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Hollow Knight: Silksong is a masterful, daring follow-up that’s destined to be misunderstood for years to come
8:00 pm | September 15, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Comments: Off

Long-awaited metroidvania game Hollow Knight: Silksong is already proving to be a victim of its own success.

The unbearable hype surrounding its storefront-destroying launch, combined with the simultaneous release into the eager hands of both critics and players, has created a uniquely voracious narrative.

There’s a sense that one must devour Silksong all at once, or else risk being left behind and out of the loop on what is surely one of the biggest gaming events of the decade so far.

The problem is, Silksong is not a game to be binged. It’s a sprawling, complicated, and brilliant sequel that demands patience above all else. Only then does it fully reveal itself as a game that’s much more than the conversations around difficulty would have you believe.

Review information

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
Available on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC
Release date: September 4, 2025

Not even two weeks into its life, developer Team Cherry’s Silksong has largely been misrepresented and mislabelled as an impossibly difficult and sadistic continuation of 2017’s brilliant Hollow Knight. Of course, Silksong is a very challenging game; I agree with that wholeheartedly. It’s so much more than that, though.

As the dust settles, and now looking back on my first completed playthrough, I believe it’s going to take years for the collective player hivemind to truly unpack exactly what Silksong does well, and where it falters.

Rough starts and Bellharts

Hornet faces a boss enemy against a fiery level backdrop

(Image credit: Team Cherry)

I made the decision to play the first five hours of Hollow Knight alongside those of Silksong’s. This is where the two games differ most drastically. Hollow Knight is much more generous with checkpoints, resources, and clear tutorial sections than Silksong.

Enemies hit hard from the get-go in the sequel, while Hollow Knight gives you some softball encounters to practice on before its first proper boss fight. These are very different games, diverging from one another almost immediately and taking very different paths towards completely different conclusions.

The opening hours of Silksong are likely to be where players find the most friction. Enemies frequently deal two full health segments of damage, though you’ll have more freedom in how you heal thanks to main protagonist Hornet’s increased speed and aerial options. Instead of a simple down attack, Hornet dives in diagonal needle drops. This in itself requires hours to master, and it’s made very clear that bouncing between enemies without touching the ground is the strongest strategy available to you at first.

Your main special resource in Silksong is the silk meter, which is primarily filled by hitting enemies. Upon collecting enough silk, you’ll need to make a quick decision: heal, or unleash a special attack to hopefully end a fight earlier. Risk vs reward is hammered home again and again in Silksong, and it's the first few hours where you’ll need to experiment with how you want to play. Eventually, you’ll get to the first town area, learn how to purchase items from merchants, and the currencies that you’ll have to focus on seeking out.

Rosaries are the main ones, but they’re also lost upon death, wrapped in a cocoon that must be retrieved in order to get them back. Shell Shards are somewhat supplementary, used to craft tools and open up your combat options.

My wallet is filled with moths

A snail carries its shell as a backpack, waving as they go

(Image credit: Team Cherry)

The economy between Rosaries and Shards is a tricky one to make the best use of. Silksong doesn’t give you many opportunities to get Rosaries consistently until a few hours in, while Shards aren’t particularly useful until you’ve bought tools and crafting kits from later merchants.

Tools become vital against flying enemies, bosses, and mobs of enemies, leading to one of the game’s key frustrations. To craft tools, you need Shards. To reliably purchase Shards, you must earn Rosaries, which come from exploring or, more reliably, killing enemies.

Many of the difficulty spikes I hit in Silksong completely cleared out my tools. I’d then have to travel elsewhere to farm Rosaries just to have enough tools to have another go at what was besting me. It’s reminiscent of the awful Blood Vial farming required for some bosses in Bloodborne, taking the player away from the action for repetitive bouts of repeated enemy hunting.

Unfortunately, this never really goes away in Silksong, and if anything, it becomes more common as you progress. The Shard vs Rosary reward balancing is ever so slightly off, making certain areas more and more difficult to progress through.

Shall we take a detour?

The Silksong map, showing Bone Bottom and The Marrow

(Image credit: Team Cherry)

Silksong offers the same approach to problem-solving as seen in Elden Ring and its expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, in that you’re supposed to go and find something else to do when a perceived skill wall presents itself. Silksong’s map is vast, and much of it is completely optional.

Best bit

Hornet stands and plays her needle as a musical instrument

(Image credit: Team Cherry)

The Needolin is an upgrade that turns Hornet’s needle into a musical instrument. You simply hold down a button, and Hornet plays along to nearby or ambient music. It’s used to unlock secret doors, interact with NPC events, and even open up new paths that are linked to the final ending of the game. It’s very ambiguous as to what the Needolin can interact with, so experimenting while exploring becomes its own intriguing side quest. I bet there’s even more the Needolin can do, and it’s going to take players years to find out all of its hidden functions.

Many times, I’d find myself throwing Hornet into the same repeated encounter, as I grew increasingly tired of losing the same fight over and over. At a certain point, however, it clicked that I simply needed to open up the map, look for new paths, and follow them forward. Every single time I did this, I happened upon something that made my build stronger – be that secret bundles of Rosaries, new move sets and upgrades, or non-player characters (NPCs) that could be brought into particular fights alongside Hornet. I developed a mantra to live by: if a section took me more than five tries, I needed to go somewhere else.

Once I opened myself up to Silksong’s non-linear progression paths, I started to meet less friction. Side quests are smart new additions that gently nudge players towards points of interest: An old town built into caves of gold, silver, and bronze bells; a decrepit medical wing filled with Lovecraftian horrors and a few allies to meet; a new encounter at the starting village that changes its topography and makes use of music to deliver sorrowful worldbuilding.

Kicking over a log in the woods

Hollow Knight: Silksong

(Image credit: Team Cherry)

Playing Silksong makes me feel itchy; I’m not sure how else to describe it. Anyone else who spent their childhood wandering around rain-soaked woodland and muddy river banks will know the feeling. You find a rotten piece of wood, roll it over, and jump back at the writhing cities of grubs, bugs, and spiders you’ve unearthed.

Stepping into every new area always feels like a log turned over. You’ll hear the scritch-scratch of tiny legs from somewhere in the shadows. Tiny gnats will whine nasally as you approach. There’s a griminess to Silksong’s initial zones that’s made all the more potent by the golden gleam and religious opulence of late-game areas.

All of this is achieved in a 2D game, mind you. Somehow, Team Cherry has managed to make even the simplest passages feel thick with dirt, fog, and dust. Light is expertly used to add extra volume and scale to the standard side-scrolling formula used in other modern Metroidvanias.

In comparison, the map is one area where there’s been the least innovation. You still need to purchase them before you’ll see certain areas; there’s still a Compass that takes up a Crest slot, and pins can be used to mark key information.

Given the added variety and scale of Silksong, it’s unfortunate that the map isn’t really up to the task of leading you through the game. There frankly needs to be more information on NPCs, added options for pin types, and a reworking of the way the compass works to measure up to the changes made in this sequel.

Sting like a Hornet

Hornet swings their weapon in mid air

(Image credit: Team Cherry)

Playing as Hornet is a wildly different experience when compared to the silent Knight of the first game. Hornet has dialogue. She’s confident, empathetic, and sternly protective of her personal space. There’s also a concerted effort to contextualize Hornet within the world of Pharloom. You get the impression that she has a personal connection to the bugs you meet, and a genuine desire to help them.

I’m impressed by how well-rounded Hornet is as a protagonist, which makes the combat and boss fights all the more impactful. Silksong is once again filled with an expansive lore and world history. Having Hornet be a part of that lore is a master stroke that elevates the sequel above the first game.

Let’s dance

Silksong

(Image credit: Team Cherry)

Silksong is at its best when you’re fighting a boss. Every single one is memorable: equal parts deadly and stunning, with clear design motifs bolstered by bespoke musical accompaniment. Many of the boss battles are intricately choreographed affairs. One early game fight with a needle-wielding foe plays out like a synchronized dance routine, all death-defying dives and sparking slashes of sharpened steel.

I’m struggling to remember another game that’s so filled with best-in-class bosses as Silksong. With enough patience and a bit of time spent exploring for upgrades, none of them feel unfair. The loop of slowly learning patterns and then executing daring counters is what all great boss fights are about. Silskong delivers again and again and again in this respect. I can’t wait to jump back in and face the gauntlet of bosses with new tactics, builds, and strategies, and there isn’t a single boss I’ll be skipping in a second playthrough.

Silksong is every bit the sequel that Hollow Knight deserves. It’s the spoils of a team going the extra mile. It’s challenging, yes, but take your time and explore the vast world of Pharloom, and you’ll be rewarded with yet another masterpiece. I can’t wait to see what comes next from Team Cherry, as it’ll never be a team that settles on delivering ‘just more Hollow Knight’.

Should you play Silksong?

Play it if...

You’re looking for a challenging, but rewarding 2D side-scrolling action game
Take your time with it, look up the locations of extra health and other upgrades if you need. This one can be beaten, and even if there is a part you can’t beat, just go and explore somewhere else, preferably via side quests.

You’re a fan of Hollow Knight
While Silksong is a very different game from its predecessor, there’s the same emphasis on dazzling boss battles, subtle world-building, and rewarding exploration. You don’t need to have cleared Hollow Knight’s hardest tasks to jump into the sequel, though you may find some added fun exploring Silksong with at least a passing knowledge of the first game’s story and lore.

Boss fights are your one true love
Silksong has perhaps the best suite of boss fights in any game I’ve ever played. There’s a firework-shooting showman, a dance-themed fight with mechanical cog-robots, and even tense 1v1 showdowns with needle-wielding warriors.

