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Cooler Master Tempest GP2711 review: fantastic 1440p gaming without a lot of frills, but streamers will love it

11:50 am | September 13, 2025

Cooler Master Tempest GP2711: Two-minute review

Between various budget and more premium gaming monitor offerings within the 27-inch 1440p market, the Cooler Master Tempest GP2711 could serve as a fine middle-ground.

Its $499 / UK £429 / AU $999 price point and capabilities are good enough to please anyone on both sides of the spectrum, while image quality looks fantastic thanks to the display's quantum dot technology.

When viewing content or gaming in SDR or HDR, the high 600 nits brightness makes colors pop, especially thanks to the 99% sRGB and 95% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage. Once you add nice contrast and deep blacks into the mix, the GP2711 has so much going for it.

Gaming performance is more than enough to satisfy enthusiasts and aspiring e-sports gamers as well. Having a max 165Hz refresh rate alongside 1ms response time should be more than enough for intense sessions of Fortnite or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III.

For its variable refresh rate solution, the GP2711 is compatible with AMD FreeSync to prevent screen tearing. Then there are other features like an on-screen crosshair and other types of overlays.

Though it lacks a few contemporary features of the very best gaming monitors, the GP2711 offers some solid extras. Gamers and streamers will be happy to know that it has KVM capabilities, which allow users to use the same keyboard and mouse to control two different devices without the need for an extra monitor.

While having built-in speakers are always a plus, the ones in the GP2711 offer fairly disappointing audio quality but are good enough for looking at YouTube videos or social content in a quiet room from time to time.

Taken all together, then, the Cooler Master Tempest GP2711 should be on any gamer's shortlist if they want to pick up one of the best 1440p monitors on the market right now.

Cooler Master Tempest GP2711: Price & availability

A Cooler Master Tempest GP2711 on a desk — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

How much is it? $499 / UK £429 / AU $999
When is it available? It is available now
Where can you buy it? You can buy it in the US, UK, and Australia

The Cooler Master Tempest GP2711 is currently available across the U.S., UK, and AU for $499 / UK £429 / AU $999, respectively. Outside of the usual online retailers like Amazon and Newegg, the gaming monitor can be purchased through various links on the Cooler Master website in various territories.

At its price, the GP2711 serves as the best bang-for-buck purchase for anyone on a budget looking for a 27-inch 1440p gaming monitor.

Value: 4.5 / 5

Cooler Master Tempest GP2711: Specs

Cooler Master Tempest GP2711 specifications
Screen size		27-inch
Aspect ratio		16:9
Resolution		2560x1440
Brightness		600 nits (Typical)
Response time		4ms (GtG), 1ms (MPRT)
Viewing angle		178°/178°
Contrast ratio		3000:1 (Typ.), 3,000,000:1 (HDR)
Color support		DCI-P3 95%, Adobe RGB 93.5%, sRGB 99%, 130% Area Ratio
Inputs		2X HDMI 2.0 / 1X DisplayPort 1.4 / 1X USB-B/ 2X USB-A / 1X USB-C / 3.5mm headset jack
Weight		14lbs

Cooler Master Tempest GP2711: Design

Easy setup
Spins into portrait mode
Fairly plain looking

From putting it together to using it day-to-day, the Cooler Master Tempest GP2711 blends ease of use with functionality. All users have to do is connect the base to the neck and both clip onto the back panel.

At 14lbs, it’s pretty easy to lug around as well. It's fairly adjustable with swivel, height, and pivot poseability. In addition, you can also spin the display 90 degrees to put it into portrait mode.

To power the GP2711, there’s a small brick adapter that doesn’t feel long enough, but it gets the job done in connecting to the power port on the back panel.

Other ports include two HDMI 2.0 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4 port, one upstream USB-B port, two USB-A ports, one USB-C, and a 3.5mm headset jack. This is a good enough port setup for multiplatform gamers with additional consoles or streamers due to KVM, which is accessible through the power button.

The small thumbstick on the back allows navigation of the in-display menu. Here, users can change various settings like color, HDR, volume control for the built-in speakers, features like adaptive sync, and more. Moving around in the menu feels good between the speedy software and the thumbstick.

The overall black design is fairly boring but works well enough. Don’t expect any fancy RGB lighting or the like. The actual display screen features thin right, left, and top bezels alongside the larger logo chin. The back is slightly bulky, but that’s due to a unique heatsink and thermal back cover that reduces the need for fans.

Design: 4 / 5

Cooler Master Tempest GP2711: Features

KVM capabilities
No genre-specific color presets
Built-in speakers aren't great

Don’t expect a ton of features on the Cooler Master Tempest GP2711, but there are some noteworthy extras.

The built-in speakers are nothing special, as they don’t get really loud and aren’t sonically nuanced for finer audio. The speakers have a hollow sound that’s good enough to watch an occasional YouTube video and the like in a quiet room, but even on a casual level, most PC gamers will have some type of gaming headset, so this isn't really a dealbreaker.

If your audio setup isn’t already connected to their desktop, the GP2711 has a 3.5mm headphone jack for audio output.

KVM allows users to use a keyboard and mouse across two devices, and this is a huge deal for streamers. It works pretty well, and users can hit the thumbstick right for various ways to utilize the feature, including USB-B and USB-C.

The thumbstick also reveals various overlay modes you can use, including different crosshairs for better aiming when playing shooters, a frames-per-second monitor, and a timer for speedruns.

Don’t expect anything outside of that, though. There aren’t any genre-specific color settings or modes, so gamers who have particular color settings when playing League of Legends compared to Call of Duty: Warzone are going to manually make in-display adjustments for each game, which could be problematic.

Features: 4 / 5

Cooler Master Tempest GP2711: Performance

If the Cooler Master Tempest GP2711 doesn’t knock everything out of the park, its highlight is both image quality and gaming performance.

When Cooler Master called this gaming monitor a “Play-Work-Movie Solution,” they weren’t playing. Off the rip, the 600 nits brightness goes a long way in providing remarkable image quality for both SDR and HDR. Colors are bold, crisp, and the contrast is just right.

Playing visually arresting games with great art design like Alan Wake II, The Legend of Kenzera: ZAU, and Children of the Sun, among others, look stunning, and these visuals do a lot to help immersion.

Most importantly, having a high brightness allows the GP2711 to look phenomenal regardless of lighting conditions in a room. As mentioned previously, the gaming monitor doesn’t have any genre-specific settings, which means color correction will have to be done before playing a particular game, but thankfully, the default settings are more than good enough for a wide range of genres.

Gamers who are also content creators will also like the GP2711's 99% sRGB and 95% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage. This means color accuracy is pretty nice when using Adobe Suite software like Photoshop and Premiere Pro. Meanwhile, watching video content on the GP2711 was a great experience with deep blacks and sharp contrast.

Gaming performance is impressive with its 165Hz refresh rate alongside response time that sits between 4ms (GtG) and 1ms (MPRT). The GP2711 is good enough of a display to play more competitive games like Fortnite or Marvel Rivals. Using a controller or keyboard and mouse for various games felt buttery smooth without any noticeable latency.

When it comes to games pushing image quality and performance, even games like Forza Motorsport handle both well. Having AMD FreeSync compatibility also does a fine job in preventing screen tearing, too. For its very accessible price point, the GP2711 means absolute business.

Performance: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Cooler Master Tempest GP2711?

Cooler Master Tempest GP2711 Scorecard
	Notes	Rating
Value	$499 is a good sweet spot for the Cooler Master Tempest GP2711 while having just enough extras.	4.5/ 5
Design	Design is fairly boring but set-up is easy, has plenty of ports and navigating the in-display menu is nice.	4/ 5
Features	The GP2711 isn't as feature rich as many other monitors, but it has some great features that streamers will love.	4 / 5
Performance	Image quality in SDR and HDR is pretty respectable for its price. Meanwhile, performance works splendidly thanks to a 165Hz refresh rate.	4.5/ 5
Final score	The Cooler Master Tempest GP2711 plays a good middle ground between price and functionality making it a serious recommendation.	4.25 / 5

Buy the Cooler Master Tempest GP2711 if…

You need a great 1440p gaming monitor at a great price
The Cooler Master Tempest GP2711 is definitely something to keep on your shortlist if you're on a tighter budget.

You want KVM capability
Not all gaming monitors have KVM, but for those who need to work between devices quickly, it really is essential.

You want great image quality and performance
The GP2711 makes good use of mini-LED and high brightness for fantastic image quality. Add great response time and a 165Hz refresh rate, and this is great for those just getting into esports.

Don’t buy it if…

You want better built-in speakers
The speakers on the GP2711 aren't loud and aren't really good.

You need the extras that come with other monitors
Outside of KVM and some graphic overlays, this doesn't offer much in the way of added features.

Also Consider

Gigabyte GS32QC
If you're on a tighter budget and want solid 1440p gaming, the Gigabyte GS32QC is a great option for a much lower price.

Read the full Gigabyte GS32QC review

Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS
If you're looking for the best overall 1440p gaming monitor for a reasonable price, the Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS offers exactly what you need without many of the more expensive bells and whistles.

Read the full Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS review

How I tested the Cooler Master Tempest GP2711:

During the two weeks I used the Cooler Master Tempest GP2711, it was my day-to-day monitor for daily activities like browsing with Google Chrome and using Slack for communication purposes. I also used it for work purposes, editing documents with Google Docs, managing projects via Asana, and coordinating social media activities using tools like Hootsuite.

To assess the overall image quality, I played visually rich games like Alan Wake II, The Legend of Kenzera: ZAU, and Children of the Sun. To test performance and gaming enhancement features I relied mostly on titles like Fortnite and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III.

I’ve spent the past several years covering monitors alongside other PC components for Techradar, among many other publications, so I am very well equipped to assess the strengths and weaknesses of a gaming monitor like this.

First reviewed September 2025

NHL 26 is one of the best sports games you can buy right now, but it’s brutal for beginners

5:58 pm | September 11, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Tags: FIFA, NHL | Comments: Off

I’ve always loved sports, from football (soccer) to darts; if there’s some kind of competition on TV, I’ll be watching. It wasn’t until last year, however, that I got the hockey bug, and ever since I’ve been engulfed by the world of the NHL.

I’ve fallen in love with ice hockey so much that I’m now a season ticket holder for my local ice hockey team in Scotland, and while the level isn’t on par with the incredible abilities on display in the NHL, it captures the soul of the game.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S
Release date: September 12, 2025

Why am I talking about my newfound love for hockey, you ask? Well, the last EA NHL game I purchased was NHL 16, and despite playing trials sporadically over the years, I’ve never truly immersed myself in the world of Chel.

This all changed with NHL 26, the latest video game in the annual ice hockey series, and the first time I’ve ever played a hockey game with pretty good knowledge of the current teams and rosters.

This is my review of NHL 26, from the eyes of someone who’s found a new passion for ice hockey as the sport quickly becomes my go-to weekend television.

It’s in the game

For a little bit of extra background, I played the 10-hour free trial of NHL 25 when it launched last year, and while I enjoyed it, my lack of hockey interest at the time severely impacted my decision not to purchase the full game.

Fast forward 12 months, and everything has changed. I’ve got tickets to my first NHL game, I watched the whole of last season almost religiously, and I have a massive urge to get good at scoring slap shots from almost anywhere on the ice.

Like most sports video game franchises, each annual release brings new rosters, new jerseys (in the case of hockey, sweaters), and some improvements to gameplay to try and warrant a new full price tag. Compared to my previous experience with NHL 25, NHL 26 seems to build on everything that made that game an excellent sports simulation, while also adding new features to make the gameplay feel fresh.

NHL 26 introduces ICE-Q 2.0, a new engine that makes players feel more like their real-life skating counterparts. EA says ICE-Q 2.0 is “fueled by NHL EDGE positional data,” and real-world data has an impact on player attributes.

I noticed this first-hand when trying out Connor McDavid, who felt as quick and skillful in NHL 26 as he does while I’m watching him play for the Oilers on TV. Each player has specific tendencies pulled from the data, which means they perform more like themselves than ever before. Players like Leon Draisaitl hold their position like in real life, making him lethal from the right side of the net, able to smash the puck in from a tight angle.

I really appreciated the uniqueness of star players across the NHL, and combined with X-Factors (specific skills unique to the players in real-life), I found the gameplay incredibly engaging and layered. As someone who has grown up with FIFA (now EA FC 26), I found the complexity of the gameplay in NHL 26 very refreshing.

EA has put a big effort into improving the presentation of the game using ICE-Q 2.0, too, with new extended replays combined with insights and more immersive audio that makes the game feel as close to the real thing as possible.

Heading for the Stanley Cup

I played a lot of Franchise mode in the week or so I’ve spent with NHL 26, and I really enjoyed having an input into all of the elements that go into running an elite team. From working on your marketing budget to juggling salary caps with trades, I found myself playing the offline career mode far more than I’d ever have expected to.

I’ve taken fondly for the Montreal Canadiens, and considering the team's huge prospects for success in the next decade, building the team and taking them on a late playoff run was really satisfying.

I decided to have lots of control over everything going on behind the scenes, but if you choose to, you can let the AI control everything and just focus on the performances on the ice.

Franchise mode was probably my favorite gamemode on NHL 26, but it’s only had small incremental improvements compared to the experience on its predecessor.

