs and odors, thanks to the HEPA and activated carbon filter. This filter sits within the base of the machine, behind a washable pre-filter, both of which can be easily accessed by removing the outer panel.
Setting up the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table was a little fiddly, as there are two parts of a little electrical connector between the purifier and the table top that need to be connected together. Once this was done, it was a case of rotating the table top until it clicked into place. There were four little screws that were meant to be screwed into the purifier underneath the tabletop for extra reinforcement, but this seemed basically impossible, even with my tiny hands, so I had to leave them.
(Image credit: Future)
There are a number of controls on the top edge of the purifier, underneath the tabletop, to use when you’re within reaching distance, or you can use the companion app to control the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table. The onboard controls include a button to change between the air purifier’s three modes: Auto, Pet, and Sleep, a button to cycle through the three fan speeds, a child lock, and a timer.
The controls were a bit tricky to reach, as they’re somewhat hidden underneath the tabletop. It wasn’t easy to change the settings unless I was sitting down and had a better view, although this wasn’t such a problem once I’d used them for a while, and it made more sense to use the app to adjust the settings, anyway.
Design score: 4 out of 5
SwitchBot Air Purifier Table review: app
Responsive and simple to use
Can set schedules and timers
Shows current and historical air quality data
The SwitchBot companion app is simple to use and houses a good range of features and air quality data insights for the price of the appliance. It proved very responsive over the weeks I used it, making it easy to switch modes or power on or off.
It clearly displays the air quality reading on the dashboard, using ratings from very good to bad, along with a numerical reference that relates to the number of micrograms of PM2.5 per meter cubed.
The app also provides historical data in graphs spanning either the last 24 hours or 30 days. This meant I could view which hour any spikes in air contamination occurred over the last day, and see what the minimum and maximum readings were each day over the last month. It would have been nice to have access to a 24-hour graph for previous days of the month, but this is only a small niggle, really.
(Image credit: SwitchBot / Future)
I could also set schedules within the app, either as a one-off occurrence or repeating on particular days and times. There’s a timer function, too, which offers both hours and minutes, up to 12 hours, so I could leave it running for exactly 11 hours and 26 minutes, if I really wanted to.
Finally, the care and maintenance section told me how many hours of life were remaining on the filter, and how many hours I’d been using it for. At this moment, it’s telling me that I’ve used it for 184 hours, and I’ve got 4,136 hours left. This section also advises that the pre-filter should be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner every two to four weeks, which is all handy info to know.
App score: 4.5 out of 5
SwitchBot Air Purifier Table review: performance
Quick contaminant detection and clearing
The noise didn’t disturb my rescue cats
Subtly fragranced the air
The SwitchBot Air Purifier Table was pleasingly responsive when I tested it by spraying dry shampoo from roughly two feet away. It took just a few seconds to detect the contamination, with the PM2.5 reading increasing to 619 micrograms per meter cubed in thirty seconds.
In this time, the fan speed increased in order to tackle the detected contamination, and took a further thirty seconds to return the air level to “good”, and back to “very good” in less than two minutes from the initial detection.
As it tackled the contamination so quickly, and therefore returned to its lowest setting, it didn’t do much to tackle the lingering fragrance of the dry shampoo in this time, though this is standard for air purifiers incapable of reading the ambient levels of VOCs in the air. This doesn’t mean that it doesn’t capture VOCs, however, as the HEPA and carbon filter is capable of doing so, but it needs to be manually set back to a higher fan speed to do so efficiently. I upped the fan speed to level two, and could no longer detect the fragrance after about fifteen minutes.
(Image credit: Future)
On the subject of scents, the built-in fragrance diffuser worked better than I was expecting. I’ve encountered this feature before with my beloved GoveeLife Smart Air Purifier Lite, though it was one of the rare sources of disappointment, as it wasn’t very efficient. Things were a bit more positive when it came to the diffuser in the SwitchBot, however; I could detect a good amount of the fragrance from the oils I’d placed on the pad.
One important thing to note regarding fragrance or essential oils and pets is to please make sure you do your research on whether any oils you plan to use are safe, as some can prove toxic to our furry friends.