Don't play it if...

You don’t have time to fully submit to Silksong’s non-linear structure
Silksong is a game that’s very easy to get lost in. You can find yourself repeatedly banging your head against a wall, unless you have the time and desire to venture off the beaten path. You can beat Silksong in 30 hours, though it’ll be infinitely more difficult, and a lot less rewarding, if you just rush through the main path.

Accessibility

Silksong offers the option to turn off camera shake and customize HUD size. There are audio sliders for individual tracks, and you can remap controls. This is a very limited offering, with no color blind, difficulty, or repeated button input options available.

How I reviewed Silksong

My first playthrough of Silksong lasted 36 hours, and I spent a while doing every side quest available before the final boss fight, not counting courier missions. I still haven’t explored the two final sections of the map, and there are plenty of secrets and locked doors I didn’t get to before the end of the credits. I played Hollow Knight back in 2018, completing the main story and some of the first DLC. I intend to go back and play Silksong a second time, focusing on a different Crest, and making use of a completely different set of tools.

I played Silksong on Nintendo Switch 2, making use of the 120Hz mode when docked. The Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller was perfect for this game, though d-pad users may want to go for an alternative controller (the d-pad on the Pro 2 is very subpar when compared to other options like the 8BitDo Ultimate).

I ran Silksong on my LG UltraGear 4K gaming monitor (27GR93U), making use of the extra refresh rate options. Generally, I played Silksong docked, though I did play about five hours handheld.

First reviewed September 2025

Hollow Knight: Silksong is a masterful, daring follow-up that’s destined to be misunderstood for years to come
8:00 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Comments: Off

Long-awaited metroidvania game Hollow Knight: Silksong is already proving to be a victim of its own success.

The unbearable hype surrounding its storefront-destroying launch, combined with the simultaneous release into the eager hands of both critics and players, has created a uniquely voracious narrative.

There’s a sense that one must devour Silksong all at once, or else risk being left behind and out of the loop on what is surely one of the biggest gaming events of the decade so far.

The problem is, Silksong is not a game to be binged. It’s a sprawling, complicated, and brilliant sequel that demands patience above all else. Only then does it fully reveal itself as a game that’s much more than the conversations around difficulty would have you believe.

Review information

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
Available on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC
Release date: September 4, 2025

Not even two weeks into its life, developer Team Cherry’s Silksong has largely been misrepresented and mislabelled as an impossibly difficult and sadistic continuation of 2017’s brilliant Hollow Knight. Of course, Silksong is a very challenging game; I agree with that wholeheartedly. It’s so much more than that, though.

As the dust settles, and now looking back on my first completed playthrough, I believe it’s going to take years for the collective player hivemind to truly unpack exactly what Silksong does well, and where it falters.

Rough starts and Bellharts

Hornet faces a boss enemy against a fiery level backdrop

(Image credit: Team Cherry)

I made the decision to play the first five hours of Hollow Knight alongside those of Silksong’s. This is where the two games differ most drastically. Hollow Knight is much more generous with checkpoints, resources, and clear tutorial sections than Silksong.

Enemies hit hard from the get-go in the sequel, while Hollow Knight gives you some softball encounters to practice on before its first proper boss fight. These are very different games, diverging from one another almost immediately and taking very different paths towards completely different conclusions.

The opening hours of Silksong are likely to be where players find the most friction. Enemies frequently deal two full health segments of damage, though you’ll have more freedom in how you heal thanks to main protagonist Hornet’s increased speed and aerial options. Instead of a simple down attack, Hornet dives in diagonal needle drops. This in itself requires hours to master, and it’s made very clear that bouncing between enemies without touching the ground is the strongest strategy available to you at first.

Your main special resource in Silksong is the silk meter, which is primarily filled by hitting enemies. Upon collecting enough silk, you’ll need to make a quick decision: heal, or unleash a special attack to hopefully end a fight earlier. Risk vs reward is hammered home again and again in Silksong, and it's the first few hours where you’ll need to experiment with how you want to play. Eventually, you’ll get to the first town area, learn how to purchase items from merchants, and the currencies that you’ll have to focus on seeking out.

Rosaries are the main ones, but they’re also lost upon death, wrapped in a cocoon that must be retrieved in order to get them back. Shell Shards are somewhat supplementary, used to craft tools and open up your combat options.

My wallet is filled with moths

A snail carries its shell as a backpack, waving as they go

(Image credit: Team Cherry)

The economy between Rosaries and Shards is a tricky one to make the best use of. Silksong doesn’t give you many opportunities to get Rosaries consistently until a few hours in, while Shards aren’t particularly useful until you’ve bought tools and crafting kits from later merchants.

Tools become vital against flying enemies, bosses, and mobs of enemies, leading to one of the game’s key frustrations. To craft tools, you need Shards. To reliably purchase Shards, you must earn Rosaries, which come from exploring or, more reliably, killing enemies.

Many of the difficulty spikes I hit in Silksong completely cleared out my tools. I’d then have to travel elsewhere to farm Rosaries just to have enough tools to have another go at what was besting me. It’s reminiscent of the awful Blood Vial farming required for some bosses in Bloodborne, taking the player away from the action for repetitive bouts of repeated enemy hunting.

Unfortunately, this never really goes away in Silksong, and if anything, it becomes more common as you progress. The Shard vs Rosary reward balancing is ever so slightly off, making certain areas more and more difficult to progress through.

Shall we take a detour?

The Silksong map, showing Bone Bottom and The Marrow

(Image credit: Team Cherry)

Silksong offers the same approach to problem-solving as seen in Elden Ring and its expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, in that you’re supposed to go and find something else to do when a perceived skill wall presents itself. Silksong’s map is vast, and much of it is completely optional.

Best bit

Hornet stands and plays her needle as a musical instrument

(Image credit: Team Cherry)

The Needolin is an upgrade that turns Hornet’s needle into a musical instrument. You simply hold down a button, and Hornet plays along to nearby or ambient music. It’s used to unlock secret doors, interact with NPC events, and even open up new paths that are linked to the final ending of the game. It’s very ambiguous as to what the Needolin can interact with, so experimenting while exploring becomes its own intriguing side quest. I bet there’s even more the Needolin can do, and it’s going to take players years to find out all of its hidden functions.

Many times, I’d find myself throwing Hornet into the same repeated encounter, as I grew increasingly tired of losing the same fight over and over. At a certain point, however, it clicked that I simply needed to open up the map, look for new paths, and follow them forward. Every single time I did this, I happened upon something that made my build stronger – be that secret bundles of Rosaries, new move sets and upgrades, or non-player characters (NPCs) that could be brought into particular fights alongside Hornet. I developed a mantra to live by: if a section took me more than five tries, I needed to go somewhere else.

Once I opened myself up to Silksong’s non-linear progression paths, I started to meet less friction. Side quests are smart new additions that gently nudge players towards points of interest: An old town built into caves of gold, silver, and bronze bells; a decrepit medical wing filled with Lovecraftian horrors and a few allies to meet; a new encounter at the starting village that changes its topography and makes use of music to deliver sorrowful worldbuilding.

Kicking over a log in the woods

Hollow Knight: Silksong

(Image credit: Team Cherry)

Playing Silksong makes me feel itchy; I’m not sure how else to describe it. Anyone else who spent their childhood wandering around rain-soaked woodland and muddy river banks will know the feeling. You find a rotten piece of wood, roll it over, and jump back at the writhing cities of grubs, bugs, and spiders you’ve unearthed.

Stepping into every new area always feels like a log turned over. You’ll hear the scritch-scratch of tiny legs from somewhere in the shadows. Tiny gnats will whine nasally as you approach. There’s a griminess to Silksong’s initial zones that’s made all the more potent by the golden gleam and religious opulence of late-game areas.

All of this is achieved in a 2D game, mind you. Somehow, Team Cherry has managed to make even the simplest passages feel thick with dirt, fog, and dust. Light is expertly used to add extra volume and scale to the standard side-scrolling formula used in other modern Metroidvanias.

In comparison, the map is one area where there’s been the least innovation. You still need to purchase them before you’ll see certain areas; there’s still a Compass that takes up a Crest slot, and pins can be used to mark key information.

Given the added variety and scale of Silksong, it’s unfortunate that the map isn’t really up to the task of leading you through the game. There frankly needs to be more information on NPCs, added options for pin types, and a reworking of the way the compass works to measure up to the changes made in this sequel.

Sting like a Hornet

Hornet swings their weapon in mid air

(Image credit: Team Cherry)

Playing as Hornet is a wildly different experience when compared to the silent Knight of the first game. Hornet has dialogue. She’s confident, empathetic, and sternly protective of her personal space. There’s also a concerted effort to contextualize Hornet within the world of Pharloom. You get the impression that she has a personal connection to the bugs you meet, and a genuine desire to help them.

I’m impressed by how well-rounded Hornet is as a protagonist, which makes the combat and boss fights all the more impactful. Silksong is once again filled with an expansive lore and world history. Having Hornet be a part of that lore is a master stroke that elevates the sequel above the first game.

Let’s dance

Silksong

(Image credit: Team Cherry)

Silksong is at its best when you’re fighting a boss. Every single one is memorable: equal parts deadly and stunning, with clear design motifs bolstered by bespoke musical accompaniment. Many of the boss battles are intricately choreographed affairs. One early game fight with a needle-wielding foe plays out like a synchronized dance routine, all death-defying dives and sparking slashes of sharpened steel.

I’m struggling to remember another game that’s so filled with best-in-class bosses as Silksong. With enough patience and a bit of time spent exploring for upgrades, none of them feel unfair. The loop of slowly learning patterns and then executing daring counters is what all great boss fights are about. Silskong delivers again and again and again in this respect. I can’t wait to jump back in and face the gauntlet of bosses with new tactics, builds, and strategies, and there isn’t a single boss I’ll be skipping in a second playthrough.