A lot of time has been put into revamping Be a Pro in NHL 26, where a new chapter-based progression system with all-new cutscenes and cinematics brings the feeling of being a future ice hockey star to life.

Best bit

NHL 26 is one of the most realistic sports games I've ever played, and as someone who's trying to immerse themselves in the world of ice hockey as much as possible, it's a joy to experience the slick and speedy action on the rink.

I’m not a huge fan of these kinds of game modes in sports games; in fact, FIFA 17’s The Journey completely turned me off wanting to experience the life of a player, but for those who do like focusing on building a star, the new changes here will scratch the itch.

Just like other sports games in EA’s portfolio, NHL 26 puts an emphasis on Ultimate Team, and love it or loathe it, it’s an incredibly popular game mode. This year, HUT has a Cup Chase game mode that allows you to progress offline to earn rewards to improve your team. There are also new team-building mechanics and salary caps to make the game more competitive online.

During my review period with NHL 26, I wasn’t able to play online, but I did enjoy building a somewhat respectable Ultimate Team. The problem with modes like this is the emphasis on blind boxes (packs) and spending real money to get the players you know and love. I have not played HUT for an extended period of time, so I don’t know how bad it is in NHL 26, but if it’s anything like my experience of EA FC Ultimate Team, it can be a dangerous game that leads to throwing cash away for minimal reward.

Face off

Ice hockey games have always shone when it comes to multiplayer, so I invited my friend round for some couch co-op to check out the modes in NHL 26.

Now, I want you to remember that I’m a massive novice when it comes to ice hockey games, and my friend, who’s also a huge NHL fan, hadn’t played one of these games for well over a decade.

I’d say, in general, I’m a pretty good gamer. I used to compete in FIFA tournaments when I was younger, and I’m currently bruteforcing my way through Hollow Knight: Silksong, despite backlash online with people crying it’s too hard.

That said, NHL 26 was impossibly hard for a beginner, and even after changing the speed and power of our shots, my friend and I really struggled to score goals on the ice.

It got so bad, in fact, that we tried training mode with 5 players against a goalie, and even then, nothing seemed to click. Now, obviously, this is a skill issue, and actually, I really appreciate there being a learning curve to get good at the game, but I have an issue with the lack of training and tips.

I turned on all the beginner trainer pop-ups for in-game, which showed me what to do and when, but even then, nothing seemed to click. And unlike games like Madden 26, there was no training facility to learn the ropes; NHL 26 just assumed that anyone playing the game was already familiar with it.

My friend and I had an 8-time overtime game that ended 1-0, and let’s just say the only way we were getting through the pain of being terrible at finishing our chances was by ingesting copious amounts of beer (We couldn’t score before the drinking).

Something is fascinating about how difficult NHL 26 is, however, and the need to really learn the ins and outs of ice hockey keeps me coming back for more. I was able to sneak my way into the playoffs in Franchise Mode, but if I want to win the Stanley Cup, I’m going to have to train harder and smarter to actually get good at scoring goals.

Should you play NHL 26?

Play it if...

You want to immerse yourself in the world of NHL
NHL 26 is the best ice hockey game on the market, and it does an excellent job at capturing what makes the sport one of the most exciting on the planet. If you're into hockey or want to be, NHL 26 is the sports game for you.

You don't own NHL 25
I can't say for certain that NHL 26 is worth picking up if you own NHL 25 because, quite frankly, I dream of a world without annual sports video game releases. That said, NHL 26 is a damn good sports game, so if you love everything hockey or don't own NHL 25, it's a must-play.

Don't play it if...

You've not got patience
Unless you're a seasoned veteran, NHL 26 is not a pick-up and play experience. In fact, it's probably one of the hardest sports games for a beginner I've ever tried. If you don't have time to invest in learning the ropes, NHL 26 isn't for you

Accessibility

NHL 26 is filled with accessibility features to set the game up exactly as you want it. With multiple control schemes and basic controller remapping, there are different ways to play depending on your needs and preferences.

Gameplay accessibility is supported via adjustable difficulty levels (with more granular “advanced” difficulty options) as well as control reminders (so players can see how to do certain moves or actions).

How I reviewed NHL 26

I played over 30 hours of NHL 26 on PS5 Pro connected to my Samsung S90D, one of the best OLED TVs on the market.

I tested all of the main game modes, spending most of my time in Franchise Mode and playing exhibition matches with my friend via couch co-op.

I've played a whole host of sports games over the years and have reviewed EA FC 25 and WWE 2K25 in recent months. While I'm a novice to NHL video games, I know quite a bit about the sport and used my experience to compare the real-life action with the gameplay on my PS5.

First reviewed September 2025

I had low expectations for Borderlands 4 – but it’s now one of my favorite games of the year

3:00 pm |

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

Looter shooter Borderlands 4 is the first mainline game in developer Gearbox’s series that I’ve genuinely loved playing since 2012’s Borderlands 2.

While The Pre-Sequel, Borderlands 3, and spin-off Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands all had their own strong elements, something always felt like it was there to hamper overall enjoyment - be that poor pacing, agonizingly bad writing, or a lack of compelling endgame elements.

Review information

Platform reviewed: PC
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X and Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
Release date: September 12, 2025 (October 3 for Switch 2)

In many ways, Borderlands 4 feels like a fresh start for the series, and it’s packed with the kind of confidence that made the first two entries so endearing to me.

Chiefly, Borderlands 4 greatly tones it down on dated meme humor. It still doesn’t take itself too seriously, but characters know to read the room during the story’s more dramatic turns, while much of its comedy actually does land, and I had far more hearty laughs than I was expecting during my playthrough.

But of course, Borderlands’ story and style of humor are just the foundations, and I couldn’t recommend Borderlands 4 if its lootin’ tootin’ and shootin’ gameplay loop wasn’t up to code. And if you come to the series for the near-constant changeup of your guns, augments, grenades, and such, you’ll still find that superbly enjoyable loot chase here.

The biggest divergence in Borderlands 4 is its move to an open world. Outside of dedicated instances like vaults and end-of-chapter fortresses, the map is almost entirely seamless - the planet Kairos’s three major biomes connected in circular fashion. It’s impressive, even if the reduction in load screens leads to its own performance hitches, but I’ll get to that in a bit.

With a well-paced main story and plenty of side missions and activities on offer, there’s loads to do on your first Borderlands 4 playthrough. And while I did find the juice wasn’t always worth the squeeze with its optional diversions, I had a Torgue-sized blast with the game, and I feel the series has regained much of its edge and personality with this latest entry.

Killing time

Borderlands 4 takes place on the planet Kairos. Following the events of the third game, the planet has been thrown into disarray after the Siren Lilith forcibly transported the moon of Elpis into Kairos’s orbit. This completely shattered the flow of time and has allowed a dictatorial figure known as the Timekeeper and his underlings to seize control and keep the populace firmly under his control.

As one of four Vault Hunters, we’re captured by the Timekeeper but promptly escape from one of his facilities. From here, we travel to each of Kairos’s three biomes to free the people from his clutches and fold them into our Crimson Resistance.

It’s a simple plot, but one that serves the looter shooter action perfectly well. The Timekeeper himself isn’t exactly a villain to write home about, but I can understand that developer Gearbox Software probably wanted something a little safer after the disastrously ineffective and endlessly annoying villains of Borderlands 3.

On that note, as mentioned above, Borderlands 4’s writing is much stronger than its direct predecessor. Each playable Vault Hunter has bags of personality, while many of its side characters are surprisingly likable. Returning characters from previous entries are all winners, too, feeling better-written here than ever before. Yes, even Claptrap.

A rip-roaring good time

Not much has changed in terms of the overall gameplay loop in Borderlands 4. Despite the shift to an open world, you’ll still encounter plenty of camps of baddies (the main two factions being Psycho-like Rippers and the Timekeeper’s robotic Order), and plenty of hives of fauna like flying Kratches and skittering Creeps.

There are plenty of variants therein, too, including tougher ‘Badass’ enemies, enemies with behavioral modifiers (including status changes and on-death effects), and powerful world bosses.

Best bit

It should come as no surprise that the meat and potatoes of Borderlands 4 - its core looter shooter gameplay loop - is its strongest element. Guns and their modifiers are more impressively varied than ever, thanks to them being made up of individual parts that all offer their own unique quirks and perks. Finding synergy between your Vault Hunter’s skills and your preferred weapon types is seriously satisfying when you find a winning combination, too.

Traversal does have some new quirks, though, and movement in Borderlands 4 feels better than it ever has in the series. Your grapple is a huge new addition, letting you quickly assail to higher points via grapple nodes, or for grabbing and tossing various explosives at your foes. A new glider, quick-dodge, and air dash are also really welcome, and add plenty of dynamism to both combat and traversal.

You also have quick access to a speedy hover vehicle, which can be spawned at any time (provided you’re not in a zone that doesn’t allow you to drive). I much prefer this over having to trudge to garage locations as you had to in the older games, and it makes getting around the massive Kairos map a breeze. Though fast travel locations are also available at large quest-giving outposts and after clearing certain zones of goons.

There is plenty to do throughout the open world, including side missions, and optional challenges like finding hidden vault symbols, clearing outposts, and finding vault key fragments. Though I never felt particularly incentivized to go full completion mode here, especially as the bulk of challenge rewards simply provide you with storage deck upgrades for expanding ammo capacity and backpack space. A useful upgrade for sure, but a pretty unglamorous one.

It's not his vault

The stars of Borderlands 4 are of course its playable Vault Hunters, and we’ve got a memorable cast this time around. I completed my first playthrough (as I typically do with the series’ games) with the Siren class, Vex. She’s easily my favorite Siren in the series to date, packing a delightfully smug and edgy personality with some truly devastating action skills, such as summoning copies of herself to distract enemies and deal elemental damage to them.

Harlowe is another superb addition to the roster. While her action skills can lean towards support and crowd control, my favorite has to be her Chroma Accelerator - the Vault Hunter equivalent of a massive nuke. Action skills like this and those found on other characters can of course be further modified through skills (you still get one skill point per level), and respeccing is inexpensive, allowing you to experiment to find a build that feels right for your playstyle.

Naturally, you’ll be swimming in guns, grenades, and other glorious forms of destruction. The rarity system is still in place, with rare, exotic and legendary guns offering increasingly more stats and modifiers. What’s great about equipment in Borderlands 4 is that guns can be made up of parts from multiple manufacturers.

For example, a Jakobs gun can pack a mighty punch, but a Maliwan underbarrel may give it access to an elemental alt-fire, like a corrosive gas cloud or electrical taser. A Tediore attachment might also let you lob the gun at enemies instead of reloading it, causing more damage the more ammo it has in the chamber.

Grenades have seen a massive upgrade, too, and now come in several forms. Jakobs ‘grenades’ for example are now devastating throwing knives. You can also equip an Ordnance in your grenade slot, effectively replacing the rocket launcher weapon type from prior games. Oh, and better yet, grenades are now replenishable on cooldown as opposed to being their own ammo type.

Glitch in the system

I have greatly enjoyed my time with Borderlands 4, but there are definitely a few bugbears to make note of, particularly when it comes to performance. Having a big open world is nice, offering plenty of variety from verdant forests and snowy peaks to arid Pandora-like deserts and dilapidated factories and high-tech bases.

There is a cost to the world’s more seamless nature, though. Performance, at least on PC, could be much better. Frame drops and hitches were a constant annoyance over the course of my playthrough, even with one of Nvidia’s current-generation graphics cards. DLSS and frame generation are supported and do help to smooth things out to a degree, but the overbearing issues certainly remained.

Another issue I ran into was that my graphics settings would slightly alter sometimes when I booted the game. Usually, this was DLSS disabling itself or changing preset, but sometimes the entire graphics preset would increase or decrease, leading to some fiddling around when I noticed performance was worse than usual. Hopefully this is something that gets addressed soon in post-launch patches.

Gameplay-wise, I think some of the enemy modifiers could do with a bit of tweaking, at least for a first-time normal mode playthrough. Enemies with regenerating health or additional health, armor, or shield bars weren’t particularly interesting to fight, mainly acting as irritating bullet sponges.

But to end on a high note, I really enjoyed Borderlands 4’s music. It’s never been something that particularly stood out to me in the other games, but here, it sets the stage for combat very well. Engaging Rippers, for example, will be accompanied by a fast-paced punk rock sound. While the robotic Order troops prefer a more techno-driven soundscape. It’s genuinely great stuff.

Should you play Borderlands 4?

Play it if...

You’ve missed Borderlands
Personally, Borderlands 3 and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands left me feeling a little jaded with the series. Borderlands 4 reminded me why I fell in love with it all over again, with its compelling story, characters, and the best combat the series has ever seen.

You want sheer, mind-boggling combat variety
Millions upon millions of gun, enemy, and ability modifiers mean that no two playthroughs of Borderlands 4 will be quite the same, at least from a character build standpoint.

Don't play it if...

You can’t stand Borderlands’ brand of humor
While it is a massive improvement over previous games, this game still very much has that Borderlands flavor of quirky humor. It’s a lot more measured here, but if it’s always been a complete turn-off for you - even at its best - then Borderlands 4 won’t change your mind.

Accessibility

Borderlands 4 is teeming with accessibility options. Robust subtitle options are featured, including size, color, and background opacity. There are several audio presets for those who are hard of hearing, as well as protanopia, deuteranopia and tritanopia colorblind settings for user interface elements. Oh, and if you really can't stand Claptrap, there is a dedicated volume slider for him, too.