The SwitchBot Air Purifier Table was very quiet when in sleep mode, measuring just 26dB from two feet away, which is quieter than a whisper. It was therefore very easy to sleep next to, and so I’d have no concerns using the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table as a nightstand.
(Image credit: Future)
Pet Mode worked a little differently than I expected. On the SwitchBot site, Pet Mode is described as using a softer air supply to prevent disturbing pets. In practice, I found that enabling it just seemed to bump the fan speed up to two, regardless of the air quality, which was already good. Nonetheless, neither of my rescue kitties seemed bothered by the 49dB volume, and were happy to come up and have fusses right next to it.
At its top fan speed, the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table gave a reading of 55dB, making it a little louder than the Blueair Blue Pure Mini Max, but seeing as this is still only as loud as light traffic, it’s perfectly acceptable.
Overall, the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table is an efficient air purifier for the price, and a handy little side table and phone charger.
Performance score: 4.5 out of 5
Should I buy the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table?
Section
Notes
Score
Value for money
Provided you purchase it at what appears to be a regularly discounted rate, you’re getting a good little air purifier and some fun additional features for the price.
4/5
Design & Features
There’s a lot packed into this little table, thanks to its air purifying, charging, and fragrance diffusing features. The setup was a little fiddly in places, but easy enough overall.
4/5
App
The companion app was simple to use and responsive. It gave some insights into any spikes in contamination throughout the day, plus min and max readings over the past thirty days.
4.5/5
Performance
The air purifier reacted to and tackled contamination quickly during testing, and dealt with the odor left over, once I’d manually upped the fan speed.
4.5/5
Buy it if...
You want a smart purifier Having the SwitchBot app made it really easy to control and schedule the air purification, and it proved responsive and informative during testing.
You’ll make use of the extra features If you happen to need a new side table or nightstand with built-in wireless charging, then the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table is a great way to feed two birds with one scone.
You want a purifier with auto-detection It’s always useful to have an air purifier that can be left to its own devices, and the automatic detection and reactivity to PM2.5 means the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table will jump into action on its own accord.
Don't buy it if...
You want VOC detection Unsurprisingly, considering its price point, the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table doesn’t detect or react to VOC contamination. If you’re looking for something that does, and you have a little more to spend, I highly recommend checking out the Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehyde TP09 instead.
You just want an air purifier If you’re not bothered about having an extra side table or a wireless charger, then you’re probably better off opting for the standard SwitchBot Air Purifier and saving some money.
You want it to deal with odors unaided As it only detects and reacts to PM2.5 contamination and deals with it quickly, the fan isn’t running high enough for long enough to tackle odors. Therefore, manual intervention is required by turning up the fan speed until the odor is gone.
SwitchBot Air Purifier Table review: Also consider
Blueair Blue Pure 411i Max / Blue Max 3250i This delightfully lightweight air purifier offers simpler on-board controls, with one touch button to cycle through the three fan speeds, and auto and night modes. There’s a handy companion app that allows for easy control, along with air quality data based on the ambient levels of PM2.5. BlueAir has cleverly made the pre-filter part of the aesthetic, opting for a washable fabric covering, making this air purifier more pleasing to the eye. If you’d like to find out more, check out my full Blueair Blue Pure 411i Max / Blue Max 3250i review.
GoveeLife Smart Air Purifier Lite This is another favorite of mine, and makes for a great desktop option. Similar to the BlueAir above, it’s simple to control with a touch button to cycle through the fan speeds and modes. One such mode is the custom mode, which was great, as it allowed me to run a customized routine. The Smart Air Purifier Lite can be controlled via the fantastic Govee Home companion app and voice control, too. For more information, why not take a look at my full GoveeLife Smart Air Purifier Lite review?
How I tested the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table
I tested the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table for a few weeks
I explored the different modes and features
I tested its detection and reaction speeds
I passively tested the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table by having it next to my couch for a few weeks. I used it as a side table, charged my iPhone and earbuds, and made use of the fragrance diffuser and ambient lighting.
I tested out all of the different modes, like Sleep mode when I napped on the sofa, and Pet mode when my rescue cats were about. I explored the app and made use of the various features.
I tested how fast the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table would react to and clear contamination by spraying dry shampoo around two feet away. I also monitored the readings on the app during this time.