Silksong is every bit the sequel that Hollow Knight deserves. It’s the spoils of a team going the extra mile. It’s challenging, yes, but take your time and explore the vast world of Pharloom, and you’ll be rewarded with yet another masterpiece. I can’t wait to see what comes next from Team Cherry, as it’ll never be a team that settles on delivering ‘just more Hollow Knight’.

Should you play Silksong?

Play it if...

You’re looking for a challenging, but rewarding 2D side-scrolling action game
Take your time with it, look up the locations of extra health and other upgrades if you need. This one can be beaten, and even if there is a part you can’t beat, just go and explore somewhere else, preferably via side quests.

You’re a fan of Hollow Knight
While Silksong is a very different game from its predecessor, there’s the same emphasis on dazzling boss battles, subtle world-building, and rewarding exploration. You don’t need to have cleared Hollow Knight’s hardest tasks to jump into the sequel, though you may find some added fun exploring Silksong with at least a passing knowledge of the first game’s story and lore.

Boss fights are your one true love
Silksong has perhaps the best suite of boss fights in any game I’ve ever played. There’s a firework-shooting showman, a dance-themed fight with mechanical cog-robots, and even tense 1v1 showdowns with needle-wielding warriors.

Don't play it if...

You don’t have time to fully submit to Silksong’s non-linear structure
Silksong is a game that’s very easy to get lost in. You can find yourself repeatedly banging your head against a wall, unless you have the time and desire to venture off the beaten path. You can beat Silksong in 30 hours, though it’ll be infinitely more difficult, and a lot less rewarding, if you just rush through the main path.

Accessibility

Silksong offers the option to turn off camera shake and customize HUD size. There are audio sliders for individual tracks, and you can remap controls. This is a very limited offering, with no color blind, difficulty, or repeated button input options available.

How I reviewed Silksong

My first playthrough of Silksong lasted 36 hours, and I spent a while doing every side quest available before the final boss fight, not counting courier missions. I still haven’t explored the two final sections of the map, and there are plenty of secrets and locked doors I didn’t get to before the end of the credits. I played Hollow Knight back in 2018, completing the main story and some of the first DLC. I intend to go back and play Silksong a second time, focusing on a different Crest, and making use of a completely different set of tools.

I played Silksong on Nintendo Switch 2, making use of the 120Hz mode when docked. The Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller was perfect for this game, though d-pad users may want to go for an alternative controller (the d-pad on the Pro 2 is very subpar when compared to other options like the 8BitDo Ultimate).

I ran Silksong on my LG UltraGear 4K gaming monitor (27GR93U), making use of the extra refresh rate options. Generally, I played Silksong docked, though I did play about five hours handheld.

First reviewed September 2025

I watched the first three episodes of Gen V season 2, and The Boys’ college spin-off falls just short of being a grade-A student on Prime Video
7:00 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Amazon Prime Video Computers Gadgets Streaming | Tags: | Comments: Off

Light spoilers follow for Gen V season 2 episodes 1 to 3.

It's crunch time for Gen V season 2. Like the superpowered freshman students who populate the The Boys' college-based spin-off, there wasn't much pressure for Gen V's debut season to contend with.

Sophomore year is a whole different game, though. With the Amazon TV Original's second installment acting as a primer for The Boys' fifth and final season, plus Gen V season 1 being a hit with myself and countless other viewers, the weight of expectation on its eight-part sequel is unmistakable.

Thankfully, Gen V season 2 doesn't collapse under the pressure in its three-episode premiere – at least, not fully. As gleefully gory and riotously raunchy as its predecessor, season 2 is also a thematically darker follow-up whose opening salvo falls shy of earning top marks.

Back to school

Emma Meyer standing in a room looking shocked in Gen V season 2

Emma is one of two returning characters we're initially reunited with in season 2's first episode (Image credit: Jasper Savage/Prime Video)

Set several months after Gen V's debut season and The Boys season 4, season 2 initially reunites us with the Ant-Man-like Emma (Lizze Broadway) and gender-shifter Jordan (London Thor and Derek Lu), two of four Godolkin University (God U) first-year students incarcerated at Elmira Adult Rehabilitation Center at the end of Gen V season 1's finale.

Unexpectedly, the pair are whisked back to God U, which now operates as something of a surveillance state, where they're forced to help cover up events in last season's finale. Namely, the fact that the college's deceased dean Indira Shetty was responsible for the Supe civil war that erupted on campus in season 1's last chapter, and the creation of a Supe-killing virus that was secretly tested on students in an underground facility called The Woods.

Season 2 raises the stakes even more, with Marie and company facing arguably bigger problems.

But, things aren't rosy for Emma and Jordan, nor their fellow Supe students Cate (Maddie Phillips) and Sam (Asa Germann). The latter pair are heroes among their college kin and the general public for their roles in the campus battle, which led to a summer internship at Vought International under America's new shadow president Homelander, so you might expect this duo to have an easier time of things.

Nonetheless, with a new autocratic and secretive Head named Cipher (Hamish Linklater) assuming control of God U, the emergence of new secrets concerning jailbird and former student Marie (Jaz Sinclair), and the ongoing trauma of what happened to them between seasons, Gen V's superpowered teens must make peace with their recent suffering and learn to trust each other again to solve more God U-based mysteries.

Jordan Li's female form sitting at a table in Gen V season 2

Jordan spends much of season 2's early entries feeling betrayed by Marie, and rightly so (Image credit: Jasper Savage/Prime Video)

Gen V 2 wastes no time tackling the first of said puzzles in the shape of The Odessa Project.

A flashback sequence involving Doctor Thomas Godolkin (Ethan Slater), the university's founder and right-hand man to Vought International founder and Compound V creator Doctor Frederick Vought, immediately sets the stage for this enigma-filled storyline that seems like it'll play a central role in this season's overarching narrative.

Marie Moreau standing in an arena preparing to fight in Gen V season 2

Marie is convinced to return to God U for reasons I won't spoil here (Image credit: Jasper Savage/Prime Video)

Season 2 doesn't dangle this plot-based carrot in front of us before snatching it away, either. Indeed, its first three episodes give us plenty to chew over regarding The Odessa Project and how it involves Marie; a far cry from other shows that delay important character and/or plot beats for no reason.

Speaking of Marie, Gen V doesn't drag out her first appearance this season. Again, another TV series may have withheld the return of its primary protagonist to generate anticipation among viewers. Pleasingly, Gen V's writing team knows better than to make us wait, with Marie, who's initially only interested in finding her younger sibling following her escape from Elmira, reintroduced just 16 minutes into episode 1.

A Chance to reflect

Andre Anderson smiling and carrying his backpack on his right shoulder in Gen V season 1

Chance Perdomo's ghost looms large over Gen V season 2's three-episode premiere (Image credit: Brooke Palmer/Prime Video)

The same is true about the off-screen demise of Andre Anderson.

Chance Perdomo, the actor who portrayed the metal-manipulating God U student in season 1, died in a motorbike accident in March 2024. Following this tragedy, Gen V's creative team announced that they wouldn't recast the role of Andre and that they'd "recraft our season 2 storylines" to honor Perdomo's work on the show.

This season's three-episode premiere sensitively handles the loss of Perdomo in a manner befitting the talented young actor and the heroic character he played in one of the best Prime Video shows. From episode 1's 'in memoriam' title card, to the heart-wrenching and tender scenes between Gen V's tight-knit cast, the weight of Perdomo's loss is palpable.

In that sense, it's an opportunity for the show's cast, crew, and audience to grieve, reflect on Perdomo's life and career, and truly start to individually and collectively heal after an emotionally devastating 18-month period.

Gen V season 2 sensitively handles the loss of Chance Perdomo in a manner befitting the talented young actor

Understandably, Andre's in-universe passing has as much of an impact on the show's other characters as Perdomo's death did on its cast. Indeed, Andre's demise looms large over season 2's opening chapters and, coupled with the explosive events from last season's finale, injects a tangible tension into Gen V's primary friendship group that's subsequently shattered amid said tumultuous events.

Season 1 wasn't devoid of teen- and college-based melodrama; but the loss of a popular actor and character, and the keen sense of betrayal felt by various characters towards their classmates, raises the stakes even more, with Marie and company facing arguably bigger problems.

Curriculum clichés

Cipher holding out his hands with palms facing outwards in Gen V season 2

Hamish Linklater shines as the new Head of Godolkin University (Image credit: Jasper Savage/Prime Video)

The breakdown of some dynamics allows new amusement-filled and heartfelt relationships to blossom, too. The establishment of a surrogate/odd-couple bond between Andre's father Polarity (Sean Patrick Thomas) and Emma – Broadway would be my MVP of season 2 so far if not for another actor's performance – is particularly striking. An endearing reconciliation between Jordan and Sam suggests that there might be a way for Gen V's core crew to not only forgive one another, but also band together to tackle a shared antagonistic figure in Linklater's Cipher.

Gen V season 2's early entries spin their character development wheels a little too much for my liking

And, based on episodes 1 through 3, what an adversary he is. As dangerous as he is mysterious, Linklater is wonderfully sinister, mesmerically manipulative, and captivatingly forthright as God U's new Dean and self-appointed Hero Optimization course tutor.

Linklater has revelled in other TV roles, including FX's Legion, Netflix's Midnight Mass, and Amazon's Batman: Caped Crusader, but, if his performance in Gen V 2's first three episodes are anything to go by, I think Cipher might be the role he's had the most fun playing. Keep up this acting display and, in my view, it'll be his best work yet.