How I reviewed Borderlands 4

My first playthrough of Borderlands 4 lasted 40 hours for this review. That included a complete playthrough of the main campaign, while also ticking off several side missions, objectives, and vault challenges. Having poured hundreds of hours into previous games in the series, I went out of my way to compare the quality and quantity on offer here in relation to other Borderlands titles, and came away satisfied with this latest entry.

I played on my new gaming PC, powered by an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 GPU and Intel Core i5 14400F CPU, via Steam, primarily using the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Controller, with some time also spent playing the game with mouse and keyboard. While my main playthrough was with Vex, I also tested the other Vault Hunters including Harlowe, Rafa, and Amon.

First reviewed September 2025

I tested Creative’s 2.1-channel soundbar – it’s impressive for the money, and can be used with a TV or a computer

10:00 pm | September 10, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Televisions | Tags: TV | Comments: Off

Creative Stage Pro 2.1: Two-minute review

If you’re looking for a very affordable soundbar with a subwoofer, the Creative Stage Pro 2.1 should be on your radar. There are cheaper options available, but most are just a standalone soundbar. And the ones that do come with a sub are most likely from a brand that even a product reviewer like me wouldn’t recognize when browsing the endless options on Amazon.

If most of the best soundbars prioritize performance, features, or price point, then the price point is most important here. The performance of the Creative Stage Pro 2.1 soundbar is fine for a budget-friendly model and a definite improvement on the built-in audio of most flat-screen TVs. The feature set is also somewhat limited, though it does have a trick or two up its sleeve.

Overall, this soundbar is for someone who wants to upgrade their TV (or computer) audio without spending much money, since most soundbars with a subwoofer are going to cost more.

Creative Stage Pro on TV stand — The Stage Pro's alphanumeric LED display is a rare feature in a budget soundbar (Image credit: Future)

The Creative Stage Pro is not quite petite, but it’s relatively compact at just under 22 inches wide. Its front is rounded and slightly pointed up due to the way it sits on its two attached feet. There’s an LED display that reads out information like volume/settings and source – a feature I appreciate that is strangely missing from many soundbars, including pricey ones.

The button layout on the soundbar’s top is pretty straightforward, with a power, volume level, input, Bluetooth, and SuperWide (more on that feature in a bit) buttons. All the basics are there, though you have to use the remote to get more granular in the controls, mainly by adding independent adjustments for the bass and treble, along with the sound mode selector.

The port selection might not wow, but it’s actually fairly robust for such a compact soundbar, with an HDMI ARC input with CEC Control (which lets you use one remote to control both the TV and soundbar), as well as optical digital, AUX, and USB-C inputs. It’s also worth noting that there’s Bluetooth 5.3 wireless support for streaming music.

At just under five inches deep, the subwoofer is also fairly compact, even if it stands a bit tall at 16.5 inches. The sub’s power cord is permanently attached, so if something happens to it, you’ll have to replace the whole subwoofer.

Creative Stage Pro remote control held in hand — All sound adjustments to the Stage Pro can be made from the included remote (Image credit: Future)

Before I discuss performance, it’s worth noting that there’s a lot of power on tap with the Creative Stage Pro 2.1, which has two 20W channels for the soundbar and 40 watts for the sub, with a peak of 160 watts. This guy will give you more than enough volume, and I actually listened to it at a fairly low volume level setting most of the time.

There’s plenty of low end, though the bass doesn’t quite get that deep. After spending time watching blockbusters like The Batman where everything is always blowing up, it was clear that this system doesn’t deliver a lot of sub-bass – not too surprising when the subwoofer driver is a relatively small 5.25 inches.

As far as the mids go, they’re a bit boosted, and I wish I could back off a bit with EQ settings (something one would find on more expensive soundbars) for a flatter response. Ultimately, I ended up preferring to turn up the treble and bass a little bit and turn down the volume. The high frequencies on cheaper speakers and soundbars typically sound either tinny or muted, but luckily, the Creative Stage Pro has a decent amount of treble detail.

Considering the Creative Stage Pro is relatively compact, the soundstage is pretty narrow. I didn’t hear much in the way of sound effects positioning, whether in the aforementioned The Batman or other media, including some audio test tracks on YouTube.

As is expected at its price point, the Creative Stage Pro’s feature set is pretty minimal. There’s no Wi-Fi streaming or voice assistant support, though there is Bluetooth for wireless streaming.

What the soundbar does have for features is its various sound presets and Creative’s SuperWide Technology. The five presets are the usual variety: Movies, Music, Vocals, and Gaming. I found them to be a bit too subtle to be all that noticeable, though when I selected the Off option, there was a bit of a volume drop.

Of the presets, I wish Vocal – a mode that usually helps with boosting dialogue – was more distinguished, but it’s too small a boost to really help. I also wish there were a Night preset similar to that found on other soundbars that would limit volume peaks and boost quiet parts so you can hear what’s going on while keeping the volume low.

Creative’s SuperWide feature is more interesting. It has three settings, Near, Far, and Off, with Near or Far engaging processing that expands the audio horizontally for a bit of a wraparound effect to create a greater sense of space.

SuperWide is also great for adjusting the sound for use with a computer or a TV, with the Near setting optimized for a desktop installation. When toggling through the two modes, I did get a sense of audio being closer or farther away, depending on the setting. It’s a bit of a gimmick, but a pretty cool one, and a good substitute for surround sound or spatial audio.

Creative Stage Pro 2.1 review: Price & release date

Creative Stage Pro top surface control buttons — The Stage Pro's top surface control buttons (Image credit: Future)

Price: $139.99 / £139.99 (around AU$220)
Date first available: July 2025

Creative has been on the budget audio train for a long time, so a price tag of £139.99 / $139.99 (AU$220) for a 2.1 soundbar system is about what one would expect from the company.

This system might have some limitations, as discussed in this review, but it is among the best cheap soundbars with a subwoofer. After all, when you get down to this price point, you’re either dealing with a very limited package, such as the even more affordable Majority Naga 60, a standalone soundbar that comes with its own performance issues. Alternatively, you’ll have to pay more for the just barely sub-$500 Sony HT-S2000. Of course, that 3.1-channel soundbar comes with Dolby Atmos and has better sound quality, but it’s almost four times the price despite being our top budget soundbar pick.

Should I buy the Creative Stage Pro 2.1?

Creative Stage Pro input ports — Ports include HDMI ARC, optical digital and 3.5 analog audio inputs and a subwoofer output (Image credit: Future)

Creative Stage Pro 2.1
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	Somewhat limited audio quality and features, but you’re still getting a lot for the price	4 / 5
Performance	The bass doesn’t get super deep, and the soundstage could be wider, but this soundbar will be an upgrade for most TVs	3.5 / 5
Design	A bit utilitarian looking, especially the sub, but it has an LED display and side-firing speakers	4 / 5
Value	Priced just right, especially when you consider it comes with a subwoofer	4.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You’re on a budget but want a subwoofer: The price is very affordable for a soundbar/subwoofer combo, and finding a similar setup from other established brands is going to set you back quite a bit more.

You want a soundbar that can work with both a TV and a desktop computer: Creative has its roots in computer audio, so it’s no surprise that they make it easy to switch the soundbar between computer and TV setups.

Don't buy it if...

You want superior audio quality: While the Creative Stage Pro is a step up from built-in TV audio, it’s not perfect and isn’t going to satisfy pickier listeners. If that sounds like you, save up or skip the subwoofer for something a bit higher quality.

You care about features: Though the Creative Stage Pro does have an interesting feature or two, the package is pretty limited. There’s no voice assistant support or Wi-Fi streaming, for instance.

Creative Stage Pro 2.1: Also consider

Majority Naga 60

Like the Creative Stage Pro, the Majority Naga 60’s biggest asset is its low, low price. Even though it is a single unit, it does have a built-in subwoofer and the ability to project 3D audio. Of course, both are a bit limited, and the sound can distort at higher volumes.

Read our full Majority Naga 60 review

Sony HT-S2000

The Sony HT-S2000 stretches the concept of budget to a degree, but this petite soundbar sounds impressive and provides Dolby Atmos / DTS:X processing. It is surprisingly light on some features given the price tag, however

Read our full Sony HT-S2000 review

How I tested the Creative Stage Pro 2.1

Creative Stage Pro on shipping box with accessories — The Stage Pro with its included accessories (Image credit: Future)

Used regularly for several weeks
Tested with all sorts of media
Tested the different modes

I used the Creative Stage Pro 2.1 soundbar regularly for a few weeks, streaming all sorts of media from old and new movies to TV shows and music. I pressed every button on the remote to check out the different sound presets as well as the Superwide Technology modes.

I’ve tested a lot of tech gear over the years, from laptops to keyboards and speakers, and so have been able to use my expertise towards giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test.

First reviewed September 2025

Razer Blade 14 (2025): Two-minute review

The new Razer Blade 14 (2025) really wants to be the ultimate portable gaming laptop, and after spending two weeks with it, I can say it mostly succeeds.

Packed into a lightweight 14-inch aluminum chassis, the Blade 14 houses the latest specs you can get for a 14-inch form factor, including AMD’s new Ryzen AI 9 365 processor and up to an Nvidia RTX 5070 GPU.

Those updated specs come at a price though, as the model I tested cost $2,699.99 / £2,299.99 / AU$4,144.95 (equipped with an RTX 5070, 32GB LPDDR5X RAM, and a 1TB SSD). Entry-level models start around $2,299.99 / £1,999.99 / AU$3,599.95, while top-end configs climb as high as $2,999.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$4,899.95.

What impressed me most wasn’t just raw gaming power—it was how well this machine stayed cool and quiet under load.

Running Cyberpunk 2077 with ray tracing at 1800p, I averaged around 50 FPS with DLSS and frame generation enabled, though to be honest, you’ll likely want to tone down the RT if you’re gaming at max resolution for best results, regardless of title. For most of the titles tested, you can comfortably get over 60 FPS at 1800p resolution without ray tracing, or about 60 FPS with ray tracing if you use DLSS upscaling.

Equally impressive is the OLED 2.8K 120Hz display. Colors popped, response times were lightning fast, and the DCI-P3 coverage made both games and creative work shine. Add in six surprisingly loud, clear speakers, and I found myself reaching for headphones less often.

The battery life on the Blade 14 isn’t great, lasting about five to six hours in my day-to-day work mix—emails, writing, streaming, light Photoshop—before I needed a charger. While this is pretty decent for a gaming laptop,it’s still not great for day-to-day productivity.

Design-wise, there’s not much to knock here other than the somewhat shallow keyboard and a chassis that picks up fingerprints pretty much instantly. Performance-wise, you’re almost certainly going to get a better value out of Razer’s various rivals, who often offer more raw power for less money. But as a total package, the Razer Blade 14 (2025) easily contends as the best gaming laptop released this year, even if it isn’t spotless.

Razer Blade 14 (2025): Price & availability

A Razer Blade 14 (2025) on a desk showing the Windows 11 desktop — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

How much does it cost? Starting at $2,299.99 / £1,999.99 / AU$3,599.95
When is it available? It's available now
Where can you get it? You can buy it in the US, UK, and Australia through Razer’s website and other retailers.

The Razer Blade 14 (2025) is available now, starting at $2,299.99 / £1,999.99 / AU$3,599.95, coming in with an entry-level RTX 5060 GPU, 16GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD.

My review unit, which comes with an RTX 5070 GPU, 32GB RAM, and 1TB SSD, comes in at $2,699.99 / £2,399.99 / AU$4,144.95. The top-spec config bumps up the storage to 2TB and the memory up to 64GB for $2,999.99 / £2,699.99 / AU$4,899.95.

It’s available in the US, UK, and Australia directly from Razer’s website, as well as major regional retailers like Best Buy and Currys.

Understandably, the Blade 14 isn’t going to be making any best cheap gaming laptop lists anytime soon, given the laptop's premium pedigree, but it's still very expensive for what you're getting. A laptop like the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, which starts off about $200 cheaper at $2,099.99 in the US (though it is tougher to find in the UK at the moment, and what models are available in Australia end up being more expensive). The US starting configuration for the Zephyrus G14 does get you a better RTX 5070 GPU compared to the Blade 14's RTX 5060 starting GPU. You can also get up to an RTX 5080 on the Zephyrus G14, for some serious portable gaming power that simply isn't available on the Blade 14.

You’re ultimately paying the Razer tax here if you opt for the Blade 14, but if you want a Razer Blade laptop, this is pretty much par for the course, and there's no denying the laptop's other premium qualities that it brings to the table. Just be prepared to pay the higher bill at the end.

Also, in the US and UK, you have the option to select the Mercury colorway rather than the classic Razer Black, though it is only available on the RTX 5070/1TB SSD/32GB RAM configuration.

Value: 3.5 / 5

Razer Blade 14 (2025): Specs

The internal spec stickers on the palmrest of the Razer Blade 14 (2025) — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Up to RTX 5070 GPU, 2TB SSD, and 64GB RAM
AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 processor
Not upgradeable and not a whole lot of configuration options

The starting configuration of the Razer Blade 14 (2025) gives you the essentials for modern portable gaming: an AMD Ryzen AI 9 365, Nvidia RTX 5060 GPU, 16GB LPDDR5-8000MT/s RAM, and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD. That’s more than enough for strong performance in esports and AAA titles at 1080p, high settings, and medium raytracing enabled when using upscaling, but storage will feel tight if you're planning on installing a lot of big games.

Razer Blade 14 (2025) base configuration
	US	UK	Australia
Price	$2,299.99 at Razer	£1,999.99 at Razer	AU$3,599.95 at Razer
CPU	AMD Ryzen AI 9 365	AMD Ryzen AI 9 365	AMD Ryzen AI 9 365
GPU	Nvidia RTX 5060	Nvidia RTX 5060	Nvidia RTX 5060
Memory	16GB LPDDR5-8000MT/s	16GB LPDDR5-8000MT/s	16GB LPDDR5-8000MT/s
Storage	1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD	1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD	1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD
Display	14-inch QHD+ 120Hz OLED	14-inch QHD+ 120Hz OLED	14-inch QHD+ 120Hz OLED
Ports	2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 2 x USB4 Type-C (Power, DP2.1 , Data), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x MicroSD Card Reader, 1 x 3.5mm Combo Jack	2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 2 x USB4 Type-C (Power, DP2.1 , Data), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x MicroSD Card Reader, 1 x 3.5mm Combo Jack	2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 2 x USB4 Type-C (Power, DP2.1 , Data), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x MicroSD Card Reader, 1 x 3.5mm Combo Jack
Battery	72WHr	72WHr	72WHr
Wireless	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Camera	1080p IR w/ Windows Hello	1080p IR w/ Windows Hello	1080p IR w/ Windows Hello
Weight	3.59 lbs \| 1.63 kg	3.59 lbs \| 1.63 kg	3.59 lbs \| 1.63 kg
Dimensions	12.23 x 8.83 x 0.64 ins \| 310.7 x 224.3 x 16.2mm	12.23 x 8.83 x 0.64 ins \| 310.7 x 224.3 x 16.2mm	12.23 x 8.83 x 0.64 ins \| 310.7 x 224.3 x 16.2mm

The top configuration quadruples the available memory and doubles the storage over the base spec while bumping the GPU up to an RTX 5070 GPU. That makes it a very solid mobile workstation for creatives in addition to being a fantastic 1440p gaming platform in an impressively thin 14-inch form factor.

The one knock I do have on the max spec is that other thin and light gaming laptops, like the Zephyrus G14, do manage to give you options for the RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080, so those who want even more power do have alternatives to the Blade 14.

Razer Blade 14 (2025) top configuration
	US	UK	Australia
Price	$2,999.99 at Razer	£2,699.99 at Razer	AU$4,899.95 at Razer
CPU	AMD Ryzen AI 9 365	AMD Ryzen AI 9 365	AMD Ryzen AI 9 365
GPU	Nvidia RTX 5070	Nvidia RTX 5070	Nvidia RTX 5070
Memory	64GB LPDDR5x - 8400MT/s	64GB LPDDR5x - 8400MT/s	64GB LPDDR5x - 8400MT/s
Storage	2TB M.2 PCIe NVMe	2TB M.2 PCIe NVMe	2TB M.2 PCIe NVMe
Display	14-inch QHD+ 120Hz OLED	14-inch QHD+ 120Hz OLED	14-inch QHD+ 120Hz OLED
Ports	2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 2 x USB4 Type-C (Power, DP2.1 , Data), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x MicroSD Card Reader, 1 x 3.5mm Combo Jack	2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 2 x USB4 Type-C (Power, DP2.1 , Data), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x MicroSD Card Reader, 1 x 3.5mm Combo Jack	2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 2 x USB4 Type-C (Power, DP2.1 , Data), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x MicroSD Card Reader, 1 x 3.5mm Combo Jack
Battery	72WHr	72WHr	72WHr
Wireless	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Camera	1080p IR w/ Windows Hello	1080p IR w/ Windows Hello	1080p IR w/ Windows Hello
Weight	3.59 lbs \| 1.63 kg	3.59 lbs \| 1.63 kg	3.59 lbs \| 1.63 kg
Dimensions	12.23 x 8.83 x 0.64 ins \| 310.7 x 224.3 x 16.2mm	12.23 x 8.83 x 0.64 ins \| 310.7 x 224.3 x 16.2mm	12.23 x 8.83 x 0.64 ins \| 310.7 x 224.3 x 16.2mm

My review unit fell somewhere in between, with 32GB RAM and a 1TB SSD. Of the available configuration options, it offers what I think is the best balance between cost and performance.

With this setup, I never worried about performance bottlenecks in games or creative workloads, and the 1TB drive gave me enough space for my go-to Steam titles, currently Helldivers 2, Satisfactory, and a heavily modded Baulder's Gate 3. But unless you're loading up on small indie titles, you can expect to have to do some storage juggling for this configuration.

It's also worth noting that this laptop is not easily upgradable, and the RAM here is soldered. There are also a limited number of configuration options to choose from, so it's not a very customizable laptop, opting for the MacBook route rather than a more DIY approach.

Razer Blade 14 (2025) review configuration
	US	UK	Australia
Price	$2,699.99 at Razer	£2,399.99 at Razer	AU$4,299.95 at Razer
CPU	AMD Ryzen AI 9 365	AMD Ryzen AI 9 365	AMD Ryzen AI 9 365
GPU	Nvidia RTX 5070	Nvidia RTX 5070	Nvidia RTX 5070
Memory	32GB LPDDR5x - 8400MT/s	32GB LPDDR5x - 8400MT/s	32GB LPDDR5x - 8400MT/s
Storage	1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe	1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe	1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe
Display	14-inch QHD+ 120Hz OLED	14-inch QHD+ 120Hz OLED	14-inch QHD+ 120Hz OLED
Ports	2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 2 x USB4 Type-C (Power, DP2.1 , Data), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x MicroSD Card Reader, 1 x 3.5mm Combo Jack	2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 2 x USB4 Type-C (Power, DP2.1 , Data), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x MicroSD Card Reader, 1 x 3.5mm Combo Jack	2 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 2 x USB4 Type-C (Power, DP2.1 , Data), 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x MicroSD Card Reader, 1 x 3.5mm Combo Jack
Battery	72WHr	72WHr	72WHr
Wireless	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4	Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
Camera	1080p IR w/ Windows Hello	1080p IR w/ Windows Hello	1080p IR w/ Windows Hello
Weight	3.59 lbs \| 1.63 kg	3.59 lbs \| 1.63 kg	3.59 lbs \| 1.63 kg
Dimensions	12.23 x 8.83 x 0.64 ins \| 310.7 x 224.3 x 16.2mm	12.23 x 8.83 x 0.64 ins \| 310.7 x 224.3 x 16.2mm	12.23 x 8.83 x 0.64 ins \| 310.7 x 224.3 x 16.2mm

Specs: 4 / 5

Razer Blade 14 (2025): Design

A Razer Blade 14 (2025) on a desk with its lid closed — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Thinner and lighter than Blade 14 2024
OLED Display
Black finish is a fingerprint magnet

The Blade 14 (2025) doesn't take any real risks with the design of the iconic laptop model, being more of a modest refinement of Razer's aesthetic.

The biggest move here is the display, which is a gorgeous-looking OLED panel rather than the more standard IPS of the Razer Blade 14 (2024). It also comes in thinner and lighter than last year's model, managing to shave off nearly half a pound of weight (about 0.2kg) and shrink its height by just over half an inch (nearly 2mm).

The chassis corner of the Razer Blade 14 (2025) — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The CNC-machined aluminum chassis feels solid in the hands, with zero flex in the lid or keyboard deck. It carries that understated “MacBook for gamers” vibe that a number of the best thin and light gaming laptops hope to hit but often fall short of reaching.

The under-display ventilation ports on the Razer Blade 14 (2025) — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The matte black colorway on my review model looks sleek, but it attracts fingerprints almost instantly. I didn’t particularly care all that much, but if you do, expect to be wiping this laptop down almost constantly if you're sticking with the Razer Black finish.

The ports on the Razer Blade 14 (2025) — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Port selection is generous for such a compact laptop: two USB4 (with PD, DP2.1, and data), a pair of USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, an HDMI 2.1 output ports, and a microSD card reader, something creatives will appreciate.

A masculine hand tilting the Razer Blade 14 (2025) upward to show off the keyboard — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The keyboard offers per-key RGB customization through Razer Synapse, so you have lots of options for customizing the lighting design to your liking. While twinkly, the shallow 1mm key travel left typing feeling somewhat flat compared to a competing MacBook Pro or Lenovo Legion laptop, though the keyboard does feel more comfortable than that of the Dell 14 Premium.

The touchpad, by contrast, is excellent—large, smooth, and every bit as responsive as you’d find on the best MacBook.

One of the speakers along the side of the keydeck of the Razer Blade 14 (2025) — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The six-speaker setup also deserves mention. I've been on a The Sword kick lately, and their entire catalog sounded fantastic, filling the room with surprising depth. Meanwhile, the chaos of Helldiver 2's recent updates never sounded better, making it one of the few gaming laptops where I felt I didn't need to bother with an external speaker or headphones.

The webcam of the Razer Blade 14 (2025) — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The 1080p IR webcam is great, but the lack of a physical privacy shutter isn't, though you do get the enhanced security of Windows Hello.

Like Razer Blade 14s of the past though, the design of this laptop doesn't lend itself to much upgradability, so if you're hoping to spec-up in the future, you'll need to plan for that at checkout before you buy and configure it for the long-haul.

Design: 4.5 / 5

Razer Blade 14 (2025): Performance

Helldivers 2 playing on a Razer Blade 14 (2025) that is surrounded by gaming peripherals — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Phenomenal gaming performance
Outstanding creative performance
Not always an improvement over previous-gen models

Day to day, the Blade 14 felt like a solid desktop PC stuffed into a svelte, lightweight 14-inch frame, making it easy to carry around with me and get things done on the go.

Over the course of about three weeks (including one week of dedicated benchmark testing), I used it for writing, photo editing, and heavy multitasking and didn't experience any real hiccups. Even with my downright abusive Chrome-tab-habits, adding Spotify streaming to the mix and some Photoshop and Lightroom exporting sent to the background, the Blade 14 (2025) stayed fluid and never stuttered.

In my CPU benchmarks, the new Blade 14 generally outclassed its predecessors, and while it doesn't really compete with the performance of the Apple M4 chip for professional workloads, it does generally come in second against Apple's best mobile workstation.

Naturally, the upgraded Nvidia RTX 5070 GPU in the new Blade 14 beats the last two Blade 14 models, both of which we reviewed with an RTX 4070 GPU. There aren't a lot of tests where we can use for an apples-to-razers comparison of the GPU in the MacBook Pro 14 and Blade 14, unfortunately, but at least in the cross-platform 3DMark Steel Nomad, it's not even a contest, as the Blade 14's RTX 5070 GPU scores about 3.6x better in this synthetic GPU test.

In terms of creative performance, the Blade 14 2025 more than holds its own against its predecessors and its main rival amongst the best Windows laptops for creatives, the Dell 14 Premium, falling behind only the MacBook Pro 14 in my Crossmark Creativity testing, and even then, not by much.

When it came to gaming, though, the Blade 14 really impressed me. At its native 2880×1800 resolution, Games like F1 2024 and Helldivers 2 ran well into the high double and even triple digits on ultra settings with balanced DLSS (not counting Frame Generation), while games like Satisfactory (my personal go-to) stayed above 100 FPS constantly.

Cyberpunk 2077 with ray tracing at 1080p pushed the GPU hard, averaging around 50 FPS, but enabling DLSS 4's Transformer model made it silky smooth at 1080p and very playable at 1440p, hovering between 50-80 FPS depending on the DLSS setting used.

Since the base frame rates are north of 50 FPS when using DLSS, you can turn on Frame Generation as well to push that FPS higher to max out the display's 120Hz refresh without having to worry about input latency, which wasn't noticeable in my time gaming on the laptop when I used the feature.

The key standout for me though wasn’t just raw average framerates—it was stability on the low-end. Minimum frame rates on just about every game I tested with balanced upscaling were well north of 50 FPS unless I did something like trying to run Cyberpunk 2077 on its max settings with Ray Tracing Overdrive at native resolution.

This means that for pretty much any title, you're going to get exceptionally smooth gameplay on the go, which is what a laptop like this is really all about.

Performance: 5 / 5

Razer Blade 14 (2025): Battery Life

The Windows 11 battery indicator on a Razer Blade 14 (2025) — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

How long does it last on a single charge? It lasted about five hours on my standard 'performance' test settings
Proprietary charger required to charge it quickly, but you can use USB4 for slower charging

The battery life on the Blade 14 2025 isn't fantastic, but it's pretty solid for a gaming laptop, especially with some power-saving tweaks.

In my normal test settings, with max resolution and frame rate with the laptop set to Windows 11 Performance mode, the Blade 14 2025 fell behind a lot of other competing 14-inch laptops on the market, as well as its two immediate predecessors, with an average battery life of just five hours and one minute in our Web Surfing test.

It manages to do a little bit better on the gaming battery test, though it still lags behind its immediate predecessors. One thing to consider though is that of all the 14-inch laptops I tested here, only the Dell 14 Premium has an OLED panel to match what the Blade 14 is sporting, while the earlier Blade 14s and the MacBook Pro aren't bogged down by the OLED display's higher power consumption.