Cipher isn't the only entertaining element of this season. Sure, season 2's thematically darker narrative is indicative of the nightmarish turn its parent show took in its fourth season, but Gen V doesn't disregard the edgy humor that The Boys universe is renowned for.

I'll admit that some of this humor is starting to lose its appeal or effectiveness, but the franchise's whip-smart and unsubtle takedowns of real-world establishments and sociopolitical issues, coupled with a sprinkling of awkward teen comedy, ensures that Gen V's jokes still land more often than not.

Polarity looking at someone off-camera in Gen V season 2

Sean Patrick Thomas' Polarity has a larger role to play this season (Image credit: Jasper Savage/Prime Video)

Considering that it bridges the gap between The Boys season 4 and its forthcoming final installment, Gen V 2 is packed with references to the last season's story and obligatory cameos from the main show's cast roster. Some of those moments are more brazen than others – Annie January/Starlight's (Erin Moriarty) appearance, which was teased in Gen V season 2's first trailer, is used to drive a specific plot point forward, but I feel it would have worked just as well without her – but, by and large, they serviceably aid the world-building of this franchise.

The same can't be said of this season's jarring tonal shifts and chaotic pacing. Okay, the former is born out of Perdomo's death and other weighty subject matter this season deals with. However, the conflicting nature of the latter makes for a breathless and sluggish watch – sometimes in the same scene – that upset its stride. Add in the occasional toe-dip into old storytelling territory, and Gen V 2's early entries spin their character development wheels a little too much for my liking.

My verdict

Sticking with the show's education backdrop, I'm inclined to give Gen V season 2 a B grade. Despite its obvious flaws, it's still a compelling watch, and a worthy companion piece to its parent show that seems like it'll lay some important foundations ahead of The Boys season 5's debut.

However, it's this setup, coupled with the issues I outlined earlier, that prevent Gen V 2 from passing with flying colors. Like the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Gen V seems like it's getting bogged down in establishing the groundwork for bigger and more explosive storylines to come, especially in the main series.

There's bound to be crossover between the shows, and I'm not averse to that. But, based on its three-episode premiere, there's a sense that, as with numerous MCU TV shows on Disney+ that fans have to stay on top of so they know every conceivable character and storyline, a similar creative pattern has crept into Gen V's latest season. In that sense, it'll be homework for fans of The Boys to complete before the latter returns sometime in 2026.

With five more episodes to go, I hope Gen V irons out its creases and proves me wrong, because when it's fully focused on telling its own story, it easily shoots to the top of its teen-drama genre class.

Gen V season 2 episodes 1 to 3 launch on Prime Video on Wednesday, September 17. New episodes air weekly until the finale on October 22.

Rippling Spend review
6:54 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Comments: Off

Rippling Spend is an all-in-one spend management platform designed to streamline how businesses control their spending, which means it’s far more than just an expense or bill tracking tool.

The spend tracking tools are just one part of Rippling’s offering, which already spans other areas like HR, IT and other finance solutions.

Because of this unified approach, it means everything is kept under the Rippling roof which allows companies to simplify their software stacks. While it reduces the interoperability challenges posed by having to use multiple providers, it could result higher costs.

It’s designed primarily for mid-sized and growing businesses, so if you’re a startup with just a few people on the books and minimal spend tracking requirements, it might be too much for you.

Spend is one of Rippling’s newer products, launched in September 2022. Because it ties in with the rest of the platform, it with employee data like roles, departments and locations, for granular controls and approval automation.

Rippling says this helps streamline month-end processes and cut administrative time by up to 75%.

Rippling Spend: Plans and pricing

Rippling has a series of different packages to pick from, but one thing’s consistent across the entire ecosystem – you’ll struggle to find any explicit pricing, because Rippling wants to share this via a consultation.

The principal Rippling Platform offering comes in two flavors – Core and Pro. Both have add-ons like unlimited workflows, custom no-code apps and an API platform with over 600 third-party apps and integrations.

If you’re looking for a standalone spend management solution (without the full Rippling suite), then the Rippling Spend package is the right fit.

It includes tracking and reimbursement across any currency in over 100 countries, expense viewing and reimbursement via payroll, policies, receipt matching and the mobile app.

Again, Rippling does not disclose pricing, but we do know that companies will pay monthly per employee, so they only pay for what they use.

We understand tailoring packages to different sized companies is essential to maximizing value, but by simply not declaring prices to start with could leave many customers looking elsewhere.

Rippling Spend

(Image credit: Rippling)

Rippling Spend: Features

Rippling’s unified spend management platform includes expense management, corporate cards (physical and digital, with options for up to 1.75% cash back on eligible purchases), bill pay, payroll and travel into a single interface, so it can just about handle any mainstream expense you or your employees can throw at it.

It’s a great fit for bigger companies, because it allows admins to set up custom rules based on employees, such as department, role or location, meaning some processes and even approvals can be complete with automation.

In fact, it’s the automations that Rippling Spend such an easy system to use. For example, you can allow certain employees to book different cabin types on flights, or issue corporate cards to individuals with allocated budgets and spending categories.

It all means finance teams will have fewer requests with the correct setup.

For admins, a handy dashboard offers a consolidated view of live spending across departments, projects and other categories, which can be especially handy in the third sector where grant-led projects require funding to be allocated from different pots.

Another power of Rippling’s is that it integrates well with third-party applications, including over 600 accounting, HR and productivity tools like QuickBooks and Xero.

Finance teams will also love how Rippling Spend integrates bill payments and invoice processing – one less reason to have to jump between different apps.

Rippling Spend

(Image credit: Rippling)

Rippling Spend: Ease of use

Rippling is a big name in this space, so it should come as no surprise that everything feels very unified and simple across the entire ecosystem.

This consistent UI isn’t just nice to look at and easy to use, but it also helps from a staffing point of view because, if you’re using other tools in the Rippling suite, you’ll have fewer onboarding and training challenges.

It’s as easy to manage Rippling Spend as a finance exec as it is to use it as a worker – and the latter can submit expenses through email, receipt upload or manual entry, which are then automatically routed to the right approvers.

Rippling Spend is at its most powerful on the desktop, but there are mobile apps for on-the-go tracking and claim submissions, which is really handy for keeping tabs on costs during business trips.

It’s one big app – not just spend-tracking – so again, it’s better when a company commits to using the entire Rippling ecosystem.

Rippling Spend

(Image credit: Rippling)

Rippling Spend: Support

Rippling encourages users to schedule a demo to determine the features they need, and this is where the pricing will be revealed.

In terms of learning resources, the company has its own help center, webinars and documentation to guide users through most processes, but the platform is on the simpler side to use anyway.

Apart from the online chat pop-up, there’s an online form to reach Rippling, but no email address or phone number.

Rippling publishes support times daily to show response times across chat and email, how many customers are converted from chat to call, and more.

Rippling Spend

(Image credit: Rippling)

Rippling Spend: Final verdict

Rippling Spend is an easy-to-use spend management platform that consolidates corporate cards, expense tracking and bill payments into one integrated platform, as well as all the usual smaller expenses that add up.

Because it forms part of a wider Rippling ecosystem, it means companies can tap into existing knowledge about processes, projects and workers, which can significantly reduce administrative time – Rippling says by 75%.

The interface is about as easy as it gets on the desktop, and a handy complementary mobile app keeps workers connected on the go when they need to out-of-office expenses.

For admins and finance teams, real-time visibility across projects and teams eliminates last-minute surprises, and powerful automations keep things flowing with little human interaction needed – ultimately freeing up workers to product more meaningful work and saving the company time and money.

For mid-sized to larger organizations looking to centralize spend, Rippling Spend is a strong contender, but smaller teams might find just as much value from cheaper, smaller-scale solutions elsewhere.

Staffology Payroll by IRIS review
6:48 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Comments: Off

Staffology Payroll is a cloud-based payroll solution designed for UK businesses that appreciate a helping hand from automation, flexibility and full HMRC compliance.

It’s been built from the ground up to work with APIs, so it caters to in-house finance teams and external payroll bureaus with plenty of integrations.

At its core, Staffology is designed to simplify payroll administration without making users have to give up features or full control, and it automates core tasks like pay run calculations, tax submissions and pension enrolments.

Pricing is clear, and is based on the number of payslips processed after an initial fee, which makes it easy for finance departments to budget long-term and factor in seasonal fluctuation or growth.

That said, smaller businesses may find the starting cost high compared with entry-level providers. Especially given that this is the platform designed to pick up users being kicked off IRIS Payroll Basics (IRIS’s free platform for under 10 workers).

Easy-of-use is essential, and support channels are broad, so you shouldn’t have any major headaches getting on board with IRIS’s Staffology Payroll.

Staffology Payroll by IRIS: Plans and pricing

Staffology Payroll starts off with a flat fee of £39 per month, and that covers fewer than 20 payslips (one to 19). If you want to generate more, you can go up to 50 for an additional £1.95 per payslip per month.

IRIS will support much larger companies who need 10,000 or more payslips, but that requires a bespoke quote. Presumably, this unlocks more cost-effective pricing.

It’s as simple as that – there are no other hidden costs, which helps IRIS solidify its transparency commitment.

Staffology Payroll by IRIS

(Image credit: Staffology Payroll by IRIS)

Staffology Payroll by IRIS: Features

Staffology Payroll is all about making payroll simple, and it starts with smart automation that speeds up repetitive administrative work that doesn’t necessarily need human intervention.

IRIS also uses an API-first design for integration to other platforms like QuickBooks, Sage One and Xero, including pre-built connectors and flexible APIs for custom integrations.