It is worth noting though that slowing down the refresh rate to 60Hz rather than 120Hz and you turn off the RGB lighting on the keydeck, you can stretch this battery life out to over eight hours.

Also, the Blade 14 2025 comes with a proprietary charging brick and port for the fastest charging and best plugged-in performance while gaming, but the USB4 ports do allow for USB-C charging, just at a slower rate.

Battery Life: 3.5 / 5

Should you buy the Razer Blade 14 (2025)?

A Razer Blade 14 (2025) on a desk with its lid facing the viewer — (Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Razer Blade 14 (2025) Scorecard
Category	Notes	Rating
Value	You are absolutely paying the Razer tax here, and you can get the same performance from other laptops for cheaper.	3.5 / 5
Specs	The specs are fairly solid for this laptop, but the lack of upgradability and high-end specs allow rivals to swoop in and offer more for enthusiast gamers.	4 / 5
Design	The Blade 14 2025 doesn't disappoint with its design, slimming down over the previous year and keeping true to its iconic style.	4.5 / 5
Performance	Fantastic performance all around makes this one of the best gaming laptops for on-the-go PC gamers who don't want to fuss with a PC gaming handheld.	5 / 5
Battery Life	The OLED panel on this laptop absolutely tanks its battery life, and anyone needing a work laptop for longevity are better off with a Snapdragon X Elite-powered system or a MacBook Pro 14.	3.5 / 5
Final Score	Overall, between iconic style and fantastic performance, the Blade 14 is a phenomenal slim and light gaming laptop, though it'd be great if it was just a bit cheaper considering its rivals can offer similar or better performance for less.	4.5 / 5

Buy the Razer Blade 14 (2025) if...

You want the best design the iconic Razer style can offer
The Blade 14 (2025) truly is the MacBook of gaming laptops, with a thinner and lighter form factor than last year.

You want the best OLED gaming laptop going
The OLED panel on the Blade 14 is fantastic, beating out mini-LED rivals and absolutely burying IPS laptops without breaking a sweat.

You want the perfect balance of performance and portability
If what you care about most is getting the fastest frame rates possible in your games, the Blade 14 won't beat any current S-tier gaming laptops, but if you're looking to maximize performance and portability, you'll find few better than the Blase 14 2025.

Don't buy it if...

You want desktop-replacement class performance
The Blade 14's performance is great, but if you're looking for face-melting framerates, a laptop with a RTX 5080 or RTX 5090 will be a better option.

You're on a budget
This laptop starts at two grand and only gets more expensive the better its configuration. A cheap laptop, this is not.

You don't want to deal with the quirks of OLED care
OLED displays are gorgeous, but they suffer from burn-in over time, which might be a dealbreaker for anyone looking to use this laptop for more than 3-4 years.

Also consider

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is one of the best gaming laptops in this size, and it offers higher-level configurations than the Blade 14 2025 can, while its entry-level model comes in cheaper than the Blade 14.

Read more about the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14

Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4, 2024)
Creative professionals who might be considering the Blade 14 2025 will almost always get better creative performance from the MacBook Pro 14-inch across non-3D-modeling workloads, like video editing and photography.

Read the full Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4) review

How I tested the Razer Blade 14 (2025)

I spent about three weeks with the Razer Blade 14 (2025)
I used it for everyday gaming, work, and creative tasks
I ran it through our standard suite of benchmark tests

I had the chance to test out the Razer Blade 14 2025 for about three weeks, which is about 50% longer than I usually have to devote to a single laptop review, so I really got to know this laptop.

I used it for day-to-day writing tasks (including drafting this review), as well as general productivity and creative work, including Adobe Photoshop for editing the photos shown above.

For gaming, I used it extensively as my primary gaming device, focusing on more demanding titles like Helldivers 2, Satisfactory, as well as more requirement-friendly titles like Hollow Knight: Silksong.

I've reviewed dozens of gaming laptops for TechRadar over the course of half a decade, ranging from the very best desktop replacements to the best budget gaming laptops, so I know what the market has to offer. I leverage that insight and expertise to help readers by offering the best advice I can on what gaming laptops offer the best value, and which are worth the splurge.

First reviewed September 2025

I tested OM System’s portable 50-200mm F2.8 zoom – and it’s instantly one of my favorite wildlife lenses

9:00 am |

Author: admin | Category: Camera Lenses Cameras Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro: two-minute review

Having shot with the OM System 50-200mm F2.8 zoom, I'm now an even bigger fan of the Micro Four Thirds format for wildlife photography than I was previously. It's a fabulous lens in every regard, with superb build quality, excellent handling and top-drawer image quality.

Above all, its bright maximum f/2.8 aperture – which is a first for a 100-400mm equivalent lens – delivers super-fast shutter speeds and better light intake than cheaper alternatives, which levels up the kind of telephoto wildlife action it's possible to capture.

I tested the telephoto zoom with an OM System OM-1 II; together the IP53-rated weather-resistant pairing are impressively lightweight at just 59oz / 1,674g, and deliver incredible image stabilization and subject-detection autofocus performance, especially for birds – the lens's autofocus can continuously keep up with the camera's blazing 50fps burst shooting speeds.

I love how the lens balances with the camera, and I happily carried the pairing all day, rain or shine. Its internal zoom further protects against potential dust ingress over the long run, and I've no doubt it'll last for many years of heavy use.

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OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro lens attached to an OM-1 II, outdoors with long grass in the background — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Detail is impressively sharp, even at f/2.8, which is the aperture I used the most. This setting also enables the use of the fast shutter speeds that are crucial for high-speed wildlife photography.

Bokeh at f/2.8 is smooth for the most part, though in some scenarios it appeared a little fussy. Close the aperture down and you lose the circular shaping, and get harder edges instead. Bokeh is fine overall, but this is probably the only real negative to mention regarding optical quality.

Close focusing impresses – just 0.78m at any focal length, for up to half-life-size macro capture.

I do have to get the small matter of the price out of the way at this point. At £3,000 (US and Australia pricing is TBC), the 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro is less than half the price of OM System's other pro 'white' lens, the 150-400mm F4.5, but almost three times the price of the 40-150mm F2.8.

In fact, it's pricier than similar full-frame lenses – Nikon's 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S comes to mind. However, considering the features on board, the build and optical quality, and that maximum f2.8 aperture, it's still decent value, even if many will be priced out.

I can't fault the OM System 50-200mm F2.8 as an overall package. It's a superb telephoto zoom, and one that I can only dream will one day live in my gear bag. If you're a serious wildlife shooter, OM System has produced one of the best camera and lens pairing you can find.

OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro specs

OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro specs
Type:	Telephoto zoom
Mount:	Micro Four Thirds
Sensor:	Micro Four Thirds
Focal length:	50-200mm (100-400mm effective)
Max aperture:	f/2.8
Minimum focus:	0.78m
Filter size:	77mm
Dimensions:	91.4 x 225.8mm
Weight:	38oz / 1,075g (without collar)

OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro: Design

IP53-rated weather-resistant design, internal zoom
Relatively lightweight at 38oz / 1,075g
0.78m close focusing for 0.5x (equivalent) magnification

I can't find any fault in the 50-200mm F2.8's design. It's IP53-rated, and is weather-resistant and freeze-proof to -10C; its internal zoom – a feature you'll generally only find in high-end optics – is further evidence of its rugged credentials, as it's one less place for potential dust ingress.

Check out the images below, which show how the lens barrel remains unchanged as you zoom through the focal range.

Considering its features – particularly that focal length and maximum aperture combo – it's lightweight too, at 38oz / 1,075g (without the removable collar). Paired with an OM System camera like the OM-1 II, the total weight is only 59oz / 1,674g, making for a comfortable all-day carry.

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OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro lens's zoom ring — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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All the external controls you'd want in a telephoto zoom are here: optical stabilization, manual / autofocus switch, custom buttons, and a focus range limiter.

Focus range can be limited to 0.78-3m, which is handy for macro photography (for which the lens has that impressive minimum close-focusing distance 0.78m), or to 3m to infinity, which is the option I'd pick when shooting telephoto wildlife. A third option is the full focus distance range, which could increase the risk of focus hunting.

The lens is supplied with a tripod collar, and I tend to keep this attached even when shooting handheld, as it provides another point of contact or place to hold when shooting.

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Close up of the OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro lens's controls — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Collar of the OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro lens — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro lens with its collar removed — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

There's no built-in teleconverter, which is a feature you'll sometimes find in high-end telephoto lenses, including OM System's own monster 150-400mm F4.5. However, I'd happily use OM System's 1.4x teleconverter with this lens – I've used it before, and I wouldn't expect to see any significant drop off in image quality.

Adding the 1.4x teleconverter extends the maximum reach of the lens at the cost of 1EV of light, effectively turning this into a 560mm f/4 lens. That's still seriously impressive, and a better reach for bird photography, where subjects tend to be small and tricky to get close to.

OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro: Performance

100-400mm effective focal length with maximum f/2.8 aperture
Optical and camera stabilization combine for up to 7.5EV stabilization
Sharp detail and, for the best part, smooth bokeh
Supports 50fps burst shooting with continuous autofocus

The OM System 50-200mm F2.8 is an impressive performer in every respect. Its autofocus speed and precision are top drawer; when paired with the OM-1 II, it quickly latched onto subjects such as birds, and was able to support 50fps burst shooting with continuous autofocus.

The lens's optical stabilization can also combine with the OM-1 II's in-body image stabilization to deliver up to 7.5EV of stabilization.

In real terms, OM System says you can shoot handheld at the maximum focal length, which is 400mm (effective), using shutter speeds as slow as 1/3 sec, and still get sharp results.

Of course, if the action is moving then 1/3 sec won't be of much use, unless you want to intentionally blur your subject, but static objects will indeed appear sharp based on my testing.

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OM System 50-200mm F2.8 sample gallery: goose in water at first light — I used the continuous high burst shooting to increase my chances of freezing the action at the right moment in these two scenarios. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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OM System 50-200mm F2.8 sample gallery: goose in flight over water at first light — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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For me, what's even better to have than the superb stabilization performance is the bright maximum f/2.8 aperture. This enables fast shutter speeds to freeze action, which is personally what I'm looking for a lens like this to do – for wildlife, you can do so much more with a f/2.8 telephoto than, say, an f/5.6 one.

The 100-400mm effective focal length range easily covers a range of scenarios – it's my go-to range for grassroots sports like soccer, and for large wildlife. To give you an idea of the difference between 100mm and 400mm, I've taken pictures of the same scene at those extremes, and you can see some examples in the gallery below.

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OM System 50-200mm F2.8 sample gallery: black swan in a pond — 400mm (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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OM System 50-200mm F2.8 sample gallery: group of flamingos on a stone island — 400mm (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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OM System 50-200mm F2.8 sample gallery: flamingo standing on grass — 400mm (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

I also explored macro photography with the 50-200mm F2.8, and you can see some of those pictures below. The 0.25x maximum magnification (which is 0.5x full-frame effective) is half-life size and super-versatile – there's no such full-frame lens with such a feature set.

It was while using the lens to shoot macro, including a dew-covered backlit spider's web at first light, that I started paying particular attention to the bokeh – the quality of the out-of-focus orbs of light.

At f/2.8 it's smooth and rounded, but there are scenarios, such as the cobweb shots, where it becomes a little fussy rather than smooth – stopping the aperture down to f/7.1 to increase depth of field revealed polygonal-shaped bokeh. For less extreme scenarios, bokeh quality is pleasant, but I wouldn't buy this lens solely for that attribute.

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OM System 50-200mm F2.8 sample gallery: close up of a spider in its web — I took this photo at f/7.1 to increase depth of field, and you see that the bokeh has hard edges and polygonal shape, produced by the lens's nine aperture blades. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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OM System 50-200mm F2.8 sample gallery: close up of ferns — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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OM System 50-200mm F2.8 sample gallery: hoverfly on a flower close up — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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OM System 50-200mm F2.8 sample gallery: bee on a flower close up — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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OM System 50-200mm F2.8 sample gallery: heather close up — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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OM System 50-200mm F2.8 sample gallery: moorhen in a pond with thick pondweeds covering the water — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Where this lens shines is in its wonderfully sharp detail, no matter the focal length or aperture (f/2.8 to f/11, at least). I've been really impressed by the quality of detail in my subjects, and I've been able to shoot images that simply wouldn't be possible with cheaper gear, or even with full-frame lenses with darker maximum apertures, like the Nikon 100-400mm.

If anything is holding this lens back, it's the limitations of the Micro Four Third's sensor format, which is half the size of full-frame. It's less clean in low light, and dynamic range is a little limited in high-contrast scenes, like the sunrise shot in the gallery below (scroll past those adorable guinea pigs).

The maximum f/2.8 aperture mostly makes up for any sensor format limitations, though, and in its own right the OM System 50-200mm F2.8 is a top-quality telephoto zoom, with no real drawbacks.

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OM System 50-200mm F2.8 sample gallery: three guinea pigs on a lawn — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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OM System 50-200mm F2.8 sample gallery: guinea pigs on a lawn — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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OM System 50-200mm F2.8 sample gallery: guinea pig on a lawn — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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OM System 50-200mm F2.8 sample gallery: seagull high up on a dead tree branch — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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OM System 50-200mm F2.8 sample gallery: geese in flight at first light — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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OM System 50-200mm F2.8 sample gallery: geese in water at first light — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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OM System 50-200mm F2.8 sample gallery: treeline and vivid sunrise — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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OM System 50-200mm F2.8 sample gallery: goose in water framed by rising sun — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Should you buy the OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro?

Buy it if...

You want a versatile wildlife and sports zoom

The 100-400mm focal length is ideal for sports and wildlife photography.

You want a lightweight pro telephoto zoom

Compared to full-frame alternatives, the 50-200mm F2.8 is a fraction of the weight and size. Its internal zoom is an added bonus.

You also shoot macro

Micro Four Thirds tends to deliver better close-focusing distances than full frame, and the 50-200mm is a case in point; 0.78m at any focal length delivers up to 0.5x magnification.

Don't buy it if...

You don't often zoom beyond 300mm

OM System's 40-150mm F2.8 (80-300mm equivalent) is less than half the price of the 50-200mm – if you don't usually zoom beyond 300mm, I'd save the cash and go for the older lens.

You're on a budget

Considering its quality and features, the 50-200mm F2.8 is decent value, but it still costs in the thousands.

You're unlikely to shoot fast-moving action or in low light

The f/2.8 aperture is a real selling point if you need fast shutter speeds when shooting action at the telephoto end, or for that extra latitude when shooting in low light. View Deal

How I tested the OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro

Following an initial testing session with OM System, I used the 50-200mm extensively for an entire week
I paired it with the OM System OM-1 II
I took telephoto shots of wildlife, macro photos of spiders, and more

I first used the OM System 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro at an event hosted by OM System at a wildlife trust in the UK, where I had some hands-on experience photographing exotic birds. I subsequently used the camera over a week-long loan period, paired with the OM System OM-1 II camera.

During my own time with the lens I've taken it out for sunrise shoots of birdlife on a common, been captivated by the macro world of insects including backlit spider's webs, and snapped my family's pet guinea pigs at last light.

I've made sure that all lens corrections are switched off in-camera, shot in both raw and JPEG format, used every key focal length and various apertures, then assessed image quality using Adobe Camera Raw, which has OM System profiles.

First reviewed September 2025

I tried the Nikon ZR – the smallest and lightest cinema camera around, with Sony and Canon-beating features

7:00 am |

Author: admin | Category: Cameras Computers Gadgets Video Cameras | Tags: Australia, LCD | Comments: Off

Nikon ZR: two-minute review

The new Nikon ZR is the first in a new line of Nikon / RED cinema cameras, and instantly makes Nikon a major new player in this space, capable of going to toe-to-toe with Sony, Canon, Blackmagic and Panasonic.

Nikon only acquired RED Digital Cameras 18 months ago, and it's made fast work of producing the surprisingly polished and capable ZR, adorned with Z Cinema Camera and Nikon / RED branding, and available for a tantalizing price that significantly undercuts rivals.

It packs a bunch of Nikon Z6 III tech, including the same 24MP partially stacked full-frame sensor, 5-axis image stabilization, subject-detection tracking autofocus and more, into an extremely compact, weather-sealed cinema camera body.

We get 6K 60fps video with internal RAW recording, with any one of nine industry-favorite RED color profiles baked in – that's the Nikon / RED amalgamation truly bearing fruit – plus 4K 120fps and Full HD 240fps slow-motion recording.

Handily, shutter angle can be set automatically to 180 degrees, so there's no need to mess around with manual exposure settings, plus the shutter angle can be set to any position between five and 360 degrees manually, should you wish.

Nikon ZR camera with mic attached under low key magenta lighting — The Nikon ZR with new ME-D10 shotgun mic attached – the mic supports the camera's 32-bit float audio capture skills (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

We don't get open gate video recording as in some rivals like the Canon EOS C50, but the ZR has another trick up its sleeve: hold the camera vertically, and its UI automatically rotates, with the vertical orientation embedded in the video files and automatically detected in Nikon's editing software, delivering full-resolution vertical video.

The ZR is the first camera of its kind with internal 32-bit float audio capture, plus what Nikon says is the best-quality internal mics yet – a triple mic combo with Ozo audio and a choice of five directional pickup patterns, including binaural.

Alongside the ZR, Nikon has launched the ME-D10 directional mic (you can see it slotted into the camera's hotshoe in the image above), which is compatible with the camera's 32-bit float capabilities.

This is also the smallest cinema camera I’ve used, yet it still squeezes in a large, brightest-in-class 4-inch vari-angle touchscreen. Naturally, there's no viewfinder.

Rear of the Nikon ZR camera under low key magenta lighting — Nikon has put both its own and RED's branding on the ZR, together with Z Cinema Camera (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Given its tiny size, there are compromises. We don’t get some of the pro connectivity found in other pricier compact cinema cameras – for example there’s only a micro HDMI port, not a full-size one. However, if you still feel the need to use an external monitor even with the large 4-inch built-in display, all you'll need is a micro-to-full-size HMDI adaptor to get connected.

Sadly, the ZR lacks mounting points for video accessories and, with no grip, you’ll definitely want to rig it up with a grip or a cage for a better hold. That means forking out for ZR-dedicated gear – Nikon outsources to leading accessory maker SmallRig.

However, at just £2,199 (US and Australia pricing is TBC), no other cinema camera comes close to the ZR for video features – and this aggressive pricing will soften the blow of any additional outlay on accessories.

I can see the Nikon ZR as a go-to b-cam for many pros, especially those already shooting with a RED camera, for whom the color profile matching will make for a seamless workflow. That said, this is a capable video camera in its own right too.

The Nikon ZR is an incredibly capable and polished compact cinema camera with world-first features, and an exciting first step into the filmmaking space for Nikon. Should video lenses soon follow (most Z lenses are designed primarily for photography), along with a higher-end cinema camera with pro connectivity to sit above the ZR, then Nikon will truly find its footing in this space.

Top plate of the Nikon ZR camera under low-key magenta lighting — The compact body is the smallest in this class of cinema camera, with a fairly simple control layout (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Nikon ZR: price and release date

Costs £2,199.99 (US and Australia pricing TBC)
There will be various accessory bundles, TBC
Sales start in October

The Nikon ZR costs £2,199 (US and Australia pricing is TBC, but that coverts to roughly $2,980 or AU$4,500). At that price it significantly undercuts rivals – such a feature set is typically found in cameras that cost around 50% more, and more often in cameras closer to twice the price.

That said, there are no video accessories included, and you'll want to fork out for some in order to enjoy the ZR's handling and feature set to its full potential. These will likely include a grip and / or cage, plus Nikon's new ME-D10 directional mic, which is compatible with the camera's 32-bit float audio format.

Nikon doesn't make its own accessories such as grips or rigs, relying on third parties such as SmallRig to supply those. At the time of writing I don't have pricing for dedicated ZR accessories.

The Nikon ZR is due to go on sale in October 2025.

Nikon ZR camera under low key magenta lighting — The ZR is compact cinema camera for run-and-gun filmmaking – an ideal b-cam (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Nikon ZR: specs

Video	6K up to 60fps, Raw internal
Photo	24MP full-frame
Lens mount	Nikon Z
Autofocus	Dual Pixel CMOS AF II
Screen	4-inch, 3.07m-dot, vari-angle
Viewfinder	N/A
Weight	19oz / 540g (body only)
Battery	EN-EL15 (same type as Nikon Z6 III / Z8)

Nikon ZR: Design

Smallest and lightest cinema camera of its kind; weather-resistant
Large 4-inch, 3.07m-dot touch LCD with brightest in-class display, no viewfinder
No mounting points for accessories
3x internal mics, Ozo audio with five directional pickup patterns

As far as I know, the Nikon ZR is the smallest and lightest camera of its kind, weighing just 19oz / 540g (body-only). It's also weather-resistant, which is a rarity in the cinema camera world.

There are pros and cons resulting from the tiny dimensions. Drawbacks include enthusiast-level connectivity, like micro HMDI rather than full-size (though you only need an adaptor to remedy this), and the absence of a grip or mounting points for accessories. A camera like the Canon EOS C50 feels more high-end, given its pro-level connectivity.

It feels best to keep things simple with the ZR, making the most of its compact body and powerful features by minimizing the number of accessories in play. A grip is the one accessory I would absolutely look into buying, while if you want to rig up the ZR you'll need a cage, which will in turn allow you to attach accessories such as lights and mics – Nikon has partnered with SmallRig to create grips and cages for the ZR (pricing TBC).

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Nikon ZR camera, no lens, under low key magenta lighting — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Nikon ZR camera with its screen flipped out, under low key magenta lighting — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Despite its tiny body, the ZR packs a large 4-inch touch display. As such, I don't really see the need for attaching a bulky external 5-inch monitor. It certainly helps that the ZR's 3.07m-dot display is wonderful bright and vivid – the brightest in its class, says Nikon. Mind you, I've only used the ZR in a studio; a truer test will be the bright outdoors.

Other cinema cameras, like the Sony FX3 and Canon EOS C50, only have 3-inch displays, while the Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K has a mega 5-inch unit. In the case of the Sony and Canon models, I'd absolutely want to add a monitor to my setup.

The camera's top plate is pretty simple: there's a photo / video switch (though sadly the UI remains the same whichever setting you're in, rather than there being dedicated menus for photo and video), record button with rocker, plus three buttons for accessing items such as display settings.

The rear is dominated by the large touch display, which when folded away reveals the Nikon / RED branding. Beside it are a joystick for controls such as autofocus point selection, a menu button (a quick press brings up the main menu and a long press brings up the quick menu, which is a nice touch) and a playback button.

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Back of the Nikon ZR camera under low key magenta lighting — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

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Nikon ZR camera with is connection port doors open — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Battery life promises to be okay, given that the ZR uses the same EN-EL15 battery as the Nikon Z6 III and Nikon Z8. There are no vents or cooling fans, though, which would normally suggest that a camera of this type would be prone to overheating during long recording sessions.

I haven't recorded clips any longer than a few minutes, but I'll be sure to run the camera for longer during my in-depth testing. However, Nikon says the camera's magnesium alloy body is a natural heat sink, and promises that long record times are possible, and based on my experience with previous Nikon cameras I have no reason to doubt it.

There's exciting tech under the hood, too, namely a totally new Ozo audio setup, which comprises three mics. Together, these offer five directional pickup patterns, including front narrow (like a shotgun mic), front wide, rear and binaural 3D stereo.

Nikon says this Ozo system is the best internal mic setup of any camera, and it's supported by a world-first: in-camera 32-bit float audio capture. Nikon's new ME-D10 shotgun mic, released at the same time as the ZR, supports 32-bit float audio too.

Those are impressive audio features for any camera, let alone one at this price point, and I look forward to properly testing them out.

Nikon ZR: Performance

6K up to 60fps, 4K up to 120fps, Full HD up to 240fps
Internal RAW recording and RED color profiles (up to nine in-camera at any time)
Subject-detection autofocus and 5-axis image stabilization
24MP stills, partially stacked full-frame sensor

For the most part, the Nikon ZR has the same photo and video specs as the Z6 III (which we awarded five stars out of five in our in-depth review), which means a full-frame partially stacked 24MP sensor equipped with 5-axis image stabilization.

Add in decent subject-detection tracking autofocus and the ZR is a capable stills shooter, although while this is useful for on-set stills, the main focus of my testing is of course the ZR's video chops.

Like the Z6 III, the Nikon ZR shoots 6K up to 60fps, 4K up to 120fps and Full HD up to 240fps. There's the option for shooting internal RAW with a 12-bit color depth, or keeping things simple and baking in the look at capture with 10-bit recording.

Given the array of creative styles and color profiles on board, which includes space for up to nine RED color profiles at any one time, you might just feel happy to skip shooting RAW, with its large file sizes and grading demands, and use one of the many baked-in color profiles instead to save editing time and space on your hard drives.

I shot a variety of video clips during a half-day session with a drummer in action inside a studio, including 6K RAW, a few of the RED profiles baked in, and 240fps slow-motion – see my sample video, above.

In this setting, the ZR delivered some superb-looking video. I'll be expanding this first impressions review with more detail about its video and audio quality, once I've had an extended time with the ZR.

A male drummer in a dark studio, holding drums sticks with arms folded, neon lights in background — The ZR is a decent camera for photos too, with 24MP stills (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Nikon ZR: also consider

Canon EOS C50

Canon announced the EOS C50 just a day before the Nikon ZR. It costs around 50% more, but comes with a top grip. In many ways the two cameras' video features are similar, including video resolution, maximum frame rates, internal RAW recording and autofocus. However, the Canon camera feels slightly more high-end with pro connectivity, while in the ZR's favor are its compact size, larger touch display and, impressively, its sensor-based stabilization.

See my Canon EOS C50 reviewView Deal

Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K

The Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K is pretty much the same price as the Nikon ZR, and in many respects has similar video features: a full-frame sensor with 6K video, 12-bit internal RAW recording and dual base ISO. It also packs a mammoth 5-inch display and has a solid choice of L-mount lenses. However, its slow-motion recording is more limited, while autofocus performance isn't a patch on Nikon's. It's also much bulkier and heavier.