Apart from third-party integrations, Staffology Payroll also integrates with other IRIS products like Staffology HR for time and attendance monitoring, automatically importing hours worked for context.

You don’t have to have full-time employees, either, because Staffology Payroll can handle ad-hoc workers and even calculate their holiday pay, and if you need P11D and Class 1A National Insurance, it covers that too.

Catering to HR and payroll companies who do all of this for you – not just in-house teams – Staffology Payroll by IRIS also offers a white-label payroll solution so that you can rebrand it to match your own logo, colours and company name. Again, API connections keep all the data in check.

Staffology Payroll by IRIS

(Image credit: Staffology Payroll by IRIS)

Staffology Payroll by IRIS: Ease of use

On the whole, Staffology Payroll’s interface has been praised for being simple to navigate and user-friendly, and intuitive setup guides help get you onboarded quickly.

IRIS themselves say they’ve designed a platform that’s simple to use without sacrificing functionality, making the most of dashboards and charts to present information in a a glanceable format.

A well-designed employee portal with mobile access helps to boost on-the-go accessibility.

Customer reviews frequently note the simplistic design, which has realised significant time savings.

Staffology Payroll by IRIS

(Image credit: Staffology Payroll by IRIS)

Staffology Payroll by IRIS: Support

IRIS has a whole host of payroll and HR solutions for companies, recruiters and specialised industries like healthcare and education, so it’s built up a comprehensive help centre with tutorials, self-guidance and updates.

Live training opportunities are offered as well as knowledge base articles.

It’s easy to find a phone number to get in touch with IRIS, which uses a ‘one number’ approach. Behind the system lay three options for sales, customer support and payments/renewals.

Separate email addresses are also available for all of IRIS’s different products, and you can log tickets for further support too.

Staffology Payroll by IRIS

(Image credit: Staffology Payroll by IRIS)

Staffology Payroll by IRIS: Final verdict

Staffology Payroll by IRIS is a cloud-first solution designed to meet the demands of modern UK payroll teams who are so frequently short on time. By offering automation options and a user interface that’s so simple to use, IRIS promises to help users save significant time on administrative tasks.

The platform offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to boost efficiency while remaining compliant with HMRC guidance, making it a strong option for mid-sized businesses.

IRIS recommends Staffology Payroll as an alternative to the free IRIS Payroll Basics, which is to be deprecated after the 2025/26 tax year. For those smaller teams, the pricing might put it out of reach, but for larger organisations its transparent pricing and near-infinite scalability are real positives.

Built to support APIs from the ground up, Staffology Payroll offers integration with many popular bookkeeping and HR platforms, including Xero, QuickBooks and IRIS’s own HR ecosystem, which is especially useful for businesses who want to consolidate their systems or at least automate cross-platform workflows.

With pretty strong support spanning real human connections and self-guided help channels, it’s hard to get lose using IRIS’s Staffology Payroll.

In summary, this smart and scalable payroll platform is ideal for slightly larger businesses who want automation, simplicity and control all in one, but for those being pushed away from IRIS Payroll Basics, it might be that little bit too much.

1st Money review
5:00 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Comments: Off

1st Money describes itself as “the UK’s most beautiful payroll & HR”, and that’s apparent from the moment you load the web page which is very clearly designed with accessibility and visual attraction in mind.

We’ve talking bold, clean fonts, simple infographics and a logical layout – all signs of things to come with 1st Money’s platform.

It’s a free payroll & HR platform based in the UK, designed specifically for smaller businesses with fewer than 10 employees on the books.

The company itself is actually a market newcomer, founded in 2020 by a group of colleagues who built a call centre together. Since then, it’s also launched some US-based features.

With its free tiers offering strong value for micro-businesses plus some paywalled advanced features, it’s a customisable option that startups can use as they scale before they head off into fully-fledged payroll software.

1st Money: Plans and pricing

1st Money’s selling point is that it’s a free product, but there are two separate free subscriptions to consider.

The first, free for unlimited people, includes HR and people management, expense claims, timesheets, shift scheduling and more. You can also link in with third-party accounting integrations like QuickBooks.

Free+, for one to nine payrolled people and unlimited unpaid people, does the heavy lifting for you. HMRC tax filing, P60s, P45s, payslips, P11Ds, expense reimbursements, pension auto-enrolment and more.

You can easily get away with using the free versions of 1st Money to run your micro-business, but Pro (£1.49 per payrolled person per month, with a 10-person minimum) adds even more, with hourly pay rates, weekly and fortnightly payments, and pension calculations and filing.

The company says that having “the world’s lowest pricing” helps it become the world s best money services platform. No annual contracts are available with savings, so you’ll have to pay monthly.

1st Money

(Image credit: 1st Money)

1st Money: Features

1st Money might be a free product, but it’s a mighty impressive one that would be worth the money if it were a paid product. Obviously, the core limitation is that it’s only free for nine or fewer employees, but even the monthly charge for more workers is extremely affordable.

The platform consists of comprehensive payroll and HR tools for micro-businesses, including support for employees, zero-hour workers, off-payroll workers, contractors, directors and non-paid workers, all in one unified platform that’s extremely easy to use (more on that below).

At the time of writing, 1st Money boasts 62 different features, including automatic emailing of P45s and P60s, pay slip generation and automatic calculations.

The site also boasts that it uses 15 different taxpayer scenarios to exactly match all 13,000 of HMRC’s model tax calculations, which means it can match tax calculations to the penny and get 100% correct calculations.

Being the modern solution it is, the platform also gets the benefit of artificial intelligence. Some core AI assistant features include accepting resignations, adding disciplinaries, adding sick leave, adding expense claims and terminating people.

1st Money

(Image credit: 1st Money)

1st Money: Ease of use

1st Money is all about being easy to use, and that starts with the website. It sets out exactly what you need to know about the platform, what you can expect from the different tiers, and how you can go about using them.

Right at the top of the home page, the company claims to be the UK’s most beautiful, user-friendliest, most powerful, most reliable, most accurate, most intuitive, fastest, lowest cost, easiest and best supported payroll & HR platform. Big claims, but we think ones it can live up to.

The interface is incredibly easy to navigate, and the conversational language makes it easier to engage with than more traditional systems.

Other features like automated onboarding and document management also simplify the setup process for new hires.

1st Money

(Image credit: 1st Money)

1st Money: Support

Just when you think things couldn’t get better, 1st Money support channels are spot-on too.

All plans, free or paid, come with unlimited support and connections to real humans. There’s chat support during weekday office hours, but you can also send off an email to the team for a response out of hours.

1st Money’s knowledge base goes well beyond the usual articles and guides with full video demos, and you can select individual features on the website to jump to precise timestamps for brief overviews and quick explanations.

Time will tell how these age and whether the company will keep its video library up-to-date as the platform evolves, but with such an extensive support base even in its earlier years, it’s a real positive.

1st Money

(Image credit: 1st Money)

1st Money: Final verdict

1st Money’s free payroll and HR platform stands out as a genuinely no-cost payroll solution for UK micro-businesses, offering HMRC-recognised compliance without over-complicating things.

For companies with fewer than ten employees, including directors, contractors and zero-hour workers, it delivers reliable payroll processing, auto-generated statutory documents like P45s and P60s, and well-integrated HR functions.

It’s a great option for those who might not be so experienced, because the automatic handling of PAYE and National Insurance just makes everything that little bit easier.

The addition of a paid plan for adding more workers and more features is a real selling point for smaller companies that are in the midst of growing, making it a genuinely viable option not just in the intermediary, but also longer-term.

1st Money’s simplistic interface, conversational language and endless support videos help new-starters get to grips with HR and payrolling even if they’re totally unfamiliar with it.

While it may not suit every team, it’s a smart and streamlined entry point for micro-businesses with its own paid upgrade to support expansion.

Using La Pavoni’s Europiccola lever espresso machine is a labor of love, but the steep learning curve made me a better at-home barista
5:00 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Coffee Machines Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Comments: Off

La Pavoni Europiccola: one-minute review

Few coffee makers have caught my attention quite like La Pavoni and its range of manual espresso makers, which feature a lever-operated piston that generates the pressure required to brew delicious espresso shots. Little did I know when I signed up to review one of its machines that I was lining myself up for a months-long quest to manual mastery.

We write about a lot of very accessible coffee makers here at TechRadar, from some of the best espresso machines to the best bean-to-cup models, but La Pavoni machines sit in an entirely different arena.

I’ve had the La Pavoni Europiccola Lusso for over six months, spending much of my time experimenting with different beans, various pressure levels, treated water, as well as generally learning the machine’s temperament. I’m not simply anthropomorphising the machine for effect when I talk about its temperament, either. While I don’t have children, I’d wager learning to wrangle a La Pavoni machine is as close to parenthood as you can get with a coffee maker, and just as rewarding when you get it right.

la pavoni europiccola lusso

(Image credit: Future)

That, or you could compare it to a workout machine; you’ll need a strong arm to pull your daily dose with this coffee maker, since the results are best when highly pressurized. Unlike a workout machine, though, it comes with limited instructions. In particular, when you’re using a basic model such as the Europiccolla Lusso, which comes without any helpful features such as a pressure gauge, things can be pretty trial and error.

I toyed with a slightly higher score of 4.5 stars for La Pavoni’s classic lever machine, but its steep learning curve, middling milk frothing and some small inconveniences owing to the all-metal design set it back a half-star. However, for a real coffee enthusiast, a higher score is more than justified.