See our Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K reviewView Deal

Sony FX3

The Sony FX3 is an industry-favorite compact 4K cinema camera with superb low-light skills, thanks to its 12MP full-frame sensor. Like the ZR, it's designed to be rugged, with accessories such as its (bundled) top handle. It has the pro connectivity you'd hope for, excellent battery life, and a wide range of video lenses. However, its video recording feels somewhat dated compared to the ZR's 6K internal RAW, and it's practically twice the price. View Deal

Top of Nikon ZR camera under low key magenta lighting — (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

How I tested the Nikon ZR

I had just half a day with the ZR
I paired it with multiple Nikon Z lenses and tried out the new ME-D10 mic
No third-party accessories were available, so I used the camera handheld

I had the opportunity to shoot with the Nikon ZR for half a day ahead of its launch, using it for an indoor stage-lit shoot of a drummer in action.

Nikon supplied an array of Z-mount lenses for the shoot, of which I used a few primes and zooms. The new ME-D10 directional mic was also available on the day.

Nikon doesn't make its own rigs or cinema camera accessories, relying on third parties such as SmallRig instead. None of these accessories were available to me, so I shot with the ZR entirely handheld, without a grip or rig.

During my limited test time I made sure to shoot in 6K RAW, 240fps slow motion, and to try out various color profiles, focusing on the RED looks.

I have plenty of experience using rival cinema cameras such as the Sony FX3, so I'm well equipped to make an informed initial assessment of the ZR. That said, cinema cameras need to prove themselves as tools their users can rely on shoot after shoot, so check back soon for my in-depth verdict after I've spent more time with the camera.

First reviewed: September 2025
Read more about how we test

Wayward is the new traumatic Netflix series you won’t be able to switch off, and I’ve lived to tell the tale

6:00 am |

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Netflix Streaming | Comments: Off

Wayward is the title you need to keep your eyes on most of all when looking at the line-up of everything new on Netflix in September 2025. Brought to us by Feel Good creator and comic Mae Martin, they've even bagged Toni Collette for her most explosive horror role since Ari Aster's Hereditary in 2022.

But this is just scratching the surface of why Wayward is so good. The new Netflix series tells the story of the small town of Tall Pines, Vermont, which is home to a school of delinquent teens that get shipped off to study under the watchful eye of Evelyn Wade (Collette). Leila (Alyvia Alyn Lind) and Abbie (Sydney Topliffe) are two teens caught up in the school's mysteries, alongside cop Alex (Martin) and wife Laura (Sarah Gadon), who return to Laura's home town to settle down before the birth of their new baby.

Their two points of view converge over the course of the eight-episode run, giving us a multi-dimensional look at what it means to be a brainwashed youth incarcerated against your will. The town's decisions (and I won't spoil what these are) aim to rebuild Tall Pines from the ground up, but instead break down and fracture every part of its infrastructure. Not that this seems to matter, though as Evelyn's got her metaphorical hooks into almost everyone around her.

Between Alex, Abbie and Leila, it's up to them to get to the bottom of what's actually going on in Tall Pines. As a result, we're taken on a journey that resembles something between Twin Peaks and Stranger Things, and boy, is the outcome satisfying.

Of course Netflix's Wayward is brilliant, Mae Martin created it

Viewers should have known Wayward would be an instant addition to their watchlist the minute it was clear the series was coming from Mae Martin. Feel Good is still regarded as one of the greatest comedy-dramas to come out of the last decade, and not just by me. Even though veering into sci-fi supernatural territory isn't an expected direction for Martin, it almost doesn't matter.

Why? Good TV comes from getting the basics right: we're talking structure, characters, setting, as well as peaks and pits to hold the audiences attention. It's Martin's craft that's always elevated anything they've been a part of, even though their character Alex could be seen as another extension of their own personality. But we're rooting for Alex every step of the way, and that paves the way for some effortless LGBTQIA+ representation.

Instead of overtly stating that Martin's character is a trans man, the ensemble use he/him pronouns without hesitation, and when they fumble it feels authentic, rather than clumsily wedging inclusion in to tick a diversity box. It's incredibly refreshing and makes us buy into Alex's personal experiences on a much deeper level. If you're looking for someone more shouty about their sexuality, Leila is your girl, with her blossoming bisexuality proudly worn as only a naive teenager can.

Then there's Toni Collette. As one of the most talented actors that seems to be continuously unappreciated (especially by the Academy Awards), I hope viewers will tune in merely to see her shine (though I already know they will). She raises the game of everything and everyone around her when she signs onto the project, and there's no doubt that Wayward is what it is because of her. It's Evelyn's world and we're just living in it, making even the most skin-crawling of scenes enjoyable.

Stick with Wayward after episode 1 – I promise the payoff is worth it

A man plays guitar sat in between a woman singing and a student with a book on her lap — We even get a Toni Collette musical number in *Wayward*. (Image credit: Netflix)

For the most part, Wayward is well structured, holds its intrigue and has enough mystery wrapped in suspense to sustain us for the rest of the year. I'm a biased fan of anything to do with sketchy communes, strange towns and schools for dysfunctional children, but its subject matter is incredibly compelling even for the uninitiated. I should have felt as though I'd seen this play out 1000 times over (and better), but I came away from Wayward with a fresh perspective.

That said, there are a few minor downsides. With such a strange ensemble cast of characters in Tall Pines, not all of them get their backstories explained outright, particularly those relating to Laura's past. Laura's own journey has an ironic symbiosis with Evelyn's and it would have been helpful to see more of how she actually functioned in her alma mater.

Looking back, episode 1 was the biggest stumbling block, and that's not helpful when it's the make-or-break point of a viewer deciding if they'll stick or split to something else in Netflix's expansive back catalog. It's worth point out that all events that occur in Wayward are happening in 2003 rather than being split across different points in time, with it initially unclear how Abbie and Leila's story will cross paths with Alex and Laura's. It gets there pretty quickly after in episode 2, but the first 40 minutes require a bit of patience and push-through.

But these are small prices to pay for an ultimately satisfying and well-rounded eight-parter. Touching on themes of identity, motherhood, loss, community and trust, anybody who loves unpicking the crux of a story will be fed well-timed mouthfuls at every turn. There's an interesting feeling of pride that comes with working out the subtext of something, and that's a uniquely enjoyable experience in Wayward. Tall Pines has a lot of its own lore, both directly through the phases of the school, and hidden in plain sight among its residents.

If you want my advice: invest your time, trust nobody, and hope to God that you don't get selected for The Leap.

I tested Sony’s latest open earbuds and they had plenty of bass – but still didn’t hit all the right notes

12:00 am |

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

Sony LinkBuds Open: two-minute review

The Sony LinkBuds Open are yet another contender in the trendy and ever-expanding world of open earbuds – but they still stand out from the crowd.

This model succeeds Sony’s first attempt at open earbuds, which launched three years ago now, and combines a slightly unorthodox design with a broad feature-set, tuneable audio, and modern controls. With a price of $199 / £149 / AU$249.95, though, there’s a lot of expectation on Sony’s latest open buds – so, can they hit all of the right notes?

Well, I’ll start by talking about my first impressions out of the box. As soon as I unboxed the Sony LinkBuds Open, I was struck by their unusual yet enticing looks. Unlike a lot of the best open earbuds, these adopt neither the clip-on nor the hooked designs that most of their competitors adopt. Instead, each bud has a ring-shaped driver, which lets ambient sound in easily. The batteries are housed in an orb-shaped casing, and wings are attached to these for a more secure in-ear fit.

I’m a fan of the ring-shaped in-ear components – these fit nicely and let in ambient noises without a hitch. Admittedly though, the spherical exterior looks a bit clunky, and although the wings ensure a pretty secure fit, they felt a little peculiar in my ear, which took comfort levels down a bit for me personally. Overall, these should still feel fine in-ear for a few hours, but there are comfier alternatives out there, like the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC, for instance.

Something I loved was the charging case. The white color variant has a glossy, marble-like appearance and I appreciate the attention to detail here. It’s worth noting that you can also grab these buds in Black or Violet – the latter being a special edition produced in collaboration with singer Olivia Rodrigo.

Another thing that really impresses me about these buds is their feature-set, which is bursting at the seams with user-friendly goodness. There’s multi-point connectivity, 360 Reality Audio support, voice assistant integration, and services such as Spotify Tap – all accessible via Sony’s Sound Connect app.

But there’s more! There’s customizable, and surprisingly effective touch controls, DSEE upscaling for lower-quality music files (still looking at you, Spotify), and depth-filled EQ options. There’s Find Your Equalizer – a gamified way to uncover the best tuning for you – as well as presets and a five-band custom option. Combine that with Scene-based listening, head gesture controls, and a wearing condition check-up, and you’re looking at a highly talented pair of buds.

Still, it’s worth flagging that some competitors offer features that have been omitted here. There’s no active noise cancellation – something you’ll spot on a model like the Edifier LolliClip or Honor Earbuds Open – though you probably want to hear your surroundings clearly if you’re buying open-style earbuds. There’s also no LDAC, Sony’s ‘hi-res’ Bluetooth audio codec, but again, the open design here does limit audio capabilities.

Finally, there aren’t any health monitoring options – think a heart rate or blood oxygen tracker (you'd need to look to the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 for that). But still, you have plenty to play with on the LinkBuds Open, and the companion app is super easy to use.

Sony LinkBuds Open on circular surface — (Image credit: Future)

A quick note

When I started testing the Sony LinkBuds Open, I encountered some issues, such as a rattling noise in one bud and connectivity issues. Thankfully, we were swiftly presented with a fresh, fully functional unit, but for transparency's sake, I wanted to flag such quirks. These issues have not influenced my final scoring of the model.

By now, then, you must be wondering how the LinkBuds Open sound. Well, I have mixed feelings about this model. Firstly, it’s worth pre-empting this by emphasizing that an open design means a likely hit to audio fidelity, and typically weaker bass response than you’d expect from earbuds with a seal or over-ear headphones, for example.

Still, I was relatively impressed with the low-end performance of the LinkBuds Open. I tried listening to AAAAA by Kiefer with EQ set to ‘Off’ (flat), and found that the bass rippling through the track was meatier than what the impressive SoundCore AeroClip could offer with default tuning. Was it the cleanest low-end replication I’ve heard? Well no.

In Stepping Out (feat. $Ha Hef) by Jay Worthy and LNDN DRGS, the funky bassline clashed slightly with vocals, which didn’t have quite enough space to breathe. Meanwhile, the palpable sub-bass is pretty understated in The Boys Are Back In Town by Yung Gravy – though that’s almost to be expected from a pair of open-ears given their technical limitations.

Elsewhere, highs sounded pretty prominent out of the box – but perhaps a little too prominent at times. On occasion, sounds in the treble-frequency edged towards the harsh side of things – though this can be remedied with EQ adjustment in the Sound Connect app.

It’s in tracks more focused around vocal performances, then, where the LinkBuds Open truly shine. For instance, when tuning into Déchire la Toile by Lorien Testard and Alice Duport-Percier, gliding keys and emotive vocals sounded clear and controlled, with a pleasing openness to the sound creating a decently immersive listen. Even at higher volumes, there was a solid level of detail on display, though my colleague did note significant sound leakage – not ideal if you’re in the office or on public transport.

All in all, you won’t get that perfectly balanced, beautifully layered audio – and you might want to tinker with that out-of-the-box sound profile. But for a pair of open earbuds, the LinkBuds Open are certainly solid in the audio department, with generally clear, weighty sound.

A few final notes on this open-ear option from Sony. Firstly, you get a pretty standard serving of playtime. You should get around 8 hours from the buds alone, plus an additional 14 with the charging case. During my testing, I found this to be about right – putting them about on-par with modes like the aforementioned Soundcore AeroClip.

And one more thing: there are optional fittings that you can purchase to customize the LinkBuds Open to your liking. These include multi-colored covers for both the buds themselves and the charging case, if you really wanna jazz things up. This level of customizability is admirable, but you’ll have to spend extra to access it.

In the end, then, can we say that the LinkBuds open hit all of the right notes? Not quite – but they still put on a good show. I’m not totally sold on their design and sonically, they’re not as strong as some wireless buds in the same price-range. But still, commendable mid-range performance, fairly meaty bass given the design and lots of EQ options kept me satisfied overall.

Unfortunately, there's one area where these buds fall down for me: their cost. They're very pricey for open ears, which already come with some compromises in terms of audio. So, even though they have a deep feature-set and secure in-ear fit, this model's not quite a slam dunk. If you've got a good amount of cash to splash on some open earbuds, these may well be worth checking out, but otherwise, I'd suggest taking a peek at my other recommendations in the ‘Also consider’ section.

Sony LinkBuds Open review: specs

Waterproof rating	“IPX4 equivalent”
Battery life	8 hours (earbuds); 22 hours (with charging case)
Bluetooth type	Bluetooth 5.3
Weight	5.1g (per bud); 30g (charging case)
Frequency range	20Hz-20kHz

Sony LinkBuds Open review: price and release date

$199 / £149 / AU$249.95
Launched in October 2024

The Sony LinkBuds Open – or Sony LinkBuds Open WF-L910 as they’re sometimes listed – released at the end of 2024. They have a list price of $199 / £149 / AU$249, which is by no means cheap for a pair of open-ears, though nowhere near as steep as the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, which launched at $299 / £299 / AU$449.95.

On top of that, I’ve already spotted these on sale in some territories. For instance, they’ve dropped to under £130 / AU$250 on Amazon at the time of writing. You can pick the LinkBuds Open up in a variety of colors, including Black, White, or Violet. The latter is a collaboration with singer Olivia Rodrigo, and includes custom EQ options which were tuned by the artist and her producer.

USB-C port on the reverse side of the Sony LinkBuds Open — (Image credit: Future)

Should you buy the Sony LinkBuds Open?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	Wide suite of features and awesome in-app experience.	4.5/5
Sound quality	Generally solid for open ear sound, imperfect yet fairly meaty bass, clear mids.	3.5/5
Design	Not the most elegant looking, just OK comfort, but secure fit and appealing case.	3.5/5
Value	Despite good overall performance, these are expensive against similar quality rivals.	3/5

Buy them if...

You want access to excellent features
As is usually the case with Sony products, the LinkBuds Open are brimming with features. Bluetooth audio upscaling, EQ options, multi-point, and Scene-based listening are all here. And there’s a whole lot more too – just download the Sound Connect app to discover what’s on offer.

You want a secure open ear fit
Although I wasn't totally bowled over by their looks, I can’t deny that the LinkBuds offer a pleasingly secure fit. If you’re out on a run or at the gym, you won’t have to worry about them slipping out easily – and with their open design, you’ll be able to hear your surroundings easily too.

Don't buy them if...

You’re an audiophile
If you want a beautifully detailed, elegantly balanced, and effortlessly separated sound, the Sony LinkBuds Open probably aren’t for you. A lot of that is a result of their open design – aspects like bass response and detail levels won’t compare to that of the best wireless earbuds.

You’re on a budget
At $199 / £149 / AU$249.95, the Sony LinkBuds Open are hardly cheap. If you’re set on an open design, the Huawei FreeArc down below are our pick for the best budget option – more on those below.

Sony LinkBuds Open: also consider

	Sony LinkBuds Open	Anker Soundcore AeroClip	Huawei FreeArc
Price	$199 / £149 / AU$249.95	$129.99 / £129.99 (about AU$210)	£99.99 (about $130 / AU$210)
Waterproof rating	“IPX4 equivalent”	IPX4	IP57
Battery life	8 hours (earbuds); 22 hours (with charging case)	8 hours (earbuds); 24 hours (with charging case)	7 hours (earbuds); 23 hours (with charging case)
Bluetooth type	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.2
Weight	5.1g (per bud); 30g (charging case)	6g (per bud); 42g (charging case)	8.9g (per bud); 67g (charging case)
Frequency range	20Hz-20kHz	20Hz-20kHz	20Hz-20kHz

Anker Soundcore AeroClip
I’m a big fan of the Anker Soundcore AeroClip, and they remain some of the best open earbuds I’ve tested. Out of the box, they’re not as bass-heavy as the LinkBuds Open, but a quick EQ tweak can give you a sound closer to your preference. With solid battery life, a comfortable clip-on design, and reasonable asking price, there’s a lot to like here. Read our full Anker Soundcore AeroClip review.

Huawei FreeArc
For a more "traditional" open-ear build, the Huawei FreeArc are a top-tier choice – and they’re pretty cheap too. With surprisingly good sound quality, excellent protection against the elements, and a comfortable fit, they’re well-worth checking out. Read our full Huawei FreeArc review.

How I tested the Sony LinkBuds Open

Sony LinkBuds Open inside charging case — (Image credit: Future)

Tested across the course of multiple weeks
Used in the office and while out and about
Predominantly tested using Tidal

I tested the Sony LinkBuds Open over the course of multiple weeks while in the office, at home, and out on walks.

For the most part, I listened to music with the buds via Tidal, though I occasionally dipped into a few tracks on Spotify. During testing, I made sure to run through the TechRadar testing playlist, which features tracks from a range of genres. I also listened to songs from my personal library.

Where appropriate, I compared the LinkBuds Open against rival models, such as the Anker Soundcore AeroClip, which helped me to assess aspects like audio performance and comfort.

First reviewed: September 2025
Read more about how we test

Bluetti Elite 100 v2 portable power station review

9:02 pm | September 9, 2025

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

FEATURES AT A GLANCE

1024Wh capacity from LiFePO4 batteries

1800W continuous output

2 x AC sockets, 2 x USB-A and 2 x USB-C

0-80% charge in 45minutes at 1200W

Multiple methods of charging

Fast 10ms response UPS with different modes of UPS

Bluetti has done it again releasing another one of their versatile portable power stations, this one aimed at being lighter, smaller and more agile than some of the older, bigger models from the past.

A more powerful inverter means that AC wattage has been pushed up allowing even more electronics to be run from the power station.

Bluetti Elite 100: Pricing

At time of review, the Elite 100 is on retail on Bluetti's US site for $499. On the Bluetti UK site, it's sold for £499.

It's also available via selected online retailers.

Bluetti Elite 100: Packaging

Bluetti Elite 100 V2 during our review — (Image credit: Bluetti // Future)

The Elite 100 arrived in an outer plain cardboard box, inside was another plain cardboard box but with printing indicating that this was an Elite 100 power station, it even had a handle to help in lifting out one box from another.

Also provided by Bluetti was not only the AC charging cable but the appropriate MC4 to XT60 cable to allow you to hook up a solar panel to the Elite 100 to charge it. The package included a grounding screw as well.

Bluetti Elite 100: The power station

Once out of the box, the Elite 100 measures 320 × 215 × 250mm or 12.6 x 8.5 x 9.8 inches (L x W x H) and weighing in at 11.5kg (or 25.3lbs). Compared to some of the previous models we have test from Bluetti and other brands, pretty small and light.

The Elite 100 has one large handle on the top at the back so was designed to be carried by one person only but it is light enough.

At the front is the usual affair, all output sockets are at the front, as are the control buttons, screen and DC input socket.

At the front of this UK model are the following sockets/plugs:

2 x UK Type G sockets outputting 230V at 50Hz AC pure sine wave

2 x USB-C sockets, 1 x 140W max and 1 x 100W max

2 x USB-A sockets, each able to output 15W

1 x Car cigarette socket

2 x DC barrel outputs at 12v 8A max

1 x DC/PV input

And of course, the control buttons and screen

On the right-hand side of the Elite 100 (from left to right) is the earth/ground screw hole, AC input and 20A circuit breaker.

Bluetti Elite 100: Charging

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Switching on the Elite 100 the first time showed us a state of charge of 32%. We explored the charging methods that would be available to us, the simplest of which would be to charge it from the grid mains.

This is easily done by plugging the Elite 100 to the mains using the supplied AC cable which uses a common IEC C13/14 cable. On immediately detecting grid power the Elite 100 powered itself on and began charging at 1200W with a count down timer to inform us when it would be fully charged.

Other methods of charging include using solar panels, Bluetti have been kind enough to package in an MC4 to XT60 cable so that you could hook up a basic solar panel to the Elite 100. This is a nice touch as often power station manufactures sell this cable as an optional extra.

The XT60 is the only port, other than the AC input socket, to allow charging of the Elite 100. Through the XT60 you can charge the Elite 100 using the aforementioned solar panels or from a separately available alternator charger for charging from vehicles.

The XT60 can accept anywhere between 12 to 60V, up to 20A and 1000W of input.

Some would have preferred the DC input could have been placed on the side of the product for additional USB ports.

Bluetti Elite 100: Screen

Status screen is your typical affair that shows all the useful information that you will need at glance such as state of charge, input and output wattage. Output voltage and AC Hz, USB as well as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connections.

It the out and inputs only tell you a total of wattage, they are unable to break down what is PV or AC input or USB or AC outputs.

Bluetti Elite 100: AC and USB/DC

Putting the Elite 100 through its paces, using it to power a variety of high draw household devices such as a rice cooker, hair dryer, air fryer. The Elite 100 was able to power all of them separately and remained relatively quiet throughout. It couldn’t power a mini-induction cook top as that drew a sustained 2000W. The Elite 100 can do up to a 2700W but only for a short period.

I noted that the Elite 100 only has two AC Sockets which may be a limiting factor for some, whilst it is only two sockets, there is nothing that says you can’t use multiplug sockets with them. But you must keep in mind the power draw in wattage.

Using the USB is about as regular as it gets, it was able to charge a variety of phones, power banks, a Lenovo ThinkPad, MacBook Air laptops all at the same time with ease. However with the advent that nearly everything is moving to USB-C, why the need for USB-A?

Also on the front are the DC outports, these are the car cigarette socket and two DC barrel sockets. Useful for small electronic devices assuming you have the right cables.

The Elite 100 has a combined output power of 1800W continuous power.

Bluetti Elite 100: UPS

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We recently reviewed a larger, more powerful power station the DJI Power 2000 where we tested its UPS capabilities and under 10ms response time. The response time is the time the power station detects grid outage and switches over to battery. Most other power stations have a response time of 20 to 30ms.

So, we were intrigued that the Elite 100 boasted a fast 10ms response time as well and decided to put this to the test. UPS mode is automatically activated when the Elite 100 is plugged into mains, AC is on and power drawn.

We again tested this by plugging in a typical home office setup, into the Elite 100 via multiplugs. The setup drew around 200W, we let the set up drain the Elite 100 for about two hours.

We then switched the mains on to charge the Elite 100 back to 100% which activated the UPS mode automatically

Once at 100%, we flicked the mains switch again whilst keeping an eye on the setup which showed no signs of power loss. The set up carried on as if there were no power outage, the Elite 100 drew power from the batteries and the UPS mode switched off.

It is here we add that in the app we noted that unlike the DJI model, the Elite 100 had several UPS modes where the UPS can be timed to only work certain times of day, prioritize PV power, state of charge or just as a standard UPS on standby or offline mode where the UPS only kicks in when power is noted to have gone down.

Bluetti Elite 100: The app

Bluetti have been in the power station market for a long time and so have had time to improve and refine their app. Searching and downloading it from the Google Play Store, loading it up and logging on for the first time was easy enough.

The app is more than just a battery management app in that it allowed us to see the local weather and a few other useful features not battery related as well as manage your account with Bluetti.

The “add device” allowed to locate and add the Elite 100 quickly and it was then added to our list of power stations.

On clicking on the battery your entered to a screen showing battery percentage, also showing incoming energy from either AC or DC/PV and outgoings for AC and DC.

The settings area is where Bluetti excel when compared to other brands in that it allows you to tweak certain settings, even if only the once such as the aforementioned UPS modes.

Bluetti Elite 100: Final verdict

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Bluetti has been in the power station market for a long time bringing out newer models each year, refining and improving each time.

This small form factor battery is no different, it is ideal for those who want to get about and want a small, light-weight, portable yet powerful power station.

Some may find the capacity of the Elite 100 to be limiting, at only 1024Wh it can seem to drain quickly when high draw devices are used.

Also, some may find the lack of AC sockets cumbersome and as mentioned, it could have been better with solely USB-C sockets instead of the older USB-A.

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Cooler Master Tempest GP2711: Two-minute review

Cooler Master Tempest GP2711: Price & availability

Cooler Master Tempest GP2711: Specs

Cooler Master Tempest GP2711: Design

Cooler Master Tempest GP2711: Features

Cooler Master Tempest GP2711: Performance

Should I buy the Cooler Master Tempest GP2711?

Buy the Cooler Master Tempest GP2711 if…

Don’t buy it if…

Also Consider

How I tested the Cooler Master Tempest GP2711:

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Heading for the Stanley Cup

Face off

Should you play NHL 26?

Play it if...

Don't play it if...

Accessibility

How I reviewed NHL 26

Killing time

A rip-roaring good time

It's not his vault

Glitch in the system

Should you play Borderlands 4?

Play it if...

Don't play it if...

Accessibility

How I reviewed Borderlands 4

Creative Stage Pro 2.1: Two-minute review

Creative Stage Pro 2.1 review: Price & release date

Should I buy the Creative Stage Pro 2.1?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Creative Stage Pro 2.1: Also consider

How I tested the Creative Stage Pro 2.1

Razer Blade 14 (2025): Two-minute review

Razer Blade 14 (2025): Price & availability

Razer Blade 14 (2025): Specs

Razer Blade 14 (2025): Design

Razer Blade 14 (2025): Performance

Razer Blade 14 (2025): Battery Life

Should you buy the Razer Blade 14 (2025)?

Buy the Razer Blade 14 (2025) if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

How I tested the Razer Blade 14 (2025)

OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro: two-minute review

OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro specs

OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro: Design

OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro: Performance

Should you buy the OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro

Nikon ZR: two-minute review

Nikon ZR: price and release date

Nikon ZR: specs

Nikon ZR: Design

Nikon ZR: Performance

Nikon ZR: also consider

How I tested the Nikon ZR

Of course Netflix's Wayward is brilliant, Mae Martin created it

Stick with Wayward after episode 1 – I promise the payoff is worth it

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Sony LinkBuds Open: two-minute review

Sony LinkBuds Open review: specs

Sony LinkBuds Open review: price and release date

Should you buy the Sony LinkBuds Open?

Buy them if...

Don't buy them if...

Sony LinkBuds Open: also consider

How I tested the Sony LinkBuds Open

Bluetti Elite 100: Pricing

Bluetti Elite 100: Packaging

Bluetti Elite 100: The power station

Bluetti Elite 100: Charging

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Bluetti Elite 100: AC and USB/DC

Bluetti Elite 100: UPS

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