Coffee lovers with a real appreciation for the craft and science of coffee extraction will surely appreciate the hard-earned results, but also its sleek, art deco design, which makes it a fantastic centerpiece for any javaphile’s kitchen. It isn’t for the faint of heart, nor are the often rocket-fuel strength results, but for those wanting the supreme manual experience, look no further.

la pavoni europiccola lusso

(Image credit: Future)

La Pavoni Europiccola: price and availability

  • Price: €699,00 (roughly $800 / £600)
  • Available directly from La Pavoni, or third-party retailers such as Amazon.

La Pavoni’s Europiccola Lusso is the simplest lever coffee machine made by the Italian brand, starting at €699,00 (roughly $800 / £600). It’s very basic, and lacks useful features (a pressure gauge and temperature indicator, for example, which is actually rather problematic while you’re learning), as well as some of the neat design accents that feature on the pricier models in the range. Fundamentally, though, it’s all the same machine.

Compared to its biggest competition, La Pavoni is in the mid-range of lever coffee makers. New brands, such as Flair, have emerged in recent years to capture some of the entry-level market, while more premium brands, like the Olympia Cremina, round out the top end. Nevertheless, with a long history in the game La Pavoni is a safe bet and offers pretty great value for money, especially if you back yourself to learn the ropes without the assistance of pressure and temperature gauges.

However, I must say I was very disappointed by the accessories included; in particular, the measuring spoon and tamper. Aside from being cheaply made, the included tamp gets stuck in the portafilter, which feels antithetical to the premium build quality in every way. It also includes two basket sizes for the filter holder.

  • Value score: 4/5

La Pavoni Europiccola: specifications

Name

La Pavoni Europiccola

Type

Lever coffee machine

Dimensions

12.6 x 7.87 x 11.42 inches / 20cm x 29cm x 32cm

Weight

5.5kg

Water reservoir capacity

0.8L

Steam wand

Manual

Max pressure

1 bar

User profiles

N/A

la pavoni europiccola lusso

(Image credit: Future)

La Pavoni Europiccola: design

  • Beautifully designed manual machine
  • Robust and well-made
  • Lacks hellpful bells and whistles

La Pavoni’s lever coffee machines are, at least in my opinion, the most beautiful, elegant manual coffee makers you can buy – and it’s not just because the lever gives them an iconic look.

Lustrously chromed and robustly built, there’s little to critique when it comes to the design itself. The Lusso is fairly slim, especially compared to many espresso machines, at 12.6 x 7.87 x 11.42 inches / 20cm x 29cm x 32cm (w x d x h), and is fairly lightweight at 5.5kg, owing to its mostly steel and brass materials. The accents are – as standard – plastic, but you can opt to glow-up your La Pavoni with walnut wood handles and lids, which you can buy separately.

You can’t remove the boiler, which is inconvenient if you have leftover water in the tank that needs emptying after a brew. To the left of the base you’ll find the boiler power controls, and on the rear, the power supply cable.

The main body of the machine is its 0.8L boiler, which can make up to eight espresso shots in one sitting and features a screw-top lid. To the left of the boiler is the water level, and to the right are its safety valve and steam pipe. Mounted on the front of the boiler is the grouphead and the all-important lever controls.

la pavoni europiccola lusso

(Image credit: Future)

One slightly puzzling inclusion, especially given frequent feedback from stalwart La Pavoni fans, is the dual-spout portafilter. A bottomless portafilter might have made more sense, especially given that it’s rare for espresso to pour evenly between the two spouts and you’ll generally need to pull the lever again for your second shot, anyway.

As mentioned above, the included tamper is also a rogue choice to accompany this machine, and not least because mine didn’t even appear to be the right size, getting stuck in the portafilter. I replaced it quickly with a basic 51mm alternative I found on Amazon – note that if you’re reading this as a prospective buyer of a second-hand model from before 2001, you’ll need a 49mm tamper.

The machine can also getvery hot to the touch, owing to its metallic build. The boiler is entirely exposed to the open air, and the heat quickly conducts to the grouphead; this means it’s less-than-ideal for households with children. You’ll also need to let it cool before refilling the boiler for your next batch, and given that it takes up to 10 minutes to heat, you could be in for a long morning if you’re serving more than two rounds.

  • Design score: 4.5 / 5

la pavoni europiccola lusso

(Image credit: Future)

La Pavoni Europiccola: performance

  • Heats up slowly, and very hot to the touch
  • Steep learning curve...
  • ... but mastering it leads to great results
  • A little tricky to keep clean

Simple as it may sound, operating a lever coffee machine such as La Pavoni is hardly intuitive – and it doesn’t arrive with a wealth of information to help you learn the ropes. Among online communities, there are ample tips and tricks – which will vary slightly depending on the beans you’re using – that broadly help to make the machine more accessible. Really, though, this hyper-manual coffee maker requires you to understand the mechanics of what’s actually happening in every step of the extraction process, rather than relying on the device to guide you.

As with any machine, your bean choice is key, but the tactile experience of lever-pulling makes it all the more apparent that your prep work is crucial. Oily beans must be coarsely ground, but they offer excellent results, while medium and lighter roasts should be ground more finely and dosed higher. I found that around 14g worked well for the former, but up to 19g is necessary for lighter roasts.

la pavoni europiccola lusso

(Image credit: Future)

In terms of pulling your shots, what I personally found worked best for my taste is the following process: fill and heat your boiler (you’ll know it’s done when the indicator light turns off), and then release the false pressure. Insert your portafilter and pre-infuse the coffee by lifting the handle just enough to hear the hiss as water enters the grouphead.

Allow it to warm through and build a little pressure above the puck, and then finish lifting the handle; if coffee is already running freely at this point, you likely need a finer grind, or to better tamp your coffee to allow that crucial final pressure chamber to develop above the puck. A few small drops should start to come through, though, and that’s how you know pre-infusion is complete and it’s time for the fun part – pulling the lever!

Slowly pull down the lever, maintaining as constant a pace as possible – even while pushing through the resistance – until the lever returns to its neutral position; the pull should take about 25 seconds all in all. Once you’re done, release the rest of the pressure using the valve and remove the top, which can be a little stiff after use. If you want to refill your portafilter and continue using the machine, it’s important to let the pressure dissipate first, lest you experience the unfortunate portafilter “sneeze”, where hot grounds catapult across your kitchen. I usually use the time to either grind more beans, foam my milk or wistfully admire the beautiful coffee machine in all its glory.

la pavoni europiccola lusso

(Image credit: Future)

It sounds simple, but all the way through, you’ll be reacting in real-time to the feeling and responses from your La Pavoni – and that’s the real art of it. Once you’ve mastered it, though, the espresso shots are worth the effort. Rich in flavor and topped in a satisfying copper-hued crema, you can understand why La Pavoni has earned its fame.

The steam wand is adequate for milk frothing; however, as per the rest of the machine, you’ll have to adapt to its specific needs. La Pavoni doesn’t supply a milk jug, so invest in one of those, too. Ensure there’s enough water in the boiler (the machine can rinse through a fair amount while steaming) before fully opening the steam valve, placing the head of the wand just beneath the surface of the milk and steaming for roughly 15-30 seconds. In my experience, milk alternatives such as oat or coconut milk aren’t great, but cold milk works fine.

Regular cleaning of your La Pavoni isn’t too onerous. The drip tray is easily removed, albeit a little sharp if you need to take the metal plate out for a deeper clean. It’s made of stainless steel, so as long as you’re not grubbying it up with dirty fingerprints constantly, it’s easily kept. However, you’ll need to upend the machine to empty out any remaining water you’d rather not leave stagnating inside, and advice on longer-term maintenance is scant online. You should descale the machine (there’s no La Pavoni-specific solution for this) four to five times per year with baking soda or white vinegar.

  • Performance score: 4/5

Should you buy the La Pavoni Europiccola

Casabrews 5418 Pro score card

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

Quite pricey, given it's manual, but in line with other similar lever machines

4/5

Design

Gorgeous and effective, but impractical in places, and lacking some helpful bells and whistles.

4.5/5

Performance

Long hard road to good results, but worth it once you reach the summit.

4/5

Buy it if

You’re a big-time coffee enthusiast

My partner is a huge coffee nerd, and watching him dote on the La Pavoni Lusso has honestly made me a little jealous at times. However, the science and craft of it all is naturally appealing to those with a passion for it, and will delight coffee lovers endlessly.

You want a design-first machine

I don’t think I’ve ever loved how a coffee maker looks until I laid eyes on the La Pavoni, even more so with the classy accessories such as the wooden handles on my review unit.

You love a strong, rich espresso

Once you’ve cracked the code and learned how the machine works, the results from La Pavoni are fantastic – but prepare for slightly stronger coffee than you might be used to. View Deal

Don't buy it if

You want something quick and easy

I really hope this one is self-explanatory after reading the review; using the La Pavoni is hard graft.

You want to make big batches of coffee

The 8-cup boiler on the model I tested is great in theory, but there’s a fair amount of depressurizing and fiddling that would make running the machine four times consecutively with a double basket portafilter a bit of a pain.

La Pavoni Europiccola: also consider

If you're not sure whether the La Pavoni Europiccola is the right coffee machine for you, here are two alternatives to consider.

Breville / Sage Bambino

Around the same list price as the Casabrews 5418 Pro, the Bambino (branded as Sage in the US and Breville in the rest of the world) is a reliable little espresso machine that's stood the test of time, and is regularly recommended as a good option for beginners.

Read our full Sage Bambino review

De'Longhi Dedica Style

Even more affordable, the Dedica Style is a reliable performer that's compact and simple to use. It tends to drip after brewing, much like the 5418 Pro, but stopping the pump early will prevent you pouring too much espresso.

Read our full De'Longhi Dedica Style review

How I tested the La Pavoni Europiccola

I spent six months with the La Pavoni Europiccola Lusso, which is the longest and most extensive testing I’ve ever done on a coffee machine. During that time, I learned the ins and outs of the machine and its best practices, tried a wide range of bean types and milk types, and pulled everything from a quick espresso shot to an eight-person batch.

I tested the machine in my home, navigating issues such as space and storage as well as cleaning and maintenance, just like a prospective customer would, and compared the results to my previous coffee-maker testing experience and against results using other types of coffee makers in my home.

I’ve been testing small appliances, including coffee machines, for three years, and I’ve been testing tech more broadly for five years. In that time, I’ve developed a good sense of what makes a great product.

First tested September 2025

PeopleHR review
4:54 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Comments: Off

HR teams already have enough to deal with not to need any complex systems, but small and mid-sized organizations lacking in dedicated HR teams risk being left even further behind.

PeopleHR is a cloud-based HR platform designed to meet this challenge by offering businesses scalable tools to handle all of their core requirements, including onboarding, performance management and payroll.

Now part of the Access Group suite of business software solutions, PeopleHR was designed specifically with SMBs in mind by a team from the UK.

Its modular approach allows businesses to select only the features they need while keeping costs predictable, so it’s simple to keep clear of pricier options you don’t need.

More recent developments have included an AI-powered assistant called Evo, which acts as a copilot for HR teams by helping with automation and analytics.

PeopleHR counts more than 7,000 customers on its books from across the UK, and prides itself on being “open and transparent” for all its customers.

PeopleHR: Plans and pricing

Like most HR platforms, PeopleHR has a few different tiers of membership to cater to increasingly demanding needs – in this case, there are four options.

Starter costs £3 per month and includes the AI tools, analytics, absence management and more.

Upgrade to core for £5.50 per month for a more enhanced version of copilot’s GenAI tools as well as expenses management, e-signatures and APIs that support third-party integrations.

These are both available with 14-day trials, but Pro and Elite+ at £8 and £9.50 per month aren’t. They bring features for larger organizations, like employee benefits, rewards and recognition, but they also have important features like time tracking, timesheets, rotating work patterns and performance management.

PeopleHR

(Image credit: PeopleHR)

PeopleHR: Features

PeopleHR isn’t short on functionality, with all the key features you’d expect covered. Employee records, absence tracking, document management and attendance monitoring are all there.

But it’s much more than a basic system, because performance management features including scheduling reviews, goal setting, feedback collection and analytics help HR professionals keep tabs on their workers’ progress.

It’s also a useful tool for the recruitment process, with job posting, candidate tracking and application management available through an integrated portal.

All in all, PeopleHR distinguishes its platform into five separate areas: HR (for people management, absence and expenses, automated workflows and timesheet management), payroll, talent, learn and engage (for rewards and recognition, employee benefits and wellbeing).

In recognition 83% of companies see using AI in their business strategies as a top priority, PeopleHR also has its own AI tool built-in – called Evo, it takes care of administrative workloads so that HR workers can focus on the people.

The best part is that the copilot generative AI HR Assistant and the Evo dashboard are available across the four subscription tiers.

PeopleHR

(Image credit: PeopleHR)

PeopleHR: Ease of use

PeopleHR is widely regarded as an easy-to-use platform that’s intuitive and self-explanatory. We found the layouts to be simple and the process to look familiar to others on the market, suggesting there shouldn’t be any major learning curves.

Separate tabs down the left site of the web portal reflect different areas of the site (and functionalities).

The built-in AI also helps HR workers to interact with their data in natural language while surfacing analytics more easily, so there’s no major headaches on that front either.

PeopleHR also has a mobile app that workers can use to find things like colleague details in the company directory, holiday and absence allowances, expenses and other documents.

The app can also be protected with biometrics to keep personal data secure.

PeopleHR

(Image credit: PeopleHR)

PeopleHR: Support

When you start looking into the pricing of PeopleHR, you’ll notice you can’t just subscribe to a membership and take it from there. You’ll need to chat to an agent and go through an onboarding process, and this training is included as part of the pricing.

Once you’re up and running, though, you may still need support, be it technical or just a query about a feature. Support channels include email, phone and chat, which is really positive, but it’s not necessarily instantaneous. To chat, for example, you’ll still need to book a slot – it’s not a live chat in the sense that many consumers are already familiar with.

There’s also a knowledge base that covers FAQs, webinars, other videos and training opportunities.

PeopleHR

(Image credit: PeopleHR)

PeopleHR: Final verdict

PeopleHR delivers a well-rounded, cloud-based HR solution that balances performance and usability well. It’s packed with functions and available in your choice of four tiers to maximize affordability, helping to make it a strong fit for a variety of company sizes.

One of the platform’s main strengths is its modular design, which gives organizations the flexibility to start small and add more over time as they expand, without having to change providers.

Another standout feature is PeopleHR’s implementation of generative AI. With tools like Evo, PeopleHR can automate common HR tasks like approval workflows, reporting and analytics, which the company says comes at the benefit of workers who can then free themselves up to focus on their company’s people.

That said, the platform isn’t without its limitations. For example, some features that we’d consider mainstream are reserved for higher-tier subscriptions, so the cheaper options might not be suitable anymore.

My favorite smart lamp now doubles as a speaker with JBL sound – here’s how it performs
2:59 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Smart Home Smart Lights | Tags: | Comments: Off

Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL review

The Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL is a smart lamp and Bluetooth speaker combo that enables you to switch up the vibe in moments.

Available to purchase directly from the Govee website or at Amazon, the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL has a list price of $179.99 / £169.99. While the price is certainly on the steep side, if you’re already a big Govee fan and want to save space by incorporating a speaker into your smart light setup, this would be a good way to go about it.

Having said that, the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL already been subject to a $20 / £20 discount in the Govee Fall sale, which sweetens the deal a little. That's despite the fact that it has only been available in the US for around 11 weeks, and less than a week in the UK, at the time of writing.

The Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL is emitting a warm white light.

(Image credit: Future)

Being so used to the Govee Table Lamp 2, which I happen to have two of, the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL looks a little on the chonky side. This is understandable, considering it’s packing a speaker and a 5,200mAh rechargeable battery, which can provide up to four and a half hours of playback if the volume and brightness are set to fifty percent.

There’s a notable difference between the US and UK models when it comes to the power cable. The connector is set at a 90-degree angle in both cases, as the power port is located on the bottom of the lamp, but the US uses a small DC connector, and the UK uses USB-C.

More importantly, the cable for the US model is moulded to a US plug, so you can just plug and play; but in the UK, a USB-C cable is all that’s included, so I needed to source an adapter with a minimum of 35W for it to run efficiently. The first adapter I had to hand turned out to be too low-powered, and the lamp was clearly unimpressed.

A view of the DC connector and power cable of the American model of the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL.

(Image credit: Future)

Getting the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL synced with the app and with the WiFi networks in the office and at home was a quick and simple process. There are two separate Bluetooth connections, one for the lamp itself and one for the speaker. I found this a little inconvenient at times, as it seemed I needed to reconnect the speaker in my phone’s Bluetooth settings whenever I’d been out of the room. But overall, it makes sense that it’s set up this way, as one may want to listen to music on their headphones while still enjoying the features of the lamp.

A close-up of the speaker and controls on the top of the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL.

(Image credit: Future)

There are two elements of the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL’s design that provide eye-catching lighting effects. These are the main body of the lamp, as you’d expect, but also the base, thanks to its clever reflective design. Both elements can be used independently or together, so you can have your lighting effects as stand-out or as subtle as you’d like.

The control panel on the top of the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL was simple to use, with a push power button and four touch buttons for the speakers' volume controls, playing and pausing, and a button for cycling through nine customizable presets.

A close-up of the base of the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL, which is reflecting the purple lights from above.

(Image credit: Future)

My favorite way to control the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL – and all the Govee products I’ve tested, actually – is by taking advantage of the voice control via my Echo Dot (5th Gen) or hopping onto the feature-packed Govee Home app.

If you’ve already read some of my other product reviews, such as the highly rated Govee Neon Rope Light 2, you’ll already have some idea of how fond I am of the Govee Home app.

Along with the run-of-the-mill power, brightness, and volume controls, it also boasts over 100 preset scenes, with themes ranging from the ocean to the universe. The Govee Home app offers opportunities to get creative with lighting effects, too, with a finger sketch feature that allows you to decorate the canvas with random colors or drawings before choosing a motion setting and speed, as well as an AI effect generator.

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The Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL is lit up dark blue with multi-colored patches.

(Image credit: Future)
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The Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL is displaying a diagonal rainbow effect.

(Image credit: Future)
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The Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL is displaying and gradient of green and yellow.

(Image credit: Future)
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The Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL shows a colorful jellyfish scene.

(Image credit: Future)

One small niggle I have stems from the preset audio that plays by default when some of the scenes are selected. I found some of them to be somewhat irritating, especially if they caught me by surprise when cycling through the default presets using the onboard controls. Fortunately, they can be disabled in the app, but only one at a time, so I had to go through and turn them off for all of my favorite scenes that were afflicted.

The Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL is shown in a dark room and is showing a pink and purple sunset effect.

(Image credit: Future)

The audio quality was as I expected from a JBL speaker, by which I mean it was a solid performer. The treble sounds clean, and I could hear a good level of definition in the high-pitched percussion in the background of Sunny Days by Kolter. The bass lacks some impact, but it still has a good weight to it and isn’t bad going, considering the price. Unless you happen to be an audiophile, you’ll probably be perfectly happy with the audio quality on offer here.

The Dynamic Music feature added some fun when listening to music, especially the Gridding and Ripple effects, and was enjoyed by everyone in my office. I did notice they can struggle to hit the right notes if the track has a lot of different elements, but it’s nonetheless a fun dynamic effect, especially when paired with bass-heavy tracks.

A woman is pressing one of the touch buttons on the top of the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL.

(Image credit: Future)

Overall, the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL offers eye-catching and day-brightening lighting effects and a satisfying-sounding speaker for the price. So, if you love the look of the Govee Table Lamp 2 and want a solid speaker to listen to tunes, podcasts, or audiobooks, then you’ll be happy wth the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL.

If you’re in the mood to check out more ambience-altering lighting, then why not take a look at our pick of the best smart lights?

Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL review: Price and specs

Price

$179.99 / £169.99

Model

H6020

Colors

Lamp Body: RGBICWW, Base: RGBIC

Lumens

600

Dimensions

6.1 x 6.1 x 10.1 inches / 18.9 x 18.9 x 34cm

Connectivity

2.4GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth

App

Yes

Control methods

Alexa, Google Home, Matter, IFTTT, Apple Watch, Razer

Speaker

Sound by JBL 2.5-inch 500cc full-range speaker

Additional features

Rechargeable battery

Should I buy the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL?

Buy it if...

You want a fun and feature-packed smart light
Thanks to its rechargeable battery, voice control, and the many eye-catching preset scenes and customizable lighting effects, there’s a lot to appreciate here.

You want a smart light and Bluetooth speaker in one
The combination of pretty lighting effects and satisfying audio makes this a versatile smart lamp, whether you have it at your bedside or in your living space.

Don't buy it if...

You don’t want to be interrupted by random audio
The default sounds linked to some of the preset scenes may prove a little irritating.

You want a subtle smart lamp
Whether it’s lit up in bright colors or being used as a reading light, the built-in speaker makes this a pretty hefty smart lamp.

Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL review: Also consider

Govee Table Lamp 2
If you’re more interested in the smart lighting effects than the audio element of the Table Lamp 2 Pro, then I recommend checking out the previous model. With most of the same features, including a bucket load of preset scenes, customization, and voice control via smart home hubs, the Govee Table Lamp 2 has a lot to offer. Plus, its list price is $100 / £100 cheaper. For more details, and to learn why I awarded it 4.5 stars, check out my full Govee Table Lamp 2 review.

How I tested the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL

  • I tested the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL for a couple of weeks
  • I tested the different features and customizable settings
  • I observed its performance as a smart light and as a speaker

I used the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro x Sound by JBL on my desk and next to my bed for a couple of weeks.

I followed the setup process on the Govee Home app and explored its features, testing how different scenes looked, and used the creative features to create my own.

I tested the audio quality by listening to different genres of music and bumping up the volume to assess the output at higher levels.

I made some slick stickers with Munbyn’s latest inkless printer – and it makes light work of labels too
9:01 pm | September 14, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Comments: Off
Specs

Type: thermal label printer

Functions: print only

Connectivity: Bluetooth  

Max print speed: 72 labels/min

Max paper size: 4-inch

Print quality: 203 dpi

Apple AirPrint: no

Consumables included: 20 4x6-inch labels

Dimensions: 7.28 x 3.54 x 3.66 in / 185 x 90 x 93 mm (WxDxH)

Weight: 1.68lb / 766g

If you’re still printing stickers and labels with an inkjet or laser, you really should try a dedicated thermal label printer. Their inkless technology allows them to be smaller, simpler, lower maintenance devices that will never run dry on you. They work by heating special thermal paper, a reliable and efficient process that’s become the first choice for e-commerce, logistics and storage industries.

The good news is, that demand has led to lots of great label printers becoming widely available at competitive prices. The Munbyn RealWriter 403B (also billed as the RW403B) being one of the best examples I could find.

Like all of Munbyn’s best label printers, this one is a desktop labeller and it’s aimed at any small businesses looking to print large volumes of shipping labels, price tags or other professional-looking stickers. I think it’ll also interest home users as it comes with software that makes it fun to produce decorative labels for gift-wrapping and the like.

But first, what is a thermal printer? Follow that link for a full answer, but in a nutshell, its a device that creates imprints by causing a very local reaction between the chemicals contained in thermal paper that turns it black. Thermal media includes rolls of stickers that come in all colors, but you can only print black onto them. I tried a variety of label sizes to assess the The Munbyn RealWriter 403B and on the whole, I’m delighted by the results.

Munbyn RealWriter 403B: Design and build

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Munbyn RealWriter 403B during our review

(Image credit: Munbyn // Future)
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Munbyn RealWriter 403B during our review

(Image credit: Munbyn // Future)

While the Munbyn RealWriter 403B is small enough to be carried around, it’s very much a desktop label printer rather than a portable handheld labeller, like the Brother P-touch CUBE PT-P300BT, for example. It runs on mains power, not battery and it’s reassuringly heavy at 1.6lb.

According to Munbyn, its metal components and robust build give it a lifespan of up to 970,000 labels, which is apparently six times longer than rival printers. I can’t put that to the test, but it certainly feels well made. The hinged body closes with a satisfying clunk to grip your label reel securely. There are only three buttons - eject, paper feed and power - and none them look likely to fail any time soon.

Munbyn RealWriter 403B: Features & specifications

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Munbyn RealWriter 403B during our review

(Image credit: Munbyn // Future)
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Munbyn RealWriter 403B during our review

(Image credit: Munbyn // Future)

The Munbyn RealWriter 403B can only make black imprints on thermal paper, but it’s quite flexible about the thermal media it can handle. You can feed large 6 x 4inch labels or little 1.6 x 1.2inch labels and anything in between. These sticky labels come in many shapes and colors too.

The print resolution is 203dpi and print speed is given as 72 labels per minute. Bluetooth connectivity is built in and there’s a USB C port for connecting to a phone or PC via data cable. It’s supported by the Munbyn Print app (iOS/Android) or Munbyn Editor (Chrome), which gives you access to more than 3,500 design elements and 80+ fonts.

You get twenty 4x6inch shipping labels in the box, but if you pay a little more for one of the Munbyn RealWriter 403B kits, you get additional labels and a roll dispenser included.

Munbyn RealWriter 403B: Setup and operation

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Munbyn RealWriter 403B during our review

(Image credit: Munbyn // Future)
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Munbyn RealWriter 403B during our review

(Image credit: Munbyn // Future)

Setting up the Munbyn RealWriter 403B involves nothing more than plugging in, turning on and loading some labels. Download the supporting app to your iOS or Chrome device and the software will help you connect with the printer and start printing.

I found that it joined quickly and I was printing labels within ten minutes of opening the box. The only potential for messing up is when loading your rolls of stickers. Munbyn says that its printer will auto calibrate to avoid misalignment, and it does for the most part, but if you don’t line up your roll of stickers sensibly, they can cause a paper jam, as I found with my first deliberately careless attempt. With no inbuilt roll holder, you need to place the real where it can unroll without getting tangled.

Munbyn’s free software makes it fairly easy to design and print a custom label. With over 2,000 templates and 3,500 graphics to choose from, there’s enough within the app to to complete most labelling jobs. It’s a quick way to create name tags, stickers and personalized labels, once you’ve used the software a couple of times.

Munbyn RealWriter 403B: Performance

Munbyn RealWriter 403B during our review

(Image credit: Munbyn // Future)

The Munbyn RealWriter 403B printed reliably and quickly and very quietly too. I had no misprints or jams during the test and was pretty pleased overall with the results. I used four types of paper ranging in size, shape and color - this label printer is not fussy about media - and it always applied my design in exactly the right place.

The large 6x4 inch stickers are an ideal size for parcel labels and the print quality is good enough for barcodes and QR codes to be scanned and accurately read. I expect that printing postage labels at home is what this printer will be primarily used for.

It’s worth remembering that, despite the desktop dimensions, this is only a label printer and that the resolution is limited to 203dpi. Try printing more complicated images onto a large sticker, like the London Underground schematic, and the result is unreadable. When printing simple graphics like those provided by the Munbyn print app, and you’re rewarded with pleasingly dark and crisp prints. Look at the name tags I printed as an example of how sharp the graphics can appear.

Munbyn RealWriter 403B: Consumables

Munbyn RealWriter 403B during our review

(Image credit: Munbyn // Future)

The beauty of thermal printing is the absence of ink or toner, so your only consumables cost is the thermal media. Direct thermal labels use chemically-treated paper that turns black when heated by the printer head and naturally they’re more expensive than regular sticky labels.

A pack of 500 fan-fold shipping labels costs US$27 (currently reduced to US$22.67) on Munbyn’s US website. Shop around and you’ll find cheaper third party labels. Munbyn has included twenty labels in the box to get you started.

Munbyn RealWriter 403B: Maintenance

With no messy printheads and few moving parts, thermal printers are very low maintenance machines that should last a long time. Munbyn reckons its professional-grade engineering means it lasts six times longer than rivals and is good for at least 970,000 labels.

Munbyn RealWriter 403B: Final verdict

As a desktop thermal label printer, the Munbyn RealWriter 403B performed very well in all my tests.

Firstly, it’s easy to set up and operate, provided you feed your reels of stickers in sensibly. You might want to add the optional roll holder accessory to ensure this.

Secondly, it’s good quality. The robust design feels like it’s built to last and the print quality is better than most label printers, although I’d like to see the resolution boosted from 203dpi to 300dpi in the next generation.

Thirdly, it’s pretty good value. After your initial outlay, there’s no ink cost to think about and thermal labels can be bought inexpensively. Compared to using a regular inkjet to print labels, the Munbyn RealWriter 403B is quicker, more reliable and more fun.

For more, I've tested out the best home printers and the best small business printers.

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